This week I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Frank at The Fat Runner and Karen at Just Me and My Running Shoes! Thank you Frank and Karen for the nomination! I might have been nominated around this time last year and didn’t participate…bad blogger! This time around, I’m deciding to join in the fun. If you don’t know what the Liebster Award is, let me tell you. I found a really detailed blog about this award here. Most of the bloggers I read who have also been nominated for this award mention the basics…

• You must link back to the person who nominated you
• You must answer the 10 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee
• You must pick 10 bloggers to be nominated for the award
• You must create 10 questions for your nominees
• You must go to their blogs and notify the nominees

Those are the basic rules. However, in the blog I linked above, I found some really interesting information about this award.

• This award exists only on the internet, and is given to bloggers by other bloggers.
• It has German origins – the word “liebster” has several definitions: dearest, sweetest, kindest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, welcome, sweetheart and boyfriend (really?)
• Other awards are a part of the whole “meme“. These include “One Lovely Blog Award”, the “Sunshine Blog Award” and the “Versatile Writer Award”.

It is said that the Liebster award was created to recognize and/or discover new bloggers and welcome them to the blogosphere. In the digital world of the internet, this seems like a nice gesture, in my opinion!

Now that you know what the Liebster Award is about, let’s start with the questions I’ve been asked. Since Frank nominated me first, I’ll start with his questions.

1. What is your funniest running story?

This may be sad, but I can’t think of any funny stories right now. Sorry about that.

2. If you could run with anyone (living or dead, who would it be?

Ervin “Magic” Johnson (wouldn’t it be awesome to see him run a marathon?), Toby Mac (he actually runs the Rock n Roll Nashville Half Marathon every year…love his music!), and Mike Trout (current favorite baseball player). It would be fun to run with people who aren’t long distance runners by profession. I could put some of the more popular runners. However, they’re so fast that the only way I’d want to run with them is if I could run fast enough not to bore them too much.

3. What is your top bucket list race?

Right now, it’s the Los Angels Marathon. After finishing my first 5k, I got this crazy notion that I might one day run the Los Angeles Marathon. So, I’m hoping to cross that race off the list in 2015.

4. What is your favorite TV show?

I think my favorite TV show all time is Friends. I own all 10 seasons on DVD and could watch that show anytime. A close second would be Lost. As for a current favorite? That’s really hard to say. I’ve been a huge fan of American Idol from its first season. However, it’s lost a little bit of what made it so great to me lately. I could say How I Met Your Mother, but it’s now finished. So, I would probably say it’s a tie between Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Melissa and Joey (on ABC Family).

5. What is your favorite Movie?

This one is even harder than the TV question. I love so many movies. So, how about I list some of my favorites? I love the original Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV – VI), the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Avengers, Iron Man and Iron Man 3 (but NOT Iron Man 2), both Captain America movies, both Thor movies, Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting, the Toy Story trilogy, The Lion King, Wall-E, Wreck it Ralph, Despicable Me 1 and 2, Goonies, and the list could go on. Let me just add this…favorite movie to watch while I’m home sick? Ferris Beuler’s Day Off. Favorite movie to de-stress me? Enchanted (I don’t know why.)

6. If you had a monthly column in Runner’s World, what would it be called?

Music, Miles and the Mouse. Wouldn’t it be great to be an official runDisney correspondent?

7. If you ran the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon, who would you dress as?

I’ve already dressed at Captain America twice…

So, maybe at the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon, I’ll have to go as this guy…

Or, one of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I’m still working on that question.

8. If there was a Star Wars marathon, who would you dress as?

Tough question. If I was running in a Star Wars themed 5K or 10K, I would probably dress as Luke Skywalker from Return of the Jedi.

In a half marathon or full marathon, I’m really not sure.

9. What piece of running gear do you totally refuse to buy?

Probably a tutu or running skirt. I know that there are other guys who have worn these things. That’s cool for them. It’s just not my style.

10. What do you think of The Fat Runner Blog? (Trick question, we all know how much you love it here!)

I laughed when I read this one! Love your blog Frank!

Next, Karen’s questions…

1. What’s your dream job?

To be either a publicist or paralegal for Walt Disney Records.

2. What’s your favorite type of workout and why?

Running at the beach. I love that there are usually a lot of runners, walkers, and cyclists out and about along the way. Also, I love being close to the water, feeling the sea breeze while I’m running and the sun shining on my face. It’s my happy place.

3. Name one random thing about you.

I have an odd reason for my fear of flying…the fear of getting air sick. That fear doesn’t stop me from flying. However, it does make me pretty jittery during take off and whenever we encounter turbulence. I’ve flown a bunch of times and as far away as flying to Australia. I’ve never been air sick. However, from what I’ve heard, the experience is awful because it doesn’t really go away until after you are on the ground. So, longer flights cause me more anxiety than shorter ones. My favorite part of any flight is the landing. Once we start that final decent, I know I’m almost on the ground. If it causes me to get air sick, I won’t have to deal with it for very long. I know that it’s completely irrational.

4. Is the glass half empty or half full?

Most of the time it’s half full. However, there are days (or parts of days) where it can be half empty.

5. Favorite travel destination?

My favorite travel destination that I’ve been to already is Walt Disney World and Hawaii (it’s a tie). My favorite travel destination that I dream of going to would be a trip that involved visiting France to see at least one stage of the Tour de France and at least a week in Italy.

6. If you could be a Disney character, which one would you be and why?

Buzz Lightyear (Pixar counts right?) because the dude is all confidence. Plus, he’s a Space Ranger. Who wouldn’t love to explore the Galaxy…or Andy’s room.

7. Who is your biggest inspiration?

Jesus. I know it’s a bit religious for some. However, if I had to choose ONE person as my biggest inspiration, that’s who I would choose. There have been many others who have inspired me. For example, the more I read about Walt Disney, the more I’m inspired by his ability to dream big dreams and his ability to believe in people enough to get the job done that they would go out and acquire new skills to make it happen. I’m inspired by the words of my pastor, Erwin McMannus who dreams of a day when Christians are not known for the rules that we are to follow but by the love and generosity that the Bible encourages each of us to pursue. I’m inspired by the music of Steven Curtis Chapman, the talents of Kelly Clarkson, and the artistry of Miles Davis. I’m inspired of the genius of Bach whose music defined music theory. I’m inspired by the courage and dreams of Martin Luther King and Jackie Robinson who believed that we should not be defined by the color of our skin but by the content of our character. I’m inspired by the faith of Rachel Joy Scott, the first victim at Columbine High School. I’m inspired to become a good dad from my dad. Inspiration is all around us. So, it’s hard to choose just one person. However, Jesus is the one person I aspire to be most like. So, he gets the distinction of biggest inspiration.

8. What is your favorite relaxing activity?

Attending a great music concert. There’s nothing more freeing for me than to be in the presence of great musicians doing what they do best.

9. Name one goal you would like to accomplish in life.

There are lots of goals I’ve had in life. However, the one that’s big on my heart right now is to be able to adopt at least one child and to be the best dad I can be to that child (or children). I know that sounds like 2 goals. But, they really go hand in hand.

10. Favorite quote.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13) I’m not trying to preach here. These words have carried me through so many hard times that it’s become a favorite of mine.

Here are my 10 nominees

1. David at Doombuggy Runner

2. Ian at Philly2Goofy

3. Linzie at See Sharp Run

4. Sarah at Sparkly Runner

5. Juliana at Healthy Wifeys for Lifey

6. Patty at No Guilt Life

7. Mariah at The Undercover Princess

8. Karen at Run Knit Travel

9. Kim at Confessions of a Domestic Goddess

10. Melissa at 13 Going on Crazy

Here are my Questions for the Nominees if they would choose to accept…

1. What is your favorite Disney theme park in the world? Why?

2. Are there any Disney theme parks that you would like to visit that you haven’t visited yet? If so, which one(s)?

3. Since all of you have run in races before, which race was your favorite?

4. If you could choose a theme for a runDisney race, what theme would you choose and why?

5. What advice would you offer someone who is a beginning runner?

6. What races are on your bucket list?

7. If you run with music, what are your favorite songs to run with? If you don’t run with music, what is your favorite mantra?

8. What are your favorite Disney theme park indulgences? This could be favorite food items, favorite shows, favorite attractions, favorite places to go while on a Disney theme park vacation, etc. In other words, what are your favorite things to do at any of the Disney theme parks?

9. When training for a race (a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon, or Ultra), where is your favorite place to run?

10. If you could personalize the post race food given to you after a race like a half marathon or full marathon, what would your order?

In closing this off, I ask any of you who are reading this to pick a question or more and respond to them in the comment section. Also, if you get a minute and do not already do so, visit Frank’s blog and Karen’s blog. They are really good bloggers whom I enjoy reading. Also, head on over to the blogs of those whom I’ve nominated and check out their blogs as well. After all, the goal of the Liebster Award is to expose each of us to new blogs. I can assure you that those I’ve nominated run some pretty cool blogs and are well worth your time to visit. The names of those nominated aren’t in any particular order of good I feel their blogs are. It’s just the order it came to me to include them. I believe that all of them have run in at least one runDisney event. Some run more than others. However, they all provide wonderful content in their blogs. So, check them out.