Disney Princess Half Marathon Recap

I'm always running a little late on these post, but better late than never right?

I have to say, Princess is now one of my top two races, With Nike being the number one. The Princess was so much fun. I really enjoyed every moment from before the race till after. Even with getting hurt during the race (more on that to come) I still enjoyed every step and every passing moment. 

Unfortunately, I was not able to get to Disney till after 5pm on Saturday which meant that I missed all of Expo. However, thanks to my good friends Robyn & Deb I was able to at least get my princess 1/2 magnet for my car. They also picked up my race packet for me.

Saturday 5pm:

Flat Angi

I met Deb & Robyn at a little Italian Restaurant for dinner. We had to carb load ya know. After dinner we headed back to the hotel. We stayed at Old Key West. Once there we settled in and started getting our race gear ready for the next morning. Of course I had to set out my flat Angi.  What color scheme for this race, but of course I chose princess pink, a tutu and a tiara.







When I say that these two ladies are amazing, I mean that in every sense of the words. Since I was not able to attend the expo they made sure that they brought the best parts of the expo to me.  I already told you they picked up my car magnet for me and my race packet, but that was not enough for these ladies. Robyn made sure that I got the exclusive commemorative pin as well. They also found a booth with shirts that had saying on them. I believe they are called fellow flowers. This is a group that believes that Running isn't just about mileage, routes, and pavement. It's about life, friendship and defining yourself on your own terms. Well let me tell you. my two friends really know me. Not only did they get the shirt for each of us that is orange "fiercely United" which is exactly what we are UNTIED!, but they also discover my personal  flower color. Pink "Gratitude" for those that know me can read what the description is and say yup that is Angi   100 %. 

Basically everything that these two ladies had picked up had some sort of meaning behind it. I also was not able to attend the meet up for one of the running clubs we are memebers of called "I run Disney so I can eat Disney", so Robyn even picked up a goodie bag from that for me as well. She never stops thinking of others. 

Saturday 8pm:

We were finally starting to settle in for the night, and lights out. After all we did have to get up at 2am so we could catch the bus at 3am, and get to our corrals by 5am. Yeah , I don't think I actually slept more than about 2-3 hours that night. I don't know if it was the nerves, the excitement, adreniline or simply all the laughing we did. At this point I was a little worried too because the weather was a little iffy. Forecast called for rain and possibly thunder showers and lightening.. Rain I can deal with but not lightening. So I started to pray. I prayed for peace and for the weather and before I new it I was fast asleep.

RACE DAY!!! 3am:

3am and we loaded the bus at our hotel to head over to the Start line. Once we stepped off the bus you could not help but get excited. music was playing people were arriving. It was race day.  After getting bibs pinned on and taking a few pictures we started looking for our fellow Pace book Run Club (PbRc) friends.  This is another one of the three running groups that I belong to. I have to say all my groups are fantastic, but PbRc is simply amazing. It's at this time 1,002 members strong and was started back in January 2012
as a joke on a post in the Disney Marathon Weekend FB running group.  The thought was to create a group where you would have a more "relaxed" pace group for the 2013 Disney Half Marathon. Since that time it has morphed into much more. This group of people have really helped to shape and change my running life. It was so nice to finally get the chance to meet people face to face. I mean you get to know these people and so much of their life through pictures and post, but nothing compares to finally meeting them in person. I am so honored and blessed to be a part of this group, and call these amazing people my friends.



4am Picture Time:

PbRc...if you look closely in the center to will see Sean Astin..of Goonies and Lord Of the Rings Fame. 

We actually had a great surprise at our group picture. Sean Astin came out to meet us and talk to us, he gave us a great pep talk. In case you are wondering who Sean Astin is, you may know him better are Mikie Walsh in Goonies, or more recently as Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings. In the running world we know him as Sean Astin founder of #Run3rd. Ok, I know I'm giving you all this new stuff tonight. #Run3rd is something that was inspired by Sean on twitter. Basically, the short version is this: I Run 1st for Myself. I Run 2nd for my Family, and I #run3rd for everyone else.  It's about dedicating your run to someone else,  to simply say that these steps I am taking are not just about me. I take then to honor another, to say that I  live for someone other than myself. 

After picture time with PbRc, it was time to meet up with my new running group, Mom's run This Town. This is a free national running group. I have actually decided to start a local chapter. There is a Central Florida Chapter, but we really needed on for Seminole County Area. So now there is one. Keep your eyes posted for more information and updates on this. 

Mom's Run This Town!!

 

5:30am Race Start:

We made it to our corrals. I was in Corral C (they ran A-H). Which is good because it gave me a good lead on that silly pacer. I started the race with a couple other member of the PbRc. I knew that I would not last long with them because they are runners, but it was fun to hang out in the corral with them and cross that starting line together. 

The first few miles I walked at my usual pace. About a 17 minute mile. I followed race rules and stayed all the way over to the right. I tend to walk about a 17 minute mile pace for the first 3 miles in all my long races. Then from Miles 3-7 I picked up the pace and did my run/walk routine. This usually brings me up to about a 16 min mile pace (which is the minimum pace for Disney) but I was really flying this day. When I checked my time, I was actually averaging about a 15:35 minute mile. I was super excited, so I decided that since I felt good, and I was so far a head, I might as well keep up my run/walk pace for a couple more miles. If I did I would set a new PR for me. I did the math in my head allowed for some extra walking time at the end and came up with a finish time of 3:35, my fastest time so far was at Wine & Dine where I finished in 3:45. 

So I'm just about to hit mile 8, I start on yet another run segment, and boom out of no where there is this lady that is passing me on the right, I took a step to my left to give her a little room, and just as I did another lady who I guess thought neither one of us was running fast enough for her, squeezed her way in between us. Now let me first say that race etiquette says that slower runner stay to the right (which I was) and that faster runners should always pass on the left ( just like road rules). Lets just say that what happened next was NOT pretty.   

Yeah all three of us went down to the ground. As I fell, I could hear a loud snap come from my left knee, and then in an instant the pain came. I had literally popped me knee out of socket. I spent the next 15 minutes in the medical tent. The medic helped to pop the knee back into place,  gave me Tylenol, wrapped my knee in ice and then told me to sit tight a Medical vehicle would be by soon. "OH HELL NO!!!!" I said. I looked the guy square in the face and said "I DID NOT come here NOT to finish this race".  I rested for about 5- 10 more minutes and I was off again. I knew that as long as I could beat the sweeper to the over pass at mile 10 I would be safe.  

As for the other two ladies. The one who was passing me at first was fine just a scrap or 2 and she was off on her way right after she got up. The lady who was impatient well, she went to the finish line but not on her own 2 feet. 

I don't mean her any disrespect, and I sure hope that she is OK. (I was told she sprained her ankle). But come on people..PASS ON THE LEFT!!!!  

Seriously though mile 8- 9 was dedicated to her. I prayed for her to heal, and thought about how awful she must have felt for not only taking down two fellow runners, but for coming all this way not to be able to finish the race. I'm sure she trained just as hard, and until that point didn't realize what one bad decision would do. I wish I would have gotten her information. I would love to let her know that there are no hard feeling and to make sure that she is OK. 

Miles 10-12 

I made it past mile 10 just in time. Last January when I did my first 1/2, I had reached this point. You come up on top of the overpass, and you can look back down that long road that you just finished walking on and see what you had just conquered. I remember stopping for a moment back then and just looking in awe at all the people that were still behind me and thinking I really did this. This time though when I stopped at that same point and looked back the road was empty, not a single runner there. I looked over the other side, and saw that much dreaded bus. I had done it again, I had beaten the bus. I WAS going to finish this thing banged up knee and all. I never felt so much emotion come over me all at once, and all I could do was cry, and thank God for getting me this far.

Miles 10-11 seemed to get longer and longer as the pain in my knee kept getting more and more unbearable. I knew at this point that I had to get my mind off of it some how. Then just as God has done for me many times in the past he placed a brief distraction in my sight. There she was Miss Peggy Sue. Holding her sign that says " Hello Complete Stranger, I'm proud of you too". I couldn't help but smile.  
 

Peggy Sue!

  See, Peggy Sue was a bit of an icon for me. I had seen her at every Disney race I had done. I was beginning to think that maybe I was just imagining her there. That she was a figment of my imagination. Then one day one of my fellow PbRc friends had posted about her too.  

This nameless stranger finally had a name Peggy Sue.  

This amazing lady comes to all the Disney races with her inspiring signs and cheers on the runners. Not knowing how just that one gesture really does help so many runners make it through. Well, she helped me make it through. I was so glad to see her that I actually ran over to her yelling "Peggy Sue Pacebook Run Club Loves you", and had my picture taken with her. It was enough to get my mind off the pain for a little while and get me past mile 12. Thank you Peggy Sue for always being there.





 Just about mile 12.5 I was beginning to feel the pain again and I was slowing down a lot at this point. It wasn't about the time anymore, it was simply about getting to that finish line. I knew that I needed a distraction again. I started talking to people at random, passing them and saying congratulations you did it...your almost there. I talked to several ladies that this was there first 1/2 and they couldn't believe they were about to finish. It was the part of these races and the running community that I love the most. It's about teamwork and helping your fellow runner with a kind word or a little emotional support just when they need it the most.

 Then once again God saw me through and gave me that last distraction that I need to get over the pain. I said hi to a girl that also looked like she was struggling. we started talking and I found out that she was 15 years old and this was her first 1/2. She was from Michigan. I saw that look in her eyes that I had when I did my first. I knew that what made me get through it was the support of Coach Rich, and having Deb there to talk to and laugh with. So I just kept talking to her and trying to get her mind off of her pain. I knew that if I could distract her it would help her make it to the finish line, but it in turn helped me too. We helped each other across that finish line. 

 












Race highlights in pictures

 
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That's it folks, 1/2 marathon number 4 in the books...what next?  Guess you will have to stay tuned to find out. 

Till next time

Run for you, Run for Fun, Run4Life

Angi