Running Disney

[mickeyndvcfan]

Love it Roz..thanks for sharing.

[nono]

OK, I got up early today and wrote up my training plan all the way through the winter.

The Porncess will be my "warm up" for my favorite Ocean Drive 10 miler the last Sunday in March. It'll be a busy month.

[withdisneyspirit]

Gail, there is almost nothing I would be more proud of than inspiring someone else to take up exercise of any type!!!

I am not Armstronged out and I think that is a fabulous quote! He had every reason to give up and every reason not to! He made the right choice and will always be a role model for me as a consequence!!

Nono, you crack me up using 13.1 miles as a training run for a ten miler

[PoohsPal]

Yikes, where does teh time go? Home PC fried last week. I really want ot do my race report justice and hope to get it up tonight. (Taking lT home and hoping ot fix PC)

Wanted to wish Rozzie good luck at ToT. Have a great time!!!

[nono]

Patiently waiting on Carrie's report...

[PoohsPal]

It's coming....

Well for a race that’s only in its 5th year, has 3,000 entrants and is on the same day as many other big races, the Grand Rapids Marathon goes into PR Big Time! As you can see, they had a very fun theme for this year.





We went to the expo Saturday and were impressed.



They had some great stuff from the vendors, and I picked up the cutes long sleeved tech shirt with an oval on it that said iRun 26.2. Our race packets were great and we got a ton of free stuff, including really nice socks with the race logo. We got a race poster too.



They did their pace groups a little different. It was all by stars. There was a Penguin Brigade at 4:44. What do you know? That’s a 2:22 half. That’s would be my PR.

[PoohsPal]

We left, just as the kids were starting to get ready for their marathon. (They run 25 on their own and finish the last 1.2 at the race. They got medals like ours and even the bagels and fruit and stuff.



They even lowered the start/finish line for them! Too cute!

I don’t know why, but we were both feeling like it was a big race. Maybe the expo or something. We were way too nervous for a local half, though. Sleep was just like at WDW. WTH?

So, finally it was time to go. It was a little chilly, but that's great for me. I told Scott about my dream pace of 10:45, which Craig had reinforced in my brain, but had been lingering in the back of my mind too. My current PR was 10:50.

We get there and it was a decent crowd.


]

We lined up between the Penguin Brigade and Al Gores’ Unfortunate Pace Group (4:58)

We never heard the National Anthem or go or anything, but eventually, we started to move. It was crowded and we started slower then usual, but picked it up ok. Here’s the big city skyline, lol.




Was feeling pretty good. At mile 4, I was a minute ahead, averaging 10:30. :O Scott asked if we were going to go for a 10:40 pace. I laughed. From 5 to 6, all downhill and pace was low 10s. :-O Scott needed a potty stop at 10 and kept apologizing. OMG. He wanted me to keep running and he'd give me a bottle and try to catch up. No way.

So, I did walk while he stopped. Adjusted clothing and such, stretched. Took some pix of the park. No biggie.

[PoohsPal]

He caught me and pace was bad (11:30ish), but that's life. Next mile I had to Gu (and that makes me slow) and we had a big uphill. So, better, but not great. ~10:45. Still, it's now mile 8 and we're ahead by 1:40. Ave pace about 10:35. :O Scott had set that as an evaluation point. We were doing awesome and on the prettiest part of the course. Bike path through the woods, next to the river.

Right about then a girl passed us. We chatted with her a bit and she moved on. Then, she was at the side of the road with a calf cramp. She said she was ok. Mile 9 was back to about 10:25. Woo hoo!!!! Just before 10 there was a spot in the path where roots had pushed up the asphalt. I saw it and thought I stepped over. Obviously, my legs and brain were no longer in sync, as I hit. Thought I'd caught myself but then just flew. Don't know how that happened but Scott saw it too. All I could think as I was going down was how I dreaded hitting and wondered how a WISH friend has taken a fall like this and finished a full. I landed with a whoosh as al the air left my lungs. I was telling Scott I'd be ok as soon as I could breathe again. The girl we had talked to made sure I was ok. Scott made me get up right away. Good thing, as I may have laid there and wallowed forever. A guy offered me Advil. Another woman asked if I was ok and what happened, as I was walking and trying to breathe again. I told her and she told me I have to pick my feet up. (Did I mention I thought I had? Thought that was a bit snotty.)

So, after I was almost back to breathing normal, I made myself run. I had a bad mile, obviously, and was really bummed. My left knee hurt and, the heels of my hand hurt. I just kept thinking how my WISH friend always gets back. Then, just after I start up again, there are some inspirational signs from the store where I bought my fun new shirt at the expo. Very cool.

So, I turn the corner and there’s an overpass we go under. They have huge speakers under it that just start booming. What? Rocky! OMG. I know that was put there for me. I start flying. The girl who sold me my shirt is high 5-ing me before the over pass. I was careful not to use my whole hand but that was too cool. We had an uphill I was dreading, but lots of fans. All I could think was that I was gonna' try to get back on track for my friends who don't give up.

So, I'm flying. Get up the hill and pace was coming back. Pass the guy who offered me Advil and he was so kind. Very happy to see that I was doing ok. Small downhill then up again and I was back to 10:15 for the half mile (10 to 10.5, I think). So, Scott looks at me and reminded me that we PR'd our 1st marathon when I fell. He's now telling me that next time I start running poorly, he's going to push me down. Nice. lol.

I just kept picking up steam from there, even though I was getting tired. I was back to low 10s for the last mile. About a block before the finish, the Penguin Brigade catches us. I was afraid that meant I was slow, but knew they had to be fast. Then a couple people pass and tell the others to come up (in front of us). She says they’ll slow down when the others get up there. Grrr… So, there’s now a line of 4 that have passed me and slowed down right before the finish. How rude!!!! So, I put on the gas. Don’ tick me off when I’ve been through what I have, but it hurts me to have an angry attitude towards Penguins, even though it was just a pace group and was not sanctioned by the Penguin or anything.

So, low 9s for the last 0.2. :O :O Forgive me for being vain, but I am so proud of myself for not using it as an excuse to give up. That would be my style. I think it's one of my biggest personal victories, as well as smashing the heck out of my PR.

Garmin: 2:19, 10:30 pace. OMG
Chip: 2:19:10, 10:35.5 pace. Not as good, but still blew away my PR pace by almost 15 sec and my “dream pace” by almost 10!!!

Monday was rough, as I was feeling the brunt of my fall, btu much better now. My knee only hurts to touch. It run fine!

[PoohsPal]

lol and nono thgouth she was wordy!

Where to start. Looks like a peacok farm aroudn here!!! I'll go alphabetical.

Gail - OMG, I am so proud of an happy fo ryou. WISH you could see my face! Just beaming. Everyone has given you good advice and you have a grat attitude, but I gfelel compelled to share what's on teh bakc o four WISH shirts.: DLF>DNF>>DNS Dead Last FInish is better than Did Not FInish, Which greatly trumps DiD Not Start. You rock!!!!!!

Lisa - OMG, a 10-miler. That is always a huge threashold for me. Great job, especially fo rstartign in the pm adn rain. BTW, you know from last tiem that each tiem you complete a step you will become more and more confident that you can make the next step. Can't wait to hear, espcially when you hit 14.

nono - OMG, that is FABULOUS!!! I am so thrilled for you. Your report seemed so much liek how I felt. I had my dream pace (which shoudl have been my "peacock" pace, but thought it would take a small miracle. I got a huge miracle. You are awesome!!!

Rozzie - WOo hoo!!! I'm guessign I missed you and you are at WDW. Great news on teh race adn great news on doing 2010 with Scott!!! I(r will you be going f roteh mickey?) BTW, with the paces you've been running, a 2:30 half is COMPLETELY in reach. You said how we each have our own ourney very well though!

OK, looks liek my home PC is going again. Now to try to get some ifo to write teh article I promised Tim.

[mickeyndvcfan]

OMG Carrie....so glad you are alright after your fall. And you go right ahead and be proud of yourself. We have all earned the right to be proud of ourselves. It was a busy weekend for Team Peacock.