In the wee morning hours on Thursday, Tricia and I made our way to the airport with one thought on our minds....SUNSHINE! We were both sick of the cold and looking forward to a change of scenery. That's just what we found when we landed in Orlando. In fact, one of the first things we did when we arrived at our hotel was change into our swimsuits and head to the pool!
(You can hate me now.....)
After lounging at the pool for a few hours we went for a beautiful run at dusk around the little "lake" at our resort. It was one of those moments where you say "this is what a vacation is supposed to feel like".
That pretty much wraps up the Thursday activities.
Friday was EXPO day! I love going to the Disney expo, because like all things Disney, even the expo is fun. There is so much to see and do that it's almost too much! I love walking around checking out all the cool running gadgets that I can't afford (but love to dream about)-LOL!
The expo floor.
I think I can beat this kid...
Um.....I think I might have smiled at the finish line....but notsomuch after that!
Enough said.
Friday afternoon was the TNT pasta party at Epcot. This is always such an inspiring time. After you leave the pasta party you feel pumped up & ready to go run your marathon!
Tricia and I at the entrance of the pasta party.
The food line...my big sis didn't miss a single Kodak moment (I have no idea what was so funny).
My "peeps" Jodi and Susan :-)
OK...here is where you look away if you are a law-abiding citizen. Because what we did next may have been a little...well, "sneaky". You see, the pasta party is at Epcot, but we don't technically get to go to Epcot (the party is just at a building on the Epcot property). Sooooooooo, we sort of had to.....
...be a little sneaky ;-)
So there we were, "criminals" in the middle of Epcot (saving ourselves $74), making our way toward the giant "ball" for another photo opportunity.
I'm a little slow on the hand placement technique.
We spent all evening at Epcot, and stayed until the fireworks started.
Tricia is going to be so mad at me for putting this picture on my blog!
Yes....we do think we are cute ;-)
Um...sweetie, I don't think you are supposed to climb on the viking boat. Although, who am I to talk? I'm the one who talked you into sneaking past security to get into this place!
Oh my! I think I really need to visit Italy some day :-).
What a pretty sunset.
I could feel those fireworks behind me!!
***********************************
OK....Let's move on to Sunday - race day!
The night....um, I mean morning started at 2:15 am, when I rolled out of bed to get ready for the big event! At Disney you have to catch buses to the start line around 3:00 am (whee!). The race starts at 6:00 am, but the buses quit running at 4:00 am - so you have to be at the bus stops early if you want to make it to the start line. Tricia was very skeptical about the necessity of this insane middle-of-the-night ritual, but she went along with it (like she had a choice). This year it was more fun watching all the first time Disney goers moan and groan about our 4:00 am coral line up. I didn't take as many pictures this year, but Tricia got plenty of 4:00 am video footage.
The TNT Disney gang!
Tricia with her sharpie sign.
At the start line!
Entering Magic Kingdom. How do you like my new little running skirt? I feel so...girly ;-)
My "fan club" :-). Let me just say that I LOVED having my sister there with me this year. It really is so motivating to know that you have someone out there cheering just for you. Thanks, sis....you're the best!
*After this point I have very few pictures. By mile 18 I started feeling really, really sick to my stomach. I had not felt 100% all day, but after mile 18 things went down hill quickly! I had trouble breathing at one point & freaked poor Jodi and Susan out pretty good. After that episode everything felt like a struggle. I couldn't get into a groove, my i-pod broke, my stomach started to cramp, and each mile began to feel longer and L-O-N-G-E-R!
By mile 22 I realized that it was taking me much longer to complete each mile & I was not going to PR. That's when I decided to stop and just walk for a little while. I even stopped and asked a volunteer to dump a bottled water over my head. I could feel myself slowly shutting down & I knew I needed to get to the finish line soon. In retrospect, I should have stopped at a med tent at that point, but being the stubborn brat that I am I refused to do that, because I knew they would probably make me stop. I wasn't going to let that happen! I had made it to mile 23 & and dang it....I was going to finish this dumb thing!
So, I basically ran slowly when I could and stopped and walked when I felt the urge to puke! Yep, no glorious finish here....no heroic thoughts, deep insights, or surge of energy at the end of this race! I did however pass by these two characters at mile 24 & I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to get these pictures to show Chandler. So with my last ounce of energy, I found the will to crack a few smiles for these pictures....
MR. INCREDIBLE!
POWER RANGERS!
After these pictures it was 2.2 agonizing miles to the finish line...and I'm happy to report that I MADE IT! That's about all I can say about my marathon finish this year...I FINISHED!
Now that I'm a few days out from the race & I've had the opportunity to reflect on this race, I will say this...I am so blessed! I really am. I got to do something that many people would LOVE to do, but are unable to do either because of health related issues, or they do not have the time and resources to take on this sort of endeavor. I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful family & a husband that has sacrificed months of Saturday mornings so that I could train on the weekends. Without that kind of support I would NEVER be able to do any of this.
I feel slightly guilty for being such a brat about the whole marathon experience this year...but I've allowed myself to "mourn the loss of my expectations" & I've moved on now. It's never fun to feel like you fell short of your goal, but in the end I can still say I have this marathon experience under my belt now. Each marathon does teach you something...and this one taught me patience. Patience with myself, my body, my stage in life, and my abilities as an endurance athlete.
In the end I think this was a great learning experience for me. This probably put me back in my place and has taught me the value of "respecting the distance" of a marathon. Sometimes 26 miles doesn't sound like that much....until you get out there to run it! One thing is for sure....26.2 miles will show you what you are made of!
I've had a LOT of people ask me why I want to do these marathons if I can't finish them in a "decent/slightly competitive" time frame (you can imagine how much I love such inquiries...sigh). I know I lot of people don't understand why I do this to myself for a 5:39 finish time. To that I've learned to say "you just don't understand". I guess I don't know how to answer that question for others. I'm not sure what they are looking for when they ask that. I guess for some people, finishing a marathon in OVER five hours would be humiliating...but I suppose I don't feel like I've got anything to prove-LOL!
At the end of the day I am left with this...I LOVE what I'm doing. I can't expect everyone to understand, and I'm not going to try anymore. I'm also not going to answer the infamous question "so what was your time?" anymore either. I'm not ashamed of my finish...I'm freaking proud of it! BUT, I don't feel like I've got to prove anything either. I am what I am (a slow marathoner)& you either get it or you don't. I'm sure I'll have better marathons than this one...but even if I don't I'll shuffle on and enjoy the ride!
12 comments:
What a fun looking memory for you and your Sis! I'm so glad Tricia got to go with you!!!
Thanks for sharing all your fun times on here. I think 5 hours is phenomenal! Course I wouldn't have finished it in 10, so I think just going 26.2 miles on foot is a pretty amazing feat!
Aww, thanks Karen :-). But....seriously, you could do 26.2 if you really wanted to (and, NO... it wouldn't take you 10 hours!). Thanks for thinking my 5+ finish was "phenomenal" - I love you!
hee hee....then I guess I really don't WANT to. It seems entirely impossible...
That's OK...Not many people WANT to run a marathon. You have to be slightly on the crazy side to do this to your body.
I'm proof that some days it's fun & other days it's... notsomuch. It's on the "not so fun" days that I have this epiphany that I've probably lost my mind for good-LOL!
You rock Amber. The success is in the journey.
Thanks, Faith :-)
Yep....it's the "journey" that I'm more proud of than the actual race. It took me 18 weeks of training runs to prepare for this marathon & THAT is what I'm most proud of. What happens on marathon day is just one slice of the whole picture :-).
Amber- I am so glad that we got to run this marathon AGAIN! It was such a great weekend. Yes...you totally freaked me out when you became out of breath and at the end when we took you to the med tent. I guess you were just paying me back for last year huh?? You know...it is about the journey... the people we are helping as we raise funds and train for these events and for the wonderful friendships we make along the way. If we can't run a 4 hour race or even a 5 hour race... that is ok...because our race is short compared to the race for life the patients are faced with...theirs goes on for a lifetime. So what you have done in 5:30 or whatever time it is... is better than nothing at all. It is a little piece to the big picture! We will get there...NIKE here we come! :-) And many more 1/2's !!
Love ya !!!
Jodi
Jodi-
This was a really fun trip for me too...nice and relaxed :-).
I'll be the first to admit that I think I get more out of the friendships I've made along the way than the actual marathon experience. While I'm very proud of my two marathons, I am equally as proud of the $$$ I have helped raise for LLS. It's no easy feat to raise almost $4,000 boot-blocking and bead selling (and begging friends and family)!!
You can't do what we are doing and NOT remember how blessed you are. I've had so many moments during training and fundraising where I felt overwhelmed by the beauty and generosity of the world around me. It's what makes me say "We REALLY ARE created in the image of God! I truly believe that apart from God no one would have the desire to do what we are doing.
When I hear people talk about the "strength of the human spirit" I think of the examples I have seen as part of my work with TNT. I think when I'm at the end of this life I'll still remember the little boy with the bald head holding up the sign that says "You did it for ME...thank you TNT" at the finish line of my first marathon. Talk about perspective!
Yep, I may never run a 4 hour marathon...but I'll always love how it is I came to love this crazy sport. It's something very special to me because I feel like this experience has changed me for life. I'll never see the world quite the same as I did before. I'll never underestimate the things people are capable of doing when they feel moved to act upon the desires God places on their hearts.
I googled "patriarch and beth moore" and you popped up. Would you happen to have the book still and could give me the missing names for the geneaology in the front? I know it is crazy, but many of us missed the names b/c we couldn't see the screen-- long story. I would really appreciate it.
BTW, way to go on the marathon. I've watched my husband run. I don't run. You go girl!
Hello, Mamabug!
I feel so "honored" that my blog popped up on your google search- he he! I do have the geneology of Abraham in my Patriarchs book if you still need it. I'm trying to figure out a way I can tell you what you need to know though. Maybe you could tell me the blanks you are missing (you could give me the name above the empty blank I guess)& I'll tell you what I have in my book.
*Don't you just love this modern day of computers where complete strangers can share Beth Moore study information- :-)
Congratulations on the marathon! By the way, I LOVE the picture of Tricia that you are sure she will be upset about. It helps me not wonder where Z gets all the expressions he has on his face! :?)
Why would I be upset about the pictures of me? I think they are hilarious!
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