Austin Marathon, Chapter Two

The day after the marathon, everything aches a little. But it’s a good enjoyable ache, of muscles pushed to their limits and now allowed to rest and recover. In fact, there are only a few feelings in life more pleasurable than getting into bed after a marathon, or any hard day’s work, and letting the exhaustion drain into the pillow and sheets.

No serious pains; I think that yesterday’s hip pain, which started late in the race, is just bursitis. I remember going to the doctor with the same (I think) pain a couple of years ago. He poked the side of my hip with his finger, I yelped, and he said “Bursitis. Don’t worry - it’ll go away.” And it did. And it is much better today than it was late yesterday. Things that might have caused or promoted the bursitis: (1) Hard strides on the many downhills; (2) Cold start; (3) Sloped-sideways roadways; (4) Getting old.

Oddly, the injury that is most annoying the day after the race is a cut lip. While trying to wipe my nose on my sleeve during the marathon (we do gross things in road races), my homemade plastic wristband caught my lower lip and tore it slightly. This too shall pass.

Internet results still have me finishing in 3:46:36, first of 29 in my age group, though I don’t think the results have been finalized. At least I hope not, because Eagle Momma and Sweet Pea definitely finished and their results are not up yet.

Temperature at the start was 37, and at my finish about 55. Not bad at all. I discarded a garbage bag, two shirts, a headband, and holey-sox-for-gloves as the miles went by. I finished in shorts, a long-sleeve tech shirt, headband, and thin gloves. Gels about every 35-40 minutes, five in all. The last one was "double caffeine," which is nasty stuff but I think it helped. Salt every hour; I always intend to take it, but this time I really did. No cramps at all this race. Coincidence? I think not.

No upset stomach after this race! Why not? Could be: (1) Nothing to eat for 12 hours before the race; (2) Ginger afterward; (3) Recovery drink afterward; (4) Rehydration according to thirst (some beer but not too much); (5) Popcorn afterward; (6) All of the above?

Until mile 18, I ran with the 3:45 pace team, more or less. I would fall behind at the water stops (I walk and drink) and on the uphills, but catch up again on the flat and the downhills, and even spend some time ahead of the group.

Alas, however, I was obliged to make a very necessary porta-potty stop after mile 18 and lost two minutes, one of which I was unable to recover. I finished about a minute behind the team. We ran the first half in 1:51:30, which is roughly a minute ahead of schedule; that’s perfect for a pace team. I ran the second half in 1:55:06, about 3 ½ minutes longer than the first half.

After finishing, I walked back on the course to find my two sweeties at about mile 22, and ran with them to the finish line. That’s become an enjoyable tradition in our marathons. And it’s really fun to walk the marathon backwards, encouraging all of the runners, especially the Team In Training people in their purple shirts. I love Team in Training. They are helping to fund research for myeloma, as well as leukemia and lymphoma.