Victoria Marathon: End of the road or just too wimpy?

How much if pain and how much is my wimpy demeanor?

I ran the Good Life Victoria Marathon this past Sunday. This was my final attempt at running a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon. I needed to run 3:30:59 or faster. My actual time was 4:09:12 so… well… that wasn’t very close.

For the first 26 km I was running the best race I have ever run. My pace was remarkably constant within a couple of seconds of my planned pace. I had built up about 30 seconds time-in-hand over a 4:58 pace which means that holding pace would have seen me across the line in about 3:29:00. This was good because one needs a little time in hand to sort out possible distance errors – not with the course but with one’s chosen path. My four marathons seem to be about 42.4 km – 200 meters longer than intended. I put this down to zigzagging.

At the 26 km mark I was feeling good and strong. I even remember thinking, “I am going to succeed. I am going to make it.”

By 26.5 km my race was finished. My arthritic hips flared up. I broke into a walk and that opened the floodgates. Lots of walking followed.

Is it that I am not mentally strong enough? Or, is it that my hips have gotten then ground down that I am asking too much of them? I don’t know. Pain is subjective. I think it’s impossible to experience pain in the same way that someone else does. Thus, I will never be sure if my failing is because I have an extraordinary amount of discomfort brought on by arthritis or is it because I am just not tough enough. The answer is probably somewhere in between. Although, the suddenness with which this came upon me suggests, to me, that my hips are worse than I thought.

On Tuesday I phoned my surgeon. My hips still pretty good while I am running, biking, or whatever but at rest, the lack of mobility and daily pain has become very apparent. Time to get on the list for surgery.
I have one more marathon on my plate: Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon on Dec 5. I have not, yet, figured out what I want to do with this race. One more attempt at 3:30? Or, relax and enjoy.

Too bad I will not make it to Boston. But, I can’t help but feel good about 2010. Personal bests: 5 km, 10 km, half-marathon, and full marathon. My furthest every swim or bike ride, both of which happened as part of Ironman Canada. It’s been a pretty good year. One more race…