Recap: 2015 Best Damn Race Marathon - Cape Coral

Since I have never run a marathon in my hometown, I decided it was about time to run a race in my old stomping grounds. Fortunately for me, Best Damn Race holds a race about 2 miles from my parent's house.  Can't get too much closer to home than that.   Cape Coral is in South Florida, about 7 hours south from where I currently live.  The race was a good excuse to take a weekend drive down and visit the family. 

Expo

The expo was held in a field adjacent to what would be the starting line.  Thankfully, the weather was nice.  Otherwise, it may have made packet pick-up difficult. On the upside, I was able to bring the dogs to packet pick-up.  With my packet in hand, I headed back to my parents house to relax. 

Race Day - 12/13/15

Well rested and ready to run!

It was very nice only having a 3 minute drive to the starting area.  (Yes I could have walked the few miles, but I wanted to stay fresh for the race.) I hung around race village for a few minutes, then  made my way to the corrals. The marathon and half marathon course are the same, with the marathoners enjoying a second loop.  Since I had just finished Space Coast a couple of weeks previous and the weather was going to be brutal again, I planned to run/walk an easy pace and enjoy the day.

                                                 And we're off!

Most of the race ran through neighborhoods I was very familiar with.
 

 Best Damn Cheerleader!

My lovely DisneyBride brought me cold Gatorade, ice, and snacks along the course. Magnus offered me enthusiastic barks and slobbery kisses.  

Mission accomplished!  The weather turned out to be even more brutal than I had expected.  My Garmin recorded temps at 93 degrees.  Following the race, I wanted nothing more than to get back to my parents house and jump into the pool to cool off.  

Pretty solid finish line pic.

I did manage to finish within about 2 minutes of my PR.  Eventually, I want to have an opportunity to run a marathon with close to ideal temps.  My luck, it will be at Disney, when I just want to take pictures with characters and hop on rides! Ha!

 

                                        I am hot!  Really, I am very hot! It was 90+ degrees.

Pros

• The aid stations were well manned.  Special recognition to the volunteers from Cape Coral High School!  Once a Seahawk, always a Seahawk.
• Flat course.
• Well marked course.
• Ice on the second lap. This was great to help keep the beverage in my polar bottles cold. 
• The finish line had plenty of food and beer. Pollo Tropical is a South Florida chain of cuban style food. Beans, rice, plantains, roasted chicken. They had much so that my Wife,  Mother, and Grandmother were all offered food to take home.
• Finish line beer.  Cold and delicious, the perfect finish line beverage.  They also had a hard root beer, I tried a couple of sips.  It was just too sweet for me.   
• I'm going to call her the 'tutu volunteer'.  A woman with a boa and a colorful tutu was cheering on runners at about the 1.5 mile mark.  She was beyond upbeat, not only first thing in the morning, but just as excited and cheerful at the completion of my second lap.  Thank you awesome volunteer!
• Free race photos.  Yep, no paying extra for photos.  

Cons

• Super Hot.  Not the race's fault, just an observation.
• Not enough volunteers to manage traffic from side streets. Too many drivers going far too fast, far too close to runners.
• Nuun.   This is more a preference issue.  I don't think Nuun has enough calories for me.  I also seem to remember that the website advertised a different beverage (Note: I can't find this now. Perhaps, I remembered wrong.) 

This might be my favorite pic of the day. Ben and Magnus rode with DisneyBride in the car and were my furry cheerleaders. They had air conditioning. I didn't. Life ain't fair.
 
To continue with my fairly aggressive race schedule - I have a half marathon on Jan 3 - my last longer distance race before Dopey Challenge.

Read more

Fall Race Season Starts NOW

Fall means another race season is upon us. And as we take on new challenges, we are both super excited about this year's line up of events.


Disney Groom
My 2015/2016 race season kicks off this Saturday with the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. This season is pretty packed with 4 marathons, 3 half marathons, and 2 legs (swim and run) of a half Ironman.  My schedule follows (with my famous commentary), if you are planning to attend any of these races, let me know. 


Disney Bride
My focus this fall and winter is to get strong on the bike as I prepare for a half Ironman relay in April 2016. To that end, I've really cut back on the number of running events.


runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon 11/7/15 
DG: We've been coming to Wine & Dine weekend every year since 2012 for the 5K.  Surprisingly, the half is the only Florida runDisney race we haven't run. I will be taking advantage of all the characters and entertainment on the course.  I will not be running this one with any focus on time - just about having fun!  I am looking forward to an epic Food and Wine festival at the conclusion of my run.  Someone save me a beer! FYI: I will have my favorite and best costume yet!

Also, I may not be running the 5K, but they can't keep me away! I will be volunteering at the Jingle Jungle 5k in the morning; I have not been given an assignment yet.  Keep a look out on twitter and instagram, I'll let everyone know where I am going to be. 

Space Coast Marathon 11/29/15 
DG: I have enjoyed this race the last two years.  This year I will be completing the Milky Way Challenge.  I am also shooting for a PR.  Its been awhile since I have gone for a marathon PR, so far my training has gone well.  It appears that a PR is well within reach. 

DB: This is a really well organized event.  The course support  is fantastic and I love getting to see so many of my runDisney friends again. I'm back for my third Space Coast Half Marathon 

Best Damn Race (Marathon) Cape Coral, FL 12/13/15
DG: The destination race that's not a destination race.  Cape Coral is the town where I grew up.  My parents live less than 5 miles from the starting line.  Depending on how things go at Space Coast, I may make a second attempt at a PR.  I look forward to a very flat course on very familiar streets.

Swamp Forest Trail Half Marathon 1/3/16
DG: Returning for my second year.  (Unless you count pacing DB for final 6 miles of this course when she ran it in 2013.)This is an absolutely amazing race on some beautiful trails in Tallahassee.  I plan on using this as a taper run for the Dopey Challenge. 

Walt Disney World runDisney Dopey Challenge 1/7-1/10/16
DG: Returning for year 3, I can't wait to join thousands of my runner friends for an epic 4 day race series.  I will continue my "Perfect Dopey" streak.   

DB: I'll be running the 5K and 10K (or what is quickly becoming known as the Bashful Challenge). Plus I'll be volunteering at the half and serving as sherpa during the full to support my Dopey.

Tallahassee Marathon 2/7/16
DG: This is the year I finally run a marathon in the town I live.  The Tallahassee Marathon has completely changed their course this year.  The new course features some of Tallahassee's most famous landmarks.  You should consider adding this race to your calendar. 

Ironman Florida 70.3 (Relay) Haines City, FL 4/10/16
DG: Because running by itself isn't crazy enough, DisneyBride has dragged me into the world of triathlon.  I fought it pretty hard, however, I am really enjoying the swimming.  This should be a really great event. I am doing the 1.2 mile swim and the 13.1 run.

DB: I am SO very excited for this! Am looking forward to this race like no other event that has come before. I am working with a coach to help me on the bike as I take on the longest leg of the event: a very HILLY 56 miles. Yes we do have hills in Florida.

Walt Disney World Star Wars Darkside Challenge + 5k 4/15-17/16
DG: RunDisney always seems to make a pretty big deal about new races.  I look forward to seeing what they have in store for this weekend. I'm in for the 5K & Dark Side Challenge (10K + 13.1).

DB: Okay - so this is just 4 days after our Ironman 70.3. Will we be wrecked?  Probably.  Can we pass up an Inaugural runDisney event in Florida? Heck no!  I'm in for the 5K and 10K.


The season will be busy, the training will be hard, and the glory will be eternal.  Don't forget to let us know if you will be running or volunteering at any of the above races.

Read more

#MotivationMonday Maickel Melamed runs #BostonMarathon

Today is the running of the 2015 Boston Marathon.  The eyes of the running world are on this city and it's prestigious race.  Each runner today worked very hard to get there - whether through a qualifying time or raising money for a charity.

Among the numerous inspiring stories of the athletes running today, there is one that is getting little fanfare - but he should.  Maickel Melamed is from Caracas, Venezuela, and although he is well known through the Latin American press, there is very little of him in the mainstream North American media.

I started following Maickel Melamed while he was running the 2013 Chicago Marathon. He  has run some of the world's most prestigious endurance events.  In fact - he set out to run The Big 5.  What will surprise you - are his finish times.

• New York (2011) 15:22
• Berlín (2012), 14:20
• Chicago (2013) 16:45 
• Tokyo (2014), 14:30; DNF at mile 22

Born with hypotonia, a rare type of muscular dystrophy characterized by a state of low muscle tone, even the most routine physical acts like walking are a struggle for Maickel.  The fact that in 2011 he set out to run the most prestigious and well-known marathons in the world, and has been accomplishing this, is nothing short of miraculous.

Maickel was born with his medical condition, and he has not let it stop him from achieving professional and personal successes. He is an economist, a professor, a motivational speaker, and when he decided to climb a mountain, he climbed the highest mountain peak in his native Venezuela.  He doesn't do things on a small scale.  This guy DREAMS BIG and LIVES BIG. So deciding to run these world class endurance events - he chooses to be among the best and fastest athletes. He chooses to do what they do - to show that anyone can work hard and accomplish their goals.

None of these things come easy.  I've watched the live stream of some of his races. It is heartbreaking when he falls down.  He has been hurt many times, but he perseveres.  It is incredibly emotional to see him approach that last mile and home stretch.

Founder of Proyecto Vamos! (translation: Project Let's Go!), Maickel reminds us all that there are infinite possibilities in life.  And he inspires and leads people from all walks of life to embrace those possibilities.

You can check out this brief video to see more about him.



Like the other runners, Maickel trains year round for these events. Like the other runners, he has tremendous mental determation. 
And like every runner in Boston today - Maickel motivates us with his determination and will.  We send our hearts and best wishes to all the runners this morning - and long after the elites, the fast, the mid-pack, and yes, even the back of the pack comes in, Maickel will still be out there - putting one foot in front of the other.

I can't wait to see him finish!

You can follow Maickel today on
https://www.facebook.com/maickelmelamed
https://twitter.com/maickelmelamed

(Sorry his social media is in Spanish, but Facebook does have a translate option.)

~Run Happily
DisneyBride

Update on 4/21/15:

AMAZING! After over 20 hours, most of it in pouring rain,Maickel Melamed gets his ‪#‎BostonMarathon finish. Through the cold, rain, and wind - he persevered!  Am glad to see his story got picked up by several North American news outlets. http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/04/21/boston-marathons-final-finisher-an-inspirational-story/

And the Mayor of Boston himself presents Maickel with a medal!

Read more

Trail Toes Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

This Giveaway has closed.  Check our most recent posts to see if we are running any giveaways.

There are a few running issues that no one likes to talk about.  Today I will talk about one.  Chafing.  I have chafed and blistered before, and I can tell you one thing - I'll do anything to prevent this.

Mickey doesn't like to blister or chafe!

As I've gotten more involved in trail running in preparation for my ultra, we did some research on what 'those guys' use.  You know - the crazy guys that run 100 mile races.  If the typical runner can get bloody nipples during a well-supported half marathon road race, imagine what might happen on 50 plus miles in remote and often harsh conditions - where aid stations are very few and far between. This is how we heard about Trail Toes and Trail Tape.  This stuff is designed for ultra runners. It is made to withstand hours and hours of water, mud, dirt, sweat, and more.  I just had to give it a try!

I was lucky enough to test out both the Trail Toes and the Trail Tape.  I have to say that I put them both through their paces and I am a huge fan.  I have tried a couple of other products in the past and they just couldn't keep up with me.  

My first test for Trail Toes was my Swamp Forest Half Marathon.  I slathered trail toes on my feet to try and avoid blisters and angry toe nails.  I also used some on what I will refer to my "bathing suit area".  While on long training runs, both areas have experienced chafing.  The trail was very wet from the rain, and it continued raining through the race.  The Trail Toes worked like a champ.  My feet were blister free and "my bathing suit area" stayed free of any chafing or irritation as well.  I will spare you pictures of my gross runner feet.

Muddy, wet, and very humid.  No "bathing suit area" chafing or blistered feet!

Following my trail half, I continued to use the Trail Toes on my runs.  I also put some of the Trail Tape on my feet to see if it would hold.  The tape held steady on my feet even through wet trails and humid and hot runs.  I also tested the Trail Tape on my nipples.  Being a larger guy, nipple chafing has been an issue for me.  I have previously been using a product called 'nip guards'. They work well, but each package contains just ten pairs and retails for about $12.  The Trail Tape works just as well for a fraction of the cost and at 10.9 yards per package, I think one box ought to last me for years, if I only use them for my nipples. Suggestion: pre-cut the tape before leaving for a destination race.  Don't be like me, frantically hunting for scissors on race morning.

Trail Toes protected me all throughout the the runDisneyDopey Challenge.  Four races and 48.6 miles and I didn't get a single blister on my feet.  I also found out that Trail Toes can help when you fail to ensure your race gear is ready.  Marathon morning, I woke up and got dressed only to realize that my compression socks had a hole on the heel.  DisneyBride freaked out and tried to talk me into changing into a different pair.  Nope, I decided to put the Trail Toes to the test and just slathered it on my heel.  It could've turned out badly, but to my relief - no issues at all. 

Holey sock, no problem, just add some Trail Toes.

48.6 miles is no problem when your feet feel great!

Probably my biggest test for Trail Toes and Trail Tape came from my 1st ultra marathon.  I ran the Destin Beach Ultra Runs 50K in Destin.  The race is 100% on the beach, features countless water-crossings, wet sand, and the ever changing tide.  One can only imagine what this puts your feet thorough.  I slathered my feet and "bathing suit area" with Trail Toes and protected the nips with Trail Tape.  Further, I left more Trail Toes in my drop bag with fresh shoes and socks at mile 16.

Sand and water was the ultimate test for Trail Toes! It passed!

I reapplied the Trail Toes and Trail tape at mile 16.

After 30 miles of wet sandy feet, not a blister could be found.  My "bathing suit area" was free of issues as well.  You might be laughing about the last comment, but a runner dropped out of the 100 mile race because he had rubbed his "bathing suit area" raw. He used a different term, but this is a family-friendly blog. 

The combination of saltwater and sand really beat up the feet of far too many runners that weekend.  Once across the finish line, many runners were catering to horrific looking blisters on their feet. I can't help but think that could have been avoided with some Trail Toes.

Wiped out after 31 miles.  My feet may be wet and covered in sand, but I don't have any blisters.

The following week after my ultra, I had another destination race event:  Gasparilla Distance Classic in Tampa, FL.  4 races, 2 days = 30.4 miles in temps that started near freezing and ended in mid 70s plus wicked humidity.  I don't have my race recap up for that one yet. But you bet I was glad to have the Trail Toes and Trail Tape with me.

That's 126.2 miles of races, plus countless training miles that this stuff has come through for me.  


Some final thoughts

Keep some Trail Toes and some Trail Tape in your running bag and in your car.  You never know when you (or someone else) will need it.  Trail Toes cleaned up pretty easily with some soap and warm water.  Don't remove the Trail Tape from your nips until you are in the shower and can loosen the tape with some soap and warm water (learned this one the hard way).

Trail Tape retails for $6.50 on the Trail Toes page.  For $6.50 you almost have a lifetime supply of nipple protection.  This is far cheaper than the method I currently use.  DisneyBride used the Trail Tape on the bra strap area, where she is prone to irritation. She finished all her events (on the beach and on the road) with no issues.

Don't forget, the tape can be applied directly to any part of your skin, including your feet.

Trail Toes comes in a 2oz bottle ($11.99) or in 7 gram single use packet($.99) .  I find the packets to be great for drop bags and for packing for racecations.  

1st prize

2oz bottle of Trail Toes

One box of Trail Tape

Second prize

10-single use packets

Trail Tape sample

Terms of the Giveaway
1) No Purchase Necessary.
2) Giveaway begins Monday March 2, 2015 and ends Monday Mar. 9, 2015 at midnight. Winner will be announced on the Facebook page and this blog post. He or she will be notified Tuesday, March 10, 2015.
3) Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must be a U.S. resident.
4) Two (2) winners will be selected. The 1st winner will receive one (1) box of Trail Tape and one (1) container of Trail Toes.  Approximate retail value is $18.49. The second winner will receive 10 (10) single-use packets of Trail Toes and a Trail Tape sample. 
5) Sign in through Rafflecopter below to enter. With your first entry, the app will capture your e-mail or facebook name. This is so we can reach you if you win, in accordance with sweepstakes terms. Your contact info will ONLY be used to contact you if you win.
6) There are additional opportunities for multiple entries.
7) The winner will be chosen at random using the rafflecopter app below. Odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible entries received.
8) In the event winner does not respond to contact attempts via e-mail or facebook name provided within a one week period, another winner will be selected at random.
9) Void where prohibited.


a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure of Material Connection: No financial compensation was received. We received product from Trail Toes in exchange for this review. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will be good for our readers. All opinions stated on this blog are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

For more great giveaways:click the image below

Read more

Day 5: 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend #DopeyChallenge #WDWMarathon Recap

The big day has arrived.  Going to bed early the night before paid off.  The alarm went off at 1:45am (I wish that were a typo) so that we could get to the start area early.  Since I missed out on a Dopey Challenge race banner last year, we had decided to arrive very very early.  That meant driving. It worked.  Arriving at about 2:30am, we were about the 5th group in line at the merchandise tent.  The merchandise tent itself did not open until 3am.

I got my Dopey banner and also picked up a Goofy one as well.  They look great hanging in my office. (We get them signed by characters.) 

After picking up the banners, I headed back to the car to relax. Since we arrived before everyone else, we had a pretty sweet parking spot. Having the car there meant I was able to spend some time in a nice warm comfortable seat.  Very convenient since I was feeling a little twinge in my ankle. DisneyBride kept trying to get me to take a nap, but I was too excited to sleep.  So at about 4:45am we got out of the car to go catch up with a friend. 

With Michelle from  https://middleofmainstreet.wordpress.com/

No, that is not my costume. Yes, I really did wear a trash bag at the start line. It was cold. #DontJudge

Speaking of costumes - this might just be my first runDisney event where I did not wear a costume or at least something costume-like. Instead I had on my Marathon Maniacs gear (because the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon qualified me to be a Maniac). I also wore InknBurn shorts, my custom Run Alice Run arm sleeves, and my Orange Mud Vest Pack 2. 

After catching up with friends for a few minutes, I gave DisneyBride a goodbye kiss and headed for my corral.  The weather for the marathon was far better than it had been for any of the other races.  Even so, I kept my trash bag on to keep me warm.

Let me take a second to point out something I thought was a little off all weekend.  The poor Goofy runners almost received no love. Even before the marathon, they seemed to only get a quick mention.  It was the 10th anniversary for the Goofy Challenge and the Dopey Challenge still seemed to cast a huge shadow over Goofy.  Congrats to all the Goofy Challenge participants and and even bigger congrats to those that have completed all 10 years!

The fireworks to send off the runners were amazing.  Better than I've ever seen at a runDisney race start, and I've seen a few. I need to learn how to get better photos of the display.  Thankfully, most of you read the blog for my humorous take on running, not for my photography skills.

Miles 0-13.1

The course starts off the same as the half.  For the Dopeys, the 2 mile marker is an important one.  It is just past the halfway point of the Dopey Challenge's 48.6 miles.  Pretty amazing to think that 2 miles into the marathon, you are only half way though the challenge.

Outside the Speedway, a few new cars were out on the course.  

Just outside the Ticket and Transportation Center, I ran into DisneyBride.  It's always great to see smiling faces.

DisneyBride looking good with her Mickey hand and Buzz Lightyear hat.  

Speaking of smiling faces, the High School bands really knocked it out of the park again.  Here is the Timber Creek High School band, my vote for the best band of the weekend.

The run from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom is pretty uneventful.  The DJ with the huge Mickey hands always does a great job of pumping up runners to make it up the hill in front of the Contemporary.

Arriving in the Magic Kingdom the first picture should come as no surprise.  The one, the only, the Buzz Lightyear.

Second stop was the Mine Train.  Thanks again runDisney for giving us the false impression months ago that the Mine Train would be operating during the Marathon,  Apparently, running past the Mine Train was enough to make it "part of the race course". Yes, I did 'air quotes'.

I said it before and I'll say it again, it never gets old running through the castle.  I even managed to get a spectator to take another great castle photo for me.

Leaving the Magic Kingdom you make your way past the monorail resorts. My first stop after Magic Kingdom was Genie and Abu. Apparently, my luck ran out right before it was my turn for a photo. The Genie had some sort of genie emergency and had to take a few minutes.  

Next up was the Speedway, running on the track is always a really awesome experience.  Several local car clubs bring out some cars to show off.  My favorite was a 1966 Ford Fairlane.  I probably liked it because it is very similar to my 1st car, a 1967 Ford Galaxie.

After leaving the Speedway, we started heading to Animal Kingdom.  The first stop was the couple partying with their RV. Last year they had pickled herring to help fuel the runners.  Unfortunately, they didn't have any fish to fuel us, but they were enthusiastic cheerleaders.  It was nice since the next several miles are pretty boring/gross. 

First up, the compost facility and the solid waste transfer station.  Super pleasant to see and smell.  It's a little too 'behind the scenes' for me. 

Then the Country Bears were jamming out. I guess runDisney really wanted us distracted.  Because the next sight is probably the favorite of all the marathoners.  The waste water treatment facility truly sprinkles 'Disney Magic' upon our noses.  Even being a pretty cool day and the plant spraying to keep the smell down, it was still there.  Oh the joy!

The cast members had several animals out again.  I managed to stop for the sheep and pig.  The animals also had custom bibs, a really nice touch.  Perhaps, I should have gotten better pictures of their bibs.  You know... just to check the results and see if they beat me. 

I had hoped to ride Expedition Everest upon my arrival in Animal Kingdom.  Since I arrived just minutes before the park opened, the ride already had about 30 minutes worth of runners waiting to get on.  I decided to pass, waiting that long just wasn't an option. 

Leaving the park I finally hit the halfway point.

13.1-26.2

It really seemed like the second half of the course flew by.  If your are still reading, I promise the second half of this recap isn't as long as the first half.

The parking lot to the Animal Kingdom had quite a few spectators with really great signs.  Also, Mickey was on hand to ensure that everyone was having a great time.

I'm a big fan of the GraveDiggers.  They are always rock solid in their performance and really get into the spirit.  Even better, the line was super short and moving very quickly.  Even with runners taking time to 'get buried' they were up and back to running in just a few seconds.

I always enjoy the run through Wide World of Sports.  The cool towel on the way into the complex was really refreshing.  Nothing like having something cool to wipe the sweat from my face and neck.  The constant scenery changes, the varied surfaces, and the twists and turns keep you distracted from the run.  The run through the baseball stadium is one of the highlights for me.

After leaving the complex, I finally arrived at mile 20 marker.

Its just about 2 miles until you arrive at Hollywood Studios.  Hollywood Studios has probably my favorite aid station.  Yep, cool delicious chocolate.

The run through Hollywood Studios is short, but very scenic.  It was also my opportunity to make up for not being able to run Expedition Everest.  While in Hollywood Studios I decided to go off the course and ride Toy Story Midway Mania!  

If was funny watching people yell at me "You're Going the Wrong way!  Then they laughed when I told them I was heading to a ride.  It might have been even better than riding Expedition Everest.  I think I have a new tradition. 

In line for Toy Story Midway Mania!

Who rides the rides in the middle of a marathon?  This guy!

Approaching EPCOT, I began to get thirsty.  Luckily, Germany was nearby.  Just like last year's marathon, an adult beverage was in order.  Yep, had to stop for an ice cold beer.  Having the opportunity to choose the country where it comes from is just a bonus.  Perhaps next year I'll change it up: England, Canada, Japan, who knows?

I cannot believe how AMAZING this grapefruit beer is! I gotta bust out some dance moves!

Crossing the finish line, I felt really good.  I immediately received my Marathon medal and headed for the Dopey tent.  Anxious to see what they were going to confirm, I peeked at the computer as they typed in my bib number.  All they checked was that I was the one who had picked up the bib at the expo.  I don't believe they actually checked to ensure that I ran the other races, just that I picked up the bib.  I hope that they eventually get to the point where they verify times for the Challenge participants. 

Marathon medal Volunteer!

Goofy Challenge Medal Volunteer

Dopey Challenge medal volunteer

With all my medals around my neck, I headed for the reunion lot.  I wanted to get my final Dopey photo with all the medals gloriously around my neck.  DisneyBride was already in line with my 5K, 10K, and 1/2 marathon medals and she greeted me with a big kiss. 

Finally, DisneyBride understands my love of Tonga Toast and came through again this year.  Waiting for me was an order of Tonga Toast and some bacon.  

I was only back home a few days before a few friends agreed to sign on for 2016 with me.  Yep, I'll be heading back for another Dopey next year!


-DisneyGroom

Thanks for reading!

For my other 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend recaps see the links below.

Expo Recap

http://www.runninghappilyeverafter.com/2015/01/day-1-disneygrooms-2015-dopeychallenge.html

5k Recap

http://www.runninghappilyeverafter.com/2015/01/day-2-disneygrooms-2015-dopey-challenge.html

10k Recap

http://www.runninghappilyeverafter.com/2015/01/2015WDW10K.html

Read more