Stefanie Shimansky ran the Disney World Marathon and finished with a time of 3:07:29. This was a PR by 58 seconds!
Some way, somehow, I broke an 8 year marathon PR by 58 seconds on the 4th day of Dopey! I was not going in with the intentions of trying to PR, but the weather was great and the miles were flying by. Plus, I was SO cold I was trying to keep my body temperature under control by not taking it too easy. I knew I was starting off too fast the first few miles, but they felt easy, which gives me confidence that sub-3 is more of a possibility than I thought it was. After a few miles, I finally settled in. I even got to run a few miles through Magic Kingdom with Jenny Simpson!
I had to take a bathroom break at mile 15, and my body kind of froze up after that. I made it through Animal Kingdom and got to mile 18 and really started to have to battle the mental demons, but at this point, I started to do marathon math in my mind and the possibility of PRing kept me on track to just stay steady. My legs were definitely feeling days 1-3 on Dopey by the last 10k but I was able to keep a steady pace and was so relieved to see 3:07 on the clock, knowing I had actually PRed!!
Christina Kach ran the Goofy Challenge Half Marathon and finished this race in the time of 2:10:07.
Well for starters my track coach Goofy outfit and baton were amazing! I didn’t end up really following the pace plan and just went with the “vibes” of the race (faster when it was boring, slowing down when it was fun). I had a bit of a wait around mile 9-10 for Tigger, but Tigger is my most favorite so it was necessary. Plus this was a just for fun race. Because it POURED rain while we were all waiting in the corrals for the race start. I had a poncho so I stayed mostly dry and it stopped raining before we started running but it was dang humid in that post-race air. We nailed that 2:10 goal though.
Christina Kach ran the Disney Marathon – Goofy Challenge! and completed this race event in the time of 4:20:27. This was a personal record by 8:07.
SO MANY THINGS.
First, I felt the best I’ve ever felt in a Marathon, especially in the second half. I ran a 2:14:26 first half, then ran a 2:06:01 second half. I ran a ~9:37 half marathon after ALREADY running a half marathon? what? That’s kinda nuts right?
Second, I wasn’t even feeling like trash after the race. Probably the best I’ve felt after a marathon and the least sore
Third, I stopped for 13! photos. I wish I had been counting b/c my photo PR is 14 and I could have broken that too!
Fourth, A photo of me running through Animal Kingdom was posted on Disney’s facebook 🙂
Fifth, in the final 3.2 I was busting out low 9s and mid/high 8 paces like it was nothing (too be far, these are the best 3 miles of all time)
Sixth, never in the history of marathons has the weather conditions been more perfect. 40s, a little sunshine, super low dew point, no wind or rain.
Seventh – oh yea! We hit a MASSIVE PR. Hitting that stretch goal of 4:20 (solid 4:19 in not for a potty stop that I’m still mad about). And hit the 2:10 and 4:20 playful goal we set. I ran both races at an average pace of 9:56.
Eighth – I ran a marathon at an average of 9:56 pace. I ran a marathon at a pace UNDER 10 minute miles. When I ran the disney marathon in January 2023 my fastest pace in that 7ish minute PR was 10:33 – my slowest pace this race was 10:27 – that is some serious growth and trusting the process right there.
Ninth – my first marathon in October 2019 was 4:50:xx. 5 years later (post covid, post knee surgery) we have dropped 30 full minutes off my time!
Tenth so now my half pr of 1:59:27 and marathon pr of 4:20:27 both have 27. I may have a new lucky number.
