My Whackadoo Idea

So.  This is completely crazy and it's gonna cost me an arm and a leg, but I don't care one single bit.  I'm doing it.  I love Disney (especially Disney Parks) probably more than any non-breathing thing on the planet.  I also love running.  There.  I said it.  I love running (thank you for that, Emily).  Running the Disney World Marathon this January has the potential to be the single greatest experience of my life.  I'll be running.  I'll be in my favorite place on Earth.  There will be full-suit Disney characters cheering on the sidelines.  There will be fireworks.  MICKEY FREAKING MOUSE will likely high five me as I cross the finish line.  And then, I'll get this:

It's so very cool. I NEED one.  I'll get one.  When Disney revealed this medal, my jaw hit the floor. And then I started looking at the other RunDisney race medals, and Get ALL The Medals (Plan 1.0) was born.  Between now and 2018, I will obtain each medal RunDisney has to offer.  This will require the following:

7 Trips to Walt Disney World
2 Trips to Disneyland
18 Flights
157.2 Miles Run
~1 Zillion Dollars

There are 8 RunDisney races done annually (excluding the kids/family fun runs). 

1)  Walt Disney World Half Marathon
2)  Walt Disney World Marathon
3)  Tinkerbell Half Marathon
4)  Princess Half Marathon
5)  Expedition Everest Challenge (5k including obstacles and a scavenger hunt)
6)  Disneyland Half Marathon
7)  The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler
8)  Wine and Dine Half Marathon

On top of those 8 race medals, there are three additional medals to be won. 

1)  The Goofy Challenge Medal.  You get this if you run the Walt Disney World Half Marathon and Full Marathon in one weekend.  We're talking Saturday half marathon and Sunday marathon.  This one is gonna be rough, but it's happening.
2)  Coast 2 Coast Medal.  This one is for completing a half marathon-distance or farther race in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland within one calendar year.
3)  Chip and Dale Marathon Relay Medal.  This one is for completing the WDW Marathon as a team of 2 or more (each member does their share of miles, total miles for the team is 26.2).  WHO'S WITH ME?!



So there it is.  I don't care how insane/stupid/unlikely/financially irresponsible it sounds.  I'm doing this.  5 years. 13 total medals.  If you'd like to join me for any of these races, I will welcome you with open arms.  If you'd like to scoff, keep it to yourself. 

Better prep that medal rack, join the Disney Vacation Club, and make good friends with some sort of airline representative (and/or move to Central Florida). 

Every Mile Will Be Magic.

CQ

I am Invincible

So writing this post might be a mistake.  It might, as my brother would say, put the "KAI-bash" on my making any more progress in the form of a serious jinx.  But I just had to point out that running is not difficult anymore.  I ran 10 miles in the Spring twice, and on both occasions, upon completion I thought that my legs were gonna straight up fall off, my entire body ached, I immediately collapsed onto the bed and passed out for hours, then subsequently took 45 minutes to find the right position and trejectory to roll myself out of the bed and into a standing position, and it took approximately 6 days for my body to feel normal again.  Then I ran 10 miles a couple weeks ago... and nothing.  I felt fine.  I didn't need a nap.  I swam in the ocean, took a few short walks, and drank some beers afterward.  The run immediately following that was comparatively short at 4 miles, but, again, nothing.  Then yesterday I ran 6 miles and absolutely nothing.  I barely even broke a sweat.  Am I becoming superhuman??  Or is this just the way the human body works?  Am I IN SHAPE!?  Because last time that happened I was 16 and in the prime of my stellar Field Hockey career and I hadn't yet discovered the gloriousness of copious amounts of red wine on a weeknight.  I absolutely do not remember what that felt like.  So if this is it, it's nice.  I only hope that after 26.2 miles I'll feel good enough to tackle my favorite Disney rides without so much more as a 20 minute power nap.  After all, I'm gonna need to hit all the good ones to make my dream of a ride photo collage of myself and my sister holding up our medals come to fruition.  You can see a preview here:

Feelin' Good,

CQ

Ode to my Post-Run Meal

Back to Life, Back to Reality

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.  Vacation is over and I am pissed.  9 glorious days on the beach was incredibly relaxing and rejuvenating, but I coulda used a few more days.  It is painful to be sitting in the office today (although it's nice to be rocking a pretty legit tan). 

On the running front, I (along with the sister) ass-kicked my vacation.  My training schedule had me running 14.5 miles for the duration of my stay, but I somehow ended up doing 30.  4 miles the first Friday (what would normally be a rest day, but I couldn't resist the call of the springy boardwalk), 8 miles on the SWEALTERINGLY hot first Saturday, 4 miles Monday, 10 miles Wednesday (sans iPod even!), and 4 miles this past Saturday added up to a pretty successful trip down the shore.  Not to mention it afforded me the ability to eat delicious treats (read:  10...TEN!... gloriously cajun-y buttery, and slightly dangerous "Jean Lafeet" crabs in one sitting) without as much guilt.  I wouldn't have changed a thing. 

This morning I thought I had nothing to live for now that vacation and the olympics are over, but I guess these three races that I've been training for and writing about will suffice.  152 days until Disney, 88 until the Trenton Half, and only 61 until Alison and I head back down the shore for the Seaside Half.  Also, it's now officially Shark Week, so I guess I was just being a bit dramatic. 

Photo

Not So Happy to be Back,

CQ

Smart Decisions, Small Successes, and Pet Peeves

So I did not run on Monday.  Big ol' non check for Monday's 3 miles, but I have a good reason.  I was sick.  Out of work sick, and as I didn't feel like barfing on the treadmill (or the sidewalk), I decided to skip it.  Here's to being smart, listening to your body, and knowing when not to push yourself. I did manage to run this morning before work, so I'm chalking that up as a small success.  However, to make up for the missed 3 mile run on Monday, I'll be running 4 with my sister in beautiful Seaside Park, NJ this Friday.  That's right folks, I'M GOING ON VACATION.  You may remember my mentioning a nice little annual trip previously.  That time is upon us again.  After I get through this workday, what is sure to be an awesome Mumford & Sons concert in my town this evening, 5:45am kickboxing tomorrow, and tomorrow's workday, I'm boarding a locomotive to head down the shore for 9 full days of beach lounging, food eating, game playing, margarita drinking, a little paddle surfing, and a LOT of running.  Take this as my formal apology that my blog title is soon to be a big fat lie.  I plan on far surpassing the mileage set out by my schedule in the next week and a half.  I'll just have so much time and so many miles of beach at my fingertips that it would be silly for me not to take advantage of it.  So I'm gonna.  As will sister Alison.  Maybe I'll take a day or two off, and spend a couple days cross training, but the beach is really the best place for a run.  Looks like I'll hit that 512.9 mile mark way before I was planning to.  I'm ok with that. 

I also thought I should mention that throughout this month+ of consistent running and working out, I've come across several new things that really grind my gears

 1)  Kids smoking pot on the waterfront walkway between Hoboken and Weehawken.  I am so sad to say that this has happened more than once.  I mean, are you joking?  This is a highly trafficked area, and I've seen one or two drug sniffing German Shepherds nosing around those parts in the past.  Never while these hoodlums are puffing on doobies, unfortunately.  If I wanted a contact high while running, I woulda followed Matthew McConaughey while he was getting in shape for Magic Mike. 

2)  Run-Puffers.  Now, admittedly I don't hear this too often, cuz I always run with music.  But runners who make that "CHOO, CHOO" sound to breathe every other step really need to realize what they sound like:

3)  The windowsill at CKO.  This thing has GOT to go.  I mean, this would be easily fixable if I was willing to look at other people and/or the wall during kickboxing class.  But I'm not, and I want a view, dammit.  So I always choose a window facing punching bag.  This becomes a large problem when I front kick the crap out of it and it goes careening into the windowsill knocking my keys and water bottle off and undoubtedly damaging gym property.  JUST GET RID OF IT!  They're the kind of windows that are set into the wall anyway, the brick is their windowsill.  Unnecessary. 

4)  Olympic commentators making negative comments during a perfectly good gymnastics routine.  JUST SHUT UP, Elfi.

Feels good to get those out in the open. Feels REAL good that my next run will be here:

Peace Out Real World,

CQ