Beginnings
So you want to run the Disney Princess 5k? Then follow my journey to the Princess Half Marathon Weekend for 2017!
I am not a professional runner or athlete of any kind! I have no idea what the hell I am doing! I am a working mom who has a seemingly typical and normal life (cough). There’s nothing extraordinary going on here! So my journey will NOT consist of advise or tips, instead, just the happenings from beginning to end (my goal). This should be interesting ;)
So how did this all come about? I didn’t just wake up one day and say to myself, “I want to run the Disney Princess 5k”. Like I stated previously, I’ve never done anything like this before! In fact, I used to say, “if you see me running, you had better run too because something is chasing me”! It actually started when we took my youngest daughter to Orlando for her 12th birthday. We live in Florida so we are at Disney A LOT! This time, we didn’t do any of the parks, though. Instead we took our daughter to Chef Mickey for dinner, did Disney Springs (we still call it Downtown Disney - that will NEVER change!), and the Florida Mall for the American Girl Store and some shopping. Well that weekend just so happened to be the same weekend of the Disney Princess Marathon for 2016. No, we didn’t see any of the races or anything like that...remember, we didn’t go to any parks. The motivation was a pair of shoes. YES, A PAIR OF SHOES! Not just any shoes.....the New Balance sneakers that are made specially for the race. There were 4 or 5 “themes” for the New Balance sneakers....one in particular.....Ariel. My older daughter saw several people wearing them. We asked where they got them. It was explained that they are designed for the marathon and the only way to qualify to purchase them was to be a participant in the race. Well, that was a bummer! So, of course, what do you think we did next? That’s right! We got right on Ebay! Yes there were some for sale but for between $200-$300! Ha! No way I’m paying that for a pair of sneakers...no way, no how. I don’t care if they’re dipped in gold...not happening! I know my daughter wanted them really bad but I just couldn’t see myself paying that much for a pair of sneakers!
Weeks went by....stalking Ebay and other sites like a crazed lunatic and nothing cheaper (sigh). Seemed like the only way to get them at a normal price (around $120) was to earn them! I discussed it with my daughter and her eyes lit up like the sky on the 4th of July! We made a pact to enter and run the 5k. So our journey begins......
Now I am excited! I am mainly doing this for my daughter. It’s funny what a mom will do for their children! Then it occurred to me, this will be good for both of us! I need to get some exercise in my life so here’s an opportunity! I have a whole plan in my head! So, I begin my research on training for this event. Even I know you can’t just go out and run a 5k with no preparation to do so! Healthy eating...CHECK! I started that January 1st....eliminated carbs and sugar for 3 months...then joined Weight Watchers. By the way, I’m so happy to have carbs back in my life!!!! Drinking plenty of water and green tea...cutting back on coffee a bit and no soda...but I’m really not much of a soda drinker to begin with, so that was easy. Motivation (the shoes for my daughter)....CHECK! A plan...CHECK! I must admit, I am nervous! I have never ever done anything like this in my entire life!!!!! I have to be crazy!!! Six months ago, I sprained both of my knees and my ankle...still bothered by them and still seeing a Dr but my daughter needs those shoes and wants to do this race! I will suck it up and do this for her! I will train with my brace...YES!
Last week we started! We started small. We began walking around our neighborhood. We walk a fast pace! By the third day, we mapped it for distance. Turns out it’s 2.5 miles around! Not bad for distance to start. We were pacing at 18.6 minutes per mile. Again, not bad. I would say it was moderate, meaning it was a bit difficult to carry on a conversation. I recognized that I was a bit out of shape but that first week wasn’t so bad! Yesterday, my daughter worked so my Husband was my stand in. It was going fine but then, we walked by this one house and guess what? The sprinklers were turned on! Yes in the middle of the sidewalk...there we were.....getting soaked by someone turning on their sprinklers! Note to self....be prepared to get wet by something other than your own sweat! Grrrrrrrrrr!
This week is the week we add some actual running. YIKE! So today was day one of that! My daughter is the pacer/the coach...LOL. She tracks our distance and time with her phone during our training time. So we warm up and walk for about 10 minutes then we run for 1 minute solid. She counts down 5,4,3,2,1...to the moment we begin running. The first one was okay...not easy but okay. Then we walk another 10 minutes. Then the count down is on for the next minute run. I am not really looking forward to the next 1 minute run because I have just now caught my breath by the end of the 10 minute walking part! We are back to the next 1 minute run.....ugh...you really don’t know how long a minute is until you have to run it!!!! I made it through the second one. Breathing hard but hanging in there! We crossed paths of the UPS guy walking back to his truck. He says to us “ you two are moving quick”. “I saw you around the block just a minute ago”. So I was like, “uh huh...okay we are awesome”! Oh no! Here comes the third 1 minute run! No!!!! We are only half way through the neighborhood! Come on!!! When my daughter does the count down I think I was literally growling at her! LOL. So, we do the next 1 minute run. When the 1 minute has commenced....and by the way...this minute was longer than the other two! I don’t think she was really tracking it! She admits to me that the 3rd one was a lot harder than the other two. Maybe for her! I was dying after the first! She’s young and in better shape than me for crying out loud! So back to 10 minutes of walking...hooray but I can barely breathe and my throat and lungs are on fire! Of course...it’s cold out today.....freezing by Florida standards! They always say that you should try to envision yourself at the finish line. Well, all I can visualize at this point is me collapsing on the ground because I can’t breathe! I’m gonna die! One positive thing...I have nice scenery to look at, especially when we walk around the lake. We are close to the end of our 10 minute bliss. I can see our house....oh boy almost home....YES! Then......(suspense music) she starts the count down to the next 1 minute run! But we are almost home...whaaaat? I yell at her, “do we have to”? She answers, “YES”! I say, “But that’s not nice! You don’t tell people to run for 1 minute when they are almost home”! “That’s mean”! It didn’t matter that I said that....I had to run so run I did. There’s a guy pressure cleaning at our house....he gives us the thumbs up and chuckles a bit. What was so amusing? Was it the sight of me huffing and puffing hoping to make it in the house and not die right there on the driveway, funny? I don’t think so, Mister. We get in the house...WHERE IS THE WATER???? In all of my life I have never seen it take so long for ice to come out of the ice maker for an ice cold glass of water!! Once I have my water....ahhhhh. So the first week is in the books. The second week has commenced....I’m hoping tomorrow is a bit easier and better. :)