Countdown to Disney Princess Half Marathon

Friday, September 28, 2012

To 5K or to 10K??


To 5K or to 10K?? That is the question of the day!

So I have been thinking since I started this journey “When do I progress to the 10K?” Do I improve my time on the first several 5k’s or do I move on to a 10K? Push myself (in distance)? So this is what I have decided. I am going to PUSH! If I don’t push I will never go further, right? I am scared, fearful, terrified? Of what you ask? FAILING! I hate to fail. But who does?? :)

Starting this week I will be following the Jeff Galloway plan (www.rundisney.com/training/) which starts with 2~30 min runs and then a 2 mile run (Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday). I am good with that! Ha ha ha. I checked the calendar today and it increases very slowly but not to slow!  So all I can say is “here goes nothing” wish me luck, cross your fingers, braid your hair
~Sindi

Friday, September 21, 2012

My top 5 reasons I NEED a running buddy...

My morning run yesterday got rained out so I had to fit it in after the rain.  I have been running with my mom since March of this year.  After running alone yesterday I realize all the reasons I NEED a running buddy, here are the top 5 reasons...

5.  Safety...I am beyond paranoid!  I have watched way too many crime dramas on TV.  Do you know how many joggers get attacked running through the park on Law and Order every season?  Far too many.  I pulled up to the track at the park and saw two cars and did a quick scan of how many people, age, and gender.  I only saw one old guy on his bike and thought I could probably take him, but where was the owner of the other car?  I only ran with one ear bud in so I could hear if anyone came up behind me.  Fortunately, I have my mommy super power of eyes behind my head too.  Not to say that when I run with my mom she is going to fight off all the freaks, but there is safety in numbers!

4.  Accountability...When I tell my mom I will meet her at a certain time, I know she is depending on me.  Shoot, I don't want her running alone with all the freaks out there.  If I didn't have to show up at her house everyday on time, I may not actually get out there everyday.

3.  Socialization...I am a stay at home mom and by running with my mom I get adult conversation during the day.  Talking also helps pass the time. 

2.  Running is my therapy...I can tell I am crabby with my kids on days when I don't get to run.  Running is a form of therapy for me.  Lucky for me, my mom is a psychologist so I get double free therapy when I run!





 1.  Motivation...Running with someone pushes me when my body says to quit. I am 24 years younger than my mom, I can't quit as long as she is still going.  While I was running alone yesterday my plan was 3 miles, I kept telling myself 2.5 miles is close enough, or I can just walk for awhile.  Thankfully, I no longer listen to the lies, but having someone with me makes it easier not to listen.

~Princess Janie




Sunday, September 16, 2012

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo 5k race recap

As my alarm clock was buzzing at 6am this morning, I thought to myself, "I have lost my mind, I just paid $30 to wake up at 6am to run 3.1 miles".  I am still trying to get use to this new lifestyle!

My first impression of the Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo race was, WOW!  Traffic was backed up all the way on to the expressway.  I didn't realize this was such a huge event!  This was the 2nd biggest event I have ran to date.  The Race for the Cure was the biggest event, but it was much more relaxed and there weren't any official times.  So, this was by far the biggest "Race" I have run,  yet

Mom, me, Sindi, and Chelsea
As Sindi, Chelsea (Sindi's friend), Mom and I headed to the start line we decided on run/walk/run intervals of 45 seconds running and 15 seconds of walking.  This is first time we tried this interval sequence. We typically run 1 minute and walk 1 minute, so this was a big change.  We started out the race walking since it was so congested in the starting area.  I was getting frustrated with the crowd, so I broke away from my group and ended up running on my own today.  Running alone isn't as much fun as running with friends.  I made the best of my time alone and was able to focus on my breathing, which I still have a hard time remembering to breath in my nose, not my mouth.  I was running along at a great pace, and I decided I liked the new interval times.  As I was running through the streets of Huntington Woods, I was blaring my new itunes purchases and feeling great, no knee pain, and then there was a hill at mile 2.30... I pushed through, but it slowed me down some.  Lesson learned, start Hill Training!!!  After the hill, along with the difference in intervals, I felt my body slowing down.  Just when I wanted to walk through my run intervals I saw the Zoo sign and I knew the end was near!

I am in the purple off to the right of the screen
I rounded the corner into the Zoo parking lot and I saw the finish line and I was so excited that I made it pain free, but then I saw the race clock and disappointment hit me hard.  I thought for sure I had done better than ever and yet the clock said 39:07 and I really kicked it into high gear.  Fortunately, this race was a chipped race.  The chip is on the back of our race bib, it is electronic and it starts as you cross the start line and stops as your cross the finish line.  Not every race is chipped.  If a race is not chipped, your start time is the time the gun goes off, and it could take you a minute or two just to get to the start line, then they rip your name off your bib and mark your time at the finish line. After Sindi, Mom, and Chelsea finished we headed over to the result tent.  This was the best result area ever, a little chaotic, but there were computers were you searched your bib number and your results popped up on the screen.  Every other race I have done, we were all crowded around a list taped to a wall.  So, much to my surprise my official finish time was 37:38.  This is a new personal record for me by :04. 

The only negatives from this BIG race were the crazy long lines at the port-a-potties, the post race refreshment tables, and at the result area.  I can deal with all of that, but I can't deal with not hearing or seeing my husband and kids at the finish line.  They are part of the reason, I do this, I want to be a healthy example for my kids.  Little did I know, even though I didn't see them, they saw me and my husband was able to get some finish line photos. 

So, while I may have lost my mind, I have found a healthier lifestyle, a healthy hobby, and a new PR!!


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Pre-race jitters

I am so happy to have had two pain free runs this week!  I am so excited that I signed up for another race. My sister-in-law Sindi, my mom, and I will be running the Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo 5k tomorrow morning.  When I first read about this race, I had wanted to sign up for the 10k, you actually run through the inside of the zoo.  I need to get some longer distance races under my belt tiara before the Princess Half Marathon.  Since I am just starting back this week, I figured a 10k was a pressing my luck and increasing my chances of re-injuring myself.

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo will be my 6th 5k, and yet I am still nervous.  I thought the more races I did the less nervous I would be.  I suppose the nerves aren't nearly as bad as when I started out back in April. I got up that morning and I felt sick to my stomach, I forced myself to eat half of a dry bagel and walk around the block to warm up.  I took 3 Pepto Bismol tablets before we left home, and I tucked one in my bra just in case  brought one with me just in case.  I made my husband promise to have his phone handy and volume all the way up, in case I needed him to pick me up and drive me to a bathroom.  I ran my first 5k with my good friend Mandy, who has been running for quite some time, yet, she stayed with me the whole time.  I finished within all of my goals, which were, to finish the race in 40 minutes and to not be dead last in my age group.  With each race, (except my last race in August, when it was 94 degrees and I was running with an knee injury) my times have improved and the length of time I run, compared to walk, increases.  So, why am I so nervous for tomorrow?
Mandy and Me at the finish line of my first 5k!

If I was completely honest with myself, I think I am nervous that my knee will hurt when I push myself to my limits in the race.  Part of me says, I am not running to race anyone, so take it slow and easy and enjoy the run with my family.  Another part of me, says I am racing myself, and if I don't get a PR (personal record) I will be disappointed.  I do have enough sense to stop and walk if my knee hurts.  Somewhere in these last few months of running, I found a new side of me that wants to do best every time I lace up my running shoes.  The old me would have probably given up completely when my chiropractor told me "the best way to get your knee to stop hurting is to stop running altogether, running is too hard on your body".  While I will agree running is hard on my body, but it has done the most amazing transformation on my body.  So, tomorrow morning send up some prayers and good vibes my way for a pain free run and no emergency potty breaks and a new PR too!
~Princess Janie

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Meet the newest Princesses in Training

August 2011
Greetings, What's crack-a-lackin? Howdy y'all, Why hello there, What's up yo, Salutations, HowdyLovely day, isn't it?? My name is Sindi. I am a mom of 2 awesome kids and I have been married for 10 years to the love of my life. I have struggled with my weight my ENTIRE LIFE!!! I have been up and down, up and down, and on and on. My highest weight was &*$ (you didn't really think I would tell you, right?) I have looked and searched for the quick fix to make my weight issues go away but never found a thing! 

In August of 2006, I had the lap-band put on my stomach to help assist with my eating issues. STILL, NOTHING! I lost about 40 lbs and gained it all back, plus some. After being so frustrated of not feeling well and continuing to gain weight, I looked into what was called the Beaumont Weight Control Center. They helped me get on track with knowing what is right to eat, what is wrong to eat, how much I should eat and a great exercise program. And guess what? I lost 7 lbs in 5 months. SOOOOO, I started looking into another procedure to help assist me with weight loss. 
September 2012




In April of 2012, I had my lap-band removed and I had the VSG (vertical sleeve gastrectomy). This procedure along with LOTS of exercise, eating a strict diet (high protein, very low carb and no more POP) and meeting with a nutritionist monthly I have been able to loose 65 lbs and still loosing. Some may say that I took the easy way out. I say I still work darn hard at loosing weight it's just a tad bit easier then it used to be. 

Now on to the good stuff. So my sis-in-law, Princess Janie, was LITERALLY shrinking before my very eyes, so I asked "Janie, what are you doing" Well, she explained she was preparing for this Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon 2013. I was intrigued but not convinced that someone as big as me could actually RUN. But I am doing it! I have been following the Jeff Galloway plan to some extent. I am doing a little of my own thing as well also I strictly track my food in take with myfitnesspal. I have to hold myself accountable! I have done one 5K and I will be doing another in 4 days. I said all that to say this. JUST DO IT! You can do it! No matter how big or small you are YOU CAN   DO IT!! Get out there and start NOW!!                                                  

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Meet the newest Princesses in Training


My name is Janie and I am a huge Disney geek! I am a mommy to three awesome kids and I have been married to my Prince Charming for 12 years. I have been overweight most of my life, except for a few years during college when I lost about 60 pounds without even trying.  Well, 12 years and 3 babies later, I had gained most of that weight back.  It never seemed to really bother me, because I knew I was still smaller than my original weight.
July 2011
Back in January of this year, I was looking through my Facebook newsfeed and saw something about a Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland and I thought to myself, I would love to do something like that.  I have never been real athletic. I played volleyball in Jr. High and High School, but I hated all the running in practice.  Not sure what it was that made me think I could run 13.1 miles, I think it was just an excuse to plan a Disney trip.  I did some research on Run Disney and found out they hosted a Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World.  I started looking into training plans for running, like the Couch to 5k plan and the Galloway plan, and decided I really wanted to do this.  I asked my husband, "if I can train for a half marathon, can I go to Disney and run?"  He looked at me confused, and said "sure".  He was certain it was one of my crazy ideas that would pass as quickly as it came.
Around the same time I found the PHM, I came to terms with the fact that I was addicted to Mt Dew.  On January 25, 2012, I decided to cut back on the amount of Mt. Dew I was drinking and started tracking my calories with My Fitness Pal.  I laced up my dusty Nike, and hit the treadmill at my parent's house.  After about 5 minutes on the treadmill, I decided I was crazy and there was no way I could run for 30 seconds let alone 13.1 miles.
August 2012
Well, 8 months later I have completed five 5k races, given up pop (soda) altogether, and have lost 41 pounds!  I feel great and I am addicted to running.  Unfortunately, I have an IT Band injury right now and am getting super antsy to hit the pavement again!!

On Easter, I told my brother and sister-in-law my plan to run a half marathon at Walt Disney World.  I am so excited I won't be running alone,  my mom and my sister-in-law, Sindi, will be running with me.  Stay tuned to our blog for Sindi's introduction.