Friends:

It's been quite some time in the waiting; actually, 361 days, 4 marathons, 7 half marathons, several road races, just a sprinkle of triathlons, and a few minor aches and pains later. And now the time finally approaches for what I call "fun." I know, I know, as my wife Di states, "You'll do anything to get away for a weekend at Disneyworld..."

I want to thank all of you who have been supportive (either by charitable donations or positive thoughts and prayers) to me throughout 2007. This Thursday I will leave for Disneyworld to be one of 3000 participants who will participate annually in the "Goofy Race-and-a-Half Challenge." It is the challenge that combines Disneyworld's Half-Marathon on Saturday and Disneyworld's Marathon on Sunday - 39.3 miles amidst a sea of 16,000 half-marathoners and an ocean of 16,000 marathoners.

I am sending you this email, not to ask for one cent of charitable donation toward a worthy cause, but to ask for a simple prayer. When you find a free moment this weekend, would you offer up a prayer for each of the individuals to whom I am dedicating my races:

My Disneyworld Marathon experience is dedicated to an acquaintance, Bernadine Goerger Puetz of Watertown, South Dakota. She is an alumnus of North Dakota State University and suddenly died on August 16, 2007 (one year from her diagnosis). She left behind five children under the age of 13.

My Disneyworld Half-Marathon is dedicated to my brother Daniel Hoedl, who was recently diagnosed with a mass on one of his kidneys (the recent biopsy shows that the mass is benign). Dan is a veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq and is presently back with the rest of my family in Fargo, North Dakota.

It's my plan to bring along my trusty wafer-thin Canon PowerShot digital camera through the two races and post a few YouTube videos of my experience for my family. You can view them as well by going to www.youtube.com and typing in the word "hoedl" in the search engine. Look for the 2008 Disneyworld runs, as I already have my 2007 Disneyworld races posted there as well.

Thanks again for all your support this year [and for those who have asked, you can view the 2007 Death Valley Marathon at this LINK].

Well wishes and thousands of steps of positive thoughts from the Happiest Place on Earth!

Peace, Lee

Hoedl Goofy Race-and-Half 2008 Training

All rights reserved; Copyright 2007

SOLUS: hoedl's haven