Member Spotlight: Victoria Wiggs becomes unstoppable on race day !!!

Pre race prep and a small history of me:

I decided I didn't want to do a Zootopia theme cause there would be a "few" others doing the same. Though I did seriously think of the Sloth. But instead, since I’ve started to be recognized at the races by many others, (does that make a minor rD celeb?!) I debated about doing something “recognizable”. I have been a Strawberry Shortcake fanatic since 1980, age 3. And even before that, I was super Strawberry motivated. My mom will verify I took my first unaided steps to try to get to the strawberry patch while she was working in the garden. I was born with Cerebral Palsy. (Level 2, spastic, triplegic for those who know). I didn't walk till I was over 2. Spent most of my childhood in weekly Physical Therapy sessions and at various doctors all over the state. But my family never gave up on me. Mom always said my older sister (by 6 years) was my biggest cheerleader. And she never stopped. I have 100% faith that if she could make time to come to Orlando to cheer me at a rD event, she would. In HS I joined the HS marching band in the Flag core. I never marched in parades, but I still performed at games and went to the 6am practices. And my mom always made sure I had good shoes. (I remember the Mary Lou Retton Red and White Saddle style leather shoes as a kid, and even going to multiple stores to find solid black low top nice looking shoes that my RX insoles fit in for band.) I let myself go in my 20s and 30s due to various factors including PCOS and depression. I ended up gaining 200 lbs and by the time I was 35, I was seriously in bad shape. Then we got my son and I unfortunately was unable to do normal things like get on the floor with him, or even carry him. Walking through Walmart was hard. We started going to the gym religiously in 2015 and I lost almost 50 lbs (and was excited I could walk a ¼ mile on the track!!) but 2016 brought a LOT of health issues and emotional issues and I gained that all back, even though I still was going to the gym when I could. When Covid hit, It made it worse. Walking to the mailbox was a chore. I even BOUGHT a ECV sense at this point we were actually starting to travel more, and it was a better financial idea than renting one every few months. We lost both my dad and my mother in law in 2020 (both to cancer- dad was Melanoma and MIL was Pancreatic). MIL left us the ability to make better financial choices. We both decided to get bariatric surgery. I had it done in April 2023, my wife done in May 2023, and we moved to Orlando in June 2023. Sense then I have still “only” lost 90 lbs and its still a struggle since I can't physically do a lot plus the PCOS. But I’ve kept it off! In late 2023 I decided I wanted to do at least 1 runDisney 5k to experience it. I assumed I wouldn't be able to complete it but it sounded like a lot of fun. So I decided to do it. I started walking every day. First was just around the pool area at the apartment complex we lived at, then further and further. I signed up and participated in my first rD 5k at the 2025 Marathon weekend. (the one with almost record lows!) I had to cut it short (self swept) because of the cold but I still did 3.5 miles throughout the day so I still count it. Then I did the 2025 Springtime Surprise 5k mostly because it was Groot. (I’m a huge Marvel Fan) And guess what? I COMPLETED THE WHOLE DISTANCE. I was dead Last but I did it!!! And I was HOOKED. I'm skipping over the 2025 wine and Dine and the 2026 Marathon weekend cause this is long enough as it is but I did them too!! (I haven't secured Princess bibs yet so thats why I didnt mention them)

My outfit

That brings me back to this weekend’s look. Like I said up there ^, I decided to do SSC as my “signature” This version is 90% store bought but most works amazingly. The hat/ bonnet is actually a sports/ golf visor with a costume bonnet pinned to it. The dress, plain apron, white bike shorts, and socks were bought on Amazon. ((if you wonder what's on my right ankle, it's a “foot drop strap” it holds my toes up so I don't drag them)). I might re-do the dress itself because it was thick and hot. I decorated the apron with sewn green patches and HTV Xs and /s. The OG doesn't have pockets but none of the aprons I looked as didn't have any so I was like “meh” and OMG I LOVE apron pockets when at Disney now!! I carried my phone and sweat rag in one pocket, and reading glasses and stickers to trade in the other. (in my shorts pockets I also had my ID and chap stick) I also had my “running” belt that had my water bottle and snacks. I didn't want to buy a 2nd one just to find a red or white one so black is fine. I wore it over my dress but under the apron and that worked great! I still need to find good shoes that are brown or dying a white pair. But in the meantime, black Mickeys worked fine.

I might switch it up with a #cerebralpalsywarrior look depending on the weather…

Ok the actual race itself:

Corral and Start line

My wife and I were running late and didn't make it to Epcot till 4:30. I actually set my alarm to try to get to the D3 photo at 3:45 but shrug. We dropped off my ECV at AWD (I def need it after) and got to our corral (E) . blah blah watching the other corrals go did a little stretching and traded a few stickers in the corral. ((Here’s my advice for those who either only walk or want to at least start by walking, but still dont want to be last of the corral- in the corral itself, stay to the left or center. When you get into the shute (one side of the U to the Start) stay to the left and swing around, once your on the other side of the U (staring at the start) make your way over to the right. If you stay to the right, that side gets bogged and doesn't move as fast)).

First mile: (5:53-6:24am) (only paused for a few selfies)

I don't even remember what wave we were in. But I crossed the start line at 5:53am. Almost immediately I was last of the wave. My wife was WAY gone. (I said she was ok to go, it literally is painful for her long legs to hold to my pace). But I just hugged the right side (I OWN the right edge!) and started trucking along. I saw the D3 banner and shouted that I needed my cider NOW. LOL. I was very pleasantly surprised to see a LOT of the A/B corrals finishers waiting over by the buses to cheer us on! (ok so some were probably waiting for corral F to finish so they could get back to their resorts to shower/nap/change) But I got to see one of my fab rD “celebs” - Glendaruns- and got a selfie with her . Trucked along and enjoyed the “pawcle” scene of Zootopia 1 as we rounded around backstage. I actually love that they have a theme movie playing there. Chanted along for the full minute of “Caution athletes, speed bumps ahead” and still tried to trip on it (because I was soo over to the right, my left foot was on the bump but my right wasnt). Made it to the first mile marker “area” The first character was Clawhowser and was posted with a “30 min wait” with a huge line (I saw after corral F, it got to a full hour!) So I reluctantly skipped him but did get a selfie from the side. Right past him on the other side was what I’m thinking was the backup dancers to Gazel? 4 or 5 guys(?) that were painted as tigers and dancing on stages. They were ADORABLE. Then was the actual mile marker 1. Whew! 1 down! The selfie at the 1st mile marker was at 6:24

Mile 2(ish) (6:24- 7:11am) (one character stop and 2 stops to retie shoes)

Right after mile 1 marker was the “caution, course narrows ahead” warning and the turn going between Space 220 and Test Track. USUALLY there is a high school band at the turn, but there wasnt! I was almost devastated! I shouted to a cm standing there “wheres the band?!?!?!” and she said it was up a little further. whew I did pause to take a picture of the test track speed sign for a funny project. Came into World Discovery and I did my usual try to talk a CM into letting me skip the rest and just ride Guardians. Just before Connectons was Burt and Mary Poppins. Again skipped but got a side selfie. Found the band in the pass through by Club Cool between Connections and Creations, it was the Jazz band for East Ridge High. Probably moved them cause Jazz vs marching. Swung by World Celebration and checked on Ashley, she was already in the Land. I did stop for a few selfies with the sunrise and ball. But headed World Showcase towards Mexico at about 6:42. Did stop to stretch my back and retype my shoes. Right next to the Asha from Wish M&G spot was a duck that was just standing there watching everyone go by, like they were cheering! Had to get a picture. I kept trucking along. At this point by the time I got to Mexico, the sun was def up. I missed my fav part of the early 5ks, sunrise in the showcase. But I kept trucking along. Did pause to eat half of my granola bar, and took a selfie with the band in Germany at about 7am(Anyone know who they are?!?!) I DID stop for a pic with Duffy in America cause he didnt have much of a line, and learned I was now currently dead last. TOTALLY forgot to get a selfie with the 2 mile marker (I don't even remember SEEING it!) but I know it's in Japan. And the BEST photos I ALWAYS get are at the photo pass spot in Japan, and those were at 7:11 am, and you can see David and his golf car behind me. LOL.

Mile 3 (7:11- 7:48am)

Saw the mice from Cinderella in France but I saw they had a long line and I didn't want to stop, so I took a side selfie again. Crossed the International bridge at about 7:15. Saw Binnie getting a bath. LOL. Made it to Canada and saw Minnie and Mickey in their spring outfits by the Joffries at about 7:22. Not a bad line but at this point the CMs WERE being firm that the characters WERE leaving at 7:30 on the dot. They did start encouraging group photos I decided it was worth trying because spring outfits + SSC? Yes. I made it, time stamp was 7:24. (btw there was an equal line for the Joffries too LOL) and I kept going. I made it back into the “front” area of Epcot again, and I believe at 7:30 they started adjusting the course cause I paused in front of the bathrooms by swirled showcase to fix my shoe and I saw a couple of the bike guys hit the bathrooms and shout “LAST CALL! If anyone is in here, you gotta get moving!” and when I swung around where you would normally go into the Land, they had moved the cones and instead, I hugged the side of Communicore Hall. I was now 100% last person. They kept checking on me but did say “you’re doing fine, if we need, we can get you to the finish line" so i wasn’t in risk of being actually swept still. I hoped to get a Spaceship earth picture (others were jumping for it) but they again moved the cones and instead, I cut under the ball, next to the queue to SSE. But in consolation, I did get a few GREAT photos from the photopass guys LITERALLY laying on the ground by the bathroom as you go back out to the backstage. This was at about 7:40. Made it to the choir, who were STILL singing, they didn't pause between the last runner and me even though there probably was a whole song of time. But when they saw me, the ones not singing burst into cheers LOL Got a selfie there (didnt see which school or group they were with- if anyone knows, say so!) Got the selfie at the 3 mile marker at 7:48 and I could here the announcers filling in time waiting for me LOL

Mile 3 and beyond (7:48- 7:51+)

Rounded the corner to the finish to crazy cheering. Got my mini interview and got to say I was “having a BERRY good day” LOL then I faced the literal crowd of paparazzi, I mean photographers as I crossed that finish line with the confetti. I counted. There were almost 150 SEPARATE photos of JUST my finish line. I bet if you stitched some together, you could make a movie. The medics insisted on me taking a wheelchair and water because I was VERY flushed (and a little sunburnt) so I didn’t walk that extra .5 miles to the reunion station. But I got my medal, got stopped a few times for selfies and then met my wonderful wife who was done almost an hour ago and she met me at the gearcheck trucks with a pineapple cider and my ECV. We got out finisher photos and pictures with Pinocchio and Jiminey. I then wandered around the reunion station with stickers and chatting with people and did a few selfies

Throughout the whole morning I heard over and over and over “I LOVE YOUR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!” I even had a runner go by, stop, and wait for me just to say it.

Then we went home and I crawled into bed for a well deserved nap, Final health report- NO blisters! My back and ankles are very very sore but it's over use/ arthritis vs injury. I should be better by sunday My face is still hot. I didn't wear any sunscreen (even if I did I would have sweated it off) cause I’m used to getting done right at sunrise. (forgot about the time change!)

All told, this was my SLOWEST 5K at almost exactly 2 hours, but it was a low energy week and I did retie my shoes, and get 2 character pictures. The CMs were a little more firm about “GET OUT OF EPCOT” than they have been in the past, but still not horrible. I feel this was a taste of what W&D might be like. (personal opinion/observation/whatever)