Anna and Elsa were up and ready to run at 4am!!! Disney races are soooo early..... 😴
I had been obsessively checking the weather in the 15 days leading up to race day (that was as far out as the weather channel app would let me go). It had gone from no rain to some rain back to no rain again. While I was getting ready to leave on race morning, I checked one last time and saw that there was a 90% chance of rain at 7:00 and 8:00. I told Mom, Dad, and Justin to start praying it away. I didn't want to say anything to Whitney in case she hadn't seen it yet. All I could think of was that we would have wet shoes and clothes if it rained during the beginning of the race. While I had overpacked with other stuff, I did not have extra shoes. By the time we arrived at Epcot 30 minutes later, the rain chance was gone. From 90% chance to 0% chance in 30 minutes. Prayer works, people!!!
I had been obsessively checking the weather in the 15 days leading up to race day (that was as far out as the weather channel app would let me go). It had gone from no rain to some rain back to no rain again. While I was getting ready to leave on race morning, I checked one last time and saw that there was a 90% chance of rain at 7:00 and 8:00. I told Mom, Dad, and Justin to start praying it away. I didn't want to say anything to Whitney in case she hadn't seen it yet. All I could think of was that we would have wet shoes and clothes if it rained during the beginning of the race. While I had overpacked with other stuff, I did not have extra shoes. By the time we arrived at Epcot 30 minutes later, the rain chance was gone. From 90% chance to 0% chance in 30 minutes. Prayer works, people!!!
After walking from the very end of the Discovery parking row to the starting area, we were ready to snap a few pictures before heading to the start corrals. Most everyone was already at the start, because the race was a mere 30 minutes from starting. Of course, we were starting in corral N out of P (thanks to my forgetting to submit a proof of time and Whitney's graciousness to move back from corral F), so we knew it would be a good hour after the first runners started that our corral would begin.
Although I was telling myself I could do it, I had so many doubts and fears leading up to the race. I felt calm until we got in the corral. That was when it all came rushing in. Whitney had done several 19-20+ mile runs in preparation as she started before our training schedule had officially begun. I, on the other hand, had done long runs consisting of a 17 consecutive mile run, a 13.1 race plus 4 mile run two hours later, and one 21 mile training run. That longest run was good, but also painful. Every mile after 18 (further than I had ever run before) hurt. It hurt afterwards. My knee bothered me, and it has only ever hurt once after a run. I felt fear creep in. If it had hurt to run 21 miles, how could I run 26.2? Most training schedules have runners max out their miles at 18-22 miles before the marathon. I knew theoretically it was possible, but I was still afraid. I was also concerned because Whitney and I would be running together. Whitney runs a pace about 2.5-3 minutes faster per mile than I do. There would be no way I could run that fast, especially for 26.2 miles. I felt bad and worried about slowing her down, making her start in the back, and felt the pressure of the "balloon ladies" starting so closely behind us.
For those who don't know about the "balloon ladies," they are the last people to cross the starting line. They maintain a 16 minute per mile pace, the limit of the course, and they are your warning that you are about to be "swept" off the course for not keeping the pace. I've heard that once they pass you, then comes the bicyclists, and finally the "parade bus" to take you off the course to the finish with a DNF. I understand those who have been swept will still receive a medal, but who wants a medal for a race they did not complete... Had we started in an earlier corral, we would have had a good cushion of time ahead of the balloon ladies to stop, take pictures, etc. Starting in corral N gave us about a 30 minute head start on them. Too close for comfort.
All of these fears were unwarranted in the end, but very real nonetheless.
Although I was telling myself I could do it, I had so many doubts and fears leading up to the race. I felt calm until we got in the corral. That was when it all came rushing in. Whitney had done several 19-20+ mile runs in preparation as she started before our training schedule had officially begun. I, on the other hand, had done long runs consisting of a 17 consecutive mile run, a 13.1 race plus 4 mile run two hours later, and one 21 mile training run. That longest run was good, but also painful. Every mile after 18 (further than I had ever run before) hurt. It hurt afterwards. My knee bothered me, and it has only ever hurt once after a run. I felt fear creep in. If it had hurt to run 21 miles, how could I run 26.2? Most training schedules have runners max out their miles at 18-22 miles before the marathon. I knew theoretically it was possible, but I was still afraid. I was also concerned because Whitney and I would be running together. Whitney runs a pace about 2.5-3 minutes faster per mile than I do. There would be no way I could run that fast, especially for 26.2 miles. I felt bad and worried about slowing her down, making her start in the back, and felt the pressure of the "balloon ladies" starting so closely behind us.
For those who don't know about the "balloon ladies," they are the last people to cross the starting line. They maintain a 16 minute per mile pace, the limit of the course, and they are your warning that you are about to be "swept" off the course for not keeping the pace. I've heard that once they pass you, then comes the bicyclists, and finally the "parade bus" to take you off the course to the finish with a DNF. I understand those who have been swept will still receive a medal, but who wants a medal for a race they did not complete... Had we started in an earlier corral, we would have had a good cushion of time ahead of the balloon ladies to stop, take pictures, etc. Starting in corral N gave us about a 30 minute head start on them. Too close for comfort.
All of these fears were unwarranted in the end, but very real nonetheless.
We hugged our chEARleaders goodbye, I choked back tears, and we headed to the start with a quick stop at the porta potties. It would be 5 miles before we would see them again, but knowing they would be waiting for us at the Castle was good motivation!
The first 5 miles to the castle we were full of adrenaline from the excitement of the start and knowing Main Street U.S.A was in our near future!!!
We saw Mom and Dad just as we turned the corner!!! We stopped for a picture, and I handed off my Anaa cape. It was so hot and humid that I decided to take it off to try and cool down. I didn't realize until after the race when Mom told me that it was so soaked in sweat she could ring it out. Oops! Thanks for supporting our gross running habits! Justin had moved down Main Street they told us, so once we left them we searched frantically for the tallest spectator in a red shirt. I was afraid we had missed him, but then we saw him right in front of the castl!!!
Of course we had to take a selfie with our number one fan!!!! #mybrotherisawesome
Not only was he waiting to chEAR us on, he had picked out the perfect photo opp!! We ducked under the rope for this awesome picture!!!
Besides seeing our family and running through the castle, this guy was the best!!! Have I mentioned that runners LOVE spectators?!? Especially ones with humor!
Ariel and Sebastian were our first character stop on course. As we stood in line, a runDisney man told us the last runners had crossed the transportation station. I estimated that was a mile behind us. The pressure was on. I wasn't too terribly concerned about being swept. I knew we could outrun them, we would just have to limit our stops. I think Whitney took on the brunt of that worry.
On the back of the castle we found our friends Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff!!! They loved our costumes, and Anna asked me "did you run your cape off?" It was so magical!!!
After exiting the Kingdom, I finally found Maleficent!!! In dragon form, of course. We didn't stop for a picture, but we took one on our own. After Magic Kingdom, there were several less than magical miles. My iPod crapped out on me around the Wedding Pavilion and golf course. For some reason it started skipping songs, then stopped my workout. I restarted it and it did the same thing. I remembered this happened during the Princess Half last year at this same spot in the course. I've never had that happen during any other races or training runs, so I can only figure there is something in the air on that back strip that interferes with my little iPod. It even switched to trying to play the radio. Weird!
We finally made it to Animal Kingdom which was around halfway through the race. We had read on blogs leading up to the race that some runners stop and ride Everest (if the park is open), so that was something we had been looking forward to!
When you runDisney, you stop to ride a Disney roller coaster!!!!! While we were waiting in the 10-15 minute single rider line, we heard the balloon ladies were 30 minutes behind us. I had signed up to get runner tracking texts for myself, so they let me know our estimated finish time at every checkpoint. I knew we had to finish in 7 hours (plus the 10 minute cushion between corral N and P starting), and so far Disney thought we would finish in the 6 hour range. I was still not worried. The ride was fun, but we discussed after the race how it kind of made us both feel funny.
The miles between Animal Kingdom (mile 13) and the Wide World of Sports (mile17-20) were slightly less than magical. It felt like a long way. Running through the parks is distracting. It's almost like you're not even running... Almost. We knew we would see our family at the Stadium between miles 19 and 20. I had already texted Justin to let him know I needed my first aid kit (my baby toe blister was rearing it's ugly head I feared), and Whitney was ready for her snack of a peanut butter sandwich. We stopped for a potty break and I checked on my other toes while I waited. A kind runner offered some "butt paste" for where my toes was rubbing, and his wife offered me a band aide when I realized my band aids had disintegrated from my sweat.
I was SO happy to see my chEAR squad, but was also trying very hard not to break down and cry! I doctored my toe and found out my blister was indeed returning. Afterward I decided I probably should have let it lie, because it hurt worse after I "fixed" it. Lesson learned. Miles 17-20 were the worst for me mentally. I thought about what quitting would look like. Of course, I wasn't going to quit, but the thought still came. Whitney was making small talk all the while, which was such a welcome distraction! I am so thankful to have run my first 26.2 with her!! Once I could count the miles we had left on one hand, my mental game gained strength.