Flashback Friday: Race Report--2016 Disneyland Half Marathon

Happy Flashback Friday! Remember WAY back to September when there was this little half marathon in Disneyland. Then remember how I never even blogged about it. Well, luckily we have these days like Flashback Friday to give me an excuse to catch up with races long gone (I'm still blaming the baby for my lack of blogging).

This was our 7th time running the Disneyland Half Marathon. We seriously cannot see ourselves ever not running this race! This year, with baby in tow, we had a bit of a different experience, from starting at the last corral to not really training well to worrying about Robby more than worrying about the race.

We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, so the start was pretty easy--basically a wake up, roll out of bed, and head to the start. Of course, this year since we were in the last corral, that meant add an extra hour of waiting before actually starting. The last corral was really a mixed bag of runners: some first-timers, some walkers, some like us who just didn't enter a proof of time. Everyone we talked to was super nice and we had some great conversations to pass the time. I would say the biggest drawback of the last corral is the waiting and the later finish. I'm one who likes to get miles ticked off before the sun rises, but on this morning, we were barely starting as the sun was coming up.

The BEST cheer squad ever!

Once we were on our way, the course was very familiar with a few noticeable changes. Mainly, it was significantly less time in the parks. Not mileage-wise, but actual foot time in the parks. I miss running up Main Street (you still run down as you go through the castle). There was lots of backstage and corridor running on Disney property, but I love being in the park itself, so the course changes were a bit disappointing.

One noticeable improvement was the paving of the torturous stretch before you hit Angel's Stadium. Of course, Disney has nothing to do with that, but it was nice to not have rocks and dirt in your shoes...as much. I still ended up needing to take my shoe off after the stadium and shake out some rocks.

Onto our race experience: We had a blast running together! Prior to my knee surgery, I hated running with Bill.  I was a more serious runner (yes, faster, but it wasn't a knock on him, I just trained more). I enjoyed being alone and pounding the pavement. After my surgery, though, I found a new comfort in running with him and making the run more social. We talk, laugh, and enjoy the race. We never even think of putting in earbuds because the miles just tick by with fun conversation. Yes, technically I think we slow each other down, but hey, I'm not shattering any world records here, so who cares?!?!

We ran 1 minute run/30 second walk intervals the entire race. I have definitely found my happy place at a 30 second walk. Anything more than that and I lose momentum and really slow down. We stopped for pics along the way and honestly didn't feel too bad at the finish. Not too shabby for a pair of runners who did less than stellar training. There will be a day when we come back and race this race fast, but that was not in the cards for 2016.

We're all registered for the 2017 race! I can't wait to complete the 5th Dumbo Double Dare, our one and only legacy race. On the course this year, we came up with our costumes for 2017, and they are FUN! I can't wait! Truly originals, so sorry friends, I won't be revealing them until closer to race day.

Race Report: 2016 Disneyland 5k

We're home from our California vacation (which started at the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend) and it's time to start reliving our favorite race weekend. In case you didn't know, this weekend is very special as it was our first runDisney race back in 2010. Our whole family has been at this race weekend in some form, and it's a non-negotiable on our race calendar annually. This year was the first year that Katie and Chris didn't join us, but it was for VERY good reason! We have TWO new members of Disney Runs in the Family!!! I'll let them introduce you to our tiniest DRITF bloggers, but for now, I'll just say that they were greatly missed. I cannot wait to head to Disney with all three little ones soon!

The face you make when you oversleep on race morning!

Now, back to that 5k thing. Well, I guess a digression is the perfect way to start this blog post because it's very telling of that race. Do you have nightmares before big races? I do! One that is recurring is that I oversleep and miss the start of the race. I then have to play catch up and it just goes on from there. Well...guess what? On Friday morning, my dreams came true! Wait...what? They say dreams come true at Disney, right? Well, after shutting off my alarm in a sleep-deprived haze (you know, the kind that comes along with traveling with an infant who can't quite get it together in a new place in a new time zone), I never reset the alarm. Come to wake up at 5:21, 9 minutes before the start of the race. Seeing that number on the clock wakes you up really fast! Luckily I was pretty organized and knew exactly where all my running stuff was. I threw on my clothes and went running out the door, leaving Bill, Robby, and my mom sleeping in the dark. No food, grabbed a water, and ran to the start. I missed the whole pre-show, the national anthem, and as I heard, "30 seconds to the start of the 5k" I thought I had made good time...until they continued with "corral B, are you ready?" OH! I had actually missed the start too! Thank God this was only the 5k!

I made it right in time to line up in the back of corral C. I wasn't planning on running fast, but I had wanted to stop for photos and really be able to document the race. Too bad I didn't have time to get any of that together. Believe it or not, this was my first DL 5k. Because of the expense of the races, I don't always register for the 5ks. I know the course changed a little from previous years, but I couldn't tell you exactly how. Actually, I was in such a daze that I can't tell you much about the course. One change that was great was you run through the castle. I know this had previously been a rarity in shorter races. I'm glad they made that change. It's one of the most magical moments of the race, and it's nice that all the participants get to experience this now.

Cars Land Selfie!

Another big change was the medal. It was a medal medal, not a rubber medallion like in years past. Of course, you heard people complaining about that too. You just can't make everyone happy! I do appreciate that they at least are putting a bit more noticeable changes into the race since the price tag is so steep.

And...done!

The course is mainly through the parks and backstage areas. They had the Country Bears out (it was the race theme) plus there was country music playing throughout the course. I'm sure someone else could tell you more about the music. Country music just isn't in my knowledge-base! It was a lot of fun, despite the rocky start. Disney always does it right, and next time, I'll be sure to set more than one alarm!

The new bling-ier bling

Did you run the 5k? Do you enjoy shorter or longer distances at Disney?

Race Report: 2016 Las Vegas Hot Chocolate 15k

On Sunday, February 28, 2016 I laced up my running shoes to participate in the inaugural Hot Chocolate 15k in Las Vegas. I had heard nothing but great things about this race series in other cities, so when they were coming to Vegas I knew I had to run. Of course, I registered before I knew how my body would do after baby. Luckily I'm way too stubborn to quit, so I just got up and RAN!

First, I have to say that I always give a race a pass on year one. They have to get out there and let it ride to see where they need to make improvements. I hope this race comes back to iron out all the kinks.

Bag FULL of swag!

The "expo" was well organized, but it was only a packet pickup. I don't think there were enough participants to warrant a big expo, so that's totally understandable. For locals, though, getting to the strip, parking, and walking through a casino to pickup packets is kind of a pain. The swag for this race is awesome! I love my jacket and buff! One word of caution though--if you plan to exchange your size DO NOT open your jacket! They have ones set aside for you to try on. Luckily the size I ordered fit perfectly.

The morning of the race was a little confusing. The parking and transportation information they provided was not specific; it was general information about parking in Las Vegas. We parked at the LINQ and walked to the start. If you've never been in a Vegas casino, it's very easy to get turned around and lose where you are in relation to other locations. We spent at least half an hour trying to figure out where to go to get to the start. A few signs would have been nice.

We got to the start as the 5k was getting off. They were running about 15 minutes behind, which then pushed our race start back. Add in a motorcycle that broke down and we were very late starting. Normally that wouldn't be too big of a deal, except that it was already getting very warm and the sun was getting strong.

Finish Line Treats!

Once we were off, we ran down the LINQ promenade and did a short stint on the strip. That was the end of anything scenic. No high school bands, no music, no cheerleaders, nothing. It was a good thing my i-Pod was fully charged! The water stops had water (duh!), Nuun, and a chocolate treat (either chocolate chips, M&Ms, or chocolate marshmallows). The miles were well marked and the streets were blocked off with plenty of room to run. Other than being pretty boring, it was organized and well-done.

The finish line party wasn't so party-like, but the medal and goodies were great! Unfortunately, the last thing I wanted after a very hot run was hot chocolate and fondue. I wish it was cold out--I would have scarfed it down! I noticed afterwards that our mugs said "Frozen Hot Chocolate 15k"; I wish it was frozen. That would've hit the spot.

After the finish, we headed back to go home. We made the fatal mistake of trying to leave the hotel at 11 a.m.--checkout time! We ended up spending an hour trying just to get out of the parking garage. What a rookie Vegas mistake! We should have just went out to lunch down on the strip.


Unfortunately, this was just an okay race. Unless there are big improvements, it's not one that I'd likely do again. I might travel to a different city to run, but it just didn't do well in Vegas. Also, this is a group race, for sure. The next time I'll definitely be recruiting my running family to run together.

Have you ever run a Hot Chocolate race? What did you think?

Race Report: 2015 Disneyland Half Marathon

Well, I considered naming this post "The tour de port-o-potties" but thought I'd just stick to "race report".  This was technically not my first half marathon pregnant, however the first was Tink when I was about 6 weeks along and had not even hit morning sickness yet. This time around I was sporting my bump, about 10 extra pounds, and a lot slower pace.

Bill and I decided to run together--he never has enough time to train for this race since it's right at the end of his busiest season at work and he wanted to be sure to support me and Baby S.  Luckily he didn't mind going slow! We made some shirts (they came out great) and stuck to a pretty low-key look.

We headed to the start with enough time to leisurely get into corral C.  We made sure to line up toward the right since we knew we'd be walking and definitely hung back a little to let the faster runners get a good pace going.  We started out at a 2:1 run/walk ratio, but a few miles in, the heat started getting to me (it wasn't bad, but it wasn't cool and being preggo doesn't help).  We had to switch to a 1:1 run/walk and it felt much better.  Yes, I'm taking notes for the next race.

The course was a little different running through Disneyland. It felt like we had less park time and in less fun places than in previous years.  I usually don't stop often for the bathrooms, but clearly this time around was different--I also noticed the lack of passing by park bathrooms!  I was looking forward to taking advantage of the real bathrooms, but it was mostly port-o-potties on this course!

Once we left the parks, it started to get light out.  I'm usually through at least half of the course or more before the sun comes up. This was strange, and I was getting nervous about the heat.  We made sure to stop at every water station and hydrate (of course, this added to the tour de port-o-potties).  It was kind of fun to just take in the sights and sounds.  This being our 6th year running we knew what to expect: classic cars, mariachi bands and dancers, tons of cheerleaders, and of course the huge crowd at the stadium.


A few random course notes: You'll hear people complain about the dirt path right before the stadium. It stinks! This time around we actually saw a person fall right off the side ledge.  Listen up runners--be careful--it's a short distance so just slow it down!  The back of the pack is fun, but PACKED.  I'm not super fast, but at Disney races I'm usually in corral A or B, and keep that pace.  This was definitely a different experience, but it was fun.  We found ourselves running really slow because we were surrounded by runners with a slower pace.  It's kind of a funny phenomenon. You just end up going with the flow, and it was okay with us!

We finished in about 3:30 I think--I haven't even bothered to look.  Total stop time, according to my Garmin was 17+ minutes.  That's a LOT of potty breaks! This was one of the most fun times I've had at the race though. No pressure, lots of great conversation with my hubs, and no soreness/limited tiredness at the end.  Of course, I already have my plan set to come back with a vengeance in 2016! I'm going back to chasing PRs in 2016!!!!  Guess it's a hard habit to break!!!

What did you think of the 2015 Disneyland Half? Did you notice a difference in the course, or was I crazy?

Race Report: 2015 Disneyland 10k

We're back from Disneyland, starting to get caught up on sleep and laundry, and ready to reflect on a great weekend.  There were so many highlights, so be patient--you've got LOTS of posts coming your way!

Let's start with the races themselves.  No one ran the 5k, but by looking at pictures and reading other recaps, it seemed like a great race.  Darn work that keeps expecting me to actually show up in order to collect my paycheck! Hahaha!

The expo for us was fairly unremarkable.  We got our bibs and shirts, looked at the line for official merchandise and decided to not even bother, and I had a quick chat with Jeff Galloway about coaching.  He recommended a few books for me as a new coach and really got me excited about the opportunity ahead of me to coach all levels of athletes.  Needless to say, I'm taking his advice very seriously--he's a pro!

Let's jump to the morning of the 10k.  The whole crew was running!  My mom dressed up in race-themed Red Queen, and Bill, Chris, Katie, and I were the Dapper Dans.  This was BY FAR the most elaborate costume we'd ever done.  We had been crafting for months and I just barely finished ours the day before.

Got photo-bombed!

We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel--can you say SPOILED!  Chris and Katie were asking if we were ready and we had just woken up.  I don't know how we'll ever go back to the other hotels.  We headed to the start line, all starting in corral D.  We must have been stopped a dozen times for pictures--the costumes were definitely a hit.

Being in corral D, we didn't get much of the beginning of race fanfare.  We kept ourselves occupied until it was our turn to begin.  We settled into a 1:30/1 run/walk ratio.  It felt great to be running in cool weather and of course, running through Disneyland.  Should I tell you all again how much I love this 10k course?  It has so much park time!

Of course, running pregnant means lots of port-o-potty stops for me, so I had to stop right after mile 1.  The rest of the Dans went along without me, so I had to really run to catch up. I ran into a few friends and got back to the crew within a few minutes (but phew...I was tired from running a 9:30 pace...I'm definitely slower pregnant!)

This is my fave pic from the course

The course sends you through the convention center area, Disneyland, DCA, and Downtown Disney. No need for music or distractions...it was all just pure fun!  I did get a cramp from either running too fast catching up or from too much water so my last half mile was all walking, but hey, I was just there for the fun!

The medal was impressive, but in all honesty I wasn't really into the theme.  Disney always does great medals though, and the finish is always a party.  It was getting warm and we were ready to shower and hit the parks, but first, we had BIG finish plans--we needed a picture with the real Dapper Dans!

We headed to Disneyland and a cast member told us that their first appearance was scheduled at 11. We had breakfast, rode a ride, and hung out on Main St waiting...and waiting...and waiting. No show for the Dapper Dans!  We were seriously bummed!  The irony was the rest of the weekend we saw them everywhere!!!!  Oh well...we at least had our awesome costumes and pictures together.

We met another set of Dans at the Finish Line!

Overall it was another great race and the start of a great weekend.  Baby S' second 10k, and our 3rd Dumbo Double Dare was off to a great start!

Race Report: 2015 Tink 10k

Race day was here!  I was psyched for my first ever 10K.  What a better place to do it but the Happiest Place on Earth!

It was a pleasure staying at the Disneyland Hotel.  We were so close to the start.  I was a little nervous, but Alyson had faith in me.  Now all I needed was a little trust and Pixie Dust!

We donned our Sparkle Skirts, Raw Threads top and Sweaty Bands and headed to the corrals.

As we settled into our places in corral E, numerous times Alyson was told she was in the wrong corral.  I guess it was hard to understand why someone in Corral A would move themselves all the way back to the last corral.   But Aly was determined to get Mom through this and I appreciated her company. 

Yes, the last corral was crowded. We were up towards the front, but looking behind me I saw a sea of runners.It was almost a half hour past the official start time when our corral finally crossed the start.  We were off!

The first few miles were amusing as we paced through our run/walk/run intervals. Alyson was in charge of the timer.   I kept hearing it go off and asked, walk? The answer was no.  It seemed like everyone had timers on all different intervals and that is what I was hearing. She had ours on vibrate and finally told me…I’ll let you know each interval!

There were some hills (ok, they were small but to me it was tough), but after that you got a good deal of park time.  I loved running down Main Street towards the castle.  The cast members in the backstage areas were such great chEarleaders!   Then you navigate California Adventure before heading to the finish. I absolutely love how much time was spent in the parks and backstage area.

I loved running down Main Street towards the Castle!

Beautiful day for Paradise Pier!

Because I was unsure of myself, I didn’t want to stop for any pictures.   I do wish I had at least gotten a mile marker pic.   Alyson did take a couple of selfies!

Only two miles to go!

We did it!

As the finish line came in sight, I knew I made it.  My official time wasn't good, but that was my fault.   I should have trained better. But, I finished and yes, I had tears in my eyes as I approached the finish.   I really enjoyed this race and was really proud of myself (and of Alyson who probably struggled to keep my slow pace!). 

Bill met us at the finish and we all headed back to the hotel to get ready for our visit to the parks.  When we got to the hotel, the kids surprised me with the best Congrats and Mother’s Day surprise (so good it deserves its own post!).  

My first "real" medal!

S'mores Bake

We celebrated at Disneyland Park with a late lunch at Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue where Alyson insisted she "needed" the s'mores bake dessert because she had to "carb load" for tomorrow's second half of the Pixie Dust Challenge.  Neither Bill or I questioned her choice.  It was delicious, but we really needed a "doggie bag"

I truly enjoyed my Mother's Day weekend racecation at Disneyland. Did you run Tinkerbell this year? How do you like to celebrate after a race?  Have you ever tasted the s'mores bake?

Race Report: 2015 Tinkerbell Half Marathon Weekend: Expo

For once, I'm on top of it!  Just a few days ago we returned from the 2015 Tink Half Marathon Weekend.  Here's Part 1--our review of the expo.  Since me and my mom were running, I thought it would be fun to hear from both of us, since we "expo-ed" different days.

I want!

Joann: After checking in at the Disneyland Hotel early Thursday afternoon (This was my first time staying here and I was obsessed with the Mickey Glove lamps in the bathroom!), I headed to the Expo around 2:30.  This turned out to be a great time to go, no crowds.

My first stop was the Official Merchandise area to see if anything on Alyson or my lists was left.  I was disappointed to find there were no wine glasses (my list), but I did manage to get us the coffee mugs.  I picked up Alyson’s water bottle and my “I Did It” shirt.  The rack that housed Alyson’s “Pixie Dust Challenge” Sweaty Band was now full of generic runDisney bands.  Browsing through them, I did find her a “Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend” one.   After checking out and getting my Disney Visa discount, I headed out to explore the rest of the expo.  

Wandering around a bit, I found myself at the New Balance booth checking out the Tinker Bell sneakers.  They were adorable!  Hmmm…no wine glass, maybe I should get the sneakers….

Next stop was packet pickup.   I realized I left my waiver home, so I had to print one.  I had my choice of computers.  I printed my waiver, picked up my bib and headed to the Get Travel booth to pick up my park tickets.  My Dooney backpack was next on the list and then I headed upstairs for my race shirt. I think I did all this in less than 20 minutes! 

Margaret Kerry

Once I deposited my “treasures” in the room, Downtown Disney was my destination for a quick meal.  It was a definite benefit being so close to everything, unlike WDW.  My plan was to head back to the expo and catch some of the Speaker Series.  This was the first time I’ve had an opportunity to do this.

I sat in on the end of “Information for Runners and Spectators” by the runDisney panel.  It was interesting as they went over the race courses and answered any questions posed. This seemed like a good choice if you were a first time run Disney participant.

The speaker I wanted to hear was Margaret Kerry.   She was the Original Animator’s Reference Model for Tinker Bell.   You could see why they chose her for the part.   What a fun and entertaining speaker!   At 86 years young, she showed us pictures of herself posing for the artists, told interesting stories and even danced a little in her tap shoes.  So glad I was there for this hour.  Yes, “laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever".

Aly:  My hubs and I arrived REALLY late Thursday night (in face, I think it was technically Friday morning), so we headed to the expo on Friday morning.  I set my alarm for 6 am to sign up for the New Balance Virtual Queue.  There were no issues and I was put in group 4. We slept in a bit longer then got ready to go to the expo, day 2.  I wasn't expecting much, which was good, because they were pretty well wiped out of any merchandise I wanted (thank goodness for moms who get there a day earlier).  We can go on and on about ebay and runners "rights" to buy stuff, but I'll leave that for another blog, another day.

For the pink C2C

The expo was similar to the DL Half, with all of the vendors and speakers being in the main ballroom.  It was a bit busy, but nothing like I would imagine the day before.  We were able to get our Lasting Commemoratives bookmark, browse the runDisney booth, pick up packets and goody bags, and look around leisurely. 

Just a few pairs!

Finally, around 11, it was my turn with New Balance.  I seriously love the new virtual queue system at DL! (It's a little tough at WDW because the expo isn't close to anything.  Here you theoretically could go to the parks and come back when your time is up.)  My mom and I were able to try on the new Tink shoes, plus I bought the Minnies that were released at Princess.  Yes, I have a problem.  We were done quickly and headed back to the room where we dropped off our packages and got ready to hit the parks.

Overall, the expo was pretty typical.  I didn't get the same "special-ness" as I did at Princess, but it was a standard expo.  Of course, if you're dying to get your hands on merchandise, you just have to get there for the first minutes on the first day.  There's just no way around it.  If that's not important to you, though, I highly suggest going later.  You'll have a much more enjoyable experience!

Race Report: 2015 Princess Half Marathon

Here we are--finally!  The big event!  This was my first Princess Half Marathon, and I was SO excited.  I didn't even know at the start how much fun this race would be, but just to set the record straight, this is a MUST DO for all the ladies who love runDisney!

Photo Credit: runDisney

Truth be told, I was running a bit late that morning.  I kept forgetting things in the room, and when we got to the buses, there was a huge line.  We waited, and finally got on the third bus.  I have a suspicion that our bus driver was a temp because once on the bus, he clearly didn't have any idea how to get to the start line in a timely fashion.  We ended up there really late, and I missed all of the fun pre-race fanfare.  I got into my corral just in time to start--I hate feeling rushed!!!

Today's course was exactly the same as the WDW Half in January, so I was very familiar with the course (I had just ran it a month earlier).  I hadn't trained much since the Surf City Half a few weeks earlier, and I knew I had to take it easy.  The night before I was starting to catch a cold and was really feeling under the weather.  I knew I could finish, but I also knew I couldn't push it.

I started out with my 3/1 intervals to stay on the safe side.  My pace was okay and I was feeling fine...not great, but fine.  The first few miles are on roads, which is nice because it gives you some time to settle into your pace and spread out.  This course was definitely crowded, though.  I started in corral C, but wasn't running at an all out pace, so I was probably more in line with corral D for the majority of the race.

At around mile 6, you finally get to the Magic Kingdom.  I feel like I say this in EVERY recap, but there is really nothing more magical than turning the corner to run down Main St USA!  The sun was just starting to come up, but the castle was still lit.  We also ran through Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and out through Frontierland.  It was quick, but it was nice to break up the course.

More time on the roads through the infamous "cone alley" (it's always tight there) and on our way to Epcot!  You enter Epcot in Future World and pretty much stay there the whole time.  While it's not much park time, it's great because you know the end is near.  The finish line was AWESOME--and had tons of surprises!  The medals were great and right after you got your medals, fairy godmothers were there to sprinkle you with sparkles.  It was such a sweet touch!  Then, as you started to collect your post-race goodies, you were given a drawstring backpack!  This was such a great idea--I wish they did this for every race!

Here are my official stats:
Chip Time: 2:30:18
Overall Place: 4379/20237
Gender Place: 3854/18517
Division Place: 707/3153

Already prepping for PARIS!

I gathered my things and headed out to meet my hubby.  No congratulations, no hugs, just "aren't you excited...we're going to Paris!"  Huh?  Wait...what?  I refer back to the start where our bus was so late I missed all the pre-race fun.  Well, I had totally missed the HUGE announcement:  They finally announced the dates for the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon!!!!  Forget this race; we were on full planning mode for Paris!  What a great ending to a great race weekend!

All in all, I loved the entire Princess weekend!  I hope to come back for a girls trip sometime soon.  It was themed perfectly and I really appreciated all of the little touches that made it magical. It's on my runDisney must-do list for sure!

Race Report: Princess 10k

Okay, okay...I'm behind!  I have had so much excitement going on in my "real life" that my blogging life just got put on hold, but I'm back and I'm ready to finish recapping the 2015 Princess Half Marathon Weekend!  If you missed the first two parts, click HERE and HERE.

For the 10k, the weather "warmed up" enough for me to sport my recycled Olaf costume.  Hey...when you run this many races, you've got to recycle!  I still headed to the staging area with a jacket and mylar blanket to keep warm.  The morning went similar to the morning before, minus a few shivers.  It was still cold, but after the FROZEN 5k, it seemed more manageable today.

I handed off my cold weather gear to my hubby and headed to the starting corrals in the same way as the day before.  I was in corral A and there was a huge backup of runners trying to get through the small walkway where they were checking bibs.  By the time I made it to my corral, they were already escorting runners around the bend to the start line.  They also gave the warning to get rid of your mylar blanket before crossing the start or you jeopardize your chip time not being recorded.  I didn't want to take any chances, so I tossed my blanket a few seconds before they counted down to the start.  Yes, for the record, it was still COLD!

The 10k course was similar, if not exactly the same, to the 10k during Marathon Weekend.  This means you spend a good amount of time on the streets before seeing the magic of Epcot.  It also takes you through the Boardwalk area, which is a great distraction and gave my feet a bit of a break (somehow running on the boardwalk felt different than the road, and it was good to switch it up).  I've run this course before during Dopey, but somehow this time it seemed a whole lot more crowded and it was hard for me to get some good speed going.  I'm sure some of this had to do with how cold it was and with me starting toward the back of corral A.  I just remember getting "stuck" at some areas where I just couldn't push through and had to slow down.  I wasn't running for a PR or anything, so I just "Let It Go"!

I finished the 10k in 59:54, not bad for not really trying too hard.  Here are the rest of the official stats:
Overall Place: 942/11003
Gender Place: 736/9753
Division Place: 152/1570

I love the entire Princess Weekend and I DEFINITELY see myself returning in the future.  That being said, I will always prefer the Disneyland 10k courses to WDW.  You just get more time in the parks in DL.  The medal was awesome and I loved all the Princess touches.

At the end of the race, I was a little disappointed in the amount of time we had to spend on the bus for the clearing of the streets.  If it had been warmer, I probably wouldn't have minded, but seeing as it was so cold, I was more than ready to get into a hot shower!  We were staying at Saratoga Springs and weren't able to get to the hotel due to road closures.  They did, at least, allow us to stay on the bus in comfy seats while we were waiting.

Did you run Princess?  Do you prefer DL or WDW 10k courses?  

Race Report: Princess 5k

Oh Disney, you really took “theme-ing” to a whole new level with this year’s Princess 5k!  I don’t know how they do it, but wow…the Frozen 5k was really FROZEN!!!!!  Funny now, but it was definitely NOT so funny on the day of the race. 

We were in for freeze warnings, but being from Vegas, I didn’t really know what to expect.  This was literally the coldest I’d ever raced in.  28 degrees when we left the hotel, to be exact.  I ended up having to scrap my Olaf costume and opt for a little Disney under all the layers; my hubby snapped a picture for proof, but that was the last anyone saw of that tank!  I put on everything I had and headed out for the bus. 

When we arrived at the pre-staging area, we huddled around the heat lamps, or as close as we could get to the heat lamps.  We were really, really cold…have I said that yet?  My hubby ended up staying at the heat lamps the whole time and I headed off to run.  This race was, from what I could tell, the same course as the January races, which meant about a mile on the roads before entering Epcot under Test Track.  I was going to walk this race, or at least run slowly, but it was so cold I just couldn’t hold back.  I just ran!

When entering Epcot and running through World Showcase, “Let It Go” was on repeat in different languages.  It was pretty cool the first two times, then, to be honest, I just had to turn my music back on.   We headed through future world, and I was sure to watch my footing, as there was water that I suspect was a little icy too on the course.  We looped around the entrance, and finally, done!  I have to say, it was COLD!  It was all I could do to keep going.  I was still able to see my breath when we were done.

I met up with Bill and he was still huddled around the space heater.  We headed back to the hotel and both took hot, long showers.  We also had a little nap before heading out to the parks.

It was a fun race, but I can’t ignore the cold.  Not to say I wouldn’t do it again, because this was a fluke, but I can’t say I was “happy” that I signed up for this race, this year.  What can I say?  I’m not a cold-weather runner!  All that being said, the medallion was super cute and Disney did a great job with theme-ing!  I loved all the Frozen stuff…well…except for the cold!  They do a great job with the 5k races.  I would highly suggest them to anyone, anytime…but hey, I’d suggest ANY Disney race to anyone! 

Have you ever done a Disney 5k?  How does it compare to other races you’ve done?

Race Report: Princess Half Marathon Expo

Since this is our year of running Disney, I had to try my hand at my very first Princess Half Marathon weekend.  Since the course is the same as the January races, I have never gone down for these races.  This weekend is the second-largest of the runDisney races.  This year, when they announced the Frozen theme, I was in for all the races.  That meant I had to be at the expo on the first day to pick up my packets…well…and of course SHOP! 



5k Swag

The expo opened at 10 am on Wednesday, February 18th.  Knowing we would have three early mornings coming up, we slept in a little and had a breakfast at our hotel.  We were at our bus a little after 9:30, but we waited a long time for a bus, and ended up having to get a second bus.  It was freezing, but we made the best of it and talked to many other runners. 



Glass Slipper Swag

We got to the expo and headed straight to the official runDisney booth.  I had my eyes on a wine glass and a jacket.  We got everything but the Magic Band pretty quickly and headed to checkout.  The lines were HUGE, but they were very well organized and it went fast.  Unfortunately, the Magic Bands were only at the other location, so off we went to the next official booth.  Since we were there, I also picked up a Sweaty Band and got my hubby the cutest shirt—“My favorite Disney princess is my wife” (but he wouldn’t let me take a picture of him in it).  He’s such a trooper! 



Just SOME of the damage I did at the expo!

Once the stress of getting the official merchandise was done, I leisurely moved toward getting my bibs, my shirts, and my free bookmark.  I also picked up a new Raw Threads shirt for the Tink 10k.  We were able to spend some time checking out booths and had a snack before heading back to the hotel.  We tried to scam ourselves a spot in the New Balance booth—the newer shoes are pretty cute, but our return time was too late.  Guess I know what’s on my list for Tink! 

Just like most expos, this one was BUSY and a little stressful, but filled with awesome stuff!  It always seems to take much longer to get through the expo than what I had planned.  If it’s your first time, definitely plan at least 3-4 hours to check out all of the cool stuff.  Disney goes ALL OUT for Princess—I think this was the best merchandise and expo for women.  Sorry guys, this one is all about the ladies.  It was definitely an indication of the rest of the weekend, too.  Honestly, even at the expo I knew this would be a race I’d return to in the future!

Race Report: Surf City Half Marathon

A few months ago, I entered a random drawing on one of my fave blogger’s pages, Patty from My No Guilt Life.  I won, and with that won 2 entries into the Surf City Marathon or Half.  I quickly texted my family, and I knew my cousin Kelly was planning on running, so the two of us signed up (thanks again to Patty!).  She was going to take on the full marathon, I was only doing the half.  It was two weeks after Star Wars and three weeks after Goofy.  I knew there would be no way to do the full! 


Thanks to my hubby, we got to stay at the host hotel for free (yippee for Hilton points), and it was literally right across from the start, finish, and expo.  Score!  This is the way to roll when you do races!  The expo was well organized, albeit a bit crowded, and the race swag was great.  The shirts were long-sleeved and pretty colored.  You also got a great reusable bag and the vendors had great offers.  It took all I had to not register for a few more races while I was there.  I didn’t get any official merchandise, but from browsing, there were a lot of great options.  There were even fun photos to take. 

This race was also a comedy of errs for me when it came to packing.  It felt like I literally forgot everything!  About 2 hours into my drive to California I realized I forgot my Garmin and my Galloway timer.  Yes, I considered turning around, but decided that would really be crazy.  I also forgot my ibuprophen, which I desperately needed due to some dental work I had just had done and my hair brush.  Those were forgivable, but the Garmin nearly killed me!  And for the record, yes, I looked to see if there were any on clearance or something, but I just couldn’t justify spending money on one when I had a great one at home.

On the day of the race, in true forgetful fashion, we were up around 6 to get ready.  The full started at 6:30 and I was convinced that the half started at 7:15.  We watched the marathon get started, then a friend posted on FB about his 8:05 start time.  Good thing he did…the half didn’t start until 7:45.  Ugh!  Luckily our hotel was so close I was able to go back to the room and relax for another half hour. 

We headed down a few minutes before the start (seriously…this hotel thing was the BEST), and I was off pretty quickly.  No timer, so I just used some music to gage about how long I was running, then counted out steps for a walk break.  The course was really flat and the coastline was beautiful.  It was a bit warmer than I would have hoped for, and if we did start earlier like I thought, I think it would have been perfect.  The only trouble I had was the electrolyte drink they were using on the course did not sit well with me (again…proper planning would have avoided this).  Luckily, though, they also had Clif Bloks and those were great!  It was really well organized and there was plenty of aid stations fully staffed.  Funny enough, I kept missing mile markers, and since I didn’t have my Garmin, I had a lot of time to just get lost in the run.  I love runs like this, but I usually prefer them in training, not on race day!

It really warmed up the last 4 miles, but I kept my pace and kept focusing on passing people in front of me as I ran.  You can almost forget that there is beautiful shores right next to you as you run, but I made sure to soak it in as much as I could. 

The finish line was quick and the medal was great.  Again, plenty of food and drink at the finish, and well organized.  I even got a huge shout out as I crossed from John Pelke of The Marathon Show—he was one of the race announcers and happened to also design our running team shirts, which I was wearing.  I met up with my hubby, and he quickly told me that our cousin was in the medic tent and was pulled from the course.  She had hurt her foot around mile 8—might be broken or a ligament tear.  Either way, it was a good idea to stop and get some medical attention.  We had to wade our way back to the tent, and she was ready to get her beer and forget the whole experience.  We then headed to the finish line to watch her boyfriend finish his first marathon—and John gave him a great shout out too!  I wish I had taken more pictures at the finish and gotten more creative…or at least gone to the beach for one pic.  Oh well…guess I’ll just need to run it again!

All in all, Surf City is an awesome race!  I would totally do it again!  The course was quick and beautiful, the expo was great, and they really took good care of the runners.  I guess the only drawback is if you’re a football fan, it’s always on Super Bowl Sunday (but we were done in plenty of time to watch the game).  Oh…and the best part: Even without a Garmin, I had a post-surgery PR of 2:15!  But, of course, my first thought was, “Darn, if I had known that, I would have pushed a little more.”  Guess that’s just my competitive, “there’s always room for improvement” way of thinking.

My 2015 count...so far: 5 races, 3 halves, 1st Surf City