I have been running a lot of miles this winter. More than I expected to be, actually. I'm happy about it, of course. Regardless of snow, cold, wind, slush -- the more miles I run now, the easier the marathon will be in the fall. It's that simple. Not to mention, the high mileage has already paid off greatly, giving me a 1:31 half marathon that I would have never expected. Though, I do have to be very careful about doing too much. Overtraining is no joke and can really make you chronically lethargic. Ever so slowly getting the body used to a little more every couple of weeks is the key.

Regardless of how many miles, I think the one defining moment that makes a person a "runner" is when they have accepted that they will slip those running shoes on every time, even if they don't want to. There have been many days where I absolutely did not feel like lacing them up, but had to tell myself, "this is what I do". It becomes as normal as brushing your teeth or taking a shower.