From the Internet.
Speaking of which, thanks for posting this. Sometimes these "bad" race reports are more interesting to read than the good ones. I should have written one after my aforementioned mentioned HM but just didn't feel like it.
Agreed. Sorry to hear that you had a bad race but thanks for sharing with us. Definitely rest up and run easy for a while.
I actually was thinking about your race while I was running this morning - I'm 6 weeks out from my HM at this point, the first one I've ever run and training has been good but HARD. I'm tired and cranky and sore and I was just mentally not into it at. all. today.
Thanks everyone!
Happylily -- I thought of you out there and of a RR you did where you just walked off the course because you weren't feeling it. If that had been an option on Sunday, I would have taken it.
onemile -- That is what I should have done, for sure. You can't speed up recovery by pretending you don't need it.
LRB -- Thanks for the nice words. However, I do think this race is indicative of my failure to listen better to my body. As you pointed out, I knew this coming and I went ahead anyhow. In retrospect, I should have sat this one out.
WinP -- Yes, at least have have good memories of my marathon. The soreness was worth it that day.
Zel -- Those splits look eerily like mine. I hope you get your revenge at that race this year.
Jack -- Sorry to hear that things have been rough for you on the running front. I hope you are able to enjoy the scenery at Ave of the Giants, at least. It is a very majestic place.
Lauren -- I hope you rock your half.
Life is good.
Barking Mad To Run
I think we've all had a race or two like that, OOTB. Use it as a 'learning" session and then get out there and do what you know you have to do to make it right for you. I'm sure you will figure it all out and come back stronger than ever. And give yourself some credit for this one....you never did totally give up, you persevered and you did get to the finish line, so there is something in that! Don't be so hard on yourself...stuff happens!
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
MTA- My next HM was 3 months later and 8 minutes faster, with an off-course potty stop.
Boss.
I remember this one well. I always think that if Lily can post that one, there is no experience you can't share here. So thanks for sharing this one too. Sorry it sucked, no sugar-coating it. But you did have the race of your life in that marathon, and it seems that it really can take a matter of months to fully recover from such all-out training & the race. I am sure with some time you will find your mojo again. Good luck!
Dave
My guess is that it was a combination of both going out a bit too hard and the mental difficulty of trying to pick it back up once you slow down. That is insanely difficult to do. At least in races, if I feel like I need to slow down, I try to slow down just a notch (rather than several notches) and pick a point I can see down the road when I will deliberately pick up the effort again. That's kind of how all of the last mile goes in a 5K.
I'll also second the thought about extended recovery after an all out marathon. After my last all out effort in November, 2013, it was a couple of months before I felt fully recovered both physically and mentally and longer than that before I felt ready mentally to engage in hard training again.
I would note that it's not like you completely blew up. I have seen plenty of the splits from people who did blow up and this isn't it. Rest up and then get back after it.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).