Central Florida Spartan Sprint

After the Kissimmee Spartan Sprint this summer, I really wanted to do another one. Getting to do the obstacles made me feel really powerful and strong. The next Florida race was the Central Florida weekend one week after the Space Coast Half Marathon. Will was already signed up to do the longer Beast distance on Saturday and when I said I was interested in the Sunday Sprint, we both signed up.

The Central Florida races were taking place about 3 hours from where we live. Since spectating isn't free and there's not usually a lot of places along the course to spectate, Will decided to go run the Beast by himself and come home afterwards. We'd drive back down on Sunday together for the Sprint. Unfortunately, disaster struck when Will got a flat tire around 9 pm on the drive home. He was fine, the car was fine aside from needing a new tire and we had a spare so he was able to get back on the road and make it home without needing a tow. But you can probably tell where this is going.

There is pretty much no way to get a tire replaced between 9 pm on a Saturday night and 8 am on a Sunday morning which is when we'd need to leave to make it to the Sprint on time. Even attempting to get a rental car before 8 am on a Sunday would be really unlikely. If it was a local race, we probably could have gotten someone to drive us but three hours each way at the last minute is a lot to ask even of a really close friend. So we were left with skipping the race as our only option.

I wasn't super upset Saturday night but at that a point I was just really tired and wanted to sleep but Sunday morning I was really struggling with my emotions. After the Space Coast Half, I did not feel great so I started out the week with a rest day. I had planned on doing recovery walks on Tuesday and Thursday but it was in the 40s during my walking time. I have no issue running in 40F weather but this Florida girl is not up for walking in near freezing temps at 5 am. I napped instead. So by Sunday, I had all of the angsty feelings from not having exercised all week on top of all of my feelings about missing my race.

I went out Sunday morning for a four mile run. The weather was actually quite nice for a run and it was a good time for me to get my feeling settled about my first DNS. It was a real bummer to have two not so great race weekends in a row but there will be more races. Marathon weekend is coming up. And there will be more Spartan races opportunities in late 2020.

One of the things that comes with running is that sometimes you will put in all of this training and not get to run your race. Injury, emergencies and inclement weather happen to everyone. It sucks when it happens but the journey is still worth taking even if the destination isn't what you pictured when you started out.

Space Coast Half Marathon Race Recap

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is always the day of the Space Coast Half Marathon and Marathon. This year it was on December 1. This race is known for having really cool spaceship medals and also a lovely riverside course. The Marathon goes north out and back and then south out and back through a tree lined neighborhood. The half marathon has two courses either the north half or the south half of the marathon course. I signed up for the half course as it was described as very flat with the north course having more hills. At least more Florida level hills.

Originally, I had planned on this being my PR race with my goal of a 2:36 half for proof of time for a future WDW marathon. With my amazing PR at Wine and Dine weekend, I felt way less motivated to push on this race but I thought I'd give it a shot anyways especially if the weather was nicer than Wine and Dine weekend. Alas, the weather was about the same as Wine and Dine with the race starting a bit later in the day. This race did have a 2:30 Galloway pace group running 60/30 intervals just like at Wine and Dine so even though I wasn't feeling super motivated, I thought why not.

Like most local races in my area, it was self seated corrals with both halves and the full starting at the same time. It was quite crowded as this is a super popular race. I managed to find my pace group and met the pacer. It got really tight close to race start as people kept piling in last minute. Then for some reason, the pacer decided that she needed to push further up in the coral leaving the rest of the group to try to squeeze through the crowd to keep up with her. Not sure what was up with that but it was not a great start to the race.

I wasn't able to see much of the prerace festivities because I'm short and there were just way too many people. But soon we were off. The beginning of the race was very crowded as we headed down a two lane road. I was glad to be with an interval pace group because it would have been very difficult to navigate walk intervals in the dark with such a crowded course. It took quite a while for the course to thin out. Part of the problem was that there was also a 2:25 non-interval pace group and a 2:25 and 2:30 pace group are going to be pretty close together especially at the beginning of the race. I have no idea why they had two pace groups so close together but I also learned there was a second 2:30 pace group that did not run intervals that started behind us.

I could tell from my phone that we were a bit behind in the beginning. I wasn't worried at this point as the same thing happened at Wine and Dine and we were able to catch up. The course had plenty of water stops but they were very tiny compared to runDisney water stops. We blew through the first stop. I managed to grab a cup of water but inhaled about half of it while I was trying to run and drink at the same time. This would become a trend as we ran through every water stop. I had to chose between skipping water, trying to drink and run or stopping and then having to really push to catch back up to the pace group. Because of this, I was not able to take any of my electrolytes during the first half of the race. I simply did not have time to mix it in my water cup without getting left behind.

I started getting worried as the course turned out to be hillier than advertised. They were gentle rolling hills that most runners probably wouldn't blink at but for someone who runs in an area so flat you can't ever tell there is an incline, I was not prepared for this. I felt that we weren't running fast enough to make pace especially as I knew my phone over estimated how far I ran. Then the second 2:30 pace group passed us..... Never a good sign when your pace group gets passed by another pace group.

I managed to stay with the pace group through the halfway point turn around. We passed quite a few spectators. There were a lot of unofficial booze stops but I was not about to stop for alcohol during a potential PR race. By mile 8 we still hadn't caught up to the pace group that had passed us and I was feeling really tired. I knew I could have pushed myself for longer but I didn't feel like I would have made it with the pace group till the end so I fell back from the pace group at the next water stop. I finally got to take electrolytes and some extra water. My salt solution tasted amazing which meant that I was loosing too many electrolytes.

I switched to 30 30 intervals and let myself slow down. At this point, I just wanted to finish the race. My legs started really hurting as I got further into the race. While I was running, they felt fine, but when I switched to walking all of the muscles in my legs felt really sore. I was too tired and cardiovascularly worn out to run longer intervals but my walk intervals were not fun either. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and taking extra water.

I did get passed by the first place marathoner. I'm not sure what his time was but last year's winner finished around 2:20 so I had expected to see him. I also got to see the first few marathon pace groups and it was encouraging to see those runners still looking strong. Once I got within a mile of the finish, there were a lot more spectators and loads of people encouraged me to keep going while I was doing my walk breaks. I think I need one of those Jeff Galloway made me take this walk break shirts for local races because people don't know about interval running. I know from experience that I can't start skipping my walk intervals if I'm more than 0.1 miles from the finish.

Time: 2:39:40

Pace:12:11 min/mi

Finally, I made it to the finish line and got my medal. I was feeling really not good. I usually like to walk around quite a bit after a half marathon to help my legs cool down. After this race, I knew that if I stopped walking, I wouldn't be able to start walking again. I drank a bottle of water and found Will. He wanted to wait to see his official finish time so I went to find the bananas. They were hiding behind the giant line for pizza. When I got finished, Will's time was posted and I told him that I needed to go home. Usually, we like to stay and enjoy the festivities and catch up with our other runner friends to see how their races went. That was not happening today.

Looking back at this race, I could pinpoint several things that went wrong but I was still really happy with my time. It ended up being my second fastest half marathon so I couldn't be unhappy with the overall result even if it was a pain to get to. But after my amazing PR at Wine and Dine weekend, I was not super motivated. I definitely wasn't mentally prepared to PR a race. My nutrition wasn't that great during November and I hadn't been sleeping very well.

I had issues with getting enough electrolytes on course which is pretty normal. It was so bad that I drank some of the on course electrolytes during the last quarter of the race. I'm so not a fan of gatorade/powerade type drinks. I think I'm going to have to start carrying my own electrolyte beverage with me during races. I hate having to carry a water bottle. Oh, well. More experimentation is needed before Marathon weekend.

So I'll just say that this race was an educational experience that came with a really cool medal.

Fall Dapper Day 2019

Fall Dapper Day this year arrived bright and beautiful and.... chilly! Usually Dapper Day is quite warm in Florida (as it's very warm for much of the year here). It was actually so chilly that I almost changed my outfit since I actually planned an appropriately for warm summer weather. But I just packed some layers to add on as it got chilly in the evening and it all worked out great.

Dapper Day was back in Hollywood Studios this year after a few year hiatus while the park got a major overhaul. Now that Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge are open, the event made it back to our favorite retro park. And all of the Christmas decor was up so it was extra magical this year.

I had the pleasure of hanging with Paola, Anna and Martin. There wasn't a big meet up like I attended for Spring Dapper Day but I've been to enough events to run into people I know. And everyone is always so friendly that all you need to do is go up, introduce yourself and gush about everyone's outfits. Even a confirmed introvert like me ends up meeting new people every year.

My outfit is a darling shirt dress that I found at a local shop while hanging with my friend Kate just a few weeks before Dapper Day. It's a super cute 1950s style dress. It looks and feels really authentic but there are a few details that make me think it's a (later) homemade reproduction from a vintage pattern. The fabric, print and cut of the dress are so authentic that I don't care if it's 100% vintage.

The atomic print and cute sleeve ties jumped right out at me when I saw it in the boutique. I often have hard time finding dresses off the rack that fit but this one fit me so well that I just had to have it. It's made from a light weight cotton and is so easy and comfy. Many people go over the top fabulous for Dapper Day but comfort is must for me since I've had all day at the parks.

Dapper Day is so much funner with friends. People watching solo is nice but I love sharing the day with friends. We had so many laughs and oohing and awwing over how fabulous everyone looks. Girls just want to look amazing and tell other girls (and guys) how great they look. I love events like Dapper Day where we can all celebrate how great we all are without having to feel like someone is a winner and someone is a loser.

I love Hollywood Studios at Christmas time! It's so beautiful and magically retro. There is so much Christmas decor all over the park. They also have some great Christmas shows that I highly recommend. It got chilly and I didn't end up staying to see the shows on Dapper Day but I went back this past week to watch them.

Another great Hollywood Studios holiday offering is a holiday version of the Frozen Sing Along show. I saw an absolutely amazing performance of this show on Dapper Day. Live theater is so amazing and I love that Disney provides such amazing live performances for many people who may not have the opportunity to see live shows in their every day life. The Frozen show, in particular, has such rewatch-ability even without the extra holiday additions.

 I had such a great Dapper Day this year! I couldn't end this post without giving a shout out to the wonderful Erick from Erick Paul Photography who took all of these lovely photos. Thanks so much for capturing this wonderful day!

November Running Recap

Alright, November certainly started out with a bang! I had back to back races on November 2nd and 3rd at runDisney's Wine and Dine weekend. I ran the Two Course Challenge which was a 10k on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday. So it was race-cation time!

I took the 10k easy and just had fun. Running at Disney is an amazing experience and I wanted to really enjoy it. You can read the recap here.

The half marathon was an amazing, emotional experience where I totally crushed my half marathon PR. I really encourage you to go check out the post I wrote up about it because I really just have so much to say about this race but I can't fit it all in here. I also got to hang out and catch up with so many of my running friends! It was a great weekend.

Then it was on to a recovery week. I like to walk in lieu of my midweek maintenance runs the week after a big race and then follow that up with a 4 mile easy long run. The weather was really nice and it was just so nice to have a chill run.

Looking forward, I have a half marathon at the beginning of December and another one at the beginning of January so my goal is to maintain my half marathon readiness over the next two months. I did a 10 miler for my long run. The weather was still in Florida fall mode which is probably still too warm for a lot of people but it was a great run for me.

 And then it was time for taper again! I had a nonrunning Disney trip Thursday through Saturday of this week including going to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party so it was a lot of late nights and time on my feet. My legs were definitely tired for my long run so I was glad that I was in full taper mode.

My next long run will be at the Space Coast Half Marathon the Sunday after Thanksgiving! Ah! Over the summer, race season felt so far away but now they are coming so fast. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Wine and Dine 2019 Part 5: Meet Up and After Party

One of the awesome things about Wine and Dine weekend is that half marathon participants get a free ticket to the after party. The after party takes place in Epcot on Sunday evening where you can enjoy the Food and Wine Festival and selected attractions. Guests can also purchase a ticket so your whole party can join in on the fun! The Food and Wine Festival is the most popular Epcot Festival. (My personal favorite is the Flower and Garden Festival.) Plus after running a half, you want to eat all the things!

The after party ran from 10 pm to 1 am but, as with the Halloween and Christmas parties, your ticket gets you in earlier. This year, you could enter at 5 pm with your after party ticket. After the night time show at 9 pm, regular guests leave and only wristband wearing after party guests are allowed to get on attractions and order at the food booths. This would be a great day to chill at the resort or check out Disney Springs if you didn't want to buy a separate park ticket for the day and just use your after party ticket in the evening. If you can make it till 1 am, that's still gives you 8 hours in the parks!

Last year at Wine and Dine, there were two meet ups-on at the usual meet up time on Friday afternoon and one at the after party but this year, it was decided to just stick to the after party meet up. The meet up was held in the overlap period so runners of the 10k and 5k who didn't want to purchase the after party ticket could also join us.

There was a really huge turn out this year! It was great to catch up with people I'd met over the last year of runDisney running. And I got to meet some new people as well. It was quite dark due to the time change which made it difficult to get video footage or cell phone photos. Thanks to photographer hubby Will, we were able to get some shots of the meet up.

After the meet up, it was on to the after party! Will and I had already visited the Food and Wine Festival several times but there were some more things we wanted to try. I got the mimosa flight which was good but very sweet. Last year, I tried one mimosa each visit and I think spreading them out is the way to go. There aren't a lot of allergy friendly options at the festival but there was one Epcot treat I really wanted.

One giant, bigger than my head pretzel from Germany! It was good and definitely a step up from the Mickey pretzels you find in the parks. Unfortunately, mine wasn't super fresh so I'll have to go back and try on earlier in the day when it won't have been sitting around for a while. (My current favorite Disney pretzel is from Baseline Tap House in Hollywood Studios.) Bonus: The Germany pretzel, Mickey pretzel and Baseline pretzel are all dairy free and vegan if you skip the cheese sauce. Or they're a great way to get your post race cheese if you were missing it from the snack box.

 It was really fun hanging out at Epcot late into the night! I don't get to do Disney at night very often because we just go for the day and the parks are so magical at night. But I did start to crash and left around 11:30 pm. One nap was not enough! It ended up being a good decision because standing on the bus back to the resort was a challenge! My legs were not up for bus surfing after the day they had!

Wine and Dine 2019:

Part 1: Expo
Part 2: 10k
Part 3: Half Marathon
Part 4: Two Course Challenge
Part 5: Meet Up and After Party-You are here!