hope in our hearts, wings on our heels

I set off for Chicago tomorrow afternoon, and it sort of feels like it's time.

After feeling overwhelmed earlier in the week, I've calmed down somewhat. I have been a bit preoccupied with a crazy week as I've tried to balance a healthy sleeping schedule with several early morning conference calls at work. I suppose the upside is that after this, the marathon might feel relaxing.

But mostly, I think my calm has its roots in my trying to have a better outlook on the race itself. Multiple people have told me that they think the race will be fun, and though they won't be the ones running, it's a good thing for me to hear. I ought to think of this as the grand capstone to my months of training instead of an obstacle.

After work today I went for my last training run, an almost comically short two miles. After some dinner I sat down for a viewing of Chariots of Fire to pump myself up for the weekend. I can understand if some might consider it a fairly boring movie, but it did win Best Picture back in '81. And some scenes give my goosebumps goosebumps. The beach running intro for sure, but also a segment three-quarters in, when Eric Liddell reads from the book of Isaiah over a montage of the Sunday Olympic heats:

Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no strength, He increaseth might. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

Sounds good to me.