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Walt Disney World Marathon - RunMarathon


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Orlando, Florida
United States
Disney
64F / 18C
Overcast
Total Time = 4h 38m 30s
Overall Rank = 1191/6204
Age Group = 25-29
Age Group Rank = 214/1018
Pre-race routine:

As a preface, I entered this race because a bunch of my college friends from Georgia Tech convinced me that it would be a great idea. Once I signed up and paid, I realized that, wait a minute... all of them either ran XC in college or ran in high school. Doh! Since I had to sign up back in July/August, I started plotting my training plan so that I wouldn't be the last one across the finish line (or at least not by much). Then Longhorn happened, and it was such a fun culmination of tri season that I somehow forgot (or chose to ignore) that I had a formidable distance event looming in the future. After hemming and hawing about whether or not to go through with it, I adopted a "what the hell" attitude and decided to simply have fun, no matter how long it took me. My boyfriend's parents live in Orlando, so the intent was to make a mini-vacation of it anyway. Since the race info said that all athletes needed to be at Epcot by 4:30, I had arranged to stay with my friends in their rental condo the night before to prevent my boyfriend or his family from having to get up at 3:30 to take me to a race that I wasn't all that enthused to be at anyway.

Fast forward to the night before the race. Ends up that there was a very large couch in the condo, so I didn't have to use the air mattress I had brought from TX. We all went to bed very early (to the tune of 8:30pm EST), and it wasn't until my head hit the pillow that I got nervous. Tomorrow, I was going to attempt to run 26.2 miles... in a row.
Event warmup:

I took the same approach to this marathon that I took for the half Iron triathlon I did in October. I figure it's freaking 26.2 miles, surely somewhere within the first 6 miles, I'll get warmed up. I'm not going for a WR or even BQ, so I figured the minimum energy I could expend before the gun went off, the better. (Not to mention that I was sorely undertrained for this thing - to the tune of my longest run only being 15 miles back in November).
Run
  • 4h 38m 30s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 10m 38s  min/mile
Comments:

Alright... here goes...

The whole fireworks and pyrotechnics at the start was pretty cool. Maybe I'm easily amused by all the "magic" surrounding Disney (before that day, I had never been to Disney World before - ha!)

Mile breakdown:
1-9:29
2-10:14
3-9:29
4-9:29
5-9:20
6-9:12
7-9:34
8-9:25
9-9:29
10-9:29
11-9:40
12-9:34
13-9:32
14-9:29
15-9:30
16-9:57
17-10:35
18-10:02
19-10:35
20-13:03
21-11:03
22-12:46
23-13:45
24-12:43
25-15:17
26-13:41
0.2-2:09

I think it's incredibly clear what happened. So suffice it to say that the first 16 miles were spent yo-yo'ing with my girls from college. We were the obnoxious ones singing our way along. I loved the parks, I hated the long stretches of boring pavement (especially when they wound around to the mechanical plant regions). The one long stretch that I enjoyed was the portion that had all the flashback songs from the 90's. We had great fun rockin out to those.

Going through Animal Kingdom is where I think I got my last burst of energy, and mistakenly thought that I would have a breeze making it 10 more miles. Dancing and singing our way through, all of a sudden, my legs didn't quite feel as strong. Then before I knew it, I was DEAD. My legs simply said "no." I wasn't even breathing hard! I was talking the whole way no problem. I simply needed new legs.

My misery continued as I struggled through intervals of walking that progressively got more painful than running. This baffled me, but my solution was to do this hybrid run/walk shuffle thing. I quickly realized at mile 22 that being comfortable was not an option from here on out. I started to get emotional - for no reason other than I think it's my way of reacting to falling apart. I fought back actual tears, but it wasn't easy. Honestly, I'm not sure why I wanted to cry?

Walking is so damn depressing. Especially when it's extended lengths of it. I did my best to run for the spectators so as not to feel like a loser, but it got harder and harder to get the desire to run. The miles seemed to drag on FOREVER.

By far the worst part of the entire race for me was going through MGM. I can't tell you how badly I wanted to see the finish line around EVERY corner. I wanted to punch everyone who yelled, "Only x miles left! Almost there!" No I'm not f'ing almost there - I have 3,2,1,less than 1 miles left to struggle through. Plus everyone who tried to yell the distance remaining was clearly wrong. I think I was just grumpy at this point.

Thomas and his parents didn't make it out to see me on the course other than right before the finish line. It was too difficult for them to navigate through the traffic, and although I was bummed at first, I'm so glad in retrospect. I think had I seen them anywhere between 21 and the end, I might have succumb to temptation and quit. It really was THAT miserable during those last 5ish miles. I was cursing myself for signing up for such a stupid race.

At the end, I was overcome with pride and disbelief that I had made it. Crossing the finish line, suddenly the struggle and all the miles seemed so long ago. I crossed the finish, got my medal, and found my friends. I vowed to only do another marathon when hell freezes over. Maybe it'll be sooner than that, but I would sooner gouge my eyes out with spoons than do an Ironman. I have an amazing amount of respect for anyone who does an Ironman now. I simply can't fathom doing one.
What would you do differently?:

Ha! Train more? I seriously think I had a GREAT pace set that would have resulted in an enjoyable and comfortable marathon had I put more miles on my legs prior to race day. Other than that, I had great fun out there for as long as I could, so maybe the singing and dancing hurt my energy supplies, but it was worth it.
Post race
Warm down:

Uh, I sat down. Ate a banana. Walked another 2 miles to the car (probably not that far, but it sure seemed like it).

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Inadequate training volume. I'm sure I could have probably used a few more long runs - but honestly, I'm not sure if I would have needed anything over 18.




Last updated: 2007-09-30 12:00 AM
Running
04:38:30 | 26.2 miles | 10m 38s  min/mile
Age Group: 214/1018
Overall: 1018/6204
Performance: Average
Well, Miss Prepared (aka me) forgot my HR chest strap, so it was all on perceived exertion. However, if I had to guess, I would bet money that my HR was below 180 at all times (a feat for me).
Course: A lovely winding course through all the Disney parks.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2008-01-17 9:26 PM

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Extreme Veteran
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Dallas, TX
Subject: Walt Disney World Marathon


2008-01-17 9:44 PM
in reply to: #1163079

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Veteran
255
1001002525
Carencro, Louisiana
Subject: RE: Walt Disney World Marathon
Congratulations for a job well done!!!  Laughing  Disney was my first 'walking' marathon.  At the end of it, I swore never again.  Ten 'walking' marathons later, I am ready to do another one, I have the fever bad right now.
2008-01-18 11:14 AM
in reply to: #1163079

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Expert
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50010010010010025
Longview, TX
Subject: RE: Walt Disney World Marathon

Good job marathoner!  You brought back a few painful reminders.  It sure is a whole other world when you hit those higher miles...

Congrats!

2008-01-18 11:28 AM
in reply to: #1163079

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Elite
2998
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Fishers, Indiana
Subject: RE: Walt Disney World Marathon
Way to push through and still conquer a very respectable time!  Way to stay strong and finish it all the way through!
2008-01-18 11:29 AM
in reply to: #1163079

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Member
20

Austin, Tx.
Subject: RE: Walt Disney World Marathon
Great job!  It's all about pain management and it sounds like you adapted very well.  Good split times also.  I knew you could do it!!!!!!!  Smile  dml
2008-01-18 12:33 PM
in reply to: #1163079

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Champion
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Dallas, TX
Subject: RE: Walt Disney World Marathon
Well... that RR was... funny. And I mean that in a nice way.

Personally, I think you did an amazing job considering you were able to not even do the race. The fact is that you had little time to train for it and you still pulled off going under 11 minute per mile. I couldn't even do that if I trained for the race. So be proud girl!

Yes, it was tough at the end... but you dug deep and finished. That's what counts. GREAT JOB!

Oh and don't rule an IM out... they say the marathon at the end of swimming and biking is way easier than a stand alone marathon.



2008-01-18 4:55 PM
in reply to: #1164226

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Champion
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the colony texas
Subject: RE: Walt Disney World Marathon

First off great job, I know you were worried about this one. but... Gee... I think your ready for many more marathons, since you got so many things accomplished on this one..

 let's see you have the everything was going great until mile 21 part under your belt..check.

 having every emotion well up inside you and then the sudden urge to unlease a blood thirsty killing rage on any one within an arm's reach.  check

lots of "happy to just be here energy" for the first part-- check

hoping no one you know actually sees you and attempting to make it look like your running for a bunch of strangers that in ten minutes you will wish they would just shut up .. check

crossing the finish line and immediately forgetting how hard the last 4-5 miles actually were--check

oh yea.. your hooked you just dont' know it next

 

great job !!!!!

2008-01-18 5:08 PM
in reply to: #1163079

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Veteran
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Oak Park, IL
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Walt Disney World Marathon

You did a 4:38 marathon on next to no training?!  Very impressive!  My lack of training led me to a 5:32 in the same race, so you should feel very proud of yourself!  I had to laugh at your comment about spectators at the end yelling "you're almost there!"  I just wanted to yell back "NO I'M NOT!!!"  Now when I spectate a marathon I'll make sure I never say that.

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