Rise and Run
Rise and Run
133: Charity Spotlight: Running Give Kids the World with Ken Facey
As the cherry blossoms in D.C. began to burst into bloom, we laced up for an episode infused with the vibrancy of spring races and heartfelt stories from the running tracks. We're over the moon to bring you episode 133 of Rise and Run, where the warmth of community triumphs and the spirit of giving shines as brightly as a medal at the finish line. Our conversation takes us from the buzz of the 2025 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend to the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, all while emphasizing the joy of connection in our ever-supportive running family.
In the heart of this episode, we're joined by Ken Facey from Give Kids the World, who shares with us the profoundly touching work of the charity, bringing dreams to life for critically ill children and their families through dream vacations. Ken's stories are a powerful reminder of the difference we can make, running not just for personal glory, but for a cause that echoes far beyond the pounding of sneakers on pavement.
Wrapping it all up, we jaunt through a medley of race recaps and personal stories that exemplify the essence of our running community. Each step taken is a narrative woven into the larger tapestry that is the runners' collective journey. Whether it's tales of pirate-themed sprints or personal records smashed, we celebrate each achievement together. Join us, as we bring the heartbeat of this community to your ears, inspiring you to tie up those shoelaces and join in the grand marathon of life.
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3 am again.
Speaker 2:Why did I ever think this was a good idea? Welcome to the Rise and Run podcast. Join our group of Run Disney friends. As we talk about running at Walt Disney World and beyond. We'll discuss recent runs, training, upcoming races and surprise topics suggested by you, our listeners. Well, the alarm's gone off, so let's go.
Speaker 1:Welcome to the Rise and Run podcast. This is Vanessa from beautiful Seattle Washington, and it's time to rise and run. So if it's raining, put on your raincoat. If it's sunny, put on your sunscreen. But regardless, lace up those sneakers, put one foot in front of the other and get out there and run.
Speaker 3:Happy running. That is our friend Vanessa from Seattle, washington, with that appropriate, timely and, as always from Vanessa positive message. Thanks, vanessa. We appreciate you leaving that for us. Well, hello, my friends. It's so good to be back with you again for this episode 133 of the Rise and Run podcast.
Speaker 3:I'm Bob, and this evening I'm joined by Jack Hiya, by John hey, how you doing. By Greg hey, hey, hey. And by Alicia Hello, good to see you. As always, my friends, man, I'm getting excited. I'm going to calm down. Let's talk about what we're going to talk about this week first, but I'm getting excited. Springtime Surprise is almost here. Episode 133, we have a guest from Give Kids the World. Ken will be here with us to talk about that organization and to talk about raising funds for charity in general. Ken's a great guest. You're going to enjoy our conversation with him. The big run this weekend, the one that had the most Rise and Runners with it, the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler in Washington DC and we had quite a few friends show up to talk with us about it. We'll get to that in the race report spotlight.
Speaker 4:If you enjoy the Rise and Run podcast, please share us with your friends and introduce them to the Rise and Run family. We want to share in their Run Disney journey. So please remember to follow us on Facebook at Rise and Run Podcast and Instagram at Rise and Run Pod, and check out our YouTube channel and visit our webpage, riseandrunpodcastcom. If you have any questions, comments, raise reports or just want to introduce an upcoming episode, call us at 727-266-2344 and leave us a recorded message.
Speaker 3:Thank you, Jack. I think we're going to have a bunch of new listeners pretty soon. We may even have some folks here tonight for the first time. If you are welcome, we're glad you're with us. I'm just basing it on the number of folks who asked to join the Facebook group following today's Walt Disney World Marathon weekend registration.
Speaker 2:We also like to take this time to thank our patrons who help support us to keep the Rise and Run podcast rising and running. If you'd be interested in joining our Patreon team, please check out patreoncom slash rise and run podcast. And we do want to thank our newest member of the rise and run patron family season. Welcome, welcome to the gang and thank you so much to all of our patrons for your continued support of the podcast. We really, really do appreciate it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and for voting in the March madness thing. You were, you all were instrumental in that. We will reveal the Patreons champion here in just a few minutes. I don't even think the gang knows who it is, so it'll be a surprise to everyone. Friends with Walt Disney World Marathon registration just ending. If you haven't done so already and we recommended that you do, but if you haven't now is the time to contact our friends at Magic Bound Travel and get your travel plans all set for January at Walt Disney World. Your Magic Bound Travel agents each and every one of them, assigned to one of our Run Disney runners, is a Run Disney veteran him or herself, so they'll know exactly how to help you out. Magicboundtravelcom is the website. Check them out.
Speaker 3:All right, apologies and alibis, I'm going to because it's my mistake. I'm going to hit this for my own apology. I find it ironic that I don't get much grief from our friends in the Netherlands about the pronunciation of Dutch names but names in England. Apparently I messed them up and F-O-W-E-Y, which I pronounced as Foei, appears to be not appears to be, I am told is pronounced more like foy. So there you go. There you go, my bad, let's see friends we are well, you know. I'm looking at the training schedule and the training schedule says to me that seven days from today, we'll be at the Springtime Surprise Expo. Yay, Alright, we're excited. Alright, Calm down, Calm down, Calm down.
Speaker 2:I'm so looking forward to this weekend. Like I said, I know we talked a few weeks ago about how this weekend seems to have the least pressure and it's an extremely relaxed atmosphere. And it just. I know we talked a few weeks ago about how this weekend seems to have the least pressure and it's an extremely relaxed atmosphere and I'm chompy at the bit. Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 3:Real quick. The training on the schedule for this week is four miles. We're tapering down. It's just the last kind of a shakeout run before we hit uh, the race at Disney. Yeah, Expect it to be warm kids, Expect it to be warm the weather right now.
Speaker 3:Yeah Right, right. Weather right now in Florida is just gorgeous. In fact, the last couple of days would have been perfect. But forecast is for the temps to get a little higher and, uh, the humidity will come up with that also. So just be mentally prepared. Know that it's going to be warm. Know that, just slow down. If it gets too warm, just slow down. Don't, especially if you're coming from an area where the weather is still kind of cool. Just take that into account. That's part of coming to Central Florida at this time of year.
Speaker 3:All right, I want to wrap one thing up. I alluded to it earlier. Our Patreons were helping us. If you've been listening in on the Rise and Run March Madness, our Patreons were helping us out. But we couldn't without extending this thing another three weeks. We couldn't get Patreon voting in towards the end. So I went ahead and asked the Patreons to go ahead and make their picks anyway when we got to the final four. The Patreon final four was exactly the same as the Rise and Run Final Four. Ooh wow. Patreon Final Four pitted Haunted Mansion against Guardians of the Galaxy, cosmic Rewind and Expedition Everest against Star Wars Rise of the Resistance. The Patreons, however, did not come up with the same final game, where the gang had Haunted Mansion beating Guardians of the Galaxy, the Patreons had Guardians of the Galaxy easily defeating Haunted Mansion.
Speaker 4:Thank you, I was there. It would have been different now, wouldn't it, if I was there?
Speaker 3:it would have been different now, wouldn't it? And where the gang had Star Wars Rise of the Resistance over Expedition Everest, the Patreons agreed. So the Patreons final was Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind against Star Wars Rise of the Resistance, Both number one seats, Kind of like what just happened this year in the NCAA. Now, with the gang, Star Wars Rise of the Resistance was the ultimate champion With the Patreons by a 71 to 29% count. Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind was their champion.
Speaker 4:Thank you. I'm sorry, love you guys, but part of it was wrong. Okay, cosmic.
Speaker 3:Rewind is superior. There you go, jack Well, some redemption for you, and I haven't mentioned this for a while. Joe, jack Well, you have some redemption for you, and I haven't mentioned this for a while, thanks to our friend Craig McFarland from his podcast Beyond the Mouse, because I just flat out stole this idea from him.
Speaker 3:I think it's wonderful. Yeah, we had a lot of fun with it. I know the response that I got from our friends who were involved was all very positive. They had a good time too, and I look forward to us doing something like this next year.
Speaker 4:So you know Tom from Muscle Mouse, who has like the stoked metabolic coaching, so he messages me and was like you didn't vote for Haunted Mansion. I said sure, not All right. You didn't vote for Haunted Mansion, I said, sure, not alright. I'm just saying what was it against?
Speaker 3:I can't remember at that point for us, haunted Mansion was up against Guardians of the Galaxy yeah, guardians, I'm just guys Guardians.
Speaker 4:So that's who our? Yeah, seaton. Yeah, guardians, I'm just guys Guardians. Yeah, anyways.
Speaker 3:So that's who our Patreon friends voted. Guardians of the Galaxy and Jack. You can probably expect your monthly price to increase a little bit from Tom, Probably Something like that, or the number of reps to go up. I don't know. Tom's a pretty good guy. I'm sure he's laughing his tail off right now too.
Speaker 4:Oh, he's awesome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, all right. Yeah, we will hear more from Tom later in this episode. Hey, let's turn to the big activity for today, the day that we are recording this, was registration for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. I think it was exciting. I think it was a big deal.
Speaker 6:Nerve-wracking.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it always is. I think it went overall pretty well. I will tell you my stories, but I will turn it over to y'all first.
Speaker 7:Things went pretty seamless for me today because John got me a link Otherwise. I don't know when mine would have actually opened, but I got in for the marathon, which is what I wanted. So thanks, john, for giving me that link.
Speaker 4:No, problem is what I wanted. So thanks, john, for giving me that link. No problem, um, you know it was surprising. I don't know if you guys were. I I'm sure john's got all the stats about when things closed and everything actually greg did that today and I think he got him from our friend uh ryan right greg.
Speaker 2:Oh, I did on my own this time okay, well, ryan ryan had them also, I saw yes, yes, he does, he always has it. Yeah, adam schefter always has it, that's right.
Speaker 4:But you know, what's crazy is that usually the events are all sold out within like an hour and a half, I feel like, and I was freaking out because I didn't get in until about the hour mark and I was trying to go for Dopey and when I went to go click pay, it charged quote, unquote charged, charged my card but then said that it couldn't go through because, um, I didn't put in my shirt size. So then I go, put my shirt size back in, then I try and pay and it's like not letting me at all. So I had to refresh the page and do the entire thing over again, which was nerve-wracking because I was nervous to refresh the page because I didn't know if it's gonna put me back into the queue at all, which it didn't. But I've never been so anxious and I feel like this is the only registration. Like you know, just run Disney in general is the only registrations I've ever stressed out about with putting my name in, and it never used to be like that.
Speaker 4:I remember my first ever registration. Lexi was like okay, this is serious, things are gonna go by fast, but we gotta get in. I said, okay, all right, I don't know what to expect and then we're both celebrating at the end because I don't. I didn't realize the first time how hard it is to get into a Disney race, but I feel like it's gotten harder and harder every single year. But for whatever reason, this year for marathon weekend I feel like like it, it went slower. Is that just me? Like the races kind of closed out slower. I know in the past they've had marathon weekend open all the way through September, um, with uh signing up for the marathon, and obviously that's changed since COVID.
Speaker 8:But like Actually from compared to last year with Ryan's spreadsheet he put out yeah, this went a little longer than last year. Mm-hmm 2023 was an anomaly. I think that was when it was the dopey anniversary and stuff sold out like in 20 minutes.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean that was kind of like that this year for Goofy. Goofy sold out first.
Speaker 8:Yeah, 53 minutes, it sold out.
Speaker 7:Yeah, and last year it was like a few minutes before after for goofy, so it was it was right in the same timeline.
Speaker 2:it is very close yeah, well, since we're chatting about times, I'll go for it I'll give you the official times here. So, as you guys just said, uh goofy was the first uh race to sell out in 53 minutes. That makes actually a ton of sense to me. Uh number one because, as you know, jack and ally talked about, you know, this past year during the the marathon weekend recap episode. You know it was one little measly booth to.
Speaker 2:You know the pick up your bib out and everything like that, not to mention you know it is an anniversary year, so I think that definitely, um, you know, factored into everything. Uh, the next race to sell out was the 5k. Uh, that sold out in 69 minutes that's crazy then it was the 10k.
Speaker 2:That was 79 minutes. Then, after that was, dopey took 92 minutes, which and now I understand your point, jack. So, looking at Ryan's data that he posted on our Facebook page earlier today for the 2024 race, dopey sold out in 71 minutes. This year it took 92. So there was a little bit of a gap, um, you know, in terms of time difference there. Uh, let's see. Then after dopey was the half, and that sold out in 111 minutes, and then the last thing to go was the marathon itself, and that came in at um just under two hours.
Speaker 4:So and I feel like, if you're ever trying, I feel like for marathon weekend if you're trying to sign up for the marathon and you're worried about waiting in the queue, I wouldn't worry so much about that race.
Speaker 2:Not necessarily saying that it's not good, but historically seen it's always almost always the last one to be sold out no, I, I, I completely agree with you, jack, because you know, like, like alicia, I was registering for just the marathon this year. You know, and I knew going into it that you know I needed to be conscious of my time but I knew I didn't have to, like, register like a chicken with my head cut off um, like me yeah.
Speaker 2:So I mean, I had, I had a bunch of windows open and and everything like that, and I think three out of the four, for like the entire time I was registering, were, you know, more than an hour. Yeah, I had one that was moving and I think I got it down to. I want to say I was down to like maybe a half an hour or something like that, and then I'm gonna, I'm gonna steal a line from our friend, kristin over at running in makeup. Um, my fairy bib, mother of hollywood, all of a sudden texted me out of the blue and was like I have a link that's under five minutes, do you want it? And I was like, sure, why not? You know so. So that helped me.
Speaker 2:You keep calm, you know, during the course of the day and obviously, you know, like so many others in our community today, um, you know, was able to help out and, you know, pass along.
Speaker 2:I think I passed my link along to lexi or something like that. But, um, I, I, but you know, talking about the, you know the level of anxiety in terms of registration, I, I will say I never got anxious, you know, my palms weren't sweating, my heart wasn't racing like in other weekends, but I will say there was a small thought in the back of my head that I felt like not since either the 50th anniversary medals or the dopey anniversary with all the you know the uh, all the cool 90s throwbacks and everything like that. I just saw a lot of posts on social media about like I can't wait to register for my first dopey and you know, or can't wait to register for this or that and everything. So I was confident, knowing that everything was going to sell out today. Just really, the question was how quickly was it going to? And obviously, as we saw, based on the data under, you know everything under two hours, but not as fast as you know, previous years.
Speaker 8:What's crazy? Looking at the little spreadsheet Ryan threw up there in 2019, only the 5K and the 10K sold out. Everything else was open up until register. Up until race day. It looks like.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I remember that was my first ever marathon and I was like, well, if it's open till September, it's meant to be. And I kept working. I was like, okay, I guess it's September, I guess I'm signing up for it In 2018,.
Speaker 7:I did something similar. Jack and I was training for the Wine and Dine races and we had to run 13 miles for training and the marathon training was 15 miles. And my mom was like, are you sure you don't want to run a marathon? And, mind you, this is October. And I was like, oh, I don't know. And I thought about it and I was able to sign up. And it's so crazy that now we sell out in less than two hours and back then I was able to sign up months later.
Speaker 3:Yeah, a couple of personal stories, but before I get to those, I have to comment on our friends who were in the 2025 WDW Marathon Weekend chat group helping one another out. I am so stinking proud of this community and the way they help one another out. It is a sight to behold. So thank you all, and most everybody either listened to the Zoom call or the replay and followed along with what we wanted to do, so it really worked out pretty well. I know that you and when I say you, I mean the folks who participated I know that you helped others in this wonderful community get into that run, so thank you so much for that. That was inspirational.
Speaker 8:What's everybody doing again?
Speaker 4:That's what I was about to ask. What is everybody doing?
Speaker 3:Well, I don't know about everybody. I mean, there are a couple thousand of us, but I'm doing dopey, the one I said I would not do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's talk about that. Bob, how did we go from the 5K and the marathon to goofy, to dopey? Explain yourself.
Speaker 3:I'm not sure I ever considered 5K and the marathon I did that a couple years ago, I certainly was committed to goofy. It's monica's fault. Monica came up with this idea for the 101 dalmatians, which we will talk more about later. And oh, by the way, friends, I haven't mentioned this out loud before, but one of monica's points in selling this was she and her husband were trying to decide who should be Cruella and I think they both at the same time decided Bob, bob should be Cruella.
Speaker 2:So I'm going to dress up as Cruella for the 101 Dalmatians uh, and here I thought you were going to say hashtag dopey baby no, we, we will.
Speaker 3:We will talk hashtag dopey baby later in the race report. Okay, Hashtag dopey baby set a uh, set a PR. So that's pretty cool. Uh, I was in Orlando and I opened three, three windows for some reason. I don't know if anybody had this problem, not problem, but had them happen to them. I opened a window in Chrome and an incognito window in Chrome and when I went to the run Disney site it was only like 10 minutes till 10, five minutes till 10. The register now buttons were open. When I opened Safari at like nine 55, the register now buttons were not open. I had to go into the individual races and click on a link there.
Speaker 2:I had a very similar experience, yeah.
Speaker 3:I thought that was odd. That's Apple. I'm sorry, however, the first one I yeah, I agree, john, but the first one that came up for me and this does not happen to me, this happened to me for the first time today was that Safari browser, and within the first two or three minutes I had a 49-minute wait, I think, and you all know how that is. Once that number starts, it goes down very quickly. I actually received my confirmation email by 10-21. So I was registered and done.
Speaker 3:I was able to help out one other person, who will remain nameless Jack, and then I had one other browser open and an hour later, at 11 am, when I had to get going, it was still showing over an hour. So that browser wouldn't. If that had been my only one, I'd have been out of luck, but I'm very fortunate. I have friends who will message me and say, hey, do you need one? As do others, I know. But I was very happy this time when those friends checked up on me again, which I appreciate very much. I was able to say thank you. But no, thank you, I am good to go.
Speaker 2:I know there was a moment of trepidation. I want to say maybe just under an hour into everything. I know Alicia and I had the same experience where numbers started going down. Then they like shot back up by like 15 minutes and then, you know, slowly they started to creep down. So maybe there was one of those pauses that was really similar to, um, I think, what happened during wine and dine registration, but obviously it wasn't that long that that happens every time.
Speaker 3:Now, that happens, happens every time and it happens about 25, 30 minutes into the process. The numbers that were going down will pop back up. But I do not. I can't explain that. I do understand why you go from 49 minutes to being done in 20, to being done in 20 because as people get in, they close their browsers and so one person may close four or five spots. But I do not understand why they go back up. But they've done that every time, so it's not unusual.
Speaker 4:We didn't say, but Lexi is also running. She's not here today, but she got in for the 10 K, so I believe there's at least one person. Yeah, because me and Bob are doing Dopey.
Speaker 8:And then I'm doing. I got in, I did good. I said I'm not doing Dopey this year. I got the itch. I was, you know, shaking. My wife goes. You said you're not doing Dy, so I'm doing the marathon. Jimmy the cricket is doing the 5k and so is my wife. So, bob, if you want to say what's happening with my wife doing the 5k, oh she's going to be a puppy, I suppose. I hope yep and who else is doing?
Speaker 3:the 5k becky will be there out of retirement again as long as d Diane signs up, Becky will sign up.
Speaker 2:I had this whole celebration planned for Springtime Surprise next week of Becky's farewell going away party and now it's all to ruin.
Speaker 8:Yeah, she's like Farvin Brady they don't know when to retire. Nope not at all.
Speaker 4:Also, I do have to point this out there. So someone mentioned wanting to be a puppy. Like you guys said, we're all going to be dressing up for pup as puppies for the 5k. That was going to be my original costume anyway, really yes, and then? Taking my costume away for my marathon, because I'm doing cruella, that I'm making my own challenge.
Speaker 3:Cruella to um yeah, I know that. Explain that, jack. Explain why you're doing that. That's pretty neat.
Speaker 4:Yeah, okay, thanks Bob for asking, but since I'm running the Daytona 100 miler, I'm just going to tack on one more mile, so I can at least say that I did 101. Yeah, so that way the first race would be Dalmatian and then the last race would be Cruella, because it's really cruel to run 101 miles and then, not long after, run 48.6.
Speaker 3:So I think that's wonderful, that's awesome, thank you. I want to leave you with this closing thought on registration for this particular weekend, and I was thinking of this while I was having lunch today. The three best days and I'm going to say the dopey challenge, but it's really anything you're challenging yourself to do on this particular weekend are the day you get that confirmation email, because it's so exciting.
Speaker 11:Yeah.
Speaker 3:The day training starts, excitement is really high, because when training starts, hey, the first week is, I think, the long run, the first week is three miles. That's exciting and the first week is, I think, the long run, the first week is three miles.
Speaker 4:That's exciting.
Speaker 3:And the excitement level is very high. You can see it, you'll hear it and read about it amongst the group and then when you cross the finish line, everything in between that is hard. Everything in between that I'm starting training and I'm crossing the finish line is hard. But get yourself we'll talk about it more Get mentally ready for it, because it's a challenge. But it's a challenge worth doing and it's a challenge I've decided now I'm going to do as long as I can. So you'll have to cart me off the battlefield at Dopeyland before I'm done. All right, friends, let's visit with our guest for the week.
Speaker 2:With this week marking registration for the 2025 Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, we have heard countless stories of friends who were able to successfully register. Thankfully, we have not heard of too many stories of friends that were shut out, but I am here to tell you that if you were shut out, hope is not lost. One way to obtain a bib for this weekend or any other Run Disney Race weekend for that fact is by running on behalf of a charity, and here at the Rise Around podcast, one of our absolute favorite charities is Give Kids the World, and what better way to start the marathon weekend fundraising season but by having the opportunity to speak with the development manager for the village? We would love to welcome to the Rise Around podcast Ken Facey. Ken, welcome to the podcast, thank you. Thank you for having me. We would love to welcome to the Rise and Run podcast Ken Facey. Ken, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 13:Thank you. Thank you for having me. This is awesome. This is so cool.
Speaker 2:We are really looking forward to chatting with you Now. I guess our first question is you know a lot of friends in our community know of Give Kids the World. But for friends who might be new or have never heard of this wonderful organization, can you tell us about the village and what is the mission of Give Kids the World?
Speaker 13:Yeah, I you know. It's really interesting because just this weekend I was at a convention called the Moose Association, moose Lodge, and they do a lot of charity work around the country and they do a lot of charity work around the country and I went up and spoke about Give Kids the World and we've been around for over 38 years and there's some individuals that have no idea what Give Kids the World Village is. So I think it's a very, very great question to begin with. So Give Kids the World Village. It's this place where critically ill children come to once a wish is granted to them and any time a wish is granted to visit Walt Disney World, universal Orlando Resort or any of the world-class theme parks in Central Florida. Give Kids the World steps in. Kids to World steps in, and we are then able to fulfill that wish by giving a seven-day cost-free vacation to that family to come to the village, in addition to tickets to the theme parks of their choice. We have nightly entertainment activities that is centered around those indelible holidays such as Christmas, birthdays, halloween, because a child may have been in a hospital during that time or they may not even see the next holiday. So we have almost like a cruise-like schedule where each night of a Wish family stay they are able to experience those holidays, of course with all the magic that's of the village 89 acres, we have 166 villas and we have four accessible attractions as well. So we have a resort and a theme park within a resort that if a child is too ill to go out to a theme park or just want to enjoy the village, they can.
Speaker 13:But let me backtrack. That was a lot of what we are. But we started by a guy, by a founder, by the name of Henry Landworth. And Henry is a Holocaust survivor and he was separated from his sister going into some of the concentration camps and when he got out he met up with his sister, moved to New York and began to learn the hotel business. And when he learned the hotel business he was moved by the hotel company down to the space coast of Florida. So because NASA was being built and the space race was was hopping, so he was managing a hotel by NASA so all the astronauts would come and stay with him and become lifelong friends and even business partners.
Speaker 13:But Make-A-Wish that was just maybe started a few years prior was reaching out to Henry to say we have wish kids that want to see the space shuttle launch. Is there any way you could accommodate them? And Henry said, absolutely, any child that has that wish, they could stay with us completely free. And he was doing that for a few years until he heard of a little park being opened in Orlando called the Walt Disney World Resort, where, he, believe it or not, was the first individual to open up a hotel outside the gates of Walt Disney World and manage it.
Speaker 13:And he went to Dick Nunes, disney legend, who's running Disney parks. At the time he said if any child wishes to, you know, come see Mickey Mouse, believe it or not, mickey Mouse, 85% of the wishes then and still today is to see Mickey Mouse. So you know, any child want to go see Mickey Mouse, you could come and stay with me at my hotel completely free. And that was going well and he was setting up things for children and there was one wish girl who wished to see Mickey Mouse.
Speaker 13:Henry was arranging a trip and she didn't make it to that trip and he he was distraught. So he said I'm going to take all of this into my own hands. And then he created Give Kids the World Village. And what his goal was not just to create this whimsical, magical place, but if a child is in need and they have a wish granted to them that we're able to turn it over in less than 24 hours. So today, a wish child that wishes to visit Walt Disney World or Universal or Legoland, and they make that wish this evening, we will work our very best so the next day they are at Give Kids the World Village.
Speaker 3:That's amazing, Kim.
Speaker 2:I thought I knew a lot about the village, but that is a piece of information I never knew and I'm floored to hear that. That is incredible. I mean, I'll tell you folks, bob and I, just about this time last year, we had the opportunity to visit the village during Springtime Surprise. And let me tell you, bob I don't know about you it was a tour that I will never forget because there's just so many special places across all that acreage oh, it's an emotional experience, but beyond that it's a loving and caring and wonderful experience too, it's.
Speaker 3:it's you kind of have to be there, friends, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Well, so you know, speaking of last year, um, you know, when Bob and I went to go on the tour, one of the newest things that literally had just opened that weekend was the new spa at the village where the kids could get the treatments. And then, obviously, you know, you know, the adults could get the more traditional type treatments and everything like that. So I remember, you know again, a year ago, that that was the newest thing. You know what's shiny and new, uh, at the village right now yeah, so, uh, twinkle hope spa, by the way, is is fantastic.
Speaker 13:Where kids have to respond, there's a place for the adults. So this summer we are opening and if you have been to the village, right across the way there was almost this hut and it was a museum dedicated to the history of the village and almost Henry Landward's life. We have reimagined that experience to be called the Wonder Lab, and the Wonder Lab is a STEAM-based experience science, technology, engineering, art and math where we will have robots. We will have STEAM experiences. We've been very fortunate to partner with Garner Halt, who does a lot of audio animatronic figures, and we will have some audio animatronic figures in there. We'll have some robots that folks can move around and kids could really just enjoy the world of steam. So that is opening up this summer. So we are in the heart of it, of preparing that grand opening.
Speaker 2:I don't know about you guys, but I kind of wish I could go on a vacation to the village, because all the cool things that you guys have there, it's awesome.
Speaker 3:It is awesome. One of the things that impressed me also, greg and Ken, is that you take care of the whole family. I mean, the child, who needs to be there, is obviously the focus and the reason for being there, but you take care of the whole family.
Speaker 13:The spa was a good example. Yeah, yeah, really lead with, uh, having the guest and the witch families be as much involved in the experience. Right, they give us feedback. We take it very seriously and, um, one of the feedback that we got is uh, well, what, what's for the adults? This is really centered around children and the spa, to your point. Greg was GI Joe's gym and it was a gym that you could go in, and so a wish child's mom actually was a massage therapist and she said, well, you know what you could bring? A massage chair and she started to consult with different massage companies that could come in and do spa treatments for kids but also adults, and that's how that came to be. So the spa is called Olivia's Oasis, which is dedicated to the Wish child's mom who started that. So, yeah, we really lean into the wish family's feedback to continuously improve and make it magical for all those families.
Speaker 7:So, ken, when we're running for Give Kids the World on behalf of the village and we raise all this money, can you tell us how that in turn benefits the village and the families that come there?
Speaker 13:Absolutely, you know. And that's a great question, because when you go on to the Run Disney site, run Give Kids, the World site, you see how much money we raise. And that's a common question when does all this go to? Because we have so many great partnerships and we do a lot, but wish counts are going up. Last October in 38 years was the busiest October we have had in our close to 39-year history.
Speaker 13:So with wishes going up and our 166 villa count being full, obviously the need grows to serve those families, right? So a great example is if you were to just donate $100, that's, you know, 50 pizzas that will feed one family for a week. You know, if you were to donate $10, that's five new pillows that will go into a villa. Enhance the experience because, although, yeah, we have villas and we may have principles, that operates like a traditional hotel, we have to think of our, our guests that we are serving, which are which families? So we want to ensure that everything from the arrival to the cars that they rent, to the villas, to the equipment that we're cleaning the room with, not only exceed hotel expectations but exceeds a child's wish, because they are there on a wish trip, right? So all that money goes back into those flying details, to ensuring we could do that every day.
Speaker 8:Okay, Ken. So now that you've taken over this role as development manager, what goals do you have for the Run Disney? Give Kids the World's running community?
Speaker 13:That's another perfect question. I want to turn this into a club because I come from the world. Previous before this, and I'm sure we'll talk about this I worked at Disney and part of one of the roles I worked in was Club 33. I was working in premium services so, and I got to design experiences around some of our Club 33 members. That was a community. I remember Club 33 guests would buy tables at the Give Kids the World Gala and go. So I really want to make this into a running community where we are sharing for each other and we are able to I look at it as if I'm able to somehow amplify and show you in the most amazing way the incredible experiences we put on for our wish. Families that visit give kids the world and you run for us. You're going to be that much more encouraged to just do better in this world.
Speaker 13:You know a Disney legend, marty Scalar, told me when a guest leaves a Disney park, yeah, it's fantasy meets reality, but it's reassurance and I want folks, when they join our Run Disney club, that they see this and they're reassured in the world. And what does that look like? A perfect example of that is we have appreciation dinner over at the village this time, though, and then you get a tour of the village. So traditionally it was set up you come in, you eat, and we offer tours every like 20 minutes or so. Now it's more of an experience where this is when we're eating, but this is some sort of unique experience that is only offered to you. So, in turn, in some way we only offer it to our guests, but we're offering it to you to see the amazing experiences we're able to offer our guests and that you're a part of it.
Speaker 13:So, for Princess, I showcase legacy. I showcased legacy, and, in partnership with D23, they gave a gift out a couple of years ago about 23 items that crossed Walt Disney's desk during his lifetime. So I then took out these items and told stories about select ones. But the connection to the village is, when you run, give Kids the World, you're giving a child a place to leave a legacy.
Speaker 13:You know, each child gets a wish star that they only get to write their name and their wish on, and they put it in our Castle of Miracles, and we have over 200,000 stars in there, and it's growing. And you know, when you run, it's not just a charity, but you're giving someone, even if they come back many years later as an alumni or if they sadly pass on, their families could come back and always see that star. That's what you're running towards. So the more that I could create those experiences to show that you are a greater part of this and that we're all here for each other, the more we're going to have this great running club. So that's my vision and my goals for our run Disney community, for Give Kids the World.
Speaker 3:That was a long answer, but it's great and I'm glad you brought up that was. That was clearly the most meaningful part of the tour to me. That's where it all comes together and you just look in there and sets you to thinking. So, yeah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 4:So one running event that is loved by many is the Gingerbread Run, but there is a new twist to it for 2024. Can you tell us about?
Speaker 13:that I sure can. So we actually had it. We were having two this year. We had our Valentine's Day Gingerbread Run in February, which was a lot of fun, but this year we're bringing it back under the lights, so it's a 5K and it's, I think, you run twice around the village. That makes 5K and all of the avenue which is the center of our village.
Speaker 13:We have our attractions, our theater venues and whatnot, and some of the villas is all going to be decorated in Christmas lights and so you get to run through that space and the way the village is designed it already looks like something out of this whimsical world, a real life, candyland, candyland, yeah, yeah, yeah, Candyland. So to be able to amplify that with Christmas lights, right, candyland, yeah, always this. You know Christmas, that never was, that will always be. So we're kind of taking that kind of feeling to that, with the lights and the music around the village this year, and we're going to place it all there so our participants and our runners could run around the village and I think we want to get our alumni families involved in it too. Those that have are running, those that have are running. So it's going to be really fun. So that's coming up in November.
Speaker 4:So if someone wanted to do a charity bib to run for Give Kids the World, how would someone go about that?
Speaker 13:That's a great question. Okay, so for the Walt Disney World races, you could go to our website, run GKTW, and we typically have the ones the season up there right now. So we have a springtime surprise, we have the Disneyland Halloween half and then we have Wine and Dine. So we continuously will update that and when you click into that page it'll bring you to another landing page of the bibs that we still have offered that you could run for, of the bibs that we still have offered that you could run for.
Speaker 13:Traditionally, what happens is a runner will see a race that they're interested in, select it and then there'll be a fundraising goal with that. And then you go in and you fundraise and some folks which has been really amazing just shout out to the entire Run Disney community community and and our run gktw uh, we exceeded our goal by like 16 000 this time around for springtime surprise and, um, you know, it just goes to show that we're really taking this community to to another level. So, um, you know we would love to have you. And then for the gingerbread, you can find that on our website and it's a part of one of our fundraisers and I forget what the registration fee is on there, but all that information can be accessed through our Give Kids the World website.
Speaker 3:I'd like to remind our friends that there is a link at the top of our Facebook group for multiple charities, and Give Kids the World is up there also. And while we're on the topic, ken, maybe you can help us out a little bit. We've got friends who are probably raising money for a charity, whether it be Give Kids, the World or some other, for the first time. Any general thoughts or tips or suggestions you have for folks who are trying to raise money for a charity?
Speaker 13:Yeah, I would say for folks who are raising money for charity for the first time is to find something that they believe in, the charity that they are emotionally connected with, emotionally connected with, and then share that message with other people, because the one thing you want to do is get people to come on this journey with you.
Speaker 13:And there are amazing charities out there, right, you know there, you know, connor's cure is one with a WWE or wrestling entertainment, and there's people that donate there, and some folks are not wrestling fans but they donate because they know the impact of the message, because they're personally involved, right? So I think you find something that really speaks to you and then you could speak to that People are going to want to be involved. And then I also think donations sound so much transactional. I think when it's framed of you could be a part of this with me, folks are more amped in to buy in it, because folks want to be a part of something. And I tell our Run Disney community, although we service our wish families, when a wish kid says to me well, who do I thank for all of this? Well, you can look right back at our Run Disney community and say thank you to each and every one of them, so you know when you think that you're a part of it and it's not just a donation, but it's being a part of something greater.
Speaker 8:I think that that's a good fundraising tip as well let's say I already have my bib and I still want to fundraise for give kids the world. How can I do that?
Speaker 13:that I mean, and then more kudos there, because you're more than welcome to. If you go to our website, I'll run gkt Any race, like if we're talking Disneyland Halloween half, and I only picked that one because that's the next one. You could go in and it says register for Run Disney Already and still want to donate. You click that and then you could open a fundraising page or you can make a straight donation to that as well, and then, although you're not going through the fundraising process, but you donated anyways and you're continuing to fundraise for us, you will still be a part of our Run Disney Club. You'll still get the cool shirt which fun fact.
Speaker 13:We are redesigning the look and feel of it, since we're taking the club in a new direction and you'll still get to be invited to, um, some of these dinner and experiences. You know, I know that we're mainly east coast focused, but with the races going out west, we're going to be able to go out west and celebrate our runners there too, which is really cool. And then I'm looking into getting to the expo space as well. So, um, you would still be a part of our club if you chose to donate that way.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, ken. Thank you for sharing all this information and you are such a wonderful ambassador. You've only been in this role now for a couple of months. You really are a nice shining light for the village, and kudos to you. Now we've been talking for almost 25 minutes now and we've been talking about charities and we've been talking about the village and raising money, but we haven't asked many questions about Ken the person, and a couple of weeks ago, you and I had the wonderful opportunity to video chat with one another and I was interested in your disney story, but you let something slip that you had a job, that you were working on a project just before you came, uh, over to the village that is actually going to be debuting very, very soon. I know a trailer just dropped for it not too long ago. Can you tell us about what your role was in this project that is going to be released very soon?
Speaker 13:Yeah, so right before this, I was working with Disney Television Animation on a new show called Disney Junior Ariel. So if we think of the new, this reintroduction of Ariel at Haley Bailey, it's it's the same look and feel of the show, but it's everything before her 16th birthday and I got to work in production and with, specifically with our music teams for that show for an entire season, which I guess that was 30 episodes and then a couple of interstitials and, yeah, the trailer just dropped and it's wild to be able to see that all come to life. But it's coming out this summer, so please keep an eye out for that. But that's one of the many exciting things that I got to do at the Walt Disney Company is get to work on Disney Junior Ariel. So although it fits in a Disney Junior category, it has so many beautiful messages that adults and children can share together. So keep an eye out for that. Very cool, very cool.
Speaker 2:Now I'm just curious, Before you drop that you used to work in Club 33, tell us a little bit about your Disney journey. How did you go from? I remember when you and I talked, you know you said you had worked in attractions and everything like that. So how did you get from attractions to club 33 to working? On a television show. I mean that's pretty incredible.
Speaker 13:It's. It's pretty wild, you know I I don't really know if I know myself, uh, uh. But yeah, you know I, I've always had, since since I was seven, this dream and passion of working for the Walt Disney Company. I remember, probably I was in seventh grade and I got this first book about Walt Disney and really understanding that and that's all I really ever wanted to do with my life. And I came down from New Jersey to work at Walt Disney World and you know, to be honest, I was kind of lost I wouldn't say lost, but like I didn't have any sense of, like I don't want to do anything else because that's all I wanted to do is put a Disney name tag on.
Speaker 13:So about seven to eight years I worked in the operations as an hourly host in several different capacities. I went from, you know, a lot of attractions in the Magic Kingdom, hollywood Studios, I was a guest relations host. I got to answer emails, backstage and guest correspondence and worked in like hotels, as concierge. But it wasn't until, like, I realized, as a leader in Disney you can really change people's lives, you know, because if they come to work here, like myself, to fulfill a dream, I could help amplify that. So then that's what I got into management and I got to do that for a short period of time before I was very blessed to be one of two Walt Disney World ambassadors, where I got to travel all of Florida and the country and speaking on behalf of the Walt Disney Company, specifically Walt Disney World. And then after that's, when I went to premium services, designing tours and experiences for our guests, and that kind of led me into, since I had so much leadership experience going into the Disney University and talking about being a Disney leader, and it was around that time when our business changed a lot, when we started to dial in about what does inclusion look like at the Walt Disney Company and I was very passionate about, obviously, storytelling, but storytelling accurately and telling our stories accurately.
Speaker 13:So I got the incredible experience to go work in Disney Plus where we were launching some of these new shows and products, and for about two, three years I couldn't believe, as this boy that dreamt of working at Disney I was working on the Walt Disney Studios lot where I got to see these shows filmed and these animated projects get recorded. It was amazing. And then got to go do the Disney Junior Project. But where Give Kids the World came in is when I was ambassador I got to go to Give Kids the World with Mickey Mouse and I mean it was just nothing like it.
Speaker 13:People wish to see Mickey Mouse, but our chief character is Mayor Clayton. And when you step back, I remember Mickey left and I was at the village by myself, or Disney left, I was just standing there because I didn't want to leave yet it was so incredible. I I remember seeing a child go through who's going through chemo, like react to the mayor and I thought to myself wow, like how do you become a part of this? You know, like this is a character who is going through this, this life experience with someone. How do I get a part of that? So I I always said if I was ever going to leave the Walt Disney company, this is where I wanted to go. And here I am. You know he's back.
Speaker 2:Bravo, sir, bravo, yeah, now, now, uh, one question we do have to ask because you know you're in charge of the running team, which you know it's going to turn into this running club, and we are a running podcast. Have you ever run a run Disney race before? I have, I have, okay.
Speaker 13:I ran the. It was the 25th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Marathon and I ran the half marathon. And it was my first race.
Speaker 13:I have my medal over there and let me tell you I didn't. I didn't know the regiment on how to train, so I trained how I saw fit and that day I couldn't believe I got in the corral and off I went, and me and my counterpart with the ambassador with me, I think we even made it in like qualifying time or something. Um it was, it was cold, you know. So, like we, we wanted to get out of there yeah, uh but, yeah, it was, and you know how that came to be.
Speaker 13:When I was ambassador, um, uh, I went to run disney. It was me actually that said, oh, run disney is the weekends, I want to do something with it. So I remember reaching out to the run Disney partners and they think, when they think of the ambassadors, oh, a stage moment needs to happen, a microphone. I was like not at all, I just want to be there. And I remember I just just put at the finish line and I saw the very first person cross and then, maybe 40 minutes later, it was like you could leave. I'm like no, I'll stay here until the end. And I saw the very last person come in and when I saw that I thought to myself I, I want to experience that.
Speaker 13:And it was Farron Kelly, who was the vice president of Run Disney at the time, said gauntlet down here, then do it. And I said, all right. So that's when I got my race. But I used to do that for all the marathons, all the races stand at the finish line to the very start and then see the very last person come in. And it is the most inspirational thing you know you could see.
Speaker 3:That is, that is run Disney Ken. That's it in a nutshell.
Speaker 2:Well, we'll have to get you back on the course to run with the Rise and Run community one of these days.
Speaker 13:Yeah, yeah, maybe I'll run the Gingerbread Run with you guys.
Speaker 8:There we go, and if you can't get into, run Disney, we know a good charity.
Speaker 13:Okay, all right. All right, you'll have to connect me with that person?
Speaker 2:Hey, ken, one last question before we officially wrap this up. You know we have talked so highly of the village for so many years on this podcast and I know some of us here, you know in terms of the host, but other members of our community have wondered this as well. You know say, you know, say we're coming down a few days before the race weekend or a few days after the weekend and you know, maybe we have a down day and they would be interested in volunteering at the village. Can you just give us a real quick summary in terms of the process of being able to make something like that happen as part of your run Disney vacation?
Speaker 13:Yeah, that's a great question. So you just go onto our website and hit the volunteer um uh tab and then you would fill out an application and go through the background check, of course, and then, once that's completed, um, you'd have access to the um, to the volunteer ships. You would come on in and do orientation, and it's as simple as that. Um, there's no regiment that you need to volunteer often, so like if you were to come for springtime surprise and then come back for wine and dine or, you know, Walt Disney World Marathon weekend. By all means, do it Once you're in our system, you're in our system. So I just recommend you go to our site, hit the volunteer tab and get that process started.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Well, ken, this has been an absolute pleasure. We are going to make sure to put links to the village itself, the running team, the gingerbread run. All of that is going to go on our show notes for this week so people can learn about that. But we want to thank you for your service, not only to the Disney company, but to these wonderful children and their amazing families. Continue the awesome work, and I know us here at the podcast. We're really looking forward to working with you in the future, because I know we have some ideas brewing in terms of how we can work together with one another. We're very excited for it. But we just want to thank you for your time and thank you for your service as well.
Speaker 13:Yeah, no, thank you for having me. I look forward to working with all of you in the future.
Speaker 3:Great stuff from Ken. Really enjoyed talking with him. Now, if you've listened to the Rise and Run podcast in the past, you know that Give Kids the World is kind of our charity of choice. But we certainly recognize that there are other wonderful charities out there and I would just tell you, if you didn't get in today in your registration, take a look, take a look at the sheet that we keep pinned to our featured section that our good friend Mark does a wonderful job of keeping up to date, and there's a list of dozens of charities that you can look towards to try to get a bib for one of these events. But, Ken, thanks again. We look forward to seeing you.
Speaker 2:The one thing I forgot to ask Ken during the course of that interview is that when will Marathon Weekend Registration bibs be available on behalf of Give Kids the World? Because as of day of recording they have not released their allotment yet. But if they follow suit within similar races in the past, I would have to imagine they will go on sale sometime within the next week or so. So that link that we're putting in the show notes that takes you over to the running team page for the village. Just make sure you keep an eye on that. Um, you know, for the, the official release of those bibs, if you are interested in running on behalf of a charity, and I will say if you are, you know, raising money for the first time. Um, I'm sure we can probably dig through um old episodes and put these in listener notes as well too, but we do.
Speaker 2:We have had two different episodes over the iteration of the podcast where we've talked about fundraising, uh, one being with our friend peter brookhart over at the brookhart project. He had tons of great information about ideas that he uses to fundraise on behalf of the american cancer society. And then we also have another interview with our buddy kg over at living information about ideas that he uses to fundraise on behalf of the American Cancer Society. And then we also have another interview with our buddy KG, over at living, the KG life. She's a phenomenal fundraiser and, speaking of which quick side tangent here just hit her goal of $12,000 for the Doug Flutie foundation because she's towing the line at Boston, so so, she's a phenomenal, the line at Boston next week, so she's a phenomenal resource as well, so if you need ideas on how to reach your fundraising goal, definitely check out those two episodes as well.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thanks, greg. All right. Other news the Springtime Surprise Event Guide dropped this week. Let's talk about that a little bit. Let's take a quick look through here. We're not going to go through everything, let's just hit the highlights. The weekend starts with yoga.
Speaker 2:That is correct, bob. Yoga this time is actually switching back to its normal position in the weekend. I know the one thing we chatted about during our princess recap, you know, a couple of weeks ago is that they decided to put yoga at the end of the weekend. But it's actually technically the first part, so it takes place on Thursday, april 18th at 5 am. If you are participating, there is bus transportation available but, unlike the rest of the races for the weekend, if you're staying at a disney resort, there is one, but you know you have one opportunity to get on the bus. Um, I'm not going to go through all of it because that would just be laborious, but essentially check the event guide because there are, by the the looks of it, 11 different routes. They've clustered the resorts in terms of proximity to one another.
Speaker 2:So on that page in the event guide you just find your resort, what a route that is, and then the specific time that you will get picked up. That you will get picked up. Check-in begins for yoga at Hollywood Studios at 4.15 in the morning. The parking lot, if you are driving yourself, opens at 4 o'clock and you must arrive by 4.45 in order to check in before your wonderful NamasteNAS Day experience.
Speaker 3:All right. So now we're all calm, relaxed, stretched out Time to go to the Expo.
Speaker 8:Okay, the Expo starts April 18th and runs through the 20th. The dates are a little, the times are staggered. So on Thursday the expo is from 10 to 7,. Friday from 12 to 6, and Saturday 11 to 3. There will be bus transportation from all Disney World resorts, starting 30 minutes before and running 30 minutes after the expo time. So if you want to get there, you get a. You get a bus drops your right off at the expo or you can drive there at the expo.
Speaker 8:This is where you're going to get your race shirts, your bibs, your run Disney merch and all that other stuff. So for your, if you're going to, if you're going there for the run Disney merch on the first day, you must check into the virtual queue. The virtual queue is going to open up around eight 30. If you get six people in with you on your virtual queue but they all need to be friends or linked on your my Disney experience. So when you get one of those queue times, it's going to say okay, you come back at x x time so you can go and spend time at the merchandise, the health and wellness expo, or get your bibs or get your shirts then so you don't have to wait in that long line and wait for your uh to get to get the run disney official run disney merch, I love expo day.
Speaker 3:It's one of my favorite days down there. It's time to meet and greet with everybody. When are we getting in gang? I'm getting in wednesday this time so I can be at the expo relatively early now. I'm not a I'm not a rope dropper, I don't need to be there for the disney merch, but I'll probably be there. I'll probably be there in the morning and either stay quite a while or go and come back, but I love seeing folks on Expo Day. When are y'all getting there?
Speaker 7:I'll be there bright and early, like I always. Yeah, I usually go first thing um and then head out pretty early and go to lunch. So that's probably what we'll do again, but I will be there.
Speaker 4:As of right now. I mean, it could change as of right now. I fly in Saturday morning.
Speaker 8:Okay.
Speaker 4:So, yeah, I might be working the booth over for pacing, if you would like to see that.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's cool, Jack. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What about you, greg?
Speaker 2:I will be getting to the Expo probably sometime around a little before lunch on Thursday. I fly down the morning of the Expo, so it's probably going to be all dependent on Orlando baggage claim and how long it takes me to get on Mirrors and everything like that, because, based on my flying experience of this past week where I was stuck in the Logan international airport for four plus hours due to a mechanical issue, I'm hoping I don't have that bad luck this time. So oh yeah, but so hopefully a little bit before lunch and I'll be there.
Speaker 3:Good deal. Hey, I'll say it now and I'll say it again. If you see us, please say hi. We love it, we absolutely love it. A lot of people shaking their heads here as I'm looking at them.
Speaker 8:Just some other things. Just to talk about the expo At the Advent Health Arena is where the Run Disney merch is. That's where the numbered signs are going to be, you know, for the race distances, and at the for photos, for photos, and in what's the other place called State Farm Fieldhouse and at the for photos, for photos, and in what's the other place called State Farm Fieldhouse where you get your bibs. That's where the characters are going to be now, where they kind of moved them when they used to be with the merch, now they're with the bibs.
Speaker 3:Cool. What else do I want to say about the Expo? Same things I say every year. Go say hello to Jeff, jeff Galloway, you won't regret it. Tell him, greg sent you.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 3:Tell him you're a member of the Rise and Run family. Jeff's a big fan, so say hi to Jeff. Visit Jack or Adam, and this is something cool. Jeff visit Jack or Adam, or? And this is something cool Do you know that one out of four Pacers has a connection to the Rise and Run family?
Speaker 1:I did not know that but that's swell. Yeah, isn't that neat.
Speaker 2:First we're infiltrating Magic Bound Travel, now we're infiltrating the Galloway Pacing community. What's next?
Speaker 4:Run Disney? I don't know. Yeah, run Disney. But, it should be interesting pacing for the first time.
Speaker 3:It will, Jack, and you're going to do a great job. We know you are. We'll be proud of you. Go visit our friend Pam at Fluffy Fizzies. Make sure you tell her. You heard her, although she's not on this for this race we didn't have Pam with us, but typically we do. I've been to her site. She has her merchandise for this race weekend up and ready to order. That's fluffyfizziescom. And while I'm here thinking about it, Pam has a discount code for us, which is happy running, isn't it? Yes, it is Okay. I'm going to make a list of all the discount codes and put them on the Facebook page one of these days. But expo's just fun, guys. I hope to see you there. John, did you have anything else you wanted to talk about for the expo?
Speaker 8:I think that basically covers the expo. Just have fun, take some pictures and make sure you say hi to Jack.
Speaker 3:I think you did a good job alright, now, eventually, we're going to have to start getting down to racing. It's Friday morning, it's 5k time.
Speaker 4:Tinker Bob to the rescue.
Speaker 5:Tinker.
Speaker 7:Bob will be there sorry, tinker bob will be there the 5k is on friday morning, um, and there are is bus transportation from the walt disney world resorts that starts at 3 am. It is recommended for everyone, no matter how you're getting to the races, to be there by 4 am so you can get through security and get to the start of the race on time. A little bit different this time. There is five start groups, a through E. There's usually only four, so there's an extra one this time. This is the standard 5k epcot course. We go from outside of epcot through the back of world showcase um and back out to the parking lot again, um, but it's super fun to see world showcase um early in the morning yeah, there'll be one water stop.
Speaker 7:Yeah, yeah, all the twinkly lights and all the countries.
Speaker 8:It's really cool.
Speaker 7:There'll be one water stop and if you are driving, you must park at Epcot.
Speaker 3:Very good Now, unlike the others, the 5K is part of the challenge at springtime. Correct, yes. So we'll probably have a pretty good size turn after that one. I also love and I've seen this more and more, and it's again especially with friends in the rise and run community we get youngsters running this one and it's a hoot. I love it. I really look forward to that. All right, 5k Friday. Saturday is 10 K time.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's time to get up. See, see, see what.
Speaker 3:I got, I got it, I got it All right, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:Tip your waitresses, try the veal. All right, the adventure is out there. 10k is occurring on Saturday morning. Buses start at 3 o'clock in the morning. If you are traveling from a Walt Disney World resort, all the corrals will open at 3.45 am and, just as Alicia mentioned and I think this spans all three races there are corrals A through E, the course itself. As I am famous for saying on this podcast, this is the perfect 10K course. The first three miles are out on the roads of Epcot. Then you enter the park just by Journey into Imagination, exit behind the UK building to run the Crescent Lake Epcot Resort area. Once you re-enter Epcot you will go around the entirety of World Showcase and as you make your way back into the front of the park, we'll do that little jaunt where we dip into Guardians of the Galaxy, cosmic Rewind and then exit out between Mission Space and Test Track to finish up the race. And that's pretty much all the particulars of the 10K.
Speaker 3:That's a good one. Now that's Saturday morning, Not in the guide, but it should be though.
Speaker 3:Very important. Saturday afternoon 3 pm at Disney Springs in the food truck area. If you're not familiar, come out of Orange Garage or head towards the hot air balloon. You can see that from anywhere, especially if it's operational. Head towards the hot air balloon as you're facing it. Turn left. There's Starbucks. Continue around past Starbucks. The food truck area is back there. We will be there. We'll be there probably a little before 3. We hope you can make it. We look forward to seeing you there. It's a lot of fun. It's getting to be very popular. All right, so we get up Sunday morning and it's time for the final race of the 2023-2024 Disneyland race season. Calm down, it's okay. It's okay. There will be other races.
Speaker 2:Bob, I love how every week, you add a new sound effect in the sound effect board. I absolutely love it. The cow's still there, why?
Speaker 3:Hey, come on, let's be serious here.
Speaker 2:Okay, all right.
Speaker 3:I don't know why we would do that. All right, friends. Last race of the year, the springtime surprise 10 miler.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and you know what, bob? I don't know about you, but it's going to be a roaring good time oh man, jack, would you say that there's no worries to this race? No worries, it's kakuna matata, my friend. All right, because we have no worries. Guess what? Your start group open times for groups a through e is at 3 30 am. Because you know what? No worries, you don't need no sleep. What sleep?
Speaker 4:no, no but with that, you also want to be careful about the closing times for your start groups, because, um, I have missed mine before, so so don't do that don't do that.
Speaker 4:So start group closing times for group A starts at 4.40 am and then we'll go to 5 am, 5.15 am, 5.30 am, and start line clear for group E is after. So just kind of pay attention to that, my friends. But let's get to it. So the 10-mile course starts at the very back of Epcot parking lot and by the time you get to around mile one you'll be just entering the Mexico pavilion area, that back entry right there. And guess what, you guys, not only is it a roaring good time, you're going to be traveling around the world. So be prepared, you don't need to pack much, because I think you could do it. The world, so be prepared, you don't need to pack much, because I think you could do it. You know, you're just going to go around the countries and then kind of exit all the way out through where on the boardwalk area is the second entry to epcot, and then you're going to be taking that walkway path that the boardwalk area has to hollywood studios. Um, that part is going to be a little bit tight.
Speaker 4:so just be kind and patient to everybody around you, because it's going to be a lot of people all there at once, okay very good by the time you guys get to mile three, so you'll just be passing by the um skyliner, entering through hollywood studios. You guys park number two and you get to go through the entire park. How cool is that? You'll be exiting out through Tower of Terror, that backstage area, which Tower of Terror is awesome and you know it.
Speaker 3:Did somebody used to work there?
Speaker 4:You know what? I don't know if they got stuck in the Twilight Zone or whatnot, but you know, we'll see. It was me, you guys.
Speaker 3:Yeah, see it was me, you guys.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it was jack but anyways, after you guys exit out of hollywood studios, there is going to be a lot of highway road. Um, so just be aware of that. Once you get to around mile eight, you'll be around the epcot parking area again and be entering through Epcot near where the bus station area is and then rounding your way towards that finish line, mile 10. What, what?
Speaker 3:And there you have it. But wait, there's more. What? The weekend is not over yet yet, because on Sunday night at Typhoon Lagoon now this is a separate ticket to get into this event. You have to get it. I didn't check today to see if they're still available.
Speaker 2:It's still open.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's still open and that is the after party at Typhoon Lagoon. The party starts at 7, but you can get in as early as 5. They're going to have stuff for you. They're going to have ice cream, novelties, popcorn, fountain beverages. Those are all included in the price of your ticket. And you'll be able to buy other stuff too, because it's Disney and that's what they do. You can get other stuff there. There'll be a DJ dance party with some of your Disney pals, along with additional entertainment throughout the park Entertainment like Greg dancing to the DJ or something.
Speaker 2:Sorry about that, greg, it's fine, I mean I'll try and break dance in the sand. Sure, why not?
Speaker 4:Yeah, can you please send a video? I need proof.
Speaker 3:Or other entertainment, like Bob trying to get into one of those rafts on the Lazy River. It's not called the Lazy River, but that's the idea.
Speaker 2:Oh, the family raft ride yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it's called the Castaway Creek or something like that. All of the attractions at the Typhoon Lagoon are scheduled to be open Now. They can never guarantee it because weather can change things, but that's what it's looking like Now. Here's the thing, guys. One I think this is a bit of a problem From your resort hotel you have to take a bus to Disney Springs and then get the bus from Disney Springs to Typhoon Lagoon. There won't be any buses directly from your resort to Typhoon Lagoon. Bus service ends about an hour after the water park closing. I didn't bother to check. I go to bed early, so I didn't bother to check when this thing ends, but I'm sure it's relatively late at night and we're looking forward to seeing you there. I think it's going to be a blast. I think it's going to be fun. I am looking forward to it.
Speaker 8:Bring towels from your resort too, because yeah.
Speaker 4:Also, it does state that you can come in early to Typhoon Lagoon, because Typhoon Lagoon normally opens at or, sorry, closes at 5 pm. But it says on the website that you can go in as early as 5 pm. Party starts at 7 pm, which is a three-hour event and will close at 10 pm.
Speaker 3:Oh, there we go, Close at 10. That I didn't have. Yeah, I knew you could get in at 5, so there you go. All right, gang, Springtime Surprise one week away. Can't wait to see you Reminder. The Rise and Run Springtime Surprise roll call will be next episode. I noticed a lot of folks adding their names to the list. If you haven't added yours yet, you've got just a couple days to do it. We're going to record it next Tuesday night. A couple of announcements this week, my friends. We mentioned it last week, I'll mention it again the Rise and Run merchandise shop will be shutting down temporarily after springtime surprise. We have some internal work to do. We'll get that back up as soon as we can and we'll let you know when we do.
Speaker 3:I know once in a while I have some personal notes from friends I want to talk about, and let me start with this one. The very first social media-run Disney friend I made is a fellow named Christopher Sapienza. Chris lives in the Philadelphia area, not far from Greg. Chris and I have become very good friends. I don't know that Chris listens to the podcast. I don't think he does, but I don't particularly care at this moment. I got to know Chris met his mother once and it's sad to report that Chris's mother passed away this last week at the age of 92. She had been battling cancer for oh the last 18 months or so, had some ups and downs and finally they told her they couldn't do anymore. They kept her comfortable and she passed away. So, Chris, our thoughts and prayers go out to you. We know you miss your mom, but she had a wonderful and long life. Keep those memories in your heart.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thanks for bringing that up, bob, because I mean, I think if it wasn't for Chris and his you know run Disney and beyond Facebook group I know there's a lot of us would have probably never met. I mean, it was because of that Facebook group that's how I met you and you know, which then, you know, led to getting to know Alicia, and you knowomed from there. So, even though he might not be a weekly listener, if it wasn't for Chris and his awesome positivity, the Rising Round podcast might not be a thing. So we're here to support you, Chris.
Speaker 3:It's possible, it's possible.
Speaker 7:Absolutely, and if you are listening, chris, we do love you and hugs to you, my friend.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thanks, alicia. Well, let's go to some positive news. Our friend Dawn got married this weekend. She got married over on the beach in Venice, florida. I got a chance to meet Dawn's husband, brian, for the first time ever. Good guy, great first impression. It was nice to see him. Congratulations, dawn. Dawn will be back. She's not coming to Springtime Surprise. I don't know why she got married last week. I don't know, probably has better things to do. But we look forward to seeing Dawn and Brian at a race in the future. Congratulations to both of you.
Speaker 3:Hey, I was going to talk about registering. I wasn't going to talk about that. I was going to talk about registering for the We'll Run For virtually live event. But last week when I brought it up, I said hey, gang, let's see if we can sell this thing out. Now I don't know if we did it or not. I don't know if we did it or not. I don't know if the Rise and Run family took up those last spots or not, but I'm sure we took up some of them and if you're one of the people that did it, thank you. The We'll Run For virtually live event is sold out, so I'm happy to report that.
Speaker 2:And I just wanted to pass along a note. So I'm happy to report that and I just wanted to pass along a note. Last week I had the opportunity to chat with our buddy KG over at Living the KG Life. She invited me on her podcast and we talked all sorts of things. We talked about Rise Around Podcast, my Disney experience, but then the main bulk of the episode is actually about the trip that I took to Alani back in November for my 10 year anniversary. So she's just an absolute blast to chat with. She really puts out an awesome product. So if you're looking for another Disney podcast to throw into your rotation, please go support KG over at Living the KG Life you need to listen to it.
Speaker 3:it's going to it, it's going to be great.
Speaker 2:It is going to be great, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Friends, every now and then we may talk about something, some merchant or some item that we use in our running, and in my case, I want to talk just for a moment about Run Gum. Now, this is a product that I've been using for years and I believe in to the point of I applied for and became an ambassador for RunGum. I don't want to talk about it much right now I'm going to have someone from the company on in a couple of weeks but it's a caffeinated gum that I chew during, particularly during long running events, and I find it to be very, very helpful. The good news is I've got a discount code for you. I'm going to post it up top along with all the other discount codes we have. I'll pin it to the top section. The discount code is BOBR20. It's good for 20% off on your purchase at RunGum. But what I wanted to mention even more importantly is that at Springtime Surprise, I will have some product with me to share with you, if you're interested. It's two pieces of gum. I take them. They're the equivalent of one cup of coffee in the amount of caffeine that they provide, but I find that they really help me quite a bit. So we've got a discount for Run Gum. If you're interested, talk to me.
Speaker 3:Springtime Surprise Weekend Upcoming episodes next week. Well, next week's episode is the Springtime Surprise Week. We will be doing the Rise and Run. Springtime Surprise Roll Call, episode 135,. The following will do a springtime surprise and, I think, a little bit of a season recap too, maybe touch the highlights of all five of the Run Disney events that occurred this season.
Speaker 3:Okay, my friends, it's time for the Race Report. And friends, the Race Report is sponsored by our friend Tom at Stoked Metabolic Training. I've been trying to describe just what Tom offers in his training programs. I don't know how well I'm doing. I got a guy here, I think, who can do a better job of it. Hiya Tom, hey Bob, how's it going tonight? Good to see you, man, how you doing. Great Thanks for having me back on. Yeah, we're glad to have you as part of the family and we're glad you're back. I was excited when you contacted us and said I know that you can offer a lot of help to a lot of our friends and I'm going to let you talk about it instead of me trying to talk about it.
Speaker 14:Oh, I thought we were going to let Jack talk about it. I've been working with her for a little bit now.
Speaker 4:I mean, don't worry, there's going to be plenty of talking about it.
Speaker 14:So I know everybody, I know everybody's got their running plan and I know we talked a little bit about cross training and what that looks like and I think there's a big gap there for the runners out there on their strength training. I think it helps. It helps, you know, build muscle strength in June. It's going to make you faster, more endurance and just perform better out there on the course. So what I provide is twofold. So the strength training I do all the programming and it's kind of fun working with runners because I have to work around busy schedules. So I know, jack, you're training three or four days a week on the running side.
Speaker 4:Just for running. Yeah With you, I'm more like doing like six days a week.
Speaker 14:Oh well, we can scale it three. You know cause she's loving the strength training. Oh yeah, I believe you, I do.
Speaker 14:But, if you're a busy runner and you're doing three days of three days of run training right now, you know we can build a strength training plan around three days. The three days you've got give your body a day of rest and we're going to work with you within your goals. On the other side of that is working with runners. For a while now I've noticed a lot of us. Our nutrition is all over the place on race day, you know race weekend, where we're carbon up at mama Melrose and we're eating plenty of fuel, plenty of carbs, but protein might be lacking.
Speaker 14:So just talking to various runners and they're like oh well, I eat 40 grams of protein. Today I've got a couple of nutrition certifications and in none of them is 40 grams of protein where we should be, especially as athletes, as runners. You know people trying to stay healthy and have strong, strong muscles, strong bones. We've got to be getting more in. So what we do is figure out where your calories should be, for you know Bob is 70 and dopey where his calories should be as an active runner at 70 years old, and we're going to dial those in. Take you from where you're at to where you should be and hopefully you perform better along the way and, depending on what your goals are, we could build some muscle, lose some fat and really dial it in based around your goals.
Speaker 4:And I'm going to be completely up in front and honest. I knew I ate bad, but I didn't realize how bad I ate until I started with Tom and doing the nutritional things as well. I'm really paying closer attention to my macros, which in this would be your saturated fats, your carbohydrates and your protein. I was not getting in protein nearly enough and I cannot stress that even more. But, like it's just you, once you kind of do this nutritional program, you kind of also see, oh my God, this is really what I've been eating this whole time.
Speaker 4:And now I focus on things that are a little bit better for me, that I know I can get my protein in. Like today I'm having rice with organic squash and zucchini, grilled chicken got my little ranch on top with croutons. But I know that if I eat this I'll get this many grams of protein. I eat my protein bars because I've talked with Tom and I can't really do things that are very milky, so any kind of protein shakes are going to be a no-go. But he helps me figure out what's going to work best for me and he can also do that for you and I mean I'll get into the workouts later if you want. You're one of those fun ones who doesn't like certain tasting foods.
Speaker 14:You're one of those fun ones who doesn't like certain tasting foods, I know.
Speaker 7:But even though nutrition and getting that extra bit you're feeling better, jack right, it's not like you're realizing how much extra you needed and how important that is too right.
Speaker 4:Oh my goodness, yes, and I'm having some things figured out as well with my GI problems. Actually, I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday, but because I've also changed up the way I ate, I don't have nearly as much problems as I used to, because now I'm paying attention to what is going into my body. So I think that has been really helpful as well.
Speaker 14:It's exactly my goal. At the end of the day, I got into fitness 23 years old. I was 250 pounds and never lifted a weight a day in my life and just never felt good, and that's not a way anybody should go through life. And one day I walked in. You know you should feel good at waking up every day and just feel good about life. Talking to four people there and they got smiles on their face, like marathoners, half marathoners and athletes. And if you feel your feel yourself right I've learned you're going to feel a heck of a lot better.
Speaker 7:Absolutely so.
Speaker 14:Tom, one of our friends, signs up with you, you get the weight training and the nutrition guidance and the nutrition all in one package, and I'm going to be doing some free workshops too as well, so if anybody oh good to know, I'll share the link. So, nutrition and strength, you know. Coaching for runners just to answer any more questions that we might be able to, you know, help you on your journey outside of this brief little chat, good to know it's great.
Speaker 4:Also, you have free consultations for one-on-ones for your first. Yeah, that's what I thought.
Speaker 14:Get on the phone. You know if I can give you one or two tips, that's going to help you along the way and it gets you started on your journey. You need a little more in six months. Give me a call.
Speaker 3:So, tom, you got a deal for the rise and run family. Why don't you describe that? I've done it before, but let's hear you talk about it.
Speaker 14:You said it for the Rise and Run family. We are doing $50 off your monthly membership to get you going. And there's that Pomeranian in the back he's not a cricket, but $50 a month. This is the first discount I've ever offered. I just love the community here and I love working with you. Know, run Disney people and marathoners.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we do too. We pick that up when we talk with you and Adam, and I see it on the course all the time. Where do our friends go? What's the link.
Speaker 14:All right, you can find us at stokesfit slash rise and run coaching.
Speaker 3:It's a good deal friends. Tom knows what he's talking about. I he's. He's definitely a part of the family, someone who you would enjoy working with, and I know he'd enjoy working with you too. I will remind you that link is at the top of our Facebook group page up there, and if you've got any questions, just hit us up. They're also in the show notes and on our webpage. You got it. Tom, thanks for joining us. Always a pleasure. We're going to see you this weekend springtime. You'll see me at springtime, looking forward to it. How will we recognize you? Are you going to wear like a carnation or something?
Speaker 8:Never mind.
Speaker 14:That's a joke I'll be the guy in the tutu. So will I, Tom, for the 5K you. So will I, Tom, for the 5K you can be my stand-in tutu other guy.
Speaker 3:No, I'm Tinker Bob for the 5K.
Speaker 14:Ooh, that might make us twinsies that would be interesting.
Speaker 3:All right, my friend, thank you for your time. We look forward to talking to you later. Thank you guys for having me. Tom good talking with you. We look forward to seeing you at Disney World at Springtime Surprise.
Speaker 3:Let's take a look at what races our friends did. There was a race on Thursday last week that's a week old now. Lucy was in Melbourne, florida, doing the Florida Tech Homecoming two-mile run walk On Saturday. Let's start in Starkville, mississippi, home of Mississippi State University. The block and bridle cow crawl 5k. Whitney was there and the cows were cheering her on, mooing as the runners ran by A lot of steep hills in Starkville that Whitney wasn't all that ready for. See, jack, you're not alone. Beautiful day, no PR, but second best 5K time Whitney's had. Charleston, south Carolina.
Speaker 3:Dylan says the Cooper River Bridge Run was beautiful on a gorgeous morning. This is one she's been wanting to do for a while. Glad she finally got to experience it. The bridge was pretty steep, as they can be, but the views from the top were gorgeous. Be, but the views from the top were gorgeous. Marty and Susan were also at this event.
Speaker 3:St Petersburg, florida. Just down the road, tiffany was running with the Rays. The Run with the Rays 5K. This one goes from Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, to Al Lang Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team, and it used to be a spring training complex for the St Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates, but that's not the case anymore. Then back, super beautiful morning, the weather this weekend was spectacular. Great pictures with all the mascots. The Tampa Bay Rays have more daggum mascots than any team, I think, in professional sports. They have three. None of them really make sense, but that's okay. The Rowdies have a pelican. That makes some sense. You got a picture with the mascots and picture with her friends At the Oak Barrel Half Marathon. Almost certain this one's in Lynchburg, tennessee. I kind of remembered writing it down but it's not there now. Marla was there running that half In New York City, the Queens Half Marathon, beth said the course was flat, except for an overpass that you end up crossing six times.
Speaker 3:Winds were really tough in New York. You kind of run by the Billie Jean King US Open Stadium and then you run through the 1964 World's Fair site which you younger folks would probably remember more from the movie Men in Black or the movies Men in Black. Beth gave so much into this race that she actually lost her lunch at the end, but really gave it her all. Got a POT of just under two hours 30 minutes and a decade PR. Decade PRs count Beth.
Speaker 7:And in Savannah, georgia, the women's half in 5K happened. This first runner is one of my clients, anita. I'm so proud of her. She had a great race. She got approved for time for Disney and got a PR. Christy was also there. She said it was a beautiful day, a beautiful course. This was only her second half marathon. Her first was the Disney Princess half marathon, but she was especially grateful for this race because she got to run with both of her daughters and they all set a new race day PR. So congratulations, Christy and your daughters. Megan was also there.
Speaker 3:Back to Florida, the Pirate Plunder two miler Monica with the Chaos Crew. We're there for this cute little out and back race. Some small hills it's Florida, the hills are small, lots of pirate costumes. This one gets great participation from all ages. So let's see with Monica. Her oldest, oldest daughter ran with a pirate pin to her shoulder. That's not pirate, that's parrot. I don't think it was a real parrot. I know it wasn't a real pirate. Whatever it was was pinned to her shoulder.
Speaker 3:She still took first place in her age group and Monica ran with her second daughter to kind of push her a little bit. She's now in the same age group as Big Sis. There's no sibling rivalry there, I'm sure. So number two sister was a little frustrated with her seventh place finish, which is still pretty darn good because she ran a PR. She's also looking forward to a rematch with Big Sis in a few weeks. Monica Husband ran with child number three, who still doesn't understand why other races don't give out snack boxes and plastic cheese at the end. I feel you, number three Husband also ran with number four and with hashtag dopey baby in the stroller. Finally, hashtag dopey baby made his first appearance on his own two feet on a race course, so that I'm counting as a PR.
Speaker 2:Now I need a confirmation here, bob. Am I playing the PR bell or am I playing that baby crying sound effect for this episode.
Speaker 3:PR bell buddy Continuing in Charlotte, north Carolina, the Charlotte Race Fest Half Marathon. Kristen so excited. After six and a half years she's earned a new Half Marathon PR and proof of time. Lots of hills in this one. Charlotte can be hilly. It was a pretty large local race. They also had a really great celebration at the end with breweries represented Got to love that and good food. Just a fun local race. If you're in the greater Charlotte area around this time of year it's one you ought to check out.
Speaker 3:Here's one enjoyed by folks on the West Coast Arcadia, california, la area the Derby Day 5K. Kate was there. This is a local favorite of hers. She was there with jackie and fred. Jackie and kate said about the same thing. They both called it one of their favorite non-disney races of the year. You start this thing out by being called to the post at I think it's at santa ana racetrack. They actually use the bugler, call the racers to the post. They run through actual starting gates. This thing heads from the racetrack to the LA Arboretum, then back to the racetrack and you finish where the horses finish, complete with a race announcer calling everybody out and and down the stretch. They come. The race is so fun. And then you get free admission to the Santa Anita Derby. I believe I said Santa Anna by mistake earlier. Santa Anita, let us go to Springfield, illinois, and the Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon where Rachel is giving us her first ever race report. Good to hear from you, rachel. Rachel got to run with Abe Lincoln. How that's pretty cool, huh.
Speaker 3:And impressive it is Hope she beat him. She didn't say uh.
Speaker 2:Mary honest about it, though that's the only question I have.
Speaker 3:She should have been. It's gotta be. She got a giant penny from Mary Todd Lincoln at the finish line Got to run around all the Lincoln sites. Lincoln actually lived in Springfield for over 25 years of his life. He's buried there alongside his wife and three of their children. Rachel achieved her goal alongside his wife and three of their children. Rachel achieved her goal. She wanted to run a sub-two-hour half and she finished just a shade over an hour and 56 minutes. Great job, A PR by over six minutes.
Speaker 2:You know, if there's one race that would be specifically designed for Brittany Charbonneau, this is the one.
Speaker 3:The fact that everyone gets a giant penny at the end. That's awesome and she's such a big Lincoln fan too. Yeah, she is. That's somebody else we need to revisit with here in the upcoming months. In Tampa Florida I know where that is the Tampa 5K on the runway. Two friends there. Laura Ann Beautiful day. We've commented on that a couple of times. Laura Ann's proud to have finished.
Speaker 3:Best part of this run is the brunch afterwards. All of the restaurants in the airport provide food. I saw stuff from Chick-fil-A and I'm not sure what else I saw, but it looked pretty darn good. The race sells out every year. Judy was there too. Our friend Judy was there wearing her Rise and Run shirt. I'm going to make this one one of these days. I seem to always have something else going on and I miss it. In Hattiesburg, mississippi, the Hattiesburg Half Marathon, lauren Lauren says each mile was sponsored by a local nonprofit and mile six, the puppy mile, was the best of all of them. She got some sweet puppy kisses from some of the pups that were available for adoption. Definitely helped keep her going and spurred her on to a new PR, new PR.
Speaker 2:Then in my neck of the woods in Philadelphia, pennsylvania, was the Hot Chocolate 5K, our buddy, andy. You might know, andy, he's got the YouTube channel Roller Coaster of Running. You definitely want to go check that out. Andy ran this race because he was in town for WrestleMania.
Speaker 3:So oh yeah brother.
Speaker 2:I hope I did that right.
Speaker 3:I'm not a wrestling fan.
Speaker 8:I came out of my chair man. Oh okay, all right, cool, I need a Slim Jim now.
Speaker 2:Slim Jim, now Woo, okay. Anyway, I'll stop with the wrestling references now. But he's a nice medal to add to his collection and for good measure he did run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as made famous in the Rocky movies. He said a fair play to Sly Stallone as he was trying to take them two or three at a time, which he admits is no feat. So, andy, welcome to the city of brotherly love. Hope you had a good time down at the link this weekend and congrats on an awesome 5K.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's head to Tyler, texas, the Tyler Autism Run. Jessica said she had nice weather this weekend. Jessica's having a little bit of injury trouble but despite that she beat her former and set a new PR and in doing so finished first in her age group. Way to go, jessica. In Jacksonville, florida, the Chuck Cornett Navy Run 10K. Angie was there for that one.
Speaker 8:And in Fort Smith, Arkansas, our buddy Joe ran the Southside WBB Benefit Walk Run 5K. It was basically a fundraiser for a family that lost their homes. There was no medals, no shirts or timing. It was just a plain fundraiser to raise some money.
Speaker 3:Okay, thanks, john. Let's move to Sunday and start in Atlantic City, new Jersey, where Jack ran the AmeriHealth April Fool's Half Marathon. Jack ran this one as a catered training run. He didn't say what he was training for, but I'm sure it's going to be great. In London, amy ran the London Landmarks half marathon. Now, this was kind of a training run because I know Amy's running the London marathon in a couple of weeks, but she got a course PB Now. Pb, that's the British equivalent of PR. Okay, personal best Of 206. Great run, two minutes faster than she did in 2021. That's also good for proof of time. That's excellent for proof of time. Amy's second fastest half overall. She got her medal handed to her by a Chelsea pensioner, which was lovely. That's a British Army vet.
Speaker 3:The British do a much better job of customs and traditions in their military than we do. Of course, we've got a couple hundred years on us, but it's kind of neat and I think things like that are awesome. It's it's kind of neat and I think things like that are awesome. Back in the usa, in fact, in our nation's capital, the cherry blossom 10 miler occurred this weekend in washington dc. We had a bunch of rising runners there, and what is really cool is we got a bunch of them here right now. I'm going to ask them to introduce themselves and then we'll talk about this race.
Speaker 11:Hey everybody, it's Grace.
Speaker 12:Hi guys, it's.
Speaker 10:Kay, hey everyone it's. Taylor, hi everyone, it's.
Speaker 6:Kristen, hi everyone, it's Brenna. Hi, it's Karen.
Speaker 11:This is Anna from the mall.
Speaker 3:Anna's actually out running on the mall, so it may be a little tough to talk with her, but wonderful to see everybody here. Gosh, thanks so much. This looks like it was a great event. With so many folks here. We're a little limited on time, but let's see if we can have some fun. Let's start. I heard that the Expo was pretty cool and I'm going to ask Brenna because I think, brenna, you worked at the Expo for at least one of the days to kick it off and tell us a little bit about the Expo at this event.
Speaker 6:Sure, thanks, bob. The way to get in the race is sometimes a little hard, so I've actually I was able to run this race by volunteering last year and I actually really enjoyed volunteering, getting to see all the runners wish them good luck. I decided to do it again, and where I volunteered was the merchandise booth, so also really fun getting to see all the cool swag from the race, and I did um the expo on Friday oh cool, so you saw it from behind the booth.
Speaker 3:Anybody have comments on the expo itself?
Speaker 12:I am I volunteered this saturday, so I saw it from both sides too. I I went to the expo or walked the expo. After volunteering. I was part of bid pickup ah and I found out only because the emails they were sending one of the emails they sent with updates about for runners said volunteers still needed, and so I checked on that and got to go there. It was pretty cool. Yeah.
Speaker 12:The expo was pretty cool. They had there's a mascot. I don't know if they'll keep the mascot now, because the mascot is after one of the trees that will be cut down, uh-oh. So I don't know if that's their way of carrying that legacy on. Might be Okay. And then I also got to meet the designer of the shirts and that was pretty cool.
Speaker 2:Now, this was a question I actually wanted to ask me is several of you posted photos of Stumpy and I was super confused who and what Stumpy was. So, kay, thank you so much for clarifying that. I greatly appreciate it.
Speaker 12:You're welcome. One of my pictures that I posted on our page is a picture of me standing in front of the real tree. So it's called Stumpy because it's like this fragile looking, and I only talked about Stumpy this year. So wait, I don't want to like talk as if I'm the expert, but I had to find him. Once I found this, heard about the story anybody else knows?
Speaker 11:stumpy grace does, taylor does my whole family is from the virginia maryland area, so, um we, uh, my cousin had told me when she wanted to run this race how, um, it's going to be heavily influenced by stumpy this time around okay, cool.
Speaker 3:Well, I noticed while we were talking about the xbox. Now, of course, everyone knows audio, only podcast for us, so those who aren't here with us today don't know that k's dressed like a cherry blossom, which is nice, and Sharon was showing off. What shirt were you showing off, sharon?
Speaker 5:oh, this is just one of the shirts, the merch shirts. I was actually with Kay at the expo. They had tons of different things. They had, like you know how, normally there's one or two the shirt. I mean they probably had 10, 20, I don't know different that looks good so a volunteer recommended this one, and it was a good call yeah, excellent.
Speaker 3:And speaking of looking good, I've got to comment again. I've got to talk about the video, because you can't see it. Um, our friend anna is out running on the mall. She is at the washington monument right now. She's going by. We'll see the flags. We just saw the obelisk Really cool, all right, hey Expo sounds like fun. This really sounds like it was a great weekend. Let's talk about the race itself. Let's see, kristen, I haven't heard from you yet what were some of some of your impressions on the race itself.
Speaker 4:Well, one of the things that I really like about this race, this was actually my fifth time running this race is the flat course, um, and also just seeing the cherry blossoms even though this year was past peak, it's still a great race, um, I feel like it's. The course is really well organized and with the water stops along the way, and also they had some entertainment, um, and the corrals were pretty well organized. They have five or six, six different waves. Um, I got there early just because I'm used to disney races and getting there early to get to the front of the corral, uh, but definitely some of the corrals. If people waited until later, they were really packed. But yeah, it was overall a great race. I highly recommend it.
Speaker 3:That's cool. I'm going to ask for a highlight. Start thinking of one. You better think of two because somebody's probably going to take yours before I get to you. I'm going to start asking for highlights. Rana highlight of the race for you.
Speaker 6:Sure, bob. I think the highlight of the race for me was probably when I saw one of my friends out on the spectator. One of my friends is a spectator and so she was taking pictures and so she was following along the course and every time I saw her I'd point she'd snap a picture of me, and just getting great race photos is always such a joy of mine. And then I would also say I was maybe 800 meters away from crossing the finish line and I saw Kay in her cherry blossom costume and I was trying to sprint through but she was just doing so good with her own pace and I missed her at the finish line but she looked great.
Speaker 3:Running with friends. That's a highlight. I got gotta go along with that sharon. How about you?
Speaker 5:um, I would say in a similar vein I very much like at the beginning. Well, first of all, I met up with k at the. We had like a chat, and I met up with k at the expo the day before. We'd never met in person before um. And then we uh also communicated the morning of the morning of before going to the race itself. Uh, I was waiting in an endless porta potty line. She found me when she got there and we just it was just nice having somebody to talk to and to have a familiar face before all that, before all those nerves kick in. I also like running Haynes Point because that's my. I used to run in DC all the time when I was a really serious runner in college because I lived out here and so I used to do DC roadrunners. I mean, I used to run these roads all the time, like 20 years ago, but I haven't been back for a while, so it was just nice. I like that. It's like a big out and back sort of thing on a peninsula.
Speaker 3:I guess that's what it is.
Speaker 10:Yeah, I think it is yeah, it was really neat. Ok, taylor, you're up. Yeah. So I think probably my highlight of the race is that I finally got to run with my husband again. He has been battling some knee issues he's at work today or else he would also be here and Hannah and Sam, who are also part of the part of Run family, who also couldn't make it on tonight. They came up from Norfolk, virginia Beach, newport News area and it was just really nice to be able to run with friends, and the last two years my husband has ran the race but I may have been able to catch him.
Speaker 10:This was the first year that I wasn't able to catch him again. So that means on a good track to um, keep running and keep working. He actually signed up for the Marine Corps 50k so he's very excited and ready to run. So I think that was my favorite yeah, one of my favorite highlights and um, just being able to run this course. This was my fourth time running it as well and it's just a beautiful course. Blossoms are not. It's super flat. The weather is usually perfect. It's been really nice cold weather the last couple of weeks, I think personally, for me that's perfect for running. So I think because of that, this just ends up always being one of my favorite race weekends, and we will continue to do it for as long as we can.
Speaker 3:Good stuff. Kristen, have they left you anything?
Speaker 4:I would say the spectators, and just the weather was great for running.
Speaker 11:So I really appreciated that.
Speaker 3:Awesome. How about you Grace?
Speaker 11:So I have to agree with everybody the views were amazing. The course is just so nice. It's got amazing views of the monument, monuments and title basin and everything's just so pretty. And my highlight, however, was I got to be there, for this was my first time running this race. But, um, this was my first, um, my cousin's first official race, first official 10 miler, and she totally crushed it. She left me in the dust, I don't even know, remember when we got separated, but she did fantastic and I'm just so proud of her and I'm so excited I got to be there for her.
Speaker 3:Did you say her name? I didn't hear it.
Speaker 11:Oh yes, that's my cousin Claire. She's fabulous. She's a nurse in DC. She's a fantastic human. So very glad that we got to do it together.
Speaker 3:Awesome, kay, I didn't leave you out. I just was very confident that you would find something to talk about, no matter what else anybody else said. So you're up.
Speaker 12:There were a lot of highlights I know we've already shared and I shared it in the chat and everything. One highlight for me was being able to see the Rise and Run family. Being able to see the Rise and Run family, I had extreme nerves because I was going up for proof of time and being able to see them. They really don't know how they helped. On Saturday, grace and Sharon, like without me getting emotional, you calmed me down. Saturday, sharon, seeing you again Sunday morning calmed me and again I will try not to get emotional. I might just let it go. But seeing Tara at 7.75, that water stop, I was running to get to her. I know it's coming and she said finish strong and I almost broke down and she was like no, so she like, and I had to get it together because I wasn't at the end, that's awesome more miles to go.
Speaker 12:Um, so those, those were like the best highlights for me. And then I have to just bring up my unofficial fuel. Stop because it was my fun. Um, because I was getting very serious about the race and seeing that I stopped and said no, no matter what your time is going to be be able to say, you did something fun. So I stopped and grabbed an Oreo and a beer shot. I think I can say that on the podcast.
Speaker 3:Right, of course, of course. Yeah, kay, when do you not have fun? Thank you.
Speaker 12:If you all are listening. Thank you Haines Point Fuel Shop for being there for all of us.
Speaker 3:I hope they are.
Speaker 2:It was an impressive setup they had there After all these years, because when I ran this two years ago, I remember the beer and oreo stop and I'm shocked because, you know, every, every week, I feel like oreo is coming out with some new flavor so the fact that they haven't come up with some type of brew oreo. Yet I think it's a missed opportunity, oreo, if you're listening, sponsor us and uh residuals to greg at rise around podcastcom oh goodness this was my eighth time running the race and I loved it.
Speaker 9:I always love it. It's the reason I started running. I had never run a race before. I'd never run longer than a mile when I signed up for it. Um, so, just being able to do it, through injuries and covet and everything, is just always really special.
Speaker 3:Thanks, Anna. All right friends. Great race, Great time being here with you. Thanks you so much for sharing part of your evening with us. As we're heading out of here, please say goodbye and tell us when we're going to see you at Disney again next. Anna, why don't you kick us off?
Speaker 9:This is Anna saying bye. I'll be at Disney next in Marathon Weekend. Just signed up today. Hope to see you there.
Speaker 4:Goodbye friends. This is Kristen and I will next be at Disney for my first Dopey during Marathon Weekend.
Speaker 10:And this is Taylor signing off. Sorry, I was really excited about everyone saying that they were doing Dopey, because I also signed up for Dopey today, but I will see everyone next week at Springtime Surprise for the challenge and the splash party and that's going to be lots of fun. And then I'll be back at Disneyland Halloween and Dopey 2025, baby, here we go.
Speaker 12:This is Kay and I will see all of my Ohana in two weeks for Springtime Surprise. I am also doing the challenge.
Speaker 11:see y'all real soon this is grace, uh, thank you all so much and I hope to see you guys at marathon weekends and friends.
Speaker 3:Sharon, we don't know. We have these troubles sometimes. We don't know what it is, but uh, sharon's here. Sharon, are you going to be at springtime? You can nod your head, I can see you.
Speaker 8:Yes, she said yes, Bob, yes we'll see Sharon at springtime Wonderful.
Speaker 3:Thank you all so much Glad you had a wonderful time. Glad you joined us here on the podcast. See you real soon. Let's see who else was at this race. I know Hannah and Sam were mentioned. They were there. Hannah said well, this was Hannah's first 10 miler ever, so that's a PR. And let's see. We mentioned Taylor mentioned that her husband, brian, was there. Also In Denver, colorado summer ran the Three Creeks Half Marathon, a bright and sunny but cool day with strong winds, pretty flat, not really typical for Denver.
Speaker 3:Most of the hills came toward the end, which is unfair. With the help of her tempo training and the amazing pacers that were there that made the race fun, she was able to set a new PR At 2.31, that's two minutes faster than her last race, and she got that engraved on the back of her medal. Our buddy Steve was in Scranton, pennsylvania, for the Scranton Half Marathon, the 11th year for this event. Really well planned now, well executed, a lot of crowd support. The race runs through downtown Scranton, including many landmarks and locations made famous by the TV show the Office. The finish was in a local baseball stadium. Some great swag, including a finisher's fleece, blanket and, of course, the medal. Good race. Missed the PR by just a little under a minute. Good race, steve. Congratulations.
Speaker 3:In Hangelo in the Netherlands, the 10K in Hangelo, laura. You know it's a Dutch race when there's a stroopwafel booth after it. Official time for Laura in this 10K just a little over an hour 101.36. Hoping for sub 60, but that's going to come. I'm sure it's gotten a little warmer in the Netherlands in the last week, Not quite used to that yet. Plus, it was windy. I mean, it's always in your face, isn't it? The wind's always in your face. Laura says she's done chasing PRs for a while, which probably means she'll get one in her next race. She's ready for a little break. Lots of easy runs, no medal on this one. She took a photo of the medal and she's glad after seeing it. She didn't pay the extra money for it.
Speaker 3:Let's go to Charleston, west Virginia, the University of Charleston, 5k. Ileana and her dad, nelson, and two kids love seeing family races. Carter, the four-year-old, did awesome run about half the race. That's amazing. Riley, the three-year-old, worked hard but she was more interested in picking up sticks that I can believe they alternated the stroller and carrying for. The kids had a great time. Good job, ilyana.
Speaker 7:And in Knoxville, tennessee, the Covenant Health Half happened. Jimmy had a very busy weekend. On Saturday he got to meet Des Linden, had her sign his book, do a shakeout run with her and then the next day he was there for the half. He couldn't sleep. He forgot his gym boss and sunglasses, almost missed the start of the race, but had a great race despite all of the hills and managed to get a PR by almost a minute. Great job, jimmy. And in Austin, texas, the Austin Cap 10K happened. Amanda was there. She said that this was a very hilly and humid race, but had a great time.
Speaker 3:All right, continuing in Cleveland, ohio. Run the land East versus West. 20 miler Lori. Lori's first ever 20 mile race. We know what that means. Very hilly, left groin, giving her a little bit of trouble after mile five, probably because all the hills fought with the pain for 15 miles, but got her done. This work is a catered training run. She's got an ultra 50 miler coming up in June. Now it's time to recover and rest and let that injury heal. Lori, you've been doing a great job. I'd hate to see you get slowed down by something like this.
Speaker 3:In Elizabeth City, north Carolina, the US Coast Guard half marathon, mark. Well, we had two Marks there. Mark H another POT attempt for Mark. Two races in three weeks, going after proof of time probably not the best idea. Finish strong, finish smiling. I think that counts for a lot. Didn't get the POT but still came in faster than he could have thought about two years ago. He says that's not nothing. I say that's great, mark. We are proud of the progress you've made over the last couple of years. It really is impressive. Pot PR just a matter of time. Mark and Liz also ran there the second time. They ran this one. Love the medals. Great Coast Guard support. I'm a big fan of the Coast Guard I say that in all seriousness, coasties in uniform, addressing the runners by name that they went by placing medals around their necks. Mark and Liz did the half, as did Mark. Almost five miles of it was on the Coast Guard base, kind of flat, and Carissa Galloway was the race announcer.
Speaker 8:Okay, now we have our second Cherry Blossom Run this weekend. This time it's in Essex County. It's the Essex County Cherry Blossom Run 10K in Newark, new Jersey, right around the corner from me. Our friend Jen was there. 10k in Newark, new Jersey, right around the corner from me. Our friend Jen was there. She's proud to hit a PR time of PR 10k. Time of one hour one minute and 53 seconds Negative splits almost the entire run Brooklyn half next month with the Brooklyn half next month with her sister and fellow rise and runner Emily. Just a little had this little thing. Uh, you know the big run in. Uh, washington did seize the cherry blossom run, but actually Essex County has the largest collection of cherry blossoms in the U S pretty cool.
Speaker 3:I imagine it was beautiful. Also, speaking of beautiful places to run, let us go across the Pacific to Hawaii, honolulu, the Hawaii Pacific Health Women's 5K. Valerie and her young daughter were there. This is an annual mother-daughter tradition for them A beautiful but hilly course as you run on the ocean side of Diamond Head that is just flat out gorgeous. Valerie says the weather was cold and rainy. I'm guessing that means 70 degrees. It's Oahu, it's April. I know it wasn't 40. Cold and rainy to start, but the rain only meant a rainbow. At the finish, valerie's daughter took five minutes off of last year's time.
Speaker 3:Let's finish overseas. Let's go first to Argentina, the A6 Golden Run Half Marathon. Juan Jose, better known to his friends as JJ, ran this half. Jj's a heck of a runner. Weather was perfect, course was flat and fast. He finished in an hour and 30 minutes for this half marathon, which was slower than he wanted to do. I told you, jj's a heck of a runner. 33, almost 3,400 finishers. He gets 30th in his age group, 146th overall. That's pretty daggum competitive age group if an hour 30 half gets you 30th place. But this is JJ's first long run this year, so he'll pick it up during what is about to become the winter months down in South America.
Speaker 3:We'll finish over in England in what I believe is in County Kent, the Scadbury Five Mile Trail Run. I wonder which one of those words I mispronounced. I'm sure I'll hear about it later. Our buddy, rob, another excellent runner, was there. It was only a local five miler on the Scadbury Trail, but Rob came in first overall. This is his first race win outside of a park run and in the photo it looks like the winner got a bottle of wine and you can see the label it's first place wine. That's's pretty cool. Congratulations. Congratulations to all of our runners. Thanks for sending in the reports. We appreciate them.
Speaker 3:Okay, my friends, episode 133 coming to a close. We are going to see you real soon and, as I've said once already, I'll repeat on behalf of my friends right here If you see us at Disney World this weekend, please, please stop and say hello. We love meeting our friends face to face. All right, no Zoom this week or next. We're going to push it back. It'll be three weeks this time instead of two, because the Zoom weekend is actually the night of the Expo. So we'll push it back. We'll do a Zoom when we get back, it'll give us a chance to reminisce about the race season all together. That's it. Episode 133 comes to a close. My friends, and if you run, you know you are our friend. See you real soon. Until then, happy running.
Speaker 2:The Rise and Run podcast discusses general information about Run Disney and is in no way affiliated with Run Disney or the Walt Disney Company. Any information or advice discussed on this podcast should not be considered medical advice and should always consult with your healthcare provider or event organizer.
