Better late than never! It's been a month since my return from the most epic Awesome Adventure of my adult life, and I want to pen a race report before I forget the details. Plus, I've decided what's next for this Average Ironmom as far as goals, so let's first pay homage to a really great one!!
About 9 months ago I decided to Go Big for my 40th birthday. The plan was to complete the Dopey Challenge, a Run Disney event happening the first weekend in January in Orlando, Florida at Walt Disney World. I would then fly to Anaheim and complete the Dumbo Double Dare, earning an additional Coast To Coast Challenge award in the process. Throw in an extra 5k with my mom and boom, Happy Birthday to me!
I had done the Dopey Challenge Virtually two years ago, very poorly due to lack of training. This time was going to be different. As you can see from my Facebook page, I did the training and was ready to go by the beginning of the year. The goal was to complete the challenges, but also be in good enough shape to also enjoy the parks and not get injured with so much training and back to back racing.
This would be my finale, my retirement from marathons and Run Disney events. I've enjoyed dozens of virtual Run Disney events, but it's time for a new obsession.
This trip would also be a sort of coming of age, traveling to the east coast and navigating a huge multi-racecation event for the first time in my 39 years.
My mom accompanied me for the trip, with my dad joining us on the second leg in California. It was great having them there, and we had a blast exploring the parks and navigating the race schedule. Nothing like sharing a Mickey beignet with your dad at Disneyland!
I flew from Kona to Seattle on January 2nd, met up with my mom at the airport (she came from Portland), and we continued on a red-eye to Orlando, arriving in the early morning, the day of Packet Pick up.
We were staying on property so we took a Lyft to our hotel, Pop Century, where we were able to check in right away. Everyone was so friendly! They promptly gave us a First Visit button and me a Happy Birthday button. The hotel had decorations from the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's...a trip down memory lane with cool memorabilia and giant replicas of our favorite toys and technologies from years gone by.
We hopped on a shuttle and went to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Center to grab my race packet. So many people! Lines and waiting, weaving our way along taped off paths on the carpet. The line went outside, past the baseball diamond, back inside, back outside around the soccer fields...Disney sure knows how to keep you moving! At least it was entertaining while we waited!
Back to the hotel to prep for race one: 5k. Prep the gear, pin the bib, plain race fuel dinner, set the alarm and snooze.
The 5k
3am wake up, then on the shuttle to the race start with some super excited Cast Members to guide us. I put on my tutu, laced up my magic running slippers, fixed my bow and was off!
This was Walt Disney World's Ironman. Everyone was so jazzed for the runners! And the runners were all excited too. EPCOT here we come!
Once I arrived at the staging area I found my way to the last corral and proceeded to wait for two hours before finally getting to start the race. Boy oh boy was it freezing! 48 degrees, with clear skies. We had a great DJ on stage keeping things as exciting as they could be at 3 in the morning, and two announcers that provided race tips, fun facts and hosted interviews with the crowd. One of best parts of the Run Disney events is definitely the costumes. People are so creative! It was fun to look at everyone's best race dress and try to imagine how some of them could run any distance in those get ups!
Although the race starts at 5am, there are multiple Corrals...A,B,C,D,E...and each corral has multiple waves. So it was almost 6am before my corral E started the race. Having Platinum Disney Run Club status, or submitting proof of time would get you an earlier placement, but I didn't have either (I let my Platinum membership lapse after getting into the races, and was down to a Silver, just to keep my slipper in the Run Club.) Once we got going, it was worth the wait.
The theme of the Florida races was running through the decades. They had videos playing along the course and posters with characters from the movies from the 30's all the way to present day. There were characters along the way you could take photos with, and we ran through EPCOT and possibly Hollywood studios, but at this point I can't quite remember!
It warmed up a little bit by the time we finished, and I ran-walked my way through a wonderful race! Although my feet were frozen the whole time, they gave us a space blanket at the end of race and I was all set to meet my mom at the hotel and head off to EPCOT for the day. Frozen, the theme of the vacation for sure. Not that I minded...Elsa's my girl! Glad I had Evan’s snowflake hat!
What an amazing place! We toured around EPCOT and visited almost all of the countries...but early to bed for race 2: The 10k. My mom was able to go back during Marathon Day, but it left me wanting to come back with the boys for sure.
The 10k
Friday morning, another 3am wake up. Off to the shuttle to do it again. This time I brought gloves and a puffer vest, and wrapped myself in a space blanket before the race. I also sat down to wait instead of standing the whole time, which was much more comfortable.
Another successful run through the parks, although it stayed cold the whole day. The best part was running at sunrise through EPCOT, the water glowing and the silhouettes of runners crossing the bridge heading to Paris before exiting the park and finishing back at the parking lot staging area.
We toured Animal Kingdom after the 10k, with a flock of parrots greeting us as we entered, and the Tree of Life front and center right through the gates. We rode Expedition Everest, went on a safari and picked up some awesome Animal Kingdom ears! Every race you get a shirt, so it was fun to see all the other racers sporting their shirts throughout the parks. Great comradery for sure!
There was a constant buzz since arriving in Florida about Saturday's weather. The Half Marathon was pending. Mid-day Friday it was decided, with thunderstorms eminent, that the Half Marathon would be cut down to 7.1 miles and the race would begin at 4:45am instead of 5am so we could all finish by 8am. The rain was supposed to start at 9am, so we could still get in half of the half.
The Half Half
Many runners were up in arms about cutting down the half. The Dopey Challenge needs the half! It's 48.6 miles, not 42.6 miles after all. So there were organized 6 mile runs up and down the streets, around the hotel grounds and even at the race start before the race began. It was stormy all morning, but the cloud cover did make it a touch warmer, despite the wind.
I didn’t run 6 extra miles. I was glad for the change, as I had started feeling like I was coming down with a cold. So after my half half, which was a struggle as I developed a painful cough in my chest during the race, I drank two Powerades, two bottles of water, and slept for several hours. When I woke, I felt like a new woman! Back to business.
I was thinking about skipping our Hollywood Studios day we had planned after my slumber, and that I might not even make it through the marathon the next morning. After my huge nap we ventured out for a few fun shows that wouldn't be to taxing.
We saw the Frozen Sing Along, which had me laughing out loud the whole time, especially after the Half Half joke they threw in...so relevant and real time! We went to an Indiana Jones stunt show, and a Beauty and the Beast dance show.
The Marathon
Come marathon morning on Sunday I was feeling great and ready to run! I didn't want to mess with a tutu for 26.2 so I left it behind and toed the line for the last race in Florida. But I still had my bow and magic race slippers! For such a long race I also had a full kit of gear. Gels, energy blocks, space blankets, disposable hand warmers, my puffer, band-aides, poncho, bagel, water...and I needed it! I raced with my Boco Gear hip pouch, the Trunk Trainers Christmas gift for 2023 and it really held up! I depended on it, and despite being kinda big, it was really comfortable and easy to swing around front to back when I needed it.
The super hydration the day before worked to kick my cold, but the biggest challenge I had during the marathon was needing to use the bathroom every other mile. Not only that, but I had to wait in line each time.
If I had more of a head start in front of the Balloon Ladies, the pacers you need to stay in front of so you don't get swept, I wouldn't have had a problem. But I had to run fast enough to get a lead so I could wait in line for the bathroom over and over. Add taking layers on and off for the rain, sun, wind, shade...it was a circus of a race. No wonder they call it the Dopey Challenge!!
It was all worth it in the end...running through all four parks, getting a picture in front of the castle, seeing my mom at Mile 24 in EPCOT and crossing the finish line with my Mickey Mouse pretzel. I even had a flying finish line photo while thinking happy thoughts of completing my final Marathon.
We took the rest of the day off and hung around the hotel. During this challenge the goal was to go fast enough to not be swept but slow enough to not use it up for the next race. Weird. Hard. But such a great challenge. All the stopping in the marathon gave me a 6:24 marathon finish, which to me was perfect. I had to come in under 7hrs for it to count, but had I run a sub 6 hr marathon (which I know I can do and probably would have tried for if I didn't have all the pit stops) may have left me spent for the following weekend. So all's well that ends well.
On Monday we went to the Magic Kingdom where we took medal photos and let loose for the day. Just as I was beginning to snap some pictures a huge show featuring Frozen began in front of the castle. It was amazing.
We met my dad at the airport and went straight to our AirBnB, a two bedroom condo right next to the parks. It was a fabulous find and served our needs well. We spent that night settling in and were off to California Adventures the next day, and Disneyland the following. Knowing there was only a few races left I loosened up a little and didn’t hold back as much on the fun!
Packet Pickup in Anaheim was much less eventful, and once we were all checked in we got our costumes ready for the second 5k. My mom was racing this one with me, and there were not going to be balloon ladies, so no cut off pacers.
The Second 5k
We walked the whole thing, taking pictures and enjoying the park. It was the first time they had the live races in 7 years, and to celebrate we all started in Disneyland, right on main street. The Dapper Dans sang the National Anthem and the weather was cold, but not as bad as Florida. We still started at 5am, but for the first race the waiting was not quite as long. As we meandered through the parks we had a great time, finishing on Pixar Pier. THAT was what I had in mind for a great Run Disney Race, despite a few kinks.
Apparently there were a few things to workout among the race staff. I heard a rumor that the Florida race crew was flown in overnight to help organize things, although from a runner's perspective I thought the race was fun.
The Second 10k
The second 10k was kind of uneventful to be honest, and the waiting was starting to get to me. The race began a few streets over from Disneyland, but through multiple security checks. When the race finally began, there were way fewer Disney-fied areas, more running on the streets of Anaheim with the DJs out there playing pop and hip-hop, not Disney music. It was the same route through the parks as we had done the previous day. It was still beautiful and a great run, but the pace was definitely picking up. While I was having a blast, I couldn't help but feel the pull of the completion of this challenge. I had run perfect races so far, and I was excited to get on to my first and last half.
My mom and I were racing the Half Marathon together, which started at the same place as the 10k. It was two miles away from our condo, so we walked to the start like I had the day before, and took up our spot in the back of the line. The VERY full line.
Even from the beginning it was apparent that this race was going to be different. A fast one. It was pretty intense at the start line.
If we didn't finish this one on time we wouldn't get our Half medal, Dumbo Double Dare Medal, Coast to Coast Medal, so for those of us on our final run, the nerves were running high.
There is only one marathon I have run, the Eugene Marathon in 2022, that has started so fast. My mom and I couldn't believe we were starting WITH the Balloon Ladies, and there was no room for messing around. My mom wasn't planning on running, but I didn't know if I could maintain the mandated 16 min mile pace if I didn't run and walk. I was planning on staying with her as long as I could, but it was apparent I was going to have to run from the start.
So with her blessing we separated to begin the half on our own.
I had been communicating with my mom who had caught up with the Balloon Ladies at the 3 Mile Squeeze, and she was walking her heart out to not get swept. She ended up making it to Mile 9 which was incredible considering how strictly they were being with the pace sweep. With the two miles to and from the race, we counted it as a full 13.1, and she still got her medal.
I thought back to all of the moments leading up to that point. The unwavering support from Jeff and the Boys, Coach Caili & Coach Ingrid backing me up with my clients, all of whom were cheering me on. There was not regret, no guilt, no strife. Just pure celebration, joy, victory! It is a moment I'll never forget.
My mom and I rejoined one another at the finish line, took a few fun photos with uplifted spirits and went to collect my dad for one more park day.
It was am amazing final day at Disneyland, with clear skies and sunshine. We took our time checking out the final few attractions, riding our favorite rides and snapping a few more photos in front of the castle.
It was time to return home, and I was more than ready, but there was one little problem...as I was turning in for the night I got a text from Jeff...Kona Airport is closed indefinitely, runway is broken. Say what?!
Yes, indeed, the runway was in need of repair and my flight was cancelled. I immediately booked a flight through Honolulu to Hilo, and went to bed not knowing if I was going to get home the next day or not.
Since I no longer had a direct flight I decided I wanted to check a box, to make it easier between flights. My dad and I marched to the Downtown Disney Starbucks for coffee and a box, and on our way we saw a helicopter hovering over the park. With an elephant attached! Now THAT is a great ending to this Dumbo Double Dare. I have now seen an elephant fly. Anything IS possible!
I went to cancel my hotel...apparently if you book within 24 hrs of your stay you can't actually cancel your room. Who knew. Oh well...I was going to get at least one step closer to home if I possibly could. Ok...to the airport!
After much discussion and the ticket agent accidentally canceling my flight to Hilo, I was able to connect from HNL to Kona, as the airport reopened after an overnight quick patch to the runway. I checked a box full of goodies for home including big Mickey Mouse Sourdough bread, my tutus, race food and the 5 Powerades we didn't drink after our races (to bring home for the boys...oh what a treat!).
The agent said to pick it up at baggage claim in Honolulu, they won't hold it over night. Then you just re-check it. Ok, no problem.
Met up with my parents for one more lunch together in the airport after checking in. Their gate was exactly one mile away from mine, so I got my exercise in on travel day too!! Said a sad goodbye and proceeded to board for home.
Once arriving in Honolulu at 10pm I found baggage claim, got my box, and realized...I was outside. I had to go back through security to get back in the airport to stay overnight, since my Kona flight was not until 5am the next morning. So I went to the agent for my airline, took out the Powerades, gave them to her for the guys working in the back as I knew I couldn’t take them through security. I then marched my way back to TSA.
Where I was informed I would not be able to come back in. Airport is closed. You can't stay here overnight. Door locked, click. What?!
Apparently you can stay in Lobby 4, an outdoor seating area manned by a security guard. After taking one look at it, I was outta there. I don't have the highest sleeping standards, I always say I can sleep anywhere. But not in Lobby 4.So back to the Lyft pick up area to find anywhere else to go. Luckily I found a Best Western just a few miles away, with a shuttle until 1am.
I checked in just after 11am, went to my room and crashed until my 3am wakeup. I thought we were past this folks! Kidding, if you know me I often get up at 3or 4am, but still! I usually go to bed at 8pm!
I took my scheduled Lyft back to the airport at 3:30am and waited until they opened at 4am. Hello security guard! Remember me? I was the first to check in, drop off that darn box and head to my gate. I had all the construction workers who commute on my flight...including some working on the runway. No way they were cancelling this flight.
It was a quick hop, one more baggage claim and then that blessed Beamer pulling up with my family inside to collect me.
We went home so the boys could change out of their jammies and we headed off to Denny's together before school. Hooray!! Mission complete.
And family time is where we're heading next...Family 5k's!
I have a lot cooking right now for my own family and my Trunk Trainers' Fit Family. Stay tuned for even more adventures from your Average Ironmom. But after writing (and reading that tale, first it's time for a nap!)
March is Hibernation Month after all…
Xo,
Kelsie
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