Reflections After the Last Weekend “Long Run” – Heidi

I just ran eight miles this morning, which completes the last significant run of my training. Despite the dismal weather forecast for Saturday morning, it turned out to be a beautiful spring day! However, when I awoke to the sounds of torrential downpour outside my window at 6:00 am, it brought me back to the fear in my heart with the sounds of the storm before the Marathon a year ago. I haven’t even looked at the weather forecast for the 21st and won’t until the end of the week because weather is so changeable in New England and obviously I have no control over whatever it decides to do!

Many people have asked me this week “if I am ready?” I don’t know but I have done a reasonable job with following my training schedule and am as ready as I’m going to be. My husband brought me home a cough a week ago so that’s been aggravated by running and is a bit annoying, but I feel fine. I have finally decided my knee pain must be due to iliotibial band syndrome so over this taper period I have replaced one run with a stationary bike session, stretched more and run a few more dirt surfaces than pavement. Gayle Olson at the Shipley Fitness Center at Newton-Wellesley Hospital has “tweaked” my whole body several times over the last two weeks and I am convinced that her hands are magic. Gayle, thank you again for your time and expertise! In terms of the ITB issue, in retrospect, I should have cross trained more and stretched more but it is too late now and my knee pain hasn’t prevented me from doing any of my runs.

Now that today’s run is behind me, I have minimal mileage to do until the Marathon. This should continue to help the healing of my cough and knee. I have a busy week ahead of me so it is fortuitous that I don’t have to give much time to running. The most important event coming up is my son’s thirteenth birthday. I think I might be enjoying an extra piece of the peppermint ice cream pie he’s requested I make! We’ll have a family dinner at home and another with all of the grandparents. I’ll likely miss a night’s sleep on the 15th as I’ll be on call. This was also my situation before the Marathon last year and I do not think it set me back at all. I haven’t been to the Suburban Striders Practices this winter at the indoor track but hope to attend this Wednesday on my day off and meet our new coach. There is also a plan for a group of us running Boston to meet for coffee after practice and psych ourselves up for the Marathon. I’m curious to find out what others are doing in terms of driving out to Hopkinton, etc. Thursday, the Hospital is having a pasta dinner for the runners, which I’ll attend before sneaking out a bit early to attend my son’s band concert. Friday I have a full day of work. I hope to get to the Marathon Expo that evening and pick up my number. I’m hoping my husband and son will be able to go into town with me and spend a few minutes looking at the vendors and exhibitors.

There are a few things I won’t do this week. I won’t do any speed work or hill work as I’ve learned that just makes my Achilles tendon tight. I won’t get take out for lunch at work as over a year ago, most of our office got horrific food poisoning that put us out of commission for a number of days and caused me to miss a road race I had registered for. I won’t drink much wine when we go over to good friends for dinner on the 19th as I’ll want to be as hydrated as possible for Monday. I won’t plan what I’m going to wear to run on the 21st as who knows what the weather will be like this year!