I signed up for this race for the first time a few years ago. A friend posted the 5-year galactic challenge and I wanted to do it. Why not? Extra medals? Big medals? So ... the first year, I hemmed and hawed and waited as I watched the half fill to 90%, 95%, 98%, 99%, Full. Figured I would sign up for the full and transfer to the half. Nope. If you signed up for the full after the half filled, no transfers. So I trained. I was ready. This was going to be amazing. I felt great going into it. I had my Beverly Crusher costume. It wasn't. The course is a figure-of-8 of out-and-back along the James River. It's beautiful. The support is amazing. The road is cambered. My hyperflexibility (can't help that) combined with weak hips (my fault) and by mile 19, I was hurting. By mile 26 I was being drug by a volunteer. I collapsed in the chute. It was slow and ugly. After all the evaluations, I did not have a stress fracture of the hip. But, piriformis and glute medius tendon are not back to normal. 2015 was a year of prolotherapy and physical therapy and injections with limited relief. But, I wanted the extra medals. Signed up for year 2. Military sent me to Alaska. The folks at Running Zone don't do waivers or refunds, but they were quite sympathetic to military duties. Let me do a virtual ...in Alaska, around a 1/10 indoor track in winter. UGH!!! Sent me my shirt and medal. Don't ask them to do it for you, they don't do virtuals. Just a way to support the military. So ... this year was the Milky Way Challenge medal ... year 3. Hell yeah, I'm gonna do it. Oh yeah, I haven't really gotten back into any decent running form since the full 2 years ago. If you've read my blog, you know what I mean. Mostly walking and slower every time. But, I set my clock for registration in February and was signed up before the race sold out in minutes.
So ... Thanksgiving rolled around and the Musician and I boarded a plane to Orlando where we picked up our rental car. Next stop, Whole Foods for some vegan Thanksgiving Day grub. Then drive to Cocoa Beach for condo on the beach. Yep, rentalsbyowner.com did us a solid. This place was great. We were second floor. Nice view. Just on the other side of a parking lot from a bar with music. Good for Musician. Didn't do much for me.
Friday morning, I dressed in INKnBURN shirt that couldn't be named. Headed to for packet pickup. Easy peasy. Got distracted in the store, but made it out successfully without spending pennies. Got a lot of compliments on my shirt. Took some silly pics with "astronauts."
Gave my Moon Pie to a kid. Back to the condo. There was an art show in town, so we looked at art and was soooo tempted by some cool finds, but resisted again. Wheh. How would we get things home? Walked on the beach. Music at the bar. And then in for the night as the rain poured down hard. Even a little silly television. Yep ... Flash ahah, saviour of the universe!!!
Saturday morning it was lazy, but we headed to expo to meet up with DocketRocket and Miss Disney. We have talked for months on-line as the administrators for a fan page for INKnBURN on Facebook. It was awesome to finally meet them in person. Just as nice in person as on-line. Quick pics and a round of shopping. Didn't get out without spending, but did manage not to spend too much. :)
We found an organic grocer and picked up a few things for vegan picnic and found our way to a state park to watch for manatees. No manatees, but lovely relaxing seat at the river. No complaints. Drove to the finish line area to check things out so the Musician have his gameplan for meeting me post-race. Early to bed for me, but the music was loud.
Woke up at 330 to catch the 430 shuttle (Musician had to wake up too, to drive me to a nearby hotel with shuttle service) to the start line. The usual, people are chatty, and quiet, and nervous. The shuttle filled and off we went. We were early, so I found a park bench and decided to have some quiet time to think. And, maybe a few opportunities to find the porta-potties. Met a few other INKnBURNers for some pictures. Headed to the start line. I guess I didn't pay as much attention to the start before. I loved the big screen and the space themed videos ... music and shuttles. Then it was blast-off. Well, for some, for me, it was slow. I wasn't planning on doing much, just finish.
The community support for this race is absolutely amazing. It's a 2-lane road with homes and we take it over for the day. Instead of being cranky, they come out and set up impromptu aid stations. They cheer us on. As the sun came up, it was absolutely beautiful and inspiring. Before I knew it, I was turning around. I wasn't going fast, I was just having fun. I paid attention this year for the lavender house with the "lady of the river." Yes, there she was. Kinda creepy? But, also pretty cool?
I did start slowing down. My 1 minute walk/1 minute run was just getting kinda boring, so it turned into more walk. Chatted with some folks and met up with an incredible woman running with Team in Training. I can't remember how many half and full marathons she has done and how much she has raised, but is has been A LOT!!! And, she can barely run. She was bent almost 90-degrees. Her knees have both been replaced. She has had multiple back and neck surgeries. She hurts. But, she said that she does this to herself because others can't do it. She is doing it for them. It was kind of inspiring. She talked my ear off. Eventually, she had to stop to stretch and take a break. I enjoyed the company, but really was feeling ready to be done. I saw DocketRocket as she was on the "out" stretch of the second half of her full. Yeah, she's faster than me ... by a lot, but she runs almost daily and I run, well, sometimes. I stopped at the community aid station for a Bloody Mary. Yep, can we just fill my water bottle for the rest of the run? I did not stop to sit on the couch. I might not have made it back up. And, I started just wanting to be done already.
Came upon the area where I think the random stranger slung me over her shoulder 2 years before to drag me in and I almost cried. I looked for her, but I knew I wouldn't recognize her even if she was out there again this year. I was too bleary-eyed last time. I was happy not to be dragging a leg this time. The chute was visible and I saw the Musician. He didn't have to pick me up to get me across this time. This time, I also did not stop at half the porta potties on the course. I didn't even have to pick up water at each of the aid stations every mile. Overall, not as bad as it could be.
And, done!!! Thanks for the medal. Oh, and the other medal. Thanks for the towel. Thanks for the pancakes. No thanks to the eggs and pizza. Had to get the leaping pics. Then home!!! Didn't have the energy to wait for DocketRocket. Found out that Miss Disney fell in the first block and broke her ankle. She thought about hobbling the 13 miles, but made the smart decision. And, she says she is relieved. Not doing the 3, she has no desire to push for the 5 year medal.
Little beach time and then massages for both of us. I'm not sure why the Musician needed a massage, he didn't just walk/run 13 miles. And, then it was time for lounging and packing. It's an early morning to drive to the airport and drop off the care and then a flight home. Will I be back next year? Heck yeah!!! Because I qualify for the Intergalactic Challenge, I get early sign-up!! Woot!!
