I find it almost overwhelming to blog
about such an important accomplishment of mine, so I guess there is no
better place to start than at the beginning. So here it goes.
We boarded the buses from our resort
about 3:30 a.m., but I promise you I had been wide awake since about
midnight, I was just so pumped up and ready to go. I was so excited when
we got to Epcot, as that was my first real life glimpse of Spaceship
Earth. I've been curious about what that thing was since I was a child, I
always thought it was some big golf ball!
We all three posed for pictures. Jana
and I in our costumes, and Adam dressed as none other than my husband!
Oh well, he may not be one for dressing up, but he makes a pretty cute
husband. We also got to hang out a little bit with Ivonna Dream, who
basically is a poor man's Fairy Godmother, meaning she was HILARIOUS.
Soon it was time for me to part from the
group. We were all in 3 different corrals. I was in Corral K. In a way,
I was glad to be headed to the start line by myself as it gave me time
to get centered. The walk to the corrals was about 20 minutes, which was
a nice little warm up. When I got to the corral, I talked to one or two
people around me, got my iphone ready to go, and sat down to
listen/watch the announcers of the race. I could not even see the start
line until several of the corrals had started ahead of me, and we moved
up.
I surprisingly did not have the nerves I have had at the start of other races. I felt prepared and ready.
My corral went off about 30 minutes
after the first corral. There were a lot of people, and it slowed me
down quite a bit. I also did a lot of weaving around people, but that
didn't really bother me. I just had to be really aware of my
surroundings. The first mile came up really quick! But my pace was like 2
minutes slower than I usually go. But I decided not to worry about it.
This race was never about personal records for me. In the first couple
of miles, I also saw the first characters on the course. I made a choice
I wouldn't really stop for characters unless the line was short and it
was worth it. But I did love seeing Jack Sparrow, Captain Barbossa, and
the big old pirate ship.
After about mile 3, we ran past the
entrance sign to the Magic Kingdom, which was so exciting! But it would
be two more miles before we actually got into the Magic Kingdom. We also
passed by one of my favorite character groups, the villains group! How
awesome is the Queen of Hearts?
Around mile 4, the cheering crowds were
electric, and I loved reading their signs. They had funny ones that
said, "Have Fun Storming the Castle," and "Worst Parade Ever." But also
motivational ones like, "Remember when you thought you couldn't do
this?" That one almost made me cry.
Mile 5, I glimpsed Space Mountain and I knew we were almost there.
Running through Magic Kingdom was
exhilarating. Seeing the castle for the first time was mind blowing.
And I loved, loved, loved seeing Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff sending us
well wishes from the castle balcony. When I was showing Adam the picture
I took of them from the race, he said, "Oh, I saw them too!" But he had
no clue who they were. I guess Frozen fever hasn't reached Adam.
Unfortunately, we couldn't stay in the
Magic Kingdom forever. And it was a bit of a long slog back down the
highway to return to Epcot. Just outside the Magic Kingdom, I saw Mary
Poppins, Bert, and the penguin! I almost stopped, but I just wanted to
keep going. So I did.
The next three miles went by step by
step. I never stopped running the entire race, except to take pictures.
Around mile ten, we had to go up an on ramp for an overpass. On top of
the hill, the toy soldier from Toy Story was barking orders. I decided
to take a picture with him. After I took the picture, he said I had to
run fast because I had to make up the 30 seconds I had stopped to snap
the photo.
After posing with the green soldier,
there was nothing left to do but keep going. The race definitely got
harder at this point, but it never felt impossible. I never felt like I
had to stop. I was so very happy to finally enter Epcot though, knowing I
only had one mile left to go.
I stopped and posed with royal Minnie,
right before crossing the finish line. I wanted to soak up that finish
line moment. It felt so very good. I was so happy I made it. One year of
planning and training and I made it! I finished in 3 hours 36 minutes.
Not a stellar time, but I stopped for a lot for photos, and I had to go
slower than normal due to crowds. But I was still so proud.
My first goal was just to finish. My second goal was to run the whole thing. I accomplished both.
Adam was already at the finish line.
Yeap, he passed me during the last mile, because he didn't stop at all.
What a show off. But I was so incredibly proud of the both of us. I
think we both felt like rock stars.
My run tracker app clocked me as having
run 14 miles. Yes, all the bobbing and weaving added an extra mile to my
race. Which is kind of awful, but now I know I can run 14 miles.
After the race, we hit up the hotel food
court, swam a little, and then took long naps. That was a much deserved
nap. It felt so good.
I'm already eying a marathon in 2017.
Probably in Walt Disney World, because why would I do one elsewhere?
Yes, it seems impossible and scary to me now, but so did a half marathon
once upon a time.
I got the kindest comments and responses
to my announcement that I had completed the half. These are my two
favorites, my husband's and my niece, Kayla's facebook statuesus.
This will most likely be my last post on this blog. But you can follow me on my personal blog, One if By B.
