You know “3’s the charm!” How about “25 is the charm!” Doesn’t exactly roll off the lips now does it. Nonetheless it is accurate.

Saturday was my 25th running event and it was by far, the all-time best. Disney’s Tower of Terror 13K was the most enjoyable run I have ever participated in. The distance was perfect — 8.1 miles which lets you know you ran but does not completely drain you like a marathon. The weather was nearly perfect and the energy of the 4000 runners was electric. Plus, it was the first night time run with its 10pm start time.
The race began just outside of MGM, my favorite park. We snaked our way for about 2 miles, passing both spectators and zombies (it was Halloween weekend afterall) into the Wide World of Sports. This is the park I am least familiar with and running through it, reminded me of a backstage tour of sorts. I never knew there was a track and beautifully manicured fields for virtually any sport imaginable. We ran by the Atlanta Braves training field, paintball areas and BMX courses, with a full moon watching from overhead.

From Wide World, we covered a leg of the marathon course which was a very odd experience. I remember wondering why my legs felt so fresh only to realize we are on Mile 5, not the “normal” Mile 19. Comical how easy it is to condition our brain. A couple of owls hooting loudly in the trees at around 11pm let us know what they thought of the whole thing.

From this stretch, we arrived at MGM to complete the final 2 miles. The Osbourne Family of Lights, itself a visual Nirvana, was partially lit and greeted us as we ran down Broadway, past the Stunt Show and finished near the Tower of Terror. All in all, an exceptionally enjoyable run. We covered 8.1 miles on blacktop, gravel, dirt, grass and cement.

About 12 years ago, I made a promise that I would live the type of life I wanted, characterized by “collecting great experiences.” This run certainly qualified!