A Mighty Long Marathon Weekend Trip and Race Report...with Stud Muffin pics!

[Honeibee]

I’ll try to keep this relatively short, since we all know I have a tendency towards mammoth posts.

We flew from NY to MCO Friday morning. I love AirTran. I think as soon as they know everyone is on the plane they take off. We left 15 minutes early. I love that. We got the rental car, hooked up the GPS and we’re on our way.

On our way to where? I have no idea. The GPS was set for Disney’s Wide World of Sports, but it took us to some backstage area where I am pretty sure we were not supposed to be. It told us “You have arrived at your destination”. And there we were, in the middle of the woods. We were on Disney property but I have no idea where. Eventually, after many wrong turns, we found WWoS.

We had a lot to do at the Expo. Many people have complained about the chaos at the Expo and I have to agree. It was a crazy! First we went to the packet pick up for the Full, for Charlie. Then we went to packet pick up for the Half for me, where I saw Denny waiting in line too. Then we got in line for our pins. Then we went thru chip check. Then we went outside and all the way around the back to the Volunteers trailer where I had to check in. The Expo was so mobbed it was really difficult to get around. We wanted to look around but made only one stop for Charlie to buy shorts and then we got out of there.

We headed over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge I guess around 1:30pm. We hadn’t eaten since 5:00am so we were starving but wanted to check in so we could get on our meal plan and hopefully get our room. Our room wasn’t ready yet but we got our cards and headed over to The Mara for lunch.

On a side note, we booked AKL when we were at WDW for ToT. We got a pretty good bounceback deal but at that time there were only Standard View rooms available. Everyone kept telling me, including the lady at CR who booked it for us, to just keep calling and a Savannah View room will open up. So I did. I called every couple of days and then the last week I called every day. Even when we check in we asked. The resort was completely booked so we ended up looking at the parking lot at the front of the resort. Not that we had much time to sit on the balcony but we could hear the buses and people talking pretty much all night. Not that I slept that much but it was a bit annoying.

 

[Honeibee]

When we were done with lunch we called to see if our room was ready and it wasn’t. At this point it was way after 3:00 and we were supposed to be at Pop Century soon. I really wanted a shower and change of clothes and I’m sure you guys wanted me to also! Our room was finally ready at 3:45 so we tore open our suitcases, washed up and changed and hustled over to PC. I am so sorry we were late for the picture and you all had to regroup on account of us! It was worth it though. Look at the great picture we got….

And one of just us “Minnie Gals”….

The PC meet was SO MUCH FUN! Charlie said “Wow, you have so many friends!”. Hee hee. It was so great to finally meet Helen and Kevin, two people I had been posting with for such a long time but had never met. I could have stayed there for hours talking to everyone. Kathy and Terri had me laughing like crazy!

After PC we went back to AKL and I laid out my race uniform and check lists. I felt so disorganized since I hadn’t even unpacked yet. I went to sleep at 7:30pm, but woke up like every hour. Grrrr.

Finally at 2:30am both alarm clocks went off and the phone rang. I sprung up and got dressed, checked like 80 times to make sure my chip was well attached and off I went. How surreal to walk thru the AKL at 3:00am, walk outside and get on a bus. I told the very nice ladies with the clipboard by the bus that I had changed my mind. They laughed and told me to “get on the bus”. Ha ha ha! There were about six of us on the bus and it was dead quite. Last year we had a bus full of rowdy people.

I got off the bus and thank goodness Kevin walked up next to me. He kept me chatting all the way to the staging area. Thank you so much Kevin for keeping me distracted! I was pretty nervous right about then. For me, that is the hardest part. I just want to get going, but no, you have literally hours to wait. Grrr.

 

[Honeibee]

I was so happy to find my WISH team by Port-O-Pot City. Thank you to everyone who kept me talking and laughing!

Finally, it was time to go and off I went. I stayed focused and keep thinking “relentless forward motion”. Next year, though, I have to move more to the front of my corral. I’m no speed demon but I kept getting stuck behind people who were either not awake or chatting on their cell phones or gabbing away and strolling like they are at the mall. Come on people, this is a race!

I did really well for the first eight miles. Thank you all so very much for Scream Teaming me! You guys are sooooo wonderful! I got all energized every time I saw The Lime. It was funny because I would hear cowbells and if it was not a WISHer I was all disappointed.

About Mile 8 I started getting a little tired. I really don’t like that long boring stretch after we leave the MK on the way to the GF. I really focused there and saw nothing but the asphalt directly in front of me. Until I got to Mary Poppins. Yay!

OMG how exciting was it to find the huge contingent of WISHers toward the end! Thank you for screaming me in!
I did a little jig of happiness at the finish line. This year I remembered to put some space between me and any other runners so I hope I got a decent finish line picture.

The race, except for that long boring stretch, was a total blast. My face hurt when I was done, from smiling for almost 13.3 miles. OMG going thru the MK and coming up on the Castle and hearing the trumpets and seeing all the characters…how incredibly exciting! I really like the Half. It’s just enough to challenge me but not enough to kill me.

Then I went back to the AKL – and Mousekeeping hadn’t been by. They didn’t come at all that day. What’s up with that? I showered and we went back to The Mara for lunch then I went in the pool for a while. It was really cold – so cold my teeth were chattering, but I stayed in for about ten minutes. I think it helped me not be so stiff the next couple of days because I felt pretty good.

Then back to the room where we fell asleep. Which is why we were late for Cam’s dinner. This is the way the entire weekend went. I was late and disorganized all weekend. I hate that. I’m not really like that at all.

 

[Honeibee]

After we left Cam and Howard’s we went back to the AKL to get Charlie ready to go. Again we set all three alarms, this time for 2:00am. I had to be at WWoS at 3:00 to volunteer. While he went to the bus I drove over to WWoS. It was so foggy out! I got to WWoS and of course because I never read my Volunteer instructions, could not find where I was supposed to be. So I walked all over WWoS, which, believe me, at 3:00am is not a good idea. I finally called Kristi. I don’t think I have ever called anyone at that hour! She told me to find the big white tents on the opposite side of the parking lot from where I was, and I went over and checked in. We sat on the bus for 40 minutes. I could have slept a little longer thank you very much.

The bus dropped us off by the corrals where I saw a bunch of WISHers so I hopped over…ok gimped over…to say hi and good luck then met Kristi, Angie and Jim. The gentleman in charge of WaterStop #2 had us walking all over the Epcot parking lot, since he didn’t know where WS#2 was. Geez. We finally found it and started setting up.

I had so much fun doing this! I will definitely do it again next year! I saw many WISHers go by. People were thanking us for volunteering and it was so much fun to cheer and give my little spiel “Free water! Free Disney water! No snack credits! Who wants a drink? I know I do!” Some people were laughing and one lady actually spit out her water I made her laugh so much.

After we were done volunteering we took the bus back to WWoS where we had to check out. They had given us jackets in the morning and now they gave us one day park passes. Pretty nice considering I had so much fun doing it anyway!

I then attempted to drive back to the finish line. OK, well, thanks again GPS. It took me way out on I-4 and tried to make me take a ramp that apparently no longer exists. Time to update the software I think! I finally made it back and just hung around the finish line until I started seeing The Lime come thru. I made my way over to the Family Reunion W tent and hung out there. I saw a lot of WISHers come thru the chute.

I was so proud of every one of you! Even those of you who looked like all they wanted to do was lie down and never get up – I was so proud of you all!!!

 

[Honeibee]

Check out these stud muffins….

Scott and Carrie and family…

Martha and Craig…

That night we went to Boma for dinner. Our server made us feel like celebrities! He brought us this “Congratulations” tray…

Charlie didn’t take an ice bath or get in the pool. I did treat him to a massage at the AKL Spa which he said was fantastic. But he felt fine. He was a little stiff but that was it. Pretty darn good for his first ever marathon. I am so proud of him!

 

[Honeibee]

The next morning we headed off to the Boardwalk Bakery meet, since Cam had threatened legal action if we didn’t show up. I’m glad she did as we had a great time.

Then we were off to Epcot, where we did a “Bling Around the World” tour…Here are a few highlights….

I thought this was an appropriate picture….

We then went back to FW and rode the rehabbed SSE. I won’t give it away, but the end is hysterical!

 

[Honeibee]

Then Charlie went to DiveQuest and I went off to take the Behind The Seeds tour.

I was really looking forward to BtS, but holy cow, what a waste of time! The tour guide was an intern and he told us he had only been working there two and a half weeks. He was so incredibly droll that about half the group lost interest about a third of the way into the tour. One lady came up to me and said “I can’t believe I paid money for this”. I contemplated walking out, and I should have, but I didn’t. It lasted 90 minutes, when it was only supposed to be 60. As it was, all we saw were the back sides of the same plants we saw on the boat ride.

We had taken the Keys To The Kingdom tour and the Backstage Safari tour and we loved both of them. This was awful. Maybe if you had a more entertaining and knowledgeable tour guide. But I really regret wasting an hour and a half of my Epcot time. Grrrr.

Dinner was at the Coral Reef. It was the first time we had been there and I requested a tank side table. We were seated in the second tank side row, which was fine. Dinner was delicious and the service was fabulous.

We watched Illuminations as we made our way back to the Boardwalk, where our car was.

Tuesday...how sad….we had to fly home. And now I am back at work. GRRRRR! Ok, yea, I did say I was going to keep this short, didn’t I? Yes, well good thing I did! I know I’m forgetting things because it was such a whirlwind weekend.

Next up…The Minnie!

 

[Honeibee]

Oops! I just noticed the typos in the title and there isn't anything I can do about it. Grrrrr.

ETA: Ohh thanks Anne for teaching me how to fix it!

 

[wfloyd]

Great report. We (Lynnda and me) are missing in the Wish Group picture, are you trying to say something about us...

I think we did the first round of pictures but then some little boys were starving so we had to find a way to feed them. By the time we realized there were still pictures being taken, it was too late. We just figured that you didn't like us and it was easier to show up late to not hurt our feelings.

Bill

 

[goofyinohio]

I am almost certain we had dinner in Germany with this Gentlemen and his family. Could you tell me his user name so I can ask him?

That would be way too cool.


Great report by the way. I missed the dinner as I got back to the resort a little to late. Looks like everyone had fun!

 

[swim-mom]

Great Job !!

I hope to do the 1/2 next year

 

[Honeibee]

I am almost certain we had dinner in Germany with this Gentlemen and his family. Could you tell me his user name so I can ask him?

Great report by the way. I missed the dinner as I got back to the resort a little to late. Looks like everyone had fun!

Oh thats Dennyha!

Oh Bill, you're so wrong. I'm going to Photoshop you guys in.

 

[Maherae]

We REALLY didn't see much of each other!!!

 

[Honeibee]

We REALLY didn't see much of each other!!!

I knoooooow! Let's fix that. We're coming back in May!

 

[wfloyd]

Oh Bill, you're so wrong. I'm going to Photoshop you guys in.

I did notice that only the most important family memeber sneaked into one of your pictures. Timmy is chewing away on his stroller just after waking up.

Bill

 

[Honeibee]

I did notice that only the most important family memeber sneaked into one of your pictures. Timmy is chewing away on his stroller just after waking up.

Bill

OMG, don't you feed that kid?!?!?!

 

[angietuck2]

Great report and great pictures. I had so much fun at the water stop with you guys and I agree the jacket and the park ticket was great considering I had so much fun doing it. If my back holds up I will be running the full next year with DH but will look forward to scream teaming for 1/2!!!

Coming back for MINNIE, is that what you are referring to May? I can't wait!!!


angie

 

[wfloyd]

...

I think we did the first round of pictures but then some little boys were starving so we had to find a way to feed them. By the time we realized there were still pictures being taken, it was too late. We just figured that you didn't like us and it was easier to show up late to not hurt our feelings.

Bill

OMG, don't you feed that kid?!?!?!

If you see by the first post, they are constantly hungry and we are always having to find a way to feed them. I guess the plastic was helping tide things over and kept him from screaming.

Or it is the fact that he may be teething right now and the stroller felt good on the poor gums while selfish dad was sitting on the ground recovering and trying not to meet any paramedics.

Bill

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Great report Judy! I loved all the pictures. Wow, you made me feel like I was there. I bet the water stop volunteering was a blast. I had signed up to do that too back when I thought I was going. We'll have to meet up at a race someday. How far are you from Lake Placid?

 

[Honeibee]

Great report Judy! I loved all the pictures. Wow, you made me feel like I was there. I bet the water stop volunteering was a blast. I had signed up to do that too back when I thought I was going. We'll have to meet up at a race someday. How far are you from Lake Placid?

Seven hours, I think.

I voted for a couple of your pics. I didn't want to vote for them all in the same day. Someone might catch on.