Road trip: Althoffs take running to new lengths at runDisney


The Althoff family participated in runDisney, a series of running events held at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. in January. Posing with a furry friend are, first row: Higdon Althoff. Second row from left: Emma Leslie and Aedan Althoff. Third row: Joel Althoff. (Photos submitted)

Joel Althoff completes the marathon at runDisney in January. In four days he ran a 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon, completing the Dopey Challenge.

Leslie Althoff finishes with a personal record at the runDisney half marathon.
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     The Althoff family of Monticello makes a habit of finding races to run in while on vacation. Sometimes this works out better than other times.

     “We went to South Dakota last summer,” Leslie Althoff said, “and we’re like, ‘Let’s look for a race to run.’

     “We found a fun little 5K to hop into.”

     Her husband Joel said: “That ended up being a mountain run. It’s like a goat path.”

     “It was horrible,” Leslie said. “It was beautiful, though. A great experience.”

     Sometimes, running is the reason for the trip.

     That was the case in January, when the family of five runners ventured to Disney World in Orlando, Fla. to enter races that are part of a four-day event called runDisney.

     Joel Althoff took this concept to the highest possible level – in four days he ran in a 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon, completing what is called the Dopey Challenge, named after one of the beloved Disney characters.

     Leslie ran the half marathon, as did their friend Lindsey Meyer of Monticello.

     The three Althoff children were also involved. Emma, 14, ran the 10K. Aedan, 11, was in the 5K. And six-year-old Higdon ran in one of the 200-meter kids’ races.

     It’s what they do.

     “We’ve been running forever, since we were little kids,” Joel said. “We started having kids, and we realized it was better to be healthy so we could be around when they were older.”

     The four races of the Dopey Challenge include about 48 miles of running. Joel is no stranger to marathons – this was his seventh since 2003 – but completing that challenge was a first.

     “The most challenging part was walking around the (Disney) parks after running the races,” Joel said. “The day I did the marathon my total mileage was 36 or 37 miles, because of all the walking afterward.”

     Joel ran the full marathon in 3:38:22, finishing 431st out of 11,941 runners. He was 388th out of 18,421 runners in the half marathon.

     The Disney races are unique in that there are Disney characters to stop and pose with before, during and after the races.

     “At least every mile, they have different character stops,” Leslie said. “You hop in, and they take your pictures. I didn’t stop for character stops, because I wanted to PR.”

     Leslie did just that, placing fifth in her age group in the half marathon with a time of 1:37:35. She was the 37th female to finish out of 10,618.

     Emma ran the 10K in 47:09, placing second in her age group out of 113. She was the 38th overall female out of 7,062.

     “Emma was fine,” Joel said. “The hardest part (for her) was waiting for the start. Once she got going, she was in a zone. If you watch her run, it looks like she hates every moment of it. But she wants to do it.”

     “She’s just real driven, with anything,” Leslie said. “She’s a hard worker.”

     Aedan’s 5K and Higdon’s 200 were not timed.

     “Aiden did well, ran (a time) he expected to,” Joel said. “He had a lot of fun I think.”

     Joel ran alongside Emma and Aedan in their respective races, but not Higdon.

     “He did not want me to be involved in his race,” Joel said. “But he had fun. Mickey and Minnie (Mouse) were there high-fiving everyone.”

     Joel and Leslie don’t get the chance to slack off with their running, not with the kids enjoying the sport as well.

     “It helps that the kids want to run,” Leslie said.

     “They keep you honest,” Joel added.

     Joel and Leslie met as runners at Mount Mercy University, and shared a love of running that had been with them since childhood.

     “When we were growing up, that was our family entertainment,” Joel said.

     “We both grew up that way,” Leslie added.

     Now, they get to share that with their children, which they do by looking for races while traveling.

     “It’s another memory to make,” Joel said.

 

Category:

Subscriber Login