disney run

Race Recap: 2018 Disney’s Princess Half Marathon

March 27, 2018 By Lindy 1 Comment

Disney’s Princess half marathon is a wonderful experience for novice and experienced runners, and those of us in between. It is the perfect girlfriend getaway vacation, filled with the magic of Disney.

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon was the race I first ran back in 2013 and the race which sparked my love for running. A few weeks ago, I went down for the 10th Anniversary of run Disney’s Princess half, but also my 5th running anniversary, where I met up with my best running girlfriends for a weekend of eating, drinking, and running Disney. I booked the hotel rather late, and all that was available was All-Star Movies. While it isn’t my favorite resort, I’ll take staying in the parks rather than outside. It’s so much easier to get around and not have to rent a car or Uber.

Unless there are items I am interested in buying at the expo, I typically avoid going to the expo on day one. The crowds are insane everywhere! Once you arrive at ESPN Wide World of Sports (there are buses running frequently from all Disney World resorts), there are two stops: one is to pick up your bib and race shirt; the other building has the expo merchants. This year, I noticed they had a building dedicated to carrying all runDisney merchandise.

I’ve been extremely busy and had no time to put together a race costume and most likely will not have one for Star Wars, which is a bummer. I looked around at the expo and did see a few items that would work well for a costume but being that I didn’t go on day one to the expo (wasn’t planning on buying a costume), everything in my size was sold out. My friend was coming down a day later, so I asked her to pick up an Eagles hat at the airport, and I quickly threw an outfit together – a dark green Lululemon top and black skirt. Combined with the hat, I decided I would run as an Eagles Princess; fitting since they just won the Super Bowl. Go Eagles!!

I spoke with Jeff Galloway, Olympian and creator of the run-walk-run injury free program and asked for his advice. If you’re ever at the expo, please pay him a visit. He is truly the most genuine and nice person and gives great advice. I explained to him that I’ve had my share of injuries in the past 2 years and that my last run was 6.5 miles on Christmas Eve. His suggestion was to run 15 seconds and walk 30 seconds.

Race morning came and my friend and I had some fruit, coffee and some carbs. The resort had free coffee on race morning, which was really nice. Disney suggests runners taking bus transportation to the start line board buses no later than 3:30 AM, and monorail passengers board no later than 4:00 AM. Since my friend missed the expo, we had to stop at runner relations in the morning to pick up her bib, so we boarded the bus at 3:00 AM. The weather was a bit cool, but it was expected to be warmer than usual for February, and warnings were placed everywhere reminding people to hydrate and dress appropriately for the warm temperatures.

Corrals were going off every 5 minutes or so. Race announcers Carissa and Rudy were great at keeping the crowds entertained and informed when their corral would take off. My corral took off 45 minutes after the elites/A corral. My Gymboss timer set for the run/walk ratios that Jeff Galloway suggested and started run/walk after a quick 5 minute warm up.

I was feeling great and decided to increase the run intervals to 30 seconds (bad idea). I felt my hamstrings start to burn a bit, and before it got worse, I stopped at the first medical tent and rubbed Biofreeze on my hammies. Once that kicked in, I was good, until my right foot started to ache. I’ve never had issues with my feet while running, so this struck me as odd and concerning. I stopped at the second medical tent briefly, sat down and massaged my foot for a minute and was back on my way with no other issues, thank God!

I was doing great time-wise. Aside from those two medical tent stops, I stopped to use a real bathroom (wait was over 10 minutes but SO worth it), because let’s face it, no one wants to use a port-a-potty unless deemed necessary. Stopped for a photo op shortly after mile 11, because Jack. Enough said!

Run Like you left the crock pot on -“This is Us”

It sure wasn’t my fastest half time, but it wasn’t my slowest either. I’m extremely proud of myself for finishing despite the fact that I didn’t train for it. I really have not been motivated, and the fact that winter doesn’t seem to want to leave doesn’t help either.

I have two races coming up so I am training for those. They are: Star Wars half and the Broad Street Run, America’s largest 10-miler and one of my favorite races ever. Stay tuned.

P.S. What’s on your race calendar for 2018?

Training: runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon

November 8, 2017 By Lindy 4 Comments

Nothing excites me more than going back to where my love for running Disney started: runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon.

2013 run Disney’s Princess Half Marathon

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon was my first half marathon, actually my first race ever, in 2013. This race will always occupy a special place in my heart. For years, thoughts lingered in my mind that I will never be able to run a mile, let alone a half marathon. It took lots of discipline and a few bouts of crying to get this done. Fearing that people would judge me for being a slow runner, or for taking walking breaks, I trained solely on a treadmill. Little did I know that using the run/walk method by Jeff Galloway would take this new runner to cross a finish line.

Running changed my life. Through running, I have discovered the limitless potential my mind and body have. In the process, I have formed wonderful friendships that are sure to last a lifetime.

This will be my 15th half marathon. I’ve not run in exactly a year, my last race being Disney’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon in 2016. My body is still in progress, and I’m positive it will make a full recovery, but for now, slow wins the race.

The training plan I’m using is from the My ASICS run app on my iPhone to build up miles/endurance. It starts out really slow, which is what my body needs at the moment.

Monday: Run 1 mile at 15:22 min/mi. – Done.
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Run 1 mile at 15:24 min/mi.
Thursday: Run 1 mile at 15:24 min/mi.
Friday: Run 1 mile at 15:24 min/mi.
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Run 2 miles at 15:24 min/mi.

I got on the treadmill for that 1 mile run and it felt so long, and it was really hard trying not to go faster. I felt tightness on my hip after that one mile run, not sure if it was from the run itself or the fact that I cycled on my Peloton bike for 45 minutes earlier in the day. Trust me when I tell you that after these injuries, I am freaking nervous to run again but I want it BAD.

Have any of you dealt with running injuries that set you back? Any races you’re currently training for?

Goodbye, Summer. I’ll miss you.

September 21, 2016 By Lindy 1 Comment

Summer has come and gone and while I’m bummed that it’s over, I’m looking forward to autumn. I love fall for its cooler weather, pumpkin-everything, sweaters and boots, as well as the races that I will hopefully be running. I mention ‘hopefully’ because I’ve had my share of injuries, especially with my left hip. Physical therapy exercises, yoga, and Flywheel have helped tremendously in getting me back on the pavement, but the recurring fear of injury always lingers in the back of my mind.

Aside from working, this summer I made a week-long trip to Disney World, spent numerous weekends relaxing and soaking up the sun at the Jersey Shore and went on a few trips to NYC to see a few concerts. Didn’t take out my beloved Schwinn out all summer, so back to the attic it goes until next year.

This season, my focus will be on keeping my mind and body healthy. I’m working full-time, part-time and per-diem. Fortunately for me, the per-diem position doesn’t start until November, but it means I have to cut my Disney’s Wine and Dine trip a few days short. I am also taking six credits at the university doing nursing research. It takes me back to my days studying to become a nurse. I was working full-time and at the college full-time. Looking back, I still don’t know how I managed to pull it together, yet it is a reminder that you can do anything you put your mind, heart, and soul into. I wanted to be an RN so bad.

Training for Lumiere’s Challenge has not been an easy task, that’s for sure. The plan is to take it real easy on the 10K, possibly walking it, and conserving any and all remaining energy to run the half on Sunday. I signed up for Aaptiv (formerly Skyfit), an app for iOS and Android that has multiple workouts, including training plans for races. Last week, I started using it for the half marathon training and I loved it. I ran faster than I had in years! The coach walks you through pace, breathing techniques and alerts you when it’s time to slow down or speed up. The music is fun and upbeat and while the workout was tough, it pushed me to give everything that I had in me. I plan on continuing the Aaptiv half marathon training, including on race day. This is not a sponsored post, btw. I am just really enjoying Aaptiv at the moment.

Goals after Wine and Dine weekend are to pick a late spring/early summer race that I can properly train for. Working again with Coach Kristy is also one of my running goals.

Well, this is a brief update for now. I’m off to do some major homework since I’ll be away in Puerto Rico for two weeks 🙂 I’ll be back soon!

Until next time,

Lindy xo

Motivation and Training Tips from Jeff Galloway

February 9, 2015 By Lindy 1 Comment

Happy News!!

I have been chosen as a Jeff Galloway blogger! I will be sharing running tips from Olympic runner Jeff Galloway with you.

In case you don’t know who Jeff Galloway is, he’s a former US Olympian and founder of the Run Walk Run method that has allowed thousands to achieve their running goals. He is also the official training consultant for runDisney races.

This week’s tips are on motivation and training, two huge factors when it comes to running.

My first encounter with Jeff was in 2013 at the Disneyland Half Marathon. I had been chosen to attend the Disneyland Half Meetup, a wonderful opportunity to meet with Jeff Galloway and other celebrities (Sean Astin, Joey Fatone, to name a few!) and run across Magic Kingdom, followed by breakfast and a Q&A session. I was surprised at how approachable Jeff was – he gave me a hug, we posed for a pic and I told him that my goal was to complete a marathon. The problem? I was lacking motivation.

Mental Training for Runners – Jeff Galloway

Jeff asked me what my last race finish time was and gave me pointers on how to train for my marathon.

Here are this week’s Galloway tips on motivation and training:

When paced correctly, running delivers the best attitude boost you can get. Sustain this by pacing yourself gently during the first mile or three.

A well-paced run enhances vitality for the rest of the day. Start each run at least 30 seconds a mile slower than you will run at the end.

If you have a Run Walk Run strategy that is right for you on that day, it’s possible to feel good after every run-even the marathon.

Running is the best stress reliever I’ve found. Research shows that running tends to activate the conscious brain which over-rides the emotional subconscious brain and manages the negative and anxiety hormones during and after the run.

Research shows that as runners get faster, their stride length shortens. A quicker cadence is the mechanical key to faster running.

The finishing of a run that is longer than you’ve run in the last 3 weeks can bestow a sense of achievement that is unique and empowering-due to positive brain circuits that are turned on.

You can’t run a long run too slowly or take too many walk breaks. You’ll get the same endurance based upon the distance covered.

Using the Jeff Galloway run-walk method, I have been able to complete 8 half marathons and a full marathon.

QOTD: Have you used the Galloway run walk run method to train and/or on your races?

Lindy x

Tips for running runDisney’s Princess Half Marathon

January 14, 2015 By Lindy 2 Comments

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon is a magical race and one that holds a special place in my heart. It was my first race (yes, you never forget your first!) and while I’m saddened not to be running this year, I thought I’d share some tips that can help make this event for you even more magical.

1. Arrive Early

Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo – Try to arrive at the expo on the first day if you want a chance to purchase official runDisney race merchandise as it is known to sell out fairly quickly. Disney Parks Blog usually updates prior to race some of the items offered for sale. If you’re interested in any items, I suggest to go to that merchandise tent FIRST, then visit the other vendors. Trust me when I tell you I missed out on so many things I wanted.

Races – All Walt Disney World Resorts including Swan and Dolphin, and Shades of Green, are host resorts, meaning that transportation to and from Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo will be provided as well as transportation to the race start and back to the resort from the finish line. Buses start around 3 AM, and please, please arrive early. I was on the buses no later than 3:30 AM, and while race start isn’t until 5:30 AM, some bus drivers have gotten lost or stuck in traffic. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’re going to miss start time when you already have the race nervousness going. Leave early, take your pre-race meal with you (most resorts have marathon boxes with bagels, fruits, etc.) and find a spot to sit and stretch, eat your meal, use the port-o-potty, take pics with friends, etc. If you purchased a race retreat, you’ll have access to a private potty, and eat breakfast under a heated tent. I did this during my first Princess Half and it was so worth it!

2. Plan on running in costume

Running 13.1 or 19.3 miles through Walt Disney World in costume makes it much more fun. My first Princess I ran in Cinderella costume (she’s my favorite princess) and I’ve run as Minnie, Merida, Remy from Ratatouille (for Wine and Dine Half), and Tinker Bell. Look at Pinterest for some ideas! It’s so much fun planning and making costumes, but be sure to run in it before race time. You don’t want to find during the race that the costume chafes your skin, rides up, etc. That way you’ll be prepared and ready to go.

Disney's Princess Half 2013 — Disney’s Princess Half 2013

Disneyland as Merida — Disneyland Half Marathon 2013

3. Take your phone/camera for pictures

Disney knows how to put on a race. From fireworks after every corral starts, to character stops throughout, make the most of your race and take pictures. Photographers take pictures at character stops, including the beautiful Cinderella Castle stop and VoluntEARS can also take pictures with your phone. Don’t forget to use an armband, and if you’re placing the phone in your pocket, don’t forget to put it inside of a sandwich baggie so that sweat or rain (hope not!), it doesn’t get damaged.

4. Run Disney for fun

This one is up to you, but I’ve runDisney multiple times and learned to run Disney primarily for fun, not time. There are many reasons that bring you to the start line, so get out there and enjoy it. The entire weekend, the 5K, Enchanted 10K and the Princess Half Marathon is beyond magical. Run with friends, or run solo, but make the best of it. Stop at character stops, jump high in front of the Castle and just have a blast. The spectators are wonderful, and the voluntEARS are amazing.

5. Wear your medals with pride around the parks.

You’ve earned it! I wear mine to the parks the day after and take pictures throughout the parks with them. Love when people as well as cast members congratulate you on your accomplishments. It’s really motivating and uplifting!

I’ll be excitedly cheering for you all from the City of Brotherly Love, as well as following all your tweets and Instagram posts.

Have a magical race!

Lindy x

runDisney’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon 2014 Recap

November 19, 2014 By Lindy 1 Comment

runDisney’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon was a race that I’ll never forget. Has it replaced my favorite runDisney race (Tinker Bell)?

It was the first Wine and Dine Half for me. It’s a night race and I had to switch my thinking and planning. I’m used to carb-loading the evening before, waking up at 4 AM, or in runDisney’s case, 2 AM, etc.

Flew out Friday to Orlando and stayed at the Magical Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Just the thought of having Tonga Toast (Kona Cafe), Dole Whip (Pineapple Lanai) and Stitch (‘Ohana) in the same resort made me feel giddy. I’m a kid at heart! 🙂

Went to the Expo on Friday afternoon at ESPN Wide World of Sports and to my surprise it wasn’t overly crowded. I didn’t have to wait in line for anything – packet pickup, race shirt, or even the runDisney Merchandise area. Considering that all of the runDisney Expos I have attended have been agonizing, hours-long events, I was more than delighted to be in and out.

If you liked runDisney on Instagram, you got one of these:

Since I had to switch planning, we planned on sleeping in Saturday and going to Epcot for lunch at Tutto Italia to carb-load, followed by a nap until it was time to take the bus to the race start. My friend Becky and I headed to the buses and hung out at the corrals for a while before separating – I was in G, she was in K.

runDisney Wine and Dine Half – Waiting before entering corral

It started to rain around 9:30 PM and I was just hoping it would stop. It was 63 degrees at start time and drizzling. Corrals crossed the start five minutes apart; I think the G corral crossed around 10:35 PM or so. We exited ESPN Wide World of Sports and made a left out of the complex into Osceola Parkway and run there for about 3.5 miles before entering Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In the parking lot before entering AK, there were two characters from Disney’s Electrical Parade – the turtle and the bumblebee, all lit up and glowing.

Animal Kingdom was beautiful. I stopped once to use a real bathroom and to warm up a bit. AK was dark, with paths so narrow you were forced to walk at times. I remember turning the corner and seeing the Tree of Life all lit up. I didn’t take pictures because I didn’t want my phone to get wet, but the sight was gorgeous. We ran past Expedition Everest and then back out on the highway. AK is one of my favorite Disney Parks, and I truly enjoyed how magical it was to run through it. Took a picture with Pluto on my way out.

Back on the highway, we ran opposite direction in which we entered AK. The rain got heavier, yet we saw some folks in the middle of the highway, cheering with signs for us. That was amazing! The spectators make such a huge impact on us runners. My friend Becky, when she finished, she said that there were times when she felt she couldn’t go on, but it was those spectators yelling out her name, encouraging her that got her to the finish line.

We ran another 4 lonely miles in the dark on the highway before entering Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The rain wouldn’t let up. I kept hearing people yell, “puddle”, but it just didn’t matter anymore. My clothes were soaked and my feet were wet and cold. I’m pretty sure I stepped on at least a dozen puddles. My headphones kept sliding out of my ear canal.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – I believe we ran through the whole park. We passed Toy Story Mania and Woody and Buzz were out but the lines were too long. Once you got into the Streets of America, it was all lit with holiday lights, music and even snow, which took my breath away. Seriously, the most beautiful scene in a race, EVER.

Exited DHS and ran through the DHS/Epcot connector. Into Boardwalk (where it was a bit slippery!), past Yacht and Beach Club, when I found the best spectator ever, Peggy Sue, sitting in her wheelchair in the rain, with her bag of Starbursts and Twizzlers, God bless her! I just started bawling; she truly made my day!!

runDisney Wine Dine Half at Boardwalk with Peggy Sue

Entered Epcot, where we ran past the United Kingdom and Canada, into the main corridor, past Spaceship Earth (you awesome spectators were loud, thank you!!!) to the finish. I love how you can’t see the finish line but it’s so close you can feel/hear it. There was a beautiful light display right before you made a left turn into the finish line.

Heard the announcer call my name and that got me pumped up. High-fived Mickey at the finish line, grabbed my medal and determined that having finished this race meant much more to me than any other race. The dark course, the rain and the cold didn’t stop me, even when I was heavily tempted to get inside the sweeping buses that idled on the highway.

I was less than pleased when finishing the race, cold and shivering, we had to wait over 20 minutes for gear pickup. The voluntEARS were awesome and trying to expedite the process but that didn’t really help. The changing tents were crowded, with another long line to enter, so I skipped it. Here’s when the situation got even more annoying – to enter Epcot, you had to have your bag checked, again! Yet another crowd of long lines for bag check and another to check wrist bands for the finish line party. If you got a drink at the finish from your voucher, you had to dispose of it before entering Epcot. This made a lot of sense to me…sigh.

My friend Jillian was waiting in front of Soarin’ and I changed in a bathroom there and went into Soarin’. There was no line/no wait for Soarin’ and that made me really happy. One girl who’d finished the race was waiting to get on the ride when she passed out. Nurse instinct was to run over and help her. I think she was dehydrated and hypoglycemic. I hope she ended up ok.

The finish line party would have been awesome had it not been for how miserable the weather was. My left ankle was swollen, with pain radiating to my shin. I had tostones with mayo-ketchup in Puerto Rico in Epcot and waited for Becky, who was limping from the blisters on her feet. No food and drinks around the world for us as planned – ugh!

Did it replace my favorite Disney race, Tinker Bell? Maybe. I loved Tinker Bell because it was a smaller race, but Wine and Dine was smaller as well. I’d say that out of all the runDisney races, Wine and Dine Half’s course was my ultimate favorite. I think that I would’ve enjoyed the race much more if it wasn’t for the weather (nobody’s fault, really, and besides Florida hadn’t had rain in close to a month!) Needless to say, I’ve decided that in California, Tinker Bell is my favorite runDisney race and in Florida, Wine and Dine.

I must admit, that the most rewarding highlight of the race was seeing my friend Becky finish. This was her first half marathon, and she finished in the cold rain and with blisters on her feet. I loved hearing how much I’ve empowered her to get started with running and I couldn’t be prouder. It’s rewarding to learn how much of an impact you can make in someone’s life on a daily basis. I don’t blog too much and I know not too many people read this space, but I hope that even if it’s one person who’s life I’ve changed, that I continue to have the ability and the means to do that.

Celebratory Post-Race Meal: Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch

Post-race celebratory brunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table

With a swollen left ankle (me) and painful foot blisters (Becky) we can say, we did it! See you next year, Disney!

P.S. Thank you to Jillian for being such a good supporter, to the voluntEARS and spectators for making this race magical.