The Cooks of Lowell had the second weekend of the year circled on our planners since last July as the date of the 2019 Disney World Marathon in sunny Orlando, FL, a running foray that us crazy runner types had made a couple times in the past and had never come home from disappointed. This year, however, was shaping up to be a special trip before ever a step had been run in preparation, for reasons that happened to be (not coincidentally) linked.
Firstly, we were being joined on our travels by the family of my girlfriend Katie Durkin, whose mom Kate and sister Sarah -- only half as crazy -- had signed up for the Disney Half Marathon the day before our scheduled 26.2, and whose dad Jim was holding down the chEARing squad with my mom Jackie. The sane brains in both families aren't hard to pick out.
Dependent on their wonderful company, however, was the other reason this trip was shaping up to be an unforgettable one for me personally, a reason which motivated me through every single step of the months-long training cycle. It was darn near one of the hardest things I've ever had to do to keep it bottled up as a secret, but now that the word's out, let me announce here in my happiest and loudest possible tones, to the readers in the front row and the cheap seats,
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As the old folks say, when you know, you know, and I've known that Ms. Katie Durkin and I were *IT* for a very long time indeed. She is the exclamation point burst of color in my life, and after using Pennywise as an excuse to hold her hand all smooth-like way back on our first date (after she used picturebooks as an excuse to reach out and network), the laughter and joy in my days has gone UP like a house that’s balloon-propelled towards Paradise Falls.
This being the kind of person one generally wants to have around in life, I'd been concocting scenarios of one sort or another where I could get down on one knee and ask that biggest of questions to my best friend, in the kind of memorable way she deserved. Both of us being Disney fanatics, the Mouse House natch seemed like it checked that box pretty neatly, so before a single registration had been filed or hotel deposit put down, the wheels in my head were already turning.
Like I said, I'm surprised my tongue didn't split in half after all the times biting it to keep the secret, but somehow, someway, we passed through TSA in Boston's Logan Airport last Thursday morning with one diamond ring and parental blessing in-tow, and we took off (with all the usual airline delays) towards those palm tree groves that make you realize, "huh, maybe those snowbird people are onto something..."
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| If there was one moment that threatened the whole weekend, it was this one. I've got my eyes on you, Mouse. |
Taking advantage of a slight divergence in plans on Friday morning as the Durkins all headed off to the RunDisney expo for some race swag, the Cooks (and Heather's Stonehill roomie, Zoe Lavoie, who I hope has become a full Disney convert through the experience) scoped out Animal Kingdom park as the site for some real-life magic that afternoon. Knowing that Katie -- animal lover of all things in Nature, and the newest and brightest star over at the Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust offices -- lists The Lion King as one of her all-time favorite movies, my dad and I headed over to the Festival of the Lion King live show to see if any of the workers there wanted to become our new best friend.
This hero in question turned out to be (according to his nametag) Diego from the University of Virginia, who told us that he'd not only make us all "family of the day," with front-row seating for the show itself, but that he'd personally escort us backstage afterwards, in his own words, "to make some magic happen." Diego, I don't know if this can or ever will get back to you, but I don't think I'd be able to thank you or repay you enough if I tried for the rest of my days. You're a credit to everything the Disney Parks are supposed to be about, and your involvement helped cement the picturebook proposal I'd been envisioning and that Katie deserved.
"Does that work for you?" he asked as we shook hands.
Brother, you betcha.
We joined back up with the Durkins, enjoyed the goosebump-inducing show from our front-row vantage point, followed Diego backstage to meet the costumed dancers and performers, and then... well, I'll let the pictures tell it.
Well of course... even though everything after the most important "yes" head nod in my life would've been gravy, we didn't train all those miles in the freezing New England colds for nothing! So it was off for a blissful day or two in the parks to chEAR on Sarah and Kate on their outstanding Half Marathon Saturday morning, then carbs on carbs on carbs to prepare for our 3am Sunday wake-up.
Accompanied by the cutest Lilo & Stitch father-daughter pairing you'd find this side of a Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride, we walked to the Marathon starting line together, ready to Go the Distance. I'll let the pics take over here, so scroll on through as few or as many of the most special memories a lot of us will probably notch over our running careers, and I'll see you on the other side for one final word.
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| If the Seven Dwarves needed re-casting, there's a top contender for Happy right in the middle here |
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| ANYONE REMEMBER US?? |
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| Things at Mile 15 were looking grave |
Now that we're back in the slap-in-the-face cold of the frozen North, our hearts are full of love and gratitude for the outpouring of well wishes and congratulatory messages we've received since announcing the happy news over the weekend. Both of us are truly lucky to be surrounded by such caring circles, and we can't wait to share everything on this new upcoming adventure that is MARRIAGE with each of you. Stay tuned for lots more updates and happy memories, but in the meantime, thanks for reading, and for supporting us crazy kids on our travels!!
SHE SAID YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
