Okay I win the bad blogger award for the past few weeks.  Between the Holidays, my birthday, the race(s), work, and going back to school I feel like I have 110 things going on.  But I promise to get caught up in the next few days.  I owe you raffle winners, 12K of Christmas wrap up, New Year goals, etc. but for now you’ll have to settle with the marathon recap.  So I shall provide you with this map for referencing…

course map

The first few miles were uneventful…and dark.  I wasn’t really paying attention to my Garmin or anything.  I was just trying to find some kind of rhythm while trying not to bob and weave too much.  I was trying to play the pace by feeling (which I am terrible at).  I just didn’t want to get too caught up in everything so early in the run.  Between miles 5 and 9 I finally found a comfortable pattern and by that time the course had thinned out a bit.  Less dodging=more running.  In the first mile or so we could already see the leaders flying by at mile 5.  And again at mile 8, the leaders were flying by on the left at their mile 13.

the speedy ones

I was debating at this point whether to stop for pictures.  It would add time, yes.  But I regretted it last year when I didn’t stop.  So I decided if I wanted a picture and there was no line I would stop and just pick it up a tiny bit after that.  It actually worked out pretty well and I never needed to stop for more than a few seconds for pictures (the Disney photogs were quite efficient).

Miles 10-13 took us through Magic Kingdom and past Grand Floridian and the Contemporary.  I didn’t stop for the castle picture…too many people.  Oh well I can always grab that one at the Princess Half ; )  I actually felt really good during these few miles and I checked my pace for the first time.  I was shocked when I realized I was holding a 9:01 average.  I was just hoping it would be under 11!  But I was scared it would come back and bite me later.  I passed my TNT staff at the half way point, but I was on the opposite side of the street and they didn’t see me. I tried slowing to a 9:45 on the highway stretch to mile 15 which is usually right around my comfort zone but it didn’t feel right.  When I went slower, the wheezing increased and I didn’t feel any kind of rhythm in my legs.  Running slower actually felt more difficult.  So I basically said screw it and went back to letting my legs determine the pace.

I may have stopped for this picture because well...I wanted to stop.

The next stretch was hard.  The first bit through Animal Kingdom was my fastest miles and I felt awesome.  But then it started to narrow and bit and navigating got a bit tricky.  And to top it off…running on the painted concrete floor of the park didn’t feel good.  That was the first time my feet really started hurting.  And my quads starting aching.  It was really fun running through the park though so I grabbed some bio freeze for my quads and kept going.  But I was struggling.  I was starting to worry that those quick miles were finally catching up for me.  Mile 17 felt like forever.  And I’m not going to lie…I started getting a bit mentally defeated.  And for the first time I wanted to walk.  But I told myself I had to make it to 18 and then if I still needed to walk I would.

I was so happy to see this stupid sign

Then I started playing games with myself.  The next few miles were the hardest both mentally and physically.  It was a long highway stretch between Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.  This was the only place on the course where there were virtually no spectators.  It was all highway and in FL, the highways are sloped which is bad news for my IT band.  I tried to stay at the top which was the flattest but as cars were driving by us on the left…for a second I considered catching a cab.  Okay maybe not but I was letting myself get mentally defeated.  Enter the internal dialogue.

“No one knows I’m pushing for a PR.  I could just coast the rest of the way and no one would know”

“No seriously?  I’ve been kicking my butt with speed work the past few months!  And I have been fine up until now.”

“Am I really tired or just bored?”

“Legs are definitely sore but I think I’m mostly just bored”.

“I want to walk.  I’m walking”

“Bad idea…walking=tight legs”

And then I started crying.  I don’t really know why I think I was just playing too many mental games and getting myself psyched up.  I was lonely.  But then I started remembering the reason I started this whole running thing in the first place.  Not for me.  For so many others.  Life isn’t fair so why spend time dwelling on the bad parts.  I was tired, yes…but I was running.  I CAN RUN!  It might hurt a little bit (or a lot).  But I was doing it while so many others would do anything to be in my place.  So I knocked myself out of the Katye pitty party and floored it to Hollywood Studios.  Still crying a bit, yes…but still going…

bbs with the last few miles ; )