Goofy Challenge Report
OK I have never done one of these but am going to give it a shot...first Scott sorry we never got to meet up. Thaortnks for your advice-I hit the medical tent as soon as I got there Sun morning and they helped me out
Friday 1/9/09 5K thur Animal Kingdom 34 minutes...what an incredible run, flat, great music, everyone was so psyched and pumped. At the 7am start the sun rose over the starting line-someone said Look Disney just cue'd the sun to rise. You got the impression they were right. Ran thru the parking lot thru the park, they had characters out for photo ops. The amazing thing was they had Disney staff there to take your camera and take the picture for you. No buying them later online. Really impressive. The music was awesome, they had staff and people out cheering, water stations were plentiful. Very flat course, right in front of Mt Everest...the finish was even spectacular. Nicely done
Saturday 1/10/09 the Half Marathon thru Epcot and Animal Kingdom, 2hrs 48 minutes(?). I stopped about 10 times to take pictures with the characters-lines were short, Disney staff out to help you get your picture. In front of the castle in the Magic Kingdom they even had volunteers there JUST to take a picture for you infront of the castle. When you come out of Epcot and thru the long side road, all of a sudden you are rounding a corner and WHAM there is Main Street in the kingdom PACKED with people just to cheer you on. I came alone so I did not look for anyone-but your bib had your name on it and so many times people called to me cheering me on. The volunteers and spectators were amazing. One stretch outside the magic kingdom had signs from Sharpie (a sponsor) every 100 feet, with sayings like "Think you are not popular-try missing a few payments""If Barbie is so popular why do you have to buy her friends""Hawaii gets 4 inches closer to Japan every year" and on and on. Really made a long boring road fantastically interesting. Water stations fully staffed and lots of supplies, banana's at 1/2 way point, a pacer holding a sign to keep a 12:30 mile, really well programmed and again-the people including other runners were amazingly friendly. It started at Epcot with fireworks, and ended with a GOSPEL CHOIR at the last .3 miles..every time you thought OMG I hope I make this, I am buring out BAM a marching band or a DJ who interacted with everyone he could see or characters.
Sunday 1/11/09 Full Marathon thru all 4 parks; 5hrs 24 minutes...stopped of course for photo ops. Started with fireworks, in the dark 6am (for 1/2 and full). Ran most of the 1st half with a pacer group for a 5hr30minute run. Well thought out, mile 12 had clif bars gels and banana's. Volunteers were awesome calling out your name...thru Epcot 6:30 in the AM still had tons of people cheering you on. Thru Epcot over to the Magic Kingdom..again same route and still-Main Street with band and people yelling and cheering-just so UPLIFTING...came out of the Kingdom and soon hit 13 miles. The road to Animal Kingdom was long but there were marching bands, DJ's characters...and it started getting alittle hotter. At Animal Kingdom you were greeted by a line of thei animals from a sheep that waved (serious) to a hawk to a goat to a really big tortoise and I think a snake. Just made you get out of your own head and think WOW and walk and see the animals. Thru Animal Kingdom-again a volunteer to take your camera and take a pic in front of Mt Everest...thru Animal Kingdom and on the road to Hollywood/MGM Studios. This was a tough one. Met mile 20 here, and the temp was at least 80. On one stretch a family there just to cheer had a bowl and a sign that said Free Candy...another little boy, on his own with family-not part of Disney gave out granola bars which was great because I did not want to dump at mile 20. Made it down the long road to MGM, came thru a back wat and then thru the park. Again huge crowd music people shouting your name. Stopped for a picture with pooh piglet and tigger (who could resist). At one station they gave out mini-hershey bars and yes I indulged...and did not dump thank goodness. I was DYING by then. Went in and came out a tram tunnel that showed you the costume design offices--again your in your head and bam something else to concentrate about. Got thru MGM and they had you go down a long walkway by the river-beautiful, alittle cooler too. Came up to the boardwalk and landed in Epcot---mile 24 almost home. Went the the world from Britain all the way over and around to Mexico and down to the big golf ball. Spectators everywhere calling your name---or maybe calling mine because they knew I looked like I was in trouble. Even with 1 mile left I had NOTHING-zero. I was out...but reached down for something and kept going. Turned the corner of the big golf ball and WHAM theres an even BIGGER gospel choir singing loud and upbeat and just beautifully..still not enough, but I kept going. With the finish line in sight 100 yards away I thought i am going to pass out on the finish line runway....NO BUDDY not me. I will pass out OVER the finish line but not before. I had nothing left-did not sprint over, just ran....26.2!!!! Over the finish line I got my medal-they took the timing chip, I made my way to the beverages and just sat and drank. One guy said ya gotta keep moving but I just said ummmm no...he said no problem-maybe it was the blank pale look on my face. After about 20 minutes and 2 diet cokes, 2 bottles of water and one powerade....I got more to drink and headed to the food (banana protein bars, etc).....then over to get the "Goofy medal" for doing the full and 1/2....then over to the medical tent. As I lay on the lounge chair, the medic looked at my toes and said I had 3 blood blisters under the toe nail and one huge blister on one toe...he alleviated the pressure with a syringe-heck he could have cut the toe off if he let me stay on the chair. I then got a 20 minute massage-and feel asleep on the table
I found the bus and got back to the hotel. Everywhere I went people who did not even run were congratualting me-especially the other runners. I have to say this was INCREDIBLE and I HIGHLY recommend it. This was my 2nd marathon (the first had about 250 people in it-Disney had almost 15000) and I am pretty sure I will be back next year....
OK-time for an ice bath...and a nap!
Friday 1/9/09 5K thur Animal Kingdom 34 minutes...what an incredible run, flat, great music, everyone was so psyched and pumped. At the 7am start the sun rose over the starting line-someone said Look Disney just cue'd the sun to rise. You got the impression they were right. Ran thru the parking lot thru the park, they had characters out for photo ops. The amazing thing was they had Disney staff there to take your camera and take the picture for you. No buying them later online. Really impressive. The music was awesome, they had staff and people out cheering, water stations were plentiful. Very flat course, right in front of Mt Everest...the finish was even spectacular. Nicely done
Saturday 1/10/09 the Half Marathon thru Epcot and Animal Kingdom, 2hrs 48 minutes(?). I stopped about 10 times to take pictures with the characters-lines were short, Disney staff out to help you get your picture. In front of the castle in the Magic Kingdom they even had volunteers there JUST to take a picture for you infront of the castle. When you come out of Epcot and thru the long side road, all of a sudden you are rounding a corner and WHAM there is Main Street in the kingdom PACKED with people just to cheer you on. I came alone so I did not look for anyone-but your bib had your name on it and so many times people called to me cheering me on. The volunteers and spectators were amazing. One stretch outside the magic kingdom had signs from Sharpie (a sponsor) every 100 feet, with sayings like "Think you are not popular-try missing a few payments""If Barbie is so popular why do you have to buy her friends""Hawaii gets 4 inches closer to Japan every year" and on and on. Really made a long boring road fantastically interesting. Water stations fully staffed and lots of supplies, banana's at 1/2 way point, a pacer holding a sign to keep a 12:30 mile, really well programmed and again-the people including other runners were amazingly friendly. It started at Epcot with fireworks, and ended with a GOSPEL CHOIR at the last .3 miles..every time you thought OMG I hope I make this, I am buring out BAM a marching band or a DJ who interacted with everyone he could see or characters.
Sunday 1/11/09 Full Marathon thru all 4 parks; 5hrs 24 minutes...stopped of course for photo ops. Started with fireworks, in the dark 6am (for 1/2 and full). Ran most of the 1st half with a pacer group for a 5hr30minute run. Well thought out, mile 12 had clif bars gels and banana's. Volunteers were awesome calling out your name...thru Epcot 6:30 in the AM still had tons of people cheering you on. Thru Epcot over to the Magic Kingdom..again same route and still-Main Street with band and people yelling and cheering-just so UPLIFTING...came out of the Kingdom and soon hit 13 miles. The road to Animal Kingdom was long but there were marching bands, DJ's characters...and it started getting alittle hotter. At Animal Kingdom you were greeted by a line of thei animals from a sheep that waved (serious) to a hawk to a goat to a really big tortoise and I think a snake. Just made you get out of your own head and think WOW and walk and see the animals. Thru Animal Kingdom-again a volunteer to take your camera and take a pic in front of Mt Everest...thru Animal Kingdom and on the road to Hollywood/MGM Studios. This was a tough one. Met mile 20 here, and the temp was at least 80. On one stretch a family there just to cheer had a bowl and a sign that said Free Candy...another little boy, on his own with family-not part of Disney gave out granola bars which was great because I did not want to dump at mile 20. Made it down the long road to MGM, came thru a back wat and then thru the park. Again huge crowd music people shouting your name. Stopped for a picture with pooh piglet and tigger (who could resist). At one station they gave out mini-hershey bars and yes I indulged...and did not dump thank goodness. I was DYING by then. Went in and came out a tram tunnel that showed you the costume design offices--again your in your head and bam something else to concentrate about. Got thru MGM and they had you go down a long walkway by the river-beautiful, alittle cooler too. Came up to the boardwalk and landed in Epcot---mile 24 almost home. Went the the world from Britain all the way over and around to Mexico and down to the big golf ball. Spectators everywhere calling your name---or maybe calling mine because they knew I looked like I was in trouble. Even with 1 mile left I had NOTHING-zero. I was out...but reached down for something and kept going. Turned the corner of the big golf ball and WHAM theres an even BIGGER gospel choir singing loud and upbeat and just beautifully..still not enough, but I kept going. With the finish line in sight 100 yards away I thought i am going to pass out on the finish line runway....NO BUDDY not me. I will pass out OVER the finish line but not before. I had nothing left-did not sprint over, just ran....26.2!!!! Over the finish line I got my medal-they took the timing chip, I made my way to the beverages and just sat and drank. One guy said ya gotta keep moving but I just said ummmm no...he said no problem-maybe it was the blank pale look on my face. After about 20 minutes and 2 diet cokes, 2 bottles of water and one powerade....I got more to drink and headed to the food (banana protein bars, etc).....then over to get the "Goofy medal" for doing the full and 1/2....then over to the medical tent. As I lay on the lounge chair, the medic looked at my toes and said I had 3 blood blisters under the toe nail and one huge blister on one toe...he alleviated the pressure with a syringe-heck he could have cut the toe off if he let me stay on the chair. I then got a 20 minute massage-and feel asleep on the table
I found the bus and got back to the hotel. Everywhere I went people who did not even run were congratualting me-especially the other runners. I have to say this was INCREDIBLE and I HIGHLY recommend it. This was my 2nd marathon (the first had about 250 people in it-Disney had almost 15000) and I am pretty sure I will be back next year....
OK-time for an ice bath...and a nap!
Myrtle Beach will have a half marathon and full on Valentine's Day, I'm doing the half. Is there anything exciting going on in your neck of the woods as far as races go? I will probably do the Cooper River Bridge Run that is in April and it's a 10k. I have my first sprint tri at Parris Island Marine Base on March 14. Other than that I have no set plans as of yet.
Vicki
290/253/200/175
Highest/Surgery/Current/GOAL
Hi Chris!
It was incredible! DISNEY doesn't do ANYTHING half way! I only did the 5K, but got sooooo excited seeing the tents, even the port-A-Potty's out on the disney highway!!!!!! Even the resorts are absolutely wonderful & magical!!!!!!
Saturday we went to the children's marathon (1 mile), that was also well done!!!! Parents were allowed to run with their children. The youngest one was like 2 yrs old! Dad of course carried him here and there, but the baby actually ran thrrough the gate to the finishline!!!!! Everyone stayed and cheered!!!! Very sweet!
My husband and I are talking about doing the 1/2 next year. And after reading your post, I am more determined to do so!!!!
Chris what time did the first runners come in at for the Full?
Chris? Do you have a Lapband? If so let me know I have a question for you.
Thanks for sharing,
Prek-3
It was incredible! DISNEY doesn't do ANYTHING half way! I only did the 5K, but got sooooo excited seeing the tents, even the port-A-Potty's out on the disney highway!!!!!! Even the resorts are absolutely wonderful & magical!!!!!!
Saturday we went to the children's marathon (1 mile), that was also well done!!!! Parents were allowed to run with their children. The youngest one was like 2 yrs old! Dad of course carried him here and there, but the baby actually ran thrrough the gate to the finishline!!!!! Everyone stayed and cheered!!!! Very sweet!
My husband and I are talking about doing the 1/2 next year. And after reading your post, I am more determined to do so!!!!
Chris what time did the first runners come in at for the Full?
Chris? Do you have a Lapband? If so let me know I have a question for you.
Thanks for sharing,
Prek-3
Nov 10,2009 I reached GOALL BYE BYE 130 POUNDS! It wasn't about the FOOD, it was about what was eating at YOU! Time for a Head adjustment! **July 2011 Plastic Surgery Lower Body Lift
Exercise 
is not a LUXURY!
Exercise is a 
NECESSITY
Hi Prek-3!!
I know-they are just amazing!! I am staying at the Pop Century by the way...
I have never seen sooooo many porto-pottys in my life! They must have rented everyone in a 200 mile radius!
The Childrens marathon sounds like alot of fun-did you run with any of your kids? I am thinking of doing the 5K next yr with my 8yr old-if I can convince her that running is a good thing-just because Daddy is hobbling around does not mean she will!
Just go for the full. So MANY people were doing the run/walk method. You have a 7hr window from the time the LAST runner goes over the starting line-so its about 7 1/2 hours. Then you can pair up with a pacer that will run/walk you all the way to the finish line. They don't stop for pictures but you can catch up.
Not sure when the first runner came in-I imagine 2hrs plus aliitle-it is such a flat course alot of people were having their personal bests...and it is really FLAT another reason to do the full!
No-sorry, I am gastric bypass-although you would not know it with the amount of fluids and food I consumed today
Chris
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