Mouse Fest

Thursday, 6:30 a.m.
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I arrived at WDW Wednesday night, tossed my stuff in my room at Boardwalk, and walked over to EC at 9:10 to experience just a little of that special oxygen we get at the parks!

I walked thru UK, popped into the Canada store (I miss the Roots merch), and kept going to Norway. Rode Maelstrom, but they were done showing the movie for the night! And I love the movie! Quick spritz of the Laila perfume and on to the rest of the loop.

I'm not a huge Illuminations fan, so I mostly people-watched and enjoyed the music -- I do love the Illum music.

By the time I was heading out of the International Gateway, I realized that in the past, that loop would have tired me out -- I would have at least had some leg fatigue. But this time, nothing! Just a good quick walk around the loop after a day of working and traveling. What do you know, this exercise thing really pays off!

Now it's Thursday morning, 6:30 a.m. I'm up and eating and drinking, in preparation for a 10-mile run. It will be my first long run since late September, and my last one before the RACE. It was weird last night getting all my stuff out, setting the alarm, getting my food ready. I kept visualizing RACE eve, which was cool and scary at the same time!

The 10 miles will be hard, and I will want to quit. But I am determined to keep going. This will be a good test for me.

I'll have to run from BW to the Studios, then back by Yacht & Beach, over to the EC ticket booths and back to BW -- and that will only take care of 3 miles! And then I'll have to do that two more times!

Okay, time to get ready. I'll be back with you in a few hours.

4:30 p.m.
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Okay, it's been more than a few hours! The run was pretty good. It was gray and overcast here at 7 a.m., so I decided to wear my old shoes, but they worked out fine. On my way to the Studios, I ran a few laps around the tennis courts, and then a few laps around the entrance plaza there. But I really covered some miles by running deep into Swan and Dolphin, and then into Yacht & Beach. Eventually made it to the Epcot entrance and then back to Boardwalk and over to Studios one more time. At mile 9 on the way to the Studios the rain started, so I was glad I was not on the slippery Boardwalk at that point. At mile 9.88 on the way back, my right knee had some fairly serious pain for the first time ever, but I really didn't want to stop until 10. So I tried to adjust my gait a little and slowed down to a fast walk to get to 10.

But I did it! Mentally, it was not as tough to keep going as it was in September, so that's good. And physically I was stopping at 8 in September, and then alternating between walking and jogging -- and now I've made it to 10 before changing to walking. So I think I'm ready!

I liked running with it being overcast instead of really sunny. I wouldn't mind these conditions in January -- without the rain!

Back to the Magic Kingdom tonight. And more about MouseFest tomorrow.
Sorry most of my buddies aren't here with me, but you will be here in just a few weeks!!