Dopey's Over - What's Next

So I did it.  I completed the Dopey Challenge.  I did more than completed it, I had fun during the Dopey Challenge.  So what's next on the running front.

I was purposefully putting off race planning until after Dopey.  I didn't know how I'd feel when I finished and I really didn't know what was next.

Well coming off the high of finishing Dopey I currently feel like I can do anything.  This and race planning could be a very bad combination.

I was already registered for the Katy Half on February 6th.  It's a local race in it's second year.  It is a fast course, nice time of year and the organization puts on a great race.  I'm looking forward to running it again.

I also was already registered for the Woodlands Full Marathon on March 5th.  I've gone back and forth as to if I would drop back to the half or stay registered for the full.  As of this moment I am going to run the full marathon.  It has a 14:30 min/mile pace requirement.  I theoretically should be able to do this and maintain this.  I intentionally did not push the pace at Dopey.  I struggled at Marine Corps and did not come anywhere close to that pace after the first 10 miles, but I think I have figured out a lot of reasons for my struggles and I've been working on those.  My 20 mile training runs have all been faster than a 14:30 pace.  I should be able to do this.  As I kept repeating to myself during my many breakdown moments before the marathon started at Dopey - I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

After Woodlands I have decided I am going to focus on getting faster in the 10k - half marathon distances for the next 18 months or so.  So no marathon training this year.  Well maybe?  More track work and strength training with less runs over 14 miles is my plan.  I want to get faster, stronger and leaner this year.

So I started looking at the race calendar and my own calendar.  It's really easy to fill up a race calendar.

2016 Races
1/1 - RunHouston - Sam Houston Race Park 10k - complete
1/7 - WDW 5k - complete
1/8 - WDW 10k - complete
1/9 - WDW Half - complete
1/10 - WDW Full Marathon - complete
2/6 - Katy Half Marathon
2/21 - Space City 10 miler
3/5 - Woodlands Marathon
3/19 - RunHouston Minute Maid 10k (virtual this time)
4/3 - Mike to Mike Half Marathon (Fayetteville, NC)
4/9 - Blue Bell 10k
6/4 - RunHouston Clear Lake 10k
9/24 - RunHouston U. of H 10k
10/30 - Houston Half
11/13 - Cypress Half
11/24 - Katy YMCA Turkey Dash 10k
12/3 - RunHouston Sugarland 10k



I'm sure that is not everything.  I want to complete the RunHouston 10k Series this year (fortunately they have a virtual option to complete the series) and the Bayou City Half Marathon Series.  I'm sure I will add at least one or 2 races in April/May.  There aren't a lot of local races in the summer down here and I'm also not crazy enough to run them so I doubt I'll add anything in June - August (except maybe the Running of the Bulls 5k).  The fall is still up in the air a little.

And by up in the air - did you catch that maybe up there.  I was thinking no fall marathon in 2016.  I really was.  But I have this crazy desire to enter the Chicago Marathon Lottery.  If I get in (and it is only a slightly better than 50-50 chance that I would) I would run it.  If not, well maybe no marathons for 18 months (unless I change my mind again).  So if I get into Chicago that is 10/9/2016 and the rest of the fall will fall out around that.

I'm going to be changing the focus of my training.  More strength work/cross training.  I plan to bring speed work and tempo runs back into my weekly plan.  I plan to keep my weekend long runs in the 8-10 mile range most weeks (until it's time to build up to marathon again).  8-10 mile runs are comfortable and don't take up my whole weekend but don't require me starting from scratch to build up miles again.  I've started taking Body Pump at the YMCA and I love the strength training aspect.

Most importantly I'm going to focus on nutrition this year.  If I'm going to train smarter I need to eat smarter as well.

I had such a great time at Dopey I would probably consider running it again in 2017 if it wasn't for the fact that I want to complete the Kessel Challenge and there is no way I can go from WDW to DL in a week to run Star Wars in January. That whole job thing gets in the way. So 2017 will be the year of the Star Wars races and Dopey again in 2018 is definitely on the table.  My oldest is thinking of training with me to run the Star Wars 10k in January.  If she does, it will be fun to train and run with her.

I am determined to get my half marathon under 2 hours and 30 minutes this year and to get my 10k back down in the 1 hour 5 minute range again (pipe dream is a sub 1 hour 10k and sub 30 minute 5k).  I know I have it in me.  I just need to work on my speed work, work on my diet and nutrition and focus on those distances.  I pushed the speed work to the back burner since I started ramping up marathon training and it shows.  Everything became a casual marathon paced run of late.  

So that is where I am.  The Dopey Challenge was more than I thought it would be when I had this crazy notion sitting on my couch in 2013 to run the WDW marathon.  The friends I have made, the fun had, the total experience was wonderful.  Now it is time to change up my training focus. When I come back in 2018 I will ride that roller coaster during the race.

DOPEY 2016 Part 5 - Sat, Jan 9, 2016 cont. - Mickey Mile and Animal Kingdom

After I finished the Half Marathon I had to run back to Bonnet Creek for a quick shower so I could go meet James and the girls at Animal Kingdom and take them to ESPN Wide World of Sports so they could run the Saturday Mickey Mile.  It's not their first race but it is their first RunDisney race.  

Before I left for Animal Kingdom I called James to let him know I was on my way.  He asked what was for lunch and I had a craving for Pizza.  So I sent him to Pizzafari, asked him to order me Pizza and that I would meet them there.  In hindsight I should have had him get it to go so he could meet me outside the park and I could have skipped walking in just to eat and then walk right back out.  

We ate and then headed back to the van so we could go to ESPN.  I am glad we left with a little extra time as I was not expecting the traffic on Saturday at ESPN.  We finally parked and found our way down to the field following the signs to the starting corrals for the Mickey Mile.  It turns out they started the kids in 3 waves.  They were not set by pace or age but by first come first run.  The girls ended up towards the back of the 3rd corral.  

Alice ready to run

Megan and Alice are ready for the Mickey Mile

We got the girls settled into their corrals and decided to find our way over towards the finish line.  I wasn't going to try to run with them.  I had 48.6 of my own racing I didn't need to add one more mile.  They are also both faster than I am and I didn't want to hold them back.

James and I found a nice spot on the hill next to the finish line where we could see a lot of the 1-mile course and watch the girls finish.

Mickey walking from the starting line to the finish line to greet the runners

The first finisher from the first corral.  

We could hear when the third corral went off so we could keep track of the lead runner to know when to look for the girls.  Alice came by first.  I attempted to get a couple pictures but kept missing her.  When she got about a 100 yards from the finish line she saw that Mickey was there.  She stopped, took a turn across the course and made a bee-line straight for Mickey.  A girl after my own heart.  

Can you see how excited she was to see Mickey.

She finished the race in 10:40.  She probably would have been sub 10 minutes if she hadn't stopped to give Mickey a big hug.  But I would want it any other way. :) 

As Alice was hugging Mickey Megan came into the finisher shoot.  

Megan was not distracted by Mickey.  I just realized looking at these pictures that Mickey disappeared in the 30 seconds between Alice giving him a hug and Megan getting there.  

Look at that nice form

Megan finished in 10:57.  She was so happy to finish it sub 11 minutes.  

It was a little stressful trying to get the kids from the finish area.  They had parent claim tickets but it wasn't very easy to get to them.  Alice is so little that she got lost in the crowd and James had a hard time trying to find her.  The did a great job of not letting kids out without that parent claim tag so that part was good.  I wish they had a slightly more organized system to find the kids than the mass corral.  Maybe a letter or bib # organization?  

My two Mickey Milers

I was very proud of them both.

We had to stop by the Kids Race Booth to switch out one of the girls race shirts as it had a loose set of serger finishing thread hanging from the underarm.  We fixed that without a problem.  The girls wanted to change into their new shirts so we did that and then headed back to Animal Kingdom.

Alice and I with the Goofy Sign.  I was ready to be a little Goofy and a lot Dopey tomorrow.

So back to Animal Kingdom we went.  We had Fast Passes for Expedition Everest so after we parked we headed straight there.  The height requirement for Expedition Everest is 44".  I wasn't sure if Alice was going to make it or not, but she just made 44" before this trip so this would be her first time riding.

We boarded and Megan took her medal off and stowed it in the seat pocket

Alice enjoyed it until we started going backwards.  Then she wasn't as happy about it.  She did not want to ride twice.

We got off the ride and started to head to Dinoland when Megan looked down and realized she left her medal in the pocket of the seat.  Megan was very upset but I assured her we'd be able to fix this.  So we went back to the exit.  I remembered what row she was sitting in.  The ride operator told us to hang on.  When the train came back he reached in ad pulled out her medal.  Crisis averted.  I told her to tuck it in her shirt next time or give it to me and I'll put it in my bag.  

So back to Dinoland we treked.  I needed something easy for Alice so the Triceratop Spin it was.  We rode the Triceratop Spin and they both spotted Primeval Whirl.  I didn't realize that it had a 48" height requirement as I'd never ridden it before.  Alice wasn't happy but I convinced her we would ride the Triceratop Spin again while Megan and James did the Primeval Whirl.  Megan loved it.  (I don't know that James would agree) and insisted on taking me on it.  So we switched places.  It was fun, but I could feel every aching muscle in my body from 3 days of running as we spun around that track.  

We decided to skip Dinosaur this time.  I really didn't think either child would be that excited by it.  They spotted The Boneyard and begged to go play.  

They happily played while James and I sat by the exit.  It felt good to sit for a few minutes.  

When it was getting close to our next FastPass for the Kilimanjaro Safari ride I found the girls in the dig area and we headed across the park for the Safari ride.

It was after 4pm when we went to take our Safari and many of the Animals were moved or being moved back indoors for the evening.  We had many sightings of the Animal Predator Human.  

But we did get to see one of the lionesses up and about.  

When we returned from our 2 week African Safari it was about time for our dinner reservation at Tusker House so we went to check in a few minutes early.  

We were seated without any delay at all.

I know Tusker House might sound like an odd choice before a Marathon, but it was perfect for me.  They had rice, potatoes, chicken and lean steak.  It was just want I needed before a race.  

Mickey loved the girls Mickey Medals and Ears

And he wished me luck in his marathon the next day

Alice was happy - they had Mac n Cheese

Goofy couldn't believe I was running the Goofy

Donald was thrilled with my Medal, especially when I told him he was my #1 Duck.  Then Alice told him he was her #2 Duck and he looked upset.  She changed her mind and say she was just joking before he pulled out his Angry Eyes. 

And yes the Christmas Tree was still up at Animal Kingdom.

It started sprinkling when we left dinner and was rainy pretty steadily when we got on the parking tram.

Meanwhile the Texans game vs the Chief's started.  It was not pretty.  I'm glad I missed a lot of it at dinner.  

Step Count for Saturday - 45,385 = 22.40 miles.

Am I really running a marathon tomorrow?  

  

DOPEY 2016 Part 4 - Sat, Jan 9, 2016 - Mouseketeers take over Donald's Half Marathon

Who's the Leader of the Club that's Made for you and Me!  M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

It's time for the half marathon.

The alarm was set for 2:45am.  Unlike yesterday I woke up today feeling refreshed, excited and ready to go.  It wasn't raining, but it was going to be a warm humid day.

A large group of us were running the half marathon today as Mouseketeers.  We had our white shirts, black skirts, shorts or leggings and our mouse ears.  I had to go with the braids a la Darlene and Sherry and we added very cute polka ribbons to our hair.

I felt a little rushed getting out the door this morning but still made it to the runners area with more than enough time.  I wasn't carrying my fuel belt and since I had the car I didn't feel the need to do bag check, so getting through security was easier for me than I heard it was for some.  I just walked right in.

Although I didn't need it to keep warm, I brought my space blanket to sit on this morning.  I was feeling lazy and found a spot and took a seat for a while. No need to stand the entire 2 hours before we start running)

We assembled in front of T-Z for our group picture.  (Or 2 or 3 different versions of the group picture)

Soon enough it was time for the walk to the corrals.  As we left the staging area we all joined in an sang the Mickey Mouse Club Theme Song.  

Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and Me.  M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!  Hey there Hi There Ho there you're as welcome as can be M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! Mickey Mouse - Donald Duck - Mickey Mouse - Donald Duck.  Forever let us hold our hands up high - high- high- high.  Come along and sing the song and join our company.  M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! 

Hanging out in Corral I before the start of the race.  Wow that is a lot of people.  (The corrals go to letter P by the way)

Finally at 5:57 we crossed the starting line.  Here is a video with our shout out from John Pelkie one of the race announcers.  

And the Selfie John took of use from the stage

And with that our band of Mouseketeers was off on a 13.1 mile adventure through the Magic Kingdom, Cone Alley, Epcot and Beyond.  

We started out with a 60:30 interval (run 60 walk 30) but skipped the first couple of walk breaks.  I was going to try to slow down and run with another friend but found I was struggling with the longer walk breaks so ended up catching back up with the big group.  I felt bad leaving her, but she told me to go and it was more difficult to walk more than it was to run more.  

The half marathon starts on Epcot Center Drive and then you take the  ramp north to World Drive. 

 There is a mile stretch from ~ 3/4 mile to 1-3/4 mile where the course comes back the other direction for mile 11-12.  I was actually shocked when I heard cheers in this stretch and realized it was the lead wheelchair group coming through already.  

There wasn't much to see in this section. It was dark, and humid and I was already soaked before the first mile.  They did have the guys on stilts around the 1-1/2 mile mark I think.  They were dancing along to Hannah Montana's Pumpin' up the Party.  

I say there wasn't much to see in this section.  You did of course have all the people running off the course to relieve themselves.  Some did not run far enough off the course and shared way more of themselves than I needed to see.

We did see the Monorail pass us.  Lots of people on board trying to get from the start line to cheer at TTC or the Magic Kingdom or the back to the finish line.  So there were lots of people waving as they passed.

After you turn onto World Drive you are close to the 2nd mile marker and we got our first "character."  I'm not sure if I count this as a real character stop or not. Most of us had targeted the other side of the street for the mile 2 mile marker.

There was a hot air balloon off to the side in this stretch somewhere,  But it was so foggy you really couldn't see it well.  

Around 2-3/4 miles into the race we entered the Magic Kingdom Parking Lot.

I honestly have no idea what we were waiting for, but I almost feel like I should have been showing off the Minnie dots under my skirt.  

And remember "Caution Runners - Speed Bumps ahead"

Finally at 3-1/2 miles into the race we came across our first real character.  Wreck it Ralph and Vanellope.  We waited about 10 minutes for this one.  

Fortunately we had a few speedy people run ahead to the next stop so our wait was no as long for Oogie Boogie

Scary

We ran through the Ticket and Transportation center and then back onto World Drive to head around in front of the Contemporary hotel and the under the lake.  (It's weird to have boats sailing over your head while you are running underneath)

We entered into the Magic Kingdom via the backstage entrance and onto Main Street about mile 5-1/2.  

Ok - time for a little Real Talk here.  I commented several times that the first few miles flew by.  Of course this probably had little to do with our pace and more to do with the fact that there were only 2 character stops in the first 5-1/2 miles of a 13.1 mile race.  TWO.  Honestly I have come to expect more than that from Disney.  

Ok - now back to our regularly scheduled programming.  It is now time to "run" down Main Street.  We moved a little faster this year down main street than we did last year at Princess.  But that really wouldn't be that hard.  We stopped outside the central hub for a couple pictures.

Yep - I am caught playing with my phone.

Love the vintage feel of our Mouseketeers in Black and White

I really need to learn to clear the moisture/fog/humidity off my phone before trying to take a picture during the race

Just a few people.

We left the central hub and headed into Tomorrowland.  We did encounter Mike Wysocki in Tomorrowland but were slightly more focused on the bathroom at that point.

 The Queen of Hearts also needed a bathroom break at the same time.  I deferred to her and let her pass me first.

And this is what we really do at races.

Stand around and wait.  Are we supposed to be running or something?

So after our 5 minute bathroom break (and the all important making sure that wet clothes are adjusted in the right way), we jumped back onto the course to continue our tour of the Magic Kingdom.  

The Queen of Hearts finished her bathroom break too, so we were able to get a picture with her and the Tweedles.  I have no idea what the Queen and I were doing here.  I think she might have wanted me to bow to her?

And Ryan just cracks me up in this picture.  

From the Queen of hearts we headed through Fantasyland deciding to skip a picture with the the bib Mime in Tangled.  

We headed instead towards the Castle.  UGH!  I hate running through the castle.  You can't even call it running.  It's more of a shuffle with no air.  It is an absolute nightmare.  Sometimes a picture says a 1000 words, but I'm going to let Susana's video show the cluster that is "running" through the Castle

"Running Through the Castle"

It's probably a really good thing she ended it there because I know I went on to describe just how miserable I was.  

We finally made it through to the other side. There really was a light at the end of the tunnel and found our way to the front of the castle.  

At Princess last year our Castle picture disappeared into a digital cloud never to be heard from again.  So this year I was determined to get a picture in front of the castle.

My attempt at jumping.  It's pretty commical.

And then we had an awesome group shot taken.

We are the next Mouseketeers

So we left the central hub and headed off for Adventure!  We're on a High High High Adventure!
But first we must go on a ghostly carriage ride

And we had to stop to take some time to play with our toys.  I think Clarabelle Cow was there when we got in line, but she and Woody Switched before we got up there.

And of course we had to try to take over the train.  I'm not sure why, it wouldn't have gotten us to the finish line, but we could have taken a three hour tour around the park.

  

Having been unsuccessful in our attempts to commandeer the train, we left Adventureland behind and exited the park through the back stage area behind Splash Mountain.

And we were able to take this epic photo with Peter Pan, Wendy, the Lost Boys, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.



We clocked an impressive 22 and 28 min mile inside the Magic kingdom and now at about 6-3/4 miles into the race it was time to leave the fun and excitement of the Magic Kingdom and face the dreaded cone alley.  (As a note we entered the Magic Kingdom about mile 5-1/4 and left at about 6-3/4.  Mile 6 was 22 minutes and Mile 7 was 28 minutes.  Not all of that time was in the park)

Cone Alley.  If you have never run a Disney race before you might be thinking what is Cone Alley?  Cone Alley is the stretch on Floridian Way between the exit from the Magic Kingdom and returning to World Drive.  Much of it is a two lane road and only one lane is reserved for runners.  The road is divided with a non-stop stream of cones (placed side by side with no gaps) between the runners half and the car half of the road.    Why is this dreaded you may ask?  Well it is a very tight and congested area when you bring it down to one lane of runner traffic, especially as you get later in the race. You are pretty much only able to go as fast as the person in front of you which means you stop being able to take regular run/walk breaks and end up walking much more of this section than you wish to.  I spent a lot of time on the grass trying to pass people.

The first part of cone alley is also very boring with nothing to see or do.  After about 3/4 of a mile of this you get to the Grand Floridian Hotel where Mary Poppins, and the Penguins are ready to take you on a magical journey inside some sidewalk art.

Somewhere along the golf course in here they did have a funny picture op where you could stick your head in the gators mouth, or pretend to hit a golf ball out of the gators mouth or off his head.  I didn't stop.

The best part about Cone Alley was that on the golf course right across from the Polynesian Resort were a bunch of friends from Team Shenanigans and the Mickey Milers.  They had candy, oranges, caramels, hugs, and high fives.  Knowing they were there made Cone Alley bearable.

Bill's offer of Trader Sam's was tempting

Great crew of runners and cheerers here!

We stopped for one more team photo with Stitch outside the Poly before we got a little spread out on the rest of cone alley.  

I think there was another character or 2 around here.  Maybe Donald or Goofy playing golf.  I don't remember, I didn't stop.

This is where the course starts to get a little mundane and you just want it to end.  You are going back along World Drive and Epcot Center Drive on the same roads you left one.  They still didn't have any characters in this stretch.  The sun is up, it is foggy and humid as all get out and you really just want to finish the race. 

Did I mention is was really muggy.  I'm talking 100% humidity muggy.  I was literally wringing sweat out of my braids muggy.  The fog made for some really surreal moments too.

I ran most of this section with Doug and Laura.  They were great company.

As you make the Clover Leaf around World Drive to turn onto Epcot Center Drive again you get a nice overpass and a very cambered road.  The cambered road is harder to deal with than the overpass.  As you come up this you get the Green Army Men yelling at you to keep going.  They weren't ordering Pushups or Jumping Jacks this year and were trying to keep people from stopping, but I did manage a quick Selfie.

At least we looked good

Shortly after this Laura needed a quick stop at the Med Tent so I told them I would see them later and kept going.  

I ran back by the guys on Stilts.  Pumpin' up the Party was playing again.  My thought at this point was what are the odds of that and wow those guys have to hate that song.  

I made the sharp turn to Epcot and up over the last Overpass.  

Coming into Epcot there were several Milers I knew cheering us on to the finish.  

I heard there were characters in Epcot, but I was apparently oblivious to them and ran right past.  I did stop for a picture in front of Space Ship Earth.

I miraculously caught up with Brittany and Caryn and Dave (I'm guessing they stopped for those characters I didn't see)

Just before the 13 mile mark we had to stop and dance and sing with the Choir.  

At mile 13 we found the rest of the team waiting for us to cross the finish line.  

And our Post Race Shot out and Selfie with John Pelkey

It was so foggy and humid that Marathon Foto's camera fogged up too.  

What an awesome race and time we had together as a group of Mouseketeers in Disney World. 

And Now It's Time to Say Goodbye to All our Company M-I-C (See you real soon) K-E-Y (Why because we like you) M-O-U-S-E

The half marathon course

I had to leave to quickly get a shower and pick up my husband and the girls at Animal Kingdom so the girls could run their race for the weekend.  The Mickey Mile.

Part 5 will cover the Mickey Mile and Animal Kingdom later. And we still have one more race to go!