Wine & Dine Half Marathon 2012 Race Recap

[Bucher6]

PART 1/11 - THE DECISION

It was to be our first half marathon. My wife, Jen, had taken up running in the last couple of years to get in shape. And despite playing soccer in high school and in college, she had never really been a runner. She had never even run a road race. But at some point in that last year she decided she wanted to run a half marathon. I was somewhat surprised by her new goal but quite pleased as well. You see, I am a runner – or was a runner. I ran in high school and continued running recreationally in college and for a little while after. I spent 9 years coaching track and cross country. Needless to say, I enjoy the sport. Then marriage, kids and most importantly a tendency to easily injure myself took the fun out of running for me.

So when Jen began talking about this goal of hers it definitely got my attention. Something else you should know about Jen is that she is a certified Disney nut. Maybe she caught the bug in 2004 on a Christmas trip to Disney with the four (at the time) of us and her extended family before her brother left for Iraq, but then again it could have been our spring break trip in 2009 when the kids were 15, 5, 3 and 3 (yes, we had twins by that point). Whenever it happened is somewhat irrelevant because I can’t remember Jen NOT being a Disney nut.

You can see where this is going… I was unaware at the time, but Jen was secretly combining her half marathon goal with her love of Disney. The next thing I knew, Jen was talking about a runDisney half marathon. It would be perfect… I was told. Now, I was 100% behind this idea. I had been very proud of the fact that she had gotten into a routine of working out regularly. She had been splitting her time between running and taking classes at the local fitness center – and all before school in the mornings. For someone who loves her sleep, regularly getting up just before five in the morning was no small feat. I was impressed and inspired by her motivation and devotion.

Jen began talking about the various runDisney events and seemed to focus on the Wine and Dine early on for various reasons but namely for the time of year. Finally, this past Mother’s Day (2012) I told her I was going to register her for the race. I decided to register as well but the odds of me making it to the race healthy were somewhat slim. It would be a trip that just the two of us would take. Our wee three would stay with grandmas and grandpas for the few days we were gone (our oldest is away at college). And so, it was settled.

 

[Bucher6]

PART 2/11 - OUR PREPARATION

We both began looking at training programs and Jen latched on to Jeff Galloway’s half marathon program posted on the runDisney site. It seemed to make sense to me. Despite my coaching experience, I wasn’t terribly familiar with training at the half marathon distance and had never run a road race longer than five miles myself.

We started our preparation about 180 days before the race, and the training went smoothly. I highly recommend Jeff Galloway’s program especially for those starting out. Our program (he has several to choose from) had us running three times a week with a gradual and very manageable build up in mileage to race day. As expected, Jen’s training went more smoothly than mine. She continued to do her fitness classes on the weekdays and running twice a week in the afternoon as a second workout of the day. The weekends served alternately as our long runs. I trained in the mornings as well but didn’t double up on running days. Physically, I seemed to always be on the cusp of injury which was of my own doing. I haven’t managed to let go of the fact that I am no longer capable of competing at my high school levels. It’s a difficult habit to break though, and holding back required more discipline than anything else during my training.

After reading further, we decided it would be a good idea to run a 10k in order to provide proof of time. We weren’t interested in being assigned to a corral in the back of the pack, so Jen and I ran a local 10k in early August. We finished in just under 58 minutes which met Jen’s goal of finishing in under an hour and really wasn’t bad for only her second road race EVER. She had run on the 4th of July in our hometown 5k and managed to get her feet wet there. I also ran in the 4th of July 5k and met my goal of breaking 20 minutes but I paid the price for the next month by injuring my ankle. So, the plan was to run the half marathon together just as we had for the 10k. I knew it would drive me crazy to not be able to run at my pace but also thought running faster would result in injury. Nonetheless, the weeks rolled by and I became intermittently reacquainted with my old friends ice and ibuprofen, and so my focus shifted to being Jen’s race coach.

School starts in mid August for my family. Jen and I are both teachers so our household goes through a transition at that time of year with the beginnings of school and fall soccer for the kids. Training continued and after I had an unexpectedly fast long run, Jen told me that I was to run my own pace during the race – effectively releasing me from my partner run obligation. I was still unsure I could get to the starting line healthy so I held out on this option of running my own race, but now I had a renewed purpose.

Fast forward to the week before the race… we had prepared for nearly 180 days. Our training was nearly complete and we felt ready – more than ready actually. Our morning runs had recently shifted to evening runs on the advice that this would acclimate our bodies to the late race start time of 10PM. We had both taken the Friday before the race as well as the Monday and Tuesday after the race off from school. We had continued to read posts and blogs filled with advice and pointers. I had the race course memorized (I’m neurotic like that – I like to visualize the race ahead of time. I even went as far as tracing much of it in the street view on Google maps). All that was left was to pack our bags and make sure the kids were set for their stay with the grandparents.

 

[Bucher6]

PART 3/11 - WDW ARRIVAL AND EXPO

Upon arriving at Orlando International Airport Friday afternoon, we found the lines for Magical Express longer than we had experienced in the past. The wait, however, wasn’t that bad and we were eventually on our way to Caribbean Beach Resort. It was a last second change that we made in lieu of staying at All Sports Resort, and was an upgrade to a moderate that we treated ourselves to in the absence of our kids. As a runDisney resort for the weekend, we hoped things would be as organized as indicated by other trip reports. Check in went smoothly and after searching for and eventually finding our room (CB is a BIG place!), we headed out for the Expo to pick up our race paraphernalia.

To our relief, we immediately noticed that the runDisney buses were well marked and that (as we would discover throughout our stay) a castmember was often at the bus stop to help riders with their needs and questions. Walking up to ESPN’s Wide World of Sport, I noticed how massive the complex really is. It’s an incredible place and I now wish Jen and I had checked it out a little more but at the time we were very conscious of minimizing the amount of walking we were doing. The first building was where we found our race packets (bib, info, check bag etc.) as well as any commemorative items purchased ahead of time. We were also pretty psyched about getting free luggage. Every person staying four nights or more for the race received a free piece of runDisney rolling luggage – a nice touch I thought! Jen and I also ended up buying our extra race shirts at this time. The runDisney booth was far less crowded here than it ended up being at the expo so it was a wise move. We also purchased our Wine and Dine beer and wine glasses – appropriate I thought.

On to the expo itself… it was a rather large affair. Vendors filled the floor of Jostens Arena and after making our way to the back of the arena floor to pick up our race shirts we wandered around for a while. Neither of us had much intention of buying anything – and this was mainly in order to not be tempted to break the cardinal rule of wearing something brand new (and untested) for the race. Nonetheless, Jen came away with a simple shirt or two for training. We emerged from the expo more excited than ever about the race. It was now just over a day away!

Friday night we made our way to Downtown Disney where we had reservations at Portobello Yacht Club. We were seated outside and in the absence of any heaters on a fairly brisk Florida evening (it was in the upper 50’s) I struggled to stay warm. On top of that, despite an exceptional server, I wasn’t overly impressed with the food there – unfortunately, it probably ranks as my least favorite Disney dining experience I’ve ever had.

 

[Bucher6]

PART 4/11 - RACE DAY

Saturday morning we got up around 6:00 and headed to the food court. We had decided to go with a decent size breakfast and to then begin paring back on meals throughout the day. We each had a bounty platter and then hopped on the bus for Magic Kingdom. We walked up to the gates just as the opening show was starting. Jen was bummed – it was worse than missing the opening altogether for her. She loves to get a prime spot on the first day of any Disney vacation to see the opening show at Magic Kingdom. Luckily, the fact that it was race day seemed to sweep away the disappointment for her and we quickly made a beeline for Frontierland. It was desolate and we rode in the last seat on Big Thunder Mountain two times in a row. (Tip: if no one is waiting in line for your seat, then you have the option of staying on the ride for another go!)

The rest of the morning we spent taking it easy walking through the park. Miles are miles after all, and we were very cognizant of putting too many miles on our legs the day of the race. We found ourselves studying people, trying to determine if they were running that night based on what they were wearing – particularly their shoes. More serious runners tend to wear shoes less often found at common shoe stores. I also found myself sizing people up… wondering if I could beat them in the race. This is a residual habit that I’ve carried over from running in high school, and should have been an indication to me that my subconscious was gearing up to really give it a go that night.

We returned to our resort around noon, split a lunch and decided to find a hammock to lounge in while we got off our feet. We continued to hydrate throughout the afternoon as we both read and relaxed. It’s a strange thing trying to relax when your body knows what it’s soon to face. It’s like two diametrically opposing tendencies that leave you stuck in limbo somewhere between truly being able to relax and not quite being ready to run.

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[Bucher6]

PART 5/11 - COUNTDOWN TO THE GUN

At about 6:30 we started getting ready. Checking and double checking our race gear and our bags to be checked left me basically reassured that we had planned well. A little after 7:00 we headed to the buses and found a lengthy line awaiting us. It was both fun and exciting to finally see others who were all equally ready to go. Several buses came and went and before we knew it we were headed to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex.

Quiet conversations and nervous laughter filled the bus as we made our way to the staging area. Stepping off the bus, the scope of what we had gotten ourselves into immediately hit us. The whole complex was alight and abuzz with activity. Music grew louder as we made our way to the staging area from the parking lot. We were immediately greeted by an incredibly long line which we thought was for baggage check. Nope. The line was for those waiting to get a picture with Mickey. We decided to skip the picture with the Mouse in charge and went directly to the bag check area. Jen and I decided to put on our after party bands then and there after seeing others wearing them and then took the remaining race items out of our checked bags before handing them off to an incredibly efficient team of volunteers who subsequently turned and placed them in large containers assigned alphabetically.

Now it was down to the waiting game. It might have been 8:00 by then so we had a while to hurry up and wait for the 10:00 start. The music and entertainment kept us distracted as we parked ourselves in the middle of the staging field just outside of the corral area. Our greatest concern was the temperature. It was in the low 60’s but felt cooler. Some more experienced runDisney runners walked around draped in mylar blankets (note to self: bring one of those to the next race no matter what) that would be thrown away before the start of the race. So there we sat, leaning against one another for a little extra warmth while watching the show and snacking on CLIF bloks and a Luna bar or two. At about 8:45 I decided to make a second and final bathroom run. The lines were getting much longer at that point for the porta potties and I knew this might be my last shot at relieving a nervous bladder. I asked Jen several times if she needed to go a second time as well and she said she was fine.

As soon as I emerged from the bathroom an announcement was made that they would be moving people to their corrals in the next 15-20 minutes. At that time I saw people begin moving that way so I told Jen that we should just do the same and wait in the corral. We ended up being maybe 30 feet from the front of corral B and we found a new spot on the road to sit and wait. Eventually, the official announcement was made and streams of people followed us into our corral while others walked past us in a separate chute on to corral A. I couldn’t help but continue to size up the runners around me. This one looks fit. That one I could beat. The assessments went on and on in my head. My brain was gearing up to race – a throwback from years ago and actually running competitively.

Conversations surrounded us and eavesdropping became a good way to pass time. One woman was on the phone with someone back home and in the middle of some family crisis (what a time for that!). Others made small talk with one another but I didn’t hear much about the race itself… odd. At about 9:45 Jen said she thought she needed to go to the bathroom. I looked back into the depths of corral B and saw and endless sea of heads – some now bobbing up and down warming up their legs. I thought there was no way that she could get out of here, backtrack to the porta potties and then get back in time for the start. I told her that unless it was an emergency that she probably missed her chance to go without starting well back of where we stood. (note to all: never pass up an opportunity to hit the bathroom even if you think you’re good). She decided that it wasn’t super urgent and stayed in line.

10:00 and we heard corral A start. Fireworks temporarily illuminated the road ahead as the first runners began their journey. Volunteers then led corral B up to the start line. I was pleasantly surprised at how calm and orderly everyone was as we walked up the road. There was very little jockeying for new position. It was only a few minutes before we were to start. I made several last checks of my headphones and Nike+. It was ready to go as well. The starters made the 1 minute call. Six months of planning and reading and prepping and training had all led to this moment. I turned to Jen, gave her a kiss and said, “I’ll see you at the finish line.” – The same thing I always told my runners when I used to coach them.

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[Bucher6]

PART 6/11 - READY, SET, GO!

Sitting here writing this, I honestly cannot tell you whether they shot off more fireworks or a gun or just said go – all I remember was being conscious of hitting start on my Nike+ and hearing the first seconds of U2’s Beautiful Day begin to play on my headphones. I had never run while listening to music until training for this half marathon. I was always the one rolling his eyes at the thought of someone needing to listen to tunes rather than themselves breathing. But you know what? It’s not half bad. And with the addition of some pacing feedback provided by my Nike+ I have grown quite fond of the combination of running and headphones to the extent that I sat down and mapped out a playlist for the race based on what pace I thought I would be running… down tempo songs at the beginning of the run to keep me from starting too fast, driving songs in the middle of the race to keep me focused during what I thought would be the toughest part, and exultant songs at the end to reflect the celebration of the homestretch. I had even gone so far as to estimate my finishing time and place my favorite song so that it would end at the same time I would (hopefully) cross the line.

Needless to say, Bono’s croon got me started just as I’d hoped. Running at night is so much different than during the day. The way your multiple shadows dance and rotate around you gives you the sense that you are moving faster than you really are. And the air feels different at night too. Maybe it’s a difference in humidity or its coolness, but the combination left me exhilarated as I ran the first 200 meters, immediately searching for a comfortable rhythm. But this sensory overload had distracted me from something that seemed to be evolving before my eyes. Only a minute or two into the race, I noticed very few people in front of me. I was moving up through the somewhat sparse crowd easily and I kept reminding myself not to go out too hard.

My eyes soon locked on the sole runner left in front of me from corral B! He was only a few seconds in front and as we made our left onto Osceola Parkway I was content to fall into a comfortable up-tempo rhythm only a few feet off his shoulder. I was surprised that the empty road lasted for less than half a mile before we began catching runners from corral A. I guess I just assumed that those runners would be faster, but then my splits began rolling in from my Nike+. They were much faster than I had anticipated they would be and I realized this was part of the reason I was catching the runners ahead so quickly as I moved into the corral B lead.

My training runs had all been run at a fairly consistent pace. On a couple of my longest runs I clocked about 7:30 pace and I thought that would be a pretty realistic goal for the race. I had never gone that pace for 13 miles but I figured it would still be feasible. So, I told myself not to go out faster than that… but when 7:15 interrupted the current song as my first mile time I panicked a little bit. Way too fast I thought! But my breathing was very comfortable and my legs felt great. Most of all I was now flying through the back end of corral A. It was awesome! I spent a lot of time running in the left gutter as I tried not to be “that guy” zipping in and out of packs of runners. I couldn’t believe how many people there were. Osceola Parkway was simply packed from left to right as we approached Animal Kingdom.

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[Bucher6]

PART 7/11 - FINDING MY RHYTHM

My splits had continued to drop as the miles rolled by. Now the lady’s voice interrupting Mumford and Sons was relaying times that were just sub 7 minute pace. Again, I felt great so I pressed on. In hindsight, it was probably the exhilaration of literally passing hundreds of people that made me feel that way. Nonetheless, as we entered Animal Kingdom a new challenge arose. What had been wall to wall runners on a wide highway was now bottlenecking onto the Animal Kingdom paths. I remember becoming hyper aware of those around me running and making sure I gave everyone enough space. At times that meant ducking behind someone for a turn or two through the park until the path widened enough to allow me to jump the gap to the next group. I was sure my pacing would suffer through the park as a result but it remained steady – hovering just above 7 minutes per mile.

As I left the park, I realized for the first time that I was indeed pushing myself. The initial rush of the race start and the fun of passing so many were now beginning to fade. I noticed that my breathing was controlled but deep and that my legs were sending me all sorts of aches and pains from my ankles to my shins to my knees. But, hey, I was in a race after all! I had to remind myself of my ultimate goal… no matter what, finish. I desperately wanted to continue to go faster but I had reached my sensible limit. (note: my sensible running limit is quite different than normal people’s… or so my wife tells me)

Back on to Osceola Parkway and miles 5, 6, and 7 ticked off. Still feeling good, I noticed how much everyone seemed to let up on even the slightest inclines as we ran the overpasses. It was a great way to make up time and distance by just maintaining pace up the hills (note: the term “hill” is Disney-speak for overpass). I also noticed for the first time what I wasn’t noticing. The Disney race entertainment that attracts so many people to these events was something I’d virtually ignored to this point in the race. Part of this was because my in-ear headphones drowned out most of the ambient noise, but it was mainly because I’d been enjoying the actual act of running. Now it seemed my mind was looking for more distractions to avoid thinking about the fact that I was only a little over half way done with the race.

As we turned off of Osceola and took the ramp onto World Drive we passed Sarge, the army man character who encourages/gently berates runners as they pass. He was a great addition to the race and perhaps one of the most memorable characters for me.

I was soon to enter Hollywood Studios which I had built up in my head as the beginning of the final push when I studied the course map leading up the race. Just before entering HS I knew I would encounter the only food station throughout the race. I had been taking drinks at every water station thus far (my first was a surprising and miserable experience as I mistimed grabbing a cup of what I thought was water which resulted in a face full of orange Powerade – good thing I like that flavor). So, I grabbed a gel and quickly realized that my slippery hands were unable to tear it open. I chucked it immediately out of frustration and looked for another cup of Powerade. It was now much more difficult to drink as every sip robbed my lungs of a much needed breath and its vital air.

 

[Bucher6]

PART 8/11 - PAIN IS TEMPORARY

I was beginning to struggle. The first half of the race was both fantastic and evidently a little too fast because now I was beginning to suffer. In fact, much of my trip through HS is still a blur. The worst part was the down and back loop in the back of HS through the backlot. It seemed interminable… And then you made the 180 and came back… ughh! My only vivid HS memory was one of disappointment that I hadn’t at least given Darth Vader the rock as I ran by Star Tours.

If I thought that I had felt badly through HS, it paled in comparison to the true suffering that I experienced as I left HS and began the run to EPCOT. It was the first time that I seriously contemplated stopping. Every stride brought forth phenomenal fatigue and burning from my depleted legs, I couldn’t possibly capture enough oxygen to satisfy my starved lungs, and I was now fully aware that my training had not prepared me for what I was experiencing physically. Thankfully, this also happened to be where volunteers and spectators came out of the woodworks to line the path and cheer weary runners like me on to finish.

It helped. I tried my best to push away thoughts of walking. I had literally come too far to do that now. I looked around and focused on staying with a couple of runners around me. I hadn’t been passed in the race until halfway through HS and I decided it would be great motivation to step up and do my best to prevent any more of that. My mantra became, “this is temporary… pain is temporary.” I can’t tell you how many times I said that to myself.

The low point of the race for me was catching the first glimpse of Spaceship Earth as I was running through Boardwalk. What must have been a moment of triumph for other runners catching sight of the finish for the first time, was devastating for me. I could only think about how very tiny that blasted geodesic dome was. I wanted it to fill my field of view and instead it appeared the size of a golf ball on the horizon. But it was only temporary. Pain is temporary.

I nearly felt delirious as we entered EPCOT between Soarin and Journey Into Imagination. At some point, I ran through what I could have sworn was a tunnel filled with smoke and laser lights but my out-of-body state convinced me otherwise at the time (yes, there really was a very cool tunnel with smoke and laser lights which I later confirmed… Ha! I wasn’t totally out of it). Finally, Spaceship Earth was the size I thought it should be and I began focusing on finishing.

 

[Bucher6]

PART 9/11 - REACHING FINISH LINE

My mentality has always been to leave it on the race course. This is how I coached my runners… no regrets… finish with an empty tank! Now I was faced with the same challenge. Unfortunately, my tank felt as though it had emptied several miles prior. But pain is temporary. I found what I had left and began pushing harder than ever several turns too early. I had miscalculated the distance to the finish and was now seeing stars as my final kick ended up being a penultimate kick. A few more corners and suddenly there were bright lights and loud music and an announcer that I swear called out my name.

There was the finish! I went for broke, crossed the line and was suddenly overcome. The sense of accomplishment that I felt in that moment cannot be overstated. It was a moment I will never forget. Ironically, anyone looking at me would have questioned my state of consciousness. My entire body was so thankful to stop moving. I fought to keep my balance. I stumbled over to a volunteer who placed a well-earned finisher’s medal around my neck. I wanted to hug her but I was afraid I’d pull her over as I fought for some sense of equilibrium. The next few minutes were blissfully serene despite the commotion of finishers that surrounded me. I continued to meander from point to point, picking up water and an after race first aid box full of snacks and things.

Eventually, I made my way over to pick up my checked bag. I was so impressed and thankful that the volunteers saw me coming, read my bib number, retrieved my bag and offered me congratulations – and it only required me to say a heartfelt thank you which was about all I could still muster anyway. A little further now and I stumbled over to the changing tent. I wasn’t sure how I was going to change my clothes as I was still having trouble seeing and I knew for sure if I sat down I would not be able to get back up, but eventually I was able to change and only after nearly passing out from the pain of the alcohol from aerosol deodorant meeting the raw patch of flesh under my arm made from 13 miles of arm band chaffing.

 

[Bucher6]

PART 10/11 - THE AFTER-RACE

After changing I waited for Jen. I called my best friend back in Ohio who had been cheering both Jen and I during the race via our Nike+ apps and he began giving me my official splits as he had tracked both of us throughout the race (a very cool feature for those following a runner from afar!). It was at this point that I was able to take stock of my goals met. I had run my first half marathon in 1:36:10. I hadn’t set the world on fire, but it wasn’t half bad either and far exceeded my goal of getting under 1:40. I hadn’t met my secret goal of going sub 1:35 but I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could not have pushed any harder or run any faster. Physically, it had been one of the most challenging things I had ever attempted. I got the word that Jen had finished in 2:03:51 from my friend as I waited for her. It was an awesome night!

I stood there a little while longer, finally taking in the atmosphere of the finish line. Exhausted, happy runners streamed by me as I waited for Jen. I recognized the look of relief in the eyes of most and could relate to the sense of accomplishment that they now carried in their wearisome strides. My race endorphins were still working their magic but the soreness and stiffness was now creeping in at an alarming rate.

Suddenly, Jen was standing in front of me. It was another great moment I won't forget. It was strange because we both wanted to launch into sharing our respective race stories but we simply looked at each other with delirious giddiness. I was SO proud of us! Mostly I was proud of her though. She had taken a quiet goal she set for herself months ago and become a half marathoner. It is no small feat as anyone who has set and achieved this goal can attest. Her first words to me... "I would do it again right now!" That's my wife.

Together, we made our way toward the after-race party and into EPCOT. We collected our drinks along the way (the only mild disappointment associated with the whole race experience - blah "complimentary" post-race beer and wine choices) and followed the crowds into the park. Our first stop was Soarin which had been on Jen's post-race must-do list since we had registered for the race. From there, every single cast member recognized our efforts with congratulations as we continued our increasingly hobbled walk through World Showcase.

It's difficult to adequately express how cool the after-race party was. Maybe it was getting pictures with all the characters, or the drinks (which Jen enjoyed a couple of), or the food, or the crowds of runners who had just gone through what we had, or the delirium, or the prideful pep in my step despite the now overwhelming tiredness and exhaustion... I think it was all of it.

We returned to our room at around 3 AM... Dead tired. One quick and glorious shower later I was in bed and somewhat concerned that I would not be able to get up again in just over three hours for breakfast at Kona Cafe. It might seem foolhardy to have made a reservation so early Sunday morning after the Saturday night race, but OH MY GOODNESS was that breakfast worth getting up for! I have two words for you... Tonga Toast. Enough said. You MUST have it at some point. You'll thank me.

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[Bucher6]

PART 11/11 - CELEBRATION AND SORENESS

The rest of Sunday and into Monday and Tuesday were spent park hopping. Actually, park limping might be more accurate because as the days wore on I experienced soreness like I've never encountered before. In a weird sort of way, though, the pain was kind of nice for a couple of reasons. First, it forced us to slow down and enjoy the parks in a different way. Secondly, every painful step served as a reminder of our recent accomplishment – actually, I could have dealt with slightly less of a reminder in that regard.

Many people wore their race or runDisney apparel and medals in the parks over the next couple of days which served as a great conversation starter. Jen and I began to realize how many reasons people have for taking on a challenge like a half marathon. We talked to some runners and some very non-runners, all of whom had their own accomplishments tucked away with the medals that they now proudly wore around their necks.

We also realized how easily things could have gone differently for us. Quite a number of runners regaled medical tent stories... They didn't drink enough water leading up to the race... They walked too much the day of... They succumbed to the temptations of the Food and Wine Festival and deviated from the foods they were used to eating... They didn't train enough… I could go on. For some it was only a minor oversight before the race that resulted in disappointment after. Nonetheless, Jen and I were thankful that we had been so thoughtful and disciplined leading up to the race. After all, it's a huge investment, in every sense of the word, to not follow through on all the way. And even then there's no guarantee that you'll avoid an injury-related disappointment – so there's a little luck involved too.

As I finish writing this tome of a race report, Jen is in the final days leading up to the Princess Half Marathon. Yes, she's hooked! She made good on her post-race promise. Nearly as soon as we returned from the W&D Half she registered for the Princess Half. She's making this trip solo while I stay home with the wee three. And so her Disney running adventures continue. And I will be happy to see her realize her future goals. Actually, we've already decided on going Goofy in 2014. This time we'll be bringing the kids!


In hindsight, I realize now that I had trained to just make it to the race healthy but I had raced to compete. This would explain my nosedive at mile 10. Nonetheless, I accomplished all of my goals. First and foremost I wanted to finish, but more than that I wanted to push myself… check and check. My splits ended up looking like this:
5K – 22:23 (7:12 per mile)
10K – 44:40 (7:11 per mile)
15K – 1:06:39 (7:09 per mile)
Half Marathon – 1:36:10 (7:20 per mile)

 

[JillC LI]

Fantastic race report! Welcome to the running subforum. Hope to see you and your wife around here more often. Congrats on your finish time. I always say to wear that post-race soreness like a badge of honor!

 

[SyracuseOrange]

I am planning on starting to train for the 2014 WDW Marathon in the summer, and lately I've been toying with the idea of doing F&D 1/2 as a pre-cursor. This report made me want to do that even more, so thanks! Really enjoyed reading it.

 

[Bucher6]

Fantastic race report! Welcome to the running subforum. Hope to see you and your wife around here more often. Congrats on your finish time. I always say to wear that post-race soreness like a badge of honor!

Thanks for reading! W&D was a tremendous experience. I can now see how taking on a challenge like a half (or full) marathon can be life changing. I know it was for me!

 

[Bucher6]

I am planning on starting to train for the 2014 WDW Marathon in the summer, and lately I've been toying with the idea of doing F&D 1/2 as a pre-cursor. This report made me want to do that even more, so thanks! Really enjoyed reading it.

You're welcome... And thanks for reading! I think the W&D Half would be a great race experience to build into your goal of running the 2014 WDW Marathon. Good luck on your journey!

 

[Kristia]

Just getting caught up! Loved your vivid writing style and race report! Both of you finished with great times! Your wife sounds a bit like me. I got it into my head, after never having run at all, that I wanted to do the Disney Marathon in 2011. Totally threw my husband for a loop, but being the athlete that he is, he was totally into it and trained with me. I finished the marathon and kept on running. We did the Goofy Challenge in 2013 (not so pretty, but we did it ) and hope to do it again in 2016. We are planning to do the Broad Street 10 miler, RockNRoll Half and the Philadelphia Marathon this year. I never thought I would like running and keep it up this long! Congratulations to you and your wife on your awesome accomplishment!

 

[Phonedave]

Nice report.

For some reason, no matter what the distance - marathon or half, DHS is where the pain seems to set in. Every time I have run through it, the same thing happens to me as it did to you. It seems to go on forever and just saps whatever energy you have left.

-dave

 

[Zman-ks]

Wonderful report!

 

[Bucher6]

Just getting caught up! Loved your vivid writing style and race report! Both of you finished with great times! Your wife sounds a bit like me. I got it into my head, after never having run at all, that I wanted to do the Disney Marathon in 2011. Totally threw my husband for a loop, but being the athlete that he is, he was totally into it and trained with me. I finished the marathon and kept on running. We did the Goofy Challenge in 2013 (not so pretty, but we did it ) and hope to do it again in 2016. We are planning to do the Broad Street 10 miler, RockNRoll Half and the Philadelphia Marathon this year. I never thought I would like running and keep it up this long! Congratulations to you and your wife on your awesome accomplishment!

Thanks for your reply and thanks for reading the recap. Your running story does sound similar to ours. I think it's interesting how these little goals can take on a life of their own. It seems before you know it, you've accomplished something you never thought you would and then you're on to the next finish line (so to speak). Congratulations on your accomplishments as well! Perhaps we'll see you at the finish line!

 

[Bucher6]

Nice report.

For some reason, no matter what the distance - marathon or half, DHS is where the pain seems to set in. Every time I have run through it, the same thing happens to me as it did to you. It seems to go on forever and just saps whatever energy you have left.

-dave

I hope to test your theory... My wife and I have decided to run the W&D again - so we'll see. All I know is that my wife had to fill me in on what happened during that portion of the race because I was apparently out of it. So, here's to another go!

Btw... Dada's Puzzle is a great album!