FROM: Running with the Mouse Published As Needed

The Running Zenn of Jenn

I'm not much of a runner. Sure, I'll run up to the buffet when they replenish the sashimi tray, but that's not exactly a marathon, is it? Jennifer Lazzaro once despised running. (Yes: despised!) But no more. How did that happen? It's a great story...

- by Jennifer Lazzaro, May 3, 2011

Hello, everyone!

First, I want to say a huge "thank you!" to Bob for asking me to contribute to the Disney Dispatch. I always read 'Running with the Mouse' when it was written by Robert Mathis, and I know that I have some big shoes (uh... sneakers?) to fill.

I hope my articles will be just as helpful and interesting.

Bob's Three Cents: I have no doubt!

Jenn Gets Up to Speed

Let's start with a short history of how I went from a reluctant runner (habitual walker is more like it) to the crazy Disney running fanatic that I am today. I like to tell this story to people who are skeptical about running and doubt their ability to do it. I'm a huge believer in the rule that if I, of all people, can become a crazy runner, then so can ANYONE!

Until 5 or 6 years ago, I hated running. Despised it. With a passion. There are no words for the amount of disdain I had for putting one foot in front of the other at a speed faster than walking.

That changed when I joined a new gym. The owner was urging his members to run in the local 5k (3.1 miles) and help raise money for a good cause. After some begging and pleading, he somehow convinced me to participate, though only with his promise that I could walk instead of run.

Race day came and, hate to admit, I enjoyed the excitement.

I slowly jogged the race and finished in one piece. Dare I say I had a good time? Shhhh!

The following year, I ran that same 5k, and finished a little better than I had the first time, which ignited the fierce competitor inside me. I loved pushing my limits. It wasn't about a race or a competition against other people, it was about challenging myself.

I knew I'd never become an elite runner, but challenging myself to do better each time I ran was a goal worth striving for.

Jenn Runs Her First Disney Marathon

A few years and a few more short races later, I mentioned to my friend Steve, who had recently finished the Disney Goofy Challenge, that running a half marathon was on my bucket list. I still wasn't a huge fan of running, but we talked about it for awhile, and in a moment of insanity, I registered for the 2010 Walt Disney World Half Marathon.

I've been a huge Disney fan my whole life, so if I was going to force my body to run 13.1 miles anywhere in the world, there was no place better to do it than at Disney. But the second I clicked 'Register', I felt a wave of nausea. WHAT had I just done?? I've never run more than 3.1 miles, and now I've committed myself to a competitive run of 13.1 miles!

Fast forward to January 2010... race week!

With the correct training under our belts, my best friend and I flew down to Disney, and the second I walked into the race expo, I knew that I had made the right choice in picking Disney as the site of my first big race.

The camaraderie was overwhelming. So were the number of people in the race! But everyone was there to have fun. Disney sure knows how to put on a good race, and it's a race I will never forget.

The characters and spectators along the route were amazing. Running down Main Street, U.S.A. and through Cinderella Castle got me so choked up and overcome by tears that I had to slow down and compose myself. I still couldn't believe how far I had come to be actually running this far, and doing it at Disney!

Crossing that finish line is an experience I hope everyone will have a chance to achieve. It's one of the main reasons why I began to blog about Disney running.

Jenn Becomes a Marathon Machine!

Since my first Disney half marathon, I've ran the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon and... you ready for this one? My very first full marathon this past January, also in the World.

Me! The girl who despised running!

I didn't think that my emotions could have been any more extreme than after that first half marathon in 2010, but wow, was I wrong. Running 26.2 miles was a very big challenge for me, but I knew that it was mainly a mind game. If I put in the training, which I did, I was certain my body would get me to the finish line, which it did.

When I crossed the finish line, and when I felt the medal being placed around my neck, I might have cried like a baby - but that's between me and the person handing me the medal, right?

To further the tradition of pushing myself, and to prove to all of my friends that I am absolutely insane, I've decided to test my limits even more for 2012. I've registered for the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge, consisting of the Disney half marathon on Saturday followed by the Disney full marathon the very next day.

Crazy? Definitely. But let's call it Goofy, instead.

In future columns, I will share as much Disney running information as possible, including tips on Disney running and racing, and whatever I think will help you achieve your dreams as I've achieved mine. I'm happy to address specific topics, too. Just leave a comment and tell me what you'd like to see!

In the meantime, happy running!

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