In December 2011, I was surfing the Internet when I stumbled across a fascinating article. It was about a race that was going to happen at Walt Disney World the following September. It caught my attention because it was the same weekend as the start of Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival – one of my favorite Disney events. The announcement was for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler, and I was intrigued, but I was not a runner.

Excitement and trepidation ensued. Here was a race focused around one of my all time favorite attractions, but I was not a runner. Here was an opportunity (read: excuse) for another Disney trip, but I was not a runner. I mentioned the race to my husband, J. He wondered why in the world we would want to run 10 miles when we had never run any race, ever. I mentioned the race to Amy, and I think she thought I had finally gone insane. Now, I do not think the thought of running ten miles appealed to either one of them, but I know Amy, and I know that given enough time to marinate on something, she usually comes around to the idea.

In the beginning of January 2012, the idea of doing this race was taking hold, and I could not shake it. I had to run this race. Marathon weekend rolled around, and all of the inspiring stories captivated me. Maybe this was something I could do. I devoured the runDisney website as if it were my last meal, and soon decided I would be running this race.

But why stop there?