It's finally here...My first 1/2 marathon!

Oh my, what a short night it was. Nervous and excited does not make for a good night sleep. My Fitbit registered 2 hours and 54 minutes of restful sleep, oh well, adrenaline will kick in.

Leaving for the race.

We were up by 2:00 a.m. and getting our race day started. We had set everything out the night before so it was just getting ready and out the door. We left for the bus around 2:40 the walk was less than 5 minutes so we were boarded on the bus by 2:45...and we were NOT the first ones on the bus! I think the bus left around 3:00 and it was full. Off to Epcot...the roads were really busy, was it people going to the race or was it people getting off work to go home? I think more of the first...people heading to the race.

Our bus was one of the early ones so it had to park further down in the lot to make room for more incoming busses. That was o.k. we took our time walking and the weather was rather nice for being the middle of the night. I had my fleece on but it was probably in the upper 50's or low 60's. Mild compared to the previous days when it was in the 30's and 40's.

We found our way to the Race Retreat tent and as we walk in we see Beauty and the Beast characters in the photo area. Of course we took advantage of that photo opportunity.

We grabbed a little bite to eat and met and talked to a few others. The countdown clock was at T-30 for us to get to our corral. We left the tent with about 20 minutes...what came next was mind-boggling.

We started following the mass of runners and who knew that we were going to have to walk 15-20 minutes just to get to the start! However, while "herding" along we ran into Heather and Tricia...incredible since there are 24,000 runners and we didn't even have a plan to meet up with them.


Even though I had used the bathroom before we left the race retreat, I needed to use it again...I waited in line at the port-o-potties for what seemed like a long time but in reality was only maybe 5 minutes. However, using a port-o-potty in the dark is not fun.

The National Anthem was played on our way to our corral. We finally made it to our corral...Corral I! I still can't believe we were in such a good corral placement. Karen and I along with 2200 other runners were waiting to start this adventure. The wheelchair and Elite runners went off at 5:30 a.m. with fireworks...each corral after was sent off in the same manner...excitement and fireworks. Our corral finally made it's way to the start and off we went at 6:01!

I noticed some people were walking across the start line...I had trained too hard for me to walk across that line! Karen and I stayed together and Karen is really good at pacing so I stayed with her. Also, it wasn't hard to go too fast because of all the people...it was not possible to run too fast. A lot of bobbing an weaving going on around people who were walking. Not real easy to do in the dark.

Mile 1 came upon us before I knew it. That was where the first water station was. We by-passed the station. At the time we didn't need it and it was a time to get ahead of some of the crowd.

Mile 2 was here and gone...still in the dark. I think it was between mile 2-3 that we saw the lead runner heading back to Epcot. Everyone was cheering for her and the runner behind her. Incredible!

By Mile 3 the sun was up and the runners had spread out a bit. I can't remember exactly when the next water station was but I do know that from then on we took full advantage of every water station and walked through them as we hydrated. I think each station was about a block long. It really helped save our legs.

We were entering the Magic Kingdom gates around Mile 4 but once we inside we still had quite a way to go to enter the Magic Kingdom. Here is where they had race volunteers "warning" us of speed bumps ahead. It was really funny to hear them warn us. So many people commented how funny it was.

It is somewhere between the gates and Mile 4 that Olivia C., one of the boys classmates from Washington caught up to me and tapped me on the shoulder. I joking told her that when she catches up to me (she was in corral M) and passes me to say hello. I never had a doubt that she would pass me but with 24,000+ runners for her to find me was incredible.

The Magic Kingdom was in our sites and the smiles on our faces were getting bigger. We had to go down a small dip and back up...we were told that we were going under some water. I still have to figure out where it was. I think when we went back to the Magic Kingdom we figured it out. We had a great band playing for us as we entered the back lot of MK.

The MK was upon us which was magical enough, but words cannot describe the feeling I had when we actually entered onto Main Street USA through the gate of a back lot to ALL the cheering and people lined up Main Street. Writing about now still gave me goosebumps and tears in my eyes. It was unbelievable. I couldn't have prepared myself for it. Once we hit Main Street we slowed down even more and enjoyed every moment of our time at MK. We did run the entire time but took all of it in!

Once we started getting near the castle we stopped briefly to take pictures along the way. This is the one place we did stop to get professional pictures taken by Marathon photo. We did not stop along the way to get our pictures with any of the characters. We found that photo bombing was ok with us.


Mile 6 was in MK right after my bathroom stop to use a real bathroom in Frontierland. The line moved quickly and I don't think I ever was at a stand still waiting for a stall. All the runners and the attendant kept people moving.

Miles 7-8-9 were pretty much a blur to me. I remember running them and I was thankful for a food/fuel station. It came just at the right time. I grabbed a Gu or some sort and sucked that down. It made me feel better. I remember that I was feeling a little nauseous, but without looking I couldn't tell you what mile it was. I do remember seeing people cheering us on along this route. I think we were by the Grand Floridian Hotel.  I think I hit a wall some where around Mile 8-9. Thinking to myself...what have I gotten myself into? Quitting was never an option!

Mile 10! Someone told me that if you do 10 miles then the last three will be no problem. Mind over matter. I said to myself that I only have 40 more minutes. I can do this! However, this is where the ramps came into play. This is the Exit Ramp people had talked about and how it was difficult due to leg fatigue. I was determined NOT to walk it! We also heard that there were Army Men from Toy Story at the top of the ramp "cheering" us on...and they were right. You didn't dare stop or you heard about it from them. Then the view from the top of the ramp...I made it. And not too far beyond the ramp was Mile 11!

 Only 2.1 miles to go! I remember thinking that I should have stopped at the last first aid station to get some vaseline...it was the first time I notice that my legs/thighs may have needed it. It was too late I had passed it. Only to see another ramp! I did it but I don't remember it. I just forged ahead and kept going.

Mile 12! Only 1.1 mile to go and we are in Epcot. Though we were not in Epcot long it was such a site. I knew that our last mile was in Epcot. All along I though we ran through the World Showcase, but much to my surprise we didn't have to got that far. Just before entering the Showcase we turned for the exit.

Before I knew it MILE 13! Again, I had to NOT cry. I couldn't believe it was here. 13.1 miles. Challenge Accept...Challenge Conquered!

 Karen and I took advantage of the Race Retreat, it seemed it was really far from the finish line. But we were walking on Cloud 9. Once we ate, re-hydrated and iced we decided to head back to our rooms wearing our medals proudly. We had been waiting all weekend to get one after seeing other wear their 5K and 10K medals we were happy that we finally earned ours.

I will admit I was hurting all over, I would see other women and they looked like they had just went for a Sunday walk in the park. I just wanted to get back to our room and rest for a just a little before we hit the parks. On our way back to the busses we stopped at the port-a-potties. While I was waiting for Karen another run looked really pale and started to faint. While someone tended to her I had to run to get a medic. I didn't think I would have had it in me...but you do what you have to do when someone is in need. I know that if I would have needed it someone would have done the same.

Off to the busses and the smiles never faded from our faces during the entire day...o.k. maybe during miles 8-9 it did, but not after that!

I know this has taken a while to post, but the experience was so great I guess I just didn't want it to end and this would make it "real" that it is over.

What's up next?