The countdown to Wine & Dine is on, and the energy is real. We swap last‑week training moves, practical travel advice for 2026 bookings, and a surprisingly useful shoe debate: are Brooks’ Stitch-themed Glycerines a smarter buy than limited race-weekend drops? Then we bring in a conversation that will change how you see your run, your city, and your next trip to Disney.

Author and advocate Doug Gordon (Life After Cars) joins us to explore a world with fewer cars and more options—walking, cycling, transit, and micro‑mobility that actually fit everyday life. Doug uses Disney’s transportation web—monorail, Skyliner, ferries, buses—as a live model for moving huge crowds smoothly without private cars. We talk runner safety and the power of systemic fixes: lower speeds, protected lanes, better crossings, and design that invites lingering, not just passing through. He connects Epcot’s original vision to what we crave today: places that feel good to move in.

We also spotlight the Chicago Marathon with a stacked roundtable. Hear an expo that hums, a 5K with countries on bibs, and race-day stories that span sub‑three breakthroughs, 60‑minute PRs, back‑of‑the‑pack grit as the course comes down, and a tribute run that turned grief into a 15‑minute PR. Charity teams like American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, and Achilles International show how big-city chaos becomes community. The crowds? Electric from start to finish.

We wrap with meetup details (find us by the bleachers), the short‑fuse Disney gift card reminder, and a race report that tours PRs, spooky sprints, endurance milestones, and firsts worth framing. If you love runDisney, safer streets, and finish-line feelings that last, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend, and tell us: what small change would make running safer where you live?

Doug’s Links
Life after Cars Book
The War on Cars Podcast

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Runningwithalysha Alysha’s Run Coaching (Mention Rise And Run and get $10 off)

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