Sometimes I have to learn my lessons the hard way. I can’t help but laugh when I think of my first marathon and some of the events leading up to that day. I decided to run the 2003 Ogden Marathon. My mistakes were numerous and I may be laughing now but I promise I was not laughing then. The types of errors that I committed could have kept me from finishing and even though I finished my mistakes caused me to feel discouraged when in reality the accomplishment was my greatest running achievement up to that point.

My mistakes started early, I decided to run my first marathon when there was only fourteen weeks to go before the race. I found an eighteen-week program and decided that I could whittle the first four weeks off the program because I had been running some. I jumped in with the program and though that I could make the time up by running a little bit extra during each week. On days that were supposed to be cross-training days or even rest days I would run five miles. My legs responded to this treatment in a very painful way. Getting out of bed in the mornings would almost cause me to cry. That first step out of bed was like jumping off a building. I would sit up in bed in the morning pull myself to the edge of the bed and sit there eyeing the floor and contemplate the coming pain. The first few steps were very awkward and the muscles ached. I would start my runs and my legs were very slow even by my standard. Some mornings it seemed to take my legs upwards of four to five miles to feel like they were loosening up. I was beginning to think that distance running wasn’t for me. Lesson learned start early and do plenty of foundation work.

Over time, my legs seemed to adjust to the extra miles. I still had issues getting out of bed but I started to get some of my foot speed back. My training continued to be running only varying distances and resting one day a week. I believed I was developing the strength that I would need to finish the race and I had a vision of running under a 3:30 time. I had run a 5K the fall before and I knew that I couldn’t hold the same speed for the entire 26 miles but I didn’t think I would drop all that much. During my runs I would let my mind wander thinking that even though me goal was for a 3:30 I would probably run much faster. Who knows I would tell myself maybe I’ll qualify for Boston in my first race. Lesson learned do some cross training. Bike a couple of days a week it does wonderful things for sore legs. In addition, yoga can help stretch sore muscles and reduce injuries.

My training went on like this until race day. I would go out each day and run never varying anything but distance. I didn’t do any speed workouts or tempo runs. I would just go out each day and run. The training schedule that I had chosen called for three 20-mile runs but because of how I had shortened my training I was unable to fit the three 20-milers in and still have three weeks of taper. I made another bad decision. I started to doubt my training and figured that I needed one more 20 miler so two weeks before the marathon I ran one more 20 miler. After this run I started to taper but I didn’t really give myself a chance to recover. The next lesson learned was not to doubt my training. My training was good but more then anything my legs needed the taper.

I wish that I could say that the bad choices stop and that I made all the right choices on race day but that isn’t the truth. Prior to the race, I jogged a mile to loosen my legs and stretched. Light stretching is good but 27 miles is really a long way to run. In addition, I felt a little to fresh on the start line. I found that I jumped out and was running at a speed that seemed comfortable but in reality it was much faster then what I had trained at. Now before races start, I stretch lightly and leave the warm-up runs for those that are trying to win the race. I save every mile for the race.

Not all of my bad choices backfired. For example, during my training runs, I always carried water but on race day, I drank power-aid. In addition, I never carried gels during training. During the race, I carried four. The power-aid and gels gave me a lift but I lucked out. I’ve since learned not to introduce things on race day. My stomach is a bit finicky and the excitement of the race can cause it to be a bit upset so introducing something new can really cause problems. The idea of running from one porta-potty to the next along the racecourse isn’t a pleasant one.

My last mistake happened with just a couple of miles to go. As I approached the water stop there was only a couple of volunteers working the stop. My strategy had been to run through the water stops and at mile 24 I knew that I couldn’t stop. I got to the stop and the volunteer had two cups of water. In my mind I had decided that I needed power-aid. I got a little bit upset thinking that the volunteer is incompetent. I decided not to stop but to keep on rolling. Besides, I only had two miles left then I could get some power-aid. This may have proven to be my fatal mistake. Within a mile, I became very light headed and my vision was funny. I could only see straight ahead of me. My legs got very weak and I had to start walking. My goal time was defiantly out of reach and now I was beginning to doubt if I was going to be able to finish the race. After this experience, as I approach a water stop I start yelling what I want. I’ve found that the volunteers will quick respond and hand me what I request.

As I finished the race, I was embarrassed with my performance. I had planned to run a much faster time. I had logged many miles in training and felt sure that I would be ready for the race. I went home that day and made one more major mistake. I laid down on the couch for the rest of the day. I told myself that I needed rest. My legs started cramping and got tighter and tighter as the day went on. I learned that day to stay active after the race. Moving around and if possible getting a massage will speed up the recovery process.

I am so glad that I didn’t stop running. Yes, my first race proved to be very difficult but I have since enjoyed other races. I hope that others can learn from my mistakes and not chose to learn lessons the hard way.