Dopey Expo Recap/ start of my marathon journey/ the night before Dopey

I absolutely love Expos. Probably more specifically Run Disney Expo's. I think I may enjoy the expo more than the race itself.

I'm going to give some background on why I love these expo's so much.

My first expo was the 2014 Disney Marathon Weekend Expo. I saw all the people picking up their bibs, and getting excited about the upcoming races for the weekend, I stopped by to see if I could get a pair of the coveted Minnie Mouse Run Disney sneakers ( I snagged a pair of the kids version & saved some money too!)

At this point I was preparing to run the  Princess Half Marathon in about 5 weeks. My training wasn't what it should have been, not even close. The most I had run at this point, was maybe 6 miles? But I saw a shirt that said I'm training for a Disney Marathon 2015.

"Wow! I would love to run a marathon" However, I don't think I realized how far 13.1 miles was at this point, let alone 26.2!

Well fast forward 1 year, and I'm one of those crazy people who aren't just running a marathon, but all 4 races! the 5K, the 10K, the Half Marathon, and the Full Marathon! Yep Thats 48.6 miles, and the decision I made when I signed up 9 months prior. I had so many emotions, I couldn't believe the weekend was finally here.

I went to a Dopey Challenge meet up after picking up my bib, and race shirts. I bought a Dopey Challenge Bondi Band, and a Dopey Challenge I Did It Shirt. I tried to find a 26.2 magnet or sticker, but there wasn't any I liked. I forgot to pick up a Dopey Challenge magnet amongst all the excitement, but thankfully was able to find one after the marathon! I was getting ready to leave, and something pulled me into the Dooney & Bourke tent and I walked out with a wristlet I didn't need, but it was my first marathon, my first Dopey, and I was being nostalgic.
I also apologize to the cast member who I made look through at least 15 wristlets for the perfect pattern placement.

I also met a super amazing lady at the expo who invited me to stay with her in her vacation villa after hearing that I was going to be driving back and forth to and from the races until I checked into my hotel on Friday night. She so so nice, and I am so thankful to have had a buddy help me get through this crazy challenge!

The night before the 5K we attempted to go to Downtown Disney for dinner, but it was so crowded we went to Noodles and Company, which was so much better! Not that we needed to carb up for the 5K, but any excuse to eat pasta is good for me!

Also, I attempted to go to bed at a reasonable hour, however, we were plagued with freezing temperatures for the 5K, so that called for a last minute costume change, and a trip to Walmart to buy out all the gloves, hats, hot hands, and blankets, because this is Florida, and as a Floridian, I do not go outside in freezing temperatures with big gusts of wind. I definitely wasn't going to be caught dead out there in a sports bra. Sorry Anna costume, the cold bothers this Dopey.

Stay tuned to find out who I became for my last minute costume change, and how the 5K went :)

Disclaimer: I own all of the pictures except for the Ryan Gosling Meme, & I'm training for a Disney Marathon 2015. - Thanks Google ;)

Princess Half Marathon Course Overview (Also works for WDW Half)

Whether Princess Half 2015 will be your first, or your fifth half marathon at Disney. Below is my course overview to get you in the spirit, and calm some of those pre race jitters!

*this is just a brief summary of what you can expect on course!


After making the long walk to the corrals, we will start on Epcot Center Drive. We will hit the mile one marker, and shortly after that begin to curve onto world drive heading toward magic kingdom! Be careful here because the road curves. I like to go in the grass at this point. Then we will run, and go through the magic kingdom parking entrance, this is pretty cool, so definitely take a selfie! watch your step as you go through the MK parking over pass, theres a speed bump! Next you will run through the parking lot, TTC area, there is a down hill closer to the TTC, and I always run down that since its a down hill. You will turn off and go past the contemporary hotel. ( at this point you are between mile 4 and 5) Here comes the big dip. There is a DJ at the top of the over pass clapping, and playing music, he is awesome! Run down the hill, and walk up it, but make sure you are on the right if walking, and left if running, raise your hand for at least 3 seconds to indicate you are going to slow down. Now you are going to curve again and see the mile 5 sign! 

Now comes the best part! you are going to enter through a side entrance of Magic Kingdom and run down main street!!! I suggest you go to the right. Get your cameras out, and pose for selfies, and let one of the volunteers take your picture. Also, be on the look out for Marathon photo people! they are all over! Ham it up, the race pics will be there even when the pain is gone!  Now turn right and go to tomorrow land, if you need to use the bathroom, go somewhere before you leave MK. Now we run towards the castle. Just know. it will narrow! you will most likely be walking through the castle, but thats okay, keep smiling because those photographers are waiting! after exiting the castle, you will be heading out of the park, past splash mountain, a med station ( your last chance for bio freeze was just before mile 3) and this is the 6 mile makers. 

Now leaving MK it is narrow, and a long stretch of boring. There are characters, and music, when you reach mile 7, the half way point, they play a song on repeat that we will vote on in the next few weeks. last year was let it go, surprised? I wasn't either.. Anyways, you will be passing by the grand floridian around mile 7.3? At mile 8, they give you fuel, last year was cliff gels, but make sure to have your own because they ran out both days during the WDW half and full 2015. mile 9 you will be so over this long stretch of seemingly endless road, but theres usually a med tent around here, so yay more bio freeze! 

Mile 10 is when you are approaching the over pass. there is a cool toy story army guy on it though who tells you to keep moving and is lots of fun. you can also look to your left before the over pass and think wow I was there 8 miles ago ( you may also have seen fast runners at this point while you were at mile 2, but take a second to do a victory dance because you too are only a 5K left from finishing the 2015 Princess Half Marathon!! 

Take the over pass slow, Its a curve, so I usually hang out on the grassy part that isn't on an incline as much. Now that you are at the top, look down and see all the people behind you, and cheer for them, or don't look down, keep moving! It's your call! Now this part is a little boring, but you are almost done! yay you see mile 11, and know it is almost done, and you are almost safe, just need to get to epcot! which Is about mile 12, when they won't sweep you anymore, I repeat, get to Epcot so you are safe!! Now that you are in epcot, you are going to start to get emotional, its okay, take it all in! That mile 13 marker will be there before you know it. You will hear the gospel choir singing, Just for you! Because they are so proud of you! You will turn another corner exiting Epcot into the Epcot parking lot, and see the finish line, Take a picture of that mile 13 marker, (or a selfie) And enjoy every second of running to that finish line. you deserve it! Take it all in! give minnie or mickey a high 5, finish strong, smile, cry, so whatever, it's your moment, you have earned it.


Princess Half Marathon 2014 was my very first half marathon, so the race holds a special place in my heart. I will be completing the GSC, starting in Corral I. I have not decided on a costume, but if you see a 4 ft. 10 girl wearing a tutu, having the time of her life (running solo) say hi!!

(throwback to my first 13.1! PHM 2014!)

Why running 20 miles on a treadmill is torture and highly recommended during Marathon training

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor a trainer, or a running coach, This is simply my own opinion.

Running 20 miles is a daunting training task. It is often the mileage that many people will train up to during marathon training.

It was the furthest distance I completed during my marathon training, however, I completed my final 20 mile jog/walk 2 days before the first race of the Dopey Challenge!

Stupid? Dumb? Crazy? Dopey? - Yeah, I know.

I hadn't run much since Wine and Dine after getting pretty sick, and having emergency acid nail bed surgery, I wasn't cleared to run until a week before Marathon day!

For me, It was mental, I needed to know that I could keep pace, and complete 20 before going into Dopey.

It was boring 5 hours on that treadmill!

Running to nowhere is no fun, I am pretty sure my apartment complex thought I was crazy on the same treadmill for a good chunk of the afternoon. I did it, though, and the end result made me feel so much stronger, and ready to conquer those 48.6 magical miles that upcoming weekend.


What helped me through the miles?

Besides my long, toned, elite runner legs ( I Wish!) I would like to attribute my  success to Huma gels, margarita flavored shot blocks, free wifi in the gym, Apple for making iPads so portable, Netflix for providing me endless episodes of friends, Audible for having the Neil Patrick Harris Choose your own Adventure Autobiography (Highly recommend! It's hilarious & 10x better with NPH reading it!) & Spotify for allowing me to search any genre of music to get me through the wall (except Taylor Swift, which would really have been nice around mile 17!)

I highly recommend the long treadmill run to be incorporated into training, because it its a totally different experience. If you can walk, jog, or run, on a treadmill for a long period of time, you can conquer anything!

Post 20 mile training Run. I am Dopey Ready!!!

Dopey Challenge: Prologue to Race Recap

A lot of you probably know that I have been preparing for the 2015 Dopey Challenge over the past 9 months, Well, I did it!! Yes! I ran 48.6 miles in 4 days, I ran my first (& last) marathon! I slept at most 3 hours a night for 4 days. I ran with a torn meniscus, I met lots of amazing running friends despite running the races "solo" I changed my costumes 1000000 times because it was actually pretty cold during the race mornings, & by cold I mean freezing! 

I had the most amazing, 5 days (yes, I'm including the expo) ! 
No, I would most likely not do it again (unless I hit the lottery!) 
I would not recommend running Dopey as your fist marathon (but it certainly can be done)

Bare with me as I post my day to day dopey race recaps. I am in school full time, and will be typing out posts in between classes.

Thank you all for dealing with me as I took some time off writing. I moved a week before Dopey, and with school starting back up I haven't had time to blog, but will definitely be playing catch up this weekend! 

 One of my many favorite signs from the Marathon