About the Column
Disney travel experts agree on one thing: relax, take your time. But when it comes to Disney's marathons and other running events, they're wrong. In a race, you can't take your time. And you also can't show up with just your two feet expecting to win - or even finish! Preparing for a Disney marathon requires discipline, hard work, and good advice. We can't help you with the discipline or the hard work. But Robert Mathis, owner of DisneyRunning and one of the few people designated by Disney as 'Perfectly Goofy' for his frequent participation in their running events (since 1996!), has lots of good advice. So relax, take your time, and read his weekly column.
Learn about the author, too!
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On Your Mark!
Robert Mathis warms you up for the next Disney race
Truth in advertising here: I've never run a Disney race. One day, sure, but not until I've trained and toughened up. Problem is, where to get the training - let alone the toughness?
Well, the training is no longer a problem. Every week, Robert Mathis (who also runs his own site, DisneyRunning) will pull me - and you! - one step closer to the finish line of the next Disney race. I'm going to follow his advice and win a Disney marathon! Okay, fine, I'll run in a Disney marathon. And finish it. The winning part we'll keep optional.
Before we start our regimen, let's meet Robert Mathis...
Welcome to Running with the Mouse!
Here I'll be discussing Disney races and how to prepare for them. I will share my personal experiences about the races and some 'hidden' secrets that will help you enjoy them even more. As if that were really possible!
First, let me tell you a little bit about me. I'm Robert Mathis, and I'm a Disney fan. I own Disney Vacation Club and have been doing Disney races since my first at the 1996 Walt Disney World Marathon. Disney has added many new races and retired some old ones. And the races have changed dramatically over the years, becoming bigger and better.
For example, when I did the 1996 WDW Marathon, there were only 5000 runners; last year, there were 17000 runners.
I have done the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge since it started in 2006. The Challenge is to first run the WDW Half Marathon on Saturday and then the WDW Marathon on Sunday. In all, that's 39.3 miles in 2 days. Disney gives a Donald Duck medal to those who finish the Half marathon and a Mickey Mouse medal to those who finish the WDW Marathon. And if you finish both, you get the prized Goofy medal.
I am one of 158 people who have done all 6 (and counting) of the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenges. Disney calls us Perfectly Goofy and bequeaths upon us a special lanyard for our Goofy medals to mark our accomplishment.
I have also run of the shorter races, including the WDW 5K, Minnie Marathon 15K (retired), Tower of Terror 13K (retired), Race for the Taste 10K (replaced with the Wine and Dine Half marathon), Disneyland Half Marathon, and the Disneyland 5K.
In addition, I have run in over 40 non-Disney marathons and 40 Ultramarathons (races over 26.2 miles). I'm also the Race Director for over 20 races annually that cover distances from 5K to 100 miles.
And now I'm a weekly columnist on Disney Dispatch where, starting next week, I'll share tips, strategies, and hard-won knowledge about how you can better prepare yourself for your first - or your next - Disney race.
Stuff Not to Skip
- Walt Disney World Marathon
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/wdw-marathon - Wine-and-Dine Half Marathon
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/wine-and-dine-half-marathon - Princess Half Marathon
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/princess-half-marathon - Disneyland Half Marathon
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/disneyland-half-marathon - DisneyRunning
http://disneyrunning.com