I can’t stop eating sweets.

Which is weird, because I am NOT a sweet eating person.

That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy my ice cream from time to time, but I’m telling you every night after dinner I reach for the chocolate chip cookies my daughter and I made the other day, and I eat not one but a few of them. In a row. Like a mad woman. Sugar is my friend.

It must be the high miles.

I suck down gel packs as i run, but that is out of necessity. well, I actually kind of DO like them, though. Is that weird? I’ve heard people say how disgusting they are, the gel packs, but I don’t know, the caramel is great after 11 miles, the raspberry tastes as sweet as, well, sugar around mile 7. Give me a few of those and some water, a pair of shoes and three hours and I’m all about the long run.

Suddenly I can’t look at a piece of cake without wanting to stuff it down my throat.

I can’t look at anything without wanting to eat it, for that matter.

My husband said that calorie-wise you should take in your weight multiplied by the number 11 if you want to maintain your current weight-that’s for women; men multiply weight by 12.

My daily calories came out to be less than I burn on a long run.

Maybe that’s why I just want to eat, eat, eat.

As I type this, my stomach is growling. For dinner I had chicken, spinach and beans and rice, followed by, of course, two chocolate chip cookies.

I feel like I could chomp down a huge BLT right now, but I just finished dinner an hour ago.

Of course, there’s always that plate of chocolate chip cookies on the counter, just calling my name . . .

(My only worry? what if I keep eating like this AFTER the marathon?!)

So yesterday I did my 15 miler. I have to say, I was nervous going in. Not that any runs have been bad. I don’t hit that wall I’ve heard about.  I do hate the last three and a half miles, but it is an ugly part of the run , and I think that it deflates me mentally to head down the street, punch the walk button, stop at lights, inhale exhaust . . . you get the picture.

This Saturday’s run was awesome. I downed two gel packs, a bottle of water and some goldfish crackers-yay for goldfish! Easy to pack, easy to eat, taste great, less filling . . .

I held off on music until mile 11.5, which meant I listened only during those last 3.5 dreaded miles home. That was good. It seemed to go much more quickly this time around and I got a lot of thinking done.

My toes went numb-big deal if you have been following me, right?! Only this time just before they conked out for good-around mile #9.5, I stepped on a rock. Damn that rock! It hurt so bad I stopped in my tracks, doubled over, and almost yelled out in pain. I thought I saw stars. I mean, that mother hurt! I thought for an instant I would have to call my husband and have him come pick me up. Remembered I had $2 and a Starbucks was nearby.

Then, almost instantly, all pain was gone. I mean all pain in the toe area, gone, like that! I went from instant pain to instant bliss in 0.1 seconds.

I don’t know if the rock hit that nerve that goes numb or what, but it hurt, then it was gone, and I ran for about two more miles before feeling anything in that foot!

Oh, glorious rocks! One minute of intense pain and then several miles of pure bliss.

I have not had any dizziness from running now that I’m eating during the run and then immediately following. I came home on Saturday and had a bagel with cream cheese and a banana with peanut butter, then a bit later had a small snack. and of course, I had those goldfish!

Yay for goldfish (have i said this already?!)

So I am past my halfway point. i’m just two months out from the marathon. I’m going to do this! I really am!
Oh, but wait, i have to go 17 miles on Saturday.

HA HA HA.

I hit one milestone and then bam, this other huge milestone stares back at me.

Went to the shoe store on Saturday and bought my marathon shoes. Back to Saucony’s and glad to be home. Don’t know why I switched in the first place.

Now, off to bed. I have a 4:30 AM appt with the gym to swim and speed train, and a 6 AM appt with Starbucks.Work is busy, the girls are busy and we are busy, but would we have it any other way?

I mean, how can you be crazy enough to train for a marathon unless you are, well,  crazy?

Keep running!