Goofy Race Weekend, Contest

My Christmas Present: Race Shirt

It's finally here! I'm dropping the kids off at Grandma's today, and Papa Runner and I head to Disney tomorrow. I feel ready, but I'm the tiniest bit nervous about the course time limit.

I've run at Disney before. They do a wave start, and then the Sweeper Team starts a few minutes after the last wave. The time limit (3:30 for the half and 7:00 for the full) begins when the sweepers cross the start. As long as you are ahead of the sweepers, you will get your medal and official finish time even if you go over according to chip time. So someone who starts in an early group who, say, sprains an ankle and limps in with a 4-hour half will still get a medal. I've also heard that once you get past the final checkpoint (it's around 10.5 miles in the half, not sure for the full), you'll be allowed to finish even if the sweepers pass you.

Here's the potential problem. First, I'm starting in the last wave, so I have very little cushion between me and the sweepers. Second, I have to be under the course time limit according to chip time in both races in order to get my Goofy medal. If I finish in, say, 3:35 and/or 7:05, I'll still get my Donald and Mickey, but not the Goofy. I've been training for a 3:15/6:30 finish, but that doesn't give me much of a window if I struggle, especially for the half. Plus, the key to this race is energy management. I can't go out too fast day one and expect to have enough energy day two. I have to be in that 3:15-3:30 window in the half in order to have hope of 6:30-7:00 in the full and my medal trifecta. MUST! FOLLOW! the PLAN! I WILL do it, and it'll be AWESOME! (but prayers and positive thoughts are appreciated.)

And with that, it's time for another Guess My Finish Time contest. Once again, Price is Right Rules, closest to my official chip time without going over. (My sisters had quite the rivalry with my Little Rock race, one was over by just a few seconds and technically closer, the other won.) You are always so encouraging, telling me I'll be much under my stated goal, but this time I really do have to be between 3:15-3:30 and 6:30-7:00. So don't underbid too much.

Just leave a comment with your guesses for the Half and the Full. The two winners (one for each race) will receive a $5 gift card from Cold Stone Creamery. Not the healthiest, but hey, I'll be there anyway celebrating my accomplishment (positive thinking! See the crown; be the crown!) so it'll be easy to pick up the cards. Guesses must be submitted by start time the day of the races, so 5:30EST Saturday for the half and 5:30EST Sunday for the full.