My First Marathon...EVER!

Well, if I am going to blog about my running of Disney events and park visiting I figured I should start with how it all began.  As a kid I'd never been to Disney.  My first Disney trip was during college on spring break and I've been back just about every year since.  That first trip left such an impression that the following year I managed to convince my folks that we needed to take a family trip there so I could run my first marathon at the age of 19.  The rest is history.


Here is the story of my first marathon:


I don't remember a thing about the expo or packet pick-up.  My sister grumbles as the phone rings at 2:30 in the morning to wake me for the race.  I wear a long sleeve t-shirt over a tank top and blue shorts with silver stars.  I lace up my adidas gazelle sneakers and my parents walk me to the All-Star Sports hotel lobby where I will catch the bus to the start.  I board the bus after a hug and promises of a Cheez-it box to help me spot them on Main Street USA.  It's dark out and I am alone on the bus filled with marathon and half-marathoners (this was before they split it into two different days).  I manage to choke down a bagel and some powerade.


Lots of people everywhere and a bagillion port-o-potties.  Eventually we leave the staging area and head to our corrals.  I'm not sure what to expect, I just follow the crowd.  It was very well organized.  Fireworks start the race and it is a calm, quiet despite all the people running.  The sun hasn't come up yet, but I am enjoying the cool morning air.  I remind myself of what my high school coach that I ran into told me, "alternate between water and powerade.  Keep a long sleeve tied on your waist, you never know when the wind may kick up or the weather will change."


As I approach Magic Kingdom I am feeling pretty good.  I slow my pace a bit so that I can scan the crowd for a Cheez-it box.  There is no box to be found.  This is all pre-cell phone days so I keep on moving forward and hope they are ok and I just missed seeing them.  Magic Kingdom is truly magical as the sun is coming up.  I am so lucky to be running through Disney and the parks are closed to everyone except us, the runners.  


I'm carrying a camera to take pictures along the way.  Due to the weather there wasn't much to take pictures of.  Shortly after exiting the park we pass the "exit" for the half-marathoners.  A few people jog left to their finish while I continue straight and think to myself, "a half-marathon is nothing.  Why do people think it's a good idea to do one before a full marathon?  I'm feeling great."  

Somewhere along the race course

Good feeling continues to Animal Kingdom.  I don't remember much here other than the weather started to get gray and a light rain started.  Commence putting the long sleeve shirt back on.  It's cotton, it's heavy and wet, but it's better than my tank top.  We approach mile 20 and I hit that wall they always talk about.  It wasn't a joke.  We were on  one of those out and back sections of the course near the wide world of sports.  There were these blow up people wiggling in the distance (the turn-around).  I hated those and tried to pick it up so I could make the turn and not have to see them anymore.  

Mile 23 is Disney MGM studios (now Disney Hollywood studios) and I am thinking to myself, it's only a 5K left but it's going to be the longest 5K ever!  By the time I am entering EPCOT with about a mile to go I am hobbling every step.  If I walk my knees hurt and when I jog my ankles hurt.  I am a big pile of hurt and contemplate swimming across the world showcase lagoon but fear drowning due to lack of energy.  I take off my long sleeve shirt so that my race number is visible.  I'm still quite cold and drenched, but the rain has stopped for now.


As I round the corner to head towards the finish I am greeted by a choir.  I start to get choked up and tears form in my eyes.  I cross the finish line and am promptly given a mylar blanket for warmth and my very own Mickey Medal.  I did it!  I go over to the designated family reunion tent and wait for about 20-30 minutes without any sign of my parents.  

Finishing

I board a bus back to our hotel.  "Walk backwards down the stairs."  It's the voice of my high school coach in my head.  I hobble through the lobby and by the pool towards our room.  I manage to get up the stairs and knock on our hotel door.  My mom swings it open and gives me a gigantic hug with tears in her eyes.  My papa bear gives me a great big hug.  


I later found out the crowds for viewing the course were difficult to get around and they weren't able to get to Main Street.  They were crushed they didn't get to see me run or finish my first marathon.  After the congestion of the morning they wanted to make sure to be in the room for when I finished.  I took a hot bath (yeah, I know now not the best idea) and ate oreo's before the now famous Mickey Bar post marathon tradition for me.  



I will never forget my first marathon.   The feeling I had as I crossed that finish line... as many as I've run since that first one will always hold a special place in my heart.