As the once wise Dorrie told us “What do we do? We just keep swimming!” I don’t often follow the advice of cartoon fish but in my case recently I have found it to be something I go back to. I have begun the long process of training for the Walt Disney Half Marathon in January 2012. I have already chronicled this in an earlier post and so I thought I would add a quick update. Running is not something I particularly enjoy doing, unless there is a ball to chase or an immediate result. So training for a race that is months away and at a distance that I have never run before has definently seemed daunting. So I have had to find motivation in several different places each time I lace up those running shoes.
One obvious motivation is the fact that I have already committed myself financially to this race. One night I causally asked my wife ifshe thought it would be OK if I flew from Denver to Walt Disney World in January to run the race and much to my surprise she responded with a quick “Yes, Why not!” Not expecting that answer I was taken back, but I didn’t wait long to sign up and pay for my spot in the race. I have also reserved my resort stay (All Star Sports) and have begun to save for my park hopper tickets and dining (reservations made). With that much already invested I need to make good on my end and make sure I fulfill my promise to get this race accomplished. I mean if I ever want to do this again I better finish this race and have something to show for it.
Another motivator is the fact that I am using this race to get me off my couch and show my family and friends that my health is important. I am not terrible physical condition but I also couldn’t say that I am in the condition that I should be. I have used the runDisney site as my advice as to how I should train and I must say that have started me out at place that I can start to feel the progress. The training regimen consists of Tuesday and Thursday runs of 30 to 45 minutes, as far as you can go in that time. The Saturday run starts at manageable distances and then gradually increases as the race day nears. I run as well as I can and when I need to walk a little I do, but those periods of walking are becoming shorter and shorter. Part of this process is the confidence you gain each time you got out and run knowing that you can do this and that you won’t die when you are done. My goal is to run the race and finish, and you must run at least a 16 minute mile or get swept (removed) from the course. I know now that I can do this and I “Just keep swimming!” each time I get out and run.
Lastly a major motivator for me is to know that when I finally do run my race I will be running in one of the greatest places on earth. I have a feeling that on race day my excitement will be hard to contain. If I have prepared as I should I can enjoy the experience of running in the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and that is the main reason why I wanted to run this in the first place. I know that when I am finished with this race I will wear my Donald Duck medal with such a great deal of pride that it will be hard to ever take that medal off. I know that in each of our lives we need motivation to do all the things that we need to do. I hope that all of you can find that thing that you think is impossible and then go out and find those reason to do it. I want you to remember to “Just keep swimming on!”