I've been anxiously awaiting this 22 mile run. Not only was this my first 22 miler ever, I was using this run as my "test" for the marathon. I thought if I could do this and still feel good, that I'd be ok come marathon day. Well, the run didn't go as expected. I ate my standard pre long run dinner last night and got a good nights sleep. I did everything the same I always do. Woke up feeling pretty good this morning except for my back. It's been pretty bad this week, but I was determined to push through it. Starting off the run I think I had myself psyched out for the additional 2 miles I was about to run. For some reason, 22 felt like it was going to be so much harder than 20. Anyway, I ran through a slump and at mile 8 I snapped out of it. The next few miles I was feeling good! I was feeling strong. But then at mile 17 it all went down hill. My stomach started acting up and I didn't feel so good. Feeling like I was going to crap myself (sorry, not sure how else to put that), I stopped dead in my tracks and told Dave to go on without me. I walked for a minute, let the feeling pass, and continued running. At this point I had to go to the bathroom and my back was killing me. Compensating for the pain, I was throwing off my gait and wasn't picking up my feet enough. Then it happened. Around mile 18 I fell. Hard. It sucked. When I got up and brushed myself off, I thought, "my back is f'in killing, I have to go to the bathroom so bad and now my knee, wrist and shoulder are banged up and I have 4 more miles to go." Yup...this is when I started to cry. Only lasted a minute, but I admit it, I cried. But I regrouped, turned my Garmin back on (because of course the first thing I did when I hit the ground was to turn it off!!) and started running again. I had to stop a few more times along the way for fear of something unpleasant falling out of me uncontrollably, but I managed to finish. And despite all of that, my average pace for the run was 9:14, which is faster than I should have been running today in the first place.
So, I'm home and showered, because yes, I needed to after the "issues." And while I'm devastated the run didn't go as I would have liked...at least now I know I can still push myself to finish when things are rough. My runs have all gone so well, it was just a matter of time until one sucked.
10 comments:
Oh wow, I felt your pain as I read that. I have been there before. HUGE congrats on finishing! I have tossed in the towel before no those days. I think is surely showed something about your strength and will to keep moving. You'll destroy that marathon.
The costume will be from the movie Dumb and Dumber. I'll post some pictures.
Diarrhea, ch ch, when you're running down the street and you feel it on your feet, diarrhea ch ch
Hee hee!! Good job, Denise Crappy, oh I mean Claffey
I can't think of a better preparation for the full 26.2 when you've finished your 22 miles in THOSE conditions. Congrats!!!
When you're out for a jog and you drop a mushy log, diarrhea ch ch
((**Hugs**)) That really sucks, I hope you didn't injure yourself during your fall. Here is one positive - tough training runs sometimes are necessary - better now than race day. You will LOOVVVVVe Philly, and now you are trained. This will not reflect, only help your race day! Enjoy your taper and hope to see you in Philly!
Awesome job finishing. I think it was a good test to show you that you WILL be able to do the same for the marathon. And with all the extra adrenaline you'll have on that day it'll be a piece of cake! (ok probably not really but I bet easier than that run!)
btw- saw you're doing the Mardi Gras Half...have you already registered? Any thoughts on doing the full instead? That will be my first marathon!
Wow, what a run. 9:14 and you fell? Nice! Even more impressive is remembering to turn the Garmin back on! :)
Joe
www.fitnessgeekga.wordpress.com
Oh man, sorry to hear that you had such a tough run. But you ran it at a great pace and well, you did it!!!! But joyrun is right, you're going to do great in your marathon! You know the worst of it and now you're probably better prepared for THE run!
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