2011 ING MIAMI HALF MARATHON

Rambling through the streets of downtown Miami and South Miami Beach while participating in the ninth annual ING Miami Half Marathon went quite well this year. Extremely well, for the matter!     

The weather was perfect for running, the crowd was massive yet friendly, the scenery was awe inspiring, and we completed our 13.1 mile journey without so much as a blister, cramp or fatigue.      

Wanting to better last years’ time of 3:03, I found it necessary to pick up my pace somewhere between mile marker 7 and 8. Having had only two hours of sleep the night before the demanding event, Jan chose to maintain the pace that we had set during the first seven miles. She was wise in doing so.     

My choice to run more and walk less the last 5 miles resulted in a finishing time of 2:46. Jan came in shortly afterwards in a respectable time of 3:01.     

Uninjured and unscathed, we eventually wiggled our way through the hordes of finishers and spectators, having our picture taken by the marathon people just before exiting the runner’s area in beautiful Bayfront Park.   

 Breakfast with our friends at IHOP afterwards rounded out another fantastic day in sunny South Florida. We are now waiting for the 10th annual signup blitz promising cut-rate registration costs.   

 Next year will be our tenth year in a row running the ING Miami half marathon, an event that has become an annual postscript to January’s Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon.

2011 ING MIAMI MARATHON EXPO

NEIGHBORHOOD TRAINING WALK/RUN

TRAINING WALK IN THE PARK

The below videos are only one example of our ongoing marathon training.

These particular videos were shot January 20th, 2011 in our county park.  We walked only five miles that day, no running, yet we still averaged a walk pace of 14:51 per mile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x44Xp_Ixesw 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GU8ApKhvyc 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrXhVEHBzPM 

PERFECTLY GOOFY

Remaining Perfectly Goofy comes relatively easy for some people.  I’m one of those people!  Please don’t take me wrong, I most definitely felt mildly tired at some point during this month’s two-day, punishing event.  It’s just that being goofy and staying goofy, even perfectly goofy, happens to be my natural self.

All joking aside, this year’s Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge in Walt Disney World was my easiest.  And I believe it was Janet’s easiest as well.  With no injuries to speak of to hamper our walking and running, and never missing one long or intermediate training run prior to the January 8^th and 9^th event, we basically cruised through most of the 39.3 miles.

Unlike last year when we had to endure snow and freezing rain, this year’s weather was perfect.  With temperatures ranging from 39 degrees to the mid-sixties, and not a hint of rain (or snow), one couldn’t ask for better running weather. 

And just what is the Goofy Challenge?  

Disney World’s “Goofy” challenges anyone to run/walk a half marathon on Saturday and then a full marathon on Sunday.  That’s 13.1 miles on Saturday and then 26.2 miles the following day. 

We’ve taken on the challenge the past six years and succeeded in accomplishing the mission each time, but not without discomfort and pain.  Having walked and run with large blisters, throbbing back aches, knee discomfort and injured ankles, we can rightfully say that we have endured many excruciating maladies and miles.

Will we do it again next year for the seventh year in a row?  Janet is wavering with her decision, but I have a feeling that she won’t want to miss out on all the suffering.  In fact, we may consider adding on a 5 kilometer race one day prior to the Saturday and Sunday challenge.

Then we could call ourselves “Goofy” and "Dumbo."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M34ZXR88qMU