M&M rounds for MCM 2013

When I was in veterinary school we would have weekly "M&M" rounds.  While I wish these rounds were meetings at which we ate M&M candies and congratulated one another on saving every patient that came to the hospital, they were not.  M&M stand for "morbidity" and "mortality" respectively.  During these rounds we reviewed challenging cases and tried to learn from the outcomes (bad and good alike).  The following is an M&M recap on my MCM race.

The day started out with great promise.  It was my first full marathon.  I was lined up at the starting line with my father and my brother.  The race field was energetic and intense, the crowds were alive and awake at 7am, and the temps were perfect for a PR.  As the sun crested the horizon, an A Capella group sang the national anthem and paratroopers descended from the sky with the largest American flag in the United States.  It was magical and inspirational.  The Howitzer fired at precisely 7:55 am and we were off!

The first 9 miles of the race were amazing.  I was on track for my goal pace and feeling AWESOME.  The first 10K flew by and I felt like I had hardly started running.  I was high-fiving kids, thanking the water station volunteers, and smiling ear to ear the whole time.  The fall foliage and metropolitan street corners were picturesque.  The first 9 miles of the 2013 MCM race were the best miles I have ever run.  Then in between mile 9 and 10 the road began to narrow and the field of runners condensed.  The road pitched to my left.  As the sweaty mass of bodies narrowed, my cadence faltered and my left ankle rolled and then popped.  Down I went.  Thankfully I was on the periphery of the crowd and I was able to roll out of the way.  I did not trip anyone.  I righted myself and went to take a step to resume running but my left foot would not cooperate.  I had sprained my ankle, and after hobbling along for another two miles determined I could not finish the race.  There you have it, only 9 measly miles into my first marathon and I had the dreaded DID NOT FINISH (DNF).  I burst into tears.

So where do I go from here?

The lessons I learned during my marathon training, my pre-race prep, and during the race itself are invaluable.  But there it is, the dreaded DNF staring me in the face.  I went to Marine Corps Marathon 2013 and got the t-shirt but not the finisher's medal - ouch.

They say the marathon changes you.  I can safely say that MCM 2013 definitely changed me.  I have a new-found determination and drive to run.  Abraham Lincoln once said "My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure."  I am not content with this failure.  As soon as my ankle is better I will start running again.  I will finish a 26.2 mile race in the next 12 months.  I will do it with my father and brother and in honor of my friend and cancer survivor Rachel.  I will get that finisher's medal.