ready to run.

it's been awhile since i last posted, oops!

the disney princess half marathon is upon us. this sunday is it. somehow i ended up in corral a. i hope i don't get run over by the speedies!

my training went pretty well. when i set out for this race training, i had some goals. some i kept and some i completely failed.

i have done absolutely no hill running at all, and that was a goal. i may have to walk up the few hills in disney, one of which is a circular "on ramp".

i will do what i have to do.

i did so- so with the tempo and speedier/interval runs.

i did do well with keeping up with mileage, and running 3 to 4 days a week. sometimes even five. my total miles for the month of january this year compared to last year was much higher. compared to training last year, i got more outdoor runs in this year thanks to a mild and dry winter. i still did a lot on my treadmill that has a broken screen (no way to track mileage/pace) in which i would just run for a certain length of time. i did most all of my training on the thing last year, which probably this year was 1/2 on it. so at least i got in more outdoor running this time around.

i have come to the conclusion that training for a winter race, is not the best choice for me. we'll see if i choose to do the princess again. i am just a wimp when it comes to cold. and if there is snow on the ground, forget about it.

i stuck to my plan for the most part, with the last 2 weeks not as great, but the final week is a tapering week, so technically, only one not so great week. i tried to cross train when able, but that could have gone better as well, at first i did well keeping up with at least one different workout or with weights and strength training, but i kinda fell off the wagon with that. oh well.

right now i am in taper madness, where everything physical is bothering me, and i am questioning all my training. i know i have done many runs, and did good training, but the anxiety is there. i am worried i will be hurting and have to stop. or that i will just tire out. worried that my silly, basic treadmill runs with no speed/pacing and inclines will have not been enough. i am paranoid i will not be able to keep up, especially finding out where i am starting (in the first group). i know this is all a part of the training, it's called taper madness for a reason! i think it gets worse for each race i run!

goals for this race:

my main goal is to get that medal. with the medal in hand, i am one step closer to the coast to coast medal.

the other goal is to beat my other disney half marathon times, which are 2:50:48, and 2:51:32; to do this, i am thinking to try to keep a pace in the 9 to 10 minute mile range and by stopping less along the route. photo stops do take time. i would like to try to not stop until the magic kingdom, unless i see an opportunity i didn't have before or if my time is going good. we'll see. after the magic kingdom, the same sort of plan, although there may be some opportunities i have not had in past races that i may like to stop at. i want my stops to be quick though which typically they are, (last year, i had one long wait to do a photo with mickey and minnie at the castle, most of the others were fairly fast).

i also plan to turn off my ipod when in the parks. i know i can keep that one!

all this could also go down the tube once i am in the moment and fun that is disney racing! we'll see if i can stick to it. i'd like to run the whole thing, and not walk at all, but we'll see. the inclines may have to be walked, but that will just be a decision made at that moment in time.

main goals: make a new disney race personal time record, and get the medal. and most important to have fun!

i am excited to get going, and to add another race to my list of half marathons completed!

and oh yeah, i am all signed up for the disneyland half in september! coast to coast medal, here i come!

i am going to make this princess half my bitch!!!! wish me luck!