Roxymama's 5k to Marathon, Time to Collect Another Castle


Ugh, sorry. The night ran away from me. (get it...ran away...running pun???)

But yeah, hoping to get that up soon. I've got all my pics ready to go.

Finally caught up on your journal! I love your tiki bird costume! I don't think I've ever seen anyone wearing one before. I like your creativeness!

Thanks! I don't think I have either. My friend is likely going to be Figment so between us we are running as rides that rarely have lines. We need a peoplemover and a carousel of progress and a country bear to join us I guess :)
 




ACK I spent all my splurgey money on tiki bird paraphenalia yesterday. I did build and bag for fun but did not buy it. It is a really good deal as I used everything I got in last years bag. Ugh, I need to stop typing before I talk myself into it.
I also built a bag because OMG Pink Flamingo bag. But I doubt I would use most of that makeup.
 
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Howdy folks. How about a good old fashioned Pre-Trip Planning one page report?

Roxymama and Roxypawpaw take on WDW marathon weekend - a pre-trip planning report.
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I've been relatively MIA on my training journal this holiday season...and almost all of the weeks after my Chicago marathon in October. But I've been active on the marathon weekend thread. So some of this is not new news to some of you...but stay awhile so you can read lists of things regarding me going to WDW in 2 weeks and 1 day!

I'm currently training for the WDW half marathon on Sat. 1/12. It's the only race I'll be doing during marathon weekend which at first I was like "is it worth going for only one race" and now I'm like "yeah it's still 13.1 miles roxy...respect the distance!" I got the wild idea to go back when a friend who had mentioned wanting to do another disney race sometime decided she would be going. At first I thought I'd go solo or with my husband. But school's in session so he'll stay home with kiddo. Then I thought I'd try to rope in a roommate amongst friends or family. I invited my mom and dad to be my +1 and +2 if mom was still up to it (she had been asking to go to WDW one more time.) But this summer we lost her to cancer when she went way downhill only a month after I booked an inexpensive fully cancel-able room. In hindsight it was a last ditch effort to make mom look forward to something fun. And I almost just cancelled the whole thing, but I told my dad that if he wanted to stay on with me (and we both could say NO GO at any point) would he want to. So it's been 6 months and I think we both would like to spend the time together, so off we go. It still feels like a crazy idea that I'm even going without my husband and kids and after such an odd year. But it will be nice to just be Dad and his Kiddo for a short weekend together.

Ok now to the good stuff...where we are staying, what we are eating, what we are riding, etc.

Cast of characters:

Roxymama aka Roxy (me) age 37
Roxypawpaw aka Kibby (my dad) age 66
featuring: my friend Adrianne from Canada who may or may not want me running along with her but we will hang out at corral in the parks.

Where we are staying:
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Booked three nights at the Art of Animation value resort in a Little Mermaid room. It feels like a good bargain compared to the deluxe resort prices we have recently done on family trips. I requested a room "close to transportation" and on the first floor if possible. We shall see!
I'm silly excited to sing part of this world in the shower.
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Places I booked for ADRs:
Friday dinner Skippers Canteen in MK. Ate there once the month that they opened and really liked it. I'm a big adventureland fan (Tiki birds, Jungle Cruise, Pirates!) and will likely save room for an Aloha Isle dessert. And they serve beer now!!

Saturday Afternoon Tea at Grand Floridian garden view lounge. I've wanted to try this for years and so figure it'd be a relaxing thing to do post half marathon and whatever nap I do or don't take.
We will eat at Satuli Canteen for dinner but that doesn't need reservations. If I find another place that is a Canteen I'll try to eat there too.

Sunday dinner at Tokyo Dining in Epcot. My dad and I love sushi and we both have never eaten here.

And that's it for ADRs. There are so many counter service and snack cart places that I'd like to try. And I eat like a squirrel...just forage for a little here and there all day long. Dad and I are also avid hotel food court patrons :)
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Fastpasses I booked in advance:
Friday Expo & MK day:
We fly in the morning. Will DME over to the hotel and drop off any carryons at room (if ready) or at the front desk. Thinking we eat some lunch at the food court. Don't want to fall into the empty stomach trap of travelling. Then take quickest option over to the Expo (bus, uber, minnievan.) I plan on just getting my bib and shirt and not going to the official merch since it's in another building. We'll see if I hold to that or not :)
I'm bringing just my park backpack so will have a folder to keep my bib nice inside and plan on heading to Magic Kingdom from the Expo (uber, minnievan...guessing no busses available)
FP for Pirates, Haunted Mansion and Mine Train
Dinner at Skippers Canteen
If the weather is cool I'll be wearing my new Tiki Room Spirit Jersey :)

Saturday Half Marathon, Afternoon Tea, AK & MK
Yes, I am crazy.
Wake up at early o clock. Run a half marathon while stopping a lot for picture taking (I'm not running this race for speed...I mean I'll try to run a normal race pace-ish for me while I am moving, but the whole point is to have fun and soak in the atmosphere.) I don't know what my dad will feel up to as far as spectating goes yet.
We'll do something after the race...pool? hot tub? food court? nap? shower!!, theme park?
Early Afternoon Tea the Grand Floridian
Bus over to Animal Kingdom
FP for Expedition Everest, Kilamanjaro Safari, and Navi River Journey
Plan is to have some dinner at Satuli Canteen before our navi boat ride. Want to try the lumpia for dessert. I'm real prone to motion sickness on anything 3D and Soaring-esque if you were wondering why FOP may be a no go. If there is some "no line" right as park is closing maybe I'll try. My dad does not have great knees and for sure won't want to go on the FOP ride vehicle, so likely would be just me.
I have watched it on Youtube (sorry, I know not the same as riding it)
Then I'll be heading to MK to close out that park until 11pm. Even if I just wander around riding the people mover and any little dark rides that have no line. Or a late night Tiki Room never hurt nobody.
If you think I can't do it...I ran my first half marathon at as much of a race pace as I could muster at Disneyland and then stayed in the park until midnight. Soooooo....

Sunday Whatever we Want Morning & Epcot (and maybe HS)
I made no plans for the morning. this is not because I'm saving a spot to run the full marathon! But we may go to MK in morning. Or maybe we will make a ressie for a breakfast somewhere. Or just hop on the first bus that shows up for a park??? I dunno???
FP start at 2:30 at Epcot with Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land and the Frozen Ride
Figure we'll do a "diet DATW" where I have like one marg and a beer before dinner. I'm ok if we just go sit in each pavilion for a little while and just relax and chat with a drink. Sounds perfect to me. Dinner at Tokyo Dining.
I see that HS has EMH until 10. Maybe I talk myself into bopping over for a late night SDD. We will see!

Fly home Monday (booooo!)

So that's about it. My race plan is literally to start at long run pace then slowly speed up a little as I feel like it...or don't. Stop for pics that I may want to stop for. Speed up maybe during the stretches when there isn't much going on. Literally my race plan is...Whatever!! Much different than my Chicago marathon plan where I had what pace range to hit by the mile written in pen on my arm and I had a mission to not stop running for hours and hours...like I ran while drinking etc. Also I will be wearing Tiki birds on my arms during the race.

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See ya real soon!



 
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I was beginning to think you forgot about us! ;)
Just kidding of course... Hope you had a nice Christmas! I am sure RoxyKiddo is at the best age for Santa!!

Are you coming to Hurricane Hannah's on Friday? (Totally understand if you're not, already such a busy day for you!)
I am going to AK on Saturday too... let's please try to meet up!
 
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I was beginning to think you forgot about us! ;)
Just kidding of course... Hope you had a nice Christmas! I am sure RoxyKiddo is at the best age for Santa!!

Are you coming to Hurricane Hannah's on Friday? (Totally understand if you're not, already such a busy day for you!)
I am going to AK on Saturday too... let's please try to meet up!

Haha, because I really do have a new phone now since Christmas and posting updates should be easier now. My old phone was being real dumb!! I always felt bad I wasn't updating but then I'd have a million other things to do. But I like posting here so much and I think that part of my life has been missing a little.

Yes to AK meetup! I'll PM you my cell #. Hurricane Hannah's will be too hard I think to get to on a day with so much moving between places :( I honestly wish the Expo didn't exist.

I love AOA!!! We stayed in a Nemo Suite about 5 years ago. Love all the themes and yes, I would also break into song all over the resort, much to my kids dismay. :D

Oh good! I've never been but when deciding between Pop and AOA the cuteness factor won me over.

OH. EM. GEE. I didn't even know this was a THING. And know that I know that it exists I have to stay here and sing in this shower. HAVE TO.

Right???!!!! I didn't know either until I watched a "room tour" youtube after booking it. Whosits and Whatsits galore!!
 

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