Congrats!

Congratulations all of you Novices that got your 20-miler done! Ditto for those Intermediates already in taper-mode and only had to plod a paltry 12-miles! All of you looked quite well and Coach is proud of all of you in your progress.

The Run-Gods were on your side today, offering you very cool temps for the start, comparatively nice RH, no wind to speak of, and a lot of clouds to keep it even cooler feeling! I only add, that in the latter phase at ca 11 am, now with storms moving in from the E/NE, I had the privilege of riding-out and finding Rachel and Chrissy, my two "10-min gals" from last year, keeping the vigil and working through those aches that seem to crop-up after hours of running!

What you don't know or didn't experience was that after I made a fairly long stop at the Railroad History fair in Griffith at that mini-museum/park they have, I pedaled hard and fast to make up ground and catch back up with Rachel and Chrissy. All to the North, to the East, to the South and even way West of us were ominous towering cumulus that only signified storms all around us. But, where these 2-ladies were running underneath a "hole of blue-sky" with a nice touch of warming sun to bathe the body and muscles with a little warmth and boost the spirit with light! The hole in the sky followed them to the completion of their run.

This is an omen of good things to come from this training! That amidst the wall of towering, ominous clouds, we were running through a "worm-hole" to a finish just like we had planned and hoped for. Most of you didn't get to experience this natural phenomenon, but trust me it bodes well for your upcoming marathon. Just remember, when the "walls of clouds" start building around you, fall-back to that "hole-in-the-sky" or that "worm-hole" that you can run through and feel the subtle warmth of sun on your back (just like a turtle).

That last reference to "turtle" is what I spent many years of my career monitoring and/or studying. And, I know the greatest experience and sometimes relief, is to experience the warmth of the sun on your back. Go online and query about Native American legends and you will discover the answer to the beginning of life all centers on "Turtle Island." And, what came before the turtle? The answer you will find is only, "It's all turtles." Same with the marathon - be a turtle and enjoy the warmth of the sun on your back!

That's all for the congrats, the philosophy, and just keep an eye out from here on out on some other posts, some to inspire, others to remind you of things to keep cognizant of on marathon day and after you finish. Last, I will post something about weather and what to be prepared for, but don't look for that until 3-days before the marathon.

peace, love, rock-n-roll,

Coach Frogger,