One Week...Can you feel the antcipation building?

The Offspring-Come Out and Play

Well friends I am one short week away from the marathon.  The training has been great and I feel more confident than I have in a long long time.  I have done a couple of workouts that have made me feel as though this is going to be a much different race than when I ran 8 months ago.  I had a little scare with a tight hamstring earlier this week, but that is now a distant memory.  My taper is going well and I am feeling it start to kick in.  My 9 mile run this morning felt like a walk in the park.  I can feel it in my step that I am ready to go.  This is my time.  2:19 for the marathon is what I need to run.  A solid 5:18 per mile.  Do that and I will have accomplished a goal that I never could have dreamed of 10 years ago when I began my journey as a runner.  I have come a long way since Paul Limpf the hockey player.  I am now Paul Limpf the runner, and if things go right, I soon will be Paul Limpf, Olympic Trials Qualifier.  Its incredible how things can change.  Growing up all I wanted to do was play hockey, now all I think about is running.

I have had a lot of time to think this past week on my runs and just time to myself.  This journey has had its ups and its downs.  It has had twists and turns.  In one week, my running world can change forever.  The beauty of running is that until you step on the line and go, you never know what will happen.  I have been to races  and been beaten badly, and I have gone to races and made people ask "who is that guy?"  I like the latter.  Its kind of exciting to be an unknown.  You don't have the pressure.  You don't have the interviews to deal with.  You go to the race and you do just that, you race.  Next Saturday is going to be a great day to race. 

I leave Thursday morning from Spokane and head on a direct flight to Minneapolis.  From there I will drive with my good friend Jennifer Houck and head to Duluth, home of Grandma's Marathon.  Friday will be a day of preperation and just calmly waiting for the race.  Saturday morning at 7:30 am Central time.  Or for most of you that will be reading this 5:30 AM Pacific Time. 

I hope to make you all proud.

Paul