My marathon experience began with an amazing surprise as I walked into the lobby of our hotel to see MY PARENTS standing there!! Completely unbeknownst to me, they had hopped on a plane the day before and flew down to Orlando to be there for my big day. After we checked into the hotel, we relaxed and chatted for a few minutes before heading to T-Rex in Downtown Disney to meet some of the IronMommies and their families for a pre-race meal. After a fun dinner, I headed off to the room I was sharing with two other IronMommies at the Carribean Beach Resort while Brian, Hayley and my parents headed back to our off Disney property hotel. Disney Marathon morning traffic is a NIGHTMARE and we decided the best option was for me to stay on property and ride the shuttle bus into the race.Sunday morning we got up at 2:45am (not that it mattered because sleep was impossible at that point) and began LAYERING!! The feels like temperature was 19 degrees and if you're familiar with Florida weather, you know that the coldest part of the day is right at sunrise. This meant that it was only going to get colder while we were running. We caught the bus at 3:30am and were dropped off at the race start around 3:45am. The race didn't start until 5:40am so we had a good 2 hours to use the potties, check our bags, fret, and FREEZE.
But finally, we started making our way to the start corrals and before I knew it, the first wave had started and the START sign was within view. As we ran under the fireworks and passed the crowds who had braved the incredibly cold weather to see the start of the race, I couldn't help but start crying... I was actually doing this!!
The first few miles were pretty uneventful. It was dark and it seemed like we kept going up and down exit ramps as I was anticipating the entrance into Epcot. Finally, around mile 2 we passed through the turnstile for the Epcot parking lot entrance and I could see the big, white globe that Epcot is known for. Running through Epcot in the dark was awesome. The torches were lit around the lake, the World Showcase lights were flashing, and the music was loud. Before I knews it, we were out of Epcot and the long trek up to Magic Kingdom had begun. By this point, I could finally feel my toes again and I thought I might be okay with the weather. I still hadn't shed any of my layers of clothing and wasn't at all warm enough that I even considered it. We passed the main entrance for Magic Kingdom and were making our way down to the Ticketing and Transportation Center. I looked for Brian, Hayley, and my parents in the sea of people as they were considering trying to catch me at mile 9, but I didn't spot them. We passed The Contemporary Resort and the next thing I knew we were turning the corner to run up Main Street. What an awesome feeling that was!! The street was packed with people and Disney characters as we made our way
towards the Castle. We took a turn into Tommorowland, to Fantasyland before running through the castle. We ran through Frontierland and began to exit Magic Kingdom when I texted Brian and found out I had missed them on Main Street. I was kind of bummed out that I missed them since I knew that I wouldn't catch back up with them until the finishline. I started mentally preparing myself for what I knew would be a rough stretch down to Animal Kingdom. You exit Magic Kingdom at mile 11 and don't see another park until Animal Kingdom after mile 16. It seemed like the instant we left Magic Kingdom the wind picked up and I began to get REALLY cold. Just to give you an idea of HOW cold it was, the water and Powerade offered at the water stops was part slushee and they were throwing sand on the ground because discarded drinks had frozen over and the waterstops were like an ice arena! I tried hard not to focus on my misery, but by mile 15 I was starting to get really worried about how cruddy I was feeling this early into the run. 
As we made our way into the back entrance of Animal Kingdom, my quad muscles began just literally seizing up to the point that it stopped me in my tracks. I've done several 20 mile plus training runs and NEVER encountered a problem like this before. I could only attribute what was going to the fact that I was colder than I'd ever been in my life. The rest of the race became an all out brawl between my mind and my legs. At this point, we were seperated from the other IronMommies and I was running with my best buddy, Robyn. We'd made a pact to cross the finishline together and I felt terrible that I was slowing her down. I told her to "leave me," but she refused! She also refused to walk for that matter, so I did my best to run as much as I could until my legs absolutely stopped and I'd walk for a tenth of a mile before picking my pace up to catch back up with her. We made it out of Animal Kingdom and began the absolute most trecherous part of the course. It was an out and back on the Disney highway with a huge on-ramp hill at the end of the trek. Alongside the road I noticed several of the Team in Training posters that showed pictures of patients fighting cancer and what LLS donations were going to support. I teared up looking at all the posters and reminded myself that the pain I was feeling was NOTHING compared to what these children and adults were going through. I couldn't help but think of my Dad who was waiting for me at the finishline. Last year at this time he received his melanoma diagnosis. And this year, I was going to make darn sure that he watched me complete my first marathon, cancer free!! It definitely kept me going!
Finally, I made my way up that horrible, wretched on ramp. Finally, I was turning into Hollywood Studios. I haven't been to Hollywood Studios and the scenery was pretty cool, but at that point I was beyond miserable and just couldn't enjoy it. I finally hit the Boardwalk. Robyn and I both kept telling each other we were going to do this (in between sniffles). Finally we saw the sign for mile 25 and knew we were on the homestrech. We made our way around the big Epcot ball again and immediately started searching high and low for the gold robed choir that indicates you're at mile 26. FINALLY, we spotted them and both started crying. Gospel music has never in my life sounded so good. We picked up our pace and made our way around the Epcot entrance where we spotted the most glorious letters known to man: F-I-N-I-S-H!!! It felt like we were sprinting as we crossed the finishline! (My Garmin says we weren't.) As we walked through the finish chute and received our medals, the reality of what I'd just accomplished began to sink in. We picked up our bags from the baggage claim and I finally spotted my family and hobbled over to them!
Brian and I
My parents and Hayley
Robyn (my race partner) and I with tears of joy!After the race, I had to walk probably another half mile to make it to the monorail which took us back to Ticketing where Brian had parked the car. I have NEVER been so stiff and sore in my entire life. I took the best scalding shower I've ever had back at the hotel and rested for a bit before we headed off to Maggianno's for a celebration dinner.
26.2 has changed my life. If I can do this, ANYONE can. Not only did I overcome the distance, but the freezing weather which was a HUGE impediment for me. The sense of accomplishment gained from this journey is significant beyond all measure. Never in my life did I ever imagine that "I" would be able to accomplish a marathon, much less as a mother of two. But I did... I am a "MARATHONER!!" And I have the golden mouse ears to prove it!
If you can dream it, you can do it!
- Walt Disney!
