Gimmie the Hot Chocolate!

The Seattle Hot Chocolate 15K took place on March 6 this year... I hitched a ride with a friend down to the race and we arrived in plenty of time.  The weather was not sizing up to be great. It was cold and a little drizzly by the time we had parked and got to the corral area at the Seattle Center.  The 5K started well before the 15K and we saw that some of the corrals for the 5K had not even began the race yet as we walked onto the grounds at the Seattle Center.  So we headed over to the Center House to use the flush toilets and stay warm.   We made note of the large bag check area near the Center House on our way since we both planned on checking bags before the start.   We used the potties and got warm and realized it had started raining outside... it is Seattle after all but I am not excited about running wet and being cold... for over 9 miles.

My friend decided to use the restroom one more time so we parted ways and said "see ya at the finish line!"  She is way faster than me and had been placed in a further up corral.  I was in corral J... I didn't realize my placement would be so far back... but I am a rule follower so back to Corral J I went.  I had decided to ditch my jacket at bag check at the last minute... I knew even if it started to rain hard that I would regret having it 5 minutes into the run.  I am not sure I made the right choice.

After a slow move forward we were off... The weather was all over place... first a little rain and then the sun would break through for a bit.  Then as I hit the middle of the mileage the weather took a turn and got worse.  There were moments of diagonal rain and inches of water on the roadway.  Needless to say I was soaked!  Then the wind... geez... really?  My strategy to finish well was to turn off my trusty Galloway timer around mile 7 and go for landmarks.  This basically means... run through the next two cones... walk one cone... run through the next two and so on.  

Finally that finish line was in view (up another hill but that is Seattle for you).  The sun broke out a bit for my big finish.  I was just so glad to be done and all I wanted was my jacket!  I had picked up some little kids hat that had dropped it right in front of me as he and his tiny sister jumped in with their mom on the home stretch to finish with her.  Now I am all for cheering and celebrating someone's accomplishments... BUT... the volunteers handing out medals gave these two kids 15K medals.  REALLY?  I am not sure they were suppose to do that and at the time it bothered me A LOT.  I guess it still bothers me.  Would that upset you?  This wasn't a cheap local 5K... I EARNED (and paid for) that 15K medal... and you just gave two little kids the same thing I EARNED (and paid for?).  Hmmm.  I know these were volunteers and they probably thought it was cute... two little kids running across the finish line with their mom... it was cute and HIGH FIVE would have been enough.  Hand their mom the medal she earned (which they did) and simply high five the kids.  Oh well... 

So was this race worth it this year?  What drew me in again? (This was my 3rd Seattle Hot Chocolate 15K)  I have to say it is the challenge.  A 15K is not my favorite distance... it is far... did I say far for me on a good day  and this year the weather presented not so perfect conditions.  I do like the medal... that is part of the draw for me.  Time with a great friend on the ride down and back.  Participating in a large race... next to Disneyland this is probably the largest race that I do.  A lot of people like the spread at the end... the hot chocolate and snacks. 

Not my photo ...but this is almost exactly 

what we received at the Seattle race.

The snacks are good and plentiful... but seriously a water and a banana would have been enough for me.  I did appreciate holding the hot drink but it was SUPER sweet and REALLY thick for my liking so I tossed that pretty quickly.  I ate the banana (I did dip that thing in the hot fudge) and brought the rest home for my kiddos.  I have heard that some people find fun uses for the cups but I tossed it in the recycle.  It is pretty cheap and a really thin plastic.

So... would I do this race again.  Probably.  The biggest reasons... the challenge for myself and I do like that medal.  Lets hope the weather is better next year!

My great friend Merritt and I at the finish!

Bless her for waiting around for my slow #%*!

What would be your fun snack of choice at the end of a race?

Have you seen medals handed out to people who didn't actually participate in the race? 

(I am okay with a volunteer receiving one... this wasn't a cheap local 5K... this race was long... hilly... and that medal was earned!) wah wah

Biggest Loser Race Series RECAP

On October 25, 2015 I had the pleasure of participating in my 3rd Biggest Loser Half Marathon north of Seattle in Lake Stevens, Washington.  The Biggest Loser Run Walk Race Series is a special one and always a ton of fun!  All 3 years I have participated in this Seattle area race the location has been different.  In 2013 the event took place in north Seattle starting at Gas Works Park.  Click HERE to read my recap of that race.  I wrote that post in 2 parts with the Expo in Part !... Read about the Expo HERE.  In 2014, because of construction in Seattle, the event was moved to Everett, Washington.  I wrote about that race too...read all about the 2014 event HERE.

My 1 EXPO shot... My daughter with Dan from Season 5 of the Biggest Loser

For 2015 the event was moved to Lake Stevens, Washington which is even farther north of Seattle.  Good for me because it meant a less then an hour drive the morning of the race.  I definitely took less pictures this year... thank goodness for the FREE photos that the Biggest Loser Run Walk offers.  YES... that is right... they have photographers on the course and at the finish snapping tons of photos and they are ALL yours for FREE!

 The medals for this race series are awesome!  Themes to each city they come to... even medals for the 5K Finishers too!

Half Marathon Medal Biggest Loser 2015 

Lake Stevens, WA - Oct 25, 2015

The pre race area for this race was set up great... vendors, tons of port of potties and a scenic setting there in Lake Stevens.   I did pay a little extra for the VIP Tent experience at this race... I had never done that before but thought the access sounded great and the snacks both before and after the race were included.  I was not disappointed about the food options... they had TONS of food both pre race and after... BUT the porta potty... the VIP one was a Handicap (a really big one) located right there in the VIP tented area.  I did enjoy the extra room but it would have been nice to have a couple more available at that location.  Just sayin... if you are going to take the extra  time to change clothes or whatever I shouldn't feel like I am holding up EVERYONE else from just going potty... I felt badly but oh well.

I will say that this race series is the MOST welcoming atmosphere for beginners and/or new runners (or walkers for that matter)... the generous time limit to finish is awesome and they CHEER you in at the finish!  Not to mention the BLING!  They have awesome medals!

Here I am showing off with ALL 3 of my Seattle Biggest Loser Half Medals and the Legacy Medal I received this year for completing all 3 Half Marathons in Seattle.

Pictures really tell the story... 

I had so much fun doing this race...  I was hoping for an under 2:30 time but oh well... with just a few hills (which I do not enjoy)  and I was happy with just finishing!   My chip time was 2:37 and I finished 6th in my age group!

I would definitely do this race again... I began doing this race thing in 2013... with my first Half Marathon in January of 2013.  I have now completed 19 Half Marathons to date and the Biggest Loser Half has been 3 of those.  My weight loss and fitness journey is ongoing but in a nutshell... I lost about 75 pounds between 2010 and 2012... with Weight Watchers... not really introducing much of a fitness plan.  I needed something to help me stay active and help me maintain the weight loss I had worked so hard to achieve.  I was introduced to the Run Walk Run program though Jeff Galloway and I was sold!    I complete all of my races using intervals... and use a little timer called a gymboss to alert me when to walk and run.  It works for me and I have never felt better!

The Biggest Loser Race Series is a great one and I would HIGHLY recommend it to any runner/walker... especially for newbies and or people who feel like they are slower then your average racer!  I seriously would have NEVER predicted I would be doing this 4 or 5 years ago... me a runner?  Really?  Yes - I am!  Get out there and participate... you won't regret it!

WINNER!!! Biggest Loser Half Marathon Registration Giveaway!

CONGRATULATIONS to 

Camiya Wilson!!!

Camiya won a FREE registration to the

Biggest Loser

Half Marathon (or 5K)

October 25, 2015

in Lake Stevens' WA

Woo Hoo!!!

Congratulations Camiya!

Stay tuned for more from

neverenoughdisney.blogspot.com

Tinker Bell 10K - May 9th, 2015

As a part of the Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend - I ran the Tinker Bell 10K on May 9th along with about 10,000 other people!  The 10K distance (6.2 miles) is definitely my favorite - especially at Disneyland!  I ran this Inaugural Race last year and this year as a part of the Pixie Dust Challenge !  (WARNING - This entry is SUPER photo heavy... I took A LOT of photos during the 10K)

Post Race with the bling!

The 10K corrals were located on Disneyland Drive so we made our way there from our hotel (a VERY short walk from our off property hotel the Best Western Stovalls) in the wee hours of Saturday morning!  The race was set to begin at 5:30am - so to be forward in my corral I wanted to be in my corral slightly before 5:00am.  To quote my niece... "Don't complain you didn't have enough room or you couldn't see... Just be FIRST and then there won't be issues!"

 Looking forward toward the start line - Corral C

Looking Back - Corral C

As I waited for GO time... 

The 10K course is just plain AWESOME!  Most of this race takes place in and around the 2 Disney Parks... running is almost effortless when you are having so much fun!  Seriously!

10K Course Map courtesy of runDisney

I took a bazillion photos during this race... because - why not?  

 Heading down Harbor Blvd

 Access tunnel by California Adventure 

(I love that they added lights and music inside the tunnel this year!)

 Where or when else would I get to sit in the driver's seat of the Disneyland Fire Truck???

If you check the course map miles 2 - 4 were entirely in Disneyland Park or it's backstage areas... running through these backstage areas is so fun and interesting to me (I am a super Disney geek - I know).

 Big Thunder Mountain

 I secretly want to live HERE!

 A moment of sadness for how blurry this photo is... 

 Right this way folks...

 Ladies and Gentlemen... the BACKSIDE of the castle...

 How did they know... It was my unbirthday that day!

 It's a Small World

 Headed to Toon Town!

 More Backstage...

 Disney Plants!

One random Tinker fairy...

All of these buildings... they are making magic in there!

 It wasn't Mother's Day until the next day - but I will take it!  

Cast Members who cheer are AWESOME!

 California Adventure!

I didn't happen to take pictures of each of them but runDisney had the Fairy Photo Ops out in force!  All along the route you had your choice of MANY photo ops with the Disney Fairies!  That was great to see!

This looks out of order but it really isn't... we came through Carsland from the back and only ran by this sign first... if you know the area you get it...

There is Pixie Dust all over the ground here...

 CARSLAND is so awesome!

 Backstage near the Performing Arts area!

.2 Miles to go!!!

What the Finish Line looked like for 2015!

At the finish with my hard earned medal!  Loved this course and everything about this race... I will say that one thing I missed from 2014 was that it was so light out at the start of the race.  When this weekend was in January (the previous 3 years) it is MUCH darker out at the start of the race and the lights on inside the theme parks are so awesome!  So... I missed that this time.

Love this race - definitely my favorite of all the races!  The Half Marathon is fun too but of course more challenging to actually finish (wink wink)!

Now... get to bed early for the BIGGIE!  The Tinker Bell Half Marathon is coming up!

What is your favorite distance to run?

What kinds of things would you be excited to see being given access to the backstage areas of a Disney Park?