I ran the inaugural Enterprise Spooktacular 5K Costume Run on October 27th. The race was held in conjuction with the Old Enterprise Festival and Reunion. Enterprise is an historic community in Central Florida and the festival at the Enterprise Heritage Center celebrates the town's rich history.

Training & Goals
A week out from the New York Marathon, my only goal was to have a little speed session and not exacerbate my achy Achilles.

Race Day: October 27, 2018
I biked to this race that takes place very close to home in nearby Enterprise. A two mile ride in the dark got me to the race in about 10 minutes. The temperature was a wonderful cool 63°F at the star with about 77% humidity.

Mile 1: 10:49
This was a nice course that started out along our awesome mixed-use county trail.

Mile 2: 11:25
The run continued along residential roads and a nice piece along Lake Monroe.

Mile 3+: 11:16, :36*
The final mile took us through more village streets back to the finish at the Heritage Center.

After the Race
This was an extremely small race with just 33 registrants and 29 finishers. With my 33:54 gun time I managed to come in second place in my age group. I think the age groups were unusual, and that I was in a group of women aged 30-something to 50-something, but I'm not really sure. Anyway, I got a plaque. :)

Recommendation
The race directors talked about having a bigger turnout next year. I hope they continue with this race because it's a nice course and there aren't a ton of Halloween races locally. Even with the small field, there was enough course support in terms of marshals. Turns and directions were clearly marked with signs when there were no marshals or volunteers present. There was no water stop, which was surprising and a bit disappointing. I hope they will add one if they run the race again. With a bigger turnout this can be a really fun event. Tentatively recommended.

Gun time: 33:54
Placement details: 2nd in Age Group of unknown parameters; 13th out of 29 total finishers
Race Amenities: Cotton t-shirt, finisher medal, 2 festival beer tickets in goodie bag
Cost: $28.25

* This was a gun-timed race with chip at the finish mat only

Report written October 28, 2018

The Run & Walk for Success is a local charity race benefitting the local Boys and Girls Clubs of Volusia and Flagler Counties. West Volusia Runners had a small group in attendance.

Training & Goals
I've been building my mileage back up after an Achilles injury in August. I still have discomfort but it is greatly mitigated with various measures I've been taking since visiting the podiatrist. My endurance seems to have taken a big hit as well and I'm struggling to get back up to my regular albeit slow pace. No goal in mind for this race, what's new.

Race Day: September 29, 2018
The race took place at the LPGA International in Daytona Beach. I did day-of packet pickup with no issues. The race started late, at 8:30AM, with a temperature of 82°F, 89% humidity, and mostly sunny skies.

Mile 1: 11:28
The course was a simple out-and-back on residential and LPGA streets.

Mile 2: 11:45

Mile 3+: 12:10, 1:43

Recommendation
Runner's High puts on a good race. I would recommend this fast and flat course for locals.

Chip time: 37:02
Placement details: 9th in Age Group, 109th overall out of 324 finishers
Race Amenities: unisex tech t-shirt, finisher medal for all, plus a nice spread of beer, Krispy Kreme, sport drinks and other snacks provided, free race photos
Cost: $28.50

Report written October 8, 2018

Color photos (c) Almost There Photography

This was my third time running the Global Energy Race in Orlando. You can read my previous reviews: Orlando Global Energy Race 2016 Review and Orlando Global Energy Race 2017 Review.

In 2018 this global race took place in 34 cities across 23 countries.

Training & Goals
My training has been totally sidelined by an Achilles tendon injury I got in early August, when I felt acute pain after running. After lots of rest and a couple of visits to the podiatrist, I got cleared to run just a few days before the race. I had an okay run two days prior to race day. I had simple the goal to run/walk the entire race as best I could and concentrate on good recovery afterwards. I'm trying to build my mileage back up for a big race in early November in New York.

Race Day: September 23, 2018
The organization of this race continues to be impressive; I don't have much new to say that I didn't mention in my earlier reviews. Parking: easy. Race day packet pick-up: easy. Pre-race atmostphere and instructions: slick and professional.

It was about 79°F with clear skies and 84% humidity at the start of the race at 7:30AM.

Mile 1: 12:24
Since my injury, I've changed up my run:walk intervals to 2:1 and that seems to be working out okay. I set my watch to only show my run and walk times so I didn't get stressed about my pace.

Mile 2: 12:46
I could also mention that some recent weight gain has not helped my pace either. 
All things considered, I was pretty pleased with this pace.

Mile 3: 12:42

Mile 4: 12:42

Mile 5: 13:00

Mile 6+: 12:51, 3:28*

After the Race
I felt GREAT after the run, which was the most important aspect of this race for me right now. They had run out of bagels by the time I finished (womp womp) but there was still plenty of water, bananas, oranges, and other treats. I walked to my car to change out of my running shoes and into recovery sandals before heading back to the post-race area to claim my free grilled cheese (first time I have done this and YUM what a nice treat!) and take some pictures.

Recommendation
Same as always: highly recommended. Police presence was impressive; there were either cops or volunteers at every single road intersection, most with uniformed police and police cars. Plenty of water stop volunteers and course direction and start/finish volunteers. Great swag. You can't beat the price for repeat runners, either! The only thing I would wish for is race photos (preferably free). Otherwise, don't change a thing, race management!

Chip time: 1:19:51
Placement details: 275th out of 434 female 10K runners
Race Amenities: Tech t-shirt, running hat, drawstring backpack, arm sleeve, finisher medal for all
Cost: $0 (free entry for previous participants)

*My Garmin recorded 6.29 miles for this 6.2 mile race.

Report written September 23, 2018

You may have heard great things about Oofos sandals for recovery after running. These soft foam sandals are designed to help speed up recovery by reducing physical stress. I received a pair for Christmas last year and wore them after long runs or back-to-back run days but not very often otherwise. I could definitely tell they helped me recover but I only wore them for this purpose.

Last month I started experiencing aches and pains in my Achilles tendon, and I noticed that when I wore the Oofos, the pain and discomfort were reduced. My podiatrist confirmed that for someone like me, with high arches and a stressed Achilles tendon, foam recovery shoes like Oofos are perfect. The thick foam heel reduces stress on the tendons at the back of the leg and heel, the middle of the Oofos provide good arch support, and the flip-flop style allows for a natural foot motion when walking.

I decided to try out a competitor of Oofos, Telic, to see how they measure up against genuine Oofos. The standard Oofos flip-flops (OOriginal Sandal) usually retail for around $50, while Telics can go for as low as $25-$35 on Amazon, depending on size and color.

Here are some side-by-side images of the Oofos versus the Telics. The Oofos are size 43 (10 M / 12 W) and the Telics are XL (11 M / 12 W). Yes, I have big feet.

You can see that the Oofos have a more curved and natural foot shape, with a much wider toe box. The Telics have a much more defined ridge between the foot and toes. You can't tell from the photo but the Oofos have a lot more bounce to the foam, with a much more supple feel. The Telics feel harder and less forgiving. Since I have very wide feet and a bunion on my left foot, I need the width provided by the Oofos. Although the sizes are supposedly equivalet, the Telics are too small for my feet. Looking through the reviews on Amazon, other shoppers have experienced issues with confusing size changes from Telics, so be careful picking out a size if you decide to give them a try.

In this view you can see the foot shape difference again. The Telics appear to have a more rugged sole with deeper grooves between the blocks, though I have never had any traction issues when wearing Oofos both indoors and outside. In the far right picture, you can see that the heel foam is thicker on the Oofos. You can really feel this when you're wearing them. Along with the softer foam feel on Oofos, I believe the more expensive shoes warrant the fame and accolades. I would highly recommend Oofos recovery sandals for runners, especially for those who have high arches like me and who need extra heel support for injury recovery. I can't recommend the Telics.

Amazon shopping tip: I got my most recent pair of Oofos from Amazon Warehouse. They were like new but half price. Amazon Warehouse items are often just customer returns so the products are like new but no longer have their original packaging or sealed box, etc. Most of the time the same return policy applies for these items as for completely new items. You should check the terms per item you purchase, but all of the shoes and clothing I have purchased via Amazon Warehouse have had the same no-questions-asked return policy. The black Oofos you see above showed absolutely no sign of wear, soiling, or imperfections at all -- they were truly like new and a great bargain at half the regular price. Check out Amazon Warehouse periodically for running gear. You never know what you might discover!

Oofos shopping tip: When you shop for Oofos on their official website, Oofos.com, you'll find their latest products and best selection. In addition to their popular flip-flop sandals and clogs, Oofos now offers shoes and boots that you can't (yet) find on Amazon. In my experience, you'll also find a wider availability of sizes and colors.

The Team RWB Freedom 4 Mile Beach Run is a beach race sponsored by Halifax Health that benefits Team RWB, a military veteran support group.

Goals
Well, when I ran the 2017 Team RWB 4 Miler, I mentioned I wasn't a fan of off-road running. This is still true, but I signed up again anyway, apparently. In my defense, I really like racing, and races are hard to come by during the summer. And beach isn't the same as trail. Plus a lot of club-mates would be there. Plus the miles would count towards a summer challenge I am doing with the club. I had aimed to take the race easy, but the sand was very nicely packed down after recent rains, so I made a last-minute decision to race. I knew I wouldn't PR but I would run the best I could.

Race Day: July 1, 2018
Left early, arrived early, got my packet and waited a bit in the car in my sweet, sweet close by parking spot. Hung out with club mates and watched the sun rise over the ocean. It was about 73°F with 94% humidity and bright sunshine at the start of the race. Planes in formation flew over us and then it was time to run on the beach!

Mile 1: 10:41
There was just a bit of semi-loose sand going through the start/finish arch, and then we were on nice packed sand. I felt good. I was running with a pair of (Goodr running) sunglasses on for the first time and they fogged up pretty fast. That was a bummer. I stashed them in my pocket for the rest of the run.

Mile 2: 10:29
I ran my old race intervals, 4m30s:30s and sped-walked the 3 water stations. Pleased with my pace. I almost missed a photographer when I was looking down and hating my life during a walk interval. I looked up and cursed and started laughing and running. Nailed it!

Mile 3: 10:48
After the turnaround we were into the sun. I was glad I had my visor but dang I wish I could run with the sunglasses on.

Mile 4: 10:43
I tried to turn it up at the end. The soft sand through the finish line was a little bit tricky. I was really, really happy with my pace and official finish time of 42:36, 24 seconds faster than last year.

After the Race
Cold wet towels at the finish line, woo hoo! Water, bananas, and other treats were offered to runners as well. I took some water and cooled off with a towel and went back to watch the rest of the runners come in. Then I changed out of my shoes into flipflops and waded into the cool ocean. Aah.

Recommendation
The race was well-organized. The water stops at each mile were very well-staffed for this hot summertime beach race. It's a great cause. Recommended.

Chip time: 42:36
Placement details: 5th of 17 in Age Group, 113rd overall out of 253 finishers
Race Amenities: Tank top, finisher medal for all
Cost: $28.50

Report written July 4, 2018

Team and running photos (c) Almost There Photography

The Remarkable River Run is three race series that takes place in Port Orange, Florida. The first event is a 5K in March, followed by a 10K in June, and a 15K in September. I ran the 10K this year; I also ran the Remarkable River 10K in 2016. The racing series benefits the non-profit Building Remarkable Communities charity, a Volusia county group that works to eradicate domestic violence.

Training & Goals
I had been doing some practice runs with different pace groups during club runs with West Volusia Runners. I normally run intervals, running for four minutes and then walking for one. I had done 3-4 miles with the (approximately) 11:25 (minutes per mile), 12:00, and 12:55 groups. After running intervals for so long, it's tough for me to run straight through. Having pacers is awesome and I felt pretty proud after I completed each training run. Since I'm not in PR shape I thought I would try running this 6 mile race with a pace group. I joined the 12:55 pacers. This was to be the club team pacers' first race and they were excited and nervous. Besides the pacers, there was a big turnout from the club in general.

Race Day: June 10, 2018
With a 6:30AM start, I had to leave home early to make it to Port Orange in time. Parking was easy. My club friends collected and secured my bib and shirt in a safe spot so I didn't have to wait in line. When it was time to run, I got in line with my pace group. It was 72° with 100% humidity and sunny skies at start time.

Mile 1: 12:53
There were five of us at the start, I think. Three pacers (Candace and two others who were running a different pace than their usual, Diane and Mary), me, and another Amy. I think we picked up and dropped runners as the race went on but I'm not sure. The pace was spot on right from the beginning.

Mile 2: 12:51
Great pace! Feeling good. Happy to run with others.

Mile 3: 12:53
GPS watches aren't always 100% accurate or in sync with each other. Overall our pace was great throughout the run.

Mile 4: 13:01

Mile 5: 12:48

Mile 6+: 12:42, 2:17
For the last .2 or so I ran ahead of the pacers to the finish line. I was so happy to have run the six miles straight through!

After the Race
Well, the pacers all had tales of triumph and success. I think all of the pace groups were pleased with their performance and they all had at least one person in their group get a PR (the other Amy in our group got a Personal Record!).

Aunt Catfish provides runners with a filling breakfast buffet and other treats were on offer. A few stands from local businesses and races were on hand with freebies and info. Race DJ was there to entertain the crowd as well. Good stuff.

Recommendation
This is a well-run race series. The management company that handles the races has changed a couple of times in the last few years but it continues to run smoothly despite the changes. The course is a simple out-and-back along the Halifax River and through local neighborhoods. Course support and traffic control and safety were all top notch. Highly recommended. The progression of the series from 5K to 10K and 15K make a great supplement to a training plan for a fall half marathon like Lighthouse Loop, also in Port Orange.

Chip time: 1:19:16
Placement details: 10th of 18 in Age Group, 178th overall out of 246 finishers
Race Amenities: Cotton t-shirt, finisher medal for all
Cost: $39.50

Report written July 4, 2018

All photos except pace sign (c) Almost There Photography

The DBK 5K is sponsored by a local contracting company. The 2018 race was the 4th annual; I ran this one previously in 2016.

Training & Goals
I was finally starting to feel like my injury was behind me following my fall and suspected fractured/bruised rib(s) at Colt Creek on April 14th. For the prior six or so weeks I hadn't been running much except for a few races I had signed up for. I had one slow three mile run the Tuesday before race day and I felt no pain or discomfort around my ribs for the first time since my fall. I meant to take this race easy.

Race Day: May 19, 2018
Too lazy to bike over to the race like last time, I drove the short distance to DBK, where the race starts and finishes. It was about 73°F with 100% humidity and cloudy skies at race time.

Mile 1: 11:14
The starting mat was kind of small and narrow so it took a while for everyone to cross the start. The street was wide though so runners could spread out right away. We left the main street and headed onto residential roads for most of the race. I just plugged along with my usual 4:1 intervals. I was feeling pretty good, though the humidity was stifling.

Mile 2: 11:26
More running through neighborhood streets. Still feeling pretty good and typically sweating a lot.

Mile 3: 10:30
Well, my Garmin gave me a short race, just 2.95 miles. I wasn't going for a PR so I don't really mind but I feel bad for anyone who was. Shortly into the third mile I saw an age group foe (not really) running ahead of me, taking irregular walking breaks. I tried to catch up with her, and it shows in my pace for this split, about 11:05. I didn't catch her but I finished with a better time, as she crossed the start line well ahead of me. Mwahaha!

After the Race
Beer, popcorn, and snacks all around! A big water slide! Face painting! Bouncing beach balls! This race has a fun small town family atmosphere.

Recommendation
Pretty good for a small local race. The t-shirt is probably my least favorite ever and the medal is okay. The short course was a bummer and also strange as I think this race has run the same route before. Excellent course support with two water stops and law enforcement out to keep the roads safe for runners. The price is fair though and the after party is very good, especially for a local race.

Chip time: 33:03 for ~2.95 miles
Placement details: 5 of 21 in Age Group, 134th overall out of 380 finishers
Race Amenities: Soft cotton t-shirt, finisher medal for all, beer included in post-race snacks
Cost: $28

Report written May 24, 2018

Group & finisher photo (c) Almost There Photography

The Run 4 Life 4 Miler is a charity run through the tree-covered roads of historic old Enterprise, Florida. Runners also race along the shore of Lake Monroe. The race starts and finishes at the Florida United Methodist Children's Home (FUMCH). The run raises awareness and money for local suicide prevention and mental health programs. I ran this race for the first time last year.

Training & Goals
I was still in injured runner mode following my fall and suspected fractured/bruised rib(s) at Colt Creek on April 14th. So training was a whole lotta nothing. I had one short 2 mile run the Tuesday before the race, after having not run at all for over two weeks. I felt a little bit of discomfort during the run and my rib was bothering me a bit for the rest of the day. It didn't hurt but the fact that I could still feel the injury after such a short, easy effort was discouraging to me. So I meant to take the 4 miler easy.

Race Day: May 12, 2018
I elected to drive to the race, a short distance from home. Humidity felt high and I was feeling lazy (last year I biked to the race). I found my running club -- it wasn't hard because West Volusia Runners were about 90 strong and we had matching purple shirts.

Soon it was time to run. It was 70°F and overcast with 88% humidity at the start.

Mile 1: 10:55
What the heck? This is not an easy or nice and slow pace for me these days. I was feeling good though. Ugh.

Mile 2: 10:46
Faster? Great. Aaaand then my rib / chest started to bother me. I could feel the injury with every deep breath and it made me so upset.

Mile 3: 14:16
At the turnaround I started walking, with a few running intervals (I basically went from a 4:1 run:walk to 1:4 for the second half). And pretending to run for photos.

Mile 4: 13:33
More discomfort and huge discouragement. Ugh.

After the Race
I got some water but skipped the offered snacks (bananas and munchkins). Feeling bummed, I didn't stay too long.

Recommendation
This is a very good, well-organized race. The huge turn out from our club was great. The water stop we hit twice and course support were all very good. It's a great cause and a pretty route. I'm sure I'll run this again, hopefully for a PR.

Chip time: 49:21
Placement details: 91th of 175 females; 158 out of 270 overall finishers
Race Amenities: Nice cotton t-shirt, swag bag, finisher medal for all
Cost: $0 (I won entry via a club raffle)

Report written May 16, 2018
Photos (c) Almost There Photography

Right on, it's Dark Side Half Marathon time! This was my third year participating in the Dark Side races and my third Dark Side Half. Since I ran the 10K the day prior, I was in for the Challenge and would be getting an additional medal.

I had also signed up for Disney's money-grab Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon, offered as a sort of substitute for the Light Side race of Disneyland (all Disneyland runs are suspended due to construction at the parks and surroundings). Running the virtual plus the Dark Side Half meant I was also in for the Kessel Run Challenge -- and another medal. Yeah, Disney finally got me to do a virtual race.

I ran the virtual on March 31st, the last day in the race window. I completed my miles in and around Gemini Springs, running some of the grass trails as well as the paved multi-use path, including a run over the new safe path over the St. John's along 17-92. I was lucky with an overcast and relatively cool day.

Okay, back to the Dark Side Half. I ran this race as Jedi Master Yoda. My kit was extremely basic, with a licensed Yoda baseball cap and a tan Sparkle Skirt. I wore a thift shop brown tech shirt and for Yoda's Jedi robe I cut up a tan thrift shop tech shirt and trimmed it with dollar store ribbon attached with Res Q mending tape.

The course was very similar to last year's Dark Side course. Pandora was added in Animal Kingdom and we took the other way around Crescent Lake.

Training & Goals
Training was a whole lotta nothing for this weekend. All of my runs in April have been races! And after my fall and suspected fractured/bruised rib(s) at Colt Creek on the 14th, I was going to take it really easy.

Race Day: April 22, 2018
Arthur came along. He dropped me off at Epcot and I hopped on a bus to the TTC for the start. I had a huge drop bag that had a change of clothes and shoes, plus my 5K, 10K, and virtual medals. We weren't sure if Arthur would meet me at the finish line or not.

After dropping my bag, I got into my corral and snuck as far up to the front as I could. It was about 72°F at the start with 83% humidity. It was overcast and remained cloudy for the entire morning. That kept temperatures low and humidity high.

Mile 1, 2, 3, 4: 12:17, 12:40, 12:15, 12:10
These miles took us from the TTC / Magic Kingdom parking lot out along Bear Island Road to Animal Kingdom. I usually snap quick pictures of the photo ops and entertainment as I pass by but I didn't feel like it for this race. Almost from the start my chest / rib was bothering me. They had the fun Battle of Endor segement like last year, this time with a fire effect enhancing the battle ambiance. That was cool. There was also a Darth Vader segment of road with red lights and the Imperial March and heavy breathing.

Mile 5: 19:15
We ran through Animal Kingdom, hitting Pandora for the first time in a Dark Side race.

Mile 6, 7, 8, 9, 10: 17:20, 17:43, 13:31, 16:04, 17:17
Just out of Animal Kindgom there were some 501sties backstage. Photo time!

Arthur was spectating in the Animal Kingdom parking lot. It's always great to see him on a race course. He was close to the Hoth photo op and of course I had to stop for that once more, it's my favorite.

I stopped to have photos with Sabine & Ezra and Darth Maul before reaching Hollywood Studios.

Mile 11, 12, 13+: 20:57, 16:27, 21:16, 16:15*
We entered Hollywood Studios to be greeted by a bunch of 501sties. 

The speeder bikes were out between Hollywood Studios and Boardwalk. The line was short so I stopped. I always skip this one because there are two speeders and I feel a little bit sad to take this photo alone. I also stopped for Chewie for a change.

I was running in Epcot after 9AM so the park was open. Between World Showcase and Future World I saw that a Joffery's coffee kiosk was open. I made a pit stop to get a frozen adult beverage. I finally remembered to get myself a treat for that last mile.

Just as we left Epcot, before the finish line, was the last group of 501st characters. These guys make the races so much fun. I can't wait to see them again next year.

After the Race
Arthur met me at the finish area. After a couple of finisher photos, a look at the merch tent, and a big celebratory beer, I went to change my clothes. We spent the rest of the day at Animal Kingdom for the park's anniversary (with a bonus visit to Epcot to see Lonestar's Garden Rocks concert).

Chip time: 3:45:20
Placement details: 823rd of 922 in Age Group, 14132nd overall out of 15089 finishers
Race Amenities: Women's short sleeve tech tee, Captain Phasma medal, usual Disney goodness
Cost: $315.13 for the 10K and half marathon challenge plus $69 for the virtual & Kessel Run Challenge

*With all the bobbing and weaving of a runDisney race, my GPS usually ends up going significantly over the race distance. For this 13.1 mile race my Garmin gave me 13.7 miles.

Report written April 29, 2018

Woo hoo, it's 10K time in my favorite race weekend! This was my third year participating in the Dark Side races and my second consecutive Dark Side 10K.

I ran this race as a generic Dark Side nerd, with a Death Star Mickey ears hat, a Darth Vader tech shirt from Under Armour, and a black and red Sparkle Skirt.

The course was the typical WDW 10K run from the Epcot parking lot with some highway miles before finishing through World Showcase and Future World.

Training & Goals
Training was a whole lotta nothing for this weekend. All of my runs in April have been races! And after my fall and suspected fractured/bruised rib(s) at Colt Creek on the 14th, I was going to take it really easy.

Race Day: April 21, 2018
I left home at 3:15AM and had the car parked at Epcot by 4AM. I got on a bus to the start at the TTC. Once there, I only had time to stand in line for a photo with Vader before getting to my corral. It was about 70°F at the start with 88% humidity.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 12:42, 13:25, 14:17
My chest really ached around my cracked rib, so I took it slow. I think the only photo op in these miles was R2D2.

Mile 4: 30:43
Before hitting Hollywood Studios, I ran by the Emperor's Chair and Darth Maul without stopping. The 501st was out in full force just into the park and I stopped to have my photo with everyone.

Mile 5: 25:21
runDisney had Stormtroopers staged at the intersection of Hollywood & Sunset Blvds.

I was taking it easy on the way between Hollywood Studios and Boardwalk. It got really crowded and suddenly I saw I was running with the balloon ladies (effectively the last pacers before the sweepers come by).

At first I thought it was kind of funny but the threat of getting swept is real and there were a lot of unhappy, borderline panicked people in this huge group struggling to keep up with them. The ladies were shouting out words of encouragement though, and it was kind of fun to run with them for a bit.

The speeder bikes were set up before the underpass going into Boardwalk but I ran by. There were lots of spectators along the Boardwalk, some handing out treats.

Mile 6+: 14:23, 14:27*
Somewhere around the beginning of mile 6 I heard a young woman who sounded like she was struggling to breathe. I stopped to walk along with her for a bit, along with another runner. We asked if she needed help but she refused. She was having an asthma attack (??) but didn't want us to help get her inhaler. The other runner ran ahead and I stayed a bit longer, offering help. After a while I thought I might just be a bother so I wished her well and ran ahead.

Before we hit Epcot, Sabine and Ezra were out for photos, and Chewie was there just before we entered the park. I ran a bit faster through World Showcase to build up a buffer on the balloon ladies. I knew the 501st would be out again out of Epcot and I wanted to be able to stop.

I took a few photos with the characters outside of Epcot. While I was in line for a photo, the balloon ladies passed us. I called out that they were coming and the person behind me in line panicked and took off. This was about .2 miles from the finish line, with no bike marshals in sight. LOL aww, really?

I took a selfie with one of the finish line Stormtroopers before running over the mats. Looks like I was happy to cross that line, huh?

I stayed to watch the last runners come in. I was hoping to see asthma girl but I didn't find her. I hope she passed me along with everyone else when I was waiting in 501st character lines. I ended up staying until the very last runner crossed the finish line, along with a Stormtrooper escort. This was pretty cool to see.

After the Race
I saw the last runner get a lot of attention from photographers and volunteers as I progressed through the finish chute. Volunteers handed me extra waters and I feel like I got a lot more "congratulations" than usual. After I got out I headed home. Just a half marathon to go!

Chip time: 2:05:13
Placement details: 723th of 728 in Age Group, 10823th overall out of 10922 finishers
Race Amenities: Women's short sleeve tech tee, Elite Praetorian Guard medal, usual Disney goodness
Cost: $315.13 for the 10K and half marathon challenge

*With all the bobbing and weaving of a runDisney race, my GPS usually ends up going significantly over the race distance. For this 6.2 mile race my Garmin gave me 6.77 miles.

Report written April 28, 2018