This blog is more or less a race report of what I did for the Philly Marathon this year and where things may have gone wrong.
The week before the race I was under the pressure of shin splints forming. I think this was due to a lot of heavy running on sidewalks in the weeks leading up to the race. I took the week before the race pretty much off from running and did workouts on the bike to make up for my runs. I also wore compression socks during the week at work and sneakers to help be comfortable and relieve any pressure from my shins. Saturday I picked up my packet, a new pair of shoe inserts (to account for over pronating), and a new pair of compression socks.
Rule #1 of any race... NO NEW GEAR! I know I made a drastic mistake but I ran for the first time in my new compression socks on race day for the marathon.
I tried to run differently from how you're supposed to, how I normally would run. I decided to try to hold a fast pace from the very beginning. My goal was to push for a 3:15 finish. Mile 1 7:09. I felt good except for the need to pee (never chugging a bottle of water before a race again... probably). Mile 2 - 3 14:38 including a stop for a pee break. The average for these 2 miles is 7:19 and I was feeling great like everyone should in the first few miles of a marathon. At this point I was sipping gatorade from my fuel belt instead of taking a cup from the table. Mile 4 7:18 running by my house in Philly. Mile 5 7:16, I saw some familiar friends and was looking for an aid station which I didn't see until mile 6. I took in a GU just before the aid station near mile 6 and did a cup of water and a cup of gatorade. Mile 6 I ran 7:30. Mile 7 usually has a great crowd but this was only ok so this was a 7:21. At mile 8 7:32 I took in both water and gatorade. I got some gatorade in my eye, it burned. At mile 9 7:35 a fellow runner and I who were aiming for the same pace realized we've been together for a lot of the race and were both going strong. Mile 10 8:12 had a tough hill and walked to take a GU before the aid station. I took a water and a gatorade. Mile 11 7:17, I'm still feeling good and trying to make up ground for walking. Mile 12 7:40 my right calf starts to hurt. Not sure the pain at the time. I thought it was a potential cramp but it turns out it was not. Mile 13 8:11, I see my parents and my brother Steven. They say I look strong, but I didn't. I was in pain for 2 miles in my right calf and in mile 14 8:22 it moves to my left calf. Mile 15 8:02, I wanted to see how far I could push my pain which at this point is still only in my calves. Mile 16 9:07, I'm texting back and forth with Barbie who only encourages me to not get hurt and do what I think is best - my knee was hurting during this mile along with my calves. I took a GU here and almost a bottle of Gatorade on my race belt. Mile 17 7:36, I start encouraging myself to push and move out loud which I think also encourages other runners around me. Mile 18 8:06, still hurting, I head for Manayunk. Mile 19 8:53, going into Manayunk I'm just realizing that I'm going to finish and I don't care the pace. Mile 20 8:23, Mile 21 8:30, Mile 22 8:30 took a GU water and gatorade, Mile 23 8:27, feeling good and can maybe finish strong at a pace for 3:25. Mile 24 8:43, I get my last water and gatorade and I feel like absolute crap. Mile 25 9:15, still don't feel good in my calves but not actually cramping, just pain. Mile 26.2 9:41 for the last 1.2 miles (avg 8:04), I felt good so I tried to push knowing I can still make under 3:30 and what I ended up cramping in my right groin a little bit. I pushed through the end and finished in pain in my calves.
There was a water/gatorade station every 2 miles. I had water and gatorade at almost every station. There were a few stations in the beginning where I only had gatorade. The pain in my calves I think is due to wearing new compression socks for the first time and they dug into the top of my leg calves just below the knees. I actually had cuts and impressions there on both legs for a couple of days after the race and I was very sore there. Barbie said just the one side of my face was covered in salt. My jersey and shorts looked normal (aka not salty). I didn't take any salt tablets but I didn't feel lack of energy until the last 2 miles. I needed more gatorade but unfortunately that was all the water stations they gave was every 2 miles.
