Addicted to runDisney

March 31, 2012 by 1 Comment

Addicted to runDisney

Since the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January when I ran the 5k and was a spectator for the half marathon, I haven’t done much running.  No guilt here – I was 6 months pregnant for Marathon Weekend and continuing running to that point was a huge accomplishment, especially from who I was in my younger days.

But, post race, running became nearly impossible – too much pain.  And, even though I’ve completed 2 half marathons at 13.1 miles each (and all the training runs leading up to that), I’m not good with pain.  However, now that I haven’t been on a run in over 3 months, I’m craving some time on the pavement.  And, being due with baby #2 in a few short weeks, it’s looking to be another few months before I get in real run time.

Without my actual runs, I’ve been exciting watching runDisney announce their new race – the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler and move the Wine and Dine race to a different weekends – races I hope to someday partake in.  And, I got to read all about the newest Disneyland Half Marathon inaugurate the Tinkerbell Half Marathon.  Plus, registration for the 2013 WDW Marathon Weekend opens soon and we can start planning our next trip – our first trip as a family of 4!

Of course, after not running for 5 months, I’ll basically be starting over, but I have until January to run 13.1 and thanks to Jeff Galloway, runDisney’s official trainer, I’ll be ready.  Will you be running with me?

Related articles
Addicted to runDisney

dif
Filed Under: Do and See, Marathon, Marathon Training, Parks & Resorts, Tips &Tricks, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

ESPN Wide World of Sports will host 2012 World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships

September 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment

ESPN Wide World of Sports will host 2012 World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships

USA Gymnastics and the International GymnasticsFederation (FIG) announced today that the 2012 World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships, along with the World Age-Group Competition, will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex’s HP Field House at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. More than 600 gymnasts total are expected to participate in the World Championships, scheduled for April 16-18, and the World Age-Group Competition, set for April 20-22.
“USA Gymnastics is honored to host this prestigious event for the first time in the United States,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “The HP Field House is an ideal venue for both competitions, and our international guests will enjoy all of the available opportunities through having the event at the Walt Disney Resort.”

“The FIG is very pleased to have the World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships held in the United States,” said Bruno Grandi, the FIG president. “This will be the first time this FIG World Championships has been held outside Europe, and I am particularly proud that the United States will host this global event. We hope the citizens of Orlando will come and cheer for the top gymnasts from around the world.”

“ESPN Wide World of Sports is very excited to host the World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships,” said Faron Kelley, director of marketing, Disney Sports. “We look forward to providing a showcase for this talented group of athletes and providing them with the kind of magicalexperience you can only find at Disney.”

Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women’s group is comprised of a base, middle and top partner, while a men’sgroup has a base, two middle partners and one top partner.

“Acrobatic gymnastics is incredible to watch,” said Sam Stark, president & CEO of the Central Florida Sports Commission. “I encourage everyone to come out and witness the amazing routines that include a combination of strength, balance and dance. The competition is guaranteed to be at the highest level and fun for the entirefamily.”

The tentative competition schedule is: World Championships – qualification rounds on April 16-17, and finals on April 18; and World Age Group Competition – qualification rounds on April 20-21, and finals on April 22. The World Age Group Competition has two age categories, 11-16 and 12-19.

Local hosts include the Central Florida Sports Commission and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships, since they came under the FIG umbrella in 1999, have been held in Ghent, Belgium (1999); Wroclaw, Poland (2000, 2010); Riesa, Germany (2002); Lievin, France (2004); Coimbra, Portugal (2006); and Glasgow, Scotland (2008).

Related articles
ESPN Wide World of Sports will host 2012 World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships

dif
Filed Under: ESPN WWOS, Events, News, Parks & Resorts, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , ,

ESPN Wide World of Sports Ink Innovative Partnership – Full Sail University

March 31, 2011 by 1 Comment

ESPN Wide World of Sports Ink Innovative Partnership Full Sail UniversityRecognizing the expanding role of sports within the entertainment industry, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Full Sail University have finalized a unique partnership that enables the school to promote Full Sail’s sports curriculum to a global audience of sports enthusiasts, while offering youth athletes more possibilities to envision their sports dreams.

As part of this collaboration, Full Sail will be represented throughout ESPN Wide World of Sports including the complex’s Welcome Center, digital signs and promotional video packages. In addition, guests who are interested in learning more will be able to arrange a tour of Full Sail’s Winter Park campus from the sport complex.

“The sports industry is evolving incredibly rapidly, and it requires professionals who understand the dynamics of the new media landscape for all applications in business, both now and in the future,” said Josh Mora, program director of Sports Marketing and Media for Full Sail. “One area in which we can attract prospective students who will serve the industry is by focusing our efforts on those who have an inherent enthusiasm for sports. In that way, we can fuel their passion by exposing them to possible careers within the sports realm that they might not even know exists.”

This agreement follows the university’s recent launch of its new Sports Marketing and Media Bachelor of Science Degree Program. The 32-month curriculum, offered both on-campus and online, is designed to help students develop a balanced skill set of technical expertise and content creation. Students will also learn core business and marketing concepts as they apply to sports media, business models, sports marketing and research, public relations, sports law and contracts, and licensing and intellectual property.

“Sports dreams now come in all shapes and sizes,” said Faron Kelley, director of marketing and communication for Disney Sports Enterprises. “We hope that by exposing young athletes to Full Sail’s innovative curriculum, they will be able to realize their aspirations whether they’re on the ball field, in the classroom or behind a TV camera.”

Full Sail has recently collaborated with ESPN in launching a sportsbroadcast research lab at the university, complementing the current ESPN Innovation Lab located at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World.  That lab has been critical in the development of ESPN 3D, Ball Track, NBA Player Card and Ultimate Uplink.

Related articles
ESPN Wide World of Sports Ink Innovative Partnership Full Sail University

dif
Filed Under: Disney & Co, ESPN, ESPN WWOS, Parks & Resorts, Walt Disney World Tagged With: , , , , ,