Hi everybody. Finally, here’s my race report.
Short version: I finished and got my Mickey medal. Net time (the only one
that really counts in my opinion): 5:59:57. ‘Official time’: slightly over
6 hours.
Long version…
I started preparing the night before by putting all my stuff out, and just
taking it easy. This included setting the alarm on my cell phone, the alarm
on my pager, the alarm on the room’s clock radio, and finally, arranging for
a Disney automated wakeup call. Then of course, I woke up 5 minutes BEFORE
all mayhem broke loose on all the alarms!
So, I got ready and made it to the bus area at the hotel, where the bus
was only 15 minutes late this year. The bus driver made a wrong turn to get
to the next hotel. I was afraid I’d have to tell him how to get to Epcot.
But we finally got there where I stood around with everyone else for a
couple of hours. I think Mark was right about standing for 2 hours being
tiring. I think next year, I might take one of those cheap foam football
stadium cushions and sit down on it instead of wasting stored glucose by
standing. I needed all of that for later. It was nice seeing all the other
Penguins before the race and taking the group photos was great.
I like Sorcerer Mickey’s antics at the start. Most of the Penguins and I
had a nice close-up view from the back of the ‘red’ pack. It was fun going
through Epcot in the dark, and seeing World Showcase at least a little bit.
During mile #5, I ran with Pam for a while, and we dedicated our mile 5 for
Robin. The rest of the trip to the Magic Kingdom went just fine for me. Too
fine, in fact…. It was nice running down Main Street USA, and my wife got a
nice video of me. But the best highlight of my trip through the Magic
Kingdom was stopping in at a REAL RESTROOM right after Tomorrowland!
Right after going past the Grand Floridian, I really envied the half
marathoners. At that point (about mile 12.5) they were easy to spot. They
were smiling! Soon after the half marathoners peeled off for their finish, I
took an apple from the witch at the food stop. That was fun. Then there was
kind of a long stretch on the back roads to the Animal Kingdom. That’s when
I first spotted the medical patrol on their bicycles. I asked if any of
their bicycles were for rent. One of the guys said he’d been offered
$1000.00 so far. I’d never seen the big Disney power plant/sewage plant, or
whatever it was, so that was interesting. Based on the route as shown on
the race map, I was expecting to see all sorts of exotic wild animals as I
ran past northern part of the Animal Kingdom. But I didn’t see any. Right
before we entered the public areas of the park, I asked the medical patrol
guys where all the animals were. He thought for a moment then replied that
they were all right here running on the road!
Going through the park at the Animal Kingdom was fun, except that after
leaving the Animal Kingdom, we headed into what for me, was the really
boring part of the course. It was just a 4-lane road straight over to the
Sports Complex.
However, it was at this point that just briefly, I stepped into the
Twilight Zone. As I trudged east on the highway, I heard a loud cheering
crowd up ahead. I had enjoyed the enthusiastic and encouraging Disney
employees and volunteers all along the way. I know some people have
complained that the Disney people are paid to be there, but so what? At
least they are REAL people there offering encouragement! That really helped
me along. So, imagine my amazement when I got to a bridge, and discovered
that the “Way to go!” and “You’re looking great!” were coming from
loudspeakers and automated playback equipment. NO live people there at all!
It was bizarre. I just stared at the speakers as I went past. I half
expected Rod Serling to step out from behind one of the speakers and
announce that we had taken a wrong turn and run into the Twilight Zone. So,
Disney has finally taken their audioanimatronics to the ultimate. They’ve
eliminated the animatronics and left just the audio!
It was at this point that I really started getting tired. I mean, REALLY
tired. And it happened fast. I wouldn’t call it ‘the wall’ though because my
arms didn’t each weigh 100 pounds like they did the last time I hit the
wall. But by the time I got to mile 20, I felt like I was DOMF. (dead on my
feet). So, I thought if I just walked for all of mile 20, the part by the
Sports Complex turnaround, I’d be rested up and could do the last 5 miles
strong. BIG mistake! I walked mile 20 in about 16.5 minutes. But then when I
started back into my usual run/walk ratio, at mile 21, I got a real bad
cramp in my left leg right above my knee. I could hardly walk, let alone
run. I was afraid I’d have to hobble in, for all the last 5 miles. But
fortunately, it got better. So, I went back to running/walking, but at a 1/1
ratio. I knew that, coupled with walking that entire mile, it would slow
down my time, but at that point I didn’t care, although my goal of finishing
under 6 hours was in jeopardy. I know now, that walking that mile was a
mistake. I should have just increased the walking breaks and kept running.
Then I probably wouldn’t have cramped up.
Running through MGM was fun, but I think they could have eliminated that
boring turnaround by the Sports Complex, and put in more running through
MGM. Then it was on to the Boardwalk and Beach Club area. I was really
looking forward to running past that area because I’ve run around that
lagoon lots of times on early morning training runs during prior visits to
Disney. But, I was just too tired to enjoy it as much has I’d hoped to.
Then it was into Epcot again. And there, just outside the Rose & Crown,
were Sue and Jerry. They started cheering when they saw me. I was really
glad to see them there. That was a real boost. I wasn’t sure anybody would
still be there when I got there, but there they were. It was great. I had
planned to stop for a minute to chat, but I knew my under 6 hour time, was
really on the line at that point, so I kept plugging on. Right there, my
wife took video of me going through ‘England’. Now… in more than 26 years
of marriage, I have never hit my wife. Not once. But, as I left her behind,
I heard her yell at me to “run faster”. If my 6 hour finish hadn’t been in
doubt, I just might have turned around, gone back, and popped her one! (Just
kidding).
I continued on through Epcot and I knew I’d have to push it to make it
under 6 hours. So, I didn’t enjoy my second trip of the day through Epcot
like I had hoped to. I crossed the finish line with a net time of 5:59:57! I
made my goal by three seconds. I made it a point to walk around a little
after the finish so I didn’t get dizzy like I did last year. That muffin
they gave me tasted fantastic! I met back up with my family and we went back
into Epcot to see if any Penguins were still at the Rose & Crown. Sue and
Jerry were still there! We watched the rest of the race and waited for
others to show up. We had a nice time, made even nicer when Linae showed up
and we got some Guinness. Mr. Guinness and I waited for Pam, but Pam had
gone elsewhere.
Some final thoughts:
I felt relatively good after the race. John Bingham, the Penguin himself,
offered kind words of congratulations in the finishers’ area. That was very
cool! (I only wish SOMEONE would have told me I had my Penguin Brigade
headband on upside down the whole time. I felt very stupid after my daughter
pointed that out as we were walking back into Epcot!) It was a real blast
wearing the Mickey medal around the park and listening to all the comments.
A lot of people seemed genuinely impressed with our efforts at doing the
races. Many expressed amazement when I told them I had been running for 6
hours. Maybe Jeff Galloway was right, when he said we are in an elite group
of people. After training for so long, and getting used to putting in long
distances in training, it is sometimes possible to forget that what we’re
doing really is special.
It was absolutely FANTASTIC meeting the other Penguins at the Pasta
dinner, at 4am before the race started, then running with Sue, Jerry, and
Pam for part of the race, and the fellowship after the race, and then the
Sunday night encounter. What a great group of people you all are!!!
Because I finished a half-hour slower than my first marathon, I learned
some valuable lessons. I attribute that extra half hour directly to the 6
pounds I’ve GAINED since then. I really have to get serious about losing my
last 30 pounds to my weight goal, if I’m ever going to improve. I was
fortunate in that I had NO foot problems, which means I’ve finally found the
perfect pair of shoes for me. I went out today and got a new pair of the
exact same model. No more shopping around for me anymore.
I feel bad about those who couldn’t finish, but most got ‘Donalds’ I
believe. I’m glad about that. So, a hearty congratulation to all who
finished, and also to those who didn’t, but tried hard too. To quote the
audio track from the old version of the Carousel of Progress soundtrack:
“Life is a prize, live every minute”. I think we received a prize just to be
able to participate in this amazing event.
Well, that’s about it. Thanks for reading this, if you’re still here.
Sorry it was so long.
Scott
