171: She's "Pop"ular! Mayra the runDisney Support Superstar!

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
3 am again.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Why did I ever think this was a good idea?
Welcome to the Rise and Runpodcast.
Join our group of Run Disneyfriends.
As we talk about running atWalt Disney World and beyond.
We'll discuss recent runs,training, upcoming races and
surprise topics suggested by you, our listeners.

(00:30):
Well, the alarm's gone off, solet's go.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
Good morning friends.
This is Michelle from the snowglobe's snowiest town in the
United States Erie, pennsylvania.
It is a balmy 17 degrees and Ijust finished the Santa
Snowflake 5k.
I hope everybody training forall of their races are somewhere
less snowy and warmer than here.
Happy running everyone.

Speaker 4 (00:57):
That is Michelle from a very snowy, very cold Erie,
pennsylvania.
Thanks for leaving that for us,michelle.
Hello my friends, welcome toepisode 171 of the rise and run
podcast.
I'm bob and this week I'm herewith john.

(01:19):
Happy new year, bob.
Happy new year john.
With greg hey, hey, hey.
With Alicia Hello.
And with Jack.

Speaker 5 (01:27):
I want to say Happy New Year to everybody too, you
can, Jack you just did Now.

Speaker 4 (01:34):
This will tell our friends what kind of exciting
lives we lead.
We are, in fact, recordingepisode 171 on New Year's Eve,
and we're happy about it too.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Well, listen, we got to hurry up because John's just
going to go across the riverthen, so he can go to Times
Square to watch the ball drop,so we got to hustle up here.

Speaker 6 (01:56):
Okay, john, have you ever done?

Speaker 5 (02:00):
that.

Speaker 6 (02:01):
No, I have to like get there like real early, and
once you get in the corral youcannot leave.

Speaker 4 (02:12):
And there are no porta-potties in there no
porta-potties.

Speaker 9 (02:15):
That's not right.

Speaker 4 (02:16):
It's true, but it's not right, but it's a fact no
backpacks, no blankets, noumbrellas.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah, I have heard it is one of the most overrated
experiences that one can have.

Speaker 4 (02:29):
I've never done it never going to.
I've been close to Times Squareon the year's eve, but I've
never been in Times Square and Idon't think I'm going to do it
either.
Let's see my friends, sincethis week our guest is the bus
stop superstar Myra from PopCentury.

(02:49):
If you've been on a bus comingout of Pop Century on a race
weekend, you know exactly whowe're talking about.
By the time you finishlistening to this episode, I'm
going to bet a bunch of you aregoing to book Pop Century for
your next race, just so you cansee who we're talking about.

(03:10):
It's fun Looking forward tothat we're going to have,
because this and this will be atheme of the first part of the
episode.
This is the last episode thatwill drop before we are all
together at Walt Disney Worldfor Marathon Weekend.
So a rise and run tradition.

(03:32):
Our friend Mark is going tojoin us to sing a song that he's
sung the last three years norace report spotlight.
The race report spotlight.
The race report spotlight willreturn in 2025.
It's a favorite thing of mine,but, gosh, at this time of year
it's just too hectic and wecan't squeeze it in.

(03:53):
But it'll be back, my friends.

Speaker 9 (03:55):
If you enjoyed the Rise and Run podcast, please
share us with your friends andintroduce them to the Rise and
Run family.
We want to share in their RunDisney journey.
Please remember to follow us onFacebook at Rise and Run
Podcast, instagram at Rise andRun Pod.
Check out our YouTube channeland visit our webpage at
risenrunpodcastcom.
If you have a question, comment, race report or want to

(04:16):
introduce an upcoming episode,call us at 727-266-2344 and
leave us a recorded message266-2344 and leave us a recorded
message and my normal plug.

Speaker 4 (04:26):
We are out of recorded messages, so we're
hoping to hear from you, please.

Speaker 6 (04:34):
We also want to thank our Patreons, who support helps
us keep the Rise and Runpodcast rising and running.
If you'd like to join thePatreon team, please check
patreoncom.
Slash rise and run podcast.
And we'll like to thank ournewest Patreon, jeff, who joined
at the happy running level.

Speaker 5 (04:46):
Hey, jeff all right, you guys, and if you haven't
checked it out yet, just lettingyou know that we put out a new
episode on youtube, which I'msuper excited about because it's
my 100 miler at daytona oh,cool jack, I didn't even know it
was up there.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Jack, thanks for making me cry on Christmas Eve.
By the way, I want to thank youfor that one.

Speaker 4 (05:09):
You're very welcome.

Speaker 5 (05:09):
You're very welcome.

Speaker 4 (05:11):
I got to see that.
I'm really looking forward toit.

Speaker 5 (05:14):
It's up on there and I also do want to say I do
promise that I do have thegravity yoga stuff coming.
I thought that I would be ableto be more um flex like flexible
slash, be able to stretch moreafter the race.

Speaker 1 (05:33):
I physically have not been able to stretch for the
most part, and I'm stillrecovering.

Speaker 5 (05:36):
So I apologize, it's going to be happening.
Um, I was really hoping it tobe before dopey.
Um, but um, I'll keep you guysnotified awesome.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
The rise around podcast is sponsored by our
friends over at magic boundtravel and, as of day of release
I think this is a prettyimportant reason why you might
want to reach out to our friendsat magic bound is starting
today, january 2nd.
Guests who are traveling towalt disney world in the summer

(06:11):
of 2025 can get the famoustrumpet noise in the background.
Free dining is back, it lookslike it's available for most
nights, may 27th through June26th and July 7th through August

(06:32):
6th.
So even though unfortunatelythere are no run Disney races
happening at Walt Disney Worldduring that time, if you're just
looking for a summer vacationthat you want to take with your
family, go tomagicboundtravelcom.
Get that no obligation quoteand I'm sure our friends can run
all the numbers for you on towhether or not that free dining

(06:55):
makes sense for you and yourfamily.
So again, magicboundtravelcom.

Speaker 4 (06:59):
You know, Greg, it might be a good thing that there
are no runs while they're doingthe free dining plan.

Speaker 5 (07:04):
Oh yeah, you want to go on out.

Speaker 4 (07:05):
Because that's a lot of food.
You know that is a lot of food.
It's a neat thing.
I used to do it.
It's neat.
It's neat to walk into therestaurant and say give me this,
this and this and not worryabout the price.
But it's a lot of food.
You pay for it somewhere, bob.
Oh, of course, I thinkeverybody knows that.

(07:27):
But it's a very popular.
Not entitlement, it's a verypopular.
What's the word I'm looking for?
Incentive, incentive or acampaign, or it's a very popular
thing that they do at DisneyWorld.
I know a lot of people areexcited about it, so very good.
Hey again, I don't really havealibis or apologies, but I've

(07:49):
got a couple of runs I want tomention that have slipped
through the cracks in theholiday season here.
My first note says that Kathydid the Indie Brew Ho Ho Ho, 5k.
And if there's anything moresignificant than that, I don't
have a note on it now.
Mary and this is uh significantmary did the jingle jog in

(08:13):
winston-salem, north carolina,her first ever 5k, therefore a
pr.
Now I hope I haven't missed toomany others.
I do my best, I promise.
Let's look at the trainingcalendar.
Oh my gosh, here we go.
I always flashback at this timeof year to a time in June when

(08:34):
I said all right, marathontraining is beginning, marathon
training.
One week from tomorrow,recording time.
One week from today, releasetime is the 5K.
One week from tomorrow,recording time is the Expo.
We're one week out, kids.

Speaker 5 (08:55):
Sweet baby Jesus, isn't it?

Speaker 4 (08:57):
amazing it is.
It's just amazing to me tothink about all that.
We've gone through all thetraining.
Now there are seven miles onthe training schedule this
weekend.
Your training is done.
Those seven miles aren't goingto make or break you, but it's a
really good idea to do them.

(09:18):
Take as much time as you wantto walk them if you want to, but
get the seven miles in and thenthere'll be, I think, six next
week, the Saturday before raceweekend.
Get those in too, so, or I'malready at no, wait a minute,
wait a minute.

Speaker 7 (09:34):
This is a.

Speaker 4 (09:35):
Saturday yeah.

Speaker 7 (09:36):
Golly we're there.

Speaker 4 (09:38):
This is the Saturday before race weekend, but get
them in, it'll really help you.
There's going to be.
If you look at your calendar,no-transcript.

(10:19):
Four weeks now, three weeksafter Disney World, disneyland
half.
You are in training week 14.
And if you are doing thechallenge, you have four and
twelve and a half miles.
Four miles on Jeff's calendaris a walk, twelve and a half is
your run walk.
Princess Weekend PrincessWeekend is seven weeks away.

(10:44):
These are all going to be herebefore we know it.
We're in training week 11.
Now it depends on whetheryou're doing the half or the
challenge.
The half, you've got threemiles, the challenge, you've got
four.
And there's a magic mile onyour schedule this weekend.
That's always a good time tokind of gauge where you are.
Remember, the magic mile is ameasuring tool, it's not

(11:05):
necessarily a training tool.
Springtime surprise is now 91days, 13 weeks away.

Speaker 6 (11:16):
Three months man, it's just time just flies.

Speaker 4 (11:22):
Wasn't it just Christmas?
Oh yeah, it was just Christmas.
Wasn't it just Christmas?
Oh yeah, it was just Christmas.
Wasn't it just 2024?
Doesn't it seem like justyesterday it was 2024?
That was also last year, bob.
All right, springtime SurpriseTraining Week 5 is a three-miler
Training update, as I said atthe top.

(11:44):
If you're, if you're trainingfor marathon weekend, I'll use a
phrase that's been going aroundthe customized training group
quite a bit the hay is in thebarn, just don't mess it up.
What?
This is unscripted.
We didn't talk about this goingin gang.
Going into the last week beforerace weekend.

(12:08):
Is there anything special thatyou do to make sure you're ready
?
I'll give you an example.
I wash my hands all the time,but the weeks leading up to race
weekend I must wash my handsfive or six times a day.
I don't want to catch a coldfrom anything, so I'm just even
that much more careful.
Or when I go into or out of apublic restroom and I have an

(12:30):
advantage here I don't press onthe door where the plate is, or
I press way up at the top whereI know nobody else can reach Up
and down stairs, I try to keepmy hands off the handrail little
things like that.
Uh, up and down stairs I tryand keep my hands off the
handrail little things like that.
I personally, I get a fluvaccine, I get a COVID vaccine
before the race season starts,before wine and dine.

(12:55):
I'm a big advocate, but if youhaven't done that, I wouldn't do
it now, not this close.

Speaker 2 (13:01):
I would wait, I would wait this episode brought to
you by the CDC.

Speaker 4 (13:08):
But are there any things you guys do Watch your
diet or anything?

Speaker 6 (13:12):
Holiday weeks before marathon weekend.
That's kind of tough, Bob yeah.

Speaker 4 (13:18):
Yeah, that's true, jack, you had something you do.

Speaker 5 (13:21):
Yeah, I usually will think about packing the weekend
before.
Yeah, yeah, and then I'll tellmyself a date that I'm going to
do it, and then it happensusually either the night before
or the day of.

Speaker 4 (13:33):
That's okay.
Do you use a checklist forpacking?

Speaker 5 (13:39):
Yeah, but I don't.
It's funny, I make thechecklist and then I don't
usually go back through it, so Idon't understand why I make the
checklist sometimes.

Speaker 1 (13:47):
Well, you know.

Speaker 4 (13:50):
That is absolutely a jackpot.
I signed up for the race but, I, don't look at anything.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
I just sign up for it and then I run it.

Speaker 5 (14:00):
The only time I've actually used, legitimately used
my checklist was for Daytona.
That was the only time.
I think.

Speaker 4 (14:06):
I've ever actually looked back at it.
Dopey's a good time too, though.

Speaker 5 (14:10):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll see.

Speaker 2 (14:14):
Well, jack, I'll, I'll, I'll go off of of what you
were saying about packing whatyou know how.
Like you know, the night beforerace, like the really popular
thing to do on social media isto do a live flat picture to
make sure that you haveeverything.
I essentially do that when Istart the pack, I find my guest
bed and then I just start layingthings out by day in terms of

(14:40):
race outfits, park outfits,kuchamata, go along with
everything else, and then I justlet it sit there.
So then that way, when I do gothrough the checklist, you know,
and then that way you knowthank God we have Amazon Prime
you know that if you know lastminute like we'll talk about in
a little bit Say you might needto make an adjustment to your

(15:02):
costume because of the weatheror you need to get something to
help keep you warm, I canimmediately go to Amazon.
Or you know the Target down thestreet or something like that
you know to get those lastsecond things.
And that way I'm not like superrushing.

Speaker 9 (15:17):
On that note too, greg putting your fuel in
baggies, especially if you'redoing dopey or goofy, to have
them ready in baggies,especially if you're doing dopey
or goofy, to have them ready.
That way you can just have itall ready to go and make sure
you have everything that youneed for the race day.
It's a helpful thing.
When I've done dopey in thepast I even marked on the baggie

(15:38):
.
I wrote 5k, 10k.

Speaker 4 (15:41):
Well, not the 5k, but whatever day it was, yeah Right
.
So continuing on with this andyou've kind of started it, if
you're making a checklist and Idon't want to go through the
whole checklist, but if you'remaking a checklist, what are
some things you would put onthere that you think others who
haven't done this before mightnot think about it?

(16:03):
Now, alicia, you alreadystarted talking about it with
fuel.
I think that's a good one, andkeep in mind that the weather is
forecast to be chillier inFlorida than it's been in quite
a while.

Speaker 6 (16:16):
I always pack those Mylar blankets even if the
weather's not going to be cold,because you never know if a cold
front pops in one morning.
You got a Mylar blanket and I'dbring up.
I usually bring one, one, oneor two to the race in the

(16:36):
morning because if I need it orif one of our friends needs a
Mylar blanket, we've got ablanket.

Speaker 9 (16:42):
No, that's so kind of you.
One thing that people may notthink of is bringing a reusable
water bottle.
Especially if you're doingdopey, where you're doing
multiple days in a row, or ifyou're doing the half or the
full, you're going to want tohydrate before the races and
that way you have it easilyaccessible and can take it along

(17:02):
with you when you're going outand about and meeting friends
and doing all the things.

Speaker 4 (17:09):
Okay, I'm going to bring the Mylar blankets.
We've already talked about HotHands.
That's a brand name, but HotHands, I was introduced to them
at the Jeff Galloway event thathe moved to March because
Atlanta is so lovely in thespring and it was 19 degrees
that morning and uh, I think itwas Caroline, I'm not sure One

(17:32):
of my lovely customized trainingplan friends introduced me to
hot hands and they were great.
So I'll have those and I willalmost certainly get some uh,
cheap throwaway type rainponchos or jackets, because it
might rain but they also addsome warmth and they're easy to

(17:53):
take off.
Jack, what do you got?

Speaker 5 (17:56):
So I know I'm not great at looking at the
checklist again, but I amfantastic when I make one.
I think so.
So I'm going to toot my ownhorn by also adding this little
tidbit note.
I'm going to give you a littletwo, a little A and a little B,
and the first one is is ifsomething is so extremely
important that you don't want toforget it, just put an alarm on

(18:19):
your phone and label whateverit is that you need to do, like
pattern wise and make sure it'slike packed before you leave,
like have that alarm set for theday before so you could just
double check it.
And the other part of it is yourphone might die during the
marathon if you're doing themarathon or really even the half
marathon.
So always setting an alarm tomake sure everything is fully

(18:40):
charged before you leave, or ifyou bring in an extra charger
with you, like those like whatare those?
Like little portable ones thatyou can like yeah, fuel rods
yeah, those are great to have.
Um, put them like in a littlebaggie, a little plastic baggie,
so that way the sweat doesn'tget into it.

Speaker 4 (18:57):
But I mean, make sure everything's charged um, yeah,
you know, honestly, I've neverand I'm pretty slow, I've never
lost battery power on my phoneon a marathon.

Speaker 6 (19:09):
You don't listen to music or other stuff.

Speaker 4 (19:11):
That's true, I don't.
That's right, that's that's.
That's a good point.

Speaker 6 (19:14):
I know some of our listeners use the apps on their
phone.
You're using a lot of power.

Speaker 4 (19:20):
Yeah, mine's just in my pocket.

Speaker 2 (19:22):
The one that I was going to say, and maybe it could
be an afterthought because ofwhat is being forecasted, but
make sure you do not forget yoursunglasses.

Speaker 4 (19:33):
Oh yes.

Speaker 2 (19:36):
Because if we do get a little bit of wind and it's
coming directly at you, at leastthat will help your eyes and
such, it's coming directly atyou, at least that will help
your eyes and such.
And then the other thing and Iknow I mentioned this on last
week's episode when we werebreaking down the event guide
but especially for the halfmarathon and the marathon, there
are going to be stretches wherehopefully we get some clouds.

(19:59):
But especially for the halfmarathon, when you're going
south now on world drive, if youare middle to back of the pack,
uh, the same can be said forthat stretch from the ttc down
to animal kingdom during themarathon, and then even animal

(20:19):
kingdom to like blizzard beach,where there's not a lot of shade
.
Um, you know, to hide into thatsun is going to be right down
on us.
So you know again, even thoughit's going to be cooler than in
past marathon weekends, you know, to help shield your eyes, um,
I think that's a vitallyimportant oh, the sun still is.

Speaker 4 (20:38):
Yeah, the sun's still as bright, regardless of the
temperature.
Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 6 (20:42):
Something else to think about with your checklist
and I don't I thought Jack wasgoing to there Anything that's
very important to you,especially if you're flying
bringing your carry on.
Yeah, do not put it in yourchecked luggage, because, or at
least keep a pair of runningshoes that you know are
comfortable.

Speaker 9 (21:01):
Absolutely.

Speaker 6 (21:02):
At least one race outfit that you want to wear.
So, if somehow your luggagedoes somehow not wind up in
orlando with you, you havesomething to race with instead
of trying to buy something atthe expo and feeling horrible
about it yeah you know, john, II thought about it and then I

(21:24):
forgot about it halfway throughthat thought, so that's probably
why I didn't go in thatdirection, but I'm glad that you
said it.
Also, I know.
A couple of months back, uh,Jack and company put out a video
on our YouTube channel of whatto pack for a race weekend.
I remember we did that, yeah,yeah so you can go back on our
youtube channel and look forthat stuff too there you go oh,

(21:46):
oh, let me, can I piggyback offof that?

Speaker 2 (21:50):
I don't know I hope you remember another video that
you yourself edited and uploadedto our youtube page.

Speaker 5 (21:56):
John just let like little light bulb.
He like pushed that littlelittle hanging thing.
It's on, Okay and we're good.
So another great video.
If you've never done MarathonWeekend or you've never done a
weekend, a Run, Disney Weekendat Disney, go ahead and check
out what it's like at DisneyExpo.

(22:19):
That is a wonderful video forinformation.
Or even about the one videothat we had about the.
What is it?
The like 20 things that youmust remember before going on a
Disney race or something likethat.

Speaker 4 (22:32):
Yeah, I've forgotten all of those.

Speaker 5 (22:33):
but I should probably look at a screen.
That would probably tell me alot of things, but I'm just
going to leave it there becauseyou know that's just me.
I'm sorry.

Speaker 4 (22:43):
Well, that's good stuff, jack.
Sorry, that's good stuff, jack.
That's why we love you, darling.
All right, good stuff.
Now, that wasn't all inclusive,my friends, and we didn't make
any attempt to be, but there'ssome ideas of things you don't
want to forget about.
Sit down, think it through,make your own list, Look online,
look on our Facebook groups.
You will find friends who havechecklists that will help you

(23:06):
out.
And it's smart.
I don't care how many timesyou've done the race.
In fact, coach Twiggs wassaying this this morning and
he's spot on.
It's not the new runners, notthe first time dopies, not the
first time marathoners whoforget things.
It's the folks who have done itseveral times to get very
complacent and go oh yeah, I can, I can do that yeah.

(23:28):
All right.
Hey, as we wrap up 2024, I'm Iwant to ask my friends two
questions, and we'll take themin order.
What was your best favorite,whatever?
What was your highlight run for2024?
And what are your goals forrace year 2025?

(23:52):
Who wants to start?
I'll start.
I'll start.

Speaker 6 (23:55):
So I only did a couple of races this year but I
think going to Bird in Hand andfinally running that race, I
think that was a highlight racethis year.
Good.

Speaker 4 (24:10):
Yeah, that's a good one.

Speaker 9 (24:12):
So I only did run Disney races this year and so I
am going to say my favorite andthen an honorable mention.
So my favorite was actually thewhole springtime surprise
challenge because it was reallyfamily oriented for the
Reitherman family um and I, Ireally just had a great time.

(24:32):
And then my honorable mentionis the marathon, because I mean,
I can't not say the marathonwhen it was my seventh one and
I'm just grateful for my body,um, so yep it.

Speaker 4 (24:45):
Yeah, of course marathons are always significant
, but yeah, that springtimesurprise weekend I don't know
that's become kind of specialthe last year or two.

Speaker 5 (24:54):
Yeah, it's always a fun race weekend it is it is,
I'll hop on the train rightthere with you.

Speaker 2 (25:00):
I think, as much fun as I had at Bird in Hand this
past year.
I think for me, the 10-milerduring Springtime Surprise was
probably my favorite race of theyear because, similar to what
you were saying, alicia, aboutthe idea of our community and

(25:21):
our friends, and you know thesefriends who are becoming part of
our extended family, oh forsure, I feel like from the 5k up
through that race, like therunning group just got bigger it
did yep, and you know we alwaysyou say that you know running
with a friend makes things somuch better.

(25:42):
But when you're running with agaggle of friends, it, you know
it takes that excitement leveland that level of fun and
exponentially blows it throughthe roof.
And I just liked how I'd likeeach character stop.
We just kept picking up moreand more people and you know,
and then even you know I've beengrinding, I know I specifically

(26:04):
said the 10 miler but, like youknow, if you look at that whole
weekend in general, you knowthe Peter Pan follow the leader
as we finished off the 5K.
I mean like that.

Speaker 9 (26:15):
That was so much fun.

Speaker 2 (26:16):
Yeah, that's a core memory for sure.
That was so much fun.
Yeah, that's a core memory forsure.
So, yeah, I mean, I'd even goso far to say that at least in
like my run Disney rankings andI don't know if this is a hot
take or anything like that.
I think for me, SpringtimeSurprise is starting to usurp
Wine and Dine.
I have so much fun during thatweek because I think it's

(26:38):
because the you know thedistances are, you know on the
lower end, I think it creates somuch less pressure.
I mean sure we still have, youknow, paces that we need to
abide by and such, but I justthink it's it's.
It just has a different vibe toit and I think that vibe allows
for you to you know, really,really PR and fun.

(26:58):
Yeah, so for me, 10 milerduring Springtime Surprise.

Speaker 4 (27:01):
See, no pun intended here, no double entendre, but I
think that this has caught us bysurprise.
I think when SpringtimeSurprise came along, initially
the reaction was kind of muted.

Speaker 9 (27:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (27:16):
You know, where's Star Wars?
What are they doing?
They're supposed to be changingthings.
Why is it only 10 miles, andnow that we've grown into it, it
really is becoming somethingspecial.
Who do I leave it?
We haven't heard from jack yet,have we?

Speaker 5 (27:31):
so I only did six races this year.

Speaker 4 (27:33):
I was really trying to think about what I did yeah,
but you probably did more milesthan the rest of us.

Speaker 6 (27:38):
Just a little bit In one race.

Speaker 5 (27:42):
I really, truly want to say my favorite race of the
year was Daytona, but I'm goingto put that as an honorable
mention.
Okay, yeah, it was pretty epic,as much as it was miserable
during the second half.

Speaker 4 (27:56):
It was hard too.

Speaker 5 (27:57):
Yeah, I got to run one of my dream races this past
year and I forgot it evenhappened this year because it
happened in january and um, I'vealways dreamed about running
through disneyland and to methat was just so beyond magical.
To run through pixar pier, Iremembered and I'm going to say
the 5k especially was myfavorite one because it was just

(28:19):
felt so magical.
I felt like I had the wholepark to myself.
Um, because I was, I was reallyspeed running to get past
through the crowd and once I wasout of the crowds, I was like
it was just I don't know, it wasjust so cool.

Speaker 4 (28:33):
No, you had to explain that to us, Jack.
We have no idea what you'retalking about.

Speaker 5 (28:41):
But to start a race in the park and end it in a park
you never like and have most ofit in the park is you don't get
to do that at really mostdisney races, I feel like.

Speaker 4 (28:47):
So that's, that was my favorite I can't disagree
with anything that's been said.
I love it the the one for methis year this was this is
almost unfair, but the end ofdopey number four back in
january was a week after Iturned 70 and I got to push my

(29:09):
buddy woody almost the entireway.
Yeah, I mean, that's almost likecheating using that one my best
of 24, but without question itwas my best of 24.
I'm not sure they'll ever topit.
We had uh, we had lots of otherreally, really outstanding
races, and by golly I do.
I don't care how long it takesme to finish.

(29:31):
As long as I finish, I justenjoy meeting up with the family
and and going together.
So they're all great, but thatone's will always be extremely
special for me.
All right, 24 is just a couplehours away from being over.
Friends, what are your goals andI'm not putting any parameters

(29:53):
on it what are your goals for2025?
Goals for 2025.
Goals.
Look, my goals are just tofinish.
Okay, finish, dopey.
That's one.
I've got a couple destinationraces this year.
I'm going to Flying Pig for thefirst time.
I'm looking forward to that.
I'm going back to Bird in Hand.

(30:16):
I'm looking forward to that.
I don't.
I'll be back at the Disneyraces, but I'm not sure what
I'll do in them.
I'll be at all of them, but mygoal let's see is to still be
running at the end of the year,still be having at it.

Speaker 9 (30:35):
So I know 2025 is mere a couple hours away.
Um, and I'm still working on mypersonal goals.
But my running goals I reallywant to focus on getting faster.
That was my goal in 2023 andthen some life stuff happened.
So I want to get back to that,because I've really spent this

(30:55):
last year on endurance, um, andthen continue with um strength
training and hopefully at somepoint, try for a PR.
If that's for the marathon, ifit's for a shorter distance, I'm
not really sure yet.
We're going to see how the yeargoes, but, um, those are my
running goals.

Speaker 5 (31:14):
So I I don't know why I didn't think dopey was next
year.
I'm like, oh, cause next yearis in a few.
In a few hours I messed with mymind.
I was like I don't know why Ididn't think Dopey was next year
.
I'm like, oh, because next yearis in a few hours.
I messed with my mind.
I was like I ain't doing anyraces and I was like, wait, no,
I am.
I would like my legs.
My goal is to have my legs atleast somewhat recovered for me

(31:34):
to be able to complete Dopey.
I've been able to go on one runand I did two miles and I can
confidently say right now Icould do a five can and 10 K.
I am a little not confidentabout the half and the full, but
I still have about a week and ahalf, so we'll see.
So that's my goals to be ableto complete dopey.
So I could say I did Cruella todopey and um then the rest of

(31:58):
the year I just want to have funwith running.
I don't want to put pressure onmyself by choosing a race
specifically.
If I want to go and do a race,I'm going to go and just be like
, okay, let's just go and havefun with it and not make it a
time goal or a distance goal ofany kind.

Speaker 4 (32:13):
That sounds great.

Speaker 5 (32:14):
Yeah, because I'm getting married in 2026 and I
want to have fun and not stressout getting married in 2026 and
I want to have fun and notstress out.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
so for me and I know this is this is a very cliche
thing to say around this time ofyear but my, my ultimate goal
for for 2025 is is to loseweight.
I, I got, I got to a pointduring the pandemic where I I
lost a substantial amount ofweight and even I want to say I

(32:49):
think it was like 2022, I wasable to maintain and then and
then drop a little bit more.
But you know, life, life's andI just I know I have a a very um
, unhealthy relationship withfood.
Like it's weird, like I, theexercise part of it is not, is

(33:10):
not an issue for me If not, I,you know, I wouldn't be on a
running podcast but it's.
It's the nutritional side ofthings where I really, really
struggle.
So I know there's many mindsetchanges that I need to go
through, so I need to startexploring those, because I'm not
interested in fads and I don'twant to put overall pressures on

(33:34):
myself.
So, even though I don't think Iwant to set a goal, I want to
be this weight or I want to losethis many pounds in 2025.
That's not the goal, because Ifeel like if, if I put like a
specific number on it, I'mreally good, I could set myself
up for failure.
So, but the idea of justcreating healthier habits that

(33:56):
in turn, will lead to ahealthier lifestyle, which then,
I hope, will then translateinto, you know, easier times
with running, which will thenhopefully turn into being able
to become faster and maybe setnew PRs.
I want to take the healthylifestyle portion and let it

(34:17):
morph into the, into the running, and see where it takes me.
As opposed to this is thepoundage.
this is the this is the racedistance and this is the time
that I want I.
I just wanted to naturally um,you know flow in the right
direction, and I know I have anamazing community, not only with
my wife and my daughter, buthere on the podcast and also
other family and friends, soit's something that I know.

(34:41):
That will not happen overnight,it will take time, but it's
something I need to get moreserious about in the upcoming
year.

Speaker 6 (34:48):
I think my goal is kind of the same.
I want to get a littlehealthier.
I had some injuries this year.
I had a bad case of planters.
That still kind of bothers me alittle bit and I hopefully that
goes away and I can.
I want to try to get a POT thisyear and I haven't had one in a
while.
So I think that's my, my goal.

(35:08):
It's not I don't know, even ifit's a 10 K POT to get a half
marathon that's, that's good.
I mean, don't need to go too toofar yet.

Speaker 4 (35:20):
Oh, I'd like to do that too, john.
Yeah, that would be great,alright, well, alright, friends,
sounds good, sounds good.
I hope Maybe we'll play thisback at the End of 25 and see
how we did.
I don't think we'll really dothat, but what the heck, it
sounds fun right now.

Speaker 6 (35:39):
Jack, put it on your checklist, jack, oh yeah, for
sure.

Speaker 2 (35:42):
I'll remember exactly where that's at and I won't try
and put it through the washerlike I just did my wallet you
know, I I actually havesomething that I want to throw
out to the gang here and we didnot talk about this, so surprise
, but but.
But I think this is somethingthat we need to talk about.
What was your favorite 2024podcast memory, whether it was a

(36:10):
guest or a meetup or something?
Jack said.
You know something along thoselines.

Speaker 5 (36:17):
My favorite recordings that I've been so
blessed with being part of thishost.
I would like to say that theFamily Feud episodes were my
favorites to record this year.

Speaker 9 (36:31):
They were very fun the two of them.

Speaker 2 (36:34):
Jack, I'm right there with you again.
I think for me, from arecording standpoint, right
there with you again, I, I thinkfor me, from from a recording
standpoint, the uh, the familyfeud episodes were an absolute
ton of fun.
And then I would say, from alike live in person perspective,
I, I think I can't just putthat one any meetup during this

(36:57):
year.
So I got to be between marathon,weekend, springtime, surprise
quasi bird in hand and wine anddine.
You know you go to those youknow regardless of the weekend
and you think that it can't getany more special or it can't get
any any bigger.
And then you're just sosurprised and it brings, it

(37:21):
brings such joy to my life.
Um, you know it's, it'ssomething that I I hold on to
forever and I hope that thatfeeling continues into 2025
family feud episodes were greatalso.

Speaker 6 (37:34):
I really liked what we did this year with the final
four episodes we did.

Speaker 9 (37:39):
Those were really fun .
Final four.

Speaker 2 (37:42):
The March Madness style shows.

Speaker 6 (37:44):
Oh my god, I forgot about those Because it was in
March.
Yeah, yeah.
That was real fun.
We've got to do that again thisyear with a different.

Speaker 4 (37:55):
We will, John.
We will Don't Restaurants.

Speaker 6 (37:59):
But Shh Don't tell Restaurants, but shh Don't tell
anybody.
Yet Don't tell anybody.

Speaker 9 (38:03):
I've just been so grateful of all the new people
we got to meet through thepodcast this year and the
amazing guests we've had on.
Every time we have a newinterview and a new person that
we're meeting, we're all alittle nervous.
We're like, how is this goingto go?
And we make a new friend, a newfamily member, and it's just

(38:25):
really fun to bring new peoplein um and just create a bigger
and more great family.

Speaker 4 (38:33):
Alicia, I'm going to piggyback and say mostly the
same thing, Cause I just, whilewe were talking, I just went
through the list of all theepisodes for last year and I was
thinking, Ooh, I remember thatguy.
That was.

Speaker 1 (38:46):
Ooh, this girl.

Speaker 4 (38:47):
Everyone, every one of them.
I was just so happy.
And gosh, who was.
So many people, of course,chris and Jeff were with us, as
usual.
We haven't talked to Chris in awhile.
He needs to come back.
Chris and Jeff were with us asusual.
We haven't talked to Chris in awhile.
He needs to come back.
Golly, we re-ran Taryn, butjust so many, so many folks.

(39:10):
When we talked with Matt aboutcarrying the flags which, by the
way, we get the flag from the5K at Marathon Weekend oh yeah,
yeah, we'll get it after matt'sdone carrying it.
Uh, it's just one after theother, the one that, uh, jack,
that you set up for the vacationraces I forget the name that
was.

(39:31):
That was fun um.
Our council of costumes cameback uh uh, coach stokes britney
came back and we haven't talkedto britney for a while.
I'm waiting for I don't want tobother her till the baby's here
yes you know what our d23 talk?

Speaker 5 (39:52):
yes, yeah, that was fantastic you know what I think?

Speaker 2 (39:56):
yeah, you'd have to parse things out, but I think
those two episodes were some ofthe most downloaded episodes
that we had this year.
I mean now, usually our recapepisodes are the most downloaded
that we get.
But yeah, those two episodeswith Amanda definitely rank up

(40:18):
there.
I know her original episode, Ibelieve, is in our top five ever
most downloaded episodes.
So, yeah, I always lovechatting with her and we need to
find a good excuse to bring herback for sure?

Speaker 4 (40:30):
OK, yeah.
Remember when we talked withJonathan Siebert?
Yes, yeah, that was fun.
I still haven't met him.

Speaker 9 (40:37):
Yeah, he's doing dopey, so hopefully we'll get to
see him sometime, I lovetalking with Fitz Kohler.

Speaker 4 (40:43):
She's a blast.
I'll see her in February at theGasparilla run.
So I'm copping out and saying Ican't really pick one.
I just enjoy the heck out of it, and one week after the other,
I'm looking forward to next year.
We'll see who else we can getto join us.
We got to get the marathonwinner, oh yeah, every year, hey

(41:08):
, and we always get the femalewinner.
And if you wonder why, manytimes the male winner is a
Brazilian, who may or may notspeak English well, so that's
kind of a cop out.

Speaker 6 (41:23):
So if you know a male winner this year and he speaks
really good English, let us know, let us know.

Speaker 4 (41:28):
We have never had the male winner.
We've had the female winner,starting with Brittany and then
the last four years.
Now hasn't it been?

Speaker 2 (41:35):
every year of the podcast, we we've had the female
winner of the marathon.
It was Stephanie and Katie.

Speaker 6 (41:38):
Katie been.
Yeah, every year of the podcastwe've had the female winner of
the marathon.
Yep it was?

Speaker 2 (41:41):
it was stephanie, and uh, uh, katie, katie.

Speaker 4 (41:42):
Yes, yeah that's fun, katie.
You just won the uh walt disneyworld marathon.
What are you going to do now?

Speaker 6 (41:51):
I'm going to the rise and run podcast and we did have
neely on as a winner when shebeat one one, one princess, yeah
yeah, one princess all rightout, that's right.

Speaker 4 (42:02):
That's right.
I knew we had that's the otherperson.
I was getting confused.
Thank you, john, that's right,all right.
Well, it's fun, friends, it'sfun, but we're getting closer to
midnight, so what do you say?

Speaker 2 (42:14):
we visit with our guests for the week there are
are many people within the RunDisney community who are
institutions throughout a RunDisney race weekend.
Some of those might includeJeff Galloway, carissa Galloway,
pelkey Jogging, jack Sparrow.
Those are just a few, butthere's one woman who holds a

(42:35):
very similar title, but thething is we might never see her
at the start line or finish lineand she is one of our biggest
supporters.
If you have ever stayed at popcentury for a race weekend, I
think you know who I might betalking about.
We would like to welcome myrato the rise and run podcast.

(42:57):
Myra welcome.

Speaker 7 (42:58):
Thank you so much for joining'm very honored and
happy to be here with you guysthis evening.

Speaker 2 (43:03):
We are so excited.
It's funny when I met you and Iasked you to be on the podcast,
I love what you said to me andthat was sure I'll do it, but
I'm a little shy and I had tolaugh because I don't think that
is the case whatsoever.
And I had to laugh because Idon't think that is the case
whatsoever.
So, before we get into thewonderful stories and the

(43:25):
wonderful relationships that youhave made when you work one of
these events, what is yourofficial title?

Speaker 7 (43:34):
I am your liaison for transportation.
I am there to make sure thatour guests have their buses when
they're supposed to be thereand that everything runs smooth.
Interaction with guests that'smy own thing.
Most of us that work this eventthere's quite a few of us in

(43:55):
the backseat that you guys don'tsee.
Everyone is just to be in thebackground and kind of make sure
that the buses are running andeverything is going smooth.
The way that I am is somethingthat you probably won't find
with anyone else within our workenvironment, because it's not
required, it's not asked andit's even not even mentioned.

(44:17):
And it's even not evenmentioned.
I create my own kind of momentwith these individuals, with all
our guests, with all of therunners.
A lot goes into having themcome into the Disney property,
into planning, and I go throughthis with a lot of them the
planning, the preparation, thegetting up, the, you know,

(44:39):
staying on your toes, thepracticing over and over all
these extended hours that youput into it, and that's not even
encountering everything elsethat comes with it.

Speaker 4 (44:50):
Mara, what time do you get there on race day?

Speaker 7 (44:54):
On race day around 1.30 in the morning.

Speaker 4 (44:58):
I figured we are supposed to be there at 2.30 in
the morning.

Speaker 7 (45:00):
I figured we are supposed to be there at 2.30 in
the morning.
That is our official start time.
I try to get there a little bitearlier to go over to ESPN,
make sure that everything is setthere, kind of see what the
roads look like, because we dosometimes have people that come
in park at these places andshuttle in.

(45:22):
So even though it's not part ofsomething that I have to do it
just for my own benefit, itmakes me calmer.
I'm happier when I know thateverything is the way that it's
supposed to be.
I know that our runners have alot in their heads already to
plan and everything.
So anything that I can do on myside to kind of just take that
part of it, the ease part out ofit, then I'm going to do it.

Speaker 2 (45:45):
You know, myra.
One question that I thought ofthat that I should have asked
upfront is help us delineate Areyou an official cast member of
the Walt Disney company?
Do you work specifically forRun Disney or do you work
specifically for the bus company?

Speaker 7 (46:03):
I actually.
It's none of those oh okay, howabout that.
Okay, your bus company RunDisney hires.
I'm not a cast member.
Yeah, I know that's weird.

Speaker 4 (46:14):
I'm surprised at that , yeah.

Speaker 7 (46:17):
Disney's very close to my heart, just like all the
runners, so I guess that's oneof the things we have in common.
That's a common bond Disney Run.
Disney hires a company calledAcademy to run all kinds of the
bus routing and all of that.
Okay, once Academy is hired,academy hires us TMS for our

(46:41):
staff to make sure that busesare where they need to be, that
everything is running smooth.
There is a total of 11different more like 16 different
properties, but there's 11routes that are running
constantly during these eventsand they're all running together
at the same time.
So we have staff located at allthese resorts to make sure that

(47:04):
everything is running smooth,that buses are where they're
supposed to be, that the timing,that we don't have guests
waiting too long, that kind On atypical work environment.
We usually hire academy for ourbus people and we run the show.
This is where the tables turnedfor our company, where Academy

(47:27):
was hired by Disney, and theyhired us because they know how
well we run these kinds ofevents.
You know this is just a weekendevent which we do a lot of and
too many props, but we do thisall the time wherever we go,
whether it's a sporting event, amusical event, a golf event,

(47:49):
one of these major festivals,musical events, all these things
we do with the company, so weare very comfortable.
But usually we don't get tointeract with our guests like we
do at Disney because the tablesare turned.
So for me it was a huge pluswhen they announced that.
You know, academy had it and weobtained the contract.

(48:11):
My first question was which onehas the largest amount of people
?
A lot of my counterparts arevery afraid of large crowds and
groups and this I wanted to makean impact because I love our
Disney folks and I feel them atheart, just like I am.
So I wanted to make as big ofan impact at the biggest

(48:32):
property that we could find.
So my counterparts know me andthey're like oh, let her, that's
perfect, because we don't.
You know, there's otherproperties where buses come
around and you see five or sixpeople at one time.
Pop Century is one of thoselargest ones out of them all,
where we have the bulk of people.
Even over at the All-Starsthere is that amount of people,

(48:58):
but they're scattered in so manydifferent stops that when the
buses pull up you see it's onlythree people here, five people
there, 10 people here, that kindof thing, and by the time they
come around to all the stops,you've got a bus full.
At Pop Century we have busesfull right from the curb.
So for me that is a huge bonusbecause I get to talk and

(49:18):
interact with lots and lots ofgreat people on that curve.

Speaker 4 (49:22):
Lots of crazies real early in the morning.

Speaker 7 (49:24):
You know what.
It doesn't feel like that to me.
I know a lot of people are likethis is nuts.
I can't believe the videos youpost of the people, how they're
dressed.
It's very part of me.
I think, that if we didn't seethat it just wouldn't be.
I mean, there's so muchexcitement and there's so much
bubbled up energy that we allhave because we all want to be
there and everyone that's thereis there of their own will.

(49:46):
I mean, they put a lot ofeffort and thought into being
there, so it's huge for meanyways, and a lot of people
have that essence, that vibe,that energy.
It's a two-way street.
I mean I see it with everyoneand it's great to pull up and
see thousands of people lined upand everybody.
It's a thing in the morning andwe've made it a thing and a lot

(50:08):
of the other guests that havestayed with us and then they go
somewhere else, like the Riviera, or they'll go to Blizzard
Beach or any of the other areasaround the Yacht and Beach Club.
They're like or they'll go toBlizzard Beach or any of the
other areas around there, theYacht and Beach Club, they're
like it's so quiet, it's soincredibly boring.
And then they say, why don'tthey have?

(50:29):
And I said you got tounderstand that what you have
happening at Pop Century it'sour own.
It's a two-way street, ourguests and myself and we've
created this energy bubble therethat you can call it, and it's
there and you're welcome to comejoin.
But on our side it's notrequired by anyone anywhere else

(50:50):
.
It's just something thatorganically became a thing.
And it just became a thing.
Yeah, you know.

Speaker 4 (50:57):
It's true.

Speaker 8 (50:58):
Now everyone associates you with being
stationed at pop century.
But have you worked at any ofthe other resorts?
Or follow-up question Do youget assigned to pop century
because you've been thereforever and that's where you
have established your bubble, orwas it just by chance that you
just started doing pop century?

Speaker 7 (51:21):
it was a choice, um, when, when this came through, a
lot of like I said, a lot of myfolks.
I work with a lot of these,these people that are there all
over the country.
We do travel a lot, we goeverywhere and everyone knows me
for the same thing.
Um, I'm very energetic, I'mvery bubbly, I love people.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
I'm a true people person that's not coming across
right now.
For some, reason.
I don't know why.

Speaker 4 (51:43):
You'll fix it in post .

Speaker 7 (51:45):
And I enjoy, whether believe it or not, my Disney
people is definitely somethingthat it's a perk for me.
But I'll go to a music festivaland I'll wear the beads and the
colors and the headdresses butI don't have that interaction
with the guests like I do withDisney Because, again, like I
said, our tables were turned.
But at all these events, thebus drivers I have very good

(52:08):
kinship with bus drivers fromthe East Coast, the West Coast
and everywhere in between wherethey see me and they remember me
and I kind of create a bond.
My way of being, I guess youcould say, is I try to bring
some sort of happiness and joyto anywhere and everywhere that
I go, the way that I see thingsin life, whatever you put out

(52:29):
there, you get tenfold.
So even if I'm doing somethingcrazy I might be in the middle
of the desert loading buses fora Burning man event.
Oh, really yeah oh yes, I workthat and, as a matter of fact,
on my my thing, you'll see myanomalia, my stickers oh yeah,
yes, and I have been there.
And if, if, no one else isaround, you better believe I

(52:50):
have music playing.
I'm dancing by myself with atree sitting in the grass, just
being joyful internally.
You got to create your own joyinside.
That's my, my and if I can makesomeone out there's day if
they're not having a good dayfor whatever.
I've made connections withpeople that I never thought I
would see again in California, Isaw them again in Philadelphia,

(53:14):
so I'm in Texas, justincredible.
Even the run Disney team myvery first dopey that I worked
the marathon, the DopeyChallenge.
There was a gentleman and hehad his dopey shirt and you know
, we created a thing.
We were at Pop Century Fastforward.
About eight months later, I amworking the Best Buy Convention

(53:36):
in Las Vegas and I see someonewalking across the corridor and
I see the dopey shirt.
So I start going woohoo,congratulations.
So what is that?
It's a 40 something, whateverthe minus 48.6.
That's right.
So I yell it out.
I said, woohoo, 28.6.
Let's go.
And he turns around and he saysthat voice and he goes wait.

(54:00):
And he turns around and he saysthat voice and he goes wait a
minute.
And I look at him and Irecognize him and I said, oh my
God, you stayed up and he's likeI know, when you were the bus
lady we had a moment, that'swonderful, even though it had
nothing to do with Disney.
I saw the shirt.
I still brought that on.
And now people are going what'sgoing on here?
Like how do they know eachother, like how do you?
And then we explained I said no, he ran the Disney race and
blah, blah, blah and it was athing.

(54:21):
And he went and got some moreof his friends and brought them
over and we had a picture andthis was Best Buy had nothing to
do with Disney.
So if I can bring that, or ifI'm doing something quirky,

(54:42):
funny, whether it's a sneakersthat everybody adores, the
sneakers that I wear with lightson the bottom, they see that
somewhere and, even if for onesecond, it just makes them smile
and say, oh, I remember her andher crazy ways.
Look at, that's enough.
That's a good vibe.
There's, there's more need ofthat.
Wherever we may be in our lives, you know, and you might be
having that one moment, thateverything is just not where it
should be.
And you'll remember somethingthat happened, some some quirky
saying, whatever.
You know that I would telleveryone on the bus oh, flash

(55:03):
your medals, but only flash yourmedals, please.
Something that just it'llresonate with them and then
maybe somewhere along their lifesomething will spark that
memory and it'll just bring thegood vibes.
That's kind of what I want todo with everyone you know yeah,
I do, it's nice, you know.

Speaker 4 (55:25):
I don't know.

Speaker 7 (55:26):
It seems like pop has become the unofficial
headquarters for disney runnersit has yeah it's one of the
larger properties between thatand coronado springs is the
other one.

Speaker 4 (55:37):
That's a very large property as well, but it's more
spread out, spread out, yeah.

Speaker 7 (55:42):
And you also have the All-Stars, but it's bungalows
everywhere.

Speaker 4 (55:46):
Again yeah.

Speaker 7 (55:47):
Or you have that kind of thing, Pop.
Everything is kind of close byFunnels into the one, yeah.
You have the Skyliner.
You have access to all the otherbus areas where you want to go
to downtown Disney or MagicKingdom or any of those places.
You have that ability when youstay there.
I know a lot of people sayyou're promoting pop.
It's not that, it's just veryconvenient.

(56:07):
It is the closest to your ESPN,which is when we have.
When everyone comes in theyhave to go and get their bibs.
It's the closest, so you'rethere and back.
You have connections toeverywhere.
In a couple of minutes you'reat 417 I-4.
You are very that property.
It's very accessible foreveryone to get where they want

(56:29):
to go visit around and it's ahuge property and it's become a
thing that a lot of folks wantto stay there.

Speaker 4 (56:36):
And it is a little bit more affordable than some of
the others too.
Correct, correct, that doesn'thurt.

Speaker 7 (56:41):
You know this is something that a lot of you
didn't know when we started thiswhole thing, you know, from the
very beginning I was at Art ofAnimation.
First because I run both sets.
We had two young people at PopCentury.
Myself and another young manwere at the Art of Animation.
From there I left them aloneand I came to Pop Century to

(57:02):
kind of drive back and forth.
That's when I said you knowwhat?
Art of Animation is smaller, sowe'll put a group there and
then I'll come to Pop Century.
And because this is a largergroup here, Now the manager at
Pop Century I believe his nameis Mike.
He is amazing.
He watched four or fivedifferent marathons that I was

(57:23):
there and it was always the samething Very loud, very obnoxious
in the morning, four in themorning, till all the runners
came in, I was there for them.
Like I said, you grow a bond,you know, and even if you win
the race or you don't, sometimesthey need that.
It's okay.
You made it here, you wentthrough planning, you practiced,
you gave it your all.

(57:44):
You put 100% of yourself intothis, Okay.
So the medals there, that's notthe important part, the part
that you were here and you didall this.
That's what's important.
Take a moment to take in thewhole experience of everything
you just went through to get tothis moment.
So it's special.
So once you create that withour friends that I considered,

(58:07):
oh, I'm going to go hang outwith 2,000 of my friends this
morning.
That's the way I see it, youknow.
It's something special and itbrings them back and it brings
that little memory again, thathappy thought later on, wherever
that may be.
A lot of people just oh I.
You know we have avid runners,don't get me wrong.
They want to go, they want tocome back and that's that's
great, you know, that's fine.
But then we have other onesthat want to prolong the

(58:28):
experience, want to have a goodtime while they're there and and
just enjoy themselves.
And if I can make it better,I'm definitely going to do that
and I love being around them.
And the hours are crazy and thecoworkers are all like you're
insane.
You're the only one that's likebut, I, enjoy it.
It's every time the marathonscome around.
I look forward to each andevery one of them.
And now it's known with ourpeople.

(58:51):
It's like because it's one ofthe largest properties.
Whenever you have a hugeproperty, it takes a lot more to
manage that property, to makesure that everything is the way
it should be.
It has a lot to do with yourconnections with the drivers.
It has a lot to do with theconnections with the folks.
It has a lot to do with yourother counterparts If you are,
more than anything, veryrespectful with our drivers.
But a lot of drivers also, youknow, have their way of doing

(59:15):
things.
They've been doing this for somany years and they have been
jaded because they aremistreated by the people that
load the buses.
So every once in a while you'llget a hiccup with a driver here
or there.
I have been very, very fortunate.
I treat my drivers very well.
So in our spot when we need abus, there's always buses.
There's hardly ever any issueof buses taking too long.

(59:38):
Ada or the wheelchairaccessible vehicles for our
folks that need to ride onwheelchairs with their families
and friends.
You know all these littlethings.
It takes these drivers if youare good to them and you're nice
to them, and the same that Itreat my guests, I treat them
when you need them to dosomething for you.

(01:00:00):
You better believe it.
They're going to be front andcenter for you immediately, no
questions asked.

Speaker 4 (01:00:04):
That's nice.

Speaker 7 (01:00:05):
Yeah, and it does.
You have to kind of build arelationship with them, because
they are maneuvering in theseproperties with 50-plus people
on board and they've been uphours and have these lives in
their hands.
And they've been up hours andhave these lives in their hands.
So I'm very fortunate to havereally good bonds with our

(01:00:27):
drivers.
And even if it's a driver thatis on my route and I know that
they're having an issue atwhichever one else, you know,
the one that's, the ones that'snext door, is what is that?
The all stars?
I'll call the kids that arerunning that and I'll say, hey,
how you doing out there?
And they're like, oh, you knowwhat, I'm short, I need three

(01:00:47):
buses.
I have people in line.
I said don't worry about it,I'll go to my drivers.
I say, hey, could you guys dome a favor, can you pick up
these folks and take them andthen come back to me?
The drivers absolutely noproblem, because I try to
explain to my counterparts.
Talk to your people, let themknow as much as you know.
That's all folks ever want isjust to know what's happening,

(01:01:09):
what's going on, what time ofthe bus is going to be there.
There's so many questions wehave in our heads.
Answer as many questions as youcan.
Trust me, when that 2 o'clockin the morning rolls around,
you're gonna love it.
You know there's times that Isit back at that curb at three.
You know I always tell them twoo'clock, we start loading it to
2 30, we let you go and then Ikind of already got my bearing.

(01:01:32):
So I kind of know about yourcorral numbers and and I'm
always constantly askingquestions and updating things
whatever I can in my head togive as much information as
possible.
Yes, we're in a digital age.
Yes, everything is online.
But as an older person younotice I wear these.
You give me a text message.
It's going to take me 20minutes to read.
I got to put the glasses out.

(01:01:53):
I got to make it bigger.
I got to make it bigger, right,thank you.
Right, and you have to gothrough a process and a lot of
our folks are like, oh well, Isaid, come ask, come ask.
If I don't know the answer, I'mgoing to find you the answer
and it's going to be one that'sgoing to.
I mean, people still have theirway of doing things and I
understand that.
But if I can give you anyinformation.
That's going to make it easierfor you in the morning.

(01:02:14):
Trust me, it's going to bebetter for you and me.
We're both going to have agreat time and everyone's gonna
end up leaving happy, which isthe mango.
That's it.
And then, at 4 30 in the morning, I'm sitting on the curb.
Everybody left, there's nosilence, and another 30 drivers,

(01:02:35):
because by this pointeveryone's there, everyone's
ready to roll, and the drivershave come back to me and said
well, what else do you want usto do?
I said you guys did what youwere supposed to.
You're good.
Now you just get to relax untilafter we start shuttling them
back.
And I guess that's what makes adifference, because a lot of
these other posts still havepeople Because the bus didn't
show up, because this didn'thappen.

(01:02:55):
Talk to your people.
I said it makes a huge, hugedifference.
Talk to them.
That's all you need to do.
Tell them what's going on,answer their questions.
You know, and get to know them.

Speaker 4 (01:03:07):
They're going to be back.
They'll be back, that's right.

Speaker 6 (01:03:11):
So this is a question about to run Disney weekend in
the buses.
So one of the questions is thebus drivers, do they try to get
the same hotels every raceweekend?
Or try to say, I want to be atpop, I want to be at all star,
and are they staying at the sameresort the whole weekend to run

(01:03:32):
that show, or they get movedaround?

Speaker 7 (01:03:36):
The way that it works is normally.
They all get moved around.
However, can I be on Myra'sroute?
Can I be on Myra's?
route, yeah, when you have 100bus drivers and they all want to
be on my route number one.
It makes me feel amazing.
That's the first and foremostSecondary.
Not everybody can be on thatroute, so they try to shuffle

(01:03:57):
them around as best as they can.
Whoever gets there first getsfirst dibs.
A lot of the drivers will askfor the same route, but they are
trained on every single one ofthese resorts and they can move
around to any.
And when they check in they geta kind of like a pamphlet right
With every route in thispamphlet with the physical

(01:04:20):
address of the resort and theturn-by-turn directions on how
to get there within the propertyitself From Epcot to the resort
resort to Epcot or from theresort to ESPN and vice versa.
So they all have the knowledgeand they've been doing it long
enough to know.
And they also have a trainingday.
Before any of you, beforeanything happens, these drivers

(01:04:45):
are given a day to be drivenaround the properties and they
get to see everything.
So they're very comfortable.
Where they're going Now thechoice of where they want to be.
It just sometimes our you know,our counterparts are checking
in these buses and they areassigned a certain route.
This is where those numbers.
We are number 11.
And, like I said, we're so goodat being number one, they give

(01:05:06):
it to us twice.
That's my latest joke for thegroup Good one.
They are very comfortable withRoute 11.
Route 11 is very easy but it hasthe bulk of people.
So sometimes when the otherroutes have a hundred people for
the whole morning, here we areat 1700, 1800, 2100, you know,

(01:05:26):
so it does.
But a lot of them prefer that.
They they want to be on thatroute because they know how
folks are, they know that folksare educated enough.
Uh, people come in, they get inand they get their job done and
everything is you know.
But a certain time we're good,we're golden, everything is fine
and we get it.
You know, every once in a whilewe'll have a couple of
stragglers that didn't realizethat at four o'clock in the

(01:05:48):
morning it's running late.
If you're on corral A or B youbetter bring as much pixie dust
as you can because we can getyou to the race.
But getting you on your corralyou're on your own.
At that point it's very andit's difficult.
When you have you know you'resetting your own arm, and I know
it because it even happens tous.
I get very excited about it andyou're like, okay, I got to go

(01:06:09):
to sleep, I got to go to sleep,and our folks get there and
they're running around allaround.
Oh, let's go to the magickingdom for a couple hours.
Okay, let's go eat at atdowntown disney.
Okay, we're gonna go shop forthis.
You don't realize.
You just put 12 to 20 miles onyour yeah, yeah, absolutely
because where you park to whereyou go eat, it's a hike.

(01:06:30):
And then you got to walk back,and then when they drop you off
to your room, it's a hike, andlet's say, oh, now you want
something from the snack bar.
Now you're gonna, you know,quarter of a mile here, and all
these little bids add up and youdon't realize it till you have
that.
You know that they always saythat last, what is it?
The last kilometer is thehardest one, because now

(01:06:52):
everything falls on you.
You know, and you realize thatyou know you did, oh, but you're
in Disney, oh, you're in Disney, so, and you forget till you
sit down and then you realize,oh, I might be in trouble.

Speaker 2 (01:07:08):
All right, myra, I want to go back to something you
said a little bit earlier aboutthe relationship that you've
developed with the manager atPop Century, and the one thing
that I've noticed and I I saw itat pop during wine and dine and
I know bob and I, you, you andI have experienced it at porter
lean's french quarter is thatwhen we arrive back, we've been

(01:07:30):
seeing this awesome trend oflike welcome back celebrations
you know whether it's a step andrepeat or a photo frame, or you
know the, the, the Disney bunswith like I'm celebrating like
little bottles of water andstuff like that.
With the relationship that youhave with the, with the managers
, and just your infectiouspositive energy.

(01:07:52):
Did you have a hand in any ofthat planning or is that
specifically you did?
Wow, that, that's incredible.

Speaker 7 (01:08:00):
Tell us about that said no question about it.
When we first started this, itwas very quiet on that curve and
I made noise and I started withjust clapping.
Then I brought my own personalcowbell and I stayed there and I
clapped and I welcomed and Idid this for three marathons in
a row without anything.

(01:08:21):
And then one day, over at thewhere I am station, right across
, there's a parking area rightin there I saw this gentleman,
very well-dressed gentleman, midafternoon Everybody was heading
to expo very well-dressed, justkind of sitting there and just
watching, watching In the cornerof my eye.
I'm always very aware of mysurroundings, so I said, okay,

(01:08:43):
well, that seems odd and I justlet him be, I just keep doing my
own thing.
The next day he showed up, andhe showed up when they were
returning after the race.
This was on the half a marathon, so it was probably maybe like
nine-ish or something, and hewas watching everything that was
happening.
Shortly after that I want to saythe very next marathon Mike

(01:09:04):
came up to me and asked me if itwould be okay, if I would be
happy to have some cast memberscome help me greet the folks
when they get off the bus.
I was ecstatic.
I was like, oh my God, yes, yes, bring them, all of them, I
don't care.
Yes, yes, yes.
Oh my God, great idea,phenomenal, blah, blah, blah.
So he brought over three youngladies and they had the white

(01:09:26):
Mickey Mouse hands, which wasreally cute, and they helped me.
That grew into hey, do youthink that they would like a red
carpet coming off the bus?
Oh my goodness, yes, bring it,bring it, bring it.
Okay.
Two, I'm going to put a tablehere with some little water and
pins for the mess.
And, oh my God, yes, phenomenal, yes.

(01:09:47):
And then has grown intoeverything that you see today.
You know the photo ops and allthis.
And I absolutely had a hundredpercent of the.
It was a hundred percent in mybecause I kept saying he kept
going and you really enjoy thisand I love doing this and you
guys.
And I kept encouraging him tobring all these kind of little
things because I said you don'tunderstand, look at their faces

(01:10:09):
when they come off this.
This is going to make thedifference whether you stay
somewhere else or you stay here.
I said because you're bringingthat extra little thing and they
love that.
And I said anything, becauseyou're bringing that extra
little thing and they love that.
And I said anything, you know,once they cross that finish line
, it's yay, and then they goback to the resort and it's done
, it's done, and I said so.

(01:10:29):
It's beautiful to have itprolonged, even when they're
walking through the property.
For have somebody, hey,congratulations, woo-hoo, yeah,
whatever it may be, you knowthey wear their medals and
there's a reason why they'rewearing their medals they're
proud of themselves so let'sencourage that and he brought
all these things, one after theother, after the other, and kept
asking me would this be okay?
And I said, absolutely, bringeverything, bring everybody.

(01:10:51):
It's amazing, let's welcomeeveryone.
And I encouraged him to keepbringing people and he has added
the photo ops, the pins, therest, the bubbles, the carpet,
the all of this stuff and it'samazing and I love every minute
of it, even if someday I'm notthere, and he has all this for
them.

Speaker 2 (01:11:11):
I did my job I mean just it's incredible to see that
you know that idea, you knowjust blossoming between the two
of you and now how your impacthas, in theory, spread across
all of walt disney worldproperty.
I mean that's really good.
Like I said, I've only everseen a pop in that french order,
but I'm sure there are otherresorts that do something

(01:11:33):
similar, but at least for now Ihaven't seen anything better
than Pops.
So bravo to you and yourcharisma and your encouragement
to help bring that to life.
That is absolutely amazing.

Speaker 7 (01:11:46):
I'm hoping Mr Walt is up there somewhere looking down
.

Speaker 2 (01:11:49):
Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 7 (01:11:50):
That is definitely where I'm at Way to go.

Speaker 4 (01:11:53):
Yeah, I can picture it.
Way to go, myra, I can picturethat High five.
Thank you, I'll take it Way togo, myra, I can picture that
High five.

Speaker 7 (01:11:59):
Thank you, I'll take it Absolutely.
I try to encourage the rest ofmy folks because they see me,
you know that I come in and thena lot of them follow a lot of
the different websites that theyhave, these little groups, and
a lot of times I'm not aware ofthem and they'll come when we're
having our team meeting.
They're like look at Myra, andthey're like flashing pictures

(01:12:23):
and they're like well, how'd youdo that?
I said talk to your people, getinto it, have fun with them.
Most of us are going to bestationed at the same ones
because once we get it doneright and everyone knows what's
happening, we try to keepeveryone at their places so they
don't get confused.
So they already know exactlyhow things work.

Speaker 4 (01:12:39):
I got you, it makes it a lot easier.

Speaker 7 (01:12:41):
So, that being said, I said you already know your
folks, your folks.
We are creatures of habit.
We like to create that samekind of scenario over and over.
We don't like the unknown andthey become very comfortable
once you know.
When you park somewhere.
You park at Walmart.
Have you ever noticed that youtend to park around the same
area all the time?
Kind of the same thing.
You know, we're creatures ofhabit, so create that.

(01:13:04):
Create the habit of being therefor them, smiling for them,
encouraging.
You're getting up like they are.
You know.
I kid about the synchronicitybetween them all because a lot
of our runners are concerned.
They say Mayra, we've seen youhere at 2 o'clock in the morning
.
It's now 4 o'clock in theafternoon.
Have you eaten?
Have you gone to the bathroom?
Are you?
You know?
And I said trust me, when youguys nap, I nap.

(01:13:27):
When you guys eat, I eat.
When you go to bed, I'm in bed.
I said trust me, when I'm here,I'm 100 here, I am all here.
This is what's happening in mylife at this moment.

Speaker 2 (01:13:39):
You know I was going to ask you about that because
when the first time I've evergot to experience you and and
the aura that is you, um, it wasit was the friday of wine and
dine, and no, I didn't run the5k that day.
I I flew in that morning, so Iwas getting to the expo after
lunchtime.

(01:13:59):
So as I was like like I'mputting the pieces together in
my head, okay, you wereobviously out there to make sure
that everyone got on the busshe was there okay she was, and
then they got off, but thenyou're also still there helping
the buses for the expo.
So I was always interested interms of like, how long your
shift lasts.
So that that's incredible thatyou can keep up that amount of

(01:14:20):
energy that long, day after dayafter day.
You should be commended for it.

Speaker 7 (01:14:25):
Thank you.
I'm notorious for that, and alot of the coworkers I'm like no
, I can't deal with you rightnow, because we do normally.
I'm on an 18-hour day.
I'm very comfortable with an18-hour day.
Now, the nice thing about themarathons is that we get there
like 2 in the morning, we loadyou and we get you out there

(01:14:46):
4.15.
Everyone's on the buses.
That's the last one.
4.30, it's crickets.
I'm quiet.
5 o'clock I can hear thegunshot.
Everything stops because theywant to make sure that all the
runners go through thresholds.
So there's no transportation,no public transportation moving
around.
So from 5 o'clock to 8 in themorning, it's a break that we

(01:15:08):
have.

Speaker 4 (01:15:08):
Quiet, okay, that makes sense.

Speaker 7 (01:15:09):
Very quiet.
So what happens in that time?
Our bosses say everybody totheir vehicles, do whatever you
want to do.
Right now we have our radios,our two-way radios.
So most of us will run to ourcars, put the seat back and take
a quick nap.
No, we're not, it's a great nap.
That's phenomenal.
And I'm like an iPhone.
You plug me in for two hours,I'm fully charged.

(01:15:31):
They're known, they know I'm acat napper, you know.
So you rest.
Now.
Folks come back.
Everyone gets back.
Now the official break for us isbetween 8 am and 11.
At that time we go back to ourresort and our bosses have most
of the res minutes and we'll goto bed.
Now we sleep till 11.
We have another two, three hournap.

(01:16:00):
Then everybody refreshes, goesback to their posts.
Now we see everyone, you know,through the end of the night
we're done at five or six.
Then we go home.
We get back to our hotels seveno'clock at night, by 7.30.
Most of us, or I should say Idon't know about my rest of the
week, but for me I'm sleepingand I'm totally asleep, and then

(01:16:21):
I get up.
So my clock is just like theirclock.
So when they said well, youdidn't see me between this hour
when you were sleeping.
Guess why?
So was I.
So when you were not, so was I,when you guys think that's when
I was.
And then in the evening.
It's the same thing as the daysprogress.
The first day, we're all, weall have energy.
It's the same thing as the daysprogress.
The first day, we all haveenergy, it's good to go.
The second day it's a littlebit harder.

(01:16:42):
Third day, and then, if you'redoing dopey on the fourth day,
you're spent.

Speaker 4 (01:16:45):
Yeah, we're all that way.

Speaker 7 (01:16:46):
Yeah, and it catches up with you.
So usually on my second andthird day I'll come into the
hotel once we're done, at 5o'clock.
I'll be there in like 15minutes.
It takes time to get to ourhotel, which is right down the
road.
In 15 minutes I'm in my room,I've already picked food, I'm
already eating, I'm showered inbed by six and I sleep through

(01:17:11):
the night.
So now, because I know ourfriends are going to demand a
little bit extra, because now Igot to carry you that little
bit- I got to get you on thatbus and I got to give you a
hundred percent because I got toget you over there.
Once you're there, the corrals,the energy, the gun, the people,
all that then I got to when youcome back.

(01:17:31):
But those last two days,especially if you're doing the
dopey challenge, those are veryhard, those are extremely
difficult.
And by the first day, okay.
Second day, okay.
Third day you're like uh-oh,fourth day hits and you're like
what was I thinking?
What is happening?
Oh, my goodness, am I going tomake it?
And then there's that doubtthat you have Encourage.

(01:17:52):
Hey, whatever happens happens.
You're here, you made it.
Good morning, whatever it maybe, and I'll get you on the way
Because it is a long weekend.

Speaker 4 (01:18:01):
Oh yeah, we know, yes , we know.

Speaker 7 (01:18:04):
And on Sunday by noon , usually they cut us all.
They cut us very early.
They say 10 o'clock, 10.30 atthe latest, that's it.
We want everyone out of theproperties and you're good, go
check out of the hotels, becauseeverybody's got to check out by
11 o'clock.
So we've got to get our stuffout.
And even though I do live inOrlando I'm about 30 minute

(01:18:27):
drive, but if I'm home and Iunderstand, the women will know
what I mean you get home andyou're like okay, let me just do
this load of laundry and thenI'll go.
Okay, I'm just going to watchthis one dish.
I promise Five minutes with mypup and I do have a lot of dogs.
I'm going to spend five minuteswith the baby.
Okay, all right, what am Igoing to have for lunch tomorrow

(01:18:47):
?
All these little things at time.
And then and I have tried it Ihave come home and then I said
no, I can't do this.
I rather be where I'm at andstay at the resort, because once
you get done, you come back,your room is there, you go to
bed, you sleep.
There's nothing else todistract you, because in the
morning you're going to needthat for what.

(01:19:08):
That's my job and I'm going todo the best that I possibly can
for my folks and it's expected.
I think, that if I came inquiet one day, everyone would
think that it's not me.

Speaker 4 (01:19:19):
That would be bad.

Speaker 7 (01:19:21):
And even if I tried to, I said okay, I'm going to
behave, it's just, I am who I am.
I'm not for everyone and Iunderstand that 100%, because
I've been around people that arelike oh no, this is too early,
I can't, I can't.
But around Disney I fit rightin, yeah you do.

Speaker 9 (01:19:41):
So, Myra, have you ever done a run Disney race and
if you haven't, are you willingto step away from your position
to be this amazing motivationalexperience at the run Disney
races for everyone?

Speaker 7 (01:19:50):
I have not run an official Disney race.
I have ran.
I was a symbol instructorbefore I started doing this in
transportation company.
This is where you get the wholetry to get everybody involved.
Yeah, that was very natural tome Cheerleader in high school,
that kind of thing.
I've always been way out there.
I have never ran a Disneymarathon.
I have run for St Jude's, theTough Mudder, yeah, and you know

(01:20:15):
all these kind of races.
I'm one of those.
I do all those with obstaclecourses and all that very much
in my, in my comfort zone.
Um, I would have loved to do aDisney race.
However, I think, and I trulybelieve, that with the way that
I am, I don't think anybodywould get any running done.
I think we'll just be wrestlingout, have a good time and laugh

(01:20:38):
and just enjoy the moment andforget about the race and just
the way that I am.
I think that I will create aruckus if I was on the other
side.

Speaker 4 (01:20:47):
That's pretty much what we do.
I mean we get to the end, butwe're not sure how, but I'm like
can you imagine?

Speaker 7 (01:20:53):
Oh my God, it's you.
Oh my God, I got a good picture.

Speaker 4 (01:20:55):
Oh yeah, it'll.
Oh, my god, I got a goodpicture.

Speaker 7 (01:20:57):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, and I'm like a while you know it'll
be three o'clock in theafternoon and I'll still be
sitting there and then the back.

Speaker 6 (01:21:02):
You need to move on, lady, you know so forget to get
on the bus, just be greetingeverybody exactly well, what so?

Speaker 2 (01:21:08):
what we need to do is we need to start a run disney
petition, uh, you know, toencourage myra to sign up for an
event, and then we just needthe email address of your
supervisor so that we can emailthem that, uh, that, uh, that
petition, and and we'll get youon that course, one of these
days, so you know.

Speaker 7 (01:21:27):
But if I'm on the course, though, my heart will be
breaking because I'd bethinking who's on?
the other is anyone there forthem when they get off that bus,
because technically andofficially that's not our job.
They just know that that's justthe way I am and they're not
going to stop me and they're notgoing to prevent me from doing

(01:21:49):
anything.
I said you know, the boss islike well, you got to be out of
there by 10 o'clock.
I said yeah, but after 10o'clock I'm not on your clock
anymore.
I could be here till noon, noproblem with that.
So 10 o'clock, I'm not on yourclock anymore.
I could be here till noon, noproblem with that.
So for the dopies, I usuallystay all the way through the
last day.
I check out of my hotel the daybefore so I can stay, because I
want to make sure that I getthose folks that are at the end.

(01:22:09):
A lot of them say please behere when I get back.
Absolutely, I will be here foryou.
You know it's just, and if Idon't see them it worries me,
like I remember faces.
Later on I say, wait a minute,I didn't see this.
And in my head I'm looking atfaces.
I didn't see them.
Is everything okay?
Are they going to be here?
You know what happened.
And then you also get the groupthat you see them later on.

(01:22:32):
They'll say well, I didn't wantto come by because I didn't
finish.
I didn't go through the finishline.
I said I don't care about that.
I care about where you went andeverything that you did.
The finish line is phenomenal,Don't get me wrong.
But that's not all of it.
That's not the only part.
There's so much more to it.

Speaker 4 (01:22:49):
Mara, you see all these crazy costumes going onto
the buses.
Are any of them that stand outover the years?

Speaker 7 (01:22:57):
Oh, my goodness, Okay .
So over the years, I love whenmen, grown dads, come dressed as
the princess and their littledaughters come dressed as the
prince, because that's what theywanted to do.
I love the husband and wifeteam.
Or girlfriend boyfriend team,you know one will be what's the

(01:23:21):
name of the team.
Or girlfriend boyfriend team,you know one will be.
What's the name of the I can'tthink of his name the one with
all the feathers from Up all thedifferent color feathers.
Oh, Kevin, Kevin yeah, kevin,kevin, kevin's will come by and
it'll be a flock of Kevins.
Or Flora, fauna, meriwether, mythree favorite fairies, um.
Or isma, with her funkyeyelashes, the beautiful

(01:23:45):
lipsticks that these beautifulwomen wear, with this glitter
that it just goes out and lightup tutus and feathers and you
know, i't even.
There was one from the Emperor'sNew Groove.
There was a young lady that wasdressed like and she had a bag

(01:24:06):
and inside the sack was theemperor and she was carrying him
.
There were two friends and itwas creative.
Another one was a castle.
I mean I just I can't.
I don't have a favorite becauseI think they are.

Speaker 4 (01:24:19):
No, there's a whole lot, yeah, and they are really
creative.
You're right, and actually I'veworn most of the things you
talked about.
Light up, tutus.

Speaker 2 (01:24:28):
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah we, we still need him to wear
the glitter lipstick.
Actually, we're, we're workingon that, though I got the
glitter lips for the next race.

Speaker 4 (01:24:38):
Unfortunately I'm not going to be at pop next race,
but I got the glitter.
You should see a lot ofDalmatians at the 5k and as a
dog rescuer myself, I haveamazing pictures.

Speaker 7 (01:24:50):
When I say I take a picture, I say babe, I found
another 10 doggies, bring themover.

Speaker 4 (01:24:56):
I'm hopeful that the puppies you see in the 5k will
say hey, I heard you on the Riseand Run podcast.
That would be great, yes, a lotof our friends are doing that a
couple hundred of them.

Speaker 7 (01:25:07):
That's incredible.
Yeah, I know I worked an event,the Electric Daisy Carnival,
edc, orlando about two weeks ago, and there was a group of 700
ducks and I was like, oh, and Ithought about that and I said
the only one that would getclose it would be the flock of
kevins or the pound of pups thatI've seen from the dalmatians.

(01:25:29):
Those have been the ones wewon't get 700.

Speaker 4 (01:25:31):
We may have a couple hundred.
We won't have 700.
That'd be incredible.

Speaker 7 (01:25:35):
That's impressive and do what they do, figure out.
If y'all can get like a picturemoment in front of the cast.

Speaker 4 (01:25:40):
Oh, we're going to try it and get like the whole
group together.

Speaker 7 (01:25:42):
They do that a lot and I think it's great memories
for everyone and it gives you alittle something extra, you know
.

Speaker 4 (01:25:49):
Yeah, we're going to try, I promise.

Speaker 2 (01:25:51):
Well, myra, this has been an absolutely phenomenal
interview.
I mean, we have fun every weekon this podcast talking to new
friends, but I think you haveset the bar to an absolute new
level and we cannot thank youenough.
But to close out this interview, I want to ask you one final
question, and this is an audioonly podcast, so I'm going to

(01:26:14):
describe the scene to ourlisteners.
Myra right now is wearing ashirt that says best support
person ever.
It's got a silhouette of aMickey and it's got handwritten
messages all over the shirt.
I think that is a testament tothe impact that you have on this

(01:26:36):
community.
Can you tell us the storybehind the shirt that you're
wearing right now?

Speaker 7 (01:26:42):
Well, see, you're gonna make me cry.
There's a young lady namedMichelle.
Michelle is from Chicago andshe was one of the first few
people that I met when we didthe first dopey and we created a
bond and she created thisbeautiful shirt.
This is the second one shegives me.
She gave me one that had dopeyon it and this one she gave to

(01:27:07):
me the way that you see it andgave it to me with a Sharpie so
I can have anyone and everyonewho wanted to sign it do it.
She brought it to me as a gift.
It's one of my prizedpossessions and it's something
that whenever I'm feeling downand I'm feeling a little bit out
of it, this is what I wear.
I am me and this is somethingy'all don't know.
My mom passed away from cancerabout a week and a half ago.

Speaker 2 (01:27:32):
So sorry.

Speaker 7 (01:27:33):
Me too, and it was something that we wanted it to
be.
We wanted her to be around alittle bit longer.
But you know, there's otherplans in this universe and I've
been feeling a little bit in andout of it, and this afternoon I
you know I we're going to dothis and I kind of put my best
foot forward and I put the shirton and I was like, okay, it's
good.
The good vibes that came withwhat I'm wearing is what I'm

(01:27:55):
wearing.
This is something that wasgiven to me from the heart and
the things that you see writtenon there for people that took
time and did this for me tothank me.
So it meant a lot and it comeswith amazing vibes and positive
energy.
So today was one of those daysthat I said I'm going to wear it

(01:28:16):
because I need to bring this onto where I'm going to be, and
this is the reason of this.

Speaker 2 (01:28:23):
Well, your positive vibes are radiating through your
microphone and into the ears ofall of our friends and our
amazing listeners.
So again, we cannot thank youenough, myra.
Are you on any social mediasthat people want to follow you
or reach out to you?
Are you on any socials?

Speaker 7 (01:28:42):
I am, I am, but most of them are going to be under
Anna Gizer.
Anna is my middle name.
It was also my mom's name.

Speaker 1 (01:28:49):
Okay.

Speaker 7 (01:28:50):
Gizer was.
Instead of the Energizer Bunny,I was dubbed the Anna Gizer
Bunny.

Speaker 1 (01:28:57):
Oh, okay.

Speaker 7 (01:28:58):
Which was a very long time.
This was before social mediaeven was a thing.
So it became a thing andeverywhere that you see on
Facebook there's folks thatfollow me, that have me.
It's under Anagizer, okay, andyou can find me and you'll see a
picture of a little dopey thatwas handed to me, me and given

(01:29:19):
to me, and my first dopey, alittle girl, knit this dopey for
me and I have a picture of himon the site and then you'll see,
and a lot, of, a lot of theguests found me and now I have
become a member of run disneyand there's a couple of websites
and that's the same way.
You'll find me everywhere as anadvisor, all right, well, well,

(01:29:39):
again that.

Speaker 2 (01:29:40):
Thank you so much for sharing that.
I, I love, I love how that tiesinto to your socials and
everything like that.
And you know, and the one thingthat we got to track now, I
think, um, you know, bob andgang, I think we need to uh talk
with our friends over at magicbound after this episode drops
to see if there's an exponentialincrease in bookings at pop
century, because I, I think, youknow, you know, kind of like

(01:30:02):
peanut butter and jelly gotogether, myra and pop century
will forever, ever go together.
So, myra, we cannot thank youenough for your time.
Continue to do, just do you,girl, just keep going, and, and
we are there to support you justas much as you're there to
support us, and we want to thankyou for joining us here on the
Rise and Run podcast.

Speaker 7 (01:30:23):
I am very, very honored that you guys asked me.
This is something I did notexpect.
It's beautiful, it's amazing tome and I thank you for having
me on, and I hope this doesreach a lot of the folks,
because everybody out there,woo-hoo, it will See you on the
next one.

Speaker 4 (01:30:38):
This does reach a lot of the folks because everybody
out there woohoo it will.
You'll be surprised.
I hope you'll be surprised2.30am.

Speaker 2 (01:30:44):
Well, I know this is our first episode of 2025, but
this one ranks up there for me,folks, I mean probably the best
episode of 2020.

Speaker 4 (01:30:52):
Among the best, yeah, among the best of the year.

Speaker 2 (01:30:55):
But no, in all seriousness, I remember, after
we finished that interview, Iremember it gave me.
It gave me such inspirationalhope and the fact that you know
that type of positivity comingout of someone who is not
employed, by run disney who is?

(01:31:16):
not employed by the walt disneycompany, but who brings so much
joy to this community.
It was an absolute honor, myra,to have you on this podcast.
We can't wait to see you nextweekend during Marathon Weekend,
and we're going to find everyexcuse to have you back, because
you are a ray of sunshine andwe need more Myra in our lives.

(01:31:38):
So, folks, if you are stayingat Pop Century for Marathon
Weekend or any race weekendcoming up in this 2025 calendar
year, make sure you go say helloto that woman.

Speaker 4 (01:31:49):
You will not be disappointed and tell her you
heard her on the podcast.

Speaker 2 (01:31:53):
Exactly because she will absolutely eat it up.
She will.
But you know, speaking of otherinspirational individuals, we
have some exciting news to share.
So, day of recording here onNew Year's Eve I don't have the
episode number in front of me,but our buddy Jack Widzig he
finally completed his challengethat he set off to do many, many

(01:32:17):
, many months ago.
His challenge that he set offto do many, many, many months
ago and that was to run everysingle street of Camden County,
new Jersey, in honor of hisfather who had passed away
several years ago from Lewy bodydisease, and we are very happy
to report he put it up on socialmedia this evening.

(01:32:37):
He has officially completedthat challenge.
Jack.
What an incredibleaccomplishment.
What a beautiful tribute toyour father From everyone here
at Arise and Run.
We are extremely proud to knowyou and the accomplishment that
you completed.
I know our calendar is bookedout for the next couple of weeks

(01:32:57):
because of all the raceweekends and everything like
that, but we promise in early2025, sir, we're going to have
you back on this podcast to hearabout the trials and
tribulations of this challengethat you set forth.
But again, we are just so proudof you, congratulations.

Speaker 4 (01:33:13):
Yeah, congratulations , Jack.
And the only reason you don'thave the cheering crowd noise is
because Greg took it off myboard and I haven't put it back.

Speaker 2 (01:33:23):
Give him a survey, says Bell.
I think that's still loaded inthere.

Speaker 6 (01:33:27):
Also Greg, that was episode 94, running Camden
County one street at a time.

Speaker 2 (01:33:34):
Yeah, so yo if you're not sure exactly what we are
talking about.
Go back to listen to episode 94.
Uh, it's really inspirational.
So if you know that, I guessthat's the theme of of this
week's episode is inspirationgoing into 2025.
So I'll be sure to give thatone a listen for sure all right,
absolutely now.

Speaker 4 (01:33:56):
Friends, this race weekend coming up, marathon
weekend.
But the big thing, and we'vetalked about it over and over
the 101 Dalmatians 5K.
I still have friends who arejumping into the group and
saying is it too late?
No, it is not too late, itwon't be too late until we cross

(01:34:20):
the start line on that 5k.
You can join us.
You can get a Dalmatian shirt.
I really don't think Alec canget them to you from KPA anymore
, but if you can get one, if youtake a white shirt and draw
black dots on it, whatever, hereare the things I want you to
know.
We talked about them last weekwhen we talked with Monica.

(01:34:43):
We will get together as a groupat 4 am on race morning.
We assemble near the bleachersin the staging area.
You're coming off the bus andyou walk towards the front.
There is a stage in the stagingarea how convenient.

(01:35:04):
Set back from the stage areseveral rows of bleachers and if
you're looking at the stage onthe far left side, that's where
we'll be.
It shouldn't be long beforewe're easy to find.
First of all, you're going tohave a six and a half foot tall
Cruella with glitter lips.

(01:35:27):
That should be a giveaway, butthere should be a bunch of folks
wearing Dalmatian shirts.
Four o'clock we'll gather for aphoto.
I'm not positive where thatphoto will be, but we'll do it.
After that we'll walk over tothe corrals as many as you who
wish to.

(01:35:47):
We're going to leave from thelast corral, regardless of what
our bib says.
Remember, and if you haven'tdone this before, if you haven't
been down to Disney World anddone a race or haven't done
Dopey before, if you haven'tbeen down to Disney World and
done a race or haven't doneDopey, the 5k is not timed.
I know everything you readabout.

(01:36:08):
Dopey says that you mustmaintain a 16 minute pace for
all the races, but you just haveto finish.
You have to finish the 5k.
If you're in Dopey, your bibwill have a timing chip so it'll
record your time.
Big deal.
If you're not in Dopey, yourbib won't even have a timing
chip.
That's the deal with the 5K.
So we're going to walk to keepas many of us together as

(01:36:29):
possible and then we can finishthe race.
That should be cool, finishingwith about 200 puppies.
So that's the deal.
4 am by the bleachers for aphoto.
Walk together to the lastcorral Walk, the 5K.
Have a good time.
All right, friends, it's timefor our first Rise and Run

(01:36:55):
tradition of the episode, andthat is the Rise and Run roll
call.
And boy do we get a kick out ofthis, especially when we think
about where this started.
And golly, I wish that I hadthe records.
The original records were lost.
The original files were lost,but the first time we did this

(01:37:18):
was for Wine and Dine 2021.
And I'm going to guess we hadmaybe 12 or 15 names on the list
.
I'm not sure.
It probably took us 30 seconds.
We have a few more than thatright now.

Speaker 6 (01:37:38):
I was going to say.
Bob, if one of our listenerswant to go back and listen to
that episode and count them forus that would be a great idea.

Speaker 4 (01:37:45):
That still exists, that's true.
Yeah, that still exists.
I forgot all about that, john,and I'm just smiling here.
I think it's so much fun.
I think it's so neat that somany of you want to get in on
this and by golly I hope we gotyou all.
I was working up to the lastminute adding names Our friend

(01:38:07):
Rob, who has been a huge helpwith this.
I can't begin to describe howmuch help Rob has been in
building and working on thisrace report.
It's also.
Thank you very much, rob.
But our rule is that when westart the list, if you hear your

(01:38:32):
name, you're supposed to standup when your name is called and
you're supposed to stay standinguntil all the names are called.
Now I realize a lot of you havebeen training and that may be
more standing than you're goingto do in the corrals, but we'll
see.
All right, here we go.
I by golly hope we goteverybody.

(01:38:56):
We're going to do our best withthe names, but we're going to
start with the dopey challengeall right.

Speaker 5 (01:39:04):
So our first one, um, is april and it's his first
dopey.
And guess what?
Allison is running her firstdopey too.
Um, oh sorry.
That's Allison B and thenAllison W this is her second
year doing dopey.
We also have Amara with Ericand Arlene Amber, which is her

(01:39:27):
first dopey, first half andfirst full.
Oh, my goodness, that's gonnabe epic.
Oh, um, okay, sorry.
We have Amy M, amy S and thenAmy it's her first marathon and
first dopey and husband Jeremy,first dopey.
We have Andrea in the notesthat says that it is her first

(01:39:51):
true dopey.
She did run in 2017.

Speaker 4 (01:39:54):
Yeah, I don't know what that.
Oh, I know what.

Speaker 6 (01:39:56):
That's the one that got rained out, the rained out
one.

Speaker 2 (01:39:58):
Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 5 (01:40:00):
Oh OK.
Well, I don't think it'ssupposed to rain this time, but,
you know, I think we might begood.
So and then we have Andy, whois doing his first dopey, and
Anita, who's doing her firstdopey and first marathon Epic.

Speaker 2 (01:40:17):
Continuing along with our dopey runners.
We have Anna doing her seconddopey, ashley first dopey, audra
first dopey, avery, second Bethand her son first dopey for her
son, beth H, running her firstdopey.
This guy named Bob.

Speaker 7 (01:40:35):
He's running his fifth dopey Go.

Speaker 2 (01:40:38):
Bob Brady and their dad Rob are running their first
dopies Brandy doing dopey numberthree, brenna doing her first
dopey and Brianna also doingfirst marathon and first dopey.

Speaker 6 (01:40:53):
Next we got Bridget and her brother doing dopey.
Britt is doing her first dopey.
Caleb is a perfect dopey-er.
Okay.
Carrie R, carrie Van TF andCarrie V.
Carrie V is doing her thirddopey.
Cece is doing their first dopey.

(01:41:13):
Sia, she's doing her firstdopey.
Celia and Edgar are doing theirthird dopeys.
Celia P is doing her firstdopey.
Celia and Edgar are doing theirthird dopeys.
Celia P is doing their firstdopey and Chad is doing their
fifth dopey before 50 years old.

Speaker 9 (01:41:29):
Continuing on with Charlie doing dopey number nine,
chase doing first dopeyChelsea's first dopey Chris's
first dopey Chrissy's firstdopey Christian's first dopey
Chris's first dopey Chrissy'sfirst dopey Christian's second
dopey Christina A, christina Hdoing their first dopey
Christopher and Lauren doingsecond dopey Cindy and Sissy

(01:41:50):
with her husband.

Speaker 4 (01:41:52):
Okay, second dopey for Cody.
Connie's running, Connie'srunning, Courtney's doing her
first dopey.
Daphne first dopey Dale.
Dan Daniel doing his firstdopey.
Danny Denise and Diana's doingdopey number two and celebrating

(01:42:14):
her 60th trip around the sun.
Way to go, youngster and DylanAll right.

Speaker 5 (01:42:22):
Then we have Doug for his dopey, elizabeth, ellen,
dopey number five, ellie and herhusband, first dopey-ers.
We have Emily and Sarah doingtheir second dopey.
We have Emmamy with dopeynumber four, eric first dopey,
erin first dopey, gretchen,second dopey and hannah first

(01:42:45):
dopey and second marathon wealso have hannah marie running
their first dopey, heather hfirst dopey.

Speaker 2 (01:42:51):
Heather H first dopey in first marathon.
Heather J first dopey.
Heidi first dopey.
Adania, this lovely lady I knownamed Jack.
Jackie A running their seconddopey.
Jackie S first dopey.
Jared doing his fourth.
Jason and Jay running theirfirst dopey.

Speaker 6 (01:43:13):
Jen I.
We have Jen and Joe.
We have Jen M doing her firstdopey, jen I.
We have Jen and Joe.
We have Jen M doing her firstdopey.
Jennifer H, first dopey,jennifer K, second dopey and
first dopey for her friendsMaureen and Becky, jennifer K,
jenny and her fiance, cameron.
First dopey for both Jessica G,jessica L, jessica M' Cameron.

(01:43:36):
First dopey for both Jessica G,jessica L, jessica M's first
dopey, jessica O and her husband.

Speaker 9 (01:43:41):
Continuing on with Jody B, jody D, first marathon
and first dopey, john and Laura,jonathan, jordan, first dopey,
josie, joshua, juan Jose or JJ,their second Dopey, julie.
Dopey number six, karen, firstDopey and Caitlin.

Speaker 2 (01:44:04):
A lot of international friends in that
group.

Speaker 9 (01:44:06):
Yes.

Speaker 4 (01:44:09):
Catherine L, catherine M First Dopey.
Katie J, katie M First Dopey.
Katie J, katie M First Dopey.
First Marathon.
Kelly Kelsey doing a firstdopey.
Ken his first dopey.
Kevin and Jessica first dopeyfor both of them, I believe.

(01:44:29):
Kim first dopey, first.
Mar marathon, kirk first dopey.
Lots of first dopies.
I think that's awesome and I'mwrapping up mine with Kizzy, her
second dopey.

Speaker 5 (01:44:43):
And we have Kristen with her first dopey, Christy
with her third dopey but fourthdopey trained for.
We have Laura and Laura Laurie.
We have Laurie without an Edoing her second dopey and
second marathon, and then wehave a Laurie with an E.
We have Laxmi doing their firstdopey, Lena Leanne, first dopey

(01:45:06):
, Linda Lindsay T.

Speaker 2 (01:45:08):
Also, lindsay and Joey are running their first
dopeys, lisa C, lisa L, lisa,lisa T doing the second dopey,
my bird in hand, buddy Lizzierunning dopey, lori Luciana,
megan H first dopey, and they goon to say they're untrained, so

(01:45:29):
good luck.

Speaker 4 (01:45:30):
Good luck, Megan.

Speaker 2 (01:45:32):
Mara and her husband Ryan, second dopey for both of
them.
Our Council of Costumes memberMargaret running dopey and this
will be Margaret's 10th marathonand our buddy, who you're going
to hear from in a couple ofminutes, mark H running dopey,
number three, and also pacing aswell.

Speaker 6 (01:45:52):
We have Mark P's first dopey, mary H, plus her
husband and son running as well.
We have Mark P's first dopey,mary H, plus her husband and son
running dopey.
Mary S first dopey, daughterRachel's first dopey and
daughter Kelly's third dopey,another Mary S.
Then you have Mary Beth,matthew D, first dopey, matthew
G, meg's first dopey, megan McDMegan A, melissa N.

(01:46:13):
Continuing on.
We have Michael, mike Lynn,meg's first dopey, megan McD
Megan A, melissa's N.

Speaker 9 (01:46:15):
Continuing on.
We have Michael Mikelin,Michelle, Nancy, Natalie doing
their second dopey and thirdmarathon.
Nicole McSee First dopey.
Nicole with her husband Zachand mom Cheryl First dopey for
all and first marathon for hermom.
Noah, first dopey and firstmarathon.

(01:46:39):
Noelle first dopey and firstmarathon with her husband Ben,
His first dopey, first marathon,first run Disney event.
Wow, that's triple.
Pat first dopey, but like sixgoofies he's done.
And Rachel first dopey.

Speaker 4 (01:46:58):
What is it, pat?
Have you done six?
Have you done five?
What is it like six?
Come on Like six, like six.
All right, pat, if you can'tremember they must have been
spectacular, moving right alongRandy's first dopey, riley's
first dopey, rob Robert doing aFirst Dopey.
Ryan B First Dopey, firstMarathon.

(01:47:19):
Ryan McSee, fourth Dopey, ryanT, dopey, number eight for Ryan
T, sabrina Sayuris First Dopey,first Marathon.
Sarah D, sarah G's first dopey.

Speaker 5 (01:47:38):
So we have Sarah M, who's doing her second dopey but
got swept in the marathon onher first one.

Speaker 4 (01:47:44):
Glad you're back, Sarah.

Speaker 5 (01:47:45):
Yes, you got this.
We have Sarah W first dopeySean M, first dopey Shannon.
First dopey Shelby Allison.
First dopey Sean M.
First dopey Shannon.
First dopey Shelby Allison.
First dopey Sherilyn.
First dopey Sonia first dopey.
That's so many first dopies.

Speaker 4 (01:48:03):
A bunch of them, yeah .

Speaker 5 (01:48:05):
Yeah, stacy first dopey, stephanie fourth dopey,
steve second dopey and Taylorfirst dopey.

Speaker 2 (01:48:14):
Taylor T is going for her fourth dopey in a row.
One half of the two guys, ourbuddy Tom and his wife Kim, are
running dopey Tiffany's runningher first dopey, tom and Gary
first dopey for both of them,tracy, troy, tyler and Todd this

(01:48:35):
is their third dopey Vanessafirst dopey and our last one,
zinnia, running her first dopey.

Speaker 4 (01:48:46):
Alright, a major round of applause For our Now.
I don't know how many peopleAre on that list Because I just
have them in line numbers incells, but there are 186 entries
there, several of them with twoor three or as many as four

(01:49:06):
names.
So there are at least 200people on that list and we
expect to see each and every oneof you.
All right, friends,congratulations.
That list and we expect to seeeach and every one of you.
So, all right, friends,congratulations.
Let's move on to the goofychallenge and kick it off.

Speaker 6 (01:49:23):
Okay, kick it off the goofy challenge.
We have alissa anita's doingtheir first goofy.
Ashley, brandy, cheryl, chriscc Turner is pacing the half.
Christina Danielle, Jason,Jeremy and Kate.

Speaker 9 (01:49:40):
We also have Katie and sister Nicole, our very own
Kay Kayla, laura Leslie and herhusband Lisa.
Fourth Goofy, mary Jane.
First Goofy Melissa, patrick,rob and Robert.

Speaker 4 (01:49:58):
Now there's a reason that when you get to the expo
and you look at the lines allaround, the Goofy line is
typically the shortest, as longas our Dopey line was.
I am now wrapping up our Goofyrunners with Samantha.
I am now wrapping up our GoofyRunners with Samantha, shay,

(01:50:26):
sonia, tara, tiffany doing herfirst Goofy, tracy doing her
first Goofy and Tricia doing herfirst Goofy.
I don't know why it is, butit's true.

Speaker 5 (01:50:31):
When you get there in the expo you'll see that one
booth All right friends, let'stake a look at our marathon
runners now and start them outwith.
We have Alan, who's doing his33rd marathon, and Grace who's
doing their 28th marathon, andit's perfect.

(01:50:51):
Those are.

Speaker 4 (01:50:52):
Disney marathons.
Those are 33rd Disney marathon,28th Disney marathon.
Alan is one of the two perfectmarathoners we have on the list.
We've got the other one comingup in just a little bit.

Speaker 5 (01:51:04):
And then we have Allie, without an E, doing her
first marathon.
We have Alicia, very own.
We have Amanda, amy L, amy Rdoing her first marathon.
Andrea first marathon.
Anne, becky first marathon.
Brianna first marathon.

(01:51:24):
Bryce first run, disney Ooh,you're going to get addicted.
Brooke first marathon and firstrun Disney oh my goodness.

Speaker 2 (01:51:34):
Also running the marathon marathon.
We have carissa, casey,chadwick, chelsea, and this is
chelsea's first marathon andfirst run disney race.
The other perfect, a coach tomany of us here, coach chris
twiggs, christina c CJ, runningtheir first marathon and this is

(01:51:54):
a theme for this one and firstrun Disney race Craig, dara,
david and Dorothy.

Speaker 6 (01:52:02):
Then we have Drew first marathon.
Duncan first marathon, elise,first marathon, emily, emily D's
first marathon.
Emily J's first marathon.
Erin's first marathon, my mile10.
Buddy Greg Gretchen firstmarathon.
Emily J's first marathon.
Erin's first marathon, my mile10.
Buddy Greg Gretchen firstmarathon.
First Disney race.
Harrison and Jacqueline.

Speaker 9 (01:52:21):
We also have Jake, first marathon, jeff first
marathon, jenny, jeremy, jessica, jh, also known as Heather, our
very own John, josh firstmarathon, first marathon,
caitlin first marathon, kalinaand Kate first marathon.

Speaker 4 (01:52:42):
Catherine Carrie Kevin doing his first Kylie
first marathon.
Kristen Laura first marathon.
Lori Lola first marathon.
Lola's pregnant with twins.
This may be our first everhashtag marathon babies.

Speaker 5 (01:53:06):
Wow, that's awesome.

Speaker 4 (01:53:08):
I think it's amazing the women who run well a lot of
people amaze me, but womenrunning pregnant very amazing.
Matt Megan first marathon andMelissa first marathon All right
.

Speaker 5 (01:53:25):
We have Nicole, kristen and Mallory first
marathon for all, for all um.
We have nick's first marathon,payton, rachel s, rachel w
robert first marathon and firstdisney race.
We have ryan shonda firstmarathon, tammy first marathon.

(01:53:48):
We have tara, carlos, nina andcecily and it's going to be nina
and Cecily's first marathon andCecily's 18th birthday.
A happy birthday Cool and then,to round up the marathons, it's
Trina.

Speaker 4 (01:54:02):
All right, all right, our marathoners.
All right, let's knock out the10k and the 5.

Speaker 7 (01:54:11):
I'm sorry, the half, the half.
Let's not forget about the halfmarathon.

Speaker 4 (01:54:15):
Yeah, that's right Marathon weekend.
And, by the way, had any doubtthat we're recording on New
Year's Eve.
I'm sure you hear the fireworksbehind me.
No crickets, they're scared ofthe fireworks.

Speaker 2 (01:54:31):
Alright, running the half marathon we have Alvaro,
Amanda and Jared, amy R, amy S,andrea, angela, angie,
anne-marie First half marathonand first run Disney race.
Ariel first run Disney race andfirst half marathon.
Ashley and Becca is running herfirst half marathon.

Speaker 6 (01:54:55):
ashley and becca is running her first half marathon.
Okay, we have brian.
We have brianna carly's runningfirst disney race and first
half marathon.
Carol, our friend casey,christina, cindy, courtney,
david and greta greta's runningher first half, denise D and

(01:55:16):
Denise W using as a training runfor the princess half.

Speaker 9 (01:55:20):
We also have Elizabeth doing their first run
Disney event and first half,emily D, emily F, erica Gino,
first half and first run Disneyevent.
Grace Haley and Cody first halfand first run Disney event.
Grace Haley and Cody, firsthalf.
Jeanette, jeff, jen R and Jen H.

Speaker 4 (01:55:41):
Okay, jessica H, jessica M, doing her first half
in like forever.
Julie Julie says she needs aguide.
Justine and her daughter,carrie.
Katie, doing her first half andfirst run Disney event.
Katrina, kayla, first runDisney event.

(01:56:04):
Kelly with her husband and twosons, kendra and Kevin we have
Lori.

Speaker 5 (01:56:13):
We have Liz doing her second Disney half, but first
half at Disney World.
We have Lucy doing her 30thDisney race.
Wow, that's awesome.
Nona, paul Shauna first half.
Stephanie first half, stephen,valerie and Zachary.

Speaker 4 (01:56:34):
And that is our list of half marathoners.
We got fireworks for the halfmarathon, oh, never mind.
On to the 10K.

Speaker 2 (01:56:46):
Running the 10K.
My buddy Allie without an EAmber, amy K, amy S, angela,
anne, April, brenda doing herfirst 10K, carol, carolyn and
family and Cindy.

Speaker 6 (01:57:04):
Danica's Danielle P's , and her daughter and Kevin.

Speaker 9 (01:57:22):
We also have Kristen with her brother it's her
brother's first 10K Lori, matt,megan, melinda Megazenz doing
her first 10k running with hermom, kazay, the running as Chip
and Mrs Potts that's cute.
Ravi, rob, sadia, valerie andto finish out the 10k is Zan.

Speaker 4 (01:57:52):
Alright, friends, I almost feel like we should have
a drum roll.
Here we are to the 5K.
Oh, instead of a drum roll, wegot fireworks 5K.
Amber, amy K, amy S Andrewdoing his first 5K.
That's a big deal.

Speaker 2 (01:58:09):
Absolutely.

Speaker 4 (01:58:10):
Yeah, Angela April Becky, my very own wife Becky,
is doing the 5K.

Speaker 2 (01:58:17):
She's back out of retirement.

Speaker 4 (01:58:18):
Well, she's there because of a name that's coming
up just in a little bit, and shewants to be one of the puppies
too Brenda, brent, brooke andCaitlin first 5K, caitlin cool.

Speaker 5 (01:58:33):
We have Carol, cindy Danielle, first ever 5K Diane,
emily, aaron, grace, greta andher mom, holly and Jacqueline.

Speaker 2 (01:58:47):
Jace, who is nine years old, running with his mom
Jennifer.
This guy that I know named Johnis dressing up as a Dalmatian.
Julie running her first runDisney race.
Kevin, kim Laurie.
Lola with dad Jay Laurierunning their first run Disney
race.
Megan with mom Pam, melissa andMegazins this is their first

(01:59:12):
run Disney race and first 5Krunning with her sister Misco
and mom Kazay.

Speaker 6 (01:59:21):
We have Rachel Shannon doing her first run
Disney event.
Tara, valeria and Valerie 5K.

Speaker 4 (01:59:31):
That's it, that's it.

Speaker 6 (01:59:34):
That's it, that is.
You should put anotherchallenge in here too, while
we're at it.

Speaker 4 (01:59:38):
That is the challenge will be finishing the rest of
the podcast if we're reading allthose names.
But there we go.
Gosh, this is wonderful.
It's fantastic.
I love you all for doing this.
I think it's just great thatall these names are listed.
I'm excited about all thesefirst dopies and first marathons

(01:59:59):
and first 5Ks.
Oh gosh, I can hardly wait forit to get here.
All right, a couple quickannouncements before we finish
up this episode.
Our meetup, our meetup, saturdayafternoon 3 pm at the food
truck area at Disney Springs.
I sure hope you can make it.

(02:00:21):
I hope we have nice weather.
I think we probably will Maybea little cool, but get to wear a
jacket or a sweatshirt and getout there in the food truck area
.
3 pm is the official start time.
Folks are usually there early.
If you can be there at 3.30,that would be wonderful, because
that's when we'll take ourgroup photo, 3.30 on Saturday

(02:00:44):
afternoon.
We know that you've got otherplans and not everyone can make
it, but we love, we really loveseeing you there and I promise
you everybody that comes has awonderful time and folks look
forward to it and look forwardto coming back.
What else we got going on?
I wanted a real quick.

(02:01:06):
Thank you to Jenny fororganizing our Christmas card
list.
It was a huge success, jenny.
Thank you for all your work onthat and for all of you who
participated in it.
Thanks.
I think that's going to becomea tradition and I imagine that
will grow from year to year.
So that was fun, all right.
My friends, it's time for therace report.

(02:01:30):
The race report is brought toyou by our friend Thomas Stokes
of Stokes Metabolic Training.
Stokesfit slash, rise and RunCoaching is the site.
I've been talking about it forepisodes and episodes.
He's got a new challengestarting two weeks after Dopey,

(02:01:50):
and I've always said theinformation is on the Facebook
page and it hasn't been.
It is now.
It's up there in the featuredsection.
This is worthwhile, my friends.
Use the code RISE50 and Tomwill knock 50 bucks off the
normal $97 registration fee.
It's an eight-week challenge.
It involves strength trainingand nutrition guidance.

(02:02:12):
It is highly worthwhile.
Strongly recommend it.
Maybe after doing it you'lldecide you want to hang on for
one of Tom's other programs,which are also explained up
there in the featured section.
But it's a good thing.
Short race report.
Let's see.

(02:02:33):
Let's start back on ChristmasDay, because we haven't recorded
since then.
In Vernon, connecticut, we hadthe Scrooge Scramble 5K.
Erica ran this very small localrace, fewer than 200 people,
great support, 26 degrees butsunny.
26 but sunny.

(02:02:54):
As long as it's not windy,that's not too bad.
Out and back course rollinghills First time really racing
since she fractured her footover the summer.
She did party pace for Wine andDine, which is fun, and ended
up and this is impressive Firsttime since breaking your foot on

(02:03:16):
a 5K, a 25-minute, 10-second 5K, a three-minute PR Way to go,
eureka, that's awesome.
Glad you're back and that's agreat pace.
On Boxing Day for those of younot in the UK or Canada, that's
the day after Christmas.
For those of you not in the UKor Canada, that's the day after
Christmas the Boxing Day PuddingRun at Whistley Bay on the

(02:03:38):
coast of Newcastle in the UnitedKingdom.
Medgar ran on a beautifullysunny but chilly day Great views
of the coast, everybody wearingfestive outfits and the prize
at the end is a Christmaspudding.
Megan.
Another great pace here $24.53,a PB for Megan.

(02:04:01):
This one's kind of neat.
I think it happened on Friday,but it was the 5K at Sea,
unofficial Disney Dream Runsomewhere around the Bahamas on
the Atlantic ocean.
Sean and his wife Lauren did it.
Some guests a wonderful guestput this together, a 5k on board

(02:04:24):
the ship and came up with somereally awesome looking medals.
That's pretty neat.
I think I think you picked theright cruise, sean.
On Sunday back in the UK, inHertfordshire, the Buntingford
10-miler.
Amy did her first ever 10-miler, very cold morning.

(02:04:48):
The scripture said the coursewas flat, the hills on the
course suggested otherwise.
Amy likes the 10-mile distancebecause after the first mile you
can tell yourself you're downin the single digits.
Heck, after the first step, amy.
Only 9.99 miles to go.

(02:05:10):
In Kenmore, washington, vanessadid the Absolution Run 8-miler
at St Edward State Park.
This was a trail or mostlytrail race.
Muddy, hilly, rained the wholetime.
It's the Pacific Northwest,it's supposed to rain, no metal

(02:05:31):
and it's a must-do if you're inthe Seattle area.
Beautiful scenery, nic, nicelymarked trail, dedicated
volunteers to help, excellentpost-race food.
Best part for Vanessa wasgetting to see her friend Renee
Lee who did the four-miler.
I saw a picture of Vanessa'sboots after this one was done.

(02:05:51):
They were a mess.
That's it.
We've got some other racescoming up today and tomorrow,
but gosh, don't have.
I feel like I should read thatagain.
The race report went by toofast.
All right, my friends, we'vebeen looking forward to.
First of all, happy New Year.
Happy New Year to you and yours.
We hope, all of us hope, that2025 is a wonderful year for you

(02:06:16):
.
We're excited.
All those miles of training arebehind us.
Now it's time for the reward.
We've got one more tradition forthis episode that we'd like to
share with you.
Now, for this episode that we'dlike to share with you now.
We're fortunate to have ourgood friend Mark with us this

(02:06:38):
evening.
It's become a pre-dopeytradition at the Rise and Run
podcast, mark.
Well, first of all, mark,welcome back to the podcast.
Thanks, bob, it's great to seeyou.
This is the third year that nowwe've had Mark join us.
We'll explain a little bit more.
I think most of our friendshave done that.

(02:07:00):
Most of our friends know what'scoming, but if not, I'll
explain in a second.
But this is the fourth year thepodcast has been on prior to
Marathon Weekend and the thirdyear Mark has been here with us.
So we're glad you're back.
How's the year?
How's the year going for you,mark?
In in, uh, running.
This is a.
This is the first year youpaced anybody right yeah, I

(02:07:27):
started.

Speaker 10 (02:07:27):
I started at princess was my first official
pacing and now you're a regularI, I am and it's.
It's been a wild ride.
I've not all of them have gonesmoothly.

Speaker 4 (02:07:40):
Well, I would say to my friends who are listening
that Mark's a great, greatexample.
How long have you been running,Mark?
It's not that long, is it?

Speaker 10 (02:07:51):
No, no, I started a couple of years before COVID, so
yeah, it's hard to do mathbecause COVID just time, and so
whatever that works out to be, Iguess five, six years and then,
uh well, we lost this.

Speaker 4 (02:08:06):
What'd we lose?
Most of 21, I think, yeah, yeah.
But yeah, I mean, you haven'tbeen running that long and I can
remember chatting with Markabout, oh gosh, I don't know if
I can finish this marathon, oroh gosh, this is the first time
I've tried a half.
And now here, just a couple ofyears later, you're confident
and capable enough to pace andbe one of the regular pacers for

(02:08:30):
Coach Twiggs.
I think that's awesome, man.
Thank you.
Also, if you're not aware, thosegreat looking training
calendars, the posts that go uponce a week.
Mark does that for us too.
He's another one of those folkswho is behind the scenes and
just does a lot for the Rise andRun podcast and the Rise and

(02:08:52):
Run family, so that's wonderful.
The first year we ran Dopey itwas not my first year I had done
it the first year that we wereon for Dopey would have been
January of 22, 22, 23, 24, 25.
Yep, yep, I got it January 22.

(02:09:13):
But, uh, I always consideredwhen I first started I, I
remember, and I said this on thepodcast before I can't do dopey
, it's impossible.
It was my impossible dream.
So I played a recording of thesong from the man of La Mancha

(02:09:35):
in 2020.
But, mark, you're still activein theater, correct?

Speaker 10 (02:09:41):
Yeah, yeah.
No, I actually just finisheddoing Charlie Brown Christmas.
We did a little version of that, pretty much exactly what it
sounds like, just a live actionversion of the Christmas special
.
Oh, neat.

Speaker 4 (02:09:54):
Neat.
That sounds great and Mark's atalented singer.
So after playing and recordingyear one, I said wait a minute,
I've got a friend who can dothis and we've asked Mark, you
have several Bob.
Well, I consider myselffortunate.
I'm blessed, mark, and I'veasked Mark again to come back

(02:10:14):
because I think, as I listen,and I know the lyrics to this
song very, very well, but theytouch me, they touch a chord,
and the impossible dreamepitomizes to me and to many, I
think, what it is to finish thisdopey challenge.
So I think, mark, withoutfurther ado, if you're ready,

(02:10:38):
maestro.

Speaker 1 (02:10:41):
To dream the impossible dream.
To fight the unbeatable foe, tobear with unbearable sorrow.
To run where the brave dare notgo, to right the unrightable

(02:11:07):
wrong.
To love pure and chaste fromafar.
To try, when your arms are tooweary, to reach the unreachable
star.
This is my quest To follow thatstar, no matter how hopeless,

(02:11:33):
no matter how far, no matter howfar.
To fight for the right, withoutquestion or pause.
To be willing to march intohell for a heavenly cause.
And I know, if I'll only betrue for this, that one man,

(02:12:21):
scorned and covered in scars,still strove with his last ounce
of courage To reach theunreachable stars Still gets me.

Speaker 4 (02:12:55):
It still gets me.
It still gets me Friends.
There you are.
That's it.
It's the quest, it's the dream,it's the star, but you can
reach it, mark.
Thanks, I'll see you in acouple weeks, huh.
Yeah, just a few.
Friends and if you run, you knowyou are our friend.

(02:13:18):
The dopey challenge to me is,and always will be, the
impossible dream, even thoughI've done it Not maybe the
impossible dream, it's alwaysthe quest, no matter how

(02:13:41):
hopeless, no matter how far theline in there.
That gets me as much as anywhen we think about the Dopey
Challenge, the fact that it's sodifficult, and being weary and
striving anyway.
But the lion and the world willbe better for this.
I don't know.
I don't know if I'm beingoverly dramatic or not, but I'd

(02:14:03):
like to think that each andevery one of you, whether you
know it or not, are inspiringsomeone else in some way by
taking on this incrediblechallenge, and maybe, just maybe

(02:14:23):
, you're making a little part ofthe world just a little bit
better.
And I'll leave you with thatHappy 2025 and happy running.

Speaker 2 (02:14:38):
The Rise and Run podcast discusses general
information about Run Disney andis in no way affiliated with
Run Disney or the Walt DisneyCompany.
Any information or advicediscussed on this podcast should
not be considered medicaladvice and should always consult
with your healthcare provideror event organizer.

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