runDisney events meaning getting up early early to get on a bus to take you to wait for an hour or more for the race start.  My alarm was set for 1:55am and got 6 hours and 19 minutes of sleep. It was a mixed night of sleeping as my room only had two temps, freezing and hot. Plus when the ac did kick on it was like having a 747 take off in the room.

Now it’s my choice to get up super early and be at the 10K so I can get some great early morning character photo pass pictures. But damn was it cold. Now I was dressed with blue leggings which was a last minute addition to my costume. So glad I ordered them the other day. I even had blue arm sleeves. Both of which I ordered on Amazon earlier in the week when I saw the forecast.

The night before the race I always go to do a little math. I do a guesstimate based on past 10K’s when the balloon ladies will start and where they will be during the race. This will help me decide if I can get in one more or two more or no more character photo stops. I always seem to have more time in the end but gotta be on the safe side. Don’t want to get swept especially on a Challenge.

Guesstimate Ballon Ladies
If they start at 6am
6:16 mile 1
6:32 mile 2
6:48 mile 3
7:04 mile 4
7:20 mile 5
7:26 mile 6
Back in January I stopped at 5 character stops while starting in corale E and this time in D. So maybe 6 character stops?  Depending on lines and if I can keep to a decent jog pace in between.  Now my jog pace is about a 12 minute mile which isn’t fast but it is faster then the balloon ladies 16 min pace.  So I should be good to go based on past races.  The 10k back in January with the 5 characters stops while jogging at a 12 min pace I was able to be at about a 15 min pace which included the stops for pictures.  So it’s possible  

Backing up to the start line or actually the pre-show they had four character photos.The Start Characters:
Jasmine
Jafar
Aurora
And Dopey.  Got my pix with 3 out of 4. May get Dopey afterwards.  Future Note: I did not!

Now I was early but not early enough to get all four.  At this point it is 47F.  YIKES.  Luckily I did find an old work jacket in my trunk of the car so I had that on.  But I was cold as fuck!  Note to self: Buy a blanket for tomorrow’s half.

Now I love the preshow.  I love all the performers.  I even listen to their podcast 3, 2, 1…Go.  Well when I say listen I sort of listen.  I don’t know who has enough time to listen to any podcast that is more then 20 minutes long.  Jeez…seriously folks I need my podcasts to be 20 minutes at the most.  I need cliffnotes for podcasts.  Even If I have the time which I don’t I definitely don’t have the brain power to listen to one podcast for any length of time without thinking of a million other things.  The announcers are truly the greatest part of waking up so early.  Second to the character photos oh and the DJ’s cuz the music keeps up bumping.  So they are third best.  Hey that’s something.  

And the race begins..for someone.  Then more fireworks and more race starts…for others.  Finally 20-ish minutes later it’s our turn.  3, 2, 1…Go.  I secretly love that countdown.  Thanks Carissa and John!

And we are off.  I am strong out of the gate with my 12 minute jog.  I pass one character after another thinking I need to be at least one mile before I stop for a character if I want to stay with my plan.

Belle – skipped
Tiana – skipped
Rapunzel – skipped

Water 1.68 miles in.  I do walk with the water as I can never figure out how to run and drink out of a paper cup.

Genie 1.81 – #1 Stop

Snow White – skipped
Ariel – skipped

Maleficent or 3 Faires 3.51  We didn’t know which character we got.  I hadn’t got Maleficent but tomorrow is another day.  Got the Fairy Godmothers – #2 Stop I want more Villains!

Water 

Skipped someone ??? Couldn’t remember The Beast!  Oh it was The Beast – skipped.

Cinderella & Prince Charming – 4.25- #3 STOP

Snow White and Prince – skipped

Water

Louis 5.1 -#4 Stop

Epcot Ball 5.94 – #5 Stop

And that was it.  I could have stopped for one or two more. Oh well. You just never know. Some of the lines were so long. Should have done the Beast.  And that was the 10K.  Fun, quick and over.  I love the 10K races as I don’t ever train for them so I can stay ahead of the balloon ladies and still get in a decent amount of stops.  Now only if I trained and ran faster maybe then I could get more characters. 

When it comes to smiles per mile I get more smiles per mile at runDisney events than pretty much anything else. I love the photos and the interactions before, during and after the race. While in line at each character stop I’ve talked to so many people and heard so many stories. I even got a friendship bracelet once. Oh and someone offered me face glitter once which I turned down. Note: I did attempt some facial glitter for this race.

Well that was my 10K.  The Half is tomorrow.  Gotta rest!