runDisney Princess Half Marathon 2016

When chatting with a friend in early 2015 in TN about running we both started talking about how fun it would be to do a Disney race.  Well, little did I know that she meant in 2016!!  So to my surprise by July I was signed up to run the runDisney Princess Half Marathon in 2016. 

My friend Emily had never really been a runner and I had moved away so we were training for a race in two different states and at two different paces.  We planned our trip, booked flights, booked hotels, figured out which parks we would do on which days.  Then my mom decided that she wanted to join us, so fun!!!  We had support staff now!

So with all of our plans in place my mom came in town for the middle princess's birthday (the day before we left for the race) and of course I got sick.  Like SIIIIIICCCKKKK....fever, misery, awfulness.  So meds meds and more meds went in.  I rested as much as I could before we left and packed super last minute and hoped I had everything I needed!

Our flight was super early so we got an Uber car to get to the airport instead of waking the tiny princesses.  Mom and I hopped in and off we went! 

Mom and I in the plane ready to take off!

We took JetBlue for the first time ever and even though I was loaded up on meds we got mimosas to kick the trip off right!!  A short-ish flight (with delish snacks and rude flight attendants) later we were in Orlando and headed to the Disney transportation.  Emily was coming in later so we made a bee line for the hotel to get checked in and drop our bags. Disney transportation was easy and comfy and made the transition from airport to hotel pretty simple!

I spy with my little eye!

We arrived at the Art of Animation resort and checked in, we lucked out and our room was ready early so we could drop our bags in our room.  Emily's flight had come in a little early from TN so we waited for her in the room after filling our refillable resort beverage cups. 

Resort beverage cups!!

Once Emily arrived it was a whirlwind and we were on our way to the expo to pick up packets...only as we got on the elevator Emily realized her ID was not in her wallet.  Back to the room for a frantic search with no luck.  We headed to the expo and Emily was hoping for the best. 

Getting in line for the bus over to ESPN Wide World of Sports and the expo!

We arrived at the expo and made a pit stop to take pics with baseball Mickey.

Baseball Mickey!

Emily went straight for runner relations while I picked up my packet and my mom went over to the chEAR packet pick up.  Emily was told she HAD to have a picture ID to pick up her packet.  So she called home and got her husband to text her a pic of her Sam's Club card that had her pic.  That was good enough and she got her packet!!  There was some seriously tense waiting  for that text, we nibbled on some soft pretzels while we were waiting which was basically lunch.  So with all of the packets picked up we decided that an early dinner was the way to go.  

That was one stressful packet pick up!

We made our way to Disney Springs, met up with a friend from my local MRTT chapter that had picked up tshirts for us at the expo (she was there on the first day), and hit up our favorite quick yummy restaurant - Wolfgang Puck's Express!  My salad was delicious (Big Daddy and I always do a light salad with chicken the night before a race) and after dinner we took the bus back to the hotel. 

A quick 2 mile shake out run to relieve any travel stiffness and an early bedtime with a VERY EARLY wake up call set! 

Selfie after my shake out run.

Let me tell you something, it does not matter what time you go to bed...it SUCKS to get up at 2am.  We all slowly got up and were likely perkier than we should have been, I'm going with adrenaline for the cause of that.  We dressed, fueled and headed to the line for the bus to the race start.  The bus was kind of quiet, but that didn't stop me from dancing.  Yeah, I'm that weirdo.

So we arrived at about 3ungodlyearly am at Epcot and started the walk to the gEAR check and race retreat.  There was a lot of waiting, a lot of pictures, a lot of port-a-potty visits.  At some time, no clue what time it was...it was still dark...we said goodbye to mom and headed for the start line.  It was quite a walk and at some point we split off to go to our respective corrals.  I was in C and Emily was in K. 

Me and Emily pre-race in front of the race logo

All 3 of us pre-race, don't we look cute??  

In my corral at the start

After typical pre-race stuff the fireworks went off and corrals started moving.  I was so far up in C that I started pretty darn soon after the initial gun.  Kind of crazy, I'm never that close!  Without Big Daddy to help keep control of my pace I relied heavily on the light button on my Garmin to make sure I stayed steady.  I wasn't trying to set a PR, but let's be honest, I'll always challenge myself even if I say it's a "fun" run.  So I sped through dark streets, down under the lagoon, up a nasty little hill and in to the Magic Kingdom.  I hit Main Street when it was still pitch black out.  The sun was finally starting to come up as I came through the castle.  I really did my best to smile for the photographers when I saw them and avoid the inevitable ugly race pics.  At about mile 9 I started to tank.  It sucked, I realized I had fueled wrong. Whether it was the too early AM, not enough protein on course, or the sickness kicking my ass it was awful.  Those last few miles were completely brutal and honestly I don't remember much of them.  I remember hitting the pathway in Epcot knowing I was almost at the finish and hoping I had enough to get there.  Finish line crossed (and new PR made!) I went to find my mom (after the obligatory step and repeat medal pics and FOOD) who burst in to tears because she missed me crossing the finish line.  She vowed right then and there that next year SHE would run it and I told her I would cross that finish line WITH her.

Step & repeat medal pic

Me and my runDisney Mom!

After a teary phone call to my husband who told me all about the insanity that was going on at home (dogs with intestinal upset/virus, sick kids, and virtually no sleep for him) we went to see where Emily was.  My mom had gotten the Platinum chEAR package so she could go in the tent and check easily.  We had some time so we hung out right outside while she snuck me out a plate of food and a Coke.  When we figured she had finished we went over to where runners come out to find her  in the growing crowd awaiting runners.  It was her first half marathon so she was OVERJOYED!!!

Finishers!

There wasn't too much to hang around for so we took the shuttle bus (which smelled quite interesting after shuttling runners all around) back to the hotel for some showers.

Bus selfie!

We had decided to make that day our Epcot day!!  We did Epcot things and made our way to the World Showcase where our first stop was in France for a celebratory glass of champagne (which also happened to be Emily's first EVER glass of bubbly) and pastries. 

Epcot!!

Champagne is always the answer 

Next was a nice walk and time for some FOOD!! Like real food.....and of course it was TURKEY LEGS!!!  I wanted a beer, so I got a beer.  Mom and Emily got this delicious frozen lemonade cherry bourbon concoction and it was AMAZING, definitely on my next Disney trip list!

The plan was to stay for the fireworks but there was NO WAY I could make it, or any of us for that matter.  We got a little stuck inside Test Track and when we finally got out 45 minutes later we were done.  We went back to the hotel and hit the hay.  We counted at some point and had been up for something crazy like 18 hours and we were EXHAUSTED. 

Turkey Leg and a beer, perfect post-race food!

Before we got stuck in Test Track and had to evacuate

My "holy crap we have been up for like 21 hours and now I am going to sleep in my Princess pjs" selfie

The next two days were a blur of Disney parks and food and rides.  I was still pretty sick so recovery from the race was that much harder.

Castle pic!

Mickey head ice cream, always a must!

Tower of Terror, Emily's first time on that ride!

Our last day, a visit to Animal Kingdom

It was my first runDisney race but sure won't be my last!!  Mom wants to do the Princess Half Marathon next year so I am going to do the Glass Slipper Challenge (the 10K and the half marathon) and the 5K.  I am excited to cross the finish line with my mom!!