*Doing the Donald in 2010* Jan. Half Marathon Support Thread!

[Sandy321]

ALMOST TIME?

Liz I like the chewy blox - I get them at Target, or WalMart, the Sporting Goods Stores carry them as well, they do kinda taste like a candy... but the gu YUCK - if you've ever had to take that sugar test when you were pregnant - THAT's what gu tastes like to me, and I gag, and just cant get it down!! DH is running the Goofy, he's run Marathons before he's at a 10 min mile - he's done a 10 miler, then a 20miler the next day - he found the pills with electrolytes very helpful... I"m just not going to be going that fast, and its not going to be that hot...

I keep saying..."its just a good day in the Parks" I tend to like to go "commando some days - and get this burst of energy to walk really fast (esp to Soarin or Toy Story Mania - every person I get in front of is one less person I have to stand behind.... Silly I know...

queen mimi I too hope you are feeling better!!

maplegirl I have no idea - I do know if you post the question on the Dis DISign board someone there might be able to help you tho! Those people are creative, and generous!! We've often decorated our door - but we've ended up in the back, and no one really notices!! One year I spotted a Lime Green Mickey Head on a back pack in line at Big Thunder RR - and I said something silly like "hey, I Dis too" I got the dumbest look... "you know Disboards, and I showed my Mickey" It was like I scared him!!

Joanne Good for you in getting the run in!! The hills, you'll be glad you did them when you have to head up that hill by the Contemporary - remember take shorter steps Knees up high... (I think that was Charles' advice when I did it in '08 - it works!)

ml A tatoo? Seriously??? Oh come on!! My tat story... My dad got a tattoo, my mom got a tattoo, then another and another - my boys were young, 3rd - 5th grade... then my MIL got a tattoo! DH and I are like WTH? How are we supposed to yell at our parents? DS wanted one - his wife said they had to mean something, and they had to get it together - then my parents invited everyone to their cottage on the lake - YEP they all got tattoos!! Of course I talked them into it - they made me promise to get one too DH is so not Our tat (that I dont have ... yet) is the American Sign Language "I Love You" hand - and I think there are Angel Wings...

DIane, Liz, et el Hope the runs are going well! I'm putting in 1/2 to 1 mile - but with NO pain!! Its seriously COLD out tho zero degrees COLD!!

 

[french lady]

Happy New Year!!!

I was supposed to run 10k this morning but I decide to stop at 8k. The roads had not been cleaned and it was kind of difficult to run in the snow. It is not the time to get hurt: it is better be safe than sorry.
Last night I watched the movie Up (since I am running the 5k friday and it is the theme of the run) and I really liked it.
The temperature for my run this morning was around 25F and I was running in long pant, a long sleeve shirt and a running jacket. Now at 40F will I wear shorts or long pant? Inquiring mind wants to know.

Diane

 

[mla1977]

Well, Mom did come through in the end. She hasn't decided if she will go with the tattoo or if she will say no to the tattoo. We'll see what she had to say. The Donald tattoo would not be my first tattoo, but she wasn't thrilled out the first too.

 

[dismagiclover]

Well, Mom did come through in the end. She hasn't decided if she will go with the tattoo or if she will say no to the tattoo. We'll see what she had to say. The Donald tattoo would not be my first tattoo, but she wasn't thrilled out the first too.

Moms always come through

Well I finished my last longish run today. I did a 7 miler in 81 minutes and I wasn't tired at the end. I guess I'm ready. I'll do a couple of 3 milers next week and a week from right now Liz and I will be eating at CA Grill

 

[WiseGirl]

Happy New Year everyone!!

I'm another newbie running my first half marathon at Disney and am grateful for all of the questions and expert advice on this thread. You have given me so much good advice and inspiration and I wanted to post to say thanks. I have friends that are marathoners and have run Boston. After watching them and cheering them on, I've wanted to experience a distance run for myself. 2010 is my year!! I missed the registration for the 2009 Disney half by a few days, but I'm ready to go this year. I've been a DVC member for over 10 years and thought that Disney would be the perfect place for my first half.

It hardly seems possible that we run in a week. I've trained using Hal Higdon's novice plan and ran 10 miles last weekend on icy, snowy roads (just over two hours - I'm slow!). I can't stomach the treadmill for my long runs although I have to use it during the week with my work schedule. Luckily I've been able to run all but my seven miler outside. I've often wondered what I was thinking signing up for a winter half marathon when I live next to the north pole, LOL. (MN) I'll run 6.5 on the TM tomorrow and then a couple short ones before I get on the plane on Thursday.

I've been training and running alone so this has been a real learning experience for me. I've tested breakfast to make sure it stays down, clothes, Gu and I hope I'm ready. I'm very excited, but also nervous with so many unknowns. I'm neither born to run nor built to run, but I'm going to do this anyway!! I first saw the term Clydesdale in Hal Higdon's book and realized that it was referring to me, a "heavier" runner according to the weight definitions. Ouch.

I'd love to meet the WISHers, but my flight doesn't arrive in time for the WISH meet. Maybe I can meet some of you the morning of the race - will you be wearing lime green shirts? When I signed up in Feb '09 I thought that I'd be walking the half (I put 3:15 on my registration form) so I'm sure I'll be in the last corral. It sounds like it'll be work getting around the walkers in the beginning.

I'm totally in awe of those of you who run full marathons and even more so the Goofy!! I was before I did the training myself, but even more so now. I'll be cheering you on this coming Sunday!

Good luck in your final week of training and I'm hoping for a dry weekend!

Jean

 

[december14disney]

Hi all!

I can't believe tomorrow will be officially one week.

Yikes!

Tomorrow is 10 miles. Then 1.5 Tuesday and Wednesday and a slow 30 min job Friday before the race. Thats it. I cant believe its here. I feel prepared and not prepared all at once? lol

Im spending this week. Icing and resting in between runs, drinking a lot of water and trying to eat as good as possible.

Oh and obsessing over the weather. Anyone else doing that?

 

[Sandy321]

me? obsess over weather?



Jean so glad you posted!! I will be wearing my BRIGHT yellow WISH shirt the morning of the Half... and I have the green visor?!! lol . . . I figure Dh and I will get there early - he volunteered to help Chris a vision impaired runner (Yay dh wont be able to make me nervous - he has someone to concentrate on!! YIPPEE for me!!)

anyway - we plan on getting there early - sitting inside the runners only area - in '08 there were a few sitting in a circle - I knew no one, and felt "left out" or well not left out, but nothing to say - I finally just got in line and went thru the corral area!!

DH is a firm believer in Hal Higdon!!

(and he so cant train with the treadmill AT ALL!)

mla WTG mom! I vote for a tat (and I dont have any - but I'm thinking if I have to get one, may as well get a couple!! LOL at me!)

Diane If I knew I'd tell you! In '08 it was kind of chilly - but it was so darned humid who could tell? I finally decided to throwaway my sweats and pack my jacket and get in line!! so I know it wasnt the least bit "chilly" but now? today? I so cant wrap my brain around it!!

 

[sk8ingmom]

One week from right now!! I went 5 miles in the snow and ice of Cleveland yesterday. Today we drive back to VA - 2 days of work, then off to BLT. Right now I'm obsessing about what to wear. Oh, and I had my last beer last night. Now I'm really serious!

 

[Sandy321]

One week from right now!! I went 5 miles in the snow and ice of Cleveland yesterday. Today we drive back to VA - 2 days of work, then off to BLT. Right now I'm obsessing about what to wear. Oh, and I had my last beer last night. Now I'm really serious!

Wait - you have to give up beer?

 

[JoanneNC]

Wait - you have to give up beer?

Not at all - Beer and Pizza are great carb loading staples

 

[cewait]

Laugh if you want but in 03 it was cold and I knew I was ducking out of the full and stopping at the half. We dined in Ca Grill the neight before and I have a couple great glasses of wine.

As a trainer I really do not advise this but I knew a half was easily done since I had been training for the full and had a late injury.

Just so folks don't get confused, this was whene the half and full were run together. The half stopped in the MK parking lot; the very North West corner section. It was always tough if you came into the marathon a little undertrained. At mile 13 there was a sign flashing and a verbal recording repeating, "Full to the Right - Half to the Left, Full to the Right, Half to the LEft..."

 

[liznboys]

1 week you guys!

I had a comical run today... It was cold, about 31 (I know that is nothing compared to what some of you have dealt with) but the worst was the wind!!! It was awful. My eyes were stinging and watering so badly, had to keep wiping them with my gloves so I could see where I was stepping. And my nose was running like a faucet, went through my tissue supply and had to get more. My hands were so numb (clearly the gloves I had on were not warm enough) I couldn't open my Sport Beans packet and had to use my teeth. It was ridiculous. I felt a twinge in my knee during mile 5 and that was my excuse to stop. So I did 5 miles. Not as long as I was planning, but it'll do. It took me almost 59 minutes to do that. Bad time for me, but I was stopping/slowing so much to deal with things.

Oh and I've discovered some problems that I need to figure out. One thing is that my Spibelt flops and bounces like crazy when I have all my stuff in there. So I'm going to have to lighten my load somehow, maybe I don't really need my phone during the race? I can't leave the camera behind! Other than those two things I had chapstick, tissues and some cards (credit cards) in there since I'll have my room key and id and that stuff on race day. That's not that much stuff, right?! I don't have pockets in any of my running shorts/skirts/pants so the only place I have to carry stuff is the Spibelt.

The other thing is that today and my last run I have developed a blister on the arch of my right foot. NEVER had any blisters since I began running almost a year ago. So it's annoying that it happens now. Nothing is different so I don't know why it's happening. I put a bandaid on the blister spot for todays run, but it didn't stick and was folded over when I took my sock off after I got home. Maybe I need to look at moleskin? I've never used the stuff before, I'll research it.

The other thing that I am bothered by is not a new thing, but I think I am just fed up with it. The 4 small toes on my right foot have this tendancy to sort of curl up in my running shoes. I actually have a black toenail on the toe next to my pinky toe from a long run over a month ago when I was running sort of on the top of it and didn't realize it until I got home and the blood began showing under the nail. ugh. AND (yes there's more) my second toes on both feet (the ones next to the big toe) are longer than my big toe. So, especially on my right foot, the tip of them gets numb after my runs. Sometime it even looks blueish like it's lacking blood supply?! It seems like because that is my longest toe, it gets a lot of the pressure when I push off. Not sure what I can do about that though, can't shorten my toe!


gotta go get my haircut, will post replies later... But here's a quick welcome to Jean!

 

[Sandy321]

Liz - I have the same dilemma - in '08 I had a fanny pak - and by mile 11 I wanted to throw it! I carried my camera, phone, key card, tissues, blox, (in a ziplock bag) sport beans (in a zip lock bag) tissues... I since got one of those tiny belt things with a pocket the size of a card (it stretches) I'm thinking of wearing shorts with pockets - I've trained, but not 13 miles... I'm also thinking of carrying my camera and having a friend take it at MK for me...

not sure.

I have the same problem with my toes - about mile 4 - 6 my toes feel numb - and I've gotten black toenail every Half - I just put nail polish and ignore it!

and it is sub zero windchills here in Chicago suburbs! BRRRRrrrr DH went for a run - I'm recovering from my 2nd chiropractor visit! (I feel like I've been lifting weights!! sore, but good!)

Moleskin definitely get it - there is a 'knack' to placement - with your blister, you may want to get a big roll of tape too! You want to make sure the blister breathes - so you do not want to cover the blister, but protect it - so you will take the moleskin and cut a hole the size of the blister the moleskin is raised and surrounds the blister but does NOT cover it -

keeping the moleskin in place can be tricky - like the bandaid it has adhesive, but running 13.1 miles it will move - so I'd put the athletic tape on the edges and then tape more - but you need to try it and practice run it too!!

Charles will hopefully stop in and help out!

 

[WiseGirl]

Thanks for the welcome, Sandy and Liz! Sandy - I'll look for you the morning of the half -would love to meet you! I signed up for the race retreat a couple months ago. It sounds like we have to be out of there and line up around 5 AM so I'll try to find you among 5000 of our closest friends. How many people are running the half and how many are in each corral? Does that mean those of us in the last corral have to wait about 1.5 hours to start running? I'm getting concerned about the morning temps so I bought a cheap sweat shirt and pants at JCP today and will toss them once I warm up. Do you just toss the clothing off to the side of the road? I suddenly have all these dumb questions!

The high temp here in the twin cities was below zero today so I did 7 miles on the TM. After I finished and was walking to cool down a gentleman stopped by my treadmill and told me that was a really nice run. Wow - nice of him, but how did he know? And as with most of my longer runs, it had easier and harder parts. I envy the marathoners who say "the first ten miles are easy"!!!

I'm so psyched to get to Orlando and be around runners! My coworkers think I'm nuts to be doing this. I'm in my early 50s doing my first half so just maybe they are right, but I think I'm in good company with the WISHers!

 

[Sandy321]

Jean I think there are 23,500 for the Half - one corral - - and 24,000 for the full with 2 starts (red/blue with corrals behind each of them) So with 500 less participants - its a LOOOOoooong way from the start to the last corral...

Not sure how your training is, and how confident you are, but in '08 I knew I needed all the time "padding" I could get - so as soon as they opened the road, I walked to the corral - and got to the rope (first row in the last corral - I dont think it took 10 - 15 min for the whole corral to cross the finish line - I timed it, but I must've made a mistake - I had me crossing the start line at 6:30ish - it took me 3 hours and 40 min to cross the finish - and I was NOT an offical finisher (but I was passed by the Team in Training 16 min mile pacer at mile 12 - I truly couldnt keep up with him)

So Charles reported on another thread the race retreat is full (those rain and cold reports filled it up!) I didnt sign up for it - I like to "zone out" (and get out on the corral asap)

However, I was stunned in '08 when another Diser walked up to me and she knew me!! it was nice sitting next to her for that last hour or so...

Throwaway clothes will be picked up by the volunteers, washed and donated! I threw mine away before going out to the course - it was humid in '08! I'm going to also bring the heat hand warmers/ foot warmers why I wait..

Chicago is a bit warmer than the Twin Cities - not by much - but still its COLD UP HERE!!

I'm in good company with you!! I'm also in that 50 age category!!

Are you going to be at the Friday Pop meet??

Liz How was the hair cut??

 

[chimera]

Hey everyone! I'm out for Goofy due to a bad foot, but I'll be there hangin' with y'all for my 10th half (4th Donald)

Liz...Disney's pretty good with supplies during the half, but I always bring my own. Like Charles said, you want to have what you've been using during training. They usually have some nasty apple pie flavored Clif shots around mile 9 or 10 of the half.

Have you guys tried the sports beans? They're not quite as chewy as the bloks and not nearly as slimy as the gels.

Megan...love the tat idea! Here's my half tat:

And the full...which is likely to be my only full:

 

[Sandy321]

Mel LOVE the tats!!

 

[cewait]

I go work in the garage and I am missed.....

1 week you guys!

I had a comical run today... It was cold, about 31 (I know that is nothing compared to what some of you have dealt with) but the worst was the wind!!! It was awful. My eyes were stinging and watering so badly, had to keep wiping them with my gloves so I could see where I was stepping. And my nose was running like a faucet, went through my tissue supply and had to get more. My hands were so numb (clearly the gloves I had on were not warm enough) I couldn't open my Sport Beans packet and had to use my teeth. It was ridiculous. I felt a twinge in my knee during mile 5 and that was my excuse to stop. So I did 5 miles. Not as long as I was planning, but it'll do. It took me almost 59 minutes to do that. Bad time for me, but I was stopping/slowing so much to deal with things.

Oh and I've discovered some problems that I need to figure out. One thing is that my Spibelt flops and bounces like crazy when I have all my stuff in there. So I'm going to have to lighten my load somehow, maybe I don't really need my phone during the race? I can't leave the camera behind! Other than those two things I had chapstick, tissues and some cards (credit cards) in there since I'll have my room key and id and that stuff on race day. That's not that much stuff, right?! I don't have pockets in any of my running shorts/skirts/pants so the only place I have to carry stuff is the Spibelt.

The other thing is that today and my last run I have developed a blister on the arch of my right foot. NEVER had any blisters since I began running almost a year ago. So it's annoying that it happens now. Nothing is different so I don't know why it's happening. I put a bandaid on the blister spot for todays run, but it didn't stick and was folded over when I took my sock off after I got home. Maybe I need to look at moleskin? I've never used the stuff before, I'll research it.

The other thing that I am bothered by is not a new thing, but I think I am just fed up with it. The 4 small toes on my right foot have this tendancy to sort of curl up in my running shoes. I actually have a black toenail on the toe next to my pinky toe from a long run over a month ago when I was running sort of on the top of it and didn't realize it until I got home and the blood began showing under the nail. ugh. AND (yes there's more) my second toes on both feet (the ones next to the big toe) are longer than my big toe. So, especially on my right foot, the tip of them gets numb after my runs. Sometime it even looks blueish like it's lacking blood supply?! It seems like because that is my longest toe, it gets a lot of the pressure when I push off. Not sure what I can do about that though, can't shorten my toe!


gotta go get my haircut, will post replies later... But here's a quick welcome to Jean!

A set of glasses will help with the teary eyes. You never see a cylist without them!

As far as flopping SPI belt, you may want a second belt if you want both a phone and camera. It WILL keep you from dropping the phone when you pull the camera out. ALso, you can put your cash and room key in a very small zip lock and pin inside your britches. It will minimize the loss possiblity.

Mole skin may work but I use Duct Tape for the area of an existing blister. Get the tape without thead in it. With either, make very sure your foot is dry, place the appliance on the area and rub it into the skin to activate the glue. Then rub copious amounts of body glide or vasoline in the area to prevent friction. If you think it's OK next weekend, just keep it to body glide. I rub it there as I blister IN RACES only in the same area.

Your toes are hitting the end of your shoe. There are lacing techniques to work around that but I am thinking it's too close to play with it. Back to the cause, it can be the end of the shoe, A seam under the toe of the shoe and the seam in your sock. Hard to say. Try to keep you feet relaxed next Saturday. Then head out and get a pair of shoes the next sixe longer.

Thanks for the welcome, Sandy and Liz! Sandy - I'll look for you the morning of the half -would love to meet you! I signed up for the race retreat a couple months ago. It sounds like we have to be out of there and line up around 5 AM so I'll try to find you among 5000 of our closest friends. How many people are running the half and how many are in each corral? Does that mean those of us in the last corral have to wait about 1.5 hours to start running? I'm getting concerned about the morning temps so I bought a cheap sweat shirt and pants at JCP today and will toss them once I warm up. Do you just toss the clothing off to the side of the road? I suddenly have all these dumb questions!

The high temp here in the twin cities was below zero today so I did 7 miles on the TM. After I finished and was walking to cool down a gentleman stopped by my treadmill and told me that was a really nice run. Wow - nice of him, but how did he know? And as with most of my longer runs, it had easier and harder parts. I envy the marathoners who say "the first ten miles are easy"!!!

I'm so psyched to get to Orlando and be around runners! My coworkers think I'm nuts to be doing this. I'm in my early 50s doing my first half so just maybe they are right, but I think I'm in good company with the WISHers!

Yes clothing is discarded road side. Disney sorts it and donates the good stuff to charity. Please for the safety of others, make sure it gets out of the corral. In the start area there are recycle boxes for clothing.

Jean I think there are 23,500 for the Half - one corral - - and 24,000 for the full with 2 starts (red/blue with corrals behind each of them) So with 500 less participants - its a LOOOOoooong way from the start to the last corral...

Not sure how your training is, and how confident you are, but in '08 I knew I needed all the time "padding" I could get - so as soon as they opened the road, I walked to the corral - and got to the rope (first row in the last corral - I dont think it took 10 - 15 min for the whole corral to cross the finish line - I timed it, but I must've made a mistake - I had me crossing the start line at 6:30ish - it took me 3 hours and 40 min to cross the finish - and I was NOT an offical finisher (but I was passed by the Team in Training 16 min mile pacer at mile 12 - I truly couldnt keep up with him)

So Charles reported on another thread the race retreat is full (those rain and cold reports filled it up!) I didnt sign up for it - I like to "zone out" (and get out on the corral asap)

However, I was stunned in '08 when another Diser walked up to me and she knew me!! it was nice sitting next to her for that last hour or so...

Throwaway clothes will be picked up by the volunteers, washed and donated! I threw mine away before going out to the course - it was humid in '08! I'm going to also bring the heat hand warmers/ foot warmers why I wait..

Chicago is a bit warmer than the Twin Cities - not by much - but still its COLD UP HERE!!

I'm in good company with you!! I'm also in that 50 age category!!

Are you going to be at the Friday Pop meet??

Liz How was the hair cut??

Actually the half has five waves not just one corral. Most likely within these five waves are 7-10 corrals to help keep folks arganized. In 06 they did not have waves and I started in the second to last corral (didn't know how I wnated to run Goofy so I placed a 3:00 time for the half. I think I took 25 minutes to cross the line. While I hate wave starts, it does help thin out the crowd so every one has an opportunity to free running space.

 

[liznboys]

Happy Sunday!

Well good thing, once again my blister has gone away within a day. I'm glad it just reabsorbs and the skin never breaks. But I'll be putting something on that spot for sure. Thanks Sandy and Charles for the advice on the moleskin and duct tape and body glide!

I've tried out Vanilla Clif shot, the multi-flavored Sport Beans, an Orange Gu and Strawberry Clif Bloks. The Beans are definitely the yummiest, just like candy. The Clif Bloks are next, then the Clif Shot and the Gu were both about the same to me. I've realized though that the beans and bloks are quite chewy and get stuck in my teeth and I didn't like that. The Orange Gu had caffeine it in and I've decided I don't want anything with caffeine. (I know they have Gu w/out it though.)
The Vanilla Clif Shot however was fine all around. I also like that it has that loop so I can have it hang off my Spibelt and not have to unzip the belt to get to it. I think I'll take 3 of them with me...assuming they fit in my 3-1-1 baggie and security is ok with them!? If not maybe I can get some at the Expo.

CORRALS/WAVES: On the Final Race Instructions brochure they list this:

5:35am - Wheelchairs
5:40am - Wave 1
5:50am - Wave 2
6:00am - Wave 3
6:10am - Wave 4
6:20am - Wave 5

And the Corrals:
Elite/Wheelchair
A
B
C
D
E
F
G ..Which looks like it might be under or just behind that bridge there?? Hey, might we be protected from rain if we're under there? But it's not going to rain anyway...

I guess we find out our specific Wave/Corral when we get our bibs.


Sandy~ That's funny about you talking to that person with the green mickey head. I've read several stories like that on these boards. I guess lime green mickey heads and other accessories are just popular overall, not just with we DISers! Have to be careful! lol
Wanted to say I think that's so great that your dh is helping Chris! I was watching that thread, knowing I would be of no help since I'm slower, but was happy to see so many people step up.
Sorry you've gotten black toenails too! You know I feel kinda pathetic about it...I'm a NEW runner, only TRAINING for a HALF and I get a black toenail. It's not like I RAN a FULL and got it, you know..like, really had a reason to get it, "earn" it?!! LOL
It sounds like you have a Spibelt too? Or something just like it.
My haircut went well, thanks! My hair was REALLY long and I've been dying to get it cut so it was fun. I feel so fresh and "lightheaded" now. Can't stop shaking my head and flipping my hair around. lol

Diane~ Isn't UP a great movie? I wasn't excited to see if from the previews but then I saw it and it surprised me. So sad though.

Megan~ So your mom gets to decide huh? Can't wait to hear the outcome!

Jenny~ You are definitely ready!!

Jean~ I'm a DVC member too, love it.
My bib number is 51-something so I think I will be in the very last corral. And Jenny/dismagiclover is going to be SOOO nice and come back there to join me (her bib number probably has her a few corrals up from me). I had NO clue what my half time would be when I registered, so I also told them 3:15. But then they accidentally put down 2:15! However, I did not give any proof of time of that (obviously) so it looks like whatever they based it on, I am in the very back. Sooooo, my point is that maybe we could meet up in our corral and wait together?? And anyone else back in the boondocks with us could join us too. I'd like to get to the very front of our corral if we can!!
Oh and I don't have any WISH gear, other than the nametag Tracy made for me. I'll have that on me somewhere for the race, but obviously that won't be easy to spot unless you're right next to me. So we'll have to figure out another way to meet up!
I suddenly have all these "dumb" questions too!
That's nice what that man said, you must have been looking good on there!

december14disney~ I am just hoping that there is no rain, or at least not heavy. I have never run in really rainy weather, with WET shoes. Only light rains. So I'm not sure how I would do in that. Just read in another thread to bring shopping bags to cover your feet before the start. I'll definitely be watching the forecast closely from here on out!

sk8~ What type of room do you have at BLT? Jenny and I will be in a studio. My family stayed at BLT last August in a 2 bedroom, oooh it was wonderful!! LOVE BLT!

Mel~ I'm sorry about the Goofy! Wow, your 10th half and 4th Donald! Very cool.
I'm not a big fan of apple pie, period, so apple pie Clif Shots do not sound good!
Those are some neat tattoos you have!

Charles~ You are stuck on this thread you know! If you didn't reply I would come searching for you!!
Yeah, my eyes water so easily. I need running goggles! haha
I did think about a second Spibelt. I wonder if they sell them at the Expo?
About Shoes: I think you are right in that I need a larger size shoe. Here's what happened, my current shoes are Asics GT-2140's. I got them at Sports Authority because I had a coupon. Well, I have long, skinny feet so I got a size 10 which seemed to be the right size. They don't sell 10.5 there, it just goes up to 11 next (which I did try on and are definitely too big). So, I think I do need a 10.5 and will have to get them at a running store or order online next time. Why don't they sell 10.5's anyway?!?

 

[MaryJ]

I have a transportation question. We are staying at BLT, so we will be taking the monorail to Epcot the morning of the race. I know that Disney says that you need to be on the monorail by 4:00 a.m., but I'm wondering if that's absolutely necessary. I remember getting to the staging area early last year and then just standing around for quite some time before we were released to head for the start. Considering that the weather is going to be much colder, that can't be good for my muscles before the race.

Will the monorail stop running at 4:00, or will my DH and I be able to get on at 4:30 and still be in plenty of time. Neither one of us are elite runners/walkers. He does about an 11:00/mile pace; I'm about 14:30/mile, so we won't be in one of the first corrals.