Disney World Marathon 2016

To say I was excited for this year's marathon was an understatement! Of course I was a bit nervous because I was worried about how my IT band and knees would hold up.


I was positive that going into this year's marathon that I would do much better than I did last year. First of all, I wasn't injured this year and second of all I was only doing the Marathon, not the Goofy Challenge like last year. Although I did have a time goal, I also had several smaller goals for this race.


Meranda Steel, Lacey Balliet
Yes, we are "borrowing" some photos from Marathonfoto because we didn't think to get our own cameras out!

As we headed to the corrals it was already warm and the humidity was up. I didn't mind this at all because I HATE being cold at the start line. I think all the shivering adds to the nerves!

As we started running, the warmth and humidity was not such a good thing. I felt like I was running through pea soup and my chest felt heavy. I heard that the humidity was 98 %.

Meranda Steel, Lacey Balliet
Running through Cinderella's Castle.

My plan for the first half was to take it easy so I had enough energy for the second half. This little plan came back later to bit me in the butt. I should have given a little bit more the first half. Despite taking things easy, AND the heat and humidity I was able to meet all my time goals I set for the 5, 10, and 15 mile marks.  I was very pleased with that. I was right on pace with my goal until mile 20. Mile 20 is just as we were on the highway leaving ESPN Wide World Of Sports. Actually it seemed as if we spent more time at ESPN than we did last year.

At mile 20 my Garmin died and I completely crashed.  My feet were killing me. Not an injury, but just plain soles of my feet hurting. I felt this way during my last few long training runs and thought I needed new running shoes. Santa brought the new running shoes and  I thought things were good. Well, I started feeling that same pain again!!!!

 Because I didn't have my Garmin on, I ended up walking a bit longer than I should have and that really hurt my time. See, now this is where I wished I would have picked it up in the first half while I was still doing well!  That last 10K from ESPN to Hollywood Studios, around the boardwalk, and through Epcot seemed to be such a struggle. I remembered that being a struggle last year too and I should have been prepared!  My sister was trying really hard to motivate me to pick up the pace and I kept telling her I couldn't. I said I was doing the best I could.  Now looking back I of course  think "Well maybe I could have pushed a little harder".  But in the moment I thought I was already giving all  had.

Fairytales and Fitness
Disney captured this great picture of Lacey as we crossed the finish line!

I of course was so happy to cross the finish line.  I did make a PR and had a better finish time than I did last year but honestly I was really hoping to have done better. I missed my  first "time goal" by several minutes.

After receiving our marathon medal, we went straight to the post race tent so I could sit down and take my shoes off. I've never felt pain in my feet after a race like I did this one.

Meranda Steel , Lacey Balliet

I was so grateful that we were invited to spend time in the post race tent because this allowed us to comfortably sit and watch the other runners come in while enjoying some post race beverages and brunch.  When it was time to eat, I noticed I couldn't. The roof of my mouth hurt so bad and I could not swallow.  I drank plenty of liquids on the course so I didn't understand why my mouth was feeling like this (later that night at dinner I met another runner who had that same feeling). Weird???
Anyway, after a much needed post race massage for both of us, we sat and watched the other runners come in. We always say that we get our monies worth from our registration fees because we stay for hours even after we finish. I have to say that I get so much joy out of watching others cross the finish line.  We saw some of the most amazing things happen.


Watching for our friends to cross the finish line!


We saw a few proposals.

This couple just got engaged at the finish line. I snapped this photo while I was watching it from one of the TVs inside the post race tent.


We saw people crossing the finish line with mixed drinks in hand and some crossing with those big turkey legs.

I loved seeing couples who ran together cross the finish line together and then give each other a big smooch!

But one of the most selfless acts I witnessed were three girls dressed as Minnie mouse and a girl dressed in blue ( I think she was bookish Belle), practically carrying this older runner to the finish line. He was an older man and I think he had a Dopey bib on. I don't even know if he was even coherent enough to realize what was going on. As soon as they got to the finish line the crowd erupted and a wheel chair was waiting for the old man. I admit I shed a few tears.

One thing that we saw that we didn't think was so cool were runners who were grabbing their kids from the sidelines and bringing them through the finishing chute with them.  They were stopping and letting their kids meet the characters and take photos with them.  This is no place for kids for several reasons. First, the kids could get run over by a runner coming through and two, those characters are there for runners to high five and get pictures with as they come through. Several runners did not have the opportunity to do that because they didn't want to run into the kids.

fairytales and fitness , Lacey Balliet, Meranda Steel


So even though I didn't do as well as I hoped, I still met  several goals and have much to celebrate.
1. I did PR  (YAY)!
2. NO Injury. My IT band pain did not rear its ugly head this weekend!
3. I did not have to stop for ANY bathroom breaks!
4. I did reach all my time goals up to mile 20. (That last 10K was such a struggle)
5. As of right now all my toenails are intact (TMI?)

Honestly I will admit that I had more fun hanging at the post race tent and watching the other runners come in than I did actually running the race.  I had so much fun last year on the course (even though I was injured and it rained some) but this year it just didn't seem as fun. I think it may have been because I already knew what to expect, or maybe because I had already set expectations for myself. IDK?

So will I do it again?
After the race I immediately texted my BFF and told her I finished and I will never do another one. HOWEVER, after further consideration I realized that maybe it's just the Disney course that I don't like.  I knew last year that I wasn't a fan of the course because of all the banked roads, curves , uneven surfaces, and on/off ramps. I thought that just bothered me last year because of my IT Band. Now I realize that it just bothers me in general.   So my long winded answer is I don't plan on doing the WDW marathon again anytime soon but I may consider doing another marathon after investigating the course.  Of course all this may change!

If you ran the WDW this year, was it magical for you?   Has your mouth ever felt like mine did after a race?  
What do you do when your feet hurt during a run? -M

52 comments:

  1. Congrats on a PR! I didn't realize that but of course that makes sense now! :) We really enjoyed hanging in the tent after Dopey and seeing the feed of the finish. Definitely some cool moments and it sounds like you saw some amazing things. I'm also kind of shocked that Disney didn't rein in the kids on the course. That surprises me a little bit with how tight security usually is. -C

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Yea, the kids should not be allowed on the course ( at least so close to the finish as people are running through).

      Delete
  2. Congrats on your PR and making it through the race injury free!! The WDW marathon was especially magical for me this year since I had my fiancé with me. I didn't realize just how much having someone else there during all those miles would help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww, glad he could be there running along side of you!

      Delete
  3. I agree about the WDW courses. So much of it is on highways and banked surfaces. I'm looking forward to running at Disneyland to see what's better. Great job finishing the marathon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It makes me sad to say I don't care for the course because how can you not care to run through Disney..lol?

      Delete
  4. Watching other runners finish a marathon is so heartwarming. I actually teared up reading your descriptions but didn't let the tears flow because I didn't want to ruin my makeup!

    YAY YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO STOP FOR THE BATHROOM! I can't believe I forgot to ask you about that. :)

    Congratulations on PRing despite the humidity and tough race course. :) So glad you are injury free too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe I didn't have to go either. And believe it or not I didn't even go at the finish line either!

      Delete
    2. OKay then you need to drink more water. Was your pee clear when you finally went? HAHA tell me about your PEE!

      Delete
  5. I'm disturbed that they didn't do a better job of keeping kids off the course. That's a good way for someone to get hurt!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yea, as I was watching I was surprised that security or race personelle did not say anything.

      Delete
  6. Great great job! That's too bad about the feet pain, altho I've had that before. I think our feet just get angry at us for all the pounding.

    I ran WDW half 5 years ago and I'm one and done. I was underwhelmed by the experience. But I'm glad I did it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely think it was from all the pounding but it makes me miss my Altras! I loved those shoes!

      Delete
  7. Big BIG congratulations for finishing the marathon!!! No matter how you train, those last six miles are a killer...I mean, come on, you just ran 20 freaking miles and you're still not done!

    I've had that foot pain but not in recent years, thankfully. I remember finishing one half and ripping off my shoes, my feet hurt so bad. I feel for you with that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did awesome at the first 20 miles even if I did crash the last 6! That's something to be proud about I guess!

      Delete
  8. One of these days I want to run a race at Disney! Love reading about your experience. I do hate that experience when you feel like you coulda shoulda run harder earlier. Never had the mouth experience nor have I heard of someone having it. odd! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm m hoping someone else has felt that mouth feeling and can tell me what it is from!

      Delete
  9. My Garmin recorded the local weather at the start. 100% humidity it said. I wish I had known you were in the tent, I would have stopped to meet you! Congrats on the PR and for NO injury!! Having run many races - I think the Disney course is better than a lot of others. I didn't notice much banking and I enjoyed the ramps because it gave me relief from too much flat. Everyone has a different perspective I guess...and I was also in such a mental fog! I did think we spent way too much time on the ESPN grounds. It was very curvy through there. I've never had the roof of my mouth hurt, but for days my lips were on fire and I thought they would split. I finished immediately wanting to do another...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think we were in two different tents because there were very few runners in our tent and I know I would have recognized you! I am so glad that you had such a great race!

      Delete
  10. congrats on the PR and such a bummer about your feet! my toenails are basically all a wreck so that's never TMI -- that's runner life. :) i ran the Disney Princess half one year and liked it, but it was definitely a humid one. nicely done! jealous of your post-race drinks in the special tent. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For once after a big race my feet don't look terrible!

      Delete
  11. Huge congrats on your PR!!! That's so awesome!! I'm happy for you. I absolutely love the marathon medal this year. It's just so classy.

    The year I did the half and the marathon relay (2012?) the weather was awesome both days. It was chilly enough to see your breath at night and in the early morning but not freezing. Then when I did Goofy, it was HORRID. I was miserable. Florida weather is just so unpredictable!

    Hopefully, the weather will be perfect next year as I'm tackling the marathon in 2017.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even though it was humid, the weather was better than last year! You are right in that Florida weather is so unpredictable!
      I absolutely love the medal this year too and am glad it's not the same design as last year!

      Delete
  12. That's weird about your mouth. Maybe it was the humidity effecting your sinuses?

    How did you get into that tent? I'd sit there the whole time watching the rest of the runners... though by the time I got there, there wouldnt be many left to cross - haha.. all the emotion at the finish line is always heart tugging to me.

    Yeah - that's not cool about the people with their kids... Disney is FULL of those same characters - take the kids there & let the runners enjoy their experience. BLAH!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no idea what was going on with my mouth. I've never felt like that before! Fortunately we were invited to hang out at the tent from an RD. It was SO nice!
      Yea, the kids need to wait in line at the parks to see the characters!

      Delete
  13. So a PR, injury free, not even a bathroom stop and you think you could have done better?! Pffft... runners... LOL AND you are thinking about doing another marathon. The humidity was bothering a lot of people for sure but for me it was normal. Puerto Rico is like that all the time but with 90 degree heat so I was actually kind of happy with the weather. It sure kept the Sun away from our faces the entire day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do have to admit that towards the end the humidity had gone down some but by then I was already spent!

      Delete
  14. Congrats on the PR! Sorry your feet hurt so bad though. That used to happen to me too but eventually it stopped. Not sure why. Weird about your mouth though! I wonder what that was about? And boo for the humidity...although living on the Gulf Coast...100% humidity is the norm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really need to find a solution to the hurt feet. Perhaps it could be the shoes.

      Delete
  15. yay for a PR and no injury sounds like a win to me. All these Disney recaps are really making me want to do one! You all had great pictures too

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I am definitely proud of the No injury part and the PR was a nice perk too!

      Delete
  16. Congrats on the PR and no injuries! I think it's always easy to think after the race is over that you could have pushed more, but I know that feeling of it being impossible when you're in the race. It sounds like you did the best you could in the moment, and now you know what kind of course you'd like better if you do another one. Great pics, and congrats!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jennifer! Everything you said here is SO true!

      Delete
  17. Great job, look at all those fun smiles!
    Sore feet can be common during a marathon, especially towards the end. I always tape some tylenol to the back of my bib just in case a little more than normal soreness comes on.
    I think you may just have to try a non Disney marathon. I mean I know you love Disney, but they are such a different marathon than almost any other. If you do decide to do another, you should hit up some smaller races less led by the dollar and more catered to the runner, it might change your mind about a race and its course. However, there are a lot of non Disney that I hear have not so great courses either, LOL Your sister runs some awesome ones, I bet she'll have some good non Disney tips for you, like Big Sur, you'd love that one I am sure!
    I think it is awesome you had such a great race and great time! Even if all anyone had to go off was your pictures you have such great smiles you can tell it was filled with awesome times there!
    Great job on your finish!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Kristy! I would definitely consider a non Disney marathon. I need to do some more long runs and see why my feet are hurting so badly. I did not have this problem when I ran in my Altras!

      Delete
  18. Congrats on the PR and finishing injury free! I love that photo of the two of you holding hands :) The mouth thing is weird. I hope you find out what that's about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Chaitali! That is the first and only time that has ever happened. Weird right?

      Delete
  19. i love your pics and I am glad you both had so much fun after watching everyone come in. I have never heard about the mouth thing-I would be weirded out too!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am very proud of you and inspired by how you and your sister train and blog and race together. I loved listening to your identical laughs too! Here's to more miles of smiles! (I hope it's okay for a guy to comment!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course, we love when you comment! Thanks for such a magical time!

      Delete
  21. Big congrats! You did awesome!
    How cute that there were proposals too. I guess if you are both runners, then it's a really great place to get engaged.

    ReplyDelete
  22. So glad you were able to finish injury free! That's weird about the bottom of your foot and the dry mouth thing. I've had the bottoms of my feet hurt bit only when I've been walking for hours in non athletic shoes. How you are able to figure out what that is about! Congrats on a great race even if you didn't get your goal time you still finished strong!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congrats on the finish and PR! It's great that you can share your love of running with your sister!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Girl I am so happy to hear that your IT Band cooperated!!! YAY! Congrats on your PR! Full marathons are no joke, especially in the humidity! Way to go!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Congrats on your PR and for running an injury free race! It was great that you were able to celebrate your accomplishment while watching so many other runners and their own ways to celebrate. I'm sure that made for an even greater day than you yourself were already having.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Congrats on your awesome race! No injury and a PR?! That's a big win! I ran the marathon and had an incredible race considering everything. I HATED the WWOS section of the race and the banked roads were rough, but it was a fun race. I think the energy of this Disney event is different from princess or wine and dine and I really liked it, but I don't know that I would do the marathon again.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love that you stay and watch the runners til the very end. I'm a back-of-the-packer and it is so uplifting to see runners who are done at the finish line.

    ReplyDelete
  28. congrats! love the recap! It is fun to stay and watch others cross the finish line, I did that in Nashville and it is the best of people watching! Like you say, you want to get your money's worth too :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Congrats on the PR! That last 10K killed me in my marathon too. The mental game can REALLY get you.
    I love staying after and cheering folks on! It's so much fun!
    Glad you didn't get injured-- that's all that counts, really!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Congratulations on your PR in high humidity. I remember last year and I'm so happy you were injury-free this time! Love all of your photos -- you guys look great.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Congrats on the PR!!

    I had the same at my marathon this past year - still a PR, but significantly slower than my actual time goal. An accomplishment nonetheless but a tad bittersweet.

    ReplyDelete
  32. No potty stops? You might be my heroes! Congrats on the PR and the great race- it was so fun to hang out with you both at the Cigna blogger event!

    ReplyDelete

Fairytales and Fitness is a personal blog authored and edited by us, Meranda and Lacey. The thoughts expressed here represent only our own and are not meant to be taken as professional advice. Please note that our thoughts and opinions change from time to time. We consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind in an ever changing society. Any thoughts and opinions expressed within our out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those we may express today. Some links may contain affiliate links. Some links are just to pages we'd like to share.