Another Tuesday, another Tuesday on the Run hosted by our favorites:
April from Run the Great Wide Somewhere, Erika from MCM Mama Runs, and Patty from No-Guilt Life.
This week we are talking about our first race!! My first race was the Disneyland Half 2010. I can't believe I am coming up on the 4 year anniversary of me running. And even crazier, I ran the 5th annual, meaning next year will be the 10th annual! However, as I haven't written about in the past (here, and here) it was a very bad race for me physically but emotionally was amazing.
I don't have many pics to show from it (I actually didn't personally take any! I got all of these off of Facebook and saved them because I need them!) but let's start at the beginning.
I signed up in May 17, 2010 (it was maybe 60% full). I had a friend that had run a few years before and really enjoyed it and asked if I would run it with her which I said maybe. Since I wasn't sure about it, I actually thought about it for a few days and talked to my mom about it. She told my stepdad who had a quote I will never forget "if the people on the Biggest Loser can run a half and survive, you can do it too!" So I signed up. My friend Amy also ran it as well.
The cost was $128.10 with all fees. I put down my finish time as 2:45 (no need to submit proof of time). Also, it asked if I was planning on walking as a question.
At the time, there was no rundisney, I just knew the race was Labor Day weekend, the weekend after my birthday and that I had the summer off in between my 2nd and 3rd of grad school and could train. At the time, I was going to the gym every day and doing the elliptical (I hated the treadmill and still do!) so I decided to do my miles on there. YES I DID THIS ALL SUMMER. Even while working at Yale-same thing.
While I was home for the summer, I told this to my grandma and she was so worried she took me to the Foot Locker and told the guy working-she's running a half marathon, has never run one before and needs the best running shoes and socks. That's how I got my Asics (You can see them in pics below! I kept them incase I ever need shoes to get dirty)
One of my off days at work over the summer, I actually did 13 miles on the elliptical (which looking back, takes longer than just running). I felt I could do it!
Got back to school, and decided on my birthday I needed to do 13 miles. Happy 24th Birthday to me! Well I did it and then went to my birthday party and woke up with legs so achy and sore I thought I had broken something. (I had never heard of a Taper before-big mistake!!)
After doing research, It turns out I had IT band syndrome but nothing was going to stop me. I went and bought a knee brace and kept the workouts light. I was asked if I would drop out and figured no matter what, I could walk to the finish.
April from Run the Great Wide Somewhere, Erika from MCM Mama Runs, and Patty from No-Guilt Life.
This week we are talking about our first race!! My first race was the Disneyland Half 2010. I can't believe I am coming up on the 4 year anniversary of me running. And even crazier, I ran the 5th annual, meaning next year will be the 10th annual! However, as I haven't written about in the past (here, and here) it was a very bad race for me physically but emotionally was amazing.
I don't have many pics to show from it (I actually didn't personally take any! I got all of these off of Facebook and saved them because I need them!) but let's start at the beginning.
I signed up in May 17, 2010 (it was maybe 60% full). I had a friend that had run a few years before and really enjoyed it and asked if I would run it with her which I said maybe. Since I wasn't sure about it, I actually thought about it for a few days and talked to my mom about it. She told my stepdad who had a quote I will never forget "if the people on the Biggest Loser can run a half and survive, you can do it too!" So I signed up. My friend Amy also ran it as well.
The cost was $128.10 with all fees. I put down my finish time as 2:45 (no need to submit proof of time). Also, it asked if I was planning on walking as a question.
At the time, there was no rundisney, I just knew the race was Labor Day weekend, the weekend after my birthday and that I had the summer off in between my 2nd and 3rd of grad school and could train. At the time, I was going to the gym every day and doing the elliptical (I hated the treadmill and still do!) so I decided to do my miles on there. YES I DID THIS ALL SUMMER. Even while working at Yale-same thing.
While I was home for the summer, I told this to my grandma and she was so worried she took me to the Foot Locker and told the guy working-she's running a half marathon, has never run one before and needs the best running shoes and socks. That's how I got my Asics (You can see them in pics below! I kept them incase I ever need shoes to get dirty)
One of my off days at work over the summer, I actually did 13 miles on the elliptical (which looking back, takes longer than just running). I felt I could do it!
Got back to school, and decided on my birthday I needed to do 13 miles. Happy 24th Birthday to me! Well I did it and then went to my birthday party and woke up with legs so achy and sore I thought I had broken something. (I had never heard of a Taper before-big mistake!!)
After doing research, It turns out I had IT band syndrome but nothing was going to stop me. I went and bought a knee brace and kept the workouts light. I was asked if I would drop out and figured no matter what, I could walk to the finish.
EXPO
My friends determined we needed a hotel room for the night before so we could go to the Expo and I agreed. I just assumed we would drive to save money but then realized we can't do same day pickup. Somehow I was corral D at the half (without a time submission and still the corral I have been in this day). We took a few pictures and headed off to dinner.
Got a room and went to the expo then went to Cheesecake Factory to carb load (literally the only thing I knew). In our bags we got shot bloks so I packed them in my bra for racing (I still do this to this day!).
I wore a green drifit top (which I still wear and it's so special to me!), cotton shorts (still have these too!), and a tinkerbell hat (just threw it away but I had it all these years because it was very special).
I didn't even make a playlist until that night in the hotel room (I was unsure if we could use music!). And btw-we watched HSM 2 in the hotel and decided Bet On It would be our finish line song! (And yes we did all change it to that when we crossed the finish line!)
My friends determined we needed a hotel room for the night before so we could go to the Expo and I agreed. I just assumed we would drive to save money but then realized we can't do same day pickup. Somehow I was corral D at the half (without a time submission and still the corral I have been in this day). We took a few pictures and headed off to dinner.
Got a room and went to the expo then went to Cheesecake Factory to carb load (literally the only thing I knew). In our bags we got shot bloks so I packed them in my bra for racing (I still do this to this day!).
I wore a green drifit top (which I still wear and it's so special to me!), cotton shorts (still have these too!), and a tinkerbell hat (just threw it away but I had it all these years because it was very special).
I didn't even make a playlist until that night in the hotel room (I was unsure if we could use music!). And btw-we watched HSM 2 in the hotel and decided Bet On It would be our finish line song! (And yes we did all change it to that when we crossed the finish line!)
The morning of, off we went running and taking pictures. I just remember my knee killing me after we left the park. Mari had injured her knee too so we were a mess. I kept taking my Clif shot bloks every 2-3 miles and they kept me going.
Characters seen on the course:
And I was miserable right after. I had ice packs put on both of my knees and in my pics I sent to my family from my blackberry, I cropped out my knees so they wouldn't freak out. Actually, I cropped them out of all pictures.
At that time, I remember thinking I will never be able to do this again and I will never run a full. Obviously that has changed since then (Race Recaps Here) but I'm also a much smarter runner now and much better at training and fueling my body.
Characters seen on the course:
- Jack-jack
- Mike Wazowski
- Lilo and stitch
- Sebastian
- Lightning and tow-mater
- Mary poppins, penguin, bert and chimney sweeps
- Castle
- Tiana, Louis and Naveen
- Cruella deville
- Evil Queen
- Little Einsteins
- Clarabelle and Horace Horsecollar
And I was miserable right after. I had ice packs put on both of my knees and in my pics I sent to my family from my blackberry, I cropped out my knees so they wouldn't freak out. Actually, I cropped them out of all pictures.
At that time, I remember thinking I will never be able to do this again and I will never run a full. Obviously that has changed since then (Race Recaps Here) but I'm also a much smarter runner now and much better at training and fueling my body.
And btw-my time was 2:51:49 for my first half. I said I would happy with anything under 3 hours. That time is still the fastest Disney half I have ever run (there also weren't as many pictures and things out to take pictures with. And the characters that were out did not have long lines). One day I will top that-hopefully!
PROBLEMS:
- Not running outside
- No training plan
- No taper
- No nutrition/fuel plan
- Not the right clothes
- over training
SUCCESSES:
- I love running now
- Rundisney especially Jeff Galloway taught me so much
- The Disneyland half will always be my race and be so special to me
- The people I have turned on to rundisney
When I look at the Disneyland half medal in 2010, I know the back story to how I got there and it was a mess but I also feel such pride. I honestly can't believe I did that and look at me now!!
And since I made million mistakes in my first race, I'm going to start a series tomorrow called-So You Want to be a Runner so you won't make the same mistakes!
Thanks all for going on this journey with me! What was your first race?
My medal! :)
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