HONK YOU!!!

For this post I feel as though not much writing is needed because my video pretty much explains it all. For all of you jerks out there who like to honk your car horn at runners, hopefully this video will make you change your mind a little bit. It's not funny. You're not cool. Get over yourself.

Love,
Amanda and all the other runners out there who don't care you're f***ing honking

See ya in 76 days Disney!

As if everyone didn't already know, but as of last night it's official...  
I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!

Shelley (mamabear) and myself booked everything last night and for WAY too much we are going to have a magical time at "the happiest place on earth." For the amount of money I am spending I better have a damn good time. I think it's going to be great...my body however, will feel opposite. 

We're heading down Friday, Jan. 6 and arriving in Orlando pretty late at night. By that time I am sure I will be crashing as soon as we get to the All-Star Sports Resort (that hotel is going to bring back lots of memories with best friends from our North Penn senior class trip.) 

I figure Saturday in the morning I'll head to the Marathon Expo at the Wide World of Sports Complex with the crew so we can all pick up our bibs and packets. At these expos they have hundreds of vendors selling everything from shoes, clothing, accessories, massages and much more. We will walk the floors, maybe buy a few goodies and get on our way for some fun. We will head to a park and I'll be crapping my pants all afternoon because the marathon is the next day. In preparation for Sunday, a huge pasta dinner and early bedtime will hit the spot with a super early start for race day.

Sunday will be THE DAY, the moment of I have working towards for the past 8 months. The race begins at 5:30 a.m. in Epcot....making wake up time around 3:30 a.m. Like I did in Atlantic City last weekend I will force food down my throat and try not to throw up from nerves. By reading blogs of people who have ran the race before, I will need old sweats to wear to the starting line because it is super chilly at the start. My goal is to finish the race between 4 1/2 and 5 hours....I can see it now me hobbling over the finish line, most likely crying hysterical because I did it. I know the rest of the day Sunday I will be out for the count, spending an afternoon in an ice bath, icing and laying in the hotel room. Hopefully my mom, aunt kathy and cousin tyler will have a baller time at  park without us MARATHONERS. Later in the night I think we are going to head to the Aloha Dinner Show to celebrate our accomplishment.

Monday and Tuesday are going to be two days of complete and excruciating pain. I am planning on going to the parks both days...I already warned my mom I may have to rent a Jazzy, those motorized scooters, to help get me around the park. I did see last time I was there though people on those things get to the front of the lines....so it may work out in my advantage...

We're heading back to PA late Tuesday night....sadly the trip must end because work at The Reporter needs to continue. Hopefully you'll be able to make it without me for two days, right guys?


There is no turning back now (I wasn't planning on it)....but I'm all in and all focused. LETS DO THIS!!!!

Atlantic City Half Marathon - CHECK

The day finally arrived...a test to see how my training is actually paying off. Yesterday, my cousin Jackie, her boyfriend and myself traveled to Atlantic City to run the 2011 Half Marathon. Each and everyone of us woke up with pre-race jitters, not being able to eat much of a breakfast and peeing non-stop because we’ve been drinking lots of water in preparation. With the race starting at 8 a.m. and only a high temp of 65 degrees, Jackie and I battled back and forth on what to wear during the race. A tank top and capri pants was a great decision. We headed over to Bally’s Casino which was the start and finish of the race. The energy was booming and the three of us quickly calmed our nerves. I was feeling a little sick to my stomach (possibly because of nerves, the other half from the crappy dinner I had at “Wonder Bar” the night before) but things soothed when I saw this green neon sign down the casino hallway that said “Pickles” (this restaurant and deli). It was a sign. :)

 getting mentally ready

Nothing is thicker than blood <3 My cousin Jackie & I

Bib number

The race was about to start so we all took our positions. Hans is faster than Jackie and I so he started up closer to the start. Jackie and I hung by this chick Nicole how was a pacer for the race. She was leading marathoners who were trying to finish at the 5 hour mark. I figured if I stayed around or near her I would do pretty well. Big thanks for that skeleton.

Before we went to the start line

 

Before we knew it the gun started and I was right by the side of my cousin for her first half marathon. I was more than proud of her for taking on this challenge when nearly 6 months ago she could barely run 2 miles.  I got a little choked up at the start of the marathon. I always get a bit chocked up because there is so much emotion: people running for themselves, for deceased loved ones, for pride. 

And we were off. It didn't take much time for Jackie and I to separate because we have different paces. We went off the board walk and hit the streets. It was one of the most beautiful courses I have ran. We ran along the bay, on the highway, past the Marina, past the Borgota. Angry drivers waited at stop lights for HOURS (sorry I”m not sorry, you should know better there was a race.) At one point, there was a four lane road, separated by a median. At that point I was flying, seeing the runners made me push. I looked for Jackie and Hans, saw neither.

At that point I remember seeing a Mile 8 sign and I think that was the last mileage sign I saw the entire race. I was feeling great, feeling strong. Us runners made our way back up to the boardwalk and in my head all I could think was “not much longer!!!!”

Boy was I wrong...

The boardwalk was the longest stretch. It seemed like forever and it was maybe only 4 miles long. No matter what direction, the wind was in your face. For the race, we actually had to pass Bally’s, go to a turn around point, and come back for the finish. As I was running I kept looking for my friend Emily (she was cheering on her bf who was running the full marathon) who said she was going to be at Mile 10. Finally, I see Emily. I yelled her name, gave her a thumbs up, and kept moving. It was so great to see a familiar face. Only 3.1 miles left.

Thanks for the action shot Emily!!!

The boardwalk seemed to be getting longer and longer. Other half marathoners were making their way to the finish, the looks on their face were exactly how my body felt. I finally hit the turn around point...home free I thought. As I was running I saw a sign on the boardwalk that said “5K turn around,” I knew I only had a little over a mile. As I’m trucking back home - legs completely done, hipflexers screaming, joints yelling - I ran into Jackie. She had the biggest smile on her face, she ran over to me, gave me a high five and said “great job, go finish girl!” I told her she was kicking ass and to meet me at the finish!

That is all I needed to get me home. I saw the finish line, I picked up my pace, went into 5th gear. The crowd made a tunnel, a shoot to get us to the finish line. Everyone was cheering, congratulating me... I saw Hans with his camera out, I think he got a snap shot of me finishing. I looked up at the clock...finished in 2 hrs and 25mins...a new PR for me. I crushed my previous time by over 10 minutes. Hans and I watched for Jackie to finish up. She finished strong!

Afterwards we all got our free beer and food. We were all spent, but it’s a great memory we got to experience together. I’m no half marathon veteran (I’ve only ran one other one), but I hope yesterday is a day the two of them will never forget. I am so happy I was able to watch the two of them compete in their first half marathon. We’re half way there. But next, Disney World.

#WINNING

Self taken photo is always needed

I came in second out of the group