A Few Random Thoughts Post Marathon

Now that the generalized muscle soreness is subsiding, my regular aches and pains are returning as expected. I was wearing a knee strap at the race which I really don’t like using because I’m allergic to neoprene. It gives me a rash.

The perils of carbo loading: you eat a lot of carbs for three days before the marathon, during which you decrease the amount of exercise that you do because of tapering. Your stomach expands with the extra food which increases its capacity. After the marathon, the capacity of your stomach remains at an expanded state and it’s more difficult to attain satiety than during your pre-carbo load days, so you tend to eat more to feel satisfied. The result – weight gain. But that’s just my theory based on experience. This year, I didn’t alter my diet significantly so I didn’t get the resultant weight gain.

I don’t know when I’m going to start running again. It feels like I gave it my all last Sunday and don’t feel the need to run again soon. Maybe I’ll try on Friday and Sunday.

I haven’t lifted weights in more than a week due to pre-marathon tapering and post marathon recovery. I’ll have to get back to that routine soon.

I got my seasonal flu shot at work tonight. My right arm is sore. We don’t have the H1N1 or swine flu vaccine yet. I hope we get it soon because I don’t want to look like the picture above.

My CPR certification is expiring at the end of the month so I signed up for renewal at work which is exactly on the day that my current one expires. If I don’t do it, I’ll get suspended.

I haven’t thought of what to reward myself for finishing the marathon. Maybe I already pre-rewarded myself when I bought the treadmill.

Every year a week after the marathon, and for the past two years, Kate and Deb have been hosting the Win Freeman Post Marathon party otherwise known as the Liars Party, where people share stories about what great time they had running the full or half marathon. Shall I go to the liar’s party or not? I RSVP’d in case I make it there. I have a tad bit of social anxiety and I’m more comfortable socializing while on the run. Was that last sentence TMI?

I’ve been back to work the past two nights and wore my marathon technical shirt the first night. One of the patients was a spectator in the race and she told me that she was in awe of all the runners and volunteers. It has been a good couple of nights so far. Oops, I’ve spoken too soon. We are expecting two admissions after 1 a.m.

The security guard I wrote about last week is back tonight and the staff remains wary of him. The picture I included in that blog resembles his body type so well.

It was my mom’s 78^th birthday yesterday in the Philippines and I talked to her on the phone before I left for work. She is 15 hours ahead of us here in the U.S. She sounded well and said she felt good except for her arthritis. She had a full day planned to celebrate with her friends. She didn’t receive the birthday card I sent yet but I hope it gets there now matter how delayed it will be. One of my aunts said it takes more than a month – about 2 days from the U.S to the Philippines and the rest of the time seemingly by pony express from Manila to Zamboanga, if it gets there at all. My mom was able to attend the Notre Dame High School Grand Reunion because it was held in the city she lives in and she met some of her former classmates and childhood friends. My Uncle Dante and Auntie Lita also attended and they came from Jolo, the town I was born in.

Mama was happy to hear that I was able to finish another marathon because in the past four years I’ve been telling her I couldn’t cover 42.16 kilometers anymore. All’s well that ends well.