I Did It (Again)

I just completed a marathon this morning in 4:03:30 (unofficial time). It’s actually my second marathon, but, for all intents and purposes, it might as well have been my first, as my actual first marathon was way the hell back in ’02.

It was a great run, and I owe it all to a strict training regimen that I downloaded from MarathonRookie.com.  additionally, I was better prepared for it from a ‘comfort’ standpoint.  I purchased yesterday at the Marathon Expo a stick of BodyGlide, some NipGuards (sounds funny but, oh, so necessary!), and a couple of energy bars (for after the run).  And I totally carboloaded last night, thanks in great part to Pizza Hut’s Pasta collection.

I made sure to get at least six hours of sleep last night, which definitely helped.  I eased into the morning, having a light breakfast (oatmeal with peanut butter– carbs and protein!) and at least 32 ounces of water.  I generously applied the BodyGlide on my upper and lower thighs, my waist (where the garter of my running short would eventually rub against), my armpits, and around my nipples.  I used the NipGuards for the first time this morning, so I had to read the instructions thoroughly.

I left the house at 615am, got to a parking spot across the river at around 625am, and walked a half-mile, across the Hawthorne Bridge, over to the start line.  The mood at the start line was obviously energetic, but several runners around me expressed being nervous.  Understandably so– 26.2 miles is no small feat.  To go against Nike’s mantra, one doesn’t “just do” a marathon.  One has to train right for it.  But no matter how well one trains, anything can happen on the course– a misstep can lead to a sprained ankle or worse; bad weather can dampen not only the roads but runners’ spirits; improper hydration prior to and during the run can spell trouble down the line.

I personally felt good.  Not great, but good.  I’d been battling a cold since Monday, and have been hopped up on Zicam since Wednesday.  In fact, I took one of the lozenges at five in the morning as the scratchy throat and runny nose were evident when I awoke.  Thankfully, adrenaline also helped in getting geared up for the run.

Everything had been going well until I passed mile 13.  I stupidly forgot to snag the bag of ShotBlok from the trunk of my car, and had at that point been without my obligatory every-five-mile serving.  Sure, it’s probably all placebo effect anyway, but the ShotBloks totally helped in providing me much-needed bursts of energy during my training that I considered it essential for the run today.  Luckily, handfuls of Gummi Bears magically appeared every seven miles, and the sugar content was enough to convince me that I was replenishing my energy reserves.

I hit my wall at Mile 22.  It made matters worse that there were throngs of people there shouting, “You’re on the home stretch!” or “Just 4 more miles to go!” that all I kept thinking was, “Why don’t you run this effin thing?!  Let’s see how excited you‘ll be right about now!”  And, as if things couldn’t get any more challenging, at Mile 23– just when I’d made up my mind to push through– Amtrak decided it was a great time to leave with a train full of people heading down to Salem.  So, for five minutes, about five dozen runners were stopped at the train tracks, ruining their running pace, cursing at the train.  In fact, I think I saw one girl tear up.

It wasn’t until Mile 24 when I finally made the push for the final 2.2 miles at a near-sprint.  I didn’t want to be walking as I crossed the finish line, and the only way that I could make it was to run fast.  So, in the end, I finished strong.  Well, at least to the myriad bystanders, that’s what I hoped it looked like.

So, here I am now.  I’ve showered, and downed about five bottled waters, two peanut butter cookies, a couple of energy bars, a banana, a bottle of Nesquik (don’t laugh; it’s totally awesome!).  My legs are quite sore; going down the stairs will be a bit of a challenge for the next couple of days.  And my rear nether regions– the area I didn’t think to apply the BodyGlide, feels like I’d been violated by a septuagenarian hooker with a strap on.  Five times.

But it’s all good.  I finished a marathon.  And, the crazy thing is– I can’t wait until the next one!