Walt Disney World Marathon
https://www.strava.com/activities/3006049411
This was it, the big finish to an awesome event.
A weather warning had been issued the day before at the half marathon warning all runners that the humidity level in Florida would be seriously high and the Marathon event would start an hour earlier.
As I waited around the runners area listening to the DJ pump the tunes, grab photo's with today's guest and generally take in the awesome atmosphere once again, the humidity was really evident. It was so close, so sweaty and all I was doing was walking round. How much would this affect the running conditions...I was about to find out.
Extra water stations had been put out for all runners and there was a massive reduction in the amount of crazy costumes. Still enough to prove it was a Disney run after all, but definitely less than the previous days events.
We were ushered to our coralle starting points and crammed in, the race was about to begin....
Well, the race was suppose to begin, but because everyone had got here earlier, the traffic on the main road into Epcot was chaotic and cars full of runners were back to back on the road that we were about to embark on...so we waited, and sweated and waited.
Eventually, the roads had cleared and the full roster of characters were all ready to annouce the start of the Walt Disney World Marathon and the completion of the Dopey Challenge 2020. As it turned out, at the original start time.
The start was the usual, fireworks, cheers and into the World Showcase section of Epcot. A truly amazing experience despite having completed this part of the course 3 times prior, it is still epic. As we left the back lot of Epcot behind I was running with a steady paced group chatting with them as we ran. Amidst the crowd was an elderly gentleman who was rallying the team along, I recognised him and just assumed it was due to me seeing a lot of the same people over the last few days. It was only after a few minutes that another runner passed us and shouted, "Awesome Jeff, I love your plan!", I was running with Jeff Galloway, an American Olympian and inventor of the Run/Walk method that I had used as an official training plan for the Dopey Challenge.
This section of the marathon is were the flash, glamour and splendour dissapear, do not be disillusioned that the Walt Disney runs are just characters, parks and Disney....there are some dark and quiet roads to cross on the marathon. The section between Epcot and Magic Kingdom was desolate. Yes, there were a splattering of bands, yes the "Caution Runners, Speed Bump Ahead" annoucements became comical and melodic, but there are some very quiet sections.
Through the TTC (Ticket and Transportation Centre) the monorails beeped and tooted as they passed overhead, and I knew this was close to some more splendour. At mile 11 it was time for the true spectacle, the run down Main Street USA.
This is the pinacle point of the marathon, running towards the sparkling castle, with 100's of people cheering and giving awesome support, it brought a tear to my eye. Round into Tomorrowland, back to Fantasy Land and then back through the castle for a photo opportunity.
I bade farewell to Magic Kingdom as I ran through Frontierland back out to the open long roads with sporadic charater meets. The humidity had really taken its toll on most of the runners now and it was getting hotter.
At mile 17, it was back to the parks and this time into Animal Kingdom where runners can actually time a fast pass entry onto the awesome Everest rollercoaster mid run. The coaster opens at 9am and if you are in the park and have your fast pass already booked, on you go.
The atmosphere in Animal Kingdon was buzzing, the sun had come up, the heat was immense but the crowds just kept you going.
Mile 22 we entered the snowy gates of Blizzard Beach after circling the car park for what seemed an snakelike age. Fatigue had massively hit me now and I was struggling, but I knew it was not far to go from here and two parks in the next 4 miles then I would be a real Dopey.
Mile 24 we entered Hollywood Studios right beside the Tower of Terror and ran down the main section toward Boardwalk. Once hitting Boardwalk, I saw a girl sitting on the floor crying. All Dopey's had a green bib to identify them, and the girl on the floor was a Dopey, 2 miles to go. I asked her if she was ok and she just replied, "I can't do this, I have nothing left". I sat with her for a moment and then convinced her to at least get up and start walking. Let's get to the next lampost, oh look another one, lets get to that one as well. Soon we were both ambling (not running at all) at a pace that felt right for both of us. Once her pace and morale had improved she promised me everything was good and with only a mile to go she would be crossing the line (she did by the way).
The final stretch was back into World Showcase at Canada and round the Lagoon towards Mexico. The familiar exit and swoop round to the most magical race finish of my life!
As I got to the finish line, I fell to my knees. I had spent months training for this, it was hard, it was pure magic and emotion got the best of me. I raised my arms in the air and cheered. I am Dopey!
I then went through and collected my final 3 medals, the Marathon, The Goofy Challenge (for completing the Half and the Full) and the Dopey for completing the full Marathon weekend.
If you have to do any crazy race in your lifetime, make it the Dopey Challenge.
My finish line photo appeared on the Orlando Express the day later!
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