Days off and ATB Race Photos

Yesterday I did absolutely nothing exercise wise. I had meetings off site, so no lunch time swimming, and then in the evening I felt totally wiped and couldn't even get the energy up to do my strength routine. Today I was planning on another easy 5k, but after more massage therapy (this time on the quads and ITBs - let's just say OUCH and leave it at that) I've decided to skip that too. Perhaps I will do the strength stuff instead...

But enough about that! I finally received the much anticipated email announcing that my race photos from Around the Bay are ready for purchase (um, yeah...). Here they are for your viewing pleasure, if you can call it that. Two observations I have:

1. I look like I'm in serious pain in every one of these.

2. And what's with the permanent "thumbs up" I seem to be flashing to all bystanders? I had no idea that I ran with my thumbs up in the air like that. Weird...








And lastly, can you spot me in this photo?:



What about in this one?:

Is this normal?

It's been a few days now since my first ever race, and I am still more sore than I thought I would be. I suppose that's what happens when you spend three quarters of an hour with your heart rate up in the 90-100% of max zone, essentially turning your body into a lactic acid factory!

On the foot front, I am not too worried. Yes, it is sore, but I have another treatment tomorrow morning and I am not planning on running until I am totally pain free. The quads are just starting to feel better, and I no longer have to clutch at the railing when walking down stairs, which is a relief. It's still a slow way down, and I can't really attempt to carry anything heavy while doing this, but at least I am moving in the right direction.

However, the subject of this post is something completely different: the post race blues. I am itching to get back out there and run, but as mentioned above I am not going to until I am OK foot wise. It's the feelings of "can I do this again, and if so will I be able to push myself as hard?" that have me a little confused. The longer races I am planning on entering (Boxing Day 10 miler and the Around the Bay 30K) are so long that I am NOT going to actually race them, choosing rather to simply complete them at a decent pace that will allow me to keep training and won't leave me hobbling for a week afterward. How do you prepare mentally for another race (I'm referring to another event where you push yourself to the limit) when you now understand the pain that will be involved? Do the memories of pain fade with time to allow you to go hard again, only to be left with the same things to contemplate?

Anyway, it's heavy emotional stuff, and perhaps too deep for one of my shallow mental capabilities. Or maybe I am just having a tough time verbalizing the post race blues, but I've read about this phenomenon and I guess that's what's happening here. Some people take a long time off after a race (I know, I only did a 10k and not a marathon, but it still hurts!) and others like to get right back into training. If it wasn't for the foot I'd be running again already to work the kinks out for sure. Whatever the case, is there an inevitable letdown after every race, or only after those that you enter with a specific time goal? I can't imagine being too down after an event that you ran easy just to finish, but I'll find out soon enough.

And lastly, official race photos have just been posted from the Niagara Falls race. Here's a decent one - all the others make me look like I'm malnurished below the waist...


And oh yeah, an interesting article in todays NYT about what partners of marathoners have to deal with. I especially like one guy who purchased electrode therapy thingamajigs for $900, and justified the expense to his wife after they both agreed on fiscal restraint! Marathoners are a strange breed to be sure...

And as I write this - THE PHILLIES HAVE JUST WON!!!