runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Countdown - the 80s

2012 Wine & Dine Half Course

80 characters on the course, 

80 characters, 

stop and chat, 

take pictures, 

#WineDineHalf @runDisney

memories to last forever!

81 days to go for a run, 

81 days to run, 

add them all up and you'll have more fun, 

if you go for another run! 

@runDisney #WineDineHalf

82 days until #WineDineHalf Weekend, 

in 82 days it begins, 

bring your @runDisney crew, 

we'll grab a brew, + celebrate another great weekend!

83 Dole Whips on a wall, 

83 Dole Whips, 

run the @runDisney #WineDineHalf, 

gather your pals, 

it's time for a Dole Whip finish line party!

84 tubs of @Dannon in a barrel, 

84 tubs of yogurt, 

take one out, 

eat it on the spot, 

you're powered up to shop! 

#WineDineHalf @runDisney

85 days until #WineDineHalf weekend, 

85 days until we run, 

@runDisney #funDisney, 

can't wait for some #yumDisney,

let's have a #partyDisney!

86 @runDisney trading pins for sale, 

86 trading pins, 

buy a few, 

pin them on your #runDisney lanyard, 

wear them at the #WineDineHalf party!

87 @ClifBar samples at the expo, 

87 Clif bars, 

grab a few, 

stick them in your bag, 

you've got #WineDineHalf @runDisney snacks for later on!

88 Mickey premium bars, 

88 Mickey ice creams, 

pull them from the cart, 

eat them all up, 

#WineDineHalf @runDisney runners celebrate!

89 days until #WineDineHalf weekend kicks off, 

89 days 'til it begins, 

we will hit the expo, 

don't ya know, 

@runDisney runners love expos!

WDW Marathon Expo 2013

Day 1 Expo

The WDW Marathon weekend expo was held Thursday through Saturday.  I am a firm believer in go go early and more than once.  So I was among the 100 or so runDisney fans at ESPN waiting for the expo to open on Thursday morning!  My buddies in #CorralG were meeting up at the expo early as well so the meeting and greeting started early marathon weekend!

Jen, Marcia and me!
We would repeat this grouping Friday morning at the WDW Marathon Meet-Up!

We weren't the only ones there early...Bob Hitchcock (runDisney PR) was out checking on his event.
It was a great way to start the weekend.
I got a chance to run with him at #DisneyRunFest2012 in July, but had not seen him since then.

 There were two lines forming before the expo opened. One to get race bibs and one to get into the merchandise expo. We were waiting in the bib line, but I took a chance to peek into the merchandise floor! Look at all those vendors with all that amazing running gear! I also was able to sign up for run tracker while I waited for the official opening.

The official runDisney merchandise booth was actually in both  buildings, but I preferred the booth near the the bibs.

New Balance 860v3 - runDisney edition

The New Balance booth was interestingly not as mobbed as I thought it would be! The New Balance announcement had been made, but no one had actually seen the shoes yet! That was about to change!

Over at the speakers seminars Jeff Galloway was taking race fuels.
I stopped to have a listed and asked him about my fuels of choice.
He basically said if it works for me stick with it.

 Day 2 Expo

After the WDW Marathon Meet Up we headed back to the expo and who should we find outside but Dennis Marsico - Mr. runDisneyTV!

Marcia, me and Dennis

 Pop Quiz 1: Who makes the runDisney world go round? Volunteers!

Hi ladies! Doing a great job!

Pop Quiz 2: What do you do if you have a race PR between you registered and race weekend? Bring your proof of time to the race expo and change corrals! Corral B to corral A just like that! All I did was show the official race results on my iPhone. I literally pulled it up while I was in line and made the change.  I wasn't planning on changing corrals but could not resist the possibility of corral A!

Corral A for the Goofy Challenge!

Throughout the whole weekend I kept running into  social media buddies!

On Friday I picked up 2 new pairs of New Balance shoes! These are my new 890 neutral runners.

And then of course the shoes that everyone wanted at WDW Marathon Weekend: the New Balance runDisney shoes! The fact that they went with my outfit was perfect! I have worn them many times since getting them, but not for running.  I am a neutral runner and they are a stability shoe. So they are just for fun...kind of like runDisney! The 890s above are neutral shoes and I have had them out running several times already!

New Balance 860v3 - runDisney edition

WDW Marathon Thursday - Jan 10 2013

WDW Marathon Weekend...I have been looking forward to this since the Princess Half in Feb 2012.  My plan going into Princess was to follow it up with the Wine & Dine half, but that plan went out the window when Bob Hitchcock described what was in store for the 20th Mickey Marathon!  Bob is the head of runDisney PR and he is a salesman!

I was so there!  But it wasn't just going to be me...my sister and brother-in-law wanted in on the action and a new family plan was hatched.  Unlike all of our previous runDisney trips this one was going to be adults only!  It was going to be all expos, meet ups, racing and park fun!  So we planned, we booked, we registered, we trained and finally the weekend arrived!  Along the way I did 3 other marathons and at least a handful of half marathons as well.

I was ready for this race, but was the Florida weather ready for me?  I left snowy New England and arrived on Wednesday morning.  I picked up the rental car and the groceries at Whole Foods before checking in at Bonnet Creek.  It is wonderful to have familiar food, a two room suite and a full kitchen when there is some serious racing and fun to be had.  That afternoon I got in a 3 lap run around the Boardwalk just to test the conditions.  I was in a full body sweat within a mile!  The main goal of the weekend became staying hydrated for the races.

Thursday morning our plan was to get to ESPN and the expo before it opened. We took some photos around the area and then got into line for our race bibs.  We were going for official runDisney stuff only that day.  Friday we would return for everything else.

My first sighting of Goofy!

Ladies in waiting (Jen, Marcia and Erin)

Always wonderful to bump into Bob Hitchcock!
He was out early to make sure that things were ready to go!

I peeked into the expo before it opened to scout the area!

Check out that merchandise! Donald Half merch for sale.

Clif products anyone? Yes me please!

Over at the speaker area Jeff Galloway was giving advice.
Someone asked how to fuel after the 1/2 for the full.
 Jeff said to take in 300-500 calories within the first 30 minutes.
(I think I have the calorie figure correct)
So that is what I did.
I crossed that line and headed for my fuel,
but not until after I had stopped to talk to Dennis from runDisneyTV.
More on that later.

Okay so even though it was not at the official runDisney booth/bib stands we stopped to check out the runDisney shoes at the New Balance booth.

After leaving the expo at something like 10:30 am...I could not believe we were leaving so soon either...we were off to MK.  We had a noon reservation for lunch at the Plaza Restaurant.

Sisters on the Monorail headed to Magic Kingdom!

First stop Mickey Mouse! Know your priorities people!

Then the major...

...and of course the castle!

Before lunch I popped in to have a set of Minnie ears embroidered with
"for the love of Disney running"
and
"@LoveDisneyRun"
 Then I wore them almost all weekend!!!

 After lunch it was time to visit a few good friends and have them sign my race book.  I put together a book of all my favorite photos from the Princess Half and had folks sign it (runDisney folks and character folks).

I could not resist taking a seat!

Hungry runner...please let me in...

Be Our Guest

"Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate" or at least that should have been  the name of it!

It is all about the dessert cart!

Which one looks good to you?

At the end of the evening we said goodnight to the Beast.

Between dinner and the fireworks we said hello to Tink.  She loved my book!
Of course I was dressed as her for the Princess Half...so 75% of the pictures were runner Tink!

 I leave you for now with the fireworks! I made a lot of wished that night!  Next up WDW Marathon Friday and you know what that means...WDW Marathon Meet Up!

Cox Providence Rhode Race Marathon Expo

I am now officially running the Cox Providence Marathon!

I went to the expo to switch from the half to the full and get my bib and guess what...I got a generic bib (Bay State Race Services)!  They ran out of official marathon bibs.  They only ordered 1500 and they have over 1800 marathoners.  So for my first ever marathon I will be running with a no name bib! :(  Maybe I will write the name of the race across the top.  That's it, it is time to get creative!

I made it in and out of the expo and I only spent $3!  I bought a magnet from Women Run.  I thought they had a cool logo.  The expo had a few interesting vendors and some charities, but for the most part it was a just a pickup for race bibs and T-shirts (which are unisex and huge).  Get there early ladies, because you are going to want a smaller shirt than usual.  I wear a women's medium race shirt and went with the unisex small.  I put it on over my long sleeve and it seemed okay.  We will see when I take it for a spin the first time.

See you on Sunday everyone!  Race strong and have fun!