Runner Girl Plays Dress Up -- Part 2

As you read in Part 1, Steph and I had to try to sleep the night before the big race, except we were too excited to sleep and we each probably got 3-4 hours of sleep total.

We got up at 2am -- YAWN! -- and was ready to meet the first bus from our hotel to the race venue.

Yawn!

Once we were dropped off, we had a long walk to the bag check.  A girl who was sitting near us on the bus was chatting with us.  And wouldn't you know it?  Her brother is a weatherman in the Air Force!  And was traveling down to Dave's squadron for some training!

Where's Kevin Bacon???

I won't bore you with the details of waiting to wait for the start of the race.
But here are some cute costumes to put smiles on your faces:

The start of the race is impressive.  Fairy Godmother comes out and says "Bibbity Bobbity Boo!" and fireworks are shot off!

I was in Corral A -- so I had a great view of the start of the race!

During the race there are many opportunities to take pictures with the Disney characters.  I didn't start doing this till the castle at about mile 5, when it was clear that most of the girls in my corral didn't care about the pictures and there were no waits for most of the pictures.

So even though I didn't plan to, I bought the digital copies of the race pictures.  There were so many, it was worth it!

Enjoy some of the professional pictures taken during the race:

That Prince Charming was -- WOW!

The girl in the Snow White costume is Lisa from Houston.  She paced with me for miles 2-10! 

I wish the castle wasn't so dark behind me.  We were there right at sunrise....

Flynn Rider -- it's remarkable how Disney finds such likenesses!

Mulan was the LAST Princess on the race route, at mile 12.  It was TOUGH getting back on the route after visiting with her.

At EPCOT.

The girl on my left is Stephanie (a different Stephanie than the one I traveled with).  She and I work together in the AF Reserves.  We paced each other to the finish!

Best. Finish Line. Picture. Ever.  Usually I look like death.

The medals are very substantial.  Downright heavy around my neck.

It was Stephanie's birthday.

Stephanie and I had quite the adventure after our race trying to get lunch and then take the monorail and buses back to our room.  Our legs are like jello!

After we got back to the hotel, Stephanie D. and I took it easy for the rest of the day.  We enjoyed the hotel's hot tub (along with about 10 other racers) and then enjoyed some Cajun food for dinner at the hotel's food court.  We enjoyed the Oscars and fell asleep nice and early.

We drove home on Monday and that was that!

I'm trying to convince Dave to run the race with me next year.  I'd like to dress like Mr. and Mrs. Incredible!

But we'll need some help w/ the kids to do that...we'll see.