Recovery

When I returned from Saturday’s marathon I was on a natural high, mainly because I couldn’t believe how much I accomplished my goal.  The remainder of the day, I felt sick, nauseated, achy.  My eyes ached from all the salt in my sweat that dripped into them.  I bedded early. 

Sunday, I barely remember.  I remember waking stiff all over, and also, nearly falling asleep several times during church – not that the service was boring.  I was just dang tired.  I napped Sunday afternoon, then bedded early again.  Basically, Sunday was a blur.  I had to ask my husband if it had rained on Sunday because I had planned on painting the yard gates.  By Monday, they weren’t painted.  I suppose I may have lost a few brain cells on Saturday.

Monday, I saved my running legs and played gym rat.  I did a lot of stretching, foam rolling, ab work, weights and even 65 minutes on the elliptical crossramp.  Mainly, my right IT band was sore, and my quads needed lots of rolling.  The 2.5 hour workout seemed to “iron-out” this.  But boy was I sleepy!!  AGAIN.  That afternoon I napped a few hours. Then I tucked into bed about 8:30 PM.  Needless to say, this constant sleeping on my part annoyed some in my family (I won’t say who, but there was more than one culprit!)

I felt my recovery was going along beautifully.  I think the sleeping helped.  I couldn’t help but reflect on this marathon (quickly counting, I believe, my 6th) compared to my first marathon on 5/31/2009.  (San Diego Rock n’ Roll Marathon – I actually found my blog for it, buried in Myspace.)  From my recollection, after my first marathon I couldn’t run well for weeks.  And when I did finally put in five plus miles, I had a difficult time breathing evenly.  Recovery was tough then.

That wasn’t the case this time.  I woke this morning FULLY refreshed.  I felt elated that I had time and energy to run on the third day after the Saddleback Trail Marathon.  And so, after all my “wifely/motherly” duties, and before my afternoon job, I headed out to Aliso/Wood Canyons for a carefree run to the Top of the World. 

I ran up Cholla Trail, a short ascent which seemed like a bump in the road compared to Holy Jim.  Then I ran along the rolling hills of West Ridge, smiling wide at probably a dozen mountain bikers who made their way along the trail.

 Top of Cholla Trail

My usual post marathon depression either hasn’t hit or didn’t hit after Saddleback.  It usually hits within 2 days.  Thing is, I’m so dang happy that I made such an improvement, it might not hit this time.  I’ll tell what did hit almost immediately:  a melancholy feeling over the fact that this journey had ended.  I had been working so long and so hard for this one race.  And now it is over.  I realize though,  there are lots of life journeys, and that while in the midst of the journeys I’m in right now, new ones are beginning all the time, and another running journey is just around the corner.

Still, I found myself day dreaming frequently about Saturday’s marathon on today’s run.  I allowed it somewhat.  Then I’d force myself out of the past and grudgingly enter again into the present.

Yes, I’m a bit odd.

Day dreaming about Saddleback Trail Marathon – why look there’s Saddleback in the distance right there!

Acting silly at Top of the World (with SADDLEBACK mountains in background):

I didn’t run the out-and-back as planned this morning.  Why?  Because I did not want to stop running.  Instead, I headed down Mathis thinking I might run into Jeff (he often choses Mathis).  My friend Jeff by the way, also greatly bettered his time in the Saddleback Marathon. 

Instead, Mathis was empty.  But empty is lovely too.  The skies were blue with wispy clouds, the weather cool enough that I didn’t regret long sleeves.  From there I ran over the plank bridge that crosses Wood Creek and ran a shady, cool Wood Canyon back to the truck for a total of 7.70 miles on this “recovery” run. 

Fall blooms along the ridge:

Wood Canyon, where the color green is now “in”:

Today’s profile: