Cinderella's Caste

Cinderella's Caste

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

My Running Story: Part One

Hello there! Welcome back if you've been here before and welcome if you are new to my brand spankin' new blog! Well, that was cheesy...Soooo moving on, since running is a major focus of this blog, I figured it would be a good idea to share my running story with you. Since this is basically approaching novella territory, I've broken my running story into two parts, with this being part one. If some of this comes off as a bit of a humblebrag, my apologies. I'm very proud of my running accomplishments, however, and I am a firm believer in being happy with your achievements. As a goal oriented person, I believe that celebrating success is a GOOD thing because it helps pave the way for future goals and accomplishments!

Pretty much!
My running story begins with a trip way back to elementary school, which is when I first became interested in track and running in general. (Seriously I wish I could insert flashback music here. Yes, I think it's well established I'm a nerd. Deal with it.) My mom used to volunteer at elementary track meets and would take me with her. I thought it looked fun and since I always enjoyed the running activities in gym class, I decided when I was old enough that I would definitely try out for the track team. It helped that I had some natural speed and would usually win the field day races at school. Sidenote: Who remembers field day?! Seriously those were THE BEST days in elementary school! Okay, so I'm rambling now, anyway, I ended up making my school's track team in the third grade. Back then I pretty much relied on my aforementioned natural speed to carry me through and the thought of running a full lap around the track (400 meters/a quarter mile for my non-trackies) was absolutely daunting! I continued running track throughout grade school and then it happened. My 6th grade season I was told that I would be running the 800. What?! Not one lap around the track but two! A half mile!? THE HORROR!!!! My 6th grade self was literally in a panic. My goal at the time was to not walk! After completing half marathons in my adult life, it seems hilarious to think that I was once scared to run the 800, but back then you would have thought the coach asked me to step on burning coals with my reaction.
My approach to running distance as a kid

I was a scared kid and my parents, neither of whom were ever runners, helped me in the best way they could by signing me up for a kids running clinic, which was being run, literally haha oh puns (I should work for Disney's Jungle Cruise with this humor), by the local running club. To be overly dramatic but totally truthful at the same time, I will tell you this: that clinic changed my life. It was there that I learned how to rely on more than just my natural speed and it was there that I realized I had the potential to really be a RUNNER, not just someone who would win field day races. The clinic met a couple times a week and we would increase distance each week. I finally ran that 800 and got better with each meet, even placing higher than I ever did in any of my sprint events my previous years in track. By the clinic's end, we ran two miles. Two whole miles! I was ecstatic. I knew I had a talent for running and I did enjoy but, I didn't love it, YET. I continued running track throughout junior high. Those two laps I was afraid to do would later turn into eight laps of fear, otherwise known as the 3200 (about two miles). While I did the 3200, I really focused on the "middle distance specialty" continuing to run the 800 and 1600 (about a mile).

Having no cross country team at my junior high, I didn't even know what cross country was when someone asked me about it after 8th grade track season ended. I had always believed I would play soccer in high school during the fall. I loved soccer. At the time, you also couldn't do both sports in the fall. So after a nice high schooler explained to me that cross country was "basically like track but through the woods and with hills," I found myself facing a decision. I was almost sold totally on soccer, but a voice inside me kept telling me to do cross country. I knew I could be a good soccer player, but deep down I knew I could be even better at running and maybe this cross country thing could actually be fun. I mean running through the woods? That sounds awesome! I decided at some point during the summer before my freshman year that I would give the whole "running through the woods with hills thing" a try. I had very little summer training and it was then that I learned high school cross country races were 3.1 miles. "More running? Really?" Oh well, if YOLO was a thing during 1999, it would have been my mantra here. Even though I was the epitome of "racing into shape" my first cross country season, I ended up loving the sport far more than I ever loved track. Something about it was freeing. I loved how each course was different, but best of all I loved the true team nature of the sport.
HS Cross Country team! I'm the cool one who felt the need to wear tie-dye.

I continued running both cross country and track all through high school. After my non-training summer before my freshman cross country season and the drastic improvement my times took as I got into shape, I decided that maybe it would be a good idea to actually run over the summer before my 10th grade cross country season. What a novel idea it was to my naive self that had never engaged in any sort of summer training that didn't consist of lazy days by the pool! My teammates and I had qualified for state my freshman season, but we were hungry for more. We ended up training together all on our own that summer and it showed with how our season went. My sophomore season times shattered the previous year's times and as a team we all improved greatly. That year not only did we qualify for the state meet, but we WON the state championship. There's nothing quite like the feeling of winning a state championship. The adults around us encouraged us to remember that moment because moments like that are rare. At the time I didn't think much into their comments, but today I know exactly the meaning behind what they said. That is an amazing memory and one I will never forget. I didn't win any more cross country state titles with my team in high school, but every season I loved the sport more and more. I didn't quite love track as much, but I stuck with it primarily continuing to do and prefer the middle distance events. My high school running career eventually came to an end and unlike graduation, running my last high school track event actually felt like the closing chapter of high school - that is how much of an impact running already had in my life. 

UC Cross Country! I'm the 3rd from left in the front.
Running at this point was a huge part of who I was, so huge in fact that it helped pay for my college education. Originally, I had always figured my running days would end after high school, but I started getting recruited by college coaches and realized that I was good enough to be a collegiate runner and knowing it would help finance my education was a major plus. I also was very keen on running cross country in college because of the team aspect that I love so much about the sport. I ended up choosing the University of Charleston. I'm not going to lie, while I liked what the school had to offer academically as well as its smaller setting via classroom and campus, I chose UC because of the cross country and track programs. Would I recommend you choose a school primarily on athletics? Probably not. But I don't regret my decision one bit! I quickly learned how much HARDER collegiate level running was compared to high school. I even questioned if I was cut out for it at times. I had never done the type of distances we were doing before and it was difficult for my competitive self to go from being a big fish in a small pond to a little fish in a big pond! I never gave up though. My coach never gave up on me either and kept pushing me to be better. I battled injuries I never had before. I did hard workouts I thought were almost impossible. All of this lead me to a mantra that has stuck by me in all my running endeavors: PUSH THROUGH!
UC Cross Country! I'm in front wearing grey shorts. 

I finally did push through and all of the hard work paid off. It was at UC that I really discovered the depths of my running potential. It was there that I finally caved and listened to coach and those around me who kept telling me long distance running was meant for me. I gave up middle distance for long distance and it paid off BIG TIME. I ran my fastest cross country time ever at UC, clocking in at 22:58 for my 6K (sub 19 5K). This time also held as UC's school 6K Cross Country record for awhile. It was broken a couple years ago, which is fine because records are meant to be broken. Just knowing that I once held a collegiate cross country record for my university, however, is still one of my most treasured accomplishments. I also was the 5,000 (5K) WVIAC Conference runner-up in track my junior season. Remember that one lap around the track that used to freak me out? Add 11 more to that and there you have the 5,000! My final collegiate running event came in the form of a beast. Unchartered territory: the 10,000 (10K), also known as the longest track event. Seriously now we are talking about 25 laps around the track. Say WHAT!? How one lap used to freak me out I will never know! I knew I needed to push that limit though so I closed out my final track season by doing the 10,000. It was hard, but I ended up PUSHING THROUGH and placed sixth, good enough to help my team score, which was my goal! By doing the 10,000 I also accomplished another personal mini victory: with that race I had done every non-hurdle track event. I know so much of this is coming off as a major humblebrag, but these accomplishments gave me confidence and I'm proud with how they've shaped me as a runner. I'm proud of my time at UC and I will always cherish the memories I made with my teammates there. Choosing to be a collegiate athlete was again one of the best decisions I've ever made. I even met my awesome husband thanks to UC cross country and track, as he was a member of both teams as well! So seriously, running for UC...best decision ever!
Me & the husband after UC graduation! We met because of running!

I know this is super long and you are awesome for reading this, but my running story isn't over. In fact, I could be dramatic here and say that after college was only the beginning! To keep this from approaching novel territory, part two will be coming soon. Part two is where I can honestly say that I've truly embraced what it means to be a runner. Finding my "runner self" after the competitive world of cross country and track ended is a whole other journey! Stay tuned!

Please share with me your running story in the comments below. I'd love to hear how you got into the sport. Every runner has a story!


Saturday, April 26, 2014

Race Recap: Pirates 5K Home Run

Hello! For my first "official" non-introductory post, I intended to share my "running story." Every runner has a story! However, since it's timely, I figured that one can wait and instead I will share with you a recap of the most recent race I did. Since running is a major focus of this blog, I hope to share race recaps on here as much as possible! So, let's talk about the Pirates 5K Home Run!

As an avid sports fan and major baseball enthusiast, I love races that connect with other sports. I've been a Pirates baseball fan since I was little, and yes, I even stuck with them during the twenty year curse of losing seasons (hooray for breaking that wretched curse last year and making the playoffs!). Regardless of your opinion on the Pirates, PNC Park is one of if not THE best ballpark in major league baseball. If you like baseball, this should be a must-see ballpark for you. PNC Park is one of my favorite places to be, so running a 5K that finishes on the field there is a winning idea for me! The race also raises money for the Pirates Charities organization, which is another great aspect of running races. Anytime I have the opportunity to give to a charity as well as help myself stay fit, is considered a double win for me.
PNC Park: one of the best parks in MLB!

This year was actually the second time I did the Pirates 5K Home Run. After a fun experience last year, the husband and I knew that we wanted to do it again this year! The race took place April 19 and just happened to fall a few days after my birthday. Like last year, we took the opportunity to make it a Pittsburgh birthday weekend with the 5K and of course some baseball fun! We arrived in Pittsburgh Friday afternoon and checked into our hotel on Pittsburgh's North Shore, The Residence Inn by Marriot. The hotel was literally across the street from PNC Park, which was where we needed to pick up our race packets. This was already a plus to our experience compared to the previous year, when we stayed about 15 minutes outside of the city. Being so close made the entire weekend more relaxing and made the pre-race and post-race experience far less stressful since we didn't have to worry about finding parking! That's always a plus since the husband suffers from major road rage. Getting our race packets was simple and painless, which is always a sign of a nicely organized raced. My only complaint about the process, which is my same complaint from last year, is not including pins with the race bibs! Having to get pins the morning of only creates chaos. Plus OCD runners like myself prefer pinning our bibs to our shirts before wearing them to make sure they are put on straight! Sigh. Anyway, with our race entry, we received a tech t-shirt, which was a definite upgrade from last year's cotton shirt, as well as ticket vouchers to a Pirates game.
Colorful tech shirts are the best!
We already purchased tickets for Friday's game, so we redeemed our ticket vouchers for Saturday's game, the day of the race.

Cheering on the Pirates! Let's Go Bucs!!!
We spent the rest of Friday night cheering on the Pirates at the game and enjoying ballpark food. Alright ballpark food probably isn't the best thing to eat the night before a race, but it was my birthday trip so as the kiddos say, YOLO (yes, I know I'm coming off as the nerdiest, I mean coolest person ever right now)! Since our hotel was within feet of the 5K area, we had the pleasure of "sleeping in" as well. It was so nice to be able to walk right out our hotel door to the start line! The weather was slightly chilly, but otherwise great. The sun was shining and it was only a few degrees cooler than my "ideal race temperature," which is anywhere from mid 50s to high 60s. We agreed to run the race simply for training and fun, but I will admit I did have some butterfly action going on in my stomach! After my Glass Slipper Challenge running event that I did at the end of February I had taken some time off and I'm not yet in my "full on running routine mode." Also, I was unfortunately rear-ended in a car accident a few days prior to the race and had been suffering from back pain as a result. These concerns were definitely on my mind, but I was determined to enjoy the experience and give it a solid effort! The husband also assured me that we would be just fine. He himself hadn't run consistently in months, so if he was feeling confident, I knew we would both rock it!

Shaking off the jitters, we lined up according to estimated pace at the start line, which was located on the beautiful Roberto Clemente Bridge.
Start Line on the Roberto Clemente Bridge! 
The pre-race energy was fantastic and helped ease my nerves! They were playing music and the Pirate Parrot was running around being awesome like he always is! Soon we were finally off and running. Since the race was sold out this year, there were lots of runners, but I never really felt crowded on the course. The first mile is primarily on paved streets and then you go back in an area that almost has a "trail like" feel to it and reminds me of many local West Virginia running routes. On this part of the course it really doesn't even feel like you are running in a larger city. The course then travels along the river, which provides a gorgeous view! I love looking at things and taking in the scenery on my runs, so this is another reason why I enjoy this particular race course! We were feeling pretty good at this point and it wasn't until mile 2 that either of us started to feel tired. My back was starting to hurt a bit, especially after we had gone down a hill and then later up a hill. The finish line was close though, so we pushed through! Plus, the finish line for this race is extra special! Yay motivation! The final mile takes you past Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers (here we go, Steelers, here we go!) and back to paved streets before you head toward PNC Park and the finish.

As we made our way to the ballpark we entered PNC at right field and ran around the warning track to this finish line, which was of course at home plate! For all my Run Disney loves, finishing on the field at PNC Park is the "Magic Kingdom" portion of this race. Getting to run around the bases on the field of my beloved Buccos is ALMOST as awesome to me as running up Main Street  toward Cinderella's Castle! Again, ALMOST. At this point the excitement and awe of being on the field in the ballpark completely spiked my adrenaline and I put a surge in and charged to the finish. My petite stature makes it easy for me to zoom through people, so I unfortunately somehow lost the husband here as he couldn't get around some other runners. But, it's ok because we were almost done and had pretty much enjoyed the entire race together! Crossing the finish line felt great as my body was soooo ready to be done! It was awesome to hear the crowd in the stands cheering us on. The volunteers were fantastic with their cheers and help as well. After finishing the race, they do try to rush you off the field as soon as possible, which is kind of a bummer but understandable since they need to keep adequate room for all the runners. Since we were basically being pushed out of the park we hurried and snapped a few quick pics on the field before exiting.

Finished! 
The finishers party on Federal Street outside of the park was really fun. They have some of the weirdest post race food ever though. Hotdogs, Chic-Fila sandwiches, chips and cookies after a 5K?! While I try to be healthy, I certainly enjoy my fair share of non-healthy foods, but I still think it's odd to eat a hotdog right after finishing a 5K at 9 in the morning! I did grab us some cookies, chips, water and Powerade. Sorry, I can't just do a hot dog and chicken sandwich that early and I especially can't do it after running. Before going back to the hotel we took some pictures and enjoyed the finisher's party. As a whole, it was a great course, excellent weather and another fun experience! The finish line is worth doing this race alone. It's just so awesome getting to run on the field at PNC Park!

After the race we enjoyed the rest of our day in Pittsburgh. We celebrated my birthday and our 5K finish with a feast of German food at Hofbrauhaus. We met my old college roommate and her sister for our feast, which only added to the celebration! Ever heard of a food coma? Want one? Go to Hofbrauhaus! I can say we certainly did not come away from our 5K weekend in a calorie deficit! We ended the day by using our free race tickets to go to the Pirates game that evening. It was a good game, but sadly the Pirates lost. I blame this on that cheater Ryan Braun! Sorry Brewers fans, but it is what it is! Despite the loss, it was still a fun night at the ballpark with friends after a great race! We definitely plan to be back for the Pirates 5K Home Run next year if circumstances permit! 

If you would like more information on the Pirates Charities or the Pirates 5K Home Run, check it out here.





Thursday, April 24, 2014

Running Into a New Adventure: Blogging!

Well hello internet world and welcome to my first blog post! First off thank you for stopping by. I wish I could offer homemade cookies to everyone taking the time to read this, but instead a virtual high five will have to do!

So I will start with the basics: My name is Hope and I hail from the great state of West Virginia. As the “about me” section indicates, I have a passion for running. I also have a passion for all things Disney. I may not be a "real" princess, but my running passion and Disney passion lead me to fall in love with Run Disney events. Run Disney makes you feel like a runner and a princess, and that's something that I find totally awesome! I also love to embrace the fun things in life, like going to the movies, reading, shopping, watching sporting events and enjoying time with my husband, Daniel, and my miniature schnauzer or as I say "fuzzy child," Winston.

The husband has been urging me to start a blog for quite some time, so I guess this is proof that nagging does work! Haha! In all seriousness (I am seldom serious so this is a rare moment folks), I am really happy to finally get this blog project going. Running will be a major focus here, but as the blog title suggests you can expect some posts of other adventures as well as my random (and sometimes rambling) thoughts!

I tend to get excited about even the smallest things in life and I’m VERY EXCITED to finally get this blog up and running. Every runner has a story and in order to not make my first blog post a novel, my next post will feature my personal running journey from where I started to where I am now. Expect some recent race recaps too! I hope you all stick with me even if I can’t actually send you homemade cookies. :) In the meantime, I’d love to hear any suggestions you may have on future posts.

I will leave you with this quote, which I find true to the theme of this blog and the key to living a fulfilling life in general: “Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever.” – Walt Disney