Walt Disney world, Orlando, Florida. The happiest place on Earth? Maybe. The happiest marathon ever? Not exactly.

I have to admit that I didn’t train properly for this marathon, but the worst part was that I under-estimated how cruel the sun of the Sunshine State could be. Not as advertised or hoped we would have an average 40-50 degrees temperature in January, in fact, on Sunday January 7th, the marathon race day, runners had to run under almost 80 degrees and extreme humidity.

I stopped at every water stop and replenished myself with as much liquid as I could acquire; I ate some banana; I greeted to Mickey Mouse and seven dwarfs. I tried my best, but the weather defeated me and my legs almost failed me. I was happy at least when the race started with amazing fireworks; I was happy at least for the first half of the marathon when the sun wasn’t able to force my eyes shut and I managed to maintain my training pace. Then, my respiratory and perspiration rate skyrocketed along with the temperature. I believed that I saw steam coming out of the pavement. I was even convinced that the smile of the evil step-mother of Snow White was sincere. No wonder desperate desert travelers see mirages.

At least I reached the finish line with four hours, forty-six minutes, and thirty-eight seconds of struggle – all because of Mickey Mouse. The cute, golden, Mickey Mouse finish medal allured me more than the first apple did to Adam and Eve.

Here is the whole story:

I enjoyed this marathon. It was like a festival which attracted almost two thousand marathon participants. We ran under the sunshine, towards the wind, with the seagulls, and along the beaches.

Most importantly, I finished it. I thought that I would have dropped out at some point, because one of my tendons or ligaments between my right hamstring and calf was over-stretched, and I had to cut down my training. But, I kept running; so many people were there running with me, I never had to feel lonely. So many spectators were lining up, waiting for me to pass them in order to give me an encouraging clap. So many volunteers were cheering me on, asking me to stay motivated. Therefore, I kept running and because I knew, at the finish line, somebody was waiting for me.

At mile 24, the last aid station, a cup of Gatorade was handed to me. Orange flavor, great, just happened to be my favorite. All the volunteers at the aid station played another role as a cheerleader, “come on, you can finish it; you got ONLY 2 miles to go.” I felt like I could see those pom-poms flying in the sky.

“2 miles. What a surprising short distance! Should be ridiculously a piece of cake.” Apparently, my mind game didn’t work; my legs for sure understood that these weren’t any 2 miles that had a fresh start; these were the last 2 miles of a marathon. And I am telling you, I was exhausted.

I grabbed a handful of pretzels and a cup of water. Not only was I tired, but I was starving. The pretzels were not tasty anymore, they were soaked because of the rain, and my mind was softened as well, not being able to play tough. As I was counting each pretzel I chewed, I was counting each step I walked. Right, I was walking, and I walked for almost a mile. Once you start to walk for an extended time, you are doomed. If not because I knew that at the finish line, somebody was waiting for me, I couldn’t have raised my knee again.

Mile 26. My husband started to run right next to me, and together we finished my longest 0.2 miles. 5 hours 12 minutes 21 seconds; I was expecting to finish this within five hours when I finished the first half within 2 hours and 20 minutes, but I should still feel proud, right? After all, this was my first marathon. I limped around because of the blister at my right little toe growing since mile 15 or so, having this complicated mixed feelings of proudness and disappointment.

The first two days after the marathon, my sore legs kept sending me flashbacks. The more I recalled the memories of the marathon, the better I realized my disappointment was simply nonsense. I made a commitment of 26.2 miles, and I fulfilled it. Fast or slow pace, it was a respectful effort. Never have to mention that during the process, I had nice running weather, pleasant scenery, and cheerful people. I learned a lot and I have grown more confidence to ensure the next marathon will be even nicer. “Next marathon?” you might ask. Yes, you didn’t hear me wrong; I am addicted.

上個禮拜天，完成了第一個馬拉松，貨真價實的 26.2 miles。

其實大概剛開始練跑的時候，就有想過要嘗試，也確確實實地練習了好一段時日，後來因為冬天下雪找到藉口，開始曠日廢時。終於又恢復練習，還是因為寄出一份報名表（加上報名費），這下找到督促自己的藉口。不過練習的過程中，也不是挺老實的，居然最後在參賽之前，跑過最長的距離也不過20 miles而已。離終點線還有6.2 miles 的距離。

本來想真的不行，就跑半馬好了。沒想到跑完半馬，感覺身體很輕很舒服，不知不覺地繼續跑下去。跑了 15 miles ，右腳指開始覺得不太對，我心知是長水泡了。水泡是跑者的大敵，練習的時候，我從來沒有長過水泡，只是馬拉松當天，一直下著小雨，有時候也會踩過泥濘的地面，潮濕的鞋襪大大提升長水泡的機率。可是身上並沒有準備另一雙乾燥的襪子，也只好認份地跑下去。

前23 miles，平均還可以維持在11分鐘跑完1 mile的情況。可惜，慢慢地，訓練量不足果然開始反映到實際的比賽上了。雖然很多人說，馬拉松跑過第20 mile，就開始是心理戰了，不過練跑從沒跑過馬拉松的長度，真的很難不懷疑自己，一有疑慮，那麼這個心理戰也不用玩了。

於是從第24 mile開始，拖著疲憊的身軀大約走了1 mile。跑馬拉松的時候，跑個1、2 miles，適當地走個30秒或者是一分鐘，其實是有益無害的。不過走了將近1 mile，又是在賽程相當後段的地方開始走，是相當不妙的。當時又開始繼續跑起來，真的是花了相當大的力氣說服自己。

通過終點線的時候，心情很複雜。一方面為了完成而高興，一方面為了成績而不滿意。賽後慢慢地回憶，才切切實實地開始為自己感到驕傲。

跑馬拉松其實沒有像我想像中的那麼無聊。除了義工以外，當地的街坊鄰居都為每個跑者加油喝采。帶著獎牌，走到那裡就有人跟你道聲恭喜。賽後還有專業人員幫忙按摩。是個非常有趣的經驗。也因此，我很確定我會繼續跑下去。

當初半遲疑半肯定的詢問自己：「這樣的距離，是可以完成的吧」就這樣，報名參加了 Philadelphia Independence Triathlon 。

時光飛逝，日月如梭。轉眼到了七月三十日，這個下午，驅車到比賽地點領取報名資料，主辦單位給了幾個號碼牌，一件醜醜的T-shirt，一個亮黃色的泳帽，以及注意事項。還用粗黑的奇異筆，在我雙手手背慎重其事地描出「550」三個數字。我喃喃抱怨著「怎麼這麼醜」，一邊不明究底地往回走向停車處，路上，我老公遞給我四個安全別針「你忘了拿這個了？」我這個比賽新手還傻傻地想「這四個別針幹啥用的？」一直到隔天早上才後知後覺。

不知怎麼的，領取完報名資料，心裡頭就莫名地開始打鼓，這是近鄉情怯嗎？我知道比賽時大家都是游自由式的，不為什麼，自由式是最有經濟效益的游泳姿勢。而我，偏偏只有蛙式才可以讓我游到指定的距離，開始對自己說「明天不要去丟臉了！」另外，自從摔車之後就再也沒有騎過腳踏車的我，腳踏車落鍊都還沒有修好，這真的可以騎 17 miles？這這這…

這天晚上，更是翻來覆去睡不著，明明知道隔天需要充足的體力，愈是念茲在茲地要自己趕快睡著，愈是綿羊跳來跳去，卻總是可以清清楚楚地算出總共有幾隻。折騰來折騰去，還是朦朦朧朧地，有一搭沒一搭地幻想早上要是爬不起來怎麼辦？

鬧鐘沒響，清晨五點半就清醒了。準備個元氣早餐，戴上安全帽，踏上腳踏車，整裝出發。早晨的氣溫很適宜，路上沒有什麼車子，腳踏車的車況好像也還可以，一路就到了比賽起點。人很多，我眼觀四路，耳聽八方，學習到要把比賽單位發給我的號碼牌，貼在腳踏車上、安全帽上、以及別在衣服上，最後在腳踝別上計時裝置，總算完成準備動作。

七點多鐘，主辦單位宣布規則，之後，除了我之外每個人都張口唱起歌來，呃，讓我實在有點小尷尬，是誰規定運動比賽一定要唱國歌的？呃呃，不會唱美國國歌可不是我的錯啊！

避免太過擁擠，造成意外，游泳分為八個梯次，每個梯次相隔約莫四分鐘。我加入了第四個梯次，跟著其他七十多人跳入河中，主辦單位要我們等到電子鐘算到 12:00 的時候才可以出發，我只得在河中踩水等待。我從來就不知道怎麼樣正確地踩水，那兩分鐘的等待如同長夜漫漫，心中對於沈到河裡的恐懼，也漸漸地如同晨霧緩緩展開。

開始游泳之後，才發現蛙式真的不是人游的，看著一起出發的人愈游愈遠，後來出發的人漸漸接近，還要隨時唸聲阿彌陀佛，希望不小心被我踢到的人沒有怎樣。幾次失意，還緊張地不小心吞了大口河水「咳，至少我知道這河水沒有傳說的那麼髒」游了二分之一強的時候，蛙鏡被一個超車的人踢歪了，想要調整它，卻沒有技術，只好硬著頭皮繼續游。誰知道因為進水的關係，蛙鏡開始起霧，只好雙眼婆娑地往人頭冒出來處奮力划去。終於河岸也愈來愈近了，「Give me your hand」我往聲音來源處伸出了右手，身子突然像棵成熟的白蘿蔔一樣直直地被拔出水面。

匆匆地跑向停往腳踏車的地方，「怎麼大家的腳踏車都不見了？」手忙腳亂地換上短褲，趕緊出發。這才知道，平常騎腳踏車的方式實在是太輕鬆了，我隨便地認個前方的騎士，期許要保持一樣的距離，沒兩三下我就又得尋找下一個目標了。Lance Armstrong到底怎樣拿下七次環法賽的啊？怎麼辦呢？來都來了，只好繼續地一直踩下去。

好不容易踩完第一個lap，看到一些人已經開始跑步了，而我還有令人痛心的8.5 miles的腳踏車之旅。此情此景跟「啦啦啦，踩著一部單車」比較起來，實在是差太多了，我的大腿也已經隱隱在抗議，真不知道我是怎麼保持兩輪持續滾動的？接著，屁股也加入抗議的行列了。而居然有好一陣子沒有人超車了，難道我是最後一個嗎？輪子還是不停地滾動著。

我望向跑步的人們，怎麼這些人跑得這麼慢吞吞的呢？發生了什麼問題？說時遲那時快，幾輛單車從左側超越，「我不是最後一個啊！」被這個念頭所鼓舞，似乎腳踏車的輪子開始滾得快些了。

停妥腳踏車，邁上路跑路線，才知道方才那些人為什麼跑得這麼慢了？兩腿發麻的情況下，抬起腿都是一個問題。我知道我在跑步，怎麼感覺起來比平常走路還慢？幸好肌肉緊繃的程度隨著跑步時間的增長而降低，兩腿愈來愈輕，最令人振奮的是，我居然可以超越前方的跑者，果然有燒香有保佑，平常練跑這時候收到成果了。

我開始愈跑愈開心起來，又超過了兩個人，從來沒有想到在呼吸急促揮汗如雨的情況下，我還可以這麼開心，哈哈哈，而從來也沒有一刻像這時候一樣這麼喜歡跑步，還可以注意到要表現出振奮有精神的樣子，讓攝影師獵取「正確」的鏡頭。

終點線終於在望了，這代表今日苦難的結束，身體自然而然地拔腿就衝，快抵達終點前還超過了一個人，真是太令人快慰了。

主辦單位發給一個很有質感的完成獎牌。這是我生平第一個和體育有關的獎牌，雖然鼓勵的意義大於實質，我還是相當興奮。而回頭望望，還真的很驕傲我終於抵達終點線，而我原來的目標也不過就只是「完成它」罷了，我真的做到了。至於什麼時候參加下一個triathlon 呢？嘖嘖，還是等我練好自由式再說吧！

最後，留下我的成績如下，做個記錄，雖然還頗貽笑大方的：
游泳：0.5 miles，25分31秒。
腳踏車：17 miles，1小時04分14秒。
跑步：4 miles，38分06秒。