The Sky’s Awake, so I’m Awake, so we have to RUN!! – A 2017 Goofy Challenge Trip Report*COMPLETE*

[baxter24]

So now that I am reading this and seeing your picture, I was definitely standing by you guys by the check bag tents before I went to my corral! I was looking for the DIS group as well and thought you looked familiar from your trip reports you have done in the past but I didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong.

 

[roxymama]

I caught up on your report! I feel honored to have been a part of your wardrobe on Sunday. SO MANY LAYERS though! Glad you got some shout-outs for your shirts.
I showed the marathon morning pic of you and your husband to mine and said "that's Gisele and the other Chris" and he said "He looks a lot like Goofy" and then I whacked him in the arm.

Congrats again for your run!!!! Too bad about the half, but a marathon is nothing to sneeze at.
And please save some of that ice cream for me next time!

 

[ZellyB]

Drake is hilarious in that ice cream picture!

Ahaha you're totally right about the Mylar warnings! Seemed like that was mentioned every few minutes! I bet people still messed that up.

Yay can't wait to read more about your race!!

Sounds like judging from Ryan's post below that you are right about people messing up.

Those Mylar announcements were so repeated. I held onto mine until the last second. I saw a few people on the course early on with them so people obviously still didn't listen.

We also held on until right at the end. I really worried that someone would call me out though if I forgot to ditch it like from the podium, "HEY, you lady, with the zebra headband. Ditch that MYLAR!!!"

So now that I am reading this and seeing your picture, I was definitely standing by you guys by the check bag tents before I went to my corral! I was looking for the DIS group as well and thought you looked familiar from your trip reports you have done in the past but I didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong.

Shoot, wish I would have realized it as well. I get you though, it's weird to see someone in person after seeing pictures on the internet and just sort of call them out. Like, um, hey aren't you Zellyb from the Disboards?

I caught up on your report! I feel honored to have been a part of your wardrobe on Sunday. SO MANY LAYERS though! Glad you got some shout-outs for your shirts.
I showed the marathon morning pic of you and your husband to mine and said "that's Gisele and the other Chris" and he said "He looks a lot like Goofy" and then I whacked him in the arm.

Congrats again for your run!!!! Too bad about the half, but a marathon is nothing to sneeze at.
And please save some of that ice cream for me next time!

Your Chris is clearly as funny as mine. Thanks for the congrats. I am proud of the marathon even if it wasn't all I wanted it to be.

 

[ZellyB]

January 8 – RACE DAY!!! Marathon Part 2 – On to the Castle

And with our own set of fireworks we were off. As Galloway runners our plan was to follow our normal intervals that we’d been training with lately of :60/:30. That was a slower interval than in years’ past for us since I’d had some injury struggles over the last few months. Since we opted to start more in the middle of the corral, however, we found it was just too crowded to easily get into our intervals and instead decided to just run at a nice easy pace until things let up. Chris and I both had not taken any last minute bathroom breaks either, so we knew that we should probably take advantage of some early porta potties and hopefully avoid stopping at a bathroom in Magic Kingdom.

As soon as we got the chance to start moving, we pretty quickly got more acclimated to the temperature and felt pretty comfortable in our layers. I tend to warm up more quickly than Chris and I ditched my sweatshirt within the first mile. The first mile or so went by pretty uneventfully and somewhere between mile 1 and 2 we saw some porta potties off on the other side of the median with no wait, so we bailed out and got in a quick stop for that. I’ll tell you now that I didn’t pay close attention to mile markers or specifically where various stops were, so you’ll have to bear with me on my approximations.

Somewhere around the 2 mile mark off to the left was the first character set up which has been the same one for every race I’ve done on marathon weekend and it was the Pirates shot. The line was pretty lengthy and I wasn’t much in the mood to stop for that one, so we went on through. Up ahead were the entrance gates for Magic Kingdom.

Around in here is the first water stop as well and then heading into the MK parking lots. It was strange not seeing the speedway in there anymore because in previous races we could always see signs of runners ahead of us running through it. Again I knew there would be a character set up on the left and was hoping for Wreck It Ralph as he’d been there previously but instead it was Lightening McQueen and TowMater. I’d gotten pictures with them on our very first marathon and wanted them again for nostalgia sake. The line wasn’t too bad, so we got through pretty quickly. You’ll note the sweatshirt is gone and I’m down to my next throwaway shirt. Fortunately Chris was already down to his shirt with his bib number since I forgot to flash the photographer mine.

Um, I think I’m pretending like I’m driving a car here??? HA!


We did know that not too much further ahead would be another character set up on the right that would likely be Nightmare before Christmas. (or was this before the entrance gates?? See I’m confused already) I had seen in some other races that sometimes they had Oogie Boogie out for this and I was really hoping to get him. As we approached it we wheeled off to the side to get in line. We saw that it was Jack and Sally and no Oogie and though I was disappointed we got our shot anyway. We did chat a bit with a couple from Ontario who were super nice. I think I’m trying to look scared here. LOL

But I think I ended up with more crazy lady…I blame the cold. Down now to just my official race clothes and not planning to strip down any more. PHEW! Not too much further and you pass through the Ticket and Transportation Center. In some past races we have stopped here for the bathroom, but it looked like maybe they had the bathroom blocked off? I couldn’t tell for sure though. Crowd support through here is always good and I think there was a high school band as well.

Cruising along and starting to get closer to MK, you run down and under this aquaduct thingy. The first two times I ran this race I thought this was a street, but it’s actually water. In this case the announcer guy up top was telling everyone they were running under water. It’s a pretty steep incline after this and lots of people had slowed to a walk, so we walked as well. Along in here I got passed by a guy who was dressed as Genie but for his upper body he just had on no shirt and body paint. BRRRR!!! He had used body paint to write on his back "I'm So Cold". Um, yeah!! That's commitment to your race costume right there.

Around the mile 5 marker you can see Space Mountain and then take a sharp left and another curve around to the right and then the moment you wait for when you do one of these races, you burst through the back gate and into town square of Magic Kingdom. There are always so many spectators here and the energy when you come through there is incredible and then there’s that right turn and this is all you see..

NEXT UP: An unexpected delay.

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[Sailormoon2]

Running and seeing the castle seems so incredible!!

 

[Disneyhayes]

Jumping in and wrapped in a blanket just reading your report

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Yay! Loving your report so far! I'm happy that you had a good day on Saturday even with the cancelled half. The running community really is awesome! The marathon course looks great! I love your "crazy lady" pic with the Nightmare Before Christmas gang haha And since I was in Orlando that weekend I know how cold marathon morning was! I'm glad it didn't take too long for you to feel OK and like you could ditch some layers-- I can't imagine how cold that genie felt!

 

[rteetz]

Great Cars photo! I stopped for that one too. I haven't gotten a photo with them before so I said why not? I did not stop for Jack and Sally though.

Yes the body paint people! There was a Jafar and an Aladdin too! The Aladdin guy had the words "I am so cold!" also on his back!

There is nothing like turning that corner and running down main street towards the castle. It is amazing.

 

[ariane37]

You are correct, TOT IS the best ride in WDW
We love B&C and my favorite meal is the grilled cheese and tomato soup. We skipped it last Nov. which made no sense since we stayed at BC but your pictures are seriously making me regret it!
I think I commented before that I'm not a runner but I really enjoy seeing all the character meets they have set up along the races, especially when they're "rare" characters.

 

[Saz78]

Following along!

Im doing my first 5k (princess) this year and all you rundisneyers are making my dream bout doing the marathon someday, but then i remember that im struggling to do the 5k.

 

[Ariel484]

MK toll booth selfie is so cute!!

I was hoping for Oogie Boogie too...so sad!

An unexpected delay??! Oh no!!

 

[ZellyB]

January 8 – RACE DAY!!! Marathon Part 3 – Lots of time in Magic Kingdom
As we ran down Main Street with that beautiful castle filling our view I was hit with that elation that you only get during this part of the run. It was maybe most profound the first time I ran this race, but even after doing it several times now, it’s still just a (not to be cliché) MAGICAL moment. It’s just an amazing high and the energy you get from other runners and the crowd absolutely engulfs you. Honestly, it’s that moment that keeps bringing me back to these races.
We pulled off to the side to ask a cast member for an impromptu shot. There are loads of them lined up along the sidewalk and they are always happy to shoot one for you.

It’s a quick right turn and you are cruising through Tomorrowland. Chris had been telling me the last mile or so that he thought he might need the bathroom again in here. See, Chris had to have his gallbladder taken out just a couple of weeks before the race! He’s a trooper though and was ready to roll for this challenge. BUT, with the abdominal surgery, his GI tract had been a little irregular and he was feeling like he needed to make a stop – ‘nuff said. Sometimes the bathroom in Tomorrowland gets pretty backed up, and I knew typically there is an Alice in Wonderland character stop in front of the Tea Party ride, so I suggested we stop for that character and then Chris could peel off to the bathrooms behind the Cheshire café which would hopefully be less crowded. We worked our way to the left of the course and sure enough there was the character stop. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum!! YAY. This was a character shot we’d never had before.

Chris shot off to the bathroom and I lingered there to the side to wait. Unfortunately, it turned into a pretty long wait. I think it was probably 10-15 minutes or so, but really it was no big deal. I knew we had plenty of time with our starting position and figured we’d make up time later on during more boring sections of the course. That turned out to be overly optimistic of me as you’ll discover. Anyway, Chris eventually reappeared and we reentered the stream of runners. Again the course varied a bit here from our run two years ago with a bigger loop through Fantasyland.​

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I totally LOVE this shot and am irritated that my arm is blocking Chris. I’m clearly the camera hog here.

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We curved around then were fast approaching the castle. Anna, Elsa and Kristoff were up above waving to the crowd and we plunged in and through the castle. While it’s crowded through here, most everyone was running in pace, so no major problems getting through. Down the ramp we went

and then again pulled off to the side for a more professional shot of us in front of the castle. All the FEELS!!

Then across into Liberty Square and around to Frontierland where we saw some characters we’ve seen in other races but never stopped for before, so…

Country Bears! Chris and I doing the Country Bear lean apparently – a little know dance move. Honestly, I was just so giddy during the race I had obviously decided I was going for hokey poses on nearly every shot. Well, at least they aren’t boring.
Again we took a slightly different path than our last race and cruised across the bridge to loop around past Big Thunder and Splash Mountain before heading into the back portion of the park. As we were heading out we passed a spot that often has a prince and princess greeting, but this year it was the dragon from the Festival of Fantasy parade. The line for this was really long, so we decided a selfie was good enough.

Right around here marks the 6 mile point of the race and while there’s lots more wonderful ahead of us, I’m always sad to leave the Magic Kingdom behind. But we had 20 more miles to go and lots more fun to be had!!
Next up: Cone alley, lots of road time, Animal Kingdom and WWoS.
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[ZellyB]

Running and seeing the castle seems so incredible!!

It's just the best feeling in the world. Makes me happy even to just see pictures again and relive it.

Jumping in and wrapped in a blanket just reading your report

Yay! Welcome aboard.

Yay! Loving your report so far! I'm happy that you had a good day on Saturday even with the cancelled half. The running community really is awesome! The marathon course looks great! I love your "crazy lady" pic with the Nightmare Before Christmas gang haha And since I was in Orlando that weekend I know how cold marathon morning was! I'm glad it didn't take too long for you to feel OK and like you could ditch some layers-- I can't imagine how cold that genie felt!

CRAZY EYES! I couldn't believe that guy when I saw him. So.cold.

Great Cars photo! I stopped for that one too. I haven't gotten a photo with them before so I said why not? I did not stop for Jack and Sally though.

Yes the body paint people! There was a Jafar and an Aladdin too! The Aladdin guy had the words "I am so cold!" also on his back!

There is nothing like turning that corner and running down main street towards the castle. It is amazing.

They must have been a group or something. Hmmm, actually now that I think about it maybe that guy as Aladdin and not Genie. Again, I blame the cold.

You are correct, TOT IS the best ride in WDW
We love B&C and my favorite meal is the grilled cheese and tomato soup. We skipped it last Nov. which made no sense since we stayed at BC but your pictures are seriously making me regret it!
I think I commented before that I'm not a runner but I really enjoy seeing all the character meets they have set up along the races, especially when they're "rare" characters.

YES on TOT!! That tomato soup was delicious!! I was so happy I got that. I'd seen other people post pictures of it on here before, so I already knew going it that's what I wanted. The races really do have some great meets sometimes and it's just all part of the magic of running at Disney.

Following along!

Im doing my first 5k (princess) this year and all you rundisneyers are making my dream bout doing the marathon someday, but then i remember that im struggling to do the 5k.

Welcome! You never know. I remember when doing 5Ks was a struggle, but "if you dream it, you can achieve it" right? Just watch out reading these running Dis reports. They'll sucker you in.

MK toll booth selfie is so cute!!

I was hoping for Oogie Boogie too...so sad!

An unexpected delay??! Oh no!!

Yeah, so sad about Oogie Boogie. I like Jack and Sally, but we've gotten them a few times before.

 

[Sailormoon2]

Those are some fantastic race shots! I am just so impressed with Photopass!!

 

[ZellyB]

Those are some fantastic race shots! I am just so impressed with Photopass!!

I completely agree. I was really pleased with the quality versus what I used to get from Marathonphoto and the ease of having it be part of my other trip photos was great too! Made a memory maker purchase a no-brainer.

 

[Ariel484]

Yay!! Great pics! Glad you guys were able to ditch your throwaway clothes and show off your awesome shirts!

The Main Street run totally IS magical, even if it is cliche.

 

[petals]

Joining in. Great report so far.

 

[cyndiloveswalt]

Wanted to let you know that I am following along and really enjoying your race photos. DH and I are doing the Princess half next month as our first official half after a failed attempt at W&D 2015. Using all you marathoners trip reports to get me psyched up and keep me inspired through these long training runs! Can't wait to read more!

 

[CherieFran]

Fabulous front-of-castle shot! That one's worth framing!

I love your different character poses. That's a definite area of needed improvement for me.

 

[ZellyB]

Yay!! Great pics! Glad you guys were able to ditch your throwaway clothes and show off your awesome shirts!

The Main Street run totally IS magical, even if it is cliche.

I knew we'd warm up in a hurry once we finally got to start moving. Honestly, the temps were pretty great for running - just not for sitting in a corral.

Joining in. Great report so far.

Welcome!

Wanted to let you know that I am following along and really enjoying your race photos. DH and I are doing the Princess half next month as our first official half after a failed attempt at W&D 2015. Using all you marathoners trip reports to get me psyched up and keep me inspired through these long training runs! Can't wait to read more!

Glad you are reading along. We were also at the failed W&D 2015 race. I'm glad you are getting a chance to go back. We've not done Princess before, so I hope you have a wonderful time. I love race trip reports too! Great motivation.

Fabulous front-of-castle shot! That one's worth framing!

I love your different character poses. That's a definite area of needed improvement for me.

Thank you! I guess I decided I had enough character shots of me just smiling and went for something more exuberant. They are Goofy (ha! See what I did there), but they make me smile.