Lighthouse Run 5K

This past weekend, my friends and I had the opportunity to participate in a semi-local 5K to benefit a historic lighthouse on the Gulf of Mexico, near Sabine Pass. This race has been going strong for 5 years and although they had to make some changes this year (with the number of registered participates due to COVID and dates of the race due to two hurricanes), they made it work! 

As a joke the night before, my friends and I all decided that since we were running a race on a beach, we should wear our Castaway Cay 5K shirts!

...and so we did!

In order to get to the start line, we had a pretty lengthy and early drive on our hands. I live in Lake Charles, Louisiana which is about 35 miles or so from the coast. This race took place literally ON the Gulf of Mexico and right near the location where Hurricane Laura made landfall (and not far from where Hurricane Delta also made landfall). Driving there, I felt a nervous energy - mostly about the unknown. I'd heard this area was "flattened" by the storms and although I live in the destruction all around me every day, there's just something about seeing a new area or new community that has also experienced the same thing. It's tough.

Thankfully, this drive was pleasant and a beautiful one due to the nature of the land - mostly marsh and swamp like areas!

Once we arrived, we picked up our packets, then began a seashell hunt on the beach! 

It was truly a beautiful morning! The sounds of the waves were so relaxing and the sunrise was beautiful!

Spending time with my friends was fun, too!

Back at the start line, the race director announced that they would have awards for the top overall 3 male and female winners. In my mind I thought, "uhoh"...because in a small race like this one, you start to count the amount of runners ahead of you and yeah, well, it can play games with your mind.

After we began running, my mind went straight to that - counting the amount of ladies ahead of me. There were only three ahead of me, making me the number 4 lady. Well, there's no award for number 4, so I knew if I had it in me, I would do everything in my power to pick it up towards the end. 

While running, I kept a relatively good pace behind the runner in front of me, but I knew that my slacking on running in the past couple of months since the storms were going to do me in....and I was right. At one point, there was a core group of about five of us ladies running for a while when one of the backed off, leaving me in 4th once again. 

During mile 2 on my way to mile 3, I knew I wasn't going to be able to push any harder and I had truly given this race my all. My lungs were hurting (almost to the point of wheezing) and my heart kept threatening to jump into PSVT. Sadly, I had to let any chance of passing anyone go to the wayside. 

...and that's what happened. I crossed the finish line as the 4th overall female. Whomp whomp. 

So, I decided I could take it one of two ways - I could either allow myself to feel defeated for not training like I should have or I could decide that despite the circumstances of the past few months, I gave this race my all and I should be proud of that. Just like in life sometimes, we can be upset with ourselves or we can be proud of ourselves for giving it our all. I chose option number two, because I literally had zero regrets out there. I truly gave this race everything I had in my tank! 

I wasn't too upset about my pace, either! I could definitely feel the lack of conditioning in me this go round but that just means I'll do better next time!

A couple of things about this course affected my pace as well - we were running on sand the entire way and although the sand was mostly packed, it's still a different feel! Also, 95% of the "packed sand route" was at a slant, so we were running at an angle. 

With all of that being said, I LOVED this race. It was different, it was beautiful, the sound of the waves/ocean was incredible, and I can't wait to run this one again in the future! 

We really had a great time!! My friend's mom did this one with us as well and used the opportunity to collect shells along the way. She crossed the finish line with an armful and was literally a hit! It was too funny!

Our friend Kenzie was at the race as well (and baby Asher). She served as our photographer!

Back to the devastation in the area - I'll be honest, I was surprised (happily) to see structures some standing at all. Most of them were damaged, but still stood strong despite the insane winds blasting their way during Hurricane Laura. One thing that struck me as odd about the photo above was the random blue door, still intact on a home that has lost everything! It was sad, yes, but seeing those who were rebuilding and getting their homes back together made me smile. I'm grateful for the strength and resilience of our Southwest Louisiana communities. We've been hit hard this year, but we are coming back - even though it's a slow work in progress, it's still progress!

After the race, we had breakfast at Cracker Barrel and it totally hit the spot! It was the perfect ending to a great morning spent with my friends!

Have you ever run a race on a beach? What were your thoughts on the experience? 

runDisney Haunted Mansion Virtual 5K

Hi there, friends! New blog post - who dis? 

Yes, it's been a LONG time, but I have very good reason. If you follow me on instagram, then you know that Hurricane Laura hit my home town of Lake Charles, LA as a category 4 hurricane and wreaked havoc everywhere. My initial intention to run the final leg of the runDisney summer virtual 5K series on my birthday (August 27th) changed as that was the day that Laura hit and pretty much ranks up there as one of the worst days I've had in a very long time. 

After returning home a week later, we spent a good bit of time cleaning up our yard and my parent's yard. We also lived at their house for three weeks with a generator, waiting on our electricity to turn back on. It's been an interesting road and one where I've tried to stay positive, but running has been hard for many reasons. 

So, my well laid plans of running the Haunted Mansion 5K on August 27th were altered and instead, the distance was completed on October 1st. Better late than never, right? 

This has been the first week in a while where I felt like I could truly breathe and had a little bit of extra "free" time in the evenings. Last night, Brayden and I set out on our 5K journey together and I felt like our route was fitting for the "theme" of this race - it was daunting with a hint of eerie mixed in. :)

Our start line began in front of the garage (complete with hurricane damage) and our remaining stash of MRE's - perfectly fitting for the three miles ahead! 

As we ran, we encountered a few doggies (thankfully the were on the smaller side), downed trees on the side of the road, tarped roofs on houses, and several friendly faces outside who waved as we passed. 

Trees like this are everywhere and it always amazes me to see - the root ball of the tree was literally ripped out of the ground! The powerful force of hurricanes completely blows my mind.

We reached mile 3 as the sun began to set, among the various debris lined streets.

At a month out from the storm, things around here are slowly starting to improve. Tree trucks make the rounds daily to pick up roadside tree debris. They haven't even started on the other debris yet (shingles, fencing, siding, etc). Although they are working hard, this is going to be a very slow and gradual process. I told Jason that I'm truly learning how to "chill" because I want everything done like a sprint and this will definitely be like a "marathon" to complete. 

Our finish line landed us right back in my front yard, complete with the remains of my fence I worked so hard to stain back in the spring (yes, I'm bitter about it)! 

...and with that, the three part runDisney Virtual 5K Summer Series turned Fall Series is complete! :)

I plan to return (soon) with more stories from our hurricane "adventures" and the cleanup process. This has been one of the most interesting experiences of my life and one I hope we don't have to go through again for a very very long time. 

Have a great weekend! 

runDisney Space Mountain Virtual 5K

On Wednesday, I ran the Space Mountain Virtaul 5K. This 5K is a part of the summer virtual runDisney race series and I will complete it next month with the final race in the challenge.

Setting out to run this race was interesting because I thought I would be fighting the weather, but I wasn't 100% sure how much time I had. Well, about a mile and a half into my run, my fears were confirmed and what started out as a leisurely 5K (sans kid) quickly switched to a "run this thing as fast as possible because those dark clouds are looming!"

My husband snagged a photo of me with the "start line", and off I went!

"Start line selfie", anyone? :)

By mile 1, I was feeling good and keeping a pretty consistent pace. All was well, I had my podcast in my ears, and life was pretty good. Then, I turned the corner and spotted this....

Super dark clouds looming in the distance! It started to lightly sprinkle which got my mile markers a little wet but I knew the big drops were coming!

So, I pressed on and attempted to keep a pretty consistent pace to beat the rain.

By mile 3, I knew I had it and all would be well! I narrowly missed the rain by 2 minutes. After stepping on my front porch and taking a picture with my watch, the bottom fell out from the sky with giant, heavy raindrops...and a lot of them, too!

After checking my stats, I saw that I managed to run negative splits the entire time, thanks to the threat of rain looming in the distance!

Don't get me wrong...I don't mind a rainy/wet run, but I did not want to get stuck in the kind of storm where it's raining so hard you can't see, there's thunder/lightning, etc. Thankfully, that didn't happen for this one!

I hear people are starting to receive their medals for this race series! If you registered for this, have you received yours yet?

runDisney Mad Tea Party Virtual 5K

Last week, my friend Melissa and I (along with Brayden and Melissa's dog Tink) completed the first leg of the runDisney Summer Virtual 5K series, the Mad Tea Party 5K! 

With the state of the world as it is, I knew another runDisney event wouldn't be in the cards for me this year, so signing up for this race series was perfect!

We decided to complete the first portion of this race series at Melissa's house. This was a new (to me) route, and we had a lot of fun along the way!

Their neighborhood almost makes a 1 mile loop, so mile 1 hit in no time.

Around the end of mile 2, I noticed something in the water of the ditch alongside the road...

Can you see it? It's a water moccasin and it looked like it had just eaten dinner due to its fat belly!

Naturally, our mile 2 stop had to be taken with the (not so friendly) snake! Yikes!

Needless to say, our mile 3 was just a tad bit faster than the previous two! We were ready to be finished!

Melissa's dog Tink came along for our 5K (which Brayden loved) and had a great time!

Before long, our 5K was complete! I'm so glad we decided to do this together. We can't wait for part 2 and part 3, coming in July and August!

The last time I completed the runDisney summer 5K series was the inaugural year (back in 2016) and I've enjoyed this one just as much as the first! Reading back over part 2 from that race series reminded me about the snake I came across in the grass during that run. What is it about the runDisney summer virtual series and snakes? I'm not sure, but I hope it doesn't happen again!

Did you register for the runDisney summer virtual series? If so, how has your running gone so far?

So, You Want To Run Disney?

So, you've decided to participate in a runDisney event but have no clue where to start? Well, look no further! This comprehensive guide will give all the details you need to know to make your first runDisney event a hit!

Run Disney events come in all shapes, distances, and sizes. In fact, it was runDisney who inspired me to re-lace up my running shoes in the first place. For those who are new here, I used to run cross country in high school. Our distance limit was 2 miles and I thought anyone who ran over that was crazy! Little did I know, nine years later, I would get bitten by the running bug while spectating at the full marathon during Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend. What began as a "I'm just going to run the half marathon next year and call it quits" has turned into 6 full marathons, 30+ half marathons, and many 10K's and 5K's over the following 10 years.

Once you've made the decision to go for it, where do you begin?  There are several races offered at Walt Disney World throughout the year, races in Disneyland Paris, and a couple of virtual race options to run at home. Once you've decided which race you want to run, the fun can begin!

Registration

Registration for the various runDisney races opens approximately 9 months prior to the date of the race. This has been different in the past and is subject to change, so keep an eye out for the individual race you're wanting to register for. A race calendar is usually released by runDisney with all the important dates, so be on the look out for that.

Having an online Disney account will help in the registration process as you will be able to sign in and be ready when registration to opens. (The same login ID used for your Walt Disney World account is the same you will use for runDisney.)

Also, it's important to be online at the start of registration because a lot of these races sell out quickly. For example, my husband likes to do the 10K's (which sell out fast) and I almost missed the window with him on the last registration round. The 10K was literally full and closed for registration within two hours of registration opening - be quick!!

Disney also offers opportunities for the whole family to run! If you have a little one that would like to participate (even infants who crawl), there's literally a race opportunity for everyone!

Training

If you're in need of a training plan, runDisney has connected with Olympian Jeff Galloway and offers different training plans for different experience levels/distances. By utilizing the run/walk method, Jeff has helped many many runners cross the finish line and reach their ultimate goal!

Runners World is also another great place to look for tips, advice, and training plans. In fact, RW is where I started when I began running again.

Packing


Apart from the many many race packing tips out there, my main advice to anyone who is flying in for a race is to keep your running shoes on your person - either in your carry on or on your feet. Also, I prefer to pack my race specific outfit in my carry on, just to be safe (because you never know).

If you're planning on participating in a runDisney race challenge (2 races back to back), I'd also suggest bringing along two pair of running shoes. You never know what the weather will be like on race day and if it rains on your 10K day, there's nothing worse than running in soggy shoes on half marathon day.

I've also included two posts - one on packing for a race with air travel and one on packing for a race without air travel.

Expo

Apart from the race itself, the Expo is one of my favorite parts of a runDisney weekend. The excitement in the air for the upcoming race weekend is literally palpable and I love it! Oh yes, and who could forget shopping? There's definitely shopping - and lots of it!

When you first arrive at the expo, I suggest heading straight to the bib/shirt area to pick those up first.

Also, if there's a piece of runDisney merchandise you really just have to have, you should arrive early-like opening day of the expo-because merchandise can sell out fairly quickly (if you're into that sort of stuff). Our travel plans have always varied on when we arrive - sometimes things are sold out and sometimes they have plenty of merchandise. You really never know what you're going to arrive to. Apart from runDisney merchandise, many other running companies are out there selling theirs as well. Who knows, you might even find a new piece of gear you didn't know existed!

It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the expo because it really can be overwhelming. This happened to me at my first expo and honestly, I did not get to enjoy it much at all. So, go into it knowing there's going to be a lot going on, relax, take your time, and enjoy it!!

The Race

You've made it this far, now it's time for the race itself - the highlight of the runDisney experience!

If you're using runDisney transportation, you'll need to be on a bus early! If the race begins at 5:30 a.m., you'll likely need to be on a bus no later than 3 or 3:30 a.m. Insane, I know - but it's their only way to ensure that all 25,000 (ish) runners make it to the start line. During the Princess Half Marathon last year, I attempted to push the time closer to 4 a.m. and what a mistake - we were caught in terrible traffic and it literally took 45 minutes for us to pull up at the start line. I was definitely cutting it close to the start of the race.

Also, the buses don't drop you off at the start line. For the half and full marathons, you still have about a half mile mile walk ahead of you to the starting corrals, so don't get on a bus too late!

Unless you're planning to PR your runDisney race, don't take it too seriously. I have had some of the best "race moments" of my life, playing around in the Magic Kingdom, taking pictures, and just having fun with friends!

Speaking of pictures, be on the lookout for race photographers. They will be located along the race course, at character stops, and in the parks. If you're an AP holder or you purchased Memory Maker for your trip, these photos will be included on your My Disney Expeirence App at no extra charge! 

As far as characters go, the lines might seem long, but they typically go pretty quickly because runners are basically jumping in, snagging a picture, then running off again. Character interaction is a super fun part of a runDisney race! Also, take the time to enjoy your surroundings. Not many people can say they ran a race through an actual Disney park!

Despite this, I do need to warn that you still need to be mindful of your time during the race. A 16 minute per mile cutoff is put in place as soon as the last runner crosses the start line (which calculates out to a brisk walk.)  Throughout the race, just be mindful of the time, your mileage, and be on the lookout for the balloon ladies! (If you're unfamiliar with the balloon ladies, you can find out all you need to know with a quick google search!)

Spectators

A few years back, I asked Jason for his best spectator advice and put it all together in a "spectator viewing tips" post. While that post is focused mostly on Marathon Weekend (January races) itself, a lot of the tips remain true for other runDisney race weekends as well.

So, as you can see, runDisney holds a very special place in my heart. Their races are seriously like no other and I'm super excited for those of you who are embarking on their very first runDisney experience! Please drop me an email or message to let me know how your race went and your thoughts regarding the event! I'd love to hear all about it!

Happy running! Have a magical race!

2019 Warrior 5K

Happy Monday! It's been a LONG time since I blogged on a Monday, but it's a holiday week and I wanted to hit the ground rolling after having an amazing weekend in the world of running!

As I mentioned in my spring race plans post, this past weekend was filled with running adventures. It all began on Saturday with a local 5K at the high school where I graduated, followed by a road trip to Ponchatoula Louisiana for a 10K and the strawberry festival. (More on that in a later post!)

On Saturday morning, the weather was iffy. Lots of rain, wind, tornado warnings, etc. Thankfully, it all held off and our events (the 5K and an Easter egg hunt) were able to go off as planned! This race also wasn't set to start until 9 a.m., which I thought was odd and kind of late for a race, especially one in April in the south. This 5K was the kickoff to an all-day event, so once I saw the schedule, it made more sense as to the timing of it all.

As I mentioned, this race was at the school where I graduated, so it was fun being back and seeing all of the memories and familiar faces. This school is actually preK3-12, so I spent a LOT of years there. When I walked in the front door, I heard my Spanish name "ROSITA" (long story) and my Spanish 2 teacher was there to greet me with a big hug. It was so much fun seeing her again! (Y'all, it's been almost 20 years since I graduated!)

My sweet dad came along as my race support while Jason took Brayden to our church's Easter egg hunt (and I met up with them later).

Being back in the gym where I spent SO much time was so weird!

They even kept our poster with our softball winnings! I was on the 1999 & 2000 teams!

After a little opening ceremony, it was time to begin the race. Thankfully, the race director is a runner and knew we were ready to get going, so we only stayed in the opening cerremonies for a short amount of time.

This race was small and once they called "GO" I quickly realized that I was in the lead. What. The. Heck. I had read about all of the roads to turn on, but wasn't sure I could remember them. Thankfully, the course was well marked and I was able to follow the signs just right!

After finding my groove, I just kept focusing on moving forward. It was warm and humid and I was running fast (for me). My first mile clocked in at a 7:47 and I knew I couldn't keep that up all three miles. I also had a guy on my heels and I didn't want him to pass me. This course was not closed either, so the cars on the road made me a little nervous.

I did grab a cup of water at two of the water stops, but I kept running while drinking the water (which was kind of a mistake). I also kept willing for it to rain so I could cool off a bit! Unfortunately, it never did.

As we passed the 3.1 mile mark, the guy that was behind me passed me (of course) and went on to cross the finish line just a few steps ahead of me.

After he turned around, I realized who he was and made a joke about it. I work with his dad! Small world, huh?

I seriously gave this race all I had. My lungs were burning and I just couldn't go anymore. Even though I didn't cross in first, I still placed as first female and received a certificate towards a pair of shoes from our local running store! (This was our 2nd annual Warrior 5K and I also placed as first female last year!)

 
After grabbing a bottle of water and saying goodbye to everyone, my dad and I set out for our church and the Easter egg hunt.

On the way there, I was talking about my PR and mentioned that I didn't come anywhere close to it, even though I felt like I was running fast (for me). My dad asked if I was sure...so I looked it up and much to my surprise, I DID PR...by 14 second with an average pace of 8:02 per mile!

I could not believe it! Having a PR at a race held by my school is extra special to me, so this one means just that much more, especially since my previous PR was from 2015 (and pre-baby)!

It was a great start to the weekend and I couldn't wait to see what the rest of it had in store (more great running things to come so stay tuned)!

Have you ever had that nostalgic return-to-your-high-school kind of feeling?

Pumpkin King 5K

Fall has finally arrived here in Southwest Louisiana! I've been talking about it long enough and yesterday, it finally decided to make it's appearance. Cool weather stuck around the entire day!

Not being one to miss an opportunity like that, I got Brayden suited up and we set out on a quick 5K run. It had been a while since I ran a 5K at a pretty quick (for me) timed pace and I wanted to see how much of a difference the combination of cooler weather and all my hard work at Orangetheory would make.

Also, the guys over at Level Up Virtual Runs offered a spot for me in their Pumpkin King 5K, so I decided to earn my medal with yesterday's run!

We had a great time running our usual route, rolling over bumps in the road and giggling at silly antics. Although pushing a 32+ pound toddler in a stroller can be tiring at times, we really do have fun together! 

After our run, I handed the medal for him to look at. He quickly put it around his neck, smiled for the camera, and said "teee-eeese" (his version of "cheese").

By the end of our run, I was definitely winded and proud of our time! We ran an 8:45 for the first mile, an 8:23 for the second mile, and an 8:20 for the third mile - all a vast improvement from my running times this summer. Regardless of the reason (weather, Orangetheory, or both), I'll take it!

This medal really is a pretty one and perfect for both fall and any Nightmare Before Christmas fans! I love the detail that's included with the medal's lanyard as well. This medal reminds me so much of the Hallowishes fireworks held during this time of year at Walt Disney World.

Interested in registering? There's still time and these medals ship fast! Head over to Level Up Virtual Runs to get signed up and be sure to use code PUMPKINKING at checkout for 10% off your order! 

Happy Halloween and Happy Running! :)

Disclaimer: I received entry into the Pumpkin King 5K free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.