If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead

[BikeFan]

Just stumbled across this journal, and I saw we have some race overlap (I ran Dark Side and Dumbo Double Dare in 2016 as well)! So you're going to do your first full as part of Dopey?!? That's a little crazy, but I love the idea, and best of luck to you! Can't wait to hear how it goes! Sounds like you're trained up and ready to go. Go kick some asphalt!

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Ok I think I am rested up enough to do a recap of this weekend's fun. I debated on starting a TR for this but I didn't really do much outside of the races so I am just going to keep it in my journal. So here goes...

 

[Ariel484]

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

It's finally here!!!

I woke up Wednesday morning ready to go. My in-laws came over to watch the kids and I headed for WDW! It's takes me about 2.5 hours to get there. I had originally planned to get to the expo later rather than earlier but I started to get nervous about things selling out so I got there about 2 hours after it had opened.

When I got there it was a MAD house. Feeling overwhelmed I first attempted to get my bib but when I saw that the line was wrapped around the building I thought my bib isn't going anywhere and decided to head for the official merchandise instead. I found the expo line and jumped in. At this point it was wrapped around the fields at the bottom of the steps. It really wasn't as bad as it looked and it took me about 20 minutes to get inside.

I was finally in the building and then I quickly realized that I was going to have to wait in another line to get into the official merchandise section. I really didn't have anywhere else to be so I got in the line. I ended striking up a conversation with the girl behind me that also happened to be on the Disboards. Unfortunately I can't for the life of me remember her screen name! After another 20 minute wait we were let in. Thanks to people posting pictures of the merchandise I knew exactly what I wanted. I went for a pink Dopey jacket, I did it magnet, head band and I did it shirt. I went a little overboard but hey it was my first marathon/Dopey. Even though there were a lot of people at the expo I thought Disney did a great job at how they handled it. I don't get the complaints that we had to wait. I would much rather wait a little bit and get to shop at my pace than get in quicker and have to fight for what I want. When I was done there I walked around the expo. I found the runDisney booth and took a sneak peak at my future medals for Darkside and Princess. Then I looked at the shadow boxes to see if that is what I wanted to do with my medals and decided I would get a Dopey one after I crossed the finish line but not before because I wanted to make sure I was going to finish first.

A couple hours had passed since trying to get my bib the first time so I thought it was a good time to try again. When I got outside of the Josten Center I knew I had made the right decision. There was absolutely no line. I was able to walk right up to get my bibs. They also gave everyone a 20th anniversary luggage tag that looked like the medal which I thought was a nice touch. They took my picture with my bib to make sure I was the one completing the challenge then I grabbed my shirts and headed for race relations. This line was ridiculous! If I wasn't sure I was going to get my corral changed than I probably would have taken my chances running from N. It was just that crazy. Luckily the people around me were super friendly and we were able to pass the time chatting. Once I got to the front they put a sticker on my half/full bib changing my corral from N to J. They couldn't help me with my 5k/10k bib which I was a little disappointed with but it wasn't the end of the world so I headed out to my my resort. I saw this sign as I was leaving and had to take a picture.




On the way out some headbands caught my eye and I ended up picking up one for my Snow White themed outfit for the half and one that said " A little magic can take you a long way."

After leaving the expo I went to my room at POP, dropped my stuff and then caught a bus to Epcot for dinner. Epcot was pretty crowded but I really wanted some Shrimp Tempura Udon from Katsura Grill in Japan. So I made my way to the restaurant ate my soup and then headed right back out so I could get enough sleep for the next morning's early wake up call. Once I was back in my room I set my 2 alarms and tried to get some sleep.

Here's my traditional headband and bib shot before each race.



Next up: My first Disney 5k​

 

[cavepig]

excited to read how your Dopey went!

 

[wehrengrizz]

Ok I think I am rested up enough to do a recap of this weekend's fun. I debated on starting a TR for this but I didn't really do much outside of the races so I am just going to keep it in my journal. So here goes...

I am so excited!! I've been trying all day to get my kids to be doing something else and my housework done so I can read w/ some coffee! YAY!!

 

[wehrengrizz]

THIS!!! <3 absolutely

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

5K

My alarm went off at 3:00am. This wake up was obviously the easiest one of the weekend. I had laid everything out the night before so I was ready in a flash. Life is much easier when you only have to worry about yourself! For this race I decided to reuse my Mickey outfit from the DLH but I had to add the white shirt underneath because I was so cold. I took a selfie and headed out the door to catch the bus.
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I got one of the first buses out of POP and was to the starting area pretty early. I dropped my bag off at gear check and then started looking for familiar faces. There was a planned Disboard meet up so I got to meet a good amount of Dis'ers pre race. Most of the other members left for their corrals pretty earlier but @mrsg00fy and I hung around for a little while longer and chatted. I loved hearing about her runDisney experiences and seeing all of her medals!

I eventually found my way to corral E. I was feeling kinda lonely all by myself when another lady came up and started talking me to. Her name was Gail and she was from Salt Lake City. Her and her son were running Dopey for the first time. Her son was in corral A and was actually finished before we event got to the starting line. I am so grateful that she started talking me to, it really helped pass the time.

After hours of standing around it was finally time for our corral to start moving towards the start line. This year they started to do mini waves between corrals. So I snapped a picture real quick



and then my wave was off. I liked the mini waves and thought it helped with congestion in the first mile. The plan for this race was to run a little faster than the rest but when I started I just wasn't feeling it. So I just ran without worrying about pace. I liked that we ran by where people were lining up for the buses they were all cheering really loud. Then I noticed on the other side of the road there was a bunch of people and I thought wow look at all the people that came out to cheer us on. Nope. It was the line for the first character stop. When I ran by it was Thumper, I'm not a huge fan so I just kept going. Before I knew it we were turning into Epcot by Mexico. The whole place was lit up and the torches were ablaze. Always an amazing experience. There were some good character stops in Epcot but the lines were so long I didn't want to stop for them. I couldn't take a chance on losing my Dopey medal on a character stop in the first race. But the photopass photographers did get some pictures of me. I am not a fan of the pictures from this weekend but I guess I am going to post them anyways. I just upgraded my AP so I can have all my pictures so I am going to get my money's worth


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I looked down at my pace and realized that I was running way faster than I should have been. So I reigned myself back in and then started watching my pace a little closer. Again I didn't want to ruin things on day 1. Before I knew it we were heading into Future World and then out to the finish line. Race 1 was in the books! I snapped a selfie with the medal to send to DH and stopped for a medal photo.

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I grabbed my bag from gear check, put on my compression sleeves, switched my running shoes for flip flops and ate the bar I had put inside. I definitely had a plan in place to make sure I got through Dopey! The bus back to POP was waiting for me so I hopped on and went back to the resort. Once there I grabbed breakfast to go and ate while relaxing in my room. Afterwards I took a shower and then a nice long nap. I debated on going back into the parks but @Ariel484 posted a picture of the insanity that was the Magic Kingdom and I decided I was perfectly happy to spend the day in my room. I mean how often do I get to do nothing by myself for a whole day?!

Next Up: Race #2 the 10K


​

 

[Mickey Momma]

Yay! Been waiting to read this.

I also found myself spending time alone in my room in Anaheim. So relaxing!

 

[ZellyB]

Woohoo!! Well done on your first race of the weekend. I love that Pluto medal and your outfit is adorable!

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

excited to read how your Dopey went!

Thanks for following along!

I am so excited!! I've been trying all day to get my kids to be doing something else and my housework done so I can read w/ some coffee! YAY!!

housework? what housework?

I also found myself spending time alone in my room in Anaheim. So relaxing!

It is so relaxing and actually goes by too fast!

I love that Pluto medal and your outfit is adorable!

I love the medal too and am so glad they decided to change them to metal and thanks!

 

[Ariel484]

Your outfit is perfect!

I agree about the long lines for the 5K...always a little frustrating.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

10k

The morning of the 10k went much like the morning of the 5k just 30 minutes earlier. I didn't have a specific race outfit planned for this one so I just threw on capris and my DLH shirt. I was hoping it was going to be a warmer morning but it was not the case. So I grabbed the pull over that I was planning to throw at the half, took a mirror selfie and headed for the bus. Again I had no problems getting a bus out of POP.
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Once the bus dropped me off I headed to the spot where we had the Dis meet up the morning before. We ended up having a good number of Dis'ers there that morning. The highlight was hearing @Disney at Heart 's husband tell us about the first marathon at WDW. It was interesting to learn that they weren't sure if they would have one again due to low attendance that first year!

When the corrals opened many left but @mrsg00fy, @camaker and I hung around for a little while before walking out to ours. I waited for the last minute so I could gear check my bag with my jacket. I still needed it for the next morning or so I thought. I joined my corral and froze until it was time to go.



After the start I quickly warmed up, Thankfully!!! This course was similar to the Enchanted 10k I had run last February which I feel is always nice since I know what to expect. I was a little disappointed they didn't have Elsa, making snow, and Anna on the overpass this time in the beginning. Instead it was a video highlighting Minnie. I guess that makes more sense. In the first mile I saw a runner wearing running tights with the MD flag on them so I slowed to ask her if she was a fellow Marylander and tell her that I loved her tights. After passing through the parking booths I ran by mile 1. Then the course made a sharp right turn to go up the overpass and back towards Epcot. They had Launchpad and his plane out at the turn but the line was crazy so I didn't want to stop. I kept going, running up the overpass then past Lilo and Stitch. Near mile marker 2 there seemed to be quite a few parade buses waiting for anyone that was going to drop out or get swept that was not going to be me! I got to the turn off for exit and was expecting a major slowdown since that is where it happens in all the other races I have done but it never happened. And I was super happy for that. I lept over the 5k mat and headed for backstage Epcot. There was a good amount of cast members out cheering for us this morning. They had also set out the boats from FEA. This time we entered Epcot near China. I kept running through the water stop and came up on the American Pavilion. I looked and there they were Mickey, Donald and Goofy in their Patriot outfits!!! I had to stop. DS10 would die to see that picture. Then I looked again and saw the line. Are you kidding me?! Is all I could think. If I waited I would have been too close to being swept and I had bigger fish to fry this weekend. So I sadly kept moving.

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Here is the me at the next Photopass photographer not looking to happy. Before I knew it we were out of Epcot and headed around the boardwalk. All the smells from the bakery made me super hungry. And I swear over by the Yacht Club someone was cooking bacon. As I passed my Beach Club I noticed a runner bendt over on the ground. I looked again and she had her hands blocking a squirrel from being trampled totally ignoring a cast member pleading with her to let the squirrel be. Then all of a sudden the squirrel jumped on her arm! Thankfully she was wearing sleeves. She was trying not to freak out as she walked it over to a tree. I had a good laugh and kept running. I passed Pooh Bear and Tigger as the course went backstage Epcot again. This time we came out in England and turned left passing through Canada and into Future World. This is where it changed from the Princess 10k we didn't go by Nemo we ran to the left of the ball and then turned back up to go out of Epcot via backstage like the day before. When I went to cross the finish line the lady next to me almost punched me in the face raising her arms in victory. So I just pushed a little faster and got a nice action shot crossing the line.
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I took a selfie with my medal and sent it to DH, and thought to myself I am half done right!?
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I grabbed my gear check bag, changed my shoes for flip flops and hopped on the bus back to POP.

Up Next: Changing hotels, a ticket problem, a meet up and Kids!​

 

[wehrengrizz]

Then all of a sudden the squirrel jumped on her arm!

Squirrel!!!! I am proud of her for not freaking out, I guess. But....I'm pretty sure I would have lost it!

I have never noticed the sweep buses, but I usually have myself in a zone, or, if it's Tink...I'm walking behind all the millions of walkers 42 across...even when I'm trying to squeeze through and you know, "run".

 

[cavepig]

Great 5k & 10k! That lady is lucky she didn't get trampled by runners. I had a squirrel run up my leg a few years ago waiting for the Indiana Jones show, I totally screamed & freaked out & had people just staring at me like I was crazy. Oh no a ticket problem!

 

[DisSconnie]

I hopped over from the Darkside thread to follow along! You're giving me hope I can finish my first half You Dopeys are super impressive!!

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

I have never noticed the sweep buses

I have never really noticed them before either but this weekend it seemed like they were expecting to sweep a lot of people.

Great 5k & 10k! That lady is lucky she didn't get trampled by runners. I had a squirrel run up my leg a few years ago waiting for the Indiana Jones show, I totally screamed & freaked out & had people just staring at me like I was crazy. Oh no a ticket problem!

Thanks! Yes she was, I am pretty sure the squirrel would have been just fine without her help. And yikes about the squirrel jumping on your leg that would have freaked me out too!

I hopped over from the Darkside thread to follow along! You're giving me hope I can finish my first half You Dopeys are super impressive!!

Thanks for following along! I'm sure you will have no problem finishing your first half. Darkside was my first half last year and I loved every minute of it. Some might even say it was the best race ever right @wehrengrizz!? But seriously the saying you are stronger than you think is very true, as long as you think you can do it you will!

Your outfit is perfect!

I agree about the long lines for the 5K...always a little frustrating.

Thanks! I'm sure you will see it again since it is so easy to pull off and comfortable. I seriously don't know what they could do for the 5k lines short of letting less people run. Maybe I just need to get faster!

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

After the 10k

When I got back to POP I only laid down for a minute before getting ready for the day. I had a pretty busy day ahead of me so I had to get moving. Back in October when I transferred my Goofy bib to the Dopey bib I went through a TA to save a good chunk of change. But that also meant I had to buy two nights hotel with them and a ticket that would be refunded later if it wasn't used (that is where the ticket problem comes in but more on that later). The TA rooms were at POP this time and I already had 3 nights at ASMovies so I kept that room and decided that I would just do a split stay. After I got ready, I packed up and jumped in my car to head over to ASMovies.

Movies had a different vibe for sure. The cast members just weren't as excited to be doing their job as at POP and that made me a little sad that I had moved. However I was happy that I was able to go to my room right away and that they gave us a connecting room with my in-laws. I had worried about that for months. (I am sure all of you that know me are shocked that I was worried ) I got settled into my new room and had some down time before I needed to head out to the Beach Club meetup. I called DH and gave him an updated list of things he need to bring me so I could be prepared for a chilly marathon. He casually mentions the storms forecasted for the next morning and that it would be great if he didn't have to run, jokingly of course (or was it? I think we can all blame him for what happened). Then I check up email and notice one from the TA that mentions something about prioritizing your ticket on MDE so you're not using it on accident. So I decide to walk to the front desk so they can check out my ticket situation. Sure enough my AP was not prioritized and I had used the ticket going into Epcot Wednesday night. The cast member told me the only thing she could do for me was give me a one day comp ticket to make the ticket whole again but not really because it was going to expire in like 2 weeks. She suggested that I go to Guest Service at any park because they had more options available to them.

So I headed to AK. It was the closest park and the first bus I saw. At AK the cast member was amazing. She said they see this happen all the time with multiple tickets and she could make the ticket whole but couldn't make it look unused so I would have to call runDisney to see if they could still give me the refund. She was pretty sure they would work with me but I still worried I would be out $250. I asked her if I could maybe transfer it to another family member. I think she felt bad for me because she went ahead and refunded the ticket instead. I was so grateful!

At that point it was 2pm and time for the meet up. By the time I caught a bus and made it to the meetup it was 2:30. It was a great time and I got to put a lot of faces to screen names. Thanks @Keels and @FFigawi for hosting! When it was over I walked through Epcot to catch a bus back to my resort. DH and the kids were on their way over and I was planning on meeting up with them at the expo. While on the bus I met a very nice couple that lived in Ohio and the husband had just had emergency kidney stone surgery on Tuesday and was still running Dopey. I thought that was impressive! He was even wearing his hospital band incase he needed to go back to the ER.

When I got back I jumped in my car and headed to the Expo. DH and the kids arrived a couple minutes after I did and we were able to get his half bib without incident. I had been a little worried he was going to get stuck in Orlando traffic but thankfully that wasn't the case. After getting his shirt we did a lap around the expo where the kids were given cow bells. Not sure who's genius idea that was. But they also got to take a couple funny pictures infront of the green screen.
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We could only get 3 of them to do it but I loved how they turned out.

On the way out I stopped for picture with the Dopey sign

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We then headed back to the resort to prepare for the half. I was standing in line at the food court when I got a text from @Waiting2goback. It said they had cancelled the half due to the threat of lightning. I didn't want to believe it. I was upset that they had made the call so early. I understand they have to keep everybody safe but it was just heartbreaking. I was there to prove I could do Dopey and I couldn't do that without a half. When I came to terms with it being cancelled I told DH I was running a half no matter what. After his joking earlier in the day he felt really bad and told me he would do it with me. So we went back to the room and went to bed ready for a half in the morning.

Up Next: The best half ever!

​

 

[FFigawi]

Nice to meet you at the meet-up too! I'm looking forward to hearing about your half. We really enjoyed ours.

 

[ZellyB]

Well done on the 10k. Love that Minnie medal too. It was such a shock when they cancelled the half. We opted not to run on our own, but can't wait to hear how yours went.