my spring goal race is over - now what?

Hello friends! My big goal race of the first half of the year is over and I've finally written all of my posts recapping the experience. If you're interested it's the Illinois Marathon expo + pasta feed, Illinois 5k, and Illinois Marathon. I was extremely pleased with how I did at the marathon – I beat my main goal by over 3 minutes when I wasn't sure I'd even hit my goal during the first half of the race (it was very windy and I just had a lot of doubts rolling through the brain). 

I'm not even sure I've fully processed it yet, as it's been a whirlwind since. The day after I 'ran' another half marathon (with shin pain half way through I pretty much walked the second half... slowly I might add), took a week off, and then was back at it with a half marathon the next weekend, and then a few days later I flew out to California for runDisney Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, where I spent a lot of time on my feet at the expo, parks, running all three races, and what seems like hours spent in line for everything (purchases at expo, corrals, security, to get into parks, and then waiting for all of the rides). I had some sore feet, let me tell you.

Anyway, I have three more weekends of races and then will have a bit of a break in the summer (it gets too hot here, and with humidity (I get sick in that kind of weather) I only do a few races throughout the months rather than every weekend haha).

Upcoming races include:
Chicago Spring Half Marathon on 5/21 (use code BRCHI17 for $10 off) 
Soldier Field 10 Mile on 5/27 (use code BibRaveSF1017 for a free water bottle)
Ridge Run 5k on 5/29
North Shore Classic Half Marathon on 6/4 (use code BibRaveNSC17 for a free water bottle)
Chicago Bears 5k on 6/24
Rock n Roll Chicago 5k on 7/15 
Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon on 7/16 (use code BIBRAVE15 for $15 off half valid until 7/9)
Burgers and Beer 5k on 7/17
BTN Big 10k on 7/23 (use code BibRaveBTN17 for a free water bottle)
Chicago Half Marathon on 9/24

Ok, so maybe more races than I let on haha, but it's not EVERY weekend like this past month has been so it seems like less to me.

Those races will be for fun. I never push too hard during RnR weekend because it's usually 90 degrees and 100% humidity. Ick. I'm supposed to be in recovery mode, and instead of short miles on the weekend, I'm running half marathons. So far my body is holding up, but I think not pushing too much is the key. Not running for PRs here, and for runDisney I ran with my mom and we stopped for photos.

So other than these fun races I'll be doing, what else is on the agenda? Well, my next big goal race is Chicago Marathon. I'd REALLY like to get under 6 hours. I'll have to shave off 6 minutes from my current PR, and about 16 minutes from last year's finish time. I think it's doable, but closer to race day I'll talk strategy and finish times with my coach and see what he thinks is realistic. Training should start up next month I think.

I wasn't great about keeping up with my hydration game during vacation (I mean, I can only buy so many bottles of $3 waters), so my goal for the rest of the month is to get back to where I was before the marathon and drinking at least 64oz of water a day. I should be drinking more based on my weight, however, getting to 64 is a big deal for me, as I used to probably only drink 20oz a day. Once I can hit 64 consistently, I'll try upping it. 

Another thing I need to start focusing on again is strength training. I haven't been doing a great job with that in a while, and I need to get back in the habit. Not only to strengthen the muscles I need for running and to stay injury-free, but I also would love to lose some body fat. Going along with this, I want to focus more on my nutrition. I need to get back in the habit of weighing and tracking all of my food to make sure I'm getting the nutrients I need and not too much sugar/unhealthy fats. This is tough for me, as I absolutely love unhealthy foods. I don't drink as much beer as I used to, but I certainly enjoy it so that can add up to. I hate tracking it all, but I know it's the best way to be conscious of what I'm putting in my body and how much of it.

Do you set different goals throughout the year or have a few that you maintain all year round? I tend to need to re-evalutate throughout the year to help keep me focused. What are you hoping to achieve the second half of 2017? I know we are still in May, but with my goal race over, it was time to look again and see what I wanted to do for the rest of the year (besides having fun, of course).

tinker bell half marathon weekend

Can you believe it's already Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend? This trip really came up fast for me. I was so preoccupied with the Illinois Marathon and then being swamped with work I barely had time to get my packing done! Of course I did, and hopefully I have everything I need.

I figured I'd post a few last minute reminders for anyone coming to Disneyland for the weekend.

You can find the event guide here.

Make sure to print out your waiver(s) for your races – 5k, 10k, half marathon, and/or Pixie Dust Challenge.

Once you know your bib number, you can check out the corrals: Pixie Dust Challenge or Half Marathon.

Are you running the challenge? Make sure to get a photo at the expo with your bib (that's usually right next to where you pick your bib up).

Expo Hours are in this great graphic posted by runDisney

Looking for course maps?
5k
10k
half marathon

Remember to grab your bib numbers, shirts, and any pre-purchased merchandise while you're at the expo – Dooney purses, weekend jackets, pins, etc.

I plan on attending the Sparkle Athletic meet up on Friday at 10:30 am in Downtown Disney (near Rainforest Cafe) and the We Run Social meet up on Saturday at 12pm (details in graphic below). Anyone else going? Please say hi to me if you see me and recognize me. I can be really shy, but I'm trying to come out of my shell!

I'm thrilled to be running my fourth Tinker Bell Half Marathon! Who else will be here? What are you most looking forward to?

final rundisney tinker bell half marathon weekend preparations

Which one of these will you be earning?
I'll be grabbing the first four on the left. Boom!

It seemed like runDisney Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend was so far away! It's hard to believe it's this weekend! Have you started packing and getting everything gathered? A few last minute prep ideas for you...

Source: Disney Parks Twitter

Print out your waivers before leaving. You can do that here. Forget to do this? Don't freak out - they usually have computers/printers set up at the expo (don't take my word for it though, you never know what changes might be made). I'm sure if you are at a hotel, they wouldn't mind helping you out if you needed it.

What corral are you in?

Source: runDisney

Source: runDisney

Give the Official Event Guide a read. You'll find just about anything you need to know in there. Event start times, locations, courses, road closures, etc.

Are you doing the Pixie Dust Challenge? Make sure you get your photo taken with your race bib before leaving the expo on Thursday or Friday. There's usually some signage and plenty of workers/volunteers to help you find where to go if you are lost. After you finish the half marathon, check in at the Challenge tent located at the Finish Line to receive your Pixie Dust Challenge medal.  Yay!

Make sure you get to the expo to pick up your packet – only you can do this, no friends or family can pickup for you! Here are the expo hours:

A little bit of racing etiquette to keep in mind (helpful tips for a happy race for all):

• Walk no more than two abreast.
• If you are walking, try to stay to the right so that runners can pass on the left. Give a hand signal or shout 'Walking' so others around you know you are going to be going from a run to a walk (also helps to look behind you to make sure you aren't stopping right in front of someone else).
• If you have to squeeze through, say 'excuse me'.
• Accidentally knock in to or shove someone? Say sorry.
• See a photographer on course while running? Try not to just stop and pose - they can capture you while running, and an abrupt stop can cause accidents, falls, trips, etc.
• Speaking of abrupt stops – if you need to tie or shoe or are waiting for someone to catch up, step to the side of the course so no one trips over you.
• If you want to run with a friend who is in a different corral, the faster of the two will move back to the slower corral.
• Be kind to your fellow runners and encourage one another!
• Have fun!

Looking to grab yourself a new pair of runDisney New Balance Shoes? Runners get first dibs on them Thursday, while other guests can purchase May 6th or 7th (no virtual queue on these days). If you are running, jump in the virtual queue at 7pm Wednesday evening (May 4th) to try on and purchase footwear on the first day of the expo (May 5th). Once you fill out the form and submit, you'll get a text or email with your group number and return time. On expo day, you'll receive another notice when you're group number is up. You'll want to get there within an hour of your callback notice to ensure access to your requested shoe. Once you're at the booth, check in with an NB associate so they can get your name/confirmation number to get the process started. More information can be found here.

2016 New Balance runDisney Ariel

I plan on attending the We Run Social event at 1pm on Saturday (after the 10k) that's at Trader Sam's. This will be my first social meet-up, so I hope I don't just sit in a corner being shy and instead make the most of it! haha. I should be able to recognize a few faces from social media. Anyone else planning on going?

If you see me at all during Tinker Bell Weekend—whether at the expo, at the parks, on the race course—please don't hesitate to say hi! I understand the whole shy thing, as I'm shy too, but let's be friends :)

Who's all ready to go? I've got some packing to do myself and hoping I remember everything I need. What's on your packing list?

tinker bell half marathon weekend 2016 program guide and courses

Hello all you Tinker Bell runners out there! The Official Event Guide has been posted on runDisney! You can check it out here. You can find just about everything you need to know in there, including Weekend Itinerary, Park Hours, race courses, speakers, road closures, race etiquette, spectator viewing, etc.

Looks like the course ends in a new location near the Disneyland® Hotel/Downtown Disney® this year instead of in the Disney's Paradise Pier parking lot.

Neverland 5k:

Start: Main Street, U.S.A. - Disneyland® Park
Finish: Lilo Parking Lot, near Downtown Disney® District

Tinker Bell 10k:

The course for this race is full of adventure and begins on Disneyland Drive where runners get their first mile on the city streets of Anaheim before flying into Disneyland® Park and getting a peek backstage, arriving at Mickey’s Toontown. While running through Disneyland® Park, participants experience Fantasyland and King Arthur’s Carrousel, Sleeping Beauty Castle and rootin’ tootin’ Frontierland, 999 happy haunts of Haunted Mansion, treacherous jungles of Adventureland, and a touch of Tomorrowland before reaching turn of the century Main Street, U.S.A.. Next, it’s off to Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure® Park, a cruise through Cars Land and shrinking teeny tiny in A Bug’s Land, then winding around the glistening bay of Paradise Pier and into Downtown Disney®. Upon completion of the flight and landing at the finish line, runners finally receive a medal fit for a pixie.

Tinker Bell Half Marathon:

The course for this race is packed with pixie dust, beginning on Disneyland Drive where runners pass under Downtown Disney® on their way into Disneyland® Park. While passing the home of Tinker Bell and her pixie pals at Pixie Hollow, the race continues with a loop around Fantasyland, through Sleeping Beauty Castle, and over to the Rivers of America. Next flying down Main Street U.S.A., it’s off to Disney California Adventure® Park, where racers flitter through each land on their way into the City of Anaheim. Enchanting historic neighborhoods of downtown Anaheim, the new and modern Anaheim Center Street Promenade, and the sights of the town are an ever-entertaining backdrop before it’s back to the Disneyland® Resort for the “Fairy”-tale finish near Downtown Disney®.

Last year was my first year running the Neverland 5k, and I was super excited to learn that it actually started INSIDE Disneyland! It was awesome.

Who is all going? What races are you registered for? Are you getting excited or what? Less than a month away!

2016 tinker bell half marathon weekend: exclusive dooney & bourke purses

The new design for the runDisney Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend Dooney & Bourke purses were released yesterday on the runDisney page. Have you taken a look yet? I'm really digging the colors, personally. Tinker Bell has never really been a favorite Disney character of mine, but she's grown on me over the years, and I've enjoyed running the races during Tinker Bell weekend the past two years. 

Here's a look at the purses:

Prices:
Shopper - $289.44 (middle)
Letter Carrier - $192.24 (left)
Wristlet - $116.64 (right)

What do you think? You can preorder here. Quantities are limited, and remember that you have to pick them up at packet pickup - nothing will be mailed or refunded.

friday five: spring races

Hey guys! I've been a bit quiet here on the blog lately... I hope you haven't missed me too much. Life has gotten extremely hectic with some career transitioning and some personal things, but I'm here today to get back into Friday Five posts!

On Fridays, Courtney at Eat Pray Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed Up For What?!, and Mar at Mar on the Run, host a fun linkup with new themes each week. This week's theme is SPRING. I've decided to talk about five spring races that I'm looking forward to.

1. Shamrock Shuffle 8k on March 29. This is always a fun race. Being Irish, I of course like the theme. This year they are doing something new – finisher medals! That's exciting. I can't say I'm always a fan of the shirt, but they are tech material, so I wear them for training if nothing else. I'm hoping for some 50 degree weather! It's really fun running through the streets of Chicago, especially down State Street past the Chicago Theatre. The crowds are always energetic, plenty of on course support, and fun after party in Grant Park (though the beer isn't quite what I would prefer...). If memory serves correctly, there was a band playing and food/beer for sale. Participants received their first beer free if they were 21+.

2. Boston Marathon on April 20. No, I'm not running, however I love watching the live feeds. It's so inspiring and motivating. I can't wait to see how my pals do, not to mention Shalane!

3. Southwest Half Marathon on May 3. This is my goal half marathon. I'm training to get a PR. I like this race because it's a small runner field, so I don't have to worry about congestion or weaving around people.

4. Tinker Bell Races May 8–10. I am registered for the Neverland 5k as well as the Pixie Dust Challenge. This will be my second time out to Disneyland, as well as my second time running the Tinker Bell half marathon - - first time with the 5k and 10k :)

5. Soldier Field 10 Mile on May 23. Last year was the first time I ran this race, which I signed up for the week of, and was so glad I did. It was such a great race, and we had beautiful weather. It was really neat to get to run through Soldier Field and actually finish on the 50 yard line. The course was nice (and the beginning was fairly wide, so gave the large number of runners a chance to spread out), plus a great medal, tech shirt, and a cool bag with all of your post-race goodies (water, pretzels, etc.). I'm racing again this year, as a BibRave Pro, and I'm super excited. Shameless plug - register before March 31 to save $10 on your registration. On April 1 the price increases. I was planning on doing this rave again this year, I just got lucky enough to be chosen as a BRP for it :) Join me and #FinishOnThe50 at the 2015 #SF10. Head on over to SoldierField10.com and register!

What races are you looking forward to in Spring?

rundisney tinker bell half marathon weekend

Medals from the Inaugural Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2012. Source.

Yesterday, registration opened to the general public for runDisney's Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend. Last year, runDisney introduced a Tinker Bell 10K in addition to the Neverland Family Fun Run 5k and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon. This year, they've introduced the Inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge. Runners registered for the challenge will receive two medals for completing the 10K and Half Marathon, along with a challenge medal. Two races and three medals! People love their challenges and bling—I know I do :)

I ran the half marathon this year and had a blast! It was my first trip to Disneyland, and I really enjoyed running through the two parks and along Anaheim streets. 

AND for those also doing Princess weekend in February—running the half marathon—you'll receive a special pink Coast to Coast medal! Don't worry though, I do believe you have the option to get the regular one, if you don't want pink (at least you could last year, from what I understand).  

Pink Coast to Coast medal. Source.

Other events over the weekend include the kids races, health and fitness expo, and a Pasta in the Park Party on Friday evening inside Disney California Adventures Park. 

Now, the way runDisney races have been selling out lately (challenges usually within an hour and then most other races selling out the same day as registration opening), I was expecting the same for Tinker Bell weekend. Shockingly, this was not the case. The only races to sell out yesterday were the kids races. The Challenge, Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K are all still available (though the challenge and the 10K are close to capacity). When I just looked, the PDC was at 90%, Half Marathon 70%, 10K 98%, and 5k 80% (on registration page says 80%, but on their meter at the top it says 75% – I'd go on the safe side and assume 80%). The Pasta Party is now sold out, as well. I wouldn't wait to long to register for any of the races, if you are interested. It'll be interesting to see when each one sells out.

Tinker Bell Half Marathon 2014 map from runDisney.

What do you think is the culprit? Were people mad about the change in weekends (Tinker Bell was usually held the weekend after WDW Marathon weekend, but was replaced that weekend by the Star Wars races)? This year, it is being held over Mother's Day Weekend. I imagine some people are unable to attend because of said holiday weekend. Also, the other races are all inaugural races, so perhaps that also gave them them the upper hand, if people have to choose between races (and really, most people do – these things are expensive!). Do you think runDisney opened up the race to more people, too? Hmmm... lots of factors to consider, I guess. I imagine there are a lot of factors and reasons that add up to less people registering for Tink. I have to also add that going to California in May is more expensive than it was in January, and I imagine it will be much warmer as well. Boo. 

Tinker Bell 10K 2014 map from runDisney.

It's really too bad not all of the races could be like this... or how they used be (aka didn't sell out until months later). I didn't even see about my first runDisney race until a month or two after registration opened, and when I decided I wanted to do it, it wasn't a problem getting registered. This was when I was still a newbie with the half marathon races and didn't even know that races sold out or were crazy popular to sell out in hours. But alas, runDisney has grown exponentially in popularity, and I fear this Tinker Bell registration (lack of madness) is some fluke. Remember how quickly Avengers and Star weekend sold out? Perhaps people opted for these races instead of Tink, since they're also at Disneyland and have a popular following themselves.

I'm sure people were extremely happy not to have to deal with the madness and website crashing that was Princess registration day. It certainly would have lessened the stress if everyone knew it wasn't going to sell out yesterday, am I right?!

As for me, I'll be there running the Pixie Dust Challenge and will be (hopefully) earning a pink Coast to Coast medal :)

What are your thoughts about the lack of sell out? Are you running any of the Tinker Bell weekend races?