Friday, January 8, 2010

Pasta in the Park



Hello again!  Picking up where we left off yesterday, after setting up camp and having lunch, Susan and I went to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex to pick up our race packets and browse through the merchandise at the Health and Fitness Expo.  Packet pickup was straight-forward and crowds were pretty well managed.  We did have to make an extra trip back out to the parking lot because I'd forgotten our "proof of time" from the Huntsville Half marathon Susan and I had run back in November.  We're in the "D" corral, right behind the "elite" runners so we shouldn't have to deal with passing all the walkers like we did in the half-marathon last year.


We both bought us some new running gloves that were a bit thicker and better at moisture wicking than the ones we already had.  I also got a free pair of running sunglasses.  We happened upon the booth where Susan had purchased running glasses at the Expo last year and mentioned to the person there that one of the ear pieces had fallen off so she couldn't use them.  The lady told her that her glasses were warranted for life so she or I could pick any glasses we liked except for the very best and could have them for free.  Can't beat free!  She also gave us both free straps and free storage pouches for our glasses.

We also taste tested various samples of gel, gelatin squares and power bars and grabbed some samples to take with us to eat early in the race.

After a few hours, we headed over to Epcot where we attended the "Pasta in the Park" event.  We got there a bit early so we decided to walk through Innoventions to kill some time and to warm up (getting chilly after sunset).  As it turned out, they were doing Segway introductions so Susan and I signed up.  We'd done one of the Disney Segway tours 3-4 years ago and really enjoyed it and were looking forward to trying out the newer generation models.  They did seem easier to maneuver than the older units.               


The Pasta Party turned out to be a nice activity.  Things started out with a nice buffet featuring various green, potato and pasta salads, pasta, broiled chicken and brownies.  Also included were bananas, water, fruit punch and lemonade.  There was a cash bar with beer and wine.  There were also character photo opportunities, which we took advantage of.  We met two couples from Canada that had come down to run.  One couple was doing the Goofy Challenge (both half marathon and full marathon) and the other was doing the half marathon.  The third couple at our table was from Birmingham, AL and they were proudly wearing their Alabama Crimson Tide gear.  It was nice visiting with them all.


After a nice couple of hours Susan and I decided to head back to the campground to watch the BCS National Championship game.  We found a TV in Crockett's Tavern and were able to watch through the first half, by which time the Tide had established a commanding lead.  Go SEC!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Spencer's,

It is stil really,really cold in the old neighborhood. The Crimson Tide fans are still making noise and buying T-shirts and caps and other stuff to show how Alabama residents love football and their teams.

It is good to hear that you are OK, enjoying the activities and are getting prepared for the big Sunday run. We will be watching your progress and enjoying it from the PC. Life is good! You be good!

BEST WISHES!

Lee, Iraida & Toby

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Marathoners: Enjoyed reading your posts. It is 16 here this AM, hope it is warmer there Sunday AM although I think it will be a bit chilly from what I see. I think even I might be able to do another marathon on a Segway. Glad to hear you are right behind the elite runners... really a pain being behind the walkers when you want to run! I know you have trained hard and will do well. Try a power bar today to see if they do o.k. with your system. I've had some that weren't all that good to mine. Nice to know beforehand. I've tried to sign up for tracking but haven't made it yet...will keep on trying. God be with you both.
James and Rebecca