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2003 Walt Disney World Marathon Report: Lewis Grell
| "A First Marathon Diary" by Lewis Grell |
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| In August 2002, Christie received in the mail a Leukemia Lymphoma "Team in Training" brochure and she decided that she wanted to run a marathon. I promised to fill it out and mail it in. I didn't fill it out and I didn't mail it in. I kind of hope the thought would go away. |
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| Her thoughts of running a marathon did NOT go away; so on August 10, 2002 I found myself with Christie at the First Colony Library watching the LLS "Team in Training" video. My intentions were to support Christie's dream, since the brochure said "that under-age participants must be accompanied by parents". The TNT video got my attention, but not enough to make me sign up. The coach sounded like he was qualified, still not enough to sign up. When the 6-year old Lymphoma patient and his mother talked about their story, their hardships, and their successes! I changed my mind, if this six year old can fight cancer, I can run a marathon, or at least a half marathon. |
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| Take your mind, throw it up the mountain, and then follow it. |
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| First week of training was interesting. I was still smoking a pack a day. It was ONLY 4 miles. After that morning, I knew that the HALF MARATHON was for me. No way was I going to run 26.2 miles! |
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| Everyone is an athlete.; The only difference is some of us are training and some are not. |
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| Week 5 and we ran 10 miles. Someone forgot to look at the training schedule. Wait, this is the full marathon-training schedule! The good thing is my smoking has decrease to one pack a week. Fundraising has been interesting. Two lessons in fundraising 1.Don't be afraid to ask for money and ask everyone, and 2. Hand written letters work better than typed form letters! |
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| When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical.; Is it raining?; That doesn't matter.; Am I tired?; That doesn't matter, either.; At this point, willpower will be no problem. |
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| Week 8 and we got two $1500 corporate sponsors in the same week. Fundraising goals are complete. Concentrate on training. |
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| Spend at least some of your training time, and other parts of your day, concentrating on what you are doing in training and visualizing your success |
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| Week 10; cotton is NOT a runner's friend! Definitely need to re-consider wardrobe changes!15 miles in a drizzle rain. Coachs' comment ; "that's a long way". Lewis's reply !; "no shit", but I did sing in the shower after!! |
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| If you are doing something you would do for nothing, then you are on your way to salvation |
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| Week 12 ; our first 18 miler on the levees. Don't need to say more, except I find singing in the shower after running very refreshing. |
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| The first thing I had to do was learn that I could do it. |
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| Thanksgiving day, I learned exactly how competitive Christie is. The "2002 Turkey Trot - 5 mile race" "Dad, we need to move closer to the front of the start line". "Dad, no walking in this race OK? " 100 feet from the finish line ; "RUN DAD RUN" |
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| They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary |
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| Week 14, lets run a race in Sugar Land. 30K = 18.5 miles. Heather, Christie, and Lewis start off at a steady 11.5 minute pace. At mile marker 12, Christie's knee starts to bother her. Christie falls behind. Heather's pinched nerve starts hurting at Mile 15. Bing is waiting at the finish line with Heinekens. Everyone finishes but I BEAT CHRISTIE!! |
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| What do I get from running? Joy and pain, good health and injuries, exhilaration and despair, a feeling of accomplishment and waste. The sunrise and the sunset. |
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| Week 16, THE 21 MILER. Unless you have been there, you would never believe how many people there are at Memorial park at 5:30 in morning. Good spirits, beautiful weather, pack mule status, test camera techniques. New running lesson! nipple band- aids are good, however chest hair must be removed for the band-aid to hold on. At mile 20, Christie sprints ahead to the finish line and leaves DAD behind. I guess I should not have beat her in the 30K race… MIMOSA’s in the park, Beer at Bubba's. |
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| Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the argument that life is serious, though it is often hard and even terrible. It seems obvious that the first rule of life is to have a good time. |
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| Week 18, we ONLY ran 10 miles. Can believe I said that. |
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| We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. |
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| January 10, 2003. We are headed to Disney World. There is so much excitement. We picked up our race packets. Have a nice walk around the hotel grounds. A wonderful dinner with great friends. Age is deceiving; just ask the oldest and youngest in our group! |
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| The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps -- We must step up the stairs. |
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| January 11, 2003. Against Coach John's advise, Christie and I participated in the "Lilo & Stitch" 5K Fun Run. Although I don't really consider a 45 minute time running. The Norway girls were out with the cowbells! I need to look into a marathon run in Norway! THE PASTA FEED! what inspiration, hearing the singing, the Doctor, the Honor Patient!.The room definitely knew where the Sugar Land group was seated, thanks to our mentor Heather!! My college roommate Charles "Bubba" Greer came by the hotel that evening, a few beers and great conversation. |
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| Running gives me a sense of controlling my life. I like the finiteness of runs, the fact that I have a clear beginning and end. I set a goal and I achieve it. A good run makes me feel sort of holy. |
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| January 12, 2003. Alarm clock goes off at 2:00 am, Diseny wake-up call at 2:15 am! It's dark outside.. the hotel lobby, you can feel excitement in the air!. Standing in line waiting for the bus, take a nap on the bus, it is 3:30 am!.walking to the staging areas, look at all the people! more excitement in the air!.Christie lost her blinking light in the toilet, I hope the new person does not freak out where they see the "s#$% blinking", walking to the corrals, that is a lot of people; 22,000!..a kiss and hug to Christie before we part to our separate start lines! photos in our corral, stretching, a little dancing, a little singing! the start, fireworks, , walking, standing, walking, 12 minutes later, the actual start line.. |
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| There is no way to explain the feeling properly. It's one of those rare feelings that cannot be told to anyone who hasn't been there.; It's simply the best feeling I've ever experienced. |
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| January 12, 2003. Mile #1& here comes the leader passing us, he has already ran 4 miles! First phone call from Christie. She is leaving Epcot, we haven't even entered Epcot. |
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| The initial path can be repeated forever. |
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| January 12, 2003. Mile #4! Second, third, fourth phone call from Christie. She is at mile #6-7, but she doesn't know it! Heather gives me permission to catch up to her! The pack is starting to thin out a little. Running in the grass on the side of the road is just like the levees back in Sugarland. |
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| Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow. |
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| January 12, 2003. Mile #8-10! Entering the MAGIC KINGDOM and another phone call from Christie. She is at the teacups and waiting for me. A runners wedding in the MAGIC KINGDOM. Round the corner to the CASTLE and there she is. A picture before running through the CASTLE together. |
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| I don't make a decision every morning. I made a decision once, long ago, to run every day. When I wake up, the decision is already made. |
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| January 12, 2003. Mile #12.5-13-14! Christie and Vanessa prepare for the finish line photo! a little lip gloss and hair adjustments! a hug and kiss from Chrisite and then she heads around the corner for her medal!!! I am off on my own, until wait, another phone call, this time it is Heather!. I will wait next to the rabbits for her to catch up to me. |
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| Whether you think you can, Or think you can't. . . You're right! |
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| January 12, 2003. Mile #15-20! Heather and Lewis running like it was another Saturday long run; one major difference, there are many photo opportunities along the way. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, the Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, A great youth revival choir at Mile #20, very inspirational, a great boost to the spirit!! |
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| January 12, 2003. Mile #21-24! This is new ground for me! Mile #22, we switched to 9-1 splits...a man with a Disney medal along the side of the road... Mile #23, pretty much concentrating on the path in front of me!!! Shane, Mak & Marissa cheering us on at #23!!. Marissa joins us for the run in... I do NOT like my cell phone any more!!!! |
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| January 12, 2003. Mile #24-26! I am watching myself run!.. it is such an incredible feeling..the last walk break!! Christie waiting to join us at Mile #25.5 !!! a last photo with Mickey & Donald, Minnie & Daisy!! Mile 26.. Stretching it out for the finish line. THE FINISH LINE!!!!Heather and I cross the finish line together ! lots of emotions,.life, death, family, friends!! I got to do this again!!! |
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| The miracle isn't that I finished. . . . .; The miracle is that I had the courage to start. |
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