For the love of running...and Disney!

When most people think of a girls’ weekend, they think of a relaxing week away.

However, when a group of women from Salem traveled to the sunshine state together last month, they had other plans.

The group of eight headed to Disney world for the annual Disney Half marathon.

And despite having different training plans and different strategies for getting through the race, they all succeeded and they all plan to head back next year!

The group included Tara Mills, Jenny Kearschner, Kandi Pepmeier, Bailey Lyles, Jessica DuChemin, Ashley Dowling, Lesley Hollowell and Jenessa (Kearschner) Evans.  

Mills said it was her first trip to Disney World, as well as her first mini marathon.

“It was kind of overwhelming!” she laughed. “And I was a little nervous that I was going to die!” 

It was also Bailey Lyles’ first mini marathon experience. She said she would encourage anyone who is thinking of doing a mini, to do it. 

“It was the most rewarding feeling when I crossed the finish line!” she said, adding that she plans to do another mini in the future.

“Most likely, it will be the Disney mini in January of 2019!”

DuChemin said Hollowell was the first one to mention the idea to her, but she didn’t think their conversation was serious.

Next thing she knew, they were signed up, registered and ready to go!

The group registered for the mini in May 2017. Kearschner said the race was full within two hours of the open registration.

The group comes from a variety of running backgrounds.

Dowling said she ran her first mini in college. She took a physiology class and had to run the Derby half marathon as part of the course...then write a 10 page paper to go with it!

She just recently got back into running and this past fall, she ran the Monumental Half Marathon in Indianapolis. 

Pepmeier was a track runner in high school, but just got back into the sport about eight years ago. She has completed many races over the years, including the Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis twice and several mini marathons. 

Kearschner has run three full marathons and several mini marathons. Although many of her family members are runners, Kearschner said she didn’t pick it up herself until about three years ago.

She was the only one in the group who did the Disney Fairy Tale Challenge, meaning she ran a 10K on Saturday and then turned around and ran the mini marathon the next day with everyone.

“It was harder than I thought it would be!” she said, adding that she was pretty tired by the end of the second run. She received three metals for her accomplishments.

DuChemin said she had never even ran a mile in her life before she signed up for the Disney mini last spring. Now, it’s part of her lifestyle. She has completed several races in the 10 months since she picked up the sport, including numerous 5K races and the Louisville St. Paddy’s half marathon. She is signed up for the Derby half marathon in April.

Hollowell said she took up the sport two years ago.

Mills chimed in and said she started running in December! 

“You laugh, but really, I didn’t train like I should have!” she said.

DuChemin said the accountability of the group really helped her stay on course. 

“We have all become so close!” she said. “We have a sisterhood now!”

Mills, who owns Mills Market, made the group shirts that said “1/2 Sisters” to wear during their weekend trip.

Since the women have been training in Indiana weather, their bodies were shocked in February when the weekend they were in Orlando the temperature got up to 85 degrees. That is very unusual in Florida for February. In fact, people normally start the run with jackets on and then shed them as the race goes. They actually encourage people to do that, then they go around and pick up the clothes and donate them to those in need.

Dowling said it was close to 65 degrees when the race started. It was hot and humid and the Southern Indiana runners did not like it!

A total of 22,000 people ran the mini marathon, 18,000 were women. 

“And most of them were dressed as princesses!” laughed Dowling.

The group had to wake up at 2 a.m. to get on a bus and arrive at the park at 3 a.m.

Due to having to be up so early, the all laughed at how little sleep they actually got that night.

Pepmeier said she laughed when she saw all of Kearschner’s pictures of her with the different Disney characters along the route. She said she didn’t touch her phone and didn’t even think of taking pictures while she was running.

“I just stayed focus and ran!” she laughed.

For Kearschner, taking photos was part of the fun! She had many pictures of her stopping to pose and taking advantage of photo opportunities.

The group all had something to say about a drill sergeant that sounded just like the character from Toy Story. He was totally green and yelling at everyone to get going and drop and do push ups.

When they hit the Magic Kingdom, they said there were people lined up and down the streets cheering them on.

“It was really neat to see all the people!” said Dowling.

When asked what it was like to go to Disney without kids, they all said, “It was wonderful! It was so relaxing!”

“We were like kids at Animal Kingdom!” said Pepmeier. “We rode the same ride multiple times! We would get off and then run to get back in line!”

DuChemin said they enjoyed watching other parents struggle with their children and the tantrums.

Hollowell said besides the run, “it was a really fun and relaxing” weekend. “It was a great way to refresh and recharge!”

Mills said it was relaxing until they came back from their long weekend and realized they should have taken a day off from work to recover! Four the runners work at Kearschner Family Dentistry.

The ladies all plan to do the race again next year.  

The sign up for the Disney event is in May and they said you can dress up as much or as little as you want. The goal of the event is to have fun!

Dowling said everyone should do it, just be sure to train. DuChemin said the Couch to 5K program is great one to follow for all beginners.

“And the medal you get is so cool!” DuChemin added. 

After the race they wore their medals to the various parks and enjoyed having people congratulate them everywhere they went.

To put it simply, Mills said she was pleasantly surprised by the experience.

“It was magical!”