Princess Victory!

First things first.... I FINISHED!!!!!!!!

My vision of the week leading up to the race didn't exactly go as planned. Unfortunately, school sometimes gets in the way and things just had to get done. It took all of my brain power and focus to finish my school work that blogging got put on the back burner...and unfortunately, running did too. But! I finished all my big projects and was able to fly off without having to lug around my computer or school work. That was the first victory. A weekend without school! Nice.

So this is how the weekend went. I left for FL at 10:45 pm after a full day of school. I flew across the country under the cover of night and arrived in Orlando at 7 am. It really was an insane time to be flying but I must say, seeing the sun rise from the air....absolutely freaking gorgeous. breathtaking. My mom came and picked me up from the airport, I was SO excited to see her!! As I walked out of the airport to get in the car, I was already shocked at how warm it was. The sun was out (THANK YOU JESUS) and it was already about 75 degrees. It felt delicious on my sun deprived skin, but I was a little worried about race day.

Mom and I drove home and I jumped in bed with the hopes of getting slightly caught up on sleep. When I woke up, my dad was home! Sweetness!

That afternoon my friend Liz and I headed to the "Fit to be a Princess Expo" to meet up with my precious running princess sisters and a few extras I wasn't expecting as well. We got our numbers!! our time chips!!! and an awesome T-shirt!! There were so many beautiful women there ready to show their strength. I keep using awesome, but it really was. Awesome and Sparkly!

Back at home, my mom was cooking up the most delicious pre-race allergy free dinner and my Gramma and Grampa were waiting. How cool is that? We ate, laughed, and I thoroughly enjoyed everyones company. It really was more than I could ask for...especially consider the amount of time I was home! Then, off to bed!

We attempted bed around 7...but between the time change and such excitement, there wasn't much sleep that happened before our 1:30 am wake-up call! EEEK. That is early. Princess Nicole and I got up and put on our running gear and our precious precious cheerleaders, Melissa and Julia got up in support. That is true friendship! A little breakfast and OFF TO THE RACE!

The whole thing, from walking down the red carpet to get to the first gathering area to running across the finish line, was filled to the brim with magic, glitter, and so much fun!

The start was exciting, each wave was sent off by Fairy Godmother and sweet fireworks. We were the 5th wave and couldn't wait for our turn. The fireworks went off and away we went.

The costumes were incredible. People really went all out and the tu-tus were just so precious. The princesses along the way were so much fun and the excitement of everyone running was electric, buzzing energy. The first half went by so fast. We were running along and then all of a sudden, I looked up. There was Cinderella's Castle. I mean, I have been to Disney before, but man o man was that a cool sight...and it was still off in the distance. We ran by our super cheerleaders! and down on into Main Street. Have you ever ran through Disney before the park opens? SO FLIPPIN COOL! Cinderella was calling my name. Around the park we went and then, goodness me, we made it. We ran through the castle and I immediately had goosebumps all over me. Best moment of the race, hands down. But that was only half way. After that it was truly a test of will power, determination and perseverance. It was hard. Really really hard. I was operating on next to no sleep and in heat that my body was not used to. I felt that I could drink at least 4 cups of water at each water station and I had totally forgotten what it was like to sweat. so. much. Mile 8. 9. 10. It hurt but I was determined. I worked my butt off for this, I'm making it. and I'm going to make it strong. Mile 10 there were shouts of excitement all around, WE ONLY HAVE A 5K LEFT!!! I honestly wanted to cry. I have run 5k's, bunches of them. I know what that means. It is not "nothing". My body hurt and 5k meant I had around 30 minutes left to run. Then I heard my necklace jingle a bit. "Attitude is everything". Oh yea! It was hard to take my mind off the pain, I had developed some pretty good blisters and my muscles were letting me know just how little sleep I had gotten in the last 2 nights, but I worked for this. My mind is strong. My body is strong. I was going to finish. One mile at a time. Mile 11. 12. and finally mile 13 and my family. My dad yelled my name and I knew, not only was I close to the finish line, but I was going to finish strong. I turned the corner and there it was. The finish line to my first half marathon! Jesus this was a big moment. This was the finish line for a year long goal. This was a years worth of work and sweat. This was a years worth of determination and conquering my attitude. This was a years worth of Victory. I crossed the finish line. I ran 13.1 MILES!!!!!!

I said in a post earlier this year that the finish line was not the Victory, the victory was every step in between. This is true. But crossing that finish line. That is something. That is something huge. It took a lot to get there. Wow was it cool! Crossing that finish line was most definitely a Victory as sweet as can be!

It took a bit for the sweetness of it all to sink in. My body hurt and I was tired. I had some adventures with my plane ticket and had to quickly figure out some alternative plans to get back to the west coast. I was tired and stressed. I got back to WA a day later than planned, got my key snuggled with my dog, got all my stuff and sat down. I sat down and it suddenly sunk it.

My life is changed. I've been racing all year and I crossed the finish line. I set a goal. I worked HARD to reach it. My attitude has changed. I am strong. I am a Princess. I ran 13.1 miles.

There is nothing "un" about this un-runner.

I am a runner.

This is not the end of my running, but this is the end of the year long blogging journey for the un-runner turned runner. It is a very special thing for me to look back and remember each step of the way. It is a very special thing for me to look back and know I was supported the whole way. Thanks for reading and loving and supporting.

Love,

The Very Real Runner!

Hard at work.

I'm dropping the ball on the bloggy front, but for good reason. I spent the entire day today diligently working on school work. I don't think I have been so focused for such a long period of time in, well, ever. I am plugging away get things done little by little so that I can put school thoughts aside next weekend. I cannot wait. I'm a little disappointed I didn't get a good run in today, but school unfortunately takes priority.

I got to talk to one of my sweet Princess running buddies about our plans for next weekend. We were both just in amazement of how fast this time has gone by. Goodness. It seriously flies!

Tomorrow is going to be an early morning for me, hopefully I can get in at least a little running. Clear my mind a little bit, keep my bones loose. 6 days friends!

One Week!

One week from this very day is the culmination of this years goal. One week from today, I will be flying to Florida. One week from this day I will be running through Walt Disney World with two precious friends.

I am so so excited and oh so nervous too. I intend to blog everyday from now until race day and then, my friends, this un-runner turned runner will be retiring, from blogging that is. I've become a runner for life. Running and blogging through this past year has been an amazing experience. It is special to me to be able to look back and see all the days in between the beginning and now. It is precious to remember the funny moments and the hard moments. It is awesome to be able to look back and read about all my little victories along the way.

I intended a whole lot more to go into this post, but honestly, I'm beat. I am diligently working through all of my school work that is due in the next two weeks so that I can spend my weekend flying to Florida, running, and flying back. A year's worth of running prep is looking like nothing compared to the two weeks of school work I'm trying to get ahead on. So I've been staring at a computer screen and writing all day. Therefore, more insightful bloggy happenings will have to come another day. I will dream about them tonight, or maybe as I run tomorrow? How's that?

Here's to getting ready!

Cinderella's Castle

Things are different friends. I was feeling nostalgic tonight, so I went back and read most of my old posts. I talk about remembering where I came from but I honestly did not remember exactly where I came from. I forgot about the day I couldn't run more than 10 steps. I forgot about the days that I was ABSOLUTELY convinced that my lungs were going to pound out of my chest at any second. I forgot that I was hesitant to call myself a runner. I forgot that getting past 3 miles was a BIG deal.

Yesterday, I ran 11 miles. I ran 11 miles in Washington. In the cold. Over hills. One of my friends, who is super sweet just for the simple fact that she graciously agreed to humor me and did not tell me I was crazy at any point, drove me out 11 miles away from my apartment. I asked her to of course, this wasn't some sort of "punk". I got out of the car, panicked a bit as I watched her drive off and then I started the way I always start. One foot in front of the other. Headed back home. The scenery was SPECTACULAR. One of these days I will go back there in my car and take pictures when I'm not focused on my run. I ran past two beautiful lakes. I got to see mountains (probably more like hills to those non-Floridians) in the distance. I ran while overlooking the bay and I saw the islands in the distance. I got to see huge trees and trees that made me think of Dr. Seuss. There were waterfalls and twists in the road. There were hills and there was sweat. I conquered every bit of it and I am proud. Reading back to those first posts, I don't know that I could have confidently said that this is where I would be in a year. I don't know that back then, that I really believed I could run a half marathon. I mean really, I didn't even know then that I was going to move my whole life across the country to Washington state.

So here's what I have to say. Bring it on Cinderella. I am ready to see your castle in a way I have never seen it before. I am ready to run and feel good about it. I am confident in myself and what I have done. Damn I have come a long way. I fully intended to keep track of the total number of miles I've run this year, but that didn't exactly happen. But lets just put it this way...its a lot. I cannot wait to put on my tiara and lace up my sneaks and run. I will run with my friends. I will run for my past and I will run for my future.

Cinderella, I can't wait to see you.

...just 3 weeks friends!

Awesome run.

Mud, rocks, stars, sweat and waterfalls = one awesome run and one happy girl!

Treadmills and Time

On Thursday, I got on a treadmill instead of doing my run outside. That was the first time I had been on a treadmill in almost exactly a year. Crazy. But here's the really crazy part...

The last time I was on a treadmill, pretty much a year ago, my goal was to run through a commercial break. You know how long that is? I think a long estimate would be 5 minutes. That's not even a half a mile, probably less because a year ago, my definition of slow was even slower than my slow now. On Thursday, when I got on the treadmill, my goal was 3 miles. That was a mid week short run. How's that for progress? I ran for a little over 30 minutes and that was a short run. a short run. Cool.

Progress is a cool thing to track.