Once again, the goofiest part of the day was waking up at 2:30 in order to catch the 3:00am bus! This time it was for the full 26.2 and Lynn and Roan were joining us. A friend of Jimmy's was also with us until the start. Esther and I wore our TuTus and glow necklaces again, but this time we kicked it up a notch with Minnie puffball ears for Esther and a Minnie hairbow for me.
Jimmy kicked it up a notch also, adding the Goofy hat... definitely the finishing touch! Roan and Lynn looked super cute and matched from their boingy mouse ears all the way down to their shoes!
We had time to kill in the holding area, so Jimmy practiced his old cheerleading stunts... and Esther and I were still marveling at the amazing number of porta pots in the background!
We made our way to the starting corral and waited for our race to begin! It was a little like deja vu... Same announcers, same jokes, same music... BUT it was all very enjoyable even the second time around. It definitely would have been more enjoyable if I was a little more awake!
The race began with a brilliant fireworks show, and we were off! At mile 2 or 3 Esther and I decided to pick up the pace just a tad, so that she could have more time with her family in the park... even though it was sad to leave Roan, Lynn, and Goofy- the third member of our training trio! Although we were running a bit faster, this was no race for a PR, and we decided to have another FUN race... We had so much fun that our watches registered 27.4 miles! We did a lot of weaving, re-tracing steps, etc!
At mile 6, we had to stop and take castle pictures again...
This time Royal Mickey and Minnie were standing outside the castle to greet runners as we ran through! Running through Cinderella's castle was so amazing!
After the Magic Kingsom we ran past our resort again and this time went into the WDW Speedway. We ran around the race track, and there was a car show going on all along the banked part... Esther liked this red truck!
Of course Tow-Mater was there!
We thought about hitching a ride in this VW bus, but decided that we didn't want to miss the rest of the fun!
That fun included some cute comedy acts along the service roads between parks...
Trying to avoid being eaten by aligators close to Disney's Animal Kingdom...
Stopping to pose with Pocahontas ...
And then saying hello to the goats! I had been gone from my kids and my goats for a few days, and so I had to stop and pet this little fella... A man running beside us was disappointed that Disney let us pet sheep and goats... but kept the tigers in their cages!
At the halfway point in Animal Kingdom, we once again considered hitching a ride. Esther was too scary of a driver, so I convinced her to keep running...
After Animal Kingdom things started to heat up, and we began to think we had made a mistake. Maybe we should just join Jay Walker and Man U.L. Labor here alongside the road...
NAH! Although the damp grass felt nice and cool, we figured we better get up and keep going... Since "The Pain is Temporary!" But wait, "Who moved the finish line?"
About mile 15 we passed Launch Pad... I simply had to stop and tell him that "Duck Tales.. Woo woo" was my favorite!
At mile 18 we entered the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. We snaked around in here FOREVER! I had just taken a complimentary Clif Shot Mocha gel... and so when we hit the track, we were ready for a little SPEED WORK!
Why not do some 400's in the middle of a marathon!?
Whew, those sprints always did make me pass out on the track...
There was a giant Mickey hot air balloon in a soccer field...
And we got to run around the baseball stadium! They had video of runners streaming on the jumbo tron, and the guy called out, "Heatherrrr Duuuuuley from New Albany, Mississippppppiiii!"
After leaving (FINALLY- we ran around the ball fields for ever!! Ok, 2 miles...) the ESPN complex, it was time for the MAGICAL MILE 20!!!!
Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were waiting on us at the 20 mile mark! This one was worth waiting in line for!
At this point we were doubling back on the other side of the road and began keeping an eye out for Roan and Lynn... and Esther spotted them! We crossed the median and chased them down to get a picture together...
At mile 21 we passed the green army men soldiers from Toy Story- and he told us to keep soldiering in the tule... We were just glad that he didn't tell us to drop and give him 20 pushups like he did the guy in front of us!
At mile 22 we were entering Hollywood Studios! Posing as super heroes with Frozone was a must...
At the mile 22.5 water stop, we were all the way through it when Esther asked if I had seen the candy table. When I said no, we had to turn around and run back.. to check it out and get a picture of the volunteers' fine handiwork!
Shortly after, we got to run through the breezeway between the two costuming warehouses! I loved the banners with the mice from Cinderella in the background, and I decided that I am going to work there when I retire. Scott can be Mr. Incredible in the parades.
As we were about to Exit Hollywood Studios, we stopped to try on this giant hat...
It was a little big, so we headed out of the park, through the Boardwalk resort, and on to EPCOT! By this point we were both getting HOT, a little bit tired, my knee was starting to twinge, and we were both ready to be DONE...
But as we entered the World Showcase, we stopped to say, "Bonjour!" to Belle.
We also stopped to get a picture of Esther in front of the Japanese building (they lived in Japan for three years), and I am flat on my back in front of her trying to get the whole tower in the picture... it was hard to get up from that one!
Since we had lots of pictures of the Epcot ball from the day before, we moved on past to the FINISH LINE!!!!
Look at us... we barely made it...
Just Kidding! We finished and got our 26.2 medals and our 39.3 medals! Woohoo, it's official- we are Goofy!
I was feeling fine, but my feet were just tired, so I stopped at the tent to get some ice on my feet while waiting for Roan, Lynn, and Jimmy.
I don't have any pictures yet from when they all finished, but I will add them when I get some!
I had to hurry back to the hotel, shower, pack my stuff, and get to the airport! When I landed in Memphis, where it was 34 degrees and raining, look what was waiting for me! I had an amazing trip, but I was sure glad to see my family!
1 comment:
Looks like you had fun! Glad you got to do it.
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