So. On Sunday I was swearing off 26.2 miles - everyone was telling me congrats and welcome to the marathon club and that I was a marathoner! ...I was laying in bed wanting to cry and die all at the same time. I had never been in so much pain in my life. Everyone kept telling me the cliche saying of "the pain is temporary but the pride is forever" ... I was hearing blah blah blah. Well I went home to Atlanta, soaked in Epsom salt, loved on frozen peas and corn, and rested my poor little (err.. long) legs.
So here I am, Wednesday after the race and sure it still is painful to walk depending on the surface - my right knee and both hamstrings are in pain so I scheduled a 4:15 sports massage for tomorrow afternoon ... but other than that I feel fine and I am more excited about finishing a marathon than I am about finishing college. (Sorry mom and dad, but thanks for all the school you paid for!) So, I am going to let myself be a marathoner.
Don't get the wrong idea though... I am not going to dive in head first and do another. I don't think 2010 is going to be the year of the marathon. Nor do I think I will do another full in this calendar year. I think I am going to focus on perfecting my 10k and getting to the point that the 10k is my 5k (no longer a real challenge) and spend my time running half marathons. I think I will do some 5ks for fun with friends and try to PR, but I really do want to focus on distance and building up mileage. There are three more half's I want to do this year and then hit 2011 and see where I am running wise. I want to focus more on pace and endurance and taking training seriously before I attempt another 26.2 ... I want to become a "smart runner".
So Disney, thanks ... it was a great time, I think it would have been easier if I had actually put in the miles and trained. And 26.2 .... I will be back, just give me a year or so and I will come after you with a vengeance! :o) I am going to be a card holding member of the marathon club, I will start swiping it again in a year or so. But for now, I am just going to enjoy the running and get to a point where training for a marathon will be second nature.
Next on the schedule? A 10k at the end of January, followed by another 10k in Febuary, and then ING in March. I want to finish ING in 2:30 which is quicker than Nike and my half split at Disney so wish me luck! :o)
What 10k? Perhaps I would like to join you...
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is about to graduate from college, so I got a kick out of your comment.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see my daughter run a marathon at some point in her life.
Congratulations on being a marathoner. Take it easy and enjoy your recovery!
my prediction? by the end of the year you will have run another marathon. i'm just sayin'
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good plan, you have to do what is best for you and if at this point that is what it best then that's what you should do...I also wouldn't be surprised if you change your mind after you forget the pain of the marathon. I don't know this from personal experience or anything but I've heard a lot of people in your shoes same the same thing and then take it back later. Best of luck in whatever you may do. :)
ReplyDeleteYou should rethink the 5k not being a challenge anymore. The distance may be easy, but the challenge is getting faster each time. You could set a goal of finishing one in under 30 minutes. 5k is especially easier for those who don't have the time to put in lots of weekly mileage.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your marathon! I don't think I will be braving one anytime in the near future. I am going to try to run a couple of half marathons and the CDR again this September. Thinking about the Pittsburgh Half in May.