September 24th, 2008
Doc appointment was fine, EKG is fine, Flo is fine, fine, fine!! So what did I do the second I got home? Baked toll-house cookies. Nah! Out the door for 5 recovery.
Though I was tempted to wear a ski mask in case anyone recognized me, I stuck to shorts and a top and started moving – a little scared of myself, a bit fragile mentally, but once I got going and stopped imagining my chest walls imploding or death from sudden heart attack, it was just like old times (old times = Saturday).
My strangely dependable legs haven’t a clue that I raced 11 miles on Sunday, they feel great as ever. Funny, since that was my only fear about doing a Half 3 weeks out from Steamtown, “will my legs be able to recover?” Ah, the irony.
So medical emergencies aside, let’s look at what I managed to complete during this weekend’s misadventure. The tracking splits told me I was right on pace at the 10K mark (8:00) and showed a (not surprising) fade at 10-miles (8:06) before I crashed solidly at mile 11. So I guess I can consider the PDR a non-standard, superlong 10-mile tempo run. Not at all the race predictor I wanted and needed, but not exactly chopped liver.
It remains to be seen what I’ll do with this week. I had easy runs except for some 600s planned for Friday, which I’m on the fence about. I actually think I’m ok physically to do them, but we’ll see. It’s supposed to be crappy weather that day so I might just play Recovering Patient and skip them.
I have a 17 planned for Sunday, which I really wanted to be my last 20, but I know I don’t need to push that to the limit either, so I’ll try and be satisfied with the 17. At least I got four 20-22s this cycle, though I’m not thrilled the last one will have been 4 weeks from the race. C’est la vie.
And with that, I want to thank you guys again for such great well wishes and comments, you made me feel like I have a huge support team behind me, and I guess I really do – so hugs and kisses and super sweet thoughts going to every single one of you. I want everyone to have the best running this Fall imaginable, let’s all have some crazy PRs, titillating races, memorable moments (maybe not too memorable) and just some damn fun running all ’round. High five!! um, you’ll have to do it to yourself, but I’m there in spirit.
Posted in Running
16 Responses to “Back On The Damn Horse!”
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Wow, glad to hear you got a clean bill of health. I think your experience is a living testament to the importance of tune up races – I’m kind of amazed at how little emphasis is given to them by some of the formal plans. So maybe you are a little sensitive to electrolyte imbalance – no biggie, better to find out in a tune up HM than the day of the big one. So bring the handheld and the gel flask (yuck) to Steamtown. Just make sure you clean ‘em up nice for your trip to Boston next year
Hehe Progman, I’ve already staked out the tree I’ll be standing behind at the Philly Marathon, it’s around mile 24…the better to shove a flask into your unsuspecting mouth for a swig of warm liquidish energy, but late enough so that you can’t fight back.
Agreed, can’t imagine how mortified I’d be if this had happened at the Full.
Yay, Flo! Glad everything checked out okay. Sounds like you are ready. Have a great long run this weekend and then enjoy your taper. WooHoo! I’m so excited for you!
eh, DNFing from a marathon isn’t really that embarrassing.
Really.
You should come up here and run the 18 mile tune up with me on Sunday.
Gidde-up! I knew you would be back to normal soon.
Many runners are on the “cusp” of dehydration. How many times have we took off to run without eating or drinking? Especially in races – cuz we don’t want that urge to “pee” while running or having to stand in long porta-potty lines. Jim brought up a good point about “tanking up” on fluids.
The “cold” you were experiencing was either a) goose bumps-your fight or flight response kicked in. or b) the fluids they were giving you by IV was at room temp. 70 degrees going into your 98+ degree body. Cold feeling.
Enuff of that medical mumbo-jumbo.
Nothing holds a good girl down!
OMG Flo. i cant believe this happened to you. Thank god you are okay girl!!
Thanks Elizabeth!!
Lol, DP, total respect for any DNFs of any kind, been there, done that, now I get how hard it is to deal with. As for “DNFing from a marathon isn’t really that embarrassing”, in the scheme of things, no, but considering my blog readership, it’s something I avidly want to avoid.
Dave, you doctor types are way cool – I love getting a proper explanation for that chill, thank you very much!
Paulette! So glad to see you here, girly! Yeah, some race, huh? One for the books, that’s for sure.
Dangnabbit. I wanted cookies. Glad to see your running again, but ya could of done both. Ignore me im allowed to blame it all on taper madness.
Go Flo!
Count me a happy camper, and I think everyone here is really glad that you got the all-clear!
I was wondering about the blog adding pressure to do well. Perhaps that was the original idea? But don’t worry about us on the big day. Heaven forbid, but if there’s a problem leading to a continue-or-not decision, do what’s right for you and never mind us. You’re in this for the long haul, right?
But of course it won’t come to that, You’re going to have a great race!
Bruce, sorry about the cookies. My homemaking skills are limited to dinner items necessary for avoiding starvation. Baking is rocket science in my world.
Woohoo, just went to your blog, didn’t realize your race is this weekend, OMG, do GREAT, BRUCE!!!
Jim, aw you cutie, you’re always such a positive spirit, thanks! The blog definitely adds more pressure than if nobody knew me from Adam (who’s Adam?), but it’s too fun revealing dirt that a wiser person might think twice about admitting. Then again, when I started writing the blog, I figured it’d be me and a couple of other middle-aged broads reading it, so it’s rewarding to humiliate myself for a larger, more diverse crowd than originally planned.
Yep, Akron is this Saturday, aint you ready??
Glad you’re fine/knew you would be, you Iron woman, you. Now you need to send some superFlo recovery vibes my way and let’s see about getting this right leg of mine to stop hurting. My own fall marathon plans are in jeopardy and I don’t like it.
PS, about those vibes- to aim the vibes in my actual direction, face west. Thanks.
Todd, sweet thing!!! I am sending out huge, powerful recovery vibes your way. Thank goodness my chair is facing west, there’ll be no question of them hitting their destination. Seriously Todd, I hope you feel better, do anything you can for that leg, ice, ibuprofen, massage, stick, foam roller – whatever is in your means, go for it.
Sending more vibes throughout the day…
Well, I’ve been slacking on the water b/c it has gotten cold here in Germany. But I’m learning a lesson on your behalf…sorry you had to be the one to suffer.
Glad to hear you are fine, fine, fine!
Good luck in Akron, Bruce!
I had a peek at the course profile, and there’s a long uphill from about mile 17 to mile 22. What meanies these course designers are! Better leave something in the tank for that
Thanks Jim. I have heard about the hills there, but have done more hill work then normal. Hopefully I will pace it right.
Things I do for free shoes and a medal.