Long Possibly Sappy Post Ahead

Congratulations to Heath for solving the Professor's quiz. The answer was adrenaline. Adrenaline sometimes even gets the best of me during training jogs. Especially, when I have had a day or two of rest. The Disney marathon has the potential of getting everyone really worked up in anticipation. Shucks I'll admit, I'm excited now, and I know that all of you are too. Let's put all our efforts into making this a fun run.

Given how things have been going for me since October I know I will be slower than past runs. But I am not going to worry about that at all. I just want to enjoy the whole thing. From arriving and seeing all of you, to packet pickup, running the race, crossing that finish line, getting the golden Donald medal, and congratulating those who finished before me and cheering other team members as they come in.

Those first six miles will be magical and we have all heard that the back half can be dull. This will make the final half more mentally challenging. But remember, whether you’re running next to a fellow teammate or not, we are each on the course somewhere.

We are not alone, you are not alone. We are a team; we are a self made team. Remember the days when we were kids and our parents signed us up for summer sports. We were placed on teams that other parents decided upon. If we were lucky, we might have one, maybe two friends on the team. Chances are there might have been kids on your team that you wish weren't. But this team, Team Voice, is a team because we all have chosen to be part of it. We have welcomed new members over the pasts several months and we cheer each other on, not because we have to, but because we want to. We want to see one another succeed and finish this race, and our wish, spoken or not, is that everyone wants to see their fellow team mates continue on with running and staying healthy beyond marathon weekend.

One more quick analogy. Every season on survivor we see playground games unfold when two tribe leaders are picked, and then in turn new tribe members are chosen one at a time. It's a popularity contest between people who really know nothing about each other. Someone has to be last and the inevitable question from Jeff Probst is "So tell me, how does it feel to be chosen last?" I wish they would just draw lots and go from there.

But here is what I'm trying to get at. It does not matter if you recently just joined the team, or if you've been here from the beginning. No one on Team Voice decides who is in or out. That choice is yours. If you want to jump in and see what its all about come along and get involved. What matters is that you are part of the team. I have said before that it is our differences that make the team strong. Even though we may differ in our training and our goals there is always someone who can relate, and is willing to offer encouragement or tough love. Encouragement is more the norm, but do not ever discount the tough love. If you have ever received a little tough love in the blogs it's because we want to hold each other up.

Recently Trace Jennings (who is a friend that Lisa introduced me to in Marceline) asked, "I'd like to be on Team Voice. What do I need to do?" Trace the answer is simply this. Participate. Start by visiting the blogs and introducing yourself. I'm not sure who you met at Mousefest but this January you will have the chance to meet a group of people I am proud to call my friends. Trace recently ran his first official 5k and he and his pal Wayne (formerly of the Mickey Room podcast) will be starting up the Disney Dudes Podcast in the near future.

Remember, Fernando and his special guest will be showing up this week. Be sure to check back.