Wife Mother Runner Princess Half Marathon Archives

My Running Goals for 2019

February 20, 2019

Now that I already have the 48.6 miles from the runDisney Dopey Challenge under my belt for this year, I am working on my running goals for 2019. Each year I set goals for which races I want to run locally or in different states. I don’t have a Fall marathon on my schedule. I didn’t get into the New York City Marathon this year so I have to consider an option for a different marathon or to decide if I even want to run a Fall marathon. I do know that I am going to participate in several 5K races and a handful of half marathons in Connecticut.

Upcoming Races

My son and I will be running the Hartford Marathon Foundation Lucky Challenge. He told me he wanted to run these races with me again, and he also wanted to see the medals. Looks like he has inherited a little bit of the bling fever from me!

We will run four 5k races in four towns of Connecticut. These back to back race weekends lead up to St. Patrick’s Day for the final race in the state’s capital. These races are a lot of fun and we get dressed up in St. Patrick’s Day accessories.

We don’t run fast but we enjoy the time driving to the races, running the races, the great swag, seeing my friends, and even the post race corn beef sandwiches.

What Are My Goals?

More Half Marathons

I am planning to get a decent proof of time for any future runDisney races. I am training for, and running the Cheshire Half Marathon in April. That is where I have had my best half marathon finish times. It is also the location of my very first half marathon. I’m also planning on doing the Cape Cod and Hartford Half Marathons. I may consider the Hershey Half Marathon as well this year.

Incorporate Speed Work Into My Training

It’s going to take some work and dedication to increase my speed for my next half marathon in April. I want to get a finish time between 2:15 a 2:30. It’s a big push goal for me.

But in order to get faster you have to do the cadence drills like Jeff Galloway recommends. I trained with Jeff Galloway with his e-coaching for my first Dopey Challenge. I found his training plan to be spot on and I successful with finishing my first and now fifth Dopey Challenge.

Hit The Hills

Yea hills are no fun. But it is a nice change for your body to push yourself up the hills. You need the challenge and it will ultimately make you stronger. Here are some tips on how to begin running and including it as a part of your lifestyle.

Hit The Gym

You can also incorporate cross training that includes squats and runner lunges that Fitz Kohler offers. She has great exercise programs dedicated to just runners of all abilities.

How To Register For A Disney Race

Registration for next January’s races opens up on April 19th so I have a little over a month to decide. I don’t know if this year it will sell out. Last year it did not. To register for a runDisney race or to see other runDisney races, visit www.rundisney.com. During the summer runDisney also does a virtual 5K series. I participated in the first year. Last year the theme was on the Incredibles along with the release of their new movie. I wonder what this year’s theme will be!

Will I Do Dopey Again?

I really don’t know how to answer that! I want to…. so I guess between now and when the registration opens I have to make some decisions and do a reality check. I should also talk with the friends of mine that were freaking out along with me just before the race weekend.

I did have such a great race this year. Despite my fears, I surprised myself with my strong finish. I’ll do some soul searching and think about my intentions while I continue to remain consistent with my weekly running and cross training schedule.

What races are you running this year? Share them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

Throwback Thursday 2016 Princess Glass Slipper Challenge

February 23, 2017

The 2016 Princess Glass Slipper Challenge weekend came and went as quickly as they always do! Unfortunately, life also came and went so fast that I never got my blog posted with that race recap. Fast forward to this year and I can give you a Throw Back Thursday version of last year’s race. Mandy and I ran this race together because we are trying to get five Princess Glass Slipper Challenges done in hopes of obtaining legacy status. Sadly Diana wasn’t at this race weekend with us.

I flew down Friday afternoon, went to the expo for my bib and to shop around, and then went over to my hotel to check in. I traditionally like
to spend my first night that I arrive at Disney Springs. I like to get the tomato soup from Earl of Sandwich and shop at my favorite little shop
in the Marketplace Co-op, Tren-D. Then head over to my room to lay out my 10K race costume and get settled in for the night.

I met Kenn and Mandy for the start of the 10K. Our corral took off at 5:51 a.m. and we took 2 hours and 14 minutes to get the race done. We
spent every minute of that race having fun and getting pictures taken with as many characters as possible. In France we were in line for photos
with Lumiere and Cogsworth, a picture I really wanted to take; but there were officials on bikes yelling out to everyone that the sweepers were
coming and if we continued to wait in line we were putting ourselves at risk of being taken off the course. Even though Mandy and I knew we
could outrun the balloon ladies; we didn’t want to run the risk of losing our challenge medals. So we took off and ran back towards the balloon
ladies who were crossing the International Gateway and heading over to the Boardwalk. We continued through the Boardwalk; took some photos of the balloon ladies that we were chasing, and then ran towards the finish line.

The half marathon took off at 5:49 a.m. and we took 3 hours and 32 minutes to finish. Again, we were running this race for fun and not for time. We were in corral G and the last corral was P so we had plenty of time between us and the balloon ladies. This course is the typical course that runs from Epcot towards the Magic Kingdom entrance, under the Contemporary water way and into Magic Kingdom. We ran through the castle and then back towards cone ally. At this part of the race I feel relief because I know we just have to run back to Epcot and not towards Animal Kingdom like the marathon course does. As we were getting closer to the end of the course we were running with Kenn and were actually running up the overpass hills.

I’m looking forward to running with Mandy and Kenn again. We haven’t run together since the Dark Side Challenge last April so it will be good to catch up! I am also looking forward to some warm Florida weather. The cold winter months in CT are getting to me and I need to see some green and feel the warm sun. I’m also looking forward to Kona breakfast with all the ladies of Team Shenanigans on Saturday!

View the 10K race recap video

View the Half Marathon race recap video

runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Merchandise

February 17, 2016

Are you going to the Princess Half Marathon this weekend? One of the best parts of the weekend besides the races is the shopping! The expo opens on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

The Disney Parks Blog released some previews of some of the race merchandise that will be offered. Every time I attend the race weekend I am sure to pick up a magnet, a sweaty band and a wine glass or tumbler if there are any left.

I really like this purple sweatshirt hoodie shown above they have for the Princess race weekend.

I love these shorts shown above along with the Jacket, but my closet is overflowing with rundisney clothing I have to cap it at some point. I do like the Sweaty Band shown above though! So that’ll be on my shopping list.

I had been trying to get an I Did It Shirt at all of the races; but now that we get nice shirts from the official race swag bag that are usually the tech materials; I don’t bother with the cotton I Did It shirts. But I always liked their designs.

And of course the Dooney and Bourke are always a favorite; but I am passing on the Princess design. This one just doesn’t do it for me. I have my eye on a particular bag that I am saving my coins up in a jar for!

The Glass Slipper Challenge merchandise is what I usually favor out of everything else since I have run the past two Glass Slipper Challenges. I am hoping to become a legacy holder after this year and the next to years. Legacy status is when you run the races from the first year they started it and every 5, 10, 15, etc.

What will you be shopping for at the Expo? Perhaps the new shoes released by New Balance? This race weekend New Balance is doing something different. The Virtual Queue is allowing for sign ups the evening before each expo day at 7:00. (I believe it is West Coast time because I checked and it wasn’t open yet at 8:45 EST). So if you plan to be at the expo on Thursday, February 18th, you can sign up with the queue Wednesday night. You may only use the service once during the weekend. All other times you can walk up and wait in line. I have found in the past that when I arrive later in the day I have no issues going right in and trying on and purchase shoes.

The expo hours are the following:

10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 18, 2016

9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 19, 2016

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 20, 2016

I plan on going to the expo around 5:00 on Friday after I land. Hope to see some of you there!

John Liquori Memorial 5K

June 7, 2015

Today was a spectacular morning. Not only is it my son’s 8th birthday, but it was the Inaugural John Liquori Memorial 5K. Sadly, John Liquori, a 20 year old young man, was struck my a drunk driver while running at 2:00 in the afternoon last July. He died in the hospital. I didn’t know John, but I remember the day the accident happened. I was driving to St. Therese to pick up my kids from camp and a section of Rte 17 was closed off. I knew that wasn’t good. I didn’t see what happened, but learned later that a runner was struck.

John Liquori just hours before his life was taken from him.

John was a great looking guy. Was loved by so many people, and his friends and family put together this event to help raise money for the organizations and interests that John cared so much about. To learn more about this Foundation visit www.doitforjohn.com. I’d say there were about 500 runners and walkers at the event today. The sun was out, the sky was blue and it was a wonderful morning.

My friend Adrienne was running her first 5K. I met up with her and her trainer, her sister-in-law and some friends from her gym. I was excited for Adrienne. Last night I hadn’t even registered for the race yet. When I tried to register online it said the registration was closed so I knew I had to register at the race. We had my son and husband’s family birthday party Saturday night and then we had a fire and stayed up late watching our favorite TV show, America’s Got Talent, so I knew I had to set my alarm for at least 7 a.m. so I could get there in time to register. I didn’t know how large of an event it would be. I actually woke up this morning before the alarm even went off. That was good because I was afraid that I was going to wake up my husband and then he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep. I am also pleased that I woke up on my own on the weekend because I need to start coordinating my training plan for my upcoming Marine Corp Marathon and the Philadelphia Marathon which will require some early morning weekend long runs to avoid the summer heat.

Before

We haven’t had the chance to run together yet so this was our first time! I ran with her for the first mile without doing my intervals, and then told her that at mile 1 I was going to start doing my intervals. I didn’t set my watch ahead of the race, so it was stuck at the 30/30 setting. It felt great to run the entire mile without stopping. They were keeping a great pace of around 10:30 per mile. I would have continued with them, but I haven’t trained that way and didn’t want to cause injury considering what I have been going through with my back lately. They were never out of my sights and in the end I think I finished only 30 seconds behind them. The course was very flat and it was a great race for her first 5K!

The end of the race ended at the track and I saw Adrienne and her gang just ahead of me and was going to take a picture for her; but decided to just finish the race. She trained well for this race and I am so proud of her! I am looking forward to running more races with her! We are talking about the Branford Road Race in 2 weeks.

After

Way to go Adrienne! I enabled another Mother to Run!

It was great to run for a cause. Sad that this cause was so close to home. His mother and many family members were at the race; but the town supported them and came together today to remember John and to support his family and friends. Life is short, it can change in an instant. In the past year or two I have had the mentality to make the most of every day; especially in the lives of my kids. Yes the accident happened while he was running, but accidents can happen anywhere. He was struck by a drunk driver. He could have been struck by a distracted driver. Yes, I am more aware now when I am out walking and running and make it a point that I am seen by driver and that I can see the driver as well.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Adds The Castaway Cay Challenge

July 15, 2014

runDisney has a way of surprising us with new things. It’s great that they are adding new elements to their races. Earlier in the year the included a Castaway Cay Challenge to Marathon Weekend in January. This was discussed on a Mickey Miles Podcast that maybe now they will add this to all of the challenge races. Well, now they are adding it to the Princess Half Marathon weekend in January. I know that his had made some people upset because they registered for it for the January offering of the cruise. Registration for the Princess Weekend Race events will be opening on Tuesday, July 15 at 12:00 Noon ET to the public for the Princess Half Marathon weekend.

I think it is a nice addition. I just wish we knew what the race schedule was with everything provided at the beginning of the year so we can plan our funds, schedules and flights accordingly.

The Castaway Cay Challenge is:

Disney Cruise Line 4-night Bahamian Cruise February 23-27, 2015, following Disney Princess Half Marathon February 19-22, 2015
Disney Castaway Cay 5K February 25, 2015

Registration for the Castaway Cay Challenge opens July 22 at Noon ET!

Go to Disneycruise.com to book your February 23, 2015 cruise aboard the Disney Dream today, then register for the Castaway Cay Challenge on Active.com. Use the promotional code RUN at the time of booking your Disney Cruise Line vacation. Be sure to enter your Cruise reservation number when registering for the race.

There are some things you should know about this event:

** A reservation on the February 23, 2015 Disney Dream 4-Night Bahamian Cruise is required in order to participate. It is recommended that you register for your Disney cruise PRIOR to registering for the Castaway Cay Challenge. Cruise Line reservations must be booked by September 1, 2014 or your Challenge Reservation will be forfeited. If your Disney Castaway Cay Challenge spot is forfeited for any reason, the race fee is non-refundable. Please refer to DCL.com for cruise refund policies.

For more information please refer to the runDisney site.

#whyIRunDisney New Video Released – Matt Swartz

June 5, 2014

runDisney released its next video for the #whyirundisney program. Matt Swartz lost a lot weight and gained a special relationship with his children. Matt Swartz started to lose weight to survive a hike to Mt. Kilimanjaro with his 17 year old son and found out how much he loved running. While doing so, he began running with his daughters. Their time together connecting was a surprise that their love of running fueled his own love of running. He decided to run the Princess Half marathon because of his daughter Emmalie. When she asked him to run it with her he knew he couldn’t say no to this all (mostly) women’s race. It’s about the connection that he has made and wants to keep with his girls through their running. I had the chance to meet Matt and Emmalie at the corrals for the Princess Half Marathon this year and it was great to meet them and hear their story. I love meeting the people that are being profiled for the #whyirundisney program. Watch the video to hear Matt’s story of why he runs Disney. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak34YyHc5Ak]

Why I Love runDisney

May 19, 2014

Let me count the ways…. I love being on vacation for one. I love being in vacation with my family. I love that I can usually find a friend down here to bump in to or hook up with! I credit that to the runDisney races. I had the chance to reunite with Dave Dunkowski on Saturday night at Epcot. I forgot to get a picture so we will have to try again!

I also made plans with Becca Bastian, a friend of Gail’s, to go for a run on Sunday morning. I met both Dave and Becca in February at the Princess race weekend.

This morning while at breakfast I had my princess mesh bag and the person checking us in noticed it and we exchanged names and took a picture and hope to see each other again at wine and dine!

How awesome is social media and the rundisney races that people can meet, stay in touch and get in a run together when we live in completely different states! Dave is from New York, Becca is from Florida and Lizzy is from Ohio and moved to Florida.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Video

February 25, 2014

This past weekend I went to Disney for the Glass Slipper Challenge. I still have to write up a recap of the whole weekend, but I wanted to share the video that Eddie McCoy, a new running friend, created of the 1/2 marathon we ran on Sunday. To date, this has been the funnest race I have run so far!

http://vimeo.com/87525101

Tag: Princess Half Marathon