Day After the Marathon

What does someone feel like after they run 26.2 miles? I had received this question and wanted to answer it. First please note when I refer to the mileage on the marathon I always include the .2 because it is the last .2 that is a killer mentally. When you hit mile 26 you think it is over but you still have two tenths of mile to go and usually you cannot see the finish line at mile 26 so the mind starts playing games with the body. On sheer will you persevere until you hit that finish line and the worst comes when the body stops moving. All of the information given to marathon runners especially first time marathon runners is to keep moving even we you hit the finish line for at least 20 to 30 minutes. I did not do this in my first marathon; I crashed and burned and by the time I hit the finish line I was toast and had to lay down for 30 minutes because I was spent.

Yesterday was my fourth marathon and like I had written previously it felt very good the whole way up until mile 22. I was pushing it from mile 22 forward but I kept moving and kept the pace I wanted to accomplish. I hit the finish and I kept moving for 30 minutes so the pain did not hit me right away. In fact the pain didn't really hit me until this morning. I would be fine if my quadriceps and tops of my feet did not hurt because the rest of my body feels great. The hardest part is going down the stairs. The stiffness is not conducive for walking down stairs or down any elevation like a curb. I do walk like a ninety year old man when it comes to the stairs and going down curbs; it really is quite funny.

The interesting pain is the pain on the tops of my feet. Now one would think that the bottoms of my feet would hurt the most because after all the typical marathon contains 43,000 foot steps (which means the foot hits the ground 43,000 times) but the tops of my feet are really sore. I have a very high arch which makes choosing shoes especially running shoes very difficult because the tops of my feet usually hit the top of the running shoe. I have to lace my running shoes very differently; not across the shoe rather up the sides of the shoe so not to cause any undo pressure on the tops of my feet. I have been very fortunate because on a few of my previous long runs it felt like I broke a bone in the top of my foot. This is not the case today after the marathon the tops of my feet are just sore.

It really takes about 3 days for me to have the tightness subside and I should be back to normal on Thursday. This doesn't mean I stop going to the gym. I did take today off but I will be back there tomorrow. Even though I completed a marathon this does not mean my fitness routine is over. My fitness routine is just like my compulsive gambling recovery it is a lifelong commitment which is performed one day at time. Completing a marathon is a wonderful thing but continuing my regimen is even better.

My wife asked me what marathon was next and I said don't ask me that today. I had just finished the perfect run (for me) because I hit every time goal I set for myself and I felt I couldn't have run a better race. Yes, 769 people finished in front of me but 10,200 people finished after me. I know there is room for improvement but I would like to savor the accomplishment for a few days before I start thinking about another marathon.

Someone had asked me what do you think about during the run afterall you are running for 3 and half hours; what goes through your mind? My answer was NOTHING really goes through my mind; I am just concentrating on the scenery and the next mile. I think about nothing for 3 and half hours and it feels great. I focus on other runners, the sites around me, the sounds around me and my feet hitting the pavement. I am not thinking about all of the things I normally think about. My running is another part of me that keeps me sane. I think my fitness regime which has been around for the past 15 years has kept me sane. It has NOT kept me from gambling but it has provided a much needed release and will continue to provide this release for as long as I am capable.

A fellow GA member put it all in prospective; people can accomplish many things when they put their mind to it and there are many things this member can do and does those things very well; however; gambling is NOT one of them. This is why I like this member chooses to NOT gamble today because we cannot gamble like other people and no matter how hard we try gambling ALWAYS leads to bad situations. I love the fact I accomplished a goal but I also love the fact I am being honest and open with myself and every one that surrounds me. This formula will allow me to be a better person one step at a time.