Roxymama's 5k to Marathon, Time to Collect Another Castle

[roxymama]

Great race report! That's really odd about their process for you to try on the jackets...

And it does sound like great practice for Disney...what a HUGE race though! Disney's 5K will be about 1/3 of the size, I think.

As for the extra distance, did you notice yourself weaving around people a lot? That would add some, but 0.3 miles over a 5K seems like a lot. Hmm...

Good questions. I'm wondering if because jackets are a harder thing to get the right size on (depending on people's wishes for tight fitting vs wearing over clothes) and also because anything that zips up is a little trickier for us ladies with...ahem..."assets"...the women's try on area was a bit mobbed. Maybe they just didn't want to overwhelm the pick up area. But it should have been closer for sure!
Or have people try on BEFORE picking up their jackets???

The 5k was mixed in with the 15k runners. I forgot to post my final stats but I'll put them below because I love stats. It was over 23,000 5k and like 15,000 15k and then the rest were part of the later walk.

I actually think I ran my least weaving race ever actually! I started out towards the left of my corral because I seem to always pass people at the beginning of races so I might as well stay left right? I memorized the course map well because I'm a planner so I understood where to be to run good tangents. I found in my corral that literally there were no walkers, like AT ALL, until the hill of Doom at the end. Race probably did a pretty good job of corral placement for me as I felt pretty in step with the herd.

I honestly feel like my body ran the 29:46 that was posted...it didn't feel as fast as my 28+ PR in Sept...so I think the GPS just got funky on lower Wacker Drive...it's a street underneath another street afterall. Either way I'm happy with myself. If the course was long then I actually PR'd...but only by a few seconds. I'm 10000% ok with my results. They were above my expectations. I'm totally zen on this one.

 

[roxymama]

Final Stats...

Overall 5k: 3007th of 23,098
Female: 1465th of 17,328
F30-34: 183rd of 2,452

So top 13% overall and 7% for my division...Well OK!

 

[SarahDisney]

Thanks for the detailed information about the expo - this is good to know if I decide to do a hot chocolate race (especially because Chicago is an option ... there isn't one in NY so I'd have to travel, and I'd love to see Chicago eventually). You might be interested to know ... at Disney you can try on the shirt wherever you want. It's not in any sort of bag, it's just a loose shirt, so you can try it on and exchange it if necessary all without having to walk very far.

Depending on what the weather is, you may have the same cold before the race issue at Disney. What some people do (and I should have done last year) is bring old clothing to wear over their race outfits in the start arae & corrals, and then take off the extra clothes before they start the race. runDisney will collect that clothing and donate it. So that's an option if the weather is going to be cold.

Sounds like you had a pretty good race despite the cold, hills, and music problems. And that snack bowl is super cute!!

Congrats on an awesome race!

 

[roxymama]

Thanks for the detailed information about the expo - this is good to know if I decide to do a hot chocolate race (especially because Chicago is an option ... there isn't one in NY so I'd have to travel, and I'd love to see Chicago eventually). You might be interested to know ... at Disney you can try on the shirt wherever you want. It's not in any sort of bag, it's just a loose shirt, so you can try it on and exchange it if necessary all without having to walk very far.

Depending on what the weather is, you may have the same cold before the race issue at Disney. What some people do (and I should have done last year) is bring old clothing to wear over their race outfits in the start arae & corrals, and then take off the extra clothes before they start the race. runDisney will collect that clothing and donate it. So that's an option if the weather is going to be cold.

Sounds like you had a pretty good race despite the cold, hills, and music problems. And that snack bowl is super cute!!

Congrats on an awesome race!

Sarah...I think about you with Saturdays and there was expo on Thursday and Friday too. They also let you have your packet mailed for 14.99 which seems expensive but not if you don't want to book an extra hotel or travel day to go to the earlier expo days.

 

[SarahDisney]

Sarah...I think about you with Saturdays and there was expo on Thursday and Friday too. They also let you have your packet mailed for 14.99 which seems expensive but not if you don't want to book an extra hotel or travel day to go to the earlier expo days.

That's good to know! I think a lot of large races have multiple days for the expo ... but having the packet mailed is a good idea if I don't want to fly in until Saturday night.

 

[Ariel484]

Good questions. I'm wondering if because jackets are a harder thing to get the right size on (depending on people's wishes for tight fitting vs wearing over clothes) and also because anything that zips up is a little trickier for us ladies with...ahem..."assets"...the women's try on area was a bit mobbed. Maybe they just didn't want to overwhelm the pick up area. But it should have been closer for sure!
Or have people try on BEFORE picking up their jackets???

The 5k was mixed in with the 15k runners. I forgot to post my final stats but I'll put them below because I love stats. It was over 23,000 5k and like 15,000 15k and then the rest were part of the later walk.

I actually think I ran my least weaving race ever actually! I started out towards the left of my corral because I seem to always pass people at the beginning of races so I might as well stay left right? I memorized the course map well because I'm a planner so I understood where to be to run good tangents. I found in my corral that literally there were no walkers, like AT ALL, until the hill of Doom at the end. Race probably did a pretty good job of corral placement for me as I felt pretty in step with the herd.

I honestly feel like my body ran the 29:46 that was posted...it didn't feel as fast as my 28+ PR in Sept...so I think the GPS just got funky on lower Wacker Drive...it's a street underneath another street afterall. Either way I'm happy with myself. If the course was long then I actually PR'd...but only by a few seconds. I'm 10000% ok with my results. They were above my expectations. I'm totally zen on this one.

The jacket thing is weird. Like @SarahDisney said, it's easier at runDisney races. You can try on right there and then exchange for a different size (as long as they have the size you want) with no issues.

Wow, sounds like you were super-prepared with the course! Very smart. Maybe you're right about the GPS cutting out on the street under a street, but still...if you ran the tangents maybe the course WAS long.

A PR is a PR, even if only by a few seconds. Yay!!

 

[roxymama]

My plan tonight is to run on the good ol' treadmill. I have not ran since my race on Sunday so I'm going to just do a low effort 30+ minute walk&jog after picking out a podcast or something to listen to. Any recommendations?

I did receive my free (yay for free!) official race photos. I have omitted most of the "dead-fish face, super double-chin ones" which there were quite a few of. The finish line one came out cute...because I remembered to pretend like I wasn't totally suffering. The other pic I put here because it is funny. I'm being chased (and I believe eventually passed) by a giant beard.

 

[rteetz]

My plan tonight is to run on the good ol' treadmill. I have not ran since my race on Sunday so I'm going to just do a low effort 30+ minute walk&jog after picking out a podcast or something to listen to. Any recommendations?

I did receive my free (yay for free!) official race photos. I have omitted most of the "dead-fish face, super double-chin ones" which there were quite a few of. The finish line one came out cute...because I remembered to pretend like I wasn't totally suffering. The other pic I put here because it is funny. I'm being chased (and I believe eventually passed) by a giant beard.
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Nice photos!

As for podcast recommendations I would suggest Mickey miles or disunplugged if you don't already listen to those. Also part of the disunplugged podcast family they have connecting with Walt a great history podcast they just started on the beginning of WDW or The Trip which isn't just about WDW but all Orlando area travel. Teresa and JL on the Trip are hilarious.

 

[roxymama]

Nice photos!

As for podcast recommendations I would suggest Mickey miles or disunplugged if you don't already listen to those. Also part of the disunplugged podcast family they have connecting with Walt a great history podcast they just started on the beginning of WDW or The Trip which isn't just about WDW but all Orlando area travel. Teresa and JL on the Trip are hilarious.

Thanks for the suggestions...I'm going to look at those. I tried getting to Mickey miles once but my phone did not have enough space to download the podcast player. So maybe I will need to rid myself of some of my useless apps and etc.

 

[SarahDisney]

I love the pictures! And holy crap that beard ...

In terms of podcasts, I'm going to second the DISUnplugged. I haven't listened to Mickey Miles yet, but its on my list of things to listen to.
Honestly, I usually just listen to either my running playlist or my Disney playlist, but I get that some people get bored more easily with the music.

 

[Ariel484]

Super cute pictures!

I like Mickey Miles okay...not my favorite. I like Tom & Lorenzo's PopStyle Opinionfest and, in case you haven't listened to it yet, Serial.

 

[roxymama]

Super cute pictures!

I like Mickey Miles okay...not my favorite. I like Tom & Lorenzo's PopStyle Opinionfest and, in case you haven't listened to it yet, Serial.

I used to check Tom & Lorenzo's blog every single day years ago when I followed Project Runway so closely. Since having my kiddo most of my "shows" got scrapped for Mickey Mouse ClubHouse and disney jr. stuff.
So now I definitely want to check out their stuff again.

 

[Ariel484]

I used to check Tom & Lorenzo's blog every single day years ago when I followed Project Runway so closely. Since having my kiddo most of my "shows" got scrapped for Mickey Mouse ClubHouse and disney jr. stuff.
So now I definitely want to check out their stuff again.

I love TLo. Hilarious! I read their blog almost daily but forget about the podcast...you asking about podcasts jogged my memory. I may try it on my longer runs.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

Thanks for the Hot Chocolate recap @roxymama! Sounds like a fun race, but holy cow, 45,000 people?!? I knew the race was big, but had no idea it was that big! That's 3 times the size that Wine and Dine was, and that seemed crazy crowded. Good to know should I decide to go for it next year.

 

[roxymama]

Thanks for the Hot Chocolate recap @roxymama! Sounds like a fun race, but holy cow, 45,000 people?!? I knew the race was big, but had no idea it was that big! That's 3 times the size that Wine and Dine was, and that seemed crazy crowded. Good to know should I decide to go for it next year.

There were two waves but I highly suggest submitting proof of time...any proof...as it will land you in the first wave most likely! I already knew Chicago races were big, just from even before I was a runner (especially the marathon)...but even I was surprised by how many people were here for this one. We were in my in-laws condo just hanging out afterwards and were still watching the walkers out their windows going up the last 1/2 mile of the course. And that was 2 hours after our race started! But it was so much fun...highly reccommended...just acclimate yourself with the area since there's tons of closed and fenced off streets around the start/finish/party.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

There were two waves but I highly suggest submitting proof of time...any proof...as it will land you in the first wave most likely! I already knew Chicago races were big, just from even before I was a runner (especially the marathon)...but even I was surprised by how many people were here for this one. We were in my in-laws condo just hanging out afterwards and were still watching the walkers out their windows going up the last 1/2 mile of the course. And that was 2 hours after our race started! But it was so much fun...highly reccommended...just acclimate yourself with the area since there's tons of closed and fenced off streets around the start/finish/party.

Thanks for the advice. I would definitely have a proof of time to submit, since I've already done a couple 10Ks, and plan to do other races before next November. And I think I saw that 5Ks even are acceptable for proof of time for the 15K (which is the one I'd want to do - need to go for the medal!)

I'm actually seeing now on the website that the race is a week earlier than I thought. It says it's on October 30.

 

[roxymama]

Thanks for the advice. I would definitely have a proof of time to submit, since I've already done a couple 10Ks, and plan to do other races before next November. And I think I saw that 5Ks even are acceptable for proof of time for the 15K (which is the one I'd want to do - need to go for the medal!)

I'm actually seeing now on the website that the race is a week earlier than I thought. It says it's on October 30.

Good catch on the date! That is the day before my daughter's birthday. So now I know to definitely maybe take off the Friday before to do the expo and house set up for whatever kiddo party happens on Saturday and then run on sunday and then maybe take off Monday for mom recovery before trick or treating! Whew...I'm tired already...but still want to do it. 15k here we come!

 

[roxymama]

I have not ran...at all...since my hot chocolate race and I feel terrible about it!!! It's been really really busy at work for my husband and so by the time he comes home from work it is time to tuck the baby into bed or later and at that point I'm usually eating my dinner and I'm just done for the night.
I have no excuse for not running this weekend outside other than having a wedding, a wedding reception and then a daughter who wanted to be with her mommy and a mommy who wanted to nap during her daughter's nap.

So here I am saying I'm not perfect and I've fallen off the wagon and I want to get back on. Last night I should have ran. My hubby got home at 8pm and we let our daughter stay up until 8:30 so they could spend time together. I should have gone out running at 8:30 or 9 to they gym and I didn't. The darkness makes me feel like its' midnight.

Tonight hubby should be coming home normal-ish time. I should be able to feed us all at a normal-ish time. I have clean laundry and all my running gear set out. The house is clean. There are no insane storms happening like last week to block me from wanting to go outside. I really have literally no excuses. So it's a date with the treadmill tonight...and I think maybe the bike too.

I'm not ashamed or anything...I've been working very very hard with running all year...but I know my personality and it's easy for me to just kind of stop doing things for no reason. But TONIGHT I RUN!

(also I am getting super excited that it's almost Thanksgiving which is almost Christmas which is almost January which is almost my Disney race weekend....yaaaaaaay)

 

[LSUlakes]

I have not ran...at all...since my hot chocolate race and I feel terrible about it!!! It's been really really busy at work for my husband and so by the time he comes home from work it is time to tuck the baby into bed or later and at that point I'm usually eating my dinner and I'm just done for the night.
I have no excuse for not running this weekend outside other than having a wedding, a wedding reception and then a daughter who wanted to be with her mommy and a mommy who wanted to nap during her daughter's nap.

So here I am saying I'm not perfect and I've fallen off the wagon and I want to get back on. Last night I should have ran. My hubby got home at 8pm and we let our daughter stay up until 8:30 so they could spend time together. I should have gone out running at 8:30 or 9 to they gym and I didn't. The darkness makes me feel like its' midnight.

Tonight hubby should be coming home normal-ish time. I should be able to feed us all at a normal-ish time. I have clean laundry and all my running gear set out. The house is clean. There are no insane storms happening like last week to block me from wanting to go outside. I really have literally no excuses. So it's a date with the treadmill tonight...and I think maybe the bike too.

I'm not ashamed or anything...I've been working very very hard with running all year...but I know my personality and it's easy for me to just kind of stop doing things for no reason. But TONIGHT I RUN!

(also I am getting super excited that it's almost Thanksgiving which is almost Christmas which is almost January which is almost my Disney race weekend....yaaaaaaay)

So, sometimes after completing a race, we get one of two feelings. First, I can not wait to get back out there to work hard and keep improving. Second, I just nailed this race and deserve a rest day or two. After my most recent race, I had #2 happen to me, and 1-2 days turned into almost a week and carried over a bit into the following week. Like you though, I had legit reasons, but still had this odd feeling about missing the planned runs. At the end of it all, #2 leads to being very motivated like #1. Sometimes we just need a little rest to recharge and regain focus on the big picture. The time you missed isn't going to have a big effect on your level of fitness and now you are rested and energized to get back out there. Just wanted to share that I have had similar experiences and you are going to do just fine. Enjoy your run tonight!

 

[roxymama]

Thanks @LSUlakes for the words of solidarity and encouragement. I'm really wanting to start up again...I just have to do it!