Walkers Wanna Compare Notes??

[ultramickeymouse]

Bill: I mentioned that to the manager on duty last night. He said that DVC finally ok'd money to repair/replace things starting in Jan 09 I pay almost $8,000 in dues a year(which I also mentioned) and expect better. Not another year of sub par units

I am pacing myself as will be good until Sunday night. Hey, it was my first night of vacation

 

[padisneyfan]

Here I am stuck at work while everyone is having fun.

This will be my first stay at BWV and not happy to find out there are problems there. OKW may be the oldest resort but have not had any major maintence issues there.

Robert--- Did you know that with our DVC membership we can get a 20% discount at Picabo where we eat at in Oct? Just found that on my last trip in Dec.

See you all tomorrow.

Nancy

 

[Scott H]

Just back from th expo, did get a coral change, sorry Robert and Dave that is why we did not make it to ESPN, gotta get some sleep before the 5K.

See ya all in the morn,

 

[nepatsfan73]

Howdy Scott and the WISH Walking Wonders/Warriors. Make sure you let us home-bodies know if there is anything good at the expo that we're missing out on. Also, is anyone taking merchandise orders?

Go get 'um Champs.

 

[Scott H]

Maybe a little late for some, but if you do the 1/2 or full here and then do teh DL 1/2 there is a special medal for ya.

The 5K was fun not many characters , got a PB for me on the 5K, I better slow it down for tomorrow.

 

[ms.mightyduck]

I've been lurking here for a couple weeks. I went to a specialty store and bought some new shoes that actually fit. I'm hoping that the boards here will keep me motivated!

 

[Steffwalks]

Ms Duck. If you really want to stay motivated, register right away for a local race!!! Nothing says train like a race!

 

[ms.mightyduck]

Ms Duck. If you really want to stay motivated, register right away for a local race!!! Nothing says train like a race!

Thanks! I'm planning on registering as soon as I know which race we're doing--the Long Branch Half-Marathon is the same weekend as the Minnie Marathon. Right now I'm starting training so as soon as we know which one we're doing (and we should know by the end of this week, I suspect), I'll be ready and can register!

 

[Steffwalks]

Exxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcellent! If you have questions, feel free to ask!

 

[ms.mightyduck]

Thanks so much!

Today is day 1 of the walking program. It's Sunday, so the gym isn't even open yet. But I'm ready!

 

[Scott H]

Sadly we are heading home to the salt mines and other daily stuff, Oh well it was great, will see some of ya at WDW for the Minnie. Good training till then.

 

[westcliffemom]

I'm back. Maria, Kim, Mike, Dave, Erica, and everybody else I met, it was nice to meet you! I had a blast at the half. The 5k was nice too. What a great weekend!

 

[nepatsfan73]

Welcome "home" Stacey. Way to go.

 

[wdw4us]

Well we are back and medals around our neck. I was not able to hook up with Dave or Erica. Miranda did see Dave at the end of the race but I was a little later than her. We did not go to the PI party as we had booked an Illuminations cruise to celebrate Miranda's birthday on the 13th.

We all got medals and I was worried about being swept for nothing. I did fine at my walking pace. I had set my watch at 12 and started it when I crossed the start line so I would know where I was and my pace. I maintained a good pace throughout.

Miranda, Mark and I started together but after we warmed up a bit they were going to start jogging as I continued to powerwalk. Then because I thought I was slower than everyone else (which I really wasn't) I moved to the side and tripped on an expansion joint in the breakdown area of the road and fell, scraped my knee, my left index finger and then really messed up my right hand with road rash. Not a great start to the race and not even a mile into it. 2 runners stopped to pick me up and make sure I was ok. Miranda and Mark were not far and heard me fall. They came back, Miranda had towels and Mark rinsed off my hand and I mopped the blood with the towels. I told them it was "fine" and I would be OK, to just go on. That was the deal we go on no matter what! I held those towels until mile 3 and found a station that had Purel so I could disinfect my wound. It hurt like hell and I did say a few bad words but I wanted to make sure it wouldn't get worse.

My times were good all the way. I saw some Wishers at the TTC and high fived them with my good hand. The hill by the Contemp was not bad at all. Walkers were welcomed in the MK which was very nice. I ran into Hope in Fantasy Land (my sons gf) and showed her my hand. She was horrified but her small Band-Aids were not going to help me at that point. We were together for a while and then she was ahead of me - it was crowded and I did want to get in her way, she can jog and I can't.

Made it through the MK and off to the GF and high5's again for the Wishers! I have heard that this stretch is the worst but for me it wasn't, I knew I had made the 1/2 point and I was fine. My music kicked in. When I reached mile 8 I had a mental lull, I had never done that many miles but my legs were fine. I was able to enjoy the walk, dance to the tunes when Journey came on and
Don't Stop Believin and I was off again. Mile 10 and that ramp, is coming up. Billy Ocean and When the Going Gets Tough. Just what I needed, I"m on the ramp and on top of all the other walkers and then Lionel Ritchie and Dancing on the Ceiling. I was all set, I knew I could not be swept at that point and kept going. I could relax. What - relax, no way I was going for a decent time! Again we round that corner right after they take our photos and I'm off to EPCOT, I'm entering and see the Wishers that I have seen 2x before, high fives again. My final songs to end my walk in all my trainings have been Dreams by Van Halen and then It's all been done by Barenaked Ladies but Epcot was so busy, and it was ending so fast I could barely hear the music, then the Gospel Singers and I was waving to them and then the finish line were Mark and Miranda were waiting for me! We had a group hug,shed a tear and went for our medals. I went the med tent to get my wounds cleaned up and checked. We met up with Hope who was just behind me and then Tracy my friends daughter. All medal winners.

Nick was first to cross because he had the rest of us gunning for him, he got us into this - hardly trained and still managed to finish first in the group, see what fear can do to you! Miranda and Mark were next, me, Hope and Tracy. My time was 3:10, I wanted under 3 but will accept my time and the joy I felt at being able to do it.

I'm sure you will hear that some didn't receive medals. Had I not stopped to get my medal BEFORE the med tent I would have been on who did not receive it. I did get the last one that my Volunteer had. I sobbed a moment trying not to burst into tears. Very emotional moment for me. Tracy did not get her medal, she about lost it and I understand she did in the room later.

By chance we were walking off some of our soreness at BW when we met with a fellow 1/2 marathoner saying congrats etc when she told us about not getting her medal, she had to go to the Expo to get it. We called and let Tracy know where she could get it. Tracy and her mom grabbed a cab over to the Expo center to secure her medal. Finally our team was done and we were quite proud of ourselves and still are.

I will post pictures when Nick emails them to me. I can't wait to hear from the rest of the group.

There were a lot of highlights for me and I'm so glad I did this. A real thrill for us was during the full on Sunday, standing at the Bridge, after BW to see the wheelchair winners and the top ones come through. Cheering all was almost as much a thrill as doing the race. I could never do the full, but could certainly do the 1/2 again, it was not as hard as I expected and the soreness was only for 2 days.

One CM at the International gateway said, Pain is Temporary, but Pride is Forever and he was right. We are all so very proud.

denise

 

[MiniGirl]

Good morning all..... Welcome home to those who have been travelling, and to those that couldn't make it, thanks for holding down the fort.

I did not get to attend the meet at the Pop because we had a mix-up checking into the hotel. They only had me staying there one night instead of 2. Took quite a while to straighten out, but finally did. Then it seemed like I was always in the slow line at the Expo. The line to get my bib was twice as long as all the others -- same thing with my pin and shirt. I hoped that wasn't a sign of how it would be the next morning.

I am terrible with names but did enjoy meeting several WISHers at the start of the Half. I also enjoyed meeting some (and screaming with them) at the YC on Sunday.

Robert, I followed your advice and tried to get as much of a cushion on the sweepers as I could, and I know it was the difference in me finishing the race. Yep, I can't believe I finished, but I did. No medal for me though. They were out by the time I crossed the line, and I did not feel up to going to the Expo on that evening to see if they were found. Of course, I heard they were found. Oh well..... hopefully, I will be receiving it soon.

I had a great time and posted a rather lengthy race report on the Jan 12th thread (pg 3, I think). There were just so many things I wanted to write down while they were still fairly fresh in my mind, and that seemed the easiest way to do it.

Today, I am going to rest. The girls are at school. My dh is out of town, and I'm going to put off all my work until tomorrow. I haven't had a moment to just stop and rest since Sat, so I really need to do that.

Thanks again for all the support and encouragement. Next year I hope to finish much faster and not worry about the sweepers, but I'll be back for the Half again.

 

[windwalker]

Just a quick fly by from Erica and I to send our love and congradulations to our dear friends. We are having fun and keeping moving, the soreness from sunday and poor Erica's chaffing are better.

When we get back this weekend I'm going to start working on getting the miles team thing going. We all need every motivation we can get to keep on keeping on.

Denise, not meeting you was the only regret from the trip. We were hurting to bad Sunday night to go out, next year we are only going to do the marathon, so we can do more socializing. We are doing ToT in Oct and the marathon in January, both as an annual event.

Stacey, you is fast princess.

Glad everyone is home safe, you guys are aces.

Goofy Panda

 

[wdw4us]

yes I’m sorry that we didn’t meet. I was not planning on attending the Pop but thought I would see you at some point. There is a picture of you and other Wishers at the MK and my son Nick happens to be in that picture so you were just a bit ahead of me. I guess Mark and Miranda saw you during the race and at the end when you were helping a fellow Wisher finish up.

I was sore but not as bad as I thought I would be. Miranda wants to do it again, I would depending on finances maybe 2010 but only the ½ not the full. Found some extra chafed spots from my water belt when I was in the shower after the race. I’m back at work today and a lot of people are really excited for me and our family. I certainly will show/post pictures as soon as I can. We look really cool in all our medals.

I don’t think I could have done it or maintained my training had it not been for my Wish friends here on the DIS. It made a big difference for me.

denise

 

[wdw4us]

Pictures that Nick took over the weekend.

Tracy, ME(denise)Hope,Nick, Miranda and my DH - Mark.

http://picasaweb.google.com/nicklogan2/WaltDisneyWorldMarathonWeekend08/photo#5155763344999071010

denise

 

[padisneyfan]

With Dave gone this walkers thread is to quiet. Got back Monday night. Sorry that I didn't get to meet Denise and Marie. We did go to POP but didn't get there until around 5pm. It was so wonderful meeting so many WISH people.

I still can't believe that I actually completed a Marathon. Reading other reports it looks like I had similiar problems as other with the heat and humidty taking a toll on my body. From AK on, I was miserable. I had such nausea and I think everything hurt from the neck down. If it wasn't for Jeanne encouraging me I think I would have quit at the end of AK mile 18. I hope to do the Minnie in May so maybe I can remember those miles from AK back to Epcot. It seems like a blur. I also have to thank Dave, Erica, Robert and Linda for being so supportive during the race. Jeanne and I did walk with them for a number of miles especially when I was feeling so bad. I finished in 6:57:14 so am official. After the race once I got a diet coke into me I felt like a new person and this is coming from a Pepsi person. I really didn't feel bad after the race and was able to make it to dinner with my BF Jeanne and family and then we went over to PI. I chuckled that her DD who did the Goofy and DS who did the Marathon didn't go to PI, but us old folks still were able to make it there. The Scream Team was great. Saw Scott and Lynn in MK. Kim it was only after I left water Station #22 that I realized that it was you who gave me the water. Some race we will meet. I did cheer you at the end of the 1/2 finish.

I'll be back next year but will only do the Donald. The weekend was fun and would have been better if I could have eliminated about 3 plus hours of the marathon. I really don't think the marathon is my distance. I know I can do a half and enjoy the race. I enjoyed the first 17 miles but the rest was a struggle. So I will be a Scream Team member for those of you doing the Mickey next year.

I was disappointed with the lack of Marathon Merchandise available at the end of the race even at the Expo alot of sizes were gone. I didn't want to purchase anything before the race (unlike Jeanne who was sure we would finish) and after the race there was very little Marathon merchadise left. Alot of Goofy and even more 1/2 than Marathon. It looks like they over bought Goofy and under bought for the Marathon. So next year I am going to be more positive thinking and buy at the Expo.

Hope those still at WDW are having a great time.

Robert how are your shins?

Nancy

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Hi Everyone!

We are home, we are sort of rested and sort of sore. DH and I both have Donald medals, so we consider the event a success!

Thank you so much to all the great WISHers we met at Pop, and the fabulous Scream Team! You guys rock!

It was so nice to meet Dave, Erica, Princessrunner, Vic, Kim, Cam, Kathy, Ruth, Robert, Linda, Jeanne, Eva (and everyone else who's name escapes me -- sorry, I am rotten with names!).

The WISH bags are so great, and everyone was so friendly. We had the time of our lives. DH is not on the Dis, and he was overwhelmed at the support on the course. I knew you guys would be out there, but I didn't realize you'd be everywhere, and it was so encouraging!

DH does not like Disney, I usually have to drag him there. Anyway, after the Half he said he really wants to do it again next year! Woohoo! I'm training with a purpose! We were both impressed with how well the race was run (of course, we arrived when there were still medals available...). The grandparents are lined up to sit again, so I guess I'll be signing us up. I did beat the sweepers, but my time was nothing to really brag about. Now I know what I'm in for, this year I am going to actually do the cross training and get some of my weight to leave. I think it will be much more comfortable when I do.

I had an angel helping me along. I don't know her screen name, but Ruth from Chicago stayed with me and encouraged me through mile 5, then showed up again at mile 10 just when I was about to decide I couldn't do it. It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me at Disney.

I did not start this process an athlete. I thought maybe I could do it, and as I was on the course, around mile 11, I started to think I could do anything (yep, delirium had set in). Anyway, thanks so much to all of you for helping me to believe this was possible. I said it before and it's true -- WISH did give me the courage to start!

Maria