Holidays came and went, end of the year scrambled to get things done and cram in some training for the Dopey Challenge. Was on vacation for the last two weeks of the year and then flew to Disney just as the new year kicked off.
Dopey was super stressful and not as fun as previous years. I just wanted to get the 5th consecutive year done and collect my "perfect" Dopey ribbon at the finish. I'm kind of over Disney races, they are so expensive and not as awesome as they used to be. Disney sells "VIP" access to things that used to be just part of the races. Everything comes at a cost and it's just not as 'magical' as it was the first few years I ran it.
On top of not really wanting to be there, the weather was perfect for running in Florida - freezing cold - but not great for a winter get away. Plus, back home there was a crazy blizzard of historic proportions with coastal flooding in the exact area where I had left my car for the week followed by ridiculously cold temperatures. I was worried the whole time about my car and my house and my kittens. Work was sort of crazy at the time and it was not a great time to be away from work. So, all that made the trip not very enjoyable. I just wanted to run the races, collect my medals and go home.
I got it done and got home, car was fine, house was fine, kittens were fine. Got back to work and struggled to catch up and get right back into the action. Definitely not going back to Disney again next year. The timing is just not great anymore with things that come due at the end of one year and the beginning of the next year.
Almost the end of January already and I am back to my routine and getting things done. My focus now is on Boston in April. 77 days away to be exact. I am running with Dana Farber again and could not be happier to be a part of such an amazing family and supporting a cause that has unfortunately touch too many lives close to me and all of my friends. I am making incredible progress so far. Just over $12,000 raised already - aiming for at least $20,000!
My training is going really great too. I feel really strong. I have lost about 20 pounds since re-focusing in the fall and I hope to lose 20 more by April. I didn't get to train really well for Dopey, but after I got back, I jumped right into the training for Boston with a 9 mile run the Saturday after completing the Disney Marathon (it was a little rough, but felt good). The following weekend I did 12 miles with the Dana Farber Team and felt really good. I averaged probably 30 seconds per mile faster than I have been running lately. This past weekend I ran 14 miles on the marathon course - heartbreak hill twice. I felt strong for the first 11 miles then I turned to go down the hills back to my car and had to fight against 25mph headwinds.
Next weekend is the Boston Stair Climb, it snuck up on me again and this year I am really not ready and not looking forward to it. I'm sort of thinking of bailing on the stair climb and doing the Dana Farber group run instead, but I'll probably go and do the stairs and have a lot of fun, then bang out my long run on Sunday and earn a few beers during the Superbowl. It's just hard to believe it is February. January went by in a flash.
It's only Monday and I am already exhausted just thinking about everything I need to do in the coming weekend and weeks following. 77 days til Boston and 108 days until my 40th Birthday! So many things to accomplish in such a short period of time. BUT I AM DETERMINED and I WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. Just mentioned this to someone over the weekend so here it is - my goal is to lose another 20 pounds by April 16th AND to raise $20,000 for innovative cancer research AND hopefully finish Boston in under 6 hours.
