I survived
Today was my biggest test thus far in my training, and not just because it was my longest distance, at 14 miles (more than half a marathon). All week I’ve had stomach issues that sent me to my gym treadmill (and then sprinting off of it—after 4 miles Monday and for a break in the middle of the 6 miles I struggled through Wednesday—to the bathroom). Thursday I braved the outdoors for the usually simple 4 miles, and compared to my previous two adventures, it was infinitely more tolerable.
But I dreaded today. Last week was so difficult and my body was still recovering a few days later. I’d actually even been considering giving up on this whole thing all week, and the physical stress of the training, along with my doubts about it and other uncertain things in my life actually caused a completely unexpected mini-breakdown in the middle of a bar Thursday night. Perfect.
Needless to say I was hungover most of yesterday, so my big meal came late in the day, which might have helped fuel me today. I also ate breakfast this time, which is usually a plus in the whole physical exertion scenario. I taped up my toenail that’s threatening to fall off any day, and bandaged a gauze pad to the bottom of my left foot where I have so much trouble and pain. This was in lieu of actual custom orthopedic inserts, which I now know I desperately need. I filled my belted water bottles and made sure to fit in calf stretches, which, over the course of this week, have helped alleviate the nagging pain in my right one. I chugged one “Focus” vitamin water and then gave myself an ample urination window. I anti-chafed my body up.
And I walked out the door, as usual, terrified.
One of the biggest differences today was the route I chose. I refused to do Central Park’s hills again, which devastate me in every possible way. Instead I ran along the water, starting on the East River at 6th St and running down along the tip of Manhattan and up to the southern piers on the Hudson, then back down and around east again. No hills. And the weather was cool; almost too chilly at the end, but ideal for running.
I know more than hills and poor-man’s orthopedics, my attitude made the biggest difference. Which is surprising given my intense reluctance to even live to see Saturday. Somehow my mood was ok. I thought very few nasty thoughts about innocent passing pedestrians and I ran through tourist-heavy Battery Park and the Circle Line ferry lines! I didn’t get too angry at external difficulties and my iPhone’s GPS crapped out twice, the last time, for good! I was able to monitor my pace, and while those last 2 miles were spent intermittently glaring at my unchanging clock face, I kept going.
I stopped for really short power walk breaks twice to give my aching left foot a brief respite, and that didn’t happen until more than halfway through my distance. With new insoles, I hope I can phase those hobbles out completely.
I’m amazed that today was a relatively pleasant experience. And that I’ve completed my first half-marathon! Yeow.
