Distance: 26.2 miles
Chip Time: 5:02:15
Gun Time: 5:11:31
Pace: 11:32 min/mi
Comments: Needless to say, I was pretty apprehensive as I got ready to start this race effort.
As much as I tried to stay off my feet and rest after the half marathon, it was still clear my legs were pretty tired the next morning. The one bit of good news was there were no injury-type aches lurking about.
The weather forecast wasn't favorable either. Temperatures were expected to get into the upper 70s with very high humidity right about the time I was expected to be doing the final 10K or so of the race. My plan was to hydrate a lot early on.
I got up, out the door and on the bus with no problem. Knowing the routine certainly made the pre-race process easier. Got to the start, headed to the corral and sat down to conserve whatever energy I had to spare. After an hour they let us go.
For the first five miles or so I ran slow as I possibly could. Not as slow as during the half marathon but as much as three minutes slower than my race pace. Tons of people passed me and, as I continued along, I felt pretty good about my chances of catching them on the second half of the course.
Although I felt pretty hydrated, I made myself take two cups of water at every drink station. The hope was that I could maintain my hydration levels over the cool miles and give myself a better chance when the heat came on.
I let myself enjoy the run through the Magic Kingdom a bit more this time. The downside of heavy hydration was needing bathroom breaks. I took advantage of the ones in the parks I could starting at this point.
The next section going to Animal Kingdom went pretty well. It was interior service roads so lots of room and shade. The couple of photo stops I wanted were along here as well so I had fun with those while I still felt pretty good.
As Animal Kingdom, and the halfway point, approached I was feeling pretty optimistic. I was starting to pass a lot of runners so I figured I was in pretty good shape in comparison. The park was fun to run through but a lot more up-and-down than I expected.
The plan was to start pumping up the pace as my legs could handle following the halfway point. I started to play with that but it was clear my legs were pretty tired. As we left the park and did a big circuit around the parking lot, the sun hit us for the first time and I knew the best-case-scenario wasn't going to happen.
From that point I made an effort to stay in the shade wherever I could find it but the rising temperatures were unavoidable. I was still double cupping at the water stations but that didn't help the growing fatigue in my legs any. As ESPN's Wide World of Sports approached the real test of the final portions became clear; wide open and sloping roadways.
The sun was a beast now and the long open roadways let it beat down without mercy. The gradual uphills to the overpasses were brutal, sapping whatever energy I had left. The circuit through Wide World of Sports was a bit of a relief with the shade and softer surfaces but the toll of the race was clear at the 20 mile mark. The last 10K would be a struggle.
And it was. I was now at the point where every step was physically uncomfortable through my entire legs. I was trying to focus on cadence to conserve energy but found myself shuffling more often than I liked. The access ramps on the way to Hollywood Studios were nightmarish to ascend and the downhills after offered little relief.
The final four miles were a real struggle. The temptation to stop running and walk the rest of the way was enormous. And the sun was so bright I found myself partially blinded and having trouble avoiding obstacles at times. Entering Epcot I actually dreaded the World Showcase portion of the course and found myself walking at least half of it to get over the inclines it offered.
I got it together and did the final half mile at the best pace I could. The slow, shuffling run wasn't pretty but I didn't walk over the finish line. Somehow, despite stacking the odds against myself, I finished the race-and-a-half challenge. I'm not planning on trying it again. Ever.
