Month: May 2015

Wisconsin Marathon (05.02.2015)

Over the weekend I successfully completed my first marathon! I am now a part of a whole new statistic!

Overall this was an amazing experience . . .

• I made the right decision in having my first marathon be close to home!
• I have a better appreciation for those long training runs!
• I am absolutely in love with my Orange Mud Hydraquiver Vest Pack 2!
• I cannot wait for my next marathon!

Here area my key “take aways” from this race!

THE GOOD: New Distance PR & stepping stone to bigger goals! 

I think everyone remembers their first marathon . . . for some it is a one & done & for others it becomes the stepping stone to bigger goals.

For me – it is the stepping stone to bigger goals! I have already been signed up for my second marathon since August 2014, but earlier this week I confirmed my registration for the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (10.11.2015)! So at a minimum I will be completing three marathons this year with the possibility of adding in a fourth one – The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon (10.04.2015)!

*The combination of The Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon & The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will qualify me not only as a Marathon Maniac, but it should also solidify my status as a Double Agent! YAY! YIPPEE! HOORAY!*

THE BAD: Blisters. ‘Nuff said.

On my last 20 miler training run I had a very small, tiny, insignificant piece of gravel work its way into my shoe. Me being slightly stubborn & just wanting to get the run over with, decided to ignore said piece of gravel. POOR DECISION.

This came back to haunt me – my heel which had completely blistered over due to this tiny piece of rock never recovered in time for this marathon. So . . . at this point I have developed a blister on top of an already healing blister & will be hobbling around for the next decade. *Yes, I might be slightly over reacting, but still! I now have that marathon shuffle with a little cha cha worked in.*

I will be looking to invest in a pair of gaiters & I will take the appropriate measures next time to remove even the slightest irritant from my runners.

AND THE UGLY: Wardrobe Malfunction!

Oy. Where to begin with this one? You know the rule that says never try anything new on race day? If not – check out my other blog that highlights some of the rules to run by (https://heartsandsolesblog.wordpress.com/rules-to-run-by/) . . . I can say that I have found the exception to this rule.

Never do anything different on race day . . . but always check the seams on the clothes that you are planning on wearing to ensure that they don’t disintegrate.

Around mile 10 I noticed some inner thigh chafing . . . no big deal – I pulled off to the side, discreetly applied some body glide & picked right back up with my intervals.

About mile 13 I was keenly aware of the chafing again . . . ok, time to apply more body glide – it was getting rather warm & I was sure that my shorts were rubbing off the body glide that I had applied.

About mile 16 I had to stop to investigate why it felt like all of my skin had been rubbed away along my inseam.

Ugh . . . this is when I realized that my shorts that I had been running in for the last 2 years had disintegrated along the inseam. I was no longer wearing shorts . . . I was wearing instead a very breezy “skort” . . . the only piece of fabric still intact was the very bottom seam of my shorts – otherwise everything else was gone. *blink, blink*

I quickly broke out my phone to contact my Mom & Husband – only to realize that it wasn’t working. I then flagged my wonderful running / training partner – Jen – down so that I could borrow her phone to make an emergency phone call for a pair of back up shorts.

My Husband (after slightly laughing at my situation) agreed to go home to retrieve back up shorts & then find me on the course so I could possibly complete the marathon fully clothed & avoid becoming front page news for the wrong reasons.

I cannot even describe all of the thoughts that were going through my head, but between the chafing & mental anguish my pace completely fell off.

About mile 20 my Husband was able to track me down & help me change into fresh shorts that were not falling apart at the seams!

SUMMARY:

I battled through & completed my first marathon at 6:48:51 . . . definitely not the time that I wanted, but it was an experience that I will never forget! I will PR at my next road marathon – GUARANTEED!