12 Hours Later

Well, it is now 12 hours later and I have returned home. I feel tired from driving almost 7 hours. People get stiff after driving long distance. If you throw a marathon on top it, you can only image how stiff that I feel. As I was driving home I was thinking about my previous 2 marathons. In the first one, I didn't walk enough and could bend my legs after the race. I don't remember how I felt the next day but I do remember the feeling of being hurt for the next 6 months. In my second marathon, it was a very cold race. I think the temperature was about 35 at the start and maybe 40 at the finish. I remember the next day not being able to walk up and down stairs. About 2 hours after the race today, I felt a lot better. I was able to walk down the stairs from the 4th floor of the Hilton Gardens Hotel. I walked around the finish area taking pictures. I guess part of it was from the two Advil that I took. Right now, my right hip and hip flexors are sore. My knee is tingling. My arms are sore at the elbow. Otherwise, I don't really feel bad. This is a pleasant surprice considering how badly I felt after my other marathons. I attribute this to the fact I am much older and I am training much better now. I am going to take a month to think about my next marathon. After a month if I feel like I am going to do 1 more marathon, I will choose one and target my training around it. I would really like to run one under 2:36. I think it is possible for me. Look at me talk. It has been less that 12 hours and I am already considering my next marathon. At this time I am almost estatic from my run today. To run a marathon in 2:38 is remarkable. To run marathon in 2:38 as a master is even more remarkable.