Post Run Adventures

So we got our food kits and some poweraid and headed for our bus back to the hotel. Dreaming of showers and stretching.

That's the kit with food they have runners. It even had a wet nap! Probably for the runners that used 'the woods' as a toilet.
Showered, stretched and our celebratory beers in hand we admired our medals and contacted our loved ones via email. We were touched that both our families seemed to be following us and our adventure as if on the edge of their seats.
Then it was nap time.  
Well...Julie napped....I slept. She got errands done that involved taking the bus while I slept. She is amazing!
Then we returned to Epcot for some more 'celebrating'.

Julie used those bears all night to talk to me and help express the conversation in more dramatic ways.  

I don't really remember taking this....

Great night!!

Racing Day; Part 2

We left off at the Mile 2 sign.

We knew Mile 3 was when we would be close to going down the back area of Epcot and into the parj...as well as approx 5kms. we had planned to run that whole part. So we kept going. There was a guy in a kermit hat that would run really fast and pass everyone for 30 seconds and then walk for a while and then run fast. It got annoying because he'd almost trip people with this technique of running....but I assume he was having fun. 

Mile 3 was the ramp into the employee parking area. There was a bus parked across the road blocking the traffic for us and it made me think of the movie Speed!  ‎

We ran along the road and under the Test Track ride where the car speeds around the track. That was awesome!

Then into the Epcot park between Mexico and Norway!

It was perfect. They had loud drumming music and the torches were lit and all the countries had lights. The sun was just coming up so it was beautiful with the lights. You could see the thousands of people running in one direction around the World Showcase. It was magical and inspirational in its own way.  

Heh heh. That's a 'selfie' while running. Us mom's know how to multi task.  Julie was cheering me on and distracting at the perfect times during the run. I said 'Let's keep running'. I wasn't ready to walk yet!  

Mile 4. Oh my gawd. Am I really doing this? We are high fiving runners that are coming back up from the Boardwalk portion and everyone is cheering each other on. Down through the Boardwalk we go. Running on the wood of The Boardwalk sounded cool under our feet.  Lots of people there with signs and shouting encouragement. Then around to The Beach Club. Running between the pools with steam coming off due to the cold air.  Then all of a sudden we were the ones running out of that area and cheering on the runners and walkers going in. 

We are still running now as people are slowing down and /or walking. But we kept going!‎

Mile 5. We are so close! We are back in Epcot park. Running. That's right. Still running.  

We run past the Nemo section and past Chip and Dale. We head out towards the big ball. Then saw the best sign. 

Only 0.2 miles to go! So we stopped for this sign!!

Then there was the finish line. I hear Julie yelling to boot it! So I did. I ran and crossed that finish line!  

Here we are on the other side! We are so happy!!!

Julie gets her well deserved medal!

I get my well deserved medal!

We get our picture taken. Tired, sweaty, sore, stinky and very PROUD!!!!

Racing Day, It's Racing Day It's Not Doily Lacing Day!

It's here!! It's finally here!!!
Woke up at 3am to get dressed and catch the 3:30am bus. Done! Here we are on the bus!!

Get to the Epcot parking lot where there are huge spot lights and a DJ blaring music to get us excited! 

Yip. Santa was there too! Check out those gams!

Julie and I in our racing tanks and two long sleeve run shirts. It was cold. 8 degrees.  Brrrrr

Finally after a long wait...we headed to our corral F. felt like cattle. Moooooooo

Then waited some more. Kept ducking down to get warm. Poor Julie was shivering. We needed to run!!

Then it was time for the first corral to go! Yeah! It is starting! Then the second corral. Then third... then fourth... zzzzzzzzz. Wait! It's our turn!!!!  

And we are off! We stayed near the front as there were a lot of walkers in our group. Out of the Epcot parking lot and the first bridge over the road had Elsa and Ana wishing us luck! And 'fake' snow. Hahaha. Thought the people back home would appreciate that. 

Excuse any fuzzy photos folks....I was RUNNING!!! Whoo hoo! ME! AND JULIE! We had been training for months and it was Finally time!!! We were actually running the 10km run at DISNEY!!!!!!

Up the road we ran and onto a ramp and up a bridge and onto the highway. Along the way were characters.  There were Porta potties (sp?). But some people chose to run into the trees anyway...??? 

Then we saw it......the sign!!

Don't look at the time on it. That was from when the first corral went. We started 40 mins after them. But MILE 1 was down! 5.2 to go! (U.S. Conversion for you).   So we kept trucking along the highway. Cars honking. A truck plays music and videos for us. Awesome! Then we see.....

Mile 2!!!!!

Post from Race Day..

Race day post is delayed due to Julie and I celebrating...by shutting down Epcot AND Downtown Disney with a few beverages to 'hydrate' us. Wink Wink.
I'll post soon!!

The 'Filler' Day

See that glow? We just ran over 5km to practice for our run tomorrow!!! Two loops around Coronado Spring resort is just about 5 1/4 kms. I count every step!!!! We got lots of waves from resort staff and guests. So friendly.
And the torques? Well it was -1 with the windchill today. Yikes!!!
Then we stretched it out. Oh yeah. Feel that burn!

Then we decided for our 'take it easy' day we would go on Expedition Everest!   I'd never been on it! Whoo hoo! Off we set. Bus. Walked through the park to the ride...to find out it was closed down. What!!!!!!!!   Nooooooooo! What do we do now? Felt deflated... Now what? Well we should stop by to see Daisy...

Then we should grab lunch and have Julie run behind the cart to get a picture with the guy only to have him panic and get her right back out of there for a photo. Heh heh. He moved fast!

Then we decided...Magic Kingdom! So hopped on a bus and headed there! We got in and stopped to see Aurora. She said Merriweather would LOVE My blue outfit. And hoped no dragons had bothered us on our long carriage ride from Canada. She was very nice.  I might try to hang with her later. 

Oh. And panic mode!!!

Then checked out a few shops, grabbed some ice cream and waited for the new parade!

After some more shops and a ride and a show we headed back for supper at our resort and picked up some breakfast food and some hot tea for our chilled bones.   Our race clothes are laid out. We have done some stretches. Now to set our alarms for 3am wake up and snuggle into bed at....7:50pm?!?!?!?!
Can't wait for tomorrow!   It's gonna be a crazy ride!!!

Early Morning Coffee Versus Late Night Sangrias

4am is very....very....early.
But we made the 5am shuttle to the airport with what appears to be...  smiles!

It is so very wrong to ask me to do new technology that early in the morning at the airport. So many self serve kiosks. What the what? We managed with little issue and found breakfast.
Picture a photo of a cup full of grapes worth $7 !!! That's all of Julie's budget blown before we even leave the country!
I had...

...naturally.  

Flight was full of runners. All shapes and sizes. Which is cool. It really is for everyone! Hard not to get excited!!!

Landed and raced the runners to the Magic Express bus. Hahaha. Just kidding. They frown upon running at the airport....

On the bus, Julie heard a guy boasting about his run and the weather here versus where he comes from in Wisconsin. She made me laugh when she muttered under her breath about Eating his weather for breakfast.... we did leave -30 weather...so she had a point.  

At our hotel, Coronado Springs, we got our magic bands. Team Tap-unter!!! Suit up!

To our room and off to ESPN Land for our race stuff! Got our race bibs and toured the expo and picked up a few things including our own Run Disney shoes!!!! The highlight for us both! Will show pics tomorrow of shoes on our feet.  

Back to our hotel where I was ultra surprised to find this awesome cooker bag full of run snacks, drinks and water bottle. Card attached...from Dave and the kids. yup. Big 'aaaawww' moment eh?  Was very surprised and happy. Thanks Dave!

Then...after a call to the front desk to verify my luggage wasn't lost...just hadn't arrived yet (phew) we bussed it over to Bay Lake Towers where Julie used her celebrity status to get us to the rooftop for drinks, dinner and an amazing view of the Magic Kingdom light show and fireworks! Amazing!

I was asked to send a shout out to Chris for the lucky horseshoe...haven't had to wait for a bus yet!

And for my hidden mickey pals I sign off the night with this. 

Travel

January 6th

The day is spent getting the odds and ends done and Smulie (I now have permission to use her true given name...Julie....not as mysterious eh?) made me go to the gym! The nerve! She's been an awesome trainer. Tough.
Finally it was time to hit the road...and everything went wrong. Of course. My phone suddenly shut off (no map for hotel). It was snowing and windy.  The battery was dead on both scales so I couldn't weigh my luggage and other typical things. But after all that...we were on our way! (photo courtesy of Chris)

So, no map meant needing to know the difference between Dixie and Dixon road (there should be a law against roads with similar names being so close together).  A few turn arounds and a phone working again we made it to our hotel.

Enjoyed one of these bad boys

Julie almost wasted some out her nose!

We were equally grossed out by the leaky sink

And tucked into bed.