I registered for the same spring marathon that had gotten me a 3:41:12 in 2016. I was out for redemption and feeling confident on where I could shave that time to earn my 3:40 BQ. I started a bit earlier than usual (just after Christmas) and hooked up with a great group of runners who were all qualified and training to run Boston this year. It was a fantastic fit for me and our long runs kept me at a solid pace and pushed me to tackle very hilly routes I would not have chosen on my own! I had been consistent with weekday 5am runs and Tuesday track. I was feeling confident, solid and proud of myself for putting in the work.
Then peak week arrives......I was pushing myself to hit the high mileage and stay strong. I started to feel uncomfortable-ness in what I thought was my hip flexor but turned out to be my quad muscle at the insertion point, so I rested it for a few days to take it easy. Had my final 20 miler coming up that weekend and decided to still give it a go though I wasn't sure how it would go. Well, the rest worked wonders and I felt incredibly strong and even finished the final 2 miles at race pace. If that day had been my marathon, I would have been golden.
I was feeling on top of the world and ready to tackle my marathon. I was looking forward to a well earned three week taper. Unfortunately, I was also feeling invincible. Later that night, we had plans with my BRF Kara for dinner and it was about a 2 mile walk from our house. With it being a gorgeous night, I suggested we just walk. The hubby suggested metro but in my mind I thought, what's walking 4 miles after a 20 miler when a marathon is 26.2miles? I can surely handle that! Why couldn't I?
The walk there was fine. On the walk back, I took a step and felt my quad on my right leg seize up/tear in a very sharp and sudden pain. Then it seemed to sort of go away. It didn't hurt as bad and I was able to walk home, albeit gingerly. I decided to rest it because I was not sure what that was or what had happened. Two days later I tried to run with my daughter to get in her run club miles and the push off to accelerate was very painful. I decided to just rest it. I tried a few other times testing out the leg and each time, I could feel that right quad. I decided to play it as smart as I could and rest it completely during my taper along with lots of ice, rolling, dry needling, massage. This even meant taking a DNS at the BAA 5k while in town for the hubby's running of the Boston Marathon. But of course a taper is supposed to be a gradual descent of less mileage not a steep cliff of no running at all.
After much rest, the week of the marathon I decided to test out the quad with a 10k at marathon pace. I didn't have pain, but the quad just didn't feel peppy or strong. Then two days later, I took it out on a five miler with a race pace downhill section. The leg felt good. So I decided I was probably okay to race my marathon.
Long story short, I flew to NV and ran the race. I felt if I didn't try- I would always wonder what if and perhaps feel I missed my shot. The quad made it until about mile 19 when I started to experience pain. I decided to play it smart, reduce risk of further injury and took a solid walk the final 6-7 miles in....mental torture.
The rest of my body recovered in a matter of a few days, but the quad not so much. Now being 3 weeks out it is finally feeling a bit better and I have been taking it very easy. This week I ran a 1 miler, a 2 miler, a 1 miler and a 4.5 miler.
So what went wrong?
Every experience is a learning experience and room to grow. With lots of thinking, here are my insights.
1. I should NOT have walked those 4 miles that day and that will haunt me. My leg was in a over-tired state and I should have remembered that. My muscles don't seem to like to be in recovery mode and then be forced to do work. I think it would have been different if I walked 4 miles directly after my 20 that morning, but allowing my muscles to cool down and begin their recovery process along with some dehydration, I think they were just not happy and decided to tell me so.
2. I did not make cross-training and weight training a priority this training cycle. Past training cycles I had the spin class I instructed to keep me honest about cross-training and I did a weight session once per week. This training cycle I was so focused on high miles and to run, run, run. I thought the more miles would get me that BQ this time around. It is really hard for me to make time for high miles, cardio cross training and weights....so I just ran. With no longer having a gym membership since I gave up teaching my spin class due to developing vocal nodes, it was much easier to just grab my shoes and run.
How will I move forward?
It will be hard. I am trying not to feel a bit down on myself and not feel like I am having to start over a bit. I can tell I have lost a lot of fitness being a slug these last 6-7 weeks. I wish I could say that I have been the model example of an injured runner and swimming laps, water running, weight training, spinning, etc to stay in shape while not running and I haven't. I have swam laps like two times. I did just join a gym though.....so moving forward cross-training WILL be a priority.
I am gearing up for another marathon training cycle (Chicago Marathon) but I am trying to not place any goals on myself. I don't think this will be a BQ attempt. I know myself and I know that I don't train well in the summer heat. And knowing Chicago it could also very well be a hot race! My goal for this training cycle is just to become a better all around runner and I plan to accomplish that with not neglecting my strength training and my cardio-cross training. I plan to take advantage of the summer - outdoor lap swimming, open water swimming, paddle boarding, and trail running. Plus I plan on hitting up the new Orange Theory Fitness opening just a mile from my house! I can run to it! Wahoo!
I thought about giving up on my BQ dreams...that maybe I was not cut out for this, but I refuse to give up!