Well, its’ been awhile since I updated the blog and I do
apologize. The last entry talked about that fact I think I tweaked my knee
during my daughters field hockey practice. I am really not sure what is wrong.
I sure found out that it is something though during the marathon.
Hurricane Sandy stayed away long enough to get the entire
race and post race activities in before any rain and most of the wind came. The
Marine Corps always puts on a great event. It is super well organized and I
never have a complaint about it. As for my performance…I was not going to get
my sub 4 hours with the way my knee was feeling, I knew that going in, but I
was going to give it my best shot.
I was doing great at the start I found the 4 hour Clif Bar
Race pace guy and stuck with him for the first three or four miles. I got out ahead of him at mile five and
was settling into a nice pace of 8:25/mi.
It was between mile seven and eight that disaster struck. I heard and felt a pop in my left hip
and then I lost all power in my left leg on a little uphill just after mile 7
mile marker. The best way to describe the pain was as if someone and punched
me. Except if felt that way every time I pushed off and tried to use that leg
for power. There are not a lot of hills on the Marine Corps Marathon course,
but between 7 and 8 happens to be one of them. So I had nothing going up into
Georgetown.
Needless to say, I walked a lot through Georgetown (miles 8
and 9) and spent most of the race just trying to run till I couldn’t take the
pain anymore. There goes the 4hr pace guy blowing right by me…Really, really. I
can tough this out. I have trained for months and I am in great shape. Suck it
up, Sailor….Just three week prior I ran 20 miles in under 2:50 or 8:30/mi
pace…tough it out. Hell, I was
supposed to be running this for my Brother-in-law GR who is battling cancer.
Cancer sucks! This is nothing compared to what GR is going through…just keep
going.
Mile 11 to 12 I run the entire mile at a 7:44 pace, this
isn’t so bad…12 and 13 running at 9:00/mile pace. Mile 14 Hanes Point and Mile
15 heading toward Lincoln Memorial it was a lot of walking. Mile 16 I meet and see Bobbi and I gut
it up and run the next two at 9:30 pace. Now on Mall I am running till I cry
then walking till the pain goes away and then I go again. I see Bobbi again at
mile 20…If I do not seen her there
I might of quit. Now I’m at a 10:30 pace. At least I’m moving…
I run across the 14th Street bridge in 9:00,
but slow down again in Crystal
City 11:00+/mi and speed up to a nice 8:30/mi pace at mile 24 mile when I see
the 4:30 pace girl and try to stay with her till the end. I couldn’t and finished with
4:35:20…10:30/mi…Ouch!Injuries happen I understand that. I know that I was in position for a 3:50 marathon. I know that but this one will hurt for a long time. I still have three more races to do this year…Sunday I will do the Ripley 5K with Cori, the 16th I will do my 4th Joint Base Ft Myer Henderson Hall Turkey Trot 5K , and on Thanksgiving will be my 4th Camp Letts Turkey Chase 10K. I plan to take each of them easy and just do them to finish. I also have appointment to have my hip/knee looked at so maybe I can get an answer on what it is….
I think my marathon days are over. I don’t have any planned
for next year and I will spend most the time training with Bobbi. She plans to
do a 70.3 Triathlon next year and I will train as much as I can with her. I
might even attempt a Sprint Tri… Stay tuned…
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