The Third Kingpin

The description of this week's Monday run from my training plan:

Five miles easy. The last of your three kingpin workout weeks. This is the peak week of your training: roughly 50 miles for the week with a 20-miler on Sunday. Rather than fear it, you should greet this week with near the same enthusiasm you will greet the marathon one month from now. But, for the time being, take it easy. Visualize yourself running the first 5 miles of the marathon course when discretion is the better part of valor. If you want to rest on Mondays, that is also not a bad strategy for the remainder of this training program.

When I woke up at 5:30am Monday morning, enthusiasm wasn't the sensation I was feeling. But after going to bed at 9:30pm last night, I awoke today in high spirits for the 16k (10 miles). Mentally, it was the best run I've had in awhile, which is good because I've been struggling. Physically as well. I rolled my right ankle last week and ended up simultaneously hurting my left knee when that leg took all the weight. And the running mileage has been long. I just completed my fifth month of training which is taking a toll on all parts of me. My knees feel fragile and my mental strength is wavering. I am counting on getting through this week (which includes a marathon pace half-marathon on Saturday, then 20 miles/32k on Sunday) and recovering well during the next three weeks' taper. I've never looked so forward to a taper.