Just a 10k...

Never in my life would I have thought I would say, "it's just a 10k". But that is how I feel has. I gear up to go back to Disney, my favorite place to run, for the inaugural Minnie 10k. I am so excited for a Minnie medal, besides your princess she is every girls dream character, you gotta love her shoes!  I am kinda bummed I didn't sign up for the half now, it will be weird not doing it but I get to cheer my hubbie on instead, who is doing the Goofey Challenge, a half and then a full, the name says it all.

The great part of the race is we run around EPCOT which I never done so that will be fun. The other great thing is that it should on,y take me an hour and a half, much better than three.

This weekend starts the distance training group, as it gets closer I keep thinking, why did you sign up for this again, the weather sucks during the whole time! I am training to do the Buffalo half in May, I figure you should really do the race that is in your hometown! And this year it is a new course so that will be fun.

I am watching the RunDisney website for the sign up for the wine and Dine in November, hoping my sister Susan will do it with me......

I will let you know after the 10k how it went, thanks for taking the time to read the rambling blog!

Half marathon number 4.....what?

Never in my lifetime did I think that I would be posting on a blog about my fourth half marathon in a year. I am really nervous about this one, I haven't trained as hard, I have been so busy and life is in the fast lane way too much. I will get through this, I am running with my friend Debbie and together we will push each other. We really want to do this under three hours, she thinks under 2:45, she is nuts!  Doug and Meg are also running, Doug will have at least an hour wait so he better bring some warm clothes for afterwards! I kinda can't wait til it's over, but then I know I will sign up for distance training again, it is like childbirth, right after you say no more kids and a year later you say well..... Same with running, this is for you Susan, try again, don't give up, you CAN do this if you want to.

This is my first international race, if you want to include Canada as international. To us Buffalonians it is just an extension of the US! Hopefully the weather will cooperate, it should be a beautiful race along the Niagara river, if it is cold and rainy it will be a bitch of a run, I am hoping for sunny and 50, perfect running weather.

I know this isn't long but it is all I got, I will blog about the race on Sunday, wish me luck!
TTFN

Waiting at the airport

Ok here's the story....

Got up at 3:30am which may sound early but I never switched to Pacific time so my body thought it was 6:30 so I was good. We went to the staging area which was a 10 minute walk instead of the bus ride, walk that you do in Orlando. Went to the corrals hiding my "F" corral on my bib number as I went into corral E, such a rebel! I just wanted the added assurance that there were at least 1200 people behind me!

Saturday for the 10k it was brutally humid but overcast, Sunday it was mildly humid and about 85 and so sunny it was ridiculous. 

We started down the road past my hotel and were in California Adventure within a mile. It was fun to do the park the opposite direction from Saturday, and on to Disneyland, the whole thing only took 4 miles and in your head you are thinking, "I have 9 more miles of what?". Well let me tell you, the next big excitement was to run through Angel Stadium, the problem was that the stadium is at mile 9, yes I said 9. What the hell is supposed to I spire me for 5 miles? Well it wasn't the glaring sun in my eyes after the first left turn, seriously it was so bright I had no idea how far we had to run because I was blinded. Finally we turn and we are on some crummy street with businesses that are all closed for the weekend, inspiring, no but at least there was a little shade, but we only stay on this street for less than a mile and you guesses it turned back into the sun. There were Spanish dancers in this street but the sun was so bright it was hard to see them, and did I tell you kept getting hotter? So we finally turn again away from the sun and turn again back into it, here we had all kinds os classic cars from a model T I think to 2000's. people were so nice Playing music from their decade but it felt like Death Valley, no shade anywhere. It was between mile 7 and 8 and I had a pep talk with myself. I told me that I could walk to 8 but then we would run, I said ok. So at eight I see the sign Stanley Cup Way, we had made it to the Honda Center home of the Mighty Ducks, quack, quack. It would have been nice to see some hockey players but we didn't. So now I am thinking okay we just have to go around to get to the stadium, yeah over black asphalt, stones, dirt and a steep ravine on the ledt. There was no way to run in this, the poor kid working had a bandana over his mouth becuase of the dust kicking up, stupid move race people. Anyway after what seemed like FOREVER we got to the stadium. What a rush to hear 1000 people or more cheering, running around the field, looking at the pitchers mound and big jumbo tron with all the runners, it was a great time, again there was no run ing we were just walking enjoying ourselves.

So now yiu think I can do this mile 10 only 3 to go, besides you can't give up you just ran 10 freakin miles and you are not a quitter. But I tell you if someone had offered me a ride I would have thought for a split second.

Miles 10,11 and part of 12 were hard, it was just so hot. When I got to 12 we were back on Disney property so you felt ok but still had to walk some, but once you saw 13 it was like OMG I did this and that is when the emotions kick in. I got to high five Mickey, priceless! Will I ever do this marathon again....NO. I totally prefer the east coast. I have my coast to coast and I am good with that. My next adventure is e Minnie Mouse 10k which is only 6.2, then hopefully the Wine and Dine with family.

I know it sounds like it was hell and it is because it was, but I did it! I know I can run 19.3 miles in 2 days. I know this sounds weird but as I was running (and complaining to anyone who would listen, which was quite a few who complained right back to me) I thought could I do 13 more and do a marathons one day? And then I stopped being delusional and said NO, but it does make you think you are strong. Thanks for following my story. I hope my running tales continue for much long.

TTFN

 

An intro to my Dumbo Double Dare

Well it is over, the big Dumbo Double Dare. It was a lot of fun, but now I really just want to be home with my family. It is great to go away but not to have that special someone to share your accomplishment with kinda sucks. I know I am telling the story backwards but when I finished the half I was just spent. You get your half marathon medal first and that was pretty exciting, then you went to each area for them to cut off your wristband and give you the next medal. Dumbo was next and I could feel the tears coming, but held off, then to the coast to coast, again close to tears, eyes welling up ( just like now as I am writing this). I then called Doug and it was all over, crying and so excited, sorry just had to blow my nose and wipe my eyes, you get the picture. Ok on to other things because I will keep on crying.

Another good story was when we were waiting to start, you Re there for about an hour before so if you are like me you start talking to anyone. Well there was this couple next to us her name was Andrea don't know his name. Anyways I ask if this is her first race and she says yes but she hasn't trained for it, so I am thinking didn't train for it like I didn't train for my first half by only running 8 miles. No she hasn't trained at all, someone was supposed to buy her bib but backed out and since she had paid for it decided to walk it. Well I was just the one to tell her about walking a half. Told her the whole story about my back, and how I walked Cleveland, she was so nervous and I just kept talking, imagine that. I told her that because she was walking she would see and remember so much more than her husband who was running. I told her how I would ask Doug if he saw this or that and he always said no, it was because I was slower. I then gave her the words of wisdom that Belinda my daughter's mother in law told me at my first 5k, everyone gets the same medal and thirst no matter how we do it. I wished her luck and away we went, well about a half a mile down the road her husband comes up behind me and thanked me for encouraging his wife, I told him God puts us near people he wants us to help. End of my story. I hope she did ok and had a blast!  

I think that I will break for now Nd continue as I sit for hours at the Airport.

TTFN

One medal down, three to go

Well today was good and bad. Good because I got an awesome medal, bad because it was so humid! It was like I was running at home. Where is this dry heat they speak of? Anyway.....

I got up at 4am, I know it sounds bad but it wasn't because I have not switched over to Pacific time, so I go to bed at 8:30 and get up at 4 with no problem! Yeah me! So we went over in front of the Disneyland hotel, a quick 10 minute walk, it is really much easier to race here than Florida, it is just that I like Disney World better. After two bathroom breaks we were able to go to our corrals, I was supposed to be in F but went to E, such a rebel I know. Well somehow E never got their own send off we just went with D, cool. The first two miles were boring I am not going to lie. Just regular old streets and around convention centers, but then....the good stuff started. We went through California Adventure and the. Back stage and then through part if Disneyland and back stage and then though the CASTLE! Now let me tell you, this castle is the little sister of the one in Florida and I mean little and short, but you know it is the one that Walt loved first so I love it too! We finished in Downtown Disney, it was great. We have been relaxin most of the day and are going for pasta at 5:40. Then off to bed. We need to be back in the staging area by 4:30 and in corrals by 5:00. I am pschyed. More tomorrow atpfter the big one. TTFN

Here are a few pics:

Pictures

California here I come.....

T-minus 29 days til I leave for the west coast. OMG! Getting really excited, I absolutely LOVE Disney races. I want all of my sisters to do the Princess 2015 or Wine and Dine 2014 , we would have a blast. You don't have to be fast, obviously just willing to do the distance as Hercules sings. Movie reference look it up. Anyway I have been chugging along with my running, back in distance training, did 6 miles the last two weeks, the big 8 is this Saturday. For all of you who think they can't run, you are wrong. Let me explain. When I ran the whole half back in October I ran about a 13:30 minute pace, slow but steady. Last week I ran/walked, one minute run, one minute walk for 6 miles I ran a 13:25 not much of a difference, soooo I will be run/walking for the rest of my life, which is ok with me.
So anyway, after California is a half marathon in Niagara Falls, Canada, my first international race, from what I understand once you finish they give you the medal, hand you a banana and tell you to go home, no party no nothing, really Canada? Don't get me started, not a fan.

In total this year I will have done 4 half marathons, 1 wicked bad 15k and a few 5ks, not bad for a 57 year old who until three years ago only ran to the store (actually drove to the store, you get my drift).
I never thought that I would really enjoy running. It is such a great way to clear your head and make your body do what it does not want to. I am so proud of my sister Susan who has started running, she beats herself up because she thinks she is slow (in her mind she is still the 4 sport superstar she was in high school), but she has trained all by herself which is soooo hard. Her motivation inspires me. It is hard to talk yourself into a 3 mile run, if a friend calls you go cuz you don't want to look like a wimp, but to go train alone is an awesome accomplishment. I can't wait to run with her again, maybe she will let me finish with her!

So I will keep you posted on my highs and lows leading up to the Dumbo Double Dare, be prepared for lots of pictures and tales from the half, until then, tie up those running shoes and hit the pavement!

Boilermaker update

As Taylor Swift says, "I will never, ever, ever, do the 15k again!". To say that it was hot is an under statement. The first half was hilly but at least was shaded, the second half was pure hell, heat included. The good thing was that there were lots of people to encourage you to keep going, and when you are at mile 6 or 7 you don't have a lot of options to stop. My nieces Heather and Emily and husband Doug did great, finishing pretty well ahead of me and my sister Susan. Susan did great, except for sending me on alone  after mile 4. I understand where she was coming from, sometimes you just want to be alone to bitch to yourself about what the heck was I thinking when I signed up for this stupid race. Just to let you know she is an excellent dancer and a real crowd pleaser!

The best part of the weekend was being with family, now we have a common bond of stupidity. I will do the 5k next year ant least I will finish before the Kenyans and the beer lines will not be long, I may actually enjoy the after party!

I am still pretty careful with my back, I have not run since Sunday and will wait until my distance training on Saturday to try again. My butt feels a little twingy kinda like before so I am resting it. I am also trying to run the right way on my mid foot instead of my heel, it is supposed to put less stress on my back. It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but I am trying. I do not want the sciatic pain I had before. I am seriously thinking that after my half in Niagara Falls I may have to stick to 5 and 10k's, not sure but will see after the Disneyland races.

It is so hot here that running at 5:30am it is 75degrees, not fun for runners. Kinda glad I am resting the rest of the week, floating in the pool and trying to find air conditioning.

TTFN will be back soon.

Well I am back!

Back in lots of ways. I just read my sister Susan's Facebook post and I am still laughing, she should be the one blogging!
Anyway, I am back to running, yippee! I swear that I will never complain about a run again. Once you have something you really like taken away for awhile you totally appreciate it when you can resume. I just noticed that resume and resume for a job are the same word, no wonder people have a tough time learning English. Oh look a shiny penny, my sisters will understand that joke.

Ok back on task, I starting run/walking again after walking the Cleveland half marathon, funny, not a real time difference between walking and run/walking. Who cares at least I can compete. Next up is the Boilermaker, the largest 15k in the US! I know I can't be last for that 15k , I love big races! Then up is the Disneyland Dumbo Challenge,  10k on Saturday and a half on Sunday, I don't care if I crawl to the finish I am bringing home the bling, four medals as a matter of fact, oh yeah!

It has been a challenge to try and get back up to speed (yeah like speed was ever involved). It sucks that you train and can run 13.1 miles and take three months off and lose it all, just not fair, but I will be back.

I ran/walked 4 miles today, went from running one minute to 90 seconds, you would have thought I brought cinder blocks with me, it was hard but my friend Deb and I did it. I will be running full miles soon, I just know I will. I an seeing a PT that knows my niece Lish, he is awesome and is an ultra runner, for those who do not know what that is, he runs like 100 mile races and does tri's, and does a su 3 hour marathon the kid is freakin amazing. Anyway he is helping me and I hopefully will be better than before.

In all it is good to be back and can't wait to do the Boilermaker with my family, it should be 9.3 miles of laughter!

See you all soon, Karen

The latest

Sorry I haven't written but it is hard to write when you are depressed. I have two bulging discs in my lower back. This affects my scaitic nerve which is killing my right leg. I went to two different neurologists and luckily they both agree no surgery. So now I am on steroids for a week and take alive twice a day, sleeping is difficult so I can be a little bitchy, really that is probably nothing new:). I am giving myself to at least May to run and work out. I need to stop eating or I will gain my 20 pounds back. You know when you are working out and running you always want a break, you really don't this sucks.  I only hope that when I can get back to this I come back with a revenge. I will not complain about running at least for a week. So now I am going to attempt to walk a half marathon on Cleveland, I seriously think running and walking for me is not too much of a difference so we will see, if I walk faster I might stick to I, lol. Not sure about the Boikermaker but again matey be I can walk fast.
Thanks to everyone who reads this blog hopefully soon I will have better news.
TTFN

Post race

Well I have been struggling with my sciatica all week. The plane ride did me in. I fell asleep and never got up to stretch. I am off to my regular doctor to beg for drugs so that I can sleep at night, to say I am bitchy is an understatement. My poor husband had hernia surgery yesterday and is in  better shape then me without his loratab! We are quite the sight hobbling around like old people.

I am not running the Shamrock this Saturday, I am not running anywhere right now which ticks me off. But I did get my awesome Shamrock jacket, purple and white, thanks Steph for trekkin down to get it for me.

I will keep you updated on the back and Doug's surgery. Thanks again for following me.

To be continued

So everything went well, it was still very emotional. I believe that there was 21,000 runners, quite a few more than last year. It has been such a fun week and I hate going back to the cold, but ll good things do come to an end.

Yesterday we went to the Magic Kingdom, my friend Allison has never been there, it is so much fun going with a newbie. We were there til around 9pm and completely wiped out. Today we are venturing to EPCOT the scene of the beginning. Lunch in Germany and then flight home at 9:50pm, when I made the reservation it seemed like such a great idea, today not so much, wish I could leave now, miss my husband and kids.

Don't look for an update anytime soon unless I am stupid enough to run the Shamrock run this Saturday, probably not going to happen! But if it does I am sure I will have a story to tell.

So all of you who read my blog are you in for next year? Think about it it would be so fun to all be together. Love you all and thanks again you have no idea how much your love and support means to me.

TTFN,
oh and by the way got a huge hug from Tigger at dinner!

Love, Karen

Over and out 😎😕

 I am very mad, I wrote something last night and saved it and can't find it, anyway.....
Two little faces in the title, one sad because all the fun stuff like the expo and meeting new friends is over, the happy one because I finished and have new HARDWARE! And for those of you that really know me, it is ALL about the hardware.

Race day started at 1 am, yes it takes a princess some time to stretch when she has issues with her lower back and SI joint, but it was all good. I have struggled for about three weeks with this so to say I was nervous was an understatement. Anyway we got to the bus stop at 2:20 and the bus got there pretty soon after. We convinced our driver who we dubbed Charming to leave right away, good thing, Charming went the wrong way. We were supposed to go to ward EPCoT and we went towards Tampa! So we had to turn around. We finally got the the race and had to walk a out a mile and a half to the race retreat. We got our bagels, peanut butter and bananas and went to the bathroom who knows how many times, lol. Then another mile walk to the start and we were in our corral!!, it is so exciting waiting, pumped up by music, and your friends, well it wasn't long before the fairy godmother counted us down and we were off, 13.1 miles of magic! I was running with my friend Allison who like me last year hadn't run farther than 6 miles, but had been working out for strength, she did great but I lost her at mile 8. I tried waiting for her but my legs started getting stiff so I tried just walking a bit more to mile 9 and never found her so I just went it alone. It is much easier to do a race the second time, you know where you are and what to expect, it isn't easier  running it but you know to run on the grass when there is an on ramp and that water is coming soon.  Disney had all the fun stuff out there again, prince and princesses, villains, pirates and lots of music, it was fun! The best part was the finish so many people around the course cheering you on, it is a real rush, and of course the medal!

I need to go now but will finish later, TTFN

Catching up

Yesterday was Expo day, got my jacket it is aqua and amazing! The expo itself was dissappointing after last year, the space was too small and crowded. Not as many vendors either, oh well I spent less, my husband will be happy with that. We ate dinner at Raglan Rd in Downtown Disney, it was so yummy and too filling, but we will be running some of it off. I am still having a lower back problem, I had a medical 20 minute massage and had the KT tape people tape me up, hopefully this works I have 13.1 miles to run no matter what. I took a short walk today and my leg and butt didn't hurt quite as much so I am trying to be optimistic. Keep me in your prayers.

So today we went back to the Expo just to hear Jeff Galloway he is the run/walk guru, very interesting and encouraging. So tonight we went for pasta at Portobella in DOwntown Disney. The food was good but cold and took forever. When the manager asked if everything was fine we said no, it is cold. So they bring out more pasta which we did not want, long story short they comped our meal!. So now it is 6:44 and I am going to bed. Wish me luck!

Day one at Disney

Today I went over to Coronado Springs where we will be staying. I am bunking with my friend Deb just for tonight then with Allison and Kathie. The weather is perfect, it will be around 65 to start. My sciatica is still giving me pain but when I have been walking it seems to go away, keep me in your prayers that I can get through this. It is so exciting, there are over 20,000 people signed up, the oldest is 96 the youngest is 14, unbelievable. If a 96 yr old can do this so can I!. Someday I would love to do one of these races with my sisters and daughters, think about it everyone!. More tomorrow after the Expo.

It is go time!

Well here it is, race week. I am in Orlando at my brothers house. It has been an interesting month. I hurt my back on a long run, actually it was probably not the run but it helped. My PT tells me he thinks it may be a disc, well that is great but it doesn't hurt when I run, only after. So I am just walking this week and will run/walk with my friend Allison, come hell or high water (what a stupid saying) I am getting that freakin medal! As most of you know it is all about the hardware for me. So I am walking to keep my back stretched and will do this no matter what, isn't that what Princesses do they Persevere, a word my granddaughter loves. I will never quit. So anyway the weather is GORGEOUS, it is 20 degrees in Buffalo, so it makes it even sweeter that I am here.

Allison and I are planning on a three hour half. Wish us luck! I will be going to our resort tomorrow, staying with my friend Deb and then going to my room on Friday. Then it is Expo day, a freakin amazing shopping experience. I promised my husband not of go wild this year. It is so much fun to see all the other princesses, my tiara will be on from Friday on!!!!

Well gotta go ready for dinner, I will be back every day this week. TTFN!

Sorry I have been busy, lol

Hello everyone, it has been a long time, sorry. Well I am back at this running stuff. Finished my first all running half in October in Syracse. To say that it was a awesome feeling is an understatement. It was so great to see my family but the greatest thing was seeing my sister Susan the first time after mile three, it was such so encouraging and then to see her two more times was just great, thank you!
Now I am running in 20 degree weather and snow, not a fan. Last week from the uneven surface my lower back starting hurting, so after two trips to the chiropractor I ran eight miles today and actually feel better. Of course it started snowing and because of all the snow I ran inside at UB (our local college) the problem is that you have to run SIX times for one mile so do the math , 48 times around, luckily I was with my friend and we encouraged each other to finish, which we did.
It is 20 days til the Princess and I can't wait, it is going to be a true girls weekend with 5 of us, all in tiaras, woo hoo! I am not running this one it is the run/walk with my friend, still excited.
I have also signed up for a half in Cleveland in May and the Disneyland Half Labor Day weekend. Part of that race is the Dumbo Double Dare, I will run a 10k(6 miles) on Saturday and the half on Sunday. I will come home with FOUR medals, count Em 4 and if you know me it is all about the HARDWARE!so signing off for now, Susan this post is for you! Boilermaker here we come!