eighteen.

There are certain things that they don't tell you about before you start training for a marathon. That you will lose toenails, for example. Or that 'Body Glide' is a necessary running accessory, because you will chafe. Where will you chafe? Oh, that is an extra special surprise (note: anywhere you really really don't want to chafe, you will). Also, the importance of the bathroom. Before and after. Crucial. This small little detail can break you as a person if ignored.

Yes, a marathon is a mental exercise in strength, perseverance and damn pigheadedness. After 10 miles, it is your mind (or rather, your minds ability to get the hell outta your body while you are torturing it) that gets you to mile 16, 18 and hopefully 26.2. That .2 is the bitch...I just know it. Nobody has to tell me that...I met the bitch that is .2 at mile 17.8 last week.

But let's not forget the physical...physically, you become a slave to the boyfriend that is the marathon. You eat, sleep, drink running. And when you are not eating, sleeping and drinking for it...you are talking about it, going to the bathroom for it, having early nights for it and bandaging it. Anything that goes in, or out of, or on your body is for the marathon.

My feet will never be the same. My beautiful, perfect, soft feet are no more. And you now what?! Fuck those feet...those feet were for pussy's! I have new, kick-ass feet that can run 18 miles. I have feet that WILL run 26.2 miles.

4 weeks until the marathon, and to date we have run over 200 miles. We've lost toenails, had bloody socks, sprained an ankle, been nauseas, had leg seizures and eaten like men. I say we, because running a marathon is not a solitary sport. I simply could not do this alone, nor would I want to.

139.2 miles to the finish line...