Marathon Weekend 2016-Dopey Challenge

Prologue (I think)!

So I'm finally writing about Disney Marathon Weekend 2016.  This year I completed for the first time The Dopey Challenge.  And as usual for me (am I cursed) things didn't go as I hoped regarding health and training. So I was worried.

Let me say I'm not one of those really fast runner (yes, you Laura Bowers) that are worried about finishing.  I'm a pokey one that has very good reason to fear those balloon ladies. (Balloon ladies=ladies carrying balloons that kick you off course if not quick enough) 

This blog in general is going to be quite long since I did spend almost a week in Disney.  

However I'm heartbroken to say my phone broke before I backed up phone so I only have the photos I downloaded on fb.  For those of you that really know me this is heartbreaking. 💔

 Last year I asked my husband if I can do dopey 2016, and his response was if you get a job. (I've been a stay at home mom for 10 years) so I went and got a job as a Southwest Airlines customer service agent. And now I had to hope I could get off work for all these days. Thankfully my wonderful coworkers helped me out.  Thanks if any of us actually read this!

In the few months prior to race I was doing great with training. Had some great long runs with about 2 months to go. Then my knee started hurting. Always the outside of knee and sometimes left sometimes right. This became frustrating and I think my longest run was about month and half before and was 17 miles. I tried for longer runs after but the knee would prevent me from finishing  

I also developed some female issues which my dr let me know I'd be needing a hysterectomy.  He said i could wait til after but it would cause pain (oh great) and then I got a cold about 2 weeks before and thought it would be over by the time we left.  Well it wasn't.  

I decided to room with three other amazing ladies. We stayed at Bay Lake Tower, and I was terrified is keep them up coughing all night.  The thing about Dopey is sleep is so crucial.  This wouldn't be a party all night scene like Wine and Dine.  (This sounds more like work than fun) 

I worked the morning of Jan13, at the airport and brought my luggage to work with me and planned on meeting Laura in Baltimore and fly the rest of the way with her.  I squeaked on plane (i fly standby) and we miraculously got seats together.  Here we are at airport and on the plane 

And this lovely Southwest Flight attendant hooked Laura up with a free drink.  

As we arrived in Orlando we got a traditional pick with the weary traveler 

And I admit I was a weary traveler.

We took the Magical Express to Bay Lake Tower where we met up with Megan.  I decided to head to sleep early while the other girls hit then Magic Kingdom which I think was a smart but boring choice.