To the Wall and Beyond (the Vanity Struggles of a Marathon)

I am pretty sure I am not the only one who cringes at photos that are taken at the marathon of you along the course.

There is that woman (or man too) that has a vain streak that rises up when they see themselves at their worst especially when the pictures makes you look bigger than normal or it is a reality check that you still have a long ways to go in your fitness journey.

Well, this blog is dedicated to all the runners who have experienced their vanity ugly moments because I had mine at the Honolulu marathon (I'll disregard the Great Aloha Run 2012 because they only took one ugly photo of me that is still online).

The beginning
As you are standing at the starting line, you're stretching, warming up and preening as you have your picture taken by another runner because hey...it's a great moment that you want to remember, right?

The first stretch (0-6 miles)
You're on top of the world especially if you're pacing yourself and it's morning still.

The second stretch (6-13 miles)
Mid-morning and you got this-ain't no stopping you!

The third stretch (13-20 miles)
Wait...it's lunchtime and there's other runners and walkers pulling to the side eating...You begin to wonder if you should have brought something more than gel chews and sports beans...

Congratulations! You've hit the wall (20-23 miles)

You're stomach is rumbling and you're remembering those extra toilet paper advice. Porta-potties are out of the question especially after seeing someone's underpants discarded. Thank goodness for the Chevron staff that were allowing runners to use their restroom!

Going beyond the wall (24-25 miles)
After buying pretzels from Chevron and filling up your water bottle and gatorade bottles, you feel somewhat better, right? 

Keep going (24-25miles)
Your mind starts playing mind games with you, "Did they stretch out the last two miles? Are they sure they measured the distance correctly?!"

Last stretch knowing Diamond Head is coming up within the last mile. One more sport beans left to down with zipfizz for that last energy to start running...

Homestretch
From 5:00am...you've ran the first mile then walked all the way till the 25th mile marker...

So crank up the iPod and let those epic movie score from Transformers, "No Sacrifice, No Victory" play as you are running down to Kapiolani Park to the finish line...

All you're thinking is, "I want my medal and shirt! Thank God the finish line is right here and I'm not cramping over! Just don't let me trip and fall!"

Legs on fire as "Girl on Fire" starts blasting in your ears while the volunteers are directing you to stand and pose (even if you are in pain and you feel as if your legs will pop off at any moment) 

You wait anxiousky for almost two weeks to view the marathon photos. After viewing them and buying those ugly photos, this makes you want to run the Honolulu Marathon again with makeup and to make sure that you're smiling at the end (Note: Being under the sun for 10 hours must have addled the brains to think such a thing).

But, as you sit back and think, you remember that quote on Pinterest, "If you are still pretty at the end of your run (workout), you didn't run (workout) hard enough." 

Guess I did a good job, yes?

Funion Bunion, what?

It's 2:45am HST and I think I'm badgering myself mentally because I was not able to run the Nike Women's Half-Marathon because I aggravated a bunion on my right foot while I was in Baltimore because I ran and walked around a lot since we didn't have a rental and everything was within walking distance (half mile to two miles). My toe would be smarting and throbbing but I disregarded it to where I started hobbling around and the bony protrusion looked gross as if I was growing a talon!

My husband told me that I better get it checked out quickly as soon as I returned home (Hawaii).

During this time, I started becoming uneasy because I was a confirmed random drawing runner for the NWM 2013 DC Half-Marathon and I knew that my running time had to be within 4 hours to complete the half-marathon in order for me to receive a Tiffany necklace!

That's doable, right? Yes, if I didn't develop sharp, piercing pain, which I experience after running ONE mile that I noticed slows my run to more of a walk with a run mixed in because I'm accommodating the pain while trying to complete a run.

I timed myself with my garmin hoping that my pace of a walk/run will be under 15 minutes per mile (NWM half-marathon rules requires a walker/runner complete a mile in 15 minutes). My pace was remaining steady between 15.63-16.00 per mile because of the pain I experience in my right foot regardless if I tried to grit through the pain. I had to face the fact that this would not meet the NWM half-marathon rules.

When I visited my provider and the referred podiatrist...they both confirmed that I can still run the half-marathon...IF my run is NOT timed. I wanted to cry...I shook my head and told my provider, "It's a timed run and I'll be darned if I'm picked up and brought to the finish line."

After the podiatrist gently explained that my bunion is severe and the surgery that's required, he shared it is up to me on how well I recover during my recovery time-which meant that I can't force my recovery to speed up because I'm anxious to go running. He advised that I should make sure I'm fully recovered and brace myself mentally on the length to recover.

After walking away from that appointment, I have been researching and seeing if there is any other way. Sadly, I have to face the fact that my bunion is:

1) Severe

2) Throbbing and painful even after walking less than an hour

3) To put any type of run on hold until the latter part of next year

My concern over all this:

1) My healthy journey...will it be interrupted to where I'll become complacent and gain all my weight back

2) When can I exercise

3) What type of exercises can I do?

4) I need to make sure that I'm continually eating healthy especially when I'm recovering from surgery

All this because of one funion bunion...

Pray for me?

(Yes, I'm still agonizing that I didn't meet my goal of completing the NWM 2013 DC Half-Marathon but I do know that I can attempt to try again the latter part of next year or 2015)