Weekend Roundup: Chapman 5k Recap, #runLB, PFTW

1. Chapman 5k Recap

I spent a fair amount of time whining to various people that I just don't have the mental toughness that I feel like I used to have. I don't really feel like I have it in me to push, and push hard.

It's one reason I wasn't sure I wanted to even attempt a PR at Chapman. I just didn't feel like I had it in me, and (IMO), for a 5k, it's equal parts speed, and mental toughness.

Saturday, I just didn't have it. Not enough speed, not enough tough.

First, the good.

Chapman has excellent goody bags - tech shirts, tons of samples.



The weather was pretty ideal. Cool and partly cloudy. Pretty sunrise during my warm up included.

They have kind of unofficial pace groups.


It's a small-ish race, without much congestion.

The bad....
This guy beat me
The ugly....
Bah.

That's NOT a PR.

The race is fantastic - well organized, two water stations, the course is well marked and volunteers everywhere. Finish area is well organized, and there's a great oatmeal bar after (I skipped to attend the Disney/Make a Wish event, HERE). It's a great race, and I promise I won't hold a grudge against Chapman for my shit performance. That's not hyperbole, BTW. Goal pace was 8:30; splits were 8:30, 9:17, 9:03, 8:12 {worst finishing kick EVER}. Lame. I did everything I could to set myself up for a PR, except for the running part during, say, ALL OF SEPTEMBER. Turns out, that part is kind of a big deal.

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2. Long Beach spectating

After deciding last year I was done racing Long Beach forever and ever, I was pretty excited when Julie mentioned she was going to be spectating this year's race.

I'm a big fan of spectating.

Julie is the hostess with the mostest, and had a pretty fancy spread of otter pops, Nuun, pretzels, and candy.








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3. PFTW

Last Week....
Monday: 6 miles, strides - super hot.
Tuesday: cross training - weights!
Wednesday: Long run, 14 easy pace
Thursday: 30 minutes yoga
Friday: cross training - weights AGAIN! I'm practically The Hulk.
Saturday: 2 miles warm up, shitty 5k
Sunday: rest

This Week...
Monday: 7 miles tempo (kill me now)
Tuesday: cross training
Wednesday: Long run, 16 easy pace
Thursday: rest (Gabby's birthday!)
Friday: 5 miles easy
Saturday: cross training (hiking!)
Sunday: 4-5 easy

Disney Store South Coast Plaza - Grand Opening!

As you may have noted by previous posts, we're kind of Disney nuts in this household.

Kind of. We hide it pretty well, I think.

So when I got an email from a Make a Wish rep a few weeks ago inviting us to the grand opening of the new Disney Store at South Coast Plaza, I was a teeny bit excited.

It was a bit of a logistical puzzle, since I was racing Chapman 5K in the morning, too, but we made it work. 

After meeting our Make a Wish contact at the store, the district manager led us into the store for our private tour, with two other Wish kids and their parents. 

If you haven't seen a remodeled Disney Store yet... they're pretty amazing. Interactive Princess mirrors, movie theater, scrolling screen with upcoming events, giant trees with leaves that change with the seasons... Pretty remarkable (and, did you know, Steve Jobs had a hand in the redesigns!). I LOVE the remodels - I've always thought the Disney stores didn't really reflect the Disney magic, but the new stores are pure Disney. 

Gabby, and the other two Wish kids, were treated to a magical morning, with a private tour of the new store, shopping spree personal shoppers, meet and greet with Mickey and Minnie, and an opportunity to lead the store opening ceremonies (if you're close to a store that's been remodeled, they also do an opening ceremony every morning!).

It's been a stressful week - some insurance issues with her meds, carefully watching her cold to make sure it doesn't morph into something more. It was a magical morning. That's all. Sometimes, that's all you need.

Yeah, so. We're now the happy owner of some earmuffs....

IT'S MICKEY! You know. Because she didn't JUST see him.

A GIANT thank you is owed to Make a Wish and the Disney Store at Costa Mesa! 

Photo Friday: Gab's Make a Wish trip, Magic Kingdom!

Are you ready for the MOST pictures ever?!

This is the last post recapping our Make-a-Wish trip to Disney World in July (zomg three months ago how did that happen?!) (also, previous recaps are here, here, here, here).

I've been kiiiind of putting off recapping this - the pictures have been organized forEVER, I just didn't really want to do it. It's - this is super cheeseball cheesy and weird for me, because I'm anti-sap - like the whole trip was wrapped in a magic little bubble, and it's just so hard to put all of that magic into words.

This is how my thought process goes: the trip was a once in a lifetime experience for Gabby - yeah, we've been to Disney World, we'll go again, but Give Kids the World, the magic of the magic pass and the Wish button, that's a one time deal, and it was fantastic - but it was all a piece of a bigger puzzle. The one where my child has a life-threatening illness, but she's one of the really lucky ones. Where she's one of over 13,000 pediatric cancer patients TODAY.

I just try not to think about it too much, because there's just too much sad, and too easy to be overwhelmed by the numbers.

I guess I still don't really have the words to really describe what this trip meant, for her and for me.
Also, I just get teary eyed every time I look through the pictures. Who knew I was a giant softie.

Anyway.

In May, I'll be running the Cinco de Mayo Half Marathon benefitting Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation - this will be my third year running the event, and my third year fundraising. My first year, we raised just over $2,500. Last year, Team Gab raised almost $8,000.

Obviously, we can hit $10,000 this year. Right?

Registration just opened yesterday, and while I'm not sure I'll be running Team Gab this year, your donations are still welcome through my personal fundraising page - HERE.

Like last year, there's plenty of time to donate, and I'll be hosting the #TeamGab Virtual Race again over the next few months with tons of great giveaways.

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Magic Kingdom day!!!

When Gabby made her Wish, it was to be friends with Cinderella (check, here), and see the GIANT castle.

If you're not familiar with the differences betwee Disney World and Disneyland, this is one of them.

Source

Disneyland Castle? Kind of puny. Disney World castle? Giant and amazing (can you guess my preference?).

We hit the Magic Kingdom with my parents, brother, sisters, niece, and nephew (party of 12!), and thanks again to the Magic Pass, and some creative fast passing, we managed to hit up:
Princess Meet n' Greet
Mickey and Minnie Meet n' Greet
Fairies/Tinker Bell Meet n' Greet
Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride
Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Carribean
Splash Mountain (x2 or 3!?)
Hall of Presidents
Haunted Mansion
Small World
The Carousel (Gab's favorite!)
Tomorrowland Speedway
Space Mountain
Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover (my favorite!)
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin

Big Thunder Mountain was closed, otherwise that would also be on the list.

It poured rain for a couple hours, so we lost some time, and didn't hit most of Fantasyland, but there was a lot of construction going on anyway. Oh well. Next time....

And.... the pictures. There are just a ton.

Me: What were you and Rapunzel talking about?
Gabby: I have no idea.....

My brother's a weirdo.

Somehow, the People Mover was terrifying?

Not sure that's how telescopes work....

We take Space Ranger Spin very, very seriously.

Sister 1, The Niece, The Nephew

Totally burned those calories off....

And these are the Photopass pictures....
















And, my most favorite, ever....