DisneyRunFest2012 - Meeting at the Contemporary

Monday evenings first two activities were based at the Contemporary Resort.  I have always wanted to eat at the Wave and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.  They bill themselves as being locally sourced, in season, and healthy.  That sounds like a great meal plan for runners.  Our reservation was at 5 pm so that we could meet, have a simple bite to eat, and then be ready to run at 7 pm.  Although others would be joining us for the run it was just Marcia, Rachel and myself at dinner.  The menu looked amazing but we all went simple with soup and salad.  We had a wonderful meal which ended with an email.  We were still waiting to see if someone from runDisney was going to be able to join us for either our Monday evening run or our Tuesday morning run.  

The entrance to the Wave

Marcia and Rachel

I had the cobb salad...

and the tomato soup with the smallest grilled cheese any of us had  seen.

After dinner we walked around the Contemporary.

And checked out the view!

There's the monorail headed from MK to the Contemporary.

Back to the email: after dinner I got an email from Tony Morreale at runDisney.  He indicated that Bob Hitchcock would probably be joining us for our morning run and that I should give him a call.

Hello Bob... (Thank's for the show of support Mickey!)

We stepped outside the building to find a quiet spot for a phone call and found this inspirational setting.  Bob had just returned from Greece where he had been on business for 10 days.  He would indeed meet us for our morning run, but not until after he had gone out with the morning Galloway run (at 4:30)!  Given the plans we had for the rest of the evening we had already decided to pass on the 4:30 run which left from a middle school in Orlando.  I wish we had video of my happy runner dance after the call was over!

It was time for us to get ready for our evening run.  So away we went to grab our gear and get changed in the restroom at the Contemporary.  Everyone kept asking us if we needed any help.  We were in and out of the lobby so many times that evening.  Everyone was polite though and no one hassled us.  I even did a little pin trading at the main desk.  They keep a pin book behind the counter if you are into pin trading.  I collect food pins.  (I will have to post photos of them sometime.)

Next up is the evening run!

If you want to see the full itinerary check it out at  http://lovedisneyrunning.blogspot.com/2012/07/disney-run-fest-july-16-17-2012.html 

Erin Williams – @lovedisneyrun on Twitter and lovedisneyrunning.blogspot.com
Marcia Barton - @TravelRunEat on Twitter and Travelruneat.blogspot.comRachel Wright - @runnerstales on Twitter and runnerstales.com

DisneyRunFest2012 - Arriving

One July 6th I decided that the best and only way I could use my expiring Southwest Airlines standard award ticket was to fly somewhere and go running.  The next thought in my head was "I am going to go running at my favorite place - Disney World!"  

The trick was I could only fit in an overnight trip from Monday July 16th through Tuesday July 17th!  The next thing to figure out was if anyone else wanted to get in on the fun with me.  I let friends on Facebook and Twitter know what I was up to and people reacted in one of two ways: I want to go & I so wish I could go!  

With six friends interested I came up with an itinerary and a name for the trip - DisneyRunFest2012!  My flight was scheduled to get me into Orlando at 1:30 am, but lucky for me SWA was willing to switch me to a direct flight once I was at the airport (carry-on only pays off)!  So I got into Orlando at 10:15 am!  

We always stop for photos outside of the EarPort!
A nice Disney Store employee took all of these for me!

2013 is the year of Goofy!
 Of course I am going to add the 5k and go Dopey marathon weekend!

Aren't we lovely!

My photographer insisted on capturing the different faces on the mirror!

She did a nice job don't you think?

Next she wanted to dress me up with a little store merchandising.
Too bad they don't sell runDisney at the airport!

Then it was off on the Magical Express to Port Orleans French Quarter.

Happy buses filled with happy riders!

There I am on my way with my blue camera clicking away!

These chaps were out to welcome the guests!

And here is where we were staying for the night.
Nice room on the first floor!
The resort was not busy at all and it was nice and quiet at night.
(Marcia's photo)

Welcome to the room to me!

And a nice hello from Mickey!

I was sharing the room with another runDisney loving runner that I only knew through Twitter (Marcia Barton - @TravelRunEat on Twitter and Travelruneat.blogspot.com) 

Marcia was coming down from Jacksonville.  I was able to get settled and check out the resort with my bonus 3 hours from SWA before she arrived.  We really hit it off - proving that splitting a room with an almost complete stranger can work out great!

So that brings DisneyRunFest2012 up through the check-in at the resort.  If you want to see the itinerary check a few posts back at http://lovedisneyrunning.blogspot.com/2012/07/disney-run-fest-july-16-17-2012.html.

Right now I need to get out for an evening run so more later!

DisneyRunFest2012 Here I Come

I am heading to the airport!  Disney World here I come.  

It will be quick, I know, 

but while it lasts I will run, 

have fun, 

meet some great new friends, 

and see what the new Fantasyland 

at Magic Kingdom has to offer.  

So see you in a couple of days.  

If you want to follow along check in on me 

at Twitter @lovedisneyrun or 

FB at for the love of Disney running!

DisneyRunFest2012 is ON!

UnitedHealthCare Triple Crown - Jamestown RI 1/2 Marathon

Jamestown, RI was the second stop in the UnitedHealthCare Triple Crown.  The race was scheduled to start at 6:30 am which meant I needed to get up at 4 am to get there in time.  They were busing us onto the island from the Newport Grand parking lot in you guessed it Newport.  The expo was almost non-existent.  Picture a white tent for bib & t-shirt pickup and two guys selling shoes and running clothing outside in a parking lot.  That's it you just saw the expo.  No picture required, but I wish I had thought to take one.  The other thing that I wish is that the race crew had just said "you know what...don't worry about picking up your packets a day early...just get them that morning."  Luckily me coworker / fellow racer was going and was willing to pick mine up as well.  But really folks it was not necessary.  They should have just helped the runners out and told us to get them in the morning.  There were only 630 or so runners preregistered and I think I saw #690 or so out there.  So it was not like there were tons of people.

Anyway...I left the house at 4:30 and was in the lot by 5:10.  Kristin showed up about 10 minutes later followed by Samantha & her boyfriend.  Then it was just a matter of getting on the bus and heading across the bridge to the start line.  Don't worry runners there are potties over there (is what they were saying at that point).

Happy coworkers waiting to get their race on.  This was the first race that Kristin & I have met up at despite running plenty of races in the 3 or so years we have worked together.  It was so much fun!

Right as we were getting ready to board the bus Amy Mullen came over to thank me for  posting  my pre-run report.
Yes runners there are really hills on this course!

Since the potties did not arrive until 15 min before the start of the race everyone was using 1 construction potty at the State building and 1 parking lot potty up the hill (& of course the bushes).  

 They offered to start the race 5 min late to allow more runners to use the potties, but they were also reminding everyone that the race was chip timed.  So even though they were starting the race, people could take whatever time they needed and just start late.  Crazy!  They is like a runners nightmare.  I know people who did it though!  And the reality was that I did not see a potty on the course until the 8 mile mark!  Talk about needing to hold it!

I lined up with the 8 min mile folks.

 Anyway the race went well for me.  There was a light drizzle for the first 5-6 miles.  The sun never came out...thankfully!  I was totally soaked, but happy.  There was so much grumbling about the hills.  Truly they would have killed me had I not pre-run the course 3 weeks prior.  That being said there were even more hills than I remembered.  This is an island in the middle of Narragansett Bay and it did survive being scrapped by the glaciers!

Happy finisher with her inspirational skirt and headband on.
That is actually the headband my daughter wore for the Tangled 5k Princess weekend.
We had such a fantastic time running that race together!
It made me so happy to wear it and I got a ton of complements
(they did not even know how special it was!)

We met Laura Nottie standing in line for the 1 potty.  She is also a local runner and was great to talk with.  I  gave her a high five after she crossed the line and took this photo!  Great job Laura!

Here comes Kristin!  She is after that perfect photo.
I thought I had it...maybe I do...but she also made the race video with her medal grab move!

I loved that someone wore a tutu in our race although I wonder if it got heavy when it got wet.  It had plenty of spring when it crossed the line through.

I finally got to meet @runcupcake a fellow run blogger from RI. She looked positively splendid in her purple.   She is also on FB as Running and Cupcakes.

This race had its logistically issues: the potties & the unnecessary day prior packet pickup, but otherwise it was pretty fantastic.  I feel that most of the field would have benefited from knowing about all the hills on the course.  I don't know if the race team was trying not to scare people away.  I went into this realistically knowing that there was no way I could PR on this course.  It just was not possible with all the hills and it is the middle of July!  So I was trilled with my time just under 2:00.

Here is the elevation chart for the race.  Is that hilly enough for you?

The first leg of the Triple Crown was back in May when I ran my first full marathon at the Cox's Rhode Race in Providence.  

The third leg will be in Newport in mid-October.  It will be my second full marathon.  I wonder what the weather will be for us that day?

Run Fest 2012 - A Poem

Ran 5 miles last night! Was thinking about my pending Disney running trip the whole way. I even composed a little poem in honor of the event. (Some of it is mine, some of it is Disney's)

Run Fest 2012

runDisney, funDisney, eatDisney, sleepDisney

so come along and have some fun and join our family

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!

What else can I say about this run:

It was sweaty! A moth landed on my cheek and got stuck in the sweat. That was really special!

A running 1st - I passed two cyclists going the same way as I was. So they were holding a conversation and we were going uphill. Nevertheless it was strange and a 1st!

That is what I've got from the run.

Disney Run Fest July 16-17 2012

Nothing like planning and anticipating a trip to Disney all in one week!  

Here is what my Monday and Tuesday next week will look like!  I am meeting up with some great runDisney loving runners while I am down there to get out for two runs on property and some fun in Magic Kingdom.  I am so excited!  

If you are going to be at Disney at the same time let me know...especially if you want to join us for any of these activities!

We will probably be most places 15 minutes early to get organized and to allow everyone a chance to meet each other should anyone new join us. 

Monday July 16th

Erin arrives at Orlando (MCO) at 1:45 PM J

Travel to and check in at Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter

5:00 PM Dinner at The Wave…of American Flavors at Disney's Contemporary Resort
(If you are joining us please make a reservation and ask to sit at a table near Erin's so we can all talk.)

7:00 PM run around Seven Seas Lagoon
(Meet inside the lobby of the Contemporary near the check-in desk - we will get our run on at 7:15)

9:00 PM at the Polynesian for Dessert, Drinks & Fireworks
(We will be on the beach with cold drinks and yummy treats!  What more is there to say?)

10:00 PM Wishes Nighttime Spectacular

Tuesday July 17^th

6:30 Run at Port Orleans with Bob Hitchcock from runDisney!
(meet at French Quarter near the sea serpent water slide at the Doubloon Lagoon at 6:15 am)


8:15 AM head to MK

9 AM Rope drop at Magic Kingdom

Mickey Waffles at Sleepy Hollow

Fantasyland the day away

Lunch at either the Diamond Horseshoe or Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
(Where should we eat?  I have never been at MK when the Diamond Horseshoe has been open!)

5:30ish Erin returns to the airport L

Erin departs Orlando(MCO) at 8:35 PM

Attendees

Erin Williams – @lovedisneyrun on Twitter and lovedisneyrunning.blogspot.com

Marcia Barton - @TravelRunEat on Twitter and Travelruneat.blogspot.com

Rachel Wright - @runnerstales on Twitter and http://runnerstales.com

Megan Wood - @irun4wine on Twitter and www.irunforwine.net

Kirsten Reutebuch  - Facebook

Jen Kelly - Facebook

Disney Dreaming

Feb 2012

Yesterday I did a crazy thing.  I was faced with a Southwest Airline reward ticket that was scheduled to expire on July 18th.  I had planned to pay the fee and roll it over for marathon weekend, at least that is what I had in my mind.  I called the airline last week and they informed me that would not be happening.  The ticket would expire.  I could either use it or give it to someone but come July 19th it was toast.  I explored so many options.  I way hypothetically flying various relatives around the country only to discover that there were no standard reward tickets available to get anyone anywhere.  

Tangled 5k 2012

In the end it came down to never letting an opportunity expire!  I decided that I would fly to Disney for an overnight.  That is all I could get balancing work, flight availability, race schedule, etc.  I am racing a half marathon on Saturday morning that I have been looking forward to.  It is the 2nd leg in the UnitedHealthCare Triple Crown.  We will be racing around Jamestown, RI.  It is a beautiful island race located in Narragansett Bay just west of Newport.

Anyway...so I am going to Disney on July 16th.  I get in in the early afternoon and plan to hit the ground running literally.  Did any of you see the White House episode if the Biggest Looser?  Please meet the First Lady now get your workout clothes on!  I put my little venture out on runDisney loving social media to see who would like to go out for a run Monday evening and/or Tuesday morning.  After a couple of great runs we are going to hit Magic Kingdom and check out what is going on at Fantasyland!

To say that I am excited is an understatement.  I woke up in the middle of the night questioning what I am doing.  I am always trying to find ways to simplify life and this is out there for me, but in such a good way!  I am having so much fun planning this trip.  I have to laugh when I tell people I am flying to Disney for one night to go for two runs on property and check out Fantasyland!  Who would have thought!

Princess Half 2012