Space Coast Half Marathon Series - Mission to Mars: Year 3 of 4

I'm not sure when or where my love of running came from. I wish I could say that I developed the habit early in my youth, but that just wasn't the case. Having grown up with both environmental and exercise-induced asthma, the kabosh was put on that. I don't think my parents preferred me doing things that involved running, simply because my asthma was much worse when I was younger with asthma attacks being a regular occurrence.

As such, I didn't really start running until about 15 or so years ago. And it certainly wasn't something I started overnight. It began with walking multiple times per week. Next came jogging and finally running. Now, your definition of running and mine probably varies greatly. Running for me means more of a run/walk scenario than it does full on running with minimal stopping or walking).

Run for Fun

And here we are, many years later and I still have a love for running that has since blossomed to include almost all things in the great outdoors. However, running is my first love followed closely by hiking when it comes to the world of exercise and fitness.

There have been many benefits of such a physical activity. One of the greatest things running did for me was to improve my overall respiratory system and decrease the number of asthma attacks to maybe one every couple of years. Had I known running would actually improve my breathing abilities, I would have started so long ago.

Additionally, running gave me the ability to tackle almost anything life threw in my direction. My stress and anxiety levels decreased and increased my overall sense of well-being. This article does a great job of explaining the many benefits running can have on your mental health. It was for this reason, I started pushing myself harder, running 5 and 10k races until I felt strong enough to shoot for a half marathon.

The first Space Coast race I did was part of the series titled The Big Bang Theory. Being an avid fan of the show, I wish I’d have known about the series much sooner. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be but at least I was able to get my feet ‘wet’ so to speak, and learn what it felt like to run the course. My love for this particular half marathon race was born.

Space Coast Half Marathon Series - Mission to Mars

The Space Coast Marathon and Half Marathon were founded by Space Coast Runners and are hosted by the Running Zone Foundation. The Running Zone Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to give back to the local community through the promotion of health and fitness. Proceeds from the event benefit multiple local organizations within Brevard County.

The Space Coast is unique in that they do their series in four-year increments. Every fifth year starts a new "series". The current series is titled "Mission to Mars" for years 2022-2025.

Each year correlates to a different mission or spacecraft. In the case of this series, the 2022 medal was Mariner 4, the 2023 medal was the Viking 1, the 2024 medal is the Mars Pathfinder and the 2025 medal is the Perseverance Rover.

Space Coast Marathon and Half Marathon: Mission to Mars Series

In addition to receiving a medal for each year of the race you complete, you have the ability to receive a special challenge medal for completing year 3 of 4 of the race and years 4 of 4 (so all four races). The special medal for year 3 is the Starship Challenge and for year 4 is the Mission to Mars Challenge medal.

The race, which is always held the Sunday after Thanksgiving, starts in the historic Cocoa Village and finishes along the river at the Cocoa Riverfront Park. The weather has always been perfect (knock on wood) each year that I've run the race. It starts out chilly and then warms up to a comfortable temperature. Runners get a gorgeous view of the intercoastal the entire length of the course with dolphins frequently making an appearance as well.

Bucket List

I made it my goal (or ‘mission’) if you will, when I was completed the last two races of the Big Bang Theory Series that one of my bucket list items would be to complete all four years of a series. Piece of cake, right? Not quite so much. No matter how good your intentions are, life gets in the way.

Year one was fairly good, having been able to train for the race and my physical health issues were mostly stable, I started the series off feeling pretty optimistic. By year two, my fibromyalgia was in full bloom (or obnoxiously flared mode - whichever you prefer) and running was more of a chore than a hobby I enjoyed. I made it though the race, but not without some crying and a whole lotta pain.

That leads me to this year’s race. Training wasn’t really much of an option for me as I had countless health issues and surgery a mere three weeks prior to the race. Being in excruciating pain every day would make it difficult for anyone to train. But my goal was in sight; year 3 of 4. I was already more than halfway there so giving up wasn’t an option.

Now, I have never and will never be a fast runner. It’s just not in my DNA. No amount of training or preparation has changed this and quite honestly, I’m okay with this. I can’t recall where I heard (or read) it now, but there was a comment as it relates to running that changed my mindset many years ago.

“If you want to run fast, run alone; if you want to run far, run together.”

As such, my partner and I chose to speed walk this year’s race. Well as fast as my untrained legs would let me go. I’d like to say it was easy but I would be lying. The first few miles are always painful, then it feels as if you could run forever until the last few miles. Your whole body starts rebelling and it feels like you might die, or, at the very least wish you would.

This year was no exception to that. I spent the better part of the final three miles in horrendous pain, crying off and on and threatening to quit every few minutes. My fibro was flaring along with my plantar fasciitis, both knees that had been operated on years early were swollen with the right one killing me and my ovaries were burning (thank you endometriosis).

It was as if everything was working against me but bucket list items are a powerful thing. Heck, the mind and heart are the most powerful of all when it comes to things like this. They will help you to keep going long after your body wants to give up.

Even among all the adversity, there is no greater feeling than crossing that finish line, being handed your medal (or medals in this case), and celebrating with loved ones. Every year I curse my body and my mind, thinking I am not capable of finishing the goal I set for myself, and every year, my body and mind prove me wrong.

Next year will likely be no exception to the self-doubt I inflict upon myself, but I will do my best to try and remember that my body and mind are capable of so much more than I give them credit for.

How have you mentally pushed through something that you felt you weren't designed to do? Did you feel that same sense of accomplishment and empowerment? Do you have a bucket list? If so, what's one of the goals you have and are you actively working towards it?