Inaugural Celebration K-8 School Pride Prowl Races

Pride Prowl

Registration Opens today for the inaugural running of Celebration K-8 PTA’s Family 5K Fun Run and Wellness Walk, known as The Pride Prowl.

The Pride Prowl is a fundraising event to help the exceptional programs and activities that the Celebration K-8 PTA brings to the Celebration K-8 School.

This year the PTA volunteers have taken on the extra work of organizing this fundraiser ourselves – with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the school.

The Pride Prowl has two races, a 5K Fun Run and a 1 Mile Wellness Walk that begins and ends at the Celebration K-8 School. The route for the race has runners passing through some of Celebration’s most beautiful neighborhoods.

The schedule for the Pride Prowl is as follows:

· Friday, September 13th: Family Fun Expo

The Family Fun Expo will take place from 5pm – 9pm, and will be held in the Celebration K-8 Gym. The Expo is where race participants can pick up their race packets and attendees will have the opportunity to find products, activities, and services that are family friendly in nature.

· Saturday, September 14th: Run With the Pride
5K Fun Run will begin at 7:30 AM and the Wellness Walk 8:30 AM in from of the Celebration K-8 school.

You can register online here, and you can see the costs below as of August 26, 2013!

Activity Today Later
5K Family Fun Run – Single Runner $25.00 $30.00
Family Wellness Walk – Groups up to 5 People (Ages 3 and under free) $35.00 $40.00
Family Wellness Walk – Single Walker $15.00 $20.00
5K Family Fun Run – Groups up to 5 People (Ages 3 and under free) $60.00 $70.00

 

Make sure you register soon! The first 100 Runners/Walkers to sign up receive a free event shirt, and ALL runners/walkers will receive a custom appreciation item from Celebration PTA.

Help support the Celebration K-8 School by participating in our inaugural running of The Pride Prowl – Celebration K-8 PTA’s Family 5K Fun Run and Wellness Walk!

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RunDisney Princess Tips and Reminders

RunDisney

Walt Disney World RunDisney Princess Weekend is almost here so I’ve compiled a list of tips and reminders to assist you as you prepare.

The Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Royal Family 5K takes place Saturday, February 23 at 6:30 AM and the Princess Half Marathon will be held Sunday, February 24 beginning at 5:35 AM.  With just a few days before the race it’s very important to take care of your body by getting as much rest as possible, eating nutritious meals, and hydrating with water and/or sports drinks.  If you’re visiting the theme parks before race day, it’s best to take it a leisurely pace, take in the shows and sit down attractions and try to limit the time walking or standing in the sun or heat.  Take breaks at the resort to enjoy the pool or take a nap.

Disney’s Fit for a Princess Expo will be held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  The Expo hours are Friday, February 22 9:00 AM- 7:00 PM and Saturday, February 23 9:00 AM- 6:00 PM.  If you are staying at a WDW resort other than Coronado Springs, you will need to utilize bus transportation, labeled with a RunDisney sign.  If you are staying off property, park at Downtown Disney Westside to catch the RunDisney bus transportation to Coronado Springs.  Parking and guest drop-off during Expo hours is not allowed at Coronado Springs.  Be sure to complete and print your race waiver prior to arriving at the Expo and bring your photo identification.  At the expo you will pick up your race packet which includes your bib with timing chip, race shirt, and goody bag.  This is also the time to pick up any commemorative items you purchased during registration.  Be sure to hold onto the large, clear plastic Run Disney bag you are given as this is what you will use for bag check during the race.  Expo is a great time to check out the vendors, see new products, visit with fellow runners, and get into the spirit of the race weekend.

Here’s a quick check list of things to do the day/night before the race:

  • Fill out the back of your race bib with emergency contact and personal information and attach it to your running shirt with provided safety pins
  • Lay out your entire running outfit including every item you are planning to wear and carry during the race
  • Prepare your clear plastic Run Disney bag for bag check by affixing your number sticker
  • Plan your pre-race/early morning breakfast or snack such as a bagel with peanut butter, cereal bar, or fruit
  • Decide where to meet friends and family following the race
  • Set your alarm and/or order a wake-up call
  • Go to bed early and dream about the bling

On the day of the race, give yourself plenty of time for driving and parking or riding WDW transportation.  Race transportation including monorail and buses from WDW resort hotels will begin at 3:00 AM and you must board no later than 4:00 AM and in your assigned corral by 5:00 AM.  If you are checking a bag, it must be at the bag check area no later than 4:30 AM.  There will be food and beverages available for purchase in the Wonder and Imagine lots of Epcot the morning of the race.  Give yourself plenty of time to get to your corral and prepare yourself for race.

You’ve trained, prepared, and waited and it’s finally here.  Enjoy it!  Disney races are full of fun, friends, and surprises…..and there’s a beautiful medal and an amazing sense of accomplishment awaiting you at the finish line.

Happy running!

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RunDisney Roundtable

For this week’s Roundtable, I thought it would be a lot of fun to look at all of our different thought on the RunDisney Events we have participated in!

I hope you enjoy!

1. What made you start participating in RunDisney Events?
Aurora –  My Husband, Brother and Best friend VoluntEARed at our first event MANY years ago and it is something that my Husband and I have continued. We started off doing the Special Olympics events and now we try to do Marathon Weekend and Princess every weekend. We are running people but we LOVE VoluntEARing!!!
Beth – Just a whim actually.  Sounded fun so I signed up for the Family 5k during Marathon Weekend 2012.  I met some great people and got hooked!
Betsy – I set a goal for myself to do a 5k two years after I had major knee surgery.
Cheryl – My husband started running
Kelly – I figured it would motivate me to want to get out there and complete some races myself. And also to see everyone completing goals.
Shalon – I was never a very athletic person and never thought I’d be able to even complete a 5k. After seeing the wide array of people who ran a 5k at Disney I knew it was a goal I wanted to set for myself.  After doing a 5k I decided to train for a half marathon as it was a bucket list item and was incredible to accomplish that goal at Disney!
Shelley – I have never been an avid runner, but after hearing people talk about how much they loved the RunDisney 5K’s I thought I would give it a shot…and I haven’t really looked back since!

2. What is your favorite Run Disney Race?
Betsy – I think the first race I ever ran is still my favorite. It was the inaugural Mickey’s Halloween 5k in October of 2010. It is the only 5k to my knowledge that ran through the Magic Kingdom. It was absolutely amazing! I wish they still had 5ks in that park.
Beth – Princess Weekend is special to me because I ran the Royal Family 5k in 2012 with my best friend Jaimee & soon to be best friends Mike and James.  That weekend solidified my addiction to Run Disney and my desire to move to Florida.  Plus you get to dress up like Princesses!!
Cheryl – Magic Kingdom 5k – sad that I never got to run this!
Kelly – I’ve only volunteered for the marathon weekend events, so I’d have to go with that.
Shalon – Princess weekend is my favorite since it was my first 5k and first half marathon.
Shelley – I am obsessed with the Princess Half Marathon Weekend activities! I love how even the guys get in the spirit of dressing up and having a great time running.
Aurora – Marathon Weekend every January is my favorite! So many costumes and creativity! A lot of people use this first race of the year as a tribute race for someone or a first time race for themselves.

3. Do you prefer night or day RunDisney races?
Cheryl – day
Kelly – To volunteer, either. If I was completing a race myself, day. I would think it would throw my schedule off to run a race at night.
Shalon – I prefer day races, its hard getting up that early but was much easier to adjust to than staying up later for a night race. Once a day race is over you can walk around the parks to work out any soreness and of course show off your bling!
Shelley – I prefer day races, because I love being able to walk around the parks and eating whatever I want…you know cause I just ran and it won’t count…right???
Aurora – I prefer voluntEARing at the day time races so I can see my friends faces and costumes lol!
Beth – Having run one night race and the rest day races, I prefer day.  Night races are tough to prepare for especially the day of in terms of resting and eating enough prior to the start of the race.
Betsy – I think I prefer day races even though I am not a morning person. It is easier to rest up and prepare for the races than night races.

4. Costume or no costume when you’re running?
Kelly – For me to run in, no costume, but I love seeing everyone else in their costumes. It adds additional time on top of their training schedules for everyone to make their costumes, so to see everyone’s hard work is so fun!
Shalon – Costumes are a blast to create and show off during races!  Just make sure to try them out beforehand to make sure it all fits well and won’t bother you during the race.
Shelley – I LOVE all the costumes, and I have really enjoyed the races when I have dressed up!
Aurora – As a spectator/voluntEAR I love the costumes! Have fun with it!!!!!
Beth – Costumes ABSOLUTELY!  That’s one of my favorite parts second only to the bling!  Be creative and have fun with it.  Just make sure its comfortable and allows your skin to breath while running!
Betsy – I have never worn a costume while running, but I do enjoy seeing the costumes.
Cheryl – No Costume

5. What’s your best tip for visiting RunDisney Expos?
Shalon – Take you time to look around all the booths and companies there.  You may not buy something that day but gives great ideas for running gear later on.  Always take business cards of booths you enjoy so you will remember them after race weekend.
Shelley – Keep your eyes on the prize or you will find yourself walking out with TONS of cool stuff that you might not necessarily need!
Aurora – Do not go in there with a time limit set. Give yourself time to get your packet and have time to look at all the booths. There are SO MANY things to look at that if you only have an hour or whatever, you will end up skipping one that you probably wanted to see really bad!
Beth – I like to go as early as possible the very first day.  It can be crowded and hectic but it’s a great time to see new products and meet up with friends and really get into the spirit of the race weekend.
Betsy – Definitely get there as early as you can and plan on allowing at least an hour or two. For larger race weekends like marathon, Princess and Wine and Dine, it can get crazy long lines. Take time to wander around the expo after packet pickup and see what the vendors have to offer. I’ve found some great deals on shoes, running belts, etc.
Cheryl – Go there early, it gets crowded!
Kelly – Go the first day, as early as possible. I’ve seen numerous products (if not all of them) sell out so quick.

6. What is your favorite RunDisney memory?
Shelley – This is such a tough one! But the memory that always makes me tear up is when I was running the Princess Half last year. We had just crossed the start line, and out of the blue I could hear Zoe yelling ‘Go Mommy! I’m so proud of you’ and I found her in the crowd jumping up & down blowing me kisses. Just knowing that I am setting an example of being healthy and reaching goals makes me push myself harder.
Aurora – Medaling my Best Friend Nicole when she on a whim ran her first full marathon! Nicole has never been a runner. She is more of a mosier! She decided to run at the pressing of her soon to be husband and did the full marathon in about 3 and 1/2hours! I have never been so PROUD in my life! She beat some people who are real runners and she had a blast doing it! I cried and cried and cried when she crossed and have never been so happy to see someone cross in my life! Putting that medal around her neck is something that will stick with me forever!
Beth – One of my favorite memories is running the 2012 Tower of Terror 10 Miler with my best friend, Jaimee, on both of our birthdays.  It was a night race and started at 10pm on her birthday and we were still running when the clock struck midnight signaling the beginning of my birthday.  We made shirts to go with our costumes that celebrated this.  It was so fun running and having so many people wish us Happy Birthday!
Betsy – My favorite memory was running my first race since there was such a great sense of accomplishment coming off of my knee surgery. I have great memories from most all of the seven races I’ve run, but I think that the first was the best.
Cheryl – Running across the finish line
Kelly – My very first 5k was a RunDisney event and it was such an emotional day for me, so crossing that finish line and being able to see my parents and boyfriend cheering me on is definitely my favorite memory. Also, putting medals on a couple of the 20 year ‘Perfects’ this past marathon weekend was very cool, along seeing people get really emotional after finishing their first half marathon/marathon and being able to celebrate with them.
Shalon – Even though completing my first 5k was very memorable, completing my first half marathon Princess weekend 2012 was an experience I’ll never forget.  I had such an incredible time running and sharing that memory with Shelley.  I’ll never forget how we both burst into tears as we crossed the finish line…and again as we cried like babies as Aurora gave us our medals!

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RunDisney Savings Plan

If you are like my family, you have a runner doing multiple RunDisney events in one year so it is necessary to have a RunDisney Savings Plan.

Here are some things to consider if you are running in the RunDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon.

First let’s look at the costs of entering the Wine & Dine Half Marathon

  • $175 by June 18, 2013
  • $190 between June 19 and August 13, 2013
  • $205 on or after August 14, 2013

So it’s easy to see that if you know that you are planning on running in a RunDisney event it is best to register as soon as possible!

The next big expense to consider is booking a room!

Keeping in mind that we are using the RunDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon, you can find onsite pricing from Disney directly for value resorts is $121 per night for a 2 night stay,
this price does not include park admission.  You may find cheaper pricing by contacting a Travel agent, booking your flight and travel together via travel websites or your airline website, or by taking advantage of any special offer that may come your way.

Another option is renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member. We don’t have an article on this yet (we promise it is coming soon) so we recommend you search the web on Disney Vacation Club point rental.

Renting Disney Vacation Club points can save you money on a room for the race! For example For the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon cost of the Disney’s Beach Club resort is $389 per person for a 2 night stay.  For 2 people your cost would be $778 depending on the Disney Vacation Club point cost: a Studio at Beach Club would run you between $310 and $410.

So far Costs are:
Race:  $175 or $190 or $205
Hotel:  $121 or $778 or $310-$410
Flights:  For this example we are assuming  $250 round trip for 1 person so $500 for 2 people

Which then brings us to the cost of tickets. You’ll find that a 3 day ticket from Disney Direct (without the Run Disney discount)  is $636.88 includes tax, note this includes Park hopping.  A 3 day ticket without park hopping is $515.46. Please note this is the current price of tickets, like any other product, prices can change; we recommend you call Disney or search the internet to confirm current pricing.

So now it’s down to the nitty gritty! Time to calculate all of our costs: $205 + $410 + $500 = $1115.00, if you need tickets that cost increases to $1630.46.  Food costs differ based upon needs, so add in your own food costs.

How can I save: Starting now you could put away $408 a month and have enough time to save $1630.46 by June 18th. If you already have tickets you could save $279 a month. You will need to add in extra savings for your food costs but this should give you a good guide of how you can plan to save to race.

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Running Full Circle With Run Disney

Running Full Circle With Run Disney

Run Disney

How did I get involved with run Disney?  Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of running……um NO!  Honestly, I don’t really even like running.  The races are fun but the training is definitely tough and requires discipline.  Ok, so let me back up.

So I decided on a whim in November of 2011 to sign up for the Family 5k, or 3.1 miles, during WDW Marathon Weekend 2012.  Having never trained before or participated in a race, I decided to join up with other runners on a “team” so I wouldn’t have to do the 5k alone.  Being familiar with Lou Mongello and the WDW Radio Show, I knew they had a running team so I signed up for the WDW Radio Running Team.  Who knew that one simple 5k and click of a mouse would completely change my life?  Arriving at the Epcot parking lot at 4 AM that first morning was scary.  I didn’t know these “teammates” I was searching for in the vast crowd.  All I knew was that we were all wearing WDW Radio blue….did I mention that the official 5k shirts were blue that year too?  So it’s 4AM, chilly and I’m staring at a sea of blue shirts looking for my team.  Finally, after a mild panic attack fearing I was going to have to run this race totally alone, I spotted Katie McNamara and Mike Beckerman who I recognized from the facebook page for the running team.  I walked over and introduced myself and immediately was welcomed with open arms.  The three of us along with Deanna Mongello and Steve Drew ran the race together and honestly, as we neared the finish line we were all a bit sad that it was over.  Yes! I actually wanted to keep running so that we could all be together.  They all got me through that first race and I knew then and there, these were friends for life.  They even humored me by waiting in line to get an official race photo taken with our medallions.  Jokingly at the end of the race, Steve and Deanna said, you’ll be doing half marathons before you know it.

Run Disney
Beth’s First 5K!!!

I tentatively agreed to do the half in 2013 but first I came home and immediately called my best friend Jaimee Dietz and asked her if she’d run the Royal Family 5k with me in February of 2012.  She agreed and we began training together which was infinitely better than running alone.  I couldn’t wait to get back to Florida and introduce her to all these wonderful friends that I had met the month prior.  Princess Weekend 2012 cemented my addiction to running, my love for Florida, and my adoration for all these new friends.  I was also introduced to the amazing Shelley Caran and Shalon Given during this weekend proving that you never know where life is taking you.  More on that in a minute!  Jaimee and I met people that weekend who are truly our best friends for life.  The Royal Family 5k was so much fun; we got to wear tutus and tiaras which totally distracted us from the running aspect of the event.

Run Disney
The Royal Family 5K

My next event would be my biggest and scariest challenge, the Tower of Terror 10 miler.  This race was tough, it was a night race, and extremely warm and humid.  It was a special night though as the race started on Jaimee’s birthday and ended on my birthday.  Thanks to Shelley and Shalon for helping us make some cute running shirts to celebrate this.  It was also very exciting to get my first real race bling, an actual medal.  The 5k medallions are nice but nothing compares to getting your first real medal.  I also knew that having completed the 10 miler, I was totally capable of running and finishing the 2013 WDW Half Marathon.  So now here we are, January 2013 and its been ten days since I completed my first half marathon.  I won’t say it was easy because it wasn’t, but I had amazing teammates to pull me through.  I can’t stress enough how much a running buddy can help you when you think you have nothing left inside you.  I ran with three guys who had all previously done half’s or full’s so they were very helpful in explaining what and when I needed to eat, how to pace, and just what to expect in general.  I’ll always be grateful to my Coral F running buds, Charles Stoddard, Nathan Mauldin, and Mike Beckerman.

Run Disney
Tower of Terror Birthday Shirts

 

So here we are, January 2013 and I have four 5k’s, one 10 miler, and one half marathon in the books.  Whew….it’s been quite a year. This year I’m already registered for the Princess 1/2 next month and the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge, a 10k followed by the Disneyland 1/2 marathon, in August.

Run Disney
Tower of Terror 10 Mile Medal

So why do I keep doing this?  What started as a whim turned into a totally new life for me.  I lost weight, I raised money for the Dream Team Project benefiting Make-A-Wish Foundation, I made lifelong friends, and I moved to Florida so that I could be with them all the time!  Without all that, I wouldn’t be writing for this blog, operating my own handmade tutu and hair bow company, challenging myself daily to new things, and living a new life that I couldn’t be happier with.

So why Run Disney?  Like most things, Disney exceeds your expectations when they put on an event.   The races are filled with so much fun.  There’s music, character meet-n-greets along the course, fireworks, after parties, and the BLING!  It’s definitely not an inexpensive hobby but I’ve never once felt like I wasn’t getting my money’s worth in a Disney race.  Another favorite aspect of race weekends is the camaraderie among runners in the parks following the races.  Everyone wears their new bling, from the 5kers to the Goofy participants (those who run a 1/2 followed by a full marathon in one weekend) and congratulate each other as they pass in the parks.  Even as I was cheering during the Full Marathon, wearing my 1/2 marathon medal, runners were going by congratulating me!  They’re on mile 25 out of 26.1 and they take the time to tell me good job on my accomplishment as they are running by!  I can’t forget to mention the amazing volunteers that make these races possible.  They hand out water, drinks, biofreeze, and the medals.

Big thanks to On The Go’s own Aurora McBride for personally giving me my very first 1/2 marathon medal this year.

Run Disney
Aurora giving Beth her first Half Marathon medal

If you’re considering joining the Run Disney family, do it!  You won’t regret it.  You’ll gain so much more than you can even imagine.  So join me, and follow along on my Run Disney journey this year as I go Coast-to-Coast!  Happy running!

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Volunteering Opportunities: Orlando Health Gridiron 5K Challenge

2012 Gridiron 5K Challenge

When Aurora and I volunteered at the Celebrity Mascot Games at the Amway Center, we were introduced to a whole new way to participate in activities in the Orlando Area.

The Central Florida Sports Commission is responsible for a lot of great events around Orlando, and it was a blast spending our day volunteering so we thought we would share any upcoming opportunities with you!

The Inaugural Orlando Health Gridiron 5K Challenge presented by Pizza Hut is a 3.1 mile run/walk that celebrates the heated rivalries that exist in Florida and the beginning of the college football season. Fans of Florida’s major universities and college football fans are invited to sport their team’s gear and participate in day’s worth of activities that will kick off with a 5K around the UCF campus. The race will take place Saturday, August 25 on campus at UCF. Volunteers are needed to help with bag stuffing, registration, timing, and along the course at water stops.

Here are the days/shifts that volunteers are needed:

Race Week – Monday, August 20

– Bag Stuffing from 5-7pm at the CFSC office in downtown Orlando

Race Day @ UCF – Saturday, August 25 

– Pre-race & post-race: arrive at 5am

Volunteers will help with set-up, registration, packet pickup, and the post-race tailgate party.

– Water stops: arrive at 6:30am

Volunteers will hand out water/Gatorade as runners pass.

– Finish line: arrive at 7am

Volunteers will help with timing and awards.

 

All volunteers will receive free parking, event t-shirt, and coffee/donuts. If interested in helping please respond to this email with your preferred day/shift.

If you’re interested in volunteering at the Inaugural Orlando Health Gridiron 5K Challenge presented by Pizza Hut, please contact Georgianna Brown (gbrown@centralfloridasports.org).

However if you are interested in running the Inaugural Orlando Health Gridiron 5K Challenge presented by Pizza Hut, there is still time and you can check out the course and register for the race here.

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