Only 9 weeks to go

This past week I ran a total of 29 miles. Monday was 4 mile easy recovery run. On Tuesday I did hill repeats for a total of 5 miles. Thursday was an easy 4 mile run. On Saturday I ran 15 miles, yes I said 15 miles. That was a first for me in my running life. Prior to Saturday the furthest I had ever run was 13.1 miles half marathon distance. I did a progression run. Started out with a slow pace and finished by run running miles 14 & 15 at a 10:02 pace & 9:32 pace respectively. I was really happy with the run when I finished. Actually felt like I could have gone a little further. I am beginning to believe I can run a full marathon. 9 weeks from yesterday is the big day.

Last Wednesday I registered for the Disneyland 1/2 marathon in Septemeber. Going Coast to Coast again this year. Hope to meet up with my W.I.S.H. buddies from the Dis Boards while in SO Cal.

The picture above is my wife and I with Goofy last Septmeber in Disneyland. Good times & good memories.

Thanks for reading.

Til next time run strong & enjoy the ,moment.

One more week complete

I finished another week of marathon training yesterday. Ran a total of 27 miles for the week. My long run was 12 miles. Ran it in 2 hours & 5 minutes. The weather really has not improved much around here yet. Still cold, windy and lots of sloppy streets to run on. The important thing is, I'm still out there putting in the miles no matter what the weather has thrown at me. Race day is May 1st. I'm excited and yes a little nervous. I am just about to the point where I will be running further than I ever have. I know I can do it. Mind over matter right.

I know it's only been about 2 months months since I have been to a Disney park, but I want to go back!!! Next time will be Disneyland in September for the 1/2 marathon. My wife and I counted up not to long ago and we think we have been to WDW 20 times. The Disneyland trip will be our third. Can't wait.

Just a couple good memories above to share with all. Yea I know, I'm a Disney fanatic.

Thanks for reading.

Til next time run strong & enjoy the moment.

Another Week of training in the bank

I ran a total of 26 miles for this week of training. Monday I did 5 miles in 51:32. The temp was 22 degrees and it was snowing lightly. Wednesday was a treadmill day. To cold to run outside. I did 6 miles in 58:36. On Thursday I was able to get back outside and run. Did 4 miles in 40:43.

Today I ran 11 miles in 1 hour and 50 minutes. Average pace was 10:04 for the run. I ran the last two miles in 9:35 & 9:20. Today was a great run. The temp was 15 degrees, but the wind was very light unlike last week. Sun was out ad it felt good on my face. My marathon is about ten weeks away. I'm already excited about running it. I will update next week.

Thanks for reading.

Til next time run strong & enjoy the moment.

PS Happy Valentines day all.

Marathon training week #3 complete

I ran a total of 23 miles last week preparing for my May 1st marathon. I ran 4 miles on Monday in 40:18. It was a nice slow recovery run. Wednesday I did hill repeats for the first time. Wow, my legs were pretty tired by the time I got down with the workout.

On Thursday I ran 6 miles in 1 hour. Legs were still a little tired, not sore, from the hill repeats the day before. On Saturday I ran 9 miles. What a grueling run. The temp was 26 degrees, wind chill was 10 degrees and the wind was blowing 20mph out of the NNE. The wind was a constant for the entire run. I was worn out when I got done. Another week of training is in the bank.

Thanks for reading

Til next time, run strong & enjoy the moment.

Marathon training week #2 complete

I ran a total of 22 miles this week. 4 miles on Monday, 6 on Wednesday, 4 on Thursday & 8 on Saturday. All but the Thursday run were done outside. On Thursday the temp was -14 wind chill, so I opted for the treadmill. On my 6 miler on Wednesday, my water bottles froze up, but it was still a good run.

I had a fantastic run on Saturday. Did 8 miles in 1:15:47. The last 2 miles were done in 8:58 & 8:46. This is a first for me, sub 9 minutes miles on a long run. I was pumped when I got done and still had some gas left in the tank. I can't wait for next week's training. I have to thank Gordon from Run to Disney. He has agreed to be my "cruise director" as I train for my first marathon. The schedule for this past week was put together by him. Thank You Gordon!!!

Thanks for reading.

Til next time, run strong & enjoy the moment.

Marathon training week #1 complete

Today I completed the first week of my marathon training by running a total of 19 miles for the week. I used the Higdon novice schedule. I began with week #4 of the schedule because of having just finished the 1/2 marathon at Disney two weeks ago.


Today's 9 mile run was the best run I have had since running at Disney. Yesterday I bought an Asics storm shelter jacket at my local running store. I wore it today on the run, man it felt fantastic. Here's a couple of pictures of the jacket, one of them with me wearing it.



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I wish I would have bought a jacket like this along time ago. I only had to wear one shirt under it and I was plenty warm. It did a great job blocking the strong southeast wind I was running into.

Thanks for reading.

Til next time, run strong & enjoy the moment.

The Donald Part 4

While I was crossing the start line, I did stop and take a couple of pictures of Mickey, Minnie & my main dog Goofy. Running from the start to World Drive was pretty uneventful except for the sleet that was falling. Yep, I said sleet, just like we get here in good ole central Illinois. It sleeted off and on for the first three miles. The first three miles were kinda slow due to all of us runners bunched together. Once I made it through the tight exit ramp on to World Drive I could pretty much run at the pace I wanted to. While running I was checking my Garmin, and I was running between a 9.45 to 10.15 pace. I was Okay with that considering how crappy the weather was.


I stopped at the welcome to the Magic Kingdom sign to snap a few photos and then kept on trucking. It was pretty dark and you really could not see much. Ran around the speedway, through the TTC, under the sevens seas lagoon bridge, passed the Contemporary and then is was backstage at the Kingdom. My wife who was part of chEAR squad was waiting for me on Main St. I stopped long enough for her to take a picture & give her a kiss then I was off again.

I ran through tomorrow land, fantasy land out through Cinderella's castle on the it was off to frontier land with a dash through Liberty Square. We went backstage again, got to see Captain Jack Sparrow & his henchmen, but did not stop for an photo ops. Once we left backstage it was back towards spaceship Earth. Mind you, there were several miles to go at this point. Running by the Grand Floridian we got to see Mary Poppins & Bert. Also got to see, I think the guy was impersonating Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin. Anyway he was belting out tunes.

Got to about the #9 mile marker and there's just not much to look at for a couple of miles. Just after mile 10 you turn and go up the ramp to cross over World Drive on your way back to Epcot. The view from the bridge is amazing. You look out on both sides of the bridge and you can see hundreds of runners that are behind you and lots still in front of you. I took a couple of pictures of all the runners.

Miles 10 & 11 cover several ups and downs, literally, with the overpasses you run up and down. I saw the #12 mile marker and knew I was almost there, The Finish. We came in backstage at Epcot, ran out into Future World, ran to where World Showcase begins, made a loop back into Future World and then went backstage again to finish the race. All the cast members were hollering you are almost there, keep going you got it made. I will tell you this, the last mile seems a lot longer than a mile. Yea, I felt the same last year. I knew once I ran past the gospel choir, which is really really cool, I would be able to see the finish line. I crossed it in 2 hours 18 minutes and 31 seconds. I had completed my 2nd WDW 1/2 marathon.

I crossed the line, got my mylar blanket, man did that feel good, got my Donald medal and headed for the food stations. By now it was raining and I was pretty soaked from the run and the rain. I did not take me long to get cold. Got some food and then got in the back check line to retrieve my goody bag. It took almost 35 minutes to get the dang thing. Once I got it, I got out of there, found Pam and put on my dry coat and gloves. By the way I was still freezing.

I went with Pam & Mike to the chEAR squad section to wait for Jan to finish. There were some portable heaters set up and they felt pretty darn good. Mike was talking to Jan on the phone, so we had a good idea when she would get to the finish line. We were there to chear her on and see her cross the line. Once she made it through the gantlet we got in line to get on the bus to head back to POFQ. It really felt good on that warm bus. We got back to the hotel, ate breakfast, I showered then we headed of to the MK for the afternoon.

Final thoughts about the race: I had just as much fun as last year even though it was about 30 degrees colder. I had packed all of my cold weather running gear and I wore just about everything I took with me. The on course entertainment was just as fabulous as last year even with the weather being as nasty as it was. Will I do it again, absolutely, I have already registered to do the GOOFY challenge in 2011. WDW is a fantastic place to run a race and I hope to be able to run many many more there.

This coming week I start training for my first marathon which is on May 1st. Wish me luck...

Thanks for reading.

Til next time run strong & enjoy the moment.