I haven’t slept well these past four nights in preparation for the race mornings. My alarm has repeatedly gone off at 2:30 AM and I’ve struggled out the door each time. I could bluff my way through the 5K, 10K, and half marathon. But the marathon on four days of sleep deprivation, well, I just got really, really, ridiculously tired.
I was on a decent clip for the first half of the race even with a few minor medical issues (including needing a couple paper towels at the med tents to clean off my Samsung Galaxy S9 camera). I felt wheezy at the start, though I suspect that was me being a little hoarse (like Bullseye) from shouting thanks to volunteers. That settled into somewhat normal breathing by mile 5 but soon after that I found myself Hop-A-Long Cassidy-ing and limping through my stride for another six or seven miles. I wasn’t hurting per se thereafter but I just got more and more tired as we went along. And as I went along, there got to be more and more walking breaks. It didn’t help that my Garmin watch was showing me way off from the mile markers. It got to the point where I’d hit a mile on my watch but it would be another half mile until I got to that course marking. It’s debilitating to hit mile 18 on your arm and realize there’s still another 0.5 miles to get to 18 on the course. Really, really, ridiculously debilitating.
Anyhoo, I’m recovering slowly. I think I got dehydrated even though the weather held off from its worst forecasts of a double whammy high temperature and high humidity. I’m sadly too tired to sleep — I’ve tried napping but it’s just an exercise in futility… and I’ve done enough dopey exercising this week.
I’m off to meet a classic Table 44 mate who was in town running her first Dopey. I’ll post a few photos of that reunion and celebration tomorrow but in the meantime, I present the photo gallery of the WDW Marathon 2019:
This may have been the smartest photo I took today. I finished and could not for the life of me remember what row I was in. For some reason I thought it was 15 but before I started wandering aimlessly, pressing my car locking clicker, I remembered I had shot this. It had been a long enough day as it was.
runDisney warned us it was supposed to be hot and humid.
After four days, even Skippy at the TravellingFit booth is exhausted and looking to catch a nap.
The masses assemble.
Here I go once more…
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
I tried to capture just how tired I was. I was hoping this was a Diet Coke station to give myself a buzz. Then I hoped it was a memorial wall for the recently stolen Buzzy animatronic from a defunct ride in Epcot. It was neither.
Walking to the start.
I have taken this before — for some reason the shuffling slow march to the start juxtsposed with the Speed Table sign always makes me laugh. Maybe it’s because it’s 4 AM.
Straight on ’til morning.
A, my old friend.
Awaiting the start…
Freddie Mercury… this guy was Buddy the Elf for the 10K and Hulk Hogan for the half marathon.
More waiting.
They brought up Dopey but he was shy.
3…2…1
KABOOM!
EXPLOSION. FIREWORKS!
That’s smee with Captain Hook… er, that’s ME with Captain Hook.
Darkwing Duck — let’s get dangerous.
Gamora is the best. I think she may be better than Uhura… or that Naavi warrior… maybe even better than the short-lived Black Pearl Pirate Captain.
It’s called a hustle… but I didn’t have much hustle in my tank.
Cheering fans…
A blurry shot…
A wonky Castle pic…
I’ve been here before. Buzz is always tucked away in this little corner. A lot of folks miss him if they’re not keeping an eye out.
The Three Dumb Men.
I was so excited to see this swami Duck.
Trapped in a box at the Magic Kingdom.
She’s nicer than her step sisters.
I was tempted to show Woody that my shoe was snakeless… but I was having a hard enough time posing. Lots of arms folded today, I think because I was trying to will myself upright.
If you are a lead protagonist in a fairy tale, and nobody else seems to blame, it may be because of… The V Team.
Amidst all the construction, there were still this Island of Misfit Defunct Rides.
Never Forget: Toad Hall.
Kungaloosh! I creeped out the President by asking for a hug; she said I was so sweaty… but she caved when I told her how much I loved them all and wished they were back full time. #RebuildTheClub #BringBackTheAdventurersClubNow
I had to break the news to the Orange Bird… Harold is dead.
This is near the golf course. I was just running through and asked Mickey and Minnie if they minded. To be fair, they didn’t have their clubs with them…
I saw this billboard in the distance at every race. He’s a spokesperson for presenting sponsor Cigna… I kept thinking Joe Jonas should be there to take photos with us runners. What’s he doing anyway? Honeymooning? Pffft.
This is a deep cut. Meet the Robinson’s Bowler Hat Man. I was the only one who stopped.
The campers… they are ex-Adventurer Club members themselves and I miss them.
Listen to the Land was playing in the background… meaning we were that much closer to Animal Kingdom.
It’s hard to cross your arms when you’re trying to take a selfie. So instead of looking cross I think I mainly just look… constipated? Oh, well. It’s the thought that counts.
Hey, Miss Lamb. You like to eat ivy. I like to run marathons. Well, it was great to meet you. Say hi to your mother for me.
Rafiki… what’s the deal with promoting a line of succession based on birth? Don’t you think a democratically elected representative form of government might enable Pride Rock to evolve into something more?
Timon knows what I’m talking about…
The Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom.
Everest in the background. Intriguingly, I have a not dissimilar photo from my Kathmandu days.
These cast members had the BEST sign. I actually went back to get a photo with them as it felt… important.
I tried to go on pointe… seriously impressing the photorgapher and Ostrich at the same time. A for effort. 0 (ior is it O) for performance.
I once saw Finding Nemo the Musical and there was a breakdown. It was just as Dory was stung by Jellyfish, Nemo was slated to be taken away by a sadistic girl, and Marlon was lost forever. That’s how you darken your tale for Broadway.
The sun also rises.
At this point, I was dead tired.
As Bad to the Bone played from the sound system, Pluto was there with a giant dinosaur skull. You can’t see it because they framed the shot wrong. Sigh. Guess I’ll have to do a reshoot in 2020.
I hate, hate, HATE this part of the course. Wide World of Sports seems endless.
It’s about mile 17.5 when you go in… and it’s about 20.8 when you leave.
Touchdown!
I told them I was both Joyful and Sad… joyful at making progress but sad that the finish was still so very, very far away…
Running the stadium
I’m not with the band. I never should have been in band.
That’s some nice work, Etchy. Some real nice work.
I saw this guy yesterday wearing his Dopey medal from a prior year. He said he wanted to change things up for today. Keeping us safe on and off the course. Great guy.
I told Mr. and Mrs. Incredible they were looking at the Snooze-alator.
They gave me a Twix mini bar but my hands were so sweaty and slippery I couldn’t get it open. What I wouldn’t have done to get a Mickey Ice Cream Bar at the Studios. We were barely there.
A long road on the Boardwalk over to Epcot and I took nary a photo. I was just trying to put one foot in front of the other. But when I saw Belle in disguise, rocking her traveling cloak, I got to stop and say, “Bonjour.” Belle is my favorite princess.
Snow White and Sleepy.
The finish line.
I felt nauseous and dehydrated… but I couldn’t justify $12 for a champagne flute.
Goofy and I exchange limp fish handshakes. I think he was upset I wasn’t dressed as a Goofeteer.
But we made up.
Two dwarfs — Sleepy and Dopey.
Minnie always has great shoes.
I had to wait 25 minutes for this photo. I had gotten there just as Mickey was called to the awards ceremony at center stage. It’s not like he was giving a speech — he was just there for a photo op with the winners. BUt I get it — a Mouse’s job is never done. I imagine after this he had to run off to one of the parks and do a show or meet and greet. And here I’ve been complaining about my lack of sleep. When does Mickey catch some shut-eye?
