Planning a Disney Vacation!!!

It has been a life long dream to visit Disney World and I am getting close to making that a reality!!!  I booked our vacation last week!  I have dreamed of going to Disney World since I was a kid....(never happened) and then as an adult to take my own children.  So this will be our first time to Disney for ALL of us! 

It is not going to be extravagant or anything....I would have loved to spend a whole week touring Disney World and stay at the Polynesian Resort and all of that, but with a family of six, that could get really pricey....as in I would probably have to sell my house.....or a kidney. 

I am proud to say we are going in May for a three night, four day stay at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort....just a standard room...we are flying.....yes!  all of us!  I figured since we are only going for 3 nights that driving would just be 1. dumb  and 2. torture.

Since we only have 2 full days and 2 half days we are only going to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.  Epcot and Hollywood Studios will just have to wait til next time.

Ever since I booked the trip I have been a little obsessive about the planning...stalking all websites Disney, friending all things Disney on facebook, and even buying Disney guidebooks!   I am consumed!  I just want to make the best out of what little time we have.   I don't want to be rigid about a schedule or anything, but I want to make sure we get the most of our vacation.

They say you can make reservations 180 days in advance so I have started reserving our dinners! My princess,  Maddie is one of the main reasons for  actually going to Disney since she is Cinderella obsessed right now.  I reserved breakfast at Cinderellas Royal Table in the Castle.   Totally excited about that.   All of us girls are attending that.  It is pricey!  I have also reserved Chef Mickey's, Tusker House,  1900 Park Fare dinner with Cinderella and friends, and a dinner at the Polynesian's 'Ohana.  Lot's of character meals! 

If you haven't noticed, I am super excited!  I think I am more excited than the kids!  and yes, the kids know we are going.  I just couldn't keep it a surprise!

My foot hurts :(

After my half marathon in the morning, I took the kids to Kings Island in the evening.  Needless to say, I could barely walk.  I was sore from head to toe.   But now my right foot is HURTING like crazy.  The soreness in my legs have gone away but the pain in my foot remains.  It hurts on the very top of my foot, worse with weight bearing.  Its better when I sleep.  I have been sleeping ok and does not interfere....but upon walking it starts to hurt again.   I think it might be a stress fracture....boo!   I swear....I just want to run! 

If its a fracture then I will be out for 6 weeks....according to Dr. Google....

I figure I really don't need to go to the Dr, I don't know what they would do.....except tell me I have a stress fracture....I am going to wait and see what happens.  If it gets worse and after a few weeks if I still have pain I guess I will go......

Here's hoping my foot is ok! 

It's Official! I ran 13.1!!!

It's OFFICIAL!  I ran a half marathon for real!  Ever since the Corridor Classic, I just couldn't look past the fact that the course was short by almost a half mile.  That half mile counts!  So, I took that as one long run and part of my training.   On a whim, I signed up for another one.  It was called the Halloween Half Marathon.  

 

It was a cold, rainy, windy start to the day.  Temps were in 40s at the starting line with a slight drizzle.  Winds were at 16 miles per hour.  I have no idea what is in store.  I have never run in weather like this.  I trained mostly in the summer so I had no idea what to wear.  I asked a running friend of mine and she suggested, tights, a long sleeve shirt, a running jacket, and $1 gloves.  Well, I am pretty new to running so I didn't have half the stuff.   I did have long running tights and the dollar gloves.  I just wore an old sweatshirt with a tech tee underneath.  It worked out great.   I took the gloves off at about mile 5 and pulled up my sweatshirt sleeves when I got warmer and it was just right.   I never got too hot.  The wind made sure of that.  Once I actually got warmed up, I honestly thought  the weather was great for running.  Right after the gun went off the drizzle pretty much stopped too. 

 

Miles 0-3 were challenging this time around.   It was hard for me to get in my groove and my legs were still getting used to the cold.  

Miles 3-8 were great!  I felt awesome!  Legs and feet felt good.  Lungs good.   Mind and emotional state....Good!

Mile 9-12....SUCKED! So many hills!   UP and DOWN.....The down was awesome, but going back up was very challenging and took a lot out of me.   Went up two hills about 50 ft high......plus a few more hills not as high.

Mile 13 was also challenging.....my body was tired!  I was ready to be done!!!  But in that last mile, I passed two  more racers! 

 

 

 

 

a pre race pic



 In line to start racing

 

That lady behind me was a speed walker.  Guess what?  She passed me and stayed ahead of me the whole time! 

 

 

 beautiful autumn scenery to run in

 

 

 See that lady in the orange shirt?  This was mile 5 ish...

 

 

 Whoop whoop!

The orange lady shirt is BEHIND me now! 

And stayed behind me the whole race! 

 

 

 High Five Allie!  My daughter supporting me!!!

 

Ervin and Allie came out to support me.  It really made a difference.  Whenever I saw them on the course cheering me on I ran as hard and long as I could.   They kept me going!  They were at several spots on the course.  After they cheered me on and I passed them, they drove to another spot ahead.  I never knew where they would be. 

 

 

 Mile 7ish

 

 

 Mile 11ish

 

 

Finish Line Baby!!!

 

 

 

STATS:

 

Finished in 2 hours 41 minutes! 

 

Chip Time: 2:41:19

 

12:20 pace

 

4 out of 5 in female age group

 

108 out of 113 racers

 

This was a pretty small race! 

 

I am super proud of myself.  I beat my first race time!  AND this race was longer!!!!  and HILLY!

 

Can I get a WHOOP WHOOP!!!!

 



My First Half Marathon!!! (well almost)

     My first half marathon was this past Sunday October 14th.  After 3 months of training I was ready to get this over with!   The first three miles were easy.   But I have to say, I was feeling UNeasy when all of these people were passing me by.  First an older lady (looked her up and found out she was 74 years old) then a visually impaired athlete, then an older man ( he had to be like 80!) then another and another!  I had to calm myself down so I could just focus on the mile I was on.   My runkeeper was working great telling me how far I had gone every quarter mile.  I found it odd that when I saw mile marker 3, my runkeeper was telling me we were at mile 2.5 ish.   I just kept on..... At mile 5 my mind was going negative!   I had brief thoughts of giving up.  "Why was I running this?  Why is this so important to me?  I am tired!  I have 8 more freaking miles to go!   Oh gosh!"   But I quickly banished those thoughts and said to myself  "you can do this!!!"

     At mile 5.5 ish, I had a problem!   My IPhone went dead on me!  My music was GONE!!!  OH NO!  I was so upset!   What was I going to do!!!!????!?!?!?   I decided I had to keep going.  I convinced myself that I didn't need music to run.  All I had to do was RUN!  So I kept on going.   I had to listen to my hard breathing which usually freaks me out.   I don't like hearing myself breathe hard like that.  It sounds like I will pass out at any minute.  But, I got used to it and just tried to enjoy the atmosphere and hearing everyone cheer and say good job as I passed.  

     At mile 8 I ran up beside this lady.  She started to talk to me.   She said I was doing a great job and that I was AWESOME!  What an uplift.  She then passed me!  At mile 10, the wind started to really bother me!   Running against the wind is not cool.  It was pushing me back hard and I could no longer run as hard as I was.  I Started to do run/walk intervals to the end.   The last few miles, I passed a ton of people that passed me the first three miles, including:  The old man, the old lady, the visually impaired runner, a cute couple that had matching shirts that said they were running for the wedding, the lady that said I was awesome (found out her name was Wendy too), and a couple of girls running together. 

     When I saw the finish line I started running my ass off.   I ended up passing another person at the very end!  When I got close the finish, I heard my friends cheering for me!  They surprised me!  I had no idea they were going to be there!!!  My family wasn't able to be there because Allie (my 8 year old) had a cheer competition at the same time!  My dad came to support me and took pics of me too!  I was so happy to be done!  



 

 

 a pre race pic

 

 

 waiting for the gun to go off

 

 

 the front line

 

 

passing the lady in the pink shirt was awesome!

 

 

 

 Crossing the finish line!

 

 

 Jackie and Sarah surprising me!  I cried like a baby!

 

 

Sarah made me a sign!  Awesome!!!

 

 

After my dad treated me out to "breakfast", I came home and found out that the course was cut a little short by almost a half mile due to a miscommunication with the police.   I was bummed!   I still had not completed my 13.1.   It was more like 12.66.   So my runkeeper in the beginning was right.   The mile markers were off.    I  was so very disappointed!   I really wanted to put that 13.1 sticker on my car.  I decided that I was still  going to put it on......and now I have decided that I am not going to.  I am going to run another one and wait. I want that sticker to be real!  

 

 

I ended up finishing in 2:43.   And I wasn't last.   There were 25 people behind me that finished.  So I don't think I did too bad! 

 

So this is Tuesday and I am still so sore!  My quads are so sore....It is hard to move!   I had a hard time re hydrating afterwards because my stomach was killing me!  It was burning!    I also have felt a little flu like too!   Running 12 plus miles is no joke! 

 

All in all, I had a great experience and I cant wait to do another one!  

 





Pumpkin Patch!

Family Time was had this past Friday at the Pumpkin Patch.   We went with Allie's girl scout troop and we had a really good time.  The ride was really bumpy and the trail was really muddy!  This was the best hayride I have ever been on.   Here are a few pics:

I was not lying when I said it was a muddy ride!  Thank goodness we didnt get splashed.  I am impressed that we even were able to get through it!

Here's a moment that makes me smile.  Big brother helping little sister pick out a pumpkin!

 

 

Nasty muddy water on the way to the patch.  It was stinky too!

 

 

Look Mom!  No Hands!



I am going to be running 8 miles today!

Yup....I am running 8 miles today.....last week I ran seven and was so glad to be done!  Training is going well....no injuries or anything....although I am really sore at times....especially after sitting for too long.  I know I probably have plantar fasciitis......but I will not give up!  

My family has been very supportive and even brought water to me on my seven mile run.  They met me at the 4 mile mark with ice cold water.  It was really nice of them.   Then on the last mile, my kids walked/ran with me home.   Allison said something that really made me heart melt.   She said " Mom, you are the best mom anyone could have.  You take care of us, you pay the bills, you work hard, you try to lose weight and exercise, you cook us dinner....."  I really needed that.  

Sometimes I doubt my mothering abilities.....and I try the best I can.   That really meant a lot to me!  Training takes lots of time away from them.  I try to include them, for example, I usually bring Allison with me on my shorter runs.   She will ride her bike.    On my six mile run the other day, I dragged Ervin along.  He rode his bike and trailer.  The babies were in the trailer.  The other kids rode their bikes too.   It is good exercise for all of us!   But, the time can add up and sometimes I feel it takes away from them.  Especially when I work so much.....been working overtime the last 2 weeks! 

One thing that is really irking me is that I am not losing any weight.  Confessional:  I have actually gained 8 pounds since my lowest weight in June.   *pissed. 

But hey, I only have me to blame.   I need to watch what I eat.....but it is so hard.  Craving carbs like crazy!

Anyhow, wish me luck on my 8 miler.  I am going to need it!   My goal is just to finish it!

in training!

I signed up for my first half marathon! Its on Oct 14th so I have a while to train.  I am on week two of training and its going pretty good so far!  I am nervous about building up on my long runs.  This week my long run is 5 miles, next week 6, and increases by 1 mile every week.   It is a little overwhelming but I am up for the challenge!  I will keep you all updated! 

As far as WW, I have taken a little break.  I am planning to get back into it soon!  I haven't gained any more weight, the running has helped with that.  I am just trying to figure out a few things in my head....get things together.....I need to shed more pounds so that I can run faster and longer.   I know that will help!  

Hopefully, my next post will show that I have lost more weight!