Disney Princess Half Marathon

I did it! A year and a half ago I decided I really wanted to run in the Disney Princess half marathon- I downloaded Couch 2 5k, worked my way through the program, kept running, completed two local half marathons and then a couple of weeks ago.... I finished the Princess Half!

The training was all worth it. It was my worst overall half marathon time, but I stopped to take it in, and to take some pictures and get my picture taken.

I woke up after a good 4 hours of sleep at 2 am so that I could have my pre-run bread with peanut butter and coffee. Around 3:30 we left for the race- I'd heard to be prepared for bad traffic. We didn't hit any traffic and got right there. After hanging out and looking around for a half hour or so, John and I split up so I could get into my corral. He hopped right on the monorail to head into the Magic Kingdom so he could catch me there.

The race started with awesome fireworks for each corral, we took off and then ran for over two and a half hours. Two and a half hours of awesomeness.. how can it not be- we ran down Disney's roads that had various characters (Pirates ship and dudes for pictures, all the princesses, Bugs Life), by the Contemporary, by Disney's race track (Lighting McQueen was available for pictures), into the Magic Kingdom and then.. down Main Street to the castle.

We ran around the castle to the back side and then through it! I stopped for my picture in front of it and then headed toward Frontierland and then out the side of the park through a behind the scenes area. And then I saw her... CINDERELLA! She was there with Prince Charming for pictures. Before the race I told myself that I would only stop for character pictures if I saw Cinderella. I hopped myself in line and waited for probably 5 minutes. Then.. they swapped her out with Sleeping BEAUTY! WHAT!? I don't think I've ever even seen that movie. I spent all that time waiting for her and didn't even get that stupid picture. Ugh. I was so sad.

After leaving the Magic Kingdom we headed out back roads, past the Grand Floridian and Polynesian and then a bunch of roads that were so boring. This was the worst part of the race for me- no spectators, no characters I cared to look at and I was getting tired. Eventually we made it to EPCOT and the finish line was getting close.

In EPCOT before the end I saw John for the first time. I switched out my water bottle and threw my arm warmers at him. He rushed to the finish line (and so did I).

Finally, FINALLY, a year and half in the making, I finished.

I had the moment that I first started even running for.