2012 WDW Half Marathon Pics

[Christine]

John here...
After rolling out of bed at 3am (ugh!), Christine and I went out to experience Disney's biggest race weekend. If you've never been to one, it's quite impressive and highly recommended. Once we got through the logjam in the parking lot, we went our separate ways...
Christine had it easy. She just ran in it. I had to watch THOUSANDS of people running (Whew!). But...I'm a trooper and stuck with it to the end.

Here are some pics of all the happy faces at the start of the race...

[Christine]

Some more from the start...

[Christine]

And here's the finish...1st three pics are the 1st 3 men across the line. Mike Morgan, Brendan Martin, and Hunter Kemper. Mike set a new course record in official time of 1:05:26 (although my pic clearly shows he was in at 1:05:21). Hunter Kemper is a US Olympic Triathlete.

Last two pics are the 1st and 3rd place women's finish. Melissa White also set a course record with her win in official time of 1:14:56 (why are they adding seconds to their times?!?) The 3rd place woman, Megan Curham, is only 17!! How awesome is that???

[Christine]

Some happy finishers...

1: Getting some air!
2: Brazil was WELL represented..
3: Goofy giv'n out some love.
4: The hundred acre wood showed up for the race!

[Christine]

Real heroes...
1: This is the CEO of Cigna (title sponsor) running with Melissa Stockwell. She is a 3-time Paralympic World Champion. She's also the first female Iraq war veteran to lose a limb in combat. #RESPECT

2: AMAZING! This fire fighter ran the Goofy Challenge in full bunker gear, including SCBA tank on his back. I used to be in my company fire dept and had to wear that gear. It's INCREDIBLY HEAVY, and INCREDIBLY HOT! It was brutal running around the block in that stuff...I can't imagine running a half and full marathon in it! #AWESOME

[vizsla]

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

[VWL Mom]

Great pictures but didn't you forget someone? Where's our Christine???

[Christine]

Great pictures but didn't you forget someone? Where's our Christine???

If you look really close you can see me crawling on my belly across the finish line

[magicofdisney]

I love these pics! They're so inspirational. Thank you for taking the time to provide them for us.

[stephicakes]

Very cool! Go, Christine, Go!!!

[Christine]

John, these are just super pictures! Thank you for being a good sport. GREAT job! I wish I knew who that fireman was because I'd give him a copy of him crossing that finish line. Fantastic!

[arbie_c]

Those are wonderful pics. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Melanie]

The fireman guy was incredible! I saw him on Saturday on Main St, and twice on Sunday when I was on the route. Each time he was smiling ear to ear and seemed very gracious for all the attention he was getting. After all, he's not a bad looking guy.

I did say to a gal I got to know Sunday morning on the route that I wondered how bad that uniform smelled though after 39.3 miles of running in warm temps. hehe

[VWL Mom]

John, these are just super pictures! Thank you for being a good sport. GREAT job! I wish I knew who that fireman was because I'd give him a copy of him crossing that finish line. Fantastic!

Can John zoom in on his hat? That should give you what department he's from if you want to send it.

[Christine]

Can John zoom in on his hat? That should give you what department he's from if you want to send it.

That is a GREAT idea!

[Patricia]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing, John.

[alongfortheride]

Glad you all enjoyed the pics.

Apparently, the firefighter is John Loudermilk from Dexter, MI. I found his number online, but I hate to call someone up out of the blue.

[brdavis]

Apparently, the firefighter is John Loudermilk from Dexter, MI. I found his number online, but I hate to call someone up out of the blue.

I'll see if I have any mutual friends - I'm from Dexter, MI, and so may have friends who know him. I saw him entering EPCOT on the Half, and was suitably impressed - running a half marathon is an amazing accomplishment. Running a half, followed by a full, in Florida heat, while wearing a full firefighter's kit... is *unbelievable* (if I hadn't seen it)!

I was down there running my very first marathon (never even raced a half before), and was choking up with tears as we entered EPCOT (as well as some other places). I must have high-fived several hundred people. I grapevined past bands, laughed at spectator signs, sang songs, traded jokes on the run, etc. I had a blast! And I even managed to cross the finish line .

Thanks for the pictures - I've got about 2+ hours of video to go through to see what I got (wore a GoPro camera on my head).

--
Brian Davis

[Melanie]

I was down there running my very first marathon (never even raced a half before), and was choking up with tears as we entered EPCOT (as well as some other places). I must have high-fived several hundred people. I grapevined past bands, laughed at spectator signs, sang songs, traded jokes on the run, etc. I had a blast! And I even managed to cross the finish line .

Thanks for the pictures - I've got about 2+ hours of video to go through to see what I got (wore a GoPro camera on my head).

--
Brian Davis

I probably saw you! I noticed just a few guys wearing the cameras on their head.

After all my previous years of cheering towards the end at Hollywood Studios, I decided to get a little closer to the end and stand in the UK as the runners entered the World Showcase. I always get a little teary on that last day, but you could really see many who had lots of emotion as you came into Epcot right there before mile 25. Such an accomplishment! Well done!

[minnie04]

Love all the pictures !!!