An Extremely Goofy Trip Report

[Pongo53]

Or possibly the title should be, "The agony of victory, the wetness of the feet"

We got through Houston, but it rained off and on, we still had remnants of the flu, but it was the blisters from the wet socks/shoes that was the killer. Still, we finished, we're recovering, and I'll be posting more of the Disney photos tomorrow. Plus the sore throats are less today than they have been for so long, so I'll feel like working harder at getting them done.

Perdita did her Disney time, within one second, and I was about 25 minutes adrift, just happy to finish. That Perdy finished with her Disney time is testament to how controlled she was in holding down her Disney pace to take into account running the Goofy. She really took it easy if she replicated it in Houston, with H1N1, blisters, neuroma, and plantar fasciitis all conspiring against her. She was, and continues to remain, my heroine.

Here's a pic of the Houston finish--I know it's not Disney, but its sort of connected as the races will be one week apart in 2012 and we just HAVE to do them both. Its a law! (Isn't it?)

Dolce: Thank you so much for the wish for good luck--we needed it!

More Donald Half pics coming tomorrow---that's a Tinkerbell promise

 

[Montana_Disney_Fan]

I like the small pics. So many trip reports have pics so large it takes forever to read them.

 

[Pongo53]

Thank you, Montana Disney Fan! I actually don't know how to control the picture size, and this is just the size they are appearing when I fetch them from "photobucket." I like the smaller size, for quicker viewing, but if anyone needs a larger size of any of them, let me know, and I'll see what I can do. Maybe a hint about making requested photos larger would help.

So continuing with our Goof Challenge, I'll post some pics from the Donald Half from Saturday. I didn't get as many pictures that day as it was dark for a lot of the race, and I don't think I had the aperture set properly. I set it differently for Sunday. But here goes:

Waiting for the start of my first Half, and my first part of the Goofy. That's not a cape I'm wearing, just a garbage bag as a windbreaker. The next day would be cooler and we would bring our throwaway Target blankets. Saturday was only moderately chilly pre-dawn, and would get downright warm by the time I finished around 7:40.

Perdita did bring her blanket. I forgot. Smart princess.

My impression of a baked potato...

Fireworks from the start. Time to walk to the front of B corral.

Pretty, just wish I took better pictures.

The best of the pics of the start line sendoff. I'm not sure I should be allowed to be operating this camera.

And we're off! That's Perdita just ahead of me, wearing her orange. Well, MY orange----she stole my shirt. I don't think I'm getting it back either. Good thing I sorta love her.

My next picture came some 5.3 miles later as we ran through the CM entrance at MK, heading toward the Christmas tree at the town square.

Then two shots as we had the glorious run up Main Street, USA, toward:

Cinderella's castle!!!! Pretty in pink. Next year, I'll come to a stop so I stand a chance of getting a sharper shot.

Then into Tomorrowland. Is the People Mover operating this early by an chance???

It was still too early at the back of the castle to get good sharp pictures because of the light...

But just after exiting MK, it started to get light. And at this point, only about 6.5 miles to go!!

 

[Pongo53]

Continuing,

The light was changing quickly, and in the same turn, it appears appreciably brighter just minutes later,

letting us have a nice view of the golf course just before the World Drive return journey to EPCOT.

Just a bit later is the area leading out of Polynesian, (I think).

About mile 9.8 or so, two of our faves, Tiggr and Eeyore.

But the next character I saw was not posing, he was running! Stitch can just be seen up ahead on the long 1/2 mile 270 degree climb to get to the EPCOT return road.

Here he is! I determined I was NOT going to finish behind someone running on a warm, humid day in a full furry suit. I passed Experiment 626 on the curve. Not exactly the proudest moment in my life--but consider the alternative.

It IS a rather long turn complex.........

It gets a little tight along here, around mile 11, especially at the water stop ahead, which is on both sides of this narrow pass. (And none of us got pulled over for exceeding that speed limit sign.)

Water stops are great and all, but it would be nice to be able to get by.....

First sight of EPCOT, after making the hairpin and heading down the last hill just before mile 12.

At least we were all hoping that was Spaceship Earth back there and not the hot air balloon from World Drive again. **weak smile**

And I'll finish up the Half tomorrow. Too late tonight to squeeze it all in.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Great pictures! Really love the superman trash bag look! Ya gotta do what you can right!

Glad the Holiday Inn was good for the pets and the humans.

 

[Dolce27]

If I ever go back for Disney marathon week-end it will be to do the half and not the full marathon. I can't wait to run the MK while it's still dark! I think the atmosphere would be better. On the half, you guys do. On the full, pretty much only the elites hit the MK before the sun rise as the MK is mile 10-11 on the full. What time did you hit the MK on the morning of the full marathon?

 

[Montana_Disney_Fan]

i did the 5k with my sister in 07 thru Epcot. I loved the characters at the end giving high 5's.

 

[Pongo53]

I'm getting to post some pictures during the day today because most of Houston got a Snow Day off. We are having the same kind of weather the 2010 Disney Full and Half ran in, but we have shut down much of our city. So much for the myth of the rough tough Texan....

We left off on the Donald, just at the hill before Epcot. My wife said that it caught a lot of people in the Princes Half last year, and forced a lot of people to walk. This year, we both noticed a bunch of people walking from here to the end--just went for too much early. I really sympathize, as I did that in a July 4 5K, and it makes finishing sorta miserable instead of the glorious feeling it can be.

We were still getting fantastic crowd support, and it was deff Spaceship Earth, not the balloon. TG!

Looking forward to passing under the monorail and entering EPCOT the back way.

But it was not the monorail, it was the "Tronorail" as my DDs dubbed it. They had told me they could not get away from this one--it was stalking them every thime they turned around or needed to get from EPCOT to the TTC or vice versa. And now it was stalking me! Shades of Jaws IV.

Okay! The mile 12 marker just ahead. Almost the home stretch.

I skipped taking pics inside EPCOT on the last mile as it was a bit hectic and crowded. Jumping to the finish stretch here.

So close now.

The end is getting nearer and more colourful!

I paused just before the finish tape to wait my turn to high-five Goofy. I really wanted to touch his hand as I was entered in the Goofy Challenge, and it felt sooooo wonderful to get his "blessing." Gawrsh, Mick!

Quite a few supportive families and friends at the line. Wish mine could have been there, but my parents do not approve of my running, fearing I will tear up my knees like my dad did in professional sports. I hate to tell them this, but the running is just not that stressful in that way. Its hard to tell someone who does not do it how good it makes one feel. Just a reminder to those new to my pages, I did not start running until mid 2009 at age 56. I just do it for my soul.

It was nice to see they had plenty of Donald medals on hand. I got a PR--as this was my first half-marathon. And people say you can't PR at Disney!!!

Actually, we both took it easy in the Donald on Saturday, as we were saving our legs for the full on Sunday. My pace for the first half of the Mickey was actually half a minute better than my Donald time, so I think I did a good job of keeping it under control. Perdita bettered her Princess time by two minutes, but it just shows me how much improved she became in a year, as she considered Saturday a "maintenance run," not a race. She initially was fifth in the 60's but there was some confusion as to the sex of one of the Brazilian girls, and she ended up being included in the F 60's, so Perdy dropped to sixth. I looked up the girl's picture, and I honestly can't tell which she really is. it's okay--Perdita was not racing, but I feel sorry that that one place bump means she will not get an age group award.

Funny thing is, it upset me more than her. She's more about the joy of the event than competition. I really admire her.

Next: aftermath pics from the Half.

 

[WDWFigment]

Those are some awesome character shots. Sometimes I consider doing the marathon just for those!

 

[Pongo53]

A bit earlier in a post from around mile ten, I had a pic of Eeyore and Tiggr doing character greets during the race.

Here they are back at home. Gotta relax sometimes--the hundred acre wood can be stressful, I bet.

This is the fluffy blanket behind them. We found a picture of it on the DIS boards, and then my DDs found one in MK and bought it for my wife as a surprise. She will treasure it all the more for that. It is the castle Lights Christmas blanket that was sold only at MK as one of the incentive deals they usually do. MK appeared to be out of them, but DDs found one at the Christmas store at Liberty Square. They had just gotten great character shots with Naveen and Tiana and Louis, so a great time for them all.

So, back to the race aftermath shots from the Donald:

No photo? I'll show them!!! Civil disobedience, WDW style. I guess there is a little Stitch in me. I'm so bad I disobeyed the "no photo" sign.

Perdita, back at the car. With her medal. And my jacket.

How does she always end up wearing MY clothes??? Still, it has to be better than if it were the other way around........

That's me in the same place. Already thinking of what's next. No, not the full marathon tomorrow----SHOPPING at Downtown Disney!!!!!

We went to Downtown Disney right after the race to walk the legs out a bit.

I wanted to wear our medals all day, but Perdita convinced me we should take them off after World of Disney. I'm just a lot more into "flash" I guess.

Lost in a sea of pink. "Honey, do you think the girls would like these?"

We bought Perdy's ASI photo package. Here's some from Saturday.

It had been a hot run.

Finish line photo with the crowd.

Some happy people.

They'd been happy even in the final stretch.

Sometimes it seems crowded.

But its Disney, so its always magical.

Should I run the Goofy next year in my Sorcerer's Apprentice hat?

 

[Montana_Disney_Fan]

yes yes where the hat!!!

 

[Pongo53]

Montana, I will, I promise. That or Mickey ears, but I've always loved Sorcerer's Apprentice, so the wizard hat looks like the top contender.

Dolce, as to your question as to when we hit Magic Kingdom. According to my Garmin, we were there from about 6:40-6:50am. It was a strange feeling for it to be dark but hinting at getting lighter. : Magical! And then on Sunday, it was later, as it was more like mile 10-11 as you said, and I started in D instead of B that day. So I hit MK from about 7:45-7:56. Call it out by 8:00am, as I always slow down in MK, but not by too much, as it turns out. I do wish MK lasted longer!

Posting pics from the full soon as I can upload them to photobucket.

 

[Pongo53]

Well, that was a long time between posts. I thought I'd continue with the full marathon, if anyone is still watching. Sorry for the delay, but some non-Disney things came up. Yes, I know its hard to believe, but things like that happen.


We were up again before 2:00 to get ready to go out, and look a little more chipper than we should.

Here's Perdita:

and here's me, Pongo

Sunday morning was cooler than Saturday, so at three thirty Perdita and I waited for the start wrapped in our throwaway blankets. Hers was pink:

and mine was blue: (how traditional!)

We separated for the corrals, as Perdy qualified for C and I was D. We had been together in B the day before. (For the Princess, Perdita had been A, so I have no idea how the corrals are consistent--I just go where they tell me to go, and wait my turn. Moooo! Here's Perdita on her way to hers after she dropped me off in D. Please don't brand me Mr. Trialboss, I won't stampede until all the other livestock does, promise!

I thought this was the last I'd see of Perdita for 4 1/2 to 5 hours. (Little did I know I would pass her before MK and she would re-pass me just after the hairpin at mile 21.)

This next one is a horrible picture, but it conveys a sense of the surreal feeling of being out in a herd of people on an ordinarily lonely highway behind EPCOT, on a chilly dark morning. A nice feeling, but deff out of one's normalcy range.

But up ahead, it's almost time for us to start, and, "In the velvet darkness of the blackest night, Burning bright, there's a guiding star, No matter what or who you are."

Some blurry fireworks shots, but they meant we were going to be getting warm as our internal engines started us on our 26.39 mile journey. (okay, it's s'posed to be 26.2, but I never hit all the apexes, and even at age 58 I do have to run around people sometimes.)

Pretty!

And the gas flares were so warming. I tossed my blanket about thirty seconds before passing under them, and it was such a strange mix of temperatures. Lovely!

We're still walking here, the race won't start for us until we get under the flares, and pass Goof, Min and Mick. Crowded here, but completely controlled and comfortable.

Here's our sendoff:

And as seen from the crowd, courtesy of ASI photography:

...and off we go, for 26 miles, give or take:

(to be continued)


oops! Just found this ASI photo of early morning and the first trip through EPCOT, near the Christmas tree.

Just thought I'd try to squeeze it in

 

[Pongo53]

We were in the dark for a good ways, and as a result I did not snap many pictures for the first several miles until dawn broke. Had to try to get a pic of these fairies, though. Anyone who runs a marathon with wings and a tutu is magical in my book.

And here they are, from the front, after I'd passed. This looks like it's right after the long 270 degree downhill turn to World Drive. (In the half it's uphill at mile 10, and where I passed Stitch.)

I was still getting blurry night shots on World Drive, so after this one, I waited until more light.

Patience rewards, and it lightened up by mile eight, and here we are heading into the MK parking complex:

I didn't shoot many mile markers this year, but here is 8, I guess to show where the light started getting better. I was between 10 and 11 minutes behind the clock. That is, my time was about that much after the gun, if you follow me. I was feeling great here, feeling like I could go all day, and although I was just focused on finishing the Goofy, my pace was actually faster than I had done in the Donald the day before. (Beware of running according to your feelings!!! More on that, later).

Daybreak, and I shot this behind me, and now know what Satchel Paige meant when he said "Don't look back, it might be gaining on you." A lot of people here look determined to gain on me.

But we're are not racing against each other--just ourselves and we all have our personal goals and stories. But one thing we have in common is we are all rooting for each other to do well. Here's a bunch of us running through the MK parking lot:

In the background of this picture, you can see the faster runners from the earlier corrals running out of MK already. I still have to go through the TTS, around the lagoon, past CR and through MK to be where they are!!

It's always a special thing to be at WDW, but to see glorious sights like this sunrise makes it even more magical.

That previous shot was in sequence, it just can look lighter in the camera than it really is. Here, in shade in the parking lot still, a woman from New York, Leeane, exchanged cameras with me and we took pictures of each other running. I hope the ones I took of her came out well. It's hard to comprehend a new camera while you are running. She did well, and a big thank you to you, Leeane!

Finally to the tram tunnel leading to the TTS:

and up the tunnel:

To the welcoming cheers of the well-wishers (not to be confused with Snow White, wishing at a magic well...) at the TTS

A very friendly lot, this:

(to be continued)

 

[Pongo53]

Let me interject, we are still having a great time at this point. Perdita is running a strictly technical race, running well below her capabilities so she could be sure to finish and finish strong. I'm running according to how it feels, and it feels great and I'm sure I'm going to beat last year's Mickey by 40 minutes. Little did I know that looming ahead was something as terrifying as Snow White's Scary Adventure.

So by this time, I had passed Perdita, never even seeing her. I never expected that I would pass her, so was not looking for her. Still, it's a little unnerving to realize one could be on the same section of road as one's wife and miss her. She missed seeing me on both passes, too, though.

So, resuming the pictures, here are a pair running in tweedle dee/dum fashion. I hope it is his and hers. Please tell me it's his and hers. Anyway, waaaaay to cute for me. (Perdita will not even let us wear the same shirt on maintenance runs in the evening.)

Now these people are s'posed to be dressed alike. A great band to cheer us on right after TTC.

Water stations are great at Disney. Plenty of cups and volunteers who have great attitudes. You have to remember to drink even on cold days--realize it or not, you burn through a lot of fluids in the cold, too.

We can finally see CR in the distance:

But first we have to go down under the bridge that has the waterway connecting the two lagoons. What a strange concept to be underpassing a waterway!

Although Disney is flat, it does have some grades to deal with, and this one is one to watch out for. Go down too quickly and you will hurt your legs for later. Have to maintain discipline and not go too fast.

Atta boy Mouseketeers, you kept your speed under control. Give yourselves a hand. If you are too tired to do that, let this fellow give you one:

We're under water here:

And on our way back up, you keep thinking WDW is so close you can taste it Still think of the hill and don't get ahead of yourself.

Contemporary Resort always has lots of spectators out for us:

MK is getting closer. Space Mountain can be seen for the first time.

Then the monorail heading into MK station

And a very placid setting with Space Mountainin the background. We have just made a very sharp hairpin here, and are getting ready to enter MK from the CM entrance.

Such a pretty scene, I had to get more than one shot.

Coming up.........Magic Kingdom!!! (to be continued)

 

[Pongo53]

Ten miles of buildup to MK. We enter under a RR bridge into a CM backlot. Oh, the grandeur, but it still feels special because this is CM territory:

Minnie scoots along heading toward the side entrance to Main Street Square

and somehow we pick up a Scotsman

First glimpse of the Christmas Tree--still up on Jan. 9

A glance to the side to see the beginnings of the MK crowd and the RR station in the background.

Making the turn onto Main Street

And I never noticed the construction wall on the right when I ran the events, not either day!

Castle ahead!

Some of the Main Street USA supporters

The Mayor

Cinderella's castle. Is she at home?

I'll ring the bell

No answer, guys?

Let's run 'round back and see if she and the mice are playing out back. Stitch won't mind if we escape past his ride.

Must be about mile 10 1/2 here and I still feel great. The ASI photographer caught me as I passed the Speedway.

And then I caught up with Alice and the Mad Hatter. Funny, he seemed perfectly sane to me.

to be continued, picking up at the castle backyard

 

[Dolce27]

Welcome back! Thanks for the update. You're helping me to relive the race. Waiting for more...

 

[Pongo53]

Before we got to the castle, I ran past Repunzell before realizing who she was. Somehow we have not seen the feature yet.

What are they doing behind those walls in Fantasyland? I know it's not, but I wish upon a star that it would be a Florida version of the Canal Boats and the miniature houses from Disneyland.

Turning toward the castle, Dumbo has not taken flight yet

Approaching the castle tunnel

Pausing briefly, VERY briefly to wonder what Cinderella's stepsister and stepmother are doing with the Prince.

Exiting the castle to the front you can almost feel what it must be like to perform on that stage with the castle as backdrop

This is a narrow run here, with tight turns. You really need to cut your speed in MK to be safe. Here is a very slow section, but so fun!

Relying on the ASI photographers again, here we are coming out. First me.

Then Perdita (see how in control she appears)

Then across the wooden bridge and into the transition to Frontierland. Pretty lighting. Thank you, sun!

We saw Tiana, Navene and Louis here, my DD's current favorites. (We're going to watch Princess & the Frog again with them over their spring break.)

Another pretty area, past the river surrounding Tom Sawyer's island

Quite a line to get Jessie and Woody's picture

And pretty congested in Frontierland as we approach mile 11

I'm still feeling great, no worries, but looking a little red in this self portrait. Wish I'd seen that during the race and slowed a bit.

Splash Mountain was being serviced during our visit. Actually with the cold temperatures off and on it may have saved our DD's from getting pneumonia.

And I'll pause here at mile 11

(to be continued)

 

[Pongo53]

Dolce!!! Thank you for dropping in and looking again. I'm going to try to add some more pictures and relive the event, too. Unfortunately, I start to get tired in the second half, and cut down on the amount of photos. Next year, I may do like Lee H does when he posts those wonderful youtube videos he does of each race, and actually stop and focus before taking my pictures. For example, ASI caught me several times trying to shoot and run:

Here out of the castle:

And approaching the castle from the carousel.

Several in the Donald, too:

Even at the finish line in the Donald:

So maybe I need to get more serious, but hey, it's Disney, and we're here to have a great time, right?

Like getting to go places you don't normally go in the parks. Here, the run down toward the RR grade crossing behind Splash Mountain:

And the train itself was posing for photos with the engineer:

Then just a little farther to the Pirates of the Caribbean pirate ship:

And a unusual perspective on splash mountain--the back of the building housing the "dark ride" portion of the attraction

Another great Disney water stop, just before leaving MK over a grated bridge.

The bridge, just up ahead after a left turn, is where Perdita would trip and fall. She snagged herself on the carpet where it was loose, and she possibly got a little push, but she doesn't want to blame anyone. It scraped the skin off her palm, an elbow, put knots on both knees and tore a ligament, as near as I can tell. She was in tears, she said, because she had worked so hard for four months, put in a conservative Donaldhalf marathon the day before, and now she was afraid she would not be able to complete her Goofy Challenge and get the medal.

She does not give up easily, and she pressed on, and mile twelve did not see her times degrade by much. To make a long story short, she somehow managed to go faster in the second half with her injury than she had in the first half, and posted negative splits for the race. I'm really proud of her, as when I saw her right after I finished, she was still teary and very emotional about it. But she went the distance, got her Goofy and her Mickey medal, and finished fourth in her age group in the Goofy. I'm going to take a break from posting at this point, for the night, and put in a picture out of sequence, just to show her with her medal.

To be continued

 

[bwinther]