Someone out there had this great idea to challenge people to run 12 races in 2011 and keep track of all the bling they received. Since I run races mostly for the bling anyway, that's right up my alley. I signed up already. If you're interested in joining in, here's the link:
http://www.runfortheblingofit.blogspot.com/
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Dec 23, 2010
Dec 17, 2010
Texas Trail 50k Endurance Run
This wasn't a race I had really planned on doing. While I do want to complete the Texas Marathon Challenge this year, my primary focus is still on getting through another Goofy Challenge at Disney. After the problems at San Antonio with my hamstring cramping and then having it start tweaking during my 16-mile long run on the 4th, I was concerned that 50k on trails might not be the best thing to do. I ended up signing up anyway, mostly because I wanted to be able to say I did it and love running in the Huntsville state park, but also because I'd been talking about it with Devin, one of my online running buddies, for a few weeks and would feel bad if I didn't show up.
The night before the race, I decided to skip my usual pre-long run meal of pizza and head out for sushi instead. It worked really well at the Disneyland Half a few months ago, so I figured it would work here too. Throw in breaking some other superstitions about what not to do before a big event, and I had plenty of ready-made excuses in case things didn't go well. Thankfully, the dogs let me sleep most of the night without asking to go out, the alarm went off at 440am, and it was time to get moving. I hadn't driven to Huntsville for a year or so, but Heather told me it took her about an hour and twenty or thirty minutes to get there for her flyball tournaments. I normally leave for my In Flight group long runs at 5 anyway, so I didn't have to change that part of my routine any to get to the race in time to get my packet and relax a bit before the 730 start. As I sped through the darkness along Beltway 8, I still had nagging doubts in the back of my mind about going. I was having trouble getting comfortable with the notion that 50k is a good training run when it'd be just as beneficial to run 18 miles with my training group. I finally told myself "what the hell, it's only one run and if it goes badly, you've got a month to recover," and turned north on I-45.
I pulled into the park shortly after 6. Note to self: it only takes an hour to get to Huntsville before sunrise. I wasn't thrilled with the extra sleep I missed out on, but I had Devin beat. He thought the race started at 630 and was there at 530. Ouch. I wandered into the lodge to pick up my bib and other goodies. We received a nice tech shirt and a pair of plain white cotton gloves. Not sure the gloves were really necessary since it was already 55 degrees out, but they'll make good articles for tracking with Harlow. I spent the next hour resting in my car sipping on Powerade and tinkering with getting my bib pinned on straight. Yes, I'm one of those people who aren't happy unless it's centered and level. Besides, what else was I going to do to kill time? Right after I had the bib on my shirt just the way I like it, I realized that my fuel belt would cut right across the bottom of it once I put the belt on. I moved the bib to my shorts and only took a few tries to be happy with the placement. Progress! I grabbed my bag, stuffed with extra shoes and socks, Clif bars, goo, and sport beans, and wandered off to the start line. I found a tree not too far from the line to drop my bag and started trying to find Devin. We'd never met in person, but he wasn't hard to find. There weren't any other tall guys with Dynamo jerseys to be found. We chatted a bit, joined the other two hundred runners behind the line, and then we were off.
The 50k course is three loops in the park, the first just under 7 miles and the second two just over 12. Neither one of us really had a time goal for the run, so we settled on targeting 12 or 12:30 minutes per mile just to keep us moving along. We decided to go faster on the first loop and then take it easy for the two longer ones. Of course, being trail running, faster is open to interpretation. In this case faster meant about a 10:30 pace without much walking of the uphill sections. The first loop just flew by as we talked about soccer (we're both Dynamo season ticket holders), running Rocky (he's done the 50 several times and is training for the 100, I've done the 50), Goofy, and whatever else came to mind.
When we got back to the turnaround, I hit the porta-potty, stopped by my bag to grab my fuel belt and eat a goo at the aid station, and we set out for the first 12-mile loop. As we entered the woods again, Devin mentioned that he didn't grab a goo because he didn't want the caffeine. Uh oh. I had just eaten half a bag of chomps and hadn't noticed anything about caffeine. After getting the jitters for the last four miles of the 2005 Rock n Roll half in Virginia Beach, I avoid goo with caffeine at all costs. This is not what I needed with 24 miles left to go. After more than a few minutes of panic, I managed to read the bag carefully and find the words "No Caffeine." Whew! I also gave Devin one of my Clif shots since I know they're safe. Side note: that was the last goo I had until munching on some sport beans around mile 27. My body just can't handle that much sickly sweetness during a long trail run. I fueled up with chips, salted potatoes, and pretzels at every aid station instead. The fully stocked aid stations are one of the best things about trail runs. No pizza, soup, or meat loaf this time like we had at Rocky, but they had just about everything else - flat coke, chips, crackers, bananas, M&Ms, trail mix, mixed nuts, and plenty of cold water and sports drink. Plus, the volunteers will help fill your bottles while you eat.
Part way through this loop, we found ourselves leap frogging with Bob Botto and two of his friends Nancy and Lorraine. Bob's a very experienced ultra runner who recently retired from Exxon. He was the head of our corporate track & field team and also sends out really great race reports from all of his events. This was Nancy's first ultra and he was sticking to a pretty tight schedule of walk breaks to make sure she finished it strong. Since Bob tells great stories and because it's always fun to run with a group, we decided to run the rest of the race with them. We'd cruise along at a 10-minute pace until we felt the trail start to incline, at which point we'd walk and talk. And that's how it went for the rest of the day. Some shuffling, some trotting, some walking. Bob told us stories (his recent finish at Comrades and the guy who died during Rocky many years ago and can be seen at night during the 100-miler were two of the favorites), Nancy got excited about being able to call herself "Ultra Nancy," and Devin and I kept the pace up front. Our best accomplishment was getting out for our third loop and off the part of the trail where people were running in both directions without seeing or getting lapped by the leaders. Well, that's not quite true. Our best accomplishment was finishing, but that kind of goes without saying. The last mile went by faster than all the rest. We made the right-hand turn at the nature center, and before we knew it, we were turning left under the powerlines for the last few hundred yards to the finish. In a reflection of how much we enjoyed running together all day, we spread out five abreast as we ran across the line. Once done, we were handed our medals, chose our hoodies, and went off to change. I put on my slides and walked over to meet Bob and Devin behind the lodge where pizza and tortilla soup awaited us. Rather than just sit down on a bench, I decided to dangle my legs in the lake and take advantage of nature's own ice bath. Painfully cold, but definitely well worth it.
I'm always amazed at how effortless endurance running seems when you're doing it with a great group of people. The time and miles on the trails just flew by. I was having such a fun time chatting and joking with everyone that my worries about my hamstring never materialized. Even when I could feel it twitching a little, I never spent time dwelling on it and didn't mention it to the rest of the group. We were all running so strongly that I wasn't going to be the one to slow us all down. Plus, the mental energy I'd waste thinking about it was better spent telling stories, offering encouragement, and driving us all to the finish. The only real problem I had all day was when my Body Glide started to wear off. I noticed the onset of chafing when we had about eight miles left. Rather than stop, I decided to wait for the next aid station that I knew we'd get to in less than a mile. You can imagine my disappointment when they told me they didn't have any Vaseline. I didn't think the band-aids I had with me would do much good, but I lifted up my shirt and stuck them on anyway. I was too sweaty for them to stick well and am not sure how long they stayed in place. I did make it to the end without any bleeding, though, so I'll take that as a victory. Next time, I'll reapply the Body Glide after the second loop. I also was only bitten by one Texas Jumping Root. They're generally nocturnal creatures, but this one was active in the shade and shadows.
One interesting thing to note about my time. My Garmin, which stops counting whenever I stop moving, had my time at 6:13, while my official time is 6:35. That's a lot of time spent at aid stations and restocking from my bag after each of the first two loops.
Oct 9, 2010
10 for Texas
This is the second time I've run this race, and it's definitely one of my favorites. Very well organized, not too big, and a really nice spread at the post-race party. This year, they were handing out beer (Shiner, Tecate, and Heineken), buffalo nachos, breakfast tacos, Chik-Fil-A sandwiches, and tons of other stuff like smoothies that really didn't interest me. If I'm going to replenish my carbs after a race, I'll take a beer over a smoothie any day.
Anyway, it was a really nice day for a race. Started in the high 50s and ended around 70. Perfect Houston fall weather. I felt bad for the people who decided to wear the race shirt during the race. They're long-sleeve Saucony tech shirts, better for running in January than October. By the time they got to the finish, most of them were beet red in the face and looked quite overheated.
My goal for the race was to finish in under 1:30 (9 minute pace). I want to run San Antonio between 4 and 4:15, so this was a good test to see how I could do holding that pace. Turns out I was way too conservative. I ran the first few miles right around 9 minutes, started to pick it up about halfway through, and kicked it in for the last couple miles. I think I would have been better off had I started with 8:50s and moved up slowly from there instead of having the big drops that I did. Good learning experience, and knowing I still had plenty in reserve at the finish makes me feel more confident about San Antonio. Assuming I don't overdo it with the tequila while I'm in Cancun at the end of the month.
Today was the first time I ran in racing flats, courtesy of Brooks, one of our In Flight sponsors. What a different feel they have from my regular running shoes. I could barely feel them on my feet, and while they don't have the same cushioning as my Asics, that didn't seem to matter. Not sure I'd want to do 26.2 in them, but a half certainly wouldn't be a problem.
Anyway, it was a really nice day for a race. Started in the high 50s and ended around 70. Perfect Houston fall weather. I felt bad for the people who decided to wear the race shirt during the race. They're long-sleeve Saucony tech shirts, better for running in January than October. By the time they got to the finish, most of them were beet red in the face and looked quite overheated.
My goal for the race was to finish in under 1:30 (9 minute pace). I want to run San Antonio between 4 and 4:15, so this was a good test to see how I could do holding that pace. Turns out I was way too conservative. I ran the first few miles right around 9 minutes, started to pick it up about halfway through, and kicked it in for the last couple miles. I think I would have been better off had I started with 8:50s and moved up slowly from there instead of having the big drops that I did. Good learning experience, and knowing I still had plenty in reserve at the finish makes me feel more confident about San Antonio. Assuming I don't overdo it with the tequila while I'm in Cancun at the end of the month.
Today was the first time I ran in racing flats, courtesy of Brooks, one of our In Flight sponsors. What a different feel they have from my regular running shoes. I could barely feel them on my feet, and while they don't have the same cushioning as my Asics, that didn't seem to matter. Not sure I'd want to do 26.2 in them, but a half certainly wouldn't be a problem.
Sep 8, 2010
Disneyland Half Report
What a great weekend vacation! Running a half marathon isn't exactly most people's idea of a vacation, but that was only part of what we did. Enjoying the beautiful weather, riding the rides at Disneyland, eating and drinking well, and seeing an old high school friend all made up the rest of our time in LA. The trip didn't start out very well though. We were flying on US Air, and we learned very quickly why our first class seats with them cost the same amount of miles as coach on Continental – lousy service and old planes. The flight attendant was beyond lousy. No drinks before we took off, only one in the air during a flight of about two and a half hours, and a bag of chips or a package of crackers to eat. Definitely a far cry from the excellent service Continental provides. Our short, 50-minute flight from Phoenix to Orange County was much better. That flight attendant was on top of her game and gave us wonderful service.
As an aside, the Orange County airport is quite a nice place. One of the prettier airports I've ever been in. From the hand-rolled tissues behind the faucets in the restroom to the eight separate security lines and x-ray machines (I'd never seen TSA screeners with an empty line), you can definitely tell it sees some high dollar travelers.
Saturday, we got up and went off to pick up our race packets. Tried to take advantage of the free shuttles running from the hotel to Disneyland, but when a bus the size of a car rental shuttle showed up to get the 30 people waiting it line, we decided to drive instead. Packet pickup was a breeze. We were done in less than 10 minutes, including separate stops to get bibs and then shirt/goodie bag. We stuck around longer to do some shopping and eventually left with a new pair of Asics, two pairs of flip-flops, two pairs of post-run slides, and some Sweaty Bands for Heather.
Lunch was at the Mexican place in Downtown Disney. Our waiter knew we were from out of town because we were the only people sitting outside. Apparently, 85 and sunny is too hot for the locals.
Saturday night, we drove up to Little Tokyo to have dinner with one of my good friends from high school, James Richards, and his wife Linda. We've been in email contact for a while, but hadn't seen each other in 15-20 years, and it was great to meet her and catch up with him. Lots of good conversation about yoga, LA, and our life as expats in Russia. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we had to get back to the hotel to rest up before that pesky race the next morning.
Race day started out great, aside from the 345am alarm part. A bus showed up right when we stepped outside the hotel doors, so we were plenty early for the start. Even after walking to bag drop, hitting the porta-potties, and sitting around waiting for the corrals to open, we had 30 minutes to kill before the race started once we got in our corrals. I sat on the curb and watched all the bemused faces of people reacting to my costume. Thankfully there weren't any Marys there ready to unload on me for daring to be so frivolous while they were racing.
 |
| On our way to the corrals |
 |
Unfortunately, I missed out on the one I really wanted. The line for the Star Wars stormtroopers was about 15-20 people long when I went by. That was too much time to stop so early in the race. I made do with waving at them with my wand and continuing on my way, enjoying all the sights, sounds, and cast members out there cheering us on. One thing Disney does right is getting hundreds of their employees out there all the way along in the parks.
Once we left Disneyland, we had four miles through the streets of Anaheim to slog along before we got to the next attraction, the Angels' baseball stadium. Disney did the best they could to get lots of local high school and middle school cheerleaders and bands out there to keep us entertained. I had a blast interacting with them. There's something about a crazy guy running with a pink tutu and a blue wig that makes those young girls go frantic with squealing and shrieking and laughing, and I totally fed off their energy. My pace picked up 20-30 seconds per mile while I was going past them slapping high fives and smiling for their parents' cameras.
Without any characters to stop and take pictures with, my focus ended up back on my running, and I gradually found myself out for more than just a fun run. I knew I'd never break two hours after stopping for pictures in the parks, but I couldn't stop myself from trying to get close. Steve was right. This was a long way to go for just a training run. I didn't go all out. I settled into a comfortable 9:15-9:20 pace and just cruised along.
Running through the stadium was one of the coolest things I've done during a race. Coming down the tunnel, you could hear a dull roar in front of you, and once you entered the outfield, Wham! You got nailed by this huge wall of sound from all the people in the stands. The team's announcer was calling out people's names and numbers as they came in, and when you rounded the area behind home plate, you looked up to see yourself on the Jumbotron! What a great experience.
 |
| The other Jumbotron celebrating the runners |
There wasn't much to see on the way back to the park. There were some wonderful Mexican dancers in traditional dress, several more groups of cheerleaders and bands, and even a troop or two of Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, but that's about it. The only real excitement for me came right after mile 11 going through the tunnel under the highway. I saw a guy dressed like Elvis up in front of me, and I told myself that there was no way he was going to beat me. At least I thought I said it to myself until the guy next to me said "there's no way I'm getting beat by you!"
That wasn't the only time I was told I was a target for people. Just past mile 12, a guy came up to me and said his friends had been chasing me for four miles. At that point, they were about 100 feet in front of me, so I told him I was going to try to chase them down. He told me to dig deep and go for it, and off I went. I missed catching them by about 30 feet, probably because I hammed it up for the crowd in the bleachers during the last few tenths of a mile finishing chute. I finished in 2:07, not bad for a guy who stopped to take several pictures and ran the whole way in a princess costume. Even Mary might let me get away with that.
 |
| Gotta like a ribbon that matches your hair |
 |
| They had better tiaras, I had better hair |
 |
| Heather's wig fell off after a few miles |
I even got to meet up with a few friends from one of the Disney online communities after the race.
After a shower and Heather's nap, we went back to the park for margaritas and lunch. I wish some place around here offered up California-Mex instead Tex-Mex. The green cilantro rice was to die for, and Heather loved the vegetarian black beans that didn't have the pork or fat that they're often cooked with.
 |
| Hydration station |
Properly rehydrated, we spent the rest of the day riding rides and wandering around people watching. After a snack of wine and cheese, it was off to bed and home the next day. It's always really hard to leave such nice weather after a great weekend, made even more so by the rain and thunderstorms that we found waiting for us back in Houston.
Sep 5, 2010
Mickey
Since I didn't get many pictures when I ran Goofy, I'm going to try to take more this weekend. Here's the first one, taken with Mickey on my way in to packet pickup.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sep 3, 2010
Off to Disneyland
We're leaving in a few hours to head to Disneyland for the half marathon on Sunday. I haven't trained for this as race unto itself. Rather, I'm just using it as one more long run on my way to San Antonio this fall. Still, I've done what I can to be prepared. Tutu?
Check. Crown?
Check. Wand?
Check. Looks like I'm ready to go.
Check. Crown?
Check. Wand?
Check. Looks like I'm ready to go.
Jul 17, 2010
Alarm Fail
You'd think after 41 years on this planet, I'd be smart enough to be able to set an alarm clock properly. You'd be wrong. Er, at least you'd be wrong last night. I managed to set mine for 540am instead of 440am, making it a bit difficult to be at my training group's long run by 6. I really wanted to make this one because a) I need to get my miles up before Disney, and b) I wanted to use my discount coupon at Fleet Feet to pick up some new running sunglasses. The cheap pair of Tivolis I bought at a marathon expo last winter have broken twice on me, so instead of getting a third lens for them, I'm going to spend the extra money and get a higher quality pair. Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations?
Jul 6, 2010
Need Some Motivation?
Need any motivation to run, jog, bike, swim, or whatever it is you do? Look no further than this collection of thoughts. Some of them are truly inspiring.
Weight In Vain
Weight In Vain
Jul 5, 2010
Lazy Weekend
It's been a nice and lazy weekend so far. We managed to dodge the rain during our group run yesterday morning, but given all the rain Alex brought us last week, the humidity was still raging. Nothing like getting back to the car and having to wring out my shirt before heading home. I've taken to changing into a dry t-shirt to keep my seatbelt from getting all nasty on the drive home.
Yesterday's other only real activity was dinner at Kiran's, a gourmet Indian restaurant out by the Galleria. We decided to try it because we got a Groupon deal ($50 for $25). The food was good and so was the service, but overall it didn't "wow" us. It was if the chef held back on traditional Indian spiciness and flavor in order to appear more modern and cutting edge. We're going to give it another shot sometime and try some more usual dishes instead of the tasting menu. Stay tuned.
In other thrilling and exciting news, my iPhone 4G is on its way here. It left China on Thursday, made it to Memphis early this morning, and is "in transit to Houston" according to FedEx. I hope to have it on Tuesday so I can try out the upgraded camera and video capabilities at Mark's Inside Sports auditions that night.
Yesterday's other only real activity was dinner at Kiran's, a gourmet Indian restaurant out by the Galleria. We decided to try it because we got a Groupon deal ($50 for $25). The food was good and so was the service, but overall it didn't "wow" us. It was if the chef held back on traditional Indian spiciness and flavor in order to appear more modern and cutting edge. We're going to give it another shot sometime and try some more usual dishes instead of the tasting menu. Stay tuned.
In other thrilling and exciting news, my iPhone 4G is on its way here. It left China on Thursday, made it to Memphis early this morning, and is "in transit to Houston" according to FedEx. I hope to have it on Tuesday so I can try out the upgraded camera and video capabilities at Mark's Inside Sports auditions that night.
Jul 1, 2010
Columbus Ex JWW Course
There weren't very many places where handlers really ran into trouble. Most of the NQs stemmed from dropped bars at #11 when a front cross was late, run-outs at #6 as the handler pushed toward #7 and didn't pul the dog in, and missed weave poles if the dog didn't collect in time to make the entry. There were several big dogs who ran past #20 to spoil a perfect run, which happened when the handler had to move out around the wing of #19 and didn't think to move back in or push the dog back in. The little dogs didn't have this problem since they were generally even with or behind their handler, whereas most of the big dogs were slightly or greatly ahead of their handler. Still, I'll take a 67% Q rate any time I can get it. It's a lot more fun to watch teams really pushing and having fun and success than watching NQ after NQ after NQ.
Jun 6, 2010
Heights Fun Run
A nice 5k to start the training season. It was a bit more humid than anyone really wanted, but that's summer in Houston for you. It's only going to get worse for the next few months. The course isn't the most interesting one in the world, basically a down and back on Heights Blvd., but it's pretty with lots of old trees providing much needed shade.
One neat thing they had was a digital photobooth as part of the post-race activities. I'm glad I was early in line because I imagine their props were pretty gross by the end of the morning.
One neat thing they had was a digital photobooth as part of the post-race activities. I'm glad I was early in line because I imagine their props were pretty gross by the end of the morning.
Apr 3, 2010
Lazy Saturday Run
After a month off, I finally went out running again. I did an easy 3 miles around the lake in the center of the subdivision. I'm not sure my GPS is working right because it has me at a 9:18 pace. I sure felt a lot slower than that. Heather's mom is here visiting for a week, and there are half a dozen Mexican restaurants we want to take her to. Guess I picked the right week to start training again.
Feb 28, 2010
Rodeo Run
Yesterday was the Rodeo Run 10k. I haven't run at all since Harlow arrived, so I was a bit concerned about how I'd do. I knew I didn't want to just run it easy, but I also figured that busting out 8:30 miles probably wasn't going to happen. In the end, the crowd was so big and the course so congested that i couldn't have run 8:30s all the way even if I wanted to. Doesn't anyone teach beginning runners to line up somewhat near where their pace sign is? Or instruct them on how it's polite to move to the side of the course before you stop to walk? I have nothing against people who follow the run/walk philosophy (not really sure it's as critical for a 10k as for a marathon, but still, no problem with people using it), but for the love of god, please get out of the way before you stop. Stopping five minutes into a 13,000-person 10k right in the middle of the road is just asking to be run into, so don't blame the people behind you when it happens. When your watch beeps, take an extra few seconds to move to the right, and then slow down. You'll save everyone, yourself included, a lot of hassle.
Anyway, now that my bitching is done, it's time to talk about my race. I didn't want to waste too much energy weaving in and out of the crowd, so my first few miles were pretty slow. Once we hit the first overpass between mile 2 and 3, people started slowing down and spreading out, and that's where I started to pick it up. I held that pace until we hit the overpasses coming back, and at that point, I figured it was time to start moving. I could feel myself getting tired because I hadn't run recently, but I powered on anyway. I kept thinking about Mary, Ange, and Steve pushing through their races this winter, and while I'm nowhere near their caliber, it was enough motivation to keep me moving and not slowing down. In the end, I ran 55:39, not a great time, but the negative splits are enough to give me some satisfaction. Now it's time to get out there in the mornings again and get ready for the Seabrook Lucky Trail Half in two weeks.
Anyway, now that my bitching is done, it's time to talk about my race. I didn't want to waste too much energy weaving in and out of the crowd, so my first few miles were pretty slow. Once we hit the first overpass between mile 2 and 3, people started slowing down and spreading out, and that's where I started to pick it up. I held that pace until we hit the overpasses coming back, and at that point, I figured it was time to start moving. I could feel myself getting tired because I hadn't run recently, but I powered on anyway. I kept thinking about Mary, Ange, and Steve pushing through their races this winter, and while I'm nowhere near their caliber, it was enough motivation to keep me moving and not slowing down. In the end, I ran 55:39, not a great time, but the negative splits are enough to give me some satisfaction. Now it's time to get out there in the mornings again and get ready for the Seabrook Lucky Trail Half in two weeks.
Feb 17, 2010
Break
Has it really been a month since I wrote anything on here? Wow! It's been a nice break but it hardly seems that long. I guess that's what happens when a new puppy shows up. All sense of time gets totally distorted. It's nice having Harlow around. She's a very cute and energetic puppy and is the easiest puppy to live with that I've ever seen. I'm sure this means she's going to be hell on wheels once she gets older, but I'll take what I can get for now.
Time to get back into training. I'm going to be a coach for the marathon training team again this year, which means I get to attend as much of their other training programs as I want. They've got a program this winter aimed at having people train for and PR in short races. Sounds like a good thing for me to do since running fast has never been a strength of mine. It's not like I haven't been training at all. I did get in a good run during the Hash's Red Dress Run last Saturday. :)
Time to get back into training. I'm going to be a coach for the marathon training team again this year, which means I get to attend as much of their other training programs as I want. They've got a program this winter aimed at having people train for and PR in short races. Sounds like a good thing for me to do since running fast has never been a strength of mine. It's not like I haven't been training at all. I did get in a good run during the Hash's Red Dress Run last Saturday. :)
Jan 19, 2010
Jan 17, 2010
Houston Marathon
A beautiful day for running today! We started at 42 and finished around 50. My day wasn’t quite that perfect. I realized halfway to downtown that I left my Clif Bar breakfast at home. Not a good omen. Then, when I was pulling into my parking space, I heard the crunch of glass and realized I had run over a bottle. All this before 545am. Things did get better. A friend of one of my running buddies had an extra Clif Bar that she brought but since she had never had one before running before, didn’t want to eat. And when I got back to my car at the end, it didn’t look like my tire lost air or had been punctured.
I ended up only doing the half. I could feel a twinge in my left hip flexor as I approached the turnoff at mile 9, and I figured that 40 minutes more running was a better idea than 2 hours and 40 minutes. I stopped by the Hash Mile at mile 11/24 to hang out and wait for some of my friends to come by. 20 minutes later, when they came by, I was off to the finish with them. It felt kind of odd inside the finish area when the volunteers kept insisting on giving me the full medal and the full finisher shirt. They must have thought I looked really good to have just finished in 2.5 hours.
After I finished, I drove back out to mile 24 to wait for my marathon friends. Some of them had asked me to make sure I found them in case they needed help at the end of the race. Jenny and Bianca were the first two to come by, looking strong and well on their way to a sub-4 finish. Shelley was next, was cramping a bit, but had a smile on her face and after running with her for a bit, she said she had it from there. I missed Sandy but saw her fiance Tim. He was doing fine, so that left just Stephanie to come by. She showed up later than expected. She was doing okay, but looked and sounded like she could use some company to get her mind focused again. I ran the rest of the way in with her, which probably sent the timing system haywire when I crossed the line for a second time.
Now that I’ve run two halves and a full in the span of eight days, I’m even more in awe of those crazy people that do a marathon a day for a month or a marathon a week for a year. I probably could have gotten through the full today, but I’m sure it would have more than erased the elation I’m still feeling from Goofy last week. That was the best I’ve ever felt all the way through and after a full, and I still can’t believe it. Today would not have felt nearly as good. The half was definitely the better choice.
Now it’s time for beer, lunch, and a nap.
I ended up only doing the half. I could feel a twinge in my left hip flexor as I approached the turnoff at mile 9, and I figured that 40 minutes more running was a better idea than 2 hours and 40 minutes. I stopped by the Hash Mile at mile 11/24 to hang out and wait for some of my friends to come by. 20 minutes later, when they came by, I was off to the finish with them. It felt kind of odd inside the finish area when the volunteers kept insisting on giving me the full medal and the full finisher shirt. They must have thought I looked really good to have just finished in 2.5 hours.
After I finished, I drove back out to mile 24 to wait for my marathon friends. Some of them had asked me to make sure I found them in case they needed help at the end of the race. Jenny and Bianca were the first two to come by, looking strong and well on their way to a sub-4 finish. Shelley was next, was cramping a bit, but had a smile on her face and after running with her for a bit, she said she had it from there. I missed Sandy but saw her fiance Tim. He was doing fine, so that left just Stephanie to come by. She showed up later than expected. She was doing okay, but looked and sounded like she could use some company to get her mind focused again. I ran the rest of the way in with her, which probably sent the timing system haywire when I crossed the line for a second time.
Now that I’ve run two halves and a full in the span of eight days, I’m even more in awe of those crazy people that do a marathon a day for a month or a marathon a week for a year. I probably could have gotten through the full today, but I’m sure it would have more than erased the elation I’m still feeling from Goofy last week. That was the best I’ve ever felt all the way through and after a full, and I still can’t believe it. Today would not have felt nearly as good. The half was definitely the better choice.
Now it’s time for beer, lunch, and a nap.
Jan 15, 2010
Goofy, Part II
After waking up from my nap on Saturday afternoon, I checked the weather again for what had to be the hundredth time during the weekend. My forecast from Weather Underground was different than Heather’s from the Weather Channel, so I kept vacillating on what to wear for the race on Sunday. Deep down, I really wanted to wear shorts and short sleeves for most of the race. Tights and long sleeves and jackets in Orlando make me feel all bundled up, like I should be out skiing or snow shoeing instead of running. Unfortunately for me, neither of the forecasts was really pointing towards me doing that. An overnight low of 26 coupled with wind in the mid-teens for most of the race didn’t sound like shorts weather. Thankfully, we had reservations for dinner and couldn’t spend any more time obsessing over it.
We went to dinner at the Flying Fish Cafe. It’s one of Disney’s nicer seafood restaurants and was surprisingly good. Overpriced, as all things Disney are, but still quite good. To some, a seafood place might not sound like the ideal pre-marathon food, I just couldn’t handle a second night in a row of Italian. They had two runner-focused dishes that came with pasta or risotto - my swordfish and shrimp came with polenta - so I got my carbs in. Our waiter was hysterical. Heather, not running the next day, was enjoying her martini and moved on to a champagne flight. He asked me if I wanted anything, so I asked for a water flight. He brought me a glass of tap water and then presented me with a fine bottle of the Dasani 2009. A little while later, he fussed at me for mixing my waters and placed a beautiful wine glass on the table for the Dasani. Too funny!
More weather obsessing took place after dinner, much to Heather’s chagrin. I just couldn’t decide between possible combinations of long sleeves and jacket, short sleeves and vest, or both. She finally got exasperated enough that when I asked her to pin on my bib for me, she informed me that I wasn’t allowed to change it once she did. I ended up with the long sleeves and the jacket, and I’m glad I did. Thanks to the wind, it was much cooler during the race than it otherwise would have been. I had my jacket on for most of the race and was glad I did.
Just like Saturday, the alarm went off way too early. I followed the same routine as the day before - check weather, brush teeth, check email, put in contacts, put on clothes, leave. Even the line for the bus was at the same place when I got there at the same time. So how come I ended up getting to Epcot 20 minutes earlier? That was definitely not in the plan and meant I had all kinds of time to kill once I dropped off my bag, and that’s not really a good thing when it’s below freezing and the wind is blowing. I hunkered down behind a concrete pillar used to hold up one of the bag check tents and did my best to stay warm and conserve energy. After 45+ minutes of that, it was time to head off to the start with the rest of the masses. Here’s a shot of the corrals when I got there. I managed to get to my corral right when the fireworks went off on the overpass behind me. Talk about startling the shit out of me. Very cool to watch though.
And then we were off! The marathon starts with two waves and two different courses. I was on the blue course in the first wave, but none of us were very happy about that as we logged the first mile. As we were going up a highway overpass, the red course was running down an offramp and circling back underneath us. That kept everyone talking for a while and just when we were convinced they had the better route, we entered Epcot. They went in and around some of the back lots and underneath the Test Track ride; we got to run around the lake past most of the countries. We definitely got the better end of that deal. As sweet as the Magic Kingdom had been all lit up on Saturday, Epcot under the lights is a thousand times more spectacular. It’s jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Absolutely amazing. The whole area is lit by gas torches, the globe in the middle is lit up with colors, and the big ball is bathed in light in the background. Throw in the music playing the Olympic theme, the Epcot theme, and all kinds of other cool music, and it’s one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever been immersed in. Not sure which dwarf that is in the picture. It’s only here because it’s the only one I took all weekend with one of the characters. I was having such a good time running and talking that I didn’t want to stop and wait in line. The line for most of the characters was 5-20 people long. That’s a lengthy stop during a race, especially a cold one.
Anyway, I’m really glad I ended up on the blue course. I was going to try to get into a corral on the red one because some guy in line at the porta-potties told me it was a nicer run. That idea ended when I realized a) those corrals were more crowded than the blue ones, and b) the corral I would have gone to started in the second wave 10 minutes later. No way I was waiting any longer than necessary out in that cold to get started.
In some sort of strange coincidence, right around mile 4, I ran into another two people wearing the same shirt that Kathy was wearing on Saturday. They are all part of the same running club and invited me to run with them for the rest of the race. Nicole and her husband Jim were as much fun as Kathy was, if not more. Poor Jim lost a glove at one of the water stops, so we spent the next hour helping him “shop” along the way for a replacement. Jim ended up dropping back behind us after a while so he could do his run/walk plan, so it was just Nicole and I for most of the race. We had a great time, never stopped talking or joking or enjoying all the sights around us. Here’s the only other picture taken along the way. The sun was just starting to make its way over the trees but it hadn’t gotten much warmer yet.
It didn’t really start to get warm until we were halfway to Animal Kingdom. That’s about the point at which I finally stuffed my gloves into my pocket. The cold weather up to that point made it one of the more unusual races I’ve ever been in. The Powerade was frozen at all the water stops, as was the water. The spillage of both caused black ice to form on the road, making it slick and dangerous. To help keep it safe, the volunteers resorted to spreading the Powerade powder on the ground to provide traction. Pretty ingenious, I think.
Other points of note along the course: Heather came out to see me at mile 19. I wasn’t sure she’d make it, but I sure was glad to see her. Nicole was too since we had spent the previous two miles talking about her Ironman relay, my ultra, and how Heather had been the one that got us into the ultra. She had all kinds of questions for Heather and was also happy to meet the woman I’d been yakking about for the past 20 minutes. I gave Heather my jacket because I didn’t think I’d need it again. Boy was I wrong. Once we turned onto World Drive to head to Hollywood Studios, the wind was in front of us, the shade on us, and I was cold. It was a long two miles to get into the park and sun and out of the wind.
The marathon course is a lot more fun and interesting than the half. Not only do you hit all four parks, you don’t spend as much time on the major roads. There is that really dull 4-mile stretch between Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, true, but the other road parts are at least through the golf course and undeveloped areas. And once you get to Hollywood Studios, you’re never on the road again. The entire rest of the course is through the park, around the pathways in front of the nice resorts on the Boardwalk, and then back into Epcot for another lap around the countries. Plus, on Sunday, the famous gospel choir at mile 26 was there performing live. Nothing like the sound of beautiful voices in harmony to get you excited about the last two turns. I was so focused on getting to the finish line that I completely missed hearing Heather yelling and screaming for me from next to the bleachers. I didn’t realize she was at the finish until I heard her yelling at me again as I was waiting in line to get my picture taken after getting my Goofy medal. Getting that medal was awesome! The volunteers were all extremely excited for us, and we were even more so. We were all whooping it up and hugging and carrying on with the biggest grins and smiles you can imagine. As they say, it’s all about the bling. :)
This was one of the best races and weekends I’ve ever had. I felt great during both runs the whole way - no knee problems, no aching feet, no nothing. The only injury I have is one toenail on my right foot that got pushed up against the front of my shoe on Sunday. They’re half a size too big, which isn’t much of a problem when it’s warm and my feet swell. Note to self: feet don’t swell as much when it’s cold. I think one of the reasons I felt so well is that I ran a whole lot slower than I normally do. I was only focused on having fun, keeping an easy and steady pace (although I negative split both days), and making the most of the experience that Disney has to offer. I was so excited about my Goofy experience that the first thing I told Heather when she asked after the finish me how I felt was “It was awesome! I feel great! I can’t wait to do it again!”
So who’s with me? Anyone want to go Goofy in 2011? I’m signing up this weekend. I think I’m going to go medal collecting and sign up for the Disneyland Half in September too. Turns out you get a really cool Coast-to-Coast medal if you run both the Disney Half and the Disneyland Half in the same year.
We went to dinner at the Flying Fish Cafe. It’s one of Disney’s nicer seafood restaurants and was surprisingly good. Overpriced, as all things Disney are, but still quite good. To some, a seafood place might not sound like the ideal pre-marathon food, I just couldn’t handle a second night in a row of Italian. They had two runner-focused dishes that came with pasta or risotto - my swordfish and shrimp came with polenta - so I got my carbs in. Our waiter was hysterical. Heather, not running the next day, was enjoying her martini and moved on to a champagne flight. He asked me if I wanted anything, so I asked for a water flight. He brought me a glass of tap water and then presented me with a fine bottle of the Dasani 2009. A little while later, he fussed at me for mixing my waters and placed a beautiful wine glass on the table for the Dasani. Too funny!
More weather obsessing took place after dinner, much to Heather’s chagrin. I just couldn’t decide between possible combinations of long sleeves and jacket, short sleeves and vest, or both. She finally got exasperated enough that when I asked her to pin on my bib for me, she informed me that I wasn’t allowed to change it once she did. I ended up with the long sleeves and the jacket, and I’m glad I did. Thanks to the wind, it was much cooler during the race than it otherwise would have been. I had my jacket on for most of the race and was glad I did.
In some sort of strange coincidence, right around mile 4, I ran into another two people wearing the same shirt that Kathy was wearing on Saturday. They are all part of the same running club and invited me to run with them for the rest of the race. Nicole and her husband Jim were as much fun as Kathy was, if not more. Poor Jim lost a glove at one of the water stops, so we spent the next hour helping him “shop” along the way for a replacement. Jim ended up dropping back behind us after a while so he could do his run/walk plan, so it was just Nicole and I for most of the race. We had a great time, never stopped talking or joking or enjoying all the sights around us. Here’s the only other picture taken along the way. The sun was just starting to make its way over the trees but it hadn’t gotten much warmer yet.
It didn’t really start to get warm until we were halfway to Animal Kingdom. That’s about the point at which I finally stuffed my gloves into my pocket. The cold weather up to that point made it one of the more unusual races I’ve ever been in. The Powerade was frozen at all the water stops, as was the water. The spillage of both caused black ice to form on the road, making it slick and dangerous. To help keep it safe, the volunteers resorted to spreading the Powerade powder on the ground to provide traction. Pretty ingenious, I think.
Other points of note along the course: Heather came out to see me at mile 19. I wasn’t sure she’d make it, but I sure was glad to see her. Nicole was too since we had spent the previous two miles talking about her Ironman relay, my ultra, and how Heather had been the one that got us into the ultra. She had all kinds of questions for Heather and was also happy to meet the woman I’d been yakking about for the past 20 minutes. I gave Heather my jacket because I didn’t think I’d need it again. Boy was I wrong. Once we turned onto World Drive to head to Hollywood Studios, the wind was in front of us, the shade on us, and I was cold. It was a long two miles to get into the park and sun and out of the wind.
The marathon course is a lot more fun and interesting than the half. Not only do you hit all four parks, you don’t spend as much time on the major roads. There is that really dull 4-mile stretch between Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, true, but the other road parts are at least through the golf course and undeveloped areas. And once you get to Hollywood Studios, you’re never on the road again. The entire rest of the course is through the park, around the pathways in front of the nice resorts on the Boardwalk, and then back into Epcot for another lap around the countries. Plus, on Sunday, the famous gospel choir at mile 26 was there performing live. Nothing like the sound of beautiful voices in harmony to get you excited about the last two turns. I was so focused on getting to the finish line that I completely missed hearing Heather yelling and screaming for me from next to the bleachers. I didn’t realize she was at the finish until I heard her yelling at me again as I was waiting in line to get my picture taken after getting my Goofy medal. Getting that medal was awesome! The volunteers were all extremely excited for us, and we were even more so. We were all whooping it up and hugging and carrying on with the biggest grins and smiles you can imagine. As they say, it’s all about the bling. :)
This was one of the best races and weekends I’ve ever had. I felt great during both runs the whole way - no knee problems, no aching feet, no nothing. The only injury I have is one toenail on my right foot that got pushed up against the front of my shoe on Sunday. They’re half a size too big, which isn’t much of a problem when it’s warm and my feet swell. Note to self: feet don’t swell as much when it’s cold. I think one of the reasons I felt so well is that I ran a whole lot slower than I normally do. I was only focused on having fun, keeping an easy and steady pace (although I negative split both days), and making the most of the experience that Disney has to offer. I was so excited about my Goofy experience that the first thing I told Heather when she asked after the finish me how I felt was “It was awesome! I feel great! I can’t wait to do it again!” So who’s with me? Anyone want to go Goofy in 2011? I’m signing up this weekend. I think I’m going to go medal collecting and sign up for the Disneyland Half in September too. Turns out you get a really cool Coast-to-Coast medal if you run both the Disney Half and the Disneyland Half in the same year.
Jan 11, 2010
Goofy, Part I
Saturday came way too early. I’m sorry, but anytime you have to set an alarm for 320am and a backup for 330, that’s just wrong. Especially when you’re heading out into freezing temperatures, sleet, and freezing rain. One look at the radar picture, with a large green mass heading straight for Orlando, was enough to send Heather right back to bed. Can’t say as I blame her. She and her mother would have been starting half an hour after the rest of us due to their corral and been out there an hour longer due to their pace. Given how the weather turned out, they made the right choice.
I wasn’t too keen on the forecast either (low 30s, sleet and rain, 10-15 mph winds), but there was no way I was going to miss out on the race. I worked too hard and put too much effort into training for this that nothing was going to keep me from getting out there. I pulled on my tights and shirt, zipped up my jacket, loaded up with two goos and a camera, donned my hat and gloves, threw on my throwaway sweats, and trudged off to catch the bus. In case you’re thinking “this doesn’t sound like a race in Orlando,” you’re right. It doesn’t. This is the longest and coldest streak this area has ever seen. We even supposed to hit record lows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. I felt more like I was going out for a run in Yuzhno than in Orlando. The line for the bus wasn’t too bad. It snaked through the lobby and down the hall towards the cafeteria and back entrance to the building. Thankfully, it ended inside rather than outside. It was quite the collection of people. Some were in full Tyvec suits with their numbers pinned on the outside (seemed a bit extreme to me), other were in shorts (also a bit extreme), but most were like me - bundled up to be not-too-cold while standing around before the start and then comfortable while running the race. The funniest group was the Brazilians. A Brazilian man has won the Disney marathon for the past five years (now six), and I think all of his running supporters were staying at our hotel. They were dressed all in green and gold running gear, waving flags, and carrying on like they were at a soccer match. They made such an impression later in their corral at the start that the announcer even commented on how it’s a national law in Brazil that all Brazilian runners have to wave flags and sing songs everywhere they go.
The bus ride over to Epcot took about 15-20 minutes, and then it was out into the cold for about an hour until the start. I dropped off my bag and went to find a place to hunker down out of the wind. At 5, I got in line for the porta-potty and ate my Clif Bar for breakfast. I had a bad experience with food and thus lots of porta-potty stops along the way when I ran San Antonio a few months ago, so I tried to be very careful about what I ate the day or two before the race this time. This morning, my plan seemed to be working well as a good cold-induced pee was all that was needed. While in line, I chatted with some people down from Philly and ended up giving them my camera. They had forgotten theirs (you get one in your goody bag), and since I was running on Sunday too, I figured I could get by without it on Saturday. They were really happy and let me go in ahead of them. It’s the small karma things that make all the difference in the world.
After the long (0.6 mile) walk to the start where I thought the Hasher I was talking to was from Europe but turned out to be so cold he couldn’t enunciate clearly (that’s what he gets for wearing a singlet, shorts, and arm warmers), I was getting really excited. There were thousands and thousands of people around, fireworks going off as each wave started, a DJ playing kicking upbeat music, two announcers keeping us all entertained, and then it was our turn! We were off! Waved at Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy as I crossed the line. The corrals were spread out enough at the start that it wasn’t too hard to get settled into race pace. I dropped in behind the 2:15 pacer and started to cruise. I wanted to make sure she was in front of me the whole way in order to keep myself from going too fast the first day. Running Goofy is not the time to drop the hammer, and my plan was to finish in 2:15 or slower. Much slower than I normally run, but perfectly sensible when running a half and a full back-to-back. Turns out staying behind her was no problem. When the road narrowed from two lanes to one going up the first overpass around mile 2.5, she used her pacer status to work her way through the crowd and never drop more than a second or two off her 10-minute per mile pace. I wasn’t that aggressive and just ran as fast as the crowd in front of me until I could get past them.
About mile 4, I started talking to and running with these two women, one of whom I thought was a Hasher. She was wearing a shirt with her name (Kathy), a picture of a group of people doing Jello shots, and the saying “my drinking club has a running problem” on the back. Since that’s the world-wide Hash saying, I began asking them questions about their hashing. I didn’t find out until 3 miles later that the guy who made the shirts borrowed the phrase and the two of them couldn’t understand why I was asking them about smoking pot. Too funny! I’m glad they didn’t just ignore me, though. I hate, hate, hate racing alone. I do much better having someone alongside me to talk to, joke with, and help keep my mind off the boring stretches of road that I happen to be on at the time. If I’m by myself, I’m that much more likely to slow down or walk or just get mentally down. It’s something I know I need to work on, and would appreciate any advice from the tri experts and new coaches reading this (hint, hint <g>). Anyway, Kathy and her friend Dawn were absolute joys to run with. We had a blast just telling stories and getting to know each other as we ran along. Kathy couldn’t talk too much since she gets asthma from cold air, so Dawn served as a “translator” whenever we needed to talk about Kathy’s kids, job, etc. It was Kathy’s first half marathon, and I was really impressed with how well she was doing. She was totally focused and determined to finish between 2:15 and 2:30. I promised her I’d get her there in that range since they both forgot their Garmins in the car and spent the rest of the race with them as their unofficial pacer.
The race course itself isn’t the most interesting. You start outside Epcot, run along the roads to Magic Kingdom, and then back to Epcot. The best part of the race is going through Magic Kingdom. You get there at mile 3, in the dark, so it’s all lit up and just gorgeous. There are lots of spectators and Disney cast members along Main Street cheering you on, but I found it more enjoyable in the areas where it’s quiet and you’re just running under the lights with Cinderella’s castle lit up in the background. It’s beautiful and a wonderful experience and sight to see. Definitely the highlight of the race. The trip back is another long slog along the roads, highlighted for me by the accordion players (had to be freezing), the lounge singer, and the cute Burma Shave-esque signs. Did you know that Kramer came through Jerry’s door without knocking 285 times in Seinfeld? Now you do. Really, there’s nothing else to do while running along the road back to Epcot than read the signs and thank the volunteers. Being out there in the cold and sleet is a thankless job, and every one of them was a friendly and upbeat as they’d be if it was sunny and 70. Needless to say, we thanked all of them at every stop as we went by. The race wouldn’t happen without them.
The finish back at Epcot is notable only for the gospel choir at mile 13 and the nice long finishing straight. The choir sounded amazing. Even though they were on tape at the time, it’s nice to hear all those voices singing and harmonizing as you approach the finish. Aside from the people cheering along the road, it’s the only real noise you’ve heard since leaving Magic Kingdom 6 miles ago. As Kathy and I approached the finish (Dawn was about 100 yards behind us since she had to walk up the overpass at mile 12), she started getting emotional. I told her to just enjoy it and do what she needed to do and sent her off in front of me a few feet so she could get a picture crossing the line all by herself. When I got there a few seconds later, she give me a huge hug and dripped tears on my shoulders. I started getting emotional too since I was so happy to have been able to help her finish her first half. We crossed the line in 2:20, a perfect time for me and exactly what she was looking for.
And that’s when I started to get cold. The sleet and freezing rain didn’t bother me at all during the race, but once I finished and started moving slowly or not at all, I began to get cold. I passed through the Goofy tent to get my wristband for Sunday, went over to the food line, and started shaking with the chills. Even after putting on the jacket and fleece pants I had in my checked bag, I was so cold that I skipped the 200+ person bus line to go back to our resort, grabbed the one for another resort instead, and called Heather to ask her to come and pick me up. All that sweat just evaporated off me in the cold and I was frozen to the core. Even after waiting 20 minutes for her to drive over to get me, it took a 20-minute shower for me to get back to a normal temperature. I spent the rest of the day resting, napping, and eating. Well, and still being nervous over Sunday. I didn’t decide what to wear until that night, but that’s a story for part II.
Lessons learned from the half: 1) get in line later for the bus. Standing around in 30 degree weather, strong winds, and sleet is no fun. 2) eating right the few days before the race (ravioli is a much better dinner than duck confit) pays huge dividends. No stops makes for a more enjoyable race. 3) Stick to the plan. Not following the pacer through the crowd and running my own race turned out to be the best thing I did. Run what feels right at the time, not what you think made sense at the start. If I had pushed through with the pacer, I never would have met up with Kathy and Dawn, who really made the race as enjoyable as it was. Must be that karma coming back from giving away my camera.
Here's my GPS track from the half.
I wasn’t too keen on the forecast either (low 30s, sleet and rain, 10-15 mph winds), but there was no way I was going to miss out on the race. I worked too hard and put too much effort into training for this that nothing was going to keep me from getting out there. I pulled on my tights and shirt, zipped up my jacket, loaded up with two goos and a camera, donned my hat and gloves, threw on my throwaway sweats, and trudged off to catch the bus. In case you’re thinking “this doesn’t sound like a race in Orlando,” you’re right. It doesn’t. This is the longest and coldest streak this area has ever seen. We even supposed to hit record lows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. I felt more like I was going out for a run in Yuzhno than in Orlando. The line for the bus wasn’t too bad. It snaked through the lobby and down the hall towards the cafeteria and back entrance to the building. Thankfully, it ended inside rather than outside. It was quite the collection of people. Some were in full Tyvec suits with their numbers pinned on the outside (seemed a bit extreme to me), other were in shorts (also a bit extreme), but most were like me - bundled up to be not-too-cold while standing around before the start and then comfortable while running the race. The funniest group was the Brazilians. A Brazilian man has won the Disney marathon for the past five years (now six), and I think all of his running supporters were staying at our hotel. They were dressed all in green and gold running gear, waving flags, and carrying on like they were at a soccer match. They made such an impression later in their corral at the start that the announcer even commented on how it’s a national law in Brazil that all Brazilian runners have to wave flags and sing songs everywhere they go.
The bus ride over to Epcot took about 15-20 minutes, and then it was out into the cold for about an hour until the start. I dropped off my bag and went to find a place to hunker down out of the wind. At 5, I got in line for the porta-potty and ate my Clif Bar for breakfast. I had a bad experience with food and thus lots of porta-potty stops along the way when I ran San Antonio a few months ago, so I tried to be very careful about what I ate the day or two before the race this time. This morning, my plan seemed to be working well as a good cold-induced pee was all that was needed. While in line, I chatted with some people down from Philly and ended up giving them my camera. They had forgotten theirs (you get one in your goody bag), and since I was running on Sunday too, I figured I could get by without it on Saturday. They were really happy and let me go in ahead of them. It’s the small karma things that make all the difference in the world.
After the long (0.6 mile) walk to the start where I thought the Hasher I was talking to was from Europe but turned out to be so cold he couldn’t enunciate clearly (that’s what he gets for wearing a singlet, shorts, and arm warmers), I was getting really excited. There were thousands and thousands of people around, fireworks going off as each wave started, a DJ playing kicking upbeat music, two announcers keeping us all entertained, and then it was our turn! We were off! Waved at Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy as I crossed the line. The corrals were spread out enough at the start that it wasn’t too hard to get settled into race pace. I dropped in behind the 2:15 pacer and started to cruise. I wanted to make sure she was in front of me the whole way in order to keep myself from going too fast the first day. Running Goofy is not the time to drop the hammer, and my plan was to finish in 2:15 or slower. Much slower than I normally run, but perfectly sensible when running a half and a full back-to-back. Turns out staying behind her was no problem. When the road narrowed from two lanes to one going up the first overpass around mile 2.5, she used her pacer status to work her way through the crowd and never drop more than a second or two off her 10-minute per mile pace. I wasn’t that aggressive and just ran as fast as the crowd in front of me until I could get past them.
About mile 4, I started talking to and running with these two women, one of whom I thought was a Hasher. She was wearing a shirt with her name (Kathy), a picture of a group of people doing Jello shots, and the saying “my drinking club has a running problem” on the back. Since that’s the world-wide Hash saying, I began asking them questions about their hashing. I didn’t find out until 3 miles later that the guy who made the shirts borrowed the phrase and the two of them couldn’t understand why I was asking them about smoking pot. Too funny! I’m glad they didn’t just ignore me, though. I hate, hate, hate racing alone. I do much better having someone alongside me to talk to, joke with, and help keep my mind off the boring stretches of road that I happen to be on at the time. If I’m by myself, I’m that much more likely to slow down or walk or just get mentally down. It’s something I know I need to work on, and would appreciate any advice from the tri experts and new coaches reading this (hint, hint <g>). Anyway, Kathy and her friend Dawn were absolute joys to run with. We had a blast just telling stories and getting to know each other as we ran along. Kathy couldn’t talk too much since she gets asthma from cold air, so Dawn served as a “translator” whenever we needed to talk about Kathy’s kids, job, etc. It was Kathy’s first half marathon, and I was really impressed with how well she was doing. She was totally focused and determined to finish between 2:15 and 2:30. I promised her I’d get her there in that range since they both forgot their Garmins in the car and spent the rest of the race with them as their unofficial pacer.
The race course itself isn’t the most interesting. You start outside Epcot, run along the roads to Magic Kingdom, and then back to Epcot. The best part of the race is going through Magic Kingdom. You get there at mile 3, in the dark, so it’s all lit up and just gorgeous. There are lots of spectators and Disney cast members along Main Street cheering you on, but I found it more enjoyable in the areas where it’s quiet and you’re just running under the lights with Cinderella’s castle lit up in the background. It’s beautiful and a wonderful experience and sight to see. Definitely the highlight of the race. The trip back is another long slog along the roads, highlighted for me by the accordion players (had to be freezing), the lounge singer, and the cute Burma Shave-esque signs. Did you know that Kramer came through Jerry’s door without knocking 285 times in Seinfeld? Now you do. Really, there’s nothing else to do while running along the road back to Epcot than read the signs and thank the volunteers. Being out there in the cold and sleet is a thankless job, and every one of them was a friendly and upbeat as they’d be if it was sunny and 70. Needless to say, we thanked all of them at every stop as we went by. The race wouldn’t happen without them.
The finish back at Epcot is notable only for the gospel choir at mile 13 and the nice long finishing straight. The choir sounded amazing. Even though they were on tape at the time, it’s nice to hear all those voices singing and harmonizing as you approach the finish. Aside from the people cheering along the road, it’s the only real noise you’ve heard since leaving Magic Kingdom 6 miles ago. As Kathy and I approached the finish (Dawn was about 100 yards behind us since she had to walk up the overpass at mile 12), she started getting emotional. I told her to just enjoy it and do what she needed to do and sent her off in front of me a few feet so she could get a picture crossing the line all by herself. When I got there a few seconds later, she give me a huge hug and dripped tears on my shoulders. I started getting emotional too since I was so happy to have been able to help her finish her first half. We crossed the line in 2:20, a perfect time for me and exactly what she was looking for.
And that’s when I started to get cold. The sleet and freezing rain didn’t bother me at all during the race, but once I finished and started moving slowly or not at all, I began to get cold. I passed through the Goofy tent to get my wristband for Sunday, went over to the food line, and started shaking with the chills. Even after putting on the jacket and fleece pants I had in my checked bag, I was so cold that I skipped the 200+ person bus line to go back to our resort, grabbed the one for another resort instead, and called Heather to ask her to come and pick me up. All that sweat just evaporated off me in the cold and I was frozen to the core. Even after waiting 20 minutes for her to drive over to get me, it took a 20-minute shower for me to get back to a normal temperature. I spent the rest of the day resting, napping, and eating. Well, and still being nervous over Sunday. I didn’t decide what to wear until that night, but that’s a story for part II.
Lessons learned from the half: 1) get in line later for the bus. Standing around in 30 degree weather, strong winds, and sleet is no fun. 2) eating right the few days before the race (ravioli is a much better dinner than duck confit) pays huge dividends. No stops makes for a more enjoyable race. 3) Stick to the plan. Not following the pacer through the crowd and running my own race turned out to be the best thing I did. Run what feels right at the time, not what you think made sense at the start. If I had pushed through with the pacer, I never would have met up with Kathy and Dawn, who really made the race as enjoyable as it was. Must be that karma coming back from giving away my camera.
Here's my GPS track from the half.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)