WHY THE ROCK FINISHED ME...

In a previous post "The Rock Finished Me (sequel to 'I Finished the Rock'), I told the story of training for and not quite completing the 2007 White Rock Marathon in Dallas.

It was a disappointing day and circumstance...but over the last few months I've come up with a number of reasons as to why this happened. Four reasons to be exact.

I don't believe that any one of these things acting alone could have stopped me from finishing the race. I do believe that all the factors combined created the scenario which put me on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance.

Reason #1: Apparel.

I was wearing a new type of shirt during the race which I think kept me warmer than I thought it would. Many people in 2007 were wearing short sleeve shirts or no shirts at all so it wasn't THAT cold. I was wearing a T-shirt and a long-sleeved shirt along with gloves and a beanie on my head. I think overheating was an issue which caused me to dehydrate even though I'd had plenty of fluids up to the point of failure.

Reason #2: Diet during the race.

During my training on the long runs I would eat 1/2 a Clif bar every three miles. My body was used to that up to the 20 mile mark. My body had not trained with solid food past the 20 mile mark. When you eat solid food during a race, blood has to go to your digestive track to assist in digestion. Where does the blood come from? Well, during a marathon it comes from your muscles. Precious, oxygen-rich blood was sent to my GI track instead of keeping my muslces fueled during the latter stages of the race.

Also I had not had anything during my training other than water and during the marathon I had Gatorade at a few aid stations.

Reason #3: Diet before the race.

In an attempt so lose a few extra pounds before the race, I began taking a weight-loss supplement called Lipo-6 the week before the marathon.

Reason #4: Over-training.

During the training of my first marathon, I ran four days a week, cross-trained two days and rested one day. In 2007 I ran five days a week and cross-trained the remaining two days...never took a day off. I also had about 90 more miles in my training in 2007 than in 2006. I think I over-trained just a little.


Like I said earlier, I believe that if one of those factors were entered into my marathon equation, I would have finished.

For instance, if I had run the same amount of miles during my training and hadn't overheated or eaten solid food during the marathon, I would have finished. Or if I'd overheated but had a day of rest per week and not taken that supplement. Or if I'd started taking the supplement and not overheated or eaten solid foods...you get the idea.

This year, I have gone back to some of the principles that brought me success in 2006. I am resting from cardio exercise one day a week, running a little bit less every week compared to my 2007 regimen, training with a liquid sport mix and goos instead of Clif bars (solid food) and will not wear as many clothes during the race - unless the weather absolutely calls for it (in 2006 I wore a cotton long-sleeve shirt with a dri-fit shirt underneath and it was a little colder).

So in conclusion - I'm pretty nervous about the marathon. I'd just hate for that to happen again. And I won't feel good about it until I'm about two miles away from the finish line and feeling good. Up until then, that little voice of doubt will be whispering in my ear...

I just want to cross that line in under 3:20:00. It will be a moment of redemption and personal comeback for me. Two years in the making...