Disney virtual runs

With a couple of exceptions (like the annual July 4th 5K in Huntington Beach, for example), the summer is devoid of races. This spring I ran just about every race I could feasibly attend (it was pretty ridiculous), but after the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego half marathon at the beginning of June there wasn’t much on my running calendar. But with my Disney World Marathon training starting right after Labor Day my goal for the summer was to run consistently so that I would be in decent shape when September 6th arrived. Usually races are what keep me motivated and accountable so maintaining my fitness routine without them is a lot more difficult. Then runDisney announced their Virtual Running Shorts summer 5K series. How delightful! It’s no secret that I’m a Disney fanatic (I spent 5 hours at Disneyland yesterday to catch the Paint the Night parade one last time before it’s discontinued after Labor Day) so earning more runDisney medals by simply completing a few of my planned summer training runs was very appealing. So I signed up for the series, which included all three 5Ks between May 15th and June 30th. Finding the motivation to go for a run on a weeknight when it’s hot and humid outside (for Southern California, at least) is a lot easier when I know I’m earning a tangible reward. And the medals didn’t disappoint either! They look great hanging on my cubicle wall at work with the rest of my 2016 race bling. Now that summer is just about over (except for the warm weather which I expect will stick around for a while) I’m extremely grateful to the Disney virtual runs for giving me something to look forward to during these three quiet months. And helping me prepare for the Disneyland 10K and half marathon next weekend! Let the fall race season begin!