Life’s A Beach, And Then You Run: A 2012 Marathon Weekend Trip Report!

Hello friends! Welcome to the story of my Marathon Weekend.

The Cast (the only picture of the 3 of us from the entire weekend):

That would be mom (Kriss), my brother (Craig, aka Princes Craiggy, 25) and me (Shannon, 27).

This was my 6th trip to WDW, and 3rd trip in the last 12 months…lucky me! :sohappy:

Past trips include…

August 1995 (All-Star Sports)
May 2009 (Honeymoon at Boardwalk Inn)
November 2009 (Boardwalk Inn)
February 2011 (Princess Half Marathon/Port Orleans Riverside)
June 2011 (Split-stay: Animal Kingdom Lodge and Boardwalk Villas)

There’s not really much to say in regards to how this trip came to be…basically before the Princess Half in 2011, Princess Craiggy and I agreed that if we made it out of the half alive, we’d sign up for the 2012 Marathon. And here we are! Yay! :sohappy:

 

[switts]

after reading this report makes me almost want to try one of these...however would have to get in some sort of shape first :lookaroun

 

[Ariel484]

I love the Villain shot too! Lion King is one of my fav Disney films so I especially love that Scar is in there and it is in the elephant graveyard! Jealous they didn't have that last year! Here's to hoping for next year!

Oh yeah...The Lion King is a classic!

I'll hope right along with you for that villains shot next year. There were quite a few that I was hoping for this year based on older marathon trip reports, but I got disappointed a few times. I guess it's good that they change up the characters a bit from year to year though.

after reading this report makes me almost want to try one of these...however would have to get in some sort of shape first

Why not?! It doesn't have to be a marathon...you could try your hand at a 5K to start and go from there.

 

[TakeMeThere81]

Horray for another update! I have totally been stalking your thread! Every mile makes me want to run it more. It is so great to hear you had such a positive experience. You definitely have to tell me how you trained! The most I have successfully trained was for my first half marathon. My longest run was 10 miles and I ran it hard (finished 1:57:04). By mile 10 I wanted it over! Mile 10 is a tough point for me. I read the marathon stories of 26.2 and I'll admit, it is intimidating! I will be training more this year for longer races. I know if I train more diligently, I will have more positive experiences.

Big Bummer about Mickey and Minnie! How cute they looked in their golf garb!

I think one of the things I'm loving about "running your race with you" through your story is the great weather! It has been nonstop rainy here and your report is truly a breath of fresh air. I am missing the sunshine and it was such a beautiful day!

"OMG, that's me, I'm running the full marathon..." (you said). That was so funny! But I see what you mean, I bet it felt surreal.

Awesome shot with the villains!

Ok Shannon, you're doing great! Only 10.2 miles left! You've got this, you can do it!!! :sohappy:

 

[Ariel484]

Mile Marker 17 was in Dinoland, and this was a big one…9.2 miles to go! We’re in the single digits!

After Mile Marker 17, I briefly lost Craig again, long enough that he wasn’t in the photo with Jammin’ Jungle Minnie (one that I’d really been hoping for after reading old marathon reports). Hooray! And just like that, it was time to say good-bye to Animal Kingdom.

We exited the park from some side entrance and ran past the park entrance and down the sidewalk near the bus stops. There was great crowd support here, but boy, that sidewalk was narrow. Yikes!

Now we had reached mile 18 and Osceola Parkway. This marked the farthest distance I’d ran during training and was the beginning of the second part of the course I was most dreading (miles 18-21). I don’t think it was any coincidence that this was the point in the race where I began to struggle:

There were many things that made me nervous about this part of the course – it would be the farthest I’d ever run, it was not in a park, there was not a lot of shade, I was afraid of “hitting the wall” (which never actually happened...woohoo!) and this portion of the course ended with a long out-and-back. I was feeling the pain a bit more by then, sure, but I still felt better than I’d felt during the Princess Half in 2011. In my opinion running is a very mental sport, and I think the amount of I dread I felt regarding this area of the course made this part of the race more challenging than it should have been. It was definitely the most difficult portion of the course for me. Something to be prepared for in the future, I guess.

At least it started off great with Jammin’ Jungle Mickey!

Up next was a pretty long line for some Haunted Mansion gravediggers. Every single person in front of us laid down in front of the graves, but there was no guarantee I’d get up if I did that, so I decided against it. Craig agreed.

By now we were 19 miles in…those 2 long lines we’d waited in had helped produce an 18.5-minute mile:

There was a band after mile 19 playing “I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)” by the Proclaimers, which gave me a little mental boost (any How I Met Your Mother fans out there?! ). The lyrics were changed a bit for the race (“When I finish, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man that celebrates with you!” – see what they did there? :lol. It was super cheesy and fun.

As we approached the next food stop (I hadn’t used any of them up to that point) I whined to Nurse-Man Craiggy that I was having some stomach cramping, and he barked back “Potassium!” so I grabbed a banana. I’d never eaten bananas during training runs and was nervous that my stomach wouldn't like it, but it helped the cramping a lot. Plus, I was starving at that point and was really looking forward to the next Chomp break at mile 20. And here it is!

We stepped over the timing mat and the 4th text message split was sent out: 20 miles in 4:49:09, a 14:27 pace. Estimated finish time of 6:18:51.

 

[Ariel484]

Horray for another update! I have totally been stalking your thread! Every mile makes me want to run it more. It is so great to hear you had such a positive experience. You definitely have to tell me how you trained! The most I have successfully trained was for my first half marathon. My longest run was 10 miles and I ran it hard (finished 1:57:04). By mile 10 I wanted it over! Mile 10 is a tough point for me. I read the marathon stories of 26.2 and I'll admit, it is intimidating! I will be training more this year for longer races. I know if I train more diligently, I will have more positive experiences.

We posted at the same time! :lol:

Excuse me...are you saying that your half marathon PR is 1:57?! Holy crap! That's awesome!

I used Hal Higdon's Novice Supreme training plan...it's the same thing as his Novice 1 training plan, except that it has a 12-week base-building period at the beginning, which I needed, because I'd taken sort of an extended break from running in the spring of 2011. Most weeks I actually did manage to get all 4 runs in, but not always. I maxed out at 18 miles, not 20 (there was a snow storm the night before I was due to run the 20-miler and I didn't want to risk slipping on ice and breaking my ankle or something). I wish I'd done yoga or some strength training in addition to the running because I think that would've helped a lot, but people only have so much time, ya know?!

Big Bummer about Mickey and Minnie! How cute they looked in their golf garb!

I think one of the things I'm loving about "running your race with you" through your story is the great weather! It has been nonstop rainy here and your report is truly a breath of fresh air. I am missing the sunshine and it was such a beautiful day!

Mickey and Minnie really are so darn cute in their golfing gear! I was so mad to see that they had just switched out! And I think we may have gotten your crappy weather over here in the Midwest...lots of thunderstorms today.

"OMG, that's me, I'm running the full marathon..." (you said). That was so funny! But I see what you mean, I bet it felt surreal.

Awesome shot with the villains!

Ok Shannon, you're doing great! Only 10.2 miles left! You've got this, you can do it!!!

The whole thing WAS surreal...I can't believe it was only 2 weeks ago! It feels like it was months ago at this point.

 

[Ariel484]

I was hoping some magical switch would get flipped at mile 20 (only a 10k to go!) but now we were at the out-and-back near the ESPN Wide World of Sports. I like out-and-backs during training runs, but I HATE them during races. I find it demoralizing to run past and away from the mile-marker I’m trying to get to and see all of the people that are ahead of me running back toward me, if that makes any sense (I can't come up with a clearer/more sensible way to write this out...sorry!). And the waiting for the turn-around point…woof. Add to that the fact that the weather was continuing to get warmer and the sun was beating down on us…I was getting really mentally whiny.

Anyhoo, after mile 20 I ran out about a half a mile and did eventually make it to the turn-around point. There was a large screen with a live feed of runners and 2 sportscaster-type guys trading witty (that is to say, awful) banter. They kept saying that we were appearing live on Sportscenter, but somehow, I don’t really think that was true.

Finally, the out-and-back ends! :sohappy:

We turned right off of Osceola Parkway (hooray!) and were heading toward the Studios. But first, we got another character photo on my wish list…Sarge!

We’d just missed him during the Princess Half, so I was pleased to get this picture.

As we ran down the road to the Studios entrance, cars were honking at us and cheering…it was great!

We found Mile Marker 22 just before entering the park:

Is this a Pixar Pals Countdown float? :shrug: Never seen it before:

The back of the Tower of Terror greeted us:

 

[Ariel484]

When we entered the park, we saw (and skipped) Mr. Incredible and Carl Fredrickson and I got a shot of the Earful Tower:

We ran through a cool, dark tunnel (which felt AMAZING after all that sun) in the costuming department and skipped a meet and greet with Mike and Sulley. Mile Marker 23 was just outside the Streets of America:

With my blessing, Craig took off for the last 3 miles alone. We were both feeling pretty good, but I was taking an extra walk break during each mile and didn’t want to hold him back.

Next up, the runners headed down the Streets of America…the CMs were not messing around in regards to when people could cross the race course. I saw one girl begin to cross in front of me and suddenly a CM grabbed her arm and yanked her back so I could pass. Intense!

I don’t know what it is, but the dude in the 11 shirt cracks me up. :lol:

My second video was taken after I passed the BAH…I run through right at the beginning on the left side. Blink and you’ll miss me!



Video evidence that I wasn’t dead at this point! Huzzah! :lol:

Just before leaving the park through a backstage entrance, I stopped in a guest bathroom and held my breath as I rounded the corner to the CM-only area where we’d exit the park. In a marathon trip report from last year, I saw a picture of a runner with the entire cast of the Beauty and the Beast stage show, and man, how I wanted that picture. And who was there waiting for me? Max. Freaking Max. LAME. Nothing against Max, but I was so mad at this point. The Studios was my least favorite park experience during the race. The crowd support there was great and there were lots of characters, but none were new to me (I know Carl Fredrickson is a rare one nowadays, but I was lucky to meet him, Russell, Dug and Kevin in November 2009). Plus I think I was just starting to get tired and crabby at that point. But still, boo!

Okay, let’s calm ourselves…we left the park and made our way toward the path that leads to the Epcot resorts – the very path I’d walked down the first night of this trip.

We were passing the parking lots and suddenly I saw my mom!

We both jumped up and down excitedly…this was the boost that I needed. Yay, mom!

She let me know that Craig was about 5 minutes ahead of me and that I was almost to mile 24! We said good-bye and I broke into a run again, feeling much more energized. Let’s do this!

 

[plaz10]

I'm geeking out like woah in my office at your villain picture. AMAZING. Worth the pain/money of running a marathon right there. If I could be guaranteed that I would get that shot - I'd run the marathon!!

 

[enchanted_belle]

There was a band after mile 19 playing “I’m Gonna Be (500 miles)” by the Proclaimers, which gave me a little mental boost (any How I Met Your Mother fans out there?! ). The lyrics were changed a bit for the race (“When I finish, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man that celebrates with you!” – see what they did there? :lol. It was super cheesy and fun.

:ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL: YESSSSSSSSSSSSS.

I used Hal Higdon's Novice Supreme training plan...it's the same thing as his Novice 1 training plan, except that it has a 12-week base-building period at the beginning, which I needed, because I'd taken sort of an extended break from running in the spring of 2011. Most weeks I actually did manage to get all 4 runs in, but not always. I maxed out at 18 miles, not 20 (there was a snow storm the night before I was due to run the 20-miler and I didn't want to risk slipping on ice and breaking my ankle or something). I wish I'd done yoga or some strength training in addition to the running because I think that would've helped a lot, but people only have so much time, ya know?!

Yes, I'm creeping on your replies to other people. :lookaroun :lol: Does he have a 10 miler to use for the ToT?
And a friend of mine has been working with me in the gym a lot on the strength/endurance, and he said that it will make a huge difference when I start running. But I haven't thought about doing the yoga. Hmm... I should do that too.



I feel like I need to go back through all the pictures and completely creep (as well as ones coming up) on the crowds. The BF's brother (and his DF) were down there during the same time.

 

[Ariel484]

I'm geeking out like woah in my office at your villain picture. AMAZING. Worth the pain/money of running a marathon right there. If I could be guaranteed that I would get that shot - I'd run the marathon!!

I definitely hadn't seen that one before, so maybe it's a new thing? Who knows!

:ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL: YESSSSSSSSSSSSS.

YAY! :sohappy:

Yes, I'm creeping on your replies to other people. :lookaroun :lol: Does he have a 10 miler to use for the ToT?
And a friend of mine has been working with me in the gym a lot on the strength/endurance, and he said that it will make a huge difference when I start running. But I haven't thought about doing the yoga. Hmm... I should do that too.

Yep. Here's the link (it's a 15k plan...15k = about 9.3 miles, so close enough). One thing I don't like about Hal Higdon is that I feel like the jumps from Novice to Intermediate level plans can be RIDICULOUS. For example, the novice 10-miler plan has 3 days per week of running...and then the intermediate plan calls for 5. ??? It seems like he could bridge the gap a bit better.

I started out strength training (New Rules of Lifting for Women) but hurt my back in October while doing it and never got back into it. 2012 will be the year of strength training for me! I swear. :lookaroun As for yoga, I know it would've helped me since I dealt with some leg and hip soreness during training, and I can get free classes through work, so I have no excuse not to do that next time.

I feel like I need to go back through all the pictures and completely creep (as well as ones coming up) on the crowds. The BF's brother (and his DF) were down there during the same time.

How funny! That would be hilarious if you found them!

 

[enchanted_belle]

Yep. Here's the link (it's a 15k plan...15k = about 9.3 miles, so close enough). One thing I don't like about Hal Higdon is that I feel like the jumps from Novice to Intermediate level plans can be RIDICULOUS. For example, the novice 10-miler plan has 3 days per week of running...and then the intermediate plan calls for 5. ??? It seems like he could bridge the gap a bit better.

I started out strength training (New Rules of Lifting for Women) but hurt my back in October while doing it and never got back into it. 2012 will be the year of strength training for me! I swear. :lookaroun As for yoga, I know it would've helped me since I dealt with some leg and hip soreness during training, and I can get free classes through work, so I have no excuse not to do that next time.

I'm gonna print that out and use it after I finish this c25k! I think 2012 is just going to be my year of completely changing me :drevil: I have a few yoga tapes and a mat at home, but I don't have anywhere I can take a class.
I've tried BodyPump a few times for strength training, and LOVED it... but now, they only offer it around me at the Y, and I don't have a memembership.

How funny! That would be hilarious if you found them!

He was talking about it last night, because I was grilling him about his trip, and when he mentioned the runners I wanted to be like "Did you see a girl who looked like this????" :lol:

 

[fractal]

Awesome update!

Anxiously awaiting the crossing of the finish line.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Okay. I caught up on a lot of the updates over the weekend but it was really late, like in the wee hours, and I couldn't go clickety-clicking away on my keyboard and chance waking Sleeping Beauty...er...I mean Sleeping Tracey...... :lol:

I. am. loving. your. report. Seriously. As I sit here propped up in my bed at 11:05 a.m. all toasty-warm with my pup snoozin' against my legs I'm totally wanting to jump up, throw on the sneakers, and go run my little face off. But then I wouldn't get very far before it fell off since I haven't really run since September. For shame. Guess there has to be a starting point, huh?

I'm trying to think of all the little things I wanted to comment on. Gonna go back and read-up on those training schedules. Love that you had a running partner, particularly your brother. How fun is that? The obscure Disney movie and old-now-defunct attraction pics on the mile marker signs are cool in their own way. I'm pea-green with envy that you met the Up! characters back in '09. I think I'd cry if I ever saw them together doing meet-n-greets. Very awesome that you got that pump-up from the Mom visit on the course. I could see that. I would totally got psyched to have loved-ones out at intervals to support me. I think one thing I'd be most nervous about would be the unGodly early hour you have to get up in the morning. 3 a.m. I'm way more likely to still be up at that hour having not yet been asleep vs. waking up purposely if I am asleep. ((I'm a natural night-owl and have struggled with sleep my whole life.))

I just can't tell ya how much I'm loving your report. Can't wait for more! :sohappy:

 

[Kristia]

Ahhhh...the big old bad mile 18! That is where I started feeling the pain too. I am hoping to be more prepared next time! We only made it to mile 15 in training runs. Those long training runs are killer, trying to find the time to fit them in. You look like you held up better than I did. After leaving Studios, we mostly walked the path to Epcot. My legs just did not want to go anymore. Kudos to you girl!
Can't wait for the finale! :sohappy:

 

[Ariel484]

I'm gonna print that out and use it after I finish this c25k! I think 2012 is just going to be my year of completely changing me I have a few yoga tapes and a mat at home, but I don't have anywhere I can take a class.
I've tried BodyPump a few times for strength training, and LOVED it... but now, they only offer it around me at the Y, and I don't have a memembership.

I am no expert on running/training, but let me recommend a couple of things...

1.) If you're using the training plan for the race, you want to start it 10 weeks out from race day...end of July or something?

2.) Even without keeping #1 in mind - which you should, because the training plan is specifically designed to be used right up to race day - I wouldn't jump right from Couch-to-5K to the 10-mile training plan anyway (and I feel like I CAN say this without completely talking out of my a-- since I used Couch-to-5K in 2008). Even HH says that in the intro portion of the training plan:

...if you have more than ten weeks before the 15-K race you plan to run, switch to either my 5-K or 10-K schedules to build an endurance base before preceding.

Basically he's just trying to say not to do too much too soon...you don't want to injure yourself!

He was talking about it last night, because I was grilling him about his trip, and when he mentioned the runners I wanted to be like "Did you see a girl who looked like this????"

Hmm, did he say where he was?!

Awesome update!

Anxiously awaiting the crossing of the finish line.

Only 2.2 miles to go! :sohappy:

Okay. I caught up on a lot of the updates over the weekend but it was really late, like in the wee hours, and I couldn't go clickety-clicking away on my keyboard and chance waking Sleeping Beauty...er...I mean Sleeping Tracey......

I. am. loving. your. report. Seriously. As I sit here propped up in my bed at 11:05 a.m. all toasty-warm with my pup snoozin' against my legs I'm totally wanting to jump up, throw on the sneakers, and go run my little face off. But then I wouldn't get very far before it fell off since I haven't really run since September. For shame. Guess there has to be a starting point, huh?

Ooh, gotta love snuggle time with the pup. The starting point for me a few years back was when I was watching The Biggest Loser (which I don't watch anymore). They were plugging away on their treadmills and I was just kind of like, "Okay, if they can do it, so can I!"

I'm trying to think of all the little things I wanted to comment on. Gonna go back and read-up on those training schedules. Love that you had a running partner, particularly your brother. How fun is that? The obscure Disney movie and old-now-defunct attraction pics on the mile marker signs are cool in their own way. I'm pea-green with envy that you met the Up! characters back in '09. I think I'd cry if I ever saw them together doing meet-n-greets. Very awesome that you got that pump-up from the Mom visit on the course. I could see that. I would totally got psyched to have loved-ones out at intervals to support me. I think one thing I'd be most nervous about would be the unGodly early hour you have to get up in the morning. 3 a.m. I'm way more likely to still be up at that hour having not yet been asleep vs. waking up purposely if I am asleep. ((I'm a natural night-owl and have struggled with sleep my whole life.))

The bro is my partner by default, because no one else will run these things with me! :lol: He's a good person to run with though because, as I mentioned, he chats my face off. I think we covered the full spectrum of conversations throughout the race - politics, religion, school, etc. Deep stuff. And it's a nice way to catch up since we live in separate states now. Plus, I think he's starting to *get* my love for Disney, so it's cool to see him start to have that realization.

Seeing mom outside of the Studios was really cool. I saw her and Will last year during the Princess Half and was equally excited. I never have spectators for races and was surprised by how exciting it was!

And yes, getting up before 3AM is INSANE. I think knowing I had done it once before made it a little less daunting this time, but still...that is NOT wake-up time. I understand they need to re-open the roads/parks and return to business as usual, but it's harsh. At least we were done before the temperature was too warm, and then we had the rest of the day before us! Glass half-full, right?!

I just can't tell ya how much I'm loving your report. Can't wait for more!

Thanks Kelly! :sohappy:

Ahhhh...the big old bad mile 18! That is where I started feeling the pain too. I am hoping to be more prepared next time! We only made it to mile 15 in training runs. Those long training runs are killer, trying to find the time to fit them in. You look like you held up better than I did. After leaving Studios, we mostly walked the path to Epcot. My legs just did not want to go anymore. Kudos to you girl!
Can't wait for the finale!

I really think it was more mental than physical...I just kept convincing myself I needed more walk breaks when I probably could have gotten by without them! You're right that the long runs are a killer...I think that's what I struggled with the most during training, not actually DOING the runs but knowing that I was about to give up a 3-4 hour chunk of my Saturday to complete them. But it was worth it! And thanks for the kudos!

 

[enchanted_belle]

I am no expert on running/training, but let me recommend a couple of things...

1.) If you're using the training plan for the race, you want to start it 10 weeks out from race day...end of July or something?

2.) Even without keeping #1 in mind - which you should, because the training plan is specifically designed to be used right up to race day - I wouldn't jump right from Couch-to-5K to the 10-mile training plan anyway (and I feel like I CAN say this without completely talking out of my a-- since I used Couch-to-5K in 2008). Even HH says that in the intro portion of the training plan:

Basically he's just trying to say not to do too much too soon...you don't want to injure yourself!

I was looking into his Spring Training program.. the c25k one should be done around March/April, and it looked like the ST would be the next step since it gets you up to 6 miles. So, between that and c25k I should get done around the right time to start for the 10 mile?

Hmm, did he say where he was?!

Nope... I'll have to ask him or his DF where they were when so I can try to plan my creeping accordingly :lol:

 

[Ariel484]

I was looking into his Spring Training program.. the c25k one should be done around March/April, and it looked like the ST would be the next step since it gets you up to 6 miles. So, between that and c25k I should get done around the right time to start for the 10 mile?

Nope... I'll have to ask him or his DF where they were when so I can try to plan my creeping accordingly :lol:

Oh! Good find. Now that I'm looking at it I think I used that one at some point...can you tell I'm a Hal Higdon fangirl? :lol: :lookaroun

 

[enchanted_belle]

Oh! Good find. Now that I'm looking at it I think I used that one at some point...can you tell I'm a Hal Higdon fangirl? :lol: :lookaroun

:lol: it's better than being a Little Debbies fan girl. I'm excited to try out his trainings!

 

[DisneyFan1003]

Loving the report! You've now motivated me to add "Disney Run" to my bucket list....now if my knee will just hold out to get me across the finish line! :ROFLOL:

Can't wait to hear the rest!

 

[surfsupdon]

My favorite part of this part of the course is the walkway to the Epcot Resorts and the Yacht/Beach promenade. There are always so many people cheering and clapping and really rooting for you!!