Tinkerbell 10k - May 9, 2015

The alarm went off way too early at 3:45 am.  I was under a false impression that you didn't have to get up as early for a Disneyland race as a Disney World race.  I would say that it was slightly easier because my body should have thought it was still on Central time and 5:45 am but since we were up so late the night before I only ended up with about 4-1/2 hours of sleep and I was very tired.

I got ready and started walking to the starting area.  I had a gear check bag today for the 10k as I was planning to clean up and change clothes after the race so I could meet the family for the 8 am park opening at Disneyland.

I dropped off my gear check bag and found the Mickey Milers.    We were #TeamShenanigans Strong this morning.   I had a B coral placement, but I had decided to drop back to Coral D to run with my friend Dale.

  After our team picture, we headed out to the corals.

In our Coral as we moved to the start line.  Dale and I got a Mickey Milers Team Shenanigans Shout out from Rudy as we crossed the start line.

The first mile and a half were out on the streets of Anaheim, CA and very much like any normal city race.  

Except we ran into Captain Hook before heading backstage at Disneyland.

I find it very funny that we are both pointing different directions - almost like we are Tweedledee and Tweedledum.  

Of course we had to stop to say hi to the Disneyland Indian Chielf

And try to figure out what he was looking at.

And a quick wave to Chip and Dale

Before getting to Mile 2

We wanted to take a ride on the Carousel

But settled for a picture in front of the Castle.

I'm not sure if Dale had enough and was just going to dive into Masteros mouth or what

But I was attempting to backstroke away from him.  

Unfortunately our invitations to the Tomorrowland Preview were lost in the mail, so this was the closest we came to it.  

May the Force be With you on your Race

These are not the Droids you are looking for.

A little preparation work for the Small World Challenge in August.  

We caught Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow smooching in Toon Town

Mile 3 - half way there so time for an upside down photo.

I loved running backstage.  There were so many interesting things to see.  From ride cars to the sign shop, to the Imagineers Field Trailer, the next mile was full of interesting things you would never get to see otherwise.  

 

Walt Disney Imagineering Office.  My dream job.

Trying to convince  Dumbo to give us his magic feather so we could fly to the finish

4 miles down as we enter Disney California Adventure

Yes we forced random cast members to pose with us.  

My yellow cone hurdles.  I'm not sure why Dale has it though.  LOL

Appropriate store name for us.  Or maybe it should be off the wall?

Hollywood

We ran into our friend Jill around Mile 5

And had some fun on Paradise Pier

But no spinning Ferris Wheel's today

Then we ran into Shane and Stephanie

And raced around Radiator Springs

Of course I had to take a picture of the Transmission Structure on the backside of Radiator Springs

Mile 6 - almost there

Just a band and some high fives left before 

MEDALS of course!

Showing off my medal in front of the Disneyland Park entrance.

  The 10k Medal

The course was awesome!  So much time spent onstage or backstage.  The backstage running is probably my favorite thing about running RunDisney Races.  We had a lot of fun on a great course.  For the record, my final time was 1:36 - far from a PR but much more fun this way.  

The only downside to this race was the Snack Boxes (or lack there of) and Poweraid.  I don't drink Poweraid during a run, but I found lack of it on the course odd.  I know a lot of people do drink it or expect it and you would normally see it on a 10k course.  I also was surprised that they only had one flavor at the finish.  Even more surprising was the fact that the only food offered was a single banana. For the price of a Disney race the typical Snack Box seems cheap to me compared to a lot of races, but not having the Snack Box was really just not acceptable.  I heard there was an expired item in the snack box and they couldn't give them out.  I find it hard to believe that a company with Disney's resources couldn't have come up with some sort of alternative for the 10k that morning.  But I'm not going to let the lack of a snack box damper my day.  After I got my medal and banana, I grabbed my bag from gear check and headed over to find the family.