Napa Valley Marathon Recap- the long story.

[tuggyruns]

Napa Valley Marathon Recap- the long story.


A LITTLE BACKGROUND (SCROLL DOWN TO SKIP TO ACTUAL RACE RECAP)


After several failed attempts at training to complete a marathon, I finally toed the line at the Napa Valley Marathon yesterday. My road to this marathon was almost as difficult as the marathon. My first marathon was supposed to be the Marine Corps in 2012, I turned up with a stress fracture in my tibia before I could really start training deferral #1 (MCM). I then signed up for Napa, 2013 and ended up with a stress fracture that was so neglected it actually turned into a full break, in my heel- deferral #2 (NVM) and 3 months in a walking boot. As MCM came around in 2013, my heel wasn’t fully healed, so I sold my bib and prayed that I would be read for NVM in 2014.


I decided to train for this race in a way that I never had, intentionally slowly, without a watch. I talked my newbs to running sister into training up to the half point with me and she kept me slow and focused. I trained at paces I’d never seen, but I was healthy, and finishing was the goal so I was OK with that.

As the marathon approached I knew that my estimated finish time was looking closer to 5 hours based on my (2) 20milers, again I was OK with that, as long as I finished, and didn’t get picked up by the slow bus- for anyone finishing slower than 6 hours. On my last long run, an 8 miler the Saturday before the race, my legs felt AMAZING. I had to keep slowing myself down from the 8:45-9paces that my body wanted to run. Once I got home, I knew I had done some damage as my legs HURT. My massage therapist worked on them hard Tuesday before I left, but they were logs, all the way until the start line..


10 days out I began to torture myself with the forecast which predicted rain, and then no rain and rain again, until finally the glorious, no rain- even the morning of. PERFECT. The forecast at 5am the day of the race as low 45, high 59- NO RAIN. So I dawned my outfit of compression socks, shorts, tank top, hat and light running jacket(which I planned to dump as soon as I saw DH).


 ACTUAL RACE RECAP STARTS HERE

We rode buses to the start line and I chatted with my neighbor about our excitement over the FLAT, DOWNHILL course. I headed to the portapotty after we parked and then tried to focus on my plan: go out slowly, find your groove and settle in. As the gun went off, I prayed and hoped that my legs would turn from the painful, tight, logs that they were into supple, limber moving machines. No such luck.


I was in pain from step one, which was, uphill. Ok, no big deal, I like some rollers I told myself- using different muscles is good. Plus, I trained on some hills- it’s all good. It was not all good. The hills got bigger, and then…the rain started.. It was just a pesky mist at first and since the forecast called for no rain, I went ahead with my plan and dumped my jacket with DH at mile 9. The rain didn't stop, and it got colder, dropping to close to 45 and adding wind into the mix.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the glorious part about hills is the DOWNHILL, however, it felt a lot like uphill both ways, in the rain, and the WIND. (I could really write a good guilt page for my kids later…lol, poor, pitiful me). At this point, I still had the painful pressure in my lower left leg, and the beautiful scenery was starting to all look the same. Multiple times during the race, I glanced over my shoulder to make sure I couldn't see the sag bus. I never did, but I did get choked up when I saw mile 25 and knew I was going to finish.


After about the first mile, I felt like walking. I’m not sure if it was the pain, the being alone, as I usually run with someone or music (music was STRINGENTLY banned), or what, but I wasn't there. All in all, it was a pure guts, mental race, in which I spent I a lot of time praying. On my 20milers, I enjoyed almost the entire run, yes there were a few tough miles, but I really loved being out there all in all- yesterday that just wasn't the case.


As I had a long time to think about what went wrong (5+ hours). I think my mistake was likely tapering too much and/or too soon. Also, I think my body really likes running better with a few less pounds on it.


Long story short, I FINISHED. And now, I’m hungry for redemption.


I can’t thank you ladies enough for your enduring support- it truly kept me going during the tough miles, YOU ROCK!

[melodramatic26]

Congrats!!

Back in July I ran the Napa to Sonoma 1/2Marathon. Downhill! Um, sure, except for all the hills you have to go up first to get down... It's a hard town to run and I totally see how it would get boring. Congrats on finishing (finally!)

[tuggyruns]

Mar 3, 2014 13:13:35 GMT -5 melodramatic26 said:

Congrats!!

Back in June I ran the Napa to Sonoma 1/2Marathon. Downhill! Um, sure, except for all the hills you have to go up first to get down... It's a hard town to run and I totally see how it would get boring. Congrats on finishing (finally!)

Haha EXACTLY!! It's all good. I think I learned a lot from it, and about myself.

[jene]

Congrats on a great finish! You are a marathoner!!!

[jamalynn]

Congratulations! You did it! You are a marathoner!

[boston340]

Welcome to the marathon club! I'm so happy for you that you finished - you did great against the challenges that were against you.

[katinthehat]

You did it! So proud of you!

[Brit]

You did it! Congrats on finishing and sticking with your goal for so many years!

[gt7301b]

You did it, MARATHONER!!!

You look super cute in your picture, I looked like death during my marathon:)

[cinco]

Congrats! You did great and looked adorable doing it!

[thom]

Awesome, awesome tuggyruns! So proud of you.

P.S. - I am so sorry your legs & the weather didn't cooperate as you hoped. BUT... You have conquered the marathon, and I'm so happy for you. Hope you're taking it easy today.

[Vally]

You finished!! You should be so proud of yourself!!

[sassystace]

I'm proud of you!! Sorry it wasn't all you expected, but hey, we can call you a marathoner now!

[coconutbug]

Congrats, Ms. Marathoner!

[kams]

Congratulations!! Woohoo!

[sadlebred]

You did it!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!

(now when are we training for our tri relay??)

[tuggyruns]

Awe, y'all are the best! Thank you!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using proboards

[finallykrisb]

Congrats on finishing a marathon in less than ideal conditions! You'll rock your redemption race.

[water*drop]

Congrats!!

[clseale]

Congrats, marathoner!! I hope you're as proud of yourself as we are of you!

[breezy8407]

Congrats!!

[tuggyruns]

Y'all are gonna make me cry, you are too awesome!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using proboards

[lovesherheels]

You did it -- you finished!! Way to go!

[chw57]

Congratulations!!

[taratru]

You're awesome! Congratulations, marathoner!!!!!

[noisemaker2]

Congratulations on gutting it out! You did something amazing, and though I completely understand that it wasn't all you hoped (I had the same experience my first time around), I hope you are patting yourself on the back while you look for that redemption race.

[tuggyruns]

Mar 3, 2014 14:49:09 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

You did it!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!

(now when are we training for our tri relay??)

Wednesday. I get back Wednesday. I plan on spending some quality time in the pool after that!

[al320]

Yay!!! Way to kick ass!

[shauni27]

Seriously you should be SO PROUD! You stuck it out, through some awful conditions, and after YEARS of tough training, and you FINISHED! YOU ARE A MARATHONER! Congratulation! What an inspiration

[libbygrl109]

You did it! That in and of itself with all you've gone through is a huge accomplishment. Congrats, Marathoner!