I had been dreading weeks 13, 14, and 15 of training since I started this process in July. The last 3 weeks of training required me to run 16, 18, and then 20 miles. It sounded so impossible, along with the 55 minute tempo runs, 70 marathon pace runs, and strength training during the week. My 18 mile run was miserable, so I expected the 20 mile run would be even worse...much to surprise it felt pretty good! My pace was 32 seconds per mile faster than my 18 miler!!!! It probably also helped knowing it was my last hard long run. And when I say last, I mean last ever. Nick doesn't believe me, but this is my last marathon every You can quote me on that. Now I just get to enjoy the taper in training leading up to the marathon, 12 and 8 miles the next two weekends are going to seem like nothing!
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| Post 20 miles |
I really have to thank Nova for being a really great running partner and sticking with me through every single mile of this training. I did not know if I would be able to do another marathon after losing Endo last year. She was with me through all my runs for 2 of the 3 marathons I have done. I tried running with Nova early on after my knee surgery, but she was so skittish. On one run she freaked out about people running in our direction and pulled me to the ground, got away from me, and ran into the street. After that I stopped running with her because I didn't want to injure my newly repaired knee or have something happen to her. I started up with her again a couple years later and thought I would see how she did with my long runs for the marathon. With every increase in distance, she easily did it and came home and still had plenty of energy. Everyone was so worried about her doing these long runs when it really is me they should be worried about. 😂
Speaking of worrying about me, I do often get asked how my knee is feeling while I am training. The honest answer is, it feels 100% normal. I occasionally get sensations, I wouldn't call it pain, but just a feeling that reminds me that my knee is there. For those of you that weren't around for it, I destroyed my right knee when I fell 9 feet while bouldering at the climbing gym. I honestly had no idea if I would ever get to run, bike, climb, or be active in general again. I could barely walk and just going to work for an hour was extremely painful. I ended up taking a lot of work off in 2019 while I recovered. Initially I had to to physical therapy on my own to get back range of motion, strengthen the leg, and wait for swelling to go down before surgery. After surgery I was back to doing those same things, but this time going to a physical therapist twice a week and doing exercises on my own. I took therapy very seriously after having several friends tell me they hadn't and their knee/leg was never the same and they regretted it.
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| Hiking in Colorado |
I ended up doing about 2-3 hours of therapy a day. At the 6 week mark after surgery I was cleared to get out of the saddle on my bike (which was on a trainer in the basement) and started doing rides with Peloton. I ended up doing all the exercises I was assigned, in person PT, and 2 rides a day throughout my recovery. Because of all this hard work I was able to get my surgery leg equal to my non-surgery leg in about 6 months, 3 months earlier than it usually takes. I was bushwhacking in Colorado 6 months out from surgery and as part of my recovery I ran the Peachtree Road Race 4 1/2 months after surgery, followed by the 10 miler in October and the Thanksgiving Half. I am very grateful for my surgeon, my physical therapist (Poonam the punisher, love you Poonam!), and the donor of my grafted tissue. I often forget that I didn't know if I my life would ever go back to the way it was pre-injury, it seemed so impossible. Please consider organ and tissue donation, it is an amazing gift.
See you in 3 weeks NYC. Cannot wait to run my LAST MARATHON EVER in the big apple! There is still time to donate to my charity
Back on My Feet!
