Hilton Bonnet Creek: an Alternative Location for a WDW Racecation

That "precious" bag

Dangle a runDisney backpack in front of Alyson and you never know what will happen!  She called me from the Wine and Dine Expo asking if I wanted to go to WDW in January.   Apparently, she needed this backpack they were giving away with Goofy entries and Billy couldn’t go with her. Refuse a trip to Disney…I don’t think so!  And so we had to quickly plan our trip. We decided to stay off property.   We heard that the Hilton had race transportation, so we thought we’d give it a try. 

Hilton Bonnet Creek is “surrounded by the Walt Disney World

Room with 2 Queen Beds

Resort” as they say on their website.   They offer free transportation to all 4 parks and I must say, they were always on schedule.  You can purchase park tickets there and they even have a store where you can buy Disney products.  This hotel is all about customer service.   At check in, I had to join our 2 reservations, no problem.  I mentioned that we were there for marathon weekend.  Even though we had not specifically registered under their “marathon weekend package”, they gave me the swag bag and explained all the special accommodations they had for marathoners. 

Swag bag--even included a Bondi Band

One of the fun things in the bag was instructions for entering their contest for runners…estimate your finish time and the winner won a free weekend for a future stay at Hilton Bonnet Creek!

Bonus:  As I was settling in on Thursday night, I heard fireworks.  I looked out the window and could see Illuminations off to the right!

On Friday, at noon, they open the special concierge for marathon weekend.   It’s here that you sign up for race transportation.  They offered transportation for both the half on Saturday and the full on Sunday.  The only drawback here is if you are doing Dopey, you would need to get to the 5k and 10k yourself. 

They also had several buses going to the expo on Friday afternoon.  That didn’t fit my schedule (I wanted to go in the morning) so I hopped a bus to the Magic Kingdom (ticket and transportation center), took a monorail to the Polynesian and boarded an expo bus there.  When I returned to the hotel in the afternoon, I signed Alyson and myself up for the race buses (you get a wristband that gets you a seat on the bus).   I didn’t know how I was going to tell Aly we had to be downstairs for 2:45am!!! 

Runner Breakfast

It was quite the spread!

Saturday morning we went down to the lobby at 2:45.  What a sendoff this hotel gives you!!  There was a full spread of bagels, protein bars, COFFEE (I don’t function well without it), water, and everything that might be on a runners list.  In addition, there were hotel employees cheering everyone on.   We boarded the first bus heading to the race (noted here that Sunday there was no need for us to be on the first bus).

After the race, we went to Harvest Bistro for breakfast.  We came straight from the race.  The staff treated Alyson like royalty (and it wasn’t even Princess weekend!).   Our waiter told us that he would be one of the “cheerers” on Sunday morning.   He said the staff looks forward to this because it’s so much fun.

Feeling Goofy on the bus at 3am

Sunday morning, we went down a little later but still had the same experience.   Took a coffee on the bus with me, some water for later and we were off.

View from our room

There are several fine restaurants on property (both at the Hilton and the sister Waldorf Astoria within walking distance).   Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to experience any of them as we were there a short time and wanted to get some park time in.  We also looked at their fully equipped fitness center.  We didn’t use it, but it was there if needed. I also regret not being able to take a trip around the “lazy river” in the pool.  It was too cold to even attempt!

Would we stay here again?   Definitely!  In fact, this would be a nice place to stay on a non-race trip so we would get to enjoy everything this resort has to offer.  You can check them out HERE .

Have you ever stayed off property for a runDisney event?   

Race Report: 2015 WDW Marathon (Goofy--Part 2)

We're onto the big daddy of all Disney races: The Marathon!  This is my 4th WDW marathon and 5th overall marathon (did one in Vegas a long time ago).  Honestly, as I become more comfortable at this distance, this really is starting to become one of my favorite Disney courses.  You get so much Disney time and they break up the course really nicely.  If there is ever a time you consider a marathon, this is the one to do!

Last year, I PR-ed the marathon during the Dopey Challenge.  This year, after signing up only a few weeks earlier (never recommended, by the way), I set an "un-PR" by running my slowest race yet.  But...what that means for you is lots and lots of pictures!  I spent my time enjoying the course, the other runners, and enjoying the beauty that is a marathon.  Most people never get the opportunity to experience 26.2 miles--it's a rare and exclusive club, and I'm proud to be part of it!

Waiting in corral H

We started out just like the day before, very early and cold (albeit, warmer than the morning before, but I was still really glad I brought extra Mylar blankets for the start).  I put myself back a corral because my #1 goal during this race was to ride Everest in Animal Kingdom.  I had it timed out and I wanted to be sure I wasn't just standing around.  I sat at the start to save my legs, and waiting for the send off.

Starting Line!

Today, they were giving runners the warning not to cross the start line with their blankets, not sure exactly why, as during the half I had my blanket tied around me for 2 miles.  Luckily it was warmer, so I ditched it at the start.  I also planned to Instagram my way through the race (see...that's why you need to follow me on Instagram: DisneyRunsInTheFamily).  So...let's let the pictures tell the story of the 2015 WDW Marathon:


The race starts out with a few miles on the streets between the Magic Kingdom & Epcot.  While it's not the most exciting part of the course, it's nice to be able to spread out and get your pace going.

The first fun place you run to is the Magic Kingdom.  You enter through the Transportation and Ticket Center, but just seeing the MK sign is awesome!

First stop...Magic Kingdom!

Castle Selfie!

When you turn the corner to actually enter MK, you are immediately on Main Street USA--it's my favorite part of every race!  You HAVE TO do it once...or twice...or...well...hold on, I have to count...

I love that they keep the castle lit for Christmas.  Even if you are there at dawn, it's still beautiful!






Right turn ahead, and you're in Tomorrowland!


You then run around the back of the Magic Kingdom, right past the newest, hottest attraction: The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  Why is THIS ride not open?  I would have waited for this one!!!!  Left by the carousel, and you hit the picture perfect spot of running through the castle.  It's my secret dream that someday I get that perfect pic and I'm featured on the runDisney website.  Weird...I know!

REAL bathrooms at MK

Mile 6 is the last mile marker you see in the Magic Kingdom, but WAIT!  Make sure you use a real bathroom before you leave the park!  So much better than a port-o-potty!










After you exit the Magic Kingdom, you only have a few short miles on the road before you hit the Speedway.  Rumor is they are getting rid of the Speedway in a few years.  For a normal Disney vacation, that doesn't impact me too much, but truth be told, it's a great distraction when you're running a marathon!

Do I look faster on the Speedway?

There are some more roads, and Disney does it right by taking you by some more characters and stops.  I didn't stop for characters this time around, but I did stop to take a pic with the Goofy topiary.  When I was a kid, I totally wanted this to be my Disney job.  Too bad I can't keep a plant alive more than a week!

Soon enough, we were heading in Animal Kingdom (my #1 race goal...remember).  I was still a little early even though I went as slow as I could, so I stopped at another real bathroom.  People...this is GOLDEN in a race!  After the potty break, the line was open.  I quickly got into the single rider line (they were ready for us) and had a BLAST riding Everest in the middle of a marathon.  Now THAT is a bucket list item for sure!

Waiting in line!

Here we go!

AHHHHHHH!

After the Animal Kingdom, I was finally free to run a little faster, so I picked up the pace and didn't stop as much...well...except for this picture.  It's a must stop for me!  I love the Haunted Mansion!

Dead tired!

After taking a quick break to lie down, we were headed into ESPN Wide World of Sports.  A lot of people don't like this part, but honestly, they must have not been on the course before it was added.  It's perfect timing to give you a break in the miles.  You are here from mile 17-20, you get your cold towel, and you get the energy of the stadium.  Not my favorite part of the course, but it's definitely a fun part.  Today, though, it started raining, so no wet towels were needed...we were already wet.  

After WWoS, you hit mile 20 and it's the home-stretch.  A steep uphill and you head on into Hollywood Studios.  By this time the park is open and there are tons of people cheering you on...oh, and always a few that are angry that the park has traffic.  I snapped a few pics quickly, but by this time it was starting to really rain, so I was also trying to keep the phone safe.

A few quick turns, down around the boardwalk, and you are on your way to Epcot.  It continued to rain, so this was the best shot I could get.  You can almost, sort of make out the ball behind me.  Either way, it's there...trust me on this one!

Gospel choir, then DONE!  Another Goofy Challenge in the books, and my 4th WDW Marathon completed.  Every year I say this is my last for a while.  Let's see if that holds true for 2016! Thanks for coming along!  

Love volunteers--especially when they have BLING!

My bling from the weekend :)

New Year's Resolution Update

Gotta keep myself accountable, right?  So here's my update!  If you remember, my resolution is to adopt new healthy habits each month.  January's goal was to take better care of my teeth.

I hate teeth, by the way!  I tell people that, and I usually get the "but you have nice teeth" answer.  I took some important steps this month--it's definitely not perfect, but I definitely improved.  I now have a Sonicare fancy shmancy toothbrush, and I am regularly flossing.  I went to the dentist for a cleaning and exam, and had some much needed work done.  Now, I need to keep up with it!  Hold me accountable!

Now, onto February!  I had a few ideas, but I decided that this month I'm going to work on portion control.  I'm doing the 21-Day Fix program, and just ordered the 21-Day Fix Extreme program.  It kind of scares the pants off of me--extreme is no cheating, no treats, no wine.  I am hopeful, though, that I can stick it out for the 21 days!

How are you doing on your resolutions?

Race Report: 2015 WDW Half Marathon (Goofy Part 1)

I'm on my way home from the 2015 WDW Marathon weekend, and it was a complete whirlwind of a time!!!!  For any new readers, I only registered for the Goofy Challenge 8 weeks ago at the Wine & Dine expo.  Throw in the holidays with the short training timeline and I knew this weekend was going to be a challenge.  Not to mention that we are starting our house hunt and work is nuts, so extra time off wasn't an option! 

Normally, I'd break off the expo into it's own entry, but I literally dragged my suitcase straight from the airport, pre-ordered anything I wanted, and was in and out in a matter of minutes.  Well, except for forgetting to take my picture to verify I was running both parts of Goofy--but I was only $8 into the cab ride to the hotel before I made him U-turn it back to the expo.  (I was so rushed I totally forgot, but in my defense, someone should have been reminding the runners that they had to do the pictures.  I'm guessing since it was fairly empty, they just got out of the habit of filtering traffic).

Friday?  Or Saturday?

We stayed at Hilton Bonnet Creek (review of that coming soon too).  They had race transportation, so my very, very, very early morning started with a 2:10 am wake-up call.  Mind you, I had only arrived the evening before, so it actually was 11:10 pm Friday in Vegas.  BTW, yes, my hubby was still awake from the night before and my Garmin did still say "Friday".  I dragged my tired tush out the door and we arrived at the starting area a bit after 3.  I think we were the only people there!  Too early, for sure, and it was FREEZING!  Okay, not quite, especially compared to the 5k a few days earlier, but it was very, very cold.  We sat by the concession booths and my mom got some hot coffee.  Pretty soon, people started arriving and I met up with some other Mickey Miler Running Teammates.  It was great to meet new people and huddle up for some warmth.  Side note: I really need to get to know these people better--what an amazing group!!!!

Do I look cold?

I headed out to my corral (G...for Goofy!) a little before 5.  If you're new to marathon weekend, this long, boring road that you walk to get to your corrals is so annoying, but it at least got us moving.  For the half, I started with my corral.  I just wanted to get it over with!  I didn't take pictures on the course, either. 

We started out near Epcot, and headed straight for the Magic Kingdom.  We passed by the Contemporary, then through the TTC, and into the park.  I'll say it a million times: running down Main Street USA never gets old!  It got crowded through the park, but it's to be expected.

Quickly we were back on the road headed to Epcot.  It's not the most exciting part of the course, and there are a few tight squeezes on the roads that have to remain open (commonly known as "cone alley").  Somewhere around mile 10 I ran into a friend I had met at an expo in Vegas (she owns the super cute shoe bling company Shoe Frosting--check it out!).  So random!  She was running Dopey this weekend.  We ran together the last 3 miles, and they just flew by.  We entered Epcot in Future World, then did the quick switchback at the gateway area.  Gospel choir, then finish line!

It was pretty quick and simple--that's what happens when you run a half marathon when you've been training for a full.  Those 13 miles just fly by!  I finished in 2:39:17.  Not bad considering I intentionally took it slow knowing I had a marathon the next day.

I collected my bling, my snack box, and walked through a pretty nondescript tent.  I later learned that this is where they would verify I was who I was the next day.  Guess it was like a training for marathon day :)  My mom met up with me at the finish area--I was freezing!  It never really did warm up too much. 

I run for the bling...let's be honest!

Overall this is a great course (I hear it's exactly the same as Princess Weekend, just FYI...I'll let you know in a few weeks).  I do prefer the marathon course over the half, but hey, it's not a bad way to spend 13.1 miles!  I was definitely tired from my whirlwind trip (remember, I only arrived about 12 hours earlier), and do not recommend doing that for this kind of race.  No regrets, though!  YOLO (isn't that what the cool kids are saying these days?).  Part 2 coming soon...

Have you ever run the WDW Half?  Is it on your "must-run" list?  Tell me about it!

The Procrastinator's Guide to the WDW Marathon

I'm on my way to WDW, and thought I better at least post something about the upcoming WDW Marathon weekend.  Yes, I realize half of you are already there, the merchandise is all gone, and Dopey runners have already woken up way too early 2 mornings in a row.  BUT, this is the time the procrastinator runners are arriving and some first time marathoners who are coming "only" for the full or the half. 

First, remember you have to go to the expo in person to pick up your bib.  No more friends & family picking up for you.  We are down to the last few days, so here are your hours: Friday 9-7 & Saturday 10-4.  I'll be jamming to the expo straight from the airport, so if you see me dragging around my obnoxious hot pink luggage, you'll know why :)

Also new this year, all of you Dopey & Goofy runners need to have your picture taken at the expo to verify you are you when you cross the finish lines.  This always boggles my mind, because you know they do this out of necessity.  Who are these people who are cheating the system for a medal?  I just don't get it.  Why would you want the medal if you didn't complete the challenge? 

The races each start at 5:30.  Be sure to check with your hotel to verify bus schedules and pickup locations if you are taking a bus to the start.  It's early--you might not be awake enough to figure it out in the morning!

Finally, here are some tips for the night before to be ready to go!
1.  Plug everything in and make sure they are charging (I-pods, cameras, phones, Garmin, etch)
2.  Set a few alarms.  This just helps me sleep better knowing if one fails, I have a back-up.
3.  Lay out your clothes--you may not even know what your underwear is that early!
4.  Pin your bib on your shirt.  Again, your eyes will barely be open.  Try to get that bib straight at 2:30 am... good luck!
5.  Get to bed early!  I try to plan for 8 hours of sleep.  Even if I don't end of falling asleep, I'm in bed, face washed, in my jammies, and resting. 

Good luck runners!  I hope to meet many of you on the course this weekend. 

Friday Five: 5 goals for 2015

I'm so happy that the girls from http://eatprayrundc.com/ http://www.marontherun.com/ & http://www.yousignedupforwhat.com/ decided for this Friday's post to be about goals.  I love New Year's Resolutions.  I don't always stick to them, but I love the idea of a fresh start.  So, without further adieu, here are my 5 goals for 15!  (Be sure to check out these ladies' sites too for tons of great bloggers who link up weekly.  I've found AWESOME blogs to follow from the Friday Five Linkup!).

1.  Get my knee back to as close to normal as possible.  I have not seen a doctor since 10 days post surgery.  (BTW, I was discharged at that time, this was not my choice).  I need to get a new doctor, perhaps one that will offer solutions, and get my knee taken care of.  I also need to do things, like strength training, to help it along.

2.  Run a 2:15 half marathon.  I've been chasing 2:00 for so long, but I've got to be realistic.  Since surgery, I haven't been able to run fast...not at all...so I need to set my sights on a realistic goal.  I'm thinking Tink in May will be my goal race.

Okay...whining about my knee is over :)

3.  Get certified as an RRCA running coach!  This is probably the most exciting thing I currently have planned :)  In March, I will be traveling to Denver to complete the 2-day training, then plan to quickly finish the rest of the requirements so I will be fully certified by the end of spring.  I cannot wait to add this to my growing list of fitness-related skills.

4.  On that note, my next goal is to build my home-based fitness business as a Beachbody Coach and an online running coach.  Don't worry, this blog is not turning into a sales pitch 24/7!  I'm finally willing, though, to take a leap of faith and make a career out of helping others get fit and healthy.  It will undoubtedly be hard and I will have to work long, hard hours (while still at my day job), but I know that if I follow my heart and passion, things will work out.

5.  Adopt one healthy habit a month.  I thought this would be a good goal to get healthier all around.  Each month I'm going to focus on adding one thing to my routine and then build as the year goes on.  Hold me to this!  So far, I've come up with my January habit: I'm going to improve my oral care routine by flossing daily, using my Sonicare (my Christmas gift to myself) twice a day and using Pro-Health mouthwash twice a day.  I hate teeth, but I've been trying to get better.  I've been really good the past 2 years about the dentist, and my 6-month check up is this month, so I thought this would be a good place to start.

I probably could come up with 5 more, but I'll leave it at that for now.  Don't forget to check out the Friday Five for some inspiration for your own goals :)  If one of your goals is to lose weight, be sure to check out the Diet Bet I'm hosting for extra "inspiration" (money as an incentive)!  http://www.dietbetter.com/games/56749

My Plan to Get Back on Track for 2015

Happy New Year Everyone!  2014 was so crazy I barely have had time to get a list of resolutions together.  Luckily, tomorrow's "Friday Five" is about goals, so I'll save that post until tomorrow.

Today, though, I'm planning how I'm getting back on track after a bit too much of indulging over the holidays.  Of course, it won't be a straight path, since I have 3 race weekends in January that include travel (it sounded so good when I planned the races). 

I have a ton of friends who have had great success with the 21-Day Fix program.  Since becoming a Beachbody coach, I've been wanting to try this program, but knew I wouldn't do the workouts.  Between teaching classes, doing PiYo at home, and running I don't know when I'd fit in another home workout.  Then, as if it was made just for me, Beachbody came out with Portion Fix, which is just the nutrition part of the 21-Day Fix.  Perfect!  My kit arrives Wednesday, along with the 3-Day Refresh.  I'm super excited to get started.  Nutrition has always been my struggle, and I know that losing some pounds will definitely help my knees and my running.  I want to get back to running faster, and this is definitely a key component.

In addition, to keep me motivated, I've organized and joined another Diet Bet.  It's worked for me before, and I get to help others while doing it.  It's seriously a win, win (and lose).  Love it!  (By the way, if you want to join, here's the link: http://www.dietbetter.com/games/56749 I'd love to have blogging friends join me--invite your friends too!).

The hardest part, for sure, is going to be NOT going crazy during my two Disney trips.  For the Goofy Challenge, I'm only there for 3 days, but I'm sure I'll have a treat or two.  The following weekend I'll be traveling to Disneyland with my hubby and friends for Star Wars.  This trip will be harder!

I'm not setting a strict number goal, because I know that it's not just about weight, but I know I have at least 20 pounds I can lose.  I'm going to focus more on eating whole, clean foods, cutting out the quick and easy solutions like the occasional fast food or the more frequent frozen lunches.  Who knows...maybe I'll learn to cook in 2015! :)

Happy 2015!  I can't wait to see what this year has in store for me...and for you!