My runDisney Story

If I’m honest, my runDisney story started way before I even knew that runDisney was a thing.

Perhaps even before runDisney WAS a thing!

As a kid growing up in small-town Northern Michigan, Walt Disney World was this magical, majestic place that I could only dream of visiting. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a Disney fan–fueled by my Aunt who is also a fan of everything Mouse related.

When I was younger she was a high school teacher, and she regularly travelled to Florida (by school bus!) with several dozen high school students as part of their senior class trips–and one day of the trip was always allotted for visiting Walt Disney World. Naturally, I wanted to tag along, and she told me maybe I could go when I was 10 years old.

So you better believe, the year that I turned 9, I reminded here where she promised we would be going the following year for spring break!

By that point, she was finished chaperoning senior class trips, but she was still a Disney fan-and the type of Aunt that spoiled my sister and I beyond limits-so the planning for my first trip to Florida began.

Fast forward several years, and when I decided I was going to run a marathon, there was no doubt in my mind that it would be the Disney marathon.

And with a click of the mouse, my runDisney story officially began.

In truth, my first marathon was supposed to be my first half marathon, but when I went to sign up for the race the half was already full. Being an idiot, I decided I might as well go ahead and sign up for the full!

So I did. And when I finished the race, I knew there was no way I’d ever run another marathon again. A half, maybe, but no more fulls.

Later that year, I ran the inaugural Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon, and I’ve pretty much been hooked ever since. I’ve completed the full twice more, the half (during Marathon weekend once), and I’ve run every incarnation of the Wine & Dine half so far.

Every year, for a variety of reasons, I tell myself I’m not going to run another runDisney race. And every year, the Mouse keeps pulling me back in.

Eventually, I’d like to get a Coast 2 Coast medal and also complete the Goofy Challenge, but as of now no plans are in place for either.

Highlights from My runDisney Story