Well, I've never really done a formal trip report on here, but I'll try and make this somewhat readable and entertaining for everybody.
My family and I had just been to the World in November, so we were more than excited to have 2 trips back to back.
We arrived on Thursday, and I figured I was better off to try and get my packet picked up early, and get to the expo before all the good stuff was gone.
I managed to keep the spending to a minimum, although I did buy myself a new fleece jacket to replace an older one that my wife has been bugging me to get rid of for a good 5 years now. I also bought a pin, and a vinylmation figure with the half marathon medal....my first vinylmation purchase ever.
At this point, I told my wife I was "all in". Not that I wasn't before, but now I would be saddled with all this merchandise that would be looked upon in shame if I didn't finish my first half.
I managed to take it easy until Saturday morning. I woke up that day, and immediately recognized that I had a migraine coming on. I woke up my wife and asked if we had packed any excedrin or tylenol....we hadn't. I got dressed and ready for the race, knowing that I was going to battle this headache in some form or another. I grabbed a handful of change, and headed to the vending machine on my floor, and grabbed a bottle of water, hoping to beat the headache with hydration. As I walked to the bus stop, I saw people walking with coffee....COFFEE! I am an avid coffee drinker, and I know a cup of coffee will fend off a migraine if I can drink it before the headache sets in. I quickly headed toward the Pop Century Food Court, and realized they were open! I grabbed a cup of coffee and a banana, and felt better within about 10 minutes. It was the first time I ever felt good about WDW's horrible coffee.
Much relieved, I walked to the transport buses, which were plentiful at the Pop Century stop. I was directed toward a half full bus. I got my seat and another gentleman sat next to me. As it was the first half marathon either had done, we had something to talk about as we rode to Epcot....well that, and the fact that the bus was about 95 degrees.
Being as it was my first half marathon, I was surprised by the scale of everything that was going on at Epcot, but it all seemed to run well, and I soon found myself in the runner staging area in the Wonder Parking lot.
I wandered around that area, and continued to drink water and try and stay loose. I didn't have any bags, so I continued past the bag check area and got in line for one of the 3000 port-a-johns awaiting on the other side. Once done with that I started walking down what I deemed the "avenue of broken dreams" with broken down tram cars, and an old boat that was busted up behind a fence, from a ride I can't place.
Soon enough I was in my corral, awaiting the start.
Disney did a pretty good job of keeping time moving, while encouraging everybody to get loosened up. A lot of fluff, yes, but it was good seeing the simultaneous half marathon that was being run from Victory Base in Baghdad. The troops don't get enough respect for what they do, in my humble opinion, and this was a class move by Disney in every respect.
Next up...the Race!
My family and I had just been to the World in November, so we were more than excited to have 2 trips back to back.
We arrived on Thursday, and I figured I was better off to try and get my packet picked up early, and get to the expo before all the good stuff was gone.
I managed to keep the spending to a minimum, although I did buy myself a new fleece jacket to replace an older one that my wife has been bugging me to get rid of for a good 5 years now. I also bought a pin, and a vinylmation figure with the half marathon medal....my first vinylmation purchase ever.
At this point, I told my wife I was "all in". Not that I wasn't before, but now I would be saddled with all this merchandise that would be looked upon in shame if I didn't finish my first half.
I managed to take it easy until Saturday morning. I woke up that day, and immediately recognized that I had a migraine coming on. I woke up my wife and asked if we had packed any excedrin or tylenol....we hadn't. I got dressed and ready for the race, knowing that I was going to battle this headache in some form or another. I grabbed a handful of change, and headed to the vending machine on my floor, and grabbed a bottle of water, hoping to beat the headache with hydration. As I walked to the bus stop, I saw people walking with coffee....COFFEE! I am an avid coffee drinker, and I know a cup of coffee will fend off a migraine if I can drink it before the headache sets in. I quickly headed toward the Pop Century Food Court, and realized they were open! I grabbed a cup of coffee and a banana, and felt better within about 10 minutes. It was the first time I ever felt good about WDW's horrible coffee.
Much relieved, I walked to the transport buses, which were plentiful at the Pop Century stop. I was directed toward a half full bus. I got my seat and another gentleman sat next to me. As it was the first half marathon either had done, we had something to talk about as we rode to Epcot....well that, and the fact that the bus was about 95 degrees.
Being as it was my first half marathon, I was surprised by the scale of everything that was going on at Epcot, but it all seemed to run well, and I soon found myself in the runner staging area in the Wonder Parking lot.
I wandered around that area, and continued to drink water and try and stay loose. I didn't have any bags, so I continued past the bag check area and got in line for one of the 3000 port-a-johns awaiting on the other side. Once done with that I started walking down what I deemed the "avenue of broken dreams" with broken down tram cars, and an old boat that was busted up behind a fence, from a ride I can't place.
Soon enough I was in my corral, awaiting the start.
Disney did a pretty good job of keeping time moving, while encouraging everybody to get loosened up. A lot of fluff, yes, but it was good seeing the simultaneous half marathon that was being run from Victory Base in Baghdad. The troops don't get enough respect for what they do, in my humble opinion, and this was a class move by Disney in every respect.
Next up...the Race!
