I'm a Disney Princess

Miles in 2013: 131.72

This was a busy week!  On Friday I went to the Disney Princess Expo to pick up Leah and mine's packets for the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  I was also lucky enough to be featured in an Orlando Sentinel article about the race.

Sentinel Article

Back in October I won my race entry to both the Family 5k and the Princess Half Marathon at the Track Shack ladies night event, and the money went to a local breast cancer charity.  I was the only one in our group doing the Royal Family 5k, so I wound up running it by myself and even managed to get a 7 second PR!

5k PR and Medalion

The next morning I met up with the girls to run the 5th Anniversary Princess Half Marathon.  Gloria had made skirts for Leah and I.  I'm pretty sure that we pulled off a running version of Ariel and Rapunzel.  Gloria will always be the best Fairy Godmother a girl could ask for!  We took the race easy and just enjoyed being out there.  A highlight of the run was around mile 4 when Sean Astin (that's right Mikey from the Goonies, or you may know him as RUDY! or even Samwise from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy) came up from behind me and told me he liked my Yellow Submarine tattoo.  We chatted for a quarter mile or so before I couldn't keep up anymore.  By mile 8 Leah and I took it even easier and walked most of the last 5 miles, we still finished right at the 3 hour mark though, so in all it was a pretty good 12th half marathon!

Corral B!

Rapunzel, the Fairy Godmother, and Ariel

Chatting up Sean Astin

 

 

This weekend I have an 18 miler to get ready for the Kentucky Derby Marathon.  I also get to meet up with Jen to see Bon Jovi (her favorite) perform.  I'm also proud to report that she has offically packed away her wig and is sporting the cutest little cropped pixie hairdo!  Only 3 more weekends until I head to Sarasota to run her first half with her.  I am so excited to run that race and get their GIANT finisher's medal, and to see my friend realize an amazing accomplishment.

26.2 With Donna

Miles in 2013: 112.3

This weekend I went to Jacksonville to run the half marathon at the 26.2 With Donna race.  The race is the one of the largest races that 100% of the proceeds go to Breast Cancer research.  When Jen was diagnosed in June, I had a gut reaction and signed up for this race.  I went to the expo and walked around with Gloria and Betty, two of my favorite breast cancer survivors.  At the expo I got a sweet deal on a "vintage Donna" shirt and signed Jen's name on a big board with the word "love" on it.  Gloria and Betty signed one that says "finish."  I didn't know what they were for but I did see them later.

See "Jen" in a heart to the left of the "L"?

Betty and Gloria signing

Race morning was really cold and windy in Jacksonville.  Leah and I thought we might try and PR and tried to run with the 2:10 pace group.  About 2 miles into the race we realized that was not going to happen for us.  Leah and I split up not long after that and I ran a little ways ahead of her.  Around mile 6 we hit the beach and ran the "memorial mile"  - There were those signs again!  Somewhere along this mile was a man holding a sign that simply said "Jen"  I snapped a photo of just the sign and kept running.  About 100 yards up the beach I turned around, ran back to him and asked to take a picture holding his sign.  I'm sure this detour added a few extra minutes to my overall time, but the photo was worth it.  When I finished he said "I hope your Jen is ok."  I assured him that she was, thanked him and went on my way.  Back in about the same spot I was in when I turned around I started to think about Jen and cried.  Yes, she was ok, and I was so thankful for that.  I started thinking about everything we do together, the calls, the texts, the funny emails, the Ross shopping trips, and so many other things, and realized just how thankful I was that I still have her here.  On my race day outfit I had 2 patches, one read "I RUN FOR JEN" and the other was a heart with the name Jess in angel wings.  One my running friends lost her sister a week or so before this race, Jess was also 31, but wasn't as lucky as Jen.  It put a lot into perspective for me, I am so grateful that my friend is ok, and so terribly sad for my friend losing her baby sister.  There is no rhyme or reason to this disease and that is the scariest part.  I know wearing a patch in a race really isn't enough to commemorate her life, but it was the first thing I could think of to honor her.

The photo I went back for

Race day tributes and my bling

After I left the memorial mile, I got it together, stopped crying and kept on running.  I met some lovely strangers along the way, and some members of our marathonfest training group.  Overall I finished the race in 2:40 which really wasn't a terrible time all things considered.  I am so glad that I was able to be a part of this event, and really run for a reason.

After the race with my bling and sweet Nike outfit!

So Many Things to be Thankful For

Miles in 2013: 92

In the midst of all of this running I still found time to celebrate many great things!

Jen and I got to see each other at one of our college friend's (who actually lived with each of us at one point) wedding. I was a bridesmaid and it was great to get to spend time with Jen at all of the wedding events.  She is looking so healthy, skinny and amazing!

 

Then a few weekends later Jen threw a big "Celebration of Being Cancer Free Party"  It was a perfect purple party (Breast Cancer or not - no pink for that girl!) I'm so glad that I could make it down to celebrate with her!

 

Then we had the chance to celebrate Sarah being one year heart attack free with a photo scavenger hunt all over Orlando.  Our team won a sweet trophy and bragging rights!

 

Today was the Marathonfest Victory Breakfast.  This gives us a chance to show off all of our bling and celebrate a year's worth of accomplishments.  I was awarded the top Marathonfest honor the "miJ"award.  Named after the founder of Marathonfest who passed away - it recognizes someone who has given invaluable service to the program as whole and to their pace group during the training season.  It was truly an honor and I am so thankful for the recognition.  Today was also a milestone and day of celebration for Jen, it was the first time since she started chemo that she went out in public without her wig.  She's still unsure of it, but I guarantee you - she looked beautiful without it!  I am so proud of her for having the guts to ditch the wig and rock what she's got.  I admire and love her so much!

 

Leah and I racked up some bling!

With my miJ award

 

 

On the horizon I have 3 half marathons and a 5k coming up in the next month along with training for marathon #3 - the Kentucky Derby Marathon!  In that group of half marathons is the Sarasota Half Marathon which I am happy to report Jen is training for and going to run!  Expect my finisher photo to have me sobbing like a baby!  There is so much to be thankful for.  My goal this year is still to get a charity spot for the NYC marathon, I swear I check their website every day to sign up and cinch my spot the minute one opens!  Cross your fingers that the 2012 cancellation doesn't affect my chances too much!



 

 

 

 







Long time no Blog - Race Recap

Miles in 2013: 92

Ok, so I haven't posted in quite some time!  In November, December, and January I ran A LOT of races.  5 Half Marathons, a 10 mile race, a beer run 4k, a 5k, and a Marathon to be exact.  Plus all the mileage for the Goofy training!  So needless to say, the blogging got put on the back burner.  I promise to be better now!

First some shots from all those races:

Lady Speed Stick Half Marathon Antics

 

Deland Thanksgiving 10 Miler

 

Space Coast - With Bart at the finish line and a shot of my Half Marathon PR!

 

OUC Orlando Half - On the course with my girl Gloria!  At the Finish with my pace group,

 

Santa Hustle Half on Daytona Beach

 

 Tap N Run Beer 4k!

 

The GOOFY

 

Our shirt design to wear during the Marathon