Believe to Achieve

drove to Franklin Massachusetts after spending the morning until 2pm with my cousins.  It was sad to leave.   But my family was coming up to the marathon to battle the heat with me.  They had no complaints-- they were thinking how glad they are that they are not runners.  In Franklin I stayed in a Marriot Residence in suite.  My Aunt Dottie took us out to Dinner at Davenports and I ate a full on Turkey dinner-- mashed potatos, butternut squash, turkey, cranberry, stuffing.  YUM.  No dessert.  Too stuffed.  I totally forgot to hydrate.  I didn't bring any gatorade and probably only drank 32 ounces for the day tops.  That what happens when you travel, travel, travel.  But I went to bed calm, not worried at all about being able to finish, just not happy about another heat run and with the addition of the quite painful foot, everystep of the way--- torn tendon??? versus break????    Slept the most hours I have ever and will probably ever sleep before a marathon-- 7 hours.  I was so not into this.  My family came first and it felt like the right thing to do. All about the experience!!!   Oh yah, walked two miles around the island.  It was just too hard to pass up.  And the foot was not letting up.

It wouldn't be me if I didn't haven't some mishap.  Finally met up with Melanie as I walked a mile to the Athlete's village getting in there about 9:35 am!!   My husband dropped me off in Hopkinton then I took a four mile shuttle in then had to walk.  All the time talking to Melanie,then Kim then April on the cell phone.  I was sweating a lot.  The heat was ridiculous.  I only drank one glass of water before this race.  I also accidentally threw my ipod on with my bag and I was the last one from wave 1 to throw mine in my bus :D (but I started running 6 minutes after wave 2 started).    So no turning back as there was a sea of runners and upstream again would be too hard.  I decided it would be better to hear everyone and be able to freely spill water all over me.   Well, Melanie and Rachelle and I were together for about 10-15 minutes when after I used the porta potty we were still together then I leaned over to pick up some shot blocks and looked up and they were gone.  I was frantically yelling their names but to no avail.  I said a silent prayer and figured if it were meant to be I would find them.  I had a feeling I would have slowed them down because of my lack of training the past five weeks and the most ridiculous foot ever.   I pushed through the crowd.  I thought we would be waiting in corrals, but nope I was actually in the race in just a few more feet.  I was thinking "no way really?".  I hadn't even stretched or thought much about anything.  I awoke at 8am and here I was running in blazing heat.  I decided to just roll with it and was surprised to see my first mile at 7:36.  I knew I should slow it down.  The heat was only going to get worse and there were at least four neon signs telling runners to SLOW DOWN blinking over and over.  HOSES galore, and I ran through every single water sprayer (I think there were four) and every hose being sprayed by locals.  I ran from side to side.  My main goal was to see family along the way that were excited to see me.  And amazingly I saw all of them.  My Aunt Dottie (my dad's sister) was at Wellsley and she stood out like a beacon of light.  I had to catch her attention yelling her name and ran over and gave her a kiss and hug.  Then I thought Boston College was at mile 16 but it wasn't there (that was where my husband, kids and cousins were) so  I asked around.  They informed me it was still six miles away. Oh my, I thougtht.  I wanted to slow down.   My foot was ailing and my quads had been cramping since the 10k mark.  I bummed one salt tab at the 10k mark from a guy wearing a fueling belt.   I already had heat cramps.  I surely was dehydrated.   I barely drank yesterday.  Forgot to while seeing family I haven't seen in 13 to 16 years. Even at the porta potty at the beginning I didn't even pee a teaspoon when I thought I had too.  I never once felt the urge for hours later after the race.  I really was so much more into my family.   We drove over 850 miles in the week before the race going here and there and everywhere!!   I am quite saddened to not have had Rachelle to run with (but she was better off without me as on my own I had noone to complain to about my foot pain with every step).  I realized it was the way it was supposed to be for  the both of us.  Rachelle, rocked it and she needed to.   I honestly don't think I could have forced my foot and my cramped quads to pick it up.  I had very cramped quads on Saturday walking around Boston after my two runs on Friday and Saturday so this concerned me.  I must be compensating with my thighs to avoid my stupid foot.   Nothing else is sore.  Hamstrings-- not a single sore place.  Shoulders sore slightly from bracing myself through the pain.  I figure gettting through searing heat and a bad foot will pay off on a day when my body is back together.  But what if that doesn't happen.  It kind of worries me.  But I am hopeful.  Time to now get that long awaited (five weeks now) MRI to get to the bottom of this (no pun intended : D).   I ran while on the Cape twice not because it felt good (my foot) but to train my mind to run with pain since I had given myself 7 days off.  Walking was hurting.  My cousins would ask the days leading up to the race "are you are sure you are okay to walk this?"  and I was okay because Boston was not a race for me.  I didn't want to miss out on anything my cousins had planned but every step was painful.    During the race I just kept telling myself to look respectable on AT and T athlete alerts until I see my family.  When I saw my family at mile 22.5 I was in a concentrating mode (remember no music, just drenched with water, my feet were prunes) and they yelled my name several times apparently to get my attention and I ran back to them--- I just couldn't run by without full on recognizing them for standing out in this heat.  As I veered back to them and got closer they yelled "keep running".  So it was shortlived and I turned around and started the last few miles.  I slowed.  They were taking the train and I would beat them by a lot.  I just didn't care to push on my foot anylonger.  It was hard to run through all the walkers the last few miles when I too wanted to stop.  I didn't even push it in to the finish line.  My mind was done pulling my body through.  I was happy to be done!!   And even happier for Rachelle!!!  and all the others that persevered this year at Boston!!!   btw I swerved an additional 0.5 miles.  It was worth it!!!  I slapped so many hands and took so many waters from little kids it was great!! The gatorade however was so very warm!!!

quads, foot (swollen about 3/4 of a golf ball sized on the bottom of my foot), and shoulders.  Site saw in Concord, Massachusetts.  The site of the start of the Revolutionary war -- the North Bridge.  84 degrees.  I felt like we were in Hawaii!!.   So am going to miss the winding roads and homestyles and trees.  Really feel like I need to move back East.   Seriously sad to leave my cousins.  We were so close growing up and we are NOT getting any younger.  When we were together it was as if we were never apart.  I love that families can be together forever!!   It helps when we depart!!!  Flight back to SLC left at 435pm in Manchester, NH.  Didn't even swell.  Weird!! I usually do.  My heart actually didn't feel like it ever ran a marathon yesterday.   No speeding up HR not heartattack feeling.  Just a painful foot and cramped quads.    Arrived in SLC 920pm.  1120pm Eastern time.  Kids were tired.  I was trying to acclimate back to Utah time and stayed up until 11pm reading the local Massachusetts paper about RECORD HEAT FOR MARATHONERS!! :D.

Plan today-- MRI of foot.  Lounge around and unpack.  Think of a new hobby. 

Boot work out.  MRI later today. Last night went to Hope of America.  My daughter's class was on the floor-- so she did a few dances.  Definitely a must see.  Very inspiring and well done by all the fifth graders.  I was a volunteer (up and down those stairs at the Marriott Center in my boot, back not happy, foot very happy).    Got reserved seating right in front of my daughter down low.  So wonderful.   It helped me feel better.  And I don't know why I even went through PMD (post marathon depression).  I think it is because SGM is still fresh in my memory.  I knew five weeks ago my foot might not come through for me.  I did the longest taper ever and every run since the injury has been painful.   Sooooo some post Boston Marathon reflections:

I am thankful Melanie filled in for me for Rachelle.   Bending down to pick up the Gu shots at that very moment must have been meant to be.   I would not have seen my family along the course if I was focusing on going faster.   I was in constant "look out" mode two miles before Wellsley (hug to my Aunt) and at miles 16 through 18 thinking that was where my family was.  Then again at mile 21-22.5 when I saw them.  Few....once I got there I knew I could breath easier.  I was very worried about missing them.  Family is way more important than a marathon!! :D. 

I was so in vacation mode and it was so nice to feel that way for a whole week.  Eating whatever I wanted.  The only problem with driving 850 miles in a week was lack of noticing my hydration level.  When I run SG I am keenly aware of this.  But I don't think I was dehydrated in the race. I stopped at every water station and grabbed some from locals as well.  The water stations were almost every mile.  The BM added additional stations due to the heat.   Even though I never felt like I needed to pee in the race I didn't feel unusual thirst.

Third Boston is LOUD.  I didn't have my music and still there was constant noise.  It is nice to have this support truly but by mile 25 I wanted peace and quiet.  The sun compounded the noise.  But Seriously the finish line moment was surreal.  I am running down the 0.3 miles stretch to the finish thinking about how all the elites came through this way and here I was coming too!!  It was an amazing feeling.   :D.

The marathon felt like a jog in a sea of other athletes fighting the heat.   My heart was never pounding like it did at SG.  It was nice and slow.  I didn't feel out of breath.  My quads gave in way too early.  Which I guess could have been from too much time off and the heat all at once. 

I am also not going to EVER take a xanax (1/2 tab works well for me, I just barely got the prescription two weeks ago because I couldn't sleep) the night before the race.  Sleeping 7 hours straight  (and I felt like I could have gone back to bed after waking and eating the buffet breakfast at 830am) and arriving pretty much as the race was about to start is way too relaxed for me!!!  I felt like I dreamed the whole thing.  I slept well the most important night (Sat) so there was no need to overdo it.   I do better lying up thinking about a race then sleeping through one :D.  

Lastly-- I know what I am capable of.  Things happen at the worst times all the time.  I am not going to dwell much longer on the whys and what ifs.    When my foot is healed I will be back!!!   I am not going to lie-- the pain was intense.  But my photos for the marathon don't show it--- I am proud of myself.  I smiled for the camera through the pain.  This will only make me stronger when someday, maybe when I am fifty,  I run a sub three hour marathon pain free!!

I forgot to mention on my list of Boston Marathon reflections yesterday:  LET GO OF THE GARMIN.  As I left the door of my hotel room Monday morning at 9am...I had my regular watch in one hand and my garmin in the other.  I decidided I wanted "Boston" on record when I downloaded my garmin but I knew that I would not be happy with all the swerving adding distance to my garmin before markers(half mile by the finish : D) IT messes with my head.  Hitting my stop watch is better than watching a garmin's AP get slower and slower messing with your head and the fact that it would hit mile splits way ahead of time.  But I was not racing so I don't know why it mattered anyway.  SGM still in my brain--- too fresh of a memory/competition. 

No result on MRI yet.....waiting for the Dr.'s office to call today as they said they would.  Let you all know soon.

VERDICT--  VERY INFLAMED PLANTAR FASCIA.   On oral steroids-- taper.  Day one.  Worked all day without boot because I was wishful thinking that the plantar fascia would be aggressively "attacked " by the powerful antiinflammatory from adrenal suppression.  Only notice a slight decrease in pain but it hasn't even been 14 hours yet!!   Crossing fingers.  Actually I did notice I am able to actually massage the fascia with out pain as much pain :D.   My foot feels like it is screwed on incorrectly.  Odd feeling when I walk.  Going to start with cycling and swimming on Monday.  Pool running if the equipment is available at the pool.  I don't have any equipment and I have looked up several of the stores for "aquajogging" equipment.   The stores it suggests have it said they didn't.  Glad I called rather than driving there first!!