Training, what training?! Still, I felt with some determination that I could finish...and that was my only goal after all. So on January 5, 2012, Chad and I headed to the most magical place on earth to partake in the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. We ran the 5k fun run and 1/2 marathon. We were registered to complete the 5k on Friday morning and the half on Saturday morning. The full marathon was held on Sunday.
The 5k fun run was themed with Los Tres Caballeros (or The Three Caballeros). Los Tres Caballeros is one of my favorite Disney cartoons. Don't ask me why, it just is. Earning my fifth Disney medal was awesome. The vibe of the race was a bit more competitive though. I chalked this up to it being the Marathon weekend. A lot of serious runners were there and ran the 5k as an easy run. They were a bit more rude and not as into the fun of it all, but I didn't let that bring my spirits down.
The weather that weekend was pretty cold, well for Florida. I didn't remove my gloves or jacket once during the entire 5k. But the weather was great for running. I'd rather be a little too cold than too hot any day.
WARNING: I don't recommend doing a half-marathon with little training. It is really stupid to do so. I think people don't realize how long 13.1 miles actually is. I've sat at home on countless occasions watching the contestants on The Biggest Loser complete half and full marathons. So logically one thinks, if they can do it, I CAN DEFINITELY do it! Yes, you can...but train! I highly recommend Jeff Galloway's run-walk-run method. We did our own variation of this throughout the 5k and Half races and it worked really well for us. We used landmarks instead of time for our intervals, but it worked great for us.
Saturday morning, the weather was a tad warmer, but not by much. Despite the cold, I was determined to finish this race. I learned a lot about myself that day. I learned that with some dedication and mind over matter will power, I could complete something that I never would have dreamt to be possible. And it felt amazing. Crossing the finish line with my husband was indescribable. Sure, we had our struggles along the way, but somehow we overcame them. Instead of worrying about finishing the race, I set mini-goals for each mile marker. I envisioned myself passing each mile marker and then the next, etc. Getting to Cinderella's Castle in Magic Kingdom was pretty awesome! We had to stop for a pic, albeit a heinous one. It was a big feat.
I'll never get tired of running through Cinderella's Castle. And it's even better when you can do it with someone you love, like The Hubs.
Before I knew it, we were on mile 11. Mile 11 is where I had to quit during my first half-marathon attempt because of an injury. But once we got there, I knew we could make it. Despite the ridiculously steep ramp at Mile 11, I kept going even though I wanted to die! (I can't look at an interstate ramp in quite the same way anymore.) And sure enough, during mile 12, I got an amazing rush of adrenaline and ran most of that last mile. We could hear the cheers and finally we saw the finish line! Since we weren't worried about time, just finishing and getting that sweet medal, we stopped to snap a pic with Donald and Mickey.
After finishing the WDW 1/2, I couldn't wait to train for the Princess 1/2 at the end of February. I felt a little sore the day after, but overall I felt surprisingly great. I was so excited that I decided that Chad, Mom, and I would dress up. At the Disney races, a lot of people come in costume. Sometimes they just don't tutus, but some go all out. I ordered pageant sashes and tutus for Mom and myself. But life again got in the way. Bronchitis and house renovations, anything not to train and then the race was upon us.
It's dumb to not train for one half-marathon and even dumber not to train for two. I was worried, but had better hopes because I knew what I could do. It was equally as fun. We completed the Tangled 5K which was a great easy run and a nice way to start a Saturday and the weekend. The Tangled 5k medal is my seventh RunDisney medal. :)
Oh how I love a step and repeat!
The Princess Half was a lot of fun. I did sprain an ankle thanks to an unpleasant runner who nudged me out of the way. Seriously. I even have the bruise to show it.
Despite all that, the race is over...no photo finishes though...bad weather. And it's shown me again that I can do anything I set my mind to do. I am going to train...and write about all the training here, to keep me honest...and next time, I will shave time off. We'll set goals that are realistic and move on from there. But for now, I'll enjoy being a Princess and the eight race medals that I earned from RunDisney this year.
Half marathons are HARD! I'm so proud of you for finishing! Just think of it this way: How many people can say they've done that? YOU can! Woot! I keep thinking of getting back into running, but biking and skiing are really more my things...still, I say anything that helps you set goals, have fun and feel good about yourself is worth doing :) Can't wait to hear about the next adventure!
ReplyDeleteSo true Jewels. I really enjoy running. I'll never be "fast" but that's okay with me. It's about setting goals and achieving them. I think part of the issue has been that Chad and I were going to train together and our work schedules are different now. When I first started dabbling in the sport, I ran by myself. I didn't have to wait around for anyone.
ReplyDeleteWe are finally starting to get settled and I need to start focusing on my health again and releasing tension. Running gives me time to think and just be. So that's how I see it. Start with a little everyday and move on from there. :) Thanks for all of the support. Hugs.