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I am fresh off Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, and I still cannot believe I completed my first Dopey Challenge, let alone, my very first marathon. If you had asked me whether I would do it again as I was sitting in the reunion area of the parking lot, I would have said no way! However, now that I have had time to rest my body, and sneak in a nap, I am itching to sign up for another race.
What is the Dopey Challenge?
For those unfamiliar with runDisney, the Dopey Challenge is a multi-race challenge during the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, normally occurring in early January. To complete the Dopey Challenge, you must finish the 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2 miles), Half Marathon (13.1 miles), and Marathon (26.2 miles). That is a total of 48.6 miles over 4 days! As a Dopey Challenge Finisher, you will not only receive a finisher medal for each of the four races but also two challenge medals, one for the Dopey Challenge and one for Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge. Since the Goofy Challenge requires runners to complete both the Half Marathon and Marathon, Dopey Participants are automatically eligible for this medal without any extra registration.
The Dopey Challenge cost me $672 for the 2024 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. This cost covers the bib for all four races, the six participant shirts, and the six finisher medals. When you sign up for the Dopey Challenge, you are automatically registered for all four races.
To secure a bib for the Dopey Challenge, you will register on the runDisney website. These registrations happen far in advance of the actual race weekend and can sometimes be a stressful process. For the 2024 Walt Disney World Marathon events, registrations became available to the general public on April 11th, 2023. I detail the process for signing up for a runDisney race which you can read here.
My First Dopey Challenge
I have a history with road races and wanted to use the Dopey Challenge as a goal to get back into running regularly (and maybe another excuse to go to Disney). Before registering for the Dopey Challenge, the farthest I had ever gone was a half marathon. My first runDisney event, and my first half marathon, was the Princess Half during the 2018 Princess Half Marathon Weekend so I had some experience with what a race weekend typically looks like. Completing the Dopey Challenge required persistence, training, and mental stamina. For training, I loosely followed the plan available on the runDisney website and altered it to fit my busy schedule or other races I signed up for. I will say going into Dopey, I was undertrained, 100% I will admit that. From balancing a full-time job and pursuing a master's degree, sticking to the plan became hard. Of course, I also went into the Princess Half undertrained, learned from it, and finished my second half marathon in record time so each race is just a learning experience.
runDisney Health & Fitness Expo
The runDisney Health & Fitness Expo is every runner's one-stop shop for a successful race day. Participants must attend the runDisney Expo at least one day before their first event to pick up their race bib, participant shirts, and any pre-purchased merchandise. Since my first event was on Thursday, we headed over to the ESPN Wide World of Sports to explore the Expo on Wednesday and pick up my bibs.
The Expo is divided into three sections: bib pickup, vendor expo, and official event weekend merchandise. Due to the popularity of the merchandise, runDisney has implemented a Virtual Queue on the first day of the Expo. Guests can join the virtual queue anywhere on Walt Disney World property, so we decided to rope drop Animal Kingdom before the Expo officially opened at 10:00 am. Parking is free, and they also have complimentary shuttles going back and forth between the resorts.
The first day of the Expo, especially in the morning, is always busy, busy. If you are not looking to purchase official merchandise, I recommend visiting later in the evening or on the second day if possible. We got there a little after opening, and let me tell you, it was packed! Honestly, I don't think runDisney was expecting the influx of people as the line to get into the Field House for bib pick-up looped several times outside and then snaked inside the Field House with another room taped up to create even more switchbacks. Madness, I say! After filing through the line for about 30 minutes, I made it to the floor. The stations are organized by event and then by a range of bib numbers. To pick up my bibs, I had to provide my bib number and a valid I.D. For the Dopey Challenge, I received two bibs, one for the 5K/10K and one for the Half Marathon/Marathon. In the top corner of the bib was a letter that corresponded to my corral placement. Before exiting, they had these fun backdrops with PhotoPass photographers. As an Annual Passholder, I already purchased the memory maker for the length of my pass, but I highly recommend getting the memory maker for your stay as PhotoPass does a great job capturing all the action shots and magical moments along the course.
Next, they led us back outside to walk around the field behind the building and into another structure where the actual expo was being held as well as the pick-up for the participant shirts included with your race registration. We did not spend too much time in this portion of the Expo because our Virtual Queue had already been called and to be honest the crowds were overwhelming. I made my way to the back of the expo and picked up my shirts, six in total, as well as the clear runDisney drawstring bag (aka gEAR Bag) which is the only bag they will accept for bag check at the races.
We exited and headed for the Advent Health Arena near the entrance which housed the official merchandise. Scanning our virtual queue, we walked inside and were greeted with plenty of race-themed decor and props. Although the Virtual Queue is meant to streamline the wait, there was still a small line to get into the merch area. Once inside, it was an absolute bloodbath. The merchandise was cute, but expensive, and definitely not worth the stress. runDisney also gives an option to pre-order select items so that is another option to bypass the chaos. Before I even got there, most of the popular items like replica medal pins and the Dopey Challenge race jackets were sold out. The energy in the room felt tense. Luckily the few items I wanted, a magnet and a general race jacket, were available and in my size. I also ended up purchasing two other graphic tees.
Aside from merchandise, they also had several characters out for meet and greets. I was able to meet Mickey and Minnie as well as Chip and Dale. Again, there were PhotoPass photographers available. Traditionally, the characters or their costumes vary over the different days the expo is held. Shortly after, I took some photos with the giant distance numbers, and then we headed back to our car. To be honest, the expo drained all of us. There was a line for everything, and it felt uncomfortably packed. I plan on approaching the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo for Wine and Dine Weekend much differently so I will report back on how that goes and whether it improved the whole expo experience.
Walt Disney World 5K
Thursday morning started with a 2:30 am wake-up call and a pair of fairy wings. One thing runDisney is notorious for is the early start times. All the races teed off at 5:00 am, but I needed time to take the bus, get through security, and make my way to the corrals. For the 5K, I decided to put together a Tinkerbell-inspired running costume. If you want to learn more about where I got the pieces for my race costumes, you can check out this blog post. What I love about runDisney is how everyone gets into it and comes up with some really cool ideas for costumes. Of course, you can wear anything you want, for the marathon I went casual with tried-and-true pieces I knew I would be comfortable in. The weather also played a part in what I wore that weekend.
For this race weekend, the start line was the same and located in the EPCOT parking lot. The complimentary transportation from the resort hotels began running at 3:00 am. There are a couple of advantages to arriving early, first, they have a fair amount of pre-race entertainment including character ops, and second, you will get a better spot in the corral. The closer you are to the beginning of the corral, the quicker you will start and the greater the buffer between you and the balloon ladies. For race weekend, we stayed in a 1-Bedroom Villa at the Beach Club Resort. The buses for the races ran a loop between the Yacht and Beach Club and the Boardwalk Inn before dropping runners off at the Start/Finish in the EPCOT parking lot.
The buses were privately chartered. As a result, there can be hiccups such as, let's say, the driver missing the turn-off for EPCOT and having to loop around. Oops. This is another reason to get to the races early in case hiccups like these happen. The buses dropped us off where the resort busses normally drop Guests off during park hours. From there we walked across the front entrance, first through security, and then towards the Rocket section of the parking lot where everything was set up. Be prepared for lots of extra walking outside of the distances you signed up for. While heading over to the reunion area, I struck up a conversation with a guy from England and we chatted a bit. What I love about the runDisney community is how friendly everyone is. As a solo runner, I was nervous that the majority of the weekend would feel lonely, especially while waiting in line for characters or in the corrals. This could not be far from what I experienced. Throughout the weekend, I had many memorable conversations with runners of all different experience levels.
As I rounded the corner, I passed a couple of food trucks where runners could purchase coffee, the medical tent, and gEAR check-in. The space then opened up to a reunion area for runners to mingle including a stage with a DJ hyping the crowds as well as four characters with backdrops. The theme for this weekend was "Running through the Decades" to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company. Each event centered around a chunk of decades, starting with the 1920s to the 1940s for the 5K. Since I had plenty of time to kill before the corrals opened, I hopped in line to meet Clarice, the love interest of Chip and Dale. Other characters included Pluto, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, The Ugly Duckling, and Clara Cluck. There were Photopass Photographers and character attendants taking photos. The photos are tracked by your bib number, so you won't need to scan a ticket or MagicBand after taking the photo.
After waiting in line for Clarice I spotted the founder and owner of my favorite luxury athletic brand, Crowned Athletics, with athletic sets inspired by Disney Princesses and Heroines. Kirsten started the company herself and designed all the items found on the website. Most of the pieces I wore that weekend, including the athletic top I wore that morning, are from Crowned Athletics! Honestly, I was a little starstruck. I had so much fun chatting with her, and she even had collectible Crowned Athletics stickers to hand out.
I was antsy to get a spot towards the front of my corral, so once they opened up, I headed in that direction. For both the 5K and 10K, I was placed in Corral B. As you enter the corrals, cast members check your bib and corral placement so make sure to have your bib visible. Then it was time to wait. I would say I spent about 40ish minutes in the corrals before the race got started. Honestly, being herded into corrals and standing there for what feels like ages is the worst part of the experience. To prevent traffic jams and stampedes, runDisney releases the corrals in waves, so it is best to try to be in the front half of the corral, so you get to tee off sooner.
3...2...1...GO! It was finally my time to cross the start line, and I was off heading around the parking lot before entering World Showcase via the backstage entrance adjacent to Test Track. As I pushed forward, I passed by signage depicting the beloved films and shorts from the 1920s to the 40s. The only character I came across in the first mile was Mickey Mouse. My light-up fairy wings bounced with joy behind me rounding the corner into World Showcase through the Mexican Pavilion, the correct way to start World Showcase.
Since it was still well before dawn, Disney had the World Showcase lit up including the giant torches to illuminate the racecourse. It was surreal to be in EPCOT well before opening, admiring the twinkles of lights strewn across the pavilions. Running around World Showcase is a memory I will forever hold onto. Approaching the Germany Pavilion, Snow White and Prince Florian were meeting together. Of course, I had to stop for one of my favorite princesses. The line, however, snaked from the wishing well to inside the pavilion. I waited about 20ish minutes, but the important distinction between the 5Ks and other race distances is they do not sweep runners, so I felt comfortable taking my time. Plus, I needed to save my legs for the marathon!
After my brief pause in Germany, I ramped up my pace and began running around the world again. There was a water stop in the American Pavilion, but I elected to keep going as the weather was pretty mild and I normally don't hydrate mid-runs for anything shorter than 4 miles. At this point, I was a little surprised by the lack of characters on the course since I had only spotted two thus far. Either way, running around World Showcase at 5:30 am was relaxing and I enjoyed the lights gleaming off the lagoon. Somewhere between the United Kingdom and Canada, I spotted a line for another character: The Big Bad Wolf! He is rare so I immediately pumped the brakes and jumped in line. The lines for characters move fast, this is not a typical photo op, runners quickly run up to the character, the photographers snap one photo, and it's off you go. The character attendants are also kind enough to snap a quick photo or video with your device. Unfortunately, Photopass could not locate my photo with Mr. Wolf, but luckily, I had the attendants take a video of me.
Exiting World Showcase, I hit Mile 2 and was having the time of my life. Goofy was out meeting Guests near World Traders. In addition to the World Showcase being lit, the EPCOT ball was illuminated in gorgeous hues of pink and purple, making her the prettiest girl in town. Running towards the newly opened Celebration Gardens, I stopped for a photo with the EPCOT ball. In addition to character stops and action shots, runDisney had Photopass Photographers stationed at major landmarks. I absolutely loved how my costume turned out with the replica wand and the light-up wings. I truly felt like a little kid dressed up and frolicking around the parks again. The final stretch took us back towards Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and backstage to the left of Test Track. There was one last character stop with Clarabelle Cow and then it was the home stretch. Another signature touch for a runDisney race is the gospel choir stationed right before the final turn.
The sharp and slightly banked corner to the finish line chute made me feel like Lightning McQueen. The Mile 3 marker was a stone's throw from the finish line and I crossed it with a giant smile on my face. I made my way from the finish line to the reunion area where the buses were staged. Along the way, I picked up some goodies. Volunteers handed out Mylar blankets to combat the cold temperatures. This was a godsend as I reused it the next morning in the corrals. Next, the coveted medal. Pluto was the race host for this event and as such, he was featured on the medal. As I kept walking, I was handed a bottle of water and had my pick of different flavors of Powerade. Lastly, volunteers doled out snack boxes with items such as tortilla chips, fruit snacks, and the iconic fake cheese in addition to bananas. With my hands full of goodies, I picked up another runDisney trick: If you are not checking a gEAR bag, fold up a plastic shopping bag and put it somewhere on your person so you can carry all the stuff after the race! Of course, I had to get a finisher photo with my medal, they had plenty of photographers out and cute signs themed to the race.
The characters that were out before the race are also there after the race in case you did not have enough time to wait beforehand or wanted a photo with your medal. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was out again so I got in line to meet him. Alas, like much of this weekend, a sudden wave of rain came out of nowhere and they pulled the characters momentarily. It is standard for Disney to temporarily pause operations and bring characters indoors during wet weather. Tired and hungry I sauntered over to the bus to go back to the Beach Club as the rain and wind picked up.
By the time the wind died down and the rain passed, I had showered and napped, ready to hit the parks and show off my newly acquired bling. Since the Beach Club is conveniently located next to the Skyliner, we took that over to Hollywood Studios. Boy was it busy! The way the calendar worked out this year, the holiday crowds overlapped a little with the race crowds. Since we missed rope drop and were leaving in the early afternoon anyway, we decided to enjoy the vibes and meet tons of characters instead. Hollywood Studios has plenty of opportunities to meet your favorite Pixar and Star Wars Pals with relatively short wait times. I highly recommend snagging pictures with a character and your medal. They all went nuts for the medals which provided a great foundation for a fun and meaningful interaction. Pluto was especially thrilled since he was on the medal of course!
Walt Disney World 10K
I love 10Ks, they are a runner's perfect distance with it being challenging and manageable at the same time. After a successful 5K, I woke up ready to seize the day and conquer the next race. I then threw on my race costume, then a pair of PJ pants, and then a sweatshirt, and lastly a Mylar blanket. Who knew this born-and-bred New Englander was going to be freezing in Florida? That morning was uncharacteristically freezing, and I was grateful they handed out the Mylar the day prior. I went through the same process as yesterday, heading to the bus and arriving at the staging area around 3:15 am.
Today's race took us through the 1950s to the 1960s. For a line-up of pre-race characters, there was Miss Bunny from Bambi, Daisy Duck, Chip and Dale, and Jiminy Cricket. I hopped (HA! get it), into line for Miss Bunny since hers was pretty short. I still had some spare time after, so I visited Daisy Duck as well before heading to the corrals. Again, I was placed in Corral B and ended up being in the third wave.
After reluctantly saying my goodbyes to the extra layers of clothing, the fireworks shot off, and it was time to get moving. Greeted by movie posters from the 50s/60s, I hurried along for about a half mile before stopping dead in my tracks for Friends from Fantasia. Some character spots have two or three characters that switch in and out so if you see the character attendant holding a sign that says "Friends from" that's what that means. The line was already pretty long but was moving. As I approached, Hyacinth Hippo, the hippo in the tutu, switched out with Madame Upanova, the ostrich in ballet shoes, which was so exciting because my sister is terrified of ostriches. However, not even three runners in, she had a wardrobe malfunction and disappeared inside the tent. We all must have waited an extra ten minutes, stressing about whether to bail or not, before she came back out. Unfortunately, I burned a lot of time already, so I made the executive decision to skip stops until I got into EPCOT. This meant I missed Merlin from The Sword in the Stone, The Mad Hatter, Pinocchio, and Thumper.
Once again, I was in EPCOT, except this time it was through the backstage gate adjacent to the Imagination! Pavilion. Nature called, and no I don't mean The Land Pavilion, so I took a pit stop at the bathrooms between the Imagination! and The Land pavilions. If you need to go, I suggest timing it for when you are in the park so you can use the facilities rather than the portable toilets along the course. This option is a lot cleaner, with overhead lighting, fewer people, and a way to wash your hands. After a quick detour, I was back on the course and entering World Showcase through Canada.
Located in the same spot as yesterday between Canada and the United Kingdom, I found a line for Friends from Sleeping Beauty which included Aurora, Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather. It was neat to get a photo with all of them together, plus Aurora was in her winter wear. When the temperatures are on the chillier side, characters will tend to have their "winter wear" or added layers matching their costumes to keep warm.
To meet the 10K threshold, the course extended around the United Kingdom Pavilion and out into the Boardwalk area. Emulating turn-of-the-century Atlantic City, a Coney Island-style boardwalk circles around Crescent Lake, connecting the Yacht & Beach Club, the Swan & Dolphin, and of course the Boardwalk to both EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Conveniently, I ran right by the back of the Beach Club Resort where my family and I were staying for Marathon Weekend, so my parents and sister were able to roll right out of bed once I got close and cheer me on as I passed by before heading back to bed!
Running past the Swan & Dolphin Resorts, another character stop was in front of the Atlantic Dance Hall. Here were friends from The Three Caballeros and Jose Carioca was out for pictures. Of course, I had to stop as this was another character I had never had the chance to meet him before. While waiting in line, I struck up a conversation with another Dopey runner who shared with me the list of characters planned for the half. This was such a blessing as it gave me a better idea of what my approach would be for timing and stops the following day. I rounded out the Boardwalk loop by passing the Boardwalk Inn and waved one more time to my family before heading back into World Showcase.
Waiting just beyond the International Gateway was Peter Pan and Wendy, as well as a mini hill which gave the calves some action. I elected to keep pushing on and began running through World Showcase heading towards Mexico. The vibes were immaculate and now that I was warmed up, the cool weather was welcomed. Of course, I stopped by for another photo with the EPCOT ball before running towards Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. The JaMMitors were out by Mission Space adding an extra layer of entertainment to the course. Much like yesterday, we exited by Test Track and looped around backstage, passed the Gospel Choir, and turned the final corner to the finisher chute.
The hosts of the 10K were Chip and Dale so they were the featured characters on the medal. In the shape of an acorn, the medal was coated in orange hues with the famous chipmunks placed on springs to emulate the motion of them jumping up for a high five. Along with the medal, they handed out more Mylar, Powerade, water, and snack boxes with the coveted fake cheese. Before I hopped back on the bus to the Beach Club, I snagged a picture with Jiminy Cricket.
The remainder of the day we spent at EPCOT while I muddled over the whispers that the Half Marathon might be canceled altogether because of the impending weather system. Again, the parks were pretty packed, so we took the day slow and checked out the attractions we hadn't seen in a while. Pluto was roaming around the Celebration Gardens in the morning and had a lot to say about the two mischievous rodents on my medal. I also stopped for my must-eat snack located in the France pavilion, the Croque de Glace. This is a choice of ice cream and sauce pressed into a warm brioche bun. Then the news hit around 5 pm. The Half Marathon would start 15 minutes earlier and shorten to 7.1 miles. Was I devastated? 1000%. The Dopey Challenge is 48.6 miles and I felt like I was not doing the full thing with a shortened half. I winced at the idea my first Dopey Challenge would always have an asterisk next to it, but like all runners, we have to adapt, and it was something I would need to live with as ridiculous sounding as it might be.
Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Modified)
This might be the only time in my life where I can say every finisher that morning PR 'ed! Now the punchline is because runDisney modified the Half Marathon due to forecasted severe weather, so instead of running 13.1 miles, the course was shaved down to 7.1 miles. Or as I would like to call it 7-point fun!
After continuing to monitor the forecast, runDisney made the tough decision to shorten the half for the safety of both the runners and employees. Likewise, they would start the race 15 minutes early, at 4:45 am EST, in an attempt to beat the incoming system. Regardless of whether this was the right call, they prioritized safety and still tried their gosh darnedest to put on a magical race for us. Honestly, I was still super bummed. With this being my first Dopey Challenge, not completing the full 48.6 miles for me translated into imposter syndrome. Was I truly a Dopey finisher when I didn't even run the entire half marathon? Aside from hitting the notorious wall during the marathon, this was one of the toughest things I had to manage emotionally. I had done plenty of half marathons prior, so the question of whether I would have finished was nonexistent, but as someone who keeps myself accountable, accepting the medal for the half marathon felt wrong. It took some internal bargaining to realize I deserved it, running the race they provided, and I shouldn't feel any less worthy of being a Dopey Challenger.
So, I went to bed Friday night curious as to how the race would go, fully expecting it to be a washout. I even rostered in my backup outfit, skipped the New Balances so they would stay dry for the marathon, and jerry-rigged a poncho out of a trash bag in preparation. That morning was the warmest and I ended up not needing extra layers, just the Mylar they had given out after the 10K.
Although the race was modified, runDisney still had plenty of pre-race entertainment including characters and a DJ. Sticking with the Disney 100 theme, the Half Marathon represented the 70s through my absolute favorite decade, the 90s! Before the corrals opened, I hopped into line to meet Flik from Disney Pixar's A Bug's Life. Other characters included Donald and Daisy Duck, the hosts of the half marathon, Goofy for the Goofy Challenge, and Tigger from Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie Pooh.
Since the start time got pushed earlier, I headed towards the corrals to get a good position. For both the half marathon and the full marathon, I was in Corral C. The energy of the crowd was a stark contrast to the previous mornings. Any attempt by the announcers to garner excitement fell flat. It seemed everyone just wanted to get this race over with. The ominous and tangible static in the air that precedes a thunderstorm loomed large and dampened the mood. Regardless of the worried murmurs and darkened sky, I was going to enjoy these 7.1 miles.
3...2...1...GO! My strategy for this half of a half was to focus on finishing the race and beating the rain. There were rumors flying around that the waves were going to be released in quicker intervals and the sweep was going to be strict. The majority of the miles was all highway in front of EPCOT so I decided to put my head down and grind until I got into the park. I had a vague idea of which characters were going to be on the course and figured the two I really wanted to meet, Hercules/Megara and Esmeralda would be near the end.
As all best-laid plans go, both were in those highway miles so I ended up stopping earlier than anticipated. The lines for the characters were absolutely insane! Passing by the likes of Baloo, Merlin, Marie, and Robin Hood without a photo was hard, but with the length of those lines, it was not a wise decision to stop. However, I was able to stop for my ultimate bucket list characters from the films Disney's Hercules and Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. My first stop was Esmeralda and Clopin, yes both characters! At this point I was beaming because I had not seen Esmeralda in ages and I had no idea Clopin was even an option not to mention IT WAS TOPSY TURVY DAY. For those who need a refresher, in the film, Quasimodo makes his way down to the town during Topsy Turvy Day and, as the song goes, is on the sixth of January. The race continued to get better as I headed around the off-ramp and saw the photo op for Hercules. With little hesitation, I jumped in line and lucked out with both Hercules and Megara being there at the same time. Megara is my icon and I used to dress up as her all the time as a kid. She used to meet in EPCOT ages ago and I had been biting my nails for the opportunity to see her again. When it was my turn, I sashayed over to them, instantly in awe as Megara quipped "Nice hustle!". My fangirl was fangirling.
The remainder of the race was uneventful until I reached the park gates. One complaint I did have was the intense number of pinch points and bottlenecks while on the roads. There were so many instances where I had to slow to a walk because the course became congested with little to no room to pass the large amounts of walkers. Likely, this was probably the result of the larger and quicker waves. I do have to say, for the lackluster start, the cast members and volunteers during the race were electric and were a highlight for me. Their cheers really do give you an extra push and make your steps lighter. I commend all the cast members and volunteers who, not only for this race but for the entire weekend, woke up early and gave their genuine support to us runners.
At Mile 5, I finally entered the park from the backstage door adjacent to the bathrooms attached to the Imagination! Pavilion. All that was left was a lap around World Showcase and a quick jaunt through the newly opened gardens. This was now my third time running around World Showcase and it never got old. There was something exhilarating about passing through all the countries and taking in the different vantage points around the lagoon. As I exited World Showcase and hit Mile 6, the rain showed up in the form of a light sprinkle. The closer I got to the finish line, the more the rain and wind picked up. I rounded the corner to the finisher shoot where they had already pulled all the PhotoPass photographers, so my half of a half was completed with no finisher photos and a soaked cooling towel? Instead of Mylar they were handing out cooling towels, an odd choice for the conditions, but I did find out later they ran out of Mylar by the time I finished.
The severe weather was slated to roll in by 9:00 am EST and the rain at this point was coming down. I was proud of myself I finished the 7.1 miles. I later discovered they further cut the course and had runners skip the World Showcase portion entirely once the downpour happened. runDisney encouraged the runners to head straight to the buses after completing the race, so I did not spend much time in the reunion lot. I headed back to the resort with my unopened medal, still grappling with my guilt, and ended my morning with a nap. Once the weather cleared, we headed to Hollywood Studios for the afternoon before it was time to carb up and hit the pillow for my very first marathon!
Marathon
The morning had finally come. By the end of the day, I would not only be a marathoner, but a Dopey Challenge finisher. I suited up in my tried and true running essentials including my belt bag and cooling towel. This was the warmest out of the four mornings so I headed out without any extra layers. The anxiety was bubbling over as my brain finally understood the feat I was about to accomplish. Both thoughts of dread and excitement passed through my mind on the bus to EPCOT. The marathon event honed in on the remaining decades of the Walt Disney Company, from the early 2000s to the present. In the staging area, we had Mickey, Minnie, Lilo, Pleakley, Dopey, and Tigger as characters. To keep myself hydrated I had downed a blue Powerade on the way which might have been a misstep as my tongue was bright blue in the photos. Oh well!
My bib placed me in Corral C and I was ever more determined to be in one of the first few waves to maximize my buffer. While waiting in anticipation, the announcers brought Jeff Galloway on stage to say a few words. He offered this tidbit to us runners: once you hit the wall, and you will, start counting your steps. I filed that away in my brain while he mentioned a few other motivational snacks to the listeners. Before I knew it, I stepped over the start line heading towards the now familiar off-ramps outside of EPCOT.
I treated my first six miles as a warmup and kept a light jog without straining my breath. For this race I did have my running app on to keep track of my pace and overall time on the course. The balloon ladies maintain a 16 min/mile pace. Everything was going swimmingly until about Mile 4. As standard with most road races, there will be official mile markers signifying how far you have gone. For Disney, they have giant mile markers, each with a different character(s). Normally, a typical runner runs farther than the prescribed distance because of zigzagging and pit stops. That's why I don't put much stock in my running app; however, my app was showing more than four miles and I shrugged thinking I just missed the marker since the road was pretty wide. Based on the map I studied beforehand, I knew Mile 8 was somewhere around Disney's Contemporary Resort. Being a runner for many years and trying to create routes for training, I have become pretty skilled at judging distances. Well, I ran another mile, or what I felt like was a mile, and still no mile marker! At this point I started hearing chatter from other runners about what mile we were on and if they saw a mile marker. It turns out this was a universal experience as Disney forgot to put out the markers for Mile 4 through Mile 7! Oops!
In the dark of the morning, I made my way to the Ticket and Transportation Center. The monorail was also running in the early morning hours for spectators. I weaved through the parking lots and came across the first line of spectators. The energy was intoxicating, many had signs and were screaming with their hearts and souls. Past the TTC, we followed the maintenance and bus roads that took us underneath the Seven Seas Lagoon. That is where I felt the first drops of rain.
Drip. Drop. "Crap." Somewhere between the Ticket and Transportation Center and Disney's Contemporary, I felt the first few drops of what would become a massive downpour to rival any water ride. As all of us runners collectively groaned at the water dropping from the sky, the rain picked up and dumped in buckets. These are the moments where you call upon your mental toughness. The water began to pool in giant puddles, and emerging from the underpass tunnel towards Magic Kingdom, I acknowledged the Mile 8 marker and the sopping wet sneakers I was now trudging in. The thought that I had another 18 miles to go in these shoes was something I had to forget about very quickly.
Now you may have noticed by this point I have not stopped for any characters yet. This was intentional as I was so fearful of the balloon ladies. I made the conscious decision to skip character stops along the course to maintain a cushy buffer. The feat of finishing my first marathon was more important to me than stopping for Boo in her monster costume, as tempting as it was. That being said, as I rounded the corner to exit the Magic Kingdom in Frontierland, soaked from head to toe, I noticed Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, a Disney Junior series, with no line and positioned right next to the course. You would find it humorous too after waking up at 2 am for four days straight, to stop and pose like a pirate with a random Disney Junior character with that being the only character you stopped for during the race. Ironically, there were so many Disney Junior characters along the course which all of us thought was odd because although it was a staple for the 2000s, runDisney had plenty of other iconic characters to call upon.
Following my pirate encounter, I headed backstage behind the now-extinct Splash Mountain where they had all the parade floats lined up. One thing I enjoy about runDisney is the quick jaunts on roads and access points normally unavailable to the public. A little further down the course, they had the best thing ever: a ride vehicle graveyard. Yup. You read that right. Somewhere backstage, Disney has a pile of attraction vehicles from extinct attractions like Snow White's Scary Adventures adorned with their own gravestones and everything. As an aspiring Imagineer, it gave me a chuckle.
Next stop was Animal Kingdom, but there were plenty of miles between the two. First, we had to head back and pass the TTC lot via the roadway along Disney's Grand Floridian and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. This was by far my least favorite part and here is why. Currently, the Polynesian is under construction as they build a brand-new tower for DVC villas. The roadway as a result was narrowed and a complete mess from construction vehicles going in and out. Remember, it just down-powered, so puddles and mud galore. A pace group, a giant one at that, caught up to me too. These pacer groups use a run-walk method so picture a giant herd of people in a narrow lane all stopping to walk at the same time. It was impossible to shake them, so I just had to join in until the course widened. This was also the instance of passing the Mile 13 marker. My thoughts: "Hey I did a half marathon! .... Wait I am only halfway done!"
The next couple of miles were long stretches of highways and roads I had never frequented all the while in semi-damp clothing. There was also a water stop with bananas and Jellybean Sports Beans. I did pack my own fuel, but the jellybeans were a nice added texture compared to my block gummies. Other than that, I don't remember much until I reached the backstage road into Animal Kingdom. At this point, it was the farthest I had ever run before, so my brain was so focused on moving forward. We entered the park through the entrance to Rafiki's Planet Watch and turned left in the direction of Expedition Everest. The park had opened by this time so you either had random Guests cheering you on or, my favorite one, looking on horrified as they realized we were running ... for fun. I snagged a quick photo with Everest behind me and had to deal with the fact my dream of riding Expedition Everest during the marathon would have to be deferred to another day. Exiting out of Dinoland U.S.A., the course looped back in the initial direction we came from. I got some cool views of the backside of Everest, funny enough the facade does not wrap around the entire building so it's a mountain-shaped frame of steel. Miles 14 and 17 were located on either side of the road so as you exited the Animal Kingdom area to head towards Hollywood Studios, you could see runners entering. As I hit Mile 17, I got my first glimpse of the balloon ladies who just passed Mile 14. That was both unsettling and comforting at the same time. The balloon ladies did exist, but they were three miles behind me.
Before getting to Hollywood Studios, I needed to run five more miles, one of them being the dreaded Blizzard Beach parking lot. The sun was starting to come back out, but the humidity remained low. No joke, the wall at Mile 18 is no lie. I hit Mile 18, and all of a sudden, my legs turned to Jello, and my brain turned foggy. I had to plead to my legs to keep moving, feeling the pounding of each step on the pavement. All I could imagine was how I looked from the outside, crawling forward like an injured animal, reaching out and grasping for the road in front of me. At that moment, the only thing I could do was start counting. 1...2...3...4...10...11...12...45...46...47, over and over again in my head. The roadways were brutal as the sun started beating down, evaporating the water soaked into the pavement. There was not much to look at besides trees and concrete. After a long time running straight and counting, I turned right, and there she was, the Blizzard Beach parking lot. It's infamous because the course has you loop around the parking lot for a mile in the hot sun at Mile 19. You enter and exit at the same spot, so as you begin the mile, you are passing all the runners who just completed it. Honestly, they had a DJ going, and the tree line did offer some shade, so I found the highway miles at the end a lot tougher.
Then, finally, it was the home stretch. All that was left in front of me was about 3 miles of running through Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. Leaving the highways behind me, I got a second wind and entered Studios through the backlot that took us down the path they use during Fantasmic! and out in front of the Tower of Terror. Here, they had Cast Members handing out Dove Chocolates. I blinked, and we were out of Hollywood Studios, using the walking path to EPCOT. I don't believe I had ever used this path between the two parks, so the new scenery kept my attention on what was ahead of me and not my legs.
I eventually reached the Boardwalk and one of the final water stops along the course. The whole energy shifted as I stepped onto the boardwalk and dozens of spectators were lined up on the path to the International Gateway entrance. As I approached the Boardwalk Deli, I noticed my mom on the side looking for me. I was not expecting her to be there because she wasn't feeling well that morning and the rest of my family was towards the finish line. I ran up to her and gave her the biggest hug ever as she started tearing up. My parents aren't the crying type so that really moved me, and almost made me cry! I had to pull it together though because I had a little more left to go.
World Showcase. The final frontier. I entered through the France Pavilion and headed towards Mexico. The atmosphere was electric. As with Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, the park was open to Guests, and plenty were lined along the course cheering on strangers, some even had signs!
I don't know if it was because my brain saw the sign that there were no more water stations or because I had been running for the past six hours but as I rounded the corner into the International Gateway, I was unbelievably thirsty. Now picture being in the desert, mouth is dry as sandpaper, and all of sudden you see an oasis, a cool pool of water. The Refreshment Outpost between Germany and China was my oasis. Normally, once people hit World Showcase, they go for a beer in Germany or a margarita in Mexico to sip on while finishing the race, but no, at that moment, all I wanted in my life was a tall cup of ice water. I pulled over and walked up to the counter. Shout out to the cast member that day who hooked me up with the most refreshing, satisfying cup of ice water I have ever had in my entire life. I continued onto the course, gulping down my newly acquired treasure, and cheered to the PhotoPass photographer stationed at the bridge in China.
Since my dad is an Annual Passholder, he went inside EPCOT to watch me run while my sister was in the spectator zone at the finish line. Exiting World Showcase, I was ready to stop moving. I picked my dad out of the crowd right before the turn into World Discovery and waved while also shooting him the "I'm dying, no big deal" look while he cheered with his goofy grin and free noise clapper he acquired at the Expo. And like that, I huffed my way past Test Track and backstage towards the finish line. The last character stop was Star Lord from Marvel's The Guardians of the Galaxy, but the allure of the finish line made me pass that up without a second thought. For the fourth time that weekend, I passed by the gospel choir and rounded the corner for the finish line.
There it was: the finish line. I made it. After almost 7 hours and 26 miles, I crossed the finish line with my head held high and arms in the air. Emotion rushed over me like a wave and I finally let those tears of joy and pride come to the surface. I was a marathoner.
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