The Tutu Guys: Friendship, Fitness, and Fun

Embark on an enchanting run with us as we chat with the Tutu Guys, Thom and Adam, whose love for runDisney events and penchant for whimsical race attire have made them legends among the running community. This episode isn't just about the miles logged or the costumes donned; it’s a heartfelt reflection on the transformative power of friendship, fitness, and, of course, a little Disney magic. From the history of the Princess Half Marathon weekend to the personal transformations fueled by sports nutrition and a commitment to better health, our conversation with these inspiring runners will leave you lacing up your sneakers with a new sense of purpose.

 They’ll share how their 'Tutu Guys' brand came to be, born out of a chance encounter outside the Brown Derby, and how they’ve since evolved into ambassadors of joy, encouraging everyone from seasoned marathoners to first-timers to join in the fun.

Finally, we reach the heart of why we run—community, charity, and personal challenges that inspire us to push beyond our limits. Hear about the profound impact of supporting causes like Girls on the Run and the National Down Syndrome Society, and how the simple act of donning a tutu can lift spirits and motivate fellow runners. We close with touching anecdotes of runners overcoming incredible odds and invite you to join the conversation, whether by sharing your own story or by embracing your inner "Tutu Guy" in your next race. And as a special treat, we delve into the delicious world of mushrooms, sharing recipes and nutrition facts that might just inspire your next post-race meal.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to 321 Go the Podcast. I'm John Pelkey.

Speaker 2: 0:08

And I'm Karissa Galloway, and we're bringing you stories from start to finish to keep the everyday athlete motivated to keep moving towards the next finish.

Speaker 1: 0:17

Alright, karissa, do you ever strike up a friendship with a perfect stranger because you randomly overhear something they're talking about that you're interested in and passionate about and you just have to join in the conversation, kind of like anytime I hear somebody talking about the Kennedy assassination, the battle of Gettysburg or the Rolling Stones?

Speaker 2: 0:35

Maybe, yeah, I think so.

Speaker 1: 0:37

Yeah Well, that's how today's guests met and became friends, and the subject they bonded over Running or run Disney race. And, by the way, this serendipitous meeting happened down the road. A piece at Disney's Hollywood Studio Shout out to my former place of employment. Now, since then, they've gone on to become staples of the run Disney community, and an on camera riling interview with them at the start line is now as ubiquitous as Karissa reminding us that she's a registered dietitian. That's right. Our guests today are those two beefy running friends who are no strangers to a core workout Tom and Adam, who we all know as the two, two guys.

Speaker 2: 1:18

They're so happy that we got them on. Sorry that it was not a more visual media, but you know them, you love them. You take pictures of them on the course when you don't think they're looking and their wives are probably watching. But keep listening, you'll find out all about that. We loved having the two two guys on and this is the perfect time for their two twos to shine right before the princess half weekend. Today in healthier, you were talking about mushrooms Yep, the ones you eat and we'll open the mail bag to answer a question about John's wife, who has become quite a popular topic on three, two, one go.

Speaker 2: 1:51

Thank you, guys, for listening, thank you for subscribing, thank you for sharing episodes and quote to love on social media and thank you to our favorite people. You're all our favorites, but those of you who support the show you can do that by going to the link in the show notes and join amazing listeners like Don, melissa, april, bill and more. Every supporter is going to be entered an amazing giveaway in March. So do that Great Follow, subscribe, email, listen and let's do this. John, it's princess time. How do you feel about that?

Speaker 1: 2:39

I feel great about it. I think I mentioned it before, princess is one of my favorite Maybe I'll say my favorite weekend, because we've done a couple of weekends now. We kind of shook out all the bugs that start, you know, the first race of the season. It's not quite as long as a marathon weekend, so you don't have to pace yourself quite as much and, and I will say this, the weather generally cooperates during princess as well as any of the other races. So I'm very, very excited about it.

Speaker 2: 3:06

John, I have been colder a princess than I have been anywhere else, so there's always a chance.

Speaker 1: 3:12

You know me, I like it when it's cold.

Speaker 2: 3:14

No, no, I'm terrible I like it when it's cold.

Speaker 1: 3:21

It's refreshing. There's nothing worse than that 90% humidity and 88 degrees at two o'clock in the morning.

Speaker 2: 3:27

All right, athletes, you weigh it. I'm pretty sure you like it cold, but like 27, as it was that one year. Imagine standing in line listening to us for an hour or two hours anyway, and then it's like 20. It's tough, john. It's tough, but I like princesses, I love.

Speaker 2: 3:42

You know it's hard to pick a favorite weekend. I love the energy of princess. I think it has a really fun energy. A lot of first timers there, a lot of girlfriends that are together, a lot of families that are together. So I just really love that energy. And of course, I love I think I think we've talked about this before but in terms of marathon weekend, I love marathon weekend because everybody feels like they're there, but the themes are always Pluto, chip, dale, donald, daisy, minnie.

Speaker 2: 4:06

So for us I'm not going to say stale, but it just it's kind of like we have to reinvent what do we do creatively in this environment? And Mark and our costume team does a wonderful job. But, princess, because the themes change each year, you know we get to have a little bit more creativity, so we get to kind of be more niche, if you will, and I really like when our costumes are kind of narrowed down like that. So I'm excited to see what we will be. Hopefully I will be a princess and Tracy Wu will be all of the animals in those movies which she absolutely hates. When that happens.

Speaker 1: 4:37

Well, let me ask you this question Do you remember the early years of princess?

Speaker 2: 4:42

Yes, you weren't even there the first year. No, it was Cree Kelly and I, and I had a costume that was like a generic princess costume with a wig, and it was not cute. It was so not cute. But I was just excited I got to dress up. But I do remember the years where the women men weren't allowed to start until Corral C, in the very beginning because they were.

Speaker 2: 5:06

They were working through a lot. They wanted to be a female center grace. The very first year we had major Duomo from Cinderella dressed up and he he was announcing the finishers. However, we were told. And then there was first time we were told by our old, old, old director to not even say the names of the men.

Speaker 2: 5:27

Wow, I see I learned because they wanted to be so female focused and I want to say that maybe lasted like 30 minutes before someone was like, yeah, that's a terrible idea, but that's what that was the direction like where we were it was. We're celebrating women. We want to celebrate women because the predecessor to princess was the women run the world 15 K, which was in May. The over at was downtown Disney at the time. We don't say downtown Disney anymore, but it was downtown Disney at the time. It started near the Cirque and because it was in May, that and wine and dine are the two races I've seen the most vomit at the night wine and dines and the women run the world 15 K. So they really wanted to be female centric. Obviously it has morphed since then, but that's a little run Disney history for y'all.

Speaker 1: 6:12

Yeah, and you know, we've had athletes on here talking about the fact that you know, early on as men they didn't feel like they would be welcome at the princess, and now it's, it's become just men supporting women, and it really does have a great energy. I will agree with you on that, and I will. I will die on the hill that the weather generally is better than consistently Sure, the 27 degrees and every now and again, but that that that's infrequent.

Speaker 2: 6:39

And by the time this comes out, we'll know what the weather is, this entire conversation will be moved. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:45

Yeah Well, welcome to it, folks, welcome to it. If Carissa wasn't circumnavigating the globe, we would be doing this chat later. Yes we are All right, let me. Apparently I haven't got authority. You have a pep talk for us.

Speaker 2: 6:57

I do. It's like a pep talk, but it can be a pep conversation, but it's something that I've been thinking about since trials and I think that it's kind of important to remind people a lot of times. My goals are people to generally feel good about themselves and I know sometimes when we run away we put a lot of expectations on it and our time and how we think other people perceive our time or what we do can really impact us. But, john, if we think about the Olympic trials 173 women, 200 men only five of them met their goal. So would you call the rest of those people who put years of their life into training for this race failures?

Speaker 1: 7:35

Absolutely not.

Speaker 2: 7:36

No. So how come when we as everyday average runners say to the world very courageously I want to run under three hours for the half, I want to run under 230. I want to run under two hours, I want to place in my age group and maybe we miss that goal? Why do we allow ourselves to feel like failures? There's always something to take out of a journey like that, whether you do make the Olympic team, whether you do reach your goal or you don't. So I want you guys to go into princess with the courage to have big dreams. But also, kira Demato didn't finish the trials. Are you going to DM her on Instagram and tell her she's a failure and she's never going to beat? No, you're not. So give yourself that same kindness if the race doesn't go your way, and then, my God, when it does, celebrate hard. That's my pep talk. How was it?

Speaker 1: 8:26

It's a very good pep talk and I will not chime in with my usual Homer Simpson quote If something's difficult to do, it's not worth doing. No, it is worth doing. And the last part of that will be.

Speaker 2: 8:36

If you listen to last week's episode with Sophie, where she qualified for the Olympic trials at CIM. She said at mile 10 she didn't feel good. It's okay if you don't feel good at times in a race, but it doesn't mean you will never feel better again. That's the crazy thing about distance running. Look around, take something in, think a positive thought, count the number of tutus, but just keep going and know that no matter whether you make your A goal, your B goal, or you just finish or it's not your day and you want to try again, that you are someone who is worth celebrating and we celebrate you.

Speaker 1: 9:08

Absolutely. I'm going to misquote the movie Rudy, but you don't have anyone in this life. You have to prove anything to but yourself. And I think sometimes, if you're in a competitive race and you don't win or you don't qualify, you're like oh, people see me as a failure. Don't, don't think that way, because it's wrong. You're not.

Speaker 2: 9:29

And one of the things that happened at trials I forgot we hadn't talked about this, and I kind of do want to was Jenny Simpson was running her first marathon. She is the most decorated American middle distance athlete. This was her first marathon. She dropped out and she was walking in front of us and she was dejected and her head was down. And I don't know the etiquette of what you do as an announcer in that moment, but I did. What I wanted to do was I said Jenny, ladies and gentlemen, this is Jenny Simpson.

Speaker 2: 9:55

I rattled off her accolades, I applauded her for her courage to try to go for the race. She's from Orlando, this is your hometown. Lift her up. And they did. And she said to somebody later, who kindly told me this, that that moment shifted her entire view of how her race had gone. So that's kind of where this pep talk stems from. Is that like, whatever happens, you got to celebrate you. You're valuable, you're worthy and we can't wait to hear you at the finish, at the start, wherever you are at Princess weekend. Just know that John Riley, tracy and I, we are your biggest cheerleaders.

Speaker 1: 10:28

Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 10:29

And what helps during the run Disney weekend is sleep, John, getting good sleep Whether that's that.

Speaker 1: 10:36

I'm sorry, Help me out here. What's sleep on a run you?

Speaker 2: 10:39

know what. I'm going to be taking my pillar triple magnesium with me to the hotel because I love pillar, the way it helps me sleep. I wake up feeling rested and recovered. If you're not familiar with pillar, they are a sports micro nutrition company and they develop products that intersect between pharmaceutical intervention and sports supplements for athletes. Wes and I discovered them at the Ironman World Championships in France. They are coming to the US. You can get on the feed, but I want you guys to get it because I love magnesium.

Speaker 2: 11:09

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Speaker 1: 11:49

We also want to thank Sarah Acres with Runs On Magic. If you want to experience some extra special magic during those run Disney weekends, or if you're just looking to get away on a cruise, sarah Acres with Runs On Magic can help.

Speaker 2: 12:01

That's right. She can help you plan just the right experience for you Complimentary travel planning service, personalized itineraries for Run Disney universal cruises. She's there, she's on the spot, she's making the calls, so you don't have to. She just comes back with the quote. You say yes and you're on your way. Mention the promo code 321. Go when you request your vacation code for a chance to win a $200 Disney gift card or a booking credit. She's on Instagram, at RunsOnMagic. You can email her at RunsOnMagicTravel at gmailcom and she's a Swiftie if you needed more reasons to give her some love. Okay, civilians, it's time for the goods.

Speaker 3: 12:40

Let's get on to the interview.

Speaker 2: 12:43

All right. Well, today I'm so sorry we're not a visual medium because we have the famed Run Disney duo of the Tutu guys.

Speaker 1: 12:52

Hey, that's right, and we're going to find out, and I think we all know why Chris is making me say this what's behind the Tutu, which is better than saying what's under the Tutu. So Tutu guys are here with us. First of all, the question we asked everyone when we start how are you and where are you? I'll let Adam start.

Speaker 3: 13:14

I'm doing well. It's Monday and never miss a Monday. I'm doing well. I'm in Jacksonville, Florida, sitting in my dining room currently chatting with you Beautiful.

Speaker 2: 13:28

Good answer, good strong start. Adam, tom, your turn.

Speaker 4: 13:30

I'm doing fantastic Beautiful Orlando here and it's a little chilly today. I mean it's got to be chillier in Jacksonville, right?

Speaker 2: 13:38

Isn't that usually how it works? Believe it's farther than you.

Speaker 3: 13:41

I'm not bad here today.

Speaker 2: 13:42

Well, it's relative Well.

Speaker 3: 13:43

I say that, but if it's 60, that's fine. It's not below 60. So we're good.

Speaker 2: 13:49

All right. Well, you guys are always good. It's always fantastic to see you guys. Over the last couple of years, you are a staple at Run Disney, so we love a good origin story. So before we dive into the Tutu guys, as we know, we want to get to know you individually. So we're going to go back to Tom. Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into Run Disney.

Speaker 4: 14:11

Ooh, how I got into Run Disney.

Speaker 2: 14:12

Well, and yourself too, Like you don't have to start a birth. Riley did that. We don't need to start a birth. We don't need to Maybe we'll start a birth.

Speaker 1: 14:20

Feel free to start a birth. Whatever, I'm going to use my show when I get to do that, your mother sell it Like whatever Do you do? You. I was born in the Bronx.

Speaker 2: 14:27

Were you really.

Speaker 1: 14:28

Were you really? Yes, oh, now Joc. Now we've lost Joc, Now we never come back.

Speaker 4: 14:33

So Joc John's just going to talk about that.

Speaker 2: 14:35

So guys, okay, we're ready, we're ready, we're quiet, we're sorry.

Speaker 4: 14:37

I used to. So a little bit about me. I sat behind a desk for about 10 years of my life and realized I was a miserable person doing that. So one day I walked out and I said I'm done with this, no more. I love working out, I love helping people work out, and fitness and nutrition are my passion. And eight years ago I just walked out. I was like I'm done with this and decided to pursue that passion.

Speaker 4: 15:01

So I became personal trainer, ended up working with Orange Theory and I was not a runner. If you see me you're like, okay, this guy works out. But I didn't do any of the cardio stuff and as I got a little older realized you know, hard health is pretty important. So started with Orange Theory and one day I was just like, hmm, let me try one of these run Disney races. This looks interesting, like I wanted to, wanted a challenge.

Speaker 4: 15:27

So I'm not really the type of person who's going to just go and sign up for a 5K. I'm like let's just do the Star Wars challenge, a 10 and a half. You might as well knock both those out at once, right, of course? Terrible idea. Terrible idea Also ran a rugged maniac after the 10K. So that was my history of bad decisions, and I was hooked on the Star Wars races. I think I mentioned this at one of the races. I always thought princess race was just for the women and that was like the men were frowned upon there. So I was like, all right, I'll just keep. I'll keep doing doing these star wars weekends. So did 2017, did 2018? The venue where my wife wanted to get married, of course, 2019 only had April 20th available, and that was when 2019 was, so I took a hiatus.

Speaker 2: 16:19

Okay, we forgive you.

Speaker 4: 16:21

I took a hiatus and then, you know, the world kind of went crazy after that and there were no races and I realized I had crazy FOMO. So might as well come back with a vengeance and Signed up for dopey after that and my run isn't. That rest is history. I don't miss an event now.

Speaker 2: 16:38

Well, we love having you guys and we are going to dive into you guys a little bit more at run disney. But I have, I was a huge orange theory fan. I'm still an orange theory fan. I don't go just because my life is crazy and I work out in the confines of my house. Um. So my favorite orange theory story, which I'm going to tell you because you said you worked there right, which one did you work at? You like to tell people this.

Speaker 4: 16:58

So I'm in lake Nona.

Speaker 2: 17:00

Okay, so you're far away from us.

Speaker 4: 17:01

I was. I'm not even in the airport.

Speaker 2: 17:03

Okay. So I was at the clearmont one and I was always in the treadmill by the window, so I'm just doing my thing and there was a dry cleaner next to the orange theory. Sorry, I know it's a good story, I promise. So this guy, black guy, gets out of the car I was his to go to the dry cleaner. His car is like the doors that come up and the orange theory guy gets really excited and goes out there to like give him one of those passes, like invite him in. It was just in gatlin. He has won the hundred meter in the world championships. The treadmill does not go fast enough for him, but he was very polite. He took the car and then after that I was like did you know who that was? I don't think he took any classes at orange theory, but I was just on the treadmill like dying laughing.

Speaker 4: 17:51

That's one of my locations. I'm gonna have to see if anybody remembers that had to.

Speaker 2: 17:54

I mean, it had to be. It was pre-covid, it was probably like 20, maybe 2018, and it was the guy that worked the front desk Sometimes. So, yes, I hope you remembers, because that was good, I'm.

Speaker 1: 18:06

I'm pretty sure Justin is a fellow florida gator, so not not surprised he's such a wonderful, very super nice guy.

Speaker 2: 18:12

They all train over there. All the you know sprinters trained over there. Yeah, claire Mont. So, but anyway, it's not about me, it's not about orange theory, it's about you. Um, my last follow-up question for you, top Can you tell us what you did before you were like, oh, I quit, I quit the chain logistics.

Speaker 4: 18:28

So yep.

Speaker 4: 18:29

I. I handled transporting, originally chemicals around the world and dealt with shipping them from from their companies to warehouses and all over the all over the country, all over the planet, and Then I switched into an entertainment company that also supply chain logistics. So if you're ever in the other parks in Orlando, the universal parks, we get all the TVs in from out of seas, from overseas, that are On the rides, like the whole Harry Potter world, all of any kind of AV equipment in there, handled like getting that into the country. So that was fun because I did get to see the park getting built and Get there before anybody else did in the diagonally. But that's wild.

Speaker 3: 19:16

Yeah, that's my.

Speaker 1: 19:17

That's my origin, because that's where that's how I got to Orlando's. I opened the original park back in 1990.

Speaker 2: 19:22

I'm allowed to say universal shipping container here.

Speaker 1: 19:25

I'm very fond of they. They gave me a job my first group. Well, I did some children's here, my first professional job as a performer, and paid the bills that way ever since. So I have fond memories. I still do the horror makeup show where I started. So, guys, you can see my career is clearly stalled. Yeah, tom, Tom, your ex-job sounds like a great role in a movie where you now you're being blackmailed by some sort of conglomerate In Europe or Russian oligarch who's like I got this guy in the supply chain and so just just keep that in mind when I write that screenplay. I've got you in mind for that. But let's change Dears and move over to Adam. All right, adam, what is your origin story?

Speaker 3: 20:07

Well, similar to Tom, I was born. I was born in Houston, so let's go way back now natural enemy of the Bronx will point that out.

Speaker 3: 20:19

So my story From a run Disney perspective is I've never really been Help conscious. I've never really been fit or had a workout routine or anything of the sort. Most of my life I had a pretty fast metabolism. I didn't have to worry about a lot and it wasn't until probably 2018, when we were living in we had just moved to Texas, so we lived all over like Seattle, montana, wyoming, and we moved to Texas. So when we lived in Seattle, in Montana, I was doing a lot of snowboarding, so I was active. And then we moved to Montana or sorry, we moved to Texas and there just wasn't as much outdoor stuff.

Speaker 3: 20:56

And a friend of mine who had just moved from San Diego and was really big into orange theory and Got me to sign up orange theory in Dallas and about two months later we moved to Florida and we were buying the house and I remember telling my wife I'm like, look, we're gonna find a place. I want to find a place that's very, very close to an orange theory and I'm not joking when I tell you it's less than a half a mile from our house. So I was like, hey, I still can do this, I can continue to stay in shape and Did orange theory all the way up until COVID. And then, you know, covid kind of threw everything off the rails, which is when I met Tom Happened to be it was August of 2020. We were at the parks, we were sitting outside of the Brown Derby and I lugged my helmet bag everywhere and it's got the hashtag on it. So Tom starts looking it up and I look over at his water bottle and I see an orange theory you know sticker on it and I'm like, oh, wow, is this our meet cute? And he's like, hey, who's the troupe of dude? And I was like, yeah, that's me. You know, sheep is to Lee. Looked at Tom and I'm like, who goes to orange theory? Looking at Tom, I'm like I think I know the answer and it's like I'm actually a coach at orange theory. It's like, oh, and I was at August of 2020 and fast forward, I guess it was Princess of 2022. My wife had a conference at Coronado. We were coming down for the weekend just because we had a free room. And Tom goes, hey, that's actually Princess weekend, you should run. Mind you, this is the Monday before the race.

Speaker 3: 22:26

I've never heard anything about a race before. I'd never done any official 5k, 10k, half nothing, and Tom goes, I got a bib and again, I know we're not supposed to talk about this stuff, but I didn't know. I've since learned, but I ran as David or the princess for my very first race and ran with Tom and he ran as a little mermaid Shortlist, obviously. And then I ran as flounder and then Kim, his wife, ran as Sebastian and After that race I was like, wow, this was a lot of fun. And then they had the 10 mile that was coming up in April and they had spots that opened up and we booked that and that was the last race of the season.

Speaker 3: 23:09

And then from there it's like Tom said we haven't missed a race and Then decided to make the most of it, and I think it was. It was wine and dying 22 when we debuted, the ugly stepsisters and the two, two guys unofficially became a thing. And then it was Marathon weekend when we did dopey where, like you know, we should, we should do something with this, like let's just, let's have fun, let's inspire other people, all the comments we got while we were out there. There has to be a way to share this joy with everybody else. So that's Think we're up to speed at this point.

Speaker 2: 23:47

Okay, we're good on the orange. I actually do have some more questions. I like to paint this full picture. So I think as adults it's hard to make friends, but you guys just literally made friends sitting outside of the brown derby. Was there any like? Your wives didn't know each other. There wasn't like a common friend. That's amazing. I'm so proud of you guys like that. I mean, let's be friends. And then, so how did you stay in touch? Did you exchange numbers? Was it just on the trooper dudes IG? Like how'd that work out?

Speaker 3: 25:30

I'm pretty sure we exchanged, so you Tom's handle at the time wasn't the muscle mouse and Kim wasn't the muscle mouse wife. When we met. I don't remember what your Instagram was, but we were sitting there and after about five hours of sitting at ogres together, Okay, so that it didn't with our drinks involved.

Speaker 3: 25:50

It was my birthday weekend, I'm right now this makes I mean, that doesn't make more sense, but yeah and we were sitting there, we left and I was like you know, tom, you should really think about rebranding if you guys really like the parks, is that much? And he's got to thinking about it. And him and Kim kind of rebranded their IG to, you know, muscle and Disney and we stayed connected via Instagram. I know we had each other's phone numbers, but every time we came back into town or every time we came into Jackson was like, hey, what are you guys up to? And you know Tom and Kim are similar to Erica and I, my wife, were both childless millennials and we like to have Fun at the parks.

Speaker 2: 26:27

So nice, it must be so nice.

Speaker 1: 26:29

Every episode we do comes up with another name for my 80s cover band, and childless Millennials is now the name that I want for my 80s cover band, because that's just perfect, because I I'm not a millennial, I'm actually a baby boomer. That's right. That's how old I am, but that's it. So the new band, adam and you you both you guys get tickets as soon as we put this thing together.

Speaker 1: 26:48

Riley and I've been trying for about 25 years, since the old band we were in broke up. But I want to ask you, adam, and you mentioned it you know that you enjoyed the running aspect of it and, tom, I'm assuming you did as well and I we bring it up because we run into people that run Disney races who are like, oh, I hate the running part, but I love the Disney part so much that I that I do the race because I think it then gives me the the permission to go in the parks and Eat and drink like a fool and just do all of the cool, fun Disney things. But you guys really found that you enjoyed the running because I I don't care for the gym or the running and but I know a Lot of guys who are gym rats who wouldn't run if you, if you paid them to. And then we know a lot of running people who Clearly skip core, arm and shoulder day. So you guys really enjoyed yourselves running.

Speaker 4: 27:41

That is me. I am the, the one who will do all the gym things but will not go near a treadmill. And Every year, as the races come up, somebody's like you need to train more, you need to train more, and I'm like I'm just gonna keep lifting and the race is more. It's a challenge for me. It's, you know, not something. I'm spending Every weekend doing a long run, even though I know I should be, and there's a lot of people that are probably this, this guy, this guy's gonna hurt himself. But I come what, we're surviving, we're surviving. But do I love the run? It's, I Like it because it's a challenge. It gets me out of the wheelhouse.

Speaker 2: 28:22

What about you, Adam? Are you like I? How's your running enjoyment spectrum? Cuz orange there is a little bit different because it goes by much faster. You're not grinding it out, You're always like you know. You're in a sort of different mode.

Speaker 3: 28:33

It does. There was Tom. What's the? The challenge? Help me remember like. It's the tread, it's the weight floor and you have to do in a certain amount of time. What's that thing called the?

Speaker 2: 28:45

dry try, no dry try.

Speaker 3: 28:46

Thank you, Mentally I was trying to prepare for a dry try and Problem with orange theory is on the treadmills like you run for 23 minutes and it's walk run. There's like building an endurance. To actually run a 5k on a treadmill was difficult and I kind of broke the rules in orange theory and didn't really ever do a walking recovery and never did true full all-outs. So I run it like a six and then you know a push at like a seven and then an all-out like an eight and then go back to like a base and Never do a walking recovery to try to actually finish a 5k. And I completed a dry try and I was actually in really good running condition until COVID.

Speaker 3: 29:28

And that's why when Tom was like, look, you are in enough shape to do the 10k, he goes, you're gonna run, we're probably gonna have like a 10 to 12 mile an hour. Sorry, 12 mile an hour, jesus. 10 to 12 minute pace. We're gonna stop, we're gonna take pictures. I promise With what you've done you'll be able to handle it. And I actually came down and took a class with Tom when he was coaching right before the 10k and route wound up running To 5k is back to back for the 10 cameras, like I'm gonna be fine.

Speaker 3: 30:00

I think Now I don't necessarily enjoy the run. I mean we do it because it's a challenge. But, to Tom's point, neither one of us are going out running 10 miles on the weekends leading up to it. I think you may have seen DW post yesterday that it sucks to do the the 10% incline at the 3.2 miles per hour. But it really does help build that stamina and build like those leg muscles so that when you, when we do actually run like the muscles there it's just do, we have the, the stamina to run for 26 or 46 or 67.9, whatever we've decided.

Speaker 2: 30:44

Yeah well, you guys are impressive. You make it work and, tom, just I don't want you to get injured, so I appreciate I see every now and then some cardio. I don't know who's it is, but I like it All right, you alluded to your first race together. There were costumes, but you weren't in. You know the full tutored regalia. So you're I'm not gonna say coming out party that is in no way the right term but you're You're a red carpet moment started wine and dine in 2022. How did that? You know, planning go and what was that? Like, there was the one. It was like we're gonna be the steps this time.

Speaker 3: 31:17

There's? I don't think there's the same. There's not a lot of planning. I think it's two weeks before there's a group chat with Kim or with Tom's wife. Kim, myself and Tom and there's the three of us are like what are we gonna run as, what are we gonna do?

Speaker 3: 31:33

And it all started I think Tom alluded to it or has talked about it in the past where his very first race he walked by the sparkle booth, right, tom? Yeah, I'll let it. And you saw that Minnie Mouse tutu and that's what you ran in. So when he did his dopey, he ran in a skirt without a shirt, and that's just him on brand. And he was like, hey, I'm gonna run in a tutu. And that's when he ran is Ariel? And I was like I'll run in a skirt too. So I bought a cheap skirt off Amazon and We've got to talk it about it like, hey, let's go all out for Wine and dine, let's just, let's just get to twos. And we went, I think, at this household my wife went from having like three or four from some of the bounds that she does too. I'm not even kidding. I think we counted. Yesterday we were doing one of her bounding shoots. We've got 22 different two shoes in this house.

Speaker 2: 32:26

All sizes like can you guys wear the same size or you have to have different size to do is? I'm just guessing you're stretchy.

Speaker 3: 32:31

I know, stretchy, okay, yeah, we we share each other's tutus here in this house.

Speaker 2: 32:35

And do you guys share tutus between the the households you know, or?

Speaker 3: 32:39

we could, no, but I'm worse, since was too to I do.

Speaker 4: 32:43

I think I've got two cases in there, like two big crates full ever ward one to orange theory, either of you. I probably have. Do you love, john, how?

Speaker 2: 32:54

they both look in the same direction when they're thinking. They both look yeah, I really have.

Speaker 3: 32:59

I don't think I have. I haven't gone to Orange Theory probably in 18 months. I took a different fitness routine. I haven't been. I think it's been about 18 months now, but I did not wear one prior to that.

Speaker 1: 33:15

Alright, well, as far as you know, since that first race, it is amazing to me, adam, you were able, you had the like 48 hours, apparently, of notice before you were in the race. But can you talk about how you're like a race weekend has evolved for you guys now? Because now, now you're known, there's more planning that goes into it. But, like the whole experience now, what's it like for you guys?

Speaker 3: 33:36

Well, Tom is local and I'm in Jack, so it's a little different. We've had what two dopes now under our two twos, and I think it kind of depends upon the race how many we're doing. I've shacked up at Tom's house in their spare bedroom. We come down and I was like I don't want to stay in a hotel for the entire time. Tom's like I don't want to. We can go do this race, we can come back home and get a workout and then we can still have the day. So I'll stay with him Wednesday. He's over and smart.

Speaker 2: 34:04

Getting a workout in during dopey or we worked out after the 5k.

Speaker 3: 34:08

Oh yeah, we worked out after 5k. We started out at the start, but we got our miles in, since we only had the half of a half. So we got it. We made it work. It started as let's get a hotel for the whole weekend and then, man, we don't need one for the whole weekend, but we really wanted to have one for the half and for the full. So we typically wind up getting hotel rooms so that we have a place to go back to and get cleaned up after the race.

Speaker 2: 34:33

And we thank you for that. The Disney general population.

Speaker 3: 34:37

So we just went up for this past race where we just left and just came straight to the the expo floor to pick up some friends, bibs, because they flew in later. So thank you for having a conversation.

Speaker 2: 34:49

Yes, I saw you, that's all right. I never shower after I run, so it's I mean I do eventually.

Speaker 3: 34:56

The planning piece. Tom sends out calendar, invites serious logistics. On this day we have to register. So we all know, like Tom Kim and myself are all in front of our computers, we're waiting to register and then, leading up to it, we know the race is happening, but it's no exaggeration. We don't do much planning until about three, two to three weeks out, and then it kind of all just comes together. After you, one or two under your belt, it kind of becomes second nature.

Speaker 4: 35:29

I feel like after the race we'll start to spitball on ideas on what we're going to do for the next costume and like we'll bounce them off. I think we're doing that in the airport before we both flew our separate ways in California. We'll get a couple ideas, but yeah, I give it another week before we order anything for Princess. Amazon is our best friend.

Speaker 2: 35:48

You mean this for? Yeah, so this is going to air on Wednesday of Princess, so by then you'll have your costume.

Speaker 4: 35:53

So maybe watching my, I'll be watching the shipping notifications at that point, like a madman, like, please, god arrive, I'll forget to order something. That's part of the, that's part of the ritual. I always forget. Nobody else does but me. I constantly miss. But how?

Speaker 2: 36:08

much do you need? I mean, you don't need a shirt, you probably already have the shoes. What do you need?

Speaker 4: 36:13

I think so I forgot the shirt. I forgot the shirt that went with the outfit during Dopey, during the marathon, and I had to go to the gift shop during the race Buy a shirt so I could ride Everest on the course. Because, you can't ride ever shirtless. And they didn't let me know that until I was at the very front of the line. So luckily I thought ahead and was like I'm going to go grab a shirt, just in case they won't let me ride shirtless. $34 later Got my two minute Everest ride in.

Speaker 1: 36:43

This is educational. I had no idea that that was the case. I mean I knew people rode rides and everything, but I mean, I guess, I guess it makes sense. No, no offense, Tom, I don't think anyone wants to slip into the seat after your shirtless, despite the fact that it's literally like a Greek statue shirtless but still so very, very educational.

Speaker 2: 37:02

All right, well, let's, let's move ahead. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 37:06

To now that you're now that you guys are a known quantity. One of the things that I found when I when I ran my 5k which I slip into every single recording now is that how many people interacted with me out on the course. I really wasn't expecting that, and you guys have certainly are notable. Now you have a certain level of notoriety. What's it like for you guys out there on the course? Are people engaging with you really consistently throughout the race?

Speaker 4: 37:33

I've seen videos of my back pop up all over Instagram. Just hit the run Disney hashtag and I just get my back running away from somebody. So, yes, we get stopped a little bit, I would say, do you like?

Speaker 2: 37:46

that, is that what you want? Does it affect your experience? Like for listeners? Like stop them, don't stop them, don't touch.

Speaker 4: 37:51

Like what are we doing? Definitely say hi, we've had people that we meet on the course and we'll, we'll run or walk with them for a good mile and just chit, chat and Like it's amazing.

Speaker 3: 38:03

Nobody runs without their shirt, unless they're craving attention. Just say it. Just say it, you live.

Speaker 2: 38:13

You know, just you know. We just want to make sure I don't know like the royal family, like what are our rules and regulations?

Speaker 3: 38:17

I'm out there. It's hot, it's very hot.

Speaker 2: 38:20

Except in California. I think there was a little struggle.

Speaker 3: 38:23

It was cold in California. California was a different beast. I was not expecting it to be so cold and I think Tom and I even had this conversation. We were a mile in on the 10 K and my body had not warmed up. I'm cold and we women's the stepsisters for that, and that's a very revealing outfit, and compared to the other ones that are much more modest.

Speaker 3: 38:47

Yeah, and it was. It was just so cold. But finally, after about a mile and a half, start to warm up, but it was then we stopped and we were at the finish line briefly, and then we had to walk back to the hotel. There are pictures I have of Tom and I, where Tom is just like I need to get back to the hotel room and take the hottest shower ever.

Speaker 2: 39:08

We're Floridians, it's not. We're not made for this anymore. We've adapted, you know, we've all, we've all, you know changed, all right, so I want to go ahead.

Speaker 3: 39:16

I was going to say we did you talk about preparing things that we've done differently. It started with dopey when it was supposed to be a little bit colder. We wound up. We're like you know what? We're not going to do the Mylar this year. We're not going to do the Mylar dance, we're going to go get. We went to Walmart and bought the cheapest sweaters. You could find four different sweaters so we could technically wear them across the finish or across the starting line and toss them a little bit later, which was monumental for the half in Disney, because I was like man, I wish I would have had another sweater for Disneyland for that, for the 10K, but I only brought one for the half. But we did that and we started buying the blankets ahead of time. I think it was Lisa the castle runner posted. You know, at Walmart you can pick them up for $3. Tom and I are walking around Walmart.

Speaker 4: 40:04

It's fantastic so anyways just think and learn.

Speaker 3: 40:08

No, these are good tips for people because we do not.

Speaker 2: 40:10

We our anti-Mylar here on 321GO. We don't want you to affect anybody's time, but sweatshirts those are. We're not anti-sweatshirt, we are John's very pro onesie as well.

Speaker 1: 40:21

Oh, actually, I want all my costumes to be onesies. I want everything I wear to be a onesie.

Speaker 2: 40:25

You could be wearing one right now.

Speaker 1: 40:27

I essentially want a onesie that looks like Paul Stanley's Kiss Costume in 1976, except because I'm not Thomas, I can't wear the open-chested thing. So just if I could have something to not show the chest. Just throwing that out there to our show director, if he's listening to me, and he can work this into Disney Runs.

Speaker 2: 40:45

He wouldn't even make you Thomas O'Malley, so don't just say it.

Speaker 1: 40:48

I know he wouldn't.

Speaker 3: 40:48

I have a question, as I was telling you maybe John Pelkey O'Malley I know and.

Speaker 1: 40:52

Tracy was an aristocrat. I have that sign. I kept that sign. I actually have it. Still I don't have it for hours later.

Speaker 2: 40:56

All right, we're not the brightest people. All right, Tom, I have a question for you because you are big into nutrition. You're big into personal training. So what is your nutrition like during the race and then also on race weekend? And Adam, you can't answer. You are not allowed to answer this question as well.

Speaker 4: 41:13

I eat very, very clean almost 90% of the time, but race weekend comes up, we are. We are all you can eat restaurants all weekend. Right, I'm just pulling up. I definitely eat probably a thousand to 2,000 calories more than I'm used to Primarily, what is that? Whispering Canyon. Whispering Canyon is our go-to for the skillets and just loading up on the carbs, okay.

Speaker 2: 41:39

Do you bring fuel with you, though, like for the marathon? What was your on course fuel?

Speaker 4: 41:44

Jelly beans, all that good stuff. Sport beans, all the Sport beans. Okay, I get some of those.

Speaker 2: 41:49

Regular jelly beans are fine too, so just so you know.

Speaker 4: 41:53

Somebody just told me they bring sweet potatoes that are cooked. I'm going to try that next time. That's a great idea, so I'm going to cook some sweet potatoes and bag them up and bring them next year Seems more tedious, but you can actually mash them too and then, like you know, with a little orange juice.

Speaker 1: 42:10

Just saying Get them in a little too, no, don't do the marshmallows. I like it. I like that a lot.

Speaker 4: 42:15

I'm open with my snacks. I'll go to the expo and just try anything and just like, oh, I'll buy a couple of these, buy a couple of those. I love food.

Speaker 2: 42:25

Adam same.

Speaker 3: 42:27

Yeah, I think, tom, it kind of changed my opinion on you know dieting and eating and nutrition and Tom said like 90% of the time you know he eats clean. I'm a little less than that. I'm probably more in the 75, which is a huge step from where it used to be, which was never so. The weekends are probably my most difficult, but Monday through Friday I'm usually pretty consistent. Weekends are a little tough, but you kind of know where you need to land from a macro perspective. But during race weekend all bets are off. It's just whatever you want to eat, we eat it. We're out there having fun.

Speaker 3: 43:07

You talk about fuel on the course. The first time I was doing the marathon I was like I need fuel. I had all these different honey stingers and I realized I'm halfway through and I haven't touched any of the fuel and I was like I don't really need the fuel because during the marathon I think this past one Tom and I ate five bananas total. We had the sport beans that were handed. There were so many different stops during run Disney where they fuel you.

Speaker 4: 43:31

I ate 10 of those little chocolate things and I got the chocolates, but I got it in Hollywood studios and the chocolates are ready, like keep them coming.

Speaker 3: 43:40

And when you have people who spectate, like Kim Tom's wife, world best wife of burrito. We were at mile 23 coming out of Hollywood studios and there's burls holding two burritos for us and I looked at Tom and I was like, do you just want to split one of these? And Tom, being the smart guy that he is, is like no, we started running and I'm like man, I'm so glad we didn't split these, because we just devoured them.

Speaker 4: 44:06

Rick Fitzgerald from the Polynesian.

Speaker 1: 44:09

Let me get a quick follow up, karissa, before we move on. I just want to ask about this because you know, as a novice did I mention I've run a 5K? I'm just wondering before the race, because that was for me, because I was a little nervous going into the race, and I don't generally when I work, I don't really put a lot on my stomach when I'm doing something what do you guys, how do you fuel up just before let's? Let's take like the half or the full? How do you fuel up before that?

Speaker 4: 44:35

Usually for me a big meal the night before that early in the morning. It tends to bother my stomach if I eat too much, so I'm a creature of habit. I have my black coffee on the ride down or on the ride over to the course and I avoid putting anything in but a big. I think. Every race weekend that he comes down we kick off with Don Julio's and like no, and just eat a big Mexican burrito.

Speaker 2: 45:02

Now we know what's behind the tutu?

Speaker 3: 45:04

Yeah, that Chipotle delivery. Yeah, chipotle.

Speaker 4: 45:09

Chipotle gets delivered three or two times each race weekend.

Speaker 3: 45:13

I think to Tom's point. In the morning I wake up and I like I start every morning with a pint of water or 16 ounces of water and a banana, and I do that during the race and that kind of kick starts my system. But I don't like putting a lot into my body before the race because it just doesn't set well with me and, depending upon how the course is set up, it's like I try to keep as little as possible in my body at the start of a race.

Speaker 2: 45:39

We understand, we get what you're, we're picking up for sure what you're putting down. All right. I would like to know is anything surprised you about this tutu journey? If you will, as it's evolved, that is hot gas currently.

Speaker 3: 45:52

That's a surprise how it has kind of I don't know exploded, so to speak. We never really intended for it to be anything more than just out there having fun, and it is. We talked about this a lot, we've brought it up. It's about the run to Disney family and the people that we've met and just the community. That was the main reason why we wanted to create a page. It was like, well, we each have our own, but during race weekend we're these people Like this is us and like let's just kind of be a part of the community as the tutu guys on the internet and we'd still be ourselves elsewhere.

Speaker 3: 46:32

But not all of my friends want to see all the run Disney, like they don't have to follow the tutu guys if they don't want to, but it's out there for those people who share the same interest we do. It's about inclusivity. It's about the people that we've met and the stories that we've heard and some of the things that have the people have said to us on the on the course, who walked up to us and said you know, you're the biggest inspiration for my son or for my daughter, or you know, you're the reason why I was able to cross, or hey, I ran behind you for two miles, you know, during the 10 K yesterday and it just gave me that motive and it was just all of those different parts and pieces that I think are the biggest surprise, because we're just out there having fun and other people are feeding off of that and I just I never explained that, I just I never expected it to kind of turn into what it has.

Speaker 4: 47:30

You said it, he spelled it all out. It's, it's the community, it's it, just like it exploded and everybody like every comment you asked do we like the attention out on the course? It's the comments that Adam just met mentioned that. Hey, you know, you helped me get through my first 10 K and just you cheering us on out there Like that, gas me up. I'm like you can do a 10 K. I'm I'm in the like working my butt off right now to convince my wife she can do dopey next year with us. And I'm at 98% and I'm like you can do it, baby. And I'm like she's not the only one. I tell it's anybody out there Like I believe in you. The whole community believes in you. That's, it's just amazing.

Speaker 1: 48:12

Yeah, we always talk about it. It's the most and I'll get yeah, I'll get you to think of just saying it's the most individual of sports, but the level of support and the team really behind everybody, it's pretty remarkable. Sorry, chris Go ahead.

Speaker 2: 48:22

He was trying to talk to that. I didn't say, like, can you guys be his hype? Like what if John, when he goes his 10 K? No, no, no, hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm going to stop you, we're going to stop right there.

Speaker 1: 48:30

I would, I wouldn't. Everybody didn't know what Tom just did, cause he said he started by saying you know you can do a 10 K. I'm trying to convince my wife that she should do dopey. That was a big leap, tom, but we're not. That's fine. 10 K to dopey. I saw you slipped that in there. You have political career there. You just changed that really quickly.

Speaker 4: 48:49

I started around the 10. I got her into a half. Then we did a challenge and I'm working my way up, but I think she's going to do the marathon. I'm almost there. I'm 99% of the marathon. She's going to get slomo if you miss the other three races that weekend. If you're going to do the hardest one, well, you might as well just come out and I'll train with you and we'll do them all. Now the hard part.

Speaker 2: 49:12

I think you need to come to John's house one day and help him when 10 K Training gets underway.

Speaker 1: 49:16

That's what I mean 10 K Training is already underway, so what?

Speaker 1: 49:20

color to do. You want, john? Oh, I will. I will so wear a to-to. I don't think I should, be given the fact that I did not get the Thomas O'Malley costume at this point, and they're usually like, okay, we'll put you in this and I'm just like no, you know what, if I'm going to run the, I'll wear whatever I want to wear, and I have the legs for a to-to, though not the rest of my body, it's probably will keep a shirt off, Just whatever whatever 10 K you wind up doing, we'll do it at a risk.

Speaker 3: 49:46

We'll do a wrist, a cat and Tom and I will figure out other characters. But you can be O'Malley and you can have an O'Malley to-to. We're really good at putting these things together, so to speak.

Speaker 1: 50:01

All right, okay, well it, and that leads me into my next question Do you have a favorite costume? Because I remember the Wicked Steps Sisters and that. That that made me happy because those are some of my favorite characters of all time. But is there, is there a favorite? Or and the second part of the question going to add to that is is there something? And I don't want you to like have to give away too much, but is there something you have an idea for in the future that you're excited about costume wise?

Speaker 4: 50:30

No favorite costume, I love the Ariel one. It looks so outlandish and I might have been rocking a beard at that point, so with the red hair and the beard, was just just wild looking. And Ariel's top tier Plus. He made a good. He made a good flounder, my wife made a good Sebastian. It just worked really well together.

Speaker 3: 50:54

Yeah, it's hard to beat the ugly step sisters like that. One just came together so perfectly finding that costume and I think that is top tier. That said it. The. The one where we went is Bell, where the two different Bells it was made Bell and Princess Bell, and then we went is Cinderella and then Cinderella from the ball. Like those. Those are always fun, but for me it's it's the ugly step sisters, it's the bow, like I don't know what it is about having the bow. I forgot the ball last time and you know what. You forgot the two to the time before that.

Speaker 2: 51:32

Tom come on.

Speaker 4: 51:35

It's three o'clock in the morning when I get up.

Speaker 1: 51:37

It's just keep it to your car when you're when you're doing your 11,000th crunch of the day, just in your head start thinking of that. I'm oh, I need. What do I need there? That'll be helpful, Says the guy who hasn't done a crunch since high school.

Speaker 2: 51:52

Don't start now, you'll hurt your neck.

Speaker 1: 51:54

No, I just, oh my god, I'm just painful, even doing what I just did.

Speaker 2: 51:59

So I always make a point at some point. We're taught we have very brief times to talk to you. Sometimes we got to go, but I like to mention that, not that you have wives, but a lot of times your wives are there. I just I do this for the run Disney community so they don't get too excited to try to chase you down on the course. I want to let them know that you're taken. But what do your wives think of all of this and how it's evolved?

Speaker 3: 52:19

Oh, you go first, you got this.

Speaker 2: 52:22

Are they ever like?

Speaker 4: 52:24

almost. I mean I would say 90 percent of the races. My wife's out there with us.

Speaker 4: 52:29

And I think it drives her nuts, but it also cracks her up. Sometimes she'll sit back and she'll like get video of people videoing us and people try to like hide it sometimes and I'm like I don't run around like this, like you don't have to hide your camera. You want a photo? Like let's, let's do it. But it definitely drives her nuts. She's our, she's also our like biggest savior. That weekend when she is the prep person, chipotle's ordered like the cost. You're missing this on your costume. She's the one who calls me out, she, I think. She saw us at five different locations during marathon, so she jumped around. There was food, there were burritos, so it it annoys her a little bit sometimes, but also I think she loves it. But she's probably like that's my husband, like hey, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 53:18

Like there's got to be a love for both of you. Yeah, what about your wife? My wife travels so much that.

Speaker 3: 53:25

I need to be Tom and Kim's third wheel a lot. So I think that's probably the most frustrating part for Kim is she has to share her husband with me and that's she just doesn't like to share. And they, they always remind me that they're only friends with me because of my wife. So when she's not here I just get reminded of. You know how much they miss her and it's like hey guys, I'm here, I'm here.

Speaker 3: 53:52

But when Erica is is around, like I know she's not going to be at princess, she's got a conference that she's got to be at, so it'll just be the three of us. But we try to get her into at least one or two races a year so she can get down. She almost always, when she is there, she shows up at the finish line. She flew out to Disneyland with us, was at the finish line for those events. So I mean she's a huge supporter. She's been a before the two two guys you know keep in mind. For the last seven years I've been walking around with a helmet all over the world.

Speaker 3: 54:28

She's kind of already used to just, yeah, no, he's, he's doing that, it is what it is, I'm not going to stop it, and thankfully, she's just always been extremely supportive of it and couldn't be more proud to call her my wife.

Speaker 1: 54:44

Oh, that's beautiful. Well, I will. I want to say something about my wife, to apologize particularly, tom, to your wife is annoyed by it, because my, my wife is generally either Sarge on the course the five foot tall Sarge or last weekend, I think they were for Marathon. She and her friend Angie were were grilling and were just super fans grilling outside of their outside of their RV, which they actually had to sit in and cheer from. So they she always points out when you guys have made it by just pointing out that I don't look that good with my shirt off. So again, thank you. I thank you for that. Let's talk a little about charity, because it is a huge aspect of the run Disney experience for for for many, many people, and we don't always get to talk to people about the charities that they run for. So what are your guys thoughts on charity and giving back through this running experience? So I've run.

Speaker 4: 55:40

I've run a handful of races for charity Girls on the run primarily. I run with them every year. They support female youth athletes in Central Florida. So that's something I'm passionate about just getting kids in sports, keeping kids active because I was not. I used to be about 240 pounds and up until I was 23 years old. So anything that can help get kids active I'm going to be passionate about. And I've also run with National Down syndrome Society. So another great charity that I was fortunate enough for them. I registered for Disneyland and Adam got into the challenge. Adam got into the challenge and I only got into the half. So after that, lovely our friend Michael Michael does Disney reached out to them and they reached out to me and I got my challenge in out of Disneyland. But they were just a great charity to work with. I mean, we get out there, get out there, we dress like idiots, we have fun, you know, and I use try to use that platform to do something better. Just give a little back. Got any on the chart, have you done?

Speaker 3: 56:46

a charity run at them. I haven't done one for charity. I support various different charities. My biggest one is the National Down syndrome Society. That is near and dear to my heart. I have personal donations to that. But as far as donations for running, I've been fortunate enough to able I've been able to secure a bib. I know, tom, you've been in situations before where you weren't and you just took an onion, figured out a way to make it happen.

Speaker 2: 57:17

So we get asked this a lot, actually Tom and John and I don't know, because we don't deal with this Anything. That's actually a question around Disney, like John, and I probably don't know the answer unless it's like how do you say go, or which way do you go, and that's about it. So if you don't get into a race and you want to get a charity bib. Can you briefly tell us what that process is like?

Speaker 4: 57:38

So I'm fortunate that I've done it a few times. So I'm usually on their list ahead of the game. So before registration even goes live they'll get their bib allotment and, luckily, they'll reach out to me and say hey, are you interested in doing dopey again this year? Here's your charity requirement and then I can relax on registration day or I can just focus on registering my wife. Other than that, you can check. If you go on just search run Disney charity, It'll bring you right to the page. It'll list all the charities available.

Speaker 4: 58:07

I think I forgot which one. I had a heart attack, I missed my second dopey and my charity hadn't gotten back to me. So I searched the list and I made every phone call, every phone call to the charities. There's so many amazing ones out there, got in and super great to work with. They all have different requirements. So people ask that a lot, Me I can't think of which one, but I've seen races where it's up to you need to raise $5,000 and tell people you also give your credit card at that point in time. So if you are not somebody who believes they can raise $5,000, don't do it just to do it, unless you're going to fundraise, Because I've had past times where it's gotten a little close and I'm like, all right, looks like we're going to be out of some money on this. But they range anywhere. I've seen 1,500 for dopey all the way up to 5,000. So definitely takes the registration stress away but comes with somewhat challenges of its own. But definitely worth it.

Speaker 1: 59:11

Yeah, I just. It's remarkable the amount of money that's raised throughout any given weekend and we get a lot of different numbers and everything. But just tell everybody, any weekend thousands upon thousands of dollars are raised, and to both your points, for numerous great causes out there. So thanks to everybody who does that and thanks for a little bit of insight into that, because, again, that's a question we get asked a lot. That we were just the level of things that I'm clueless about when it comes to what people have to do in a race, and I can tell you what it's like to get up at one o'clock in the morning, to go to work at 1.30 and how to say three, two, one go, but outside of that, people don't ask me any questions.

Speaker 1: 59:47

I don't know anything. Here's another one that I don't know, given my relative lack of activity. When you find yourselves in a hard place workout out on the course, running what do you use to motivate yourselves to get through? You mentioned that people talking about they motivated that. You motivated them. How do you motivate yourselves to get through?

Speaker 4: 1:00:09

Ooh, talk of hard race. I at Dopey this year I took a little ankle roll. Somebody saw a character and they decided to pull a quick U-turn to get the character photo stepped on my ankle. My ankle rolled, my other knee popped and it was a long, painful. What 45.5 miles to go after that? What are you pointing at? Yeah, after that 5K it was brutal. I had to dig deep. But just committing to it and telling myself I'm going to take it day by day. I'm going to get through each day, if I got to walk the next two days and then we'll see how we do.

Speaker 4: 1:00:47

On the marathon, the marathon, I was fortunate that Kim was there. Six different locations, that was my mental checkpoint. She's waiting for you at the next one. Just keep going, you're going to get there. Just keep going, you're going to get there. Then you do race math. Race math motivates the hell out of me. A half marathon is really just a 5K plus a 10K in the middle. Then you got another. We got to just break it down. It's crazy. Race math Always gets me through.

Speaker 3: 1:01:18

He's not kidding. We're running and we get to mile one. Tom's immediately like all right, so that's one mile down. We got 25.2 more to go, All right. Mile two All right, we got 24.2 miles to go. We get to the 5K. We just knocked out a 5K. I was knocked out a 10K.

Speaker 1: 1:01:37

I was like Tom you're talking out loud buddy.

Speaker 3: 1:01:44

It's not every mile marker I need to have something to work for. So mile marker I think it's mile marker 23 at Hollywood Studios is where we need to be. We're at mile marker 20. So we're coming around Blizzard Beach, all right. So I got three more miles. I got a 5K before we get to Hollywood Studios. Kim's waiting there with the burrito.

Speaker 3: 1:02:02

I hear Tom working through his motivation and for me, during the races, my motivation is each mile sign. So whatever race it was I think it was the half, no, it was the full there were two mile signs missing. I think it was five and six or six and seven Didn't see those. It's like we should have seen it. You're looking at your watch like all right, I know I'm a little off, those are my all right, I can run. I know it'll take me anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes to get between it, depending upon the character stops. Get to each mile marker. That's my motivation during the race. And when they were missing, I think there were a lot of people that can agree. It was like I don't know what to do.

Speaker 4: 1:02:44

I don't know where I'm at Certainly one mile. But I'm like wait, I feel like we should have passed this and you know, your, your watch, whatever you're using to track, it's never 26.2 miles. At the end of it, mine registers like 28, 29 miles, so I can't rely on that to know how far we are. I'm like wait, my math tells me we should be at mile seven already, but I don't see the sign.

Speaker 2: 1:03:06

We apologize for that. We can neither confirm nor deny. If the signs were there, we do not know. We will put in some emails but never tell you what we find out. You'll just be far away.

Speaker 1: 1:03:18

Very little control over any of this.

Speaker 3: 1:03:19

But I know having someone you know, like Tom and I run together and I remember during the marathon Dopey last year, it was mile at 16 or 17,. Right after we got through Animal Kingdom, there's that stretch of road and the sun had come out and him and I were both just gassed and I was like I, I don't know how we're going to finish this. And Tom was like I don't think. We're like all right, just one foot in front of the other, let's walk through this, we'll get through it.

Speaker 3: 1:03:48

And like I could tell like Tom and I are in this odd spot where he can walk at like 4.7 miles an hour and I can walk at about 4.2, but I jog at about five and he walks at a 4.7. So we can't walk together. I got to kind of do a jog to keep up with his walk and he can't run because of his knee. So there was like this point where, all right, what are we going to do to make this work? And finally Tom was like I'll just walk and then you can jog and catch up. And that's exactly what we did and we kind of leapfrogged each other through that and told each other we're never doing this again. And then here we are, signed up for the next one.

Speaker 3: 1:04:27

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:04:28

Amazing. So, Tom, you really like you shouldn't be doing this, but you love this and you're doing it.

Speaker 4: 1:04:35

Who says I shouldn't be doing it?

Speaker 2: 1:04:36

Well, I said you can't run. So I mean that's to have to walk it.

Speaker 4: 1:04:40

I should have known better this time.

Speaker 2: 1:04:42

Okay, well, we're so proud of you.

Speaker 2: 1:04:44

If you're not there, we're all going to be very upset, so you're still going to have to come. You know you're always going to be there. We need you now. One of the last questions we ask everybody and I would like you both to answer if you would like to is you know what is the most inspiring moment that you've seen at a race? And maybe it's something someone told you. Maybe it's an athlete you've got to know. Maybe it was something one of you guys did. But, adam, I'm going to go to you first. What is the most inspiring moment you've seen at any race?

Speaker 3: 1:05:11

I think it's a bunch of different moments and it's why we're out on the course. It's not necessarily the athletes with disabilities and the ones that have the signs on their back, but you are running and you do a lot of leapfrogging during the races, especially if you stop for a photo. There are some people that are out there that you look at and you know they're giving it everything they have for 26.2 miles. They're not stopping because they know they can't. And you see them and you just think, wow, that person is giving it every.

Speaker 3: 1:05:45

You don't know everybody's story. You don't know what's going on. What's going on in that person's head? Why are they doing it? What's their motivation? I just look and I see a guy who's got two knee braces and his knees were kind of knocked together and he was walking and he had a consistent pace and every single time we would pass him I thought, man, I'm just lucky to be able-bodied and get across this race and he has the motivation and the desire to cross that finish line. And every single time we passed this one particular gentleman, I looked at Tom and I said that's the real hero. Like that's the guy who motivates me, because if he can do it. I should sure as hell be able to do it.

Speaker 4: 1:06:27

Hell, yeah, you summed it up. I'm going to give out, I'm going to go one direct person, because they have I believe it was. We met them wine and dine this year and just brought me to tears, I think, adam, the same thing just hearing this family story the mother of Stacy. She pushes her daughter in the wheelchair and her daughter's name is Adriana. She is the oldest, I want to say the oldest, living person with her rare genetic disorder and she's just you see this girl, and she just smiles and she laughs and like the most infectious, beautiful smile and she looks forward to seeing us.

Speaker 4: 1:07:09

That was like I stayed in communication and chat with them all through Dopey and mom's like Adriana's waiting for you at the finish line and like that was another driver for me and just know this one when she pushed her daughter in a wheelchair for 48.6 miles. They're smiling, they're just happy to be out there and they're just incredible people and just blow. They blow my mind where I'm like I have no right not to finish this race. That little girl's waiting at the finish line with a smile. I'm going to get there and just so she can laugh at me in a tutu.

Speaker 1: 1:07:43

That's so great and you guys really really do inspire a lot of people and we get a lot of discussions about you guys and people show us pictures. Hey, I got a picture with the tutu guys and it really is great and we appreciate it. We also appreciate you being on the pod and we want people, more people, to keep in touch with you. So if people want to reach out on social media, where do they find you guys, either individually or both together. Just let everybody know how they can reach out to you.

Speaker 4: 1:08:10

The tutu guys, the tutu guys, that's our combined.

Speaker 3: 1:08:14

That's our combined. Yeah, we're the tutu guys together. You can find me at the Muscle Mouse and I'm at the Trooper Dude the other guy with the Stormtrooper helmet.

Speaker 2: 1:08:26

I'm going to put out a challenge to RunDisney folks listing to complete a race as a tutu version of the Muscle Mouse and the Trooper Dude, I'm going to want to mash up. John gets to be Thomas O'Malley and I am looking for a mashup. That's how you guys will know you were RunDisney institution now when people start dressing like you. So that is my call out. But thank you guys so much for joining us today. It's always a pleasure to see you. We always get really excited when Riley catches you out there and we want to know how everything's going. So it's great to see you both on the course and at the parks and we will see you, as this airs, really, really soon.

Speaker 3: 1:09:00

All right, thank you guys, so I'm very grateful for having us. It's been wonderful.

Speaker 2: 1:09:04

All right, athletes, here's the drill Time to shape up your diet. Carissa, give them the goods. All right. Today in Healthier U, we're talking about mushrooms. John, do you like mushrooms? Why does that make me laugh?

Speaker 1: 1:09:18

In what spirit is that question intended In?

Speaker 3: 1:09:20

Healthier U.

Speaker 1: 1:09:20

Let me say this yes, mushrooms Not I don't like them, I absolutely love them. Really One of my favorite foods. One of my favorite foods.

Speaker 2: 1:09:29

How do you like to?

Speaker 1: 1:09:30

prepare them Any number of ways. I make a mushroom where I go on toast. That's one of my wife's favorite things. I also made a creamy mushroom soup. Recently I got an immersion blender and you know I like to buy kitchen utensils and use them, so I use mushrooms in a lot of things.

Speaker 2: 1:09:49

Well, as you mentioned, they're a flavorful addition to various dishes. They're great as a vegetarian replacement. So I've got three little facts about mushrooms. I'm like 20% I like mushrooms. So I'm, I'm, I would like a ragu, but like the big, like Japanese ones, I don't, I don't like them.

Speaker 2: 1:10:06

So I'm hit or miss, but I should be in all the time. Because the vitamin D so we think a lot about sunlight and dairy with vitamin D, but certain mushrooms can be a source of vitamin D, because if you expose the mushrooms to sunlight or UV light during growth or processing, then that makes the mushrooms produce vitamin D, much like our own skin does. So they're going to add that umami to the flavor, but a surprising boost of vitamin D which is challenging to get enough of from food. They also have these things called beta-glucans, which are believed to enhance the activity of your immune cells, so really important this time of year. And then anti-oxidants like selenium, which help combat the oxidative stress in the body. So that's a good thing as well.

Speaker 2: 1:10:50

And mushrooms are easy to add into your diet. As John said, really simple to make them, simply as a side dish Saute mushrooms, even if you kept them in the fridge. You can throw them into a pasta, into an omelet. I do like mushrooms in an omelet, so make sure, though you don't want to rinse them before you put them away. They're a little white right with the paper towel.

Speaker 1: 1:11:08

You don't want to get all that dirt off, so yeah, yeah, and I think there are food to your point that a lot of people really depends on the preparation for them. Most people enjoy mushrooms in some way or not. I'm just one of those crazy guys who you can slice up raw mushrooms and put them in a salad for me, and I'm your huckleberry there too.

Speaker 2: 1:11:25

I just what my favorite? Your salads are very diverse Mushroom and radish heavy.

Speaker 1: 1:11:29

Yeah, yeah, I gotta tell you it was, you know, mushrooms, when I used to be a picky eater when I was a kid and it was one of the first things that I was introduced to. That was not like the normal thing that kids like to eat and I'd gone. I remember vividly I'd gone with my parents for their anniversary at a restaurant that we all loved outside of Washington DC, the country's choir. It's gone now, sadly, and I would always get a filet mignon and chefs make fun of me because I enjoy that as a kind of steak, apparently, apparently it's not.

Speaker 2: 1:11:54

I like that too.

Speaker 1: 1:11:56

Apparently, you're supposed to want to rib eye. I don't care, I'm fine with anything, I don't care. But it came with. My dad got it with a side of mushrooms to put on the steak and I found that a very interesting thing and I was not a terribly adventurous eater at the time, but I ate those and immediately I went, okay, well, this is something that I'll enjoy. So I remember I was probably eight years old, so it's 50 years of mushroom enjoyment for me.

Speaker 2: 1:12:22

Well, that's good for your antioxidants and your vitamin D and if you want to learn more ways that you can incorporate foods and maybe get some vitamins and nutrients that benefit your body in ways you didn't know how, join healthier you. We talk about that and a lot more. It's really a nutrition education based. Go to galleycoursecom and use the code podcast to save Athletes. Listen up it's mail call time Announce a free present.

Speaker 1: 1:12:48

Alright, thank you, sarge. Well, today's mail is for me.

Speaker 2: 1:12:54

I think it's for your wife, but actually I'm going to let you proceed. You're right, you are going to read this email, but it came from our three two, one go podcast at gmailcom. Email from Kristen DeFever. Johnny, what did Kristen say?

Speaker 1: 1:13:08

Alright, I get to read this one cold. So let's see supposedly an actor. Let's see how well I do without having, without having bruised it at all. She says I just wanted to drop you a note and say I've really been enjoying your podcast since I found it a couple of months ago. Thank you so much, kristen.

Speaker 1: 1:13:24

However, this email was mostly for John and really for his wife, jodi Alright, because this picture popped up on my home screen this morning. It reminded me of how amazing the galactic star cruiser was for our family and how much my daughter enjoyed all the character interactions, especially with Captain Kevan. I just want you to her to know how much we appreciate all our hard work and efforts and thought it was just an amazing experience that we're very sorry we'll never get to have again, maybe. Thanks again to you two and keep up the great work. I really enjoy listening on my runs. Yes, for those of you who may not have heard earlier episodes, my wife was a Captain Kevan on the galactic star cruiser and that was a. She really, really enjoyed doing it. Sadly, it has gone away. The facility's still there. Josh Damato, who is the head of the park.

Speaker 2: 1:14:16

Veteran run Disney runner Josh.

Speaker 1: 1:14:19

Tomorrow, excuse me, I think I said tomorrow. Josh, tomorrow he's like head of parks and everything. He has hinted that something will be done with that space. I think both you and I agree. They didn't build that whole thing just to use it as a warehouse. Don't know when that will happen. It was amazing. I never. I didn't get to go on for the full two days, I just got a truncated three hour version of it. But it is remarkable and I will pass along that to her because she really, really enjoyed doing it and misses it.

Speaker 2: 1:14:48

Yeah, well, I'm glad that I wanted to share that email. I know it wasn't like our typical email, but I just think it's nice that when people give credit to people and help them feel special. So I hope Jodi knows that she was appreciated. She was thought of so much that Chris wanted to email us. So whenever you want to email us, we, if it's appropriate and on brand, we might share it. So we love those emails. Keep them coming. Three, two, one go podcast at gmailcom. If you're listening to this right on time, it's princess weekend, so we will see you bright and early. Thank you to Adam and Tom. The two two guys have names who knew.

Speaker 1: 1:15:18

I know and I wouldn't. I won't remember that, and then I will feel shame.

Speaker 2: 1:15:22

That's all right, I'll help you remember. It's Tom with an H. That helps you remember T-H-O-M.

Speaker 1: 1:15:26

Maybe like Tom the Somali, the alley cat.

Speaker 2: 1:15:28

That you shall be All right, guys. Thanks so much for listening. We'll see you soon.

Speaker 4: 1:15:32

Bye, bye. One Jones, Ex nghĩAdea.