History of the WISH Team

[TXBelle]

With all the discussion of the WISH team shirts, I thought it might be time to recap the history of the WISH team. The original team formed in 2004. It was the idea of several bright women who thought that training to walk the WDW 1/2 marathon would be a great way to stay motivated and lose weight. I joined the team in June 2004. Most of us had been couch potatoes who had never even completed a 5K in our lives. For the most part, we were overweight housewives and mothers with dreams of a Donald medal. We trained together over the internet and corresponded over weekly training threads. We read John Bingham and were inspired to have the courage to start.

Here is the photo from the first-ever WISH Team meet in January 2005:

The first official team shirt was simply an iron-on design created by Auntmeme (Maryellen). WISH team members downloaded the design and created their own cotton t-shirts. Here's the front:

Here's the back:

We started as strangers and ended up as friends. That is what the WISH Team is all about. Since 2004, the WISH Team has grown by leaps and bounds. We have women AND men of all different ages and fitness levels. What holds us together is our dedication to fitness and our undying support for each other.

Because of WISH, I now have 2 Donald medals, a Minnie medal, a Castle medal, and my crowning acheivement, a Mickey medal. WISH gave me the courage to start and changed my life for the better. For that I will always be grateful.

 

[Kristi1357]

Fabulous post, Heather!

 

[cdotla]

Wow - how inspirational!

Thank you for posting this for all the newbies like me!

PS - What is the Castle Medal???

 

[AmyBeth68]

Great post!!!!!

 

[Hey Mickey]

Thanks for the great post!

(and the castle medal is from the disneyland 1/2 marathon)

I really love the "we will not be swept" with the brooms-- very cute and creative.

 

[kareneast]

Awesome post Heather! Thank you for sharing the teams start with us.

 

[SilverE]

Heather: Very nice post; thank you. I hope everyone will give it a read.

 

[JustSmile]

Heather:Wonderful post! Thanks for sharing. I love the "we will not be swept"

 

[vscohen]

Oh my gosh I just realized I saw some of you down there! Dh and I (and our two friends that we plan on running the ToT 13K with) went down to Disney and checked in at the Allstar Movies the day of the race in January of '05 - we didn't even know what it WAS at the time, but we saw all of these people in running gear with their medals, and I saw someone with THAT SHIRT and figured it out!
How serendipitous!

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Oh my gosh I just realized I saw some of you down there! Dh and I (and our two friends that we plan on running the ToT 13K with) went down to Disney and checked in at the Allstar Movies the day of the race in January of '05 - we didn't even know what it WAS at the time, but we saw all of these people in running gear with their medals, and I saw someone with THAT SHIRT and figured it out!
How serendipitous!

So we may have met! That is a fun thing to hear. We have come a long way and it just keeps getting better.

I am proud of our WISH Team, our spirit, our support.

That year was also the birth of our WISH Team cheer:

Thunder, thunder, thunderation!
We're the WISH Team delegation.
When we move with determination,
We create a Great! sensation.

 

[windwalker]

WISH ROCKS


Proud WISHer Panda

 

[chimera]

Thanks for posting this Heather! You guys were such a huge inspiration to me!

 

[Stitch_lover_Sith]

Thank you Heather I think people need to be reminded of our roots. I remember back when the Weekly thread you had to search for on the Main WISH forum. My how just three years changes everything.
Erin

 

[lenshanem]

Fantastic!

BTW, that is the cutest back!

 

[escape]

Thanks for posting this, Heather. I never knew "our" roots!

 

[Honeibee]

Hi Heather - I see you and Lily. Can you tell me who else is in that picture?

 

[twoWDWfools]

Thanks Heather! It's just that inspiration that brought me here.

 

[funwalker]

So we may have met! That is a fun thing to hear. We have come a long way and it just keeps getting better.

I am proud of our WISH Team, our spirit, our support.

That year was also the birth of our WISH Team cheer:

Thunder, thunder, thunderation!
We're the WISH Team delegation.
When we move with determination,
We create a Great! sensation.

What Everyone else said!!!!!

 

[sap1227]

Thanks for the reminder of how this all started!! I love my WISH Shirt that first year (I actually ironed it onto a Wicking Shirt and wore it for the race). I was not an official finisher for that first race, but I WAS NOT SWEPT and got a medal. It was what started me on the journey to become a "runner".

In the picture, I am all the way on the right in the back row (in the green shirt and khaki capris).

 

[monte]

Wow, that was neat..thanks for sharing. I love the brooms on the back, how cute.

I would love to know who everyone is in the photo too.