The Walt Disney World Marathon....for Luke...

I'm sure you have thought I fell off the face of the Earth, but really, I just went to Disney World! I had every good intention of getting my blog post up while I was gone, but as life would have it, those good intentions flew right out the door. With the most wonderful, and insane family vacation ever, every hour of the day was filled to the brim, and my laptop was pushed aside time and again.

Jeremy and the kids

I had promised my children that after this year of marathons was over I would take them to Disney World. I figured at 10, 7 and 5, they were the perfect ages to enjoy it, and having never been before, you can imagine just how excited they were about going. While we were going for vacation, it wasn't going to be all fun and games. I was running the Disney World Marathon while we were there, but even as we prepared to leave on our trip, I felt hesitant about the run. I'd tried to lay low and rest over the past couple weeks. I'd had 2 weekends off from running marathons. I figured that was going to give my body some much needed healing time. I figured I would be feeling back to normal for Disney. I figured wrong.

 With the characters from Monsters INC

We got to Florida late on Thur night and I was eager for Friday to come. As part of the marathon weekend events, Disney offers children races and my kids were taking part in the Mickey Mile on Friday. It was an absolute joy to get to see my children run a race, and get to cheer for them. Being ever protective of her younger siblings, my oldest, Amira, made sure that they all ran together so no one would get lost or left behind. Holding hands they ran their mile in just over 12 minutes. It meant a lot to me to see them run.

 Proud finishers!

Over the weekend we visited some of Jeremy's family that live in Florida. The kids got to meet their great great grandma who is 90. We took in the beach for part of one afternoon, the weather just perfect for splashing in the waves

 Amira having a splash

Sunday morning came quickly and I don't think getting up before 3 am is anyone's idea of fun. Disney is one of the few races that requires you to get up at such an hour, as they have to close down the roads leading into the parks for the race itself. Jeremy was kind enough to get up with me and drop me off. Then it was time to sit in the cold and wait. I had heavy doubt about my run. I knew the cut off was 7 hours, so I'd have plenty of time to finish even if I had to walk parts of it, but I won't lie, I was very disappointed with how I felt. During my fall marathons, as things were really coming together for me physically and I was feeling stronger and stronger, I started putting a little ray of hope on Disney. I ran Disney 2 years ago, and while I wasn't trying to, I set my personal best marathon time of 4:02 on that run. I was hoping, if all systems were good to go, to try and go for a new best time on the course this year. But the weeks leading up to Disney, and the issues I was experiencing with my IT band, quickly trashed my hopes in that regard.

 Getting ready for #53

As I stood there, almost the 17,000+ that would run that day, I thought about how this run would be so different from the last time. I took the time to reflect on this past year. Surrounded by concrete, people wearing trash bags to stay warm, and a DJ playing rock music at 4am to a backdrop of the black sky; this was just another marathon morning. This reality (in some version or another) has been home for a year. In different places, and different settings, but it's all started off the same way. Excited people, nervous people, focused people, ambitious people. All of us looking for something, running for something. I have been each and every one of them. I have been excited beyond words, unable to sleep the night before my race. I have been nervous beyond tears, palms sweating,my heart beating like a drum, afraid of how my body will prevail. I have been focused, head phones in place, drowning out the sounds around me, only seeing the road ahead. I have been ambitious, pushing my pace, adding another race, ready to take on whatever is thrown my way. And today I would be none of those people. Today I would simply run a marathon, but it was who I was running for that defined me.

 Heading into Epcot

I ran for Luke, who just turned 5 on December 18th. The picture below was taken when he attended the Canzibe preschool, but now he is headed to a nearby public elementary school. Their school year ends in December and the new one starts in January. He is not technically orphaned, but is in the registry of 2,000 orphan and vulnerable children in the Ngqeleni Distict because he is considered vulnerable. His father is gone and he lives with his mom, aunt and grandmother. Luke’s mom supports herself and the household through the social grant she receives for Luke. Luke is getting medical treatments, most likely for HIV/AIDS. He is the same age as my son Austin and it's hard for me to not make that connection. I couldn't picture my son going through the things that Luke has had to face. I have been asked so many times this year, why did you choose to run for children in South Africa? They are children you have never met, you have never been to South Africa, so why them? The answer is simple. All I have to do is look at my children. I wouldn't ever want them to have to face what these children are going through. These children are born into a world with far much less hope than children here in the U.S.  The need is great, and if through my running I can help make a difference for them, then it is worth all the blood sweat and tears.

Luke

Luke is going to kindergarten, just like my son Austin. But his school is nothing like the ones here. The teacher to child ratios vary from 1:40 upwards to 1:90. I can't even imagine how anyone can teach a classroom of 90 five year olds! Also factor in the reality that there are no books, and very little supplies. Children like Luke, had been previously attending preschool at the Canzibe Mission, which was giving them so much, and now they are facing what the public education system is providing.  One of the missionary's from the Canzibe mission is working on starting a Christian elementary school and 25:40 is supporting his efforts. The goal is to start with younger grades (K-2) so that the kids coming out of the preschool can continue to be educationally challenged, be safe, and not in crowded classrooms. Over time, the school is planning to expand to older grades. This is a huge step in breaking the cycle of inadequacy of education and supplies that has left these children without any foundation for a future. This is about establishing a new pattern with the youngest generation. This is hope!

 Magic Kingdom

And it's programs like this that your donations go to support. So far over $14,000 has been raised this year through my 52beginnings project. For all of you who have donated, supported the children of 25:40 and my efforts, my heart overflows with thanks to you! For those of you who would like to still donate, please do! Donations are still open, and I intend to leave donations open even after these races are completed in the hope that I can continue to raise funds. Physically my body is in need of rest and repair, limiting me from doing more physically at the moment. But the need is still there and so I urge you to give what is laid on your heart to give. This is about changing the lives of children and it's through your support that hope is given!

Into Tomorrowland

In light of all that, how could this day be anything but victory for Luke? It wasn't about how well my legs did or didn't feel. It certainly wasn't about me setting a personal record time. We started out under the light of fireworks and the cheers of Mickey and Minnie. Like everything else Disney, this was to be a magical event.

 Giving Stitch a kiss

I could tell from the start that it was going to be a physically challenging day. Disney offers a very flat, fast course and we had perfect weather for a good run. But unlike the last time I ran it, I took a very different approach. Knowing my body wasn't up to being pushed, I looked forward to having a chance to stop and take pictures with the characters along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see all my favorite Disney friends and made more than a dozen stops for photos. While I dislike the fact that a lot of the race takes place on the roads in between each of the 4 Disney parks, the time in the parks is great fun. Running through Cinderella's Castle is my favorite moment of the race.

 What a view!

At times I struggled to stay motivated, especially in the later miles, as both my legs were hurting bad. I stopped at med tents more times in this race, than at all my marathons this year put together. As many people were completing in the Goofy challenge (running the half marathon on Sat, and now the full marathon on Sun), the race had med tents every couple miles along the course. They had huge gallon jugs of Biofreeze, a pain relieving gel. I stopped to use it at least 4 times on the course and the med tents always seemed to be busy with runners taking advantage of whatever relief they could get.

 Characters, characters, characters....what fun!

We finished in Epcot and I couldn't get over how much work this race had been. For such a perfect course, with perfect weather, I had seriously struggled both mentally and physically for a 4:53 finish. My Disney Marathon in 2009 had been mostly effortless. What a contrast!

 Going through Hollywood Studios

View from Animal Kingdom

More of Animal Kingdom

But in light of my finish and the fact that I now had the week to enjoy Disney World with my family, I didn't care that my legs hurt or that my time was less than stellar. I was done with marathon #53 and now it was time for some pain pills and family time.

Of course no vacation is without tragedy, and in our case, it meant Jeremy and I both getting ridiculously sick. There is nothing worse than having to spend the days at the parks, walking and going on rides when you feel awful, but neither of us wanted to disappoint our children so we suffered through. I honestly can't remember the last time I was this sick. I think it was about 6 years ago when I was pregnant with Austin. It was absolutely awful! In the midst of the germs, we tried to make the most of our trip and thankfully none of the children got our sickness.

Everyone had their own favorite moments. Mine included seeing the fireworks at Magic Kingdom on the last night of our trip and eating pancakes at IHOP at 10pm after having spent the whole day at Disney. Angelina and Austin fell in love with roller coasters after trying them out for the first time and went on every one they could. There is no fear in those kids! Amira loved all the parades, especially the nighttime electrical parade in Magic Kingdom.

 I know you can't tell from the picture, but Jeremy, Angie and Austin 

are screaming for their lives on this coaster!

It was a long trip, but it wasn't over yet. I still had my final marathon to complete in Georgia on the way home. Our time in Disney was wonderful, but there was still work to be done. And so Friday we packed up and made our way to Warner Robins, GA for marathon #54. This was it. It was all coming down to one more race and I couldn't believe I was down to my last 26.2.

Final Race Stats:
4:53:11 - final finishing time
6,209 out of 13,540 overall
2,151 out of 6,271 women
437 out of 1,083 in my age group (25-29)

My medal

My post on the Museum of Aviation Marathon, #54, will be up in a couple days.