Regina Restaurant Week 

#RRW2016

I have not been this excited about anything in a while, and it's not just the "Calories Don't Count Downtown" tagline!  Regina Restaurant Week is here!  This is an amazing collaboration put together by thirteen of Regina downtown's best dining establishments and the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District.  Restaurant Week runs nightly (5:00 to 9:00 pm) until February 10 and is an incredible opportunity for diners to experience some of our best downtown dining, at an amazing price!  All menus are a fixed price dinner and include an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $35.  When you look at the restaurant offerings, you will see that this is really a fantastic value!  I had the opportunity last night to attend a "social media preview" of the event and we stopped at three establishments to sample their offerings. We had a terrific evening that I will describe in stomach-rumbling detail, but in the meantime, you can find all the participating restaurants, and their menus here:

http://www.reginadowntown.ca/events/regina-restaurant-week

The Copper Kettle

www.copperkettleregina.com

This was our first stop and we enjoyed our appetizer course here.  Normally, you will get all three courses at one restaurant, but this was a special preview so we split the courses over three establishments.  Our group was blown away by what's happening at The Copper Kettle!  I had not been there in years, and quite honestly with the explosion of amazing restaurants Regina has seen over the last few years, it wasn't even on my radar to go back.  However, I am so glad we landed there as there are some amazing things going on!  The Copper Kettle has been a Regina staple for 50 years, but has just undergone a major renovation and menu update overseen by their new General Manager, and Junior Chef, Destiny Slobodian.  We were really impressed with Destiny's excitement about the renovations, menu, and being a part of Restaurant Week.  We were brought out a variety of appetizers, three of which appear as choices on the Restaurant Week menu:  Crusted Feta, Spanakopita, and Braised Back Ribs.  We were also served Calamari and Mussels as an extra something special.  Destiny explained to us that their new menu is a modern twist on a traditional Greek menu, and they have worked to play off of typically salty Greek food, by adding sweetness, such as honey or fresh fruit to a dish.  She also is heavily focused on Saskatchewan products and reported that approximately 85% of what we were eating was from our Province.  Of the five items we sampled, my favourite was the "Crusted Feta" (bottom right in photo).  It was wrapped in phyllo dough, pan seared, topped with seeds and nuts, and drizzled with salted honey.  Heaven.  It is one of those dishes that I am going to often dream about, and will be returning to enjoy.  All of the offerings we sampled were really good, but it's hard to beat a cheese dish in my books.  All in all, the restaurant looks beautiful, the location remains unparalleled, the food was tasty and well-presented, the staff were lovely, and Destiny brings a very bright future to the Copper Kettle.  I am excited to get back and sample a couple of their entrees, and well..."baklava".  Need I say more?

Famoso

www.famoso.ca

Our entree stop was at Famoso, one of our newest additions to downtown.  Even though I think about food approximately 23 hours a day, I get out to eat very rarely, so this is another spot I have been wanting to try, but hadn't until last night!  Anyone who has been out to dine with me knows that I am the very last person at the table to order, because I am indecisive and need the pressure of everyone else waiting on me to pull the trigger on a selection.  Not last night though!  The first pizza I spotted was the "Cavoletti" and it was a done deal!  I didn't even look at the other offerings.  Pictured above is my Cavoletti Pizzetta which is topped with oven-roasted brussel sprouts, proscuitto crisps, gorgonzola cheese, dates, walnuts, and honey.  There were also three side options and I chose the Caprese Salad.  I loved the flavours on this pizza.  I make a lot of homemade pizza but mine are very North American...thick crust, with lots of meat and cheese but the Famoso pizzas are what I would consider more authentic Italian.  They are a very thin, airy crust, lighter toppings, and interesting flavour combinations, and then fired roasted.  I thought my pizza could have done with a few less seconds on the fire.  There was a bit of charring and the proscuitto was beyond crispy, but I enjoyed it very much.  And since I tend to underbake things as I like a more soft, doughy texture, I may not be the best judge of "degree of charring".  Famoso is a bit different from the other Regina Restaurant Week options as here, it is 2 CAN DINE for $35.  How incredible is that??  I am anxious to get back and I know the kids are going to love it, especially when they see the gelato counter!  But in the meantime, I still have half a pizzetta in the fridge that I am going to enjoy for dinner tonight!

20Ten City Eatery

www.20ten.ca

Dessert.  There are many times I will skip a meal entirely just so I can have a dessert.  It explains a lot, doesn't it?  Another beautiful, new location to downtown Regina is 20Ten City Eatery and it is literally, a stone's throw east of Famoso.  We had our dessert course there and it is a lovely spot and we had excellent service.  I think aside from one creme brûlée, our whole group ordered either the brownie, or the dessert above which appears on the Restaurant Week Menu.  It is a spiced ginger toffee cake with banana anglaise, and vanilla bean ice cream.  It was very good, although I didn't get a whole lot of ginger flavour from it.  I could have eaten just a bowl of the anglaise, mind you.  It may be worth noting that 20Ten City Eatery only has one offering for each course on the Restaurant Week Menu (whereas most of the other restaurants provide at least two choices) so I would have a look at their menu, and make sure it's something you will enjoy, before you commit to making it your choice of dining location.  If you do go, I think you will be happy with the ginger toffee cake, although I generally prefer chocolate to toffee or caramel.  Except in the case of...well, baklava.

Thank you so much to Regina Downtown BID for inviting me to be a part of their preview.  It was a terrific night and I cannot wait to get back downtown to try some more of the offerings.  Keep an eye on social media when you are planning your dinners.  There is already a lot of buzz around the hashtag #RRW2016 so I would bet you are going to see a lot of photos and reviews of the menus.  And please feel free to tweet, snap, and post yourselves using #RRW2016.  I truly hope that all of Regina gets out at least once in the next couple of weeks to eat downtown!  

Every Mile is Magic

I am a Walt Disney World Marathon Finisher.
Today I was thinking about how long I have been running and I realized I started just over 2 1/2 years ago, and here I am with a full marathon under my belt.  I spoke with a few different runners this past weekend, and when I told them it was my first marathon, they all said, "Ah, yes! The bucket list!"  But I realized that no, I have never had a marathon on my bucket list.  I never even would have dreamed that I could run one, but I just did.  I only knew that I didn't want to get any older and regret it if I had never tried, so I thought it would be smart to make an attempt sooner, rather than later.  And I knew if I was going to run 26.2 miles, there would be only one place I would do it:  Walt Disney World, where as they say, "Every Mile is Magic".  A downside of running at Disney World though is it is the only place on earth where you catch yourself saying, "I'm JUST running the Marathon", because some runners are participating in the Dopey Challenge, which includes all four races.  But it's also awesome because it's the only place on earth where you can call someone "Dopey" and it is a compliment. "Hey look kids, he's Dopey!  Good job, Dopey!"  It was fabulous.

The Marathon is the only race of the year where runners get to travel through all four theme parks, including backstage areas, which for a Disney fan like me is the ultimate golden ticket.  I was also excited to find that I was running in the daylight (or near daylight) through the three theme parks that I had previously run through at night, so I got to see them in a different way.  I did run through the Magic Kingdom in the total dark, which was amazing because of all the lights on Main Street USA and on the Castle, which brings me to my first race highlight.

We entered the Magic Kingdom from the east, at the south end of Main Street, heading towards the Christmas tree.  There were spectators lining the street, screaming and cheering.  It was amazing!  I believe I shouted "Hello, Magic Kingdom!!" and took a good look at all of them because I knew in a moment I was going to turn the corner and there would be only one thing I would see.  And then it happened, in just a matter of seconds, I took a right hand turn and there it was, Cinderella's Castle in all its sparkling glory.  I ran towards it, Christmas wreaths lining the Main Street shops, cheering spectators packed along the left, cast members on our right, and I just kept thinking "Remember this. Remember this moment."  And I know I always will.

When you are not running through a theme park, there is entertainment along the way, including character meets and photo opportunities, DJs, and lots of water and snack stops (thank you sponsors!).  One of my favourite of these places was a pair of entertainers around mile 11.  They were wearing microphones so we could hear them for quite a while as we did a u-turn at that spot.  The banter went something like, "You guys are looking great!  Keep up the pace!  We hope you can come back tomorrow for the marathon!"
"Yes, they'll be all warmed up from this nice Sunday jog by then!"
"You do know, this is just the line up for Toy Story Midway Mania, right?"
I was laughing out loud.

Anyone who has raced at Walt Disney World knows the hill where the Green Army Men camp out.  It is the Osceola Parkway off-ramp onto World Drive and you will find them "cheering" runners up the incline by yelling at us.  They are the only people (aka toys) in the world that I appreciate yelling at me.  "I know it's hard to run in glass slippers.  But guess what, ladies???  You're not wearing glass slippers, YOU'RE WEARING SNEAKERS!!  NOW GET MOVING!!"  It's absolutely the best and at mile 21, was one of the last things I remember as it got pretty foggy after that.

I must make mention of the signs because they are something I always look forward to.  There were so many signs, and I really only got the chance to read a few of them, but some of my favourites were:
"I got a blister just making this sign."
"Goonies never say die."
"Spoiler Alert: You are killing this race." (with a photo of Kylo Ren)
But my very favourite sign was held by a lovely woman just outside of Hollywood Studios, at approximately mile 23.5, that simply said, "You are going to finish a marathon today."
And I think that's when it hit me, as the tears welled up in my eyes.  Yes, I really was.

I finished the marathon in 4:40:26 and although it wasn't an earth-shattering time, I beat the goal I had set for myself and finished in the top 11% of women, and top 18% overall.  Not too shabby for someone who hadn't ever planned to run one.  Minnie Mouse was at the finish line and I veered over to get a high five from her before crossing the line.  And then it was time to choose the person who would put the medal around my neck.  Having gotten to hand out medals at the Queen City Marathon last fall, I knew how the volunteers near the end of the line didn't keep as busy, so I took my time.  I scanned their faces and then I made eye contact with this beautiful girl and I knew she was the one.  I walked up to her, she put the medal around my neck and said "Congratulations" and then I said to her, "This is my first marathon and I am never going to forget your face.  Thank you."  And I could tell she was touched as she said "I am never going to forget you either."

Last night, I was watching a show about the IronMan in Hawaii, and Sean Astin said something that spoke to me, as he has done before.  He said "For the rest of my life, I'll know that I did that.  And no one can ever take it away."  Of all the photos we took that weekend, those staged with Disney characters, of parade floats, our favourite foods, or against the backdrop of a beloved attraction, this one is my favourite.  The moment when I saw my son, the relief of battling something hard and emerging a winner.

During the flights home from Florida, I had a talk with each of the kids and said "Do you know why I wanted you to come?  Because I wanted you to see that you can do things that are hard.  And even if they're hard, and you're scared, and you don't think you can do it, you can."
Emily replied, "If you can dream it, you can do it.  Right, Mom?".  That's right.  That's so right.

One Week until Walt Disney World Marathon!

My apologies for a quiet blog.  It has been a defeating fall and I haven't had much to say, but I just realized this Marathon is the reason I started these musings in the first place so I thought I had better share my progress!  I am officially one week away from running my first (and last) full marathon and am experiencing a variety of emotions.  I think I am mildly excited that it is nearly here.  If nothing else, I am very excited that it is almost over!  I am mostly terrified though, not of the pain and the fatigue, but that for some reason I will be pulled from the course and not finish.  I know for a fact that I will not quit, and as long as I'm conscious, will fight tooth and nail with anyone trying to remove me!  As I told a friend, if I don't finish, it better be because I am stone cold dead!

I have been suffering through an SI joint problem that has caused me a lot of pain and required me to slow my pace quite a bit.  Fortunately, thanks to the physiotherapist and chiropractor, I have been feeling a lot better in the last few weeks and am running with only minor pain.  It was looking pretty bleak for a while as I walked with a dramatic limp, and had a hard time getting in and out of the vehicle, and even rolling over in bed.  But I managed to keep getting my mileage in, albeit slow, and I have to be proud of myself that I never missed a training "limp" despite the mental and physical pain. By the time I leave for Walt Disney World on Thursday, I will have logged 600 miles preparing for this race.

When I signed up for the biggest RunDisney race of the year, I had no intentions of taking the kids along.  However, the day I ran my first 15 miler (at the time the longest distance I had ever run), I had an epiphany:  that this is a really big achievement and I was doing it once, and once only, so the kids should be there to see me finish.  And like every crazy thing that I do, I hope the memory of it would be inspiring to them at some point in their lives.  So, on Boxing Day, we surprised them with the news that they would be coming along to cheer me on, and they would be running their very own race ,"The Mickey Mile", on Saturday afternoon.  We are staying at the Polynesian Village Resort and the Marathon course will take me by the Polynesian twice for a good view for the family.  Then they are just a monorail ride away from the finish line at EPCOT so it should work really well.

I cannot say enough about the people in the running community who have given me advice.  I hope you know who you are!!  Talking to these experienced runners is so valuable (and I hope that something I have to say will help another runner along some day).  This fall, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the Queen City Marathon crew, and Darwin Weimer, in particular, gave me some amazing insight into the mental game of this sport.  He made me aware of, and this fall I paid close attention to, the crazy things our minds will try and tell us to stop ourselves from running.  On my 26.2 miler the week before Christmas, I came up with the analogy of having an angel and a devil on my shoulder, kind of like Fred Flintstone would have from time to time.  The devil voice would say, "You know you should just walk.  You've got plenty of time.  Your knee is starting to hurt.  You don't want to damage it before the real race.  Just walk it out."  But what I learned is, that if you listen for the angel voice (and sometimes it's hard to hear when you're really tired), it might say "You are doing great!  You are making good time.  Forget about that knee and look at that rebar and insulation.  Doesn't it look like Cinderella's Castle?"  Every once in a while, I will imagine our amazing RunDisney volunteers lining the edge of the road, waving at me with giant Mickey Mouse hands, and the odd time, when no one is looking, I might even wave back!

I will be posting lots from Florida and will do a weekend recap when we get home!  Please keep me in your thoughts (and prayers if you are so inclined) that we will have a safe trip and I will have a successful race on Sunday morning.  At the end of it, I just need to know I gave it all I had, and I hope I end up with a time that is gratifying enough that I won't feel compelled to do it again!  Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust.

Emily 4 Little Chef!

We have big news in our house!  Our daughter, Emily, is one of ten semi-finalists in the "Little Chef" contest for the Marilyn Denis Show, sponsored by The Little Potato Co.  About a month ago, she told me that she had seen an ad for the contest in the Co-op grocery store and the grand prize was a trip to Paris! I always have CTV on in the morning and as soon as she said it, I remembered that I had heard the commercial many times so I thought it was time to investigate further.  It turned out that she fell within the age limits and just had to submit a video cooking a dish using the potatoes from The Little Potato Co.  Well, we knew she could do that!  And so, Emily's quest to become the "Little Chef" began!

We brainstormed an idea and together developed a brand new recipe for the contest!  This special dish had to make the little potatoes the star, be easy enough for an 8 year old to prepare, demonstrate several cooking techniques, be varied to suit a variety of kids' tastes, and look awesome on the plate.  And so Emily's "Smashed Little Potato Nachos" were born and since I just recently tried to write the recipe down, I think it looks something like the one below!

Last week, we received word that her video submission was chosen as one of the top 10 submissions in the country and she was a semi-finalist!  Canadians are asked to vote daily from now until November 29 for their favourite little chef, and I would recommend that you have a look at all the videos, because they are really great.  And if you like Emily's the best, she would LOVE to have your support!  The voting will be taken into consideration when the top 2 finalists are chosen and those lucky kids will go to Toronto in December for a cook-off on the Marilyn Denis Show!  Emily is really hoping to be one of those finalists for many reasons, one of them being she will get to meet Chef Michael Bonacini who will help choose the big winner!  If a trip to Toronto isn't big enough news for an 8 year old, the grand prize truly is a culinary adventure in Paris!  (France, NOT Ontario!!)  I am being completely truthful when I say that about a year ago she became obsessed with going to Paris.  I suggested earlier this year that maybe if we saved up, we could go for her 16th birthday.  I figured it was a safe offer since I'm sure she'll either forget by then, or I'll be so uncool in 8 years that she won't want to travel with me anymore.  

But who knows?  Maybe Paris isn't that far out of reach after all!

To view the Little Chef videos, please visit:

The Marilyn Denis Show - Little Chef

Whatever happens, thank you to The Little Potato Co., The Marilyn Denis Show, and CTV Bell Media for the incredible adventure she has had so far!  And to her fans, thank you so much for the votes!  We are so grateful for your support!

Smashed Little Potato Nachos

4 C. Little Potato Co. potatoes

1 C. ground pork or turkey

1 avocado, diced

1 C. shredded cheese

1/2 C. salsa

1/2 C. sour cream or greek yogourt

1/4 C. chives, chopped

1 C. arugula

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Bring potatoes to a simmer in a pot of salted water.  Cook until fork tender, approximately 10-15 minutes.  Drain and let cool.  Fry pork or turkey in a large non-stick pan over medium heat.  Remove meat but leave juices in the pan.  Place each potato between sheets of wax paper and smash lightly with palm of hand.  Over medium heat, heat fat and olive oil, and then add potatoes to fry on each side until golden.  Remove to serving platter and top with additional ingredients.  

"Boom. Done. Pretty!"

MasterChef Canada Kitchen Ninjas

Everyone has been patiently waiting for more MasterChef Canada stories so I will get back to it.  I feel like I am running out of things that I can say but I know haven’t discussed the best part of all that you don’t get to see on television.  As I have said before, I was most curious to see how things are done as I am very much a “behind the scenes” type thinker and I have found it very interesting what the viewer doesn’t notice or think about as they get wrapped up in a television show.  
Have you thought about this…who cleans up all that cooking mess??  Shhh….we have kitchen ninjas.  Of course, they are not called that.  That was the affectionate name I christened them with, but they are the most amazing group of individuals on the planet.  When a cook is over, they swoop in (or ninja in, if you would), cleaning at the speed of light.  Drawers of utensils are swapped out for fully stocked ones, dirty dishes and garbage are whisked from the station, stainless steel is polished, and then they are gone…as quickly as they came in.  And should a camera need to point in their direction, they would quickly drop out of sight, behind the counter.  I think aside from watching the other home cooks work, watching the kitchen ninjas was the very best part.  

MasterChef Canada home cooks are not even allowed to clean up.  Trust me, I tried.  Everyone who knows me well, knows that I am the kitchen tidier and counter washer.  But in that magical place, it was forbidden.  I remember thinking that everyone was making one heck of a big mess for culinary to have to clean up and I vowed to keep my station tidy.  But, naturally, in the chaos of a 60 minute cook, I made one heck of a mess myself and sheepishly walked away as the ninjas took over the clean up.  Later in the day, after my initial audition cook, I snagged one of them and apologized profusely at the mess I left behind. He laughed at me, of course, but I did feel better reassuring him that I don’t normally create a hurricane around me when I cook.  Leaving the MasterChef Kitchen, there were only two things that I would have given anything to take with me:  my apron (yes, we truly had to leave them behind) and my ninjas.  I wish both things were hanging out in my kitchen right now.

The View from Corral A

A quick web search defines a corral as  "a pen for livestock, especially cattle or horses”.  In the case of race day, that is fairly accurate except instead of “livestock”, we have “runners”.  Some races, like Queen City Marathon do not officially “corral” runners although we are encouraged to position ourselves in the area marked with our anticipated finish time.  This is really important for safety reasons, as we do not want a slower runner being at the front of the pack and getting trampled by those looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon!  Also, I think it is beneficial psychologically to be able to pass runners once the race begins, than to be passed yourself!  

runDisney does corral their runners, which means we have to submit a “proof of time” from a previous race if we want to be positioned in an early start corral.  Our race bibs are marked with our corral assignments and amazing volunteers help runners enter their fenced off positions.  This ensures that the fastest runners are far out of the way before the others start.  runDisney does an excellent job of this and treats every corral like they are the very first runners of the race with fireworks or confetti, or any of the magical things Disney likes to throw at us.

When I signed up for my first runDisney race, I didn’t have a proof of time to submit so I was assigned to Corral G (7th corral to be released).  By the time race day came, I had ran Queen City Marathon and was able to submit that time at the package pick up.  I was moved up to Corral B (2nd corral to be released).  This meant runDisney was considering me fast and that scared me quite a bit.  However, I raced an even faster time that night and earned a Corral A start for the Disneyland Half Marathon and 10K.  Now, that is pressure!  Disney was expecting me to lead the pack of 16,000 runners!  
Although I didn’t feel capable of such a task, I did keep my corral assignment because I believe there are several advantages to being in an earlier corral in a runDisney race.  Most importantly is the luxury of space.  There are not as many runners trying to squeeze into the narrower corridors of the theme parks, and if you do come across a character you would like to have your photo taken with, there probably isn’t going to be a lineup!  This is because there are not that many runners ahead of you, and also because the runners in Corral A tend to be a bit more competitive and likely aren’t there to meet Malificent, if you know what I mean.  Another advantage of an earlier corral is that you are not waiting to start the race as long so there isn't additional fatigue and nerves of waiting.  And, of course, you are done the race all that much sooner and can get on to more fun things, like the theme parks!  In the case of Wine & Dine Half Marathon, I was riding Test Track back to back and drinking wine in France long before EPCOT started to thicken with runners.  Lastly, it is pretty cool to be right at the start line when the race officially begins.  

In the case of Wine & Dine Half Marathon, where the above photo was taken, Mickey and Minnie came out on stage to start the race.  I was so excited to see them (well, who wouldn’t be??) that when the announcer started congratulating a woman in the crowd who had just completed the Ironman the previous weekend, I wasn’t really listening.  And when Mickey and Minnie started waving in my direction (looking for the Iron “Woman”),  I started jumping up and waving to get their attention!!  Soon the crowd was cheering in my direction, assuming I was the athlete.  I quickly realized my mistake and shrunk as small as I could.  That was embarrassing.  But hey, imagine the psychological lift I gave all those runners when the passed me on the course!!

In conclusion, this is my running advice to you: take the earliest corral that is assigned to you and that you feel you can compete in.  I believe an early start will give you a small advantage.  I know that I will be corralled early at the Walt Disney World Marathon and although I know I will not feel worthy of it when the time comes, I will take it...and keep to the edge so everyone can get around me as needed!  See you at the start line!  I will be the one waving madly at Mickey!

Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend

We are now one week away from Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend and although I am not lucky enough to get to participate this year, I thought I would give you a recap of last year’s event.  It also might help to explain why I love RunDisney events so much and how I have managed to get myself suckered into the biggest race of the year.  After I ran the Wine & Dine Half Marathon in November, 2013, my mind immediately went to “Dumbo Double Dare” because I felt like if I went back for a RunDisney race, I would have to "up" my game and I didn’t think I was crazy enough to "up" it to the full marathon.  So, when registration opened for the Disneyland Half Marathon, I immediately pulled the trigger.  And being a spoiled Disney Vacation Club member, I got to register early and secured a coveted spot in the Dumbo Double Dare (10K race on Saturday plus Half Marathon on Sunday).

Disneyland Half Marathon runs Labour Day Weekend so my grain-farmer husband couldn’t come, but because the kids were still out of school, I felt guilty about the thought of going to Disneyland without them.  I also liked the idea of us all having a RunDisney medal around our necks.  I knew I could complete the races while they waited in the hotel room, but I got to worrying that if something did happen to me on the course, they may be quite traumatized having to fly my body home!  So, we asked Grandma to come along.  I was particularly impressed when she also decided to participate in the 5K.  In the end, someone from our household ran in each of the events that weekend:  Our 7 year old daughter ran the 400m Kids Race, our 12 year old son ran the 5K, and I ran the 10K and Half Marathon.  So we have a lot of experience with the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend! 

We decided to splurge by staying at the Disneyland Hotel.  We usually stay at a Good Neighbour Hotel at Disneyland but in the case of a race weekend, the Disneyland Hotel was a far superior choice.  The Fitness Expo is right there, and we were able to attend it several times.  It was great to be able to pop in to hear a speaker, grab a Clif Shot Gel that I forgot to bring from home, or have an injury taped up.  The hotel is also located right by the start and finish lines so it was just a quick walk.  You really can’t beat the convenience of Disneyland Hotel so I would recommend it to everyone heading down for a race weekend.  And when I say we “splurged”, I booked through GET Travel which is the travel operator for RunDisney and the rate was excellent and so well worth the money.  We also purchased our park tickets through GET Travel and got an amazing deal! 

The 5K event was Friday morning and shortly after it sold out, I regretted not signing myself up for it, but it was Grandma and Matthew who participated in this one.  It was great for Emily and I to be able to see them start, and finish, the race.  I was really proud of them both.  It is worth noting that the 5K events get all the bells and whistles of the bigger races.  RunDisney does an amazing job of making every distance so special and it is heartwarming to see every age and athletic ability be rewarded at the end for their hard work.  

Saturday morning I ran the 10K which was a lot of fun because you get to go through the theme parks, without having to run a terribly long distance.  The kids races happened later on in the morning and I really wanted to be at the end so I could see Emily finish.  I waited in the corral with her hoping she would let me escape to the finish line to see her cross, but she wanted me to run the 400m with her.  So I did: in my flip flops, with my camera and 10K medal around my neck, carrying a coffee.  She beat me fair and square.  I could not catch her.  I was so so proud of all my runners that weekend and was so glad I brought them with me.

Sunday morning delivered the Half Marathon.  My biggest fear through the whole weekend was that after all the expense involved in traveling, all the miles put into training, and with all those medals on the line, for some reason I would not be able to complete the Half Marathon.  I wasn’t afraid of giving up.  I was afraid of being unconscious and having to be removed from the course.  So please, if you ever find me unconscious on a RunDisney course, don’t remove me!!  I will come around…eventually!  Once again, we got to run through our beloved theme parks and although I would love to tell you all about it, I really remember very little.  I can still see the World of Color Fountains which were dancing for us, and I remember running through Radiator Springs and down Route 66.  Coming through the Sleeping Beauty's Castle is clear, as is New Orleans Square, which is possibly my favourite location in all of Disneyland.  But otherwise, the visions are cloudy.  I didn’t stop for any characters, although the Villains really tempted me as I love a good Villain (or bad Villain, depending on how you look at it).  It really is amazing to run through the backstage areas and around the virtually empty theme parks that you love so much.  There are cast members and volunteers lining the course and waving with Mickey hands.  It is the best and makes me tear up just thinking about it.

By the time runners get out into the streets of Anaheim, the view isn’t as exciting, but you’re getting pretty numb to it all so it doesn’t matter that much!  Race organizers did their best setting us up for fun along the route.  There is a huge car show, which provided lots of encouraging spectators, and of course the run around Honda Center and through Angels Stadium is pretty cool.  Another runner I was visiting with at the start of the race told me that a tip to the Half Marathon is to make it to Honda Center before the sun comes up so you aren’t running into it.  I can’t say for sure if that’s a legitimate concern, as I did get around Honda Center in time and didn’t have any trouble with the sun, but others may want to consider it.

As I neared Disneyland Resort, I realized two things.  First of all, my time was so much better than I anticipated that I thought Grandma might not get the kids to the finish line in time to see me.  Secondly, I realized that if I kept it up, we could be in Disneyland before rope drop, thus guaranteeing Emily a coveted spot in the Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet line!!  So, it was the thought of her getting to meet those girls that made me keep up my record-breaking pace.  Coming up that last stretch of Disneyland Way, in front of the Disneyland Hotel where the family was going to be waiting for me, I started to scan the crowd to see if they were there.  Fortunately, Grandma is tall and I spotted them right away.  They had made it!  And no sooner did I pass them, I could see the finish line, the most beautiful thing you will ever see, and the thing you have been imagining for so many months.  One step across that line and I had earned four medals in two days, and achieved a personal record of 1:43:43, a record I have no intention of ever beating because there is nowhere else I would rather run a personal best than at Disneyland.  

We did make it into Disneyland before park opening to get ourselves into the Frozen Meet and Greet line.  And do you know what?  Not only did Emily get to meet Anna and Elsa, but I did too!  And like any good Princess, they really liked my bling!  We walked around Disneyland all day long with our medals on and I drew a lot of attention as four medals clanked against each other.  People would stop and turn to see what the noise was and their faces would light up when they realized what I had accomplished, and soon there was a whole park full of us clanking along.  By the end of the day I had a terrible headache from all the noise, but I would not take them off.  I had worked too hard.

There is truly nothing like a RunDisney race and I guess that's why I am in the trouble I am now, training for the full marathon just 136 days away.  In the meantime, I want to send my very best wishes to everyone running in any of the Disneyland Half Marathon races this year!  I want you to know that you CAN do it, I WILL be thinking of all of you, and I WILL be following along via social media to see how you are doing.  But most of all, I send to each and every one of you, the three most important things: 

FAITH, TRUST, and PIXIE DUST!