My Marathon Story

Have you ever wondered what if feels like to run a marathon or getting ready for one?

Well I am going to tell you.

I have run quite a few but this one was different for me as I felt like I had to prove something to myself.  I have struggled for quite some time with hip pain but especially over the last year and a half. Yes, I am older and have more aches and pains, but this was different, this was something that would not go away and would not let me run in the way that I loved. I run because I love it, I run for stress relief, I run and let my mind wander and stop thinking about the things that concern me in my life and instead dream about things I want to be doing like playing in the ocean or hiking in the mountains, whatever I want.  This annoying pain was getting in the way of all this, it was making my run just a run to get through, to do the exercise and be done.

I did a final marathon (It was New York Marathon so I had to do it) then finally went to see my doctor and got the news that I knew was coming, I needed surgery. I had lived with the pain for quite some time because I refused to take the time off running. I took the leap and had the surgery and of course they could not promise me I would ever be back to how I was before.  Well I did my time off and Physical Therapy and almost 5 months off running (It was torture!).  Would I be able to run anymore, would I even be able to race, would I feel like even running, and most of all, would I get back the joy of running? 

It was not easy for me, as it was an agonizing slow process with slow runs and biking in between, could not go as I used to every day, but I kept at it and I kept at it.  I was finally ready to train for another marathon, but would I even be able to run the whole thing, how much would I need to walk?  I was at least finally at that place where I was loving going out every day and just running again (other than the speed work of course)!

I made it to the day before the race and my nerves were crazy and I was scared, and my stomach was upset. That night in the hotel room all I did was try to fall asleep early so I could be up and ready to go, but I am not sure if I even slept an hour – although this is what happens a night before a marathon. All I could think about is will I be able to finish, how much will I have to walk, will my stomach become a problem, do they have enough porta potties, and do I even want to go through with this?

Marathon morning, I honestly sat in the hotel room on the edge of the bed, debating if I should just crawl back in that bed and tell my friends I was sick.  I finally got all my gear ready – arm warmers, headband, sunglasses, nutrition in my pouch, armband for phone, headphones, GPS watch, and bib.  It was time to walk out that door and be brave.  I drove to the start and parked, but still sat in my car for a few minutes debating if I should even get out.  I did actually get out and felt the weather and that made me smile a little and so I took a few things off (I hate being cold) and locked the car and started that slow daunting walk towards that starting line.

Well the time came; my heart was racing, and I could hardly hear the noise around me over the pounding of my own heart.  I was in line so there really was no going back now.  The national anthem played and then that gun went off and I was off.  The interesting thing with a marathon is all those pent up nerves that definitely get the best of me before, just seem to slowly disappear as I am running and as I get in with the crowd of runners they seem to be all but forgotten.  One of my friends was running the same pace as me and somewhere along the first few miles we met another runner doing the same pace so for the next 14 miles or so we all chatted and got to know each other.  The conversations are such a big help in a race like this as it helps the miles tick along a little faster and takes my focus off constantly looking at my watch to make sure I am on pace.  Well eventually one got a little slower and one got a little faster, so I turned on my music ready to gut out the rest of the marathon by myself.  By mile 17 or so I was really hurting.  My calves were cramping, and I wanted to walk so, so bad!  I kept plugging along but had to slow my pace for a couple miles just to make sure I did not walk.  Once I walk I seem to be done as I have never been able to hold a pace after walking for a short period during a race, just kills my momentum and gets even more painful starting to run again. Slowing down those couple of miles helped me regain a little of my pace and I was able to run a decent pace again, that is not saying I was still not in a lot of pain! 

It was all a mental game the last 4 to 5 miles telling my legs to keep running, just felt like they were in motion but not really making much ground.  I was mentally tallying pace in my head, doing math while run is not a good thing to do!  I was trying to figure out if I walked a little each mile, could I keep a pace to finish in the time needed, and ultimately told myself I could not! Well my legs kept me upright and moving forward and I finished just a minute under the time I was going for and qualified for the Boston Marathon which was my big goal.  

Now this may not make you want to go out and run a marathon, but just know the experience, the people and just the fact that you were able to accomplish something like that, is in itself well worth all the pain! Getting to that finish line and crowd, and getting that medal placed around your neck is such an amazing feeling!  I will keep on plugging along with running until my body tells me no longer, and then I will probably keep hobbling along anyway! 🙂