Week 16 of 16: Time to slay the dragon ...

"I love the whole marathon experience. I love that you pour yourself into something, beating your body until it can't take any more, and then you rest, and wait, and wait, until you are completely recharged and then there is just one final 26.2 mile trial ahead. I feel like I am about to slay the dragon that I have been preparing the last four months to fight. And then in the end you just get out there and take your swing."

Ryan Hall, a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team, before his debut marathon in London, April 2007. It was the fastest debut marathon ever by an American-born runner at 2:08.24.

I was going to title this blog entry "Final Thoughts," but that sounded too much like something that would be the last thing I would write on this side of heaven. Then I remembered that quote from Ryan Hall, which I shared with the Team In Training group that I coached for the 2007 Rock n' Roll Marathon in San Diego, and the same race where I knocked off 22 minutes from my previous marathon best -- a huge margin that I know the Lord had a major hand in helping me achieve ... along with using my friend, Joe Florin, who took me through the first 7 miles in a nice, steady pace that set me up for the rest of the race. We all slayed our dragons that day!

This week hasn't been so bad because I've been kept busy by getting a lot of work done at the office at Cal State San Bernardino so others won't have to worry too much about picking up my slack. That, along with packing, with the distraction of my San Diego Chargers dropping to 2-3 for the season (yikes!), keeping an eye on my diet ... the list goes on ... and thankfully, too!

I did my last 10-miler on Saturday in Long Beach with the GK Heroes run team ... they'll be running the Long Beach International City Bank Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K run (three events) and a bike ride, also on Oct. 12. I did an easy 7 miler on Monday, and have a 4 to 6 miler planned for Wednesday evening. The last run will be early Friday in Chicago, a 30 minute shakedown run with Orly Bisquera, who is my host along with his wife, Eunice.

One thing that totally rocks is that one dragon is on his way down -- in flames, too! That would be the $2,300 fundraising goal, which would provide Gawad Kalinga the funds to build one home for a family in the Philippines. We are just a few dollars short of that goal, with $200 on the way via U.S. Mail. Praise God for that! So even if we go over, at least that will provide starting funds for another home. And, remember, it's not just a house that is being built, but a community that will one day be self-sustaining.

A huge thank you to all of you who joined me in the cause! Your support means more to me than you will ever know!

And it's still not too late to give. If you are feeling led to donate, please go to the fundraising page by clicking here.

So I'll fly out of Ontario on Thursday morning and arrive at Chicago's Midway Airport by 3 p.m. that day ... pick up the rental car, and figure out how to get to Orly's office so I can bring him home. Friday, after the a.m. run, will be the foray to the race expo, where we pick up our race numbers and timing chips, and all the cool freebies that these events have ... and maybe a souvenir or two. The expo is not too far from the finish at Grant Park, so we'll probably head over there just to get a mental picture of what coming over the bridge and making the left turn to the finish will look like.

For the curious (and early risers), the race will be webcast live at UniversalSports.com's marathon page, which you can reach by clicking here. The coverage begins at 9 a.m. EDT, which would make it 6 a.m. PDT. If you miss it, they'll replay it later in the day. Doubtful that Orly and me will get on camera, but you never know.

You can also track our progress via e-mail or text messaging. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has a page where you can sign up and have them e-mail (or text message) you our splits during the race. To sign up, go here and follow the prompts.

Other stuff ... that cold I caught almost two weeks ago went through me in a matter of days. All that orange juice and Coldbusters at Jamba Juice, along with a couple days off, did the trick. That little nagging inflammation in my Achilles tendon also has calmed down, and I'm really thankful to the Lord for that one! It's still a little stiff, but nothing compared to what I was feeling a couple weeks ago. Still, it's pretty rare that I go to the start line 100 percent ... as in 100 percent with no minor dings and stuff. But I will line up in the best shape so far. And whatever happens, one way or the other, that 26.2-mile dragon is going down. I know I have a fight on my hands, but I'm pretty sure I'll come out the winner one more time.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

The waiting is almost over.

Oct. 12, 8 a.m., Grant Park in Chicago.

Game day ... game on!

Chicago Marathon 2006
ChasingKIMBIA



Season 2
ChasingKimbia
Ben Maiyo talks about Chicago 2006 and lessons learned, how to mentally approach training and other things.



chasingKIMBIA.com is a blogumentary documenting the lifestyle and training of some of the world's best marathon runners. Season One provided an unprecedented vantage point of the highs and lows of professional running as seven athletes prepared for the Chicago and New York City marathons. Season Two brings even more excitement and deeper coverage to the sport as we travel to the training camp in Iten, Kenya where the athletes are preparing for the Boston, London, and Rotterdam marathons. This is your backstage pass. Follow the journey at www.chasingkimbia.com.