What They Don't tell You About Marathon Training: The Aches and Pains Edition

Hello world!

Today was supposed to be a strength day but it ended up being a rest day. Why?

My lower body feels like it has started a revolution and its name is PAIN.

I think I officially have runners knee. My left knee feels like it is on fire under the patella. My calves are hella tight today and hurt like mad. Everything is tight and painful from the hip down. The only solace I have is that my arches are very happy today. Yay arches!

The majority of my day off today was spent glued to my stick (see photo below) trying to work out all the knots and tightness in my muscles. I feel like I'm finally making some progress now at almost 10 pm. I learned a valuable lesson. I need to stretch before and after running regardless of distance.

Hurts so good.

I loathe admire people who can just jump up and run and have no aches or pains whatsoever. There are plenty of people who have never had an ache, pain, or injury while running. Whatever.

Not me. I know the main reason why is because I'm still overweight. I love food. I'm working on building a healthy relationship with it, but that takes more time than weight loss ads will have you believe. At least for me. I learn and do everything the hard way.

I try to be as optimistic as I can about running and training. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the way crossing the finish line makes me feel, especially at my first half marathon, but getting there is a whole other story.

When I crossed the finish line at the half marathon, I instantly forgot how much blood, sweat and tears went into making that race possible. I forgot about freezing my butt off during the winter just to get some miles in. I forgot about that crazy 12.5 mile run in the rain that wasn't the most pleasant experience, but hey, who needs skin that's dry? I forgot about all the little aches and pains and tight muscles that plagued training.

I have a feeling that this is the first of many walls during this training. A marathon is different than any other race I have encountered so far. Don't get me wrong, the half marathon was very difficult, especially the last 3 miles when the GU+Gatorade mix decided to revolt in my digestive system. I proved to myself that I can run for 2 hrs 42 minutes. Now double that and that is the insanity I'm going to put myself through in October.

This is the very first time that I've honestly thought to myself, "What did you sign yourself up for? Are you mad? Yes, obviously, but seriously, why?" I'm still not quite sure of the answer, but I'm sure I'll find it over the next few months. Look for a post entitled something like, Why I ran a marathon. All I know is that race is going to hurt, but I still cannot wait to give it a go!

I would ask for advice on this pain thing, but I already know the answer:

Going to continue icing my bum knee and massaging my calves so I'll be ready to go for a 5k tomorrow, because of this sweet challenge from Runkeeper:

I can win this LG Lifeband contraption! All you have to do is log a 5k with the Runkeeper app and you're entered. Plus you get a free month of their elite service. Woot woot! I want to see all the fancy stats! If you buy the thing (at $149.95 retail), you get 6 months of Runkeeper Elite for free. I love my Garmin too much to spend that amount of money on a new piece of gear, but if I win and get a free one I'll test it out and see if it is better than my pretty pretty pink Garmin watch. If you're a sap for free things like me, get over to Runkeeper and get your booty in gear!

Night!