Sunday, May 21, 2006

More post-marathon thoughts

It has now been one week since the marathon. I am still unsatisfied. I've run twice so far...a 30-min walk/jog on Thursday, and a decently paced 5.5 km outside yesterday, in 35 min. Also, I went for massage therapy on Wednesday. I had booked 30 min, and asked the RMT to spend the entire time on my legs. I told her that I had run a marathon the previous weekend and that my hamstrings had tightened up a lot during the race. She started on my hamstrings, but then told me that my calves were very tight...in fact, she had never seen calves so tight before. She recommended a 60-min appointment next time :P and also told me to STRETCH STRETCH STRETCH, everyday, holding each stretch for 30 sec.

That got me thinking. I made a lot of mistakes in my training and during the race. I started to redeem myself in the latter weeks of my training when I started doing yoga before my LSD's. But I definitely did not stretch enough after my LSD's, nor did I really let myself recover properly. During the race, I drank WAY too much...a lot more than I did on my LSD's. Hence, the stomach problems. All in all...I think I really could have finished in my secret goal time of 4:30.

So what's next? I think I will do a 10 k race soon...either the Father's Day run at Ontario Place, or the HBC Run for Canada on July 1. And then, a fall half marathon as my "A" race...go for a PR :)

I also want to shed a few pounds...I've lost a lot of weight from running, but it seems to have plateaued (sp??).

So my new goals are:
New PR for 10k (currently 1:00:57)
New PR for half marathon (currently 2:12:56)
Lose 5 lbs
Full marathon in 2007, TBD

1 comment:

Cliff said...

Look at the monster I have created.. j/k..

Even though at times I don't consider marathon as a challenge..i do stop and think.."hey Cliff..a lot of ppl haven't run as far as you have. Some can't even run that far b/c they are sick." Keeping me humble and thinking about the joy of those 30 k runs and slowly see myself break my own mental barriers....i am very satisfy. :).

To be a good runner can take years to develop.. ;)..but man the journey along the way is way too good.