Post Marathon Recovery and Other Stuff.

I love to ask the more experience runners about their own little tips and advice and learn as much as possible through them and also through reading, blogs, books, etc. My long, detailed race reports are in hopes to help anyone out there with the same questions I've had prior to jumping into running my first 5K to my first Marathon. 

I thought it'd be appropriate to follow up on the post race recovery as part of the journey to my first marathon, and believe me, recovering from a Marathon is way different than recovering from any other type of race I've ever done. I really wasn't expecting the aches and pains that come IMMEDIATELY after.

First of all. Have you seen the massage tables they have available at the end of the race? Do not stand in line to get one. I repeat, DO NOT stand in line to get a massage after running a marathon! Since your muscles are so wasted and thorn apart it is not good that they dig in and loosen anything up and they don't. A good description of what they do to you is...."tickle" your legs and after laying down for 20 mins it will be very difficul to get up and walk and you don't need that on top of all things. Just keep moving.

Another thing I learned. Have a family member bring you a sweater or light jacket. You will need it as you start feeling the chills from your body cooling down. Better yet, just get home as soon as possible and change into something dry and comfortable. I didn't do either and was shivering like crazy after also staying for too long.

Also, you might have an upset stomach after. I don't know if it was all the GU I had ( I had 5 pkg) or dehydration, or both. But having some Pepto Bismol in hand would have been helpful.

One more thing. I heard that for some people it took up to 2 hours until they were able to pick up thier gear bags. I didn't take anything with me besides my Ipod and was so glad I didn't have to wait for a bag. So if you are able to, don't carry anything extra so you can go home as soon as possible.

Be prepared to be shocked when you look at your feet after finally being able to kick off your shoes. Have a needle,  a lighter and some alcohol swabs ready to pop those blisters! It can be very relaxing! Or maybe I'm just weird like that.

They next morning. Oh the next morning! Take your time getting out of bed. Be prepared to feel  very silly as you walk around your house like a penguin. Laugh when your small children make a game out of it and they too want to walk like penguins. Be prepared to have a set of two stairs seem like the stairs going up the Mayan pyramids. Laugh when you can't get in or out of your car. And look at it from the bright side, you'll be exercising your arms and abs every time you pull yourself up to get up from sitting down. Laugh when your kids jump on your legs, because screaming in pain might really scared them. Laugh when you go on your day- after- recovery- walk and people stare at you. Wear your medal so they at least have an idea of why you are walking like you have poop in your pants.

Clean your house, do your laundry, iron your family's church clothes, do your groceries, even make the next days dinner or have something easy to put together prior to your race day. You will not be able to do any of these the next day or two after the race, specially if your laundry room is downstairs. Even make arrangements to have someone come help you if you have that type of support system.


I am definetly doing all these the next time. Yes, I'm already thinking about my next marathon and the things I will do different to improve my time and experience both before and after. It will be sweet!

Happy recovery!


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Not just a race report. My first Marathon Report.

I'd been waiting to see if I could get my pictures off my camera. For some reason it's been weird and won't let me do it. So here goes another picture-less post. You'll just have to use your imagination.

I'll start with the last week of tapering. I have this book called "CHI Running" It's great! and I have been trying to apply it to my running for the past couple of years. It all  makes a lot of sense when you read it, like one of those things you learn about and think "Geez! Why didn't I think of that before?" I recommend it, go read it. So this book says that on day 6,5, and 4 before the race you should eat protein for breakfast and dinner and then days 3,2, and 1 before the race you load up on carbs, NO PROTEIN whatsoever.  And of course you make sure to drink lots of water all 6 days. So I did that. I had already been at rest  for the past 3 weeks, and did not want to risk taking a "brisk walk or jog" because I was too afraid to make things any worse. So I just concentrated on resting and icing my foot a lot. My sweet husband even suggested I took the week off  doing my house keeping chores to make sure I was as healed as possible for race day. Of course I gladly agreed with his idea! and limited myself to cooking, because we still had to eat :) The day before the race I took a drive of the course. Thank goodness my little girls fell asleep in the car and did not even noticed mom drove around for more than an hour. They were angels.

 I went to bed late, because I figured I was not going to be able to get a lot of sleep anyway. I think I got about 4 hours of sleep. Not only did I go to bed late, but I woke up at about 2:30 am and could not get back to sleep. In fact,  I'm not sure I fell asleep completely for the rest of the night, morning, whatever. It was one of those nights. In the morning I had a banana, and peanut butter on a toast first thing after getting up and very little water just enough to swallow some MORE ibuprofen. I stretched, got ready and jogged it to the Trax Station. I realized right away that the back pocket on my shirt was not going to work to keep all of my GU in it. It got very heavy and bouncy so I stuffed some of my GU in my bra and pants. Not a good idea. I finished with sores in my chest from the sharp edges of the packages, ouch! Not doing that next time. Trax was super packed! A lot of people, including me, had to wait a couple times before boarding because there wasn't enough room. I made it to the starting line just on time for the countdown. I was glad to have stretched really well while waiting for the train to come, or else.

Once I was there amongst the crowd the nerves seemed to go away. Maybe it was the fact that I had already been there a year prior when I ran the half. The feeling was definitely different. I was calm. The race started and I knew in my head what I would do to get me through 26.2 miles. I started slow. My strategy was to pace myself at 10 m/m for the first 16. After that I would take the last 10.2 miles two at the time, that way instead of thinking about 10 more segments to go I would think of 5 (of 2 miles each). And that's what I did. I took it one mile at the time for the first 16 miles. I made sure to check in on my watch at every mile marker to make sure I stayed on schedule.  A lot of things I read emphasized about not going too fast at the beginning or else you would be in trouble by mile 20 or so and I did not want that to be me. I tried to keep my pace down but for the most part I was coming in at 9.30- 9.45 m/m at every mile marker. I was feeling good.  My plan was to pick the pace up for the last 10 miles, but I could not get myself out of the rhythm I had already pace myself to and felt that if I tried I would soon run out of gas. I spent the last 10 miles trying to pick it up, but was never able to, in fact I slowed down and was then averaging between 10- 11 m/m.



About mile 19 I ran a couple of miles next to this very quite, unfriendly lady. I tried to start a conversation but maybe she didn't hear me or was too in the zone to talk. She was probably annoyed by me because I think she tried to pass me but couldn't. I was not trying to go at her same pace, I just was. Then this other lady came from behind and started talking to me. She must had been hitting a wall, we were between mile 19 and 20 by then. She was very friendly and tired.  I only knew that because she told me she was struggling and trying to keep up. Otherwise I wouldn't have know because she was all smiles. I stopped for water and she kept going. I didn't see her after that. Mile 20 came and even though I wasn't running the pace I had planned to I was feeling OK. Didn't hit a wall there, but I have to admit I wasn't feeling super great either. Then my dad jumped in from the sidelines to join me. He is such a sport. I could tell it was taking him some effort to keep up, but he never gave up and that help me to keep pushing too. He gave me a run for my money! And I really think he got me from mile 20 to 22 because right after I left him I started to feel the WALL ( dan,dan dan...). My younger sister joined me at this point. She wasn't going fast, but neither was I, and all I could think of was that stupid up-hill at the top of State Street. I thought it would be a good idea to save some energy for that. I slowed down for about a mile and then fell a little better.  At mile 24 a met with my other 2 sisters. One of them only stayed for a few blocks and the other, Areli (we are 1.5 yrs apart, me being older) stayed with me. She did awesome! She got me through that dumb hill cheering me along the whole way. I was very surprised at her level of fitness, being that she's not a consistent runner,  but she does run every now and then. Later she told me she was having a really hard time, but getting me up that hill and knowing how far I'd already come kept her going. All the while I never knew. She kept shouting and clapping me on and seemed just excited to be out there. Me on the other hand, not so much. That was my biggest WALL right there. Same spot as last year when I ran my first (and only) half. I wanted to just walk, and then I thought of Kim "Just don't think about it!", "Don't look up!" And that seemed like a great idea at the time. I lowered my head and just looked at my feet. One in front of the other. And then I was there, at the top. Aaaaaaah! Thanks Kim! And to my sister. I could not have had anyone better than her during those last couple of miles.

I started picking up speed as we passed the Temple and my sister was still there. I lost her right about the Energy Solutions and took off! Somehow I gathered enough energy to sprint through the finish line. I did not cry. I could SEE myself smiling. Yes, I said SEE myself. It was an out of body experience. It really was.

What I learned from this, and it's funny that running a marathon will let you see things in a different way. I was not expecting to come out of this wiser, I just wanted to run a marathon. So this  I got extra and for free. I learned that I can do hard things. I can prepare and be ready. I can start and follow through.  I will apply this principles to other areas in my life where I feel I fall short and not quiet accomplish everything that I can accomplish and be. All it takes it's one foot in front of the other. The same way in everyday life. Little by little, one thing at the time until I finish what I set myself to do. There!

Oh yeah! I came in at 4 hrs 25 mins 24 secs.

UGH! I just got done reading that post from yesterday. I must have been having a really bad day. My foot felt a bit sore, and I think that got me a little down. I've noticed there's been days when my foots feels almost 100% So I get all excited and start doing stuff like taking my little ones on a walk and cleaning all day, only to have a sucky day the next day. This has happen a couple of times. Yesterday was the day after a good day. I just can't stop all together, specially with my 4 and 2 year old. They are always on the move, and I'm right behind them. Anyway, I am trying to stay possitive, it's hard but I am trying.

So on a possitive note. I went to pick up my packet today! I wanted to go today so I could find the KT Tape sales people and have them tape me up TODAY, I found them! I don't know what I was most excited about, the tape or getting my bib and shirt. I've been using the tape I just didn't know if I was applying it right, I wasn't, but now I am! I have to say it does help.

Also, on being positive. From the very beginning I had talked to my sisters and asked to run part of the race with me, 2 or 3 miles and they happily accepted, they have been training for the past few weeks. I also have another couple of friends who will be running with me after mile 23, one of them just ran the St. Louis Marathon last weekend, also her first marathon and my other friend is also a runner, has ran a couple halfs, they will be bringing me home after mile 23. So those are things I am really excited and looking forward to. All along I've kind of had this time goal in the back of my head, now it's shifted to just finishing. I was watching "Spirit of the Marathon" yesterday, by the way I cried the whole time, and just realized that I might had taken myself too seriously. I'm no professional athlete, I'm not gonna win the race, so I might as well just relax and have fun, whatever that means, nothing about running 26.2 miles could be fun, Aaaaah!

Anyway, this has been a learning experience and I have not even run the thing. I'm sure I will learn a whole let after I get to check that one off my list. Ready or not, here I go!

Me, me, me, me, me........

Wednesday, and two days to go.  I have a huge ball of mixed emotions.  Not being able to run during the last three weeks is very discouraging, I'm doubting being able to do this. It was already scary enough venturing into the unknown strong and injury free, now with this it's like 10 times scarier. I don't want to do anything dumb, but then there's that part of me who wants this really bad that is willing to risk it? I've been thinking about a good enough reason to risk running this race and I'm not even sure I have a good reason to run this all together. We are planning on having a baby soon, and that was one of the reasons, a very selfish one "Let's have another baby, but first I need to run a marathon!" A little pathetic? Who does that? Maybe this injury is kind of my punishment for putting off bringing another soul into the world. What do I have to prove and to whom? It comes down to me wanting to do this, but again why? Someone told me dedicating their race to someone made all the difference. I've tried to think of someone to dedicate this to and can't think of anyone. So again, it comes down to ME. Selfish? Why do I have a hard time being OK with that? Why do I have a hard time with buying myself new shoes ( if I had bought them earlier I would have avoid this injury) Even paying for the registration fee, or sitting here resting my foot? Whatev's! The only good thing right now is that I get to eat pasta for the next three days!

BLAH!

This injury deal is so devastating! I kept from running for a whole week and finally felt better and thought I'd be OK to do 8-9 miles on Saturday. I met up with the group, they would be doing 15miles, I'd just turn around at the point that would give me my desired miles. Well, it did not quite go that way. I got talking to some of the more experienced ladies and one of them even suggested I'd do my 22 miler if I was feeling good. So my goal for the day went from 8 to 22 miles. I thought "I'll do the 15 miles with the group and then just 7 more on my own shouldn't be too bad" ....NOT! I was barely able to finish the 15 and only because I had made it all the way out to 7.5 miles feeling good. It was only after the turn around point when all of the sudden I started to feel VERY sluggish. I was not in pain,  definitely aware of my Achilles, but not in pain. So I ran the whole 15 miles, VERY SLOWLY.  I thought maybe the fact that I had not been running all week long was the reason I felt so sluggish. I made sure to ice and stretch my Achilles all day, and I'm actually doing good there. The bad news is that something else came up! AAAAAH!  I didn't feel it during my run until later that day. I've researched it and it seems that I might have a small stress fracture on the bottom/outside of my foot, my other foot! GRRRR! I'm so frustrated! I want to run!  I still want to keep going! I hope I can keep going! Definitely going to go see the Doctor and hoping he will tell me it's not a stress fracture and that whatever it is, I will be better and ready to go in 2 weeks.

Now, if you excuse me. I'm going to go be depressed about my feet falling apart on me.