Welcome to the third stop on Magical Blogorail Red! Today we are discussing runDisney.
I am not a runner.
I’ve said it before, over and over again. At one point I actually declared the opposite, and I suppose that argument could be made as well. From that chapter of my life:
I have forever been adamant that I am decidedly not a runner. I quit track in school after one practice because apparently, before they let you just sprint down and do a few hurdles, you also have to run in circles around the track with your teammates. A lot. No thank you.
One quiet night in 2005, in a hotel room while my husband (a runner) was on an interview, I was trying to come up with some master plan to get him to go back to Disney World with me. This is hilarious now, since we go there every opportunity we get. That night though, I told him I’d run a half marathon with him if it were there. Plans were made for January 2007, money was spent – there was no turning back. From that hotel room, I was inspired. I read stories of people who made drastic life changes from being unable to walk to the mailbox without getting winded to completing the same distance. This is going to be great, I thought. From that hotel room.
The first mile I ran in that year-long training season (if you aren’t a runner, even a year doesn’t seem like enough time to run THIRTEEN.%*[email protected]), I thought I was going to die. No, I mean literally. My heart was pounding out of my chest so hard I could both hear and see it. My lungs were so desperate for air – and for my albuterol – that I feared I’d never get any oxygen back in them and would, by default, take my last breath right there in my driveway after running less than a single mile.
The days passed. I’d run some, motivated only by the fact that 1) I’d spent the money and 2) other people were succeeding so I had to, too. Then one day, I woke up and found myself finishing 5 miles… 9 miles… 13 miles. We completed the half on schedule with a time that is absolutely not worth sharing – but I had done it! The girl who was ready to quit short of her first mile since junior high had just finished a 13.1 mile race. I could do anything!
Except ever run again. I swore I’d done it once and, being not-a-runner, would never even entertain the thought again. Kyle? He was ready for more. The supportive wife I am, I quoted him all sorts of science and medicine that proved humans were absolutely not made for 26.2 miles. Then I signed up for the 2014 Walt Disney World (full) Marathon.
How did that happen?! you ask. I’ve always known I was wired to be a runner. I live for personal goals and smashing personal records. I can make the world’s greatest playlist for motivation and speed, and love the idea of running. But it seems somewhere I lost the physical part that goes with that wiring. “It’s not that I don’t like exercise, it’s that running is boring,” I’d tell anyone who asked. “Running takes too long and doesn’t entertain me.” “Running takes hours and I end up back in the same place I started, having accomplished nothing but getting tired and sweaty.” “There is no such thing as a runner’s high.”
One day in 2013, I came home and told my husband I had signed us up for a 5K – for absolutely no reason. A few days before the race, I decided I should probably run for the first time in over five years. I took to the track at the gym and cranked out 3 miles. It was boring, but whoa! I weighed 30 pounds more than when I ran my first mile as an adult (and had not run two steps since that ’07 race), but was able to finish 3 miles with relative ease. I learned very quickly that the inadvertent cross-training I had done by taking up spinning and interval training in the interim had done wonders for my cardiovascular health.
I started looking at other races. Running wasn’t awful. It had the potential on occasion to be, dare I say it, exhilarating. We planned to sign up for the half in January 2014 when Kyle said, “I think I’ll finally do the full marathon. I’d like to do a different route, and have always wanted to do one.” I half-listened and replied, “Oh my gosh, you’re right. And I totally don’t want the same medal as before!” – so we both signed up for the full.
That old entry went on to talk about how incredible the training was going. How much I was enjoying running. How I was a long way from 26 miles, but all I could think about was running, all the time. I was a changed woman.
I laugh at that girl now, because the 2014 Marathon Weekend is behind us. Not long after that blissfully ignorant post I had an injury, months of physical therapy, joint injections, etc. I stopped training and gave up on the idea of running the race. Then I finished the race with pretty much no training and medical advice against starting, like a stubborn idiot. To this day, I am only a little bit proud of the accomplishment.
And yet? I am absolutely looking forward to the 2015 Glass Slipper Challenge taking place in just six weeks – a 10K on Saturday followed by a half marathon on Sunday. Am I a glutton for punishment? Probably a little. But here is what I have learned from my runDisney experiences, and what I want to share if you have ever, ever even considered – for a moment – participating in one:
1) You can do it. I know, many of you are thinking that you are really not a runner, and that people like me – who say we are not runners but have medals that try and prove otherwise – are frauds. But I’m serious. My story is not unique, and there are people I know personally that have overcome huge physical tragedies, bad genetics, and things that make my excuses look totally lame that have accomplished races they never thought they could.
You might not win the race, or even your age group. You might, like in my 26.2 story, barely make it in under the allotted time. Heck, you might not even finish at all. But you can start. You can go farther than you did before, and farther than you think you can. I just know it’s true, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
2) runDisney is THE place to do it. If you have the resources at all – you can save up over time while you train, you can time a vacation or conference for a slated event, whatever – these races are the perfect place for people like us to get our feet wet. The race courses are “easy” (I know – it’s all relative); the entertainment and organization, as you might expect, are top-notch; the support of other racers and all of the spectators is unlike anything I have seen anywhere else; and there are lots of “people like us” doing their first race, too.
3) Our bodies are incredible – at our highest or lowest weights, our highest or lowest level of fitness. I ran my first half when I was young and skinny; it was insanely hard. I run now quite overweight, much older, and much more “out of shape” at first glance, and it’s easiER. The shape of your body does not define you, or even your overall health. Yes, we should take care of ourselves. But your heart health, your mental fortitude – all of this plays a role in who you are much more than your pants size. I’m learning this, and running (even when I hate every step of it) really helps drive that home.
When I finish a run – my first mile or two in ages or the 8-9 that I am at right now – I often breathe a huge sigh of relief that it’s done. I usually didn’t love any of it, I’m not feeling exhilarated or overjoyed. But I am proud of the fact that my legs just took me that far, and that my body gave birth to three kids and is still functional and healthy enough to be with them for a long time, God-willing 🙂
4) Never say never. “I will never run a long race.” “Well, I’ll never run another one.” “I’ll definitely never run a full.” “I”ll never host a podcast.” Whatever the situation – fitness related or otherwise – I’ve learned that saying that dreaded N-word (not that one, the other one…) almost always results in me eating my words. Learn from my mistakes, and just don’t say it. 🙂
5) People can change. We can overcome our greatest hurdles. For me, running is hard. It’s not fun. But crossing the finish line honestly isn’t the hardest thing I’ve accomplished since that first race in 2007. In my story, that’s just one thing on the surface. Instead, runDisney has changed the heart of a girl with an eating disorder, a horrible body image, awful self-esteem, and no confidence into one that still struggles with all those things – but has tangible reminders that she is able. And so are you.
Do you have a runDisney story? Will you begin one?
Thank you for joining me today! Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is DISTherapy.
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
- 1st Stop ~ My Dreams of Disney – runDisney Isn’t as Bad as You Think
- 2nd Stop ~ Home is Where the Mouse Is – 10 Tips for runDisney Beginners
- 3rd Stop ~ For the Love of Disney – You are here 🙂
- 4th Stop ~ DISTherapy – 15 runDisney Highlights in 2015
- Final Stop ~ Two Moms and a Mouse – A New Take On a Dream Come True
Heidi Strawser
What a wonderfully inspirational post, Jennifer! Thanks so much for sharing your story with the masses. I am NOT a runner. I dreaded running the 20 laps around the track at the Y when I was in high school. I think that, like you said, running is BORING. Especially that track, 20 times around. It put a bad taste in my mouth for running, and I’ve never been able to get rid of it. Each time I contemplate possibly trying just a 5K, the memories come back (and my overweight body too). Maybe someday . . .
For the Love of Disney
I totally understand. The irony of that track story (to which I can relate COMPLETELY) is that my training right now is entirely on a 1/9th mile track, so I run around that stupid thing dozens of times and want to gouge my eyes out – but I’m a WIMP in the Ohio cold, and can’t do a treadmill. I think that’s probably why I’m not enjoying this training, honestly. Definitely something to take into consideration if you are hesitant, pick an event that you can train for when it’s nice out! 🙂
Heidi Strawser
What a wonderfully inspirational post, Jennifer! Thanks so much for sharing your story with the masses. I am NOT a runner. I dreaded running the 20 laps around the track at the Y when I was in high school. I think that, like you said, running is BORING. Especially that track, 20 times around. It put a bad taste in my mouth for running, and I’ve never been able to get rid of it. Each time I contemplate possibly trying just a 5K, the memories come back (and my overweight body too). Maybe someday . . .
For the Love of Disney
I totally understand. The irony of that track story (to which I can relate COMPLETELY) is that my training right now is entirely on a 1/9th mile track, so I run around that stupid thing dozens of times and want to gouge my eyes out – but I’m a WIMP in the Ohio cold, and can’t do a treadmill. I think that’s probably why I’m not enjoying this training, honestly. Definitely something to take into consideration if you are hesitant, pick an event that you can train for when it’s nice out! 🙂
Mickey
Great post, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing your inspiration in all of the things that went into your decision to take up running. I can’t wait for my 5K, but it’s less about the run, and more about the medal and spending time at Disney! 🙂
For the Love of Disney
I totally understand that! That’s always my motivation for signing up, too 🙂 Whether I enjoy the training or not is always hit or miss… but the race event is ALWAYS a blast! I can’t wait for you to experience it.
Mickey
Great post, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing your inspiration in all of the things that went into your decision to take up running. I can’t wait for my 5K, but it’s less about the run, and more about the medal and spending time at Disney! 🙂
For the Love of Disney
I totally understand that! That’s always my motivation for signing up, too 🙂 Whether I enjoy the training or not is always hit or miss… but the race event is ALWAYS a blast! I can’t wait for you to experience it.
DIStherapy
Jennifer, you have again proven the power of the human spirit. At 53, I too was one of those “never will run” folks; my first runDisney 5K later that year proved me wrong. I am still amazed at what my body will do when I push it past the couch! I’m running my first runDisney Challenge this weekend. Feet and SPIRIT don’t fail me now! Thank you- your story gives me the inspiration to do just that…
DIStherapy
Jennifer, you have again proven the power of the human spirit. At 53, I too was one of those “never will run” folks; my first runDisney 5K later that year proved me wrong. I am still amazed at what my body will do when I push it past the couch! I’m running my first runDisney Challenge this weekend. Feet and SPIRIT don’t fail me now! Thank you- your story gives me the inspiration to do just that…
Lisa @home is where the mouse is
I too am a converted “never will run” person. I never thought I would ever do a race. Once I started training I realized it wasn’t that bad. I have completed both a runDisney 5k and Half Marathon in 2014 and have my eye on the Princess Half in 2016. Thank you for sharing your story. It really hits home for me in many ways.
Lisa @home is where the mouse is
I too am a converted “never will run” person. I never thought I would ever do a race. Once I started training I realized it wasn’t that bad. I have completed both a runDisney 5k and Half Marathon in 2014 and have my eye on the Princess Half in 2016. Thank you for sharing your story. It really hits home for me in many ways.
juliebigboy
Thanks for the inspirational thoughts, I’m trying to talk myself into running one myself *cringe* I’m going to Pin this post and refer back to it again and again to motivate me!
juliebigboy
Thanks for the inspirational thoughts, I’m trying to talk myself into running one myself *cringe* I’m going to Pin this post and refer back to it again and again to motivate me!
maureen
I love your run story Jennifer! We have some personal “things” in common. Running that race means so much more than just “running the race” I love your determination… Keep up the great work!
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for your feedback, Maureen! Isn’t that crazy, how something we sign up to accomplish actually accomplishes something entirely different 🙂
maureen
I love your run story Jennifer! We have some personal “things” in common. Running that race means so much more than just “running the race” I love your determination… Keep up the great work!
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for your feedback, Maureen! Isn’t that crazy, how something we sign up to accomplish actually accomplishes something entirely different 🙂
Caseylk
Such an inspiration. Reading all of these RunDisney posts really makes me wish to one day be apart of RunDisney.
Caseylk
Such an inspiration. Reading all of these RunDisney posts really makes me wish to one day be apart of RunDisney.
Ryan Eller
One of these crazy days I will run Disney! Great job!
Ryan Eller
One of these crazy days I will run Disney! Great job!
secondiron
As an ex-runner I can appreciate this story.. I ran cross country in high school. Blew out my right knee and for years have not run unless I had to (like chasing down a stray dog in traffic). In 2014 I planned to run a 5k.. injured myself and never laced back up. In 2015 it is back on my to do list this year.. who knows maybe one day I will run with Mickey too.
For the Love of Disney
Oh, that’s so frustrating to get injured after getting up the courage and motivation to run again! One thing I love about runDisney races (and some others, depending on your area) is the 16:00 pace. Certainly take care of injuries first… but you can definitely still enjoy the race events at a less competitive pace. Best of luck!
secondiron
As an ex-runner I can appreciate this story.. I ran cross country in high school. Blew out my right knee and for years have not run unless I had to (like chasing down a stray dog in traffic). In 2014 I planned to run a 5k.. injured myself and never laced back up. In 2015 it is back on my to do list this year.. who knows maybe one day I will run with Mickey too.
For the Love of Disney
Oh, that’s so frustrating to get injured after getting up the courage and motivation to run again! One thing I love about runDisney races (and some others, depending on your area) is the 16:00 pace. Certainly take care of injuries first… but you can definitely still enjoy the race events at a less competitive pace. Best of luck!
Sabrina Alexandra
My first race more than a 5k was runDisney. My boyfriend and I signed up to run the Tower of Terror 10 Miler in 2012. Both with minimal race experience and no training, but it was the best time and keeps us coming back for more. Now I have my sights set on my first half… at Disney, of course! We in full training mode for the Wine and Dine and it will be our first major run since 2012.
For the Love of Disney
We have never done the Wine & Dine, despite that being our favorite time of year at Epcot! I hope you guys have a blast! 🙂
Sabrina Alexandra
My first race more than a 5k was runDisney. My boyfriend and I signed up to run the Tower of Terror 10 Miler in 2012. Both with minimal race experience and no training, but it was the best time and keeps us coming back for more. Now I have my sights set on my first half… at Disney, of course! We in full training mode for the Wine and Dine and it will be our first major run since 2012.
For the Love of Disney
We have never done the Wine & Dine, despite that being our favorite time of year at Epcot! I hope you guys have a blast! 🙂
Allyson Brandt
All these things are so true! I hadn’t run so much as a 5k when I tackled a half marathon at Disney…and I am totally hooked. I definitely agree in that you can do anything you want–I wasn’t athletic in the slightest and it changed my world. Thanks for sharing!
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for your comment! That’s exactly how I was… hadn’t run a minute since I was forced to in high school gym class 🙂 I still don’t love to run but it has changed my outlook, for sure!
Allyson Brandt
All these things are so true! I hadn’t run so much as a 5k when I tackled a half marathon at Disney…and I am totally hooked. I definitely agree in that you can do anything you want–I wasn’t athletic in the slightest and it changed my world. Thanks for sharing!
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for your comment! That’s exactly how I was… hadn’t run a minute since I was forced to in high school gym class 🙂 I still don’t love to run but it has changed my outlook, for sure!
Disney on Wheels
I love this post! You can change and I know that I have done things I’ve never thought possible. I’m planning on training for a 10K and I really never thought I would do that. Thanks for the extra motivation!
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for your comment! I can’t wait to hear about your 10K. Keep us posted!
Disney on Wheels
I love this post! You can change and I know that I have done things I’ve never thought possible. I’m planning on training for a 10K and I really never thought I would do that. Thanks for the extra motivation!
For the Love of Disney
Thanks so much for your comment! I can’t wait to hear about your 10K. Keep us posted!
John Niedzwiecki
Great post. Much of the same why I started running. It was something I wanted to do “someday after I get in shape” to run a Disney race. I knew they existed, but not to the depth and extent that I now do. A trip to Disney was enough extra motivation to get me started running, though now I love running too.
For the Love of Disney
I wish I loved running now… 🙂 The runDisney races are definitely great motivators, though, every time!
John Niedzwiecki
Great post. Much of the same why I started running. It was something I wanted to do “someday after I get in shape” to run a Disney race. I knew they existed, but not to the depth and extent that I now do. A trip to Disney was enough extra motivation to get me started running, though now I love running too.
For the Love of Disney
I wish I loved running now… 🙂 The runDisney races are definitely great motivators, though, every time!
Rosanne @ The Disney Point
This is so inspiring. Seriously – thank you for taking the time to show me that it CAN be done. The human body seriously is incredible. Thank you.
Rosanne @ The Disney Point
This is so inspiring. Seriously – thank you for taking the time to show me that it CAN be done. The human body seriously is incredible. Thank you.