11 Packing Tips for a Running Vacation

The time has come for me to pack my bags for Disney!! (insert massive, nervous energy squee here). The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is almost upon us. I’m thrilled to be going back to the parks.

But I’m also nervous because this will hurt. The marathon distance isn’t easy, folks. And, let’s face it, I could have trained better. I always feel like I could have done more when I'm looking down the barrel of a major event like this. It will hurt. But it will also be blissful, gleeful, exciting, and fun. My hubby, Handsome Jack, always says that Disney has the unique ability to transport you back in time to when magic was real and anything was possible. I tend to agree.

Disney World is a magical place. And running races at Disney is unlike any other race experience: it’s spectacular and overwhelming and easy to get swept up in the excitement. Getting swept up in the excitement can be great when you are three miles into a 26.2 mile marathon. But getting away in the fantasy of it all can be detrimental to your race vacation experience if you don’t plan properly. So this year I decided to plan my packing list. I did the same when I headed to RWA to ensure I didn't forget anything and the planning really helped. So hopefully my lessons learned will be useful to you.

Eleven Tips for Packing for a RunDisney Vacation:

1. Carry your running gear on the plane with you – don’t check the bag that includes your running clothes and race gear. Sure, you could buy all new race gear at the expo if you absolutely had to but you DO NOT want to be in that position. When I fly for non-running trips I general pack in a small carryon bag and a backpack. That’s it. But for a RunDisney trip I carry on my backpack and my gym bag. Inside my gym bag I carry body glide, number belts, extra safety pins, and hair ties in addition to my standard running gear of sports bras, leggings, and shirts.

2. Doing more than one race? Bring more than one pair of shoes – Handsome Jack and I learned this the hard way in 2013 when we did the Goofy Challenge. When Marathon day rolled around our shoes were still moist from the day before. Nothing terrible. But it was uncomfortable. And blister inducing. This year, with the Dopey Challenge we are definitely bringing two pairs of shoes.

3. Bring hand sanitizer and EmergenC – in 2013 Handsome Jack and I got the flu during the WDW Marathon Weekend. We started feeling bad the day of the Half. We spent most of the day, after the race, in our rooms, asleep. About 2/3rds of the way through the Marathon we knew something was off. We were more than tired. We were sick. WDW is a magical place but it can also be a festering pit of germs. Be prepared. Get your flu shot. Bring hand sanitizer to use between regular hand washing. And bring your vitamins or Airborne or EmergenC. Bring it and use it.

4. Bring Ziploc baggies, BioFreeze, and Ace Bandages – I don’t know why I didn’t think about this sooner, but your hotel will surely have an ice machine. Use it. Fill those baggies and wrap them onto sore spots with the Ace bandages. You’ll feel better, faster, with application of ice. There will also be ice available at the end of the longer races (Half and Full) which I always take advantage of. But for in-room icing you can’t go wrong with zip lock baggies.

5. Bring food. Food is your friend – I’m a huge fan of staying on property and using the Disney Meal Plans. We love going to the very nice restaurants WDW has to offer but running makes you HUNGRY, or as some like to say, Rungry. You may not like the snacks available in your resort. You may not want to shake up your diet a few days before a big race. Either way, it’s best to bring some simple food with you. I like to bring jerky, walnuts, almonds, and instant oatmeal. Just remember, like with most race related advice, stay away from anything new on or near race day. This is not the Disney trip where you test if the human body can sustain on nothing but Dolewhips.

6. Don’t forget trash bags and tube socks – okay, this one sounds strange, I know, but stay with me. The starts to the WDW races are usually a bit of a hike from where the buses drop you off. That means a shivery, early morning hike to the race start is in your future. To stay warm, consider bringing trash bags. Rip a hole for your head and suddenly your sporting something Mugatu might put in his Derelicte campaign (any Zoolander fans out there? Anyone?). Tube socks are simple, cheap ways to keep your fingers warm.

7. Oh, and don’t forget your water bottle – this seems like a no brainer. You can carry on an empty water bottle. I love my big 64 ounce bottle. And you can bring water into the parks. It’s important to stay hydrated.

8. Costumes elements and the equally important Costume repair kits – this is my first year running a Disney race in costume (and I will be doing 4 races). If costumes are important to you don’t risk checking them. Carry them on in your carryon. But if you don’t have room (like me) then you’ll need to check them. The costumes required a lot of prep work and now that they are done, I needed to make sure every costume was packed with all its pieces. To do this, I laid out each costume and all of its parts, then rolled each element (to save space) and packed them together in one bag I plan to check. Next, I gathered items that I thought would be handy in making in-room costume repairs: glue gun, glue sticks, sewing kit, etc.

9. Staying on property? Don’t forget your Magic Bands – again, seems like a no brainer but I nearly forgot ours. We left ours out on the kitchen counter thinking we couldn’t possibly forget them if they were sitting there…..uh, yeah. We almost did. So I shoved our Magic Bands into my carryon. Done.

10. K.I.S.S. clothes for the rest of the trip – running comfortably is always a priority for me, so much so that on running vacations my running gear takes up a lot of packing space. We still have fun - We try to go at least one park every day during a runDisney vacation. But the clothes I pack for the days in the park fall into the KISS category (Keep It Simple, Stupid). I bring outfit elements that I can easily wear more than once (given they stay relatively clean) and only one pair of comfortable shoes (two max, if space will allow) and a pair of flipflops. Granted, this is harder if you have any fancy plans that involve dressing up. Since it can be warm in FL, even in January, I also pack a bathing suit.

And one more for good measure:


11. Bring Ibuprofen and Imodium AD – these are optional, I suppose, but come in handy. I take the Ibuprofen after a race to help with aches and pains. You can buy it on property at some kiosks but it’s pricy. And the Imodium is helpful if you want to prevent going number two while on the go. If you’re running for time you might not want to take a potty break. I’m not running for time this year so I don’t know if I will use it or not. But I’m bringing it, just in case.

That’s my packing plan. I hope it helps you prepare for your running vacation. Enjoy those magical miles.

#runDisney costume ideas for the men in your races

So I’ve spent a bit over the last several months preparing for the 2015 Dopey Challenge (OMG it’s less than ten days away *faints*). Whether it was training or crafting, Dopey has basically consumed my life for the last few months (see my costume posts: Tinker bell, Rapunzel, Kevin, and Alice).

But I’m not running these races alone. In fact, I have friends and family running with me (woo hoo – races are always more fun with friends). My hubby, Handsome Jack, was not only supportive when it came to running 4 races in 4 days (did I mention it was *his* idea to run Dopey?) but he was also very encouraging when I suggested we run in costume.

He wanted to do couples costumes!!! Now, he’s not a big fan of dressing up, but he adores Halloween. So costumes weren’t a huge leap for him. And having run a few Disney races in the past we both knew costumes at Disney were more the norm than the exception.

So, these last few months I’ve been crafting my butt off to make not only my costumes, but his as well. Here are some pic’s:



Tinker bell and Peter Pan:

We both adore this story. Not just the Disney version but the novel as well. We love love love Peter Pan. We agreed that Peter and Tink were a must. I’m all for wearing wings and suffering for the sake of beauty (part of being a girl, I guess). But Handsome Jack really wanted a lower key costumes. I started with tech gear – green tech shirt and tech shorts. You can see I made some cuts to the shirt creating a V-neck and a more 'pirate-like' top.

From there, our in-laws supplied an authentic Peter Pan hat (purchased at Disney – Did I mention I have the best in-laws?).

To top it off, I stitched a brown cover for his fuel belt (sorry - not pictured). It’s subtle, because I didn’t want to actually cover his fuel pouches, but I think it adds a nice touch. A quick felt scabbard to hold his Peter Pan dagger and we have a completed costume.

Rapunzel and Flynn Rider:

Of the recent Disney movies, Rapunzel is my favorite (yes, I love it more the Frozen). And Handsome Jack loved it too. I always knew I would wear Rapunzel for the full marathon. At first, Handsome Jack didn’t want to run in costume for the full. He later changed his mind, in part, because we were able to find such lightweight tech gear for this costume.

We went with a white tech shirt under a larger, blue shirt. I cut the sleeves off the blue shirt and gave it a deep v neck. I glued some white frog closures on the blue shirt (since it was an outer shirt I felt comfortable using glue to adhere it – if it was against his skin I would never use glue). Next, I stitched a sash out of brown felt. His brown belt cover (sorry, not pictured) will work perfectly with this costume as well as Peter Pan.


Kevin and Russell (from UP):

Immediately, (I’m not exaggerating) when I suggested costumes Handsome Jacks suggested Russell from UP. Handsome Jack is an Eagle Scout and those years spent scouting really left an impression on him. He could relate to Russell’s struggle to get that one final patch. I was totally up for it because I loved UP but I knew a true to form Russell costume would require a lot of accessories (which could make running long distances a challenge). So we agreed to go all out on our UP costumes and we agreed to wear them for the shortest race (5k).

We started with lightweight, store bought shorts and shirt. I cringed when I saw the shorts at first (sorry, not pictured. But they are store bought hiking shorts that land mid thigh) – they are a lot shorter than most men wear today but they are perfect for a scout costume. Next, I went to town making Wilderness Explorer logo’s out of felt. I even made a pennant out of felt.

Several of the accessories had to be purchased online: the bright orange backpack, the bugle hanging from the backpack, and the pan (which will also appear as part of Rapunzel’s outfit), the yellow hat, and the boot covers (to give the appearance of boots vs running shoes).

I needed to sew for Russell’s costume. I attached the logo to his yellow polo with the machine (easier than I thought it would be) and I sewed his scout sash. Next, we found the exact image of the patches online. We printed them, and glued them onto small, felt furniture pads.

After they patches were dry I glued them right onto the sash for a *very* authentic Wilderness Explorer sash.

Alice and the White Rabbit:

Now, it should probably come as no big surprise that Handsome Jack was not really into the idea of dressing up as a Prince. He is more rebel than prince anyway. I suggested great girl costumes (for me) like Snow White (IMO, winner of Best Dressed Disney princess), and Princess Aurora. But the princes are sorta bland and unappealing. So when Handsome Jack suggested Alice and the White Rabbit I jumped at the idea (see what I did there? Jumped….like a rabbit?).

The white rabbit was easy and low key. We avoided the Elizabethan Collar to avoid any potential restriction while running. He suggested we do a red tech shirt under a sleeveless men’s, white cotton tank (seen above). We then slapped an iron on heart on the white tank and we had a basic White Rabbit.

Now, luckily for me, I was building this costume right around Halloween. One quick trip down the Halloween isle at my local store and I had bunny hears and tail. Now all that remained was cutting the bunny ears off the headband and attaching them to a tech visor.

So there you have it folks: four fun and relatively easy ways to craft runDisney costumes for the men in your races. We shouldn't forget costumes for the boys because we all know races are more fun with friends.

Handsome Jack and I are so excited (and NERVOUS) to run these races. I think the training and crafting can be a drag at times – but it will all pay off when we have a ridiculously fun time in the parks on race day.



Are you ready for WDW Marathon Weekend?



Want some tips on running costumes? Check out this post.

2014 Year in Review - and other observations from a caffeinated introvert

This year has been amazing and crazy and stressful. So, in other words, it’s been like any other year. LOL

December has been slower, at least. And this time of year I always like to pause and reflect on what I’ve accomplished. Mostly because no one is going to do it for you (you gotta toot your own horn). And also because it’s empowering to see what all you’ve done with the minutes, hours, and days you’ve been given.

This year has been remarkable and here’s why:

141,557 words written. That’s almost as much as last year’s 158,693 words and pretty darn good considering my law school prep work took a boat load of my personal time. *0.0* (I'm still in shock I did so well - check out how I did Nov, Oct, and Sep)

72 blogs posted

100 + new Twitter followers

6000 blog views

21 novels read

1 writing class attended

2 WIP’s completed *woo hoo* Granted, one was started last year. But still.

1 conference attended - see my RWA14 recap here.

0 contests entered. Ooops. Missed that goal but you know what, I’m okay with it. Primarily because my story wasn’t contest ready this year. There’s always next year.



My personal life didn't sit dormant all year so I could accomplish all those great writerly achievements. No, sir.

I took the soul-sucking LSAT prep class. Conquered the test and got accepted to law school!

My husband and I have been training for the 2015 #DopeyChallenge for months now.

We’ve run more than 265.3 miles this year.

There was travel for vacations and business: St. Louis MO, various parts of FL (4 separate times), North GA Mountains (5 separate times), KY, Jackson MS, Charleston SC, and San Antonio TX. These trips included hiking, backpacking, running, tubing, swimming, kayaking, and time on the beach. Pretty awesome if you ask me.

I even took a few rides on the back of my hubby’s bike. Either I’m getting better at being a passenger or I’m losing my voice – either way, there is less screaming now. Who knew being a passenger would require practice?

I successfully hosted my family’s Thanksgiving Extravaganza without landing anyone in the Emergency Room (go, me!).



Through it all I was able to accomplish most the writing goals I set out for myself. I missed some milestones and goals along the way, but the end result was success and momentum. And momentum in the pursuit of any passion is a many splendid thing.

It’s time to celebrate our momentum and achievements. It's time to look forward to another great year. I, for one, am going to read a book, watch some cheesy holiday rom-coms, and hang out with friends (not concurrently, of course).


How do you plan to celebrate?

Santa's Coming!!!

Alice in Wonderland Inspired Running Costume #runDisney #DopeyChallenge

As you know, Handsome Jack and I signed up for the 2015 #DopeyChallenge. What's that, you ask?

The Dopey Challenge is 4 races over 4 days beginning with a 5k and increasing in distance, culminating with a full marathon. Having run a few Disney races already I knew I wanted to do costumes for Dopey. See my post about Disney races and costumes here.

So far I've shown my Tinker Bell costume, my Rapunzel costume, and most recently, my Kevin (from UP) costume. Three down - one to go.

So today I want to share my final female costume for the #DopeyChallenge: Alice in Wonderland. Here's my inspiration

Of course I grew up watching this Disney classic. I even read both books (I liked Through the Looking Glass a lot more than Adventures in Wonderland). I've always enjoyed these stories and Disney's presentation of them. So running as Alice during one of the #DopeyChallenge races was an obvious choice.

Now, most of my costume elements were athletic wear I already had lying around the house. The blue shirt and visor (to protect my face from the sun - a must have since I'm planning on wearing this one on a longer race) were old favorites that I knew would do well on race day. I added a black satin ribbon to the visor and topped it off with a bow. Totes adorbs.

Next, I needed a white apron and some shorts, which were store bought (or, well, internet bought). Note: I made some pretty major alterations to the apron so that it would fit properly (sorry, no pics). I shortened it, cut off the pieces that crossed in the back (even though they were authentic to costume look), and lengthened the neck loop all in hopes of ensuring it will be comfortable on a long run.

And to top it all off, I decided to go with a super fluffy tutu. Here's how I made the tutu:

First, wrap your tulle around a piece of cardboard.

Once the entire roll of tulle is wrapped around the cardboard template snip the pieces at each end.

Now, wrap two strips of tulle around your fingers and thread the piece through the crocheted elastic.

Repeat, and soon you will have a fluffy tutu. Check out these tutorials (here and here) for more tutu help.

Here is the finished costume:

I'm pretty happy with it! Looking forward to running in it at Disney.

Are you running a Disney race? Planning a costume? Share the details here.

Fave Reads of 2014

Every year, around this time, I like to recap my favorite reads of the year.

A quick look at my goodreads list shows a solid tie between YA and NA books. And no wonder, I love the emotional intensity of YA and the mature heat level of NA, so, yeah. Fun.

Here are some of my faves, in no particular order.

.......................................................................................................................

1.NA Romance: London Falling (book two in the International School series) by Chanel Cleeton

This series reminded me of the semester I studied abroad. It is so authentic and steamy I couldn’t put it down. It’s a fun read.


2. YA Romance: Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

This book, what can I say. I loved it! I really, truly, loved it. It’s so sweet and adorable. My favorite in her series is Lola, but his is a close second. Oh man, did I love this book. I read it in one sitting.

3. YA Contemp: Relax, I’m a Ninja by Natalie Whipple

Ninja’s, high school drama, a crush between two bad ass, capable kids? Um, yes please. I adored this story. Like a lot of Natalie’s books, this one is action packed and full of swoon worthy scenes. I definitely recommend it.

4. NA Romance: Make it Count by Megan Erickson

The love interest in this novel is a smarty and a sweetie. The scenes are steamy and sweet and I found myself rooting for the heroine. She’s fun, sassy, and kind. This book is the total package.

5. NA Romance: Be with Me by J Lynn

I adore books by J Lynn (NA pen name of Jennifer Armentrout). This book is just as steamy as the rest of her stuff and it’s adorable. I couldn’t put this book down.
Did you read any of these books this year? What did you think?

Those are my faves this year.


What were some of your favorite books of 2014?

Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon Recap

This past week I ran my 4th Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon.

I've been a big fan of this race because back in 2008 it was my first Half. You never forget your first.

This year was a little - off. First, it was pretty cold. Running in cold weather can be good for time (meaning you run faster) but it can also make the entire experience uncomfortable. I don't know if it was the weather, or just my luck, but I had to use the facilities 3 times during the race. 0.0 That never happens.

Second, we got a late start getting to the race. In years past, the Atlanta Track Club encouraged people to take Marta. But the course has evolved and now they encouraged people to park at Turner Stadium. It took forever to make our way into the parking lot.

Third, there was no gear check. Oh, and did I mention there was no expo this year? It's strange because the ATC has recently revamped their look, their logo, their website, and their race offerings. All the while they seem to trimming back the service they provide during their events. Not having a gear check made the cold weather more difficult to tolerate.

Okay, okay, but all of that was superfluous to the running. The running was great.....at first.

We jogged to make it to the corrals on time and were ushered forward. We were wrapped in Mylar blankets so our bib numbers were covered. The volunteers were waiving us forward to corral 'B' but our bib's were for coral 'D'. We were nervous to be in such a 'fast' corral but decided to stick with it.

The course started out by Turner Field and then turned onto the GA State campus. I got a little teary-eyed as I jogged past GA State College of Law (the school that recently accepted me *woot woot*). After passing through GA State we ran behind GA Tech (Handsome Jack's former school). My mile splits were strong. So strong that I figured they must be wrong.

From there, the course got hilly. And chilly. I stopped to take my first potty break. I only waited for a short time in line before I got into a 'relatively' clean porta-potty. Feeling better, I jogged back to the pack and kept on.

Miles 3-6 flew by. Just before the half way point I had to find the porta-potties again. I ducked into a slightly longer line and waited my turn.

Let me frame this - I usually NEVER use the pota-potties on the course. I go before and after and that's it.

But this time, I took two breaks before reaching the half way point. So when I passed the clock and saw my time was stellar I was shocked.

The official Half Split was: 1:17:23. My second best 10k time. And instead of feeling invincible and encouraged, I felt confused. How could my time be that strong with two potty breaks?

So I slowed down. I started to doubt myself. I walked the hills (and believe me there are plenty of hills on the course). I walked the water stops (which is always my preference because choking is no fun). And I walked while I fueled. I even took a third potty break.

The second half of the race was a lot slower as a result.

We passed the Martin Luther King ctr, Atlantic Station (where I was nearly struck by a vehicle that disobeyed police instructions), and Oakland Cemetery (which is like, surrounded, by hills, ugh). Here's an action shot near the cemetery.

From there was jogged back towards the Capital building (which is also surrounded by hills, double ugh). Here's a pic of the gold dome.

We finished, down hill, just under the 1996 Olympic rings. My clock time was 3:02:55 but my official time was 2:56:04. Not my best, but not my worst.

I wish I could have kept to the pace I had in the first half. I'm also disappointed that this once great Half has been downgraded to a 'no service' event. Gear check would have been nice. I've come to expect it from longer events.

The medals were prettier than past years and instead of a Mylar blanket we got paper/fabric jackets (almost made of the same material as paper hospital gowns).

Maybe the bloom has finally fallen off this race (for me). IDK why, but the experience was just 'meh'.

It did help get me excited for Disney! I can't wait to run through the parks.

Did you run any races on Thanksgiving?

I Can Haz Productivity: November 2014 Month in Review

November is a wild and crazy month. Well, all months tend to be wild and crazy when you are juggling a day job, a writing job, and family responsibilities. But November is wilder and crazier.

It might have something to do with the fact that November is nestled neatly between Halloween and holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. So there is shopping, and cleaning, and family, and traveling, and planning, and parties, and gatherings.

And this month was no exception. I went on a trail run with my Sister-in-Law and her husband (Note the silliness of these photos. Best way to keep a trail run light, IMO).

The entire family group went out to eat several times, and there was a rouge bowling trip squeezed in there. We even made a trip to The World of Coke (I've lived in ATL for 10 years and this was my first trip to World of Coke. We had fun tasting all the exotic sodas).

And of course, there was the big Turkey Day extravaganza.

On the business side of things, November is the mad dash to finish projects before year end. Send out those queries before offices close for the season. Work longer hours to finish that project. Wake up earlier so you can write more words. You name it, we feel compelled to do it.

Not to mention that pesky time change that slips into our lives under the guise of an extra hour of sleep. I call BS on that. Sure, that first day it’s nice to have an extra hour. But as we slip deeper and deeper into the darkness of winter my body is thrown for a loop. I just want more sunlight, gosh darn it!

And, on top of all that madness, we try to cram NANOWRIMO into November. What the what? This year I didn’t even try NANO. (If you tried NaNo you deserve a huge pat on the back - celebrate it). After I tried it, and failed, for the last two years I knew November was not the month for me to hit 50k.

But that’s not to say I didn’t write. Cuz I did. And I ran. A lot.

November saw a lot of activity. Some out of town travel - AND out of town guests staying with us – meant I had less time to edit. Here are the details:

1 Revision of WIP undwerway
1 out of town trip to see family
1 Thanksgiving Extravaganza with 13 guests
3 out of guests staying at our place (for the afore mentioned Thanksgiving extravaganza)
1 runDisney costume completed (updates to come)
1 Half Marathon (Yay for the ATL Thanksgiving day Half. Race Recap to follow.)
3 Trail runs
11 gym workouts (including elliptical and personal trainer)
0 novels read for fun (but I’m really feeling the itch. Need to read more)

And words!!! *does happy dance* It’s tough to track all the words written during revisions. You write some you take some away. But there were still words! And any words should be celebrated. So this month’s grand total of 5,924 words. This brings my total ‘tracked’ word count to 138,524 for the year!


And as for miles ran, I am happy to report, 52.8 miles logged. Which brings my total ‘tracked’ mileage to 261.3 miles this year. I’m happy to be falling in love with running again.

All in all, it’s not a bad month. When combined with Oct, Sep, and Aug. I feel like I'm on a roll (Which is good because the year is almost at an end)! I'm looking forward to what the holiday season will bring.

#NeverGiveUp #NeverSurrender

How are your writing goals coming along?