Before I began my virtual 5K Sandy Hook Run for the Families, I confess I was feeling angry and frustrated. Angry and frustrated over the rush to purchase weapons and ammunition following the tragedy of December 14, 12012; over the unabated gun death toll in the past 3+ months; over the cowardice of our legislators and their inability to do anything meaningful about it, especially compared to the bravery of the teachers and administrators at Sandy Hook School who gave their lives to protect the children.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Linda's Sandy Hook Run for the Families race report
Submitted by Linda Iroff @LindaofNote
Before I began my virtual 5K Sandy Hook Run for the Families, I confess I was feeling angry and frustrated. Angry and frustrated over the rush to purchase weapons and ammunition following the tragedy of December 14, 12012; over the unabated gun death toll in the past 3+ months; over the cowardice of our legislators and their inability to do anything meaningful about it, especially compared to the bravery of the teachers and administrators at Sandy Hook School who gave their lives to protect the children.
Before I began my virtual 5K Sandy Hook Run for the Families, I confess I was feeling angry and frustrated. Angry and frustrated over the rush to purchase weapons and ammunition following the tragedy of December 14, 12012; over the unabated gun death toll in the past 3+ months; over the cowardice of our legislators and their inability to do anything meaningful about it, especially compared to the bravery of the teachers and administrators at Sandy Hook School who gave their lives to protect the children.Thursday, March 21, 2013
Heather's LA Marathon Race Report
Submitted by Heather Stewart @captainstewie
Finding My Joy Part 2
I’m having a really rough time writing this. I just have SO many emotions regarding finishing my first full marathon that I’m not sure where to start. So, I apologize for the length of this post, but I feel like I have to listen to the King from Alice in Wonderland and “Begin at the beginning… and go on until I come to the end: then stop.” Funnily enough, that’s just what we do when we run… we go until we come to the end…
Decisions
I’m not sure when I decided I was truly going to do a marathon. Apparently, I’m the catalyst for my friends signing up. (I remember this as a group decision, but I’m sure that’s not the case.) I wrote a blog somewhere in the first year of my journey to lose weight and one of the goals was: “I want to run a marathon (in theory).” When that turned in to a reality, I’m not entirely sure.
But it did.
Ditto and I decided we would sign up for the LA Marathon. It’s one of the premier marathons in the US and it showcases Los Angeles and the cities beautifully with its “Stadium to the Sea” course. The race begins at Dodger Stadium, runs through famous cities and landmarks like Hollywood Blvd., the Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive, and ends at the Beach. So, when registration opened in October of last year, we signed up and committed to a training plan. Very soon the third member of Team Ditto, Sue, joined us.
Read the rest of the story here…
Finding My Joy Part 2
I’m having a really rough time writing this. I just have SO many emotions regarding finishing my first full marathon that I’m not sure where to start. So, I apologize for the length of this post, but I feel like I have to listen to the King from Alice in Wonderland and “Begin at the beginning… and go on until I come to the end: then stop.” Funnily enough, that’s just what we do when we run… we go until we come to the end…
Decisions
I’m not sure when I decided I was truly going to do a marathon. Apparently, I’m the catalyst for my friends signing up. (I remember this as a group decision, but I’m sure that’s not the case.) I wrote a blog somewhere in the first year of my journey to lose weight and one of the goals was: “I want to run a marathon (in theory).” When that turned in to a reality, I’m not entirely sure.
But it did.
Ditto and I decided we would sign up for the LA Marathon. It’s one of the premier marathons in the US and it showcases Los Angeles and the cities beautifully with its “Stadium to the Sea” course. The race begins at Dodger Stadium, runs through famous cities and landmarks like Hollywood Blvd., the Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive, and ends at the Beach. So, when registration opened in October of last year, we signed up and committed to a training plan. Very soon the third member of Team Ditto, Sue, joined us.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Lupe's Race to the Row report
Submitted by Lupe Steele @LupeSteele
I wasn’t really supposed to run in Race To The Row 408K; it was a last minute decision. My sister and her in-laws were participating in the event and she asked if I could join. In addition to doing pretty much whatever my big sister tells me to do, I figured it would only be fair to run with her and her in-laws since she’d be joining me for the Hollywood Half in April. The Race To The Row started at the HP Pavilion (where the San Jose Sharks play) and it ended in Santana Row, an upscale shopping/residential area of San Jose that’s made to look like a gorgeous and elegant town in Paris… with a Gucci, Best Buy and Wahoo Fish Tacos.
I wasn’t really supposed to run in Race To The Row 408K; it was a last minute decision. My sister and her in-laws were participating in the event and she asked if I could join. In addition to doing pretty much whatever my big sister tells me to do, I figured it would only be fair to run with her and her in-laws since she’d be joining me for the Hollywood Half in April. The Race To The Row started at the HP Pavilion (where the San Jose Sharks play) and it ended in Santana Row, an upscale shopping/residential area of San Jose that’s made to look like a gorgeous and elegant town in Paris… with a Gucci, Best Buy and Wahoo Fish Tacos.
Tony's Princess Half Marathon Race Report
Tony Conticello's Princess Half
Marathon
RUN3rd Race Report
Submitted by Tony Conticello @RunDisney56
Throughout the
year runDisney puts on endurance races with different themes and spotlighting
various Disney characters. For many lady
racers the Princess Half Marathon in February is the Ball of all runDisney
events. The creativity and expense that
goes into some of these racing costumes is second to none. After all, how often does one get a chance to
transform into their favorite Disney Princess all weekend long, run 13.1 miles
through Disney World and get special royal treatment the entire time.
2013 happened to be a special year for the Disney Princess Half Marathon, which celebrated its Fifth Anniversary. This makes the race special because Disney creates a special commemorative medal every 5th year of a Disney endurance race, and also pays special honor to all legacy racers. A legacy racer is someone that has participated in all of a particular race. There were 365 Perfectly Princesses or Princes running the race. Each of them got a special Sash and Tiara – here is a picture of a Perfect Princess and Perfect Prince.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Kelli's Princess Half and Pi Day 5K race reports
Submitted by Kelli Shrewsberry @Connect2TLC
It’s funny. I’ve started to write a race report at least three times now. I’m not sure what’s holding me back—at first, I think it was race let down. I had just completed my first half at the Princess Half Marathon and was back in Ohio with the arctic cold blast. It could have also been the race reports written by other captains—inspiring, amazing stories—and I wanted to do mine justice!
So now, as I sit at my computer, I have that “energetic race day feeling” that will last me all year long…so, let me explain.
My First Half: Disney Princess Half Marathon
Thursday: Just Mom & I
If you haven’t eaten at Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge, get there next time! It was great to just spend some time with my mom before our other princesses arrived—and the atmosphere here is amazing! In fact, this is where my #Run3rd photo challenge began. I heard someone talking about Hidden Mickey’s, and I love this about Disney. So, I wondered how many “Hidden 3’s” I could find for #Run3rd around the parks while we were here. I wanted to keep reminding myself that while I was having a blast at Disney—I was here for something else too-something bigger than me. I had a lot of #Run3rd dedications to think about!
Here is the light at Sanaa above our table--it had a three (sometimes you have to look at things differently) and so the challenge began!
It’s funny. I’ve started to write a race report at least three times now. I’m not sure what’s holding me back—at first, I think it was race let down. I had just completed my first half at the Princess Half Marathon and was back in Ohio with the arctic cold blast. It could have also been the race reports written by other captains—inspiring, amazing stories—and I wanted to do mine justice!
So now, as I sit at my computer, I have that “energetic race day feeling” that will last me all year long…so, let me explain.
My First Half: Disney Princess Half Marathon
Thursday: Just Mom & IIf you haven’t eaten at Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge, get there next time! It was great to just spend some time with my mom before our other princesses arrived—and the atmosphere here is amazing! In fact, this is where my #Run3rd photo challenge began. I heard someone talking about Hidden Mickey’s, and I love this about Disney. So, I wondered how many “Hidden 3’s” I could find for #Run3rd around the parks while we were here. I wanted to keep reminding myself that while I was having a blast at Disney—I was here for something else too-something bigger than me. I had a lot of #Run3rd dedications to think about!
Here is the light at Sanaa above our table--it had a three (sometimes you have to look at things differently) and so the challenge began!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Color Run San Francisco race report
Submitted by Brandie Garcia @BrandieCakezSaturday morning and I'm waiting for Emily and Christina to get to my house by 8:15 so we can leave for the city for our run at Candle Stick Park. It's 8:18 and Christina shows up and tells me that Em just woke up. So we hop in the car and drive over to the next town to pick her up.
Both girls have an injury that Doctor's orders prevent them from running, but allow them to walk. I agree to walk the race with them; initially, Christina was my personal #run3rd dedication going into this 5k. Christina had gone to pick up our packets and shirts and she made sure that I got one of my favorite colors (teal or orange) as my color.
We were finally the next wave of people to go and the announcers helped to drown out the comments. The thing that I love the most about color runs is that they're just FUN. The events coordinators do such an amazing job. While you're in line waiting to go, the people commentating throw out goodies to the racers from wristbands, to frisbys, to drawstring backpacks, shorts, shirts, and sweatshirts—I'm telling you all the swag they sell they're throwing out for free! I got a wrist band from Emily before the race began, I thought that was really nice of her to pass off something she caught to me. It brightened my mood.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Hot Chocolate 5K Race Report
Submitted by Laura Lawson @GrammaHobbitMy First Actual 5K Race!
In December 2012, I walked a virtual 5K for Sandy Hook. This was a very special effort for me and, as races go, a good toe-in-the-water entry into the world of races. I knew that I was in for a very different experience with my next race.
The Hot Chocolate 5K in Dallas on February 9, chosen as much for my love of chocolate as to honor my 17 years co-managing a chocolate store, began two days before the race with a 4-hour stint as a volunteer handing out race packets. With no prior experience to draw from, I figured that this would be a good way to check out the area and to begin the mental assimilation into this new territory!
We all know what runners look like. Lean, streamlined, healthy, efficient-looking race-ready bodies! Well, the reality is that there is no stereotypic racer. I passed out race packets to people of all ages, shapes and temperaments. Who would have imagined that the older woman working next to me walked marathons! Appearances did not predict ability!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Another post-Princess interview
"There's nothing bad about running."
"My friends call me a 'medal lady-of-the-night.' … I run for the hardware, man!'"
Source
Friday, March 1, 2013
Brandie's Princess Half race report
Submitted by Brandie Garcia @BrandieCakez
Reflections on the Princess Half
and Getting my Coast to Coast
and Getting my Coast to Coast