Disney Princess Half Marathon 2014

Merida and Elsa

 Preface: Let the record show that I wasn't as trained for this race as I should have and could have been. For those of you from the Mid Atlantic, you know that it has been a heck of a winter, actually, as I write this it is snowing again here in Delaware. And for me, treadmill running is a form of torture. With that being said, I went into Princess Weekend KNOWING I wasn't fully prepared. And if there is one thing I know about running, it is that it is quite possibly the biggest mind game that you can play with yourself. If you don't think you can do it, you can't do it. And that mindset was kind of lingering in my head a bit as the hour approached.

The Morning Of
I'm pretty sure that my anal retentive tendencies in regards to time may have been a saving grace all weekend. I'm one of those people, if I know I have to be somewhere by a certain time I like to be early. And when I'm not early, anxiety sets in a bit. This can be great when you have to catch a bus at an obscene hour of the late night/early morning, but, I think there may have been times Ali wanted to kill me. Ali, if you're reading this, I'm sorry! At 2:15 my phone was going off. It was time to get up, get ready, get dressed, and go run. I slowly got together all my clothes, socks, spi belt, clif shots, hair tie, etc and then grabbed myself a little breakfast consisting of a protein shake and a protein bar. This race I was dressing as Merida, a more premeditated costume, that was ordered from iGlowRunning on Etsy, the intricate sewing detail put into my costume was amazing and I could easily recommend Wanda to anyone looking for a cute running outfit.

At The Start

With time to kill, Ali and I were able to go around and see everything that was offered pre-race. The DJ was doing an excellent job getting everyone pumped and ready to be there. We were able to pre-hydrate with water and Powerade while we waited to hike to our corral. Speaking of hiking to the corral, if you read nothing in this post read this: be prepared to walk about a mile to your corral/the start line itself. Seriously. All week we had heard people talking about the distance from the pre-race festivities to the corrals and start line and I thought they were over exaggerating. They weren't. I know it sounds silly for me to tell you to prepare to walk a mile when you're about to take on 13.1, but if you aren't ready for it, you can be taken by surprise. We got to our corral pretty early which was fine, it gave us the chance to get towards the front of the pack. It also gave us the chance to meet new friends. Ali found her "Sister". Seriously, a girl came up and wanted her picture taken with Ali since they were dressed as Elsa and Anna. It was adorable and made me wish I could find a bear to take a picture of as I was dressed as Merida. We also met up with another woman who later we ran into again and we're now all Facebook friends. Jackie, if you are reading this, Hi!

The Race Is On
It never goes as planned, you can have the idea in your head to stay with your running buddy, but realistically, you know it won't work that way entirely. Besides, Ali was considerably faster than I was and there was an understanding that though we are starting together, there is no commitment to stay together. That's what cellphones are for at the end of the race. The people you meet along the course are some of the most interesting, kindhearted people out there. A group of girls saw I was by myself and invited me into their crew at one point, and when I told them I wanted to try to run ahead after a while they had nothing but support and cheered as I ran away. Another group that I encountered had started as a husband and wife. Their goal was just to finish. They had done two Disney half marathons before and hadn't finished either of them. The husband was the most supportive person I think I had ever met, he was telling me that he ran one on his own and finished in 2:45, but he wasn't leaving his wife behind if they were together. They were following a run/walk, after results were posted I followed up on them. Guess what? They finished. 
Another one of my friends from back home, Rachel, was also running the HM, and when I got a text from her I decided to hang out and wait by the castle for her to catch up with me. Knowing I wasn't going to hit a PR or even come close to one, I figured I may as well have fun and wait for a friend. It was nice catching up over some injured running, me with my cold, Rach with some shin splints. After a while Rachel wanted to push herself and run the last leg of the race without stopping, we said our farewells and off she went.

That right there is a genuine "holy crap I did this" smile

I can't lie, at Mile 12 I was ready to give up. I was tired, I was sore, I couldn't breathe, and no where did I read that the last part of this course involved so many overpasses and exit ramps. I wanted to seriously just sit on the guardrail and wait for a medic to come and drive me to the finish line. There were tears in my eyes, and I was choking back a full on sob. And that's when I saw spectators. Let me just say, runDisney spectators are the BEST spectators I ever met. Seriously, they are sweet, they are kind, and they hold on until the last person crosses the line. Finally, I saw it glistening, shining bright, staring at me, taunting me. The bittersweet Mile 13 marker. I say bittersweet because, for me at least, whenever I see one it is a flood of emotions. All at once in my head I'm hearing "you got this" "only a tenth of a mile left!" "you've come so far" "you know this is going to be the longest tenth of a mile in your life" "don't get too excited yet, you aren't done".

As we made our way up to the finish line, I ran. I ran even though my lungs ached, I ran even though my legs were jello, I ran even though I didn't know how I was powering my own body. And after I crossed the line, smiled ear to ear. Even if you finish slow, even if your time is the longest you have ever finished a race (hi, that's me), you're still doing a half marathon. Or in my case, a Glass Slipper Challenge. Once I got my medals I shot Ali a celebratory "I did it!" text, and we figured out where we would meet. After collecting my post race food, we made our way to the buses to get back to the hotel.

After All Was Said and Done

Enchanted 10k, Glass Slipper Challenge,
Princess Half Marathon

Back at the hotel the plan was simple: eat something, shower, nap. Two days in a row of a 2:15am wake up call can lead to two exhausted princesses. So, remember how earlier in this post I made note about how I am slightly anal about time? Imagine the anxiety I felt when Ali and I overslept and could have possibly missed our dinner reservations. Yeah, it happened. With a quick phone call, Ali explained to the staff at Raglan Road about what had happened and we quickly got dressed and headed down to catch a bus to Downtown Disney. The staff at RR held our reservation and was incredibly understanding about the whole ordeal.

Dinner for me consisted of the most delicious bread with a Guiness dipping sauce ever, a house salad for an appetizer, Mammy's Roasted Chicken with mashed potatoes, and a side of cauliflower au gratin. Oh, and then a ridiculously large thing of to die for bread pudding. And I may have had an adult beverage with dinner. Once we stuffed ourselves we made our way around parts of Downtown Disney before finally heading back to our room for the night.

OH BY THE WAY: After an amazing time in Disney and my new found love of runDisney events, I may have done something crazy like register for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler, on the bus, back to the hotel. Yep, I'm headed back to Disney!

Enchanted 10k 2014: Glass Slipper Challenge

And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what it looks like when you put together all your stuff for a pre 10k picture the night before your race! Not featured is the DayQuil and Claritin. Oh yeah, I probably should mention that when we got to Florida I came down with a sinus and upper respiratory infection/illness/death, and yet I still had every intention on running 19.3 over the course of two days.

Cinderella and Ariel pre race

 Ali and I were up by 2:30 Saturday morning, on a bus by 3:15, and at Epcot by 3:30. Our excitement outweighed our sleep deprived state, and as people began to fill the area everything finally seemed so real! I must say, the intricate work and detail that some people put into their costumes was some intense dedication! My favorite on Saturday was Merida and a bear, yes, a guy dressed as a bear to run with a girl. It was adorable.

Megan, Ali, and myself

When we made our way to our corrals, Ali made the decision to drop back a corral to be on my level, and then we also met up with another one of our friends who dropped back to join our corral party too! The execution of how the corrals started was very well timed. For the 10k about every ten-fifteen minutes they would start the next corral. This eliminated congestion on the race course, and allowed for a pretty amazing opportunity. Given the fact that this was a six mile race, before we were even heading out the first finisher was starting to come back. The cheers that we heard were so inspirational and it made for excitement among all of us.

For the first part of the race we pretty much stuck together, Megan, Ali and I. Then thanks to my cold/sinus problems, I fell back and started a coughing fit. Can I just tell you that running in Delaware where it had been 26 degrees and snowy then going to Orlando where it was 80 degrees and humid was a fun/interesting experience. Running through the Boardwalk area and Epcot was awesome, it was great to see everything in the parks and the different areas.

Along the race course I came across a girl who had fallen, I wasn't going for a PR, I wasn't going for anything really, my goal for Princess Weekend was to cross the finish line. Anything else was an added bonus. Especially given that I could barely breathe thanks to whatever ailment I had come down with. I stopped and asked her if she needed help, turns out she was sixteen, and this was her first race ever. She wasn't even a runner, honestly. That was her father's passion, and he had run Boston the year prior and was near the explosion when it happened, she was running this race because PTSD was preventing him from running it. She just wanted desperately to get to mile five, around there is where her family would be.

It was appropriate, I was running Disney after all

I look at the running community as a family, when Boston happened our hearts were heavy. Boston is a long term goal of a lot of us out there. And the fact that something so terrible could happen to our little community, something that a lot of us use as an escape had been harmed. Being a Disney race, the quote from Lilo and Stitch played through my head. I "ran" with her for the extent of her time on the race, and when she got to the part of the race where her family was her father extended his gratitude that I kept an eye on his daughter. And with my teenaged running partner no longer by my side, I pushed to the finish.





I didn't stop for any character photos, looking back on it now I regret it. I wish I had gotten at least one picture with a character. But, there is always next year to get pictures with some princesses! As I crossed the finish line it was a moment of victory. I was excited to get my first Disney bling, and excited to find Ali to hear how her race went. And to get my hands on a post race snack box. After brief search, I found my travel buddy and we snapped a picture together! We were definitely both very excited to have our first medals of the weekend, and to get back to the hotel to get ready for our adventure in Epcot that day.

Now I ain't sayin' she a gold digger

Monster Mash Half Marathon // Dover, Delaware // October 20, 2012

Registration for this race can be found here

For my second half marathon I found myself in my home state, with the starting line just seven short minutes (via car) from my house. A couple of facts about this race:

• This race can either be registered as a half marathon or a full marathon.
• The full marathon is a USA Track & Field Certified Course as a Boston Qualifier. 
• It benefits Wounded Warrior Project
• 2011 was it's inaugural year.
• Flat, fast course, seriously, there is minimal elevation along this course.
• The First mile is around The Monster Mile at Dover Downs!

Now, to my second half marathon. Start time was 7 am, I got to Dover Downs at 5:30 so I could get checked in and start meeting some of the other runners. 

The ridiculously blurry picture my Mother took Pre-Race

I was more prepared for this race than my first one, I knew what to expect of my body at which mile markers. I knew that, even if I didn't feel like I needed to, I should drink at each water stop. I knew that I needed to stretch before and immediately following the race. I knew not to push myself too hard in the beginning and to try to keep a steady pace. 

Around Mile Marker 1.5, with my ankle tracker.

My legs are so pale. So, so, pale. I loved this course, I loved being near home and running roads that I typically drive on a daily basis. I drive along this pathway all the time, and I smile. Races can do that to you, make you happy. Even just the memory. 

Approaching the finish line

Overall, I loved this course. I loved the race, the organizers of the event, and the way they handled the after affair. For a small event, it was nice, with your wristband you were able to get one meal from the food truck, I opted for a burger and a Powerade. 

Cheesin' with my finishers medal

My only complaint about this race was somehow the year I did it, the people in charge of the mile markers dropped the ball. Only the first three miles were marked. Thankfully, I used my GPS app and was able to see roughly where I was. This past year I heard that they fixed that problem, here's hoping it's still fixed come October when I take on this race again. 

xx Heather

The First Half Marathon: Island To Island Ocean City, MD 2012

Registration information for this race can be found here
Let the record show that even though I thought I would be ready for my first half marathon, I wasn't. I trained, I cross trained, I changed my diet, I lost weight, I ultimately became healthier on the quest to my first half marathon. As the date approached I found myself getting excited and anxious all at the same time. All the research that I did said the same thing: If given the opportunity, pre-run the course. 

My first half marathon was in Ocean City, Maryland. Just under two hours away from home, and conveniently, one of my favorite places to go. So the notion of pre-running the course was most definitely an option. On a Wednesday, the girl that I ran OC with and I packed up and headed south for the day. Up until this point the furthest I had tried was ten miles. And I will still a walk/runner (honestly, I'm still a run/walker, I just run more than walk now). The course was pretty flat, expect for one tiny exception that I'll touch on later. With water bottles in hand, and RunKeeper going, we started on the endeavor. Through the back roads that I know so well, and on the main highways.

I did well for my first time out, and my first time running a new area that wasn't Delaware. But, when the rains came in around mile 11.5, I was ready to call it quits. So we called our ride, and headed to lunch. Then about two weeks later, game time happened.

My first tech shirt from a race, bib, and my Nike Lunarglides (that I ended up not even running in)

 After doing some brief research, I decided to go with the hotel in the area that was providing race transportation to the start. We stayed at the Francis Scott Key, which is reasonably priced, and conveniently located to everything else you may want to do in OC. And the night before, my parents came and surprised us by staying at the same hotel as us and then taking us out to dinner. Those are the best kind of parents, right? The ones who will come home early from their Florida vacation to see their daughter run a race that she wasn't fully prepared for.

The next day I can't remember the exact time we had to be at the corral, or anything of the sort, but, it was pretty early for me. And it was kind of cold, a beach run in April can still be slightly chilly. But, I was amped and running on adrenaline.  While waiting, we had a dance party with our fellow runners, and then I got lectured by a seasoned runner on my lack of prerace stretching. Seriously, even if you don't think you need to: stretch before your run. Your body will thank you afterwards. And then, post National Anthem and race day pep talk, we were off.

Me, around mile marker 7, floating in mid air. Defying Gravity

 My parents were great photographers for the parts of the course they saw. And the spectators on the sidelines were pretty great as well. During the first part of the race, we ran through a neighborhood, where there was (I kid you not) a girl outside with her puppy offering every runner the chance to pet her puppy so they would be excited again. As you can see, I ended up wearing a pair of old beat up ADIDAS that weren't even special enough to have their own "name". It turns out that even though a lot of people LOVE running in Nike Lunarglides, I am not one of them. I noticed before on short runs with them that I had a lot of pressure and pain in my arch and shins after I finished running. I decided that instead of pushing myself in a pair of uncomfortable running shoes, I would go with a pair of tried and true. To this day I maintain that was the smartest decision I made that whole race.

Yes, that is me on that giant freaking BRIDGE.

Remember how I said the course was mostly flat? This was that one, tiny, exception. The course ended in Assateague Island, this is the bridge that you typically drive over to get there, however, this day I was taking it on my foot. I'm not sure if you can see it, but there is a red flag between the two trees. that red flag is the mile marker for Mile 12. Meaning this was the end of my journey. This was how I was ending the a 13.1 mile trek. With a giant bridge. Okay, okay, the bridge isn't that long, but it is kind of ridiculously steep. Especially when you take into consideration that I trained in what I have decided is probably the flattest state on the eastern shore. Shortly after the crest of the bridge, my ever so graceful self rolled my ankle. 

Me celebrating conquering the bridge. 

 With determination and pain, I decided I wanted to cross the finish line come hell or high water. So, for the last half mile, I limped and gimped my way to the end. When the picture above was snapped, there were definitely tears in my eyes and I was thankful for sunglasses. Finally, as we made our way around the bend I saw the finishers line. Somehow, I managed to push myself to run across.

Me with my bling

 That was it. I got my medal and cheesed for the camera. We piled into a vehicle and headed back to the hotel where we showered before heading for some food. As quickly as the race approached, it ended. And the doubts that I had in myself were a thing of the past.

I keep saying that I want to do OC again, but I'm also on a quest to all 50. However, it will always have a place in my heart. I feel like your first race always holds a place in your heart. No matter how many miles you run.