by milesflyby

Dopey Challenge Recap

I don’t have a bucket list, but if I did, I guess you could say the Dopey Challenge at Disney World has been on it for years. I enjoy Disney World and as I became a serious runner and ventured into marathons, I learned that there was a marathon that ran around all of the parks in Orlando which sounded really fun to me. At first I heard about the Goofy Challenge where people could run a half marathon one day followed by the marathon the next day. I was very intrigued by that until I learned about the Dopey Challenge – a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon run on four consecutive days. I figured if I was going to make the trip to Disney, I may as well go big and do it all.

It took years for everything to finally come together. For one thing, it helped to actually have a job with vacation time that would allow me to do this. By 2021, I finally had some paid vacation days. The next thing holding me up was the idea of possibly traveling alone to do it. Over the last several years I’ve grown very comfortable (and often prefer!) taking trips on my own so I decided it was time to go for it. I signed up for the Disney World Marathon Facebook page which helped me learn how everything worked. I knew that the races sold out very quickly and when the registration day came last April, I was stuck in a queue for well over an hour and it was more stressful than trying to buy concert tickets. Thankfully, Dopey was still available once it was my turn. It was another couple months before it was possible to book hotels and I was able to get one of the All-Star resorts (the most affordable option) on Disney property. Then I learned that my friend Kristine’s son would be working in the Disney college program and would likely still be there during my race weekend. She’d be happy to visit while I was there. I’d have great company and I wouldn’t have to stress about going to the parks alone. Everything was working out!

The races took place Thursday, January 9 through Sunday, January 12. I took a flight that got into Orlando at noon the day before and was extremely grateful that Kristine offered to pick me up at the airport. The first priority was to head to the expo. Once I was in town I was able to sign up for the “virtual queue” to get into the area that sold the official RunDisney gear at the expo. That wait was over two hours! It took at least half an hour to get to the expo from the airport anyway so that would help chip away at some of the time.

*I was excited to see this sign as we drove to the expo*

The expo took place at ESPN Wide World of Sports and it was so busy there that we had to take a long walk from a dirt lot across the main road where we parked. Of course I had to make some photo stops.

*Getting ready to do something extremely Dopey!*

Then it was line after line after line. I figured this was a part of the Disney experience so I better be patient and get used to it!

*The first line snaked outside the building where I picked up my race bibs*

*I found it interesting that I used the same bib for the 5K and 10K and used the second one for both the half and full marathon instead of receiving four bibs*

We finally made it inside (and through another line) to collect my bibs, then we had to go back outside and wait in a line that circled a huge playing field before we could get into the building that housed the general expo. BUT…yet another line before we made it to that!

The expo had some photo stops and lots of vendors like any typical big race expo. Nothing all that exciting and I didn’t find anything I needed but I still wanted to check things out.

By the time we got through all of that we still had nearly an hour to wait before we could get into the RunDisney part of the expo. As a comment in the Facebook group said, “I can run a marathon faster than it’s been today for me to get bibs and merch.” That’s barely an exaggeration. Kristine wisely suggested that we could go to my resort so I could check in and drop my stuff off.

My last visit to Disney World was in 2012. I enjoyed staying at the All-Star Sport Resort then and decided it should serve me well enough this time too.

*I was in one of the rooms around the tennis area*

Once again, I was thankful that Kristine was so willing to drive me around. We went back to the expo to browse the RunDisney merch and it was pretty overwhelming. They had stuff for each of the races, for the Goofy and Dopey Challenges, for the weekend in general, and some plain RunDisney gear.

*The expo area with official marathon weekend merch*

The Facebook group helped me learn that unless you got there during the first couple hours, the “good” marathon and Dopey stuff would be gone. It was after 3:00 by then so my expectations were low. I was already going to come home with SIX race shirts so it’s not like I needed much more. I saw some cool marathon jackets but the sizes were very limited by then. It was fun to browse but I didn’t get anything. However, Kristine was kind enough to give me a custom sign that she had ordered!

I went back to my resort and headed to the food court for some dinner just after 4:00 and settled in my room by 5:00. With some crazy early mornings ahead of me I knew I needed to get into the routine of early dinners and bedtimes. As if racing four days in a row isn’t enough of a challenge, one of the MAJOR factors of getting through Dopey is surviving the 4:30-5:00 am starts. Subtract a couple hours from that to factor in getting dressed, catching the bus, making the long walk in to the staging area in Epcot parking lot, dropping a bag at gear check, getting a potty stop in, and lining up in the corrals at least 15 minutes before the starting time. In addition to training for the runs, I actually trained for the early mornings by getting up at 3:00 am on a somewhat regular basis for a swim or occasional treadmill run leading up to the race.

Day One – Thursday – 5K

I had pretty restless sleep and woke up just after 2:00 am. Ouch. There was a long line of buses outside my resort so there was no concern about catching one on time. I erred on the side of caution for my first day and got on a bus around 3:00. At that point it was 40° and felt like 32°. I figured that since I was used to 8° back at home, 30-40° in Florida would feel like a heatwave. Not so much when standing or sitting around in it for an hour and a half waiting to run. One trick I had learned from the Facebrook group is that Walmart has some super cheap blankets and they’re great for keeping warm while waiting. I checked one bag on my flight just to carry all of the “throwaway” gear I would need to stay warm before the races. On this morning I wore an old fleece jacket as well but I still ended up feeling super cold.

*Blankets that were less than $5 a piece were a wise purchase for this adventure*

The ride to Epcot only took 10 minutes then there was a nice long walk from the front entrance back around to the parking lots. I dropped my bag of post-race clothing at gEAR check (pretty clever naming!) then scoped things out. There was a stage and video screen with constant entertainment and announcements, plus multiple characters were staged for photo opportunities. The lines seemed pretty long and I didn’t want to wait. As I hung out in that area I ate my second Picky Bar of the morning. The method of eating one when I woke up and one an hour before racing worked well all four days.

*Interviews with runners helped provide some entertainment before the race*

I went to the corral area and found a TON of porta potties located right across from the corral entrances. Some people in the Facebook group advised getting to the corrals early to be near the front, so I tried that just after 4:00.

I was in the “B” corral for the first two days and we didn’t start the walk to the starting line until 4:40. That meant I had 40 minutes to kill. I sat on the ground shivering with my blanket wrapped around me as I held hand warmers and listened to interviews and the DJ playing music from the stage next to the starting line. When it was finally time to move, I found that it didn’t matter that I had lined up so early. People bunched up so much that somehow I wasn’t near the front after all. Corrals were released in waves starting at 5:00 to help with congestion.

*The corral behind me waiting to move up to the starting line*

Another thing I learned from the Facebook group is that people can sign up with any estimated pace they want for the 5K and 10K while a proof of time is required for the half and full marathons. That means people purposely game the system for the shorter races so they can start in the front corrals and get a head start on lining up for photo stops with characters. Although I would be in the “A” corral for the half and full, I was likely placed in the “B” corral because people provided false time estimates. I’m glad I was aware of this prior to the start of the race so I would be prepared to deal with walkers. It still made things extremely frustrating for the first mile (or more) as I tried to get through mobs of people walking when I truly wanted to run.

I’m not much for getting creative with costumes but I still wanted to be festive somehow. I found some fun Winnie the Pooh running shirts from Bicycle Booth online.

The 5K took place throughout Epcot which was really fun. A few spots were a little dark and I was wary about my footing, but I was fine for the most part and it was cool to see the buildings of the World Showcase lit up throughout the park. It was more enjoyable once I was able to get moving at my own pace rather than weaving around people.

*The course around Epcot’s World Showcase*

*Lots of people wore costumes or other festive outfits*

With four days of racing I knew I needed to be strategic. I told myself that it would be okay to give the 5K a little effort, then back off for the 10K and half marathon so I could try to run a solid marathon. All of the walkers threw a little wrench in aiming for a truly speedy 5K, but I sped up as I went and felt great so it all worked out just fine. I didn’t realize until later that the 5K was technically a fun run without official times. Because I did the Dopey Challenge, the results for each race showed up by the end and I saw that they timed me at 24:34.

*A pretty good pace for all of the people-dodging I did!*

I had gotten so cold while I sat in the corral that I could still barely feel my feet by the end of the 5K! I hadn’t expected to feel so cold when it was much warmer than I’d been used to at home.

I collected a box of food, got my stuff at gear check, then realized that being one of the faster runners would be helpful for post-race character photos. I hadn’t stopped to pose with any during the race because the lines were too long and I wanted to keep moving. The characters that were in the staging area prior to the race were there after the race as well and I was able to breeze through the lines within five minutes for Dopey and Pluto. As I waited in the character lines, it was kind of crazy to still hear announcements for runners at the starting line. There were so many waves of runners that I had completed my race before some had even started!

*We received the same food box after each of the four races*

*Another photo stop. I determined that since I was paying big money for the Photo Pass, I better take advantage of lots of photo opportunities to get my money’s worth!*

I was done with the race and everything else so early that the buses weren’t heading back to the resorts yet and I had to wait until after 6:30. At least I was able to sit on one while I waited and could warm up a bit.

I went to the food court at my resort for a filling breakfast, showered, and headed out to Animal Kingdom by 9:30. I knew that Kristine couldn’t ride roller coasters so I planned to do that on my own before she got to the park. I went straight to Expedition Everest which is a fun one. I waited in the normal line and learned from my seatmate (another runner) that there was a single-rider line. He planned to ride it a second time so he showed me where to go and it was fun to get a couple rounds in so quickly. While I had worried about whether I could enjoy the parks solo before I knew that Kristine would be joining me during this trip, it was actually pretty fun and sometimes that helped me chat with other friendly people doing the same thing.

Still, I was glad to meet up with Kristine so we could hang out for the rest of the day. I learned that you could save on packing by planning to wear race shirts each day. People talked about bringing their medals to the parks for photos too, so Kristine and I got plenty of pictures to help celebrate my 5K run.

*I rested my legs during the day at a Nemo show and on the safari ride*

*The photographers offered to do some “Disney magic” on some of our photos*

I swear I didn’t warm up the whole day. I had a jacket and gloves and still felt like I shivered all day long! It was a fun day despite the chill. We went to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for a pizza dinner and I got back to my room after 6:00.

Day Two – Friday – 10K

I went to bed after 8:00 and was up by 2:30 for the 10K day. I decided it wasn’t necessary to catch the bus quite as early just to wait around in the cold at Epcot so I left 15-20 minutes later than the prior day. After freezing so much on my first day, I wore two long sleeve shirts instead of one. Instead of sitting on the ground to wait for the start, I stayed on my feet. That kept them from going numb like they had the day before. In addition to my Walmart blanket, I wore a garbage bag and heat sheet on top and wrapped another heat sheet around my legs. I looked ridiculous but I was warmer! When I got off the bus to walk around Epcot a second day in a row I couldn’t help but laugh to myself about how this was truly insane.

I didn’t bother trying to get to the front of the corral this time and lingered toward the back so I had some space to stretch. Once again, I dealt with congestion at the start due to slower people starting further up than they should have. Fortunately, the 10K route took us out to some wider roads where people could spread out and that made things much easier. I also wasn’t quite as anxious to get moving as I had been the prior day because I knew I needed to slow things down in order to hold up for the entire Dopey Challenge.

This time we got to run around the boardwalk area which I had never seen before and I loved it. There were resorts and shops with some spectators scattered around.

While running through Epcot, the only spectators we had were the “cast members” around the World Showcase, volunteers at aid stations, plus DJs and bands who helped keep us hyped up. We ran through the World Showcase again for the last couple miles of the race.

I decided to make a character stop just before the 5-mile mark because there were only a few people in line. I ran in for a photo with Donald Duck then kept rolling and still ran 8:33 for the mile – not bad!

*By running fast enough, eventually the crowd thinned and the character lines got short enough for a quick stop*

I wore my Piglet shirt for the 10K and it was a success!

I told myself to be disciplined and not go faster than an 8:00 pace aside from picking it up just before the finish line. I had a good rhythm and felt great.

Once again, I headed straight to the characters for some post-race photos once I was done. Click on the images for larger versions.

Back to my resort for another yummy breakfast at the food court prior to showering and heading out to Hollywood Studios for another busy day.

Thankfully the temps climbed up near 70° and it was sunny so I could enjoy a day at the park without shivering. I knew I should be smart about resting my legs so Kristine and I went to the Indiana Jones show then the Muppets 3D show so I could sit for a while.

*Muppet Vision is going to change to something else soon so it was a top priority for me to visit at Hollywood Studios*

*It was a perfect day to walk around the park*

Kristine’s son Jake joined us for a bit too.

The Aerosmith ride is going to change to something new soon too so I had to visit that one last time. That line took longer than I had hoped and I got a bit wary about being on my feet for so long.

I had never been on the Skyliner before so Kristine and Jake took me on that and we ventured to the Art of Animation resort for dinner at their food court. It’s fun to change it up and see the themes at the various resorts. Chicken parmesan and noodles seemed like a good way to fuel for a half marathon the next morning.

Kristine and Jake were staying at the Beach Club resort so we went there next and I enjoyed walking around. We got some ice cream and I enjoyed seeing another area I had never been to. At the same time, I was also a bit stressed and frustrated with myself because I knew I was staying out too late. It’s kind of funny when getting back to my resort at 6:45 seemed “late” but I was on a very unconventional schedule with the early mornings – more like the middle of the night for most people!

In a way, I was already halfway done with my adventure but not at all in reality since I had only covered 9.3 miles of the 48.6 involved in the challenge. I spent WAY too much time on my feet and hoped I wouldn’t pay for it the next morning. My ankles were already stiff when I woke up on Friday and I might need to allow more time in the mornings for loosening up with the distances getting even more serious.

I went to bed around 9:00 which was later than I’d hoped, plus my heart was racing and I couldn’t shut down. On top of that, I was really bothered by the constant sound of rolling suitcases on the pavement, especially on the floor above me. The white noise app on my phone wasn’t enough to drown it out. I woke up sweating at one point, and when I got up for good at 2:30, my eyes felt like crap.

Day three – Saturday – half marathon

I found myself leaving later each day of this adventure so I wouldn’t stand around killing so much time at Epcot before the races begin. This time I left at 3:30. When 3:30 is “later” it further emphasizes how crazy all of this was.

The temps finally warmed up to 60° so I could wear shorts and didn’t need hand warmers or a blanket. Rain was in the forecast though. I didn’t know when it might hit and how bad, so I wore a flimsy poncho covered by a nice “throwaway” raincoat I had gotten at the Salvation Army. I would be extremely thankful that I had brought that with me!

*A photo stop during the long walk from the buses to the start*

The rain started just as I posed for my nice Epcot photo and quickly picked up. I bundled up in my rain coat and wrapped my legs with a heat sheet. One smart thing I learned was to save the heat sheet that I was given at the end of each race so I could use it again the next morning.

I was thankful that I was in the “A” corral for the half since it required a proof of time and walkers couldn’t fake it to start at the front. The Disney races draw all kinds of people from speedy runners to walkers and I’m all about everyone enjoying the experience, but things go more smoothly when people line up in a place that reflects the pace they actually plan to go. I noticed that it felt more like a true race environment in the first corral. I was surrounded mostly by people wearing typical running clothes rather than costumes.

There’s no place to shelter while waiting for these races so I just had to cope with getting soaked for nearly an hour prior to the race.

*Rain coming down as we waited in the corral*

When it was time to run, the rain actually died down.

Congestion was a bit of an issue to start but at least I was surrounded by people who were running and not walking like the prior two days. I figured the slow start just helped me keep my pace under control. My goal for the day was to act as though I was doing a training run at an easier pace and NOT race. I ran 9:24 for the first mile which felt agonizingly slow in a race environment. When I’m in training mode, I usually drag through my first mile around a similar pace as I start to warm up so it was probably for the best. I dropped to 8:38 for the next mile so it’s obvious that I was able to cut through the congestion by that point.

This was the first day of spending a lot of the run on the highway to get from one park to another. As we headed out from Epcot some of the road surfaces had a texture that was a bit slick due to the rain. I was thankful that it wasn’t all like that. We still had moments with light rain but it stayed away for the most part and wasn’t nearly as heavy as it had been before the race began.

I had wondered if I would need a headlamp at any point during these races since we spent most of our time running before we’d see any daylight. There were a couple of spots around Epcot that were a bit dark but I was fine. The highways had enough scattered lights. There was some music along the roads to help liven things up along those more boring stretches. There were occasional character stops too but if there were more than a few people in line I didn’t feel like stopping to wait. As I got further along the course and the lines grew shorter I did find it worthwhile to stop for some.

*I HAD to stop for a photo with Tigger along the way and just look at how joyful it was!*

*Wearing my Roo shirt for day three while I posed with another one of Pooh’s buddies, Piglet*

When I got to the Magic Kingdom there was a drastic change in energy. We entered the park and ran down Main Street which was lined with crowds of enthusiastic spectators – something I hadn’t seen during any of the races yet. The energy of the crowd combined with the view of Cinderella’s Castle up ahead took things to a whole new level. I found myself smiling the whole time I was in the park and absolutely loved that opportunity.

*I stopped for a quick photo with Mickey and Minnie, which seemed like a required shot!*

We ran past It’s a Small World then got to run under the castle.

When I saw that multiple photographers were set up in front of the castle, I had to take advantage of that photo stop. I ran over to one of the dots they had on the ground, posed quickly, then kept running.

We ran past a monorail stop where we saw another large group of spectators, then it was back out to the roads for miles to work back toward Epcot.

*Things were lit up enough for a run in the dark*

When I was about 10 miles into the race I kept distracted by watching people on the opposite side of the highway who were still heading toward the Magic Kingdom. The road was SO much more congested for them and I felt grateful that I am able to run fast enough to have plenty of space. I saw the infamous “balloon ladies” who bring up the rear. People need to stay in front of them or they could get pulled off the course for not maintaining the minimum pace. What a relief that I didn’t have any added stress like that!

By the last few miles of the race I ended up near the 2-hour pace group. The pace groups all use the run/walk method so I found myself getting ahead of them when they walked but they’d catch up when they ran. I wanted to finish under two hours and knew I was a few minutes ahead of that. Still, having them around kind of got to me and I tried to get moving a little more so I could have my own space again.

Eventually I got back to Epcot and this day featured less of the World Showcase. Getting back into a park helped me pick up my pace while still trying to stay disciplined and not push it too much.

*My third day of having this nice backdrop for a photo*

*One of my very favorite photos from this adventure and well worth a quick stop to pose*

Once again, I picked up the pace as I neared the finish. I was coming in just over 1:56 which meant I had been smart about controlling my pace. For reference, I had raced a half marathon in 1:45 a month earlier. I knew it was all about the long game and making sure I’d have enough energy left to run a marathon the next day.

Time for more post-race character photos!

I felt proud of how I’d run this race because I still felt good at the end. It’s kind of funny that I caught my bus back to the resort around 7:30 after having already run a half marathon for the day. Once again, I had a nice breakfast at my resort, showered, then had plans for the day.

*All of this running is a great excuse to load up on food afterward*

While planning this trip I knew I could be pushing my luck by spending so much time on my feet at the parks. I made a point of not going to any parks on Saturday after the half marathon. I would need a mellow and relaxing day to recover and rest before running a marathon the next day. It was a good day to meet up with a bunch of local friends for lunch and Kristine was kind enough to pick me up once again so we could go to Disney Springs. Our friend Evan had also run the half marathon, plus friends Jan and Laurel came from other parts of Florida so we could hang out and grab lunch at an Italian restaurant.

*With Evan showing off our half marathon medals*

It was a blast getting to hang out with some good friends for a couple hours and I’m so glad we were all able to coordinate.

*Another nice photo before we parted ways*

Kristine and I wandered around to a couple shops at Disney Springs before leaving. She was awesome enough to take me to a Jersey Mike’s so I could get a sandwich to take back to the hotel for my pre-race dinner later. I got back to my room by 4:00 and chilled for the rest of the evening.

Day four – Sunday – marathon

Time for the unknown – how would my legs cooperate for a marathon after all that I’d done? The final and most intimidating stage of the challenge!

I tried using earplugs to drown out the sound of roller bags and other noises but I still didn’t get enough sleep. It didn’t help that the marathon started at 4:30 while the other races had all started at 5:00. Back to a 2:00 am wake-up! It was 40° and clear which seemed like perfect conditions for a marathon. I was still wary about being cold during my pre-race wait so I layered up with the remaining blankets I had brought.

This was the day when things got REAL. When I arrived at Epcot the previous mornings I had laughed to myself about how ridiculous all of this was. On my final day I was getting so used to the routine that I was kind of sad that it was coming to an end. I was also so preoccupied with nerves that the silliness wasn’t a factor. A marathon is intimidating enough under normal conditions. I had no idea what to expect after all of the running I had already done combined with time at the parks and lack of sleep. I am able to run a 5K, 10K, or half marathon on a regular basis so those races hadn’t caused me any concern. The marathon is far from a casual thing I can do any old weekend!

This was the first day that I didn’t battle any congestion at the start. What a relief! I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the experience and not concentrate too much on aiming for a time goal, yet I also wanted to give a solid effort. When I put in so much work to train for a marathon I want to do as well as I can. I thought an 8:15 pace could be reasonable on the flat course if I had the energy but I didn’t want to start at that kind of pace and risk crashing in the later miles.

We started by running around Epcot which I enjoyed yet again. I saved my Tigger shirt for the final day. I thought it would help me channel his energy and bounciness!

We ran from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom again and got to see a little more of the park than we had during the half. I had to get more cool photos by Cinderella’s Castle!

RunDisney did a good job of providing entertainment on the long stretches of highway between the parks with the character stops, video screens with movie clips, music, and DJs. I stopped for photos with a few characters when the lines were short enough for me to get right in and then keep rolling. Mile six was my slowest mile of the race with an 8:51 and I’m sure that involved a short wait for a character. At times I questioned if I was taking a risk of blowing a Boston-qualifying time by making the stops. I didn’t know if I’d run well enough for a BQ but it’s always a thought. The true goal of this race was to soak in the whole experience though, not to concentrate on just putting in the work to achieve a time.

*Some of the characters I stopped to visit along the course*

There was a pretty brief stint through Animal Kingdom and we went by Expedition Everest and the Dinosaur area. I know that some people try to get on rides while they run through the parks. Although I wanted to have fun, I also wanted to keep moving. I think I got to Animal Kingdom early enough that the coaster wasn’t open yet anyway. By the time some of the people got there the parks were actually open. I finally started to get a little bit of daylight shortly after that segment.

Prior to the race I had read many complaints about running around the Blizzard Beach parking lot for mile 22. It wasn’t a very exciting stretch but it didn’t bother me too much. We got to Hollywood Studios about 24 miles into the race and I was both surprised and disappointed by how little we ran through that park. We entered near the Aerosmith ride and it felt like we basically ran down one road before heading straight out of the park. I understand that the parks eventually open to the general public while some people are still running the course and they don’t want runners clogging the parks too much. Still, I think I was in and out of Hollywood Studios in about a minute.

We got to run on the boardwalk near the Epcot area again which I loved.

My fueling plan for this race was to eat a caffeine Clif Blok every other mile starting at mile six, eat a salt tablet every mile in between, and drink my Skratch electrolyte mixture from my own bottle while also grabbing water at most every water stop. It seemed to work well because I had good energy for most of the race and no stomach issues. I was looking forward to getting back to Epcot at the end and hoped that would give me extra energy since I started to get pretty tired by the last couple miles. During the last mile I told myself not to worry about pace and had to consciously work to lift my feet enough so I wouldn’t trip from the fatigue.

I felt some great energy running through the park with a choir and spectators along the final stretch.

I managed to come in at 3:44:29 which meant I had achieved a Boston-qualifying time by 31 seconds! I didn’t feel too awful when I finished and made sure I kept moving.

Notice that I ran 26.65 miles – nearly half a mile extra. Part of it is because areas of the course were so wide. I spent plenty of time weaving around people, and of course there’s the factor of veering slightly off course for character stops. My Garmin pace actually had me at an average of 8:25 which was pretty stellar at the end of this challenge, plus considering how I made numerous photo stops that ate away at bits of time too.

I got my marathon medal and mouse ears and went to collect my challenge medals. I got my Dopey medal, plus I got one for the Goofy challenge for completing both the half and full marathons.

*The ears that I earned from the marathon*

Within a few minutes of finishing the weight of what I had accomplished hit me and I started to cry a little bit. I had worked SO hard to prepare for this undertaking and I DID IT. I didn’t just survive it either – I had completed the challenge with a really solid marathon. Everything had come together and all of the hard work paid off. This seemingly crazy challenge and all of the logistics involved had gone as well, if not better, than I could have hoped for and I couldn’t help but get emotional as I reflected on that.

I composed myself by the time I got to the finishing area and stopped to take plenty of celebratory pictures. I went to Dopey’s line first then worked through a few of the other characters.

When I got back to my resort I followed the same routine of going straight to the food court. This time I enjoyed a Mickey cinnamon roll and waffles but it didn’t settle very well in my stomach. My stomach can often be a concern after a marathon which made me wonder if I’d be able to pull off another day at a park.

My stomach behaved after that and I just coped with some soreness. I felt totally fine walking around though and was relieved that I could enjoy some time at Epcot. I made it after noon and got a good six hours in. I met up with Kristine who was great about walking all around the “Epcot ball” so I could get some nice shots with all of my medals. I’m glad our friend Evan suggested that I bring a bag for them because they’d be so heavy. A little backpack was a wise choice.

*My awesome (and heavy) collection of medals*

*Posing proudly with the whole collection*

*Making the most of the photo pass with lots of photos!*

*A shot taken by Kristine that shows the photographer helping me arrange all six medals*

The photographers did some more “Disney magic” so I could have some of my buddies in the shots.

We met up with Evan and his family and chatted for a bit before wandering around the World Showcase. I had to grab a picture that included Evan’s wife Brenda because she had her own fun Seven Dwarfs shirt.

*Brenda’s shirt: “Sleepy challenge – I did it! I slept while you ran!”*

My main goal was to find some good treats around Epcot. To start, I got a chocolate croissant in France and a chocolate caramel cookie in Germany where we came across Evan again.

By then I had realized that Kristine had her own fun Seven Dwarfs shirt too, so we got another picture with Brenda that had all three of our shirts.

Rather than hitting many of the attractions, most of the day was spent hanging out with friends, looking for carbs, and keeping my legs moving as we walked around the World Showcase so I wouldn’t stiffen up.

Eventually I got pretty tired and knew I still had to pack since I was leaving early the next morning. I went on Soarin’ before parting ways with Kristine and Jake (who joined just as I was getting ready to leave) and went back to the resort.

*I saw Epcot in the dark before the sunrise and in the evening after the sunset*

*Fatigue came on all of a sudden and I was anxious to head out*

I had half of a sandwich left in my fridge that I ate when I got back but it really didn’t sit well. I didn’t do as good of a job with refueling all around Epcot as I had hoped and it wasn’t good that the sandwich made me feel sick on top of it. I was okay for the first half of the next day, but by the second leg of my trip home I felt nauseous and miserable through my flight. The nausea was still with me the next morning so I didn’t attempt to go to work. I hadn’t eaten enough and was probably dehydrated as well. I felt completely depleted and it clearly all caught up with me. After a day mostly spent in bed, I felt fine by the next day.

There’s the tendency to ask what’s next and how I top this. I don’t feel like I need to find ways to keep topping myself and it’s more about finding other good adventures to take on rather than having to up my distances or difficulty level. The Boston Marathon is next and that’s a pretty big thing to work toward. I’ll definitely continue to spend some time reveling in what I accomplished at Disney because this was the most epic thing I’ve done. As I continue on with marathon training I keep reminding myself how tough I was to complete this and it helps me mentally tackle challenging days. This was something I had dreamed of for years so I’m thrilled that it lived up to everything I had hoped for. Coping with the weather and early mornings with a lack of sleep were small things in the big picture and just a part of an experience that I absolutely loved.

*Six super fun shirts to add to my running wardrobe*

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

01.02.25

by milesflyby

2024 Recap

2024 was another big year of swimming, biking, and running for me. Out of the 14 races that I did, the majority were familiar events that I’ve done at least once before. I don’t think I made any significant improvements in most of those races but I worked hard, put in a good effort, and most importantly, enjoyed myself. It’s not always about PRs!

It was fun to find a 10-mile race in Minnesota when I had plans to be there for a concert and running around the University of Minnesota was a treat. More about the Ironman 70.3 Ohio later, but that was a new and exciting race for me. Although I’ve run around Belle Isle for a number of races, I hadn’t specifically done the Detroit Mother’s Day run before and I kept it interesting by doing a 5K/10K combo. I did another combo when I changed things up at Crim this year by adding a 5K after the 10-mile race to complete a half marathon for the day. Even when races are familiar to me, they’re still enough of an undertaking that they rarely feel routine. Here’s a list of what I tackled in 2024:

Looking back at my recap from 2023, it’s funny to see that although I did some different races, I happened to rack up a bunch of identical stats. Both years I ran two 5Ks and one 10K. I also did four triathlons and one 5K swim in 2024 just like I had in 2023. Once again, I ran two 10-mile races and five half marathons. I “only” did one marathon this past year while I often do two in a year, but otherwise I was wildly consistent.

I participated in the Run the Year challenge once again and successfully hit the goal of running at least 2024 miles. I continue to be wary about aiming for a specific mileage goal knowing that injuries tend to pop up and it’s more important to listen to my body and just see how things play out.

This year, an Achilles problem plagued me just before the Boston Marathon and for a while after. I shook that, but the 10-mile/5K combo at Crim left me with an angry right hip. That problem was bad enough that I went to physical therapy for help. It was actually a weakness in my glute medius, which then resulted in compensation in a bunch of other areas that were trying to make up for the weakness. Now that my hip is doing much better, a peak week of marathon training has me feeling a bunch of other areas. This is why I don’t really like to lock myself into a mileage goal. I know I’ll work hard either way and sometimes time off is the best way to cope with aches and pains.

Despite my wariness of injuries, I tend to run 2,000-some miles each year anyway so I keep signing up for the Run the Year challenge. This time I completed the challenge on Christmas with just a few days to spare. I ended up 40 miles past the goal at the end of December which was 20 miles more than I did in 2023.

*I ended up with plenty of buffer for that goal of 2024 miles*

I was pretty happy to hit 2,064 miles of running. My biking mileage was up a few hundred miles from 2023 and I finished the year with 1,339 miles. I slacked off on swimming the last few months of the year with lots of excuses: bad sleep keeping me from making the super early morning trips to the pool, a busy schedule, getting sick, and prioritizing marathon training which had me doing some runs in the morning when I’d usually swim. I was down a little more than 50 miles from the prior year but still did 144 miles. Once I get past my marathon in January I plan to get back to my swimming routine.

I was fortunate enough to run the Boston Marathon for my fourth time and it will always be a major highlight of my racing year. Unfortunately, my body was in winter mode and not prepared to adapt to a day in direct sun that got to 70°. As a result, it was the first time I took over four hours to run a marathon. Still, even a rough day at Boston was a pretty awesome experience.

*Boston 2024 with my bib signed by Meb Keflezighi!*

Another major highlight of the year was breaking six hours in the half Iron distance at Ironman 70.3 Ohio. I did my first 70.3 in Grand Rapids in 2023 and it went well enough that I decided I was ready to try an official Ironman-branded race. I did the Grand Rapids race again this year a month beforehand and wasn’t especially excited about my time of 6:17. It was early in the season and I hadn’t done enough biking yet, plus the wind was especially nasty for half of the bike segment. Six more weeks of training surely helped me in Ohio, plus I actually LOVED the bike course. As a weak cyclist, the flat course was perfect for me. I finished in 5:55 and must have given it everything I had because my body was not happy once I stopped moving. I was thrilled with my accomplishment and felt like maybe I’m pretty good at doing that kind of distance, but tingling arms and an angry stomach came along with it.

*My third and most successful half Ironman*

I still don’t know if I will do another 70.3 in 2025. Part of me questions if I need to push myself THAT hard. I certainly am no closer to considering a full Ironman. I do like the half distance and anticipate doing it again but am not sure if it will fit into my schedule this year. I’ve taken on Epic Races’ 10-part Battle of Waterloo adventure triathlon a couple times and it’s back again this year. I might consider that to be my big triathlon feat of the year.

However, things are always subject to change. I just got a Peloton bike in December and I hope that will help me get a little stronger on the bike. I’ve had a stationary bike for the past 11 years but it was starting to die and I wasn’t as motivated to ride it. It didn’t quite simulate a real bike as much as I think the Peloton will. There’s still the factor that the bike I use for racing is not ideal, as so many triathletes like to tell me. Someday I’ll have to try something better but I’m not sure this will be the year. I’ll just hope I’m motivated to get more time and better work in and that can help me at least a little bit.

Right now, the main thing on my mind is the big marathon weekend coming up at Disney World in a week. Four consecutive days of racing (5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon) for the Dopey Challenge will be my biggest undertaking yet. I’ve put in some really solid training and feel prepared. It will be interesting to see how this plays out!

After that, I will transition right into Boston Marathon training. I’m thankful that my qualifying time at the Holland Haven Marathon in September of 2023 fell in the eligible timeframe to use for the both the 2024 and 2025 races. Somehow I keep getting accepted so I keep going! It’s hard to turn down the opportunity when it’s such an incredible race and weekend in general.

Beyond that, I think I’ll run the Detroit Marathon in the fall? I signed up for it last year but had a scheduling conflict and also decided it would be wise to concentrate on my Disney training instead. I deferred my entry to this year and hope it will finally work out since I STILL haven’t run the local hometown marathon and it feels like I should. I always have something on the horizon to work toward!

In the meantime, it’s nice to look back at what I accomplished this past year. I think the Ohio 70.3 was the only PR I got this year, but that was huge. Looking at all of my medals and shirts from the past year helps remind me of all of the accomplishments and adventures, and there were some good ones.

I’m looking forward to another year of adventures and hope my body cooperates enough to have plenty more in 2025.

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

12.09.24

by milesflyby

Holiday Hustle Half Marathon Recap

*My Holiday Hustle medal with the trees in Monument Park as a backdrop*

My friend Amy and I enjoyed running the Holiday Hustle Half Marathon in Dexter, MI enough last year to keep the December 7 race on our radars for this year. I usually hesitate to sign up for winter races in advance because I worry that it could be snowy or icy come race day. I ended up committing to this one in advance though when I was lucky enough to win an entry in a Running Fit / Absopure Water contest on Instagram. Many thanks to my Ann Arbor running friend Lisa who made me aware of the contest!

Winning the contest gave me extra motivation to show up on race day despite having been sick all week. I ended up with a cold or sinus thing right after Thanksgiving and I felt especially miserable for several days. I stayed home from work one day and missed a couple of big mid-week runs. When I did attempt a run last Wednesday it probably wasn’t smart since I had a cough coming from deep inside my chest. My cough wasn’t quite as bad by Friday and I felt like I should try a run on the treadmill to see if I should attempt this race the next day. I had moments of coughing but decided I had improved enough. I would have felt guilty about winning the race entry only to let it go to waste!

One nice thing about this race is the 11:00 start. My drive to Dexter takes at least an hour and 15 minutes and I was able to leave after 8:30. That still gave me plenty of time to pick up my bib, eat a pre-race Picky Bar, do a short warm up run, and use the bathroom. We could add extra items like a hat or shirt to our race entries but I already had a nice hat from last year and I’ve been collecting SO many race shirts that I decided I could pass this time around.

Last year was the first time I ran this race and fortunately I parked in an area that took me past Monument Park where I saw a big batch of porta potties. 1-mile and 5K races start and finish around the park later in the afternoon while the half marathon takes place several blocks away at Erratic Ale. That means most of the runners don’t venture over to the park and there’s no line to use the bathrooms. After collecting my bib outside the brewery I headed to the park and I was excited to see that it was so festive. I had heard something on the radio about lighting 85 Christmas trees in the park the night before the race yet I hadn’t imagined exactly what I would find there. Various groups and companies had decorated their own trees with unique themes.

After doing a .9-mile warm up jog through town (I had to balance out the 13.1 miles to get an even number!) I took more time to walk around the park. I thought it was fun that Jet’s Pizza had a tree that was decorated with pizza ornaments. A painting company had decorated a tree with paint brushes. I was especially partial to Dexter Community Aqua Club’s tree that was decorated with goggles and a swim cap. There were so many fun themes!

*A breakfast club tree with butter, bagels, and waffles*

*My favorite tree was decorated with goggles* *and a swim cap to top it off*

It was a cool morning around 30° so I shed some layers at the car and headed to the start 10-15 minutes before 11:00. Thanks to her nice Epic Races hoodie, I managed to spot my friend Angela and chatted with her for a few minutes before I went to the corral.

*With Angela, fellow Epic Races* *ambassador*

I lined up behind the 1:45 pace group which meant I was in the second wave. Waves were staggered every 30 seconds because the race is run on a path that could get way too congested if everyone took off at once.

As it was, it took more than half a mile before I could work my way around people to run the pace I wanted to run. That was a good thing though because it kept me from starting too fast. Last year I got swept up in the fast start with others around me and probably went faster than I should have. Between being sick and knowing that I had a long run of 20+ miles the next day, I knew I better keep myself under control and not “race” this one.

*So thankful that the boardwalks were clear and dry*

Last year I realized that several boardwalks along the course could be dicey in certain weather conditions. I was wary about some spots that were slightly slick last year so that was a concern of mine coming into the race this year since we had gotten some snow a few days earlier. Fortunately everything had melted and our route was dry.

Aside from a few boardwalk areas, we ran the paved B2B trail out to Hudson Mills Metropark where we ran a loop then headed back the same way we had come. The path wasn’t exclusively used by people racing – others were out walking, running, and riding bikes. Witnessing a crash up in front of me reminded me that everyone should really be aware that we were sharing the path. As a bike was coming toward us, I saw a runner suddenly cut out right in front of him and they collided. The two guys hugged it out so they must have been okay but it was still a scary moment.

Aside from that, it was a pretty nice run. It was fun to see people dressed in a variety of festive outfits. Apparently a fuzzy Rudolph costume was a bit too warm for one runner who paused to pull the top half down after a few miles.

It was the third time I had run this route and I knew there were some rolling hills but I didn’t really think about how challenging it was. There aren’t any major climbs so it’s kind of deceiving. Last year I thought I had started the race too fast and suffered for it in the second half. This year I realized maybe that wasn’t the case and it was just because the course is frickin’ hard! I slowed down during the second half this time around as well. When I slowed down by 15-20 seconds for a mile here and there, some people I had passed earlier caught back up. I had to remind myself that I was lucky I was even healthy enough to pull this off. I shouldn’t be “racing” anyway or it might mess up the long run I needed to do the next day. I tried to keep things in perspective and just do what felt manageable enough. I didn’t push to my max but it felt like a comfortably hard enough effort. I worried about coughing my way through the race and I did at moments but it was fairly minimal. It was only during the last mile when I tried to pick up the pace that I thought I might need to back off a little. Breathing harder didn’t work so well with my pre-existing issues! Still, I finished strong which pulled me in just under 1:46 with a time of 1:45:55.

As I suspected, the coughing really came on as soon as I stopped running. It was mostly a dry cough where I just couldn’t catch my breath and it went on for several minutes. Eventually I recovered enough to take advantage of the post-race fun.

The soft pretzel from Ratterman Bread was pretty great. I enjoyed that before realizing I better go back to my car ASAP to add layers of warm clothes.

*An excellent soft pretzel from Raterman Bread*

I went back to the finishing area and was excited to find a s’more station! I had to be extra careful when toasting the marshmallow because the smoke from the fire pit was not good for my cough.

*Fire pits for keeping warm – and for toasting marshmallows*

I checked my results and saw that I had put in a good enough effort to earn second place in my age group! While I was waiting to collect the award I talked to another woman who said she’d actually finished ahead of me in the age group but her bib hadn’t tracked her time. How incredibly frustrating! Technically I was probably third in my age group. Awards were given to those in the top three so I would have earned the cute ornament either way.

Amy and I tracked each other down and met up to go inside Erratic Ale. Free beer tickets came with our race bibs and I shared mine with Amy. Going inside really helped because my fingers had started to freeze even with gloves and mittens. We had each signed up for a BBQ meal so we collected our food at the Sunset Ridge BBQ truck outside and brought it back inside to enjoy at the bar.

Most of the time Amy and I just catch each other while out running and chat for a mile or so before parting ways. It was nice to sit and actually hang out for longer. Although this was just the second year we’ve done this, it feels like a good tradition to continue. A fun day of racing, getting into the holiday spirit, and one of the main motivators for me – good food afterward.

Even though I didn’t go all-out, I probably still ran this one a little faster than I should have because I struggled through the last few miles of my 24-mile run the next day. Still, I got it done and running a half marathon one day followed by a run that was two miles short of a marathon the next day left me feeling pretty good about my preparation for the Dopey Challenge at Disney World next month. It’s always possible that I’ll jump into another race before the end of the year, but this was the last one I had planned. If it was indeed my last race of the year, it was a pretty solid way to finish.

– Janet

Follow my running adventures on Instagram @janetboltz

10.17.24

by milesflyby

Ann Arbor Half Marathon Recap

*Posing after finishing the Ann Arbor Half Marathon*

Sunday, October 13 was my third running of the half at the Ann Arbor Marathon. When I finally got the race to fit into my schedule for the first time in 2022, I discovered how much I enjoyed it and have returned each year since then. The race course has been a little different each year which has kept things interesting!

In July I learned that The Verve Pipe would be playing the Ark in Ann Arbor on Saturday, October 12. I love them and immediately jumped at the chance to see them. When I checked the calendar and realized this race would take place the next morning, I had mixed feelings. Just like last year, I’d be setting myself up with a lack of sleep by going to a concert the night before the race. I do this way more often than I should. Yet, it also seemed pretty perfect – I’d just stay in town that night after the show and save myself the hour’s drive the next morning. That ended up working especially well when it was announced that the race would start an hour earlier at 7am this year. Plus, I hadn’t realized I would need to attend packet pickup ahead of time because it wouldn’t be offered on race day like it usually is. Racing on a shortage of sleep might not be ideal, but it felt like every other aspect came together just right.

I got to Ann Arbor with about 20 minutes to spare before the expo closed on Saturday. It was held at the Residence Inn downtown which worked great. I got my stuff which included a super soft Epic Races hoodie for being an Epic Ambassador. I really don’t need more gear but at the same time I decided I HAD to get a tank top with the cool Ann Arbor Marathon design. It wasn’t available in my size but someone from the running store Fleet Feet was able to find the right size shirt and offered to print it there on the spot. Unfortunately, it must not have settled properly because a run through the washing machine the next day took one letter off and a couple other spots started to peel. I was really bummed and will hope that Fleet Feet can help me out with a replacement.

*Some of the gear for sale at packet pickup*

*The official race shirt, a tank that I bought from Fleet Feet, and a hoodie for being an Epic Ambassador*

Another perk for hanging out in Ann Arbor the day before the race was the opportunity to get one of Zingerman’s amazing sandwiches for a pre-race dinner.

Everyone stayed seated for The Verve Pipe’s show at the Ark that evening which left me a little squirmy because I’m used to standing for rock shows. However, that also meant I saved my legs instead of standing in one spot for hours on end the night before racing.

My hotel was close enough that I could leave just before 6am and still arrive to the race site fairly early. The parking deck I had aimed to use was full, so luckily I found street parking where meters aren’t enforced on Sundays and I was within a few blocks of the start in the heart of downtown.

One thing that would make race day interesting was the rain. It had POURED the night before and the rain was still going that morning, but at least it had reduced to more of a drizzle. Still, it was around 50 degrees. That’s my ideal temperature for racing…when it’s dry. It can make it a little trickier to stay warm when it’s raining. I was geared up in a jacket before the race and brought a cheap rain poncho I’d received at a another race to stay dry until I started.

I caught up with my photographer buddy Greg Sadler for a bit, jogged a mile to warm up, then headed to gear check to leave warm clothes for after the race. I didn’t time things very well because there was a bit of a line and only 10-15 minutes until the start of the race. That meant I had to weasel my way through the corral of people at the last minute to attempt to get closer to the front. I could only make it so far before it was too congested and I’d just have to start where I could. I had thought it would be ideal to start near the 8:00 pacer but there was no chance I could find them or get to them through the mob with over 1,000 people starting at the same time between the half and full marathons.

I ditched my poncho right before the start and fortunately I made the correct choices for my race day gear. I opted for my Epic Races tank with water-resistant arm sleeves and a pair of thin gloves. I rarely ever wear arm sleeves but thought I might want some protection from the rain and knew I’d get muggy in a water-resistant jacket. A hat is always ideal for keeping water out of my face and of course I had to wear a University of Michigan hat for this race!

I love running through downtown Ann Arbor and parts of UofM’s campus and captured several pictures of the beautiful views last year. This year I certainly wasn’t going to screw around with my phone while running in the dark and the rain. The conditions definitely made the experience quite a bit different from last year’s race! So, here’s a look back at some of the scenery from the route when it was nice and sunny.

I enjoyed the scenery along State Street a lot more last year – I spent most of the time looking at the ground this year. It’s a good thing campus had enough lighting to help us make our way through that part of the course where the road surface was pretty rough. Uneven road paired with rain in the dark had me more concerned about not wiping out than looking at the scenery around me.

The crowd began to space out a little bit and I ran the first mile in 8:20. I had been hoping I would be closer to an 8:00 pace but I know that the first mile can be slow while battling congestion and it evens out later. I honestly didn’t have a real goal anyway. I had told myself that I’d just go out there and “do whatever” and at least I would get my scheduled long run done. I started a round of physical therapy for a hip issue a few days before the race so I didn’t have especially ambitious expectations. I have a whole combination of weak or tight areas but at least the more severe pain has faded and I was able to run this race well enough.

Once we made our way off campus and out to the roads for the next couple miles, scattered streetlights were the best that we got. Some people chose an extra early start for the marathon at 5am and they may have had headlamps, but I didn’t see anyone wearing one around me. I flew along and hoped for the best when I really picked up some downhill momentum by the third mile. I stayed upright the whole race and it just made it more of an adventure I suppose! I dropped into the 7:40s for the third and fourth miles thanks to the hills. I knew I was probably pounding my quads pretty good and I might feel it afterward. Sure enough, I had some slight quad soreness a day or two after the race. Flying down the hills was fun though! It made me think that running there would be an ideal way to train my quads for the Boston Marathon course – if only it wasn’t out on main roads.

My pace ended up fluctuating all over the place during this race. I’d bounce from the 7:40s to 8:10s to 8:30s back to 7:40s. It’s a challenging course that really made me work. I’d slow down at one point and wonder if I’d end up dragging through the end only to speed back up. It all depended on the changes in elevation.

We didn’t get a sunrise but at least it got lighter by the time I’d gotten through 3-4 miles. Then I was able to appreciate some of the fall colors, especially when we went down on a path by the Huron River. That was a very brief stretch though. I was confused because I had remembered spending so much time running along the pretty B2B path by the river last year. As parts of the course seemed unfamiliar to me I began to realize that the course must have changed from last year. Maybe it was good that we didn’t have to worry about slipping on wet leaves down on the path but I did really love that part of the race course. Instead, the change of scenery took us past Concordia College, Huron High School, and the Department of Veteran Affairs – an area I had never been through.

We rejoined the familiar part of the course just in time to head up the hill by UofM’s hospital. The climb is a little tricky, but the REAL hill comes soon after in Nichols Arboretum. That’s where we started to overlap with 10K runners on the trail segment of the course. Although “the Arb hill” is a real grind, somehow it wasn’t even my slowest mile of the race. It definitely felt like the hardest part! I was working so hard when I exited the Arb that I didn’t even see one of the photographers. I’m not so smiley when I’m caught off-guard after climbing a hill!

*When I see the photographer at the last second after just climbing the hardest part of the course!* *Race photos courtesy of Greg Sadler Photography.*

I was also working hard enough that I had no idea I was running near Steve, another one of the Epic ambassadors. I only discovered that after the race when I browsed through the photos!

*Running right behind Steve, another Epic Races ambassador*

The rain was mostly a drizzle, fortunately. The roads were very wet but at least I didn’t get soaked. I managed to avoid shoe-drenching puddles until the 11th mile or so when I finally splashed through one with one foot. It was nice that I had made it that long but I definitely groaned when I did it.

The last of the climbing came on the road that left the Arb, then things were smooth sailing. I was back on campus and ready to pick up the pace the best that I could. I started to see the fastest marathon runners heading back out for their second loop. I also had to start dodging some of the walkers from the 5K. For the last mile I found a whole different gear. I was working pretty hard yet also feeling super strong. The slight downhill stretch surely helped. As I made my way to the finish, Greg Sadler took a whole series of great shots. Thankfully they turned out a whole lot better than my post-Arb suffering face!

*Thanks to Greg Sadler for always taking the best finishing photos!*

I finished just a second under 1:47. Although I would have liked to have averaged an 8:00 pace and been a few minutes faster, I still had a decent run on a challenging course and my hip didn’t really hurt. Plus, somehow I’d been fast enough to place second in my age group!

I took some post-race pictures right away before I cooled down too much then went straight to the gear check – accepting a chocolate chip cookie along the way!

I typically stay warm enough while running but knew that a rainy day in the 50s could be trouble for me once I came to a sudden stop. I had that cozy new Epic Races hoodie in my gear check bag along with pants and a fresh pair of gloves. I got some pancakes, mac and cheese, and another cookie after that.

While I stood around eating I saw Steve and chatted with him for a bit. Then Angela, another Epic Ambassador, came along. Then we saw the other Angela who coordinates all of the ambassadors. It was nice to catch up and grab some photos together.

*With Epic ambassadors Angela and Steve*

I kept it somewhat brief because I knew that my fingers would become a problem soon if I didn’t get to the car and crank the heat. When my body temperature drops after running my fingers lose their color and start to go numb. I wanted to be proactive and get out of there before it got too bad. I stopped by the awards table first and was able to choose from a variety of prizes. I opted for a nice hat.

I had the heat blasting in the car and it barely felt like enough for half of my hour-long drive home. Eventually I warmed up enough and didn’t have to worry about my fingers anymore. I thought about how I really ought to get some kind of treat to reward myself. Because it’s cider mill season, that was one of my first thoughts. I realized that the Franklin Cider Mill was on my way home and I probably hadn’t been there in over 20 years. So, I took a detour to get some of their wonderful donuts.

This was another successful half marathon and running the challenging course in the dark and wet conditions made it feel like a pretty good accomplishment. It was the last race on my schedule for now, although that is always subject to change. I’m sure I will try to do something around Thanksgiving and could possibly do something in December if it’s not snowy or icy, but I’ll wait until the last minute to commit during that time of year. The four-day Dopey Challenge at Disney World in January is the next big goal so I will hope that physical therapy helps get me on track to tackle that craziness!

– Janet

Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

Miles Fly By

Janet's training, racing & other stuff

Tag Archives: running

Dopey Challenge Recap

Day One – Thursday – 5K

Day Two – Friday – 10K

Day three – Saturday – half marathon

Day four – Sunday – marathon

2024 Recap

Holiday Hustle Half Marathon Recap

Ann Arbor Half Marathon Recap