2012 Marine Corps Marathon: Mission Accomplished!

Between the fatigue, calf muscle, and Superstorm Sandy headwinds, it wasn't a pretty final few miles this morning, but still came in with a marathon time of 3:22:06. Oorah!

Race Day: Live Pre-Race Thoughts

# 5:54am :  Runners getting on Metro; girls exiting in Halloween costumes from the night before. Awesome.

# 6:43am :  After a week of alternating ice and heat on a torn calf muscle, I'm just ready to get it over with, win, lose, whatever. Run until it stops hurting (kinda like drink til you're handsome?).

# 7:12am :  watching Dutch Royal Marine marathon team chain smoking. Crazy Euros.

Hurricane Sandy isn't Oorah!

Looks like there's a one in three chance the DC area takes a direct hit from hurricane Sandy, meaning rain is possible starting Saturday night. And forecasts are calling for 10-15mph wind for the first half the race and 15-20mph sustained winds, with 30mph gusts, for the second half.

 Seriously, as if I didn't have enough fun running through severe rain and localized flooding in the Flying Pirate half marathon in April.

Micro Tear in Calf

Sitting around alternating ice and heat isn't exactly how I planned on spending my final taper week. After some lingering pain in my calf, including a slight limp while walking, I went to my sports doc and she said it appears to be a micro tear in my calf muscle. Other than a bit of biking, I've been off my feet.

Unfortunately, with 48 hours to go, still in slight pain while walking and not sure how it's going to impact my gait and speed over 26.2 miles.

Inspiration courtesy of Meb.

RIP Watch

Rest in peace, cheap $11 KMart watch. You've been good to me through 3 years and 2,409 miles of running.

 Who needs a fancy watch?

Watch. 2008 - 2012.

One Week to Go

Greatly looking forward to running past 26 of these next Sunday, injured calf or not.

MCM mile makers being set up.

Injury Right Before Marathon? Déjà vu....

The running gods may be cruel again. After finishing the back half of a 22-miler in 7:50 pace a bit ago, thought it was all systems go. Didn't plan on limping around with 10 days to go before Marine Corps due to a freak injury/tweak in a muscle group that has hummed through 900 miles this year. Getting injured just before a marathon is soooo 2011. 

Anybody have a pair of old shoes I can sacrifice?

Poise.

Very important message on poise as we approach the fall marathon season.

MCM Base Mileage Complete

With this morning's 22 miler negative-split run in the rain, the base mileage is officially built for the Marine Corps Marathon. Let the joy of recovery week, tapering, and eating begin!

Peak week couldn't have come at a better time. With the body's aches and pains this morning, it's clearly rejecting the notion of running 900 miles in seven months.

Teddy Wins!

You think you're having a rough week of training? Imagine what it's like to lose 500+ consecutive races. Well thankfully for Teddy, his string of futility is over as he finally claimed victory in the Nationals Presidents Race.

Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! TEDDY WINS!!!