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It's A Small World After All-Disney Half Marathon

You just never know who you are destined to meet in life.  I sat on the plane on my way to the Disney Half Marathon and found myself chatting with a gentleman who is a life coach.  We chatted about authors and experiences.  He shared with me that he climbed Mount Kilamanjaro the same year that I was working in Uganda.  We laughed.  It was so funny that we met 8 yrs later on a plane destined for Disney.
Here it is 2:30am and I am sitting in my hotel room eating a bagel and hurrying to make the Disney bus to take me to Epcot.  I sit next to a woman who struck up a conversation about growing up in the same state in which I live and how this is only her 2nd half marathon and she did her first one last month for her 41st birthday.  We chatted about the love of running and  how convenient running is with work and 2 small children.  I concurred.
Then I met with 27,000 of my new found friends for a morning "training run" through Disney.  Honestly, I did not train for this event due to my work and school school schedule, but I knew I could finish it with a smile and little pain.  I was right about both.
I found myself laughing and talking with people from all over the world, Canada, Japan, New Zealand.  Everyone was SOOO polite.  It did not matter if you were doing the walk/run method or running.  Each runner I noticed was really smiling for this entire fun, filled course.  Between Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Soldiers from Toys Story and Yes....The Magic Kingdom at the half way point; even I felt like I was fantasy land.  I stopped and had the volunteers take my picture as I ran down Main Street and in front of the Magic Kingdom.  Rows of Lines filled the sides of the course with runners waiting patiently to have their picture with all the characters.  Simply, this run was simply one of the most fun I have had in a long time and I think I needed it.  I had lost the joy of running in any race for the past few years.  The feeling of dread just would come over me when I would even think about participating in any "formal" event.  People looked so serious and kept looking at their watches; never smiled and pushed with their elbows.  I just kept thinking to myself,"Boy, if this is what events are like now; I don't think I want to do this anymore."  But today was a great experience for me and a great way for me to being the new year.  Yes, I had my watch on, but barely looked at it.  I took breaks for pictures; the potty and met new runners as we approached the final mile and half where a gospel choir was singing.."Running for Jesus."  We all clapped for the choir.  They were rocking it out.  Then we turned the corner and 13 mile marker was on the right.  I couldn't believe it.  The entire event appeared as a blur. Can it be that this was all a dream?  They say Disney is the place where dreams come true.
Then a voice said," Welcome to the finish, congratulations!"  13.1 has never been so much fun.  I look forward to the next time I run a half or marathon and maybe I will actually put some training time into the next one, but for now I will savor all the miles of smiles.

Not so sure what the official time was.  Really don't care. I believe between camera breaks, potty breaks, watching the entertainment and running along it took me @2:30 hours.  Hmm...wonder what would happen if I actually trained for something.  Not too shabby for a girl loves to exercise, but not training.

Someone asked me what would I say to another runner about Disney.  I say.."Do Disney. Turn off your watch. Enjoy the Start. Savory each mile and enjoy the journey.


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