The Marathon Training Blog

Someone recently said to me that for a while my whole life would be divided into pre and post marathon. It seems so dramatic, but couldn't feel more accurate. Running the marathon really was that big of a deal. It's hard to explain and even harder for most people to understand, even people closest to me didn't get it and many were not at all interested in my doing it. After all, running a marathon is not on par with the usual life goals -- having a baby, getting married, etc, etc. But it was an amazing experience -- one that I set out to do so many months ago, that required a level of dedication and perseverance I've not always had in many aspects of my life, and one that few people try and even fewer will accomplish. And that is incredibly special.  I think few things in life will match the feeling.

A lot of people have asked me what the recovery was like. Well, the stiffness and pain set in almost immediately after finishing and only continued to get worse over the next 24 hours. I forced myself to take a few walks the day after which I think helped a lot. By day 2, I was much better able to get around but stairs were difficult. Also, there was a lot of swelling in my knees and spasming in my hips. I wasn't as hungry as I expected and didn't eat nearly as much as I needed to. I also wasn't as tired as I expected to be.

By day 3, I could walk pretty normally again. Stairs were still tough and I felt like my legs were retaining a lot of water, or maybe it was inflammation. I'm not sure. But they were very large and heavy. This was when I started to get really hungry and was craving Indian food like my life depended on it. I also started feeling really fatigued and spent most of my Thanksgiving weekend sleeping.

Six days after the marathon, I went for my first run. It wasn't good. My feet were killing me and I felt very tired the whole time. I ran pretty slowly and barely did 3 miles. I tried again the next day -- exactly one week after the marathon. This time was much better. I ran 4 miles, slower than my usual short-run pace, but I didn't feel like I was going to keel over, so that was an accomplishment.

I haven't been running too much since the marathon and I definitely notice how different it  is to motivate myself to run when I don't have this big deadline looming in the future. However, Steph and I have vowed to continue our long runs and I'm considering joining a running club to keep it up.

And now for the big question that everyone keeps asking me: Will I do it again? Well, at mile 23, teary and delirious, I remember saying, "I will NEVER do this again." Two hours later over fries, I'd all but signed up for the New York Marathon next year. As I keep running, we'll see. But doing the marathon has inspired me to finally do a bunch of other activities I've wanted to try forever but never have, like skiing, snowboarding, modern dance, and horseback riding. I will always keep running though. And who knows, maybe you'll be seeing jen run new york next year.

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Marathon Morning

When I woke up on marathon morning, I felt good, rested and ready. I’d had a great pre-race dinner of ravioli and pizza -- delicious -- and slept about eight hours. That morning I’d fueled up on water, Gatorade, and Clif bars.

It was a pretty chilly 35 degrees as we lined up at the start. I wasn’t nervous, anxious or worried – strangely calm and excited to get started. Unlike at a lot of marathons, there was a tent in front of the art museum where you could hang out and stay warm before the race. And while that was a great feature, there were a few pre-race headaches that had everyone on edge.

Pre-Race Headaches

First of all, the race started at 8 am, but the bag check for some 12,000 plus runners didn’t open until 7:30. And then, no one -- not even the race volunteers --seemed to know where exactly it was and it wasn’t marked. Everyone was racing around to find it. Then when we did, you can imagine the line. As we approached start time and people were freaking out, the organizers decided to have everyone leave their bags in heaps organized by bib number. As I put my bag down with my cell phone, cash, and hotel key in a big unattended pile, I didn’t feel good about it, but I had no choice, so I left it and walked away. People were fuming!

Another annoyance? Not enough port-o-johns. At just minutes before 8 there were still hundreds of people waiting in line to go. I gave up and decided to go during the race. I knew it would hurt my time -- and it did -- but I decided I’d rather finish later than planned than start off way in the back of the pack.

Off and Running

When we finally got going, I felt reallygood. The runners were excited, the crowds were cheering, there was a lot ofmusic. It was fun. And because I’d lived in Philly and gone to college there, it was great to run around places I use to shop, eat, and drink. When I rounded South Street at mile 4, a place where I’d spent a lot of time in college -- I was so excited to see my friend (who drove from D.C.) and her husband and baby waiting with a big “Go Jen” sign cheering me on.  That was fun. A big hug and kiss from baby later, I was on my way up Chestnut Street through Center City. The shopper that I am, I was noting stores I’d never seen before and making a mental note to go back to them.

Going Strong Early On

At mile 6, I had my first gu, started drinking Gatorade and was still going strong and enjoying the sites. Around miles 8 and 9, were through Drexel University’s fraternity row. Throngs of college kids were perched outside in their fraternity and sorority t-shirts screaming as we streamed by. The energy there was pretty amazing.

I was also amazed by the people I was running with -- a man who had to be in his seventies who was kicking my ass, a guy who had just run the New York Marathon (shouldn’t he be resting?), a woman whose t-shirt said she was a cancer survivor, a couple of best friends with matching outfits and their names and “best friends” written on their shirts. It was an incredibly diverse group.

I was still feeling great and having fun, sometimes listening to my iPod, sometimes turning it off and listening to a band or just the crowds cheering as we approached Memorial Hall at mile 10 --  a place I didn’t even know existed in all the years I lived in Philly. The runners had thinned out by now as did the cheering crowds. But the scenery was amazing -- trees with red and yellow leaves, amazing statues. It was a picturesque fall day. I tried to take it all in and remind myself to look around and enjoy the day. Mile 12 was gu number 2 and still, I was strong and confident.

Midway Mark

We turned down West River Drive, near Boathouse Row and headed back toward the start. When I saw the 13.1 mile marker, I smiled, noted how great I felt and felt strongly that I could finish in 4:40 if not before. By now, the sun had come out and it warmed up tremendously, I tossed my gloves on the side of the road and kept on. Of course when the sun went back behind the clouds, I regretted tossing the gloves, but, oh well.

At mile 15, I saw my running buddy Steph who’d taken the train down that morning. I was so excited to see her and she was holding the “Go Buddy” sign that I’d made for her run in the NY Marathon a couple of weeks before. She ran alongside me for a bit telling me I looked great, that I was gonna finish strong. I gave her a big hug and felt really charged as I headed up toward Manayunk.

Losing Steam

Okay, here’s where things took a turn. Heading up to Manayunk along Kelly Drive was a boring part of the course for sure. You run up for about 6 miles, literally turn around and run back down the other side of the road. It was a highway so basically there were no spectators -- nothing but runners. The energy did drop dramatically. The only cheering was the runners like me on the left side who cheered on the people coming down the other side who were in the last 6 miles and vice versa. By mile 18, when I downed gu number 3, I was starting to get pains in my left leg and hip -- a pain I’d never had before. I also started to lose steam and slow my pace a bit.

To this point, I’d been thinking, “You know you can do 20, because you’ve done it before, so just get there.” Those few blocks on Main Street in Manayunk were nice and lively with lots of music and crowds, but it was brief and then it was back to boring highway. When I got to 20 and turned to head back down that same quiet stretch of highway, I was excited to know I was in the final 6.2 miles but at the same time that distance seemed impossible given how I was feeling. And for me, that distance is another hour at least. I couldn’t imagine running for one more hour.

The Last Leg
At mile 21, I felt like I could do it, but that it was going to take forever. I kept having to stop and stretch to try to work out the pain in my leg and hip. At this point finishing in 4:40 wasn’t going to happen. I thought I had a chance at 4:45 or 4:50.

By mile 22, we were on a hill and the pain was really become too much. I stopped 3 or more times to stretch and if you’ve ever run a long distance you know that first step again after having stopped is like sending a shockwave of pain up your whole body. At this point I saw myself walking across the finish line hours later. I was quickly losing steam, realized there was no way I was going to reach my time goal and was getting incredibly discouraged. The energy around me was low and by this point, I’d seen three people carried away in ambulances.

At mile 23, I was tearing up. I was in tremendous pain. My hip was burning and I just wanted it to be over. I kept telling myself that the finish was so close, that I could do it, but it was almost like there was nothing I could say to myself to boost my spirit anymore. It was just a matter of fighting to keep my legs moving, which was becoming harder and harder.

I went into the race feeling so confident and prepared and determined, but I have to admit, that this part caught me a little off guard. It came down to something more than just wanting it and more than believing I could, more than being a runner, it was truly finding some way to force my body to move and refuse to let it stop, even though it was crying out for me to. I was listening to “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child over and over and just focusing on putting my foot down on the beat. It just felt like a mechanical operation at this point.

Amazingly, as if on cue, Steph showed up and I teared up again when I saw her. I told her I was in pain and she pointed at the mile marker and said it was mile 25. She said, “Eleven minutes and you’re done. Eleven minutes is nothing. Dig deep.” She ran with me for a bit andthen ran ahead of me to take the photo above, which is one of my favorite pictures from the day. I love the kind of smiling/crying/groaning face that I have. Even though I’m waving to the camera, that was a really low, painful, but grateful moment. It was also the moment I realized that I still had a chance to make it in under 5 hours. So I gave it everything I had left-- and it wasn’t much.

By now the crowds had picked up and the cheering was so helpful and I just started running as fast as I could all the while saying, “Eleven minutes and I’m done.” Out of nowhere, my friend Laura who came down from New York and had run the 8K in Philly earlier jumped in and ran with me for a bit and cheered me on.

From then on I was just looking for the finish line. I ran past this cute couple who looked at me and said, “You’re half a mile away. This is everything you’ve worked so hard for, now go get it.” It was amazing. At this point I’m thinking, it’s just five more minutes, forget the time goal, just finish this up. Then a guy ran in front of me and the back of his t-shirt had a sign that said “4:59 or Bust!” I thought, right on, and stayed on his heels. I followed him through the end of the last and hardest mile I’ve ever run.

I crossed the finish line at 4:59:12. I’ve never, truly never, been more proud of myself.

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Here I am, legs shaking, tears streaming, proudly standing with my medal and Mylar blanket after finishing the Philly Marathon. I'll give you all the details and more photos shortly. But 26.2 rocks!

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With just 2 plus days before the marathon I'm feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement. I did an easy 3-mile run yesterday and had to resist the urge to run faster or longer. After all, it's all about rest this week. I'm not getting as much sleep as I would like. And I feel like a chunky monkey from a bit too much bread. Bascially, I'm thinking way way too much about it. I'm just trying to tell myself that I am prepared and let it go at that. It's not really working, however. I just hope I remember to enjoy the day -- look around and soak it in. I just have a few errands --picking up Clif bars and gu, collecting a few good-luck hugs from friends who won't be there, loading all the great music suggestions I've gotten onto my iPod, some obsessive packing, and one final 2-mile slow jog the day before -- and it's off to Philly I go.

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Every time I go to the Philadelphia Marathon site I get a little freaked out by the clock that tells me how many days, hours, and minutes to go. Right now, it's 4 days, 17 hours 52 minutes...Tick tock. As the day approaches, I'm trying to rest. I'm not going out after work, haven't been drinking for a while now, I'm trying to turn in early every night, run  a bit slower than my race pace (did a slow 4 miles yesterday) and trying not to worry about the many things that could go wrong.  According to Runner's World's fabulous article on tapering, anxiety is typical but this week I should focus on taking refuge in knowing that I'm physically prepared because I did the necessary training. Easier said than done.

I'm also a bit anxious because as I'm a bit bogged down with carbs and feel heavy and bloated. I don't think I'm totally overdoing it. Though I did eat half a loaf of French bread on Sunday (yuck), but I think bread is just generally a bit bulkier than pasta. So it's pasta and not too much sugar or fat from here on out. Unfortunately, my order of Girl Scout cookies just arrived.  I think I'll just avoid the scale until sometime next week.

So, rest, water, carbs and salt and some positive thinking are the goals for the week. One more run tomorrow and then a final 2-mile jog on Saturday.

Weather.com is predicting a low of 35 and a high of 51 that day so that sounds good. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain and humidity is low. My cheering section is coming together so after a final gu and gatorade run so I'm stocked for the trip, and loading up my iPod with some more music, I should be good to go. Now, to relax....

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The marathon is 8 days away. I can't believe it's so close. I'm generally excited, but very anxiety-ridden. What if it rains? What if it snows? Food poisoning? I'm convinced I'm going to be done in by a slip in the shower or a misstep on the sidewalk -- or that every sniffle is an oncoming flu. Must chill out.

This week I had three 4-mile runs on my schedule, a 6-miler and a 5-miler for the weekend. I don't know about you, but that seems like a lot of running so close to the marathon. What happened to rest being the most important part of the last 3 weeks? So I'm making this week two 4-mile runs (which I've already knocked out), a 6-miler, which I'll do tomorrow with Steph (yay, she's back), and 3-miler on my own on Sunday. I'm  running my shorter runs slower than race-pace minus 2 miles in the middle which I will run at race pace. At least that's what Runner's World told me to do.

Now, a lot of you have sent me amazing advice over the past months and I'm so grateful for it. Now I'm asking you to help me with my playlist. Please tell me your favorite running songs so I can head to Philly with an iPod full of pumped-up, motivating, get-me-through-the-wall, run-my-best-marathon-ever music. Thank you!

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Two weeks to until I run the Philly marathon. I'm getting excited, feeling a bit anxious and a little worried. I ran 12 miles on Saturday and I've noticed my runs seem slower and slower. I'm trying not to let this concern me to much. After all, I'm without a running partner and also coming to the end of more than 18 weeks of sheer pounding. When I was running in the park last weekend, they were setting up for the NYC Marathon and just being around the buzz at various points gave me a bit of a boost. So I'm holding out hope that a crowd and some excitement is all I need to get me going again.

Speaking of NYC Marathon, my running partner Stephanie finished in great time. I missed her in a couple of spots along the route but when I finally caught up to her at mile 22 she looked amazing and strong. I was so proud when she finished and am looking forward to saying the same thing about myself. As soon as she's more rested, I'm going to debrief her for a full blow-by-blow account of what happened, what she did, and how she made it through.

These last 2 weeks, I'm trying to focus on rest, rest, and more rest. Lots of sleep, lots of carbs, and running at a slower-than-usual pace. They recommend these tapering runs be done at a pace that's 1 to 1 1/2 minutes slower than your race day pace except for 1 or 2 miles in the middle. Runs should be under 4 miles, except for the long run, which won't exceed 6. Not only am I anxious about the marathon, but I think I'm also feeling antsy because I'm not running as much. What a combo!

I did find a really helpful article about tapering in Runner's World. One really great thing I learned from this piece was that not only do you not lose any fitness during the time you taper off, but studies show that levels of muscle glycogen, enzymes, antioxidants, and hormones--all depleted by high mileage--return to optimal ranges during a taper. And immune function and muscle strength improve. All good news. So while I run less, eat more, and worry all the time, I can at least comfort myself with the knowledge that come race day, my body will be in prime shape.

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A good friend of mine Amanda just ran the San Francisco Marathon and came back with all kinds of great tips that I thought I'd share.

As I've often heard -- and hope happens to me as it did to my pal -- you end up running faster than you think you will because you're so pumped up by the crowds. Amanda was aiming for a 4:30 finish, but ended up doing a 4:15. Good job, Amanda.

She had her name on her jersey and said that at mile 22 when her calves were really burning and she was losing steam, hearing the crowd yell her name kept her going.

She use 4 electrolyte gels and a pack of jelly beans at the end. Plus her friends gave her pretzels along the way. She drank water and/or gatorade at every stop.

She used miles 1 - 6 as a warmup so she had a lot left at the end. In fact, her fastest mile was at the end, which she did in a little over 8 minutes. 

That night, she said her legs hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain she felt the next 2 days and cautioned me to take advil and use ice right after.

A little tip her Team in Training trainer gave her was to walk down steps backwards becuase it hurts less. Good one.

I was lucky enough to do a story for AOL Diet & Fitness where I work called 'Last-Minute Marathon Tips,' provided by the marathon man himself Jeff Galloway. He offers some really great advice, so check it out. Some of it might surpise you.

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Saturday was supposed to be 20-mile run number two. I only did somewhere between 16 and 17 and it was torture. There was a huge downpour Saturday so I didn't even head out for the run until 3 pm. I think the timing made a huge difference. I'd already had breakfast, coffee, and was a bit hungry when I set out. Not to mention that it was incredibly windy and I was on my own for this run. No Steph sadly.

From the moment I set out, it seemed I just couldn't get my head and body into it. I think I couldn't wrap my head around running yet another 20 miles AND doing it alone. Though I was revved up at home, I was tired early on in the run. After I did 6 miles, I started to really poop out. I think part of the problem was that I did not eat well the week leading up to it and I hadn't been guzzling water the way I should have been. But one great thing I noticed is that by drinking Gatorade earlier and having more Gu, I avoided my usual post-run stomach troubles. But who knows, maybe all of those extra electrolytes slowed me down? I have no idea.

But after mile 12, I really just couldn't keep my head in the game. My feet were hurting, my knees were aching, my hamstring was so tight I was afraid I might pull it. I'd slowed down to slower than an 11-minute-mile pace. I just felt like I gave out -- physically and emotionally. That really concerned me. I would hate for that to happen during the marathon. I can only hope it was a passing lack of motivation problem.

However, my hamstring is nagging me and I think I'm going to finally spring for a massage to hopefully get some of the tightness in my muscles worked out. I've read you should do this often while marathon training, but it seems so decadent and hardly necessary. Now I kind of get it.

As that was my last long, long run, I'm pretty thrilled. I came home and was on the highest of runner's highs I've had in a long time. I'm assuming it was pain-induced. I could not calm down until the next day, when I swear I crashed hard emotionally. Sometimes I think running is almost like a drug -- all that dopamine flooding your body -- then it goes away just as quickly leaving you feeling pretty low when it's all said and done. Combined with the physical depletion, it can really do a number on you. Or maybe it's just me.

I was really disappointed that I didn't finish another 20, but I'm over it. I'm not going to spend any more time thinking about what I didn't do. Because I still did 16 or so, in pain, on my own, and with the wind ripping across my face. So, go me. Now my 26.2 is just around the corner and I can't wait!

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Tummy Troubles

So if you've been reading along you probably know that I've had some on and off digestive issues when I run. It ranges from a moderate case of heartburn that kicks in occasionally, to major stomach cramps and gut emptying following long runs.

Now, I hate to share too much, but I feel it would be remiss not to talk about what my doctor says is a not uncommon problem particularly among women distance runners, yet I found little about on the web.

After painful bouts of the runs following looong runs (i.e. more than 12 miles) and eventually spotting some blood, feeling tired, wiped out, and depleted, I got a little scared and decided to see a specialist. He ran some tests and told me that this was something called exercise associated intestinal ischmia.

What is it? Apparently, the organs in your digestive system need a constant supply of blood. A diminished blood flow to your small intestine or colon is referred to as intestinal ischemia. This happens because when you run for long distances, the blood is pumping to your muscles for an extended period of time, leaving little left over for your intestines and colon. They stop working properly and that can result in cramping, emptying, and blood. Yuck.

The solution? Well, yeah, stop running so long. That's not going to happen just yet. The doctor told me to try to drink more during these long runs, that some of the problem could be brought on by dehydration. He advised that I dip into the Gatorade earlier rather than later. He also told me that unless it becomes a problem that occurs during short runs or happens much more frequently, it's okay.

As for the heatburn, he prescribed protonix. It's a small pill you take in the morning. It really cuts back on the acid production. Diet changes help too. But having food slosh up and down in your stomach while running (particularly if you have a sensitive tummy) sometimes has to be treated with meds.

Ah, isn't marathon training a trip?

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