On March 10, 2011 I was having dinner with my Sister-in-law, Marie
and her husband, my Brother-in-law Reid. We were talking about walking and
getting healthy, when all of a sudden Reid says to me, “You should walk the ½
marathon at Disney in January. You will be able to do it easy.”
I sat there in confusion and shock… “What are you crazy?”
“No there were a lot of people walking it this year.”
I laughed it off, but the more I thought about it, the more it niggled at
my mind. So the next day as I walked, I went just a little bit faster. I wanted
to see if I could get up to the 16 minute mile you have to maintain during the
race. I couldn’t do it walking. But running might be an option. So I
experimented with my knee and body to see if I could even run. I found that I
could run, it didn’t hurt and I enjoyed the thrill of it.
So at that point I made the commitment to actually run the 1/2
marathon. I started doing research on
training. I backed off on my walking and started to run. Slowly and a short
distance to begin with, it was like I was starting over. But I was committed at
this point, and there was no turning back. There have been many things in my
life I have failed at and just plain stopped doing. But this was a new me and
new way of life. I was going to follow through even if it killed me.
I read as much material as I could get my hands on, I talked with other
people, I got advice and I put it all too good use.
I was in training for a ½ marathon. Then all of a sudden, I felt a
change, I was happier, I was losing weight easily, quickly, and I was sleeping
better, my sleep apnea was fading as well. I was even craving good healthy
food.
Everyday I got up early, I would get dressed, I would go out and run a
little bit farther everyday. It was a struggle, but I had a goal, and the
bigger clothes (my closet was getting cleaned everyday as I had to make a pile
for Good Will), the smaller body, the better sleep was just a wonderful side
effect. I tell everyone I keep leaving my ass on the asphalt. Well, the road
can have it.
Slowly I built up to 4 miles a day, which was a long and hard process;
I thought I would never get there. But once I hit that 4 mile mark, each mile
after was easy, I started to do “long” runs weekly once I hit 4 miles a day.
The first “long” run was 6.25 miles, I was so excited I couldn’t see straight.
It was half of the ½ marathon, so I knew I could complete half of the race.
Then over the next few weeks my distance increased weekly. I maintained a 5 to
6 mile daily run, and by the time I was a month out from the race I was running
12 miles and feeling good at the end.
Then
it was time to go to Disney World…
I
had everything ready and packed:
- My running shoes
broken in but not so broken in they would support me. - My running shorts
dry-weave, Men’s mediums I was wearing men’s XXL when I started this journey - My running shirt
printed on front: Fat Girl,
Smoker
Unhealthy Eater,
Coach Potato,
Heart Attack 2010
printed on back: Skinny Girl,
Non-smoker,
Healthy Eater,
Half Marathon Runner 2012 - Once I got down to Disney I bought a Donald Duck
hat with Mickey Ears to wear during the race.
I prepared myself for the race the day before by
eating healthy, but carb heavy.
I had pasta for lunch and veggies and fruit for
dinner.
I went to bed early because I had to get up early to
prepare for the race. I was in bed by 7:00 pm and asleep by 7:30.
Here is an account of my day on January 7, 2012.
I awoke about 12:30am. Why?!? You may ask? Well to
prepare myself and my body for this ½ marathon race. I have bowel movements in
the morning (I know it’s not polite to talk about such stuff, but this is the
way of the runner, certain things must be handled) so I had to make sure I was
up in plenty of time to do that function before I had to run. Then I had to
mentally prepare myself and try to keep my adrenaline in check.
I performed my morning “routine” and got ready to
leave my hotel room about 2:30 am. I went to the bus station and got on the bus
about 2:55 am. We were off to the staging area in no time. We (me and all my fellow
early bird runners) arrived about 10 minutes later and walked around, got
drinks, things to eat and chatted with each other. I went on to the baggage
check; I need to stay focused and calm. I was so nervous. I checked my bag, the
volunteers were so friendly and nice. I had worn a Tigger sweatshirt to throw
off during the race. It was to keep me warm until I didn’t need it and then
Disney would collect all the clothing left behind for charity. The volunteer
said, “You aren’t throwing Tigger away are you?” I said “Yes I have another at
home, this was my Ex’s”
She said “Dump it”. Which to me was fitting, because
that was what this race represented, dumping the old and clinging to the new.
Now I had a wait ahead of me 2 ½ hours to go. So I
tried to concentrate on keeping my mind and body calm. I did not talk to any
other runners, just because I was afraid I might freak out if I opened my
mouth. I do regret this decision, but at the time it was the best one to make.
After about a 45 minute wait in this staging area, we
filled it up fast. They moved us to the corral area. This was where we would
wait for our section to run. We couldn’t all start running together. So they
divided us up according how we listed our times from registration into waves. I
was in the second to last corral, number 7 out of 9. I felt pretty good about
that. Now just to let you know, in my time I had built in time for bathroom and
picture breaks. So I estimated my time finishing at about 3:20 or 3:30. That’s
3 hours and 30 minutes. I actually beat that time, but more on that later.
Ok so we get to our assigned corrals, and I am at the
front, waiting and it is starting to get cold… oh, my, I think I should have
brought and worn leggings. And thermal socks… I am COLD! Then it hit me… I had
to pee, very badly. Ok let me back up just a bit, for the past week or so I had
been fighting a cold. I take Airborne to counter any virus or bug trying to make
me sick. Now I swear by Airborne it works. It has kept me from being sick this
whole year of training. But, when it kicks in it flushes the virus or bug out
of your system… So I had to pee! As I made my way to the Port-a-Pottys I was
not too concerned. I was just thinking oh good, pee now (I had not realized
what was actually going on yet). So I get back in line, of course farther back
than my first position. I start to get ready, warming up, stretching etc. Then
it hits me again, I have to pee, very badly, Port-a-Potty again, back in line
again, back further. I warm up again, stretch again… wait I have to pee again.
Now I am a bit concerned, we are getting crowded in the corral and I have to go
out and come back in. But when you have to pee you have to pee. I make it to
the Port-a-Potty and back into the corral. I feel a lot better and I think I am
done, I hope and pray I am done.
The race starts! Corral A, Wave #1 goes. You can feel
the electricity in the air, the excitement is almost tangible.
As Donald Duck gives the count down (the ½ marathon
is Donald’s race) they set off Fireworks for every wave to go. It was
spectacular.
They go through Wave 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, we are up next.
Our corral is moving together like one body, we are ready, willing and able to
go. Then we start to move to get into position, we walk the walk to the start
area. We can now see Donald on the stage, getting ready to give us the go, to
start our Wave for the race. I was too far back to go with the leaders, but as
he started the count I started to run and hit my GPS, so those who weren’t
there could watch me run on their computers. I was earlier than the start line,
He quacked “One, Two, Three, GO!” The Fireworks went off and so did we.
I froze, I was moving, but in my mind I froze. What
now? I can’t do this! What is the matter with me? I am not a runner! I can’t
run 13.1 miles. Who do I think I am? Then I saw it. The reason for this run,
the charity we were helping The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. My Grandfather
died from Leukemia, so I said to myself “You can do this, you have trained for
this for 9 months, and you just ran 12 miles without stopping 2 weeks ago. You
can do this!” Then I heard it, a man’s voice, my Grandpa, “We are with you
every step of the way.” So I told myself, you can’t cry now girl, you have to
run, get going and I did.
I was in a pack of runners, a brand new experience; I
kept my head up and just ran. I got water at mile one, felt real good, at about
1½ miles I felt warmer and started to sweat a bit. I needed to get my sweat
shirt off, so I moved over to the grass area, stripped, as I was getting back
on to the road, my cell phone beeped. I said, “Now who is texting me while I am
in the middle of this race?” It was my cousin Megan, who was here to support her
friends running in the race and me. She was letting me know where she was I
texted back I am running and off I went. Hill number one, it was an exit ramp to get us
onto the road to The Magic Kingdom. Not a biggie I was prepared for a hill, but
I thought, “Didn’t Reid say it was at the end?” Oh well.
I got to mile 2 and there was no water… What?!? No
water, I was told there was water at every mile… Not at two, I don’t think I
missed it? Oh, this is not good. Well keep going, get water at mile 3. Miles 3,
4 and 5 were fairly easy. I was at a good pace and feeling comfortable. Now as
we were getting ready to enter The Magic Kingdom we had to run into a tunnel,
down hill, up hill area. It bottle necked and we were all forced to walk up
this hill. So another hill not a big deal and I bet Reid didn’t think of this
as a hill or he didn’t know about it, maybe they had changed the course from
last year.
Then we were in The Magic Kingdom, now let me say
right here, the spectators and the volunteers were awesome. A lot of us had our
names on our bibs and the spectators and volunteers would cheer us on or as
they say in Disney chEar us on. They would shout out encouragement and use our
names, it was truly Magical. As we were coming on to Main Street
Then we were in front of the Castle, there were
volunteers standing waiting to take pictures of us with our own cameras in
front of the Castle. I took that opportunity to have someone take my picture in
front of the Castle. I had decided not to stop to have my picture with any
Character along the way unless it was Donald. But I wanted a picture at the
half way point. As we came through the Castle (which everyone was screaming and
cheering) I saw an official photographer taking photos. I moved over and gave
him a thumbs up for my “official” picture on this race.
Now the real work begins, half down, half to go. I
was still feeling really good, I was having conversations with my fellow
runners, and several of them asked about my shirt we talked about my heart
attack and my comeback. I talked to a couple of doctors about it too. I was
actually having a really good time, people were encouraging me and I was
encouraging others. It was great. Then I hit mile 8, fatigue and light
headedness hit me. Ok time for food. I stopped at the water stop; I got water
and pulled out my shot blocks (which are a carb & sugar running energy bars),
I ate half and downed my water. I waited a minute or two then took off knowing
the shot blocks would kick in any minute. I was wrong, I felt better, but not
100 percent. What was going on? Then at mile 10 ½ I had to go to the bathroom.
I got off the road, got in line for a Port-a-Potty and then went to pee. Oops
not just pee. Oh well at least I shouldn’t have to worry about that other
function for a while. I felt better, but still drained. Now about mile 11 is
where we hit hill number 3. It was the hill Reid told me about. This one I had
to walk up, but no shame in that I was not the only one walking. I was getting
excited again, I saw the mile 12 sign I pulled my phone out and texted my Mom. I am at Mile
12. I put the phone back and pushed on. As I looked up I saw other runners that
had finished coming back to chEar us on. One looked right at me and said “You
can do this; you are almost there,” he held up his medal “look at what you get
just less than a mile to go.” I know he was talking to me, cause I must have
looked defeated, I felt defeated. But as I was about to give up I thought to
myself, “Oh no you don’t, you are doing this for your heart, for your
Grandmother, that died from heart disease and for your Grandpa.” Then I heard
it again, as I saw another The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society sign, “We are
with you every step of the way.” Again I
said, no, you can’t cry, you have to run. Go! Finish this race!
I did get my picture with Donald!
We came into Epcot and ran around the Earth Sphere oh
we are almost done. Where is the last marker for mile 13. Come on where is it…
There it is only .1 to go; I can see the finish line. I can see it… Oh No,
there is Donald, the one Character I want a picture with and there is a line a
long one. If I stop, I will not be able to make it across that finish line…
Choices. I choose to finish, I will find Donald later. I did it 3:16:43 and it
was better than I had anticipated. I was done, I had just completed my first
ever ½ marathon a full 13.1 (I actually ran 13.43 miles, cause I started early)
miles, I ran the whole thing except for a few places, the hills. I was very
excited and proud of myself. I then saw the volunteers giving out our medals,
again excitement and the thrill of victory.
Oh, wait what is that feeling? Head rush, spinning
feeling, weakness, I need food and water. I kept moving I had to eat and get
something to drink. I bypassed the photo opp with my medal. I found the food
line and water line. A banana helped, but wait I need a bathroom. Port-a-Potty,
thank God for no line, then it hit a bad wave of diarrhea. What was that?
When I was done I met up with my parents, we headed
to the car, nope, got to go again, Port-a-Potty. What is happening?
We move on, get to the car and head out of the park and
to a restaurant, it hits me again. Now I am getting scared. Needless to say I
was not a happy camper. I needed to find out what was happening to me.
Once I got on the internet I found out about Runners
Diarrhea. Because I had the flush of liquids from before the race and didn’t
realize that I was dehydrated, I didn’t replenish my fluids then it was made worse from
running and not getting enough water during the race. Well, lesson learned the
hard way. Never again, if I have to over water myself and pee on the side of
the road to avoid dehydration I will.
But I have to say all and all a great experience,
even the after disaster. I take that and will learn from it. I enjoyed this so
much it is now part of who I am. I signed up for my next race a day after this one. The
NC ½ marathon at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, I am addicted to running.
“When it comes to running, the easy part is at the
finish and the hard part is at the start. But once you put one foot in front of
the other, it’s addictive!”
Left to Right: Marie, Reid and Me -
They started this whole journey for me, and I love them for it!
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