Sunday, June 16th (Happy Father's Day, Dad!), was the 3rd Annual Vancouver USA Marathon! I plan to do one full marathon a year and this local gem is my event of choice. I participated in the inaugural event in 2011 and loved it! I was signed up again for 2012 but unfortunately was wearing a cast at the time and obviously unable to do it. Instead, I sat along the route looking for friends and cheering everyone on... feeling the excitement from a totally different perspective. This year I was bound and determined to take part in it on foot once again.
The Vancouver USA Marathon has an awesome route. Not only is it local for me, it's also very BEAUTIFUL! The course starts in downtown Vancouver at Esther Short Park, goes west of Vancouver out to Frenchman's Bar and back, north on Main Street between McLaughlin and Fourth Plain, back down C Street, east on McLaughlin, over to Officers' Row and through Fort Vancouver National Park, east past the Pearson Air Museum and out to Wintler Park, west along the Columbia River and back into downtown Vancouver to Esther Short Park. It's peaceful... scenic... very well supported and organized... and enjoyable.
A bit of background here: I was plagued with a foot injury all of 2012 and moved beyond that only to start 2013 with a lower leg injury. I was fitted in October with custom made orthopedic inserts which fixed the foot problem. Thank goodness! However, in January when I started to train again, my soleus muscle on my right leg started giving me trouble. I felt like my feet were leaning to the outside but no one seemed to be able to see it when I asked so I ignored my belief that things weren't right. My leg continued to hurt, stopping me from training and sometimes from even a simple 3 mile walk. In March I had an MRI to see if my back was the underlying issue... but it wasn't. To make a very long story short, I finally took the inserts out of my shoes a little more than a month ago. After only a week my muscle no longer constantly hurt. After two weeks, I was able to walk without pain. In fact, I then walked 20 training miles one Sunday without the inserts and felt fine during and afterwards. My theory... the inserts caused my soleus muscle to hurt! My feet WERE leaning to the outside, causing my legs to unnaturally adjust. I can see the difference in how my feet sit in my shoes. No more inserts. I'll have to deal with the foot problem if it returns. Hopefully it won't.
So... on Sunday the 16th, with a major lack of training, I ventured out to do the Vancouver USA Marathon - all 26.2 miles of it. I knew I could walk the distance but it was the speed in which I wanted to travel that was going to cause me issues.
Sue and Nanette
My friends - Nanette, Cindy and Sue - were doing the half marathon, which started at 9 a.m. My friend - Linda - that I did the fulls with in the past wasn't doing this one so I was completely on my own. The full started at 7 a.m. I was anxious and excited to see what I could do without the pull or push of a buddy beside me but I was also feeling a bit lonely. This race was all on me.
I spent my alone time before the race adjusting my hydration belt, adjusting my laces, my iPod, my pants - legs pulled up above my calves, legs pulled down over my calves... legs pulled up again - and stretching/warming up. I tried to stay busy and not think about the miles ahead of me.
The countdown began and off we went! I was in the third and final wave and started out in a slow easy jog. I felt comfortable and confident. I felt strong. I immediately focused on a man ahead of me and stayed right behind him, pacing myself. The first mile seemed to go by in a blur and when I finally looked ahead of the man in the blue shorts, I could see we were part of a pace group. I was running with the 5:30 finishers!! ME! Unbelievable! And I stayed with that group for the first FIVE miles! I ran for that long! I then had to stop to loosen my shoe lace but quickly caught back up with them. I made a second stop to loosen the lace AGAIN, caught back up AGAIN, and then said, "Forget it! Goodbye pacer! Goodbye Mr. Blue Shorts!" It was time for me to slow down a bit. As much as I would have liked to stay with them the entire time, I knew it was completely impossible for me to do so and had to let them go. I began focusing on a woman in yellow to pace myself with. (Finding people like this always gives me a focus and helps me continue to move forward.)
I ran and walked off and on, running more than walking, for the next 8 miles. I stopped for my first potty break at Mile 10, not really needing to but there was no line and I thought I might as well. As fast as you try to get in and out of those porta potties, the runners/walkers are zooming by and my brief stop put me with a whole new set of people. Goodbye Miss Yellow Shirt...
Once I reached 13 miles, I looked at my Garmin watch until I saw 13.1. I had just completed a half marathon and it was my fastest to date! I had just done a half in 2:40! I was so elated and happy about that that I lost my focus on what I was really doing... the full. I wanted to be done. I had just set a great PR for myself and I was ready to celebrate! I realized I had another half to go and felt completed deflated. What the heck?! I had to pull myself together and get focused again. I was far from being done.
The next couple of miles were a mental struggle but as I neared Mile 15.5, I found renewed energy because I knew my mom was waiting for me at a designated spot with fresh EnduroMax and no doubt a few words of encouragement. She didn't disappoint! I saw her a couple of blocks away ringing her cowbell and cheering on the runners going by. She was having such a great time! As soon as she saw me, she dropped the bell and was prepared to help me refuel. At this point I was suffering from a cramping hamstring on my right leg. I told her I was suffering but that I would continue on. I had been going for 3 hours and 15 minutes and knew I was on track to break my previous full marathon record of 6:22. She expressed her sorrow for my pain and told me how proud she was of me. She gave me a hug and kiss and told me she would be waiting for me at the finish line. Thank you so much, Mom! I love you!
I continued on determined to finish this thing. I started getting cramps in my left hamstring too. I kept drinking water at every station (approximately every two miles) and my EnduroMax in between times. I was well hydrated - just not well trained.
Around Mile 18.5 I stopped for my second potty break. Again, I didn't really have to go but damn, I wanted to SIT DOWN and I didn't care where! No line at the porta potty was just too inviting! I remember just sitting there thinking how tired I was but that I had to keep moving. You know you have to be REALLY, REALLY TIRED to enjoy a brief sit in a porta potty! haha
Around Mile 19 we encountered a nasty hill. I'm usually a hill-lover but not this time. Unbelievably the front of my thighs were now cramping and any uphill motion brought the cramps on. I was just barely crawling up the hill and couldn't push any harder. (I credit Kelly Clarkson's song "Stronger" that came on my iPod at that very moment for getting me up that blasted hill... "What doesn't kill you makes you stroooonger! Stand a little tallllller!... What doesn't kill you makes a fiiiiighter! Footsteps even liiiighter!" ... you get the picture... haha ... Thank you, Brittany, for making my "Marathon Mix!" It worked!)
Check out the hill at Mile 19!
My lower right leg started screaming at me on that hill too - my old injury was letting me know it wasn't just a thing of the past - and I was losing my determination to beat my old record. I almost didn't care anymore.
At Mile 23 the same mental games from Mile 13 returned. I was mentally OVER this. I wanted to be DONE. The sun came out and it was getting warmer. I was TIRED, HOT and HURTING. I could no longer run. The slightest uphill made my right calf scream. I was suffering... badly.
At Mile 24 I got out my phone and sent a text to those waiting for me at the finish line. I simply put "Mile 24" but wanted to add a few curse words to the message but decided it would take too much time and effort. I didn't want them to realize I was in such a negative state of mind. I was moving at a turtle's pace but I was only 2.2 miles from having this nightmare over with.
Mile 25 took us up another hill (tiny in comparison to Mile 19 but a hill nonetheless) and about halfway up, I was getting leg cramps in BOTH thighs and BOTH calves, causing me to seriously stumble. My right calf burned like hell. I turned around and walked up part of the hill backwards to give me some relief. It worked but of course it slowed me down even more.
Back downtown, I turned from C Street to 8th Street where I started down the finishers shoot. I knew the finish line was a couple of blocks away around the corner so I tried to "jog" a little. I tried not to stumble but I was definitely limping from the leg pain and cramps. So many people were clapping and cheering me on, telling me I was almost there! It was so exciting!
I turned the last corner with a huge smile on my face! I was elated! I did it and I was done! I saw Mom and Cathie and gave them each a high five as I struggled to reach the finish line. I nearly fell as I hobbled across it and immediately came to an abrupt stop. I remember being handed my medal as I was bent over trying to decide how in the world I was ever going to be able to take another single step. The pain in my leg was excruciating.
I finished 26.2 miles in 5:56:19, averaging 13:35 minute miles. I beat my previous record for a full marathon by 26 minutes! I finished in under 6 hours, which is exactly what I had hoped to accomplish! (Just imagine what I could do after a full season of training with no injuries!)
Kathie was taking pictures (thank you so much!!) and Mom, Cathie and Nanette - after big hugs and lots of love - helped me hobble to the recovery area where I found some much needed food and water.
Nanette (aka Bullseye) holding me up! - THANK YOU!
Hugs from Cathie
Love from Mom
My awesome trainers, Tracy and Trevor Bryant, came up and congratulated me. I was thrilled to see them and I remember how excited I was telling them that I had just finished in under 6 hours! They were just as excited as I was and like always, full of praise and kind words! I introduced them to my mom and friends. They really are special people and are such a big part of my success! Thank you, Tracy and Trevor!! I couldn't do it without your help!
I found a tree to slide down [litterally] and immediately removed my shoes only to discover a monster blister that luckily I never felt.
After eating and resting for a bit, I struggled to get up but, with help, was able to make it to a pool filled with ice and water to soak my feet in. IT FELT SO GOOD!
Kathie helping me enjoy the ice pool
After more pictures and a lot of care-taking, Cathie and Kathie went on home to enjoy the rest of Father's Day with their families. Thank you SO MUCH ladies for coming to see me finish!
Nanette, Me and Sue
Nanette, Kathie, Me and Cathie
Best medal ever!
Mom, Nanette, Sue and I went into the Brewfest area and promptly got ourselves each a beer and planted our bodies on the ground. I could no longer move with any bit of comfort. At one point I tried to crawl into the shade only to get cramps in my hamstrings so I ended up scooting on my butt to move around. Nanette, Mom and I stayed there enjoying the sunshine, music, beer and company until we closed the place down (Sue had to leave because she had a lot further to drive.).
With help from my mom, I hobbled ever so slowly to my car and made my way home. I took an ice bath and ended up in bed by 7 p.m. However, I didn't get any sleep because of my leg pain... because I had to keep getting up to get a drink of water... and because I was starving! (I got up once to eat but didn't want to continue the food-fest all night long even though I probably needed it.)
Monday morning I got up to go to work and realized something was very wrong with my leg. It hurt like hell and I couldn't put any pressure on it. I somehow managed to make it into work and nearly cried every single time I had to get up out of my chair. I used the counters, walls and desktops to move around. I also rolled in my chair when I could. It was awful. I left work and went straight to the doctors. And I finally let myself shed some of those built up tears. It hurt. I couldn't put pressure on it without excruciating pain and I couldn't move my foot up and down at all.
I tore a muscle - it was obviously already weak and susceptible - and have tendonitis. Not a surprise at all - worst pain I've felt since back surgery and child birth!
Four days later I'm still hurting quite a bit but I'm able to flex my foot a little. Still can't put any pressure on it and probably won't be able to for at least a week, per Really-Wishes-HE-Could-Do-A-Marathon-too!-Doc. I'm wearing a compression sock to help with the bleeding/swelling and a boot. I also have two new best friends for the next week or two - Crutch 1 and Crutch 2. Ugh.. so inconvenient!
Such is life. It's just another rut in this bumpy road I travel. Was it worth it? Oh heck yes! - pain, crutches and all. I just completed a full marathon and I did it in under 6 hours. For me... THAT'S AWESOME!! I can't wait to do it again next year!! (...but only if I can fully train for it... not doing it without being physically ready next time... I promise, Husband. - he has been less than thrilled with my latest injury.)
Regardless, I did it and I'm so very, very proud of myself! :)
My splits -
And now to rest and heal for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Oh my... tie me down!!
Pre-Marathon Events
The Marathon Expo was set up outside at Esther Short Park. There was also a beer fest going on at the same time! Bullseye and I went to pick up our bibs and packets on Friday night and decided to stay for awhile and enjoy a few beers, the great weather, the live band and the people! We had an awesome time chatting, laughing and posting way too much on Facebook!! ;) What a great way to start the marathon weekend!
