Two Weeks To Go.

Two weeks from today, I will be setting out on my 26.2 mile journey from Hopkinton to Boston. Nothing is easy about this being my second marathon. In fact, I find aspects of the training and mental preparations to be more stressful. Last year my training was quite difficult as a result of my injury. I had been diagnosed with iliotibial band syndrome, better known as ITBS. In short, it involves the band of tissues that run from the outside of the pelvis to just below the knee. The pain was a result of the continuous rubbing of the band against the femur during running, which ultimately caused inflammation. Although I prepared for the marathon last year to the best of my ability with this injury by icing, stretching, rolling out my leg, and attending physical therapy, I am currently faced with the same ITB issue today.

The discomfort I am experiencing is what I felt last year with four months to still train and nurture my injury. With only two weeks to go, it is safe to say I am extremely nervous and frustrated. I believe my frustrations with this injury stem from the fact that I am certainly not running this marathon for myself. In fact, I never was a huge fan of running. Swimming was always my main gig, but do not get me wrong, I have grown to enjoy certain aspects of running. I can best attribute this enjoyment to the simple fact that I am running this marathon for cancer.

During the marathon last year, I would pass bystanders who would actually thank me for what I was doing. I did not find my running to be anything exceptional and worth thanking me for, but with each occurrence, I was overcome with emotion. When you are running 26.2 miles, there is much time to think about absolutely anything and everything. I thought about the fact that each of these bystanders have been directly affected by cancer, whether it be someone they knew who fought it, or someone who has unfortunately lost their battle. So when I say I am running this marathon for cancer, it is for absolutely everyone.

So as I said earlier, my second marathon is not any easier. Of course my injury has provided with setbacks in my training and focus, but this is something I can handle. It is merely based on the difficult fact that there are more people this year than last that have been diagnosed with cancer or who have lost their battle. I am running for all of these incredibly brave people.

Running a marathon is hard. Fighting cancer is harder.

In just two short weeks, I will set out on my journey to reach the ultimate finish line: A World Without Cancer.