Duanerice
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2001
- Messages
- 1,045
Hi, my name is Duane and I am not running Disney this January. There, I said it, I am no longer in denial. I never thought I would miss it as much as I do. I've only been running Disney for a few years but it was my first. Race for the Taste, Tower of Terror, full marathon, and 2 Dopeys, ahhh, the memories.
While training for the 2010 race I decided that I was no longer going to just run marathons but wanted to start racing triathlons. I was tired of just running all the miles for a marathon. So, I have been focusing on tri’s this year and have run 5 sprints and a half ironman. Never thought I’d miss Disney.
Last night as I was driving home in the dark I started thinking that if I was running the marathon I’d have to go out and put in a 7 mile run once I got home. It was dark and cold (50 degrees) and I was thankful I could just do weights instead. I know, a lot of sympathy from the northern folks.
But it got me thinking. I started reminiscing about running Disney. What was strange though was I wasn’t thinking about running through the parks. What was weird was that I started thinking about the lonely stretches. MK to Grand Floridian; where you go from super pumped to eerily quiet and all you can hear are footsteps and breaths. Grand Floridian to AK; as you run by the sewage plant. From AK to the out and back; running up over the bridge by McDonalds then doing the out and back. Once I hit the end of the out and back that always signaled to me that I was on my way home. That is what I am really going to miss. Yes, I went to run through the parks and it was cool. But it’s weird, thinking back, those aren’t the moments I remember.
So if you are running this in a few weeks, have a great time. Enjoy every step of the way from the Expo to post race hydration. The parks won’t be your favorite memories, it will be the other stuff so enjoy it all.
One of the funnier things happened to me in 2009. Charles and I were lined up for the start of the full. I had a throw away jacket on that I bought from the Salvation Army. Well it just happened to be a Boston Marathon finishers jacket. Remember, we are lined up in coral D for 4:30 – 4:45 finishers. As we got within a few minutes of the start I took it off and started to throw it over the fence. The 2 young ladies behind us about gasped and asked “you aren’t going to throw that away are you”? I said “sure, I get a new one every year”. They about died. Of course I had to tell them the truth, but it was fun.
Unfortunately I don't think I'll be there in 2012 either as I have a full Ironman (IMFL) in November. I might not be walking by January. But I am thinking of running the Wine and Dine in 2011.
Have fun!
Duane
While training for the 2010 race I decided that I was no longer going to just run marathons but wanted to start racing triathlons. I was tired of just running all the miles for a marathon. So, I have been focusing on tri’s this year and have run 5 sprints and a half ironman. Never thought I’d miss Disney.
Last night as I was driving home in the dark I started thinking that if I was running the marathon I’d have to go out and put in a 7 mile run once I got home. It was dark and cold (50 degrees) and I was thankful I could just do weights instead. I know, a lot of sympathy from the northern folks.
But it got me thinking. I started reminiscing about running Disney. What was strange though was I wasn’t thinking about running through the parks. What was weird was that I started thinking about the lonely stretches. MK to Grand Floridian; where you go from super pumped to eerily quiet and all you can hear are footsteps and breaths. Grand Floridian to AK; as you run by the sewage plant. From AK to the out and back; running up over the bridge by McDonalds then doing the out and back. Once I hit the end of the out and back that always signaled to me that I was on my way home. That is what I am really going to miss. Yes, I went to run through the parks and it was cool. But it’s weird, thinking back, those aren’t the moments I remember.
So if you are running this in a few weeks, have a great time. Enjoy every step of the way from the Expo to post race hydration. The parks won’t be your favorite memories, it will be the other stuff so enjoy it all.
One of the funnier things happened to me in 2009. Charles and I were lined up for the start of the full. I had a throw away jacket on that I bought from the Salvation Army. Well it just happened to be a Boston Marathon finishers jacket. Remember, we are lined up in coral D for 4:30 – 4:45 finishers. As we got within a few minutes of the start I took it off and started to throw it over the fence. The 2 young ladies behind us about gasped and asked “you aren’t going to throw that away are you”? I said “sure, I get a new one every year”. They about died. Of course I had to tell them the truth, but it was fun.
Unfortunately I don't think I'll be there in 2012 either as I have a full Ironman (IMFL) in November. I might not be walking by January. But I am thinking of running the Wine and Dine in 2011.
Have fun!
Duane
One of my favorite spots is seeing Matt on the overpass in his sorcerer's hat and waving with his big mickey gloves!
