Just Now Walking Right

Those of you have completed a marathon know how it is to get around the day after.

You're sore. Stiff. Feel like you have a couple of boards strapped to your legs.

Running a primarily downhill marathon (and not being completely prepared for it), my legs experienced a completely different feeling that I was finally able to bike through a little bit late last night. (Just under an hour at Bally's here in Pasadena)

For much of Monday and Tuesday, I walked around as if I was imagining that I high-heeled shoes on! Walking up stairs were fine, albeit still store.

Going down them? I had to grab the handrail and go down two feet on each stair!

Others agreed! G. Z. from Ventura, California (12/3/07) said on marathonguide.com, "As far as courses go, it's a simple, downhill course (interesting feeling in the legs the next morning) with some manageable hills near the end."

And they weren't hills either. He's never been to Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Richard Johnson from Springfield, MO (12/3/07) added "As usual, the locals have the greatest advantage of actually training on miles and miles of decline, conditioning their quads for the pounding, but the rest of us must suffer."

Richard, I feel your pain!

It is called a different type of soreness on the outsides of my shins. :)

R. E. from Virginia (12/3/07) noted that "There are a few "gotcha" inclines between miles 10 and 14 that take their toll after the fast downhill start. There is a slight incline from about mile 21 to 23 or so, but it has a lot of declines. My quads really hurt at the end."

Just looked, the forecast for Saturday calls for a high of 80 and a low of 66 in Huntsville with scattered thunderstorms. I think that calls for a "no go" for Sunmart!