Aurora's Blog

The original title to this pose was “I’m Not Nervous, Per Se.”

Then the first line was: But I’m a little nervous.

However, I had a couple of days to think about it, and I’m not afraid!

The half marathon went great, and I’ll tell you all about it soon. But now, I’m gearing up for the marathon!

So, here’s the reason I was perhaps slightly afraid.

If you spend some time reading about Disney races on the internet – (the internet is so very dangerous!) – you can easily read about a trillion (hyperbole (maybe)) stories of being swept by the sag wagon.

Then that starts to mess with your head. Well, maybe not your head. Maybe you’re fitter, more confident, and/or more secure than I am. But it messed with my head a little.

The thing is, if you look into most of these stories, the people didn’t train, or they made stops for pictures with every character, or they made other mistakes that cost them the race. Most people who train, plan, strategize, and follow through on that strategy make it through (or at least it seems that way).

Of course, there are stories of prepared people getting injured. So, that would be pretty awful.

I don’t want it to sound like I’m coming at this from a place of defensiveness. I’m going into this with the full expectation that I’ll be fine, and stay within the time limit. I’m going with the intention to have fun, laugh a lot, dance a lot – all that good stuff.

But if the heat starts getting to me, and it’s not my day, and I start falling back – I will fight to the death!

Here is the one promise I make to you and myself. I will not end in the sag wagon.

I will end at the finish, or I will end getting some serious medical attention. I won’t quit unless I’m unconscious or have some shattered bones, or something that makes me unable to use my legs.

I will not let the Disney people just take me!

Of course the plan (and the preference) is to finish. (That is what’s actually going to happen.)

If I’m sore or in pain, I very well might cry, or complain, or throw a tantrum . But I will go on.

I will be wearing Ty’s bandana that he wore in Afghanistan. It is a constant reminder of him and his belief in me. He has never faltered in that belief, and I don’t intend to give him any reason to start now!

Failure is not okay.

I will finish this.