Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo....3. Run a destination 1/2 Marathon

When my friend, Abby, had asked me to run the Corporate Challenge 5K about 5 years ago, I thought 3.1 miles would be easy breezy.  I was lucky if I ran a tenth of one mile.  At that time I was not living the healthiest lifestyle.  In fact, my exercise consisted of drinking beer while playing sand volleyball.  I had never been interested in running in year’s prior but something made me want to keep going.  I started running a few 5K races hear and there.  From that I set a goal to finish a 5K in less than 30 minutes.  I accomplished that goal at the Kansas City Marathon 5K race in October 2009.  Next, I decided I wanted to run a half marathon.   I began starting each New Year with that as my resolution.  Two years passed before I actually achieved that goal.   I ran my first half marathon last April, Rock the Parkway, in KC.  I had heard that you either love the distance or you hate the distance.  I LOVED IT!  The feeling of finishing was amazing and afterwards I started searching for my next race.  I heard about the Disney races after my friend Jennifer ran at Walt Disney World in January 2012.   What better race for me?  I love Disney and I love running.  Then she tells me that characters are staged throughout the course for photo ops and I was SOLD!  I signed up to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon the same day registration opened in July.  One downside to signing up for a race 6 months early is getting motivated to train.  Especially when the heart of the training had to take place during the winter.  I know Missouri is hot in the summer and the high temps make running outdoors difficult.  Missouri also has brutally cold winters that makes running outdoors equally difficult.  I stocked up on cold weather gear and I got my butt on the road in December and January.  The coldest day was around 20 degrees!  We were all ready to leave town on Thursday February 21, when meteorologists predicted Winter Storm Q would to travel through the Midwest and drop a ginormous amount of snow.  We scrambled at the last minute but we were able to switch our flights to a day early and beat the storm.  We set out for Florida with our best friends, Josh & Hayley Renaud.  It was a good thing we did because we learned our original flight was cancelled.  Enough typing and on to the big event!  I took a ton of pictures throughout the race.  Instead of boring you with more words, enjoy my fun pictures as I checked of…3. Run a destination ½ Marathon-Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida 2/24/13



1.  Start a blog


2. Go to the Presidential Inauguration / visit DC


3. Run a destination 1/2 Marathon


4. Compete in Mrs. Missouri pageant [in progress]


5. Eating a raw oyster


6. Ride a mechanical bull


7. Cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner by myself

8. Shoot a gun/target shooting


9.  Go Mushroom hunting

10.  Learn to sew / make something I can wear

11. Visit a state I have never been to


12. Ride in a hot air balloon


13. Learn to play craps


14. Eat at Oklahoma Joe's BBQ


15. Complete one Pinterest craft project


16. Take a walking tour of a Civil War Battlefield


17. Learn to make a pie from scratch


18. Make Grandma's kolache cookies correctly

19. Take a shot of Jack Daniels


20. Take a cake decorating class and then decorate my own cake

21. Do at least one pull-up


22. Visit Graceland


23. Take a train ride/ weekend trip to Herman, Mo.


24. Make homemade pasta


25. Run a 8 min/mile 5K


26. Take ballet class from the KC Ballet


27.  Reach my Weight Watchers goal weight (NEW!)


28.


29.


30.

The weekend kicked off with the Fit for a Princess Expo where I was able to pick up my race packet and enjoy a glass of champagne with my best friend Hayley

I couldn't say no to the fairy godmothers and their fairy dust.  I was mega sprinkled, the sparkle didn't leave my hair for days!  

Fitting to meet Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty.  She insisted we pose with our  princes.

Night before race ritual.  All of my gear accounted for and laid out for the next morning.  The biggest stress of running a destination race is forgetting your gear.  Luckily I remembered everything I needed.

Pre-race photo with Princess Jasmine

My niece, Elle, love Rapunzel.  This one was for her.

The first photo op, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jack Sparrow and some other dude

Apparently John Smith is too good to pose.  Maybe he's upset that everyone else is a prince?

Lighting McQueen.  This one was for Justin & Grant

I tried my most evil pose but I am just too sweet :)

Self-portrait as I entered the Magic Kingdom

Look who I found around mile 4?  My cheer squad, Joshie & Dayday!

Seeing Cinderella's Castle for the first time was breathtaking.  I definitely had a "pinch me" moment.

Mickey & Minnie landscaping, only at Magic Kingdom

I found Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland

My favorite princess and my baby kitten's namesake.  She was waiting for me right by the new Fantasy Land.  I seriously started crying when I met her. By far the best moment of the entire trip!

The bugles played as everyone ran through the castle.  I couldn't stop smiling! 

I had to take a picture of Mickey's lab.  He is using some old school supplies.

Mickey dashed off just as I was getting to the front of the line.  I didn't care, Minnie is who I wanted to meet anyway!  My favorite picture from the entire race!

Stopped again on the other side of the castle.  It is larger than life and so beautiful!

Country Bears is my favorite attraction at Magic Kingdom so I had to stop for a picture.  Of course I found the one person in the park who didn't know how to use an iPhone

Cindy and her Charming.  She was so pretty.  I couldn't believe someone  could look so much like the character. 

I stopped at this one for my big sis, Annie.  Mary Poppins is her favorite

I love Meeko!

Lilo & no Stitch made me sad, but I stopped anyway. 

This one was for my Major Dad!  

Last stop was Epcot.  The route circled around the golf ball and was not my favorite. The route narrowed and everyone was walking.  I felt like I couldn't move.

I just finished.  It feels amazing to run 13.1 miles.  Since I had stopped so much throughout the course, I was booking it the last 6 miles.  Oh, and it is HUMID in Florida!  There were a couple moments I wanted to remove my clothes I was so sweaty (too much?)

Post race meal: Mickey Waffles and chicken sausage.  YUM!

My prince!  He greeted me at the finish with flowers and a balloon

Though not pictured, my mom and dad also made the trip to cheer me on.  I had the best cheering section and am so grateful everyone made the trip with me.  This race was really special.  As a huge Disney fan, I was able to fulfill a dream of meeting my favorite characters, especially Princess Belle.  I had never meet her before and couldn't control my emotions.  It may sound silly but these stories and characters are what shaped my childhood.  They bring an emotion of  pure happiness.  It may not be Disney, but I hope everyone can find that magic in their life.   As I runner, I was able to run a course different than anything I had every done.  Even though it wasn't as challenging as I expected, I ran 13.1 miles through Disney World and that is AWESOME!   

In addition to racing through the park, we were able to spend time after the race at both Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  I will close this blog post with my second favorite moment of that day (next to meeting Princess Belle).  You can tell by my reaction that I was excited to meet this character.  

Marie from the Aristocats is one of my all-time favorites.  I was so thrilled to meet her, she was so soft and fluffy.  I wanted to take her home!

Until next time! 

XOXO, 

Abby