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Today’s the Day Princesses!!!

Get those registering fingers ready!!

Today, regular registration for the runDisney Princess Half Marathon events opens up. And, chances are there will be a couple of quick sellouts!

First of all, rumor has it that the theme for the 5K is going to be everyone’s newest favorite Princess adventure, Frozen. Actually, by the time you read this it should probably not be rumor anymore…So, chances are this one will go fast (which will save me from a last minute bout of FOMO!)

(Gratuitous “Let it Go” clip…cause you need a song in your head while you’re going about your day!!)

Second, this is the second year for the Glass Slipper Challenge (do a 10K on Saturday and the Princess Half Marathon on Sunday). I did this this year (recaps….here, and here, and here!!) If you aren’t up to #Goofy or #Dopey15 then this might be more your speed! It’s still darn challenging ya’ll!! And remember if you want the Challenge Medal you need to register for the challenge — just doing the half and the 10K won’t get you the bling! (Hint: Pre-registration for this sold out in a bit under two hours last week so if you want to Challenge yourself, get in early!)

So, have your Active.com account logged in – and your credit card ready to go at Noon Eastern today (Me? I’ll be on a call with my manager so no temptation!) and get in there!! It’s a fun girls weekend. And seriously, it’s at Disney World so…really, it’s not like it’s a hard decision.

I am acutally not registering this year. WHAT??! You say? Well, my Spring is already pretty darn full what with finishing up #Dopey15, the Houston Half Marathon, the Georgia Half Marathon and then…oh yeah…Marathon de Paris. But who knows…I could show up on the sidelines cheering my tiara off!!

Tags: Registration

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Categories Glass Slipper Challenge, Princess Half Marathon, runDisney, Running

The Main Event – runDisney Princess Half Marathon!

19 Mar

It was here, and I was ready. Well, I was ready for it to be here but knew it was going to take my innate stubbornness to cross the finish line standing up!!

All set! MagicBand, Glass Slipper wristband and Race Retreat wristband

Once more, the alarms went off. I set them a little extra early since someone had very kindly given me entry to the Race Retreat for the Half Marathon. The good part of this is that I didn’t need to worry about making sure I had food in my room for breakfast – there would be bagels and water and coffee and fruit. On top of that, special “private” porta-potties, a separate bag-check, cel-phone charging lockers, mats for stretching and special character appearances!

The Mad Hatter and I made breakfast plans for later in the weekend…

I found my group, we settled in at a table to wake up and get nourished! Before we knew it it was time to head out to meet up with the rest of our group to grab some pictures and then start the trek to the corrals. Unfortunately, we missed some of our folks but managed a couple of pictures with the ones still hanging around. Then it was off to the race!

The starting line…no real turning back now!!

I was lucky to be starting the race with friends, even if we weren’t going to be able to stay together the whole time. It makes the time go a little more quickly in the corrals if there are people to talk to. As is customary at runDisney events, each corral is sent out with their own special fireworks (and one of these days I’ll manage a good picture of it!!)

My plan was to take as much time as I needed – walk when I had to but run when it felt good. I was comfortable with this idea and my only concern was finishing in time to get my challenge medal! Since the course was familiar to me, I felt like I knew what to expect and when I might end up in trouble!

As always it was great to head up Main Street USA and see the castle in the distance!

Foggy day — which means you can’t see the crane behind the castle!!

Fortunately, I was able to keep up a fairly decent, though slow, pace and was never in any danger of getting swept. It was nice to be able to make a couple of stops for pictures with one or two of my favorites along the way!

Really, one of these days he WILL grant me a wish!

A crowd favorite! And I got him to smile!!

Throughout the course, I was leap-frogging with several of my friends and it was always nice to get the encouragement when needed! Around Mile 8 or so, V and I kind of got together and were both ready to be finished! So for the last few miles we pretty much stayed together – talking, encouraging, planning… This was the first time I’d run with someone and I liked it! It was nice to have someone to cross the finish line with! And, to keep me from accidentally quitting (not that I think I am even able to quit — I might have to be seriously injured and hauled off of the course!)

And of course, the other motivation to finish quickly was to get breakfast!

Okay…maybe I had Diet Coke for breakfast…

Again, the Race Retreat came to the rescue! Scrambled eggs, bacon (thanks to the fellow runner who dug some crispy bacon out for me!), muffins, bagels, coffee, fruit, oatmeal, yogurt…If I wasn’t already planning lunch at Be Our Guest (travel hint — FastPass+ for lunch! and ps – I still want to do dinner there at least once!) I could have completely overdone it !

After relaxing a bit, V and I celebrated with a glass of champagne and went out to get on our respective buses. But not without these babies!!

The reward.

I had hoped to meet up with some folks on my way to my BOG lunch but it took me longer to clean up and re-dress than expected! But I made it back to the Magic Kingdom in time for my lunch – which was a completely different experience from your usual Quick Service lunch!

This was pretty easy — ordering on the kiosks

It starts out when you check in and are brought into the Beast’s Study — this is where you are going to make your menu selection and get a “rose” — You touch your MagicBand to the kiosk, make your selections and then touch the rose to the kiosk. Easy Peasy.

So it has a picture of a rose anyway!

The room is seat yourself and feels really large and loud. Beverage stations are against one wall, silverware is in carts around the room. Your meal is brought to you on carts — pretty fancy to see my lone turkey sandwich and strawberry cupcake riding in a huge cart all alone!

The main dining room is gorgeous!!

Lunch was good, my illegal cupcake was even quite good — fresh strawberry tasting!

Strawberry cupcake! Next time I need to try some Grey Stuff though!

Once I was done, I was ready to spend some Magical time in the Magic Kingdom! Tomorrow I was heading home, but there was still fun in store!!

Tags: Be Our Guest, Glass Slipper Challenge, Princess Half Marathon, runDisney, Walt Disney World

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Categories Bling, cupcakes, FastPass+, Food, Glass Slipper Challenge, Princess Half Marathon, runDisney, Running, Walt Disney World

Saturday at Disney = Race Day!!

18 Mar

Today is the Inaugural Enchanted 10K — Step one in completing the Glass Slipper Challenge!

This morning the alarm is set to go off a bit earlier than yesterday – since the event is starting a bit sooner! And again, no matter how much time I think I give myself I am once again tearing across the resort to get in line for a bus! Didn’t see Jackie but hoped we’d at least get a good luck chat before heading to the corrals!

Again, got my bag dropped off and headed to the meeting sport to catch up with my running friends! More costumes, more pictures more fun! And Jackie found us (which wasn’t hard since we were in the same spot as the day before!!) I know I didn’t go into my corral alone…but I was really REALLY taking it easy to make sure I could do today’s 10K and tomorrow’s Half so ended up running my race on my own. Always keeping an eye out for friends!

The first few miles of the 10k course, frankly, kind of suck…it’s out on a highway. One highlight was that Elsa was up on one of the first overpasses and she made it snow as we ran by. Magical Disney Snow!!

Then, for me, it was a little bit of a slog…I started okay with intervals but eventually just ran when I felt like it and walked when I didn’t! I did very much enjoy the Re-Micks though!! I’m sure at one point I came to a dead stop to watch one!!

And it might have been this one….

Tell me that’s not the cutest thing ever!!

Anyway…I carried on. Again, I didn’t feel like there were any *great* character stops so I didn’t stop for many pictures. I naturally had to stop though, when I saw my main man on the boardwalk!

Then I thought it wouldn’t be bad to get a picture of the view…

Sometimes I wonder what I’m thinking when I take these pictures!!

And it’s always nice to get a picture with the Ball! (Yeah, I know it’s Spaceship Earth, but Ball is easier to type!!)

Again with the arms/hands…

And I did manage to get across the finish line in one piece. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed myself but there weren’t too many “memorable” moments for me in this one (do I need to do the 10K again to make some magical moments? Maybe)

There was a great ‘wall’ in the reunion area that listed all of the participants in this inaugural event! And of course I was on it!

See! There I am!!

And I was in front of it too!!

And see! Again!!

And grabbed my medal and headed over to get into EPCOT to wander through and get to my breakfast reservation at Hollywood Studios! Because in my big weekend of random firsts, I had chosen to eat at Hollywood and Vine – and in my infinite wisdom chose to dine during the Disney Jr. character meal. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t know any of the characters. And I was right!!! But I looked them up online later!

To get to DHS, I took the Friendship boat from the International Gateway at EPCOT. For awhile I had the whole place to myself – then the tourists all got on!! We all disembarked at Hollywood Studios and I found my way to my breakfast spot – after a stop on the Rockin Roller Coaster of course! (Tower of Terror would have to wait til Post-Breakfast!)

I didn’t wait long to be seated, and shown to yet another buffet full of things I really shouldn’t eat – but also lots of things that weren’t TOO bad for me!!

And Princess Sophia the First (I think is her full name?) stopped by to teach me how to take a selfie with my new phone!!

Smart girl that Sophia!! Knew where all the buttons on the phone were!!

Then Handy Manny…

I’m pretty sure he wanted to check out my medal…

After I was sufficiently full, I headed back out into the park for a roam…and to get on my favorite rides!! But I didn’t plan to spend much time since, yes, tomorrow was another early morning and another fun runDisney adventure!!

Tags: #Enchanted10K, #GlassSlipperChallenge, Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot, runDisney

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Categories Enchanted 10K, Food, Glass Slipper Challenge, runDisney, Running, Walt Disney World

Time to Shop!!! Princess Half Marathon Weekend – Part 2

13 Mar

This is where things start to get exciting….

Yeah…if you know me – and if you read along long enough you’ll know me more than you probably want to! – I’m not a big shopper. Seriously, I have clothes in my closet that I bought when I moved to the East Coast. TEN YEARS AGO!! 🙂 And I have no problem with that!! Really, there are a couple of reasons I hate shopping and one of them is that I’m not a huge fan of spending money!! (I prefer to spend on experiences, not things!) The other is way more personal!

ANYWAY. I got up early Thursday morning to get to the Expo. Lately, at runDisney events, the expos have been kind of out-of-control frenzies…and I don’t deal well with that! And, really people, all I want is a magnet, a wine glass and a coffee mug (yes, if you’ve read my race recaps you already KNOW this is what I’m going in for!)

When I got to the bus stop I saw a “familiar” face. I was FINALLY able to meet fellow CT runner/#runnerslove(r) Meg (aka @WarsawMermaid, AKA Runaway Royalty Meg). I am almost ashamed to admit that we’ve been at some of the same SMALL events in CT and never managed to meet!! Those days are gone though. Sorry Meg! 🙂 I also got to meet #runnerslove(r) Kristy (aka @KristyrunsKato, AKA Kristy Runs Kato ) and we chatted on the bus over to Wide World of Sports.

We were probably on one of the first buses to head over to Wide World of Sports and when we got there the expo seemed to have opened early. I had a very small moment of panic but then took a deep breath and headed in!

Gotta love an empty store!! Well..as much as one can love a store 🙂

My first stop was the runDisney merch booth (as usual) but after picking up my wine glass(es)! and coffee mug

Cute mug!!

I realized my hands were full and I would need a basket. A basket people!!! There’s a tear in the matrix or something…

What??!!

We had been looking at some things on the interwebs on the bus ride over and I had to look at the really cute zipper hoodies. They are really soft inside.

This one is mine 🙂

And. The “I Did It” t-shirts. Not a purchase I usually make….but these were pretty cute!!

And, well of course, my magnet!

Let me say, Thank you Disney Visa for your 10% off – hey, every little bit helps!!

Then it was off to pick up my bibs and gear! Things were really pretty conveniently set up — All Glass Slipper Challenge could be picked up in almost one spot! The 5K pickup was more spread out but…a second spin though the expo floor isn’t a bad thing!

I mean, one can get their ankle taped up at the KTTape booth…

New England legs in the winter!

One can even become a fairy…

I tried to walk away with the pretty tiara but I didn’t get very far….

But — I had a lot planned for the afternoon so it was time to bring my belongings back to the room and head out to visit a park or two!! Then there was a meetup later that evening that I was really looking forward to!

On the way out, I stopped by the Oikos van