For most of you, this past weekend included a 12 or 14-mile long run… and for many runners (especially those training for their ‘first ever’ marathon) you might now be asking yourselves, "Oh. My. Gosh. How am I EVER going to run 26.2 miles?"

Now, I'm not saying this question has crossed your mind—but there's a good chance that if it hasn’t, then at some point... it will.

It might happen after finishing a summer half marathon; or maybe after your 14, 16 or 18-miler... but at some point, you’ll likely say to yourself, "Can I really run any farther?"

And the truth is, YES… you really can.

And when your schedule calls for it, you DO run another mile (or two)—because weeks and months of marathon training have improved your strength and endurance to the point where those “one or two more miles” ARE inside of you.

All you have to do is reach for them.

Reach deep if you have to.

Or “dig deep” if it takes digging.

But they’re there.

And it's that strength (and the mental awareness that you have that strength) that will enable you to successfully complete your next long run.

But for right now—at this point in your training—please… DON’T think about running 26.2 miles!

If you're running 12 miles, think about running 14. If you're running 14, think about running 16.

(So here’s what I do… for every 2-mile increase in my weekly long-run, I think of it as running “just one more mile out”... and I KNOW I can run “just one more mile!”)

And to those of you who have asked yourself, "How am I EVER going to run 26.2 miles?"

Oh… you will.

One mile at a time.

To that point, one of my favorite NIKE running posters says it best, "The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running."

(How perfect is that!)

Many, many thanks (again!) to each of you for ALL that you are doing to train and run and fundraise to support Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Keep training safe.

And (of course), keep running strong.

Always.

C.