The Aftermath...
...after I crossed the finish line my body literally came to a screeching hault. I sorta walked around aimlessly exchanging hugs with my coach, family and friends that had gathered on the other side of the fence, even strangers who were willing to share in the post-marathon jubilation of a sweaty little jayhawk.
I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel at that moment. Don't get me wrong...I felt great...and elated...and accomplished....and strangely VERY sad. I wanted to go back to mile 1 and do it again (yaking incidents and all). I didn't want the sensation to end...I felt proud and I knew I deserved every last one of those cheers and words of encouragement that came from the spectators...but I was bummed that it was over...I felt frustrated because I suddenly couldn't walk...what?! what's this? i can't move my legs...oh geez!!!
I look down and I am walking bow-legged. It felt like I was walking normal. So I focus on my legs and force myself to walk normal...it felt like I was walking pigeon-toed. It was soooo bizzare! A marathon does crazy things to your body. So here I am...walking around like a cowboy who just jumped off his horse after a long ride...aimlessly walking in circles. And then it dawns on me...
...i don't have my medal.
I finally get it in my brain to follow the chute...i get my chip removed and a wonderful volunteer drapes the heavy medal around my neck (me, being the rockstar non-athlete that I am and having just completed a MARATHON thought it was a cruel joke to put something SO HEAVY around the neck of someone so weak--yet somehow I kept enough strength to stay standing). I stare at her like a deer in headlights. My eyes welt up and I leaned in to hug her. The sense of pride and accomplishment was simply overwhelming.
I get my photo taken and I'm still wandering aimlessly, coming down from my marathon mode. My brain simply isn't working. Thank god Sarah was there. She helped me move through the food line (couldn't eat a single thing), picked up my Spenco flip flops (which, by the way, were hard as a rock) and got me to my family. I aimlessly walked in disbelief...slowly, I should add. Snails without tails could've passed me.
Out of nowhere, I remember I have to check in at the TNT tent. I make my way over there, family-less. Oops. I forgot to tell them where I was headed...once again, Sarah saved the day and herded everyone after me. Tovah greets me at the tent with a congratulatory bear hug and my 26.2 TNT pin. I sit. Someone hands me a PB&J sandwich. I muster up the strength to swallow a whole two bites. My head is buzzing...I need to take off my shoes...but my comfy flip flops are in my gear check bag...but I couldn't walk back over to the gear check...cause I couldn't stand up...I couldn't move...my brain was saying GET UP BARB! but my body simply wasn't responding...and that's when my feet began to throb. Mike snagged my bib and ran over to pick up my gear.
With the help of my good friend Josh (aka the dude who got me into this mess) and Mike, I'm literally picked up and slowly made my way to the medical tent. Take my shoes off? No problem...EEOOOOWWWWW!!! Nobody warned me of this pain!!! Removing shoes was clearly a painstaking task. No matter how gentle I was...it felt like my toes were ripping off right along with the shoe. My mum, being the wonderful, motherly mother that she is...somehow managed to pull my shoes off for me...and then my socks. And god love her...she actually braved getting within 6 inches of my feet and gently blew on my blisters. Much to my surprise, it helped. I had my MANY blisters taped up (I hadn't had blister problems in training...what's up with that?) and ice for my hip and knee. The medical folks were great.
One image that will forever be engrained in my mind is a young man across the tent from me. He had blood coming from out of his sneakers...yes, his shoes were bleeding! They removed his shoe to find a blood-soaked sock...my guess is a toenail fell off somewhere along the 26.2 mile course. A medical assistant blocked my view so I wouldn't freak out. Good call. I freak out over everything (as if you couldn't tell).
By now my mom and her crazy orange-wigged friends have to say good-bye. The thought of them leaving SO SOON really upset me, but I knew they needed to get back to California. And sadly, I kissed each one of them good-bye. I felt lost after they left. I couldn't make a decision on my own to save my life. Take the bus or have dad drive me to the hotel?? Are you kidding me? How dare you challenge my mind with such an intimidating question (and EVERY question at this point was beyond overwhelming). Ultimately someone else makes the decision for me. The bus it is...
With my dad's help, I slowly climb on and find Margie there, holding a spot for me...my grunting buddy from mile 24 (we finally had a half-way coherent conversation!)...and Coach Sarah...all waiting for me. My body was exhausted, but so alert. Sarah keeps telling me I need to eat. All I can do is suck on a Jolly Rancher, but even my favorite flavor tastes so nasty.
After I get back upstairs and settled into the hotel, my dad says good-bye and heads back to California to join my mom and the wine club. Mike draws me a cold bath...and it takes forever for me to get settled into it. Mike was such a great sport. He literally had to dress me and move me around since my hips and legs were hurting sooooo badly. All my bandages fall off in the bathtub, so he runs out for more. I promise to munch on pretzels while he's gone.
...that was a lie. I maybe suffered down 2. And out of nowhere, I have this insane craving for McDonald's cheeseburgers. I call him to tell him about the craving...and he drives around for 20 minutes in pursuit of a McD's for me. Finally...when he's about to call off the search, the golden arches appear. In the meantime, I've somehow managed to crawl out of the bathroom and sit on the couch in a towel. I couldn't reach my suitcase, so I figured I'd stay put until he got back.
After he returned and helped me get dressed, I managed to scarf down two cheeseburgers (sans pickles/onions) in less than 30 seconds. It tasted so frigging good. And I was still hungry. I wanted more...so I settled for his french fires.
Mike also surprised me with a super cute stuffed Monkey...aka my Marathon Monkey (he was going to do flowers, but they die)...lots of ice and tylenol later, I was finally in a position where I could go to the TNT victory party. After the 45 minutes it took to get my downstairs to the bus, we were on our way.
God must have a sense of humor because everywhere I went in Phoenix had stairs. I walked up them sideways and backwards and every way inbetween...it hurt. Ladies and gentlemen, if you can find a ramp after a marathon...take it. You'll save yourself a good 20 minutes and a good deal of humility!
Overall, the damage appears to be minimal. My hips and knee were quite sore, but nothing I couldn't handle. My feet and toes were covered in blisters. But ya know...it's a very small price to pay for such a meaningful medal to hang around my neck.
Every ounce of frustration...every ache and pain...every last little doubt in the back of my mind...it was all worth it. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And I am...after the race, I said there's no way I'd do another marathon. Later that night, I thought...well maybe a half...and now I'm thinking to myself...I can totally handle this...bring on the Chicago Marathon this October!! Part of me wants to challenge myself for a triple crown...having completed a marathon, triathlon AND century ride with TNT...but I figure I've got some time to do that.
In the meanwhile, I'm going to just relax and focus on my "running"--afterall I am not a runner, nor am I an athlete...but one thing that I am...is a marathoner.
I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel at that moment. Don't get me wrong...I felt great...and elated...and accomplished....and strangely VERY sad. I wanted to go back to mile 1 and do it again (yaking incidents and all). I didn't want the sensation to end...I felt proud and I knew I deserved every last one of those cheers and words of encouragement that came from the spectators...but I was bummed that it was over...I felt frustrated because I suddenly couldn't walk...what?! what's this? i can't move my legs...oh geez!!!
I look down and I am walking bow-legged. It felt like I was walking normal. So I focus on my legs and force myself to walk normal...it felt like I was walking pigeon-toed. It was soooo bizzare! A marathon does crazy things to your body. So here I am...walking around like a cowboy who just jumped off his horse after a long ride...aimlessly walking in circles. And then it dawns on me...
...i don't have my medal.
I finally get it in my brain to follow the chute...i get my chip removed and a wonderful volunteer drapes the heavy medal around my neck (me, being the rockstar non-athlete that I am and having just completed a MARATHON thought it was a cruel joke to put something SO HEAVY around the neck of someone so weak--yet somehow I kept enough strength to stay standing). I stare at her like a deer in headlights. My eyes welt up and I leaned in to hug her. The sense of pride and accomplishment was simply overwhelming.
I get my photo taken and I'm still wandering aimlessly, coming down from my marathon mode. My brain simply isn't working. Thank god Sarah was there. She helped me move through the food line (couldn't eat a single thing), picked up my Spenco flip flops (which, by the way, were hard as a rock) and got me to my family. I aimlessly walked in disbelief...slowly, I should add. Snails without tails could've passed me.
Out of nowhere, I remember I have to check in at the TNT tent. I make my way over there, family-less. Oops. I forgot to tell them where I was headed...once again, Sarah saved the day and herded everyone after me. Tovah greets me at the tent with a congratulatory bear hug and my 26.2 TNT pin. I sit. Someone hands me a PB&J sandwich. I muster up the strength to swallow a whole two bites. My head is buzzing...I need to take off my shoes...but my comfy flip flops are in my gear check bag...but I couldn't walk back over to the gear check...cause I couldn't stand up...I couldn't move...my brain was saying GET UP BARB! but my body simply wasn't responding...and that's when my feet began to throb. Mike snagged my bib and ran over to pick up my gear.
With the help of my good friend Josh (aka the dude who got me into this mess) and Mike, I'm literally picked up and slowly made my way to the medical tent. Take my shoes off? No problem...EEOOOOWWWWW!!! Nobody warned me of this pain!!! Removing shoes was clearly a painstaking task. No matter how gentle I was...it felt like my toes were ripping off right along with the shoe. My mum, being the wonderful, motherly mother that she is...somehow managed to pull my shoes off for me...and then my socks. And god love her...she actually braved getting within 6 inches of my feet and gently blew on my blisters. Much to my surprise, it helped. I had my MANY blisters taped up (I hadn't had blister problems in training...what's up with that?) and ice for my hip and knee. The medical folks were great.
One image that will forever be engrained in my mind is a young man across the tent from me. He had blood coming from out of his sneakers...yes, his shoes were bleeding! They removed his shoe to find a blood-soaked sock...my guess is a toenail fell off somewhere along the 26.2 mile course. A medical assistant blocked my view so I wouldn't freak out. Good call. I freak out over everything (as if you couldn't tell).
By now my mom and her crazy orange-wigged friends have to say good-bye. The thought of them leaving SO SOON really upset me, but I knew they needed to get back to California. And sadly, I kissed each one of them good-bye. I felt lost after they left. I couldn't make a decision on my own to save my life. Take the bus or have dad drive me to the hotel?? Are you kidding me? How dare you challenge my mind with such an intimidating question (and EVERY question at this point was beyond overwhelming). Ultimately someone else makes the decision for me. The bus it is...
With my dad's help, I slowly climb on and find Margie there, holding a spot for me...my grunting buddy from mile 24 (we finally had a half-way coherent conversation!)...and Coach Sarah...all waiting for me. My body was exhausted, but so alert. Sarah keeps telling me I need to eat. All I can do is suck on a Jolly Rancher, but even my favorite flavor tastes so nasty.
After I get back upstairs and settled into the hotel, my dad says good-bye and heads back to California to join my mom and the wine club. Mike draws me a cold bath...and it takes forever for me to get settled into it. Mike was such a great sport. He literally had to dress me and move me around since my hips and legs were hurting sooooo badly. All my bandages fall off in the bathtub, so he runs out for more. I promise to munch on pretzels while he's gone.
...that was a lie. I maybe suffered down 2. And out of nowhere, I have this insane craving for McDonald's cheeseburgers. I call him to tell him about the craving...and he drives around for 20 minutes in pursuit of a McD's for me. Finally...when he's about to call off the search, the golden arches appear. In the meantime, I've somehow managed to crawl out of the bathroom and sit on the couch in a towel. I couldn't reach my suitcase, so I figured I'd stay put until he got back.
After he returned and helped me get dressed, I managed to scarf down two cheeseburgers (sans pickles/onions) in less than 30 seconds. It tasted so frigging good. And I was still hungry. I wanted more...so I settled for his french fires.
Mike also surprised me with a super cute stuffed Monkey...aka my Marathon Monkey (he was going to do flowers, but they die)...lots of ice and tylenol later, I was finally in a position where I could go to the TNT victory party. After the 45 minutes it took to get my downstairs to the bus, we were on our way.
God must have a sense of humor because everywhere I went in Phoenix had stairs. I walked up them sideways and backwards and every way inbetween...it hurt. Ladies and gentlemen, if you can find a ramp after a marathon...take it. You'll save yourself a good 20 minutes and a good deal of humility!
Overall, the damage appears to be minimal. My hips and knee were quite sore, but nothing I couldn't handle. My feet and toes were covered in blisters. But ya know...it's a very small price to pay for such a meaningful medal to hang around my neck.
Every ounce of frustration...every ache and pain...every last little doubt in the back of my mind...it was all worth it. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And I am...after the race, I said there's no way I'd do another marathon. Later that night, I thought...well maybe a half...and now I'm thinking to myself...I can totally handle this...bring on the Chicago Marathon this October!! Part of me wants to challenge myself for a triple crown...having completed a marathon, triathlon AND century ride with TNT...but I figure I've got some time to do that.
In the meanwhile, I'm going to just relax and focus on my "running"--afterall I am not a runner, nor am I an athlete...but one thing that I am...is a marathoner.
posted by Iron Jayhawk at 11:17 PM
11 Camper Comments:
You are SO an athlete. Are too. Yes you are, so there, and stop arguing. Non-athletes don't train. Non-athletes don't dig down and brave the pain of every footfall for the glory of 26.2. Non-athletes don't plan another one!
You might not have been an athlete, but you are now! AND an awesome, fabulous Marathoner with HEART!
Woohoo!
YOu did a great job! I hope to do a TNT one day. Very inspiring. You'll have to tell me all about it at CKU. -Your Secret SIS
I used to say I wasn't an athlete, but I get now that I am, in my own limited way. And you're light years ahead of me so... you need to change your mindset and accept that you are, indeed, an athlete.
Fantastic race report! What an experience! I've still got a ways to go before I'm ready for my first marathon; I'm currently working my way up the ladder of triathlon distances.
Have you seen any of the blogs in the 'Tri-Geek' alliance? You really should check them out (start at trigeekdreams.com) - even though it's technically a triathlete blogger alliance, there's quite a few members who are strictly runners. While the alliance is about 50 folks across the country (and world) there's a lot of us in the Chicago area. We share support and training woes and race reports... it would be great to have someone as cool as you around : )
You have done spectacular-ly!!! I'm sorry we didn't get together. Another time for sure! Loved your reports.
Hi Running Jayhawk, my TNT coach forwarded your blog to all of us and I just want to tell you how much I love it, particularly because Phoenix was my first marathon. This event occupies a special place in my heart. I'm doing TNT again now, two years later, in Vancouver. I love your blog and I think I'm going to come up with something similar for people to check in on my progress. Very cool!! And congrats on your marathon. You rock!
I don't know how I got here, following blog trails, I was drawn in my your name. I loved reading your account of RNR Phoenix Marathon. It was my first marathon 2 years ago and reading your account brought back the good memories. Way to go and glad you're already thinking about the next one.
Barb - you so rock girl! I am so proud of you for completing your goal! I have to say, you are quite a writer! I loved reading your play by play here on the blog!
I'll be here to cheer you on for the next one too!
Love ya Lady!
Angel (from the CJ group)
Awesome post. Awesome story! Congrats to you.
I can see why you give props to the 'community'. I guess it sometimes takes needing people to really appreciate them.
congratulations!!!
(and great report!)
great race report, i totally teared up when your mom showed up, thats amazing.
i completely get the feeling of sadness at the end, i felt much the same way!
way to go... here's to number TWO!
Saw the purple shirt in another bloggers comments section and had to see if it was a TNT jersey. It was so I had to stick around and read your race report.
Awesome report! And an even more awesome job!! You brought back memories of my first marathon (Houston '05), also with TNT. You should be so proud - which I know you are!
I am signed up for Chicago '06. Can't wait! I will not be going with TNT because I am currently on my quest for the Triple Crown! Tahoe/AMBBR will be my third TNT event.
Rock On!!
GO TEAM!!
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