In just a couple of months, registration will open for Walt Disney World’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend events.  I’m excited about it!  I’ll be returning again for the Glass Slipper Challenge in February, but this time I won’t be running alone.  Nick and Dave, my buddies (and co-hosts) from The Disney Exchange Podcast are planning to be there and we’re inviting you to come along for the running or at least a meet-up.  So if you’re thinking about a 2016 runDisney event or a February Disney vacation – we want to see you there!

For today’s Friday Five, I want to talk about running.  (You can read about why I run in this post.)  I’m now in my 18th year of running (Yikes!  I sound ancient!) and while I’m certainly no expert on the sport of running, I have learned a thing or two about me, and life in general, by continually putting one foot in front of the other and while I’m certain there are other items that could be on this list, I’ll just share some random thoughts on…

Five Things I’ve Learned From Running

1.  Body Type Means Nothing.  I have a long torso, short limbs and on a tall day I reach 5 feet, 4 inches in height.  I don’t look like a runner – at least not to me, since I think of tall, skinny people as having the perfect running physique.  Thinking this is silly – I’ve passed plenty of taller and thinner runners in many events and I’ve had my butt kicked by people who were shorter and heavier than I am.  Never let body image issues hold you back – if you want to be a runner, you can be.

2. There Will be Pain.  Running’s a lot like life – There will be perfect, beautiful days of complete happiness.  And there will be pain and crushing disappointment.  If there’s a common running ailment, I’ve probably experienced it at least once, but that’s not the pain I’m talking about.  There’s physical pain with running, sure – sometimes it’s the “good” pain of knowing you’re really working hard and are pushing your limits for speed or distance, but there’s also emotional pain.  Probably the most important and useful lessons I’ve learned from running involve overcoming negative emotions.  When my inner voice is telling me to quit (“you’re tired, you’ve gone far enough, it’s too humid for this today, let’s get something to eat, this shirt’s rubbing my arm, you can run again tomorrow”), it’s hard to convince myself to keep going.  In the early years, negative thoughts kept me from doing my best much more often than physical pain or injury.

3.  Running requires no eye-hand coordination.  Tennis is not for me.  Golf just brings the rage.  Running is as easy as walking (maybe not at first, but it gets better).  While I may be unable to throw or catch or hit a ball with any kind of sports equipment, I am extremely competitive.  Running lets me compete against myself everyday.  Then, I can enter races if I want to see how my hard work stacks up against others.  Training hard pays off and that’s never more evident than when I push myself running.  Running relieves stress and gives me time to think, plan, and focus on the day ahead.  There are also great places to be explored, one step at a time.

4. Nike’s “Just Do It” is the best motto!  There are millions of excuses for why staying on the couch is the best decision of the day.  Believe me, I know from personal experience for the first 33 years of my life.  Running isn’t always easy or fun, but I’ve only ever regretted NOT running.  I’ve never gone for a run and when I came home thought, “I wish I hadn’t done that”.  I’ve run in sleet and rain, in the heat, the cold, the dark – it’s not always easy to walk out the door or climb on the dreaded, boring treadmill, but reminding myself to “Just Do It” seems to do the trick.  This also applies to many other unpleasant tasks in life!

5.  Support is a critical element to success.  As with nearly everything we do, having someone cheering you on makes running better.  Without the support of my husband, Raymond (Thanks, Honey!), I could never have accomplished many of my goals.  He got the kids to school solo every morning for years so I could go to the gym, he’s been my coach, my bicycle mechanic (and custom-builder), my time-keeper, course explorer, pep-talker, well-wisher, travel-buddy and, with rare exception, has never missed a big race.  Hearing him say, “You’re doing great!” at just the right moment has helped me push myself harder on more occassions than I can count.  Whether it’s a group of work-out friends, your spouse, your mom or dad, your children or your coworkers, find a support system to keep you motivated.  When all else fails, one good support person can make all the difference!

Fellow runners!!!  Is anyone going to Princess Half weekend?  What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from running?