2008 Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge

Walt Disney World, FL, 12 & 13 January 2008

"Goofy is as Goofy does" so they say, and that's what it takes to run a half marathon and a full marathon on consecutive days. Over 3,000 people registered for Goofy's Challenge this year, topping last year. How big is the demand for the Goofy Challenge? According to the race director, medical concerns are the big factor preventing the Goofy from growing larger - there apparently is great demand for the race, it sells out in a few months. If Goofy registration mirrored Marathon registration, perhaps 8,000 people would sign up in 2009 if permitted (think about it: that was the size of the very first Disneyworld Marathon).

I tried a couple of new things this year. This is the first year I did not stay on-property, instead opting for a Best Western on Rt 192 instead. It was not quite as convenient, and I did miss the additional dose of Disney. On the other hand, the price was much lower even with a rental car and the food was better than the average Disney cafeteria, so I am going to consider it for next year as well.

Also, I have been looking for answers to my hydration problems. On longer runs I have drank (drunk? consumed!) tons of water and ended up severely dehydrated - everything I put in my stomach just sits there and sloshes. The advice I received from several experts, including scientists at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (www.gssiweb.com) is to ingest less carbohydrate/calories and drink more water. The theory is that the extra calories are slowing down my stomach's digestion and absorption. So, cut down the food intake at any point in time and increase the water, and I should continue absorbing liquids throughout the race - that's the theory. Let's see how it works in practice on a warm-weather race...

Walt Disney World Half Marathon (aka Donald's Half Marathon)
Saturday, January 12

The starting temperature was in the high 60sF with moderate humidity; fortunately, high clouds reduced the heat during the race, though the temperature at 9:00 was in the 70sF. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy started the race with fireworks at 6:00 a.m. The race course seemed the same as last year. Water stations were frequent and plentiful. There was a disappointing number of Disney characters on the course. Chip & Dale, Alice, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, Ariel and her Prince, some Pirates of the Carribean (sailing Capt Hook's ship!), Liver Lips McGraw, and Mary Poppins & Bert - that was it; as I said, very disappointing. I took the race slow on purpose because I haven't been training or even maintenance running regularly, and intended to go as slowly as possible. Finish time: 3:11. Woo-hoo! One down, one to go!!

I spent 20 minutes in the self-service medical area with ice bags on my legs, focusing on the knees, quads, and my left calf. I've heard that bathing your legs in cold water for a period of time after a race can help them rejuvenate more quickly. The ice bag treatment was about as close as I could get. Also the ice on my old knees won't hurt them at all!

No complaints about the race course. Everything went smoothly as far as I saw.

Hydration was not a problem on the race, though it never has been a problem for me on these shorter races. Conclusion: insufficient evidence to determine if this new hydration strategy will pay off.

Walt Disney World Marathon (aka Mickey's Marathon)
Sunday, January 13

The starting temperature was in the high 60sF with moderate humidity and some cloud cover which lasted through more than half the race. The Weather Channel had been forecasting a cooler day, but their forecast changed in the last 18 hours. By 9:00 the temperature was in the 70sF, though humidity dropped and a breeze picked up. Mickey and the gang started the race with fireworks at 6:00 a.m. (FYI if you've not run the race before, the marathon has a dual starting line which converges in the Epcot back lot. This allows all the runners to cross the starting line in a reasonable amount of time without having to resort to waves or other strategies which extend the total race time). The race course seemed the same as last year. Water stations were frequent and plentiful, though in one case there was no Powerade and in a couple of others the order of the drinks was switched, making it more difficult for fuzzy-minded tired runners to figure out what to do.

There were some seldom-seen characters out on the course. My list of characters is: Jasmine and the Genie (in Epcot on the Blue start), Chip & Dale, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum along with Alice, Piglet, Cinderella's wicked step-mother and her daughters Anastasia and Drizella; the Fairy God Mother, Ariel and her Prince, Liver Lips McGraw and another one of the Country Bears, Woody & Jessie & Bullseye (all in the Magic Kingdom); Darkwing Duck (in between kingdoms); two of Donald's nephews, Rafiki, Baloo the Bear & King Louie (all in/around the Animal Kingdom); Pocahontas & her raccoon, Peter Pan & Mary, Tarzan (in between kingdoms); Cruella De Ville & Snow White's mother & Jafar (Disney Studios), Chip & Dale & Pluto (in Epcot giving high-fives on the final mile).

Not to be negative: the part of the race I hate the most is the mile-long peninsula on Osceola Parkway (mile 20-21) that seems to "include" the Disney World of Sports complex. I say includes in quotes because it's figurative at best - the route is two-lane asphalt, and the complex is difficult to to see. That is IMHO the most boring mile-and-change, hot and shadeless, and I would be thrilled to never see it again. How about a quick romp up through Fort Wilderness instead as part of the front half of the race?

At the start of the Disney Studios section, they were handing out bite-sized candy bars - Baby Ruth and Butterfinger. Great, but the most common deadly allergy in America is peanuts, and both those candies are famous for their peanuts - next time the race should try Hershey's Kisses instead. Would be awful if someone ended up in the hospital because they tripped and fell and touched a piece of Butterfinger on the ground (it may sound silly but the allergy can really be that severe).

Finish Time: 6:02. I felt tired but mentally great at the finish line. At the finish line I scored my Mickey Mouse Marathon medal and my third Goofy! The Mickey medal is awesome this year - black ears with an XV (15) hanging from the round head outline. Very nicely done.

I spent a half hour in the self-service medical area with ice bags on my legs, focusing on the knees, quads, and my left calf again. My shoulder cramped up reaching for something and my stomach turned in an instant. Took about 15 minutes to get back to "normal". I got a half-hour massage and that always helps my muscles feel better the next day.

No complaints about the race course. Everything went smoothly as far as I saw.

Hydration should have been a problem on this race but it wasn't! I was processing fluids throughout the race. At about mile 19 I was feeling a little nauseated, I had developed a thick crust of salt on my clothes by that point, so I took a salt pill (Succeed) and that did the trick. Looks like this new hydration approach might do the trick for me as well.

Around 1pm a thunder storm cell rolled through and drenched the area. Lightning, the works. I hid in a tent until the worst of it had passed.

2009 Goofy's Race-and-a-Half Challenge

So, are you feeling Goofy yet? I have registered for the 2009 race. See you there!!