It’s taken me how many of these races to finally get why they introduce Donald Duck as the conductor of the WDW Half Marathon. It’s because he’s really talented at orchestrating things. Calm, cool under pressure, taking things in stride when they inevitably go wrong. It’s so obvious to me now…
Man, oh man… duck, oh duck… was it humid this morning. I think I’ve written before about my family’s misquoting of Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues. When it’s unbelievably hot and humid we tend to say to each other, “Man, it’s hot… it’s like Tarzan movie hot.” Years ago I found out that’s not word for word (it’s actually, “Man it’s hot. It’s like Africa hot. Tarzan couldn’t take this kind of hot.” But you can’t just change a long held family reference). The point is I kept thinking that throughout the morning. It really was Tarzan movie hot.
My mom came to cheer me on at the finish — she’s a real trouper (and can we agree it IS trouper and not trooper? Even if Merriam-Webster doesn’t want to take a hardline stance?) Yesterday she tried to come and cheer me on at the more reasonable hour of 5:30 AM… but the road closures and poorly marked detours made that impossible despite a 40-minute round-and-round effort. She opted to just come with me at the ungodly hour of 3 AM… thanks for doing that, Mom. But like Jury Duty, you’re excused from the runDisney wake ups for 12 months. Love ya, Mom!
Despite arriving at roughly the same time as the previous days, the sea of humanity was flooding the pre-race runner’s square.
Fifty minute queue to see con-DUCK-tor Donald before the race? Duck, no. I did snag a quick shot with Dopey because, well, it was stupid early.
In typical half- and full-marathon runDisney events, the start line was a good 10-15 minute walk from the runner’s square pre-race holding pen. To the start line… and BEYOND!
I got there early enough to be at the front of the corral… here’s the difference between getting to the corral at 4:30 and 5 am:
After the national anthem, the rockets red glare… and we started. You’ll notice as the photos go along, they sometimes appear blurry… a lot of that has to do with the camera lens fogging up in the humidity or my slow-to-evaporate perspiration dripping over the phone itself.
But it’s all about running with character(s)… and there were some rare sightings along the 13.1 miles today… rare costumes and friends we don’t normally see wandering about Disney property.
Holy Kevin! It’s still Christmas… and I’m running home alone!
Here’s when the humidity smearage gets particularly pronounced on the photos.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Man, I’m such a jackass.
Returning to the stands, Mom cheered me in and we grabbed some post-race medal shots… I was soaked through and through and looked like I’d been walked through a car wash without a car.
These wait times are WAY better… the benefits of being in the A Corral. I’m lucky, I know. All the moreso as I had my Mom with me.
Dopey’s assistant cast member, Bob, had been with him the previous few days and I recognized him. Both Bob and Dopey wanted a solo shot with my mom. I totally understand. She’s great.
I’m rethinking my strategy for tomorrow’s run as the dehydrated light-headedness post half marathon has me aiming for a slower pace. I mean, I’m no Bozo…
