Flabby, Fat & Lazy, Run A Race & Oopsy-Daisy! 2013 Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon! COMPLETE

[mrsdrake625]

Yay another Ariel race report! Obviously I'm way late to the party and haven't been on the boards in a while.

You should totally start a blog!!! You would do a great job at it.

 

[Ariel484]

Keep going Shannon!! I'd love to do the Wine and Dine some day. This year it's looking like no Disney races at all, and I just paid the $70 (!!!!!) to defer the GSC to next year. Outrageous, I tell you.

That is RIDICULOUS. I'm glad you were able to recoup some of your cost and transfer your registration to next year, but STILL.

Hollywood Studios saved my life during the 2013 Marathon - my feet hurt and my knee started acting up from ITBS and I was so exhausted from being sick and going sooooo slow that when we finally got off the highway and into that park, it was like someone breathed new life into me. I got the mini Hershey bars from the volunteers and I was off. Through the middle of the park, they played One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" (I actually just had to go look up the real title of that song), and I bee-bopped my way through the park and kept running and passed people on that really narrow walkway from DHS to the Boardwalk, on the Boardwalk, etc. Then I saw my brother and SIL in England at Epcot, and I knew I could make it!

The other day that song came on the radio and I turned it up and was dancing around, and my DH was like "WTH are you doing?!" So I had to tell him the story about how that song and DHS saved me at mile 23 of the marathon, and I could have cried remembering how happy I was in that moment.

Oh yay! I love hearing stuff like that! Isn't it amazing how different it is running through a park vs. the highway?! We were just in Disney a little over a month ago and I swear, every time the bus we were on turned onto Osceola Parkway I had, like, an involuntary physical reaction.

I have a similar song memory - before the marathon in 2012 they were playing "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO, and every time I hear that song it takes me right back to that moment, the nervous anticipation I felt hanging out in the starting corrals. Love it!

Really enjoying your report! I plan to run Wine & Dine in 2014!

Thank you! I hope you have a blast at Wine & Dine, it's a great race!

Animal Kingdom looks so pretty lit up at night!

I give you a lot of credit for running through the pain. Hopefully you kept trucking it made it through the race, regardless of time!

I LOOOOOVE running through Animal Kingdom. I think it's my favorite park to run through!

I definitely kept on trucking...not so sure it was the best idea, but I did keep going!!

Yay another Ariel race report! Obviously I'm way late to the party and haven't been on the boards in a while.

You should totally start a blog!!! You would do a great job at it.

Woohoo! Glad you're here!

You know, I think about starting a running blog a lot...maybe I'll actually pull the trigger someday. I just don't know if I'm interesting enough for it though!

 

[Ariel484]

The Studios, Part 1

Now that I was in the Studios, the big motivation was to make it to the lights. It seemed like it was taking forever to get there, but I really enjoyed the rest of the park on the way. The Cast Members were so great here (and throughout the rest of the course, too, of course).

Heading through Pixar Place was definitely a highlight of the race! A lot of people stopped for pictures with the Barrel of Monkeys.

I stopped for my 2 favorite toys!

After Pixar Place we headed through the Backlot costuming tunnel...aka the Disco Tunnel:

Got a pretty view of the lit-up Earful Tower:

A note on the Earful Tower that my only be interesting to me...while the Hat was used as the park icon on the course map and the tech shirt (the sleeve of the tech shirt has the Tree of Life, the Hat and Spaceship Earth), the Earful Tower is the DHS icon on the "I Did It!" shirt for the race. Hmm...

My foot was definitely killing me at this point, but my mindset was much better due to being in the park. It was so much easier to focus on what was going on around me rather than the pain I was feeling.

Part of the route took us out of the park briefly and I passed up a photo-op with Mr. and Mrs. Incredible (and I think Wreck-It Ralph was back here too?). And we were heading back into the park in a flash!

"Come on, only a 5K left!"

(Ate 4 more Gu Chomps here.)

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

The Studios, Part 2

And then finally, the moment I'd been waiting for...

"WELCOME TO CHRISTMAS!"

(Cameo appearance from Richard Simmons in the picture below...I ran near him during this year's marathon! )

I made zero effort to run through the Streets of America. I just pulled off to the side, came to a complete stop, and drank it all in. It was so fantastic. If the lights do go away in the future due to the park expanding it'll obviously be good for DHS overall, but I think this course will definitely suffer for it.

One last look...

Bye-bye lights (click below for a video of the lights during the race!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFG2_dLtvsk

Whaaaaat is with my face here???

Blurry Crossroads of the World shot before exiting the park:

Sooooo close...

Continued in Next Post

 

[glaserjm]

Running through the lights would be amazing. I agree that it will be a sad day when/if the Osborne lights are gone; I got to see them for the first time this past November and I absolutely loved it. However, I do agree that DHS really does need some expansion.

Glad that you were able to keep going even with your foot. I'm really liking the pics as its giving me a good sense of what a night run will be like for the ToT. I too, do most of my training runs early in the day so I've been worried about how much of an adjustment it will be.

 

[ZellyB]

Great job on keeping up with the run even though you were hurting. That is the worst.

I love your face in the shot with Darth Vader. So serious. But, I don't think Darth would appreciate much levity.

The lights are so beautiful. We've never been there during the holidays to see that, but it looks gorgeous.

And, is that really Richard Simmons? If so, I'm a total dork for saying this, but I think that's cool that you were running near him.

You are so close!! Can't wait to hear about the finish.

 

[Ariel484]

Running through the lights would be amazing. I agree that it will be a sad day when/if the Osborne lights are gone; I got to see them for the first time this past November and I absolutely loved it. However, I do agree that DHS really does need some expansion.

Glad that you were able to keep going even with your foot. I'm really liking the pics as its giving me a good sense of what a night run will be like for the ToT. I too, do most of my training runs early in the day so I've been worried about how much of an adjustment it will be.

Running through the lights was incredible! By far the best part of the course.

That is great that you are doing ToT this year! I was hoping to, but it won't work out because I have a work conference that weekend. Boooo

I was worried about the night run but it turned out to be okay. I made sure to eat early enough to fully digest and tried to take it easy during the day before the run (and took a nap). The next morning was rough though!

Great job on keeping up with the run even though you were hurting. That is the worst.

I love your face in the shot with Darth Vader. So serious. But, I don't think Darth would appreciate much levity.

The lights are so beautiful. We've never been there during the holidays to see that, but it looks gorgeous.

And, is that really Richard Simmons? If so, I'm a total dork for saying this, but I think that's cool that you were running near him.

You are so close!! Can't wait to hear about the finish.

Haha, I was just trying to show Darth how tough I am! Do you think he bought it?!

The lights were woooonderful. Pictures do not do them justice.

I don't think it was really Richard Simmons, just a guy with a very realistic-looking wig!

 

[RnbwSktles]

Great race recap so far! I hope to do this race one day.

 

[Tinker326]

I just saw you posted your TR link over on the W&D thread.. so I hopped over to read!

I ran this too- it was my first 1/2 ever!

It was a hard, hard road for me, but I crossed that finish line! And the race itself is what got me through it- I loved the parks, the characters, the fun... and I love running at night (much better than morning for me!).

I have my recap too- in my TR- but it's not as detailed as yours!

 

[littlesparkler]

I'm enjoying the recap! I'm running W&D this year and this is getting me so excited!

 

[Ariel484]

Great race recap so far! I hope to do this race one day.

You absolutely should! It's my favorite half course at WDW!

I just saw you posted your TR link over on the W&D thread.. so I hopped over to read!

I ran this too- it was my first 1/2 ever!

It was a hard, hard road for me, but I crossed that finish line! And the race itself is what got me through it- I loved the parks, the characters, the fun... and I love running at night (much better than morning for me!).

I have my recap too- in my TR- but it's not as detailed as yours!

CONGRATS on completing your first half marathon! You picked a great one! Are you hooked yet?!

I'll definitely make sure to check out your recap, thanks for stopping over!

I'm enjoying the recap! I'm running W&D this year and this is getting me so excited!

Thanks! I just signed up to do the race again in 2015 and can't WAIT! You'll love it!

 

[Ariel484]

The Final Miles!

Besides the first 3 miles of the course this next stretch - heading to Epcot from the Studios via the path that goes by the Boardwalk and Yacht & Beach Club - was the one I was looking forward to the least. I'm pretty familiar with it from running the marathon and the same thing happens every time - all of the runners slow down a TON and become an impenetrable wall of people. Even in my slower-than-usual state it was frustrating and I had to do a lot of weaving.

But wow...the spectator support throughout this stretch was amazing. It was closing in on 1AM at this point and the path was lined with tons of cheering, energetic people. It was SO great - another moment that lifted me up when I really needed it, similar to hearing the amazed reactions around me in Animal Kingdom.

Plus, you really can't beat this view:

After this picture I passed my favorite spectator sign of the race (held by a guy sitting on a bench outside of the Yacht Club): "You have stamina. Call me." Simple, yet brilliant.

Wait...I might actually finish this thing!

Another switch seemed to flip at Mile Marker 12 and the pain in my foot was pretty much gone. Maybe the knowledge that I was SOCLOSE to being done was carrying me through (along with all of the awesome spectators lining the course in Epcot), but suddenly I felt like I could run the entire last mile with no walk breaks, even after the previous 9 had been such a struggle.

Will had been sending me encouraging text messages throughout the race, and I knew that he was out waiting near the tip board in front of the Land, so once I got into Epcot and near the pavilion I pulled off to the side and stopped to look for him. Another spectator gave me a strangely hard time about it - I think it was meant to be encouraging but he seemed sort of, I don't know, frustrated with me for stopping? It was weird. I just ignored him and found Will, who looked relieved to see that I was almost done. We re-confirmed our planned meeting spot (the bathrooms in front of Soarin') and I continued on. Normally my big motivation for finishing a long run or race is the thought of showering ("You get to be clean! You get to be dry!") but I wasn't going to get a real shower before heading to the after-party and I was incredibly hungry, so I motivated myself with the thought of gorging myself at the Food and Wine booths in mere minutes and having a delicious glass of something bubbly to go along with it.

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

The Finish!!!! And the Aftermath...

It felt like I was in and out of Epcot in about a minute...YES!

!!!!!

I felt a weird range of emotions here...I was definitely extremely relieved that I was going to (safely) finish, but that was outweighed by some pretty hefty discouragement and embarrassment (which you can totally see on my face in my official finisher photos, which I will NOT be purchasing ) over how long it had actually taken me.

I decided I really, really wanted that Mickey picture after missing out earlier, so I waited a few seconds until there was a sizeable break in the runners and the course was clear. I darted across, got off to the side and asked Mickey's character attendant to take a picture for me.

She said no. Apparently they aren't allowed to do this anymore, which this is news to me. I guess I get it through, they want to discourage crossing the course and stopping at the finish line.

A runner behind me took my picture and I took one for her instead...huzzah for beating the system!

Man, I look tired.

And I hobbled across the finish line.

Official finish time: 3:14:09, a 14:49 pace. A PW (Personal Worst) for me in both the half marathon distance and overall pace.

I collected my beautiful medal, a bottle of water and my runDisney snackbox. I guzzled the entire bottle of water immediately and bypassed the free drink line, which was HUGE. There was a voucher included in our race registration that entitled us to a free beer following the race, which I'm pretty sure was Bud or Bud Light. Not worth the wait. I also bypassed the medical area, just as I'd done throughout the race. My foot was back to being super sore and my limp was worse than ever, but I was so hungry and desperate to get changed that I didn't want to prolong eating or getting cleaned up any longer. Ice would have to wait.

I got my bag from gear check, which was a really quick and smooth process, and began the slow walk to Epcot. I forget how long it took me, but it seemed like eons. I headed through bag check, showed my bracelet to the Cast Members and was in.

The lines at the bathrooms at the entrance to the park were huge, but the Land was pretty empty when I made it there. I headed down to the Soarin' area and found Will...asleep. On a bench. Ooookay.

I sat on the bench next to him and gazed down at my husband, who was passed out cold in a public area using my bag he'd brought with him as a pillow. It was a little after 2AM...there were 2 hours left in the party and I briefly wondered how long it would take me to change, get cleaned up and actually make it to the World Showcase in my sorry state. Now that I had stopped moving for more than a few seconds I was exhausted and my foot was throbbing. Eventually Will woke up and he said what I already knew - neither of us was in any shape to go to the after-party. It was disappointing because besides stuffing my face and enjoying a delicious glass of champagne after the race, I'd really been looking forward to a few late night/early morning rides on Soarin'...which seemed totally dead at that point. But neither of us had the energy to make it to Soarin', even though we were sitting right outside of the ride entrance.

I changed into the flip flops from my gear bag and we grabbed some food at the Land, which was open and serving a limited menu. We both got macaroni and cheese, which was...okay. Not great. I got a red velvet whoopie pie, which was delicious.

Eventually we made it to the front of the park, passing a few people in wheelchairs. Some were hooked up to IVs, all looked absolutely miserable. The race may not have gone the way I wanted it to, but at least I was limping out of Epcot under my own power. It could have been so much worse.

The rest of that night - morning? - is a blur. I know we somehow made it back to French Quarter, and despite my exhaustion I got ice from the ice machine and filled our tub with ice water. I soaked my foot for about 10 minutes, took a shower and was in bed by 3:30AM...just about the time I would have been catching the bus to the staging area had this been a morning race.

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Final Thoughts - Wine & Dine Half Marathon

A lot of what I remember about this race is really clouded by how much I was struggling with the foot injury, which is really unfortunate. Before this trip I had a feeling that this would end up being my favorite WDW race course, and I think I was mostly right in that prediction. You really can't beat the marathon course going through all 4 parks, so that one wins by default.

But if I had to choose between this course and the WDW/Princess Half Marathon course - and there may be a lot of people that disagree with me on this - I'd choose this one for sure. I really love the Magic Kingdom portion of the morning half marathon course, and running down Main Street and through the castle is pretty amazing, but Wine & Dine goes through 3 parks and seems to have less backroads overall. And the atmosphere is just really fun. So in my mind there's just no contest.

Foot injury aside, I think the only bad thing I have to say about the race is that they could probably use more porta-potties at the start. That's it. That's my only complaint. The course was great, bag check was easy, the volunteers were outstanding as usual, there was great on-course entertainment (which from what I read is something they seem to have really worked on to improve this year compared to previous years). And the new corralling system gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me. The only area of the course I found to be pretty crowded was the stretch from the Studios to Epcot via the Epcot Resort Area, but I went in totally expecting that. And it probably wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been running/walking at (for me) an unusually slow pace.

If I had to pick a least favorite park to run through...I guess it would be Epcot, just because it seemed like we were in and out in 2.5 seconds. Nothing bad about it at all - it was the only park with spectators, so that definitely counts for something - it was just short. I can't pick a favorite between Animal Kingdom and the Studios this time around - I loved running through both parks and it felt like we were in both parks for a good chunk of time. And the night race aspect wasn't a big deal for me as far as how my body handled it, thankfully...actually, I think I loved it even more because I love seeing the parks lit up at night.

One downside - this race is expensive. Disney races are already pricey enough, but when I registered for this race I was surprised to see the cost about $35-$40 more than the WDW/Princess Half Marathons. But this one included the $10 giftcard for the after-party, entrance to the after-party itself (which sadly I did not use) and a drink voucher (again, didn't use mine). And as someone who has done races inside and outside of Disney, runners get good-quality race shirts (even if the sizing isn't perfect...ahem ) and finisher medals (they are heavy and thick and awesome), there are lots of well-stocked water stops throughout along with lots of med tents, great volunteer support, a well-lit course, a good post-race spread of food, water AND Powerade, and - obviously - the chance to run through the parks (and how can you put a price on that?). Compared to other big races I personally don't think it's a bad deal at all.

As soon as I crossed the finish line of this race I knew for sure that I wanted to try it again...HEALTHY. And I'm a very, very lucky girl, because on Wednesday I signed up to do just that - Hello, Wine & Dine (and Jingle Jungle 5K) 2014!!! I can't wait to FULLY enjoy this race!!

(Low-quality picture of the medal at about 2AM when we were hanging out in the Land...better picture to follow!)

Continued in Next Post

 

[emilyindisney]

That medal is gorgeous!

I'm sad that you missed out on the after party and Soarin' but it was probably better to go back to the hotel and go to bed rather than push yourself through Epcot and feel miserable.

Glad Will snuck in a little nap

I know I'm sort of commenting backwards, haha, but the Studios was beautiful at night! I agree with you that running through three parks is sort of a fair trade for not running through the castle and down Mainstreet.

 

[Tinker326]

Aww, great recap. Brought back memories for me!

Did you see me run by you in the land when you were on those benches? I flew out of the Soarin' que right about the time you were laying there to be sick in the bathroom. I didn't notice anyone laying there, but then again, I was pretty focused on not tossing my cookies anywhere by in the toilet.

This was my first half- and it was a hard journey for me. But I did it. And guess what, I'm going back! Not to W&D though . I want new medals....

ToT and PHM.

Congrats on making it through your run with injury- there is a lot of pride in that as well- regardless of the time. You completed. YOu are determined. You did it! Go you!

And good luck next year! Cheers to a better run!

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Way to finish! I completely understand that feeling. I had it after the Donald this year. Injuries forced me to walk the half and while I was happy I finished, it was my worst time.

And wise choice to pass up Bug Light. It's because of those beers that I don't drink beer anymore

 

[Ariel484]

That medal is gorgeous!

I know! When I first saw a picture of it in the weeks before the race I was disappointed that it wasn't the classic SSE medal they've given out previous years but I really love it. Very surprised they changed it before the 5th anniversary...I'll be curious to see what's in store this year.

I'm sad that you missed out on the after party and Soarin' but it was probably better to go back to the hotel and go to bed rather than push yourself through Epcot and feel miserable.

Absolutely. I THINK I could have toughed it out if the foot was 100% but in the end I think going back to the hotel was the responsible (if less fun) choice.

Glad Will snuck in a little nap

HAHAHA right?! I never thought I'd see him doing that!

I know I'm sort of commenting backwards, haha, but the Studios was beautiful at night! I agree with you that running through three parks is sort of a fair trade for not running through the castle and down Mainstreet.

I totally agree, that park was bee-yoo-tiful. Loved seeing it all lit up.

Aww, great recap. Brought back memories for me!

Thank you!

Did you see me run by you in the land when you were on those benches? I flew out of the Soarin' que right about the time you were laying there to be sick in the bathroom. I didn't notice anyone laying there, but then again, I was pretty focused on not tossing my cookies anywhere by in the toilet.

haha, no! Funny thing, right after I posted my last couple of updates I went back and read your race post. You poor thing!! I can understand you being focused on getting to the bathroom just in time. I'm glad you made it!

This was my first half- and it was a hard journey for me. But I did it. And guess what, I'm going back! Not to W&D though . I want new medals....

CONGRATS!!! I think W&D would be a tough first half, with the nighttime start and the (usually) humid temperatures. Not surprised you're going back for more, runDinsey has a way of doing that to people (yours truly included).

ToT and PHM.

Lucky you! ToT is still on my to-do list. You'll like the Princess Half...it's very different from the night races. Very different atmosphere and you get to run down Main Street and through the castle. I'm sure you'll love it!

Congrats on making it through your run with injury- there is a lot of pride in that as well- regardless of the time. You completed. YOu are determined. You did it! Go you!

And good luck next year! Cheers to a better run!

Thank you! It was definitely one of the biggest mental battles I've had during a race, so I'm proud that I didn't totally lose it.

Cheers to a better run indeed! Good luck with ToT and the Princess Half!

Way to finish! I completely understand that feeling. I had it after the Donald this year. Injuries forced me to walk the half and while I was happy I finished, it was my worst time.

Isn't it weird, the mix of emotions? That's definitely what I experienced. Congrats on finishing the WDW Half and I hope you're recovered from your injuries (I'm recovered from mine, thankfully).

And wise choice to pass up Bug Light. It's because of those beers that I don't drink beer anymore

I KNOW, RIGHT?! I don't drink beer TOO too much these days but if I do, it's definitely going to be something better than Bud or Bud Light!

 

[Ariel484]

Day 3: Sunday, November 10, 2013

Food & Wine!! Part 1

We slept in this morning...and it was delicious.

Will was the responsible one and set an alarm for 11AM...I'm pretty sure this is the latest we've ever slept in during a Disney trip. If he hadn't set that alarm I'm pretty sure I'd still be sleeping off the race. A few weeks back I'd booked some Fastpass+ for us on this day, and by now we'd already slept through 2 of them. I forget what the times were but I know they were for Soarin' and Spaceship Earth...oops.

We got dressed, had a super light breakfast in the room (I think the bananas we'd gotten from the 5K the previous day?) and made it to Epcot by about 12:15. My foot was feeling pretty good...hooray!

Good morning you glorious geodesic sphere!!

Our first stop was Fountain View! It was pretty warm out so I went with a caramel frappuccino with whipped cream. I very rarely have these things because I prefer hot coffee for the most part and the fraps are approximately 1230498240598023945 calories...but I cannot even explain how much this hit the spot.

Will got the same thing, minus the whip (...whyyy???), plus a Hidden Mickey! The Cast Members were pretty excited about this...and let's face it, so were we. It's the little things.

Fraps in hand, we made our way to the World Showcase and got in line at the Canada booth. We both ordered the cheddar cheese soup with mushroom-less filets. We're not really big Le Cellier fans (we both think it's a bit overrated) but man, this was heavenly!

Will couldn't wait to dig in before the picture. I can't say I blame him!

Mental note...next time, ask for extra truffle butter. I could drink that stuff by the gallon.

We were impressed with how nicely the meat was cooked...you just never know what to expect when stuff is prepared for the masses, but I didn't even nee my knife to cut the meat. Very good!

So as you can see from the pictures we managed to actually find a table to eat our snacks. The festival was still crowded today, but nowhere near as bad as it had been the previous evening. And there was no drunkenness and no smoking. We both felt very relaxed.

While at our table a gentleman came by and asked to squeeze in. He was a local and we chatted a bit about the festival and the race (I was wearing my medal that day so everyone would know exactly why I was hobbling around ). It was one of a few nice conversations we had with other guests that day...something that really added to our time at Food & Wine that I don't think either of us expected.

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Food & Wine!! Part 2

After we were done with our Canadian snacks we said good-bye to our new pal and headed over to England for a bathroom stop. Here's a picture of the crowds...not empty by any means, but not terrible:

Oh, here's why...everyone and their brother was in France!

Will and I separated here...he got in line at the normal France wine kiosk to get a Grey Goose Lemon slush, while I got in the giant line at the France Food & Wine booth. I was still on a mission for something bubbly, and I was pretty sure France had some sort of pomegranate champagne for sale here. After a few minutes I became convinced that maybe I was thinking of a different country and headed toward Italy. (I later saw another guest sipping the drink I'd been looking for...he confirmed that it was, in fact, from France. ARRRG! ) I stopped to let Will know where I was going and he was merrily chatting away with two guys in the France line...more new friends!

Since I chickened out on the France line, I headed to the one other stop I definitely wanted to make that day...Belgium!

The line was pretty long, so I texted Will to let him know where I was and hopped in. I chatted with a few ladies about the race here, so that was fun.

Will joined me in line, we put in our orders and paid. We took our food to Morocco (I think) and asked a guy sitting at a table by himself if we could sit there for a few minutes. He said sure, and we chatted...I forget what his job was but it turns out he was a Disney Cast Member! So that was cool.

First up from Belgium...one chilled coffee with Godiva Chocolate Liqueur. This was super tasty...just like chocolate milk...with a kick!

We each got a Potato and Leek Waffle with Braised Beef. This thing looks totally disgusting, but it was sooooo good. I swear there's a little waffle buried underneath that delicious sauce.

I also got a Belgian Waffle with chocolate ganache and whipped cream. This was pretty good but nothing mind-blowing...I actually liked the potato and leek waffle much better, which is pretty shocking for me because normally I'm all about dessert.

After our delicious waffles I resumed my quest for something bubbly. Italy seemed like a good bet and we got in line at their little wine cart. And look what I found! My new favorite, Rosa Regale! :inlove:

YUM!

Bubbly in hand, we continued on through the World Showcase and headed toward Future World.

Continued in Next Post