Running to Diz

2007-11-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

This link will lead you to my current blog, where I'm training for the Goofy's Challenge in January '08:
http://runningkathryn.blogspot.com

2007-04-29T23:26:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, was a girly-girl. A certified non-athlete. A girl apparently blessed with a fantastic metabolism, who could maintain an off-the-rack size 6 (in pants) on a diet of beer, cigarettes, and whatever her waitressing job du-jour featured on their menu at employee prices. Throw in a bag of chips and a full-sugar Dr. Pepper for breakfast, and you have the makings of a champion!

Then girl met boy, and fell in love. As her love grew, her metabolism shrunk. Boy married girl, and suddenly there were 2 boys! :) Four kids later, the girl was an overblown version of her former self.

So, one day the girl (who you might guess is ME!) looked in the mirror and said, "Enough is enough" and joined the Y. Sixty-plus pounds later, she (I!) had uncovered her figure (albeit rearranged) and discovered a new hobby: Running.

That love of running and an innate insanity led to the first marathon in Disney in January of 2005. At the conclusion of the marathon in 2005, our heroine decided that there would never, ever, ever be a marathon in her future. Period. End of story. By definition, one completed marathon = a marathoner. Deed done. Movin' on.

Which brings us to - I don't know. I guess the same point that brings a mother who swears in the R (recovery) room of the LDR that she will never again birth a child but yet brings herself to give that child siblings. Eventually the pain fades away and nothing remains but the accomplishment, the happiness, the glory, the reward.

So I did - I went back for more. I set my sights on the Country Music Marathon. In that I am a long-time country music fan and had converted my husband to love the music too, to me it seemed natural. When my sister and her husband moved to TN, it was inevitable....

I "announced" I was running the thing long before I signed up... and then I signed up. And then I talked like I really was going to do it - really, really! And then - I started training. I trained alone, I trained with my local running club, I trained in my head, and sometimes I skipped training altogether. I created a schedule for myself and tried to stick to it... I beat myself up when I didn't, and puffed up when I did.

I added a new regimen to my workouts - a full-body, two-time-a-week weight training class. It is based on a similar routine as Bill Philips'; which is to say, you work each major muscle group to fatigue. I do believe that this was as beneficial to my training as my crack-o'dawn Saturday morning long runs.

As happens, life moved along quickly, and suddenly it was April 21, 2007. One week before the Nashville Country Music Marathon. Ready or not, here we come... trained or not trained! At one week out, there was not one thing more I could do to be prepared. And believe me, I was sure I was under-prepared.

We left our younger children with my in-laws and headed out with the twins in the dark to TN, to my sister's home to spend our weekend. After a fun Thursday catching up and introducing our dogs to each other, we retired fairly early. My poor brother-in-law: Knowing that Thursday night's sleep was essential to Saturday, he slept fitfully. :( I was more fortunate - the bed assigned to us was absolutely PERFECT and I was out before my head hit the pillow.

Friday was the Expo, which we always love. The CMM Expo was far too small for the crowd of 30,000+ participants and caused the Expo to be a disappointment. Mission accomplished, though: We gathered our race bibs and goodie bags and a bit of information that would become essential the following day ... the low-down on the course drink, Accelerade.

At an info clinic, the leader asked how many of us had trained with Accelerade, and a paltry few raised their hands. He then announced that it was a 4:1 carb:protein mix and to be careful with it. He advised that it be diluted if not avoided, and suggested we carry what we'd trained with on the route. We took careful note.

The next morning found us staring out the car window at a sea of red tail-lights. Despite our early departure time, we were dangerously close to missing the start altogether. It took us an hour from my sister's home to get to the exit for Nashville; another hour to get to the parking lot where the shuttles awaited frantic participants to bring them to the starting line. Our driver - Chuck - dropped us off and we headed straight to a shuttle (fortunate to be able to sit down) and were dropped at a scenic park, lined with far too few Porta-lets. FAR TOO FEW. Our efforts to hydrate well were met with 40-minute+ lines to use over-used porta potties with no toilet paper and intolerable conditions. Though we were corralled in 12 and 13, by the time we joined the start waves, we were among those coralled in 22. Fortunately our nervous energy was spent with the stress of the traffic and bathroom lines. Arriving at the starting line brought on more relief than anxiety...

Our wave started, 42 minutes into the race. We started our descent into the Music City and wondered at the crowds before us and behind us. I called Chuck to tell him we were just starting and he told me he'd see me around mile 1.5. He was a welcome sight as I dropped off an annoying water bottle as he was our mobile provisions unit. (The night before the race, we used window-chalk to label our van windows with our names and destination. His read, "Professional Spectator" and he is, underpaid though he might be. He has the race spectator/support person/pack horse thing DOWN. He rocks, and he was a lifesaver.)

I ran with my brother-in-law a bit, until nature called for more respectable porta-potties. He ran on, and we each ran alone from that point, though I was happy to encounter him along the course a couple of times later. I had decided that I was going to split the race into several parts - 13.1 (a half, which I do fairly easily and quite comfortably), then to mile 18 (which I had spotted on our there-and-back course) and then the 10k of mile 20 to mile 26.2 (I'd turn that into a 5k at mile 23). At 13.1, I checked my watch and miscalculated my time as 2:20. I was happy with that (I was wrong; I was 2:30 in). Miles 13.1 - 17 went easily - but then I took some Accelerade. My system revolted, and miles 17, 18, and 19 became the Job Johnny Tour. Chuck and the boys saw Happy Kathryn until mile 19.something, when her growling, hissing counterpart limped up one of the city's MOUNTAINS and demanded her own sports drink from the bag o'provisions.

The course then led from the prettiest parts of the city into the dregs, where cars actually drove ONTO the route if an officer so much as turned his head a degree or two. !!! It became fairly treacherous, and it would seem that the approaching Shelby park would be a welcome sight for we pedestrians. And it would be, if it were not morale-busting. On approach to the park, I saw mile marker 25 - yee haw - the end is near!! Yet, I was only approaching 21 myself. The ease by which the initial miles clicked by was not with me now - my mile-by-mile approach had dwindled down to block-by-block, tree-by-tree, foot-by-foot. 25 miles was too much of an effort away, and yet still 1.2 long, hateful miles to the finish and blessed end of the torture. Morale, meet toilet. I was done.

So I rang up my number-one cheerleader, and said, "I am at mile 23, I am miserable, my morale is gone, please help me." He said, "You are a 5k from the finish, you are strong, you could walk in and make good time, you can do it." Initially, it didn't work, and I must've had such a scowl that it brought a medical worker running toward me asking if I were okay. I was not - not mentally, anyway. There was something about that park - something about the long loop that encircled a beautiful pond but allowed a participant to see where she was going - so, so far away, so out of reach, so discouraging. And then I thought what I think during a race: The faster you run, the sooner the hell ends, MOVE IT.

And so I did - ran, ran, walked. Ran, ran, walked. The water stop at 23.5 miles also offered beer by the Harriers ("the drinking club with a running problem") and I was damn near obliged to partake being that I was wearing my "will run for beer" singlet. (I hustled through this water-stop - apparently my kick was there when beer was in sight).

Again, I ran with the "just get to that hydrant", "just to that mailbox", "just to that sign" mentality and in my haze stumbled onto the Citgo guys, who now I :HEART:. They were offering water (which was really unnecessary) but the words they said were like a salve to my tired, burning mind and body:

GO AROUND THE CORNER, AND YOU WILL SEE THE FINISH.

I rounded the corner and they were not lying - it really was the finish. Mile 26 (once again I choked, once again I feared hyperventilating) and then .2 miles to done. .2 miles where my legs found lost speed, my face found a lost smile, and my heart remembered why I had started this journey in the first place: TO FINISH.

(Hey, and I broke 5 hours! :) Official time: 4:59:55, LOL).

Am I happy with my time? No, not really. I'd hoped for a 4-4:30 marathon, and thought on some level I was capable of it. Truth be told, I didn't train properly for that finish, and I underestimated the hills of good ol' Nashville, TN. I felt somewhat vindicated when the winner said on TV (for all to hear!), "That was a tough course!" :) It is what it is, and time is important on a lot of levels, but finishing is even more important. There is something to be said for landing a spot as a Boston Qualifier (a dream I have myself!) but there is something also to be said for running for 5+ hours straight. It's not an easy thing to accomplish - the ability to persevere through pain, discomfort, or discouragement. To set a goal and work long-term - and then short-term - to achieve it. We may not all be winners, but there is happiness to be found among the mid-packers and the back-packers... anyone who crosses that finish line, who sets that goal and achieves it, and who perseveres despite hardship, or loss of morale, or whatever life throws in the way may not even be close to winning, but in our hearts, that medal is a badge of honor, a testament to fortitude, and a life-changing experience.

Will I do this again? I can say without hesitation, YES, because the Empire that is the Diz has already grasped my entry fee for the Goofy "Race and a Half". Will I do Nashville again? Chuck says yes, cheerfully yelling, "See ya next year!" as we pull out of my sister's and brother-in-law's driveway barely 24 hours past the race start (as I protest that I'll be there as a spectator -- only).

I think the same mentality that brought us to be the happy parents of four wonderful children will bring us back to marathon starting lines over and over again... eventually the pain wanes and the glory remains, and it's worth it. It's hard, but it's worth it.

Disney Once Again

2007-04-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

I so wanted to add to this page but was unable due to the fact that I could not remember my username and password, LOL. But here I am, again!!

When I collected my "Donald" medal in 2006 (the medal for the 1/2 marathon in Disney) Chuck said, "I'm doing that with you next year." Fortuitous timing: The email letting me know that the race was open for registration came as Chuck was on the treadmill. He was in no position to say no. I signed us up right away. (Sneaky, sneaky wife).

The days, then weeks, then months clicked on, and Chuck had put forth no time for training (in his defense, it was the holidays, and he has a job that requires his concentration as the year comes to an end). We attempted to "sell" his entry, and when it was apparent it was not a hot commodity, we took to training. That is, we ran 4 miles in the morning and 5 miles in the evening exactly 2 days before the race. Yikes.

Happily, his parents accompanied us to the Happiest Place on Earth, and we settled in at one of our favorite moderate resorts. Chuck was nervous - I was not. I knew there were medical tents along the way ready and willing to take him on if need be. Our experience at Port Orleans was marred when we learned that they had shut down the food court for renovations!! We were led to believe an expensive buffet was our only option for food (save the pizza delivery they offer). FURIOUS, we went to the sister-hotel's food court, along with everyone else in both resorts (read: EXTENSIVE lines). We learned the next day that there were "reach-in" coolers with food available at our own resort - something that was not relayed to us when we stood toe-to-toe with a "manager" who tried hard - really hard - to sell us on a $13/head mediocre buffet meal. We can't help but wonder whose big idea it was to limit nourishment to a hotel full of athletes the weekend of a marathon. Or why we weren't alerted to this fact at check in. Our complaints to "management" were met with glassy-eyed, feined interest. We were really disappointed in Disney's handling of this matter and I know I heard more than one family say that they would never again stay on property.

(I use the word "manager" in quotations as it became obvious to us that "management" at Disney are bestowed with no more power to make things right than any other employee of the empire. )

Onward - we rose in the dark and tiptoed out of our room to the hotel lobby. There we grabbed a $1.29 banana (yeah, that's per ONE banana) and a coffee. We opted to drive over to the EPCOT parking lot. As in years prior, I joined the throng of people moving toward the corrals. This time was special, though, as I had my very best friend alongside me. This year, Disney opted to have the start occur in waves, as determined by your entry, not your projected time. We were in wave B. This is a great idea in theory; the problem is that it does not take into account a runner's ability. Thereby, the walkers were grouped with skilled runners, who were grouped with everyone in between. A course of Disney's (lack of) width should not start like this - I'd imagine it could potentially be dangerous for all. Regardless, we emerged unscathed, after a multi-part "shotgun" start (each wave got its own set of fireworks - very cool).

Chuck and I ran quietly beside each other. He was not interested in chatting and I respected that. His purpose was to finish - and mine was to offer support. There were times when I told him to remove his headphones and enjoy the ride. As we rounded the corner to Main St., I said, "Take your headphones off - this is what it's all about!!!" We saw our family almost immediately after the entrance into the Magic Kingdom but Chuck did not want to linger, so we kept moving through the familiar parts of the park and into new areas he'd never seen - behind Splash Mountain where floats stood idle and log-flume boats were stacked up against the fiberglass wall of the backside of the ride.

The race went quick - for me - and I did as I promised and kept pace with Chuck, prancing like a horse in view of the stable only at the 5k-to-go mark (which is when I generally get my "kick"). That was the only time I pushed him when he really was not able to be pushed, as he feared, but he gave me enough hairy eyeballs to keep me only prancing (literally) beside him and not bolting beyond him. Every now and again I'd run ahead and then turn back to stay with him and that seemed to assuage my need-for-speed instinct well enough. When we hit the finish line I cried and he looked stunned. I guided him through the finish line procedures - getting the chip cut off your shoe, getting wrapped in mylar to regulate your body temp and yes - leaning down to have your medal put on you (it's like the Olympics, 'cept the podium's pretty crowded).

Friday on the way to Orlando Chuck told me I should consider doing the Goofy Challenge next year which is the 1/2 on Sat and the full on Sunday. I said, "Oh hell no, I'm never doing the Disney marathon again!" I said that again on Friday afternoon at the Expo. This morning, I stood in the lobby of the hotel waiting for Gregory to pick out a pin and watched the athletes come in with their Mickey (full) medals and thought, "Phooey. I want one of those again!" When Chuck met up with us he said, "You feel FINE today - you could do that next year, easily!" and I agreed. So next year I am doing the Goofy Challenge. (I'm signing up tomorrow before I lose my resolve). The kids are excited! We are going to stay at the Polynesian and Chuck's going to do the 1/2 again which will help me keep my pace down a bit so I am ready for the full the following day. Chuck's parents are in, too - they had a blast.

ENCORE: The Walt Disney World Half Marathon January 7th, 2006

2006-01-22T11:43:00.000-05:00

After the disappointing discovery that the WDW half was closed (just as I got up the gumption to try it!) I focused my attention on the Gasparilla half, which is in February. Then a girlfriend's happy news meant that she had an entry to the half that would go unused :), until she offered it to me!! So our families (her husband, who is also a runner but was sitting out this 1/2 as well, their daughter, along with my children and husband) made plans to spend the weekend in Orlando together.

We got a rough start on Friday, and omen-girl (me) was getting worried. We were supposed to leave at 12:30 but stuff kept popping up and preventing me from getting out of the house. I told my friend (and this is Pollyanna-ish, I know) that we must be being protected from something because so many roadblocks were getting thrown up for us!! We got to Orlando in 1:36 without speeding which is great time (and much better than last year's four hour road trip!)!! We headed to the Expo and made the mistake of complaining about the crowds/line. Ha! When we left, the line to packet pick-up had QUADRUPLED. We had no right to complain earlier...

The half marathon was moved to Saturday and the full was on Sunday. We got up at 4am and I was suprised to not be at all nervous. For large races of any size, there are corrals at the start, usually labeled with alphabetical letters. The elite are in corral A, and in order to be corralled in A you have to submit proof of time from a previous sanctioned race. B-H are based on the per-mile projection you yourself turn in with your registration. My friend likes to start in the back of the pack, so I was corralled in E. There was this guy who decided to strike up a conversation with me (old guy) who was making me want to snooze again and then somewhere in the conversation he said something along the lines of "slow runners like us". Well. I do think I credit him with how well I ended up doing. :)

It took me 13 minutes to cross the start, which is how crowded it was. Unfortunately, it was also narrow, and since I was corralled back with slower-than-me runners, I was doing a lot of two-stepping to get in with people of my pace. I got to the Magic Kingdom in about an hour. I ran down main street, desperately looking for my family, and then suddenly there they were ------- minus CHUCK! I said, "Where's your dad?" and they yelled, "the bathroom!" and I said, "Shut UP!" the woman beside them said, "All I've been hearing about is their mommy and then here you are and he isn't!" I said, "Well then, I'll wait!" and I did. I lost about 5 minutes waiting for him but I had been going so slow at that point I didn't care. When he got back and snapped a few pictures I said, "The course is narrow and I'm too far back. I'm doing a 10-11 mile but I know I'll finish easy." He checked his watch, nodded and said he'd see me at the finish line.

Right outside the MK was the 6.5 mile mark. I remember hearing, "You're half way through!" and thinking, "No way, that was easy!" and deciding to step it up. The route was low on crowd support and entertainment, so I started thinking about putting on my headphones and listening to my iPod. I felt really good, so I called Chuck on my cell and said, "I've made up a lot of time, get ready." He said, "I'm heading for the finish line now!" and I laughed and said, "Good, me too!" Then I put on my headphones and settled in for the ride.

Quickly, it seemed, the mile markers came up 8, 9, 10 -- at ten I thought, I have nothing to lose at this point; I know I'm going to make it well within the 3:30 cut-off, and if I get too fast or two winded I can slow down and walk. So I started picking up more and more speed, going faster and faster, up the overpass and into Epcot, and suddenly there was mile 12! I thought, Well heck, I know I don't have to run for any longer than 10 more minutes, let's make it shorter - and I don't remember much else. Chuck said I just flew over the finish, that he was hollaring my name but he never saw my face look so intense while racing, and that I obviously heard nothing. I usually approach a finish line gasping and memorizing my time; I had no idea what'd I'd run and I ran straight through the finish. The volunteers pamper you at the finish; they were handing out those mylar blankets and bringing water and Propel. I didn't want any of it, I don't know why. I think they only explanation is that "zone" they talk about. The bad part is that once you leave the "zone" all you need your creature comforts back, so by the time I left the finish area, I was cold, starving and thirsty. As I was negotiating out to the family reunion tents, Chuck called and shouted, "Holy &#*!, you were cruising! You came in 15 minutes sooner than the earliest I expected you! I got off the monorail, walked over and whoa - there you were!" He was so proud of me I started to cry. It's one thing to feel so wonderful and know you did the absolute best you could do and still feel great, it's another to have your very best friend be truly happy for you and proud of you.

So I collected Donald and off we went . The momentum of that morning just carried me through the weekend. Chuck is going to run Disney with me next year, which thrills me to pieces. I have another 1/2 in February and I am going to lose 20 pounds and actually train for this one, and see where it takes me.

More pictures...

2005-01-17T14:18:00.000-05:00

PICTURES!

2005-01-11T10:41:00.000-05:00

Running to Main Street (Mile 9).

Donald Duck and tired us :)

Photo finish!

Marathon Recap

2005-01-10T22:32:00.000-05:00

This post is dedicated to my friend and training partner, Terra, without whom I’d have ever been able to accomplish this incredible milestone. Thank you, Terra, for helping me dig deep when I didn’t know I could. Thank you for listening to me, putting up with me, forgiving me when apologies were in order, and thank you for reaching for the stars with me! We went the distance, girl!!

GETTING TO THE MARATHON: We decided to go up the day of the expo, where we were to pick up our race materials. I had gone to bed early Friday night and we slept in somewhat, as I was not anticipating a lot of sleep Saturday night. Once we were up and rolling, we moved at a steady pace. A quick, celebratory breakfast at Cracker Barrel, and we were on our way! Unfortunately, our pace came to a screeching halt when a fatal accident on I-4 meant a 2+ hour delay for us (resulting in a 4-hour trip!). The road was closed at one point, and many of us milled around on the highway until it re-opened. When it did, we made fairly quick time to the Wide World of Sports complex, where the expo was held. I quickly worked through the lines to collect my race bib and Champion Chip, then started down toward the exhibitions to get my race shirt and discovered I’d lost my bib!! Frantic, we retraced my steps and found it in lost and found, but the error cost us a great deal of time and prevented me from touring the expo. We rushed to our hotel (Port Orleans Riverside) for check-in, and to my team meeting. The breathlessness and anxiety were both a good release and a concern: Were all of these problems just a bad omen??

PASTA PARTY: We loaded the busses: my husband and three sons, my training partner’s husband and four sons, and her parents. We were brought around the back of Epcot – behind the countries – and let out. We wandered, dumbstruck, through a special entry into Epcot. When we reached the event hall, we were greeted by cheering and noisemakers by our TNT staff members. I don’t know about Terra, but I think that’s when everything hit me. We were here. It was happening. Starting right now. We had a great meal and an inspirational program, and then headed back to the hotel. After doing some last-minute things which we shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to do (and which took longer than a minute!) we headed to bed. We set SIX alarm clocks to insure a 2:30 wake-up!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, THE DAY WE’D BEEN ANTICIPATING SINCE THE END OF AUGUST: Five out of the six alarm clocks greeted us, and we dressed quickly and got on the move. At 3:40am we loaded the busses to the start, our nerves jangling, our anticipation rising, but our smiles quick. Once at the staging area, we started moving in a huge, slow, leaderless pack toward our corrals. It was eerie and exciting. We found our corral (C), and stretched, danced to the music and took it all in. Time went quickly, and soon it was 5:55 AM and time for the wheel-chair start. At 6:00, fireworks replaced a traditional shot-gun start, and Disney characters waved us through. Soon enough, we were at mile marker 1. My mind started playing tricks with me when the official clock read 00:15:00. Fifteen minutes for the first mile?? We’d never make this!! Panic set in. Terra reminded me that there had been a delay to the start, and assured me we’d re-figure our pace at mile 2. And then suddenly, there it was – mile 2! Eleven minute miles – right on pace. Satisfied and happy, we settled in, cheerfully making friends, taking in the sights, remarking at our stamina and feeling very, very good. One by one we picked off those first miles – 3, 4, … 9. We ran through the Epcot parking lot and spotted our cheering families. Boosted all the more, we turned our enthusiasm to the upcoming Main Street, USA stretch, just after mile 10. At mile 10 the thing I’d worried about most came to pass; the only problem was, it came 7 miles sooner than I expected. It was my knee – it hurt, and it hurt badly. I kept it to myself for about ¾’s of a mile, but just before we rounded the corner to Main St. I told Terra. Mom that she is she said, “Well, there is no crying in The Magic Kingdom!” We turned the corner and WOW! Imagine, you’ve decided to run the Disney World Marathon. Imagine, following your dream, training your heart out, getting up at 4:30 in the morning to run around the block a few times all in anticipation of this moment. If you’ve been imagining this for four months, more than likely this – this – was the moment you’ve been imagining. And to top it off, there they were, cameras in-hand, water at the ready: Our families. The pride that they wore was evident, and Terra’s mom was crying. It was a magical moment in a magical place. We moved on, through the park, around Tomorrow Land and through the Castle. We carried on, running with “the half-ers” as they’d been called – those blessed runners getting ready to cross their finish line. We kept hearing “almost done” – and those words intended for them cut into our psyche and morale. We cheered their accomplishment as they broke away from us and suddenly we were on our own. Down past the Grand Floridian where staff members dressed as brides and grooms cheered and called us by name. Down to a desolate road which smelled of sewage. At mile 14 we were offered BioFreeze (which I took copious amounts of and then slathered over every exposed muscle). Pre-marathon reading taught me that “the teens” would be tough. I was prepared for tough, but this was tough. Terra was strong as an ox, working me past the pain that screamed at me from my knee, helping me fight through the mental shut-down that I was experiencing. She could have easily picked off many runners at that point, and I still feel bad that my weakness might have led to her own experience “in the ditch”. The stop-go-stop-go I was calling for took its toll on her, but I was afraid my body wouldn’t let me make the trek if I didn’t rest it. It was frustrating and unpleasant, but we worked on. At mile marker 20, my spirits lifted. A 10K remained, that was all. Remembering how I’d loved the 10K we’d done Thanksgiving Day, I set the course and my spirits began to soar. True to our training, my improvement coincided with her decline. Seeing that she was taking a bit of a mental dive, I forced myself to get out of the ditch and to pull her with me. We both took a dive when we reached what I’ve heard another marathoner call “the road to hell” – a 2-mile turn-around point between Animal Kingdom and MGM. Right before that turn-around, though, I had run into a TNT coach from another team. He read my face and knew I wasn’t “right”. I complained about my knee and he worked the pain out somewhat. Then he offered to show me a simple stretch, which my mind could not grasp. My struggle prompted him to suggest salt, which I consumed like the salt before a tequila shot. That fortuitous encounter easily bought me the rest of the race – renewed, we ran toward MGM and the last miles of the race.
MILE 23, 24, 25 and 26: These miles were hard to achieve. Beginning at MGM – the 5k mark – we started to hear “you’re almost done!” “You are almost done” to a vacationing family from Kansas standing there with Mickey ears and a fanny pack is not the same as it is to a marathoner. We were not “almost done” until we could see the finish line, and that was still miles away. We had to keep regrouping: We are just running through Heritage Springs (6 miles), just a quick neighborhood 5k (3 miles), just one quick loop around the neighborhood (1.7 miles). Still, the mind games weren’t helping. We trudged along… out MGM, through the Boardwalk, alongside a resort pool full of splashing people. Down the walkway from the Boardwalk to Epcot, the soft, pliable wood a welcome relief to our sore joints and muscles – and suddenly, the ball was in sight. That ball: our goal! Into the park, we began to run country to country: Germany, China, Mexico. Each step was agony, each goal marker harder to reach. Past the ball – where’s the finish??? Then suddenly – MILE 26! I burst into tears – which were expected – what I did not expect was the fact that doing this while pushing my cardio system would cause me to almost hyperventilate. Oh wow – what if I hyperventilated and passed out at mile 26 and got carried in? I caught my breath, and prepared for landing. We passed a robed gospel choir singing as hard as we were running, turned a corner and there it was – the finish line. We did it. WE DID IT!!

ALL WE WANTED: My sister called as I was receiving my medal – which was fantastic. It felt like she was with me. Chuck called shortly thereafter and I got the impression it would be many long minutes before we saw them. We were heart-heavy – all we wanted was them. But then suddenly, there they were – our cheerleaders, our supporters, these men and children who’d sacrificed their wives and moms for all those hours of training. Those parents and husbands and children who’d spent an unseasonably hot January morning chasing spectator spot after spectator spot with throngs of other onlookers. That moment was all we’d ever wanted and we basked in it. We took pictures and headed off to The Rain Forest Café for a celebratory meal.

We did it. We did it we did it we did it. And it feels so good.

Has it been a month? Seriously?!

2004-11-11T11:32:00.000-05:00

I guess it has been!!

It started out as a beautiful month weather-wise, but it turned out to be a roller-coaster of a month. My beloved Gramma went in for what we thought was a minor medical procedure and ended up drudging up a myriad of other maladies. Fearful that she might not pull through, my Dad (her son), Mom and aunt all came to Florida to see her. This is a woman blessed with fighting spirit and reaping the benefits of the love she has sown through the years: She is pulling through, after all. She has surprised everyone, most of all her doctors, by rallying despite a LOT of setbacks. I think seeing her children and her grandchildren brought her courage to fight. It's definitely courageous to fight when you are an elderly person who is having treatment after miserable treatment thrown at you. I'd imagine you'd be exhausted and hopeless in the face of it all. But she knows she is loved, she knows we want her here for a long, long time, and she's fought herself back into stable health. It certainly gives a person a LOT to be thankful for this season, doesn't it??

Speaking of, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of our veterans this Veteran's Day. Thank you for the God-given rights and responsibilities you've protected for me - before I was born and as I live in this great country. For our veterans-to-be, who are right now fighting this current war, thank you for your sacrifices. And to the parents, wives and children of veterans now and of the future: thank you for your strength when your loved one was deployed. I don't know how you do it, but you are heroes, too.

Back to running... this past Saturday we completed 15 miles!! It was arduous, for sure. The 14 and 15-milers are not leaving me as much in "happy land" as the lower-mileage long runs did. Terra and I are starting to really think about our nutrition and avoiding "bonking". The term "bonking" is like the term "flu" - people use it to describe an minor version of an extreme physical condition. Technically, "bonking" is depleting your glycogen stores to the point of not being able to go on. "Bonking" is used more lightly to describe the feeling of not wanting to go on - you could, but you do not want to. So, for the sake of discussion, I'm talking about "baby bonking" here, not full-out, need-an-ambulance bonking.

So we need to work on this, we've decided. I've done some research on the subject and it appears as though we'll need to start carrying some simple carbs with us in some capacity. I guess gummy bears and Twizzler bites are an option. Also I'll need to eat a lot better throughout the week so that my muscles can store up the glycogen during rest periods. Sadly (said tongue-in-cheek) this means more potatoes, pasta and whole-grain bread products. I know, I know - it's tragic!!! I also plan on stocking up on juices, veggies and the awesome Fuji apples my family has become addicted to and will darn near kill to have the last one of when we run low. If this neighborhood had handed out Fuji apples instead of candy for Halloween, the Lawrence clan would have been in hog heaven.

I am still working on fundraising. It's slow-going, but I feel confident I will reach my goal. So confident that I signed recommitment paperwork binding me financially to MAKING that goal. It's amazing how each and every donation translates to personal support - how each person who has donated, no matter how little, is saying to me "I believe in you and know you can do this". It means SO much!!

I am off now to sign up for the Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Day. I just love that race! It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is so very close! I just love this time of year - it's just an amazing time. I know time will pass quickly between now and January 9, but I am also confident that I'll be ready, willing and able to run this marathon.

This particular article is awesome, sums up the race, and every time I read it makes me ready to run this thing RIGHT NOW:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/wdwupdate/lt030205lt.htm

If you've happened upon this website, and would like to donate, please go to www.active.com/donate/tntscfl/momsince96. Thank you SO MUCH!!

October in Florida...

2004-10-17T16:19:00.000-05:00

...equals FANTASTIC running conditions!! Oh, is it ever gorgeous!

When I left off I was staring down the barrel at 11 miles. We polished that off, no problem. Added an "incident" to ongoing list of hilarious "incidents". Laughing got us through the last 3 miles.

On Tuesday I finally made it to track practice. We did maximum heart rate drills and I learned that mine was - as I expected - fairly high. My max heart rate is 200, so I need to work at 70-85% of that. It explains why I am able to run comfortably at 165-170 when I shouldn't really be able to, based on the general guideline of 225 - age x 70-85%.

Yesterday my training partner was out of town. I had intended to go to Ft. DeSoto to join my team for the potluck/group run but decided it was simply too far. Then I was going to join the local running club sponsored through the Y but when I woke up I felt TERRIBLE. It took me an hour and a half after waking to decide that I could - and would - run but I would do it near home so I could come home if I declined in any way. After the first block, I was fine, and handed in a 12 mile run at just under 2 hours. I was very proud of myself!!

I'm learning to love Saturdays after that long run. It's becoming a self-indulgent kind of day, where I reward myself with whatever I want to eat or drink, and generally celebrate the morning's hard work. Last night I OVER indulged at the party of old friends of ours. It was a great party and the atmosphere they've created with their home just lent itself to indulgence. (The house is neat, with a brick courtyard, strings of lights criss-crossing over a picnic table outside, and a beautiful fountain). I must not have behave too badly as we've been invited back for dinner under those lights again next month!!

Today I am crickity. I didn't treat my body well yesterday and it's objecting. I ran those miles, toasted the end with a cup of coffee and a pumpkin spice bagel slathered in cream cheese, and nothing else for the rest of the day. Add in a healthy dose of Amber Bock on draft and you have a recipe for a painful Sunday. Lesson learned.

We learned that we are staying at Port Orleans for the race. We are starting to get all that paperwork in the mail. I am getting upset because fund raising isn't going well. I intend to hit the bricks tomorrow to see what I can get in the way of corporate sponsorships. I have 2 weeks to meet my minimum goal of $633 and recommit.

Can you believe it?

2004-10-08T08:20:00.000-05:00

...I'm not going to mention a hurricane in this post!! Sure, there's a low-pressure system out in the Gulf over there by Texas but hey, it's nameless. And, as she who has headed to the pen this morning would say, "That's a good thing".

So, running news. First of all, I ran in the Race For The Cure last Saturday. It was terrible. As I've said about a million times to anyone who will listen: I love the cause, hate the course. It's a tough, tough course. First of all, it's lonely past the start and end. There are people lined up, but they are cheering for their one specific person, not the group as a whole. I could be wrong, but I think that's an unusual thing. It's hard to run past people chomping on bagels and drinking coffee and just staring at the pack. Second, they don't post mile markers so you can't really pace yourself. Third, the end of the course points you toward the sun. Also, it was hot and humid. Which, of course, is no one's fault. But it adds to my excuse list, which is necessary to explain my dismal time of 27:49. Yuck. Some kind soul told me I could subtract ~1:30/mile for the humidity and heat (as per Jeff Galloway, a published expert on the subject), which would put my time closer to 24:00 which is more like it, but still. But you know what? It's a great cause, an amazing turnout, and it was worth the pain. :) Plus it got me out of running 12 miles like my crazy training partner Terra did that day. She only had to do 8-10, but always the over-achiever...

Last night we were supposed to run 6 miles (which we did). The weather is getting to be amazing. This fall-stuff makes living through hurricanes and humidity and vicious afternoon thunderstorms SO worthwhile. We mapped out our 6 miles and set to work. The thing is: it's not really work anymore. It's amazing that 6 miles was once a mile longer than our Saturday long run, but now it's just nothing. Really - I'm not just saying that. Terra mentioned something along those lines last night as we were beginning our last mile and we both remarked how we were anxious to be done for the sake of getting back to "home base" on time (we had a deadline) and not because our bodies were giving out. That is one of the problems of endurance training: it's not necessarily that you can't physically complete the run, it's setting aside hours for training.

In fact, this is where I'd like to say THANK YOU to my wonderful husband, who has been so incredibly supportive of my efforts to raise the money for the cause, to train, and for being so patient when my training means he's keeping the home fires burning. He has NOT complained (or even sighed heavily). As Maria (The Sound of Music) said, "Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good."

Tomorrow we're doing 11 miles.

Did I mention Jeanne?

2004-09-25T21:56:00.000-05:00

Yep, Jeanne. Another non-teammate. Bearing down on us right now; I sit here and listen to the wind blow outside. Scary stuff.

But enough with the hurricanes. It's getting old and sad.

Jeanne did not prevent us from running today - no she did not!! We did it, we ran 9 (NINE!) miles! YEE HAW!! It was fabulous. Wonderful. Beautiful. Fantastic. We did it DESPITE the unpsyching we did on the way to the group practice. The thought of running that far was making us nauseated. The thought of running the course and then running it again was almost more than we could bear! Ugh. What were we thinking?!

And then, standing there in the dark, listening to the course - 3 miles easy, 3 miles 10 secs higher than goal pace, 3 miles easy. Yuck. Half for the half-ers. Okay, right then and there we were ready to switch to the half. What were we thinking??

Like lambs being led to slaughter we stretched. We exchanged glances of misery, my training partner and me. We stuck our tongues out and made "escape hatch" plans in our minds and prayed the powers that be controlling bathroom breaks would go easy on us.

And then we ran. And ran and ran and ran. 2.5 miles down, we stopped for water. We were half through our first stretch and feeling okay!! Ran back and then ... back and forth again. Funny thing - though we were ready to stop, we weren't ready to stop until the time came to stop. And it hit us: NINE MILES. That's a lot. That's marathon training. But more than the physical realization of the power our bodies held we realized: we can do this. A marathon was not out of our grasp. We might just - might just! - do this thing and do it well.

What a day.

It's amazing - you finish running and you are tired. Stretching feels like a glorious long nap that you don't want to wake from. Stretching feels like a hot shower on a cold morning when you don't have to be anywhere anytime soon. It's delicous, it's healthy, and it's a signal to the body that the onslaught has ended. Nothing - nothing! - feels like stretching after a long run.

But the next interesting thing is your awareness of your strength as the day progresses. You feel like one long, lean muscle even if you aren't one. It's like your entire muscular system has snapped to attention and reminds you that you are alive!!

Running is an addiction. No doubt about it.

Charley, Frances and Ivan

2004-09-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

Not my new friends, not my new teammates, not even really fun people to be around. They are hurricanes which are wreaking havoc with my training schedule, my work, my children and my lives.

Ivan is due here by the beginning of next week. A formidable catagory 4, expected right here in the Tampa Bay area.

The only good news is at this point, just about anything I write about hurricanes or weather in general in my emails or here should be certified by the American Meterological Society, so well-studied am I in steering currents, fronts, wind sheer and potential tornadic activity.

It's almost funny. Almost. We're all living here in a state of suspended animation. Conversations are started like this, "If Ivan DOESN'T hit here next week, would you like to get the kids together for a playdate?" We're cooking in our driveways - why pull the grill to the back? Front yards and porches are sadly barren - no one has brought back out their doo-dads-turned-potential-missiles. We are mid-hunker. And it stinks.

But practices do go on, despite the oppressive heat. Last night was track practice, which I love to hate (or hate to love?). I love the coach. She's just what you want in a coach: encouraging, helpful, and ass-kicking :). We did timed 400s. I did okay. I'm not thrilled with my target MM (I've certainly run faster in my life) but I have to factor in a new kind of training, new shoes and oh yes, oppressive heat. I hope I can get that time down to make last year's goal: top 100 woman in the Turkey Trot. Nothing else will do. I'll cry in my gravy if I miss it again this year...

Weight Watchers is not going too well for me. I'm not keeping up with tracking my food, and I am STARVING ALL THE TIME. It's purely psychological; except for the Saturday morning long runs (which aren't really THAT long yet) I'm not running any more than I ever have. I know I'm not eating as much fat and I'm not feeling very sated. I'm trying to eat more fruits and veggies but it's just not sustaining me. I'm truly hungry - not dehydrated, I'm definitely hydrated! - so I don't know what to do. I think I am going to add some more nuts to my diet to see how that helps. Also cheese. I don't know. I'm still tweaking.

I have to say - I love the Snickers Marathon bar!! I know, I know; technically it's just a smooshed down Snickers candy bar (my fave) but it DOES have 13g protein in it. That's a lot of protein!! I think it gave me strength for my long run. I might have to ask Santa for a stocking-full....

Gorgeous Labor Day weekend (in our dreams)!!!

2004-09-06T21:48:00.000-05:00

Another beautiful weekend in paradise!!

This was Hurricane Frances' calling card - we got this wave mid-afternoon Saturday. The last band came through about 2 hours ago, which makes 48 hours of hurricaning. Really - could we have had a more entertaining weekend? It was AGONIZING at best. The children were cooped up, the weather unpredictable, the newscasters annoying... Just to add insult to injury, the children are out of school again tomorrow.

No - better yet - this is the true definition of "insult-to-injury": IVAN. Ivan the Terrible, out in the Atlantic, stepping onto the conveyor belt which keeps bringing these storms to our back door.

Back to the topic at hand. Sunday was a rest day. I think I might have taken that command way too seriously. I did NOTHING but rest - and fret. Today, fearful that the power would go out (as it was more blustery and foreboding today than even yesterday) I didn't dare step on the treadmill until the chance of it stopping short and throwing me through the guest closet doors were slim-to-none. That meant it was 9:30 PM. My assignment? An easy 3 followed by a speedier 1. I did 3 at 5 (12mph) and 1 at 6-7 (10-8:34mph) at a 1% incline. It took me 45 minutes. Not a time to write home about, but it got the job done.

Tomorrow is track - yay. I have to say, I am really enjoying group practice. It's good to be around other people who share your same goals and interests. It's good to be around people who can teach you - who WANT to teach you - what they've learned.

To wind up, I found the Disney course and I have to say, it got me VERY excited. I just cannot imagine what it'll be like to run through the happiest place on earth. I'm sure I'll have moments where the happiest place on earth will rival hell, but as far as view go this just can't be beat, can it??

http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media/dwws/media/MarathonMap05.pdf

Beautiful run today...

2004-09-04T10:52:00.000-05:00

Two in a row!

We got up at 5:40am this morning for our Saturday morning group practice (long run). I am really loving these runs - way more than I thought. For one thing, they are different from what I'm accustomed to, and for another the comraderie is really great. We were home a little after 8. Do you know what a great feeling that is - to get up, get out and get home before your children's eyes are even open? It's just fantastic!!!

Wednesday night we went to the shoe clinic. I purchased a new pair of shoes which I am still deciding whether or not I like. When I got back to the starting point my toes were DYING. I vaguely remember a short breaking-in period while the shoes loosen up. I might need to wait it out and see what happens. There are no pressure points. The shoes were very reasonably priced, too; I wouldn't mind finding out this model is my shoe.

Right now the big news is Frances. She's due to hit here sometime tomorrow, but in the meantime we are awaiting the feeder bands. They seem to be pretty harsh THOUGH the good thing is that they seem to be "petering out" as they make their way across the state.

It'll be interesting to see what this evening and tomorrow brings.

Track practice

2004-08-31T20:43:00.000-05:00

We had track practice today. It was fun. We got there a bit late (we'd told her we would be late) but still got full benefit of the entire practice. We stretched for a looooong time. I'm not a big fan of stretching, but hey. I'm learning. You gotta stretch.

We did interval training; sprints for straights, easy for curves. I did sprints for straights and walked the curves. I still did okay though; 11.25 laps in 30 minutes. It works out to a slower pace mile than I like but I have to get past the competitive part and start working on stamina. It's going to be the hardest part of this effort, I think; getting past the need to win, to stop running fast and petering out, and to get to what I've always lacked: endurance. I need the endurance. It's what this is all about. If I'd allow myself to "learn" or gain endurance, the speed would come.

I'm thinking of doing a 5k Saturday morning instead of group practice. I'll also be missing group practice on the 11th so it might not be one of my better ideas, but I really am hungry for a good solid 5k race. I want to see where I really am and what my true pace is. I'm still thinking about it - I have until early Saturday morning to make a decision.

Besides, Frances might make my decision for me. Dang that big ol' huge hurricane wanting to spoil Labor Day plans!!!

I joined Weight Watchers again. Actually, re-joined. I'm a lifetime member and I'm at goal, so I only have to pay for today's meeting and after that - as long as I'm at goal - I don't pay. I re-joined so I can work on my nutrition and keep myself accountable food-wise. I know I'll get all caught up into the web of "Well, I'm marathon training and probably burning 5 million calories a day, I can have a bag of chips and dip, no problem!" and maybe at some point that WILL be true (about the calories), but I don't think there are too many marathoners completing events on a diet of chips, dip and beer. So I need to think more along the lines of fruits, vegetables and water. Thank goodness Weight Watchers meetings have evolved past "How many Skinny Cow Ice Cream bars can you eat in a day and stay under your points range?" This meeting was a good one and I actually knew someone there (imagine - someone else under 80 at a New Port Richey Weight Watchers meeting!!!)

Oh, and I also voted like a good girl today. Unfortunately, Pasco Co. doesn't really count in the "Tampa Bay area" so they are forgetting to put our returns up on the screen during that new stupid adult-cartoon show. Or, if they do put them up, they put them up s-l-o-w-l-y like it could take us all night to collectively read Dave Abremski. Yeah, okay, I got it. I voted for the underdog (again). He got 16% of the vote. Let's move on!!

I ACHE, so I'm off to the bathtub. Tomorrow is shoe clinic, which I am looking forward to because it means I get to spend money :D. I need new shoes DESPERATELY. I'm almost positive it's one of the reasons I am in such pain, especially around my knees.

Is it really running season again?

2004-08-30T23:06:00.000-05:00

I refer to the fall as my "running season" - I kind of slack off during the summer months and then when the fall comes, sign up for some 5ks and get serious about it again.

Tonight reminded me that it is TIME. I did my 5k track in the neighborhood tonight. I don't know what my time was since I have a new heartrate monitor/stopwatch that I simply don't get. As techie as I am, watches seem to escape me. Kind of like balancing my checkbook. I can do algebra, but not subtraction (especially if there are $$ signs involved in the subtraction). But I digress...

My friend/teammate/partner-in-crime ran with me tonight. It was fun but we need to remember our headphones next time. It's hard to hold a conversation and push yourself, we learned. Better to just jam to some 80's tunes and get the job done. The talking can take place later.

Tomorrow night we have track training and I am SO excited for that!!! We'll get pointers on form and equipment and speed-training and runnerspeak and all that. This practice was one of the motivators for my signing up for this program. I hope it's as great as I anticipate.

Today we started making progress in fundraising, too. We set a date for a Beef O'Brady's 10% fundraiser night (Sept. 15 if you are in the neighborhood). We need to distribute flyers, make table tents, etc. but we can handle that.

I get to check out the Diz landscape for my anniversary!! Not really; we are "cheating" and heading over to Universal (gasp!), but I can eye the terrain anyway. I might pick up some Disney motivational "stuff" while I'm there.

I'm starting to wonder whose bright idea it was to own a two-story house. My "ouch" post applies to tonight, too.

OUCH

2004-08-29T01:22:00.000-05:00

That should cover it.

Ouch, ouch, ouch.

I got 2 new pairs of running shorts, a running tank and 3 pairs of Thorlos tonight.

I am SET.

Now I'm off to lick my wounds and curl up into fetal position for the night.

OUCH.

2004-08-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I did it!! I got up at 10 minutes of 6 (YES, SIX!) and made it to the causeway by 6:33. Note to self: try to get there earlier. 15 more minutes of sleep isn't going to mean a thing if you are running late.

I ran 5 miles. I think I was waking up just as I was finishing. Throughout the run I was doing my usual, "I hate this. Where's the runner's high? I have to pee. Why didn't I have breakfast? I hate this. Will it ever end?" and then, remarkably, while I stood in the parking lot drinking my water I thought, "Dang. I want to do that again!" Is this some kind of weird sadomasochism?

I got home about 8:30. On the way I stopped for beer (yay!), milk, granola bars and cream cheese. Got my Dunkin' Donuts coffee and bagels and donuts. By 8:30 I was walking through the door!!

I think I can actually do this Saturday-morning-run thing again. And again and again. I was surprised at myself - how easily (somewhat) and quickly I polished off a 5 mile road run. I have a little more faith in myself this morning and my ability to run 5 times that amount in 4 months.

A little more.

And here it is!!

2004-08-26T13:00:00.000-05:00

This blog is created to record the trials, tribulations and triumphs associated with getting me to Disney to run a marathon on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Bless anyone who chooses to "tune into" this page for updates and comments.

I begin this journal a little wary; I am not sure whether this old and previously unathletic body has what it takes to run 26.2 miles or, as Chuck so aptly put it, from here to Nan and Pap's. Geez.

It hasn't started out very well, either. Last night was the kick-off, and Chuck was late getting home. Actually, he never got home; I had to meet him in a parking lot on the way to the bottom of what I am now convinced is the longest county in the United States of America. Just to add insult to injury: two fronts (not cold fronts, I assure you that!) collided right over the length of the county, creating the massive downpours and rains we expected when Charley was knocking. What should have taken 45 minutes took a full hour and a half drive, and we got there as they were cleaning up.

While I was there I met in person my mentor, whom I can already tell will be a perfect match for me. She cheerfully announced our first group training in Dunedin, at 6:15. IN THE MORNING. Saturday morning. Oh dear god. The first thing I thought of was, "Damn. No beer Friday night." Yes, I have my priorities straight. Chuck grinned a Cheshire smile; he's been urging me to get up in the wee hours of a weekend morn for as long as I've known him - he thinks it's the best part of the weekend. Oh, what have I gotten myself into??

But this is a goal I've set for myself, and the way I see it, it is an "all-around" goal. It will encompass many aspects of my life, many which need improving. It will force me to work out - not just for weight loss, but to be a better endurance athlete. It will force me to focus on other people outside my little happy microcosm: cancer survivors (and non-survivors :(), other people who are making a difference in our community, teammates, friends, family, etc. It will force me to set up organizational goals and meet them: fundraising, paperwork, fitting in do-or-die practices. It will help me make new friends in an arena I've grown pretty passionate about in the past few years: distance running.

I have a friend who has made this committment with me. We will work together to reach our fundraising goals and get each other up for practices, etc. She's the perfect partner in this: naturally athletic, also a mother of four and very goal-oriented.

Today I have to do an "easy" 30 minute run. Funny how I scoffed at the training schedule until I noticed that by Halloween I'd be doing an "easy run of 14 miles". Daggone. But I can do it.

And so, away we go!! :) Amazing that in 6 months I'll be able to say I ran a marathon. Amazing. Feel free to comment in my blog; I need all the encouragement I can get!!

Until tomorrow...