My body hates me. Or at least refuses to cooperate when it comes to me doing certain things. Today, that thing was the Chicago Marathon. Temperatures were higher than anyone wanted. I could deal with them though. It was cooler than when I started, yet I would have loved for it to be much cooler than it was. Things did heat up as the day went along. Way too much for my tastes.

Things didn’t really start off the best in the race. For some reason, my heel and ankle on my right foot were bothering me early on. I probably had indication of this yesterday when I did an easy two-mile run as my last run before the big race. I had a twinge of something yesterday, but was chalking it up to last-minute nerves and stress. I really felt that thing would be fantastic on race day.

Well, early on in the race, things did calm down with my heel and ankle. Only to flare up again. I even managed to keep on a decent pace for the temps and my incredibly bad training this summer. Unfortunately, right around mile 12, my calves started to spaz a bit. I was wearing compression sleeves to try to prevent this as well as eating salt (yeah, I actually have to eat straight up salt) and other energy stuff. So at least the cramping held off a bit longer than in the half marathon I ran in August.

The spazzing stopped a bit but then my heel and ankle started to act up again. Yay! So much so, that I ended up walking a lot. Way more than I should have walked. In addition, I started to feel twinges in my knees from tight IT Bands.

Why? WHY did today of all days did my body decide to punish me for pushing it? I could say that perhaps it would not have happened had my training been better. However, I am pretty sure that would not be true. I did have a flare up with plantar fascitis in the past so maybe it is returning? I really hope not as it makes every day life difficult. The ankle thing, well I guess it just means I need to add additional stuff to my training to head off other injuries. As it turned out, I pushed as much as I could, yet my body refused to do what my mind was willing.

No matter. One day, I will conquer the hometown beotch. Congratulations to everyone who ran in less than ideal conditions today. I’m not done running as I do have a couple of races in early November to do. I do want to conquer my personal demon of finishing the marathon distance. I want to do it so badly. My mind is willing and really after about 10 miles, it is all mental for me. Yet, physically, my body just won’t cooperate.  So maybe it isn’t all mental; there is a tiny (ok a LOT) of physical involved. For now, I will concentrate on the 1/2 and shorter distances. Who knows, maybe obliterating those distances will make my 26.2 demon seem like breathing one day.

Every race turns out to be a learning experience for me and I did do some good things despite another dnf. I learned plenty today and will continue to do so. One day, one day . . .