in which Pooh races home … almost

Well it wasn’t the Hundred Acre Wood but most of the time you’ll find Pooh and his friends at Disney.  And what better way to race at home than the Disney Goofy Race and a half Challenge?  After spending all of 2013 trying to get faster Pooh decided he needed an event that would be about having fun and finishing.  And the Goofy Challenge provided both.

For those not familiar with the event it is comprised of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon on Saturday and the Walt Disney World Marathon on Sunday.  In two days a runner completes 39.3 miles.  A new challenge, the Dopey Challenge, was just too expensive and time consuming for Pooh’s consideration.  But he was sure the Goofy would provide plenty of opportunities for fun and fulfillment.

It’s now July, 2018 and Pooh hasn’t yet finished this entry about the Disney Goofy Race and a Half Challenge.  So it’s about time our silly old bear got back at it…

Looking back these two races were two of the best Pooh ever did.  That’s really because he got to run both of them with his friend Shawna.  Pooh’s time with friends and family are precious to him and running races had been very solitary as was some of the training and the times he got to spend training with friends were the best.  Shawna and Pooh had worked very hard to train for the 2013 Marine Corps Marathon so this weekend was all about enjoying the event together.  They stopped at most of the character photo spots to get pics and generally had a great time.

Pooh even got some shots with his alter ego and one of his best friends…

This event would mark a turning point in the focus of Pooh’s running.  By this time he had achieved speed and distance goals far exceeding anything he had ever imagined possible.  From sub 22:30 5K races to the 3:50:12 full marathon Pooh had never considered those even possibilities having grown up the farther thing from a runner.  So what next?

It was at this point that Pooh’s friend Cathy mentioned a 50K race, officially an ultra-marathon (anything longer than 26.2miles is considered an ultra-marathon).  Wait, what?  Exactly!  You’re going crazy, Pooh, you silly old bear!