This is the jacket I got for volunteering at this year’s Boston Marathon - this week was the first time I ran in it…I loved it. I will be using it a lot for cold weather running.

I will be honest with you: I’m putting a lot of faith in the marathon training I did to help carry me through this half marathon.

This week featured a run on Tuesday, with strength workouts on Monday and Thursday.

I think the best way I can sum up the past few weeks leading up to today, the Boston Half, is this:

Just because my body can run a long distance a short time after running a marathon doesn’t necessarily mean it is going to want to run a long distance a short time after running a marathon.

Generally, what’s been happening on the runs I have done these past few weeks is after the dread and the slow going to get moving, things feel a little creaky for about 30 minutes…but then everything kicks into gear and feels great.

So I guess today I’m hoping that after about 30 minutes that happens and I spend around 2 more hours enjoying a run.

I haven’t been not enjoying running - everything is just a little more sore than it’s been for a while.

I think I know why - I often feel better when I’m running consistently.

And I think that’s because when I’m running consistently I’m stretching consistently.

So if I get off that running routine and I’m not stretching, things get a little tight and anything that has ever bothered me starts barking a little bit again.

Basically, I’m getting weaker, and I like staying strong. During marathon training I’m running and stretching about 4 times a week…and now I am not.

So we’ll see what happens after today - I’ll probably rest for a while, but that means things aren’t going to feel so great.

I’m going to want to run and work out the kinks.

And that’s when I start looking for races to train for to give my running purpose.

So that’s what I’ll be thinking about a little during today’s half marathon - it’s the last long race of 2025 (I’ll be doing a 5K on Thanksgiving too), but really it’s just going to be a nice long jog - which will serve as a way of getting the muscles worked up and ready for whatever is coming next.

Oh, and of course it will result in a nice little Distance Medley medal.