Went down to the military resort on Disney property called the Shades of Green. Eleanor went with me because she is also in training to run races and we wanted to attend the 2 day health and fitness expo which had seminars about training for running events. We boarded the bus at 0430 Friday morning and it was barely 40 degrees. We had to stand around outside until the race started at 0630.
8000 folks signed up for this race. It was sold out.
I went into the 2nd wave of runners assuming the first wave was for the marathon runners who partipated in this 5K [3.11 miles] to stay limbered and I did not want to be stampeded. I was the last one in the back of the pack in wave 2, and spend my 39 minutes weaving and dodging those that lost energy and started walking as I moved deep into Wave 1. We ran from the epcot parking lot into the park, thru the waste treatment plant [Ewww] and back into the parking lot. We ran in the dark and finished at sunrise. The expo was the awesome. Got a thin skin running jacket [got it on], runners belt to hold my number bib, fluid and gel energy packs, phone, license etc...I did between 12 and 13 min miles.
Since we were the fun side of this marathon weekend [Sat and Sun], we had no time chips and it was more fun than sport. Staying at the hotel where it was all military [active, retired and disabled], it was uplifting to see vets with prosthetic legs running the marathons. We saw blind runners, we saw wheelchair runners, and we saw this Vet who lost the ability to run 30 years ago,
You all know I lost 40lbs in 2011. I have been preparing for this race for 9 months. My goal was NOT time, my goal was to be able to run 3 miles with no walk breaks. It was to congested, to many people meandering and blocking those of us who wanted to find our kick. I dodged and weaved the entire time and felt like I was playing hockey or rolling blading with tennis shoes on. But, what a great time I had....I will definately continue with doing races as I can....the post race hands my arse to me on a platter...but it is worth it. My medical team has worked close with me, and not happy I wanted to do this but as long as I don't do it to much, they have some tolerance.
Following orders was never my strong suit. Kinda ironic to run a race and now have to have a CT of my lung scheduled...[I had lung surgery in 1995, lots of damage and parts removed]. CT was ordered before the race..it is for a baseline due to extreme damage and new medicare Docs. No big deal.
My official pictures shot by the fotogs as I crossed the finish line will not be available for a week or so. But here we are with the characters for which this race was named while waiting for the race to start. The last time I ran a 10K race was when I was 25. Before I turn 60, I hope to run a 1/2 marathon and hope to be one of those senior citizens that runs the Boston marathon...
What am I going to do next? Preparing to run a 10K race [6 miles] and by May run a 1/2 a marathon [13 miles] in a relay with my BFF friends.
Here is the token that represents my personal challenge [took 5 years to do all these feats] to take back my life on my terms [quit smoking, lose weight and get fit]. It does not matter how much is wrong with you, what matters is the things you do with what you have left.
Technically, I guess I can "run" after the shrimp now?
8000 folks signed up for this race. It was sold out.
I went into the 2nd wave of runners assuming the first wave was for the marathon runners who partipated in this 5K [3.11 miles] to stay limbered and I did not want to be stampeded. I was the last one in the back of the pack in wave 2, and spend my 39 minutes weaving and dodging those that lost energy and started walking as I moved deep into Wave 1. We ran from the epcot parking lot into the park, thru the waste treatment plant [Ewww] and back into the parking lot. We ran in the dark and finished at sunrise. The expo was the awesome. Got a thin skin running jacket [got it on], runners belt to hold my number bib, fluid and gel energy packs, phone, license etc...I did between 12 and 13 min miles.
Since we were the fun side of this marathon weekend [Sat and Sun], we had no time chips and it was more fun than sport. Staying at the hotel where it was all military [active, retired and disabled], it was uplifting to see vets with prosthetic legs running the marathons. We saw blind runners, we saw wheelchair runners, and we saw this Vet who lost the ability to run 30 years ago,
You all know I lost 40lbs in 2011. I have been preparing for this race for 9 months. My goal was NOT time, my goal was to be able to run 3 miles with no walk breaks. It was to congested, to many people meandering and blocking those of us who wanted to find our kick. I dodged and weaved the entire time and felt like I was playing hockey or rolling blading with tennis shoes on. But, what a great time I had....I will definately continue with doing races as I can....the post race hands my arse to me on a platter...but it is worth it. My medical team has worked close with me, and not happy I wanted to do this but as long as I don't do it to much, they have some tolerance.
Following orders was never my strong suit. Kinda ironic to run a race and now have to have a CT of my lung scheduled...[I had lung surgery in 1995, lots of damage and parts removed]. CT was ordered before the race..it is for a baseline due to extreme damage and new medicare Docs. No big deal.
My official pictures shot by the fotogs as I crossed the finish line will not be available for a week or so. But here we are with the characters for which this race was named while waiting for the race to start. The last time I ran a 10K race was when I was 25. Before I turn 60, I hope to run a 1/2 marathon and hope to be one of those senior citizens that runs the Boston marathon...
What am I going to do next? Preparing to run a 10K race [6 miles] and by May run a 1/2 a marathon [13 miles] in a relay with my BFF friends.
Here is the token that represents my personal challenge [took 5 years to do all these feats] to take back my life on my terms [quit smoking, lose weight and get fit]. It does not matter how much is wrong with you, what matters is the things you do with what you have left.
Technically, I guess I can "run" after the shrimp now?
