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Early Morning Long Run

7 Reasons to Get Up and Out of Bed for an Early Morning Long Run

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Do any runners really enjoy hearing the alarm clock going off at 4:15 on a Saturday morning?

Didn’t think so.

Early Morning Long Run

Left the House at 5:04 am on Saturday

Yet week after week, myself and countless other runners drag ourselves out of bed, put away a couple cups of coffee, and head out for our weekly long runs.

But why?

If you’re struggling to get out of bed before the sun to go for an early morning long run on the weekends, here are 7 reasons to rise and shine next weekend.  Read more

Reflect on the Meaning of Memorial Day Weekend

5 Memorial Day Weekend Reminders for Runners

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Memorial Day Weekend is often considered the official start of the summer, though let’s be honest, it’s been summer here in Central FL for a couple of months now.

While you’re enjoying an extra day off of work, time with friends/family, and cookouts galore, here are a few things all runners should keep in mind this weekend.

Memorial Day Weekend Cookout

Memorial Day Weekend Cookout

5 Memorial Day Weekend Reminders

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Walt Disney World Marathon, Low Lights, Negatives,

11 Less Than Magical Moments About the WDW Marathon

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The Walt Disney World Marathon is widely regarded as one of the most “magical” marathons by many runners.

I’ve run the race three times, and I’ll likely do it again, but let’s accept the fact that there are plenty of “less than magical” moments over the course of the 26.2 miles as well.

Walt Disney World Marathon, Low Lights, Negatives,

Where the Pixie Dust is Missing

  1. The mile (or more) walk to the starting line. I mean, as if 26.2 miles wasn’t already far enough…
  2. The excitement as race time draws near is great, unless you’re in a corral that doesn’t begin until an hour after the race actually starts.
  3. Honestly, how many stinky dumpsters are there backstage?
  4. Speaking of stinky, there’s nothing quite like the smell of (literally) tons of animal poo as you start to get close to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
  5. Running in the parks is really awesome, but the bottlenecks that are created can be brutal.
  6. Two words–Osceola Boulevard.
  7. The guests at the Studios that have no clue there is a race going on and step off the curb right in front of you and expect you to avoid them. Seriously?!?! I’m 23 miles deep into a marathon, and you think I’ve got the energy to get out of your way? Just be glad I didn’t lower the shoulder, because I REALLY wanted to. (Can you tell this one hits close to home?)
  8. Guaranteed you’ll see at least 50 people (men and women) stopped along the side of the road to pee. I’m not condemning or casting judgement, because I’ve done it every time I’ve run the race, but it does take a little bit of the “magicalness” away
  9. The swag bag is basically swagless. Unless of course you bring your credit card, then you can get lots of swag. But seriously, for the price of this race, they can’t give us a 26.2 sticker with a Mickey head in place of the decimal point?
  10. Speaking of sparing no expense, I hope you’re not looking for much to eat after the race. I’ve run 5ks with a better post-race spread than a runDisney event.
  11. The last mile takes FOREVER! When you’re just walking around in the World Showcase the trip from England to Mexico doesn’t seem like it’s that big of a deal. But when you’re 25 miles into your race, that route seems unending!

If you’ve run the Walt Disney World Marathon, either this year or in the past, did I miss anything? Where else could runDisney use a little more pixie dust to cover up the less than magical moments and make an enjoyable race even better?

What They Don’t Tell You About WDW Marathon Weekend

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I can still remember back to 2010, the year I ran my first runDisney race–the full marathon during the WDW Marathon Weekend.

I remember going to the expo, feeling completely lost but eventually finding my way to get my bib and race shirt, before literally reading every word that was written about what to do on the morning of the race.

After running the race, however, I realized there were quite a few things that they didn’t tell me about making the most of out of the WDW Marathon Weekend and some of what they did say was complete BS.

I’m taking this year’s WDW Marathon Weekend off, but having run either the full or the half in each of the past 4 years, I’ve got a pretty good handle on what one needs to do in order to successfully navigate the expo, get to the starting line, finish the race, and enjoy the parks afterward.

If you’re running any of the WDW Marathon Weekend races this year, I hope this helps and that you have a great race.

And if you’re running the full on Sunday, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll be watching outside of the Studios. Look for the beard and make sure to say hi!


A Wine and Dine Chat

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The Wine and Dine Half Marathon is coming up quick, and I for one, am super excited that the race will be here in just a few more weeks!

This race is easily my favorite runDisney event that I’ve run, and I look forward to the race every year. I’ve run the race every year that it has been in existence, and I’m looking forward to making it a perfect 5 for 5 this year.

Wine and Dine, Wine & Dine

Looking Forward to Another Wine and Dine Half!

What Makes the Wine and Dine Half Marathon Special

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