A Trip to the World Changed Our World

[Disney9.9.10]

I'm sorry that you had such a bad, stressful day on vacation

 

[mommy2mrb]

wow sorry for the bad day! and the fact it had a part in you loosing a friend! hope things were better for you and Kira in the morning!

 

[KatMark]

Finally catching up after missing a week last week with sickness and work.

I'm so glad you remembered to see the Muppets after all this time.

The rain you had at the Studios is the rain we had our one day at Epcot in September. It was awful.

We finally got the cowboy on the Great Movie Ride last year.

We enjoyed the slight changes to Fantasmic, and glad they had the DJ's keeping the kids involved while waiting for the show.

I'm so sorry for the long, stressful day you had with the Disney Visa, etc. I have to say although I hate Chase as a bank, they are very good when dealing with them on a credit card issue.

I'm so sorry about the troubles with Kira and then the situation with your friend, who is no longer a friend. If this is the person I think it is, I am truly sorry as I know how close you two had become.

 

[lovethattink]

Ann, so sorry to read your bad day update. I vaguely remember you telling me about the CC. Sorry things ended that day with a bang between Kira and you.

I'm sorry that Zoe has bedtime issues. Our night time routine with JJ is very stressful. I could just imagine what it would be like for someone not use to it.

Their pictures from AK are great!

Ok Tink, will take you up on it...think we will be trying it in DLR, will let you know if we survive

It's a deal. Don't wimp out on me

 

[luckylady]

A ten minute mile is great. Ummm I take half an hour doing that walking. Don't think I'll ever get to do a 5K like I want thanks to the knees. Good for you on training in the ugh....snow. Your going to do wonderful in the race.

 

[SusieBea]

I'm late, but I'm definitely in!

 

[momabaarjo]

I am so glad to have the background information on that day. I remember that night clearly when I saw your FB post in our group and then having a texting session with you (along with getting all the other OCD girls to do the same). Big hugs, glad you can look back now and laugh a little.

 

[annmarieda]

WOW. That was quite the day you were having.

I'm so sorry for all of it.

And I don't blame you for getting more stressed out and overwhelmed at the Expo - that place was crazy!!!

Ya know, at the time I was just taking each moment as I went. In retrospect they were all piling up. Even as early as the expo I was just feeling overwhelmed.

How stressful about your DV - and the rest of your day!!! I hope things calmed down after that! It is easy to get short-tempered at Disney, I think there's just SO much going on at one time, especially in a group with multiple people, it's not easy to keep everyone happy at every moment!

Things were better from there on out. I expected there would be some time at which Kira would get cranky with one if not all of us. She did pretty well overall. It was just that night that was horrid...really horrid. You are right though...it just isn't easy to keep every one happy 100% of the time.

Oh my goodness Ann, what a stressful day! It really is hard traveling with a group, especially at Disney World. If I had lost my DV and attended the expo, with the reality setting in that I would be running the race, I probably would have freaked out with a full on panic attack. I think you handled yourself very well

And wow, what are the chances that your friend would end up sitting right behind Kira on the bus. How unfortunate that this would be your friends first impression of Kira

thanks. I know I felt much more out of control than I probably looked to just the general passerby. I know my friend knew I as agitated as did Zoe.

It was unfortunate that this was my friends first impression of Kira. The chances of her sitting right behind? Well, that I am not 100% sure of. It was not in fact the last time she was known to linger and watch without sharing she was doing so. So if by chance she did it once.. maybe. If by chance she did it a couple more times... maybe not.

Delurking to say I've read all of your trip report so far, and I really admire your positivity. Every little and big bump you've faced in this trip, you seem to twist it to find something positive.


Good luck on the PHM. It's definitely an accomplishment to finish it.

That is so sweet of you to say. I try to look for the positive. I have to make a conscious effort though since I think I am more prone to freaking out. Glad you are here and delurked!!!

What a stressful day! The CC thing alone may have put me over the edge and how wonderful that they allowed it to stay open for Disney charges, I'd have expected them to require you to cancel the card and I know if that happened to us on a trip it would be a total nightmare. We use our DV for the exact same thing.

Interesting though, this makes a case FOR having a CC on your room, versus not. A call from Children's on top of it, I'd have been drained and you hadn't even had lunch yet. I admit, after dealing with all that and seeing the rest of my party already eating, it wouldn't sit terribly well with me either. Not that there was anything wrong with them going ahead but it would make me feel a bit left out and out of sorts though I'm sure that wasn't their intention.

What an unfortunate series of events. Mother daughter blow ups can be their own thing and how awkward for someone who is an outsider to that relationship to view it unknowingly. I can just see how impressions might be made, or unmade in that kind of context.

I'm with you, I would not be comfortable buying an "I did it" shirt before the event either.

I know this isn't the end of the series of unfortunate events but am glad at least you had a stress free dinner and that Chase took good care of you. That's something, right?

Thanks for understanding so much!

Yeah, the girls had every right to eat... but I did feel a tad left out. The day was just so many feelings of being pulled in one way or another. It was odd. But yes... at least dinner went well and Chase took good care of me.

I'm sorry that you had such a bad, stressful day on vacation

There is often a day that is less than perfect.... this was just it.

wow sorry for the bad day! and the fact it had a part in you loosing a friend! hope things were better for you and Kira in the morning!

Kira can be mad at me one minute to the point that she insists she hates me and loves me terribly the next. Morning came and all was fine again.

The friend appears to not be so easy to change her feelings. I knew this about her though as we established our friendship... since I supported her as she was mad at a friend of hers...who she all together stopped talking to as well.

Finally catching up after missing a week last week with sickness and work.

I'm so glad you remembered to see the Muppets after all this time.

The rain you had at the Studios is the rain we had our one day at Epcot in September. It was awful.

We finally got the cowboy on the Great Movie Ride last year.

We enjoyed the slight changes to Fantasmic, and glad they had the DJ's keeping the kids involved while waiting for the show.

I'm so sorry for the long, stressful day you had with the Disney Visa, etc. I have to say although I hate Chase as a bank, they are very good when dealing with them on a credit card issue.

I'm so sorry about the troubles with Kira and then the situation with your friend, who is no longer a friend. If this is the person I think it is, I am truly sorry as I know how close you two had become.

I too am just trying to get caught up after sickness and work.

You probably do know who the friend is...and thanks. It has been hard. I miss her a ton... but what are ya gonna do? You can't make everyone like ya.

Ann, so sorry to read your bad day update. I vaguely remember you telling me about the CC. Sorry things ended that day with a bang between Kira and you.

I'm sorry that Zoe has bedtime issues. Our night time routine with JJ is very stressful. I could just imagine what it would be like for someone not use to it.

Their pictures from AK are great!

I think the girls had a great time in AK... I love that we had to pp+ in this case cause I got to see a glimpse at how their day went.

Yeah... nighttime rituals that are hard. We get use to...but bringing people who are not use to them in on it is not fun.

A ten minute mile is great. Ummm I take half an hour doing that walking. Don't think I'll ever get to do a 5K like I want thanks to the knees. Good for you on training in the ugh....snow. Your going to do wonderful in the race.

Thank you! A year ago I couldn't run around the block... so believe me if I can get here... anyone can!!

I'm late, but I'm definitely in!

Glad you are here!!!

I am so glad to have the background information on that day. I remember that night clearly when I saw your FB post in our group and then having a texting session with you (along with getting all the other OCD girls to do the same). Big hugs, glad you can look back now and laugh a little.

It was horrible. I was so glad to be able to vent to you. I really just thought I needed to come home because I couldn't see making it right between Kira and ... my friend. Luckily, as I said... Kira forgets fast how mad she can be at people.

 

[annmarieda]

We woke the next day early to get Zoe to her race. The other room had two little girls who were also running. I believe we (sans, Kira and Amanda)met out at the Mears bus.

Now, I forgot to mention that the day before we had managed to lose/leave behind Zoe's ak themed mickey ears on the bus. My friend (who I am just going to refer to as B from now on) had been on top of the retrieval process. She made sure to talk to note the bus drivers name to the "man with the clipboar" (see, I am bad with names so I had no idea who the bus driver was that drove us to the expo) She had also told the "man with the clipboard" that we would be out in the morning so that the girls could get to their race.

Well, to start this day on an excellent note - there was "man with a clipboard" waiting for us. He had tracked down the ears and personally had held onto them for Zoe. Just how nice is that?

So now on the bus with B and the two other adult in our party in the next room ("S" and "L") and the little girl in the next room ("K") we got settled. S was trying to get K to have her hair brushed, but K wasn't having much of it. K being a couple years younger than Zoe... I remember how that can go. Not everyone is able to remember though...

S had received an extra set of commemorative ears at the expo (she said she got for free...but I am not certain she didn't just buy them) So she gave them to Zoe. Zoe was thrilled.

Soon we were at WWOS and we made our way to the corrals. Zoe and K were in different ones, however S had family joining that also had a little girl running and she and Zoe were in the same corral.

It was early, but hot! VERY VERY VERY hot. I was glad Zoe was wearing a tank

One thing I truly love about running is the community. It was not long before S's dil and another mother near by and I were all friends. I can't remember if if was S's dil or the other mother, but one of them had a water bottle sprayer...and they shared ever so nicely.

Meanwhile, B and L went off to do something. S and K stayed together in K's corral.

This is what the chaos looked like

After what seemed like FOREVER, the girls (and their new boy friend) were moved up to their start where they continued to pal around.

Kira and Amanda had showed up shortly before and so were around to see that it was then time to get serious

I was a bit surprised that parents ran along with their kids. I am not sure if they felt they could not leave them alone or if they felt that they needed to encourage them.

Once the race started, Zoe and S's granddaughter held hands the entire race. I know I saw a picture of it... I thought I had a copy. Maybe not.

Once done it was time for some pictures. Incidentally, I did not buy any of the brightroom photos that were the "official" photos. Imagine ride photos that you often pass on cause of the cost, only that cost is twice as high. $30..$40 a picture...like a single picture

No thanks.

So I took my own.

There was still the diaper dash to be done and since it was right near where all the runners were handed out their goodies (yes, rundisney does a pretty good job with loading up each runner with food after a race so that no one gets sick) we stuck around to watch.

Look who was coming to encourage the babies

Kira and Amanda were both very interested in seeing the babies meet Mickey. Funny how some young women can have that reaction while others quite literally say that they want no part of seeing it.

Even though I am no longer in that "baby hungry" phase, I still enjoyed watching. Maybe I really shouldn't post pictures of other peoples children... but how absolutely precious was this moment. Mickey would move back and this wee one would attempt to touch his nose. Mickey would again scoot back and the little one would again crawl and reach for his nose. I believe that there is an "official" rundisney photo now that utilizes this child. It was such the embodiment of a "disney moment" if I have ever seen one. Such wonder and magic...

When it was done, both Kira and Amanda vowed that they would bring their child to do this even if they themselves were not participating in a rundisney event. They were so impressed with the diaper dash.

Next Up: 9/29 - Day 5 Part Two

 

[annmarieda]

I am not sure where everyone broke off to, but Zoe and I went to the room for her to get changed and so that she and I could go have lunch.

She staged her items to take a picture of them.

I got one last picture of her wearing them.

Then we were off to get lunch at PM.

I really liked that buffet. What an excellent use of a cs credit! I am so sad that it is no longer a buffet.

Here is just a little bit of our plates. I was trying to make this a substantial meal since it would be my last before the race.

Incidentally, that bagel you see in the above picture... well, it somehow fell into my purse. That normally NEVER happens. But this time it was kinda a good thing as it gave me something to eat right before the race.

After lunch, Zoe did some posing

and I took some pictures of the resort. It is so pretty! I can't wait to stay here!!!

Next Up: 9/29 - Day 5 Part Three

 

[annmarieda]

From CSR Zoe and I went to AK. This was the very first time she was tall enough to ride something the for whatever reason is one of my favorite rides.

Zoe does like to pose for things

I am pretty sure that Kira and Amanda were in AK. I think we met the two of them and we then went back to POFQ. The idea was that they could take Zoe and I could take a nap.

Yeah.. that was the idea.

I tried and tried to sleep. Napping in WDW is near impossible for me. In fact, I find I have a hard time sleeping at all. I am just so to be there.

I eventually gave up and got my bag ready. B was also trying to take a nap and get ready at this point and eventually I think she checked in on me.

Meanwhile, Kira and Amanda took Zoe to DTD. Amanda HAD to meet someone. Zoe and I had rode to DTD with B (my memory returns a bit here) and L the night before (before Zoe and I met up with Kira and Amanda at Boma) B and L had wanted to do this meeting but had given up because the line was so long. It would prove to be as bad if not worse, yet Kira, Amanda and Zoe stood in line for (I want to say 2 1/2 hours) to see

B and I meanwhile got ready for our race. B had been so sweet and made tutus for us to wear. Zoe had been sweet and told her that I was bigger than she is. Well, my tutu was a tad large on me. I was very grateful that B had taken on this project so I didn't want to complain. I didnt need to though as she noticed it was falling off my back side she cinched it up by tying the waistband in an extra knot. It never did quite fit though and honestly, I am not sure I would run in one again.

We had to be on our bus by 8pm and I believe we were early. The drop off area seemed very unfamiliar to me. As if it was some parking lot never used in DHS. We walked quite a bit to get to the bag check. Next came a porta potty break Where B got a good laugh at how much I hated them. I really think it is just a reagional thing... but hand sanitizer is a staple here. You see it entering stores... on counters...on persons... wrapped around people... I just have to sanitize my hands or I feel like I might get the plague. Finally we entered our corral.

and then it all started.

I brought my camera... but since B had one that was better she took pictures and I did not. Now... I only have the three I took before she told me I didn't need more.

First characters we saw and stopped for...

Not a picture of us... but at least I have a picture of the hyenas. (although not a great one)

The race itself...well, it led to why B and I don't speak.

I am type A. If I commit to something I commit. I am certain I trained for a 10 mile race. I was ready.

I may have underestimated how different B and I wanted to tackle the race. I wanted to stop for characters, but I wanted to run. I honestly didn't plan for the race to take nearly as long as she planned. In the end we finished much closer to what I planned than what she did, but still very far off from what I had thought we would do. After all, the pacing requirement of a disney race is 16 minutes/mile. At the time of the race I was running an 11 minute/mile pace. We finished with a pace of just a bit under 17. It wasn't fair to her to force her to run as much as we did. However, I honestly do not think we ran too much since I never was out of breath and I really did think that since she was younger she would be able to keep up with this old woman. It was very hot though and very humid. I am use to a fair bit of humidity and had trained all summer outside. So while it was a bummer... it wasn't a shock to my system in the way I wonder if it wasn't Bs. She was quite concerned about how much she was sweating on numerous occasions. I really should have taken her seriously, but I just thought... "when you run you sweat, what do you expect?"

I ran this race to prove to myself that I could. I ran this race to get in shape. I did not run this race for a bib or a medal or even the box of food that was handed out at the finish. This is not to say that someone else shouldn't be proud of their medal or bib or box of food. It is just to say...those are not my reasons...but I am proud none the less.

As we rounded the final corner and could see the finish line I told B that I was going to run over the finish line. She did not want to. I tried to encourage her more, but the more I did the more she insisted she couldn't. There happened to be a solo runner near by who over heard and told me she wished that she had someone with her trying to encourage her to get to the end. I laughed (yes, nearly 10 miles and I was still able to laugh) and told this gal "ok then, lets go..." I then began my sprint to the finish. I am not sure where the solo runner was or if she started to run. I think she did. After I finished I did see that B decided to run across the finish.

We collected our medals had our pictures taken, grabbed our food items and made our way to bag pick up.

I was all full of adrenaline by this point. It also did not help in making B happy. I actually, despite our pace and the fact that we didn't run..much, had had an EXCELLENT time (well, except for when a rock got kicked at me and left me with a goose egg and bruise on my leg that lasted a month ) I think I didn't make a lot of people happy when I jumped around saying "wanna go again...wanna go again" Come on...its disney with rides and we all ride them over and over despite the fact we are tired and hungry and maybe even a little ill. I just thought it was funny...cause it had been so fun all I could think of was I wanted to go and do it all over again... as if I were a little girl who had just rode her first roller coaster and wanted to go again.

Now I was overall pretty impressed with every aspect of the race. I didn't need to see a gazzilion characters and so it was fine for me that there were not that many. Dr. Facilier was notable. The hyenas. The gravediggers!!! However beyond those... there were only a few and of those, there were not many that were terribly important to me to see. (like one we did skip all together was Stitch.) I felt water stations and medic stations were adequate. I felt that the course was fine, although it did narrow a bit too much in the "woods" near WWOS and the change from running on the highway to running on gravel was a bit unnerving. What I did think was just cruel was the bag check. The finish line was near ToT. Then the bag check was at Indiana Jones. Now that is not normally that far, but I will give you it wasn't fun for a lot of people to walk just to that point. Add in that the bags were on the floor of the amphitheater and people had to walk down and then back up all those stairs. What was Disney thinking? I was fine... but I could tell a lot of people really were struggling with it. For me though, it was nice that it was were it was. It gave me a chance to at least see some of the party as we walked through.

By the time we got our bags, B needed to sit...use the restroom...sit...use the restroom. She was not feeling so well. We sat at the entrance to DHS for quite a while.

This actually worked out nicely since another dismember had been at the Villians Bash (did not run) and we were going to get to meet up with her and her dh. Her dh took some pictures of us and if she is ok with it, I will share them

It was very nice to finally meet her in person.

We said our goodbyes and B and I made our way out to the bus.

B refused to get on the bus that was there. She was not feeling well and wanted to wait for an empty bus. The cm came to discuss this with me and said they would not load another bus until the current one was full. So we waited as people slowly boarded the bus. We waited and waited and yet not enough people were coming to fill that bus. The cm I think took pitty on us then and said that as long as no one could see, she would put us first on the next bus.

B agreed to this since she wanted the front row. Now...I can't handle vomit. I actually am very phobic of it. I pass out if I feel the urge to...and nearly do if someone else does. I know that in many ways, my urging and pushing may not seem as though I had babied B much all evening. However, in my mind the fact I stayed with her all but that last little sprint and did not go to the Villians Bash but stayed with her as she sat and tried to compose herself - had been me tending to her needs. (right or wrong... I felt that way at the time) So at this moment, knowing my own phobia... I chose to ditch her and tend to my own needs (that of not being exposed to vomiting) I could not be there to hold her head up as she puked. I sat behind her...but I couldn't sit next to her. I wasn't sure how she would do getting off the bus and if I too then was woozy... that would not be good. (again, right or wrong...this was my post midnight...post 10 mile race thought)

As odd as it was... the person who sat next to her had a special bag...and her run partner chose to sit behind her. rotfl: insensitive great minds think alike) However both of them did just fine on the bus ride back to POFQ.

We parted at our rooms and I went in and got ready for bed. The girls didn't even stir. I want to say it was about 4am by the time I fell asleep.

Up Next: 9/30 - Day 6 Part 1

 

[MEK]

So I took my own.

This is an adorable picture! Way to go Zoe!

Regarding your race - you obviously trained and took it seriously, but B did not. She realized she was woefully undertrained and she was hoping to walk through most of the race. She just waan't prepared and hence she ended up feeling very sick. That's too bad that you were so mismatched in your preparation.

I do hope that the two of you can get over the incident. I hope she realizes that she just wasn't ready to run the race. No two people are ever going to react the same to a race.

I am glad you enjoyed yourself. It sounds like a good experience and I guess the next time you have to run yourself or find someone you are better matched with in terms of training.

 

[mommy2mrb]

Zoe looks so proud with her medal! looks like the kids run and baby dash was fun!

oh my on your race....first of all kuddo's to you for finishing! sorry B had so many issues and this was the reason your friendship ended.

 

[lovethattink]

Great pictures. Love Zoe and her medals.

How on earth is there time to see the characters AND beat the sweepers? I'd be a nervous wreck.

ETA: I'm so glad the girls got to see Jack and Sally. We really wanted to, but it just didn't work out.

 

[eandesmom]

Oh Ann,

I feel horrible for both you and B in this situation. It's funny, an old boss of mine used to have this saying that marriage was a contract. Not the legal doc we all think of but a silent one filled with expectations that may or may not be verbalized as on each side the person just assumes that is the norm. And then they are shocked to learn that the other side really views things totally differently. Jeff and I have had similar issues riding our bikes, he also had this issue with his ex when they ran together. Different, deep down, agendas that aren't expressed up front. Neither honestly, really wrong, just different and sometimes incompatible. You both had ideas going in and ultimately they were quite different. That's pretty normal, I'm just sorry it went so wrong.

Jeff lost some good friends over this. Friends he'd done a tri with, that we later went on a ski trip with. I'd been on that tri trip, cheering them on but I think on that ski trip they realized I wasn't a marathoner, had no interest in being one and while I was fit I wasn't going to be that person that wanted to ski all day and then still go to the gym for a workout. Jeff had wanted to do a tri once, to know he could and he worked hard at it. Did he want it to be his life? No. But to a large degree it was theirs and apparently we didn't fit into it. I find it sad that it was a reason to lose a relationship over and I find it just as sad here. I don't think either of you did anything wrong other than not communicate up front about your expectations and agendas. I could see if you had trained, had a certain pace, that all that slowing down would be incredibly frustrating on you end. I am sorry she felt pushed and wonder if you'd separated earlier if that might have helped. Even sorrier she felt ill. But still, at the end of the day (and yes, this is my type A coming out) we are all in charge of ourselves and you can't make someone do something they shouldn't and if she blames you for that I am sorry.

I have a hard time being around someone who is getting sick as well, it can make me get sick. So, I respect your decision to sit behind. Although in my case the sound will get me so I'm not sure that would have helped. This is supremely insensitive of me but it is kind of funny that there were two of you doing the same thing. It sounds like a lot of hurt feelings all around but gosh, it also sounds like something that could be worked through and gotten past. Should you be running partners? Probably not. Do a race where you meet at the end? Maybe. I don't believe that a partner necessarily has to be with you every step of the way physically, as long as they are mentally.
I do think, having been that slower person that it can be hard. I know I've been royally teed at Jeff for just taking off (biking) as then I've felt I had to keep up and my agenda was enjoying the ride/scenery, not ultimate time or cardio. The thing is what "makes" the ride for him, is different than it is for me and it isn't' a reflection of his love or respect for me that he just takes off. I had to learn that and it wasn't easy (and I'm not that slow lol). It's been hard not to take it personally or to feel like I'm pathetically slow when he does that and to be honest, it did lessen the enjoyment for me as a couple activity. So we find other things and work through it. And since I can't ride anymore anyway, it's become a non issue. I guess all I'm trying to say in a very long winded way is that both of you seem to have come from honest normal places that I can relate to in your story and I hope that someday, in time, it can be worked through. My pace is probably about yours and honestly I'd be totally bummed to have it be so much longer as well, I fixate on those things. Another reason it's probably best that I don't run lol. That said those are some seriously fun characters to have out, love that.

I love that you were bouncing around like a little kid saying "again again". I'd be doing the same thing!

 

[annmarieda]

Added one of Su- Lynn's photos to the race recap. I think for all that we had done... and as late as it was we look pretty good.

 

[annmarieda]

This is an adorable picture! Way to go Zoe!

Thanks. I like that picture too.

Regarding your race - you obviously trained and took it seriously, but B did not. She realized she was woefully undertrained and she was hoping to walk through most of the race. She just waan't prepared and hence she ended up feeling very sick. That's too bad that you were so mismatched in your preparation.

Well.... while I admit that I question how prepared she was. Another point of contention (and reason we can't resolve this) is that she does in fact feel she trained well enough to do the race in the way she wanted to. I can only attest to how often I trained. To my knowledge there were many days she skipped. In fact, I believe there may have even been weeks. However... I can see if her goal was not to run far less than we did, then how she prepared may have been appropriate. I do wonder how close we came to getting swept, but bottom line we didn't. If we had slowed more maybe she would not have been ill. However if we had slowed much more there would not have been many people to finish behind us and those sweeper likely would have caught up with us.

Really, it is a shame we were miss matched in our abilities/goals... but it goes beyond that. I would have been entirely happy to do another race with her and travel to the corrals and meet up with her at the end. I also would have hung out after the race regardless of where it was and if we missed a party or not (if there were one... some like ToT and Everest Challenge have them, while PHM doesn't). She did not like that idea.

I do hope that the two of you can get over the incident. I hope she realizes that she just wasn't ready to run the race. No two people are ever going to react the same to a race.

I doubt we can. There were some other issues beyond the race personality wise..both in what she saw of me and what I saw of her. I do miss her terribly. In most ways she is an incredibly supportive, fun and generous person.

I know she won't ever admit to being under prepared. When we discussed it she felt it was very wrong of me to question or imply. At this point I am not certain of the time she had calculated in her mind as a finish time... but I want to say it was 4 hours total. If she had taken that time she probably would have had a better time and thus the amount of preparation she committed to would have been sufficient. (again if she didn't get swept off the course)

I am glad you enjoyed yourself. It sounds like a good experience and I guess the next time you have to run yourself or find someone you are better matched with in terms of training.

I am planning to run the ToT next year and if offered again the next, I will be doing that as well. 2013 will be with some disfriends. They are training hard to be able to do it, but they are aware of how I feel. I am more than happy to cheer them on at the finish (if I get there before them) or run along side them as long as we are somewhat matched. I think even if one of them can maintain a 13 minute mile for 10 miles...then I could run with them. I think that is why I had hopes that it would work with B and I. She and I both ran 10ks to get times to submit. Mine was a chipped time but I was running with an injured ankle. (so I was running a bit slower than my normal) However her time was almost to the second the exact time I had. Granted hers was not a chipped time. Turns out, Disney will accept any "official" race time. I have even heard of races where people were required to right down their own finish time to hand into the race officials who then "registered" that time. So it does prove to be a bit suspect to me.

Zoe looks so proud with her medal! looks like the kids run and baby dash was fun!

Thanks! It was a ton of fun... hot, but fun!

oh my on your race....first of all kuddo's to you for finishing! sorry B had so many issues and this was the reason your friendship ended.

Thanks! I am proud to have finished it no matter what the time it took to do so. The main thing was I had a really good time. Disney races are not meant to be ones that you "PR" but rather ones you have a good time at.

And the race was just part of why we are no longer friends.

Great pictures. Love Zoe and her medals.

Thanks! She has a little collection started now. My goal is to encourage her to run in events that run along side mine as often as I can.

How on earth is there time to see the characters AND beat the sweepers? I'd be a nervous wreck.

The thing is, sweepers do not start until the LAST person crosses that start line. So in our case we were in corral C out of D. With each corral having about 2500 people in it and with us being nearly at the very front of C, we had about 5000 people behind us to buffer. We finished with about 700 or so behind us so my thought is they were coming...but we still a ways away.

ETA: I'm so glad the girls got to see Jack and Sally. We really wanted to, but it just didn't work out.

It was a long line. That is ALL they did that night. But for Amanda especially it was worth it.

Oh Ann,

I feel horrible for both you and B in this situation. It's funny, an old boss of mine used to have this saying that marriage was a contract. Not the legal doc we all think of but a silent one filled with expectations that may or may not be verbalized as on each side the person just assumes that is the norm. And then they are shocked to learn that the other side really views things totally differently. Jeff and I have had similar issues riding our bikes, he also had this issue with his ex when they ran together. Different, deep down, agendas that aren't expressed up front. Neither honestly, really wrong, just different and sometimes incompatible. You both had ideas going in and ultimately they were quite different. That's pretty normal, I'm just sorry it went so wrong.

I feel bad for both of us too. In the end, while I had a really good time... I guess she really didn't. I feel bad for me because I would have liked to challenge myself a bit... but I feel worse for B since she was pushed beyond where she should have been. The fact is, I wouldn't have liked to be swept..and that is ok, I suppose. But she didn't care and gladly would have been swept with me if my ankle gave (In july I had an injury and I could barely walk on it) Obviously, this makes this race more about fun to her then... and that is great. I think we needed to be on the same page with it though. I trained seriously because I didn't want to make her be swept because of me. If I had known that she really wouldn't have held it against me and it was all for fun, maybe I wouldn't have pushed myself so with the training. Then again... my personality is to give 110% to anything I do.

Jeff lost some good friends over this. Friends he'd done a tri with, that we later went on a ski trip with. I'd been on that tri trip, cheering them on but I think on that ski trip they realized I wasn't a marathoner, had no interest in being one and while I was fit I wasn't going to be that person that wanted to ski all day and then still go to the gym for a workout. Jeff had wanted to do a tri once, to know he could and he worked hard at it. Did he want it to be his life? No. But to a large degree it was theirs and apparently we didn't fit into it. I find it sad that it was a reason to lose a relationship over and I find it just as sad here. I don't think either of you did anything wrong other than not communicate up front about your expectations and agendas. I could see if you had trained, had a certain pace, that all that slowing down would be incredibly frustrating on you end. I am sorry she felt pushed and wonder if you'd separated earlier if that might have helped. Even sorrier she felt ill. But still, at the end of the day (and yes, this is my type A coming out) we are all in charge of ourselves and you can't make someone do something they shouldn't and if she blames you for that I am sorry.

Agreed. I think she was completely entitled to want to experience the race the way she wanted to. Of course, so was I. Communication was an issue...and also a contributing factor in why we don't speak. I can't stress enough how great she is over all... but one area I feel she could grown in is her ability to listen when she doesn't want to hear what you are saying. It isn't speculation that this is the case as she flat out said to Kira and Amanda that since she didn't care about the diaper dash, she did not want to hear about it. So if it wasn't something she was interested in hearing, she didn't. I like to think I can communicate, but obviously I failed. I know I told her of my progress and I know I encouraged her to try and match it. As far as me leaving her, she would not have had that. She tried to keep up the best she could.

I have a hard time being around someone who is getting sick as well, it can make me get sick. So, I respect your decision to sit behind. Although in my case the sound will get me so I'm not sure that would have helped. This is supremely insensitive of me but it is kind of funny that there were two of you doing the same thing. It sounds like a lot of hurt feelings all around but gosh, it also sounds like something that could be worked through and gotten past. Should you be running partners? Probably not. Do a race where you meet at the end? Maybe. I don't believe that a partner necessarily has to be with you every step of the way physically, as long as they are mentally.
I do think, having been that slower person that it can be hard. I know I've been royally teed at Jeff for just taking off (biking) as then I've felt I had to keep up and my agenda was enjoying the ride/scenery, not ultimate time or cardio. The thing is what "makes" the ride for him, is different than it is for me and it isn't' a reflection of his love or respect for me that he just takes off. I had to learn that and it wasn't easy (and I'm not that slow lol). It's been hard not to take it personally or to feel like I'm pathetically slow when he does that and to be honest, it did lessen the enjoyment for me as a couple activity. So we find other things and work through it. And since I can't ride anymore anyway, it's become a non issue. I guess all I'm trying to say in a very long winded way is that both of you seem to have come from honest normal places that I can relate to in your story and I hope that someday, in time, it can be worked through. My pace is probably about yours and honestly I'd be totally bummed to have it be so much longer as well, I fixate on those things. Another reason it's probably best that I don't run lol. That said those are some seriously fun characters to have out, love that.

The fact that she wanted me to stay with her on the next run and even said that many people say it is more fun to go at the slower persons pace was another point of contention. I don't mind if we were slightly mismatched. However I think we were very mismatched. Doing nearly a 17 minute mile and feeling very ill at the end is where I would have been if I had done a 10 minute mile. 7 minutes per mile is quite a big difference. Now I would probably feel ill if I did 10 miles with a 9 minute mile pace and knowing that this was probably going to be where I was headed for the phm, and not trusting that she was going to put in more training, that is why I suggested that we meet up at the end and run our own races. This was just another nail in that coffin of ours....

I love that you were bouncing around like a little kid saying "again again". I'd be doing the same thing!

It was obnoxious of me... but I was seriously full of energy!

 

[dizneeat]

I was sure I had commented here last night, well, obviously I didn't.

Congratulations on finishing your race! What a great feeling that must be. Sorry you had to look after your friend while running. It's a shame if someone has a wrong impression of their effort at something.

You do NOT look like you had just run a race in your friend's photo! And Zoe's photo is just too cute!

 

[luckylady]

Congrats on finishing the race and Zoe is just to cute, congrats to her on her race. She looks like she had a great time. SOrry to hear that you two aren't friends anymore. It almost sounds like she didn't get enought water into her,coupled with being in the heat and humidy, ya not a good thing if your not used to southern living.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I'm glad to hear that you had such a good experience (personally) with the race! It's too bad that you and your friend were on such different pages though - it sounds like (not having any racing experience here!) you were just on very different levels of racing ability. It does sound like it was an awesome experience (especially the Diaper Dash - how cute!) though!