Rock n' Roll
Being badly sunburnt the day after my first marathon is a fun way to explore new kinds of pain. Stairs are approached slowly, skeptically, and I'm walking around like a bull rider.
I was hoping to write about the marathon before the weekend on the off chance than any blog readers were in the race or in the crowd, but lost track of time. If you were there, I was the guy who most resembled a 12-year-old boy, wearing shorts far too big for me. (I somehow left my shorts at home and borrowed a friend's.)
I ran a 3:48 (results are here if you don't believe me), about three minutes slower than I was hoping for and about eight minutes slower than my pace from the first 17 miles. I hit a nasty wall late, but that's apparently how it goes in your first marathon. I finished, I'm happy that I did it, and that it's over.
Anyhow, I will be flying back to the East Coast today, so the blog will stay quiet until tomorrow before getting back to football. I'll have a Fantasy Fix video and a column then as well. Now it's time to explore the pain of sitting on a plane for six hours.
Comments
Gregg,
Congrats on your first marathon! Now that #1 is done it is time to begin planning for your second marathon.
Aren't stairs wonderful after you have run a marathon. I think I actually hated going down stairs more than going up stairs.
If you think it will be painful sitting on a plane for six hours, wait until you have to start walking around after you get off the plane. Welcome to a whole new world of pain!
My suggestion- take a hot bath with epsom salts in it.Then say hello to your new best friend Aleve!
Posted by: CdnFan | June 2, 2008 02:08 PM
Congratulations. I wouldn't feel too badly about your time. About 90% of your readers can't even run into the kitchen to grab a snack.
Posted by: John | June 2, 2008 03:34 PM
yep, you are dead right on going down stairs. how long does that last?
Posted by: gregg | June 3, 2008 09:13 AM
Gregg,
How long will it hurt when you walk down stairs? Well it depends. It will help immensely if you schedule a massage with a registered therapist this week. It also helps to keep walking and moving around as much as you can even though it hurts. It has been a while since my first marathon(my recovery times have actually seemed to reduce since #1), but I would think by Wednesday or Thursday you should be much better.
Again Congratulations on a big accomplishment that many don't even think of attempting!
Posted by: CdnFan | June 3, 2008 12:29 PM
A big congrats from me as well. It is a pretty incredible accomplishment - I don't claim to be in the best shape in the world or anything, but I thought I was gonna die after running my first 10k (Run for the Hills in Gatlinburg, TN - road races with steep hills really suck). My knees were so wobbly that several times I quickly went from descending stairs to sitting Indian-style the same stairs (not of my own accord).
Marathons are just way out of my league - 5k I like, 10k I do once a year (Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC if you want a nice flat one with scores of gorgeous women watching). I'd wager you guys are some of the most physically fit fantasy geeks around :)
Posted by: The Dox | June 3, 2008 02:08 PM