Moment of Truth: Defeat is a *****

So what I have been training for since August has finally came and unfortunately did not pass as I desired. I was a participant in the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon this weekend.  Well I wish I could say that I finished my second half marathon BUT sadly I met the wagon of defeat around mile 8.5.

I started the race with a good pace and was well below the required pace to complete.  Although my lovely phone decided to not let me play music(something went crazy with my music app) I kept running and I established my own form of interval training using items as markers along the way.  Our race goes through Animal Kingdom and as I approached mile 4 I was told that I was 2 minutes above the pace!  I was determined and excited to know how well I was doing.

Shortly after experiencing my high I reached a low.   Around mile 7 the worst pain I have ever experienced shot up my left calf…I thought it was nothing and tried to pull through it but a little bit later the pain was worse and took over more of my calf.  The pace walkers passed me up and got further away from my vision — somehow I managed to get back in close distance of them just 30 seconds behind but the pain would not stop throbbing and I had to walk and that pushed me further back…and then Whurp-Whurp  the sound I joked about hearing — and the wagon people stopped me and said I had fallen to far behind the pace and would not be able to complete the course.

At first I was so consumed with the now excruciating pain in my calf that I was like okay whatever.. Then I wondered would I get a medal.. and then I was sad and cried..Defeatus attitude quickly took over my mind and I couldn’t believe that after all my training and after paying to participate I would not cross the finish line.  When the bus got to the finish line area I was escorted off the bus and limped over to medical to get my calf iced which was on fire and hurt like a mother.  I got my medal and met my friends who did cross the finish line.

I can honestly say that while stretching the defeat had me state I will not do another one of these things and how ashamed I was..  But during the long bus ride back and the long hobbling walk to my room I did some thinking.

• I achieved my goal of participating in a second half marathon.
• I did have a pace below the required pace!
• I wasn’t the last person to get pulled and I know that I am not the first nor last person to get pulled by the wagon.

There are probably various reasons for the pain — limited sleep, the long drive to Florida, overdid it when having a good pace, or it just wasn’t to be.  BUT I can’t let this horrible thing called DEFEAT consume me and stop me from ever doing another marathon.  Although I did not cross the finish line I did come and participate and I need to use this as motivation to truly cross the finish line and officially complete my second half.

Well I will leave with this inspiring quote and try to have some fun at the wonderful world of Disney!