Summer Running...Lessons Learned

Ten weeks out until the City of Oaks marathon in Raleigh and I got in a long run/walk this afternoon in the midst off of all the Back to School craziness. My husband fixed up the jogging stroller and I took my youngest out on a run/walk of five miles in the sunshine and 80 degree temps. During our hour-long run, I learned a few things.

Jeremiah was OUT by the end of the first mile.

• Running shorts are not meant for everyone. Girls with thick thighs are better off sticking to their trusted running capris. See = chafing.
• Pushing a thirty-pound kid in a stroller for any distance is much harder than running alone. Props to the mother runners who do this on a regular basis.
• Sticking to a training plan is essential. And yet life (at least in my case) doesn't seem to go as planned and, as a result, you may find yourself realizing that there may be more walking than running originally planned, BUT you are going to run as much as you can and you are going to finish. 
• Finding your WHY is important but taking that WHY along for the run helps push through the hardest miles. Having my li'l man with me today helped me push for five instead of giving up at two.

This weekend is our last before we head back to school.  The boys have their first day tomorrow and I begin pre-service training and the exhausting exciting task of setting up my classroom. Time to start getting in my runs first thing in the mornings or before bed.  There's a lot coming up and much to think about, so I'll need those runs.

A long and sweaty five, but a full five!

What lessons do you learn while running? Do you make important decisions mid-run or is it a time of meditation?

It's Been a Long Day....

...without you, my friend. These last few weeks I've had "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth playing on repeat on my iPod. The song was penned in honor of the late Paul Walker as part of the Fast and Furious series but has been my soundtrack for running this summer.  I've been stumbling through my training for the City of Oaks marathon but have been blessed with multiple opportunities to visit with my family and friends in South Carolina, including Jamie's family.

Zachary and Jeremiah at Reedy River Falls  Park in Greenville, SC

I was able to visit with Jamie's mother at the beginning of July and again last week.  My second visit included my two sons, Zachary and Jeremiah.  We visited and the boys swam in the pool I once swam in with Jamie so many years ago.  The boys enjoyed the chance to swim on a hot afternoon and I enjoyed taking them to the home I spent several summers visiting.  At one point during our swim, I looked up to see Debra smiling at us and while it felt wonderful to see that smile, it left me torn.  In that moment, I felt guilty - Jamie should be here. She should be bringing her children to swim but that will never happen.

They say the ones we love never truly leave us and I believe that. Jamie continues to be present despite her passing.  The Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation continues to do amazing work in her honor, giving back to the community of Raleigh she so loved. Her friends and family find ways to honor her through their words and actions. Memories come from the most random of places. Earlier this week, I watched 'Free Willy', a favorite film from my childhood and as I laughed at familiar scenes, I was hit with the memory of seeing it for the first time in theaters with Jamie.  We loved the film - a young boy forced to do community service at the marine park he trespassed upon strikes an unlikely friendship with a killer whale - and were determined to become marine biologists.  We even ended up attending a week-long marine biology camp just miles from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Fast forward to this morning and our household chores.  With the summer soon ending, we have been working to clean and organize before the school year gets underway and this finds me going through several old boxes.  One box included a plain red folder filled with hand-written poems and photographs torn from magazines, a folder I hadn't seen in years and had forgotten I owned.  The creator? Jamie.  She wrote me these poems at the end of another wonderful summer before we would begin middle school, twenty years ago.  The poems are simple, but speak to the heart of who Jamie was; the first one:

Friends
They're important people,
Just like you.
They make the world a happier place,
With all the wonderful things they do.

Everyone needs one,
In good times and bad.
They make you happier,
Especially when you're sad.

They make you feel better,
When sick and in bed.
They send you a letter,
that makes you happier when read.

They always make you happier
In the end.
They're the most important people -
They're friends!

So, Jamie - like the song says, "It's been a long day, without you my friend and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again." You may be gone, but you're not forgotten. You're with me in every run and will be with me throughout my training MilesForJamie and my run in Raleigh in November.

"We've come a long way from where we began and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."

A rare tech-free run...just me and the mile.

Running Alone...

It's something I do often. I run alone. I will try and meet up with a fellow runner and run with him/her but often, I run alone. Even when registering for races - we may start together, I run alone. It's not lonely in any way. It's comforting to me. I don't race. I just run. I know that I am not the fastest in the pack nor do I look like the "ideal", but I know that I am capable and I go. Running alone is something I have missed very much in the last two weeks.

Instead - my running and sadly, training is being interrupted by life. This time - in the form of children. My dear, sweet husband is away on a two-week trip with my father and several friends. They've left us for the great North, fishing in parts of Canada - becoming one with nature and the fishing pole, lol. This leaves me with our two little ones. Translation: running only happens when I'm chasing them or when they're asleep.  Factor in that the 4 year old doesn't always want to sleep and bedtime does not go as smoothly as envisioned and I'm too exhausted to get my runs in. Translation: Mommy is quite cranky. Ideally, I would make like Mary Poppins and produce a jogging stroller fit for two and take them with me. I know I put that bag somewhere...

My sister Carolyn and I pre-race.

I did manage to complete the Neon Run 5K but didn't have as good a run as anticipated. I'll recap the event in my next post but I've decided I will not run anywhere near/on the Fairgrounds except to finish the Frederick Half from here on out.  The combination of poor lighting/darkness, unclear course = fallen cones) and unsteady terrain = road, gravel, sand, grass made for a not so good run. I ended up rolling on my left ankle towards the end of mile two, hobbled and walked a half-mile before slowly jogging to the finish line. The  next morning I was relieved to find I didn't injure it as badly as I first thought and was able to put some weight on it with some run/walk intervals on the treadmill during random nap times.  I'm thankful it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been and I'm still able to push forward...and I will.

With two big events looming ahead - the Divas Half Marathon in September and the City of Oaks Marathon in November, I've got much less time to get in the training needed. I feel as though, once again, I will be putting in a bit more of run/walk intervals than I would have liked. It's discouraging at best but I know that a mile is a mile. I will get from start to finish and I will not be the first and quite possibly, the last BUT I will get there.

Never Give Up. 

Early Morning Walks

This week I'm slightly out of my element - my first summer off from teaching Extended School Year (ESY) has freed up my schedule and allowed me to do a number of things I haven't been able to do in ages. Namely - visit with my grandmother in South Carolina.  

For those who don't already know, my grandmother is currently fighting the good fight against my least favorite foe - cancer.  Factor in a few recent bouts with pneumonia and the usual accompaniments - BLAH. I spent many a summer with my grandparents and even my first semester of college living with them, so to say that we're close would be an understatement.

The sun just peeking out as we left.

My grandmother was still recovering from her second bout with pneumonia during our beach trip last month, so it has been wonderful to visit with her this past week and see her up and moving around more.  We've spent much of this week visiting, helping her clean house and just enjoying our time together.  

Attempting to hydrate pre-workout with nuun

Mom and Hollie leading the way!

With the high temperatures and humidity, we spend most of our time inside - it's easier on her lungs and my sweat glands. I'm not a pretty, pretty princess in this sticky, sticky heat.  That also translates into early morning workouts - 6:00 AM whereas at home, you'll find me out and about between the hours of 8 and 10 AM. 

3.5 miles complete! (6.3 with the day's shopping)

With 16 weeks left until the City of Oaks Marathon, I've begun my training - slowly working to build my running up from 3-mile average runs to the eventual 26.2. I'm still nervous and horrified beyond belief, but hopeful and focused on continually moving. I'm not as accustomed to this climate and my body has been fighting against me these last couple days. One of the hardest things I've learned in my running thus far - LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. So - I've been focused on building mileage through long brisk walks joined by my mom and my grandparents' favorite blonde, Hollie. 

Tired as a dog - LITERALLY!

This morning's walk ended with a wonderful breeze during the last mile - with 77 degrees a reprieve from the 99+ temps during the day.  My goal tomorrow is to get in at least 2-3 miles at a comfortable pace without feeling dogged.  

Enjoying a post workout coffee - LOVE.

How do you train for races in non-familiar climates? Do you stick with an indoor regimen courtesy of a treadmill or face the weather head on?

Re-Cap Attempts and Well Wishes

Raise your hand if your intentions and follow-through don't always see eye-to-eye. Insert vigorous hand waving here! When Veronica and I started writing this blog, we had every posting at least 2-3 times a week, if not more. Leading up to Princess Half Marathon Weekend, we did. Then - a culmination of months of waiting, registering, freaking out, costume making and training collided into an amazing Disney-filled weekend that left us with an overwhelming sense of bittersweet-ness (I know that's not a word, but I don't know how else to explain it!) Long story/apology short - it's taken us much longer than planned to re-cap our RunDisney experience.  There have been attempts to start, I swear!

The proof is in the pudding or draft posts and you can see below:

Last weekend, my Facebook and Instagram timelines were flooded with photographs and statuses from Disneyland's Tinkerbell Half Marathon Weekend.  Fairies, princesses and other Disney characters running in the Tinkerbell 5K, 10K and half-marathon were EVERYWHERE. I loved it! My younger sister LOVES Tinkerbell and we've talked several times about doing this race.  While I'm not a die-hard pixie fan, I love Tink's spirit and even her newly discovered sister, Periwinkle. We donned homemade tutus and ran as Periwinkle and Tink in a winter 5K this past December.

Maryland Princesses for the Half

I don't know if or when I will run the Tinkerbell Half Weekend - I love the costumes and magic, but also think Star Wars Weekend might be up my alley more so...either way, all the posts left me reminiscing over Princess Half Marathon weekend.  Three months have passed and I still have not written about the races themselves and I'm SO overdue - I apologize.  I also haven't posted in over a month, so I apologize for that as well. Life at home had become a bit over-scheduled and I am working to get reorganized and writing again.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend - tens of thousands of runners racing throughout the parks. Tens of thousands of runners who need to pick up their packets. How does Disney do it?! Having only attended one Expo myself (all other races were small enough for same-day pick-up or a friend picked up my packet), I had a fraction of an idea of what to expect.

oh to be Dory again...

Tinkerbell Half Marathon has come and gone and now its mid-July and a day before open registration begins for Disney Princess. I can't go next year for a million reasons and yet there's a TEENY TINY part of me that is already planning costumes (Pinterest = not helping) and wishing I had the bank roll to do it. BUT - I don't. I won't. Instead, come registration hour tomorrow, I'll be thinking of all my fellow Disney Princesses and wishing them luck! In some ways, just getting through the registration process is an event in of itself. So - while I won't be running in Florida next winter, I will instead look ahead to when I will plant my feet on the West Coast and experience Disneyland among fairies or storm troopers.

Our Maryland Mickey Ears will run again!

What about you? Are you running Disney Princess in 2016 or another RunDisney event?

Miles for Jamie - The Beginning of Marathon Dreams

Running is not for everyone. It’s not even for me most days. I often struggle to get myself out the door or on the treadmill for the start of a run. Don’t get me wrong - I love running. I love the silence that comes with focusing solely putting one foot in front of another and not about the million things I still have yet to deal with. I love how I feel the moment I finish a particularly hard run - a sense of accomplishment that doesn’t come with completing day-to-day errands or paperwork.  I love that it is a perfect combination of physical and mental exercise, constantly testing the limits I did not know I was capable of pushing. 

But - there are days I hate it, absolutely dread it.  Days I find myself dreading the early wake-up call or the miles ahead.  Days I don’t think I’m capable of even a few steps. Days I don’t know why I choose to do this. Then I remember - I run because I can. I run for those who can’t.  I run for my loves, our loves.  I run for a friend whose sudden passing reminded me that I had no real excuses anymore, that instead, I had choices.  I could choose to continue living my life the way I had done for almost 30 years - struggling with my own body image, dealing with the ups and downs of anxiety and depression, not helped by my struggle to maintain a healthy weight or lifestyle.

Cue early Spring...two years ago. I was browsing my Facebook NewsFeed and read a childhood friend’s status about a blog she was writing about making healthier lifestyle choices.  I’d come across my fair share of fitness articles, but to hear from the perspective of someone I personally knew allowed me to truly reflect upon my own lifestyle and changes I could incorporate into my own cooking and fitness regimen.  I enjoyed reading my friend’s blog posts and loved her drive but didn’t see the same potential in myself at first.  It may be cliche, but for me, a hard truth - we are our own worst critics.  I didn’t see myself possessing the motivation nor being capable of achieving or more importantly, maintaining a healthier lifestyle.  

No one had a smile or laugh like Jamie.

However, life has other ways of showing us things we didn’t dare think possible.  A short time later, I learned that my childhood friend, Jamie had been brutally attacked in her own home.  Within days, she would pass away and the world was a little darker without her light.  In the days and weeks that followed, I would see her photographs, read countless news reports and spend time remembering all our childhood adventures through summers spent together.  I wasn’t able to attend her memorial services but was able to see them online.  As I listened to others share their memories of Jamie, I not only saw the impact of one person but also realized how finite life truly is.  I knew something would have to change; the same excuses were no longer valid.  

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” and mine started just the same.  I decided I would need a goal and with the support of my best friend, Veronica, we decided to venture into this new journey together. We slowly put one foot in front of another and began to learn how to run, running local 5Ks and eventually completing the Disney Glass Slipper Challenge this past February, almost two years later.  We are by no means elite runners, but we run.  We set out to accomplish what others often attribute as pure craziness.  Crazy is, as crazy does and the next logical (i.e. INSANE) step for me was a marathon, but not for a long while. I loved the Disney Princess Half-Marathon Weekend and want to attempt the Dopey Challenge at some point, but knew I would need to see if a marathon was something I was capable of, much less enjoyed.

Fast forward to April, almost two years after her passing, Jamie’s trial was underway and I found her presence in my life once again.  An article posted during the weeks of the trial referenced a quote from a friend and the City of Oaks Marathon & Half-Marathon.  This annual event occurs in Raleigh, North Carolina and it was a race that Jamie planned to complete but wouldn’t.  I knew that I wanted my first attempt at a marathon to be special and have personal meaning - I would need something to motivate me and push me through the hard miles and answer the question I always ask myself mid-race, “what was I thinking”.  The answer now would be easy - Jamie. Her smile and memories of acting out the Annie soundtrack in her living room for days on end throughout the summer (I’m sorry, Ms. Debra) and sharing a week together at marine biology camp in Myrtle Beach would be there with me.  

So - I took the plunge and registered. Come November 1st, I will be running in Raleigh, the city that Jamie so loved and in doing so, I will run for her.  Each step will be one that she should have taken and will be.  I am running in Jamie’s memory, but also for her future. In her honor, the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation has been established and in its short time has already begun to make a significant impact on members of her community as well as future leaders.  Jamie believed in the power of giving back to others and I am hoping to do the same.  It is my goal to raise money for the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation through my running the City of Oaks.  I am hoping to raise $1000 and hope that you and others will join me.  To learn more about Jamie and my efforts, you can view my Crowdrise fundraising page here.

To find out more about the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation, its values of love, humility and service as well as the impact they have made in two short years, read more here.


In addition to my training, I will be chronicling my journey through posts here as well as on Instagram.  Please join me as I run.  Find your WHY and push.  We all have something to run for. For me, it’s an intimidating 26.2 miles for Jamie.  

Glass Slipper Challenge Re-Cap: Disney Bound!

Spring is here and along with it, the sunshine, warmth and cool evening breezes.  I love this weather second to the fall.  I find myself wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops again.  I find myself running outside more than on the treadmill.  I have not been able to do so since mid-February, when I found myself in Orlando, Florida facing RunDisney's Glass Slipper Challenge.  Several points along the way, I was not sure I would make it.

January and February brought on the toughest months of winter - freezing temperatures, snow and more snow, ice, and snow days.  As a child, I loved snow days - staying home, watching movies and reading old books.  I still enjoy them as a teacher - BUT - give me too many and I'm done. DONE.  Over it.  Miss enough days of school and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain any sense of routine or intended instruction.  Things were getting increasingly chaotic at school and at home, the countdown was underway.  I was doing as much as I could to prepare myself mentally and physically - running on the treadmill, getting all of my necessary paperwork together, confirming substitute coverage and coordinating the details with childcare (a la the grandparents) and still, the weather bothered me.  The week leading up to the event slammed us with several school closings and reports of flight cancellations and delays. I crossed my fingers and toes and prayed we would still be getting out on time.

Our flight out of Washington, DC to Orlando was booked for Thursday, February 19th with a 6:00 AM take-off.  With President's Day on Monday, I had anticipated having a short week - Tuesday, Wednesday, flight.  With the foul weather, it ended up being only Wednesday. Our Tuesday consisted of another day spent at home and packing for our trip.  Wednesday, I went to school and spent the day finalizing my lesson plans for my substitute teachers, sending emails and setting up my room for my three-day absence.  As any fellow teacher knows, taking time off from school involves significantly more work than simply going in.  I left my classroom Wednesday and headed home to meet my mom, who would be watching the boys while we were away.  I had "sub plans" for her as well - all of the boys' school information and such.  Between getting everything ready and the building anticipation, I did not get to sleep until after 11:00 PM.

Three hours later...it was time.  I had set my alarm to go off at 2:00 AM in order to shower and have a quick cup of coffee before heading to the airport.  It also helped to get a head start on an early wake-up, since we would need to board our buses to Epcot on Friday and Saturday close to 3:30 AM, but more on that later.

Dennis had gone into work his standard overnight shift, coming home shortly after 2:00 as well.  We made sure we had our bags packed and re-shoveled parts of the driveway given the previous show and cold temperatures.  We kissed our sleeping babes goodbye and headed to meet my father, who would drive us the rest of the way.

For those of you who know anything about the greater Metro area surrounding Washington, DC know that the morning and evening commutes on the Beltway (I-495) and I-270 are quite hellish.  I avoid them at all costs, preferring back roads to stop and go traffic.  However, at 3:30 in the morning, it's a ghost town and the best time to drive.  Within an hour, my father had us at Reagan National. The ghost-like feeling followed us into the airport; online check-in took only moments and we arrived to the security check-point to find it not yet open and surrounded by fellow early morning travelers. So far, so good.  We were almost there.





Having flown out of Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International so often in the last years, I had forgotten how small of an airport Reagan is.  It took us less than 10-minutes to travel through security and find our gate.  Armed with a little bit of coffee and a blueberry muffin between us, we soon boarded the first of two flights, heading to Atlanta.  Having worked overnight and only sleeping four hours the previous day, Dennis was exhausted beyond means.  I alternated between sleep, reading and reviewing the Glass Slipper Challenge guidebook I had printed, making notes and additional lists.  Even on a run-cation, I make my lists.

We left the land of cold and ice, landing in a chilly Atlanta, to be greeted by fellow princesses at the gate for our connecting flight.  We fueled up with a "mandatory" and much-needed caffeine fix at Starbucks and soon boarded the plane.

We would land in Orlando at approximately 10:35 AM, greeted by sunshine, palm trees and dozens of princess runners.  It would be nothing compared to what we would encounter tomorrow.  Dennis and I caught the Magical Express to the Art of Animation (our new favorite resort), checked in and waited for everyone else to arrive.  My grandparents and aunt would be driving in from South Carolina and Veronica and her husband Riku would be landing after 5:30.   For the first part of the afternoon, I walked parts of the resort, in love with the Finding Nemo pool and our room in the Little Mermaid section, guarded by King Triton.  I was in awe, and still am, that we were finally here and tomorrow, one step closer to fulfilling a dream.

Next up? The Disney Princess Expo and Glass Slipper Check-in! 

Pinterest Love and Running Costumes: Part Two

I'm In my previous post about our costuming adventure, I mentioned hailed Pinterest for its collection of costuming ideas and more importantly, tutorials.  My mom's amazing sewing skills gave us beautiful blue sparkle skirts fit for a fish for a fraction of the cost.  When it came time to brainstorm our outfits as Maryland princesses, no sparkle skirt needed - we had our red, black, yellow and white tutus leftover from our Diva Dash days.  We knew our outfit would be a display of our Maryland pride - red shirts emblazoned with custom embroidery, black knee-high compression socks, Maryland flag sleeves and a red headband.

As time passed and the race grew closer, I felt our outfits lacked something.  It was all the appropriate colors and clearly displayed our pride.  We had the tutu and felt like princesses. Our headbands, however, did not seem enough.  In fact, our costume, while unique needed a bit of a Disney touch.  We didn't want to don tiaras or fairy wings, because, let's face it - how would that work? What could bring an even more special and yet, Disney touch to the ensemble? What type of headgear frequented the hundreds of RunDisney costumes and other visitors to the parks? When we picture Disney - who is the first character and most iconic of all? Mickey Mouse. <face palm>

I can still remember my first pair of ears - the traditional black felt cap with plastic ears, Mickey Mouse's face emblazoned on the front and my name embroidered in gold thread across the back.  Since then, I've also owned a headband set with Minnie Mouse's bow and a Santa Minnie hat with ears.  Today's Ears have evolved - there are felt caps and headbands for almost every individual character, princess, hero and villain alike.  I have seen more elaborate headband sets involving glitter, features that light up, or practically rebuild the entire character itself.  There are independent designers on Etsy who can custom create Ears for you as well.  However, given my artsy fartsy background (I have a degree in Art Studio-Art Education) and often shop with the motto, "If I can make it, I don't need to buy it".

the quick sketch I sent Veronica via text

I texted Veronica mid-day about six weeks prior to the race and asked, "what do you think about some Maryland Mickey Ears?"  Her response, "YES!!!" as if I had to ask.  So, I sketched and scoured Pinterest yet again and discovered several tutorials for creating homemade Mickey Ears before settling on A Happy Mum.  Several trips to the Dollar Tree, Michael's, Walmart and AC Moore, I had my supplies in hand:

• two headbands (Dollar Tree)
• three sheets regular black felt (Walmart)
• one sheet black STIFF felt (AC Moore)
• pack of mixed foam sheets (Dollar Tree)
• hot glue gun and glue sticks (AC Moore)
• mini glitter: red, white, black, gold (Walmart, Michael's)
• Modge Podge (Walmart)
• roll of wide black satin ribbon (Michael's)
• bonus materials: two small crab iron on patches and blue glitter (JoAnn Fabrics)

supplies and stencils assembled

Using the tutorial and YouTube video, I began to construct the ears.  This was fairly easy and the hardest part was controlling the hot glue so that it didn't seep out of the edges too much and burn my fingers. As with any hot glue project, I usually have quite a few singed fingers, but I'm getting better.  Once the ears were constructed and dried, I pulled up an image of the Maryland flag and sketched out two ideas for Veronica's approval - to split the flag onto both ears or represent it on each.  After a little discussion regarding the glitter and space available, we decided it'd be best to split the flag between the ears: one ear would be gold and black and the other, red and white.  

Construction begins...

Construction completed and awaiting decoration.

The first stages of glitter and Modge Podge

I grabbed a white colored pencil, sketched the outline onto each ear and began to apply Modge Podge and black glitter.  I would follow suit with the remaining colors and several layers of glitter and Modge Podge. I completed each color individually over several days.  The entire application of glitter and Modge Podge took approximately 4-5 evenings (I was also working full-time). Overall, I applied 4 layers of glitter to each color with the exception of the white glitter, which was more transparent than the rest; this took 6 layers.  Then a final coat of Modge Podge was applied to prevent any leaks.  My kitchen became infested with glitter.

The final layer of Modge Podge dries after TONS of glitter. 

Once the design portion of the Ears was completed, I created a simple black bow by folding the black ribbon and tying it secure following the tutorial.  This was embellished with a handcrafted Maryland Blue Crab by coating a mini-crab iron-on patch using bright blue glitter and Modge Podge.  This last piece was glued onto the final bow and attached using leftover ribbon.  Once complete, I was beyond amazed - using basic arts and craft supplies, a little time and creativity, we would don Maryland Mickey Ears not found elsewhere. 

At the Princess Half-Marathon, we received compliment after compliment from fellow runners and spectators.  We were even asked where we had purchased them. We thanked everyone and grinned knowing we had a unique accessory to our costumes and a great souviner.  As we speak, my Ears are on display on a shelf beside my collection of Cinderella snow globes above my race medals.  They will forever be one of my favorite race costume accessories.

The finished Ears sent with a manadatory Duck Face to V for inspection.

The Maryland Mickey Ears outside of Cinderella Castle! 

What's one item you've created or would love to create for a race costume? 

Pinterest Love + Running Costumes: Part One

Pinterest is a dangerous vice of mine.  It's how I hoard...online.  I have over 5,000 pins in numerous categories: school, home, running, crafting, you name it.  "Hi, my name is Laura and I'm a Pin-aholic."  I can't help it.  Pinterest is a mecca of ideas and downright time-consuming.  As we speak, I'm pinning. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Wait - that's from something else. But seriously, with the right idea and follow-through, you can come out with some great stuff.

But - I digress. The reason for my gushing over Pinterest is this: it is an AH-mazing resource for costumes. Not just Halloween, mind you - running costumes as well!  Search for any possible costume or character and add the word 'running' and BAM!  Type in 'Princess Half Marathon running costume' and be prepared to lose several hours of your life. Well worth it, I promise.  At least, I thought so.

In the planning of our Dory and Maryland Princess costumes, one common accessory made its presence known - sparkle skirts.  Sparkle skirts are just that - sparkly skirts.  I first stumbled across them via a cute photo of Kelly from Sparkle Athletic/According to Kelly donning several colors as various Disney characters and I grew curious. Then - I wondered some more and decided to Google Sparkle Athletic. Lo and behold, I discovered an overabundance of sparkly skirts and other accessories.  Beautiful sparkly sparkles in an assortment of colors, fit for a princess or cute fish.  I wanted to own them all..but I was not fully prepared to pay the $25 they cost. Which is a fairy reasonable price but given the amount of cash we were already forking over to do the Glass Slipper Challenge, stay at a Disney Resort, flights, etc... I wanted to find ways to be frugal when possible.

Armed with an idea and Pinterest, I sought out Do-It-Yourself tutorials and enlisted the help of my mother and her faithful Kenmore sewing machine.  The tutorial we used was from a blogger/runner at Beauty Still Remains - great explanations and pictures. First step, a trip to our local JoAnn Fabrics with a list for thread, elastic and confetti dot fabric.  We soon discovered that the online inventory is sadly not always accurate and our dreams of sewing that afternoon were quickly put on hold and instead, we ordered the royal blue fabric that would be Dory online.  We waited. We waited. Finally - a mere two weeks later, we were rewarded for our patience and yards in hand, we began to analyze the tutorial I found and we sewed.

the sewing begins!

the confetti dot fabric being cut into strips

Well, my mom sewed and I played assistant, bringing her drinks and pinning when instructed, and so on.  From start to finish, the first skirt took us an hour and a half.  We didn't want to waste any fabric or make any mistakes and often re-read the directions to be on the safe side.  Several skirts later, my mom can now whip these out within a half-hour.

attaching the elastic band to the skirt

I cannot thank my mom enough for sewing our sparkle skirts and honestly, several more. Since the first skirt, we've collaborated to create several more in various colors. She made several for a local 5K for herself and some of her friends, which has led me to create a wish list for more colors of my own.  For the Enchanted 10K, Veronica and I donned black shorts or capris under our sparkle skirts and a matching ensemble of blue wigs, yellow fins fashioned from tulle and elastic and a beautiful tech-shirt custom-embroidered (but more on that later).  Our completed Dory costumes were quite original and stood apart from the hundreds of tutus and princess costumes that day.  If I recall, we only encountered one other Dory during the race in a sea of 10,000 runners.

our homemade sparkle skirts a la Dory! 

I have worn my skirt again for other local races and even on some random training runs because hey, who doesn't love a little sparkle?  Keep an eye out for another costuming re-cap involving the custom Mickey ears I created that were inspired by the Maryland flag!

What's a Princess to Wear?!

Picking out an outfit in the morning is hard enough. Partly because there's a small child usually asleep in my bed and I'm trying to get dressed without waking them up AND be sure my outfit is somewhat coordinated while still using the least amount possible. Getting dressed by flashlight AND you're not camping? Mini-adventure! Now...getting dressed for a race - somewhat easier. I typically go by the day's weather and try to somewhat coordinate my outfit but mostly go by comfort. Deciding you're not just getting dressed for a race but going in costume??? That presents a whole new series of challenges. Not to mention where there are TWO races and you want need costumes for both.

Prior to registering for the Glass Slipper Challenge, I had never wanted to nor felt comfortable wearing a costume during a race. Not to say I haven't seen my fair share of costumed runners: a turkey and pilgrim, the Super Mario Brothers and a personal favorite: Buddy the Elf, to name a few. In my "research" leading up to the event, I came across several blogs and Pinterest pins of costumes for various RunDisney races and knew I could NOT run Disney in my old capris and pull-over.  I had to dress up! But as who???  With so many characters and favorites to choose from, how could we narrow it down? I debated over Cinderella (my first princess), Vanellope Von Schweetz, Dory and countless others... I even looked at several of the Villians: Ursula, Cruella and Maleficent (who, coincidentally have teamed up on Once Upon a Time - but that's another story).  I didn't want to look like the thousands of other runners but also wanted a costume that was special to myself, my family and my running.

What Disney character could truly sum up all of this? What Disney character would I continually come back to in my Google searches and find inspiring without realizing it? Who did I often quote during the hardest moments of my long runs? That little voice that would tell me, "just keep running" in her most uplifting tune - "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." Face palm: Dory. She would be the inspiration for the Enchanted 10K.  A little fish with a big voice.  Not to mention one of preferred movies on rotation in our household. 

Our "Flat Dory" costumes side-by-side prepped the night before the 10K.

One costume down, one to go.  For the Princess Half Marathon, the question of what to wear may have begun as a difficult decision but was answered quickly.  Given that we would be running side by side and celebrating our journey as runners, we had been reflecting upon our experiences to date including our first costumed race, the Shape Diva Dash.  Veronica and I became friends during our freshman year of college at the University of Maryland, born and raised in the land of blue crabs and Old Bay.  For the Shape Diva Dash, we crafted tutus in red, yellow, black and white - the colors of our home state.  Since the Diva Dash, our tutus had been hanging in our closets begging to be worn again.  Over several text messages and I'm fairly certain, a conversation no longer than five minutes, we knew we'd be dusting our skirts off and creating our own princess ensemble.

Our "Flat Maryland Princess"

Ideas in hand, sketching and crafting was underway - we continued working on our costumes up until the very week of the races.  With the help of my mother and her sewing machine, a colleague/friend of Veronica's who does embroidery and some of our own handiwork, I think we managed to create costumes that were meaningful and truly unique.  

Post-Enchanted 10K - We just kept swimming!

Maryland Pride - Pre-Half Marathon (3:15 AM)

Processing in Progress

I should have started posting about my experience with the Glass Slipper Challenge at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida weeks ago. The fact is, I’ve really been struggling to process the time leading up to the race series, the races themselves, and the aftermath. You wouldn’t think it would be that difficult to write about an amazing adventure that was nearly 3 years in the making, but when things don’t turn out exactly as you imagined them, it changes everything. I can say, with confidence, that pretty much nothing turned out the way I thought would and in some ways, that has been a very good thing.

Let’s go back in time to this past Christmas Eve, I was preparing for our first worship service of the night and explaining how the candles needed to be lit to one of the youth. He would also be carrying in a large brass processional cross. Unfortunately, at some point during the explanation, my left foot got underneath the six foot tall wooden post that holds the cross. Long story short, I broke my third metatarsal right before our 4PM worship service and didn’t tell anyone until I showed my husband my bloody, bruised, and swollen foot about an hour before our 10PM service. He tried to convince me to stay off it, but I had a service to lead and it was Christmas after all, so needless to say, I didn’t rest my foot.

A few days later, as I continued to limp, I wanted to get in some more training miles for Disney, but my foot hurt so much I couldn’t bear to run on it. Riku got me a membership to the YMCA and we used swimming indoors as an alternative to keep up my cardio. Flash forward another week and I’ve got influenza (this year’s vaccine wasn’t super effective and the virus raged through my congregation, so of course I got it and Riku did too - wasn’t it nice of us to share?). About the time I’m better from the flu, I notice that my lungs don’t seem to be rebounding from it and the cough lingers. Long story short, to the doctor I go, and I am diagnosed with asthma. Just two weeks later the lingering flu cough in my asthmatic lungs turns into bronchitis and when I finally get to the doctor (again), it’s started to turn into pneumonia. When I left the doctor’s office with my antibiotic prescription and a refill on my inhaler it was less than 2 weeks until Disney.

The time from Christmas Eve until leaving for the Glass Slipper Challenge was about eight weeks. During those two months I broke a bone in my foot, contracted a strain of influenza, was diagnosed with asthma, and had severe bronchitis that was becoming pneumonia. This, of course, did not include dealing with family, home, or work.

Halfway through this two month period one of my church members suffered a major accident that would, eventually, lead to her death following several weeks of advanced medical care. I felt awful for being upset about not running. I felt guilty for complaining about a broken bone, two weeks with the flu, manageable asthma, etc. My heart ached for her family and friends. This woman was someone I had a unique relationship with - it started rough, but grew into something unexpected. I worried about leaving for Florida when we all knew her time was coming to an end. I wanted to be there as she took her last breaths, but both she, and her family, encouraged me to go, not knowing for sure when things would happen.

The day before I left for Florida was Ash Wednesday. I went to the hospital and made sure my church member got communion, ashes on her forehead, anointing with oil on her body, and as many blessings and prayers as I could give. I wanted to spend as much time as I could because I wasn’t sure if she’d make it until I got back. She smiled as I reminded her what I would be up to for the next few days and when I’d be back. She mouthed, “thank you,” as she drifted off to sleep. I hugged her daughter and let her know that even though I’d be away, I wanted to know what was going on. She agreed, we hugged again, and I returned to church.

A few days later, as I turned off my alarm at the Art of Animation resort in preparation for the Princess Half Marathon, I saw a message on my phone: Mom went to be with Jesus tonight.

And all I could think was: I should have been there.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes...

...and Disney makes possible.
We know it's been awhile since our last posting and we apologize - upon our return from Disney our schedules were disrupted by matters at home and at work. Thank you for being patient as we catch up and re-cap our experiences with the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. We'll be looking back on our trip from beginning to end. For starters, how did we get here?! 

With all of our recent snow days, I'm wishing I lived where it was warmer.  Okay, confession: I wish I was back at Walt Disney World.  It's been almost two weeks since Veronica and I completed the Glass Slipper Challenge.  One moment, it was a frantic afternoon in mid-July trying to get through the registration process and the next, we're home again, medals in hand.  Princess Half Marathon weekend has come and gone, leaving me begging for more.  So much went into preparing for this event - physically, mentally and costume-y!

I often say, "who is this girl" and "I can't believe I did this," when reflecting back on my running journey.  It's true - comparing myself to my pre-running self, you would not have seen me running except in case of an emergency.  You would not have seen me consider forking over any amount of money to run (Who pays to do that?!), purchasing inordinate amounts of confetti dot fabric and glitter for running costumes, or simply scrolling though fellow blogs looking for exciting races to join.  But.. "Runner" Laura, does just that.

Shortly after completing our series of back-to-back 5K races and Veronica moving across the country, I was excited to tackle more, but didn't know where to begin.  I googled fellow runners' blogs, looked online and scoured Pinterest.  It was there that I stumbled across a pin for Disney Princess Half Marathon. What?! Disney does races?! This I had to see.  A slightly wasted lunch-hour later, I was hooked.  I knew I needed to get to Florida and run among fellow princesses.  I talked it over with Veronica and we set a goal - we would run in 2015.  She had her upcoming wedding in March plus moving to adjust to and there was also the nitty-gritty of training to be done.  We marked July 15th on our calendars for registration and we waited...

Well, sort of. The whole idea of running through Epcot and the Magic Kingdom overwhelmed me so much that I had to find out more. Following reviews and re-caps of fellow princess runners, I discovered the Glass Slipper Challenge: run the Enchanted 10K on Saturday and the Princess Half-Marathon on Sunday. Your reward? Not one, not two, but THREE shiny medals, including one emblazoned with a glass slipper.  As a girl who was nicknamed Cinderella at a young age (I protested about some chores), I HAD to have it. It took a little (barely any) convincing to get Veronica excited, and we decided we'd "go big or go home!"

Fast-forward to July 15th and we found ourselves counting down to registration opening at 12:00 noon (9:00 AM Pacific Time).  I was teaching summer school and had just sent my students home for the day.  Armed with our phones and the registration page loaded, we were ready.  Disney and Active, however, were not.  For anyone who is familiar with registering for a RunDisney race -- they sell out. FAST.  Right from the start, we encountered difficulty with the Active website and struggled to get through for over 45 minutes.  After several emails with RunDisney, who assured us they were working on the issue, I bit the bullet and hurried home to try registering from my own computer and hoping the glitch would be fixed.  By the time I arrived and logged in, the Glass Slipper Challenge was sold out and the Princess Half Marathon was 95% full.  Frustrated and beyond upset, we registered for the half marathon, feeling half-defeated.

However, we decided not to give up. Having already been in communication with RunDisney regarding the registration, we both followed up separately asking for any consideration to be allowed to complete the Glass Slipper Challenge.  As the day passed, we continued to hope and several hours later, an email response came through.  RunDisney apologized for the technical issues and our inability to register for the Glass Slipper Challenge as planned.  True to the magic that is Disney, they granted our wish: we were going to be able to participate in the Glass Slipper Challenge! Ecstatic beyond belief, I called Veronica and shared the good news.  In less than a year, we would be running together again surrounded by thousands of other princesses in the most magical place on Earth.

Now - costumes?!

Running in the Dark

It's 3:00 in the morning and not a soul in sight. The temperatures have dropped below twenty degrees and a wind chill of negative BILLION. Meanwhile, I've got my shorts and flip flops at the ready - packed in my carry-on along with two pairs of running shoes, a sparkle skirt, an all-too important tutu and other miscellaneous costume components. Why? Today, Veronica and I are Florida-bound about to meet up for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon Weekend and complete in the Glass Slipper Challenge. We haven't run together in almost a year and half. Our last run was on a night as dark as this morning, a nighttime 5K race, Cosmic Run. 

For those of you don't already know, Veronica and I are met at the University of Maryland, having been born and raised in the Blue Crab state. We would each each attend graduate school in Minmesota and relocate across the country, finding love in other states: myself in South Carolina and her in Washington. My husband and I would end up moving back to Maryland after the birth of our oldest son and I was thrilled to live so close to my best friend for the first time since our college years. Life, however, had other plans, and Veronica would soon meet her future husband, Riku during a trip to Seattle. Fast forward a year, an engagement and a Call to her new church in Bellevue (a suburb outside of Seattle), and a move west was unavoidable. 

The original plan was for Veronica to move out west after they were married, which would take place March 4, 2014. The call for Veronica's new church came sooner than expected and she had to relocate months earlier, in October. We had already registered for a series of 5Ks over the summer and it looked that the third, Cosmic Run, would be the last for us, taking place a day before she started her move across the country. We debated several times if we would still complete this event or if I should go on without her. In the end, we decided it would be a proper farewell and one last night of fun. 

Cosmic Run is advertised as a night-time run filled with lights, color and music. Similar to the Electric Run, this 5K adventure starts after dark and runners are encouraged to dress in black adorned with accessories that flash and glow. Veronica and I, joined by my sister Carolyn, kept our attire simple for the event - black running capris, old sneakers still carrying powder from the HEAL Color Splash and black t-shirts bearing the Cosmic Run logo. 

My sister and I drove to pick up Veronica from her townhouse which was still in the various stages of packing late Saturday evening in mid-October. I remember it being quite overcast and a bit chilly that night. We would drive through a small rain shower to Waldorf where the event was being held. By the end of the night?

It was still cool and mist settled over, which felt refreshing after running three miles. 

I wish I could say I have fond memories of this night. To say the least, I have mixed feelings. I enjoyed the opportunity to run beside my best friend and share the experience of a first 5K with my sister, but beyond that, the rest of the evening remains my least favorite of our runs together. No two races are alike, nor created equal. Having seen photos of friends and fellow runners complete the Electric Run, I looked forward to this event and the experience of running at night surrounded by lights and music. What would greet us instead, was a three-mile course located in and around the parking lot of a small baseball stadium with less than epic conditions advertised. 

The start of the race ended up being delayed due to the combination of the less than epic weather and being difficult to find. Once the race was underway, we found ourselves running through color and light stations spaced approximately a quarter mile apart. The amount of light effects became increasingly dynamic towards the end of the event, especially at the finish, but I was left wanting more. The added difficultly came with such spread out elements of light - running in the dark can be quite unsafe. We found ourselves running towards oncoming traffic and tripping over several hazards including extension cords and road debris. 

What was even more suprising was how well we did that night - we ended up finishing almost ten minutes ahead of our previous race times. The end of the race culminated in a hall of colored lights and black-light reactive powder that made for fun photos. After crossing the finish line, we treated ourselves to bottled water, CLIF granola bars (YUM!) and other treats. We had the option of staying for a concert/after party, but with the wet grounds and long drive ahead of us, we opted not to stay. Instead, we headed to a nearby WaWa to feast on made-to-order sandwiches. We spent the drive home noshing on our treats and discussing the experience. When it came time to drop Veronica off, we said our teary goodbyes and I drove away, not knowing when we would see one another, much less run together, again. 

I wish I could say I look back on this night fondly, but I don't. The Cosmic Run ended up being a disappointment on several levels, but the hardest part came from knowing it was the last night I would run alongside my best friend. I was terrified that this would be not only the last time I would get to run with her, but also the end of running.  Veronica and I had started running together and found a new passion but now with her moving,

I wasn't sure I would continue. But I did - we did. We discovered the Disney Princess Half Marathon series and dreamed of running alongside one another again. Almost a year and a half later, here we are. 

We've both continued to run in our respective states, 5Ks and half-marathons. We've continued to cheer one another on via text message and Facebook. We've started documenting our running experiences and grown together in our journey with this blog. As I finish writing this, Veronica and I are lying in bed, in a shared hotel room with our husbands in Orlando after a long day of traveling. Tomorrow, we will venture over to the Disney Princess Expo to pick up our race bibs and assorted goodies. What is slowly starting to sink in - the day after tomorrow will mark the start of the Enchanted 10K and the first of two back-to-back races in the Glass Slipper Challenge. The best part of it all, I'll be running alongside Veronica in costume, taking the next step in our runningjourney  together. I can't wait.