The last long run....

Yesterday I ran my last "long" run before the half. I ran 12 miles. It was hard but good. I enjoy the fact that on my long runs I return home with a blank slate in my mind, so to speak. I can leave with all sorts of things running (no pun intended) through my mind. By the end everything has been thought through and I have a clean slate...ready to fill. I also enjoy the analogies I find between running and the Christian life. Inevitably they come into my mind as I run along. Example....iron sharpens iron. So true in our Christian walk and also in running...the crowd pulls you along in a race, moves you faster. The thought that kept hitting me (literally) yesterday was how it often seems the devil works harder against you the closer you get to Christ and to goals you are pursuing in your walk. The wind was like that for me yesterday. Which is why I said it was literally hitting me. The harder I pushed uphill the harder the wind seemed to blow and the nearer I got to home the harder and colder the wind felt. Does that make any sense?I also thought it was interesting that your muscles will complain as soon as you ask them to give you just a small bit more than you have ever asked of them. You KNOW (mentally) they can do it for you but they complain. However once they yield to your mental endurance those same complaining muscles will give you more than you expect and do it well. I marvel at how well designed God made each of us!And so I will begin tapering my runs after my regular run tomorrow. I will still be running but long will likely drop to 6 or 8 miles, moderate to 4 0r 5 and short will be around 3. They (the running "experts") say you do this so your body is well rested and repaired for race day. It makes me nervous....which "they" said it would. I didn't believe it when I read it but here I sit nervous about tapering....hmmm. See you at the finish line!