MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
I don't know from personal experience but I don't see why not, just don't fall behind them.
If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead
- Thread starter MommaoffherRocker
- Start date
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
Tinker Bell Weekend
I am finally back in warm Florida!!! We had an awesome mini vacation at Tinker Bell but man it was chilly. Disneyland was so much fun it is making me question if we should change our cruise to a family vacation out there. It reminded me of how WDW use to be before MDE. Not that I don't like MDE it was just nice to not have every minute of my vacation planned. Here is a little peek at our fun. (I hope you like pictures
)
The next day we woke up and made the 4 hour drive to DLR. Before checking in we decided to go to the expo so we didn't miss anything. It was so crowded and overwhelming I just picked up a magnet and headband and then headed to check in. Next time I seriously don't know how much time I am going to spend at the expo I always leave disappointed. However our room at the DLH was amazing! We got a corner room with a king bed.
The fireworks on the headboard lit up and played music!!!
After putting our stuff down we headed to DTD to explore.
DTD was not crowded at all, it was so nice to take our time window shopping and plan what I was going to get for the kids. I was already having mom guilt!
Then @wehrengrizz texted me and I decided to brave the expo again to meet up with her. After we left the expo we decided it was 5 o'clock somewhere and headed over to Trader Sam's. Having drinks there was one of my favorite things we did this trip!! For some reason I got a shrinking barstool and we laughed and laughed about it. DH was so embarrassed. If you have never been I highly recommend it. Even if you have to wait for a spot you must sit inside.
When we were finished at Sam's we did some more window shopping at DTD and walked our new friend back to her hotel and then crashed in our room.
To be continued...
Last edited:
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
The next day we went to DCA, my new favorite park!
We also did the World of Color Dessert Party. Yummy!!
On Saturday I was getting nervous about doing too much before the half on Sunday. So we decided to drive up to Burbank to do the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. It was a fun experience and we learned a lot.
I got to have coffee on the Friends set and be turned into a hobbit!
We went to bed early that night so we would be ready for Tinker Bell.
We also did the World of Color Dessert Party. Yummy!!
On Saturday I was getting nervous about doing too much before the half on Sunday. So we decided to drive up to Burbank to do the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. It was a fun experience and we learned a lot.
I got to have coffee on the Friends set and be turned into a hobbit!
We went to bed early that night so we would be ready for Tinker Bell.
Last edited:
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
So finally we come to the main event...
The Tinkerbell Half Marathon!
We set the alarm for 4:15. Well we actually set 3 alarms to calm my paranoia.
When they went off I was up right away. We got ready and had our usual pre race Clif Bar. We wanted to leave by 4:45 but my paranoia got the better of me and we left at 4:30. It was only a 5-10 min walk from DLH to our corral, which was a welcome change from WDW races. On the walk I realized I left my Garmin in the room but decided against going back and thought we could just run based on the way we were feeling. It was a little chilly at the start but not anything I couldn't handle. I was just glad there wasn't any rain like they had for the 10k. The corral(D) was only about half full when we got there and there were plenty of photopass people to take our picture.
The time in the corral seemed to fly by. I got to talking to a girl from MA about the Princess run and runDisney shoes. But I was getting so nervous about finishing. It seemed like forever since our last long run, which was Darkside. A couple days before I posted up on the running thread my goal for this race. I don't normally like to say those things out loud but I thought if I did it would give me more motivation to achieve it.
Here is the picture as we approached the starting line.
Our Corral started around 5:45am. I thought the start went well but I didn't get any of my tracking text so I was freaking out that my chip had malfunctioned. I wanted to reset my phone since it was acting funny but I didn't want to lose the run on the Strava app. Thankfully Mike was getting his text. There wasn't too much crowding in the beginning especially compared to Darkside. Our plan at the start was to run without intervals until we got to the parks. We figured the parks would be slower going and we wanted to put as much time between us and the 3:00 pacer that was at the front of our corral. We even ran the first overpass, it wasn't that big but I am a Floridian so any hill is a big deal. Around mile 1.5 we went into DL. We didn't do this park earlier in the week so I was super pumped to be there. I am sure I slowed way down to take it all in. The park was a little tighter to make our way through but we were still running at that point and decided just to keep it up until we got to the 5k mark. We stopped only once inside the parks to take a picture in front of the castle.
I haven't had the opportunity to run through the castle at WDW yet but at DL it was just amazing!!
After leaving DL we headed into DCA. I liked that we had been in this park earlier in the week. I felt I could relax more and take it all in since I had already gotten my pictures. We crossed the 5k mat and still no text for me. But we were feeling good and decided to just keep running without intervals. We decided that we would run to the 10k mat, only walking when we got water. That first 5k had a time of 40:26, averaging a 13:01 min/mile.
We left DCA and headed out around the backside of the park. At mile 5 we heard lots of cheering and then realized the runner in the lead was heading towards the finish. She had a bicycle escort and she was just flying. We found out later that that point in the course was where some people decided to take a short cut. I could see how easy it would have been but don't know what would someone to do something like that.
Then we hit the streets of Anaheim. I am sorry I don't have many pictures from the course. I was too busy taking it all in and focusing on getting to the next mile. It was exciting to get to spread out a little more and to see all of the people cheering and holding signs. My favorite for the race was a guy's that had have you seen my wife? on one side and then he flipped it over and it said I'm hungry. Not long after we left DLR we got to the 10k mat. There our time was 1:21:58 with a pace of 13:12. We weren't slowing too bad. At that point we were like we can totally make it to mile 7 without intervals so we kept trucking. We heard birds fighting on the powerlines overhead and when we looked they were green parrots which was a cool distraction. I wish we lived somewhere more tropical where that was the norm!
Mile 7 came and went and we still felt good so we said ok let's go for 8 (can you see the pattern?) Right before mile 8 we came to the lovely red hat ladies. They were awesome. They were cheering and holding signs. They reminded me of my grandmother, she would have loved to been apart of such a wonderful group of ladies! It really took my mind off of the race for that 1/2 mile or so. There was also some people handing out licorice right after the ladies and DH was in heaven. Before we knew it we were crossing the 15k mat. This time no text for DH either, we also noticed it didn't beep like they usually do.
At the 15k mat I said let's run to the 10 mile mark but after that we really got to start doing intervals. I felt like I was fading. But when we got to 10 I got a second wind and decided that we were going to run the entire race. The high school band and cheerleaders after mile 10 were much appreciated! Anything to distract myself at that point was welcome! After mile 11 (I think) there was another marching band playing The Final Countdown which put a smile on my face. At the end of 11 we were back on DLR property. And then there it was. A HUGE hill!! The road went down into a tunnel under something and then waaaaay back up. The castmember kept telling everyone the mile 12 marker is just down the hill and then up to the top. I told her she should have just ended her sentence at down the hill. hahaha. I was determined to run the whole race so we just trucked down the tunnel (my legs were screaming) and then ran with all my energy to the top. I was so proud of myself!
So only 1.1 miles left. We got this right! right? That was the longest 1.1 miles of my life!! I was watching the Strava app. I was comparing the mile markers to the app the whole race and I knew it was roughly .3 off. My legs were almost at the breaking point and then 13.4 came and went. It was not what I needed at that point. I really just wanted to walk!! We were so close. We were on the road between the DLH and DTD and the finish line came it to view. I went from thinking I was going to beat my goal time by 5 minutes to being scared I was going to miss it. DH was like we gotta push we can't let ourselves finish over 3 hours with all the work we just did. I am the one that is usually pushing us when we approach the finish line but I just could not push any harder. It was all I could do to just keep running at that point. In the end we still finished under 3 hours. 2:57:17 was the official time and our average pace was 13:32. And I finally got to restart my phone and all of my tracking text finally came through.
The cool thing about that race was it was on that day one year earlier that we started running. I never would have thought that a year later I would be running a half marathon!!!
We first got our Tinker Bell medal and then our beautiful blue coast to coast!!
DH looks like he is ready to kill someone in the picture lol. He just wanted to go back to the room that was right next to the finish line but they made us walk through DTD.
Overall I think Tink is my favorite runDisney race so far! I hope I get to do it again in the future!
The Tinkerbell Half Marathon!
We set the alarm for 4:15. Well we actually set 3 alarms to calm my paranoia.
When they went off I was up right away. We got ready and had our usual pre race Clif Bar. We wanted to leave by 4:45 but my paranoia got the better of me and we left at 4:30. It was only a 5-10 min walk from DLH to our corral, which was a welcome change from WDW races. On the walk I realized I left my Garmin in the room but decided against going back and thought we could just run based on the way we were feeling. It was a little chilly at the start but not anything I couldn't handle. I was just glad there wasn't any rain like they had for the 10k. The corral(D) was only about half full when we got there and there were plenty of photopass people to take our picture.The time in the corral seemed to fly by. I got to talking to a girl from MA about the Princess run and runDisney shoes. But I was getting so nervous about finishing. It seemed like forever since our last long run, which was Darkside. A couple days before I posted up on the running thread my goal for this race. I don't normally like to say those things out loud but I thought if I did it would give me more motivation to achieve it.
Here is the picture as we approached the starting line.
Our Corral started around 5:45am. I thought the start went well but I didn't get any of my tracking text so I was freaking out that my chip had malfunctioned. I wanted to reset my phone since it was acting funny but I didn't want to lose the run on the Strava app. Thankfully Mike was getting his text. There wasn't too much crowding in the beginning especially compared to Darkside. Our plan at the start was to run without intervals until we got to the parks. We figured the parks would be slower going and we wanted to put as much time between us and the 3:00 pacer that was at the front of our corral. We even ran the first overpass, it wasn't that big but I am a Floridian so any hill is a big deal. Around mile 1.5 we went into DL. We didn't do this park earlier in the week so I was super pumped to be there. I am sure I slowed way down to take it all in. The park was a little tighter to make our way through but we were still running at that point and decided just to keep it up until we got to the 5k mark. We stopped only once inside the parks to take a picture in front of the castle.
I haven't had the opportunity to run through the castle at WDW yet but at DL it was just amazing!!
After leaving DL we headed into DCA. I liked that we had been in this park earlier in the week. I felt I could relax more and take it all in since I had already gotten my pictures. We crossed the 5k mat and still no text for me. But we were feeling good and decided to just keep running without intervals. We decided that we would run to the 10k mat, only walking when we got water. That first 5k had a time of 40:26, averaging a 13:01 min/mile.
We left DCA and headed out around the backside of the park. At mile 5 we heard lots of cheering and then realized the runner in the lead was heading towards the finish. She had a bicycle escort and she was just flying. We found out later that that point in the course was where some people decided to take a short cut. I could see how easy it would have been but don't know what would someone to do something like that.
Then we hit the streets of Anaheim. I am sorry I don't have many pictures from the course. I was too busy taking it all in and focusing on getting to the next mile. It was exciting to get to spread out a little more and to see all of the people cheering and holding signs. My favorite for the race was a guy's that had have you seen my wife? on one side and then he flipped it over and it said I'm hungry. Not long after we left DLR we got to the 10k mat. There our time was 1:21:58 with a pace of 13:12. We weren't slowing too bad. At that point we were like we can totally make it to mile 7 without intervals so we kept trucking. We heard birds fighting on the powerlines overhead and when we looked they were green parrots which was a cool distraction. I wish we lived somewhere more tropical where that was the norm!
Mile 7 came and went and we still felt good so we said ok let's go for 8 (can you see the pattern?) Right before mile 8 we came to the lovely red hat ladies. They were awesome. They were cheering and holding signs. They reminded me of my grandmother, she would have loved to been apart of such a wonderful group of ladies! It really took my mind off of the race for that 1/2 mile or so. There was also some people handing out licorice right after the ladies and DH was in heaven. Before we knew it we were crossing the 15k mat. This time no text for DH either, we also noticed it didn't beep like they usually do.
At the 15k mat I said let's run to the 10 mile mark but after that we really got to start doing intervals. I felt like I was fading. But when we got to 10 I got a second wind and decided that we were going to run the entire race. The high school band and cheerleaders after mile 10 were much appreciated! Anything to distract myself at that point was welcome! After mile 11 (I think) there was another marching band playing The Final Countdown which put a smile on my face. At the end of 11 we were back on DLR property. And then there it was. A HUGE hill!! The road went down into a tunnel under something and then waaaaay back up. The castmember kept telling everyone the mile 12 marker is just down the hill and then up to the top. I told her she should have just ended her sentence at down the hill. hahaha. I was determined to run the whole race so we just trucked down the tunnel (my legs were screaming) and then ran with all my energy to the top. I was so proud of myself!
So only 1.1 miles left. We got this right! right? That was the longest 1.1 miles of my life!! I was watching the Strava app. I was comparing the mile markers to the app the whole race and I knew it was roughly .3 off. My legs were almost at the breaking point and then 13.4 came and went. It was not what I needed at that point. I really just wanted to walk!! We were so close. We were on the road between the DLH and DTD and the finish line came it to view. I went from thinking I was going to beat my goal time by 5 minutes to being scared I was going to miss it. DH was like we gotta push we can't let ourselves finish over 3 hours with all the work we just did. I am the one that is usually pushing us when we approach the finish line but I just could not push any harder. It was all I could do to just keep running at that point. In the end we still finished under 3 hours. 2:57:17 was the official time and our average pace was 13:32. And I finally got to restart my phone and all of my tracking text finally came through.
The cool thing about that race was it was on that day one year earlier that we started running. I never would have thought that a year later I would be running a half marathon!!!
We first got our Tinker Bell medal and then our beautiful blue coast to coast!!
DH looks like he is ready to kill someone in the picture lol. He just wanted to go back to the room that was right next to the finish line but they made us walk through DTD.
Overall I think Tink is my favorite runDisney race so far! I hope I get to do it again in the future!
Attachments
Last edited:
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
- Messages
- 10,346
Great recap! Sounds like you had an awesome time! I like the progression of your husband's faces from pre-run, during run, to post-run!
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
Lol, he doesn't hide his emotion well does he?!
wehrengrizz
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2015
- Messages
- 807
my dh was cracking up at that post race pic
so proud of you guys, great time, and cool "runiversary"!!!
you could always change your cruise to be after goofy, then do the castaway cay 5k! But i guess if you're doing that, might as well do the dopey? Haha kiiidding!!
what a great trip report, I actually thought about doing one then remembered once in back "ain't nobody got time for that"....how are you doing this???
Ariel484
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2011
- Messages
- 11,911
Hey, that was me! Great to meet you guys!
OMG, I'm so with you on the walk to the corrals - it's just SO much easier at Disneyland. Really like that a lot about those races.
Great, great job on your race - congrats to you and your husband. Such great accomplishments in 1 year!
Ready for Goofy now?!
OMG, I'm so with you on the walk to the corrals - it's just SO much easier at Disneyland. Really like that a lot about those races.
Great, great job on your race - congrats to you and your husband. Such great accomplishments in 1 year!
Ready for Goofy now?!
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
I thought about changing our cruise so we could do the challenge but I want to enjoy it, hahahaha. I was so sore after this half I hate to think about walking up and down the stairs on the cruise after a marathon!!
DUCT TAPE... Just kidding, I use nap time and bed time wisely. Who needs a clean house anyhow?!
Thanks! It was such a good time I can't wait to go back!!
Hey, that was me! Great to meet you guys!
OMG, I'm so with you on the walk to the corrals - it's just SO much easier at Disneyland. Really like that a lot about those races.
Great, great job on your race - congrats to you and your husband. Such great accomplishments in 1 year!
Ready for Goofy now?!
Thanks! I don't know if this race made me more or less confident for Goofy. I am little worried about being so sore after this one. But I did push hard to get a PR, probably not something I will be doing for Goofy.
Mimsy Borogove
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
- Messages
- 711
Congratulations to you both! I really enjoyed reading your recap - I just returned from Tink myself and back to sunny Florida!
We also went to Trader Sam's on our first day and had a lot of fun. It's different than the one at the Poly (one of our faves, we've been 3 or 4 times since it opened last year) but we loved it. DH got a Shipwreck on the Rocks, which had a really cool souvenir mug.
Ha ha, I had to laugh at your mention of the parrots, because I thought I was the only one who noticed them! We have a small colony of Quaker parrots where I live, but we don't really see the Amazons like in Anaheim until we head further south in FL, like Boca and southwards.
Such a great accomplishment for you both, glad you had a great time!
We also went to Trader Sam's on our first day and had a lot of fun. It's different than the one at the Poly (one of our faves, we've been 3 or 4 times since it opened last year) but we loved it. DH got a Shipwreck on the Rocks, which had a really cool souvenir mug.
Ha ha, I had to laugh at your mention of the parrots, because I thought I was the only one who noticed them! We have a small colony of Quaker parrots where I live, but we don't really see the Amazons like in Anaheim until we head further south in FL, like Boca and southwards.
Such a great accomplishment for you both, glad you had a great time!
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
I didn't realize the Trader Sam's at WDW was different, I thought it was just bigger. I will have to check that out next time we are over there without the kids.Congratulations to you both! I really enjoyed reading your recap - I just returned from Tink myself and back to sunny Florida!
We also went to Trader Sam's on our first day and had a lot of fun. It's different than the one at the Poly (one of our faves, we've been 3 or 4 times since it opened last year) but we loved it. DH got a Shipwreck on the Rocks, which had a really cool souvenir mug.
Ha ha, I had to laugh at your mention of the parrots, because I thought I was the only one who noticed them! We have a small colony of Quaker parrots where I live, but we don't really see the Amazons like in Anaheim until we head further south in FL, like Boca and southwards.
Such a great accomplishment for you both, glad you had a great time!
The parrots were so neat, when I heard all the squaking I totally expected big black birds. I wish I would have gotten a picture!
Thanks for the congrats!
roxymama
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2015
- Messages
- 6,432
Awesome race recap! That's incredible that you went from wanting to do intervals at 1.5 miles to running the whole thing!
I totally am on the same page as you with the phone always screwing up something every race. Glad that you got all your updates eventually!
Your report and the others I have read are making me really really want to do Tink as my first half. Or whatever race in DL will be next Spring.
And I agree that I'd like to go back to DL for a vacation sometime, not because I dislike MDE, just because it would be something different with the planning.
I totally am on the same page as you with the phone always screwing up something every race. Glad that you got all your updates eventually!
Your report and the others I have read are making me really really want to do Tink as my first half. Or whatever race in DL will be next Spring.
And I agree that I'd like to go back to DL for a vacation sometime, not because I dislike MDE, just because it would be something different with the planning.
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
If you would have told me at the start of the race we were going to run the whole thing I would have said you were crazy. I guess it just shows how much of running is mental!!
I would highly recommend Tink for your first half! The course was a lot of fun and I felt there was more comradery with the other runners (compared to Princess and Darkside) that made it extra special.
wehrengrizz
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2015
- Messages
- 807
So true on the mental side of things! I really felt like I would do great with an interval run on the 10K, but when there were entire portions of the race with literally all the people in an area walking (not talking bottlenecks either!), I was like, well, I guess I can walk an extra 0:30 etc. too. Ugh. It was a little bit of a mental block, I wish I had your determination!! You guys beasted it and so happy you beat your goal
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
I don't have much to report on training since I have been sick since getting back from Tink 
but I wanted to post up a picture of my new medal holder with all my fancy Disney medals on it
I'm going crazy just sitting around the house. I hope to be training again soon!
but I wanted to post up a picture of my new medal holder with all my fancy Disney medals on it I'm going crazy just sitting around the house. I hope to be training again soon!
wehrengrizz
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2015
- Messages
- 807
so freakin cool! Did you order that medal rack or have it made somewhere? well, I guess it maybe is easier to find something like that near you than near me haha! Love it. Keep it up feel better soon
MommaoffherRocker
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 1,803
I actually picked it out at the Darkside expo. It's from a company called Sport Hooks(they are usually at all the Disney expos). The best part about it is that it sparkles! I'm thinking about getting one for the kids since they are doing their second race at W&D.
wehrengrizz
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2015
- Messages
- 807
well it sure is sweet! I bet the kids would love it! Maybe you can get away with one rack for the whole slew of 'em...hahaha you each get ONE HOOK!
-
Visiting The Land Pavilion in EPCOT is a MUST
-
New Disney World Passholder Tumbler Featuring Joey Chou Art
-
Every Restaurant & Menu in HTTYD - Isle of Berk at Universal Epic Universe
-
New Loungefly: 'Alice in Wonderland' & 'Sleeping Beauty'
-
Mega Movie Summer Coming to Universal Studios Hollywood
-
New Summer Bites Hit the Menu at Disney Springs Restaurants
-
Farewell to Mama Melrose's at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Walt Disney World!
Save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer in late summer and early fall. Plus, enjoy other savings for shorter stays.This offer is valid for stays most nights from August 1 to October 11, 2025.
CLICK HERE
