What a great day!! I'm still buzzing with the thought of it.
I've been running just under 2 years. This was my second marathon. My
first one was last May on a really hot day and I had finished but had not
done well. My goal for this one was 3:30 (I've run a 45 minute 10K so I
think it was achievable despite the 5:30 marathon I ran on aforementioned
hot May day).
I stayed at the Coronado Springs. Awoke at 3:00, ate and drank copiously (I
am blessed with a cast-iron stomach re: running)-16 oz. of low-fat yogurt
(450 cals), 12 oz. of vanilla soy milk (120 cals) and a banana (100
calories), plus water. Had my last sip of liquid at 4am. Figured that gave
me 2 hours to thoroughly empty my bladder so I wouldn't have to whiz on the
course-a tactic that worked with one exception. Showered, dressed, and on
the bus at 4:20. Dressed in singlet, shorts, cotton t-shirt, old holey wool
sweater, and an extra pair of socks for my hands.
Took a long time to get to the staging area. Off the bus at around 5:15.
36 degrees. Everyone complaining about the cold. I figured better an hour
of discomfort and several hours of comfortable running than a balmy start
and multiple hours of sweaty torture. Thought I had thoroughly emptied my
intestines in the hotel bathroom, but saw the port-o-potties and figured I'd
make sure. Potty was typical Disney-immaculate but NO TOILET PAPER!!
Necessity being the mother of invention, I decided that I had this extra
pair of socks for my hands and, well, I guess I could get by with just one
sock, and, well, figure out the rest.
Start was 15 minutes late. Took 2 minutes to cross the start line. I was a
little underwhelmed by the start-just a couple of weak fireworks--maybe my
expectations had been unreasonably raised by prior posts. Discarded the
wool sweater as I crossed the start line. Running now in shorts, cotton tee
over singlet and wearing a single sock on one hand as a glove-a sort of
doofus Michael Jackson.
Looking to do 8-min splits, my first mile was over 10 minutes, second over 9
minutes, third just under 9 minutes ('course, I stopped to water the lawn at
Morocco which cost me about :30). Too conservative. Next 5 miles averaged
7:59. Wonderful crowds!! How the hell did they ever have the motivation to
get up hours before dawn on a 30 degree morning? Boy, did I appreciate it!
Tossed the cotton tee and the foolish sock at 5 miles, nice icy blast on
heating-up muscles. Also started to notice that even this early in the
race, I could feel the exertion. Can I do this? First touch of Disney
fun-plywood cutouts of Snow White characters with sound system blasting,
"Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho" on the approach to the parking booths for the Ticket
and Transportation Center. What a hoot! Averaged 8:15 over miles 9-13.
But it was worth slowing down, because this included the best mile of the
race-the run through the Magic Kingdom. WOW!! Everything I had dreamed it
would be. We entered along the outside of Space Mountain, then encountered
Mickey and Minnie at the entrance to Main Street USA. I high-fived Mickey
and blew a kiss to Minnie. I had a small camera with me and stopped on the
sidewalk of Main Street to get a shot of my fellow marathoners with
Cinderella's castle in the background. Proceeded to Tomorrowland where I
stopped to get a picture snapped with Buzz Lightyear (all characters had
Disney cast members with them and they were only too happy to take a picture
with my camera). Past the Teacups where the Red Queen (villainess from
Alice in Wonderland for those of you who don't have kids) was waving. Gave
a loud "BOOOO!" to the Queen and continued on through Fantasyland, got
picture taken with Tweedledee and Tweedledum, then down to the Castle.
Stopped on the way for a picture with two Cinderella lady-mice (even I don't
know their names) and through the castle. Through Liberty Square (you could
hear the moans and howls from the Haunted Mansion all over the park-nice
effect that accentuated the "Abandon all hope ye who enter here" ethos of
marathoning) where I got a picture with Goofy and Pluto, then to
Frontierland where I posed with the Country Bears. Told 'em they smelled
bad but sure sang good. Then out of the park. Was I pumped!!
The next section was along a nondescript service road, but was spiced up by
a display of Disney Villains, along with a real live Cruella deVille. Booed
her loudly and passed the half marathon turn-off and then the 1/2-marathon
split, which I hit in 1:50:21 chip time. Time to re-goal. 3:40 sounded
just fine, because by now I was starting to breathe more frequently and was
nudging into the anaerobic zone and just starting to feel like this wasn't
going to be a walk in the park. Miles 14-18 averaged 8:17 splits.
Came in the back of Animal Kingdom. I had looked forward to this section
because it looked as if we would come right through the Kilamanjaro Safari
area. It was a pretty monotonous asphalt road through a pine woods. In the
distance I could hear Pocahontas singing "Just Around the Riverbend". Nice!
As I got closer, I could see a pleasant set of Pocahontas characters set up
along the side of the road and, HEY! What the hell is that funky smell?!
As I got closer to the source of the music the smell got stronger and
stronger. Just around the riverbend? Which river? ( even though I am from
Long Island I will not stoop to making a cheap New Jersey joke here-wait,
too late, I just did). Was it a sewage treatment plant that is not usually
shared with Disney paying guests? And then it hit me-ANIMALS. Big ones.
Lots of them. Whew! Glad to get past that.
The rest of Animal Kingdom was great! Sound system blaring, "Walking the
Dinosaur" as we passed through Dinoland. Near the Oasis high-fived King
Louie and Baloo from Jungle Book. I greeted them by name. A guy running
next to me said, "hey, they have names? I thought it was just a couple of
freakin' Disney bears." Amateurs.
Got my picture taken with one of the monkeys from the Lion King show and
then came the highlight of the run. My wife and 3 young boys-7 yrs, 5 yrs
and 1 yr-were at the exit to Animal Kingdom (Mile 17). I hadn't expected
them to get up so early and had even mildly discouraged my wife from
dragging them out of bed especially since my wife and the two oldest had
been smacked by the flu over the previous week and they were still
recovering. Anyway, by mile 14-15 I was thinking how nice it would be to
see them. And there they were. God, I love them!
Left Animal Kingdom and girded myself for what I knew from you Disney Deads
was the Horse Latitudes of the course-the dreaded stretch to Disney Studios
with the pointless appendix down to the Wide World of Sports. "Exhilaration
at Every Mile!" Except miles 17-23. Miles 19-23 averaged a swift 8:31.
But at least Disney was trying. As I climbed the bridge around mile 19 I
could hear a frenzied crowd screaming encouragement (in English and Spanish)
to us runners. I could see a gathering of spectators at the top of the
bridge. But something was wrong with the picture. Then I noticed-the
people weren't cheering. The sound system was. GREAT! How Disney! It was
simulated exhilaration (to paraphrase Firesign Theatre). But I've got to
admit-it got me pumped up just the same. It also gave me a good laugh,
which was much needed just then. Re-re adjusted the goal to 3:50 at this
point.
By now my breathing had shifted back into aerobic mode, which for me is one
breath every two steps to a slowed down version of Buddy Holly's "Every Day"
or a slightly speeded up version of the Cranberries "Zombie" (thanks to
someone on this site for recommending that one-Tom Laux?-it is a great
running song for me even though the theme of the song is a bummer). My
cardiovascular system was doing great but my legs were behaving in a very
treacherous manner. As I pulled into Disney Studios around the back of the
Hollywood Hotel (Tower of Terror) Mister left hamstring, who had been
whispering "cramping, cramping" for the past few miles decided to shout
"hey, hey CRAMP, CRAMP, CRAMP-O-RAMA!! HAHAHA!" I actually had to walk for
about 30 seconds and I told Mister Hammy that he wasn't going to screw up my
day and I would just get a crutch or something and I would finish, so there.
Of course, I was bluffing, but the Hamster didn't know that and I stared him
down. Plus, it was right by the Green Army Men. They were shouting "Move
it! Move it! Move it!" Perfect! Only a Bolshevik could have failed to be
moved by their patriotic appeal, and I started to run again.
All downhill from there. We didn't seem to spend much time in Disney
Studios, but by then, that was just fine with me, I just wanted to get it
the hell over with. From the waist up I felt fine, but every muscle, tendon
and bone below that was dissolving. Great crowd support in this part. I
had read here on the Deads list about a Disney guest last year commenting to
his wife about why would anyone put themselves through this so I thought it
was my marathoner's duty to Look Like I Was Enjoying Myself so I grinned my
way through the Boardwalk and it actually made me feel better. Hey, I can
pull off some simulated exhilaration myself!
Mile 24 in 8:55. Mile 25 in 9:02, then the big kick!-mile 26 in 8:24. Had
borrowed a mantra from a friend who ran a 3:30 in NYC last November-"Stay
mentally tough. Stay mentally tough." Worked. I think the curve around
World Showcase in Epcot is one of my favorite places on Earth, but by now, I
just wanted it to be over. Then under the big Golfball and....it WAS over.
I did it. Involuntary blubs (thanks to Andy Coogan for the new word).
3:41:45! Yow!! Yippee! Got my Mickey medal and a mylar sheet and went to
the family reunion tent to hook up with my wonderful family.
Final thoughts about a great race: Organization was spectacular except for
the delayed start. Crowds and Disney cast members great. Weather was
perfect for a fast time-I never felt hot and even felt a chill in my hands
as late as mile 15-16 going down the shady stinky road to Animal Kingdom.
Other good things: I had 4 power gels and a banana and walked through and
drank Powerade at every station except had water at those stations that
followed power gels. (remember that cast-iron stomach) Had a little extra
water at the stops at the end. Consumed in the ballpark of 1200 calories
during the race and much more after. Amazingly, after being in the ozone
for about 5 minutes after the race, I've had surprisingly little muscle
pain, almost no joint pain, and I'm already thinking about my next
marathon-Burlington's Vermont City in May. For this week, though, it's a
delight to not be running. Last night as I walked down New York's Third
Avenue on the way to the subway to my commuter train I felt an icy blast and
thought to myself, 'No 10:30pm 6-miler in the dark tonight!'
Thanks to all on the list. It's been a pleasure meeting you all
cybertronically. Your posts gave me information and motivation.
Run good!
Kevin Barry
