The trip to Anaheim for the Disneyland Half Marathon marked my return to California for the first time in a little over 5 years. The 2005 trip was to San Francisco to run the half in nice cool July weather. Who knew that Disney was keeping track of that and designed the medal to mark my return to Cali..... Oh yeah, they were also celebrating the 5th anniversary of the race as well.
The race also marked my return to the 1:4x:xx race times. My 1:46 and change finish made 1:46 the most popular finish time for my 52 half marathons that I've run to date. 5 of those (more 5's....wow) 1:46 finish times put it ahead of all my other finishes. My per mile pace remained within a 7:44 to 8:27 range. I started out somewhat conservative and kept increasing my average pace up until about the 10 mile mark. After that point, I just held on for the last 5k to the finish. One thing I noted was that I had no "blow up" miles; my early 1/2 marathons always had a mile at some point in the middle where I had a 10 minute or so mile. I definetely have become more consistent with my pacing.
I wrapped up my first Disney Coast to Coast Challenge with this race. I ran the Goofy Challenge in Orlando in January for the first leg of the C2C. I think this will be a first and done C2C. I think Disney is realizing (by dismal registration numbers) that they are pricing themselves out of the market. At this point, an international event (Disneyland Paris, Tokyo, or Hong Kong) would be required to get my attention.
The finish line being set up Friday afternoon.
Running through Angel Stadium was a nice change in the last half of the race.
Part of The Woodlands Coast 2 Coast finishers
