The 2018 Dopey Challenge concludes with a full marathon! My first 26.2!

This MAGICAL course takes runners through all four theme parks in Walt Disney World, plus the ESPN Wide World of Sport complex.

For my first full marathon I decided to wear a shirt with my name boldly printed on the front. I got an obnoxious neon greenish yellow tech top with the balloons from UP printed on the front and back. On the back I added the slogan "26.2 Miles of Adventure are Out There."

Training & Goals
The last 3+ months had been all about Dopey training, with the goal being to finish all of the races and have lots of fun. I wanted to enjoy every minute of the full marathon! I was hoping to arrive in Animal Kingdom at the right time to be able to ride Everest, to pet all of the animals, stop for some character photos, and to take a funny picture with the grave diggers.

Race Day: January 7, 2018
Arthur and I left our All-Stars room at 3:52AM and arrived in the Epcot parking lot at 4:04AM. We sat in the car for about 20 minutes before heading out to the staging area so I could get one last photo with the Dope before running. Yay, I got him each morning!

It was another cold morning, but I was prepared. I had on a throw-away hoodie and wore a thermal shirt and extra arm sleeves under my shirt. Again I picked up a discarded blanket to keep my legs warm in the corrals.

By the time I started running at 5:58AM it was 43°F with a feels-like temperature of 39°F.

At the end of the 26.2 mile run my Garmin had me at 27.7 miles. I'm not going to post my Garmin mile splits below, just the official timing mat splits from runDisney.

Mile 1-5 | 5 Mile Split: 1:13:02
I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face the whole time, right from the start. The first 5 miles of this race were the same as the half marathon the day before.

Around the Mile 2 marker I was running along the left side of World Drive in a very wide part of the course. It was really dark and people were thinned out. I heard someone go down hard to my right, and looked over to see someone had fallen on the other side of the road. Several people stopped to help. The injured runner was wailing and it was so heartwrenching. It sounded like such a hard fall -- her race was almost certainly over, if not worse. I almost started crying. It was terrible. About a half mile later we came across bike medics and several runners in front of me told them they were needed back up the course.

Sometime after the Mile 3 marker I heard the theme to Ducktales and knew I would be making my first character stop.

I dropped my hoodie before reaching the Magic Kingdom. It was an old well-loved Mickey Mouse zipped hoodie that was too big for me after weight loss but I'd held on to it. My first marathon felt like an appropriate last hurrah. Thanks for your service, hoodie. LOL

Mile 6-10 | 10 Mile Split: 2:33:51
Another fun mile run through Magic Kingdom! I saw Arthur at the same spot on Main Street and then I was able to spot him as I ran through the castle, but he didn't see me.

This guy ran in front of me by the photographers outside the castle. I'm not even mad. LOL

Backstage at Magic Kingdom they had the steampunk dragon from the Festival of Fantasy parade out and it was really cool to see up close. Too bad it wasn't breathing fire -- it was still cold.

In Mile 9 I stopped again for another character photo -- Russell, Carl, and Dug from Up. I mean, when your shirt refers to the characters, you have to stop, don't ya?

Further down the road there were old ride vehicles and other Disney artifacts set up on the side. I'm still trying to figure out what everything is, but some of them I know. The ride vehicles are an old nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, plus vehicles from Mr. Toad & Snow White, an old Space Mountain shuttle, and a skyway bucket. Some of the large heads are old float decorations from a food court at Port Orleans. I don't know about the bears (Club Cool? Maelstrom?) or where the Finding Nemo tiki head aquarium decorations were originally found.

Around here I was excited to see the Adventurer's Club out for photos. I had regretted running by them during Wine and Dine last year.

Some more back road miles brought us through a stinky waste water plant on our way to Animal Kingdom.

Mile 11-13.1 | Half Split: 3:17:43
A little out-and-back on Western Way and another couple of back road miles were up before we reached our second park. In Mile 13 we were offered bananas but I didn't think I would be able to stomach one. I was keeping with my gel / sport bean / salt tablet routine and felt fine so far.

Before entering Animal Kingdom I saw a big bunny out for photos. I got excited because there were so many animals out for the runners last year, but as I ran on I didn't see any more animals. No goats, no pigs, no hawks, no horses. I was bummed.

Mile 14-20 | 20 Mile Split: 5:24:24
I reached Everest at around 9:15AM. There were so many excited runners in the single rider line! We tried to gauge how long we'd have to wait and some runners who were tracking the balloon ladies (effectively the last runners before the sweepers come through) let us know we had about 40 minutes on them. I was seated by 9:29AM.

So. Much. Fun!

Arthur found me outside of Animal Kingdom and walked with me for a little bit. It was great seeing him again on the course. I am sure I was completely giddy from being able to ride Everest so I'm not sure I made any sense talking with him.

So I really thought I was paying attention and taking everything in, but somehow in the Animal Kingdom parking lot I completely missed seeing the grave diggers! I only found out about them after the race was over -- I thought they just weren't on the course. Sad face.

Back out of Animal Kingdom we ran on to our next destination -- Wide World of Sports.

There were few spectators here but some characters and, for me, a couple of familiar friendly faces. Two club members were course marshals in WWoS, so I got to shake hands with Naymond and took a selfie with Diane. Diane also got a photo of the back of my shirt.

Thanks for sharing your photos with me, Diane. ♥

Mile 21-26.2 | Finish: 6:59:33
After WWoS we had just five miles to go, with lots of characters and other stuff to look at. We ran through Hollywood Studios and Boardwalk before finishing with a run around Epcot.

I had thought it would be fun to get a margarita in Mexico to have for the last mile and finish line. For the last few miles of the race I kept checking my watch, struggling to calculate my projected finish (race brain, I can't math after 3 miles). Anyway, it seemed like a sub-7 hour finish was possible if I didn't stop. I didn't wait for a nice blank slate for photos by mile markers 25 and 26 because I was looking at my time. I'm glad I did because I squeaked in just under 7!

After the Race
I got my marathon medal and found Arthur spectating right after the finish line. He handed me my other medals.

I got a water and a banana and a snack box. I scooted over to the challenge medal tent for my Goofy and Dopey medals. Further down the chute I saw volunteers handing out something else to runners but I couldn't see what it was. Surprise! They were giving us special Mickey ears for the 25th anniversary of the marathon. I took "I Did It" finisher photos with all of my medals and reunited with Arthur. The line for Donald was short so I had a finisher photo taken with him, too.

I got a big beer and saw Amanda and Carrie from my running club walking by. It was also Amanda's first marathon. I don't know what I said to them but I am pretty sure I was still grinning from ear to ear like a lunatic. It was SO MUCH FUN!

Recommendation A+

Chip time: 6:59:33
Placement details: 1026th of 1353 in Age Group; 16680th overall out of 20085 finishers
Race Amenities: Usual Disney goodness
Cost: $576.30 for all four Dopey races

Report written January 20, 2018

The 2018 Dopey Challenge day three run would be 13.1 magical miles in somewhat warmer temperatures.

I had signed up for the WDW Half Marathon in 2017, which was officially cancelled due to stormy weather but was unofficially run by probably hundreds of runners on Disney propety and elsewhere, including me. I was happy to be able to run the race this year!

This course took us from the Epcot parking lot out to the Magic Kingdom and then back for another finish through Epcot.

I dressed up as La Befana. I had a running skirt made by RunningGorgeous using fabric Arthur designed based on the Epcot storyteller's outfit. Arthur also designed an apron for me based on the same character. I cut up a green tech shirt to copy her look but it didn't end up looking how I would have really liked it. I should have gotten a seamstress to make a top for me, but I ran out of time. And then I forgot to bring my broom. Oh well. Even with the prop I doubt anyone would have known who I was supposed to be. LOL

Training & Goals
The last 3+ months had been all about Dopey training, with the goal being to finish all of the races and have lots of fun.

Race Day: January 6, 2018
Arthur and I left our All-Stars room at 3:39AM and arrived in the Epcot parking lot at 3:49AM. We stayed in the car until about 4:15AM, trying to keep warm, before heading out to get a photo with Dopey.

It was only slightly warmer than Friday so it was still cold at race time. By the time I started running at 5:55AM it was 39°F.

On the creep up to the start I picked up a really nice discarded fleece blanket with a colorful tie-dye pattern. I kept this tied around my waist to keep my legs warm.

There were lots of discarded mylar blankets and other stuff alongside the corrals and the piles got bigger the closer we got to the start line. Finally we saw our wave's fireworks and it was time to run!

Mile 1, 2, 3: 12:51, 13:41, 17:04
The first four miles of the race were on the highway between Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Somewhere in the second mile there was a huge Mickey Mouse hot air balloon. I literally said "WOW" when I first saw it -- it was really cool!

Mater and Lightning McQueen were out for pictures in the Magic Kingdom (TTC) parking lot. I forgot about the blanet around my waist when I got up for my picture so I awkwardly ripped it off and dropped it on the ground -- you can see it in the photo at me feet. Woopsie.

Mile 4, 5, 6: 26:31, 13:41, 19:26
Before we got into the park we could have photos with Wreck-It Ralph & Vanellope and then Jack Skellington & Sally. I dropped my waist-blanket for good in the line for Jack & Sally. It was that cold!

And then we were running through the Magic Kingdom! I saw Arthur when I ran down Main Street, but I missed seeing him when I ran through the castle. There were a lot of characters out in the park, including the White Rabbit and Sebastian in Fantasyland.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 19:00, 13:44, 19:52
By Mile 7 we were out of the park and on our way back to Epcot, this time running by the Polynesian and Grand Floridian resorts.

Somewhere around Mile 8 my phone decided to die, so I missed a couple of photo ops, including the mile marker. After messing with the phone for a while I got it to power back up and got it in low power mode where it remained (10%) for the rest of the race. Luckily PhotoPass was out for Vacation Genie and the Incredibles.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 15:42, 15:19, 16:24
More highway miles, with a couple of Disney hills (overpasses) thrown in for fun.

Mile 13+: 15:19, 13:13*
It was a long slow race but it was still over too fast. Before I knew it I heard the choir singing and was running over the finish mats.

After the Race
I remembered to find my friend Jim, who was giving out medals. Jim volunteers with me at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey on Thursday mornings.

I found Arthur and we went back to the hotel for an ice bath and shower before heading out for an early lunch at Ale & Compass at the Yacht Club resort.

Then we went to the Magic Kingdom for a few rides and ice creams in the afternoon. Dinner was a big pile of pasta at Noodles & Co. before turning in early for the big 26.2 on Sunday and the final run of the Dopey Challenge!

Recommendation A+

Chip time: 3:51:40
Placement details: 1407th of 1505 in Age Group; 20058th overall out of 20801 finishers
Race Amenities: Usual Disney goodness
Cost: $576.30 for all four Dopey races

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, plus there was obviously something wonky going on with my GPS as it gave me .8 miles overage, so those split times are skewed.

Report written January 18, 2018

I ran my first marathon, at Disney World, on January 7, 2018. It was one of the four races in the Dopey Challenge. The marathon was the 25th running and it was the 5th year of Dopey. Anniversary years mean special medals, and the bling from this series is indeed awesome.

The first part of any race weekend at Disney is attending the expo to pick up essentials (bib(s) and shirt(s)) and other goodies like souvenirs, running gear, and race nutrition. I attended the expo on the first day, Wednesday. The expo opened at 12PM; I arrived around 11:30AM. Most of my time was spent in lines. It was crazy busy!

First there was a line to pick up bibs.


Then there was an even longer line to get into the merchandise hall.


There were some photo ops along the way.




And special merchandise included runDisney themed Mickey Mouse cupcakes (it was delicious).


I got my bibs (2 for Dopey and one for the Castaway Cay Challenge) and my shirts (6 (!!) for Dopey and one for the CCC). In the official merchandise area I stood in another long line to check out. In the expo hall I got some gels for the half and full, and picked up some freebies too (including obligatory GoGoSqueezes).

I survived! Next up: 4x crazy early, crazy cold race mornings -- so Dopey!

The 2018 Dopey Challenge rolls on with the 10K on day two!

This run would be another fairly standard Disney route, taking us from the Epcot parking lot, through the park and around Crescent Lake, back through Epcot to the parking lot finish.

I dressed up as classic Donald Duck, using a white Sparkle Skirt with long yellow socks, a blue tech shirt with simple DIY embellishment. I wore a thermal undershirt and white armsleeves underneath. The final piece was a fun vintage hat I found at Goodwill some months ago.

Training & Goals
The last 3+ months had been all about Dopey training, with the goal being to finish and have fun.

Race Day: January 5, 2018
I left home at about 3:19AM and drove down I-4 with very little traffic. I had the car parked by 4:13AM. I headed to the staging area and stood in a long line to have my photo taken with Dopey (I hoped to get him each morning). Because of the frigid cold, I brought along throw-away pants, a throw-away hoodie, and my warm beanie hat from the day before.

The line for Dopey was long -- really long. Cast members minding the line kept warning us that those of us towards the back wouldn't make it. Finally the last of us reached the front of the line and the cast members gave us the 5 minute warning. I think most of us got our photo but the staging area was eerily deserted when I headed out to the corrals.

Since it was so close to race time I made the last-minute decision to gEARcheck my throwaway hoodie and pants before heading to the corrals. I got to keep my clothes (picked them up after the run) but I ended up missing the cut-off for my corral! I had to start in D instead of C. Worth it! I was glad I got the picture with Dopey out of the way before the race.

It was warmer than Thursday but still cold at race time. By the time I started running at 5:55AM it was 37°F.

During the creep up to the start I picked up a discarded runDisney mylar blanket to keep warm. Right before reaching the start I dumped the mylar and picked up a fleece blanket that I kept over my shoulders as a shawl for the first couple of miles.

Mile 1: 12:26
My hat fit on my head but it was a little bit uncomfortable and I worried about it falling off, so I carried it in my hand. I noticed it was making a flapping sound and I was dismayed to see that the old plastic snapback had broken! Oh no!

Mile 2: 21:32
I decided to stop for a photo with Meeko. With my warm beanie on my head, the Donald hat stayed on, even with my head down, at least when I wasn't running. Good news. I picked up my blanket after the photo and ran on.

Mile 3: 21:25
The first three miles were on the highway around Epcot. There were three photo ops: Meeko; Flik & Atta from A Bug's Life; and the Evil Queen in Wicked Witch mode. I skipped the ants and stood in line for the old hag. After about 10 minutes the line didn't seem to be moving so I changed my mind and got back on course, discarding my blanket along the side somewhere around here.

I did stop for a selfie by a parade bus (sweeper bus).

I should have practiced taking selfies with the hat -- it was pretty hit or miss.

Mile 4: 14:57
Finally we reached World Showcase. Backstage there were some stilt walkers and I snapped some pictures of old Maelstrom ride boats along the side of the road. I also ran by Pinocchio in Italy. There always seems to be a huge line for the boy puppet. I tested out running with Donald the hat on and while it stayed on, it shifted around from side to side a lot. Oh well.

Mile 5: 18:36
I ran by Marie in France and Vacation Genie in his usual spot by ESPN Zone. There were some enthusiastic spectators with signs around the Boardwalk.

Mile 6+: 16:47, 15:11*
I ran by a huge line for Duffy who was just coming back from a break. I don't recall ever seeing Duffy on a course before.

Just before the finish there were some more stilt walkers out for photos.

After the Race
I was glad I remembered to pick up my throwaway clothes from gEARcheck. Since I got my photo with Dopey before the race I didn't see any reason to linger. It was still very cold.

I headed home to collect Arthur -- we'd return to Disney later in the day to look around Disney Springs, have dinner in the area, and check into All-Star Sports for the following two nights. Just a Goofy 39.3 miles to go!

Recommendation A+

Chip time: 2:00:11
Placement details: 966th of 1009 in Age Group; 12405th overall out of 12890 finishers
Race Amenities: Usual Disney goodness
Cost: $576.30 for all four Dopey races

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, plus there was obviously something wonky going on with my GPS as it gave me .7 miles overage, so those split times are skewed.

Report written January 16, 2018

Let the 2018 Dopey Challenge begin! I was so excited and nervous for this weekend for so long, and the time was finally here! In just a few days I would be running my first marathon, but first, as part of the Dopey Challenge, I had three other races to run.

First up -- the WDW 5K!

This run would be a fairly standard WDW 5K from the parking lot in Epcot, through the park, and back out to the parking lot.

I dressed up as Dr. Seeker from the Dinosaur attraction in Animal Kingdom for this race. I pieced together a thrift store lab coat, old blue fishing shirt, and new khaki running skirt along with a replica of Seeker's neck tie for this look. Arthur designed my tie and created a Dino Institute name badge for me as well. The finishing touch was an Iguanodon puppet I picked up on eBay and brought out for photo ops.

It was extremely cold for this race so I brought along a throw-away hat that I kept on for the whole race. I brought a pair of socks to wear as mittens. I also layered with running tights, a long sleeve running shirt, and extra arm sleeves. I was still uncomfortably cold.

Training & Goals
The last 3+ months had been all about Dopey training, with the goal being to finish and have fun.

Race Day: January 4, 2018
I left home at about 2:40AM and drove down I-4 with very little traffic. I had the car parked by 3:32AM. I sat in the warm car for just about 10 minutes before venturing out to the staging area. It wasn't very busy yet and I was able to get photos with all six of the characters that were out before the race; the longest line was for Dopey.

Unfortunately my photos with Mickey didn't come out and my Minnie photos never showed up in my PhotoPass.

It was cold waiting in the corral. By the time I started running at 5:42AM it was 28°F -- frigid!

Mile 1: 12:16
An easy mile with some of the usual jostling around for position. Before going into Epcot Chip and Dale were out for a photo op but I didn't stop for them.

Mile 2: 15:01
Inside Epcot there were plenty of photo stops (I ran by most). There were vikings in Norway; Jiminy Cricket in Italy; and Vacation Genie in Morocco.

Mile 3+: 19:56, 4:11
Kenai and Sitka from Brother Bear were out in Canada. I stopped for Horace Horsecollar by The Land.

And then just like that day one of the 2018 Dopey Challenge was complete! A typical slow and fun Disney 5K for sure.

After the Race
I didn't linger too long -- there were still three days to go after all. I left by 7:20 to get ready for the coming days.

Recommendation
A+

Chip time: 51:19
Placement details: The 5K wasn't timed except for Dopey runners; no placement information was given
Race Amenities: Usual Disney goodness
Cost: $576.30 for all four Dopey races

Report written January 14, 2018

For the past two years I purchased a Daruma doll at the beginning of the year. It is a modern Japanese tradition to use the dolls, symbols of good luck and encouragement, in the setting of goals for the new year. I made my running goal, filled in one of the eyes, and hoped to fill in the other one once my goal was reached.

For 2016 I purchased a red Daruma doll. I hoped to run a sub 30-minute 5K. I filled in the doll's second eye on April 9th.

For 2017 I purchased a black Daruma doll. I hoped to run a sub 2:30 half marathon. That goal was reached at the Swamp House Half Marathon on March 5th.

For 2018 I purchased a white Daruma doll. Today is January 1st and I haven't been able to come up with a running goal that I really like out of the ideas I've been floating around. I am both terrified and excited for the Dopey Challenge and have been so focused on that that I am not sure what I should focus on afterwards. So I'm settling on a grab-bag kind of goal -- trying for 2 PRs (Personal Records) for 2018. This is actually a gimme since I'm signed up for three new-to-me distance races in 2018 (guaranteed PRs!). I'll attempt my first marathon in a week (EEK), I'm registered for two 15K races, and one 8K. But I'll still try to beat at least two of these PRs:

Part of running a runDisney race is enjoying the entertainment on course, including characters, live and recorded music, elaborate photo ops, and more. I love this part of Disney runs so I often stop as often as possible, meeting all the characters and taking all the photos.

Here are some of my tips for capturing photos while on the run.

1. Before the race, clean up your phone if memory or storage could be an issue! This might mean deleting old photos, removing unused apps or disabling memory hogs. This will also keep your phone running smoothly in case you're using it for other stuff during the race, like listening to music, runner tracking, and even texting or recording live video. Get your phone in its best shape for the tasks at hand.

2. Practice taking selfies. Get good at holding your phone in one hand and snapping selfies or regular photos while you're on the move. There might not always be someone to help you take a photo with a character or maybe you don't have time for a posed photo. When a selfie will have to do, you want to be ready. Selfies are fun by mile markers, too.

3. Learn how to use your phone's camera. Check out features like burst, live photos, voice control, timer, and anything else that might come in handy on race day.

I try to ask Cast Members to use the burst feature or at least to take multiple photos when they are available at character stops.

4. It's also a good idea to practice getting your phone out and putting it back wherever you're carrying it while on the move. You might want to grab your phone to take a quick photo and you don't want to be fumbling around or risk dropping it.

5. Be aware that most PhotoPass photographers on the course are going to be in the parks, not on the long boring highway miles. Check out the course map before the race and note where the theme park restrooms are. These are a great spot to freshen up before passing the green PhotoPass tents, if you're looking to get some great race photos.

6. Make sure your bib is showing for PhotoPass photographers! That's the only way you'll be able to retrieve your photos after the race.

These are just some of my random tips for enjoying the scenic part of a runDisney race. Here are some other awesome photo tips from other blogs.

Joyful Miles has a ton of tips: How to get Great Character and Race Photos
Magical Miles: Tips for Character Photos During a runDisney Race
Disney Parks Blog: Tips for Using Disney PhotoPass Service

Figment is a mascot of sorts for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival each year, appearing on official festival merchandise and signs. That means Figment is a popular costume choice for a lot of runners during the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. I ran as Chef Figment for the 2017 10K. It was an easy and affordable costume with some DIY elements.

The Taylor Wildcat 5K in Pierson, Florida, benefits the Taylor High School softball and cross country programs. This is a local race in a quiet part of western Volusia County and this was the first year I ran. The race had a Thanksgiving theme though no one was really dressed up like a typical Turkey Trot. Overall awards included turkeys and pumpkin pies.

Training & Goals
All the time on my feet for Dopey training hasn't helped my speed much, so I just went into this little race looking for a nice speed workout.

Race Day: November 18, 2017
It was a quiet drive on country roads to the race for the early start. It was 55°F with clear skies at the start. Really nice running weather.

There was a good turnout from West Volusia Runners and it was nice to run with club mates.

Mile 1: 9:26
Zoom! The course was a nice run through residential streets of Pierson.

Mile 2: 9:45

Mile 3+: 9:54, 1:12
The race finished on the school's track. I came in at 30:14, good for my 3rd fastest 5K, and good for 2nd in my Age Group. Woot! There were a lot of AG award winners in the club; a photo of the winning WVR ladies is below.

Recommendation
This was a very well-organized local race with great volunteers and good swag.A+

Chip time: 30:14
Placement details: 2nd of 6 in Age Group, 68th overall out of 140 finishers
Race Amenities: Nice tech shirt, no finisher medal
Cost: $23.50

Report written December 12, 2017

Pro photos (c) Almost There Photography