Rise and Run
Rise and Run
159: Carrying the Flag for Our Fallen Heroes
Ever wondered what it's like to run a marathon while carrying the American flag? Join us as we chat with Matt, a runner whose patriotic spirit and dedication to honoring fallen soldiers are truly inspiring. Alongside him, Mark shares insights into his devotional book for runners, which blends the love of the sport with deep spirituality and personal growth. Meanwhile, Bob recounts his temporary move from Tampa to Orlando due to a hurricane, illustrating the challenges weather can pose to both life and our podcast schedule.
Explore a whirlwind of topics as we discuss marathon milestones, including the record-breaking 2024 Berlin Marathon and the ever-popular Dopey Challenge at Disney World. Whether you’re gearing up for a Spartan race or a triathlon, this episode is packed with stories of triumph and the grit needed to push through marathon training. There's also a humorous touch as we discuss family dynamics and the allure of running events that promise camaraderie and creativity in race-day attire.
This episode also shines a spotlight on meaningful endeavors, like Operation 300, supporting Gold Star families, and heartwarming flag-running stories that honor veterans. With listener engagement at its core, we celebrate runners from around the globe and share race reports that highlight personal victories and unique events like the Ecto-Ghouler 5K to the Twin Cities Marathon. From tackling listener questions to applauding young runners' achievements, this episode is a testament to the vibrant and supportive running community.
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3 am again.
Speaker 3: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 4:Good morning Rise and Run family. This is Whitney from Starkville, mississippi. No matter what race you're preparing for this weekend, whether it be Disney or any other race, or if you're just out running I hope you have a wonderful run and beautiful weather and enjoy your time.
Speaker 2:Whitney, thank you for that introduction. We appreciate it. Hope you have a great run, great weather, and enjoy your time, just like Whitney says, we appreciate it. I've got one more intro in the queue and then we're ready for more, so send us new intros, if you can. Hello, my friends, welcome to episode 159 of the Rise and Run podcast. We are delighted as that you are here with us. I'm Bob, and I'm here with Greg. Hey, hey, hey. With John, hey, how you doing? With Jack Hiya, and with Alicia.
Speaker 1:Hello.
Speaker 2:Friends, if I sound a little different because I'm on the road, I'll explain a little more in just a moment. So, no fancy microphone, no fancy headsets. This is just me and my laptop. I think it's coming through. Okay, I hope it is this week's episode. We've got two Rise and Run friends joining us.
Speaker 2:We'll be talking with Matt Now. You may not know who Matt is, but you've seen him. If you've been at a run at Disney World, matt's the fellow who carries the American flag through every run. He'll tell us about that and tell us about an organization he's running for and a sweepstakes he's got going on. Also, our friend Mark Mark has written a runner's devotional that we want to share with you. He tells us all about that. No race report spotlight this week. Let me go ahead and explain right now. I'm in Tampa. No, I'm in Orlando. That's an inside joke. Ok, I'm in Orlando, I am. I have run away from the storm that, as Becky and I left, was aiming for Tampa Bay, right on the coast. So we had to get out of there to avoid the storm surge, and even though there's going to be a category two hurricane here in Orlando, not Tampa.
Speaker 2:This we felt this was much safer. So I'm sorry, didn't have time to get to the spotlight this week. And we get to the race report. I'll explain also. I didn't get time to get all that done either, but we'll. We'll explain also. I didn't get time to get all that done either. We'll make it up to you, I promise.
Speaker 3:Meanwhile, 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. Please remember to follow us on Facebook at Rise and Run Podcast. On Facebook at rise and run podcast. On Instagram at rise and run pod. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel and also visit our webpage rise and run podcastcom. If you have a question, a comment, a race report, you want to introduce an upcoming episode, what we don't want you to do is stand out in the storm storm like those crazy weathermen and give us a report on the hurricane. But if you were to do that, you could call us at 727-266-2344 and leave us a recorded message.
Speaker 2:I am so glad that this is going to air after the storm goes through, because I can hear the gauntlet being thrown down right now. Challenge accepted Too late, too late.
Speaker 5:They will be out there. The next one, bob, you know that.
Speaker 2:By Thursday morning. I say that actually by Thursday morning. If you're on it early, if you're listening first thing Thursday morning, I don't think the storm will have passed even Orlando by then, and I know it won't have passed the east coast of Florida by then. So we may get some people trying to do that. Maybe tomorrow I'll try and organize a group. We can all do it together.
Speaker 3:Hurricanes are nothing that you should be joking around about, but that being said, though, whenever a storm does come through the greater orlando area, shout out to one of our favorite race announcers, chris a galloway. I love that she goes on instagram and gives us updates about little tree, this little tree that was planted right out in front of their house, um, in their the development that they live in, and I remember I forget what storm it was last year and this little baby tree was just hanging on by a thread with how bad the wind was, and it's grown a little bit, and she always is providing updates on Little Tree, and it's something that is must-see.
Speaker 3:Instagram TV, if that's even a, thing, but yeah if you're looking to get updates, check out Chris's Instagram page for sure I do.
Speaker 2:I've missed that. I'll look for it this week.
Speaker 1:Speaking of Floridians, we have a brand new Patreon. Our good friend Stephanie joined the hey how you Doing level. We want to thank all of our Patreons, whose support helps keep the Rise and Run podcast rising and running. If you'd like to join the patron team, please check out patreoncom slash rise and run podcast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I saw that. Thanks. Thanks to all of our patrons, as you said, alicia, and thank you, stephanie, and I was thinking of if there was one person who was going to go and make the hurricane introduction at the top of that list. Let's see, friends. The Rise and Run podcast is sponsored by our good friends at Magic Bound Travel. We talked I haven't talked this week with Brad and Maggie.
Speaker 2:The last I've heard I've been following Maggie's both of their posts on social media. They're doing okay in the Asheville North Carolina. They're actually in Boone, in the Boone North Carolina area. Of course that's a tragic scenario that's going on there. Just to play off that a little bit, one advantage of the many advantages of having a travel agent is if you're ever faced with something like this, when a storm is hitting the Orlando area and closing down the parks, or if a storm hits your area and prevents you from flying, prevents you from traveling to the park. In either one of those cases, there are ways to get refunds on your Disney reservations and the best folks to help you out with that are travel agents. So, not wishing any additional work on Brad or Maggie right now or any of their other agents, some of whom I know were affected by this. The bottom line is Magic Bound Travel is a terrific place to go to help you with all your travel needs to Disney, to Universal, to Disney Cruise Lines, out to Disneyland, to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Magic Bound Travel can help you with all of that. I heard from my agent this week. They're with the new discounts being announced for 2025. They're scrubbing and looking for ways to save me money, which I'm most grateful. I promise you that Magicboundtravelcom is the website. Check it out.
Speaker 2:Speaking of checking it out, let's take a look at our training schedule. Friends, wine and Dine now, three weeks away, oh boy, we're in training week 15. The mileage for your long run this weekend is three miles, with a magic mile For the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, which is now 13 weeks away. We're also in training week 15. Long runs go short this week after being long last week. You're going to bounce around a little bit for now. After being long last week, you're going to bounce around a little bit for now. Four miles on the training schedule if you're running the marathon, three if you're running the challenge, and we're into the training schedule for the Disneyland half marathon weekend in 2025. Of course, marathon weekend's in 25 also, but we're in week two, two and your long run for that is four miles.
Speaker 2:Looking at dopey training, erin and I like to look at this If you are following Jeff Galloway's schedule and I mentioned before, if you're doing this, you'll have 90 training days when you get out to run whether it's three, four or five days a week as the simulations get longer and approximately 475 miles. You are now 57% finished with your training days and a little less than 50% finished with your training miles, which stands to reason. The mileage gets longer as the training schedule moves on. This is I think this is the tough part. This is the part we go through it every year. Where you're well into it. It's tough, got long miles, but you can't see the end yet. So hang in there. It's very important. Uh, let's see.
Speaker 2:I wanted to follow, before we talk, our training. I wanted to follow up on one thing. Last week we talked with our friends who did the Berlin Marathon and it was announced this week that the 2024 Berlin Marathon set a new record amongst the world majors for number of folks that finished 54,280 finishers to this year's berlin marathon. Pretty cool, friends. What do we got for training updates?
Speaker 3:so I do have, uh, one quick training update. You know nothing earth-shattering in terms of, like you know, long runs or prepping for marathon a weekend and jazz, but I do have an important training update, though, and for those of you that have been listening for a very long time know that around this time two years ago, I was trying to get my daughter to train with me because she was running the 5k at wine and dine, and to say that it was an experience and a half is putting it mildly. I remember it well. Yeah, you did, because we had to call you several times to keep, uh someone uh, particularly motivated yeah, it was funny but anyway.
Speaker 3:So this past week, uh, so, as a big fundraiser, uh, my daughter's school, they actually do a fun run and you can donate either like just a set amount of money or you can pledge a certain anywhere, like 50 cents or a dollar per lap, and then they tally off how many laps that the kids will do over the course of the fun run, which is really, really fun. So she had, you know, she had talked to my wife and I about, you know she wasn't sure how many laps she was going to be able to do, and you know that she can get tired sometimes, you know, when she's running for a while. So I said, well, why don't you do what daddy does and do run, walk, run? And she was like, oh, that's a good idea. Then she was trying to negotiate with me to take my gym boss to school and at the rate that she loses things at school, there was no way that was happening.
Speaker 3:But, I took her out on my training run earlier this week and the goal was we were going to do two miles and I said, well, think of this as a little prep for your fun run and then very, very early start to your training, because she's going to do the 5k with me uh, at springtime surprise next year, cool. And and we got the two miles in and she was very, very proud of the fact that she did it a lot faster uh than when we walked the race, uh, during wine and dine in 2022, and I I know there's sense of improvement because she didn't start complaining about I don't want to run anymore until we were more than a mile of the way in so I would say that's significant progress.
Speaker 3:But I was able to bait her along the way like, oh, let's run to that tree in three, two. And then when I'd say two, she would just zoom right by me and I'd have to catch her up. So I'm like, well, obviously you still had some left in the tank, so I'm glad to see that we're already two-thirds of the way there for springtime surprise, um, you know. So, for those of you that that are following along on this journey at home, so far so good. And I'm going to knock on wood. No ice cream breaks this time, Greg.
Speaker 3:No, ice cream breaks this time no.
Speaker 2:I believe Mr Galloway would be proud of her.
Speaker 3:I'm sure he would. Yes, and I'm very proud of her as well too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, good stuff, all right. Training notes. My training has been interrupted again. That's okay, we'll get through that and we'll get up. I'm looking forward to running on Saturday. Ran last Saturday. I share this, friends, because I want you to know you're not alone if you're in the same boat. I have a hard time on the long runs. It was 17 miles Saturday and I'm still having trouble when the sun comes up because it's still pretty warm. Now it's supposed to be for Florida, it's supposed to be a little cooler on Saturday and it's a short run anyway. So let's see how that works. I'm hoping that when the temperature's cooled down I'll do better. I'm finishing, but boy, I'm having trouble. One comment, one note of pride. This has part to do with running, part to do with working with Tom 249.3. That's an important number to me. It's the first time that I can remember in a long time of being below 250 pounds.
Speaker 3:Good for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you very much. Everybody who has tried to lose weight knows it's not easy. You have to stay with it. So it's been a steady decline, not a rapid drop, and I'm really hoping to stay below that 250 number Helps with your running.
Speaker 2:Well, friends, as we said at the top, we got a couple of folks we visited with this week. Let's start with you. Know a lot of you carry props in your races at disney world. You ever thought of carrying a flag? Well, our next guest has friends. You may not know our next guest, but if you've been to a run disney race, you've seen him. You've heard him called out from the stage. Matt bowen is the fellow who carries the american flag at all the run disney events and we thought he'd be an interesting guy to talk to. He's got some time on his hands. Here he is. Hey, matt, welcome to the rise and run podcast. Hey, thanks, bob, appreciate it. We're glad that you're here. We appreciate you taking the time. I'm going to start softball-wise, matt. I'm going to start with the one I start with many of our friends when they come on and say yeah, you're running at Disney. When did you start running? How long have you been running?
Speaker 8:I was in the military, got out of the military back at the turn of the century and I went to college and started working and got into my professional life and one day in 2008, I stepped on a scale and looked down and said, yeah, no way. And I found my fitness, as I like to say, at that point in my life and I really just started getting very aggressive about losing weight and diet. As I had alluded to earlier in our conversation, I travel a lot for work. I cover large swaths of territory Now I cover the entire United States for my current position in my company so diet can be a little bit difficult when you're on the road.
Speaker 2:Oh, surely can yeah.
Speaker 8:So I just started working out and I got really into doing a lot of HIIT workout, a lot of exercise, and then after about two years I'd lost about 65 pounds and I said, hey, I got to put this thing to the test. What can I do with this body now? I know what I could do with it in my teens and my early 20s. What can I do with it now as I'm in my thirties and progressing, with children in the home and all of that stuff? So I signed up for Spartan races and I had never at that point since I had gotten out of the military, run for run more than four miles, let alone done obstacles or anything. So it just became a personal test to myself.
Speaker 8:And lo and behold, over the next four years, my 26 year old and I had ended up doing about 25 to 30 Spartan races all across the United States. We did a double trifecta one year and and I I have always had kind of bad knees from sports and I tore my ACL at about mile 12 of a 20 mile mountain race in Vermont and finished the race, lost my, finished the race, had to have it scoped and after, um, after having done that, I just sat back and I said you know what? I probably shouldn't do these anymore. I've got way too much to lose. The last thing I need to do is blow my knee out or blow my leg out and not be able to work. So I stopped at Spartan races, transitioned to triathlon, and at that point I still did not like running.
Speaker 2:Something else, simple, right yeah exactly.
Speaker 8:So I started off small and I started immediately moving up doing half Ironmans and full Ironmans, and running was always the weakest part. So I just started forcing myself to run and I just really developed a love for being out there running, whether it be headphones on, listening to a book, listening to. I have done podcasts a lot. I've never really done a whole lot of them, but I really I know there's just so many out there, including including this one, that I can just really spend a lot of time. But as I got out there and I just really just started kind of loving the feeling of being out and the and running, and then and then I uh signed up. I had done my first iron man in 2016 and as I was training for that, I I had heard about the dopey challenge. So this would have been 2016, so it would have been 2017, dopey. You guys are going to have to tell me what year was the first one, because I can't remember what year was the exact first one year.
Speaker 2:Did dope, did Dopey start? Golly, I'm not sure off the top of my head. I want to say it was 2013.
Speaker 3:2023 was the 10-year anniversary, yeah, okay, or 2014, maybe.
Speaker 8:So this will be my eighth Dopey. So I said well, you know what I'm training for an Ironman, so why not go do a dopey? We love going to Disney World, so let's just do this. And so I signed up and lo and behold, that was my first. That was the year the half was canceled because of the storms that hit at around three in the morning. If anybody who ran in 2017 remembers, the marathon was frigidly cold yeah, yeah, very windy and cold.
Speaker 8:Yes, and a bad storm hit around 3 am on Saturday. That was clear by late morning and so a lot of people did the half marathon on their own at different resorts and people put on half marathon parties and stuff. I did not do that, I had my whole family with me. I did run about five miles in the gym at the at Kidani village or no, I'm sorry, I was at Jamba house, but I had my family with me and I did. That's my first dopey and I finished that and I said to my wife as well you know, I feel like I should probably do another one in order to be able to get the whole 48.6. So I did the following year. Dopeyy and my family came with me. On that one Side note, that's the last one they ever came with me on because they said I'm miserable to be with.
Speaker 2:They don't want to be with me on a run weekend anymore. It takes a lot of time.
Speaker 8:It is a Disney vacation, but it's not a traditional Disney vacation, yeah right.
Speaker 8:You're in bed by 6 o'clock. So I signed up for my second and did it, and afterwards I'm sitting at the airport and I turned to my wife and I said you know I'm done, I'm not doing that thing ever again, Cause what I said there when I finished my Iron man was I looked at her and I said that is the dumbest belief I've ever done and I will never do another one of those, and I, to date, I have never done another full line Okay.
Speaker 2:All right.
Speaker 8:I sit in the airport and I said I'm never doing that again.
Speaker 8:That one and done I feel good about it, I've done it, I do not need to do that again. And my phone literally within like two minutes, my phone rings. It's my very good friend, nick Curcio, calls me up and he says he says, man, I saw their posts about this dopey thing. What is that? That sounds so cool. I want to do that with you. And I said, well, did you miss it? I'm not doing it again, I'm never doing that again. And he goes oh, you got to do it again. And so over the course of the next couple of weeks, he talked me into doing it again. I finished it a third time and I told my whole family I'm done, hold me accountable. I'm now signed up for my eighth dopey. It's kind of a joke in the house. Yeah, of course, dad, you're never going to do it again.
Speaker 8:But this is the last one, nope, I won't do it until my orthopedic surgeon tells me to stop at this point. Then two years later, after that probably right Probably yeah, I will be getting another dog and two knee replacements. Is who I'll be? You have had two. No, no, no, I've had nine knee scopes. Yeah.
Speaker 8:And I have no ACL in my left knee still. I've never had that replaced. And if you get your quad strong and your calf strong, you're fine. But when you're just running, if you're not doing any heavy lateral movements, you're fine. But, yeah, I mean when you're just running, if you're not doing any heavy lateral movements, you're fine. But uh, yeah, I mean it's. It's just you. You maintain at this point. I'm 51 years old and I don't see any reason to stop at this point.
Speaker 3:Matt, really impressive uh history as it relates to both Ironman and run Disney. And, as run Disney runners, you know what makes us special is that you know you who you know are, you know just are in their kits and are ready to go. And then there's those who dress up in costume and then there are those who you know have costumes with props and for you you have a very special quote-unquote prop that you have with you at all your races and that is our nation's flag. The beautiful stars and stripes. Give us the backstory of how you started running with the American flag, not only just at Run Disney, but in other races in general.
Speaker 8:Sure. So a few years ago I had connected with a gentleman by the name of Sid Bush.
Speaker 2:Oh, I know, Sid yeah.
Speaker 8:A lot of people know Sid. So Sid is a retired Navy senior chief, served on submarines for years and he's just an inspirational guy. He's such a great individual and he does. He carries the flag. He doesn't. He'll tell you himself he doesn't run anymore. He doesn't. I don't think he does anything bigger than a 10K anymore. He's had some health issues as he's gotten older, but he carries the American flag for every single event that he carries or that he runs, and so he will put a picture on his back of a fallen soldier, of a gold star soldier or somebody who's fallen in war or after, and so that was a huge inspiration for me. So I want to say, gosh, it's probably been 2018, maybe I can't remember the exact year but Ironman was doing a Gold Star Foundation promotion or not promotion, just event where you could apply as a veteran to carry the flag during a half Ironman or full Ironman.
Speaker 8:I was running Ironman Chattanooga and I applied and was chosen by Gold Star Foundation to carry the flag for a Gold Star family. What made this one super special was the family came to the event. We had a big event the day before, we were interviewed by the media and then, when we ran the race, or when I ran the race, at the beginning they had me hold the flag for the national anthem. They read off Offran's story. So Offran Arashaga was the soldier that I was carrying for His wife, shauna and son Alston were there with us and they had me hold the flag. They read off his story, read off my story. He was killed in Afghanistan. If you've ever seen the documentary Hornet's Nest, he was in the Hornet's Nest and he was one of the members killed during that filming. So they actually, if you've ever seen a soldier memorial, they stand the rifle up with the boots and the helmet and all the soldiers fly in it. It's extremely powerful and emotional and actually I did not know side note, I did not know that he had been killed during the filming of that and Lisa, who is from Lisa Walters from Gold Star Foundation, told me I should watch that with Sean and Shauna had told me that as well and I watched it. And then all of a sudden I see Offran. I'm like, wait a second, that's Offran. And then they talk about how he was killed and they have that moment in the documentary and it's I mean, it hit me like a ton of bricks because I carried a flag for his family.
Speaker 8:So, coming back to the story, I go do the swim, I'm wearing a gold cap, so they're calling me off the whole time. They know where I am. They're tracking me the entire event. I come out of the water, get on the bike and I go for the 56 miles and I come back. As I come back, shawna and Alston are standing there with the American flag and they hand me the flag with Offran's dog tags. I carry his dog tags and the flag for 13.1 miles.
Speaker 8:They're calling me out through the entire event and at the finish line Sean and Alston are standing there and they meet me. At the finish line I hand them the flag. Alston gives me this massive hug. His mom says you know, that's you know. I haven't seen him hug a man like that in years. It's amazing. It was just extremely powerful. My wife was there, my lovely family was there. My father-in-law had come down, my younger brother, jason, and his husband had come down and joined us and it was just a wonderful event and it was so powerful to be able to celebrate that family.
Speaker 8:It wasn't about me. Every time I carry this flag it's not about me and I appreciate the avenue that you guys are giving me to be able to talk about this, but me carrying the American flag, I'm just a vessel and I'm there to carry it and just to remind people. We have people who every single night, go to sleep defending everything we get to go do. We don't get to run Disney if we don't have people that are doing that for us, and that's one of the reasons I carry that flag. And so when I did that at Ironman, it brought it to me that hey, we've got to call attention to these folks because they don't get enough attention.
Speaker 8:I did it. I was a veteran, I served over in Japan and I was in the Western Pacific on a cruise, and so it just became something that was just visceral to me, right. So I did it for a 5k and it was just really cool and people said things to me. I did it for the 10k and I think maybe the first year I did it at Dopey. I think it probably would have been my fourth Dopey.
Speaker 8:I did it 5k, 10k, half and half was tough, three by five. Flag on a on a pole. I had the handle wrapped with some for some bike, uh, bike, uh, handlebar tape so it's a little comfortable, um, but I got halfway, or I got six miles into the marathon. My wife was at the magic kingdom and I saw her and I, I just said I I kind of popped the pole in half, I said here, take this, I can't, I can't do this for 20 more miles. Um, and then, uh, a year later I did the same thing and Andy Dalby is a gentleman by that carries the American flag for a number of events as well, and he had kind of he had done it and he, he, um, he really inspired me and so then since then I've carried it for every single race 5k, 10k, half and full. So now I think I've done it three, two or three fulls, five or six halves at Disney World, five or six halves on my own outside of places, as well as a number of ton of 5k's, ton of 10k's.
Speaker 8:This year will be my seventh wine and dine, eighth dopey, my second princess, because my daughter really wanted to run the princess. So we're doing the princess 5k together and I will carry the flag for the 5k, 10k and half. And then I'm also doing Disneyland. For the first time this year. I'm doing the 10k and a half and desperately trying to get into the 5k. If I could find a bib that'll open up to do the 5k as well. I'm going to be out there all week for work anyway, so I might turn the 5k if I'm out there. Just got to get a bib, if anybody's got a bib out there
Speaker 2:let me know you may hear from someone I would love to. You kind of alluded to it, matt, but we say, oh, I carry the flag. That is not an easy thing to do. It's not that it weighs all that much, but after so many miles that's got to get really tough. Do you train with a?
Speaker 8:flag. I don't, no, I don't, I just go out and I do it. And so you know it's funny. When I first got out of the military I remember I have a 26-year-old and a 24-year-old, almost 25. I was going to school full-time. My kids were in diapers at the same time and someone asked me and I worked full-time. I worked two jobs. I worked about 50 hours, 60 hours a week, and I went to school full-time. People said, well, how do you do that? I said I don't know, I just do it. I don't think about it, I just go out and I do it. Same thing with the flag yes, it's not and blowing 20 miles an hour.
Speaker 8:I was running with a flag across my body. Now I wear a. I wear a hydration belt. I don't wear a carry a bottle. I wear a belt with a bottle or a belt with a bottle in it so I can take out and drink my hydration. That way I can keep my hands free, for if I want to go back and forth with the flag so I do probably 75% of the time I carry the flag in my right hand, I will go to my left or I'll pop it on my shoulder If I'm going to do my walk.
Speaker 8:I do run in, so I'll I'll let it.
Speaker 8:I'll let it sit on my shoulder a little bit.
Speaker 8:I never you know the only time I roll it up or wrap you know, kind of gather it up as if I'm, if I need to take a restroom break or if I'm stopping for like photos or something like pull it out and lay it out for the with the characters, and so that's always nice as well.
Speaker 8:But yeah, so winding down, a couple of years ago it was pouring down rain and blowing wind and I had to run with the flag across my body and it was at full staff behind me. Last year, on marathon weekend, there was a couple of times early in the race where the wind was blowing really heavily and I had I wear shocks, headphones, and so I can still hear it. But you hear a lot of music and stuff like that and I can hear the flag snapping behind me in the wind. I get very cognizant about that when I'm running around other people, because these courses can be fairly crowded, right, the last thing I want is somebody to get hit with my flag or hit with my pole. So a lot of times what I will do is I will run with my arm fully extended above my head.
Speaker 8:Really Keep the flag from hitting other people. And so when I'm in a crowd, I'll have that flag up really high and that's going to be trying. I could be trying as well. You don't have the swing of your arm, then you're holding it up. And then, of course, when people cheer, like coming down Main Street, and when it's dark, marathon week and half marathon, I do hold the flag up and obviously people are cheering and having a wonderful time cheering on their loved ones and family in those moments. But it seems like the crowd gets a little bit louder when they see that flag.
Speaker 2:Oh, no doubt. Yeah, I'm sure they do.
Speaker 8:Finishing the marathon the last couple of years I'm a little bit bummed. They changed the course on us this year, but I've always stopped in Mexico and gotten a margarita for the last mile. I froze a margarita in my left hand and my flag in the right hand and there's a very cool. So there's a couple of cool things that happened in that point in the race and every single race, the last, like 12 races. This has happened as I come and then we all know this exit as you come out of Epcot, you go by the choir oh yes, and you hang that right-hand turn and you come around and you hang the left and you come into the finish.
Speaker 8:There's always a Florida police officer standing right there. It's the same one every time and I cannot remember his name. He's such a wonderful guy so now it's a tradition. He gave me a coin a challenge coin?
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, yeah.
Speaker 8:And then the next race, I gave him a D3 coin the veteran, the one with the flags but I always stop, hug him, do a selfie picture and then go into the finish Cool, so that has become my tradition. At the end of every race, he's always there. Now, there was one race where they had pulled him, for crowd control, over by the finish. That has become my tradition. At the end of every race he's always there. Now there was one race where they had pulled him, for crowd control, over by the finish and he immediately grabbed me when I crossed the finish line and we did a selfie right there as well. But it's super cool. I need to make sure I get his name this year so we can call him out. There's that.
Speaker 8:And then as I come around that corner where the stands are, I always hold the flag up high and people go crazy. And then Riley or John or Carissa or that one of the one of the hosts will always call it. They've I've gotten to know all of them that. I've chatted with all of them. I ran with Carissa, I ran with John, I talked to, to to Riley before every race. He always is very kind to pull me aside and and just give me a little bit of a platform, which is wonderful, and I they're such patriotic individuals, so very nice, and Disney has always been very, very good to me as far as that goes, being able to celebrate me with the flag. And again, it's not me, it's the flag, and that's what I want people to really, really recognize. It's the flag it's about the flag.
Speaker 2:It's not about me Now. You're downplaying a little bit when you say it's easy, I just do it. You take that flag up over your head. That's not easy, matt. That's pretty tough. I'm impressed it is.
Speaker 8:It's pretty cool.
Speaker 5:It's pretty cool yeah I got my phone in my hand for like an hour and my arms tired.
Speaker 8:That's a good point, though get yourself a flip belt and you can slide it in. John says this every time that I come, and so does carissa. They make the comments here he comes, he's carried the flag whatever, how many ever miles. It is right generally on the half of the full, and John always goes something like I can't even carry a beer 10 feet or something. That's pelky, yeah, yeah, last year I think it was last year he did the 10K. He did, he did, yep so.
Speaker 8:I caught him in Epcot as we were coming into Epcot and we chatted. He knows me, we're friends on Facebook and I mean knows me as much as anybody can know. You know from a distance.
Speaker 8:And I said hey, hey, you wanted to run with it, and so he ran with the flag for about 20 feet and he's like that's enough, and he handed it right back to me and so then that the next day at the half, on that on the half, he said because I got to run with that flag yesterday I don't know how he does it he always makes comment. I don't know how he holds that thing up for 26.2 miles, you know whatever. And it's uh, I. You're correct, I am downplaying it, but it's one of those things, it's in my mind, it's, you know.
Speaker 2:I got you.
Speaker 8:Yeah, it's. You know, I don't quit when I'm done, I I don't quit when I'm finished. I don't quit when I'm done, I quit when I'm finished.
Speaker 2:Okay, All right. So I no, I understand the mental attitude and all that. I get it. I just wanted friends who are listening here to know yeah, Matt's acting like this is easy. It's not easy, it's not easy, it's, it's impressive. Other events Matt, outside of Disney, you take the flag with you.
Speaker 8:Yeah, so I just did the triple crown in Louisville Kentucky. I live in Louisville Kentucky. That's my hometown.
Speaker 2:back in the um it was uh, it's before the um, the triple, the, obviously the triple crown of racing for horse racing, because oh, the kentucky, the kentucky derby half and, uh, I don't care for the half, the half is all about trying to get a time.
Speaker 8:So that's how I get my pot for good corral placement so that I can be in the front, so I can go out and just enjoy my disney races. But it was, um, it's a's a 5k, 10k, 10 miler. So I carried in all of this and then I'm running. I'm running the urban bourbon half marathon next Saturday Um and I will be carrying the American flag for that race as well.
Speaker 2:That looks like a good one. That's a that whole area has done so much uh, with bourbon as a tourism industry. Yeah, it's really great.
Speaker 8:It's probably one of our biggest pieces of tourism here. That course is a good course. It's got some hills to it. It's a nice little course. It goes up by the cemetery, all that stuff. It's a nice little course. It's 13.1 miles. It's a nice little Saturday morning jaunt.
Speaker 2:Oh, it sounds great. Yeah, it really does sound miles. You know, it's not nice little, nice little saturday morning john sounds great.
Speaker 8:Yeah, you have some great weather. I will be carrying the flag on that and I'll be posting pictures about that, so, and I you know I'm doing some stuff with the flag for that one as well so, matt.
Speaker 3:You know one of the reasons why, you know we wanted to invite you on the podcast. It was a few of us you had saw that you actually posted in alicia's original group. You know the the run Disney uh motivational team Facebook page about you know, using your platform in terms of carrying the flag for all these wonderful races and tying it to a charity effort. So could you please tell us, um, you know what charity you're running for, what is your effort, and give us a little backstory about the charity as well?
Speaker 8:Absolutely so. I've partnered with Operation 300, but Operation 300 is a camp that is run in southern Florida, southeastern Florida, by the sister and brother-in-law of a fallen Navy SEAL by the name of Aaron Vaughn. Aaron Vaughn was part of DEVGRU, which, if anybody understands the Navy SEAL lingo, navy SEALs are the best of the best right. There's no better trained warrior than the Navy SEALs. Well, devgru is the best of the best of the best. The best of the Navy SEALs joined DEVGRU and they are doing the most difficult, challenging missions. Obviously, navy SE, navy seals are amazing individuals, but these guys are the are kind of the tip of the sword of the navy seals.
Speaker 8:He was killed in an operation called extortion 17. What it was? It was a the largest single day loss of life for the navy seals. It was a chinook helicopter full of navy seals what they call, what they refer to as a school bus landing down and an Afghan standing, and I believe it yeah, afghan still. Soldiers stood up and fired a shoulder, fired rocket right into the back of this and killed everybody on board. It's a horrible tragedy. I remember it destroyed teams in the Navy SEAL I mean SEALs just it took them a long time to recoup.
Speaker 8:All of these guys in Devru were the guys who completed some of the most difficult missions that us as adults will know. We know these are we don't need to talk about it I mean the ones that got the guys that we wanted to get. These were those guys, and his sister and brother-in-law started this camp and what they do is they take the children of fallen soldiers gold star family children and they take them to these camps and they let them be kids. They just get them out and they pair them with military mentors to give them a father figure, because 98% of them have lost their dads. I think they have a few now where we've lost some female soldiers and their husbands have are part of operation 300 and so god bless them as well, but the majority have lost their fathers and their parents. They pair them with military mentors and they just give them guidance and they let them go out and be kids, because you know the sacrifice that these families make when their loved ones go off to war is more than anything we could ever even imagine.
Speaker 8:And then when they get that horrible phone call and they have somebody knock on their door that their father or mother has been killed in the active duty in defense of our country and out serving us. It's just, it's a loss that's just unimaginable. A lot of them will never see their family member again because they may have been killed in such a manner that doesn't allow them to be viewed, and and so it's, it's very hard, and so they, they allow these kids to go out and be kids. On top of that, they take the surviving spouse and they take them to like a spa and they, they pamper them and then let them just relax. And we know, as parents and we're all parents here, I think we, we, we worry about our children. That's all we do as parents. We worry about our children as they grow up Right, and then if, if you've lost your father or mother as a child, it's, it's traumatic, and and and so these parents worry about their kids and this organization allows them to be adults and humans for a while and they do amazing things with these kids and it's a very small group that just hasn't received a ton of like national attention.
Speaker 8:I had looked at a bunch of different organizations and there's some really, really worthwhile organizations out there, but I really wanted to find a group that I could work with and try and help that where, if I can get raise them two, three $4,000, that's big for them. Side note I got a note today from Adam Baldwin, the brother-in-law of Aaron Vaughn. Right now we're close to, we're close to $46,000, $4,600.
Speaker 2:Wow, even so, that's awesome, amazing.
Speaker 8:We've raised for operation 300 and we've only been doing it since July Nice. So I want for Operation 300, and we've only been doing it since July, nice.
Speaker 8:So it's about $1,500 to send one of these kids and family members to the camp. Okay, that's just an example. So we've put at this point, put a little over three kids. We've made it to where they don't have to absorb any cost to go do this. It's all a fundraising effort. They have some local manufacturers that have really been wonderful to help them out. They have a couple of big events a year and this is just something I want to do to try and help, and so I'm continuing to try different things.
Speaker 8:I actually had a very good friend of mine who makes handmade quilts and she gave me a free quilt to raffle off. It's like a t-shirt quilt where you take your t-shirt, raised t-shirts, yeah, and we raised, um gosh, a couple hundred dollars, that like four or five hundred dollars. That way, um and I sold a hundred tickets. I can remember what we raised. Let me make about five hundred dollars we raised. Just doing that.
Speaker 8:I've had just I've had work colleagues who have given two, three, four hundred dollars. I've had other podcasts give, you know, three, two, three, two, three, $400. I've had just friends give $20, give $10. Right now I'm running some very special raffles I think we're going to touch on here in a little bit that I think have already generated some heavy interest and I'm and they've only had them up for a week and I think I've probably raised three $400 that way, and so it's all about little moves. Look, it's tough, it's a tough time for everybody in the world right now, but I think when we can make a mark on someone else's life that changes the paradigm, it's not always about us, and that's what I've said earlier. You know me, carrying the flag is not about Matt Bowen carrying the flag, and I appreciate the avenue to come on and talk to you guys, but it's about the flag and I just happen to be the guy.
Speaker 2:Well, tell us about your latest effort with the flags and how our friends can participate in that.
Speaker 8:Absolutely so. Allegiance Flag Company. If you want an American flag, that's the best place to go. It's a good company.
Speaker 8:Yeah, they're made here in America. They're cut out of North Carolina, I want to say out of North Carolina. They sent me 23 by 5 American flags, which is, if you are familiar with props at Run Disney, 3 by 5 is the size of flag you're allowed to carry. They sent me 23 by 5 flags that actually I sent a few of those to Sid Bush for him to be able to use in some of his events. Oh good, I will be using these flags and raffling these off after I run races. So each race is separated in its own 15 numbers per flag. So $150 per flag, $10 a number. So if you for each number $10 or for a flat 150, you can sponsor the whole flag and you get that flag.
Speaker 8:If you buy a number of one of these 15, I'm going to pull a number randomly out and whoever that number is will get the flag that I use for that particular event. And so I'm going to be raffling off all of these flags that I carry this year for events from Urban Bourbon all the way through Princess. So we're going to be one race there, two for Wine and Dine weekend, four for Dopey weekend, two for Disneyland and then three for Princess. So I'm going to be raffling off every one of those flags. I've already got a couple that have been sponsored out, but there's still lots and lots of spots available. But hopefully we can fill those up for a great cause, to Operation 300. That money goes straight to Operation 300 through a special link that I can provide. It doesn't come to me, I don't handle it at all. It goes straight to Operation 300. I will pay for shipping. Whoever wins these flags, I'll pay to ship the flags to them out of my pocket, just to make sure that they.
Speaker 2:There's no external cost on anybody other than buying these numbers and our friends can say all right, I would like, uh, two entries for the marathon flag adobe weekend that flags yes, that's they can if had.
Speaker 8:if it flag, yes, that's, they can if it wasn't. But correct, yeah, you can pick their numbers. If the numbers are available, that they throw their name out. But you know, bob, I'll put your name right there, or whatever Number, number one or number nine or whatever Choose. If it's available, that's your number. And then I a lot a Facebook live with a with a randomized wheel where I'll put everybody there and I'll spin it off and boom, we'll uh, and and that and those will go out there for every one of those races. So right now, I think I've got about six spots available for for urban bourbon. Um, I think I have the entire, I just almost all the spots for the 10 K one and dime, the half marathons already taking, already called for and, um, I guess I just started doing this. So I think I probably only sold 10 spots for the all of the different flags. So there's lots of open availability.
Speaker 8:Who wants these flags? They're going to come. They're beautiful flags. Or the hand sewn star flags, green print flags Um, I mean, perfect for the home.
Speaker 8:That's what most people hang on their homes a three by five flag or a four by six. They're perfect to hang on your home. Um, some people Most people hang on their homes a three by five flag or a four by six. They're perfect to hang on your home. Some people are going to put them in a case and put them in their law office, whatever you want to do with it. So, and if somebody wants to buy an entire flag, say, hey, I'm going to just sponsor this flag for $150. I'm happy to put a ribbon on the flag. I carried a ribbon last year during springtime big yellow ribbon on the top with a loved one's name on it. If you want to put a loved one's name on it, that's that maybe. If you, if you've, uh, you know, given the ultimate sacrifice to our country and lost a loved one in time of war, a service member, and you want to, dedicate that flag to them.
Speaker 3:I'm I will. I'd be happy to put that streamer on the week's show notes as well as when the episode releases, we'll also put it on our Facebook page as well, too. And one question that I do have for you and this spans to a military connection to Disney have you had any opportunity? I know every day in the Magic Kingdom they do the flag retreat ceremony. Have you ever had the opportunity to participate in that event?
Speaker 8:So I have not. One thing I did a few years ago when my son and I went one morning for rope drop at Hollywood, they asked if there were any veterans in the crowd. I raised my hand, they brought me out and they gave me a piece of a retired flag, and I believe it was a retired flag from the Magic Kingdom. It was a piece and I carried that in my wallet for like five years, which was super cool. I would love to do the retreat at the Magic Kingdom. I don't know how to go about asking if I could be a part of that, but if you guys have any connections, I'm going to be down.
Speaker 3:I wish I did. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I wish.
Speaker 8:I get stories a lot. I get stopped a lot for people to tell me stories and actually let me tell you two, and two is probably going to turn into four. Four is going to turn into eight.
Speaker 2:So we'll be here. I was going to say can we stop you?
Speaker 8:No, I'm only kidding, we're going to stop at was last year on marathon weekend. As I'm exiting animal kingdom, this gentleman catches me and he this is already making me think of a third story. So this he catches me and he says he's crying. When he catches me and I said hey, and he wants to pat me on the shoulder and say thank you, blah, blah. And I said what's up, man, I, I'm just, I'm talking to him and he says my grandfather. And I'm gonna, I'm probably gonna get this wrong, so it's either I. I want to say he was a Vietnam veteran, had died the night before the massacre.
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness.
Speaker 8:And he wanted to catch me to thank me for carrying the American flag, the American soldiers, and I said do you want to carry the flag for a little while for your grandpa? And he said he was crying because I don't know if I can Do, you mind. I said I do not mind at all, Please do grandpa. And he said he was crying, he goes, I don't know if I can do, you mind. I said I do not mind at all, Please do this. And that way, you know, you'll have that in your heart. And he took it and he ran for you know 20 yards and handed me the flag back. That was amazing.
Speaker 8:And then, probably the one that I tell the most, that still sends shivers at my, gives me chills, was, um, I was doing the half marathon one and nine weekend a few years ago and if you guys are familiar with how the course comes through animal kingdom as you come from, um, uh, the nemo in the seas and you come around, you're coming around and into the dino land and you're kind of bending to the left, right and you got the rise final land on your right and the and the stores on your I'm sorry the, the rides are on your left, the land on your right and the store is on your. I'm sorry, the rides are on your left and the store is on your right. I'm coming around the corner and there's a gentleman there who is on a walker. So he was a volunteer, a course volunteer. He's in one of those walkers that has a seat on it and he's got a military veteran hat on and he sees me coming and he grabs the sides of his stand of his chit walker, pulls himself to full stand and goes to full salute. As I go and it was one of the get you, it's still. I'm trying now I got chills up the back of my neck. Man, it was one of the most cool moments that I that I had ever experienced and, um that those stories are the reason I do it.
Speaker 8:So the reason I tell those stories is for your listeners out there. If you see me and you have a story, stop and tell me please. I love to share those stories and I love to be a part of your journey on that race with the flag. I'm happy to let you carry that flag If you want to get your picture taken by a cast member, if you've got a loved one and you want to, you know, to honor them. I have no problem with that. Just don't take off with my flag. Bring it back to me, Unless you pay, unless you raffled and paid for it, then you can have it. I want my pullback, but please stop me and tell me. Please say hi.
Speaker 8:You see me at the expo. I'm always at the. I tend to stay at the expo for marathon weekend almost all day on Wednesday. You know, I love it when people come up and talk to me and tell me their stories, because it allows me to then retell their stories, which keep those memories alive. Because at the end of the day, you know, when we lose people, when we talk about them, we're not. We haven't lost them completely. We lose people when we talk about them.
Speaker 2:We haven't lost them completely. We keep them alive, that's right, all those stories.
Speaker 8:the stories are passed down and they're passed on to other people. Those are what creates those little moments of magic, that kind of pass those things along.
Speaker 2:Wonderful, wonderful, matt. I think we're going to end on that. That's just beautiful and I appreciate it. I appreciate you, I appreciate what you do and I'm looking forward to seeing you in.
Speaker 3:It's just going to be a couple of weeks. Well, matt, thank you so much for number one, your service to our country. You know we want to make sure that we do reiterate that. But also thank you for all the information that you shared in terms of what it takes to carry the Stars and Stripes for all these races. It's a very, very noble effort. And also thank you for telling us about Operation 300. Sounds like an absolutely fabulous organization.
Speaker 3:I know maybe about a week or so ago Matt had posted some links on our Facebook group about how you can support future races to win a raffle chance for the flags that he will be carrying. Since those happened before this episode was released, we're going to make sure that we pin those, or at least pin the information about Operation 300 and the raffle information, to the top of our Facebook page if you are interested in donating. Obviously, I know a lot of donations for various things, including the hurricanes and other noble organizations that have been going around our community a lot, but if this is something that really touches home to you, consider donating to this very noble cause. And, matt, once again, thank you so much for your time and your service.
Speaker 2:Yeah, very good If you've never tried it. Matt kind of downplays it. That's not easy. Kids carrying a flag, carrying anything Jack, the first time you carried a pace flag, I mean that's a little different, but it's noticeable, isn't it?
Speaker 6:No, because Hamish carried it for the most part. But I could tell you from carrying like a gimbal to record the races. That thing is like a five-pound thing and it's like if you don't practice with it yeah it's gonna be a long race, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:So I mean the point is matt kind of downplayed it, but it's not an easy thing. No, I'm proud of him for doing it. Uh, for, for your information, friends, rise and run is going to make sure that we get one of the flags. We're going to make the donation to make sure we get one of the flags from the 5K the Dalmatians 5K at Marathon Weekend, and when we get it we'll raffle it off to folks who were at the race. So I'm looking forward to that. I'm happy that we're able to support the great organization and it sounds like fun, friends.
Speaker 2:Changing subjects, I posted the information about the meetup at Wine and Dine, saturday 3 pm at the food truck area at Disney Springs. At the food truck area at Disney Springs, many of you have been before and know all about it, but if you haven't, please try to come by if you can. I know it's not always easy, I know, especially if you've arranged to be with your family at Disney World and they want to be at the parks. We understand all of that, but if you get a chance, please try to drop by. People who do, just the people who come come back because they have that much fun. And I haven't talked to Becky yet about what kind of cookies that we'll be making. We'll be making she's the chief chef, but we work together on that project. Let's see. So that information is on our Facebook group page.
Speaker 2:Let's visit with our second guest for this week. Mark's got something special that he wants to tell us about Friends. We're happy to have with us a good friend of the podcast. A good friend of the podcast, mark Lane Holbert has been with us before. He's appeared in episode 114 because he is a program director for the Tampa Galloway Training Program and he was talking about group runs. He was with us in episode 110 when we did a podcast. We listened to episode on his fine podcast, the Running Anthropologist, a certified running coach, marathoner for over 25 years, galloway Pacer all around. Good guy, mark, welcome back to the Rise and Run podcast.
Speaker 7:Thanks, bob, that was a wonderful introduction.
Speaker 2:It's great to have you here, mark. It's fun to talk with you. You've done something very interesting, my friend, and we want to share it with our friends. You've written what you're calling a. Well, what are you calling it, mark? I got the title here, but you're calling it a running devotional.
Speaker 7:That's right, yeah, and Focused. It's got a little bit of a slant towards marathon training because it's 26.2 weeks long, but really for any training, it has a lot of Galloway, a lot of great Galloway moments and Galloway references throughout the devotional. Well, jeff wrote the foreword for you. You did. Yeah, I've been working a little bit with Jeff on his podcast as well, and one of the things that we talk about a lot is running inspiration, and I've read a number of devotionals and inspiring stories and I've interviewed a lot of folks too, just like you guys, and I thought it'd be nice if we had something like that for a marathon training, where you could kind of flip through and enjoy week to week and get a couple lessons from the big dogs, from the people that know the most about training. So that was my goal.
Speaker 2:Well, friends, what we're talking about is Faith, hope and Love on the Run. About is Faith, hope and Love on the Run, a 26.2 week journey for the runner's soul. And we'll make sure to let you know how to get your copy of it. We'll post it on our Facebook group and we'll ask, mark, if there's other places to get to it. But you started already. Let me turn the floor back over to you to tell us a little bit more about this piece that you've done, this work that you've done.
Speaker 7:Sure. Well, you can think of it a little bit more like an interactive document, because it's a web-based document like a Google document, so pretty familiar to most people. And it's interactive in the sense that each story is kind of accompanied by some links, some long run listens, including podcasts and some things that you can watch as well to learn a little bit more about the story of that particular running icon or that particular history of the marathon, whatever's featured that week. And I love it because it gave me a chance to really revisit my talks with people and times in my life when I really needed some inspiration and drew upon it by reading stories of others and they're not all superstars, but they are kind of iconic for different reasons, you know, for their effort for overcoming obstacles through their love or their service to the sport and things of that nature.
Speaker 2:What, would you say, motivated you to get started in this?
Speaker 7:More than anything, it was really seeing a need for myself. I read a number of morning and evening pieces of inspiration devotionals sometimes a prayer or a meditation book. Devotional sometimes a prayer or a meditation book and I really wanted one that was focused a little more on running. And a few of my friends in my training group spurred me on when I brought up the idea of it during a run and I said, well, okay, now I got to make something at least for Tampa Galloway. And I started working on it about a year ago when I was training for a Disney marathon, of course, and I just kept working, kept chipping away on it little by little, and this summer I had a nice furlough from teaching and I really kind of dove into it a little more and got into it and asked some friends and other people to have a look and help me edit for suggestions. And that's what you know. Like anything, it's, it's done in community and so it's um, you know, it's really a community effort of a bunch of a bunch of Galloway folks.
Speaker 1:So, mark, did you personally talk to the athletes that are in this devotional? Um, I know you had said that coach Galloway was part of it. Did you talk to the rest of them? I know some of them have passed away or how did you get the information that you have put in the devotional?
Speaker 7:Absolutely yeah, obviously the ones that I could interview, that I did, probably a little over half the folks in the book I've spoken to personally and the rest, as you mentioned some I of course don't have the opportunity to talk to because they passed, and others I gained information from stories, from interviews that they had done and from their own websites. You know, kind of using a number of different sources to tell their story, and in their own words, as best I could.
Speaker 2:It's quite a list of names and it's clever the way Mark's set it up. He already told us this. He's got 26 athletes and then we've got 26.1 and 26.2. Kind of cheating to get those extra in but we'll let you have it, we'll let you go, and there are a lot of names you're going to recognize in here. Friends we already talked about Jeff Galloway, meb Kovleski, eliud Kipchoge and then others. Steve Prefontaine obviously no longer with us. Courtney Dewalter Did you get a chance to talk with her?
Speaker 7:I did not. I have been to events where she has been present, but I've not had a chance to interview her. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about you know through her own interviews that she's done and just kind of reading about her through various records that she's set. So I'm really impressed.
Speaker 2:I'm going to pick out another favorite fellow I have had a chance to talk to, not on the podcast but just in person. That's Billy Mills. Get a chance to meet Billy.
Speaker 7:You know, I've seen him speak. I haven't personally met with him, but he yeah, he just one of the best speakers I've ever heard. Just so inspiring.
Speaker 2:I still use his mantra he talks about when he's coming around, the last turn in that 10 K and he's saying to himself I may not finish first, but I'm going to win. And then that famous broadcast where the broadcaster actually got fired. Look at Mills, look at Mills. It still makes the hair stand up on my arm.
Speaker 7:No, you're absolutely right and you mentioned, you know, just feeling like you're there and I, you know, reading something is so personal. It's almost like you have this personal connection to a story and a person, and that's what I really like about devotionals, about blogs and about this, but particularly something you can hold, even particularly something you can hold. Even so, I encourage folks, you know, when they get this or if they want to download it, just to print it and have it. You know, something for the bedside or the kitchen table, because I love having things I can highlight and make notes on and come back to, you know, in future weeks or times when I'm struggling for inspiration. So that sort of thing.
Speaker 2:It's an interesting setup. It's a nice setup in that friends can take this in small bites the pieces on each athlete run page and a half maybe, on average probably and then you have some activities or suggestions. So how do you see our friends using this when they read it?
Speaker 7:Yeah, so that pulls into my own background a little bit and sort of the inspiration side of things. I'm a positive psychologist by training and I've done a lot of research on purpose and motivation in particular, and so I try to add some mental strength, mental resilience, motivation in particular. And so I try to add some mental strength, mental resilience, take home, you know, not really homework, but take home fun stuff that I think folks will get a lot from and really be able to apply some of the lessons from each of these athletes that I saw in their story. So that's the intent of that last part. It's practical and mental strength exercises and there's usually two or three of each of them that kind of ask you to bring some of that, that story, that person, into your life and and reflect on it a little bit, maybe write down a few goals or an affirmation or a journal entry. You know that that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2:A little bit of interactivity to reinforce what it is we've read.
Speaker 7:Exactly.
Speaker 5:Mark any favorite stories or favorite athletes on your part in this devotional.
Speaker 7:You know, much like when you ask someone their favorite child, you're like, well, that's a tough question. We set you up, buddy, go ahead, because you know I like all of them, for different reasons, of course. I am really, really impressed. It's probably we all were with the Paralympians that recently just knocked our socks off in Paris. Um, so I I recently added, after having a chance to really read and think more, more deeply about uh, tatiana McFadden.
Speaker 7:Her sister, hannah McFadden actually uh coordinates, uh DC Achilles um, which is a chapter that um allows people with disabilities to have access to, to marathons and other sporting events, and um, both of them were Olympians and actually Tatiana, her sister, is the most um meddled uh athlete, uh track and field athlete, um Olympian or Paralympian Um, so she, her story, is just so inspiring to me and when I I've had a chance to interact with her sister, hannah, who gives back so much to the uh, to the Achilles community by serving folks in DC and um, I'll have an opportunity to guide with them again here at Marine Corps Marathon in a few weeks. So, um, yeah, that, that connection, that story, I think, is just so incredible um that I, I loved, uh, I loved, I included that at the half marathon Mark at week 13.
Speaker 2:Okay, Okay, very good, good choice.
Speaker 7:Yeah, and of course we've got Jeff in there. Most of us know his story, but we've got some of the Steve Prefontaine connection with him and I'm always just driven, so inspiring. I'm always just driven, you know, so inspiring. I'm also super inspired by, you know, some of the historic folks who have laid the path for us, future marathoners and athletes like Eric Little and Harold Abrams, way back in 1923, like Jesse Owens, and you know, some of the people in here are just people that I think should get more.
Speaker 2:Joan Benoit comes to mind.
Speaker 7:Yes, Absolutely, and Patty. Catalano-dillon who a lot of folks don't know much about, who I'm always impressed by and have had the chance to interact with personally as well, and I put her at number two there because she's a fantastic person.
Speaker 5:So, Mark, each week, each person, you write a little story about a little quote, which I love the quote. Some of these quotes are killer. You have two things you have a reflection and a mental strength exercise. How should we use those?
Speaker 7:Yeah. So my hope really is that folks will feel free to use this in whatever kind of order they like. You know, if they have 26 days to their marathon, they could do one a day. But you can also kind of parse it out so that you give yourself some time to do those activities. Kind of parse it out so that you give yourself some time to do those activities. And, by the way, since most Galloway training plans include a few weeks after the marathon, there is a bonus recovery weeks activity at the end too, for a little bit larger reflection.
Speaker 7:But, yeah, my hope is really that people will have a chance to apply some of these as community. They'll feel like they're a part of a community and they'll feel really connected to this heritage of runners that have deemed themselves a success due to their values, their virtues and the effort they put in, and not because of any time, not because of any of the championships they won. And I think you really pick that up when you get into those mental strength exercises and some of the practical things that these athletes value and that they do to inspire themselves to be their very best.
Speaker 2:Outstanding, Mark. You put a lot of work into this. Now, you talked about this earlier. It's not a published document. We're not going to go into a bookstore and buy this, but it's available as a Google Doc. How can our friends get it?
Speaker 7:Absolutely Well, certainly through the Rise and Run page. I'm sure you guys can share the link and, um, I'll also share the link on the Running Anthropologist website and I, I think Jeff uh will be sharing it out somewhere too. Uh, so if, if you're paying attention, uh, you can probably, uh you probably won't miss it, but you can also, uh, like I said, go to Running Anthropologist um and find it right now on the blog site and my website and Facebook page and that kind of thing.
Speaker 2:Good stuff. Is there a fee? Is there a fee? Is there a cost?
Speaker 7:There's no cost. You can think of it as an interactive blog site, kind of devotional, but I would love there's a suggested donation. If you find value in the devotional, I would love if you would give back some value to those in need. Particularly, I suggested UNICEF and International Medical Relief to help these kids who are not yet free to move, not yet free to run around the globe, and I'll be adding Achilles International to that list too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, another, yeah, another outstanding organization those are my hopes for it?
Speaker 7:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, mark, good work. It's a good piece. I think our friends will enjoy it. Now the question I always wind up with when are we going to see you at Disney?
Speaker 7:World. Well, you're going to see me. If you're there for Wine and Dine, half I'll be pacing there and, lord willing and the creek doesn't rise again too high, we will be there for Marathon Weekend 2 pacing. We have gotten through, helene. We're very grateful for that. And I did just want to add one more thing, bob, that you know on marathon day you wake up and you're proud of your training effort, you've gotten the best out of yourself and you putting in, you know the work, body, mind and spirit, and with your friends and running community, then you are already a success, and that's, I think, the Disney motto too. And if you cross the finish line you can say you're a marathoner and you've succeeded too. But that first part, I think, is even more important, and I hope this devotional helps people to get there.
Speaker 2:Well said, we here at this podcast have that same attitude. We think so too. We're very proud of our friends who tow that start line and have the guts to give it a shot and see how they can do. When you said that we'll see you, I may see you, but I won't see you for long because you're significantly quicker than I am.
Speaker 7:But that's, that's a good thing quicker than I am, but that's a good thing. Well, you know, I've heard that this. I don't think this is under wraps too much, but I've heard that I'll be pacing with Adam and representing Germany in some respect. So to those Berlin runners, congratulations, and we'll see how the theme is this year. It's going to be fun. It should be, it should be so are you going to wear a cape?
Speaker 2:I don't think so.
Speaker 7:Maybe later, hosen, we'll see.
Speaker 2:That would be better. Yeah, that would be good. I think Adam copyrighted the cape, but that's neither here nor there. Hey, mark, thanks for taking the time to visit and to share the work that you've done here, and we really appreciate it.
Speaker 7:Thank you, you guys are the best Appreciate it.
Speaker 2:It's been fun visiting with friends this week. Mark, thanks for that. Again, I'll make sure that the information on how to download Mark's Motivational is also on our Facebook and Instagram accounts for you. So I think you'll find it interesting and, as I said talking to Mark, it's it's real easy to browse through. You can grab one or two subjects at a time and just take a look at it. It's well done, Mark, put a lot of effort into that. Hey, an update.
Speaker 2:I talked a little bit ago about the 101 Dalmatians 5K at Marathon Weekend. I want to remind you, because the cutoff date's coming up for the shirts. Alex is going to cut off the order at Wine and Dine Weekend. That'll be the last time you're able to order. So those shirts are available Again. That's pinned to the Facebook group Aquine Pizza Apparel. Check them out. They're great shirts. A lot of people have already received theirs and they're excited about it. You don't have to buy one to participate in the race. As one of the Dalmatians, you can get your own. You can decorate your own shirt. You can draw. Take a magic marker and draw on your chest. That's right, I'm talking to you, tony. Take a magic marker and draw on your chest. That's right, I'm talking to you, tony, but yeah, but I think the shirts are great. I think you're going to enjoy it.
Speaker 2:Friends, taking a look at upcoming episodes episode 160. Another Mark, another friend of the Rise and Run podcast, is here. Mark Burgett is going to be here to talk run walk run with us and how it ain't just for the middle and the back of the Packers. Mark's done some incredible things with run walk run. Episode 161, listener questions questions you sent in. It's been a while now but we've still got them. We didn't lose them this time. I didn't lose him this time, so we'll attack some listener questions. All right, my friends, it's time for the Race Report. The Race Report is brought to you by Tom Stokes of Stoked Metabolic Training. Stokesfit slash riseandruncoaching is the website. Take a look there. Tom's got three levels of training for us the foundations phase, the accelerate phase and his one-on-one, all described at the site that you can find pinned to the top of the Facebook group page.
Speaker 2:All right, this week's race report, and again I must apologize. I typically use Monday and Tuesday to update the race report. I've done as much as I could, but we had other things going on in the area. So, friends, I hope you can understand if I've missed some and if, look, if I missed something and you did something noteworthy that you want us to talk about, I would love to do that. I don't want to ignore. If you PR'd did something for the first time, please let me know. If I've missed it, we'll make it up to you, I promise. But in the meantime a lot of this is going to be pretty quick because I'm sure I missed some of the reports. So let's start on Saturday in Winter Park, florida, with the Advent Health Lady Track, shack 5K Tracy ran that one In and around Indianapolis, indiana, the Indy half marathon.
Speaker 2:This was a 5k as part of the half marathon event at Fort Bend. I remember being assigned to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis. Kathy did this one nice, cool day in Indy. I actually did some running, didn't hurt that's always nice Didn't have problems with the knees. Kathy would like to thank her PT for all he's done to get her here in time for wine and dine. And, kathy, I echo the kind things you have to say about physical therapists because they do a wonderful job. In Naples, florida, at Rocktoberfest Adanya was there moved into a new age group, she's running in her and she pointed this out she's running in her 60s. Adanya, you look great for someone running in their 60s. Scheduled to do half only made it to half of the half. That's okay, we're proud of you. In Leavenworth Washington, jessica did her 12th half marathon of the year on this, her 40th birthday.
Speaker 3:Happy birthday.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and 12 halves this year. That's pretty cool. Jessica, I knew you were doing that. In fact I know you kind of snuck one in number 11, got placed in there and so you probably did 12 faster than you thought you were going to do. Well done.
Speaker 2:In College Park, georgia, in the Atlanta area, the mayor's 5K on the fifth runway Patrick did this one. Seaworld Orlando the Mad Monster. Mash and Dash 5K that's MAD. The Mothers Against Drunk Driving Organization Mary did it. It was at SeaWorld, not a SeaWorld race, so running in the park was nice. But she was disappointed when she finished this 5K at two and a half miles. So she did the extra six. Tenths in the parking lot Nice medal. Got to say hi to Tom. Tenths in the parking lot Nice medal. Got to say hi to Tom Stokes at the finish line.
Speaker 2:Milwaukee, wisconsin, the Milwaukee Lakefront 5K Noel was there for that one. In Green Bay, wisconsin, the Bellin Women's Half Marathon. Jenna ran in beautiful Wisconsin, wonderful weather for this race. One of the best part of all was the post-race food Cookies, sandwiches, strawberries, shortcake, chocolate bars and chocolate milk. Holy cow, that's a heck of a spread, jenna. Sub two hours and a PR in this half. In Villa Park, illinois, the Easter Seals run for the kids. Superhero Hustle 5K. Vicki was there In Okinawa, japan. Katie and her sons ran the Sayonara to Summer. 5k Katie. I know you posted on that one and I missed it here for the report. I'll look for it next week. But here's one that we can catch up on the Ecto-Guler 5K with the Ship Bottom Brewery Great, tell us all about it.
Speaker 3:Well, bob, I think you perfectly highlighted it on Facebook on Friday when you do your who's Running this Weekend post, in terms of leading up into the race report. If there was a race design for me, this was absolutely it. So, for those of you that are not aware, ship Bottom Brewery is a brewery based out of Ship Bottom, new Jersey, a beach town, or, as we have mentioned on the podcast, before down the shore, but they also have other locations in suburban Philadelphia as well too, and I just happened to be scrolling on Facebook, maybe about two weeks ago ago, and I got this ad because I mean, if there's one thing that I hate about facebook, it's just the random ads that and you know, suggestions of groups that you literally have nothing to do with your interest or whatever. But all of a sudden, I see this ad for this race uh, you know from uh ship bottom brewery, which was uh occurring on the release day of their ecto guler hazy ipa, and not because of the connection.
Speaker 3:This is actually one of my favorite hazy ipas. I look forward to this every year and the reason why I love it so much is because it is a Ghostbusters themed beer and when it comes to the brewing process. They make it look green so that it resembles the high sea ecto cooler that I used to drink as a kid. Oh, wow, back when the Ghostbusters cartoon was really, really popular back in the late 80s and early 90s. Oh, no.
Speaker 3:And there's nodes of orange in there. So it's that adult version of the Ecto Cooler and the artwork that they put on the can is amazing. But the fact that they now attach the race to this as well too. I knew I had to sign up and I was able to convince uh my bird and ham buddy lizzie. Uh, she came out, uh from philly to uh the swathmore, pennsylvania, to run this, literally the smallest race I have ever been a part of in my life really there were 46 people total, uh, and they were even having a costume contest and I so I was debating how hard I wanted to go on this.
Speaker 3:So I went middle of the road and I just wore my Ghostbusters Roosevelt shirt. But I mean, there was a couple of people that you know were dressed up in the full regalia in the Ghostbusters jumpsuit. There was one guy that had pretend to put green slime in his hair. There was one woman that was dressed up as Casper the Friendly Ghost, I mean Slimer, and that's an inside joke because leading into the race, lizzie thought Casper the Friendly Ghost and Ghostbusters were part of the same franchise and.
Speaker 3:I had to give her a quick crash course in why that was not the case by any means whatsoever. But it was just a quick two-loop 5K. We just did party pace in the back. It was fun. Now things got interesting though. At the end, because of how small this race was, they were letting kids play in the closed-off street. They were like chucking like a football back and forth right in front of the finish line and I literally almost took a little kid out, and if not, that would have made a very, very interesting end to the race and having to talk to that kid's parents. But anyway, so good time was had by all, and then we were able to go into the brewery, show our bib and get a free draft, and I was able to kick the keg of the ecto guler. So, um, I was very happy about that. I was able to take two four packs with me home. So overall it was a very, very nice saturday night it sounds like fun.
Speaker 2:What's the significance of kicking the keg?
Speaker 3:I've only ever had it in in a can, but because of the release they made sure that they had it on tap um inside the brewery and I literally got the last last little bit of the uh of the draft beer. So I officially kicked the keg. Did it taste like ecto cooler? Or I mean, like I said, it's gone all those citrus notes to it and everything like that. So I mean it's not a one to one comparison, but you know it's, it's, it's the adult version of ecto cooler.
Speaker 2:So good stuff, my friend. And yeah, the the drink.
Speaker 3:It looked to me like green slime in the photo it's very appropriate and because I did kick the keg, it was a for a hazy. It was a little thick towards the end, so not that that the true authentic stuff, but but it was. It was good enough to enjoy as a post-race beverage for sure.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, we have different terminology, my friend. I would call that killing the cake.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's what got me confused a little bit, so I'm with you now Understand. Did they have marshmallows at least there, Greg.
Speaker 3:You know they should have and they not. You know I was really hoping at the end of the race I was going to get chased by a 100-foot marshmallow man that steps on churches and everything like that. But no, but you know, just remember everybody. If someone asks you if you're a god, you say yes, got it.
Speaker 2:Thank you, thank you for that. I got it. Thank you, thank you for that. All right, let's move to Sunday. It was a busy Sunday amongst our Rise and Run friends. We will start in Houston, texas, with our running in makeup friend Kristen did the Space City 10 miler. Kristen, my friend, I know I saw your report but I don't have notes on it. I will look for it and we'll make it up next week.
Speaker 3:But I think she already actually has her YouTube video highlighting that race live on her page. So if you're interested in seeing her venture about it, definitely go check out her YouTube channel. Running in Makeup.
Speaker 2:Again. I'm sorry I wasn't able to come and catch up on that. Here's an event that I read about every year. I wasn't able to come and catch up on that. Here's an event that I read about every year. The Wineglass Half Marathon goes from Campbell to Corning, new York. Again, several friends there, amy and her family, christina ran it. Christina joined the Sub 2 Club at Wineglass. Good for her. That's a four-minute PR. Let's see. Karen and Brian ran this one. Glad to hear from Karen and Brian again. I haven't heard from them in a while. Rachel and Ken and also Mike, all at the Wine Glass Half Marathon. Again, if you submitted a report and I missed it, I apologize.
Speaker 1:The medals are really cool at that. One did um one of those during the time of covid um and I got the virtual medal, yeah, and going back to christina.
Speaker 3:I had a friend run this race last year and heard that it is not an easy course by any means whatsoever. So to pull off a sub two way to go, christina, great job yeah, that's, that's a good job.
Speaker 2:Definitely is all right, let's go. Uh, let's go up, alicia, let's go up to your neck of the woods. Medtronic twin cities 10 miler from minneapolis to saint paul. Let's see there was more than a 10 mile was a marathon. Also, we had amy and katie running the 10-miler. For Katie she called it a redemption race, since last year's was canceled. Perfect weather this year, beautiful course, great crowd support. Ran sub-two hours for the first time for a 10-miler. That's a PR. Good for you, katie.
Speaker 2:Our friend Pamela was there. Pamela from the Council of Costumes ran the Looney Challenge. I don't know what the Looney Challenge is, but Pamela did it and we're proud of her. And we had two marathoners. Lisa ran the marathon. She'd been doing her stoked metabolic training that helped her navigate the tough hills much better than she has in previous years. Last 10K of the marathon was tough, says Lisa. It's tough for everybody, lisa, the last 10K is difficult but she managed to PR. Melissa ran the marathon. Melissa gave us one of those I was there too photos. So congratulations, congratulations, friends who ran the Medtronic Twin Cities races.
Speaker 3:Did anybody see the video of Tim Walls cheering on the course?
Speaker 1:Yes, I did.
Speaker 3:Someone who has a very, very busy schedule right now out on the course, so that was cool to see.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was happy to see him back representing for Minnesota and cheering everybody on, because I know he really enjoys that event.
Speaker 2:Okay, let's go to Lake Worth, florida. The Heroes for Education 5K Jen and Steven and their five-year-old niece, crowd. Of course they all got different medals because the volunteers said they were giving out leftover medals from previous years. That's cool. 5k was followed, which the 5K was followed by a kid's 100 yard dash that their five-year-old niece ran. In Hampton, virginia, the crawling crab halfrab Half Marathon Jennifer Jennifer is one of our really outstanding runners.
Speaker 2:She had some electrolyte GI issues on this race, disappointed in her time, even though her time was an hour 42 for a half marathon. She believes she finished this one. She knows that at least her next two races won't be as hot and humid as this one was. Hoping that some follow-up and proper training will make this one just a one-off and get her momentum right back on track. Despite the problems, she was still 14th overall female and third in her age group.
Speaker 2:In Cardiff, wales, the Cardiff Half Marathon Andrew 21st time for Andrew to run this event. He's done them all since the inaugural in 2003. Ran a 2.07 for this half one day after his 44th birthday. Nice job. Didn't really have a time goal in mind, just wanted to enjoy the atmosphere and get as many high fives as possible Nearly well about 29,000 people taking part in the event, but even so the race was not terribly crowded. In St Charles Missouri, the Moe Cowbell Half Marathon. Katie says it was a great race, friendly for all paces, a lot of back to the packers, a lot of walkers. It was advertised flat and fast, which most of it was. A great race, friendly for all paces, a lot of back to the packers, a lot of walkers. It was advertised flat and fast, which most of it was. But there was a hill from mile 9 1⁄2 to mile 11. Swears, it was entirely straight uphill 90 degrees huh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, another one of those. We had one last week too, on a pace to complete her first sub-three-hour half until that daggum hill. But she'll take the finish. Super fun medal with a movable component Get it. The mo-cowbell had a movable component to it, let's see. Megan was also at this race.
Speaker 2:Milwaukee, wisconsin, the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. Riley did state number 28. Noel found a half marathon here, kind of just going with the flow Home to finish feeling good, ended up PR-ing by shaving four minutes off of her previous PR time. Good job. Her husband, ben, also raced his first half and finished in 159. First half, that's a PR, ben. Ben told Noelle you aren't kidding about the bridge. It was a tough incline but it was much easier on the way down. Funny how that works. The Long Beach Half Marathon in Long Beach, california. Celia ran that one In Albuquerque, new Mexico. Stacey did the Great Balloon Chase Half Marathon. She was kind of expecting more balloons, a little disappointed how far the bike trail was from the balloons the bike trail they raced on. But she did PR her half marathon and of course had a blast racing with friends. She points out, only 94 days until Dopey Stacey's one of yours, isn't she, alicia?
Speaker 1:She is. She's been working super hard, been doing fantastic in training and we weren't really sure we had like a pretty decent time goal range, but she hit under the lowest one. Yeah, the lowest time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she PR'd, yeah, yeah, yeah, good job, good job.
Speaker 5:Just think about that. You're chasing balloons instead of them chasing you.
Speaker 1:Right, she did say it was very dusty, though. And I had another client at that same race and they also said that it was very dusty.
Speaker 2:All right, let's go to Colorado Springs. It's less dusty there, I think I don't know the Spooky Sprint 10K. Kristen, sam and Amelia Same family. For Sam and Amelia first 10K, they nailed it. Sam took off with about a mile left, finished his first 10K in under an hour and 30 minutes and was first in his age group. That's a PR. Then Amelia and Kristen stuck with 30-30 run-walk-run intervals until the final stretch and then they pushed to sprint the final 100 meters. She picked up the pace, wouldn't let mom beat her. Finished her first 10K in 129.09. Great job, guys. Great job Sticking with the cow theme but moving to a different part of the country. You mean moving.
Speaker 3:Moving.
Speaker 2:Thank you, greg. Thank you for that. That was good, Greg, well done, thank you, thank you. We're heading to Sacramento, california, for the Urban Cow Half Marathon. I'm not sure what an urban cow is. I am sure it's still warm in California. I know they had a drop in temperature after the Disneyland races, but temps are back up 80 degrees.
Speaker 2:At the race start, bethany ran this one, wanted to give it her best shot, but she ended up sick from heat exhaustion, got pulled by the med staff at mile 10. Good call, she was close. This is her first ever DNF. Bethany, don't worry about it. That's a smart thing to do. Don't get sick. Don't get sick and jeopardize your future training. Let's go to the Netherlands for the Stichting Hauwe Madathon in Oldesau. Laura was there. In hindsight Laura says she probably shouldn't have done this one. It was hillier than she expected and half of it was off-road. Had a misstep on one of the off-road parts, hurt a muscle on the inside of her leg. She thinks it's going to be okay, but she's got a big event for her the Amsterdam Marathon coming up in two weeks. So, laura, I hope you're good for that.
Speaker 2:In Birmingham, alabama, the Birmingham 26.2 race weekend. Heather was there and did the half marathon. I don't know. They used to have a major event in Birmingham, the Mercedes-Benz Marathon. I don't know if this has replaced that or not. It may have. Heather, hope that was a good race for you. In Fort Lauderdale, jessica did the Dunn's Run, a five-miler. Her Apple Watch somehow accidentally paused for over a mile of it. Jessica, I hate to break this to you, but if it wasn't recorded on your watch, it didn't count. Oh.
Speaker 2:I'm only kidding. It counts. You're good. You got a photo with the medal, so it must have counted. Good job.
Speaker 2:In Hampton, new Hampshire, the Smutty Nose Rockfest Half Marathon. Heather's there in the push rim division. Beautiful day, beautiful course, perfect fall weather, great swag and only three and a half minutes off of her half marathon, pr Clam chowder and lobster rolls at the finish. I'm reading Heather's pronunciation. I'm not friends in New Hampshire. That's not me doing an impression. I'm not friends in New Hampshire. That's not me doing an impression. I'm reading exactly C-H-O-W-D-A-H. Chowda. So she's also pleasantly surprised by the minestrone and veggie wraps. They also had great race, very flat right off the coast there in Hampton, new Hampshire.
Speaker 2:In Hillsborough, north Carolina, courtney Ann did the historic Hillsborough Half and 5K. I think I'm not sure which one she did. A lovely small race in Hillsborough, a lap around the old, historic Okaneechi Speedway track. Pretty human for October. Still a fun race In Wallingford, connecticut, the Fishbine YMCA community road race, sioux. All we need to do, all we're doing now with Sioux, is counting them down 165 out of 169 for Sioux. Getting close to completing that really neat challenge there of getting all 169 cities in the state of Connecticut.
Speaker 2:In Boston, the Jimmy Fun Walk. Amy did this one. She ran, walked the Boston Marathon course for the Jimmy Fun Walk. Would she do it again? She's not sure, but she's glad she did it at least once. Still in New England, in Norwalk, connecticut, the Sono Half Marathon. Beth did this great course nice shaded streets, lots of time by the Long Island Sound. Model 11 included a parking lot lap that had serious Blizzard Beach vibes. Had a little trouble early but ran one mile at a time, trusted the training. It was a 315 cutoff so she could get back if needed, get back to the party pace if needed. Her summer training, however, led her to a nearly nine minute PR.
Speaker 3:Way to go. Beth, I've been hearing you talk about your training almost every week on the customized training call and we're just so proud of you. So way to go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, even a, even a POT. It's too late for dopey, but it's good for two years, so that's good. Congratulations, beth. In Portland, maine, the main marathon, christina, and this one. When Lindsay moved to Maine in September, christina found out this marathon was a mile from Lindsay's apartment, so she ramped up her training. Given the time frame, she's a little under-trained but still knew she could do it. This was her first non-Disney marathon and Maine, of course, was the perfect place for it Beautiful scenery, a few too many hills which in my book might be one, but a few too many Great weather. Marathons are as much mental as they are physical, says Christina. You need to dig deep and push through, and she's proud that she was able to do that. We're proud of you too, christina, able to do that. We're proud of you too, christina.
Speaker 2:Let's see the Devil's Trail in Doorn in the Netherlands, danny. It's a trail run in the center of the Netherlands to a national park, beautiful surroundings, a lot of distances available. Danny did the 26 kilometer event, which ended up being more like 27 and a half, as part of his dopey training. This race had over a thousand feet of elevation gain went pretty well for him. He finished 20th out of 200 people. Danny took a video of the start of this race. I don't know if he had a chance to see it or not, but it is a very steep and sandy hill that looked like it was a real challenge to get up.
Speaker 2:In Cornelius, north Carolina, we had the Lake Norman 15K that Kristen ran. There was a hot chocolate run in Denver and Alexis ran the 10K there. The Kilder Half Marathon I think it's Kilder, it's Britain's most beautiful half. Andy was there very happy to get this one done and out of the way, not because it's badly run or anything, it's just because, as he's said a couple of times before, he's not good at hills and this is a hilly course. He says he's like Indiana Jones, but instead of snakes it's hills. Why did it have to be hills? Love that.
Speaker 2:That's pretty cool. Here's another one. I know I saw the report on but don't have it. That's the pink on Parade 5K in Celebration, florida. Kayla, I know you sent one in and I missed it this week. I'm sorry. Let me wrap up Congratulations to Kristen's children, sam, age nine, christian and Gabby, age five, who finished their cross-country season.
Speaker 2:Sam did his best mile and a half, which was 10.45, and his best mile today was after the 10K he ran. Sam did a 602 mile at age nine. Ooh, that's smoking, sam. Good job Gabrielle's. Gabby's best time was 545 for the half mile that's excellent. And Christian's best was 557 for the half. Now Christian took most improved because three weeks ago he was running at 711. So congratulations, guys. That's pretty cool. All right, my friends, and if you run, you know you are our friend. That does it for Episode 159 of the Rise and Run Podcast. As always, we're so happy you were able to spend some time with us.
Speaker 2:Look, by the time this airs, the Hurricane Milton will have hit the west coast of Florida and pretty much crossed the state by then. We don't joke about it, we talk about it. We try to keep things light, but this is a serious and deadly storm and I just hope. I know that there are a large number of our friends who live in the state and several who live south of me who are going to be seriously affected. Heck, we honestly we don't know how seriously we're going to be affected yet, but we'll just have to wait and see. But keep our friends in your thoughts and prayers.
Speaker 2:This is going to be a tough one and I think it's going to take a while to recover in certain parts of the Florida Gulf Coast. But I know this community and I know how much love there is for one another and I know how much support there is and I got to tell you it means a great deal to all of us. So thank you so much. All right, I hope I'm not ending on a down note. I want that to be positive, because I do feel very positive about the support that you give to one another. It's a wonderful, wonderful thing. Look, that does it. My friends, stay strong, keep training, happy running.
Speaker 3: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.
