Goofy (in words)

Okay, so let's go back to June 2010.  Rock and Roll San Diego.  Team in Training.  Ms. ChristieO.  "I am running the Walt Disney World Marathon in January...you should run it too."  Uhm...a marathon? Really.  You mean the full 26.2?  Uhm...maybe.  Then there was a booth at the expo...where you could sign up for that race.  And I convinced the ex that I should sign up.  He said, you sign up? I'm signing up too.  So we forked over the cash and made the committment to train for 26.2.

September through December 2010 - hardcore training plan.  Injuries.  Fears.  Horrible runs.  Fabulous runs.  Cold and snowy runs.  Treadmill 20-milers.

January 2011 - Florida.  Running 26.2.  Feeling really good for the first 22ish miles and then my legs just wanted to be done.  That was the longest 3+ miles of my life.  When I crossed that finish line I cried.  Sobbed like a little baby.  I couldn't believe that I had just crossed the finish line of my first marathon.  I wore that Mickey medal for the rest of the week.  It was at the finish line through my tears I saw the runners who had just completed the 26.2 after the 13.1 the day before and collecting their Goofy medals.  Despite how exhausted my legs were and how hard those last three miles were I thought, "huh.  Goofy in 2013?"  And so the idea was hatched.  I convinced ChristieO that she should plan for it also.  And plan she did.

September 2011- Tough Mudder.  I break a whole new level of stubborn.  10 miles on a broken ankle.

Fall 2011 - I make a single decision based on many factors to file for divorce.  My future uncertain, I knew I still wanted to run Goofy in 2013 but I wasn't sure how I was going to swing it.

March 2012 - Registration for Goofy opens.  I knew that if I was going to run it, I needed to plan and that meant signing up when it was the cheapest.  I fork over the cash and then mentally freak out.  WTF am I thinking?  Now single mom with joint custody.  How I am going to train for this?  Oh, hey look Jeff Galloway does a run-walk training plan for Goofy on the RunDisney website.  You only have to commit to run 3 days a week and the two mid-week runs are short.  I can do this.

Fall 2012 - Running? Oh yeah..that thing I used to do regularly 3 times a week? Huh.  Well, I'll get my long run in this week.  Oh wow, 3-4 miles on the treadmill during the week feels *really* hard.  How many miles did I sign up to do in January?  39.3?  Oh.  Well I'll finish.  Probably hurting, but I'll finish.

December 2012 - HOLY HELL!! GOOFY is *WHEN*?!?!?!

January 1, 2013 - Well.  I didn't train properly but I'll at least start fueling properly and give up the booze and drink more water until race day.  Then at least my body will be in the best, if not totally undertrained, condition possible.  Did you see the weather?  Lows in the 60s? When was the last time northern Nevada saw the 60s? November? Shit. Now I'm scared I'll have heat stroke and just keel over.  No, Kirsten, you can do this.

January 10th - On the plane.  Packed with all my fuel and water and typical pre-long-run breakfast supplies. YAY! I get to see Barb and ChristieO!  So even if I die in Orlando, I'll at least get to see cool people before I die.

January 11th - Standing in line to get into the expo...in the sun...in jeans...sweating...didn't pack any shorts except running shorts.  Expo: Oh look.  My race bib.  That says I'm a Goofy Challenge racer.  Oh cool! Three shirts! I'd say I like free stuff, but I paid for all this stuff.  Expo? Shiny! Oh look! Over here more shiny! (I'm going to look at the fun shiny stuff and running gear because that's more fun than thinking about the fact that over the next two days I'm running a shit load of miles.)

Laying out my clothes for the next morning.  I've got this 13.1.  I know I can run 13.1 on any given day.  I hope I'm not too sore afterwards though.  I don't want to go into Sunday sore.  Kirsten, don't forget to hydrate extra and fuel more than normal.  You cannot deplete your reserves before Sunday.

January 12th - I just ran my slowest half marathon to date!  And I'm okay with that.  It was much hotter than I would have liked.  And it's supposed to be hotter tomorrow? And I'm going to be running for at least twice as long?  (little voice? SHUT UP.)  Fear sinking in.  Nerves.  Not sure if I'm eating because I'm actually hungry, though my stomach is grumbling  a lot for the same day of a long run, or if I'm eating because I'm really just scared I'm going to hit the wall on Sunday at mile 18.  Sleep.  You need to sleep.  *checks the clock as I crawl into bed* 10:30? That will give me 4 hours of sleep if I fall asleep right.now.

*beep beep beep* 2:30 a.m.  Hit snooze.  Fall back asleep.  Wait! Did I hit snooze or off?  Keep eyes open until alarm is supposed to go off again.  Keep eyes open.  Keep eyes open.  *beep beep beep* Oh good.  Staring at phone...*hit snooze*.  Fall back asleep.  Wake up to hearing a low voice downstairs.  What time is it? 3:30?!?!  EEEK!! Must get up, change, pee, eat, drink coffee, make sure I have everything.  Hopefully get my pre-race poop done.  Kirsten, breath.  They won't leave without you.

Start line.  Stretching...waiting...sitting.  First countdown and fireworks.  Second countdown.  Third countdown.  Fourth countdown.  Slowly moving our way up to the start line.  Fifth countdown. And GO!!  Okay, Kirsten.  Take it nice and slow.  Aim for 12 mm.  You can always go faster at the end if you feel good.  Heh...who am I kidding.  I've never run a negative split on anything more than a 10k.  Oh, well just keep going.  Look around.  Enjoy this.  Don't forget to walk at the top of every mile.  Take pictures at every mile marker so you don't forget.  Look there's mile 1!  Only 25.2 to go.  Slow and steady.  Mile 4...oh hey! I need to take a gel.  Eww.  That didn't taste good.  Oh well.  It's down.  Drink some nuun.  Yay! Water stop.  Perpetum.  More water.  More nuun. Mile 6.  Oh look.  Port-a-potties with no line.  I should try to pee.  Yep...had to pee.  Mile 8.  The Speedway is pretty cool.  Look at all the cars people brought out to share with us runners.  They are pretty cool.  Mile 9.  I'm not even halfway yet.  Walk, drink.  Bananas!!  I love me some bananas on a long run.

Mile 13.  Okay.  What did that blog say? Think of Goofy as three half marathons? Then I'm two-thirds of the way done.  I can do this.  More water.  Refill my nuun bottle with more water and add another tablet.  Geez my knees are aching a lot.  Yay for medical tents and BioFreeze, and wait? You have Tylenol? Yes please.  Gulp.  Mile 18.  Wow.  10 more miles to go.  I've already done 31.  What's another 10.2, right?  Sponges!!  Oh.my.God.  Cool sponges.  Squeezed on my face and my chest.  Michelle said to keep one and stuff it in my shirt.  *tucks a sponge in the back of my tank*.   ESPN.  Ooh! Potty break on a real toilet!  Yes, please.  I could use another banana, my legs are feeling sorta crampy.  I wish there was going to be another banana stop.  Oh look! Bananas!  Happy Kirsten!!

Mile 20.  Where's the mile marker sign? I need a picture at mile marker 20.  Oh..heh.  Look the big 20th anniversary of the marathon sign *is* the mile marker.  Just a 10k to go.  Damn the sun is hot.  Water stop! Drink a cup, fill my nuun bottle back up, dump a cup of water down my back onto the sponge.  Hey! Mile 21, I remember this on ramp.  It felt hard last time.  Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot.  Hey! I'm still feeling pretty good! How is that possible. More gu, finish off your perpetum.  Drink more water.  More powerade.  Thank the volunteers at the water stops.  WOW! We are already back in the parks?  This means we are getting close! Mile 23.  Mile 24.  I hope I see ChristieO before the race is over.  I'd love to see a familiar face.  Mile 25 sign.  Geez, bystanders can you not walk right in front of the sign while I'm trying to take a picture? I'm running a marathon here.  Why aren't my legs hurting more.  Hey!!! It's ChristieO!!! "AHHHHH!! I feel so good still! I'm almost done!" *big hugs*.  I think I can go a little faster! I can't believe I'm doing this and I feel this good.  I'm tired, but I'm doing good.  I'm happy.  *take headphones off* I want to hear the cheers as I run by.  Okay, I should be coming up on the mile 26 marker.  I want to tweet that picture so Barb knows I'm close.  I know I only have 0.2 to go but I want that picture.  I can't stop smiling.  HOLY SHIT! There's the finish line.  Sprint, Kirsten! You can do it.  *little legs pick up speed*

FINISH LINE - get my Mickey medal.

Get my snacks and drinks.  Ask to make sure I don't miss the Goofy tent.  See the Goofy tent.  Almost sprint over for my Goofy medal.  Happily let one of the volunteers place it over my head.  Oh, look.  A photographer.  Yes I want my picture taken with two medals on.  CHEESE!!

Get your gear bag.  Head to the meeting spot.  I want to sit but I'm scared to.  Legs feel very tired.  Ok. Found Nicole. Sitting.  Drinking.  Eating.  Hey, Evan! How was your race? YAY! Barb and Andrew!  Yay! ChristieO!!  Hugs and more hugs.  Ice.  I need ice.  My knees are aching.  Well, duh. You ran 39.3 miles in two days.  I'm tired.  I want to nap.  Check RunKeeper.  Mile 26: 10:17.  Wait...*checks the rest of my splits: 12:00, 11:41, 11:48, 12:15, 12:26, 10:48...*  How in the hell did I run my fastest mile at mile 26? Really? My last 5 miles were: 12:07, 11:35, 10:58, 11:12 and 10:16.  *baffled..blames it on the sun*

Bask in the glow of the accomplishment of pushing my limits.  Best shower ever.  Except for the window of a blister on my toe.  Eh.  Small price to pay for three medals in two days.  Hey! Guess what? I ran Goofy!
Say goodbye to ChristieO and her peeps.  *sad panda*

Downtown Disney for dinner and goodies with Barb and Andrew.  Chocolate milkshake with Bailey's for dinner.  Walking and more walker.  Why am I walking again? I ran a marathon today.  Oh yeah.  Because you're getting on a plane tomorrow and you don't want to be one big cramp on the plane.

Sleep.  Oh heavenly sleep.

Goodbyes to Barb and Andrew.  *sad panda repeat*

Plane rides.  Sleep.  So tired.  Drive home.  Fire.  Snuggles.  Sleep.