The Race is Over...

I have definitely been putting this post off for awhile now, I suppose because it means my first marathon is over :(

The Austin Marathon was completed successfully. I crossed the finish line and accomplished my goal, although with more than a small limp.

After all of the effort, cortizone injections, physical therapy, and copious amounts of aspirin, I completed a marathon. It was all worth it- the exhilaration, physical acheivment, and just the increased confidence in my ability to do something was well worth the effort. And it was all for a good cause- our chapter of TNT raised tens of thousands of dollars, and we were only a handful of people.

The last quarter mile Austin Marathon requires you to run past the state capital building where they have photographers and a huge crowd of people cheering you on. Then, as you're coming across the finish line an announcer reads your name, age, and time. It was very cool.

I teared up a little bit when I stopped running- it was a lot of emotion to finally achieve something that I'd been working hard towards for months, with a few obstacles in between. And now I can say I'm a marathoner (not a good one, but one nevertheless).

The day after the marathon I was incredible sore, a result of my incredibly poor decision to sit in a car for the 6+ hr drive back from Austin to Lubbock without ever getting out to stretch. Poor, poor decision. The next day I basically slept all day until I had to go to work. I basically hobbled around the classroom and the children laughed at me (I laughed at me, too). I showed the kids my medal and they were very impressed and were very glad to know that I was able to help raise money for "the sick kids"

I was a little depressed afterwards because there was a kind of a new void. I wasn't up at 6 every morning to run anymore, I didn't have a big race to gear up for. In fact, I had to completely abstain from running for 6 weeks to let my IT band heal. To start thinking of yourself as a runner and then be sidelined for a long period of time...it was rough. I also gained about 5 lbs (you can't eat the same way training for a marathon and not running at all) about 3 of which I've lost again. So net weight loss as of right now is 27 lbs.

It was hard retraining. 3 miles had become so easy to me and I had a hard time after weeks of not running at all. I knew it got easier, though, because I had done it before. But it made me realize that marathon runners really are, in general, insane to some degree.

Right now I'm limiting myself to about 6miles 3X a week. I'm walking half and running half. I run for about a half hour (3mi.) in the mornings when it is cool and then go for a walk in the evenings when it's not incredibly hot and I'm winding down for the day. This feels like a big cut back, but I'm only 24 and I don't want to completely screw up my knee. If there is one thing I learned, it's to not do too much too fast. Going from the couch to training for a marathon is exactly what got me injured in the first place.

I definitely want to sign up for the White Rock Marathon which is in December, so I'll start slowing cranking up my miles, and barring any further injury, I'll definitely look forward my next marathon!