Houston Marathon: Getting Excited (and nervous)!

Just an update...I checked my paperwork from the doctor and my official diagnosis is Capsulitis of the Hip.  Nice to know, right?

One week from today and I’ll be joining the masses at the George R Brown Convention Center (also known by Houstonians as the “GRB”). We’ll be picking up packets, browsing the booths, listening to motivational talks, meeting our pace team leaders, etc. Yipppeeee, I can’t wait!

I received my confirmation yesterday - I am bib #7168 and in the “open” corral (meaning: with the other slow people). No offense to any walkers out there, but I do aim to line up in front of you, so that I am not continually dodging you in the 1st 8 miles!

I have to admit that I am a bit nervous about this race with this hip injury looming. What if I get out there and it starts to really hurt at mile 10 or 15? What if I’ve lost fitness in my two-week long hiatus and I totally and completely suck? What if, what if, what if… So many uncertainties - I’m not sure how hard to push. I am not sure how my hip will feel on the hills of Elysian, Montrose, Newcastle and Allen Parkway – especially the down hill segments. I usually love those, but and stepping down really hurts right now. Should I try to maintain my “best case scenario for a PR pace”? Should I take it easy?

But then again, even with a healthy body ANYTHING can happen on race day. I went into my very 1st marathon feeling confident and ready. I had completed a great 15, 18 and 21 miler with no problems other than the usual fatigue. However, around mile 4 or 5 of my marathon, I felt an odd pull in my hip. By mile 9, this odd sensation was moving to my knee. By mile 16, it felt as if someone was stabbing me in the knee with an ice pick. Then, by mile 19, all my muscles were cramping and I was nauseous (as if the knee pain wasn’t enough!). By mile 20, I was falling behind the rest of my group. All of the symptoms I was experiencing were things I never experienced before race day. I had no idea what the hell was going on. I caught up with one of our coaches around mile 20 and she said the knee issues sounded like ITBS and the cramping/nausea sounded like I needed salt. She kindly shared her pumpkin seeds, showed me a couple of ITB stretches and gave me a pep talk. My group finished the race about 7 minutes before me…I was just happy to finish at all.

Moral of the story – the marathon is a long race. (Okay, not as long as an Ironman, but still long!) Anything can happen. We deal with it. Most of the time we finish, sometimes we don’t. But, we have to try. So I may be slower that I want to be next weekend, I may be walking more than I had planned, or I may be hobbling to the finish. If I feel great after the 1st few miles (and those stupid Elysian hills), then I will go all out. If not, well, I switch to plan B – just finish. I won’t know until I try…and try I will!