The Big Dance

Wow, my final post. The final chapter in this book. I have danced the big dance. 26.2: It was fun. It was grueling. It was fabulous. I don't think I could have picked a more entertaining marathon to call my first. I met my ultimate goal: to finish. 6:13 later. My splits were:

• 5 miles: 1:05
• 10 miles: 2:13
• Half: 2:56
• 20 miles: 4:38
• Finish: 6:13

The temperatures were very warm. At the 6am start, it was 68 degrees with 93% humidity. Our coach told us to count on running slower than our usual pace due to the heat/humidity. The highest point it reached during my run was 75 degrees. We were drenched and there wasn't a water stop I dared to pass and I only stopped once to use the bathroom (at mile 4) - that kinda says how much we were all sweating. At mile 13 my feet started to feel like I was running on the blacktop without any shoes on. I think they had swelled up from the humidity maybe and my laces were tied too tight. By the time I stopped to loosen them it was too late - I felt like a car had run over the top of my feet.

But those are just the minor details. The rest of the details are the best. We had an awesome time. The crowds, the scenery, fellow runners - made it simply worth it. We ran through 4 parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, MGM, and Epcot). There were characters out everywhere, they even brought some of the animals out (lamas, sheep) to "cheer" us on. Here were the highlights for me:

• The guy who was a volunteer at a water stop holding a sign that read "Ladies Drink for Free".
• Her shirt: "I'm just here for the bling". His shirt: "I'm just here because she made me".
• Shirt: "I'm running because someone crazy is chasing me."
• Shirt: "One day I just decided to go for a little run... - Forrest Gump"
• Just before we came around the corner to the finish, there was a gospel choir decked out in robes signing a gospel song. That's when the goose bumps started.
• Shirt: "Slowly pace yourself for 6.2 miles and then taper."
• Shirt: "If you think doing an endurance race is tough, try chemo."
• The text message from Zach at around mile 22: "Keep going. Almost there. You can do it. You are the best. I am so proud of you."
• The text message from Stacey that followed: "There are angels all around you. You'll get there and you have a lot to look forward to for the rest of the day after you finish. Use your arms."

Along with the messages from Zach and Stacey, special highlights were seeing my parents and Cathy at miles 9 and 14. They were at the finish but unfortunately I didn't actually see them. They saw me - they cried. I think my mom was mostly relieved that I didn't look as bad as she thought I would. ;-) I took the whole thing in stride. I had fun with the crowds, putting my arms up in victory every chance I got, giving people high fives, pumping my arms up to get people to cheer louder, whatever I could do for my few seconds of fun and distraction here and there. I have to say that wearing the purple jersey (Team In Training) made it phenomenal. There were 18,000 participants, 1900 of which were Team In Training participants - they call us the "Purple People" - and any time you ran by anyone representing TNT (staff or family) from any chapter, they cheered for you like you were their own. I ran alone most of the time, but was never really alone. Our 1900 participants raised $5.6 million. Saving lives...one mile at a time. I think we get more from TNT than we give but I'm glad that what I did helped give better odds to the next person who finds out they have Leukemia.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had the phrase "Just Believe" put on the back of my shirt. At one point, I heard a guy behind me respond to a question from his friend with "I don't know...but I'm running w/ Debra because she says Just Believe". And, near the end of the race, a man ran up to me and said "I just have to thank you Debra because all day you have really helped me to believe", and then he was gone.

You Tube has videos posted by the disney world news and a local tv station.

Many, many thanks to all of you - for the support, prayers, and encouragement. We did a good thing...because we simply believed.

If you do not believe you can do it then you have no chance at all.

Just Believe

2.5 days. Is that truly possible? I know my nerves are telling me it's possible.

Our flight leaves at 7:40am tomorrow. Most of the team flew out today but I didn't think I wanted the extra day back in November when I booked my flight. Might have been a good idea considering I've been sitting at home all day with a low-grade fever and sore throat. I'm shooting Zicam up my nose every few hours - yes, this is an OTC drug in case anyone is not familiar with it. I remember early on worrying about our marathon being this time of year and coming off the holiday stress and in the throws of flu/cold season. Yes, I was thinking like the glass is hall empty. And...here I am. It's not that bad - I'll be fine by Sunday.

I've laid out all the necessities and am close to being packed. All my gear for Sunday will go w/ me in a carry-on - eliminate risks. Stacey took my race shirt and did my iron ons for me - everyone puts their name on the front (so spectators can cheer for you) and I had her put the phrase "Just Believe" along the back. I said this will be the encouragement I leave for the people that I pass - ha ha - it's more like these will be the words others will see as they pass me.

It's been a fun week leading up to this - people have been so encouraging and supportive - this will truly be a race I won't finish alone. Everyone that has gotten me to the start line will be getting me to the finish line.

I have to leave you with a quote that was passed along to me to yesterday:

"The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between

burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals."

"Remember to Run YOUR Race"

These were the final words to me by one of my coaches on Saturday at the end of our last group run. These are words of wisdom for this first-timer. I'm used to being at the back of the pack, last or near last, so there's no one out there setting or influencing the pace for me but me. Now, when you add in 14,000 or so runners to the "group", it will be easy to let someone else determine my pace. My plan is to put myself in the "corral" where I'm used to being and least likely influenced - the back.

We had a 6 mile run on Saturday - my last stroll across the Purple People Bridge as a non-marathoner. Stacey joined me for the run and we laughed, got rained on a little, took pictures, and got lost. See pictures on the right.

Every game has a game plan, and I guess a marathon is really no different. I've studied the course map. I know where the water stops will be, I know where it will be nothing but stretches of highway (hopefully filled w/ lots of spectators), I know what mile we'll be at when we'll go through Cinderella's castle (will have camera ready!), I know at what points I need to be at with what times if I want to meet my time goal (enter lofty thoughts here) and where I need to eat my energy bloks and goo. I know what I'll be carrying: 2 packs of Clif Bloks, 2 chocolate rage Goo packs, disposable camera, ipod, chapstick, trash bag (i.e. rain coat or emergency"porta potty"), motrin, a couple band aids, watch, and pace band. I'm going to do one of my runs this week w/ all this stuff on - I'm trying eliminate as many unknowns as I can. It's part of the game plan. If you are interested in tracking my time, click here

Now, I totally realize that you can put together the best game plan possible but there will always be the unexpected and unknowns. That's just life. Oh, I've always had an idea of about this or that in my life - how I wanted things to be - but sometimes things turn out differently. So, if my pace doesn't match the numbers on my pace band, well...I'll still be out there, doing my thing, getting it done...running my race.