The Rum Runners: A Pre Trip Report - UPDATED: 8/2/10

[Tinkerbellarella]

From the annals of "things I thought I'd never hear myself say", I said to my boyfriend a couple of nights ago:

"Honey, I'm going to be a runner."

I'm not an athlete. Heck, I'm not even a fan of running if I'm in danger of missing my train home. But I am, in fact, going to be a runner. Notice, I did not say try to be a runner, I said BE a runner.

Do or do not, there is no try.

A great, ancient, green dude said that.

:yoda:

Now, before you go checking your settings to see if you somehow landed on a W.I.S.H. thread instead of a pre-trip report, I assure you, this IS a Tinkerbellarella PTR and you ARE in the right place.

To make a long story short (for now anyway - I'll give you the full history of how this idea came to fruition in an upcoming chapter), a friend and I have started training for a local 5K in June and will then begin training in earnest for a Half Marathon.

Specifically, the Disney Half Marathon in January 2011.

Lace up your running shoes, Mickey, this girl is running in your World!

The basic plan is this: train for both races (and possibly a 10k in between) while planning this trip and share with you the ups and downs, the pleasure and pain, the glory and fury...oh and I'll probably talking about the training too. Because you did know all of the previous was about the trip planning, right? Of course you did, you're a DISer. And likely also a card-carrying member of "I packed a poncho, back-up poncho, rain coat and umbrella" club.

Eight months, three weeks and six days might seem like plenty of time to plan this trip AND train, but you and I both know that on January 6th I'll be pulling my hair out wondering if I should pack a 9th pair of socks or not. Add to the pot that I may also be planning for a September week to the World (likely with PTR for that one in tow) and seriously folks, this is a train wreck you probably won't want to miss!

So, grab a Powerade (red's my favorite), a fresh pair of Nike's, some IcyHot and let's do this!

:flower3:
______________________________________

Chp. 1: You just read it folks!
Chp. 2: Who are those idiots running? Wait, are they convulsing or running? (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=36264840&postcount=22)
Chp. 3: Changes Ahead! Properly Warned Ye Be! (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=36979593&postcount=61)
Chp. 4: I walked for miles and miles and miles and miles and miiiiiiles… (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37098768&postcount=93)
Chp. 5: In a perfect world… (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37154305&postcount=103)
Chp. 6: A Not-So-Brief, Not-So-Disney Summer Interlude (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37370540&postcount=130)
A Brief Interruption: I Have This Musing In My Head... (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37587276&postcount=136)
Chp. 7: Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes... (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37647524&postcount=141)

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I'm SOOOOOOOOOO IN! I just started running too and I'm planning on a 5K on July 4th! I know what it feels like to feel strange calling yourself a runner, I have never been one, but I am now! That's what I keep telling myself when I'm huffing through week 3. :laughing:

I'll be reading and chatting with you on your journey, it looks like we'll be on a similar path! :cool1:

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm SOOOOOOOOOO IN! I just started running too and I'm planning on a 5K on July 4th! I know what it feels like to feel strange calling yourself a runner, I have never been one, but I am now! That's what I keep telling myself when I'm huffing through week 3. :laughing:

I'll be reading and chatting with you on your journey, it looks like we'll be on a similar path! :cool1:

:wave2:

Welcome! I have to say, I've never been so totally nervous and totally amped about doing something in my whole life. I imagine it's like having a baby...only without the epidural. :laughing:

Glad you've decided to come along for the ride, er, run. I'm sure we'll be comparing notes sooner than we think!

[TarzansKat]

I'm in, chiquita. For support and general discourse, savvy?

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm in, chiquita. For support and general discourse, savvy?

Aye. And when Squirt finally arrives and you're ready to train, I'll send you the program.

We may have a future Wine and Dine run to be training for. :banana:

[All7OfUs]

Can't wait to be part of this one, Tink!! I'll read it all in the AM. :)

[TarzansKat]

Aye. And when Squirt finally arrives and you're ready to train, I'll send you the program.

We may have a future Wine and Dine run to be training for. :banana:

That would be awesome!

[All7OfUs]

I started training too, if that word can be loosely applied to this sort of degree. Running is hardly what I'd describe a "40 something" year old Momma of 5 as doing when turtle pacing around the streets. But started, I have.

Now, my Nike's are on, figuratively speaking, the rum is flowing, and I"m ready to visit your trainwreck as it unfolds.

[If U Had Wings]

Woo Hoo! New Tink PTR! :woohoo:

Just think, you'll have me to watch and learn what not to do first. Ha!

I can completely relate to where your coming from with this. My friends are thinking I've gone a bit off the deep end, and even my nieces have told me they don't think I can do this. They are 6 and 9 years old. I will do this. You will do this.

That little ancient green guy knows what he's talking about.

:yoda:

There is no try!

[Pollito916]

Is this the Princess Half Marathon? I am considering training for that one, after the baby is born, of course. :goodvibes I am not a runner either, never have been. I have asthma and would do anything I could to get out of running in gym class. Even ditching class if necessary :tiptoe: :ssst:

But I will be needing to get back in shape and hear that is one of the best ways. So I want to be a runner too!

[TarzansKat]

Is this the Princess Half Marathon? I am considering training for that one, after the baby is born, of course. :goodvibes I am not a runner either, never have been. I have asthma and would do anything I could to get out of running in gym class. Even ditching class if necessary :tiptoe: :ssst:

But I will be needing to get back in shape and hear that is one of the best ways. So I want to be a runner too!

I so need to be your DIS running buddy.

I'm expecting right now as well, so training is off until after the baby is born. I have never been a runner either, but I am so inspired by Tink that I think we can all do this! :thumbsup2

[Tinkerbellarella]

Now, my Nike's are on, figuratively speaking, the rum is flowing, and I"m ready to visit your trainwreck as it unfolds.

:thumbsup2

I'm hoping to be writing the "Who" chapter to get this puppy started tomorrow.

I can completely relate to where your coming from with this. My friends are thinking I've gone a bit off the deep end, and even my nieces have told me they don't think I can do this. They are 6 and 9 years old. I will do this. You will do this.

That little ancient green guy knows what he's talking about.

:yoda:

There is no try!

I've already had people tell me that I can't do this. I put them on my mental checklist entitled "Do Not Discuss Running With These People - NO SUPPORT". They will also be some of the first people I share my accomplishment with. ::yes::

Is this the Princess Half Marathon?

No, this is in January. The Princess Half Marathon is in March and then the Wine and Dine is in October. We won't be ready for October and we don't want to wait until March (though it would be our back-up plan). My goal is to complete this one but do the Wine and Dine annually.

I am so inspired by Tink that I think we can all do this! :thumbsup2

Awww, honey, you got me all misty eyed! Thank you. :blush:

Hey guys, again I'm hoping to have the next part up tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest. We're on vacation this week so I have a bit more time than usual though we have plans for a day trip tomorrow so we'll see how this all pans out.

:flower3:

[TarzansKat]

Aw, are you feeling misty?

And how rude to not even have started something and already have naysayers! Good idea for the mental to do list about who not to discuss it with.

I'm of the Barbie mantra, "we girls can do anything." Savvy?

[If U Had Wings]

I'm of the Barbie mantra, "we girls can do anything." Savvy?

TK, you just know that's going to be in my head all day long now don't you? :rotfl:

[TarzansKat]

TK, you just know that's going to be in my head all day long now don't you? :rotfl:

Right, Barbie??? :lmao:

Sorry. It was the first thing that popped into mind. I must be channeling my inner girliness given that I'm destined to spend the rest of my days in a testosterone laden environment.

[mcbailey]

:cheer2: I'm a runner (5K's only) .....And I love PTR's!!!

[Pollito916]

I so need to be your DIS running buddy.

I'm expecting right now as well, so training is off until after the baby is born. I have never been a runner either, but I am so inspired by Tink that I think we can all do this! :thumbsup2

Sounds like a good idea! :thumbsup2 I'm not due until the end of Sept, though, so I wouldn't be able to start training until December (planned repeat c-section) and a January marathon is probably too soon for me. Maybe March?

[TarzansKat]

Sounds like a good idea! :thumbsup2 I'm not due until the end of Sept, though, so I wouldn't be able to start training until December (planned repeat c-section) and a January marathon is probably too soon for me. Maybe March?

No problem, my dear! I'm not planning on training for the January one either, way too soon. I'm thinking maybe I can swing the Food and Wine one next year.

[Pollito916]

No problem, my dear! I'm not planning on training for the January one either, way too soon. I'm thinking maybe I can swing the Food and Wine one next year.

Much more realistic!

[trixiequilts]

YAY! I'm in for this PTR/trainwreck too! :cheer2:

I found it at exactly the right time. I just started my program on Monday (walking for a while first because I tore up my hamstring in a freak snowshoveling accident in February). :sad2:

I already have blisters on both heels, a ridiculously unhappy hamstring, and a bruise on my other shin because my bad leg wouldn't hold me up when I got off the couch the first evening...I fell into the coffee table! :laughing: Good times!

The Yoda quote is going on a sign by my treadmill. :yoda:

I can't wait to hear more! :goodvibes

[Tinkerbellarella]

I must be channeling my inner girliness given that I'm destined to spend the rest of my days in a testosterone laden environment.

I'll be happy to provoke your inner princess whenever you feel the need. ;)

:cheer2: I'm a runner (5K's only) .....And I love PTR's!!!

Hmmm. Then this is a good place for you to be! LOL
Welcome!

I'm thinking maybe I can swing the Food and Wine one next year.

:thumbsup2

Oh, and dude, I just looked at the Tutto Italia kiosk menu and my Italian Margarita was NOT listed. Heads will roll if I end up there in September with the man and cannot partake of my favoritest alcomaholic beverage!

YAY! I'm in for this PTR/trainwreck too! :cheer2:


Hey, welcome! Long time no see. Hope all is well. :goodvibes

a freak snowshoveling accident

This BEGS an explanation, you know that right?

I already have blisters on both heels, a ridiculously unhappy hamstring, and a bruise on my other shin because my bad leg wouldn't hold me up when I got off the couch the first evening...I fell into the coffee table! :laughing: Good times!

I can't WAIT to get out there today! :rotfl:

[Tinkerbellarella]

My friend Jill and I are not athletes, by any stretch of the imagination, unless you are speaking of the prowess with which we can consume french fries and McDonald's chocolate shakes.

For that, Jill would take the gold and I'd likely tie for silver.

And we are certainly not runners. If either of us is in danger of missing our train home (we both live about an hour and a half from where we work), we don't run to catch said train. We wait for the next train...and how convenient, the train station has a McDonald's...with shakes...and french fries. Fancy that.

But we both have the same dream. A dream of being healthy. Of maintaining a healthy weight, eating well, and being able to climb the 6 flights of stairs to the cafeteria from my office without requiring an EMT upon arrival.

Thus the birth of our blog: Fat Girls Slim
I won't get into much of it here but it's a place where we blog about the ups and downs, ins and outs, joys and hissy fits of getting healthy. If you're interested, check out the link in my siggie. Stop by, say hi!

We've both been struggling a bit in the exercise arena, so when Jill suggested Cool Running's Couch to 5K program, I was interested. I'd done some research on the program in the past and was even interested in trying it out...but that never succeeded past the interest stage. Jill jumped on the bandwagon first and will be a week ahead of me in training. More info. on the training program in coming posts.

We live in MA, yours truly in Southeastern MA and Jill in the Metro West area, so until you're a 'hardcore' runner, the running season is generally April to November. After that you have to break out the cold weather gear and subscribe to the fact that a hot chocolate is in fact NOT a substitute for a 5 mile run. We've got 8-ish months to acclimate...

So, here we are, your runners:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/menjilli.jpg
Taken on a snorkeling excursion on a Caribbean cruise we took together in 2006. My smile in this pic totally belies the fact that I was terrified of getting seasick on the smaller boat.

I'm Tinkerbellarella, a.k.a. Nikki, a.k.a. Boo (to my man), a.k.a. Mommeh (to my kittehs), a.k.a. Deeda (to one of my godchildren), a.k.a. TK's long lost sister:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/me.jpg
Taken at some random Halloween party a couple of years ago. I went as a 'Madam' the man went as my 'Muscle'. Good times.

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/bellini.jpg
Taken in Epicot in September 2008. That's a peach bellini from Italy. Third best alcoholic drink in Disney, following the Lapu Lapu and the Italian Margarita.

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/DSCN0767.jpg
From the same September 2008 trip, with my friend Missy. She's not running but I'm sure she'll be part of our Support Group. And no, I'm not nekkid.

I'm a full-fledged Disney addict. And Disney geek (funny how all those people who call me a Disney geek also call me to help them book their trips...). I've been to Disney 11 times in my 30 years, mostly as an adult. My September 2008 was my first foray into the Deluxe resorts (at the Poly) and despite it now being a personal preference for all future trips, my wallet is not necessarily down with that and I still maintain I'd sleep in a broom closet if it meant a trip to Where the Magic Lives.

In addition to this trip, I may also be going with the man in September for our first "together" trip in the 12 years we've known each other. GASP! Be still my beating heart and cross your fingers. ;) He's not a Disney lover per se, so even the remote possibility of this trip coming to fruition is a HUGE step.

I don't have any children, but have cats (:cat: :cat:) and godchildren (a princess: and a pirate: ) instead. I work long hours, far from home but adore the people I work with and my actual job (most days). I haven't done any consistent running since either gym class in HS or my few seasons on a soccer team around age 12, it's a toss-up.

This is Jill, my running mate and general partner-in-crime for the January trip/half marathon, a.k.a. Jilli, a.k.a. Jillsebeth, a.k.a. Mommeh (to her kittehs), a.k.a. maker-upper of her very own words:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/jill.jpg
In't she cute? I love her hair. I'm not brave enough to cut my hair that short yet. Maybe someday...

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/jillnmax.jpg
Jill and her brand new nephew, Max.

Jill is a couple of years younger than me. She and I met at work and became friends pretty quickly. She hasn't been to Disney in about 15 years and even then, only did a couple of day trips at the parks and didn't stay onsite. Her Disney geek does not run deep (yet) but I'm hoping to convert her. She's not a DISer, so unless she signs up, all Jill-isms shall come through me.

Jill is also child-less but mommeh to two kittehs as well. And as of just yesterday she became an Auntie for the first time to her very own pirate:. (Congrats Jilli and welcome to the world Max!!!) She's single and still on the lookout for her Prince Charming.

Jill also was the ultimate anti-athlete in HS and so it's her first dip into the pool o' exercise.

There's no way we'd be able to do this ALL alone, so we're compiling a Support Group to help us along the way (in addition to all of you wonderful DISers). Our core group is small, but growing:

My man, a.k.a. my Boo, a.k.a. Babe, a.k.a. Can't you just go to Disney with me already?

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/meandboo.jpg
From a wedding in 2008. Aren't we cute? Not sure what brought on the peace sign...

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/thinker.jpg
From our US/IOA trip last April...SOOO close to the World. We DID eat at Cali Grill. Baby steps...

I love my man. :love: In many ways, he is my rock. He's a your typical guy's guy - into UFC and football (I'm with him on that one) and red meat and paintball and any extreme sport vehicle which requires the use of a helmet. We've known each other for 12-ish years - were together for 4 years, apart for 4, and have been back together for 4. A trifecta. LOL He's a gym addict and in GREAT shape but is not a runner. However, he has said he will run with me whenever I ask and is into eating healthy with me. He will not be joining us on this trip (at least at this point, though I doubt that will change).

As I mentioned earlier, neither of us has children but we do have kittehs. And they feature in a big way in both of our lives, so we'd like to think they're supporting us. They will obviously be staying home on this trip, but I think they'd LOVE to visit the House of Mouse, for obvious reasons.

My kittehs, Isabel (brown tiger-stripe) and Dory (black and white):

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/girlies.jpg
Activate lasers in 3...2...1...

Jill's kittehs, Ellie and Clementine, in that order:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/elliebelly.jpg
http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/clemmie.jpg
Laziness is catchy from your mommeh. Trust us.

My long, lost, sister, with whom I was reunited here on the DIS, TarzansKat, a.k.a. TK, a.k.a. KittyKat, a.k.a. Leia (I'm Luke):

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/Jan%202011%20PTR/WDWMay09-0522.jpg
TK is not a fan of having her photo on the net, so this will have to suffice - our CBR window from our May 2009 girlie trip.

We aren't sisters biologically but we're definitely sisters in spirit. If she weren't expecting Nugget Numero Dos, she'd probably be training with us. She lives within driving distance of me (thank goodness) and we get together as often as life allows. She's been uber-supportive thus far and will probably start training for a future race once the Nugget has arrived.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Crissy, or If You Had Wings, to all you DISers. In addition to Jill, she is partly the inspiration for the program and this trip. She'll be running the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathonin the Fall and I'm hoping to learn a lot from her. If you haven't found it yet, check out her PTR. Totally. Shameless. Plug. :thumbsup2

Wings' PTR is HERE! (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2355559)

There you have it folks, your cast of characters. I'll be sure to update you if and when it grows.

UP NEXT: Rum Runners? Really? Are you Captain Morgan employees?

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Yay! I've already checked out your blog and I'm excited to see your journey!

I started C25K a few weeks ago, I just finished Week 4, Day 2, and I'm SHOCKED that I can run in 5 minute intervals. SHOCKED. I couldn't breathe the first day after 1 minute and here I am running 5 minutes! It really does work, I'm excited to see you and Jill try it as well.

Your kitties are ADORABLE! :lovestruc

[Tinkerbellarella]

I started C25K a few weeks ago, I just finished Week 4, Day 2, and I'm SHOCKED that I can run in 5 minute intervals. SHOCKED. I couldn't breathe the first day after 1 minute and here I am running 5 minutes!

I'm thinking about finding some way to tether myself to the treadmill so I don't go flying off the first time. :laughing:

[TarzansKat]

I am selfishly stoked that I rate as part of your cast of characters. ;) Lord knows I am a character. :rotfl2:

What can I say that hasn't been said?

Honestly, I'm super proud of you. I'm proud of you for taking this on, and I'm proud of you for paving the way. Honestly, I believe if you can do it, I can do it, and so I'm here to offer all the support I can possibly give.

And Jill not having been to Disney in 10+ years? YIKES! Get that girl to a 1/2 marathon and then give her a Pina CoLava, stat! :lmao:

[MRYPPNS]

I won't run with you but I'll bring the BenGay, ice packs and cute leg warmers to the party!

[Tinkerbellarella]

Hey all! I haven't abandoned this report, there's just some pretty big-time stuff going on with our jobs that has the details of this trip a little iffy. I'm hoping we'll iron them out in the next couple of weeks so that the planning can continue!

Heidi - can I request BenGay, IcyHot and some ThermaCare patches? :lmao:

[Charleston Princess]

Figures I would find this trip report a day later than everyone else. I'm here now, though! :banana:

[LegoMom3]

I'm in! This looks like it'll be fun!:thumbsup2

Unless, of course, you utterly abandon it.....:sad2:

.

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm in! This looks like it'll be fun!:thumbsup2

Unless, of course, you utterly abandon it.....:sad2:

.

Um abandoned? Yes, as of late this PTR has been. Because of some unforseen HUGE life shifts, well, work shifts really, for one 1/2 of the Rum Runners.

I'm in the process of making some decisions about this trip, which would now likely be a solo expedition. I should know more in the next week or two. If I have my way I can tell you that it will not be altogether abandoned. Just possibly delayed. Until Marchish. When all of those Princesses run on the World.

princess:

[If U Had Wings]

Um abandoned? Yes, as of late this PTR has been. Because of some unforseen HUGE life shifts, well, work shifts really, for one 1/2 of the Rum Runners.

I'm in the process of making some decisions about this trip, which would now likely be a solo expedition. I should know more in the next week or two. If I have my way I can tell you that it will not be altogether abandoned. Just possibly delayed. Until Marchish. When all of those Princesses run on the World.

princess:

Hope everything works out. I think the princess is the last week of Feb. next year. I'm toying with the idea of doing a long weekend for that, depending on how I feel after the Wine and Dine, so if you end up going then, it might not be completely alone.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Hope everything works out. I think the princess is the last week of Feb. next year. I'm toying with the idea of doing a long weekend for that, depending on how I feel after the Wine and Dine, so if you end up going then, it might not be completely alone.

That would be totally fantastic. I would LOVE to do that with you, if it came down to it. ::yes::

[If U Had Wings]

That would be totally fantastic. I would LOVE to do that with you, if it came down to it. ::yes::

:thumbsup2

[MRYPPNS]

I know a certain person who will be arriving that Sunday :rolleyes1

[If U Had Wings]

I know a certain person who will be arriving that Sunday :rolleyes1

That would make even more of reason why I should try to do that 1/2, :)

[TarzansKat]

March, eh?

That's eight months postpartum for me...

:scratchin

[Tinkerbellarella]

I know a certain person who will be arriving that Sunday :rolleyes1

That would make even more of reason why I should try to do that 1/2, :)

March, eh?

That's eight months postpartum for me...

:scratchin

Now, wouldn't THAT be the DISmeet of all DISmeets...

:goodvibes

Depending on how everything unfolds, I'd imagine I'd try to make it close to a week, solo: 2/25/10-3/2/10.

More food for thought. I'm hoping I can confirm that this is now a solo venture either today or tomorrow and start giving some big-time thought to February 2011! It's only 260 days away... ;)

[TarzansKat]

Only 260 days. I love the optimism. :thumbsup2

[If U Had Wings]

Sounds great! I really want to go in March, but am going to have to wait and see on some money issues. I think I have enough credits for a free flight, but my poor AP will be expired by then. :sad1: I'm going to have to save my pennies for a value room. :thumbsup2

You know it shouldn't be that hard to have a meet at somepoint irregardless. We are all in New England. I don't mind a little drive.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Only 260 days. I love the optimism. :thumbsup2

I'm looking at it as 260 days to train...starting this week. I'll be picking up a book (as recommended by Crissy) and getting my butt out walking again.

It's also 260 days to decide on a resort. I REALLY want to stay at CSR but if it's a solo trip in terms of the room...I maybe be bucking up and hitting a Value.

Sounds great! I really want to go in March, but am going to have to wait and see on some money issues. I think I have enough credits for a free flight, but my poor AP will be expired by then. :sad1: I'm going to have to save my pennies for a value room. :thumbsup2

I hear that. I'm hoping to stay at a Mod, but I don't think that'll happen. The Value, solo, is going to be a stretch. I'm not going to worry about the details yet but still...:rolleyes:

You know it shouldn't be that hard to have a meet at somepoint irregardless. We are all in New England. I don't mind a little drive.

So true! Who else is in NE? I'm in MA, you and Kat are in CT, Heidi's in NH...LL's in MA...we could have the NE DISmeet 2010!

[MRYPPNS]

Now, wouldn't THAT be the DISmeet of all DISmeets...



Funny thing this that the 4 of us live pretty close to one another for DISer standards.....I'm the furthest out from you guys up here in NH.

Edited to add: I wrote that before I saw that you were all writing the same thing!

[Lady Lallie]

I'm here!

I vote for the Princess 1/2. :thumbsup2

I am all for a NE DIS meet! :banana:

[If U Had Wings]

That would be fun! Actually I'd think that I'm the furthest out way down here on the shoreline. Heidi, I think your about 2 and a half hours from me. That's not really all that far.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Funny thing this that the 4 of us live pretty close to one another for DISer standards.....I'm the furthest out from you guys up here in NH.

Edited to add: I wrote that before I saw that you were all writing the same thing!

At one time it would've been you AND LegoMom up there in the woods. :goodvibes

I'm here!

I vote for the Princess 1/2. :thumbsup2

I just gotten some news so I'll be writing a proper chapter shortly on the newly revised plans! :yay:

I am all for a NE DIS meet! :banana:

That would be fun! Actually I'd think that I'm the furthest out way down here on the shoreline. Heidi, I think your about 2 and a half hours from me. That's not really all that far.

I really think we should put all our heads together and get this thing going! Summer's here and it's the perfect time. We might want to start a separate little thread or string or whathaveyou (I don't want to irritate the PTR/TR moderators) but seriously ladies, let's do it!

[TarzansKat]

Count me in on the New England DIS meet, gals.

Let's just not make it too close to July 31st, savvy? :lmao:

[Lady Lallie]

Count me in on the New England DIS meet, gals.

Let's just not make it too close to July 31st, savvy? :lmao:

:rotfl2::rotfl::lmao:

Let's plan something.

Who wants to be in charge?

NOT IT! ;)

[TarzansKat]

:rotfl2::rotfl::lmao:

Let's plan something.

Who wants to be in charge?

NOT IT! ;)

So not it. :lmao:

[Tinkerbellarella]

Count me in on the New England DIS meet, gals.

Let's just not make it too close to July 31st, savvy? :lmao:

Who wants to be in charge?

NOT IT! ;)

So not it. :lmao:

I'll be IT. I'm already in super-planning mode. So...which DISboard do you think we should post it to? The Community Boards? (If there's a Mod reading this with a suggestion it would be greatly appreciated!)

[Lady Lallie]

I'll be IT. I'm already in super-planning mode. So...which DISboard do you think we should post it to? The Community Boards? (If there's a Mod reading this with a suggestion it would be greatly appreciated!)

I think the Community Boards would do just fine. :thumbsup2

[MRYPPNS]

That would be fun! Actually I'd think that I'm the furthest out way down here on the shoreline. Heidi, I think your about 2 and a half hours from me. That's not really all that far.

I thought it was more like 4 hours.

At one time it would've been you AND LegoMom up there in the woods. :goodvibes



I really think we should put all our heads together and get this thing going! Summer's here and it's the perfect time. We might want to start a separate little thread or string or whathaveyou (I don't want to irritate the PTR/TR moderators) but seriously ladies, let's do it!

Even LegoMom was closer because I believe she was in the western part of the state.....

We are all on FB,....... just sayin'. I'd be happy to have you all up here if you really want to get away.

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm in an all-day training today, so I can't do a proper post, but I wanted to let you know that I've just about pulled together all the info. I need and this PTR is MOVING FORWARD!!! :woohoo:

Update coming soon...

[If U Had Wings]

I thought it was more like 4 hours.



Hmm, now I'm doubting myself. I'll have to check again. I know it's about 5 hours from my house to my brother's place in North Conway.

[Lady Lallie]

I'm in an all-day training today, so I can't do a proper post, but I wanted to let you know that I've just about pulled together all the info. I need and this PTR is MOVING FORWARD!!! :woohoo:

Update coming soon...

I'm so excited!! :yay:

[MRYPPNS]

Hmm, now I'm doubting myself. I'll have to check again. I know it's about 5 hours from my house to my brother's place in North Conway.

I'm about an hour south of N. Conway.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Morning all!

I'm just popping in real quick to say hello! I'll be heading out shortly to meet up with my mom to head up to the 5K. We'll be walking together with her dog, a friend of hers and her dog, and my brother and SIL-to-be. My SIL-to-be is the one who's organized the 5K, and it benefits her program directly, so I'm extra proud to be taking part. My mother also works for the same program, so it's a family affair!

I only plan on walking the course and, with the dogs, it'll probably be an easy pace. The trail is in a local park and runs around a small zoo. I don't anticipate not being able to finish, but I figure I'll be a little sore later on and tomorrow since I haven't been walking much lately. The actual training program starts Monday, but more on that later. I'm thinking of today as the "kick-off' to this adventure.

I kind of wish I'd been on the ball and had a tee that said something like "In Training for my first Disney 1/2 Marathon" but I can't be crying over spilled milk. Next time.

I'm stopping at the craft store on the way home for supplies to jazz up my September trip binder and my 1/2 Marathon training/trip binder. I'll be working on those today. This afternoon I should be able to post an update about all the changed plans and what's going to happen around these parts in the next 9 months (and no, it doesn't include my having any babies - I leave that to TK and Pollito).

Tomorrow, or maybe even later tonight, if the binder is finished, I'll posts pics of that and some other training tools I have lined up and will give you a synopsis of what my actual training plan looks like.

I'm very excited and a little bit nervous about all this. :goodvibes

Wish me luck today!

:flower3:

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm so excited!! :yay:

Me too. ::yes::

I'm about an hour south of N. Conway.

We love North Conway...and the Lakes Region...and the Polar Caves...

We've often said if we could get jobs we'd move to NH!

[Lady Lallie]

Good Luck today!! :thumbsup2

I was thinking since we are so close, maybe we could find a 5k to do together around these parts sometime this summer??? :confused3

[If U Had Wings]

Good Luck Tink!!!!!:banana:

Your going to do great. :)

[pooh'smate]

Good luck today. I have to say that all of you have inspired me and I am going to start the Couch to 5K training tomorrow. I used to run cross country back in jr. high and high school so running is not new to me but it has been a long time since I have done any running. We are getting AP's on our trip in Nov/Dec so I can make it to the Princess Marathon with all of you if you don't mind another New Englander (though right now I am stuck in the middle of the country due to dh's job :mad:).

[Tinkerbellarella]

Good Luck today!! :thumbsup2

I was thinking since we are so close, maybe we could find a 5k to do together around these parts sometime this summer??? :confused3

That's a good idea. Let's do some research!

Good Luck Tink!!!!!:banana:

Your going to do great. :)

Thanks Crissy. :goodvibes

We are getting AP's on our trip in Nov/Dec so I can make it to the Princess Marathon with all of you if you don't mind another New Englander (though right now I am stuck in the middle of the country due to dh's job :mad:).

The more the merrier, I say!

[Tinkerbellarella]

Who knew when I started this PTR many moons ago that, with only two posts under my belt, it would change so drastically! I certainly didn't see any of it coming...

Let's rewind it back a bit, shall we?

...


Acid wash and Aquanet?! Wait...is that ZZUB with hair?

Sorry, the rewind button was stuck. Moving a little further forward in time...

Ahh, yes. Here we are, just a couple of months back. As you've read in the first two chapters, my friend Jill and I were planning on tackling the Disney 1/2 Marathon in January together and, in a way, in conjunction with our co-authored weight loss blog, Fat Girls Slim.

Best laid plans and all that.

Suddenly, our work (a large, internation law firm) announced that they are outsourcing 130+ staff positions to a support center located somewhere just on the outskirts of middle America. My job was not one of those being moved. Jill's was. We were both devastated. When I tell you that this came out of left field...really, there is no clever turn of phrase that properly sums up how shocked we were.

On the positive side of things, the jobs aren't being outsourced to a 3rd party. The resource center is owned and operated by the firm.

1,200 mi. away.

They offered the 130+ employees their jobs out in Middle America if they chose to move. Or, if they chose to stay through a specific end date before being, really, laid off, they received a tidy little severence package that included some sort of bonus.

Needless to say, Jill had NO IDEA what to do. And the blog, the training, and the trip plans all took a backseat to helping her figure out what her next steps would be. Ok, not a backseat. Those plans were thumbing it for a ride.

After weeks of research, a visit to the new office, lots of emotional stress and countless 'what if's', Jill was finally able to make a decision - she's moving to Just Right of Middle America.

:faint:

While I'm so proud of my bud for making a tough and scary decision, I don't know exactly how I'm going to get along without having her mere floors below me on any given weekday. :sad1:

Once her decision was made and she started moving forward, I started gravitating back to thoughts of this trip, the blog, etc. I knew these things were puny in comparison to other things she has on her plate now - namely selling her condo and figuring out the logistics of moving over 1,000 mi. away. Still, the thoughts tickled and tugged and tapped. Until finally I felt it was an ok time to discuss them with Jill.

As expected, maintaining the blog, training for a 1/2 marathon and saving for a Disney trip weren't going to be feasible amidst all of the other plans that she needs to make. And so I received her blessing to pursue all three by my sweet lonesome.

After crunching numbers and checking out some different training programs, I quickly came to realize that January was no longer feasible for me. And yet, I didn't want to wait until next year's Wine & Dine.

Enter Disney's Princess 1/2 Marathon - a 13.1 mi. women-only event. Tiaras encouraged.

The more I thought about it, the more I fell in love with the idea. I'd gain almost two extra months to save for the trip, since it's a much bigger expense paying for the room solo, not to mention the 8 extra weeks of training time.

I started to get a little tingly.

I could really do this.

The excitement and motivation I felt even started to surpass that which I had when we first started planning the trip as a pair. I'd never been so looking forward to achieving something in my life. After a couple of therapy sessions and lots of deep thought, I finally realized why.

This is about ME. This is about MY DREAM. This is about realizing something I've thought I could never, ever do.

Though most of you already know this, TK and I are very, very close. We visit each other when we can, but are usually in touch on a daily basis. When she lost her mom so suddenly a month or so ago, I was profoundly touched. And I didn't realize it right away. But things slowly started to leak through the cracks in my brain. Things that said:

"LIVE your life."

"DO the things you're afraid of."

"LOVE every opportunity you have, even if you fail."

It was like the last puzzle piece was lovingly pressed into place. I wouldn't just do this for me. I was going to do this for TK's mom, who in her passing helped me to realize just how much more is out there. I'll be running this 1/2 marathon in her honor and, after crossing the finish line, will make a donation to the American Heart Association in her name. It's the very least I can do to say thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes to everything that could be.

I'm so ready to live. I'm so ready to push myself past all of these boundaries I've created so that when I arrive at the end, battered and bruised, I also arrive at the end happy and proud and able to say, "I DID IT."

This trip has become a whole new animal. It is tied so intimately to me, in a way no other trip has been. I did a week's worth of trip and training research in just a couple of days. And now folks, I'm happy to say, I'M READY.

Welcome to the Rum Runners PTR, Version 2.0.

Who: Yours truly, Tinkerbellarella
What: Disney's Princess 1/2 Marathon and, of course, some touring of Where the Magic Lives
When: February 25th through March 4th, 2011
Where: Why, Disney World, of course! (The more specific whys to be detailed in a later chapter...)
Why: TO LIVE.
How: By the grace of God and with all your support.

As I did with my September PTR, this PTR will be updated on a schedule of at least a post a week. Sometimes more, never less. While 90% of the posts will pertain directly to the planning of the trip itself (this is a TR board, by golly), there will be one post a month to give you a brief update on my training. I'm hoping to add an update as soon as tomorrow with some of my planning and training tools and the few confirmed details I have.

Some of you have expressed interest in training for and possibly joining the Princess 1/2 Marathon. Please do! While the Rum Runners were originally supposed to be a pair, it is now just one. I'm happy to expand that number to 2 or 3 or 30! Even if your trip doesn't mirror my trip, even if you just want to be there to participate in the race...heck, even if you just want to show up to cheer us across the finish line, you're welcome into the ranks of the Rum Runners. If you just want to train along with us, DO IT! There's so much to gain and nothing to lose.

Lace up your glass slippers, ladies, it's time to get our run on. princess:

UP NEXT: Nine months of training...why do I feel like I'm preparing to give birth???

P.S. I'm happy to report that I completed my first 5K today. I finished, I survived, I had fun! I'll divulge more details tomorrow since it's more easily related to the upcoming post.

[Lady Lallie]

What a wonderful post! While I'm sad your friend will not be joining you, you are right in that this is about YOU and what you want to accomplish. :thumbsup2:thumbsup2

I think you are really brave to take on the 13.1 miles, it scares me. I want to do it someday but I know I'm not ready yet.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your training schedule. :goodvibes

[LegoMom3]

Oh dude I you have no idea how badly I want to join you for this!!!!:eek: "If only...."

:cloud9:

But I have so many other things I need to pay for first that I can't even fathom it right now.



But....................pirate:

.

[MRYPPNS]

Love the dates for your trip......I seem to be free a couple of those nights in WDW :rolleyes1

I'll sweeten the pot so to speak. When you cross the finish line of the Princess 1/2 - I will make a donation to the American Heart Association as well.

[Tinkerbellarella]

I think you are really brave to take on the 13.1 miles, it scares me. I want to do it someday but I know I'm not ready yet.

LL, I won't lie, it still frightens me too. But the 5K today put a lot in perspective. I did it and, I wouldn't say it was easy, but I could've gone on and been ok for a couple of miles after the initial 3.1. I KNOW I'm not ready for 13.1 right now.

But I SO will be. ::yes::

I just kept thinking - what's another mile? What's another 50 yards? What's another 10 feet? I've got this.

Oh dude I you have no idea how badly I want to join you for this!!!!:eek: "If only...."

:cloud9:

But I have so many other things I need to pay for first that I can't even fathom it right now.



But....................pirate:

.

I haven't figured out where 100% of the funds are going to come from either because it's a pretty hefty trip. But there's a very specific type of trip I have in mind. I'll "find" the money. I'm going to be asking for Disney gift cards for Christmas and my birthday and any money I get as a gift at any time between now and then will be put aside for this. And then there's our yearly bonus and my tax refund, so I'm pretty sure I'll be ok.

Love the dates for your trip......I seem to be free a couple of those nights in WDW :rolleyes1

Do I smell a DISmeet? :thumbsup2

I'll sweeten the pot so to speak. When you cross the finish line of the Princess 1/2 - I will make a donation to the American Heart Association as well.

Aw, that touches my heart, I know it would touch Kat's and her mom, I'm sure, is honored. Thank you. :goodvibes

[If U Had Wings]

Tink, I think the fact that your doing this is just wonderful, and your reasons even more so. If I'm able to make it for the Princess 1/2 I'd be honored to run with you!

[Lady Lallie]

LL, I won't lie, it still frightens me too. But the 5K today put a lot in perspective. I did it and, I wouldn't say it was easy, but I could've gone on and been ok for a couple of miles after the initial 3.1. I KNOW I'm not ready for 13.1 right now.

But I SO will be. ::yes::

I just kept thinking - what's another mile? What's another 50 yards? What's another 10 feet? I've got this.


I keep telling myself that I can survive anything for the length of my 5k. It's helping my panic a little bit. I also read today that World Showcase is 1.3 miles all around. That helped me visualize my 5k, you know?

You can do this! I know you can. Your commitment inspires me. :thumbsup2

[Tinkerbellarella]

Tink, I think the fact that your doing this is just wonderful, and your reasons even more so. If I'm able to make it for the Princess 1/2 I'd be honored to run with you!

And I'd LOVE to have you there. :goodvibes

I keep telling myself that I can survive anything for the length of my 5k. It's helping my panic a little bit. I also read today that World Showcase is 1.3 miles all around. That helped me visualize my 5k, you know?

You can do this! I know you can. Your commitment inspires me. :thumbsup2

Look at it this way, a 5K is 1 and 1/3 times around WS.

I honestly thought it was going to take longer than it did. When we crossed the finish line I asked my brother what time it was and we'd done it in just about 50 minutes. And we weren't rushing. We kept up a convo the whole time. It equates to just under a 17 minute mile pace. So, for the 1/2 I need to shave the time down a bit and build endurance. More on that later...;)

[All7OfUs]

I'm so over-the-moon excited for you! I KNOW you can do this, and am thrilled that you DO have the extra 8 weeks to something you're even MORE excited about. Rum Runners 2.0 is going to be a fun one to follow... :goodvibes

[Lady Lallie]

Look at it this way, a 5K is 1 and 1/3 times around WS.

I honestly thought it was going to take longer than it did. When we crossed the finish line I asked my brother what time it was and we'd done it in just about 50 minutes. And we weren't rushing. We kept up a convo the whole time. It equates to just under a 17 minute mile pace. So, for the 1/2 I need to shave the time down a bit and build endurance. More on that later...;)

That doesn't seem bad at all! Good for you. :thumbsup2

[Pollito916]

Yay for you for finishing the 5K! I walked a 5K just 10 weeks after DS was born, only I didn't know it until half way through. I had been mislead on the distance. But you're right, it's do-able while walking. It was a lot tougher to do this past year when DS3 insisted on walking about half of it himself and the rest I had to push him in his stroller - he's gotten a lot heavier the last 3 years!

Sorry to see your friend leaving - both across the country and from the trip. But so good for you for deciding to go ahead with a 1/2 marathon anyway - that is a huge accomplishment. I have been thinking about it since I read a TR on this year's princess 1/2, but not sure I can do it on time for next year's. But I am really going to give it a try! So count me in for training - come October or November. ;)

[TarzansKat]

Acid wash and Aquanet?! Wait...is that ZZUB with hair?

:lmao:


After weeks of research, a visit to the new office, lots of emotional stress and countless 'what if's', Jill was finally able to make a decision - she's moving to Just Right of Middle America.

:faint:

While I'm so proud of my bud for making a tough and scary decision, I don't know exactly how I'm going to get along without having her mere floors below me on any given weekday. :sad1:

I'm so sorry! Well, you know what I mean. I'm happy Jill still has a job and is taking on a new adventure in life, but sorry that she'll be so far away. I know you'll miss her. :hug:


Enter Disney's Princess 1/2 Marathon - a 13.1 mi. women-only event. Tiaras encouraged.

I feel like breaking out into a verse of I Am Woman.


This is about ME. This is about MY DREAM. This is about realizing something I've thought I could never, ever do.

YES! YES, YES, YES!!!! :thumbsup2


"LIVE your life."

"DO the things you're afraid of."

"LOVE every opportunity you have, even if you fail."

You're channeling my mom there, you know that?


It was like the last puzzle piece was lovingly pressed into place. I wouldn't just do this for me. I was going to do this for TK's mom, who in her passing helped me to realize just how much more is out there. I'll be running this 1/2 marathon in her honor and, after crossing the finish line, will make a donation to the American Heart Association in her name. It's the very least I can do to say thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes to everything that could be.

I'm so ready to live. I'm so ready to push myself past all of these boundaries I've created so that when I arrive at the end, battered and bruised, I also arrive at the end happy and proud and able to say, "I DID IT."

I am so very honored. As I've already told you, you honor me, and you honor my mother with this goal.

I don't really know what else to say other than that she would be SO proud of you. So very, very proud.

As a matter of fact, I'm sure that she already knows, and she is. And you know that she'll be cheering you on and waiting for you at the finish line. As she would have in life, so she will do in spirit. I am sure of it. :hug:


Welcome to the Rum Runners PTR, Version 2.0.

Who: Yours truly, Tinkerbellarella
What: Disney's Princess 1/2 Marathon and, of course, some touring of Where the Magic Lives
When: February 25th through March 4th, 2011
Where: Why, Disney World, of course! (The more specific whys to be detailed in a later chapter...)
Why: TO LIVE.
How: By the grace of God and with all your support.

Amen. I've learned a few things since my mother passed, and that's one of them.

You have TO LIVE.


UP NEXT: Nine months of training...why do I feel like I'm preparing to give birth???

Because you are. I mean it without sounding corny, you're going to give birth to a new you, my dear.


P.S. I'm happy to report that I completed my first 5K today. I finished, I survived, I had fun! I'll divulge more details tomorrow since it's more easily related to the upcoming post.

I'm so proud of you!


I'll sweeten the pot so to speak. When you cross the finish line of the Princess 1/2 - I will make a donation to the American Heart Association as well.

Thank you, Heidi. :hug:

[Tinkerbellarella]

Yay for you for finishing the 5K!

Thanks!

Sorry to see your friend leaving - both across the country and from the trip.

Me too, but it was the right choice for her at this point in her life.

But I am really going to give it a try! So count me in for training - come October or November. ;)

:woohoo:

I feel like breaking out into a verse of I Am Woman.

Hear me roar.

YES! YES, YES, YES!!!!

I feel as though I'm suddenly in an Herbal Essences commercial.

I am so very honored. As I've already told you, you honor me, and you honor my mother with this goal.

I don't really know what else to say other than that she would be SO proud of you. So very, very proud.

As a matter of fact, I'm sure that she already knows, and she is. And you know that she'll be cheering you on and waiting for you at the finish line. As she would have in life, so she will do in spirit. I am sure of it. :hug:

This made me cry. All happy tears. :hug:

You have TO LIVE.

Yup. That's pretty much the long and short of it.

I mean it without sounding corny, you're going to give birth to a new you, my dear.

I'd like to submit an argument in favor of a C-Section.

[MRYPPNS]

:rotfl:I'd like to submit an argument in favor of a C-Section.

Yea but recovery takes longer and you get a scar.......

[pooh'smate]

Just dropping by to tell you I did my first C25K workout today.

[TarzansKat]

Hear me roar.

Channel your inner Katwoman. ;)


I feel as though I'm suddenly in an Herbal Essences commercial.

Well, it's exciting. :lmao:


I'd like to submit an argument in favor of a C-Section.

I'm with Heidi. Longer recovery = no thank you. :lmao:

[Tinkerbellarella]

Hey guys!

I haven't forgotten or abandoned you! Work got crazy again last week. More changes, and this time I was one of those effected - but in a good way! We're talking promotion, salary increase, etc. so I spent the week dealing with everything that comes with that.

Hoping to update today or tomorrow! Sit tight and thanks for your patience!

:flower3:

[trixiequilts]

Yay for you Tink! :banana: Congrats!!!

[If U Had Wings]

Congratulations Tink! I'm glad that your missing for such a good reason. :)

[TarzansKat]

Congrats, my dear. Well deserved!

[Lady Lallie]

Congrats! I had been wondering where you've been, glad it was for something good. :thumbsup2

[Tinkerbellarella]

Yay for you Tink! :banana: Congrats!!!

Congratulations Tink! I'm glad that your missing for such a good reason. :)

Congrats, my dear. Well deserved!

Thank you all. Long story short, I knew it would be happening. It's been in the works since LAST May. I was just taken by surprised it all happening in the past week!

Congrats! I had been wondering where you've been, glad it was for something good. :thumbsup2

Yes, and now that that's all dealt with I should be able to figure out when the two of us can do that August 5K!

[Lady Lallie]

Yes, and now that that's all dealt with I should be able to figure out when the two of us can do that August 5K!:banana: I'm in panic mode this week about my training for October. With the heat we've been having, I've been nearly dying when I'm working out and it hit me that I'll be doing 3.1 miles in Florida in October. What was I thinking? ;):rotfl:

[TarzansKat]

:banana: I'm in panic mode this week about my training for October. With the heat we've been having, I've been nearly dying when I'm working out and it hit me that I'll be doing 3.1 miles in Florida in October. What was I thinking? ;):rotfl:

On the glass half full side, it may not be that hot. October is a tricky month in Disney, sometimes you can get cooler weather. :goodvibes

[Lady Lallie]

On the glass half full side, it may not be that hot. October is a tricky month in Disney, sometimes you can get cooler weather. :goodvibes

I need that glass half full side, so bring it on. :lmao:

[TarzansKat]

I need that glass half full side, so bring it on. :lmao:

And furthermore, it's highly possible that there won't be a lot of humidity.

Okay, I may be stretching the truth with that one, but we're going for positive here.

[MRYPPNS]

I need that glass half full side, so bring it on. :lmao:

I'll give you some half full.....when we were there in October 2008....Orlando had RECORD LOWS for 3 days! The rest of the time it was only warm enough in the afternoon to go in the pool.

[Lady Lallie]

And furthermore, it's highly possible that there won't be a lot of humidity.

Okay, I may be stretching the truth with that one, but we're going for positive here.

I'll give you some half full.....when we were there in October 2008....Orlando had RECORD LOWS for 3 days! The rest of the time it was only warm enough in the afternoon to go in the pool.

You guys are the best! :goodvibes

[Pollito916]

Congratulations on the promotion Tink - that's awesome news! :banana::banana:

[Tinkerbellarella]

:banana: I'm in panic mode this week about my training for October. With the heat we've been having, I've been nearly dying when I'm working out and it hit me that I'll be doing 3.1 miles in Florida in October. What was I thinking? ;):rotfl:

Honey, you'll be fine. That's what training is all about. It's conditioning your body to do what you'd like it to. And really, training in the heat and humidity is hard but it will have you well prepared in case it IS hot and humid come October.

But I, like the others, think you'll be ok in that dept. On our late Sept. trip in 08, it was only humid the first day and then it was just hot. And even that was manageable.

Congratulations on the promotion Tink - that's awesome news! :banana::banana:

Thanks!

Update today! :flower3:

[TarzansKat]

Update today! :flower3:

WOO HOO! popcorn::

[pooh'smate]

Hey guys!

I haven't forgotten or abandoned you! Work got crazy again last week. More changes, and this time I was one of those effected - but in a good way! We're talking promotion, salary increase, etc. so I spent the week dealing with everything that comes with that.

Hoping to update today or tomorrow! Sit tight and thanks for your patience!

:flower3:

Congrats on the promotion. http://www.pimpmysmiley.com/get-smiley.php?s=2_50 (http://www.pimpmysmiley.com)




Update today! :flower3:

I am looking forward to it.

[Tinkerbellarella]

I know I had promised an update last Sunday, but after spending the WHOLE DAY working on my trip binders, I was ready to just be a vegetable.

Vegetative state = SUCCESS!

But Tink, you might be saying, it’s now TUESDAY. You mean you couldn’t yet give us the Sunday update sooner than nine, count ‘em, NINE days later?!

No. :sad2:

Because on Monday there were more work changes. But not for Jill. Or anyone else. For me. Yours truly.

But, I’m happy to report these were GOOD changes! GREAT changes! Changes that bode well for my time, my sanity and, especially, my bank account. :goodvibes: On Monday I was promoted, something that is more than 13 months in the making! It was so satisfying to the soul to finally have that achievement under my belt. With the promotion came a change over to salary (I was hourly), a nice little increase and, and this is almost the most important piece as it relates to this PTR, the ability to have more flexible hours! My hourly schedule will no longer be the driving force behind the amount of time I have available to train. I can set my training schedule and work my work schedule around that.

So, the past week and then some have been spent in meetings, schmoozing with some VIPs, organizing some work stuff and adjusting my budget. And this morning was the first time I actually have had the opportunity to sit down and write a lil’ sumpn’ sumpn’ for this here PTR.

As promised, this chappie will address my training program for the next 9-ish months. I’ll also show you some of the tools that I’m using to track my training and keep me on the up and up.

First things first – how does one get their body to accept the challenge of traveling 13.1 miles by foot in 3.5 hours or less?

Begging, borrowing and stealing.

Just kidding. With careful planning and preparation. (And probably a wee bit of whimpering.)

Assuming the Princess ½ Marathon is set up with the same rules as all other Disney ½ marathons, I’ll have to finish the race in 3.5 hours or less. That’s a 16 minute mile or better. For 13.1 miles. I gave a lot of thought to what my goals would be insofar as pace and finishing time. I decided the following:

I want to finish. In 3.5 hours. Or less. LOL

I don’t care if I’m the last person crossing that finish line. I just want to cross it.

I’ve decided to complete the race using a combination of walking and jogging. I’m thinking what I would ultimately like to be able to do is three sets of 30 min. of jogging. This should put about 9 mi. under my belt. That would be interspersed with walking the remaining 4mi. I’m not married to that schedule. I’m open to shorter distance/time running and a little more walking. Whatever it takes to get me across that finish line in the time given.

To get to that point…well, I’ve got a lot of work to do. I walked a 5K (3.1mi.) on Saturday the 12th and while it was doable, and I easily could’ve done a little more, I couldn’t have repeated it another 3+ times! My biggest roadblock is my weight. I’m a good 80+ lbs. overweight for my height and while I thankfully don’t have any heart or respiratory problems, it’s still a lot of extra weight for me to be lugging around. My endurance isn’t all that hot either. Stairs wind me pretty easily. And while my pace isn’t exactly speedy, it’s decent.

In other words, I do ok, but sometimes I feel like one of the chair people from the AXIOM. Septuacentennial cupcake in a cup, anyone?

I’m not going to get deeply into my dietary program but will sum up by saying I’ll be tracking what I eat every day and following the Weight Watchers points program. My goal is to lose about a pound and a half a week. From past experience, I know this is a realistic goal for me.

As far as the training goes, I’ll be doing it across 4 different programs in the following order:

1. 5K Walk Training – this program is normally 8 weeks in length but I’ll only be following the last 4 weeks of it. I’m doing well enough that I won’t need the whole program. It consists of 3-4 “short” walks during the week (25-45 min.), a distance-measured walk on Saturdays (gradually increasing each week until you hit 3.1 mi.), and a “long” walk (45-60 min.) on Sundays. Once the 4 weeks is completed I’ll have one “rest” week where I’ll only walk 3 times during the week for 30 min. each.

2. ½ Marathon Walk Training – I was excited to find this program! Most of what I was coming across was running training only. Since I’m not planning on running the whole thing, these weren’t exactly helpful and I wasn’t sure what the “right” way to change them would be to incorporate the intervals I’m planning for. What I found is a program similar to the 5K walk program in that it combines shorter walks during the week at specific paces (i.e. stroll, easy), a distance walk (increasing to the 13.1 mi. weekly) and then a longer walk. The THIRTEENPOINTONEMILES is really what’s intimidating me the most, so I thought this would be a great program to acclimate me to such a long distance. Again, at the end of this program, I’ll have one “rest” week with just 3-30min. walks before starting Phase 3.

3. Couch to 5K Program (C25K) – Many of you are very familiar with this program, so I’m not going to into too much detail about it. If you’d like more info, check out the Cool Running website. I’m choosing to do this program after the ½ marathon walk because I want to have shed a good amount of weight before I start running. I figure, the less pressure on my knees, the better. And while most of the walking programs will likely be done outside, I’ll probably do my running on a treadmill at the gym, at least to start. It works out well, as this is also when we’ll be starting to get into the colder New England Winter months. With one week of rest at completion, this program will take me up to the 8-week mark prior to the actual ½ marathon.

4. Custom program – Because I can’t really predict yet how well I will be doing/will have done, this part of the training is still a little up in the air. The current plan, however, is to combine the distance walking I’ve done with the C25K so that my training becomes more like what I’m planning on doing the day of the event. It’ll be distance walks on the weekends and interval training at the gym during the week. The week of the race, I’ll likely bring the intensity down a little bit so that I don’t overdo it and can mentally prepare.

And that brings us to RACE DAY! A few of you have contacted me with your intentions to try to be there, either to participate in some of the events yourself, or to be cheering for me at the finish line and I have to give you all a big THANK YOU!!! It really means a lot to me that you are all willing to lend your support. This is such a huge, life-changing experience, and I realize that a little more than every day. While I know, in 9 months, I’ll still be me, I think I’ll actually be more me than I have been in a long time.

Now, just how am I keeping all of these little details in order? I have a confession to make. You may want to sit down. It’s slightly shocking. If there are small children reading with you, you may want to cover their eyes.

I’m addicted to organizing.

I KNOW?!?! I know.

Whoulda thunk it?

I wish I could claim it was simply a love of lists (NOLL) or coordinating colors and such. But…well you should see my kitchen cabinets. My closet. Even the cleaning supplies.

Office supply stores are like my own personal Eden.

It’s a disease, albeit a highly organized one.

I knew that if I was going to be successful in training, I’d need some sort of organizational tool to stay on track and to visualize my progress. Hence the creation of the 2011 Princess Half Marathon training and trip binder:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2938.jpg

It is organized by month of training. Each month has a calendar with all sorts of info. Each calendar also has a theme, taken from a Disney movie, with motivational quotes and lots of fun decorations. Since I’ll be updating you on my progress month to month, I won’t show you all the themes now. Here, however, is June:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2939.jpg

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2942.jpg

Really, could it be any more appropriate than to start with the mischievous fairy we all know and love and whom some of us emulate?

June’s quotes read:

Disney Quote: "You're probably the most important one there is. Without you, no one would have any magic! Why, your talent makes you who you are. You should be proud of it!" ~ Tinkerbell

Inspirational "Running" Quote: "Whatever you can do, or think you can, begin it. Boldness has power, and genius, and magic in it!" ~ Goethe


The calendar tracks all of my training days. As I complete them, they get marked off with a star sticker. At the end of the month, I’ll track my number of completed days. Obviously my goal is to have a 100% success rate every month.

I’m happy to report that so far in June every training day has a sticker on it! :banana: I need to work on my pace a bit, as I’m not happy with it, but I also didn’t want to push too hard in the first week of training and get discouraged when I couldn't stand up the day after trying to walk for 25 minutes at a 10 minute mile pace. (I get this picture of Speedy Gonzalez as a “mall walker” in my head when I try to visualize that pace! LMAO)

The calendar also tracks my weekly weight and has a spot for my starting weight for the month, ending weight for the month and the total gain or loss. Normally I address my weight in terms of my overall goal, but I wanted to give it a shot and see how successful I was in breaking it down into smaller chunks of time.

I’ve noted any special events happening during the month too so that I can be aware of potential “roadblocks” to my training and can plan for and around them.

There is also a section behind the training tabs for tracking trip info. As those sections are currently empty, there’s nothing to show you yet. However, as things are booked and those areas are expanded, I’ll be sure to share them with you.

The back cover:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2953.jpg

Finally, here is the food journal I’ll be using to track what goes in my mouth. I’ve had some trouble sticking with this in the past. Usually it’s a combination of avoidance behavior and just plain forgetting to write stuff down. While, in the first week of training I’ve been concentrating more on just the habit of sticking to a schedule, by weeks two and three I want to be using this journal every day:

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2962.jpg

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2963.jpg

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2965.jpg

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2966.jpg

So there you have it, folks. If you have any questions or would like any more information on the training programs, tools, etc. just let me know. I’m happy to share.

I’m going to try to do two more posts this week, since I owe you this week’s and I need to do next week’s since I will likely be DISless while we are in rural TN visiting with BFs family. I suspended my training for that week since I’m not really sure what we’ll be doing each day but believe me I’ll be trying to get out there and walk if I can!

Stay tuned for more!

[If U Had Wings]

:banana: I'm in panic mode this week about my training for October. With the heat we've been having, I've been nearly dying when I'm working out and it hit me that I'll be doing 3.1 miles in Florida in October. What was I thinking? ;):rotfl:

Remember too that you'll be doing the 3.1 miles early in the morning. It's usually much better then.

I'm going to make another recomendation that's a bit hard to start doing, but it really helps with the heat. I know it's tough getting up in the morning, but it's really worth it sometimes to get up and do your miles before work. Much less humid and hot, even in the middle of July and August. I need to get back in the habit of it myself. I'm not a morning person at all, but I'll take the better humidity at 5am any day. I lay everything out the night before, and stumble out the door at 5am half out of it most mornings.

[Tinkerbellarella]

I'm going to make another recomendation that's a bit hard to start doing, but it really helps with the heat. I know it's tough getting up in the morning, but it's really worth it sometimes to get up and do your miles before work. Much less humid and hot, even in the middle of July and August. I need to get back in the habit of it myself. I'm not a morning person at all, but I'll take the better humidity at 5am any day. I lay everything out the night before, and stumble out the door at 5am half out of it most mornings.

::yes::

With the exception of any Tuesday on my training schedule (which is my early morning at work), I'm up and out the door walking by 5 a.m. the latest, even the weekends. It's a huge help. AND it's much more peaceful.

This past weekend I saw a whole bunch of bunnies and a family of geese - mommy, daddy and 4 goslings. So darn cute! And it was on a morning I DIDN'T feel like being out there. That helped make it worth it. :goodvibes

[Lady Lallie]

:worship::worship::worship::worship:

I want your binder. I totally need something like to keep me on track. I think you should start marketing them. :rotfl: At the very least, I may have to copy you. :rolleyes1 :hug:

I'm seriously impressed by your organization. I feel a little bit all over the place with my weight loss and my training so this post of yours has inspired me to get back on track!

You can totally do this. :thumbsup2

Remember too that you'll be doing the 3.1 miles early in the morning. It's usually much better then.

I'm going to make another recomendation that's a bit hard to start doing, but it really helps with the heat. I know it's tough getting up in the morning, but it's really worth it sometimes to get up and do your miles before work. Much less humid and hot, even in the middle of July and August. I need to get back in the habit of it myself. I'm not a morning person at all, but I'll take the better humidity at 5am any day. I lay everything out the night before, and stumble out the door at 5am half out of it most mornings.

You are so right about the mornings. I have a hard time getting up in the morning though because I don't feel safe outside. Is that silly? I just get freaked out moreso than I do in the evenings when I get home. Maybe I will try it though and see if I don't get as freaked out.

::yes::

With the exception of any Tuesday on my training schedule (which is my early morning at work), I'm up and out the door walking by 5 a.m. the latest, even the weekends. It's a huge help. AND it's much more peaceful.

This past weekend I saw a whole bunch of bunnies and a family of geese - mommy, daddy and 4 goslings. So darn cute! And it was on a morning I DIDN'T feel like being out there. That helped make it worth it. :goodvibesI saw a bunny on an early morning walk on a Sunday. It reminded me of the disney bunnies.

I think I will try the early mornings during the week. On the weekends I can be up and out walking by like 7am which isn't as scary to me as 5:30am. :rotfl:

[If U Had Wings]

But, I’m happy to report these were GOOD changes! GREAT changes! Changes that bode well for my time, my sanity and, especially, my bank account. :goodvibes: On Monday I was promoted, something that is more than 13 months in the making! It was so satisfying to the soul to finally have that achievement under my belt. With the promotion came a change over to salary (I was hourly), a nice little increase and, and this is almost the most important piece as it relates to this PTR, the ability to have more flexible hours! My hourly schedule will no longer be the driving force behind the amount of time I have available to train. I can set my training schedule and work my work schedule around that.

Thats fantastic! Woo Hoo for a flexible schedule! It must be a relief to finally have the promotion they had promised you. 13 months is a long time to have to wait.

Assuming the Princess ½ Marathon is set up with the same rules as all other Disney ½ marathons, I’ll have to finish the race in 3.5 hours or less. That’s a 16 minute mile or better. For 13.1 miles. I gave a lot of thought to what my goals would be insofar as pace and finishing time. I decided the following:

I want to finish. In 3.5 hours. Or less. LOL

I don’t care if I’m the last person crossing that finish line. I just want to cross it.

That's a great attitude. :)



To get to that point…well, I’ve got a lot of work to do. I walked a 5K (3.1mi.) on Saturday the 12th and while it was doable, and I easily could’ve done a little more, I couldn’t have repeated it another 3+ times! My biggest roadblock is my weight. I’m a good 80+ lbs. overweight for my height and while I thankfully don’t have any heart or respiratory problems, it’s still a lot of extra weight for me to be lugging around. My endurance isn’t all that hot either. Stairs wind me pretty easily. And while my pace isn’t exactly speedy, it’s decent.

Stairs are evil for me too. I hate when the escalators are out at Grand Central, because I'm always gasping for air half way up on the steps.

I know what you mean about the weight too. I'm about 20 lbs heavier now, than when I started running last year. :sad2: I can feel every one of those lbs when I try to run.

As far as the training goes, I’ll be doing it across 4 different programs in the following order:

It sounds like a great plan of attack.


I’m addicted to organizing.

I KNOW?!?! I know.

Whoulda thunk it?

What????

A Disser addicted to organizing?????

I'm shocked. I don't think I believe it.

:rotfl:

Office supply stores are like my own personal Eden.

It’s a disease, albeit a highly organized one.

What about The Container Store? That one makes me a bit weak in the knees.

http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss284/tkrbllarlla/PTRs/DSCN2938.jpg

Love it!


I’m going to try to do two more posts this week, since I owe you this week’s and I need to do next week’s since I will likely be DISless while we are in rural TN visiting with BFs family. I suspended my training for that week since I’m not really sure what we’ll be doing each day but believe me I’ll be trying to get out there and walk if I can!

Have a wonderful vacation!!

[If U Had Wings]

You are so right about the mornings. I have a hard time getting up in the morning though because I don't feel safe outside. Is that silly? I just get freaked out moreso than I do in the evenings when I get home. Maybe I will try it though and see if I don't get as freaked out.

I'm okay as long as the sun is up, so I'm good for the rest of the summer. I started to get a bit antsy last fall when it was dark when I left the house. It's just so quiet then. What I hated most was running across skunks. Luckily I always so them when they were pretty far ahead of me so I could avoid them, but it did make me a bit of a paranoid runner. :rotfl:

[All7OfUs]

WOW!! I am duly impressed, and I MEAN IT! Totally WOW!

I love both of your journals, and since they reflect your gumption, you have no reason to fail. You're on your way! :thumbsup2

[TarzansKat]

I would walk five hundred miles and
I would walk five hundred more
just to be the man who walks a thousand miles...

I'm sorry. I had a Benny and Joon Johnny Depp moment going inspired by your walking / running.

I'm super impressed with your binder. It's so pur-dee. I love it!

It seems like you've got an excellent action plan for your training and your weight loss. I'm certainly going to be coming to you for tips when I decide to do my first half marathon! I'm really interested in trying a 5K at home, and I don't mean to make light of it, but I didn't realize how short they were in comparison to a half marathon. Seems like a wonderful starting point and I'm glad you were able to do one with success. :thumbsup2

I have every confidence in you. I think you're ready to make a change (I've been listening to too much Man in the Mirror lately) and that this will be awesome for you. :goodvibes

[DisneyRiah]

I just want to come out of lurker-dom to say that I am incredibly envious of your organizational skills. I want a binder like that! :worship:

I also want to do the Princess Half Marathon very badly. I started out doing Couch to 5K but that got derailed a couple of weeks ago when I had a million things to do. Right now, I'm determined to do it, but I just need to get back into training mode. Good luck to you, though! Hopefully I'll see you at the finish line. :goodvibes

[Tinkerbellarella]

I want your binder. I totally need something like to keep me on track. I think you should start marketing them. :rotfl: At the very least, I may have to copy you. :rolleyes1 :hug:

Have at it! All the supplies were procured from Michael's except for the calendar sheets, which I got free online. It was motivational to make. :goodvibes

What????

A Disser addicted to organizing?????

I'm shocked. I don't think I believe it.

:rotfl:



I know, who'da thunk it!?

WOW!! I am duly impressed, and I MEAN IT! Totally WOW!

I love both of your journals, and since they reflect your gumption, you have no reason to fail. You're on your way! :thumbsup2

I need to be making better use of the food journal...but one thing at a time. Now that I have the training routine under my belt, I'll be ready to focus on the food part when I get back from vaca.

I had a Benny and Joon Johnny Depp moment

Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are on ABC Family tonight/this weekend.

I have every confidence in you. I think you're ready to make a change (I've been listening to too much Man in the Mirror lately) and that this will be awesome for you. :goodvibes

I can't believe it's already been a year since he passed! :(

I just want to come out of lurker-dom to say that I am incredibly envious of your organizational skills. I want a binder like that! :worship:

I also want to do the Princess Half Marathon very badly. I started out doing Couch to 5K but that got derailed a couple of weeks ago when I had a million things to do. Right now, I'm determined to do it, but I just need to get back into training mode. Good luck to you, though! Hopefully I'll see you at the finish line. :goodvibes

Welcome! It's always great to hear from lurkers. :goodvibes

I'm sure you'll get back on your feet. Life is always throwing little wrenches in our plans.

And hey, I'm actually heading to your neck of the woods this weekend! Road tripping to see my BFs family in southern TN.

Folks, I'm going to post a chapter I wrote yesterday but didn't get to get up last night or today and then that's likely all she wrote. I'm DEAD (NODED) tired and we're starting the 20 hour drive tomorrow morning at 6 a.m.

[Tinkerbellarella]

You know, training for a ½ marathon has its benefits. You get fit, feel great, and get to buy cute yet practical sneakers that you ACTUALLY need and don’t just need. But, until just recently, I was unaware of one of its greatest, FREE benefits – unencumbered trip planning time!

Because there’s not much else to do while you’re walking than think. :goodvibes:

(And breathe, and not trip, and not pass out, but I figure with time and experience those things shall pass.)

When I encountered the first hill on my first day of walking I looked up at it and scowled. I hate hills. Almost as much as I hate stairs. And asparagus. But it was my FIRST DAY! I wasn’t going to quit already. So as I steadily approached the HUGE (ok, relatively minor) hill that would take me to the more flat stretch of road where I’d do most of my walking, I tried to think of some sort of mental distraction to get me up.

That’s when it came to me, like a little bolt of lightning in my brain and a swift kick in the rear to get me in gear (NODrSeuss). I’d think about the TRIP! And so it has become a bit of a routine for me. I think about the different places I could stay, the different COMBINATIONS (!) of places I could stay, the places I could eat, heck, which dining plan I could choose!

And so, after a mere eight walks, I’ve deduced what would be the “perfect” trip. I don’t really know if this trip will be feasible, financially. That’s a wait-and-see game until they release the 2011 rates and discounts. But, if all works out the way I expect it might, here is what would constitute the ‘Happily Ever After’ for my Princess ½ Marathon trip:

Accommodations

Split stay ahead!

2/25/10 for 2nts.: Beach Club, standard room.
2/27/10 for 5nts: Port Orleans-Riverside, standard room.

I have wanted to stay at the Beach Club since TK and I stopped at their Guest Services desk in May to check in for our homebound flights. Really, it’s Stormalong Bay that’s calling my name. I dipped a toe in it in May. It was the start of an obsession. That toe may still smell like chlorine…

:rofl:

The only way this will be feasible is if they offer either a great public promo (30-40% off) or if I get a similarly spectacular pin code. I’d book it room only, as I have no plans on going to any of the parks in the first 2 days, and won’t need the dining plan either.

I’ve also wanted to stay at POR for a while now. It’s true I equally lust after a stay at CSR, but for some reason this feels to be more of a POR trip to me. I’d book this as part of a package with 5-day base tickets and the regular dining plan.

To be totally honest, the only way this combo, and possibly even POR would be doable, would be if they offer some great discounts. Because do you know what rate season it is for the ½ marathon?

PEAK. SEASON.

It’s Peak Season because of winter vacations in February, some spring breaks through March and April vacations in, obviously April. However, from what I understand, most of the winter breaks are ending the week before I arrive. And most March breaks don’t start until the week after I leave. Meaning a fairly empty-moderate week or two in the World. But they’re certainly not going to drop their rates for a measly week to two week window. Especially when there are so many people (read: ME) willing to part with their cashola regardless of what Disney’s charging.

Now, I totally get the Disney marketing machine. I do, and for some reasons that I can’t get legally get into. And I admire it for many reasons. They are a company and they are out to make money. And they do. Lots of it. Very well. I can’t think of a single other corporation that so quickly parts me from so many of my dollars. Not one. So I have to commend Disney on a job well done on this one.

Smart, Mouse, smart.

If the rates end up being astronomical and I can’t pull off a stay with a deluxe or, heck, even a full week at a Mod, I’ll be perfectly happy in a value. But, as that’s not really what this post is about, let’s continue on with the ‘perfect stay’, shall we?

So, to recap so far, I’m staying two nights, room only, at the BC and 5nts, with tickets and DDP, at POR.

:cloud9:

But…

What will I do? What will I eat?

Well, I shall tell you that too.

Unfortunately the details of the marathon events haven’t been released yet, but these plans are based on the assumption the ½ will be on Saturday. If not, well…I have lots more days of walking to figure it out. ::yes::

Friday: Arrive on the first flight out of Providence. Check in to the hotel and head to the Wide World of Sports for my race package pick-up. Head to the GF for a late tea reservation. Back to the room to relax and an early bedtime in prep for the race.

I may have a guest staying with me for the first couple of days, but I’m not sure she wants to commit to that on the DIS as of yet, so I’ll let that be. If she doesn’t mind “outing” herself, I’m sure she’ll speak up. I also know of a few other people who have tentative plans to possibly take part in some of the events, but, again, I’ll let them “out” themselves as they see fit. :goodvibes:

Saturday: The ½ marathon in the morning. I’m anticipating needing the full 3.5 hours and then some to complete it and stick around for a bit afterwards. The afternoon plans consist of one thing:

Stormalong Bay

:woohoo:

I can only hope that it isn’t unseasonably cold.

I’d/We’d round out the day with a late dinner at Citricos (Quattro formaggi potatoes!!!) and, depending on whether or not I’m ready to pass out, some perusing of the Boardwalk.

Sunday:The word of the day for Sunday is: LEISURELY.
I won’t rush to get up in the morning, as I anticipate my body will be screaming from the exertion the day before. But I won’t stay in bed too late because Sunday will be…SPA DAY!!! I’ve visited the Spa at the GF but have wanted to visit the Mandara Spa at the Dolphin ever since I saw pictures of it. It’s SO my cup of tea. I already have my treatments picked out and everything.

After the spa, I’ll likely check out of BC and head on over to POR to check in. Get into the room if I can and check out the resort. Slowly. Perhaps just faster than the pace of molasses running uphill in January in Toronto. Leisurely. Enjoying every single second of it!

In the evening I’ll head to Epicot for dinner at Rose & Crown, another first for me. I really have no plans to tour at all. Only to arrive just before a later ADR, possibly late enough to include Illuminations, and eat dinner. Slowly. Leisurely.

Monday-Thursday: Park days! I’m allocating one full day for each park. Though park hours aren’t out yet so I don’t know where I’ll be when, I do know where I’ll be eating the rest of my TS credits:

MK: Cinderella’s Royal Table (dinner) – another first!
Epicot: San Angel Inn (dinner) – repeat!
AK: Yak and Yeti – repeat!

I have my CS choices picked out too but I have to save something for later. ;)

Friday: Departure day. :(

Really, is there a more depressing combination of two words?

The plan is to be on a late flight home, possibly the last one. That allows plenty of time for Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD for breakfast, shopping, and then beignets at POFQ before hopping on my ME bus to the airport.

The only things not worked into these plans are potential DISmeets. But that’s a wait-and-see kind of things and these plans are just best guesses based on my random musings on any given morning at 5:15 a.m. when I’m halfway through my walk and wondering if it’s time to turn around and head for home yet. LOL!

That’s where we’re at folks. Big Disney dreams! I was really hoping to have one more chapter for you before we headed out on vacation, but we’re leaving in less than 12 hours and, frankly, I’m beat. Tired. Run down. Overwhelmed.

I look forward to the day I just feel whelmed.

So, this is it. I’ll be back home on the 6th and hopefully will have an update for you shortly thereafter. I wish you all a happy and safe 4th of July filled with family, friends, fun and fireworks.!

:flower3:

[LegoMom3]

Love your planning! I would SO love to do this!! I can do a 16-minute mile, I know I can! (I'm just not sure how many of them I can do in a row right now....:lmao:).

But you killed me with the two 2nd-worst words in the world: Peak Season. (but without a doubt "departure day" wins hands down....:sad2:).

*sigh*.......:sad1:

Well, never say never I guess. Might have to do a bit more research on this one!

Have a great time in TN!!......and don't get lost in StuffMart.:rolleyes:

.

[TarzansKat]

Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are on ABC Family tonight/this weekend.


I know! How excited was I to happen upon Edward Scissorhands last night? :goodvibes


I can't believe it's already been a year since he passed! :(

It's so sad, but I love all the restrospectives on TV. I've been able to catch some music videos I haven't seen since I was a kid. :thumbsup2

DUDE! An update before you leave? I'm so stoked!



Because there’s not much else to do while you’re walking than think. :goodvibes:

On a side note, this is one of the reasons I love walking / exercising so much. It is that unencumbered time to think...and the adrenalin rush...that I'm addicted to. And oddly enough, I use it as trip planning time as well. Great minds and all that. ;)


Accommodations

Split stay ahead!

2/25/10 for 2nts.: Beach Club, standard room.
2/27/10 for 5nts: Port Orleans-Riverside, standard room.

I have wanted to stay at the Beach Club since TK and I stopped at their Guest Services desk in May to check in for our homebound flights. Really, it’s Stormalong Bay that’s calling my name. I dipped a toe in it in May. It was the start of an obsession. That toe may still smell like chlorine…

:rofl

I am fully amenable to these resort plans! And to skip ahead a bit, I think that POR is a more relaxing resort for your stay, and really perfect for after the marathon. I think that CSR has a more active vibe to it, but that's just me.


I may have a guest staying with me for the first couple of days, but I’m not sure she wants to commit to that on the DIS as of yet, so I’ll let that be. If she doesn’t mind “outing” herself, I’m sure she’ll speak up. I also know of a few other people who have tentative plans to possibly take part in some of the events, but, again, I’ll let them “out” themselves as they see fit. :goodvibes:

:lmao:

Alright, I'll do it. I've outed myself about so many other things: obsessive love of Jack Sparrow, addiction to Casey's Hot Dogs (and ALL that that entails), preservation through poncho wear, I might as well say it loud and proud.

I hope to join Tink and see her cross the finish line. Since I'll be about 6-7 months post partum, it's not realistic for me to join in on the race, but dagnabit, I want to be there! Logistically, I'm having trouble working it out for a lot of "life" reasons, but the general idea is to be there for a least a couple of days and see my girl accomplish her goal.

DH is totally on board with my saddling him with the kiddos for a weekend, but there are some other major decisions for the TK clan that may be coming to fruition in the not too distant future, which only time will tell.

However, I can tell you without hesitancy that if my mom were still alive, she'd have already booked everything, and would be the first person waiting at the finish line. :goodvibes And in the spirit of taking what I have from her death, and focusing on what's really important in life (even if it is peak season ;)) I'd like to be there.


Stormalong Bay

:woohoo:

I can only hope that it isn’t unseasonably cold.

I don't give a flying you know what if it's unseasonably cold, if I'm there, we're going in! Think of it like the rain on the first night of our May trip. :lmao:


I’d/We’d round out the day with a late dinner at Citricos (Quattro formaggi potatoes!!!) and, depending on whether or not I’m ready to pass out, some perusing of the Boardwalk.

I'm seriously debating ordering just potatoes. Is that wrong?

Um, yes, I'd like the Quattro Formaggi Potatoes. No, no entree, just potatoes, thank you very much. Now what do you have for dessert? :lmao:


Sunday:The word of the day for Sunday is: LEISURELY.
I won’t rush to get up in the morning, as I anticipate my body will be screaming from the exertion the day before. But I won’t stay in bed too late because Sunday will be…SPA DAY!!! I’ve visited the Spa at the GF but have wanted to visit the Mandara Spa at the Dolphin ever since I saw pictures of it. It’s SO my cup of tea. I already have my treatments picked out and everything.

I am really interested to see how you like this spa and how it compares the the GF. I know they have a lot more treatments available, and I think this is a great way for you to pamper yourself after the marathon. :thumbsup2

I love the rest of your plans as well. This is shaping up to be a great trip for you, and I'm really excited about it. :goodvibes

[Lady Lallie]

What a great "perfectly planned" trip you have going on in your mind.

I find that when I'm walking I think about Disney too. It helps me stay motivated for sure. :thumbsup2

Ahhhh, Riverside. Not that I have stayed there yet but I spent lots of time there in January and I find the vibe so very relaxing which will be great for after you race. :thumbsup2

[MRYPPNS]

It may be peak season that week but the crowd calendar is calling for mostly 1's and 2's! (down from a 9 on Marathon Saturday). I'm praying for a pin for that week :worship:


And YES, there WILL BE DISmeets !!! :yay:

[TarzansKat]

And YES, there WILL BE DISmeets !!! :yay:

What are your dates?

[All7OfUs]

What an ideal (did you hear me- I said IDEAL!) trip you have planned out! I especially like the "leisurely" day you have planned for the after-race-day. Spa treatments are EXACTLY the ticket!! I'd be very interested in seeing what you end up doing- I'm still on the fence on whether to do it or not...

You are definitely not the only one to trip plan while walking. The bigger part of my trip was formulated around the track! Memorizing the order of my ADRs, recounting my souvie picks, all that essential stuff....

[If U Had Wings]

All of your plans sound great. I hate though that they are having this during peak season. :sad2: I so want to go for the Princess, but it's going to depend on the kind of rates they are offering. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Pollito916]

Alright, I'll do it. I've outed myself about so many other things: obsessive love of Jack Sparrow, addiction to Casey's Hot Dogs (and ALL that that entails), preservation through poncho wear, I might as well say it loud and proud.

I hope to join Tink and see her cross the finish line. Since I'll be about 6-7 months post partum, it's not realistic for me to join in on the race, but dagnabit, I want to be there!

I had a feeling it might be you ;) So, you don't think 6-7 months post-partum is realistic? I was hoping to do it, and I would only be about 5 months pp, with 8 weeks of that recovery from a c-section, so only about 3 months of training....how long do most people train for a 1/2 marathon? I have never done anything like that before and am not really a runner, but I was hoping it would motivate me to get back in shape quickly.....I may need to think about this some more.....

[If U Had Wings]

They usually have a 5K too, so if your not quite up to 13.1 miles it's always an option. It would make a nice brisk walking choice.

[TarzansKat]

I had a feeling it might be you ;) So, you don't think 6-7 months post-partum is realistic? I was hoping to do it, and I would only be about 5 months pp, with 8 weeks of that recovery from a c-section, so only about 3 months of training....how long do most people train for a 1/2 marathon? I have never done anything like that before and am not really a runner, but I was hoping it would motivate me to get back in shape quickly.....I may need to think about this some more.....

Let me be more specific. ;)

I don't think it's a realistic goal for me. I know my body, and I am not a runner. I've never been good at it. I can walk for miles and miles with no ill effect, but running is not my tink. So for me to get to the point where I can do a half marathon, it's going to take a lot. Truthfully, I'd like to give myself about a year. And I haven't been able to maintain an exercise regimen during this pregnancy, so I'd like to get back into my normal routines as well before I try something new.

And I'd love to do the 5K they run during the Halloween season. That one sounds like too much fun and might be a nice way to whet my appetite so to speak.

[MRYPPNS]

What are your dates?


We should be arriving the evening of Sunday Feb. 27th and leaving in the afternoon on Monday 3/7. We are driving. god. help. us.

[Pollito916]

Let me be more specific. ;)

I don't think it's a realistic goal for me. I know my body, and I am not a runner. I've never been good at it. I can walk for miles and miles with no ill effect, but running is not my tink. So for me to get to the point where I can do a half marathon, it's going to take a lot. Truthfully, I'd like to give myself about a year. And I haven't been able to maintain an exercise regimen during this pregnancy, so I'd like to get back into my normal routines as well before I try something new.

And I'd love to do the 5K they run during the Halloween season. That one sounds like too much fun and might be a nice way to whet my appetite so to speak.

I see. Since I've never attempted anything like a marathon before, I think I'll have to take it one day at a time to be safe, and probably wouldn't be able to commit to anything until I see how my training is progressing, so probably not until at least January, which may make reservations and such un-doable (is that a word?). Oh well, I'm still going to try and maybe be there in spirit - if not 2012 it is! :woohoo:

[TarzansKat]

We should be arriving the evening of Sunday Feb. 27th and leaving in the afternoon on Monday 3/7. We are driving. god. help. us.

So, there's an excellent possibility I can see you. That's wonderful! :goodvibes

And good luck on that driving thing. I know it's the right choice for you, but the thought makes me cringe.

I see. Since I've never attempted anything like a marathon before, I think I'll have to take it one day at a time to be safe, and probably wouldn't be able to commit to anything until I see how my training is progressing, so probably not until at least January, which may make reservations and such un-doable (is that a word?). Oh well, I'm still going to try and maybe be there in spirit - if not 2012 it is! :woohoo:

I just wouldn't push yourself too hard after having a baby. Everybody recovers differently and at their own pace. I'm very big on not conforming to societal expectations on that one, which is why I plan to take the full 16 weeks of FMLA leave that I'm allotted. Plenty of time for my body to heal up and for us to establish a "normal" (ha ha) routine.

I'm not sure how late is too late to reserve a spot in the race, I know they're opening up registration in July, but I don't know if there's a specific cut off date. I would imagine once they hit a certain amount of runners?

[If U Had Wings]

I'm not sure how late is too late to reserve a spot in the race, I know they're opening up registration in July, but I don't know if there's a specific cut off date. I would imagine once they hit a certain amount of runners?

You just have to watch the Disney Endurance website. When the race reaches 50% capacity, they will start posting how full it is. Until it reaches 50% they don't put anything on it at all. I don't think the Princess filled up until Jan. or Feb. last year. It's really the January ones that fill up pretty quickly.

[pooh'smate]

We are driving. god. help. us.

The one and only time I have ever been to WDW we drove. It wasn't just my family either. We drove down from Maine to Florida in one conversion van with our pastors family. There were 4 in my family and 8 in theirs. So we had 8 kids ranging in age from 2 to 17 and 4 adults. :scared1: Oh and by the way the pastors wife was 7 months pregnant at the time. I don't know what the adults were thinking but we all have great memories of that trip.

[Pollito916]

You just have to watch the Disney Endurance website. When the race reaches 50% capacity, they will start posting how full it is. Until it reaches 50% they don't put anything on it at all. I don't think the Princess filled up until Jan. or Feb. last year. It's really the January ones that fill up pretty quickly.

Thanks for the info! :thumbsup2

[DisneyRiah]

And hey, I'm actually heading to your neck of the woods this weekend! Road tripping to see my BFs family in southern TN.

Hope you've had a good vacation down here...you guys probably timed it just right because the heat down here has been unbearable lately and it has just now cooled down to somewhat normal temps. We've all been wondering who turned up the temperature on the sun. LOL :)

[TarzansKat]

Hey, folks!

Tink had planned to update today, but unfortunately, is having to limit her typing. She took a bit of a spill and may have a sprained thumb in addition to a swollen right knee.

She's doing okay, but just not up to par, and wanted me to let you know. Let's send her some pixiedust: so she feels better soon!

[All7OfUs]

One dose of :wizard: coming right up!! Tink, hope you feel better really soon!!!

[Tinkerbellarella]

Love your planning! I would SO love to do this!! I can do a 16-minute mile, I know I can! (I'm just not sure how many of them I can do in a row right now....:lmao:).

Yeah, that's about where I'm at myself. :goodvibes

But you killed me with the two 2nd-worst words in the world: Peak Season.

There are discounts for those partaking but, let me tell you, it's still a tough pill to swallow, I know.

Have a great time in TN!!......and don't get lost in StuffMart.:rolleyes:.

We only went twice. And one of those times someone was giving away free puppies in the parking lot. FREE! I begged BF with my eyes and it almost endeared me to the Mart...well their parking lot, at least. ;)

It's so sad, but I love all the restrospectives on TV. I've been able to catch some music videos I haven't seen since I was a kid. :thumbsup2

BF and I jammed out to some MJ in the car. Twice. Good times. :thumbsup2

On a side note, this is one of the reasons I love walking / exercising so much. It is that unencumbered time to think...and the adrenalin rush...that I'm addicted to. And oddly enough, I use it as trip planning time as well. Great minds and all that. ;)

Perhaps if I'd have been planning less in my head I wouldn't have taken a tumble yesterday...sigh.

Alright, I'll do it. I've outed myself about so many other things: obsessive love of Jack Sparrow, addiction to Casey's Hot Dogs (and ALL that that entails), preservation through poncho wear, I might as well say it loud and proud.

I hope to join Tink and see her cross the finish line. Since I'll be about 6-7 months post partum, it's not realistic for me to join in on the race, but dagnabit, I want to be there!

And sweet Pete, I SO want you there. :goodvibes

However, I can tell you without hesitancy that if my mom were still alive, she'd have already booked everything, and would be the first person waiting at the finish line. :goodvibes

I'll be thinking of Momma every step of the way.

Think of it like the rain on the first night of our May trip. :lmao:

Oh, so you'er saying my first visit to SAB should be...apocolyptic?! :rotfl:

I'm seriously debating ordering just potatoes. Is that wrong?

You're asking the wrong gal that question.

Um, yes, I'd like the Quattro Formaggi Potatoes. No, no entree, just potatoes, thank you very much. Now what do you have for dessert? :lmao:

Reason #587 why you're awesomeness embodied.

I find that when I'm walking I think about Disney too. It helps me stay motivated for sure. :thumbsup2

Just watch where you're putting your feet...more on that in an upcoming post.

Ahhhh, Riverside. Not that I have stayed there yet but I spent lots of time there in January and I find the vibe so very relaxing which will be great for after you race. :thumbsup2

Well, all of the race weekend details are up, as well as the rates :scared1: so I'll be spending more time at POR than I originally planned...and I'm perfectly ok with that. ::yes::

It may be peak season that week but the crowd calendar is calling for mostly 1's and 2's! (down from a 9 on Marathon Saturday). I'm praying for a pin for that week :worship:

You and me both!

And YES, there WILL BE DISmeets !!! :yay:

:woohoo:

I especially like the "leisurely" day you have planned for the after-race-day. Spa treatments are EXACTLY the ticket!! I'd be very interested in seeing what you end up doing- I'm still on the fence on whether to do it or not...

The spa day was the very first thing that I knew I'd do for sure when I started thinking about this trip.

Me? A princess?

Never. ;)

All of your plans sound great. I hate though that they are having this during peak season. :sad2: I so want to go for the Princess, but it's going to depend on the kind of rates they are offering. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Yeah, the rates are pretty gross, even with the race "discount". I'm going to have to switch things up a bit and play the wait and see game until they release any other discounts they might offer.

We are driving. god. help. us.

Having just spent 21 hours in the car over two days, twice, in one week, I feel your pain. And we were sans children (in our car, anyway).

The one and only time I have ever been to WDW we drove. It wasn't just my family either. We drove down from Maine to Florida in one conversion van with our pastors family. There were 4 in my family and 8 in theirs. So we had 8 kids ranging in age from 2 to 17 and 4 adults. :scared1: Oh and by the way the pastors wife was 7 months pregnant at the time. I don't know what the adults were thinking but we all have great memories of that trip.

Holy. Cow.

Hope you've had a good vacation down here...you guys probably timed it just right because the heat down here has been unbearable lately and it has just now cooled down to somewhat normal temps. We've all been wondering who turned up the temperature on the sun. LOL :)

We had a fanTAStic time in your neck of the woods. I'll be posting a little mini-update today, I hope.

One dose of :wizard: coming right up!! Tink, hope you feel better really soon!!!

Feeling better today, just sore and stiff.


Folks, I'm hoping to give you a little update today on my TN trip and my, er, accidents yesterday. I'll also be doing an update, probably tomorrow or Thursday, on the amended trip plans, now that the schedule for the race weekend is posted and it's different from what I thought it would be.

:flower3:

[All7OfUs]

Looking forward to it, Tink!

[Lady Lallie]

Can't wait to hear all the details!!! :woohoo:

[TarzansKat]

There are at least 587 reasons why I'm awesomeness embodied?

I'm feeling super special all of a sudden. :blush:

[Tinkerbellarella]

There are at least 587 reasons why I'm awesomeness embodied?

I'm feeling super special all of a sudden. :blush:

Oh no, my friend. You've got it all wrong.

There are thousands of reasons why you're awesomness embodied. That just happens to be reason # 587. :goodvibes

[If U Had Wings]

Was that an "accidents" plural I saw????

What in the world are you doing to yourself Ms Tink? :scared1:

[TarzansKat]

Oh no, my friend. You've got it all wrong.

There are thousands of reasons why you're awesomness embodied. That just happens to be reason # 587. :goodvibes

Let the love fest begin!

I could seriously use the ego boost right now, believe me!

I feel like Jafar in Aladdin. "Tell me more about.....myself." :lmao:

[Tinkerbellarella]

NOTE: The same update is being posted on both of my PTRs.

I've never been of the mind that the ONLY vacation is a Disney vacation. I enjoy every waking (and sleeping) second in the World, but I can also see the benefits of NOT spending time with the Mouse.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.

Besides, as a child I didn't have the opportunity to fall in love with the 'Disney trip ever year' mentality. Because, frankly, I went twice in the first 13 years of life. We didn't grow up with a lot of money in our house and so the two trips with my grandparents were truly treats. Instead, vacations were spent skiing in the winter (I could write a book solely about the now-hysterical family trips North) and either doing day trips or a week in the Lakes Region of NH in the summer. With a trip to Six Flags in NJ, Cedar Point in Sandusky or to Riverside in Agawam (NOSixFlags) thrown into the mix for variety.

So, whenever talk turns to vacation in the Tinkerbellarella household, I rarely think Disney when it comes to vacations that BF and I take together. And not just because he's been a proud, card-carrying member of the Anti-Disney Man Society. We simply usually end up doing lots of day trips. We've gone to see Cirque du Soleil shows. We've gone to NH. We've done Busch Gardens, Williamsburg. Last year was the Land in FL NOT belonging to the Mick. We've tried twice to go to Six Flags NJ but the first time got nixed because my car needed 4 new tires. The second time BF's car died. We're beginning to think we aren't supposed to ever go there together. Like, ever.

This year obviously became the Year of the Mouse in regards to one of our vacations, but what to do with the other 3? (BF and I have AWESOME time-off benefits. I get six weeks a year. He gets MORE THAN THAT. Jerk. Sometimes.) Our April vacation was spent dilly dallying around the house and doing day trips. It was wonderfully relaxing. And decided upon only because, well, we couldn't decide what to do. Not to mention the June/July and August vacations that were still up in the air.

We'd been tossing around, for some time, visiting BF's family in TN. If by some time you mean for two years. This year was the year it needed to happen. Yes, needed. BF's family history is fairly complex so here's the watered down, 18-minute sitcom without commercials version:

BF's father is one of 10 kiddos, some biological, some not. BF's grandfather is a self-made very wealthy person. But you'd never know it. They aren't overboard extravagant. He and his wife also have the biggest hearts I've ever seen. They'd had 6 kids of their own. When those kids were old enough, they decided they wanted to give some little boy a chance he'd never otherwise have. When they turned up at the orphanage, the nun in charge said she had the perfect little man for them, only there was a problem...he had two brothers. BF's grandmother (we call her Memere - pronounced "mem-ay" for the non-French) took one look and said, "Well then we'll just take all three of them." They then were surprised with one more daughter later in life. I could write reams of stories I've heard from BF's childhood and from his uncles' childhoods - hysterical, exciting, heartwarming, etc. For most of BF's life they lived here in SE MA. When he was in HS they bought and worked a 600 acre cattle/horse ranch in KY. Then they moved to FL and lived near Cocoa. Now they're on a 120 acre ranch in TN. And though it's been a charmed life it hasn't been without difficulty and heartache. Namely, in 2002 they lost their youngest daughter after a 4 year battle with lymphoma. She was my age. And now, BF's grandfather (Pepere - "pep-ay") is ill. This is a man who has lived more life in 82 years than some people could fit in THREE lifetimes. Knowing that his time might actually be winding down, it was simply TIME. BF hadn't seen them in 5 years.

So, we worked out the time (our June vacation: 6/27-7/5), who we'd travel with (BF's brother, SIL and their two girls) and how we'd get there (21 hours in two cars over 2 days). I won't lie. I was nervous. It would be the first time in our entire 12 years of knowing each other that I'd be spending significant time with this part of his family. And by family, I mean his grandparents and 3 of his aunts and uncles, all of the cousins (there are a lot), all of whom live in TN, and one of his uncles that was coming up to visit from FL. It was a little overwhelming.

Would they like me? Really like me? Even if I'm a self-proclaimed city princess and not the least bit a farm girl? Even if I'm a Yankee who likes Obama? Even if my idea of the perfect afternoon is being comfortably curled up with a good book and some sunshine and not racing around in the dirt on a four-wheeler?

Needless. Worrying.

This was one of the most wonderful vacations we've ever spent together. I could right a 28 chapter trip report to cover everything, but I'm not going to, so here are the highlights:

*21 hours in the car, even over 2 days, could be considered torture in some countries. BF and I considered it 21 hours of quality time with each other. And it was. Even the small hissy fit that was had by someone (if by someone you mean ME) somewhere on the NJ Turnpike because really, could they make that road any more difficult for my GPS to figure out??? We dubbed that our 10 minutes of "team building" exercises. Apparently I win the jobs of "team crier" and "team F-bomb dropper". The most beautiful part of the ride was driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains just South of Roanoke, VA, just after dawn as the mist was slowly creeping out of the valleys. Getting to eat at a Golden Corral also rocked. We heart Golden Corral. The worst part of the ride, other than the fact that I got the muscle cramp of the century on the way back, was the number of dead deer on the side of the highway. 16 on the way down. 3 on the way back. And yes, we counted, mostly because it brings me to tears.

*Bucksnort, TN. We're going to retire there. Because when I saw the exit sign, I just KNEW I was always meant to live in a town called Bucksnort.

*BF's grandparents were simply the best part of the trip for me. I can't say enough about them. They are just wonderful. I heard so many stories, learned so much about them (and myself!) and BF and not once did I feel uncomfortable. His Memere, in particular, touched my heart. We shared so many heart-to-hearts and private thoughts and laughs and tears. Ugh, I'm getting all choked up. I'm not ashamed to say that I shed tears the morning we left. I miss them like they are my own flesh and blood. And apparently they would miss us too. Memere called us 4 hours after we got in the car. And then at the end of our first driving day. And again the next day.

*BF's uncles and aunts. Any questions as to why BF is the way he is or where he gets certain tendencies from were answered in 5 short days. These are people who work hard and play hard. They love fiercely and fight loudly. Oh, and they love to tease. Believe me, I never heard the end of it when they discovered I was afraid of riding the four-wheeler. I DID do it. Once. And screamed the whole way. When BF finally pulled it to a stop in front of the house and I removed my claws from his abdomen he turned his head and said, "You do realize we never even did 30mph right?"

*The July 3rd 4th of July Celebration. Because we would be leaving at 6 a.m. on the 4th to begin our trip home, we had the 4th of July on the 3rd. Complete with lots of food (ribs, steaks, burgers, hot dogs, salad with ingredients fresh from the garden), a bonfire, karaoke, s'mores, sparklers and...FIREWORKS. They aren't legal here in MA but down there they sell them out of tents every few hundred feet on the side of the road. Almost $2K was spent on fireworks. And I'm talking the professional grade stuff. Our display (which was done safely and only by sober adults) rivaled that of anything I've ever seen outside of the World. BF and I were actually standing a good ways apart from the family, tending the bonfire, watching them go off together. Very romantical. I can honestly say at that moment in time I was completely enamored with where I was and who I am and who I was with.

*Watermelon. Sold off the back of people's pick-up trucks. For $3 for a WHOLE watermelon. I'm surprised my mouth isn't permanently stained pink. NOM!

*BF's uncle's dog Sprocket. I won't lie. I tried to smuggle him into the packed car. Part pitbull and part rat terrier, this was the most loveable, brave and intelligent dog I've ever met.

*Watching "The Hangover" with BF's uncle and cousins. As NOTHING in that move is DIS-appropriate, I won't say much. For those of you who have seen it, I can say that it was made even more hilarious when Pepere walked in at the exact moment Ken Jeong launched himself out of the trunk. Awkward!

*Sonic. Why doesn't New England have more Sonics??? I think the closest one to me is in Pembroke. Too far. :(

*Sitting on the front porch and watching the bats dive-bombing the mosquitos and beetles as twilight settled. Then watching the day really give way into the night with the arrival of the fireflies.

*Driving 45 minutes to have dinner and see a movie. Because really, that's the closest "city". And it certainly wasn't a "city" by my standards (think Providence and Boston). They considered it a city because it had more than 1 set of stoplights. It just really opened my eyes to another way of life. Time passes differently, different things are important, and movies are CHEAP! It cost us $16.50 to see a 7:00 p.m. showing of The Last Airbender. That would've cost us $22 at home! But seriously, the simplicity of life there was refreshing.

*The free puppies outside Wal-Mart. We almost brought one home. If I'd brought out the big guns (read: my big, round, pleading baby-blue "PLEASE" stare), our household would be +1 at the moment. But frankly I was scared to think of 21 hours in the car with an 8 week old pup. ::shiver:: The whole experience almost endeared me to Wal-Mart.........'s parking lot. Other than that, the two visits we had to make there were like Chinese water torture. I was more interested in trying to procure everything we needed from the local Piggly Wiggly. Seriously? They carry your groceries to your car for you. I thought BF's head was going to pop with embarrasment.

*Every single time Memere slapped BF upside the head. She does it to everyone (gently) and I began to recognize it as LOVE. LOL

*"Visiting" 11 states (though we were in the car for almost all of them). Some I'd been through many times (MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ). Some were completely new (PA, MD, WV, VA, TN, MS). And for those of you wondering, we were in MS to see the movie and have dinner. The town where BF's family live is at the very bottom of the state, 2 hours from Nashville and 2 hours from Memphis and only 45 min. from MS and AL. (ZZUB, we "Roll Tide'd" in the car just for you when we saw the sign for Alabama!)

Oh my gosh, I just realized there is SO MUCH MORE I could write, but this has already become a much bigger animal than I'd anticipated. And I still want to share with you my H-E-DoubleHockeySticks day yesterday. So, to sum up, there is NOTHING about this trip I would've changed except to have made it longer. I'm SO GLAD we went, on a million levels. And personally so grateful that BF got to have that time with his Pepere.

Now, this post was supposed to have gone up yesterday. But yesterday had other plans. And I, in retrospect, was not a fan.

I'd had a really busy week. We returned to work the day after coming home and catch-up has been crazy-busy. We had a fairly full weekend as well. As a matter of fact, today is my first day even opening the DISBoards page. I was looking forward to some semblance of normal yesterday.

Ha.

I started the day with a walk, part of my training for the 1/2 Marathon next February. And took a spill. A painful, bloody spill. There is a house on our street that is, well, not well kept. The people that own it have an asphalt driveway but, for some reason unbeknownst to me, they always have gravel spilling out of the bottom of their driveway onto the sidewalk and into the street. Big gravel, not the tiny, sandy stuff. Actual rocks. I'm always careful when I walk by there. Yesterday, though, the gravel had my number. A stone turned just so under my foot and had my flying forward and down. My phone and keys went skidding out (cracking my phone's face...grrrr), and I land first on my right hand and knee (I'm right handed) and then skidding on my left hand and knee. I've got road rash to the nth degree on my left palm, though my left knee is only lightly bruised. My right palm, the meaty part near my thumb, landed hard right onto the sharp edge of a rock. While it didn't break the skin, I also couldn't move my thumb all that much. And today my palm is a lovely shade of lavender. My right knee got pretty scraped up and a little bruised.

Not a nice way to start the day.

After BF helped me clean up, ice my hand, convince me NOT to just go back to bed, and get ready for work (he's such a lovey...mostly) I continued my day. Where I promptly missed my train by 30 seconds and had to sit in my car for a half hour waiting for the next one.

I wish that was the end of the story.

When I finally got into the city and was walking through the outside part of the train station, I was doing so very carefully as the platforms were still wet and very slippery from the weekend's rain.

Mhmm.

I know you see where this is going.

Despite all of my care, I soon found myself hurtling toward the pavement for the second time in almost as many hours. And guess where I landed?

Yes, on my right hand and knee.

I would describe the pain as....EXPLOSIVE.

Thankfully some kind people stopped and helped me limp into the station. One woman stayed with me to make sure I was ok and she even stayed and listened as I practically incoherently babbled about how I'd already fallen once that day. She offered me cab fare to get to work when she found out I was going to walk. I thanked her but declined.

I should've taken her up on that.

While limping pathetically to work, I stopped into CVS for bandages and bacitracin. At that point I was feeling so pitiful, had just fought with BF on the phone and figured what could possibly happen next?

Figures.

NEVER THINK THAT.

And no, I didn't fall.

The CVS I was at is a very small, compact store. It's in the Financial District and really just sells the essentials. All the aisles are short and cramped. It just so happens the aisle that houses the band-aids also houses the home pregnancy tests. I reached the aisle to discover a young girl, seated on the floor in front of the tests, crying hysterically and babbling away in Spanish to someone on her cell phone, boxes all over the floor in front of her.

And guess who needs to ask her to move?

Suddenly my bloody knee and swelling hand didn't seem so important.

I felt so bad as I very quietly said "Excuse me" so I could snatch up my box of "Active Wear", legal-paper-sized bandages and my bulk tube of anti-bacterial medicine.

I'm happy to report that the day went more smoothly after that and today I'm feeling much better, if still stiff and sore. And I'm ready to move forward with everything in my week. Including my PTRs. Now that I've updated you on all things non-Disney from the past two weeks or so, you should have a trip-related update in the next couple of days. I hope everyone had a fantastic 4th and is looking forward to the second half of summer. I know many of you have your own trips just passed or quickly approaching - have fun! And keep stopping in to see what's new and say hi. Lots of fun things in store....

:flower3:

[Tinkerbellarella]

Was that an "accidents" plural I saw????


AccidentS. Si.

I feel like Jafar in Aladdin. "Tell me more about.....myself." :lmao:

:rotfl: :thumbsup2

[If U Had Wings]

I'm so glad that you had such a great vacation. It sounds absolutely wonderful!

I'm convinced that accidents always fall in pairs. At least that's how mine always seem to fall. Hope your able to get lots of rest for that leg and hand!

[pooh'smate]

I am glad to hear you had a great trip.:goodvibes
I am sorry to hear about your accidents. I like IUHW believe they happen in pairs because that is how it works for me.

[Lady Lallie]

I thought I responded to this yesterday. I did in my head anyways. :rotfl2:

Sounds like you had a fabulous time in TN! I would love a warm fuzzy Family vacation like that, kwim? Those are good times.

I'm sorry about your accidents. It just wasn't you day to be walking. ;)

[Tinkerbellarella]

Hey all!

I'll be updating soon. I'm just waiting to get my final ok's at work for the time off and then I'll be calling to register for the race and make my initial travel reservations. There have been some changes but I'll fill you all in once things are more definite.

In the meantime, the training and the weight loss are going well! :thumbsup2

Sit tight!

(And happy Tuesday!)

:flower3:

[Tinkerbellarella]

Question, question who's got a question?

:wave2:

I do.

I've had some ideas rolling around in my head about accommodations for this trip and so my question is this...

Have any of you rented or know someone who's rented DVC points?

I'm looking for any and all info. you might have. I've been poking around on the DVC Rent/Trade boards and made a rather interesting discovery with regards to pricing for this trip. Namely, I could stay in a studio at AKV for the week for less than a Mod, at the current point prices. I could even stay at VWL for less, but AK is an official race resort, which was why I was honed in there.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

:flower3:

[All7OfUs]

I wish I could help you out here, Tink, but can't. However, being as in the dark as you, I'd love to see the answers that come in, as well!! This sounds very intriguing indeed!!!

[Tinkerbellarella]

I wish I could help you out here, Tink, but can't. However, being as in the dark as you, I'd love to see the answers that come in, as well!! This sounds very intriguing indeed!!!

I'll try to share what I learn here.

Gee...if only one of my readers would buy DVC so I could rent from them...sigh. Get on that guys!

:rotfl:

Kidding, of course.

Now...off to stalk the DVC boards.

[Pollito916]

I rented DVC points from someone on the DVC boards here, about 5 years ago. It was a good experience for me. I think I paid 1/2 up front when she made the reservation (with my room requests), then 1/2 a month later or so.

[trixiequilts]

We rented points for our last trip and LOVED it. I found someone here on the Rent/Trade boards who was wonderful to work with. I was very nervous about doing it at first.

There IS risk involved and I would absolutely demand a contract of some sort. But the deals that can be had are amazing! We stayed at AKL and paid significantly less than a moderate would have been, especially when you add in the taxes that you pay when booking a mod through CRO.

I think I gave him a $200 deposit when he booked the room and the rest of it at a later time.

The only reason we aren't doing it for our next trip is because free dining is being offered and that saves us more than renting points does. But it was a tough decision!

If you have more questions, feel free to ask. Good luck!

[Tinkerbellarella]

I had been waiting to post any updates until I had something to report.

I have something to report.

SomethingS, actually.

Like that I got the go-ahead to take this time off from work.

Like that the room is booked.

Like that said room is not the room I once thought I was going to be booking.

Like that I'll be registering for the 1/2 once I get paid this month.

Like that BF said on Saturday night, "If I could get the time off I would love to go with you and see you cross the finish line."

:faint:

Sorry, I have to pick myself up off the floor every time I relive that sentence. BF volunteering to go to Disney. And last night he volunteered for a THIRD trip.

:faint:

We haven't even left for the FIRST one yet!

:faint:

I'm beginning to explore the theory that perhaps one of us has been abducted by aliens (BF) OR that one of us is living in an alternate reality (ME).

Un.Be.Liev.Able.

So, this weekend I got the ok to take the time off in February. We're a small group and normally can take vacas without too much of an issue, but given the race registration is non-refundable I wanted to be 100% sure no one was going to take issue with my taking 6 days out of work in February/March. It's not exactly our slow time, but not our busiest either.

The next item on the agenda was the room situation. Originally I wanted to do 3 nights at BC and the remainder of the stay at POR. Even guessing at the room rates and pricing it out was a stretch on the budget. Then I got the listing of the "race rates" on the resorts considered "race resorts" (all All Stars, POR/POFQ, CBR, Poly & AKL) and could tell just by the "discount" being offered that I was low-balling my "dream" stay. Which made my budget groan that much louder.

2011 rate hike + Peak season = Suckiness for Tinkerbellarella's accommodations plan

Back to the drawing board.

Or, rather, to the DVC Rent/Trade boards where an idea was hatched.

I've always like the idea of AKL. I don't care that it's the only Deluxe with all bus service and no alternative. I don't care that, relatively speaking, it's remote. I don't care that it's huge. I was just really sold on the authenticity and the uniqueness of the resort. Was it my dream resort? No. Only the Poly can fill those shoes. But it was on the list of resorts I wanted to try.

So, I asked around and then got "a heading" as our sweet TK would put it, on where I could reasonably and reliably rent some points for said trip. I contacted the DISer (who I'll leave nameless for now) and after trading some PM's she agreed to check availability for me today.

I am now the proud "owner" of the following reservation:

2/25/11-3/5/11
Value Studio in Jambo House at AKL

:woohoo:

For the whole week, a studio villa at a deluxe hotel is costing me less than the race rate on a standard room at a value resort.

I think I can be ok with that. ::yes::

If TK comes for a bit, the room has a Queen and a pull-out sofa. If BF AND TK come, we'll be one big happy family. Also, TK will fully understand what it's like to deal with a chipper BF first thing in the morning. It's a skill that even I am yet to master. But to have TWO of my favorite people in the world (and the World) waiting for me at the finish line? PRICELESS.

I guess more than half of the value studios have savannah views and the remaining are split between pool view and standard view and it's pretty much luck of the draw at check-in. I'll obviously be crossing my fingers for the savannah but I really think I'll be happy with whatever. I did a bit more research and learned that the fitness center at the resort also offers some spa treatments but I'm thinking I'm still going to do the Mandara Spa at the Dolphin.

Once the dining plans for 2011 are announced I'll add that on. I'm still undecided on that front. Rumors abound about Disney making the plans less attractive. Also, it'll depend on whether BF is serious and he goes. If he does we'll have to take a look at how we make out using the DxDP in Sept. and take it from there. I'm even tossing around the idea of doing it anyway and booking lots of signature restaurants. We'll see, we'll see.

I'll also set up ME once I have my flights booked. As AKL is a race hotel I also won't have to worry about organizing transportation to/from the events. I'll be purchasing my park tix separately. I've even been toying with the idea of getting them NOW with the No Expiration option to avoid the rate hike but don't know if I could swing that.

And with regards to the race itself, given that I have to send out a deposit to the DISer renting me the points, I'll be registering for that after I get paid later this month. My next update will be with some info. on how training has been going and what's in store in the future.

So, that's about it. I think I've covered everything I set out to.

Yay for another item checked off the list for solidifying this trip!

:flower3:

[trixiequilts]

YAY for renting points at AKV! :love: I never considered the value studio and wish I had. Can your DVC owner request a non-parking lot view on your reservation? The pool views are lovely, and of course, the savannah views speak for themselves.

BF and TK there for you at the finish? What could be better than that? :goodvibes

[Lady Lallie]

I'm so happy that the points renting has worked out for you!

I'm very excited that both BF and TK might be there cheering you on. :goodvibes

[If U Had Wings]

I'm so excited for you. Your going to love the AKL! I stayed there back in 2003 and just loved it. It may be a bit more isolated, but you really get a wonderful feeling of getting away from it all. I'm convinced they have some of the best bus service too. They don't share with anyone else. I don't ever remember having to wait too long for a bus.

[jenjolt]

YAY for getting a studio at AKV that is totally cool!!!! So excited!!! I'm looking forward to my first opportunity at renting points!

BF and TK coming to cheer you on!! That would be awesome!!!

[pooh'smate]

I am so excited that you were able to rent points. It would be so nice for you to have BF and TK cheering you on.

[TarzansKat]

Thinking of the three of us in a room together is exciting and scary all at the same time. :lmao:

I'm still up in the air on my plans, but only because of Squirt. I guess basically what I'm trying to decide right now is if I'll go alone, if I'll bring him with me (in which case we'd get our own room and not put you through that experience :lmao:), or if I'll make a family trip out of it. So many possibilities, and really only time will tell.

I'm excited that you're staying at AKL. I think you're going to love it for this trip, and it's the right choice. :thumbsup2

[Tinkerbellarella]

YAY for renting points at AKV! :love: I never considered the value studio and wish I had. Can your DVC owner request a non-parking lot view on your reservation? The pool views are lovely, and of course, the savannah views speak for themselves.


I might be able to ahead of time but I've done well just leaving it to "fate" so I may just leave it at that.

BF and TK there for you at the finish? What could be better than that? :goodvibes

If they were both holding Dole Whip Floats. ;)

I'm so happy that the points renting has worked out for you!

Yes, it's been very easy so far.

I'm so excited for you. Your going to love the AKL! I stayed there back in 2003 and just loved it. It may be a bit more isolated, but you really get a wonderful feeling of getting away from it all. I'm convinced they have some of the best bus service too. They don't share with anyone else. I don't ever remember having to wait too long for a bus.

I'm looking forward to staying there. I checked out lots of pics on allearsnet and it's got me excited. I'm also thinking of possibly adding Jiko to the dining possibility lineup.

I'm looking forward to my first opportunity at renting points!

Why did I think this wasn't your first time renting points?

I am so excited that you were able to rent points. It would be so nice for you to have BF and TK cheering you on.

It really would. I know I'll cross that finish line, even if it's just me, but they would be the best kind of incentive. :goodvibes

Thinking of the three of us in a room together is exciting and scary all at the same time. :lmao:

Right?! While I think it would work out just fine, I think a lot of new 'taglines' would come from that stay! :rotfl:

I'm still up in the air on my plans, but only because of Squirt. I guess basically what I'm trying to decide right now is if I'll go alone, if I'll bring him with me (in which case we'd get our own room and not put you through that experience :lmao:), or if I'll make a family trip out of it. So many possibilities, and really only time will tell.

That last line sounds like something out of a song. LOL We'll figure it out. And if you can't make it this time for some reason, well, there's always that Halloween trip BF so brilliantly suggested. ::yes::

[TarzansKat]

That last line sounds like something out of a song. LOL We'll figure it out. And if you can't make it this time for some reason, well, there's always that Halloween trip BF so brilliantly suggested. ::yes::

I had no idea I was so lyrical. :lmao:

Speaking of the Halloween trip, I just sent you an email. :scratchin

[pooh'smate]

TK, I love your new ticker.

[TarzansKat]

TK, I love your new ticker.

Why, thank you. I believe I promised on the babnana thread that after the baby was born, I'd change my ticker to countdown to our favorite pirate.

Since, sadly, I have no idea when I'm really going to the World again. :lmao:

[pooh'smate]

Why, thank you. I believe I promised on the babnana thread that after the baby was born, I'd change my ticker to countdown to our favorite pirate.

Since, sadly, I have no idea when I'm really going to the World again. :lmao:

I think you did. It really isn't all that far away. I think those nine months will be over before we know it.

[Tinkerbellarella]

I think you did. It really isn't all that far away. I think those nine months will be over before we know it.

And it's 9 months. Like being pregnant all over again. :lmao:

[pooh'smate]

And it's 9 months. Like being pregnant all over again. :lmao:

:rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2:

[TarzansKat]

And it's 9 months. Like being pregnant all over again. :lmao:

God help me! :rotfl2:

:rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2:

:rotfl2:

[PrincessV]

Okay, I'm now caught-up here, too. :yay:

And Tink? :hug::cheer2::cool1: So many good things happening in your life lately - I'm thrilled for you! And beyond impressed with your dedication to training and running the 1/2. I've always been athletic-ish, but never have I been a runner; I truly can't imagine going that far that quickly without dying! :faint: I'm excited for you and am really looking forward to hearing all about your progress. YOU GO GIRL! :banana::banana::banana:

[creativeamanda]

Completely caught up--and I so wish I was going to cross that finish line with you. The good thing, however, is you showed me just how to approach my plan for the 2012 half marathon.

And I will so be there.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Hey guys!

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. I actually DO have a ton of stuff to post about (like flights and ADRs) but if you're following my Sept. PTR you know I've very suddenly got a lot of decisions to make about that trip. :headache: And some changes there, namely BF's sudden absence from it :sad1:, may change some things about this trip, namely BF's addition to it...or to at least part of it. But, we'll see, we don't know anythng for sure about any of that yet.

:sad2:

Once I have the September stuff figured out I promise to head right back this way and give you a MEGA update.

In the meantime, sit tight, or, if you aren't already following it, come follow my other PTR thread HERE (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2444549)!

Thanks all!

:flower3:

[TarzansKat]

:hug:

[If U Had Wings]

Hang in there Tink! :hug: I just know it will all work out in the end.

[Tinkerbellarella]

Just poking my head in here to say that the training and planning for this trip continues. Life just continues with its craziness and with my Sept. trip approaching in six short days, my mind is on other things...:banana:

Once I return from that trip, this PTR will pick up once again!

Thanks for sticking around.

:flower3:

[If U Had Wings]

Have a wonderful trip if you don't stop in until you get back. Your going to have such a wonderful relaxing trip!