I truly feel like a princess after being hosted by Walt Disney World Resort for the Disney’s Princess Half Marathon and the Princess Media Mixer last weekend.  The race is one of four signature events hosted by runDisney, that also includes the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend and Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend.

As you may recall, I was still working on my plan for this race a few weeks ago, here’s how it played out in the end:

Start: I was on the 3:50am shuttle to race, thus I was successful in not sleeping through it as I feared I might. As I suspected,  properly fueling for a race that began at 5:45 proved problematic for me. I planned to have a bagel and maybe a banana when I woke up, but because I was slightly nervous about the race and still full from the previous evening’s carbo load, I felt that if I ate anything at that point I would be sick. I consumed a few gels during the course of the race, and while they helped, I definitely felt the effect of not eating that morning.

Pacing: While I was not looking to set a PR during this race, I did.  Although I readily admit to anyone that “Mo Runs”, usually in “sloMo”, at 2:52:01 this is more than 40 minutes slower than my fastest half marathon and an hour and a half slower than winner Jennifer Hanley-Pinto’s time of 1:22:01.  But with my camera in hand, the intention was to take pictures along the way of the runners in tutus, any Disney princesses I spotted and some attractions, so I feel like that was time well spent.

Expectations: I figured out how to keep the tiara on during the race (I pinned it to my running cap), and I did wear my Garmin, though I never bothered with splits, I just started it when I began and stopped it as I crossed the finish line. And I loved the tutu. I’m already contemplating next year’s color and length.

Extras: As I mentioned, the weekend also included the Princess Media Mixer where a met several very accomplished bloggers who also happen to be stellar athletes. I rode the shuttle to the race at pitch dark o’clock with Racing With Babes and Run Faster, Mommy. Ask Wifey and Running Backwards in Heels walked alongside me for what seemed like 10 miles, from the shuttle drop-off to the starting line.  My running partner for the first several miles was Cutie Booty Cakes and I recovered and celebrated in the VIP tent with Selfish Mom, Workout Mommy, and from the Disney Moms Panel Disney Deborah and Mom and Wife Univ.  I also got up close and personal with some of my favorite Disney characters.
Disney Moms panelist Andi and I are tutu cute.

runDisney training consultant Jack Sparrow, I mean Jeff Galloway.

 

But the final, and most important result is that I completed an unforgettable race at the happiest place on earth.

And got the most fab race medal ever!!

Isn’t the medal fabulous?!