What do you learn running a Half Marathon?

A couple of weeks ago, my oldest son and I were able to spend a long weekend together at Walt Disney World, taking part in the RunDisney 2025 Wine & Dine Race weekend.

While enjoying some time in the parks and the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, we also ran:

• 5K on Friday morning
• 10K on Saturday morning
• a Half Marathon (13.1 miles) on Sunday morning

I’ll be honest: I hadn’t sufficiently trained. I know my son hadn’t either. He admitted a few weeks before that he wasn’t really planning to run (ha ha), he was just taking advantage of a trip to Disney with me (ha ha).

As we rode the bus from our resort to the waiting area on Sunday morning, he said something like, “I can’t believe this is some peoples’ hobby.” (ha ha)

I knew it was going to be hard, but I knew I could do it.

And I knew that as long as he tried, he could too.

I had confidence, in part, from completing the 10 Miler at the RunDisney Springtime Surprise weekend in April with my youngest son. There was a special feeling that came with pushing to the end in so many ways and finally crossing the finish line.

That feeling came back again at the Half Marathon finish line.

Half the battle is in starting.

Getting up, lacing up the shoes, and stepping into the holding corrals to await your chance to start is half the battle. It’s all mental and individual up to that point.

The community supports you.

There’s an excitement & support – a push – that comes from those around you. At most running event, there’s mutual encouragement that happens. At RunDisney weekends, that’s especially true.

For over half the race, I fell into the same pace and run/walk timing (how long you run vs. how long you break to walk) with another couple. We stuck together for most of the race and made fast friends.

Later, in the last couple of miles, an older woman slipped and took a nasty fall about 100 feet in front of me as she was maneuvering away from a water stop. A handful of us quickly approached, ensured she was okay, and helped her up.

These are just examples of countless similar moments that happen on a course.

Your body is made for running.

Our bodies actually are made for walking and running, and it’s still one of the best ways to keep ourselves in shape, as long as our bodies allow.

Run at your own pace, for your own distance, but get up and move!

At the start line of RunDisney events, there’s a lot of excitement, there are hosts from a mainstage being rebroadcast onto large television monitors all throughout the area holding sometimes 10,000 or more people waiting to run.

And they’re interviewing people talking about various ailments and diseases they’ve overcome and still have a mindset to come and run.

A common saying is, “There’ll be a day when I won’t be able to do this, but today is not that day!”

And earlier in the weekend, during the 10K, this man was in front of me for part of the course. His shirt was motivating!

There’s no feeling like the finish line.

Like most things in life, there’s a rush that comes with the accomplishment. It’s good and healthy.

And there’s no feeling like it.

Here’s the funny thing: My oldest son, who wasn’t even planning to seriously run on the weekend, is also now stuck on the running bug. He’s made running part of his routine away at school, and he’s planning to join me again next fall at the Wine & Dine weekend.

I’m grateful were able to enjoy the time together, but also the way to work and stay healthy together too.

Whatever your activity is, lace up those shoes and get going!