One month later.

Today marks one month since I ran the marathon. It seems like an appropriate time to start writing in this blog again.

There isn't a lot to tell, running-wise. For the first week, I could barely move. By the second week, the soreness in my quads had gone away, but my foot and knee still hurt enough that I felt I shouldn't do any cardio. I did some yoga and strength training. Things stayed the same for the third week. My foot continued to bother me, and I noticed that I now have a bone spur on the top of my foot. Gross.

During the fourth, I took a couple of turns on the elliptical.

By last Sunday, I was finally feeling ok to try running. I set out for 3 miles, expecting to have to walk. I'm pleased to report that I ran 3 miles without stopping! It was slow, but I held out. My foot didn't hurt at all, but my knee twinged a little. It hurt a bit to walk for the rest of the day. That was discouraging.

I did some strength training on Monday. On Tuesday, I got back on my bike for the first time in 2 months. My tires were a little flat, but luckily my building's garage has a compressor I can use for free. It felt fantastic to ride again.

Then this morning, I went out for another 3 miler. It actually felt a little harder than Sunday, but I still did the whole 3 miles without stopping. And my knee didn't bother me during or after. One month later, I may finally back on my way up.

I have no plans to follow any kind of structured plans for a while. I'll probably run 3-4 times a week, never much more than 3 miles, and just for the fun of it. I find that I have a hard time thinking of training for anything just yet.

One question I have been asking myself all month is, was it worth it? I spent 20 weeks stressing over every ache and pain, going to bed at 9 every Friday, and arranging my entire schedule around training runs. Then I spent another 3 weeks limping around and sleeping poorly. I now have a permanent, ugly bump on the top of my foot. All for one day, when I spent 6 hours pushing through pain and nausea as covered a 26.2 mile course. Was it worth it?

Yes, I think it was. The training was every bit as hard as I expected, and the recovery was much harder than I expected, but it was still worth it. Not for the moment I crossed the finish line, either. That was actually rather anti-climatic for me. But there are certain moments that will stick with me. Slowly making my way forward in the start corral, wondering anxiously what those first miles would hold for me. Picking out my mom and sister the first time in the crowds. Starting up after a water stop, realizing my knee pain had gone away. Seeing my friend Meg hold up a sign and my friend Amy run alongside me briefly. Waving to the fans in the windows of the old folks home. Seeing all the kind strangers handing out ice. Passing mile 20 and realizing that somehow, some way, I was going to make it. Digging deep inside to find the energy to run past my friend Jessica at mile 23. Seeing my friend Shannon as I approached the finish, realizing she had been out there all day for me. And catching sight of my mom at runner reunite after I finished.

It was hard. It was so, so, hard. But it was an incredible experience. I find now that I don't care a bit that it took me 47 minutes longer than I had originally hoped. I care that I did it, and that I can look back on that day and revel in it.

I'm doubtful that I'll ever run a marathon again, but that makes 10/10/10 all the more incredible.

One month later. The pain has gone away, but I'm still proud.