We Did it!We BOTH did it!
We are marathoners!
Who knew 9 months ago that we could complete this challenge? Did we even know?
Hmmm ....
Well, we BELIEVED!
Signing up took more courage then anything else. Making a commitment to change our lives. not a whim - but something i was actually going to MAKE happen. It was scary. It was awesome. We took the first step. We signed up. After that ... it was one foot in front of the other. There were good weeks, there were bad. But we did not give up! Many times it would have been easy to call it quits. He's injured. She's injured. It is late. Too cold. Too hot. We can't find a babysitter. (sounding like a Nike commercial?) Running a marathon is a MENTAL exercise as much as physical. You need to believe in yourself and climb back out of the hole of self doubt we all slip into now and again. Everyone has bad weeks, bad months, but you can't let that be an excuse! It happens to everyone!
This is where our amazing team came in. Team AllEars provided more support then we ever could have imagined. I thought - oh fun! We will not only make the commitment to ourselves but to help raise money for an important cause with a bunch of other crazy WDW folk like ourselves. But to commit to a team, well this took courage too ... to make a commitment to someone other then ourselves. Other people were now counting on us too. But joining this team GAVE me courage. Anyone who wants to take on a new challenge should find a support group - it makes SUCH a difference! We had new runners, experienced runners, those trying to lose weight, those looking to gain strength. We shared from our hearts. We laughed together. When you have not run in 6 days and are feeling like a slug and sinking into that hole of self doubt - there is someone else there to sympathize, and a whole team to help you climb back out. I had no idea how meaningful this would be. And when someone else was down, I was able to be part of the "pick me up" team. To give support. Humans are pack animals - we are not meant to be alone. So why run alone? And I mean emotionally and mentally, not physically. THANK YOU TEAM ALLEARS!
All the trials and tribulations of training for this race presented themselves during the race.
Let's start with:
TIRED: We meant to get to bed by 8 pm, got to bed at 10 pm - standard problem and here it was again!
TOO LATE: It is hard to get out of bed when the alarm goes off - just one more snooze?
COLD: 28 degrees in Florida! Are you kidding me? We ran out to buy bargain sleeping bags at Walmart to keep ourselves warm for the hour and a half we were hanging around outside before the race.
TOO EARLY: did I mention we had to wake up at 2:15 AM? the race began at 5:40. Luckily once we arrived the adrenaline was running high and we forgot all about how early it was .... wish that worked for the cold too but it didn't .. we were shivering :)
ADRENALINE: The prerace area is buzzing with activity. Nervous tension. EXCITEMENT. Everyone is pumped
BONDING: People huddling to warm themselves around the light generators.
ONE WITH NATURE: portapotty lines too long .. no potties on my long runs anyway and at least here it was dark!
KABOOM! Fireworks! - well, this was new addition!
STIFF: we are cold, muscles are tight, it always takes a few miles to warm up anyway - this is standard. The first 3 miles always stink - glad I finally made the leap to go beyond 3 miles - that is when the enjoyment begins!
FRUSTRATION: my Garmin didn't start at the start. Had to fiddle with it in the dark. As we warmed up had to shed clothes. This was a little awkward.
HUNGRY: earlier then usual during my runs - I think the funny hour confused my metabolism.
LIVING: this is what life is all about. Finding your pace, Doing something you never thought you could. Being somewhere you never thought you would be. Sharing it with 17,000+ of your closest strangers each one as crazy as yourself!
INSPIRATION: Harry Hoffman. What can I say? Marathons in all 50 states. 178 marathons in the last 15 years and he is 69! You could set your pace on him - steadyyyyy, steady as a rock! ba boom!
ICE: In Florida? Watch out at those water stops! - thank goodness they were spreading sand.
MIRACLES: We made it the MK at mile 9 and Josh's leg was feeling great. Totally unexpected. He was still in this thing! Woo Hoo! No monorail ride to Epcot for him!
FEAR: mile 10 my ITB started to bother me - could I do this? How far a walk would it be from here? aaaaah! nooooo! I wanted to RUN this thing!
RESILIENCE: I quickly tried all the tricks my physical therapist recommended. Speed intervals, slower pace, faster pace, running on the grass, staying in the middle of the road, trying different sides of the road.
SURPRISE: hearing our names called from the side lines. Jorge! Thanks buddy - I REALLY needed that :)
DEFEAT: mile 13.5 my ITB hit that sharp shooting unable to run level of pain. I could not continue to run.
DETERMINATION: I could not run but I could walk!
PAIN: I never had a blister before in all my training - why now? It is only mile 16!
LAUGHTER: there were great shirts, great signs, great costumes and some humorous entertainers along the route.
IMPOSTER: my favorite running shirt is my Princess Half Marathon 2009 shirt - which I didn't run. Although we were walking at this point we did "run" when we saw the cameras :) Gotta make it look good you know!
FAMILY: there they all were at mile 23. The kids running out to greet us.
TEARS: We are both saps .... the kids, the finish close ahead ...
TEAM: Deb Wills, the inspiration of our team, just as we entered Epcot - what a moment! I was slipping into fatigue, feeling really sore and there was my team - always there to bring me back up out of the hole of self doubt! You are amazing Deb!
OLD FRIENDSHIPS: JP, Jen and Nicole there to take our pictures, cheer us on, came all the way down to Florida for this moment. Love you guys!
NEW FRIENDSHIPS: Amanda and Jorge at Spaceship Earth. Love you guys too!
LOVE: me and my hubby, my inspiration, my teammate, my soulmate, holding hands as we approach the finish (getting teary eyed just writing this)
ACCOMPLISHMENT: We did it! We are marathoners.
Everyone one should experience this in their lives. It doesn't have to be a marathon. It could be a 10k, a half, a triathalon, a bike ride, a walk. But make a commitment to yourself, to a team, to life and living it to the fullest.
