Muses

Musing on taking pictures…my 2011 Disney Half with pal Michelle Leporati Trimble — the Giver.

I had done the Disney full the past two years and missed all my son’s away football games because it’s hard to return home at 12:15 on a Saturday morning only to arise five hours later to run an 18 mile training run.

So the half was a given for me this year — by choice. Having to shuffle through it with a beautious black Ace bandage with flabby thigh skin pooching over its edges was not.

But our most gracious heavenly Father had other plans.

Undeterred, (mad but undeterred) I sent an email to friend Michelle and asked, “Will you walk/run Disney with me?” She agreed. And I will love her forever for it.

4:30 race morning meeting in the Epcot parking lot.

Here’s a lady who’s completed 8 marathons and 22 half marathons — and tons of triathons. She’s even rollarbladed a half marathon! Good grief, woman.

Michelle’s Words of Wisdom for a newbie runner?

“If you aren’t going to get a paycheck for running, and nobody’s chasing you with a knife, don’t take yourself seriously. Run like kids do.”

You got to love that.

We got there and after my annual teeter tucked in the darkened scrub of Central Florida..

(Why on earth would anyone wait in line for porta-potties while it is still dark, there’s a billion people in line to enter a dark, stinky stall and a billion people walking into the woods? I’m following the billion out into the pines.)

We were off!

We started and for the first time ever I took my phone and snapped away…

Okay -- not so great to take pics while still moving. Learned that lesson.

Why do you run?

oh my! I think that “oh my” was after looking at my emailed questions….

I started running because when I walked my first Triathlon I knew I was too slow. Now I run for fun and to keep moving. Very soon I will be facing a different kind of marathon, between my mom, M-i-L, and sister, so I know I need to stay strong and take advantage of “me” time while I still have some. Michelle’s younger sister, Lynette, is an amazing inspiring woman who has spent the last five years in a wheelchair fighting MS. Lynette, a mother and wife, is truly heroic.

How many marathons/ halfs have you done?

I’ve finished 8 marathons: Disney, Marine Corps, New York, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Richmond, Jacksonville Beach (Breast Cancer), and Melbourne Beach. I also have 4 DNFs, and a few that started out as full marathons but I turned off at the half.

Halfs… 22 by my count, notable are the More half in Central Park (NYC) Want to do that one, Pittsburgh (one of the abbreviated fulls) 2 x Daytona Beach, 3 x Space Coast and 3 x Disney.

I also ran one marathon relay,Tampa Gasparilla, that was lots of fun. Argh. A pirate’s life for me…that looks too fun. I want to do that one.

What do you like/dislike about each distance?

I like the 15k and half marathon distance best – can fake it without much serious mileage and without hurting afterwards. Marathon training is draining on my marriage which is why I think I may stop at 10. That’s an unconsicous amount of races — I know you’ve done 3x as many 10ks and 5ks.

Mile 5ish? Made it to Main Street. Can't tell but I'm still holding my Hand Warmer packets.

You listed all the Disney races you’ve done during the race — what were those again?

Disney races: Triathlon – Danskin years 2000 – 2006, Trek in 2009.
Disney Marathon weekend 5k, Race for the Taste 10k (4 or 5 years), Tower of Terror 13k, Minnie 15k, GO Red weekend (5k,15k), half marathon, full marathon, and the infamous Rollerblade 1/2 marathon. You’re a machine. And I just laughed remembering your telling of the Rollerblade Half trauma. We just were leaving the back lot of the Magic Kingdom.

A little bit after here...That guy is one dead-ringer for Johnny Depp. Uncomfortably so.

What was that challenge/goal — the swimming one you’ve set for yourself?

My goal this year is to swim a 5k – “open water swim” was a new Olympic event in Bejing – will hopefully do 10 crossings at Lucky’s lake or find a real event, otherwise it’s the pool. A three mile swim. Now that’s a challenge.

These two were within a mile of finishing. I stopped because there was no line (who would stop a 1/2 mile before ending) and I knew my 7yo would be amazed.

Thanks Michelle.. you made it a wonderful experience.

What I love about Michelle is that she gives back to running. Looking over that spectacular list of all the events she’s completed — she’s volunteered for just as many (or more.) The day after she got up at 2:30 to drive to Disney to meet me, she got up the next morning on Sunday meeting her Orlando running friends to hand out the Mylar blankets at the finish of the full.

She’s already signed on to hand out water for the Princess Half Marathon this Febraury. Another friend Cindy Padera Rutz is traveling down from Hershey, PA for that.

Michelle has started the Disney race as a guide with a woman from Texas (I think) suffering from MS. This particular woman tried at Disney twice — and was unable to finish both times.

I admit with running I’ve always been a taker.

Michelle is a giver.

She inspires me to rethink my taking….

Thanks Michelle. Last year we ran the Winter Park 10k and 2k together. This year, I don’t think it concides with any of our school breaks. 🙁 You need to get up here for a triathon this summer.

Take care. I owe you one. Our journey will rest in my heart forever.

Tomorrow’s post will wrap up with a short muse with my thoughts on…

Why do I keep wanting to do these races? Even when I’ve done these distances. Even when I should be doing nothing but swimming and biking — or rowing. Anything but training to run 26.2 miles.