midnight insomniac ramblings

It’s midnight here in Florida and there’s 2 weeks now until the Walt Disney World Marathon and I officially can’t sleep!  I decided to get up and put some thoughts down, so excuse the randomness while I blurt out what’s contributing to tonight’s insomnia-

1.  Christmas is over.  Whew.  I feel bad though because 2 cards that I mailed to family members got returned with a wrong address and no forwarding info.  Seriously, who doesn’t give forwarding addresses?  I contacted one cousin about it to get her new address but haven’t yet contacted the other whose card I got back today.  I should do that.  I keep writing the note I’d put in the Facebook messenger over and over in my head but I haven’t actually done it yet.  Doing so would clear up valuable worry space.  

2.  I’m starting to go over my packing list and how I’m going to juggle my work days with my Dopey days in a couple weeks.  I haven’t decided if I’m going to go in to work after the 10K or not.  My parents are coming in Thursday afternoon and I’m afraid they’re going to be bored because I don’t want to go traipsing around the parks all day.  They don’t want to buy their tickets until they get to the hotel, or the morning that they want to go to a park and the lack of planning there is driving me nuts!  I want to book Fastpasses and have things as organized as possible to give them the best experience I can, but that’s not looking like it’s going to happen.

3.  I think they’re just coming because I may have too strongly suggested or assumed they would.  I don’t think anyone understands why I’m doing this, or why I really run at all.  All I hear is that I’m crazy, or when I’m sore I hear things like “Well, you‘re doing this to yourself” (even from my won boyfriend) and if it weren’t for the support from the online groups I don’t know if I could take it.  I’m pretty sure they do tell their friends and the rest of the family about my races because people ask me about them, but no one really knows what to say after that.  (Besides “So, how many miles is it?”)  I want to accomplish something amazing- there are so many things I do that just feel mediocre.  I get the feeling sometimes that my idea of amazing isn’t on par with everyone else’s.  I know I should be running just for me, and I do.  It’s my thinking time.  My “me time.”  I drive myself crazy with my own thoughts, though.

4.  We spent several days in Louisiana with my family for Christmas.  Scot was pretty intimidated with all the activity and visiting with all my relatives (we had 21 people for Christmas day lunch) and I kind of was, too.  I mean, I’ve known these people all my life, but the past several years since everyone’s married off and had kids, I feel like I have nothing in common with anyone.  Neither of us had a single word to contribute to the conversations about the kids we don’t really know at all, the duck hunting stories, the prices of oil, the local politics and happenings, or the recent goings-on in the family.  We work a lot.  We travel probably a bit more than the settled-down groups.  All we know to talk about is the Caribbean and Disney and airplanes.  And now running, to round out the conversational topics.  All of those a virtual dead end after you scratch the surface with someone who can’t relate.  “Oh, wow, that‘s interesting!” is about as far as you get.  Same goes for us on the kid/hunt/oil/gossip front though.

5.  I admit, I was a little let down that I didn’t get any “fun” running stuff or Dopey-related items for Christmas this year.  I did get the specific items I needed (oofos & balega socks) but nothing personal.  I think what lends to the let-down feel there is not the lack of stuff but rather the lack of support and thoughtfulness, which stems from the lack of understanding.  A Dopey mug, a little 26.2 charm or necklace, Christmas ornament, whatever you know?  I reiterate that I’m not doing this for attention or glory (lord knows I‘m not gonna win), but it’s been such a long, hard journey and I think I’m getting worn out and stressed as Marathon Weekend approaches. 

6.  I can hear my mom telling me in my head that I’m being too self-centered and whiny, but for god sakes, I’m tired.  I just want to get out there and run these races surrounded by people with similar goals and experiences and that understand me.  I want to see the spectators with their poster board signs of support, their funny signs, the ones they hold up for hours and hours waiting for just one specific person to see it.  I want to be that person with that kind of support.

7.  This one is to hold myself accountable for making my costumes for January.  Confession: I have nothing special to wear for the 5K and I’m ok with that.  I don’t even like rolling out of bed for less than 6.2, so the 5K is a formality here.  Jog, take it easy, get my rubber medallion, and go to work is the plan for that day.  I’ve spent way to much money tonight online- I reserved a RunDisney Dooney & Bourke purse because I want one really bad and didn’t want to risk missing out at the Expo where they sell the leftovers.  I then bought a mermaid-fish scale pattern SparkleSkirt because I found out they weren’t going to be at the Expo at all.  2 day delivery should have it here with time to spare.  I’ve got to find a purple tank top just in case the weather is warmer, I have a purple shirt already but I want to be 110% prepared.  I got some white satin fabric today to repurpose my Orange Bird costume into a Nemo one.  Gotta make some stripes and get them glued on tomorrow maybe.  I also got craft foam to make my fins.  I’m using the rest of the satin fabric to add to my blue outfit I’ve worn before as Cinderella and Eeyore, this time for Blue Dress Aurora.  I got some yellow glittery craft foam I’ve got to somehow turn into her crown, otherwise people are going to think I’m Cinderella again.  

8.  I keep asking Scot what he wants to accomplish or do in the new year- hoping he’ll mention something about trips he wants to take, goals he has, his ideas on the future of our aging relationship, when he wants to replace the fridge or any other projects….anything.  But he just shrugs.  Boys are dense.  It’s driving me crazy.  


I think that’s it… lots of stuff going through my head tonight.  I hope getting it out will make sleeping a bit easier.  

Thanks for listening.

ps: I did send that message about the Christmas card.  It's out of my hands, now.

        

3 weeks to go!

Ack!

I did my last long training run before Dopey Challenge time today- 24 miles!  This week was totally exhausting:

Monday morning: 3 miles (before spending the whole day at Epcot, about 9 hours)
Tuesday morning: 6.2 miles (before a full day of work)

Tuesday night- skipped trivia night at the Abbey, needed the sleep and did NOT need the wine.  Cooked healthy chicken and garlic dinner instead

Wednesday morning: 12 miles (before another day of work.  Also, my RunKeeper app pissed me off by not giving my interval times.  Started to get sick of Best Of The 90s on Pandora radio.  Tasted garlic all morning, no matter how many times I brushed my teeth)

Wednesday night- Scot thought something was wrong with me since I passed on ice cream for dessert for the 3rd night in a row.  In bed by 10pm, out cold.

Thursday morning- 24 miles (before work, again.  Out the door by 5:45, arranged water and Powerade, bananas, Gu, and pretzels for easy access through pending delirium.  Kept coat on for almost 16 miles, it was cold!  RunKeeper crapped out again and my phone decided to F*%KING TURN ITSELF OFF after 12 miles.  I ended up doing 2 12 mile runs, the timing was all off.... the app said I did 12 miles in 1 hr, 6 minutes.  Wow!  And if I hear one more song by NSync or Alanis Morisette I'm going to hurt somebody)

Thursday night- I'm sore, I'm tired, I want a Garmin watch thingie, and it's too late to ask for it for Christmas.  Ordered pizza and cheesy sticks for dinner, followed with peppermint ice cream.  And cranberry Sprite.  

Tylenol has been my best friend this week.  That, and my foam roller.

I signed up for a virtual race, the Polar Bear Run Half Marathon last month, and the bib came in an email yesterday.  I ran it as part of my 24 miles today, the medal is super cute so hopefully it'll come in the mail next week.  Speaking of next week- Merry Early Christmas!  Scot & I are headed to Louisiana for the holiday, I'm going to try to get a couple short tapering runs in while I'm there.  The past few years it's been super super cold though, so I might just stay inside and hang out by the fire with a cup of tea.  We'll see!

orlando ouc half marathon and some disney christmas

Well, I have to say I'm proud of LizzyDragon for finishing her first half marathon!  We had a pretty good time at the OUC Half Marathon last week, you know, that one I kept forgetting about.  I actually stayed at her place Friday night and crashed on the couch after an episode of Cutthroat Kitchen on Netflix.  Lame, I know.

We dolled up in our coordinating outfits and headed out to downtown Orlando around 6:15 to get parked and settled in.  Traffic was rotten, but we ended up making it to Lake Eola in the middle of downtown in plenty of time.  Out of the thousands of  people milling around that morning, we actually ran into another friend of mine, Kylie, when the sidewalks merged together!  I didn't know she'd signed up (found out later it was a spur-of-the-moment decision and she'd done barely any training at all for it!)  We took some pictures and then tried to worm our way into the huge crowd at the start line.  There were no corrals, just some signs with min/mi paces staggered back along the sides.  I inched my way up to the back of the 9 min/mile crowd before I couldn't go any further.  I really didn't have a goal for this race- I figured I'd start running and see how I felt and do the best I could.

 Kylie & I

 LizzyDragon and I rocking our Sparkle Athletic Skirts:  

"Let's get a picture before we get all gross!"

My view of the start line.  I'm not that tall, of course- was on tip toe with my phone!

The gun went off at 7:30 and we all inched forward.  I started the RunKeeper before I hit the timing pad, just in case it wanted to give me problems.  I zig-zag jogged around people while trying to find my pace in the crowd- I met up with the 1:50 pacers and stayed with them for a couple miles before losing sight of them after I slowed at a water stop.  I was feeling pretty good and settled comfortably into an 8:25 pace.  The race went through the streets of Orlando and through some neighborhoods so there were plenty of curious spectators.  The route took us under the 408 expressway and south of downtown.  I'd never been in this area before so it was interesting to look at.  Some of the houses were ridiculously big!  There were a few bands and DJs along the course, as well as plenty of water and medical assistance.  Around mile 9, some people had a table filled with red solo cups and a keg in their front yard with a poster board and marker sign that read "Beer Stop."  The smell was nauseating when I ran by, but people were stopping for it!  I learned later that LizzyDragon was one of those!  I laughed, at least I had an excuse to not take any (the FAA frowns on drinking and flying, you see.)  

I crossed back under the 408 and headed north back to the finish line- it was looking like I'd break my previous record from the Wine & Dine Half in November!  

 It's probably hard to see, but I had to put up the map because I had no idea where I was the entire time during this race!  I crossed the finish line in 1:51:51- a new personal record!  

Yay!

There were plenty of snacks at the finish- Publix had muffins, lots of Powerade and bananas, and the best thing in the world- ice cold chocolate milk!  There was also a beer truck (at 9am?  Gross.)  I wandered around for a while- stood under the water misters, browsed the booths.  LizzyDragon came across the line about 40 minutes after me- I'd been getting text notifications on her progress so I was ready to meet her at the finish.  We got her refueled and then met up with another friend of ours who had tried to watch us on the course but kept missing us passing by.  It was so weird- we just randomly ran in to him on the lawn the way I'd randomly bumped in to Kylie.  

Speaking of Kylie- she finished as well!  She'd said it would be pure stubbornness that got her through, and sure as can be, she got across the finish line about an hour after LizzyDragon.  We left before she finished- LD and I both had to get cleaned up for work so we drove to the flight school and used the FBO showers before showing off our medals to any customers we ran in to.

 Finished!

 It sparkles in the sun!

 Showing off out new (heavy!) bling

So I had to work after all the fun that morning!  LD and Kylie did, too so none of us got to do much relaxing or basking in our glory.  I worked again Sunday morning, and wanted to go down to the Magic Kingdom Sunday evening but Scot said he was the tired one!

We did go on Monday and I ate the following:

 Pork shank from Gaston's Tavern.  Verdict?  Awesome.  Salty.  Loved it.

Cupcake from the Big Top Souvenir candy counter in Storybook Circus.  Also very yum!

We watched the castle lighting- it was Frozen themed this year.  I have to say, I like the Cinderella version better- I love Frozen but the sketch on stage was hokey and Elsa just kind of flailed around while pretending to cast an ice spell all over the kingdom.  Plus Olaf was like 6 feet tall.  After that, we resort-hopped along the monorail route and looked at the gingerbread displays.  Good times, late night!

Next week I get to do my LAST mock Dopey- 3 miles Monday, 6 miles Tuesday, 12 miles Wednesday, and 23 miles Thursday.  I'm going to be more prepared and rested this time- I'm going to have snacks and bananas and not run to the library without water!

OUC Half Marathon stats:

Chip time: 1:51:51

Age division place: 32/278 (top 11%)

Gender place: 126/1,763 (top 7%)

Overall place: 526/3,331 (top 15%)