Ergh. Aches.

I am sooooo achy from my run yesterday. It is crazy, but my back and arms hurt the most.
I feel like I did a weight lifting routine.

I knew that I was going to be in trouble when around mile 12 I felt my arms. I know that sounds weird, but I don't really notice my arms when I'm running. I mean, I know they go back and forth the whole time, but I don't really FEEL them or pay attention to them. Sometimes though, when I get up into the double digits on my mileage my arm will move a little right or left (instead of just straight back and forth) and THAT'S when it hits me. It's like I'm suddenly aware of pain, as if my arm was asleep and I get that pins and needles feeling...but it's not pins and needley.

My legs do this too, but I have heard other people talk about that, so I guess it is at least a little more common.

Like yesterday when I was heading across town. In the park, there aren't any stoplights, but on my long blocks home I get stopped at every crosswalk. It wouldn't normally be a big deal, but if I am feeling good on a long run and then I STOP I suddenly am aware (in my body) that I've just run 15+ miles.

It's like "I feel great! I could do another 10 miles!" and then when you stop you realize that you can't walk without looking like, well, you can't walk. I remember this from my first super long run with the Roncker team. NO ONE looked like they could walk after one of the practices...then after 15 minutes of stretching we all walked out of there like nothing happened.

I think it all looks kind of scary. Which is why I told Bill and my parents right after my first marathon "I'm going to get up, and it's going to look like I can't walk. But really I'm fine. It's just you get like this after 26.2 miles." They all laughed and looked at me like I was crazy and then said something to that effect, like 'No kidding. You just ran 26.2 miles.'

Anyway, I look like a tool at work today, because I am having trouble doing simple things with my arms, like pinning up work on a board. :)

Recovery

I am already suffering from post-marathon blues. Like, what? No more fun 12 mile runs with the group? It is even worse, because Coach Joe sent out an email saying they are meeting for a recovery run tonight, AND a team karoke night on Thursday. Ptttt! I will only be singing to myself in the shower (oh wait, bath, I don't HAVE a shower) at my flat in London. Boo! I want to see my group again!

But, Coach Joe also sent a good tip to us. Walking backwards down steps. This may just save me. My legs are total mush and people are looking at me funny today as I walk up and down the steps. I think I look like a newborn colt who is just standing up for the first time. NOT graceful at all. My quads are KILLING me.

However, I am looking into joining a "meet-up" for runners in London and hopefully doing a road race or two while I am there the next few weeks. Even though the description of most of these meet-ups is like "we're really more into drinking than running". They all meet for a couple of miles and then hit the pub. And this is different from the Cincinnati groups, how?

I went to Los Portales last night for dinner and saw a girl wearing her medal. I almost went up to her and congratulated her, but she was gone before my margarita was. I wore my medal all day Sunday...even to Target and to dinner! Everyone at work was like "uh, why aren't you wearing it all week? I would be if I ran a marathon!"
I thought about it, but I think I would have a hard time getting through security at the airport.

Ow Ow Ow!

I look ridiculous today...
Even though I took today off, I trudged downtown anyway to meet my husband for lunch (it was worth it :) but, it was kind of funny when he had to literally PULL me out of the booth. No, I cannot walk. But it was still totally worth it. And between the ice, the Aleve, and my wiccy magic muscles bar I am going to try out in a few minutes, I think I will be okay.

Also, my toenails did NOT fall off ALL SEASON!!!! Hurrah! I really really think that clipping them super short and painting them is what saved them...a good tip I will have to remember as long as I run. However, they are a gross brownish yellow color. At first I thought that this was from the nail polish I had been using, or some sort of gross fungal infection, but the truth is, that I've had both of those and it looks nothing like that. Bill thinks that it is because my toes have been constantly banging against my shoes for an extended period of time. Anyone else ever get anything like this?

One more question...when I got finished yesterday, I had a ring of salt around my mouth. And all day my skin tasted extra salty. I realize that this was because I was sweating like crazy, but just wondering...does it mean I had too much salt before the race? too little? too much or not enough water? I will never figure out all of these weird things that happen to your body during a marathon!

As for my reward... well I went to Tiffany's today and have a lovely new pendant. And it seems that I am not the only one who rewarded myself for the marathon. Apparantly at least two other people visited Tiffany's today with the same idea. At least that's what the saleslady said. So how did you all reward yourself for yesterday's massive mileage? And if you didn't reward yourself...you should! 26.2 miles is a huge feat! (at least I think so)