2014 Road Races

January 1 - 1st Run 5k - 23:43 (7:39 min/mile pace) - RECAP

January 9 - Disney Family Fun Run 5k - 32:05 (10:21 min/mile pace) - RECAP

January 10 - Walt Disney World 10k - 1:05:40 (10:35 min/mile pace) - RECAP

January 11 - Walt Disney World Half Marathon - 2:22:31 (10:53 min/mile pace) - RECAP

January 12 - Walt Disney World Marathon - 4:45:57 (10:55 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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February 2 - Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon - 1:55:43 (8:50 min/mile pace) - RECAP

February 14 - Stop Stroke Shuffle 5k *Virtual* - 26:18 (8:29 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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March 1 - Black Cat 20-Miler - 2:57:59 (8:54 min/mile pace) - RECAP

March 16 - Craicfest 5k - 24:17 (7:49 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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April 19 - BAA 5k - 25:08 (8:06 min/mile pace) - RECAP

April 21 - 118th Boston Marathon - 5:31:18 (12:39 min/mile pace) - RECAP

April 26 - Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Marathon - 4:42:12 (10:46 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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May 11 - M.O.M.'s Run 5k - 24:14 (7:48 min/mile pace) - RECAP

May 13 - Strides Against Stroke 5k *Virtual* - 26:16 (8:28 min/mile pace) - RECAP

May 18 - 18th Annual Mystic River Herring Run & Paddle 5k - 24:39 (7:57 min/mile pace) - RECAP

May 25 - Boston's Run To Remember Half Marathon - 1:50:58 (8:28 min/mile pace) - RECAP

May 29 - Boston 5k Summer Series Race #1 - 23:29 (7:34 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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June 1 - Freedom Run 5k - 23:55 (7:43 min/mile pace) - RECAP

June 7 - Runner's World 5k - 28:28 (9:11 min/mile pace) - RECAP

June 7 - Runner's World 10k - 58:49 (9:29 min/mile pace) - RECAP

June 8 - Runner's World Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon - 2:08:52 (9:50 min/mile pace) - RECAP

June 21 - Rock and Run Boston (Obstacle 5k) - 45:32 (14:38 min/mile pace) - RECAP

June 22 - BAA 10k - 51:37 (8:19 min/mile pace) - RECAP

June 30 - Summer Sizzler *Virtual* 5k - 25:21 (8:10 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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July 3 - Finish At The 50 (10k for me) - 53:01 (8:32 min/mile pace) - RECAP

July 13 - Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon - 1:57:44 (8:59 min/mile pace) - RECAP

July 17 - Boston 5k Summer Series Race #3 - 24:19 (7:50 min/mile pace) - RECAP

July 20 - Iron GirlWebster Sprint Triathlon - 1:26:54 - RECAP

July 30 - F.A.S.T. (Fighting Against Stroke Together) *Virtual* 5k -27:44 (8:57 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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August 14 - Boston 5k Summer Series Race #4 - 24:57 (8:03 min/mile pace) - RECAP

August 17 - Falmouth Road Race (7 miles) -1:00:49 (8:41 min/mile pace) - RECAP

August 24 - Race To The Row 5k - 23:46 (7:39 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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September 4 - Boston 5k Summer Series Race #5 - 22:39 (7:18 min/mile) - RECAP

September 7 - Pumpkinman Half Ironman - 6:06:03 - RECAP

September 13 - Big Bad Wolf 5 Mile Trail Race - 41:41 (8:21 min/mile pace) - RECAP

September 14 - Buzzards Bay Sprint Triathlon - 1:27:01.3 - RECAP

September 17 - The Dani Ryan Holmes-Kirk 3rd Annual 30th Birthday 5k Run-Walk Ramble *VIRTUAL* - 26:03 (8:24 min/mile pace) - RECAP

September 27 - ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon (Cape Cod) - 1:54:17 (8:43 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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October 5 - Oktoberfest 5k - 24:16 (7:49 min/mile pace) - RECAP

October 12 - BAA Half Marathon - 1:52:58 (8:37 min/mile pace) - RECAP

October 18 - Runner's World 5k - 30:29 (9:50 min/mile pace) - RECAP

October 18- Runner's World 10k - 1:01:11 (9:52 min/mile pace) - RECAP

October 19 - Runner's World Half Marathon - 2:10:35 (9:58 min/mile pace) - RECAP

October 25 - *Virtual* Pug Run 5k - 25:29 (8:13 min/mile pace)

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November 9 - Boston River Run 5k - 24:12 (7:47 min/mile pace) - RECAP

November 15 - Spartan Sprint Fenway Park - 58:54 - RECAP

November 16 - South Shore Half Marathon - 1:54:00 (8:42 min/mile pace) - RECAP

November 23 - Santa Hustle New England Half Marathon - 1:52:28 (8:36 min/mile pace) - RECAP

November 27 - Gobble Gobble Gobble 4-Miler - Garmin Time: 42:24 & Mass Start Time: 43:09 - RECAP

November 29 - The Ugly Sweater Run (2.5 miles) - *NOT TIMED* - Garmin: 20:43 (8:16 min/mile pace) - RECAP

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December 6 - Jingle Bell Half Marathon - 1:51:37.2 (8:32 min/mile pace) - RECAP

December 14 - Yulefest 5k - 23:08 (7:27 min/mile pace) - RECAP

race

I'm Dopey!

I'm far beyond crazy that I've actually gone DOPEY!!

dopey

On April 2 - yes one week ago - I registered for the Run Disney Dopey Challenge.

What is that you may ask?

Oh just this little thing the great minds at Run Disney created where you compete in four races over four days:

January 9 (Thursday) - Disney Family Fun Run 5k - 6:15 a.m. ET - EPCOT

January 10 (Friday) - Walt Disney World 10k - 5:30 a.m. ET - EPCOT

January 11 (Saturday) - Walt Disney World Half Marathon - 5:30 a.m. ET - Start/Finish: EPCOT

January 12 (Sunday) - Walt Disney World Marathon - 5:30 a.m. ET - Start/Finish: EPCOT

Thankfully I was a math major so I can quickly add that up for you! That is 48.6 miles in a four-day span.

Saaayyy wwhhhaaa???

I somehow have lost my mind and think this is a totally okay thing to sign up for. Let's also place some of the blame on my dear wife who okayed the $495 charge that the Dopey Challenge runs. Ouch!

BUT there are SIX medals. SIX! How amazing is that?

We all know I love my race bling. ;)

bling

After running the Walt Disney World Half Marathon on January 12, 2013 (recap), I knew I wanted to give the Goofy Challenge (Half Marathon on Saturday and Full Marathon on Sunday) down the road. Originally I had planned on tackling that feat in 2015, which is the 10-year anniversary of the Goofy Challenge.

I think the Run Disney folks figured out that a TON of people would be doing the same thing - skipping 2014 to wait for 2015 - so there came the Dopey Challenge this year.

Once the news broke, the wheels started turning in my head. Maybe I could do it? No, that's crazy. Who do I think I am? I can't run that type of distance in four days and for that much money.

But, then I remembered. I am capable of much more than I think I can so the more I thought about registering for the Dopey Challenge the more I wanted to do it.

jessie

Can you tell I had fun during the race?

So last Tuesday, April 2, I saw there was an early opening to register for the Dopey Challenge and all of a sudden I was signed up. (Proof at the top of the post) So the wife and I will head back to Disney in January 2014 as our big racecation for the year.

Now that the registration is complete, what's the next step?

Well, figuring out my 4 costumes of course. I think Jessie will have to make a return appearance!

cow

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Are you going Dopey as well? Have you ever participated in a Run Disney race?

Disney - Final Day - Animal Kingdom

Ahhh how was it already the final day ... it seemed like we just got there! Day One - 1/10-11/13 - Arrival, Run Disney Expo & Hollywood Studios

Day Two - 1/12/13 - Walt Disney World Half Marathon

Day Two  - 1/12/13 - Magic Kingdom

Day Three - 1/13/13 - Epcot

... and then there was Animal Kingdom!

On the final day, Monday, January 14, we started the day by heading back to Hollywood Studios to see Toy Story Midway Mania! and it was TOTALLY worth any sort of wait!!

YES! I beat the wife in a video game...

After waiting in line for Toy Story Midway Mania! (which had a line even though we arrived when the parks opened), we headed to Animal Kingdom.

I LOVE the Tree Of Life as soon as you walk in ... it is breathtaking!

We immediately headed to Expedition Everest - Legend Of The Forbidden Mountain ... aka the whole reason the wife wanted to go to Animal Kingdom ... and the wait time was only 10 minutes, which was the time it took us to go from the opening of the ride to the ride itself.

It was wicked fun and I recommend it to everyone.

After Everest, we took in Finding Nemo - The Musical, which was freakin' awesome!!

Nemo was adorable, entertaining and comes fully recommended with two thumbs up!

We followed Nemo up with the DINOSAUR ride, which was the Jurassic Park ride last time I was at Disney (12 years ago).

DINOSAUR was part of DinoLand, but within DinoLand was Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama that featured Primeval Whirl, which was kind of cheesy, but kind of awesome - it mixed old school carnival with Disney magic.

We took a break to enjoy lunch at Flame Tree Barbeque, which was absolutely delicious. We both had the pulled pork with a Disney Safari beer.

We had one amazing lunch with a great view of Everest.

After lunch we went on the Kilimanjaro Safaris that was breathtaking!!!

This safari was entertaining and full of information!

After the safari, we headed to Rafiki's Planet Watch before having to return to the shuttles to go back to the hotel and check out.

Ugh ... how could it already be time to return home.

We were at the hotel early because I was starting to feel under the weather so we caught an early Disney's Magical Express to head back to the airport.

We hunkered down at the Outback in our terminal for beer and food before our flight home.

Our flight was on time and we landed back to Boston on schedule. Thankfully my dad picked us up since we landed at 10:20pm and we wanted to shorten our trip home as best we could. :P

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The trip overall was magical. I'm so lucky my wife and parents were on hand at Disney and the race with me. It was an amazing weekend that I never wanted to end.

If you have the chance to experience Disney - especially a Run Disney race - PLEASE DO!!!!