"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

Oh Thursday, we meet again.  It feels like I haven't blogged in a week.  Oh wait, I haven't!  HA!  This past weekend was FULL to the brim with Princess Half weekend activities.  Meetups, expo, running and sleeping squeezed in there somewhere.  It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but wouldn't have changed a thing about it!  I got to meet some incredible women (and a couple of men!) and really got to enjoy the whole experience that is a runDisney race weekend.  I will be chronicling the weekend over next weeks posts so STAY TUNED!

Today is back to business though, it is "The Jam" day where I share songs that get my booty bumping and my legs pumping.  Today's "jam" is one of my favorite songs from this artist.  It has this innate ability to raise my spirits and get me focused on the moment I am in, whether it be running or just out and about.  This song came on during my run on Sunday and it couldn't have come at a better time.  I was running up the overpass, on the grass because everyone on the road was walking and I couldn't weave through the crowd anymore (more on that later), then this song came on.

I Remember - Kaskade & Deadmau5

 

Don't mind the video, it's pretty abstract, just close your eyes and listen to the beat and the lyrics.  It touches so many facets of life in its context that I can find a meaning for this song in just about any situation.  But this past time when the song came on, it was a life saver.  I got goose bumps all over and had this energy surging through me and I felt light, my strides effortless and the incline was almost non-existent to me.  I really needed that boost that good music can give you and this was perfect.  I hope you enjoy it and consider adding it to your playlist!  Enjoy!

"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

Welcome to Thursday! I am off work today because I'm in Disney World!!! YAY! Can you believe it? Race weekend is finally here and I'm so excited!

Todays "jam" is a two-fer...you know, a two for one?  Anyway.  I'm in the Disney mood (sorry to those of you that aren't or getting OD'd with all the Disney posts I'm making) so I wanted to post a song for getting into the "magical" mood and then one for the race weekend mojo.

So todays Disney "jam" is:

 

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

 

 

This is from my FAVORITE Disney movie "Cinderella".  I have loved this movie since I first saw it and is always my "go-to" movie when I want to watch Disney.  I love singing along and reciting the lines along with the movie.  Call it childish, call it escapism, call it what you want.  I just know I feel like a kid again and enjoy the simplicity of life when I watch this and most other Disney movies.

 

 

The second "jam" for today is for my half marathon mojo.  I am running my first half marathon and it just so happens to be with thousands of "Princesses".  I'm ecstatic and can't wait to get into that corral and have a good time.  So todays mojo "jam" is:

 

 

Blow - Kesha

 

Sure, she's immature, has questionable morals and is rumored to have drunk her own urine (seriously?).  But this song always gets my booty moving when it's on my iPod.  The lyric about glitter all over the floor is pretty much how this weekend is probably going to be.  Women getting sweat and glitter all over the place.  That didn't quite sound right...hhmmmm. 

 

Anyway.  This song is just a booty bumper and leg pumper.  Try it out and enjoy. 

 

And to all you Princesses out there running with me this weekend, let's blow the roof off this race and have a great time!

End of half marathon training

Well it's here.  The end of my training.  20 weeks ago I started this journey to get to 13.1 miles and run my way through the parks of Disney World.  20 weeks seemed like forever when I started, who knew it would go by so quickly.  It's crazy looking at my first week of half marathon training and reading the posts leading up to this one.  What an incredible journey and fantastic ride of self discovery this whole process has been!

I leave for Orlando tomorrow night and will be spending time in the Happiest Parks on Earth and finally be adorned with the Princess Half Marathon medal this weekend.  My first, ever.  It seems surreal to think that the race is in only a few days, not weeks.  That I can see the weather forecast for race weekend without having to look at the month or 10 day outlook.  It is surreal that all this preparation, weeks of logging miles, weeks of cross training, hundreds of hours planning is culminating to this weekend.  And this weekend will go by like the blink of an eye.  So fast and furious that I will most likely be suffering from a race hangover, or going through major training withdrawls. 

It's like planning a wedding.  You spend months planning and anticipating, coordinating with people, arranging plans and schedules.  Then the weekend comes and it's a flash and blur of events and faces.  Laughs and meet-ups.  Anticipation and the race.  Then the day after, everyone has left and gone their separate ways, the main event is over and you are saddened because the event you were planning and building up to is over.  You have an event hangover and start to look for something else to look forward to and start the planning process all over again.  It becomes a cycle, a vicious, vicious cycle.  But one that we just can't help feeding in to.

This past weeks training went as such:

Tuesday: 30 minutes run/walk
Thursday: 30 minutes run/walk
Saturday: Long run - 3 miles 6 miles 7 miles

Tuesdays run, like all the weeks before in my training, never happened.  I just don't know why that day is always so tough to get out on the road and run.  I need to start running during my lunch hour on that day, maybe a run earlier in the day will help.

Thursday I met with my friends Danielle and Erica for an easy three.  I was super sluggish and my legs were tired.  I stand at work so my legs tend to feel more tired in the afternoon because of that, so it doesn't help with my running in the evenings.  Even though I was feeling sluggish, my pace wasn't.  I was ahead of the group for almost the entire run, keeping an 11:30/mm pace.  I tried several times to slow down to run with the ladies, but I felt that if I slowed down I would be much slower than them and end up being behind them.  So I trudged on and knocked out the three miles in decent time.

Saturday's run had 3 miles scheduled, but going from 3 miles to 13.1 in one week seemed like too large of a jump for me, so I decided to run 6 miles.  However my friend Danielle, who is ramping up her mileage for a half in May, was running 7 miles.  I know how it feels to run those extra miles alone, so I scraped the plans to run just 6 joined her for the last mile. 

I also decided to wear most of my race costume for my run to test it out.  I haven't run in shorts for many months, so I wanted to see how I did with that and my Team Sparkle skirt.  I like to "run it before I race it" when it comes to costumes or a change in clothing for a race.  If you can't stand it during a regular run, it will just be worse during the race!

It was great, I was about two miles into the run when a guy running came around from behind us and remarked to me "nice skirt!", as he was running by.  It made me smile.  Then another girl along the lake said, "I like your skirt!".  It was just so much fun.  It's great to take my Team Sparkle skirts out on regular runs.  Everyone needs a little sparkle on their runs!

The day was overcast and breezy, but it was perfect for running, the rain held off too which was nice.

You can't see it in this picture, but my hair was in a bun, gotta try out my Princess hair style too.  The bun did not move the entire run, it was pretty awesome. 

It was a good run and I felt solid for the whole run.  It was nice to be able to knock off some miles and not feel completely drained or ridiculously sore afterward.  It's actually pretty cool to see my endurance build and be able to take on these longer miles without the ill effects afterwards that I experienced when I was first starting out. 

I felt then and feel now that I'm ready for this race.  I have run the 13 miles, I have wrapped my head around the distance and I know I can do it.  Now it is all about getting dressed up, taking character pictures and enjoying all 13.1 of those miles to the fullest!  I was nervous about the race and how I would perform, but now I'm just excited.  This will be a great race and I can't wait to run with the rest of the Princesses!

Momentum Monday: Run your own race

Well this morning started off with a bang!  As you know I will be running my first half marathon this weekend at the Princess Half Marathon weekend in Disney World.  Well, runDisney holds these amazing meet-ups where you can sign up to meet their official dream team consisting of trainer Jeff Galloway, dietician Tara Gidus, along with elite runners, celebrities and other special guests the Friday or Saturday of their race weekend.  It is a bloggers DREAM to be able to participate in one of these meet-ups, if not for the ability to meet AND run with this elite group of runners, but to also get tips and advice from them that you can pass on to others that maybe don't know and are just as curious as you are.  OH and also running through a theme park when it is completely empty and closed to the public sounds amazing too!

 

The reason today started off with a bang is, well there are two reasons, 1) I woke up at 3am (ugh) trying to get my body on east coast time so that waking up early all weekend long doesn't debilitate me and keep me from running my best. And 2) the coveted runDisney meet-up announcement posted on the Disney Parks Blog this morning.  EEEKKK!!!  The only way I found out is that I was reading my twitter feed and a fellow blogging friend tweeted that the meet-up info had posted.  I ran to my computer and sure enough, there it was!  So I sent my RSVP that very instant and I'm praying I get in, what an amazing opportunity it would be to be selected for the meet-up.

 

**UPDATE: Did not make the cut -off and was not invited to join the Princess Half Marathon Meet-up.  Bummer-sauce.**

 

I was one of the people constantly watching their blog page on Friday to get the info on the meet-up so I could sign up, but I believe they were having technical difficulties and the post wasn't able to be made.  I'm so glad that I'm plugged into social media the way I am, otherwise I might have missed my opportunity completely!

 

Now that I'm up and pretty alert this early on a Monday, that is also a holiday nonetheless, it is time for a little Momentum Monday love.

 

 

This one is tough and one I will battle with this weekend FOR SURE!  Being involved in any sort of sport creates competition within yourself to do better, but also with other people in hopes to improve yourself, and hopefully best someone else.  It may be conscious or unconscious, but it is there.  You could know the person really well or have never seen them before in your life, it doesn't matter, there is something that pushes and pulls us to be in competition. 

I have, since when I first started running, always said that I don't care who around me is faster or slower, I am always going to run my race.  Man, I have eaten my words so many times.  I will get into a race with blinders on and then at some point I either get pissed because I'm being passed or I gloat to myself because I was able to pick people off. 

It's tough, I'll be the first to admit it.  I'm not mean spirited in any way, but damn it if I'm not competitive.  I don't really compete with or get angry at other people, I get angry with myself on why I'm not better to be able to keep up with the persons who have passed me.  It is silly I know, because this person maybe fitter or have been an athlete all their lives and run miles and miles everyday, I can't possibly compare myself to them.  But I do, I guess it is human nature and I hate it.

So this weekend I am going to try and let it go.  To run and enjoy the moments during the race.  Take pictures with characters and not pay attention to the time clock.  Enjoy the miles as they pass by and run for the love of running and not because I'm trying to beat someone else to the finish line!

Question for you:  Do you find it difficult to be passed during a race?  Do you judge your performance based on your own past experience or how you perform against other runners?

"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.  Hope you have great plans for today, whether it be with a loved one or friends, or even quality by yourself, I hope you have an enjoyable day!  My Valentine works late so I will be spending my evening running with some fabulous ladies!

It's the 14th and officially 10 days away from race day!  I'm actually in the single digit countdown for going to Disney World!  A week from today, 7 days, I will be in Disney World hopefully enjoying some sunshine and riding some rides.  EEEEHHHH!!!!  So excited!!!

Todays "jam" is a little more romantic based because of todays festivities.  It's not some sappy love song, but rather a classic song by an iconic singer and legend in his own right.  So I present todays "jam":

 

Fly Me To The Moon - Frank Sinatra

 

This is the song that played as my hubby and I walked down the aisle during the recessional at our wedding.  So this song holds a special place in my heart and makes me think of him and that day everytime I hear it.  So I wanted to share this with all of you and send this as a little Valentine to my wonderful husband.  I love you sweetie, Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Okay, enough of the mushiness for today...back to your regularly scheduled program.