Sinders99
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2015
HELLO FELLOW ROAD WARRIORS!!
This whole training journal thing is completely new to me, so please be gentle if it takes me a bit to get it right. First things first, introductions!
My name is Jennie. My husband (Adam) and I have been Disney fans for most of our 40 something years. We've visited a number of the Disney parks over the years but it was a chance encounter and the discovery of RunDisney that really kicked off my running journey about 18 months ago.
18.09.16-54 by Jennie G, on Flickr
In 2010 we visited our first US based park - Disneyland. During that first trip to the US we also took a Contiki Tour and our tour guide was an ex-Disney employee who actually worked in the RunDisney office and helped to arrange logistics. We'd never heard of RunDisney or that they held races that actually went through the parks!
For most of my life I've had an ABSOLUTELY NO RUNNING POLICY!! Silly I know, but I was never sporty, it was my younger brother that got those genes and even though I served in the Australian Navy I still hated running and exercise/sports in general. I think that really stems from a self belief when I was young that my brother was the sporty one so why bother.
To make matters worse I have a degenerative spinal condition where my discs are compressed and my spine over time will require fusion. I've got the Navy to thank for that. But then 18 months ago everything changed. I shook off my previous self defeatist attitude and met a physiotherapist who was a marathon runner. I mentioned in passing to my physio that I would have loved to run a Disney Half Marathon in the parks but that with my back condition it probably wouldn't be possible. Well, she gave me a dose of reality and together we began working towards that goal. Initially it was just to complete a 5km race, then a 10km and in August 2017 - although it wasn't a Disney Half Marathon - I completed my very first Half Marathon race!!
web-TVNA1352 by Jennie G, on Flickr
It wasn't a spectacular time - 2hr 50min 03sec - but it was a massive milestone and something I honestly never thought I'd complete. AND then came 2018
2018 was a huge year of change for us. We literally moved from one end of the country to the other. My training really fell by the wayside and as much as I tried to get back into a rhythm I just couldn't. I found my groove again around June and completed the City2Surf 14km race in Sydney. I was scheduled to run another half marathon in October but injury struck and on top of my back condition I also found out that I have a condition with my feet called 'curley or hammer toes'. Essentially my small toes curl underneath the toe beside it and means that I'm effectively running on top of my small toes. Not ideal, but like my back, where there's a will there's a way.
I should note that while I consider myself an enthusiastic beginner runner, my husband is not. He joins me on the occasional 5km or 10km race but has issues with his knees and supports from the sidelines and encourages me to keep pushing. He drives me to races, meets me at the finish lines and massages the sore muscles and I love him for it AWWWWWWWWW
So onto 2019!!
In the first couple of weeks of 2019 I suggested that this was the year to finally complete an onsite Disney Half Marathon. We first visited Disneyworld in 2016 and have been itching to go back so I've just been looking for an excuse - ANY EXCUSE WILL DO!! And he agreed!!!
I cannot tell you all how excited and how motivated I am to run this year's Wine & Dine series of races and I'm hoping that this training journal will not only help me record the journey but keep me focused and motivated. I always find I push harder if I'm accountable and sharing my journey with other like minded enthusiasts so I'm super excited to read all your journals and share your journeys along the way
This whole training journal thing is completely new to me, so please be gentle if it takes me a bit to get it right. First things first, introductions!
My name is Jennie. My husband (Adam) and I have been Disney fans for most of our 40 something years. We've visited a number of the Disney parks over the years but it was a chance encounter and the discovery of RunDisney that really kicked off my running journey about 18 months ago.
18.09.16-54 by Jennie G, on Flickr
In 2010 we visited our first US based park - Disneyland. During that first trip to the US we also took a Contiki Tour and our tour guide was an ex-Disney employee who actually worked in the RunDisney office and helped to arrange logistics. We'd never heard of RunDisney or that they held races that actually went through the parks!
For most of my life I've had an ABSOLUTELY NO RUNNING POLICY!! Silly I know, but I was never sporty, it was my younger brother that got those genes and even though I served in the Australian Navy I still hated running and exercise/sports in general. I think that really stems from a self belief when I was young that my brother was the sporty one so why bother.
To make matters worse I have a degenerative spinal condition where my discs are compressed and my spine over time will require fusion. I've got the Navy to thank for that. But then 18 months ago everything changed. I shook off my previous self defeatist attitude and met a physiotherapist who was a marathon runner. I mentioned in passing to my physio that I would have loved to run a Disney Half Marathon in the parks but that with my back condition it probably wouldn't be possible. Well, she gave me a dose of reality and together we began working towards that goal. Initially it was just to complete a 5km race, then a 10km and in August 2017 - although it wasn't a Disney Half Marathon - I completed my very first Half Marathon race!!
web-TVNA1352 by Jennie G, on Flickr
It wasn't a spectacular time - 2hr 50min 03sec - but it was a massive milestone and something I honestly never thought I'd complete. AND then came 2018
2018 was a huge year of change for us. We literally moved from one end of the country to the other. My training really fell by the wayside and as much as I tried to get back into a rhythm I just couldn't. I found my groove again around June and completed the City2Surf 14km race in Sydney. I was scheduled to run another half marathon in October but injury struck and on top of my back condition I also found out that I have a condition with my feet called 'curley or hammer toes'. Essentially my small toes curl underneath the toe beside it and means that I'm effectively running on top of my small toes. Not ideal, but like my back, where there's a will there's a way.
I should note that while I consider myself an enthusiastic beginner runner, my husband is not. He joins me on the occasional 5km or 10km race but has issues with his knees and supports from the sidelines and encourages me to keep pushing. He drives me to races, meets me at the finish lines and massages the sore muscles and I love him for it AWWWWWWWWW
So onto 2019!!
In the first couple of weeks of 2019 I suggested that this was the year to finally complete an onsite Disney Half Marathon. We first visited Disneyworld in 2016 and have been itching to go back so I've just been looking for an excuse - ANY EXCUSE WILL DO!! And he agreed!!!
I cannot tell you all how excited and how motivated I am to run this year's Wine & Dine series of races and I'm hoping that this training journal will not only help me record the journey but keep me focused and motivated. I always find I push harder if I'm accountable and sharing my journey with other like minded enthusiasts so I'm super excited to read all your journals and share your journeys along the way