First and foremost, I get a big fat F for my 18 miler on Saturday morning. Of course you all know what that F stands for. The weather was not only cold, but rainy. I probably could have gutted it out but by mile 9 I was still cold and not getting warmer. Now I get to see how it feels to go from an 9 miler to a 20 miler. I am sure it’s going to be a piece of cake. (If by cake I mean mud, then yes.)

I was an official sherpa/spectator at the Disney Marathon this weekend and let me tell you it was COLD. I had a great time supporting my friend Daisy and her cousin John, but I would have given anything to either be running or it at least be 10 degrees warmer. With a high of 44 and a low of 29, this Florida girl was freezing.

Upon arriving at the house of mouse at around 4 AM on Sunday I was a little (READ: VERY) sleepy from seeing some non-marathoning friends on Saturday night. I may or may not have stayed out a bit too late. And may or may not have had some glasses of wine. I’ll never tell. Anyway, we arrived at 4 and hung out in the toasty SUV until Daisy and John headed to the start line. I met up with Mike B. from my Half Nuts Ragnar team, also a blogger( click here for his awesome recap) as he was running it too. It was his first.

While chatting with Mike B. I hear someone say “Bob?” I say “Yes.” And he says “Hey, it’s me Patrick!” Well what do you know! Patrick from My New Life on the Run. One of my faves! I wish we would have taken a photo but someone may or may not have been too cold and tired to even think to do so. In fact I think I said “Hi Patrick! I am freezing my ass off!” Heh. I may or may not have taken a little nap in the SUV prior to the race start.

As I made my way to the monorail I continued to freeze and wish I was running. The sentiments seem universal as every spectator I encountered felt the same way. One guy said, “I saw my wife at mile 4, I am heading to the hotel.” Upon arriving at mile 9 I met up with the Redhead and Spike. I love them both to death. I was super excited to see my beloved Red as we keep missing each other. She has promised to come visit this weekend for the impending 20 miler. FYI: If you ever spectate with Spike be prepared for very strange motivational yelling. “You are sexy runners!” “This is the marathon!” (At one point I tried to hide and he just yellled “She’s with us! That girl is with us!”) Too freaking funny.

We hung out and caught Daisy and John around mile 10 and after all of our runners passed we tried to get some relief from the cold in the ever present souvenir shops. I must say again that sometimes being a spectator is tough. I know, wah wah wah. But honestly the wind started picking up around 10:30 and I am a total cold weather baby. Waaaah!

The worst part of the day was when the damn direct-to-our-location monorail broke. Instead we had to take the Ferry. Also known as the slow boat to Antartica. Then we had to wait to take yet another monorail. Ahhh the joys of theme park travel.

I split from my compatriots at around mile 20 as they headed off to Epcot and I went to the finish line. I met up with Mike B. upon his kick butt first marathon finish and then went to get some comfort back in the SUV.

Fortunately, the Redhead called me when she saw Daisy and John so that I could hop out of my toasty heaven to catch them finish. I was so proud of Daisy. It was her first marathon and she did great. John, her cousin, is an Ultra-marathoner and he really helped push her to finish. It was truly great to be there for them both (even while I cried about my popcicle fingers). While waiting for my peeps to finish I got to relish in the sight of first time marathoners and many-time marathoners as they came through the chute. The expressions of joy, pain, and pride are just so fun to see.

I can’t wait for Gasparilla. I am only hoping I get this kind of weather because as a runner it rocks, as a spectator, not so much.

Congrats to all who ran Disney. You are now marathoners!