Can I just say...
waaaaaahhhhh!!!!
I am ready to cry and I just want my mommy.
My 20 miler did not go as expected--but now I know what to expect and what to work around.
On the good side:
**I FINISHED--in 4:05 even.
**My calf is behaving better this week than last--no serious kink to work out.
**Oh and did I mention, I finished.
**With my issues--the last hour was a 12 minute mile pace with lots of rest stops--apparently I run faster WITHOUT a watch (see below).
**And the best news--it's TAPER TIME
Doooo do do do __ do do ___ do do ___ dooo do do do ___ do do __ do do TAPER TIME (think MC Hammer, "You can't touch this")
On the bad side:
Uggggghhhh--where do I start...perhaps about Mile 14 when my lower back started killing me.
Then my GPS went out at the 3 hour mark/15 miles--I knew I should have changed the batteries, my estimate was off by an hour of how much life it had left. Minor issue compared to my HITTING THE WALL. I did carry batteries, but had no way to pry open the case--will need to find a pint sized just in case tool to carry along.
At mile 17--I was just ready to stop and break down in tears because my back was giving me issues (relieved by stretching at the water stops). I took Tylenol 8-hour at mile 14...I need to figure out a way to anticipate pain--because it took about 4 miles for it to kick in. Now mind you it still hurt, but just not in the I'm ready to cry kind of way. Don't worry--it isn't an injury--I think I will have to go to the chiropractor on Monday (ongoing issue) and work with him a plan leading up to the race--I might just need adjustments BEFORE the long runs and that can help. Coach thinks that my tendons on the front of my leg were probably causing an issue (I dont' think they were)--and that as the body is tiring out, it will slowly go into improper form which caused the back pain (in other words, my body was anticipating pain in the front and leaning forward to prevent it, thus becoming a royal pain in the ****).
And now I feel like I am going to be sick--mostly because of all that GU and the two frosted Christmas Cookies I ate post run after my PB&J.
My whole running thing was fine--but I HIT THE WALL at the 14 mile mark in a different way than 3 weeks ago.
It's over--I now know what it feels like--and I'll get to experience it again at Disney. But hopefully, it will be a much nicer experience at Disney.
Okay--sorry for my lack of motivation in this spiel.
Lessons learned:
If you find that you constantly get some kind of pain through the race at a certain point (not the injury type of pain)...anticipate the mile and take your Tylenol 8-hour ahead of time--it takes about 30-40 minutes or so to kick in (for health reasons, the only approved med of the race--not supposed to take anti-inflammatory meds until after you are done b/c of physiological effects that can cause more harm than good--I AM NOT A DOCTOR NOR PLAY ONE ON THE INTERNET).
Hey I came up with something motivational....
It is a MENTAL game to have the courage to finish. In training and in the real thing. You have to assess if your aches and pains are truly just aches and pains--if that's all they are, then push push push while you train. You will probably have aches and pains on race day and if you continue to not meeting your training goals--then you may just be training yourself to quit.
If you have a persistant pain that gets worse as you go and is more injury related--then you have to back off...take it easy, take all the precautionary measures. Do as much as you are able to do. Don't push through it. On race day--PUSH as much as you can and hobble along as you are able.
The key to "is it a regular ache and pain--or is it more closer to injury/overuse pain": If you the pain is causing you to LIMP--then it is the latter, you need to slow it down if you choose to finish your training miles, or just cut the training short. If you are pretty much able to function through your efforts maybe at the same pace or a slower pace and the aches and pains are just persistant little buggers but not getting worse as you progress than it is probably the former and you can keep on trucking.
I hope this helps--I couldn't end my whine-fest on a bad note.
Oh okay--I did 20 miles, yes I can....
Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!
Okay--have a great day!
Good luck, everyone!
I do look forward to tapering after Christmas. My last long walk before my Niagara 1/2 was 9.5 miles 2 weeks before the race, and that worked great for me. And the farthest I had gone prior race day was 11 miles a few weeks before it.
