(UPD 8/29) Tales of the Tweedles & Other Spazzjazzerit PHM '15 Cupcake Adventures

[debrapagliasotti]

Via Napoli...everyone looks like they had so much fun. Love all the pre race pictures! I cant wait to finally meet everyone next year at W&D! I know we will have a great time!!

 

[Tinker326]

Ahhh, you are moving to fast for me! Well, now I have to get my a$$ in gear and do a recap of my wonderful (insert eye roll.. oh wait, I can insert eye roll... ) 1/2 experience.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Ahhh, you are moving to fast for me! Well, now I have to get my a$$ in gear and do a recap of my wonderful (insert eye roll.. oh wait, I can insert eye roll... ) 1/2 experience.

I would slow down but undoubtedly when I finish the race recap I'll get busy again and then not update for a month, so I have to do it while I'm on a roll! Don't feel rushed!

 

[jdd]

So excited for your half recap!!! I keep looking for myself in your pictures - I mean, there were only 18,000 or so of us there, why wouldn't I be in your pictures

This just completely brings back all the excitement and happiness of that race for me - thanks!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Karen's PHM Recap (Part 3)

Finally running on part 3!

We decided before we started that we would just run the first mile or so and then fall into 4/1 intervals once it thinned out. I don't actually remember it being too crowded, but part of that is because we stayed back a bit. I don't remember a ton about the first couple miles, but I do remember that I realized Cammy runs faster than me! I knew she was a bit speedier, but I did remember wondering if I would be able to keep up the pace for the whole race! Luckily it wasn't an issue once we started 4/1, the walk gave me enough of a breather that it wasn't an issue!

We had also decided we weren't going to stop for a ton of photos. If we were on a walk break I would snap shots and I knew I wanted to stop for the castle and the White Rabbit if he was near the teacups...(more on this later)

I love the first couple miles in the dark! Pirates...

quickie snap of mile 2 marker...

I remember telling Cammy that I could see the MK toll ahead and then how it seemed WAY closer than it really was and took quite a while to get to. I think in 2014 it was REALLY foggy, so I couldn't see it up ahead in the distance, which made it seem this time like it was right up ahead when we could see the lights. Not so much!

I LOVE when the monorail passes by quietly and then honks!

We stopped to take a pic at the tolls

and Andreah ran up!! I took a pic of her while Cammy was taking a pic of her.

We parted ways with Andreah and kept going. I think at this point I might have started repeating myself a bit. I kept remembering the previous year and what it was like at each place I remembered. "That's where I stopped at the med tent to slather biofreeze on my knee" "That's where I was in severe pain" I'm sure Cammy was thinking I should shut up, but I was really enjoying myself and this was a completely opposite of the previous year! We were having a blast!!

Villains

I think about this time we finally started seeing photographers. We went a bit nutty every time we spotted one! LOOK AT US! LOOK AT US!

The ramp with the DJ...I slowed up just to get a shot of Cammy, she was diggin' the DJ!

It's funny, last year's recap I had a lot more to type out because I remember every agonizing moment, but 2015 was so much fun, I feel like I would just be repeating myself! We were having a blast and before we knew it, it was Main Street and the Castle! Ahhhh!

off we went into Tomorrowland!

humor me as I launch into yet another reference to my 2014 PHM. So you know I was in pain during my first half. When I arrived in MK it was amazing, just as I thought it would be. I got my pic in front of the castle but as soon as I tried to run again there was searing pain in my knee. Every time I stopped, it would get worse, so at that point I felt like I needed to just keep going. Well, as I came through Tomorrowland and around the tea cups, there was The White Rabbit with about FOUR people waiting. I was SO disappointed, I really wanted to stop but I couldn't, for fear that I wouldn't be able to continue the next 7 miles!

ok, so back to this 2015 race...since I was dressed as Alice I just really wanted that White Rabbit pic! I KNOW I was continuing to ramble on about how amazing it was to enjoy this moment and how much fun it was compared to the previous year. We got up to the tea cups and I was momentarily disappointed. There, where the White Rabbit had been the previous year, was nothin'. Oh well, I got my Tweedle pic the previous day with him and I was happy with that!...but WAIT!...

as we started to go around the teacups, I spotted red and yellow?...what was on the other side?...THE TWEEDLES!!!! I was so excited, and the line was tiny!

Cammy's like, "What am I doing with these Tweedles?"

I was SO overjoyed! I texted the pic to Nicole in hopes that she would see it and if she was struggling it would perk her up. I would occasionally worry about her and wonder how she was doing. It was hard not knowing!

Onward to the back of the castle!

blurry because it's hard to take a sharp shot when you are running!

Anna & Elsa were up there. I barely noticed them, I was getting ready to run through the castle again!!

I'm gonna reference 2014 again b/c well, it's how I roll. So I got to run through the castle my first year running the PHM as well but it was so different this year! I was overwhelmed my first time and crying because I was finally there, finally made it and accomplished what I had trained so long for, but ALSO because I was in PAIN. you can see the pain on my face. PHM 2014:

Flash forward to PHM 2015 with no pain and I was seriously on top of the world! It was so fantastic and I was so HAPPY!

No idea where Cammy is in this shot? She must have been ahead of me a bit.

Out the other side we came! We decided not to stop for pics in front of the castle, I have no clue why. I think I always PLAN to stop a lot but when I'm in the race, I still want to RUN and get caught up enjoying that and not caring as much about sweaty pics I might not even like? Regardless, we headed through Frontierland and out the back way.

Out of MK and back towards where we came from! I snapped a shot of Mary Poppins for Rey b/c he likes her.

Up next, finishing my second half marathon!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

So excited for your half recap!!! I keep looking for myself in your pictures - I mean, there were only 18,000 or so of us there, why wouldn't I be in your pictures

This just completely brings back all the excitement and happiness of that race for me - thanks!

I ALWAYS look for myself in other people's race shots of PHM!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Karen's 2015 PHM recap (Part 4)

It was pretty as the sun was rising and we hit mile 8!

There were more photographers and so we posed like good little runners...

It was a bummer, right after this shot, Cammy JUMPED in the air and the photgrapher said SORRY, I MISSED IT! Darn!
I was still feeling amazing, I really never hit a wall of any kind on this race. It does get a little fuzzy mile 8-10 but we were just running and chatting away! We stopped at mile 10 marker, can you guess why? If you guessed it had something to do with my first race sucking, you would be right! Mile 10 marker was where I stopped in 2014 to take a pic because I had not been able to ever run farther than that in training (b/c of my injury). I was miserable and in pain so I had to stop and get a picture of me NOT in pain this time! LOL...you would think the whole race was about my previous race feelings but it honestly wasn't, just what I remember flashing through my mind at the time.
FEELING GOOD!:

We headed up around the cloverleaf and could hear the Sargent yelling at people. I didn't get a pic of him because when we got up to where he was, he was chasing down some poor girl dressed as Snow White! He's hardcore!

We got to the top of the overpass and I love to look back and see all the runners below. Not positive this is actually my shot, I got some pics of signs and memorable moments of the race and this might not actually be my pic:

Speaking of signs! I LOVE all the signage during the race. I rarely take pics of them because I don't want to stop, but pulled some that I really enjoyed. They are one of those small details that really make the race enjoyable for me!

As we came up a little hill to mile 11, Cammy was starting to struggle. Cammy is faster than me but used to running shorter distances, so I think the mileage was just getting to her. I told her we could slow down and that she had this! Just two miles to go and right as you hit mile 11, you can see you are headed into the Epcot parking and you can see Spaceship Earth! I also really wanted to support her because just the previous year (I know, I know, talking about the other race again) it had been ME struggling and April (my blogger friend) had helped me through those last few miles! We did the little turn and up that last overpass headed into Epcot and I was SO ECSTATIC! I could see the mile 12 marker at the bottom of the overpass!

We decided to run the last mile in Epcot and I was so ready to finish strong AND I knew looking at my Garmin that I was going to PR! As we entered Epcot though, Cammy told me to go ahead. She was so tired and told me to go get my PR and she would be right behind me. I hesitated for a moment, but I knew she was going to finish and felt like this last mile was mine to conquer, so we bid our farewells and I took off! I was on cloud nine, and the marathonphoto people were there to document it!

I savored every last minute of that last mile and hammed it up for the cameras! I have never felt this strong at the end of a race.

and I was cruising! I don't remember the exact numbers, but I think my last mile was around 10:30 or 10:40, which is pretty speedy considering my overall pace for the whole race was 12:20 and this was the last mile! I was on cloud nine to finish this way. I teared up as I rounded that corner and heard the gospel choir! Not my pic (I wasn't even considering stopping!)

and there was the finish up ahead! Look at me! I'm flying!

I was so excited that I did my SPAZZhands a bit too early and then for most of the photos, I had already put my hands down, but that's ok, the smile on my face is all that matters to me in these pics b/c I was so happy to be not in pain and finishing strong this time!

I received my medal and had a quick pic taken before heading over to get my GSC medal

I got my GSC medal and went through a short line to get my photo taken with both medals.

I'm not sure when I found out, but my finishing time was 2:41:43, an 11 minute PR from 2014! I not only completed the Glass Slipper Challenge with back to back runs, but PR'd! I was so proud.


I was tired, but felt fantastic and headed to the bus area. Cammy wasn't too far behind me, so I waited for her and told her where to meet me. We were the last people to get on the bus and there was only one seat, so she sat on my lap! Nothing like running 13.1 miles and then lapping it back to the resort! I got back to the room and immediately took a long hot shower. Then the stomach issues began...

Up next...stomach issues? Cupcakes? Booze? Jellyrolls? The work is over, will I be able to enjoy the rewards?!?

 

[STLMickeyMom]

I'm so sorry you weren't feeling well after all that hard work, but what an awesome race! You did amazing! Way to go, girl!!

 

[Tinker326]

Awww.. happy Tweedle shots! You look so adorably cute in all your pictures!!!

Even if my half wasn't the race I thought it should be, I'm so glad you got your redemption this year and having the race YOU wanted!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I love your race recap! I'm glad you were able to get the type of race you wanted to have Your experience is so positive!

 

[rteetz]

Great race recap! I'm so glad you had a way better experience than the previous year. It defintely shows too! I love all of the marathonfoto photos, I think im going to get the package for my half. Great PR as well, after hearing your experience I can't wait for my first half in january.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

So happy for you Karen! What a great race you had this year! I ran PHM 2014 in pain too...stupid ITB issues at the time. Your pics are so cute & fun!!

 

[Tinker326]

Nicole's PHM Recap (Part 1 of 1)

Whatdayaknow? I am posting. Karen's so darn speedy & I have no choice to get my recap out there because at her pace, our TR is going to be done sooner rather than later!

Karen gave her lovely report & this Tweedle (me) was so happy she got her race that she dreamed of. Especially since this Tweedle (me) did not!

Background: (hold the excitement). Going into the race, I was the most trained I have ever been for a race. The group of cupcakes kept me motivated and accountable. Both things I sorely need when heading out to run because I don't love it like some people just naturally do. I trained so hard & so good from October right up through mid-January. I was SO proud of myself for it too.

The timing of training is not great for PHM weekend if you live in the upper Midwest. Dec, Jan & Early Feb call for high mileage runs and that coincides with the worst weather in our area- snow, bitter cold & ice. I actually found I enjoyed cold running (I overheat very easy) and never had a problem running in anything above zero. And the weather held right up to mid-January..but then it all went down the rabbithole (along with my dream.......boo hoo Tweedle) Dramatic much? Ha!

Heavy snow with underlying ice forced me to take my long runs inside to a track. I was blissfully unaware of the dangers of indoor track running. Now I am not. Future runners beware- read up on it. Don't make my mistake! My first long run on a track- I survived. 2 weeks later- second long run calling for 12 miles, I was back indoors. See, the trouble with indoor track running is it's all level (a problem with hip/balance/muscles) and the very frequent curves running same direction overuse/fall on some muscles. I hit mile 8 and I just felt my knee go. I had never felt anything like it & I KNEW I was in trouble from the get go of that feeling. I actually thought it was my knee cap. I kept running on it but found I just couldn't. So what I ending up doing was finishing my 12 by running the straights and walking the curves. No matter, by the end I was in severe pain and in tears.

Long story short.... a few weeks of resting saw no results. I grew more and more fearful and Buffy soon pointed out that my injury sounded more like an IT Band vs. Knee. It Bands are NOT good running injuries people. We are talking year long recoveries. I was very sad, depressed and mournful of the race I trained for and dreamt of already going down the tubes before I even walked onto a plane to Florida.

On to FL- I had the time of my life at the 10K. I pushed through and enjoyed every second of that run. But I also knew that I was done by the end of 10K and actually getting through the half was going to be a fight in itself. Because I had so much fun with a friend on the 10K, I decided to push back a corral and join several other cupcakes- Megan, Edie and Carol to have company. (No one else was in my corral).

My plan was not to PR, not to stop at all the pictures, not to even enjoy myself...I was beyond that. My plan was to cross the finish line. And at 3am the morning of the half- that was a lofty goal.....

As Karen already posted about- we boarded the bus early with several other cupcakes. And all had a meeting point. I will add a few pics off my camera that Karen did not have from those wee early morning hours before the race....

3 of the cupcakes in my corral & the genius that diagnosed me with the IT band!



It's a bird. It's a plane.. It's super Edie.... who was super cold....



Yhea, her roomie was cold too!



I got my pic with the background . I'll be honest, I just wasn't feeling any pics this morning......



Dancing started and that's always fun.
Especially when you strike a pose.. (VOUGE)



Did my Tweedle post this picture of herself dancing & looking super cute? I can't remember... so I will...



Selfie! And my whole head made it in the shot...always a bonus.



Soon enough it was time for the corral call. I buddied up with Megan, Edie and Carol and we headed off to find I. With a stop to the bathrooms ,of course! We found I and jammed ourselves in..... "Corral I"



It was great having company during the wait. Especially since my nerves were hopping.

I made them take a selfie. First attempt- I call it Phantom of the Opera. Half my face. Half Edie's. Pretty much overall an AWESOME picture.



Attempt 2. Well there's Megan. And still only half of Nicole & Edie. I give up. Selfie fail. (I shouldn't say fail.. I should say.. consistent)



We waited patiently while the corrals went off, awaiting our turn. See how patient I am?



The plan was Carol was doing her own thing & I was going to tag along with Edie and Megan. Edie was fighting an injury too & unsure of her success at this race.

We ran together maybe 2 miles? But by this time, I already knew I was in trouble... and Edie was also struggling. And Megan had trained hard.. I don't want her to slow down. So I decided around this time, that it was best for me to just break away on my own. I wanted to get as far as I could before I knew my knee would give..and I felt it coming.... we bid our goodbyes and headed out....

I know I made it to this stretch while running........



(I look so deceptively happy, don't I?)

But soon after, it was over . My body physically could not run anymore. I couldn't even run though the pain because even attempting to do so felt like someone was sawing my leg off with a dull knive. (you are so welcome for that visual).

I cried. Oh, I cried. But it was what it was. And I still had roughly 10 miles to go. The underlying factor of an IT band injury is that you can still walk pretty much pain free- it's only when running (extending a muscle a certain way) that is affected. And I have very long legs & I am a very speedy walker by nature. So that meant.. I walked the last 10 miles a good clip (roughly 14 minute miles).

I was not happy. This was not a happy concession for me . I felt I failed & I felt like I didn't deserve the PHM metal. But I was in the thick and so I muddled on. And took some more deceptively happy looking selfies....

Oh look.. happy Nicole at the MK entrance.



Somewhere before MK park and after turnstiles? I dunno where......



A beautiful sunrise morning......with a monorail going by.........



Mile 5 & Space Mountain. I wanted a t-shirt that said "I'd rather be riding Space Mountain than on Mile 5"



Aww, look, I'm happy again. I'm not quite as bad as actor as that Haunted Mansion Picture portrayed me!



Main Street at Rope Drop back in the dumbo days.....



I see a Castle!!



But I don't get to head to it yet.. first I spot a Tweedle. I knew they were there thanks to Karen's text. I was pleasantly surprised to see a rather short line compared to the MASSIVE amounts of lines for everything else (making it near impossible to stop for any photo-ops!) I see this picture and remember how much I didn't like my Elsa costume.



Aww, there's that castle. This might have been a real smile and not a fake one!



I decided I would at least run through the castle. It was short & easy, right? Nope, didn't even make it half way through before I doubled over in pain... oh well, another dream bites the dust.

I was super depressed when that couldn't even happen and I remember hitting mile 7 thinking- there is no way I'm going to make it to 13. I'm done- mentally and physically.

But I kept going. Somewhere in there I passed Edie......



Went up and over some overpass & took a picture of people on the way down!



By this point it was so freaking hot and I was so freaking down. This half couldn't end fast enough.........

Somehow I made it to Epcot.



I didn't care what the pain was, I was running the last bit around to the finish.......It hurt so bad I was limp running and crying at the same time...

But d#mn it- there was mile 13.



I finished. I don't even care to post my finish line pictures. It didn't feel like any sort of finish to me & I'm hard on myself like that. I cried - tears of frustration and anger and disappointment as I hauled myself to medic. I was so bad that the medical people were incredibly worried that I was really sick.



And this picture sums up my PHM experience- holding the medals under a medic sign.

That sums up my less than happy PHM experience. I basically boarded a bus back to the hotel.. went into the shower and cried a bit more. And then got over it. I still had some great times ahead with my cupcakes & I would make the best of it!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I'm so sorry you weren't feeling well after all that hard work, but what an awesome race! You did amazing! Way to go, girl!!

Thank you! It felt amazing!

Awww.. happy Tweedle shots! You look so adorably cute in all your pictures!!!

Even if my half wasn't the race I thought it should be, I'm so glad you got your redemption this year and having the race YOU wanted!

Thanks my Tweedle! YOU will get your redemption as well, I KNOW IT!!!!!!

I love your race recap! I'm glad you were able to get the type of race you wanted to have Your experience is so positive!

I think after having such a hard first half, it made it even more amazing to have such a great race! It was very positive and such a relief when my first half I went into it and came out of it feeling like I wasn't cut out for half marathons. This race changed that for me and made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to!

Great race recap! I'm so glad you had a way better experience than the previous year. It defintely shows too! I love all of the marathonfoto photos, I think im going to get the package for my half. Great PR as well, after hearing your experience I can't wait for my first half in january.

I know a lot of people complain about the price of the photos, but I bought the earlybird coupon, 65$ for 100$ of photos and thought it was totally worth it! Maybe it's because I'm a photographer myself but that doesn't seem that expensive...then again, my kids think I put too much value in photos, so...

So happy for you Karen! What a great race you had this year! I ran PHM 2014 in pain too...stupid ITB issues at the time. Your pics are so cute & fun!!

I don't think I realized that you ran the 2014 PHM! We were both there together and didn't even know each other! I cannot wait until next November!!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Tweedle, Oh how I wish wish wish you had a better half! It sucked to have such a great race after last year and then know you were in the same boat as I had been! BUT...it gives me hope because I KNOW you will come back and have an amazing race next time and get over this injury! I KNOW IT. I BELIEVE IN THE TWEEDLE POWER!!!

 

[SarahDisney]

Lots of race recaps to read!

TweedleKaren - It really sounds & looks like you had an amazing race! The difference in the castle pictures between last year and this year is really amazing. Even if you did the Spazz Hands a little early, your finish pictures are still amazing and you look so happy! Congrats on the great race & PR!!

TweedleNicole - Sorry to hear your injury made you not have the race you wanted. It's still good that you were able to finish, even if it meant walking - it may not have been the race you wanted, but you finished, and I'm so proud of your for fighting through and crossing the finish line! Now you have to follow TweedleBossy's lead and go back next year to have a PR! YOU CAN DO IT!!

 

[KathyM2]

You guys are so inspiring with your half marathons and 10K's. I know it wasn't all smiles for everyone but you guys are awesome for doing it and getting out there!!

 

[alyspins]

It's the ferry boat scene in Splash Mountain I believe. The hens dancing on the boat....zip a dee doo dah!

Anyone know what this shot is? Wasn't supposed to be like this, obviously, but it was a lighting issue...

 

[alyspins]

Oh Nicole, I'm so sorry to hear you had a rough half!! Hopefully next year (or your next half) will be much better!

Karen -- loving your report, too!

I'm curious -- how were the crowds of people while running? Did people stop short a lot? I'm worried about running it because I like to run straight most of the time. I'm afraid there will be too many people and I'll be frustrated. Did you find that was an issue? Or just at certain points?

Thanks!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Oh Nicole, I'm so sorry to hear you had a rough half!! Hopefully next year (or your next half) will be much better!

Karen -- loving your report, too!

I'm curious -- how were the crowds of people while running? Did people stop short a lot? I'm worried about running it because I like to run straight most of the time. I'm afraid there will be too many people and I'll be frustrated. Did you find that was an issue? Or just at certain points?

Thanks!!