After work and dinner, I took a quick nap. I sort of overslept, so I was running a tad later than I would've liked in getting to the airport. I gassed up the car and headed out to LAX. There was a lot of traffic exiting the 105 freeway at Sepulveda Blvd. As I finally arrived at parking lot C, there was a sign that the lot was full. I ignored the sign and went in anyways. However when I drove to the usual section of the lot where I normally park, it funneled me straight to the exit. I decided not to bother going back in and drove over to the Parking Spot on Sepulveda. The lot up on the roof was full, so I just found the first available parking spot on the second floor. The shuttle ride over to the terminal seemed to take forever as the horseshoe was jammed with tons of cars, buses, and every other vehicle imaginable. By the time I got through TSA, it was less than an hour before boarding time. For someone that likes to get to places early, that was really cutting it close! It would turn out that my friend was on the same flight to Orlando for the Star Wars First Order Challenge. As soon as I boarded the plane, I attempted to get some sleep.
Friday 4/20
After getting off of the plane, I made my way over to the Thrifty car rental counter. After signing the necessary paperwork, I went to go pick out a car. I reserved an economy car. However since I didn't like any of their hatchback cars, I picked out a compact car instead. Good thing the daily rate were the same for both.
Rental car
It was still early, so I decided to get some breakfast at a nearby Cracker Barrel. I had gotten some shuteye during the flight, but it was definitely not a restful sleep. That's one of the few times where I'll drink coffee and a lot of it! After being seated, I ordered their Old Timer breakfast and coffee. That meal sure hit the spot! I saw a lot of runners that had completed the 5k eating there.
Old Timer
After settling the bill, I drove over to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to pick up my race packet. The pick up process was the standard procedure. I went into the HP Field House to first pick up my bib and get my photo taken. Then I looked around and saw the booth for the Kessel Run Challenge. I got in line and received my Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon box as well as a wristband slapped on my wrist.
First Order Challenge bib pick-up
Kessel Run pick-up
Kessel Run Challenge bracelet
For taking on the Kessel Run Challenge, I received the "deluxe" box for completing the Star Wars virtual half marathon. In addition to the medal and magnet, I received a light-up BB8 keychain.
Star Wars virtual half marathon box
Medal
Magnet
Light-up BB8 keychain
I then headed over to the expo at the Visa Athletic Center. When I entered, it looked like it was decorated a bit like the shield generator bunker on Endor. I walked to the back of the expo and picked up my gear check bag with the 3 different race shirts.
Expo
10k shirt
Half marathon shirt
First Order Challenge shirt
I then checked out the OtterBox phone cases for my friend. OtterBox was the presenting sponsor for the races this weekend. There wasn't much of a deal. They were giving out a discount if you buy more than 1. However some of the cases have yet to be released to the public. I ended up not buying any since my friend wanted to see them in person.
After checking out the other vendor booths, I headed out over to The Arena to check out the official merchandise. Along the way, I passed by the finisher medal backgrounds for the different races.
10k
Half marathon
First Order Challenge
So they finally wised up and moved the official merchandise into the newly constructed Arena. That way there would plenty of space for people to move around. That way people wouldn't have to line up to go inside. They had a photo opportunity at the entrance of The Arena, so I first got in line for that before going inside. "It's an Imperial probe droid. It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here!"
Imperial probe droid
I saw a few things that I was tempted to buy, but ended up not buying a thing since I probably don't have room for it back home. I then walked to my car and drove over to the Animal Kingdom park to finally check out the Avatar rides. I wasn't able to secure a Fast Pass for any of the rides except for Expedition Everest, so I was prepared to stand in long lines. Even though there wasn't much of a line for the entrance, I went over to use the Annual Passholder entrance.
AP entrance
After taking an obligatory picture of the tree of life, I made a beeline for the Avatar Flight of Passage ride. The stand-by line was long, but there was plenty of stuff to look at all along the way. The wait didn't feel too long for me. There were signs warning you that there are no restrooms along the way. I was by myself and I got to skip a chunk of the line near the end just before being assigned to an avatar and banshee. Sure it cut down the wait time, but I was put on one of the banshees that was on the side which sort of distorts the view. The experience was very similar to other 4D rides that I've been on. You actually feel like you're really there. The ride provided plenty of feedback to make it as realistic as possible. Much like the unique Expedition Everest ride, this will definitely be a must ride for me whenever I'm back at the Animal Kingdom! This ride was like Soarin' on steroids! So if you like Soarin' then you should definitely check out this ride!
Tree of life
The World of Avatar
Avatar
After going to the restroom, I got in line for the Na'vi River Journey. The wait time was listed approximately the same as the Flight of Passage. Unfortunately it would turn out to be a much longer wait for a rather snooze-fest of a ride. To help pass the wait time, they had informational plaques all along the line to provide you with some idea or what creatures and fauna to look for during the tranquil boat ride. It was a very mellow boat ride much like the It's a Small World ride without the annoying yet catchy soundtrack. There was no thrilling drops or anything like that of Pirates of the Caribbean ride. I suppose once the novelty of this ride wears off, it might be a good ride to go on when the wait time is short or just to get out of the sun. For me, it was a definitely a one and done ride. If the wait time for both of the Avatar rides were the same, I would definitely recommend waiting for the Flight of Passage ride every time!
I was pretty exhausted, but I decided since I was here that I should use up the Fast Pass for Expedition Everest. I guess I could've just gotten in the single rider line, but the wait time was pretty much the same.
Expedition Everest
Since it was balls hot, I decided to get something cold to eat after getting off of the ride. I thought about getting a Mickey ice cream bar, but I ended up with a Minute Maid not-so-soft frozen lemonade. It was nice and refreshing once it melted a bit. I found a place near the park exit to park my butt and finish it off before heading to my car.
Not-so-soft frozen lemonade
I then drove out to my timeshare vacation rental at the WorldMark Orlando Kingstown Reef. Just before arriving for check-in, I stopped at the nearby Publix to buy some snacks and drinks for the weekend. The check-in process was much quicker and easier this time around. As with my prior stay, there was no invitation to a free breakfast and presentation. For me, that's always a plus. I don't have any more money to buy more credits!
Snacks and drinks
After getting settled in, I took a much needed shower and a nap. After the nap, I boiled some of the frozen vegetables to snack on with my potato chips while watching some of the NBA playoff games. I also took the time to get my 10k flat runner ready for tomorrow.
10k flat runner
Saturday 4/21
I probably got up way earlier than I needed to and arrived at the Epcot parking lot a quarter before 3 am. As I walked towards the post race area and the shuttle pick up location, I saw a nice actual size remote control R2D2. You definitely have to be one serious fan to own one of those! As other early birds and I approached the security bag check area, we were stopped and turned around by the Disney security as they weren't ready to screen us.
R2D2
After security let us through, I got on one of the very first shuttles headed for the starting area over at the Magic Kingdom parking lot. Since I had so much time on my hands, I got into each of the lines for the photo ops. I tried to keep a straight face for each of the photos, but I just couldn't when it came time for my picture with Kylo Ren. :)
Boba Fett
Darth Vader
Kylo Ren
I didn't have time for Captain Phasma, so I headed over to corral A. I used a nearby portapotty before heading inside the corral. The weather was just warm enough that I didn't bring with me a mylar blanket. The forecast would have it get a bit humid, but I was figuring to finish the race before it got too unpleasant.
10k start line
My goal for the 10k was to get in under 50 minutes. I took the first couple of miles a bit harder than I should have. It certainly felt more humid than I'm used to in Southern California. The air did feel a tad cool, so I just went with it. I was running at a pretty steady pace through mile 4 as I entered into Hollywood Studios. I let off of the gas as I didn't want to overdo it with the half marathon tomorrow. I even stopped for a quick photo with the speeder bike. I might have slowed up a bit too much as I had to run a bit faster on the final stretch. I did cross the finish line just a couple of seconds under 50 minutes.
Speeder bike
10k finish line
Finish: 49:58
Click here for my Garmin data.
After getting my finisher medal, I walked through the all too familiar finisher chute where I picked up a bottle of water, a bottle of Powerade, a banana, and a post race snack box. I then took a post race finisher photo before getting in line to take a photo with Captain Phasma. Thank goodness she's still alive after that disaster of a movie called, The Last Jedi! :P
10k medal
Finish
Captain Phasma
Back at my room, I got cleaned up and ate some of the contents of the post race snack box. I saved the usual Oreo cookies and GoGoSqueez for my coworkers back home.
Post race snack box contents
Originally I wanted to drive out to Cape Canaveral to visit the Kennedy Space Center. I was feeling a bit worn out so I thought it would be wise to just go back to Epcot for a half day. In hindsight, I should have just stayed holed up in my room resting. The main reason I wanted to make a stop at Epcot was to go pick up an AP magnet. That was the first thing that I did when I got inside the park.
Epcot
AP magnet
After getting that out of the way, I started going on some rides. I went on Test Track and Mission: SPACE. After that I started checking out the Flower & Garden festival. I checked out some of the fauna and topiary sculptures, but mostly I ended up sampling the offerings at several food stands located in the world showcase pavilions. It might as well have been another food festival for me. I even went on the Frozen Ever After ride when I got to the Norway Pavilion. I thought it was a pretty good upgrade to the ride especially if you liked the movie. I went on the ride when it was called the Maelstrom maybe once or twice, but I couldn't recall anything about the ride prior to this visit.
Flower & Garden festival
Test Track
Sugar cane shrimp skewer
Canard confit aux gnocchi a la parisienne
Seared scallops
I left the park at about 1 pm to head back to my room to rest. When it came dinner time, I dragged myself outside to go get some food. I first drove out to Soupa Saiyan, a Dragon Ball themed noodle shop, to check the place out. It was raining a bit during the drive out. I thought it would've been the perfect weather for noodles. Unfortunately the parking lot was completely jammed and the line was long for the place at about 5 pm! I didn't know that the place would be so popular even at senior citizen hours! So I bailed for plan B, the good 'ol trusty Cracker Barrel. After looking through the menu, I ended up ordering their Saturday special which was the chicken and rice meal. I got it with mashed potatoes, Lima beans, and corn muffins. That was a very decent fulfilling meal.
Saturday special: Chicken and rice
Back at my room, I laid out my flat runner for tomorrow's half marathon. The rain was coming down, so I was dreading on running in a wet race tomorrow. I set my alarms and went to sleep. It wasn't hard to fall asleep as I was dead tired.
Half marathon flat runner
Sunday 4/22
All of sudden, I woke up in a panic. Dear lord, I just knew that I had overslept! It felt much later than when I had set my alarm to go off! It was already 4:25 am and the race would start at 5:30! If I were staying on property, the last shuttle would've already left! I quickly changed and hopped in my car to head for the Epcot parking lot. Apparently once I arrived at the parking lot, I unknowingly cut past a long line of cars also trying to park. Oh well, my bad! I doubt many of them were in corral A. After parking, I jogged over to the shuttle line and hopped on one of the very last shuttles heading out to the starting line over at the Magic Kingdom parking lot. After being dropped off, I jogged over to the corrals. They had already closed the corrals for A and B, so I quickly entered corral C just as they were ready to shut it. At that point, I didn't mind which corral I started in. I was just glad that I made it to the race at all! I was also glad that it was not raining! I was in such a rush to get to the race that I didn't even notice that the weather was dry! Even though it was not raining, it felt really humid.
I made sure not to run too hard from the beginning. It helped that I really didn't have a choice since it was pretty crowded at the beginning starting out of corral C. After getting through the first 30 minutes of running, I slowed things down as I was started to get those headaches whenever I run in humid conditions. I was really struggling from about mile 10 to the finish. I had slowed to a crawl during the run through the World Showcase in Epcot. My left glute was sore and it felt like I just couldn't get any power out of that leg.
Half marathon finish line
Finish: 2:08:19
Click here for my Garmin data.
Even though I would've preferred to have finished under 2 hrs, I was again glad that I even made it to the race at all! A finish is a finish and the finisher medal is still the same. After getting my half marathon medal, a bottle of Powerade, and a bottle of water, I went into the challenge tent for them to verify that I am the registered person for the assigned bib before I was given my challenge medals. The Kessel Run challenge medal was by far my favorite out of the medal haul for the weekend.
Half marathon medal
First Order Challenge medal
Kessel Run medal
After taking a finisher photo with my medals, I made my way over to the line for a photo with Darth Vader. While in line I saw a guy dressed up as Willrow Hood aka ice cream maker guy evacuating Bespin. It must have been a pain in the butt carrying that thing for over 13 miles! Another funny thing was that the two girls in front of me were causing a commotion as they were trying to climb on Darth Vader! He was really struggling and yet, he could not open his mouth to shout for help. Finally a nearby cast member noticed and admonished the ladies to get off of him! lol
First Order Challenge completed
Darth Vader
Willrow Hood aka ice cream maker guy
Back at my room, I got cleaned up, washed the dishes, packed up my bags, and relaxed for a few hours before checking out. I then drove out to Disney Springs to eat one of my favorite meals, the full Irish breakfast, at the Raglan Road Irish Pub. That's what I ordered when I found a seat at the bar. I swear I used to get much better service when I drank a lot of beers. Naturally the bartender spoke mostly to the drinking patrons around me. He didn't even offer me any soda bread. Honestly he was friendly when he interacted with me and if I were him, I would've done the same thing to earn a bigger tip from the drinkers. The breakfast was good, as usual. When I was done, he jokingly made a comment to the bus boy that they didn't need to wash my plate as I had practically licked it clean! :)
Full Irish breakfast
After settling my bill, I walked over to the AMC Disney Springs 24 to catch a showing of Rampage with my MoviePass. I thought it was going to be the typical lame cheesy movie with The Rock, but it was actually pretty good. It was quite the nostalgic movie for me as I had spent lots of quarters on the video game growing up!
Rampage
After the movie, I started driving over to the airport. The Waze app was taking me on streets that I wasn't familiar with so it threw me off a bit on where to gas up before returning the rental car. I normally gas up the car at the RaceTrac gas station on W Sand Lake Rd. This time I ended up getting gas at the Circle K/Shell on S Orange Ave. After returning the rental car, I went straight to the food court to grab some food at McDonald's before going through TSA. I used the app on my phone to order a Quarter Pounder with cheese and medium french fries. After finishing my food and all of my drinks, I got into the long general boarding line for the TSA. Fortunately I was selected to be screened by a security dog, so I was essentially treated like a TSA Precheck. I didn't have to remove my shoes or anything from my carry-on bags. Later on, I would bump into my friend at the gate, who happened to be on the same flight going home as well.
I'm lovin' it!
I'm a little bummed that I will have to end my legacy status for this race as it conflicts with another race (Run to Remember LA) that I run every year! Both races fall on the same day next year and I'm already registered for the local race. I suppose it will save me a lot of money in the long run than having to fly back to Orlando.
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