Texas Man Finishes Cross-Country Run From Disneyland To Disney World
ORLANDO (CBSMiami) – A Texas man has just finished a cross-country run that started at Disneyland in California and ended at Disney World in Orlando – all to raise awareness for diabetes.
Until he heard the cheers, Don Muchow didn't know what to expect.
"The security guard said, 'Oh, are you the runner?' And I thought, 'Oh my God, here's the escort off Disney property,'" he joked.
He felt his spirit lifted getting a big welcome at the Magic Kingdom.
"I love you guys. This is the best surprise in the world," Muchow said.
The 58-year-old is an ironman athlete from Texas. He planned to start at the Pacific and end in the Atlantic. Stopping at the Disney parks was a "happy accident" born from a conversation with a confused friend.
"He said, 'Well, so I assume you're running from Disneyland to Disney World?' And I hadn't actually thought about it that way," Muchow said.
Seeing as he was a fan, including Disney was a great fit – one he needed to give him the push to finish the last leg.
"I've just been on cloud nine since then," he said.
However, his biggest motivator, the reason he ran about 2,800 miles across the country, was his desire to show his Type-1 diabetes isn't holding him back.
And after decades of defying limitation from the disease, he wanted to prove to others they can too.
"Make that choice, rather than the choice of fear," he said.
If you are wondering how he did it, Muchow ran about 32 miles a day, with a break every 10 days until he reached all 2,800 miles.