Baby steps

With roughly 30 days to go to the start of The Glass Slipper a Challenge I'm starting to get anxious.  Training is going well, but my goals are so big, that I'm concerned I won't be able to achieve them.  The weekend before Glass Slipper I am running the A1A Half Marathon in Lauderdale, where I am going for a half PR on a relatively fast course.  I've run several long runs in the 1:42 range, which would be a two minute PR, so that seems within my grasp.

The Enchanted 10k is going to be my focus during Princess Half Weekend.  I REALLY want to go sub 45 for my 10 k, and if I can do that I have a chance of placing top three in my age group, which has been my dream for awhile.  So I'm putting pressure on myself just a little bit.

So I've been really aggressive with my training, running paces that many probably wouldn't encourage.  I always feel better if I'm running runs, especially the faster ones, closer to goal paces.  I have gone into races training the traditional way- with slowwwwww easy runs dominating my mileage and have felt flat at the start line.  I trained aggressively for last year 's Enchanted 10k, got a 2:00 PR, and came in fifth in my age group.  So I figured I would try that again this year.

I jumped on my treadmill last night after teaching, ready to go for a fast progressive tempo run.  I like to do pace/quicker runs on the treadmill so I can maintain my pace through out, especially when it's icy and snowy.  I honestly don't mind the treadmill.  I turned my DVR to this week's Biggest Loser and off I went.  

I was pretty happy when I hit 6.3 and saw 44:33!  That's the second time I've gone under 45:00, beating my last time by :26.  Totally where I want to be right now!  Fingers crossed my runs continue to go well so I can build the confidence I need to nail my upcoming races!

Tempo run on the treadmill

Dreams and Goals

Sometimes I don't like to speak my dreams out loud.  It makes me nervous and makes me feel almost vulnerable, like I'm telling a deep dark secret about myself, which I guess I am in a way.  Revealing a dream is like giving away a little piece of myself, a little hope of the things that I'd like to achieve... And to reveal that seems scary.  Especially if you fail.  

 But I've decided to change this mindset, thinking that if I share my goals it will hold me more accountable towards them and help me achieve them by driving me to work.  So here goes...

1.) 2016 miles in 2016.  This goal is the least scary to share.  I've done 2500+ in a year so I know I can do this.  Thus just requires that I stay injury free (knock on wood) and that I make sure I stay disciplined as far as getting runs in.

2.) go sub 1:40 in the half.  I've got A LOT of halves planned this year.  I've had two training runs where I've gone sub 1:42:30, which will already be a 2:00 PR if I can replicate in a race, so I am being optimistic.

3.) get a sub 21:00 5 k.  This one makes me more nervous because I would need to take 1:30 off my 5  k time, but I really want to try this year.

4.) place at a Disney race.  I know- you can't control the performances of those around you, but I keep coming closer- I was :35 off of one last year.  Maybe this year will be it.  I've got Glass Slipper and Pixie Dust Challenges (yea pink c2c!) to try, and hopefully Wine and Dine in Nov.

5.). This is the one that scares me the most: qualify to the Boston.  After completing the Dopey Challenge in 2014, I had said I probably wouldn't do another marathon until I thought I could qualify to Boston.  Well the running calculators predict it with my current unofficial training times, so I'm thinking by the end of the year I could be on my way, especially if I'm on target with my other goals.  So there it is- I'm hoping to get the qualifying time for the 2018 Boston Marathon.

What kind of goals does everyone have for 2016?  Any running plans?  

And on that note I now feel compelled to go run....

Wine and Dine... The Half Marathon that wasn't

Chef Donald Ready to serve!

Just Goofy-ing around

We spent a lot of time lounging before the race.  Being the hubbie's first half, he was a little nervous, so we skipped any parks and just laid low.  We caught one of the first busses out of our resort and got to the staging area relatively early with plenty of time to enjoy the festivities.  I love getting prerace pics with the characters since I generally don't stop during the race, so I dragged him through line after line.  Luckily the DJ provided enough entertainment, including a lip sync battle to keep us entertained, while we waited for our give seconds with each character.

Acting cool with Minnie

We continuously were checking the radar, but nothing too bad seemed to be popping up.  We dropped our stuff off at bag check, hit up the porta potties and prepared to how to our corrals.  Only we didn't get to how out because bad weather was approaching.  Of course I had just checked the big garbage bags I had brought.

We stood waiting for awhile when we were finally told we needed to evacuate.  Suddenly more than 13,000 people were being herded from the road in front of WWOS to the baseball diamond.  Why not put all these people in an open space with rough weather on the way.

It was slow going and about 15-20 minutes later we were finally by the buildings.  They decided to start sending people into the covered buildings so luckily we didn't have to stand outside like many others.  We waited a long time with very little communication from Run Disney.  Many people were anxious because now our nutrition and bathroom schedules were disrupted as the race start time came and went.  Finally we were released in one big mob back to the staging area.  

We didn't know what was going on as we went back until someone said that a Run Disney had tweeted that the race was starting in 10 minutes on a shortened course.  I was back in the porta pottie line and was in corral A, so this stressed me out.  People around me began griping about a shortened course and my heart went out yo those who were planning their first half, only to have that snatched away.  

Standing in corral A when Run Disney made the official announcement that the course would basically be cut in half was not pretty.  As many were serious runners, there was some anger that they wouldn't get to run the full course that they had trained for.  But, between the weather coming in and the heat/humidity, Run Disney was doing what they thought was best.  Sadly a person had died early that day at a race not too far due to heat issues, so I'm sure that had Disney nervous.  I wasn't thrilled, but was trying to stay positive- at least they didn't just cancel the race and we were still going to run my favorite parts- including the last time through the Osborne lights.

Did someone say party?

It was hot and humid and I went out wayyyyy to fast for the shortened course.  I hung on, feeding off the sites (like the amazing turn to the Osborne Lights) and the crowds of people, and I finished with an ok time.  I waited for the hubs at the finish, cheering him on as he crossed.  He was immensely disappointed that he didn't get to do his first half, but we tried to make lemons out of lemonade- at least we were fresher for the post race party!

"painting" with water

They had a band playing this year and I wasn't totally thrilled with the music selection.  I wanted some good pop selections to dance around to as we ate and drank our way around the world.  There were TONS of people there this year, most likely a combination of the lack of downpour that plagued the previous year's party, and the shortened course.  One of my favorite parts is that I finally got to watch one of the cast members make drawings using a broom and water outside the place with the beer flights.  It was pretty nest to see!

Not too long after that we decided it was time to head back to the resort.  We like to stay at the Beach Club, which is awesome because you can just walk back... There's no having to wait for busses or anything like that.

Overall it was still a great experience.  I was definitely disappointed that if was shortened.  Not only was I hoping to set a new half PR, but I felt so bad for all of those who didn't get to run their first halves.  But the party was still fun and we still got to run the best parts of the course, so I'm still glad we were there.  Now my husband's first half will just have to be the A1A half in Lauderdale in Feb.