Originally posted at laurabowers.net on January 23, 2015. I’m updating my author website by moving all older runDisney and running content here!
Somewhere out there, a very disappointed Willy Wonka is shaking his head with a tsk, tsk, tsk…
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Whatever, Wonka, I fully acknowledge that I’ve been sucking in the blog department for some time despite my best intentions. Geez. And you wonder why I only have a whopping three subscribers! (Who I’m very grateful for, btw, THANK YOU, my three faithful followers!) But now that I have this crazy, unrealistic goal to increase my followers to 1,000 (don’t laugh,) it’s time for me to put up or shut up. Deliver or discontinue. Piss or get off the pot.
I shall do it for my three faithful followers.
But enough jibber-jabber. Let’s move on to a more interesting topic … this year’s WDW Marathon Weekend!
Running in this event wasn’t anywhere near my radar since my son was supposed to have surgery in December. So on registration day last April, I was a little bit bummed about not signing up, seeing as how many of my running pals were going and I really wanted to do the Dopey Challenge. (A 5k, 10k, half, and full marathon in four days.) Instead, I registered for the Baltimore Marathon and decided that I’d do a modified Mopey Challenge over the same weekend … 48.6 miles in four days on the treadmill.
(Thank God that one didn’t happen. Can you imagine?)
But then we found out mid-November that my kid’s surgery had to be moved to June 2015 so I posted a “darn, I could have signed up,” whine … er, message on my running group’s Facebook page. Awesome enablers that they are, they encouraged me to find a bib and join them! My husband sealed the deal by suggesting we shorten our 2015 Princess Half Marathon trip and use the extra money for Marathon Weekend.
Another runDisney event? Um … okay!
After some Internet digging, I found a legal Goofy bid through the awesome RODS: Racing for Orphans with Down Syndrome, (thanks so much for your help, Kelly!) I also found a place to stay with a gal from my running group. I had just met Jackey during Wine & Dine Weekend, but I already knew we were kindred spirits and total soul sisters. Oh boy. Was I right! Here’s a little preview supporting that fact:
(Check out Jackey ‘s marathon weekend posts over at her Run For Laughs blog!)
As far as training, I was feeling pretty confident I’d be ready in time seeing as how I ran the Wine & Dine half marathon with no problems. (Recap for that is coming soon, I swear!)
Enough already, Wonka! You have issues, sir!
Anyway, training over the holidays did have its pitfalls. Like having to do a twenty-mile treadmill run on Christmas Eve and then later trying to stay awake and fake physical comfort while visiting friends and family. Even my husband – an incredibly supportive guy – admitted that marathon training wasn’t as fun. Then New Years hit and I started to realize how unprepared I was. What about nutrition. Will I eat enough? And my running outfits. What will I wear? What about the training plan I chose, did I do enough back-to-back runs? Will my running partner for the full – who I’ve never met before – like me? And oh my gosh, what if I can’t poop before the full?
Or worst.
What if I have to poop DURING the full?
Because of these fears … and the fact that I’m OCD, anal-compulsive, and half nuts … I spent an incredibly long time putting together the massive Character, Support, and Bathroom list which I never used ONCE during the race.
But like most of my fears, they were for nothing. My running partner, Ginny, and I were a perfect fit. (She’s a blast! And crazy! I loved her!) I also did enough training. And I’m happy to report that I did not poop my pants during the run … although there was one false close call. (More on that later.) I did make some serious mistakes with nutrition (didn’t eat enough,) and my outfits, (didn’t dress warm enough for the half,) but all in all, I had the most incredible weekend ever!
Up next, the Expo!
Don’t even. I ain’t playing with you no more.
