2012 Brainerd Jaycees Run For The Lakes - I wasn't last! (Read 542 times)

It was 41F and overcast with a decent Easterly wind when I left the hotel for the race.

I opted to go with a long sleeve tech shirt with my short sleeve tech teee on top and my trusty old soccer shorts. I topped my head with a fleece cap and donned $1 pairof cotton gloves. I carried no food or gels, just some emergency TP.

The race started on time and we were off. I decided to stalk the 2:15 HM pace group. Miles 1-6 were pretty uneventful. I didn't feel fully warmed up until about mile 5. I let the pace group go a little at mile 3 and maintained about 100 yds between me and them.

At mile 8.5 I tried eating half a banana but my body wanted nothing to do with food. I kept pouring Powerade down and that was riding fine. Had to take a bathroom break at mile 10.

I reached mile 13 at 2:15.There would be no pacer from here and the closest runner was about 100yds ahead of me. I took a vanilla GU which rode very well at 14.5. The second loop was very quiet. Except for the short loop in the course I don't recall passing anyone and and no one passed me through 20. I cruised along to mile 20 in 3:30 and was feeling fine.

Going down a hill after mile marker 21, the trouble began. My left hip started cramping badly and for a short time I was unable to run up or down hills. The camber of the road between 22 and 24 was excrutiating to run on. My stride had also changed from the hip pain and I quickly rubbed a hole in the top of my toe on my left foot. I only noticed thid at mile 24 when the blood soaked through. During this troubling time between 22 and 23, the 4:45 pacer caught me and passed me. A few more more folks also passed me.

In the final 1.2 miles, I tried to reel in the guy in front of me who was also having issues. I was unbale to catch him but I ran with a hot poker in my hip, dragging my left leg along,  through the finish. I was hurting so bad from that final push that I couldn't put weight on my left leg for several minutes after finishing.

Final time 4:48:10

My feet are pretty much painful meat and my hip is still tender, even after a massage.

My wife asked me if I was done running now. That's funny. This was only the first of many to come.

Congrats on finishing your first!  Solid effort!

Thanks. It was worth the effort!

Saturday will mark 4 weeks since running my first marathon. I didn't experience the post-race blues . I actually suffered the blues immediately following my last 20 miler before the taper. I'm still smiling at my accomplishment.

 I've ruled out a 2nd full marathon in the fall. I think I'll volunteer at a race instead.

 I didn't run at all for 10 days following the marathon. I then only ran 8 miles in the next week. I felt so good I ran 20 miles last week. Now I feel worn out so I figure I jumped the gun and went too many miles too soon. I'm also plagued by tight hips and PF in my left foot which is completely new.

 I trained in the cold all winter and now running in the heat is really unpleasant. I used to prefer the heat over the cold.

 I think I'll bag the rest of the week. I've got a HM 12 weeks from Saturday so training begins next week. The HM training plan looks like a welcome break in mileage from full marathon training so I think I'll enjoy the reduced milage and do some active healing.