The Wine & Dine is Almost Here!

Over the last month and a half, much of my training focus has been geared toward getting my left Achilles working without pain or discomfort...and, fortunately, it has been cooperating; and with long runs back into double digits, I'm feeling really good that my Achilles has been feeling really good! In retrospect, though, it hasn't been a cup of tea. On top of my marathon training schedule, the added challenge of my Achilles injury brought an additional checklist into the mix:

• Taking things slowly and steadily on the pavement (Check)
• Undergoing self-administered deep tissue massage therapy to various lower leg trigger points at least three (and preferable four) times a day (Check)
• Keeping up with calf and soleus strengthening exercises at least three times a day (Check)

But during my 10-mile long run over this weekend, it dawned on me that I was (seemingly all of the sudden) just three weeks away from this...

...and I have to admit that I am pretty fired up about my first official Half Marathon!

In addition, as the father and husband in a Disney family (and I happen to be a pretty avid Disney fan in my own right), it's even more exciting that I'm undertaking my first official Half at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida!

So here a few things I know about the Wine and Dine Half Marathon, which many avid runDisney participants consider their favorite of the Disney's races:

• Fireworks will set the runners in motion on November 9th at 10:00pm...yes, it's a night race.
• The three-park race starts at Walt Disney World's Wide World of Sports, sends the runners over to Animal Kingdom, back to Hollywood Studios, past the Yacht and Beach Club resorts, and then off to EPCOT for the Finish!
• Following the race, participants and their families attend a Finish Line party that keeps going at EPCOT until 4:00am.
• The families also get to hang out at EPCOT while the participants are running, and they'll probably have full stomachs by the time their runners arrive because in addition to being able to ride a handful of rides in Future World, they'll also get to visit a few dozen food stations around the World Showcase. You see, this whole shindig takes place during the final weekend of EPCOT's International Food & Wine Festival!
• I'll have the opportunity to spend some quality time with my wife and daughter, as well as a whole bunch of runDisney runners (fanatics?) I've gotten to know over the course of the last year!

I don't know about you, but this sounds like a great time to me! And the good news is that it all happens in just 19 days!

In the interim, though, since it's race season, I guess I'll need to use my next post to recap the 10-Mile Pumpkin Run coming up this weekend in Jacksonville.

Until then, enjoy your journey!