So You've Completed a Marathon... Now What?

We're going to Disney World.... LOL

Yes, it's true. I've made the commitment to run the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge on January 9 and 10, 2010. That's a half marathon on Saturday, January 9 and a full marathon on Sunday January 10. And my husband didn't even blink when I said I wanted to do it.....LOL

I've heard about the Disney races and the goofy challenge and always thought it'd be fun to do one of them 'some' day. Florida in January isn't bad and the course is more or less flat given that Disney World was built on a swamp! Friends who ran there before say the only elevation on the ramps between the parks so really not a hilly event at all. So 'some' day it seemed like a fun idea. I never really contemplated doing the Goofy Challenge though.

Then I heard that a few other (7 as of last night) members of my pace group at USA fit/Philly fit were planning to go. That means training partners between the Philly Half in November and Disney. It also means knowing other in the race although most of us will run our own race when it comes right down to it; still having runners to meet up with before and after is nice. Then I asked Dave you want to go to Florida in January? Then I asked my sister, who lives in Orlando, if she could put us up and she said yes (Thanks Kate!) so suddenly 'some' day is looking like now.

The race fills up fast - in fact I heard it close and then re-opened for this year - so I had to make a decision now. That works better for me anyway. Being extremely budget conscious if I pay for it I'm going to make sure I go. Having said that, this Challenge is actually a two fer for me. The challenge of preparing and running the race but also taking the plunge and registering before I've worked every minute detail of the trip...... not like me at all. But hey, that'll give me lots to work on while I'm out on training runs.... I'm committed now (and probably should be) and excited.

Today I ran my long run for the week - 10 miles - at Ridley Creek State Park. I'm headed to the Shore tomorrow so I knew there was no chance I'd 10 miles on Saturday. Despite it being humid again today I failed to follow my advice from earlier in the week (to walk first). And lo and behold I struggled... but I finished. The circuit at RCSP is hilly. It is a long slow hill around 3/4 of the route and then a very steep hill the rest of the way. I don't like the steep hill going up or down so I decided to stay on the long slow side. I ran 2.5 out and back, then 1.5 out and back and then 1 out and back... talk about boring! But it's done and now I can go on vacation!