After you cross the finish line, friendly Marathon Volunteers will pounce on you from all sides. They'll wrap you in a space blanket, then guide you to an area for removal of the timing chip on your shoe. You'll be handed a rose, and most importantly - they will place your medal around your neck. Be proud. You EARNED that puppy.
Now you realize how STIFF you are, how tired, how achy your feet feel. Maybe I'm just talking about me. YOU'VE probably trained like a monster and feel fine. In case you don't, there's a huge aid tent here for quick treatments of blisters and such. There are also massage therapists who will give you varying degrees of relief for a fee.
Prevent Sudden Cool-Down: You were wrapped in the space blanket for a reason. You've stopped walking. Your heart rate will slow and you'll cool down. You don't want any complications from a sudden drop in body temperature. I ignored this once, and had hot and cold flashes for HOURS afterward. Just be aware that you are officially 'cooling down' now.
Eat Something: You'll be channeled into a 'food court'. Doesn't a handful of cold grapes sound good now? A popsicle? A snack-sized bag of salty potato chips? Maybe some yogurt? Half a bagel? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.
The Portland Marathon surely offers something your tummy can handle. I'm not saying to treat the food offerings as an all-you-can-eat buffet. Nosh some snacks. It's a vital part of the cool-down process.
Let's do some math: You burn off 100 calories per mile as you walk. You just walked 26.2 miles. That comes to 2,620 calories - a pretty big withdrawal from your energy bank. The snack line at the finish is a good place to make a small deposit to your energy bank. You paid for the snacks, so eat 'em up!
Finisher Shirt: Then it's time to collect your finisher shirt. You earned that puppy too! You'll be guided by signs and volunteers to the shirt stand. Put it on straight away - it'll help keep you warm. Make sure to pull your medal out afterward. Doesn't that medal catch the sun ever so nicely?
Share the Misery...er, Victory!
So you crossed the finish, got your medal, had some snacks, got your shirt, admired your medal. Maybe you had an extra photo taken by the professionals under the balloon arch. The Marathon Is Now Over. Time for you to leave. What to do next? Times past, when I walked solo, I just collected my medal and shirt and went home. It was an emotional let-down.
Once I developed friendships with walking pals, the Marathon has become hugely more fun. We've made a Decompression Party an official part of the event. We meet at someone's house afterward to relax. Relax and stretch. Maybe nap a while. Treat blisters. Treat cramped muscles. Treat each other to some pizza. "Get off of your feet and eat!". That's MY post-Marathon motto.
You've just had a singular and intense experience. You need a chance to talk about it. Talk about the cheerleaders at Mile 24, the Gospel Band back on Mile 8, that *!@#~* first hill on Harrison, my crummy jokes, your blisters… Talk about what it was like for each of us. It's a sad fact that few people 'do' a Marathon. Your co-workers won't understand the challenges you faced. Make sure you have some time with others who've "been there" with you.
Make sure you had fun!
You might need a reminder, post event. You'll probably want to do this again. I sure have - nine Marathons so far. Each has been fun, especially those with FRIENDS.
