Oh yes - that is the feeling I remember.

I did not realize I would be signing up for the Austin Distance Challenge until I realized I was already doing the first three races of the Challenge. May as well finish it up!

It was an amazing day for a long run. Twenty miles...the longest I have run since the NYC marathon in 2004. I thought someone beat me with a bat when I finished the NYC marathon. My black and white cookie was waiting for me thank goodness. I digress.

I had NO desire to ever run another marathon after having done 11 of them. I was good. I know there are a lot of nutzos that do marathons all their lives and do one every month. Not me. I was done.

Except now I am signed up for the Austin marathon. Have to. Part of the challenge. Yeah. Except now I feel like I should round up to 15. Shit. 3 more?

When I hit the 18 mile mark on Sunday during the Runtex 20 miler my body was wondering what that new feeling of 19 and 20 miles was. It was like my brain and legs actually knew the difference of 2 extra miles. I am now starting to remember what a marathon feels like.

The last 6 miles have always been the hardest for me. The first 6 and the last 6. It takes me an hour to warm up and I can feel the head trash beginning to enter at around mile 20. If I hear people speaking or much less breathing around me I get so pissed off. God bless the volunteers and the spectators but please resist the urge to make me feel better by saying "just around the corner" or "it is all downhill from here". I will always appear appreciative because they mean well but it kills me and makes me have really mean thoughts.

I think I do my best marathons, not times, just enjoyment factor, when I sign up at last minute. From 1999 to 2004 I was always trained for a marathon so I could essentially just sign up at the expo. I did that once, told nobody I was doing it, and had a great time. By myself. For myself.

I have been living in Austin for almost 4 years now, feel like I belong here, met some wonderful, caring, people that I will forever have in my life...as a memory and and lifelong true friends. The Austin marathon will signify this time in my life to accomplish the challenge, maintain my health and positive attitude and think about these things when that feeling at mile 20 hits. I will clean the head trash out with many reasons for finishing and completing yet another marathon. Yeah for me!