The Phoenix Half Marathon Recap
I’m currently icing a knee in bed (more on that in a minute) so I thought I’d write a few thoughts about the race today.
First of all, no, it’s not a Disney race.
Gasp!
I know, I know. My family was shocked too. Sometimes I actually do run normal ol’ races! Granted, not often, but it happens.
I first ran this one in 2014 and discovered it’s just a gem of a race. I sign up every year even though it’s right after Princess and I’m not always up to running it.
I probably should not have run the half today based on the flu and slow recovery I’ve had, but I was feeling good at bib pickup yesterday and thought why not?
While this isn’t a Disney race, it does have some similarities.
It also has an early morning call for busses. We start up – somewhere- and run down through Mesa with a very gradual decline.
I was out the door by 4 to make sure I hit the last shuttle at 5:15 am.
Phoenix also has fireworks at the start. I love that!
The course also had some Disney touched.
Just like runDisney, Star Wars was represented. Exactly the same.
Well. Sorta. Ok, not really. But A for effort! In 2014 this stop was CarsLand themed, so I sense these are my people.
This was one of many plentiful water/Gatorade stops. We also had oranges and bananas on the course.
The girls had Leia buns and Jedi robes.
I loved the effort here.
We also had character stops!
Ok, so just one. But not much of a line which was a bonus.
And I managed to find some Disney friends out there as well.
Patricia and Dana are runDisney vets and Arizona running rockstars. I just met Shannon so I’m not sure how she feels about runDisney but I’m sure we can talk her into running something!
Around mile 5 or 6 I ran into Dr. Amy, also connected through runDisney.
She’s doing the 50 states challenge and I mentioned this race to her- and boom! There she was! Congrats on getting Arizona today, Amy.
We walked a few miles together until she took off on the final 5k.
So back to the icing of the knee. I started this race with a bang. As in me hitting the ground hard when I tripped over a crack in the road.
2 throbbing knees and palms and a spectacular roll later, I got up and kept moving.
The knees hurt but they didn’t seem to impact my pacing. I was pretty solid with pace until I stopped for a porta potty mid race. After that, I just couldn’t get the engine cranked again. This was not my day. No excuses: I just couldn’t do it.
I walked most of the second half of the race, throwing in some running when I did the math and a 4+ hour non-Disney race was looming.
I don’t pretend to be fast, but even with busted knees I didn’t want to come in over 4 hours today when I know a 3:30 or less was the intended goal.
With a sweet downhill final mile I made it across the finish line just before the 4-hour mark. Geesum, that should not have happened. But it is what it is.
I got this:
And then someone handed me this:
And I got some of this:
All in, while it’s #notdisney I do love this race. Even when it’s not my best effort.
I’m signing up again next year for sure. The course, the support, and the weather are perfect for this goldilocks of runners. I’m just going to make sure next year I kill it- and not my knees.
Ouch.
See you next year, Phoenix!
Patty Holliday is the owner and creator of all things No-Guilt Universe. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.
I want one of those T Rex costumes. Lol
Ha!!! They are pretty awesome.
There’s a video on YouTube of someone running a 5K in one. ?
Great job. Hope you are feeling better. I fell at the Celebration Half. It wasn’t till after I finished I realized I fractured a finger!!!!
Oh man- ouch!!! Thankfully I hands made out ok. But this one knee is more tender now after resting it than during the race itself.
I might have to try the half next year and I’m glad you enjoyed it. I had a different experience at the full. Missing water stops and I got very dehydrated. there was very little crowd support and a lot of angry ppl in cars screaming at the cops. I think I saw that tie fighter blown to bits and hanging in a tree lol. Did you see any medical tents or medical people?the expo is super tiny. The volunteers at the finish area couldn’t direct me to the parking lots. I asked if they knew where the Sheraton or Cubs drive was and they didn’t . Lucky my phone had some juice left. Not enough porta potties at the start. Ppl were warned not to go in the desert but lots of people did and got tangled with cactus. I can’t recall if there are medical ppl at the start of a Disney race but here the poor cops had to remove the thorns
Oh man! Good feedback. Totally different at the half. Super stocked with porta potties. I thought there were plenty. I can’t say I saw real medical volunteers either now that you mentioned it. By 4 hour half/full finish there was plenty of water and Gatorade at the point but not sure what happened to later marathoners. Doesn’t sound like a positive experience for you at all! I’m sorry to hear that.
Thanks. This is just my recollection . I hate commentating on fb because some people will have a fondness for a particular race. I don’t plan blame them for that. One guy said there was one aid station at mile 19. Lol like one aid station is enough for a 26 mile run.
For sure not enough with a marathon. In Arizona! Crazy.
I will definitely have to think about it.
Although I kind of lean towards Sedona for AZ, since I’ve never been there & always wanted to go.
Good job finishing the race! That isn’t easy to do with a fall right at the start; I hope that it didn’t do too much damage.
Sedona is heaven on earth! But I believe the race is hilly and that’s not my jam. Ha. My knee hurts today but I think it’s bruised nothing torn. So in time I’ll be fine. I hope!
The east coast simply isn’t flat. The only half I’ve ever done that was flat was Las Vegas! I can’t say I love hills, but I am used to them.