If Running Is Hard, Run More (Dopey Challenge 2018: 10k)

The 10k easily held the scariest moment of the entire Dopey Challenge. While sauntering around the course during the 5k, Tasha and I chatted about what characters we would stop for. Tasha had never stopped for a character during a RunDisney race, whereas I had stopped for a couple through Wine and Dine Weekend. We were in the last corral for Marathon Weekend, which stressed both of us out a little bit, especially for the half and the full marathon. We basically decided that we weren't going to stop for characters unless we both felt like we were maintaining a decent pace, far enough along in the race that we could make up time if we needed. My #1 character stop was Meeko, and hers was Robin Hood.

Lo and behold, just over a mile in to the 10k, we saw Meeko. The line wasn't too bad, so we hopped in and, of course, Meeko goes to take his break. I'm sure he was gone for only 2 minutes, tops, but it felt like an eternity. We got the picture and as we were walking away, we saw the balloon ladies (the unofficial pacers) and the sweeper bikes (the official pacers). Tasha shouted "RUN! RUN! RUN! RUN!" at the same second I started running and honestly, I think it was the fastest either of us moved all weekend. Our 2018 Dopey Challenge Survival Plan of just walking (AGAIN) went right out the window, and I don't think either of us had any regrets.

We learned a lot during Marathon Weekend. But I think our biggest takeaway was probably the importance of Mylar blankets. On Thursday, we were doubters. There's no way that a piece of foil (essentially) was going to make us feel warmer.  On Friday, we tried it. And by Sunday, we were firmly pro-Mylar blankets. I don't understand how they work, and frankly, I don't care, but at a 28 degree windchill, it was basically a godsend.

And I felt like a burrito, which made me laugh harder than it should have.

Corral waiting-- with Mylar blankets this time. 

Besides the realization that Mylar blankets are a godsend and the Meeko fiasco, the 10k was pretty tame. The course was almost exactly the same as the 5k from the previous day, except they added three extra miles of running on the road at the beginning. Since I wasn't winded at all by the time we got into the World Showcase, I was able to FaceTime some of my friends who decided to take a road trip on the one weekend a year that I couldn't go.

Tasha and I spent many miles talking about how we should pose for photos, but then each time we saw the lime green PhotoPass tents, we just froze and fell back on the favorites-- arms up, thumbs up, mouths wide open. Throw in a couple of dance parties and the classic "I hate everything about this" face and you've got yourself a 10k.