« Am I the Only Runner Who LOVES to TAPER? | Main | DNF »
October 01, 2005
Stupid Is as Stupid Does (Momma Always Said) - Marathon Shakes
I think I did something stupid last night - which may have involved a 5 mile PR - and now I am freaking out. I am heading to Wisconsin in 4 hours and I am in a boat-load of pain. I know it is normal to feel every ounce and tickle of pain in our bodies the day before a marathon, but this pain - unfortunately - is not of the imagined kind.
It all started yesterday at work. My boss at the store (an accomplished runner who has 26 marathons under his belt and a 2:30 PR) said it would be a good idea to go out and run 6 miles around race pace . . . to make my legs remember what it feels like to mooooooooove. Around 6:40PM - after procrastinating all day - I decided to hit the city streets and run a couple of miles at race pace. And for those of you who frequent my blog, you know that I rarely time my runs.
I jogged out the door and I felt a burst of adrenaline, nerves and hyper energy. I started down Division street in Chicago, over to Damen and out to the 1 mile mark. I hit my watch - 6:09. Ooops - that was not 7:00 - 7:10. I continued on - I slowed my pace a little, but not enough. I could feel a rush of energy literally pulsate through my body. I finally finished my run - 33:05. This route is well over 5 miles . . . I think I PR'd. YIKES. The problem is that I never felt like I was running hard or over-doing it.
Then the pain set in. Over a year ago, I pulled both of my glute muscles. It happened when I decided to run a 10K out-of-shape and kick down some people in the end. Ouch. The muscles have never fully healed, but I usually only feel twinges of pain toward the end of longer runs - around 13-15 miles. It goes away the next day. My left glute is in bad shape this morning. I took some aleve, iced it and I am going to buy some ben-gay (I don't believe in this stuff, but I do believe in placebo effects).
I am going to walk around some this morning and try to loosen my body up (I am tossing out the 3 mile run I had planned). Fortunately, my legs feel fresh and I do not feel like I ran a PR last night (other than the fact that my butt hurts).
I am confident that I can hold a steady pace of 7's tomorrow, but I am going to go out a little slower than usual and loosen up my glutes before I throw down the hammer and run for dear life.
I am getting more nervous . . . in 23 hours the gun snaps.
Posted by bridget at October 1, 2005 08:28 AM
Comments
oh my god. i can't believe that happened. i can feel the freaking out through the blog. deep breaths!! deep breaths!! i hope your butt heals quickly!!! good luck tomorrow. have some fun!
Posted by: Audrey at October 1, 2005 11:31 AM
I think that the 5 mile PR is a good thing...you got all of that nervousness out of your system before race day and won't do it during the race. Pace pace pace. Sending lots of run fast vibes to Wisconsin!
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at October 1, 2005 06:18 PM
Good luck tomorrow, I hope your butt holds up! I don't know what to say about the workout 5M PR, but obviously you're in good shape! You have so much untapped running potential, I'm in awe. I hope the race goes really well, I'll think of you while I'm out on my long run!
Posted by: Alison at October 1, 2005 06:50 PM