The comparatively small medal from last year's relay race.
This is going to be one of those posts that has little to do with medicine. I think I am allowed to do that once in a while, despite the intention of this blog. Most life events are better commented on by my wife since we experience many of them together, so she often beats me to the punch with such things. Surprisingly, there are a few things more privy to just my experience.
To get the medicine aspect out of the way, I am currently on the OB/Gyn rotation. The first three weeks, of which I am about to enter the third, I am on the gynecology oncology service - essentially revisiting three weeks of the surgery rotation complete with early mornings and standing in the OR. The excellent thing about this rotation so far is there are five of us students on the service. On any given day, one of us has to attend the clinic, one student needs to be in each OR (of which there only one or two a day), and the rest, assuming they're not in private practice that day, go home after rounds. On Wednesdays, we have lecture and all that jazz after which we are free to go home on this service - which is usually by eleven ("This day goes to eleven"). Fridays entail a noon pre-op conference over catered (i.e. drug rep) lunch after which, again, we go home. Days are thus either long (5A to 5P), or laughingly short. Following will be three weeks of OB, one in the clinic and one on the L&D ward. I look forward to it, surprisingly.
On to other things. So today was the marathon. All 26.2 miles of it. I have been working up to this point since September or October, steadily increasing the length of my longer runs until I hit 20 miles, and then tapered down to rest the week or two before the race. It was all good and well - I was able to work up to and do 20 miles without much trouble. Most people could do it; it's just a matter of going through the motions of training. Granted, some have the misfortune of having joints that just don't agree with running that far/long, and that's a valid reason for some folks not doing it, but not for as as many folks who use it as an excuse. Sure, if you were going to run today after not having done it in a while, your knees will hurt. But there were plenty of people out there today far older than I running like champs.
Anyways, off my soapbox of sorts, today was the first day I ran over 20 miles. I started the race superbly. I was with or slightly ahead of the 3:30 pacer (which is an eight minute mile on the dot) until mile 13 or 14, during a long, two to three mile uphill stint. Suddenly, shortly after passing the 20 mile marker, my right calf muscle started spasming, hard. It was a bizarre feeling, powerful contractions that hurt like no other. I don't know if you've ever tried to run with a spasming calf muscle, but it can't be done. I had to walk for about half a mile. I passed the 21\2 mile marker and soon my left calf almost started doing the same thing, so again I walked a little bit. This time up to two miles. When I passed mile marker 24, I promised myself I would run the last 2.2 miles. I did, but they were a slow two miles. I finished in 3:58, which if I may say, ain't to shabby for my first race and considering I did over two miles worth of walking. I don't yet know where I placed amongst the thousands of runners involved in the event, but I know it was within the first two hundred marathoners, and I even finished before some of the half marathoners. An extremely large marathon medal (the world's largest marathon medal, seriously) and my always beautiful and wonderful wife awaited at the finish line to congratulate me on a job mediocrely done.
To get the medicine aspect out of the way, I am currently on the OB/Gyn rotation. The first three weeks, of which I am about to enter the third, I am on the gynecology oncology service - essentially revisiting three weeks of the surgery rotation complete with early mornings and standing in the OR. The excellent thing about this rotation so far is there are five of us students on the service. On any given day, one of us has to attend the clinic, one student needs to be in each OR (of which there only one or two a day), and the rest, assuming they're not in private practice that day, go home after rounds. On Wednesdays, we have lecture and all that jazz after which we are free to go home on this service - which is usually by eleven ("This day goes to eleven"). Fridays entail a noon pre-op conference over catered (i.e. drug rep) lunch after which, again, we go home. Days are thus either long (5A to 5P), or laughingly short. Following will be three weeks of OB, one in the clinic and one on the L&D ward. I look forward to it, surprisingly.
On to other things. So today was the marathon. All 26.2 miles of it. I have been working up to this point since September or October, steadily increasing the length of my longer runs until I hit 20 miles, and then tapered down to rest the week or two before the race. It was all good and well - I was able to work up to and do 20 miles without much trouble. Most people could do it; it's just a matter of going through the motions of training. Granted, some have the misfortune of having joints that just don't agree with running that far/long, and that's a valid reason for some folks not doing it, but not for as as many folks who use it as an excuse. Sure, if you were going to run today after not having done it in a while, your knees will hurt. But there were plenty of people out there today far older than I running like champs.
Anyways, off my soapbox of sorts, today was the first day I ran over 20 miles. I started the race superbly. I was with or slightly ahead of the 3:30 pacer (which is an eight minute mile on the dot) until mile 13 or 14, during a long, two to three mile uphill stint. Suddenly, shortly after passing the 20 mile marker, my right calf muscle started spasming, hard. It was a bizarre feeling, powerful contractions that hurt like no other. I don't know if you've ever tried to run with a spasming calf muscle, but it can't be done. I had to walk for about half a mile. I passed the 21\2 mile marker and soon my left calf almost started doing the same thing, so again I walked a little bit. This time up to two miles. When I passed mile marker 24, I promised myself I would run the last 2.2 miles. I did, but they were a slow two miles. I finished in 3:58, which if I may say, ain't to shabby for my first race and considering I did over two miles worth of walking. I don't yet know where I placed amongst the thousands of runners involved in the event, but I know it was within the first two hundred marathoners, and I even finished before some of the half marathoners. An extremely large marathon medal (the world's largest marathon medal, seriously) and my always beautiful and wonderful wife awaited at the finish line to congratulate me on a job mediocrely done.
The environment of the race was wonderful. The comradery of the local Little Rock folk is awesome - people along almost the entire course cheering you on, calling you out by your first name (as it's on the race bib), and volunteering to hand out water and fruit along the way. (You can't run 26 miles and not eat and drink along the way!) The scenes and sights were great. We passed the Clinton Presidential Library, the river numerous times, Central High School (recall the Little Rock Nine), the capitol building, the governor's mansion, the beautiful Rebsamen golf course, and of course all around downtown LR.Of note, one less fortunate individual passed away shortly after crossing the finish line today. He collapsed in the finishing area and EMS tried to resuscitate him, but were unable to do so. I don't yet know how old the gentleman was, but the details are less important. I am sure he had no intention of seeing this race as his life-ending event. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends for their loss.
I suppose that is all for now. I will go mend to my wounded feet and dehydration.
