March 2014 – Page 2 – Zenaida Arroyo

AR and I had pizza on Saturday evening. It was good and hit the spot.

My alarm went off at 3am on Sunday morning. Dang, why do these races have to start so early? It felt like I had just gone to bed and closed my eyes and next thing I knew my alarm was going off. I stayed in bed for a few more minutes then got up and got ready. I was done in about 15 minutes but knew I had to do one more important thing but couldn’t do it because I hadn’t yet had any coffee.

I went to the lobby to get in line for the shuttle bus. The line was moving quicker than I thought it would be. About 2 minutes later AR was in the lobby and then we got on the bus. The bus ride was about 15 minutes and once we arrived AR and I looked for coffee. Well, I wanted coffee and she wanted water. We found it! What we did not know is that once we passed through the “Runners Only” area, there was free water for the runners. Boo. We had paid for the water and coffee. The things Disney does to squeeze more money from people.

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AR and I walked to the start line. I got in line to use the bathroom twice (just to make sure) and then went to my corral to wait. I did not wait too long and off we went to run 13.1 miles. I was hoping to see Jeff Galloway but did not see him at all.

This race is the same course as the one from Walt Disney World Half Marathon. Oh and it was humid too.

So pretty! Can you see how foggy it was that morning?

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This race went so much better for me. Maybe because I knew it my last race that weekend and was not worried about another race the next day like I did in January? It could have been that I knew what to expect and that the killer overpass would not bother me as much.

There were quite a few characters along the way but I did not stop for anyone except Sofia the First.

This flag too.

Finish time is 2:32:13. I did it! I completed the Glass Slipper Challenge and got 3 medals. And because I also completed the Coast to Coast Challenge, I got an additional pink medal.

I had a great time in Florida but was looking forward to coming sweet home Chicago.

This month I ran 122.09 miles compared to 90.3 in January. Definitely another great month. Ugh, I cannot take this winter anymore!! It is driving me nuts! More snow and more snow. I cannot wait till Spring.

I ran two races: Walt Disney World Enchanted 10K and Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon. Two humid days in FL. After the race on Saturday, I went to Epcot and had so much fun! I’ve never been there and am glad I was able to go.

My training for the 50K is going OK. I’ve tried to keep up with all of my workouts but man sometimes I am just not in the mood to run. Thankfully Coach Sara has been very helpful and understanding. My training plan includes doing a variety of runs (tempo, steady, recovery, and long) which makes my runs interesting. But with 23 kids in a classroom for 6.5 hours, after work all I just want to do is come home and relax on the sofa.

Papers I need to review and grade this weekend. Not fun.

I am sure you’ve heard of Apera Bags. I’m excited because I purchased a bag and am supposed to get it on Tuesday. They have so bags but at the expo last weekend in FL, they were there and I was able to see the bags and decide which one to purchase. The winner is…Sling Tote.

The bag is roomy but yet not bulky. I like that it can be worn over the shoulder or across the body. Every morning I walk out with at least 3 bags to go to work and this bag will simply make it easier for me to haul my stuff for the gym.

I also bought a pair of Aspaeris shorts. According to their website “The patent pending technology uses Dual Sensory Compression™ in key compression zones that guide knees into the proper position, acting as a guide that creates muscle memory. This, coupled with a second layer of overall compression leads to proper joint, “loading,” to help you avoid injury and improve performance as your legs move more efficiently.”

I was worried when I got them because they look very small. I wear a medium in Nike and Brooks shorts so I decided to also buy a medium. No, I did not pay attention to their size chart. The first time I wore them the waistband kept rolling down and made it uncomfortable to run. I pulled them up and they finally stayed put. I wore them again today, adjusted them, and ran 12 miles in them. Not sure if that’s what I am supposed to do each time or maybe I ordered the wrong size and should have gone with a large instead? Overall, I like the shorts. They’re silky soft and felt comfortable once I adjusted them. They did not ride up at all. Yeah, definitely my kind of shorts.

How cute are these pink ones?

Zenaida Arroyo

Month: March 2014

Walt Disney World Princess Half Marathon

February 2014 in Review