Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.

[windwalker]

All of us on here are scattered around the country and even the world, we have vastly different backgrounds. But we share one common bond. We have done or are contemplation doing a pretty awesome thing, in a wonderful place.

Please share your journey from the "bed to couch to table to work to couch to bed lifestyle", to where you are completeing half marathons, full marathons or even Goofy challanges.

Was there a defining moment when you knew it was time to make the change?

Was there someone who inspired you to get started?

Do you have a hard time remembering when you were not an athlete, or during the winter do you have times when you have a hard time remembering that you are?

Please share your journey to a healthy lifestyle, even if it's just beginning.

Dave

 

[windwalker]

When I retired from the USAF I was in wonderful shape. But when I was no longer a warrior and fitness was not a condition of employment, I guess I mentally decided it was time to rest.

With in a year I was 50 lbs heavier, my waist was growing. My fitness level was growing lower and my energy level along with it. When I turned 50 six years later, I was a mess.

Turning 50 was my defining moment. I have an almost full length mirror that I can see when I get out of the shower, I had become good at avoiding my reflection. On that day when I was a half century old I took a look again. I was shocked, my once tight waist was a blob of fat, my once strong lean body was now pear shaped.

The next day I started walking at the mall in the early mornings before work. A mile was a struggle. I walked for a year. My waist was dropping, I went from where 38 pants were cutting me into down to 32. I gave away all my pants as I out grew them. Determined never to need them again.

After a year I was ready to run again. I loved the races and the pure fun of being there with the other athletes pushing myself and feeling wonderful after. I ran for 2 years and then tore my achillies tendon. I went through the PT and the rehab, but it was never the same, finally after a good year of trying to run and race hurt, I gave it up and stated walking again.

The walking has allowed me to continue to race and train, it's so wonderful to be able to train and race again without pain again. It's so good to dream again about being a contender in races.

I never want to be out of shape again. I have discovered a Dave that I love to be with, he is happy and chasing his dreams, not at all like the fat, smoker that he once was.

Dave

 

[TEK224]

Good thread, Dave.

I've been an athlete all my life. Was the typical "tomboy" in my neighborhood. Love to watch and play almost all sports (sorry - golf is the exception). Even though I played sports (and still do, as a 40-something), I always hated to run distance. Just hated it.

But I love a challenge. I started getting the urge to do something out of the ordinary while watching the Ironman Competition on TV many years ago. But could never seem to get my butt in gear to start training. I finally did and competed in the 2004 Florida Half Ironman event (sadly, I suffered leg cramps and did not finish) But I hope to go back and make up for it.

Then the info about the 1st ever Goofy Challenge came out. That was it. If I was ever going to start my endurance career, this was going to be it. I love Goofy and the race is at WDW. What more motivation did I need?

So that's what got me started. I earned those 3 medals in 2006. Tried again in 2007, but had blister problems and had to drop out of the full. I'm hoping to be ready for 2008. I'm registered and have my room. Unfortuantely, I walso have a torn achilles, which will be repaired on March 1st. Hoping to resume training by September (Dr. is doing a new procedure which he says will require only a 3-4 month recovery time. I sure hope he's right.

I do the races just to challenge myself. I have no delusions of placing in my age category and turning into a speed demon. It's a challenge for myself, just to say I could do it. Plus I combine the races with visiting different places.

And I am holding onto my drem to one day enter and complete the Hawaii Ironman (I'm thinking that would make a nice 50th birthday present for myself).

Terri

 

[angietuck2]

I would love to share!!

Let me start by saying I have NEVER been an athelete. In fact, I don't know how many times in the last six months my dad has said how proud he is of me because I have never been an athelete.

I have been married to Bobby for 12 years - today as a matter of fact. We have 2 beautiful boys, 11 and 7 years old. I got so busy having and taking care of them that I forgot about me. 3 years a go I set out to lose some much needed weight. 2 years later I had lost 35 pounds strictly through aerobics, classes, weight training,etc. I tried to run on the treadmill here and there but I could not go more than a couple of miles with much walking - I would get cramps and I could not breathe.

About a year a go however, as a stress reliever for my full time engineering classes at USF I started running on the treadmill a lot. This past August, while making our plans for Dinsey's Food and Wine Festival, my husband suggested it would be "fun" to run RFTT. We did our first outside training run in August, in florida at about 5:30 pm BIG MISTAKE!!

Well, we continued the training, lots of 10 pm runs to avoid the heat. We did the RFTT in 58 minutes. I had no idea I had that in me!! That very day, Bobby decided we would do the Disney 1/2 Marathon. My response - there is NO WAY I can run 13 miles!

We did it, in 2:16, with my mom and dad and my kids there to cheer us on!! I started feeling a little more like an "athelete".

And then today - 1 and 1/2 months after Disney 1/2, we did the Gasparilla 1/2 and in just 6 weeks we took 16 minutes off our time!! We did it in 2:00!

The time is really not as important as the fact that through all of this I have found out that we are capable of soooo much more than we think we are!! I have walked around all day saying, "I can't believe we did that" It is the most amazing feeling to find out what you are capable of.

I am addicted to the races, because it keeps me motivated. Every time I don't feel like running I think of the next race, that we paid for and I go anyway!

Now when Bobby says we are doing the Disney Full next year I say;

BRING IT ON!!

Angie

 

[chimera]

From 1-12-2005:
I'm 36, with a DH, two kids, two jobs, and I've never marathoned before. I'm planning to run/walk the half marathon.
Frankly...I detest exercising, but know I need to do it. For me, having a goal like this works better than just saying I need to workout every day. I like having a concrete achievement to work toward.
Currently, I'm walking 2 miles every other day at 3 mph. This is actually an increase for me...I started the month at 1.75 miles at 2.7mph. I've kicked it up a notch already since I got involved with this thread.
My goal is to increase to 4mph and increase distance by one mile each month.


From 1-16-2006:

Why I decided to do a half marathon: swimming at the shallow end of the gene pool. My mom is diabetic with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and her first heart attack at age 50. Her dad didn' t live long enough to become diabetic...started having heart attacks in his late 30s til he died of stroke at age 42. I didn't do a good job of losing weight after two kids (DD13 and DDalmost3). I weighed 180lbs on Nov 1, 2004. I started exercising occasionally...we have a treadmill and I worked up to 1.75 miles at a 21 min/mile pace. I really needed a reason to exercise...just doing it for my health wasn't cutting it. I never knew people that looked like me did marathons or half marathons...til I found a group of women (WISH team 2005)who were training to walk the half. I was on the track team in middle school, played basketball in high school and 'jungle volleyball' in college, but I was NEVER a runner. I HATED running distances, but I figured I could certainly walk it.

I bought the Marathoning for Mortals book and another one called the Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer. I started 'training to train', getting more conditioned so that I'd be physically prepared for the intensity of training. WDW has a 16 min mile pace requirement and I was really, really afraid I'd be swept. They have buses and vans that pull you off the course if you're not keeping up the minimum pace. I did my first race ever last March (2005)...a 1 mile with a finish time of 16:28. I kept going and worked up to 3 miles a day, 4 days a week. I did 3 5Ks from May to Sept, improving my finish time from 49 min to 41 min. I felt pretty beat up after my first 5K, but when I got home from the last one, DH commented that it looked like I'd only been out for a stroll .

I started the actual training from MFM at the end of July (2005). I kinda modified the schedule to suit my purposes. I chose the walk/run schedule and doubled the weeks so that I would do each of the training weeks twice. I did that for the mental aspect...I wanted to be sure that I was trained up and if I had to miss a long run for any reason, I knew that I'd have a second one to make it up. The other thing I did differently for the mental stuff...I added a 12 mile run. Most training programs max at a 10 mile run before tapering for the race. I was afraid that mentally, I'd feel less confident, so I used my extra 10 mile week and made it a 12 instead. By that time, my pace was consistently up in the neighborhood of a 14 min mile. I trained with intervals, walking for 3 min, then running for 2. My WDW 2006 half finish pace was 14:26 and I placed 9000 something in a field of 16000.

The one thing I didn't do enough of was cross-train. With two kids and working full-time, that was the one thing that just didn't happen. The MFM schedule calls for 2 days of cross-training with 3 days walking/running and two days of rest. (Amy...your kickboxing sounds perfect ) That's one goal for me for next year, so I'll be trying to get to the Y at least one day weekly.

I do train alone, but with this fabulous online support group for advice and atta-boys. It was a bit surreal to suddenly run with 16,000 new friends the morning of the half. I do think it affected my time a bit since there was a lot of dodging and weaving early on, but I was there more to finish than set a world record pace

Oh...weight loss. I expected the weight to just melt away with all the increase in exercise. Unfortunately, the increased exercise made me more hungry I did lose about 18 to 20 pounds over the past year, but I've still got 25 to 30 to go. One of my goals for 2006 is better nutrition to complement my training...not just eating like a fool 'cause I just ran 8 miles

I think that's probably more than y'all wanted to know about me in one setting so I'll stop.

 

[scuba diver]

My road to marathons is a two part story.

In Oct 03 I was realizing that my 36 waist pants were getting to tight. I had never been 183 lbs before in my life. I knew we had to do something. One day while driving to work I heard an interview on the radio about the SouthBeach Diet. That night I signed up on line and our family changed eating habits. I never read the book, just loved the meal planning. I dropped down to 148 lbs and wife lost 20 lbs.

We still eat the same healthy way today and love the way we feel.

However, I'm not athletic, do no sports and no exercise. I hate to sweat. In Aug 05 my DS asked me to run a mile with him for JROTC. Shouldn't be a problem since I kept all my weight off. I could only run .8 miles and realized that not having a weight problem does not mean being healthy.

I started running the next day to get healty and not to lose to my son again! In Oct 05 he asked me to join him for a local charity 5K on the beach he had to run in. I was hooked to racing. I ran several 5Ks and then hurt my ITB due to over training. A PT suggest joining the local Galloway group for training support. I thought they would help my 5K times so why not.

During the first meeting I learned the goal was to train for a marathon. Not me. I signed up for the Disney 1/2 for 07. After 2 months of training I signed up for my first marathon. By time I ran Disney 1/2 I had already completed 2 marathons.

Never did I think I would run a marathon in my life. Now I'm thinking of 50 on 50.

 

[windwalker]

Wow everyone has such interesting stories. Thank you so much for sharing. Over the next year we will all be talking a lot. I thought it would be nice to know more about each other and what brought us to this wonderful time in our lives.

A coach took over a basketball team that was having losing season after losing season. He asked each player what they knew about each other, what their dads and moms did, where they lived. None of the players knew anything about each other. He said "how do you know how to support each other then if you don't know how they need support".

So the more we learn about each other the more we know what each other needs to keep each other going. When race day comes next year we will truely be Team WISH because we will have supported each other all year.

Dave

 

[ggeorgiagirl]

OMGosh...it is such a blessing that I have found y'all! All due to the love I have for all things DISNEY! It is weird how paths lead you in certain directions!

My story:

My first diet: 5 years old
The ladies at my dad's restaurant put me on it...my parents were too busy to pay much attention, anyway

My lifestyle, growing up, revolved around watching t.v. I was a lonely kid who had a really mean brother, so it was my escape. I visited my grandparents almost every weekend and they took awesome care of me...and took me to WDW all the time That is where my love began.

Fast forward 30 years later...my lifestyle is still the same but I am trying desperately to change it! I have tried all the diets (currently on Weight Watchers) and even had weight loss surgery (Lap-Band...haven't lost one single pound in almost 3.5 years). SO...this summer, I started walking a mile a day. I have been on/off lately but signed up for the Minnie 5K to keep me focused and motivated. Reading your posts really helps to keep me inspired! You all have helped me find a great pair of shoes (THANKS...it really makes a HUGE difference). I walk/jog the 5K path in my neighborhhood about once a week...but it has been so cold lately (excuses...excuses)!

Thanks for letting me share!

Beth

 

[windwalker]

OMGosh...it is such a blessing that I have found y'all! All due to the love I have for all things DISNEY! It is weird how paths lead you in certain directions!

My story:

My first diet: 5 years old
The ladies at my dad's restaurant put me on it...my parents were too busy to pay much attention, anyway

My lifestyle, growing up, revolved around watching t.v. I was a lonely kid who had a really mean brother, so it was my escape. I visited my grandparents almost every weekend and they took awesome care of me...and took me to WDW all the time That is where my love began.

Fast forward 30 years later...my lifestyle is still the same but I am trying desperately to change it! I have tried all the diets (currently on Weight Watchers) and even had weight loss surgery (Lap-Band...haven't lost one single pound in almost 3.5 years). SO...this summer, I started walking a mile a day. I have been on/off lately but signed up for the Minnie 5K to keep me focused and motivated. Reading your posts really helps to keep me inspired! You all have helped me find a great pair of shoes (THANKS...it really makes a HUGE difference). I walk/jog the 5K path in my neighborhhood about once a week...but it has been so cold lately (excuses...excuses)!

Thanks for letting me share!

Beth

Beth I'm sure everyone is glad you found us also. There are lots of good walker training programs on the walking site that you might be interested in.
We also have a walking training forum on the DisneyRunning.com you are welcome there also.

May the spirit of the mouse always be with you.

Dave

 

[Duanerice]

Hi All,
I'm 49 years old with a wife and puppy at home and 2 grown kids out on their own. I have been running inside for about 4 years and just started outside last October.

After smoking 2 1/2 packs a day for many years I finally quit smoking about 8 years ago. Added 35 pounds that year. Ate what I wanted and didn't worry about the weight because in the past I could always lose it easily. Up till then I never had a problem with weight. If I added a pound or two, I'd eat salads for a day or so and it would come off. My wife hated me for this Well with the combination of turning 40 and quitting smoking, something happened. I found out that the weight didn't come off that easily anymore. My wife really liked this.

I eventually lost some of it, but kept going back and forth. So, I started walking on a treadmill about 4 years ago. It was helping the weight issue then kind of stopped. So, I upped my pace and started running about 2.5 miles Unfortunately, it only helped so much. The problem I had was I was still eating the wrong foods, so the little I exercised didn't really do too much for my weight. About 2 years ago I bought a Bowflex and started a routine of Bowflex every other day and running every other day. Again, getting in better shape, but not losing the weight due to poor eating habits. I still workout almost everyday although I DO NOT look like those people on the Bowflex commercials. When in the heck did they find them?

I was still in a tight 36 pant with some 38's thrown in for comfort. It wasn't until I started Weight Watchers at work program back in July that I started losing weight. My wife did WW a few years ago and I ate the right foods right along with her. Felt good and lost weight. But, the old habits crept back in. But in the last 6 months, I have lost 29 lbs and I am at goal.

This is when I started running outside. I started because a co worker and myself were getting in shape to run the American Heart Association Heart Walk (about 3 miles). It is up a very large bridge and back so this was to be our test. Well she ended up not going but I still went and ran it even though it wasn't a race. Only about 20 people actually ran the distance. But, I needed to prove to myself that I could do it.

Once I started running outside, the treadmill didn't seem so much fun now. So, I started running on either Saturday or Sunday and adding miles every week. I didn't read any books on taking it easy I just kept running until I got tired. I did get a Garmin Forerunner and it has allowed me the running freedom that I didn't have. I can go anywhere and know how far I have been. Eventually I might not need it, but I need to keep my pace constant and am still having trouble doing that.

I was amazed the first time I ran 5 miles, then 6, then 7, then finally 8. That's when my IT band started to hurt although I didn't know what it was until later. All I knew was I couldn't run a step further but as soon as I started walking the pain went away. So, I went out 2 days later just to prove it wouldn't hurt anymore and only made it 3 miles before I pulled up limping. That's when I got smart and started to read up on the subject. Seems to be a combination of too far too fast (adding 1 mile a week) and running on extremely crowned roads. I ended up taking a week off from running and started icing and stretching. So far so good, I ran 5 miles last week and it started to hurt a little towards the end of the run, so I started walking. We'll see this weekend.

Ran my first official race this past weekend and loved it. Outside of being a bit cold, it was a blast. People lined the streets cheering us on. What a great time. I have already planned another for a few weeks from now. As we get into May and beyond the races dry up down here from what I have read. I have joined the local track club and will start running with them in the near future.

I am signed up to race the RFTT in October and the Disney Marathon in January. Will be looking for 1/2 marathon or a 15K sometime before the marathon. Two months ago I would have never thought about a marathon. Even told my wife that those people (you guys) were crazy. I said I wanted to run the 1/2, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to run the full. Not sure exactly why I want to. Just the accomplishment I think. Just to be able to say - to myself - that I finished 26.2 miles. Heck, I don't even like to drive 26.2 miles I have read he Marathoning for Mortals as well as other online articles and most importantly the posts from you guys before and after the January Disney races. Thanks for sharing your experiences I couldn't get enough.

Anyway, enough rambling for now. There is nothing like the feeling of strapping on the IPod and just taking off. That feeling you get after running for a hour or more.... you can't describe it. You guys know what I am talking about. Hope it stays the same as I start running farther.

enjoy,
Duane

 

[Hockeychic]

My turn next.

I was also the neighbourhood tomboy. I love to watch and do all sports and even at my heaviest I still did. I was always a long distance runner, never worried about what I ate.

I got married Aug 15, 1987 and weighted 112 pds, I am 5'4". Had my first child July 4, 1989...he loves that all you Americans celebrate"his" birthday... . Anyways gained 33 pds, lost 30 the day I delievered him. Put my jeans on and left the hospital. The day I found out I was pregnant with DD, I was only a few weeks along and swear I needed maturnity clothes that same day. DD was born Aug 7, 1992. I don't think I ever lost that weight, I think I have blocked out how much I gained cause it was so much. I continued to gain till I hit a high of 200pds even though DH and I have always gotten out for long walks. I have the best Dh in the world as he constantly told me it didn't matter what I weighted, he is skinny BTW.....so I stayed at that weight till March 2006... now this entire time I still did some sports but due to kids sports, events etc I didn't get much time to do it on a regular basis, also I have a under active thyroid that i have had since 1989 so if I don't exercise I don't lose weight.

Anyways March 06 I decided to do the Marathon in Disney in 07 but thought I better go to the Dr for a overhaul and make sure I can take this on. Well although he told me I could train but also that I had high cholesteral and trygliderides. Both my parents died at 67 due to heart disease after numerous heart attacks and a stroke....talk about wake up call. Scared me to death. So starting last March till Oct I lost 30 pds mostly exercising, I didn't really cut out any bad food but cut back a bit. Went on a cruise late Oct and with Christmas I gained back 10 pds. So if you are counting I am at 180 now. So Jan 1st started the New Years Resolution to actually do the Marathon in 08 and get to my goal weight of 140. I have started training along with all the members of my family and we are loving it. i have cut out all bad snack food and fast food. We do go to restaurants but I make better choices (most of the time) and I cut out my 1 addiction Pepsi. Some days I do really great others I really want one but have not caved yet. Almost 2 months. So to date I am down to 164 and have lost lots of inches and can jog 2 mins at a time when before i couldn't do 1 lamp post.

I am signed up for a 10K April 1st and doing the Minnie with DD in May, I am planning on the 1/2 Marathon in Toronto for Sept and of course Disney in January.

I hope I didn't get way off topic with my post but felt like a good cleansing of all that I have been living the last few years.

Thank you for starting this post.

Kim

 

[CaroleD]

Wow. Great thread. Very inspiring to read everyones story.

I would very much like to do the half then the full marathon at WDW. And I'm blown away that the possibility is there. For ten years my activities have gotten removed by a painful ankle caused by osteoarthritis. I was an avid golfer who had to quit 4 years ago. Love to walk and hike but by last year couldn't walk a block. Even aquafit became impossible because I couldn't walk out of the pool area after. Then finally my surgery date arrived (took 3 years from request to getting surgery. Canada has good health care but its slow) and I had an ankle fusion.
Long recovery but I did well. And seven months after surgery I was going to a gym. Started out with just 4 minutes on the TM walking and increased by 1 minute each time I came to the gym. I was so excited when I got up to 20 minutes and then 30 minutes. And I started to think the possibity was there to do more..like a marathon. It seemed crazy but there was no reason I couldn't as long as I could walk it. So I got up to a 4.0 speed and now I'm thinking I might not get swept. And I started a training schedule. Its a slow one and I'm not sure when I'll be ready but it will happen.
I entered a 5 K race coming up this April. I'll likely be the last one in which doesn't matter. I just need to cross the finish line!

 

[Hey Mickey]

Hi, everyone. I'm Erica, and I am going Goofy in '08.

I was always very active and fit when I was younger. I was a serious ballet dancer, played varsity volleyball and basketball in high school, continued to dance and play volleyball throughout college....

and then law school hit. I went from being physically active to being a lump sitting in the library studying, eating my meals out of vending machines, and it was not pretty. I gained a lot of weight fast, but I figured I'd lose it once I got out of school and started working and had time. Hahahahahaha.

I managed to slim down over the summer after I graduated, long enough to look good in my wedding pictures. And then I started living the life of a young lawyer in a big manhattan law firm. 60+ hour work weeks at best, eating choinese food on the clients' dimes in conference rooms at 10 p.m. while working all night on a brief due the next day, and so on. I put on all the weight I'd lost and then some. I had a gym membership, but I think of my diues as more of a charitable donation to New York Sports Club, since I probably used it 6 times a year (usually right after New Years)

Then came kid one and kid two...and more weight. I love the weight watchers commercials with Jenny McCarthy saying she was hoping for a 60-pound baby, cause that was me.

My husband, in the meantime, started running. He did the NYC marathon, and I stood and cheered. He did the Long Island marathon, and I stood and cheered. he did the Disney marathon and I . . . came to my senses. Disney is *my* thing, and I was sick of standing and cheering. So a few years ago, I signed up for the WDW half and finished. It wasn't pretty, but I finished.

Unfortunately, the next year, shortly before I was about to leave the Polynesian to run the full for the first time, my cell phone rang. My father had had a massive heart attack. We packed up and left immediately.

I ran (well, walked mostly) the disneyland half in september, because I needed some bling with 2006 on it.... and I had to have a castle of my own!

My father has now been in failing health for 14 months. We went down for marathon weekend this past year, but between my job, my parents health issues (oh, did I mention my mother managed to fall down and break her femur just before christmas and was laif up for 6 weeks?), and my graduate studies (I am now back in school full time getting my Ph.D. in psychology because I have nothing better to do), I had not run since Anaheim at all. I had signed up for the full, but it was too hot and I was too unprepared, so I turned it into my own version of the half -- I ran to the Polynesian and turned back (we were staying at the Grand Floridian). I then proceeded to kick myself the rest of the trip for not going the distance. In fact, the only thing that made me feel better were the green wish shirts I saw everywhere telling me dnf was better than dns, because when I saw the fog that morning, I nearly went back to bed....

So I decided enough with the excuses and the "some day...". A few friends of mine felt insprired by my running and have signed up for their first half marathons. I did not want to sign up for the half -- I felt like it would be a step back. So I signed up for the Goofy -- I will take it nice and easy on saturday with my friends, and then go all out on sunday. Of course, this means I need to buckle down and train -- I can gut it out and fake my way through 13.1 miles, but not 39.3.

So here I am, looking to you guys to keep me focussed and honest. I have a couple of halfs coming up tin the spring, and will try to do one full before the Goofy, because it seems like bad news to do your first full after a half, but one way or another, that Goofy medal will be mine. and then I will strut (limp?) around the park flashing it for all to see.

so that is my very long-winded tale. Sorry you asked now?

Erica

 

[Optimator]

Great to read everyone's story of inspiration and achievement!

My story, by comparison is quite mundane. I've always been pretty active. Played sports as a kid and all through high school but never was much of a runner. Baseball was my primary thing (you gotta love a sport where 360 feet is the farthest you have to run even in the best of circumstances). I still play softball pretty much every summer but being in any kind of good shape is hardly a criteria.

Mostly I'd been training for the Samuel Adams beer drinking team and the 2010 Olympic cookie eating squad (and progressing nicely, I might add).

Well, last summer my DW got inspired and signed up for the WDW Half. I was very proud of her for taking the initiative. After about a month of me thinking she wanted to this to be "her" thing and her waiting for me to show some interest in joining her... (pretty funny how married people communicate sometimes) she finally asked me if I wanted to train and run with her. Great!! So we trained to train. Then we trained. Then we ran. Then we finished and collected our bling with big smiles on our faces.

A funny thing happened on my way to the starting line. I discovered that I really liked the way running made me feel. I loved the challenge of pushing myself. I loved that I could run farther now at 42 than I could 20 years ago. I loved that my neighbors saw me out running (I guess I'm more than a little conceited for admitting that).

I'm doing my first full marathon in Frederick, MD in May. Planning on the Marine Corp Marathon in October (if I survive the first) and am signed up for Goofy in January. A little over ambitious? We'll find out. But I'm taking it nice and easy and get tons of useful info and support here.

Now the trickiest part is trying to train with my DW. She's doing the Minnie the same weekend as my marathon. Trying to train together for 2 different length events has proven to be a bit of a challenge. I love that we started this together and I really want to be able to continue to share this with her.

Thanks for the gut-spilling forum.