Tinkerbell Half Marathon, Part 2

A few months ago I began to tell the tale of the Tinkerbell Half Marathon, but clearly become distracted...

Danny and I went back to our hotel after the Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour and relaxed in the hotel for most of the evening. We did go out to dinner with two of Danny’s cousins which was very fun and a nice distraction from worrying about how the race would go the next day.

We woke up early (for us), got ready, and went outside to catch the race shuttle. Being on the shuttle was nice because we were able to scope out some of the other race outfits and start getting mentally ready. The shuttle dropped us off where the Disney busses normally drop folks off for a day at the park, but the race start area was all the way over by Paradise Pier Hotel so despite catching a shuttle we still had a bit of walking to do. The pre-race area was hopping with music, bag checks, and people warming up. We didn’t linger in this area long, but did manage to stop and take a few pictures of people with great costumes!

We then proceeded to the corrals. We hung out in this area wearing our trash bags to stay warm since it was still pretty early in the morning. Before we knew it the race was beginning and we made our way onto the streets on Anaheim. Running up a highway on-ramp was not very fun but I am happy we did it at the beginning of the race and not near the end. Eventually we ran into Disney California Adventure where Danny and I both took advantage of the bathrooms near the Carthay Circle Theater. Next came Disneyland and it was pretty magical to run up Main Street towards the castle! The sun had just started to rise at this point and just in time to go back stage. The backstage area housed the Disneyland Trains, some parade vehicles, and even a few extra parts to classic attractions. It was both disturbing and fascinating to see a hallowed out elephant body from the Jungle Cruise just hanging out. Danny tried to take a few pictures back here but we were in a good running groove – also a cast member was standing there. Oh well! The grounds crew for Disneyland was out in full force and had hung a banner encouraging the runners and cheering us on. This was yet another example of the pixie dust that Disney is known for! After exiting backstage it was time to refuel with Clif Blocks and get a few pictures. First we met Clarabelle Cow in Toon Town then we met the Lost Boys in Fantasyland.

 

After leaving Disneyland we proceeded to run around the city. This was not very enjoyable to me. There was nothing very noteworthy about this portion of the race. I did appreciate the local high school cheer/dance teams and bands but there were many long stretches of houses and businesses that were pretty boring. At Mile 8 I told Danny that I will finish this race and also do the Wine & Dine Half so that we could earn our Coast to Coast medals, but after that I didn’t want to do races greater than a 10k. This was just a little too long for my liking. Maybe if I trained and was able to run more (aka finish sooner) I wouldn’t have been so bored, but the reality is that I am not very fast and don’t think I have the patience to become faster. I like being able to complete my goals and it doesn’t matter how long it takes.

 

Getting back to the parks was the home stretch and we went back into Disney California Adventure where we ran past the Pixar Play Parade, World of Color Fountains, and then out to Downtown Disney. There was a little winding through parking lot action right before the finish line and I was happy to see the end approaching. As Danny and I crossed the finish line I held back a few tears of joy. I couldn’t believe that we did it! Having the medal placed around my neck felt great!

 

We finished the morning with Disney snack boxes, stretching, and end of the race pictures. The snack boxes came with cute little Peter Pan tote bags that Danny and I both use for lunch sacks from time to time. Walking back to our hotel on Katella was by far the worst part. After the adrenaline wore off I was pretty beat and even had to stop and sit down for minute to rub my feet. We also had to go through the park back check area which just seemed cruel to have to wait in line after running 13.1 miles! We both took a quick ice bath and nap after the race and then went to the parks for the rest of the day. The one thing I will never race without is Tiger Balm. Just a little over all our sore joints and muscles and we were mobile again. Our reward for finishing was lunch at the Carthay Circle! It was delicious as always but they did take my beloved pulled pork off the menu, boo!

My goals for the race were to not get picked up by the sweepers and to finish the race. I am proud to say that I was able to do both! Our time was not amazing, being just over three hours, but I feel it was very respectable for our first half marathon, especially since we didn’t train for it. One of my big worries was blisters and chaffing and I was pleased to not have an issue with either. I was really able to listen to my body and not hurt myself in a major or minor way.

 

If you are thinking to yourself – can I do a half marathon? The answer is yes. If you are worried, Disney is the perfect, encouraging environment to do it in, too! We will see how the Wine and Dine goes and if I really will give up half marathons or not. It has been cool to see Disney adding so many 10k races to the race schedule because I feel that is the right distance for me but Danny can do halfs if he wants to and we still get a Disney vacation out of it!

Wine & Dine Half Marathon Recap

Michael with his Wine & Dine award

The following post comes to you from our friend Michael K., the 6^th place finisher of the 2012 Wine & Dine Half Marathon! Micheal is an avid runner but new to Disney and we knew he would have a great perspective for those looking to get more serious about their running (for the casual runDisneyer) and those who are already serious but skeptical about running with the Mouse.

Wow! Although it's well over a month since I raced the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon, I still find myself constantly thinking about that race. The runDisney group did an awesome job with this race, although when I first registered I had my doubts.My previous experience with "for profit" race management groups had not been positive as I had found the course support, attention to detail and even Finish Line to be lacking at best, I shouldn't have doubted that runDisney would follow suit with the rest of the Disney brand and put on an amazing race and experience.

There's something completely different and magical about racing during the night, being under the stars and having the quiet of the world around you makes you forget pain and just let your body do the running. I've run a few other half marathons (both as their own training cycle and as part of a larger marathon training cycle), but this was my first night half marathon. Having a race that starts at 10pm definitely does a flip to your entire pre-race schedule when you're more accustomed to racing in the early morning hours, as such I lost a day out and about in the parks, but I felt that was a necessary sacrifice to make in order to be able to run my best that night. Luckily I have great friends and a great "dude" who understood that for me this race was important and allowed me that day indoors and more importantly, off of my legs. I feel that this was a major help to my being successful and calming my nerves over a night race as I was able to simulate as much as possible the 15 hours pre race.

Mickey & Minnie waiting for the runners!
Just a sign of how much fun runDisney can be!

Boarding the bus at the hotel to head to the start line I had my usual nerves; stomach cramping, shaking, upset stomach, incredibly thirsty (good everything is going all right, it's going to be a good race), and so I did what I always do, put in my iDevice with my pre-race playlist, but as I pressed play I noticed something different, the bus was LOUD, like I had to turn up the volume on the playlist LOUD, so naturally I pressed pause and listened. People were joking and laughing and in general having, not something I accustomed to on a bus to a half marathon, usually you can hear a pin drop as people are mentally preparing themselves for the challenge ahead, but on this bus, it felt more like a school field trip. I actually engaged in a conversation with the women that I had sat by (all of whom were dressed as fairies with tutus and enough glitter to make one of my current swimmers jealous) and forgot about the fact that in 2.5 hours I was about to race 13.1 miles. Arriving at ESPN Wide World of Sports I put my iDevice back on play and went to rest and hydrate in the final hour before bag check in at 9pm. This was another thing I was having issues controlling, I am accustomed to being able to have my bag with my racing flats, warm clothes etc until 15 min pre race, in this race I had to let go of all of it prior to even beginning my warm up.



From 8-9 we were in an athlete's village of sorts with water, vendors selling gatorade and food and music, so maybe a better description would be an athlete's PARTY. I'm not kidding, again, there was a shock moment as people were up dancing to the Cupid Shuffle and Gangham Style and any other hit that had a dance that you can think of. Additionally, instead of usual runner garb, I saw at least 10 different "Snow White's" running around (pun not intended). I found myself wishing I had dressed up and may work on something race appropriate for next year. In essence I was warming up and getting race ready in the middle of a HUGE party, it was a different experience and making the decision to take it in and enjoy it was one of the best that I think I could have made.

  



Michael just about to cross the finish line
... yes, he was running that fast!

Once the gun started all was back to normal, I clicked my watch and off I ran, the miles clicking off like you can only expect when the race is good and you're feeling good....oh and the magic of Disney and a night race. The course is truly spectacular, running through Animal Kingdom, then out on the main road where you passed all of the other runners who were still going to Animal Kingdom, up in to Hollywood Studios by the 'Mickey Hat' in the middle, through the back to Pixar, up New York Avenue all lit up with 'The Osbourne's Christmas Lights' and then by the Tower of Terror. Next we ran through the back lot and hit Mile 10 where they took video and continued to Epcot along a boardwalk, coming through the back entrance around Spaceship Earth (my favorite ride in Epcot) and finishing just outside after running through what felt like a recreation of Jennifer Lopez's 'Waiting for Tonight' music video. Along the way there were people cheering everyone! It was AWESOME!!





Look at that sweet swag! The MountainEars are so proud to have a friend like Michael who will not only endure our love (obsession?) for Disney but can do it and still place in the top ten! He is such an inspiration to us as we take on the Tinkerbell Half in 30 days!

We can't wait to join Michael in the Wine & Dine half next year! Who's with us?

runDisney – Expedition Everest Challenge and Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K

Jaime and I are getting ready to run our second ever runDisney race this Saturday November 10, 2012.  This will not be the headline race (the Wine and Dine ½ Marathon) but the family fun run 5K – Mickey’s Jingle Jungle 5K.  Our first ever runDisney event was the Expedition Everest Challenge in 2012.  It’s the only 5K headline event sponsored by runDisney.  With that said, this blog post will focus on what we are expecting and what our past race was like.

runDisney sponsors many ½ Marathon and Marathon events at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.  All events, except for the Expedition Everest Challenge and Tower of Terror 10 Miler, are at the minimum ½ marathon events.  All ½ Marathon and Marathon events include a family fun run, which includes a 5K and kids runs.  These events are meant to target people who want to participate in the event weekend itself, but whom aren’t ready to dive into a minimum 13 mile run.  I also like to think they are there to get people excited about fitness and wellness, but yet again, not be intimidated by a minimum 13 mile run. 

Our first race was the Expedition Everest Challenge and this was a blast!  So many people were there in the most creative and elaborate costumes EVER seen.  Yes costumes.  runDisney is, I’m pretty sure, the only race where you can dress in a full body suite and be complimented for it.  People dress up like classic Disney characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Disney Princesses like Aurora and Ariel or even Disney quirks such as Yeti A and B mode (if you are a Disney’s Animal Kingdom fan you’ll get this), Earl from Up and Figment.  The people there are a huge perk. Also you get to see characters and take pictures with them during the run if you want, how fun!

The course itself was both good and bad.  The first mile of our 5K was completed in the parking lot, which is both intimidating and exciting all at once.  If felt like we were running in the parking lot forever. Once you entered the park the raceway became very narrow. With nearly 5,000 people on the run there was a huge mix of people who were taking the race very seriously and those just there for a fun challenge. What made this race unique though are the obstacles that must be completed. It was a fun change of pace to stop and run through tires or hop over hale bales but at the same time it slowed down the overall pace of the race. In addition to the obstacles, once the race portion was over came the scavenger hunt that was also factored into your overall time. We were not anticipating how confusing this would be, but luckily Jaime is good at puzzles!  There were a lot of people so if you are not ready for running in huge crowds a runDisney event may not be for you. The Expedition Everest race is one of the smaller runDisney events compared to something like the WDW Marathon that hosts over 20,000 people.

For the Expedition Everest Challenge all participants received real medals and post race party tickets with their registration fee, in addition to the standard race shirts and refreshments. Some may feel that the entry fee (around $100) was too expensive for a 5K race but we didn’t mind since the post race party was like an extra day in the park. The party went from the time you finished the race and scavenger hunt until 3am. Many rides were open including the Primevil Whirl, Dinosaur and of course, Expedition Everest! Some snack carts and beverage stations were also open. A fun quirk about the medals is that they are a compass, which embodies the expedition theme. One thing to note, however, is that the face of the compass is incorrect with some of the directions in the wrong places. Nonetheless, they are pretty great and it was cool to see all the proud finishers wearing their medal around the parks!

Overall the race was neat because we got to run through a park that is rarely open past sundown. The participants seem to take the event seriously but not so much so that if you are stuck on a clue during the scavenger hunt they wouldn’t help you. We were warned before the race began and again around mile 2 to be very quiet for a certain stretch of the race as we were running in a backstage area near were some of the animals sleep overnight. How cool is that?! The post race party was tons of fun, but since only some of the rides were open we did experience some long lines. Riding the signature attraction of the Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest, in the dark was an unforgettable experience that we partook in several times that night.

 

We look forward to this next race, the Jingle Jungle 5K, because it will be an early morning run through the Animal Kingdom. From the look of the map it seems that the race route has been changed, which is exciting. Maybe we will have less running through a paring lot and more through the park itself?

Disneyland Post-Trip Wrap-Up 8.2012

It is a little hard to believe that it has been over a month since Danny and I were in Anaheim, California basking in the glory that is Walt’s Dream! We had such an amazing time and I can’t wait to be back in January. As you have seen, this is a very special place for us and it has been made that much more special for us this past trip. For a full run down on the pixie dust please see the previous post.

To bide our time until our next trip (51 days until we hit Orlando, but who’s counting?!) I hope to get back into the swing of blogging with some Disneyland dining reviews and a countdown. Who doesn’t love food and countdowns? Maybe if you are lucky Danny and I will be able to some sweet reflective posts of past trips, too!

Back to the wrap-up…

One of the most wonderful things about the Disney parks is that there is always something new to discover or experience. This trip was no exception and we were able to try new foods, new attractions, and even see a new land. To be completely honest there was not a single thing that disappointed us, unless you count Southern California road construction.

Some highlights of the trip include:

·         Riding the newly refreshed Matterhorn in Disneyland

o   Excellent as always but I am bummed about the new bobsleds. Maybe if a little extra padding was added to the seats I would have enjoyed it more. When there is another person in your sled to help absorb the shock you don’t notice how bumpy the track is… but now I do.

·         Seeing all of Radiator Spring

o   This was incredible! It is simply breathtaking to walk into and out of Southern California, out of California Adventure and into this wonderful world created by Pixar. From the shops to the food to the rides everything was on point. Do not miss this wonderful new land!

·         Eating at the Carthay Circle

o   I am drooling thinking about all the yummy food. You will have to wait and see a full review, but hint: it starts with Siaracha Duck Wings!

·         Animation Academy

o   Neither Danny or I had ever experience this attraction at the World or Land and man, we have been missing out! What I thought would be a waste of 25 minutes I could be riding a ride turned out to be a wonderful experience that even comes with a free souvenir! We ended up visiting this several times and drew Minnie Mouse, the Cheshire Cat, Goofy, and Oswald!

We also had the pleasure to eat many corndogs – not a single one got a picture taken despite our best effort to photo document everything we were eating. They were TOO GOOD to waste precious time taking a picture. Many people thing there is something magical about the popcorn at Disney and I do not disagree but … you will never get a better corndog than at Disney!

Overall it was a great time - even the weather was perfect!