Race Recap: Disney Princess Half Marathon

I can now officially say that I have completed my first half marathon.
My time was 2:11:14 - not exactly thrilled with it, but I'll take it for a first!

So here's my race experience story, of course mixed in with some subjective reflections on the Disney Princess race.

Last night we visited Mexico (well, Mexico in Epcot), and celebrated my birthday with my family. Getting there was highly stressful, because we had to pick up my race packet before dinner. We had to travel via Disney bus, and it took so long that we were late for my own birthday dinner. All of the hype about the race turned me off because I felt so pressed for time. (No, I don't have time to wait for you to stop looking at tiaras and move out of my way.) Add in the dilemma of dealing with "princess issues," and I was one grumpy girl!

Clearly I was feeling less than Princess-y.

Once we arrived at the restaurant, things started looking up.
The food was delicious! The view was lovely! The company was fun!

As always, a Disney chef came to my table and told me what I could eat. And yes, chocolate mousse was on the approved list.

Ty and me at dinner

We enjoyed an evening stroll around the lake and headed home. We knew we had an early and long morning ahead of us. Unfortunately, roads are closed quite early, so we had to leave before 3AM.

Around 11PM, I had an unfortunate wake-up call in the form of nausea - needing immediate relocation to the restroom. So I spent the night before the race throwing up my birthday dinner. You don't find that recommended on any race sites. I can't remember the last time I was so violently ill, and I thought for certain that I would have to scratch on race morning. I was sweating and shaking so badly. Ty was a good nurse and brought me cool cloths. I made it back to bed around midnight and slept until 2:20. When I woke, I was feeling about as un-race-ready as possible! I decided to get dressed, head to the race, and see how I felt closer to my start time.

We made a quick stop at Walgreens (always interesting at that hour!) so I could hydrate and get some electrolytes, I grabbed a Lara bar for the road, and we were off. Thankfully, we did not have any bad traffic.

My sister-in-law stayed on Disney property and actually had more trouble getting to the start! One of the bus drivers went to the wrong resort, or something like that. I bet that created hundreds of angry Cinderellas and Ariels! Thankfully, Ty was kind enough to hang out with me until I had to pass the "runners only" section. And woah, was that an act of love! I know he could not have been too thrilled to be at Disney at 4AM with 26,000 girls in tu-tus doing the Macarena. (Okay, okay, not everyone was dancing, but almost everyone was wearing some sort of regalia.)

Back to the facts. Oh, wait. Those were the facts.

I even risked a little coffee. My Prince Charming fought off dragons and evil queens to secure that cup for me. I drank less than half, because I knew I was already in danger of dehydration. A swag of Gatorade, a sip of coffee. I was exhausted and just couldn't imaging running without morning coffee! Yes, I'm addicted to the bean.

Forcing a smile early, early race morning

Amanda and I finally met up at our corral. Ah, the H corral. Let me say this was probably the most frustrating thing about the race. Because neither of us had competed in a 10K (or further distance) race, we were automatically relegated to the very last corral, which had a start time one hour later than the official race time. This meant a lot of sitting around, but it also meant we were with all the walkers. Foreseeing this problem, we managed to squeeze our way up to the G corral.

Unfortunately, we were stumbling over walkers at least until mile nine or ten. Actually, we almost tripped over a walker at the finish line, too! We spent a good deal of time in the grass and dirt, trying to pass everyone in front of us. (This became especially frustrating when I couldn't get around some Tink wings!!)

In true Disney fashion, there were themed "encouragement stations," if you will, with music and characters. Many racers stopped to take photos at these spots. For example, as we ran past Test Track, Lightening McQueen was there with the Rascal Flats's hit "Life is a Highway" blaring through the speakers. All of this was very fun and well done. Of course neither Amanda nor I dreamnt of stopping. We only had the finish line in mind.

Before the race began, Amanda and I had agreed to run our own pace and split up if needed. We were thrilled to find that our pace was nearly the same! I started out shaky, not feeling too well in my stomach, but I kept close to her. As we progressed in the race, we took turns making a path between walkers, around cones, and through the grass.

At about mile seven, I think my adrenaline kicked in. Up until then, I was needing a bathroom very badly! Again, stopping was not an option. Amanda and I were joking that I'd have sooner wet my pants and kept running. Thankfully, it didn't have to come to that. While I didn't want to drink, I made myself down fluids nearly every two miles at the water stations. I was determined to say no to dehydration!

My favorite moment of the race was running down Main Street in Magic Kingdom. The sides were lined with crowds cheering their loudest! It was definitely a classic Disney moment, and I am glad for that experience! My other favorite moment? Sprinting to the finish line and crossing together with Amanda!

We had a very friendly greeting committee! (Just look at those babies! I love them!!)
Oh, and my other, other favorite moment of the race? Collecting my box of goodies - delicious post-race treats, and all of them gluten-free! Thank you very much.

The weekend has been tough on poor baby Brooklyn. She has had too much crate time between dinner, the race, and a wedding this afternoon. Some very nice friends of ours helped us out by stopping by and taking care of her. Thanks a million!

I took Brooklyn to the farmer's market this morning after cleaning up and refueling. We even picked up some Chipotle as a thank-you for Ty. Thankfully Ty was home getting some much needed sleep.

Closing thoughts on the race? Would I do it again?

I would most definitely run another half marathon. I'm already looking for other upcoming races, eager to improve my time.

I'm not so sure I'd run another Disney race and probably not this one again. It was more expensive than other half marathons and the hugeness of it all was, well, annoying. Of the few races I've done, the smaller ones were my favorite.

What did I expect, right? I didn't mind the fun costumes, but I minded the people inside them. There were so many people that many times I felt I couldn't even give a full stride. Perhaps that would have been different had we began in a faster wave. At least I have this half on my record, so I don't have to be last next time!

In the end, smiling faces. I am thankful. Now I want to go to bed.

Ty's Take

My husband had little interest in classical piano until he met me. While we were dating, he began attending concerts and competitions with me, listening to professional recordings I suggested, and concerning himself about the nuts and bolts of playing piano. Of course, he has been and remains my best guinea pig audience. Save for my teachers (and maybe my mom), he's the best at determining my performances.

For someone who hasn't had a lesson in his life (me slapping his hands and yelling, "Relax!" when he intentionally makes his hands tense does not count!), he knows a good deal about piano.

Today this was evidenced.

As a part of my practice and self-improvement, I record memorized performances in my living room. The following day, I listen back, make critiques and notes, and then apply changes in my practice. Yesterday, I recorded myself playing Chopin Scherzo No. 1 while he was at work.

Today while he was preparing for work in the back of the house, I began the assessment process with pencil and score in hand and speakers playing. When he came out, I had finished listening. We had a conversation that went something like this:

Ty: Wow, I heard the music and thought, "Jessie's really going at it!"
Jess: Well, that was me. It was my recording from yesterday.
Ty: Really? That sounded great!
Jess: Yeah, I recorded it while you were gone.
*Slight silence*
Ty: I thought the pianist you were listening to had a few sloppy spots.

I think that's a compliment?

Thanks, Babe! Way to be honest! :)

Thankful

I can't think of a better word to describe my feelings about another birthday.

It was a most gorgeous day filled with loved ones, saturated with good food (and treats!), sprinkled with surprises, and savored with delight.

Ty took me to an outdoor cafe for lunch, and Miss Brooklyn came along. She was exhausted from her morning training session (more on that later) and slept on my lap nearly the entire meal. Ty snapped a few shots before she drifted off to sleepy land. Would you believe I forgot to ask the waiter to photograph all three of us? It was on my radar before lunch came. Maybe my delicious Granny Smith apple salad made me single-focused.

I taught lessons in the afternoon and then hit up some local food trucks for dinner. It was my first experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was slightly challenging deciphering what was gluten free, but in the end I landed on BBQ chicken, coleslaw, and a black bean and chickpea salad. If it sounds like those don't fit together, it's because I purchased them from separate trucks. Brooklyn came along and made me feel like a celebrity. No, the strangers didn't care it was my birthday. They were all about the beautiful puppy by my side. No matter; I always enjoy basking in her fame. :)

Countdown to race day can officially begin! By happenstance, I set a new 5K personal record today - 25 minutes on the nose. Makes me want to do speed work next!

I think I should complete Sunday's goal before I think too hard. :) In the meantime, enjoy a couple pictures of my beautiful, sunny, Florida, dog-friendly birthday.

Piano Progress

This post is not so much about my progress as it is about Brooklyn's.
(First let me take this moment to say she slept through the entire night without incident! Yippee!)

I realized she was afraid of the instrument itself and not only the sound. So Sunday evening, we played and rested under the piano. The echoes of the soundboard startled her at first, but she soon felt at home. She's even gone under on her own accord a few times.

And this morning, she slept peacefully while I practiced Chopin's Scherzo No. 1.
That, my friends, is no small accomplishment. Even Ty doesn't like to be around when I'm drilling those tricky sections! ;)

And finally, she is resting in her crate and I am off to practice unaccompanied. Time for good practice also means progress for me, so it's a win-win!

Piano and puppy! I am so very happy! :)

Oh, and while you're here, check out this post by our associate pastor and music leader. Good stuff.

Like this tennis ball.

First Days

Brooklyn is adjusting well to her new home! Crate training is going splendidly. I take the blame for the one nighttime accident she had, because I didn't get my rear end out of bed soon enough. She's definitely letting us know when she needs to go out, but we don't always respond fast enough. When a puppy tells you she needs to go, you have ten seconds maximum to get your shoes on, put her leash on, and get her out the door. It reminds me of Father of the Bride Part II when Steve Martin is nervously awaiting his new baby's arrival. Prepared to take his wife to the hospital at any given moment, he starts sleeping fully dressed with a suitcase in hand. Puppies are a lot like babies. Just baby dogs.

My sister-in-love, Glenna, spent puppy's first full day with us, and boy am I glad! She was a huge help, especially after Ty went to work. We went to the pet store, visited several friends, and even hit up a dog park with my friend Erin and her eleven-week German Shorthaired Pointer. Brooklyn seemed calm compared to Scout, who just wanted to play non-stop. Either Brooklyn was still adjusting to her new life or she was watching Scout a little too closely, because Saturday she really showed her personality. She is either sleeping like the cutest little angel you've ever seen, or she is romping around the family room like a crazy woman. There's really no middle ground; she's on or off.

Saturday was her coming-out day. Ty and I took her to a local farmer's market (I've always wanted to do that!) and felt like celebrities. We couldn't walk anywhere without people stopping to ask about her. Because they're such stunning dogs, many people purchase them for purely aesthetic reasons and don't realize their lifestyle is completely incompatible with what the dog needs.

Brooklyn is a lot of work so far, but we're loving her! We also took her to another local dog park. Of course all the dog-lovers wanted to see her, too! She enjoyed the park more this time around and figured out the whole "play" thing. Now she likes to run around the bigger dogs and play with toys.

The only frustrating thing so far is that Brooklyn is terrified of the piano. I've been playing recorded music to help her become accustomed to the sound. Maybe she only likes professionals because she's fine with the recordings but still freaks when I play. That's just not going to work in this home. She'll have to catch on, because my students come tomorrow.

Enjoy some photos of our first days!! She won't be this tiny for long!

Did I mention she always wants to be near us?

And the best for last...

She was soooo sad when Ty left for work!

A Four-Legged Valentine

Introducing...

Brooklyn!

Hands down the best Valentine's gift ever!

Eight weeks and thirteen pounds of love.

We received the word this afternoon that she was ready to go, but unfortunately Ty was at work. My good friend, Sierra, was kind enough to make the trek with me in rain and traffic. Brooklyn slept on my lap the whole way home. When she got home, she explored and pounced around the family room. Her paws are much too big and her legs much too long for her puppy body. She will grow into them fast!

She's already had her first bath and showed plenty of evidence that she's a chewer. I'm doing a lot of redirecting. :) Let's see how night #1 goes in the crate. I'm stubborn enough to win this one.

More than anything, she just wants to be with me! I keep almost tripping over her when I walk because she's between my legs the whole time! Now she's back to sleeping on my lap.

"Just you try to walk with these long legs!"

"What? Am I sitting funny or something?"

"Come home soon, Daddy!"

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

The Waiting Game

I received a disappointing phone call last night from our puppy's breeder. She informed me that Little One would in fact not be ready to go home today. One of the seven pups in the litter has a worm (despite the fact that the breeder has been deworming for some time), and the vet policy is not to provide shots or health certificates to any of the pups until the whole litter is worm-free.

Six of the seven pups are sold, so I know we aren't the only disappointed family. One family was already on their way from out-of-state.

The pups were sent home with meds and have a follow-up appointment on Wednesday morning. So all we can do is wait and hope that they all get a clean bill of health tomorrow!

Weekend, Whew!

I'm finally feeling back into the swing of things today! Jet lag seemed to last longer this time around. Maybe I'm getting older?

Last night I felt like a truck hit me, and I fell asleep while watching a movie with Ty. I crawled in bed as the credits rolled but woke wide-eyed at 3:30 AM. By 4:15 I finally rose, enjoyed a delicious breakfast, and caught up on some emails. Out of regard for my husband, I refrained from practicing...until 5AM. (Sorry, Ty!) I was hoping he hadn't noticed, but when I tiptoed back into our room again he kindly said, "It sounds good."

I am such a morning person. Still figuring out the nightshift way of life. I love starting my day early. It gave me plenty of time today to practice before heading out the door at 7:15 for my lesson.

Our weekend was wonderful! Friday evening I enjoyed a most delightful piano recital given by my teacher. Ty's mom and sister were kind enough to join me! I get lonely on my two-hour drive, so it was great to have some company! I love it when my family and friends take time to truly participate in the things which bring me so much joy!

Since Little One will be our primary responsibility for a while, Ty and I had a hooky day on Saturday and went to Disney with our good friend, Jim. It was such a fun day! Next time we go back it will be for the Animal Kingdom Challenge - fitting in every single attraction in one day. Jim is practically a professional Disney-goer, so we're in good hands with him. I'm thankful we had a more relaxing day this weekend, because I was still feeling the effects of world-traveling.

Yesterday morning I went for a 10-mile run. It was postponed from Saturday, because I felt ill Saturday morning. Let's just say it was one of those runs that does not make me want to run a full marathon. (I am/was considering it - ha!) Now that I'm back to my green smoothies, I'm hoping my health turns around. Thankful it's a rest day today.

At church, Mom and I shared briefly about our trip to Laos. While neither of us enjoys public speaking, it was a fun way to process and bring closure to our time. We showed a few pictures and ran a short greeting clip from Julia.

Tyler joined the church yesterday! I proudly stood on stage next to him as he took his membership vows. Everyone kept saying, "I thought Tyler was already a member!?" He's been playing drums for quite some time, so his is a familiar face to many already. We enjoyed a new members' reception, and then it was Tenebrae choir practice for me. I'm trying to snatch every musical opportunity that comes my way!

We are ready for our Little One to come home tomorrow morning! We spent our afternoon preparing the house and running some last-minute errands. A Sunday evening trip to Super Walmart may have been the worst idea ever. Especially since we were starving.

This giant crate is in our bedroom, just begging to be filled with a puppy!
Come on Tuesday!

Defining Moments

I am fortunate to have many memorable experiences from my musical career thus far (which has been short - ha!). Few, however, have reached what I call a "defining moment." My trip to Europe is up there in defining who I am becoming as a musician.

After two separate recitals, I remember walking offstage exuberant, energized - euphoric, almost. I'd say my senior year I found my true love of performing. It's addictive.

When it came time for my senior internship, I was hesitant. Everything was in flux. I'd completed my piano courses, I'd married and moved, I was searching for a new piano teacher. How in the world was I to continue pursuing my love of piano performance while in the midst of full-time teaching?

That question led me down a tough road, in which I fought and complained and bemoaned my circumstances (which, by the way, were best-case scenario). By the middle of September, I had found a teacher and set lofty goals for the upcoming months. These would be completed alongside full-time teaching, private teaching, housework, and cooking. Failure was not an option. It usually never is with me. Oh, and I signed up for a half marathon and began training.

Needless to say, I was exhausted and frustrated. I found that there truly were not enough hours in the day to do everything. And when I tried, things were done poorly and half-heartedly.
Through that I learned to let go of my rigid expectations and appreciate what I was given. These past five months of piano study have been so different from my typical hyper-tension semesters, but they have been rich with learning and challenges. I am thankful. But I digress.

By October, something had begun to stir in my heart.

While I was missing my long hours of practice, I began to love my internship. No longer was it a burden (although it was tiring!), but it began to be a blessing. Things took a different shape, but I found ways to pursue excellence and still accomplish great things in the everyday classroom. I even got to perform with my chorus kids, as I accompanied one of their pieces for the winter concert.

I can say my internship was most definitely a defining moment in my musical career.

Today I visited my school, after two months of absence. Visiting procedures had changed, presumably since the Connecticut tragedy. There is a new music intern at the school. It was strange seeing someone else working with "my" kids, but at the same time I wasn't envious. I am accompanying the chorus kids again this spring, so I picked up piano music, enjoyed lunch with the team, and headed out.

I was blown away by the hellos, hugs, waves, and illuminated faces that greeted me, both by faculty and students.
Although it hasn't been that long since my departure, I really didn't think they'd all remember my name.

Now is a time of change again. I'm definitely in flux. (Maybe life is just different seasons of change?) I've graduated, and I'm looking forward to possible future plans. But it all feels so distant, and I'm trying to work hard and simultaneously hold my hopes loosely.

For the first time in my life, I'm not hounding God to make His plans fit mine. It's strange and new for me. I want to use my time wisely and be exactly where I'm supposed to be. For now, I guess that's in the waiting room. I want to search for the defining moments that lurk in unexpected places.

Accompanying in rehearsal

Conducting at the winter concert

Home and Happy

Made it home last night. (Yay for showers! I seriously thought my hair was turning to dreadlocks after only 48 hours.) Ty was working, but he did his very best to welcome me home even in his absence. I found a welcome home card, flowers, my favorite foods in the pantry, and best of all a clean house. Let me just take this moment to say how much I love and appreciate him. He's the best.
My diplomas also arrived in the mail, so that was a special treat!

What did we do my first day home after traveling the world?
We went to the pet store, of course.

Duh.

Little One comes home in exactly one week! We want to be ready!

Lying Low in Tokyo

We're on the move. Two flights down, two to go. While I was sad to leave my sister, I am ready to hug my husband and hit the keys hard! And bring home our puppy in eight days. Being out of a routine is challenging for me. Because of that, I know it's also good for me every now and then.

I had such a pleasant last weekend in Vientiane that I was sad to see it slip away. I helped lead music at Julia's Sunday evening fellowship three hours prior to boarding a plane. It was a fun way to go out, topped off with gluten free pumpkin soup and chocolate ice cream. Yes, please. Way to make a happy traveler.

Boarding call...

The Floating Restaurant

After my Saturday run, we embarked on a short trip to a special river-side restaurant to enjoy an early lunch.
Our special outing took place at a location translated "The Floating Restaurant."

Julia's friends joined us for our adventure. We have had access to a car this trip, and it has provided so many more opportunities for going out and inviting friends along. Two of us still had to ride in the trunk, but it was no biggie.

This is the riverwalk where the restaurant was located.  There were many little shops down here and - as you can see - some gorgeous plants and flowers!

Once we arrived at our destination, we sat and perused the menu. As I previously mentioned, finding food for me has been particularly challenging. So don't chastise me when you hear I ordered a coffee, an omlette, and french fries. I have eaten street food and traditional Lao food most every day. (A LOT of sticky rice!)

After ordering, we were directed to a boat that had a table set for us. It was close to the ground, and we had cushions on which to sit. So comfy!

My lunch view!

Most of the dishes were served family-style (as are most things), so everyone took a little of this and a little of that. The rice, however, was served to each person in these small baskets. I was much appreciative, because it cut down on cross-contamination risks.

My rice basket

Take a look at this fish, served cleverly on a fish-shaped dish. I don't even like fish, but I must admit I thought this so beautiful and tasty looking.

Get a load of our table! No one went hungry! That's my omlette in the middle. Mmmmm. Even the frozen french fries were tasty.

Our whole group

My plate!

Our boat floated down the river and back for about an hour. I couldn't help but take some shots of the surrounding area.

This man is raising fish and lives in the adjacent house. Did you notice...

His pants? :D

Sone is eating the beak of a chicken. No, really.

This is when I'm reminded that I do, indeed, love this place. ISuch a stunning view.

I love everything about this!

Candid and silly!

Heading back to the dock.

Posing with the Alpha-Mommy :)

These are gifts that were offered at a small Buddhist temple. These idols are everywhere.

A view of the riverwalk

This was the highlight of the trip for me! It was so restful and fun being with Julia and her close friends and enjoying yummy food (a taste of home for me!). I'm looking forward to being home (not traveling home), but it's hard saying goodbye for six months. I'm so thankful for great memories to tide me over until Julia comes home in July!