So, 2024… would you sign up for a Dopey at WDW and HM at
Disneyland? sounds like a tall order
When Disneyland held Star Wars The Light Side the weekend after Marathon Weekend, there were always a decent number of Dopey Rebels earning their Coast to Coast. It's doable, but tricky. With so many feeling sick after the marathon, you have to hope you're healthy.
Currently at MK for Medal Monday pics (as is everyone else apparently!). For some reason, the PhotoPass spot in the hub garden on the Plaza restaurant side has a HUGE line of runners. Not the Super Zoom photo that's also near there, but just the regular PhotoPass. Is there something special about this spot compared to Main St or the Partners statue?
In 2019, there was a great PhotoPass photographer for runners in the MK after the 10K. I found him again this year the day after the Marathon and everyone was lined up to get so many creative shots.
The PP girl that was there this morning was doing a GREAT job with her pics. Multiple poses, helping arrange your medals and make sure that the spinner on dopey was up in the right position, etc.
She did a great job especially making sure people got the shot they wanted, including getting down on her stomach to get the castle in as well.
It still doesn’t feel real, and I feel like I pulled off some kind of heist, lol! It was not easy, but it also wasn’t as bad as expected, in some weird way.
I'm so proud of you for finishing. I've always appreciated your thoughts and insights especially as they pertain to Florida weather.
AK CMs spectating get the prize for most enthusiastic, excited, motivational spectators on the course.
It may have been one of them who cheered me after I turned back to ride Everest during the marathon.
I have to say, despite accomplishing something pretty incredible, I can’t help but feel a bit “lesser than” because I didn’t do Dopey.
Please do not feel somehow "lesser than." Whatever distance you ran is your accomplishment that you worked hard to achieve. I well remember talking with a lady who had run her first 5K at Avengers Half Marathon 2017. She was so excited and proud of herself for having run the 5K that weekend. I loved seeing her excitement over all of her hard work to get there. Her accomplishments that weekend were no less important than anyone who ran a longer distance or even a challenge race. That applies to every race weekend.
I am still trying to reconcile my emotions about the marathon and whether I should feel proud of myself that I stuck it out and finished or terribly disappointed that I couldn't run.
I felt similarly after I ran a half marathon in 2018. I went into the race hoping to PR. While I did indeed PR, I also felt disappointed over how brutally the race went for me. In the end, that race proved to be invaluable to me. It helped expose some mistakes I had been making in the half marathon distance that could have been far worse to discover during my first marathon.
So, Dopey #8 is done - I can't wait till the next one, assuming I make it. I know my life won't be very happy from now on, but I truly hope it continues to be DOPEY.
I'm also proud of you for sticking with it. And while life certainly feels like it will not be very happy from now on, please know that there is so much you have to offer to this world. It may not feel like it now, but it will get better.
To that end, there was some discussion over the soundtrack for the weekend (and it’s somewhat limited scope); what are 5 90’s songs you would have added to the Disney playlist to enhance your 90’s weekend? Doesn’t have to be Disney and no wrong answers.
Any Weird Al song. I already sang his version along the course whenever possible.
es, I'm a dinosaur, as my wife and kids frequently tell me....
See also Weird Al's song Jurassic Park.
All this talk about 90s music reminds me of this past summer when I was having lunch with my new team. They were talking about the song Peaches which I assumed was the beloved The Presidents of the United States of America song but apparently Bieber has a song with the same name
. I've never felt older. Even after I embarrassed myself by singing that peaches come from a can they had no idea what I was talking about.
Many years ago, my little brother born in 1986 was telling me how he could not understand why anyone thought Michael Jackson was such a great singer. After unsuccessfully trying to explain it to him, he then asked me if I had heard this incredible brand new song that was all the rage in those days. He then proceeded to play the remix using the original vocals from Smooth Criminal. I think I finally picked myself up off the floor about 5 minutes after falling down in laughter to explain to him why what he had just said was so funny.
Oh, and someone, please! That rock remix of "Wish Upon a Star" in MK on an endless one song loop! For the runners, that was probably really cool, and the energy was there. And it gave every runner a similar experience.
But for the spectators.... Augh!
I'm a purist. I wish they had played either the original version or a more traditional version.
Dopey #4 in the books for me. I still cannot quite believe that I have run 4 marathons even though I've done it.
Brief recap here with a longer one to come in my training journal.
5K: 57:18 Broke a sweat only because of the humidity. So it's a success.
10K: 1:47:09 Did not break a sweat. Made a few character stops. Bailed on the insanely long Chip and Dale line after the race when it became clear that I would miss my bus back to the resort. Got in some other lines instead and saw them in Animal Kingdom.
Half: 3:32:43 I heard the warnings multiple times that I was 2 or 3 minutes ahead of the balloon ladies. Every time I chose to stay in the photo line I was in because I know that I can keep up with the balloon ladies if necessary so if they got to me when I was in line, I would bail on the line. I made every single photo, including Chip and Dale with Pluto backstage in the MK and I was in line for Belle right outside the MK when they closed the line for runners.
Marathon: 6:47:41! This is a new PR and includes a few character stops, a ride on Everest, and a kind CM in Epcot letting me get a photo with Sleeping Beauty during her regular park guest meet and greet right after the session ended because I was running the marathon.
So overall thoughts: Intervals work. I hope to run 2024 Disneyland Half so may not do Marathon Weekend next year, but as I will turn 49 in 2025, I like the idea of doing 48.6 the year I turn 49 to get to 5 Dopeys. In a twisted way, I think the marathon is actually my favorite distance. There's nothing sane or normal about that, but whoever said I was sane.