Personal Event Report: Unofficial Disney Triathlon (May 21, 2007)
There's a lot that goes into a Theme-Park Triathlon.
Mental preparation: although I already know the course, I still skim my version of an Athletes Guide. The guide contains all the elements for putting together an effective race plan.
Physical preparation: do a half-Ironman the day before, have a dinner featuring red meat and starches, and then rehydrate with beer. Sleep as a proverbial log. Have breakfast featuring scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuit, hashbrowns, and iced tea.
Start
Take the boat service from the Wilderness Lodge dock to the Magic Kingdom dock at about 08:30h. It's a mass start, so seeding is important. I edge to the right hand side, and press toward the middle of the pack. Too far forward and one has a poor view of the opening ceremonies at 08:50h (the "Good Morning" song, train drive-by of Disney characters, and official pixie-dust sprinkling). When the rope drops, just dodging the slow-moving strollers (singles and caravans) is enough to have a good start on a Monday out of high season.
Leg 1: Magic Kingdom
In order:
o Space Mountain;
o Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin;
o Peter Pan's Flight;
o The Many Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh;
o The Haunted Mansion;
o Splash Mountain;
o Pirates of the Caribbean (the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow makes for a more evident narrative to the ride);
o Mickey's PhilharMagic; and then
o 11:45 Dreams Come True Show.
Alright, I'm ahead of the game!
Nutrition is important: I've loaded up on chocolate icecream. Hydration: water and iced latte.
Look at merchandise; some of it makes me feel quite at home:
T1
Monorail to Epcot. Because IT'S A MONORAIL!
Leg 2: Epcot
Topiarists have been busy:
In order:
o grab FASTPASS for Soarin' (required even on a slow day);
o Journey Into Imagination with Figment (I miss the old song);
o The Seas with Nemo and Friends;
o Turtle Talk with Crush (spot fellow athlete from T.O. crew Blair Larsen with family in tow - hey, it's a small world!);
o Ellen's Energy Adventure;
o The Circle of Life;
o Living with the Land; and then
o Soarin' (most excellent).
Nutrition: Mickey-shaped chocolate-dipped vanilla icecream. Burger. Fries.
Hydration: water and iced tea.
T2
Bus to Disney/MGM.
Leg 3: Disney/MGM
All live shows are over, save the closing Fantasmic. A float for "Disney's High School Musical Pep Rally" does go by, though. The float features attractive 20-something women dancing in cheerleader outfits. Let's count that as at least the first part of a dream coming true.
Sole item:
o Star Tours (hey, it is the 30th aniversary of Star Wars, almost to the day).
It's past 18:00h and my ability to have fun is bonking. Exit the gate (a.k.a. finisher's chute).
Post-event
Bus back to Wilderness Lodge. Dinner in the Territory Lounge. Start thinking about Florida 70.3 2008 with two days at the Disney parks and one at Universal.
Mental preparation: although I already know the course, I still skim my version of an Athletes Guide. The guide contains all the elements for putting together an effective race plan.
Physical preparation: do a half-Ironman the day before, have a dinner featuring red meat and starches, and then rehydrate with beer. Sleep as a proverbial log. Have breakfast featuring scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuit, hashbrowns, and iced tea.
Start
Take the boat service from the Wilderness Lodge dock to the Magic Kingdom dock at about 08:30h. It's a mass start, so seeding is important. I edge to the right hand side, and press toward the middle of the pack. Too far forward and one has a poor view of the opening ceremonies at 08:50h (the "Good Morning" song, train drive-by of Disney characters, and official pixie-dust sprinkling). When the rope drops, just dodging the slow-moving strollers (singles and caravans) is enough to have a good start on a Monday out of high season.
Leg 1: Magic Kingdom
In order:
o Space Mountain;
o Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin;
o Peter Pan's Flight;
o The Many Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh;
o The Haunted Mansion;
o Splash Mountain;
o Pirates of the Caribbean (the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow makes for a more evident narrative to the ride);
o Mickey's PhilharMagic; and then
o 11:45 Dreams Come True Show.
Alright, I'm ahead of the game!
Nutrition is important: I've loaded up on chocolate icecream. Hydration: water and iced latte.
Look at merchandise; some of it makes me feel quite at home:
T1
Monorail to Epcot. Because IT'S A MONORAIL!
Leg 2: Epcot
Topiarists have been busy:
In order:
o grab FASTPASS for Soarin' (required even on a slow day);
o Journey Into Imagination with Figment (I miss the old song);
o The Seas with Nemo and Friends;
o Turtle Talk with Crush (spot fellow athlete from T.O. crew Blair Larsen with family in tow - hey, it's a small world!);
o Ellen's Energy Adventure;
o The Circle of Life;
o Living with the Land; and then
o Soarin' (most excellent).
Nutrition: Mickey-shaped chocolate-dipped vanilla icecream. Burger. Fries.
Hydration: water and iced tea.
T2
Bus to Disney/MGM.
Leg 3: Disney/MGM
All live shows are over, save the closing Fantasmic. A float for "Disney's High School Musical Pep Rally" does go by, though. The float features attractive 20-something women dancing in cheerleader outfits. Let's count that as at least the first part of a dream coming true.
Sole item:
o Star Tours (hey, it is the 30th aniversary of Star Wars, almost to the day).
It's past 18:00h and my ability to have fun is bonking. Exit the gate (a.k.a. finisher's chute).
Post-event
Bus back to Wilderness Lodge. Dinner in the Territory Lounge. Start thinking about Florida 70.3 2008 with two days at the Disney parks and one at Universal.
posted by Brent Buckner at 5/25/2007 12:27:00 pm
8 Comments:
Without a doubt, the best tri report you've written to date!
And a well-executed tri, at that.
I suspect you were bound to bonk on account of the amount of physical preparation, despite a superior nutrition plan. (Of course, any nutrition plan that includes chocolate coated ice cream shaped like Mickey is right up my alley!)
P.S. They changed Figment's song??
Wow, great job! You stayed focused and determined. It sounds like all of your hard work paid off. I guess those chocolate dipped comes gave you the extra boost of energy you needed.
Awesome performance and write-up!
I'm in awe of you. I can't even do one park in one day. Brent Buckner, YOU are a MouseMan!!!
Hands down the best "race" report I've read.
But how many times did you get elbowed in the first leg?
Still jealous, oh yes I am. I imagine you've topped off your return home with some scuba diving, too. Hmmph.
You don't use beer for hydration?
What about your recovery drink.
Wow - I've been following your training and race results, but the first leg of this one alone is impressive as hell
hah! I was just looking for other race reports from the Disney tri and this popped up. Too funny!!!
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