I am finally going to recap the actual time I spent in France so let's get to it!

Dinner and seeing the Eiffel Tower 
One of the most incredible experiences of my life. Something I have dreamed of for as long as I can remember happened! The light show was amazing but we missed the memo that you can bring wine and champagne to watch the light show. The light show was a bit underwhelming though because there was no music! Disney has spoiled me 
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Disneyland Paris 
This really blew my mind and I can't wait to go back! 
Disneyland 5k and costumes 
Disneyland half and costumes 
Disneyland Paris food reviews (coming soon!)
Disneyland Paris trip report (coming soon!)

Eiffel Tower
I was excited to go back but going up was a bit underwhelming as it was pretty crowded. We got the tickets that included all levels and didn't require you to wait in line. We walked up and we're in the lift within 3 minutes! It was fantastic to recreate Impressions de France (and yes I cried) but there weren't any signs on where things were! We had to wait over 15 minutes to get to the top which was a bit underwhelming. I did get champagne at the top though! 

Champs lyesse
We walked over and saw the Arc d Triumphe and then went window shopping. We ended up stopping in McDonalds as a joke and ended up getting a snack and alcohol. It was the nicest fast food place ever. Touch screens, pastry counter, salad counter, everyone was dressed to the nines. They basically looked like flight attendants and the bathroom was impeccable. If fast food was like that in America, people would for sure go. 

Laduree
Oh my macarons!! We sat down and had macarons and coffee and then got some to go. We also hit up Laduree at Versailles and went back again. I spent over 100 Euro on macarons so that gives you an idea how many I ate! Best ever! 

Latin quarter
We stayed in the Latin Quarter about 2 blocks from Notre Dame and right next to a ton of restaurants and half a block from the RER and metro so it was easy to get around. All of the food we had was fantastic (the crepe stand was our favorite!!)

Versailles
Seeing the Eiffel Tower was a massive dream of mine and the hall of Mirrors was the next. Ever since I saw it in Impressions de France and in my history textbook over 15 years ago, I was obsessed. Walking in that room was the most surreal experience of my life and it was everything. Even better was the whole castle-so ornate and beautiful. Seeing Versailles in the morning (we took the 30 minute RER train from our air bnb) with the sun coming up was so touching. Now I see why it was built facing the rising sun! #thesunking we had a cute french lunch with wine and then went to see the American Revolution exhibit (where I took the most ridiculous HAMILTON related Snapchat ever) 

Mont st michel 
HOLY CRAP! So freaking incredible. We took a tour over there and had to be on the bus at 7 and took the 4 hour bus ride (with a 30 min stop at a french rest stop and french snacks!). We learned all about the history of Normandy and arrived to a beautiful lunch overlooking Mont St Michel. We then went to the mont and took a tour of cathedral and then had a bit of free time before heading back to the bus. I definitely plan on going back and one day staying overnight and getting trapped on the island during high tide. 
And random facts-they are known for an omelet and Apple cider. I bought a bottle for 6 euro! The omelets were like 20 bucks so we passed 


Lourve 
We decided to cut out see the Mona Lisa for this trip as we couldn't do it all. We did go outside and see the pyramids and take pictures 

Champagne tour
Out to Reims on a bullet train (45 min versus 2+ hour drive) and enjoyed an amazing tour out to Eperinay and visited Moet and Chandon, lunch at Chopin a local winery and then another winery. Amazing to see where moet and Chandon and dom peirgnon is stored. 

Metro
We took the Metro and RER train everywhere and loved it. Such an easy system to learn and efficient. 


Overall, I can't wait to go back! If anyone has any questions, definitely feel free to ask. 

I still need to get to my DLP trip reports! 

Have you ever been to France? What was your favorite thing you did? 

I am back! No for real! a rough draft of my dissertation is turned in and I actually have free time (until I get back the million of corrections I need to make!). So let's hop into all of the great things I have been holding off! 

Another Tuesday, another Tuesday on the Run hosted by our favorites: 
Erika from MCM Mama Runs, Marcia from Marcia's Healthy Slice and Patty from No-Guilt Life.This week's topic is 2016 in Review. 

I am also linking up with Courtney from Eat Run Pray DC for a Year of Running 2016! 
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Best of 2016
Best race and run: LA marathon
This was the race that I would love to do again. It all fell into place-I hit all of my training runs and felt strong. I rested perfectly and had no aches and pains heading into the race. I had done the course before (and failed) and knew how to adjust my pacing. I finally hit the sub-5 goal (4:56!) and felt strong until the very end. Even better, I was able to go and run Princess the next weekend and feel great there too!
Best new piece of running equipment: Ucan 
Not necessarily a piece of equipment but I bought a sample pack of UCan at the LA Marathon Expo to try it. I have not looked back. It is amazing to run and not need to fuel. I am loving it. I have yet to figure out how to fuel with it for longer than a half marathon.
​​Best running advice: your race, your pace 
It has been a great running year and personal year for me so I had to learn to calm down and run my race at my pace. I love running with people but have not always been able to keep up. I am focusing on getting through the miles and not necessarily the time.

Inspirational runner: Meb
From seeing him run life at the Olympic Trials (amazing to see in person), to meeting him at RnR San Diego 5k, to seeing him race in Rio while sick, he is the top. I am so sad he is retiring soon but I will continue to race in his shoe (the best shoe!)

Favorite race picture: Mary poppins castle pic, DLP sultan, smee cars land pic, darth pic
Omg so many! Can we just say what a blessing the Disney Photopass pictures are? (and that they are free with my Annual Pass is even better!) These are my favorites and they are just amazing. I am also in love with the picture from the Disneyland Paris as they had the best characters out. That Darth picture was used by both rundisney and ProCompression-so amazing!

Race experience you would repeat in a heartbeat: LA Olympic trials and DLP 5k 
I didn’t run in the Olympic Trials but watching it live was INCREDIBLE! The Disneyland Paris 5k was my favorite as I wrote about in my recap because of that opening experience running by myself towards the castle. The photo opportunities were out of this world and all of my fears were wiped away. I can’t wait to run there again
Sum up the year: unpredictable, struggle yet fun 
This year started off great and then went downhill from there. My summer between my personal life, the stress of school and dissertation, the changes at work and me getting injured, it sucked. I am slowly making my way back and hopeful for what 2017 will hold. It definitely has been unpredictable and a struggle but the races I ran this year were the most fun I have ever had!

How would you describe your 2016 running year? 

Time for some weekly accountability! I will recapping how I have done on the 4 Well Rules over the last week: Eat Well, Sleep Well, Exercise Well and Be Well New Linkup for Monday! I will linking up with MissSippiPiddlin and HoHo Runs to talk about my week recap! Welcome to the 4 well rules that I try to follow as I go through my week! Let's get to it!

EAT WELL
I've eating tons of leftovers which has been great! I still have food from last week I froze so I may not even need to grocery shop before I head home next week! 

SLEEP WELL
I'm definitely sleeping enough but with the stress and exhaustion from my work and dissertation, I'm still waking up tired. I'm hoping with work winding down this week and dissertation work being less, I can have some down time and get some sleep in.

EXERCISE WELL 
Well it's time for my final Goofy simulation! 38 miles over 2 days. Basically it's carbloading all week and trying to fit in other workouts. 
LAST WEEK:

• M- Weights 
• T-30 min run +weights 
• W- resistance band training 
• R-30 min run + weights 
• F-rest day
• S-Christmas run
• SU-walking around Disneyland 

THIS WEEK:

• M-Weights + moved furniture at work 
• T-resistance band training (I have to be at work at 730! Yikes) 
• W- yoga/8 min abs 
• R-3 miles 
• F- rest day 
• S- 12 miles 
• S-26 miles 

BE WELL
Well Guess who turned in a full rough draft of my dissertation curriculum?! ME!! There's still a lot of work and editing things but I feel like the general idea is there. 

I also hit up Disneyland one more time for Christmas and finally saw the Christmas fireworks! Yay! 

This week is just getting the office organized for the spring semester and prepping to go to Texas next week! Also I find out Thursday if I got rose bowl tickets!! I still can't believe usc is going to the rose bowl! 


How was your week? 

I am back for a quick check-in: dissertation is still kicking my butt! If I make it home before 8:30, it is truly a miracle! I am staying up a bit later to make sure you have seen the latest rundisney medal updates. 

3 things were announced this week: Princess medals, Dark Side medals, and a 10th anniversary coast to coast medal

I am obsessed with the Beauty and the Beast theme and am sad I am not doing the 5k as well. the half medal is amazing! 
Dark side looks awesome and look at that 5k medal! hotels were too expensive for me to justify adding another day just for the 5k. 
and who knew they were going to celebrate the 10th anniversary coast to coast with a new medal!? so awesome! 
now we just need to wait and see if they are doing anything to recognize the 5th annual disneyland 10k and dumbo (which on the website and during signups was listed as disneyland double dare-uh oh...)

​What do you think of the new medals?