The Marathon

So, I consider myself in "decent" shape. I have been training to run the St. Louis 1/2 marathon and although I'm slacking a little on my training, I've been putting in the miles. Therefore, I was utterly shocked at how demanding a day at Disney can be. I was BEAT at the end of the day. Then, I remembered something I learned in both my personal training seminars and physical therapy classes. It's called SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING. It means that if you want to be good at tennis, you would practice tennis, not practice golf swings. If you want to be a good runner, you would practice running, not practice your backstroke. Yes, you must cross train, but you must train very specifically for the motions and movements that you use in that specific sport. That said....I was not trained for Disney World. For future reference, to properly train for a day at Disney, you must:

1. Walk 20+ miles while pushing a stroller carrying three children, weighing a total of ~90 pounds, while weaving in and out of other people attempting to the do same thing...who have also not trained for this specific event.
2. If you get thirsty or hungry, you must drink or eat while performing the above activity. There is not time to stop and no water stations or power gels being handed out - unless you want to pay $5.95.
3. You must prepare for different speeds during different legs of the race. For example, if your toddler INSISTS on walking, the speed greatly diminishes and you must walk, weave, push, drink, eat, etc. while holding the hand of a small child who doesn't understand that this is a race. On the other hand, there are legs of the race when your endurance will be greatly challenged. This occurs when you are all the way in Mickey Land and must get to Tomorrow Land to see a show that starts in 2.2 minutes.
4. You must remember to train your muscles and your heart - but ESPECIALLY the emotional part of your heart. Be prepared to have your heart melt...or feel like it's going to break....when your daughter puts her head on your shoulder and whispers, " I love you mommy." or when your son can't speak a word from sheer embarrassment as Cinderella hugs him.

Much like a marathon, when you finish Disney, you have a sense of accomplishment. You have blisters, sore muscles, feel slightly dehydrated (because you refused to pay $5.95 for water), but you also have the medal (the pictures!) and the memories.

Also, much like a marathon, you wonder, at mile 20, if you will ever do this again. You begin to think at mile 22 that you are completely crazy for attempting this. You begin to grumble (that's a nice way to say "curse") at mile 26 when you think of the person who talked you into this. But, as soon as you finish, you think.....maybe....just maybe, I'd like to do this again. And by the time you get home, show off your medal (pictures), and remember what an absolutely wonderful time you had, you are already booking the vacation for next year!

We truly had a wonderful time at Disney world, but wonder- really really wonder- how you do this when you are older?? And we wonder - really really wonder - how people have the endurance to do this for a week?!! Guess we'll find out next year when we do it again - a year older and probably a day longer ;)