So you want to run a marathon?
That statement can be said many different ways. There's the "coach" saying it to his newly recruited runner. Or an event coordinator posting instructions to newly registered runners on how to train...
Or there's the way I heard it most often. You know the way; that slow, slightly stuttered, wording with emphasis on the you saturated in unbelief and dumbfoundness. Yeah, you know the way.
So how did this Slim Jim go from this: (notice the little baby bump...on me)
To this:
Well really, it all began with a baby bump. Amanda's and mine. I couldn't help but notice as Amanda progressed in her pregnancy that she was really only "catching up" to me and that if I was truly honest with myself I looked more pregnant than she did!
The real problem was I didn't care. At least not at first. I had this stubborn determination in my head that I was, at least physically, the same guy I was in high school and college. (Okay- stop laughing now). I was nieve, but I did feel that if I wanted to do something (lose weight... run a marathon...) I could. But really- who wants to do those things?
It was around the time I started staying home with the kids that I really began to pack on the pounds. I didn't see it becoming a problem until I really noticed my energy levels going down and with them my interest in really, truly, honestly, getting down and dirty with the kids started slipping away. I was happy to not only let them entertain themselves (let's be honest- that's a good & needed thing. Another blog for another time) but I didn't even have a desire to go that 'extra' mile to do things with them. That needed to change... and so it did.
The move to Atlanta was a great step in the right direction. Amanda and I joined a gym and it was around this time we first started looking into Advocare. We were certainly hesitant at first but we had two sets of trusted friends who used it and had been having success with it for a long time. So we gave it a shot.
My workouts got stronger, I started losing weight, and with the help of the supliments we really began to eat healthy and start physically transforming our lives. It was great- but that nagging little determined high schooler was still yapping away in my head.
You see I was a high school distance runner. I wasn't great but I was good enough to captain the team for 3 years and I was even apart of a 4x800 team that made it to States. But once High School was done I was done with running. It was the same old thing "If I wanted to run I would run"... but who really likes running?
So when we first started Advocare I made a little silent bet with myself that if this worked I was going to run a marathon... sooner rather than later.
Well 28 or so pounds later it worked but I still didn't sign myself up. The holidays came around and I put about 10lbs back on and started slipping back into my old habbits. Dertermined to nip it in the bud I started taking my supliments again and started running around my neighborhood. Lost the weight and then some and came to a point where I had to make a decision.
Now- what I didn't share with Amanda was the fact that I started running to give myself a test drive for "the big decision". Off the couch I was able to run a 10 minute mile. I thought that was pretty good and within a week or so I had it down to under 10 and even broke 9 once. It was at this point I decided now or never.
I'm not sure how most people do it. Maybe you should train to a certain point and then sign up. Or have a few distance races under your belt before making the big leap. But I didn't care. My goal here was to finish. But not just to finish- but to prove to that stupid deteremined voice in my head that yes damn it , if I say I can do it then I can really do it. Stop BSing yourself.
So I did it.
And to ensure that I actually did it I gave myself two accountability nets. The first was to actually sign up before my real training even began. The second was to con... I mean ask my sister-in-law, Jen who was already an avid runner, to join me.
"Hey, I'm going to run a marathon."
"You're nuts."
"I know- but hey, you're not going to let me run one before you actually run one are you? Why don't you run it with me?"
It took a day but she gave in ;)
So $150 bucks short and complete responsibility for the misery of another person I set out on my training.
It wasn't easy.
But you may be surprised at what I found hardest. Yes, the distances were tough- but really in the long run it is all mind over matter. My problem was twofold- laziness and boredom.
Anywhere over 8 miles and I really just started getting bored with running. Also, you would think being a stay at home dad would give me plenty of time to get out and run but really it was the opposite. Kids all day and in the evening time with the wife. Often times it was a race to get dinner done before Amanda got home, a quick kiss on the cheek as she walked in the door, and then off for a 4-6 mile run during the week. My long runs came on the weekend... when it wasn't raining or we weren't traveling.
You see how my mind works? I can make any excuse why not to get out there and I used them often.
My furthest mileage before the race was 14 miles... yup 14. If you don't run you might find that impressive... but it's not.
But I was never out to set any records.
What I was out to do was prove to myself I could do it. And in my mind that meant finishing. The training got me to the finish line but in the end I didn't care how I got there all I cared about was finishing.
But it's funny the transformation that can happen while training for a marathon.
As I left throughout the week for my runs I found Bob and Mary standing in the windows or at the top of the driveway cheering me on and waving good bye. Returning from my runs always gave me a rush when I saw them waiting for me and waving me on. It definately helped me kick it at the end and find my reserves.
Time out after a long day was a great stress relief!
But the biggest accomplishment I felt I achieved during my training was actually finding time to pray.
Yes pray.
Like I said, I got bored extremely easily when I went running. 4-5 miles was a cake walk for me but once I started getting up to 8 or so I really struggled to keep my interest. I found my early miles were a great time to actually have a conversation with God as I ran. Just running through my day, the issues I was struggling with, and trying to find solutions that were best for me, my family, and God.
Around mile 6 or so I started praying my rosary. I figured out that it took me about 2 miles to complete an entire mystery of the rosary- I'd actually use this to try and pace myself and it seemed to work pretty well. On the weekends on my longer runs I'd actually get through all 4 mysteries of the rosary!
Praying the rosary and meditating on each decade while running would then always lead me to prayer about someone or something in my life. Riches, relationships with my neighbors and what that meant, should we have more children, how can I serve my family better in the role that has been given to me.
I mean you're just running out there. You've got to do something and there isn't anything better than talking to God.
So that's what I did and it kept me going for a while. But over time I also started developing some bad habits. As I've said, running for me was really mind over matter. So any sudden changes and I'd used it as an excuse to stop.
Raining? No need to run.
Didn't take the right supplements before I left. Well 4 miles is enough.
My phone, music, and run tracker would die constantly on my longer runs. Ah- well can't track myself so might as well stop. This was also timed usually when I'd be finishing up my rosary and soon found myself using finishing my rosary as an excuse to stop if my tracker wasn't working.
I also found out that the slower I ran, or walked, the more likely I was to injure myself. I discovered that I've got a really bad knee. Usually I'd stop for a break and upon starting up again feel a sharp pop in my knee. That was usually an instant excuse to stop. Well- part excuse and part preservation.
Remember: my goal was to finish and I couldn't finish if I was hurt.
So miraculously I made it to race day without any major injuries.
We left the kids with my parents in Port Charlotte on Thursday and drove to Disney the next morning. We checked in at the race Friday night, walked the parks that night and Saturday morning, pigged out on pizza before heading to Mass that night, and hit the hey around 9pm to be up at 3 for our march to Epcot.
It's a pretty cool experience in itself getting up at 3AM and riding the monorail with few other people on it. It was like we were in a world of our own until we reached the marathon entrance where we joined 25,000 other people to stretch, rest, eat, and wait for the start of the race 3 hours later.
Music was pumping, people were dancing, and lines were long for the bathroom. It was cold and I was drinking a lot of water and protein drinks during our wait. I probably pee'd at least 4 times before the race started and once we got going had to stop in mile 1 to go one last time... or at least it should have been one last time but I'll get to that in a moment.
Around 5:30 AM you start heading for the corrals. No one tells you it's a good two miles away! And no, it doesn't count toward the race!
Jen and I hung out together waiting for the start of the race. At 6:15 Mickey, Donald, and Goofy came out on stage (we watched on the big screen because well... we were that far back.), some Disney XD teeny bopper girl came out and sang the national anthem, Rudy himself, Sean Astin who was running the race with us that day, got up and said a few words of encouragement, and then the count down began. When the count hit 0 fireworks rocketed into the air and the first runners headed out.
We didn't move for another 15-20 minutes. Eventually they started opening up each corral and we slowly moved forward. Every 5 minutes a new countdown began and fireworks were set off until about 45 minutes later (or so) our fireworks finally went off and we crossed the starting line.
Everything was exciting at first. DJ's encouraged us on as we started off and just down the road a marching band played as we passed by. Both characters from movies and from themes in the park were lined along the road every few miles.
There was plenty to keep my interest! Things were looking good early on. Jen and I stayed together for the first nine miles. We ran through Magic Kingdom together where we got our first look at Amanda & Scott:
We got to run on Disney's Speedway where they lined the track with both race cars and classic cars, and along some of the backstreets most of us don't usually get to see when we're at the parks.
It was after the Speedway that I let Jen run ahead. I plugged my music in and kept on trucking on and seemed to be doing really well. About every mile and a half they had water and power aid stops along with a first aid tent. Every few miles between these they had various food stops as well. Between that, the parks, and the road side entertainment I was feeling good.
Animal Kingdom was the halfway point.
It was here that I made my biggest mistake. Just inside the park I decided to stop at one of the bathrooms. It was clean, no line, and indoors. Made sense for what I thought would be my last stop. All went well (I'm sure you're glad to know) and I was ready to set off again.
That's when I felt "the pop." My right knee basically went out. I dropped myself to the ground and sat for a moment. The pain was pretty bad but I thought I could manage it.
Depending on your definition of managing I sort of kind of did. I walked over to a bench and took a break. Then I'd get up and go about five feet and then take another break. This went on for about 10 minutes before I finally managed my body to do some kind of peg leg walk where I used the momentum of my leg to swing myself forward.
The thought crossed my mind:
"That's it... you're not going to finish."
I hadn't even made it to the official halfway mark yet. It was on the other side of the park!
Then I had the thought:
"Even if you have to crawl, make it to that marker... you can stop there."
I pushed that thought out of my head pretty quickly. The final thought I had was:
"Make it to a med station and pop some pain killers. Do that and you can push through this."
So that was the goal. I had some amazing runners jog by with words of support and more than one staff member or police officer approach me and ask if I needed help.
"Just point me toward the med tent. I should be fine after that."
Mind over matter.
Well, I hobbled over 13.1 and there was still no med tent in site. It took another half mile or so before I reached it but over that mile I had managed to work myself into some form of a power walk and barely paused at the med tent long enough to grab my pills and swig them down.
It took about another mile or two (when you're running 26.2 of them it doesn't really matter to keep track of that stuff) but soon I was alternating that power walk with a slow jog. Before long I was back to a slow jog and then alternating between a power walk and an all out run.
I formed a plan:
1. Never. Ever. Ever. Stop moving again. Piss yourself if you have too (don't worry- I didn't)
2. No slower than a fast power walk (I actually got efficient enough at this that I began passing people during this stage)
3. Run when you're in a park or attraction (I had Hollywood Studios, ESPN, Boardwalk, and Epcot ahead of me)
The plan worked!
At mile 0 Jen and I joked as we walked through the stalls about which people we "had" to beat and which people we were going to use as motivation to keep going. I can only imagine how many people had me on their list!
The truth of the matter was that we weren't too far off. It wasn't finding someone to beat... rather find someone you can keep up with and stay with them!
So in my mind I formed my own little posse of people.
There was the girl that walked for 5 minutes before running all out for 30 seconds. (I have no clue how that worked- but it did)
Or the couple that kept stopping at every attraction for a picture. I couldn't keep up with them but I was able to catch them everytime they had to wait in line!
Oh- and I can't forget the girl who was running with her dad... on his 70th birthday. Yup. At mile 15 all diginity goes out the window. You just want to finish even if that means pacing yourself behind a 70 year old man.
But the real motivation came from a group of guys ranging in age that were dressed up as chimney sweeps. They were fun to run near because everyone loved their costumes and would cheer like crazy for them! And I was able to keep up with their interval runs. I'd usually stop running some where ahead of them and then let them pass me along the way. Once I saw them stop running I'd get going again and make sure I not only passed them but got a good chunk ahead so that I wouldn't ever lose them.
Silly as it is- it kept me going.
I was feeling pretty excited about the chances of me actually finishing at this point. We were now headed down a Disney highway for ESPN's Wide World of Sports. At this juncture the road is split in two and you can actually see runners coming back. I was at mile 17 and those passing me were at mile 20. There was a DJ and a big screen with all the runners passing by the camera. It was fun to watch and I was excited to see the runners behind me entering that section of the course.
Except 3 miles later there were no runners behind me. Oh shit. Not only that- but the sweeper truck was making a U-Turn and heading back with a group of people. OH SHIT.
In reality the sweeper never got close to me- but it was a kick in the butt to see an empty road and the pick-up van driving along to get me running at a better speed once again.
My first "milestone" for me was mile 19. (You'd think 15 would have been- but I was still too worried then that my leg might fall off). 19 was the furthest that Jen had ran during her training. I was there now and the end was beginning to become clear.
This would be my next obstacle. At 20 there is excitement and people cheering you on. The DJ actually gets out into the crowd and stops some of the runners to interview them. This far back it's all about having fun I guess... but I wasn't about to stop. I "only" had 6.2 miles to go!
There was a day when 6.2 miles would had made me wet my pants. And even at that point of the race with 20 miles behind me it was tempting to think I could pick up my pace so as to finish "quicker". It was all about preservation after my leg injury and so I had to begin to really focus on my pace.
Luckily I made it. I stuck to the plan. Power walk the roads - run the parks.
Hollywood Studio was a blast. We ran through some tunnel in a building where we got to see people working on costumes for characters in the parks. We ran down the movie lot and by the great big Mickey Wizard's hat that is now being torn down.
By the time I reached the boardwalk people were really beginning to line the streets again to cheer you on. The finish was near!
Signs like "who farted" and "worse parade ever" kept things light. But the on-lookers were great and really kept me motivated to run. Especially if they saw me coming out of one of my walks into a run. They'd cheer like crazy!
The final mile happens in Epcot and well... it's EPic. The music they pipe in sounds like it is from every motavational sports movie you have ever seen. You can't help but run a little faster.
A mixture of the music and the fact that you only have 1 mile left begins to tug at your heart. Maybe... just maybe... a tear or two is shed at the thought of not just finishing... but FINISHING. And accomplishing this goal you had set out to do.
Throughout the race thoughts of the family kept me going. Espcially during Animal Kingdom. But now the thought of them spurred me on to finish in a way that would make them proud. I got so pumped that I was actually able to finish the race in a near sprint. I basically ran right past Amanda without seeing her and got cheers from people who had finished hours before me like
"Looking good Jim! Way to finish strong!"
I was finishing! And I was finishing strong!
.JPG)
In the end all I did was run a marathon. I know... that statement no matter how you take it is ridiculous. For the longest time leading up to it I tried to down play it. Even now looking back it's hard to believe. But my lovely wife makes sure that I recognize the significance.
I did it. And I'm proud that I did it.
Most importantly though I think I took away from this whole experience a new found respect for setting goals.
For so long I'd hide behind the "knowledge" of "knowing" that I "could" do something.
Yeah I could run a marathon... but who wants to do that.
Well I did. And now I'm moving on to bigger and better things.
No I'm not running another race... I'm not goofy! But I did graduate with a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing... but I've never been published. I've never even tried to get published.
I'd like that to change. So I'm going to do something about it?
That means more writing. Maybe that means more posts on this blog. (shorter ones... I promise). But my heart is really in fiction. I love sharing my life with you on here... but if I could do anything it would be to write fiction.
So why not?
I'm already doing it on a hobby level. So why not run this new marathon? Will I get it done in the next 9 months like I did training for the Disney Marathon?
Probably not.
But I plan on taking this next year to really get a good leg up on my writing. Refining it. Learning the process of getting published. And just practicing.
I hope to set a new goal every time I can check something off. Marathon done. Published... TBD.
I'll conclude with this thought:
As a husband and father these goals are above me now. They're not just little things I'd like to say I accomplished from a bucket list of life events. Rather, I'm attempting to form a model, or blue print, my family can look to.
I hope I can inspire my children and amaze my wife.
This has to happen in the day to day and the regular moments but it doesn't hurt to have those Super Hero moments either.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
God bless,
Jim
Update: Here's a link to my race details: Final time: 6hrs 24m 37s
That statement can be said many different ways. There's the "coach" saying it to his newly recruited runner. Or an event coordinator posting instructions to newly registered runners on how to train...
Or there's the way I heard it most often. You know the way; that slow, slightly stuttered, wording with emphasis on the you saturated in unbelief and dumbfoundness. Yeah, you know the way.
So how did this Slim Jim go from this: (notice the little baby bump...on me)
To this:
Well really, it all began with a baby bump. Amanda's and mine. I couldn't help but notice as Amanda progressed in her pregnancy that she was really only "catching up" to me and that if I was truly honest with myself I looked more pregnant than she did!
The real problem was I didn't care. At least not at first. I had this stubborn determination in my head that I was, at least physically, the same guy I was in high school and college. (Okay- stop laughing now). I was nieve, but I did feel that if I wanted to do something (lose weight... run a marathon...) I could. But really- who wants to do those things?
It was around the time I started staying home with the kids that I really began to pack on the pounds. I didn't see it becoming a problem until I really noticed my energy levels going down and with them my interest in really, truly, honestly, getting down and dirty with the kids started slipping away. I was happy to not only let them entertain themselves (let's be honest- that's a good & needed thing. Another blog for another time) but I didn't even have a desire to go that 'extra' mile to do things with them. That needed to change... and so it did.
The move to Atlanta was a great step in the right direction. Amanda and I joined a gym and it was around this time we first started looking into Advocare. We were certainly hesitant at first but we had two sets of trusted friends who used it and had been having success with it for a long time. So we gave it a shot.
My workouts got stronger, I started losing weight, and with the help of the supliments we really began to eat healthy and start physically transforming our lives. It was great- but that nagging little determined high schooler was still yapping away in my head.
You see I was a high school distance runner. I wasn't great but I was good enough to captain the team for 3 years and I was even apart of a 4x800 team that made it to States. But once High School was done I was done with running. It was the same old thing "If I wanted to run I would run"... but who really likes running?
So when we first started Advocare I made a little silent bet with myself that if this worked I was going to run a marathon... sooner rather than later.
Well 28 or so pounds later it worked but I still didn't sign myself up. The holidays came around and I put about 10lbs back on and started slipping back into my old habbits. Dertermined to nip it in the bud I started taking my supliments again and started running around my neighborhood. Lost the weight and then some and came to a point where I had to make a decision.
Now- what I didn't share with Amanda was the fact that I started running to give myself a test drive for "the big decision". Off the couch I was able to run a 10 minute mile. I thought that was pretty good and within a week or so I had it down to under 10 and even broke 9 once. It was at this point I decided now or never.
I'm not sure how most people do it. Maybe you should train to a certain point and then sign up. Or have a few distance races under your belt before making the big leap. But I didn't care. My goal here was to finish. But not just to finish- but to prove to that stupid deteremined voice in my head that yes damn it , if I say I can do it then I can really do it. Stop BSing yourself.
So I did it.
And to ensure that I actually did it I gave myself two accountability nets. The first was to actually sign up before my real training even began. The second was to con... I mean ask my sister-in-law, Jen who was already an avid runner, to join me.
"Hey, I'm going to run a marathon."
"You're nuts."
"I know- but hey, you're not going to let me run one before you actually run one are you? Why don't you run it with me?"
It took a day but she gave in ;)
So $150 bucks short and complete responsibility for the misery of another person I set out on my training.
It wasn't easy.
But you may be surprised at what I found hardest. Yes, the distances were tough- but really in the long run it is all mind over matter. My problem was twofold- laziness and boredom.
Anywhere over 8 miles and I really just started getting bored with running. Also, you would think being a stay at home dad would give me plenty of time to get out and run but really it was the opposite. Kids all day and in the evening time with the wife. Often times it was a race to get dinner done before Amanda got home, a quick kiss on the cheek as she walked in the door, and then off for a 4-6 mile run during the week. My long runs came on the weekend... when it wasn't raining or we weren't traveling.
You see how my mind works? I can make any excuse why not to get out there and I used them often.
My furthest mileage before the race was 14 miles... yup 14. If you don't run you might find that impressive... but it's not.
But I was never out to set any records.
What I was out to do was prove to myself I could do it. And in my mind that meant finishing. The training got me to the finish line but in the end I didn't care how I got there all I cared about was finishing.
But it's funny the transformation that can happen while training for a marathon.
As I left throughout the week for my runs I found Bob and Mary standing in the windows or at the top of the driveway cheering me on and waving good bye. Returning from my runs always gave me a rush when I saw them waiting for me and waving me on. It definately helped me kick it at the end and find my reserves.
Time out after a long day was a great stress relief!
But the biggest accomplishment I felt I achieved during my training was actually finding time to pray.
Yes pray.
Like I said, I got bored extremely easily when I went running. 4-5 miles was a cake walk for me but once I started getting up to 8 or so I really struggled to keep my interest. I found my early miles were a great time to actually have a conversation with God as I ran. Just running through my day, the issues I was struggling with, and trying to find solutions that were best for me, my family, and God.
Around mile 6 or so I started praying my rosary. I figured out that it took me about 2 miles to complete an entire mystery of the rosary- I'd actually use this to try and pace myself and it seemed to work pretty well. On the weekends on my longer runs I'd actually get through all 4 mysteries of the rosary!
Praying the rosary and meditating on each decade while running would then always lead me to prayer about someone or something in my life. Riches, relationships with my neighbors and what that meant, should we have more children, how can I serve my family better in the role that has been given to me.
I mean you're just running out there. You've got to do something and there isn't anything better than talking to God.
So that's what I did and it kept me going for a while. But over time I also started developing some bad habits. As I've said, running for me was really mind over matter. So any sudden changes and I'd used it as an excuse to stop.
Raining? No need to run.
Didn't take the right supplements before I left. Well 4 miles is enough.
My phone, music, and run tracker would die constantly on my longer runs. Ah- well can't track myself so might as well stop. This was also timed usually when I'd be finishing up my rosary and soon found myself using finishing my rosary as an excuse to stop if my tracker wasn't working.
I also found out that the slower I ran, or walked, the more likely I was to injure myself. I discovered that I've got a really bad knee. Usually I'd stop for a break and upon starting up again feel a sharp pop in my knee. That was usually an instant excuse to stop. Well- part excuse and part preservation.
Remember: my goal was to finish and I couldn't finish if I was hurt.
So miraculously I made it to race day without any major injuries.
We left the kids with my parents in Port Charlotte on Thursday and drove to Disney the next morning. We checked in at the race Friday night, walked the parks that night and Saturday morning, pigged out on pizza before heading to Mass that night, and hit the hey around 9pm to be up at 3 for our march to Epcot.
It's a pretty cool experience in itself getting up at 3AM and riding the monorail with few other people on it. It was like we were in a world of our own until we reached the marathon entrance where we joined 25,000 other people to stretch, rest, eat, and wait for the start of the race 3 hours later.
Music was pumping, people were dancing, and lines were long for the bathroom. It was cold and I was drinking a lot of water and protein drinks during our wait. I probably pee'd at least 4 times before the race started and once we got going had to stop in mile 1 to go one last time... or at least it should have been one last time but I'll get to that in a moment.
Around 5:30 AM you start heading for the corrals. No one tells you it's a good two miles away! And no, it doesn't count toward the race!
Jen and I hung out together waiting for the start of the race. At 6:15 Mickey, Donald, and Goofy came out on stage (we watched on the big screen because well... we were that far back.), some Disney XD teeny bopper girl came out and sang the national anthem, Rudy himself, Sean Astin who was running the race with us that day, got up and said a few words of encouragement, and then the count down began. When the count hit 0 fireworks rocketed into the air and the first runners headed out.
We didn't move for another 15-20 minutes. Eventually they started opening up each corral and we slowly moved forward. Every 5 minutes a new countdown began and fireworks were set off until about 45 minutes later (or so) our fireworks finally went off and we crossed the starting line.
Everything was exciting at first. DJ's encouraged us on as we started off and just down the road a marching band played as we passed by. Both characters from movies and from themes in the park were lined along the road every few miles.
There was plenty to keep my interest! Things were looking good early on. Jen and I stayed together for the first nine miles. We ran through Magic Kingdom together where we got our first look at Amanda & Scott:
We got to run on Disney's Speedway where they lined the track with both race cars and classic cars, and along some of the backstreets most of us don't usually get to see when we're at the parks.
It was after the Speedway that I let Jen run ahead. I plugged my music in and kept on trucking on and seemed to be doing really well. About every mile and a half they had water and power aid stops along with a first aid tent. Every few miles between these they had various food stops as well. Between that, the parks, and the road side entertainment I was feeling good.
Animal Kingdom was the halfway point.
It was here that I made my biggest mistake. Just inside the park I decided to stop at one of the bathrooms. It was clean, no line, and indoors. Made sense for what I thought would be my last stop. All went well (I'm sure you're glad to know) and I was ready to set off again.
That's when I felt "the pop." My right knee basically went out. I dropped myself to the ground and sat for a moment. The pain was pretty bad but I thought I could manage it.
Depending on your definition of managing I sort of kind of did. I walked over to a bench and took a break. Then I'd get up and go about five feet and then take another break. This went on for about 10 minutes before I finally managed my body to do some kind of peg leg walk where I used the momentum of my leg to swing myself forward.
The thought crossed my mind:
"That's it... you're not going to finish."
I hadn't even made it to the official halfway mark yet. It was on the other side of the park!
Then I had the thought:
"Even if you have to crawl, make it to that marker... you can stop there."
I pushed that thought out of my head pretty quickly. The final thought I had was:
"Make it to a med station and pop some pain killers. Do that and you can push through this."
So that was the goal. I had some amazing runners jog by with words of support and more than one staff member or police officer approach me and ask if I needed help.
"Just point me toward the med tent. I should be fine after that."
Mind over matter.
Well, I hobbled over 13.1 and there was still no med tent in site. It took another half mile or so before I reached it but over that mile I had managed to work myself into some form of a power walk and barely paused at the med tent long enough to grab my pills and swig them down.
It took about another mile or two (when you're running 26.2 of them it doesn't really matter to keep track of that stuff) but soon I was alternating that power walk with a slow jog. Before long I was back to a slow jog and then alternating between a power walk and an all out run.
I formed a plan:
1. Never. Ever. Ever. Stop moving again. Piss yourself if you have too (don't worry- I didn't)
2. No slower than a fast power walk (I actually got efficient enough at this that I began passing people during this stage)
3. Run when you're in a park or attraction (I had Hollywood Studios, ESPN, Boardwalk, and Epcot ahead of me)
The plan worked!
At mile 0 Jen and I joked as we walked through the stalls about which people we "had" to beat and which people we were going to use as motivation to keep going. I can only imagine how many people had me on their list!
The truth of the matter was that we weren't too far off. It wasn't finding someone to beat... rather find someone you can keep up with and stay with them!
So in my mind I formed my own little posse of people.
There was the girl that walked for 5 minutes before running all out for 30 seconds. (I have no clue how that worked- but it did)
Or the couple that kept stopping at every attraction for a picture. I couldn't keep up with them but I was able to catch them everytime they had to wait in line!
Oh- and I can't forget the girl who was running with her dad... on his 70th birthday. Yup. At mile 15 all diginity goes out the window. You just want to finish even if that means pacing yourself behind a 70 year old man.
But the real motivation came from a group of guys ranging in age that were dressed up as chimney sweeps. They were fun to run near because everyone loved their costumes and would cheer like crazy for them! And I was able to keep up with their interval runs. I'd usually stop running some where ahead of them and then let them pass me along the way. Once I saw them stop running I'd get going again and make sure I not only passed them but got a good chunk ahead so that I wouldn't ever lose them.
Silly as it is- it kept me going.
I was feeling pretty excited about the chances of me actually finishing at this point. We were now headed down a Disney highway for ESPN's Wide World of Sports. At this juncture the road is split in two and you can actually see runners coming back. I was at mile 17 and those passing me were at mile 20. There was a DJ and a big screen with all the runners passing by the camera. It was fun to watch and I was excited to see the runners behind me entering that section of the course.
Except 3 miles later there were no runners behind me. Oh shit. Not only that- but the sweeper truck was making a U-Turn and heading back with a group of people. OH SHIT.
In reality the sweeper never got close to me- but it was a kick in the butt to see an empty road and the pick-up van driving along to get me running at a better speed once again.
My first "milestone" for me was mile 19. (You'd think 15 would have been- but I was still too worried then that my leg might fall off). 19 was the furthest that Jen had ran during her training. I was there now and the end was beginning to become clear.
This would be my next obstacle. At 20 there is excitement and people cheering you on. The DJ actually gets out into the crowd and stops some of the runners to interview them. This far back it's all about having fun I guess... but I wasn't about to stop. I "only" had 6.2 miles to go!
There was a day when 6.2 miles would had made me wet my pants. And even at that point of the race with 20 miles behind me it was tempting to think I could pick up my pace so as to finish "quicker". It was all about preservation after my leg injury and so I had to begin to really focus on my pace.
Luckily I made it. I stuck to the plan. Power walk the roads - run the parks.
Hollywood Studio was a blast. We ran through some tunnel in a building where we got to see people working on costumes for characters in the parks. We ran down the movie lot and by the great big Mickey Wizard's hat that is now being torn down.
By the time I reached the boardwalk people were really beginning to line the streets again to cheer you on. The finish was near!
Signs like "who farted" and "worse parade ever" kept things light. But the on-lookers were great and really kept me motivated to run. Especially if they saw me coming out of one of my walks into a run. They'd cheer like crazy!
The final mile happens in Epcot and well... it's EPic. The music they pipe in sounds like it is from every motavational sports movie you have ever seen. You can't help but run a little faster.
A mixture of the music and the fact that you only have 1 mile left begins to tug at your heart. Maybe... just maybe... a tear or two is shed at the thought of not just finishing... but FINISHING. And accomplishing this goal you had set out to do.
Throughout the race thoughts of the family kept me going. Espcially during Animal Kingdom. But now the thought of them spurred me on to finish in a way that would make them proud. I got so pumped that I was actually able to finish the race in a near sprint. I basically ran right past Amanda without seeing her and got cheers from people who had finished hours before me like
"Looking good Jim! Way to finish strong!"
I was finishing! And I was finishing strong!
In the end all I did was run a marathon. I know... that statement no matter how you take it is ridiculous. For the longest time leading up to it I tried to down play it. Even now looking back it's hard to believe. But my lovely wife makes sure that I recognize the significance.
I did it. And I'm proud that I did it.
Most importantly though I think I took away from this whole experience a new found respect for setting goals.
For so long I'd hide behind the "knowledge" of "knowing" that I "could" do something.
Yeah I could run a marathon... but who wants to do that.
Well I did. And now I'm moving on to bigger and better things.
No I'm not running another race... I'm not goofy! But I did graduate with a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing... but I've never been published. I've never even tried to get published.
I'd like that to change. So I'm going to do something about it?
That means more writing. Maybe that means more posts on this blog. (shorter ones... I promise). But my heart is really in fiction. I love sharing my life with you on here... but if I could do anything it would be to write fiction.
So why not?
I'm already doing it on a hobby level. So why not run this new marathon? Will I get it done in the next 9 months like I did training for the Disney Marathon?
Probably not.
But I plan on taking this next year to really get a good leg up on my writing. Refining it. Learning the process of getting published. And just practicing.
I hope to set a new goal every time I can check something off. Marathon done. Published... TBD.
I'll conclude with this thought:
As a husband and father these goals are above me now. They're not just little things I'd like to say I accomplished from a bucket list of life events. Rather, I'm attempting to form a model, or blue print, my family can look to.
I hope I can inspire my children and amaze my wife.
This has to happen in the day to day and the regular moments but it doesn't hurt to have those Super Hero moments either.
(I found this beauty while going through some pictures. I found it appropriate for two reasons:
1. After my marathon Bob told me he'd like to run with me one day
2. Skip forward 3.5 years later and this is basically me at the Disney Marathon)
Enjoy
Thanks for taking the time to read.
God bless,
Jim
Update: Here's a link to my race details: Final time: 6hrs 24m 37s
Comments
Post a Comment