1 day

I'm here. 20 hours from now, if all goes well I should be crossing the finish line. That's right, I'm projecting 3:30, but I'll be happy just to finish.....and under 4 hours. I feel excited and nervous. I barely slept last night think about 26.2 miles. I've been perusing stories of inspiration and motivation in running magazines and thinking about my own story; how my life has changed and what a role running has played in it. Jesus. I'm starting to tear up.

Okay...get a grip.

But this IS truly emotional for me. It's been almost a year since I quit smoking, drinking, and started to run. When I put "run a marathon" on the list, I really didn't believe that it would come this soon. In this year, I've become a better person. I feel that running lead the way in that process. It has given me a new lease on life in everything and taught me how to overcome adversity. Life has presented some pretty strange and difficult challenges to me and I realize that I could've taken a very dark path but running in many ways saved my life.

It has also become one of my best friends and shown me the true beauty of my surroundings. The beautiful old houses of Ontario St, silent snowy mornings on the Red Mile in Calgary where I touched the Saddledome for good luck while my bandmates/Canucks fans slept, rediscovering all those great Ontario bands while running through the trails of Thunder Bay, feeling in the presence of God himself along the Seawall, the beautiful and challenging hills and fjords of Norway, feeling like Terry Fox on the highway from Cumberland to Courtenay, building my leg back to full strength in Las Vegas, exploring Copenhagen and Stockholm from a runner's point of view, running along side my brother in my first race (however briefly.....Go Frey!), and solving the problems of the world, well mine anyways, by putting one leg in front of the other.

I truly give thanks on this thanksgiving weekend for the ability to run and for all the wonderful support from my friends and family.

2 days

This was shaping up to be a frustrating week. I layed off one week since I felt the pain in my calf, so basically Wednesday to Tuesday and then went for a short run from Granville to Oak and back. Not bad. I could feel my calf a tiny bit, but I think it had kind of healed. So, the next day I decided to go out for 20 minutes or so. Got about 10 minutes into it and got the f#$#ng side stitches again. Ok....don't panic.....you didn't eat much today.....no gatorade or water or anything......it's probably just food.

SO...

Today was the true test. It was to be my last run before Sunday. First I needed to fuel, so I walked down to my little indian restaurant (i thought veggies and basmati rice would be a good carb up). On the WALK down, I could feel the side stitches. Jesus. I ate up and then went home and put on my duds and hit the street.

Nothing for about 10 minutes then my RIGHT side started acting up which was strange, it's usually my left. I switched up the breathing and after 15 more minutes, I was running injury free. Bring it on Victoria, I'm coming for ya.