Magical year of planning

[autoracepr989]

Ok before anyone else says it, I will. A year plus of planning a trip. Yes thats true, I'm not leaving for the world until this time next year but am going to use this as not only a ptr/planning journal, but a training journal as well.

The whole purpose of me going back to WDW so soon is to run at least the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. I hope to also do the 5k the day before. I need to start planning now as this is going to be the longest trip I've taken not only to the world, but anywhere.

The basics of the trip

Dates: Jan. 4, 2014-Jan. 14, 2014

Who: Just me right now as I don't know if my boyfriend or another friend is going to be joining me.

Where: All Star Resorts & an uncle's house by the beach.

Why: Half-marathon, see x-mas decorations, & graduation trip.

Oh yea thats another thing I should mention now. This is going to be a split stay between Disney & a beach house by Tampa. I'm planning to do Disney, then the beach house, then run at disney.

 

[autoracepr989]

Ok back again to introduce myself and also the one other person that definitely will be around once I get to Disney.

First up is me. I'm 25 & am back in college for my second degree. I've been to the world several times in my life. I work in motor sports right now but am ready to start settling down from that schedule. I am in classes to become a certified pharmacy tech. I'm looking at graduating from my program a couple weeks before this trip.

Now for DSis. You'll see her pop in & out of the planning, especially when I make room reservations & start planning what days I'm going to a park. She's a disney employee so the rates I'll be saying later are from her discounts.

I plan to start training tomorrow again. I probably should give some running background here as well. I started running a couple years ago as a stress relief as I could do it while I was on the road for work. I ran a race this past September but then had to stop. I had to stop running due to pain between my shoulder blade & spine. I just finished treatment for this and will go in for maintenance therapy every 6-8 weeks as I train. This is protecting me from over doing it. I plan to start over again by using the C25k method & then up to a half marathon locally in September. October will be the first race I really travel for & will give me a trial run of things to be sure I pack. I'm going to run a 5k in Charlotte, NC then. I'm planning to use that as a shorter run for that week.

Well signing off for now as I've got a basketball game tonight to be at.

 

[autoracepr989]

Ok so already got iff track with updating this thread, but with good reason. I ended up buying a new used vehicle last Saturday. Ive also been working overtime this week at one of my jobs.

I did a session with a personal trainer yesterday & another workout today. I didn't push myself after the training session to go fast or anything but I did get onto a treadmill for 32 min & accomplished 1.61 miles. Not a pace that wouldn't get me swept at a race right now but it was a 19.8 min/mile pace. Today I just was on an elliptical for 20 min to get something done. My legs were done for from yesterday still. I plan to do 3-5 miles on sunday at the gym.

 

[autoracepr989]

Went to the gym & was supposed to do a 3 mile run today.....that didn't happen.

I walked a 5k instead & averaged 17:38/ mile. Not too bad for having only walked it on a treadmill. I have almost a year & just need to take 1:38 off my time to not be swept at Disney. I'm pretty sure I can do it under 16min/mile with some running in there. Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest or cross training day.

I have to also decide if Im going to do the 10k or the half marathon for a race this year. I know that the time if i did the half would definitely get me a corral placement. I just haven't looked enough to see if the 10k will as well or not.

 

[autoracepr989]

Sorry I've been slacking on updating with my workouts, but its been crazy for me. I started back at school on top of working & training. Just have been too tired to update most nights. I am starting to really plan the trip though & have had a couple choices to make on it.

I've had to decide if I'm going to run a 10k or a different half marathon in September. I've decided to do the 10k as two weeks after that I have a 5k to run in Charlotte, NC. I've got about half the ressies I need for that done. Gotta wait to get flights & the rental car.

Now onto the next thing to decide.... the resorts, I'm trying to rank them before I make reservations. I can do any of the values. I'm just waiting on one reservation system to open the dates. I'm going to be doing a split stay so have the option of two. Kinda thinking of art of animation for the first half of my trip then staying at all star movies for the second half of the trip. Let me know your feelings on them all.

 

[autoracepr989]

Happy Valentine's day everyone!! Hope all of you have a wonderful day.

 

[happybelle]

I am in. I love longterm planning.

 

[autoracepr989]

Did another workout today, but not really a running one.

I went to my first Pilates class ever & did do 20 minutes of a walk/ run before that. I'm hoping to take & get to the class every other Saturday. Gonna try to get to the gym for a workout tomorrow before heading to a 1:00pm show for..... Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic.

 

[autoracepr989]

I am in. I love longterm planning.

Welcome! Glad to have you

 

[autoracepr989]

Posting this during my workout today. Went to see Disney on Ice yesterday & enjoyed it. They did Its Small World at the halfway point & got the song stuck in my head. I'm starting to work on a list of places I'd like to eat at so that I can kinda plan what park I'm going to when.

 

[autoracepr989]

Got two more workouts in this week & had planned to do a run today. That is taking a backseat after I tripped in the basement of a rental my family owns & now have pain in the quadriceps tendon area. I'm hoping it clears up soon cause I do want to do more runs. Guess I'll try to do some yoga or Pilates tomorrow evening then while keeping up with race updates from New Symara Speedway.

 

[autoracepr989]

Completely off topic for this post but its hitting me now how bad something could've been for some friends. If you follow sports at all or watch the news you'll most likely see some coverage. I had friends in the stands at Daytona as well as in the infield, pits, & on the track. They all are safe but following losses that've happened to friends as they drove race cars, this wreck is hard to handle. Please, please, please pray for those injured & all of the motorsports family that they can keep going & stay strong in the wake of this occurring.

 

[autoracepr989]

Well i've not gotten to the gym since late last week. I skipped 2 workouts so far & hope that I can a least do the yoga portion of tomorrow's workout. I don't know what I did but right above my patella/knee cap has been bugging me. I can walk ok but it hurts if I have it straight or bent & am not moving.

If anyone knows what it might be I'd be interested in hearing it. I'm not worried about my training right now since I have 11 months before the half & 6 months before a 10k. I know I can be ready for them.

Night all as I'm off to bed since 0400 comes really early for me

 

[autoracepr989]

Ok I have to say I've been really bad with keeping up on here lately. School has been kicking my butt with schoolwork and I'm dealing with an asthma flareup too. The asthma stuff is keeping me from training right now.

I did get some good news though for my race in North Carolina. I am meeting up with a father figure & his family for either lunch or dinner one day. He also spilled the beans on a trip to see some of us here in WI this summer. Can't wait!!!!

I also am trying to figure out what table service meal(s) I want to do. I know that I want to experience BOG for either lunch or dinner. Kinda leaning towards lunch though for there as I don't eat a lot in one sitting usually. Any other suggestions would be good as at this point I'm going to be solo with DSis possibly joining for a meal or two.

 

[autoracepr989]

Ok with the announcement of the 10k on marathon weekend I now really have a decision to make. Do I do the 10k or do I do the half? Decisions decisions... All on top of my father passing away this morning. Please just let me get through all of it.

 

[autoracepr989]

Ok i think I need to take and start over with all of the planning since things have changed with my father passing away, the announcement of the 10k, and some friends deciding that they're going to be running as well. Sooo without further changes hopefully I can start planning with some certainty.

Dates: January 3/4-6 & Jan 9-12

Why: to see christmas decorations, celebrate my graduation from the pharmacy tech program, & run the inaugural 10k of marathon weekend.

Who: me, a friend, friend's friend, and possibly another friend.

Where: AOA for the first part then whichever DVC has availability when our 7 month window opens. We are staying on friend's points

I think that since I won't have a lot of expenses on the DVC portion I can splurge and get the dining plan.

I can't figure out if I'll fly in January 3rd or 4th as flights haven't been released yet. Once they are I'll know when I'm flying.

Also I can't remember if I put this earlier or not but if I state a price for the resort please don't think that I'm lying when it is fairly low compared to rack rate. I have a family member as a Disney cast member allowing her discount on the room. There are 2 different discount levels & she'll decide on which I get.

I'm also going to be including my plans for a couple of other trips, both for a race & non race trips. I already know that I'll have a trip to north carolina in october for the 5Kahne run.

 

[autoracepr989]

So the 10k sold out before I could get registered as did the 5k. Thinking that I won't be at WDW marathon weekend at all unless I decide to volunteer during the half marathon.

I did get some really good airfares for my trip to Charlotte, NC in october tonight though. I am paying $195 round-trip for my flights. Even added an extra night at the start if my trip for the cheaper fare. It would've been over $200 for my outbound flight alone if I didn't add the night & the hotel is $67 for the night so I'm definitely coming out ahead in that deal. I fly Southwest on my way out & United on my way home. I'll be missing an extra day of classes but I'm ok with that idea.

DM talked to me after I was done crying over missing registration for disney about going in early December with her for Candlelight & seeing decorations then. Anyone reading this I'd like input as to when you'd say I should go. Should I go when I had originally planned still or try to go in early December instead? Opinions PLEASE!!!

 

[autoracepr989]

Well, I went to my local disney store today before I went to the gym for a workout with a trainer. I got some things on clearance as well as a $21 gift card. Since money is tight right now I'm saving some money for the trip in this way.

I'm debating now between watching the half & cheering on a friend who's going to run it or signing up to volunteer for it.

As we still don't know where we'll be staying since it's not at the 7 month date for DFriend S to book on her points. Also since I'm staying with her & a friend of hers, I'm thinking I'd like to give her something at least. Any ideas??? I can mail things to my Dsis in FL to pick up once I'm there.

 

[autoracepr989]

Ok update on the Charlotte, NC 5k I'm doing in October along with a side story about DM & DSis.

I have the airline tickets booked. I fly out on Southwest on Thursday, October 10th at 1250 getting in at 2020. Originally I hadn't planned to fly out there until Friday or Saturday, but the fare was too good to pass up ($91.80 after taxes & fees). Even with the extra night in a hotel I coming in ahead of what I would've spent flying on Friday. I'll now have Friday & Saturday to do whatever I want in the area. I know I'm going to plan to go to the grave of a military friend one day as well as lunch or dinner with another friend at some point. I'll run on Sunday morning in the 5Kahne with Sunday afternoon to relax in general. I'll most likely head to a race shop on Monday before getting in the 1402 flight home.

The story on DM & DSis is that DM said that she was thinking of going to WDW while I was in NC as it is going to be DSis's b-day on Saturday. DSis called today & said she was thinking if coming home that weekend for an alumni event at a previous employer.

 

[autoracepr989]

Ok, had to post this seperate since rhis is for the January trip I'm planning.

I'm trying to figure out what parks I'm gonna do what days that I'm solo & what ADRs I want to make for that time. The meal portion is kinda tricky for me as I do not eat beef & as such like to add variety from lunch to dinner for what my protein is. I think I have two places to eat at for HS picked out: Pizza Planet as a CS & 50s Prime Time if I decide to do a TS. I've got to wait to see when Fant is to make the plan for which day I'm gonna be there for the Osborne Lights.

If anyone has any suggestions for the other 3 parks or DTD please post them. I kinda feel like I'm just talking to myself on here.