Preparing to be a Princess

Even though the Princess 1/2 is months away, I have been preparing for it like it is tomorrow. Mentally, I have run this race many times. In my dreams, and each time I get on the treadmill to train (since it is now cold and yucky outside), I run this race. I have created a princess themed training board, to keep me motivated, and I have made my princess fleece blanket, which I plan on using on the day of the race to keep me warm in the corrals!

My very favorite cousin, who is much like a sister to me, is traveling with me to Disney World in February. She is also training to run in Disney! She will not be running the 1/2 but instead will be running her very first 5k!! I am running this race with her, and am very excited to cheer her on as she completes her first race ever!!

We both have decided to run in costume for this race. I am running as Rapunzel and my cousin is running as Cinderella!!  We have fashioned our outfits like the photos below, and made them extra princessy by making very lovely, very full tutus!!

Of course, I will not be wearing my tutu for the full marathon, but instead have purchased the above Team Sparkle skirt, so that I still have princess appeal, but with less fuss!! I have flowers for my hair, as I cannot imagine running in a wig, and my hair will be long enough come February. I do have purple running shoes, and I am looking for some purple running tights to wear under the skirt. My cousin has a lovely blue tutu (which I am very jealous of) and she will even be running in a very fancy crown! We will both also go overboard by attaching princess-puffed-sleeves to our running shirts! How fun is this going to be?? I can't wait!!

One last detail....I will also have my faithful running pal Pascal with me for the 5k.

Pascal is one of my favorite parts of the entire movie and I just don't think my outfit would be complete w/o him. I have a small plush version that I am going to tuck/pin to my race belt! 


We are going to look amazing and have so much fun running this race!! I cannot wait to see all of the pictures!! 

The Mankato 1/2 Marathon....toenails are for sissies!

Happy to finish!! 

On October 22, I completed my very first 1/2 marathon!!
Like I have said in previous posts, my ultimate goal and the whole reason I have devoted myself to running, is to complete the Disney Princess 1/2 marathon in February 2012. Everyone who knows me, has heard me ramble on and on about running in the Princess 1/2 and they have all sat through multiple conversations with me about how excited I am and what an experience it will be. Blah, blah, blah!!

I am so excited about this race, that I decided that I just couldn't "wing" it, that the Princess could and should not be my first 1/2, that I should go into it more prepared. So, I decided on a whim to participate in our local 1/2 marathon, which is in its second year.

I trained hard, even though, I now know I need to train more. My longest run was a 12 mile run, which Ryan rode along side of me for. I was determined to run a good race, to finish and to experience everything that race weekend had to offer me.

The day before the race, I was so nervous! Heck, the week leading up to the race I was a mess! I was probably more excited than nervous, but I could not sleep without running though my dreams! The day before the race was MEA Friday, meaning I did not have to work. Therefore, I was able to spend sometime at the Marathon Expo, to get pumped up and calm my nerves!!

The expo was so crowded, with racers of all ages and sizes. The race weekend included a Kid k, 5k , 10k 1/2 marathon and full marathon. There were all sort of booths with great running gear and free samples. I picked up a couple of technical running shirts, and 2 Sweaty Bands.  As I wanted to soak in as much of the weekend as possible, I also listened to a few of the Expo Speakers. After leaving the expo I was very excited for my race!

Morning came fast and Ryan (along with my sister who came down to support me) drove me to the starting line a little before 8am. It was a cold morning and I was very happy once we started running, as I was freezing just standing around.

I have to say that I got a little emotional as I rounded the first corner. This was such a huge step for me. I never in my life thought I would be able to run a 1/2 marathon!!

All along the course, Mankato had placed Cheer Zones. Different groups from Mankato were designated to man a zone and cheer for the runners. It was great fun! The different zones were decorated, and the cheers propelled me forward.

Lost two nails on one foot and one on
the other, the left foot is too gross to show!!

Miles 1-7 were great! I was enjoying the entire experience, and felt really strong. It was about mile 8 that I hit a wall. I was hungry, and my Shot Blocks were not giving me what I needed. My legs started cramping at mile 9 and at mile 10 my toe nails started falling off!! (No! I am not kidding!! I lost 3 toenails during this race!!)  Ryan and my sister followed me around the course, providing cheers, support and water,when needed. My mom, grandma and aunt Julie were also on the course to cheer me on! Seeing my mom sitting in her wheel chair, made me run even harder, because I can...and I want to run for her!! By the end of the race, I was so happy to be finished! Mainly because I did not have to run anymore!! My left foot was numb, and my legs were cramping so bad, but I finished!! I did it!! I was so proud!!

This race gave me the experience I needed to be more comfortable with the Princess 1/2. It gave me the confidence I needed, and taught me what I need to do to be more comfortable (bigger shoes? more food?).

I also learned that I need a lot of cheers!! The support from Ryan and my family help so much!! I am nervous about not having them there for me in Disney World. My cousin, Missy, will be there cheering for me, I just hope she can cheer loudly!! :)

Ryan gave me this as a special medal! I wear it proudly!

I have been on a running journey! A long update....

Its been way too long since my last post, if anyone actually read my blog,  they probably would have thought I quit running, and was too ashamed to post anymore updates. But just the opposite of that is true. I have been running strong for over a year now!! I am proud of all the accomplishments I have made, and all of the miles I have logged.


Training for the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon was my first goal, it was the push I needed, it was what got me though the hard workouts and kept me positive on all of those early morning runs during the HOT summer months. 

But the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon propelled me to push myself even harder. The "Princess" is still my ultimate goal, and I am signed up to run it on February 26th, 2012. I am still training for it and the thought of running the "Princess" still pushes me to complete my workouts.  But it has been so much more to me, it has been my gateway to running, it has given me the courage and the strength to complete in other races too. 


When I first committed to running a 1/2 marathon, I pretty much thought that would be my goal, meaning my one and only goal. I thought I would train for a year, run the 1/2 and be done with it. Be able to cross it off my list and move on to other things. But like I said, the Princess was a gateway drug for me. 

In May, I competed in my very first race. I ran our local Memorial Day 10k. Leading up to the race, I had been running for 6 months, and had completed both the Couch 25k and the Bridge to 10k programs. I was confident, but like the first time you do anything, I was nervous. I was nervous I would be last, I was nervous I wouldn't be able to finish, I was worried that I would end up crying and walking. All of those things had happened on various runs throughout the six months leading up to my first race. 
I was convinced to run the 10Kato by a couple of my co-workers who were also going to be running. I figured that if I could run my first race in the company of experienced runners, it would be to my advantage. A long story short, they both bowed out, and I ended up running myself. It was the best feeling of my life, I completed those 6 miles in 58 minutes. Not fast, but I finished them!! I even was able to run the entire last mile (which is a 1 mile long hill!!). I was so proud. But above all, having my boyfriend Ryan there cheering me on every step of the way, gave me so much confidence. He was a great supporter.

  In June, I competed in the 5k Lederhosenlauf, wearing a Dirndl t-shirt and a running skirt. This race was located in St. Paul, Minnesota and ran through the historic Selling Avenue area. The course was labeled as flat, but the first mile was up hill! Again, I impressed myself with my finish, and again I had Ryan there cheering me on. It was so much fun to have my second race under my belt. 

I spent one month of this summer in Germany, where I walked a lot but was unable to get much running in. Returning to the states, I was fortunate to hook up with a few runners and spent many early mornings logging miles on the Red Jacket trail. These runs have been some of my favorite ever. Cool, foggy and calm. Running through the woods in the fog, with the sun slowly rising, I would often run into families of deer. Many of these runs were surreal, such smooth runs, in which I would lose all sense of time and distance. 


During this time, I committed to running the Mankato 1/2 Marathon, which took place on October 22, 2011. (I will write an entire post about this race in the future). Again, I was committed with a group of friends, we were all going to get through the race together. And again, each one of them slowly dropped down to run the 10k, all having multiple excuses. 

During my training, I competed in the 2011 Iron Girl in Bloomington, Minnesota (September 24th). This  was an awesome race! Running with 12, 000 other women, and earning my title as an Iron Girl was so inspiring. I was not well-trained for the biking portion of the race, but I ran a PR!! It was an amazing feeling!! And this time, I finally was able to race with a group!! It really does make the experience more fun!!


My running journey continues, as I am going to sign up for the Monster Race Series! This is a series of 5 races, all taking place in the Twin Cities through out the next year. I am so excited to continue to push myself, and take my running to another level!!


And I am counting down the days until the Princess 1/2!!! I already owe this race so much!!!