Chick Chat: Wine and Dine half recap (no really!)

November 18, 2013 by scootadoot

Whew!

We’ve been writing about our runDisney race weekend for days are but we’ve finally arrived at the HALF recap! If you’re looking for recaps of the kids races, the expo, or our pre-race shenanigans… well, you’re not in the right place. But if you want to hear how we fared during the actual race – this is the spot!

Ta-dah!

Vic and Brooke stuck together throughout the race, starting in corral C while Mer and Cam experienced the race alone. But not really alone! And for that reason, we’ve decided to go Chick Chat style with this post.

Vic and Brooke (corral C): We piled into corral C with friends Traci, Ray and Aaron. None of our happy crew planned to sprint 13.1, especially since our last few Disney runs were incredibly hot and humid.

So we stuck together as the fireworks sparked over the start line and sent us on our way. We quickly lost Ray and Traci as they zoomed ahead. Brooke and I ran side by side as we logged the miles – two happy Mouseketeers in matching costumes.

We giggled and chatted about recent life events as we ran. We waved to the fastest runners leaving Animal Kingdom just past the 5-mile mark as we headed toward our first theme park of the night.

The front gates were open and a huge, stunning Christmas tree welcomed us inside. We headed into the park and wound through the pathways of the park.

I spotted a restroom near Expedition Everest, and shouted to B that I’d catch up, then peeled off to use the facilities. A short time – and a short sprint – later I caught Brooke and Aaron at the tail end of the park. Success!

We waved to Cam as she passed us on the other side of Osceola Parkway. The final corral of runners was followed by an Army of street cleaners that tidied up after the crowd of 14,000. We paused around mile 7 so Brooke could use the facilities as well. Then again, we were on our way.

We settled into our happy pace, and headed into Hollywood Studios . We laughed about our amazing surroundings , we disco-danced our way through the backlot tunnel and we sashayed our way down the Streets of America, completely decked out in its “spectacle of lights.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSR1Hf7m2GE&w=640&h=480]

We cheered as we passed into double digits.

“Let’s pick up that pace!” Brooke cheered. Oh, and we did. Our last two miles were by far our fastest. We sped up and passed runners left and right. We cheered for them, we cheered for each other and cheered for that finish line as we crossed second apart.

For me, the run was incredible. It was a celebratory race, six days after I ran NYC Marathon. (I still can’t believe I successfully ran a full and a half one week apart!) The run capped off a successful fall training season and two huge PR races. It reminded me why I love to run, and why I’m so blessed to have such incredible friends and support from so many across the miles.

Mer (corral G): Cam, Heather and I said adios to Vic, Brooke and Traci as they headed to the A-F entrance. We found the second corral entrance and said our goodbyes and good luck. As we peeled off into our own corrals, I ate a PocketFuel and realized just how alone running alone can feel.

Don’t get me wrong, I run alone. Often, even! But this was the first time I was surrounded by a slew of runners and didn’t know a soul. The feeling quickly passed as I fell into the zone that I usually find prior to running a race. When I signed up for this race in March, I had visions of a PR dancing in my head. However, with my quad injury in September/October and my heel pain that manifested during the week, I just wanted to finish and to cross the finish line with a smile on my face.

I made the decision not to have my phone out, not to take pictures and just to move forward.

There was a moment of silence for the veterans, as it was Veteran’s Day weekend, and then corral A was off. The new corral system (more corrals and a shorter wait time between each) seemed to work really well and we moved forward quickly. Mickey and Minnie were around to send off the first few corrals before they skedaddled, which struck me as odd. I mean, maybe they wanted to get to Epcot before the hoards?

Soon we were off! I really liked the course, visiting Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot was awesome and very different from the Princess half course. While running toward Animal Kingdom, we were able to see the leaders of the race on the other side of the road, approaching the 10k mark. That’s always inspiring!

Running through Animal Kingdom was great, despite with the animal aroma that hit as soon as we entered the park! From what I understand it was warmer than some people had expected but I was comfortable from start to finish, relishing the cool breezes that kicked up occasionally.

There were portions of the course that I wasn’t feeling AT ALL. The road toward Hollywood Studios was slanted pretty severely and didn’t feel great on the hips. I tried to even out my gait as much as I could and be light on my heel since that was the one that was coming down harder during that stretch.

I’ll be honest, I was surprised that there wasn’t more entertainment on this course. I understand that it’s late so the marching bands and cheer squads might not be able to make it but I expected more, especially on the access roads.

Hollywood Studios was a welcoming sight and we spent a good amount of time running through that park, miles 9 – 11, which was amazing. The Osborne Lights in Hollywood Studios was so incredible that I had to break out the phone and video a couple of seconds! Apparently Brooke and Vic had the same idea – it’s just THAT cool.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f3L4BouIEU&w=853&h=480]

Heading out of Hollywood Studios to Epcot, there was an announcement warning that the course narrows. And boy, did it ever! It was pretty crazy over there and I was grateful when we finally reached the boardwalk portion for two reasons: more room and there were some spectators out, cheering on the runners! On an otherwise quiet course, it was really nice to have that support and it continued into Epcot.

My heel was not happy but the rest of me was as I rounded the final corner and saw the laser lights they had set up just before the finish line. I could hear the announcer and I flung my hands up in the air (and yes, I waved them around like I just didn’t care) because I had finished. I didn’t set any course records, didn’t PR, but I felt amazing! Beyond infinity!

As I collected my half medal and then my Coast-to-Coast I got hugs from both volunteers and thanked them profusely. I was the happiest I’d ever been at the finish of a half marathon and felt really good about what I’d accomplished.

Cam (corral L):

Yep, the very last corral. Somehow when I had registered, I neglected to put in a projected finish time. So I was stuck in the very last corral. We were slated to run at 10:40 p.m., which seemed like hours away. But after the first fireworks sounded, the line seemed to move quick. Before I knew it, I was weaving through the traffic. I must commend runDisney for their awesome use of fireworks. All corrals received an explosive send off!

If you read my previous post, How Not to Train for a Half-Marathon, then you already know I was ill prepared for this race. Meri turned me on to the run 3, walk 1, and I figured that, along with walking through water stations, would get me through the 13.1 relatively unscathed. I didn’t have a timepiece, so I counted my steps instead. I’d count to 60 three times, then walk for 60 steps. This provided a welcome distraction and for the first 6 miles, I felt fabulous, especially after seeing two of my fellow Mouseketeers on the other side of the Parkway. I also felt envious as they were coming up on the half-way mark!

Running through the Animal Kingdom was great relief. It seemed to be cooler in the park and I relished in the breeze. I’m from Southern California so the heat didn’t effect me as much as the humidity. Despite it being well into the night, I was immediately drenched in sweat. I was sweating from my arm pores…my arms! As I said goodbye to the Tree of Life and headed back along the Parkway, my enthusiasm started to diminish. So far I was keeping my 13 minute mile pace and I was trying to stay with a couple who were also run/walking the race. The gentleman had a super loud watch that beeped at the intervals and that was enough to motivate me to keep pace with them.

It was around this time that I puked. I had fueled pretty well, I thought. I had pasta for lunch, a peanut butter and banana sandwich for dinner, and I snacked on some Honey Stinger chews during the first half of the race. I started feeling crampy so I grabbed some Powerade at the next hydration station. I’d been drinking only water until this point and changing things up seemed like a good idea at the time. Not so much. I would realize in the next few days that I actually had a stomach flu. But at this point I thought I could possibly remedy the turmoil going on in my stomach.

It was all downhill from there. And I mean that in the worst way possible. Shortly after entering Hollywood Studios, I started to have a lot of pain in my left Achilles tendon. Combined with the constant cramping in my stomach, I was pretty wiped out. My walking time started to get longer, and I stopped counting. I was in survival mode at this point. I was feeling pretty shitty about my pace and it wasn’t until I saw the fantastic Osbourne Christmas lights that I decided to call it. No, I didn’t quit the race. I just quit worrying about the time and I started admiring the sights.

Running along the lake, I could see what I believe to be a giant golf ball in the distance. I wasn’t exactly sure where the finish was but as spectators began to line up along the course, I knew I was getting close. I could hardly run at this point, so I walked a little then ran a little and just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I’d never been so relieved to see the finish. I slowly walked back to meet the other girls, my two medals clinking around my neck. I was exhausted and my digestive system was wrecked. And I had no intention on wining or dining.

But I finished. I don’t know how I got there, but I did! Sure, it took me 3 and a half hours, but, hey, finishing is always my PR.

Brooke:

Once Vic and I crossed the finished line, we were ready to change and meet up with some of our pals who had already made it into the After Party.

We found Traci, grabbed our complimentary drinks (beer for them and the cutest little plastic wine goblet for me), and headed towards the park entrance.

Cheers!

Once inside, we had to navigate through crowds of spectators and racers to get to the World Showcase. Once there, we headed straight for Canada to meet Ray and eat some of their amazing cheese soup- I look forward to it every year.

There weren’t many lines at this point, just a lot of dancing, chanting, happy Disney employees. As one would expect from Disney, they do a lot to make these events magical for everyone. From congratulating you on your race, to staging a dance party in front of their food kiosk, the park workers ensure that the post-race party is a time for celebration.

After a visit to the craft beer tent (Abita Purple Haze for me), it was time to meet Meri. We hugged, chatted about our race experiences and I ogled her collection of medals. Then we checked instagram, natch, to catch up with our other friends. We immediately knew we had to find Lisa to congratulate her on her PR.

Who PRs at a Disney race? That girl! Congrats Lisa!

We found Vic, Ray and Traci in Germany, and hoped we could grab a pretzel, but the lines had grown and it was time to meet Cam. Mer and I circled the Showcase (Bonjour France! Next time, keep the creperie open, s’il vous plait) and headed back to the entrance. We congratulated Cam and then trekked to the bus to head back to my hotel. At 2am, all walks seem to last forever. We came, we ran, we medaled. It was time to go the eff to sleep.

What a difference a few years makes. I ran my first Wine and Dine in 2011 by myself, and celebrated with my husband at the after party. And by “celebrated,” I mean I was too sore to enjoy anything. This time, I got to hang out with so many friends, meet new people and run with a pal. I love being a part of this community.

As for my own race performance, I had hoped to run 10 minute miles and that’s exactly what I did. Thanks to Vic for keeping me entertained! Next up for me is a return to Disney for the Glass Slipper Challenge, but in the meantime, don’t expect me to sit and rest. I have plans…

Have you ran a night race before? Were you at this year’s Wine and Dine or have to participated in past years? Tell us about it in the comments!

Wine and Dine Expo Expert

November 16, 2013 by scootadoot

Victoria here!

I spent much of Friday at the race expo, in part to collect my bib, in part to visit with friends and in part to get a bit of work done.

Brooke, baby J and I arrived at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports around opening time. We immediately retrieved our race bibs and changed Brooke’s corral placement so we could run together in C.

We collected our race shirts -love them- and set off to shop!

A few of the Chicks’ favorite vendors were at the site and we wanted a few souvenirs. We got some much needed fresh Balega socks and each bought a Sweaty Bands headband to coordinate with a costume for a future runDisney race. Baby J picked up an item too – yogurt!

Nom!

There was a bit of everything for the runner at hand – fuel, socks, sneakers and official race gear included. And by going early, we didn’t have to battle the crowds.

Shortly before Brooke and I parted, I heard my name yelled from across the room – “Victoria!” I turned and saw Tinker Bell herself, my pal Kelly! Hooray!

We chatted for a while before I scooted off. I visited with a few more friends, including the lovely Capt. Linz, who I’d been itching to hug! Mission accomplished!

I ultimately settled down at the ESPN cafe for a few hours to get some work done and grab a bite. I chatted with a few friends while there, and of course, downed my lunch in an embarrassingly speedy pace.

By mid-afternoon, my dear Meri and my friend Traci both arrived and we all repeated the expo process. Along the way, Traci spotted champagne. We got a few glasses and toasted the weekend!

Cheers to friendship and fitness!

runDisney’s Kids Races

November 15, 2013 by Meridith

If you read Scoot a Doot on the regular, you know that we surprised our kids with the trip to Disney. Well, the surprises just kept on coming throughout the week.

On Wednesday night I picked Aunt Victoria up at the airport, only to have her scare the living daylights out of them the following morning. Seriously, I wish I had video of her jumping out of the bed from under the covers and their reactions. I’m so mean. After their heart rates slowed, we surprised them with a breakfast at ‘Ohana.

And we also surprised them with the runDisney Kids Races on Saturday morning! Ever since the kids caught wind of mommy heading to Disney World and Disneyland for races, they wanted in on the action. I mean, duh, who wouldn’t?

While I was at packet pick up the previous day for the half, I also got their shirts and bibs. runDisney is really good about getting the whole family involved on race weekend, with Kids Races and 5ks (along with the longer races). The Kids Races had Donald as their mascot, wrapped up in Christmas Lights – the boys were thrilled to see this! Little was signed up for the 200, while Pooks was in the 400 (one of his favorite distances during Track and Field).

Each of the kids bibs had a little tear off strip for us to collect the kids after their race if they were running alone. The plan was for me to run with Little and for Pooks to run alone with Jay stationed near the finish line to take pictures.

It was a nice plan. It didn’t exactly work out that way. More on why in a bit.

We got there with plenty of time to spare so the kids danced to the songs and limbered up before they went to their respective starting areas. The plan was for all the 100 heats to go, then the 200 heats, and then the 400s (I believe the mile and diaper dash were to follow). I walked Pooks over to the 400 starting line and found a nice family for him to hang out with, pointing out the volunteers in the purple shirts.

Little Dude and I headed to the 200 start area and waited as the 100 waves started going. Then, in the midst of the 100 heats… the 400 group began to round the track! I guess one of the kids misunderstood, there was a false start, and they all took off. Whoops!

Little and I both cheered for Pooks as he passed our area of the track.

He was pretty focused as he made his way to the finish line but there was a bit of a snafu as some of the little ones doing the 100 were still finishing their race. Jay snapped this picture of him just before he crossed the finish line.

The rest of the 100 heats still needed to go and Pooks got a little worried when he didn’t immediately see Jay after his race so he went up to a grown up who looked nice and asked if he could use their cell phone. He was wearing his Road ID with our phone numbers on it so he called Jay’s cell and told him where he was.

Of course, while Jay was off collecting Pooks, Little and I were running the 200. So, there aren’t any pictures of that! The logistics just weren’t in our favor but Little couldn’t have been happier. This was his first race ever and he had big plans. “Momma, we’re going to hold hands during the run. And go really, really fast! And then we’re going to cross the finish line and put our hands in the air and then I’ll get a medal!”

Naturally, that’s exactly what we did!

I think that they did a part two of the 400 but Pooks was content having done it once and being awarded his medal. Yup, my kids are all about the bling.

While we were walking toward the car I asked them their favorite part of the races. Pooks said, “Running!” and Little proclaimed, “Holding your hand!” (Insert the “awwwww” here!)

Once we got home their bibs immediately went up on their walls and their medals were hung right along side. They’re already asking when they get to run another race again. Mission accomplished!

Wine and Dine Evening Meetup

November 13, 2013 by Meridith

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.

They're setting up a house for me in Innoventions, right?

They’re setting up a house for me somewhere around here, right?

Although I must say, EPCOT is pretty darn close to home at this point! Last week I was there all of Monday, Thursday night, Friday, and Sunday morning (1 am, to be exact). And while I’m back at home now, the whirlwind of last week is still fresh on my mind.

I got the unexpected but amazing email on Wednesday that I was invite to attend the runDisney Wine and Dine meetup the following night. Once I got my (Donald) ducks in a row, I was set to join in the meetup!

The evening started with a check in outside of the EPCOT gates; we handed over signed waivers and received a park pass, runDisney shirts to wear for the meetup (burgundy color – so fun!), a Test Track Fastpass and a wristband that allowed us in to the closed off area for IllumiNations.

While wandering into the park, Kristen and I found each other and became fast friends. Once we were sporting our new shirts, we headed over to Test Track to check it out. I can’t tell you the last time I’ve been on the ride but it’s completely different now!

runDisney gave us a lot of free time to wander the park and check out different things prior to the start of the meetup. After visiting some of the Food and Wine festival booths (Griddled Greek Cheese, for the win!), we made our way to the runDisney IllumiNations area. There we met other meetup attendees, including a fellow Meredith!

Me, Meredith, and Kristen

Once we all gathered in the roped off area, we chatted with the people around us and met Brian, a cast member attending his first runDisney meetup. I’m always a bit nervous about meeting new people but everyone at these events are always super fun, super friendly, and looking to connect with fellow runners!

IllumiNations

The show was incredible and once it was complete, the families visiting EPCOT headed toward the exits, while we made our way around the World Showcase to the America Gardens Theatre. Once we arrived we were treated to a spread of food, from hummus and veggies to the Terra Market’s Vegan Trickin’ Chicken Curry and Vegan Wine, both from the Food and Wine Festival.

Soon after we settled, runDisney’s Sports Media Director, Darrell Fry welcomed us to the event. Faron Kelley, joined him on the stage and they kicked off this portion of the evening with a couple of amazing giveaways.

They welcomed two favorites to the stage, Tara Gidus and Jeff Galloway, both of whom I had the pleasure of meeting previously at the Tink meetup. They discussed fueling for a night race, running in the evening and how runDisney races are really for every type of runner. It’s always great to hear from the duo; they play well off of each other and you can tell that they have a good friendship!

Tara and Jeff

We were treated to meeting a few of the chefs and a sommelier from the Food and Wine Festival. As the race is called the Wine and Dine, it was very interesting to learn more about the different food kiosks, in particular the Terra Market which is all vegan options.

w&dmeet5

Next up were the good people from New Balance! This partnership with runDisney was new for 2013 and it’s continuing next year. We got a sneak peek of the 2014 runDisney shoes and the super cute inserts they are offering next year.

New Balance showed off some of their new, highly visible in the dark apparel and then brought superstar Olympian, Jenny Simpson, to the stage (who actually hails from Brooke’s Florida hometown).

She, along with the New Balance rep, invited representatives from each branch of the Military as it was Veteran’s Day weekend. There was a standing ovation for these men (I was busy clapping and tearing up, so no picture).

After the presentations, the gang showed up! Goofy, Minnie, and Chef Mickey joined us for some shenanigans!

Thanks to Meredith for this pic!

Minnie was loving the Sparkle Athletic skirt I was sporting (thanks Kelly!) and showing me her own skirt. Adorable! And then the group of us joined together for a pic.

Brian, Meredith, me, and Kristen. (I’m sure you can figure out the others!)

Once the runDisney folks got the word that the park was completely clear, we were able to do our run around the World Showcase! The plan was to run the loop around one and half times, bringing us to the fountain at the end of the run.

Thanks to Mer again for this shot!

Prior to the run, I got a chance to chat with Jeff Galloway for a minute and let him know how well his run-walk method has been working for me, especially after injury. It’s what I followed when I got back into running during last month’s 10k race and have continued to use. He is seriously the most gracious person.

I happily joined the run-walk group for the run around the Showcase and we were off with 20 second intervals! I was dragging a bit by this point but since I’m usually in bed by 10pm at the latest, I figured I was doing pretty well. Plus, it gave me a taste of what the half would feel like!

When you’re running in the dark, you get pictures like this. Hence, not too many pics from the run!

The four of us stuck together during the run, joking and having a great time! Soon it was over and we took group pictures that runDisney was kind enough to send along.

The run-walk group

The whole group – 125 attendees!

Our night came to a close at midnight with a champagne toast and a wish for happy running over the weekend.

Champagne? Don’t mind if I do!

Cheers!

Have you been to a meetup (runDisney or otherwise)? Done a night race? Our Chick Chat of the Wine and Dine half is coming up in the next few days. Were you there?

Attitude of Gratitude

November 8, 2013 by Meridith

Every November there are trends that circle back around. NaNoWriMo for the authors and aspiring novelists. No shave November in support of the American Cancer Society. And of course, seeing many friends and loved ones share what they are grateful for each day on Facebook.

While I don’t express my gratitudes daily, I sincerely feel them throughout the weeks, days, and hours. As you might already know (if you follow our Instagram/Twitter/Facebook) I’m in Disney World this week with my family, prior to running this year’s Wine and Dine. And somehow, Disney makes me feel ALL THE FEELS, in a big way. They’re good like that. My heart swells, my eyes well, and I can’t help but look at my family and think they’re mine, all mine.

I’m grateful for my children’s unbridled enthusiasm which is always authentic and never forced.

And I’m extremely grateful that I have a partner who knows exactly what I’m thinking with just a glance, who will go along with my off the beaten path ideas (like grilled cheese for breakfast), and will make certain things happen for me because he knows that they mean a lot, even if they’re not always the most convenient.

Being down here in Florida has given me the chance to see a few of my favorite people and I’ve got more in store for me. Having the chance to spend a day with Brooke and her family was amazing.

We’ve had a few opportunities to spend long weekends together but this was the first time we had our children together, although I feel like we’ve been planning it forever. We knew that they would love each other as much as WE love each other.

We were not disappointed!

I’m grateful for new things… and things that are tried and true and don’t change. I grew up coming to Disney World and while it keeps evolving and growing, it still feels like “home”. Perhaps that’s why there’s such a well of emotions that are evoked every time I’m here. I spent my family vacations here, a college spring break (let’s not talk about that), my honeymoon. I’m a Mouseketeer, a dreamer, and a believer.

At the end of each day my little family talks about what our favorite thing was of the day. The kids surprise me with their favorites often times because it’s usually not what I would expect them to say. For example, at Hollywood Studios, Little’s favorite was the rainbow that appeared in the sky after a light rain.

And Pooks’ was becoming an Honorary Citizen in the historical One Man’s Dream, the story of Walt Disney. One of the cast members overheard him asking me a question about a first rendition of Mickey Mouse and through a little scavenger hunt, he was award this badge and got to sign a ledger.

I’m grateful for their inquisitive nature, for them wanting to know all there is and all there isn’t. Their relentless pursuit of knowledge keeps me learning, thinking and growing. And seeing things that I might otherwise not notice for lack of observance.

Victoria and I grew up on Disney, although when we were teenagers, we never had the opportunity to share the parks together like we do now. I’ve spent much of my adulthood vacations in Disney and many of them with her by my side and I’m extremely fortunate that we have been able to do so. (I just noticed that we usually take pictures with her on my right! Creatures of habit!)

The other morning, I was in Animal Kingdom when I got an email saying that someone wasn’t able to attending the runDisney’s Wine and Dine meetup and that I was next in line for the spot! I am so very grateful for the experience that I had last evening.

More about that to come but a quick summary: it was amazing from start to finish and I met so many really awesome, really genuine people. It was good stuff and hey, you know ALL THE FEELS I spoke about earlier? Yes. Those were out in full force. I get so emotional, baby!

The emotions will keep on coming all weekend, I’m sure. Along with my gratitude.

Tomorrow morning my kiddos are running in the kids races and their excitement and energy is just feeding my excitement; even though our vacation is nearly over in days, it’s still rich in experience.

To say that I’m super excited for the next few days might be a slight understatement. People, there will be tackle hugs and tears and pictures (and we will lament that Jess and Bec aren’t with us). There will be meetings with new friends and seeing long-time friends, like Heather and Lisa. There will be squealing, there will be carb-loading lunches and light snack dinners.

And then, just when you’d think that it can’t get much better than that… it does. Because then, we get to run a half marathon!

Stay tuned…

A Tale of Two Night Racers

October 29, 2013 by beewhobabbles

We’re talking about one of our favorite subjects today- food! How to eat before running a night race, to be exact.

VIC:

It took me years to figure out the best way to fuel for a morning race or long run. So when I signed up for runDisney’s Tower of Terror 10-miler, I knew I was wading into uncharted territory.

Sure, I’d be running in the dark. But I’ve done that before as I tackled many pre-dawn runs. Plus I knew the course would be well-lit and filled with Disney characters, so that wasn’t too much of a concern.

But how was I going to fuel? I was used to resting, waking and eating something small and settling – a bagel flat with peanut butter, a banana or a granola bar. So with a 10 p.m. race start, snacking the day away wasn’t really an option. Hydrating like crazy wasn’t a great strategy either, unless I wanted to spend my hours before the start repeatedly racing to a toilet.

I decided to eat a large lunch around 1 p.m. My meal consisted of a delicious mozzarella and tomato sandwich on foccacia bread, a light vegetable orzo salad and plenty of water. I also inhaled a bunch of bread. I nearly ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, but decided on the meatless option since I knew it would sit better in my stomach. Another option I would consider would be a very light pasta entrée (no gnocci, ravioli or alfredo sauce here!)

My theory on fueling with a meal on race day: the blander the better. Fewer frills on my plate means there’s less of a chance for an upset stomach.

(For the record, I ate an egg, cheese and turkey sausage biscuit and some fruit for breakfast that morning.)

I dined with friends at an eatery at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and we all consumed gallons of water. I hydrated well into the afternoon, but stopped cold around 6 p.m. I didn’t want to keep heading to the toilet.

Hydrating from the rocker

I attempted to nap around 4. That lasted all of 45 minutes. My roommate and friend Jen managed a two hour nap while I hydrated and chatted with friends in cozy rocking chair at our resort, Disney’s Boardwalk. I don’t think napping is vital, but laying down to rest, even just for a bit helped ease my brain about staying up until the wee hours of the morning!

Around 6:30, Jen and I each ate a bowl of instant oatmeal. I’ve eaten this in the past before many a long run and knew It would supply me with some much-needed energy in the coming hours. Jen and I also split a banana around 8:30 p.m.

When I head back to Florida next month for my next night race, I plan to utilize this strategy again. I’ll eat a large midday meal, the blander the better. I’ll nap – or try to nap the afternoon before the race. And I will eat some oatmeal 3.5 to 4 hours before the race is set to start. It worked for me in October! Fingers crossed that it will go smoothly too!

And this? I’ll be enjoying it after my run!

BROOKE:

Disney’s Wine and Dine half marathon was my first half-marathon back in 2011. It’s easy to find advice about fueling for a race online…but for a night race, specifically? Not so much. I remember googling different phrases to see if I could find anything on the subject and coming up empty.

Unlike Victoria, I still hadn’t figured out exactly what race day nutrition would work best for me, and I was extremely nervous about getting a belly ache during the race.

I’m an over-thinker. I love to ponder something for days. Weeks, even. Discuss pros and cons with my husband. Make a list or ten. I’m true to my Libra ways in this respect. After googling and discussing and writing it all down, I decided to treat this race like I would a morning run. I’d eat a large lunch, then not have anything but water for about six or seven hours before the race. At that time, I’d have my small breakfast-y type that I was already accustomed to eating before a long run.

I had an early lunch- around 11:30 or 12 (I can’t recall the exact time)- a simple pasta with red sauce and bread. Then water, water, water. At dinner time, I had my toast (and coffee, which was part of my “morning” ritual) and I brought my banana with me to the race start.

This nutrition strategy worked well for me, so I plan to do the same thing in a few weeks. I have the fuel figured out, we’re working on costumes and I already have dates set with my girls. The countdown is on!

Have you run a night race? Did you take a pre-race nap? How did you fuel? Roll call! Who is coming to Florida in two weeks?

Guest Post: Heather dishes on the Inaugural Disneyland 10K

September 5, 2013 by scootadoot

I spent most of my childhood living within a 30 minute drive of Disneyland, I have been to the park more times than I can count. In 2011, when I was ready to take my running to the next level, it made perfect sense to make the Disneyland Half Marathon my first.

I absolutely love the challenge of the half marathon but I’ll be honest, the last two miles can really be a struggle for me; the 10k is where it’s at.

When runDisney announced the addition of a 10k to Disneyland Half Marathon weekend I knew I had to run it. Early registration was offered in January at the Tinkerbell Half Marathon Expo. That’s when Tony and I registered.

Finish Line for 5k and 10k

We got to Disneyland about 2:30 on Friday afternoon and headed straight to the expo to pick up our bibs and shirts. Throughout the afternoon the Twitterverse was abuzz over crowding and long lines at the expo, but when we arrived we walked right up to the bib pick up booth, got in another line for our pre-purchased park tickets then headed upstairs to the expo floor where we received our shirts. We walked the whole expo and from start to finish were out in less than an hour.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early and made it to the holding area for 10k participants right about 5:15am. While we were waiting for the 5k to kick off, I had the chance to catch up with some of my friends who were also running.

Anya and Heather (aka, Figment and Aurora)

It was a very hot and humid 80 degrees as we lined up towards the back of corral D. The race started a bit behind its 6:15 scheduled time. Corral D and E seemed to meld together and we got the go ahead to starting line at 6:29.

At the start

The course was extremely crowded as we ran down South Disneyland Drive, past Katella and circled around the Convention Center. After we passed the first marker and made our way back towards the parks on Harbor it opened up for a bit.

DCA!

Mile 2 brought us into Disney’s California Adventure park and, although it was a bit crowded, I was able to maintain my normal pace. As we came around to the boardwalk area, all bets on me running for time were off. It was such a pretty day (despite the heat) so I decided many pictures were in order.

Fancy to see you here!

Tony and Heather

Even stopping to snap photo after photo, the miles seemed to fly by. Before I knew it. we were heading into Disneyland and approaching mile 4.

Running along the backlot of Disneyland provided plenty of photo opportunities of parade floats. Once we entered Fantasyland, we found Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter waiting by the mile 5 marker.

It’s a mad TEA PARTY!

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the Red Queen were also nearby.

Heather strikes a pose with the Red Queen

Through Sleeping Beauty’s Castle we went, out of the park into Downtown Disney, which was filled with cheering spectators and fellow runners. We ran down the home stretch on to the finish line beside the Disneyland Hotel.

I was so happy I decided to register for this race. I think it offers runners who don’t feel quite ready to tackle a half marathon a great mid-way distance event. And like I said I absolutely love the 10k!

It was a bit crowded and slow moving in points of the course, but everyone seemed to be having such a great time and we are all there because we love Disney.

As for me, I will be registering for the 10k distances as long as runDisney offers them. And yes, I was bummed I just didn’t sign up for the Dumbo Double Dare. But those 10Ks – they will be my low key, get silly and take pictures along the course run as opposed to shooting for my personal record half marathons.

Tony and Heather at the finish

Heather is a mom, runner, crossfitter and contract administrator. She blogs at Heather in the Middle and can be found on Twitter at @hsb0372.

Guest Post: Anya takes on the Dumbo Double Dare

September 5, 2013 by scootadoot

When my girls at Scoot A Doot asked me months ago if I would write a guest post for the Disneyland Half Marathon and the Dumbo Double Dare I, of course, said “yes!” I thought it would be an easy-to-write recap of an epic day. Little did I know how epic my day would end up (and how difficult it would be to put into words).

The Dumbo Double Dare was a challenge presented this year by runDisney where if you ran the Inaugural Disneyland 10K and then the following day ran the Disneyland Half Marathon you would receive an extra medal (and some extra pride).

Two weeks prior to Dumbo I was playing soccer in an over 30’s Women’s tournament and was tackled HARD. I flipped and the first thing to hit the ground was my left shoulder. Immediately I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t lift my arm and the pain, oh the pain! Later, as we sat in the ER, it dawned on me that I would not be running the races that I had so diligently trained for.

Before my shoulder injury, I was feeling so good and prepared for the Dumbo Double Dare! Based on my training runs, I truly felt I could PR both the 10K and the Half Marathon.

In my over 28 years of playing soccer this would be my worst injury. My Orthopedic Surgeon informed me that I had separated my shoulder, torn some ligaments and had some nerve damage. He followed that with the best news I could have heard: I could probably run the half marathon, it may hurt but I would not do any further damage! Since I had already come to terms with the fact that I would NOT be running Dumbo this was all amazing news for me! I was cleared to use a stationary bicycle, so I hopped on and cycled my heart out. The Thursday before the race I was finally cleared to run both events. I did a short run and it was awful. My shoulder hurt so bad that I got nauseous during the run (it probably didn’t help that it was 90 degrees that day). The good news is that every day my shoulder was better than the day before, so I had hope that it would feel better by Saturday morning.

We packed the car and drove up to the Expo on Friday morning.

Me at the expo in my awesome Scoot A Doot t-shirt

How cute are the bibs for the Dumbo Double Dare?!

Fast forward to the morning of the Disneyland 10K. As I stood in my corral I was so nervous to take those first few steps! I had an amazing cheering section (my wife and dog) and a ton of support from family and friends so I knew that no matter what happened that day I would be okay.

I ran the first mile very carefully and quickly realized that my shoulder felt good, my legs felt good, my lungs felt good and it felt so good to be running again! When I crossed that finish line- I crossed it with the biggest smile ever! I checked my time and I PR’d the race by 6 minutes! I don’t run too many 10K races so it was a PR that was long overdue, but it still felt so good to get it!

Here I am with my 10k medal – loving life!

I woke up the next morning with my shoulder aching a bit and my legs feeling a little sore from the day before otherwise I felt good and I was so excited to be running the half! My wife, Laurie, and I left the hotel and walked to the starting line – with our little dog in the basket of Laurie’s bike.

People loved seeing him and kept calling him “Toto”

Once we got closer we parted ways and I headed over to Corral C to get ready to get going. This was my first runDisney race that I would be completing without Laurie next to me (along with the 10k).

It was very dark and crowded, but everyone was so friendly!

The energy at runDisney races is incredible and contagious. I was once again very nervous but all the excited people around me helped to clear my mind. It was an abnormally hot and humid day in Anaheim and my legs were already a little sore, how would I do in this race? I knew I would finish, but how bad would it hurt?

They did a countdown and sent us off with some fanfare and Mickey and Minnie waving to everyone. I tried to take photos but my water bottle was very full and I could not hold it in my left (injured) arm for very long. I tried to take photos with my left hand but that was a total failure! I did manage a few photos through Disneyland and CA Adventure- but they were very blurry.

World of Color and Mickey’s Fun Wheel! If you squint your eyes, it looks normal.

Running down route 66 at Cars Land

My favorite part- running down Main Street Disneyland!

At this point I was moving at a very cautious pace. My legs were feeling a little sore, but my shoulder was feeling good (unless I held the water bottle with my left arm to take pictures). I decided that I would just keep going and tuck my camera away. But not before getting the one picture I really wanted:

Me with the Dumbo ride, while completing the Dumbo Double Dare! Bonus: sunrise over the Matterhorn.

At around the 4 mile mark you are out of the parks and you embark on your journey through Anaheim. If it wasn’t for some amazing High School Bands, Cheerleaders, Dance Groups, and friends and family of the runners, this section would have been a very boring run on the streets.

I had last seen Laurie in between California Adventure and Disneyland and as I approached mile 6 I spotted her again! It was so great to see her, as I needed a morale boost. Every step was hurting and it was so hot out, but seeing her (and our dog) helped me forget that. She rode next to me for a ways and then left to meet me somewhere else (I never knew where she would be). As she rode next to me she snapped this shot with the GoPro camera (which subsequently ran out of battery):

One foot in front of the other!

And I took this picture of her:

Why oh why didn’t we have her dress as Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ?!

I started having to dig down deep in order to keep myself going. My doubts were setting in, could I go another 7 miles?! I just kept telling myself that I could do it, and it worked as I kept going.

At the mile 8 mark something amazing happened. I saw this guy and took my last picture on the course:

The 2:15 pacer!

I knew that the 2:15 pacer started a ways in front of me in my corral. This meant I was going a little faster than a 2:15 half marathon! My PR was 2:16. Was I REALLY going PR pace?! Right then I heard Laurie yelling for me. I ran over to her and said “did you see the pacer?!” she immediately knew what I meant. She had been doing runner tracking so she knew what my pace was but I did not (until I saw the pacer). I forgot to look at the clock when I started so I didn’t know how many minutes to subtract and I made a few guesses but nothing was official. It’s always best when I don’t focus too hard on my pace (you’ll see why). Laurie took this picture of us before I took off again:

I’m smiling! Could I actually PR?!

This was around the area where there was about a mile of classic cars. This part was so awesome! So many people there with their extremely cool cars (eye candy) cheering for total strangers very early in the morning!

Mile 9 was just before Angels Stadium. Right around here I lost the pacer as he was in front of me and I could no longer see him. I was feeling pretty deflated. I had tasted a PR, I had it in my grasps and I felt like I had let it go. I felt like maybe I should just walk, but I quickly talked myself out of that and just kept moving.

As we entered Angels stadium I got chills! I had done this race twice before (2009 and 2010) so I knew this part would be incredible. The stands are packed with cheering Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and many screaming families and spectators. The noise is deafening yet uplifting. Not all of us are professional athletes (clearly) so having a stadium filled with people yelling for you and everyone around you feels pretty amazing.

Shortly after we left the stadium we hit mile 10. Mile 10 for me, usually (I have run 10 other half marathons), is where I get the most excited. It is the point in the race where I know I have made it. The point where I feel I am done with the hardest part of the race. This day, alas, I did not feel this way at mile 10. It was tough and I was really pushing myself to keep moving.

I don’t know how I made it to mile 11. It wasn’t pretty but I just kept repeating my mantra “I am alive” reminding myself I was okay, I was breathing, I was going to do this. I hunkered down and pushed myself harder than I have ever pushed myself. I wasn’t going to stop. Right around here I saw Laurie once again. She saw I was struggling and she asked me if I was hurting, I told her I was (but she knew this already). She told me to keep going because I was going to finish! I could do it! I honestly would have stopped and walked if I didn’t have her voice in my head over and over telling me I could do it. Let me be clear, there is nothing at all wrong with walking during a race. We walked almost all of the Princess Half Marathon, but this race was just different for me. I was so thankful to be able to run! Laurie also knows me so well if I really looked like I needed to slow down or stop she surely would have stepped in and said so. I trusted her and I just kept going.

At mile 12 I was absolutely shocked. I caught up with the 2:15 pacer! He was stopped and waiting for people to catch up. My guess is that he was ahead of schedule. That was my cue to stop doubting and start pushing. I ran. I ran HARD. He would NOT catch me again! I would get far enough away from him that if I needed to slow down I would still be in front of him. I have never pushed myself so hard. When I took the last turn to the straightaway to finish, I knew I was close and I sprinted.

I sprinted past the screaming/cheering spectators that lined the course near the Disneyland Hotel. I sprinted past the mile 13 sign. I only slowed down to high five Minnie Mouse before I crossed the finish line. I couldn’t believe how hard I pushed- and what was my time?? I immediately checked my email because I was having my official times tracked and sent there. There it was: 2:10:32. I had PR’d by 6 minutes!! I was in shock!! I made it to where they put the medal around your neck and I was such an emotional mess. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I had actually finished this race after thinking that after months of training hard I wasn’t going to be able to run it- and on top of that I finished with a new PR!

Right after I got my half medal, I burst into tears. Tears of joy. Tears of exhaustion. Tears because I did it! I tried to compose myself while they gave me my Dumbo Double Dare medal.

Wearing both medals felt great!

Shortly after I crossed the finish line my phone died. When I plugged it back in a little later I got this text from my mom “Anya, you are my hero”. She had apparently been tracking me and she sent me that text right as I crossed the finish line. Cue the waterworks again. Boy, was I emotional!

The breakdown of my race (from the tracking emails):

Just as I had trained! Negative splits!

There’s something magical about the runDisney races. I have always had such an amazing time when I run them, and despite this one being such a difficult race for me I finished with a huge smile on my face! I don’t think I could have PR’d so close to my injury at any other race. I am so thankful for every single stranger that cheered for me. Thankful for all the volunteers who worked! Thankful for the volunteers helping me fill my water bottle again. Side note- I drank 2 full water bottles during this race (that was a first for me as well) on top of Powerade at most of the later stations and 2.5 GU’s. I am also thankful for all of the Anaheim police who were out controlling traffic on the course. I am even more thankful that I had Laurie racing around on her bike to cheer me on. She truly is the reason that I was able to finish. I love the Disneyland Half Marathon and I am so excited to have a shiny new PR as well as 3 shiny new medals from running the Dumbo Double Dare (that’s a lot of shine!).

How amazing are these medals?!

Of course I had to wear my Dumbo medal for this picture!

Oh and our dog? Apparently it’s exhausting riding around in a basket!

Good night, little man.

This race really showed me that I have the strength to reach my goals if I get out of my head and just go for it. I will never give up on myself again. This race was such an emotional victory for me. I feel like I really became a runner (like, a runner) this weekend. I have so much support from the people that love me it’s overwhelming. My friends and family were so awesome cheering me on and congratulating me. They are my inspiration. I am also proud of the training I have done this year. It is a true testament to my training that I was able to take 2 weeks off from running (and basically all exercise/movement) and still complete 19.3 miles in 2 days. I still feel
so good!

Oh, runDisney you got me again. What a wonderful time I had! I will be back!

Anya is an avid sports fan, career soccer coach, terrible chef, and an occasional blogger at http://runningisakick.wordpress.com/ You can also find her on twitter at @AnyaBC18

runDisney’s 2014 Tinker Bell weekend, now with 10k!

July 2, 2013 by Meridith

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the 10k distance. Therefore, when I first started catching wind about the additions of 10ks to the already awesome runDisney weekends, I got excited.

Cam, Vic and I ran the Tinker Bell half this past January in California’s Disneyland and it’s a race that holds a special place in my heart. I met some really cool people at the 2013 meetup and I hope to make my way back to the West coast to run Tink again at some point. (Jess, next time, you’re doing it too!)

We fairies need to stick together!

So today’s announcement from runDisney about the 10k to the Tinker Bell race weekend lineup was happily received!

I know that some people might think it’s crazy to fly across the country for different races but this is honestly what keeps me going, it gives me purpose and reason (especially when a training run isn’t going the way I’d hoped).

If you want to check out more about the Tink Half 10k, definitely hop on over to runDisney’s blog post regarding it. I’ve already said that I can’t swing getting myself to the Glass Slipper challenge in 2014, which I’m super bummed about. Maybe I can get out my pixie dust and fly across the country for the Tink Half/10k? Hmmmmm.

Let’s chat about runDisney races! Which have you done? Which do you want to do? I’ve been fortunate enough to take part in the Princess half (2012), Castaway Cay 5k (2012), and Tink half (2013). Coming up? Wine and Dine!

runDisney’s Glass Slipper Challenge

June 4, 2013 by vfreile

We haven’t yet registered to race, but our hotel is booked and our flights are set.

And most importantly, costume planning is well underway.

Yessiree, Heather, Brooke and I will be decked out in full Princess gear for runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon weekend in February 2014.

As we approached registration opening day on June 11, runDisney last week finally announced Princess weekend race prices:

Race fees start at $270 for Glass Slipper runners, $160 for half-marathoners, $95 for the 10k and $60 for the 5k. Prices rise every few months until each race sells out.

But let’s be realistic. If those races follow suit to runDisney’s new Dopey Challenge and Dumbo Double Dare, some events may sell out in the first few days. Heck, Marathon weekend’s Minnie Mouse 10K sold out in hours!

Honestly, I hadn’t planned to head to Florida next February. I had already decided the Dopey Challenge was too rich for my blood, that I couldn’t swing a trip to either Disney park next winter after a coast-to-coast running journey in January.

My tune changed when I heard rumblings of the new Glass Slipper Challenge and pink coast-to-coast medal. Another bi-coastal running journey wasn’t likely, but I was suddenly thrilled I hadn’t signed up for Dopey. But I knew I could swing another journey south to visit and run with good friends.

And just what is the Glass Slipper Challenge? It’s a 10K race and a half marathon over the course to 2 days. That’s 19.3 miles of princess bliss!

Brooke, our resident shoe fan, said she knew right away she wanted to take part.

“I want to run the glass slipper challenge because the medal must be a shoe, right? And I’d never pass that up.” — Brooke

Brooke, Meri and Vic with Cinderella and Prince Charming at the 2012 Princess half

Heather was also thrilled to learn about the Glass Slipper Challenge, since she missed out on registering for the Dumbo earlier this year. Heather said her one and only Princess half experience (in 2012) was rough, as she nursed an injury through 13.1 miles.

Her goal? To better her previous race time and push her self past her comfort zone.

Heather and her beau as Snow White and her Prince after Princess 2012

As for me, I am beyond thrilled to be tackling a shorter distance running challenge, mid winter, with two fantastic friends.

Brooke

I think the Glass Slipper challenge is awesome because it’s an opportunity to do one of the crazy back-to-back Disney races without a massive amount of miles. I think it’s cool that so many runners want to challenge themselves with that type of mileage over a single weekend, but I have no desire to run a Goofy or a Dopey. Not for all the bling and bragging rights in the world!

Heather

I absolutely love that runDisney is adding a 10k option and “challenge” to their race weekends. My favorite distance is the 10k so I’m thrilled for that and honestly the option to sign up for the challenge and earn a little extra bling always makes me happy. My only real concern is in the quest for the extra bling, especially in the inaugural years I wonder if some people that are not conditioned for the added miles may jump in too fast. I love the idea of Dopey but no way am I ready to tackle a full alone, so 48.6 miles would be foolish to try.

And we three princesses are well into costume-planning mode. We all plan to dress as Rapunzel for the 10K. Plans for our second costumes are still in the works, and will likely stay under wraps until the big weekend. But we do plan to don some Team Sparkle skirts!

We plan to run with Grete while in EPCOT too!

Chick Brooke has never run in costume before. Heather is an expert costume designer — she’s been everyone from Snow White to Tinkerbell!

And yes, we realize runDisney races aren’t cheap.

Heather downsized her Dumbo plans to a 10k and skipped other runs she was eying in order to make her Glass Slipper trip happen.

I passed on Dopey and will skip other outings to make the trek.

But as Heather noted, there’s just something magical about running Disney.

“I was running down Main Street USA towards the castle, the sun was coming up behind it and I honestly stopped for a minute, took a mental picture and said to myself ‘this is what it’s all about.’ That moment brought tears to my eyes.” — Heather.

Will you be running the Glass Slipper Challenge? What do you think of the new runDisney lineup? What do you sacrifice to take race-cations? Tell us in the comments below!

Post publication note: Here are more registration and Princess weekend details from my friend Heather. She’s a different Heather than pictured above, but her love of Disney and fitness are just as strong!

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