Disneyland Part 2: Star Wars 5k

Oh I don't have to wake up at 2:30am. Oh I don't have to take a shuttle from my hotel to the Race Area.

Oh I don't have to walk a mile from the Pre-Race Party Area to the Start Area.

Folks - I am NOT in Disney World anymore! :)

Now I love all of the things I listed above as they are part of the Run Disney experience. BUT I can say it was sort of sweet to sleep in until 4am for the 5:30am 5k Start.

Once I was up, had some water, made sure I had everything for my costume and of course took a pre-race pic!

Ewok

We headed out at 4:45am to walk to the Start area... which was less than 1/2 a mile from our hotel (Alpine Inn).

I was lucky enough to be in Corral A so I headed to the front. I cannot tell you how exciting and an honor it is to be up in that Corral. I know I work hard at other races to be able to thoroughly enjoy the Run Disney experience.

Marathon Foto was out in full effect and since I buy the photos I make sure to pause for every photog. ;)

Since I was in my corral by 5am I was able to work my way up to the Start platform where Carissa and Rudy would be announcing from.

While Carissa and Rudy entertained the crowd and honored the sponsors, they were joined by two adorable droids.

Selfie Time!

Hi Guys!!

To entertain the corral before we went off, the race played on the scrolling text that happens at the beginning of the Star Wars movie.

It may be hard to read from my pics.

Now the Star Wars 5k is an untimed race that weaves through the parks.

I brought my Garmin with me just because I was interested in how long it would take including any character stops I did.

Oh and I forgot my goal for the weekend - like Dopey Challenge - was to stop at every character stop I saw. Time or pace mean nothing to me at Disney since I do have the pleasure of starting in the first corral. I have more time to work with.

I was so swept up in the pre-race entertainment that all of a sudden Rudy was counting us down... and we were off.

Ahhh yay! I love the start of any race, but especially Run Disney with the confetti. I want to start every training run with confetti. :P

Again this was my first time at Disneyland so the course and parks would all be new to me.

I saw the Rebels and had to stop - of course. They didn't have an official MarathonFoto photog, but there was a Disney cast member to take photos. I appreciate that Disney does have cast members at each official stop to take photos for participants with their personal phone or camera.

Since it is so early and dark my photos aren't always the greatest, but I like having something to post instead of waiting for official photos to upload.

Mile 1: 7:59

Even though the Castle is smaller than in Disney World, it is still an amazing sight.

With fewer people running the 5k, which means fewer people in each corral - I felt as if I was running through the parks alone. I mean it was truly magical.

Then I saw him... Chewie!

My Phone

Official Photo

Yeah worth the $$.

Vader and the Storm Troopers

My Phone

Official Photo

As we ran down Main Street in Disneyland, I couldn't help but smile.

We headed down Main Street and out of the Disneyland.

One last photo in front of Disneyland.

Once out of the park, we made our way to California Adventures via a backlot street.

Mile 2: 9:20

After Mile 2, we made our way into California Adventures via "A Bug's Land" then on to Cars Land.

Even in the dark, Cars Land is an amazing sight.

Since we were running out of miles, we made our way through the entrance of California Adventures towards Downtown Disney.

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But first - more rebels.

Even though the race was wicked early, there was great crowd support through Downtown Disney.

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I actually had to ask a couple of folks to scooch over so I could take a pic of the Mile 3 marker. ;)

Mile 3: 8:45

I get wicked sad at the end of any race because the fun is over, but especially Disney races. I reminded myself I did have 19.3 more miles of fun ahead of me. ;)

Since I was still pretty much alone, I pretended as if I won the 5k when I was coming down the Finish chute. Carissa even announced my name. :)

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A girl can pretend right?

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And just like that the Star Wars 5k was over!

I know my distances are always longer than the race advertises since I go back and forth getting character photos, etc.

Time to collect my first piece of hardware of the weekend. Now the 5k is pegged as a Family Run by Disney so you are given a plastic medallion over a real medal. I am cool with that, but some others aren't.

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After collecting my medallion, water, banana and snack box, I scooted through what would be the Finish party Area!

Not so bumpin' after the 5k. :P

I headed to the Downtown Disney area (less than 1/4 a mile from the Finish) to meet Tori and grab some much-needed coffee.

Unfortunately no Dunkin Donuts in Anaheim, so I had to celebrate with Starbucks.

I know I know <<tiny violin>>

With coffee in hand, we headed back to the hotel - all the while cheering on everyone else finishing up the 5k - to prepare for the day ahead... the Parks!

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Overall the 5k was a great race. A little dark in some places so I did use the flashlight app on my phone a couple of times, but it was a ton of fun as always!

Pretty flat besides some inclines due to on ramps at the beginning.

I would definitely do it again!

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Next up: Star Wars 10k!

Disneyland Part 1: LA Sun & Star Wars Expo Fun

Who can complain when they are fleeing 20 degree weather in Boston for 70 degree weather in Los Angeles? Don't worry - it's not this girl!

The wife and I were psyched to be heading to Disneyland for the first time for the inaugural Star Wars race weekend (January 15-19).

Thankfully my mom was able to drop us off at Logan Airport to save time and money right off the top of the trip. Woo!

We took a direct American Airlines flight to LA. While a direct flight is nice, it is tough to be trapped on a plane for six hours. I tried to get up and walk as much as possible, but I still felt pain in my back.

Once landed at LAX, we took the Super Shuttle to our hotel (Alpine Inn) down in Anaheim. Now I can definitely tell you the Super Shuttle is NOTHING compared to the Magical Express. Haha. If you didn't guess that already. :P

The Super Shuttle roundtrip for both the wife & I came to $76 - the most cost-effective way we found to take the hour trek from LA to Anaheim.

We were the final couple to be dropped off and I was ITCHING to get out and walk!!

Hello palm trees!

We made a quick pit stop in the room to drop our stuff and make sure we had our Run Disney race waivers... and then we were off!!

I was on East Coast time and ready to eat my arm off. Yes I didn't bring enough snacks. #RookieMistake

As we took the first right around our block, BAM! There were the Disneyland hotels. I knew we were close, but didn't know it was THAT close. Score!

This would definitely come in handy on race days!

As we continued past the hotels making our way to Downtown Disney I spotted my first race sign.

Oohhh I was getting sooo excited.

After geeking out it was time to grab a quick sandwich and beer at La Brea Bakery. I highly recommend the BLT - delish. It was humorous I went all that way for a local beer and ended up drinking a Sam Adams (out of Boston) Rebel IPA. I thought the Rebel in the name at least went with the weekend's theme.

Now it was at the airport on this day that the black eye from a previous fall started showing its true colors - if you will. Dammit! The black and white filter on Instagram hid it nicely though. :)

Once we were properly fed and hydrated, it was time to make our way to the Expo.

But first we were stopped by AJ and Ivie and got to chat with them. We had only met online previously so it was nice to finally put a "bigger than your IG pic" face to a name.

I loooove a good Expo and was excited to hopefully spot some more familiar faces.

The Expo was held at the Disneyland Hotel. If we head back to Disneyland, I would love to spend a night there. It looked amazing.

We made our way straight to bib pick-up before doing to the merch/expo area. I had heard there was plenty of official merch there so I didn't feel we had to rush.

During bib pick-up I was able to meet a blog reader Liz and her husband. Liz's husband was in my corral and bought tickets from the same travel group so it was like I was following them around the bib pick-up area. Ummm hi! ;)

Once bibs were secured for both the wife and I, we headed to merch!

BUT first we got to walk through a very cool red black carpet welcome.

So cool and different.

The Star Wars weekend would be the first race in our quest for our first Coast To Coast medal.

We will collect the C2C medal during Run Disney's Princess weekend in Disney World in February. Woo!

Once inside we made our way to pick up our shirts. I would be walking away with 4 thanks to the 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Rebel Challenge. :) The Men's Medium however were too big so I went to exchange. They didn't have any Men's Small so I had to go to the scary side of trying on the more fitting women's shirt. Somehow I fit into the Women's Medium! Ahhh hello Non-Scale Victory! :)

Then it was time for the official merch area and found out that the Inaugural 19.3 Star Wars jacket I spotted someone wearing at Downtown Disney sold out first. Gahhhh of course. Oh well that's okay. I got myself an "I Did It!" shirt and a magnet. The wife got herself a Star Wars weekend sweatshirt. I'm glad they didn't have more I was interested in since I had spent too much money on Dopey Challenge gear last year. ;)

There are a few booths I will stop by at every Expo. First one? Sparkly Soul headbands of course.

I was eager to check out the Star Wars specific "May The Sparkle Be With You" headband, but they hadn't arrived yet. Oof! That was okay. I was happy to pick one up the following day when they arrived. The Expo was smaller than the one at Disney World so it would be easy to pop back over.

I also stopped by the Sparkle Athletic booth, but didn't spot Kelly to say hi. So I was off to KT Tape to pick up the Minnie Mouse tape that you can only get at a Run Disney expo. Priorities, right? :)

After stopping by some other booths, it was time to hit up the Run Disney Instagram booth to get our photo on!

I had to pick the dark side since the wife would pick the light side!

Yes the black eye also led to me picking the dark side.

As we were heading out of the Expo, I heard a familiar voice over the Expo speakers and saw the amazing Carissa in front of me. Carissa is an awesome blogger and Run Disney announcer. It is always a pleasure to see her and her little baby bump.

She even let me pretend to be a Run Disney announcer. Of course the volume was off. :P

I was channeling my past career as a journalist. Do I look like I am listening?

It was finally time to head back to the hotel and come up with our game plan for the following day's 5k race.

Oh but first a photo!

Thankfully there was a CVS on the way back to the hotel so we could get a 24-pack of bottled water for the hotel room. Hydration being my #1 concern with the adjustment from Boston winter to LA winter.

But the warmth was also going to play a part in my running so I wanted to get out and do a quick run before we headed to dinner.

It was amazing to run in a tank top. While the pace looked normal for me, I was dripping in sweat. Hello heat.

After freshening up and laying out my costume for the following morning, it was time to make our way back to Downtown Disney where we had a reservation at Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria.

I had the individual pizza with Red Wine while the wife opted for ravioli with Sangria. She loved her dish, while I was okay with mine. It just didn't hit the spot for me. The meal seemed a bit overpriced for what I had.

It was super easy to land a reservation at the Disneyland establishments on the Disney Experience app within a week of the race. We were a little behind schedule. Oops!

Don't worry everyone all of our Disney World dinners were booked awhile back. ;)

Since we didn't have a park pass for that night, we opted to head back to the hotel and crash early. I was totally on East Coast time.

Plus, I needed to make sure we knew exactly where to go for the next morning's 5k. The wife wasn't running in the 5k, but was going to come watch since the race started at 5:30am - which would be 8:30am East Coast time. :)

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Next up: Star Wars 5k!

Dani Dishes: Life Update Plus Disneyland Fun

On this episode of #DaniDishes, it is time to catch up on the last two weeks of life including a black eye, weight management milestone and running at Disneyland! Also looking to sign up for the virtual OR in person 5k to benefit Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association? Do so here!!

Face It Friday: A Manageable Gain, Disneyland & Tracking

Now when we last met on January 9th I had gotten myself back down to goal. Like goal on the nose - right at 155.

I was elated.

2014 was a horrible year for me weight wise so I am happy to be starting 2015 in a better frame of mind and a better number on the scale.

I was unable to weigh in last week because 1) I slept through my alarm to weigh in Wednesday morning and 2) I was out of town at Disneyland on Thursday/Friday. I felt okay with having the week off from the scale.

BUT that didn't mean I gave up tracking.

I made a deal with myself. I would NOT make myself track during our 5 days away at Disneyland IF I tracked every Bite, Lick and Taste up to that point... which I did. I tracked for 69-straight days before the trip.

When we left for Disneyland, I told myself I could enjoy whatever I wanted while there as long as I got RIGHT back on track as soon as I got home.

You know what? It worked!

I enjoyed a Mickey pretzel and a Mickey ice cream, as well as other indulgences... guilt free! I did make sure to wait and enjoy the pretzel and ice cream on the FINAL day of the trip as to not tempt myself to have them everyday. It worked like a charm!

We arrived home Monday night after having an absolutely amazing time. I earned 90 APs and tracked over 125k+ steps on my Fitbit. So yeah there was some moving involved while away.

Costumes from the Run Disney Star Wars 5k, 10k and Half!

But when I woke up Tuesday morning I got right back to business. Was the day perfect - not at all, but I wrote it all down. And it really felt great to be back to my normal routine.

So I stepped on the scale Friday fearing what the number would say.

155.6 - a 0.6 lb gain! Oh hellz yeah that is a manageable gain. I was thrilled. Cuhlearly being on track surrounding those 5 off-plan days and moving non-stop helped keep the scale in check.

Now can a belated gain show up next week, absolutely! The scale forgets it should be it's lightest on weigh-in day. There are also times when an off week can show up two weeks down the road. The scale is a fickle beast that only shows us one side of the journey.

I am prouder of the fact that I got on the scale despite the fear of the number. I could've hidden away, but what's the point. The number is going to be the same whether I step on the scale now or not. (Have I always lived by the mantra - no - but I'm working on it!)

The scale is always Feedback never Failure!!

The best part was going to Disneyland feeling fit and fabulous. I felt comfortable in my costumes and walking around the parks - something missing from my trip to Disney World last year.

I want to hold on to that awesome feeling as I continue to train for the Boston Marathon AND prepare for our trip to Disney World next month.

We are heading to Disney World February 19-24 for the Run Disney Princess weekend races (5k, 10k and Half). I made another pledge with myself: If I track every day between now and Feb 19, I will allow myself to enjoy Disney World tracking free. I feel again this is a good tactic for me and one that allows me to indulge guilt-free.

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Does this mean there is no mental tracking going on? Oh definitely not. I have been doing WW long enough that I still have a tally in my head even when not putting it in the tracker.

When we got to the airport, I went to the "healthy snacks" wall at Hudson News and picked up Chex Mix and some Trail Mix. Yes I know I could've gotten grapes and yogurt, but I didn't want those and I hadn't had Chex Mix in months.

Again I said I wouldn't track, but for my own knowledge I needed to know the points. Why? So that the next time I tried to buy them I would know how much it would cost me.

Because once you look up the points of something - you never UNknow it! Am I right?

The bag of Chex Mix from Hudson News cost me 23 points. OUCH! Worth it in that moment? Yes!

The bag of Trail Mix from the "healthy eats wall?" Entire bag 28 points. My wife and I split it so 14 pts each. Worth it? Nope! But I live and learn. Now I know for my next trip to scan these items before buying - even if I am not tracking. Scan them because knowledge is power people!

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So there are my life lessons of the last two weeks. I made some great choices. I made some not great choices. BUT I owned every choice I made, practiced self-forgiveness, re-found some confidence that was missing and got right back to business when "vacation mode" was over.

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How do you handle your vacations when it comes to tracking/healthy choices?

The 2nd Annual Stop Stroke Shuffle 5k Finisher's Medal Reveal!

The 2nd Annual Stop Stroke Shuffle In Person and Virtual 5k registration is OPEN!!!

For those that don't know, I am running the 2015 Boston Marathon with Tedy's Team to raise awareness and fight Stroke! This will be my third-consecutive Boston Marathon with Tedy's Team and I run in honor of my grandparents, my father-in-law and all those affected by Stroke.

If you are in the Boston area, please think about coming down to run/walk/bike the 5k with me in person on February 15 at Noon.

We will be hosting the event out of Slumbrew's American Fresh Brewhouse at Assembly Row (in Somerville). American Fresh is a heated tent with ample free parking and access to the Assembly Stop on the Orange line.

We will have bibs, medals and water on hand. There will be beer available for purchase!

^^ Strollers welcome, but unfortunately pups need to stay home this time.

**PLEASE NOTE: this will not be a chip-timed race**

Register HERE for in person OR virtual option!

If you are NOT in the Boston or unable to join us on February 15, please consider running/walking/biking the charity 5k virtually.

A virtual run-walk means you do the 5k (3.1 mile) “race” at your leisure anytime in the month of February! Map out your own route, get your own friends together or jump on the old trusty treadmill. Your call.

This “race” is one to anyone all over the world.

I will provide a race bib that you can print out and fix to your shirt (if you want)!!

Register HERE for in person OR virtual option!

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The Finisher's Medal is going to GLOW IN THE DARK this year!! Yay! Well okay the outer ring of the medal plus the 2015 portion will glow. But still awesome. I love it.

The $26.20 registration fee is a donation to Tedy's Team!

Register HERE for in person OR virtual option!

The 2nd Annual Stop Stroke Shuffle 5k - In Person & Virtual

The 2nd Annual Stop Stroke Shuffle In Person and Virtual 5k registration is OPEN!!!

For those that don't know, I am running the 2015 Boston Marathon with Tedy's Team to raise awareness and fight Stroke! This will be my third-consecutive Boston Marathon with Tedy's Team and I run in honor of my grandparents, my father-in-law and all those affected by Stroke.

If you are in the Boston area, please think about coming down to run/walk/bike the 5k with me in person on February 15 at Noon.

We will be hosting the event out of Slumbrew's American Fresh Brewhouse at Assembly Row (in Somerville). American Fresh is a heated tent with ample free parking and access to the Assembly Stop on the Orange line.

We will have bibs, medals and water on hand. There will be beer available for purchase!

^^ Strollers welcome, but unfortunately pups need to stay home this time.

**PLEASE NOTE: this will not be a chip-timed race**

Register HERE for in person OR virtual option!

If you are NOT in the Boston or unable to join us on February 15, please consider running/walking/biking the charity 5k virtually.

A virtual run-walk means you do the 5k (3.1 mile) “race” at your leisure anytime in the month of February! Map out your own route, get your own friends together or jump on the old trusty treadmill. Your call.

This “race” is one to anyone all over the world.

I will provide a race bib that you can print out and fix to your shirt (if you want)!!

Register HERE for in person OR virtual option!

***

The $26.20 registration fee is a donation to Tedy's Team!

^^ Race bib and Finisher's Medal are still be designed. Thank you for your patience on that.

Register HERE for in person OR virtual option!

Need A Chocolate Fix? Try Special K Brownies!

If I could spend all of my Weight Watchers Points Plus Values on chocolate, I would! Okay okay not all of them on chocolate, but a majority! ;) Thankfully Special K must've heard my whining and created the Special K Brownie.

Each brownie is 2 WW PPV and 80 calories. Score!!

The Special K brownies come in two delicious flavors: Divine Fudge and Heavenly Caramel.

The Special K brownies are made with real cocoa, chocolate or caramel chips, and topped with a drizzle of chocolate fudge. I love a good drizzle of chocolate fudge!

Now when I first opened the brownie, I thought it was on the smaller side and wouldn't be as enough to satisfy my chocolate craving... but I was wrong. The bar was moist, chewy and just the right amount of chocolate.

Thankfully the wife and I immediately found our favorite flavor... and it wasn't the same one! Phew! No sharing for this girl. ;)

The wife enjoyed the Divine Fudge bar as an afternoon treat to get through a tough work day.

I opted to savor the Heavenly Caramel while relaxing after a long day, pairing it with wine and a little nail pampering. :) Perfection.

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Make sure to follow Special K on Twitter and Facebook to keep up on the latest Special K brownie news.

Oh and in the meantime, head on over to your local grocery store and pick up a box... you won't be disappointed!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Special K Brownies.