Decisions

Each day is filled with its own decisions. Some are great. Some lead to even more decisions, more opportunities, and more experiences. Some are trivial. Some are mundane. Some are easy. Some are difficult.

Yesterday, I had to make a difficult, difficult decision. And, over the past week, I had been playing through this decision in my head. What would it mean if I followed this path (or rather, didn't follow this path)? What would I be losing from this decision, and what would I be gaining? How would this decision, either way, effect me now and down the road?

The pain in my right foot, the one that flared-up just 10 days ago, stayed with me in my final week of tapering. This was the final week of 18. Eighteen weeks of training and dedication. More than four (4) months of preparation and anticipation. All leading to this, the final week of my taper - a week during which one small bone in my right foot would rise up and say, "howdy, partner."

I'd rested this thing, stretched it, taken water and ibuprofen. And still, the pain would not subside when I ran. A sore muscle would have healed by now, a pulled ligament would be hurting constantly. This only hurt when I ran, and it felt like I was stepping on a rock in my shoe. My runs lately have started out with a moderate pain, mild pain in the middle, and severe pain in the end. What we had here, my friends, was a stress fracture.

Yesterday, I went for a 2-mile diagnostic run around the park. And just one mile into it, I could tell, that this marathon was not happening. The foot didn't hurt much, but just enough to let me know that it would be stopping me dead in my tracks around mile 8 of the next day's race. There would be no use in running through this one; I'd just be making things worse. So I made the decision that no runner ever wants to make, and just ONE DAY before the marathon I'd set my sights on 18 weeks ago. I was bowing out.

So here I am today. My foot's still a bit sore to even walk on. I can feel my right third metatarsal just daring me to step on it the wrong way. It is unfortunate that I missed this race, but I'm glad I decided not to run. And, though I won't run again for a while, I'm looking forward to the day when I can. I've got 55 days of rest left, and counting. I figure 8 weeks will give my foot time enough to heal.

In the meantime, I'm going to be swimming and exercising in ways that won't bear a lot of weight on that foot. After eight weeks of healing, I will then have plenty of time to train for...a Fall marathon of my choosing. Then, I'll be back, and better than ever.

My right foot

Excellent. Just...excellent.

10 days before my race, I started feeling...this. A dull, bruise-type pain in my right foot. Doesn't hurt all the time, just when I RUN ON IT. I have modified my gait to consciously avoid the natural pronation of my right foot, and that seems to quiet down the pain, pain, pain of landing. I even went out and bought new running kicks to see if the shoes I was wearing were the culprit. But no, the pain persists. Seems like some type of overuse injury in the making. And running 26.2 miles, at or near Boston-Qualifying pace this Sunday is sure to make it worse.

I'm trying to rest it and just see how it goes. The devil on my shoulder is whispering "stressssss fracturrrrre," in my ear. And I don't want to hear that. Not after four months of training, and NOT four DAYS before the race.

Oh, taper, how I despise thee.

Here's to hoping. Hoping that the pain will disappear, or at least subside long enough for me to finish this marathon in a respectable time. Hope hope hope.

Thirteen Days

The taper: my least favorite part of marathon training. These next two weeks are gonna be hard. I spent two hours last night staring at the marathon course map, trying to figure out how I'll be feeling where and when, come race day.

This race runs through a ritzy gated community that I haven't been able to access during my training. So, aside from the course drive-through video on their website, I have very little experience running on the marathon course. My strategy might, then, rely on mile markers and aid stations. In my traning, I found that it was helpful to break down my 20-milers into 9-6-5 milers. I might try to modify this descending strategy to a 10-7-6-3.2 miler. Hopefully this will make sense on race day. I don't know, maybe I'm just making things up, but I really think that breaking down the marathon into shorter, more manageable chunks is really going to help me out.

I wonder how much of this planning (read: worrying) is actually worthwhile and beneficial. Something tells me I need to step back and take a big breath. Phew...thirteen days.

While I was away...

Ah, yes, it does feel good. Very good. Since this last post in October, I've gone through quite a few changes. I moved out to Wilmington, North Carolina in November. Business or pleasure, you ask? ...Hmm, how about both? My Beebee and her family live in Wilmington, so I found a job here and hopped, skipped, and jumped on over. Oh, and I ran. Oh, did I run.

I set my eyes on the Wrightsville Beach Marathon (wrightsvillebeachmarathon.com) on March 20th, 2011. And I am happy to announce that I just entered the taper phase of an 18-week training program. That's right, I know. The things that happen when the winds of change are a-blowin'...

This training plan has actually gone without too many hitches. There was a little spell in the 11th week, where I rolled my ankle on a planned 18-miler. That was a dark day. A dark, dark day. And, probably on a related note, I got sick-as-a-dog later in the week and had to cut some miles out of the plan. But I was able to get back on the gravy train and enjoy the ride to where I am at today. Woot and a half!

Oh, I almost forgot to confess my dirty little secret. My goal time for this marathon. Last time, I pounded the streets of Tokyo and came out with a 3:59:31 finishing time. This go round, I'm shooting for 3:15. I'll take a 3:30. And in a perfect world, I would come in at 3:10. We'll see how it goes. But I'm sure I can finish faster than last time.

Les vents du changement

You know when you're in the shower, and the water's hitting the top of your head, and you get in some sorta trance, just standing there? Then, you look down and see that, suddenly, your fingers are all pruney. And you think to yourself, "How long have I been in here?"

Yeah, that's what happened with my running this year.

So, no qualifying for Boston this year. Somehow, I just let that pass me by. I guess I became too focused on going to the gym and working on those damned machines, ellipticalizing my way to a fuller sense of fitness. But no!

I'm back on it. Back running. Back to getting my groove back. One man. One fire. One burning desire. Boston, 20xx, here I come.

I ran around the park this afternoon a couple times, just 2.8 miles. Then I found a big hill the kids use for sledding in winter, and I charged up-and-down that mother ten times. I actually FELT my legs after this run. Feels like summoning the beast. And I like it.

Saint George No Go

So the folks in St. George passed me over this year. I won't be running their marathon this October. Oh well, their loss. :)

However, I did find a Boston Qualifying race around the same time of year. The first annual Layton Marathon will be held October 9th, 2010. No lottery with this one, just first-come first-serve.

I might have a chance with this one. I've been able to maintain a 7-minute mile pace so far, up to seven miles. I know damn well that I'll need to able to maintain that pace for much longer to qualify for Boston. But I do still have 3 and 1/2 months to get there.

I just bought new running kicks a couple of weeks ago. Went down to the running store and got my stride analyzed and everything. The whole shebbang. I'm going with Brooks again. Those have treated me well, and they will hopefully lead across the finish line of the Layton Marathon in less than 3:10:59 come this Fall. Woot!

Praying to St. George

I've done it. I've entered the lottery for the 2010 St. George Marathon. This is where I hope to qualify for Boston. The lottery results will be announced May 7th, 2010. I have three weeks of waiting and wishing, then I'll know if I'm in. I've got my fingers crossed (well, not really), but I've got some neurons firing off happy-lucky-win vibes in my brain. Watch this space.