Today I travelled to the other side of Orlando for a group run. It was a beautiful park and the weather was perfect. I got 12-13 miles in before most people were awake!
Now time for some recovery!
Morning run
Category: Running
Miami 1/2 Marathon
The week before the run was extremely stressful mentally and my back was sore. The drive down to Miami didn’t help as it took almost 6 hours vs. 3.5 hours and I got run off the road. I was not in the best mental state before the race, but I was there and going to run.
I was in coral B, which to my surprise was with the elite athletes! There was a ton of space to warm up and even a restroom. As I watched the other athletes warm up, I thought I probably should as well. It was a fast start and my time was only .16 seconds off the gun time! I held back as much as I could given everyone running with me. Starting that early I had mixed feelings as people were not just passing me they were leaving me in the dust! I think it was good overall as it helped me keep up a good pace.
Aide stations were interesting with this group as I usually walk through and drink my water, they were sprinting through and chugging water then would throw the cups. I don’t know how many times I got hit with a cup!
I finished the race strong, which made me proud. I enjoyed an alcohol free beer and watching others finishing before the drive back up to Orlando.
Christmas Eve run
I did my first run in below freezing temperatures this morning with some friends. We got a nice 10k in and then off for tea!
Disney Cast 5k
We went down to Animal Kingdom for a 5k. I really do not like the 2:30 am wake up required to get to the start line for a 5k… but that is a Disney race. What they do have is excellent race photographers!
Speed work
I am starting a 6-week program to work on increasing my marathon speed and today was my first workout… I think I am in for a few weeks of hard work, but it will all be worth it!
New York City Marathon
I ran the 2002 NYC Marathon, something I never imagined I would be able to complete a few years ago. It is amazing what you can do when you believe in yourself! There was a poster at the expo that I thought was interesting and after completing the marathon it was so true.
The race started late for me at 11:30. In order to get to the start line in time I had to leave the hotel at 7:00, so it was a journey just to get to the start line. First a bus to the ferry dock, then a ferry to Staten Island and then a bus to the start area. With over 50,000 runners it was such a large race that they have three “villages”, each village was a complete start area. The amazing thing with my village is that I never waited for a portable potty, which is a first in a race for me. They had hot tea and plenty of water and places to hang out until your wave was called.
The race started great the first mile was the biggest incline, the Verrazzano bridge. I learned it is the largest suspension bridge in the world and is almost 1 mile of incline to the center! Due to the number of runners they had us on both sides and on the bottom lanes of the bridge. It would not be until mile 8 that all the runners joined together. The race was going great even with the record temperatures for the run at 74 degrees. Unfortunately at the mile 10 aid station they ran out of cups and this continued at 6 of the next 7 aid stations so I got pretty dehydrated, started having some cramping and getting light headed. Then I took on too much water and got sick on the course. I thought about quitting and was going to just walk the last few miles, but I had a temporary tattoo that said “If not now, then when” so I decided to finish running. It was definitely an emotional finish and I am so proud of myself for completing the race.
Race highlights were running through Brooklyn, the crowds were so much fun! It was like running through a block party for miles, and then you ran into 2 blocks of silence. Everyone on the streets looks at you like you are crazy. I found out later it is the largest Hasidic community in the world. Finishing in Central Park would have been a bit better if it would have been light out, but starting at 11:30 and with daylight savings time that wasn’t going to be an option for me.
We finished the day with a long walk back to the hotel, but did stop off for some pizza and a nice beer!
Berlin Marathon
This marathon was tough. The start line was fun but after the first 5k I was just done and bored… I didn’t really want to be there, but we had come all the way to Berlin, so I didn’t want to quit.
I don’t know why I struggled so much mentally on the run. It was definitely a lonely run with the other participants not offering much support. I thought a lot about why I run, it is not about improving my health (as all this running is maybe not the best for your). Maybe it is about having control over something in your life and to defeat those that say you can’t do it? All thoughts I had during the middle 30k, but the last 7k I started to enjoy the race.
How did I feel at the finish- alone. The finish line was exciting, but after that it was a long walk to get out to see your family and friends. I finished 30 minutes faster than my first marathon, but probably the best thing was I was not sore the next day.
The best thing about this race was that is prepared me for the NYC Marathon. I am working on some running meditation and more prepared for the crowds.
Clermont run
This morning I switched my run up and drove over to Clermont at 4am. It was nice having a change of scene for a long run and after my run I was able to watch Ted complete the Olympic distance triathlon.
Berlin Marathon
In September I will be running my first major marathon in Berlin. It is definitely not something I ever thought I would be doing. It has taken hard work and discipline to get here and I have another 12 weeks of work before the race.
Yesterday started with my first long training run of 15 miles. I didn’t sleep well the night before and I wasn’t looking forward to running in the heat.. but I went out and completed the run. I was a mess when I finished!
Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon
The start time is 5 am and it takes waking up at 1 am to make it to the start line using Disney transportation. To top that off a good number of people who run the race are not runners and do not follow basic runners etiquette, which makes running difficult. I don’t know the number of times I had someone come to a complete stop in front of me without any warning.
This past weekend was the Disney Princess 1/2 marathon. It will definitely be my last Disney run, even though it is the only race I have gotten good photos from
Overall I had to get in a 14 mile run so it fit into my training plan!
The Johnsons 