The Olympic Trials Marathon will be my third marathon, and I have to say I enjoyed the training this time around more than the other two build-ups. I am not sure it was for any one reason, but for a variety of reasons that came together and made for an enjoyable marathon cycle.

This time around, I was not training alone. I still did many of my workouts singularly, but I had teammates out there going through the same pain at the same time. That was certainly nice and encouraging. It can mean a lot, and be the difference between a good workout and just a mediocre one, to look up and see a friend working hard and grinding through a workout that is tough for you too. I know that I drew strength from my ZAP teammates, and I hope that they were able to derive some from me as well.

This marathon cycle was different and fun in that I got to experience a different training venue. ZAP moved south for the winter to FL and escaped the snow and ice in Blowing Rock. The change of scenery was really good for me.

However, I think that my favorite part of all was being slightly more aggressive with the training and my mileage. I did more miles than I ever have, and Pete, my coach, switched up some workouts. We added a few workouts with slightly more emphasis on speed that we haven't done before, but also added some workouts that were longer and forced me to focus differently. I enjoyed being pushed out of my comfort zone a bit and finding that I can handle more than I would have thought.

I am excited to race in Houston! I know that it is going to be tough, but it will be fun to mix it up with the best and see how it all goes down.


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