WDW Marathon Weekend 2023 Trip Report
Friday, January 6 (10K) + rest of weekend...
Well, I guess it is time to write about the 10K. I present to you, exhibit A:
@The Expert what’s your emotion for today again? bc I can probably relate to it haha I am so tired and have a headache.
Me yesterday: I love 90s music!! I love the vibe. This is so fun!
Me today: my head hurts and “mmbop” is an assault to my soul
PSA: If you find that one day you enjoy Mmbop, and the next listening to it feels like you are being stabbed in the brain, you, friend, might have COVID!
Anyway...
As far as I remember, I slept pretty well. I woke up not feeling great, with a headache and slightly sore throat, but I thought it was because of weather changes and the lack of rest. I got dressed in my favorite costume of the weekend, got on the 3 AM bus again, and hung out near the bathrooms by EPCOT security with my neighbors until I used the bathroom and made my way in. I decided to opt out of the DIS meet up this morning and made my way to the corrals with my friends.
I was pretty obsessed with my 10K costume. The vision was a mash-up between Belle and Cher from Clueless (her iconic yellow suit). I carried a sign that said "Madame Gaston? As if!" After Jack died, I decorated the back of the sign with a tribute to him. He was my very own Beast. My friends were dressed as Cogsworth and Lumiere (and another Belle but I don't have pictures with her). C printed the sign for me but I needed to figure out a stick-- I was able to use the stick from those fans they were giving away at the EXPO, which worked perfect.
(Image description: Me posing in my 10K Belle costume in front of the bookstore in France. I am holding a sign that says "Madame Gaston? As if!")
(Image description: The back of my sign with its tribute to my dog Jack juxtaposed against some flowers.)
For the race itself, I ran like I trained with 75:30 intervals. On top of unknowingly having COVID, I had also started my period and was experiencing pretty bad cramps. Basically I was a disaster. But I kept with my intervals. I was proud of myself for being able to do them up the incline too! In past years I had to walk up the inclines. Yay me.
I left my friend while she went to the bathroom and kept running, but she caught up to me later (around the beginning of the Boardwalk). I remember that the band there was playing What's My Age Again? by Blink-182, which I loved. Generally I had a fun time even though I was in various sorts of pain. I met another instagram friend IRL for the first time during the race also which was cool!
(Image description: One of my favorite Photo Pass photos from the weekend. Me running in front of Spaceship Earth. Since I didn't get a castle shot this year, I'll take this one.)
Overall, the 10K was fun, and I loved the course. I can see why the Disney 10K distance appeals to so many people.
(Image description: My favorite finish line picture to date. Me, C, and C crossing the 10K finish line dressed as Belle, Cogsworth, and Lumiere. We are linking arms.)
(Image description: Me posing with my medal, twirling my hair in an attempt to be more Cher-esque.)
After the 10K I made my way back to POFQ. This time there was no wait for the bus. I took a shower and some medicine and a nap, which greatly alleviated my symptoms. With deep regret, I mistakingly thought I was okay and went to DHS for the day because I had a ticket/park reservation. I opted out of the DIS meet up because I was worried about not feeling well but was assuming it was a cold since the symptoms were completely above the chest. So, I'm glad I did that at least.
I don't want to write much about DHS because I regret going but I did get
Genie+ and enjoyed my day. I had Fantasmic dining for Mama Melrose's which was DELICIOUS, although they did seat me like 30 minutes past my reservation time. I don't think I needed the Fantasmic dining package-- I could have gotten a seat otherwise. I honestly didn't really enjoy Fantasmic that much because my medicine was wearing off and I sat waiting for it to start for like 2 hours (I had brought my kindle to read during that time) and I was cold. I also was getting a bad feeling about being sick... and worried about completing the marathon if I still didn't feel well by Sunday.
(Image description: Selfie of me with a Mickey pretzel. The CM gave me this pretzel for free because she said I looked so cute! Haha.)
(Image description: Selfie of me reading my kindle at DHS. I did a lot of reading that day. It was nice. I enjoy solo park days.)
When I got back to the room, I had decided I would not cheer for the half marathon the next day which was my original plan. In the morning, I still felt bad and told my friend I was going to just stay in my room all day to rest (I had originally planned to join her for lunch/a pool day at AKL). In the afternoon, I decided to take my COVID test (I carry one in my suitcase for all trips) just in case. I really didn't think it was COVID-- like I said, my symptoms were all above the chest (namely the headache and sore throat), and I had even messaged Billy asking for advice about the marathon thinking I would run the next day even with a cold. The COVID test was just a precaution. But it turned positive basically immediately, and I burst into tears. Somehow I had avoided COVID during the entire pandemic, despite working at a school, until now. I had worked so hard to prepare myself for this marathon after being under-trained and swept last year, and I had been looking forward to it for like a year. It was extremely extremely disappointing. I called my mom, who lives in Tampa and had planned to come the next day to cheer for me. Her and my dad decided to pick me up and take me back to Tampa. Quarantining at Disney is not really easy because of the lack of room service. My mom helped me make returns of the MW merch I had bought that I no longer wanted (... my marathon finisher shirt, sigh), and my
travel agent got Disney to refund the next two nights of my room and my park ticket for Monday. My mom and I were supposed to go on the Disney Wish so I could do the Castaway Cay Challenge but obviously that was not happening either, so I called the cruise line and they immediately cancelled and gave me a full refund. I felt really bad that my mom's vacation was ruined-- this was a gift to her, and she works so hard. I'm sure we'll reschedule it, though.
(Image description: Me holding my positive COVID test. My shirt has Eeyore and it says I work out. Just kidding, I take naps. At least I still had a sense of humor...)
Overall, I was really grateful to Disney for making cancelling everything and getting refunds so easy. runDisney, however, not so much. I was told that because I had already picked up my bib they could not even do a partial refund for the marathon or CCC... I guess I understand-- we know that when we register-- but it was frustrating. Would they rather I have shown up and infected everyone?? (That was a never a possibility for me-- as soon as I saw that positive test I knew I would not be running.) Since I am doing so many race weekends anyway, Disney would have just gotten their money back but whatever. I will say that my friend J went to the Expo for me on Saturday after I tested positive to try to get my 10K shirt since they had not put it in my bag. She told them my sob story and they gave it to her no problem. Now I cherish that shirt since it was my big race of the weekend (and it is my favorite color, and it was just really kind of her to go get it for me).
I packed and cried and after a few hours, my parents arrived and we headed back to Tampa where I was able to quarantine at their house. The next day I woke up at like 2:45 AM because my body was used to it, and I could not fall back asleep. I basically watched the marathon through social media, also texting my friend through her race (although she really didn't need my support... she rocked the race and felt great the whole time). Eeyore was there, and so was the donkey outside DAK, and, of course, Everest... I had a lot of FOMO and sadness. But for some reason it was not meant to be this year.
(Image description: Me with an Old English Sheepdog on my lap. Her name is Maggie. At least I got much needed dog cuddles.)
So, where do I go from here? I am grateful that I am registered for everything with Princess Weekend and am looking forward to finally running through the castle, universe-willing. A few of you had posted that I should capitalize on my fitness and train for a spring marathon, but I have decided against that-- namely because I need to prioritize graduating and finishing my dissertation. I also just want my first marathon finish line to be at Disney. I don't have much interest doing that distance anywhere else right now. A few days ago, I got a spot in the SS 10K when it opened up, and I am contemplating actually "racing" it, which I have never really done with a race before. I also signed up for RAGBRAI, a bike tour across Iowa, in July. I might do a sprint triathlon this summer just for fun, although I don't really need to train for that if I just want to go out and do it. Otherwise, I'll spend the summer training for RAGBRAI and maintaining a 4-hour per week running base before I start marathon training again in September.
Because, yes, I will be signing up for the marathon again. And this time I will cross that finish line!
(Image description: Gif from HSM2 of Troy singing Bet On It).
