Liebster Award and runDisney News!

I know I’ve been kind of quiet for a few days. To sum up…I’ve been struggling to recover after my less-than-stellar performance in the Long Branch Half (more on that soon!)

But in happier news, I also want to officially announce that…

I WILL BE RUNNING IN THE DISNEY WINE AND DINE HALF MARATHON THIS NOVEMBER!

winedine2013I wasn’t planning on doing it, but you see, it seems the planets aligned and the universe told me that I really, really should run Wine and Dine. It’s my parents’ wedding anniversary, and my mom (also a Disney dork, like me) wanted to head back to The World with the family to celebrate…and it just so happens that their anniversary falls on the week of the race! So without stealing their thunder too much, I’m going to just ahead and do a half marathon real quick — I’ll be using my runDisney and annual pass discount to help us score deals on dining, room, and theme park tickets (not to mention granting the ‘rents access to the BEST AFTER-PARTY EVER at Epcot!), so they didn’t seem to mind too much. What’s also exciting is that my sister and I will also be registering to run the Jingle Jungle 5K — and it’ll be her VERY FIRST 5K! I can’t wait to play running coach. :-D

In other news, I was recently nominated not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES for a Liebster Award — which is basically a way of recognizing your favorite up-and-coming blogs — and I’m so grateful to be part of such an incredible community of running bloggers! Thanks Lori and Stacy from Once Upon a Run, Run Stretch Go, and Tina and Colby from It’s a Marathon AND a Sprint!

LiebsterAwardHere’s how it works:

  1. Write 11 random facts about yourself.
  2. Answer the 11 questions given by the person who nominated you.
  3. Create 11 new questions.
  4. Nominate 11 bloggers and mention them in your post.
  5. Thank the person that nominated you and tell the people you’ve nominated.

First, my 11 random facts:

1.) I take pictures of anything and everything. Constantly. I’m not a particularly skilled photographer or anything, it’s just what I do. I come home from vacations with thousands upon thousands upon THOUSANDS of pictures!

2.) I love polka dots. I’d say about 75 percent of the clothing in my wardrobe features some form of polka dots. You can NEVER have too many polka dot dresses!

3.) I collect snowglobes. I’ve had run-ins with the TSA on more than one occasion for forgetting about the “no liquids” rule and packing a snowglobe in my carry-on luggage. Having to pay $10 to ship a $7 snowglobe home from Las Vegas was NOT amusing.

4.) I studied abroad in college; I spent a week in Spain as a freshman, and then an entire semester when I was a junior. Fairleigh Dickinson University (my alma mater!) owns a campus in England, so we can choose to study there for a semester and then go on tons of awesome weekend trips, including Paris, Italy, Scotland, Wales, Ireland…needless to say, it was the best experience EVER.

5.) I’m completely obsessed with penguins. I had the opportunity to “meet” one at Sea World once, and it remains one of the most exciting moments of my life.

6.) I’ve always been fascinated by dinosaurs. When I was a kid and all the girls my age were dressing up their Barbie dolls, I was playing with plastic T-Rex figures. No joke.

7.) I kind of suck at swimming. A super secret goal of mine is to compete in a triathlon, and while the idea of taking on the running and cycling portion of the race thrill me to no end, I’m pretty much terrified that I’d end up drowning.

8.) I love horror movies. I have a ridiculous collection of them amassed by countless visits to street fairs/flea markets and used/discount DVD stores.

9.) I’m not a big drinker. Don’t get me wrong, I love a margarita or a glass of wine as much as the next person, but I don’t especially enjoy going to bars/clubs. It just doesn’t thrill me, and it never has…so you can imagine how incredibly popular I was during my college years.

10.) To say that I am a Type A personality would be an understatement. I’m ridiculously high-strung, obsessive about detail, and can’t survive without a schedule! I’m a HOOT on vacations (“okay, so after lunch from 12pm to 1:30pm, next on our itinerary is…”).

11.) My boyfriend and I have been together since high school. This November will be our 12th anniversary!

Now, on to the questions from the three bloggers who nominated me. First, from Once Upon a Run:

1.  If cost, time, money, etc were not a factor, what race would you most want to run? Every single runDisney race. Oh wait, I seem to already be doing that… :-D

2.  When is your favorite time to workout: morning, afternoon, or evening? I’m 100 percent a morning person, but I often have to squeeze in my run in the early afternoon.

3.  What’s your favorite tv show? Of all time? Gilmore Girls. Currently on TV? Probably The Big Bang Theory, The Middle, and Modern Family.

4.  What’s your favorite book? I’m a huge dorky bookworm and couldn’t possibly choose just one, but I love true crime and my favorite writer is Ann Rule.

5. What’s your favorite drink? (recipes please if you have it!!!) I looooves me a martini.

6.  Which is superior: cat or dog? I’m obsessed with dogs. Love ‘em. Can’t get enough of ‘em. I had to leave my dog (a Shih Tzu named Riley) when I moved out of my parents’ house, and unfortunately I’m currently residing in a “no pets allowed” apartment, but the second I move into a “real” house — at the rate I’m going, when I’m in my 60s — it’s canine time.

7.  Do you prefer appetizer or dessert? DESSERT! I’m something of a chocoholic.

8.  Do you have a teacher or mentor that made a big difference in your life? I always remember how my third grade teacher helped spark my love of reading and encouraged my knack for writing. I also took a few classes with an adjunct professor in college who was a freelance magazine writer…and that’s when I decided that I pretty much wanted to steal her life.

9.  Do you have a favorite local (non-chain) store or restaurant? I pretty much avoid chain restaurants like the plague, so, yes…MANY!

10.  What’s your favorite summer destination? Uhh, Disney World? haha. If I had a bit more moolah at my disposal, I’d be summering in Europe.

11.  If we came to your town/area, what’s the one thing that we would HAVE to do? Atlantic City, baby!!!

Now, from Run Stretch Go

1) What are you most looking forward to this week? My superhero-themed half marathon this weekend! I may or may not be running this race dressed as an Incredible… ;-D

2) What is your favorite running accessory? Oh no, I have to pick just one?! No can do, sorry! On my everyday training runs, I’d have to say my assortment of Bondibands, Spi-belt, and I’m recently becoming addicted to Pro Compression socks. For racing, gotta love my Team Sparkle skirts.

3) Beach or pool? I’m a Jersey girl…there’s nothing I love more than lounging around on the beach with my face buried in a book.

4) Best restaurant meal you’ve ever had? Where and what? For someone who loves to eat (and dine out!) as much as I do, this is pretty much akin to choosing a favorite child. My favorite TYPES of meals to go out for are Mexican and Chinese or Thai.

5) Do you still have a land line at your residence? Nope. Absolutely no use for it!

6) Favorite song on your running playlist right now? No way I can choose just one! Some of the songs I listen to pretty much every time I head out for a run are: 50 Ways to Say Goodbye and Drive By (Train); Poker Face (Lady Gaga); What Doesn’t Kill You (Kelly Clarkson); Magic (B.o.B); How Far We’ve Come (Matchbox Twenty); Don’t Stop the Party and Feel this Moment (Pitbull)…and, of course, can’t forget Gangnam Style!

7) Coffee or Tea? I am completely and utterly addicted to coffee. It is no exaggeration to say that I cannot function without it!

8) If you could make up a holiday what would it be? Hmm…Disney day? ;-D

9) Movies at home or in the theater? Theater because it gives me a perfectly legitimate excuse to eat dark chocolate raisinets…

10) What time zone do you live in? Eastern.

11) Best tip for becoming a faster runner? Ah, if only I had the secret to this. In my experience thus far — and this is coming from someone who pretty much hates doing speedwork! — I’ve improved my speed through consistency. As soon as I started training for my first half marathon and running on a more consistent schedule, I couldn’t believe how much faster I could run!

Lastly, from It’s a Marathon AND a Sprint

1. If you could have one super power what would it be? The ability to run real, real fast? :-D

2. Would you rather have free Starbucks for life or free iTunes? STARBUCKS. Hands down.

3. What is your earliest memory? I have vague memories from my first Disney World trip at age 4, but unfortunately, even earlier memories from being bitten in the face by a German Shepherd when I was 3 and needing stitches…on Christmas Eve! I love dogs, but to this day, I’m scared of German Shepherds.

4. What has made you laugh the hardest? Anytime someone mocks my laugh (which, to be fair, is rather…distinctive). For some reason, I find someone imitating my laugh to be endlessly hysterical.

5. If you could have lunch with one person, living or dead who would it be? Walt Disney, of course.

6. What is your biggest disappointment? You know, if I was just a few (okay, several) inches taller, I may never have had a weight problem… ;-)

7. Top 3 Favorite Cereals. Go! If you’re talking about the cereals I actually eat on a regular basis, I’m a Kashi girl. If you’re talking about what I would eat if I didn’t necessarily care about consuming a nutritional breakfast, then CAPTAIN CRUNCH!

8. What song would play during the opening credits of Your Life, The Movie? Something from Hanson! My fave!

9. If you were a dog, what breed would you be? Haha, this is a good one. A boxer? You know…since I love kickboxing? Or a greyhound? Since, you know, I like to race?

10. What is your favorite movie line of all time? Movie line? Not sure. But my favorite movie is The Little Mermaid. And Star Wars. (I’m not a geek AT ALL.)

11. What is your favorite blog post you’ve written? The recap of my first half marathon!

Okay, my turn! Here are my 11 questions.

1.) What are some of your hobbies (other than running, I mean)?

2.) What’s your favorite song of all time?

3.) What do you do for a living?

4.) When and why did you start blogging?

5.) What’s your favorite animal?

6.) What’s your biggest pet peeve?

7.) If you won the lottery tomorrow…what would you spend the money on?

8.) What’s your favorite color?

9.) What’s your favorite season/time of year?

10.) If you could eat one food every day and still never, ever get sick of it…what would it be?

11.) What are some of your favorite ways to stay fit (again, other than running)?

And now, for my nominees. Here are just 11 of the many, many, many AWESOME blogs written by incredibly inspiring runners I follow on a regular basis.

1.) Stephanie at Now I Run

2.) Amy at Writing While Running

3.) Rachel at Runner’s Tales

4.) Kim at Barking Mad About Running

5.) Erin at A Storybook Life

6.) Jodi at 13.1 Miles to Disney

7.) Katy at Running and Singing in the Park

8.) Lena at The Beginner’s Runner

9.) Lauren at Lauren’s Glass Slipper

10.) Emily at Keep Running Keep Writing

11.) Andrea at I Run for Donuts

Comments

  1. jenereesa says:

    Sweet! I’ll be at Wine and Dine too – along with the rest of the world! ;)

    My kiddo collects snow globes – we always make sure to pick one up when we go somewhere new.

  2. jealous of Wine and Dine, but at least I have Dopey to look forward to! Have fun! AND thank you soooo much for the nomination! <3

    • Aw, you’re welcome! Dopey is going to be AMAZING! Believe me, I know I haven’t completely thought this through…no clue how I’m going to pull off all these races, haha.

  3. Thanks for the nomination! I met a penguin at Sea World a few years ago and it was awesome!

  4. Great questions! I need to get working on these lol

  5. Wine and Dine = Awesome regardless of if it is even at Disney. Thanks for the shout out. I have done the Liebster before, actually and, as you noted, I will be busy. But maybe I will try to answer your questions at some point. In any case, I appreciate it!

  6. What a great post, so much fun to read! Congrats on signing up for Wine & Dine! I am doing Tower of Terror this year, so Wine & Dine will have to wait until 2014 :)

    Thanks so much for the nomination, you are so sweet! Can’t wait to get started on my post!!

  7. LOVE your responses to our questions! (Captain Crunch ROCKS!) and congrats on all your noms!!

  8. Yeah! I’m doing Wine & Dine too! It’s totally one of my favorites races! A 10pm start it tough, but the post-race party makes it totally worth it!

    • That’s awesome, hope to see you there! I stumbled upon your Wine & Dine recap a few months ago, and it was actually a big part of the reason I decided to do this race! I can’t wait. I’m kind of dreading the late start (I NEVER run at night, so this should be interesting, haha), but I know it’s going to be a blast! :-D

      • My 2 tips would be to be conscious of your eating during the day, you don’t want to eat too much too late and second go into it without any expectations (PR, etc.), running that late at night is very different so just have a good time, stop for pics, etc!

    • Thanks for the tips! With 6 months to go…I’m already planning out exactly what I’ll eat that day, no lie, haha. I know I’ll have to be careful! But I totally agree…I do runDisney races for fun, and tons and tons of pictures are a must! :)

  9. I have heard Wine & Dine is amazing and it is totally on my bucket list. You’ll have the most fabulous time.

  10. Love your answers! These things are so much fun because you get to know really random things about people. I love it!

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