What I’d Do Differently | Tuesdays on the Run
This is our weekly link up for runners, Tuesdays on the Run.
We give you a topic and you share your experiences on it. If you don’t have anything to share specific to this topic, feel free to add any running post to the link up and visit a few other bloggers. They will visit you as well!
This week we want to know: If you could go back and run/train for a race differently, or revisit an epic one just for fun, what would you redo?
Tell us all about it and link up with Erika, Marcia and me!
What I’d Do Differently
Honestly, I don’t have just one race or one event I’d want to redo.
My first thought was my marathon since I threw that together kinda short notice. But then I realized: that marathon had to go down exactly as it did, or it wouldn’t have been my experience. I wouldn’t have learned the same lessons if it had gone any other way, so I’m cool with how it happened.
That’s how I feel about most things in life.
There’s a lesson tucked into most experiences, even the really sucky ones. And the marathon wasn’t all sucky at all for me. It was just sucky because, well, it was a really long day. Ha!
So maybe I wouldn’t change the marathon, but I’d be cool if I could go back to the same moment in time and relive a bit of it. I’d try to be more focused on some things.
Like the first 8 miles and getting into the corrals. I was in some weird panic induced fog that I don’t remember much of it other than being so happy the lights were on the castle, and then being so sad the Magic Kingdom miles were over.
There were also quite a few character pictures at the end that didn’t have any line at all- and I just kept moving past them.
It wasn’t going to keep me from finishing if I had stopped, but at the time I was in the rhythm of movement and didn’t want to interrupt it with a quick stop.
But I wish I had stopped more- that’s part of this amazing experience at Walt Disney World!
Should I have trained differently? Absolutely.
Will I train differently next time (assuming there is one?) Yep. I sure will.
But for this experience, well, it was pretty great for me regardless. Minus those first few miles that I just simply struggled with every step. But when it was only 8 of 26.2, I guess that’s ok-ish.
And in case anyone is wondering, nope, not even considering do another one anytime soon! I have 3 half marathons left on my schedule and I think I’m tapping out on distances over 10K for a VERY long time. I have to get my ish together before I try to do anything long again.
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Patty Holliday has been running Disney since 2011. She knows just about every tip, trick, and hack there is to cover the runDisney Magical Miles at Disney World and Disneyland. She knows every mile isn’t *always* magical- but with training, tips, and a little bit of pixie dust, they can be a lot of fun! You can also find her at noguiltlife.com and noguiltfangirl.com
I know how you feel about 10k+ distances. I love the 10k distance right now, and I”m still figuring out how to balance between running and working on my IT band and strength. I don’t know if I’ll do a half again, I’m enjoying the 10ks so much.
There are always voices in our heads–shoulda coulda woulda’s. But that was your race! And you ran it the way that best suited you that day!
I totally agree that every race has a lesson for us. Even the bad ones. Maybe especially the bad ones!
It’s funny how it’s so exciting to sign up for a race, and then near the end, you wonder why you did. Until you actually run it!
You are absolutely right: the way it all unfolded is what made it YOUR experience. Maybe someday you’ll do another one, but for now you can look at that shiny medal and know you had the race you were supposed to have that day.
Definitely agree that there is a lesson tucked into every experience. I’m just hoping that the lesson from my first marathon is that all the weeks of training really pay off!!
I do feel Disney lends itself to taking it easy pace and soaking in the sights. It is a very unique experience in the marathon world. The castle looks so prettty! I only have run one Disney half and wished i stopped even more lol You are so right all experiences teach us something!
My first marathon was pretty horrendous. I would love another shot at it in theory, but have no desire to go through all that again. But you’re right – even the bad experiences are chances to learn.
PS – love that McFarland tank!
Oh my gosh, the lights on the castle! Beautiful!!
That’s a great attitude–no regrets…looks like you had a lot of fun!!
You are so right, Marathon at Disney is a very looong day!!!!! And they start so darn early, which doesn’t help matters.
That genie pic is awesome! 26 miles of characters like that is the only way to get through such a massive day. 🙂 I’m the same – no regrets, just learn from it. Life’s too precious for regrets!
No more long races?! Eek. This, too, shall pass? (Jk)
It’s so cool that you get to think of “just” eight miles not going well, but you still got out of the funk, had fun and finished strong. Great job!
I love your attitude! You are exactly right…our experiences, good or bad, shape us and make us who we are. We learn something from each one. So, to say we want a do-ever really takes away a piece of who we are. What we really want is just another experience, another memory to add a little something extra to who we are. 🙂 Good luck on your halfs coming up!