The Big One

Sunday morning found us doing the same thing as Saturday.
Waking up WAY too early, and heading out to the races!
This is the day I dressed up as Minnie, you know the drill.


There were less marathoners than there were half marathoners, over 13,000 finishers, so things went more speedily and we were at our corrals with time to spare.

More fireworks.

I was really cold this morning and was feeling nervous about finishing in the allotted time, and this guy helped to cheer me up, he was an older gentleman, and he was just in such a good mood, and was dancing around and singing along to the songs, it helped remind me that this was supposed to be fun!

The course map for the full. I get tired just looking at it now.
For the full marathon I decided to go with a run three minutes walk one minute rhythm. That worked out well for the first ten miles, and then I reversed it and switched to walking three minutes and running one... I am weak.

As one of the entertainments/distractions Disney had along the course leading into the Magic Kingdom there was a line of gorgeous old cars, kind of a mini little car show, just for us runners:)

Running through the Magic Kingdom was really neat, and I loved running through the castle!
The stretch between the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom wasn't actually as bad as I kind of expected it to be, but for some reason once I left the Animal Kingdom, I think that was around mile 18? I got pretty grumpy. It was getting pretty hot, and I still had 8 miles left, and I was tired, and I'm embarrassed to say it, but at mile 18 I started walking the rest of the way.
Luckily, around mile 21 I think? You get to Hollywood Studios.
I wasn't really expecting this to perk me up any, I was REALLY grumpy, but it did and I will show you what exactly did it

Dug!
And Russell.
But for some reason, (delirium?) Seeing Dug, and getting my picture taken with him made me way cheerful again.

Rapunzel and Eugene

We got to see some of the sewing and costume department, that was kind of cool.

Herbie!

Mike and Sully!

Maybe another part of what cheered me up is that at each mile marker they had a clock and I could tell that while I wasn't blowing it out of the water or anything, I was going to meet the time limit.

Hollywood Studios!

Aren't I just the cutest thing ever?

I really, REALLY wished I could!

Jafar

The Tower of Terror!

This sign made me laugh, I don't think it's possible to move any slower than I already was.

Paris!
You had no idea how far reaching this course was, right?

Aladdin

Epcot, getting closer!

They had a sweet gospel choir just around the corner from finish line.
Hallelujah!

MILE 26!!!!

THE FINISH LINE!!!

My gorgeous medals!

The goods.

I have never EVER been so sore in my entire life! And for days! This. Was. BRUTAL! During that extremely grumpy phase there was much abusive thinking along the lines of "What were you thinking, you idiot!?" and thing like that, but I am SO glad that I did it. It was an incredible, once in a lifetime experience that has cured me of ever wanting to run a full marathon again:)
Although...
With every day that passes, and I think about my slooooow times (6:46:47 for my full, cutting it pretty close to the cut off), a niggling thought kind of plays at the back of my mind about going back to show it who's boss.
I'll give it a decade or so though:)
2022? Any takers?