I wrote a post a while back about my cross-country adventure to Disneyland. I loved exploring those parks and wish I had a few more days there. But, it was time to run my September race, the inaugural Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon.
Unlike several of my friends, I am not really a Halloween person. I did this race because it fit my schedule, I would get a special “Coast to Coast” medal for completing long races at each U.S. Disney in the same calendar year, and because it seemed like fun.
I learned that Disneyland races are different than the Disney World races in Florida for many reasons. The main ones draw from the fact that Disneyland is SO much smaller. In Disney World, you can run a whole marathon and never leave Disney property. For Disneyland, the Half Marathon was more off-property than on.
The walk to the start line was a breeze. No fireworks at the start though, since we were outside of park property and Anaheim has a noise ordinance. It didn’t take us long to run through both Disneyland and California Adventure. I LOVED being able to run through the little (comparatively speaking) castle. They had a lot more “at a distance” photo opportunities with characters, which was fine since Disney is more aggressive with pulling people off the course if they don’t keep pace. I knew I wouldn’t get my challenge medal if I didn’t finish, so I was not going to get swept.
I did stop at a character or two and many of the other photo opps along the way. Inside the parks it is fun and scenic.
Once we hit mile 5, we were outside the parks and it was all Anaheim roads. This mostly felt like other large races, just with lots of runners in costumes. Some fans came out to support and held signs. Local groups helped at water stops. A fun highlight was running through the Angels stadium and having our names announced over the PA system.
One memorable thing was this race happened to be during an exceptionally awful heat wave. We were warned repeatedly about hydration, electrolytes, and so on. This can be hard to do when you’re in the parks! The days leading up were filled with speculation of whether or not the race would be canceled or shortened due to heat. It was a long way to go for that to happen, so I was glad to finish all the miles and finish safely. I will say I was unbelievably hot by the time I crossed the finish and did not stop for the after party. I got my medals and slowly walked all the way back to the hotel and laid in the air conditioning before taking a cold shower and flying home. The race went under black flag conditions shortly after I finished. It was rough. But, I finished safely and managed to make it to the airport and back home.
This was a long trip for a weekend. I would probably do a Disneyland race again but only if it fell on a school break!
Racecation Season kicked back into full swing with the Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon. If you’ve been following along my year of amazing races, you know I did a 10 mile race in Disney World in April. The Halloween Half took me across the country to California, to run at the original Disney. Like my Florida race, I also spent a day at the parks so I’ll break this story into two posts…one, the parks / resort and two, the race.
I’ve been to Disney World in Florida many times. I’ve taken my kids at numerous stages, and now I’ve also had the fun of going solo as an adult. This trip would be my very first time at Disneyland in California. I decided to spring for the park hopper, Lightning Lanes, etc. since it was just for one day. Who knows when I will make it back again, if ever. I wanted to cram in as much as I could.
I studied park maps, touring plans, watched videos and read posts, but still didn’t feel prepared enough to have much confidence in my rough outline of the day. Add to that an unseasonal heat wave and I was feeling a little wary that I would accomplish much.
I made the four-and-a-half hour flight on a Friday. I landed around noon and took an uber to my hotel. Friday was my day to pick up my bib and visit the race expo. I made my way to the Disneyland hotel. The scope of Disneyland is so much smaller. Everything is in about a dozen blocks. You aren’t catching buses from resorts to the parks. For the most part, you can walk places. (But to be fair, I did use uber a number of times to preserve my legs and avoid the heat.)
I spent the first afternoon walking through the three resort hotels. I grabbed my race gear, walked the expo, then enjoyed all the Disney magic in the hotels and Downtown Disney. Much of it was decked out for the race and Halloween. (For Disney, Halloween starts in late August. I am not really into Halloween as a holiday, so it amazed me how over-the-top the decorations were. Especially in 100+ degree heat!)
Each hotel had its own vibe. From classic Disneyland at the Disneyland hotel, to woodsy opulence at the Grand Californian, to quirky cartoon chic at Pixar Place, they were fun to explore. I ended up eating a steak salad at the Grand Californian which was simply gorgeous inside. The 5 story lobby was full of people, a live pianist, and a gingerbread display of the wicked witch from Snow White. The restaurant there had one of the best sugar cookies I had ever eaten in my life.
After a short night’s sleep (at a local non-Disney hotel), I was up and off to the parks. I waited in line for park open with a group that was clearly more experienced than me. They were in town for the race from Oregon, but they knew tons of secrets I had no idea about. They were racing to a pickle cart in the middle of the park…apparently you get some sort of special prize if you get the first pickle of the day. I love this kind of trivia and little Disney secrets. I was sort of sad that I didn’t even know about this…again with the feeling of being unprepared.
After open and a short walk down Main Street, I waited to get on Space Mountain. This familiar ride from Disney in Florida turned out to be dramatically different (and better!) in California. Yes, it was still a dark roller coaster, but the California version was smoother, had better cars, and had a good soundtrack. Thus, my day of tracking the Florida v. California Disney began.
Disneyland’s comparatively tiny Sleeping Beauty Castle was no match for Florida’s Cinderella Castle. (Still, I was grateful that California routed our race through the castle! Something that most Florida races don’t do.) Pirates of the Caribbean was much longer and more dramatic on the west coast. Big Thunder Mountain broke down on the ride before us so I never got to experience that.
Haunted Mansion really couldn’t compare because it had a special Nightmare Before Christmas overlay in California. It was wonderful but strange. I hopped over to California Adventure for some other rides. The Indiana Jones and Monsters., Inc. rides are unique to California, as is the awesome Incredicoaster and the amazing Radiator Springs Racers. I loved all these attractions and the delicious meals and snacks I enjoyed between them in Avengers Campus and San Fransokyo Square. The theming of each land in California Adventure was so well done. Cars Land was spectacular!
What was missing? Well, lots of things…no Animal Kingdom. No Epcot countries or Moana or Living with the Land. Fewer resorts, fewer snacks to try. The Mickey waffles I found were terrible but the Mickey ice cream bar still hit the spot on a blazing day.
Downtown Disney was a fraction of Florida’s Disney Springs. I did love the holiday decorations that were there, and enjoyed some ice cream at Salt and Straw.
But the biggest difference…honestly, it didn’t feel as “magical” from cast members. This seems kind of intangible, but many of the cast members just didn’t seem very happy. Granted it was hot, but even the cast members indoors seemed flat at best. There weren’t many character stops, either. Characters seemed to roam around more. Daisy Duck and Genie and Aladdin were just randomly walking around. Mary Poppins was riding the carousel! They would stop at times but then move on. No line for photos. If you wanted to meet them, you just had to hope they picked you from the crowd. Given my enchantment from the characters earlier this year in Florida, this took away a bit of the magic.
I went back to the Grand Californian for that Mickey bar and another sugar cookie. I was in bed pretty early for race day. All in all, Florida still wins for parks and resorts, but I’m glad I got to see the California version. There are some things here that you don’t get in Florida!
I took a plane. I rode a train. I drove a car. I maneuvered an electric scooter. I used a new camera to snap some scenery pictures. I visited some new areas. I scoped out restaurants. I stayed at 3 different places each with unique accommodations.
My adventure was full of new experiences and memories. I had moments to reflect. I had time to read. I slept well without life’s distractions. It was a peaceful break from the chaos and mundane tasks of everyday life.
My time away made me appreciate what I have now while allowing me to drift into the mindset of what’s next for me. What’s on the horizon. What changes can and/or should I make? Oh how I love the curiosity around each corner of life. My road below was to somewhere? Or was it nowhere? Was it planned? Could it have been an accidental detour? I saw the beauty of the open road that day. Just me and the wide open spaces. This is the perfect vision for me. A blank canvas on earth. Where to explore. What to do. So much adventure just beyond….
Growth always happens whenever you step outside your comfort zone. Home is a comfort zone for many. It is for me. Leaving home opens up your mind and broadens your horizon. Traveling to another country and immersing in the culture is a form of growth. Traveling solo and navigating new areas is growth. Trying a new activity like photography is growth.
Stepping out for coffee can also foster creativity and growth. Observing others. Maybe interacting with new faces. Meeting a friend to catch up on life while enjoying the warmth of a cup of joe. Visiting a coffee shop in a new area may peak your interest too. Stepping out of your normal. Getting off the hamster wheel of life to try something new: it’s so important!
With each opportunity to grow in front of you, the depth of your growth coincides with your ability to take a chance and embrace what is hidden around the corner. The so called surprises in life. If you are able to dive deep into these growth stages I do believe you will
See rewards for your efforts. If you sit and watch or wait for the perfect time life may just pass you by.
Fortune favors the bold.
Have you been bold lately?
If you wanted to make a bold action today, what would it be?
I live boldly.
I take chances.
I risk the immediate gain for the long term rewards. Life is what you make of it.
May’s choice for my year of race-cations was the Flying Pig Half Marathon.
Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Flying Pig was voted the #1 marathon in the US according to USA Today. I figured the half marathon, run at the same time, must be awesome as well. Leading up to the race, I joined a thriving online community that shared tips with racers, offered support, and went hog wild on the awesome theme. Needless to say, I was totally pumped up when I flew in to Cincy on Saturday.
This race is so big, there are even multiple Flying Pig welcome signs and structures in the airport. The 5k and 10k took place on Saturday, so traffic was already pretty gummed up on my Uber from the airport. In case you don’t know, Cincinnati sits on a river. I ended up staying in Northern Kentucky across the river, where the hotels were a bit more affordable. (I later learned that there were a ton of events in town that weekend, including a huge baseball series, that probably contributed to the extremely high cost of hotel rooms.) There was a welcome sign for Flying Pig runners in my hotel lobby. I dropped my luggage then made my way to the expo.
The expo was honestly amazing. Tons of vendors, balloon displays, pig statues, and amazing swag. For this race, half marathon runners receive a shirt, a commemorative item (this year it was an athletic duffle bag) and a race poster. There was also a huge line at the Proctor and Gamble (sponsor) booth where there is a famous freebie giveaway. From deodorant to beauty products and more, they give away bags full of full-sized items to runners. I wanted to see the city and not drag around a big bag of shampoo and razor blades, so I skipped this benefit of the race (sadly!) If I ever do this race again, I’ll plan better.
After I got my bib and swag, I hopped a city streetcar to the Findlay Market, a famous longstanding market in Cincy. I walked through the booths and took the recommendation of someone I met on the streetcar to get a breakfast sandwich from one of the booths. It was truly a gooey salty something special. I grabbed the streetcar back to the expo area to stop for Graeter’s ice cream, a local chain of creameries. I got the special Flying Pig flavor that they make each year. Awesome carb loading with local delicacies. I also walked through the Cinco de Mayo celebrations taking place on the square. I could have used another day in Cincy to enjoy all the murals, activities, and see the sign museum. It’s sort of bittersweet, but on the other hand I actually do like the feeling of wanting to come back for more.
After laying out my race gear, I set about my restless prerace sleep. I rose at around 4:30 am to get my caffeinated life together and start the walk to the start line. All the roads were already closed at that hour. I rolled into the lobby to piles of granola bars and racers bustling around. We all collectively started the mile or so walk in the dark to the start, which included crossing a beautiful historic bridge.
The start corrals were packed, organized, and filled with energy. Music was blaring. My nerves were definitely joyous. People of all shapes and sizes come out to walk and “Run the Pig.” People proudly wear walking club shirts. Women who appeared to be about 20 years older than me clustered in groups as we inched our way forward. Finally, after what seemed like hours, we crossed the start line.
I loved the first few miles. I was feeling good. The weather was still cool. We got to go over some great bridges back and forth between the states. I was smiling and my pace was solid.
Mile 5 is when things started to go off the rails a bit. I knew this race was described as hilly. But, reviewers had said Little Rock was hilly, but I didn’t find it troubling. But Cincy was different. It wasn’t really hilly so much as a single 4 mile long hill. Straight. Up. I guess I didn’t study the elevation of the race as well as I should have. The sheer length and relentlessness of this hill caught me completely off guard. I continued to run / walk as best I could, but my energy was completely wrecked by the time I got to mile 10. My pace had gone from the 13s to over 15 (even 16!) minutes per mile. In the mean time, the sun came up and I never recovered. Wearing full length pants was a huge mistake. I was overheated, legs were overtaxed, and I struggled to finish.
The crowd support was great. I had learned the trick of putting my name on my bib so people cheered for me by name as I shuffled by. I laughed at the signs and took the high fives. But honestly, I was fighting to get to the finish line. But, finish I did! As ugly as it was.
I physically sat down about 100 yards after receiving my medal. I NEVER sit down that soon. I couldn’t stomach the famous LaRosa’s pizza at the after party. I nibbled just the corner and hobbled to the shuttles back to the hotel. All I could think about was a cold shower and air conditioning.
At the time I said *NEVER AGAIN* to this race. But now that I’ve had some time to recover and get a little perspective, I can imagine myself seeking redemption someday. This may be a race to revisit once I am wiser about fueling and energy management (not to mention wardrobe!) I also have unfinished business with the city and the expo, so I won’t say never! When pigs fly!
June brings summer heat and shorter distances. I’ll confess I wasn’t totally sorry for a step back from the half marathon distance for a few months. Stay tuned to find out where my trusty Brooks will test themselves next.
Close to 150 miles accumulated after 5 months. Definitely short of my plan after the past several weeks of low or no-go days.
My 10k was a little crazy to reflect on. It was my first big run of 2024. It was my first 10k since 2019. It was after having two cortisone shots. One shot in each knee, the latest shot being just four days prior. It was hard. It was rewarding. It was darn close to a personal best and it definitely wasn’t my slowest. It didn’t feel like a strong run rather it felt like I checked a box for completion. I’ll consider all of that a success story. It was a down-and-back course. In one way I liked it as I could see friends along the way. In one way I didn’t like it because I knew what was ahead meaning I focused on the hills vs. following my plan. All was done before I knew it. Just over an hour.
Cold weather is in the rearview for now. On to more sticky and hot weather. Not sure which is preferred yet, but I’m sure at the end of 2024 I will have more commentary on the weather, wardrobe, and so on. Trying to make getting up early in summer to hit the parks. Priority to run. So far attempts are meh at best.
I survived my tennis state finals. It was a humbling experience. I played singles against an opponent a good many years younger than me. Over 20 years to be exact. I got my running in on the court that day and I didn’t come up a winner. I did however learn a lot in the process. How to accept defeat. How to value those who play singles often. How I need to play someone more my age.
Race day essentials has been an ongoing project. Most likely the final list will come out just in time for the big marathon day. Testing out items throughout the year. I’ve mentioned shoes before but now I guess I can include some of my quirky items. I’ve got the bib holders to not ruin my shirt. Three of my favorite grab ‘n’ go snacks. My vest with easy-to-drink water bottles. Salt stick: Iced berry. Love these. A little tube of glitter which is my signature race day flair item. Just a glimpse of what I use.
A lot of major events on the calendar starting this month. Non-stop activities for the rest of the year. Going to be interesting to see how training fits into it all. Especially the long runs that take away a lot of time. Adapting to change will be key. Modifying for injuries is also vital. Long plane rides ahead. Starting with international travel next month. Traveling to Greece in a once-in-a-lifetime fashion. Spending days at sea means no running but finding a safe spot when on land. Just to even get a mile in will be key and cool to do.
Seven more months to go.
Body changes seem to be at a standstill or less notable as I work through injuries these days. I may even feel more jello like than lean. Could just be the mindset as of late.
Miles to date in 2024 is now hanging sound 150 working towards 200 for now. A good distance behind my goal again thanks to a busy schedule and injuries.
Mental milestone:
Moving forward little by little toward my goal despite the pain along the way. Learning over and over not to take one day for granted.
Marathon training plan: completed 4 weeks with about 75% success rate meaning I wasn’t perfect. I wasn’t hitting each day exactly as prescribed but I got the miles in as I could.
Looks like an MRI is on the June agenda just to double check the knee situation. A new performance doctor to take a second look. I need to know if my joints are weak from menopause or if I have a tear I’m limping along with. Not sure which I’d prefer at this time, but an answer or clarity would be good in my eyes.
2 Chicks and a blog 