Good thing green and purple are my colours.
January 25, 2020 ::
5:17 PM

the countdown to #dopey2021 begins now
My thought process regarding any sort of major life decision is always a combination of why not / what’s the worst thing that can happen and a rather exuberant FUCK IT.
After joking that I wasn’t Dopey enough to do the Dopey, it became sort of a half-assed bucket list item. (It might be nice if I did a Dopey Challenge. Maybe in a few years.)
Then, I decided to do my first half marathon.
I’m not particularly pleased at how I did - I trained a lot harder, in hotter weather - but I didn’t get swept and that’s all I wanted out of the experience.
And now…
Why not try a full marathon? I know how to hydrate and fuel. I’ve been working hard and my first half proved I was capable of doing 13 miles. What’s another 13 more? What the worse that can happen? I don’t finish the race?
Ah, FUCK IT! I’m signing up for the Dopey. Go big or go home, right?
- - - - - - - - - -
I’ve already done 45 miles this month and FRC’s Racery event just started, so I know I’m going to come close to that total in the next nine days ALONE. I kind of have another goal in the back of my mind to try and do at least 170 miles/month. That actually gets me to 2,040 miles over the course of the year, and I’d be happy with 2,020, but I like round numbers and 170 is better than 168.33333333333333333333.
2020 is going to kick my ass.
And I have a feeling I’m going to love every minute of it (when I’m not bitching loudly about my stupidity).
Look at that smile!
January 12, 2020 ::
7:26 PM

13.1 miles :: 3:55:31 :: 17:58 mm—PB
13.1 - I’m only half crazy
January 12, 2020 ::
4:07 PM

hey, complete stranger, i’m proud of you—random dude’s sign at mile 11
So. I ran my first half marathon yesterday.
Well, I walked it. More like a stroll because it was so damn hot outside.
BUT. I got enough of a jump start that I could walk an 18mm pace and not get swept.
And I wasn’t tired or dehydrated when I finished.
Seriously. Somehow, I screwed up and managed to both fuel and hydrate properly.
Recovery sucked, but walking around with that medal on my neck made it all worth while.
- - - - - - - - - -
There was a lot of bitching in several runDisney Facebook groups about people walking. Too many people walking five or six in a group, people walking in front of runners, people walking, period.
But it goes both ways.
I spent the entire time on the far right side. I didn’t stop for photos. I plowed through water stops, grabbing cups without missing a step. I hardly passed anyone and when I did, I shouted “on your left / right”. I kept looking behind me for runners before I moved.
In three very tight spots, runners tried to pass me on my right. I elbowed two of them accidentally - I was swinging my arms and they basically ran into them. The third one, I managed to get in the nuts. I was reaching back for my water bottle and the dude ran into me. I heard him cuss at me, but really? There was no room on that side. I don’t know why any of them thought they could pass me. In all three cases, I had to move left without a warning and caused one poor woman to trip.
In happier news, the PHRC Cheering Squad was there, around mile 3. It was so great to see them that I promptly burst into tears.
Um, yeah. Ugly crying and half marathons don’t mix particularly well.
My next half is in March and I’m expecting it to be just as hot and humid as it was this weekend.
I’ve got ten weeks to push for a 3:30 finish time. (There’s a hard time limit for the March half.)
I got this.
- - - - - - - - - -
#dopey2021