More progress

Ran for 30 minutes today at an easy pace. My right knee felt fine. That's a big relief.

Weighed in today: 209.4. 1/2 a pound down from the post-marathon high. That 4 pounds I gained while tapering didn't go away, so I am starting the big push to get to my goal weight of 187 a bit heavier than planned.

Let's see: losing 22.4 pounds can take anywhere from 11 to 44 weeks. That translates to reaching my goal anywhere from January 15, 2008 to Sept 2, 2008, with 1 lb. a week taking until April 1.
So, to provide some immediate feedback, here is my personal challenge: Under 200 pounds by 1/1/2008. That's 1 lb. a week.

The reward for reaching the year-end goal is that I can begin training for Tierra Bella.

Energy level up

Today, I did 30 minutes on the eliptical machine and feel more energized. The terrible fatigue seems to have passed, and I feel healthy.

I am having pain du jour: Where I had a stitch in my side is now sore. My right heel is burning. My right quad aches. Both knees are sore along the medial side of the patellas. Yesterday, the right knee was sore on the lateral side. As long as the owies keep moving around I am not concerned.

Tomorrow I will try running again.

Slow going

Yesterday, I walked a couple miles and mowed the lawn, and still felt exhausted by the end of the day.

We went to the Fall Festival at our church yesterday, and lots of folks wanted to know how the marathon went. There's a short answer (It was great!) and a long answer. It was so many things: months of preparation, the ups and downs of the marathon (literally and figuratively), elation and fatigue at the finish, incredible hunger, phases of recovery, a sense of anti-climax, and an emptiness wondering what's next. From what I've read, all very normal.

Recovery

Monday, I walked a mile. Tuesday I ran 2 miles, which was dumb. My right knee was a little sore. No running for a week. The bigger issue was general fatigue. By the time I got my son to bed that night, I was falling asleep on my feet. Wednesday, I walked, and today, I did the elliptical machine for 30 minutes, then did core exercises.

Last night was the first since the marathon that I didn't collapse into bed. Progress.

What's surprising to me is that I don't hurt, but am bone weary.

Pain?

I feel pretty good!

Yesterday, Dad and I attended church in Nauvoo, then toured the visitors center and some of the sights. The Temple was beautiful.

I really enjoyed walking down Parley St. to the Mississippi River, even though I was a bit stiff and sore. Some of my Mom's ancestors were in Nauvoo and participated in the journey west. I imagined them driving their wagons down Parley St., loading them on barges, and crossing to Iowa. The street literally dead-ends into the Mississippi River.

It surprised me that I could walk down steps yesterday.

Today I feel even better. Dad and I are sitting in the Moline Airport waiting for our flight to Minneapolis.

I no longer set up like concrete after sitting for 15 minutes.

I survived!

The Indianapolis Marathon was wonderful, hard, hilly, and painful. The weather was perfect, the scenary beautiful, and the volunteers and runners as nice as could be.

I ran from miles 2 to 10 with a veteran who had returned from Iraq just a year ago. It was his first half-marathon. I had always thought that chatting during a run was a waste of energy, but I was very wrong. It made the time pass very quickly and kept the pace right.

My goal was 5 hours, and by my unofficial timing, I ran a 5:02. Given a potty break at mile 21, it was close enough.

The course started with a tour of Fort Benjamin Harrison, which has been converted to commercial property and homes, mostly. It's just beautiful: think lots of red brick and nicely restored military housing. Then we did an out-and-back through a neighborhood, then and out-and-back though a forest/park/golf course area, then and out-and-back though the state park. The course was "somewhat" hilly. The long uphill from mile 23 to almost mile 26 was just plain nasty. The hills around mile 10 were kind of fun, since I wasn't dead yet. Most of the hills were though forests with the leaves just turning gold and red. That made up for it, a bit.

Dad got some good pictures, which I will post in a few days.

After the race I felt selfconscious as I waddled around, until it sank in that almost everyone was waddling. There was one 77 year old gentleman who had just earned his "Marathon in 50 States" award. For the second time. He wasn't waddling. Us normal people could barely walk.

After I cooled down, stretched, ate, stretched, showered, and stretched, we bought some ice and snacks, and headed towards Nauvoo. I iced while Dad drove. We stopped every hour or so, and I tried to walk around. Each stop, I waddled less.

Since our room doesn't have a tub, I have filled a trash can with cold water, and am about to dump in some ice and freeze my legs. Thus the long post.

Oh well, here goes.

We're here!

We just got into Indianapolis, and I picked up my race packet. It's been cloudy and cool.

Fort Benjamin Harrison is a beautiful old military base converted to commercial property. The leaves are just turning red and gold. Just lovely.

Last run

This morning's 2 mile run was the last before Saturday. I ran around the Mississippi Valley State Fairgrounds in Davenport, IA.

Since yesterday was a travel day, I did the last 5 mile tempo run on Tuesday. Monday was another little 2 mile run.

I feel well. Since I am hydrating like a mad-man, we had to stop every hour today for potty breaks.

It's been fun seeing where my Dad was born and grew up. We have been staying with his cousin and boyhood friend, Dick. Dick and Carol have treated us royally. Dad and Dick swapped stories until 4am, so I slept in today.

Another thunderstorm moved through this evening, but Indianapolis is supposed to be partly cloudy with a high of 70 degrees F for Saturday.

Tomorrow we will drive to Indianapolis. It's been great visiting and sightseeing, so I don't have time to be too nervous.

Last "long" run

This morning's 8 miler was the last "long" run before the 20th. Eight miles seem short now.

I tried it with the orthotics and got a blister on my right arch around mile 7. At least, that's when I noticed the pain, and pulled the orthotic out. Too late!

The run was supposed to be at a 10:17 pace, but was at a 9:48 pace. I kept my heart rate between 150 and 155. I remember my first 8 mile run: HR at 160, which came out to an 11:30 pace. I'm not fast, but I am faster.

Ack. One week to go!

Orthotics

My new orthotics arrived on Monday. Arch support. What a concept. Not sure I will wear them for the marathon, but I ran on them Monday (2 miles) and will try them out for the 5 mile tempo run today.

I am not having much trouble getting used to them, except I'm getting friction on the bottom of my toes. Not sure why. I think it's because I am fighting the orthotics a bit.

Tapering should be easy?

Tapering for Indianapolis started last week. Monday: 2 mile easy run, Tuesday: Core X-training, Wed: 8 mile speedwork, Thursday/Friday: Rest, Saturday: 12 mile long run, Sunday: Rest.

Thursday/Friday was also Brennen's sleep study, so I didn't get much sleep Thursday night.

By Saturday afternoon I was exhausted and achy and just wanted to sleep. Feel much better now, but have realized that my body needs a while to recover the training.

I have been following the Indianapolis weather forecast very closely, and have been concerned about the heat wave. Hopefully, the predicted cooler weather will happen. I feel for all the folks that got sick, or worse, running in Chicago yesterday.