January 1, 2019

Cross training in the ballroom. Are running and dancing similar sports?

Note: Written in April 2018, forgot to post!

Today, I feel compelled to write about cross training. No, not that cross training. Well, kinda, sorta, not really.

Following the Train Like a Mother HR 101 plan, I run 5 days a week and do 5 min strengthening circuits 5 days a week. There are two built in rest days, although one can be a cross training day – but it cannot involve running or anything cardio that gets your HR over 140 bpm. They suggest yoga, pilates, or some other gentle exercise.

In addition to running, I am a ballroom dancer. I dance, on average, 3-6 hrs/week depending on how many lessons I take and how much social dancing I do. Given my husband and I are currently preparing for a competition in a month, it’s closer to six-ten and sometimes even more hours/week right now. Ballroom dancing IS my cross training.

dancing couple

If you are not a ballroom dancer, or any kind of dancer, you may not realize that ballroom dancing is a work out in and of itself, and usually keeps your heart rate in the fat burning sweet spot. It’s a cardio work out for sure, just try dancing cha cha for 3 minutes straight. In heels! It also takes significant core and leg strength, coordination, and control, which means learning where your weight should be. All while controlling your posture, foot placement, body rhythm, staying in time with the music, arm styling, head position, and remembering to breathe! There are actually many similarities to running in it’s most basic elements.

In preparing for this upcoming competition, I searched for reviews of this particular event, as they are held all over the world 6 or 7 times every year. I found none, other than those carefully published by Arthur Murray, who runs the competition called Dance O Rama. Those were all rah-rah and why you should do it, but absolutely nothing of substance and nothing on pricing.

We will be attending the Boston Area Dance O Rama, which is a Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. It’s our first time attending this style and level of competition, and I wanted to get some insight from those who have experienced an event like this before. Apparently ballroom dancers don’t feel compelled to write reviews of their events like runners write race reviews.

Well that’s about to change!

I find it fascinating that a sport (and it’s called dancesport for a reason) like ballroom dancing is so secretive across the board with the prices, details, and reviews of their competitions. Can you imagine signing up for a race and not knowing how much it will cost or what that money is going to and how it’s broken down when you pay for it? That’s ballroom dancing. At least at Arthur Murray Competitions.

Could you imagine not only having to pay for yourself, but also having to pay for your running coach to stay at the hotel, eat all their meals, and pay not only for your races, but their time as well, yet not have their undivided attention, because every one of their students is paying for their hotel, meals, and time in ballroom dancing about and beyond our own! Oh, and swag is not guaranteed! I don’t even get a flipping T-shirt!

We have no idea what the hotel room actually costs. We have no idea what the meals that are provided actually costs. We don’t know what admission to the social events actually cost. We do know what each dance heat costs, because we asked, and it’s ridiculous when you consider you dance for 60-90 seconds a heat and because you are paying for your teacher to either watch you as an amateur couple, or dance with you as a pro-am couple.

We have no ability to opt out of staying at the hotel or opting out of paying for meals, even if we live 5 miles away. You pay a package price that’s all inclusive, whether you attend the entire event or not. And it’s crazy expensive.

None of that includes all the money spent on lessons preparing for this competition! At least my training runs are “free”, less the cost of the clothes and shoes I wear and my Polar HR watch.

While I love dancing, and I enjoy the energy of a competition or showcase event, as I’ve learned how this process works, I’m fairly certain this will be a one and done Rama for us. I dislike the lack of communication, transparency, and disclosure and it’s an Arthur Murray thing, if not an industry wide thing. We wouldn’t know what we do if we didn’t ask and insist on getting some of this information prior to signing up.

At the end of the day, it’s a business, and as such, it’s about the money they bring in and the potential prestige you can bring them and the studio you dance at, should you do well. And if you inspire more people to go to competitions, they make more money. Sometimes, it feels it’s as if they see you as dollar signs first, dancers second, people third. Perhaps this is not true of all Arthur Murray studios, and I really don’t have much experience with non-Arthur Murray competitions other than to know they are generally much less expensive. It seems to us it’s not at all worth the expense, but we’re told it’s an amazing event socially in addition to the dancing, we did want to experience it with our dance friends and family and now is a good time to do so.

Runners are not like that, of course. Race directors are not like that. At least not in my experience. Maybe the elite world is more like that, but I’m far from an elite runner and I’m certainly nothing but a mediocre middle aged amateur ballroom dancer. I don’t make excuses, it is simply the fact of the matter, and I’m ok with that. I’m way ahead of everyone still sitting on the couch, staring at some sort of screen.

In my experience, there is a plethora of information on races out there from the organizers, and you can usually find plenty of race reviews, especially for the bigger, longer running, and well known races. You know what it costs, and what you get for that price. You are in control of expenses beyond that, no one dictates where you stay, for how long, and how much it costs. If you are paying a coach, it’s highly unlikely that they come with you, and if they do, it’s probably because they are running, too, or they simply want to.

Equipment for running might be expensive in the sense that multiple pairs of running shoes every year, geeky running watches, race entry fees, and all the other gear runners tend to love may add up, but even if you go to a few destination races every year, I’m fairly confident it doesn’t add up to ONE Arthur Murray Dance O Rama competition for the average ballroom dancer! Unless maybe you do Marathon Weekend at Disney in January and stay on property in a Deluxe hotel, and go to the parks for a week with a family of four. 🙂

Oh, and the ballroom competition clothes are also by no means inexpensive! Some of those gorgeous ball-gowns you see high level dancers wear approach $7-10K. Dance shoes are on average $100-200 and you need several pair. Hair and make up adds expense in the hundreds of dollars if it’s professionally done each day. The men can’t wear just dress pants, they need dance pants, and they ain’t cheap either.

Maybe my husband should run with me instead. 🙂

Don’t get me wrong. I love dancing, and I’m fairly invested in it now. I’ve already got the shoes, the make up, the fake hair extensions, several costumes (though not nearly that expensive, but also not that well made), the jewelry, and my husband has everything he needs at this point, too. But this particular competition really got me thinking about the similarities and differences to running.

At the end of the day, it’s great cross training. Like cardio and strength work all in one. And the running kind of ensures I’ll still fit into all those dresses. 🙂

What kind of cross training do you do? Are you a dancer who runs or a runner who dances?

April 29, 2018

Run slower to run faster?

After struggling to find my running mojo after the Dopey Challenge, I did a bit of research on training plans. I needed a change, but what? Did I need a coach? Strength training? Speed work? Did I even want to keep running?

If it ain’t broke…

Except it was broken. I was burnt out and the training I’d been doing for the past several years was not consistent or likely, just not enough, if I was going to continue pursuing half and full marathons.

I’d heard about 80/20 running, or the concept of running less or running more runs at an easy pace, in order to improve race day performance, but many of those books had a lot of science in them and vague guidelines on easy perceived effort. I get and appreciate science, but it still left me to figure out what “easy” was supposed to be. It turns out we suck at identifying what that really means from a physiological standpoint.

In case you were wondering, my former training plan was a modified Galloway run-walk-run plan. I’ve never been able to run very long without stopping to walk, mostly because I’d eventually become dizzy or have chest pressure/cardiac symptoms. I’ve been checked out and given the blessing from a cardiologist to run, but walk more to compensate for a weird blood pressure drop that happens when my heart rate gets too high. Once discovering Galloway, I played with intervals for years.

My downfall, was I had a hard time being consistent. I ran 2-3 short runs a week most of the time, but not always, and one long run. I averaged anywhere from a 10:30-12 min pace depending on conditions and how I felt and the terrain (flat vs. hills). I was also inconsistent in my strength training and foam rolling. Bad Kimmy, bad.

Perceived Exertion is difficulty to perceive!

I’ve learned most runners’ perception of “easy” is not the level of easy we should be running. Like I said before, we suck at it. Because we are the way we are, we have a hard time slowing down deliberately. It freaks us out that we will lose speed and fitness. We also tend to do too many hard workouts and don’t give our bodies the time to recover, nutrition it needs, or strengthening and flexibility it needs to remain injury free.

Time for a change

Enter the Another Mother Runner and the Train Like a Mother podcasts and training plans. OMG, I found my people! My tribe! They refer to themselves as Bad Ass Mother Runners, because they are. Every one of them. Every one of us.

The podcast is fantastic and they are real runners and moms and struggle with the same things we all do. They talk about the challenges of being a mother who is also a runner, who might work full time, who struggles with finding the time to fit in training, who are perhaps older mother runners and now “master” runners with physiological changes that play into our running, who understand the runner’s mindset and who genuinely want to help and see you to succeed. Their topics are timely, fascinating, educational, and presented as if they are friends who are sitting around the living room with you. They even drop the occasional f-bomb, always in perfect context. I laugh, I cry, I nod my head a lot, and I’ve learned quite a bit!

What caught my attention is their heart rate training programs. I stumbled upon a podcast about it and then investigated it further. They have all manner of training programs for all levels of runner. Traditional training programs, heart rate based programs, half-marathon and marathon training programs, nutrition programs, and the list goes on. They also have levels within each style from beginner to hard core I’m gonna BQ plans. Check it out! They literally have a plan for everyone.

The cost is very reasonable to purchase a training plan and the resources it comes with are fantastic.

I decided I’d enroll in the Heart Rate 101 program. It’s an 8 week program designed to be an introduction into learning how to run easy based on keeping your heart rate under 140 beats per minute. With the (or any other) program, you get:

A detailed training plan
Access to training peaks (free) which allows you to sync the info from your running watch and see the plan, make notes, and chart progress
Access to a Facebook group of others in the same program as you are for support and guidance.
Written instruction and links to YouTube videos of all the strength training programs and foam rolling routine. The best part? THEY ONLY TAKE 5 MINUTES and are super effective!
Some “free” gifts like gels, waffle cookies and coupons mailed to you
A weekly newsletter with timely training tips, motivation, encouragement, and resources
The opportunity to learn how to train in such a way that you build strength, cardiovascular endurance, and significantly reduce the risk of injury, and ultimately, be able to run smarter, faster, and easier whatever distance you choose.

I’m currently entering week 6 of the program. I missed most of week 1 as I came down with the flu the day I was supposed to start it and was down for most of that week. It takes several months, realistically, for the physiologic adaptations that HR training can bring, but the rewards are great. I am starting to notice changes already. I’m impressed.

It helps to have some basic equipment, the most important of which is a watch that monitors your HR continuously, accurately, and you can get instant feedback from. I purchased a Polar 400 running watch so I could monitor my heart rate non-stop while running without using a chest strap. For this type of program, being able to measure your HR reliably is key. It also syncs easily with Training peaks. Both programs give you great data at a glance, so you can see your progress, even when you don’t feel like you are making any.

There are less expensive options out there for monitoring HR, Polar has a great reputation and I really wanted to avoid that chest strap.

It also helps to have a set of resistance loops for the strength training, though not required. They are inexpensive. If you wish, there are also exercises for a BOSU ball, but that is not required, either.

What have I learned so far?

It’s really hard to run easy. My perception of easy running had my heart rate well into the 150’s. Keeping it under 140 has required some effort to learn where that sweet spot is. I’m starting to learn where that is without constantly looking at my watch, being wrong, and having to walk to bring it back down.
It has altered my running form and gait for the better! I stand taller and am more mindful of my posture, because I have time to do it. I take shorter strides, and use the correct muscles for moving my body forward. Hence, I feel it in all the right places, not just my angry left calf and right ass, which was from compensation and poor form at the pace I used to run at.
I can run 5 days per week. OMG! It’s not hard! Well, getting up early enough is the hardest part because with my schedule, I have to run before work. I never would have believed I could run this often and feel this good.
I ENJOY RUNNING! Possibly for the first time ever. I don’t dread getting out the door. I’m starting to look forward to it, even though my runs are for time, not distance, and are for sometimes twice as long as I’d normally run during the week.
I’ve lost 5 lb because keeping your HR under 140 keeps it in the fat burning sweet spot. I did not need to lose 5 pounds, so this is actually a problem for me, and means I need to up my nutrition game. Maybe buying new clothes isn’t the worst thing that could happen…
This plan teaches you patience, dedication to the plan, and you have to learn to take your ego out of it and not listen to that voice that tells you to go faster or longer than what the plan prescribes.
I am more mindful when I am running. I’m more aware of my surroundings. I find listening to the podcasts are a great way to pass the time when running and also a great reminder of why I’m doing this.
I can run longer before I have to walk! I ran for 13 minutes without stopping yesterday! That’s never happened!
I need more running clothes or I need to do laundry more often. Running 5 days/week means I need 5 days worth of running outfits appropriate to the weather. Cold and wet weather is more of a challenge for me in that department.

I’m starting to see and feel changes in my body and my running form. I realize how important it is to commit to the strength training and foam rolling, and I need to figure out where to fit it into my day so I don’t forget to do it.

I haven’t been this excited about running in maybe forever. I’m hopeful and optimistic that this training plan will not only alter my attitude toward training, and improve my race performance, but alter my physiology long term, and change my overall habits for the better.

My biggest challenge now, nutrition!

I’ve just registered for the Incredible Heart Rate Marathon Training Plan. You sign up based on your target race date, and it starts 20 weeks before that date. My target race is the Wineglass Marathon on September 30th. My plan starts the 16th of May.

It was $160. In addition to all the perks listed above, the race training plans all come with 15 min of coaching per week via phone, email, and Facebook. That’s invaluable! Plus there is a podcast for each week of the training.

The plan is daunting to look at on paper, but overall, the biggest training weeks are 3.5 hrs plus 20 miles of running, and there are 2 of them. The weekday runs have some caveats, like pick ups, accelerators, and a free run that allow you to play with speed a little bit without the HR limits, but not so much that you risk injury or sabotage the work you’ve done building up to it.

All runs are for time, except the long run, which is for time or distance, whichever you hit first. They provide those parameters as well as the accepted minimum and maximum amount of time those runs should take if you are pressed for time or an over-achiever. More is not better, that is the take home message.

Have you tried a heart rate based program? Would you consider one if you have not tried it before?

I’m looking forward to the journey!

April 29, 2018

Road to Dopey: Race review of The Walt Disney World Half Marathon

This half-marathon was special for me. Not only was it the 3rd race in my first Dopey Challenge, but it was my 20th half-marathon. The WDW Marathon in 2014 was my first ever half-marathon, so it was special for me to return to where it all started.

My alarm went off at 2:15. Everything had been laid out the night before, so I just needed to make my hot tea, grab a snack for breakfast, and put on the many layers before getting my gEAR bag and heading out the door. Trying to be quiet so as not to wake my sister. Although she and my parents were leaving not long after me to get to their ChEAR spots.

Flat Kimmy. ooooooh

The morning, like the previous two mornings, was ridiculously cold by Orlando standards. Temps in the low 30’s with a light breeze. People were dressed in multiple layers of throw away clothes, trash bags, and mylar blankets, huddled together for warmth. The temperature dropped a few degrees just before sunrise. It was COLD!

Today, I was running with Team Shenanigans. We gathered around 4 am ish, took a group photo about 4:30 ish and then headed off to the corrals. Around 26,000 people typically run the WDW half-marathon.

4:30 am, 30 degrees with a wind chill. Everyone had several layers over their costumes!

I was in corral D, but wanted to be near the front of my corral. There were several Team Shenanigan members in the corral with me, and several more one corral back, and even more further back. The general strategy is the faster runners zip ahead and a hold a place in line for character stops until the rest of the team catches up, then everyone jumps in for ONE group picture (no individual photos so as to not hold up the line for other runners), and then everyone is off at their respective paces until the next stop.

The runners on the team who wanted to run for time did so, and we wished them a great race. Unfortunately for me, the group I started out with took off pretty fast and I lost them quickly. I also had to pee really badly, but the line for the port o potties at the first two stops were crazy long. I waited for 5 minutes and the line didn’t move, so I bailed. I ended up running alone for the first mile and a half or so. I was sad, as I thought I’d be running alone, though you are never really alone at a Disney race.

The first exciting thing? A scary Mickey hot air balloon and the Welcome to the Magic Kingdom “toll booth”.

I was able to catch up to a large group of TS runners who started behind me at the Nightmare Before Christmas character stop. From here on in, I ran with a large group of TS. We’d do 2:30 runs and 30 sec walks on average, depending on literal running room, but we stopped a lot for pictures.

Most of us were doing Dopey, and wanted to make sure we didn’t do the half too fast. In order to do that, we stopped at almost every character stop there was and took our time!

At the TTC (about mile 4), my parents were cheering. They had texted me where they were, so I was looking for them. This is key if you have spectators. Make sure you know where THEY are, and make sure they either wear very distinctive clothing (my dad had an orange vest and a big Goofy hat) or a very specific and visible sign you can look for. It’s far easier for you to see them than for them to find you in the crowd.

I ran over to say “hi” and the rest of the team waved to them. I felt fantastic! I was running easy. I was having fun. I was no longer freezing, but I wasn’t really warm yet, either, although I had shed one layer of the many.

A large group of us were running as the Aliens from Toy Story. We might have randomly chanted “oooooooo” more than once en masse while running together. That was entertaining and good silly fun for us.

As we ran by the Contemporary, the course was narrow and crowded. We went single file and walked more so because we had no choice. We were sad the DJ was not on the overpass as had been the case in previous years.

It was shortly after that we realized there was a course change, and it was awesome! We were running into the Magic Kingdom UNDER THE TRAIN STATION! Yippie! Previous years, runners ran through a cast parking lot and through a cast gate to enter Main Street by Tony’s and the Chapeau, across from the Emporium. This year, you entered the park like you would as a guest for the day.

It. Was. Awesome. We stopped for photos. The citizens of Main Street were over the bridge cheering runners on and welcoming them to the MK. It was reminiscent of the welcome show! As we ran under the short tunnel under the train station, you heard the sound that gives runners chills. Main Street USA! The trolley was there with the conductor tooting the horn and waving. Crowds were several people deep on the left with cow bells and clappers and signs welcoming runners to the most Magical Mile of the race.

Then, you rounded the train station hub and there it was. Cinderella’s Castle!

I had hoped to get there early enough to see the icicle lights and I did! My eyes teared up as so many runners do as you make your way down main street. Most slow down and savor it, some fly down to the hub, annoyed with those of us who are taking our time. For what one pays for the race, you should savor it as long as you like!

We hopped onto the sidewalk at the hub by the Castle and took photos. We dilly dallied for quite some time waiting for everyone to catch up and getting a chance to have one of Anita’s famous caramels! Once we were all back together, it was off to Tomorrow Land and OMG, Mike and Sully! OOOOOOOOH. What an epic photo stop that was!

We barely got to a jog and we were in Fantasyland and the “Secret” bathroom. The entire team ran to the bathroom together, it was rather amusing. Then we took our photo by the tea cups and were off. Only to stop again for Sebastian by the Little Mermaid ride!

Then, the second best part of the WDW Half Marathon, we ran through the Castle. As you come down the ramp, if you go to the left, there are several photographers who will take your photo, so the lines move super quick. We did a group photo, and it was awesome.

Then on to Liberty Square and Frontier land, where we found more Toy Story characters, and as you go back stage, Prince Charming and Cinderella with their parade float!

All in all, we spent almost an hour in the Magic Kingdom during the half marathon and it’s only ONE mile of the race! We decided at that point, we needed to get moving, the balloon ladies were closing in! We were tracking them, and they were only about 30 min behind us now.

Cone alley was crowded as always, but the music was fun. We stopped for the Chicken Hat Cheerer by the Poly, and then settled into a more consistent interval pace. I was running longer intervals than I trained for, but we’d also done so much stopping and standing around for pictures, it was an odd experience in that sense.

The miles melted away. Running with a group and having folks to chat with and be silly with certainly makes the time pass more quickly. We’d see different folks along the way, some we’d catch up to, some would catch up to us. I’d run with a group for a while, then drop back to slow down, only to meet up with an new group! I met so many wonderful folks that day!

Then, there she was! Spaceship Earth! I still felt great running up the “hill” of the overpass, though I took it slow. There was great crowd support here. As we entered the park, the volunteers were cheering, and there was literally less than a mile to go. I texted my parents and sister and found out where they were in the finish chute.

One more photo stop by the World Showcase (Stitch) and of course the shot in front of Spaceship Earth, and then it was on to the finish. At mile 13, the Gospel Choir was there and of course there was a short stop to sing and dance and high five them. They are fantastic!

From there, you run out the cast gate and into the finish chute which is set up in the parking lot. I saw my family and we took a photo, I danced a bit, declared I felt great but I feared tomorrow was going to suck, and sprinted off to the finish.

3 hrs and 34 minutes! I PR’d running my longest half marathon ever (by an hour!) but I also PR’d in fun. I had a freaking blast. I felt fantastic. Never in a million years would I have thought I’d have so much fun running a half so slow.

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It was exactly how I should have done it for Dopey, but if I had been on my own, I know I’d have run it too fast. I’m grateful for the support of my family and for the support and camaraderie from my fellow Team Shenanigan members.

We had a ton of fun shenanigating. I was looking forward to the next day, excited to have folks to run with as I conquered what once seemed impossible. A marathon. I was a wee bit concerned, given my legs were tired and I’d not slept nearly enough, but I also knew I had plenty of buffer ahead of the balloon ladies with my corral placement. And the weather was forecast to be a bit warmer, too!

The WDW half marathon, or any half marathon at Disney is a great first half marathon for anyone, and tons of fun for everyone, experienced runner or not. It is an experience though, and one that you should plan on taking in and getting your money’s worth from. This is a destination race, and it’s a different animal than most any other half marathon out there. Proof of time is essential if you don’t want to be in the last corral or two, especially if you run faster than a 14 min pace. Everyone without proof of time will be put in one of the last corrals, no matter what. Cut off for proof of time is typically about 3 months before race day, if you are planning, but check the RunDisney site for your specific race to be sure.

Disney is not the place to run a PR (unless you are in the A corral and that’s your goal) and if you are running for time and don’t care about the experience, it’s not worth the money or the time. You’ll only end up frustrated. Probably more than half the people who run a half marathon at Disney are running their very first distance race, and many people follow the Galloway run-walk-run plan. Unless you are in the first two corrals, you will inevitably be slowed by the crowds, especially at choke points where the course narrows, and people who don’t fully understand race etiquette (like running/walking 3 and 4 people across and not signaling when they go from a run to a walk break).

Have you ever PR’d in fun? If not, this is the place to do it! And you get some sweet bling, too!

April 17, 2018

A 40-something mother’s quest to run… Boston?!

It’s Marathon Monday here in Massachusetts. It’s a state holiday. Technically, it’s Patriot’s Day, but it’s better known for being Marathon Monday. Around here, the Boston Marathon IS a reason for a holiday!

The BAA Boston Marathon is certainly a cause for celebration, whether you are a runner, spectator, or simply a citizen of this state. We are one Boston. Even more so since the finish line bombing 5 years ago. The citizens of Massachusetts celebrate the marathon runners all weekend. They come from all over the country and the world. They get to experience the city and boost the economy in the process. They learn what it means to be Boston Strong on so many levels. This city, and it’s people, are resilient, strong, and absolutely amazing.

I am sitting here transfixed with my eyes glued to the TV watching the marathon stories unfold. Even before I was a runner, from the time I was a little girl, I was glued to the TV on marathon Monday to watch people… run. It sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry, but it’s fascinating.

I’ve always been in awe of people who could run that far and that fast. Maybe because I’ve lived in Massachusetts my entire life and grew up watching this race, it’s become tradition to watch it. I certainly never thought I’d run 5k, let alone a marathon, or even have a genuine interest in watching one on TV. Yet every year, despite my best intentions to work or otherwise, I am sucked into it and seemingly unable to turn away.

What’s the big deal about Boston?

The Boston Marathon really needs no explanation. It’s simply known as running Boston. The blue and yellow logo colors with the famous unicorn is recognized by every marathoner pretty much everywhere, whether they’ve run Boston or not.

It’s a world marathon major, meaning the most elite and famous of marathon runners want to qualify for and run Boston, and they all want to win the race. Probably less for the prize money than for the prestige of winning Boston.

It’s a challenging (hilly with both long downhill and uphill stretches) 26.2 mile course from Hopkinton to Boston, and is world famous, especially the famed “Heartbreak Hill” at mile 20, which comes after a downhill section, making it all the more challenging. She is the 3rd of 3 hills in a row.

Runners from all over the world strive to BQ (time qualify for Boston), and a good number of those who do qualify still don’t make it into the race due to limited field size and the fact it’s wildly popular.

I think most distance runners in New England, if not all over the world, dream of running Boston. It’s more than just running a marathon. Running and finishing the Boston Marathon in the 6 hour time limit is a huge accomplishment, as the course is punishing to the best of runners, let alone those who are back of the packers and running for a cause with their heart on their sleeve. And the time of year makes the weather completely unpredictable, hell, the climate change between the start and finish on any given day of the year can be a spread of 10 degrees easily, and the same is true for the wind. It’s a point to point course, so the logistics of transportation and gear check are more complicated than most races that loop.

What if you are not fast enough to BQ?

If you are like me, and tens of thousands of other runners who may dream of running Boston, and who can’t run fast enough to qualify, or who do, but it wasn’t quite fast enough, you can still experience the race by running for a charity. Though it’s not as simple as you think, and I’m not just talking about the physical training to run Boston.

There are several official charities, all listed on the BAA Boston Marathon website, and each with limited bibs (entries) for runners who commit to fund raising for that charity. In return for their fundraising efforts, they are granted a guaranteed entry to the BAA Boston Marathon and typically also receive coaching, support, and other perks the average runner does not receive, though this varies by charity.

Fundraising commitments are typically $5000-$10,000. As I understand it, the BAA requires all charities to have a minimum $5000 fundraising goal. If you don’t raise the minimum by race day, your credit card is charged for the difference.

It’s a daunting undertaking. Both physically and mentally training for Boston, and managing your fundraising. Many charities have more applicants to run than entries to grant, so you must apply for the honor of running for that charity. Simply wanting to run for a charity is not enough to make it happen.

Why Boston? Why not run a different Marathon in Massachusetts?

While there are several other marathons and many half-marathons in Massachusetts, that have no qualifying requirement, the Boston Marathon course is the most well known, the greatest challenge, and it is also well-loved because it typically has fantastic spectator support along the entire route, not just at the start and finish. Runners need that support, especially on a course like this one.

The course goes through 6 towns and by many homes and businesses and even a few colleges. The Wellesley scream tunnel at Wellesley college is at the half-way point, and has a reputation for energizing runners as they approach the Newton hills with hundreds of students cheering loudly. Then there is the famous Heartbreak Hill at mile 20 that punishes your already exhausted legs and forces you to dig deep physically, emotionally, and mentally to go that last 10K. The spectator support only grows from there on toward the finish.

The race culminates in the two most glorious and famous turns in running. Right on Hereford, left on Boylston, and then the finish line is in sight. The last .2 is like a mirage, so close and yet so far. The cheering on Boylston Street makes every runner feel like they are winning. As it is once they make that turn that they realize they will actually finish and catch that unicorn.

I ran the last mile or so of the Marathon course as part of the BAA 5K on Saturday. I found myself imagining what it must be like to make that turn onto Boylston street and hear the crowd cheer, see that finish line, and catch that coveted Unicorn Medal. It was the first time I’ve ever seriously considered running the Boston Marathon. Of course I was only 2.5 miles into a 5K, so I felt great! Even though I’ve run that race and that course before. Something clicked in me this time, and the crazy leveled up a notch.

That crazy only grew watching the marathon this year.

Inspiration

And Desi Linden just flew into the lead! I’m so excited for her. I hope she can hold it the 4 miles to the finish. How is it I know who she is? Who am I? When did I become a running fan girl?

Now that I’ve been a distance runner for a few years, and have done my first 26.2, I have a much deeper appreciation and understanding of what it takes, not only to train for and run a marathon, but what it takes to win one. Especially in the cold, rainy, and windy conditions the runners have today. And having lived in MA my entire life and watched many a Boston Marathon on TV, I know this course is a beast on a perfect day, let alone on a day with adverse weather conditions.

Then there are the survivors of the finish line bombing 5 years ago, and the families of those who lost their lives, and those who cared for them, all involved in the race in some way now. It warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes. They are running for awareness, to make a difference, because they get to and can, for those who can’t. It’s awe-inspiring. THAT is what is stirring the desire in me to join their ranks. To help make a difference. Not because it’s easy, but because I can.

I’m drawn to the MR8 Foundation. Founded by little Martin Richard’s parents after he lost his life in the marathon bombing and his sister was severely injured. I feel a kinship with them as a fellow bereaved parent. I love Martin’s message of “Peace” and to “Stop hurting people”. He was an old soul ahead of his time and he’s done so much amazing work through his death. Yet I know that is no solace to his parents. I feel compelled to run for team MR8. I feel like I belong there. I want to help their cause. I want to run for peace and kindness and love. That’s my thing. And there’s a little part of me that wonders if Martin and my daughter Meggie ever talk about their parents and siblings and send the strength we need to move our causes forward.

Weather woes

The Boston Marathon is held the 3rd Monday of April each year. April in New England is finicky to say the least. It’s snowed, it’s rained, it’s been cold, it’s been hot and humid, and regardless of the temperature, it’s often windy in Boston, and it’s often a chilly headwind at that, with the wind blowing off the cold Boston harbor water the last few miles of the race. It presents an unpredictability to the race that only adds to the enigma that is the Boston Marathon.

This year, the weather is absolutely horrible. We had snow, sleet, and freezing rain last night. The temperature this morning at the start was in the 30’s with rain and wind, making it feel like it was in the 20’s. The temperature will slowly rise through the afternoon, but the rain and wind will also increase in intensity. The conditions are ridiculously challenging today. Hypothermia is a very real possibility. The elites are much slower than they normally are, the first place male wheelchair finisher was taken to medical upon finishing.

The charity runners have been standing out in the cold and rain for hours before they even started running, and that was just 15 minutes ago at 11:15 am. Hours after the race actually began. Most will be on the course for 5 or 6 hours. It’s a long day to be cold and wet and running.

Stand by…. DESI WINS! I have tears in my eyes. What an amazing victory for her. A U.S. woman, winning her first marathon major, in Boston, where she lost by 2 seconds seven years ago. That’s a lifetime in running. She earned that victory and seeing her joy is what got me. She later said she thought about dropping out. Good thing she didn’t! The resilience of runners is awe inspiring. The American women had a spectacular day, despite, or maybe because of, the weather.

Should I do it?

As a girl who always said she’d never run, and then said she’d never run more than a 5k, and then found herself running a half marathon, and then another, and another, and now I’ve run 20 of them. Then, I did the thing I said I’d never do, I ran a marathon. And now, I’m registered for another this fall. I’m not fast at all, I’d never qualify or even come close to qualifying. But I can run under the time limit.

So I guess it’s not all that surprising, that I’m finding myself thinking maybe I’ll do the thing I said I’d never, ever, EVER do. I’m contemplating running the Boston Marathon for a charity. To be honest, the fundraising commitment scares me more than running the 26.2. I would like to apply to run for team MR8. Would I even be chosen and honored with a bib by that charity? Could I actually raise the required amount of money or would it be the most expensive race I’ve ever run if I don’t? I suppose the earlier I decide the more time I have to fund raise, right? Actually, I have a tremendous pool to draw from and some great ideas to raise the money, so I don’t think it will be that hard. I’ve done much harder things.

Then there are the logistics. Training for Boston means long runs in the horrid New England winter, which as of late, has been super cold and snowy. I really hate running in the cold, though I’ve adapted to it over the past few years. I hate the cold far less than I hate the cold rain! On the upside, I’m finding my running mojo again with a new training regimen and it seems to be working on multiple levels and I intend to follow it all the way through the fall marathon. If I am blessed to run Boston next year, I’ll revisit the training plan in October.

The time training takes for a marathon, especially Boston, means saying no to other things. It means dedicating the beginning of April school vacation week to all things BAA, preparation ,expo, running, recovering.

Then there is figuring out when do I attempt this? Next year seems to make the most sense, given I’ll be more trained than ever as I’m running a marathon on Sept 30th. I could take a short break and then ramp up the marathon training and cross training for Boston. I’d be 49. Bucket list to run Boston before I’m 50? In 2020 I’ll have one child graduating college and the other high school, so I’ll have more time to do this in 2019. The time commitment to the training is really the greatest challenge. I know I could finish in under the 6 hour limit, probably even under 5 hours if I train and am not injured despite the hills.

But the opportunity to catch THE elusive BAA unicorn! It’s suddenly intoxicating. I’ve caught the other 3 BAA unicorns. I’ve run the BAA 5k, 10k and half marathons before. Could I actually earn THE coveted BAA Boston Marathon Unicorn medal? I’ve already done so many things in running I never thought I would or could do. Even though I’m late to the party at almost 50 and only running for less than a decade, why the hell not?

Besides, I kinda like unicorns. They are magical!

April 6, 2018

Why the f*ck do I run, anyway?

I was warned. After Dopey, many runners experience a bit of a wall. All that training. The craziness and exhaustion of the WDW Marathon weekend and Dopey Challenge experience. Coming home to the tundra, with cold, snow, wind, and darkness killing what little running mojo I had left.

And I crashed. Hard.

I took a 2 week planned break, then attempted to re-boot. Several times. Never getting more than 1 or 2 short runs in and very inconsistent long runs of less than 10 miles. I was tired. I was unmotivated. I was no longer enjoying the runs. It was a chore, that took precious time away from the other things I needed to do. Never mind other things I wanted to do. It’s now been 3 months since I ran Dopey and 3 months since I’ve run any more than 10 miles. WTF happened? I had such a base, I was fit, I was svelte, I was TIRED and BURNT OUT. Huh. Go figure.

One day recently, I realized I needed a change. What I was doing wasn’t working for me. Old aches were starting to crop back up. I wasn’t happy. I had no mojo. None.

I searched for new running podcasts. In search of what, I don’t know. Maybe some secret sauce. Someone who could inspire me. Something that would re-set my run-o-meter. Something that would help me get my mojo back. Something that would shake up my current lack of a routine, routine.

Then, I found it. My people. My tribe. Why did I not find them before now?

Enter Another Mother Runner podcast and companion, Train Like a Mother podcast. Browsing the podcast episodes, I started to get cautiously excited. Topics I was interested in! Lots of them!

As I listened, I laughed, I cried, I had mini-epiphanies. And I learned some things and validated other concepts I’d forgotten about or filed away somewhere in the depths of my addled and over-tired, over-worked brain.

These were real people. Mothers. Runners. Running coaches, for real. From all walks of life and circumstances. The running club every mother runner should want to be a part of. Even though my babies are 19 and 16 and I feel a little “old” for them, since most have young kids. But that’s my stupid logical brain talking. We all have the same struggles, finding time for us and our health while mothering, working, homemaking, and being chief parent officer of the household.

They coach, they inspire, they teach, they guide, they love, tough love sometimes, but love, they care, they know their shit. And they freely curse and drop f-bombs like it’s nobody’s business, because sometimes you just have to say WTF (and enunciate the words!) They are like friends, even if they are virtual and only on Facebook and the airwaves. I need runner friends!

One podcast in particular had me in tears by the end. It took me by surprise. I was listening in the car driving home from work. They were talking about goal setting, without actually setting goals. It was really about the question, why do you run?

Why do I run?

Damn. That’s a good, and a loaded, question. The easy answer is because when I began 8 years ago, I desperately needed to exercise and the gym was not an option. The goal at that time was to run a 5K by the time I was 40. Bucket list. I never anticipated ever running further than a 5K for any reason unless I was being chased and my life depended on it. That was the hardest goal to attain literally going from emotionally battered single and bereaved mom on the couch to a 5K. Who the hell was I and what did she do with the real Kimmy?

But now I’ve surpassed that goal, and am in better shape than I’ve probably been in since I rowed crew in college. For the record, that didn’t last long, either. Team sports are not my thing I guess.

But why do I STILL run? What’s my reason now? Is it just because I have for 8 years and I foolishly keep signing up for races? Is it because I want to? Because I feel like I need to? Because I want to?

I had to think about this for a while. It’s really a question that requires introspection. Sure, I run for exercise, but hell, there are lots of ways to exercise. It’s not cheaper than the gym (especially factoring in race fees, travel, gadgets, shoes, etc.), that’s for sure. I ballroom dance, that’s exercise. No, seriously, it is! I’m a physical therapist, I can design my own damn program and follow it, I don’t need a trainer, or videos, or any of that crap. So why running? Especially since I lost my running mojo.

After some thought, and prompting from the podcast, here’s what I arrived at:

I’m type A (shocking, I know). While I don’t think of myself as competitive, I am, but not so much with other people. I’m competitive with myself, or the perception of what I think I should be. Running gives me a way to satisfy that need, except I wasn’t really improving my pace, or quality of running, I was just signing up for races and collecting bling as if it was a check off list. 5K – check. 10K – check. Half-marathon – check. Marathon – check. Crazy race multi-day challenges – check. Now PR them all! Nope… Playing with intervals using the Galloway method, and not really putting much thought into the training. I was in a rut, and just keeping, keeping on without much real thought about it.
Running also gives me the opportunity to satisfy a need to plan, and have goals, and maybe even attain them, be it # days per week, # miles per run/week, pace, race pace, # races, certain specific races, PR’s, etc. In short, if I accomplish those goals, I feel better about myself. I’ve accomplished something in a life where I feel like I am failing in so many other ways.
Running is therapy. While I often dread getting out the door, once I’m out there, I’m happy. The sun on my face, the sounds of nature, feeling the cold, the rain, the wind, the warmth, even the humidity. Seeing the sun rise or set and watching the landscape change through the seasons or even the course of a run, it connects me to nature. It allows me to process, to pound out stress, to feel free. It’s stress relief and therapy all rolled into one.
Solitude. I run alone. I love to run alone. I savor being alone. My job requires me to be “on” all the time and interact with people, even when it’s the last thing I want to do. I love being able to be totally “off”. Sometimes I like to run with others, but then I feel beholden to some sort of artificial focus, or trying to please them, or feeling bad because I’m slower, or do intervals, or am cranky… It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, it’s that I think they don’t enjoy it. But really, when else am I truly alone? Never. The times when I am alone in my house, truly alone, are few and far between. Even then, I’m often doing things for other people. Running is the ONLY thing I do for me, by myself. ALONE!
Control. I am a control freak of sorts. See #1 and #2. I’m also a Virgo. Shocking, isn’t it? Running allows me control. I can control when I go, where I go, who I go with, how fast I go, how long I run. I choose the music, the podcast, or just to listen to the world around me. I have feedback from my running watch on all sorts of metrics I can play with and try to control like my heart rate, interval, mph, distance, etc. Or I can choose to ignore it all and just run free, and that is a good challenge for Type A girl.
Anti-depressant. Endorphins are my friend. They are every runner’s friend. The runner’s high is only part of the anti-depressant effects of running. It alters your brain chemistry, it keeps stress hormones in check, it allows for you to tune in or tune out, whatever you choose. Sunshine, fresh air, and exercise are known natural anti-depressants. I’d rather run than take drugs or supplements, and I need something to keep this peri-menopausal fustercluck of my hormones in check.
To set an example for my kids. I’ve told my kids their mother is a badass. Especially after training for and completing Dopey. They laugh. They don’t see it. They don’t *get* it, because they are not runners. They don’t care. They just think I’m nuts. If I scored the winning goal in the World Cup, then I’d get their attention… So am I running to show them that you can do anything you put your mind to? That hard work and perseverance pay off? That it’s not how fast or far you go, but that you got off the damn couch and went in the first place? I thought that was some sort of gift I could give them, a life lesson they could learn from me and apply to all areas of their lives, but they don’t seem to care or see it. They humor me, but they don’t get it. That kinda makes me sad. I want them to be proud of me. I want them to tell their friends their mother is a badass, in SO many ways, but even in just this one. I am part of the 1% that completed a freaking marathon dammit. Bow to your mother, she is freaking amazing! In this way, running can backfire and throw you into an emotional tizzy. See #6. The cycle is real.
An opportunity to be successful and appreciated. This is a tough one for me to admit, and it kind of surprised me when I arrived at it, but here goes. Say what you will, but I feel like a failure in many aspects of my life, #7 being the tip of the iceberg, really. You can’t help how you feel, even if somewhere in the logical part of your brain you know it’s not really true. Still, I have some pretty big failures that are a huge, heavy, weight I carry in my heart every single day. Some of them are huge and overwhelming at times, and there are days when I’m shocked I’ve turned our as relatively okay as I have. They include:
1. Losing a child to a preventable accident (failed as a mother).
2. A contentious divorce (that seems to haunt me every few years with having to lodge contempt claims that cause prolonged stress -emotional and financial) that means I failed as a wife, failed to advocate for my children enough, and maybe even failed as my own advocate- over and over again.
3. Friendships that were allowed to fall apart because I was too depressed or overwhelmed to pursue them (failed as a friend).
4. Never being truly happy in what I do for work (at least the work I have to do to pay the bills) even though I love helping others and giving. I suffer from compassion fatigue because I’m always “on” at work, and I have a rapidly decreasing tolerance for the corporate bullshit and ever moving line of “we want you to do this, just kidding, now we want you to do this instead.” I hate moving bars and multiple chefs and adults who can’t or won’t adult. There is no “I” in team. *sigh*
5. And the list goes on…

Running, particularly races, gives me a chance to feel like I’ve succeeded at something. There is something in life I have yet to fail. Finishing a race. There is tangible goal – a finish line and usually a time limit to reach it. Sometimes, people even cheer me on, and they don’t know me or what I carry with me across that line, but for that moment, they care about ME! It’s a wonderful, albeit fleeing feeling. Hell, they even give me a medal to prove that I succeeded! I have yet to get a medal for being a wife, mother, friend, or good employee.

Maybe all I really need is validation?

Yeah. So now I’m crying, because I think I hit the nail on the proverbial head. But there it is. For all of you to see. And maybe, these are the real reasons I run. It’s not about exercise or a bucket list of things to do. Although the fitness is a nice bonus, I suppose. At least my ass is nicer than it used to be from all this running. Sassy though it may be.

The thing is, those medals now hang on the wall like a decoration. A silent testament to my accomplishment. And that is all. The drug wears off. Quickly. Now what?

No one cares about those medals and the stories they tell except for me. Most people don’t even know the stories they tell. Part of me is sad for that. Soon to be forgotten, save for my memories of that particular race. Many are just in a box now. They seemed so important at the time, but now? Some I look at them and feel proud of the accomplishment they represent. Others, the feeling of success fades as the runner’s high fades. What do I really want out of these race experiences?

Like a drug addict, I try to find the next thing that will help me feel good about my accomplishment, allow me to escape reality for a day or three, or satisfy any of my other needs. Maybe it’s a pretty medal. Maybe it’s a destination race. Maybe it’s a distance I feel like I need to conquer or do better at. Maybe it’s all just an excuse to avoid the painful realities of my day to day existence?

I’d like to thank Another Mother Runner and particularly the Train Like a Mother episode (AKA The Tony Robbins inspired episode) for sending me down this introspective path. It’s definitely been insightful, and is helping me to better understand where I am in my running journey, how I got here, and start to figure out where I want to go.

Stay tuned for my next blog, when I explain how I was inspired to completely changed my training plan and why. Hint, it’s easier and harder all at the same time!

February 10, 2018

Race Review: The road to Dopey and the Walt Disney World 10K

The Walt Disney World 10K is the second race of The WDW Marathon Weekend and the second race of the Dopey Challenge. In 2018, it was held on Friday, January 5th.

I was running this race with my sister and our parents and aunt were our chEAR support. We decided to do classic Mickey Mouse Club costumes for this one, and our chEAR team also dressed the part! It was a good choice, as it was easy to layer under the costume, as it was freaking COLD!

The alarm sounded at 2:30 am. We had laid out all of the gear we’d be wearing or carrying with us the night before, so we really just had to stumble into our costumes, and head out the door. I did so with hot tea in my hand. That was a lifesaver!

The other lifesaver? The fact we brought throw away layers and extra warm layers and mylar blankets, because it was ridiculously cold for Orlando. The temperature was about 30, but dropped below 30 just before race start and the wind chill was easily in the low 20’s. I kid you not, I had SIX layers on my upper body. SIX. A running tank, a long sleeve compression shirt, a long sleeve thermal running compression turtleneck top, my Mickey Mouse Club T shirt, a down alternative thin vest, and a fleece jacket, plus an ear warmer under my Mickey ears, fleece gloves, hand warmers in my pockets, and a mylar blanket! I also had thermal running tights under my sparkle skirt under my sparkle athletic skirt and throw away fleece pants! It was so cold standing around in the pre-race area and in the corrals for 2 hours, even with all those layers!

Lest I get ahead of myself… we headed to the lobby of Port Orleans Riverside, where we were staying, and got right on the first bus headed to the start village. There was happy chatter among the runners on the bus, many complaining about the cold, and some not prepared for it at all! The energy was high and positive though.

We arrived at the start area around 3:20 and walked from where the bus drops runners off to the start village. We went through a quick security bag check and made our way right to the Minnie Mouse line for a photo with the race mascot herself. I love her. She was so adorable and in perfect character. As was the case every morning, all the race mascots were available for photos, but Minnie was the belle of the ball this day and her line got long fast! We only waited about 10 minutes for her, the line was over 40 min long by the time we got our photo taken. It definitely helps to be on the first bus if you want photos without standing in line forever.

There are plenty of porta potties at the start area and there was a food truck selling coffee and hot cocoa and I think some breakfast snacks. They had propane heat lamps scattered about, but they were not all working, the ones that were had lots of people huddled around them.

After our photo with Minnie, we went to meet up with Team Shenanigans for our group photo.

We huddled together for warmth. The DJ was trying to pump everyone up and some were dancing and jumping around to keep warm. After the team photo, which was around 4:30 ish, we used the porta potty one last time and headed to the corrals. The 5K and 10K corrals were the opposite direction of the corrals for the half and full, as there were far fewer runners. If you had a bag to check, you needed to do that in the bag check tent prior to heading to your corral.

I moved back to the last corral with my sister. We were near the front of the corral and we made a little cocoon with our mylar blankets. We made small talk with the folks around us. It’s always easy to make new friends at a Disney race and especially in the corrals if you are not afraid to chat with strangers! There were jumbo screens so you could see and hear the race announcers and the music from the DJ while in the corrals. About 15 minutes before race start, they started filling the starting chute with corrals A and B. The anthem was sung and the wheelchairs were off, followed closely by A corral.

Volunteers led each corral into the starting chute as space allowed. It was all nice and orderly until it was our turn. It appeared no volunteer was assigned or made it back to move the barriers from the front of our corral. The natives got restless when there was clearly space for us to fill in but no one released us, so they broke through the barriers themselves. Somehow, even though we were at the front of the corral, because of the chaos and the way people funneled out, we ended up very close to the back of the last corral. Like we saw the balloon lady maybe 100 feet behind us.

It took about a half hour for us to reach the start line for our corral to be released. We were in the last wave of the last corral. A place I’ve never been before. I was not really worried, my sister keeps a pace at least 1:30 faster than the 16 min/mile requirement, so I knew we’d gain ground once we started. Besides, it was so freaking cold, we wanted to run to warm up! My toes were numb!

We ran for the first few minutes at a slow pace, then we started 20:40 intervals I think it was. We were still passing people. Quite a few of them, as many of the folks we started with were walking it. About a mile in, I really had to pee. There was a character stop and a few porta potties with maybe 8 people in line. I told her to keep going and I’d catch up to her. I probably lost about 5 minutes waiting in line. When I came out, the course support on bikes was circling around telling everyone in line and at the photo stop ahead they had about 3 minutes before they’d be behind pace. Panic ensued! I could see the balloon lady about 1/4 mile behind me.

I took off at my usual running pace to catch up to my sister. I typically interval using 60:30’s and when I run, I run at about an 8-9 min/mile pace. But I ran 3 min: 30’s to catch up. So as I flew by people, they panicked. I felt kind of bad, as I didn’t want to scare them, I just had to make up time to catch my sister. Which I did, and she was farther ahead than I thought she’d be!

The first 3 miles of the 10K are basically “junk miles”. It’s on the road, which is dark, and in places, really dark, with a few character stops and a DJ playing music. At about mile 3, you enter back stage of EPCOT. We could hear test track running even though it was only 7:15 am. We later learned after the issue with icing on the tracks of all the outdoor coasters the day before, they ran it all night!

Once we entered EPCOT, it was a party. It was so pretty with all the lights on and the torches from Illuminations lit up. The energy was fun and high and everyone was happy. It was really cool to experience as I’ve not run a 10K at Disney before.

We stopped for a few selfies and to soak it in. We had a good pace going with our intervals, and it worked out well because I motivated my sister to keep going and she kept me slower than I’d have otherwise have run it, which was important as I still had the half and full ahead of me. The last 3 miles of the course is awesome. You run through EPCOT and then on the Boardwalk and back into EPCOT before the last few hundred yards to the parking lot of EPCOT where the finish is. There really is a lot of park time for this race, and it’s awesome.

The lines were long for characters, so we didn’t stop, because we didn’t have time to wait in line a half hour, but there was Genie from Aladdin, Rapunzel, I think Jiminy Cricket (maybe that was the 5K), Marie, and others I can’t remember because I didn’t stop. Oh, I think Flick might have been one, too. We made our own fun, especially on the boardwalk!

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We actually got warm enough to shed a layer or two once the sun came up and we’d been running for 3 miles or so! We got silly on the Boardwalk, and I took a catnap on the beach at the Beach Club at sunrise. 🙂 I think that’s my favorite race photo, ever.

We were having a blast! It took us about an hour and 37 minutes to do the 10K (close to the same amount of time it took me to do the 5K!).

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By the time we made our way through the finish chute, collected our Minnie bling, and found our family, we were right on time for rope drop at EPCOT! We brought a change of clothes and stashed our stuff in a locker, and then toured the park! A little Soarin’, a little Test Track, breakfast at Sunshine Seasons, some shopping to keep warm, and eventually, we made our way to the World Showcase where we celebrated with a tasty beverage and lunch at Rose and Crown!

It was then time to head back to the hotel. We had dinner at Port Orleans quick serve and then I got myself organized for day 3.

The WDW 10K is a great race for just about anyone. You must keep at least a 16 min/mile pace to avoid being swept, but it’s got great park time, a great course, especially the last 3 miles, and great Disney magic. It’s a nice mid-distance race for runners, run-walkers, or even walkers if you train to keep pace. Of course the slower you are, the fewer stops you can make for photos or silliness, but there is so much to look at, hear, and experience, it’s worth the expense. And the bling is sweet!

January 21, 2018

The Dopey Challenge: A review of the 2018 WDW Marathon

The 2018 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (which is really 5 days long) culminated in the mother of all races, the one and only full marathon on Disney property. The WDW Marathon. It is THE race of the weekend, and this was the 25th anniversary of the marathon.

There were 75 perfect marathoners present, all of them having run every single WDW marathon ever held, meaning every year for the last 24 years! I can’t even imagine… Their bibs said “perfect marathoner”, they all got to start in the A corral, and were honored at an event where they were told they all were gifted free WDW marathon entry for life! What amazing athletes they are! Disney did a great job of honoring them and their accomplishment.

For those who were doing the Dopey (5K, 10K, half and full) or Goofy (half and full) challenges, THIS was the challenge. Hell, *just* running a marathon is a challenge! 26.2 miles is no easy feat, and remember, the first person to ever run a marathon, died at the end!

A marathon is defined as an endurance footrace over the distance of 26 miles and 385 yards, or 26.2 miles. And the triumph of will over reason. Let that sink in. Will over reason.

I was not new to runDisney, but this was my first Dopey challenge and my very first marathon. Prior to this day, the longest I had ever run was 22 miles. I was challenged by a nasty cold that began Thanksgiving weekend and lingered for weeks, and then horribly cold and snowy weather the end of December in Massachusetts where I live, which made training a challenge.

As I write this, it’s been about 10 days since I ran the WDW marathon. I’ve needed time to recover, process, and find the time to write about the experience. I’ve written reviews of each of the other races from Marathon weekend, as well as the Expo, and you can find them here:

A review of the WDW Marathon Weekend Expo
Dopey Challenge: Review of the WDW 5K
Dopey Challenge: Review of the WDW 10K
Dopey Challenge: Review of the WDW half marathon

Let me begin by saying this was both an amazing experience, and also, what a freaking Dopey idea this was!

So. Freaking. Early.

The morning of the marathon, the alarm went off at 2 am for the second day in a row. The previous 3 days the alarm was at 2:30 am. It was followed by a wake up call, just in case. I had maybe gotten 4.5 hours of sleep with the tossing and turning and fear I’d oversleep. I stumbled out of bed, turned the kettle on for some tea, and started to get dressed. I was tired. Sort of excited, but mostly tired. It was rather surreal I was soon going to run a marathon. Only crazy people run marathons… or get up at 2 am several days in a row, or ever…

Pro-tip: Lay everything out you need the night before. I had my bag check bag already filled with things I wanted post race, my water and nutrition laid out, even my tea bag and to go cup at the ready, my bib already on my sparkle skirt, all the layers I needed to stay warm in the corral (it was freaking cold the entire race weekend! Like hat and mittens and 6 layer cold!) It took me at least a half hour to gather everything the night before and make sure I had it all ready to go, but that’s a half hour I got to sleep later that morning. By the 4th day of getting up at stupid O’clock, if you try to do it in the morning, you are bound to forget something important and be late.

Flat Kimmy for the full, without the multiple warm up layers

Today, I carried some extra inspiration. I lost my daughter 13 years ago at the age of 3 to a furniture tip-over accident. You can learn more about it and the organization in her memory aimed at preventing tip-over accidents at www.meghanshope.org. I had a special bib made and wore it on my back, both to remind me that if I could survive losing her, I could surely run 26.2, but also in the hopes that those who read it would learn her story, too, and it might save a life.

Best 25+ Loss Of Child Ideas On Pinterest | Child Loss, Child Loss – Inspirational Quotes Ideas

At 2:40 am, I was out the door, tea in hand, layered up with throw away clothes and a mylar blanket at the ready. I walked to the resort lobby (we were at Port Orleans Riverside) and right to a waiting luxury coach bus. It filled quickly and off we went.

Pre-Race logistics

The bus ride was quiet compared to the previous mornings, it drove right by the start corrals (hell, we could have walked to the start from our resort faster!) and it dropped us off about 10 minutes later, and we made the trek to the start area, just like the other mornings. I won’t go into as much detail here, but if you read my reviews of the other races, the set up was essentially the same every morning. You can find maps of the different areas in the event guide as well. It’s easy to log 5K of walking before you even start a race at Disney!

For the half and the full, they had queues set up for security bag check, but they moved quickly. The DJ was doing his best to get folks pumped up. The lines for pictures with Dopey and Goofy were long all pre-race, but Pluto, Mickey, and Minnie were there, too.

There were plenty of porta potties in the pre-race area, a runDisney tent, a massage tent, and the usual family reunion area (flags with letters of the alphabet on them) for meeting folks pre and post race.

Although spectators could join you at the pre-start holding area, if they wanted to spectate the start, they had to exit and go another way. Only runners with valid bibs were allowed through the gEAR check tents to access the corrals.

It was warmer this morning, and by warmer, I mean it was 40 degrees, but it dropped a few degrees just before race start and there was a wind chill, so it still felt like it was literally freezing. Still, compared to the previous 3 days, it felt quite balmy.

I hung around with Team Shenanigans. If you’ve not discovered this running team or their podcast, I strongly suggest you check them out! We did our group photo about 3:45 am. Many of the team members were in line for photos or had not yet arrived.

At about 4 am, Sarge (the green army guy from Toy Story) appeared on a small stage by the gEAR bag check tent. He started commanding all the “soldiers” AKA, runners, to the corrals. He was quite entertaining. One of my favorite comments was “Come on, soldiers! Let’s go! It’s time to make your way to the start. Bring your tin-foil blankets with you, in case you need to wrap a sandwich later!” Many runners had mylar blankets to keep warm, hence the tinfoil comment.

Why do you need to be there so freaking early? Why do they call you to the corrals at 4 am for a 5:30 race start? Because it’s Disney and they need to get 26,000 runners through and into their corrals prior to go time. And it’s a bit of a walk to get there!

Bag Check and the Corral Crawl

When you were ready, you went through the bag or gEAR check tent to access the corrals. This was also organized alphabetically. If you check a bag, it must be the clear runDisney bag given to you at the expo, though you can put other bags inside of it like a small backpack or string bag. It’s quite large. You will receive a label to write your bib number on, be asked to tie your bag, and hand it to a volunteer. They do a good job organizing the bags and checking to be sure your bib number matches when you claim your bag post race.

Even if you did not check a bag, the only way to the corrals is through the bag check area. On the other side of the bag check were more porta potties, water, and flags with names of Disney characters that also made for good meeting spots. This was also where you ended up post finish chute, so it was an opportunity to identify where you could reunite with others who were running. Of course if you’ve never run a race at Disney before, since it was dark, stupid early, and all the focus was in the direction of the corrals, you probably wouldn’t notice the vast finish area on the other side/behind you.

It’s about a 10-15 min walk to the corrals, depending on how fast you move. It’s usually a slow cattle crawl and wall to wall people. It’s like walking zombies. Some still half asleep, some contemplative, some excitedly chatting about the race, many still drinking their coffee. There was a DJ about half way there, amping up the energy and excitement.

Generally, the energy on the walk to and in the corrals were much more subdued and quiet this morning. Maybe because it was so freaking early. Maybe because for us Dopeys, the consecutive crazy early mornings and time on our feet was taking a toll. Maybe because the fact running 26.2 miles is no easy feat and we were questioning our life choices about that… It was definitely a different energy. A more serious and contemplative energy. There was nervous excitement, doubt, fear, an eagerness to begin, and a sort of vague “is this really happening” vibe hanging in the air, and I was still really not comprehending (or acknowledging) what I was about to do.

There were volunteers directing runners which way to go to access particular corrals. They did check everyone’s bib to be sure you were entering the correct corral. You can always drop back, but you cannot move to a higher corral. Because of the new waved starts and fewer corrals, people were in a hurry to get to the front of their corrals to buy the most time they could on the course.

Once in the corral, people stood, sat, stretched, chatted with those around them, danced, some even slept! The DJ played until about 5 am, doing his best to wake everyone up and get them psyched to run 26.2 miles. At about 5, the race announcers were introduced. They did their thing for about 20 minutes. With about 15 min to the start I really had to pee. I knew there were also portapotties about 1/2 mile into the race, but I didn’t want to lose time that early, and there is always a line. Many were sneaking out of the corral fencing through a gap and using the woods (opposite from where the actual portapotties were). A fellow Shenanigan and myself decided it was the only option. So off we went into the woods, behind a tree, and with the added protection/shield of the mylar blanket, I actually peed in the woods. There is a first time for everything. I doubt I could have run without peeing myself if I hadn’t! We were not the only one who opted to take advantage of the woods, either.

There were portapotties right before you got to the corral loading areas, but it was not easy to get out of the corral and go back to use the portapotties. Especially so close to go time, as I was near the front of my corral and there were hundreds and hundreds of people behind me.

Go time!

About 10 min before race start, the National Anthem was sung. Dopey made an appearance with Goofy and Donald, and Mickey counted it down, and then the wheelchairs were off with fireworks and music. About 2 or 3 minutes later, the WDW marathon began and the fireworks were really amazing. What a celebratory send off!

The excitement was definitely on an upswing. Everyone woke up after the Anthem and was getting pumped up. They were going to release the runners in 25 mini waves, each with the song from the #1 Disney movie of the past 25 years, counting from 25 to present. It took about an hour for all the runners to cross the start line.

I was in the D corral. My proof of time was a 2:21 half marathon if that helps you figure out what corral you might be in. I believe there were 2-3 corrals with a POT for a half between 2 hr and 2:30! It wasn’t long before we were moving toward the start. It seemed like the waves were every 2-3 minutes. I crossed the start line at 5:47 am. Which was 1 minute later than I started the day prior for the half. These were my corral mates.

Just past the start, was this inspiring billboard

I started running with a small group of Shenanigans, but my yoga pants that I had on over my running skirt kept falling down, so I had to run off to the grass and wrestle them off over my shoes about 2 minutes in. That set me back about a minute. Because they all ran straight out, and I preferred to interval, I quickly lost them and ran alone for about a mile and a half. About a mile in, I shed one of my top layers as well. Disney collects all the thrown clothing and donates it!

This is the course map:

Character stops and photo ops

Disney is about the race experience. And you should get your money’s worth by taking advantage of the on course entertainment and character stops if time allows. I did not stop for all of them, but I decided to stop for Darkwing Duck and Scrooge and saw a few more Shenanigans.

We all ended up catching up with a big group of the team around mile 3 or so, for a photo op with the Evil Queen. She was awesome. Only her eyes moved and expressed her concern about all of us rushing toward here for a photo!

We tend to have a faster runner hold a spot in a character line, as we all catch up we join them, but we only take one group picture and then run on. It’s fun! I was able to run with some number of this group for quite some time.

My parents were at the TTC, at about mile 4. To get there, they got on the bus from the resort about 4:30 am to the start area, walked to the monorail and took it to the TTC, then walked to the course. They were at their spot in time to see the first runners go by. If you wish to spectate a Disney race, you still have to get up crazy early and know where you can and cannot go to access the viewing areas ahead of time. It is detailed in the event guide. It always takes way longer than you expect to go from place to place because of road closures and the sheer number of people who want to spectate.

I saw them and ran over and gave them a hug. All the Shenanigans waved to them. Then we were off. We were mostly running 2 min and 30 seconds intervals, and walking 30 seconds when we were not waiting in line for a character. This was not the interval ratio I was used to, (I usually do 60:30) but they were running about a 13 min pace, so I was keeping up okay. There was also a marching band playing at the TTC. We noticed the first Parade Bus there as well, waiting (sweep bus). I believe this is probably the very first sweep point on the course, as it was the first bus I noticed.

The Magic Kingdom!

We got to run into the Magic Kingdom under the train station! It’s about mile 5. This was so cool! It’s a new way to enter Main St., and everyone loved it! The citizens of Main St., the ones who used to do the Welcome Show, were standing over the arch waving and welcoming runners to the Magic Kingdom. Lots of people ran off in front of the train station for a photo.

As you ran under the entry arch, you could hear the cow bells and clappers and cheering that is Main St. There is nothing like it. And we got there early enough that the icicle lights were still visible on the castle. Magical! A lot of people slow down and walk until the castle is in view, then they run to the hub, hop off the course and take photos, then hop back on. The left side and around the hub is where spectators are allowed to be.

The reason so many run Disney

Hooray!

Once in the Magic Kingdom, we totally goofed around. Not quite as much as we did for the half marathon, but we savored Main St. and the Castle, there was a team bathroom break, several photo ops including an epic one with Cinderella’s step-sisters, and just enjoying the time to play in the park a bit. We had time to kill, we didn’t want to get to Animal Kingdom too early, Everest was on the agenda!

Shenanigan bathroom selfie. The team that pees together, stays together! And everytime a stall door opened and it was a member of our team, there was a cheer! Only when you are 3, or a member of this running team, do you get applause for going potty!

Steampunk dragon, as you exit the MK backstage

Back side of the castle, yes, running through the castle is cool!

Tweedle and Shenanigans

This was the most fun we’ve had a photo stop, ever!

The carousel

After we exited the Magic Kingdom, it was the dreaded cone alley. It’s narrow and really hard to run even if you want to, at least with any consistent cadence or speed. Running off the pavement is risky for turning an ankle, but really the only way around people. By the Grand Floridian and the Poly, spectators can cheer, and the course opens up a bit.

The sun was now above the horizon, so sunglasses were needed, and the chill in the air began to subside. And there was a character stop with UP! around mile 8.5 ish, which was cool. My sister was also at mile 7 ish, and handed me some extra tailwind, which I’m glad I took, because she missed me at the AK, and I’d have been in trouble later otherwise.

Characters from Up! Rare!

Me, mile 7.7, felt good!

After about mile 9, the sun became a welcome source of warmth. The scenery got a little boring, and we had the lovely pleasure of running by the wastewater treatment plant. Yeah, it smelled like you think it would. The water stop volunteers assured us the water was not from that plant. I felt bad they had to be there all day, we only had to run by.

Around mile 10 or 11 ish, we stopped for another photo with Hades and then at a medical tent for Tylenol. My feet were starting to hurt. They sharpied an x on your hand and you were given ONE lousy Tylenol! I actually had some in my pocket as well if I needed it.

Soon we were backstage at the Animal Kingdom. I only saw a big rabbit, but not until I ran past it. I was hoping for a goat, but I didn’t see one. I love goats! There were some cast members from the Lion King show taking photos, but we did not stop for them. It was after 9 am, and we were focused on getting to Everest and the next real bathroom! There were some spectators and park goers by the time we entered the AK. They had pretty narrow paths for the non-runners to walk. Some seemed rather annoyed, and probably had no idea the race was going on until they arrived at the park that day.

We stopped at a real bathroom and then got in line for Everest. The stand by line said 30 minutes, but the cast member said it probably wasn’t that long, and the single rider line was likely longer. There were 9 of us, so we picked up a lone runner and filled a coaster car! The wait was more like 12 minutes. We were tracking the balloon ladies who were about an hour behind us at this point. We had just crossed the half marathon mark at 9:15 am, at which time my average pace was 14:22, even with all the stops we had made up to this point. That was before we rode Everest. The downside of riding Everest mid- run is it eats time, and you cool off by standing around and then sitting. We probably lost about a half hour of time from the bathroom stop until we were off Everest, and we were all chilled. It was SO FREAKING FUN though! Where the hell else can you ride a roller coaster in the middle of a marathon?!?!

When I got off, I was texting my sister, as she was going to try to see me as I exited the AK. She was still waiting for a bus to the AK from the Poly! It had been over an hour. So I told her to just get on the monorail to EPCOT. Note to future spectators, you can’t reasonably see your runner at both the MK (or TTC/Poly) and the AK, primarily because the traffic and wait times for transportation are too long. Many of the roads are closed because the runners are using them, so I recommend AK and finish or MK and EPCOT/finish, not all 3.

Walls and running is stupid

In the process of texting (I can’t text and run, especially on those narrow pathways and with so many people around me) I lost the group I was running with. Again. About mile 15, I started to fade. I had not been following my training pattern at all, and I was getting tired. I wasn’t sure what to do. I tried to go back to my usual intervals, but my runkeeper was not on and I didn’t feel like futzing with my headphones and the music and all that. I was a bit cranky and not thinking clearly. I was also getting dehydrated and wilting in the sun and in need of sugar, but I didn’t realize it for another mile or so. I saw the gravediggers, and stopped for a photo. Of course, more Shenanigan members came along.

It felt good to lay down, I really didn’t want to get back up!

I remembered I had one of those delicious caramels in my pocket so I ate that and made myself drink quite a bit of water with tailwind. It made me feel better pretty quickly. Yep. Blood sugar crash. I also ate one of my honey stinger waffle cookies over the next mile or so and an applesauce, and I felt much better. I was also thinking more clearly and my mood improved significantly.

It’s at times like this, the saying that distance running is mostly a mental sport makes a world of sense.

Back to basics

Shortly after that, I resumed my 60:30 intervals and to my surprise, caught up to the group I lost after Everest a little before we entered ESPN. Running in the full sun on the highway, and having temps in the 50’s and 60’s after it had been so cold, along with the previous several days of running/walking the parks and getting up early, was taking it’s toll on most of us and we were overall slowing our pace. We all took our salt tablets and made sure to refill water bottles. The running hive mind was helpful. One of us would remember something we should do, and the rest of us would go, “Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me!” It takes a village…

The volunteers were fantastic all throughout the course. Be sure to thank them. They are out there longer than most runners and up even earlier! At the water stops, they had both cups of water and bottles of water they’d refill your personal hydration bottles with. I was purposefully drinking more water, and water with tailwind more consistently, and was feeling better.

The dreaded ESPN miles

Everyone complains about ESPN, but I actually didn’t mind it. I loved that it was different and it wasn’t just running on pavement on the highway anymore. I failed to take photos though. I was getting rundumb by then! There were different surfaces to run on, different things to see, and it went by faster than I thought it would, even though it ate up about 4 miles. I didn’t think about what was next, one foot in front of the other.

At about mile 18 ish I started to crash again, but this time, it was hard and fast. My heart rate was up and I was dizzy. I stopped to pee and almost passed out. I knew my blood pressure was low, which meant I was dehydrated. I had more sugar, added the tailwind to my water bottle, the whole packet, and ate another waffle cookie. There was also a banana station, and I forced myself to eat the banana and drink the tailwind every walk break.

I once again lost the folks I was running with when I stopped to pee. I kinda hit a wall there. I walked for a bit while I ate my banana and then my honey stinger waffle cookie and my last caramel. I pounded the water/tailwind. I read my email and Facebook and texts to distract myself. I texted my sister, and she sent words of encouragement. By mile 19 and change, the sugar/hydration kicked in, and I felt better and by mile 20, I caught back up to them! Which means I was running faster than they were in order to do so. They switched their intervals to 60:30 as well at that point, which is what I was already doing, and we were about a half hour to 45 minutes ahead of the balloon ladies. When we left ESPN, the clean up trucks were going in and the runners behind the balloon ladies going into ESPN had been swept.

The freaking hill of an on-ramp at mile 20 looms like a freaking mountain. Sarge is there, trying to motivate folks to keep moving. As we approached that hill, most everyone was walking. They looked sad and tired and dejected. There was music playing. Sweet Caroline! When we’d run, (a group of about 6 of us) it was almost as if people got annoyed with us. We of course, sang the obligatory “Ba, ba, ba” and “so good, so good, so good!” We got dirty looks instead of fellow runner participation! It was not the happiest run on earth for most people at that point, and certainly not magical for many, either. The wall was being hit hard, but most everyone. I was starting to break through the wall at this point. As you came down the hill, you saw the entrance to the Studios!

We passed some people who were really struggling in this stretch. The medical tents were busier and busier each one we passed. We decided to walk up the hill. No point in wasting energy now. As we crested the hill, we ran down and saw the Studios ahead! In my mind, the Studios meant I was *almost* there.

The Studios!!

As we entered the studios backstage, I felt my mood lift. It was almost the home stretch. And there was CHOCOLATE! M+M’s and a few other assorted candies. The sugar was welcome, even though I typically can’t stand M+M’s. It was much needed and appreciated.

We came into the park by Rock n Roller Coaster, and after many miles of nothing but road, there were spectators cheering runners on again! It was here, that I lost my running mates to beer. I opted to keep going without them. I was afraid if I stopped again, I’d be screwed, and I just wanted to be done, and besides, I don’t like beer. They planned to walk it in the rest of the way while they drank. I cheered them and carried on. There was nice crowd and cheer support from this point all the way to the finish. It definitely helped lift the energy and motivate me onward.

The moment I realized I was going to do this

As I turned the corner to exit the studios, I was overwhelmed with emotion and fought back tears. Apparently I was not the only one, as volunteers had boxes of Kleenex available for the runners. In my mind, my goal was to make it to the studios. If I could do that, I knew adrenaline would carry me the rest of the way. It was at this point I realized I would finish this thing. I’d actually complete a marathon and the Dopey challenge. Nothing but a 5K to go! I could walk the rest of the way and still finish ahead of the balloon ladies at this point.

I felt a renewed sense of energy and settled in to my 60:30 intervals. A few of the Shenanigan faster runners, who were riding all the rides (it was epic, how many they rode!) passed me, and slowed to ask if I was ok or needed anything. They wished me well, assured me I had this, and off they went to ride the Fiesta ride in Mexico and get their margarita! That’s part of the reason I love this team. They had no idea who I was before that morning, but they are so warm and welcoming and supportive. I’ve no doubt if I said I was struggling, they’d have hung with me until I got through it.

It’s at the point where you run past the parking area for the Studios, toward the walkway that leads to the Boardwalk, that the last hard sweep with a Parade bus is. It’s not that you are safe by any means at this point, but if you get this far, adrenaline will likely carry you the rest of the way. I was not in danger of being swept at any point, but it’s a mental goal for the marathoners, to get past that point.

From the studios, you run down the path toward the Boardwalk, then over the bridge and past the Swan and Dolphin, Yacht and Beach Club, and through toward the International Gateway, where you divert back stage briefly, and emerge near Britain. You then run counterclockwise around the World Showcase. There is a decent amount of crowd support and folks cheering all along this route, which definitely helps.

I texted my sister as I entered EPCOT, a bit emotional again, realizing I was truly in the home stretch. I wanted to figure out exactly where she was so I didn’t miss her. She was at the American Pavilion with my celebratory cocktail! I stopped for the special mile 25 25th Anniversary photo op. I’m glad I used my cell phone, because I still don’t have this photo in my photo pass photos, or the one in front of the castle!

Then I ran to my sister, where I told her I was never doing this again and that I was so tired! She handed me my beverage and it tasted soooooo good! The sugar in it and the fact it was a slushie (with vodka and limoncello) also made it all the more delicious!

I walked the last half mile through EPCOT. Didn’t want to spill my drink! I toasted my Shenanigan teammates at Mexico, and team margarita, but I opted to keep going again. A few of them did run it in with me. I do wish I had waited and finished with them as a big group, but at that point, I was so tired and my feet were killing me and my blood pressure super low, that I just wanted to finish.

As I came under Spaceship earth, the crowd support increased, and then, I heard them. The angelic voices of that gospel choir! They are across from the mile 26 marker, and they bring the runners home. They are fantastic! I stopped to take a snippet of a video and do a little dance and then off to the finish chute.

The Finish

As I exited EPCOT and entered the finish chute, I stopped briefly to take a photo, and then found my parents and stopped to see them for a minute or two before finishing. I told them this was the dumbest idea I ever had! They, and everyone around them laughed, and agreed!

And with that, I jogged to the finish the last few hundred feet, with my beverage high in the air, high fived Chip (or Dale), and finished the Dopey challenge. I even got a shout out from John Pelkey, the announcer (he loves Team Shenanigans). I crossed that line and got a little something in my eye… It wasn’t an ugly cry, it was a “holy crap, thank God that’s over, I can’t believe I did it, why am I not more excited” sort of choked up half cry.

Holy crap, I just ran (well, Shenaniganed) a marathon!

As I made my way to a volunteer to receive my medal, she put the massive Mickey medal around my neck and congratulated me on being a marathoner. It still hadn’t registered.

I walked the finish chute like a zombie. Mylar blanket. Check. Water. Check. runDisney snack box with those crack tortilla chips? Check. Whoa. Surprise 25th anniversary commemorative marathon ears?! Sweet! Do you think I could get them on with all the other crap in my hands? No. A lovely volunteer placed them on my head for me.

All the marathon runners received commemorative 25th anniversary Mickey ears at the finish!

Then to the challenge tent. You stepped onto a timing mat, which I presume read your bib and your photo popped up on the laptop. It verified you were you and that you completed all the races. Then you were allowed through and given your Goofy and Dopey challenge medals. Clank. Clank. Clank. Went all the medals.

I felt as spacey as I looked. 7 hours on course. 3 hours on my feet before that, most of it in the cold. Approx 5000 calories burned. Not nearly that many consumed. What a Dopey idea!

Finally, a photo op with your medals and an I did it! sign, and then to bag check and family reunion. I found my family and lowered myself to the ground like an old woman. I wanted to lie flat, take off my shoes, and put my feet up. My dad came over and let me rest my feet on his belly. I drank my water, had some applesauce and those salty delicious tortilla chips.

My sister finally made her way from EPCOT to the finish and greeted me with a hug after an excited congratulatory text. She was way more excited than I was at that moment. I was so freaking tired. It took me 7 hours to complete the marathon. I had expected 6-6.5.

My sister was awesome support throughout Dopey! And a great chEAR-er for all the runners!

My sister was more excited than I was!

Best. ChEAR. Squad. EVER! My parents and my aunt! They chEARed for hours for all the runners! They probably chEARed for you!

Post race perspective

The days of walking the parks and the previous days’ mileage, consecutive early morning wake ups, lack of sufficient sleep, and the weather challenges all added up and certainly made the Dopey challenge, a challenge. Although really, it was the second half of the marathon that was the only real physical and mental challenge.

Like most runners, I said never again immediately after finishing. Now that it’s been 10 days, I am still saying Dopey was one and done. It was an amazing experience and I’m so glad I did it, but it’s so expensive to run Disney and to vacation and see the parks. You can’t do both the way you want to, and every night we ended up abandoning our park plans in favor of sleep. The fact it was crazy cold and the parks were super crowded didn’t help. Of course the weather can be cold like it was, or crazy hot in January, you never know. But the parks are always crowded Marathon weekend, with around 100,000 people there just for the races, not counting the regular vacationing folks who have no idea Marathon weekend is a thing.

I had a blast, but it’s really ideal to either just run at Disney or just vacation at Disney, or, vacation AFTER you run, not before or during, especially if you are doing the longer races or a challenge.

Never again???

I also said I’d likely never run another marathon either. Now, I find myself thinking that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I ONLY ran a marathon. One where I got enough sleep, didn’t do any other races before it or log crazy miles walking at theme parks, and only trained for a marathon, not a 4 day, 48.6 mile endurance challenge of craziness. Of course it’s not the race that’s the problem. It’s the time the training takes, and finding a marathon that has the kind of course support and time limit I’d need. I could run a marathon in around 5 hours if all I did was run. 🙂

I’m now part of the .05% of Americans who ever complete a marathon. .05% of Americans have ever run an official 26.2 miles. Even fewer did it the Dopey way! When I look at it that way, I guess I do feel pretty badass.

Yet it doesn’t feel like I actually did it. I don’t feel “special”. I don’t feel like I can legit say I’m part of that club. It’s so surreal. I keep waiting for it to hit me. I don’t feel that excited, euphoric, “I”m a marathoner!” feeling I thought I would. Maybe because I was so slow and stopped so often for pictures and to ride a freaking roller coaster, it didn’t *feel* like a traditional marathon? Maybe because I was so tired and spacey when I finished, I missed it? Maybe my expectations were not in line with reality?

I did PR in fun running the Dopey challenge though. If you are going to do it, take your time and have FUN! Soak it all in, stop for pictures, meet new people, join a running team or group and connect with them when you get there! Team Shenanigans is a warm, welcoming, crazy fun group of people. I had an absolute blast running with them and they helped me get through the rough spots.

Their slogan is put fun in your run, and they do it in spades. There were probably 50+ members there for marathon weekend, and I ran with many of them on and off. Some for the majority of races, some just for a picture here and there, some for a mile and some for just a few strides. Everyone is supportive of everyone else, there is no judgment for how fast or slow you are, and did I mention they have fun like it’s their job?

The downside of having all that fun, was I didn’t run the marathon anywhere close to how I trained. It had a negative impact in terms of muscle fatigue and a lack of awareness/remembering to hydrate and fuel regularly. I didn’t use my intervals consistently, or barely at all. I didn’t have my music or feedback on my pace. I hit a few walls and crashed a few times as a result, and that never happened in training. The stopping and starting with waiting in lines for pictures also probably impacted my muscles in ways I was not used to, especially because it was so cold. I imagine that is part of why I was such a spaceshot post race. That, and running that far makes me pretty rundumb!

Recovery, Recovery, Recovery

I went back to the hotel, put my feet up the wall and did some gentle stretches for a bit, took a long, warm shower, kept drinking and snacking, and then we went to Trattoria for dinner maybe 2.5 hours later. I didn’t have time for a nap! Although everyone says keep moving, even though your muscles say no, it speeds recovery. After dinner, we once again abandoned our evening plans and were asleep by 7:45. I slept for 10 hours! Like a rock.

The next day, I went to the Animal Kingdom for several hours before heading to the airport. I was STARVING. All I did was eat. All. Day. Long. Other than a blister on each of my middle toes, and tired, slightly swollen legs and feet, I felt pretty good. I walked more slowly than usual, and appreciated sitting periodically to eat or ride or watch a show. I wore very fashionable Teva’s with socks, as the thought of wearing a closed toe anything made me cringe. It actually felt good to be out and about, and likely helped to keep moving the next day, especially since I was flying home that evening.

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The past two weeks have been recovery weeks. It took about 5 days for the swelling in my feet and ankles to subside completely, and when I wasn’t working, I mostly sat. I had my ballroom dance lesson 3 days post marathon and I felt pretty good, but my legs felt tired with very little dancing. Walking. Good. Anything else, legs say WTF are you doing? We’re not ready for that yet! I’ve danced more and more, and my legs feel more and more like they normally do. A massage also helped.

My plan is to do an easy recovery run at 2 weeks post marathon, then resume my usual training. Everyone has told me your legs feel heavy and tired the first few runs out post marathon/Dopey, and it can take several weeks before it really subsides.

I’m starting to look at races for the coming year, and have a 5K in March I hope to PR, and a local half-marathon planned for April, and Bird-in-Hand half in September on the horizon so far.

So yeah. I’m a marathoner. A Dopey marathoner. What an amazing experience it was.

P.S. I finally put that 26.2 magnet on my car. 🙂

January 14, 2018

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend race review: The WDW 5K

The alarm went off at 2:30 am on Thursday January 4th. It was time to get up and start the Dopey Challenge! First up, the WDW 5K!

I was planning to walk this race with my mom and my aunt. I was Cruella and they were dalmations!

It was a good choice as it was easy to layer up for the cold. I literally had 6 layers on my upper body, two thermal layers on my legs, fleece gloves and an ear warmer and neck warmer. My Dopey bib had me in corral C, but they were in Corral A, even though I was faster than them and had a half marathon proof of time. I suspect all the Dopeys were in corral B, C, and D and those who just registered for the 5K were in A and B, I presume to give them as much time as possible to complete the race.

Runners were told to be on the buses to the start area no later than 4 am. They began running at 3:30 am. I like to be on the first bus, and we were.

The down side of Disney races, other than the fact that they start so early, is that once you get to the start area, you end up standing around for 1-2 hours before the race starts. When the weather is “normal”, this is not a bad thing. But it was crazy cold. Temperature was about 30 with a wind chill in the 20’s. And it got colder by a few degrees before the race started than it was when we arrived at 3:40 ish.

The start “village” is quite large. It is a well-oiled machine. The buses drop you off in one of the EPCOT parking lots. You walk from there to the lot where the start village is. Volunteers direct you. If you have any sort of bag you need to go through security bag check. It was quick. From there, you make your way to the first staging area.

In the first section were the tents for the charities and race retreat. In the second area there was a large stage with the Marathon weekend backdrop and a DJ playing upbeat music to get everyone pumped up. There was as small bleacher section for those who wanted to sit. Coffee, water, and breakfast items were available for purchase. There were ample portapotties. Every morning Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Mickey, Minnie, and Dopey were available for photos before and after the races. They had portable heat lamps available as well, but not enough for 5000+ runners to huddle around.

The stage area

There are also flags with certain letters of the alphabet on them that make for a great meeting spot for friends and family both pre and post race.

At 4:30 am, the DJ announced runners could make their way to the corrals. For the 5 and 10K you check your bag, then walk to your corral, which is in the opposite direction. For the half and full marathons, you have to go through bag check to access the corrals.

If you want to check anything you must use the clear plastic runDisney bag given to you at the Expo. They give you a big label on which you write your bib # with a sharpie, both of which are available at the bag check tent. Make sure you tie your bag so nothing falls out. You can put another bag inside of it like a backpack or string bag.

It’s about a 5 minute walk from the start village to the corrals for the 5 and 10K races. The corrals are marked by big lighted ball like lamps with the letters on them that correspond to the corral letter on your bib and fashioned out of metal barriers to make a holding “pen”. Volunteers will check your bib before you enter the corral to make sure you are in the correct one. You cannot move up but you can drop back corrals to be with friends or family.

The DJ then keeps the energy up playing music until it’s go time. There are several jumbotrons and speakers so everyone can see and hear what’s happening on the stage at the start line.

At about 30 min prior to race start, the race announcers are introduced and they interview some folks and banter a bit. The runners are led by volunteers from their holding “pen” into the start chute corral by corral. The National Anthem is sung at about 10 min prior to race start and then the character that corresponds with the medal is invited out to start the race. In this case, Pluto and I believe Mickey did the honors. The wheelchair athletes head out just prior to 5:30 and then the first corral is released at 5:30 with fireworks! Each corral was released with fireworks. The fireworks are kinda lame for the 5k and 10K and are of course, spectacular for the full marathon.

This year they had fewer corrals but did mini-waves within each corral to limit how many folks started at a time. It appeared as if a large tape was used to separate the groups within each corral and near as I could tell, those releases were about every 2 minutes. It did seem to help course congestion at the start.

The WDW 5k is not chip timed. It began at 5:30, which allowed a generous time limit to complete the race and be out of the EPCOT before it opened for the day at 9 am. Race officials do follow the last runner/walker with a golf cart so in theory, if they cannot complete the race in the allotted time, they could be swept, but I don’t know if it’s ever happened.

My toes were numb by the time I started. I was shivering once I shed my mylar blanket (best damn investment ever). The first mile is boring highway, and there are places on the course that are pretty dark, although runDisney does a decent job with lighting. Then you enter EPCOT near Norway via a cast gate from backstage. There were men on stilts just prior to entering EPCOT for a photo op.

One in EPCOT, you traveled around World Showcase counter-clockwise. All the lights were on and the torches from Illuminations were also lit. It was quite pretty as it was still fairly dark out.

Some of the characters and photo ops included Jiminy Cricket, the Genie from Alladin, Clarabel and Horace, bears in Canada, and by the fountain with Spaceship Earth in the background. There were a few others but I don’t remember them! The lines were long so I did not opt to wait. Plus it was so cold, and I never really warmed up, even with walking at a brisk pace.

The characters all have a Disney Photo Pass photographer taking photos as well as a cast member who will take one with your cell phone. Have your phone ready to hand off in camera mode and your race bib showing before it’s your turn. You are allowed one photo per runner/group and then you move on, so be prepared! there are also photo pass photographers along the race course taking candids, but to see your photos afterwards you need to have your bib visible on the front of your body!

We weaved around EPCOT, and music was piped in of favorite Disney songs that inspired some sing-a-longs. A lot of people, especially Dopeys like me, take the 5k as a really slow fun run or walk. So it took 90 minutes to complete it! Stopping for photos adds quite a bit of time.

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Once we finished, we got our medal, water, and a snack box. They were handing out mylar blankets at the finish as well. Then on to get your “I did it” photo taken if you wished. From there, back through the gEAR bag check tent to claim your bag or just exit the finish area and then you could opt to visit characters, meet friends or family, or make your way to the buses back to your resorts.

We were heading to the Poly for breakfast at Kona, but my parents went to the hotel to change first, so my sister and I took the bus to the Contemporary and walked to the Magic Kingdom where we rode Buzz Lightyear and enjoyed the Trolley show before heading to Kona. We had hoped to ride Thunder Mountain, but all of the coasters that were outside were off line due to frost on the tracks!

After breakfast, we went back to the Magic Kingdom. It was crazy crowded, but we actually managed to do quite a bit between our fastpasses (Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion and Mine Train) and seeing the shows (Tiki Birds, Hall of Presidents, Country Bears). We opted for counter service at the Contemporary for dinner. By then we were tired and it was crazy cold. We had planned to go back to the MK for Happily Ever After but it was not until 9, which meant bed time would not happen until about 11, and I had to be up at 2:45. So we opted to just head back to the resort instead. It was the right thing to do, but I do wish I had seen the show.

The WDW 5k is a great race for anyone who wants to experience a Disney race. They are mostly in the parks, have a very generous time limit so you can literally take 2 hours to walk 3 miles and be “Safe” from being swept off the course, and are fun! You get a great cotton T shirt and a real medal (featuring Pluto) and the opportunity to get some great photos with characters you rarely see in the parks.

January 13, 2018

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Review: The runDisney Expo

The 2018 WDW Marathon weekend was certainly a memorable one. From the unusually cold weather, to the very controversial and frustrating changes made to packet pick up and the runDisney merchandise store, along with the fact it was the 25^th Anniversary of the Marathon and 5^th Anniversary of the Dopey Challenge, and a few other unexpected things made for a weekend of surprises. Some good and some not so much.

After many months of training and preparation, I participated in, and finished the Dopey Challenge (all 4 races, 48.6 miles in total) and my first marathon. I was excited to attend the expo and kick off this amazing weekend and purchase some merchandise to help me remember this once in a lifetime race experience.

I will review each race individually. However, it makes sense to start with a review of Marathon Weekend with the Expo. It was a memorable one for sure. Knowing what to expect, and how long you should budget to be there, can make or break your expo experience!

The WDW Marathon Weekend Expo

The Expo is held at ESPN Wide World of Sports. It begins the Wednesday before Marathon Weekend, which begins on Thursday with the 5K, so one day before the first race. Information about the vendors, where you go to pick up your bibs and shirts, and maps of the different buildings as well as hours and transportation are all available in the official event guide, which is emailed to participants about a month prior to the race weekend.

I’ve attended two other Run Disney Expos in the past 3 years at the World and one at Disneyland. The east coast races and expos are quite different than the west coast ones. This was by far, the most frustrating, time consuming, and poorly organized of them all. Social media was ablaze with complaints, so I was not the only one who thought so!

Transportation

There are basically 3 options to get to/from the expo. If you are staying at a WDW host resort (which for marathon weekend is pretty much any on property Disney resort), coach buses are provided to/from your resort and the expo. These are not the Disney transportation buses, they are contracted luxury coach buses and the same ones they use for race transportation. You cannot go from a park to the expo. You must go to/from a resort. We spent the morning at the Animal Kingdom, so we took a bus from there to the Animal Kingdom Lodge to get a bus to the expo. From the expo, we took the bus back to our resort, Port Orleans Riverside.

The buses began running a half hour before the expo opened. There is a bus dedicated to each resort. It is by far the most convenient and stress-free way to travel. The buses drop you off as close to the ESPN complex as you can get by vehicle and pick you up in the same place. They probably run about every half hour or so, depending on traffic. They are easy to identify with a number and the name of the resort prominently displayed. They also tend to stop right in front of your resort, not at the park bus waiting stations.

You can also drive. Be prepared for traffic and a loooooonnnngggg walk from your car to the actual buildings where the Expo is held.

Uber of Lyft are also options. I am not sure how close they can get to the walkway to the expo for drop off and pick up though.

Traffic getting to ESPN was crazy this year. They are doing construction for the new skyway gondolas, so maybe that was a factor, but I really think it was mostly the sheer volume of people trying to get there for the opening time.

My sister and I went to the Animal Kingdom in the morning and planned to take the bus from the Animal Kingdom Lodge to the Expo at 11:30 and meet our parents there. Our parents were running late and we were cold and wet from the rain and hungry, so we opted to grab lunch at the AK Lodge first and warm up a bit. We were on the bus around 12:30. We arrived to the Expo around 1.

I thought this was smart, because all the folks who were there before 12 in line waiting for it to open, would be through the line and we wouldn’t have to wait long. This has held fairly true in the past. I could not have been more wrong!

Bib and Packet Pick up

The 2018 Expo opened on Wednesday January 3^rd at noon. If you had registered for race retreat or the Runner’s World VIP, you were granted early entry at 10 am. Typically, there is a line of people to get in prior to expo opening, but it’s usually for the Run Disney merchandise. It was cold and pouring with rain all morning until about 1 pm. Rumor is they let the non-VIP folks in a bit earlier than noon, so they didn’t have to stand in the rain as long, but there was still a line outside!

In the past, bib and T shirt pick up were in the same place for all races. You picked up your bib and then you picked up your T-shirts right around the corner. If you needed to exchange a shirt for a different size, it was right there. Not so this year.

If you had pre-ordered commemorative merchandise, it was previously handed to you with your bib. There was also a small runDisney merchandise store with a larger one on the expo floor with the other vendors. It worked great, everything flowed nicely and most of the waiting was indoors.

Not so this go round. What a fustercluck! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! *sigh*

To save time, print your race waiver (which also has your bib # on it), sign it, and bring it with you to the expo. If you forget, you can print out another one, but it will take longer. You also need your driver’s license or form of ID. In the age of magic bands, people don’t always carry their wallets, but you will need it for the expo. You can use your magic band or Disney gift cards in the runDisney store, but the rest of the vendors only take cash or credit.

You must pick up your bib(s), race shirts, gEAR bag, and any pre-ordered commemorative items at the expo. They are not available the morning of the races. You also need ID and must pick up your own bibs, you cannot have someone else pick it up for you, even with written authorization. You will need to sign a book when you pick up your bib, so double check and make sure it’s yours and you have everything you are supposed to have before you leave the expo.

It’s important to read the event guide and know where you need to go at WWOS to get all of your items. There are 3 different locations within the complex (in relatively close proximity to each other) that you may need to go to. If you are with a group, and you are all running different races/challenges, it makes sense to split up and meet at a designated time or place to save time, or if you have no time constraints, to experience it all at your own pace.

Be prepared though, if you are getting there between 12 and 2 on the first day, it will be mobbed. All the Dopey and 5K runners must go on Wednesday, and those who want runDisney commemorative merchandise line up hours early to get in. Expect lines for merchandise, both to get into the store and to check out, although the lines at the bib and shirt pick up usually move much more quickly than the lines at the runDisney store. They typically have a lot of cashiers for the runDisney store, the longer wait is to get in to shop. They do re-stock, so if there is something you want that appears to be gone, ask a cast member.

At the HP Field House (Josten Center)

Official runDisney merchandise (lower level)
Pre-purchased commemorative items (lower level)
Dopey and Goofy race bibs and shirt pick up
Runner’s World VIP pick-up
Runner relations for 5k, 10k, kids races, Dopey and Goofy challenges only

At Champion Stadium

5K and 10K race bib and shirt pick up
kids race bib and shirt pick up
race retreat pick up
ChEAR squad pick up
Exhibitors

At the Visa Athletic Center (Expo exhibit floor/vendors)

Half marathon and full marathon bib and shirt pick up (individual races, not the challenges)
Castaway Cay race bib and shirt
runner relations half and full only
shirt exchange
exhibitors
runDisney HQ (event info, transportation info, runner tracking, etc.)
There is a list in the event guide of what exhibitors/vendors are scheduled and a map of their locations

Packet pick up for the Dopey and Goofy (the two multi-race challenges) was in the Josten Center building upstairs. In the past, it was on the lower level, where there is much more space. When I arrived at about 1 pm, there was a crazy long line of hundreds of people outside in the cold just to get in to pick up those bibs. It moved quickly, but it was still ridiculous. I probably waited outside a good 20-25 minutes. This is a photo of the line I was in. It had 3 switchbacks the length of the building and stretched to the entrance gate at one point.

The line was not well managed in that when I arrived, it was unclear where the end of the line was and signage was poor or just plain wrong in places, both inside and outside of the buildings used for the Expo. I expected more from Disney, who is the grand master of managing hundreds of people in lines!

For this bib pick up area, once you were inside the building, printers were available to print waivers if you forgot, and a volunteer reminding folks they needed their waiver to get their bib. It appeared that the line was so long outside because there simply was not enough room inside.

Once you got into the area where you picked up your bib, it was very well organized by bib number and race. You just found the right line and picked up your bib. There were 3 people in front of me and the line moved quickly. You needed your ID and to sign that you received the correct bib when obtaining it. We were also given two unexpected gifts with our bib. A 25^th anniversary rubber luggage tag and Run Disney bib clips. I’m not sure if everyone got them or just the marathon and challenge runners.

Challenge participants had to get their photo taken with their bib, but this was not made clear with any signage, which would have helped. If I had not seen someone taking a photo, and had participated in a challenge before, I’d have thought it was just a photo op, and very easily missed it. There was also only one photographer I saw. The volunteer that gave me my bib said to get my picture taken, but did not say why. I imagine quite a few people didn’t realize why they were supposed to get their photo taken or why. It was for ID verification when you picked up your challenge medals. They had laptops that pulled up your bib number and your photo, to verify you were in fact you, and that you completed all the races before you received your Goofy or Dopey medals.

After getting your bib, you went around the corner and picked up your shirts. For the challenges, they had pre-packaged all 6 shirts in a big roll inside of your clear runDisney gEAR bag (for bag check at the races). That made it super efficient.

Commemorative Pre-purchases

When you register, you have the option to pre-purchase commemorative merchandise. Options included a runDisney shoe ornament, a special running Mickey figurine, pins, magnets, kids race ears, and a pre-order jacket. There are sometimes other options as well. They are all blind purchases as you have no idea what any of them will look like when you buy them, and all but the jacket were also available at the runDisney store.

I had pre-purchased the jacket (this design is only available pre-order) and a commemorative pin set. Know that Champion is the current vendor who makes the runDisney clothing, and it runs small! I normally wear a small. For the race shirts I get a medium, for all the other clothing I get a large and it fits comfortably but is in no way too big! Order up at least one size!! In hindsight, I should not have purchased the pins. I prefer the medal replica pins instead.

back of the commemorative jacket

On the lower floor was where you picked up the commemorative merchandise. Normally you’d just walk down the stairs to get there. However, you had to exit the building after getting your bib and shirts. There was a volunteer as you exited the building directing you where to go. Even though it was downstairs in the same building, you had to exit the building and walk a short distance to access the area from the outside. This was because the Run Disney merchandise store was on the same level and access was only from outside a different door (which also happened to be the side where the inside stairs were).

For this expo, 5k and 10 K pickup were OUTSIDE, but under the protective roof of the stadium, along with some vendors. It was FREEZING, literally (with the wind chill for sure) outside! And it rained the first morning into the early afternoon of packet pick up. It was terrible for the volunteers, vendors, and race participants. Signage was poor and there were computers available to print waivers, but I saw a huge line at one printer and no one at another one, because no one could see it was there. ESPN is huge, there has to be more indoor space they could use to house these vendors and bib pick up.

The half-marathon and Marathon only participants had their bib and shirt pick up in the same building as the rest of the Expo vendors. I did not hear of any issues with that area.

The runDisney merchandise store, or, how runDisney created a nightmare of unnecessary proportions

Normally, when I’ve attended runDisney expos in the past, I allotted 60-90 minutes to do everything, and that was usually plenty of time to get my bib and T-shirts, shop the runDisney race merchandise, and tour the expo floor. Transportation via bus from the resorts was quick and easy.

OMG, this was a nightmare! I don’t think it had anything to do with numbers, because Marathon Weekend typically has the same average attendance every year and the same number of people attending the expo on day one at opening. The problem was runDisney took a system that was working well in the past, and broke it. Badly.

There is always a line to access runDisney race merchandise on the first day of the expo. Particularly when it opens. But that line has always been indoors and well managed with tape lines on the floor marking the queue. It was to manage the number of people in the store at any given time and to help manage the check out area, which always moves very quickly as they have 12+ cashiers.

This year, they only had one runDisney store. It was huge, and fairly well-organized and well stocked with a variety of merchandise. Because it was the 5^th anniversary of Dopey and the 25^th anniversary of the marathon, there were a lot of items specific to those two races, as well as generic marathon weekend items, the typical I did it! Shirts, and more. It was organized by race distance, which made it easier. They had employees constantly restocking as items were literally flying off the racks and shelves.

Historically, runDisney has run out of the high demand merchandise (like Dopey and anniversary items) within the first hour or two of the expo, which has in part, created this rush for merchandise and long waits. But this was ridiculous. I’ve always said they should allow pre-ordering of these things, so they can be delivered to your house and they’d know how many they needed and would be far less likely to sell out so quickly. This is a small part of the merchandise they teased pre-expo.

WDW marathon weekend commemorate items 1

The part that they broke, was the way they managed the line to get into the store. Because of the new location, and the size of the store, the line inside could only accommodate maybe 100 people. So they queued everyone up outside. There was an area under a tent that held maybe 200 people, and then the line stretched probably ¼ mile down from there. By the time I got in line, the sun was out but it was quite chilly and windy. We waited in that line over an hour just to get into the building! They would let people in 30-50 at a time. Once inside, you still had to wait to be let into the actual store. This was after it had taken me over an hour just to get my bib, T-shirt, and commemorative pre-ordered merchandise (I had to wait 20+ minutes in line for that, too!)

For a while, Rudy Novotony, one of the race announcers, was interviewing people in line and it was being broadcast on a big screen. It was somewhat entertaining.

Once we finally got into the store, I spent about 25 minutes shopping. I knew what I wanted, located it, and then got in line to check out. That line was maybe 10 minutes at the most. I purchased the medal replica pins, two magnets (one Dopey and one 26.2), three shirts (one Dopey, two marathon), two sweaty bands (dopey and marathon), and a Tervis 25^th anniversary marathon weekend tumbler. I paid with my Disney Visa rewards card and Disney gift cards. Easy peasy.

The EXPO floor

The expo floor was in the Visa center. It’s a short walk from the Josten Center. We made quick work of the expo. They no longer have a speaker series. They had several running related vendors, but the busiest might have been the weather shield throw-away pants and jackets for $10 each, which were selling like hotcakes given the really cold weather predicted. Jeff Galloway was there as well at his booth. We actually purchased the weather shield products and they worked great! Definitely recommend them! Worth every penny.

After the expo we made our way to the bus back to our resort. They had banners up with each race distance, so we stopped and took some photos at them. It was fun. At this point, we had abandoned our plan to head back to the Animal Kingdom since we’d missed 2 off our 3 fast passes already and had to get up crazy early the next morning.

Our bus was waiting and we had a somewhat slow, but much faster return trip to our resort.

Expo advice in a nutshell

Given my experience, this is my overall recommendation for attending a runDisney expo. Dedicate your afternoon to it if you are going the first day. Don’t plan on a park that day. Expect it to take several hours, bring a snack (you can eat there, too) and water, dress for the weather in case you are outside for any length of time in line, and take the time to visit the vendors. There are many and they offer a great chance to talk to reps, try on shoes or accessories, and many have giveaways and raffles.

If you want specific merchandise, you really do need to go the first day, and early. Sizes on runDisney merchandise runs small, so either try things on or size up at least one size, possibly two. I was in the store a few hours after it opened, and the worker who was stocking the rack with the Dopey women’s long sleeve shirts said he was putting out the last of the inventory and women were taking them out of his hands! It was nuts. I don’t know if it was truly the last of that particular style or not, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.

If you are driving, expect traffic. Even if you are taking the resort transportation, expect traffic. It was awful. A 10-minute ride took 30, and I heard parking for those that drove was also a nightmare and a crazy long walk from the parking to the expo area. At least the resort buses drop you off as close as you can get by vehicle.

If you don’t have to go the first day (5k and Dopey runners have no choice), and you don’t care about specific high demand merchandise, wait until at least late in the day the first day, or any other day. The demand is all about the runDisney merch and that is what consumes the most time.

There is lots to see and do at a runDisney expo. If it’s your first time, take the time to explore and take advantage of all that is available. It’s much less stressful if you are not in a rush to get somewhere else!

Now, on to the races!!

December 31, 2017

Road to Dopey: Packing for a runDisney race weekend and last minute key preparation tips

Happy last day of 2017! It’s 4:04 am, December 31st. 2018 arrives at midnight. I’m running a marathon in 2018. Holy crap, I’m running a marathon in one week!

T-2 days until I leave for Disney! *squee*

This Dopey thing is gettin’ real! Oh. My. God.

I’ve been focused packing for the next week of touring the parks and running all the races. Dopey is no joke! To train for or to pack for!

Packing for a racecation, especially a runDisney one, and even more so for Marathon Weekend and the 4 race Dopey Challenge, can be a huge challenge, and is much more time consuming than you think it would be. It requires a high level of planning and a LOT of stuff.

Being prepared on multiple levels, and well-organized in your packing, will make your entire experience more enjoyable. I’ve learned that the hard way, so I thought I’d share my last minute tips and packing plan of attack in the hopes it might help you.

But first, some important things you should be doing in these last few days before you arrive at the World.

Important Training and Preparation tips for the week before the races

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I live in New England and it’s been unusually bitterly cold the past week. It’s so freaking DRY, inside and out, that the air is literally sucking the moisture out of me, I swear. It has been really difficult to stay hydrated, but it’s so important. Keep water with you and drink often! Pre-hydrating is important so you can keep ahead of it before you are walking the parks and running the races. Since it’s so cold, I’m drinking a lot of herbal hot tea as my hydration of choice.
EAT! LOTS! This one is hard for me. I’m not racking up miles while tapering, so I’m not as hungry, and I tend to graze anyway, but focused eating, in particular carbs and protein to build and repair muscles and store that glycogen is key, especially if you are running multiple races or the half and /or full. Now is not the time to try new foods or start a new diet! Tried and true is the way to go. The last time I did a 3 race challenge, I did not account for the calories I’d burn and the muscle fatigue that I’d accumulate pre-races walking the parks, nor the fatigue of not sleeping enough, and by the end of the half, I was toast. I was so tired and felt crappy, because I was dehydrated and under-fueled. I wasn’t able to enjoy the park or the celebration plans the way I wanted to as a result. Don’t make that mistake! You need to keep a full tank of fuel.
Plan your meals when at WDW. I made ADR’s this time to make sure I stop to eat, and have a suitcase that is significantly full of snacks! I’m lucky in that my parents live in Florida and will be bringing a case of water, some yogurt, milk, and a few other perishable foods for me. Garden Grocer delivers to the resorts at WDW, you can Amazon Prime yourself food to your resort, or you can drive or Uber to a store to fetch snacks to have if you want to. I am gluten free, and while Disney does offer some GF choices at most of their dining places, having tried and true snacks are important for me, so I’m bringing my own. It’s also less expensive that way.
Boost your immune system! Drink vitamin C. Take some echinacea. I’m a fan of Elderberry tea and Sambucus Elderberry Immune syrup. I swear it helps!
WASH YOUR HANDS! Hand sanitizer (or wipes) is your best friend, especially as you travel. The flu and cold viruses are rampant. Washy, Washy, Washy! ALL. THE. TIME. I’m considering a mask for the plane if someone near me is coughing or sneezing a lot!
Read the event guide and know what time you need to be where for the Expo and for the races. Remember everything at Disney takes longer than you think it will, especially transportation. Don’t think you can roll out of bed at 3:30 and make the start line for a race in a leisurely fashion. The first bus is the best way to have a stress free experience.
Educate your spectators on where to be and what time they need to be there. Keep in mind Marathon Weekend brings about 100,000 people to WDW between runners and their families/spectators. Plus, it’s still a big vacation week since the New Year Holiday is the beginning of the race week. Crowd levels will be a 10/10 through Friday at the parks. There will be road closures on race days that will add to how long it takes to get around, too. Here is a link to some of the logistical information like road closures and time frames to be aware of.
Have your spectators track you and understand the intervals of when they will get updates and how that relates to where they are on the course. The instructions are in the event guide. It helps if they have a sign that is unique and large, and they are dressed in a way that makes it easy for YOU to spot them. It’s much harder for them to pick you out of a crowd. If you know exactly where they will be and what they are wearing, and they know what you are wearing and about when to expect you to pass by their location, you have a MUCH better chance of connecting with them. Spectators/support can also hand you items you may need and take items you don’t need anymore. Make a plan ahead of time!

The last phase of training: Wake up training!

Why am I up at 4 am and coherent enough to blog? Well, because while the running has been tapering, the last phase of training for the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend and the Dopey Challenge is in full force. Training for O’dark thirty wake up times!

I’m a morning person by nature, but even for me, there is a big difference between getting up at 5:30 am and getting up at 2:30 am multiple days in a row! I am pretty functional on about 5 hours of sleep, but when you factor in 10+ miles of walking and/or distance running multiple days in a row, your body needs more recovery time and rest. So getting up early means having to go to bed early. Like super early.

For the past few days, I’ve been setting my alarm for a half-hour earlier each day. Today it was 3:30 am. Tomorrow it will be 3 am. Tuesday it will be 2:30, which is legit, because I need to leave for the airport at 3 am Tuesday. Yes, this means I will be in bed tonight, New Year’s Eve, by 9.

Packing and Florida Weather in January

So, if you are heading to Marathon weekend, no doubt you’ve been watching the forecast for this week. If you are on Facebook, people are freaking out about how cold it’s predicted to be.

Here’s the thing. Disney doesn’t control the weather. Weather is, especially in central Florida, quite changeable on any given day. In the course of a 4 day race weekend, it could literally snow one day and be 75 the next. So keep an eye on the forecast, but realize it will likely change, right up until the morning of the race.

The bottom line: Pack all the things! Seriously. Pack for 30 degrees (standing in a corral for 2 hours) and pack for the 70’s. Pack for blazing sun, cold wind, or rain. Heck, even snow flurries! For the marathon, it’s not unusual for it to be cold at the start but 60’s by the finish, especially if you are in a latter corral and planning on a 5 hour or longer marathon. And there is not much in the way of shade anywhere on these courses, so sunscreen is needed if skin is exposed!

Layers will be key!

I’ve found that packing for a multi-day racecation works best if you pack by the day, and organize your clothes and gear that way. Make a list of what you need for each day, including clothing/costumes, fuel/nutrition, and accessories. Lay everything out for each race day, then, once you have it all, pack it into a jumbo zip-lock bag (labeled) or a packing cube dedicated to that race distance only.

This makes it much easier to unpack, and on those crazy early wake up days, to roll out of bed, get dressed, and get out the door with peace of mind you haven’t forgotten anything. It also makes laying out your gear for the next morning’s race the night before faster and easier. You’ll be much less likely to forget something, too!

For example, for any given race, in the jumbo Ziploc (labeled with the race distance) I have:

My entire outfit for running
- running bra/tank
- top (including short and long sleeve layers)
- sparkle skirt/leggings
- socks
- Hair ties/headband/visor
- costume related accessories
Fuel I plan to use that race (tailwind, honey stinger waffle cookie, etc.)
I also put an index card in each bag with a list of what I need that day, especially the items that don’t fit in the bag, or that I use multiple days
- headphones
- phone
- portable charger
- magic band
- ID and a credit card for the lockers at the park and just in case
- sneakers
- fuel/hydration belt
- breakfast reminder (hot tea, too!)
- sunglasses because it’s dark at race start but not at the finish
- a list of items I want to bring with me or bag check
- a reminder to attach my bib to my outfit the night before
I also put in each bag just in case items. This includes
- safety pins
- hair ties
- a mylar heat sheet
- a poncho
- hand warmers
- throw away gloves, hat or ear warmer
- throw away warm up clothing (these will be key this year)
- anything else I might need

If you are checking a bag at the race itself, you have to use the clear plastic bags runDisney provides at the Expo. Make sure you’ve followed the directions on how to label it! In the past, you have been able to put another bag inside of it, like a backpack or string bag. Double check though, before you do that in case it’s changed.

I will include a change of clothes, socks, and shoes, especially if I plan to go right to a park or ADR after a race, a body wash wipe like shower pill, deodorant, a granola or Clif bar, a portable phone charger, and anything else I might need for the day after the race.

I will stash my running shoes/gear I don’t need in a locker when I get to the park so I don’t have to carry it all day. You need a credit card, I believe, to pay for lockers though, so make sure you bring one just in case! I’m not sure if magic bands work for lockers.

It’s about saving time on race day!

Yes, it is time consuming to prepare to this level of detail and organization, but it will save you a ton of time when it counts, at 3 am on a race morning! It’s better to have everything you *might* need rather than realize you are dressed for 60’s and it’s 30 degrees with a wind chill in the 20’s, which is exactly what happened to so many marathoners last year when the forecast changed drastically just a day or two before the race, and people were caught unprepared.

Oh, and if you are running multiple races, bring at least two pair of running shoes! If one gets wet, you will be miserable because they may not dry in time for the next day!

Prepare for the standing around and the corral crawl!

Also remember, you will be hanging out in the start area and corrals for close to 2 hours most race mornings, and it is coldest just before the sun rises. Having layers you can wear then, but toss once you start to run and warm up, can make for a much more pleasant experience. Mylar heat blankets, trash bags, and ponchos are cheap, lightweight, easy to pack, and can keep you warm and dry. You can buy them in bulk at Amazon pre-race, or find them at Wal-mart and other box stores. I picked up a multi pack of body and hand warmers yesterday after seeing forecast temps in the 30’s for at least 2 of the race mornings.

Disney also picks up all discarded clothing and donates it to local shelters and people in need.

Other important items to pack

Oh, and then pack for the rest of the time, too! For this, it’s easy! Based on the current forecast, and knowing how warm I need it to be to wear shorts/T shirts, I used packing cubes and I pretty much packed leggings and both short/long sleeve tops, one pair of jeans, one pair of shorts/skort, a fleece jacket, a lighter jacket, gloves/ear warmer, socks, underwear, and a bathing suit (mostly for hot tub use). I plan to dress in layers.

Don’t forget to print and sign your race waiver and bring it to the expo! You can print them there, but it will take longer.

It’s not a bad idea to pack a travel foam roller or some other form of self-massage device, a first aid kit, and don’t forget your vitamins or medications (meds always in your carry on!).

For a first aid kit I recommend the following:

Tylenol (Ibuprofen is not recommended pre/immediately post race but I’m bringing some anyway, just in case)
blister band aids
cold remedies/cough drops
topical pain relief like Biofreeze or Arnica gel or icy hot
benadryl
antibiotic cream and regular band aids
I bring Hyland’s foot cramp remedy because I get killer foot cramps!
Tums and bowel remedies like anti-diarrhea pills
salt tabs if you use them for distance races
immune booster like airborne or emergen-C or a tea like echinacea/elderberry
melatonin if falling asleep is hard for you (try it before you travel though!)

Don’t forget your toiletries and sunscreen!

I recommend you also pack a small hand sanitizer and carry it with you everywhere! Disinfecting wipes in a travel pack are also useful for the plane and the hotel room surfaces. A string bag or backpack for touring the parks is a good idea, especially since this time of year, as it warms up, you shed layers, but then need them again later in the day, especially standing around waiting for nighttime spectaculars. It’s also a good idea to carry a poncho anytime you visit Disney, no matter the season!

Don’t put all your eggs (gear) in one suitcase!

I strongly recommend you wear your favorite running shoes or put them in your carry on bag along with at least the first day’s running gear. Luggage gets lost or delayed and may take days to reunite with you. Don’t tempt fate or chance it.

Double check that your suitcase has appropriate identification on it, that the bag tag from the airport has the correct destination on it, and if you are using Magical Express, that you’ve attached your bag tags before leaving for the airport.

I tried, but was unable to get everything I need into one suitcase. So I will have to manage two on my own, since I’m travelling solo. This is why I luv Southwest Airlines. I don’t have to pay for a second bag!

If I were not bringing so much in the way of snacks and was not running 4 races and needing to pack for 4 seasons in 4 days, I’d not need nearly so much stuff. The smaller suitcase is mostly food and accessory type stuff like throw away clothes. It will come back significantly less full (and lighter), but then I have more room for souvenirs and race swag, right?!

The good news is, I just need to haul all my stuff from the car to the shuttle and the shuttle to the check in counter at the airport, and then I’ll see it in my room at the hotel!

I have two carry on bags as well. One is just a backpack with my running shoes and my 5K running gear. It will get stashed in the overhead bin. The other will have my usual carry on items. When I get to the resort, I’ll leave my carry bags with the concierge and head to the park!

Don’t pack your magic bands in your luggage!

If you have a split stay, the concierge will transport your luggage to the resort (on property, of course) you are moving to, just let them know. By the time you get to your room that day, your luggage should be waiting for you.

And now, I just need to put everything in the suitcases, attach my magical express tags, and print my boarding pass.

Do you have any other packing tips for a Disney racecation?

I’m getting really excited for this experience and the energy of the 25th anniversary of the Marathon and the 5th anniversary of the Dopey Challenge. It’s also very likely my last runDisney racecation, so I want to savor it all.

See ya real soon!

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Run Kimmy, Run!

A 40-something soccer mom's quest to run Disney!