So I'm Officially Goofy - in more ways than one...

Wow. That was tough. Disney's Goofy Race and a Half Challenge took place last weekend. The race was a Half Marathon (13.1 miles) on Saturday followed by a full marathon (26.2) on Sunday. My strategy was to play Saturday very conservatively and save myself for Sunday, which conicedentally, was my first ever marathon (not smart but back to that later). Saturday morning came and we got up at 3:45 AM for the 5:50 race start. It was still dark when we lined up in our start corrals, but that made the fireworks that went off at the starting gun that much more impactful. I didn't stick to my plan to be conservative at all. I finished the half in 2:18 on Saturday and was feeling pretty good. The course was very entertaining for the most part. We went through the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and saw many characters and cheering spectators along the way. It was really a good race.

Then Sunday came. Same drill, wake up at 3:45, get in the nutrition, suit up, and head out. Dark at the start, starting corrals, fireworks, etc. If it's boring to read the same thing at the start of both races, imagine doing the same thing for both at 4:00 AM. A lot of deja vu feelings. Anyway, I was feeling a little sore at the start of the race today, which was different from the day before. I started out feeling a little stiff and rusty but after a couple miles, settled in and was feeling pretty good.... One of my fellow runners was wearing a shirt that said "If you feel good during a marathon, don't worry, it will pass." So true. My stomach started acting up around mile 5. I think it was the combo of three Ensures with PowerBar energy drink that I had around 3:45 AM. I once read a quote from a marathoner that said something about how the marathon is an experience in the unknown. You never know what's going to happen and how your body will respond on race day. Yep, got it. So after a stop at a restroom in the Magic Kingdom, I was under way again. I hit the half way point about 30 minutes behind my finish time the day before. Not too shabby!! That would put me in at about 5:15. Definitey not spectacular for a marathon time, but not too bad considering it was my first ever and i ran a half the day before. OK, i'm cool with it. Unfortunately, my stomach wasn't finished protesting. Another stop at a restroom in the Animal Kingdom around mile 17 and I was chugging along. The two stops really hurt my overall time, but what can you do, you never know what's going to happen on race day...

After about mile 20, my legs were shot and took over protesting on behalf of my stomach. From then on, I hung with the 'sweepers', bringing up the rear and gutting out my quest for the finish line. I crossed the line at 6:07. I paused my iPod during my 'stomach stops' but kept it on during walking or stretching breaks and the time read 5:38 on it when I finished. Whatever the time, I completed a 39.3 mile, two-day event and I'm happy with my accomplishment.

The consensus among everyone I talked to was that I am crazy for doing my first marathon after doing a half the day before. I'm not arguing with that but I do have to say that the mental challenge was much greater and, therefore, I learned much more about myself by doing this event. That being said, it's not the hardest endurance event I've ever completed. That honor goes to the Florida Half Ironman in May 2005. This was a very close second though...

I definitely think I will do the Goofy Challege again. I would like to run just a marathon at some point before I do it again though. I think that, and having the knowledge of what I'm up against in the marathon, would help a lot when planning the race. In Spirit of the Marathon, Paula Radcliffe says that the marathon is like a life journey - there are good patches, rough patches, and all that matters is that you keep moving forward. After completing one, I can see where she's coming from with that comment. Let's just hope that next time out I can condense my life journey to around 4 hours...