Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Not Quite According to Plan

Finishing the Houston Marathon was just a landmark on my roadmap to IMTX. It was to be a celebration of the progress I've been making in my quest for weight-loss and fitness and a launching pad into phase two of my ironman training. Instead, it turned into quite a little battle in it's own right. Marathon training got interrupted four weeks before Thanksgiving when my appendix flared up and I couldn't run at all because of the pain... or a few weeks following the surgery once I finally got it taken out. That took me into Christmas and I officially had less than a month until the marathon. My goal of setting a pace quickly turned to "just finish". Believe it or not, I was making really good progress with my running partner. I was confident that I would have no problems finishing. I had cranked out several 12-14 mile training runs with no problem, and I wasn't having any issues with my joints. I had been struggling with some achilles tendinitis and decided to take the majority of the week prior to the marathon to rest and rehab before the run. I had no idea how much rest I would be getting. Two days after my best and last long-run, I came down with the Flu. I struggled through the fever for the rest of the day at the office on that Tuesday, and then spent the following Wednesday thru Friday in bed with a 102+ fever. Saturday I decided to venture out of the house and pick up my race packet and T-shirt. I had no expectations of running in the race. It was supposed to be rainy and cold the next day and I simply did not have the strength. But if there's one thing a pre-race sporting goods expo can do... it's pump you up. I decided to show up and support my buddy and maybe even jog a little bit with him before heading to the house. Well... like a jerk... I got caught up in the magic of race morning and toed the line with him. We approached the half marathon turn-around point and I told him I would see him at the house... no... I didn't pull out of the race... He went to the half marathon finish and I ignored all reason and headed out on the Full marathon course. No, I was not feeling in top form, and no, I had no idea what was in store for me after that. I am pleading temporary insanity brought on by a nice case of Flu-hangover for that decision. The endorphins were pumping, there was still a huge crowd, and I just kept thinking, it will be over before you know it. The first 20 miles I finished in 3:15... That was better than I had hoped for. I was moving right along. I figured I could start mixing in some walking at the aid stations and slow it down to a 10 minute mile pace and I would finish well ahead of my 4:30 goal. Not any sooner than I had made that plan... my gas light went on and I started running on empty. Every muscle in my body decided to cramp at the same time, I could see and feel my knees swelling, and my body wasn't responding to anything I was putting into it. I could not even manage so much as a shuffle. I could only walk. The most crowded portion of the race route, the home stretch, was lined with people cheering on the runners. That's when most people pick it up and jog it in... the pain was simply too much. I was starting to feel embarrassed, but I was scared that if I ignored this pain I may screw my knees up to where I would have to take the ironman of my calendar in May. I walked every inch of that last six miles and it took me two hours and ten minutes to do it. My finish time was 5:23... marathon fail. I got pwned. Here's the finish line video... I'm the big guy on the right side of the screen. I managed a sad little version of a jog in order to cross the line. So... now... three days later... I only have a slight limp from the soreness, and I have a LOT of work to do. I need to switch my focus to my biking and get in many hours of quality pool time. Here's a quick rundown of my training obstacles so far: tonsillectomy... back surgery... snake bite... hit by car while biking (separated shoulder and "near spinal cord contact in neck")... appendectomy... Flu... The worst has got to be behind me now... right?