{"id":33,"date":"2012-10-15T15:51:33","date_gmt":"2012-10-15T15:51:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/?p=33"},"modified":"2012-10-15T17:59:15","modified_gmt":"2012-10-15T17:59:15","slug":"106-107-diva-long-island-half-marathon-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/?p=33","title":{"rendered":"10\/6\/-10\/7 Diva Long Island Half-Marathon Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>What a fantastic race to finish the 2012 Race Season!!\u00a0 I am so happy that I was able to participate in this event with my running partner, Linda, her two girls, and Linda\u2019s family.\u00a0 Because of the combination of all these pieces, it was a awesome weekend.<\/p>\n

Linda\u2019s parents, with the assistance of their \u201cguard dog\u201d, Benjamin, opened their home up to me, and allowed me to stay with them, Linda, and the girls, in order to participate in the 2012 Diva Long Island Half-Marathon.\u00a0 I was welcomed with open arms and I was surely treated like one of the family.<\/p>\n

Our journey began Saturday morning as we left Broome County in the pouring rain.\u00a0 While I had hoped that the rain would hold off until we got on the road, that was not exactly the case.\u00a0 Nonetheless, we made swift time traveling to the Packet Pick-up.\u00a0\u00a0 While at the Expo, we were able to browse and enjoy the Expo, plus get a few photo shots in.\u00a0 Shortly thereafter, we were on the road again and we arrived at Linda\u2019s parents.\u00a0 George, Linda\u2019s Dad greeted us at the door and I was hugged and kissed.\u00a0 (Sniffle).<\/p>\n

As we unpacked the car and began to settle in, Mom, Lucy, arrived home with the fixings for dinner.\u00a0 I think she was expecting a small team upon our arrival, rather than the four of us.\u00a0 However, Lucy began hosting with the mostest and we were presented with cheese, crackers, dips, spreads, vegetables, and other nosh items.\u00a0 I am thinking, if I keep eating this stuff, how am I ever going to be able to eat dinner.<\/p>\n

Well, knowing any family gathering, there was a FEAST.\u00a0 Spaghetti, chicken, bread, salad, and dipping oil.\u00a0 Seriously, push me away from the table before I start rolling.<\/p>\n

After dinner, I assisted in the clean-up of the evening\u2019s fixings and I was promptly yelled at.\u00a0 This resulted in me shooting a glare of \u201creally\u201d to Mom Lucy.\u00a0 Then, Linda, Becky, and I travelled down to the near-by beach to walk some of dinner off and share in a special moment.\u00a0 As we approached the boardwalk, we saw the evening sun settle into the sky by being wrapped in the open water.\u00a0 While there was a faint wind,\u00a0 it was not cool or chilly, but settling.\u00a0 We walked along the beach briefly and we got to wiggle our toes in the sand.\u00a0 Now, that was chilly.<\/p>\n

We enjoyed a moment or two, and then headed back \u201chome\u201d to prepare for the next day’s festivities.\u00a0 We had conferences with Dad at the dinning room table determining what time we needed to leave and where to park.\u00a0 We pulled up Satellite maps so we knew where the start and finish were.\u00a0 We had discussions with Becky for where to meet us at Mile 12 for the younger girls to finish running with us.\u00a0 Talk about a table with minds turning and commands and orders being directed.\u00a0 It was like a Central Brain.<\/p>\n

As the evening crept upon us, it was fast approaching 10:00 p.m. and we ALL really needed to go to bed in order for our early wake up call.\u00a0 As the time for slumber fast approached, the race gear, racing bib, socks, apparel, and nutrion were laid out for the next day\u2019s grand event.<\/p>\n

Eventhough Linda, Caitlin, and I shared a bedroom, there was a sense of calmness, peacefulness, and mindfulness as I fadded away.\u00a0 I usually fall asleep with noises from the roadway or when Will and Mac leave for work.\u00a0 However, there was the sound from a fishtank pump that settled me for the evening\u2019s slumber.<\/p>\n

I was awoke at 5:15 a.m. on Sunday by the rooster call on my cell phone alarm. (And yes, that is my alarm).\u00a0 I promptly brushed my teeth, put the contacts in, and adorn the race gear.\u00a0 I then make my way down the stairs to get some nourishment before leaving.\u00a0 Based upon our Captain Linda, \u201cwe are leaving this house no later than 6:00 a.m.!!\u201d.\u00a0 Haa, that did not happen.\u00a0 By 5:55 a.m. we are wrangling the young ones up and shuffling along the parents to leave.\u00a0 We finally get on the road at 6:09 a.m. and I say, \u201cI hope your Dad can keep up\u201d.\u00a0 As we travel along the Meadowbrook Parkway, I am making great time, and then Linda says \u201cDon\u2019t lose Dad!!\u201d.<\/p>\n

We arrive at Eisenhower Park by 6:36 a.m., and the parking lot is full. We get directed to another parking lot. That one is full.\u00a0 We finally see an opening and I shoot into another parking lot, and we obtain our parking spaces.\u00a0 We quickly eject from the vehicles and we start proceeding towards the Start line.\u00a0 Becky, keeps Linda and I company, as Caitlin and Summer keep Mom and Dad safe (or vice versa).\u00a0 We arrive at the finish line, we check our gear, and then Linda and I head towards the start line.\u00a0 Now, mind you, it is approximately 7:30 a.m. and there are thousands of people.\u00a0\u00a0 Approximately 3,000 runners, and a mass amount of spectators, cheerleaders, and volunteers.\u00a0 Most, if not all, are wearing Pink.\u00a0 Pink shirts, pink sneakers, pink shorts, pink hats, pink, pink.\u00a0 I was in heaven.\u00a0 I think to myself how my mentor and best buddy in heaven, Lynne, would have love to been there, but I knew in my heart that she was there, watching, and inside of me.<\/p>\n

Now, the 5k started at 7:45 a.m. and the half-marathon started at 8:00 a.m.\u00a0 Linda and I watched as the 5k launched.\u00a0 You could not contain the excitement and adreleain from the crowd when they launched.\u00a0 Husbands, boyfriends, kids were running with their Moms, sisters, and family.\u00a0 (Sniffle).\u00a0 We then began lining up for the half-marathon.\u00a0 Linda and I wandered our way back to the 8 minute mile mark.\u00a0 Originally, we were going to start at the 9 minute mile mark, but I told Linda that there will be so much traffic, that we have to get in front of that so we don\u2019t get stuck behind them.\u00a0 THAT WAS PERFECT STRATEGY FOR WHAT LATER ENSUED.<\/p>\n

The gun was fired and we were off.\u00a0 Now, our strategy was for me to lead through the pack and then Linda was going to get us to race pace.\u00a0 As we began, we started darting to the left, to the right, up the center, along the side, to get a clear space.\u00a0 By mile 1, we were way ahead of the group we started with and we had some clearance before us and behind us.\u00a0 Sweet. As we hit Mile marker 1, I look at my watch and we are at 8:27.\u00a0 HOLY CRAP.\u00a0 Okay, this is good, but I am thinking, how much longer can I keep this up.\u00a0 Linda is a WAY faster racer than I.\u00a0 We are running, we exit the park and we still see the posters of encouragement, the cheers, the spectators, the cowbells.\u00a0 Wow.\u00a0 We come across Mile Marker 2 and it reads 16:24.\u00a0 HOLY CRAP.\u00a0 Never, never have I been this fast.\u00a0 I tell Linda that maybe we should start to slow down to save ourselves to the end.\u00a0 She agress with me, but she later proves to LIE TO ME!!\u00a0 As we approach Mile Marker 3, I look at we are at 24:21.\u00a0 Okay, I just PR\u2019d my 5k.\u00a0 I say, \u201cLinda, we really need to slow down.\u00a0\u00a0 I need to restrategize our race plan.\u201d. I see this evil little grin and we proceed.\u00a0 As we approach the turnaround, we see a motorcycle sitting in the distance.\u00a0 Linda thinks this is her brother Ken.\u00a0 Then, we see Ken.\u00a0 We run to Ken, and he says \u201ckeep on going, don\u2019t stop for me.\u201d\u00a0 Linda is surprised and happy.\u00a0 Her own brother came to see her race.\u00a0 (Sniffle).\u00a0\u00a0 As we approach the turn for Mile 4, we notice some girls (gentlemen) dressed in gear cheering us on.\u00a0 I got to give credit to the young man wearing the stockings and climbing on a guardrail.\u00a0 He did not even have a run.\u00a0 As we approach Mile Marker 4 and I look at my watch and it reads 32 and change.\u00a0 I am now blown away. I have PR\u2019d all of my short distance races in one day.\u00a0 We approach Mile Marker 5 and I look at we are at 41 and change.\u00a0 Okay, I am now restrategizing where I need to take my nutrtion and hydration because I did not expect to be this far this soon.<\/p>\n

As we approach Mile Marker 6, Linda is struggling with her Chomp bag. She is trying to open it with her hands, her teeth, and then she asks me to try.\u00a0 I try to open the bag with my hands, and my teeth.\u00a0 I am about to give up when I think of a sharp object.\u00a0 Sign!!\u00a0 I run over to a broken traffic sign and I slice the chomps package open.\u00a0 Ha!!\u00a0 Got it, and we move forward.\u00a0 As we make Mile Marker 6, we are at 50 and change.<\/p>\n

At Mile Marker 7 (59 and change), Linda takes water, and we take a small walk break for me to catch my breath. Somehow, I lost my breathing rthym and I am having a hard time getting it back. Linda says, \u201cwe are more than half-way done\u201d,\u00a0 and I agree and we are off.<\/p>\n

At Mile Marker 8 (1:07), I am starting to feel the \u201cpush\u201d.\u00a0 I have not run a race at this pace consistently before and I am getting fatigued.\u00a0 Also, I was frustrated in not being able to catch my breath.\u00a0 We take a small walk break, and then we are off again. I think between this mile and Mile 9, we had picked up the speed.\u00a0 At this time, I feel some leg cramping and become more aware of my gait. When I get tired, I tend to clench my fists and tense up.\u00a0 Okay, relax, make the feet light and follow.\u00a0 We keep moving forward and it is now some quiet this time for me and Linda.\u00a0 As we approach Mile Marker 10, I scream an obsenity as I thought it was Mile Marker 11.\u00a0 Now, I was more frustrated.\u00a0 I thought I could push another 2 more miles out, and I am struggling. The left leg is cramping and I surely did not take enough water in earlier.\u00a0 Linda runs in front of me and I am following her in the corner of my eye.\u00a0 I am now focused upon my gait and keeping it strong and steady.<\/p>\n

As we approached the entrance to the high school, where we pick up our boa and Tiara, I start looking for the girls because they were supposed to finish with us.\u00a0 I see Linda ahead of me and I am now struggling with my boa which keeps hitting me in the face and I am spitting pink feathers out.\u00a0 I quickly stuff it down my shirt.\u00a0 As we finish along the back stretch of Eisenhower park along the golf course, there are a number of spectators and fellow runners cheering us on.\u00a0 I specificially recall a band of cyclists who give Linda and I loud cheers.\u00a0 As we make the final turn into the finish line, there is a male cheerleader on a bull horn yelling and saying that we are almost done and to keep on going and that we are doing great.\u00a0 This was great to hear because I was about physicially done.\u00a0 As I saw the archway to the finish line, I sprinted to the end and looked at the clock to see my finish time.\u00a0 I was quickly greeted by a young topless firefighter who presented me with my \u201cbling\u201d, and I then received a rose, a glass of champagne and FOOD.\u00a0 I quickly found Linda, we hug, and then we say we need to find the parents.<\/p>\n

On our approach out, we find Linda\u2019s Dad George who told me he was yelling at me at the finish line, but I never heard him.\u00a0 I guess that tunnel vision really set in.<\/p>\n

We then find the girls, get some great photo shots, and Linda and I claim our gear.\u00a0 We start walking back to our vehicles, which now seems a long distance away because of our legs, but it gave us enough time to talk about some of the highlights of the race.\u00a0 The spectators, the cheerleaders, Ken, volunteers, the course, the weather, all of the factors that made today\u2019s event so special.<\/p>\n

As we get back to the car, I am thinking how bad I want a shower and a cold beer.\u00a0 Linda took the helm of the car, as Becky and I talked about the race as we headed back to Mom and Dad\u2019s.\u00a0 Shortly thereafter, I was able to grab a nice hot shower, and I slid down the stairs to enjoy my cold beer.\u00a0 Now, remember those days when you were a kid and you enjoyed sliding down the stairs and get carpet burn down your back.\u00a0 Well, my intension was to go down one or two; however, that was not the case.\u00a0 I slid down the WHOLE stairway.\u00a0 At first I regreted this move, but later on, this was better than rolling on a foam roller. I really should have done it again on the other side.<\/p>\n

As the day progressed, we were able to visit with Linda\u2019s family and friends, and enjoy a nice lunch.\u00a0 Becky and I even had a nice walk down to the Bagel place down the street from Linda\u2019s parents, which is right next door to a bicylce shop.\u00a0 Boy oh boy did they have some pretty bikes. I made Becky not let me walk in there.\u00a0 While at the Bagel shop, I grabbed a HUGE pink lemonade and Becky was blown away by the size of it.\u00a0 It was like an adult sippie cup that you needed to hold on to with two hands.\u00a0 This walk helped by legs dispense with the latic acid from the race for the drive home later that night.\u00a0 On our way back to Linda\u2019s parents, we encountered some strange exotic tree life and made puns to \u201cJumangi\u201d and such.<\/p>\n

As the day further closed, we needed to get back to Broome County and we needed to say goodbye.\u00a0 The car was promptly packed and our farewells were given.<\/p>\n

I am truly blessed by this weekend not only for the company, but for the ultimate experience.\u00a0 I was once again able to enjoy in a family moment or two with people who I care about and love.\u00a0 It has been some time for me to have this feeling with the loss of my parents.\u00a0 There was were many moments that reminded me of my mother and father and what I wish I could say to them now.<\/p>\n

I wish my daughter was with me to enjoy in this moment, but as with all young adults, she is busy growing into her own young self.\u00a0 And that is okay.<\/p>\n

I wish Lynne could have been physically there with me so I could see her expressions upon her face on all the things she wanted to do with me.<\/p>\n

Would I change a thing \u2013 HELL NO!!\u00a0 Would I do it again \u2013 HELL YES!!<\/p>\n

Love,\u00a0 Me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What a fantastic race to finish the 2012 Race Season!!\u00a0 I am so happy that I was able to participate in this event with my running partner, Linda, her two girls, and Linda\u2019s family.\u00a0 Because of the combination of all … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35,"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33\/revisions\/35"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.betruetoyoufitness.com\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}