I’m running every single day this year. Every single day. Today was Day 223.

I’m now into my training for the 2022 New York City Marathon. This is Week 4, my long run was supposed to be eight miles.

I did eight miles about 12 days ago. We’re at the beach right now, and I thought, “I ought to push it and try for a ten-miler.”

One of my favorite runs at the NJ Shore is to leave our beach house and run to the end of the Seaside Heights Boardwalk. I get to traverse the Lavalette Boardwalk on my way there and back too. That run, in total is about 10 miles. (The longer great run is to the Point Pleasant Boardwalk. That’s the run that lets me know if I am ready for the big day. That run, depending on how I get there and back is 16 to 18 miles.)

But, as I ran, I realized that I just might have a little more in the tank. I reached the end of the Seaside Boardwalk at about 5.35 miles. It was at that point that I wondered if I had twelve miles in me.

Twelve miles?

I decided that I did.

On the way back, I added a few extra streets into my retuning path. It wasn’t easy. It got warmer and warmer, but runners will understand that even though it was challenging, and even though my pace was slowing, I knew I had this in the bag.

And I did.

12 miles. 1:56:57. The last three miles were a little more than ten-minute-miles (my slowest was 10:10). But it was a good run. A solid run. A confidence-building run.

I’m now a few weeks ahead of schedule. I feel strong and able and great.

It’s all about pushing one’s self and setting new boundaries. It’s about going for it. It’s about reaching and striving and finding ways to go the distance.

And it’s about being pleased and proud of what we can and do accomplish.

We all fall short sometimes. That’s fine. Winners get up and try again.

I can’t wait until the marathon. This will be my 23rd. Yeah, baby.

I took a big step toward that goal today.

223 consecutive days of running.

Piece of cake.