Bucketlist - Virgin marathon
 

2 weeks ago i ticked another thing off my bucketlist. My virgin marathon.

It was something ive been wanting to do for years, and something that injury has stopped me from achieving.

This year there was no stopping me. i spent the last 6 months injury free ( almost - except for a lingering 12 month old sprained ankle), which allowed me to actually train for this.

A change in running technique also helped. ive suffered from shin splints my entire running career. i read a book called Chi Running which emphasised a few techiniques i had never used, which helped me reduce my shin splints by 70% (on a scale of 1-10).

so im really happy that i got it done.

The marathon wasnt without drama though. i was at the 21.1km mark and was feeling great. just where i wanted to be time-wise and feeling quite fresh. My time even included a piss-break and a few hello's to people along the way including family and friends. It was a great atmosphere. It was even better that out of all 5 days a year that it rains here, that it sprinkled much of the way up the first half of the marathon.

once i hit 28km, i felt the ankle that i sprained the week before play up, and at 29km the outside of the right knee starting pulling. a km later my hip flexor started to spasm.

at 30km i was sitting at 3hrs 10 mins, and on track to possibly breaking the 4hr mark i set to achieve.

by 31km it was a run-walk with simultaneous knee and hip pain. the spasms in my hip were too much if i walked, and the knee pain was too much if i ran. so i alternated the last 11-12km until the finish line. There was no way i was pulling out, and i even planned on hopping or hobbling the way to the line if i had to. fortunately i didnt have to do that, but the last 12km were really tough.

if you ask me now to do another one, id do it in a heart beat. the tranquility that comes over me from running is surreal. it clears my mind like nothing else and is by far one of the most satisfying things i can do.

next on my bucket list? - an ultra marathon... or an adventure race over a few days..i havent decided which one to do first... TFPer welcome to join or make recommendations :D

here are some pics from the Dubai Marathon

http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/a...1/DUMM3088.jpg
chirpy at 5km

http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/a...1/DUMF4105.jpg
the last 3km...

http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/a...1/DUMM3086.jpg

http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/a...1/DUML2639.jpg
the final stretch

http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/a.../DUAB11348.jpg
Done! 42.195km!

not the time i had hoped, but considering the circumstances, im quite happy with ticking it off the list.

Hero!

Great stuff, man. You're a badass for dragging yourself across the finish line injured.

And I know for a fact my faces won't be so tranquil when they get the "last fifty yards" shot.

Great Job!!!

Congrats, that is quite an accomplishment.

Excellent job dlish! I am thinking of signing up for a 10k race that is happening in May.

Well done, sir.

You're a badass, Dlish.

thanks guys.

not a bad ass at all. it's more mental than anything else. if you put one foot in front of the other, you're bound to make it. it just takes a little dedication and lots of mental stamina.

when i was younger and running cross country races i always wanted to become a marathoner. as things turned out, constant injuries turned the flame out. i had to wait 17 years to do my first one. albeit much much slower than when i was in my younger days, but these days its more about the thrill of doing something injury free than the time in doing it... im going to see a physiotherapist about my hip, and then my goal is to aim for a 4hr marathon for this year.

jove - you've done a few 5k'ers, i say do it!

jazz - thanks...the trials of miles...

craven - thanks. stay tuned for more!

plan9 - you'll have to join me on my next crazy adventure. no hero's here though... just a nutcase according to some :D

monkie - yallah yallah!

I'm on it, Dlish. I can only dream of having a passport stamp collection as controversial as yours in the near future.

Awesome! I ran my first 10k a little while ago and it was hard enough. I don't know how anyone can run a marathon. Can't wait to hear about you checking off the Ultra.

Congratulations, dlish! In about 3 years, you'll be able to see me about that hip of yours. ;)

Wooo!

I was thinking about this today and wondering when you were going to let us know how it all went. Even if you are not a hero, you are at least an inspiration!

The pics make it look like it was as easy as pie. *jealous*

plan - you've got two stamps in your passport i dont think i ever want

charlatan - thanks dude. its not so hard if you dont look at the watch..just think of something else while you run, slow your pace and keep your heart rate down and you should be able to cover the distance quite easily.

pony - make sure you use plenty of elbow in there when i do :D

star - thanks..i look forward to seeing how you progress in your running! just keep motivated. i always try to keep myself motivated by setting myself a task even before i finish the one im working on.

oh, well, congratulations...but when you said "Virgin Marathon" I had hoped for something a little more pornographic!

wellll...

i could post pics of that nature, but im not exactly a virgin, and you wouldnt find them in tilted photography ;)

Dlish, we already went over why your passport is so much better than mine will ever be.

HINT: It starts with a "Y" and ends with a "Sir, could you step into this side office for a moment, we'd like to talk to you about your recent travels."

And don't threaten to post pictures of you slaying virgins in Tilted Exhibition. I'll have Jazz lift my ban of that area in a heartbeat. Just to post jokes.