With a little less than four months of training in my legs, it's time for me to go head-to-head with my goal of running my first marathon on Sunday.

I signed up for the Lakefront Marathon shortly after graduating from college in May. After spending the last seven years competing in high school and college 5-K races, I decided it was time to take a step up in distance running. I've done a few 10K races and one half marathon, but nothing longer than that until I started my training.

To be honest, as race day approaches I am getting a little nervous that this step up is more like a leap up. My dad, a marathon veteran, will run with me so I should be OK. Right?

I decided for my first marathon I would not put any pressure on myself to finish in a certain time. More specifically, I'm going for survival and the honor of saying that I have completed a marathon and one my life's goals.

I have received a lot of support and advice from fellow runners and experienced marathoners over the last four months, which has helped to ease my nerves a bit. Most notably, I had a delightful conversation with the race director, Kris Hinrichs, who offered me some useful advice and motivation.

I'm excited for the chance to run with my dad. This is a rare treat since he lives in Michigan and I don't get to see him that much. I'm also looking forward to seeing my friends and family in the crowd along the way. I hope I won't be grimacing too much, because I am pretty sure that will send my non-runner mother into a panic.

If any Lakefront Marathon runners read this and see me at the race, please come and say hello. Meeting other runners is one of the best parts of organized races. I suppose this is why I sign up for them and know that even when I'm feeling a little sluggish and other people think I'm crazy (which I suppose to run a marathon you have to be a little), there is a group of people who get why I'm doing this.