Joy Ride

Tomorrow, I race.

Today, though, I'm going to run four miles or so, and I'm going to do everything in my power to really enjoy it.

Back in high school, on the cross country team, race-day eve was always spent with a quick, easy three miles. There was no need to push it. Then we'd go home. Practice lasted little more than a half hour.

Before I ran my first half marathon a couple of years ago, I treated my final pre-race practice as a celebration. I had completed the training plan I had set out for myself, and I knew I would be able to finish the race. That had been my chief goal. (It still is.)

I haven't been following a training plan for this race, but I have kept a good schedule the past month or so, and I feel like I'm in reasonably good shape for tomorrow's race. I also know that - barring injury - today's workout isn't going to measurably affect how I run tomorrow.

So I'm going to do four miles. And I'm going to do it with a smile on my face.