Tinkerbell Half Marathon 2012

A little over a year ago my friend Lisa told me about a jogging application she had downloaded on her Iphone. C25K!  C25K, is a program that's been designed to get just about anyone off their lazy couch potato tuckus to running a 5K (3.1 miles) in just 9 weeks.  It does this by giving you run/walk intervals and slowly increasing the running portion.   I must have felt I needed something more than Starbucks and Greys Anatomy to fill my day so I figured what the hell, lets have a go at it. 

The first day I hopped on my treadmill and let Eric DJ a little music for me to run to.  5 minute warm up and my first run started. HOLLY COW, I thought I was going to DIE. Instantly had sweat everywhere, gasping for air as I held the hand rails and I must have looked pretty bad because Eric even stopped DJ-ing to ask if I was OK.  I thought I would never be able finish, but I did.  And the next day and the next and at the end I was taking 3 mile non stop jogs.  I was in shock still to the end that I could actually run that far. 

Once I had completed C25K, I needed something else to work towards, I am better if I see a light at the end of the tunnel.  Lisa had just started P90x so again I followed her and spent the next 90 days being one of the few I know to ever complete the program.  P90x built a lot of muscle and got rid of a good amount of inches, however it didn't help much in the endurance area. When I started running again it was not easy, not near as difficult as the first time but it's true when they say use it or loose it.

 
Not entirely sure what I wanted to complete next, my friend Matt mentioned the B210K program, similar to C25K, but this one is a bridge from the 5K to a 10K.  Well my bridge to 10K got a little side tracked when I saw a friends facebook post about the first ever Hollywood Half Marathon.  Run the streets of Hollywood, now that would be fun.  So as I went online to get information I found something that caught my attention even more.  Disneyland had a Tinkerbell Half Marathon!!!!!  I love Disneyland and Tinkerbell. Once I saw the medal it sealed the deal.  I must have it.

     
So for the past 7 months I have been walking and running, trying to prepare for this 13.2 mile journey that will take the runners through Downtown Disney, Disneyland, Downtown Anaheim and California Adventures.  I have done interval training found on the Run Disney web site and have completed many 10Ks and even one test half marathon.  I am not worried about the distance, it is the time that scares me.  You have to complete the course in a little over 3 hours and I fear once I get tired I will not be able to keep a pace fast enough to finish under time.  If you don't the man with the little golf cart snatches you up and crushes all your hopes and dreams.  I MUST finish this race under time and earn my medal.  I already have a place on the wall picked out!  January 29, 2012 and all will be revealed.