Star Wars 1/2 Marathon-Dark Side Challenge

I know it's been about a week, but I'm finally taking the time to think about the race and review it.  Simply put, the race was better than I expected and I did better than I was expecting.  I did better than expected even while I was running.

The race was not easy by any account.  I was still a bit tight from the 10k, although stretching did definitely help.  I kept a pretty decent pace and was able to run/walk a really nice pace for longer than expected.  The morning started off nice, the overall temperature was cool, but the humidity did start pretty early.  I think this was the first race that I wished I ran with a sweat towel because I was sweating pretty decently and my shirt was just as wet.  I've learned that when it comes to running pictures, it's all about wearing a shirt that hides the sweat.  My roommate commented that I always wear the same shirts at these races, and it's because I take good pictures in them!

          

Around mile 7 I was used to the humidity and the pace, but that's also where I started hitting my walls.  My knee decided to give up first, but with the help of Biofreeze and a little walking and stretching, it survived until the end.  It actually started to feel decent enough around mile 8.5.  My legs started to get a bit tight, but they never froze up like they have in the past, which was impressive.


Considering I haven't run more than 4 miles since the start of the year, I was really happy with all that I was able to accomplish.  I knew it was going to hurt and be a struggle, but I really surpassed that.  In all honesty, my only goal was to get to the finish line and I did that with a time that wasn't far from some of my best.  It made me excited to see what I can do healthy and even halfway trained.

Overall, I really liked the course and it seemed like the photo stops were going over well.  All the stops had long lines and it made me happy that while I like Star Wars, I didn't need pictures with anyone.  In Hollywood Studios they had multiple stops with storm troopers, which helped shorten those lines.  The 501st legion was also there cheering on and taking pictures of the runners.  I really liked the course because while there wasn't a lot of park running at the beginning, we got to take up the whole road and really spread out.  I think that helped later on and also helped me get into my pace.

I would definitely run the race again, but because I'm a fan of some of the other themes, it may not be my first choice.

After the race we went to Epcot to celebrate and enjoy all Epcot has to offer.  We got fish and chips from England for lunch and it was some of the best fish and chips I've ever had.  Walking was definitely a good idea to help everything keep moving and relax, but the heat eventually killed us and we returned home for naps and movie night.  It was definitely a great day and everything was worth celebrating.

          

Star Wars Dark Side 10k

This race showed up quicker than I was really expecting, or hoping it would.  After all the difficulties in training and changes in my everyday life, I knew I wasn't ready for this race.  I had barely gotten over 3.1 miles in any of my runs and it was just on frustration after another.  Regardless, the expos are always fun and help get you excited, and I was running with friends who were either in a similar position as me or were being super encouraging.

The expo was really non-eventful.  We got in, picked up our bibs and race shirts, and then went to explore the expos.  There were some fun things as always, but nothing I was dying to have.  I guess not being the biggest Star Wars fan (I like it, but don't need stuff from it) finally helped me out.  I think this was the first time I actually left the expo without buying anything.  My wallet and bank account were thankful for that.  It was still fun in the expo and was exciting to see how they changed everything to the star wars theme.  A nice addition- Senses Spa was there and offering manicures and massages.  I did try on the race shirts, which I typically don't like, and they actually fit nicely.

I spent yesterday relaxing before the race, visited the pool, finished my homework, and then made dinner and watched TV.  I felt good, slightly restless, but I want to feel that way cause usually it means I'm ready to run.  I was right...

The race was early as usual, but totally worth the people watching.  The people did not disappoint!  So many awesome outfits, a couple crazy ones (one guy ran in just a speedo and shoes).  My friends and I spent the morning relaxing, talking, and just people watching.  They were playing clips from the movies, trailers, and even had the trailer for The Last Jedi.  Eventually we made it to our corals, and eventually the time came to run...


Starting at the Magic Kingdom parking lot definitely helped with spacing.  We spent about 3 miles on the open road, there was plenty of room to spread out and get around people.  I could hold a decently steady pace and had plenty of room to stop and walk if need be.  The first long stretch was kind of boring compared to other runs, but it was a good time to just run.  That's more than you usually get at these races.

Running through the parks was fun as always.  Since we had spread out on World Drive for the first half, the crowding in the park, and more importantly the Boardwalk/Beach Club areas.  I remember that being the worst/hardest part of the marathon all those years ago.  Rumor has it, that was the worst crowd spot during last years race as well.  Flipping the course so the constructed areas were at the end, once we had all spread out.

The character lines were massively long, but I wasn't shocked at all.  Again, another good reason I'm not a big enough fan that I needed all the pictures.  I actually think my picture days on the runs are coming to an end...

I do have to say, apparently the Swan and Dolphin had some sort of 5K (At least I think it's those hotels) and they ran it on top of our race.  So there was a section of dodging random, non-runDisney runners, and it appeared they were getting lost and going out race.  Hopefully Disney will be explaining to those hotels all the problems... I get it's great to take advantage of an opportunity such piggy backing on another race, but then make sure you're not screwing the main race up.

Everything was pretty normal at the end.  Met up with my friends, took pictures together, ate some of our snacks, and then decided to go home.  I got my little nap and stretching is next on the agenda.  Tomorrow is double today... it's going to be interesting, that's for sure!

Christmas Week Workouts Part 1

Christmas is close, which means I am with my family staying at Disney... which means I get to workout at the Disney as well.  This whole week I don't have much planned in the morning except for some fastpasses in the parks, but those are all later than I would plan to run or workout anyway.

Recently I have been feeling a little tight and creaky so I decided to do some yoga the first morning.  I had a beautiful view to admire as I stretched out.  I don't think I have mentioned it before, but I found a new yoga website called Do Yoga With Me.  It's fantastic! You can pay for some of the features or if you want to donate and otherwise the videos are all free to stream.  I have really enjoyed following some of the different videos in the last few months since discovering the site.  So yes I did one of their videos while watching everyone wake up and start moving around the Boardwalk on a pretty foggy morning.

This morning I did my absolute favorite workout while staying at the Boardwalk... I ran.  I wasn't sure if I was going to have the time because we had to pack to move rooms, but I still managed to find the time to get out there and run.  It was foggy and cool and perfect.  I got a lovely 3.1 mile run in that took me to Hollywood Studios, the Swan and Dolphin Hotels, Yacht and Beach Club hotels, EPCOT, and of course the Boardwalk Hotel.

Recently I haven't been feeling good when running, but today I felt great.  Whether it was a bit of that Disney Magic sinking in or just me feeling a lot better, I don't know nor do I care.  I ran at my normal faster pace (I'm still impressed with how my pace has dropped this year) and I ran farther without walking for longer.  It helps that a good morning helps influence a good morning and good day.

To top it off, race waivers for marathon weekend came out today... which also means that bib and coral numbers are out.  I will be in Corral M of P... 14 corrals in total (counting the elite corrals as well).  There will definitely be a lot of people out there!  I'm still excited for the race, especially since I have a lot of friends running it!

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!

  

Running To The Dark Side

After some debate with coworkers we finally settled on another race to all run together.  Originally it was supposed to be the Glass Slipper Challenge during Princess Weekend, but then one of the guys wanted to run the challenge with us, but didn't want to do a princess themed race (can't really blame him).  So we changed our focus.  Three of us have now signed up for the Dark Side Challenge during Walt Disney World's Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend.

I'm excited since this will be the first time running during the Star Wars weekend.  I was lucky enough to work last year's race, but now to get to run it and add it to my growing list of races run... I'm excited!  Not sure if we'll do costumes... that might include more convincing, but you never know.

runDisney Virtual Run Medals

After a bit of waiting, I finally have my virtual run prizes!  Since I did the full series of 5k runs through the event I received not 3, but 4 medals.  One medal for each run and a series medal to top it off.  Then as an extra bonus, a tumbler!

I knew I was getting all five items when I signed up, but what I wasn't expecting was the size or the quality.  I was expecting possibly smaller medals and probably made out of rubber like the normal 5k medals at the real runDisney events.  I was wrong.

First, the medals were metal, which shocked me.  However, with the announcement of metal medals at other runDisney 5ks, I really shouldn't have been too surprised.  Second, the medals were huge!  I was not expecting them to be so big.  They rivaled the sizes of some of my other race medals (pictured below).

Overall, I'm very pleased with the medals and the event overall.  Would I have liked to have my medals sooner?  Of course, but they did say 30 days after the event ended and it was right around that 30 day mark so I'm definitely not complaining.  If anything, considering the quality and size of the medals, I am completely happy that I signed up for these runDisney virtual 5ks and will probably be signing up for more in the future!

New Work Schedule, New Training Schedule

My work schedule varies by the day, with late starts on my Mondays (which in the real world is a Sunday), and my early days are my Fridays (also known as Thursday).  Well with an additional product my late days are getting later, but that has been a blessing in disguise.  I have more time to work on homework and I have more of a chance to workout without worrying about when I have to leave for work.

Before I had to worry about how far I was and what time it was and that's a level of stress I just don't want on my run.  So luckily now I can get away from that and just have my morning to myself and run or workout.  This morning it was a run on a treadmill.  The speed was great, the distance was great, everything was just great!

I did go farther than the picture... I just chose to take the picture at the 5k part... 3.5 miles today, we'll see where I get tomorrow!

Also, remember that time I signed up for the runDisney virtual run series?  Ya, I totally forgot about that until last week.  I have been running 5ks the whole time, but forgot to hashtag or log them as the virtual series run.  I did go into today's run with the mindset that it was for the series so that helped me get through the treadmill workout.  So I guess today was my White Gloves 5k race!

I guess I would want runDisney to send out reminders for the different starts, especially for those signed up for all three.  I think they would probably get better tags online of people completing the runs... Otherwise, I'm excited to get my medals.  Since I signed up for all three races I have to wait for the end of the series (June 30th) before all of my medals will be sent.  Still, can't wait... More medals, more bling!

Running At My Happy Place

It just happens that my happy place tends to also be considered one of the happiest places on Earth.  My family and I spent a few days last week at the Boardwalk resort so I have been waiting anxiously for the chance to get out and run at one of my favorite places.

I love the scenery, the peacefulness, and just the whole environment that is the Epcot Resorts, especially in the morning.  Mainly to avoid the heat, but there were some epic sunrises while I was there and they tended to happen right when I was running.

The other great part of the weekend was that I was able to get out 3 out of the 4 days we were there.  I was planning on doing all 4, but we were out pretty late that last night and I could not get out of bed for the last run.  I'll make up for it in the weeks to come.  Still, the 3 runs felt decent.  My shins and knees weren't the happiest towards the end, but I was also lacking on stretching.  I also splurged on some new shoes that I was breaking in.

I also used the first run as my virtual runDisney 5k.  That run felt the best and I actually rivaled my time from the Busch Gardens 5k that I did last November.  Now I just have to wait patiently for my medal! Of course I had to take a character picture since it was a Disney race...

My running is getting stronger and faster... I just need it to get longer and with summer setting in I think that's going to be getting harder and harder.  Hopefully I have a few more weeks before I'm really sent hiding from the humidity at the gym...

Needed Motivation

I had that nice rest day last Monday and I felt really good about it, but after that I had another rest day... and another one... and an easy workout... etc.  It really wasn't the best week for me when it comes to training, or my diet if I'm completely honest.

I do know that these weeks happen which is why I'm not totally heartbroken over it.  It's just so hard to get going again when you've been sick and your body gets used to resting so much.  It's almost like starting over from the beginning again.

Luckily I've had some inspiration which has been whispering words of encouragement and motivations.

The first was that I received my medal for the Run3rd 5k.  It's a great event held in Mesa, AZ and virtually.  I obviously do the virtual race, but since most of my runs are at least 3.1 miles long, I feel good about it.  #Run3rd is Sean Astin's foundation for really everything... as the medal and the group likes to say "1st I run for me, 2nd I run for my family, 3rd I run for YOU".  It's really about supporting any and all charities or reason that we run, which was something I knew I could get behind since I heard about it.  For more information on #run3rd, you can visit their blog here.


Second, I was able to watch some of the Inaugural Star Wars Dark Side 10K this morning.  Of course that just made me more excited to get running again and be ready for Lumiere's Two Plate Challenge.  I want to be running out there in the parks and I want to earn my own medal again.  The only way I'm going to do that and meet all of my other goals is to get training again.

So with those to pieces of motivation I was able to get back out on the road today when I got home from the race.  I got in 3.5 miles, which I was happy with, but I was definitely tired and hurting, which I totally deserved.  So here comes the hard part to get back to where I was before this month and to get back to those long runs which are motivating in themselves...

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...

runDisney Sense of Timing

It struck me today that runDisney has a very interesting sense of timing.  I think it's only a recent development for most things, but some are always at odd times.

I received my final race instructions for the Disneyland Half Marathon just last week and yet today I had my final race instructions for Tower of Terror tonight.  Two emails were only a week apart, and yet the races are a month apart.  Not that it's really an issue, but it did cause me to give it a thought (and apparently part of a blog article).

runDisney also has their usual pre-race meet-ups, which they post at really odd times of the day... ok the morning.  I tried to get one during the Princess Half, but missed out, and due to my crazy busy work schedule didn't even see the current one for the Disneyland for almost an entire day.  Apparently it was posted pretty early in the morning and filled almost as quickly.

I kind of wish that they would leave it open for a day and then choose by a random drawing.  That's what they used to do for all of the exclusive limited edition pins.  You signed up and then if your name was drawn you got one!  Should be the same kind of deal...

I'd like to go to one of these meet ups, but especially for Disneyland, I have a life around the race that includes spending time with family and friends I haven't seen in a while... and o ya, my parent's work schedule since they're helping me get around for everything.  Maybe one day I'll get into one of these meet ups, but surprisingly, it's not on my "must do" list.

Goofy, Dumbo, and Dopey?

So I'm sure by now you've heard... there is yet another challenge in the runDisney world... the Dopey Challenge.  The same weekend you can be completing the Goofy Challenge, you can also be attempting the Dopey Challenge.  Andy yes, you really must be dopey to compete in this challenge.

The dopey is not just 2 races... not just 3 races... but 4 races!  A 5k on Thursday, a 10k on Friday, the Half Marathon on Saturday, and the Full Marathon on Sunday.  That's 48.6 miles of running in 1 either very magical or very difficult (or probably both so magically difficult) weekend.

Now the challenge intrigues me and some who know me are already expecting me to give in and sign up on April 9th... or April 2nd for the Runner's World Challenge.  I probably won't do the challenge... it depends on how much the race itself is, but considering the challenge doesn't even offer rooms this time... For more information on the run (and the Runner's World Challenge) visit the runDisney blog and their article on the announcement here.

I will definitely need to get some real help with my knees and ankles if I do decide to take on this challenge, but that's also something that has been a long time coming in all honesty.  But if I train right (and find the time to train) this should be fine.  I still have a few weeks to decide so we shall see...

I'm definitely taking on Dumbo... but Goofy and Dopey too?  This should be interesting...

Princess 2013- Training Really Does Matter

My third Princess Half Marathon has officially be completed.  That makes my current track record 1 Marathon, 6 Half Marathons, 1 10 Milers, and 1 5K.  Technically I should probably have more 5k's, but hey, I never liked to do things the normal way.

February has always been my athletically cursed month.  Back when I was a swimmer, there was a meet about this time in February I was never able to compete in.  It was when I was first diagnosed with rotator cuff tendonitis (it was so bad I couldn't move my shoulder) and I was usually sick during that meet.  It seems as though that tradition has turned over into running because I did not feel my best this morning and this race was definitely not one of my better ones.  My time wasn't terrible (2:42), but I was in a lot of pain.

I decided not to stop too much this time as I have already photographically documented this race twice, I just took it easy.  I did get pictures a few times and those will be coming tomorrow probably.

I was hoping to get closer to my personal record during this race, but I could very soon tell that wasn't happening.  As soon as I woke up, I wasn't feeling good.  The first few miles was a mental fight between me and my stomach. Luckily I won, but my stomach didn't go down gently.  Plus it was incredibly hot for so early in the morning and by the first mile or two I had a fine layer of sweat.  The nice thing was that it seemed runDisney also adjusted for the heat and set up more water and medical stops than it seemed they had in the past.  I absolutely loved them for it!

The water and sometimes powerade were welcomed at every stop and I did force myself to stop at a medical station.  It was hard since I just wanted to finish, but my knee and ankle were getting tighter and tighter and I knew without biofreeze, they weren't going to last.  I did walk most of Mile 8, but pulled myself back together after that.  I forced myself to get to certain landmarks (the on ramps, water stations, etc...) and that really did help.

I do blame most of the pain and difficulty of this race on not training properly.  I had only gotten to a single 5 mile run during my training and I probably needed more than that.  Up through mile 5 and 6 I actually felt decent (other than the stomach bug).  Now I do have some time to relax, get through a busy season at work and then figure out my training for Dumbo's Double Dare Challenge.

This weekend I did decide on a few things...
1. I am training a hell of a lot better for Dumbo's.
2. I am going to train to run Goofy's Challenge in 2 years... Goofy's 10th anniversary.

Year Goals Passed! New Goals Set...

I am proud to say that while I'm extremely frustrated with my training right now, I do have good news to report.  I have multiple long term goals that I'll probably have most of my life, but I also had a few goals that I wanted to meet during 2012.  Well, I'm proud to announce that not only did I hit both my goals and then some!

My two goals for 2012 were:

• Run 450 Miles (10 miles per week average)
• Run More Races!

As of today, I've run 522.68 miles!  By the end of the year I plan to be closer to 600 miles, but probably won't surpass it.  During the middle of the year I fell off track, but I chipped away at it every week and so now I'm way ahead of schedule.  Of course, that means I have to up my goal for next year.  So right now I just want to run more than 600 miles in 2013, but I might increase that to 650 or something else.  I'll reassess that towards the end of the year.

I've definitely run more races this year than I have in the past.  While I'll never compete as much as I did in high school when I spent every weekend one summer at swim meets, open water events, and triathlons, I have never run as many running events as I did this year.

While I didn't run the Disneyland Half Marathon, I did add the Tower of Terror 10 mile and Wine and Dine 1/2.  I'm planning on running the Reindeer Run again this year, but since it's a 5k, I don't really count it as a "race".  It will be nice to see how my times compare...  So that means this year I ran 3 races where last year I ran 2.  And next year?  I'm looking at 5!  The year after... 7!  I'm saying this now for my legs sake and my wallet's sake... 7 is my limit.

As for my long term goals... my nutrition has been improving all year although there are definitely days where I'm craving some greasy wonderfulness, but those days are getting farther and farther apart.  I'm cooking a lot more too which is nice.  I've definitely lost weight this year and I've been able to keep most of it off, although it has definitely been a battle.  Again, that's just going to be a life long battle which I'll never be able to let my guard down with.

Looking ahead my goals for 2013:

• Run a Full Marathon
• Get a PR for a Half Marathon (Disneyland Half?)
• Run 600+ miles

If you want to see more goals I've already set for 2014 and beyond you can check out the goal page...

In other news, I ran 3 days straight this weekend.  Only ran just over 11 miles, but I'm pretty happy with them overall.  I might even get 2 or 3 miles in tomorrow morning... who knows...

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????