And now what??

I haven't been writing, because I've fallen into the same pit that everyone falls into after a marathon. I don't know what to do with myself. Physicially I felt great! I forced myself to take 1 day off completely, and then stuck to the elliptical and swimming for a week. This week I was back at it full time:

Monday: 7 mile run, pilates
Tuesday: Kickboxing in the am, then punk rope at night (a ton of fun!)
Wednesday: 6 mile run (hills)
Thurs: 20 mins bike, 40 mins elliptical, hour and half of cardio kickboxing (with like a million squats and lunges
Fri: 50 minute run with 8 minute pick-ups.

I was exhausted this morning, but I think that's just from the million lunges last night. And I'm exhuasted in general, which i think is fair. I haven't slept past 7:30 am in months. In the past month I've been to Dubai, ran a marathon, and moved.

And now I'm done with it all and feeling a little lost. I do have the trek across Maine in June, but I'm not looking forward to it as much as usualy because Quincy isn't doing it. And I'm having a lot of trouble fund raising. Any one want to pledge me?

http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/e01/part.jsp?rid=895389&id=2078&acct=8010308676

feeling good

So I'm almost at the 48 hour post marathon mark and I feel shockingly good. Enough soreness to remind me that I did something, but nothing terrible. I was more sore after the half, and 20 miler in all honesty. Yesterday I forced myself to take the day off, which for me is huge. Today I did 45 easy minutes on the elliptical. I felt fine. I'm really tired today but I think that's just because I didn't sleep well. Too much green tea with my sushi, and then noise in the hotel.
I'm finding it hard to grasp what I did. A marathon. I ran a marathon. The same girl who the first day of track in Junior High though she was going to die during the half mile warm-up. I was wearing these horrible un-lined wind pants, which were plastered to my legs. I was a gymnast- I could launch myself into the air, flip around multiple times, and land on my feet with no problem. Yet the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other seemed impossible. By the end of season I could manage the warm-up with no problem, and decided to run a mile a day during the off season to stay in shape. That mile turned into 3, and then 6, and then 13. Each time I did a new distance I thought that was the farthest I'd ever go, and then I went farther. And now 26.2...... will that be it?

26 done now for the 25!

Hey, guess what I did today? I ran a marathon! I have never been so nervous before a race in my life. I was awake at 5 am yesterday and today, and could barely choke down a few sips of coffee and some dry cereal. I was glad it was an 8 am start.
The start was pretty disorganized: the half and full runners were all together, and not sorted by pace. I was too near the front for my liking, but everyone went out slowly. I almost started crying when the gun went out. This is something I've been thinking about for 5 years, and I've run enough to know how hard it would be.
It was hard, but not horrible. The course was hillier than I expected, but not as hilly as Maine so I was okay. It wasn't quite as senic as I expected either. A lot of industial warehouse areas. My biggest complaint is that the food and water stops weren't spaced properly. The only goo was at 8.5 and 21, so I carried my own, but there was no water in the 6-7, and 13-14 mile ranges when I wanted to take it. So I took my first gel at 7.5, the second at 14.5, and the last at 21. It was perfect, I never hit the wall and I never felt overly queasy.
The whether was decent too. It was fairly sunny the first hour, and then clouded over. I went from being a little hot to a little cool, but never too much so. I brought my i-pod, which I'm very glad for. I wasn't running with anyone and it did help distract me. I ran with another woman my age for about 4 miles in the middle and it was nice to have someone to talk with.
I didn't lock myself into a plan. I drank when I wanted too, and then the last 6 let myself walk a minute every mile, plus one hill. I was ready to be done, but I wasn't dying, and I really kicked the past .2
Then I had my space blanket, but I couldn't find my Mom, so I borrowed a cell phone and called her. She was back at the 25 mile mark freaking out because I hadn't gone by and she thought I was hurt. I got 3 bottles of water, which I drank right away, and streched while I waited for her. Then, I had a heavenly massage because my neck was killing me. I was still moving pretty well, so we walked over to the mall for a frozen yogurt which was the only thing I could stomach. Then my fantastic Mom treated me to a pedicure, which actually hurt a lot because I have a huge blood blister at the tip of my big toe. But my feet look a heck of a lot better.
I'm on the bed at my hotel now, trying to muster the energy to get some ice. It might not happen.
So the 26 is done. Now it's time to move into the new house and celebrate the 25th birthday.