Thoughts after....

Has it really been a month since the race?? To be honest, it still doesn't even seem real. It seems like one of those crazy epic dreams that you wake up and realize never happened.... But then I get a physical therapy bill and know, oh yea, that totally happened. :)

Thoughts on the race itself:
I expected nothing less but the runDisney event was phenomenal. I would highly, highly recommend any runDisney event to anyone looking for a great running event. They did a great job of adding that extra special "Disney Magic" to all the events. The staff and voluntEars (as they call them) were just plain amazing. They were just as excited to motivate us stragglers as they were the first runners. The entertainment along the course was such a good motivator and really broke up the monotony of the highways and Florida landscape for the whole distance. The pace requirement makes it hard to be able to stop and enjoy the characters if you are on the slower side but it's still fun to see as you go by.  The only downsides were the lines for the porta potties were CRAZY but I think that is to be expected of any large scale running event but I wouldn't complain if they added a few more to each stop. Having the pacers breathing down your neck also took away some of the magic but I totally understand why they can't keep the roads closed forever and in a more ideal circumstances I would be well ahead of them.  Overall I loved how Disney did the event. *IF* I ever heal and decide to tackle something this crazy again (I'm already thinking about it) I will most certainly choose a runDisney event!

Thoughts on my individual race:
Well, this one is tough. We all know that it didn't go as well as I had planned or prepared for but I did still complete a 13.1 course. However, in my overly critical mind, I don't deserve any accolades. Tom and Cindy certainly do, they ran almost all of it. Kyle does, he put up with me for whole time. To me, it feels like a lie to accept congratulations for running a half marathon because I didn't run hardly anything. I am still quite uncomfortable accepting praise but that's for me and my crazy to work out.
As I said before NONE of it would have been possible without Cindy, Tom and Deidre cheering me on and keeping me going. They were (and are) amazing, encouraging, supportive people and it was really special to be able to go through this experience with them. And of course, the real hero is my amazing husband. My best friend who stuck by my crazy, emotional and unstable side the whole time. Who would have been just as proud of my for stopping when I thought I couldn't go on as he was for me finishing. Sorry ladies but I'm seriously have the best husband ever. Period.


What's next?:
To be honest, I don't know! I know that I think I want to start running again. I am already signed up for The Color Run in August. That's just a 5K so not really any big deal. I was looking for an event that would restore the fun in running and I think this is just the right one. Of course that requires me to be able to run again. Right now I'm hard at work in physical therapy trying to repair whatever damage I did to my foot and calf muscle. I'm under strict orders from my PT to not do any running until we get some more healing. Which I'm honestly fine with. I have been kind of over running since we got back but I'm starting to get the itch. To be honest, I've taken pretty much the whole month of March off from any kind of work outs other than Pilates on Fridays and the occasional Just Dance 4 marathon. I'm ready to get back on the horse though. I'm feeling sluggish and not myself and I know adding back my regular work outs will go along way towards feeling better. It also could be the 2nd ice age Michigan has been in since October, but you know, whatever...  I won't say I'm ruling out another 1/2 marathon either. I see how amazing the runDisney experience could be if I was at my best and they have so many fun run opportunities that I'm certainly keeping that in the back of my mind.

As for the blog, I have no plans to stop! The support I've received from you all has been overwhelming and wonderful and I've finally gotten in the habit! (Kinda)  I'm for sure not at my final fitness goals and I still love to cook and share! My goal has always been to share real life and I hope you guys will stick around to see what kinds of crazy nonsense I get myself into. Including maybe another 1/2! :)

Stay tuned for a bunch of cooking posts, I've been saving them up!