Dopey Challenge 2015: Day 4- I Just Might Be Dopey!

Day 4!  The Marathon, the Big Kahuna, then End in sight.  I seriously was so excited the morning of the marathon I was up at 3:45 raring to go.  I was really excited too because my brother Mike and his lovely wife Kathy were gearing up for their first ever marathon.  Such a big morning.

It just so happened that my dear girlfriend Grace Jessup's cousin Melissa was running the Dopey Challenge too.  It took us all 4 days to get it coordinated, but we managed to meet and have a few moments to chat before the 26.2 started.  Even though it was short, it was great to connect.  When I hugged Melissa I felt like I was hugging my sweet Texas friend.  Miss you Grace!

I didn't have a time goal for the 26.2, but absolutely intended to run my own race and fueled right for it.  I have learned so much about fueling and have made some dramatic changes in my routine.  The biggest has been adding Advocare into my pre and post race routine.  Amazing.  After running 3 days in a row I was fired up and felt strong.  Nothing was going to hold me back.

Unfortunately, Mike and Kathy were in a different corral than me, and Bob, of course, was in with the elites, so I headed on my journey lone wolf style.  I was ready.  Bob took off and enjoyed capturing as many of the character shots as he could given there was no line.  Throughout the race he met Mary Poppins and Bert....

Minnie and Daisy....

The Incredibles......

and Cinderella's Fairy Godmother.  Seriously, how fun.

I didn't stop for many pictures, but I just LOVE the Cinderella Castle and couldn't help but capture the moment.  I just felt so great!

The race was one in a million for me.  I never hit the wall, I never faded, I never slowed my pace.  At mile 17 in fact I passed the 4:15 pacers and literally blew past them.  I left them in the dust and never saw them again.  At the 25 mile mark, I definitely had to talk myself to the end.  My body was telling me it was time to stop, but I gave more and came in 20 minutes faster than any previous marathon.  I shaved nearly a minute per mile off of my best time purely by fueling correctly and adding in Advocare. Yes, I love to run and trained really well, but seriously, nutrition is key!

It was so much fun to come across that finish line having done so well and finished so strong.  I was so happy to be done running, but had so much left in my tank.  I cannot begin to tell you how much fun it was to get all of our medals.  What an accomplishment!

Bob and I finished well before Kathy and Mike so we went home, showered, got their kids and headed back to the finish line to cheer them across.  I was so proud to see them come around the corner and make it to the finish line.  A first marathon is a big thing!

After 4 days and 48.6 miles, our shirt and medal collection was complete.

We did it and YES we shamelessly took a "Michel Phelps" photo.  We earned that hardware and love every piece of it!

                         

The day following the Dopey Challenge, we decided to spend in Magic Kingdom.  It was perfect in the morning and we enjoyed everything that we could.  

Lily met her idol Elsa and chatted up Anna too.  How cute does she look?

We enjoyed all of the kiddy rides before the rain came in and literally started to pour down in sheets.

We ran our way through and out of the park, got home and enjoyed out last night in Orlando.  We were all tired from our running and saturated from our unplanned "shower."

The whole trip was a huge success.  We accomplished much and enjoyed running in the "happiest place on earth!"

Dopey Challenge 2015: Day 3

Day 3, the half marathon day, was probably my favorite.  Mostly because I got to run with Gramma Jill, Grampa Steve and Aunt Sue.  Bob and I were in the same corral for the 5k and 10k, but in different corrals for the bigger races. In fact, Bob managed to get himself into the corral with the Elite runners.  First out of the shoot!

My closet nerdy husband was absolutely on top of the world to because he got to witness firsthand the Space X rocket launch.  See that tiny dot next to the big lamp light in the sky?  Thats the rocket.  He was so excited and it was fun to watch him geek out right in the middle of the starting line chaos.

Disney goes all out at the starting line with fireworks for every corral.  It's big and so exciting.  It made waiting to start actually really fun.  The music was blaring and the works lit up the sky.

The four of us started well after Bob and just had a blast talking and enjoying the run.  At mile 6 we made it to the Magic Kingdom and pulled over for a quick selfie in front of Cinderella's Castle.  It is SO  MUCH FUN to enter and run right down Mainstreet.  The castle was still covered in its winter "light frost" for Christmas.  Elsa, Anna and Kristoff were even up on the balcony.  Elsa of course was making REAL snow because.....well.....its Disney.

There are characters and character sets all throughout the races so that people can stop and take pictures.  Unfortunately, when you are in the later corrals there is literally a line of people sometimes 30+ thick to take pictures.  So needless to say, the 4 of us didn't stop for any, but Bob was at the front of the pack so he took a few chances to get some great character photos.

The run was perfectly lovely and perfectly chill.  I had so much left to give by the time we came under and around the ball to the finish line.  Sue, Jill and I all held hands together with Steve right on our heels.  I really, REALLY enjoyed our half marathon day.

After the race, Bob and I even got to meet Dopey!  How cute is he?

All of us got our medals, magic snack box and water then headed back home for a day of relaxation and fun.    We finally finished a race AFTER the sun came up!  I really felt awesome and was so ready for the Marathon the next day.

Lily got a real treat when Gramma Jill and Grampa Steve took her to the Magic Kingdom for the afternoon.  They spent nearly all of their time meeting princesses, but Lily loved it.  She got home only too quick to tell us that we had to ride "Ariel's Ride" and "It's a Small World."

Our afternoon was LAZY which is just how we wanted it.  My brother Mike and his wife Kathy were getting ready for their first Marathon and Bob and I were resting up for ours.  I don't care how many I do I still get jittery the day before the Marathon.  26.2 here we come!