GRUMPY RUNNERS: 2014...So Many Races To Run!

Heidi

January 7, 2014. Coldest day of the year so far...or in many years for that matter. Record breaking, actually. It is four degrees here in Southeastern PA and we have a wind chill of -15 degrees. I need to run today. I was scheduled for a long run this past weekend. My last long run before Disneyland's Tinkerbell Half Marathon...Tink for short. It was a sheet of ice on Sunday and Saturday our roads were still icy and snow covered. So I went to the gym to run on the treadmill. I will be there again today. Ain't nobody got time for this weather. I HATE THE TREADMILL. It is so hot in there and I can barely run a mile at a slow pace without having to stop. Needless to say, my next long run may be on January 19th in Anaheim, CA.

So...2014. I am so looking forward to this year and all of the races Kristen and I will be running. First on the list is Tink...in less than two weeks. It is worth having to run 13.1 miles just to be in sunny California.

Then in February I will be headed to sunny (hopefully) Florida to run the Princess Half in Disney World with my friend, April. I will be getting that coast to coast medal. I am actually running the Glass Slipper Challenge. It consists of a 10K on Saturday and then the Half on Sunday. I am so not ready for it. I can barely run back to back days. I figure I can just walk run the half. I am not worried about a time at all. So I am just putting it out there in case any of you want to check my time on Athlinks. The best part about it...FOUR MEDALS. REAL medals too. Not that rubbery thing from the Disney 5k last year. (I am not bitter, I swear.) How am I getting four medals you ask?? One for the 10k, one for the half, one for the Glass Slipper Challenge and then one for the Coast to Coast challenge. I am super excited!! I hope my leg and knee hold up to the challenge.

Those are the only two races I actually am signed up for. I signed up for those months and months ago. As for March, I will probably make Kristen and my running friends run a local 5k in West Chester for St. Patrick's Day. You know, so we can drink afterwards.

I would also like to do the Hot Chocolate Race with my children in April. There is also the Hershey 10k in April and....we are headed to Boston (no not to race because we are too slow for that). Kristen's husband, Brian, is running Boston. So we plan to join him and cheer him on. Of course this is assuming I don't go to Disney World with Haley's lacrosse team. I haven't decided about that yet.

May brings on the Broad Street Run which is a 10 miler. Kristen and our friend, Diana did it last year. It is a lottery system and I am going to try and join them for that. Hopefully we all get in. May also brings on the Kennett Run (the first race I ever raced so I have to continue with that) and the Turkey Hill Run which was a lot of fun last year.

After May, I don't really know. I want to focus on a few triathlons this year. I want to do an Olympic Distance one this year. So I will be training A LOT!!! Now that Kristen has her new fancy bike, she will be leaving me in the dust.

Here is the big one...last year while Kristen and I were in Epcot at Disney World drinking a few beers and watching the runners finish their last mile of their marathon, I convinced Kristen to run the 2015 Disney World Marathon. I figured I can run a few half marathons then I can start training for the big one. 26.2 miles to be exact. I am scared to death but I know we can do it. So we will be starting our marathon training this year too. Big plans always happen over beer.

So many races...so much time and money. Ha Ha.

Oh and I started a new "diet". I am hoping this is more of a lifestyle change than a diet. I just need to tweak what I have been doing (like not eating cookies every night). So far so good. (Of course if you ask my family or Kristen, the first week was pure hell!! It was like food rehab.) I need to give it a few more weeks to see if I like it. More to come on that.

Happy New Year Everyone!! May 2014 be a great year for all of us!!