Good News, Bad News

I have good running news and I have bad running news, which is actually also good depending on how you look at it...

Good News- I got signed up for 2017's Lumiere's 2 Plate Challenge!  Another race on the schedule, another chance to make sure I'm ready for the Dopey Challenge.  I'm excited.  I know the Wine and Dine race, and the course specifically, have always been a bit controversial with some people liking it and other not so much.  For me, I've always enjoyed it, but I'll really enjoy anything that lets me get out there, show off my hard work, and earn some bling in the process.

Bad News- I found out I have a health problem, an enlarged spleen, that will prevent me from running outside for at least a month.  I can walk, and speed walk, as long as I keep it gentle for the most part.  I also can't fall, play really any ball sport, or do anything to my stomach/spleen area.  I'm going to get really stir crazy, but I'm already excited for when I can get completely back into it.

The good news from this?  I've been suffering from on and off stomach issues for a while and if this is the problem or going to point more towards the problem, then I'm happy.  I'm at the point that I'm tired of never finding anything so even bad news is good news at the moment!

Life is full of these Good and Bad events... it's what makes life interesting and fun to live!  You just have to make whatever you can out of the event, find the positive in every situation, and continue enjoying every day!

Wine and Dine Half Marathon

After almost two years of not running in an runDisney race... I finally did another half marathon and while it hurt (a lot), it was a lot of fun!  I'm glad to be back running again.  I remember all the fun I used to have running at these events, but memories are nothing like living it again.

I got there early to take pictures with a friend.  Since I had taken most of my pictures before the 10k, I just sort of kept her company in the lines.  I did have to take a picture with Goofy and Donald again because they were dressed as chefs this time!

Otherwise I spent the pre-race time relaxing, stretching, and using the restroom thanks to a nervous bladder.  Eventually I made my way to my corral and because I was spending time with friends I was stuck in the back.  That was fine, though, I've started in the back before so I'm not new to the whole weaving around walkers game.

The nice part was that the first road ended up being pretty wide.  We had a few lanes so everyone spread out and I was able to set a decent pace.  My legs quickly reminded me that we had run 6.2 miles the day before and I was definitely feeling it early.  I'd get a few good patches though and felt decent at times.  I walked up the hills... I mean overpasses, and through the water stops, but for most of the race I ended up running more than I expected.  I really got into a groove and all that trust in myself I had worked on through my training came into play and my legs really did do a great job.  When I did walk, I kept up a sub-15 minutes pace, so even that training paid off!

I hit a wall somewhere between mile 9 and 10 which made miles 10 and 11 really long... especially the two on-ramps that we had to climb.  I got my las bit of energy back for mile 12 and felt good except for my knee trying to lock towards 12.5.

I didn't stop for as many pictures either.  I have pictures with most of the characters who were out and the length of the lines made me think twice about stopping.  I really don't regret it either, which is surprising considering I used to love taking pictures with all of the characters.

When I got to the finish line I was surprised to hear that I had just run my fastest half marathon according to my Nike+ app.  Later on I would discover I ran my 2nd fastest half marathon according to my official time, and that fastest time was set in 2010, when I was still training with my collegiate triathlon team!  That definitely made the finish sweeter.

I got my first medal and a Dr. Cool towel at the end of the race and walked what seemed like another mile to the challenge tent.  I was curious how they were going to decide how you actually deserved a medal.  Essentially you walked up to a table where someone was waiting for you with a laptop.  They typed in your number and approved that you deserved the challenge medal or not.  There were no extra bracelets or anything like that, just a quick check on the computer.  At least when I finished it worked out really well.

Later that night I met friends at EPCOT for the post race party.  At 7:30 there were long lines to get your bracelet for the party and they really weren't kicking non-party people out till later that night.  Considering I had to work today, I got a few things to eat and then went home.  Today I talked to some friends who stayed and said there were long lines for most things, and even part of the party where everything, including food booths, were closed!  I don't think I missed much by leaving before illuminations...

Today- 1 day later- I'm sore and the morning was a bit rough.  However, after walking around at work and later on at home, I'm starting to feel good.  My quads are a little tight, but overall pretty good.  Probably better than I should be feeling considering how bad my training was before the race.  I am excited to run the half marathon, and only the half marathon, during marathon weekend.  I'm curious to see how good I can do without being sore and continuing to improve my training again!

Wine and Dine Weekend- Remy's 10k

The weekend has finally arrived, and first off, I survived all 19.3 miles!  I'm feeling all 19.3 miles, but I survived.

It all started with the 10k Saturday morning, which actually ended up being a lot of fun and went a lot better than I was expecting.  I arrived early, and by early I mean before the race area was even open.  Considering I was driving myself, I just didn't want any unexpected delays, like road closures and things.  Since I was there so early I decided to go ahead and take some pictures before the race.  There were quite a few characters out, Mickey and Minnie, Remy and Emile, Goofy and Donald, and Lumiere.  I went shortest line to longest and was able to get everyone except Lumiere, but that was fine since I saw him at the expo.  The pictures actually came out really well!

 

I was in my coral staging area nice and early, which means I was practically right up against the gate. Of course, that was an hour early.  This is that magic time where you become friends with everyone around you.  I had a good time waiting, well other than the fact my body decided it needed to go to the bathroom right when the race was starting.  I was going to have to wait... They walked each corral from the staging area to the start and the front people got to hold the race tape, which was fun.  I was right behind them, and honestly I really liked my placing.

There wasn't a lot of fanfare when it came to the start.  I mean the race announcers were doing a great job, the music was going, and the atmosphere was there, but there weren't as many fire works and craziness as expected.  I assumed those were being saved for the half (and I was not disappointed!).  Luckily I was able to get around the few walkers (seriously, why do they go to the very front?) and I actually had a ton of space for the first mile or so.

The character lines were long compared to my memory of previous years and I chose to run past most.  Partially in favor of a restroom and partially because I just really wasn't interested in waiting for the character pictures.  The first few miles were all on the major roads around EPCOT so there wasn't too much entertainment, but one new thing were the massive TVs that Disney brought out and were showing clips from old Disney cartoons and current movies.  It was like watching TV on the elliptical, except I was actually moving the the screen wasn't.

Once I got into EPCOT, I was actually surprised how pretty it looked.  I'm no rookie to the parks and have seen EPCOT in all different weather and at all different times, but this was just something new for me and I just really don't know why.  There were characters in a few of the countries... ok I finally stopped for a bit for a picture with vacation Genie, but he was totally worth it!

Running around Boardwalk was a lot of fun because that is my typical vacation run.  It brought back memories of all of my family vacations, I even found the room we normally stay in!  It had rained the night before so it was a little slippery, but I think everyone was prepared for that.

We finally hit EPCOT one last time, ran past the center, by Spaceship Earth, and to the finish line, where I had excellent spacing for some great finish line pictures.

On my Nike+ app, which paused when I stopped, clocked me at 1:01.39.  Disney had me at 1:15.14.  Ya, that bathroom stop and Genie took a bit longer than expected... as well as the few other little stops.  Still, I did better than I was expecting, I felt strong, I felt good... Now I just had to prep for the half...

 

Wine and Dine Expo

The race is finally here... my first race in a few years.  Whether or not I think I'm ready, I am going to have to be.  Today was the first day of the expo and I was able to make it over in the early afternoon.  I was expecting it to be insane at packet pick up and the expo.  The expo was busy, but I had definitely missed those early bird crowds and everything else was pretty calm.

I quickly found my packet, got all my race shirts, and was even able to grab a picture with Lumiere and my friend before heading over to the expo.  I did have to make a quick stop at the pre-purchase room to pick up some pins.  They also had a runDisney merchandise booth so of course I had to check that area out.

Earlier runDisney had posted pictures of some of the merchandise and I had already fallen in love with one of the tank tops... the one that wasn't at the booth.  I found two other tank tops and a jacket so I wasn't completely broken hearted.  Once my loot was gathered and payed for (the painful part), we headed over to the expo.

There were a lot of great booths, but more importantly there was a bigger runDisney booth that still had a few of the shirts I had really wanted.  That was quickly added to my collection.  Of course my friend and I walked around for a bit, only really stopping at raw threads to check out their shirts.  My friend had to buy their Beer Run shirt for the race and I added a Brave tank top to my collection.

Overall, I spent more money than I wanted, but not as much as I normally do.  I'm going back tomorrow with another friend just to look around.  I figured it would be a good excuse to get my legs loose and moving for the day.  One day of rest (I think... I have nervous energy that wants another small run...), then the 10k, then the half, then party!

  

Putting In My Order

It's official!  I'm in for Lumiere's Two Plate Challenge this November.

Not going to lie, I totally forgot about registration and went to work like it was any other day.  Luckily I have a wonderful mother who put it on her calendar and texted me that she was ready to help me sign up.  Good thing too since I was no where near a computer and wouldn't be for a few more hours.

So yes, I'm officially in and ready (I hope) to run the Food and Wine challenge.  I still have quite a bit of training to do and I'm nervous about training through the Florida summer again, but I'll get through it regardless.

Right now I need to focus on getting better.  I was stupid and decided not to admit I was getting sick last week and now I'm paying for it.  So I'm taking this week off of training and will restart next week... again.  Hopefully this time I'll be completely healthy and ready to go for a while...

Wine and Dine Makes A Menu Change

This week runDisney has caused a bit of controversy.  It began Tuesday when they delayed the registration for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon by two weeks.  Tuesday was supposed to be the early registration day, but runners are now waiting till the 22nd (For Annual Pass and DVC members) or 29th to register for the race.

runDisney followers were already speculating there were changes coming sine runDisney had yet to announce any real details surrounding the traditional fall night run.  And sure enough... their speculations did hold some merit.

Announced today, the Wine and Dine Half Marathon has gone from a night race to a morning race and they added a 10k, thus starting a new challenge for the weekend.

First issue- Time Change  

From what I've read on runDisney's Facebook page and other disney fan sites, people really liked running through the parks at night and thought that made the run unique since it really was one of the few true night races in the country.  Yes it did make the run unique, and the yes the parks are lovely at night, however summer nights in Florida and wrought with thunder storms and other issues.  Wine and Dine weekend has seen two consecutive years with weather related issues.  Last year they had to delay and then shorten the race because of there weather!

The morning should limit whatever bad weather might be in store for the runners this year and future years.  Yes it might be like any other runDisney event now that it is held before the sun rises, but I'd rather see the race actually run in full than have to question the weather during it.  Plus I'm slightly biased to morning races regardless because I have always enjoyed running in the morning far more than at night.

Second Issue- 10k and Challenge

Ok, this really isn't an issue, it's an addition that has been rumored for a while since all of the other events have been paired with 10k and challenges.  The theme for the 10k is something with Chef Remy from Ratatouille and the challenge is themed around Lumiere which I find to fit the theme of the weekend quite well.

I have decided to run the challenge as well... mainly because it is a challenge and I really can't say no.  It does mean I really have to get serious for my training since I'll be doing a little bit more now, but I think I can handle that...

2013 Disney World Marathon Part 2- The Finish

The first half marathon ended at Animal Kingdom and the second started as we headed off toward ESPN Zone.  This part was just like the Tower of Terror 10 Miler and the Wine and Dine Half Marathon.  It was long, there were "hills" and in all honesty probably the most boring part of the race.  There were some interesting characters on the course, like Launch Pad from Duck Tales...

At this point my knees and thighs were starting to hurt.  I stopped at my first medical tent ever for some BioFreeze and that definitely helped... What also helped was the fact that they had sponges soaking in cold water ready for runners at about mile 17.  It was right before we ran into the ESPN complex and I can tell you, those sponges were one of the best ideas ever!

Running through ESPN was interesting as usual.  Got to see a lot of the fields and track.  There were actually some track athletes running on the track which I thought was interesting considering we were all dying and yet they had these college level athletes training right there...  We did run around the baseball diamond just like Disneyland Half.  Disneyland is a tad bit better on this part because they get the boy scouts and girl scouts to fill the stadium while there were just a few people cheering from the seats at the marathon.

As we were leaving ESPN Wide World of Sports, we hit mile 20, which has a HUGE mile marker considering it was the race's 20th year.  They had Mickey, Minni, and Pluto there which was pretty cool and I won't lie, I got an awesome picture!

The course was pretty much exactly like the Wine and Dine Half, but they did make it safer.  At the half marathon there was a line of cones between the runners and cars... during the marathon there was an entire buffer lane with cops inside of it to make sure no one got hurt.  It definitely made me feel better.

Hollywood Studios was pretty normal with Wreck It Ralph as well as Mike and Sully out to take pictures.  I was actually taking pictures with Mike and Sully when I saw one of my friends pass.  After that I saw my Mom and decided to see who could make it back to the finish first.  

After DHS we ran by the Yacht and Beach Club, which have always been one of my favorite hotels.  The only thing that really annoyed me was the trio who decided to take up the entire path to walk and one of them was practically giving a tour to the other two about some of the hotels.  This was a RACE not a TOUR.  Sorry, that is one of my biggest pet peeves and I might not have been the kindest when I passed... blame it on my open water swimming past.

We were ushered backstage behind EPCOT only to emerge in the UK.  From there we ran through the World Showcase and I ran through most of it so I was pretty proud.  I did take a picture with Bell (who really needed to work on her makeup) as well as Mulan and Mushu.  Eventually I made it to the front of the park, around the corner, and hit the Mile 26 marker!

.2 miles left and I was able to finish!

I was alive, I was still moving, and I didn't throw up.  Overall, that was a huge accomplishment.  I started and finished without getting swept.  That medal around my neck has never felt better!  The marathon took me 6 hours and 4 minutes and I was more than proud of that.

My friend and I with our medals... Finished 2 minutes apart!

Will I do another one?  Probably considering I still want to do the Goofy, but I need to train better.  In the days after the race my knees have been acting up quite a bit so I need to do better for them.  Still, I was happy I was able to finish a marathon since it's something I never thought I'd be able to do.  

Hello Brick Wall- Wine and Dine Review

I want to start of by saying, yes running 7 miles before the half marathon probably wasn't one of my best ideas... actually it's probably somewhere around one of my worst ideas.

I had a lot of time to wait between when I parked my car and when the race started.  It was almost 3 hours in total, but luckily I had met up with some friends so we sat around and talked and stretched together.  I'm not going to lie, I was slightly jealous of the person who was able to fall asleep a few feet away from us...

The start was pretty typical of runDisney starts.  There was the nice archway you ran under and plenty of fireworks.  Actually, they had more fireworks than normal.  I was in Corral C and we had fireworks going off next to us for the first corral!  They also had high fireworks as well as the low ones around the start.  It was a pretty cool start from the fireworks perspective.

I was impressed that there was a character just after the first mile of the race.  When I got there, it was Goofy, but he soon left and was replaced by Chip and Dale.  Totally didn't mind, especially since I saw Goofy on my way back.

The run through Animal Kingdom (miles 3.5-6ish) was really cool.  They had a lot of animal based characters (Rafiki and Turk, Pluto, Fantasia Ostrich and Hippo...), but the coolest thing for me was seeing the Tree of Life lit up at night.  Tried to get a picture in front of it, but it didn't work out too well.

Between Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, I really started getting tired and sore.  My calves started burning and my energy levels just plummeted.  I should have had gu or something like that, but alas, I didn't.  I've learned my lesson, trust me.

The course around and through Hollywood Studios was interesting conceptually.  Realistically, it was a little boring.  I knew what was coming up again (The Osbourne Lights) and that's what kept me going. You actually ran around the outside of the park on the main road leading to Magic Kingdom with cars speeding by.  I saw a few runners get close to the car lane and got a bit nervouse, but luckily nothing happened (at least when I was there).  You ran a lot backstage, but they did have Wreck-It-Ralph there to get pictures with!  It's nice they brought out a new character!

The Osbourne Spectacle of Dancing Lights is always on of my favorite holiday traditions.  I actually went on Thursday with my roommate to see them get turned on on the first night.  My suggestion, if you can get there at dusk and see them get turned on... that's where the magic is.  The lights and the magic and memories connected with them helped push me through the rest of the studios.

To get from the studios to Epcot, you actually ran past the Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club resorts, which, funny enough, is actually my vacation run.  If it weren't for all the people crowding the sidewalk around me, I probably could have run it with my eyes closed.

The run in Epcot was pretty much a straight shot right to the finish.  You came into the park near Journey into Your Imagination and then headed straight out where they have most of the finishes.  I wish they had brought Figment out, but it was late and that area was crowded so I guess I understand...

It was great have the mass of spectators in the park though.  The cheering and peer pressure (don't want to stop that close to the finish in front of everyone) helped me get to the end.  Just after the 13 mile marker there was a laser show kind of making a roof for you to run through right before your turn into the finish line.  It was really cool...

Chef Mickey and Minnie were at the finish cheering us on and giving high fives.  I always wish I could take a picture with them, but I'm not selfish enough to steal them even for a second from the other runners who are finishing as well.  Plus they were at the pre-race area and I just passed it up because it looked like a hour or more wait.

Overall, the run went well.  The wall I hit at mile 6 and then again at mile 8 (which lasted me the rest of the run) was a pain, physically and emotionally.  I tried to alternate between walking and running, but it really was a compromise between my calves and legs hurting or feeling like I was going to throw up... I deal with physical pain better than getting sick so that also helped me run for a while.  That was my athlete's determination really coming into play... there was NO way I was going to pull out of the race and that's the mentality I kept.

What did I learn?  Not to run 7 miles before a half, although I do have that marathon coming up which will be 2 halves pushed together.  Also, bring food!  Whether its a banana, cliff bar, gu, or whatever... this was the first time I really realized how important that extra nutrition and electrolytes really are.

Now it's 2 months and 2 days till the full... what have I gotten myself into????

The Day Has Come

The Wine and Dine Half Marathon has finally arrived... or well will arrive at 10:00 tonight.  I personally star the race sometime around 10:10 as I'm in Corral C (as usual).

I was able to get to the expo yesterday between work and the Osbourne Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  They went back to the packet pick up in one building and the expo in the normal Jostens building.  It did help cut down on the clutter and mob that's typically at the packet pick up and expo.  They also create two official race merchandise areas so I was actually able to go in and get a shirt as well as one of the other pins.

At the expo itself, I was given my goodie bag which had my shirt in it and some of the other info pages.  I really do appreciate that runDisney has gone to a virtual goody bag and aren't giving you a ton of ads that you're just going to throw away.  So I guess in the past, they've given the party goers tickets for one or two food/drink samples, but this year they've given us a $10 gift card instead.  Whether or not we use it at the party... that's up to us.

As usual, the expo took quite a bit of my money, but they were really good buys.  1 "want" item and 2 "need" items.  I already have a "I Thought They Said Rum" shirt from One More Mile, but it was short sleeved and I wanted to wear it tonight... So I got the long sleeved version (The "want" item).  I also go a bright yellow reflective shirt and vest for running at night (The"need" items).  I've been running a lot at twilight times and I've run at night in the past.  I knew I needed some reflective gear, but had yet to find any... until yesterday of course.

I also got some of those energy gel blocks for training and a commemorative poster from the company that does the medal frames.  I've realized I'm probably going to stock up on all these posters if they keep doing it!

I was good and passed up a $46 dollar shirt that was awesome, but not $46 of awesomeness.  It was one of the glow in the dark villain shirts and the one I needed was the Captain Hook (one of my all time favorites... especially now that they've, um, modernized him in Once Upon A Time.

Now that race day has come, I'm ready... or at least I hope I am.  I got up and ran 7 miles this morning and it felt really, really good.  I'm not too sore and I feel like I can get this 13.1 miles in.  So that way I get my medal, pictures, and party and get my training caught up for the marathon since this week was supposed to be 20 miles.

Less than 8 hours now... check back tomorrow for updates.

Eat To Run? Run To Eat? Less Than A Week!

The runDisney facebook page posed this question today for its followers:

 "Would You Rather: Share a three course meal at the Food & Wine Festival or share this 13.1 mile course at the Wine & Dine Half Marathon this weekend? Or both?"

Personally, it depends on the restaurant.  Three courses from Victoria and Alberts, Flying Fish, Citrico's, or any of my other favorite restaurants... definitely the 3 courses (usually more in all honesty). However, 3 courses from some of the others, I might just take the run.  Still, I live by the whole "Eat to Run, Run to Eat".  Eating keeps me fueled for running, and running keeps me from showing all those meals I have enjoyed, especially when my parents have been visiting.

Now the post did have a great addition, the course for this week's race.  It looks like a lot of fun with about 7 miles inside the parks.  I'm interested to see what they'll do on some of the long roadways/boring parts.  Hopefully it'll be a little bit more interesting than Tower of Terror's time on those roads.  We'll see in just a few short days.

Slowly Catching Up

Considering all the candy I ate last night (thanks to the lack of trick-or-treaters), I really needed to stick to my plan and complete my long run this morning.  Now, I've been fighting my legs and all the different problems they seem to have for a while now, but I think we've finally come to an agreement (or at least a compromise).

Earlier this week I was able to get in a nice 5 mile run... it was one of my best feeling runs in a while.  It gave me hope in all honesty.

So this morning I was able to build on that 5 mile run and get in 9 miles.  I was debating 10 miles, but my legs were already burning, it was cold out, and I didn't want to push myself too far and create anymore issues.  Anyway, next week I have the Wine and Dine Half Marathon so that's when the real pushing will happen.  Next week I'm supposed to run 20 miles, probably won't happen but I've been playing with the idea to run 7 miles the morning of the half and then the half that evening which technically equals 20... right?

The great thing was that I only had 3 miles that were at a 10+ min pace, most were around 9:50 or below which got me really excited.  So maybe while my endurance was having issues, my strength and speed were actually improving, I just didn't see it.  I'm still nervous considering the marathon is just about 2 months away, but I know I'll finish it one way or another. Maybe I'll finish hard, maybe I'll crawl across the finish line, or maybe I'll stop in EPCOT on my last mile and cross the finish line with a few drinks... who knows, either way I'm finishing.

Summer Running

It seems that while I have started to acclimate to the heat I work in daily, I'm still not used to running in the heat.  It's just zapping any energy I have and making my runs harder than they really need to be.  Within the first mile I'm dripping with sweat and if I don't have my water bottle with me, then I'm probably not getting more than 3-4 miles done.

Running in Florida is just so different compared to running in California.  In California, it was cooler in the mornings so I was able to get my run in and relax before the heat of the day really set in.  In Florida, it's just hot 24/7 during the summer.  Last year I ran on a treadmill during the hotter months, which I hated probably just as much as running in the heat. This year, I don't have that option.

I'm feeling confident with my training for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler and I'm pretty sure I've got the Wine and Dine Half Marathon training and execution figured out for November... by then my training should be getting some relief from the heat (or so I hope... watch, it'll be the hottest winter ever).  And of course in January is the Walt Disney World Marathon.  Today I am 25 weeks out from running that Marathon and while that means I still have plenty of time to train, I'm still nervous about it really.... with the heat and everything, do I really have enough time???

I've been debating whether or not I should just work on my endurance and get a few long runs in here and there while the heat is still pretty bad, or if I should keep trying to push my long runs.  My decision will probably change weekly, or by run.  I just tend to run in the moment.  I won't let myself do long runs during my work week considering I have work those days, but other than that, who knows how far I'll run.

I should be back to building up my long run again this week, up to 7 miles again to be exact.  Will I actually hit it?  Who knows.  I just have to get myself out of bed and onto the road first...

WDW Marathon Course Reveal!!!

I don't think I can properly convey how EXCITED I am right now.  Let's just say, I want to go on a run now and keep running until January 7th (and well beyond that) to be ready for the Walt Disney World Marathon.

RunDisney had announced that they would be premiering the Walt Disney World Marathon course and some special additions that were being made for the 20th anniversary.  You know what... why don't you watch the same video I just watched...

Pretty cool, huh?

So now I'm super excited about the chance to run through all the parks AND the speedway.  Plus, a bit of the Disneyland Half Marathon is coming to Florida; we're running on the baseball diamond! I just cannot wait for the race now!

Of course, I'm going to have to do some research as to where the characters are going to be, what entertainment will be out there, and where I want to stop for pictures... I guess it's a good thing I still have over 6 months until the race.  Of course, from the video it looks like there is going to be plenty of entertainment and picture opportunities along the course!

Of course I still need to get through the Tower of Terror 10 Miler and the Wine and Dine Half Marathon.  All in good time, right?

Click here for a pdf copy of the 20th Anniversary Marathon course.

Sprinting

I have always been an endurance athlete.  When I swam, my best events were my longer events (I managed to annoy my coaches quite often by getting best times in sprint events during a distance race), open water swimming is ALL distance, triathlon is a test in endurance, and half marathons and marathons or no sprints either.  In fact... I'm pretty much anti-sprint.

Yet, sprinting is still an integral part of training.  Without some speed work, it's going to take quite a bit longer to increase your speed.  Now, I've always known this, but I've never wanted to admit that.  I like my distance training and I tend to avoid what sprinting I can.

This week has been different though.  I'm in one of my low points with training, but I've been pushing myself to get out there.  A few days ago I was feeling good and decided to see how fact I could go.  I didn't go too far, but I went fast.  In fact, I dropped down to a 7:37 min pace and the rest of my run averaged close to 9 minute miles.  Yes, I did walk a bit more, but I was focused on speed, not distance.

I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact I did sprint workouts willingly.  Most of my former teammates can tell you how I vehemently hated sprinting and avoided it at almost all costs (of course a coach yelling at you gets you to sprint...).  Still, I've come to a realization that I do need to work on sprinting to help my speed.  Who knows, maybe I'll drop into 8-something minute miles before Wine and Dine Half???

More Races!

I have been meaning to sign up for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon for a while now.  I just haven't since there were still some major questions pertaining to my future.  Well, yesterday I got some great news, my future became a bit more secure, and now I've signed up for the Dine and Wine Half Marathon.

I'm super excited for this race because it provides a few new experiences.  The course is different, which is nice because I've been repeating the same course for Princess and Disneyland for two years now (Not saying those courses are bad, quite the opposite actually).  It's a night race.  I know, after all my complaining about running at night, I'm now running a race at night.  Who knows, this could permanently change my opinion of training in the evening.  Third, there's the after party which sounds like a ton of fun, but I should probably make sure I'm not working the next day.  Finally, it's just a new race for me!  That's always exciting!

Well, signing up for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon isn't my only exciting news...

I've also signed up for the 20th anniversary of the Disney World Full Marathon.  Yes, you read correctly, a full marathon.

Now, those who grew up with me and know me pretty well are probably surprised I'm doing a full marathon.  Heck, when I was a swimmer, I swore I would never run.  Then I started doing triathlons and eventually half marathons.  Still, even after my first half marathon I told my parents that I would never do a full marathon.  Well.... SURPRISE!

So, I have a few months to train for the full and I'm sure I can do it.  I have great supporters surrounding me and it will be a huge success when I'm able to finish.  So I guess there's something new to follow me on my blog for... to see if I survive the full marathon!

And you never know... if I survive the full marathon... maybe the Goofy Challenge will be in my future???