Actually I feel a lot better than I thought I would, both physically and mentally.
I haven't gone on a run since the marathon (I have been walking a lot), but my body feels in very good shape. Ironically, what hurts the most is the sunburn on both of my shoulders. I hardly ever wear a tank top when running and therefore have pretty fair skin on that part of my body. I was stupid and didn't put on suntan lotion and got burned pretty bad. It is my own fault, and I just need to be patient and let it heal. Otherwise, my legs aren't sore, my feet feel good, and I am ready to going running again whenever I want. I would like to think that this is due to a smart training schedule and weekly strength exercises. I gave myself the week off so as not to pressure myself to get back too quickly. I will probably go for a light run on Friday or during the weekend.
Mentally, I thought I would be more upset with the outcome of this marathon than I am. I figured it would bother me for a while that I put in a great training cycle, but wasn't really given the opportunity to go after a time that I believe I am capable of. That somehow the last few months were wasted. However, I am pretty OK with everything and ready to move on. There was nothing more I could have done to change the outcome of the race, so why obsess about it? I trained properly and had a solid strategy but due to something out of my control, it wasn't meant to be this time. I will have other chances. Running is supposed to be fun for all of us and it is not always about time. I will take the next few weeks to enjoy my runs and then figure out what my next race or goal will be. Given the fact that I only do one marathon a year/every couple of years, I accept the fact that I am putting alot of eggs in one basket each time I sign up for a race. You can't have perfect weather every time, you can't have perfect conditions every time. I was fortunate to have great running weather during my first two marathons, but I wasn't so lucky for my last two and had to run in weather extremes: 25 degrees at the start of Philadelphia in 2008 and temperatures in the 80s/90s in NJ this year. Hopefully I am due for more favorable conditions next time.
Next up...the Ragnar Relay. Woo hoo!
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2 comments:
You should feel good about the race! You did a fantastic job in some crazy weather. You trained smart and were strong both physically and mentally. Glad you are feeling good:)
Well said! I feel exactly the same. I have done 2 marathons so far and both were run in extremely hot weather. But we really can't control the weather, so why stress about it?
Have fun with the Ragnar relay and good luck with future races!
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