Disney Once Again
I so wanted to add to this page but was unable due to the fact that I could not remember my username and password, LOL. But here I am, again!!
When I collected my "Donald" medal in 2006 (the medal for the 1/2 marathon in Disney) Chuck said, "I'm doing that with you next year." Fortuitous timing: The email letting me know that the race was open for registration came as Chuck was on the treadmill. He was in no position to say no. I signed us up right away. (Sneaky, sneaky wife).
The days, then weeks, then months clicked on, and Chuck had put forth no time for training (in his defense, it was the holidays, and he has a job that requires his concentration as the year comes to an end). We attempted to "sell" his entry, and when it was apparent it was not a hot commodity, we took to training. That is, we ran 4 miles in the morning and 5 miles in the evening exactly 2 days before the race. Yikes.
Happily, his parents accompanied us to the Happiest Place on Earth, and we settled in at one of our favorite moderate resorts. Chuck was nervous - I was not. I knew there were medical tents along the way ready and willing to take him on if need be. Our experience at Port Orleans was marred when we learned that they had shut down the food court for renovations!! We were led to believe an expensive buffet was our only option for food (save the pizza delivery they offer). FURIOUS, we went to the sister-hotel's food court, along with everyone else in both resorts (read: EXTENSIVE lines). We learned the next day that there were "reach-in" coolers with food available at our own resort - something that was not relayed to us when we stood toe-to-toe with a "manager" who tried hard - really hard - to sell us on a $13/head mediocre buffet meal. We can't help but wonder whose big idea it was to limit nourishment to a hotel full of athletes the weekend of a marathon. Or why we weren't alerted to this fact at check in. Our complaints to "management" were met with glassy-eyed, feined interest. We were really disappointed in Disney's handling of this matter and I know I heard more than one family say that they would never again stay on property.
(I use the word "manager" in quotations as it became obvious to us that "management" at Disney are bestowed with no more power to make things right than any other employee of the empire. )
Onward - we rose in the dark and tiptoed out of our room to the hotel lobby. There we grabbed a $1.29 banana (yeah, that's per ONE banana) and a coffee. We opted to drive over to the EPCOT parking lot. As in years prior, I joined the throng of people moving toward the corrals. This time was special, though, as I had my very best friend alongside me. This year, Disney opted to have the start occur in waves, as determined by your entry, not your projected time. We were in wave B. This is a great idea in theory; the problem is that it does not take into account a runner's ability. Thereby, the walkers were grouped with skilled runners, who were grouped with everyone in between. A course of Disney's (lack of) width should not start like this - I'd imagine it could potentially be dangerous for all. Regardless, we emerged unscathed, after a multi-part "shotgun" start (each wave got its own set of fireworks - very cool).
Chuck and I ran quietly beside each other. He was not interested in chatting and I respected that. His purpose was to finish - and mine was to offer support. There were times when I told him to remove his headphones and enjoy the ride. As we rounded the corner to Main St., I said, "Take your headphones off - this is what it's all about!!!" We saw our family almost immediately after the entrance into the Magic Kingdom but Chuck did not want to linger, so we kept moving through the familiar parts of the park and into new areas he'd never seen - behind Splash Mountain where floats stood idle and log-flume boats were stacked up against the fiberglass wall of the backside of the ride.
The race went quick - for me - and I did as I promised and kept pace with Chuck, prancing like a horse in view of the stable only at the 5k-to-go mark (which is when I generally get my "kick"). That was the only time I pushed him when he really was not able to be pushed, as he feared, but he gave me enough hairy eyeballs to keep me only prancing (literally) beside him and not bolting beyond him. Every now and again I'd run ahead and then turn back to stay with him and that seemed to assuage my need-for-speed instinct well enough. When we hit the finish line I cried and he looked stunned. I guided him through the finish line procedures - getting the chip cut off your shoe, getting wrapped in mylar to regulate your body temp and yes - leaning down to have your medal put on you (it's like the Olympics, 'cept the podium's pretty crowded).
Friday on the way to Orlando Chuck told me I should consider doing the Goofy Challenge next year which is the 1/2 on Sat and the full on Sunday. I said, "Oh hell no, I'm never doing the Disney marathon again!" I said that again on Friday afternoon at the Expo. This morning, I stood in the lobby of the hotel waiting for Gregory to pick out a pin and watched the athletes come in with their Mickey (full) medals and thought, "Phooey. I want one of those again!" When Chuck met up with us he said, "You feel FINE today - you could do that next year, easily!" and I agreed. So next year I am doing the Goofy Challenge. (I'm signing up tomorrow before I lose my resolve). The kids are excited! We are going to stay at the Polynesian and Chuck's going to do the 1/2 again which will help me keep my pace down a bit so I am ready for the full the following day. Chuck's parents are in, too - they had a blast.
When I collected my "Donald" medal in 2006 (the medal for the 1/2 marathon in Disney) Chuck said, "I'm doing that with you next year." Fortuitous timing: The email letting me know that the race was open for registration came as Chuck was on the treadmill. He was in no position to say no. I signed us up right away. (Sneaky, sneaky wife).
The days, then weeks, then months clicked on, and Chuck had put forth no time for training (in his defense, it was the holidays, and he has a job that requires his concentration as the year comes to an end). We attempted to "sell" his entry, and when it was apparent it was not a hot commodity, we took to training. That is, we ran 4 miles in the morning and 5 miles in the evening exactly 2 days before the race. Yikes.
Happily, his parents accompanied us to the Happiest Place on Earth, and we settled in at one of our favorite moderate resorts. Chuck was nervous - I was not. I knew there were medical tents along the way ready and willing to take him on if need be. Our experience at Port Orleans was marred when we learned that they had shut down the food court for renovations!! We were led to believe an expensive buffet was our only option for food (save the pizza delivery they offer). FURIOUS, we went to the sister-hotel's food court, along with everyone else in both resorts (read: EXTENSIVE lines). We learned the next day that there were "reach-in" coolers with food available at our own resort - something that was not relayed to us when we stood toe-to-toe with a "manager" who tried hard - really hard - to sell us on a $13/head mediocre buffet meal. We can't help but wonder whose big idea it was to limit nourishment to a hotel full of athletes the weekend of a marathon. Or why we weren't alerted to this fact at check in. Our complaints to "management" were met with glassy-eyed, feined interest. We were really disappointed in Disney's handling of this matter and I know I heard more than one family say that they would never again stay on property.
(I use the word "manager" in quotations as it became obvious to us that "management" at Disney are bestowed with no more power to make things right than any other employee of the empire. )
Onward - we rose in the dark and tiptoed out of our room to the hotel lobby. There we grabbed a $1.29 banana (yeah, that's per ONE banana) and a coffee. We opted to drive over to the EPCOT parking lot. As in years prior, I joined the throng of people moving toward the corrals. This time was special, though, as I had my very best friend alongside me. This year, Disney opted to have the start occur in waves, as determined by your entry, not your projected time. We were in wave B. This is a great idea in theory; the problem is that it does not take into account a runner's ability. Thereby, the walkers were grouped with skilled runners, who were grouped with everyone in between. A course of Disney's (lack of) width should not start like this - I'd imagine it could potentially be dangerous for all. Regardless, we emerged unscathed, after a multi-part "shotgun" start (each wave got its own set of fireworks - very cool).
Chuck and I ran quietly beside each other. He was not interested in chatting and I respected that. His purpose was to finish - and mine was to offer support. There were times when I told him to remove his headphones and enjoy the ride. As we rounded the corner to Main St., I said, "Take your headphones off - this is what it's all about!!!" We saw our family almost immediately after the entrance into the Magic Kingdom but Chuck did not want to linger, so we kept moving through the familiar parts of the park and into new areas he'd never seen - behind Splash Mountain where floats stood idle and log-flume boats were stacked up against the fiberglass wall of the backside of the ride.
The race went quick - for me - and I did as I promised and kept pace with Chuck, prancing like a horse in view of the stable only at the 5k-to-go mark (which is when I generally get my "kick"). That was the only time I pushed him when he really was not able to be pushed, as he feared, but he gave me enough hairy eyeballs to keep me only prancing (literally) beside him and not bolting beyond him. Every now and again I'd run ahead and then turn back to stay with him and that seemed to assuage my need-for-speed instinct well enough. When we hit the finish line I cried and he looked stunned. I guided him through the finish line procedures - getting the chip cut off your shoe, getting wrapped in mylar to regulate your body temp and yes - leaning down to have your medal put on you (it's like the Olympics, 'cept the podium's pretty crowded).
Friday on the way to Orlando Chuck told me I should consider doing the Goofy Challenge next year which is the 1/2 on Sat and the full on Sunday. I said, "Oh hell no, I'm never doing the Disney marathon again!" I said that again on Friday afternoon at the Expo. This morning, I stood in the lobby of the hotel waiting for Gregory to pick out a pin and watched the athletes come in with their Mickey (full) medals and thought, "Phooey. I want one of those again!" When Chuck met up with us he said, "You feel FINE today - you could do that next year, easily!" and I agreed. So next year I am doing the Goofy Challenge. (I'm signing up tomorrow before I lose my resolve). The kids are excited! We are going to stay at the Polynesian and Chuck's going to do the 1/2 again which will help me keep my pace down a bit so I am ready for the full the following day. Chuck's parents are in, too - they had a blast.
posted by Sarah Kathryn at 4/08/2007 03:16:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home