Hello 2016, yeah I'm totally late on that

I am officially the worst blogger ever. To all those who follow me I am so sorry.

However I'm back and ready to recommit to this blog.

Where I left of was setting some goals for 2016 and I'm still focused on those. I was also about to leave for Dopey and Star Wars races.

I'll start with Dopey, can I just say Florida weather is weird. Race morning weather ranged from 6 Celsius to 20 Celsius on Marathon Day.

Happily Windows 10 and I are now getting along so I could upload some pictures.

I have a tradition of collecting the RunDisney Vinylmations every year and I really love this year's set. Now last year it took me about 5 tries to get the more rare one which is a chance of 9/10. Incredibly I got the rare one on the first try at Disney World and the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Expo

 My next mission was to go to Hollywood Studios and check all the new Star Wars stuff. Really geeked out with I saw the AT-AT Walker

Got a picture with Chewie and gave him my condolences

This dude tried to mug me but I fought back :)

 Couldn't resist upgrading my magicband for Captain Phasma

 I desperately wanted the Force Awakens Dooney and Burke tote and got the last one at Watto's Grotto while there.

 Race Day One came bright and early which would turn into 4 days of Groundhog day of getting up in the wee hours of the morning. This was the morning of 6c.

 Race Day Two - The 10K and it pretty much rained the entire time.

 Race Day 3 - Half Marathon Day and I went back to Epcot which is where each race started in the parking lot.

 Morning of Race Day 4 - The marathon. It was 20c at 3am, I had a bad feeling about this day.

 I will admit I was freaked out about this race as I knew I wasn't prepared. My longest run before this weekend was in November. If I finished I knew it would be a miracle. Well I didn't finish. I was swept at Mile 20. I was upset but I knew I gave all I could get. I was pretty good up to the midway point but then it all fell apart and I could feel myself getting slower and slower. At one point I saw one of the bike pacers with the orange flag on the back and I knew I was in trouble. I was 3 minutes ahead of the Balloon ladies at that point and then 1 minute ahead and then they passed me. When I saw the chain of golf carts coming I knew I was finished. The minute I got on the cart the other people in the cart gave me a huge congratulations of making it this far.

We then transferred to a van and that's when I started to tear up, I had tears in my eyes when we got off at the finish line. The volunteer hung the Marathon medal around my neck and said they were proud of me. I managed to keep it together until I got back to the hotel and then there was a flood of tears. I had a few minutes of pitty party and then I vowed to return in 2017 to finish what I started.
Oh yes I will back to complete Dopey.

 Was disappointed to discover All Star Sports no longer served the big Mickey Waffle but I had my traditional post runs breakfast.

 I had a 5th morning of very very very early wake up day as I was off to Los Angeles and to Disneyland for the Rebel Challenge. The first thing I found at World of Disney in Anaheim was Dopey. I couldn't find him at Disney World anywhere. He came home with me to remind me of my goal to complete Dopey in 2017

Stopped by to consult with Lord Vader in Disneyland

At the race expo for Star Wars Half Marathon weekend I picked up the other RunDisney Vinylmation. :)

 As RunDisney will changing the Rebel Challenge to the Light Side Half Marathon in 2017 you could see the shift in the medals to reflect the Rebel side. Race number 5 - The 5K.

 Race number 6 - the 10K and they changed the course this year so it was tons of park time and loads of switch backs. I didn't mind the switch backs so much as it always let me know there were gobs of people behind me.

 I did develop an addiction to the Force Awakens Vinylmation in my visit to Disney World and Disneyland

 The entire medal haul of this trip including the first Coast to Coast of 2016. While I was completely dejected the week before after my failed marathon I turned myself around and had a blast at the Star Wars races.

Super fun stuff at the star area of the Star Wars Half Marathon. Do enjoy how my bib is so straight...hahaha. Miraculously I did my fastest Half Marathon since 2012 on Race Day number 7. It was crazy as I looked at my Garmin at mile 12 and realized my time I kind of booked it for the last mile. What a difference in a week. This Sunday I was delighted and my run mojo was back. 

 My crazy race vacation was at an end and I had to head home. One thing I love about heading home is flying over these mountains. The Canadian Rocky Mountains are absolutely incredible. 

So my next race is the Dark Side Challenge in April. 

This week I went back to BodyPump at GoodLife Fitness on Monday and it's been months since I've been to that class. It's called different things at different gyms but it's group class of weight exercises where you work on muscle group for a song. So there's a bicep track, a squat track and so on. It definitely kicked my patootie. I was super sore until yesterday where I was bracing myself before I stood up or sat down. I still feel it in my left thigh so I know I overdid something. I'll be back at that class on Monday. 

Now while I lost 6.8lbs over the past two weeks. I blew it this week. I'd like to blame the new bakery/ bistro that opened around the corner from work but my diligence went out the window this week. It just teaches me how easy it is to slip into bad habits. I'll go to weigh in tomorrow and accept whatever number it shows me and double down the effort. I will much lighter for Dopey 2017. Heck I will be lighter for Dark Side dang it. 

So I say bring it and what doesn't kill ya makes you stronger. 

Type to you soon....