Disney Princess Half-Marathon Take 2!

Well, it's official, I am running the Disney Princess Half-Marathon again in 2014!  Actually, I've decided to take on runDisney's newest challenge, The Glass Slipper Challenge!  What this means is that Saturday (2/22) I will run the inaugural Enchanted 10k AND THEN on Sunday (2/23) I will run the Princess Half-Marathon.  If you math it out (by the way, I like to use "math" as a verb) that is 19.3 miles in one weekend and I will earn not one, not two, but three medals! 

Crossing the finish line at the 2013 Disney Princess Half-Marathon

I'm super excited but super nervous all at the same time.  I've run a 10k and I've run a half-marathon, but never back to back.  This year, we walked around Disney World for an entire day on Saturday before running the half on Sunday; so I keep telling myself that I had to have walked at least 6 miles that day which means this is totally doable, right? right?!?  

There is something just truly special about Disney Princess Weekend.  It's wonderful to be surrounded by thousands of women (approximately 23,000 participated in 2013) who are all supporting each other and cheering one another on.  Plus, you're running in DISNEY WORLD!  One of my Facebook friends commented on my photos from the race telling me I was "the happiest runner he's ever seen".  How can you not help by smile as you run in Disney?  Their slogan "every mile is magic" is definitely true.  I'm sure that 2014 will be even more special with the addition of the Enchanted 10k and the Glass Slipper Challenge.
 
There are two things I am probably most excited about for Princess Weekend 2014.

1.  I'm not only completing the inaugural Enchanted 10k but I will also earn the very first Glass Slipper Challenge.  Ever since I started racing, I've wanted to run an inaugural race.  I don't know what it is, but I always thought it would be really cool to say "I ran the first year of that race".  And then you add on top of that completing the inaugural year of a runDisney challenge!  Full of win!

2. I am traveling to Orlando and spending the weekend in Disney with some pretty amazing people.  I am officially the Queen of Healthy Peer Pressure as I have convince 4 women I work with to head down to Disney for Princess Weekend.  I'll be running the Enchanted 10k with three ladies from the foreign language department at work and I'll be running the Disney Princess Half-Marathon with my department chair.  I am even more excited that my Mama will be completing the Enchanted 10k as well! Mama had a hip replacement July 2012 so I find it incredibly inspiring that she is taking on this race.  This is the first time Mama will join me on a race course and I think that's awesome!  Now if only I could convince my bestie S to run half again with me in 2014... I'll work on her... 

Training doesn't officially start until October but I already can't wait!

<3 T