Monday, July 26, 2010

2nd One Down....


Yay!  Deseret News Marathon was so amazing!  I actually got to watch a full orange moon set before the race started and then see a beautiful sunrise a few miles into the race!  The course was beautiful coming through the canyon and of course lots of great runners and support people along the way.  The marathon actually only had around 650 runners, the 10K draws the most runners in this race.  But it was mostly so amazing cause I rocked my time, if I do say so myself... :)  I finished in 4:17!  My fastest finish to date!  Yes the course had a lot of downhills, but these downhills were tough.  Hard on your quads tough.  And of course you don't realize it until you have about 4 miles left and your legs feel like you're pushing bricks through mud.  I hit the half-way point at 2 hours exactly and kept my pace up til mile 21 and I could feel it happen...  Started slowing down and by mile 24 there was the wall.  Sun started getting hot, no shade, and I had the worst side stitch ever!  Could not get rid of it.  If not for those last three miles, slowing down so much, I felt like 4 hours was within my reach...  So frustrating but yet I finished feeling so great that I had a new PR!

So I broke a couple of the cardinal rules of running...

1.  I stayed up way too late.  Here in Utah there is a state holiday that celebrates when Pioneers settled here.  They have huge firework shows and one of them happens in the park right behind my house!  So of course we have to have a party!  Didn't get to bed til almost midnight (left the clean-up to my husband & his family - very kind of them!).  And then had to be up at 2:30 am to get down to the area where they bus the runners up to the start line!  2 1/2 hrs of sleep... not so good.

2.  I tried some new supplements on race day.  They actually really helped but I went into it knowing that it could have affected me in a bad way just as easily.  And they possibly could be why I had such a bad side stitch the last 2 miles.  But the new stuff I used I'm definitely going to practice with during long runs coming up and use in my next race. **I'll share my new finds in an upcoming post!

For the most part, it was a great day.  I came home feeling good, took a shower, went to a movie (Eclipse!) and then wanted to take a little nap but couldn't.  I could not get my legs to relax.  Weirdest thing.  It happened after my last marathon too.  They weren't throbbing, it was almost like they couldn't un-flex.  So any suggestions out there?  I did drink a recovery drink right after the race, within a half hour.  I took some ibuprofen when I got home.  I don't know.  What else should I try next time?

Monday morning here now and quads are still feeling heavy.  Hopefully I'll feel like I can run 2 or 3 slow miles tomorrow...  Not much time for rest, but definitely no long run this week.

What race day rules have you broken?  Any great remedies for side stitches?  How bout for muscles that seem like they won't un-flex post-race?  Got a few more races ahead of me and I need all the help I can get!  Hope your weekend was a great one too!

6 comments:

  1. You ROCK!!!! That is awesome, way to go!!! No advice here, other then HOT TUB. . . .or a massage :) You deserve one!

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  2. will you marry me? because you pretty much amaze me.

    try tonic water for your flex issue. the quinine in it has some kind of effect on muscles. here's where i deliniate a humiliating difference between your rocking body and mine: i drink it at night for restless leg syndrome.

    yeah. i'm old and pathetic.

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  3. Hi Dawn,

    Your mom sent me this, remember I used to work with her a while back?? I am so impressed with your goal!!! (I am half as ambitious, I do a 1/2 marathon every month, with very few breaks.. my biggest streak was 16 months in a row!). Nice work on the PR! I call the leg thing "hot legs".. I have them after every long run or race myself. It's like the muscles are all warm and still wanting to go go go... crazy! I find I need to cool them down, chilly bath or wintercrest rub down usually works! And then no covers on them that night. Good luck!!! I'll keep watchin you!!

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  4. I read your article and was impressed with your goal. I am in the same position as you when you started, just had my second baby and wanted to get running. I am only do half-marathons for now though. I look forward to tips on training and seeing how this all goes.

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  5. Hi Dawn,
    Wow, you did so freaking good! I would be so flipping elated if I got that time for my marathon! Way to go and get a fancy new PR:)

    A rule that I broke...wearing something new to a race. Thankfully it was not an issue and mu outfit was comfy:)

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