Have you ever seen that commercial "Want To Get Away"? Well, if you are looking for a great marathon weekend, one of the top events, (if not the top!) is the Walt Disney World Marathon & ½ Marathon. Of course, if you are "Goofy" enough and up to the "Goofy Challenge" you can do both!

Yesterday, the ½ Marathon attracted 17,000 a true litmus test that running is going strong in a down economy. My good friend (yes, 6 degrees of separation does exist) Jon Hughes, who is also owner of Track Shack, one of the best running stores in the U.S., directed his 15th Walt Disney World Marathon with over 45,000 participants in the ½ marathon, Marathon, Goofy Challenge (you have to run both races!) and the Circle of Life 5K.

There is music, Disney characters, and many of the lucky finishers have their names called out as they cross the finish line. Besides runners of all shapes, ages and sizes, there are some pretty impressive costumes. There are runners dressed as Minnie Mouse running under 1:30, Jimminy Cricket, Donald Duck, Tinker Bell, etc…. This isn't any ordinary road race event, this is a world class experience. Jon and his team recognized that you didn't have to have prize money in order to create a "unique" experience for runner's…after all, isn't that really what running in an event is all about? WDW was the first major event to see that elite prize money just didn't make sense…nor would it diminish that "unique" Disney experience runner's have come to expect.

Several Mainer's made the journey, with over 63 finishing both the marathon and ½ marathon. Jon Wilson from Falmouth, finished 7th overall in the 1/2 followed closely by Bobby Winn, Ogunquit (50 years old, I might add) who took 1st masters overall. Looks like those weekly massages with Mike Gaige paid off for Bob!

Several folks in our training group headed down…For the ½ Marathon; Kathy Bowe - 2:30:15, Jan Gagnier, 3:05:03 (how's Melbourne treating you and see you Thursday!), Linda Greer # 3:26:36, Mary Kay Kasper # 2:24:35, Linda Whitten # 5:15:43. Gene Longobardi # 4:35:14 (Goofy Challenge next year, right?), Roger Morse # 6:20:08 and Lois Martin all ran the Marathon for the magical trek through Disney's four major theme parks.

So if you want to spend the fall training for a unique race, this event is one of, if not the best Marathon weekend experiences runner's can have. For more info on the Disney Marathon Go Here, Registration for 2010 opens on January 12, today. After all, isn't that what it's all about! And remember….Run Happy!