SIXTEEN AND COUNTING

Although we haven’t actually signed up for every single event listed below, as of this date we are scheduled to participate in well over a dozen different athletic events during 2011 and the first month of 2012 – everything from a local sprint duathlon to the Goofy Challenge in Walt Disney World.  Add a couple/three 5K’s and perhaps another duathlon, 2011 and beyond promises to be a busy year for running and biking. 

I honestly can’t say that any one event has me overly excited over all the rest.  Maybe the Goofy Challenge, but only because it will be our seventh in a row.  I’m personally shooting for ten in a row and beyond.

Feb 20^th Sunday A1A Half Marathon Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Feb 27^th Sunday Tour de Broward Miramar, FL
Mar 6^th Sunday 13.1 Miami Beach Miami Beach, FL
Mar 19^th Saturday Race for Research Tradition, FL
Apr 3rd   Sunday  Duathlon at Tradewinds Park, FL
Apr 23^rd Saturday Egg Hunt Duathlon CB Smith Park
Apr 30^th Saturday CMM 1/2 Nashville, TN
Sep 3^rd Saturday Tour of Sebring Sebring, FL
Oct 1^st Saturday Wine & Dine ½ Lake Buena Vista, FL
Oct ??? Beachside ½ Vero Beach, FL
Nov 13^th Sunday 13.1 Ft. Lauderdale Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Nov 24^th Thursday Turkey Trot 5K Tamarac, FL
Dec 11^th Sunday Latin Music ½ Miami Beach, FL
Jan 7^th Saturday WDW ½ Marathon Lake Buena Vista, FL
Jan 8^th Sunday WDW Marathon Lake Buena Vista, FL
Jan 29^th Sunday ING Miami ½ Miami, FL

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 

                        

2010 JOSLYN JOURNAL

25^th Wedding Anniversary

One of many 2010 highlights was our 25^th wedding anniversary, celebrated in magical style in Walt Disney World running the inaugural Wine & Dine Half Marathon.  We are aiming for another 25 happy years and beyond.

And speaking of running, once again we completed Disney’s Goofy Challenge, all 39.3 miles of magic and smiles.  Okay, we admit it.  There was some grimacing in between those smiles, especially since we ran the back-to-back events in below freezing temps and snow flurries.

New on our participation-sports repertoire were a triathlon and a duathlon, run in Aug. and Oct. respectively. 

Ohio/Tennessee Vacation

During the month of May, we vacationed in both Tennessee and Ohio.  So that all of us could be together, we transported Diane to Lynda and Brian’s home in Ohio and then drove her back to Tennessee after a magnificent time was had by all.  While in Ohio, Bob had the pleasure of riding with his grandson, Brandon, in his police car during his afternoon shift.

50^th and 69^th Birthday Celebrations

Disney World appears to be the place for celebrations during the year 2010. We celebrated both our birthdays simultaneously, touring all four Disney theme parks.  From EPCOT’s relatively new ride, Soarin’, to most of what the other three theme parks had to offer, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves hopping from park to park with our season passes.

Employment & Retirement

Janet celebrated her second year of employment with Wal-Mart in September and Bob celebrated his eighth year of retirement in May.  Surprise, we didn’t travel to Disney World for those two milestones. 

Our Pets

Gigi and Santana, our two kitty cats, continue to rule our household - and we love it.  They are quite a pair, full of life and random acts of kitty mischief.

Biking & Swimming

Countless miles were amassed in our condo’s swimming pool this past summer, along with over 2,000 road miles while training on our new bikes.  Jan rides a newly refurbished Bianchi road bike and Bob rides a new 2011 Felt Z6 road bike.  We are both members of Team Memorial and Team Bike Journal bike clubs.    

Dolphin’s Stadium Flag Holders

Prior to the Dolphins/Bears football game Nov. 18th, we held onto and helped wave the huge American Flag that covered the entire football field during the pregame show.  What a thrill it was being down on the field with the cheerleaders and football players, and an even bigger thrill to be a small part of the flag presentation and national anthem.

In conclusion, we could add volumes to this newsletter, but space doesn’t allow it.  Suffice to say that we are happy, healthy and active - and we wish the same for all of our friends and family.

Here’s hoping that each and every one of you has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Bob, Janet, Santana and Gigi