Marathon

I ran a marathon a couple of weeks ago at Walt Disney World. 

My friend Sara joined me for the weekend as well. And she made the weekend that much more fabulous! 

While running in April, I had the chance to meet someone who is from Orlando, who does all the runs. Randomly, I sat next to him on the bus going to the start of one of the races. He videos all of the races and then produces a vlog (video blog) about them. He has a degree in journalism, so he really knows how to set up shots, do video and music editing, etc. He was a local television anchor in Orlando.

His name is Gerald, and his vlog is Rezruns. So what? Why am I telling you this. Because I had the privilege to run with Gerald during the marathon. So what, I run with a lot of people. Why is this standing out? Because he is legally blind. He has some vision, but it's limited.

When he does these runs, he tries to run with someone he knows, to help him navigate through the crowds, point out obstacles, etc. The person he was going to run the marathon with was feeling pretty taxed (they had all run for the 3 days leading up to the marathon, or the Dopey Challenge, but that’s a story for another day). I however had pretty fresh legs. This is us, right before the start. 

It was a magical marathon, for so many reasons. But two reasons really stand out: Number one, I finished my second marathon (the first being at the end of the ironman). Number two, I got to run with Gerald. I helped him check his battery usage (he can’t see what % is left), hold some equipment when he changed batteries or video cards, avoid cones and other obstacles, including people, and try to keep him from sprinting the entire thing and reminding him that it's okay to slow down and breath. It was fantastic for me, because it kept me preoccupied, and allowed me not dread 26 miles, but to enjoy every step.

What I didn't know about Gerald when I first met him is that he's a bit of a celebrity in the runDisney community. We didn't run a mile without at least one person saying "rezruns! I love your videos! you inspired me to get out here and do it!". He is so humble about it, and he gets energy and inspiration from everyone who talks to him. The miles ticked by at an amazing rate. No, we didn't break any records. No we weren't fast. But we had so much fun! He is a amazing guy, with an amazing story, and he's quickly becoming a good friend. And yes, he has given me permission to write this and to share his videos.

He has produced the first of 5 videos he is making about his Dopey Challenge weekend. It is the overview of all 4 races he did, including the marathon. The Sometime Athlete has a bit of a starring role in parts, but it's not about her.

I challenge you to not watch this video, or any of his other videos, and not be inspired to get out there and do something. 

Dopey Challenge - Rezruns' video