After a much too long hiatus... Hello!

Wine and Dine Meet Up!

So I start a blog to write about my adventures in running and then failed to write about my adventures in the running. Terrible follow through, I admit. So here is my race recap for the last 6 months. 




Disney Wine and Dine: Jingle Jungle 5k
What a fun race! I loved the morning 5k through Animal Kingdom.  There were tons of characters and I stopped for every picture.  Highly recommended.







Disney Wine and Dine: Half Marathon
Let's be honest.  I ran this half so that I could eat for three hours afterwards.  With that in mind I planned on stopping often, enjoying the scenery and taking plenty of photos.  That lasted for about 2 miles.  I really kicked it up a notch for the rest of the race when I realized a PR was in sight. AND I tried Clif Shots for the first time and realized why it helps to fuel when you are running 13.1 miles.  Probably a terrible idea to try mid race but man that vanilla gel tasted so good!  I finished in 2:08 something which stands as my current PR. 


Delicious Around the World Delights!

But, it was the afterparty I came for and the afterparty that I conquered.  I don't know about all of you, but I love getting little "tastes" of lots of things, so the Food and Wine festival is my favorite Disney event of the year.  I worked that afterparty
like a pro, stopping at each booth, seeing what they might have to offer.   The drinks were great and I loved being able to have some of the traditional items my grandmother used to make- Swedish Meatballs and Lefse never tasted so good.  Admittedly I started to cramp up a bit around Morocco, but it didn't stop me. I just took smaller steps. 


Disney Marathon

Ah yes. The Marathon. The event that I had been mentally training for, for over a year and actually training for, for months now.   I started out strong, keeping comfortably with my Clif Shot pace group.  For several weeks before the marathon I had been experiencing pain on the outside of my knee.  Thinking that it was an it band issue, I used my foam roller religiously and purchased a pair of CW-x compression tights.  During my last training run I had some pain around mile 18 but didnt worry too much about it. 

Ouch.

As many of you know, race day was hot, hot, hot and the idea of wearing those tights went out the window.  I taped up my knee and headed out hoping for the best.   At mile 9 right as the runners dropped into the speedway area of the course my knee burned like it never had before.  I pulled over to the side, stretched and started running again but I knew my goal time was shot.    As we continued around the race track and out onto bear island road, I evaluated my race plan.  I had reviewed the course over and over, I knew what was coming, where the hard spots would be and where I would be inspired.  I knew where my family would meet me to chEar me on and where I could count on seeing smiling ROTE faces.    So I continued on. And I made it.  Another 17 miles.  I ran a bit and walked a lot.  By the time I crossed the finish line my knee was so swollen it couldn't even bend 90 degrees. 

There was a runner in front of me on the last 6 miles of the course that I will be forever grateful to.  I don't know his name or his story but his back of his shirt simply said "Determination".  I followed him all the way to the finish line and crossed it alongside him.


Disney Princess Half Marathon

Was I supposed to run this race 6 weeks after getting injured? Nope. Did I run this race 6 weeks after getting injured? Yup.  This was the Perfect way to get back into running and to remember why I love running Disney.  I was about an hour off of my PR from Wine and Dine, but I stopped at every character and enjoyed every moment.  With so many wonderful women runners around me I couldn't help but smile the entire race.  A word of caution to anyone out there thinking that this inspiring time might grab you a pr- the course is really packed and hard to move through.  So take your time, enjoy a great workout and scenery that only Disney can provide.