PACK IT UP!  

Packing and I have a full on love hate relationship. I'm pretty darn good at packing and LOVE the feeling of organization and everything having a place, but I hate knowing all of the things that I have pristine-ly packed will soon have to be unpacked. Ugh. I am also a bit of a homebody. Now don't get me wrong, I love seeing new cities and exploring, but the whole act of travel with all of its time consumption and germ invasion is the part that I am not super fond of. 

This time around, we are headed to the Lone Star State! We will be visiting Austin, Waco (we are total Fixer Upper fans in our house), and ending up in Dallas at the Texas School of Photography where I will get to do a meet and greet and say a few words about what I do!

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 My mr. and I arrived on property Saturday afternoon to check into our adorable hotel! We stayed at Art of Animation, and as you can obviously see, it is quite festive! King Triton stood guard outside our building... We didn't hate it!

 

Sunday morning (dark and early) we boarded a bus to take us to the starting lot where everyone files into their corrals and awaits the start of the race. Well, lucky for us (ahem, not so lucky for us) our bus driver must have been new, as he was:

 1. Unsure how to release the parking brake...

2. Got lost in the hotel parking lot and therefore did a very large and time consuming circle...

3. Didn't know how to get where he was headed, and when he lost the bus in front of him proceeded to get stuck in traffic for 20 minutes...

Point being, we missed the first corral's start but managed to slip into our corral just before they closed the rope!

 

The finisher's medal is HEAVY. This is my third Disney half, and by far this medal is the heaviest medal I have received. The medallion of Darth's head actually spins (which the mr. got a kick out of). Also, he and I sported these super fun tees that say, "We finish each others... Sandwiches!" SO cute! If you aren't familiar with Frozen, the quote is in the duet that Princess Anna and Prince Hans sing together called "Love is an Open door." 

We are kind of obsessed.

When we arrived back in our room after the race to get cleaned up for ALL THE MICKEY WAFFLES, there was the sweetest surprise waiting for us! I'm telling you, Disney is the actual best. Matching Mickey & Minnie mugs, a cutie little frame, balloons, and a card from the main man himself! 

We then popped over to Disney's Key West resort to grab breakfast at Olivia's, and it did not disappoint! 

Will. Run. For. Mickey. Waffles.

The rest of the day went a little something like this... 

Main Street

Mickey bar

Adventureland

Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern

Fantasyland

Minnie caramel apple

Hotel to crash and watch Disney movies.

I get a lot of questions regarding my running gear so I thought I would do a post of my must haves for long runs. These are the exact products that I use (the colors may vary, as plenty of options are provided from each company, but from head to toe... these are my favorites). 

TOP-

This Nike top is breathable, lightweight, and I like that there isn't much going on in the shoulder region.

SPORTS BRA-

These Nike sports bras are padded, but still hug and don't slide around. It is the perfect amount of conceal and support.

SHORTS-

The Nike shorts here (are you catching a trend here... ha!)  are my current faves. They are shorties, but they stay out of your way. Plus that pattern is super jazzy, and I like to add jazz to my running outfits. It puts a little extra pep in my step.

SOCKS-

Feetures socks are anatomically correct and come in three different cushion densities. I personally like the light cushion... It is a good cross between "these feel like house slippers" and "am I actually wearing socks?"

SHOES-

Asics. That's all. I have tried all of the brands. I don't buy running shoes for their cuteness factor (obviously) I buy them based on support and fit. Asics 1000 series just fits my feet and cushions my stride better than any other!--Just in the event you were wondering, EVERY other shoe I purchase is literally based solely on it's cuteness factor!

BODY STICK-

Body glide... stops the blistering and skin irritation wherever you may need it.

FLASHERS-

Shoe flashers are important if you are running in the dark. I wouldn't worry about it on a race day, but if you train near traffic, these help them know you are sharing the road. Safety first!

IPOD-

I have run with all the musical devices. You name it, I've tried it. But nothing beats the light weight, easy to use shuffle. 

GPS-

I love this watch because not only does it has a battery that will carry you through a full marathon, but also because it is heart rate monitor compatible, shows you your distance, your pace, your time, and will also count your steps for the day. PLUS it is not nearly as expensive as the majority of the GPS watches out there.

EAR BBUDS-

These are cute... that's really all.

HEADBAND-

I can't rave enough about these lillyband headbands! They are no-slip and not too tight to where you can feel your heart beat in your brain. They tame the fly-aways and are the CUTEST headband out there. Wins all around for this one!

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Top / Sports Bra / Shorts / Headband / Socks / Shoes / GPS Watch / iPod / Earbuds / Shoe Strobe /  Body stick / Stuff it Belt / Chews