15 Minutes before 12 Miles

It's amazing how much time it takes me to prepare for a long run. Even though I have everything layed out, I still fumble through the darkness and forget things. I've usually already logged a quarter mile up and down my stairs before my run begins! I told my wife that I had 12 miles this morning and she didn't seem impressed! Funny how our perspective changes when we start testing and exceeding our limits! She is very worried about me and is ready for this "whole thing" to be over with. I have lived inside my skin for 42 years and am not quite certain that I can just turn this "whole thing" off after I attempt to run 26.2 miles! It appears to be mid 60's outside and I am excited about what God has to say to me over the next 12 miles. I am running a route that weaves in and out of the city into the country. Even though I have ran further than 12 miles several time before - - -I respect the distance and KNOW that EVERY step could be my last. I understand that final line sounds like a bad line from a made for TV movie - - but I  DO understand that whether it is running, driving a car or just breathing - -our "last" ALWAYS has to come sometime.