20 miles come and gone

I spent the week in Minneapolis with my sister who is recovering from her SECOND surgery in TWO weeks. I've got to say, she is a trooper, and totally motivating for me, especially when pain in the last miles of a 20-miler starts to kick in. We were told by our coaches that we could take it a bit easy in the days before this big run. That was a really good thing, considering Minnesota was covered in new snow and ice. I walked the dogs, actually they kind of pulled me along on the ice, and only ran (if you call dodging ice running) one time. I got a little scared while out there, envisioning me in a cast watching someone else running MY marathon, so decided that I wasn't going to risk it.

The day before the run, I basically slept, ate, slept some more, partially due to the fact that schools were closed and I really needed to recover from the trip. The day of our first 20-miler was really perfect. 34 degrees, no wind, and some sun. Our group was smaller, more about that later, but we all seemed ready to take on the challenge. I'd like to say that the first 10 miles flew by, but they didn't. Our coaches slowed us down even more this week, and I have to say...
I think I could have crawled faster. Not sure I agree with this particular training technique.

Anyway, I felt like I was tripping over my own feet, and I was definitely stepping on the feet of others. It is really hard to shorten your stride enough to slow down that much. I was a mess. Then, around mile 10, my right calf muscle started to cramp. Not like a debilitating cramp where you MUST stop and work it out or be writhing on the ground in pain. It was more of a sore cramp that wouldn't work itself out. Strangely, it was kind of like the pain that comes AFTER a severe muscle cramp. I couldn't stop it, but could run through it. That's when I decided the marathon is completely a mental game. I kept thinking of the pain my sister lives with on a daily basis, and that I could go 5 more miles with a cramp.

By mile 15, several of us were just fed up with the pace and took off. Lengthening my stride seemed to make the cramping more bearable and we kept up the faster pace throughout the last miles. I'm all about doing the long runs more slowly, but when you can't maintain your stride and it feels absolutely uncomfortable, I think that's going to the extreme. The positive part of the training run is that my before and during the run eating/hydrating plan seems to be working! Also, I know that if I start out more slowly (within reason that is), I'll be comfortable enough to pick up the pace at the end.

Another new experience - the ice bath. When I got out of the car to walk to my apartment, I can't say that I was really walking. More of a shuffle/drag. I'm not sure what people were thinking of me at the time. My calf muscle was screaming, and I discovered I also had a huge knot in my lower back. Although difficult to maneuver, I did manage the ice bath, a shower and getting dressed (quite comical actually). My loving husband greeted me with a congratulatory hug and the best homeade club sandwich EVER. Turkey bacon and all.

On a sad note, two people in my group have had to withdraw from the program due to injuries. By now, we've become a group, and each person and his/her individual contributions will be missed.

As for the fundraising update...we are $100 from the required goal!!! Yay for many reasons including your support of me and the Whitman Walker Clinic, the money that will go to treat people living with HIV/AIDS, and least, but still important, my credit card that won't be charged :). You've all done such an awesome job, and I'm trying very hard to stay healthy, injury free, and motivated to finish 26.2 miles on January 29th!!!!!