Local runner - and her dad - compete in 2001 Walt Disney World Marathon

Jennifer Petosa with Minnie Mouse ears

She and her "unathletic" 63-year-old dad, Bernie, completed the 2001 Walt Disney World Marathon last month in Orlando, Fla.

Six months before the race, her dad had never run a mile in his life. But Jennifer trained him, getting him in such good shape that he ran a full 15 miles of the 26.2 mile marathon, opting to walk the rest of the distance. Prior to the race he set a personal goal of finishing in 7 hours. Instead, he finished in 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Jennifer, 27, running in the Women's 25-29 age category, placed 52 out of 816 contestants, clocking in at 3 hours and 52 minutes.

"My goal was to come in under four hours and I made it," she said. "It was so much fun, and my mom and my sister were so impressed that Dad made it to the finish line that they decided if he could do it, they could, too. So Mom's starting to train for a half-marathon, but Jeannie, who's never run a block in her life, says she's going to do the full marathon next year."

This graphic artist for Nantahala Outdoor Center said it's common for families to do Disney World together, but running the Disney marathon together adds a whole new dimension to the Disney experience.

Jennifer Petosa received this gold Mickey Mouse medal for running the 26.2-mile Walt Disney World Marathon 2001 in 3 hours and 51 minutes.

This year, 8,029 runners crossed the finish line.

"There were about as many Port-A-Johns as runners," said Jennifer, who thought the Port-A-Johns were, in deed, a funny site.

She and her dad got up at 3 a.m. to be at the staging area at 4:30 a.m. The race started at 6 a.m. It was a record cold 31 degrees.

"Those who had run the race in the past said this was the coldest they ever remembered it. I wore old sweats and discarded them before starting," Jennifer said.

There were so many people at the start that it took her 3 minutes after the gun went off to even get to the start line. It took her dad 7 minutes - he was staged further back. (The time it takes you to get to the start line is subtracted from your finish time.)

Jennifer never saw the end or the beginning of the line of people and was always surrounded by lots of runners. Runners are monitored by computer chips on their shoes.

"It was a thrilling, exhilarating way to see Walt Disney World. Mickey Mouse stood on a bridge and conducted fireworks, just like in 'Fantasia,' for us," she said. "Along the way, several of the Disney characters would high-five us."

"I saw the sun start to rise over Epcot. At about the 10-mile mark, we ran through Magic Kingdom, greeted by Mickey and friends and we ran through the castle," she said. "At about the 16 mile mark, we ran through Animal Kingdom. The hardest miles were 18 to 22 because this is when you begin to feel fatigued."

At this point her thighs were burning so she slowed down for a couple miles. There were water stops every mile along the race, and after 13 miles every few miles they had fruit and Power Gels. She ate about five high-energy "gels" throughout the race. And every water stop she walked through drinking PowerAde chased by water. But it's hard when you are gasping for breath to try and swallow anything - liquid or solid, she said.

After the 22-mile mark she ran through MGM Studios and through some residential area. "When I heard someone say, 'Welcome to Epcot,' I was so happy because I knew I only had a couple miles to go.

"I really picked up my pace and felt strong as I ran around the countries and towards the sphere. At this point there were people cheering left and right. I wore Minnie Mouse ears the whole way and they'd cheer, 'Go Minnie!'"

The finish line was big and official looking with "big stands and a clock."

"I don't even remember my name being said, but I knew I achieved my sub-4-hour goal - three hours and 52 minutes," she said.

"Then I started walking and they took the chip off my shoe, handed me a warm-up sheet that looks like tinfoil and presented me with a big heavy beautiful gold Mickey Mouse medal. At this point, the oranges and Harvest bars and water and PowerAde were very welcome ­ I could finally swallow them."

When she sat down to stretch, her muscles tightened up painfully. The next day she could barely get down the stairs.

"My dad did really well, too. He wanted to finish under 7 hours and finished in 6 hours and 15 minutes. Six months ago he had never ran a mile in his life, and he is 63! Isn't that cool? I was so proud of him. I joined him when he ran across the finish.

"He is totally delighted at his accomplishment and had so much fun," she continued. "Now he thinks he may train for the Chicago Marathon (where they live). Mom wants to train to walk a half-marathon, and Jeannie wants to try to run the full ­ and she's never wanted to run even a block."

Currently Jennifer is training for a triathalon this June in Cambridge, Mass., featuring a 1.2 mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run.

"In training, I try to do two sports a day. Like I'll swim for 2 hours in the morning, then bike or run in the evenings after work," said Jennifer, who biked 55 miles Saturday in 3.5 hours. What pushes a young woman to work out so much? It's not the hard body, or the muscles, but the challenge, she responded. "It's really quite amazing what your body can do when you train it."

As well as challenging and exciting, you've got to keep it fun, she stressed. "And involving your family members, seeing them train from ground zero to reaching their goals, is truly rewarding."

The Disney marathon raised $76 million for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Courtesy of The Sylva Herald