I was thinking as I ran last night about all those on the list who
may be first timers and are just a little anxious about what they are
entering into. Rest assured that this race/run/walk is conquerable
and each and every person on this list is more than capable of
finishing their event; whether it's the half, full or goofy. For many
of us, the ramp up in mileage has started and we are now on our way
to the finish line. For the newbies on the list, every once in a
while you need to sit back, take a deep breath and think about what
you have done to date in your preparation. Likewise, it's always fun
to look forward and think about the reward at the end of the training
tunnel.

In a few weeks many on the list will have completed their first 6
mile training run, if you haven't already. This is a milestone run.
It's just shy of the half way point of the half marathon, and
almost a quarter of the full. I always talk with my training group
after the first 6 mile run and ask them to think if they ever thought
they would move that far voluntarily on foot. It is an accomplishment.

Often as I run, I visualize the course as I run just to divert
attention from the immediate twangs and feedback from the body that
can overwhelm the brain. It's really fun to think about where
you are on the course as you run through your neighborhood or park.
The fist six miles go something like…

As we stretch out on Epcot Drive, voices are heard up at the start
line. I am usually too far back to really understand what is said,
but it is not too hard to make out Mickey's voice of encouragement.
Then, the fireworks go off and the space around you disappears.
Within a short time, we can start walking towards the start line. It
feels dark, but it's not as the portable lights provide an eerie
glow. As we look around folks are bobbing up and down as all gaps
close down and we begin walking to the start line. As we approach the
line we hear this obnoxious and continual chirp as runners pass the
carpet at the start line. The chirping is created by a computer at
the line as it reads the champion chip attached to each runner's
shoe. The computer notes the time your chip crosses the start, finish
and various other points along the course. Since all runners have the
chip, it gives each runner their exact race time, so in theory is
alleviates the need to crowd to the front before the start.

As we approach the line the head bobbing increases and we can see the
start line and runners start to run. As we cross we can start a jog.
For many it's frustrating as they push and run around
others. Just take it easy, there are 26 more miles from here. After
we cross the line we notice that many runners head off to the right
and into the bush for nature breaks. It's almost funny as you look at
the number of folks who run off to the side. Within a quarter mile
the light dims as does the sound and excitement of the start and we
begin to settle into our rhythm It's time to check out the legs,
breathing and overall health as we make our way down Epcot Drive.
You hear your breathing as you focus on getting relaxed and trying to
pull back and not run too fast. Occasionally, you hear others
breathing or feel a nudge as you are passed. You begin to hear watch
alarms sound off as the run/walkers start getting into their pattern
of running and walking. If you are a run/walker, you really focus as
you cannot figure out if the alarm sound is from the person next to
you or your watch.

Mile One passes and you look at clock to make sure you are not too
fast here. After the mile we head to the right as we make the Epcot
Exit. We swing right and make a big freeway style left u-turn and
enter the parking lot. Just ahead are the toll booths. All the lights
are red and volunteers are standing guard at the booths to warn of
the curbing. Again the light seems bright as we pass the booths but
rapidly darkens. This was Mile Two. We follow the parking lot road
just as though we were in a car and visiting the park. Just ahead is
the first water stop. Watch out as runners zoom to the water and
PowerAde tables on the side of the course; many stopping others not.
It's confusing but make sure you get the liquid you want and need. At
about mile 2.4 we make a right turn and head up the Tram Road towards
Epcot. Wow, it's a great view as you see Spaceship Earth in the dark
and foggy sky. You focus a bit here as the road is a little narrower.

As the course approaches the Monorail station the crowds pick up.
Excitement builds. We are at about mile 2.75 as course jogs left to
go around the Monorail station then bends right to enter Epcot! Watch
out for the planters before the entrance and for the plywood covering
the turnstile holes as you cross into the park. The lights are
flashing and the feeling is magical as we are now at Spaceship Earth.
The course jogs around to the right and here is the next opportunity
for
a potty break. Beware though; there are hundreds of others with the
same idea. Remember potties are on the left and right of Spaceship
Earth! As we pass the fountain the lights on the Winter Archway seem
to dance. The World Showcase is lit up in all its glory as the course
enters that section of the park. Wow, mile 3 passes. Think about last
July when you started you training and sometimes three miles seemed
like a long distance to cover!

The course heads left towards Mexico! Again bathrooms are to the left
at the Odyssey Building. We pass Mexico and Norway and then a sharp
left as the course heads through the cast member entrance. We are
back stage and everything seems so industrial. If this is your first
time backstage you study hard. Oops, another couple hard lefts
followed by a bend to the right. The course runs under the Test Track
and some years the ride is being tested as we run. A sharp
right follows Test Track and the course runs by a large parking lot
as we pass though the gate and by the guard shack. Watch your footing
at the guard shack a pop up barriers have been installed near the
guard shacks and they can be slick. We run along a cast member road.
To the left is a nondescript road that looks a little familiar. It's
the road runners walked down from the parking lot to the start
earlier in the morning. Just ahead are several porta potties again.
The course turns left and heads down an exit ramp onto Epcot Drive
again. This time though we run on the south bound lanes not the north
bound like the start. Just after getting on Epcot Drive, Mile Four
passes!

The course makes its way north along Epcot Drive basically running
against what would be the normal traffic flow. A water station is
just past the four mile mark. Also, a spectator observation area is
located in the area. After all this, try to avoid the far left; or at
least be aware that the left lanes coming onto Epcot drive from the
parking lot disappear. As I recall there are 3 of these lane
shifts if you are a left road runner. Between the second and third
lane shift, Mile Five passes. After the third shift a hill (overpass)
is in your immediate future. Note that the course gets
narrow here and you may be forced to slow! The course was three lanes
and necks down to only one lane. Unless you are Boston bound, don't
worry and just go with the flow. After the overpass,
it's down hill, but not much as the next overpass waits. The first
overpass carries the course over the Epcot Entrance road that we ran
along earlier. The second overpass takes us over World Drive. As we
approach the top of the World Drive overpass, we notice several
runners along the right side of the bridge. Take a look and a picture
if you want. You will see runners running the entire width of the
road off into the horizon. As we pass World Drive, we pass
Mile 6.

Recall, we were just passing over World Drive after running the first
six miles. As we looked over the side of the bridge, runners were
across the southbound lanes of World hading off into the horizon. As
we hit the downhill section of the overpass we make a giant left hand
turn. The turn is a 270 degree turn, freeway style. The road remains
one lane as we run through this turn. Water stops are located in this
section of the road, so heads up. The course takes us onto World
Drive and we begin to head north as we pass under the overpass we
just ran across. The road is now three lanes, flat and wide open.
It's finally light and the run takes on a whole new purpose. No more
wondering what's off to the side of the road or worrying about road
irregularities that are not easily seen in the dark. In trade for
seeing our surroundings, some of the surreal magic created by
lighting, fog and the dark has left us now. From here on, it's the
cold reality of running 26.2 miles step by step by step. On our right
are the northbound lanes of World Drive and folks who are hurrying to
get to their character breakfast appointments.
Up on the right is a set of palm trees between the roads. They are
surrounded by a fake `beach.' The sand seems fluffy and white. It's
funny; I never noticed these trees as I drive up World Drive in a car
or bus. We pass Mile Seven. Two more fake beaches await you as we run
up World. About this time you see the monorail track on the far right
side of the road. If it's foggy, all you hear is the gentle swoosh as
the trains pass. Occasionally, a monorail engineer will
honk as they drive by.

As we continue up World Drive we notice that there is a bend in the
road. At around Mile 7.5 the course veers left. To the right, we
notice the entrance toll booths to the Magic Kingdom Parking Lot.
Woohoo we've made it to the Magic Kingdom, oops, we're not there, yet
so slow down. As the course takes its left bend we notice the Hess
Auto Center on the left (was Exxon). Along this stretch is the next
water station as is a Med Tent. Just ahead the road veers right. To
the right is the Richard Petty Driving Experience Track. We are
running just outside the back straight of the track. We pass Mile
Eight as we hit the track. The course enters the Magic Kingdom
parking lot and we run along the far left side of the parking lot.
As we approach a drainage area that separates sections of the parking
lot, we make a sharp right and follow the drainage area to the
parking lot's tram roads. As we hit the tram road, we make a left and
follow the tram road to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC).
Just before the TTC, there is an underpass under Seven Seas Drive.
It's short and not too steep, but it's the first real change in
elevation over the last three miles. The TTC is mile Nine.

The crowds pick up as we get close to the TTC. Note that the parking
lot has felt wide open as we run through the lot and as we approach
the TTC, the course necks down again as we pass between the monorail
station and the administration building. It's a short jaunt through
this area with people stacked up on the monorail ramps cheering.
Then the course opens again and it feels quiet. We follow a tram road
known as Dairy Lane or Topiary Lane north from the TTC. This
section of the course is open, yet the trees feel as though they are
getting closer. If you look up and over the trees to the left (10
o'clock position as you run) you may see Space Mountain. Looking hard
left is Seven Seas Lagoon. We hit World Drive at about Mile 9.5. It
feels a little tight as it is one lane with tall traffic cones
separating the runners from auto traffic. About a quarter mile later
a surprise comes for those who have never run the course before. We
run under the Seven Seas Lagoon. Again, we wake up the quads as we
head down and then dig deep as we climb out of the tunnel or
underpass. If you are on the slower end of the race, you may need
to be ready to stop as those in front of you begin walking on the up
slope. You may want to try the sidewalk to the left side of the road,
but it may be blocked with spectators. The entire underpass is less
than a 0.2 miles. As we climb out of the underpass, Space Mountain is
larger and to the right you can see the landscaping for the
Contemporary Resort. We continue up World for anther quarter mile
where we hit Mile Ten. We make a sharp left turn off World onto a
Cast Member parking road.

From here the excitement builds. Above and to the left is the
monorail. You can see guests peering out the windows wondering what
is going on. Through a hedge on the left you can see where the resort
busses normally run, but it's eerily quiet as busses are not running
due to the marathon. We pass through a guard station at Mile 10.2 and
just ahead make a right through a short tunnel. As we exit the
tunnel, we find ourselves in a cast member parking lot. We make
a left and head towards the faint sound of music. On the left we may
see the wait staff from Tony's having a preopening meeting and
cheering us on. Then......we pass through a cast member gate and
there is instant crowd, noise and confusion! We have just hit Main
Street! Take it in folks as this is the stretch of land we have
paid dearly
for during the months of training. Look out as you pass the
haberdashery. There is usually a character there with several runners
taking pictures. It's a sharp right then we are running
north up Main towards Cinderella Castle. The crowds are to the left
and thick. The noises are tremendous and listen; you will hear one of
your favorite Disney songs playing in the back ground. My favorite
run down Main was my first. I still get goose bumps as I think about
the crowds and hearing "When you Wish Upon a Star". We soon near the
end of Main. As we get to the circle in front of the castle, we make
a right and head towards Tomorrowland. We cross the
bridge remembering to smile as this is an official photo spot for the
race. Up ahead, Stitch's Great Escape is on the left and Buzz
Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin is on the right. A crowd is just ahead
as Buzz is out taking photos. As we pass Stitch's place, we turn left
and head around to FantasyLand. To our right is the Indy Speedway.
Bathrooms are up on the left and the Mad Tea Party ride is ahead and
on the right. Cast members are posted along the way making sure we
stay on course and cheering as we pass. Again, we bend to the left
and see Dumbo's Flying Elephants just ahead. This is followed by
Cinderella's Golden Carrousel ahead. As we near the
carrousel, we turn left and head for Cinderella Castle. Wow, what a
site. Several runners get a little weepy as they pass through the
castle. As we exit the castle, it's a whole new world. We have left
the quiet pitter patter of the pre-opened park to the noise and
excitement of Main Street just past the Cinderella Stage. As we exit
the Castle, it's a quick right then left and down a slight slope.
Then a hard right as we head to Liberty Square along the parade
route. The crowds are now behind us and its Cast Members and runners
once again. From Liberty Square its Frontierland where we see Tom
Sawyer Island on the right as well as the Haunted Mansion. To the
left is the Country Bear Jamboree. It's cool to see all the cast
members in their dress as we pass. Oh, we just clicked off another
mile. We have run eleven miles!

We continue on the parade route as our stay in the Magic Kingdom
draws to a close. To our right is Splash Mountain and the left is
Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Café. We start up the backstage ramp making a
left followed by a right. Whoa, there are train tracks here and a
train setting just shy of the crossing. Wave at Joe as you cross the
tracks. He's one of the engineer's who operate the trains at WDW.
After the tracks we run a short straight and make a hard right. We
enter an industrial like setting as we trek through Back Stage Magic
Kingdom again. To our left are the parade floats and several cast
member milling about. Just ahead is the next water stop. Remember to
hydrate. After the water stop, we make a sharp left and cross over a
steel grate bridge. Disney usually has a carpet on the far right side
of the bridge. Take care here and you'll do fine here. Another short
straight and we make a left on Floridian Way. The first thing we
notice out here is the quiet. Again, it's a pitter patter of feet,
talking of runners and nothing but quiet. For a many runners, the
next 2-3 miles is tough. We just ran through the Magic Kingdom where
we experienced the highs of Main Street and Cinderella Castle and
have now entered the quiet zone. Emotions let down and many runners
begin to suffer here.

We run on Floridian Way until mile 13. As we get onto the road at
around Mile 11.5 it seems quiet. We know; however, that everyone else
is feeling the same so we start to enter into chats with runners who
are near us. We talk about anything other than the playoff game
that's coming on TV later this afternoon. Invariably, folks from
opposing teams are on either side and we do not want to expend the
energy to referee a fight. The Grand Floridian Resort came up before
we know it. At around Mile 12.3 we notice that the crowd picks up
just a little. It's good to see folks on the side of the road once
again. If you are careful, you get to see a guest of two in the
background who do not really understand why they must be
inconvenienced by all the runners. On the right side of the road we
now see Disney's Magnolia Golf Course. A few golfers are out making
their way around the course. The crowds diminish again for a short
section. Around Mile 12.7 we near the Polynesian Resort on the left
side of the road. The crowd is full once again and continues for a
quarter mile. We pass the intersection of Floridian Way & Seven Seas
Drive. The Magic Kingdom parking lot is on the left as we pass Seven
Seas. The road splits into two paths at the parking lot and we take
the path marked by the cones. The Disney Pines Golf Course is on the
right. We pass Mile 13.

 

For many runners, Miles 13-21 are killers at Disney as the course
follows roads that are back roads and the only crowd support around
comes from course workers, charity coaches, fellow runners and music
Disney provides around the water stops. Just know that the distance
is not insurmountable as you have done these distances in training.
Take with you a survival game plan as you enter this zone of the
race. It may be a list of those who doubted you would be here today;
checking off one name per mile. Or, make a metal note of times you
may have suffered during training and recall on race day how you
survived those days. You can strike up a conversation with fellow
runners. Bring an iPod and jam. In any case, Smile, Breathe Deep,
Exhale, Shrug your shoulders to Relax and kick back and find your
zone...

We've made Mile 13. Can you believe that the race is not even near
half over? In marathons, the second half starts around Mile 20, so we
have 7 more miles before we hit the half way point.

Now that we are at Mile 13, the Polynesian Resort is just behind us,
to our right is the Disney Pines Golf Course and to our left is the
Magic Kingdom Parking Lot. We are running south down Floridian Way
and feeling fine. If you are less speed challenged, you can look to
the left at about Mile 13.2 and see slower runners still making their
way into the Magic Kingdom Parking Lot. For us more speed challenged
folks, we saw the speedy runners earlier as we entered the parking
lot at around Mile 8.3. We are separated by a 50 yd wide median.

At about Mile 13.5 we make a right turn onto Bear Island Road.
Standing on the corner we may see the `old hag' version of the Wicked
Queen from Snow White offering her poisoned apple. This
is................ the corner of doom. In past years, if you didn't
turn off at the half, this corner signified the point where easily
quitting the race was no longer an option. A water and food stop is
located just past the corner. Traditionally, Disney hands out orange
slices and bananas here. As we trek on down Bear Island Road we are
headed down a slight incline as we work our way into the forest. The
golf course remains to our right and is separated from the road by a
white fence. About a quarter of a mile into the road, we pass a small
creek and start back up a slight incline. Don't worry about the hills
here as they are almost imperceptible. The total elevation change for
the race is less than 60 feet. Mile 14 passes and we have another
water stop. From here on out, the race will have water and PowerAde
at about one mile intervals. Somewhere around mile 14.3 we pass the
greens-keepers building on the right. We finally pass the last hole
of the golf course and are now surrounded by woods. In the past,
Disney has tried to spice up this section of the run. The most
notable attempt was about 3 years ago when they placed rather
rude "Burma Shave" style signs along the course. The signs read
things like, "Bet you wish you were in
bed", Go ahead, quit now!", and "Abandon Hope." I am sure they were
funny to some one, but the consensus between runners was that they
were a little edgy. At mile 14.6 we make a left turn and head back
into a creek area. The next water stop is just ahead. Many water
stops are themed. In desolate areas, such as this stretch, music is
broadcast at the water stops. This stop seems to always play "Just
across the River Bend" from Pocahontas. Most runners don't
get it, but we have just made a bend in the road, crossed a creek and
there is another bend just ahead. A right turn is ahead. Just after
the bend we hit Mile 15.

As we look to the left, the WDW Waste Water treatment plant is
plainly visible. Hope that the wind turns from the north as you pass
the plant. It really doesn't stink, but after 15 miles, it is a
noticeable smell and one that you really do not want to deal with. We
get a nice tour of the north side of the plant as the road makes a
couple left hand bends, hugging the northern edge of the plant.
Finally, around Mile 15.4, we turn right and move away from the waste
water plant. Whew.

A quarter mile after leaving the plant, we enter a cleared area.
It's nice to see open views once again. On the right is Recycle Way.
This road leads to a giant recycling plant that Disney operates. Just
after Recycle Way, we make a left hand bend followed by a right hand
bend. Keep your eyes right as we are passing the Disney nursery.
There are rows of plants and greenhouses. As we continue to pass the
nursery, we find the entrance drive. Usually, the entrance is
surrounded by topiaries. It's a cool thing to see and use to pull
your attention from the road as we run by. We pass Mile 16. The stop
at Mile 16 is a food and water stop. Cliff Shots is the foodstuff
handed out here. We want to tell the volunteers thanks here as
someone has taken time to rip the tops off the gels. Can you imagine
how tired those folks will be tomorrow!

The next couple miles are really a guess as Disney continues to add
rides and features to the Animal Kingdom and as such the course
continues to change. The seventeenth mile begins as we enter the back
stage areas associated with Animal Kingdom. The backstage buildings
are newer looking buildings having a farm and ranch appeal I guess
due to the veterinarian influence. We make a sharp left onto Savannah
Circle followed by a sharp right onto Conservation Way
and we have entered the park.

We are in the area where the Wildlife Express Train takes guests out
to Conservation Station. We cross a set of tracks and are running
south on Conservation Way, a service road that runs into Animal
Kingdom. Once again we run over a set of tracks and we make a left
turn towards a cast member gate. Swoosh we enter into the park. This
is the first park most of us will enter while the park is open.
Guests are rather thin in the Animal Kingdom as we are in the back of
the park and most early arriving folks move towards the Africa
section of the park. We enter the park and make a left turn running
on the clay red pathways. Immediately on entering the park, we pass a
set of bathrooms. In front and to the right is the Tree of Life. We
are running along the path that is on the north side of the Discovery
River. The attraction in this area of the park is Flights of Wonder.
Our course takes us east towards Asia. The few guests in the park
look at us like we are freaks. It's funny to see their faces as they
are really confused. Maybe I should say, either they look confused or
we are suffering from glycogen depletion. Anyway, the park guests are
a welcomed sight and a few will applaud as we pass. In the Animal
Kingdom looking down at the pathways is a little confusing. The edges
of the paths are rough and irregular looking, simulating a dirt or
clay pathway. Bird and small animal foot prints are embossed in the
pathways. It's difficult to not have the visual affects make you
tense up. Do not worry as the paths are wide enough to avoid the
rough looking edges and the foot prints do not affect footing. Take a
deep breath in and enjoy the busy feeling of the park.

We pass into Asia running east and find the Kali River Rapids on our
left. Of it's a hot day, it could be fun to take a break on the ride.
However, we pass the ride and veer right down the pathway
continuing our run along the Discovery River. Just ahead is the
newest mountain in Florida. It's the new home for Expedition Everest.
The course takes us past Everest soon followed by a right
turn and a crossing of the river. A slight hill takes us over the
bridge and then down to the other side of the river. We pass Tarzan
Rocks and enter Dinoland. We have now run 17 miles. From Tarzan
Rocks, we veer left and run across the front of Fossil Fun Games and
Chester's and Hester's. We are generally headed for
Restaurantosaurus (Mickey D's) and the front of Dinoland. We cross
the pathway headed for Dinosaur and takes a cast member exit
backstage. We are back on a road labeled Restaurantosaurus Road
headed east and run behind Dinosaur on our left. Usually, there is a
great heavy percussion band located back here. It's a great pick-me-
up hearing the percussion as we pass. Savannah Circle makes a right
bend as we head for the front gate. We hit Savannah Circle and
follow the road to the parking lot. A water stop is located at this
intersection. A lake is on our left and trees camouflaging the
backstage area are on our right. We pass the cast member gate and
make a right into the parking lot; turning right to follow the
sidewalk which encircles the perimeter of the parking lot. We follow
this sidewalk towards the Animal Kingdom entrance plaza just as
though we had parked in the parking lot and are entering the park.
We are now outside the front gate and follow the sidewalk towards the
bus stops. As we near the bus stops, the sidewalk has a fork and we
veer left, following the path into the west parking areas. Mile 18
is here along with a med tent.

The course treks west along the northern edge of the parking area and
turns left following the parking lot exit roads. We follow these exit
roads as we pass under the parking lot entrance overpass as we make
our way onto Osceola Parkway at about mile 18.5. Osceola is divided
by traffic cones allowing auto traffic to head east in the right lane
while we have the left lane and shoulder. The next two miles are some
of the more troubling miles for many runners. It's straight, it's
concrete and it can be hot. In addition, two overpasses are in our
immediate future. But the thing that creates the most issue is that
we eventually pass Mile 20 out here on Osceola. As we get into the
rhythm of Osceola, we have a water stop. In just another quarter
mile, we hit Mile 19.

Just after Mile 19, we begin the hill for the W. Buena Vista
overpass. The legs complain just a bit as we are forced to change our
stride to work up the hill. It is the first significant change of
elevation in the last 9 miles, so it might not feel good. To our
right as we pass over the overpass is a very large Mc Donald's and
the All Star Resorts. To the left is the Blizzard Beach Water Park.
One year, before 1998, the marathon took us through Blizzard Beach.
They actually produced a snow storm for the marathoners but I
digress. The top of the overpass is about mile 19.5. From here, it's
a short down hill run and a food and water stop in about an eighth of
a mile. Whew, flat roads again, at least for a few moments. We are
running east into the sun and the concrete is
beginning to reflect the sun back on us. Make a note to have sun
screen on the face in the early morning as you are getting ready,
unless you want a red face in the finish photos. Before you know it,
we have hit the next hill. Actually, I really do not remember much
flat as we run between the two overpasses. This overpass seems a
little crueler as we have not fully recovered from the last hill.
This overpass takes us over World Drive. Again, it's a small downhill
slope after we pass World. As we hit land after the overpass we make
a left right turn moving from the east bound lanes of Osceola Parkway
to the west bound lanes. The course makes a half mile out and back
loop separated by traffic cones. As we clear the overpass it's Mile
20 and water. Folks, we have made Mile 20, the half way point of the
race! Only 10k left from here. Get used to hearing how much further
you have left, everyone on the side of the road will tell you that
you are almost there. We run approximately a half mile further east
and make a u-turn across the median to the west bound lanes of
Osceola. Lookout for the timing mat here and make sure that you cross
it. We are now heading west again. Mile 21 along with its water table
is just before we hit World Drive exit.

OK gang, we have made it to Mile 21!

MILES 21-26.2!
Recall that we have traveled 21 miles since 6 am this morning and
are now running west along Osceola Parkway headed for the World
Drive exit. For some, it is 8 am, but for the vast majority of
runners, it's after 10. We run east as we pass Mile 21 and the
course takes the World Drive exit. Truly, in my honest and very
humble opinion, the next quarter mile is one of the tougher sections
of the course. Many may take issue with me, but my ankles tend to
tighten up with the miles and the ankle's side to side flexibility
diminishes. As we exit onto World Drive we climb up an overpass on
a roadway designed for speed. Therefore, the roadway slopes from
left to right. The roadway also climbs to get over the Disney
Studio's World Drive Parking Lot entrance. The road right of way is
narrow; therefore, there is limited non-paved area on either side of
the road. As a result, there is little or no flat spot to run
during the turn. The only spot I have ever found takes you to the
left side of the roadway on the very edge of the paving. This is
the long way around the bend as it is on the outer radius of the
turn so it's not intuitive to run over there. The incline is short
in duration and then the course has a very slight decline as we
angle onto the far right lane of World Drive. This half mile
section is usually nice as the trees block the sun and the shade is
refreshing. We trek north along World Drive, taking the next exit
and climb the exit to Lake Buena Vista Drive. We have just past
Mile 22. The course makes a right onto Lake Buena Vista and runs to
the first light. The Hess service station is to the left as we make
our turn. We are entering the Disney Studios through the cast
member entrance. Look for a man holding his Mickey Medal standing
along the course as you approach the light. This is Don G. who used
to work at the studios before they closed the animation department.
He is (could be was) a traditional sight as we run by. His soft
words of encouragement are always comforting.

As we enter the cast member entrance to the park on Cypress, we make
a right then a left bend. Water and food are located here along
this stretch of course. Candy is the order of the day at this
stop. Sprees have been my favorite candy offered. They are
packaged in plastic, are hard and last for a few moments after
popping them into your mouth. Most importantly, they are quick
fuel. This water stop is located at Mile 23. That means you have
5K or 3.2 miles to go! OK, I'll give you the tenth of a mile.
Folks, Let me be the first to congratulate you! With all the
training you have done to get to this point, you can surely run a
measly 5K! There are several warehouse looking buildings as we
make are way through the backstage area. Listen closely as you
first enter the park and you can hear the screams from the Tower of
Terror. The next large building to the left is the Rock and Roller
Coaster. We make our way onto Theater of the Stars and then onto
Stage Lane. Here, we trek along some of the roads seen from the
Backstage Tour Ride. Last year we took the tunnel through the
costum sewing area as part of the course

Generally, we follow the path taken by the backstage ride. We enter
the guest area and the Studios near the Lights, Motors, Action Stunt
Show. We make a left turn onto Streets of America and head towards
the north. On our right we find the Muppet Vision 3D. Just a short
jaunt and we make a left turn onto Commissary Lane. The SciFi Drive
In Theater and ABC Commissary are on our left as we run down
Commissary. To the right is the backside of Sounds Dangerous.
Commissary is a short lane and we find ourselves entering the plaza
area in front of The Great Movie Ride. We make a right at the
Sorcerer's Hat and run to the front of the park along Hollywood
Blvd. We have half of Hollywood Blvd for our use as we run towards
the front of the park. Once again, the guests are funny. It's
almost as though some of the guests want to believe that a movie or
a candid camera show is being filmed. Their expressions and actions
can be priceless. However, too soon, we hit the front of the park
and run out through the entrance gates.

As we leave the park we pass the pathway to our left that would take
us to the ferry boats. We continue along the sidewalk as we follow
the pathway to Disney Busses. We continue to follow the side walk
along the canal. The canal is the body of water that runs from the
Disney Studios to the Swan and Dolphin Resorts, further, it enters
into Crescent Lake which is surrounded by the Yacht and Beach Club
Resorts on the north and the Boardwalk Resorts on the south. As we
run along the sidewalk on the eastern edge of the canal, to our left
we can see the canal, ferry boats and the Tower of Terror. To the
right is the parking lot. We continue along the side walk as it
looses elevation bends left and approaches the canal. We are about
15 feet lower than the parking lot and street surfaces as we
approach Lake Buena Vista Drive. The sidewalk seems a little narrow
and lonely as the only folks out here are marathoners. We pass
under Lake Buena Vista Drive. I recall one year that this small
little section under the road was under construction and we ran on a
temporary surface. Coming back out of the tunnel under Lake Buena
Vista, the slope is gradual. It's quiet except for the boats
ferrying people from the resorts to Disney Studios and back.
Occasionally a small Sprite boat will zoom by and wave. Along this
stretch of sidewalk, we pass Mile 24!

Soon we approach the Boardwalk Villas Resort. The resort is tough
to pass as this is home for me during marathon weekend. You can
hear folks around the pool area having fun as we pass the first
section of the resort. The crowds pick up a little as we continue
to make our way towards the Atlantic Dance Hall. Across the
waterway is the Swan Resort and located behind it is the Dolphin
Resort. Finally, we are near the end of the canal. Once we hit the
Atlantic Dance Hall, we keep left and follow the sidewalk around the
northern edge of Crescent Lake. While we are near the Atlantic,
look right and you will see the top of Spaceship Earth. Ahhhh,
home. The sight of the ball increases the energy in our step, but
beware, we don't want to make the finish line kick just yet. We
bend right as we follow the sidewalk lakeside. On our left we pass
the Yacht Club. It seems so near as we pass one of the entrances.
We continue along the resort's courtyard making rights and lefts as
the sidewalk is laid out in right angles. Around mile 24.7 we pass
the sidewalk that separates the Yacht and Beach Club resorts. To
our right is a boat dock for the ferry rides and to the left the
back door entrance to the lobby areas. Also on the left is
Stormalong Bay, the themed pool for the resorts. As we make our way
further ahead Spaceship Earth appears even larger. To the right a
sandy beach separates us from Crescent Lake. Footing feels a little
slick due to the thin coating of sand underfoot. We continue to
make a gentle right bend as we near the end of the Beach Club
resort.

As we near the end of the Beach Club we look over the lake at the
Boardwalk Resort. The ESPN club looms large as it anchors the end
of the shopping section over on the boardwalk. You can see a crowd
of folks gathered as they wait to get tables for this afternoon's
play-off game. After we pass the Beach Club resort it's a short
sidewalk jaunt. We merge with the side walk from the Boardwalk as
it comes down off a hill. There's a short down slope to the
International Entrance to Epcot. The course does not approach the
International Entrance gate, rather we make a left turn and enter a
cast member gate to the far left. We follow a short section of road
known as the UK Access Road, make a right, a left and then a right.
We pass through a cast member entrance into the World Showcase.

Look around, we are in England. Just a short run and we turn right
towards France. Man, I always want to turn left, I know for a fact
that IS the shorter way home. Nevertheless, we turn right and up a
short hill. Then a quick down and a right turn followed another
overpass hill and then a left turn. All of a sudden we are in
France. The course can seem narrow, depending on the number of
guests in the park as we pass. As we pass out of France, we hit
Mile 25. As a frame of reference, it is just another 5 laps around
a track and field track from here. From France, it's a quick jaunt
to Morocco, the United States, Italy and Germany. As we run through
the US area we get the great picture view of Spaceship Earth. It
look's great and from here we know that we are less than a mile from
home. After Germany it's the yet to be developed stretch and then,
argh, another bridge! A quick up then down and we are in China.
From China, we go through Norway and Mexico; dos margaritas, por
favor?

We are running the same course that we ran 18 miles ago. It looks
different as the morning has taken hold and faded the brilliant
colors from earlier in the day. We run to the Showcase Plaza, take
a right and head towards the plaza fountain. We pass the fountain
and the spray from the fountain feels great as we pass under it.
The crowds are thickening as we head towards Spaceship Earth, but
they are relatively thin as compared with some of the crowds seen
earlier. Even so, any support is helpful here. As we near
Spaceship, we have a small incline to tackle. We veer right as we
approach the ball and entering the plaza beneath Spaceship Earth.
The course takes a right turn back stage as we leave the park behind
the entrance shopping area and the animal boarding facility. While
backstage, look for an entertainment surprise. In 2005, a gospel
choir was there singing and adding energy to the final quarter mile
of the run. We cross out into the open make a left, cross a street,
make a right followed by a left then we enter the parking lot. We
are surrounded by nylon construction fencing on both sides. We
really can't see the finish until we make a slight left. Woohoo, we
are in the finish straight. Unlike many city based marathons, we
don't have a block or longer to run…rather, it's only a couple
hundred yards. No matter how late you are, a crowd remains in the
stands on the left as you approach the line. The announcer may call
your name as you come down the cute. Mickey and Minnie are dancing
around the finish line. As you get within the last 100 feet of so,
we MAKE SURE OUR NUMBER IS VISIBLE. We straighten our posture as
best we can and put on our finish line sprint. (OK, we may be
really wobbly looking and the sprint may well be just a consistent
walk, but feels like a sprint!) As you come up to the line look
for photographers and SMILE!

After we cross the line there should be a group of folks standing by
who are known as `catchers.' These folks are there just in case
folks get light headed after crossing the line. Just ahead we find
the hardest working folks in the finish line area, the ones who
remove the chip from you shoe. Make sure that you used the zip-tie
Disney provided and they will be happy to remove it for you. After
we clear the chip removers, its time to celebrate first, the medal.
This moment is one of the more private moments you get to share and
it's with a total stranger. The medal seems so heavy as it is
placed around your neck. Next, we move to the Mylar blankets.
These are probably not really needed, but you will be surprised of
the chill we may feel if a breeze comes up. From the blankets we
proceed to the photo stand where we pose for our medal photos and
then we finally get to the food table. Make sure to grab what you
want or need as you pass. We get to pick from bottled water and
PowerAde, oranges, bananas and usually a selection of packaged
muffins, etc. As we get out of the food area, we can go left to the
baggage check area. We find our dry socks, shoes and shirt that we
packed early this morning and slip into them. If needed, the large
finish line med tent is on the right. Further down the line we find
the massage tents and finally, the family reunion tents. Make sure
to go by the tent you promised your spouse you would go to after the
race. It's not good to leave the spouse in the tent while you make
your way to the busses. (Experience knows)

Ahhhhh, the bus ride back to the resort. If you are staying in an
Epcot Resort and want to burn a park pass, you can walk back to your
room from the finish line by walking back through Epcot. It will
take a park ticket to enter, but it's a good way to start loosening
the muscles. If you are staying on a monorail resort, it's also a
short walk to the monorail station. You will need to switch lines
at the TTC and you will get to experience the start of the "I hate
to go down hill" syndrome. The ramps will make your quads scream
after you have cooled off a little. For those who drove. The
parking area is also close. The rest of us get to walk out to the
busses. The busses used are all rentals from Mears. They could be
Disney Cruise Line buses or any other name. They will be lined out
according to resort routes, so look for the signs. Entering the bus
can be a little precarious; though not all that bad. Setting in the
seats can also be a little weird as this will be the first time you
have not been moving since 5 this morning. However, the real treat
waits as you finally get to your resort stop. You stand up in the
aisle and you legs feel a little crampy. You waddle down to the
front of the bus and no matter how hard you try; you can't seem to
force your leg to bend to allow you to walk down the stairs. Not to
worry, try it a couple times and if you can't get it, turn around
and back down. If folks laugh, show them you medal as chances are
they will not ever understand.

From here it's a shower and nap. If you are lucky to be staying in
a DVC resort, it's could be a soak in a Jacuzzi tub. Make sure to
eat a good recovery meal within an hour or so of completing your
race and also remember to stretch. One of the best things about
Disney is that the parks provide a great recovery tool. Where else
can you get out and walk to keep the legs loose, brag about the
trials of achieving your medal, have captivated audiences who you
know are thinking, "if they can do it, I bet I can!" It's fun to
meander around the parks taking in all the sights and accepting the
glory.

I hope that you have enjoyed this. It has been fun rethinking all
the spots along the course. I may not have captured all the spots
correctly as I quite frankly I tend to zone out once the day becomes
taxing.