Nope, no sasquatch here - it's only me.

T-minus 17 days (AGH!) until the Marine Corps Marathon...and although I've done my training including a 20 miler (and 22 miler this weekend) I feel REALLY pensive about the big day...am I ready?  I should be...but I don't feel as though I am...every time I think about it, I feel a little surge/jolt of adrenaline...and an "oh boy - what did I sign myself up for?"...

 "...crawl if you must, just never give up." -Dean Karnazes

I suppose I've just gotten used to the training aspect of an event...so I just "do", then get to the race and have a good day just soaking up the energy and comraderie.  But now that I'm doing something a tad more difficult...and unfamiliar...yikes.  I am not worried about finishing - I'll make it there even if I have to crawl...I'm more worried about meeting any of my goals (4 hour finish - 1st goal; 4:15 hour finish - 2nd goal; 4:30 hour finish - 3rd goal) - and about my hamstrings seizing up.  And there's the ever present issue of my feet...which have been great thus far...except that when I run a bit faster my toes really hurt.  There's enough room in the toebox widthwise...but I think the real problem may be...the shoes...are a 1/2 size...too small.  This, my friends, is a PROBLEM.  You see, I was blessed with an average height, but above average sized hands and feet. 

I'm fairly convinced I stunted my growth somewhere along the way, or my brain failed to send out the "STOP HERE" message to my hands & feet when my body reached 5 ft 5 inches.  So, if palming the basketball meant automatic greatness in the world of the WNBA, I'd be a shoo-in.  I'd also make a great clown - as my feet would fill out those damn clown shoes no problem at all.  And NOW it looks as if I might have to get an even BIGGER size shoe!?  (Ok, I'll pause for a minute to endure the teasing and jokes...right...now).

Anyway, I've been in denial for a while.  I mean, what kind of cruel joke is it that I have to go from a 10.5 to an 11?  Yes - 11.  The size most 6ft+ ladies wear.  So I might just have to resign myself to bruised toes and some loose toenails for at least until this marathon is over.  Then I might have to find another shoe that fits well...under size 11.  Or cut off my toes.