TRI and be happy: RR: DNS - Do Nothing Stupid - Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

Monday, March 09, 2009

RR: DNS - Do Nothing Stupid - Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

Well this past weekend I had planned to run the Inaugural Disney Half Marathon with friends. I had my costume all ready to go (PRINCESS BRIDE, naturally...) and while it was a little bit "long" the run, if I took it easy and had fun, fit into my Ironman training plans.

What I did count on was THE FLU!

Last Sunday morning I woke up with itchy ears, a runny nose and a scratchy throat. I canceled my plans for the day and stayed home, awaiting our pending snow event here in the northern VA area. By Monday we had 8 inches of snow and I had the start of a fever. By Monday night, I was running a fever of 102.6 and going no where, fast!

I managed 1.5 days of work last week and boarded the plane to Orlando on Friday morning praying that perhaps I would get lucky and feel "amazing" by Sunday. It just was not meant to be.

Seems that the "triathlon gods" felt that I needed a reality check. I had a choice - I could choose to WALK the Half Marathon, despite my obvious illness OR I could DNS (Did Not Start or Do Nothing Stupid) and choose to cheer my friends on and not stress my body any more than it was already stressed from being ill.

It was actually a harder decision than you would imagine. Being at a race, having traveled all that way and already spent your money and watching others run, really isn't all that glamorous. But I kept my LONG TERM IRONMAN GOALS IN MIND and made the right decision not to race. I officially DNS the Disney Princess Half Marathon. (Did Nothing Stupid!)

I still came out on Sunday in my Princess Bride "finest" with my good friend Linae and cheered Nancy and Shawn on and of course I enjoyed my trip to Disney and have a celebratory Margarita. (or two or three...) Here are some of the best photos from the trip! Good Times were had by all and I plan to come back next year and run this race, without the cold, because every women should run as a princess!