disney's princess half marathon experiment

"Do what scares you. Do what you think you can't."

My grandmother taught me this.

While I will NOT be buying any antique mirrors soon (that is just too terrifying), I will be doing something else that scares me, something I don't think I can do.

I registered for Disney's Princess Half Marathon at 

Walt Disney World on February 24th at 5:35am.

I registered for this once before but I didn't do it. The reason? We had good news (finally!) and I wasn't going to risk it. I was going to sit still and let the babies take. Then we had bad news and I was too depressed to do it. I chose mac & cheese instead. Not a good trade.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about when I felt strongest, when I felt happiest and I can pinpoint that exact moment in time. I was running. I had lost about 80 pounds and I had this bright orange sorbet colored running jacket that made me feel like I was lit from within. As I lost the weight and went from barely walking up my street to walking around the lake to running it, I felt strong and lean.


I want that.

The good news is that I know I can do it but I need a goal.

What is the Disney Princess Half Marathon? This video explains all.

The ultimate goal of course is to be a mom and I know that the best way that I can get there is to lose the weight and run and run. I am a goal oriented girl. I learned this from my senior class English teacher, Sister Marlene, who taught us about milestones and goals as we worked on our senior thesis. When you reach small milestones, you feel confident which gives you the strength to get to the next milestone until suddenly you did what you thought was overwhelming.

To get the baby I need to lose the weight and get fit. In order to get fit I need a goal.

So on February 24th at 5:35am I am going to be on the starting line in Lake Buena Vista, Florida with my tutu and tiara on as I run the Disney Princess Half-Marathon. I have my work cut out for me in the next 185 days 16 hours and 24 minutes. I know it is going to be hard. I know I am going to want to quit. But this is what I am going to say every time I want to quit: Bring on the walking, the jogging, the running, the weights, the tears, the "I can't do this!" moments. In the video above (a wrap-up of 2012's Disney's Princess Half-Marathon) Fairy Godmother says the characteristics of a princess are:

Commitment. Courage. Determination. Fantasy. Perserverence and Strength. 

This is my new mantra.

This is scary to me. It's going to be hard to go from sedentary to athlete condition in 6 months but I'm imagining what it will be to see my husband as I cross that finish line and maybe next time, next time there will be a happy little baby to cheer for me too.

What cheers you on when you think you can't do something?

Will you do Disney's Princess Half-Marathon with me? Click here for more information on registration. 

To follow your favorite racer on race day throughout the Walt Disney World Parks, click here.

How magical is Cinderella Castle?