Magical Miles: The Runner's Guide to Walt Disney World 2016 Giveaway!

Back when I decided to run the 2014 WDW Marathon, I had so many questions about what to do and how and when to do it. I remember looking at the runDisney site and thinking that this race was truly different from others so planning for it was going to be different as well. When should I register with such high demand? Should I stay on site or off? What's the pick-up process like? What time to get up? Are the Challenges worth the money? What about all those extras that they offer? Are they worth it? That is just the very tip of the iceberg regarding the questions I had.

Thankfully, I met many friends through this blog who pointed me in the right direction. For example Team Run Disney, which I have talked about here before. A group of great people that are Disney fans and can (and will) help you answering the questions you may have and supporting you every step of the way. If you think this Run Disney "thing" is something you will be doing, I highly recommend you join them on Facebook.

The other resource I found extremely helpful was the book we are talking about today, Magical Miles: The Runner's Guide to Walt Disney World, written by Megan Biller and with contributions by Krista Albrecht. I bought a copy of this book back in 2013 and I can say without hesitation that running shoes aside, this is the most important investment I made for Marathon Weekend.

I'm gonna try really hard to not sound like I was paid to say this (and I wasn't by the way, this is my honest opinion) but objectively, there is no other guide like this one out there and it covers every possible question you could ever conceive regarding any of the races held at Disney World or Disneyland (and Paris is coming in the near future I hear...) Accommodations (both on-site and off), meals, where to eat (runner focused), registration, what to bring, what happens on race day, what happens if you can't make it... it's all covered in an easy to understand way. It is also a great reference. If you are totally new to the world of Run Disney, you can pick up this book and read it cover to cover or if you have a little more experience or simply want some information on a particular matter, you can jump straight to that section with no problem.

Without going into the details -I would rather you get those straight from Megan and Krista- I will tell you the two things that I appreciate the most from this guide:

1. It is truly objective. This is not an "Official" Disney guide and the research for this book was done by going to these races and paying for them just like anybody else. When they give you the rundown on why something is worth it for you or not, it's because they tried it and are giving you first hand knowledge. Megan in fact is a Dopey Challenge finisher along with her many, many other pieces of Disney bling.

2. They work hard. Every year. Back when I bought my first copy, there was no Dopey Challenge. No Star Wars or Avengers Half Marathon. Therefore the guide didn't include it. Well, now it does. As Run Disney continues to grow, so does the guide. You can bet that if you get the most recent edition, you will have the most up to date information (at the time of publishing) in your hands. 

So there you have it. A complete guide to the oftentimes crazy world of RunDisney written by runners who are Disney fans. What else could you ask for?

Oh, you could ask for more huh? What, you want it free? You do? Well ask and you shall receive!

To celebrate my return to Marathon Weekend in January and to pay it forward since this guide helped me so much, I'm hoping it can help others I'm going to give away two copies of this guide's latest edition (2016). All you gotta do is this:

1. Leave a comment here. Come on, don't be shy. You can just let me know how bad you want this book or say hi but leave a comment

2. Follow this link to enter: https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/7ece1ae025102dd4  

3. Once there it will ask you to follow me on Twitter so if you have not already done so...

And that's it! Easy. The entry deadline is December 7th so an entire week but don't wait. Enter and win. If you don't win, I still recommend this book so head on over to Amazon.com and grab a copy. All your questions will be answered. At least those regarding runDisney.

Clif Builder's Bars

This week, thanks to my relationship with Fitfluential, I received some goodies from the nice folks over at Clif Bars. They are promoting their Builder's Bars and I thought I would share with you what my experience has been using them.

 

As runners, we tend to focus (some would say obsess) on carbs and whether we are getting enough of them for running. Sure enough, they are extremely important to avoid stuff like, bonking, which can be a bad thing. But I have often found that runners don't pay much attention to protein and more importantly, the crucial role it plays in recovery and even during runs and hard workouts.

Here's the Clif notes (see what I did there?) version of protein and working out. A lot of people think that when they work out (lift weights, run, etc.) they are building muscle but they'd be wrong. You are actually breaking down muscle fibers during your workout. After you are done, your body starts rebuilding those fibers. Do this enough times and your body eventually figures out that it has to build them stronger and thus, stronger and bigger muscles. Yay!

Now, a bunch of people a lot smarter than myself figured out that if you feed your body protein right after working out, preferably within 30 minutes of doing so, that process of rebuilding muscle fibers is greatly enhanced. This helps with a whole bunch of things like muscle building, avoiding soreness and proper recovery. 

Which brings us to Clif Builder's Bars. Along with a nice 30 grams of carbs, they also contain 20 grams of protein. Now, what sets Builder's Bars from other protein bars out there is the quality. You'll notice a lot of people prefer protein shakes over bars post-workout. Mainly because protein bars use low quality protein that is not optimal for use at that time. Clif Builder's Bars on the other hand have soy protein isolate as their first ingredient. The isolate part is important. Unlike say, eating a steak after your long run or eating something with protein concentrates which is what you'll find in other protein bars, protein isolate has been processed to work faster on your system so you can really take advantage of the 30 minute window post-workout.

Since Clif Bar Company was gracious enough to send me plenty of Builder's Bars to share, I made sure to put them to good use and get an overall reaction to the product from runners aside from myself. So, I showed up at the finish line of the Lola Challenge Weekend Half Marathon with a bag full of goodies. The Lola Challenge is a 5K, 10K and Half Marathon done over the course of three days. Who better to take advantage from the recovery benefits of these bars than runners who had gone through that gauntlet?

So, my friend Indiana and her running group, the Diva Moms, became the "test group" for this post. They all loved the flavor, especially the chocolate peanut butter and the reaction I got every time I said "protein" or "recovery" was priceless. "Just what I need right now!" was a common statement. I also gave bars to as many finishers as my bag allowed and I can tell you, I think Clif has really struck the right chord with this product.

Some of the Diva Moms reveling in their success... and recovery,

As for myself, regular readers of this blog know I am currently training for the Goofy Challenge, where I will attempt to run a Half Marathon followed by a full Marathon the next day. This means double long runs on the weekends to get the body used to the actual conditions I will be facing. Proper recovery is important after a long run. Can you imagine how important it is when, after completing a long run, you go right back out the next day for an even longer one? Yeah, I would say it is.

So I have been using Clif Builder's Bars after my long runs and after cross-training on non-running days. The combination of a Builder's bar along with some sports drink right after a long run is pretty hard to beat and puts me on the right track to get ready for the next one. On cross-training days, it is a lot more convenient than a protein shake. No powder, no mess, no shaker bottles and no need for refrigeration. Just unwrap and consume.

Attempting to cross-train...

So there you have it folks. If you are looking for a solid recovery product, Builder's Bars are tough to beat. They are convenient, they taste great and are extremely versatile.

Disclaimer: Clif Bar Company provided me with some product along with Clif-branded gear for promotional purposes through my affiliation with Fitfluential. All opinions on the product are my own.

P90X3 - The Final Veredict

With less than 2 weeks to go before finishing my first round of P90X3, I can give you an honest assessment on what this program is all about and more importantly, how this program can help runners. Even runners like me. Granted, this program is not specifically designed for runners but after three months of program creator Tony Horton kicking my butt, I can honestly say that there's a lot here for runners to like and reap benefits from. Let's take a look.

P90X3 -which stands for Power 90 Extreme 3- is a home video workout program that promises to get you into the best shape of your life. Provided you follow it correctly of course. As the 3 in the name suggests, it is the 3rd edition of P90X -The extremely famous workout program- although this really is more of a sequel to P90X than P90X2 which is more focused on sports-specific training. You do 6 workouts a week, with a 7th "recovery" workout as optional. With the help of the awesome Katrina Pilkington, I did a hybrid version where I alternated running days with P90X3 days.

If you've seen the infomercials for this program, you've seen that a main talking point they mention repeatedly is the duration of the workouts. They are all 30 minutes. Everyone can do 30 minutes right? I can vouch for this personally. I tried P90X some years back and didn't stick to it. Mainly because the long workouts took a lot of my time. Also, because my fitness level was so low, the prospect of torturing myself for an hour or more, 6 days a week, killed my motivation. This "condensed" version, even though it's equally challenging, really helps people remain consistent. This has even more value to runners but I'll get to that in a bit.

Who is this program for?


This is the part where you have to take a good look at yourself before taking the decision to try P90X3. This is a challenging program and people with joint or back issues might have trouble here. A lot of the workouts are high impact and involve jumping and balancing. Also, if you are starting out from a totally inactive lifestyle, this program might prove to be too much. Starting out with a program like P90 (notice the lack of X at the end) might be recommended. 

Having said that, there is a lot of replay value here for the uninitiated like me. Most moves in the program have a modified version you can do first, then work yourself to the normal version, thus adding said replay value. What I mean is, it's going to take many rounds of this program to master it completely so it will be a long while before you need to move to something else, therefore giving you value for your money.

Ultimately, only you -preferably with the help of a doctor-  can asses your fitness level and decide if this program is right for you. If you do try it out, there is a lot here to keep you busy for months and months.

What about runners?

The workouts are varied and challenging but throughout the entire program, Tony Horton focuses on three things: Core strength, balance and flexibility. All important things to runners. For me it was quite the learning experience to do these workouts, then go out and run the next day and feel my still-sore core muscles and how they relate to my running form. My back as well. There are two reasons why I recommend this program to runners: The first is the aforementioned focus on core, balance and flexibility. The second is time. If you are a long distance runner -and by that I mean you run Half Marathons or longer- you are already spending serious time running. Once you pass that 5 mile threshold, the time spent on the road adds up quickly. This makes it hard to find time for other things, including cross-training. At 30 minutes, the P90X3 workouts make it very easy to schedule the required time. The variety will also keep you coming back. The program is divided into three blocks that are a month long. Each month has a different set of workouts so you are doing a lot of different stuff.

My experience

It bears repeating: This thing kicked my butt. It was tough. There were times when I yelled at the TV "You want me to do WHAT??!!" (I may have used more colorful language) but I had fun and I'm in much better shape now than three months ago that's for sure.

It helped me discover and work on my two biggest weaknesses: Lack of upper-body and core strength, and serious lack of flexibility. Videos like X3 Yoga, Isometrics and Pilates X twisted me in ways I didn't think possible and I still suck at them but there was noticeable progress for sure. Then there''s the push-ups and pull-ups. Two things I simply could not do. I did them assisted and will probably keep doing them like that for a while but yesterday I actually did some real push-ups so I'm getting stronger. Neither Disney World nor Rome were built in a day.

I will definitely be returning for a second round of P90X3 and probably beyond that. There is plenty here for me to work on. There is also another program called PiYo, which is a combination of Pilates and Yoga that is very low impact that I can combine with P90X3 that will allow me to focus on my core and flexibility even more. I'll keep you guys posted on that front. Meanwhile, if you are runner looking for an effective cross-training program or just someone looking to get in better shape, I recommend P90X3 wholeheartedly. It's awesome, it's challenging and I love to hate X3 Yoga. Bring it!

The Mystery of Running Shoes

Do any of you actually know when your running shoes are done? You know, that point when you can longer use them anymore for running?

Based on my experience, I'm kind of surprised no one has come up with something -anything, really- that lets us know for sure, that your shoes are done. That person would make a lot of money with that.

The thing is, that all the running shoes I have bought so far (OK, most of them) look just as good after I've used them as when I bought them. Right now, I have two identical pairs of Brooks Beasts: One new, one spent. They look the same and yet I can't run on the old ones without major knee pain.

I used to go by pain. When I ran and my joints, hips and back started to hurt I knew it was time for a new pair. Most (sane) people will tell you that when you reach that point you are past the time to change them but that's what I did. But that was before I started to have knee issues. Now, the knee is the first thing that starts to hurt. Way before anything else. What's worse, I can't yet identify if the knee is hurting because I need new shoes or simply because it hurts. (Yes, it will hurt from time to time)

Ahhh... fresh pair of Beasties.

The newest pair of Beasties I bought last week were long overdue apparently. When I talked about my running funk and about how running didn't feel right, it seems the shoes where part of the problem. On the first run with the new shoes, I ran the fastest 3 miles I've been able to run in a long while. Probably since the Puerto Rico Half Marathon in March. Why? No knee pain.

This is bad news. Not because of the knee perse. I'm learning to deal with that and I'm hoping it gets better as I lose more weight. It's because now I have to buy shoes more often. On average, I've heard running shoes can go 300-500 miles before they are spent. I was already below that, reaching 250 miles if I pushed hard enough. This last pair was done with 210 miles. Crap.

Such is life. You know, Brooks Running should sponsor more Fat Runners. That, or I also hear that there's a bunch of stuff in the human body that there's two of that you could survive without one of them. You know, like kidneys and lungs and stuff like that. Apparently there is a market for that...

How about you guys? How long do your running shoes last? How do you know it's time to change them? Any tricks you can show me?

...in with the new.

If you read my post about when I bought my bike, then you might have a good idea by now that big purchases are not taken lightly around here. In this particular case, I spent months reading, researching and going to dealerships. And it's not like I don't know about cars. I enjoy reading about cars and the car industry in general but still, the hard, and annoying work of going to look and drive the cars can be tedious. Anyone who has dealt with an overzealous salesperson that won't let you go knows what I mean.

When I bought our family mini-van, I literally test drove them all before buying one. But that was easy. There are not that many of those on the market. This time around, I decided to buy a mid-size sedan. Aside from pick-up trucks, it is probably the most competitive segment in America. Pretty much every brand has one and they are all quite good in their own way. Here are the cars I tested:

1. Hyundai Sonata
2. Toyota Camry
3. Chevy Malibu
4. Mazda 6
5. Honda Accord
6. Subaru Legacy
7. Chrysler 200
8. Ford Fusion
9. Kia Optima
10. Nissan Altima
11. Volkswagen Passat

Yup. Every single car. I'm sure that between this, and the bicycle post, some of you are concerned that I might suffer from OCD or something like that but I assure you, I don't do this all the time. However, when it comes to buying things that are gonna be in my life for a long time, I stress the details. After all, you are gonna have to live with your decision for a long time, hopefully.

After much deliberation, I decided the Mazda 6 was the top choice, followed very closely by the Chrylser 200. After all, both Motor Trend  and Car & Driver magazines named the 6 the best mid-size sedan (they hardly agree like that) and both also noticed the incredible improvement Chrysler made with the 200. I agree. Both drove very well and had everything I was looking for. In the end, I chose...

That's right. I went with the 200. Why not the top choice? Two reasons: First, the 200 has a much more pleasant interior and a killer info-tainment system (that's the combination of radio, bluetooth, phone, entertainment and driver info) and that was important as the car is basically going to be my office and I will spend a lot of time there.

Second, And I know this is gonna sound weird from a guy who technically doesn't live in the U.S. and even a little sappy, but I bought it because it is made in the U.S.A. America needs to build stuff again. If I want it to build stuff again then I need to buy stuff that's made there. So, even though the 200 was slightly more expensive, I went with it. By the way this isn't some political sermon or anything. Please, by all means, go buy whatever vehicle suits your particular needs and wants. As you saw in my previous post, I have owned cars from several other countries including Japan, Korea and Germany. But I had a choice and decided to support our workers. It's just the way I feel.

And besides, have you ever seen anything cooler??!! Sorry for the overly dramatic shots but the wanna-be photographer in me could not help himself. 20 years owning cars and I still can't get over how good cars look in black, even if it's a pain to keep clean. This particular model, the 200 S, comes with black accents so the blacked out effect is pretty awesome, especially with the dark wheels. Elegant, yet still feels like "me".

Looove the wheels

Huge Screen

The interior is full of goodies to make your life easier and it has been a big change to be able to control everything from the steering wheel and my voice. I'll spare you my review of the car but it rides very well. It's a bit on the firm side because of the large wheels but I don't mind as they improve handling and traction. Very happy person right here.

By the way, sorry it took me so long to reveal which car I chose but it rained the whole week after I bought it. I wasn't about to show you a brand new, dirty car. Also with this post I'm also delivering on a long overdue promise I made you guys to take pics of the "Ruta del Ciclista". That's where these pics were taken so you can imagine how terrible it must be to ride bicycles there on Sunday mornings.

Yeah... really sucks to ride here. lol

So that was it. New car. We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

The Fat Runner in the The Machine

We start 2015 with a big announcement. As those of you who follow me on Instagram already got to see, I finally bought a road bike! It was a very long time coming and I can forget about buying anything for any occasion for the next several years but I finally got a bike. 

World, meet The Machine.

It's a Giant Defy 1 road bike. Right off the bat, let me say I love the name of the bike. Defy. Words to live by here in The Fat Runner. Here's a fun fact: Not being able to buy something right away gives you plenty of time to obsess about the details. And folks, I obsessed.

Bikes are expensive and at least in my case, not something you are gonna buy often. I wanted to make sure I was getting as much bang for my buck as possible. I wanted to still be in love with the bike 5 years from now and beyond. So I drew up a list of specifications of what I thought the bike needed to have in order for my conscience to be clean. What ensued was me diving off the deep end of the cycling world, consuming everything I could about bikes and how they are made and how they work. By the time I actually bought the bike, I knew more than many of the people in the bike shops about the models I looked at.

 Essentially, this was my list of requirements. There might be stuff there some of you might not be familiar with but that's OK, I'll explain things as they come up during the year.

1. Aluminum frame - Carbon fiber is like, THE material of choice for modern bikes but they are way too expensive. Aluminum is light and sturdy. Important in my case where the weight of the rider is an issue.

2. Endurance geometry - Different bikes have different shapes depending on the needs of the rider. "Faster" bikes have a more aggressive shape that makes you sit lower and further forward. Endurance (or sportive or comfort bikes among other names) bikes are not as upright as hybrid or recreational bikes but not as aggressive as the racier models. I thought this was important. Since I have no previous experience, I did not want to buy a bike that was too aggressive to the point where I just could not hold the position comfortably and end up not riding.

3. Shimano 105 - The components or groupset are the stuff that make the bike work. Brakes, shifters, crank, etc... bike manufacturers usually install these in groups so that everything works together. I knew early on that I wanted at least a 10-speed bike and at the bottom of that you have Shimano Tiagra which is very good but if I could swing it, I wanted the groupset above that one, Shimano 105. The higher the groupset, the lighter, smoother and more durable it is. From the time I started checking bikes out, to the time I actually bought it, there was a model change and Shimano 105 went from 10-speed to 11 speed. Score!

4. Carbon fork - Aluminum has a reputation for being harsh on the road. Most manufacturers work around this problem by installing a carbon fork. It's the thingy that holds the front wheel. This helps damp the ride which helps a lot, especially in longer rides. The Machine comes with a carbon seat tube as well as the fork. Bonus!

Right from the start, the Defy jumped at me. It really had everything I was looking for but it was at the very top of my budget limit so I tried very hard to find other options and try to save some bucks. I saw many bikes in the category and if you are shopping for one they are all pretty good. Bianchi Impulso, Scott Speedster, Cannondale Synapse, Trek Domane are some of the bikes you can check out.

But in the end, the Defy's reputation won me over. It's like the Honda Accord of bikes. It always seems to win it's category in magazine awards and it comes very well recommended so I decided to spend a bit more money and go for the "sure thing".

And so far I could not be happier. Road bikes look "weak". Even at this level, they are very light and streamlined compared to what you find at your local mega store so I was obviously concerned about it holding my weight. But I didn't need  to. Once on it, the bike feels sturdy and very stable. Riding this after riding my wife's mountain bike for a while last year, is akin to going from a Ford Pinto to driving a Ferrari Enzo. It's pretty amazing. I used to be afraid of shifting on any bike. The ensuing "rat-tat-tat... clank!" that came with it felt like the bike would brake at any moment but on this one, it just happens effortlessly. "Click." and that's it.

I will share more as I get more used to riding. You guys are in for a few laughs for sure as I talk about butt pain, cycling gear and many other things. Oh, and why did I name it The Machine? Well, in fitness in general and endurance sports -especially triathlon- in particular, people talk about "the engine", which amounts to your ability to propel yourself forward whether it's swimming, running or cycling. Well, if I'm "the engine" and engines power machines, then I'm the engine and the bike is The Machine. OK, it's a bit dorky but I can't help it.