Last April I sat in front of Facebook anxiously awaiting the announcement of runDisney's newest race. I was beyond excited when it turned out to be the TinkerBell 1/2 at Disneyland. We on the Left Coast needed another Disney run! I signed up that very minute.
Fast forward to January, 2012, about a week before the race. runDisney announced another Jeff Galloway meet up for Tink. You see, I have tried every darn time I have been running at Disney to get in on one of these things. And failed. So... when the time came to put my name in, I had almost no hope it would happen for me this time. I stalked runDisney's Facebook page all morning waiting for the time to submit my name. About 30 minutes later I got the confirmation I was in. I WAS IN!! It is a good thing you couldn't see me because I was running around my office in an excited frenzy.
The confirmation said I was to be at the Disneyland Hotel at 6:15 on Saturday, January 28th for the event. I only knew that it included a 2 mile run with 1972 Olympian Jeff Galloway and then a chance to meet with him. For me, this was next to winning the lottery. I was so amazed that I was chosen.
At the directed time I arrived to find I was the first runner there. It was dark and cold in Anaheim. They gave me a runDisney shirt and we waited for everyone to arrive. After all 30 runners were there we were told that Jeff would be there soon. It was fine to hang out because I enjoyed talking to friends I had met at other races, Joe from the Marathon Show, and meeting new people.
At some point Jeff arrived and we started running. We did a 20 second run/40 second walk. The only problem is that when Jeff was running it was much faster than I was comfortable with. The constant and quick change from running to walking and back was a little uncomfortable as well. We went through Downtown Disney and into Disneyland. Besides some staff getting ready for the day, we were the only ones there. Imagine it. Being only one of about 35 people in Disneyland!
Running through Downtown Disney
I wanted to take pictures, but Jeff was scooting along at a pretty good clip. I decided that it didn't matter. I stopped for pictures and then sprinted to catch up. Needless to say, it was a challenging two miles. Here are some more images from that morning:
When we arrived at the Hollywood Backlot in California Adventure we got a few more pictures:
Jeff Galloway. This man has been running for over 50 years!
Joe Taricani - THE voice of the Marathon Show (Check it out at www.marathonshow.com)
The Group Shot
After the photo shoot we went inside the Animation Academy for a Q&A session. We met staff members of runDisney. I have a new appreciation for their enthusiasm. It really seems like they all like their job. In fact - I think maybe I want one.
Then we got the opportunity to hear from Jeff. He talked a lot about his run/walk/run method. My friend Marlene and I used a 4/1 interval at Disney World and I had zero recovery. Galloway's method works. That guy is amazing. He runs marathons all over the country every year and avoids injury.
Actress Megyn Price was the next speaker. She was running her first half marathon the next day. She shared her fears with us. I shared with her that she really needed to take in the experience, you only get your first once. Later, in private, I told her to look at the race as her victory lap because all the hard work was done in the training. I was thrilled when she shared that advice at the start line the next day!
After the Q&A we met the star of Disney:
The next announcement came as a total surprise: We were going on a tour of the Disney Dream Suite! RunDisney, "Of course it is totally optional. Does anyone want to skip it?" Um... let me see... a Disney secret that the public does not have access to? GOING... DUH!
Because it is a secret, I may or may not tell you about it later. But I will tease you with this picture and one small fact about our tour. Many of us cried. It is a special place, to say the least.
Thank you runDisney. You made this Disney Girl very happy. I will be back. I will runDisney as often as possible! I will continue to stalk your page. Please pick me again!
That is so exciting. That would be a dream come true!
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