And I kept the name because, truthfully, I am a little goofy. And I search for some goofiness in everyday life. Sometimes I think a little more "sideways" than other people, and I attribute that to an innate goofy spirit.
Next Thursday night I will board a red-eye (#3 in 4 weeks!) to Orlando. I will meet up with my Mom (Hi, Mom of 2009!)
We will vacation for six days at Walt Disney World, and during our weekend there we will complete the half (together) and full (just me) marathon.
But this year's race will be different from any I've ever run. The half, as stated, I will complete with my mom. Together, I am confident we will do so in under 3 hours. Despite some setbacks in her training, she has put in the time and gotten the important long runs in. I look forward to our pre- and post-race retreat package as well! Mom and I do NOT skimp on anything when we go to Disney.
Up until a couple weeks ago, I'd planned on running Sunday's full marathon at a chill pace. It would be a cruising of 8:30min/mile or so with stops to snap pictures. But then my friend, Chris, had a setback in his training.
Chris was my first marathon coach, my recent co-coach and triathlon "advisor" so to speak. And most importantly, he is one of my closest friends. Living in California, away from East Coast-based family, Chris is one of the central members of my California adoptive family. This is a guy who took 5 days off work and family to travel to Idaho with me for my first full Ironman. He dealt with my psychosis as I grappled with 140.6 miles, and to this day, still deals with the fallout :)
For those of you who don't know why Chris's twitter name is @Run2SaveLives, please read. I cannot due justice to the reasons why he has dedicated his life to wiping out cancer. His own words - about his father, daughter and family - will shine some light on his quest. Post-Goofy, Chris will complete the 2011 Lavaman Tri with Team in Training on his way to full Ironman #3 - IM Wisconsin in September.
So when Chris fractured his tibia, and was banned from running - including the Goofy Challenge - I was bummed. But he decided to stick with the races, and is choosing to walk them. And I because friendship will trump footsteps any day, I am privileged that he's letting me walk the full marathon with him. No chill running. Just a day of booking it, step by step, through the Happiest Place on Earth.
We are both Team in Training coaches, and we guide half and full marathoners in Los Angeles along their own journeys. We advise experiences runners, novice athletes, runners, walkers, and anyone who wants to believe that they can push boundaries and change their lives. I'm excited to walk this marathon because, for the first time in my five-year running career, I will understand what it takes to "not run" a marathon - that persistence, drive and heart it takes to WALK the event.
I could not be more excited to get myself over to Florida. No doubt I will be on twitter all day with race reports from myself, my mom, chris and a host of twitter folks listed below. I look forward to meeting you all and sharing the 2011 Half/Full/Goofy Experience!
Chad @unlessyoutri
Jennifer @jenn_if_er
Colin @runwicked
Kristin @kristincool
Javier @javier1280
Lisa @bemadthen
Andrea @drefrench
Bonnie @bonnieg88
Brett @mrbrettyoung
Stan @goofy57runner
Jefferson @therunningman23
Elizabeth @fiftyforbilly
Brian @RunJBadRun
Lee and Isis @RunningCouple
Michael @AZ_Michael
Kimberly @Kimberlyrunner
Lynne @duckyislost
Dee @deeFSU
Jenn @DisneyGirlinNJ
1 comment:
Lovely bllog you have here
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