Baby's First Dopey

August 4, 2021

I did it! I successfully registered last Tuesday for the WDW Marathon weekend for the Dopey challenge. I’m currently in week 6 of the Galloway training, although I’m ahead of schedule since I like to train more aggressively than their schedule but I’m still making sure I’m putting in the time and mileage even if it’s more than the required times and distances set on the calendar. It’ll catch up to me later in the fall when the distances increase.

In the meantime, I’m thinking of backing off on the September marathon goal. For a few reasons. Honestly, I’m just not as excited about it as Disney ever since runDisney announced in person races were coming back so my training has slowed down. And honestly, as great as double training would be to give me experience, it would also be challenging as well as taxing on my body. I’m already going to do a number on them with the Dopey challenge so I might as well save all the training and mileage for the big one. My heart’s just not in it anymore to train for the September race if I’m being honest, and it is really hard to train in the summer with the weather and temps being as hot and humid as it is this year. I would prefer getting my long runs done in the fall when it’s much colder and more comfortable without the sun beating down on me and worrying about all the sunscreen I have to wear and long sleeves to avoid sun damage and my skin tanning and getting so damn dark. I also don't want to pay for two marathons. 😅 If I'm going to do it, I would like to spend it on the mouse because he does it better anyway.

I only set out on the September race because I was worried next year’s races weren’t happening and I just wanted to get a marathon over with already, but honestly, I don’t want my first marathon to be a non-Disney dinky one. The Disney races just hit different. The atmosphere is different, the audience is different, even the people cheering you on are different. I did a local 5k the winter before the pandemic happened and it was okay but it was nowhere near as fun and exciting as a Disney race. Crossing the finish line didn’t feel as good or spectacular as the roaring crowd at Disney. So as crazy as it is to have my first marathon also be my first Dopey, I think I’m finally ready to take this on. I think I can do it. And if I fail, I want to change my mindset to stop being afraid of failure. All it does is stop me from even trying things. I want to train myself into trying more things and using moments of setbacks into “what can I learn from this?” and “what can I do better next time?” I’m going to put in the time for the training and make sure I do the long runs but if I don’t make it through Dopey, instead of looking at it like DAMN I SUCKED, I want to look at it as “what do I need to improve on?” And at the same time, I need to stop thinking I’m going to fail and start looking at it the opposite way, cause honestly that’s probably more terrifying and what’s holding me back. Because seriously what happens if I complete this goal? What happens if I do great? What happens if I do make it?! The scary part is WHAT’S NEXT?!?! I say this because before I conquered my first half and then my first fairytale challenge, I kept saying to myself when I finished each race, that was it. I was only setting out for that goal to see if I could do it and then be done. But so far every time I conquered a goal, I continued on and looked for another mountain to climb. But a marathon itself is already hard with 26.2 miles. And in this case, my goal is set on a Dopey challenge, a whopping 48.6 miles. I really want to say once this is done, this is it. Cause come on, what is there beyond a Dopey that I would really want to do, when a Dopey is grueling enough. Dear body and ambitions, please stop here, lol.

I haven’t decided on race costumes just yet, but back in June, I was asked by Crowned Athletics to work on a project to photograph their new Mulan top. I love working with new companies, especially women-owned small businesses so I was really excited at the opportunity to connect with them and that they chose me to help represent their new Asian princess inspired top. Admittedly this style top is longer and more flowy than what I’m used to wearing for my workouts- I’m forever an IG hoe and prefer cropped and fitted looks, but I enjoyed styling it to look more me. And in doing so, I learned that their line of princess tops are great in that versatility factor; in the many ways you can style it to suit your own personal style. It’s funny because when I first started doing runDisney races years ago, I had to figure out how to put together my own looks for runDisney bounds, looking for various pieces from different brands and stores to bring a look together, trial and error, similar to how I had to do this when I first started cosplay. Now cosplay is so much easier, there are many people you can commission, as well as many ready-made costumes and made-to-order shops. Well, who knew that Disney race-bound costumes were expanding that same way as cosplay did in that nature? Now there’s a lot more Disney themed athleisure and casual cosplay pieces you can find on the internet. And they’re forever evolving and expanding their designs. I’m especially excited because after collaborating with Crowned Athletics on this project, I was asked recently to be a part of their next one! And I can’t wait because the new items coming are definitely something I can see myself racing in come next February for the runDisney Princess races. I’m shooting one of the new looks this weekend and I can’t wait for them all to be unveiled next week. And what’s more, the company is also working on designs for the WDW Marathon weekend so I can’t wait to see what those designs are since I have yet to even brainstorm what I’ll be wearing for the Dopey challenge races. There’s so much to do! And OMG! Only 154 days til it’s here. Sounds we better get a move on planning. Cheers to my double knee replacement!

Sound off below in the comments if you’re a runDisney addict, or even if you're new, let me know if you’ll be running any of the races in January or February or even if you’re running virtually. If you’re going to be there in person, hit me up! I’d love to meet other runners and grab pictures together! I met a fellow runner there last year and it was fun connecting and now we're always keeping tabs on each other, cheering each other on in both our professional lives since we're both in healthcare, as well as cheering each other on in our active lives through workouts, runs, and Blogilates. I met another family earlier this spring too and it's been really encouraging to have a group of cheerleaders rooting you on in your training. I'm so excited to shoot with them next year in January post races since they're also photographers! It’s really something connecting with friends in the RunDisney community. I'm hoping to finally meet a few more next year that I've been keeping in touch with throughout the pandemic. You guys keep me literally running, hahaha!

Summer Lovin'

July 16, 2021

It’s funny because during high school and college years, we were trying to squeeze every minute we could out of the time we had to see each other, even for mere seconds. In between classes, on weekends, during Christmas and spring breaks. And the moments we went without seeing each other, we were constantly scrambling to get home on AIM (God, remember instant messenger days?), google chat, whatever, just to talk to each other. And then when we got cell phones, we were constantly texting til we ran out of texts for the month.

Now that we’re married, we see each other every day and yet still don’t see each other every day. What I mean is we work opposite schedules. By the time he gets home from work, I’m gone and getting ready to start my shift. And when I get home, we’re getting ready for bed to lather, rinse and repeat the next day. We see each other in the minutes in between but we really don’t have time with each other. It’s not to say we take being able to fall asleep and wake up with each other for granted - which is funny, because I remember in high school, this is what we talked about that we wanted in the future; simply being able to fall asleep and wake up with each other instead of saying goodbye through AIM message and racing to be the first to log on and say good morning, lol, how lame of us - but that we don’t meaningful enough time to actually spend with each other. We don’t share the same days off together; in fact we only align days off together twice a month nowadays.

But with quarantine pandemic times and reduced traveling comes with it increased PTO. And since we have to “use it or lose it,” I figured I’d start using it more often this summer to spend more time with the boy. Last week, was the start of our summer days off together.

We didn’t do anything crazy, we just went on local dates trying some new restaurants and visited some old venues but still had a great time. It reminded me of how much I used to love doing stupid, mindless stuff like this when we were younger. Just discovering new things and places or even just a quick trip to the mall. It’s the little things he does that I really love. Like holding my bag for me, just holding hands, reaching for me when he’s driving, running to me and lifting me up to the sky and kissing me. Taking me to all the places I want to explore. It reminds me of the summer of Pokemon Go when I wanted to go to every hotspot to catch Pokemon in hopes of finding a Pikachu or a Charizard. And he would. He would huff and puff sometimes but eventually, he’d do everything I wanted to do on my list. I really miss this. I miss it being just the two of us doing stupid stuff together. So I took off even more time later this summer to spend with the hubby. And I’m hoping I can continue it in the fall.

There’s something about it that I really can’t explain. There’s a magic that happens when you spend time with your other. Quality time. Fun time. Even if it’s doing nothing crazy or spectacular. I need to make more time for it because it is definitely important. It’s crucial. It’s necessary and it’s healthy.

Make time for your other. Make the time for you.

List of the places we visited in case you’re interested for your own date nights:

Lavender by the Bay
- If you’re interested in visiting, hurry. The bloom is lasting up til July 22 at this time. There are two locations but I recommend the East Marion one even though it’s a farther drive. You won’t be disappointed, that is, unless you wait too long and miss the bloom.
Pindar Vineyards
- They currently have a big field of sunflowers in bloom and costs nothing to visit and view. And if wineries are your thing, that's available too. I'm not a wine drinker so I can't attest to this since I've never tried their wine experience here but on weekends I always see big parties here with live music having a great time. They have a giant chair to take cute pics in as well as the vineyards you can walk through. I believe the sunflowers are available too to be cut at $2 a stem and they provide shears inside the building.
The Big Duck
- A quick stop alongside the road on the way to Lavender by the Bay with very limited parking hence the “quick” stop part. Plus there’s not really much to do other than take a quick pic with the duck, shop for souvenirs inside the teeny tiny shop inside, and sit at the picnic tables behind it if you need an area to just chill and eat your lunch for a minute. It’s just a cute quick stop for the gram.
Montauk Lighthouse
- Lavender marks the North side of the Long Island fishtail, while Montauk marks the Southern tip of the fishtail. It’s funny how I traveled to both ends on these dates. I didn’t do it purposely, it just ended up that way when we decided to venture out on separate days as we made our plans up the day of. Parking is $8, while access to the lighthouse is an additional ticket. But walking around the beach area is not so that’s what we did. You used to be able to climb the rocks surrounding the lighthouse but currently the area is fenced up and closed due to construction. It IS a long drive out to here and traffic is insane because one lane road and well, it’s the Hamptons, so be forewarned if you choose to head out this way. There’s a lot of cute shops along the way on the Main streets you pass through though so if you have time, park and take a walk around them.
Central Park
- You’ll never explore all of Central Park in a day. But that’s what’s so great about it. There’s always a new area to explore and uncover. There’s running trails, walking paths, meadows, ponds, lakes, a boathouse with rental boats, a zoo, a small castle, gardens, fountains, beautiful bridges, everything. There are beautiful views to be seen from every angle and perspective. It’s also nearby two of my favorite museums. The Met on the East side and the Museum of Natural History on the West side. Just go explore!

Restaurants/Ice Cream Stops

Lunch
- The hot lobster roll comes with the lobster and bread separate so you can put it together yourself with the cole slaw in a separate cup. Everything comes hot and fresh. It’s a cute little spot on the way to and from Montauk. Our waiter was cute and friendly.
Jerry & The Mermaid
- I’m clearly still on a journey to try every lobster roll on Long Island, and this one was pretty decent. I’d recommend the straight cut fries over the waffle fries. I find them more plentiful portion wise, as well as perfectly crispy. It’s also next to a pier, which is nice to walk alongside after you finish your meal. Also next to an aquarium if you’re looking for more things to do.
Puglia
- Second time here and the portions and prices are great. Dinner comes with entertainment if that’s your sort of thing, but be foreworned, they come begging table to table afterwards and if you don’t have cash to tip, they peddle their venmo, lol. Not that I didn’t want to tip but it felt very awkward as you were trying to finish your dinner. It felt like when you’re at church and they come around collecting money towards the end of the service, except pushier.
Olive Branch
- A cute little spot in Greenport with the most adorable outdoor seating covered in umbrellas above you to help shade you from the sun. It reminds me of the cute little spots I see in people’s international travels. Oh how I miss traveling. Anyways, the food was fresh and the chef came out to check on us which I thought was nice.
Snowflake
- Famous ice cream spot in Riverhead with tons of flavors. This was my second time stopping here.
Magic Fountain
- Cute little ice cream shop on the North Fork with cute ice cream murals. I had the Summer Sunset which was mango with a strawberry ribbon and it was absolutely amazing. Would love to come back and get a quart of this if I could keep it cold long enough to get home.
Taiyaki NYC
- They’re currently doing a collaboration with Rilakkuma and it’s the freaking cutest thing. Totally grammable and the mango strawberry swirl is delicious. Currently that flavor is found at the NYC location only, not the Queens location.

I can’t wait to explore some more new places the next time we have off together soon for date days. ^_^

The Return of WDW Marathon Races!

July 1, 2021

RunDisney finally announced the return of in person races this morning! They are returning this fall with the annual Wine & Dine races, along with the January Marathon Weekend and the Princess Half in February. All dates, registration dates and information were all released as well.

I decided I’m going to do it. I’m finally going to bite the bullet and do the Dopey Challenge. It’s now or never. And then continue on with my February tradition of Princess races with Kerri. I am so excited to have these events back that I don’t even care how expensive next year is going to be. I’m in a YOLO mood and want to take every opportunity given to me to complete these goals! It’s crazy because a few years ago I would have never had the courage to take on a full marathon, let alone the Dopey challenge.

A Dopey challenge is a 5k, 10k, half marathon and a full marathon back to back over 4 days for a total of 48.6 miles. It’s Disney’s ultimate race challenge because well, you’d have to be Dopey to do it! I used to think this was insane and that those who wanted to do it and willingly signed up for these things were insane. What are you trying to prove to people? Why would you want to run that much? Do you want to die? What is WRONG with you?

And well, it’s 2021 and here I am. SIGN. ME. UP.

I can’t explain it. Running is something I hate and have grown to absolutely love and enjoy at the same time. I complain about it every time before I have to go out there and do the deed but I come back every time feeling accomplished. And a Disney race is truly like no other. Nothing compares to these in person races. Running through my neighborhood is just not the same and I learned this past year virtuals are NOT my thing. ALTHOUGH! For those interested in obtaining the medals without the extra cost of a Disney vacation, this is the first time they are also allowing a virtual option along with the in person races! I don’t know if this will continue in the years after so I would take advantage of it if you’re really interested. But back to my main point. I can’t wait to run through the parks, feel the energy all around me, hear the roar of the crowd cheering everyone on, and cross that finish line once more for the highest high I’ve ever felt in my life. The minute you run across it, can not be replicated by anything else. And no one can take it away from you. I can’t wait to crush another goal. I’ll be honest, I’m absolutely terrified of how hard this is going to be, but I know with everything I take on, I ultimately buckle down and give it my all to meet that goal.

I mean, once upon a time, I used to be terrified of the Princess Fairy Tale Challenge but I did it and here I am taking it on again, this time more confident than ever! And EXCUSE ME, did I mention this year they have a new event for the Princess weekend?!?! Sunrise yoga in front of the castle! EXCUSE THE HELL OUT OF ME, SIGN ME UP PLEASE. I went from barely being able to run one block in my neighborhood, barely being able to lift weights to gym rat and obsessed runner. It’s crazy. I always say 2018 me does not know this version of me, lol. It’s crazy how much I’ve changed and grown in the course of a few years.

Before Disney races were announced, if you read my last post, I WAS working on training for the September 19 marathon I had put as a goal for myself. I’m still on the fence as to whether I want to go through with it now that Disney races are back on and had til June 30th to sign up for the Sept 19 race before prices went up. Unfortunately I forgot to sign up today before the cutoff point. Good and bad, this next registration period’s cutoff date is Sept 15th. So I can continue to train with regards to how the summer temps will play out and decide closer to the date if I still want to go through with this or forgo this goal and make Disney the ultimate first marathon along with the challenge. A few runner friends have encouraged I continue with the Sept 19 race to help have a base to build upon for Dopey and honestly it’s a good idea. I just don’t know if the summer will be too hot to train in and if I’m willing to put in that work. But so far for the month of June, I did a long run every Friday and went from 13 miles the first week and added a mile every week for a current progress of 16 miles ran last Friday. It was definitely difficult, I’m not going to lie. But I woke up every Friday morning determined to get it done, no matter how many breaks it took, how many loops around the neighborhood for a water break, and the mental gymnastics to continue on when it felt really hard. The Sept 19 deadline is definitely an aggressive training schedule compared to the Jeff Galloway training schedule which just started this week and is a lot less grueling and much more doable. And this week has been harder than the past month for training because we’re going through a heat wave. I haven’t been able to train properly on schedule this week like the past few weeks so it’s been challenging to say the least. But then again, life is about challenging ourselves sometimes and seeing what we can do, right? So let’s see what the summer will bring and give it a fair shot.

I know I’m mostly afraid because it’s simply something I haven’t done before so my fear is just fear of failure. It’s also because running outside of 13.1 miles is pushing myself out of my current comfort zone. But these few weeks, going from 13.1 to 14, to 15, to 16 miles, I found every week to be excruciatingly hard but also ultimately doable as I pushed myself each week to go beyond the last week and be better than who I was yesterday, yesterweek, yestermonth, yesteryear. But I’m also learning to accept that failure is not the end. Whether or not I finish these challenges - which I really do hope I do and I really plan to work hard to ultimately crush these challenge- I know it’s about the journey more than the end goal. It’s about the experience, the training, the pushing the mental part of my brain to work harder than ever to KNOW I can do this. And even if I do fail, it’s not going to stop me from ultimately trying again until the deed is done. I mean, that’s what life is, right? Trial and error until we get it right.

SO. The race is on. I already have some new ideas for race bounds and park bounds. Let’s go earn these medals in style, bitches!

I have both the Jan and Feb trips for next year booked, thanks to my travel agent Jill of Never Grow Up Vacations. I know I’ve recommended her several times on my blog but I can not recommend her enough. Every one of my friends and family members who have booked their trip through her has never went back to booking their own trips ever again because of how well she handles everything and literally takes care of every little thing you need, and all services are free of charge!