Hey guys.
Was working today and as I said last week, am travelling between two provinces.
Finally got my race report done, here it is:
SPACECOAST MARATHON 2008
A GOAL NOT REACHED AND STILL SEARCHING...
This year Bonnie (my sister in law) and I participated in the Spacecoast Marathon in Melbourne, Florida on November 30th.
It had been advertised as a Joints in Motion Event, but, unfortunately, did not sell and Bonnie and I ended up the only participants from Nova Scotia - or from any Joints in Motion Team for that matter. Except for a few purple Team in Training Shirts - we appeared to be the only charity participants, and the only ones from the Arthritis Society.
This is too bad - not only is this an excellent, well run race, but it affords an opportunity to visit Disney World at a time when it is in full swing with Christmas decorations, parades, lights and shows. That is why we wanted to do it.
We flew down on November 28th and were amazed at how smoothly the travel arrangements went (except that I forgot to pack my IPOD and had to get my assistant to drop it off to my mother in law to bring down - I have a great assistant, she also drove us to the airport - and got the day off). There were six of us taking the trip altogether, but we were not able to get on the same flights - my husband flew alone, and Bonnie and I travelled together, on the Friday. My in laws and niece did not get into Orlando until near midnight the next day.
We stayed at the Radisson at Port Canaveral, which was the official hotel for the race. I would recommend that anyone doing this event stay there. The packet pickup and pasta dinner are there. Dick Beardsley was supposed to have been there, but injury kept him away.
The shuttle goes right from the hotel to the race site and starts at 4 a.m. for a 6:00 a. m.
We got the 4:30 a.m. shuttle and had plenty of time.
The race is growing and was picked up by the Running Zone a few years ago. The race directors, Don and Denise Piercey, are husband and wife.
THE EVENT
The pasta dinner is included in the race registration as is a hot breakfast after the event.
The race starts at Cocoa Village and goes down the Indian River Drive. The bus drops you off at a little square (called Riverfront Park) that has plenty of benches and ledges - and porto potties. I normally avoid these as they are so nasty, but was in there twice that Sunday and they were the cleanest Id seen.
The bag drop off, finish line and food tents are in that park. In the darkness, the Christmas lights were pretty and there was Christmas music playing.
The start line is just a short walk around the corner and up the street. I get there and smell a wood stove burning - great! Nothing chokes me up like smoke, but it soon passed and I was fine.
For the first time, the race has incorporated a corral system - from elite to the slowest (like me - who was in corral six). I actually have my own corral - because I always place myself at the very end of the line.
The nice part about this race is that I did not need to worry about getting in anyones way.
The course is an out and back loop for the half - all along Indian River Road. I believe that it used to be a double loop for the full, but now the full marathoners go past the square where the finish line is and go down for another out and back loop back to the finish line - so the full marathon course is sort of like a paper clip. On the other side is a beautiful residential area with big houses and yards, nicely decorated for Christmas. The neighbourhood also seems to be quite supportive of the race most folks stay home that morning, there was little vehicular traffic, although the road remained open. I think that this must be a popular place to watch shuttle launches and landings although the shuttle was routed elsewhere this weekend due to the weather we were under a tornado watch that Sunday afternoon, which was quite weird for me tornados are not really heard of in my area.
So everyone ahead of me would be coming back down the other side. I saw many people and, once again, they were just wonderful. I got so many compliments, words of encouragement, hugs and high fives that I turned down the IPOD just to hear them all. I could not believe it.
MY RACE
As most of you know, I did not go there with the intention of completing the half at this point. I knew that this was not an achievable goal at this point (though with a seven hour time limit on the half and the full, this is a very walker friendly race), and worked out a planned drop out at the seven mile mark with one of the race directors, right at the pasta dinner.
This is such a beautiful and walker friendly course! I took to laughing at one of the water stops (the lady was dressed like Princess Leia) who told me that I was now done the hilly part of the course. Goodness, these folks dont know what hills are, the finish line at the Halifax race is uphill.
There was a cop following me and he was lovely very complimentary of my effort and encouraging telling me that I had plenty of time and to keep going.
One really inspiring moment was when the leader of the half marathon was coming back and passing me the first and the dead last right on opposite sides of the road to me kind of surreal.
There are lots of water stops on this course every mile on one side of the road or the other. I eat a gel in the porto potty (a new kind of dining room), I am listening to Christmas music and trucking along.
I did the first 5 k in the best time I had all year and then the wheels came off.
I had been feeling some friction under my left heel but ignored it. By the third mile, I could ignore it no longer.
I sit down, pull off the sock and discover, to my horror, that the moleskin that had worked so well for me in my PEI 10k (I tend to get a bit of chafing under my left arch no blister or big deal, just a bit of chafing) had slipped under my heel, leaving a very nasty blister.
I stop a bike cop but nobody has a blister bandaid. We put a couple of regular bandaids on it, but when I stand up, it hurts like heck.
They offer to drive me back no way, I came to do 7 miles.
In the end, however, I had to pull at five I called my husband to come get me and he did, but I was very disappointed - I really wanted to beat my record in PEI, but it was not happening that day. Every step was becoming excruciating, and there was no first aid stand until the six mile mark, I just could not make it that long.
What really made me mad was the fact that I know I could have done this my pace was good (remember that for me that is a relative term), my lungs were great, and the course was flat and gorgeous. The people were encouraging many runners telling me that I was inspiring them. There were some costumes Darth Vadar high fived me. I was really sorry to let them down. But I had a five day trip with the family to follow and did not want to have to stay in bed instead of enjoying the Disney (and Universal) parks at Christmas.
It was, I figured, just a race, but man I would have loved to complete it.
THE FINISH LINE
I had been told by the Coordinator of the Arthritis Society (who had spoken to the race director ahead of time) to go to the finish line and ask for the director. They were going to give me the race towel (they give out those instead of mylar blankets they are big, red white and blue and very cool). A very nice lady (whom I believe was one of the astronauts they have those at the finish line too) got the race director Denise, who said I was to have a medal also as long as I did not cross the finish line (of course I didnt I would never do that).
The medals are gorgeous, but I would not let them put it on me though they were about to I just reached out and took it in my hand. I would not let them photograph me in it nor would I wear it, I just brought it home, put it with some of the other medals that were gifted to me, that I cherish but were not earned.
They had a lovely breakfast at the finish line eggs, pancakes, fruit, sweets, bagels, sausage lots of things. It was free to the runners (as was the pasta dinner the night before) and available to family and friends also for just five bucks cash.
My family were there waiting for me, as usual my wonderful inlaws, my sister in law, Bonnie, who, of course finished this race. She did not PR however the heat and humidity got to her and slowed her time. Funny thing is the heat was not a factor for me at all there was a beautiful breeze of f the Indian River that felt like the breath of God though the Floridians were complaining that it was cold. Man, I came home to minus 17 celcius cold?
OVERALL VIEW
This is one of the oldest marathons in Florida if not the oldest. It has grown over the years but still very small by Disney standards. I am sorry that it did not sell well in our area and Bonnie and I were the only ones to do it. It is a terrific, walker friendly, well supported race with a beautiful, flat course that I wish I could have completed.
The astronaut lady said see you next year. I doubt that she will, due to the distance, but I would love to finish it one year. The Cocoa Beach area is spectacular with an incredible sunset, which my husband nicely photographed.
In addition to the beautiful scenery, this marathon gave us an opportunity to have a Christmas visit at Disney which was beyond amazing.
Sadly, the blister was nasty. When I got back to the hotel, it had swelled out and turned into a huge blood blister that covered nearly the whole circumference of my left heel. It was very painful for days felt like I was walking on a beer cap all week. I needed to use an
ECV around the parks, which was humiliating and I was on a pity party for a while, but got over it and appreciated the ability the
scooter gave me to take in and fully enjoy all the beautiful displays, parades and shows, which I would never have been able to do if I had to walk.
NEXT UP
A 10k race right here in Halifax and a half is planned for the fall. We are thinking maybe Toronto, as there is a 10th anniversary gathering for Joints in Motion there in September.
And then there is Disney 2010. So many of you are looking to me to finally get my Donald and so am I. But I still question my ability to do that, given the pace, even with a year to prepare. We will have to see.
I start a pace training plan right after the holidays (that a good friend devised for me long before I was ready to follow it but I am now). I have been tracking every point over the holidays and although I will probably gain at weigh in tomorrow (some days the points were atrocious like Christmas), I was never out of control.
DH gave me some personal training sessions for Christmas at the gym to help plan, although my favourite trainer may be unavailable for a little bit. What is so cool is that he had them print off twenty 30 minute gift certificates and wrote notes on each one like You can Do it, You dont have to be perfect. Effort and improvement are important, Keep tryin, Go get em, Work hard & have faith, and You miss 100% of the shots you dont take Wayne Gretzky.
Some of the notes are more personal like I appreciate you and You go girl. Others are more direct like Get off your butt!
Like he also said Believe and Youre worth it.
Did I pick a great guy or what?
One of his notes also said: We all reach the finish line sooner or later. Its what youve become when you arrive that matters (his own quote) and It is never too late to become what you might have become George Eliot.
One said Youre not a failure unless you fail to try and that is one thing I can promise - I will never stop trying.
But when it comes to Disney, I have to adopt Yodas quote (also on one of the certificates Do or do not. There is no try. I cannot go back there again unless I am reasonably sure I can do.
Happy New Year everyone!
Will try to write more tommorow.
Christmas was great - really enjoyed being with my sister.
New Years is like a new beginning for me, I do like it. We are spending it with Norm's family - and I adore these people, so I am looking forward to it.
Have a "magical losing day"
Linda
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After "helping" three others, I'm surprised at the feelings that this one has me with. (and she's not the last, just one of the neatest kids around....I'll miss her terribly!)
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