On I went, out of the wood, passing the man leading without knowing I was going to do so. Flip-flap, flip-flap, jog-trot, jog-trot, curnchslap-crunchslap, across the middle of a broad field again, rhythmically running in my greyhound effortless fashion, knowing I had won the race though it wasn't half over, won it if I wanted it, could go on for ten or fifteen or twenty miles if I had to and drop dead at the finish of it, which would be the same, in the end, as living an honest life like the governor wanted me to. -Alan Sillitoe, "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner"

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

On attitude adjustments, and things that don't really matter

I need an attitude adjustment, and I need it badly.

Remember last year (okay, only last month, but back in 2012) when I asked for advice on what to do about Goofy? After much thought and much advice, I decided that I really only felt okay about running the half. So I committed to that idea.

Then, this morning, I found out that I'm in Corral H for the race - and there are only corrals A-H.

Disney is a slow marathon to begin with, and being put in the last corral will impede any attempts I might have to go faster.

In the grand scheme of things, to say this is inconsequential is an understatement. But I'm bummed. I wanted to see where my training was at for a half; I do not want to weave around walkers and people stopping to wait to have their picture taken with Disney "cast members."

Okay: that's done. Time to stop whining and start packing. It's supposed to be 80 this weekend and my hotel has more than one pool.

11 comments:

  1. Is corral jumping possible at Disney? ;) Or maybe when you pick your bib up you can get pushed up?

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    1. Evidently I can ask them at the expo if I can be moved up, and I'm going to ask! It's probably going to hurt my case that I haven't run a single race longer than 5m this year, but I'll give them a Dec. '11 15k time and hope for the best.

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  2. They should at least have the corrals named after obscure Disney characters to ease the ego. "Pluto Jr." sounds so much better than "Corral Q".

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    1. I would be excited to be named after the Swedish Huey, Dewey, and Louie, aka Knatte, Fnatte, and Tjatte, even if it meant corral AA (http://duckman.pettho.com/characters/hdl.html).

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  3. This makes no sense. I was in Corral B for the Princess Half last February and you are faster than me. There has been an oversight and I'm sure the organizers will make things right.

    Have a fantastic time! I'm already looking at the half (or maybe the full) in 2015. I can't think of a better way to celebrate what will be my 40th birthday.

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    1. Evidently people who register for Goofy are put toward the back unless they say they expect to finish sub-5 for the marathon? I think.

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    2. That is what I think too. I didn't think I'd finish before 5 hours so I left that part blank .... now I know better. See you there!

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  4. That's definitely a mistake on Disney's part. You are faster than me, and even though I am DNS for this race, I was put in Corral C.

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  5. I was surprised to see how far back I got put in the corrals for the half (which I can't attend now) too...I know I'm not super fast, but a 2:10 half time is considered the last corral??

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    1. Ack!! Ack! Their system is SO weird. Who knows what goes into it. So, I'll try to get it changed. If I can't, I'll have a sloooow half. Wouldn't be the first :/

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