Needless to say I was pretty devastated. This has been a goal of mine for years now....and to get this far and not achieve it was basically unthinkable for me. But, out of everything comes a lesson to be learned or maybe there was something else that was supposed to happen that day instead of finishing this race.
So, here's summary. Felt great miles 1-8....after 8 felt a twinge in my right leg....after mile 9 felt pain in said leg...so I stopped to stretch it out...felt a little better and continued....I continued this stretching routine about every 1/2 mile thereafter....however the pain got so intense that by about mile 11 I really wasn't sure I would even make it to the 1/2. But, I pushed on and made it to the half and decided to continue on to the full..I made it that far right? By that time my per mile time was already up to 12 minutes....ugh! I readjusted my goal mentally and said I would be happy to finish at that point....so I took it at a snails pace just to try to squeeze out more distance...but it didn't seem to matter....I then walked(well, limped) through every water stop, but my mile 16 I was up to a 16 minute mile with the stretching, stopping, walking etc...and at that point I basically couldn't put weight on that leg.
SO, I found an emergency communications volunteer and he was able to get me in contact with Chris who had just finished his own race. I am so proud of him! Volunteer by the way are awesome people! I found out this one's name was Jim. He was so kind and just wanted to help. He offered me his chair he was perched on, on this corner and asked if I needed medical. As it wasn't an emergency I declined. So, I sat with him and waited for Chris to come pick me up. We chatted for quite some time and he told me all about him and his family and how he was retired and now volunteers for many different things. He also is a Vietnam vet, a grandpa, and a genuinely nice person. I found talking with him much preferable to the pity party I was having, so it was good.
I also decided that it was pretty dead where I was at...so I began to cheer (along with Jim), for the people still coming down the road. Many first timers(like me), many veteran runners, walkers etc. It at least help me divert my energy in a positive way.
I also met a girl along the way who was sooo nice. She actually stopped to chat with me as I was limping along somewhere around mile 14 or 15....I told her not to worry, keep going...you have a time to worry about and she just said, that's o.k. I've been talking with all sorts of people along the way, this is for fun. She was likely my age(never did get her name) and had two kids. This was her second marathon this year. She was really encouraging and such a positive spirit. It really helped my mental state.
As well, I have always know I have a really supportive husband...but I realize now he really is the best! He being injured himself went all the way back to the hotel, got the car, came and picked me up and catered to me the rest of the day! He knows how awful I felt and was just plain there for me. I couldn't ask for more.
I also had the opportunity to reconnect with an old friend who is such a huge inspiration to me! She is helping me through this ordeal and I am so glad to talk with her again. As well, we had dinner and fun times with great friends the night before. Plus, I still got to participate in an event that started with me uninjured.....so it could be worse. I know people who couldn't even attempt it because they got hurt just weeks before it.
Where is this story going? Well, I guess the point is, maybe this race wasn't about me finishing. Maybe it was learning about other people, maybe taking me down a peg, maybe to learn that there are some truly good people out there in this world. You just have to stop an "smell the roses" once in a while.So, today I am on the hunt for a good sports doc who can get me up and running quite literally in a short amount of time. Then off to another one hopefully! This isn't the last of my marathoning days! :o)
Cheers!
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