4 Weeks

Boston is 4 weeks from today.  4 weeks.
I can't believe it.
In the blink of an eye, this winter has somehow zoomed by, even with the most miserably cold temperatures and seemingly never-ending amount of snow storms and polar vortexes that have come our way, one after the other.  I am so happy that spring is knocking on our door, finally!  That we are seeing glimpses of the season really contemplating the possibility of sticking around for a while and saying "see ya later!" to Old Man Winter.
I will not miss him whatsoever.  I kind of want to give him a big old kick in the butt as he leaves.
This training cycle has been extra-special to me for lots of reasons, one of which because it's taken more guts to get out the door for my runs.  It's taken more commitment and more ooomph to rise up to the tough workouts than it does for me to get out there in the summer and fall months.  I'm a warm weather girl at heart.  Winter is not my favorite time of year, by any stretch.  I believe I would be very happy with maybe a week-long winter.  Just one week of beautiful, gorgeous, sparkly snow.  Then it could melt as quickly as it came and I would be fine with that.  I don't think such a climate exists in this world, but it would be pretty much perfect in my mind.  The rest of the year I would take the other three seasons happily.
We have survived and even thrived.  Thank goodness for treadmills on those icy, single-digit degree days and for lots of moisture-wicking layers and hand warmers for those dark cold mornings on the trails.  Thank goodness for my friends, more than anything, because they have been with me through it all.
The birds are starting to sing again and the trail is peppered with runners, bikers and families.  Without a doubt I am starting to feel an extra pep in my step, and I will carry that lightness and gratitude with me all the way to Boylston Street.
4 weeks.