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2006 Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge Report: Ted Sanitycheck
| Part 1 - Training Recap
Lessons Learned ------------------------------- OK, best to start out with a training recap. You all were right to trust the training. Training worked really well. I started in May over weight, just started running. Worked up to a 20 miler by end of Summer. Then a 24 miler in September, with average runs building up to 13.2 miles. Then moved 13.2 miler on Friday and a 21 miler on Sunday. Now need to close the gap by 24 hours which I did in the late fall doing three consecutive days of 20+ miles on the bike, followed by 13.2 on Saturday and 21.2 on Sunday to simulate what I might experience physically. One note trust the taper(which I did but admit I was wondering). Next time I may train on some bridge runs, mannn those overpasses are steep. Biggest inclines we have in NJ are man made and called curbs. So lets see from overweight to 39.3 miles in a weekend in about 7+ months. I'm very happy with that, now time to plot my next goal. Lessons learned, trust your training and your taper. I split this into parts so you could skip info. to go what you want to read or read the whole RR. Part 2 - Arrival and Expo. New Adventure ------------------------------- So we arrive in WDW, I have my running stuff in my Adidas bag that might as well be handcuffed to me personally because I won't let it leave my side. This running gear is key to this trip it is not going anywhere. We check-in and decide to open the Expo to get everything done early then hit the parks. We arrive at Disney's Wide World of Sports(really nice setup), and first thing we notice other then the really nice surroundings in the outstanding soccer fields, so my son and I run around on them for a bit while we wait. We get to the Expo Milk House around 2:30 and there are some people waiting, so we get inline. We're about the first 50 people in, they have it setup up in a big U with on straight line for 1/2 marathoners, the middle for marathoners, and the other straight line for those as goofy as me..... I walk up to the Goofy line, provide my waiver and signature and receive my two numbers(one for each race) and associated champion chips. Those things are cool, like little black discs(kinda) that zip tie to your laces. I test them and they register as me. OK, its O'ficeeyal I'm going to do this..... So I move into the Expo area and get my Tech shirts which are very cool and general packet information for the event. The vendors were the big names, Saucony, Asics, Mizuno, Fuel Belt, some vendors for upcoming races. Ooooh-ooooooh and a table with the medals you would received if fortunate enough to finish. I can't help myself but pick one up. Wow, they are Byutiful. Fap-fap I'm insta-running-wood now. There is no way I'm letting that slip by, I NEED THESE, I emphasize NEED! The thought of someday becoming a marathon finisher is overwhelmed by my desire for these medals. I don't care if I have to crawl over the line. So I eventually after drueling leave the expo. and the line for the expo at Disney's Wide World of Sports is now around the corner. Mannn mo' people then I recall seeing for anything. Its huge! Glad we did this first. Note to future WDW runners, hit the expo. early. Part 3 - Half Marathon My first event ever since HS Track ------------------------------- OK, buses are from 3am to 4am to take the runners(us) to the gathering area. I'm up at 1:30(Went to sleep at 10pm), hop in the shower and catch the first bus. Really nice, they have a huge screen for videos, live band - and all these tents that I have no idea what they are for yet(later they make more sense). So I ask around how things work, what we need to do. BTW, its cold mid-30's. But feels like home so I'm chattering from the cold but feels like home. At 4:30 we move into the staging area. I eat my first thing of the day, good ol' Cliff Bar. We are in the staging area, where it seems there is one Porta-potty per person(lots of them anyone who complain about not being able to go has issues). I make sure I'm at the front of the line, I don't know what I'm doing but I want to be first. The gates finally open and send us to our corral's. Mooooooo the herd move on and I'm up front. I end up in the third corral up at the front of that corral and meet some really cool folks. One guy who is an ex-Marine and tomorrow will be his 133'rd Marathon. Really cool guy. The other two were guys in there mid 20's, really friendly and chatter make the time to 6 am go by faster. So we're getting closer to 6am, we're all pretty chilled at this point. But the anticipation is insane. The taper has left me with this undeniable urge to take off but also wonder mannn its been a while. So they start the count down, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and the cast are all on a huge screen that we can view from the Corral's. 6am hits, the fireworks go off(really cool looking), and the line drops in the front of the corral. We start to walk to the Start as the herd moves. So this is what it is like, all these people. Woooooah! At the start is goes to a light jog. I'm trying to keep myself in the herd but notice a few go on the grass to move ahead a bit so I take follow. The first mile is in the grass and not bad at all. My legs feel insanely fresh and I just want to GO! Disney has entertainment at least every mile and a few miles in the packs loosen up. This feels too good to just keep pace so I decide to just go with what feels good. The half way point ends up at the Castle in MK, people are hooting and hollaring. I let out a big Choooooooooo-chooooooooooo! But I'm running with people dressed as Mickey, a lady as tinkerbell - I can be a train right? I'm so pumped up by the experience I decide to keep pushing. Knowing I have to do 26.2 the next day, it just feels good. I check out the Garmin and I could go under 2:00 for the half. That would be cool. Hmmm first half and go under 2:00, I've done it in training twice but nice if its official. So I'm cruising through my favorite place anywhere, the MK and decide forget thinking about tomorrow. A guy on the side lines cheering people on has a sign says "Carpe Diem" - Seize the Day. Thats it I'm gone. Between miles 11 and 12 my split was 6:52. Thats it 1.1 to go, I'm sprinting at this point. Just looking for paths to pass people. Running through Epcot at the finish is wild, adrenaline junky dreams. I run towards the Epcot ball, turn the corner and see the finish line. Time to crank it up. I'm in full out sprint for the last stretch. A guy on the sideline hollars out "Now that the way to finish" and the announcer announces my name and that I'm going Goofy to come and see me run tomorrow. Hehe. Cool. Final time 1:53:55. What! Cool, new PR. First official Half-marathon, outstanding scenery, what an experience. I'm now officially hooked on this official running thing, what an adrenaline rush. Everyone I met was extremely nice. Have to do this again. :wink At the finish I turn in my orange band(to make sure I'm who I say I am and going goofy) for a blue band for the full. They place the Donald medal over my head. Wow, the exhileration is "I can't describe it in words". The medal is really cool. Half way to my goal, one more day. Part 4 - Full Marathon I've always wanted to try a marathon, lets go for it. ------------------------------- OK, so my Great Grandfather was a runner. Nobody really picked up the torch from his efforts. My wife has had a tough year. I'm just going to run and see what I can do, I want to respect my Great Grandfather by showing him someone was acknowledging what he had accomplished. Keep on running. My wife has had it tough with the BC treatments. I want to win the Goofy medal and have her wear it. She's been through far more then someone running 26.2. My kids having to experience all that has transpired, enough said.... I wake up at 2am Sunday morning, wow am I sore. Thats can't be good. I hop in a very hot shower and soak for a bit. I catch the second bus to the gathering point and just keep walking. I decide to suck it up, I came here to put it all on the line and just get going. I move to the staging area, do the Cliff Bar thing, keep the routine the same as Saturday and move to the starting line. Wow the Corral's are much larger, woooooah there are a lot of people. Some nice people to chat with, runners seem to be nicer people anyway. The Cliff Bar pace team I signed up with is non-existant and they finally show up just before the start. I decide to go on my own. I train on my own, I'll race on my own. Countdown starts from 10 seconds down, the characters are all at the starting line and the fireworks are even bigger. This time I decide to stay in the pack and see how I feel. After about 5 - 6 miles everything loosens up and I just try to keep on 10 minute miles. I hit the half way point and I'm 1:57 off 10 minute pace total. OK, systems check - all good. Keep on with the pace. I hit 20 miles and I'm 1:58 off my pace total, one second off over 10 miles. I'll take that..... The next 6 miles are a little tougher. I just keep focused on if my wife can do Chemo and Radiation - I can do one morning of pushing it. After all I'm just running. I guy from Brazil I had been running with had on his shirt, "Pain is temporary, proud is forever!". Thats it this race is getting completed! Since I don't know how I'll make out after my PR yesterday and how I felt I just try to stay steady. At this point I've been through Epcot once, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and MGM. Onto Epcot. There are some great people cheering everyone on throughout Boardwalk and the resorts which really help. With 1 mile left I pick up the pace. We're in Epcot running through the countries and I gradually pick up pace a bit. Not sure what I have left "in the tank" but I feel much better then when I ran the 24.2 in Sept. The herd turns toward the ball in Epcot and I know based on the 1/2 marathon that the finish line is a few hundred feet away(500-600) - kinda hidden until you make the final turn. Cool, I like that(really well done)! I turn the corner and my wife surprised me and bought a big green goofy hat with ears that my Mom hands to me on the way by.... Now I'm just in adrenaline overload, I may actually do this marathon distance, I'm wearing a Goofy hat, I PR'd the day before, thats it I'm GONE! Time to empty the tank. I sprint the last few hundred feet and cross the line(chip time 4:23:32) clock time 4:27:24. I'm happy, I finished both races, I feel really good physically, I wanted to do a pace of 10 minutes - ended up with a average pace of 10:03. Nice, so I'm passed the finish line, they cut off the champion chip, wrap you up in foil to stay warm, put a Mickey Medal on me and now I want to know where is Goofy. I go to the Goofy Challenge area, they check my wrist bands, match me up and put on the Goofy medal. Wow, 39.3 miles later - Success. What a high! Its not totally hitting me yet, but just completing my first event, first 1/2 marathon, first full marathon - and I feel really good. Now the most important part, when I have some time alone with my wife I tell her Donald was for me doing the 1/2, Mickey was for me doing the Full, but Goofy is for endurance and accomplishment and she's done more then anyone I know. (I place the medal over her head and give her a kiss). She's crying pretty good now, but its all true. When it comes down to it I just ran. So all this typing and thats a wrap. 39.3 miles later, 3 medals, the girl gets to wear the medal and a family gets some much needed excitement after a very tough year. We needed this trip, I needed that milestone, and my wife knows how much I appreciate all she's done and her strength. BTW, on Monday it all hit me what had transpired while taking a soothing hot shower - between you and me that tear/sweat droplet I told you about that might get shed - might have shed a bit. Nobody saw it, I was in the shower anyway(so all wet), I'm not admitting to anything though. I highly recommend the WDW events to all. Really a lot of fun! Run Strong, Cap'n Sanity _________________ Captain SanityCheck |
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