With one week to go before Marathon Monday the challenging aspects of training shift from the physical to the mental. Anyone who has run a marathon knows how long (mentally) that last week can be. All the physical training is done. The only physical benefits to be gained come from resting and eating well over the next week. Crushing last minute workouts has no place in these final days. However, there is still time to prepare the heart.

As Sara and I were sitting and chatting before my last 90 minute run yesterday (Monday) morning, we were talking about the heart that I want to have during my race. A heart that is free from all worries, completely trusting God's goodness, connected to Him. Sara reminded me of another good word we received months earlier: "Run the race like you can’t fail." I knew as soon as the words trickled from her mouth they were exactly what I needed for this moment.

So often there is the temptation to over think race strategy. We want to have an exact race plan that will be carried out exactly how we have visualized it. It's not that planning is bad, one should be prepared for whatever lies ahead, however there comes a point where we are over analyzing and putting more confidence in having to execute the perfect race strategy then trusting in our ability to respond to whatever is thrown our way. Freedom, in terms of a free-flowing race strategy, can be scary. It's scary because we have to let go of control. However, the benefits of freedom are great. It allows flexibility, an open mind, an open vision, an open heart to whatever the day may hold. It gives us the opportunity to receive the moment to the fullest whether or not it is the perfect race day or pouring rain. I encourage you to let go and run free and run like you can't fail!

Today as I was out running the last 20 miles on The ING NYC Marathon course I felt like I re-learned a very important lesson and fulfilled my purpose for coming to New York City this week.  I was having one of those days where I was tired and my run wasn’t going as well as I hoped.  All I could think about was how off my body felt, how tired I was from getting up at 5:30 am, how hard it was for me to navigate the city roads and traffic, how I wished I was back home in the forest. Really I was reaping frustration because I had let my heart become too self-focused.  As I ran along, God was telling me this is what it is like to be running with an inward focus, but it doesn’t have to be this way.  Though I heard Him, it didn’t make it from my head to my heart until after the run, as I lay on the massage table, still irritated by the morning, God impressed on my heart, get outside yourself.
 
It’s ironic that I am writing about lacking an outward focus less than two days after Sara and I launched our foundation, the Hall Steps Foundation.  Its goal is taking small steps towards the marathon goal of ending poverty.  The vision for the foundation came from one of my personal heroes, Mother Teresa, who said, “I can do no great things, just small things with great love.”  Out of this quote our slogan was born, “small steps, great love”.  Marathoners know best about taking lots of small steps towards accomplishing a seemingly impossible goal, whether it’s to break 2 hours or 8.  Through the Hall Steps Foundation our aim is to encourage runners to take their own “small steps” by focusing outside themselves on others both in their community and around the world living in poverty.
 
Yet, despite my excitement about starting this endeavor and belief in its mission, somehow I had lost focus.  This morning I woke up with the wrong perspective and forgotten my life and running is not all about me. I had forgotten that the truly special moments that I have experienced in running are all when I was outwardly-focused.  When I set my mind on God and praising Him through my running, thinking about my wife, family, and all those who I love, and remembering the people I am impacting a positive force in my running and is how God designed me to ideally function.  The more I reach out to positively impact others, the more my motivation and focus changes when running.  After visiting Zambia with World Vision in the fall of 2008, the faces of the kids we were to bring clean water to became burned in my mind’s eye.  I often go there when I am hurting on a run finding new strength that I couldn’t find in myself. 
 
The goal of today’s run was to preview the last 20 miles of The ING NYC Marathon course, but I accomplished so much more than that.  I learned an important lesson about what enables me to really fly: focusing outside myself by focusing on others I love.
 

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Part-three of an exclusive five-part series, Ryan Hall discusses setting his marathon PR, American marathoners emerging as true contenders on the world stage and how sticking your own race plan is key for success in the marathon.

Thanks to all who of you who have been keeping up with me on my blog during the lead up to yesterday's Boston Marathon.  It was a great experience to run in the oldest continuous marathon in the world and my podium finish proved my training is heading in the right direction.  Under the guidance of Coach Terrence Mahon, we feel a win at a Major Marathon is definitely in my future.  Every race provides me with lessons which I will take to the next one and soon you will see me on the top of the podium.

Aside from the race itself, there were many memories from my first Boston experience which I will always remember.  One that will always stand out is being on the mound at Fenway Park.  I've carried the baseball around with me since throwing out the first pitch and I even had it in my backpack as we went to the starting line yesterday morning.  The baseball is now one of my good luck charms!  Lastly, I want to thank all of you who lined the streets in yesterday's cold and windy weather to cheer on all of the runners as we made our way to Boylston Street.  You kept us going when the hurt started to set in especially in the last 10K.  

I look forward to my return to Boston next year!

Ryan Hall crosses the finish line at the 113th annual Boston Marathon in third place with 2:09:40.

Went on a 35 minute run this morning followed by some strides and drills so all the preparation for tomorrow's race is in the books!  Excitement continues to build so it was great to have Sara with me on the run this morning to make sure that I kept everything easy and not push the pace or intensity in my run or strides/drills.  All of my workouts for tomorrow's race could not have gone any better.  They were better than what I put in last year when I ran in London so I am hoping all will translate to a good run tomorrow.  Thanks to all of you for your kind words and prayers.  Now where did I put my singlet? 

Arrived in Boston on Thursday afternoon and was excited to finally make it to the city.  I'd put in the all the miles, tempo runs, drills, weight training, etc. and in 4 days I will be on the starting line for my first Major Marathon in the US.  Sara and I went for a light run with Coach & Jenn, had dinner at the Village, and then went to our room to unpack and get ready to call it night.  As I slowly unpacked my bags, I realized I had left my singlet (and other items) in Mammoth!  Had to give Ben from ASICS a call to let him know.  How dumb do you think I felt having to make that call? He told me not to worry about it and that he would have one for me by race day.  Never in my entire running career had I ever left my singlet at home.  This morning, Ben gave me my singlet so I am ready for the race tomorrow.  Glad I won't have to run shirtless; it would have been hard to figure out how and where I was going to put my race bib.