Disney and Race Bound!!

Well - it's about that time!!! Above you will see the back side of my race jersey for this weekend's Half Marthon being at Disney's complex during the "Disney Wine and Dine Festival". The ribbons have the names of my "heroes" that I am running for. They have all either lost their fight to Leukemia, Lymphoma and/or Hodgkins disease, are fighting now or are currently in remission. I hope to be able to get all these heroes to the finish line.

I am just about packed and ready to head out the door to get down to Florida. I am arriving a day before the actual race so I can attend the Sports Expo and pick up my registration packet with my bib number, etc. It is all seeming a little overwhelming at this point but I am getting excited to attend this event with the 1000s of other people participating as well.

Thanks again to everyone that has supported me in this endeavor. Whether you supported me by making a donation to the Leukemia Society, with your thoughts and/or prayers to get me through this. I may or may not make it to that finish line before the end of the race, but I know I have done what I could do to this point and will give it my best shot on Saturday evening! This is Disney's first time "Night race". We actually dont even start the race until 10:00 p.m. and have until 1:30 a.m. to get to that finish line. Keep your fingers crossed - I know mine will be!!!

I'll keep you posted as to how it turns out.

Tina

5 Days until the big event!

Here I am! Less than one week away from my first (and last) half-marathon! For the last four days or so I have pretty much had a nervous breakdown over this upcoming event. I have cried, laughed, screamed, paced, cried some more and worried. So.....now that I have gotten all that out of the way, time to start getting packed and ready for this lifetime event.

Apparently not only did I have to train for the last several months for this endurance event, but apparently there is a LOT to do the week and day leading up to the event. Of course you have to pack, like you would any trip you go on. But there is all kinds of stuff you have to remember to pack. Lord knows you don't want to show up 7 hours away from home to get to the starting line and leave your running shoes at home!

Then, there are certain times throughout the weekend that you have to "do stuff". Check in to get your "bag and bib" at the Expo, Meet up team members as they arrive, meet up with everyone for Inspriational Brunch, nap, meet up with team members for photo ops, meet up with team to load the bus, get to your proper "Corral" on time and then lastly be ready to "Run" at 10:00 p.m. Did I mention I have to fit in a nap in there somewhere?

My training simply did not go as well as I was hoping. This past week I was told if I can't maintain a 16 minute pace per mile they would pull me off the race track and not let me finish. That about did me in. Here I am, I have raised all this money for the LLS (more than I was required to), gotten up pretty much every week at 4:30 a.m. to travel for 45 minutes to train with the team, spent quite a bit of money on "proper running gear", and everything I have done to try to do this event, and now I'm told they may not even let me finish!!! I was devastated. I have worried all week, if I don't finish how am I going to come back home and tell everyone I let them down. A few wise people (hopefully they are wise - anyway) told me, not to worry about everyone else. I have done more already than a lot of people ever attempt to do and all I can do is go down there and do my best. So......that is what I am going to do. Guess there are worse places to be pulled out of a race then "The Happiest Place on Earth" right?! Plus, I figured if someone dared tried to pull me off that track I would begin running with all my might and they would have to catch me and drag me on the "slow people bus" first. I'm not going down without a fight - I assure you!!! At least if I get some cuts and bruises along the way, I can say I was pulled out of the race due to injury!

So, Saturday, October 2nd please keep me in your thoughts as I will be down in Orlando doing my best for the LLS! The race does not start until 10:00 p.m. that night so with any luck I will be crossing that finish line by 1:25 a.m. (I have until 1:30 a.m. but I certainly don't want to the be the last one crossing that line!!!)

Thanks to everyone for your support throughout this entire endeavor!!!

Tina

I'm back.......

I did it again! Went over 6 weeks without updating this blog. I have no excuse other than the fact that there is simply not enough hours in my day.

Last time I posted here, I was getting ready to go on The Carnival Dream for mine and my husband's one year anniversary. We had a BLAST! It was so nice to be able to spend an entire week together with no day to day obligations.

I did take all my running clothes and shoes and had all intentions of continuing my training while on board - that lasted one night. It got rather boring running around a little lap which required you to run around it like 15 times to equal a mile. After one mile, I gave up.

Since I returned from the cruise, I have traveled a few times out of town over weekends which has cut into my training as well. However, as of today, I have less than 4 weeks to get ready for this race. Two weeks ago I did manage a 7 mile walk/run and lived to tell the tale! Since then though have only managed 2 miles here and there. This weekend we are set to walk/run 10 miles!!! Hopefully my legs will cooperate.

Will try my best to keep up with this and update you on these last few weeks of training and how the actual race day goes. It is Saturday, October 2nd down in Orlando. Getting excited, but nervous as well.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend!

Tina