Motivation

Coach Matt Johnson of Runner Academy (host of the Runner Academy podcast and Everday Runners podcast) asks,

"Everyone has their motivations for why they run, what gets you out the door?"

My answer is literally on the door.  My wife has a quote, looks like a cut out from a magazine, posted in this basket on the wall we see on the way out the door.
It says,

"Do something today that your future self will thank you for."

If you have trouble getting up in the morning to go for that run, just remember that you feeling you have after a run.  Keep that feeling of accomplishment in mind.  That awesome feeling you have after a run is much better than the feeling you have when you skip a run because you're so tired.

This applies to pretty much everything in life.

Go for that run today.  Your future self will thank you.

Thank you!

About one month ago at this time my family and I were getting ready to head down to Florida ... for the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon.  My son ran the 400m dash at the Disney Kids Races, my wife ran her first half, the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, and I achieved my goal of running the Goofy Challenge (half plus full marathon) after recovering from injuries, pretty much the point of this blog.

But this journey is by no means over!!

I was looking forward to recapping that whole weekend at some point here -- the Expo, the Kids Races, the Half Marathon, the Full Marathon, the rest of the magical vacation week with my big family.  I likely will someday.  But there is so much I want to say about it, and so much I want to relive, I may not be able to do the experience justice at this time.

For now I just want to say thank you.  Thank you for this experience.  Not just the training, and the race, the event, but for future experiences as well.  Thank you to my family for putting up with my weird schedules in "getting a run in" at odd times, time away from family.  Thank you for supporting me through my injuries as well.  I wasn't able to walk without assistance for over a year!!  Thank you to other runners -- other family members, cousins, friends, elites whom I have met and others whom I haven't --  who inspired me and kept me going, who, by accomplishing your own goals, motivated me to accomplish mine.  Thank you to my injuries -- yes, my injuries -- because of you, I learned about my osteoporosis, and allowed me to seek help from the talented physicians who put me on the right track to health.  Thank you to my naysayers, who told me, "you shouldn't run anymore" and "find another sport." -- you helped me prove you wrong. :)  Thank you for my patience, I did not know I had any, because of you I was able to realize that letting my body heal and not running for some time allowed me to run later, for longer.  Hopefully for life.  Thank you for my recovery.  You allowed me to train smart, and have a wonderful experience running that goal race.  Thank you for allowing me to swallow my pride and keep my ego in check, and accept that by running slower and running smarter, and yes, even walking, I could enjoy this pastime longer.  Thank you Walt Disney World.  It was because of you that I got into all of this!!

Thank you for now.  I am healthy now.  I have learned my lessons, and am continuing to learn.  And my journey -- and this blog -- is not complete.  This is a lifetime journey.  Every mile is magic.  Can't wait for my next run.

I did it!

Here we go!

It hit me probably today.  In a few hours I'll be getting up to have pre-race nutrition, and with my family head to the start corrals so i can start the Goofy Challenge.  It really just hit me today that the time is now, and that i'm really here ... And it hasnt really hit me fully yet.  Past couple of days have been hectic -- and in a way, distracting -- so i haven't thought about it yet.  Packing, travelling, picking up our race packets, bibs, shirts, checking out the expo, meeting up with other family members who are running, awesome kids races today, eating, fueling ... Haven't had time to dwell on the actual running i'm about to do.

It's here.  The whole purpose and goal of this journey, is here.

Here we go.

Packed!

It's here.  After a few hours sleep, we'll be on our way to the airport then onto Orlando for the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend.  Much of my family is there now.  I'm all packed, ready to go.

I can't wait.

In all the hustle and bustle and thinking about the running stuff -- expo, bibs, packets, waivers, buses, race, routes, recovery -- I pretty much overlooked the fact that we're going to Walt Disney World!  This is a vacation!!

Here we go.

I can taste it ...

One week from this moment I will be with my friends and family, hopefully drinking a nice beer at Walt Disney World, celebrating the completion of the 2014 Walt Disney World Goofy Challenge!!

Obsessing, taper madness, and other stories

It's 2am, and I'm wide awake in my bed typing this.  Why am I awake?  Is it because it's snowing outside?  Well, snow is coming down, expected to accumulate up to 6 inches or more.  Cool how the snow just makes the night so bright ... even through the shades.  2am, I have to get up to go to work in 4 hours.  Nope, no snow day where I work.  So I should sleep.  I was hungry, so i had a 1am cup of Golden Grahams.

I am up because I am obsessing over next week's Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend.  Tonight, I printed out my to-do list, made a couple last minute ADR's, and spent every minute after that checking the forums, the final race instructions, the course maps, the transportation maps, my schedule.  

Trying to decide about driving versus taking the bus to the star

We have to go early!! Would like to take the 3am bus to get there early and get settled, check bag, find port a pottie, find corral.  But my group suggested to drive so we can nap in the car.  Good idea, but there will be traffic, and detours, and road closures, and need to still walk to start, check bag, find port a pottie, find corral.  What about keeping bags in the car?  Well, we'll be finishing at different times, and who will carry that big ol' rental car key and keychain during the race??

We just have to get up at 2 am and leave by 3 to get to Epcot before the roads close and we hit traffic.

And my shin.  What's up with that?  Did an easy 5k yesterday and my shin's bothering me.  Paranoid!!!!  Then I read about taper madness.  Yup, I'm feeling it -- paranoia, obsession, phantom pains, rambling on and on in a blog!!

We still don't leave for another week.  Lots to do.  Work another week, for one. Haircut, pack, last minute shopping.  Figuring out how to get to the expo, hoping to get there in time to get our bibs and packets.  Wondering if we should have someone else pick them up just in case.  

Aaaaagh!! Is this really taper madness? Well, I was pacing more than usual in my office today.  Probably the back to back cups of coffee, plus that delicious cannoli cake the DME rep brought.

Oh geez 2:15am and I'm still --- nuts.

Focus:

Friday -- work. Get in a 30-45 min run somewhere. Need a haircut.

Saturday -- my wife (doing the half) has to get a run in.  I should do laundry, and some forbidden last minute running gear shopping.  (Not supposed to get new gear for a race, but a sweatband or cap would be nice, preferable neon!  And my wife needs real shades.)

Sunday -- get my 7 mile run in.  And pack!

Monday -- work day plus night shift.

Tuesday -- work.  Finaliz stuff with my son's school about our vacation.  We should be fully packed by now except for last minute carryons and meds.  I should decide now if I should have someone pick up bibs! Check the weather forecast!!  Also i should decide about adding other drivers to my car rental.

Wednesday -- work and last minute stuff.  Check in for flight.

Thursday -- vacation baby!!  Now the marathon weekend stress really starts -- travel, expo, ... Would love to see Tara Gidus and Jeff Galloway speak ...

No really, in all this madness ... I step back ... And say thank you.  How grateful I am to be a part of this.  At some point this was hopeless; i was injured more than once, and running -- much less the Disney marathon -- was just a dream.  Now I am obsessing the minute details of running the 2014 Goofy Challenge.  It's coming.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!