So it has been a long time coming.....the running of the Dopey. Yet another bucket list item. I put the Dopey Challenge on my list only after I had already finished the Goofy Challenge last year. You actually get the Goofy medal when you run the Dopey.....I didn't realize that! So for some of you that are unaware of what the heck I'm talking about, here is the explanation. Disney has a marathon challenge every year in January in Orlando. I first ran the half in 2008 and then didn't run a lick for nearly five years after. Each race is a character......of course....you would expect anything less from Disney!
5k (3.1 miles) - Thursday - Pluto
10k (6.2 miles) - Friday - Minni Mouse
Half Marathon (13.1 miles) - Saturday - Donald Duck
Full Marathon (26.2 miles) - Sunday - Mickey Mouse
Now if you are crazy enough you can double up on these races and do the half and the full back to back. That challenge has a name: The Goofy Challenge and you get three medals. One for the half, one for the full and an extra for the goofy inside of you. I did this in 2015.....a bucket list goal.
Now if you are really really crazy you can run all four and then you will have entered the Dopey Challenge. Yes, all the races....waking up at 3:30AM for four mornings in a row (5 if you are flying back the following morning) may be biggest challenge. So yes, you guessed it, a medal for each of the four races plus the Goofy medal for doing the half and full and of course the Dopey medal for doing all four. Needless to say there are challenges far more than the running to overcome as well.
The cost of the races, the flight there, the stay there, the waking up each day really really early, the crowds and the time off to do such a ridiculous task. But it's fun.
So let me first say that my wife and I had a blast. It's always fun. Running together in our INCREDIBLES outfits was hilarious. Lots of fun comments from people. And of course we made it on the RunDisney post video. That's right.....because we're goofy......er Dopey. It was a nice surprise and a bonus to continue marketing Run Eugene Run.
We ran our own 10k races in the rain. I was soaked. It wasn't that bad though.
Together we did the 13.1 taking the opportunity to create a plethora of "selfies" along the race. I never stop for pictures but this was all about having fun......besides.....at mile .75 (yes you read correctly) I had to pee. We were pretty much in the back of the race. The last 50 or so runners......lol there's an experience.
Regardless of how we finished in the race, we finished together. It was a fun run to encourage each other and share in the adventure. We reminded ourselves that this half marathon was just a warm up for the full marathon the next day. My wife took an ice bath to ......errr....celebrate!
The next day was déjà vu all over again. Early morning again but great weather was expected. Super crowded with an expected 26,000 runners. As always I get to share my story while sitting in the corrals in the morning waiting. Met several people and chatted about why we were there and what we intended to accomplish. Some I would never see again after the race starts but others have become my Facebook friends. FLASHFORWARD: I passed one guy (forgot this name....I hate that) back and forth during the course of the 26.2 miles.
I actually had my best marathon ever. Not my best time.....second best....but my strongest finish. I kept really close to the pace I wanted to maintain throughout the entire race. During the course I knew I had to figure out how to refuel.....I haven't been good at that. This time I was able to rehydrate easily and eat two bananas without getting sick. I think that was an accomplishment in itself.
The race is very crowded, almost entirely, except when we were on the highway portions. Other times we are squeezed into small paths or walkways. Often I found myself behind slower runners and could not pass them. I'm sure that hurt my time. At the half way point I was only 3 minutes off of my overall time. I didn't think that was too bad. I knew I still needed to conserve energy at this point in the race to push past my wall. It was beginning to get really warm out there too. When was that dreaded wall going to show up?
Mile 20 came and is always right near the Wide World of Sports. Yes I ran around the ball field and at the right field wall I once again pretended to jump up and catch a fly ball from going over the fence saving a home run and in effect winning the World Series......everyone always looks at me strangely! Well I felt great at that point.....everyone around me looked dogged. However my time has now slipped to 6 minutes off of my desired time......so I kicked it in gear!
That never has been an option for me at this point in a marathon. I've been way too tired. I'm just trying to maintain a pace to finish. This last six miles is also the most crowded due to the tight sections while we are running through the parks or resorts. I am often able to push a 8 min/mile pace until having to slow down until I can get around the crowds. I have to pass in the grass, on the median wherever and however to keep pushing. I have my eyes set on a goal. Despite my efforts I can't really gain enough time. It's a great effort if I say so myself. I finished in 5:20:15 which is about 11 minutes slower than my best time which was here in Virginia Beach during the Shamrock.
Now that I'm done, I collect my medals and get my photograph taken and head to pick up my gear bag. I knew my wife would be a while and I needed to get out of this nasty sticky wet clothes. I sit and wait and chat with a few people. Congratulating them on their completion. That is always so awesome to see others finish and happy of meeting their goals. Especially the first timers.
Finally my wife came through.....she was exhausted but SHE DID IT! Grandma ran the Dopey! She said she struggled with keeping the pace up ahead of who she called "The Balloon Ladies". They were the pacers at th end of the pack. If you fell behind them at any point you were picked up and escorted off the course. She said they were right over her shoulder at one point. She has a great story as well. I'll let her tell it. I'm so proud of her.......she said she has now officially retired from marathons!
Don't care where you finish in a race.....just finish. That is the reward. As competitive as I am I know I am not an elite runner. I will never finish in first place.....not even in my age group. Just a fact. But I can run against myself and push myself to be better than I was before. Running a marathon allows you to find yourself. Find something down deep where you can draw amazing energy from. It's real....and its powerful!
Until next time my friends.....see you out on the course.....and remember.....HAVE A FUN RUN!
Eugene Thompson
RUN EUGENE RUN
