Color Me Rad~My First 5K

Just finished my first 5K~Color Me Rad!  It was on a dirt trail through the San Jose fairgrounds.  The color part of the run is you are showered in a different color at stations at 1k intervals.  By the end of the race, you look like you have been chasing rainbows!

This was a great first 5k.  Although there were some serious runners, most individuals were having fun.  There was everyone from a grandfather carrying his granddaughter on his shoulders to little 4 year olds with their parents.

At the beginning, my husband (who is also my running partner) tried to keep a one minute walk, one minute run pace.  I keep track of the mileage with ismoothrun (an app on my phone) and I also use Jeff Galloway's half marathon training program (also an app on my iphone).  We use Jeff Galloway's half marathon training program which has audio cues when to walk and run.  Because of the noise near the beginning and throughout the race, we realized that we could not hear the audio cues.  After running nearly 2 1/2 minutes (and very out of breath), we realized we were missing the cues and my dear hubby kept time with his watch.

We kept a 1 minute walk/1 minute run pace throughout the entire course.  At the beginning of the course, we were passed by a lot of people.  By the end of the course, we were passing the same people who looked like they were dragging!  We finished with the last layer of blue powder being tossed at my sweat soaked shirt.

Doing the 5k early in my training gave me a huge confidence boost!  Three months ago I could not have ran at all.  I ran half of the event and finished without injury.  We did the event with lots of family and friends and although we did not run together, it was fun to share the experience and celebrate at the finishing line.

My time~I am actually proud of my time!  I finished in 38 minutes, 45 seconds!  A new personal best!  Mile 2 was the fastest pace I have done one mile in my runs!  The following is a breakdown of the mileage:

1 mile: 13:12 pace
2 mile: 12:34 pace
3 mile: 13:36 pace

Sore?  Not really.  The next day I was a little stiff but not overly so.  In fact, we did a quick weekend trip to Disneyland.  It was the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend and got to talk to some great people about their experience and see some bling!  The Disney running medals look great and are HEAVY!

The best part~having my training partner (and husband) supporting me along the way!  It meant the world to me.  The great thing about running with a partner is not feeling alone and cheering each other one when you are tired. 

These feet got to get training for my next adventure~a 10K!

Color Me Rad Preparation

Have you heard of Color Me Rad race?  It's a 5k where you will be drenched in a new powder color every 1k.  By the end of the race, every inch of you looks like a powdered rainbow!  It makes me reminisce about rainbows and unicorns and enchanted lands filled with magic that I dreamed about when I was a little girl.  Well, it probably won't have unicorns or magic but I want to be showered in powered rainbows and I cannot wait!

Today, we went to the pre-event package pick up for the 5k Color Me Rad run.  I had never picked up a running packet before so I was a little unsure what to expect.  Say your name, they compare it to a list, hand you a bib number and send you off to get the rest of the "swag" (see, learning the lingo like a home town white bread girl).  Grey shirt, check.  Pretty nifty sunglasses, check.  Bing, bang, boom, done!

Tomorrow is my first "running" event EVER!  I put quotation marks around running because it is meant to be a fun run.  Timed run?  They don't even own a watch according to the promotional materials.  How long do you need to finish?  Doesn't matter.  Run/walk/jog?  They'll even let you crawl if you want!

I thought it would be perfect for my first 5k.  Even better, two of my sisters, handful of nieces and nephews (ranging in age from 4 to 24) and my daughter are doing it together!  We probably won't stay together since various members walk or run faster than others.  For example, my niece and her boyfriend can RUN (and I mean run at a dizzying pace that would leave me breathless)!  I do a 1 minute walk/1 minute jog rotation.  I am just hoping to finish before the four year old!!

But the best part~my husband is doing it with me, right beside me.  It's our joint goal to have 2012 as the last year we are out of shape.  3 months ago I could not do 5 minutes on the treadmill at a light jog.  I am building strength and stamina and slowly getting there.  This race is just one of the many stepping stones to get to the shore of fitness on the other side of the river.

I'm excited, scared, anxious and looking forward to this adventure.

Princess Half Marathon Inspiration

I LOVE Kate, Maryanne and Sara's Blog, From the Page to the Princess: Race to the Castle.  It has great content and some golden nuggets for those who are training for the Princess Half Marathon. 

I found this webpage on their blog.  It's an inspiration video that Julie and Amy compiled following their Princess Marathon in 2012.  I watch it every morning as it makes me happy and fills me with inspiration!  Thank you for Kate, Maryanne and Sara for having this available on your blog and a HUGE congratulations to Amy and Julie!!

http://fromthepagetotheprincess.weebly.com/1/category/Inspirational%20Quotes/1.html

After being filled with this much inspiration, I know that I can definitely finish the Princess!

Control the Breathing, Control the Run

Bob Harper on Biggest Loser once told a contestant who was huffing and puffing during a treadmill run, "Control the breathing, control the run."  Bob even turned off the treadmill to talk to the contestant about breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. 

Today's run was difficult!  It had been too long since I had eaten (about 7 hours since lunch) and I fought to go one mile.  I could not get control of my breathing!  Even with my 1:1 of running/walking my breathing was VERY labored!  I could not get on top of my breathing.  I felt like I was panting like a dog!  No matter how much I tried, I just could not shake the feeling that I was hyperventilating.  I think it is related to being so tired because of not eating for the past few hours.  Running is hard, I don't need to make it any harder.

Things learned from today's run:
(1) I need to eat about an hour before the run;
(2) I need to control my breathing.

A Tiki Evening!

Saturday night my husband and I checked out a great place at Disneyland Hotel.  My daughter and niece highly recommended it and I could see why within a few short minutes.  It's the "dive bar" of the Disneyland Hotel where the bartenders are the mentors of the Jungle Cruise captains!  It's located at the Disneyland Hotel~just follow the signs. 

It's a very intimate (translation: small) bar with light appetizer available but~like everything Disney does~it is a unique experience.  While sipping something yummy with your honey, you see volcanoes erupt and shipwrecks depending upon the drink that is ordered.  The bartenders are hysterical and the atmosphere is light.  They are entertaining and we loved the corny sense of humor!  Just the thing after working on a legal pleading for 12 hours! 

Outside it is a totally different experience.  Sit on the coaches and watch the tiki torches while watching the waterfall and come early enough to enjoy the Polynesian music!  The musician is great and you can close your eyes and almost smell the tradewinds!

My husband and I try to do something different each time we go to Disneyland. This definitely fits the bill and we will come here more often. 

From A Pumpkin to A Princess

I learned not too long ago that Disneyland and Disneyworld host running events.  For the last few months, I have been considering signing up for a running event.  Disney just does not only host the event but they do it in Disney Style!  They have fireworks to start each group, characters to cheer you along the way (and take pictures with), and create a unique, one-of-a-kind experience for the participants.  They transform the running course into a magical journey!

Now, mind you, I am not a runner.  At this point I would have more luck rolling my lumpy, dumpy, pumpkiny middle down the course than being a graceful runner.  Disney offers 5k, half marathons and marathons and I was not in any shape to do any!  I could not even do 5 straight minutes at a slow jog on the treadmill without having to stop.  There's no way I can do a running event.

But then I saw the medals.  Last year's medal for participants in the Princess Half Marathon was a shiny princess tiara with a jewel.  And looking at the pictures from my computer, the participants dress up in princess costumes!  Waves of tutus, sparkly running skirts, tiaras and princesses of all shapes and sizes!  Most of the women are not "Victoria's Secret Real Women" model types but women of ALL ages, shapes and sizes.  I read blogs of women who had done the Princess Half Marathon.  Although the reasons for doing it are different, they all ooze over how much FUN it was.  I toyed with the idea of having getting into shape and training to participate in the Princess Half Marathon but it is 13.1 miles and if I had to choose which character I looked like, it would be the pumpkin from Cinderella's story.

I wanted this.  Even pumpkins can turn into beautiful coaches with a girl's wish.  I want to dress up like a princess, run gracefully in the breeze and be able to show off my tiara medallion!  Riding a total wave of spontaneity (which is so unlike me), I signed up for the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February 2013, looked at my husband and asked if he wanted to get in shape with me and become my running partner.  Without missing a beat, he said "I'll be your prince charming" (cue corny music).  After registering, all of a sudden I was hit with "What Have I Done?!"  I live in California and this is in Florida!  I can't possibly run/walk/jog/roll 13.1 miles~I struggle to do 5 minutes of fast walking on the treadmill.  I felt like I just wasted the hefty registration fee.  I felt sheer panic began to creep up through my feet and heading toward my head.

Calm down.  Breathe deep.  It's a fun goal and will be a great reward to participate in February.  My goal for the half marathon: Finish!  It is August so I have plenty of time (I keep telling this to myself).

When I signed up, I was asked about my favorite princess.  I love the classic princesses (of course!) but connected with Belle from the instant I saw Beauty and the Beast with my daughter.  Belle loves to read, chooses her own destiny and finds the good in her situation.  So when asked who is your favorite princess, I said Belle.  Ever since that instant, I have been fixated on dressing up as Belle for the event.  Stop laughing and let me be girly!

So, in true princess fashion, I next have to decide what to wear when there is not a thing in my closet!