Disneyland Half Marathon Packing Vlog

Hey guys!

Soooo….I kind of leave for Disneyland in EIGHT DAYS!!!!  I cannot believe the time is almost here!!!

I’ve started to get my things together and pack, and had a crazy idea to do a vlog…my FIRST vlog….was a little scary but I did it and now I’m posting it for the interwebz to see. 

So here it is…check out my “must have” racecation items!

Just a couple of things to add that I left out -

ALWAYS pack your race clothes into your carry on bag.  If you check your luggage and it gets lost, you could be up the creek without a paddle.  You don’t want to run in any new clothing or shoes for the first time at a race, so make sure you have these!  Everything else you could buy once you arrive.

Also, I like to make sure that my KT Tape sticks to my skin by using alcohol and hair spray before applying.  Make sure that your skin is clean and wipe the area down with alcohol and allow it to dry.  Then, spray on the hairspray (aerosol works the best) and allow it to dry, then apply the tape.  You can purchase small spray bottles to fill with alcohol and travel size hairspray to take with you.

I am so unbelievably excited!  Hopefully we'll see what fun merchandise will be for sale at the expo :) I hope to see YOU there, too!

Did I leave anything out?  What's something you would add to the list?

River Run for Hope 10k recap

Since I registered for the Disneyland half marathon a little late, I panicked a bit since I hadn't run a 10k race since the 2014 Peachtree Road Race.  When I entered my finish time on the runDisney proof of time page, I was not pleased with my estimated finish time for the half.  I started looking frantically for a 10k race that I was in town for and thought I was out of luck...

...until I saw a post in one of my Facebook running groups.  There was a 10k race on Saturday , May 30th!  Talk about getting one in just in the nick of time!  I immediately signed up, hoping for the best for the race.

Race day came, and I woke up with a very unhappy stomach.  I was not feeling very confident about the race, but I knew it was my last chance, and even if I shaved off a couple of minutes from my proof of time, it would be better than what I already have, right?

The race was in Roswell, GA and started and ended at a Catholic church.  The race benefits the work of the Ghana Friendship Project's work.  It helps to supply medical and health care supplies, educational material and clothing to the people of Ghana.

Getting to the race was super easy.  I arrived at around 6:30 and had plenty of time to grab my bib and shirt, walk back to my car to get ready, and get to the finish line.  I kind of liked that I didn't have a lot of time to stand around.  I went to the race solo so I took some time to give myself a little pep talk (and a couple of pictures)

 

The race started promptly at 7 a.m. and we were off!  The weather was perfect....low 60s and overcast.  The humidity was a little high but the cool temperatures helped.  I wasn't able to find my interval timer the night before so I depended on my Garmin to tell me when to run and walk.  As the race started I skipped over the intervals until I got away from the crowd.  Mile 1 felt pretty good.  During mile 2 I started to struggle mentally and actually considered cutting my race short and making the turnoff for the 5k course.

But I didn't.

I pushed through and kept going.  Mile 2 I slowed down a bit, but really picked it up the rest of the race.  We ran for about a mile on a dirt road, which my knees enjoyed.  At this point in the race I started to make it a goal to pick people off in front of me.  Each time I passed the person in front of me I aimed to pass the next.  During mile 4, I realized that I could actually PR my 10k time.  I kept with my intervals and was shocked at the average pace per mile each time.  As we came up on the finish line I really kicked it into gear.  There was a nice little downhill toward the finish line and I sprinted toward it.  When I stopped my watch, I was at 1:16:55...a new PR!  I haven't PRed a 10k in over 2 years, so I was absolutely ecstatic with myself.

I grabbed a bottle of water and saw runners with freeze pops, so I scoped them out at the refreshment table and snagged an orange one.  So tasty after the race!

I was shocked when I looked at my splits....with the exception of mile 2, I had all negative splits!  Usually I get slower as the race goes on, but to run faster?  Go me!  When I got home I immediately entered my new proof of time into the runDisney website and was much happier with their estimated finish time for me.

I have to give so much credit to my trainers at Orangetheory Fitness.  I haven't run outside much lately...the only runs I've been doing have been on the treadmill during our workouts.  My workouts have really helped build my endurance and got me here.  I really got back my love of running during this race and I am already looking forward to meeting up with some friends on Saturday morning and getting some more miles in.

If you're looking for a great 10k race, I highly recommend the River Run for Hope.  Flat, fast course and it supports a great organization.  I'll definitely put this race on my calendar to run again.

92 days until Disneyland!!

Until next time,

Another Long Run in the Books

Last week was not my best...J traveled to NYC for work and I hate leaving the pup in his crate longer than usual, so I came home every day this week without getting a workout in.  It's shameful, but it's the truth.

BUT...Friday J got home and I decided to take a 2 mile run around the neighborhood.  It wasn't too horribly bad, but it was COLD!

And before I get flamed by all my Northern readers...yes...I understand that it is nowhere NEAR as cold as it is for you guys (my grandparents live in Minnesota so I understand) but for a girl in the South it was pretty chilly.

Sunday I had my 8 mile training run on the calendar.  We were super lazy and I didn't pull myself out of bed until 1:30 PM.  I ate a Clif bar, got dressed, and drove to the greenway.  It was a bit cooler than I thought it was going to be (I wore a tank and capris) but my run quickly warmed me up.

The trail crosses a highway, and I didn't really want to go that far, so I decided that I would turn around when I got to that point, run back to where I started, then turn around and run back down the trail, then back where I started (did I lose you yet?).  That was probably not the most intelligent thing for me to do as when I got back to the parking lot it was tempting to leave....but I pushed on and finished my 8 mile run.

I had a personal goal to run it in 1:45 or less, and I beat it!  Mind you, not by much, but hey...I reached my goal!

Got my Sweat Pink on :)

I was really trying to get a couple of negative splits in my run, so I was anxious to download my run from the Garmin to their website.

Woo hoo!!! I had not one, but TWO negative splits!!  I was pretty excited to see those numbers!

After I got home, I showered and slipped back into my compression socks for the day and had a nice post run meal of Skinnytaste's Spaghetti Squash Lasagna (I highly recommend trying it..it's so tasty!)

Overall, my run is good...but maybe some of you could help me solve a mystery.  The past two long runs I've done I have gotten pain on the inside arch area of my left foot, and on the ball of my right foot.  I have started wearing a new pair of shoes to break them in, but it happens with my old shoes as well.  I'm wearing either Swiftwick or Feetures! socks.  Any ideas?

I love Crossfit, and I will miss it while I'm gone on vacation, so I've decided to put it on the back burner until I get back home and focus more on my training for the half marathon (only 26 more days...squee!!).  Once that's over I plan to dive back into Crossfit.

Thanks for all the new likes on my Facebook page!  I'm trying hard to post more often on it, and please feel free to share with your friends!  Hello Fitness - We Meet Again

Until next time,

Jen