Pinterest RunDisney Costume Ideas

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard to keep all of your ideas

I am addicted to Pinterest!  I love the recipes, workouts, and home decorating ideas.  But every now and then, I come across a Pinterest Board which is spectacular.   I love looking at costumes for races and follow a few creative people just for that purpose.  My latest obsession is Nicole Buompseniero's Disney 5k and Half Marathon Costume Ideas.

While I have never met Ms. Buompseniero, I admire her creativity and her ability to come up with creative costume ideas for her pinboard.  I am definitely going to be referring to her board as I come up with costumes for my upcoming races! 

I Finished! Now What?

I just finished my first half marathon!  I decided almost 6 months ago that I wanted to participate in Run Disney's Half Marathon.  For six months, I went from not being able to exert myself for even 5 minutes, to being able to exert myself enough to finish a half marathon!  For six months, I focused on the goal of seeing the finish line, obsessed about my Tink inspired costume, and checked the facebook pages for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon daily.

On January 20, 2013, I finished my goal of crossing the finish line!  I wasn't the slowest, I wasn't the fastest.  I had a fabulous time and I crossed the finish line in an upright position with a smile on my face! 

Then, something strange happened.  I was no longer motivated like I had been.  I felt lost the next week and in a fog. 

So, what's a girl to do?  Look forward to another goal!  I have a second half marathon scheduled for February 24, 2013 at Disney World~the Princess Half Marathon!  Since I am doing one race at each Disney resort within one calendar year, I will also be receiving the coveted Coast to Coast disney medal.

Run Disney Tinkerbell Half Marathon

I did it!  My first half marathon was completed on Sunday, January 20, 2013 when I crossed the finish line just outside Disneyland!  The Tinkerbell Half Marathon weekend and the race itself was an amazing experience.  If you are looking at running a half, this one is a GREAT experience and so much fun.  If you HATE Disney, you probably will not like this event.  If you are looking for a unique experience and are even remotely considering doing this race, just think a happy thought, sprinkle some pixie dust and go for it!

My Tink-inspired outfit: Tinkerbell shirt from www.rawthreads.com, arm sleeves and skirt from www.sparkleskirt.com, and glow in the dark shoe laces which my hubby gave me as a surprise and our race bibs!

The race starts at 5:00 am.  UGGHHHH!  I am NOT a morning person but I set my alarm clock for 3:15 a.m. to get ready by putting my hair up in a sock bun, sprinkling LOTS of glitter in my hair, and getting into my Tinkerbell inspired outfit and race gear, driving to Disney and walking to the corrals.

The corrals are about a 15 minute walk from the parking structure.  Hubby and I did make it to the corrals in time!  I was assigned to Corral B but my hubby was assigned to Corral C so I started in C with hubby so we could experience the race together.

 I chose not to wear wings since I thought they would drive me crazy.  At the start there was more pixie wings, glitter and tutus than in a drag queen revue!  It was so much fun to see everyone's costumes and see grown women embrace their inner pixie!

Each corral starts with a send off from a Tinkerbell on a computer generated screen.  "Three, two, one. GO!"  and we were off!  We spent the first five miles or so running in California Adventure and Disneyland.  They wound us throughout the parks, including cast areas.  Disney had many of the main rides lit up (you couldn't ride), floats from the parade out as decorations and, of course, character stops.  One of my favorite was World of Color music playing and the water fountains lit up by Paradise Pier.  Hubby and I stopped for a quick picture and then once again we were off!  We only stopped for a few pictures and could not resist stopping for a quick picture with the Chimney Sweeps on Main Street Disneyland.   Of course, a highlight is to run through the castle when it is all lit up against the early morning sky!  The Disney parks were full of Disney runners!

That's a lot of runners!

The spectators were all along the course cheering us on.  It was amazing seeing husbands cheering on their wifes, kids cheering on their parents, and grandparents cheering on their kids.  My favorite cheering section was the Red Hat Society ladies.  This group cheered as loud for us near the middle of the pixie mush pot as they cheered for the first racer.  These ladies were so great and such a motivation as an older generation cheered on the younger generation of women!  Thank you ladies!  Here were some of my favorite signs:

Around mile 6, we left the Disney property and began winding through the streets of Anaheim. There were bands, cheerleader groups, and spectators cheering us on after we left the parks.  I have a soft spot in my heart for marching bands so I loved hearing the junior high, high school and college bands playing on the course.  It definitely pumped me up!

Pretty soon, we could see Tower of Terror from a distance and knew we were getting close to the end.  Through a tunnel and up to see the glorious "Finish" line arch!  My hubby turned to me and said, "Let's sprint to the finish."  We began to run our hearts out.  But, darn you Disney, it was a Disney illusion.  There was a loop which we did not see.  Hubby, not skipping a beat took my hand, looked into my eyes and "I meant at let's run from the 13 mile marker."  We laughed, slowed to a walk and continued forward. 

Want to see my favorite cheerleader?  My daughter was waiting for hubby and I at the finish line.  She even had a little surprise for us.  She had a shirt made that said "My parents cheered for my dreams, now I cheer for theirs". We spotted her just before the finish line (thankfully we were running) wearing her cheer bow from her cheer days and waving her pom-poms.

 Before long, we were running to the finish line with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy to greet us with high 5s!  After the finish line, the group bottlenecks.  We received our medals, handed a water and snack box and went to the parks for some fun and celebrating that we actually finished our first half marathon!  Of course, we had Tink with us wearing it proudly!

My first Disney bling~ain't she purty!

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!