Does a Princess Pee in the Woods?

I am not a “Girly-Girl”.  I don’t really enjoy dressing up, painting my nails or fixing my hair.  My TV is solidly tuned in to ESPN.  I don’t watch any Real Housewives or Bachelor shows.  Heck, I can probably count the number of times I shave my legs during the winter on one hand!  (yes, my husband is proud)  However, there is one thing this girl does not even pretend to want to do...and that is to go camping.  I like my air-conditioning, television, internet, hot water and flushing toilets.  So, it comes as a surprise to myself that on any given race morning, all thoughts of modesty and cleanliness are thrown out the window as I hide behind trees and other people to pee “one last time” before the race begins.  It happens at every race, and like a good potty joke, it makes me laugh every time.  It seems even more ironic when it is at the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  When lines for porta-potties are 20 deep, you will find me and countless numbers of other princesses holding firmly to their tiaras while dropping their sparkly skirts in the bushes, trees, woods, and sometimes just on the side of the road!  It isn’t pretty, proper, or majestic, but it always happens and I, for one, think it is very funny!

On February 26, I ran in my third Disney Princess Half Marathon.  It was also my 3rd runDisney half marathon this calendar year.  Representing runDisney on the Disney Moms Panel has allowed me to do some really cool things!  This particular trip I got to meet 20 amazing fitness bloggers.  They were there on a social media trip and I am in awe of how plugged in they are to people around the world.  It was also really fun to see them at different places along the race course.  Running is so much more fun when you have people to talk to!

I also got to speak at the runDisney meet-up event.  Other speakers included three Olympic caliber athletes: Jeff Galloway (1972 Olympics), Suzy Favor Hamilton (2000 Olympics) and Rachel Booth (current Disneyland half and Disney Princess half winner,and also qualified for this year’s Olympic trials).  So, of course, I fit right in with that group!  I am sure that the only reason they run is to take pictures with Cinderella too, right???  My son was quick to point out that Rachel Booth’s time for the half-marathon was less than half the time it took me!  Thanks, buddy!!

Suzy Favor Hamilton at the Expo.  She is amazing!

Two other fun things happened during this trip---I finally got to eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table in Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom.  Obviously, that is always quickly vetoed by my two boys when we take family trips.  But this time, I was hanging out with fellow moms panelist, Laura Munkel, and we had a great time dining with the princesses!  

Posing INSIDE the castle at Cinderella's Royal Table!

I also got to be there when my sister-in-law, Stephanie, finished her first half marathon.  She did a great job, and she is already planning to sign up for another one!  At Disney, of course!

Some highlights from the Princess Half Marathon:

AND WE'RE OFF!

 


Loved being serenaded and proposed to around mile 9!  He even found my glass slipper=) 

The gospel choir at mile marker 13 makes me soooo emotional!  Good thing there is just .1 of a mile left!

My Biggest Fans!

I have the best parents in the world!  I know--a lot of you are out there saying, “No way, because I do”.  Truthfully, I wish that every person felt that way about their parents because that is how it is supposed to be.  But, with all that being said...I REALLY do!

During my school days, I would wake up to my bowl of Rice Krispies with the perfect amount of sugar on top already poured for me by my dad.  Milk on the right, Diet Pepsi on the left.  If it was cold outside, he would have already started my car to warm it up.  When I would mysteriously run out of gas, here he comes with his lawn mower gas can to get me home.  Tampons? Mydol?  A quick call to Dad over at Stultz Pharmacy and he would bring them home.  I was gently chastised, but then given a hug when my discovery of the awesomeness that is “Target” ran up quite a bill on my new college Visa card that was for “emergencies” only. (although, in my own defense, I STILL think that cute-colored plastic containers ARE emergencies)  On our home videos, you can hear him choking back sobs as they announce my cheerleading squad as national champions, and you can also hear him whisper an expletive when he thought I stepped out of bounds at college nationals.  And when my wedding budget didn’t exactly budget, he never said a word...

For those of you that know my mother--you are well aware that she is and always has been my biggest fan.  As her famous (infamous?) mustard-yellow nightgown with a duck so cleverly stated...my  mother “does not do mornings”!  And yet, week after week, year after year, she loaded me and all of my crap up at the crack of dawn for baton contests, dance contests, cheerleading contests, beauty pageants and so on.  She never missed a game and rarely missed a practice.  She drove my whole squad to Memphis every year for camp and spent hours walking around Lexington to find a heads-up penny for luck while I was in try-outs at UK.  I am positive that she cried longer than me when I had my first broken heart.  And when it became obvious that I neither knew nor cared what flowers, food, candles, etc. I wanted for my wedding, she planned the perfect day for me.  And now that I am on the Disney moms panel she is constantly promoting me on Facebook and even joined twitter to tweet about me!  She also traded in her yellow nightgown for a cute, pink Minnie Mouse one that also states “I don’t do mornings”!

This is my official request to have both of these Willed to me.

So, it comes as no surprise that last weekend when I was running the Tinkerbell Half Marathon by myself at Disneyland in California--it was those same two people that were cheering me on.  Sure, they were a full country away from me in their much-deserved retirement life in Florida, but they were still right by my side. Only this time it was through my iPhone.  I had signed them up for runner text alerts so they could follow my progress during the race.  Not that they asked me to, but I did it anyway!  I was not feeling well during this particular run, so the text messages they sent me truly kept me going. I was getting messages like, “You’re doing great!”...”Great pace!” (it really wasn’t, but they ARE my parents) ...“We’re so proud of you!”... and “Watch out Flo Jo!”...

Tinkerbell Half and Coast to Coast medals!

With two sons of my own, it is now my turn to play taxi driver, soccer mom, baseball mom, waitress, maid, nurse, chef, teacher, and so on...and that’s OK!  I love my life and my kids and would not want it any other way.  Running races is something that I do for myself.  I hope that it inspires my boys to be active and to set goals for themselves.  Running is not easy for me, so I hope they also see that sometimes you have to work hard to achieve things.  I love the friendships, the trips, the finish lines and the medals.  But I would be lying if I didn’t also admit that another thing I love about running a race is that for a couple of hours, I get to be the kid again.  There are people lined up all along the course cheering for all of us runners.  But the loudest cheers I hear, whether in person or through text messages, will always be from my mom and dad.  Sometimes my husband will mumble something about me “thinking I am a princess” or “me being spoiled”.  But I know that what I have really been is blessed!  Blessed beyond measure!  Now, I just wonder if my mom would be willing to pull out her "lucky hat" again for my next race...

The lucky hat at the Kentucky high school state basketball tournament.  She was also both of my brothers' biggest fan!

Go! Pack! Go!

   So, I know the Green Bay Packers are out of the playoffs...and I know that my beloved Brett Favre is no longer a cheesehead, but I still thought I would use one of my favorite chants to title my blog about packing (C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS-- just didn't work).  Also, it's really hard to find a clever and interesting title for a blog about something that some may consider to be a boring, yet necessary part of going on vacation.  

    For myself, and the other type-A Disney planners on the Disney Moms Panel, however, packing is one of the many highlights of any Disney trip. 

      Every good packer always begins with a list.  For your viewing and packing convenience, I am sharing my time-tested list with you.  Feel free to print out, highlight, and check-off to your heart's content!  You can even make copies and laminate them for further use.  Please don't judge me...it just makes me happy...

**Diclaimer:  All great packing sessions are better with magical Disney music playing to create the perfect ambience

      My two boys are going with me to Disneyland for the Tinker Bell half marathon next week, so I decided to enlist their help.  I simply told them that we were going to Disneyland and we will be there for 3 days and they will be running a 5K during that time.  Not surprisingly, this is what they determined was necessary for their trips...(who doesn't need a vuvuzela to make a trip special?)

Packing for Disneyland if you are an 11-year-old "Type A" boy:

Packing for Disneyland if you are an 8-year-old "Type Z" boy who generally forgets to put on his undies and wears his socks with the heels flapping at the toes:

BONUS PACKING TIP:  I always pack an extra (empty) bag that I can either check-on for my return flight, or use as a carry on.  You ALWAYS end up coming home with more than you left with-- especially when you attend the awesome Fitness Expos! Definitely leave space for your new "This Isn't Sweat, This Is Liquid Awesome" shirt...

***Be sure and print out your race waiver and packet pick-up information for the Tinker Bell half marathon!!  

See you at the finish line!!!

Liquid Awesome

 

       One of my favorite things about runDisney are the amazing Health and Fitness Expos that they have during race weekends.  They have everything a person could possibly need and even more of everything that a person could want.
        You can find running gear, recovery gear, race shirts, medal displays, protein bars, gels, drinks, jewelry, car decals and more.  You can register for future Disney races and other races, often at a discount.  You can meet celebrities like Sage Steele, Jeff Galloway and Tony Horton.  You can have your photo taken on a green screen, then turn around and get health insurance advice.
      All of these things are great!  However, my very most favorite thing to do at the expo is to read the shirts with slogans that so clearly express what I and many others are actually thinking during the running part of the race weekends...some of my faves from this year:

*If you see me collapse, pause my Garmin

*This isn't sweat---it's liquid Awesome

*WTF---"Where's The Finish?"

*This seemed like a good idea 3 months ago...

*I'm only doing this to post pictures on Facebook

*Does this shirt make my butt look fast?

Races Are Like Childbirth

 

 So, here is my deep thought for the day....

     Running a race is very similar to birthing a child.   

     The other day I was talking to a friend that was getting ready to run her first half marathon and as I was describing my experiences to her, I started thinking that it seems very similar to when you give birth to a child.  Here are my thoughts...

    When you first sign up for a race there is that initial dose of excitement with a twinge of nervousness of what to expect.  (very similar to seeing that positive sign on the stick!)  The next few months are filled with running and dietary research and race training (baby books, baby names, lamaze...), then comes costume coordination, because all serious runners wear race costumes. (much like planning your baby's take home outfit and decorating their plush nurseries that will never be used because they refuse to sleep in their beautifully coordinated cribs).

    Soon enough, the big day arrives!  The initial excitement of the day eventually becomes replaced with "What the crap was I thinking??", and "WHY did I think this was a good idea?"  (obviously, this is before the epidural)  But soon enough, you reach your runner's high (or...the epidural sets in) and you breeze across the finish line already planning your next race.  You cradle your medal much like a baby and are filled with an enormous sense of pride.  Recovery takes a few days (or weeks) but all in all, you will tell everyone that it was totally worth it and can't wait to do it again!

    Naturally, my sons are much more beloved to me than any race medal I could ever obtain.  However, unless you are a reality TV star, it's unlikely that you will get to experience childbirth as often as you can cross finish lines.  When I told my husband my simile about races and childbirth, he said, "Good, then the next time you say you want a baby, I will just tell you to sign up for another race!"  See you at the START line!

My Buddies and Me

    

  One of the things that I like best about running are my buddies!  I have always been a girl who likes to have a lot of friends around, and looking back I can see that during the years that my boys were infants and toddlers, there was a definite gap in that part of my life.  

   We run for the exercise and sport, but we also run for the friendship and conversation.  I know that talking while running may not earn you the fastest time, but it is cheap therapy and definitely makes the miles fly by!  

   I love all of my running buddies...old and brand new!!  I can't wait to make more=)

My cousin and buddy Kristin--she even named my blog for me!

Ready for the 2011 Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon

My new buddy Stacy!  Check out her blog at www.rundisneymom.com

Allison, Amy, Me, Kristin, Leslie (sis in law), and Leslie (cousin)

High School Buddies at Disney!  And my first blog follower =) Kristi

Union County represents at the Paducah Iron-Mom

Posing with the famous Dave Mari at the Wine and Dine Expo

Walt Disney World Moms Panel 2012

     I am STILL pinching myself!  Did this really happen?  Did I really just spend 4 amazing days at Disney World with 14 strangers who have now become my best friends?  Do I really get the privilege of serving on the Moms Panel and helping thousands of people plan their magical Walt Disney World and runDisney trips?
    If I am dreaming...PLEASE don't wake me up!!!    Visit us at the Moms Panel website and fire away all of your Disney questions!!