Reminiscing on that time when I used to....

....make my own training plans after coming back from an injury that sidelined me for 3 months! I'm thinking back to the Star Wars 1/2 Marathon that I did in April 2016 after coming back from Achilles Tendonitis and having a PRP injection 8 months prior. This was back when I didn't really follow training plans, ran just for fun (nothing wrong with this!), had no expectations for myself, and really never thought that training for a race would improve my time (ohhh I was SO wrong!).

This was my first race that I traveled to and really wanted to have a PR, but most importantly have fun! I was really excited to be back at Disney after having not been since I was 11 and was training for my second marathon at the time (I was using the Jeff Galloway's marathon training plan and only running 3 days a week). 

After having been in a boot for 3 weeks after my PRP injection (more on this in a future post), I was OK'd to begin a run-walk method and this kept me busy until late October when I could finally run for 3 miles+ at a time! I thought that the Jeff Galloway training plan really suited me where I was in my training cycle (it's longer than other training plans- maybe 18 or 20 weeks?), so I began training for my June race in January. I had two 45 minute runs a week and one long run. I did cross-training the other days. It was a great plan to get me back into running (and I ended up getting a PR in my marathon in June), however I still had absolutely NO clue that you needed to have 'easy' run days vs 'speedwork' vs 'tempo' run days. So needless to say, I was not in shape to PR in the half in April at Disney and they also had a heat advisory that weekend, so even if I was in great running shape, a PR probably wouldn't have been in the cards anyways. 

Here are some things I took away from using the Jeff Galloway Training plan:

• It was a great 'introductory' plan for beginning any race distance or coming back from an injury. I got to the starting line with just one expectation- to finish and stay healthy during training. I did both and got a PR!
• It's really easy to fit in 3 runs/ run-walks a week. This was so great when I was working 50+ hours a week!
• If you are just wanting to finish and have fun with a race, this is a great plan for you
• If you are not new to running or coming back from an injury, I would either adopt this plan with some speedwork/tempo runs or mesh this plan with another training plan to suite your style
• Do not expect to PR at a half marathon when you are training for another race distance PR OR when there is a heat advisory OR when you are traveling to a race OR when you coming off an injury
• Adjust your expectations based on your fitness level and current training schedule

How the Cancellation of Run Disney's Half Marathon Made Me a Runner

I had trained for the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge in January 2017 for over 6 months and looked forward to it for almost a year, so you can imagine that I definitely was pretty bummed when the half marathon was cancelled due to weather. But as it turns out the cancellation really was one of the best things that could have happened to me; the aftermath finally made me feel like a 'runner' and part of the running community and gave me the extra push I needed to start Just Keep Running in the first place. The silver lining was really a blessing. 

After learning of the cancellation, I was pretty upset and super determined to still get in my 13.1 miles. We went back our hotel's desk (we were staying at a Disney Resort hotel) to try to see if we could find a treadmill for me to utilize in the morning (since the weather was not going to be favorable), but we had no luck. With the impending weather and slightly stressed-out runner-self that I am, I decided at 9pm on Friday night that I was going to go out and get some miles in ("run it out").

There was a 1.5 mile stretch along our closed hotel road (security guarded), so I felt pretty safe and it was well-lit with many street lights. I put on some extra running clothes that I had and just wanted to run out my frustrations (enough so that I could go to sleep that night). Side note: I am almost ALWAYS a morning runner and 9pm is typically my bedtime, so heading out for a run at 9pm is totally out of character (that's just how bummed/ determined to get those miles in). 

I immediately started to see some runners on my 1.5 mile stretch. Some were wearing their costumes, hydration packs, their bibs pinned on, light-up glowsticks; there were even spectators (family members) along the stretch with water, signs, encouraging cheers, cowbells. It was seriously amazing and really made me tear up. I'm really not sure if there is any other sport where this situation would bring out this many people crazily running 13.1 miles in the rain (it had started to sprinkle and would later downpour). The energy was completely contagious. Every runner I passed would say encouraging words, maybe list off how many more laps they have left, and I would cheer back "great work" or "you got this!". 

I didn't plan on running 13.1 miles that night, but with all my new running friends out there- I just couldn't stop and let them down. We all only had each other to cheer and motivate. I wish I could describe the meaning that running until almost midnight meant to me that night, but it meant too much to put into words. The constant energy of the night really propelled me to run that full 13.1 miles into the night and pouring rain. I didn't even have a raincoat, but my team didn't care- they were there to get their miles in just like me. That community is really what matters. It didn't matter whether a runner had passed me 5 times already or if I had passed another runner previously, we were all out there to accomplish the same thing. 

It was thanks to the running community that I completed my own Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge and proved to myself that I could do it. I could do what I once that was "impossible" ; that I was actually a runner. We are all runners completely the same goals (no matter your finish time).

My body may have ran both the 13.1 miles and 26.2 miles, but I owe it all to the running community and those fellow runners that ran with me that dark, cold, and rainy night. THANK YOU!

Some Run Disney Costume Ideas

It's still over 190 days away, but I'm already getting SO excited to Run Dopey in 2018! 

I've started to put together a list of some of my favorite Disney characters that I want to try to make into costume ideas for the races and wanted to share them with you!

Alice- I'm not exactly sure why I've lately been really into Alice, but she will 100% be one of my costumes! I'd like to try to do both the skirt and top as a similar style, but we will see how creative I can get. 

Star Wars- I'm leaning towards doing either R2D2 or Princess Leia. Either is definitely my two favorite Star Wars characters. Alex really wants me to do the whole Princess Leia in the gold bikini (he has a Ross-like obsession with her), but I'm not so sure on that one!

Minnie Mouse- because hello! It's Disney! And because I still have a Sparkle Athletic minnie mouse skirt that I used for last year's marathon. 

Jane from Tarzan- I'm not exactly sure how I would make this into a running costume, but I'm pretty determined! Jane is super bad ass and I would love to run as her in the marathon to complete my Dopey Challenge!

Any other good ideas for Disney Characters to dress up as?

Any good costume suggestions for any of the characters I listed?