Am I crazy? No! Okay, maybe a little bit… Feb 22 Half Marathon Weekend PTR

[ThePin Princess]

Am I crazy? No! Okay, maybe a little bit…
Feb 22 Half Marathon Weekend PTR
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Hi, my name is Grace, and I’m a Disney addicted runner. Well I was a runner - and I still consider myself a runner even though I haven’t consistently run in the last 2 years. But I figured signing up for the Fairytale Challenge (10K & 13.1mi) was the perfect kick in the tush that I needed to get back into things. And why not make running even better by going to Disney!

Trip Details:

When - Princes half marathon weekend!
Why - For my mental health & because I enjoy putting myself through challenging training
Who - Grace (me) & Mom - The two best Disney friends that anyone ever had

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Let’s meet the stars of our story:

Grace (Me)

Hi I’m 27 years old, I’m a Disney loving, dog mom with a love for running. I took up running in college so I could be on a sports team, even though I hated running at the time. After one season I grew to love the sport and have been running ever since. In 2019 I did my first half marathon, followed by my first full marathon (NYC). I fell off the bandwagon at the start of 2020 after getting sick and have been trying to get back into it!

I did the DCP in spring of 2015 and I just adore the Disney Parks. I’ve been to WDW upwards of 30 times and Disneyland & Disneyland Paris, each once. Going to the parks is my happy place and I try to get back as often as I can.

Favorite ride: Space Mountain
Favorite snack: Sweet & Spicy Chicken Waffle (Sleepy Hollow MK)
Favorite drink: La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy (France F&G)
Favorite character(s): Tinkerbell & Goofy

Donna (Mom)

Mom is my Disney partner in crime and my biggest cheerleader! She's been to Disney too many times to count also, and she fostered the love in me. We're big foodies, so we love to explore the EPCOT festivals, try new restaurants, and eat all the snacks.

The last time we were in Disney was May 2021, so we're familiar with most of the new changes.

Favorite rides:
Nostalgic: Peter Pan's Flight
More Current: Tower of Terror
Favorite snack:
Nostalgic: Carrot cake cookie (DHS circa 2008-2013)
More Current: Nachos (Mexico Pavilion)
Favorite Drink: Orange slush vodka drink (France Pavilion)
Favorite character(s):
Nostalgic: Tinkerbell
More Current: Rapunzel

Honorable mention:

Brooks

Brooks is my 18 month old puppy! He obviously won't be coming on the trip but I anticipate that he'll be mentioned a lot As a pet parent, with no human children, Brooks is basically my whole world so he comes up a lot!

Trip planning is one of my favorite things, especially DISNEY trip planning. And I've been itching to get back!

Things we're looking forward to:
50th celebration!
New fireworks!
Fairytale Challenge!
New restaurants - Steakhouse 72? Space 220? Chicken Guy? Topolino's?
Getting away from the Boston cold in the dead of winter!
New merch & pins -- I have a major pin addiction and I'm a sucker for mugs and merch in general

Mom, me & my sister Jill
Follow along for all the pre-planning fun! 19 weeks til 19.3 miles!

 

[ThePin Princess]

Table of Contents:

October:
Planning/Trip Details
My Running History
For Your Viewing Enjoyment: 31 Days of Halloween Costumes Part 1
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[ThePin Princess]

Planning/Trip details
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I'd been contemplating signing up for the race for a few weeks. The only option left is/was the Fairytale Challenge (10K & 13.1 mi) so I knew I'd need to commit to that. I booked the hotel (PORS) a few weeks ago, because of course that can be canceled. I weighed the pros & cons for a few more days before committing and decided to take the leap on Friday night!

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Now I'm full financially committed. There's nothing like spending $400 to do run to motivate you to actually get off the couch and run!

I booked our flights on points on Saturday morning, and now we're set to go!

The plan is to arrive on Thursday midday and leave Tuesday morning. It's a bit of a more lowkey trip for us, less park days (3) and less time in the parks, with the main focus being the races -- and eating

Two things we're debating are upgrading to park hoppers and renting a car.

Park hoppers -- as former APs we are spoiled and feel almost entitled to park hopping. I think we'll wait til we get there to upgrade either way, but it will mainly depend on the park hours. If we don't park hop, we'll most likely only go to Epcot (2 days) & MK (1 day). If we park hop we'd probably spend some time in DHS and then do split days like we're used to.

Rental car -- this will be our first trip with no Disney's Magical Express (RIP). This past trip in May 2021 we were in a rush getting off the plane and ended up taking a shuttle to the hotel because we had a dining reservation we were racing to get to, but we took DME back to the airport, and we typically use DME.

Renting a car definitely has it's benefits, especially getting to the races, but the downsides are paying to park at the hotel and just paying for the car in general. I feel like we'll end up doing it, but I'd love to hear your experiences. The last time I had a car at Disney was during my DCP in 2015. Which was when I did my only runDisney events in the past, so I've actually never used the buses to get to the races in the morning or to the Expo for that fact.

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Daily break down

Thursday - Expo & dinner with friends
Friday - Ecpot
Saturday - 10k & no park, Disney Springs or hotel, maybe Olivia's Cafe
Sunday - 13.1 mi & MK
Monday - Epcot
Tuesday - breakfast somewhere & head home, noonish flight

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We have our park reservations set. Dining we can't do until December because it's only 60 days currently.

Dining options we're considering, most we've never been to before:

Boathouse (have been once and love)
Biergarten
Steakhouse 71
Space 220
Olivia's Cafe (breakfast)
Topolino's (breakfast)
Chicken Guy
Skipper Canteen?

Open to other dining recommendations to! Would loveee to hear about your favorite places to eat!

That's all we have for plans so far!

 

[ThePin Princess]

My running history!
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If you care about running, welcome! If you don't, feel free to skip this post!

I started running 8 years ago in 2013 when I went to college and joined the school's cross country team on a whim. I didn't like running before that, but as someone who'd been an athlete for 10 years I was determined to be on a sports team. I ran consistently from August 2013- May 2016 when I graduated.

I did the Princess 10K & the Expedition Everest 5K Scavenger Hunt in Feb & May 2015 during my Disney College Program.

Princess 10K - Feb 2015

Princess 10K - Feb 2015

Expedition Everest 5K - May 2015​

After college I moved to NYC for an internship and ran only a handful of times and then fell off the bandwagon and only ran a few times for the next two year. In May 2018 I challenged myself to run everyday for 100 days! And I hit my 100 days when my mom and I were in Disney celebrating her kicking cancer's butt! I ran at least 1 mile for 106 days - my longest run streak ever!

In September 2018 I decided my next goal would be training for a half marathon! I joined Orangetheory that fall which I loved and would do 1-2 times a week. In March 2019 I signed up for my first half marathon with 10 weeks to train!

On Memorial Day weekend 2019 I ran my first half marathon - 1 year exactly after I challenged myself to run for 100 days the previous summer! It was super hot that morning but I was so impressed by myself with my time and completing my first half.

Boston's Run to Remember - May 2019 (2:09)

May 2018 vs May 2019 - 1 year transformation!​

In April 2019, with a few weeks until my first half marathon I figured "well why not sign up for a FULL marathon?!" And I signed up for the New York City Marathon in Nov 2019 and fundraised for Team in Training (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) in my mom's honor for conquering her battle with Lymphoma in 2018.

I trained all summer and fall & ran my second half marathon in October 2019 & then ran the NYC Marathon in November 2019!

B.A.A. Half - October 2019 (2:14)

NYC Half Marathon - November 2019 (4:48)​

I was so excited for my running future at this point and had big plans for 2020 and all the races I was going to do, and then I got sick in Feb 2020 and ended up with residual pneumonia which took me out of commission, and then the pandemic hit and well I stopped running. I've probably run 2-3 dozen times total in the last year and half. I've tried to get back into the swing of things a handful of times, but life had other plans at those times. So now here we are!

I went for my first run since July yesterday morning and I'm ready to train the next 19 weeks!

I'm planning on mainly following the training plan on the runDisney website for the 19.3 challenges but will be running the whole time instead of run/walking. And I'll hopefully be getting back to Orangetheory or just to the gym to cross train 1-2 days each week! Starting from 0 is hard but I'm excited to get back into things and have some big running plans for 2022, all starting with the Princess Half Marathon Weekend!

 

[ThePin Princess]

For Your Viewing Enjoyment: 31 Days of Halloween Costumes Part 1
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As previously stated, I am a crazy pet parent ☺ Last year in October I started what has now become a tradition, Brooks' 31 Days of Halloween costumes. And being the major Disney lover that I am, a good amount of them are Disney costumes.

If you're interested in more than his Disney costumes, the hashtag they're all posted with on IG is #brooksxhalloween.

I figured I'd share with you his Disney costumes from this year so far!

2021:

Mr. Potato Head

Eeyrore

Mike Wazowski

Dopey​

Plus here are some highlights from last year

2020:

Hula Timon

TS Alien

Sorcerer Mickey



Captain America

Russell

Peter Pan

Kuzco

Winnie the Pooh​

I think I'll be doing a few more Disney ones this year! Any recommendations?! Which costume is your favorite so far?!

 

[Woth2982]

Joining in! My profile photo is from the 2014 Run to Remember! I love that race, it was my first half so I have very fond memories of it (and lessons learned, like DON'T stop at the first bathroom unless you want to wait 15 minutes). I tried to complete the BAA distance Medley in 2018, but had a procedure right before the half to check the damage in my spike, that put me out of commission, had spine surgery several months later. Needless to say, I went from running 5 miles a day to getting winded getting out of bed. I am currently pregnant with number 2 and on pelvic rest, but I so hope to get back into running once baby boy arrives!

I LOVE the Princess Half weekend. I have done it 3 times! I did Tinkerbell (RIP) once and got the pink coast to coast medal! I was so proud of that thing!

Your pup is so cute! I was also a proud dog mom, I lost my pup Nixon (named after my favorite baseball player) in 2014, but he was my first baby and I miss him so much! I am still not ready to get another pup almost 7 years later! So I totally get the dog mom thing! I love my daughter, but there is no one like my puppy.

 

[ThePin Princess]

Joining in! My profile photo is from the 2014 Run to Remember! I love that race, it was my first half so I have very fond memories of it (and lessons learned, like DON'T stop at the first bathroom unless you want to wait 15 minutes). I tried to complete the BAA distance Medley in 2018, but had a procedure right before the half to check the damage in my spike, that put me out of commission, had spine surgery several months later. Needless to say, I went from running 5 miles a day to getting winded getting out of bed. I am currently pregnant with number 2 and on pelvic rest, but I so hope to get back into running once baby boy arrives!

I LOVE the Princess Half weekend. I have done it 3 times! I did Tinkerbell (RIP) once and got the pink coast to coast medal! I was so proud of that thing!

Your pup is so cute! I was also a proud dog mom, I lost my pup Nixon (named after my favorite baseball player) in 2014, but he was my first baby and I miss him so much! I am still not ready to get another pup almost 7 years later! So I totally get the dog mom thing! I love my daughter, but there is no one like my puppy.

Thanks for joining! And HI NEIGHBOR! I'm from Boston (well greater Boston) too! I'm sorry to hear about your back! Buy yay for babies!

Very jealous about Tinkerbell, I'm so sad I never got to and probably never will get to do runDisney at Disneyland, such a shame!

And thank you, I'm clearly obsessed with him. There's nothing quite like your first fur baby as an adult lol. If you need a rescue recommendation for when you're ready, we loveee Rescue Inc. based out of Newburyport where we adopted Brooks from. The owner is just the absolute sweetest. I always joke to my boyfriend that I love Brooks in a way that's so indescribable and I don't think can be replicated, since he'll never grow up and like have communication skills like a kid will lol he'll just stay so innocent and pure forever, it like breaks my heart and makes me love him so much all at the same time lol

 

[Bama Mom]

HaHa Brooks' expression while in the Eeyore costume is spot on!!!

 

[ThePin Princess]

34 DAYS TIL DISNEY!

Life has been insanely busy lately! From the holidays & being crazy busy at work in Nov & Dec, to adopting a new puppy, being in a wedding, and so much more it's been crazy since I last posted!

I definitely haven't been training like I should (oops!), but I'm doing my best not to stress about it or put too much pressure on myself!

In the last week of December, I found a spin bike on FB marketplace for $50 -- such a deal! -- I snatched that up and have been doing spin classes and biking, I haven't actually run since October but I'm trying to put more focus on the cross training and strengthening my body! I know I can definitely run the 10k and I may end up doing a run/walk situation for the half marathon. It's been so cold here and I'm just such a wimp about the cold!

Our nice little at home spin set up - it's so much easier not having to go outside to go to the gym

We've got most of our plans laid out so far:

Day 1, Thursday - Expo & Boathouse for dinner with friends
Day 2, Friday - Magic Kingdom
Day 3, Saturday - 10K, Epcot, Biergarten for lunch
Day 4, Sunday - Half marathon, Magic Kingdom, Steakhouse 71 for dinner
Day 5, Monday - Topolino's for late brunch, Disney Springs, Enzo's Hideaway Diner for dinner
Day 6, Tuesday - Fly home ~ 11am

Definitely going a more chill route, we've contemplated adding on park hoppers but not so sure. The only attraction I feel strongly about trying to get on is Ratatouille. I did it in Paris but Mom has never done it. Also incredibly bummed that this weekend falls between the gap of Festival of the Arts and Flower and Garden... truly rude of Disney to line things up like that.

One thing we're trying to figure out is where mom will watch me from. We do have a rental car so we'll be able to drive to the races in the morning, but I think it would be fun for her to watch me on Main Street in MK so we need to figure out the logistics of that!

And the last thing I need to figure out is outfits for the runs! I think I want to dress up for the 10k and then do something disneybound-esque for the half marathon! But I'm torn on characters. Initially I was thinking Lottie for the 10k, but I have no ideas for the half marathon!

So excited for this trip to finally be here!