Soaring on Belle Isle

This week, I decided to run my Jost Running Soaring Virtual Race in conjunction with the Detroit Women's Half Marathon.  All I have to say is what a great idea!  I love the fact that I am able to run my virtual races anywhere I want and help support some great charities...all the while running with friends in different cities.  It gives me the flexibility to be close to home or clear across the country if I so choose!  Here is a recap of my races:

Here is my awesome bib for Soaring Virtual

The race route was great.  If you have never ran Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan, I highly recommend it.  It is a 982 acre park in the Detroit River between the US and Canada.  It is the largest city-owned island park in the US.  It is home to the Belle Isle Conservatory and the Detroit Yacht Club among other things.  This was the first time running this area.  There were so many things to keep the eyes busy.  I hardly listened to my music...for 13.1 miles!  This was the course map:

Here are some great views while we ran around the island:

The Belle Tower

The Conservatory

View of the bridge and downtown Detroit from the island

Poor Erica was suffering from allergies the whole entire time, but she pushed through it; finishing solid!  And I enjoyed catching up with her since we haven't gotten a chance since I moved to AZ!  Here is Erica and me making it to the finish line:

Finished smiling!

Go Red for Women was chosen as the charity partner of The Detroit Women's Half Marathon.  My other girlfriend that ran the race was chosen as a Heart Hero for the race - this is her story.  This is her (gray tank), me, and another friend Kim post race:

 Still smiling!!

I also want to give a HUGE shout out to my very close girlfriend who ran her FIRST 5K ever!!  Julia, I am so VERY PROUD of you.  You have chosen to lead a healthier life for yourself and your young daughter Sarah (my God Daughter), and have persevered through some hard training days and achy muscles.  I know that this race was just the start for you!  I believe running the half with me next year is a very attainable goal for you...you can do it, and I will be there for you every step of the way!!

Me and her before the race

Crossing the finish line!  :-)

What a great race day!  And I earned both of these beautiful medals:

TOTALLY worth getting up early to run in the brisk Fall air of Michigan!  I'll be back next year...you can count on it!

Are You Ready for Disneyland?

Only a week and a half until our fun-filled Disneyland weekend!  I can hardly contain myself!!  If you have never done a Disney race before, I HIGHLY recommend it.  It is an experience that keeps you coming back for more.  I continue to say, "Okay, this is the last one,"  and it is NEVER the last one!

If this is your first Disney race, it can be a little intimidating.  There is a LOT going on in and around the park.  After three races with Disney, both in California and Florida, these are some things that I think you should consider:

Be Prepared BEFORE You Leave - I know that this may seem counter-intuitive, but I can't tell you how many unprepared people I see running around like crazy people at Disney.  Remember, there are 17,000 people that have registered for the half marathon alone!  So...

• Review the official race program that is always available a few weeks before the event - under Runner Info, Official Race Program.  For Disneyland Half it is here:  http://as1.wdpromedia.com/media/rundisney/pdf/disneyland-half/2013/DLHM13_Program.pdf.  I ALWAYS read this program cover to cover to ensure I know what is going on for the entire weekend.  There is so much they plan for during these special race weekends, you truly don't want to miss out on a thing!
• Have a good idea of what you are going to do and when:  packet pick-up; peruse through the expo; hit up Disney to enjoy the rides/eat some food; sit by the pool and get those feet rested up before the big day ("days" for us participating in Dumbo Double Dare)...whatever it is that you are going to do to enjoy your race weekend, have a plan.  Especially if there is a group of you!!  Even with just my husband and I, we have a plan before we leave because that ensures both of us have some sort of idea of expectations (and no one - ahem, my husband - is surprised and/or angry if I want to spend 3 hours at the expo!  LOL).
• Don't forget that there are specific times for packet pick-up and the expo.  That is why reviewing the official race program and reading your runDisney emails before the weekend is important.
• For those of you looking for Disney specific memorabilia - Get to the expo as early as you can. I can't tell you how many women have missed out on a specific shirt or jacket because of the limited quantities and how many people are there to buy. My group plans to get there when it opens...we have been burned before!!

Don't miss out on the Expo, trust me!!

• Make sure if you are flying you have all travel documents ready and available somewhere for quick retrieval.  This would include, but not limited to, your transportation ticket for the bus that will take YOU to and from the airport AND your transportation tag for your LUGGAGE.  You should have received all of this information weeks prior to the race.  If you don't have it, get on the phone with runDisney.  There is nothing worse than showing up at your hotel for a race weekend and not having anything to race with!!  
• Have hotel information including your confirmations handy.  This is somewhat important.  First off, you want to ensure you know where they should be taking you on the transportation shuttle or you need to know if you will be driving because of road congestion.  Secondly, the lobbies of the hotels can be a little hairy during race weekend.  If you are prepared during check-in, things go much more smooth.
• If you are staying off-property, make sure you know what your driving and/or parking plan is.  For Disneyland, we are staying off-property and have chosen a hotel close by so that we can walk.  As mentioned, congestion is an obstacle on certain days; you don't want to miss something - like your race - because you are stuck in traffic. 
• Did you purchase something besides your registration, like a commemorative pin or necklace?  Ensure you confirm and have a receipt because you will want back-up if they do not have record at packet pick-up.  Those babies are expensive; don't leave packet pick-up without them!
• Did you pre-order Disneyland park tickets, or maybe the special Disney events like for Halloween or Christmas?  Don't leave home without them, they are non-transferable.
• Have your waivers printed and signed before you leave the house to catch that plane or hop in the car.  Just one less thing you have to worry about once you get to the expo.  The less time you spend at packet pick-up, the more time you can spend at the expo.  :-)
• What is your eating plan?  Did you make reservations for those hard-to-get-seated restaurants?  There are restaurants that you have to book MONTHS in advance, so you may have missed those, but there are SO MANY at Downtown Disney and the surrounding areas that are great.  Whichever way you have chosen to go, don't wait until you are hungry to figure out where you are going...you may have to wait, and those waits may be long!
• Lastly, but surely not least - review your luggage before you leave.  My very first Disney race back in 2011, I forgot my iPod.  I was running around the expo buying earbugs and trying to transfer music onto my phone in a total state of panic.  Most everything that you forget can be purchased at the expo - even shoes - but if you are on a tight budget, this is the last place you want to buy expensive, forgotten items.  Plus, you have saved all your hard-earned cash on things you want, not need!  (I did get across to you how AWESOME the expo is, right?  :-) )   

BTW - All of the documents that I mention above are kept with me in an organized envelope (I usually use plastic file folder because it is durable) while I travel; kept in chronological order of when I am going to need it.  This has really proved successful, especially during my past destination races...but I am a little bit of a neat freak!  

Stick with Your Plan - It is so easy to get to Disney and just go crazy.  But I recommend that you attempt to stick with your plan.  If you can't stick with your original plan, then I suggest you regroup and come up with a better plan now that you are there and see what it is all about.  Trust me, you  WILL miss out if you don't have a plan.  Disney is so very good at giving you so many options.  You will want to take in as much as you can...I mean, you paid a lot of money for this weekend, right?

Enjoy Yourself - I think the reason I am so big on planning for Disney is because once I am there I want every moment to count.  You only have so much time, and once you are there the weekend goes by so quickly!  Disney is such a magical place, and they make their races ones that won't soon be forgotten.  You only get to live this weekend, this race, once...make it a race to remember!!!  

Well, I hope this has provided some of you that are new to Disney races some insight.  And honestly, many of these items can be used as a great guideline for any destination race; it doesn't have to be Disney!  If you have any questions, hit me up here or on FaceBook!

HAPPY RUNNING!!!!