Taper Time Ramblings

As I approach the week and a half left to go mark, I am beginning to get excited and nervous. Do I have enough gels, extra socks, etc to make it to the finish? What's the weather going to do? All these questions. Did I train enough? Will I be fast enough on the climbs? I rest in the knowledge that I listened to seasoned runners and followed their coaching advice (thank you Rob, Eric and Steve as well as many others out there).
As I begin to make little piles of clothing and gear, trying to decided which bag for which aid station I want my crew to have this or that ready for me, I am thankful for all the help i have been given to even get to this point, the ready to toe the starting line point. Who would have ever thought I'd run 100 miles? I just ran my first marathon about 3 years ago. "What a long strange trip it's been." Albeit a great trip. I can't wait to find out all the things I have learned about myself over the last 9 months. Yes it has been a 9 month journey from the first time I felt called to even consider running Cascade. It has been along journey that my loving husband blessed and has endured. Many weekends with the kids while I was out training in the mountains or up at 4am and back at 9pm and he got all the kid duties...baseball games and swim lessons etc... Thank you Hun. I know I have grown as a person, stronger mentally, physically and spiritually through this journey. Next Saturday, the 29th it all comes to fruition. And as I look back after on the adventures I have had in getting there and in tackling the 100 miler, the lessons will begin to emerge and I'll know then who I am after 100 miles and why I was called to run the Cascade Crest 100 mile endurance run.
Until then, Grace and peace to you and a prayer request for me for peace, endurance, strength, health, and good weather!