The Happiest Race on Earth - A Race Report

Disneyland Half Marathon - 08/31/08

This is my first attempt at a race report. I have read many that I adored and found others to be super helpful in getting ready for a new race. So here I go...

I did this race last year under a heat advisory and it was very hot. I stayed at a local hotel, got there early, did everything I was instructed to do because it was new to me. They said to get there super early...and I was up at 3:30 or so to get over there to the area. This year I didn't pay for a hotel. I stayed with my sister and just about 45 minutes - an hour away. I woke up at 4, got ready and we headed out the door at 4:30 - so much better. I knew that the primary event parking ($12 for the day) was right by the corrals and I knew that there was a huge bank of portopotties at the back of the corrals. I also knew which corral I was in and exactly where to go. So I didn't have a mind numbing wait in the holding area and then marched out to the corrals. I was in the corral by 5:30 or so. This is Corral F next to my corral:

and my corral (I made no efforts to jockey for position) but I wasn't in the back...

I had NO time expectations at all for this race because this is Disney and the best part of the race is that they have characters and everyone out for photo ops during the first part of the race. I had my camera and my plan this year was to run super easy and loose through the park (that is about 4 miles) then I would run intervals to mile 10 and then see how I felt - if good, then close it, if eh, then continue intervals...

Last year it was very hot and although the weather was supposed to be cooler and we didn't have a heat advisory I was still a little weary (after Chicago last year, I don't think I will ever take race hydration lightly ever again) so I sported the camelpak for the race. That way I had a place for my phone, my camera, my e-caps, and my water (and a wee bit of cash)...

At the beginning of the race one of the race directors or announcers, I don't know who surprised his girlfriend with a proposal...many ahs and oohs from the crowd...they didn't do fireworks at the start this year - but it is better for the environment, so I am not going to complain. The race started and then about 10 minutes later my corral was moving up to the start line. To my surprise my sista, Ninjhey, who was gracious enough to drive me down, caught me at the start line. Anyway, I started out nice easy as promised met a few other renegade runners and started the loop to head into the park. You go through California Adventure first...and here you can kind of see it in the distance...notice the humpty characters on the left...

getting a bit closer...still pretty dark out so everything looks blurry

and we have entered the holy land of all things animatronic...

First up...Bug's Life

Then around Paradise Pier - there were a couple of guys who were chasing each other and cutting around...had I not been so determined to get my picture with every character on the course I would have made it my mission to stay on my race plan and beat them...but I was having fun...and was fairly certain I would never see the Blue/White Gang again...

Ran into these toy loving fools on the pier...

Next up Bear Country (or whatever that area is called)
Then we headed out CA Adventure and hoofed it over to Disneyland...
It wasn't hot...but it was humid...and I was definitely sweating...sexy...

Once in Disney...these guys tried to hold me back...
Able to break free, I ran into Nemo and his gang (my best land fish impression - and check out the guy on the far rights expression - love it!)
under the castle...

honor thy Belle...

a boatload of princesses...

and then you are out of the park...and have 9 miles to run through Anaheim...not particularly full of photo highlights...but I love how flat you are dear Anaheim...

oh, but first we have to get over I-5...

after about a 10k tour through the tile outlets of Anaheim - (the spirit on the course was great) we arrived at Angels Stadium, this is one of the best parts of the race because the scouts (girls and boys) are all lined up and cheering like mad as you get to run through the stadium, around the field and see yourself on the jumbo-tron...

and then to the jumbo-tron...

the jumbo...hey like last year - see...

okay...we are snaking around the stadium parking lot this year....and we are at the front...I guess no jumbo-tron this year...sadness...but hey, Mile 10

oh, hey, Chicago, this is a cooling station...a Coooooling station, a cooling station we didn't even really need...oh the technology of it all...

I was cruising along, checking my watch thinking "hey, I have goofed off a lot during this thing, but I might just make it under 2:30..." when what to my wondering eyes should appear but members of the Blue/White Gang...I was shocked, there was no way they had flamed out that much that I could be this close...so I set my targets on them as we winded through the last 3 miles...but they changed the course, and instead of going through more of downtown Disney...we ended going through the park...and there were more character photo-ops!

So I was faced with this horrible decision...try to finish in under 2:30 even though this was supposed to be a fun training run - but definitely catch those guys (and oh how I wanted to)...or stop and get my pics so that I could say I had every available character photo-op this year....I chose... Rats! - One more time...

So with less than a mile left, I headed towards the finish...I turn closer to the finish line and hear Ninjhey scream "close it, close it" and then I see just down the chute...Blue/White Gang - I kicked it in gear and SPRINTED down to edge them out (my own personal vindication of which they knew nothing about and probably never even noticed me)...but I did it...and finished strong - yeah! at a 2:38 - no mocking the time - it was about having a good time as in enjoyable - not in bragging rights!

But do you know what you feel like the next day after you try and sprint after a 13 mile run...

You feel like this...stupid - but worth it

Summary - Very good race, very good time (because it was about having fun) - good weather, great support on course - recommend it...and for those of you looking for a good course to PB - you should consider this race...for me, I doubt I will ever try to PB this course, I think it is too much fun to just enjoy yourself on this run and use it as a training run...