Goofy Challenge trip January 2006, Part 1…half marathon

 

Terry Simmering, Andy Sipka and I took the inaugural Goofy’s Race and a half Challenge along with about 3000 others on January 7-8 2006.  Here is my story, I will let Andy and Terry write their own.

Terry and I left St. Louis Friday morning about 7:30 am, after an uneventful flight we arrived to a cool breezy day in Orlando around 11am.  We had made reservations at the Grosvner resort on the Disney property assuming we could use the Disney public transportation system to get around in lieu of renting a car.  This turned out to be not the case.  We booked transportation to the hotel via Mears shuttle service at 30 dollars round trip.  We got to the hotel about 1pm and checked in.  They did not have our room ready till 3, so we checked our luggage at the bellhop and jumped into a cab to go to the expo.  There were no busses going to the expo unless you stayed at one of the official Disney resorts, so the taxi ride cost us 30 dollars round trip. That is…if you have the correct change.  It seems taxi drivers have a shortage of small bills.   The expo was nice, a normal expo, with all the usual booths, race merchandise, and samples.  We stayed about an hour or two, then went back to the hotel. 

We knew we would be up early on Saturday and Sunday so we had an early dinner and went back to the room to prepare our race gear for Saturday.  The race starts at 6am, and the instructions said to leave our warm up gear no later than 5am.  We set the alarm for

3:30am and went to bed.   We both awoke early, not wanting to oversleep, and had some coffee, breakfast, got dressed, gathered our gear and got downstairs by 4.  Once there we were going to hail a cab and share it with some other racers, but we ran into a couple from North Carolina who took us in their rented car to the start.  The weather was clear, breezy and in the low 30’s..brrrrrrrr.  The first sound we heared was from an Army Sergeant character from “Toy Story”…nice way to wake up, brought back flashbacks, lol.  LOTS of people were dropping off their stuff, as did we and donned our garbage bags over long sleeve shirts, gloves and shorts.  We walked to the start and waited 40 minutes for the start of the race.  40 minutes in that weather left us both shivering and very cold.  Finally Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy all came out to start the race. HURRY UP!!!!! I’m Freezing!

Bang!  Fireworks shoot into the sky, flames shoot up from the start banner (warm…nice) and off we go.  Terry and I ran about 2 miles before throwing away our garbage bags, we finally felt our feet about mile 4.  Lots of people out cheering us on, we are running up through the Magic Kingdom and back to Epcot.  The half marathon was supposed to be easy and we did just that.  After going through the Magic Kingdom where we did not have to wait in one single line, we ran through Cindy’s castle (We’re personal friends, lol) and out a side gate to make the return trip to Epcot.  The sun finally came out around mile 8 and although it was still chilly, we finished well.  Running through Epcot we finished the half marathon by racing to the finish.  We finished in 2:03 or so and then had to wait for us to change the orange wrist band that the Goofy people wore for the half marathon to the blue one for the marathon.  That was a clusterf---- as they had the tent stationed right at the finish line where everyone was trying to get through.  We waited about a half hour with just the mylar blanket,  wet clothes, shivering just like two hours before. 

After changing bracelets and seeing an old friend from high school and his wife, we found a bus and headed to a resort where we would have to hail another cab for the ride home (15 bucks).  We got back to the room, cranked the heat, and retired to the hot tub to warm up.

 

Goofy Challenge Part Deux

 

When we left our hero’s, they were warming up from the cold half marathon in the hot tub back at the hotel.  After the hot tub, we showered, and walked a block to Downtown Disney.  This is basically a large shopping center that specializes in everything Disney.  It was still only about 10:30, but we were able to find a place to eat a nice big hot lunch.  This place was called “The Earl of Sandwich” I believe.  Good sandwiches and soup. 

After that it was off to bed for a short nap.  It was about this point that I noticed that my right knee was really getting stiff.  I was kinda concerned, but it did not matter, I had to run anyway. 

We ate at an Italian buffet in the hotel that night.  This was a mistake as you will read later. 

3:30am…..one more time.  We get up, get our warmest clothes on because we knew this time how cold it was out there.  This time we get to the race a bit later…5am, and wait till 5:20 or so before dropping off our gear for the walk out to the starting line.  Terry and I got split up at this time because we were assigned different corrals.  My knee was still very stiff and sore, but I was hoping the 6 advil I took would help.  Another thing we did to stay a bit warmer was to wrap the mylar blankets we got the day before around our legs.

Anyway, just like the day before, Mickey and the other characters all came out to see us off.  10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-BANG!!!!!

Off we go.  I am hobbling along, people passing me left and right.  In a lot of pain, hoping the advil kicks in soon.  This is where the buffet also begins to work.  I had to make 3 stops in the first 8 miles of the marathon.  That’s a lot even for me.  The knee did not loosen up till mile 4 or so, then it was ok the rest of the day. 

The first part of the marathon takes you around through Epcot where they had a spectacular lighted tunnel for us, then up to the Magic Kingdom.  My only purpose that day was to finish, so the beginning miles did not bother me that I was running at about a 4:30 pace.  I had a throw away camera, so was clicking away.  By the time we hit the Magic Kingdom it had gotten light out.  The crowds were outstanding, cheering for everyone and having fun.  I got a picture with Goofy and Pluto and kept on going.  We exited the Magic Kingdom and headed for the Animal Kingdom.  I crossed the half marathon point at 2:13, looked around and did not like what I discovered.  I was not tired, not even really trying.  Ok…time to go.  I picked up the pace, ran through all the water stops, but did take time to take pictures such as me with Tigger and Eore, me with the Monsters inc guys, and anything else that struck my fancy.  I ran through Animal Kingdom, then MGM.  MGM came on us around mile18-19, and by then the sun was out, the temperature was warm, and I was getting tired and sore.   Once we were through MGM, we had about a one mile out and back portion.  I was hoping to see Terry or Andy  there but didn’t.  hmmmmmmmm damn, I bet they are ahead of me.  I picked up the pace as much as I could through the pain and kept chugging.  We finally entered Epcot for the final two miles.  Oh boy……

This is the hardest…keep running, focus, don’t let up.  Around the world we go, at least by Epcot standards, lol.  We cross mile 25 and I see a woman walking with her husband walking along side her. “I’m not going to let you quit!!!”  She wanted to quit a mile from the finish!  I yelled “Don’t let her do it” and kept going.  About 100-200 yards from the finish they had a choir singing…I was hoping it was not angels, lol. 

This is the same finish as the half, so I knew to pour whatever there was left in the tank.  I think I sped up maybe a step or two, lol.  I crossed the finish!!!!!  4:13:something.  2:00 second half, with pictures…not bad.  I’ll take it.  Besides…..

I did it,

I am Goofy HEAR ME ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terry Simmering(on left) and Bert Neal(author)