I am back from my two weeks of travels, family and friends. Last night, I completed my first run of Week 13. This Sunday I will run 16 miles, then the next Saturday I will run 18. Finally, two and a half weeks from now, I will run either 18 or 20 as my final long run of marathon training before tapering. Lots of work ahead, but the good news is I have company for the long runs! My running buddy has to run 9 miles this weekend, so she will join me for more than half of my run. Another friend who will be running in the marathon but lives out of town is coming up next week to run the 18-mile distance with me. Just knowing I will have company on these runs restores my confidence. I am a natural introvert… but 3 hours is a long time to be running alone!

Let’s see… another update… last week I went to a local running shop and got fitted for new shoes. I’ve been a solid fan of Mizunos for the last year, but with the increasing mileage, I started to feel the need for a bit more support. I am enjoying a pair of New Balance shoes, and also experimenting with Superfeet. My running buddy also picked up some new shoes, and we broke them in last Thursday on a relaxing trail run (mine are the white ones on the bottom):

Besides preparing for upcoming long runs, I am finishing up a load of projects at work and anticipating the buzz of activity that normally occurs each September when the school year returns. Speaking of fall, it’s been breezier in the evenings and very pleasant for runs after work. Looking forward to the cool temperatures again!