Grandma's Marathon Part 2

Again, the wonderful result for me is NO INJURY! Whoopee. In my first five year of running I almost took that for granted, but in the past year injury-free running has eluded me. Until Saturday. I’m so encouraged. But easy does it, I won’t jump right into 40-mile weeks.

Regarding injury prevention: I have been doing my stretches, especially the ITB and calf stretches, and I believe that made a difference. I also tried to run on the flattest part of the road, no sideways slope, even though that was not always the shortest path or the shadiest one.

Regarding performance: I finished my sixth Grandma’s Marathon and my 29th marathon overall in 4:42. The Boston Qualifying time for me was 4:15, but that was an unrealistic expectation, partly because of the warm running conditions. In addition: (1) I have gained about six pounds since starting the new cancer meds in March - that’s no one’s fault but mine - back on Weight Watchers; (2) I feel under-trained, although I did a marathon seven weeks before and a 30k three weeks before (neither very well); (3) The meds do take something out of me I think, though that may be mental and thus a self-fulfilling prophesy.

As a result: I was on pace at mile 14, running 9:44 per mile with the Clif Shot pace team, but couldn’t keep up any longer because my breathing was going out of control, three footfalls per full breath, which is OK for the last half of a 5k race but not for the middle of a marathon; it should have been four. Interesting how the easy 9:44 pace became harder and harder - at one time I was convinced that the pace leaders had bumped the pace up a little, but at the next milepost they were right on time. I walk/ran about 12-minute miles after mile 15.

Highlights:

• We three took the train to the start. What a pleasant ride up the shore, with bathrooms on board instead of long lines and porta potties. We recommend it.
• I actually did enjoy running much of the way with the pace team. They motor right through the water stops though, and I drop to a walk to drink the water, so I did have to catch up after each one.
• My son and his friend live on the course and were waiting for me to go by, with a beer just in case I was doing poorly and taking it easy anyway. But at that point I was on pace and took high-fives instead of the beer. Thanks for being there!
• Further along, at about mile 20, someone had tiny cups of beer and I did partake. Not enough to hamper running, and by then I wasn’t moving so fast.
• Scottish bagpipes played at two places, one a solitary piper and the second a small bagpipe band with pipes and drums right in the middle of the only hill on the course. They smiled too.
• Friend John was waiting at mile 22 to walk/run with me a little. We had a nice chat, though necessarily brief.
• Other friends were lurking downtown, near mile 25, and cheered for me.
• I wear DON in big letters on my shirt, so I did get a lot of encouragement from many spectators. I always feel a little guilty if they cheer when I’m walking; sometimes that gets me running again.
• Doctor L, my Mayo hematologist and also a runner, was watching from somewhere. Though I didn’t see her, it was nice to know that she was there.
• I did hear sirens quite a few times, and saw several runners being attended on shady spots of grass and one runner barfing. Ah, well.
• Briefly I ran with a young woman whose walk/run pace matched mine. She was recently recovered from ovarian cancer and was worried about her heart rate, which the monitor said was 185, and decided to slow down even more. I hope she finished.
• Ice cream at the finish.
• Beer at the finish.
• Best of all, my sweeties both finished!

Stats: 9:15, 8:44, 9:52, 9:28, 19:30 (2 mi), 9:49, 9:39, 19:13 (2 mi), 9:46, 9:40, 30:48 (3 mi), 12:35, 12:05, 12:05, 11:48, 12:23, 12:15, 12:05, 12:02, 12:27, 12:17, 12:17, 2:08. Temp ranged from 63 at the start to 73 at the finish according to the weather bureau, but some local thermometers topped 80 degrees. The relentless sun made it seem that hot. Water on the head and down the hatch at every water stop. Clif bar 3.5 hours before the race start. Gels at 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 23, mostly with caffein. I didn’t take any other caffein, though I had a couple of No-Doz along. Salt at 11 and 21. Slight pain in the right hip flexor starting at mile 9, but this has happened before and it didn’t get any worse throughout the race. I’m stiff today, two days later, but that’s perfectly normal and indicates that my muscles are doing what they must do to perform better next time. Good marathon, I’m glad I ran it.



Dex breakfast: Gluten-free oatmeal with NO raisins or cranberries, blueberries, macadamia nuts, organic walnuts, pistachios, filberts, nonfat organic milk. Once a week I take dexamethasone, and for the next day I'm a diabetic, so I try for that day to limit carbs with a high glycemic index and combine carbs with protein and good oils to keep insulin spikes down.