Saturday, March 24, 2012

Disney Destination Run Part 1


Oh how I have stories of running the Disney Marathon...this could take a few blogs to tell the story however; it's become a tradition with one of my besties and me!

So, grab some popcorn and your soda or whatever you like to eat or drink at the movies and sit back because I have the uncanniest ability to attract the most amazing.... karma and creatures! Not always in a good way either....

So, it's 2008 and my Disney running story begins...and let's just say, not on a good note either! I fly all the way to Orlando from Hawaii with my li'l man to meet up with a "friend" and a friend who was going to run with me. My "friend" was really cute and I had known him about a year and I thought we had a "connection" however, shortly after the meeting, I realized things weren't going so well because my other friend who was running the race with me was not the most fun person to be around. Let's just say she moped the whole time. 

So, my "friend" invited us to dinner with him and his little girl who was the cutest little girl. So we went to a really nice place in Orlando and my other friend killed the mood the whole night. Basically, she turned my "friend" off permanently. After that weekend he didn't want anything to do with me. 

So, Sunday rolls around and we (my friend and I) run the Marathon.  I felt good and I was ready to run but she didn't really feel well and she had an injury. We got to mile 19 and I crossed the line where I could have run the remainder of the race. She, moping behind me and in not so good health was not doing well. I decided to be the good friend and go back for her to pull her across the 19-mile mark. 

[Side note] if you don't cross the mile marker in a certain amount of time, they take you off the course and you don't finish the race...you see where this is going...

As I went back to get her she limped along and I thought, ok, if we just pass this line we can finish the marathon. So we met up and as I came back toward the 19-mile mark...for the second time, I was put on the bus! YEP, you guessed it, I went back for my friend with the hopes we'd cross but we didn't and I was thrown on the bus...I was LIVID you hear me! LIVID! If I were in her shoes I would have let me finish the race. But nope, I felt bad and didn't and she didn't care. It was then and there that I decided I would never do that to someone else, if I ever get injured or don't feel good on a race I will let my running buddy go ahead and finish. AND...I decided, I'd never run WITH anyone again unless they are healthy, fit and can finish the race...Mind you, I'm not fast at all! I keep about a 9-10 minute pace on my long runs. 

Anyway, you know I was mad. I eventually forgave her but it took a loooong time! I had the absolute worst vacation in Disney World that year...

But, I digress, let me finish the story of Disney year 1...

 So, my "friend" and his daughter met us at the end and it took 2 hours to find the car. Not only have I just got kicked off the course at the 19-mile mark but I had been running for 3:45:00 at that time with no food in my stomach with the exception of some power gels and some water or Gatorade. I was starving and I become a ravenous beast when I am hungry.

Add my extreme hunger to the fact that I'm angry that I didn't finish the race and you have something a little worse than the Tasmanian devil! I was so mad by the time we found the car.

Ok, so back to my "friend", he met us at the end and was mad to find out we didn't finish the race either...Oh, he had no idea the anger I felt, so of course his anger just added to mine and my friend that ran with me seemed not to really care about how we felt. After the race and that weekend, I never saw my "friend" again and he told me it was because he didn't like my friend and if she was any example of the rest of my friends he didn't want any part of that.... wow, I thought what a jerk! My friend may have had a rough time but after I got over my anger at not finishing the run I was ok and she's ok too.  

You know how when you go to races you get a medal at the end and you have a T-shirt that you get with your packet...well, I got my T-shirt and threw it away. Since I didn't get a medal...non-finishers don't get medals...I didn't want anything. I certainly didn't want anything to remind me of that race, that's for sure!

So, end of the story, I had the absolute worst run ever and the worst vacation too! The best part of my vacation was being able to see the smile on my little boy's face in Disney World!
                                                                                               
So, if you think this was a crappy story, wait till you hear Disney Year 3's story! You will think...how in the world can all this happen to one person...believe me folks, it can!

Until the next Disney episode.... keep running!

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