Disney Princess Half Marathon Recap

Mom - excited and ready to head out!

I lay in bed wide awake wondering what time it was.  I told myself to go back to sleep but then I talked myself out of it, wondering if the alarms (we set 3) would go off.  We were waking in the middle of the night, after all; wake up time was 3AM to catch a bus to the starting line at 3:30.  As I lay there tossing in bed thinking about the day ahead, I found myself excited and eager, which were emotions I don't remember from last year's half marathon.  Finally as I looked up to try to read the alarm clock, my Mom (in the other double bed) popped her head up..."I'm so excited" she squealed.  "Me too", I responded!  She jumped out of bed to check the time...alas it was only 2:15, but it was clear that neither of us were going to sleep anymore.  We clicked on the TV for some mindless entertainment while we waited to start getting ready.  I felt at ease.

At about 2:50, I finally got out of bed to don my running duds for the day - black compression shorts, a deep purple top, my long-sleeved throw away top and a frilly pink and purple ribbony pony tail thingie (my only Princess-y flair).  We packed a bag for bag check this year knowing that we would be waiting a while until we met the rest of our group (walkers).  I also had my breakfast in another bag - an english muffin with peanut butter, a banana, watermelon sport beans and a bottle of water (1/3 full for obvious bathroom reasons).  

We look tired...go figure!

We left our room at about 3:20 to pick up the rest of our group on the way to the bus.  We stayed at Caribbean Beach resort, a host resort, so our transportation should have been seamless.  Note the use of the words "should have."  We waited about 10 minutes for the bus to arrive and luckily were able to get seats...not everyone fit so some folks had to wait for another bus.  Very quickly my mom and I noticed that we were not headed in the right direction, towards Epcot.  A u-turn later and my mom scooted to the front of the bus to figure out what was going on.  She ultimately ended up sitting in the front row to help the driver to find his way...45 minutes later we were at the Epcot parking lots.  Since we'd done the race last year, we knew that there was a lot of walking to make it to your actual corral...probably 2+ miles.  We made it through bag check, a port-a-potty stop and we were out to our corral, B - same as last year.



Race plan wristband

We stayed toward the back of our corral knowing that we would be doing a walk-run strategy and figured that was best.  The Fairy Godmother sends you off with a little ditty and some fabulous fireworks - they do this for every corral which is really magical, as cliche as that sounds.  I loved every minute of it.  So at 5:51, we were off and running.  Our strategy was to walk, run every mile and half mile, respectively.  I put the race plan on the reverse of a Clif pace bracelet from the race expo.  We followed it to a t.

Miles 0-10 felt pretty great with the exception of mile 7.  My knees started to really bother me at that point and I started to wonder if I would be able to run much longer.  I didn't say a word to Mom, knowing that if I did, my concern would become a reality.  I kept it to myself and tried to push past the pain, mentally speaking.  And it worked...I didn't really notice my knees for the rest of the race.  At mile 10, I finally took my Clif shot, with some water at the water stop.  I felt great and still had a lot of energy so I told my Mom we were going to run the duration.  We started up the on ramp to the road into Epcot and saw the Army man from Toy Story.  An important note is that I vividly remember this spot from last year and really, deeply wondering if I would finish...or survive for that matter...I was semi-dillusional at this point (not a significant exageration) and was babbling on to my mom.  This year I was lucid and gunning it to the finish - what a difference a year makes.

I saw the mile 11 sign - the finish line was really coming...and fast.  My mom double checked that I knew how fast we were running (9 min mile pace) I nodded yes and yelled "let's go" (my ipod shuffle was loud and I didn't bother to hit pause while we talked, so I yelled).  There are 3 overpasses in rapid succession as you head into Epoct for the finish.  We walked up the last overpass to catch our breath and then we sprinted down and into the park to pass the mile 12 marker, the International gateway and the gospel choir as you turn for the finish.  I saw a few girls start walking as they struggled and gave them high 5's and shouted words of encouragement as so many did for me last year.  As we neared the end, I yelled for my mom to stay with me as we entered the chute and we crossed holding hands, arms in the air.  It's silly, but it was really an incredible moment for me.  I conquered all those demons that plagued me the last 365 days since the last race...my health issues, my life issues and most importantly my confidence in my ability to finish.  We hugged and yelled "we did it" and found the ladies handing out the medals.  I felt a little dazed from excitement and physical exertion.  We definitely negative split the race and I think we finished the last 5k in 27 or 28 minutes...it felt like a dead sprint. 


After we got our medals, I headed to the medical self help area for some ice for my knees and some tylenol.  We meandered through the crowd to get some water and powerade, then headed to the food tent and finally to bag check to retrieve our things.  It was quite chilly once you cooled off, so we went hunting for the mylar blankets to keep warm.  We met up with our friends at our designated meeting point, gave celebratory hugs and headed back to the hotel for a much-needed hot shower.  

The Disney Princess race is totally magical (like, for real) and is an amazing experience with tons of women encouraging each other and reveling in the princess spirit.  While we don't dress up on race day, we gussied up for our post-race park visit, wearing hot pink t-shirts that I designed that read "We love Disney so much we ran through it"...of course they had Minnie ears with a sparkly bedazzled crown.

Our Disney Princess Half Group - Lauren, Judy, Pam, Christine and Kymberlee

 Who knows...maybe I'll keep running.  Or maybe not.  After Sunday, I don't have anything to prove anymore and that is incredibly cathartic.

It is decidedly *not* a snow day

Like a young elementary school student, I was wishing for a snow day today.  I was hoping to see mounds of the fluffy, white stuff when I awoke this morning.  But alas, once again, the weathermen in Southeast Virginia overstated the conditions.  We don't have any on the ground - boo hoo!  But in the essence of a more fun, light post, let's talk about what I would do if we had been snowed in.

1. Bundle up with Paddy and go for a walk in the snow around the neighborhood.  I love taking walks in the snow.  I remember when we lived in VA when I was in high school and got a big snow overnight and my parents woke me up and we went for a midnight walk in the snow...that was a really fun night. 

2. When we're cold and sniffly from the walk, come home and make some cocoa and a hot breakfast - maybe Waffles with bacon or an omelet.

3. Read.  I just finished David Lebovitz's The Sweet Life in Paris so I'm eager for a new read.  I would love to spend an hour browsing the new kindle books on Amazon...something I definitely usually don't devote much time.

4. Watch some movies or Netflix.  Yesterday I discovered the show Gossip Girl.  I have certainly been missing a fab show - I could curl up and get caught up on this for hours!

5.  Play in the snow in the backyard with Paddy.  One of the best things about my pup is her love of cold and snowy weather.  If it weren't for her getting snow and ice crusted in her paws, she would be out there all day.

6. Take a nap...you're probably picking up that I'm coming up with all of my favorite lazy day activities.

7. Do some crafts or something creative.

Here's wishing you have a snow day today!

Musings 004

I've struggled with my confidence recently.  2012 has brought some significant opportunities (check out that positive spin, eh?) for professional and personal growth.  I've been out of my comfort zone a lot these days.  I've made a lot of mistakes.  I've had a few triumphs, but they have largely been outnumbered by mistakes, so I've struggled to mentally embrace those successes.  I'm also probably in a rut...some people are not part of my inner circle of trust have even commented on this (thanks for your opinion on my mental state, but go away!).

So what do you do, when your ego feels perpetually bruised?  And I'm not talking ego in a negative way.  We all need a reasonably positive sense of self to succeed in life.  I set some new personal goals that are only about ME....see my previous post on a half marathon.  I've always found very deep fulfillment from athletic or physical pursuits and I know that about myself.  So why not try to complete 13.1 miles with 14 days notice?  I certainly don't expect to be bragging about my finish time, but I am really looking forward to this race (more than I did last year, I think). 

I've been focusing on being a really good friend these days.  As I've mentioned previously, 2012 has been a rough year for my girl gaggle - premies, sick pups, bridal woes and the list goes on.  And in turn, I've had my own rough patches through which my friends have coaxed me.  Making time for a phone call in the evening or carving out a few hours for dinner and drinks to soothe the nerves and angst of daily stresses are good for the soul.  I know I have a select few friends both locally and just a phone call away who can pull me out of any funk, even if just for a night.

I've also been making time for some of the more mundane hobbies that I deeply enjoy - baking and crafts.  I spent last Sunday in front of my oven working on treats for friends and coworkers....I emerged with buttermilk biscuits (heart-shaped, of course!), cranberry and white chocolate cookies and truffle pops.  All big winners at the office and around the neighborhood.  I'm working on a few craft projects of the paper and sewing variety to channel some of my energy in creative ways. 

With that, I hope my confidence will eventually reemerge to its original state.  If nothing else, just being aware of its dip is something, right?  Being self aware is half the battle of coming out of a funk. And if all else fails, blast Katy Perry's new song "Part of Me" and you're bound to feel a little more empowered!

How do you get yourself out of a confidence rut? 

Reclaiming a half

I did something a little crazy last weekend.  I registered for a half marathon...14 days away.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I don't have any intentions of running the whole thing.  I haven't really been running, so I'm definitely not ready for that.  I do, however, plan to run parts of it.  I did a good "road test" last weekend and proved to myself that I'm ready- 10 miles walk/run on the treadmill in 2 hours.  My last half marathon didn't end very well, despite many months of training so I'm trying to reclaim this race for my psyche.  I have 3 goals for myself:
1. Run more than I walk
2. Stay healthy
3. Enjoy this race

A loss

I am a big New England sports fan and have been mourning the Patriots' Super Bowl loss for the last 24 hours or so.  While I love the Pats, I sort of expected it.  They came out of the gate sloppy and had some silly penalties (12 men on the field) called against them.  While this loss was memorable, that in the 2007 Super Bowl was worse.  But nothing can compare to the 2003 ALCS, where my beloved Red Sox played the Yankees.

Let's take a journey back in time, shall we?  Game 7 happened to coincide with my college's Senior Night, aka a bar rented out for us and they drove us back and forth in school buses.  Classy.  I was glued to the TVs over the bar with a plethora of other Yanks and Sox fans.  Since I went to school in PA, there was a strong showing for both teams.  The game went into extra innings and we ordered more beers (duh, we're college students).  Enter 11th inning. Enter Aaron Boone.  Enter walk off home run.


Source

My disbelief was palpable.  I stared at the TV with my mouth agape (catching some flies, if you will).  And then the realization set in.  The season was over and we were going home.  I think I shed a few tears into a pitcher of beer that night.  Never have I been so attached to a team like the 2003 or 2004 Red Sox.  I love those guys.

Do you get super emotional about sports?  Or attached to a specific team?

TGIF!

Oy, what a week it has been!  Yes, you guessed it, highly imperfect!  From car troubles to some exceedingly long nights at work, it's tried my patience to the hills and back.  I'm tired and not super enthused about life right now.  But it's Friday and I am slightly renewed knowing that I'm not going to be calling a colleague or a friend to get me someplace I need to be.


Available at Sephora



I've got a lot to look forward to this weekend - a Friday night at my favorite restaurant with a dear friend, watching the Pats kick some Broncos tail on Saturday and helping a friend with wedding planning on Sunday.  And next week, I'll be leaving on a jet plane for a little place called paradise.  It may be for work, but it will be a welcome respite from my gray, carpeted cubicle walls.  Hope is on the horizon!

I'll leave you with this little nugget for a Friday evening...Bobbi Brown gel eye liner in the pot is ah-ma-zing!  Get thee to a department store and buy some - totally fab!

Imperfection - 001

The first of one of my "columns"....on imperfection.  Today was imperfect in so many ways...I mean hello, it's Monday after all!  I came home from work to quickly drop off my things and decided to run some errands.  I've been long overdue to renew my passport and needed to get a new picture so I figured I would swing by CVS on my way to the grocery store (read: no breakfast food in the house and no coffee filters will very likely result in a VERY unhappy morning).  As I bee bopped out the house before 6pm (read: very early for me to be home and out and about), I thought what a productive Monday evening I would have.  I should have known better...as I got into my car, I got a weird error message about the steering lock and it wouldn't start.  I looked through the manual for a resolution and immediately called my Dad.  After trying a few things to no avail, I stomped my feet (literally), yelled some obscenities and started to cry.  Yes, I am 30 years old and still throw temper tantrums....mind you, there was no one to witness. 

I did some quick research online and realized my little ride likely required a ride to the dealership for a repair.  After calling AAA and hearing that my membership only covers a 5 mile tow (for real?!) and that I would have to pay $50-ish to have it towed to the dealer (enter more rage in my heart), I started frantically texting a friend to whine and complain.  Hey, misery does indeed love company!  Another moment that definitely highlighted my singlehood - no buddy to share in my misery.  After a quick pep talk from my darling friend, I was back in business, mentally and emotionally speaking.

Source

The tow guy came and successfully got my car out of the garage and over to the dealer.  After the ordeal, I sat at my kitchen bar eating some leftover Chinese food and sipping a beer and I realized that while that was a big imperfection in my day, it wasn't the worst that could have happened.  Luckily, I have the financial means to have my car repaired and have a few buddies who live close enough that I can get a ride to work.  It really wasn't the end of the world even if the inconvenience felt like it.  I can get by with some tea tomorrow morning and a granola bar for breakfast.  I called my Dad to apologize for being curt with him as he tried to come up with ideas to resolve the steering lock issue.  And then I promptly kicked back on the sofa with my sweet pup to unwind from this evening's excitement. 

Imperfect Christine, signing off for this time.

Musings - 001

I'm not too big on new year's resolutions, although I genuinely like the idea of goal setting.  I'm a pretty goal-oriented person so that concept resonates well with me.  The newness of a new calendar year is a nice clean slate with which to work. 

As 2011 wore on and inched closer to my 30th birthday (it was in October), I found myself really looking forward to a new decade and feeling contemplative.  I had set some goals for myself before that birthday...some public and some private.  I truly felt awesome as I approached that day.  I realized that I finally found myself (yes that is totally cliche) and was totally comfortable with whatever age I was.  I hit my stride at work, made some big changes in my life, renewed some friendships and felt on top of the world.  I looked forward to that day in the same way that some look forward to a new year.  It was a clean slate, a new number in front of my age and most of all, I was totally ok with it!  So while I'm not setting resolutions, I'm still looking to 2012 in the same way that I looked to my 30th year...with hope, excitement and a fresh start.

While many are focused on health and weight loss with the new year, I'm focusing on other things in the forefront.  Don't get me wrong, health and fitness are a big part of my life, but that won't change with the new year.  Back to my 30th birthday...I was frustrated with my weight last summer and finally bit the bullet and went on a real diet.  I lost 14lbs before my birthday and I've kept it off.  This year, I basically want to continue that trend and stay healthy.

My focal points for 2012....

Source

1. At the office - Be a thoughtful leader and grow in my new role.  Provide thoughtful guidance, keep an open mind and an open door policy with my colleagues.

2. On the road - Travel someplace new.  Maybe Italy.  Maybe a new island (I do have the beach on my mind).  Maybe a new city in the US.

3. In the kitchen - Try new recipes.  Make use of the gadgets I have in my kitchen.

4. For my psyche - Find ways to fulfill my interest in healthcare.  Diversify my volunteer experiences. 

5. For my soul - Forgive.  Be patient.  Express empathy.  Be open minded.

I wish you the best on your new year whether you make resolutions, set goals or just roll with the punches!

Run, mama, run!

Today, I'm cheering on my speedy mama as she runs through Walt Disney World on her third half marathon!  A little less than a year ago, I convinced her to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon with me and she's definitely caught the running bug.  I'm really impressed that she continues to train and love running.  And for someone who professed that she wasn't sure she is capable of running 13.1 miles, she sure has changed her tune!  Go, mama, go!

Why now?

Why a new blog?  Well my friends, I love blogging, but I wanted a fresh start.  I was ready to move on from an old moniker and think out of the box a little bit.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts, my adventures at work, tales of success, travels and of course, my imperfections.