Training Log Archive: cporter

Had an appointment with an orthopedic doctor today just to make sure none of the injuries (knee pain and arch pain) I sustained from the marathon were serious. News is good, nothing serious, the knee problems are IT Band related and should go away on its own with some heat and stretching. The arch pain may be related to the IT Band and should also improve as my knee gets better. He also recommended I begin using arch supports in my regular shoes as well as my running shoes.

With any luck I hope to be feeling well enough in the next week or so to start training again. Perfect timing to combat the dreaded calorie-packed holiday.

Event: Valley Forge Battle to the End O' Marathon
 

Valley Forge Orienteering Marathon

Today I ran the first ever marathon legnth orienteering race in the history of the sport. First of all I have to give a resounding thank you to Wyatt and Angelica Riely for not only making their vision a reality, but also for their hospitality after the race (it was also no small feat managing to feed and entertain about a dozen famished orienteers after a day like this)! There were so many people who helped make this event a huge success that I'm sure I will miss some names, but here are those I can remember: Clem, Steve, Vadim, Sandy, and of course my parents Janet and Dennis.

Now that thanks have been paid...my race. Let me begin by saying that I should have never run this race. I have hardly trained since before thanks giving (thanks to finals and a new full time job) and I wasn't in terribly great shape before my training dropped off in the last month. I'm just stubborn and I wasn't about to miss running the first ever o-marathon, especially when it was put on by my own club. I should state though that I did not intend to run the full legnth marathon...well, I hadn't definitively decided either way until I was about half way through the half-marathon. At the starting line though I was fairly certain that it would be a miracle to just finish the half-marathon. So what happened to change my mind?

Well, on my way to control #9 (which by my estimate was about half way through the half :) I realized that I was feeling pretty good. I was more-or-less keeping pace with Pavlina and nothing was hurting (yet) so I decided to keep my present pace and re-asses how I felt at about a kilometer from the end of the half-marathon. Sure enough, I finished the half still feeling pretty good, if not a little fatigued, but well enough that I decided to just refuel on the go (stopping would have been the end of me) and see how far I could get...

Unfortunately, on my way to the first control (#26) after the half I took a nice slide down the rail road embankment of fist-sized rocks which began the long list of pains I felt from then on out. Still I pushed on. By about control #30 though I was afraid I was in trouble. I had lost Pavlina for the second time (I had also lost her breifly on the last couple legs of the half-marathon, but met her again to start the second half) and I was pretty sure it was for good. From #30 on it was a struggle to continue. My legs were getting wobbly, but overall I was just plain fatigued. It couldn't have happened at a worse time in the race either. The next few legs were probably some of the more technical legs that required actual navigation through an intricate trail network that literally left my head spinning. My saving grace at this point was that there really was not option, but to keep going since I was on the other side of the Schuykill River. I decided to hit up the aid station on the way to #35 and if I still felt horrible to give up at the 3/4 checkpoint (#37). Fortunately I made it to that aid station and with the help of a gu shot, half a bannan and copious amounts of water I actually began to feel much better. By the time I hit #37 I was actually starting to pick up speed and had once again gained sight of Pavlina and also Viktoria.

I should stop here for a moment and also extend my thanks to Pavlina and Viktoria because I think their presence throughout the race really made a difference. None of us really said much to each other and we were certainly each running our own race, but I was very glad to have them at least in sight.

I caught up to them by #39 and we were all close together until the last couple legs of the race. On the way to #41 I had to climb down a frighteningly steep earth bank/cliff as we were passing under Route 422. It was certainly not my favorite point of the race hanging off the side of this testing exposed roots to see which one would hold my weight. I knew if I fell it would mean a trip to the hospital, but got through safe. The pains in my legs really began to become bothersome leaving #41. Till that point the aches in my legs were traveling up and down my legs, but all off them pretty dull so not much to worry about. I did begin to worry however once I hit control #43. By then I had a stabbing pain that began right under my knee and travled down my shin to my ankle and across the top of my foot. I preceeded to jog cautiously and walked anytime the pain intensified. I didn't see the sense in pushing it considering I had started this race doubting that I would be able to finish the half-marathon. By the time I had crossed the bridge back over to the Mt. Joy map I was predominantly walking. I lost Pavlina on the way to #48 and Viktoria just before #49, but at that point I was just happy be nearing the finish.

Just as punched #49 (our first and last control of the race) I recalled the last time I had been to this control about 6 hours before. I really was overcome by what I had accomplished. This was not my first marathon, but I had spent months training and preparing mentally for my first one. It is amazing what you can do when you're not trying. It is going to sound corny, but after contemplating what I had done I realized that this race was a great metaphor for life - because there are many things (or even most) you will do in life with no training, no practice, but they will still be great accomplishments whether you were prepared for them or not.

As great as an accomplishment as this race was, the jury is still out on whether or not it was still an incrediably stupid thing to do. Only the next few days and weeks will tell after taking some time for recovery and I begin to train (and this time I will) for the spring.

C • I hope your ride home with ... 1