Tinkerbell 10K and Half - I did it!!!!!!!!

Well Hello!

Sorry for not posting in awhile. Work got crazy just before leaving for the Tinkerbell Half.  Still haven't heard anything on the potential new job (though they emailed me on Friday to say they'd know soon).

On Friday I was off to Los Angeles and then on to Disneyland for the Tinkerbell 10K and Half. The flight was fine and when I got to LAX I decided to take a cab to Disneyland. I wanted to get to the expo as fast as I could. Of course I get a driver whose unfamiliar with the Paradise Pier at Disneyland. Well we got there and it cost me $100 but I knew that going in. First off I checked into the hotel, I had debated going straight to the expo but I figured I didn't want to carry my carry on bag through the expo.

 I love the beachy details, I've know stayed at the Disneyland Hotel once and this my second stay at Paradise Pier. The first visit was for the Inaugural Tinkerbell Half.

My view in the late afternoon of California Adventure.

I hit the expo first to pick up bibs and then to find the Tinkerbell Jackets were sold out. I did like the colour and structure so I bought a non Tink version from Champion but still disappointed that they sold out by Friday morning with a full day of Expo still to go.

I did like how they organized the RunDisney merchandise thought, after the debacle at Dumbo they decision to block it off so traffic had to orderly make their way was a big improvement. I found other things to buy as well trust me I do damage in the RunDisney area. Got two new vinylmation Run Mickeys (one for home and one for my desk) plus two Tink miny medals. The haul:

 The RunDisney Tink merchandise, I went back on Saturday and got a water glass with lid and curly green straw that says Tink Half but on the back it says Flutter to the Finish.

 Two shirts from RawThreads - they glow in the dark

Close up of the 2014 RunDisney vinylmation. I got two and they were both yellow but apparently there's a green version out there.

My first night I took it easy. I strolled through Downtown Disney

View from the room at night.

I was in bed early as the 10K was the next day

 Just about to head out to the start line. I do enjoy the RunDisney start area, the DJs are fantastic and dancing is a pretty good warm up.

 And after with the Inaugral Tinkerbell 10K medal. I shaved 4 minutes off my Disneyland 10K which in retrospect probably wasn't so smart. I'll get to that later. As I stood on the start line I regretted using winter as an excuse to abandon training (last long run was 6 miles in October)  while realizing grief had a lot to do with it a well. I didn't really remember how badly I wanted this and that Pink Coast to Coast until I was standing there.

I went to charge my Garmin for Sunday's Half to realize I didn't bring the right charger. What I thought was Garmin was my Kobo charger. Slightly traumatized I decided as an early birthday present to myself I'd get a new one at the Expo.

The Garmin 620, well I can say it's a whole lot lighter then my old one. Got to my room plugged it in then walked around afterwards as I didn't feel like death. Popped into Disneyland for a bit but again conscious of the Half I went to bed early though now had an obnoxiously loud family in the room next door. I packed ear plugs.

When I got back to my room I found a little magic moment from housekeeping, this is what I love about staying in a Disney property.

I didn't take my phone with me on any of the runs as I forgot to bring the case that allows it to fit in my FlipBelt.  Yeah I didn't pack well for this trip at all, I will remedy that for Princess in one month.

 The other great thing about Paradise Pier my corral is right out the front door.

 The before shot at 3:15am, I wore a DL half shirt as a reminder I've done this before I can do this again. As I was repeating myself by doing a 10K/Half with little training. After all Dumbo was 2 months after Dad passed and again I found myself regretting not being more focused.

 I was part of the Tinkerbell Half facebook group and found a lot of people who talked about being swept as there is a time cut off for all the races. When I did the first Tink I didn't know anything about sweepers and I'm happy I didn't. So my focus was purely one foot in front of the other.  I was 16 seconds over 3:30 (the max time according to the website). So 15 min slower then my first Tink but I finished based on pure will and determination. I was back in my room with room service ordered and I could see people still heading to the finishing and I was cheering them on from my window.

The medals side by side, so this one is identical to my first one with a different ribbon. Apparently they change the medal design every 5 years. So I might revisit Tink in 2016 and train for it properly to see what happens. Though I did hear a rumor about a Star Wars themed Half, 10K and 5K plus an Avengers themed race as well at Disneyland in 2015. Yikes just take my paycheque as being a Sci-Fi geek I have to do those. We'll see what RunDisney has to say in the future but with Tink moving to Mother's Day it sort of makes sense.

I did walk the majority of the race as my shins were mad into mile 1, I drank water and powerade at every station. Just after mile 4 I had to find the bathrooms. I did not time my early morning routine of coffee and hour before I leave so well. I've never had to stop to pee during a half before. Not to mention when I left I almost got to the start area when I realized I forgot my Ipod so I booted it back to the hotel (luckily close) got it and went back. Which probably expended more energy then I wanted. They loaded us into the corrals one hour before start time so 4:30. I wanted to be in the front of the corral so I went then. I was freezing and I come from super cold weather. So I was doing my best to hop in one place. There's something about zipping through the parks with no one there.

I rested for awhile and used Voltaren on every area that hurt. I knew I had to get moving so I went to California Adventure. I've decided it's not my favourite park and I prefer Disneyland. I'm old school Disney.

 After the park I went back to Dowtown Disney and got some new ears. I'm looking forward to Maleficient - the movie. I wanted to go back to Disneyland but waited until dark.

 Cinderella's Castle decked out to honor Frozen, which I still haven't seen

 I despise the ride but the lights of It's a Small World are incredible.

I have this innate ability to find a parade whenever I'm in a Disney Park, Mickey is really playing the drums on this float I was super impressed.

I didn't want to stay to long as I was getting up obscenely early to catch the flight home today. I don't know what possessed me to catch a 7:30 am flight. I must have been saving money. I totally overestimated how long it would take to get to LAX and the cab (the hotel had a coupon for a flat rate of $85) was half an hour early. Thankfully Starbucks was open and I started reading Outlander, it's been around for ages I know but it's new to me.

I did not need to fly to Fort Mac after all so it's back in the Calgary office tomorrow so I'm happy to be in my own bed for a few days.  Thursday will be hell as I need to fly up for a meeting, so that's a plane at 6am and a return flight at 7pm.

Now I need to focus on the Glass Slipper Challenge in a month. I can't revolutionize my training but I can be focused and do what I can. As inspiration I took a picture of the medals at the expo.

If you can conceive it, believe it and you will achieve it.