Finally... the recap.First, I need to thank everyone who supported me during my training and this rough time in my life. I know that I would not have kept my focus without all of you cheering me on.
I did really well for the first half of the race. As you know, I had knee problems for the 2 or 3 weeks prior to the race, and tried to error on the side of rest leading up to it. However, around mile 2, I got a familiar stabbing pain in my right knee. I was about to cry because I knew if the pain continued like that, there was no way I would be able to finish even if I just walked. So, I said a quick prayer, took some elongated strides in an effort to stretch out the tendon and it went away for the most part. I had a dull pain for the next 11 miles, but right around the halfway point, the stabbing pain came back with a vengeance. At 13.1 miles, my time was about 2:06.
Again, I tried to take longer strides, but the pain was much more intense this time. I stopped and stretched for a minute and managed to make it to around mile 17 where I was at the point of half-running/half-limping. Fortunately, at mile 18 there was a medical tent. I iced both knees briefly, had my right knee wrapped and took ibuprofen. While it was wise to stop, it took somewhere between 10-15 minutes because someone on the course collapsed right after I arrived and much of the medical team went to help them. I was disappointed in “wasting” that much time, but I know I couldn’t have run more if they hadn’t wrapped my knee. I felt much better until mile 21. Even with the wrap, the pain was getting worse. It was at that point that I decided to finish even if I walked the remaining 5.2 miles! I was a rather pathetic sight kind of running/kind of hopping, but I finished! My official time was 4:56:25. That was a full hour more than I anticipated finishing in, but again, I finished. And that’s what this was all about. :)
The most amazing thing about the race was how aware I became of others. I saw a father pushing his mentally disabled child in a jogging stroller (he passed me); a cancer survivor that also was bleeding down her legs due to chaffing, but running with the biggest smile on her face; kids cheering on their mom, dad, grandparent; and others just there to feel alive. It reminded me that while I have challenges, so do others. In the end, we're all out there just trying to overcome. It was a very humbling, beautiful experience. The people of Chicago also were gracious in welcoming such a large crowd. There was great support from the aid stations to people offering high fives and encouragement to struggling runners.
Again, I tried to take longer strides, but the pain was much more intense this time. I stopped and stretched for a minute and managed to make it to around mile 17 where I was at the point of half-running/half-limping. Fortunately, at mile 18 there was a medical tent. I iced both knees briefly, had my right knee wrapped and took ibuprofen. While it was wise to stop, it took somewhere between 10-15 minutes because someone on the course collapsed right after I arrived and much of the medical team went to help them. I was disappointed in “wasting” that much time, but I know I couldn’t have run more if they hadn’t wrapped my knee. I felt much better until mile 21. Even with the wrap, the pain was getting worse. It was at that point that I decided to finish even if I walked the remaining 5.2 miles! I was a rather pathetic sight kind of running/kind of hopping, but I finished! My official time was 4:56:25. That was a full hour more than I anticipated finishing in, but again, I finished. And that’s what this was all about. :)The most amazing thing about the race was how aware I became of others. I saw a father pushing his mentally disabled child in a jogging stroller (he passed me); a cancer survivor that also was bleeding down her legs due to chaffing, but running with the biggest smile on her face; kids cheering on their mom, dad, grandparent; and others just there to feel alive. It reminded me that while I have challenges, so do others. In the end, we're all out there just trying to overcome. It was a very humbling, beautiful experience. The people of Chicago also were gracious in welcoming such a large crowd. There was great support from the aid stations to people offering high fives and encouragement to struggling runners.
Again, I cannot stress how much it meant to receive all the texts after the race and emails and messages from everyone. Thank you for your support through this process. I really feel like Sunday marked a new beginning for me. My race day support - Pete. :)
