Disneyland 5K fun run
So, yesterday, I ran my first 5K! \o/! I didn't run all of it; I ran the first mile, and then I walked the rest, pretty much. But I stopped so often to take pictures, because the run is through Disneyland and California Adventure (and backstage!), that time becomes irrelevant. However, I am still basking in the glow of having done it. And of course, I brought back pictures to share. You guys are used now to my posts being long and chatty and full of images, right? Because this is no different. *g*
So, packet pickup was Saturday at the Disney Health and Fitness Expo. I kind of loved the set-up.
Saturday morning, we were all supposed to be out near the start line (in the Pinocchio parking lot, near the gigantic parking structure) at 6:15. They had a DJ in the parking lot, and it was a party -- people in Disney costumes ready for the run, plus some Disney characters. It was foggy and misty and cool, thank goodness.
At 6:30, the DJ sent everyone over to the start line. There were upwards of 4,000 people there, and the queue was HUGE. It was a long, winding sea of people. I have pictures to prove it. I kept moving back toward the back, because I considered myself more of a walker/slow runner, and there were lots of people who planned to run the thing.
Once the race started at 7AM, it took me about 7 minutes to reach the start line. CRAZINESS.
A pic of people just past the starting line, so you can see how crowded it was!
Here is the major problem with the course: there were areas where the flow narrowed down into a bottleneck of people trying to get through openings/gates 10 feet wide or less, and it just doesn't work. Runners have to stop and moo their way through with the rest of the cattle. So no one is especially worried about pace, even though they want you to maintain a 16 minute mile. It's difficult, when there are so many people! You can't move.
But as the crowd moved on, and the fast runners got some distance, and us slow runners passed the walkers, things thinned out some, and we moved into Disneyland.
Mile one! My actual time was about 17 minutes (this is the time from the beginning of the race, and remember, it took me over 6 mins to get out of the queue). NOT BAD! It was all downhill from there, tho.
On through Disneyland...
There were Disney cast members everywhere cheering us on, including the Disneyland Fire Department. Whee!
And toward California Adventure. Mile 2!
Sign which really should read, BOTTLENECKS EVERYWHERE OMFG, but is unfortunately understated.
Paradise Pier, which felt like paradise to me because we were almost done. *g*
MILE 3! (My actual time is about 55 mins)
And the finish. I only took one pic at the finish because I ran the last 300 yards or so.
And the crowd, trying to squeeze its way out of the bottleneck at the end so it could get the glorious water and bananas and Powerade on the other side of the sea of people.
My reward. (Breakfast.)
My reward, part 2. (Lunch.)
I did it! :D
So, packet pickup was Saturday at the Disney Health and Fitness Expo. I kind of loved the set-up.
Saturday morning, we were all supposed to be out near the start line (in the Pinocchio parking lot, near the gigantic parking structure) at 6:15. They had a DJ in the parking lot, and it was a party -- people in Disney costumes ready for the run, plus some Disney characters. It was foggy and misty and cool, thank goodness.
At 6:30, the DJ sent everyone over to the start line. There were upwards of 4,000 people there, and the queue was HUGE. It was a long, winding sea of people. I have pictures to prove it. I kept moving back toward the back, because I considered myself more of a walker/slow runner, and there were lots of people who planned to run the thing.
Once the race started at 7AM, it took me about 7 minutes to reach the start line. CRAZINESS.
A pic of people just past the starting line, so you can see how crowded it was!
Here is the major problem with the course: there were areas where the flow narrowed down into a bottleneck of people trying to get through openings/gates 10 feet wide or less, and it just doesn't work. Runners have to stop and moo their way through with the rest of the cattle. So no one is especially worried about pace, even though they want you to maintain a 16 minute mile. It's difficult, when there are so many people! You can't move.
But as the crowd moved on, and the fast runners got some distance, and us slow runners passed the walkers, things thinned out some, and we moved into Disneyland.
Mile one! My actual time was about 17 minutes (this is the time from the beginning of the race, and remember, it took me over 6 mins to get out of the queue). NOT BAD! It was all downhill from there, tho.
On through Disneyland...
There were Disney cast members everywhere cheering us on, including the Disneyland Fire Department. Whee!
And toward California Adventure. Mile 2!
Sign which really should read, BOTTLENECKS EVERYWHERE OMFG, but is unfortunately understated.
Paradise Pier, which felt like paradise to me because we were almost done. *g*
MILE 3! (My actual time is about 55 mins)
And the finish. I only took one pic at the finish because I ran the last 300 yards or so.
And the crowd, trying to squeeze its way out of the bottleneck at the end so it could get the glorious water and bananas and Powerade on the other side of the sea of people.
My reward. (Breakfast.)
My reward, part 2. (Lunch.)
I did it! :D