17 weeks to go! Kickoff, The Most Important Training Tool, and Start to MM1.9

Well hello there! Way too much to say in a text, so I thought it would be fun to put some thoughts into a blog to keep us all motivated.   There are actually fewer than 17 weeks until we actually arrive in central Florida, but since the common thread for all of us is the marathon I set up this countdown that way. Lots to cover in the next 17 weeks.  To keep the blog simple, each week's post will have two parts: (1) something about training or race logistics, and (2) a progressive virtual runthrough of the course! Let's get going... 

The Most Important Training Tool 

At any pace, at any distance, there's one thing (in my opinion) that every runner needs: a good playlist. Running playlist songs should have a good tempo with a driving beat and good lyrics (that ideally reference running somehow). The list itself should have a mix of short songs to give you a boost and longer songs that can get you into a flow. Everyone's got their favorites, but here are 5 of mine that always get me going: 

"Rise", Public Image Ltd. 

Going deep right out of the gate here. Formed by John Lydon after he left the Sex Pistols (where he was known as Johnny Rotten), PIL has been around the punk/alt rock scene forever. This track is one of their more mainstream friendly and is great for a run. It's got a driving beat from a steady kick drum that hits at about 172BPM. The chorus plays to the Irish heritage and the running theme, with the repeating of the phrase "may the road rise with you". At over 6 minutes, it's definitely one of those "flow" songs that works well in the middle of a long run. 

"All My Life", Foo Fighters 

Let's face it- you could absolutely have an entire playlist of Foo songs and no one could argue. "Monkey Wrench" might be an even BETTER running song, but I like this one similarly for the driving beat to start it off (168BPM) and a few run-inspiring phrases. Don't let it go to waste- on to the next one. 

  

"As It Was", Harry Styles No joke- this is a great running track. Pace is on the quicker side (174BPM) and there really aren't many running lyrics, but it's a short track with a steady beat and the the drop with the chimes about 2 minutes in always makes me smile. 

"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", Jackie Wilson Way too fast to use for pacing (190BPM), but is there anything more inspirational than some gospel-esque Motown with horns, tambourines, and lyrics that literally take you higher and higher? 

"Where The Streets Have No Name", U2 The perfect song to queue up as you're in the corral, waiting for that starting horn/gun/fireworks, and then launching just as you cross the start line. The adrenaline flowing, the organ sound building, the guitar riff comes in, then the kick drum and snare pound like a runner’s heartbeat (125BPM). Finally after almost 2 minutes you get the first words: "I wanna run". The perfect song for a playlist. 

Let’s (Virtually) Run the Course!

I've always found that visualizing the course helps get me through some of those long training runs that are right around the corner.  So with 17 weeks, we’ll break this into 17 chunks and make our way through 4 parks, multiple parking lots, backstage areas, roads you never knew existed, and talk about some of the things we’ll expect to see along the way.  We’ll be using last year’s course until they release the new route (it’s always tweaked a bit but stays generally the same).  MM=mile marker.

Section 1:  Starting Line to entry into Epcot (approx MM2)

All 4 races start from the same corrals and start line, so for those doing the Dopey this will be the 4th and final time standing around watching the runDisney hosts talk continuously for hours and counting all the fireworks that are shot off before ours ever get launched.  But eventually- they will!  And we’ll be off.

After the start, the course heads out one of the parking lots exits and then doubles back onto a road just on the other side of the tree line at the back of the parking lots.  You’ll still hear music, will see Spaceship Earth through the trees, and possibly even hear a few more fireworks for anyone starting after you.  That first mile is pretty boring along that road, and the road will be littered with people ditching extra layers of clothes and Mylar blankets.  Eventually a little after MM1 you’ll turn back toward the backstage areas of Future World and will come in under Test Track.  If we’re lucky they’ll be running some cars along the track, because that’s always cool to see and hear them above you.  

After you get past Test Track, you’ll go behind a big building (which is the back half of the Mexico Pavilion) and onto a short dark path that spits you out onto… World Showcase!

Next update will take us Around the World.   And when I go there… I’ll go there with you.  It’s all I can do.  😁