Like Royalty
Hey everyone! Thank you so much for the good luck wishes for the half marathon <3
I DID IT!
(That’s my prince charming right there)
After a painful 4am wake-up call, the pilot and I drove down to the race where I met up with Kelly and Meara.
The pilot got this pic of the PINK fireworks they set off at the starting line:
He even saw me run past him! I was so excited 🙂
It was FREEZING outside and wearing the Wal-Mart sweats and chucking them before we started ended up being a golden plan.
Here are my splits for the race and how I felt:
Mile 1: 8:47 I was so cold, hating life and wondering why I was doing this…again.
Mile 2: 8:51 Started to feel much better and found a good pace to stick with
Mile 3: 8:54 My iPod died (even though I charged it for 6 hours yesterday). I was bummed out, but Disney kept the distractions coming with DJs, bands, characters and trivia on signs lining the race
Mile 4: 9:01 I attribute this mile to seeing Tarzan in his loin cloth glory (sorry, Pilot heh heh)
Mile 5: 8:59 FINALLY started to warm up and got some feeling in my legs
Mile 6: 9:03 Stopped to get my pic taken in front of the castle and messed around with the Flip cam. Runners who can film and run are extremely talented.. I am not one of those people
Mile 7: 9:02 Had a blasty running through Disney World, waving and slapping high-fives with the volunteers and employees
Mile 8: 9:00 Took 1/2 Clif Gel and started to get a little tired. Kept thinking of the pilot’s pep talk to keep going
Mile 9-11 (8:59, 8:48 and 9:30): Started to get extremely HOT (not seksi-wise, but temperature-wise) and my right calf started to cramp. Decided to take a 2 minute walk break to take my jacket off, which ended up being a crazy challenge since I had no feeling in my fingers and had to take off my race bib and re-attach it to the shirt I was wearing underneath the jacket. I also rubbed Biofreeze all over my legs
Mile 12: 8:48 Came back with a BANG 😀
Mile 13: 8:37 (I saw Meghann!!! It was so lovely to see her and Derek cheering us on!)
I ended up finishing at 1:58:10 according to the Garmin –the race distance was a little over 13.1 and my final chip time was 1:58:38.
Not too bad 😀
While I was running the race, I kept being tempted to compare myself to last year. It wasn’t until around mile 10 (when I took the epic walking break) that I realized that last’s years Princess Half and this year’s are totally different beasts. Last year, the pilot was deployed and I trained a LOT more. I was also spinning twice a week and teaching step (and insane? Hahaha). This year, the pilot was home, it was a much colder winter –I’m a Triple W (Winter Workout Wuss)- and I didn’t train nearly as much. I realized that all I could do today would be my best for *right now* NOT my best for last year. ****Lesson of the day: Compare yourself to YOURSELF! It doesn’t matter what your friend did or what you could do before—do what you can do at this moment, with this situation.
So all in all, it was an AWESOME race and I had so much fun (despite the pain) 😀 Disney knows how to put on an awesome running event and if you’re considering doing a half or full marathon, definitely check it out.
When we got back to my aunt’s, check out the extremely cute sign she had on the door:
Lurve.
I took a terrible ice bath –my left knee isn’t my friend right now- and then the pilot and I went out for bfast at our favorite spot, First Watch. Since the wait was pretty hefty, we stopped at Bizzle for drinkies. I had a Refresh tea and a plain perfect oatmeal
At First Watch, I had the usual Tri-Athlete omelet (egg whites, mushrooms and green chilis with salsa) with salad instead of the English Muffin and fruit.
Face was rocked.
We’re back home now and are going to chill for a while before heading to the kennel to get Viesa. Then, THE OSCARS! I love looking at all of the gorgeous dresses 😀
Have a wonderful night and I’ll see ya in the morning with a giveaway!
xoxo,
Gina
CONGRATULATIONS to all of the beautiful ladies who ran the princess half this morning!!! <3
94 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Congrats to you girl! 🙂 That is so true about comparing yourself – thanks for that reminder since I tend to do the same with many things. You are such a great inspiration.
I’m so happy the pilot was with you this year!! 😀
Congratulations on a great race. That’s one pretty medal they hand out. It’s hard not to become engulfed in the comparision game, it’s so ingrained in us, but I’m inspired by your perspective.
Congrats!! You did GREAT!!! I am looking forward to the Oscars tonight too!
Congrats on doing a great job on the race! It seems like quite a special event to be a part of! It’s so hard to NOT compare, but your words are so true! hope you had a quick knee recovery! 🙂
Congrats Gina! What an accomplishment!
YOU’S A BOSS!!!! Congratulations, lovely, gorgeous, supah-strong, ferociously fierce friend! I ran for 10 minutes today and thought I was going to faint/die/hurl. I cannot even imagine. CONGRATS!!!
Congrats Gina! You’re amazing. 🙂
Good work, Princess Gina! So excited that the pilot could be there to cheer you on this year! Congrats on a good race!
What a fantastic race! Congratulations! You are spot on, we can’t compare ourselves to previous versions of ourselves.
You are awesome, and it’s amazing that the human body can even run 13 miles, let alone in under 2 hours! Great job Gina, and I loved reading along with every mile. Tarzan…bahahaha!
Congrats!!!! What a wonderful race!
Congratulations! I love what you said about comparing yourself to yourself and I think that you rocked it! It’s amazing that you can run a half marathon, no matter what time you did it in (although I think you kicked tushy)!!! PS…rolling on the floor over the Tarzan comment hehe
great great race!!! congrats!!!
I was so glad I was able to spot you in the sea of princesses! You rocked the run lady! Great job!!!!
Congratulations! You are so amazing and such an inspiration. 🙂 Kudos for hanging in there after your Ipod died (not that you had a choice, but still.) 😉 I bet having your pilot there this year made all the difference!
Enjoy your evening and recovery.
Wow! You did great! I’m glad it all worked out! It sounds like a lot of fun. 🙂
CONGRATS!!!! “compare you to you”… such wise advice 🙂 Love you girlie!
Congrats, you are awesome, and an inspiration!
Yeah!! You did it!!!! Good job Gina!!!
Way to go, Gina! You are a rockstar.
Amazing job, Princess Gina!!!!!!!!!!!
CONGRATS!!!! You so rock! So the pic of you and your prince 😉
I loooove the adorable shirt and finishers medal!!! So fun! Congrats on a great run!!
-emily http://www.emilyeatsclean.wordpress.com
Congratulations!
You’re an inspiration at any time you complete 13.1 miles. I’m 40, overweight and have just started running – working the C25K – to me you are SUCH a rockstar!
Congrats on your run!
Congrats Gina! Awesome time and it looks like a great course!
Awesome job Gina….way to go! And coming form someone who finds it hard to not compare races of the same distance, kudos for being proud of your performance as it stands, not compared to any other. You’re a rock star…errr…Princess!!!
Congrats, Gina! I remember reading your recap of this last year and enjoyed it so much, just as I did this one! Amazing time…you totally rocked it! 🙂
Gina – Congrats on a great race! I LOVE your comment about comparing yourself only to yourself and doing your best at that moment. It’s so hard not to put undue expectations on ourselves. Thanks for the positive message!
Congratulations on a great race!
You are wise beyond your years Gina. You are spot on when you say that we should compare ourselves to the situation and who we are at that moment. I have been trying so hard lately to just focus on being present. It works most of the time but sometimes I find my wandering mind going off again.
Good job on the half!!! You rock girl 🙂
You did great and I love reading your recap, Princess Gina.
I had a 20km training run today my hands also went all tingly! I was definitely worried for a bit… Congrats on the race you rocked it no matter what. Just think of all the people that could never dream of running a half marathon not of how you did in comparison to last year, you are a super star (princess)!
Congrats! The half marathon is such a difficult distance (for me anyway)and it sounds like you rocked it…
Great run! Glad you got to be with family and friends.
CONGRATS! I did the princess half last year it is an AMAZING experience! I just started reading your blog and I love it!!! Have you ever ran a full marathon?? I wonder how the transition from a half marathon to a full marathon is! Keep up the amazing workouts and delicious breakfast cookies!
I don’t know what you’re talking about, your splits are still amazing! I ran the princess half too, and absolutely loved it 🙂
(even on 2 hours of sleep lol)
Congratulations! Your comparison run down reminded me of myself comparing my first and second half marathons. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t beat my first time, but then I realized how much more prepared I was for the first one. More pilot time and enjoying life is more important!
Congrats!~
I love that shirt! 😀 Your aunt sounds like a sweet lady, what a cute sign.
Way to go, Gina!!! Without an iPod too?? That’s commendable! I would have bawled my eyes out and probably beg one off the street!
You did it! Congratsy!! Now you can get back your beloved strength training 🙂
Congrats, so happy that your pilot was there cheering you on this year
Way to go girlie! Great attitude — that looks like a fun race!
Corral A, good for you. I love the shirt and I am so jealous I wasn’t there! You can email your complaints to the ESPN Wide World team. They do actually read them. It’s the only way they know to do better next year.
congrats! you really dug deep and finished strong. totally happy for you 🙂
Congrats!!! I’m struggling to motivate for my annual half (Chicago this year), and you just gave me the push I needed! Thanks!
Aw, congratulations!!!!
Good for you, gina!!! You did awesome!
Congratulations Gina! You ran an awesome race; those splits are amazing! I love how your race bib is Belle – she’s my favorite princess. Awesome job!