The Dopey Challenge journey of 48.6 miles started with the 5k on Thursday (Jan 7). The 5k started at 6 am, which was the latest start time of the race series. I boarded the bus around 3 am for the ride to Epcot. Everyone who had bag, including the waist bands, were searched by security. After the bus ride and security, I arrived at the staging area around 3:45 am. It was early and I waited in line for the character photos to kill time. There was a DJ providing entertainment to wake us all up. The hardest part of getting up early was waiting over an hour for the race to start. The weather was cold, but not terrible.

The race started outside Epcot. We ran the first mile outside the park and then entered the park for the remainder of the race. Since I had never visited Epcot I didn't know what to expect. Epcot is a journey around the world and we had the privilage to experience the different nations on foot. There were Disney characters that runners could stop and take pictures with during the course. Standing in line for anything during a race is new to me, so I skipped all the character photos. I did get a great picture with Dopey after the race. I finished the race and was rewarded with a Pluto medal. Day 1 of of the Dopey Challenge was in the books. Only 45.5 miles to go..