Wife Mother Runner Blog - Wife Mother Runner

Princess Weekend Travel Providers

February 3, 2014

So race registration opened and then closed just about as fast as it opened huh? Did you miss out on your chance to get into one of the popular races? Or if you are like me and you went to a race and got totally hooked and want to go to another one but it is all sold out already? There are other ways you can get into a race. You can go through a charity group or you can contact one of the travel providers located in the Registration area of the race event on the runDisney.com site.

After running the Tower of Terror race last October I knew that I wanted to sign up for Princess. I want to run as many races as I can this year. I was late getting on board for the Princess Half Marathon so I contacted several of the providers. I got lucky when I called Russ from Stayfit Usa and he was able to secure me the last possible bib for the Glass Slipper challenge! However, I didn’t get off cheap for this race. I had to pay the most because I waited so long. As a race registration opens, it is cheapest when you register right away. The longer you wait, the price does increase.

Registering through a travel provider is a little different than doing it yourself. Your registration and hotel reservation will be managed by the travel provider. Most travel providers require that you purchase your bib and then also book a hotel room and purchase a park pass. But they do have great discounted prices on rooms and park passes.

Like I said, I have worked with Russ from StayFit USA and I am looking forward to meeting him in person at the Princess Half Marathon weekend. I have kept in touch with Russ since I first contacted him last fall. I had several questions throughout the months prior to the race for other races such as the marathon weekend. I wanted to see if he could provide me park passes for my parents so they could purchase them through his company for marathon weekend. He was so helpful and friendly to me. And because of our love of running we already had that in common so we would talk about the races we were both involved in.

So a word of advice, register when the race registrations open up. You can always defer if you cannot make it to a race. However, if by chance you didn’t get in to a race, like Dumbo, which sold out in under 45 minutes! You can always contact Russ at www.stayfitusa.com or 470-299-6331 and obtain a bib, room and park pass through him. He told me he will always have the race bibs.

If you want to even bypass the race registration on registration day, you can go directly to him and get your registration squared away. On another note, he does have race bibs for all the races, not just the Disney Races. Contact him today and tell him Pam Frost sent you. He knows me by name now!

Everyone Has a Story – Peter Chuchro

January 31, 2014

A few weeks ago I had the chance to meet Peter Chuchro at the starting line of the Disney World marathon. Like Kimberly Markey Torres and Linda Leonard Ambard, Peter was being profiled for the #whyirundisney program.

Peter is a 33 year old who had a stroke when he was 32 years old. Now, the father of a young baby and husband; he chose running a marathon as a goal after his sudden change in health.

Watch the video about his story! The human spirit is amazing! “If you can dream it, you can do it” Walt Disney.

Swirlgear Ambassadors Needed

January 30, 2014

I am a Swirlgear Brand Ambassador. I have been once since July 2013.

The company is closing their Ambassador program applications on February 7. So I thought it would be best for me to share this news with all of my running friends in case you want to contact them to become an ambassador.

As an ambassador, you can purchase their gear at a special price. Then you receive a special code that you give to friends when they want to purchase gear so they, too can take advantage of special offers.

Learn more about Swirlgear and their amazing products. Their new line will be coming out very soon, and with the help of their brand ambassadors, they can spread the word through social media.

To apply to become an ambassador, visit their website and complete the application form. Remember to do it before February 7!

I have a secret problem

January 29, 2014

I am sure I am not the only one who has this problem. But I need help. I tried to get help on my own but it may be time for a professional.

This is my running gear. See that yellow basket? That’s my most used stuff to grab on the go. The 3 drawers houses my clothing broken down into groups, long sleeves and pants, capri pants, shorts, skirts and short sleeve shirts. Never mind all the Disney race shirts I get from races. Those are integrated into my everyday wardrobe because I have been wearing them more often (I am proud of the accomplishments!)

Do you have the same problems? What do you do to get your stuff organized?

Do you have any advice on how to organize this mess?

Everyone has a story – Alison’s story

January 28, 2014

On Sunday, January 12, four of us ran together at the WDW Marathon weekend to support our friend Kimberly Markey Torres. Alison Jackeman Nicklas is one of Kim’s close friends. This is her story…

“In 2010 I made a decision to run my first Marathon after having lost 50 pounds. I knew the only way I could do it was by joining some type of running training program and I found out the the Hartford Marathon Foundation had a terrific program. They meet up on Saturday mornings at 6:30 in the Summer and that June they made their first run a short “9 miles.”

When I arrived I was pretty nervous. So many runners that looked to be experts and here I was, having run as little as possible (although I had already completed 4 half marathons (without training for any!) As I was waiting for the training to begin, I looked over and saw this girl in a Goofy Challenge T-Shirt. It was from that very January and it was the COLDEST WDW Marathon Weekend – and I WAS THERE TOO! I didn’t run the Goofy, but my cousin did and I was so impressed to see that this young girl had done the same.

I decided to strike up a conversation and we chatted about that crazy January weekend that none of us will ever forget. As the weeks went on, we became more than just training buddies – we became friends. We finished the summer program, connected with another runner (Janice Small) and made a pact that we would go for Goofy together in 2011. It was a crazy thought, but I thought that if Kim could do it, so could i! We have not missed a WDW weekend together since. In fact, we have also done the Disneyland Half together!

In addition to training and running together, after our first summer running together as trainees, Kim and I became coaches for the Hartford Marathon Foundation and have supported more than 40 people through their very first marathon or their first “coached” training group. Kim and I participated in the RRCA Coaching class together and she has become family to me. She is not only fighting her own fight with breast cancer, she is also supporting my niece, diagnosed the same week, through the same fight. I am looking forward to many more years of training runs and races with her.”

I met Alison for the first time when I met Kim for the first time at the Cheshire Half marathon in April, 2013. She is just as sweet as Kim. We saw each other again for the #whyIRunDisney filming in December and we reconnected again in Disney and ran the 26.2 miles together. She was the leader of the pack.

During the race after the Expedition Everest roller coaster ride (which as you can tell here, she really loved!), her toe started to swell up. As we entered ESPN she was visibly limping so we had to encourage her to slow down and do something about her foot. Finally at a bathroom break she was able to elevate her foot for a while and it helped reduce the swelling along with drinking some more water. But she never complained! She kept leading the pack through the race course to get us to the finish line! Yet another Dopey finisher. I admire all you Dopey racers! I am making a serious decision to decide to do the Dopey race next year.

I am looking forward to running more races with you Alison! Hoping to run another 26.2 with you at the Providence Marathon on May 4th!

I met Chris and Heidi Powell!

January 27, 2014

During the marathon weekend, Saturday was a day without a race for me so we made it a Magic Kingdom day. On my first night in Florida I saw on Facebook that Chris Powell posted a photo of the fireworks in Disney World. I realized he must be down for one of his client’s challenges.

I mentioned it to my husband while we were walking at the park and not more than 10 minutes later he spotted him at the Dumbo ride with his wife Heidi! Heidi and Chris got on the ride so I asked their nanny if they would mind me asking them for a picture. They were soooooo friendly and completely cool, normal people. I talked to Heidi more than Chris because I read her blog and I really loved her posting about being Wonder Woman after having a baby and I wanted her to know that I really enjoyed it. I was also a little too nervous to talk to Chris! He was standing right next to me!

I had such a great weekend for the marathon and the races, but it was even so cool to meet the fitness celebrities during that weekend. Ali Vincent was at the race and I met her on the starting line of the full marathon, too! She is the first female winner of The Biggest Loser. She has a great show called Live Big with Ali Vincent which has great real world topics on how to eat and live healthy and she gets real this past weekend when she steps on the scale for the first time in years and learns what she now weighs.

At these races it is great to meet other runners. It is also great to meet people who motivate others like the trainers for the shows of Biggest Loser and Extreme Weight Loss. They work just as hard as the contestants and form lasting bonds and friendships with them. It is evident in the way you see them on their shows and also how they are with their fans.

Keep up the great work Heidi and Chris! Your passion for your work shines through in your every day lives!