We decided to wait in the super long lines for the bathroom one last time before heading to the corrals. Apparently this was a bad idea, as we wound up having to jog all the way to our corral and made it with probably two minutes to spare before they started releasing the corrals. We both submitted proof of time with runDisney so we would be seeded in better corrals. Joe was placed in C and I was in D, so he dropped back with me so we could run together. This is one huge tip for these races, if you do nothing else, PLEASE submit a proof of time!
Each corral was released with an incantation from the Fairy Godmother and a burst of fireworks and before we knew it, it was our turn! It took a while for us to get into a comfortable pace and our first few miles were super inconsistent due to another bathroom break and attempting to stop for mile marker photos (FYI, they do not turn out well with an iPhone). I had been having IT band issues for two weeks before this race and I was so worried that it was going to flare up again, but I figured I would just start out conservatively and see how things went.
Things were going so much better than expected as we ran through the Magic Kingdom sign and onto the best miles of the race... Miles 4, 5, and 6 bring you into, through, and out of Magic Kingdom and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't one of the coolest experiences of my life. Joe knows because I kept turning to him and saying, "This is so cool! This is SOOOO cool!"
Running down Main Street USA is like a dream come true and it's over before you know it. But don't worry, because you still get to cruise around Tomorrowland before making your way through Cinderella Castle and onto Frontierland. And can we just take a second to appreciate how insanely perfect this castle photo is?! I have had maybe two decent race photos in the dozen races I've done in the past three years, so this is some serious Disney magic!
It was so bittersweet to see Epcot and know that the end was near. On one hand (foot?), my legs were spent and I wanted nothing more than to stop running. But on the other, I didn't want this experience to end. I had dreamed about running this race for three years and it felt like it was over in the blink of an eye.
We crossed the finish line together, hand in hook, with an official time of 2:24:01. The announcers actually called us in by name as we came to the line, which was just sweet icing on an already perfect cake. A volunteer asked if I wanted to be pixie dusted (uh, yes please!) and we continued on down the pathway to receive our medals. After experiencing the madness that was the Broad Street post-run area, we were both incredibly impressed with how organized this was. We each were also handed a mylar blanket, purple drawstring bag, water, and snack box.
I originally had planned on hanging out a little bit after the race, but it was so crowded and I just really wanted to take a shower, so we hopped on the waiting buses and headed back to All Star Sports. Plus, I was dying to get to Epcot!
We relaxed a little in the room after showering and made our way to Epcot just after 10am. I specifically planned Epcot for the day of the half, knowing full well how much walking it was going to be, because it was also going to be the best for eating (and drinking)! We started out with Via Napoli for lunch and ice cream at Beaches 'n Cream a few hours later. The pizza at Via Napoli was fantastic and the arancini is probably my new favorite appetizer anywhere. We really enjoyed walking to Beaches 'n Cream and exploring the Beach and Yacht Club resorts; we also really enjoyed the No Way José sundae!
After ice cream, I was feeling too sober, so we beelined for Germany where I had the Schofferhofer pink grapefruit beer. I generally don't prefer beer, but this one was perfectly light and fruity with only the slightest "beer" aftertaste. We explored the World Showcase as I enjoyed my beer and eventually made our way back into Future World to check out the Seas and the Land. At some point, we did ride Test Track and Spaceship Earth, but I'm forgetting now where they fit in during the day. Dinner brought us back to World Showcase at La Hacienda de San Angel and what a dinner it was. I've become a margarita freak over the past few years and those margaritas will be hard to top! Joe and I both had shrimp tacos and more chips and salsa than I care to admit, so we were both completely stuffed by the time we got up to leave. We made a stop back at Germany to visit the caramel shop for dessert, which actually wound up being breakfast the new morning (mmmm, caramel s'mores at 8am!), and very slowly made our way out of the park, savoring our last moments of Walt Disney World before embarking on our first cruise the next day.
People always seem to be looking for information on this race, so if I can leave you with a few tips, they would be:
- Don't underestimate 13.1! Do your training and your body will thank you.
- Submit a proof of time! This gives you a better corral placement and more time for fun and photos on the course.
- Definitely plan on spending time in the parks after the race and wear your medal(s)!! We got so much acknowledgement from cast members and other visitors and it made us feel awesome. Plus, some light walking after the race will help you feel better the next day. I say this as if we did "light walking;" we put a total of 28.6 miles on our legs on Sunday!
