Marathon training, week 12

Ran eighteen miles today. My longest ever. The last three were ugly — shuffle-walking, talking to myself, bargaining with my legs. But I finished. Collapsed on the grass in the park and lay there staring at the sky, feeling my heartbeat in my teeth. A dog came over and licked my face. Its owner apologized. I said it was the best thing that happened to me all day and I meant it. Four weeks to race day.