Minnie 10K Trip Report PT 1-The Night Before

[PirateLover]

I am also posting some of my reports/ reviews on a blog with a few pictures here and there. Follow the link when you click on my username that says "Go to my homepage!"

Our most recent trip to Walt Disney World Resort gave me my newfound inspiration to get my blog up and going. My first two trips to WDW were with my parents in 1995 and 2002. While on that 2002 trip, I spent many hours laying in a hammock on the beach at the Polynesian, talking to a boy I had just started dating. A boy I would marry 8 years later. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. John and I took our first trip to WDW together (without parental supervision) in 2004. 10 years later we found ourselves on our 9th WDW trip together (not counting one jaunt over to DL), planning to do something we’d never done before: Participate in a runDISNEY event! We’ve visited WDW in December (x2) August, May (x2), June (x2), and October, but we’ve never visited for Marathon Weekend before. Inspired by a meet planned by our very favorite Disney site, INTERCOT.com, our original intention was to run the Family Fun Run 5K with a bunch of fellow INTERCOTees who were all using this as an excuse to get in shape. Boy did it work! So many of us took up the challenge to make better choices in our lifestyles and embrace running. After my husband and I successfully completed some local 5Ks, we decided to go big and jump on the opportunity when Disney Announced its INNAUGUAL Minnie 10K. How much fun would it be to push ourselves even further and participate in a race the vey first year it was run?! So, we decided to go BIG and train for the 10K. This piece, I wrote the night before the race:
Training wasn’t a bed of roses, as neither of is the posterchild for a healthy young adult. But we’ve soldiered on through our various conditions and ailments and I am confident we can finish, even if it isn’t pretty. Growing up with exercised induced asthma, I generally just shied away from the activities that would exacerbate my condition (namely, running of any kind). As an adult, I have been diagnosed with full fledged asthma, and exercise still causes flare ups. Nevertheless, the appeal of participating in a runDisney event is quite strong, so I began jogging using the couch to 5k program last January. As my husband saw my determination increase, he joined my efforts to get in shape and before I knew it, he had surpassed me by leaps and bounds, losing 60lbs in the process. There is no secret to his transfortation; he simply counted calories, ate healthier foods, and ran his butt off!

I haven’t been quite as successful in shedding and maintaining the pounds, but I have been fairly dedicated to the training and have noticed some changes in my body along the way. I will never be someone who can “run” a race straight through, and following Jeff Galloway’s method of run/walk/run has been an invaluable confidence booster. At times it can feel like quitting or cheating when you take those walk breaks instead of soldiering through, but they do give you the energy you need to tackle the next interval and the average pace at the end speaks for itself. I’m sure some distance runners roll their eyes at people who have to use a run/walk ratio for 5 and 10ks but there are many more supportive people who recognize that for people like me, this is a huge achievement. The night before the race, I am nervous as heck. (ETA And it didn’t help later that evening that the fire alarm went off at 1am and drunken revelers kept me up most of the night.) However, I know I have it in me and when I cross that finish line and receive my medal I will have tears in my eyes and pride in my heart for BOTH of our achievements. I am so happy to be running this race with such a supportive husband who could easily leave me behind in the dust, but instead will stay by my side the entire time and finish together what we started together a year ago.

[k10]

Hooked on your story. Thanks for sharing pt 1 of your personal journey. If this were a book, it'd be a page-turner! Couch to 5k is an amazing program (I used it, too). And many others thrive off the Galloway method. To anyone who would say nay to either method, shame on them. They should be saying, "Great job! Way to get out there and test your limits! That's something to be proud of!". Every step you take in those races is one more closer to the finish, aka, an accomplishment that you should be very proud of! Keep your story coming!!!

[BriarRose0708]

I love it, Maryanne, and I can't wait to read more. So happy for you and John!

[clausjo]

Congratulations! I too have used the Galloway method and have finshed two half marathons using it. I'm not fast at all, and will use this year to try and improve my time with plans on doing the Donald half in 2015.

You should be proud of yourself for setting a goal and meeting it!

[PirateLover]

Thanks all! I'll be posting the race day report shortly

[Melanie]

AMAZING story, Maryanne. We've all watched it unfold in our training/encouragement thread, but reading this summary is great. You guys should be very proud of yourselves!

[PirateLover]

Thanks, Mel

[faline]

I admire your determination!! Sticking to such a course is very difficult!!

[hauntedmansiongirl]

You're inspiring! I can't wait to hear all about it!

[yjgirl32]

Such an amazing accomplishment. My husband and I are trying to get in shape too. I would love to run in an event in Disney. Thanks for sharing.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Wow, you are inspiring me to get up and get going too. Thanks for the report