On Sunday, I
jumped
rolled out of bed to participate in my seventh runDisney Princess Half Marathon! I dressed up as Snow White and my mom and sister dressed up as the infamous runDisney balloon ladies. (The balloon ladies are the most feared people at runDisney races as they are the cut off point- if they pass you then you get swept up and aren’t allowed to finish the race. Therefore, we had to make light of them!)
Their costumes were my idea, so it was fun to see that they were such a hit!
I wasn’t feeling too great before the race, so I wasn’t sure what to expect while running. My goal was still to PR with a time of 1:57:59 or less. I know it’s odd. I’m probably the only person who tries to PR at a runDisney race, but the course is mostly flat and I know it so well that it’s become the perfect race to set my own personal records. I still have a blast along the way!
During the race, I felt great! I didn’t get any of my usual knee or lower back pain surprisingly. I tried to drink water and Gatorade at most of the key hydration stations. I even saw my family and friends heading down the course toward Magic Kingdom as I was making my way from Magic Kingdom back to Epcot. While I always look out for them at this point, that’s never happened in all seven years! It gave me an extra boost.
By Mile 8, I was really feeling it though. I don’t know if it was dehydration, the heat, or lack of training. My body felt like I was running a full marathon and I was “hitting the wall”. Any hill or sharp turn in the course that broke my momentum made my body hurt more. I couldn’t stop because I knew I wouldn’t be able to start again. I couldn’t slow down because I just wanted to be across that finish line.
I ended up finishing in 2:09. While it wasn’t the time I wanted, I’m still proud of it. This race just motivated me to train hard for my next race in Paris in September. I know I have a sub-1:58 in me!
I was also really proud of my friends and family for completing the Princess Half too. My college friend, Jessica, finished her first half marathon in under 2:30! My sister completed her first half marathon as well…after running the Princess 5K and Enchanted 10K in the days leading up to the half!
Post-race, I took a long nap and then chowed down on some delicious BBQ with a cornbread waffle and a side of homemade chips. The only thing that could’ve made this meal better is if it had included a Mickey waffle!
Before dinner, we took a ton of race bling photos since our hotel had a The Little Mermaid themed spot.
Later that evening, we grabbed dinner at the dining room at Wolfgang Puck’s Grand Cafe at Disney Springs (aka Downtown Disney).
Unfortunately, my weekend at Walt Disney World was way to short. On Monday morning, it was back to cold and rainy New York City. I’m already counting down the days until the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon in September!
Do you have any fun races coming up in 2016? Let me know in the comments below.
Stay fit and fabulous,
A
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