Colorado Marathon - RunMarathon

Sorry but this is a long section and I've posted it in my daily log already.

I just want to say that the course was beautiful, the day was beautiful... my race was not...

Meralgia Paresthetica

I had a Personal Best time in my marathon yesterday but at what cost? I don't know. Yes, I am disappointed in not going under 2:50 but I came close and I hung on and finished in the worst pain that I have ever felt during a marathon.

I was running with my friend Steve Krebs (an ER doc) and my other friend Ben (an F4 coach); the early miles went well and we were just gliding through the canyon. Before the race I was concerned about my right calf because it was tight and I was afraid of it progressing but for the first 10 miles it was just a nuisance... the 3 of us rolled into 13.1 pretty much together (Steve was pushing and Ben and I backed off just a bit)... Ben and I crossed the half way point at about 1:23:05 and but I was concerned already. I felt tightness developing in my thighs (especially my left) and this seemed very early in the race. I asked Ben if he felt any tightness in his legs and he said, no.

By mile 15 I was beginning to worry big time. I just wanted to get out of the canyon and into some rolling terrain. I would love an uphill just to change the motion of my stride. My thigh, on the outside near my hip was really starting to hurt. I noticed that it was burning too. By mile 16 it was on FIRE!!! I was trying to massage it as I ran. I was scared and began to believe that I would not finish this race and if I did I would be walking. I did not want to walk for 10 miles -- I'd hitch a ride rather than walk. I told Ben that I was in trouble and he tried to be encouraging and told me to relax and just to keep running. I protested and was about to start walking but I didn't primarily because I noticed that Ben slowed down just a bit so that I could keep up with him. I continued running.

Two miles more pass and we are approaching the only real uphill (Bagel Hill) and I notice that although my splits had slowed, they were still in the 6:40 range and if I could handle the pain, if it didn't get any worse, I could keep going.

As I approached Bagel hill I practiced my Bobby McGee running uphill techniques that I learned in a seminar and marched on. Ben said he was going to stop for water. I kept going figuring that he would catch me and pass me before too long anyway (Ben beat me by a minute at the Canyonlands Half Marathon this year).

Pretty soon I was approaching the 20 mile mark. I was really surprised that I was still moving. I looked at my watch and I thought that I still have a chance to reach my goal of sub-2:50. I hit 20 miles at 2:07:45 and if by some miracle I could do a 42 minute 10k in this condition, I would make it!

Soon enough though, I was back to wanting to stop. I have never felt this type of pain before. Did I tear something? I couldn't figure out what was going on. I had all of the normal and worse than normal soreness that is tupical at this stage of the race, but the fire in my thigh/hip area was NOT NORMAL. 5 miles to go and am I doing permanent damage to myself? 5 miles to go and I HAVE to finish.

I'm tired now. really tired. I make it to 23 slowing to a 6:59 mile pace. I am losing the time that I put in the bank quickly and realize that it is unlikely that I will go <2:50. I still have a chance at a PR and I do my best to hang on.

Funny thing is at the California Marathon in December, I had a similar race... not because of an injury but because I blew up. I was on pace their through 23 miles and then fell apart completely (still PR'd: 2:53:38). Today, although it would be a similar death march to the finish I wasn't slowing down as much as in Cali.

My last 3 miles where all in the low 7:00s and I rolled into Old Town Fort Collins knowing I would PR but not reach my real goal. As I got near the finish I saw Kati and Sarah and Bridget with really cool "DICK DIME" signs and I think I heard Jason (Greyhound) yell, "Go Dime" as I ran into the finish chute, so that cheered me up.

When I got to the finish, I saw my friend Steve (2:49:59), the doc, and told him what I felt. He asked a few questions and immediately he told me that it was Meralgia Paresthetica and it is not commonly associated with running. Later on at the Rio Grande Restaurant some dude who I guess was running behind me congratulated me and we chatted... I told him what happened and he too was a doctor and told me that it was Meralgia Parethetica and then quizzed his other doctor friend to see what he thought and he too said the same thing. Now I'm pretty sure what happened to me and I'm scared shit-less!

Ben, my friend who helped keep me moving at mile 16 never caught me... he came in at around 2:57 so somehow, I ran strong... Weird.

I feel really beat up this morning. Worse than after any marathon that I have ever run. I thought my preparation was excellent and that I was ready. Well I guess I was ready, I PRd while running the last 10 miles with a painful injury. But now what? What the hell is Meralgnia Paresthetica?

On a happy note. The beers were free and unlimited after the race... The support from my BT friends, Outdoorsgirl1978, FreckleFace, Snowgirl and Greyhound was AWESOME and I felt emotional as I crossed the finish line. I am lucky.

2:52:38 New PR. Plus a very cool 3rd Overall Masters Trophy

Quit at the first sign of pain.

No, I don't know. I ran really well. I know I could have gone MUCH faster without this injury.

Like they say: These things happen. I guess.

Water... hurting... beers... lunch... HURTING. Drive home. SLEEP!


Meralgia Paresthetica


Great race... beautiful course... AWESOME volunteers.

The course seemed long. But its a marathon.

I probably will not do this course again... It destroyed me.

My Masters trophy is awesome and one of the best that I have seen and the finishers medals were beautiful too!