Today I came close to feeling the way I did 3 months ago in Kona after the race, exhausted to the point of nausea, although more competent and alert. I'm sitting in bed with my legs propped up, writing, because that's all I can do. I should be out enjoying the warm sunshine that I will only have for one more day before it's back to CO, but since I can hardly take a step, I'd rather lay flat.
Relaxed before warm-up at 6 a.m.
Tin(wo)manLet's preface this RR by saying that this trip to AZ has been nothing short of interesting and that tapering and I really don't get along. I have come to realize that traveling by car to a race over the course of several days will really take it out of you and you better leave yourself some R&R time before your race. After 2 days of travel in the car, with an overnight stay in Albuquerque, B and I arrived at our destination on Friday night. Our lovely homestay has been nothing short of amazing, and I wish I didn't have to leave; however, since we are visitors I would think it to be best to retreat now that my task here is done. Ha.
I got my serious taper on for this race around Tuesday when I dropped the mileage way down and cut out all other sports. I hate tapering. My body always feels like the kid that turns into a blueberry in Willy Wonka. I feel larger than life, and not in a good way, and every day that my body is deprived of its usual play time, I feel a little more disgusting. Either way, I knew it would thank me come marathon day, so I kept up my 45 min runs throughout the rest of the week. Come Saturday morning, I woke up and got up out of bed when a familiar pain pierced my back's left side. I had somehow dislodged a rib. Again. Just like in Kona. It is dawning on me that this is always happening during taper week and that my body must think it needs to come up with an injury to explain the lack of exercise. Needless to say, I was scared sh%tless since this was the day before the race, and the stabbing pains that running would produce with a rib out, would be unbearable for a 26.2 mile run. I got online to look for ART specialists, as they had helped me out at Kona and I seem to respond really well to it. Since it was Saturday, most offices in the greater Phoenix/Scottsdale area were closed. I found a few ART practitioners, but they weren't open. Our home stay mom recommended a chiropractor and I ended up seeing him and he popped the rib, along with a few vertebraes, back in. The relief was slow. I panicked because it still hurt, all the way into the afternoon. I tried a run and was able to breathe fine without pain, and with the help of some advil and ice, I nursed the pain away almost completely.
The StartI woke up this morning with a little stiffness in the area, but no comparison to yesterday. With that I breathed a sigh of relief and got excited to race! At 4.30 a.m. B and I took off for Phoenix. I downed a bagel and some coffee (which I shouldn't have as it sent me to the bathroom a good dozen times before the race) and we arrived at the start, in the dark. The sun didn't rise until 7 a.m., so my warmup was done in the dark as well. Lucky me I resembled a tinman with reflectors, so I was rather visible. The strange thing was that I was almost not at all nervous. Funny how after completing Kona, this "lil" race seemed like a piece of cake. I had brought some salt tablets but decided pre- race I wouldn't need them as the temps surely wouldn't get so high that I would get so depleted. I found out later I was wrong.
After the governor of AZ shot the gun (even though Frank Shorter was supposed to do it, he was up there too, just like the Bolder Boulder) all 9500 of us marathoners were off. I seeded myself in the 1st corral so that I could have a good start, and it went off without the usual crowds that other (shorter) races produce at the start.
Happy Go Lucky at the start, something that is usually replaced by nervous looks.I passed the first mile in 7.20. Um ok, I knew I was taking it easy, but it sure felt faster than a 7.20. In my head I immediately wanted to ramp it up and make up the lost time in the second mile, but luckily I drew on experience and made a quick mental note that it was only the second mile and I had over 24 to go. However, my second mile ended up being 5.30, which I now realize was probably due to misplaced mile markers, as I am 99.99% sure that I did not produce a lactic acid free 5.30 second mile. Looking back, alot of miles were actually a bit off, so who knows... As the miles passed, I started feeling better, which was a relief. I started clicking off the miles pretty consistently in the 6.20-30 range and started thinking about my goal of getting a new PR, as it seemed within reach. I came through the half in 1.23 and change and had one thought in my head: "Hold back, run within yourself, you still have another 13.1 miles to go!" I have had several marathons where I started out feeling strong, and clicked off a great first half, only to suffer majorly in the second half. After a few years of long distance competition in me, I now feel a little wiser and drew on my need to be patient in triathlons, to pace myself.
Heelstriking along the course around the half way point(?)I felt great until mile 18 (the WALL) when something happened that had me thinking of the Norminator in Kona this year. I started to cramp in my calf and foot and I had no salt. The temps had probably reached at least 70 degrees now, and I was starting to resemble a salt shaker. After stopping for a short stretch I got to the next aid station and slowed down enough to down a whole cup of Cytomax, followed by a gulp of water. I had been drinking at every aid station so far, but only sips, so that clearly wasn't enough. For the remaining 8 miles, I stopped at least 5x to stretch out my increasingly cramping right foot, cursing under my breath of how I didn't take the salt with me. At mile 24, I encountered the only "uphill" of the entire course, a ramp. At the top of it was mile marker 24, and a cramp that made me stop. A few girls had passed me at this point, although I had passed a few elites earlier. One of them now passed me back, good for her. The last two miles would be the longest of the race, as I tried to not think about the cramps, and push on to that PR which was definitely within reach. I crossed the finish line after getting beat my two more girls who flew by me in the last 10 meters, as I looked on and could not do a thing. I came across in 2.52 and change and I am pretty happy with that, considering I almost let it slip away due to my own stupidity. I was on track to break 2.50 and am sure I would have, but the cramps slowed me down a good amount. However, there are no if's, only results, and there is always next year to make up for the mistakes!
Post-race MiseryI tried to cool off the legs with an icebath, literally, but my toes kept freezing off. I know it will be soo good for my legs though, so I will try again. Congrats to my fellow Coloradons who also competed today, and I highly recommend this race to anyone looking to PR, because most likely you will!
Results are unofficial, but I finished 1st in my AG, 14th female (including elites) overall, and 64th overall including men and women. I'm already beyond sore, something that I have not experienced in a marathon, but hopefully won't be a gimp for too long. Now starts the 2009 season for triathlon and I hope and I think there will be a good thing or two in store for me! :-) Time to get excited, I can't wait for the weather to get nice back home so I can take the bike out for some looong spins!
Anyways, AZ, especially this area, is amazing, and I would love to spend part of the year here (preferably winters as summers are unbearably hot) for training. Nothing beats walking around in shorts and sandals in January! The sunsets are spectacular and the cacti (cactuses?) are more than two stories high. I'll have pictures of that when I get home.
*Thank you BW for these great firsthand shots! :-)
