Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Motivation, Visualization, & Running Costumes

30 days! Only 30 days until the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend! Can you tell I'm a little excited?!

In just a few weeks, Matthew (my awesome boyfriend, running partner, coach, all-around-amazing dude) and I will be in Anaheim, California to run the Dumbo Double Dare- a 10k and Half Marathon back to back. 19.3 miles in two days! We'll also earn our coast-to-coast medal for completing a distance race on each coast (Disney World and Disneyland) in the same calendar year. Here are the four beautiful medals we'll be bringing home (we won't be getting the 5k medallion):


Also in California is one of my best friends/former co-worker, Susan. She has graciously agreed to chauffer us from LAX to Disneyland. We love her :-) A lot :-)

Because this is a Disney race and because I will take any opportunity to dress up, I am running as my favorite princess, Ariel, for the half. Matthew and I will both be in costume for the 10k but that will be revealed at the race. I'm still working on the Ariel costume but it's coming along pretty well. Which brings me to the point of this post: what motivates me to run.

If I wasn't training for a race, I don't think I'd be running. Not because I don't enjoy all the benefits of running, which I absolutely do, but because there isn't a specific goal attached to my running. I love having a plan. I love crossing the training runs off my calendar. I love charting my progress. And yes, I love to plan what I'm going to wear.

While I'm out on a training run, I'll often be thinking of what I'm going to wear for upcoming races, what I still need to make/buy for the costume, how I'll make it runner-friendly, etc. And believe it or not, it motivates me to run! I also will visualize the race- what the course looks like, what I'm looking forward to, what it will feel like at certain miles. I visualize the finish line a lot. I think about what I'll be feeling (physically and emotionally) crossing the finish line, getting my medal, and of course, getting to the post-race food! These are the thoughts that power me through the miles- along with my "running mantras"- more on those coming next week :-)

There are many other reasons I run- empowerment, goal-setting, health, in memory of loved ones, for those who can't- all of which I'll cover in subsequent posts. But tonight, I'm just excited about the Ariel costume and I can't wait to run the Disneyland Half in it.

Flowers for my hair, nike running shirt, no-sew tutu, and lime green running shoes :-) 


2 comments:

  1. Love your posts so far! I agree.. I need a race to train for.. I've been taking a racing break to focus on wedding plans.. but I'm running w/ my friend as she trains for Rock N Roll Philly in Sept. I've set my sights on the Hershey half relay in Oct after the wedding (can't resist free chocolate!) Can't wait to hear about Disneyland!

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    1. I might be doing the Hershey Half this year! I've heard it's a good one! They give chocolate at mile 11! :-)

      And I did Philly Rock and Roll last year and it was awesome- great, flat course.

      Good luck with the wedding planning :-)

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