I am way behind on posting about this race (almost a full month, yikes!). My friend Carrie got me to sign up for the Great Chocolate 10 miler because...chocolate. Yes, they give you a box of Godiva at the finish, so of course I was in.
The course ran through downtown Orlando and I have to say, I love running through the city when it is still quiet and the sun is just rising. There is nothing prettier than running up South Street and seeing the sun peeking over City Hall. Nothing beats it.
The race itself had a great course, but in all honesty that's where it ends. Water stops were never set up (I think we went almost 5 miles without water, which is why I always carry water). When we finished we were just handed our stuff, that was it. All of the advertised vendors and extras never happened. It was a big let down for sure. However, Carrie did bring me a bagel smothered in cream cheese, so that made up for the lack of vendors.
I was pretty pleased with my time for this race. The weather was perfect and made for an easy run. I did start to lose some steam at the end and I know it's because my training has been less than stellar lately. With the kiddos activities on hiatus until after the new year (and after that Goofy Challenge I thought was a good idea at the time) I can focus on strengthening for the remaining races.
I'm in full on half marathon training...again. The difference is that I'm running more than one this race season (currently two, but possibly 4). I know! I'm clearly half crazy (see what I did there?).
Another difference is that Scott is running one of the races with me! I am so excited to see him complete his first half marathon. I remember the first time he crossed a finish line and the pride in his face. Amplify that by a million and that is what he will be like when he crosses the finish line in his first half marathon.
What else am I doing different this year? Well, to be honest, I'm taking it seriously. I'm eating right (says the girl who had a slice of cookies and cream birthday cake today), doing strength training and really focusing on consistency in my running. I am really hoping this is the season I come in sub 3 hours.
So am I saying I didn't take the other 4 half marathons seriously? Well, kinda. I mean I trained, but not really. Last year was the first year that I really applied myself and I hit the mark that I wanted to hit, so now it's about crushing that.
What else is this about? Ultimately, it's about being a role model for my kids. Ever since I really started running more than just a couple of races a year, the kiddos have been in to running as well. Jill wants to run all the time with me and our goal is to do one race as a family this year. I cannot wait for the four of us to cross a finish line together.
Are you a runner? Do you have any training tips that you want to share with me? I'm all ears!
That's right, I'm doing the Princess Half Marathon again this year! What's more exciting is that I will be running it with my sister Cathy and my cousin Debbie. Debbie and I were supposed to run it together last year, but around Thanksgiving she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Thankfully, after operations and 12 weeks of chemo, she has kicked some serious butt, or as she says, booty-butt.
So as I explain the race and introduce the racers (aka us) I want you to play this youtube video in the background, you know for effect.
The race this year falls over my sister Cathy's birthday weekend, so the name has officially been changed to Princess Cathy's Birthday Weekend Half Marathon. Now that we have covered that, let's get into the details....
The weekend starts the Friday before race day with the Fit for a Princess Expo. The Expo is also on Saturday and I think that's the day they have the Family 5K. The Expo was so cool last year! There were so many vendors and speakers, I wish I would have spent more time there. Olympian Jeff Galloway usually speaks, he's also the official expert for the race and offers training programs for everyone to follow. I plan on using his program this year, I mean he has Olympic medals, he clearly knows something, right?!
The 13.1 mile race on Sunday starts in EPCOT, goes through Magic Kingdom and then finishes in EPCOT. The course is the same as last year, which I'm glad I know so I can remember where all of those awesome hills are. Here's the course:
I'd also like to mention that the walk from where you check in to your corral is about 1 mile, no lie. Now onto those hills, I would like you to meet awesome hill #1:
After I hit this hill I believe I cursed in my head and then saw I had only finished one mile. Awesome.
Here's awesome hill #2:
The promise of men jumping on trampolines at the top of the hill was barely enough to motivate me on this one.
The main stretch of the run is pretty flat so at least you have a chance to prepare for this awesomeness at the end:
Now onto the runners!
This is my awesome cousin Debbie! She is kicking cancer and chemo's butt all while training for a triathlon. Yes, she is that awesome.
Fun facts:
She always races in pink, you could say it's her signature color.
She is the oldest of the three of us, and probably the fastest proving age ain't nothin' but a number.
She can out southern all y'all any day of the week.
Princess: Snow White
This is my sister Cathy, the kids call her Tay-Tay.
Fun Facts:
The race falls over her birthday weekend.
She is the shortest of the three of us.
Her wish is for the Gospel choir at mile 13 to sing "Oh Happy Day" while she runs past.
Princess: Cinderella
Finally, there's me. This will be my second half marathon, I ran the Princess last year as well. I came in at 3:29:59. My main goal is to crush that time.
Fun Facts:
I am the tallest and youngest in the group.
I kind of run like Phoebe from Friends, as in awkward.
My other goal is to not throw up at the finish. I was successful last year and hope to continue the success this year.
Princess: Rapunzel
I cannot wait to run this race with Cathy and Debbie! It will be an amazing experience for all three of us and truly memorable.
I did it! I completed my very first 1/2 marathon! It was an early morning, I had to be there no later than 4:30 am, so I made sure I was there earlier than that and I'm glad I did, traffic was a mess.
You spend a lot of time just waiting around, even when you get into your corral. I was in corral E and I think I ended up starting 45 minutes after the first runner. It was cool though because the Fairy Godmother does the countdown and there's fireworks that go off.
I'm not gonna lie, that first 5K was rough because it's all on EPCOT Center Drive, which is a whole lot of nothing. When you get down onto World Drive there is a little bit more to look at. They had a pirate ship with the characters from Pirates of the Caribbean, all the princes (including Flynn Rider) and I think some other things that I seriously cannot remember right now. The next mile or so was through the Magic Kingdom parking lot, through the transportation and ticket center where these Japanese drummers were playing. They were really awesome and you could hear them as you were enter the transportation center.
The next leg was to go under the water bridge (awesome going downhill) then back up the hill (not so awesome) and into the Magic Kingdom. The DJ on the bridge was pretty hilarious and was saying things like, "I've never had this many women run at me at one time" and "There are three men in spandex jumping on trampolines when you get up the hill, if that's not motivation I don't know what is ladies!"
My favorite part of the run was going through Magic Kingdom. It was also the quickest part of the run...funny how that happens. At the castle they had trumpeters playing which was so cool and there is nothing like running through the castle and looking down Main Street. The route then ran us through Liberty Square and Frontierland.
On the way out of Frontierland we got to run through where they stage the parades. They had a couple of the floats out and some characters. Since Disney has it's own fire station and one of them happens to be next to the Magic Kingdom they were nice enough to come out and support us ladies. I am also happy to report that Reedy Creek sent out their finest, not their oldest like when Lani and I were stuck on Space Mountain.
World Center Drive again was a haul, it's just a long stretch of road, not much to see. Thankfully at this point they were putting up signs for us to read and there was a hot air balloon to look at.
By mile 10 I was pumped because the end was near, I was also not so pumped because of the on ramp I'd have to make my way up. The ramp wasn't as bad as I thought, but seriously at 10 miles, it's a little rough. I had to laugh though because one of the groups running by me started yelling "That's our exit!!! That's our exit!!!". So true sisters....so true....
The last 3 miles seemed to take forever, I don't know if that's because it was mainly through a parking lot where you could see the finish line and then had that internal debate of well if I just run across the parking lot would they really know? Of course they would...
Right before the finish they had a gospel choir singing, it was awesome to see them because you knew around the corner was the finish. Sadly they were not singing "Oh Happy Day" or Handel's Messiah, I seriously would have paid them to sing either at this point.
Scott was at the finish line (he had to work) so he was able to snag this shot of me crossing. The time you see is the time from the gun start, my official time was 3 hours 29 minutes and 59 seconds. After you run across they give you your shiny medal, and let me tell you it was so worth it to get this pretty little thing!
A friend of mine told me before I ran the race that I would go into it as one woman and come out as a total different one, and she was so right. There is no better feeling than tackling something you never thought you could do. I cannot wait for my next half in October with Scott. I really want to improve my time and of course enjoy the time with Scott. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go pop some Motrin and stretch out my muscles.
My cousin Debbie (you know, my favorite cousin from South Carolina) and I have decided to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon this upcoming February. Debbie has recently become a runner/triathlete and has motivated me to get running. The decision to do the half marathon went something like this:
Me: If you do one of the half marathons at Disney I'll do it with you
Debbie: Let's do it!
Me: Whoa, hold on I meant 5K, I'll do a 5K
Debbie: You said half marathon, no backing down
And so it is....
Now I'm not a runner, I've never claimed to be a runner, I don't go pound the pavement or whatever runner's say. I bike, I do the elliptical, love yoga, maybe some pilates, running not really, but, after signing up with Debbie to do this I'll tell you what, the motivation is totally in me. Debbie is a good pep-talker and reminded me that if she go do it at her age (which we won't mention) I could certainly do it at mine.
Needless to say the training started from day 1. I have 200 days until the race (198 until the weekend kicks off). I really want to get some 5/10K's under my belt before the big half marathon as well. I figure the half marathon should not be my first race, that would just be silly. So to get my butt in gear I'm doing the Couch to 5K program, where you run and walk in the beginning and build yourself up to being able to run a 5K in 9 weeks (I think?). There are some 5/10K's in October through January that I'll probably do to get ready as well. I think the one race I saw in October is actually only 2 miles, which may be good for me to start with.
The whole weekend looks like a ton of fun. There's the Fit for a Princess Expo the first two days where they have seminars, shops and all the latest info on training and nutrition. The race itself is that Sunday at 6 am. You start in EPCOT's parking lot and then run to the Magic Kingdom, through it and back for a total of 13.1 miles. They have characters and bands and fun trivia all along the way to keep you motivated. After watching the videos for the event it seems like it's going to be a lot of fun and I cannot wait. Plus, the medal is AWESOME. I already know what I want to do with my medal and bib after the race (see you make plans like this and it motivates you to finish).
Thank you again Debbie for convincing me to do this with you. I cannot wait to cross the finish line with you!
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