Midsummer Night Run

So last year I had signed up for this race to do the 15k walk.. But I had started to run with the tri clinic, and then had moved on to the 10k clinic so.. I thought that since I had managed to run 7km I should be able to run 15k... Just hold to the 10:1 strategy and if I need to walk and can't hold the run then so be it.. I would have given it my best...  I did manage to run/walk the whole thing with an average pace of 7:51.. But, that was last year...
This year I committed to the 30km distance as part of my marathon training.. AND I DID IT... I set my goal of 3:30 which meant an average pave of 7mins. I came in at 3:25 with 6:50 average pace... And I felt great.. The humidity did get to me and towards the 21k mark I was feeling lightheaded. I wasn't sure if it was the humidity or if I wasn't taking in enough nutrition... So I took more gel and Cytomax but then I started feeling full... So it was the humidity...  Eased up on the nutrition and stuck to the plan. At one of the water stations I filled up a bottle with water and added my cytomax to make my own drink - that meant no more walking through the water stations if I wasn't on a walk break. I knew that my pace had slowed - the legs were tired so I had to be sure to not lose my time!
Coming back towards the finish line along Lakeshore and seeing the skyline lit up at night was sooo pretty - that plus the memories of blading through that area almost made me miss living down there.. Almost...  Heading back onto Commissioner St. I passed the 28k sign and it hit me. Only 2k to go - where had the past few hours gone??? Seriously, did I miss a turn?? Nope.. Garmin in sync too..
Passing that last km marker it hit me that I had less than the distance to Mavrinac to run.. Then the massive smile broke out on my face.. Next thing I knew there were tears.. I was doing it.. I was running the last km of a 30K race..... HOLY CRAP..  Only 12 more km and it would be a marathon - I can do it on Oct. 2 for sure!! And I really believe I can do it sub 5!
So there's a sure sign of progress and I am getting better...  The swim is coming along nicely and I'm keeping  up with the boys in the lane - something I wasn't able to do...  I worry sometimes that I'm somehow losing fitness or that I'm missing something... But then I have these moments where I prove myself wrong and realize that it is all coming together... Thank god since Sept. 11 is only a few weeks away... Now that scares me............... Good scary but scary...........