As I sit here trying to write this blog, my mind and body are mush. Just added another 20-miler under my belt and I feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck. When I did this race last year, I swore I would never run again. I wanted to drop out of the Baltimore Marathon and sell all of my gear. It didn’t help that my husband allowed me to fall asleep with my legs propped up at a 90 degree angle on a wall only to wake up with stiff pretzel legs as my legs flopped over during my nap. This year, while the race was harder on my body, I don’t have those “screw running” feelings. Not having those 4 long runs leading up to today’s 20 miler really made it harder, but with a little help from my friends, I finished. It wasn’t a pretty finish and it wasn’t a strong finish, but I finished.
I had planned on going into all of the details about what I had for breakfast, what gear I was using, when I fueled up, etc, but I just don’t have the energy. I’m thinking of asking my husband to get me a bed pan so I can just lay in bed for the next three days.
So, I’m going to give some quick and dirty highlights:
– In the first three miles, we all had to pee and ended up popping a squat out in the open on the trail. Meghan had mile one, I had Mile two, and Kendra had mile three…30 feet away from the port-a-potty. When you gotta go, you gotta go.
– I consumed 1 Honey Stinger Waffle and 5 GU’s. One of the GU’s was old….VERY old and had chunks of something in it and I had to spit some of it out. In the process, I got some on my leg and because it was chocolate, it looked like I crapped my skirt…I didn’t…I swear!
– I felt good until Mile 15. Wanted to quit at 17. Wanted to puke at 19. Almost passed out at 19.75.
– Incurred my first blister EVER running today at the top of my ankle. I was trying on new shoe laces (next review & giveaway), and I seconded guess how tight I should’ve tightened them. I would’ve been fine if I didn’t make a last minute adjustment at the start line.
– Chaffed a little around the rib cage and on my back where my hydration vest rubbed. Bruised my ankle because my other foot kept hitting. I made a note to self to ask my PT why am I kicking inward…It must be a hip issue that I need to correct.
– We gave away a couple of Honey Stinger waffles to other runners who did not have enough fuel with them…as Kendra said…leave no runner behind…ever.
– There’s more, but these are the only brain cells still working at the moment. Stats are below.
Garmin Stats:
Miles: 19:80 (I HATE when I forget to start my Garmin after stopping it…UGH!!!)
Time: 3:54:41
Pace: 11:48
- 11:32
- 11:07
- 11:41
- 11:40
- 11:43
- 11:33
- 12:26
- 11:51
- 12:16
- 11:33
- 11:54
- 11:47
- 11:52
- 11:53
- 11:44
- 11:49
- 12:17
- 11:39
- 12:16
- 11:20
Official Race Stats:
Overall Placed: 250 (Out of 275…hey, I wasn’t dead last!)
Age Group Placed: 51
Chip Time: 4:08:18
Gun Time: 4:09:13
Pace: 12:25
For new runners – the official stats are what counts, even though it includes the times you stop to use the bathroom or fuel up. Some runners don’t stop at all, others walk through water stops, etc.
Next run: Recover run tomorrow…still need to get that lactic acid moving.
So What? I run. 