Running through Disneyland, My DL 5k & ½ Marathon PTR!!

[kim3339]

So as a lot of you know, Labor Day Weekend is the 6th Annual DL ½ Marathon Weekend. The 5K on Saturday and the ½ on Sunday, it'll be my 5th year running both. Bright and early Saturday morning I’ll be at the Parking Lot for the 5K and then even earlier on Sunday for the ½. I figured since this is my 5th anniversary running I'd do a TR for the 1st time.

About me- I’m a huge Disney fan, love it and if I could, I’d be there every weekend, or just move into the Fantasy Suite. When I lived in San Diego for school, I was there at least twice a month. But now I’m back in Santa Clara, and it’s not as easy/close to get to. I try to get down there at least twice a year, but this year I went to WDW in Jan. so that kinda kept me away, $wise, from DL.

I’ve been running for about 6 years now, not that fast, but you can always get faster. Like I said before, this is my 5th DL 5K & ½. I flew out to WDW to do the Princess ½ in ’09 and this year for the Marathon. I was going to get another Coast 2 Coast medal, a special medal for people who’ve run a race in WDW and DL, but pulled my hamstring on X-mas Eve and had to drop out at Mile 8/9. So sadly, no C2C this year. And if it wasn’t so expensive to go to WDW, I’d do all the races out there. They’ve got 5 different races there! Guess I’ll have to buy that private jet sooner rather than later. I’ve done other ½’s and a full, but this one is hands down my fave so far. I was really excited when they announced that DL was adding a new race, the Tinkerbell ½ at the end of January next year and that there’ll be a new course. Always good to change it up a little bit, plus I’ll have to go back down to DL. Such hardships!!

This year, it’s just my dad and I going down for the race. He’s a big Disney fan too, but didn’t want to run this year. Why, I don’t know, he ran the Goofy race in WDW in January and could have gotten a C2C medal, but he decided no on the DL race. I’ll have to take a picture of the medal and post it, b/c seriously, it’s beautiful and could inspire anyone.

We’re staying at the Travelodge Anaheim on Ball Road this time. It’s the 1st time staying out in that area, usually we’re almost always on Harbor somewhere. I figured I’m just on the other side of the ramp which will work out both mornings for the races, plus we can hop on the Tram to go to the Parks. Last year, we stayed at the DL Hotel on a high floor that looked over DTD, DCA and DL. That was the best! Plus it was awesome race morning- just had to pop downstairs and over to the parking lot.

We're driving down early Friday morning and back Sunday after the race. I'd rather leave later Sunday so I can enjoy the parks at least a little before we leaver, but my dad is worried about traffic coming home. Don't ask me why, I keep trying to explain that we're coming home Sunday not Monday and it won't be that bad, but he never listens. As for Friday, I'd love to leave around 4am or earlier b/c of the construction on the 5, but he wants to leave a little later. But my thought is that what harm could leaving earlier be? We'll not only avoid traffic but the sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be in the parks.

Racewise, this year I'm hoping to break 2:40 for the 1/2. I've done it before, but not in a long time so keep your fingers crossed. As for the 5k, it's more just an easy relaxing run taking in the sights nothing too strenuous. I'll let you know throughout the next 8 weeks. This weekend my long run is 9.

P.S. ~ I know I've still got 8 weeks, but it's been so long since I've been at DL(last year's race) I'm in need of anything that'll get me closer to the trip. If you told me I had to leave now, I'd be ready to go. Plus, I'll put up some pics that I have from past runs, and my random DL faves and stuff.

Hope you guys enjoy it!

 

[Belle Ella]

Well, I said I'd be in and here I am! Officially subbing and looking forward to more! Hopefully I'll run into you for the 5K. Congrats on it being your 5th year. Here I am going for the first time!! I'm staying over on Harbor (HOJO) so I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to get over to the starting point for he 5K, lol. Parking is supposed to be provided in the structure right - so I could drive over there rather than brave it on foot, haha. Then it's just a question of when to leave.

Anyway, like I said, looking forward to more!

 

[kim3339]

Thanks! It's going to be a great weekend. Hopefully we'll have some great weather too! I'm pretty sure that you can get into the structure. I know that some people take the escalators up to the different levels to watch people start the race. It's really cool.

 

[kim3339]

Here are pics of the medals over the past years if anyone's interested.

These are the ones from the 5ks. I wasn't there the 1st year, but they had a POC theme.


This year's theme is Star Tours and this is most likely the medal. I like the Stars Wars movies and ride and all, but not really over the moon about the theme. Oh well, you can't always get what you want and it's DL right?


Here are the 1/2 medals. The 1st 4 years, it was the Castle, and I loved it. You can't really see it that clearly, but they even have the drawbridge in the middle of the Castle. And the other one was the medal for the 5th anniversary last year.


And this year, instead of going back to the Castle, they're changing it up a little bit. I really like it! I cannot wait for this year's medal.


And here's the C2C Medal if you run a race in DL and WDW in one year. No C2C this year, but I'm thinking of maybe running the Wine & Dine next year, which is at night!! But that might have to wait if I get into the NYC Marathon. The Walt & Mickey statue is 3D on top of the Castle and it is heavy!

 

[blabbermouth]

Neat to see all of your medals and future medals! Nice work! I like the Fab 5 one, it really fits the theme, doesn't it. Good luck on your races in September.

 

[reyasmommy]

How fun! Best of luck to you!!!!!! Looking forward to reading more.

 

[kim3339]

Neat to see all of your medals and future medals! Nice work! I like the Fab 5 one, it really fits the theme, doesn't it. Good luck on your races in September.

Thanks! The Fab 5 one is my fav too! It was so simple yet so classic.

How fun! Best of luck to you!!!!!! Looking forward to reading more.

Thanks!

 

[kim3339]

Yesterday I was looking through some old stuff, looking for something for my sister (she's coming out to visit at the end of the week ). And low and behold, I found this little 80s style photo album. When I looked in it, it was a photo album from my 1st trip to DL!!! The trip was after Dec. 18-20, 1981, the week b/w my 3rd b-day and X-mas. I scanned some of the photos, gotta love the 80s!
These are of my mom & me and my dad & me. I was wearing my Fox and the Hound t-shirt, matching my dad.

My 1st pic w/ Mickey and meeting Miss Bianca(I was the little kid, wearing my matching Fox and the Hound bucket hat)

These are some random pics where you can see how different Fantasyland and the park were. You can even see the Fantasyland Theater.

On Dumbo, my mom & I are on the lefthand side, but Dumbo is totally different and you can see BTMR behind it. The pic w/ the pirate ship in the back is the line for Casey Jr., but don't remember what the ship was and the last one is the line by the Storybook ride. I kinda like the lighthouse, but don't remember it.

 

[kim3339]

So in honor of finding the old pics, I thought I would reminisce about all the stuff that I miss from DL's past. Even though I have some pics of the old Fantasyland, I don't remember a thing about it or from that trip, except those Mary Jane shoes and the t-shirt. The t-shirt was my favorite and I tried to wear it everyday.

My favorite spot and ride that is no longer is the Swiss Chalet where the Fantasyland Skybucket loading area was. That one was b/c it reminded me of Tahoe. (I loved the Teal buckets) And I have no idea why I liked it so much when I was little, but I used to love walking by the snoring bear cave pre-Splash. It always made me laugh, and when I go on Splash, I always remember that when we pass by the door w/ Brer Bear snoring. As for IASW, definitely prefer it when it had all the pastel colors. I think I have a picture of that somewhere, I'll have to look tonight to see if I can find it. And I also liked the old Sub ride theme better. Don't get me wrong, I love Nemo, but I kinda liked the cheesy-ness of the old props on wire.

My favorite "secret hiding place" was the old teepee near the entrance to Frontierland. Every time we went, I was plotting how I could hide in there. I'm pretty sure they got rid of that though, haven’t noticed it in awhile. Granted I was a little kid, and didn’t think of how I would get over the railing and across the water, but I thought that would be the one place no one would look and I could come out and play when everyone went home.

Meal isn’t there anymore- I loved the Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad at Blue Bayou, but they got rid of it a few years ago, and the 50s Dinner that used to be @ the DL Hotel preDTD(think I still have a place mat from there).

And my all time store was the one in NOS that had a whole bunch of eclectic things; it’s where the pin store is now. I really wish that one would come back.

So those are my favorites from the past. Hope you like 'em!

As for running last week, the reason I get to visit DL again, was okay. Long run yesterday was about 8 1/2 miles. Perfect weather w/ the fog keeping everything nice and cool. Hopefully that'll happen in September. Past couple of years have been great.

 

[skiingfast]

Your old pics are great. I may need to bug my mom and find out if she has any. Great old memories of the park!

That pirate ship was I think Hook's Galley, you must of seen it in it's last days. You are right though FL changed a lot, very strange for keeping most of the rides.

 

[Belle Ella]

Love the vintage photos, Kim!

 

[kim3339]

Here’s the plan, or at least my plan, for the weekend.

We’re only going to the parks on Friday and Saturday, no Sunday . We have a park hopper for Friday, but haven’t decided about Saturday (1park or hopper). The nice thing about the race is that if you can buy discounted tickets.

Friday:
Leave home around 4am if I have my way, 5 if my dad gets his. Hopefully, we’ll get to the hotel b/w 9:30/10, and see if we can check in. Like I’ve said before, we’re staying at the Travelodge Anaheim DL Dr.; 1st time we’ve stayed there or on that side of the park (other than the DL Hotel) so it’ll be a new adventure. After that, head over the overpass to Mickey and Friends to catch the Tram to the parks!!

Side note about me and vacations. When I go on vacation, I have crazy travel OCD. I start planning way in advance, get the hotel and airfare as soon as possible, b/c it’s cheaper so why not? I do tons of research on the area and things to do, good restaurants, etc., but for some reason w/ DL, it’s the complete opposite, aside from the hotel. I don’t know why that is, maybe b/c I’ve been there so many times before, I know where everything is… I never really make any park plans. When I go to the park, its kinda go w/ the flow. If a line is long, come back later or get a fastpass; eat wherever sounds good at the time. The only time I really “plan” when I go is if there is something new that I haven’t done/ ate at before (like this year), but it’s more of a “I want to ride this, but anytime’s fine by me.”

If all goes according to plans, we’ll get to the parks around 11 or a little earlier. Around 1, hop on the Monorail to head over to the expo (it’s at the DL Hotel). We’ll be there for about 1 ½ hours, then back to the parks and get a locker for the goody bags. We’ll play the rest by ear, but if we are doing a 1day on Saturday, it’ll be in DL, so I definitely have to get some DCA rides in Friday!! The ones that are a must will be TOT, Screamin, LM, TSMM and Soarin. That night, try out the new Boardwalk Pasta and Pizza so I can carb up for Sunday. If anyone’s eaten there, let me know what you think! (if it’s not good, then Uva in DTD) The one thing that is a definite is WOC. Didn’t see it last year and we both really want to. So, I'm making plans for that, hopefully we’ll be able to get the 9pm show. We’re going to do the box dinner thing when booking for that opens, I think we’re going to just do the kids meal for snacks for the room. After WOC, I’ll head back to the hotel so I can get stuff ready for Saturday and get to bed at a somewhat reasonable hour.

Saturday:
Wake up and head over to the Mickey Parking Lot around 6. The race starts at 6:45, so hopefully get out of DCA, which if like last year could be a little challenging, and be back on the Tram going back to the parking lot/hotel by 7:30 and back on our way to the parks about 8:40 or so. DL opens at 9, so we’ll be there when the gates open if possible. As much as I would love to spend the whole day there, not really the smartest when you have to get up and run 13.1 miles the next morning , so we’ll just play it by ear, taking our time, not rush all over the park and get in as much as possible w/o going crazy.

The one thing I won’t be doing is ST2, asked my dad about it the other night and he said he’s not a big fan of the whole motion/3D thing. That’s okay though, we won’t have to stress/race for fastpasses. That and HM, they’re closed for the Holiday layover. I wish they’d wait a few days on that, they did the 1st couple of years I was down there that weekend. It seems that the only time I’m in DL, HM’s either closed for the layover or in the layover. Hopefully it’ll be up and running, normal mode, in Jan. Dinner will be in DTD somewhere, so we’ll leave the park around 6. I’ll most likely be back at the hotel no later than 8, get my stuff together for Sunday and then hop into bed.

Sunday:
Sunday morning get up around 4, not like I’ll sleep much that night and w/ 3 alarms going off, I’m pretty sure I’ll be up on time. Get ready and head over to the parking lot. Wander around the staging area loosen up the legs, drop off my bag (they hold it for you so you can have something after the race), stretch out the legs and head over to my corral. Then, run the race! After I’ve finished, pick up my race bag and walk over the overpass one last time. After that, sadly… leave DL and head home. The nice consolation is that I know I’ll be back down in 4 ½ months for the Tink ½.

 

[farmgirljen]

Exciting trip! We will also be there running the 1/2 marathon. We will be flying down on Thursday and flying back to Oregon on Monday. we have 4 day parkhoppers...CAN NOT WAIT!

 

[kim3339]

Exciting trip! We will also be there running the 1/2 marathon. We will be flying down on Thursday and flying back to Oregon on Monday. we have 4 day parkhoppers...CAN NOT WAIT!

You're going to have so much fun and a great race!! It's my absolute fav 1/2 out there!

 

[kim3339]

Here are some details about the races and schedule for Race Weekend for everyone, non-parkwise.

Friday and the Expo:

If you’re not familiar w/ a running expo, here’s a quick explanation, DL style. The Expo is held at in the DL Hotel Ballrooms on Friday and Saturday. You pick up your bib/timing chip (a way to id/time you in the race and for pics) for the races, and w/ the Disney races, they have some things that you can preorder like a pin. I bought the pin this year, I love it; it reminds me of the old sign that used to be on Harbor. Here’s a pic:

It’s also where you pick up park tickets. B/c I’m doing the 5k and the ½, I have to pick up 2 of everything. This stuff is in the underground parking lot of the hotel and they have a really cool blue track lane overlay on the ramp. After that, upstairs to the ballrooms where they have all the fun stuff!!! W/ registration, you get a goodie bag and t-shirt(I’ll get 1 for each race). They also have a “store” where they’ll sell DL ½ stuff like shirts, hats, etc, as well as tons of booths from vendors where you can buy random running things, register for other races, and that type of stuff.

Saturday and the 5K/Kids Races
The theme for this year’s race is Star Tours. In the past they’ve done POC, Ratatouille, Toy Story, Mickey’s Main Street USA and Fabulous 5K. It’s 3.1 miles and we run through both parks and backstages. There are about 4-5,000 people that do the 5K. There is a small staging area in the parking lot near the Tram Stop before the race. They have a DJ to get you excited and ready and have some water out. This year, we start over by the Mickey and Friends Parking Garage and the Tram area. We go through DL 1st, entering by Splash and we going through all the lands except for Adventureland. We exit DL by the turnstyles near DTD, and hopefully I’ll get to run over my dad’s brick! After that, we run down over by the shuttle loop and into backstage DCA. We run past TOT and get an up close look at Carsland, or at least the ginormous rock structure. After that, it’s around Paradise Pier to the finish line near the WOC seating area by LM. After that, we get our medals!

My favorite part is behind IASW where the trains and the monorails sleep at night. It’s across from the Agriculture Billboard you see on the train right after IASW. It’s a double-decker house w/ the monorail on top bunk and the trains on the bottom bunk and the conductors are all out and they have a train out w/ a conductor blowing the horn. Here are a few pics:


It’s so much fun and I highly recommend it to everyone and anyone. A ton of families do the race together; last year there was even a family dressed up as the 7 dwarves. Not to mention the fact that you get to go BACKSTAGE!! That part is worth the price of the race alone, b/c aside from CMs how many people get to see that?
After the 5K is over, in DTD near the ESPN Zone, they have various Kids’ Races as well for the little kids. There is also a Pasta Feed Saturday Night in the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ.

Sunday and the ½:
The ½ never really has a theme, it’s just the DL ½ Marathon. There are about 12-14,000 runners and walkers that do the 13.1 miles. We go off at 6am w/ the wheelchair racers going off at 5:55. Similar to Saturday, there’s a staging area as well, just on a bigger scale. The race starts at the DTD Underpass heading towards Katella. They bring out the Monorail w/ a ton of characters and have fireworks to start you off!

We head down to Katella then Harbor into the parking lot and then DCA and DL, backstage and all. The best photo opp is in DL as you run through the Castle. And last year, Maleficent was on the Fantasyland ride of the Castle about the bridge, it was really awesome! Sadly, it’s only a couple of miles in the parks, but it’s still DL and still fun. After we leave DL, it’s around Anaheim, mostly behind Harbor, in the industrial area. Around Mile 8, we turn into the parking lot at the Honda Center and run out to the trail along the river. After Mile 9, we turn into the parking lot at Angels Stadium. We run towards the Big “A” and then… it’s into the stadium!!! We enter near the right field line, towards home plate, and then up and out via the left field foul line. They have a ton of people in the stands cheering you on as you enter the field and you feel like a total rock star. The game day announcer yells out names on the PA and a camera at home plate puts everyone on the jumbotron. After the stadium, it’s time to start heading back to resort. As you run under the 5, you come out on Disney Way and finally start to see the tops of the rides and know you’re almost there. We enter the parking lot on Harbor and make our way around the outside of DCA towards PP. We cross DL Way into the PP parking lot and make our last turn to the right and it’s the home stretch!! We follow the service road by the DL Hotel, the Sorcerer’s Hat and just past ESPN is the glorious finish line!!! Then it’s time to get your medal, some Powerade and celebrate the finish of another great ½ in DL!

 

[kim3339]

So excited!!!!!! Just got an email from this lady who makes nail decals, and mine are on the way. I got a whole bunch of different ones~Giants, LSU Football and... Disney ones!!! These are the ones that I had made for Sept and January:



I was thinking of alternating the DL 1/2 Logo w/ the running Mickey.

Now I just have to figure out what color nail polish to do my nails in. The only thing the lady said was that you can't use a dark color. So if anyone has any suggestions let me know!!

 

[Belle Ella]

That's so awesome Kim. I'm kind of jealous, lol. My color suggestions would be a pale blue for the Disneyland Half, and a gree for the Tinkerbell

 

[reyasmommy]

Love your vintage photos. I sure wish I could have seen DL as a kid. That's one of the reasons I've made sure that my own children get to go as often as possible. Sure hope they realize how lucky they are.

Your trip sounds amazing!

And I agree with Belle Ella on the nail polish.

 

[kim3339]

That's so awesome Kim. I'm kind of jealous, lol. My color suggestions would be a pale blue for the Disneyland Half, and a gree for the Tinkerbell

And I agree with Belle Ella on the nail polish.

Thanks for the suggestions!! I love it, and I have some "Cinderella" blue from the Princess 1/2 I did a few years ago. Now on to find the perfect green...

Love your vintage photos. I sure wish I could have seen DL as a kid. That's one of the reasons I've made sure that my own children get to go as often as possible. Sure hope they realize how lucky they are.
Your trip sounds amazing!

Thanks! Although I do have to say I don't remember that trip aside from the shirt. I wish I did though, I would love to remember what Fantasyland used to look like. One's from when I was a little older I did. I think your kids will definitely appreciate it and it'll be fun from them to look back at the pics you take from your trip, especially if the park has really changed. I love looking at all the old park maps as well. It's so weird how the park has changed so much, yet so little at the same time.

Thanks again ladies!

 

[blabbermouth]

Neat that the run takes you through the backstage areas. You'll be so tired when you get home you'll need a vacation from your vacation!

So neat to see the old photos. I went in about 1987? There may be only about 3 photos of it though. And I never went back until 2009!