Princess for a day!

What could be better than getting the chance to be a princess for the day?  Race #2 was again in Disney World - there aren't a lot of races offered nearby in January or February so traveling was in order.  Not that going to Florida in February when DC is freezing is punishment.

Before I talk about the weekend, I should update you a bit.  After my half marathon in January, I started to get some really bad pains in my left calf that kept getting worse.  I was having some really challenging runs but continued to train despite some recommendations that I should take some time off.  If you know me, you're probably not terribly surprised by this. 

On top of that, in early February, I did a typical run of about 8-9 miles on Sunday and was fine.  But when I woke up on Monday, I was feeling pretty bad.  By Monday afternoon I decided to leave work a little bit early because I was getting worse.  I ended up missing the rest of the week from work (well, I tried to go back on Thursday but was immediately told to go home) and just felt terrible.  I went to the doctor and they said I had an ear infection and possibly something else on top of that.  I spent the week essentially coughing like crazy, feverish, and unable to get off the couch for more than 20 minutes.  I had planned to run a 14k that Saturday (for Valentine's Day), but it was clear that wasn't happening so I just changed my focus to the half at the end of the month. 

So a week and a half sick, then a week and a half where I got in three terrible runs, and then it was time for the half marathon.  We had a great weekend planned for Disney with Jeff and Amanda, so it wouldn't be a big deal if I walked and jogged - I just wanted to finish.

OK, now back to the weekend.  This Disney trip was a little bit different because the race was on Sunday instead of Saturday.  I took a half day from work on Friday, then sat at Reagan for an hour or two while they tried to get planes off the ground despite gusts of 60 mph.  We ended up getting to Florida a little late but all in all it could have been a lot worse.  We had a quick dinner since we got in late and rested up to enjoy Saturday. 

Saturday started by going to the Expo to pick up our race numbers and tshirts.  I had done this for the previous race, but this time there was a long wait.  Though it was annoying to wait so long for your number, I got to talk to two other women in line who had some great running advice and shared some race experience, so I actually ended up enjoying it and might adjust my race schedule for some of the races they suggested.  After that, we explored Downtown Disney, had a nice pasta dinner at the restaurant at Old Key West, and got to bed early.

Race day rolled around and we were in surprisingly good spirits for waking up at 2:40.  Amanda and I headed to the starting line and left our princes to cheer us on.

Remember how I expected this to be a terrible race?  I'll never quite understand it, but I felt great.  Sure, there were the ups and downs like any race.  But I felt SO much better than the race before.  Maybe taking the time off was actually just what I needed after months of training.  It's now been a little while since the race, and though my pain is back, it seems a LOT better and I'm hoping to fight it off this time around.  Who would have guessed that being sick might be a blessing in disguise?

And in a way, that's exactly why I'm running this challenge.  I'm learning to see the good in every bad thing that happens, because there's always a reason.  I'm not there yet, but I'm trying - and I've never felt better. 

So Amanda and I finished and it was time to celebrate and enjoy.  Amanda and Jeff are Adam's friends from college, so I've known them for a few years now.  I've always known they are fun to hang out with, but this weekend I learned that they also make great travel buddies!

We had such a great time just laying out by the pool, talking, exploring Hollywood Studios, eating Mickey Mouse waffles and ice cream, and overall just enjoying the weekend.  And Amanda is a great runner, so I'll see if I can't convince her to run more with me in the future. 

Another wonderful weekend, a great race, and one step closer to completing the 11,12,13 Challenge.  This challenge continues to be a huge positive influence in my life.  As I said before, I did this for my mom at the start, but I'm learning a lot about myself in this journey.  And I couldn't do it without such great support from my friends and family.