Goofy Report - Way Overdue

[Lexxiefern]

Half Marathon report (Day 1 of Goofy)

Saturday Jan 12th - I had a 2:45am wakeup call. I got in the shower and got ready. I met my sister Jen at her room at 3:45am and then we headed out to the buses. As soon as we walked out the door to Boardwalk, there was a massive line for the buses. We had to wait for the third bus before we got on. We drove to Epcot and then had to wait for other buses to unload their passengers and move before we could get off.

We finally get off the bus and follow the herd of runners toward the runner’s area. I felt nervous, but it was great having my sister with me. Usually I am alone doing this - like I will be tomorrow when I run the full marathon. The first WISHer we saw was Lynda. It was so nice talking to Lynda and her friends.

We then got in the huge port o potty lines where my sister promptly called out a guy trying to cut her in line. It was pretty funny. We met Eva in this area and then Matt and Cheryl came over. They told me about a special medal you can get if you complete one of the WDW 08 races and the Disneyland half. This got me so excited!! The wheels started turning in my head how I could go to DL for the half marathon again. As we were chatting we waved to Dave and Erica - who we would see again during the race.

We headed toward the corrals now. Disney makes you take the longest walk possible to get to the corrals let me tell you! It had to be like 2 miles. Oh well, good warm up for the legs. There was so many people, it was crazy. I knew Jen was in shock from the crowds. This was her first big race.

We found corral F - Jen’s corral. I was in D, but went to F with Jen. We looked for WISH shirts. Here we met Tara and Steve. We chatted until the race started. It took us 27 min to get to the start line after the race started! I think Disney could definitely work on that.

And we were off! The first mile was so congested. We tried to run as it became less crowded. We ran as much as possible the first 4 - 5 miles, which was hard because of the crowds. We said hi to all the WISHers we passed. At mile 5 we met up with Dave, Erica, Robert and Linda. This was great timing since it was right before we entered the Magic Kingdom.

It was so much fun talking to them and walking down main street together! There was a group of WISHers on main street that we saw too cheering for us. We were able to hop off to the side and get a picture of us with the castle behind us. (This is Robert's picture - I hope he doesn't mind that I borrowed it)

We separated in Fantasyland so Jen and I could use the bathrooms there. If you are doing the half or the full marathon - use the bathrooms in fantasyland behind Dumbo! It was empty! I used that bathroom both days with no line. All the other ones I saw had lines.

We rejoined the race and saw Denny and M’Lisse just before we ran through the castle. Jen and I made sure we got our picture in front of the castle and ran through Liberty Square and Frontierland.

We exited to the left of splash mtn and saw Captain Jack a pirate ship. It smelled really bad back there. There was a water stop here but we skipped it since we were carrying water bottles. Over a little bridge and then on a back road that takes you to the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian. We caught back up to Robert and Linda then and stayed with them for about a half mile. Right after that we caught back up to Dave and Erica who remained right behind us for the remainder of the race. Anytime I saw a WISH shirt I waved like crazy.

I think Jen hit the BMZ (bite me zone) around mile 10 - but she remained cool. She stayed focused and soon we were in Epcot and saw her husband and her 2 girls cheering us on and taking pictures. We now had less than a mile to go. We ran the last portion from about the choir to the finish. Unfortunately some woman got right in front of us as we tried to cross the finish line together and we didn’t get a picture of us together. I wish I could go back and redo the finish so we could have crossed together.

We finished in 3:08. We got our Donald medals that were very cool! We got new water bottles and chucked the ones we had carried with us. We also got tangerines, bananas, little loaves of banana or blueberry bread and cans of coke. I needed to go to the Goofy tent to switch my orange bracelet for a blue one. We got our picture taken together and then went to the champion tent to get our medal - but they were all gone! They told me to come back in the morning before the full and they would have more.

Matt came and found us and told us to come to the WISH group, but my husband and kids were waiting for us so we had to pass. We waddled back to the car and drove back to Boardwalk.

I really enjoyed this race. The weather was wonderful, it was so fun running with my sister, I felt great the whole time and it was fun seeing all the WISHers on the course and on the sidelines cheering for us!


Becky

 

[wtpclc]

Wow, running down Main Street with WISHers. How cool. Then again, doing the race with your sister would be simply amazing too! Grrr to the woman you cut you off at the finsh line.

Thanks for the report!!!

 

[Lexxiefern]

Marathon Report (Day 2 of Goofy)

Again I had a wakeup call for 2:45am. Met my sister at 4 am and she was kind enough to keep me company waiting for the bus. Only thing was, there was no line today! So she walked me down, gave me a hug and she went back to bed. I boarded the bus, found an empty seat next to a really nice guy named Kenny. He has been running marathons for 12 years and funny thing - he had a daughter with the same name as mine. He was so nice to talk to, it kept me distracted. I wasn’t nervous, but I was tired. Getting up 3 days in a row early (I also did the 5k on Friday) was starting to take a toll on me.

Kenny and I separated once we got off the bus and I went to the champion booth to get my medal, which I got. I looked for WISH shirts, but didn’t see any. I went into the runners area and plopped on the ground and at my English muffin with peanut butter. Then off to the port o potty line where I spotted Denny. We stayed together for a bit until we had to separate to our different corrals. Denny was in B I believe - with all the speedy people.

As soon as I said goodbye to Denny, a woman named Jennifer came over to me and said she liked my shirt (I got that a lot the whole weekend). We started talking until we got to our corrals. At one point I saw Cam in the bathroom line, but I figured I would see her again - I never did. I got in corral F and saw Jen in Ga. Yay! We stayed together until the start and we didn’t see any other WISHers in our corral. Today it only took 6 minutes to cross the start line. Much better! Why couldn’t disney have the half marathon work so smoothly?

The first two miles I had to run on the grass and it was dark so I had to be careful. I saw WISHers at water stop 2 - that was really nice and then saw some right outside Epcot. We ran through Epcot then merged with the blue course around mile 4. Now we followed the road towards Magic Kingdom and I saw more WISHers at the ticket and transportation center. This is when I first passed Helen (she and I kept passing each other throughout the course). There was a hill by the Contemporary then into the Magic Kingdom at mile 10. I used the same bathroom I did during the half - the one in Fantasyland by Ariel’s Grotto. Again there was no one in there.

Next I ran through the castle, into Liberty Square then out by Splash Mtn again. I felt really good this whole time, mostly running, walking at water stops and to take my gels. I tried to take my gels once an hour, but towards the end I just couldn’t get them down.

Ran by the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian, where Helen and I yo-yoed again. Now we were headed towards Animal Kingdom. I called my sister at the half mark - I was still feeling really well. I hit the half at 2:46. All of a sudden during mile 15, I felt not so well. My stomach started to hurt and my legs started to get sore along with my feet. This is when doing the half the day before really started to take its toll.

I walked the rest of the race and just kept telling myself to put one foot in front of the other. And I just kept going. They offered bananas somewhere around mile 15 or 16 and I couldn’t believe that people could eat them. I saw a few on the side of the road bent over like they were going to be sick. Finally we make it to Animal Kingdom and I tried to run, I really did, but the pavement there was too uneven and I just couldn’t do it.

At mile 17 they gave us sponges. These were so great! I carried mine with me until just before the finish. I saw more WISH outside Animal Kingdom and then finally made it to my sister Jen, her husband and kids, my dad and his girlfriend and my 7 year old daughter. They had a bag waiting for me with different things, but all I took was a few sips of Coke and my sister wiped me off. Then I said goodbye and was off. I felt really bad for them, I know I was grouchy. My sister kept trying to make me take some of the food and I should’ve taken the candy.

Now at this point I knew I still had over 8 miles to go. I just kept chugging along. The turnaround by Wide World of Sports was tough, I really wanted to cross over into the oncoming runners and just skip the turnaround (I did see one woman do this). But I saw Jen in GA at one point coming at me and she gave me some encouragement. I stopped at the medical tent and tried my first biofreeze. This stuff is great! I rubbed it on my knees and it really helped to numb the pain. It is very messy though and stained my sneakers.

I saw more WISHers at the turnaround who gave me orange wedges and ice. Thanks guys! We had to go up on an overpass after the turnaround. I called my husband then and that kept me distracted for about 5 minutes. Another turn and we were into the Studios behind Tower of Terror. As I rounded the corner I saw volunteers handing out gels. But as I got closer I realized it was fun size candy bars! I took a baby ruth and it was the best candy bar ever! As I kept walking I noticed uneaten candy bars on the ground - squished open by runners stepping on them. What a waste! I really wanted to pick one up off the ground and eat it! (I found out later that they ran out of candy and the back packers didn’t get any!)

Through the Studios the same path as the Minnie 15k except we exited through the main gate. Now onto the pathway to Boardwalk. I saw Kathy, Cam’s daughter Jen and another WISHer and they gave me some twizzlers. Made it to the next medical tent behind Boardwalk and put more biofreeze on my knees. Next the hill from Boardwalk to Yacht Club and then I saw more WISHers. I tried really hard to smile, but we were coming up to mile 25 and it was hard. I really wished I could’ve run, but wasn’t happening.

Into Epcot by United Kingdom then around world showcase which seemed to last forever. I spent a lot of time looking at the ground in front of me. Finally made it to the service exit by spaceship earth and saw the choir. Rounded the corner and saw a ton of people. Once I could see the finish line, I forced myself to a jog. Yay! Crossed the finish line, got my chip removed, got my mickey medal, and a mylar blanket, then grabbed a new water, a coke and a banana bread (which I wolfed down). Then over to the Goofy tent to collect my goofy medal.

Overall the goofy was really hard. I was walking funny for about 3 days after. But it was still a lot of fun and I am really glad I did it. So glad in fact, that I already signed up for 2009!

Becky

 

[fofinia]

Hey Beck! Thanks for posting "our" trip report! Since I never did one for myself. It was so nice to be transported back there. I only have fond memories now- kind of like childbirth. And what a coincidence I received my certificate of time today in the mail! I told DH can we please go to Disneyland for the 1/2???

So I didn't realize I had hit a Bite me zone at all. Is that when I started groaning about having jello hips??? Maybe the next time we race together I'll be thinner and look better in the pics!!

Thanks! love you
Jennie

 

[Lexxiefern]

hey Jen! Oh you got your finisher certificate?? I better go check my mail tomorrow! I hope you don't mind that I posted your picture! Heehee. I am still working on my DH about DL too. He just keeps rolling his eyes.

Carrie - Thanks for the kind words!

Becky

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I'm glad you've posted your report. Brings back memories. Good job!

 

[monte]

Becky, thanks for posting such an awesome report with photo's, it really brought back great memories for me. Congratulations on completing all 3 events and good luck in 2009!

 

[bunnyfoo]

That's a great report Becky!! I love all of the photos you posted! It sounds like the Goofy is really big challenge - congrats to you on completing it! I'd like to register for it one year but I figure I'd better start with the half first

 

[Dennyha]

It was fun talking with you before the full. It made the time go much faster.

Your corral bud,
Denny

 

[ScoJo15]

Becky - thanks for posting this report! I sat here remembering my own experience while reading through yours....congratulations on completing Goofy!! I'm totally with you regarding how the half takes it's toll at around mile 15 on that second day...and THOSE WERE THE BEST CANDY BARS EVER!!

Thanks again! have a wonderful evening!

 

[Kristi1357]

Great report, Becky!

 

[wtpclc]

I so feel your pain. Never did the gGoofy, but everything gets so hard around AK and fro teh rest of the course. Good for you for haning in to teh finish line! So sorry we didn't see you before the race!

 

[dsnyfan21]

Magic Kingdom bathroom update:
There are another set of restrooms that nobody was using. In the photo of you guys off to the side with the castle in the background, if you followed that path, the restrooms past the restaurant are open. I used those this year and had the entire bathroom to myself!!

Nice report.

 

[Lexxiefern]

Just want to say Thanks to everyone for reading my reports and all the nice comments! Thanks alot!!

Becky

 

[SamSam]

Becky, Thanks so much for posting your experience. I have yet to do a 1/2 or a full, but reading your post made me feel like I was right there with you.