I’m Not a Runner. I Run.

Several years ago, before I had my son, I ran a half marathon, a 15K and more 5Ks than I can remember. Then life changed. I’ve wanted to get back into running for a while now. Part of it is wanting to do something that’s just for me, and honestly, part of it is wanting to find a little bit of the person I was before becoming a mom.

I just couldn’t seem to find the motivation to actually start. And then Disney basically said, here you go.

Apparently I’m Running a Disney Half Marathon

The runDisney races are notoriously hard to get into. Registration is a whole process, races can sell out incredibly quickly, and this wasn’t something I thought I’d just casually decide to do one day. But I happened to find out registration for the Disney Half Marathon was coming up with enough time to set my alerts, prepare for registration day and actually get registered.

This race has been on my bucket list for years. Finding out about registration at exactly the right time felt a little like a sign.

Okay. Now’s the time. Let’s do this.

So I’m officially training for the Disney Half Marathon in January. And I am equal parts excited and terrified.

Starting All the Way Back at the Beginning

Having completed a half marathon before does NOT mean I picked up where I left off.

Not even close.

I’m starting from the beginning. Like Couch to 5K beginning. That’s what I’m working through right now. Once I finish my 5K training, I’ll transition into a Hal Higdon half-marathon training plan—the same training method I used for my first half.

I’ve got about two more weeks of Couch to 5K left, and then the half-marathon training really begins. Which sounds slightly terrifying when I type it out.

My First Race Post-Baby: Done!

I signed up for a 5K as a checkpoint along the way. It was my first race since having my son, and considering I’m only on Week 5 of Couch to 5K, I’m calling the whole thing a win. First, if you’re ever thinking about signing up for a race in Florida, here’s my advice:

Do it after August.

This morning was actually lovely. It wasn’t unbearably hot, and I didn’t immediately start sweating and become irritated with the entire state of Florida the second I walked outside. If you live here, you know. Having decent weather made SUCH a difference and definitely helped me keep moving.

I ran at least the first half of the 5K and then switched to run/walk intervals for the second half. And I finished in under 45 minutes. Do I know my exact pace? No. Because I forgot to turn off Strava—the app I was using so my husband could track me—and it just kept going after I crossed the finish line.

Actually, now that I’m thinking about it… I’m pretty sure it’s still going. So we’re going to wait for the official race results before we start discussing pace. But I finished. I felt good. And I got to cross an actual finish line again. That’s a win.

Apparently We Have Another Runner in the Family

My 6-year-old also got to do the kids’ mile race. Before it started, I asked if he wanted me to run with him. Nope. He didn’t need me. Okay then. The race started and he SHOT out of the gate. I still ran the mile, but I literally did not see him again until I finished and found him sitting on the curb with my husband, essentially wondering what had taken me so long.

This is the same child who went on a one-mile run with me before and spent the entire time telling me how long it was and how bored he was. Apparently all he needed was a race bib and a little competition. Clearly the race-day endorphins kicked in for him too. So my first race back is officially done.

I wasn’t trying to win anything. I didn’t run the entire thing. I don’t even know my official pace yet. But I showed up in Week 5 of Couch to 5K, ran what I could, walked when I needed to and finished in under 45 minutes. Overall? Big win.

Why Disney?

I’m excited about the half marathon itself, obviously, but I’m REALLY excited about where I’m getting to run it. The race starts ridiculously early in the morning, while Walt Disney World is still closed to regular guests. The thought of getting to run through Disney before the parks are filled with people—and then out onto the roads between the parks—is just incredibly cool to me.

There are apparently characters along the course too. Will I stop for pictures? We’ll see. I’m currently running around a 14-minute mile, so I don’t exactly have unlimited character-meet-and-greet time built into the schedule. But if I see a short line?

I’m taking the picture. There are some things worth sacrificing a minute for.

“Oh, So You’re a Runner?”

Whenever I tell someone I’ve run races, I inevitably get: “Oh, you’re a runner!” And I’m always very quick to correct them.

I’m not a runner. I run.

I’m not out there chasing a sub-10-minute mile. I’m not trying to win my age group. I am definitely not concerned about being anywhere near the front of the pack. I’m trying to make it through the miles, enjoy the experience and get those endorphins waiting for me on the other side.

That’s it. And if that’s what you’re doing too, you can come run with me.

Some Runs Are Just…Bad

Getting back into running has also reminded me how wildly different one run can feel from the next. Some days you can’t make it a mile without feeling like you’ve hit a brick wall. Other days you suddenly breeze through mile five and wonder where THAT person has been hiding. Someone once told me: The first three miles are the hardest no matter how far you’re running that day.

I held onto that during training for my first half marathon. When I got into those longer distances and those first few miles felt awful, I’d tell myself: Just get through the first three. It will get better. And nine times out of ten?

It did. So I’m reminding myself of that again now. Except at the moment, sometimes the entire workout is three miles.

We’ll get there.

What I’m Trying Along the Way

I’m also using this training cycle as an excuse to try some new things. Running clothes. Gear. Shoes. Whatever might make getting through these miles a little easier or more comfortable. Although after experimenting with shoes, there’s a very good chance I’m going right back to my tried-and-true Brooks Ghosts.

Sometimes you find something that just works for you. And maybe that’s the sign to stop looking and stick with what’s meant to be. I’ll share what I’m trying, what actually works for me, what absolutely doesn’t, and the things I’m considering buying as I work my way toward January. I’m definitely not approaching this as someone who has running all figured out. I’m figuring it out while I’m doing it.

Come Run With Me

So that’s where I am. Five weeks into Couch to 5K. My first race after becoming a mom officially checked off the list. A couple more weeks of 5K training.

Then half-marathon training. And eventually, 13.1 miles through Disney. If you’re starting—or starting over—too, know that you’re not the only person out there wondering why mile one feels like mile 47 some days. We’re just going to keep moving.

One mile at a time.

Next stop: half-marathon training.

Race Day · Disney Half Marathon · January 9, 2027