Marathon advice

[lil' maids in a row]

I would love some opinions about what I should do.

 

My next door neighbor is my running partner. Two years ago we trained for a half marathon. This fall we decided to train for another. After a couple weeks of training she asked if we could go for a full marathon. The idea didn't thrill me, but I wanted her to reach her goal and I thought it would be pretty cool to give it a try.

 

The marathon is in 5weeks. We just ran 16 miles together. The problem is, I don't know if I should keep training or back out. Every run over 10 miles has resulted in problems. I got ill and feverish after two runs, horrible body aches after 14 miles, nausua after 12 miles. During the 16 mile run I developed what I think is a raging UTI and fever, and the day after dealt with vertigo and knee pain.

 

I guess I just feel that I am damaging my body.

 

On the other hand, I told her I would do this with her. She really wants to complete this marathon. We only have 3 long training runs left. I hate to back out on her, especially because I don't know if she could do those runs and meet her goal without a partner (we really depend on one another for motivation, support and encouragement) .

 

I feel guilty because I have never been excited about this goal. I don't know if these problems are a legitimate reason to back out, or if I am just wimping out. I don't want to hurt myself, but I don't want to disappoint my friend either. Any thoughts?

[momofkhm]

I thought this was going to be a should I even think about this type post.

 

My first marathon I thought I was going to die during the training. A friend asked me more than once why I put myself through the pain. Then I turned it on her and asked why she let her son play hockey with the adult league when he was only 15. She got quiet after that.

 

I never had actual fevers but I felt plenty bad. The long runs were the killer ones. It would mean a day of recovery at least. I would be cold the rest of the day. Maybe feverish? I'll give it to you straight - training hurts. What got me through it was I found a saying that wasn't true at the time but it is now "There will be days when I won't be able to run a marathon. There will be a lifetime of knowing that I have." It is an awesome sense of accomplishment.

 

I walked 6 miles plus the first one. The second I didn't walk until I hit 20 miles. The third I walked alternate even less. I don't care. I finished a marathon.

 

How do you feel about losing the money you spent for the race itself? Marathons are not cheap! How do you feel about losing all that training you've put in? Yes it will disappoint your friend, but how do you feel about it? I don't run with a training partner and this is partly why.

 

I don't think you are actually injuring yourself. I think your body is rebelling. I think if you want to, you can do this. You can push through. Well, wait. The knee pain. That may be something. The fevers, the body aches, the nausea and yes, the UTI and vertigo can all be attributed to your body getting used to the distance. That's why you build slowly.

 

Of course, I'm getting ready for my second 1/2 this weekend and I am over the moon that I only had to run 4 miles today! So I may have a different perspective.

 

I hope Nono will chime in. I just run, but she seems to actually know running. :-)

 

Only you can answer if you should do this or not. I think your problems are associated with the training, I don't think you are over-training.

[lil' maids in a row]

Thanks Cheryl,

 

I appreciate you response. It is really good to know that this is normal. That makes me feel better.

 

We haven't paid for the race yet. I wanted to wait till the last minute in case of injury.

 

I would be happy with the fact that I ran 16 miles. The marathon isn't my thing. I would be most disappointed about letting my friend down. That would be hard to swallow.

 

Thank you so much for your insight. I feel better about keeping at it.

[FriedClams]

I am a half girl - and I am a walker so it may be a little different. I finished my 3rd half a couple of weeks ago, so I feel your pain!

 

My DH is a runner and we did a half together a couple of years ago. He hated it. Anything over 10 and he felt like you do. So he did the one and then decided he's good for 10 milers and under. He'll do triathlons and longer overall races but 10 miles of running is his limit. He's totally good with that, and Im glad he knows his limits.

 

I would encourage you to do it - at least once. You're most of the way there. Listen to your body but do your training. Follow your plan. Plan to do it. If you can't make it through on race day then you can't - but at least you really tried. It hurts but you can do it. :-)

[Jennifer in MI]

I agree with the others. I did my first full a couple years ago and the training just plain SUCKED. It really, really did. I hurt and took a day to recover. I also had intestinal discomfort the day of my longer runs. It wasn't fun. So, I think that part of it is normal.

 

How does your knee feel after the shorter runs? Does the pain go away after the longer runs pretty fast? I wouldn't risk a permanent injury. But, some pain is normal and can be expected. AFter I ran my first 20 miler, I had some really really bad pain - IT Band. But, at that point I was NOT quitting! I went to the doctor and ended up going for some PT. I was able to make it through the marathon. I walked a LOT of it, but I did it!!!

 

Seriously - you are SO close. At this point I'd keep on pushing through. And, this way you get to buy a 26.2 sticker for the back of your car!

[nono]

Well, now see, I would look at your situation completely differently -- your long runs are getting a lot of crappola out of your system! Isn't that goodness??!! :D

 

The vertigo thing -- I get it running sometimes, and sometimes during pretty short runs. I think it's electrolytes getting out of whack in me. I have taken to having chicken broth after long, cold runs, and I have to tell you, I am feeling much better after all of them. Perhaps that is something you can try?

 

What are you running during the week? Is the total of your other runs approximately 1/2 or more of your total weekly mileage? What are you using for fuel during the long runs? Do you ever use it on shorter runs too? Tell me a little bit more about what you are doing and I'll issue a verdict (which of course, I don't really expect you to follow!)

 

Oh, and have you watched Spirit of the Marathon yet?? Now would be a good time to do so...

 

 

P.S. Cheryl, thank you for the kind shout out. :seeya:

[lil' maids in a row]

Thanks for the responses! My last few weeks of runs have been 4/6/4/12, 5/6/5/14, 5/7/5/16 (something like that, one of the beginner plans from Hal higdons website) . On my runs I usually carry dates, raisens, banana and Graham crackers. I don't take anything but water on my shorter runs. I have felt good for all the long runs (except the 14, that was miserable) . Even the 16 mile run was great except for the uti pain (obviously that last mile was hard, but not awful kwim) . Usually I feel fine the next day. Except today I have been in bed thanks to the vertigo.

 

I don't know about my knee. It felt fine on the run yesterday. Today it is killing me.

 

I am feeling super guilty for being a worthless wife /mom today all because of a hobby.

[nono]

Lil' Maids, your fueling looks fine. Try the chicken broth after your next long run to see if it helps you with the veritgo. Or coconut water (not the milk). The fact that you usually feel good the next day is great. If you are doing a Hal Higdon plan, then your ramp up is balanced. Put your mind at rest there.

 

Where on the knee? Is it under the kneecap? On the side of the knee joint? Once we know what it is, among the group of us we should be able to give you advice on taping, stretching and booze to carry along (KIDDING!) to keep the pain at bay.

 

So, instead of feeling guilty, how 'bout this? You made a promise to someone. You are going to do your best to keep that promise. Along the way, you'll probably learn a few things about yourself. Your children will notice. It'll all probably be for the good. Now, keep on modeling the good behavior. Everyone is allowed to have a down/off day. You're human.

[Brilliant]

 

I am feeling super guilty for being a worthless wife /mom today all because of a hobby.

 

This is why I backed out of marathon training and opted for another half.

 

That said, I'm jealous of my friends who are doing the full this weekend while I do 13.1. And I'm seriously considering signing up for a fall marathon...

 

It's a hard choice, good luck.

[lil' maids in a row]

Thank you so much for the encouragement!

 

The knee pain is on the inside of my left knee, under the kneecap. Lifting and extending it hurt more than bearing weight on it.

[nono]

Try

on taping from youtube. :) It sounds like runner's knee. Though I like to call it "mover's" knee because I get it more when I'm moving furniture around.

 

Also

has some stretches and exercises to help stabilize your knee, too. (He also references taping. Taping is really a huge help, as is 10 min of ice on the knee cap a couple times a day.)

[StephanieZ]

In my experience, runs over 16 miles are when it gets a lot harder. Miles 17 - 26 are killer most runs.

 

So, if you've only gotten to 16 and are suffering a lot, and you have just two weeks (so one super long run, right?) left before your 3 week taper, then I think you are not crazy to bail now. A marathon is brutal.

 

I think it is possible you can still do it. Do your long run in two weeks -- what 17-20? -- and in between then and now, take it a bit easier than scheduled. Cut your training back a bit to let your body recover. Then take that 3 week taper really easy. No more hard runs. That taper is going to refresh you amazingly. (Don't freak out when you feel awful 1-2 weeks into the taper. That is typical. The third week will be when your energy peaks.)

 

So, I think you can go either way. A marathon is too hard to do for anyone other than YOU. If YOU don't want to do it, then don't do it. You don't have to decide right now. Freaking out and getting terrified is totally normal. Happens to me before every big race.

[nono]

I would like to use Stephanie's comments as a jumping off point to talk about race strategy.

 

So for race strategy, make sure you go out conservatively timewise. Miles 1-5 are not where you should be laying down any PR splits. Or even running your planned pace (and not even your half marathon pace from 2 years ago!). Some seasoned recreational masters marathoners run a "progression" from miles 1-5, with 1 being the slowest, and then shaving off a couple seconds each mile until you are at planned race pace by mile 6. Others just take miles 1-2 slower and then hit pace by mile 3. Another thing is, don't make your pace a "must do" for the entire time. If you are getting tired or something is hurting, try a different pace to find a "new comfortable." Believe it or not, occasionally that means running 1 mile a bit faster than the previous one. N.B.: Please don't do that and then try to hang onto that pace the whole rest of the race! That could really be the quick road to the whole rest of the race being, as Stephanie says, brutal. :ohmy: (Stephanie, while I agree that a marathon can be brutal, I like to think the training is the worst of it. ;) As my Dad used to tell me, it's all in your attitude. I would also like to say Dad never ran a marathon. Ha! :coolgleamA: )

 

Final thought is on breathing. When you are getting tired, try changing your breath count so that you are breathing out for 1 to 2 counts longer than you are breathing in. Some folks theorize that we don't get enough CO2 out of us later in the race. I find that in the painful miles if I go to a 2 count breath in/4 count out breath out, I ease a lot of tension (plus it give my loopy mind something to think about). Am I actually getting the excess CO2 out? I don't know, but you may want to try it on your next long training run and see if you get any benefit from the practice.

 

Again, try to watch The Spirit of the Marathon. (Neflix has it, as does Amazon).

[Alenee]

Just here to encourage you to keep at it. Someone up-thread talked about miles above 16 being the hardest and I would agree. I ran a 16 miler on what some call "rolling hills" and I cried like a baby when I was in cool-down. I also always feel very cold after super long runs. After my shower, I layer in clothing to keep my body heat up. With the vertigo, I might also suggest using salt tablets during long runs. That's essentially what eating the chicken broth after the run is for. If you can keep the electrolytes up during the run, the after effects might not be so bad.

 

You are SOOO close! And the feelings of accomplishment, not to mention the lessons learned by doing HARD things, last a lifetime! :grouphug:

[lil' maids in a row]

Thank you all so much! Definitely going to give chicken broth a try. Reading and rereading the stuff you have written.

[Anne]

I don't know anything about marathons, but I do want to comment on your feeling of guilt b/c you have a hobby that sometimes infringes on life. DON'T FEEL GUILTY!!! It is good for your children (and your dh, for that matter) to see you as someone with goals and aspirations aside from them - good for your kids to see that pursuing a goal can be an up-and-down experience. You are modeling great things for your kids - even from the couch!!

 

Anne

[gratefulmother]

Sorry, I don't usually respond, but I just have to say if you don't want to run a marathon, for heavens' sake, don't do it!! THere are plenty of other ways to stay in shape that may be a better fit for you, your family and your body at this time. All of the things about your friend and children seeing you commit yourself to something and stick it out are true, IF you wanted to do it in the first place. This isn't your goal, it is HERS. Let her put her big girl panties on and reach the goal herself if that is what she desires. She can find another partner or go it alone. Either way, you are not responsible for her emotions. Let it go! Your friend is an adult, she can handle it.