Marathons.

The tragic events of yesterday's Boston marathon allowed me to take a step back & reflect on one of my proudest accomplishments....the Marathon.

26.2   Those numbers mean so much to those of us who have attempted, succeeded, failed, volunteered or cheered.  26.2 is a milestone number that says, "you have just accomplished something that only 0.5% of the population has accomplished."  It is a grueling test of both mental & physical strength that requires on average 5 months to prepare for, amazing.  And my heart goes out to those in Boston who did that preparation & persevered only to have the attainable finish line ripped from their hands by some one or some group who will never know or understand what dedication truly is.

92% of people who begin training for a marathon will finish.  I am one of that 92%.  Never in my life did I think I would do a marathon, but in 2011 I decided that this was the year.  I don't really know what made me decide to do it, but like many other things I got the thought in my head and there was no stopping me, I was doing this.  My dedicated husband (who had run & finished 2 other marathons previously, in crazy good times I might add) vowed to run this race with me.

The training was amazing!  My Type A personality loved the structure of the schedule the early morning runs, the off days, the mental/physical challenge, the muscle soreness....all of it.  The Saturday long runs were my favorite.  I could get my mind in a zone & just go! With Colin at my side we would talk for the hours (yes HOURS) it would take to complete that weeks long run.

About 1 month before the race I was out with some friends, wearing heels, & took a nasty spill on a wet dance floor.  I had run 17 miles that morning, my muscles were exhausted & unable to save me from my fall.  No run after that would be the same.  The first run after that fall I made it about 8 miles before the sharp knee pain set in. It was excruciating, I specifically remember being in the middle of a crosswalk close to my house & almost collapsing in pain.  The PT inside me said, "this is bad, this is really bad."  I traded running for swimming & biking and 2 MRIs later we had a bogus diagnosis of left iliotibial (IT) band syndrome.  Deep inside I knew it was more than a form of tendonitis, but the newly found marathoner inside me went, "tenodonitis?  That's it?  You can totally finish the marathon on that."  And I did.

My purchased finish line pics are hung in my house,
this gem was taken after the finish & after the shuttle ride

Up until mile 11 I was really killing it, but it was that first "catch & lock" at 11 that started my demise.  I have never pushed myself so hard & believed in myself so much.  I don't know that I could do it all over again even if I tried.  Miles 16-26 were mixes of jog, walk, biofreeze, quick stretching & motivation internally & from my PIC, Colin.  And as crazy as it sounds when I crossed that finish line at 26.2 miles finishing the Savannah marathon all the tears, pain & exhaustion was worth it.  I have never felt so accomplished in my life, crazy right?  I remember saying to Colin, "PT school was tough, but I always knew I would finish."  This was the first time I had REALLY finished something that I wasn't sure I could do, man did that feel good.

Now post-marathon I battled with this "tendonitis" seeing 4 different orthopedic specialists.  I assured every single one that I had something torn in my knee, and each specialist took a look at my clean MRI and assured me that I was wrong.  I mean I'm ONLY a physical therapist right?  What do I know about orthopedic injuries?  Cough cough, sense the sarcasm.  Turns out I had ruptured all the attachments of my lateral meniscus, leaving me with a hypermobile meniscus, AKA my meniscus was floating around & when it was in the right spot I was great & when it wasn't I thought I was dying.  A quick/complex arthroscopic surgery & 10 weeks of rehabing myself and I was back.....not normal, but back.  Normality came about just recently around that 12-18 month mark & it has been good to have a fully functioning left leg again.  Some of those affected by Boston will not be as lucky as I was to have a fully functioning limb after a marathon.  I wish them strength & hope as they enter surgery & then rehabilitation.

I continue to run but these days I stick to 10Ks, 1/2 marathons & this summer I will try my first triathlon as my knees will not stand for another marathon.  However, my marathon memories are fond and I have never inspired myself so much as I did with that training & completion.  Marathons aren't for everyone and I certainly don't endorse that as a goal if you are not a runner (hell a marathon shouldn't have been my goal), but what I do endorse is finding something that in your  mind is an unattainable then challenging & pushing yourself to the limit to finish it.  I guarantee you will learn a ton about yourself & feel extremely gratified when you've reached your finish line.

Couldn't be a more true statement.