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Star Wars Dark Side 5k Flashback

by Melanie Adams

Welcome to Star Wars Dark Side Half Marathon Weekend!

It’s runDisney race week again! This time it’s the Star Wars Rival Run Weekend, and no, I’m not going. I broke up with running, remember? However, since I never shared my race recap, I thought it was high time for a flashback to the only time I’ve ever participated in this weekend. Allow me to take you back to the 2017 Dark Side 5k.

I love these photo opportunities at the expo.

This is one runDisney weekend that was never really on my radar. I don’t know why because I’ve been a fan of Star Wars for as long as I can remember, starting way back with A New Hope. I remember being terrified of Darth Vader as a child. To help calm me down, my parents told me the ones in white are the heroes and always win. The ones in black are the bad guys and always lose. I was confused because, Stormtroopers. They had to explain they were the exception. I wasn’t so sure.

Anyway, back to the race. Flashback to two years ago. At some point before the 5k sold out, it dawned on me that I was going to be there for the 5k and 10k. We had a cruise booked (shocker!) that was leaving the day of the 10k and we had planned on going to Epcot the day before, which was the same day as the 5k. Wait, what?! Hello, lightbulb! I thought long and hard about both races but ultimately settled on the 5k only. We like to get to the port as early as they will let us in the parking garage, and I didn’t want to hold us back.

So, Operation Costume Planning was in full swing. This was one of my favorite costumes ever, and soooooo cheap, too! I was Captain Phasma. It was a Dark Side race after all, back in the day.

“Flat me” as Captain Phasma

My approach to runDisney race costumes has evolved to become a nod to the character I’m trying to represent as opposed to a dead ringer, so to speak. I already had the Sparkle Skirt from my Hades costume for the final Tower of Terror 10 Miler (can we please take a moment of silence in memory of this awesome event?) as well as the gray tech shirt. I purchased a child’s Captain Phasma costume on the Shop Disney website during one of their Twice Upon A Year sales for super cheap, like $10 or something, essentially free. Disney math, yo! From that, I attached the mask to a Sparkle Athletic visor and used the cape. I also took the belt from the costume and pinned it to the waistline of my skirt. I found out my friend Andrea was also registered, and I shared what I had planned with her so we could be matchy-matchy. I do love when people are matchy-matchy at these events, and I love it even more when I get to be matchy-matchy!

The morning of the race came, and I got up in the middle of the night, as runDisney racers do.

Zero dark thirty, the worst part of these races

I was thrilled to see my girl, Captain Phasma as a pre-race photo character.

Me as Captain Phasma with Captain Phasma

I found Andrea, and we collectively became a trio of Phasmas.

Andrea and I together with Captain Phasma collectively became a trio of Phasmas.

That line was looooooong, y’all! That was the only pre-race photo I got. That’s ok, though, because I stopped for ALL the photos on course.

The first stop was the Ewoks. I die of the cuteness!

Up next was the Emperor’s Chair.

R2D2 was next and had the longest line. Also, I have no clue what’s happening here.

Up next was Chewbacca and another long line.

Next came Ezra and Sabine. I got an oddly placed shadow as a bonus.

Next came a photo opp in front of Spaceship Earth. There was a Photopass Photographer here, otherwise I would have skipped it.

Finally, Stormtroopers. There was no Photopass Photographer here so I was glad I had my phone.

Stopping for ALL the photos means a lot of stop and go, and a really looooooong 5k. I think it took me around 2 hours to finish.

After the race, it was time to get cleaned up and meet my family for a fun day at Epcot.

Fun with Mickey and family

One of the best things about race weekends is seeing friends you don’t get to see throughout the year. My friend Aimee was in town for the other races, and I met her later for dinner at Flying Fish at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Villas.

Pre-dinner drinks at Abracadabar and dinner at Flying Fish was a delicious way to celebrate the day.

Later, we strolled around World Showcase in Epcot tasting a few of the libations from the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.

Drinking around World Showcase is always a good idea.

It really was the best day ever, and I think the fact that the race was so impromptu, as impromptu as a runDisney race can be, made it even better.

My attempt at an artsy medal photo

As always, I’ll be following along, living vicariously through the participants from the comfort of my couch. I wish the best of luck and lots of fun to everyone making their way to the Galaxy. May the Force be with you!

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I Broke Up with Running

by Melanie Adams

This week thousands of princesses will converge upon Walt Disney World Resort for Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. Normally, I’d be one of them. Right about now I’d be stalking the weather and making any needed adjustments to my costume, packing, messaging with my fellow princess friends and excitedly making any last minute plans. I’d be studying the course map, meticulously calculating how much extra time I would have for photo stops and strategizing my potty breaks. I’d be filled with nostalgia of races gone by, almost teary-eyed thinking of seeing my fellow princesses again. Not this year, though.

It was “A Whole New World” in 2013 when I finished my first Disney Princess Half Marathon.

I broke up with running. After seven years, we called it quits with a clean break after last year’s race.

My relationship with running started off hot and heavy as all great relationships do. We met multiple times a week, consistently and faithfully for the first few years. We had good days and bad days, and some of our dates were longer than others. Some days I was giddy with love for the sport and others I questioned my sanity. I was committed to making it work, however, and I did just that for several years.

Then running hurt me. I developed Achilles tendinitis and went through months of physical therapy. We took a break. We grew apart, and I lost that loving feeling.

I finished in 2016, even though my training had been a little “sad.”

I tried hard to find my love again, mostly because of my love for my princesses, which never wavered. We were on again, off again for the next few years, but running continued to hurt me. I developed mild arthritic knee pain that showed its ugly face with distances over 5 miles. However, I decided I could still enjoy my princess weekends by dropping my distance down to the 10k. This was a great idea and served me well in 2017.

The Enchanted 10k of 2017 was just the right distance.

Then in 2018, I succumbed to peer pressure and registered for the half again.

I had plenty of time to train and tried really hard to talk myself into it. Time passed all too quickly and before I knew it, I was packing, having logged zero miles since the Enchanted 10k of 2017. Zero! Yet, I found myself at the starting line willing to accept whatever the course had in store for me that day.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Finish Line

I snapped this photo of the finish line before the race started because I thought there was a real chance this was the only time I would see it that day.

I do not recommend this. At all! If you are reading this and thinking, hey I can do a half marathon with no training at all, please pay close attention to what I’m about to say next. Don’t do it! Just don’t.

I finished. Miserably. But I finished. I legit thought I might never walk again by the time I made it back to our hotel room. The pain, though! Oh, the pain!

Smiling through the pain

One of my roomies and I had prepaid reservations to the Star Wars Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party later that night, and I didn’t think there was any way possible I was going to make it. She was my cheerleader and helped me rally by feeding me a steady stream of wine coupled with Tylenol alternated with Advil. I made it to the party by keeping myself as numbed as I could.

Thankfully, Tinkerbell sprinkled me with Pixie Dust and I made it to the party.

It was a great way to celebrate the end of my running chapter.

I vowed that day to never run again. I was done with the on again, off again relationship. I knew a clean break was in order. Yes, I’m aware that if I had actually trained, my experience would have been better. Yet, I couldn’t even make myself like it enough, even a little, to do it. So, with that, we were done.

It’s now been a year, and these days I’m in a new relationship. Orangetheory Fitness and I have been together for over a year now, and we are seeing each other much more frequently than running and I ever did. I get more out of it than I ever got from running, too. I have muscle definition I’ve never had, and I’m at the lowest weight I’ve been since my 20s.

Orangetheory Fitness is my new love, along with the amazing coaches there.

Every now and then thoughts of running start to creep back into my head, as exes often do. I think about lacing my shoes up and heading out for a few miles just to see how the asphalt feels beneath my feet. That’s a slippery slope, though.

Still, the thing I never accomplished continues to nag at me at times, the marathon. Unfortunately, so does my arthritic knee pain. I know running and I don’t have a future.

Newbie princesses, perfect princesses and all princesses in between are going to have the time of their lives this weekend. I’ll be following along on social media from the comfort of my couch. I’m excited for everyone who will be there and look forward to living vicariously through them. I can honestly say, though, that I do not have FOMO. That chapter in my life is over, and I’m totally ok with that.

The Incredibles photo stop at Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

An “Incredible” photo stop on course. Also, who is this girl? I barely recognize her now.

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What I Ate (and Drank) at Epcot International Food and Wine Festival

by Melanie Adams

Runners and walkers from all over the world will soon converge at Walt Disney World Resort for runDisney’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend. The only fall east coast runDisney event is also not-so-coincidentally the final weekend of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Given that it’s fast-approaching, I thought now would be a good time to share what I enjoyed at this year’s Festival.

Epcot International Food and Wine Festival

Let’s start with my faves beginning with a cocktail, shall we? My favorite beverage just happened to hail from France, La Passion Martini Slush. This comes as no surprise since the France Pavilion is known for their martini slushes. In fact, I’ve never met a French martini slush I didn’t like. They do them up right! The Festival edition consists of Grey Goose Le Citron vodka and cranberry and passion fruit juices. Tre bien!

La Passion Martini Slush from France

Up next is my favorite savory item, the Grilled Beef Skewer with Romaine, Apricots and Feta Cheese. This one comes from the Chew Collective. This is one that I would love to recreate at home. The beef was tender and full of flavor with a light marinade. The apricots were grilled and caramelized, and their sweetness was perfectly offset by the saltiness of the feta cheese.

Grilled beef skewer

And my favorite dessert goes to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Raspberry Torte from The Chocolate Studio. This was a very generous portion that could easily be shared. Thankfully, I didn’t have to. This was a rich and creamy dark chocolate ganache filling a crisp chocolate crust with a few whole raspberries sprinkled in. Y’all, this was definitely one of the top ten desserts I’ve had in my life.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Raspberry Torte from The Chocolate Studio

As I was basking in my chocolate heaven, wondering how on earth I was ever going to recreate this at home, I noticed this.

Ahhhh…the recipe!

Um, that’s the recipe, y’all! Even better, it looks pretty easy. I will be attempting this.

Also found in The Chocolate Studio was probably my biggest disappointment of the Festival, the Liquid Nitro Chocolate Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey Caramel.

It’s science!

It’s basically chocolate mousse flash-frozen right before your very eyes in a bath of liquid nitrogen, drizzled with warm caramel and sprinkled with an almond nougat crumble. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? And it might have been had it not been my most anticipated dish from last year. This was my very favorite thing last year. I craved it all year and was thrilled when I saw it back in the line-up. However, it didn’t live up to my memory and was quickly replaced by the torte.

Rounding out The Chocolate Studio offerings was the Red Wine Chocolate Truffle.

Red Wine Truffle

As you can see, this thing was coated in cocoa powder. Waaaaaaaaaay too much cocoa powder. The truffle within was a quality dark chocolate truffle with a smooth, yet dense center. I could not detect the red wine, however. I enjoyed it, although it’s not something I would repeat if given the chance.

Back in France, I’m never disappointed, not by the food, the drink or the Cast Members. I had the Beef Bourguignon with Mashed Potatoes. Can’t you just hear Julia Child say, “boof?”

“Boof”

The beef was tender and savory with a rich wine sauce that I would have been perfectly happy drinking out of a glass. The potatoes were nothing to write home about, but nicely helped offset the richness of the “boof.”

Since I mentioned how nice the French Cast Members are, here’s this gem of a CM handing me a St. Germain Sparkling Kir, sparkling wine with St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur. Doesn’t he look super nice and friendly?

Such a nice Cast Member!

Brazil, in the spirit of the Olympics, was represented this year, and I tried this Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans and Tomato. It was rich but oh, so tasty.

Brazil represented with Crispy Pork Belly

To wash it down, I tried this Kaiser Brewery Xingu Black Beer. It was very dark and full of smoky flavor but very smooth. Yummy!

Black Beer

Rounding out what I was able to try at the Festival was the Loaded Mac and Cheese with Nueske’s Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers and Green Onions.

Loaded Mac and Cheese

This was rich and creamy, with a bit of a kick. It was a very generous portion that I recommend sharing.

With it, I ordered the Florida Orange Groves Mango Mama Wine. What a fun name! It tasted exactly as I expected, very sweet and light with a hint of mango.

Mango Mama Wine

All good things must come to an end and such is the case with the Festival. I never get to enjoy as much of it as I want, but it’s always a joy. As I left the park one night, this was my sight.

Goodnight, Epcot! Until next time!

I was reminded how lucky I am to live in a free country where all this fancy food is a real luxury, as is the vacation itself.

What was your favorite Festival dish?

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runDisney Releases 2016 Race Schedule

by Melanie Adams

runDisney released its 2016 race schedule, complete with registration dates yesterday. A few things to note are the races which have been the subjects of many rumors lately.

The Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend is returning, thus squelching all rumors that 2015 is the last year. Almost certainly it will feature a new course due to the impending extensive construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. One of the highlights of this race, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, is in its last year, however, so it will be interesting to see what changes the organizers have in store.

Notably absent for the second year is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler Weekend. Rumors continue that this will return at some point in the future as another half marathon weekend, possibly with a challenge. It makes sense, right? 13.1 miles for a 13-story drop.

Currently, my only runDisney race plans for 2016 include Princess Half Marathon Weekend. Some friends and I have a huge girls weekend planned around that. After all, runDisney races are perfect for that.

What are your runDisney race plans for next year?

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runDisney Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler Race Recap Part 1

by Melanie Adams

It’s hard to believe that the runDisney Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler (#Tower10Miler) was over a month ago! This was the second time I’ve been lucky enough to run this one, and it stands as the only runDisney event I’ve ever repeated. In fact, other than this, there are only 2 local 5ks I’ve repeated. I guess I’m not really one to repeat races, but my experience in 2012 with the #Tower10Miler was so bad it almost made me stop running. I needed redemption. Did I find it? Hmmmmm, I’m not too sure, but I did have a much better experience so there’s that.

My issues with this race in 2012 were partly runDisney’s fault and partly not. The expo was awesome and more than exceeded my expectations! It was a great first impression as this was my first runDisney event. The event staging area and event transportation were also huge hits! The corrals were much more organized and closer to the drop-off than I thought they would be. There were even port-a-potties in each corral, which was awesome. However, it was all downhill from there. The heat and humidity really got to me and made for a miserable night. Also, I felt the entertainment and course theming were lacking, even for a newbie like me. Fast forward to 2013, and from reports I read and heard, course theming and entertainment had really been stepped up. When registration opened for 2014, the event date coincided with an already-planned family vacation so adding this on to the beginning seemed like a good idea.

I went into this event ridiculously under trained. I considered bailing at least a hundred times. I just couldn’t let it go, though, and I’m so glad I didn’t.

I didn’t arrive until Saturday morning, so the expo had already been open for a day when I got there.

The expo was practically empty when I got there Saturday morning.

I did arrive shortly after it opened on Saturday, which was right after the Happy Haunted 5k. I enjoyed seeing all those runners with their cute Hitchhiking Ghosts medallions and all the cute costumes. The kids races were about to get underway, too, so there was a lot of hustle, bustle, and excitement in the air, perfect for setting the stage. The expo, on the other hand, was completely empty. This worked to my benefit because my first order of business was getting the special runDisney New Balance shoes. I wanted both the Minnie and the Cinderella ones and anticipated long lines. However, I walked right up and 5 minutes later had my shoes in hand! Next up was merchandise. My only complaint about the event is that they were out of almost all merchandise. I only got an “I Did It!” t-shirt, and had to settle for men’s at that. I don’t understand why they can’t get the merchandise right. They either have way too much and lots ends up in the outlets weeks later or they run out very early, and late-comers don’t get anything. I’ve even heard reports of things being sold out at the expo, only to show up in the outlets weeks later. What’s up with that? I digress. My next stop was the KT booth for the special Minnie KT tape. I’m a sucker for all the things I can only get at a runDisney expo. I needed tape anyway, so what of it? Next I stopped at the Florida Hospital booth to pick up my free draw string bag. Have I mentioned I love bags? I do. All types of drink ware and bags are totally my thing! My dad came to the expo on a later bus than I did, so next I met up with him, picked up my bib, had a cute runDisney Instagram photo taken, picked up my shirt, and started to make our way back to the buses.

I love that runDisney offers these special photo ops for free. You just have to show them you follow runDisney on Instagram.

On the way back, I noticed the beer carts were selling beer in cute runDisney cups. I didn’t want beer at 9 am on the morning of a long race so I stopped to see if they would sell me just the cup (hello, drink ware!). They did, and $4 later we were on our way back to the buses for real this time.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where I’ll share my experience with the race itself.

Have you ever seen an almost-empty runDisney expo?

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runDisney #Tower10Miler Costume Reveal

by Melanie Adams

It’s here, y’all! The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler is this Saturday! Squeeeee!!!! Costumes are a HUGE part of any runDisney race, and this one is unique because of the villains theme.

I tossed around several costume options before landing on my final one. I really wanted to do a group theme with my Princess Posse girls but our initial idea wasn’t coming together. So, I decided to go out on my own and go as one of the villains. I had already purchased most of the elements for my costume when my group came up with a really cute matching outfit idea. We had skirts custom-made by our friend Vicky with RUNWay Gear and we ordered super cute matching shirts. So, I ended up with TWO costumes and ONE race! It was such a hard decision to make but I ultimately could not let go of my villain. I really have no plans to ever run this race again (yes, I’ve said that before but I mean it this time, I think) and since this is the only villains themed race at present, it’s either now or never. I will have the opportunity to wear the other outfit in the future, even if I won’t be with my girls then.

So without further ado, I give you…………………………………………………………………………….

I’ll be Hades at the runDisney #Tower10Miler.

Hades!

I purchased the running skirt online and got the gray tech top from a mall department store. I bought the blue wig online and made all of the embellishments out of different colors of felt. Yes, I sewed them on myself. I’m no seamstress but I have a sewing machine and I’m not afraid to use it.

Since we are on the subject of costumes, I have a bonus one for you. I also plan to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, which is one of the few times adults are allowed in the parks dressed in costume. Because I had already purchased TWO running outfits for ONE race, I didn’t want to buy yet ANOTHER costume. So, that could only mean one thing, that it was time to dig in the closet and see what I could make with what I already owned.

I give you……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I’ll be Sulley at the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Sulley!

You may recognize the base of this as my Jasmine costume for Princess Half Marathon 2013. I spent a total of $2 on more felt with which to make purple polka dots to sew onto the skirt and top. My friend Bettina had this Sulley hat she no longer needed and gave it to me for the cost of shipping, $6. Mission: accomplished!

What are your costume plans?

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Packing For runDisney: Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler

by Melanie Adams

Welcome, y’all, to my stop on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler Virtual Blog Hop!

It’s getting closer!!! I’m talking about the runDisney Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler!

Tower of Terror 10 Miler

It’s only 2 and a half weeks away. How did that happen? That means it’s time to start packing, which is the inspiration for my part of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler Virtual Blog Hop.

American Tourister

The thing about a racecation is there are so many different elements to packing. First, you are packing for a vacation. Next, you are packing for a race. Third, if it’s a runDisney race, you also might want to give some thought about the gEAR bag (see what they did there?).

I’m sure you’ve taken many, many vacations and don’t really need any help with regular vacation packing. So, I’ll skip right to race packing. I have some rules about this.

Make lists! Sure, when you are running at home you probably have it down to an art. You have your stash of gels, you know exactly where your favorite socks are, you have your headphones and GPS watch right by your keys, and you grab water from the fridge on your way out. However, when you are hundreds or thousands of miles from home, it won’t be that easy. Make lists of what running gear you need to pack and also what you need to carry with you to the race itself. Trust me, if you don’t have the exact gel you’ve trained with, it will wreak havoc on your mental state.
Make sure you have everything you need for your runcation.
Bring more than you think you will need. This applies to socks, undies, gels, tape, even shoes if you have multiple pair you rotate through. Why? It’s happened to all of us! You put those tried and true socks on and something just doesn’t feel right. When you are at home, you can simply grab another pair. You pull out your favorite gel and, for some reason, you just aren’t feeling that flavor. At home, you grab another. Away from home that’s only possible if you brought extra.
Pack all your running gear in your carry on. This is very important! Do not tempt fate by putting your trusted running gear in your checked luggage. Yes, you can even pack your gels in your carry on. Call me crazy but I also don’t trust the resort baggage handlers with my running gear. It stays with me at all times until I get to my room.

Once you get settled into your accommodations, there is one more bag you might want to think about packing: your gEAR bag. At the expo, a runDisney gEAR bag will be part of your packet. How big is the bag? I get asked that a lot. I measured it just for you! It’s 17.5 inches by 24 inches.

runDisney gEAR bag

You will also get a sticker with a number on it to stick on the bag. Pro tip: the number on your sticker should match that of your bib. Check it closely before leaving the expo. If it does not match, head straight to runner relations.

This is where you’ll stick your sticker that should match your bib number.

Why do you want to pack a gEAR bag? If you are like me, there may be things you will want as soon as you finish. For me, it’s wipes, a Luna bar, and flip-flops. Bandages and deodorant are also smart additions. I usually pack a change of clothes, too. This is especially true of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler because runners get access to the Villains Bash after party at Hollywood Studios.

There are a few things to know about gEAR check for this particular race. First of all, where you check your bag will not be where you pick it up. You will check your bag in the parking lot of Hollywood Studios when you arrive for the start of the race. Just follow the signs. It will be well-marked. While you are making your way through the 10 mile course, your bag will magically be transported to the theater where the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is held. Bag pick up will be on the stage. Here’s where it gets, um, interesting for this race. You will finish the race in the backstage area behind the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. From there, you will be ushered back into the park by way of the walkways around the theater where Beauty and the Beast is performed. If you know anything at all about this park, you know these two areas are nowhere near each other. This means you will have to walk a ways across the park to get your bag. You will also have to tackle a few stairs in the theater when you pick up your bag. It’s really not that horrible. I mean, you just ran 10 miles. Surely you can walk across a theme park and take on a few stairs, right? It is something to be aware of, though. If you have family waiting for you at the party, an alternative is to just give your things to a family member and bypass gEAR check altogether. I’ve done this in the past for this race, and I plan to do it again this year, too.

If you do check a bag, here is where double checking your sticker comes into play. The volunteers working bag pick up will match your bag to your bib number. Make sure you are still wearing your bib when you go to get your bag. If the numbers don’t match, the volunteers will not be able to give your bag to you.

What if you lose your sticker before checking your bag? Or what if you forget your bag altogether? Not to worry! Volunteers working gEAR check will have extra bags and blank tags if the Villains decide to show up early to the party and throw a wrench in your plans.

You know the drill. An ounce of prevention yields a pound of care, and it’s really true when packing for runDisney. Have a great race! Say “hi” if you see me on the course!

The start of something EPIC! Any guesses?

Thanks for hopping on over to my blog. For the other posts in this virtual blog hop, click the Mickey runner below.

Virtual Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Blog Hop Directory

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Getting Ready to runDisney

by Melanie Adams

My next runDisney race, Tower of Terror 10 Miler, is coming up in, oh, about 2 months. Yikes! There is so, so, so, so much left to do! It can be overwhelming without a plan.

The thing is, runDisney races aren’t like your normal race in your home town where all you really have to do to prepare is train. No, runDisney races involve so much more!

Training, of course! I do not want the other details to overshadow what still is the most important part of getting ready for any race, training! You must have a plan. You must follow the plan. It just has to be done. But what if you find yourself, say, 2 months from the start line, way behind in training? I’m not talking about myself. Noooooooo! Well, maybe I’m talking about myself. Whatever you do, DON’T start where the training plan says you should be by now. For example, this past weekend’s long run was supposed to be 6 miles. If you are like me and are way behind, don’t do the 6 miles. It’s better to get to the start line healthy than not get to the start line at all or get to the start line injured. So, I’m adjusting the plan, and instead of getting up to a long run of 11 miles, like my original plan called for, I’ll back my longest run down to 8. What does this mean? It means the race won’t be quite as easy for me as it would have been if I were completely trained, and recovery may be a bit more uncomfortable, but it does not mean I should just throw in the towel and quit.
Training is important! More importantly, #LetMeTakeASelfie
Costumes! One of the things that makes runDisney events unique is that so many people have fun with dressing up in costume. It’s not as easy as heading to your local party store and picking out something like you would for a costume party. It still needs to be running-friendly, meaning made of breathable tech fabrics. Lots of people like to wear normal running clothes and throw a tutu on over it and call it a day. I say people because, yes, men do it, too. Don’t judge! Some people who are super-crafty go all-out and either have their costumes made or make it themselves. You’ll see a lot of group costumes, too. These can be anything from a group that has each person depict a character from a certain movie or even a group that all dresses alike. To be honest, I’ve never loved a costume I’ve done yet.
Does this even count as a costume?

This time is going to be different! To start with, I have an EPIC Disney Villain idea.

The start of something EPIC! Any guesses?

I already had all the elements purchased for it when some of my BRFs (best running friends) decided we should do a group thing. So, now I have 2 costumes and 1 race. What to do? Well, at least I have options. Time will tell which one I’ll be wearing.
Reservations! For most, runDisney races are more than races. They are racecations. That means making hotel reservations and sometimes even booking flights. If you stay at a host resort, runDisney makes transportation to all race events really easy. Plus, to me you just can’t beat staying on property.
Wilderness Lodge: my favorite!

Even if you are on a budget, you can find a competitively priced resort. The key, though, is to book early for the best selection! I cannot stress this enough. Race weekends bring in lots of people, and hotels book very quickly. The good news, though, is even if you didn’t plan ahead, there are a number of travel agents who have room blocks to sell. The downside to this is you may not get your first choice and you may not have a ton of flexibility when it comes to arrival or departure dates. The room blocks are often for the weekend only so if you are planning a long family trip before or after the race, this may not be an option. I go back to this: book early!
Dining! For Walt Disney World, dining reservations are accepted 6 months in advance (up to 180 days +10, to be exact, but I’ll have to save that explanation for another day). Believe it or not, for the most popular restaurants, you really do have to be on the phone or on a computer the second reservations open to even stand a chance of getting in. Of course, you might get lucky later on if there’s a cancellation but if there’s a place you really want to visit, you better be sitting on ready when the time comes. Since runners are often concerned with digestive issues leading up to a race, this will be something else to think about 6 months in advance.
You probably don’t want to eat this Mom’s Meatloaf Dinner from Prime Time Cafe the day of or the night before a race. Just Sayin’.

I hear you, though. Many of you have no idea where or what you’ll want to eat in 2 days, much less 6 months. If this degree of pre-planning isn’t for you, fine! There are a number of counter service places available, many of which rival some of the sit down restaurants. There will also be tables available somewhere. It might not be what you want or convenient to where you are at any given time, but you’ll have options.
Park Planning! This one kind of gives me a headache as of late. It used to be so easy. Back in the good ol’ days (up to about a year ago) your hardest decision was how many days your park hopper needed to be. Unless you had a dining reservation, you didn’t even have to decide what park you were going to until the day of. Those days are gone, unless you really don’t care what you see or do once you get to the park. Now they have these things called Magic Bands and Fast Pass+.
Magic Bands CAN be pretty magical, but the planning is anything but.

Your Magic Band contains your room key, tickets, charging ability, and your attraction fast passes. So 60 days before the first day of your trip, you’ll log on to My Disney Experience (explanation for another day), and schedule 3 fast passes per day of your trip. This means, if you don’t have a package, you will already need to have purchased your tickets and loaded them into your My Disney Experience. The kicker is that you can only schedule them in one park per day.

Fast Pass+ in My Disney Experience

Gasp! Hold on! They do allow additional passes to be scheduled in another park but you have to wait until your last pre-scheduled pass expires and you have to use a kiosk in the park where your additional one will be. Want the Cliff Notes version? Sorry, there really isn’t one. It kind of is as complicated as it sounds. I’ve had 3 trips since this new-fangled way of park planning was launched, and the rules weren’t exactly the same for any of them. My best tip for this is read, do your research, stay on top of it, and try not to lose your mind.
Packing! This is important.
American Tourister

First and foremost, it’s a race so do not forget your race essentials! Shoes, clothes, socks, underthings, and gadgets are all things you don’t want to have to figure out how to replace once you get there so double, triple, quadruple check that they are packed. Also, pack them in your carryon if you are flying. Unfortunately, lost baggage happens so don’t tempt fate by leaving these things in the care of the airline. It’s a vacation, too, so pack all the things you would normally pack for a regular Disney trip, also.

#PackMoreFun

Whew! See what I mean? Lots to get done and not really a lot of time to do it in. Training is my top priority at the moment, and then the park planning will begin next week. I’ve already told my family to expect a lot of crankiness once that process begins. Once it’s done, though, I’ll be ready to relax and have a great race and a great vacation.

What’s your next runDisney event?

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RUNway Gear and Giveaway

by Melanie Adams

I don’t know about you but I like to wear cute athletic gear when I work out. One of my favorite things is running skirts. I like to feel like a girl, even when sweating. Plus, the skirts cover up my, um, backside. Those of you who know me also know that I love theme races so I can run in costume. That’s one of the things I like about Disney races. As soon as I’ve registered for a race that lends itself to a costume, I get to planning. Here is where my friend Vicky comes in.

RUNway Gear

Vicky has an Etsy shop called RUNway Gear, and she makes the most adorable running costumes. If you can dream it, she can do it! Some of the things she has made in the past include Mrs. Potato Head, a cowgirl, Jessica Rabbit, coronation Anna from Frozen, Dopey, and a NASA space suit for the Spacecoast Marathon, just to name a few.

Bettina as Mrs. Potato Head

Vicky in her NASA space suit ready for Spacecoast Marathon

Bettina as a Cowgirl

Dopey

She also makes super cute skirts either for racing or just training.

Love this cute skirt from RUNway Gear

She sources out the cutest fabrics, and if you are looking for something in particular, she will stop at nothing to help you find it. And yes, the fabrics she uses are suitable for athletic wear so no worries there. She also makes headbands and can even customize them for you. She can use the same fabric as she uses in her skirts if you like to be matchy-matchy (me) or she can embroider most anything you’d like on them.

Vicky can embroider what you want to make a custom headband for you or your team.

I can see this working out great for cheer and dance teams, too. She even makes other things runners would like such as lounge pants (hello comfort after a cold run), dish towels, and coffee sleeves.

Comfy lounge pants

Kitchen Gifts for the runner

Coffee Sleeves

Check out her Etsy shop here. She also recently launched her Facebook page so be sure to check that out here.

Vicky has been generous enough to offer up one of her headbands for one of my readers.

One lucky ready will win this headband from RUNway Gear.

You can enter by clicking the Rafflecopter link below. Sweepstakes is open to US residents with a US shipping address only and is void where prohibited. All entries are subject to verification. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 8 and there are daily entries available. Good luck!

Disclosure: Vicky is a friend of mine and is providing a headband free to one reader. I have not been provided any products for free nor have I been compensated in any way. As always, all opinions are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My Quest For Half Fanatics Part Two–runDisney Wine and Dine

by Melanie Adams

In case you missed part 1, which was the Memphis Greenline Half, you can find that recap here.

I was so incredibly excited for this race for a few reasons. First of all, Wine and Dine was my inspiration race, the reason I started running in the first place. Some of you already know the back story but in case you don’t, here is the short version. I was at Walt Disney World Resort in October of 2011. I arrived the same day as that year’s Wine and Dine Half and saw all the preparations being made the afternoon of the race. The next day I saw lots of people walking around with their medals and wished I could do that. After I got home, I did some research and decided to make that wish a reality. I was determined to run in the 2012 Wine and Dine Half, which was scheduled for October but later moved to November to accommodate the inaugural Tower of Terror 10 Miler. I did the 10 miler instead and resigned myself to never getting to do Wine and Dine until one night in Spring of 2013 when I found myself in front of my computer registering anyway.

Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon

The other main reason for my extreme excitement was where we were staying–Beach Club!

Disney’s Beach Club

I had never stayed at Beach Club but I got a really, really, really good rate on it, and the fact that it’s located just steps away from the Wine and Dine after party made it a deal I could not turn down! I had always wanted to stay at Beach Club because of its proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios (but mainly Epcot) so I was stoked.

Wine and Dine is a bit different from other runDisney half marathons in that it is at night, starting at 10 pm. Since I had done Tower of Terror, which is also a night race, I was better prepared for the challenge of a night race. So on the morning of November 9, 2013 I got up, had a sensible breakfast at the France pastry shop in Epcot, went back to the resort and chilled by the pool for a few hours.

Relaxing By the Pool

Then I took a nap and at some point I also ate a turkey sandwich for lunch that I had purchased at the France pastry shop that morning. My parents were out enjoying Epcot so I texted them to pick up a cheese plate for me also at the France pastry shop. That was my dinner along with some sliced apples I had picked up at the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party the night before, some crackers, and a Luna bar. Normally I wouldn’t go into such great detail about what I ate before a race but with it being a night race lots of people ask how to eat during the day.

Ready to head out to the busses!

Around 7 pm I headed to the buses to go to the start line.

Transportation Information

Yes, 7 pm for a 10 pm start. It really does take that long to get everyone there and in place. Busses for runners only run between 7 and 8, and I wanted to be on an earlier one. As soon as I got there I noticed 3 long lines right down the middle of the staging area. I correctly guessed they were character lines but I could not tell who they were for. I jumped in one and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Until finally I saw I was in line for Chef Goofy.

Me with Chef Goofy

The other lines were Chef Minnie and Chef Mickey. Once I got my photo with Goofy it was time to meet some of my Princess Posse friends for our group photo.

Princess Posse Friends

We sat around chatting for a bit, listening to the DJ, and trying to relax.

I can’t believe people were actually dancing before a half marathon.

Before long it was time to head to the corrals. I stopped at the potty then took my place. Shortly thereafter, off we went!

Each corral got their own fireworks start.

Wine and Dine Start Line, complete with bubbles coming out of the champagne glass

We headed toward Animal Kingdom and took a quick loop around the park. I loved the light up elephant tusks that welcomed us into the park. I also loved seeing Everest all lit up at night. Unfortunately I did not take any photos on the course so, sadly, I have nothing to show you. This part was very dark and crowded so I really had to watch my step. After leaving Animal Kingdom we headed back down Osceola Parkway toward Hollywood Studios. This is the part that really made this race seem short to me. It felt like we approached Hollywood Studios way earlier than I had anticipated. So the last half of the race was filled with things to keep my mind occupied, and it flew by.

Running through the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights in Hollywood Studios is the highlight for many during this race, and it did not disappoint. You do have to run through the Studios for quite a bit before getting to them, though. This only added to the anticipation of it for me and made it that much better when I finally got there. Shortly after the lights, it was time to exit the Studios and head for the Boardwalk area between Studios and Epcot. It was right at the exit of Studios that I had my biggest regret of the race. I did not stop for a pic with Darth Vader. The line was fairly short and I should have stopped. I don’t know why I didn’t because it was the only pic I really wanted.

After exiting Studios, we ran along the path between Studios and Epcot and even ran right past the Beach Club. I thought I might be tempted to stop at the hotel and just go to bed by that point, but nope! I was still going strong. We then ran through some backstage areas of Epcot before heading through Future World and out the front of the park towards the finish line.

At the finish line area I got my medal, food box, water, Powerade, banana, and my beer. Wine and Dine is the only runDisney race that gives runners alcohol at the finish. You get your choice of beer or wine. Then it was time to head back to the entrance of Epcot for the after party, which was happening in World Showcase. I took one look at how far away I was from the entrance, thought about how far Future World was from where I was standing, and almost wished I could just grab a bus back to my hotel. I knew my parents were waiting for me at the after party so I just sucked it up and started walking. I did text my mom to have my dad meet me as close to the entrance as he could so I could get my flip-flops and compression calf sleeves from him. I don’t check a bag when my parents are there since my dad can just stash some of my things in his back pack. This is one race that I wish I had, though. I could have had my flip-flops and compression sleeves much sooner had I checked my bag there.

Once I got to the after party, I saw they were selling race merchandise. I was hopeful that they were also selling the race banners from the displays at the expo.

See the “I Did It” banners hanging in the expo? I got one of those!

Luckily they were, and I got the last “I Did It” banner. I will figure out a place to hang that at some point in the future. Dad and I met up with my mom, and I really didn’t want anything to eat. I drank my beer and chatted with a few other runners. Shortly thereafter I decided I would rather just go back to the room than fight the crowds for food and rides. I always end up wishing I had stayed longer. This was no exception but at that moment, leaving was what I wanted to do.

I really loved my Wine and Dine experience! I do wish I had taken some photos along the course and stopped for Darth Vader. If I ever do this race again I will check my bag so I can get to my stuff quickly. Like always, I wish I had stayed at the party longer. While it lacked the magic that Princess Half Marathon had, I think I like the course better. It goes through 3 of the 4 parks so there is quite a bit to look at.

With that, I was two-thirds of the way towards my goal of becoming a Half Fanatic. Just to review, that’s 3 half marathons in 90 days. The third was coming up in just four weeks, the Memphis St. Jude Half Marathon. If you’ve been following along, you already know what happened with that race. It was cancelled due to an ice storm. My goal of becoming a half fanatic was all but gone. Or was it? Check back soon for part 3 of my quest and see if I was successful.

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Square Life Round World

I'm navigating through this round world while living a square life, and it fits exactly as it should.

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