"Because you can’t smile on the outside without feeling better on the inside"

When I decided to participate in the Walt Disney World 2009 half marathon I also committed to raising money for children with serious diseases. I went out and raised around $800 for Make-A-Wish through the Dream Team Project. Not only was I doing something good for myself, I was doing something even better for someone that I would never meet.

A few years later I was lucky enough to meet a child with the money the Dream Team raised. She was an amazing little girl. Every so often I think about her and wonder how she is. Not only did I touch her life with helping with her wish, but she unknowingly touched mine.

Now as one of the Captains of the WDW Radio Running Team, I'm looking for donations to touch another child's life with your help. As you know in about 90 days I will be participating in the Walt Disney World Goofy Challenge. While this has been a dream of mine for a few years, achieving it knowing that I helped another child achieve their dream will make it even more special. I'm not asking for much. Give whatever you can...$5, $10 or a dollar a mile which would be $39 (39.3 miles to be exact) or give $40 in honor of my 40th birthday. Any little bit helps. When donating please make a comment in the "special notes" section saying something like "Supporting Lori's Goofy Dream" or "Lori's 40th birthday wish", just something for me to be able to know the donation was in my honor and I can track it.

Please use the link below to donate:

http://friends.wish.org/100-100/page/Lou-Mongello/The-Dream-Team.htm

Thank you in advance!

Up next: A training update!

Celebrating Four Fun Years

Since today is the four year anniversary of this blog I thought I'd celebrate it by celebrating my friends! Over the past 4 years (and then some) I've met and become great friends with more people than I can count. Most I've met at Disney events such as Magic Meets and Mousefest; some from being on the WDW Radio podcast and running team and even a few from this blog.

All of them have touched my life in a different way. I am grateful and very thankful for each and every one of them. Without them I don't know how I would've gotten through some tough times. We've cried. We've laughed...a lot! We've mourned. We've celebrated!

I love you guys and I can't wait until I see you all again!

I put together a slide show of some of the friends I've made along the way. I know there are some I have forgotten or realized I don't have pictures of but don't think that you are forgotten, you are there in spirit. Most importantly, you're in my heart and always in my thoughts.

http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d7a4d794d5441784f44493d0d0a%26sb&blogview=true

Counting Down

120 days until the 40th birthday cruise!!

 

As of this moment it's 123 days and 7 hours until marathon weekend!

 

 

Right now I'm not really sure which one I'm more excited about. I know one thing for sure, I'm more nervous about running 39.3 miles and walking 3.1 miles. That's 42.2 miles in 3 days and on top of that Cassidy wants us to do the Castaway Cay 5k on the cruise. If I do that, that would mean 45.5 miles in less than a week's time!!! I'm crazy but I'm not sure I'm that crazy but the thought of walking around that Sunday with a Castaway Cay 5k medal, a Family Fun Run 5k medal, a half marathon  medal, a full marathon medal and a Goofy medal sure does sound nice (and heavy).

 

 

What do you think?? Should I do the Castaway Cay 5k or not??

 

Getting Goofy

After a follow up visit to the doctor today about my stress fracture I'm formally announcing that......I'M GOING GOOFY!!! That's right! I am crazy enough to go 39.3 miles over a weekend!! That's just .7 short of doing 40 miles for my 40th birthday!! A few years ago I talked about wanting to do Goofy for my 40th birthday. Then feet problems started happening and I really didn't think it was going to be feasible but that didn't stop me from signing up for it right away. I figured if I had to I would only do the full and at least do my first full marathon for my birthday.

Getting the stress fracture made me nervous. I was just going to be getting out of the camwalker right when I should start my training and I wasn't sure if the doctor was even going to clear me for it since I would be putting stress on it right away to train. The doctor and I came up with a plan. Leisurely walk for 2 weeks then pick up the pace and go from there. Sounds good to me. I wasn't planning on going out and setting any records. Actually, if I finish I will be thrilled! I don't even care if I'm the last one to cross the finish line. This is a goal I set year ago and I want to see it through.

But wait it gets even better. Since Cassidy and my family will be with me, she wants to do the 5k that weekend too. She did the 5k Princess weekend last year and loved it. So not only am I Goofy........ I'm also Dopey!!

Since we will just be getting off a 4 night cruise on the Disney Dream the plan is to walk the 5k with friends.

I really wish Disney would recognize that the Disney running community calls doing all races marathon weekend "The Dopey". They could market it and believe me people would buy the merchandise! I already plan on getting at least a Dopey pin to put on my Goofy medal lanyard.

Now to come up with a "just finish" training plan, a killer play list and most importantly to stay healthy and injury free for the next 5 months.  Oh and to get my head examined for doing this!!

180 Days Until "The Dream" Becomes A Reality

Only a 180 days until I feast my eyes on the Disney Dream again. Time has flown by since booking in October last year but yet the next 180 days can't go by fast enough. The next few months will consist of finding fish extender gifts, planning door decorations, working on group t-shirts, shopping for clothes and making packing lists. I am so excited (and blessed) to be able to have time to spend with friends and family aboard this amazing ship. She is a beauty and I can't wait for those that have not cruised before to see her.

There is so much to look forward to but mostly I can't wait for this night:

What can be better than pirate outfits, friends, fireworks and RUM??

If you want to be part of the fun contact Colleen for pricing and more information!!
colleenj@mei-travel.com  Come and be part of the Deck 7 Pirate Crew

My New Accessory

Just when I thought my foot problems were getting better I end up with a stress fracture on the top of my right foot. So now I'm in a cam walker for 6 weeks to help it heal. That's not the worst of it. There is a possibility that my doctor may not clear me for the full marathon I'm signed up for in January. I would need to start training in August and that's a lot of stress to put on my foot right after it is healed. I'm hoping that he will at least clear me for the half.

I learned my lesson a few years ago when I had a stress fracture in my upper right femur. He told me not to do the half marathon and being my stubborn self I did it anyways. That fracture ended up taking about 3 months to heal. I can't risk that this time around.

I'm asking for lots of prayers and pixie dust that my foot heals and I can still be able to train for the full marathon. I really wanted to do a full for my 40th birthday.

"The Dust"

I'm not one to read a book and write a review about it but I'm here to tell you that you MUST READ THIS BOOK!!! It is beyond amazing!! I loved Leonard Kinsey's Dark Side of Disney book so I thought I would read this one too. If you are a Disney fan, you can visualize all the details around the parks and feel like you are there with him. It was very easy to relate to how the character feels about Disney and the life he lived.

I'm not going to get into details of the story but once you start reading it, you won't want to put it down! I hope there are more stories from Kinsey to come.

Now GO OUT AND GET THE BOOK!! After you're done reading it, go to the Facebook page and tell them how much you enjoyed it and say Lori sent you!
https://www.facebook.com/#!/OurKingdomOfDust