Horrors From the Road

Hey homegirl--

I had a hell of an adventure myself. My final numbers aren't up. Are yours???

I hit the line a 2:57 by my watch. It was a freaking hell run for me.

I totally smoked it for the first half of the race. I hit the 5k at a 10 minute/mile pace and was at a pace of 11 minute/mile through the 10k.

At the 8 mile mark, all hell broke loose. I was turning the corner on base and I heard my hip pop. I pulled a hip flexer (which I had done before). It is just a nagging injury, but nothing fatal. But it hurt like hell. It took everything I had to keep going, but I have come so far that there is no way I wasn't going to finish.

So, as I am leaving base, there was a dude running and juggling!! Juggling?? You have got to be kidding me. I am doing everything I can to stay up and this guy is juggling.

The part that I am most proud of is that I ran the whole thing. Now, admittedly it wasn't fast at the end but it was running.

I was in tears when I hit the line too. Part exhaustion. Part pain.

Now, after the race is when my adventure began. I couldn't find Heather and I didn't have my cell, so I decided to catch the bus and head back to my car and have her meet me. As I was waiting my legs seized up and I was on the ground at 18th and Atlantic. Both of my feet were all snarled and my calfs had visible knots in them. I was just so dehydrated that my body was losing it. They called a medic over and he got me salt packs while I tried to foce down banannas and water. But try as I might, it just kept getting worse.

Luckily, he had a cell phone so I was able to call my wife. I was also lucky that I was a block away from a Subway. I knew that I needed to get more fluids in and water wasn't going to do it. I ate some of the snacks in the bag and kept trying to stretch. After sucking down a 44 oz tea, I finally felt alive enough to walk. But I was on the sidewalk for about 90 minutes.

I went into Subway and got another tea and changed. My clothes and shoes were drenched. We walked about 7 blocks to her car and she drove me to my car at the Ampitheatre. My legs were so tight and sore that I had to lift my legs to get into the car. She stopped at Wawa and got me some bannanas and an Atkins bar. I got in the car and we drove for sushi so that I could get some rice and sodium with the soy. And, of course, the legs are seizing up again.

I type this on my laptop while I sit on the sofa, which is my new home. I do not see a scenario in which I will ever want to get up. :)

I am not sure if I want to do another half marathon. As I mentioned at the start, our nutritional needs are so different from the other racers. I have never had a problem with a 10k and plan to keep running them, but this was (for all intents and purposes) running two 10ks. At a minimum I'll work on my pacing. I didn't know how much I'd need in the tank.

This was so different from a shorter race. When I do a 10k I am fighting my cardio limits to go faster. But on the 2nd half of this I don't think I was breathing heavily at all. It was the overwhelming exhaustion that kept me from running faster. My legs didn't want to move. Ugh!

I am so happy you made it too! Score two for the formerly fat kids!

Wow Blair! These marathons sound more like acts of torture than a fun thing to do!

You had your own adventure too!!  I think you are right about our nutritional requirements being different from normal people and our hydration requirem,ents are so much different. You had a really rough and dangerous time of it so I am glad that it turned out all right in the end but looks like you need to have a long rest..... hope your hip feels better too...

I am proud of both you and Jill for puting yourselves out like that but maybe the shorter marathons are more like what you should be doing....... or researching nutritional requirements for longer marathons - although I don't know if there is any research for people like us on that topic......

Well done!! And great that you did finish in a decent time too! You and Jill make us all proud!

Jackie

Wow, Blair!  Job well done...but I know you must be hurting.  My husband ran the Marine Corps Marathon a couple of years ago, and I know what shape he was in after he was done (and, as you know, he'd gone through months and months and months of training).  The marathons are brutal on anyone, but someone with, as you said, different nutritional needs...it has to be rough!  I'm so proud of you doing it, and so happy to hear that you are okay.  Sofa sounds like a good place to live on days like this!  Take care of yourself.  :)

What happened to your shoe tag?  Your results don't show you passing the 11 mile mark....

Ok...I don't feel so bad.  I was only about 35 minutes behind you and I had MANY potty breaks along the way.

I totally hear you.  I'm not sure how others are doing it, but I certainly cannot.  Like I told you yesterday, I am making an appt with a sports nutritionist, and after yesterday...I'm doing it THIS WEEK.  My concern is that they won;t know how to deal with me, either.

My brother-in-law, Russ (you met him yesterday) is looking at becoming a sports nutritionist after he retires.  We chatted yesterday that the bariatric community woul dbe a great market because we are not the only ones.

Don't know about you, but I slept and relaxed yesterday.  My legs really wanted to cramp up, but they were not going to - I was NOT having it - haha.  I got up periodically and walked around.  I took a small dip in the pool here at the campground and was in bed for the night by 945.

I feel good today - a little sore.  Taking today off, but will be in the gym tomorrow.

But, glad you made it through.  After seeing your results, I thought something terrible happened to you.

Like you...I may do another one next year, but as a walker.  Never again as a runner - haha.

Jill, Now that is what I call rough!! Most people would have turned back and decided not to bother but you have the determination that makes me so proud!

I am proud of you for finishing and so happy that you and your sister got to do something together....

Now make sure you rest and get your strength back...... my hero!!

Jackie

Jill glad that you are ok and that you were able to finish. I am so proud of you and Blair. I guess one of these days I will be able to do something like this.

Wow, Jill, what a day!  I am so glad to hear you are doing better, that you made it and feel such a sense of accomplishment, as well you should!  Marathons (and half marathons) are brutal on the best of days, but the fact that you did it so sick...hats off to you.  Take care of yourself now...as you well know, your body is going to need some time to recoup.  Congrats!  :)

Jill & Blair...I am so freaking a$$ proud of you two that I'm crying!!  Both of your descriptions had me on the edge of my chair, anticipating the outcome.  Job well done & you both are heros to us!  Thank you!!!!

HUGE HUGS TO BOTH!!!

You probably forgot to wear pink!

Seriously, glad you finished, glad you were with sissy, awwwww for Patrick being there for you, and really happy you're okay now.

And REALLY glad I have no desire to follow in your many, many footsteps! "Grueling" and "brutal" are the words that come to mind.

Nope....I wore my PINK badana - haha!