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Running with the Mouse

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.

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FROM: Running with the Mouse Published As Needed

What's In A Name

Disney runners have their own special names for completing certain events or a series of events. Today Robert explains some of the latest nicknames.

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As a Disneyit and Disney running nut, I love to get as many medals and titles as possible. I have done all 6 Goofy Challenge’s 6(and counting). I have done all four Coast to Coast Challenges(and counting). I have medals from almost all of the current and most of the retired Disney races. That just isn’t enough for us crazed Disney runners. We have created our own titles for completing a series of races in a race weekend.

My favorite (which I have done twice personally) is the “Dopey”. It is not officially recognized by Disney and no extra medal given but has a loyal following. It is a personal badge of courage that you can wear along with the 4 medals Disney does give you. It consists of doing all 3 races at the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. That is doing the 5K on Friday morning, the Half Marathon on Saturday morning and to top it off the marathon on Sunday morning. It is basically doing the 5K and the “official” Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge. This means 42.4 miles of running in 3 days. This is a daunting challenge. To me, the main challenge is getting up 3 days in a row at 2:00 am. The lack of sleep and rest wears on you after the 2 days and makes the marathon even more difficult than normal.

If you are not up to that, you can you can do the “Max”. This is named after Goofy’s young son. It is comprised of doing the 5K and the Half Marathon. It is not up to the Goofy but still requires the discipline of doing 2 days in a row and 16.2 miles. No small achievement in any way.

And another new one created thanks to the new Tinker Bell Half Marathon in Jan is the C2C2C(Coast to Coast to Coast) which entails the WDW Half Marathon or Marathon, the Disneyland Tinker Bell Half Marathon 4 weeks later, the Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon and then the Disneyland Half Marathon. This means at least 52.4 miles of Disney Running and at least 6000 miles of traveling.

With Disney adding more races, there will be many new “unofficial” running monikers. It is still not to late to join the fun in January. The races are filling up fast. Come join me as I try to continue my Perfectly Goofy streak!

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