'Questioning my whole existence': Runners reflect after Pittsburgh Marathon weekend

The last time Nate Platt ran anything was in elementary school in the late 1980s. Over the weekend, he completed his first 5K race.

Platt and over 42,000 other participants have been reflecting on their experiences and recovering after the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon weekend. The 5K race was Saturday as a preview to the 26.2-mile main event on Sunday.

Up until August of last year, Platt, 47, of Evans City, weighed around 355 pounds. He came back from a trip to Disney World and could hardly walk. That’s when he decided to make a change.

“I couldn’t run when I was (that) heavy,” he said.

Now, Platt weighs around 248 pounds — over 100 pounds less than last year. Part of his weight loss journey, with the help of the Weight Watchers clinic and Apple Fitness, was training to run the 5K.

“It’s been life-changing,” he said. “I couldn’t fix it for like 30 years, and I finally am.”

30 seconds to 5K

Platt, who works at Liberty Tire Recycling downtown, said he started by only running 30 seconds and working his way up to 3.1 miles, which is the length of the 5K. On Saturday, he was able to run the race without stopping.

“It was very eye-opening,” Platt said, as he was inspired by other 5K participants. “I’m in awe that I could do it.”

Running the 5K was a peak for him on his fitness journey, he said, as his goal is to make it to 225 pounds and maybe even run a longer race in the future. He’s been documenting his journey on his Instagram page.

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Nate Platt (@natecando23) • Instagram photos and videos

“This is helping me become healthy,” Platt said. “I couldn’t walk in my own house.”

When Platt was born, he had clubfoot in both feet, which is a condition where his feet pointed down and turned in. The condition makes it hard for people to walk. Though he had them straightened out as a baby, he said he always had sore feet.

“As I gained weight, it always made them more and more sore,” he said. “I just never thought I could do it.”

Participating in Pittsburgh Marathon weekend has showed Platt that anyone is welcome — even beginners, he said.

“Anybody can do this,” Platt said.

He attended the Health & Fitness Expo on Friday to pick up his 5K bib, or race number, and he said he felt like he was transported to a different planet.

“Who are these healthy people? How am I here?” Platt said he was thinking. “What is a bib? I haven’t worn a bib since I was a baby.”

During the 5K race on Saturday, he said he was inspired by all of the different people on their own individual journeys.

“It was like a movie — an inspiring book,” Platt said. “When can I do the next one? I caught a bug for it.”

He’s still been in the recovery process, as he didn’t anticipate how it would be different running on the street compared to the treadmill, which is what he had practiced on.

Marathon recovery

Alexis Hartman, who ran her first marathon, began training in December. Still, the race was tough, as she said she’s been hobbling ever since.

“I would go through birthing a child before I’d ever do that again,” said Hartman, 42, of Monroeville. “This is a thousand times harder than giving birth.”

Hartman actually does have a son, Ryland, who is 2 years old and has Down Syndrome. He and Hartman’s mother, who has uterine cancer, inspired her to run the marathon.

“Seeing Ryland struggle to do the things we take for granted, but (be) so joyful, happy and funny, it just gave me such an inspiration and energy I wanted to match as his mom,” she said. “I wanted to show him by example that we can do hard things and hard things help us grow.”

Hartman said she made it through the marathon — but just barely.

“At mile 18, I was questioning my whole existence,” she said. “You have to remember your why in life — you have to keep your why in the front of your brain, and the how will fall into place.”

She said she’s still sore as of Monday, but she was able to raise $1,000 for the Special Olympics and Magee cancer research, her two charities — and her why.

“I think the biggest takeaway, whether you’re going through an illness or you have a disability or you’re a typical person trying something new, having grace and being kind to yourself,” Hartman said.

Strategic healing

A’Leisha Clayton, an exercise physiologist at Independence Health’s Well-Being Center, said the key to recovering from any of the races over Pittsburgh Marathon weekend is listening to your body.

It can take two or three weeks to fully recover, she said.

“It’s OK to go home and rest and take a few days off,” Clayton said. “You don’t need to be up and doing a bunch of things the next day.”

However, she emphasized the importance of active recovery — including stretching or walking.

“Don’t go sit on the couch,” Clayton said of the time period after the race and the next few days. “Don’t go lay down on the floor.”

Especially for people who ran the full marathon, Clayton said runners should wait about two weeks before trying any type of strength training again and opt for light walks instead.

“Your muscles are already tired, so you don’t want to over train them,” she said.

Everyone will feel fatigue for three to four days, as well as soreness, muscle tightness and a low energy level, she said.

“This is your important time to get lots of carbs, fruits, water, protein to heal your body properly,” Clayton said.

Additionally, hydrating, getting proper sleep, stretching and letting your body decompress are also important, she said.

This can help ensure there are no injuries later in life, according to Clayton.

Swimming is also a good activity to help in the recovery process, Clayton said, as well as compression gear to help blood flow.

Many people like to schedule massages after a big race, but she said athletes should wait to schedule them until after at least a week to let their muscles heal and avoid immediate manipulation.

“If you run 26 miles, you should rest for 26 days — it’s a rule of thumb,” she said.