3 Days Post-Marathon

I know, more marathon?! How self-centered is he? Well, I can't help it because this has been a fairly time-consuming goal, and since this blog is at times more of a journal than anything else, well, please forgive me...

It has been just over 72 hours (3 days) since I finished my first marathon. When I finished it I expected to feel some pain, some relief, and more than a little joy. Maybe even a little ecstacy. Reality was a little different. There was definately relief, and there was more pain than I imagined, but there wasn't really joy and there most certainly was no ecstatic feeling. (There was also a little short-tempered grouchyness--sorry Mrs Sladed!) Maybe it has something to do with my being a fairly introverted person but that can't be the whole explanation.

Monday, the day after the marathon, I went for a slow 1 mile walk at lunch time. While walking was painful enough, stepping off a curb or walking down some stairs was so difficult it was comical. After work I splurged and got a 1 hour sports massage. None of this seemed to help with my recovery. Although many people swear by the massage, I didn't see a benefit significant enough to justify the expense. (Note: I am tight with the money.)

Tuesday I swam an easy mile and that felt good but walking and steps were still a joke. Today I went for my first "run". It was the slowest 2 miles I've ever run. And it was pretty doggone joyful. What can I say? I was out "running" like a 90 year old but I felt so happy. I think what's happening is that it's starting to sink in.

This may not be a startling revelation to anyone else but too me? I finished a damn marathon! 26.2 miles through the streets (and 1 highway - 163) of San Diego! By a swimmer who was mostly a sprinter! By a below average runner! And I beat my goal time of 4 and a half hours!

Will I or won't I run another one? I can't answer that one yet, although my line of thinking goes something like this: I worked really hard to get into condition that was good enough to finish a marathon. It seems like a waste to not take advantage of how far I've come. Why not build on what I've done and do another one?! And this time pace it better so the last 2... or 8, miles aren't so painful...)

For today all I can say is that on my 2 mile run I couldn't stop smiling.