Gawrsh! Well, whaddya know, A-Hyuck! And Thanks
It’s a labor of love born from a lack of real information. When I first started trying to run a marathon there were just not many guides to turn to and then they were aimed at the upper end runner or were seemingly after thoughts aimed at the beginner. In neither case was there any attempt to explain why.
There was definitely no information on what do I do once at the race and in this case Disney. There remains a large vacuum of information that the mouse could easily fix and frankly put most of my posts to pasture. But in 1999 the instructions were the expo is Friday and Saturday and the busses run on race day from 3-4. There were final race day instructions and they were actually nice to know things like where the RD saw probable sharp corners, merge points, and slopes. Things that are still good to know but not relayed. All I knew to do that first year was to be out for the bus and follow the crowd. Obviously I made it but there were so many things that I learned in just that first year about porta potty heaven, about trying to meet up with a group, how to tell Mary where I would be and when and what to do to keep from not being able to move the day after the race.
Through this time I have coached several hundred folks through their first 5k, half and marathons. Also, cycling century rides, and first triathlons. All while improving my performance, also. I started out with USA Fit, first as a participant then as an assistant coach. While I do not want to slam the program, I was always injured. For my body it was just not the correct way to build miles. So I starting on a path of trying to figure out the who, what when and where for endurance training. I now have three certifications (two are listed on the tag line). While I am not a doctor, I have suffered from many of the ailments that runners will come on. Literally, my early days were all about doing something, getting injured then wondering why. On occasion, I always try to get you into a doctor for a real hands on; on occasion I get very pointed when I suspect a bad outcome and try to avoid a distant diagnosis. As you have figured, I am now all about creating a foundation from the core out working on making the body bullet proof. This can be evidenced by no non-accidental injuries since 2006.
As far as Disney goes, Disney could do so much better with regard to letting folks know what to expect. But that is a Disney cultural issue as much as anything. It’s all about bringing the magic to your stay. Look at the other sections of the Disboards and you will see similar vacuums of information. I made it my mission in 2005 to help folks understand what they need to know about running Disney. Frankly, I learn several news things annually; I really read race reports and such to get a feel for what others see and try to memorialize things I have not seen. There are several folks that I can thank for helping me get the word out. Honestly, the last 3 years have been some of the funnest marathons I have ever run. I think Robert posted a race photo of me on New Year’s Eve 2007. On our trip that year to WDWM, we were greeted on the airplane, then in baggage claim and tens of times in the parks.
I really do thank each of you for reading. Believe me when I say I learn as much from you as you learn from me.
