I DID IT!!!

Solid training really does pay off.

And having a friend pull you through those last 6 miles where you want to give up and walk doesn't hurt either.  (Shelly, I couldn't have done it without you!!)

Yesterday, at the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon, I FINALLY broke the 4 hour mark.  And I did it with a BANG!!  My finish time was 3:51:19!!  A little over 13 minutes off the PR I set at Rock N Roll St. Louis four weeks ago.

And I did it despite a 0.3 mile detour to the Center of the Universe in the 16th mile and a really hilly course!

Our new Michelob Ultra singlets, debuted at Route 66, my Marathon Maniacs bib and marathon finisher medal

 I am beyond ecstatic even now.  When I did my first marathon in 2007, breaking 5 hours seemed like an impossible feat.  Even a year ago, breaking 4 hours seemed like it was out of my reach.  But then again, I had never really put the time and effort into the training.  These last two marathons (RnR StL and Route 66) were the first I'd ever truly pushed myself with training and stuck with a schedule.

So now I finally get to rest.  After RnR StL, I was mentally drained from the training, and missing my goal of a sub-4 hour marathon there on top of that nearly did me in.  I'm looking forward to just running for the sake of running over the next few months.

I have a 5k set for Thanksgiving morning.  This is an extremely competitive race, so I'll just be sitting back and enjoying a "group run" with friends.  After that, it's just easy runs until the runDisney Marathon Weekend Goofy's Race & a Half Challenge, which I will just be enjoying rather than racing.


Splits:
mile 1 - 8:30
mile 2 - 8:47
mile 3 - 8:28
mile 4 - 8:11
mile 5 - 8:08
mile 6 - 7:57
mile 7 - 7:51
mile 8 - 8:09
mile 9 - 8:14
mile 10 - 8:16
mile 11 - 8:14
mile 12 - 8:21
mile 13 - 8:21
mile 14 - 8:17
mile 15 - 8:22
mile 16 - 8:37 (Center of the Universe detour was around 16.6)
mile 17 - 8:18
mile 18 - 8:23
mile 19 - 8:56
mile 20 - 9:13
mile 21 - 9:16
mile 22 - 9:24
mile 23 - 9:49
mile 24 - 10:06
mile 25 - 9:55
mile 26 - 9:44
finish 26.67 - 5:31 (8:12 pace)

It's almost time to Wine & Dine!

The appearance of the runner tracking for runDisney's Wine & Dine half marathon is evidence that it's nearly race time again!

It's hard to believe that it is time to head back to Walt Disney World again.  But I can't wait!  This is a much needed, though way to short, vacation from reality.  We'll be flying down Friday morning, landing at MCO around 10am and using Disney's Magical Express to make our way to the resort.  We'll be in a one-bedroom villa at Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Though this will not be our first time at this resort, it is our first time in a one-bedroom villa there.  We've only done a studio or general hotel room there in the past.  Hopefully the room will be ready when we get there so we can drop our stuff and continue on with the rest of our day.

From there, we'll head to Epcot to grab lunch at Disney's International Food and Wine Festival and then head over to the Yacht Club to pick up our rental car.  It's then on to the expo for the half marathon to pick up our packets.  And that should take us to right about time for me to show up for work.

Yup, I'm working the expo again... for my most favorite vendor ever!!  None other than, of course, SPARKLE SKIRTS!!  I can't wait to see Leah's newest fabrics.  Come visit me at the Sparkle Skirts expo booth from 2:30-7pm on Friday!!

From there, we'll head out to meet up with friends and grab dinner, likely at Epcot again.  (I really just can't get enough of the Food & Wine Festival.)

Saturday will likely start with a big breakfast - brunch at Shades of Green, Disney's military only resort, which will be followed by a 12:30 Passholder Preview of the Magic Kingdom's New Fantasyland!!  Now THIS I really can't wait for!  We got to see a bit of it over Tower of Terror weekend... mostly the new Storybook Circus area including Dumbo, Goofy's Barnstormer, the Splash 'n' Soak Station and the new shop.  Our Preview event will include a self-guided tour of Be Our Guest Restaurant, a ride on the new Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction and will conclude with Enchanted Tales with Belle.

We should finish in the Magic Kingdom at 4 and will head straight back to the resort to get changed for the race, then it's over to the Yacht Club to drop off the car, and off to catch the shuttle to the Start Line!  We plan on catching the first bus over to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and hanging out there until the 10pm start of the race.

After we finish, we'll be meeting at the Craft Beers booth at the entrance to World Showcase and enjoying the after party until it closes at 3am.  From there, it's back to the resort to get cleaned up and packed for our 5am departure on Disney's Magical Express.  Very sad to have to leave Disney after such a short trip - but we'll be back in just two months for the WDW Marathon Weekend and Goofy's Race & a Half Challenge!

Running (to) an election...

Literally - well, not running the election, but I did run TO the election today.

Because today is Election Day 2012 in the good ol' U S of A!!

Yup - rather than take the car, I geared up in my tights, skirt, short sleeve covered by long sleeve covered by jacket, hat, gloves, garmin and ID and ran the mile to my polling place.  Of course, it decided to rain about 2 steps out my front door - and it was only 45oF out to begin with.

I made my opinion known, and then hit the road again to finish my run.  Took a little detour into a neighboring subdivision and then ran home - complete with my "I VOTED!" sticker and voting receipt, all safe in my baggie holding my ID and iPhone.

I'm proud of what I did today.  I educated myself on the candidates.  I voiced my opinion.  I opted for something healthy over something easy (running vs driving)... it was only 3 miles, but then again, it was 3 miles.


When you have the option of taking longer to get somewhere but doing the healthy thing and lacing up those running shoes rather than taking the easy route and hopping into the car - DO IT!!  You'll feel a whole lot better about your day.

It's your decisions that matter.  In your life.  In your community.  In your state.  In your country. 

If you haven't gotten out there and voted yet, please do so, but make sure you are educated on those that are running first and make your choice.  If you don't educate yourself and vote, then you don't get to complain when things don't turn out the way you wanted.

If you haven't gotten out there for your run today - what's your excuse?  I did it - despite cold, rain, work and life.  Just like with voting, if you don't make the decision to get it done, then you can't complain later on...

YOU DECIDE!!