Sorry I haven't posted for so long. I kind of lost sight and interest in blogging. Well I am back and my blog is going to take sort of a different direction.
I've really been into running, RunDisney, to be specific. That's where it all started. I started following blogs of people who were running Disney races. Last February I completed my first runDisney race which was the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I never thought in a million years that I would ever run a half marathon.
You see I've never been the best runner. When I was younger I played tball and softball. I literally was the slowest runner on the team and was always self conscious about it and hated it but never did anything about it. In high school I was on the dance team, when the coaches made us run to warm up, I hated it and I was the slowest yet again. So I never wanted to do it.
It wasn't until I started following bloggers, twitter friends, and instagram friends that I saw running could be fun!
So last summer a friend and I decided to sign up for the Half Marathon. It gave me a goal to work towards. Now she has been running for quite some time so I knew we wouldn't be in the same corral or anything but we'd still experience it "together".
That weekend was one of the best weekends of my life. Here are a few pictures of proof that I actually did it.
I Made it to the Expo!
I met Ali Vincent, first Female Biggest Loser
We met Sean Astin
Again with Sean Astin
My only character picture with Jessie!
A cast member took this for me!
Running through the Castle is pure Chaos and Delight!
I did it!
Extremely tired but so proud!
It was pretty cool to meet Ali Vincent, first female biggest loser, and Sean Astin. To say this weekend was one of the best in my whole life is an understatement. I wish I could repeat this weekend all the time.
The morning of the race was wicked Humid and there were heat advisories out and you could just see the humidity in the air that morning. I was pretty used to humidity as I live in South Georgia but I knew running 13.1 miles was going to be tough. I had moments where my knees felt like they were going to give out so I had to walk. I also had some wicked stomach cramps that I just couldn't get rid of and they were making it hard to run. I was getting nervous that I wasn't going to make the time cut off but then I would look behind me that there were still so many people behind me that I knew I was okay. I don't even know where I was in the race but at one point I just started crying because I knew I was actually going to complete what I set out to do. I was so proud of myself. As I was running through Epcot in the last stretch of the race, I just started waving at the spectators. I knew nobody was there for me specifically but they were my saviors. They cheered me on as if they knew me. It made me so happy. Thank you spectators!!! I was so excited when I crossed the finish line. I wish there was a picture of it but sadly there is not. But I know I did it and I'm so proud.
My timing went a little like this:
5K Split... 46:30
10K Split... 1:33:54
15K Split... 2:23:33
My Time... 3:23:42
Clock Time...4:06:57
Believe me, I know that isn't a great time, as my friend finished a whole hour before me and I only stopped for one picture, but I was proud.
The rest of that day was spent sitting around in the hot tub relaxing. At that point on of my friends said she was done and didn't need to do it again. I knew I was hooked and ready to sign up for my next race, I just didn't know which one.
When runDisney announced the Glass Slipper Challenge, my other friend Courtney and I decided we were going to do it. A 19.3 mile adventure spread out over two days, a 10K and a half marathon. We said we were going to do it and we diligently set alarms on our phones for when registration opened. We both got in and are so excited! This time, we vowed to take more character pictures along the way.
I know I'm going to have to get serious about running in order to fulfill my dreams of running the Glass Slipper Challenge. I'm hoping to use this blog as an outlet to help me achieve that goal. If you have any running tips, gear, music, anything send them my way. We will all encourage each other for that Glass Slipper!!
Happily Running,
Heather
