I’ve struggled long and hard to write this race recap and started over twice… even after 2000 words. Hopefully, this will be shorter but focus more on my experience during the race and not so much on the course details. There are plenty of detailed course descriptions available elsewhere online.
Now… on with the race.
After the 5k I headed back to Saratoga Springs to clean up and get everything packed for the one night move to Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House where we were upgraded to a Savanna View room. We checked in, enjoyed our savanna view for few minutes before heading down to Boma for an early 5pm dinner. We had a reservation for 8 as my parents, sister and two aunts had made the trip for the weekend. As a nice surprise, fellow 1/2 Marathoners and AllEars.Net Team Captains Mike Scopa and Michelle Scribner-Maclean were seated at the table next to us. Unfortunately, with a 2:30am wake up we were soon headed to our villa were my parents stayed with us to help with Noah and keep him since my wife, Melanie, and I were both doing the half.
Wow! 2:30 is way too early to get up. But, we do what we have to do. We were out the door just before 3:30 to drive to EPCOT. I was a little concerned about leaving as “late” as we did, but didn’t have any issues parking. Unfortunately, we had to get out of the car. IT WAS COLD!! About 35 with a stiff North wind. And, it only got worse.
We got ourselves and gear together and headed to the family reunion area hoping to find some familiar faces. It was so cold the family reunion area was nearly empty except for a few snuggled up near the portable lights and generators or behind some of the signage. We dropped our bags at bag check and ventured out into “porta-potty land”.
Remember I said the weather would get worse? Yep, the sleet started first. Thankfully (I think) it wasn’t too long before they let us start the LONG walk to the corrals. This is when everything starts to sink in. We are headed to the start. The amount of people is mindboggling. Now there is rain mixed in with the sleet… snow would be soon to follow.
Until you experience a race like this, it is nearly impossible to comprehend so many people in one place. By the time we made it to our corral we were about a third of a mile from the start… with plenty of people behind us. After a while the wheelchairs and elites were off, but it would be over 30 minutes before we would cross the start line. But, finally, we were off!!
Melanie and I had decided that we would run our own races. We had not trained together, and Melanie was worried that she would not be able to make it and didn’t want to risk me not being able to finish if she didn’t.
My number one goal was to finish, then to run every mile under 16 minutes. I tried to settle into a rhythm but even with three lanes on the road it was very difficult. I even resulted to running on the shoulder. But, I was able to finish the first mile under 16…by 8 seconds. The second mile was a different story as the course narrowed to just one lane for almost a mile. But 16:02 wasn’t too bad considering.
The first two miles are hard because there is nothing (but 17,000 other people) to look at and there is no on course entertainment. Plus, aren’t the first miles of any run the hardest. But the third mile is where the excitement builds. I can’t really say that I felt great (or even bad); because I’m not sure I felt anything. I guess it was the adrenaline, but it was as if I was numb. Since I had done 8 miles the year before (and I’m a Disney geek) I knew the course and was taking it one mile at a time.
I knew I had some friends cheering at the TTC so I took my time through there but didn’t see a single person I knew. But, the crowd really provided a boost for the next mile before the best part of the race. But before I got to the first reward I had to deal with the “water bridge” over the road to the Contemporary. Last year, the incline at this point caused my right calf to cramp something fierce. This year…what incline!
Mile 5 was right after the water bridge, and the excitement was building rapidly. The Magic Kingdom was (literally) just around the corner. I soon reached back stage and couldn’t believe that even after 5 miles I felt completely fresh. It was so refreshing to be able to run through the Magic Kingdom with no worries and feeling great. I gave the gate a little “love” tap as I entered Town Square and began looking for friends. I ran into a couple of friends on Main Street then found my family after the turn towards Tomorrowland.
It felt like I flew through Tomorrowland and Fastasyland before one of the very best parts of the race. The view as I came out of the castle is one of things I will not soon forget. But, it was still so crowded that I was nearly impossible to position for the ASI photographers. Oh Well. As I made my way toward Liberty Square I had to remind myself of the incline in Frontierland and the back stage dangers coming up. And, I’m not talking about the Pirates.
Right before exiting back stage Magic Kingdom there is a water stop, medical stop and a carpet covered grated bridge. And it is very tight. I didn’t have any issues so it was on to the even tighter Floridian Way. The next mile or so was one lane so I was back on the shoulder for a while. There seemed to be more spectators and characters in this area and I was to mile 8 before I knew it. I waved so long to the sweep bus feeling awesome and knew I would not be riding it this year.
I got Clif Shot at 8.5 and as the course opened up to three lanes I was able to finally get in a rhythm for a couple miles, especially knowing what was to come. Mile 9 was pretty boring but it is a nice mental break before the first overpass just after mile 10. I had paced myself on the flat portions to allow me to walk the overpasses. I was not going to push too hard at this point.
As I rounded the cloverleaf up to the first overpass I called Melanie to check on her. Turns out she was already pass mile 10, so she was just about 5 minutes behind me. But, she was really starting to hurt. Her longest training run was only 6 miles and next longest had been a couple of 5k races. She was definitely in uncharted waters for her. I told her she was doing good and let her go.
The second overpass is immediately after the first. So, there is not even any level ground at the bottom between the two. Again, I planned my pacing so I could walk up. Once at the top I was able to ride gravity some down the hill for a few hundred yards before the sharp right turn just before the last overpass. Thankfully, the course opened back to several lanes and allowed me to pick a favorable line to the top then pushed to the bottom and mile 12.
I still felt great and decided that I would try to pick up the pace to the finish. And, honestly, I probably could have let emotion and adrenaline alone carry me to the finish. I was finally going to run through EPCOT. But, as soon as I started to pick up the pace my left hamstring and calf started to cramp up on me. But, oddly enough it let go about as quick as it came on.
I made the turn around in World Showcase Plaza then just tried to soak it all in for the next half mile. I was about to finish a half marathon, the Disney World ½ and I was finally going to get my Donald. There was one more trip back stage where goose bumps are waiting… a full gospel choir. (Still out there after who knows how long…in the cold…and the rain!) The finish is just around the corner.
Coming out of back stage I hit mile 13 then floored to the finish (well, for me at least).
I DID IT!!!! I am a 1/2 Marathoner!
I had done the last tenth at about a 10:00 pace. I still had plenty in the tank. I was not sore anywhere. I got my blanket then it was time for what I longed for. Donald placed around my neck! It was finished!
But, what about Melanie?
As I turned to head back to the finish area I was greeted by Deb Wills who had just finished. We shared a hug and thank you. The emotion was starting to catch up to me.
I found my family in the finish area and got my first photos with my medal. But, still no Melanie.
I knew Melanie was a few minutes behind me and I had lost track of time since I finished, but I was starting to get worried. Several minutes passed when another friend, Lori Burke, finished. We shared a big hug and she asked about Melanie. At that moment I looked up to watch Melanie cross the finish line.
SHE DID IT!!! 13.1 Miles!!
As much as I wanted to finish and get that medal and as satisfying as it was, nothing compares to seeing Melanie finish. I felt great but I knew she was hurting. Jumping from a longest run of 6 (very easy) miles to 13+ is not easy.
WE DID IT!!! I finally finished what I started almost two years ago. Melanie did something that just a few short weeks before seemed almost impossible. We were ½ Marathoners and nothing can take that away.
Till Next Time...Keep Moving Forward!!!
