To RunDisney or Not RunDisney

So you want to run a Disney Race?

After running enough of these races it seemed time to write some tips, tricks, and the dirt on running Disney!

Fast and Furious 9: Run Disney Registration

You may have heard the rumors that registration is fast and furious? Well, they're all true.

On registration day be ready (credit card, personal information, your first born) 30 minutes before registration and once you're in that queue, don't refresh your page.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Other Options to Chaos

Travel Agent:

Sara and I used this route for Dopey 2016 and it was a GAME CHANGER. Not only did we not have to panic on registration day, but we got a great deal on park tickets. Many agents require you to purchase another element of your trip through them (hotel, park tickets, etc.). But if you were already planning to stay on property or visit the parks, then why not! They can usually save you money on those expenses too, so it's a win/win. You will also have to pay your race registration and hotel deposit upfront and pay your hotel bill prior to your stay.

Annual Pass Holder or Disney Vacation Club:

If you are one you can register a week before regular registration BUT they only have a limited number of slots so the about registration chaos still applies.

Bib Trade:

I joke, this is 100% NOT an option and believe me when I say other Disney runners WILL find you and call you out on this. Just don't do this.

Registration Extras

I have never purchased extras (Cheer Squad, Race Retreat) and I do not feel I have missed out. The Cheer Squad is an extra package for family members to be able to cheer you on along your way, but actually it is quite easy to do this without the extra cost. The monorail opens early to let spectators into Magic Kingdom to catch you at the castle (without paying park admission) and during a half that is really the best viewing spot. During the Marathon there are other points along the highway and in Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and in Epcot (for these opportunities though, your support system will need to pay for park entrance). The finish line area is harder to get to and then your family members have to trek to find you.  In the staging area there is a live stream of the finish line and it is easy to find family members.

In my opinion, save your money for important things...like a drink during/after the marathon.

Park Time

Why race in Disney if you can't go to the parks? If you are just doing one race I would wait to go to the parks till after the race. If you are doing multiple (Dopey, Goofy Challenge etc) Chose the hardcore walking parks  for the smaller race days.

During Dopey 2016 I went to Magic Kingdom after the 5k, Hollywood Studios after the 10K, rested the day of the half marathon, and went to Epcot after the marathon to celebrate and drink away leg soreness.

The key to enjoying park time? Napping. Make like a kindergartner and nap. You will be tired/cranky from waking up at 3am, so when you get back after a race, shower and catch a nap. Then proudly wear your medal and get all of the high fives.

Weather

Year to year (heck, day to day!) this changes. Sometimes in January it is chilly for Florida (high 40s race morning) other years race morning it is in the mid 60s. Do yourself a favor and invest in a garbage bag or a $2 sweater from Goodwill for race morning. This year I had a throw away shirt for every race and $1 gloves. Marathon morning I needed neither at the start.

For those of us coming from cold temperatures, the humidity can be a shock. If you have access to a gym try and log miles inside on the treadmill to get used to warmer temperatures. When you land in Florida be sure to log a couple miles of an acclimation/shake out run. If it is particularly humid prepare to slow down a bit on your race pace as your body will be adjusting.

This is not the 30º I was used to running in

On vs Off Property

I really believe this is a personal preference (unless you registered via a Travel Agent). I have done both staying off site at a timeshare and on property (at the All Star Resorts and at Port Orleans) and each has their Pros & Cons so here we go.

Food:

If you like your own food or have diet restrictions then access to a kitchen is important. Disney's food is not the healthiest. When off property I brought a lot from home and went to a grocery store to get anything I couldn't bring on a plan. On property I took an Uber/Lyft/cab to go and grab a few essentials I could store in the room

Transportation:

As much as Disney may make it seem that driving is the worst, it really is not. The signs are very clear and, as long as you leave a little extra time, parking is a breeze. Remembering where you parked after the race...a bit harder. It is virtually impossible to stay off property without a car or access to one. On property you have the Disney transportation that will get you to/from the expo and races. Sometimes you do have to wait a bit and if you are like me and get tired of waiting/crowds this can be hard. That and navigating bus stairs after a race is REALLY hard (walk down backwards).

One thing to keep in mind for some race weekends is that not all on property resorts are official race resorts, which means they won't have bus transportation to and from race locations. For the bigger weekends (marathon weekend and Princess weekend), ALL resorts on property are race resorts, but for smaller weekends (Wine & Dine), you should double check to make sure your hotel will have bus transportation to the races.

Noise pollution:

As you will be napping or trying to go to sleep earlier than most I found that off property had less noise, because they often have less people. Now if you are lucky to score one of the back/remote rooms in Port Orleans it is quiet, but you will hear families and fireworks as you try and sleep.

Cost:

...Neither is free, find what works in your budget? In Dopey 2014 we did not have to rent a car because our friend drove down, he is crazy and we fed him all the food.

On? Off? Chose what works for you and have a blast

I will say, Disney is ace at hotel decoration and vibe. You just can't beat that magic.

Packing

This really needs its own post, but I will advise that you think about this before you leave. Give yourself time to over pack and then pull out things you don't need (no you don't need 5 pairs of shorts or a pair of heels and you do not need to bring 50 gels). Keep in mind you will also be getting race shirts so there is your post-race outfit for park hopping. I managed to pack for Dopey 2016 in two carry-ons. 

The key? Ziploc bags for race outfits. 

1) it makes for easy storage, 

2) easy to find and layout all of those outfits before the races

3) you have a place to hide smelly clothes that you cannot wash).

FYI - peanut butter counts as a liquid...I found this out the hard way. Be sure to label protein powders as "Not Drugs" for maximum security time. If you have a foam roller...yes, you will want that. Bring anything you need for the races in your carry on bag. I'm neurotic so I wear my race shoes on the plane so that I know they made it. I'll work on a packing post. Believe me, I haven't even given you all my tricks.

MAGIC! 

I hope this helps - if you have any other questions or queries just comment below! Happy to answer and help out! 

Wine Dine Half - expo & hotel photo post!

Hello from Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend! Sara is up early tomorrow to run the Jingle Jungle 5k, then Team CinderWars is taking on the Wine Dine Half in the evening. Today was expo day, and an afternoon chilling at the hotel, exploring all of the fun themes the All Star Movies resort has to offer!

More photos and fun behind the jump!

Comment dites-vous "half marathon" en français?

The MUCH anticipated and constantly rumored Disneyland Paris Half Marathon is finally coming to fruition! Disney announced it during the pre-race festivities at this morning's Princess Half Marathon.

Right now we don't have anything other than dates (September 23-26, 2016), but Rachel and already have our calendars marked off... will we see you in PARIS!?

Race Recap - Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon 2014

This past weekend, Rachel and I took on the first of back to back runDisney race weekends, and ran our 5th half marathon as a team. As you may have heard by now, the weather didn't quite cooperate for a perfectly magical 13.1 miles in Disney, but regardless, we set out to have ourselves a good time.

A Breath of Fresh Air from Running Disney

The running world is a-buzz today, for what might as well be the lunch break taken around the world: RunDisney registration day for the 2015 Princess Half Marathon weekend. Active links are being shared, long waits are abundant, and people are FREAKING OUT about getting themselves registered.

Fear of not being registered for a princess themed 13.1 miles through the happiest place on earth - not to be confused with fear of being in the starting corral for your very first marathon.

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE running Disney. Rachel and I ran the Princess Half in 2013 for our first ever half marathon, and loved it so much that we turned right around and registered for 2014's Dopey. We had a blast. Running in Disney is incomparable to just about everywhere else. (We're doing it again in November - in Orlando for Wine & Dine half, and then California for the inaugural Avenger's half.)

But for me, I think it's time for some fresh air - literally. I recently discovered a series of races that run just outside the borders of the National Parks out west: Vacation Races. Beautiful bling, my favorite distance, and views that absolutely cannot be beat? Sign me up!

Photo credit Vacation Races

This year, they're running in 6 parks: Zion, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Great Smoky Mountains, and Lake Powell.

Earlier this week, they announced a new race coming in 2015: the Grand Teton Half Marathon. And even better, the Grand Teton half is one week before the Yellowstone half next June. Which means it's time for me to start planning a road trip. Full of hiking, geysers, mountains, blue sky, fresh air, and a pair of 13.1 runs thrown in just for kicks.

I. Can't. Wait.

Historic Half-Marathon Race Recap

Rachel is really good at signing up for a bunch of races and not training.

If you are keeping track:

April 6- Marathon

April 27- Half-Marathon

May 18- Half-Marathon

May 18 was not in the schedule for 2014, but I wanted  help my friend Julie celebrate her birthday. Julie and I signed up for the Marine Corps Historic Half along with our friend Devin. They were going to run their first half-marathon and I was along for the ride...err, run. CrossFit brought us together and we even have a nickname four our friendship: 

Doesn't everyone have a shirt marking a great friendship?

Well in continuing with a theme of "Oh, I have a race?" I didn't train at all. I rowed a few longs distances...but nope no training runs. I also did deadlifts the Friday before the race resulting in sore hamstrings, well, we can't all make smart choices all of the time. The night before the race little sleep was had- I even performed in an improv show and then got in my car and drove down to Fredericksburg.

Spoiler- It was another good race even though I tried to sabotage myself.

 However, I should mention that I may be the worst person to be around pre-race. Antsy doesn't begin to describe my feelings. I like to arrive in enough time: pee, check any items, pee, stretch, pee, check out the corral, pee, pee, and stand in the corral (contemplating if I need to pee again).

For the Historic Half parking is a bit of a zoo as they close down roads and parking lots, we parked a good mile from the start line, the race started at 7:30- we were parking at 7:15. Cue PANIC .

Following the National Anthem (Gorgeously sung, and a moment of stillness). I went on my fast pee journey, as the race had started by this point. Seriously, the race began as we walked towards the start line. I left Devin and Julie and started on my journey. 

About a mile in I realized two things 1) my water bottle was leaking  2) my hamstrings were sore (hey deadlifts) and 3) My Clif shot gels and melted onto themselves. I just had to laugh at the situation.

The course was good, but let's talk about course elevation 

It seems that the first 9 miles of the race is all downhill....this is a LIE. Mixed in are a ton of small, but steep, neighborhood hills. There was barely a flat moment, and if you went downhill you were soon greeted by a hill. 

The course runs through a commercial area of Fredericksburg and it is a bit of a bore. However, Miles 3-9 are through neighborhoods and into Historic Downtown Fredericksburg.  Along the course there are Marines to cheer you on and encourage you to pick up the pace.  It provides for great inspiration and motivation to keep going.

The weather was perfect, but it definitely got warm on the course. One house has set up their sprinkler for runners to run through and I was quite grateful. I passed on the tequila and fireball shots.

Around Mile 9 I realized that I was pacing ahead of schedule and somehow on track to PR...again. WHAT? I should also note that the thought of "Oh man, the race is almost done" crossed my mind. I was having a fantastic run and really enjoying the race. 

"Proof" of a fun race.

I decided to not tackle the PR for a few reasons, 1) I wanted to still be able to train the coming week and 2) I still had yet to conquer Hospital Hill and wanted to save energy for that climb.

Hospital Hill is notorious along this course. Look back at the elevation map and see if you can spot it...yup 2 miles of uphill climbs from Miles 10-12. BRUTAL. 

As the ground rose...my short legs did as the best they could. To say the hill demolished my legs is a bit of an understatement and there was still another 1.1 to go. At this point I was out of water as my handheld had leaked and I skipped a water stop or two along the course. So I crested over the top sweaty, tired, but full of pride.  I should note that a tutu- clad man helped me conquer the last few feet. Thank you, tutu man, wherever you are.

Attempting to pick up the pace for the final mile was a laugh, as Hospital Hill tanked my legs. I just accepted the pace I was running at and started a dance part. Soon the finish line was in sight. There is such a rush coming around a corner and seeing the finish line. I dug in an picked up the pace...if only because it meant I could get water faster. My father was apparently shouting my name, but I did not hear him...I had one focus WATER.

He did snap this awesome shot as I neared the finish line and I forced him to take a selfie. 

When I finally crossed the finish line I looked down and discovered I was only 7 minutes off my current PR...what??? How did that happen? I blame you CrossFit. 

As I chugged my water and ate oranges slices (seriously the best) and waited for Julie and Devin, I reveled in the fun I had while racing.  

We all met up and took many photos, drank beer, and brunched. As mentioned in the previous race recap, brunch is a KEY component to a good race.

After 5 months of racing I'm officially on a hiatus until November. This first few months have tested me and seen me conquer more than I thought I could (TWO MARATHONS???). As hard as some of the races were (Dopey and Paris), I wouldn't change a thing. I'm thrilled that I finally got my groove back and look forward to getting back to racing in November and planning for a marathon in 2015.

So time to recharge my running battery and get ready to tackle Disney Wine and Dine, and the Avengers Half-Marathon in November!

Maybe I'll train for those, just maybe.

Nike Women's Half-Marathon... Because I'm Happy 13.1

I admit a decent amount of these recaps involve something going wrong. May I now present to you

"How to try and sabotage yourself and run the happiest race ever!"

So if you read the blog about Paris, you know that race did not go according to plan and while a great race I finished defeated and dehydrated.

Two days post marathon, ready to traverse Berlin (yes, the medal was in the bag)

After I spent a week traversing Europe, once I could move and eat, I flew back to the states and realized I had a half-marathon to run on April 27, yup 19 days after a Marathon time for another half.

I will be honest- I had no intentions of training and no desire to run. I have been interested in Olympic lifting so my focus shifted to that once I came back to working out. I did everything I could to get out of running during CrossFit, not interested in running. 

The week of the race I was jokingly offering my bib up to anyone who wanted it. I knew I would run it, but I just was not mentally in the game. I mentally attempted to sabotage myself by working out the day before, staying up late the night before, and not running. Three weeks of zero running and I was going to run 13.1 miles, oh yes..I was setting myself up for failure.

The message I received as I walked into the expo (the timing chip clued the wall ).

As I was falling asleep the night before I realized that I was going to be running tomorrow along the routes I trained for my previous races. These paths have been cursed at and had blood, sweat, and tears shed on them. Tomorrow I was going to race along them and tomorrow was going to be my 5th half-marathon. A year ago, running 13.1 miles seemed impossible; now it was just a Sunday run (a long run, but just a run). I went to bed happy and willing to accept whatever tomorrow held.

I knew that Sara would be on the course to cheer me on, so that was something too look forward to, in addition to post race brunch with another friend Zoe. Seriously- plan brunch after a race...best idea!

The poof makes its' running debut.

While the countdown for my corral began the sun rose over the capital building and I started crying (yes...again...deal with it). I realized the journey I had taken to get here, from no running at all, to completing two marathons and stetting up to finish my 5th half-marathon. At the start line I  made sure that I let go of every apprehension. In that moment I found the joy of running again, that joy of lacing up your shoes and just running.

Off we went. The weather could not have been better. I clipped along and around Mile 3 I saw Sara for the first time and delivered a sweaty hug (not sorry).

Mile 5 saw me crossing the Memorial Bridge that KILLED me the first time I attempted to run across it. Not today to day I ran it and full of joy and vigor.

I knew to expect Sara again at Mile 11, but she surprised me at Mile 8 with a grumpy cat stuffed animal and a sign that read:

I tried running once, it was awful.

She knows me so well.

While I have been running in D.C. for a few years I have never run along Haynes Point, so it was exciting to run around and see all the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom. 

Around Mile 11 the 2:20 pacer passed me- I had no idea I was running that fast (as an asthmatic runner, 2:20 is fast for me). Rather than keep up, I just held pace but vowed to keep her in my sight line.

I saw Sara for the final time and gave her I giant sweaty hug and went into the final mile and half.

The race was almost over and it felt like it just flew by for me. I was laughing and smiling..for all 13.1 miles. I didn't need my inhaler and didn't need to slow down to catch my breath.

I crossed the finish line triumphant and happy. 

So happy...and with an accidental PR!

I found my groove in those 13.1 miles, I got back to the joy I had when I first started running, and I felt free

So here is to the good and bad running day. Both will happen, but the key is to appreciate the good ones and let the bad ones go.

Zoe and I treated our bling to brunch.

Avengers - assemble!

When Rachel and I made the decision to pass on the Dumbo Double Dare registration a few months ago, opting to save our credit card limits for the Wine & Dine, we thought we were giving up any chance of getting our Coast to Coast medal this year. Then runDisney announced an exciting new Disneyland race the week after W&D - the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon!

An inaugural, super heroes themed race in Disneyland?! The thought was too good to pass up for these runDisney addicts. After an incredibly brief conversation (along the lines of "so.... do we want to?" "um, duh?"), we decided we were in for the extended race-cation, combining Wine & Dine weekend with a cross-country flight to California for Avengers.

Now that we're officially registered for both races (WOO! Especially since Avengers opened 35 minutes ago, and is already at 75% as I type), it's time to start thinking about costuming, flights, accommodations, and park passes.... not to mention training schedules ;)



Are you running Disney in the fall? Have you ever run back-to-back Disney races on opposite coasts? If you could run as any superhero, who would you run as?

That Dopey Thing

This is a bit lengthy so grab a drink and some GU and settle in 

Now that life has settled down and I am not waking up at 2:50am to go run it is time to sum up all that happened in 48.6 Miles.

January 9-12th I ran 48.6 miles via 4 races. a 5K, a 10k, a Half-Marathon, and a Full Marathon. These races took place in the "Happiest Place on Earth" Disney World.

Later it would be referred to as the "Happiest F@*!ing Place on Earth," but I digress.

How did I decide to do the Dopey Challenge? On a whim. And then I dragged Sara kicking and screaming into it, too.

By the time we signed up for Dopey I had done one half-marathon and a handful of 5Ks and just started CrossFit. Some crazy part of my brain said "You can do it...lets do it." So in April 2013 I signed up for the Dopey Challenge... Asthma and all.

I continued to run and CrossFit and complete two more half-marathons, but no marathon. Dopey was going to be my first marathon.  Maybe not the smartest idea, but a crazy one.

I ran my fastest Half in Richmond in November and saw visions of sub 5 hour Marathon, and then I strained my left calf at the start of December.

My training came to a halt and visions of a sub-5 Marathon vanished. I ran a final 15 mile run in December, but never ran my final 20 mile long run.  I kept up with CrossFit during this time and that was what saved me.

If you are keeping track- the first time a I ran since December 10, was January 9. Yup I did Dopey on minimal training.

By January 1st, I was panicked, but determined to do Dopey. Thanks to the support of my freinds and an awesome coach I gained my confidence back.

Soon January 8th rolled around and I was flying down to embark on something I never thought I could do. The fact that I was no longer scared of running due to my asthma kept me going.

The Race Expo was a blur full of nerves and funny photos (I have to take my signature photo).


Soon it was time to sleep and get up for the 5K.

5K

As far as 5K's go you would think this was uneventful, but this was the first time I'd run in almost a month. I was nervous, but ready. In keeping with Disney tradition Sara and I went in costume as Belle and 'The Wardrobe.' Good news is I was the only Wardrobe.

10K

This was my first 10k. Yup, I went straight from a 5K to a Half-Marathons. What can I say? This was a fun distance and an enjoyable, but humid run. We were missing our friend Katy Beth who had to miss due to illness, but we ran as Black/White Minnie and Steampunk Minnie

By this point my left calf was starting to get a bit upset with the amount of running I was putting it through. I had been lent a Voodoo Mobility Band, which was a HUGE lifesaver. I also had packed many other mobility items in addition to Epsom Salt. I was ready for the worst.

Half-Marathon

I decided to use KT Tape on my calf to make sure it held through till the Marathon. I had everything banking on the Marathon. The weather was HOT and HUMID. Most everyone doing the Dopey Challenge was taking it easy during this race, but I really hate that. Luckily Sara reigned me in a bit. We ran a route that we first ran in February 2013 and felt 100% better.

Marathon Prep

That's 4 lbs of Epsom Salt. ...all of it was used up by Sunday.

In an effort to have the freshest legs possible I took an ice bath. Let me tell you...at first it sucks, then it feels great, and then it sucks. As the evening wore on my nerves grew. The thought that I had not run more than 15 miles and was about to partake in  a 26.2 mile race after running 22.4 miles the previous days seemed insane. WHAT WAS I THINKING? It is times like this that social media is a benefit, I reached out on Facebook and got a huge amount of support. With that I went to bed with thoughts of finishing in my head.

Marathon
Needless to say, not a lot of sleep was had. Eating breakfast was an nearly impossible task. The one bright spot? I had refreshed legs. My legs were ready for whatever 26.2 miles could throw at me.

Off we went to the starting line and we found our familiar 'Wrecking Ball' serenade. I then realized I'd forgotten the KT Tape for my calf, meaning I was about to test my calf out on an insane volume with no support. This thought brought the nerves back and almost my breakfast.  Soon we were directed to head to the start line (1 mile form where we arrived) and after I went to the restroom for the millionth time we were in our Corral.

I should mention I gained notoriety for my ability to hop the 4ft corral fence, sprint to the bathroom, sprint back, jump the fence in time to amble forward with my corral. Seriously, I got a lot of cheers and high-fives, so if nothing else I can win for a speedy pee.

Awhile back Sara and I agreed to race the Marathon separately since I tend to run faster. So prior to Mile 1 I bid adieu and plodded along to an unknown destination.

The first 5 miles were uneventful, other than the fact that I was running them. You see often with asthma I have to do a run/walk to get the breathing under control...but not today. No today was a great breathing day. Entering the Magic Kingdom was magical and on I plodded.

Mile 7 I felt a spasm from my calf and made a stop for some BioFreeze, by some I mean a HUGE glob. If nothing else Disney is great for the sheer amount of BioFreeze they have on hand (Sara edits to add that by the time she got around to the Med tents at Mile 16, they had run out of the stuff, and didn't have any left through the end of the race). I also grabbed some Vaseline because my camelbak was rubbing my neck. I had run with a camelbak before, but never in a tank OOPS. I still have the marks from that...lesson learned.

On I plodded. Soon we came upon the speed track, which at first was cool...and then you kept going. It felt never ending.

Miles 9-10 became emotional because I decided to dedicate them to people who always believe in me. Thinking about all the times people supported me or pushed me made the tears cry. I mean my parents drove me to endless dance classes and sat through some rough shows for me. My brother, though he may never admit it, pushed me to be better. His endless torment and taunts helped me to see what I could do. I could go on, but it would take awhile. Know that if you are reading this, you were in that mile with me. Also crying while running is not the prettiest, but this wasn't a beauty contest.

Somewhere in here I took a pit-stop...that lasted ages. Seriously the one spot with a large span between bathrooms was when I had to go and wait 15mins. Farewell sub 5 marathon time. It was nice knowing you!

Somewhere around the 11.5 mile marker my calf got real angry and then seized up on me. No amount of BioFreeze could dull the pain. I then realized that a goal of a 5:30 marathon was going to be impossible. This was the start of what would be a really dark second half of the marathon. I was frustrated and pissed. I had a great first few miles and was conservative with my pace and yet here I was hobbling along.

Before I go on, I want to say that never once did the thought of quitting cross my brain...never once. I was going to finish and that was a fact of which I was sure. I got myself into this and I was going to get myself out.

Mile 14- The mile the music died...No really.. I was now left to spend 12.2 miles without any music. I should note that many Disney Marathoners have described Miles 14-22 as the worst because the route is on the highways and they were not lying. Tears were free flowing at this point, old ladies were passing me left and right and I was just alone with my thoughts. I am my own worst critic and in those miles everything came out and I was letting it rip on myself. Many f-bombs were dropped those miles.

The worst thought though, that was was the one where I thought "Why did I ever think I could do this?" It took until I got my medals for me to start shaking that one off. I lost all confidence in myself. The only thing that kept me going was that I knew how much I would hate myself if I quit.

Mile 16.5 at this point you are on a 4 lane highway with a huge median separating  the 4 lanes. So you can see a mile marker on the other side and I turned around to see what mile those runners were on...they were on 21. I didn't think I could feel worse, but realizing I had 4.5 miles just to get to that point felt horrible.

Mile 17 is where you enter ESPN Wide World of Sports aka...the land of switch backs to create 3 miles. aka the worst. Somewhere in ESPN there was a fuel station of bananas and let me tell you...that was the BEST BANANA I have ever had. Seriously I think I might have cried even more.

Miles 20- For most people Mile 20 is a wall, not for me. I had tried to mentally think of the run to Mile 20 as the hard part and the 10K as the easier part. So when I saw Mile 20, realized how truly slow I was moving I vowed to run...because it was just a 10K. So through the pain I hobbled along, only allowing my self to walk for 1-2mins max. My stride was the worst thing in the world, but I was moving faster.

Miles 21-25- These miles blur together somehow. Around 22 some spectator thought it would be a great idea to yell "YOU LOOK GREAT" let me say that is not the thing to yell at someone whose hair is falling down, is sweating, is sunburned, and is crying. My response? F**K YOU PABLO. no lie...I yelled that. You see one of my CrossFit Coaches says that exact statement...usually when you are suffering so that was my natural response. Dear poor spectator...I'm sorry.

Entering Hollywood Studios meant that the finish was closer and that I was slow as ever. The photos of me in this park are depressing. My head is down and my face is scrunched up from crying. Somewhere in here someone read my name on my bib and said "You got this Rachel, You are doing it" and that was enough for me to lift my head.  Later another gentleman would say "Keep it up young lady" and I would. Soon Epcot approached and I knew I was nearly there.

Around this time I was also 99% sure they had forgotten to put out the mile marker for 25. Seriously it felt like HOURS went by between 24-25. I voiced my concerns to my fellow runners, and they just laughed. Let me tell you the relief I experienced seeing Mile Marker 25 surpassed the feelings of the previously mentioned banana.

At this point I entered the world showcase section of Epcot to many spectators. Up until this point I was avoiding the high-fives and looking spectators in the faces because I was defeated. Silly I know, but I felt embarrassed by my race and the pain wasn't helping. Up ahead I heard a father say to his young daughters (around ages 2-4) "Hold your hand out for High-Fives." I realized I was going to be the first runner to pass them so I steered toward the side and held out my hand for the smallest high-fives. The girls shrieked with delight and I started crying...again.

Hearing the joy they received from encouraging me, even though I was a runner whose hair was falling down, was sweaty, was sunburned, and was crying,  shook me out of my slump. I realized that rather than enjoying my first marathon, I had spent most of it pissed at myself. Pissed because one muscle got over worked. I couldn't see the huge accomplishment I was about to achieve. I couldn't see past the fact that I hadn't run in almost a month before doing this and I was about to finish.

At this point another runner joined me and asked if I was alright (read: still crying) and I said I was and he looked at me and said "I have a feeling I will be the same way when I see my wife." He went ahead and I was left to realize that I needed to soak in this moment.

Soon the 26 Mile Marker came into view and the Gospel Choir Disney always has at this point. With renewed vigor I decided pain be damned I'm sprinting the final .2

So I did...I sprinted with everything I had. Arms pumping I heard people cheering me on and with a high-five from Minnie Mouse I crossed the finish line.

I had done it. I had finished my first marathon. I had finished the Dopey Challenge. And you know? It still hasn't sunk in. I may have the medals and the shirts, but it doesn't feel real just yet.

Soon after finishing I called my mom and updated Facebook that I had survived and wasn't dead. I was overwhelmed by the cheers and support I received on Facebook. None of my friends cared what my time was they were proud of me and that blew me away. They were proud of me even as I wasn't. How could I not realize how awesome it was? Days later I am now proud. I finished a MARATHON with asthma and a bum calf, but even those things aside...I finished it.

I learned a lot about myself during that marathon, but I also realized the huge community of friends and family that I have supporting me. Knowing I had people tracking me and waiting to see when I would finish kept me going those lonely miles. I had told people I was going to finish, and I keep my promises.

So thank you to everyone. You got me through it all and helped me see the accomplishment and for that I am grateful.

What now? Now...now I rest and then start training for Paris. After that who knows where my feet will take me. Maybe an Ultra- Marathon. Either way I'll finish the next challenge because I'll be ready and I know that I am capable of finishing.

Breaking Out of a Funk

I've been in a pretty bad running funk lately. I went from hitting the 50 mile mark in September, to barely even hitting 10 miles in October. If I'd stuck with my Dopey training schedule like I was supposed to, October should have been a 100 mile month. Oops.

I'm still not sure exactly what put me there. October was the 1 year anniversary of when I started seriously running! I was coming off a 45-minute PR at the Philly R&R Half! I should be training for this foolish race series I'd signed up for in January! ...But I just had no desire to get out there and hit the pavement.

Nope, just not feelin' it.

Partially, I was getting tired of my neighborhood loop: it was hard to find longer runs that didn't involve major roadways and the shadier parts of town. Partially, my scheduled runs were getting longer, and daylight was disappearing faster, so I didn't have as much time to run after work (and I'm the WORST about waking up and going before work). Partially, it was getting colder, so I had to think about layering and what gear would be best, rather than just throwing on shorts and a tank and heading out.

Most of all, I was getting really bummed about my speed. Or, rather, lack thereof. I've always been fully aware that I'm a slow runner. I take walk breaks, and I take them fairly often. Until recently, I've been able to accept that about myself, and just take pride in the fact that I'm lapping everyone on the couch by just getting up and going. But recently, that wasn't enough. I was getting discouraged that my pace averaged out at about a 13 minute mile.

Easier read than believed

I was getting pretty bad envy of the paces and finishing times of other runners in community groups. I kept trying to tell myself that running was a competition with myself - not with others on the road, and that my speed had hugely increased since I started running the previous fall, but it wasn't working. I was burned out, in a funk, and entering into a downward spiral: if I didn't train, I wasn't going to get faster or more stamina; but I had no desire to train, because I was feeling slow and less than mediocre.

Thankfully (and completely unexpectedly), Saturday's Richmond Half Marathon turned it around for me. I went into it with seriously low expectations - there were a whole bunch of factors that pointed to me having a terrible race day. But despite all of the mental, physical, and circumstantial factors working against me that morning, I wound up feeling great the whole run. I pushed through it all, and came out almost a full minute per mile under my average pace.

Pushing toward the finish line, and outta the funk.

Now, as I'm riding on the awesome feeling of a successful race, I'm feeling mentally stronger to move into the heavy training schedule we need to stick to for Dopey. The only thing I'm competing against is myself, and I know I've got this.

Race Recap - Sara's take on the American Family Fitness Half Marathon

In part two of our recap of our half marathon in Richmond, Sara relates her experience. Miss Rachel's take? Check it out here!

I had an awesome race. Going into it, I was positive I was going to tank - miserably. Anything that could possibly be going wrong in the days before a big race, was. Between fall allergies, lackadaisical training (I was battling burnout - but more on that later this week), knee and hip pain (from a terrible long run I'd done the weekend before), untimely girl stuff, a splitting headache, and what felt suspiciously like an oncoming cold, I was super nervous. I strongly considered taking a DNS (did not start) and just going down to cheer Rachel on. In the end, though, I started, and man am I glad I did.

Race morning dawned, and it was colder and wetter than I had bargained for. Unlike some, however, I actually enjoy running in the rain - I've always enjoyed a good downpour. I also knew that my splits tend to be better in the colder weather. So despite the less-than-perfect weather, we geared up and made our way to the start of the race.

Trash bags make the most fashionable rain gear, didn't you know?

We stood under an awning with a bunch of other runners, watching the 8k start (they really took the brunt of the rain - they were drenched before they even got the starting call), before heading to our corral to await the start of the half marathon. Before we knew it, we were off on our 13.1 mile trek through Richmond.

Rachel and I had agreed months ago that we were going to run this one separately. She wanted to see just how fast she could finish without reigning back her speed for my sake. So we jogged the first warm-up mile together, before going our separate ways.

As I trucked along the route, I kept an eye on my watch, keeping a vague 2/1 minute run/walk interval, but mostly tuning into how my body was feeling. And let me tell ya, I was feeling great. There were a couple hills that kicked my butt, but aside from that I was feeling pretty awesome. I had both knees taped up (I honestly don't know what I would do without KT Tape), and they survived brilliantly (until we took some wrong turns on the way to the car and wound up trekking up and down a few stairs and hills).

Somewhere around Mile 3, we got hit with another downpour - I loved it. As we ran through the neighborhoods, downtown area, and parks, the spectators lining the streets with their signs and cheering were fantastic. We all had our names on our bibs, and it was such a boost to hear folks calling your name as you ran past. Running through the neighborhoods was wonderful. Whole families were out on their front porches, watching the runners go past as they drank their morning coffee. Some of them had set up their own make-shift fuel, water, and even beer stations. The "junk food" station was by far the best - those gummy bears were crucial - although I was a little saddened to skip over the beer station.

I had a blonde moment around Mile 9 when I thought "hey, only a 5k to go now!" and laughed when realized my mistake when I hit a "5k Fun Run" sign at Mile 10... oops! When I got to that last 5k, though, and realized I was pretty much guaranteed a new PR, I thought of how excited I was to tell my parents and my boyfriend that I had done so much better than I thought I would today. I actually started tearing up a little, recalling the inspirational words Andrew had given me before I set off for Richmond, and at the thought of how proud all three of them would be, and how happy it made me to have such wonderful support cheering me on from home.

I didn't feel myself really start to tire out until Mile 12. Pushed through that looooong last mile, and turned a corner to find a glorious sight: a steep downhill to the finish line. Flew down the hill, and crossed the line with a new half marathon PR - by 15 minutes!

Grabbed my medal, water, and blanket (they were giving out really cute fleece blankets at the finish - another great idea by the organizers!), and wandered to find Rachel and her parents so we could head home, proud finishers of our third half marathon this year.

Reunited again, we were all smiles at the finish line.

Race Recap - American Family Fitness Half Marathon (Rachel's race)

Last weekend, we ran the American Family Fitness Half Marathon in Richmond, VA. Touted as "America's friendliest marathon," this race certainly lived up to its spectator expectations. Beyond that, however, we had very different race experiences, so we're both going to recap for you. We'll begin with Rachel's take, but you can find Sara's version here.

Together at the Finish Line

Let me start off by saying that Richmond hosts a wonderful race and I did have a great time. As you are reading…you might not think that.

Going into the race I was unsure about what I wanted out of the race. Initially, I wanted to hit a huge PR of 2:10, but I realized that going full speed ahead might diminish my ability to train for the Dopey Challenge in January. I made the choice to not track my mile splits and just going for an easy run with 9,000 other people.

I did commit a cardinal running sin on race day…I wore new gear.  My last pair of Kilkenney’s met their demise on November 10, and I had only run in my new ones for 3 miles (for the record I love them!) I also wanted to run with a handheld 10oz water bottle rather than run with a race belt, but had never tested running with a handheld (for the additional record I love my new water bottle).  So much for not doing anything new on race day!

Morning arrived and it was cold and rainy. Sara and I were sporting sexy trash bags in the downpour  until it was time for us to line up. The rain stopped, but soon after we began running it started raining...and then pouring. After Mile 1, Sara and I separated to battle Richmond on our own.

Early in the race was our first hill, and being a Garmon with short powerful legs, I sprinted up the hill without a second thought. This would be my go to method for all of the other hills in the race, because why make the pain last any longer than it has too? 

Mile 4 saw my left calf cramp up, meaning I had 9.1 miles to go before I could get to my compression sleeves or lacrosse ball. I stretched as much as I could, but it felt better when I was moving so I kept running.

The race was a bit of a blur from Mile 5-11. I am sure I got some weird looks for my Ninja running look. For the record, a wet running mask is really hard to breathe through!

The Blerg: if you have not heard of ‘The Blerg’ please read this article by The Oatmeal. At Mile 11, I was hit hard by The Blerg.  I realized that I might not finish in 2:30, both calves hurt, my lungs were burning, and I was soaked…I was done. The temptation to just stop was there, I had nothing left mentally. The tears started flowing as I kept one foot in front of the other. I kept trying to make agreements and deals with myself, but I was defeated. As I came upon another steep hill I sprinted up to the top because if nothing else, I was going to keep my promise to sprint every hill. I started yelling at myself and then I realized how horribly I speak to myself. The things I was saying to myself I would never say to anyone, so why was I treating myself this way? I vowed then at 11.5 to build myself up. The last few miles saw a resurgence in energy and when I saw the final downhill toward the finish I SPRINTED and  finished in 2:29. That is a full minute under the worst time I wanted.

Despite everything, I still eeek-ed in under that goal. When people ask me about this race I keep saying it was GREAT! And it was, I battled myself and I won. I went out to have a relaxed run, and I did.  

~Rachel

                                                With my support crew aka Mom and Dad

Race Recap - Philly Rock & Roll Half Marathon

For our first "better late than never" race recap, Sara's looking back at the 2013 Rock & Roll Philadelphia half...

After we registered for the Dopey Challenge, Rachel and I knew we needed to find an early fall half marathon to run for a new PR so we could boost our corral WDW Marathon weekend. Starting at the back of the pack, though it had worked for the Princess, was not going to cut it for back to back to back to back races in January. After a little research on the available races, we settled on the Rock & Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon on September 15, 2013. Our choice proved a wise one, as we (spoiler alert) came out of it with over a 45-minute PR!

We left the DC area early on Saturday morning, leaving plenty of time to pick up our packets and wander around the expo before an early dinner and relaxing evening in the hotel. Packet pick up went very smoothly - longer lines for us runners toward the back of the pack, since this seemed to be a first race for many people, but the lines moved quickly and we were soon in the expo itself. Inside the expo, Brooks had a great island themed section dedicated to their "Run Happy" branding - we poked around a bit before heading into the main area in search of a couple items to boost the next morning's run.

I was disappointed not to find a KT Tape booth anywhere to get my knee taped up, but had tape back at the hotel room so I could do it myself later that night. We spent awhile digging through the Bondi Band suitcases, and came away successful - Rachel got a very fitting "No one ever drowned in sweat" band, and I got myself a new princess crown. Geico had a course preview video running at their booth, so we stood to watch that and see what we were in for the next morning, before heading off to find dinner.

Swag from the expo - highlights were definitely an awesome race t-shirt from Brooks, and the "Run Strong" bracelet for the Boston Marathon.

As we walked back to our hotel we got a chance to explore a bit of Philly - we spotted the "LOVE" sign from afar, took some fun photos with the game pieces, and grabbed bagel sandwiches for dinner in a cute cafe we found in a small park. As we were turning toward our hotel, we realized we were on the corner of Race Street, so naturally we had to document with some photo jumping fun. Then it was back to the hotel to check out the expo swag, prep our gear for race morning, and watch some "Sister Act" (we were delighted to find these back to back on tv that night)!

Having your race-cation hotel just off Race St has to be a good omen :)

The next morning we woke up, packed our bags to leave with the concierge (the one downside to this trip was that our hotel was not allowing late check out due to the race, so we had to check out before heading to the start line), and started out on the mile or so walk to the start of the race.

It was a little chilly as the sun was still working its way up that morning, so we were glad for our jackets and bondi bands to keep us warm. We hung around near our corral (22 out of 25, so pretty far back in the pack), which was hanging out just in front of the finish line at the base of the Rocky stairs. One of the most fun moments that morning had to be listening to "Eye of the Tiger" with that view - very fitting!

Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet, just two gals with the will to survive!

At last, it we worked our way to the start line, and it was our turn to go! We felt good starting out, and wove our way easily through the downtown area. Before we knew it, we came across Rachel's parents, who were waving and holding up the signs they had made us! They had refused to tell us what was on each of our signs until we were running, so it we got a little surprise and a chuckle as we passed them. Rachel's had her nickname from her hometown improv troop, and mine was a throwback to my Cinderella outfit at Disney.

As we kept going through downtown, my phone GPS kept ticking off some really speedy miles. We knew we were making good time, but we didn't think we were going as fast as it was saying. The phone was also way off from the on-course mile markers. Eventually, we realized the tall buildings were throwing off the signal, so it thought we were jumping around all over the place, when really we were following straight lines. All in all, the app wound up adding almost 1.5 miles onto our distance! Oops!

Once we got out of the city, we hit the up and back portion of the race, along the Schuylkill River. Beautiful to start off, but as the miles ticked off, we started getting anxious for the turnaround - it felt like it was never coming! Finally, it did, and we made our way back, starting to fight the mental battle. By the time we hit Mile Marker 12, we started having some fun to get through the final mile - our photo jumps came back, as we tried to time our jumps with the course photographers.

Success! Look at that air!

Finally, we turned the final corner off the water, and pushed ourselves up the final .1 across the finish line. Grins abounded, and our sub-3 hour half was in the books. By the time we crossed toward the back of the pack, they were out of chocolate milk, but we grabbed a banana and Gatorade, met up with Rachel's parents, stopped off at our hotel to pick up our bags before hitting up her parents' hotel (which had, thankfully, allowed for late check out) for a shower, and devoured a pair of (of course) Philly Cheesesteaks for a very rewarding lunch.

Do you track your pace through your own GPS device during races? What are your favorite motivators to push through the mental walls on long runs?