Maybe, Kinda Sorta, I Don't Know If I AM Going to Run in February

[amandaw]

I am actually very excited to get to Disney early. Maybe we have gotten in that early before I bet we get to the hotel by 6, right? Yeah... I know we had dinner at Ohana on arrival night once.

The new category is business class. You pay for the category and are assigned a specific building. The room itself is slightly higher "trim" so to speak since the beds are a bit upgraded and you get robes and turn down service. You also get access to the new club lounge where snacks and drinks are. Now... it is unclear the quality of those snacks and drinks and the alcohol that is there may be for purchase instead of included. Or maybe it is beer only that is included(unlike at deluxe resorts where they have cordials) From what I understand it is new as of January 1...so not a lot of reports back on it.

That's really interesting! I had no idea that they had that new category. Sounds like a wise move...especially if they get a lot of business travelers...they do at CSR, don't they? We've only done Club Level once (at WL). It was definitely convenient...especially for breakfast.

 

[annmarieda]

Well today was another long run for me. I managed to run 9.67 miles. (my longest distance yet)

This week has been an odd training week for me. Sunday I wasn't feeling well and had to actually cut my training time short by 2 minutes.(which left me running a bit less than 3 miles) I figure it is close enough and so I still counted it. If I had not stopped, believe me it would not have been pretty. (as I mentioned earlier... if you have seen the movie Bridesmaids, you know what I am talking about. ) Same problem happened today. It doesn't make for an easy run. And if I haven't shocked you all with WAY WAY TMI.. I will also share that a certain visitor decided that it would be a good time to make her oh so seldom several times a year visit.

Today the elk were of course out again! What is up with this? I have been running for nearly a year and it has just been recent that they ALWAYS seem to be down from the hills. And the herd was more like 50 head today..and of course... they all got spooked by me.. a gain. I am actually starting to fear that there may someday soon be a headline that reads "local woman out for a run gets trampled to death by crazy elk" Seriously... they scare me.

So I learned something new about runkeeper. If you stop your "workout" to say avoid some crazy elk or to run in and use a restroom... well, it stops your mileage...but NOT the timer. I found this very frustrating because I like to know what I am really running. So while you don't move...all that time keeps getting averaged into your pace. I guess it isn't the end of the world, because it very well could be that I need a potty break during the race and this was a good indication how that could affect my time.

So in the end today I feel like it was a win cause I did actually run all of those 9.67 miles. I can still look at the program to see what I was running per mile and if I throw out the one where it tacked on my potty break... I didn't do too bad pacing wise...probably a tad better than last week.

I have 4 weeks and one day left of the training program. I think I am going to have to cut it short since I will need to taper before the phm. In other words I cant keep increasing my distance right up to the point of going to the phm. I need to peak probably in two weeks and then start reducing the distances until the phm. I will need to come up with a plan soon for this since I don't have much time left. scratchin somehow I thought I had enough time to do the entire program AND taper)

 

[annmarieda]

Travel day plans sound great. I'm not sure I could have left my 17-1/2 year old all alone...I'd have to give that one some thought.

I'm sure your room will be ready and you'll get a good night's rest.

Well, that is kinda off the table. Zach and Kim won't be going with Kira and Josh and Kira and Josh will not be gone for our entire dates. So Alex will not be alone.

That's really interesting! I had no idea that they had that new category. Sounds like a wise move...especially if they get a lot of business travelers...they do at CSR, don't they? We've only done Club Level once (at WL). It was definitely convenient...especially for breakfast.

I believe they do... but the business class room isn't just for business travelers. I know that since the expo for the phm is being held there a lot of "princesses" are staying there I believe some have booked that category of room

 

[annmarieda]

This will be one of the only days that I will be able to get Steve to wake up early. He has promised me a rd and it is this day that we are going. just don't tell him the park opens at 8am. (and that is EMH..so there is still the rd ceremony, right?)

I want to catch this

minus the fall decorations of course.

I am sad to say that I missed the ceremony on our last trip and possibly even the one before that. It is a must do for this trip.

Then there is a bit of decisions to make. Do we go straight to fantasyland or do we stop to eat some breakfast? Both are important to me.

Why breakfast? Well, I missed eating one of these on the last trip.

This will be our one day in MK. ONE DAY. I think I have not had only one day in MK EVER. Two maybe... but one? During the day we will try and hit as much as we can. My hope is to not go back to the hotel at all. Course, Steve may not make it all day.

So a plan of attack would be to hit fantasyland, then frontier.

We then will stop to eat lunch at BOG

image borrowed from internet

(assuming that we don't get a dinner reservation there and assuming that we can get in for lunch)

After lunch will will attack tommorowland and then finally adventureland.

We did have dinner reservations for 8pm(actually still do. I need to cancel them) at Grand Floridian Cafe. We will have to have dinner either at a cs location or maybe we might get lucky and find a different...earlier ADR.

Why do I have to cancel that ADR? Well, someone had a grand idea for a dismeet and was kind enough to invite us along. I am very excited for this dismeet. It will be a very special one since I have been hoping to meet Karin (dizneeat) and her brother Tom for quite a while.

This dismeet will require us to meet at a specific time in the evening to board a boat. Any ideas now of what Karin has planned? Well, I will go ahead and steel some pics off of her PTR....

We will be watching Wishes from a special location.

I am sure this will be a highlight of the trip for me. I just hope that Karin doesn't end up regretting inviting us. I know after how one of my last "dismeets" went I am fearful that I may end up causing others to regret having known me.

I suspect we will call it a night after the fireworks. but since the park closes at 10pm we might have enough time to do one more thing or at least say "good bye" to MK.

Next Up: 2/22 - Day 2

 

[KatMark]

You do know that the Main Street bakery will be closed, dont' you? I don't know if they will have that yumminess at Tomorrowland Terrace which is serving breakfast fare while the bakery is closed.

I didn't realize you were doing the Wishes boat with Karin and Tom. How lucky for you.

 

[annmarieda]

You do know that the Main Street bakery will be closed, dont' you? I don't know if they will have that yumminess at Tomorrowland Terrace which is serving breakfast fare while the bakery is closed.

I didn't realize you were doing the Wishes boat with Karin and Tom. How lucky for you.

Oh NO!!!! Well, I guess that means we go to fantasyland first!

And yup... Get to meet up with Karin and Tom for that. I am super excited!

I was really hoping to meet up with you in September. Your dates are so close to when the group I am going with was going to arrive. I wanted to get down there a few days early and then try to meet up with you. Sadly run Disney changed the dates of the ToT weekend so now our dates are a week later. I can't believe we wi yet again just miss each other!

 

[KatMark]

Oh NO!!!! Well, I guess that means we go to fantasyland first!

And yup... Get to meet up with Karin and Tom for that. I am super excited!

I was really hoping to meet up with you in September. Your dates are so close to when the group I am going with was going to arrive. I wanted to get down there a few days early and then try to meet up with you. Sadly run Disney changed the dates of the ToT weekend so now our dates are a week later. I can't believe we wi yet again just miss each other!

Do you mean August? We are there Augsut 16 - 22 and then Marco after than for ten days.

Yes, I'd hit Fantasyland first and you can get a big roll like that at Gaston's.

 

[annmarieda]

Do you mean August? We are there Augsut 16 - 22 and then Marco after than for ten days.

Yes, I'd hit Fantasyland first and you can get a big roll like that at Gaston's.

Lol! Obviously I am losing my mind. How bout I run everything past you over the next couple days till I can straighten myself out. Omg!

For whatever reason I thought you were going to be there in September .. So considering you will be there is August... I most definitely will miss you! Only by a tad more than I was thinking

Gaston's has the cinnamon roll? Thanks for the tip!

 

[eandesmom]

I'm here! now off to catch up

 

[annmarieda]

I'm here! now off to catch up

Glad you made your way here!!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Hey Ann! I doubt you remember me, but I swear I remember reading your PTR/TR stuff years back when your dd got engaged! Time flies! I found you b/c I'm trying to follow people running the PHM b/c I'm determined to run it in 2014! I'll be running alone as well, although I'm sure there will be some DISmeets for me as well. I have wanted to run it for 2 years now but kept getting injured, I'm hoping this is the year I can train slowly with no injuries! Cannot wait to hear all about tour trip!!! I'm especially interested in the expo being moved to CSR and if they will keep it this way. That would totally sway me to book CSR next year instead of POFQ.

 

[lovethattink]

Your mk sounds great. You will get there for rp. The wishes boat with a friends sounds like a great way to end the evening!

 

[eandesmom]

Well, I had kinda given up hope of finding a good deal. Airfare prices have been down right depressing this time. Yet I still had to find something, right?

I have been super busy this week with work. So I haven't been on the computer much. Since I actually was home before 9pm tonight I thought I would take a glance at my emails. And what did I find?

I found a promo code for 35% off on southwest!!!

That is so cool! I saw that on a FB group and would have loved to use it for something, although I think I've actually only flown SW out of Seattle once. Do you use Yapta at all? It has saved me hundreds in the last year, I'm hoping to start tracking our NYE flights 11 months out so we can pounce (then again, would need to have funds to pounce so there is small flaw with the plan but still).

As this trip is very quickly approaching I thought maybe I should lay out some plans.

So let talk travel day. Steve really did not like the idea of an early flight. I really didn't like the idea of a late arrival. Who one out?

So we have a 6am flight out. Even for me, that is early. It will mean we have to be there at 4am. It will mean we will have to leave here by 3am. It will mean I may Should I even go to bed that night?

I am not sure how we will get to the airport though. It would seem that two of my children are in the planning stages of a road trip to DLR. When? Well the week we are going to WDW. It is possible though that Zach will not go or that they end up going the week after we get back. They are still working out details so I won't know for a while who is taking us to the airport or IF someone is taking us to the airport. What this also affects is Alex who (if you all remember) was not in my travel party for this trip. If his two older siblings end up being away while we are gone, I may have to ship him off to his gparents. Then again... he is nearly 17 1/2. Maybe he can stay

UGH. I can't do that, the only 2 flights I've missed in my life were...6am flights. I refuse to book anything before 7 and preferably far later. But you will get there early, I took the Alaska daytime direct this Oct for the first time and it was weird landing around 4! Still took a good 2.5 hours to get to the resort, change and hit the parks but still, it was pretty darn cool. You'll love that part!

17 1/2 alone... I guess it depends on the kid, the days of the week and your comfort level. We've left Taylor alone for a few days but I don't think it was longer than 3 and my parents did check in. Tough call.

This will be one of the only days that I will be able to get Steve to wake up early. He has promised me a rd and it is this day that we are going. just don't tell him the park opens at 8am. (and that is EMH..so there is still the rd ceremony, right?)

I think, and others know way more than I do, that the RD ceremony is still at 9 even with EMH at 8 but I'm honestly not sure. I finally saw it for the first time this year!

A Wishes fireworks cruise! How fun!!!!!!!!!!!!! We did the Illuminations one a few years ago when we stayed at the YC and it was one of the most memorable, magical evenings ever. Yay Karin and Tom for inviting you

Your training sounds like it is going really well, I just want to know where you are if you are an hour from Seatac and running through Elk!

What happened on the DISmeet before? Now I'm curious...

 

[dizneeat]

What do you mean, regretting meeting you! I am over the moon excited to meet you and your wonderful family!

I can't wait for our trip to come around actually - 3o more days until we leave!

 

[amandaw]

Sounds like a good plan for MK!

I never do EMH so I don't know if they still do the RD show or not.

What a great DISmeet that is going to be!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

What happened on the DISmeet before? Now I'm curious...

lol if it's what I'm thinking of then it would be called a little more than a "dismeet"

 

[annmarieda]

Hey Ann! I doubt you remember me, but I swear I remember reading your PTR/TR stuff years back when your dd got engaged! Time flies!

Time does fly! It seems like I spent forever on that PTR. Oh wait, I did. I really enjoyed planning that trip. It took a year and it enabled me to think about lots of details and share them. I have some details of this trip that I keep thinking...oh, I should post that. And then I get caught up in the business of life and I forget.

found you b/c I'm trying to follow people running the PHM b/c I'm determined to run it in 2014! I'll be running alone as well, although I'm sure there will be some DISmeets for me as well. I have wanted to run it for 2 years now but kept getting injured, I'm hoping this is the year I can train slowly with no injuries!

for deciding that you will do this next year! I actually am starting to consider it myself. I mean... if I do this this one followed by the ToT 10 miler... I should keep up and just go for the next phm, don't ya think?

Cannot wait to hear all about tour trip!!! I'm especially interested in the expo being moved to CSR and if they will keep it this way. That would totally sway me to book CSR next year instead of POFQ.

I am actually excited that it will be at CSR. One, I have always wanted to stay at CSR. (ok, I want to stay at all the resorts...but this one has been higher on my wish list) Two, for the ToT expo it was a pain getting to and from WWOS. mainly because of the rain... I will get there in my TR for that trip... but thankfully the gal I was running with was nice enough to get us a cab...otherwise we would have been stuck with the wet huddled masses for even longer than we were.

Your mk sounds great. You will get there for rp.

Normally, I do a touring plan and I have every detail mapped out. This trip, I am not going to do that. I only intend to have a plan of attack rather than an itinerary. If we miss some things, well we miss them. So thank you, because right now this plan does sound kinda nice to me.

Doesn't it? I am so over the top excited!!!

That is so cool! I saw that on a FB group and would have loved to use it for something, although I think I've actually only flown SW out of Seattle once. Do you use Yapta at all? It has saved me hundreds in the last year, I'm hoping to start tracking our NYE flights 11 months out so we can pounce (then again, would need to have funds to pounce so there is small flaw with the plan but still).

I have not even heard of Yapta. I will have to look into that!

UGH. I can't do that, the only 2 flights I've missed in my life were...6am flights. I refuse to book anything before 7 and preferably far later. But you will get there early,

Yeah, I think it is going to about kill both Steve and I... but it was cheaper and got us in at a reasonable time (who really wants to land in FL at 11pm? )

I took the Alaska daytime direct this Oct for the first time and it was weird landing around 4! Still took a good 2.5 hours to get to the resort, change and hit the parks but still, it was pretty darn cool. You'll love that part!

I think that is the one flight I too have taken and arrived in FL early. I wasn't sure that I had before, but now that you mention Alaska's flight I remember that is what we flew in the fall of 2010.

17 1/2 alone... I guess it depends on the kid, the days of the week and your comfort level. We've left Taylor alone for a few days but I don't think it was longer than 3 and my parents did check in. Tough call.

Well, it looks like Zach will for sure be around and Kira and Josh will only be gone for a couple days that we are...so Alex won't end up being alone.

I think, and others know way more than I do, that the RD ceremony is still at 9 even with EMH at 8 but I'm honestly not sure.

Hmm, I am going to have to find out for sure. I want to be there more for the ceremony than to be in the parks "early" so...I will take sleeping in an extra hour if rd won't happen at 8am.

I finally saw it for the first time this year!

You had never seen it before this year? Oh no!! I am glad you finally saw it!

A Wishes fireworks cruise! How fun!!!!!!!!!!!!! We did the Illuminations one a few years ago when we stayed at the YC and it was one of the most memorable, magical evenings ever. Yay Karin and Tom for inviting you

I feel so lucky that they invited us! It will be an awesome time!

Your training sounds like it is going really well, I just want to know where you are if you are an hour from Seatac and running through Elk!

In the middle of no where.. I am in Enumclaw to be exact. So if you are a skier you might have drove not too far from my house.

What happened on the DISmeet before? Now I'm curious...

I have had some pretty amazing dismeets. I truly think that dismembers are some of the best people in the world! It just became aware to me after my last trip that others may not see me in that same way.

What do you mean, regretting meeting you! I am over the moon excited to meet you and your wonderful family!

I can't wait for our trip to come around actually - 3o more days until we leave!

In all seriousness, Karin... I do think that we will get along MARVELOUSLY! I too am "over the moon" to meet you! However, if you read along my TR (and I know you do) you are aware that things happened on my last trip to really make me realize that I shouldn't just assume that everyone will like my wonderful personality.

Sounds like a good plan for MK!

I never do EMH so I don't know if they still do the RD show or not.

What a great DISmeet that is going to be!

I think it is going to be an awesome day! I just need to get the details straight on if the ceremony happens with EMH or at ACTUAL opening.

lol if it's what I'm thinking of then it would be called a little more than a "dismeet"

Yes... but it started with a dismeet

 

[annmarieda]

2/22 - Day 3


As I write this, I am wondering if things may actually change. However, since things have not officially changed I will push forward with the "current" plan.

This day has been designated as "expo day". Before I booked the hotel, a change was made to where the expo for the phm would be held. This change is what pushed CSR to the top of my choices since the expo will be held there at the convention center rather than at WWOS.

Recently I began to chat a bit with someone who is going to stay at CSR and who is doing the PHM with friends. Knowing that I am going to be "alone" she offered to let me ride with them to the race. (I get ahead of myself a bit here, but this "future plan" is relevant for the planning of 2/22)

She and her group of gals will be going to the expo first thing. (like 9am) Since we have a breakfast that morning, I thought it best to forgo meeting up with them. However, after consideration... I think I am going to let her know that I would indeed like to pop in and say hello to them at the expo. If I do end up with an additional time to submit, it would be good to do it first thing as the sooner it is done the more likely I will get moved to a better corral.

I wont stay long though since we have a breakfast to get to, but I am sure based on this picture (that I borrowed from the internet)t that there will be lots to go back and see.

Hopefully while I am gone to the expo, Steve and Zoe will finish getting ready so that we can catch a bus (or cab should we be running too late) to the GF.

We will be eating at 1900 PF.

After breakfast we will head back to CSR. I really want to see more of the expo and pick up Zoe's bib since she will be running the kids race.

I think after we do this it might be time to enjoy the pool. I am actually excited about this pool. Now, at POFQ adults went down that slide. I wonder do they at CSR? I mean, look at it! (again, borrowed from the internet)

If not I am sure the pool itself will be a blast!

After some pool time we will get cleaned up and head to DTD. We are going to have lunch at one of my favorite cs locations.

(yup, another borrowed image)

With the 2013 packages there has been a change. Now Disneyquest tickets are included. (well, 2 per room) as well as mini golf (again, 2 per room) Since we will be in DTD, We may have to check out Disneyquest.

After we do this a little shopping and then back to CSR.

Maybe we will need a nap or maybe we will explore the resort. MAYBE neither will be possible due to all the princesses decending on the convention center.

Dinner will come soon enough and we will again be on a bus. This time to the Poly.

Steve's one reservation request was for this restaurant.

After dinner we will probably turn in early. The next two days require some EARLY mornings.

BUT WAIT, now I made some changes

 

[lovethattink]

Sounds like a busy day. I didn't know there was a kid's race?

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

When going with my parents all those years, we would spend every evening (after dinner at house of blues or rainforest) at Disney Quest before we would close a park for the night. We love DQ!!!