My journey started about this time last year, weighing 223 pounds, not having run much in a few months, and subject to increasing back and joint pains. I made the decision to make the Disney Marathon a goal that would motivate me to get myself in shape and avoid becoming prematurely old. A year later I had lost 40+ pounds and run a sub four hour marathon.
I thank God for giving me the health to make this possible. I knew from the start that there was no guarantee my body - especially my knees - would hold up to the training. Losing some weight before starting the real training mitigated the situation, but several injuries throughout the year, including knee problems and strained muscles, made it clear just how quickly injury can stop you in your tracks. Right now I'm amazed at how good my knees feel. Even after the marathon they were not sore at all, and I know I am very fortunate in this.
It's obvious as well that I need goals to keep me motivated. It was only the goal of the Disney Marathon that motivated me to make the necessary changes last year. After the marathon, I let myself go at Disney and put on a few pounds last week - for which I have no regrets. But I certainly don't want to slide back to where I was.
Why not repeat the same formula? One reason is that doing it on your own is a little lonely, when most of the runners at Disney are in groups or pairs. I really wouldn't want to go down again as a solo runner. Fortunately Ellen has come to the rescue and agreed to run the half marathon next year. That gives me the opportunity to do the Goofy Challenge, running the half with her on Saturday and then the full myself on Sunday. I'm already fired up about it and I know this will provide the motivation I need to stay on track.
Short term I'm running the Hampton Half Marathon in February, joined by Marianne, the runner who inspired me to take on the Disney Marathon in the first place. I'll be trying to finally breakthrough that 1:50 half marathon PR.
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