Four years ago today, my friend Nicole and I crossed the finish line of our first 5K. I remember the day like it was just yesterday. Waking up at 2:30, dressing up as Minnie Mouse, freezing, thinking we lost our minds. Waiting for the race to start was a surreal experience.....nerves, excitement, something new.
Fast forward to present day, we have both have accomplished more than I ever thought was possible. One piece of advice I have for those looking to get into running - think about why you are out there. Don't compare yourself to others. Run for you.
Let's take a look back at the past four years!
2012
2012 was the start of it all. When I returned home from the Royal Family 5K, I signed up for another race - Tower of Terror 10 miler. The following week, I signed up for Expedition Everest. I got bit by the runDisney bug. In the Summer, I decided to sign up for my first half marathon which I completed 8 months after running my first 5K.
Royal Family 5K (first 5K)
Expedition Everest Challenge
Firecracker 4 miler
Hospice 10K
Tower of Terror 10 miler
Santa Hustle Half Marathon (first half marathon)
The Color Run
2013
2013 is the year I lost my sanity. I started off the year with three back to back half marathons and then runDisney changed the game by announcing the Dopey Challenge (48.6 miles in 4 days). I signed up for it without ever running a full marathon. I also entered the 2013 NYC Marathon lottery and got in, marking 2013 as the year I ran my first full. Five days after returning home from NYC, I ran the Wine Dine Half and two weeks later, the Women's Running Half. I thought nothing could top 2013 but boy was I wrong, very wrong....
Walt Disney World Half Marathon
Rock n Roll St. Pete Half Marathon
Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon
Sarasota Half Marathon
New York City Marathon (first full)
Wine Dine Half Marathon
Women's Running Half Marathon
2014
Oh 2014.....This was my game changing year. I completed the Dopey Challenge, which is still insane to me when I look back on those 4 days. I did the Glass Slipper Challenge 4 weeks later and nearly quit running. I took on too much. It was the summer of 2014 that I got the email that changed it all. ASICS reached out to me asking if they could send me a pair of shoes. A month later, they asked me to be part of their 2014 NYC Marathon Blogger Challenge. I am presently one of their Ambassadors. 2014 was truly a game changer.
Family Fun 5K (Dopey Challenge)
Walt Disney World 10K (Dopey Challenge)
Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Dopey Challenge)
Walt Disney World Marathon (Dopey Challenge)
Cinderellas Royal Family 5K
Enchanted 10K (Glass Slipper Challenge)
Princess Half Marathon (Glass Slipper Challenge)
Sarasota Half Marathon
New York City Marathon
2015
After the whirlwind of 2014, I started focusing on racecations. After running the Disney World Full Marathon with my best friend (her first!) and doing the Princess Half with Nicole, my husband and I did a couple of traveling races - the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans and the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in DC. I was also asked to go to Dublin with ASICS for the Dublin Marathon. That was an epic experience. If I asked myself 4 years ago today if I thought I would run a marathon, I would say never. If I thought I would run an international Marathon? Never in a million years.
Walt Disney World Marathon
Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon
Princess Half Marathon
Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon
Dublin Marathon
2016
2016 kicked off with the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. My husband and I are leaving today for New Orleans to run the Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon. We also recently signed up for Disneyland Paris, runDisney's first international race! It's going to be an exciting year and I can't wait to see it unfold.
Walt Disney World Half Marathon
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