Waiting at the airport

Ok here's the story....

Got up at 3:30am which may sound early but I never switched to Pacific time so my body thought it was 6:30 so I was good. We went to the staging area which was a 10 minute walk instead of the bus ride, walk that you do in Orlando. Went to the corrals hiding my "F" corral on my bib number as I went into corral E, such a rebel! I just wanted the added assurance that there were at least 1200 people behind me!

Saturday for the 10k it was brutally humid but overcast, Sunday it was mildly humid and about 85 and so sunny it was ridiculous. 

We started down the road past my hotel and were in California Adventure within a mile. It was fun to do the park the opposite direction from Saturday, and on to Disneyland, the whole thing only took 4 miles and in your head you are thinking, "I have 9 more miles of what?". Well let me tell you, the next big excitement was to run through Angel Stadium, the problem was that the stadium is at mile 9, yes I said 9. What the hell is supposed to I spire me for 5 miles? Well it wasn't the glaring sun in my eyes after the first left turn, seriously it was so bright I had no idea how far we had to run because I was blinded. Finally we turn and we are on some crummy street with businesses that are all closed for the weekend, inspiring, no but at least there was a little shade, but we only stay on this street for less than a mile and you guesses it turned back into the sun. There were Spanish dancers in this street but the sun was so bright it was hard to see them, and did I tell you kept getting hotter? So we finally turn again away from the sun and turn again back into it, here we had all kinds os classic cars from a model T I think to 2000's. people were so nice Playing music from their decade but it felt like Death Valley, no shade anywhere. It was between mile 7 and 8 and I had a pep talk with myself. I told me that I could walk to 8 but then we would run, I said ok. So at eight I see the sign Stanley Cup Way, we had made it to the Honda Center home of the Mighty Ducks, quack, quack. It would have been nice to see some hockey players but we didn't. So now I am thinking okay we just have to go around to get to the stadium, yeah over black asphalt, stones, dirt and a steep ravine on the ledt. There was no way to run in this, the poor kid working had a bandana over his mouth becuase of the dust kicking up, stupid move race people. Anyway after what seemed like FOREVER we got to the stadium. What a rush to hear 1000 people or more cheering, running around the field, looking at the pitchers mound and big jumbo tron with all the runners, it was a great time, again there was no run ing we were just walking enjoying ourselves.

So now yiu think I can do this mile 10 only 3 to go, besides you can't give up you just ran 10 freakin miles and you are not a quitter. But I tell you if someone had offered me a ride I would have thought for a split second.

Miles 10,11 and part of 12 were hard, it was just so hot. When I got to 12 we were back on Disney property so you felt ok but still had to walk some, but once you saw 13 it was like OMG I did this and that is when the emotions kick in. I got to high five Mickey, priceless! Will I ever do this marathon again....NO. I totally prefer the east coast. I have my coast to coast and I am good with that. My next adventure is e Minnie Mouse 10k which is only 6.2, then hopefully the Wine and Dine with family.

I know it sounds like it was hell and it is because it was, but I did it! I know I can run 19.3 miles in 2 days. I know this sounds weird but as I was running (and complaining to anyone who would listen, which was quite a few who complained right back to me) I thought could I do 13 more and do a marathons one day? And then I stopped being delusional and said NO, but it does make you think you are strong. Thanks for following my story. I hope my running tales continue for much long.

TTFN

 

An intro to my Dumbo Double Dare

Well it is over, the big Dumbo Double Dare. It was a lot of fun, but now I really just want to be home with my family. It is great to go away but not to have that special someone to share your accomplishment with kinda sucks. I know I am telling the story backwards but when I finished the half I was just spent. You get your half marathon medal first and that was pretty exciting, then you went to each area for them to cut off your wristband and give you the next medal. Dumbo was next and I could feel the tears coming, but held off, then to the coast to coast, again close to tears, eyes welling up ( just like now as I am writing this). I then called Doug and it was all over, crying and so excited, sorry just had to blow my nose and wipe my eyes, you get the picture. Ok on to other things because I will keep on crying.

Another good story was when we were waiting to start, you Re there for about an hour before so if you are like me you start talking to anyone. Well there was this couple next to us her name was Andrea don't know his name. Anyways I ask if this is her first race and she says yes but she hasn't trained for it, so I am thinking didn't train for it like I didn't train for my first half by only running 8 miles. No she hasn't trained at all, someone was supposed to buy her bib but backed out and since she had paid for it decided to walk it. Well I was just the one to tell her about walking a half. Told her the whole story about my back, and how I walked Cleveland, she was so nervous and I just kept talking, imagine that. I told her that because she was walking she would see and remember so much more than her husband who was running. I told her how I would ask Doug if he saw this or that and he always said no, it was because I was slower. I then gave her the words of wisdom that Belinda my daughter's mother in law told me at my first 5k, everyone gets the same medal and thirst no matter how we do it. I wished her luck and away we went, well about a half a mile down the road her husband comes up behind me and thanked me for encouraging his wife, I told him God puts us near people he wants us to help. End of my story. I hope she did ok and had a blast!  

I think that I will break for now Nd continue as I sit for hours at the Airport.

TTFN