MCM Recap

Last year, one of my fellow Stroller Warriors decided to run the Marine Corps Marathon just a few weeks before the event. (One of our other members was planning to do it, but sadly sustained an injury leaving a free bib.) We all logged on to watch her 10k updates as they posted, constantly streaming comments on our SW Facebook page, I started to get the itch. Yes, I have done two previous marathons, but that was before I ever liked running.

So with high hopes and a stomach full of nerves, I sat down at my computer moments before the event registration opened and managed to secure one of the slots that sold out in 2 hours and 41 minutes! That brought on the mad search for the "right" training plan. I ended up with a mix of a couple plans that my dear husband helped me figure out.

I briefly wrote recaps of my training weeks, but then we packed away our computer and embarked on our third move as a married couple, my 15th since 1998! We lived with my in-laws for nearly 6 weeks and then finally moved into our rented house in Mt Vernon. Those first 6 weeks were a blessing for my training. I ran stroller-free most days and had the company of my husband who had also decided to run. Unfortunately, those weeks were plagued with PF, a sore right hamstring, and several runs that left me thinking, "What on earth have I signed up for?!"

I had not printed out my training plan and couldn't access the computer until post-marathon, so my training was scattered at best. My focus was getting the house unpacked and livable for the Weasel, and while I did manage to get a few longer runs in, I wasn't feeling super confident. I originally started out with a goal of sub-4. I quickly changed that to just finishing the race.

On Saturday morning, Grandpa came and picked up Weasel (she was spending the night with them so we wouldn't have to get a sitter on Sunday) and left us to relax. Sunday morning arrived and we woke at 4:40. That gave us enough time to eat breakfast and for Jason to down some coffee. We hopped on the Metro and rode to King Street where we met a friend. Neither of us carried anything we couldn't run with because we wanted to avoid the chaos of the bag drop at the end. (Hence the lack of photos in this post!)

After catching up with LOTS of my Stroller Warrior buddies, we made our way to the 4 hour corral and got ready for the canon to sound. We crossed the start line just 3 minutes after the bang and quickly found our stride. It was Jason, me and our friend, Pat. The first few miles were crowded with spectators cheering loudly.

Mile 1 - 9:24
Mile 2 - 9:25
Mile 3 - 9:00
Mile 4 - 8:50
Mile 5 - 9:15

There were a few hills that were challenging but not terrible and we made our way into Georgetown which offered a huge downhill! The main road was packed and there were so many people cheering! At that point, Jason said, "Hey Jen, do we know anyone up here in Georgetown?" As he said it, we saw our friend, Sean Cox (in uniform as he was working the race) and that was quite a pick me up!

Mile 6 - 8:37
Mile 7 - 9:04
Mile 8 - 8:54
Mile 9 - 8:58
Mile 10 - 8:33
Mile 11 - 9:11

We cruised just ahead of the 4 mile pacer and I was running quietly, but still feeling ok. Jason was great as he occasionally asked how I was doing and if I needed anything. Then we came to Hains Point (the dreaded part of the MCM course regardless of what year you're running). It's mostly free of spectators and often produces winds due to the fact that it's surrounded by the waters of the Potomac. The first 1/2 mile of it was lined with large pictures and names of soldiers, sailors, and Marines who have been killed since OIF and OEF started. That gave me the motivation to keep running. But I was starting to hurt.

Mile 12 - 9:01
Mile 13 - 9:05
Mile 14 - 9:49
Mile 15 - 9:52

Around mile 14, I could feel my pinkie toenail on my right foot throbbing. I had issues with the nail earlier in my training and figured it was probably working its way off my toe! I just kept running. As we left Hains Point, I started taking brief walking breaks. I stretched a couple times too. Jason would run ahead and get cups of water and Gatorade for both of us, bringing mine to me so I didn't have to alter my path. BEST HUSBAND EVER! He was looking good and could have finished well before me, but said, "We started this thing together and we will finish TOGETHER!"

Mile 16 - 10:16
Mile 17 - 10:38
Mile 18 - 10:56
Mile 19 - 10:29
Mile 20 - 11:34

As we turned into Arlington, we ran by places we used to walk to from our first apartment as a married couple. It was full of cheering people and even though I still stopped to walk a few times, I was feeling better.

Mile 21 - 10:18
Mile 22 - 11:46
Mile 23 - 11:24
Mile 24 - 11:14
Mile 25 - 11:56

You can see just how much our pace had slowed by this point. My legs felt like lead and even though I knew I was running, it felt like I was being sucked backward. I should mention that the weather was phenomenal! Those winds and rain predicted for the day had held off and it was truly spectacular running weather. We ran that last mile and then made the left turn to run up the final hill to the Iwo Jima Memorial (Marine Corps War Memorial). It felt amazing. We were 25 minutes off my original goal, but I couldn't have cared less.

Mile 26 - 11:44

We ran around people who were walking that final hill, linked hands and crossed the finish line at 4:24. Most people would look at these splits and say we went out too fast. I disagree. The first half of the race was awesome. If I had run any slower, the pain in my legs and my little toe would have just come along at an earlier mile marker. I was happy with our race.

We made it home about 2 hours after finishing the race and I finally took off my shoe. My pinkie toenail hadn't come off, but the enter toe was one big blister! I wish I had pictures to share with you from this race, but I'll always have the memories of a successful challenge completed with my best friend at my side.

As for my future in running? Who knows! I will not be signing up for any more full marathons, but I definitely see a few half marathons in my future. I'll probably stick to 5ks and 10ks for a while though:)

Genetic Traits

We all know that certain traits are genetic...I believe that clumsiness is the gift that both Jen and I received from our mother!  Last week Jen set out to do an 18-miler and took a nasty fall at mile 9.  This week apparently it was my turn.  I went out for a lovely 8-mile run.  I wasn't feeling great when I woke up, so I didn't hit the road until 0830.  Luckily it was a gorgeous day out - perfect for a run down Pacific Coast Highway.  

It was supposed to be an easy run, so I just set a nice pace and trotted off.  On my way back, I had a brief (and painful) encounter with the sidewalk.  I was nearing home and apparently not paying very close attention to my footing, when out of nowhere I smashed into the concrete!  As it turns out, there was a bit of a lip on one of the sidewalk squares that I must have caught my toe on.  

This is what I looked like post fall prior to getting cleaned up.

Luckily it was on a road with traffic and the first truck that came upon me pulled over and this very nice couple got out.  Additionally, a man who was walking to the store heard me fall and rushed over to help.  He helped stop the bleeding on my head and the other man got me some water while his wife called Sean.  Then the gentlemen in the truck drove me the last half-mile home where we met Sean, who took me up to the Camp Pendleton hospital.  

In addition to my face, which took the brunt of the fall, I also got a nice scrape on both my left knee and shoulder.  Not sure what my hands were doing while I was falling, but they were definitely not there to catch me.  There's hardly a mark on either one of them!  

Once we got up to the hospital, it was a 2 hour wait and then we got to see the doctor.  He said he could use glue to close the cut above my eye, which was much more preferable to me than stitches!  

Much better post ER visit!  You can barely even see the glue!

Wowzer Wednesday - When Injury Strikes... (And the winner)

I seriously think I shouted WOWZER...or some other choice term, when I started the second 200m sprint of my crossfit workout yesterday. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Stroller Warriors gathered at a local community center for our Pre-Thanksgiving Day workout. We ran for 50 minutes (out-and-back). I ran with a few friends and we made it 5.75 miles. I felt a little tight during the run and told myself, "You better stretch when we finish." HAHA! Try telling that to my 1-year old who wanted to cruise the playground. So stretching took a backseat to playtime and we hit the jungle gym and swings for about 30 minutes. Then we drove home and I transferred my sleeping girl to her crib for the rest of her nap time. I decided that it would be good to go ahead and knock out my crossfit workout for the day. (My husband is coming home in just over a month after being gone since May 12th and I'm trying to look HOT!)

The workout should have been quite simple: 50-40-30-20-10 box jumps and sit ups with a 200m run starting each round. During the first run, I felt a small twinge in my left lower calf. I kept running and then continued to the box to complete 50 jumps without a break. I moved to the blanket on my garage floor and knocked out 50 sit ups. Then I started the second 200m run. I didn't even make it out of the driveway. My calf seized up and I could hardly stand, let alone walk.

That was around 12:30 and it's currently 9:25 and I still wince when walking and cry a little when I have to navigate the stairs. As soon as it happened, I grabbed an ice pack from the freezer...

I think this would have been more help if I had opened it up and drowned my sorrows.  Then I tried stretching and self-massage while Reagan finished her nap. Once she was up, it was increasingly more painful as I added 25 pounds to my load. We headed out to Walmart later in the afternoon where I picked up these items:

Great piece of gear! Not only did it help my calf, I got a back rub too!

Seriously, is there a runner out there that doesn't have a tube of this magic cream in their arsenal?

Overall, I think it's just a serious cramp or small strain and it's going to take a rest day or two to fully recover. And, as illustrated by my very artistic note on my Buddha board, with time, it will fade away and become just something that once was...

And finally, the reason you're all even checking this post, the winner of our nunn giveaway is SeRunIty!!  Congratulations!  Please email Jessica at ryutwin2@gmail.com to coordinate details for shipping your prize! Thanks everyone for participating. 

Ugh...I need new Feet!!!

Most of you have probably experienced plantar fasciitis in your years of running.  I've had it before, but it is back with a vengeance!  It started about 3 months ago and I went to the doctor.  The only reason I decided to even get it checked out is that it only started hurting after I completed 55 miles of an ultra race (I DNF'd because I knew something was wrong with my foot).  So, I went to see the doc just to rule out a possible stress fracture.

      For those who don't know me personally, I'm an active duty Marine.  While this means "free medical", you get what you pay for!  I had them take a look at my foot, pointed to where it hurt and explained how it felt.  The doc's advice to me, "just run until it hurts too much"!  (Yes, I could have come up with that diagnosis without any help.)

Me and a running buddy that I met during the ultra!

     And being a fiend for information, I hopped online to look for the immediate cure to my problem.  I started icing my foot, wearing the Strassburg sock, and rolling my foot on some small wooden balls.  However, I absolutely did not stop running (nor do I plan to).  All this being said, it's getting a little bit easier to tolerate, and it's mostly just my right foot.

So, anyone have some good recommendations for how to keep training while allowing my foot to get better?