2017 Disney World Marathon Weekend Expo

Well the weekend is finally here and my (hopefully) first marathon for 2017 is just about 12 hours away.  I managed to make it to the expo yesterday with my roommate in tow.  I was impressed with how big it is, but also how it is getting more and more organized.  I'm curious to see if Disneyland has also gotten better since WDW has the room to move things around and DLand is a bit more restricts.

Regardless, the expo was a lot of fun.  I didn't spend too long there, mainly wanted to avoid temptation.  If I stare at raw threads too long then I end up buying far too much.  It also helped that a lot of people went the first day so it wasn't insanely crowded.  It was crowded, but not nearly as bad as I was expecting.  Picking up my race bib, surprise gift (a little luggage tag), and then my shirt went rather quickly and painlessly.  I was able to avoid buying anything from the runDisney store, but I did pick up two new shirts from Raw Threads.

I think the best part of the expo is the emotions and the excitement that is in the air.  Having that many runners in one area with the same feelings is addictive and regardless of how you feel, it makes you at least a little bit excited.  I can honestly say that going to the expos is one of my favorite parts of running these races.

Now I did see the traffic going into the expo the first day, when Dopey and 5k runners had to check in and it was insane.  That's going to be hectic next year, but I'm still excited!  One year... one year and I'll be there in that chaos getting everything for my Dopey Challenge.

I Survived!

I think this summarizes my marathon experience:

I'll post a race report tomorrow or Tuesday.  Trust me, I got lots of pictures so it should be fun!

1 Month To Go- Will I Ever Be Ready?

I've decided that I will probably never be ready for this marathon.  I had my so called long run today and ended up running 11 miles.  I could have run more, but I don't want to risk anymore injuries or knee issues.  I actually felt pretty decent on the run.  Tired and sore, definitely, but no major aches or pains.

My knee did start to hurt around mile 10, but then calmed down a short time later.  It's kind of like I hit my wall and my knee hits its own wall and it's all about over coming both of them.  I did push through some of the tiredness, but I couldn't beat it all...

I kept repeating this mantra in my head towards the end of my run and I'm sure it's going to become my anthem during the marathon.  It's going to be part of my mental plan to keep me going.  That whole 80% mental 20% physical saying... it's completely and utterly true.

The closer this marathon gets, the more and more nervous I get.  I do have a few friends running the race as well and one is having even worse knee problems and than me.  I figure that at the least, we'll pull each other across the finish line if it comes to it.

I was thinking for a little bit today while I was icing my knees and I realized... this is pretty similar to how I felt right before my first half marathon.  I was just as nervous, just as worried... Now about 2.5 years later, I love half's and while they will always be a challenge, I'm totally and utterly addicted.  Maybe that will happen with this marathon?  One can always think positive...

Not There Yet

I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever be able to train like I'm really supposed to for this marathon.  I took the last few days off in order to prepare for a 23 mile run today and only got to 14 miles.  My knee just locked up and started grinding and it really made me start second guessing everything.

My biggest worry right now is that my knee will act up during the run which will cause me to walk a long way or even force me out of the race.  I'm hoping with the bio freeze spots and a few more weeks like this one, I'll be able to get my knee ready for the race.  If it gets bad enough that I can't finish, well then... they'll pull me kicking and screaming.

So far, this training has definitely been some of the hardest training I've ever done.  I don't think any of the test sets, training camps, or anything my coaches put me through with swimming adds up to the training this marathon is taking (don't tell my coaches of course...).  Currently I have no idea how people run marathons after swimming and biking... Ironmen (and women) is definitely the right name for those individuals and as always, they have my utmost respect.

Where my training will go after this... I don't know.  I think I might do my own thing for the next few weeks, rest before the race, and give the Disney World Marathon my all.

The Heart of An Athlete

Right before the Wine and Dine half marathon, when I was supposed to be "resting" I discovered some news that at the time I thought was Earth shattering, but has luckily been handled.  I found out that I had been wait listed for vacation time on the Sunday of the marathon.  They adjusted the rest of the week, but not the ONE day I needed.  My parents said I was over reacting, but at the time, all I saw was all my hard work going down the drain...

I knew my friends, family, and coworkers all knew how much this run meant to me.  Of course it's the 20th anniversary so that was a big deal, but it was also my very first full marathon.  That's something I never thought I would even consider doing and here I am actually getting excited about it!  So of course it was a huge disappointment that I wouldn't be able run.  I have literally put blood, sweat, and tears into my training and I could see it just evaporating into thin air. As weird as it was, it was like getting a broken heart and instead of it being over some boy (because men know better), it was over the race.  That's the heart of the athlete... Some call it dedication, others call it obsession, I call it love.

Now that I've calmed down and talked to my managers, I've been assured that one way or another, I will be getting that Sunday off.  Whether I trade the shift or get an authorized day off, I will be running in 2 months from today.  To say my stress level has fallen in the last few days is an understatement.

And yes, the marathon is in 2 months... 61 days... that's it!  I have 2 long runs left, a 23 miler and a 26 miler, but considering I've gotten my 20 miles in, I've relaxed in that sense too.  I do want to get at least 1 to 3 more 20+ miles in before the race, but we'll see how that goes.  I did read that since I did get to 20 miles I should be fine as long as I can keep my base up.

I really can't believe I ran 20 miles last week, but I did it and I'm extremely proud of myself.  It's interesting seeing just what I'm capable of, especially the things that I didn't think I would ever be able to do... like a marathon.

Hello Brick Wall- Wine and Dine Review

I want to start of by saying, yes running 7 miles before the half marathon probably wasn't one of my best ideas... actually it's probably somewhere around one of my worst ideas.

I had a lot of time to wait between when I parked my car and when the race started.  It was almost 3 hours in total, but luckily I had met up with some friends so we sat around and talked and stretched together.  I'm not going to lie, I was slightly jealous of the person who was able to fall asleep a few feet away from us...

The start was pretty typical of runDisney starts.  There was the nice archway you ran under and plenty of fireworks.  Actually, they had more fireworks than normal.  I was in Corral C and we had fireworks going off next to us for the first corral!  They also had high fireworks as well as the low ones around the start.  It was a pretty cool start from the fireworks perspective.

I was impressed that there was a character just after the first mile of the race.  When I got there, it was Goofy, but he soon left and was replaced by Chip and Dale.  Totally didn't mind, especially since I saw Goofy on my way back.

The run through Animal Kingdom (miles 3.5-6ish) was really cool.  They had a lot of animal based characters (Rafiki and Turk, Pluto, Fantasia Ostrich and Hippo...), but the coolest thing for me was seeing the Tree of Life lit up at night.  Tried to get a picture in front of it, but it didn't work out too well.

Between Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, I really started getting tired and sore.  My calves started burning and my energy levels just plummeted.  I should have had gu or something like that, but alas, I didn't.  I've learned my lesson, trust me.

The course around and through Hollywood Studios was interesting conceptually.  Realistically, it was a little boring.  I knew what was coming up again (The Osbourne Lights) and that's what kept me going. You actually ran around the outside of the park on the main road leading to Magic Kingdom with cars speeding by.  I saw a few runners get close to the car lane and got a bit nervouse, but luckily nothing happened (at least when I was there).  You ran a lot backstage, but they did have Wreck-It-Ralph there to get pictures with!  It's nice they brought out a new character!

The Osbourne Spectacle of Dancing Lights is always on of my favorite holiday traditions.  I actually went on Thursday with my roommate to see them get turned on on the first night.  My suggestion, if you can get there at dusk and see them get turned on... that's where the magic is.  The lights and the magic and memories connected with them helped push me through the rest of the studios.

To get from the studios to Epcot, you actually ran past the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club resorts, which, funny enough, is actually my vacation run.  If it weren't for all the people crowding the sidewalk around me, I probably could have run it with my eyes closed.

The run in Epcot was pretty much a straight shot right to the finish.  You came into the park near Journey into Your Imagination and then headed straight out where they have most of the finishes.  I wish they had brought Figment out, but it was late and that area was crowded so I guess I understand...

It was great have the mass of spectators in the park though.  The cheering and peer pressure (don't want to stop that close to the finish in front of everyone) helped me get to the end.  Just after the 13 mile marker there was a laser show kind of making a roof for you to run through right before your turn into the finish line.  It was really cool...

Chef Mickey and Minnie were at the finish cheering us on and giving high fives.  I always wish I could take a picture with them, but I'm not selfish enough to steal them even for a second from the other runners who are finishing as well.  Plus they were at the pre-race area and I just passed it up because it looked like a hour or more wait.

Overall, the run went well.  The wall I hit at mile 6 and then again at mile 8 (which lasted me the rest of the run) was a pain, physically and emotionally.  I tried to alternate between walking and running, but it really was a compromise between my calves and legs hurting or feeling like I was going to throw up... I deal with physical pain better than getting sick so that also helped me run for a while.  That was my athlete's determination really coming into play... there was NO way I was going to pull out of the race and that's the mentality I kept.

What did I learn?  Not to run 7 miles before a half, although I do have that marathon coming up which will be 2 halves pushed together.  Also, bring food!  Whether its a banana, cliff bar, gu, or whatever... this was the first time I really realized how important that extra nutrition and electrolytes really are.

Now it's 2 months and 2 days till the full... what have I gotten myself into????

The Day Has Come

The Wine and Dine Half Marathon has finally arrived... or well will arrive at 10:00 tonight.  I personally star the race sometime around 10:10 as I'm in Corral C (as usual).

I was able to get to the expo yesterday between work and the Osbourne Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  They went back to the packet pick up in one building and the expo in the normal Jostens building.  It did help cut down on the clutter and mob that's typically at the packet pick up and expo.  They also create two official race merchandise areas so I was actually able to go in and get a shirt as well as one of the other pins.

At the expo itself, I was given my goodie bag which had my shirt in it and some of the other info pages.  I really do appreciate that runDisney has gone to a virtual goody bag and aren't giving you a ton of ads that you're just going to throw away.  So I guess in the past, they've given the party goers tickets for one or two food/drink samples, but this year they've given us a $10 gift card instead.  Whether or not we use it at the party... that's up to us.

As usual, the expo took quite a bit of my money, but they were really good buys.  1 "want" item and 2 "need" items.  I already have a "I Thought They Said Rum" shirt from One More Mile, but it was short sleeved and I wanted to wear it tonight... So I got the long sleeved version (The "want" item).  I also go a bright yellow reflective shirt and vest for running at night (The"need" items).  I've been running a lot at twilight times and I've run at night in the past.  I knew I needed some reflective gear, but had yet to find any... until yesterday of course.

I also got some of those energy gel blocks for training and a commemorative poster from the company that does the medal frames.  I've realized I'm probably going to stock up on all these posters if they keep doing it!

I was good and passed up a $46 dollar shirt that was awesome, but not $46 of awesomeness.  It was one of the glow in the dark villain shirts and the one I needed was the Captain Hook (one of my all time favorites... especially now that they've, um, modernized him in Once Upon A Time.

Now that race day has come, I'm ready... or at least I hope I am.  I got up and ran 7 miles this morning and it felt really, really good.  I'm not too sore and I feel like I can get this 13.1 miles in.  So that way I get my medal, pictures, and party and get my training caught up for the marathon since this week was supposed to be 20 miles.

Less than 8 hours now... check back tomorrow for updates.

Slowly Catching Up

Considering all the candy I ate last night (thanks to the lack of trick-or-treaters), I really needed to stick to my plan and complete my long run this morning.  Now, I've been fighting my legs and all the different problems they seem to have for a while now, but I think we've finally come to an agreement (or at least a compromise).

Earlier this week I was able to get in a nice 5 mile run... it was one of my best feeling runs in a while.  It gave me hope in all honesty.

So this morning I was able to build on that 5 mile run and get in 9 miles.  I was debating 10 miles, but my legs were already burning, it was cold out, and I didn't want to push myself too far and create anymore issues.  Anyway, next week I have the Wine and Dine Half Marathon so that's when the real pushing will happen.  Next week I'm supposed to run 20 miles, probably won't happen but I've been playing with the idea to run 7 miles the morning of the half and then the half that evening which technically equals 20... right?

The great thing was that I only had 3 miles that were at a 10+ min pace, most were around 9:50 or below which got me really excited.  So maybe while my endurance was having issues, my strength and speed were actually improving, I just didn't see it.  I'm still nervous considering the marathon is just about 2 months away, but I know I'll finish it one way or another. Maybe I'll finish hard, maybe I'll crawl across the finish line, or maybe I'll stop in EPCOT on my last mile and cross the finish line with a few drinks... who knows, either way I'm finishing.

Princess Half Marathon- 5th Anniversary Medal

Yesterday, runDisney finally premiered the medal for the 5th Princess Half Marathon.  During the Tower of Terror expo I was hanging around the medal area for a bit and heard quite a few people asking, quite excitedly, about the new medal, but the runDisney cast members were tight lipped, although equally excited about it.

I do agree with some comments that I've read that it's not as spectacular as the 20th anniversary marathon medal or the Tower of Terror medal, but it's still keeping true to the race and all of the other medals, something I can respect.  Yes it has more glitz, which every princess needs, and it stands out form the previous 4 tiara medals.

I do wish the years would be a bit more visible (2009 and 2013 are inscribed on the gold banner behind the 1.2 Marathon... yes it's hard to see...), but this is also just the 5th year!  In all honesty, Disneyland Half's 5th year medal probably could have been better (although not for me personally since it was my first ever).  I expect each anniversary to get better and better... I mean, look at the 20th anniversary medal... it took it 20 years to get to that!

Still, I'm excited to add this medal to my collection come February.  It will be one of the at 6 medals I'm planning on getting in 2013... in other words, 2013 is going to be a big, big year!

Expos... Very Dangerous... For My Wallet

In just about 27(ish) hours, I'll be starting the Tower of Terror 10 Mile race.  Well, the race starts tomorrow, but the event as a whole has started.  Today was the kickoff of the race weekend.  The expo and race registration pick up started at noon and I was there, in line, and making friends just before 12.

The expo itself was about as big as the half marathon, but the whole thing is quite a bit smaller.  This year at Princess they had registration and race merchandise in one tent and then the expo in another.  The Tower of Terror (TOT) event had everything in one tent.  It made it super crowded and I didn't even dare try to get into any of the race merchandise.  They did talk about bringing extra spending cash to the race so maybe they'll have some stuff there tomorrow...

Goodie Bag

However, I did get my goodie bag and did do a bit of shopping.  Seriously, I need to be better about putting myself on a budget during expos...  In all honesty I didn't do too bad with my spending and I have plenty of money to cover what I did buy.  I just could see myself spending a lot more than I did if given the opportunity.  I am still very happy that runDisney has gone to the electronic goodie bag so you're not getting useless papers and flyers that you're never going to use.  Less paper in the trash and more trees standing tall...

My shopping spree...

One great thing they always have and I always have to check out is the medal table.  Most of the medals have already been given out (they don't have the new Princess yet... it WILL be changing for the 5th anniversary though!!), but they did have the medal I'll be earning tomorrow and I can tell you it is AWESOME.  They also have the marathon medal, which made me that much more excited to earn it in January!  Check it out...

Determination

Determination... I finally found it.

My days have been up and down recently, but one constant I've had is looking forward to the 9 mile run I had scheduled for today.  It was a mixture of excitement and nerves because I wasn't sure if I was completely ready for it, but it was also my first true run on the Galloway plan.

Overall, the run went well.  Around mile 6 I started to die, but I just kept pushing.  Yes I walked a bit more than the Galloway plan instructed, but I just wanted to get to mile 9.  I had decided that no matter what, no matter if I had to walk to the 9 mile mark or not, I was going to finish.  In 1 hour and 33 minutes I was able to finish the 9 miles and I felt pretty decent about the time.

Was I completely prepared?  No.  But that's where determination came into it.  I might not have been in the best endurance shape for the run, but I wasn't going to let that throw me off my training plan.  Plus now, I have a nice week of conditioning.  I'm anxious for the rest of the training and the marathon in general, but I think part of it is also nerves from knowing that this is going to be one of the hardest training plans I've ever taken on...

After a run that I thought would have me confined to the couch or bed today, I actually got to the store (preparing for TS Isaac), and made lunch (Chicken curry sandwich), made dinner (Tortilla soup), and made cupcakes (Chocolate Strawberry cupcakes to be exact).  I got laundry done and cleaned the kitchen multiple times so I'm saying that today was a pretty good day.

Now, I just need to find people to eat these cupcakes...

Donald's Causing Trouble Again...

The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is celebrating it's 20th anniversary in 2013.  We've already seen the updated race course, which you can get a refresher here.  They had the new medal design ready for its big reveal, but it's been stolen.  Here's the news release from runDisney's facebook page:

So as you can see, Donald's yet again causing quite a bit of trouble.  Of course runDisney has asked it's facebook fans to help find donald in all the different places he's trying to run off to.  Here's a picture from one of my favorite place's he's been spotted at so far:

If you want to see the medal soon, check out runDisney's facebook page and follow the instructions on how you can help them catch Donald and get the plans back.

Of course next year they should probably tell Donald that they've designed his medal before he gets into more trouble.  Or maybe Goofy will play with the medal plans next year?

WDW Marathon Course Reveal!!!

I don't think I can properly convey how EXCITED I am right now.  Let's just say, I want to go on a run now and keep running until January 7th (and well beyond that) to be ready for the Walt Disney World Marathon.

RunDisney had announced that they would be premiering the Walt Disney World Marathon course and some special additions that were being made for the 20th anniversary.  You know what... why don't you watch the same video I just watched...

Pretty cool, huh?

So now I'm super excited about the chance to run through all the parks AND the speedway.  Plus, a bit of the Disneyland Half Marathon is coming to Florida; we're running on the baseball diamond! I just cannot wait for the race now!

Of course, I'm going to have to do some research as to where the characters are going to be, what entertainment will be out there, and where I want to stop for pictures... I guess it's a good thing I still have over 6 months until the race.  Of course, from the video it looks like there is going to be plenty of entertainment and picture opportunities along the course!

Of course I still need to get through the Tower of Terror 10 Miler and the Wine and Dine Half Marathon.  All in good time, right?

Click here for a pdf copy of the 20th Anniversary Marathon course.

Marathon Preparation- LiveStrong Article

The Disney World Marathon is in just over 8 months... I feel like it should be farther away, but it's really not.  Luckily, I'm not waiting around for last minute training like I have in the past with some of the Half Marathons.

No, instead I'm diving into this goal head first.  

One of the things I have done (under recommendation from my father) is join LiveStrong.com.  Yes, this is the site that is connected with Lance Armstrong, which is one of the reasons my cycling enthusiast father likes it.  Livestrong has some FREE tools to manage weight, help train, and (if needed) help quite smoking or get support for cancer.

I have signed up to mostly maintain my weight, as I'm down to a weight that I'm happy with.  I've also listed my goal as Train For An Event, Run A Marathon.  This allows the site to help focus articles to those that will help me in my training.  Now, I have not read through everything, but I'm off to a good start.  I read this article about training for a Half Marathon and it definitely got me thinking about what I need to do to train for the Half Marathon.  There are some great tips hidden within the article that I'll definitely be using in my training.

Let's Get Lost

I've been moving around a lot recently.  My internship ended just over a week ago and I'm in temporary housing as my house gets built.  Due to the transient lifestyle, I've been finding new routes.

Yesterday, I checked out the map for the area where I'm staying and found what I thought would be a nice route to run.  I had no clue how far it would be or how long it would take me to get everywhere.  There were a lot of walking paths that intersected and deviated from each other so I knew it was going to be interesting.

This morning I got ready for my run and rechecked my map.  Again, I knew it was going to somewhat of a challenge to stay on a route.  After all, this is a new area for me.  So I figured out a few landmarks from the map and decided that it was time to get lost.

Ok, I didn't get lost in the conventional sense of the word.  I knew where I was, sorta, and I was able to find my way back to my room.  All in all, it was a great run.  It ended up being just over 5 miles and I got to explore the area where I'm staying which was fun.

In my opinion, one of the great things about running is that you can just go off and get lost on a run.  You can stop thinking about life and where you are and just let loose.  You never know what you might stumble upon or what great routes you might find.  On today's run I found a route I'm going to try tomorrow morning and I'll admit I'm anxious to get out there and explore again.  As for the things I stumbled upon... check out this cute gazebo they had, but it was designed like a carousel:

In other news, I've decided to set up a few new goals.  

First, I WILL be doing the full marathon in 2013.  It'll be good for my health and I think it's just a great goal overall.  

Second, I MIGHT be doing the Goofy in 2014... I have 2 years to train for that, I think I can do it... 

Third, I want to run 400-500 miles in 2012.  I haven't decided on an exact number, but I want over 1 mile a day so anything better than 365 miles is good for me.  Right now, I'm behind with that goal since I've only run just over 8 miles, but I'm ready to tackle that goal and beat it!

Marathon Dreams

I was driving around the Walt Disney World property today and checking out all of the stuff they've already got up for the Half Marathon and Marathon this weekend.  It made me start thinking about a few things...

First, it started bringing back memories of the Princess Half from last year which made me excited for the half this year.  I was wondering if they would have the same characters out or if some of the same signs will be out again?  My favorite sign they had on the course was about taking naps:

Still, now I'm excited for the Princess and getting anxious for that weekend to finally get here.

Second, I'm thinking about doing the full marathon in 2013.  This Sunday would mark 1 year until the race then so I have a lot of time to train and actually decide if I'm going to do it or not.  I have a friend running the WDW Marathon as his first marathon, and well his first race in general so I might follow in his footsteps (kinda) next year.

Never in my wildest dreams growing up did I think I was going to even consider running a marathon.  When I was competing in triathlons, I refused to even consider the farther distances because of the run... and yet here I am looking at doing 26.2 miles!  As soon as I decide if I'm going to do it or not, this blog will be one of the first to know...