Recap of the 2014 WDW Marathon Weekend: Day One - The Expo, Port Orleans, and New Friends!

In the wake of my first successful marathon (Yes! I did it!), I have become aware that I've been avoiding my recap posts of the weekend because I have been reluctant to turn the page to my journey's next chapter. While I have gotten back to work and am training for my next race, at the same time I certainly have been savoring the taste of crossing that marathon finish line a couple of weeks ago. But before I get into recapping that extraordinary event - which has me wondering whether I need to change this blog's title - let me first tell you about some of the fun leading up to that Sunday.

Wednesday, January 8

Because we were running the Family Fun Run 5k on Thursday morning, we left St. Augustine midday Wednesday (Mary was really disappointed to be pulled out of school at lunchtime...Not) and as has been the case for our last two runDisney race weekends, we drove straight to the Expo before checking into our hotel. To this point, the experience has been smooth, so as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

We arrived around 3:00pm, parked the car, had a little bit of a walk to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, but we did have a chance to snap a couple of pre-race pics on the way...

Team Olson - Ready for the Family Fun Run 5k!

That Smile Says...Am I really going to take on 26.2 Miles???

Although there were people all over the place (which makes sense considering there were about 70,000 runners competing over the weekend), the lines to pick up our bibs and race shirts were pretty short and manageable. I'd say we were through them in less than a half hour...which isn't bad considering we had to go through multiple lines (for the marathon and the 5k) in multiple buildings.

Now, I have to admit that I'm not a huge expo guy. Yes, I like checking out the runDisney gear - and, yes, I of course purchased an additional 2014 WDW Marathon short sleeve technical shirt - and I also like seeing the medals for the upcoming Disney races. Beyond that, though, I'm not big on browsing to look at and/or purchase stuff that I can get in my favorite local running store that I really love to support - the Jacksonville Running Company. That being said, though, I know that there are a few products (like KT Tape, Sweaty Bands for Michelle, and a couple others) that are easily purchased at decent prices at race expos...so for those items, the exception is made.

I do realize that runDisney has a line up of industry, running, and nutritional experts (like Jeff Galloway and Tara Gidus) speaking at their expos, and perhaps if I weren't utilizing the race weekends as family vacations, I might take the time to sit down and listen to a few of these talks. At this point, though, I don't envision a runDisney race weekend without Michelle and Mary, so I think for the foreseeable future, the expo will remain a relatively quick in-and-out experience for the Olsons.

Following the expo, we headed over to check in to Disney's Port Orleans - Riverside Resort, which we booked through Leigh Rosica, the owner of MousekePlanner! Thanks for the great room, Leigh! While it is not my practice to do hotel reviews, I will say that we and the other two families with whom we were traveling were all pleased with Port Orleans...oh, except for the "cute-only-once" song that plays every hour at their Quick-Service Riverside Mill Food Court, and we became convinced that the song is Disney's subtle way of getting its guests up and out of the seats and into the parks.

That first night, we also had the wonderful opportunity to meet Roger and Mary Wright, who actually made this trip because Roger made a commitment to share the pavement with me if I committed in turn to run my first marathon. I've written about Roger in an earlier post, and he has been such an important person in my journey because he has been the (sometimes tough) mentor and the (more importantly) good friend who has stood by my side as I have prepared my body, mind, and spirit for running a marathon.

Oh, and he's also lived a similar story, so I've trusted his advice and guidance. Check out his video...


The 2014 Disney Marathon was his 33rd in five years (no - that's not a typo). And I was so happy that he came down to run it with me!


Anyway, after some great conversation, the Olsons needed to get to bed because the alarm would be going off at 3:30am for Thursday morning's Family Fun Run 5k! But let's talk about that in my next post.

Until then, enjoy your journey...

2013 Recap: A Full Year on the Road

Having started back to running in July of 2012, it turned out that 2013 was my first full year on the road...and in retrospect, what a year it was...


Weight Loss - 52.3 Pounds

I started the year at a still-obese 231.9 pounds and finished at a "normal" 179.6 pounds, which was actually driven upward a few pounds with the few bigger meals and ever-present snacks over the holidays, as well as with the long marathon-training runs over November and December. While I still kept an eye on what I was eating, I didn't deprive my hungry legs much food after they propelled me on double-digit runs (ranging from 12 to 20 miles) every weekend for the last two months of the year.

So at the end of it all, I finished the year at a very healthy weight; that said, though, the weight that I like from a mental standpoint is 175 - and I finally reached that number in September and stayed there through October - so one of my goals for 2014 is to lose the five pounds to get back there...I'm just going to wait until after next weekend's marathon to worry about it.


Calories Burned on the Pavement - 146,100

So...what would I have weighed without running? Wow...


Miles Logged - 1,007.37

I'm shooting for 1,250 in 2014!


Injuries Sustained - 2

I tweaked my Achilles tendon on Labor Day Weekend, and it put me out of commission for a couple of weeks. It didn't completely take me off the pavement, but I had to do some very slow run/walking for that time period, as well as some calf strengthening exercises and deep tissue massage therapy.

I also aggravated my IT Band on an 18-mile long run about a month ago, but although amazingly painful during the run, I didn't lose any pavement time with this one. I just had to start foam rolling my quads on a regular basis.


Races - 10

5k - 4  (PR - April 27th...29:24 - 9:28 Pace)*
6k - 1 (PR - November 28th...35:12 - 9:23 Pace)**
5 Miles - 1 (PR - February 23rd...54:29 - 10:54 Pace)
10k - 1 (PR - March 29th...1:07:46 - 10:52 Pace)
15k - 1 (PR - March 9th...1:50:13 - 11:50 Pace)
10 Miles - 1 (PR - October 27th...1:49:16 - 10:55 Pace)
1/2 Marathon - 1 (PR - November 9th...2:33:23...11:42 Pace)

*I actually won my age group in the 5k on April 27th, but not even considering the prospect of such an achievement, I left the grounds before they passed out the prizes...but I can say with pride that I was an Age Group Winner in an event back in April. So I have that going for me...which is nice.

**The 6k on Thanksgiving was the only event/distance in which I couldn't have a PR in 2013, as I had run that race in 2012...every other distance was the first time I had run the distance. Well, I ran a few 5ks and a 10k or two in the 80s, and those are probably my official PRs...but I'm not competing against that Pete anymore.


Looking Ahead

For the last two months, from the moment I received my medal at Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon and said to myself, "now I have to double that mileage,"  my focus has been on getting my body ready for what I hope will mark the end of my couch to marathon journey. Hmmm...does that mean I need to change the blog's title? As I look ahead to this year, I already have a couple of races on the docket, as well as some plans for others. That said, though, I'm not putting together my training schedule(s) until I finish that 26.2 miler next Sunday...but let's talk more about that next time.

Until then, enjoy your journey...

"You BLEEPIN' Got This, Pete!!!"

I know it's been a few weeks since my last post, but with marathon training, tying up loose ends at work, marathon training, Christmas, marathon training, New Year's, and marathon training, things have been a little hectic...have I mentioned that I'm training for a marathon?

A few weeks ago, I wouldn't have been as jovial. On an 18-mile long run, I hit a mini wall (not THE wall...just A wall) around mile 14. The outside of my right knee was hurting pretty badly (IT Band), and the will to run was overruled by the will to walk (well walk/run). I was able to get through the run (which was a run/walk for about three miles), and I even mustered the strength and fortitude to run the last three quarters of a mile...but overall, I was pretty pissed off at this "bad" run.

Well, the anger went away, and I knew I had some work to do. After rolling my quad and the IT Band with Trigger Point for a couple of days (and I'm still doing it daily), I got back out on the road and made a conscious effort to speed up the cadence of my steps because I had read that the IT Band "likes" a speedier cadence. Well, the knee felt good and strong as I sped up my cadence and, on the first run, my pace.

And that brings me to an important distinction...cadence is not pace. While I ran my first run at a quicker pace (9:15 for five miles) and cadence, the next couple of runs, I focused on keeping the cadence constant while slowing my pace with shorter strides. So far so good...

But it wasn't until a week after the "bad" 18-miler that I had the opportunity to put the cadence theory to the test with a 14-mile long run. I focused on keeping the strides short and quick for the entire fourteen miles, and the next thing I knew, I was finishing up at an 11:28 pace without any IT Band pain...whew! Crisis averted.

And just the other day - Sunday, December 29 - I had the chance to stretch out the distance even farther with a 20 miler, my last long run before the upcoming marathon. So I started off early in the morning for what would be my four-hour tour.

Somewhere around mile 17 or 18, I had a few revelations: (1) I was tired; (2) I was sore...but not injured...and my knee wasn't hurting at all; (3) I knew I was going to make it to 20; and (4) I had something very important to shout to myself (and anybody else within earshot)...


"You BLEEPIN' Got This, Pete!!! You're as BLEEPIN' ready as you're going to be for your first BLEEPIN' marathon!!! Now finish this BLEEPIN' run and start your BLEEPIN' taper!!!"


Fortunately, the local rec fields by which I was running at the time were devoid of kids and parents, so unless someone was running behind me, I don't think anyone else got to hear my moment of elation.

On January 12 (less than two weeks!), as I attempt the Walt Disney World Full Marathon, I'll finally have the opportunity to put the last six months of training to the test.

Let's just hope I can control my language.

Until next time, enjoy your journey...