In October, 2006, I walked the Portland Marathon for the seventh time. Each time the experience is different, usually better. I was very worried in 2006 that I would have my worst time ever - a slow finish time and lots of pain en route. I was completely wrong. I finished feeling the best ever and with my second-best ever time of 6:52:02.
Lesson 1: Core Work Works
I've been working with a personal trainer for three months on my core strength, flexibility and balance. It is working; my
walking posture and walking form have been restored. As a result, I didn't feel any pain during or after the marathon.
Core Strengthen and Stretch Workout
Lesson 2: Walk Your Own Walk
If I walk with others, I tend to adopt their stride and pace. That leads me to overstride and forget to use good walking posture. I walked the marathon alone for the first time in four years and was able to concentrate on what felt right for my body. I could choose the flattest part of street and my pace was my pace. I believe this was a large factor in my not feeling any pain during the marathon and having almost zero fatigue.
Lesson 3: Blister Prevention
I started using a new blister prevention method in my long training walks. I now use BlisterShield powdered silicone in my socks and
SportShield liquid silicone on my feet and underarms to prevent blisters and chafing. This is a major switch for me after years of using petroleum jelly on my feet. I felt no blisters until Mile 24, and no significant ones on my long training walks, which is far better than any other year. Normally I feel blisters at Mile 18. Two miles with blisters is far better than eight. Walking with blisters puts your walking form off, resulting in many more aches and pains during recovery.
Seven Blister Prevention Strategies
Lesson 4: Get Everything Ready at Home
The night before, I set out all of my walking gear and put the chip on my shoes and pinned the number to my shirt and filled up my fanny pack with everything I was to bring. I put everything I would need afterwards into the car. If I woke up late, I could just jump into my walking outfit. Here's what I carried: SportBrain pedometer. iPod nano with Nike Sport Sensor. Creative MP3 player in case iPod didn't work out. Headphones. Clif bar cut into chunks. ID, money, bank card, medical card. Sport drink in water bottle. Gatorade powder to add to water on course. Cell phone. Naprosyn and Imodium. Buff. What I wore: cap-sleeve wicking v-neck shirt, bike-style shorts, sports bra, fanny pack with water bottle, Cool-Max socks, New Balance 833 shoes.
Lesson 5: Really Get Everything Ready at Home
With all that prep, I left setting up my
Nike+iPod sensor till I arrived at the marathon. But I have two of them, and I mixed up the receiver and sensor, or didn't turn the sensor on correctly. I should have tested this out at home the night before. I tried doing it in the portajohn line but my iPod picked up sensor signals from those around me (good job marketing, Nike!) and I couldn't connect my iPod to my shoe sensor. As a result, I didn't track my marathon with my iPod. But the iPod worked great for musical entertainment en route. My personal marathon mix was set on Shuffle, and you can see the full list on the next page. As I came up to the finish it was playing "I Would Walk 500 Miles" quite by random. Cool.
Lesson 6: Cheer the Cheerers
The Portland Marathon is staffed with thousands of volunteers. It is good karma to thank them at the water stops. Also, you can have your name or nickname on your bib and it is great to be cheered on by name during the marathon.
Lesson 7: Feeling Good Feels Good
I maintained my speed very, very well without stress and nothing hurt. My first 10K was on a 15:04 mile pace, which is better than I've done all year. I really didn't slow down much as by 21 miles my overall pace was 15:23 miles.
Lesson 8: Making the Cutoff - Priceless
If you make it to Mile 22 after 1 pm, you are sent on an alternate course where you must stay on the sidewalk and stop for traffic lights. I made the 22 mile cutoff with 15 minutes to spare. At that point I felt like I could just keep walking all day at the same speed. Absolutely nothing hurt. I was breathing quite intently - couldn't sing along with my music, but I wasn't the least bit tired. And I had felt that way the entire marathon. So, I hugged the street sign and shouted a woohoo along with the others who realized they had made the cutoff, and went to the portajohn just because it was there.
Lesson 9: Finishing Strong
I finished in 6 hours, 52 minutes, 2 seconds, which is my second best time ever and it was definitely my best-feeling marathon finish ever. I wish every walk was so effortless!
Wendy's Marathon Mix for Seven Hours of Brisk Walking
