The Hangover: marathon recovery

I've run the Chicago Marathon 3 times now, and each race has been a completely different experience. You can read all 3 recaps here, here, and here. Recovery each time has been completely different as well. After my first marathon, my feet hurt so bad, I couldn't walk on them the next day. Last year, I felt pretty good after my marathon. I went to work the following day and manned the sick clinic. This year, I took the day off following the marathon and I was glad I did that. It's like I knew ahead of time that I'd need it. While I was no more sore than usual after a long run, I felt hung over. Like I went on a bender all weekend and drank myself silly.

giphy.com

I didn't sleep great Sunday night, and when I finally rolled out of bed on Monday morning, I made my coffee but headed very quickly to the couch, where I spent most of the day. I had what I can only describe as the "heebie-jeebies"--the yucky feeling I used to get when I overindulged. I did overindulge, in a sense. On miles. 26.2 miles is really far. 26.2 mile in the heat is something else.

I worked hard at drinking lots of water and eating all the food. Once the heebie-jeebies subsided, my appetite returned with a vengeance. I was hungry--no, I was rungry. I had the runchies. Hey, I recently read that running doesn't increase endorphins as much as it stimulates endocannabinoids! Yep, you read that right. Runners' high, indeed...

Oh dear, I'm on a tangent again....

Back to my recovery story. As I replenished my depleted body, I began to feel more like myself again.

On Tuesday, I was greeted at work with this on my office door. My coworkers all congratulated me and indulged my retelling of my marathon glory. I do work with some awesome people!

But of course, the downside of going back to work is that even though I did this amazing thing, running 26.2 miles, I couldn't broadcast it to everyone that I saw. Oh, but I wanted to. Tell me this hasn't happened to you. I was so proud of my accomplishment, and I couldn't share it with anyone! Nope, I had to put on my professional face and be empathetic to all the families I care for. Because when they bring their kids to see me, it's all about them. As it should be. But I won't lie. I wanted to tell everyone. I didn't, but I wanted to.  I wasn't ready to stop basking in my post-marathon glow. Even though this was #3. It never gets old...

Don't you want everyone to know when you've accomplished something this huge? I wore my Chicago Marathon race shirt all day on Thursday, and when I was at Target, another shopper asked me where something was. When I told her I didn't know, she told me she thought I worked there because I was wearing a red shirt.

Oh, so humbling.

Here's the thing: You run a marathon, and you cross a finish line. All along the route there are spectators cheering you on, telling you to keep going, telling you how strong you look, calling your name (or "go USA", which is what I heard). Thousands of people volunteer to hand you water, Gatorade, sponges, what have you, and you take them, throwing the discards on the ground to be cleaned up by more volunteers. Little kids put their hands out to you and you high five them. You push the power buttons on every sign you see. When you cross that finish line, a volunteer puts the medal around your neck and makes you feel like you won the race. People congratulate you. Photographers line the course, snapping your every move. You are amazing. You are a rock star.

Oh, that finish line feeling....

And then you go back to real life. Where your family wants dinner. Your son's car broke down again. The dog threw up on the carpet. There's 6 loads of laundry to fold. No one wants to see your pictures. Your husband asks you to put your medal away.

That's when the real hangover begins.

Not the physical hangover like I described above. What I'm talking about is what happens when the soreness subsides. When the physical symptoms subside. There's no more goal to chase. No more training. No more planning. No more marathon. No more accolades.

And for some, there's reflecting back on what might have been a disappointing race.

Some call it the post-marathon blues. How does a runner beat that? How can a runner prevent feeling empty after the dust settles? What to do when the endorphins endocannabinoids go away?

-Bask in your achievement. Not everyone will understand your need to talk about what you've accomplished, so write a recap. Even if it is for your eyes only. I can honestly say that I've probably read my race recap 50 times since I've written it. It never gets old. I look back on Sunday and am astonished at how I ran that race. Personally, it seems like it was someone else's story! Re-reading what I wrote reminds me of how far I have come as a runner. No one is going to tell me that (except my coach). There's nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself. Look at your race day pictures. Even if you don't buy them, those pictures are another reminder of what you've achieved.

Chinatown. Mile 22. Still running.

-Analyze what went well and what went wrong. You should do this whether or not it was a great race or a disappointing race. There's always something to be learned and always something to feel good about, no matter how you did. I had that bad Chicago Marathon in 2011, and I was so upset with that race, I couldn't even tell people that I ran it. Hindsight is 20/20, and when I look back on that race, there was a lot to learn. There was also the fact I ran a marathon. In all my disappointment, I negated that achievement. It just took me a while to get over myself. If you had a disappointing race, don't beat yourself up too badly. Remind yourself that not everything during the race was under your control. And sorry folks, but no race is perfect. I bet even the winners have things they want to improve upon.

-Eat well and get plenty of sleep. This goes without saying but after you run a long distance race, your immune system is taxed, making you more susceptible to illness. This is your time to pamper yourself and replenish. Now isn't the time to gorge on junk food and all the other things you gave up during your training. Look at your recovery as mile 27--this is the final phase of your training.

-Don't rush back into running. Give yourself time to recover. Sure, you hate to throw all that fitness to waste. And you don't have to. Just go easy on yourself. According to this article, it can take up to 2 weeks for the inflammation in your muscles and 7-10 days for the cellular damage to resolve. Hal Higdon has a return to running plan you can follow (there's also a half-marathon plan). Seasoned runners can listen to their bodies and slowly return to running. While you are waiting to run, you can do cross-training activities--I did some yoga this week, which felt great.

Triangle pose stretches me out in all directions!

I also went out on my bike. Dare I say I rode leisurely?

Retracing my running route and taking in some of nature's glory!

-Sign up for another race. Not tomorrow, mind you. Once you've given yourself time to recover from the marathon, pick out another race to run. For fall marathoners, a Turkey Trot is perfect timing since those races usually happen about 4-6 weeks after most of the fall marathons. I signed up for a virtual 5k run the week after Chicago--I wasn't sure if I'd run or walk. I ended up running it slow and easy since my legs felt good.

Jumping for joy--that first post-marathon run!

I also have 2 spring races on the calendar, the Sarasota Half Marathon and the Big Sur International Marathon, so I have plenty of incentive to give my legs time to recover. I'm not planning on DNSing either of those. For the next 12 weeks, I plan on running easy. I may add some distance back in later this year, but for now I'm going to give these legs and feet a little bit of a break.

-Start tackling that "after the marathon" to do list. I already got my dog groomed this week, and I've been doing some purging of the piles of junk that accumulated all over the house. Yep, I fed my family and did the laundry. My medal is hanging up on my bedroom mirror. That broken down car? That's a sore subject. I think it's time for the junkyard, but my husband disagrees. Anyways, there's still a lot to do and now is the time to attack those tasks.

She got her haircut. Next up is me. We should have done a 2 for 1...

What do you do to recover after a marathon? How do you fight off the post marathon blues? Have you set any goals for races?

I'm linking up with Holly at HoHoRuns and Tricia at MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap! Check it out!

Book Review: Confessions of an Unlikely Runner by Dana L. Ayers

Dana Ayers is one of us. She calls herself a "back of the packer". A "casual" runner as opposed to a competitive runner. But like the rest of us, she's a runner. And she shares her experiences running a variety of races, from marathons to obstacle runs in very funny and readable book, Confessions of an Unlikely Runner: A Guide to Racing and Obstacle Courses for the Averagely Fit and Halfway Dedicated.

Well, heck, the title says just about all you need to know! Why haven't you read this book yet?

I downloaded my copy for free from Kindle. It was one of those Kindle Daily Deals. I figured, why not? And thought to myself, hmmmm, maybe this would be good for the book club.

This book was so good and laugh out loud funny that I would have gladly paid full price for it, had I known about it sooner. Dana shares all her experiences, the good, the bad, and the embarrassing. She sprinkles "pro tips" throughout the book, advice, wisdom, and motivation based on her experiences

Marathon training? She jumped right into a Team In Training for the RnR Country Music Marathon in Nashville. And asked herself, "what did I do?" She raised $3000 and ran that thing, that's what she did.

"Slower than Oprah, but right around Katie Holmes." 

Motivation for so many of us. Time to beat? 4:29:20.

Because I know that you want to know--5:29.
source: nydailynews.com

I won't lie to you. My first marathon, I so wanted to run a marathon faster than Oprah. My logic was, if Oprah can do it, I can do it, right? Except she had a whole team of people pushing her. My first marathon, I was not successful, but I did best Katie Holmes. Anyways, I did best Oprah last year and this year! Now I can sleep at night. But I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who had this goal. As a matter of fact, there were a lot of those "oh thank god it isn't just me" moments while reading this book! Dana chronicles her training and boy, does she sound like me with her logic and thoughts. There are plenty of mishaps...like the ripped yoga pants and the chafing that resulted from her quick repair of the rip...and you know you have stories to tell too!

Dana takes us through her Tough Mudder aka "paying to sign a death waiver". Which convinced me that I never want to do an obstacle race. I'm glad she did it for me. Kind of funny, because one of the bloggers that I follow, Janelle at Run with No Regrets is running a Tough Mudder this weekend and she listed one of her goals as "Don't Die". She has other less scary goals, of course, but the whole thing makes me wonder: why do we runners do this to ourselves? Dana's recap is really funny, though and really, what fun would it be if you played it safe all the time? You wouldn't be telling any good stories, would you now?

Of course, Dana participated in a Ragnar Relay. Because what runner worth her salt hasn't? Oops, that would be me. I'll live vicariously through my friends who've done Ragnar. Dana's recap is hilarious, and contains what is probably the best quote of the book:

"I thought that cheeseburger was really doing me a solid, but right now it's doing me a liquid.."

Something only a runner could relate to...gotta pick the right fuel! Although when the rungries hit, you'll pretty much eat anything, right?

She also talks about cross training, which she says (again like me!) that it has to be fun to be motivating.

"Pro tip: A perk of being a non-competitive runner is that you don't have to take cross-training terrible seriously unless you want to. Just do something besides running, call it cross-training, and then call it a day."

Love this! And by the way, she even tried CrossFit, where she assumed she get a tear-stained tattoo on her cheek after a successful workout. Kind of like a gang initiation, I guess...some do compare CF to a cult, so I guess she wasn't that far off...

Bottom line, Dana runs for the same reasons we do. Of course she runs for fitness, yes, but:

"It's (running) like the adult form of being rocked to sleep without actually having to go to sleep and without the awkwardness I assume would accompany asking another adult to hold me on their lap."

Moral of the story: You can be a runner too. And you don't even have to put on a tutu or get electrocuted. Unless you want to.

I really enjoyed this book. I found it motivating, relatable, and funny too! You can download it from amazon for 2.99, which is still a huge bargain.

Have you read the book? What did you think? Please share your review in the linkup below. Make sure you link back to this post by grabbing the badge below! Thanks again for participating! 

And don't miss next month's book! At the Chicago Marathon expo last week, I met Bart Yasso. He signed a copy of his book for me and agreed to an interview for the book club. When I asked him about his book, he was really self-deprecating about it all..."it's just a story about me and running, you know..." I've heard great things about the book and I think we will all enjoy it! Please feel free to send me any questions you want me to ask him--Yasso 800s anyone?

"My Life On The Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon" by Bart Yasso is our Book Club Book for November!

An InLinkz Link-up

Author interview: Confessions of An Unlikely Runner by Dana L Ayers

Have you read this month's book, Confessions of an Unlikely Runner by Dana L Ayers? Dana, a former blogger and now author, writes about her adventures and mishaps on the road and off. I'll be posting my review tomorrow, but first, enjoy this interview with this very funny and personable fellow runner. And if you want to learn more about Dana or read her blog, you can find her at dcdana.com. And if you haven't read the book, it's not too late to jump in! The linkup will be open for 2 weeks following the publication of the review. And comments stay open forever!

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TTLWH: I loved your book and your sense of humor! Any recently funny stories about a run or a race you want to share?

DA: Thank you! I guess the most recent mishap was a couple weeks ago. I’m coming up on the Army Ten Miler and, per usual, I didn’t start training as early as I should have. I’ve done 10-13 mile races before without really training much but I don’t recommend doing that so I try to be good and build up mileage beforehand. So a couple weeks ago I told myself I HAD to start to ramping up my runs. I set a mileage goal for a particular day that week to kick off my “let’s get serious” training.

The night I set aside for that first goal, I was wearing shoes that started giving me a terrible blister that tore on the back of one of my heels. But I was so determined to get through the goal I set that I just kept going anyway. (Like I mentioned in the book, sometimes I run if for nothing else than for mental reasons. I feel like I get to the point where I have to run - just to remind my brain that I’m a runner - before I fall so deep in the Lazy Hole that I never run again. This was one of those moments where I needed to prove something to myself mentally.)

I pushed it as long as I could and finally reached a point where I knew I needed to turn around and finish early. But I couldn’t stand the blister pain anymore and actually had to take off my shoe while I was still a good quarter mile from my apartment. I sheepishly had to limp past all my neighbors’ homes wearing only one shoe and looking slightly crazy.

But it didn’t end there. I was so angry that I still didn’t get to my goal even after trying so hard, that I then threw on flip flops and continued to run obsessively around the block until my running app told me I’d finished my goal. Tenacity - I have; discernment and sense of pride– apparently, not so much.

TTLWH: You’ve done all the big goal events—a marathon, a relay, a multi-day race, an obstacle race—what is your next challenge? A lot of people are doing ultras—I’ve heard that the ultra is the new marathon. Some of my friends are participating in triathlons. To both of which I say no thanks. What about you?

DA: Yeah, I don’t foresee doing an ultra either, but I definitely think I’ll do a sprint triathlon at some point. I don’t have a bike, though, so it’s not a near-term goal. (Well I do have a bike, but it’s a pink beach cruiser I found by my dumpster and while it’d be hilarious to ride it in a tri, I think I’ll wait until I have a “real” race bike). I’d also love to do one of those races where you run and then kayak or paddle board.

Honestly, my latest thing is ruck marches! I know that’s not really a running event, but they do include some running and it’s a great workout overall. I’ve done a couple with an org called GoRuck which is run by military special operations guys who take you through team-building endurance events that last anywhere from a few hours to several days. You wear a ruck sack (back pack) with weights in it and there’s walking, running, pushups, yelling – all kinds of things involved. Plus you get to work out with people who are so specially trained, so disciplined, and so patriotic – the military-loving side of me totally geeks out. It may sound terrible to some, but I love that kind of stuff and the energy is so great. People spur each other on and are really supportive – I’ve even seen people pick others up and carry them while running just to make sure no one got left behind. It’s refreshing to see that level of team work and it’s fun to push yourself like that.

And I just read that Ruck Marches are the hottest fitness trend of 2015! Who knew?

TTLWH: What was your all time favorite race and why?

DA: That’s tough! I love them all for different reasons, but probably either Tough Mudder or the relay events I’ve done have been my favorites. I love pushing myself in non-traditional ways so low crawling under barbed wire, climbing walls, and carrying logs while jogging around farmland in Mudder was fun. And the relays – with all the living in vans and no sleep and being part of a team like that – nothing else really compares to those experiences.

TTLWH: What about all women’s events? What do you think about those? 

DA: I ran the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in DC last year and I loved it! Granted, they do allow men to run that too, but I kind of like the idea of having all women around you in a race. It’s that “Go, Girl Power!” sentiment. Women can be hard on ourselves and on each other so it’s nice to be in something where there’s this feeling that we’re in it together and we’re cheering each other on. I don’t want to do them all the time, but I like that they exist.

TTLWH: What is your weekly training like? How many days per week do you run? Cross train? What is your favorite backup plan for when you can’t run?

DA: Here’s where my former physical therapist and all the coaches out there are going to cringe. I’m very inconsistent. I know it’s bad, but some weeks my time and energy gets pulled elsewhere and fitness falls by the wayside a little. There was a period of time where I was consistently running five miles a day, five days a week, but that’s no longer the case. Lately, I’m doing well if I run three days a week, 2-3 miles at a time.

I tend to run more than anything because it doesn’t require much: no planning, no schedules, no car, no equipment – just throw clothes on and walk out the door when the motivation hits me. But I do love classes at the gym (spinning, boot camps, Pilates reformer, Zumba – you name it) and I love being outside for anything (paddle boarding, hiking, tennis, etc.) But I don’t consistently do any one activity, it’s more when I’m in the mood or when friends are doing something. Gym classes are probably my number one backup plan if I can’t run.

TTLWH: Treadmill. Yes or no?

DA: Normally, I’m a No. I probably hadn’t been on one in a year until last week when it was so nasty and humid in D.C. that I just couldn’t make myself run outside so I gave into the ‘mill. I do like that I can see my speed on them, but overall I just love being outside so much better. I feel more free, I have things to look at which makes the time go by faster, and I don’t sound as much like an elephant when I run outside.

TTLWH: Finally, what one piece of advice (besides reading your hilarious and motivating book) would you give a non-runner who is thinking about taking up running?

DA: Start slower than you think, don’t give up in the first 10 minutes -it gets better after that- and pay attention to how you feel after you run. That awesome post-run feeling of accomplishment never goes away and it only gets better the longer you run and the more races you do. (That was more than one piece of advice but I just can’t help myself- I really want people to try running!)

And that's advice we can take to the starting line! Be sure to check out her book. 

Dana L Ayers
photo: amazon.com

Do you ruck? Know anyone who does? Did you know that ruck is also a rugby term? When they call out "ruck over" it means for the tackled ball carrier to get the ball to one of his players. The things I learn...

Be sure to check out the book review tomorrow and link up your review! And if you don't have a blog, please share your review in the comments! Let's get the word out and help a fellow blogger promote her book! Sharing is caring....

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Chicago Marathon Race Recap: No Giving Up

 "I don't look at a marathon as a race. It's a 26 mile journey, is what it is." -Frank Abramic, 80 year old Chicago Marathon 2015 Finisher, after running his 17th consecutive Chicago Marathon in 6:26. Read his story here. 

That's his motto. Not a bad way to approach a marathon.

Here's mine.

Back when I was a staff nurse, we had to pick up extra shifts during the winter. We could do a 4 hour or an 8 hour shift, but most of us opted for the 4 hour shift. Dubbed the "princess shift", our motto was:

"You can do anything for 4 hours".

That's what I told myself Sunday morning. This was going to be a princess shift.

Not having a killer long run during my marathon training, I was a little worried about the marathon, and if you've been following me, you know I adjusted my goals. Originally, I wanted a sub-4, BQ race. Even though I trained with this goal in mind, not crushing my long runs during my training made me rethink that goal. I realized that going into this race, if I didn't achieve that goal, that BQ, I would have been hugely disappointed. If you read Sunday's post, you now know that the Chicago marathon is really fun. No matter what the outcome of this race, ultimately, I wanted to have fun. Heck, after all that hard work, I'd hate to throw it all away based on a disappointing race! So I made my B goal about having fun, with, of course, the extra goal of a respectable finish time. I mean, come on, this is overachiever Wendy talking here! I wanted to have fun, but I wanted to hold my head high. And finish with a smile on my face.

But even with my adjusted goal, my backup plan, I was really nervous. I don't know why. I think not crushing my long runs was messing with my head. Even with all the words of wisdom imparted to me by friends and my coach, I just didn't feel as confident as I did last year.

Becky gave me this to wear on my wrist with her mantra: "Good Vibes Only". Race morning, I wore that along with my lucky throwaway sweatshirt that has made it to every race this year! I also slipped the rock she gave me for last year's marathon into my waist pack--the one that said "Believe" on it.

Inspiration from my coach

My husband took me to the El station at 5:30. I sat next to a woman from Alaska who talked my ear off the entire ride into the city. She's done Boston, blah blah blah. When you line up for NYCM, stand on the top deck of the bridge because "everyone pees on the runners on the bottom" blah blah blah. Anchorage is "so boring" blah blah blah. There was another guy with her, whom I thought was her husband, but turns out was just another runner. He was from British Columbia, and we walked through Gate 1 together. Miss Alaska took off for parts unknown, so the Canadian guy and I got to talk while we waited for our bags to be checked. This was his third marathon, having run the Victoria Marathon twice. He was a super nice guy, and once we got through bag check, we had our picture taken and split up.

My Canadian friend and me. Baring our bibs. 

I checked my bag and lined up for the portapotty. Once I finished my business, I walked around. Although we had planned to meet for some pre-race good wishes, Sara texted me--she was going to line up in her corral and wouldn't have time to meet. We texted back and forth about the predicted weather for the day. It was chilly pre-race, but the forecast was for wind and a warm up to the 70s. I also heard from my tribe, who sent last words of encouragement. No one was able to meet me at Buckingham Fountain, so I asked some women who were stretching to take my pre-race picture.

A peaceful moment before heading to back to the circus.

I lined up with my corral and at 8:00 we were off. I knew from previous years that because of the tall buildings, my Garmin would be unpredictable. I wanted to use my Garmin to track my pace. But it went crazy, showing paces all over the place, and so I had to run by feel. Once we got closer to the lakefront, I was able to see an accurate pace, and I was running an easy 8:55 min/mi. I felt good and thought that if I could maintain this pace, I might actually achieve that A goal! Believe and you will achieve, right?

I fueled with Tailwind as I planned, 24 ounces/hour. When I stopped to refill my bottle, I also took about 6 ounces of plain water. At mile 8, I felt the need to pee. That never happens to me when I run, but I stopped at the portapotty. As I headed forward, I felt some cramping in my stomach and a little bit of nausea. I wondered if I was taking my fuel too fast, so I backed off a little bit.

I maintained my steady pace until about mile 14. My hamstrings started to tighten up, and when I stopped to hug my friend Karen, I couldn't catch my breath. I was trying to figure that out. The wind must have kicked up something that triggered my latent asthma and/or allergies. I haven't had to use an inhaler for a couple of years, but today would have been the day to pack one in my already overloaded SLS3 HiPZiPP (affiliate link). I started to run again. Interestingly, that shortness of breath didn't bother me as much when I ran, but every time I stopped, I had to catch my breath. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

Trying to catch my breath

As was the nausea and a migraine that was threatening to go full blown. By mile 16, I felt so queasy that I pulled out my secret weapon. As a nurse practitioner, I prescribe a medication for nausea and vomiting, and I put one of those pills in my waist pack every time I do a long distance event. I've never had to take it before but today I popped in my mouth and let it dissolve. I chased it with some Tailwind. I figured I couldn't feel any worse than I was already feeling, right?

The sun was really starting to feel warm and at mile 17, I finally put up the white flag of surrender and began to walk. Crap!

This would be my pattern for the rest of the race. I tried to run slower, but I still had to stop to regroup every mile. I felt a feeling of despair. This is exactly what happened to me when I ran my first Chicago marathon. Except, I reminded myself, at that race I started to feel badly at mile 8. Here I was at mile 17. I could finish this thing, even if I had to walk the REMAINING 9 MILES. Oh, hell no! I remembered calling my husband at mile 18 during that bad race--I wasn't going to do that. I could finish this thing and meet my B goal, right? I needed to stay positive. There would be no burpees. Not only because I was going to push on and finish, but because I didn't think I was capable of getting back up off the ground once I went down to do them.

There's motivation, right there.

After that little mental pep talk, I felt better and began to run again. I listened to my music. "No Giving Up" by Crossfade came on.

"There's no giving up now. Do you really want to give this all away? Can't you ever see things in a different way? Somedays. No giving up now. Such a beautiful thing to throw away. You should think things through. Over and over again. All over again."

and

"I know we have given. All that we can give. When there's nothing to lean on. Well, I remember this. All we make of this lifetime. Is always here within. And remembering that's why. We should never give in. "

And to think I almost deleted this one from my playlist. If I ever needed to hear this song, it was now. I will admit it's kind of screamy. But the lyrics were just the push I needed.

And so it went. I couldn't count on my Garmin, so I kept my eye on the clocks at the mile markers, knowing that I started 31 minutes after the elites. I was able to estimate my finish. And as long as I finished under 4:30, I would be happy. I pushed myself to run a little farther, a little harder.

Run, walk, run, walk. I channeled my inner Jeff Galloway. Sipped my Tailwind. Ignored my hamstrings and my feet, which were now screaming in pain.

Spectators called out encouragement to me:

"You got this!"(believe it or not, yep, I do)

"You look great!" (to which I shook my head) 

and "Go USA" (in reference to my shirt) 

Finally, I made it to Mt Roosevelt. The final sprint to the finish. That 400 meter run up a stupid hill to the finish. My legs found something that I had been missing for a while. A little surge of adrenaline pushed me up that hill and I flew through the finish line! 

Finish line, here I come!

Official finish time: 4:25:53

I felt a huge sense of euphoria, crossing that finish line. Because even though I didn't get my A goal, I got something more. This finish was a huge mental victory for me. I didn't quit. I didn't give up. I dug deep and did what I had to do. And I finished with a respectable finish time. One that I could be proud of. 

If the weather conditions were different, could I have done better? Probably. But I always think of that advice that my friend and Ironman finisher Sandy gave me back before my first marathon: 

"You have to go with what the day gives you."-Sandy, Ironman finisher

And that's exactly what I did.

On my terms. I haven't stopped smiling since I finished.  What a race!

Have you ever had to adjust your race goals based on your training? On race day conditions? How did you do? And how did you feel?

I'm linking this post up with DebRuns and Wednesday Word, which for this week just happens to be adjust. Who knew?

The Chicago Marathon: it's a spectacle!

Just part of the spectacle that is the Chicago Marathon expo

I'm recovering from yesterday's Chicago Marathon, and while I soak it all in (and soak my aching feet!), I thought it would be fun to share some of the many highlights of my hometown race, as well as a few of the lowlights.

Spoiler alert: There aren't many lowlights. 

Since I had a conference on Saturday, I took the day off Friday so I could head down to the expo for packet pickup. I'm not a big expo person, but the Chicago Marathon expo is such a spectacle, it deserves its own post. I was looking forward to shopping and picking up some fun memorabilia. But even more, I was looking forward to meeting my #vrb, Susie, from Suzlyfe. I love this lady. She has a wicked sense of humor and has kicked Crohn's disease to the curb. Lots of inspiration over there, and if you don't read her blog, you should.

Susie and me. I've got that death grip on her shoulder...

Clearly, I was nervous, though, not about meeting Susie, but about the marathon in general. I got off at the wrong exit and drove right past McCormick Place. Doh! Once I turned myself around, I found the signage for the parking garage to be really lacking, but I finally parked and headed in. I figured that Friday morning would be a great day to go to the expo, but shame on me. It was packed. And full of sensory overload. Loud, crowded, and over the top--it's hard to take it all in! But I found what I was looking for. Besides doing some shopping--I scored some awesome shirts, I met some famous folks:

I found SBS and chatted with her for a while. Really, it was like 2 old friends meeting up.

I met Bart Yasso, got a signed copy of his book, and an agreement to participate in our book club!

After meeting Bart, I decided to head home. I stopped to validate my parking ticket, and of course, I had dropped it somewhere. The woman at the booth told me it would be $46 to park without the ticket. Oh, hell no! So I retraced my steps. I found the ticket on the ground near the Runners World booth. After validating my ticket, I returned to my car. No car keys. Sh**! I went back to the expo and stopped at the parking booth. The woman barely contained her disdain when I asked if she had my car keys. I went back to the Runners World booth. Yes, they had my car keys. No, Bart wasn't there when I came back. Thank goodness. He would have thought I was a stalker at that point.

But I did spot Bart at mile 12 on the race course. Mingling with the crowd. He saw me, and we made eye contact. It could have been an auditory delusion, but I swear he called my name as he gave me the thumbs up...

After I left the expo, I saw that I had parked in a handicapped spot. Thankfully, I didn't get a ticket.

I missed the entrance ramp to the highway. Again, I blamed the signage. So I took a detour that traversed some of the marathon route. I spotted the blue line that was painted on the streets and smiled to myself. I would be running this in 2 days!

I finally found the street that took me to the expressway, and I made it home without mishap.

Even though this was #3 for me, the race itself was an amazing experience. I'll be recapping the race on Wednesday, but what put a smile on my face?

-getting hugs from my friends Penny and Michelle at mile 3, Karen at mile 14, and my neighbors at mile 18:

Karen giving me a pep talk at mile 14

-running next to Captain America and Wonder Woman; I got power from his shield,
-the cheerleaders, the Windy City Drill Team, and the drag queens in Boystown,
-the aid station volunteer who came onto the course with a gallon of water and asked me if I was ready to refill my bottle (I wasn't),
-the aid station volunteers who told me I was going to win the race,
-getting vaseline from the "nipple aid" station for my underarm chafing,
-the guy in the white unitard--which left NOTHING to the imagination; so not cool dude; thankfully I didn't see him on the course (altho I hear he hugged Marcia),
-the sample of Dude wipes that I received at the expo, I tested it and gave it 2 thumbs up;

Chase the link to the website--omg!

-Elvis serenading the crowd at mile 10-11,
-spectators handing out beer around mile 22 (I took a pass),
-the Goose Island 312 at the finish line (I didn't pass that up),
-the massive chafing on a guy who was wearing a costume. I passed him around mile 26, and he had chafing on his head and back. I wasn't smiling about the chafing--alll I could think about was the shower later,
-the energy in Pilsen (the Mexican neighborhood) and these guys dancing:

I never stop to take pictures, but I just love these giant dancing puppets!

-the sign that said "Love your stamina, call me",
-the runner with a prosthesis,
-the runner pushing a disabled person in a wheelchair,
-all the runners from other countries that were in the corral with me,
-my oldest son and his girlfriend meeting me at the finish line (this was my favorite part of the whole day!)

YES!

Stuff that didn't put a smile on my face:

-I didn't see anyone I knew before or after the race. Race logistics make it difficult to meet up. I exchanged phone numbers with so many other bloggers, but it wasn't going to happen.
-missing Marcia and Emily at mile 13--how did I do that?
-the wind and the rapidly warming temps; altho the wind did cool me down and pushed me up Michigan Avenue towards the finish,
-the runner who was down at mile 26, unresponsive, being resuscitated. Made me grateful for my Tailwind and that I decided to let go of my time goal,
-the long walk from the finish line to the beer,
-the signs that said "if Britney survived 2007, you can survive this"--come on people, that was SO LONG ago,
-and the sign that said "don't sh** your pants. Ugh. I mean, sh** happens, but is that the best you've got?

On Wednesday, I'll recap the actual race. But in case you didn't already know it, the Chicago Marathon is not just a race. It is an amazing experience.

Have you ever run Chicago? What were some of the highlights for you? The lowlights? 

I'm linking this post up with Tricia at MissSippiPiddlin and Holly at HoHoRuns for their Weekly Wrap.

Friday Five: Motivation!

I didn't have a post planned for today but I'm jumping in at the last minute with the DC trifecta for a perfectly themed post as I head to the starting line of the Chicago Marathon--People Who Motivate Me.

I get asked all the time about motivation. What keeps me going, who keeps me going, how I keep pushing through those tough workouts....

Looking for answers on the run

My #1 motivation: Mental Health. It's no secret that I'm a pretty high-strung person. Some may even call me anxious. Well, let me tell you that I am a much calmer person when I run and workout. I started running in my 20s as a way to channel my nervous energy and I have never stopped. Running has made me achieve things that would never have been possible as the old nervous wreck that was me. When I saw Becky yesterday for my pep talk, the one thing she wanted me to know was how much I have changed throughout this year's marathon prep. In her words: "a 180 degree turnaround from where you started". Less anxiety leads to more confidence. Yes, please!

I don't want to let this lady down...

And speaking of Coach Becky, she is a huge motivator for me! I cannot thank my friend Karen, who owns the CrossFit box where I train with Becky, enough for connecting me. When I was questioning if I was going to be able to run at the level I wanted, thinking that I would just fade away as I aged, Becky has injected life back into these 50-something legs. If you've been following me, you know that I go from astonished to thrilled about my progress and performance. I have to tell you that this has been fun, and Becky makes me believe that age really is just a number. Now, if only she could do something about those wrinkles...

Dinner with my family made my birthday complete!

#3 would have to be my sons. Sure, they are teenagers and I embarrass them on a regular basis, just by virtue of being Mom. But I hear them talk about me and my running with pride. My youngest came home from a tough rugby conditioning workout and said to me "you could have done this one easily, Mom". Yep. I always said I never wanted to be that mom on the bench watching them have fun. I've been able to keep up with them, and that's been great.

The pope at my mom and dad's church?

#4 My dad has suffered from osteoarthritis since his early 50s, having his first joint replacement at age 55. He's had multiple surgeries since then, including both hips (which have been since revised), a knee, and 2 surgeries on his back. He's always been active, but not formally, and I am so determined to avoid the physical disabilities that he has suffered from. The good thing about my dad is that he pushes through the pain (with a lot of complaining) and keeps on going. He also has a great sense of humor, something I have luckily inherited from him. That complaining gene is also something I inherited...

with some of my wonderful friends

#5 My fellow runners and bloggers keep me on track. I read a ton of blogs, and I get so much information and motivation from all of you. As I revealed my angst this week about approaching the start line of Chicago Marathon #3, you've all been amazingly supportive and encouraging. I had lunch yesterday with 2 of my running girlfriends, and we all talked about the amount of support in the virtual running community. This is my thank you to all of you who have read my posts, commented, and propped me up when I was doubting myself. I hope to make all of you proud!

Lucky me to have all this motivation in my life!

Who motivates you? What motivates you? Check out this perfectly timed link up with the DC trifecta: Mar @ Mar on the Run, Courtney @ EatPrayRun DC, and Cynthia @ You Signed Up for What?

Tenacious

Tenacious.

The perfect word to reflect on as I finish my final preparations for this week's Chicago marathon. The final week of the taper is all about recovery and mental preparation for the race. 

What words come to mind when you think about a long distance runner?

Tenacious. 

Determined. 

Strong-willed. 

Tough. 

Persistent. 

Relentless.

As part of my final marathon preparation, I reflect back on my training. Those tough CrossFit workouts that Becky had me do were all about building physical strength. But she also packed in enough challenge to help me build mental toughness. Her goal is to get me through those tough miles at the end of the race. I never quit on any of the workouts she threw my way. I'm not going to lie and tell you that it was always fun. But in the end, I knew it would be worth it.

The running was a mixed bag this time around. I had great success with my speedwork--I was able to push through those tough intervals to achieve some really great splits. That was so gratifying! I also had a lot of good runs at marathon pace. My long runs were a little more challenging for me. I didn't do a great job with pacing myself--my training focused so much on speed that when I tried to slow down, my legs wanted to fly. As tough as those long runs were for me, I finished all of them but one. That was a hot, humid day, and my inability to slow down cost me. My biggest challenge for Sunday will be reining in those legs so that I have some gas left in the tank for the finish. I won't quit, no matter what. 

I am all of the above. I am tenacious. I am determined. I am strong willed. I am tough. I am persistent. I am relentless.

This is my pep talk. I may not be the fastest. I may not achieve my original goal (sub-4). But I will cross that finish line. I won't give up. I will feel strong.

And I will have my beer at the finish line.

See you on Sunday.

DebRuns hosts Wednesday Word and today's work is tenacious. Are you tenacious? Find out what everyone else says about this word.