Richmond Marathon Story 2010

This race, my very first marathon, was beyond any expectation I ever had. This was my first race, and I ran it with my stepson Alex, who is 19 (I used to feel very young being 39, but this weekend definitely humbled me!).

I am really not sure what I was thinking when I decided to run a marathon...I only ran for the first time in my life 2 years ago. Last year I convinced a dear friend to run the half marathon with me (Richmond) and I was hooked. I struggled with ITB issues last year, so this year I worked hard to cross train and hopefully prevent a recurrence. Training started in the summer, and in a casual comment by my amazing fearless stepson (who also is not a runner by the way), he said if I ran the Richmond marathon, he would run it with me. (Was he serious? Absolutely. Did he think I would really do it? Not sure on that one). Anyway, he drove home on the weekends from Raleigh (I live in Greenville NC) and ran with me. We struggled in near-100 degree temps some days, but training early on seemed to be going good.

My best friend from Richmond, whom I had trained with at MCV (we did our internal medicine residency together) was also training for the race with Pink Nation, and her support was invaluable.

About 4 weeks before the race, I ran a half marathon in New Bern and had the best run of my life. The temperature was perfect and I never felt better. I noticed a little pain in the left IT band just at the finish of the race, but I PR'd that race, and felt like I would be great in time for Richmond. I committed to staying the course with training, stretching and working out in the gym to keep my core strength up. My longest run to that point had been 16 miles and I was getting excited.

The very next week, I set out for the 20 miler which would have been my first. My left IT band reared its evil head reliably at mile 2 - which is when it always starts when it is angry - and I hobbled home after struggling through 3 miles. I cried that day.  I felt defeated for sure. I knew how hard this was going to be. IT Band pain is NO JOKE. No other way to say it. It is serious. My husband was so supportive - massaging my leg, giving me pep talks, trying to keep me from being discouraged. He is a saint for sure. Alex was getting very busy at school and it was getting harder for him to get home - he is a sophomore at NC STATE - and I was worried about his training too. Although, he is 19, and his youth works on his side. He ran a great race at the half in New Bern which blew me away. He seems to be a natural for sure.

So I met with my physical therapist, got online, read about every possible rushed remedy ever tried for IT band (of course finding nothing) and had to completely stop running 3 weeks before the marathon. I read many stories from other runners who have struggled with IT band - even the most experienced runners all said they could not imagine running a race with ITB syndrome. The minimum recovery is about 6 weeks, which I did not have.  I swam, cross trained, strength trained, slept, prayed (a lot), rested and worried. I did cheat and get a 5 mile run in a week before the race and actually had no pain that day. I was hopeful.

So race day came, and reliably at mile 2, my left IT band flared. I ran the remaining 24.2 miles with searing pain in my left knee, through all the hills and across that d@$& Lee Bridge, with Alex FAITHFULLY next to me, supporting us both the entire way. We ran, hobbled, walked, ate, ran, laughed, but never cried - we paused at mile 23 and prayed - and we crossed the finish line 6 hours and 19 minutes later. I have never known pain like that. I have had a baby, I have had surgery, I have worked 48 hours straight as an intern in the CICU at MCV (what more pain could there be??!) but I have never felt pain like this before.

So would I do it again? Probably. There is no greater moment than crossing the finish line, especially hand in hand with my angel stepson Alex who absolutely unequivocally carried me through this race. (Would I have won a medal if I had literally been on his back as we crossed the finish line??) This brought me closer to him - and in our short 5 year blended family relationship, that is the blessing from God I prayed for through this.

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