Disney is awesome.  The Vibe, The Race, The Medal.  I finished the race 35 minutes faster than I did last time.

Armed with a new training regiment and better legs, I was ready for the race.  I was relaxed, confident and looking forward to  enjoying the race and camaraderie of 20,000 people running together.

Training:

My training for the race was vastly different from the first one.  I trained with less miles, but with more intensity and simplicity.  My training consisted of yoga 4-6 times a week for 45-60 minutes, then running 3 times a week.  2 days of 4-6 mile runs with higher intensity, and then a long 8-14 mile run on the weekend for distance.  I knew that if I could run 1/2 a marathon, the full 26.2 miles is just a matter of mental willpower.  It worked.

The Race:

The first 15 miles were on cruise control.  Easy and steady at an 11:30 pace.  At 5 mile intervals, I would refill with a 1/4 of a peanut butter sandwich and a chunk of a banana.   Over the past year of training I learned that my body responds better to “natural” foods instead of the energy gels.  For me the energy gels were just a bunch of sugar.  For long distances, a good old fashion peanut butter sandwich did the trick.  After mile 15, I paced my self with a 1/4 mile walk every mile up to mile 19.  Mile 19 is where I hit the wall and walked the entire mile.  I wasn’t dead, just had to push through the wall.  I got to mile 22 and the hips and quads seems to smooth out.  The muscles knew that there was an end in site.  Just like last time, there were lots of people cheering us on.  The cheer leaders really mean a lot to the motivation to finish.  The best sign some made up said “You can do it random person”

I got in site of the finish line and heard someone scream my last name.  I looked left and saw my wonderful wife and two daughters at the finish line.  It meant the world to me.  They really support me going out and doing these crazy things.  It makes a father proud seeing them cheer me on.

Whats next:

Training for the Half Ironman in Haines City.

Pictures:

Pre-race with my fluorescent green running gear.  I will be seen.

Tebowing

Somewhere near the end.

The medal.  Awesome.

1 Bike kid trailer that can hold up to 100 pounds.

2 35 pound sand bags

Throw the sandbags in the kid trailer, strap them in and start riding.  Small hills become huge mountains and it is a challenge to maintain speed.  I kept a moderate place of 12-14 mph.  I get very weird looks from people I pass.

After I did this for a month on every ride, I took the trailer off.  I have super legs now.  I have gained 1-2 lbs of muscle and it is all in my legs.   Next step is to add another 25 pounds and keep up the same pace.

Saturday was a great ride.  60 miles total with lots of hills.  My Endurance is increasing. As long as I stayed fueled with peanut butter sandwiches and Bartlet pears my energy is strong.  The ride sucked too.  Mosquitoes and road rash.

Good parts of the ride:

1. 60 miles with hills, averaging 17-19 mph.
2. Courteously blowing past a group of riders and leaving them in the dust.
3. Getting passed by two guys that were flying.

Bad Parts of the ride

1. My rear tire blew out.  Not to big of a repair except I stopped next to a mosquito infested ditch.  Any where there was open skin the damn mosquitoes were on it.  Little Bastards.
2. With 15 miles to go, I hit the pavement hard.  It hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.  The helmet probably saved me from a concussion;  and the $6.00 Walmart  SafetyGlasses protected my green eyes well. I totaled 9 wounds across elbows, knees, face, hip and back.  And even my eye !!  I had bust a blood vessel in my eye.  Pretty cool wound I guess.

Things I learned:

1. Carry a travel size spray bottle of Mosquito repellent in the box. Damn Mosquitoes.
2. Push through the hills, If I think a hill is too high, I just think of the downhill run.
3. Always wear a helmet.  Mine Saved my ass on this ride.
4. I don’t have to buy the energy gels, just peanut butter and pears.

Pre-Race

Relaxed,  I got a great parking spot and had plenty of time to setup and psych my self up.

Swim

For the swim I focused on not becoming winded and keeping a steady breast-stroke pace for the 1/4 mile in warm water.  I got kicked a couple times but did a good pace.

Bike

The transition was good, but I lost 30 seconds trying to get clipped in.  The exit of transition started immediately up hill and My aim was off.  But I got clipped in and headed up the hills.  My pace was steady, but I did not want to really push until the middle of the 10 mile distance.  I knew a good portion of the road course and where I could gain speed.  Once past the first two miles I pushed down the flats and got into a good cadence, with a smile on my face.  I love the bike.  They added hills to the route that I wasn’t expecting.  I didn’t try to muscle up them, but I need to do some more training on hills to be competitive next time.

Run

The path for the run was different with a hills in the beginning.  The first mile was fine, at a 9:40 pace.  But the second mile was hard.  It got very hot real quick, and I dehydrated.  I thought I had drank enough, but I did start to sweat a lot.  That was the brick wall.  The second mile was a run-walk combo which hurt y time.  The final mile was a jog and I finished in 1:29.

After Race

I met up with a couple people I know and socialized a little more.  Most importantly I got my t-Shirt.  I love my tri-shirts.

Things I Learned:

I need to start training during the day to get used to the heat.  I usually run at night.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate  I need to increase how much I drink during the bike phase and carry a bottle with me on the run.

I love doing Triathlons.

Next one in 30 days.   I am on target to do my iron man in October.

The heels of running shoes are made to take a good impact and absorb that shock before it enters the rest of your body.  But the more correct form is to land between the arch and the front of the foot. (I’m not a DR, just relaying my experience)  So on my next run I changed the way that I landed on my foot and took smaller steps.  Longer strides made my heels land first.  I needed to create more of a light stomping motion when I landed and use more muscle than heel.  It took a little to get the pace right, but the steps felt good with my feet and shoes.

I ran for 5.6 miles this way and I felt a difference.  Not a huge one, but I could definitely feel a difference.  My pace was steady and most importantly, no muscle or bone pain.  I have very very flat feet which I worry will prevent me from running as fast as I want to.  The “Light Stomp Running” I was doing seemed to work well and I felt no pain in my low low arches.  The next day, my muscles were a little sore, but nothing out of the ordinary.  I have an 8 mile run this weekend, and I will keep the same stomping going to see if it make a difference in my speed.

I am working to make my body do what it does naturally, with shoes.

Going faster this year:

After last year, I know what my base line times are.  This year, my ultimate goal is < 1 hour for the Sprint Triathlons.  With my new fancy Cannondale 9 and improved training, I am well on my way to getting there.

New Training; Make it simple:

1. Yoga and stretching everyday.  5 Basic exercises that cover the whole body and keep limber.
2. 120 push ups and 30 chin ups every other day.  Great overall strength exercises and simple to maintain. (My chest and abs look great too)
3. 100+ miles a week on the bike.  I get up at 4:00am and ride all the way to Clermonte and back twice a week.
4. 1 long distance run a week (2+ hours), with 2-3 interval sprint sessions (<1 hour).
5. Steps: Once a week I do 150 – 200 steps (Per Leg) on my 2 foot tall ottoman.  To hell with expensive gym equipment.

I know my body a lot better now; most importantly how not to hurt it.  The stretching is vital and it allows me to go faster.  Overall I am more relaxed about training and doing better this year.  Hell, I did a marathon this year, and now I want to go faster.

They are lettine people vote for the medals this year.  This is the one I like.

But its nothing like the first one I got:

Special thanks to Katy Widrick for the mention and inspriring me to get back blogging.

• 56 miles on the bike. Great weather. Plus I layed the hammer down and was passing people on hills. Just call me cantador jr. #
• I had forgotten how much I like running. A good 5.6 miles to night #

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I am faster than I was before.  Especially on the bike.  My legs seem to have gained strength.  My cardio isn’t the tops, but it is getting there.  Plus the weather is better now and I don’t have to wear a parka to go biking.  I did get some new bike shorts (Pearl Izumi select series)that make my ass feel much better.  Worth the 50.00.  They have great padding and rubber around the legs to keep them in place.  Very supportive too.

It was great little moment for the ego. 

January: Disney Marathon (Orlando,FL)

February: 1/2 Marathon Orlando Wetlands Park (Wetlands Park, FL)

March: International Distance Triathlon (Clermonte,FL)

April:

May: Gulf Coast Triathlon (Panama City Beach)

June: Sprint Triathlon (Clermonte,FL)

July: Sprint Triathlon (Clermonte,FL)

August: Sprint Triathlon (Clermonte,FL)

September: Sprint Triathlon (Clermonte,FL)

October:

November:

December:

Highlights:

• Disney does it right.  Great event.
• I was very intimidated.
• The race was huge.  16,000 people.  Its a site to see.
• Great vibe, the volunteers were great.  They deserve a medal for being out there in <40 cold.
• The run through Cinderella’s castle was damn cool.
• In some places I could actually walk faster than I could run (strange)
• Glad I could share the race live with friends through facebook
• I cried tears of joy passing mile marker 20.
• Pain only lasts for a little, pride last for a life time.

Pre Race:

My daughter and I picked up the race packet and we got to meet Emma from track shack. (Emma works track shacks twitter account and does a great job.  We won the first scavenger hunt and got a cool t-shirt.   There were lots of vendors and pleanty of sunglasses to buy.  The only thing I picked up was a “Tyvec” windbreaker that was worth the 10.00 because the race was cooooooold.

For lunch I met up with 20 bloggers at Peach Valley Cafe who I met on twitter. Great conversations with Katy Widrick (ran the 1/2) and Ashley Sickles (ran the full).  They kept me motivated for the race; great people.  Katy said something that stuck with me: Enjoy the moment.   Plus they run faster than me, so I have a challenge now.

After prepping for the race I rechecked my bag 5 or 6 times to make sure I had everything then went to bed at 10:00pm.  I fell asleep about 11:15.

Race Day 2:15 am:

The alarm rang and I hit snooze just once.  The weather was cold and I put my 5 layers on and was out the door.  The vibe was great.  Everyone was walking around, warming up, staying warm and smiling.

Race Day 4:30am:

I finally left the comfort of my heated car and headed out.  No need to check the bag.  Peed twice and headed towards the coral with 1000′s of other runners.  We passed what I call the the “Pee Forest”.  100′s Men and women were rushing to the bushes to loose that extra little bit of weight before the start.  I was one of them; figured it was the cool thing to do.

Race Day 6:00am:

The starting fireworks were great.  In the early morning the sky lit up and we all started.  It took about 20minutes to get to the start line.  It was frikin cold.  I saw some people running in shorts and a tank top.  They must of had internal heaters.

Easy: The first 5 miles.

Just coasting and relaxing.  Enjoying the sites and setting my pace.  Around mile 3 is where I get into my groove at my pace.

Tempo: The next 5 miles

Little tougher and needed to hydrate.  I did not want to cramp up.  My pace was still good.  There were a couple spots where I power walked and ran.

Half way: 13.1 miles.

I had done the OUC 1/2 marathon the month before, so the first 13 was a on pace.  I completed the OUC in 2:45 and at Disney it was 2:55 so I was feeling good.  The volunteers were cheering us on.

The Wall: Miles 17 – 19.

The body started to hurt.  Lungs were good, but my hamstring and top of my butt were hurting.  I tried to continue running, but I knew that I needed to pace my self to finish.  So the power walking began.  These were the most difficult mile of the whole race.  Everyone around me seemed to be feeling about the same, so power walking was the pace.

The Tears: Mile 20.

I saw mile marker and teared up like a school girl.  At that moment I knew I was going to finish.  Luckily I had sunglasses on so I didn’t lose any man points.  There is no crying in baseball.  Only 6 miles to go.

Sheer Determination: Miles 21-25

My body was in pain.  Let me repeat. My body was in pain. Feet, shoulders, legs, calves, and even my hair was in pain.  I tried to run, but my body said: “YOU ARE GOING TO POWER WALK AND FINISH. DON’T ASK ME TO RUN.  YOU WILL GET YOUR MEDAL”.  At each mile marker I smiled a little more.

The Finish: Mile 26

I was there.  I ran the last mile (At a really slow pace) but when the finish line came, I stopped for 30 seconds.  I wanted to enjoy that moment.  The moment of seeing the finish line was victory.  One more step to completing an iron man.  And yeah I teared up a bit.  I got across the finish line with Boston’s “More than a feeling” playing in my ear. It was a moment.

The Moment

I got across the finish line and I searched for my wife.  She has been so suportive, and this is a big moment.  It’s been a tough couple of years but things have turned around and that moment I wanted to share with her.  She ran that marathon as much as I did.  I didn’t see her, but then I heard something I have heard for 36 years of my life.  My Dad’s whistle.  Like a laser I honed right in on him and saw my wife, two daughters and dad screaming and waving in the stand.  They saw me do it.  They were there to share the moment. Tear.

The After Math: Walking like a Pride Full Penguin

I got my medal.  Not the fastest but Mickey is hanging from my neck. My oldest says I walk like a penguin.  My hips are so stiff and soar.  The two flights of stair at work hurt.  A cool thing happened at work.  I went to get a cup of coffee and the big boss saw me walking all funny.  “What did you do to your back, Steve?” he asked.  “I ran the Disney Marathon yesterday, so I am a little sore”  I replied.  He was very impressed.

Do I want to do another marathon?

Hell Yeah.  I will see you at Disney next year; and I will be faster.

On the first 5 mile run watching my heart rate live, I could tell that up to 150 bpm was low work, but as soon as I got to 160 bpm this was the strongest and steady that I could go and not feel worn.  So I am gauging 155 -160 bpm as the range I want to be in.  Strong and steady but not over exerting my self.  The Timex watch and chest band are sturdy construction and it has a cool indiglo light.  For the basic runner this heart rate monitor would be too much, but someone looking to train better and get faster this is the right tool and the fair price.

• Check the weather and get out appropriate clothing.  Its been cold, so I wear black thermal underwear.  Thermal underwear are cheap ($26.00) Compared to their more official bike gear counter part ($120.00).
• Fill air in the tires and check pressure.
• Do a quick sprint up the street to make sure shoes are fitting.
• Check the speedo.
• Clean water bottles.
• Fill water bottles.
• Prepare a light breakfats, ready to go
• Grind beans for fresh coffee in the morning. (I like a French Press)
• Charge battery for cell phone and Ipod
• Make sure I have allen wrenches and a spare tire tube

Sounds like a lot but I gets the morning moving.