Weathering the Weather

I’m finally getting this posted – I waited because I didn’t want my post to be overly negative concerning my marathon experience (I was very disappointed and angry immediately following the race due to how I had to finish).

My Marathon experience was a disappointment but only because I was not allowed to finish. I initially prepared for a possibly cold marathon by buying a long sleeve form fitting shirt a few weeks ago – little did I know at that time that it would be unseasonably warm. I am sure all of you have heard about the marathon being called off before most of the runners had finished due to record high temperatures. My training temperatures and conditions varied from cold and unprepared to hot and prepared (you all know that I followed good hydration under all conditions) as a result of this I actually felt very good during the race (better even than any of my training runs).

The two days leading up to the marathon I was nervous and irritable (my wife and family thankfully tolerated me). On marathon day I woke at 4:00am and getting out of bed at around 4:30 for the drive downtown – eating and drinking was difficult due to a nervous stomach. Leaving my house it was already 70 degrees. My neighbor Rhonda rode downtown with us to help cheer me in for the last few miles of the race.

My wife had arranged for us to park at a good friends house near the race start. I taped my knees and walked with my wife and everyone else down to the starting line.

The start to the race was amazing, so many people. It took me about 20 minutes to reach the starting line after the race actually started. I kept having to pull myself back and not try and pass people, the race had only begun and I needed to stick to my plan and finish.

From what people have told me, I kept a very steady pace through the portion of the race that was recorded and I should have finished only 15 slower than my originally planned time of 5:15.

I actually felt great during the race, my knees barely gave me any problems until after I was forced off the course, walking was actually more painful than running. I felt stronger in this race than I ever did in training, I just knew that I could make it if I stuck to my plan and kept steady.

Before this race there has never been a race I didn’t finish and I always have told myself that I’d always make it over the finish line even if I had to crawl over it. So, this race was first for me, I didn’t make it over the finish line but I can at least say it wasn’t by my choice I was forced off the course by fire hoses and police with less than 6 mile to go.

Hydration was the major issue with this race, the first two water stops had no water or Gatorade though I was able to get a cup of water from a hose using a cup I picked up off the ground between the first two stops and douse my bead in the fountain at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Finally, at the third water stop I got some water (I carried the cup I picked up from the hose stop). I was mostly able to stay reasonably hydrated through the help of informal water stops along the course (a BIG thank you to all the people in the neighborhoods that the race went through – without them I would have been in trouble). The day was hot but shade was available for most of the course that I ran.

My thanks to; my family – parents, brother, sister and extra-especially my wife, my friends, neighbors and patients – Rhonda (who came down with me and my wife for race day), Donna, Ed, Rick, Jason and to Pat for his indispensable help with taping.

Will I race next year – I don’t know yet but I can promise you that I’ll complete a marathon within the next 2 years.

Friday night... I tried the tape yesterday, just the tape not running, and it stayed on for a hour before I removed it. Today I got a call from Pat (the previously mentioned PT) who told me that he had a skin prep and adhesive that in his experience helped with keeping the tape on as well as decreasing skin irritation. So, I drove up to his clinic and picked it up , while I was there he demonstrated for me how best to apply the tape and how to use the skin prep (Prep Protective Skin Barrier by Coloplast). This evening I tried the improved taping method on my last run before the marathon, a 30 minute jog. The run went well and the tape stayed on even though there was a little peeling at the edges (I didn't use the prep because I want to have some Acetone on hand to be sure that I can remove the tape without taking skin with it).

At present I'm nervous about the race...getting downtown to pick up my packet, waking up extra early on Sunday (plans changed and we are leaving at 4:30 from home instead of staying over in Chicago), worry over the weather since it will be in the 80's on Sunday (far from prime marathon weather - I actually got long sleeve DouDry shirt for the race which I won't be using now). All the little details make me worry and I have to keep turning my focus to just finishing the race. The little things can also be a comfort since taking care of them takes my mind off other things. I had some inspiration from a neighbor today - Donna ran a 5k in Plainfield last weekend after a poor nights sleep while having a sinus infection. Pushing through pain to finish is always an inspiration to me (like I've said before I see this as a force of will as much as conditioning).

I'll check in tomorrow night and again on Monday (or at latest, depending on my condition) after the race.

Taping

I got my Endura tape last week and taped my knees on Sunday for my 7 mile run - no luck the tape rufused to stay on for more than a mile and a half. Since then I've tried cleaning my skin with alcohol before applying the tape, using a hair dryer and hot packs to warm the adhesive after apllying it (it is supposed to be heat activated adhesive) all to no avail. I've been a bit stressed since this seems to be my best chance of alleviating the pain (if only I could get the tape to stay on!).

After talking with my mother last night I thought of a Physical Therapist who has helped me out in this past and this morning I was able to catch up with him. It seems the Endura tape is very skin friendly but it actually does not stick all that well and he recommended Leukotape P as a better tape and gave me a roll. I will let you all know how it works after tomorrows run (I had already worked out today when I got the tape).