This is it. One more shakeout run before race day. It feels like just yesterday I entered the MCM lottery, hoping for the best but bracing for disappointment. I was over-the-moon excited when I got a text from my bank with a debit notification for the exact amount of the Marine Corps Marathon registration fee. I screamed with joy and jumped up and down in my living room with an incredible amount of enthusiasm. And it’s been an amazing experience since. All the MCM training, the workouts, the hydration and nutrition, the whole shebang.
My MCM training has gone really well overall. I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs through this training cycle but I’ve enjoyed it for the most part. Yes, I’ve slogged through the summer heat and humidity. Yes, I chafed in places no one should have to hear about. And yes, sometimes it was brutal. But I also enjoyed countless sunrises, encountered lots of wildlife, and gotten to run in some incredible places this summer. Was it tough? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
My Top 5 Moments of MCM Training
1. Receiving the text that my bank account was charged the exact amount of MCM
This was hands down the most exciting part of training. I mean, duh, right? But I’ve literally never been happier about something in my life. Okay that’s a stretch. But you know what I mean. Like I was legit jumping up and down in my living room. It was a great day.
2. Convincing Julie to run MCM as a charity runner
This day was also really fun. Julie put in for the lottery but didn’t get picked. I convinced her she had to run MCM and when she finally picked a charity to join, it sealed the deal!
3. Training through the summer
We all know I love warmth, right? I hate being cold. It sucks. And yes, it was hot as monkey parts this summer at times, but it was epic. I really, really enjoyed training through the summer. Much more so than training through the winter.
4. The views
I mean, come on! When else do you see something as breathtaking as this than on a warm summer morning as the sun’s rising?
5. The long runs
The long runs are always the best. I ran through neighborhoods. I ran through parks. I ran a couple races to boot. Long runs are the bread and butter of any race, particularly the marathon, and they happen to be my favorite part of training. I may be crazy, but they’re really fun (even when they’re not).
To say that I will grieve the loss of my training will be an understatement. I’m very much looking forward to some well-deserved rest and relaxation, but I’ve truly enjoyed this training cycle and I’ll be sad when it’s over.
Thanks for joining us for the second Friday Five 2.0. Our hope is you’ll join us week after week for this fun new linkup. As promised, we have themes for November and December. Click here to check them out. If you choose to write off-topic, we just ask that you stick with the general idea of the linkup of “Friday Five.”
Don’t forget to come back on Monday — Laura of This Runner’s Recipes has an amazing recipe to share for Meatless Monday! Trust me, you don’t want to miss it. I’ll see you guys back here on Tuesday. Have a great weekend, y’all!
xo
TALK TO ME!
What’s one of your favorite half or full marathon training moments?
Do you have a mantra you use when things get tough on the race course?
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