Coast to Coast: Part 1 Tinkerbell Half

Part 1

This set of race recaps is overdue. I’ve spent time trying to decide if I should do them together or separate but in the end decided to make them separate since they will each be long reports. Together the Tinkerbell Half and the Glass Slipper Challenge represent new beginnings and hopefully a brighter future for me.

The Tinkerbell Half Marathon was a first and a last experience for me. It was my first race longer than a 5k in nine months, and it was my last race before biologics.

I flew out to California’s Disney Land to run this race on January 17th taking my first 1st class flight. I arrived mid-afternoon and was greeted with glorious temperatures in the mid 70’s. My body relished this temperature change since at home we were having fun with the polar vortex and subzero temps the week before. This was my first solo trip where I wasn’t meeting someone or going with a group. I did meet some nice people for a couple of dinners though.

Upon arrival I checked into my hotel and went to the Tinkerbell Half Expo. I picked up my bib and my park tickets. Sadly the expo was out of the two things I wanted track jackets and a Tinkerbell Dooney Purse. The purse I was able to purchase at a later date from someone who purchased and wasn’t going to use it.

The evening I arrived and the next day I spent in the beautiful park of Disney Land. I enjoyed riding all the rides in comparison to the ones at Disney World. I loved pirates, haunted mansion, and Cars Land the best. I made sure to ride all of these at least twice. I also really enjoyed the Indiana Jones Ride, Little Mermaid, and many of the other rides I rode. I made sure to watch World of Color and bought special seating tickets with a meal that I had with new friends that came from PA. I was unfortunately too exhausted to see the fireworks over Toon Town on Sunday .

Sunday Morning was the morning of the race, and I woke up at 2:45 to head out for race day. We had to be in the corrals by 4:30am for the 5:30 am start. I cried a lot of happy and nervous tears before the race: I cried getting ready, I cried eating, I cried when my new friend came to take my photos, and I cried when I saw my corral. Tinkerbell was a race I’d wanted to do for 3 years since it started in 2012. I signed up for Tinkerbell in June of the prior year along with the inaugural glass slipper challenge for the new Pink Coast to Coast medal. I was on an emotional high and full of nerves on the morning of the race, more than I’d ever been before any prior race. This race was going to be painful, and it was going to be beautiful.

Despite being arthritic I am moderately fast and I entered in the A corral (the first set of runners let onto the course) for the start at around 3:45 am. I talked to a few ladies looked at all the costumes around me. I cried and I got excited. At 5:30 the fireworks went off and we were let onto the course.

The first miles went through Anaheim into the parks. We passed under a bridge with drummers on our way to the streets that would lead us to the parks that were amazing! The pond where they do world of color was lit up with dancing fountains of color and beautiful music. There were people on main street to cheer us on. We ran through the castle. We passed floats, characters, and Disney performers all out to entertain us as we ran. We ran down the street of radiator springs. Everything was lit up and there were cast-members, and many spectators cheering us on as we continued. We ran down the streets through downtown Disney seeing all the stores and spectators and then out to the streets of Anaheim. Here we were greeted with bands, and cheering squads as we ran the streets of the town. We went through a beautiful neighborhood of craftsman homes where the owners came out on their lawns with signs to cheer us on. Towards the finish the last mile was lined with spectators, and one sign that was made for a group online that I’d participated in had my name on it. That sign pushed me to the end with the cheers of the families waiting for their loved ones.

I went into the race with no time goal, and ready to accept the worst half time I’d ever run. I had refused a round of steroids three weeks prior that could have palliatively treated my condition while I waited for my insurance to clear the use of the biologic infusion drug. At that same appointment I had a count of 45 inflamed joints, and 20 of 22 fibromyalgia pressure points inflamed. I went into Tink knowing it would likely be one of the most painful races I’d ever run. I went in on a mission to prove to myself I could still run because I hadn’t run a race over 5k in over 9 months. I went to say goodbye to my struggles. I went to complete this race because it was my dream and no pain or suffering would take that from me. I had no plan for this race other than to build into it if my body allowed, and to get as many miles done before the sun came up since I don’t always take well to heat. My first mile took off and I worried it was too fast in the 8:30’s. I felt decent though, and realized this probably wouldn’t last so I needed to push for as long as I could so I’d have less of the run to deal with when my body gave out. Mile 5 my hips started to give me issues, and by mile 8 I was in excruciating pain. Every step I took from 8-13.1 felt like swords grinding in my hips. I pushed my body allowing it to slow but forced it to continue. I kept telling myself “You can run again, and you will finish. This is the last race you will run before the new drug the next one will be better. You came all this way cross country for this race you dreamed of just keep pushing”. I struggled and got to mile 11.5 where I was just about to start walking, for me if I start walking I typically have problems continuing running. At 11.5 there was the sign with my name and group members cheering me on, I screamed at them “Pixie Power” and I was recognized. What I heard next powered me through the last 1.6 giving me one of my slowest final miles in a race but the ability to kick it down the finish shoot. I heard “There is our first runner”. I looked down at my Garmin and realized I wouldn’t PR but I could finish with a respectable time. The surge I had was one of pride, and it allowed me to continue running. Despite every step being painful I was one of the first from our group to finish. Despite the hell my body gave me I finished in 2:05:36, not a PR but my second best time. I crossed the line and cried after getting my medal. I cried because I had beaten my demons, and I had crushed arthritis in its tracks. I smiled and forgot my pain because the pride in my heart swallowed it for the finish.

After the race I had to address my body and take care of all the issues it gave me. I did everything I could to help the pain, and inflammation. Though I went back to the parks I took it slower. I wore my medal I was proud and joyous.

The Tinkerbell half was not about a PR it was about something much bigger it was about me overcoming my demons, and it was about me being able to be joyful in just being able to run. A few short months prior I’d been pulled from running, and this finish proved I could still run and run through pain. I dug deep to finish, and I enjoyed every excruciating step. Disney made every step magical allowing me a diversion from what was going on inside of me. It allowed me to ignore that war and they gave me a reason to push with the many cheering spectators. Disney allowed my first race to comeback be a magical experience. After the finish I knew I was ready for the next challenge the Glass Slipper in a month where I’d have new medicine pumping through my veins and hope for a less painful experience.

When I went to CA I was prepared to run my worst half marathon ever. What I got was one of the most beautiful experiences of a lifetime that no pain or disease could destroy, what I received was not just a dream but my spirit. I have the spirit of a warrior ready to fight.



Captain Angry Bones