goofy challenge day 1- the half marathon

Well, Marathon Weekend has come and gone, and it was a fantastic time!  I was so focused on getting my last long runs in over the holidays that I didn't even think to write a post about finishing up my training.  Scot and I did a morning 12 mile run the Monday before Christmas and I got on a plane to head to Louisiana that same afternoon.  I had 22 miles scheduled for the following day, which I had to figure out a way to do in Shreveport.  I had to get creative, running around the neighborhood where my parents live, then driving a few miles away to the local Y and doing some runs in a different area.  There weren't a lot of safe areas to run far from the house, no sidewalks anywhere, so it made things tricky.  The regular running trail down by the river that people typically use was flooded so that was out.  I managed to make it work though, and the minute I got back to the house and got cleaned up, my mom wanted to go get around town and do some last minute shopping.  So I didn't get to rest much!  Still, I got the miles in and was able to enjoy the taper!

Fast forward to the new year and marathon weekend creeping up fast.  I got a new Raw Threads shirt for Christmas that I was dying to wear for the marathon but I needed to go to Lakeland and visit the SparkleSkirt store to get a new yellow skirt (SparkleSkirts was not going to be at the expo).  I made the hour and a half drive to Lakeland, got what I needed, then drove back up 45 minutes to Disney to pick up my stuff for the race from the expo before heading in to work.  Busy day!

 The usual expo madness.  It was crowded but not unbearable

 

On Friday night, Scot and I checked in to All Star Sports and met up with my customer Rick and his wife Emily.  Rick got in to running about a year ago and the Disney half was to be his first half marathon.  Great choice!  The 4 of us had dinner in the food court and made a game plan for Emily as a spectator and got Rick the last-minute info he needed to survive and have fun at 4am the next day.  

We met him in the lobby the next morning and had no trouble getting on the bus to Epcot.  

It's still Christmas at Disney!  Wendy & Peter Pan

The usual crowds of people were unloading from the bus area in the parking lot.  The weather was chilly but manageable.  As we headed toward the bag check, volunteers were cheerfully greeting us all, welcoming us to the early morning party.  

Now, something must have changed with the security bag check, because I don't remember it ever being this crazy!  We got in a slow-moving line that snaked back and forth... Rick was the only one of us with a running pouch so we all stuck together.  It probably took at least 15 minutes to get to the bag check.  I sent up a silent thanks to the SparkleSkirt gods that I wouldn't have to stand in this line again the next morning.  After Rick showed the security guard his pouch, we slipped away and off towards the staging area.  The DJ had the music pumping- there was a smallish crowd over by the stage- I think because we were earlier than I've ever showed up before there just weren't many people around yet (yeah, they were all in the security line!)  Even the lines for the porto potties were short!  I was really surprised!  One of the Green Army Men was on a low stage near the Gear Bag check tents so we went over to get a photo with him and listen to him shout out to everyone across the parking lot.  After a couple cups of water and a bathroom break, we headed out on the long walk to the corrals just after 4:30.  I enjoyed watching Rick take it all in- there's so much to see and hear it can be a little overwhelming.  He looked to be having a ball though, so when we turned towards our corral areas, we sent him off to G with a good luck fistbump and then walked towards the front to get in to D corral.  

It was close to 5 by the time we got in to the corral and it wasn't crowded so the wait didn't feel too long and before you know it, the wheelchair start was underway with a POP of fireworks and a dramatic crescendo of music.  Then A went, B, C and before you know it, we were at the start line!  I was so ready!  I really do like the half marathon course- the crowd support is insane and running through the Magic Kingdom is always a blast.

Donald Duck did our countdown, the fireworks exploded overhead, the music started up, and we were off!  I hit the button on my watch and stepped across the timing mat. 

Scot and I had planned to run the first 5K then switch to the intervals as we felt necessary.  I knew we were going to stop for a LOT of photos so I knew we'd be getting plenty of rest.  One thing that you can't see from the photos is how foggy it was!  The clouds were low and obscured anything higher than maybe 30 feet. 

 This was new!  I had to stop and get a photo of this tethered hot air balloon approaching the MK gate!  When the fire was off, you literally could not see it in the fog.  I had to get right up on it before I noticed it was even there.

 MK entrance selfie!

So this is the fog!  Mile 3, coming around into the MK parking lot, next to what used to be the Speedway.  The parking lot lights really show the fog and how obscured the visibility was

Emily was supposed to be at the TTC but we didn't see her.  I really like running through this area though- there's always some great support and people have the funniest motivational signs!

Close to Mile 4 we found Oogie Boogie from "Nightmare Before Christmas."  He had the longest line, around 8-10 people in it.  We're not huge fans but I thought the set was really cool!

At around 4 1/2 miles, we were trotting along comfortably when I thought I recognized the man in front of us.  He turned his head slightly and then I was sure!  It was Jeff Galloway!  He developed the RunDisney training schedules and the run/walk programs that we use.  He was an Olympic runner in 1972- do a Google search on him- he's a pretty neat guy and totally approachable and nice.  So I said hi, and he gladly stopped to chat with us and get a picture!

Celebrity spotting!

You can see the monorail in the background there- we were closing in on the MK!  First was that god-awful ditch under the waterway next to the Contemporary- the downhill road is fun, the up hill not so much.  We took a walk break there!

We could barely see Cinderella Castle in the fog from our view backstage.  Good thing it was lit up like crazy from Christmas!  We turned towards the entrance to Main Street, running past the volunteers along the path clapping and calling out "Good morning!  Welcome to the Magic Kingdom!"

I love this part!  We ran down Main Street past a screaming crowd toward the castle.  Had to stop for a castle selfie!

We followed the herd toward Tomorrowland and into Fantasyland.  This was a chance to get some more character photos!

 It cracks me up that the Mime from "Tangled" is such a big deal here!  We're doing our best impressions with him and the other Pub Thugs

 "There's a snake in my boot!"  Finger guns with Woody!

This was the longest line we waited in.  I didn't care HOW long the wait was, we could NOT miss Peter Pan, Wendy, and the entire Neverland crew!  Hook! Smee!  Lost Boys!  There were probably 12-15 people in this line.  It really wasn't that bad.

After running backstage out of the MK, we crossed the railroad tracks and hit Floridian Way back towards Epcot.  This road as I've said before can be a little sluggish but if you enjoy the crowds and don't think about it being 3 straight miles of road, then it's okay.  We took a GU pack at the 6 mile point and I was still feeling great.  Our pace was around a 11:00 mile with all the stopping, but we didn't care.  The picture lines were way better than at the Princess Half Marathon (fun race, WORST if you want a lot of photos- the lines are ridiculous) and we were on track to finish in about 2:30.  We passed the crowds cheering out front of the Grand Floridian- I was hoping to get a photo with the Fairytale Wedding group, under the arch they had out last year, but they were not there this time.  Oh well.  We headed toward the Polynesian and found Stitch!

 Aloha!

I somehow managed to glance over at the Poly crowd and heard Emily scream my name 2 seconds before I saw her waving her sign on the other side of the road.  I waved my arms back at her and we both flailed back and forth for a few seconds before Scot and I continued toward the golf courses.  Last year when we ran Princess, we saw Golfing Genie here and Scot wondered out loud if we'd see him again.  Not him, but Donald Duck was there!

Here's a thing we started noticing- we were running in to the same people at each photo stop- one other runner-wearing a Goofy hat- named Andrew was doing the same pace as us and it got to be really funny each time we pulled over for a picture, there he was!  We chatted along with him whenever we were stopped in a line and he took a photo of us at the Peter Pan mileage sign.

Where Captain Jack Sparrow and his boat were back in February, we had a giant Sebastian puppet.  We'd come down the other side of the road in the dark just over an hour earlier and didn't stop for him because with the reduced lighting it wouldn't have come out right.

As you can see in the photo- it was REALLY foggy!  

As mile 11 approached, we could already hear the Green Army Man yelling out to everyone running up the on-ramp.  The ramp is tough, especially after 11 miles of running!  I thought about stopping again for push-ups with him but he already had some poor guy on the ground doing burpees!  We got another selfie...

We were soooo soggy by this point!  It was about 1,000% humidity, thank goodness it wasn't hot but OMG it was so wet out!  I was grateful for the overcast sky too!  

We closed in on Epcot, Mile 12 came and went as we crawled over one last overpass.  Bad place to put a hill, Disney!  Fortunately the downhill of the bridge runs right in to the backstage of Epcot and before we knew it we popped out from around Spaceship Earth and ran through Future World towards the World Showcase.  Sharp u-turn, then back towards the ball.  Spaceship Earth was still obscured by fog so we didn't stop for a photo in front of it.  We instead veered off to the right, backstage briefly past the gospel choir, then around the corner back into the parking lot towards the finish line!  We were 2 seconds from the finish when I grabbed Scot's arm- WAIT!  Finish line photo with Minnie Mouse!

I'm so glad we stopped for this!  We broke away, stepped over the finish line timing mat, and ended our race. 

 

I knew Anita was volunteering at the water stop in the walk-out so I was on the lookout for her.  After we got our medals, space blankets, and some PowerAde, I spotted her babysitting about 600 bottles of Dasani.  She got a photo with us and was in the middle of taking one of us with my phone when who should run over and pop in to the frame- RICK! 

I don't know how he saw us or how we all managed to run in to each other but somehow it all worked!  He finished in about 2:20 (no photo stops!), we finished in a little over 2:30 so taking in to account the fact that we started a few minutes ahead of him, we probably all finished at about the same clock time!  We were closer than we realized along the route!

We met up with Emily after getting our snack boxes and bananas, got some more photos, then headed back to the hotel.  They were checking and and going home, Scot and I had plans to wander Disney Springs looking for wedding stuff and then I had an appointment at Senses Spa at Saratoga Springs.

We had a great morning- I felt good, not worn out.  I foam rolled a bit and then fully enjoyed my spa experience!  I spent close to 3 hours there and left feeling in great shape for the marathon that awaited me the next morning.

Our results:

Me: 

Chip time- 2:33:37

Total place- 7,522/21,497 total finishers (35%)

Age place- 655/1,843 (35%)

Gender place- 3,196/12,303 (26%)

Scot:

Chip time- 2:33:38

Total place- 7,526/21,497 total finishers (35%)

Age place- 655/1,306 (50%)

Gender place- 4,328/9,194 (47%)