Run with the Foxes - half marathon race report
I'm starting to think that this shirt is not so lucky after all (see facial expression).
On a whim, Ben and I decided last night that we would run the half marathon in the Run With the Foxes at Morgan-Monroe State Forest. Granted, I haven't run more than 6 miles since a month ago at Boston, and I ran my first two consecutive days in a row just Thursday/yesterday.
To recap Boston, I left the race pretty injured. More injured than I was in Chicago. That's two marathons in a row (Boston and Chicago) that I've come very close to DNF-ing due to injury.
If you remember giving me help on my Boston race-day outfit via Facebook, this is what I wore:
Let's rewind a little to this morning. First of all, Ben and Ted decided to ride their bikes up to Morgan-Monroe... crazy already. I slept in and drove the car up there, we signed up for the race, and things were good. I wasn't sure how the whole thing would go, since I'm pretty lacking in the endurance department. Yesterday's run on the cross country course felt awesome, despite a little heat and humidity, so with a soft trail surface, it wasn't unreasonable to think that I could run 13.1-ish on the trails. Right? After all, I ran Tecumseh successfully without much training or endurance base, and it was great!
The other half of me was saying that it was the dumbest idea ever and that I am going to screw up my IT band/knee again, worse than Boston. Injuries are horrible and I probably don't respect them as much as I should. Sometimes, when I get burned out on running, I don't mind being injured (because I usually am). But knowing that I can't run, even if I want to, is beyond frustrating.
Throwing aside all better judgement, I made my way over to the trails this morning, signed up, and off we went. I ran with Rebecca, Chris, and Evan for the majority of the time. I randomly also ran into one of my Rolls-Royce intern buddies from 2006, Ben. Also good. [Have I really not seen you in 4 years?]
At mile 1 I slightly rolled my ankle, but it happens all the time. I felt like we were taking a decent pace on the trail, but it was soft and forgiving enough that I didn't think it'd bother my knee. There were quite a few sticks, rocks, and roots.
At mile 2, well - I didn't quite make it to mile 2. At 1.5 miles I hardcore sprained my ankle on a bunch of roots. I have never even come close to a sprain, but I achieved it today!!! I couldn't think about anything but how much it hurt for about a solid minute, and thankful that all of the above-mentioned people stopped briefly for me.
Let me repeat: It.Hurt.So.Much. I was speechless. All I could do was stand there like an idiot and groan. I didn't even have time to look down to see a non-swollen ankle. It was completely bubbly by the time I even bent over to inspect it. I didn't really have much of a choice but to limp back on my own after making sure that the rest of the group didn't lose too much time by stopping for me. I passed Rebecca going in the other direction, and (she is amazing) she gave me her car key - girl came prepared! She had athletic tape and ibuprofen in her trunk.
Evan said at the finish, "Yeah, but I know your personality and I know you thought about finishing." Yep, definitely considered walking it off and trying to run the next 11.6 miles on the ankle -- countless times. As I hobbled back, every minute or so, the thought would enter my mind that I should try - or that I could - still walk it off and keep going. I could probably turn around any second and just continue running. I even tried a few painful jogging steps. I'd be behind, but I would at least finish.... I have never DNFed before and did not intend for it to be today.
I'm starting to think that this shirt is not so lucky after all (see facial expression).
On a whim, Ben and I decided last night that we would run the half marathon in the Run With the Foxes at Morgan-Monroe State Forest. Granted, I haven't run more than 6 miles since a month ago at Boston, and I ran my first two consecutive days in a row just Thursday/yesterday.
To recap Boston, I left the race pretty injured. More injured than I was in Chicago. That's two marathons in a row (Boston and Chicago) that I've come very close to DNF-ing due to injury.
If you remember giving me help on my Boston race-day outfit via Facebook, this is what I wore:
Let's rewind a little to this morning. First of all, Ben and Ted decided to ride their bikes up to Morgan-Monroe... crazy already. I slept in and drove the car up there, we signed up for the race, and things were good. I wasn't sure how the whole thing would go, since I'm pretty lacking in the endurance department. Yesterday's run on the cross country course felt awesome, despite a little heat and humidity, so with a soft trail surface, it wasn't unreasonable to think that I could run 13.1-ish on the trails. Right? After all, I ran Tecumseh successfully without much training or endurance base, and it was great!
The other half of me was saying that it was the dumbest idea ever and that I am going to screw up my IT band/knee again, worse than Boston. Injuries are horrible and I probably don't respect them as much as I should. Sometimes, when I get burned out on running, I don't mind being injured (because I usually am). But knowing that I can't run, even if I want to, is beyond frustrating.
Throwing aside all better judgement, I made my way over to the trails this morning, signed up, and off we went. I ran with Rebecca, Chris, and Evan for the majority of the time. I randomly also ran into one of my Rolls-Royce intern buddies from 2006, Ben. Also good. [Have I really not seen you in 4 years?]
At mile 1 I slightly rolled my ankle, but it happens all the time. I felt like we were taking a decent pace on the trail, but it was soft and forgiving enough that I didn't think it'd bother my knee. There were quite a few sticks, rocks, and roots.
At mile 2, well - I didn't quite make it to mile 2. At 1.5 miles I hardcore sprained my ankle on a bunch of roots. I have never even come close to a sprain, but I achieved it today!!! I couldn't think about anything but how much it hurt for about a solid minute, and thankful that all of the above-mentioned people stopped briefly for me.
Let me repeat: It.Hurt.So.Much. I was speechless. All I could do was stand there like an idiot and groan. I didn't even have time to look down to see a non-swollen ankle. It was completely bubbly by the time I even bent over to inspect it. I didn't really have much of a choice but to limp back on my own after making sure that the rest of the group didn't lose too much time by stopping for me. I passed Rebecca going in the other direction, and (she is amazing) she gave me her car key - girl came prepared! She had athletic tape and ibuprofen in her trunk.
Evan said at the finish, "Yeah, but I know your personality and I know you thought about finishing." Yep, definitely considered walking it off and trying to run the next 11.6 miles on the ankle -- countless times. As I hobbled back, every minute or so, the thought would enter my mind that I should try - or that I could - still walk it off and keep going. I could probably turn around any second and just continue running. I even tried a few painful jogging steps. I'd be behind, but I would at least finish.... I have never DNFed before and did not intend for it to be today.
It was like one of these moments.
In the middle of thoughts like this, the highly logical (more intelligent?) part of me would force me to lean down to look at my ankle. It obviously hurt pretty badly, and no denying that it was swollen. Fortunately, my shoe served as a little compression in the time it took me to get back to the start. The swelling wasn't really that convincing (that I should quit), but when I'd poke on it, the resulting pain was argument enough.
Rinse, wash, and repeat this cycle for the next 1.5 miles, or what was probably about 30 minutes.
If anything, this has to be the universe telling me that I shouldn't have attempted this run. I'll never know, but maybe this injury prevented me from causing a worse injury later in the race. Well played, Universe.
When I got to the finish, I saw Allison and Claire waiting at the end, since they'd completed the 5k a little earlier. (Allison's baby, Tommy, is really cute - like, puppy cute!) Get this - when I was approaching the turn where these two girls were, it was a huuuuuuge downhill to get to the finish line. The course marshals there would not let me not-finish! Like, they wouldn't let me DNF and take care of my ankle! All the while I am hobbling along just looking for a way to get some ice and the tape from Rebecca's car. Talk about adding insult to injury (literally. Or is it adding injury to injury in this case?). They were completely adamant about me hobbling down the hill to the finish line and giving the timers my pull tag, as if it could not possibly wait 10 minutes while I put my ankle back together. Fortunately one of the guys that had finished his race was nice enough to take it down there for me. Allison let me use her stroller as a way to elevate the ankle. I still have yet to figure out how to tape, as easy as that sounds. It only took me 2 tries to get it sort of right?
After taping, I hung around with Claire and Allison to watch everyone else finish. The race organizers didn't exactly have any ice, but they did give me a plastic fruit bowl and showed me where the cold water hose was. Eh, that sort of worked.
Run-wise, everyone else did great!! Craig ran the 10k and Evan in the 10 mile, while Ben, Ted, Ben, Chris, Rex, and Rebecca were in the mini marathon. I can't tell Rebecca thanks enough for having that stuff on hand and letting me have some! A huge thank you to Rex also for giving me a ride up the hill!
Result: I'm couch-ridden for the next few days, but taking care of the ankle and all of the other injuries remaining from Boston. Ben's upset that this incident only supports my hatred for trail running, and now I've experienced my first confidence-shattering DNF.
All in all, Adidas shirt, you're NOT a lucky shirt. Good thing you're pretty.
Wow! I feel your pain, literally! And if you have to DNF, it's nice to do it on a race you hadn't planned on doing and trained for months to do...I think...right?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, keep a loose compression bandage on that thing at night and ice like crazy. I know everyone (especially you) knows this, but I've sprained my ankle so many times and the only thing that makes a difference is how much immediate care I do.
Screw trails!! (j/k...sorta)
Ughhh I'm sorry to hear about this! Be careful with that ankle and take time to let it heal. Oh and burn the pink adidas shirt!! haha just kidding...but maybe don't wear it in any more races. ;) I hope you're feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks Em and Andrea. :) Allison says after you sprain it once, (even though it rolls a lot easier) it doesn't hurt as much with each sprain. Pro or con?!
ReplyDeleteEmily - YES! Good point on the DNF. But screw trails. Meh!! And about immediate care, I hope never to test that theory for you again!!
Andrea - It IS a shame about the shirt... Walking normally by Monday, let's hope.
I agree--better here, than, say, Boston. Still, it sucks. I'm dumbfounded that the course marshals wouldn't let you immediately see to your ankle.
ReplyDeleteAn unlucky shirt is just a shirt that hasn't had its lucky run yet. That means it's still to come! :)
Miranda, I love your positivity! Way to say it! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd about the course marshals... at the time it happened I half-jokingly figured I might've either won the half marathon. Before it was fixed, I went down in the unofficial results as the first half marathon finisher. That is one record-breaking time!!