Running for Schroeder

So I finished. It was in the 70s and I hadn’t trained enough at all. I was set through the 1/2: staying with my pace group, heart rate good, hydration good (1 pee break), legs felt strong. Then, at about 14, I ran off of my legs. Meaning, I hadn’t run enough distance. It started with my left calf. I finished the mile, but slowly. Then, my other calf joined in the fun. Not cramps, but as Bo put it, pre-cramps. I cut back to running 50 steps and then walking 50 steps. That got me through about another mile, and then it was 50-100, and then 50 some time after the pain goes away. I tried altering my stride and just ended up bringing my quads into the equation.

Now, just to be clear, you can’t finish a Marathon without some pain. It hurt last time. But last time my wind gave out about the same time my legs and feet did. I was balanced. This time, just the legs. My heart rate was great. I still feel like I was in shape enough for the distance, I just hadn’t prepared my legs correctly.

Some of this undoubtedly comes from the fact that I have recently altered my stride quite a bit. I did lope, but not any more. I have shortened my stride and become more efficient. I really can run at my pace and speak. But, I had never run more than 8 miles with the new stride. I didn’t put in the training I needed to. This will not happen again. 5:30 is my upper limit now. There will be none longer (For the previously mentioned reason, other conditions may slow my pace beyond that which is planned. This is not a guarantee, this is a goal. Your mileage may vary.)

Did I mention the wind? Gusts were to be in the 40s. I almost got blown to a standstill coming under an overpass. And the heat? That was the most ambulances I have seen in a race. I was passed by 3 and a firetruck. Plus, I passed another later on. That was the first run that ever left my knees sandy with sweat salt.