The decision to do this wasn't easy. I mean, initially signing up wasn't a big deal. At that point I was running high mileage regularly (despite it being the dead of winter.) It seemed like a no brainer. I had no doubt I'd be able to do it. I was training very carefully. I had learned from my mistakes of last year, so I increased my mileage very slowly and did everything by the book. That was why, when I was up to 17 mile long runs, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why my knee started hurting.
At first the PT thought it was something to do with my back, but when the pain became so bad I could barely hobble, he thought it might be something else and sent me to an orthopedic sports doctor. Who couldn't even fit me in his schedule for 5 weeks. So I rested for 5 weeks. I cross-trained and strength-trained, but I did not run for five whole weeks. The ortho guy thought it was a baker's cyst and I would be okay to run with a cortisone shot. The shot was WEIRD, but when I tried to run, the pain was still very intense--so bad I really couldn't do it. So then I got an MRI, which showed severe bone bruising, a precursor to stress fractures. He told me maybe I should think about training for a different marathon later on, because running that distance at this point would lead to stress fractures. This was about a week and a half before the marathon. I was so, so disappointed. I didn't want to start the training process all over again. I had spent months running in the dark through snow drifts with frozen fingers. I did not want to start over!!!! When I got home from the doctor, I got online to cancel my hotel reservations, but I just couldn't do it. I wasn't ready to give up my dream.
Luckily I have a lot of running friends. And one suggested trying out the Jeff Galloway Run/Walk method. I had heard of this--even bought Jeff's special little timer to tell me when to run and when to walk. This friend said something so profound to me. She said (or wrote, actually, on FB), "A marathon, especially your first, is scary whether you're in tip top shape or nursing an injury. The fear is normal. Don't let it consume you. Don't let it keep you from trying. All you can do is TRY. Do your best and then you will have no regrets whether you walk the whole thing or even end up doing out mid way. At least you tried. I'm so excited to see how this goes!!! And fully confident you'll walk away a marathoner. " I realized she was right. I was scared. I didn't want to fail. But I decided that no matter what I could walk it. I could do that much. I talked to the PT about it and asked what is the difference in recovery between bone bruising and stress fractures and he said nothing. Then he said (in an e-mail, so again I have the direct quote), "I can already tell that you are going to complete the race, based on me telling you that you can, so…good luck and don’t be afraid to do more fast walking than running." Mind you, at this point I hadn't really run in two full months. But I changed my thinking from "What if I can't?" to "What if I can?"
So, after questioning a few more running friends--I have a TON--the general consensus was the same: GO FOR IT!! I started to get excited! And then I got sick. Really, really sick. Eight days before the marathon I got the worst cold I have ever had. I couldn't even get out of bed for 4 full days. I was like IS THIS SOME SORT OF COSMIC JOKE?! I mean, seriously, it was like I could not catch a break!! I did everything I possibly could to get better--took more vitamins that I thought was humanly possible, rubbed essential oils all over myself at regular intervals, drank a cup of minced garlic (YUCK!!) and even rubbed minced garlic all over the soles of my feet and wrapped them in Saran wrap. I was desperate.
By Friday I was feeling better--still not 100%, but much better than I had been. We picked up the kids early from school and were off. We drove through a snowstorm in the mountains, but finally made it to packet pick up. I realized then that I just might have signed up for the world's smallest marathon. The packet pick up was not some big race expo. No, no, no. It was a few folding tables set up in the middle of the "town square." The very, very small town square. No big deal, though! It's not like I had anything to compare it to! Finding a place to eat dinner proved to be tricky, though. We finally found an Applebee's in the neighboring town. It wasn't what I had wanted for my pre-race meal, but there really wasn't any choice!
I didn't sleep well that night--to be expected, especially since two of my kids and my husband had now all caught the bad cold I had had--and woke up about 4:50 to start getting ready. You know--eating a meal replacement bar, taking vitamins, applying anti-chafing stuff, sunscreen, rock tape, etc. We left the hotel at 5:50. We left the kids there, asleep. When Ryan got back to the hotel, he found this note that Audrey had left them from "me." "Kids. I'm at the marathon. You can wach TV and play on your screens. Audrey gets the romote. Wish me luck!"
At the starting line, I realized that yes, I had signed up for the world's smallest marathon. There were 58 of us signed up--but I'm not even sure that all of those people were there. We were a small group. They didn't even give us timing chips!! When it was time to start the guy just said, "Okay, here we go. 3, 2, 1, go!" And we were off.
About 2 minutes into the race, I just had this overwhelming feeling that not only was I doing something I had wanted to do for a really, really long time, but that I was going to do it. Like I had no doubt in my mind that I would finish. I started crying a little, but then just started smiling. And I smiled the rest of the race. I was so happy. Giddy, euphoric, deliriously HAPPY for 26.2 miles. I kid you not. I don't know how else to describe it.
The race went great. Mile 4 had a killer hill. In all we gained 1700 ft. in elevation and I'm pretty sure most of it was at mile 4. But even after that it was really hilly. Not a big deal to me, though--I live in a really hilly area, so I was used to it. For the most part I was completely alone--just the way I like it. I did run with an older woman for a few minutes. It was her 97th marathon! But other than that, it was just me and the horses and the roadkill. I ran through lots of beautiful vineyards, along a river and past a nudist colony. (Didn't see any nudists, though!) Around mile 20 I think, I really started to notice my hips hurting, but I just continued on with my run/walk method (I did run 3 minutes/walk 1 minute) and it was bearable. Mile 22 was back down the big hill from mile 4 and that hurt my knee, but I was still fine to run! And that wall that people talk about? The one you hit and have to mentally break through? Yeah, that never happened to me. I was just crazy happy the whole, entire, time. The weather was ideal--overcast and in the high 60's. For fueling I did everything Isagenix style, so I brought all my own stuff, and it was perfect! I felt incredible!!
I decided to run the whole last mile--no walk breaks. About a half mile out I just got so emotional. I started crying--hard. Then, at the last bend before the finish, I saw my kids waiting for me and I really lost it! They thought I was hurt. I was just so happy!!! I was so grateful that I had been able to do this. We sprinted to the finish and I just buried my face in Ryan's shirt and bawled my eyes out. The after pictures are really embarrassing because I was smiling and crying at the same time. I was thrilled. I still am! I can't believe I did that! Especially considering I had to stop training at mile 17 two full months before the race! I did it!!!!
We drove straight to the hot springs in Glenwood Springs and soaked for a good 4 hours, which was wonderful. We got the race results that night and I couldn't believe I came in 17th out of the 30 women that ran! When I saw how small the race was, I was really worried I would be last. But I was just over half way!!! My final time was 5:24. Not speedy, by any means, but I was just hoping to finish!! I fully expected to be in EXTREME pain on Sunday, but I wasn't too bad! I'm pretty sure I don't have any stress fractures. I'm sore, but I can walk!! I can't believe that the recovery has gone this well!! I thought that I would be dying because of that two month break!! I should be!!
So, there is my report. Hands down, one of the very best experiences of my entire life! Such an emotional high. I loved it!!!! And no, for all that have asked, I will never do another one. :) At least I have no plans to! While I loved the actual race, I got really tired of the training for it! I felt like it was sucking the joy out of running. I'll stick with smaller races from now on. But I'm so glad that I faced the fear, embraced it and did it!!! I am a marathoner!!!
