Woo Hoo! It's Saturday!!

It's just amazing, isn't it, how sometimes days just seem to fly by! Anyhoo, in case you've missed it, today is half-marathon Saturday!!

For today's race, it's Steve, Molly, Katie, and me. Since Steve is participating, we were able to take the car. The fun part was that we had to walk past a very long line of runners waiting for the bus to the start of the race. Several gave us the stink-eye, perhaps thinking that we were headed in front of them to break line. But no, we were just headed to our car! That was the easy part. Once we got in the car, we got into race traffic, which moved at a snail's pace - sort of like I do in races. We plodded along (again, like I do in races) until finally reaching Epcot and the parking lot.

Once there, we sat a bit before going to our corrals. Then once we got into our corrals, we sat a bit more until our corral was eventually called and off we were! Today was still a little cool, and we shared our fancy sock gloves with Katie. And yet there were still the fast runners with their itsy bitsy race clothes!

Once we started, Steve, Katie and Molly headed off. I kept my usual pace - slow - and eased up a bit as the miles wore on.  There are many special moments in a Disney race. There are those moments when you meet certain mile markers (for me, it's sort of like every one), there are those moments when you know you're headed home (when you round the bend and pass the Grand Floridian), and there are those moments when you know you're going to make it (Mile 12 when you're headed into Epcot). And then there are those unexpected moments, like the one I had today. Here's how it went ...

Just after you pass the Contemporary Resort, you pass Mile Marker 5.  You make a sharp left and head into the back/cast member entrance to the Magic Kingdom. You're actually backstage until you enter the park right between Tony's Town Square and the hat shop. As I as wogging along in the backstage area, I happen to pass a lady who was looking up and around with a huge smile on her face. I heard her say, "This is my first time here." I wasn't sure if she meant her first time ever, or just her first race, but I could fully appreciate her joy and sense of wonder. I said to her, "Just wait until we get into the park and make that first right turn." I knew that the castle would still be lit up and that the view was amazing. I then said to her, "There are volunteers all around - be sure to stop and get your picture!" We got separted with the narrowed course and many runners, but I saw her again one last time. She had indeed stopped to ask a volunteer for a photo - truly one she will never forget.

And that's why I do Disney races. I try to ignore the haters who think we woggers are pond scum and somehow demean their own personal runs. I try to forgive the runners who want to shove past me without a word. Instead I cherish those moments when I see a first-time racer who is so excited to be here and so excited to finish and receive that medal. I cherish it because I know how they feel - I still feel it every time I lace up my shoes and head to the start line!

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Today is a gift because: starting and finishing the half; first-time lady at MK

And Now It's Friday!!

Today's race? The 10K, of course! Our race friend Katie and her mom got into town yesterday, so Katie joined us for this race. Nancy (Katie's mom) will hopefully be in her cheering position on the Boardwalk (she was).

While today wasn't as chilly and windy as yesterday, it was still pretty cold. We huddled together waiting for the start (since Steve needed the car for work this morning, we had to bus it with the rest of the crowd). It was amazing to see runners (and I mean real runners) in their shorts and singlets. And goose bumps and shivers. Nevertheless, eventually our corral was called and off we went.

And of course, Katie and Molly took off and I didn't see sight of them after Mile 1. Eventually I rounded Epcot and through the Boardwalk, and saw Nancy, who told me that Katie and Molly weren't "that much" ahead of me. Wasn't she sweet to say that? No matter, eventually I ended up at the finish, and guess who was giving out medals - Aisling, of course!! It's always so fun to see her, although I'm not sure if she was trying to strangle me or eat my medal .. Molly and Katie waited for me at the finish line, so we all got on the bus together and headed back to our hotels.

Molly and I showered and changed clothes and met Lindley and Lynnette for a ride to the MK to get to the Grand Floridian. They had a date there to go the the Princess Tea Party. Molly and I were going to spy on them until they actually got into the tea party, which we did. Of course Lindley was adorable in her Merida outfit, and it looks like the tea party was a success. Once Lindley and Lynnette left us, Molly and I headed for the Magic Kingdom to join Nancy and Katie for some roast beef mac and cheese (and yes, it's just as tasty as it sounds). I'm sure it's not as fancy as tea and crumpets with Sleeping Beauty, but we forgot our ball gowns anyway.

Once we were done with the MK, we headed back to our hotel. Tonight Maribeth and Everley arrive. And some of us have a half-marathon tomorrow. That begins at 5:30am. Oh well, at least I carbo-loaded with mac and cheese!

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Today was a gift because: 10K with Katie and Molly (sort of) and seeing Nancy on the course; watching Lindley and the other princesses at the tea; Maribeth and Everley's arrival

Moving Right Along ...

Today was the 5K. And it was soooo cold!  Especially for Orlando, and for those of us who were not prepared for the cold. Yesterday Steve and Molly made a Wal-Mart run and bought tube socks for us to wear on our hands (apparently gloves were nonexistent). Molly and I were so grateful for those socks, as the temperature was in the 30s and the winds were blowing like crazy!

Molly and I drove to the start, so we were able to stay in the car for an extra 30 minutes before heading to the corrals. It was sort of a madhouse, as everyone was cold and huddling together. We managed to get into our corral just as the dude was beginning the national anthem. Since we were in Corral E, we had time before we started and had a fun conversation with some lady who was wearing the same Alaska Disney Cruise jacket that I was. Except that I had actually gone on the cruise and she had bought hers at the Disney outlet.

Anyhow, finally it was our corral's turn, and as we headed to the start line, who did I see but my friend Aisling. Of course, we were both too cold to do anything but yell a "Hiya!" and keep moving before our extremities turned to ice. The really fun part was that the course passed the stop for the buses, and of course there were several runners there waiting for their hotel bus - runners who had already finished the race, and we weren't even at Mile 1!!  I guess there's a penalty for being fast!!

Eventually we finished and headed back to the car which would take us back to the hotel for a warm shower and a nap. Lynnette and Lindley will be arriving this afternoon, so we certainly want to be ready for them! Oh yeah, and there's that 10K tomorrow ...

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Today is a gift because: Doing with 5K in the freezing weather with Molly; seeing Aisling at the start; Lindley and Lynnette's arrival at Disney

It's Wednesday ...

Ignoring the obvious, let's just say that this morning Steve, Molly, and I got up at the butt crack of dawn (as did Maribeth, who gave us a ride to the airport) for our 5:50am flight to Orlando. We will be participating in the Disney Marathon Weekend, which will be this weekend. As in January 8-11. Are you following along?

Anyhow, I supposed it's a good thing, since the races (and there are four of them) will all be starting at the same butt-crack of dawn each morning. I really didn't need any sleep or to sleep in to the late hour of 7am.

Anyhow, we had a nice flight down, and I even got to see Disney World from up above. It's always a nice sight to see, almost as nice as seeing the landing strip beneath the plane's wheels when we land, which is almost as nice as pulling up to the terminal once the flight is over.

We obtained the rental car without a problem and headed to the race expo, joining the millions of others who were on the same mission. Nevertheless, we managed to get our bibs and race shirts and mill around the expo and shop at the vendors (not really purchasing anything). We then headed to Boardwalk, our home for the next several days, and checked in. We then proceeded to eat lunch, shop around Epcot, and eventually find our room.

There wasn't much more to do, except unpack and get ready for the upcoming races. Tomorrow is the 5K with the latest start of the weekend, at 6:15am. Which means we only need to leave the hotel before 5am.  And remind me why I do these?

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Today is a gift because: safe, smooth ride to Orlando; great room location at hotel; lunch with Steve and Molly; short lines at expo

What Would You Do If You Could?

There’s a phrase that I like that goes like this: “What would you do if you knew you absolutely could not fail?” I like it because it inspires me to move forward and do stuff. But as I think about it a little more deeply, I find that maybe it means even more.

To start with, what does “fail” even mean? Does it mean that you don’t perform whatever it is to perfection? And what is perfection, anyway? Of course, for me, yes it means perform to perfection, at expertise level with no mistakes. But what if I took “fail” to mean “never start”? What if I decided that never starting and never trying, even once, was the only failure?  What if I decided that starting and trying something, no matter how it turned out, would be considered a success? How many things (and therefore successes) could and would I accomplish?

For instance, let’s talk sewing. I can sew and can operate a sewing machine. I can put together something that resembles a quilt. But I do not produce the quality work that my friends Denise and Kat complete (usually while they are also completing about 10 other tasks at the same time). I could give up and decide that I am a failure because my stuff does not look like theirs, or I can decide that my raggity-taggity stuff is lovely. And so I do (relieved that Kat and Denise live far, far away and will never see my stuff in real life). And so I keep at it.

Let’s talking running (or wogging or walking – take your pick). Currently I do not perform these activities quickly (and may never). Do I let my speed stop me from entering a race? Apparently not. I see the runners that take off like a bullet when the starter begins the race. Those runners are already at home and back in bed by the time I finish the race. But I keep at it, I am determined that one day I will indeed be faster – if only by a little bit.

There are a great many things that I am not very good at. But I’m not a failure. I may try something and decide not to do it again, based on the outcome. But how else will I ever know what I could possibly be really good at, unless I try it?

So maybe I’ll change that saying that I like so much. Maybe now I’ll think about it and say, “What will you try just to see how good you can be at it?” After all, you really never can or will know unless you try. At least once. Or twice. Here’s to trying new things - or anything, for that matter!

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Today is a gift because: Hillder hvac and electrical check-up dudes; picking up Lindley and Everley at school; Lindley and Everley time