Tacoma City Marathon

Runners crossing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge
(via: The News Tribune)

Some things I have learned running the Tacoma City Marathon

• Whenever a race says it is a net down hill course they mean that there are lots of hills. 
• 75 degrees is nice for the beach but not for completely exposed miles 19 through 26.2.
• The Pacific Northwest is beautiful when the weather is nice. 
• But most importantly, don't run a marathon with a sprained ankle.

I was very worried about running 26.2 miles on a pretty much sprained ankle. Until Friday of last week, I wasn't so sure I would get through the race. But thanks to the improvement to my stability achieved in the last few days of PT, I went into Sunday with a pretty good idea that I would be able to finish but it would hurt, like a mother. 

Guess what?  I was right. I ran my second fastest marathon on a sprain, in 75 degree heat, on a rolling course through beautiful areas of a city I most likely will never visit again.  A win in my book.

If you see something, say something

This story ends well.

Last night I packed my bag.  I checked to make sure I had everything I could possibly need.  I did.  Then I checked again this morning. I still had what I needed.

After a very healthy breakfast, another check of everything, and a friendly reminder from the wife as we left about everything I had just checked, we left and locked the door.

I got a seat on the bus, put my bag down behind me (foreshadowing much?) and started reading the Times on my phone.

At the last stop, which happens to be mine, I got off thinking about the ice coffee I was going to enjoy.  And then it hit me.

Thanks Muni!

My bag, complete with perfectly worn in shoes, shorts, and lucky race shirt was on the 2 Bus heading to the beginning of the route, the depot, or God-knows where.  So I took off running while calling 411 for the phone number of the Muni lost and found.

Sprinting down Spear Street, I took a sharp right on Mission while talking to the operator getting the number for Muni which I didn't connect with.  I took another sharp right stopping to talk to some bus drivers on Main Street.  They told me to call 311 and the bus will most likely be exactly where I started my dead sprint.  So I called 311 as I was sprinting back to Market and saw the bus pulling up to its stop.  I jumped into the street and kicked up the speed and got there as the driver was about to call the cops.

VICTORY!

Then I got that ice coffee, and a cookie.  As I was taking the elevator up to my office I was extremely thankful that my absent mindedness didn't lead to a potential terrorist threat on my bus line.  I was also pretty pleased that my little speed workout didn't hurt.

Bosu Blogging is Like Gonzo Journalism

This week has been tough. The ankle, the complete and total taper (read: NO RUNNING), the PT, and the bosu ball. And then that pesky work thing.

Eric my PT, who thinks I am an idiot but respects the drive to toe the line, has put me on an increasing my balance regiment and somewhat impressively, it has worked pretty well. But he also has reintroduced me to an old friend: the bosu ball.

They call it a bosu ball because son-of-a-bitch ball was taken

Back in New York, I used the bosu ball to do fake sit-ups and pretend that I was in the work-out know.  I was not. I used it very rarely and it sucked. I do not like this piece of equipment and it doesn't like me. I would look at it as the torture devices I have learned it to be.

However this week I went from being unable to stand on it with both feet in the above pictured position, to being able to stand with one foot (either the good or bad one) flipped over for about 45 seconds before I fall off.  I think that is pretty good for a guy with a still-sorta-sprained ankle and NO balance.

The underlying issue I have, like so many runners, is extremely weak gluts.  Runners have lots of good things going on for them, however, atrophy of the gluts is not one of them.  This kind of weakness leads to a number of problems including an inability to stabilize and allow for my busted ankle to heal. So I have been balancing a lot.  I am getting good at it but still there is a little pain.  Well more like sore muscles I have never used.

#OperationGLOOMA

This past Friday, after not being able to run more than a half mile without extreme pain on Tuesday, I finally saw a doctor.  I went into the room expecting to walk out in a boot but I still wanted to put up a strong front.

I said, "My ankle hurts and has for about three months. I am running a marathon next Sunday. What can we do?"

The PA took notes, asked questions, a few of which had to do with my sanity for running as long as I did on a painful ankle.  Then the doctor came in and put it on the table.

It is official: I have been running for the past three months on a sprained ankle. To be more specific it is a Grade 2 Anterior tabofibular ligament sprain.

Well what does that mean?  For a normal person that would mean I would stop running and get physical therepy for a few weeks and continue to mend my weak ligament over the course of a month or so.

But for me, it means I am going to PT for five straight days, then getting on a flight to Tacoma to run my marathon.

But like I said, I got a plan. #OperationGLOOMA is in full effect and making great progress on the South Western front, otherwise known as my left ankle. #OperationGLOOMA or "Get Liquid Out Of My Ankle" is a complex project with many players, exercises, ultra-sound, ibuprofen, ice packs, and swimming pools.  Getting the liquid out will enable the fibers of the ligament to reattach and provide additional stability for my race. So you better believe I am all in on this week long campaign to win the war.

And the dreams begin

It looks like this...but glows in the dark.

I am late to the start.  It is usually due to some back up of a flying buffalo or something that only makes perfect sense deep in the REM cycle.

I get to the start, futz with my bib -- there is always something wrong with the bib -- and I get started.

There are strange things going on around me.

I run at Olympic Trial pace which is faster than I can run a two mile time trial for the first 16 miles and I feel great...and then I wake up.

I don't get to find out if I run for the US Team in Rio. I also don't get my victory ride on the flying buffalo.

Clearly it is getting close to marathon time.

50ish miles a week and a full time job

DAMN I HAVE BEEN BUSY!

I love working hard and it is great to have a challenging job.  But that leaves very little time for blogging.

By ways of catching up know these things: I am still running and my ankle still hurts.

But that isn't the point of today's post. The point is how to train for a marathon properly and be stupid busy.

The short story is you sleep less.  The long story is, longer.

#SeenOnMyRun - Darkness