Briefly, I made the decision to drop out around the 18-19 mile mark and walked to the nearest aid station due to extreme nausea and cramping. I was very concerned that even if I could get past the nausea, I might be risking long term damage to my muscles, as I forced them to cooperate against their will. I had very marked goals going into the race, and I believe that it was more important for me to live to run another day to achieve those goals than it was to complete and make it to the finish line.
Yes, I could have finished this marathon. But, at a minimum, it would have cost me an entire marathon training cycle. Stopping when I did will allow me to spend this training cycle at another time when my body and the conditions are more cooperative. I made my decision that continuing today was not worth the cost to my body, and I can more quickly leverage my fitness to cash in on my goals in the nearer future.
Alex,
ReplyDeleteGood call. I was tracking you via text alerts from the race website.
You might have done more long term damage by continuing.
You should feel proud of yourself for having come back from your latest stress fracture, and running Houston.
Good luck with your recovery!
Wise decision, Alex. Many (myself included, until recently) would not have the maturity as a runner to make that decision in the heat of the moment. Runners are a stubborn breed! Things will line up soon.
ReplyDeleteYou are a very wise woman. Always proud of you!
ReplyDeleteRecover well....looking forward to reading about your next training goal. :)
Phil, Thanks so much for your kind words :) I am satisfied with my decision, thought it was a difficult one. I appreciate your support and encouragement--both are needed right now! --Alex
ReplyDeleteRick, Thanks! I did think about a couple of your injuries, in particular the calf. My calves were cramping pretty badly, and the last thing I wanted was a prolonged injury / torn muscle. I'm relieved to be feeling pretty good this morning, all in all, even though it was a painful decision to make. --Alex
ReplyDeleteLaryssa, So good to hear from you! How are you doing? Thank you also for your encouragement. Like all difficult decisions, arguments can be made for both sides. But, once I finally made it, I believe it was a good decision, and I'm not regretting it this morning. I'm thinking of some half-marathons this spring, and maybe another go at a fall Marathon. I've never really focused on the half distance before. I made this half in 1:47:13 and was still feeling good--so that's encouraging. It might be a good distance for me. --Alex
ReplyDeleteAlex, I'm so sorry your Houston experience had to end that way--but it sounds like it was wise. I think you will really love focusing on the half. I can't wait to see how fast you can go at that distance. Come to Boulder so I can run behind you on March 27. :^)
ReplyDeleteTerzah, Thanks! Wasn't quite the dream marathon I was after :) but it does give me a lot of hope for nailing my pace in future marathons as well as some good halfs this season. I'll be watching you in March and I hope your training continues to go well! --Alex
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