Half Crazy

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the runner get around, the runner get around, runner get around. What a fun way to start the morning, with one of my favorite Disney characters, Mary Poppins (who just did a Bert impression when they read that?) Another dark and early morning for T and me. Thankfully we both had the race retreat so we could have a good breakfast before hitting the pavement for 13.1 miles through Epcot and Magic Kingdom. This was the day we would really get to test our strength, not only physically, but mentally as well. Our plan was to walk most of the race and save our energy for Sunday. (This ended up to be a non issue as we got stuck with a lot of walkers.) 

We started in the L corral and it took us 45 minutes before we got to see those fireworks go up in the air and us to cross the start line. We started with a run over the finish line, then it was heading towards the Magic Kingdom. 

As we officially entered the Magic Kingdom the sun was beginning to come up. It was a gorgeous sunrise, horrible humidity. About mile 2 we saw the beginning of those in corral A coming in to mile 11. We kept pushing on, or walking as the paths were beginning to bottle neck as we actually made our way into the park. Around a hairpin turn and through a gate and we were spit out onto Main Street inside the park. There were so many people there, the energy was amazing. Both of us had to pee and we knew an actual bathroom would soon be in our future and we found one in TomorrowLand. Just a little of the course, but we were in and out and actually got to use real soap and water. We hopped back on the course and soon it was time to run, oh man....walk through Cinderella's castle. This had to be the sad part of the run. There is something about running through that is so much more exciting than walking through, at least to a runner. But there were so many people we couldn't even stop to take pictures. So on to Frontierland we went, then out the gates. We still hadn't seen the balloon ladies, so we were feeling good. But I think both of us really wanted to run. But with the heat and the prospect of the next day we decided still it wouldn't be a good idea. Well, until we came into Epcot. I couldn't take it anymore! I needed to let my legs fly (or in my case, sputter) and run. We ran in Epcot and finally crossed the finish line in just over four hours. By far my slowest half marathon ever, but over an hour but one of the most difficult. As we crossed the finish line we had a cheering squad of one there cheering us on with signs. M held a sign for each one of us that he spent hours making by hand.

M then got an idea. There is a story in our family of him jumping into a race barefoot, shirtless and probably not quite sober and crossing the finish line of a half marathon before his girlfriend did and getting a medal. It just so happened to be a Disney race. Well here is how that idea turned out:

So after some refueling, T headed off with her family and M and I took naps. Then got some Mexican food. And to relax a little some massages, I went with a foot massage and it was the best idea ever! My feet felt like pillows. The Seahawks were playing so we spent the rest of the night chilling in the room watching the game. With the win, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect day. Then we both passed out.