Very short marathon weekend trip report

[cccmouse]

I will begin by saying that nobody does Run Disney trip reports like WWDRH, but I thought that I would submit my abreviated version.
First, some background information. Since the first race of our Dopey Challenge quest was early am on Thurs 1/9 our plan was to leave for WDW the am of Wed 1/8. This would give me enough time between our arrival and our 6:30pm dinner at Trail's End to get over to the expo and secure all necessary items to begin my Dopey quest. Now, let's back up a little further to Friday 1/6, 6 days prior to our departure date. Awoke early Friday am, went out and ran for about an hour...felt fine. Came in, shower, dress, off to work...felt fine. Arrived at work around 8:00am...felt fine. Around 10:00 noticed I was not feeling fine. Went to lunch...really not feeling fine. Around 4:00pm left work early. Kept looking all the way home to see if I could find the truck that had just run over me. No sign of it. Walked into the house, upstairs to the bedroom, fell onto the bed and did not move for about 24 hours. Finally late Saturday afternoon my very wise wife stronly encouraged me to go to the urgent care to find out what was going on. Still no sign of the truck that had now run over me 2 or 3 more times. My condition was summed up by the urgent care staff in one word...FLU. Happy feeling gone. A short time later arrived at the pharmacy to pick up the Tamiflu that was called in for me, only to find that the pharmacy had closed 13 minutes earlier. Sunday 10:00am was waiting at the pharmacy when it opened. Took the first dose before I left the parking lot. Back home and straight to bed.
Monday - got up and went into work for about 90 minutes. If I was going to be gone to WDW for a week, I had things that needed to be done. My employees finally ran me off fearing that I would spread the love to them. Back home and feeling a little better.
Tuesday - Back to work for about 3 hours making final preparations to be gone for a week. Again, run off by employees. Feeling a little better. Arrived home only to have wise wife share her plan for me for marathon weekend...skip the 5k, skip the 10k, attempt the half, and don't even think about the full. Being the sensible man that I am, I totally blew that plan off.
Wednesday - My parents who were going with us arrived at our house at 5:45am and we were on the road by 6:00am. 13 degrees as we pulled out of the driveway. Arrived at A of A resort around 3:00pm, checked in and I was off to the expo. This was our first stay at the A of A resort. Our reasoning was that the 2 room family suite would be excellect for our situation... my wife slept in the bedroom with her own private bath and I would sleep out in the living area on the pull out sofa so that I could wake up around 3:00am each morning and not disturb her.
Thursday -
Totally ignoring my wife's plan for my marathon weekend, I awoke early, took my last day's dose of Tamiflu and headed off to the 5k. My plan was to take this as a very slow "test run" to see how I felt. This was a good plan since there were so many walkers and small children, I had no choice other than take it slow. Felt surprising good and finished a little over 34 minutes. A very poor 5k time, but it told me that I felt good enough to plan on the 10k the next morning. Spent the rest of the day at the MK and was in bed by 9:00pm.
Friday - Up again around 3:00am. Bannana, bagel Clif bar and Garorade for breakfast and off to the bus stop. (If you like or want Gatorade, bring your own. Since it is not a Coke product you will not find it on Disney property.) Started the 10k at a relatively slow pace and felt surprisingly good. Actually ran the 2nd half of the 10k a little quicker than the first half. Finished in just over 1:01. Spent the balance of the day at Epcot and at the WL Villas just hanging out. Went to the Pasta in the Park party at EC and back to the hotel and in bed by 9:30pm.
Saturday - Same routine...same wake up time, same breakfast and off to the half. Told myself that I would take this VERY EASY with the full looking at me the next morning. Followed the plan ran very easy, even took a short walk/powerade/energy gel break for 3-4 minutes. Finished in 2:14+. This is approximately 25 minutes slower than a previous Wine and Dine half time but I was just fine with it. Spent the balance of the day hotel hopping (can you say self serve Dole whip at the Poly?) and hanging out at Fort Wilderness resort. In bed before 9:00pm.
Sunday - Blah, blah, blah...same routine. Moved into coral K and began the waiting process. The gun and the fireworks went off and I was on my way. This was to be a real adventure since I had never run a full marathon without 2-3 days rest before, not to mention just getting over the flu.
Arrived at the MK...feeling ok. Around the WDW speedway... still ok. The long stretch over to the AK was staring to make me feel the effects of the last week or so. Exited the AK and saw my wife and mom cheering me on. Actually stopped since wonderful wife had brought me a fresh Gatorade. 2-3 minutes later I was gone again. Long run to the WWoS complex...starting to really tire out. Left the WWoS complex heading to the DHS...happy feeling gone. Entered DHS with only one heart's desire...PLEASE LET THIS BE OVER SOON. Left DHS past the Boardwalk, YC and BC and then into EC. Too close to stop now. Around world showcase and I was on the home stretch. A few minutes later the finish line was in sight...THANK YOU LORD. Finished in 5:07+. Wanted to be sub 5 hours but considering all, I was fine with that. Wife and mom were there at the finish, picked up my Dopey bling and back to the hotel for an afternoon of chillin'.
Which brings us to this question...come April when registration open for next year, what to do? My first, thought is to skip the 5k and the full and just run the 10k and the half, but I know that I would regret that decission. Do I skip all the shorter races and just do the full? Can't decide. I guess I have several weeks to think it over. So, for now, I guess this saga is...to be continued.

[wewantsdaredhead]

We'll first of all....thanks for the props. I really appreciate that but I don't know that I deserve it. I think I may be the ONLY one to do a marathon TR and that's why you liked it.

And second...I was wondering how you did and I was getting worried that you had bad news because you have been so quiet on here. Man I am glad you finished despite your wife's advice. Lol
I am working on my TR and I hope to have it finished soon.

Great job you should be proud! 48.6 miles in 4 days is an accomplishment no matter the time.

As for next year...we'll see huh. My wife really wants to do it but I am so done with fulls. The human body just was to meant to run 26.2 miles...at least mine wasn't.

GREAT JOB cccmouse!!!!!!!

[Amy]

Hooray for your accomplishment cccmouse! I would say you did a great job completing the Dopey Challenge while recovering from the flu. I've heard good things about the Tamiflu and how quickly it works. I imagine it might work better without all that running
I would say if you mostly enjoyed yourself, you should sign up for the whole shebang again next year and see what it is like to run all the races while healthy!
Well done

[NaCler]

Awesome job cccmouse. I was hoping we would bump into you at one of the races. Excellent job hanging in there when the cards were against you.

[boilerbabe]

cccmouse, BRAVO!!!!! (whistling/clapping) I give you mad props for pulling that off!!! Extremely impressive and with the flu!? They should have given you an extra medal for that one!

[cy1229]

Tamiflu is AMAZING STUFF! My girls took it when they had flu in elementary school and I was amazed at how quickly they felt better. School nurse required they stay home a certain number of days, and by the last day I was ready for them to go back!

I'm very impressed that you ran as much as you did after the flu. Congratulations! That self-serve Dole Whip sounds like a great reward for what you accomplished. Sounds really good right now!

As far as future runs, I think they've called it the Dooey for a reason... Just saying...

[Amy]

Tamiflu is AMAZING STUFF! My girls took it when they had flu in elementary school and I was amazed at how quickly they felt better. School nurse required they stay home a certain number of days, and by the last day I was ready for them to go back!

I'm very impressed that you ran as much as you did after the flu. Congratulations! That self-serve Dole Whip sounds like a great reward for what you accomplished. Sounds really good right now!

As far as future runs, I think they've called it the Dooey for a reason... Just saying...

Is Dooey like saying the Dopey is a Doozy of a race all together?

[cccmouse]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the congrats. I say job well done to anyone who ran any of the races. Just getting up off the couch is half the battle. Next year we definitely need to schedule an official SSR/Run Disney meet up even if it is just for a quick lunch or a Dole whip or just to encourage and offer congrats to each other. I am curious to see what our other SSR runners do when registration opens for next year's marathon events. It is amazing how the passing of time makes you forget the promise that you made to yourself when you said "never again". There are some of us that just might be Dopey enough to try it again. Who knows.

[boilerbabe]

I truly wish we could say we will be signing up when registration opens...but we have no idea what this year will bring. I wish more Sub members had run in 2012 when we were there. I know one of these years we will be back!

[cccmouse]

I truly wish we could say we will be signing up when registration opens...but we have no idea what this year will bring. I wish more Sub members had run in 2012 when we were there. I know one of these years we will be back!

Come on bbabe and bdude, you have almost a year to plan for it. Just a quick trip for the weekend...getting away from the cold of winter next January. Go head and admit it, you are tempted.

[cy1229]

Tamiflu is AMAZING STUFF! My girls took it when they had flu in elementary school and I was amazed at how quickly they felt better. School nurse required they stay home a certain number of days, and by the last day I was ready for them to go back!

I'm very impressed that you ran as much as you did after the flu. Congratulations! That self-serve Dole Whip sounds like a great reward for what you accomplished. Sounds really good right now!

As far as future runs, I think they've called it the Dooey for a reason... Just saying...

Is Dooey like saying the Dopey is a Doozy of a race all together?

OR... it's what happens when I reply on my iPad.

[Amy]

Tamiflu is AMAZING STUFF! My girls took it when they had flu in elementary school and I was amazed at how quickly they felt better. School nurse required they stay home a certain number of days, and by the last day I was ready for them to go back!

I'm very impressed that you ran as much as you did after the flu. Congratulations! That self-serve Dole Whip sounds like a great reward for what you accomplished. Sounds really good right now!

As far as future runs, I think they've called it the Dooey for a reason... Just saying...

Is Dooey like saying the Dopey is a Doozy of a race all together?

OR... it's what happens when I reply on my iPad.

sorry, couldn't resist

[cy1229]

Is Dooey like saying the Dopey is a Doozy of a race all together?

OR... it's what happens when I reply on my iPad.

sorry, couldn't resist

I like your explanation better, though. And I wish I had BUTTONS on the iPad. Ah, first world problems.

[MmeLeota]

Holy crap on a stick! You ran the Dopey AND had the flu?!?!?! Wow! Major props to you, cccmouse!!! Running the Dopey is crazy as it is...but to be sick on top of that? Again, WOW! Many congratulations!!!!!

[boilerbabe]

I truly wish we could say we will be signing up when registration opens...but we have no idea what this year will bring. I wish more Sub members had run in 2012 when we were there. I know one of these years we will be back!

Come on bbabe and bdude, you have almost a year to plan for it. Just a quick trip for the weekend...getting away from the cold of winter next January. Go head and admit it, you are tempted.

Totally tempted! But can't shell out that kind of $$$ w/o being sure we can make it! We are hoping to start a family this year....so we'll just have to wait on the races! We will be back one day!