Walt Disney World Marathon - RunMarathon

The fireworks at the start were pretty nifty, and we were off. Just tried to jog slowly and within about 10 min I found the people I'd stay with till about the half. I was surprised at how many folks were leisurely walking, every moment of the race I was thinking about the sweep bus. I didn't stop to take any photos (except one: when hubbie caught up to me at mile 5, I took a photo of him . . . but I was walking backwards, so still moving), didn't interact with the characters and looked ahead and was careful not to add any distance to the race by veering too far to the wrong side around curves.

Some highlights: Lots of people cheering, at Cinderella's castle, there were trumpet players tooting something very royal sounding (this was my favorite!), the critters that handler's brought to the side of the road near Animal Planet, Pocahontas.

At the half, I was elated to see I had set a new PR for 13.1 miles (3:25) and I had about 3 minutes lead on the cut-off time. I did my best to keep each mile under 16 minutes, but I was wavering. My new goal was now to make it to mile 16. When I got there, I was still feeling good, but I was only about 1.5 minutes ahead of the cut-off. My new goal was to make it to mile 18. When I got there, I set my sights on mile 20 and I started having crazy thoughts like maybe I could make it all the way! I didn't know how strict Disney was on the course limits, but the people around me all seem unconcerned . . . they were all stopping to pee and get photos with characters.

At this point, I saw a cop talking to a lady ahead of me and he said something like 'enjoy Animal Kingdom and you can get on the bus after the park.' I ran over to her and asked what that was all about, and she said she was quitting. I tried talking her out of dropping out, saying thinks like "this is all mental, it the wall trying to beat you, don't give up....please go one more mile." She protested and I moved on . . .

Unfortunately, this is when the sun came out. Somewhere, someone gave me a sponge and if that had made it with me home, I'd have bronzed it! That was the most wonderful thing in the world!

By the 19th mile marker, I was only 30 seconds ahead of the cut-off and someone shouted that the grim reaper was right behind me . . . the reaper was a TNT coach who was walking. (Incidentally, he was the ONLY person I saw during the whole race at the BOP who ONLY walked . . . everyone else was run/walking.....ha! I *knew* it was not possible to walk a 7 hr mary) As he passed me, I tried keeping up. I kept telling myself to 'dig deep' and keep going and I stayed with him for a bit.....then I got this bright idea that this pace was too fast, and I should slow down for a bit, collect myself, then spring past him later. Well, you know how that turned out....

I have to hand it to the folks at Disney. Though I wish their cut-off was 8 hours (hell, over 5000 folks DNFd . . and I think many of those were swept like me: that bus was FULL!), they did really, really well in giving people the chance to make it. As you got close to a drop point, folks on bikes would tell you how much time you had left to make the cut, and they seemed so sincere about really wanting you to make it!

So, it was no surprise at the 20 mile marker that there was a barricade of sorts with buses next to it. I knew what was coming, and so did the lady next to me. She hollered to me that there was no way she was getting on that bus, and I saw her sprint ahead, get stopped by the guards and run past them! Then I saw 2 guys chase after her on bikes and then a police car went after her too. I went a bit more quietly.

I did ask if they would take my chip and let me continue at my own risk, but they would not. I had planned to run the last 10k once I got dropped off, but after 10 min of sitting on the bus, my legs had stiffened and there was no way.


I've just got to get faster!

I'm so glad I showed for this race. I had the best run I've ever had, wildly exceeded my own expectations and felt great instead of feeling like a loser cuz I didn't show.

My only complaint about the whole day is that they dropped us off far from the event. In one way that was nice, so you could slither off to your car and not get involved in the festivities of all the happy finishers, but there was no food! After running 20 miles, I needed something to DRINK and eat! It was madness trying to get back into the finisher's chute . . . I had to lie and say I was going to medical. That was crazy.


I gotta go back and finish this thing. Perhaps next year.