Congratulations to everyone who had a great race today!
I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but I'm flying solo this trip and could really use a shoulder to cry on.
I've had issues with getting to WDWMW injured the two times I've run it in the past. So Billy and I set up a plan designed to get me healthy to the starting line this year. Everything went just about as well as it could have and I came into the weekend planning to take it easy in the first three races and then take a shot at a marathon PR.
The 5k went great. Then Friday morning I got up with a cough that had settled into my chest. The 10k was run at one of my easy training paces and felt like the effort of a tempo run! Uh oh! I haven't been sick in years! I can only imagine that it was the combination of the stress of travel, my wife's surgery right before Christmas that didn't go well, and the abnormal cold and crowds here I'm not normally exposed to.
I hit the cold with everything they had in the gift shop here and didn't leave the resort yesterday. I came up with an energy conservation plan for the half using intervals I've had good luck with in the past. They worked. Right about to the MK. Fatigue started to set in and I couldn't forestall it. My stomach, abs and ribs ached from the cold air and coughing. I couldn't get warm. I fought it til the end, walking a lot of the last 5 miles. Hands down, the worst race of my life.
I don't have anything left in the tank. I'm drained. I don't want to risk another cold morning start and turning this cold into pneumonia if I don't have a realistic shot at finishing. I was supposed to support a coworker running her first marathon with her nerves in the corral. I'm going to let her down.
Now, I'm sitting in the room just down. This weekend was the culmination of anticipation that started with last year's cancelled half. A training plan of 522 miles executed to perfection to get me here and ready. All for nothing.
I shouldn't say all for nothing, I guess. I've enjoyed the morning pre-race meet ups. I was really looking forward to Hurricane Hannah's yesterday. And at least I'm here. Not everyone who signed up made it. At any rate, thanks for reading my pity party. I really needed to get it out to folks who would understand. I hope everyone running has a great marathon tomorrow!
