Race Report: Delaware Trail Triple Crown Race

Loved Newark, Delaware. All four of us loved the town and we were surprised by that as we didn't really think Delaware (the state) would be that interesting. I love it when we're wrong! The University of Delaware campus reminded us of an upscale Athens. Meg and I stopped in at the Flip Flop Shop and each bought a great little pair of flip flops - Reef for her and Sanuk for me (footbed made with yoga mats!). I'll break our little weekend and our 22nd state (my 12th half marathon!) down into three parts: the drive (it was 7 hrs each way), the town, and the race.

The Drive. I let google route us - very interesting route! Highlights included the scenic drive along the Susquetana River, hearing Modern English's Melt with You so many times it became our trip's theme song, and Bridget's "I have to potty!" urgent announcements (oh the joy of a recently potty-trained 3 year old).

The Town. Newark was fantastic. We dined Friday at the Iron Hill Brewery and we all four enjoyed our meals (even Bridget). Their Ironbound Pale Ale was a treat as well! We even checked out the Brewhaha for a good cup of Joe. I love hitting up independent coffee stores whenever I can. While I was running Saturday morning, Meg, Greg and Bridget knocked around the town and checked out a cool record store. They shared the story with me afterwards that Bridget went straight back to the store clerk and asked "Where's the girls section?" Too damn funny. Just think about it, in Bridget's teen years, she will not know about cassette tapes (ah, is there any better gift than a mix tape? Seriously!), LPs, 45s, or even CDs. Post-race we hit up Pita Pit for lunch where our devoured my pita like a ravenous pit bull and then off to the Flip Flop Shop for our unusual treat.

The Race. Mixed feelings here. I guess I'm spoiled by the trail racing events here in Northeastern Ohio. The trail markings are spot on, but were lacking at the Delaware race. A group of us came to this intersection lesstha. 3 miles into the race which had no pie plates or chalk/flour and we had to make a decision. Luckily, a fisherman pointed us in the right direction toward "the other runners who scared my fish away!" I also noticed the 10k lacked some key markings when a marathoner and I were confused about which direction to take. I also would have liked chips or D-tags because after I finished the half marathon, any transition time I took actually counted toward my total race time. Rats. The course itself was beautiful and very challenging. It was everything the website said and more - roots, rocks, trees, branches, flora, downed trees, huge creek crossing ranging from ankle to knee deep icy water, hills, rollers - everything you could imagine. I was exhausted (plum tuckered out, to be honest) after the half marathon distance, but decided to complete the 10k in spite of screaming calf muscles (and they were screaming profanity to me I'm sure). I did learn an important lesson about nutrition. Don't deviate from what works! Which I did and paid dearly for it with cramps and stomach discomfort. I won't make that mistake again. Overall, I enjoyed the 19.3 miles completed and had an absolutely wonderful time with my family - potty breaks and all!

Disney Race Report - Part II

Disney's Happily Ever After Party at Hollywood Studios was a wonderful experience enjoyed by all four of us. We saw a great performance of Beauty and the Beast Live. Belle was my princess and was identified on my race bib. We also saw a live performance of The Little Mermaid. Greg and Megan got to ride the Aerosmith roller coaster without the lines. Meg and Bridget got to meet and pose with their favorite characters. Overall, it was a wonderful evening and one of the best family vacations yet!

My Disney Princess Half Marathon Experience

I have mixed feelings about my recently completed Disney's Princess Half Marathon. The vacation destination part was incredible. I mean how can you top Disneyworld for a family-friendly location?! But I don't feel the race lived up to the hype. So let's begin with the pre-race experience. I paid $120 for the race. When I picked up my "goody bag" at the expo I received a short sleeve technical t-shirt, a sample of Luna moons, a pink Sharpie marker and some race brochures. The expo was also pretty small. There a no race maps available for spectators...except the small 5x7 one in the race program. The map they did have was a bit deceiving. There was no mention that the majority of the race would be run on the highway and/or access roads. The map didn't even detail in writing the course or give elevation information.

The race day: I understand Disney can be difficult logistically. However, we had to arrive before 6am (5am was recommended). We then had to walk nearly a mile before actually beginning the race. Then the first 5 miles or so was all concrete highway - on ramps, off ramps, overhead passes, etc. Very few characters or entertainment could be found during this initial third of the course. We didn't have any real excitement until entering Magic Kingdom. Going through Tomorrowland and Cinderella's Castle was pretty sweet but then we quickly exited MK and found ourselves on back roads again. From miles 7-12 we ran on highway and more access roads. It wasn't until mile 12 that we came upon the parking lot of Epcot. We were ushered through the entrance of Epcot, ran around the big ball, then finished in the parking lot of Epcot. I was stunned that Disney charged families and spectators the full price to park of $12 even though the park didn't open till 11am (the race started at 7am). This also wasn't the original course which I signed up for. The course was changed a couple months prior to the race date. The water stops were plenty, but the cliff gels were handed out about a half mile or more from the water stop which was bad. I was happy with the abundance of biofreeze available. Another complaint was the lack of spectator opportunities. I'm sure that the race being mostly on a highway complicates the allowance for spectators.

Post-race: standard fare of oranges, bananas, bagels, and water/powerade. Nothing special or exciting. Disney could definitely learn from the amazing post race setup of Ann Arbor 10k or the Des Moines Marathon. Both were top notch race experiences.