Lesson 3: It’s Not a Great Idea to Run on a Belly Full of Cheese Fries, but It’s Not Impossible
Despite my misgivings, training for the marathon was really not too hard. We gradually increased our weekend runs until the final training run, which was supposed to be 20 miles but ended up being 24 because we didn’t check the distance carefully enough. Fortunately, there was a diner at the 12 mile mark. Unfortunately, I lost all control and scarfed down cheese fries and a chocolate milk shake. I came to regret this on the slow trot home because I had to taste them the whole time as I belched away, but I managed. We walked the last few miles, but I really felt pretty good.
My training partner, on the other hand, did not.
Lesson 4: Don’t Overdo It
On the last training run, my partner came up lame. At first she tried to hide it, but pretty soon she was swaying like a peg-legged sailor, and I said, “Er, don’t you think you should see a doctor about that?” She finally agreed. We still had a couple of weeks until the marathon.
You see, my running partner had started running relatively recently. Although she was running about as much as I when we started, she had only been doing it a few months. She didn’t have a deep base upon which to train.
Which is how she developed a STRESS FRACTURE of her frickin’ HIP. And was ordered to put no weight on her leg for three MONTHS.
I felt really bad for her, but I have to confess, I felt a little annoyed, too. This whole thing had been her idea; she had researched it, and she knew that she was pushing it. Also, it was her friends and family who were supposed to drive us to the race, which was an hour an a half away. Once she dropped out, she wasn't interested in even going, and they weren’t interested in driving me. Which I guess is understandable, but it made me feel a bit abandoned. I’m still not sure if I should have felt that way, but I think that if I were in their shoes, I would have at least offered. I asked around, but not surprisingly, I couldn't find anyone who was a) free that day and b) willing to spend the whole day at a marathon for me.
So, I decided I wouldn’t go.
Lesson 5: Don’t Be Such A Wuss
After a week or so of feeling sorry for myself (and a little guilty about feeling sorry for myself when my friend had a BROKEN HIP), I realized that I shouldn’t waste all the training. I knew I’d regret it every time someone asked yet again, “You run? Did you ever do a marathon?”
So, I decided I would go by myself.
To be concluded.
Heh. I had a feeling you'd change your mind before the end of your entry. After all, why waste all that training? You'll be able to say you ran a marathon! Not everyone can say that. Good on you! ;^)
ReplyDeletecan't wait to hear the conlcusion. i ran a marathon too. i never need to do it again, but i'm awfully glad i did.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying reading this. I have run 2 marathons and each one was physically harder, took longer and left me more wiped out than giving birth to my daughter. Granted, I had a fast labor, a small baby and an epidural, but still. Marathons are HARD.
ReplyDeleteYeah, she had a broken hip and all, but if it'd been me, I would've been freakin' relieved I didn't have to go through with it (and had a very good excuse not to), and I would've loved to cheer on my partner. So boo! to her for not taking you, but yay! to you for pulling yourself together (I think - I can't wait to see what happens!).
ReplyDeleteI have never run a marathon. I have, however, overdosed on chili cheese fries. They were the perfect middle-of-the-night on call food when I was a pregnant intern. A pile of carbs covered with grease and spice. Mmm mMM. I did have the occasional worry that I might be poisoning my unborn, but did that stop me? Naw.
ReplyDeleteYou're a woman after my own heart.
Waiting until Part III! I love to run but I will never run a marathon. I know tons of people that have done it. And I admire them tremendously. I'm too much of a lazy wuss, though. (Once, when I expressed admiration for marathon runners I had this kind of nutty friend totally flip out at me and say 'but they are destroying their bodies!!!' I thought that was crazy but I guess the hip fracture thing might have been what she had in mind. So I'm sorta curious to see if anyone picked on you for running the marathon.
ReplyDeleteGod dammit, DM, I've helped a friend (also a writer) run the City Outside of Which We Live marathon before (chased her on a bike with Snickers bars and bananas and water and rushed ahead to scope out bathrooms for her runners' trots issue and brought her ice water and Advil and Bengay and a bagel at the finish line and made her walk for a mile afterward and stay loose until the Advil kicked in)...you say the word and I'll load up the minivan, IV poles on the floor and bags swinging from garment hooks, pukey kids and oh-so-tolerant sitter on board and twelve-speed tied to luggage rack, and I'll do the road trip and help you out. I may potentially want to have a child evaluated near where I think...anyway...anyway. DO THE MARATHON.
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks, MFA Mama -- I should have made it more clear that this is told in retrospect! Wish you'd been around then ...
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhh duhhhhhh....(blushes)....well if you ever get that stupid again, I'm here for ya (cuz you won't catch my ass running that far unless there are lions chasing me, and even then I'd lose my will to live around mile three)!
ReplyDeletewhoo hoo! i am glad you're sticking with it (although the friend dropping out would have chapped my ass too). even though we can't pant sweatily beside you, keep us up-to-date so we can cheer you on regardless.
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