THE DAY AFTER

3/6 Bittersweet. I lay in bed in Albany unable to sleep after the marathon. Thoughts tumble and dance thru my head about the race, the journey, the ups, the downs, the good, the ugly, the beautiful. I smile. Although the race did not go perfectly for me, I am proud of myself and proud of Danette. We did AWESOME! We finished our first marathon together! All of the people I have trained with over the last 18 weeks have made this a very special journey and have carried me to victory. I am so thankful for good friends and all the blessings that God has given me. I would not have done this by myself, I could not have done this by myself. It has taken a village to raise this marathoner!

Now, on to more serious matters......how do I roll out of bed to go and use the bathroom? It is 6am in the morning and I have got to go.....i've held it as long as possible. I roll to the left and drop the first foot down, not too bad, I think. Then, I ever so lightly put the second foot down and begin to put weight on my legs. I feel like a new fawn as I weeble and wobble on stilt like legs over to the distant bathroom. I am really sore. I must have done something yesterday! Now, sitting on the toilet.....priceless.

On the way back home, Danette and I stop at Whole Foods again in ATL to meet a couple of friends. I share with them about the torturous marathon and how I vowed I would never do it again. My friend Jackie talks about her first upcoming ultramarathon and her eventual desire to complete the 100 mile running race in Leadville. Then she says, you should do Jacksonville marathon with us this December. And, without even giving it a second thought, I say "count me in." What are friends for after all? Let the journey begin!

Post Race Bliss

There was no endorphine high after the race. I felt like I had been run over by a truck, then backed over once again. I was loopy and needed dry clothes and real food. I was sick of that sticky sweet taste of hammer gels and ready to either eat something good or starved to death. It was a painfully long walk to Danette's car. It felt like marathon distance away. I trudged along very slowly hoping not to lock up.

We settled on a restaurant joint called Build-A-Burger which promised burgers made to order with real angus beef. I didn't care if it was real or one of those fake compressed patties as I scarfed down a smothered mushroom burger, homemade french fries, and crispy onion rings covered with ketchup and extra salt. I even savored the finger lickin' good taste of the salt and grease mixed on my fingers. After I ate this, I felt rejuvenated. Seriously, I could have eaten 3 burgers with ease. My body was screaming for some more calories and this hit the spot.

Danette and I opted to go back to the hotel room and rest, which we did like pros. We were too tired to roll out of our respected beds to even take showers. I made myself an ice bath by dumping buckets of ice in a cooler I brought. The temperature of this ice bath was Mach -20 and it was absolute torture as we took turned icing our calfs and feet.

Our only outing that night was Outback which was one of Danette's favorite restaurants. We proudly wore our race tech tees in and even our green finisher medals for fun. We ate like queens! and were feeling great until we slowly started to slide out of the booth to leave, put our foot down and looked at each other and groaned. We were stiff and a customer actually laughed at us as we groaned completely in unison.

Too tired to go and party, our old ailing joints forced us back to the hotel. I cracked open my dark chocolate bar and opened some red wine as Danette and I toasted to our journey! What a special day to share with such a special friend!

THE WALL!

RACE DAY!!!

We are at the start line, 6am. Time to get out of the car and run!

The Snicker's Bar Marathon in Albany, GA humbled this athlete as it painfully brought me to my knees. I know now why that at most marathons every finisher gets a medal, it is so well deserved. I respect every mile of the 26.2 mile course as it can chew up and spit out the best of athletes on any given day.

My first goal was to get to the start line healthy, which I did, but at the sacrifice of not hitting some of the longer runs. Better to be 10% undertrained, then 1% overtrained at the start line I was once told. Well, no problems there I thought! Cross training with swimming and cycling in no way replacec the impact and use of those much needed running muscles. But, I was there at the start, mentally and physically ready to race.

My second goal was to finish the race, and my third, to Boston Qualify.

The cannon fired at 7am, and we were off, about 800 hopeful marathoners prowling the streets of Albany, accompanied by our other companion, on and off rain showers. The rain was a blessing in hindsight, keeping the temperatures very cool and the winds at bay. I felt great as I moderated my pace, took the most direct lines around corners, and pretended to draft off of tall, lanky fit dudes. I knew about "the wall" at mile 20 that most marathoners hit and had practiced and visualized prior to the race literally stepping over the wall or crashing thru the wall. Mile 20 came and went and I still felt great, right on Boston qualifying pace. However, I failed to realize that a new construction project was taking place with no notice, and at mile 23, I ran smack into The Great Wall of Albany.

My body literally shut down after holding an 8:22 pace for 23 miles. I reeled as my quads, calfs, and feet went into full lockdown cramp mode. Things were cramping that I didn't know could cramp. I hobbled to the side of the road attempting to entertain the idea of 'stretching it out'. HA! It was far too late. I cursed the marathon! I prayed to God to carry me to the finish line. I swore up and down I would never do this again, how stupid of me! My last three miles were roughly 14min, 17min, and 14min. pace as my body went into shock and I could not run without cramping severely. I was forced to walk, a very cold, wet walk of shame, as runners trudged by my broken body. They may as well have been trampling on my very inner soul. I was disheartened. So close, yet so far away. I could physically not go any faster! I was in a very foul mood as the miles slowly trickled down. My 3:40 pace team caught me, then the 3:50 pace team, then the sub 4 hour pace team. A snail could have caught me at this speed. Eventually, I could see the finish line, and in a meager attempt, trotted across. I could have cried. I had visualized myself crossing the line, throwing my arms up victoriously, blowing kisses to the crowd and proudly looking up as the finishing clock displayed a time of 3:40, qualifying me for Boston. But, not now. My teeth were gritted in pain as I crossed, humbled to 4 hours, and 1 minute. It may have well been a lifetime.

I was mentally and physically drained after the race. I gave absolutely 120% and left everything on the course. I fell to my knees in true dramatic fashion and thought I was going to pass out. After closing my eyes and regaining some composure, a gentleman assisted me to the side and offered me a bottle of cool, yellow gatorade. I sat there waiting for my friend to finish, watching all the runners come thru the chute, vowing I would never do THIS again. THIS was too hard, too much! The gatorade could onl quench my thirst and not my broken spirit.

The silver finishing towel a volunteer hugged around me shimmered in the rain. The green finishers medal dangling around my neck felt cold pressed against my chest. I could not move, frozen with cramped muscles and fixated on that finish line. 18 weeks of training, and THIS is the result?

I wouldn't trade THIS for the world. I left every drop of me on the course, no regrets,.......for I am now a marathoner which I think is pretty damn cool.

Pre-Race

3/4 Danette and I had an amazingly fun drive down to Albany, GA. We chattered non-stop, occasionally missing a turn even with a GPS because we were so engrossed in conversation. We made a half way point pitstop in Atlanta at the Briarscliff Whole Foods to get our favorite pre-race meal, consisting of salmon, sweet potato wedges, and kale advocado salad. To our surprise, this Whole Foods did not have any salmon cooked! Did they forget that we were coming? Did our agent not call them in advance? Luckily a gentleman named Robert came to our rescue and called two salmon upstream for us. He magnificently prepared the salmon in a light teriyaki sauce and presented them to us. We could now continue on to Albany, fish in hand.

At this Whole Foods we were also treated to a free bone scan to check for osteoporosis. Using ultrasound, your foot is checked for bone density. This scan is within 2% of the mainstream DEXA scan. To my surprise, my bone density levels have improved! The impact and pounding of running has increased my bone density levels considerably and I am now almost normal. My previous scan, using the DEXA last year showed that I was already osteopenic. So, this was exciting news to hear. Now Danette, who is somewhat more mature in her age, still had better overall bone density than me, who should be at peak density, but I still had an improvement. The stars seemed to be aligning for a great marathon! All systems are a go!

The last 3 hours to Albany really dragged as we hit traffic in Atlanta. We pulled over for a much needed bathroom stop and gas fuel up. Of course we had to stop at the Marathon fueling station! I always find it fascinating how things just seem to be ever more present when you relate the world to your life. For instance, you get a new car, well you notice your car everywhere. Of course, your car has been in the world without you taking notice, but now, since you have one, you see it! I have noticed the word marathon a lot the last 18 weeks, everywhere from gas stations to the bathroom at the pool where the company 'Marathon' makes a paper towel dispenser.

We made it to Albany in plenty of time for packet pick-up. The expo was unusual and we received our packets without difficulty. To the hotel we went, unloaded us and our salmon, and dined in style with metal forks and our cardboard box plates.

We had arrived!

CEREMONIAL HAIRCUT, SNIP SNIP

3/3 Snip Snip! After doing a two mile easy trot, I headed to one of the best salons around, otherwise known as A-Frame. This is not your typical hair parlor filled with overpriced soaps and shampoos or an endless array of hair dyes. You won't find a single hair dryer on site or even the caustic smell of artificial chemical stabilizers. No, this is the home of my friend Emily and her very furry dog named Jinx. She is a budding hair stylist and believe it or not, she is a virgin! I am to be her first victim, eh hem, customer, eh hem...... guinea pig.

The ceremonial haircut is a very important step in the training process. Some athletes have superstitions such as not shaving their legs or eating only certain types of food. My equally ridiculous ritual is letting my hair grow for the duration of training and then to have a good friend cut my locks the week of the race. It the ceremonial haircut that frees me from any weight or baggage that I have collected throughout the last 18 weeks of training. Not only do I feel lighter is spirit, but I indeed am lighter as precious ounces of my curly locks settled on her kitchen floor. As most of you ladies can attest to, as one sits in the beauty chair, it magically happens that the gift of gab is given. I talked my dear friend's ear off. Poor Emily, her novice haircutting voyage, which was nerve racking enough, had only an occasionally "oops" to say in return.

The actual haircut and evenness didn't matter to me. It was that my friend cut my hair, wished me well on my marathon journey, and gave me endearing marathon advice, "Weinacker, my coach said that if you didn't piss on yourself during the race, you didn't run hard enough." Well, thank you Emily for that candid information. Thankfully, the weather forecast is predicted at a 70% chance of rain.

2 DAYS TO GO!

Schatzi, our new daschund pup refuses to let me use the shoe pictured above for the marathon. I think she has my best interest at paw, the shoe looks a little worn in, not enough medial suport as well!

3/2
With 2 days to go, I'm busy getting prepared. Just think, after tomorrow, only one more day to go! Wow, how deep a thought I just thunk! I think that sometimes running long distances has made me less smart, maybe it is the circles that I continually run in, maybe it is the lack of oxygen during sprint intervals, or maybe, just maybe, it is the endorphine high you get from running. It is a natural drug, better than anything you can even get by prescription. After many of my training runs I was like a deer in headlights, so completely enveloped by this heavenly feeling that I was completely at peace on Earth. I remember a few times when my friends would have to repeat a question twice because I was so much "in the zone". I'm excited about reaching this place in 2 days, and am hopeful to hit it at mile 20, which by some is known as "the wall." I am not scared of this wall, and have given it very little attention. But, at mile 20, I will change my attitude, scale the wall, jam up my I-pod, and that Great Wall will inevitably come crashing down.

It's official, the go green, full speed ahead tempo shoe to the right is top dog! Don't tell our new dog, she might get upset! I will enjoy racing in the much lighter shoe after training in the beefed up shoe pictured to the left.