WIN Sports Detergent

When you run seven days a week, you have a lot of laundry and let’s be real—running that much makes for laundry that doesn’t always smell that great.  So when I had the chance to try WIN Sports Detergent, I said “Yes, please!”

According to their website, WIN Sports Detergent “contains special ingredients that other detergents lacks to remove” the oils that synthetic fabrics attract from your skin. 

I will be the first to admit that I don’t like doing laundry and I don’t always separate my clothes the way you should when you do laundry?  The lights, the colors, the running clothes, the work clothes—all in one load.  Because of this, I’ve been a little hesitant in using sports specific laundry detergents, but when I saw that the ingredients on WIN worked best with synthetics, I knew it would be safe since most of my work clothes are not cotton or plant based materials.

After using WIN, it was love at the first load.  Not only did my running clothes smell fresh, my every day clothes did as well.  I’ve been using WIN for about a month and I’ve even used it for my bedding and towels.  The Original Fresh Scent is scented enough to smell “cozy” but not too strong that it’s overwhelming.  I have a strong sense of smell and sometimes fragrant products are too much for me, but this is not the case with WIN.  There is an unscented/dye free detergent available if you prefer that.  The only thing I did not like about the detergent was the bottle—the pour lid has a cap under it, so it has a “double lid” and the excess detergent gets on the lid if you do not wipe of the pouring cap before placing it back on.  But overall, the wasn’t a big deal and isn’t enough for me to not like the actual product.

Will I continue to wash all my clothes together? Yes.  Will I continue to use WIN Sports detergent? Yes.  It’s a WIN win.  If you want to try it, you can use the code WINSWPNK to save 30% on your purchase through the end of November.

Do you use a special detergent for your running clothes?  If so, what do you use?

Until next time, happy running.

Jenn13.1

I received a bottle of WIN Sports Detergent through my relationship with Sweat Pink and Fit Approach.  All opinions are my own.

#Run4AllWomen California Recap

Earlier in the year, I started seeing posts on social media about #Run4AllWomen and I was intrigued.  One of #Run4AllWomen’s  guiding thoughts is “resist the status quo and work tirelessly to advance the conversation around women's issues.” As a woman and as someone who believes that women’s rights are human rights, this cause spoke to me.  When one of my Instafriends, Whitney, announced that she has been selected as an ambassador for #Run4AllWomen and that there would be a Southern California run, I knew I wanted to be involved.  

The Southern California event would take place on a Saturday, running from Encinitas to Chula Vista or forty miles.  The event was to benefit and raise awareness for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. Whitney and the her partner in the race planning and fellow #R4AW ambassador, Amy, had broken the 40 miles into legs so that runners (and walkers) of all levels could participate.  When registering for the event, I couldn’t decide how many legs I wanted to run.  After some internal debate, I decided to sign up for all the legs—I was going to attempt to run 40 miles.  

Prior to this event, I had never run a distance more than 26.2 miles.  A part of me was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to complete all 40 miles, so I told very few people.  I rationalized that if I didn’t tell people, it would be easier to accept if I didn’t make it.  Since very few people knew, that also meant that very few people knew I was in taper mode the week leading up to the event.  I was definitely cranky—I’m sorry for what I said during taper mode. (If you’ve ever tapered, you know what I’m talking about.)

This recap is going to be a little different than my usual race recaps—I had such an amazing experience and I’m still on my runner’s high, that I can’t quite contain my thoughts.  So I’m just going to talk about all the things I loved about this event.

The Organizers
Amy and Whitney did an amazing job organizing this event.  From planning a route that would be runner friendly and safe for us, to pre-event fundraising events and communication, they were on top of everything.  If you’ve ever planned an event, you know it can be stressful. Although I’m sure there were times they were stressed, they never let it show.  Their enemy was contagious and you couldn’t help but want to be involved.  

We ran 40 miles! Amy and Whitney are amazing!

The Event Volunteers
I can’t express in words how incredible all the volunteers were during this event.  Marc and Mike were with us for all 40 miles, following us in a van making sure we had water, fuel and anything else we could need at each leg stop.  Each leg stop also had other volunteers with signs, supplies and plenty of smiles & encouragement. During the first half of the event, a volunteer named Rachel followed along, holding up signs and honking as she drove by, checking on all the runners, making sure we were okay and didn’t need anything.  I wish I had the names of all the volunteers—there is something about a group of people who will give up their time on a Saturday to support a group of runners.  I am so grateful for everyone who came out to support us.

Mile 17 Aide Station

The Runners
Throughout the day, 50-60 runners made their was from Encinitas to Chula Vista.  Some ran a couple legs, some ran double digit miles and three of us ran all 40 miles.  During that time, we laughed, we cried, we loved and we supported each other, all running with a purpose.  Each milestone was celebrated.  A runner, Lisa, had never run more than 13 miles—she can out and ran 17.  How awesome is that?!  When Amy and I went past 26.2 miles (the furthest either of us had ever run) you can bet we stopped, high fived and celebrated.  When a runner looked like they were struggling, another runner would fall behind to check on them.  When a runner looked tired, another runner would give them a pep talk to keep them going.  I believe that runners are amongst the best types of people and this event just confirmed that for me.  

The first leg runners

The Finish Area
The love bubble and energy continued at the finish area.  There were more volunteers there cheering the runners in as they finished.  There was music and post run snacks.  (And the best ice cold Coke I’ve ever had thanks to Mick from Movin Shoes who also saved me at mile 20 by bringing me some salt) There was post-run yoga led by Mady who did an awesome job in helping us stretch and getting centered.  As tired as everyone was, you could feel the positivity.  

I had such an amazing experience during the #Run4AllWomen California event.  When I started my running journey, I never imagined that I would be participating in something like this.  I ran 40 miles—it’s the next day and I still can’t wrap my head around it.  It’s an amazing feeling to know that you are capable of something like that.  I know without a doubt that I wouldn’t have been able to do it without being surrounded by this amazing group of people (and my virtual race crew who sent me message throughout the day).  This experience reminded me why I fell in love with running and I will forever be grateful for it- my heart is full.  I can’t wait to see what they do next year.  

#R4AWCA

Have you participated in a run that’s changed your life?

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1

My Ultra Training Essentials

As week nine of my ultra training nears its finish, I am about a third of the way through my training.  During this time, I’ve discovered a few things that I can’t live without in this new adventure.  Some of these things are things that I’ve used all along, just now with a better appreciation for them.  Some are things I never tried before and am wondering why I waited so long.  I know as I progress in my training, some things will be added to my list of essentials and everyone’s training essentials are different, but right now these are a few of mine.

A Plan
I’ve never trained with a plan and I learned the hard way that having a plan is better.  I ran my first marathon in February and although I did a couple long runs, I didn’t give it the dedication it deserved.  When I decided I wanted to run a 50K, I decided to get a running coach and am working with Jenn from Sole Health and Wellness.  Part of the coaching experience is having a plan—I have a calendar that tells me what mileage to run each day and what type of runs they should be.  It was hard to adjust from being a no-plan runner to running with one, but now I love it!  Yes, there are times that I deviate from my plan—I may run a little more or a little less on some days than scheduled, but by the end of my week, my weekly mileage is pretty consistent to what's been planned.  

Hydration
I used to be one of those runners who didn’t drink until they felt thirsty.  If you’ve ever done this, you know that by the time you feel thirsty it’s usually “too late.”  I’ve been working on hydrating before, during and after my runs to maintain a good level of hydration—over hydrating can be just as bad as under hydrating and I don’t want to do either.  The two things that have definitely helped with my hydration are my Orange Mud HydraQuiver and Nuun hydration.  My Orange Mud vest has two bottles which allows me to fill one with water and one with Nuun—my general rule is to take sips every mile or so.   Even as the weather has turned colder and it sometimes doesn’t feel like I need to hydrate as much, I still stick to this rule.  (I love my Orange Mud so much, I added a one barrel vest to my running wardrobe to use on my shorter runs when I don't need both bottles worth of hydration)

Compression Socks
If you follow me on social media, you know that I love my ProCompression socks.  As I am running more mileage, I am definitely noticing a difference.  I am not only training for my first 50K, but I am also on a Run Streak so I am running everyday.  My ProCompression socks are helping my legs feel less tired and definitely help the recovery process.  I wear them during my runs and after for recovery. And now that it’s boot season, I’m wearing them more with everyday wear too!  

The Right Shoes
As much as I love to feel the dirt beneath my feet, I knew that I needed the right pair of shoes between me and the dirt.  After doing some research (i.e. Asking my friends) I went to a local running store to try on some trail shoes—after trying on several pairs, I decided on the Altra Lone Peak 3.0 and it has been love from the first mile.  So far in my training, about half of it has been out on the trails and the shoes have been amazing.  There wasn’t a “breaking in” period—they were just the right shoe for me.  

The Elements
When you’re training for an event, the weather doesn’t turn to “perfect” for every run just because you want it to.  My little disclaimer is that I live in Southern California so the elements I need to be ready for are no where similar to what other runners run in.  (A big “You’re Awesome”  to everyone who runs in extreme weather!). But we have had a few weather changes lately and it’s definitely impacted what I wear when I’m running.  I’ve had to run in the rain a few times and am grateful for the rain jacket I randomly purchased a couple years ago.  It’s also been a lot colder lately and that’s been the biggest adjustments for this tank & skirt runner.  So I’ve added gloves, a Buff and arm warmers to my running wardrobe.  I’ve also added more trucker hats and sunglasses to my collection so that I can protect myself during my runs. My 50K is in April and in Southern California, you don’t know what you’re going to get in April weather-wise—I’m hoping to be prepared for anything.

My Friends
I love to run and though the journey is my own, it is definitely fun with other people along the way.  Honestly, not everyone in my life understands why I would want to run a 50K, but they support me anyway.  Whether it’s from going on runs with me or little messages of encouragement and support, I am blessed to have the people in my life that I do. 

What are some of the things you can’t live without when you’re training for a race?

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1

Ultra Training: Week Nine

Another week!  I hope you had a wonderful  holiday and am looking forward to the new year.  I’m excited for week ten of my ultra training—registration for the race I will be running opens up on January 1st!  I feel like once I officially register, all this training stuff will get real.  

Here’s how week nine went:

Sunday
On Sunday, I ran my final half marathon of the year.  You can read about it here.  Spoiler alert—I got a 5 minute PR!

Monday
Mondays are an easy run day for me—I have long runs over the weekend, so I use Monday as a recovery run.  My plan was to run early but I slept through my alarms.  I headed to the lake in the afternoon, got in three miles and did some stretching.  

Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, I had an appointment and an errand that took me north of San Diego, which meant I would be near the coast.  I love running in the Del Mar area so took advantage of it and got my six miles in.  The views are gorgeous and it’s one of my favorite places to run.

Wednesday
Another gloomy day lurked on San Diego and I headed out before the rain.  It was a “rest day” so I got in a couple easy miles and some more stretching.
  

Thursday
Another rainy day in San Diego—where is it coming from?!  I put on my rain gear and headed out.  This time I got lucky—it stopped raining when I got to my running spot and didn’t rain long enough for me to get my run in.  

Friday
Another fun week at the #RUN619.  It was red & green themed and everyone came out in festive spirit!  It was a fun four miles with a great group of people. (And the biggest turnout yet!) If you’re ever in San Diego and need to run on a Friday, join us!  Every Friday at 6:19am.  

Saturday
Saturdays are my long run day and to be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to it.  It was supposed to rain and I was tired.  I had some errands to run in the morning, so I headed out to the lake early afternoon to get the miles in.  Round trip, the lake is a little over six miles so I knew I’d need to run out and back then out and back again to get my mileage in for the day.  About two miles in, I started to feel some cramping in my right leg—it had happened during Friday’s run too so I thought I could run it out.  I continued another quarter of a mile and the cramp was now becoming painful beyond just a little discomfort.  I stopped and did some stretches hoping it would help and it didn’t.  I made the decision to turn around and ended up with just under five miles for the day.  It wasn’t the long run I was supposed to have and honestly, I may have taken the easy way out because I wasn’t in the mood to run.  But I also didn’t want to risk an injury which could interrupt my training plan and run streak.  

Total Weekly Mileage: 39.09

Until next time, happy running!
Jenn13.1

Run Laughlin Race Recap

In March, during a weekly #RunChat I won a race entry and weekend hotel stay for the Run Laughlin Half Marathon. (If you’ve never joined a #RunChat, get more information here—it’s always a fun time!) The race is relatively new—this was only the second year, but I was excited.  The race run in two states & in two time zones—the nerd in me was excited to add this to my race experiences.. The race wasn't until December, but suddenly it was nine months later and I was ready to go.  

The race was on a Saturday so I was driving out to Laughlin on Friday. After meeting up with the #RUN619 and Movin’ Shoes for my morning run, I was on my way.  The drive is 5-6 hours and I frankly wasn’t looking forward to it.  I had been monitoring the weather for about a week and it had been showing high winds for the drive—they weren’t lying!  The drive ended up being pretty uneventful and I arrived in Laughlin with plenty of time to hit up the expo and explore a bit.

#RUN619 before driving to Laughlin

After checking into my hotel, I headed over to the Colorado Belle for the expo.  In my opinion, this could be more accurately be called a bib pick-up.  Although there were a few tables set up, there wasn’t much about it that was expo like.  After getting my bib, I picked up my goodie bag and shirt.  I talked to a volunteer, asked a couple questions and took a picture with the race backdrop.  Although small, every volunteer I encountered was super friendly!! And how fun is getting a deck of cards in your race swag? Definitely the most random race swag ever but that makes it fun!  

And now for the sappy part—growing up, my mom would frequently travel to Laughlin with my aunt and uncle.  They called her “Wild Woman Slots” for her love of the slot machines and they always came back with a fun story to share.  I’ve missed her everyday since she passed away in 2014 and was definitely feeling sentimental when I was heading to Laughlin.  When I picked up my bib, I had a moment.  My mom’s birthday was St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) and my bib number was 317.  She was definitely there with me.  Okay—now back to the race recap.

I woke up race morning and after getting ready, headed over to the Laughlin outlet center to take the shuttle to the start line at Laughlin High School.  I knew it was going to be cold and was prepared with arm sleeves, gloves, a jacket and a Mylar blanket.  What I wasn’t prepared for was the wind, but I’ll go into more later.  

My flat runner with all of my favorite things!

When we were dropped off at the high school, we were treated to coffee and banana bread—I don’t normally drink coffee before a race, but I did have a small cup to warm me up.  They did have space heaters set up, but unfortunately the winds kept blowing them out, so they opened an area of the high school for us so we could wait in the warm hallways.  We were waiting for almost two hours before the race started so it was definitely nice.  After watching the start of the sunrise, I headed over to the start area.  They had a gear check truck set up and approximately five minutes before the start, I checked my jacket and kept my fingers crossed that my arm sleeves and gloves would be enough to keep me warm.  

After a few race announcements and the national anthem, we were off.  The first miles or so ran us through the high school and then we were off to the roads.  The scenery was gorgeous! The sun was still rising and it was breathtaking—I was in serious awe. The first 3.5 miles or so were a steady incline and though I typically don’t like hills, there views made it worth it.  After the steady incline, we turned onto another road and it was downhill as we headed towards Davis Dam.  Another fun adventure to add to my race experiences- running over a dam.  The views continued to be beautiful and I love a good downhill run.  As we ran over Davis Dam, we were running from Nevada into Arizona.  Arizona included a short out and back part and then we headed back into Nevada.  

There were six water stations on the course which had both water and Powerade.  Each station was hosted by a group and they were all competing for a prize.  In our post-race survey, we voted for our favorite one.  Each one was awesome so it was a difficult choice, but what a fun idea.  I’m sure the “competition” gave them some extra energy to share with us.

After making our way across the dam twice, we headed back down towards a nature walk to finish the run into Laughlin.  The nature walk went along the river and was so pretty!  At the end of the nature walk, we headed onto the main strip of Laughlin and it was a blast!  The crowd support wasn’t just the spectators but also the cars that were driving down the strip. It was nice to have that extra support as you were pushing to the finish.  After making my way down the strip, I crossed the finish line and was done! (My Garmin only showed 12.69 miles—I’m not sure where the extra miles went)  After getting my medal, I headed over to the after party were they had plenty of treats for us.  The food options included water, a bagel, bananas, oranges and granola bars.  They also had a beer tent featuring beers from Pints Brewery—if you’re ever in Laughlin, you definitely want to go there.  If you’re a beer drinker, you won't be disappointed.    

I had a dam good time at this race (see what I did there) and would definitely do this race again.  I did learn that beginning in February, American Airlines will be flying into the area so that solves my dilemma of the drive there (I’d much rather fly than drive) and I think that will make this race more inviting to other people that live in neighboring states.  Between the casinos and shows, there is plenty to do in Laughlin.  There are also river activities and other outdoor adventures you can have.  

I would be remiss in my recap if I didn’t discuss the one non-controllable thing about this race—the wind.  I will admit that I am a fair weather runner—I live in Southern California and we don't experience weather in the same ways that other places do.  So I was not prepared for the wind- 25-30mph winds the entire race.  At one point, my weather app was showing 31mph winds and I believe it!  As we were running into the wind, there were points when it didn’t feel like I was moving at all.  I thought I would be relieved when we turned and we had the wind at our side.  It wasn’t much better as it pushed me to the sides—I definitely was not running in a straight line.  There were portions of the race that the wind was at our backs and I took advantage of those times, letting the wind push me forward.  Although the course is PR worthy, I knew early on in the race that it would not be happening for me.  Due to the wind, this  was the most physically challenging half I have ever run.  I decided to enjoy the scenery around me and take it all in.  I walked some, took pictures, talked to other runners and simply enjoyed the experience.  And what an experience it was!

  

What’s been your most challenging race experience? Would you run that race again?

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1

Although I won the race entry, all opinions are my own and I was in no way compensated for my recap.  I loved every everything about this race and it’s definitely a strong contender for my 2017 race schedule.  

Ultra Training: Week Five

Week Five of my Ultra Training was definitely an eye opener for me.  I learned some lessons and I’m grateful that I’m still in the beginning stages of my training. 

I learned that I need to eat better—not only am I feeling it on the scale, but also on my runs.  I’ve been indulging since my Disney weekend and I need to get back to eating better.  I also learned that I need to add cross training and hill training more consistently on my schedule—as much as I run, I still feel out of shape.  It’s frustrating to know that you are capable of more, but can’t quite get there.  But the miles are done for week five and I know that with a few adjustments on my training outlook, the upcoming weeks of training are going to be awesome.
  
Sunday
Sunday called for a short run—I woke up later than I had wanted, but I was able to get my run in.  Sometimes the runs aren’t good or bad—they just are.  This was one of those runs, but the miles were done and that was ultimately what mattered.

Monday
It doesn’t rain often in Southern California so I was excited to wake up to rain.  And even more excited to run it in.  I headed out for a short run and of course it stop raining when I got to my running spot.  I chased the rain clouds for three miles and enjoyed the cooler weather.  

Tuesday
I decided to switch up some of mileage this week based on what my schedule had room for and made Tuesday a short run day.  It was a beautiful day for a run and the miles felt good.  After a few days of being sick, I was definitely glad to be feeling better.

Wednesday
I decided to hit up the trails for my run and it seemed like all of San Diego wanted to join me.  My favorite local mountain was so crowded!  I hiked up the main path for a bit before venturing off to the side trails.  Anytime I can run with the dirt beneath my feet, it’s a good run. I also met someone visiting from Arizona at the top of the mountain-- he was doing all five peaks during his visit.  Sometimes the best conversations are with strangers.

Thursday
I was signed up for a Turkey Trot on Thursday, but my training plan called for a 5K plus two miles.  I headed out to Coronado to run my two miles before the race—if you’ve never run in Coronado, it’s beautiful!  And to watch the sunrise during my run was breathtaking.  I also had a good run with the Turkey Trot. 

Friday
Last year, REI started the idea of #OptOutside so inside of shopping, I knew that I wanted to spend some time outside.  I had a short run schedule, so when my friend invited me to San Elijo Lagoon for a short adventure, I was ready.  I had never been there and I love exploring new running places.  The trails were really pretty but I hadn’t anticipated soft sand (like what you would find on the beach.). The soft sand definitely made the run more challenging, but the views made it worth it. 

Saturday
Saturday’s schedule called for a long run—12 miles.  I decided to join some local runners who were doing a 14 miles run—it was a couple miles than I had scheduled, but I knew I’d be taking some walk breaks so I thought it would all balance out.  The route my friend had selected was challenging for me—it had a lot of hills and though the weren’t steep, I wasn’t ready for the steady incline.  As much as I struggled, I was also glad because it was a good reminder that I need to add some hill work to my training plan.  I need to make sure to diversify my mileage. 

Total Weekly Miles: 35.26

Until next time, happy running!

Jenn13.1

Coronado Turkey Trot Recap

Last Thanksgiving I ran my first turkey trot and I knew it was something I wanted to do again this year.  I am fortunate to live somewhere that offers several so after some research, I decided to run the Coronado Turkey Trot.  From my research, I could tell that it would be a small race but it was in Coronado so I knew it would be a pretty run and it benefited Rady Children’s Hospital which is a great benefactor of the race proceeds.

I woke up Thanksgiving morning with the plan of getting down to the race area early—although they had two pre-race packet pick-ups, I opted for race day pick-up.  The race is a 5K but I had a few more miles to get in on my training plan so I decided I would run them before the Turkey Trot.  Arriving early would also help with parking since the race had limited parking available.  

When I arrived to the park where the race was starting nothing was set-up yet.  Cars were still being unloaded and I saw no sign of a start or finish line.  I wasn’t too concerned because I was early and I had still had two miles to run before picking up my race packet.  After running my two miles, they were still setting up even though it was past the time packet pick-up was supposed to start.  This gave me time to go to my car for my Vega energizer and get a few stretches in.  Once they were ready, I headed over and got my race packet.  By this time, my friends running the race had shown up and we hung out until the race started.

By the time the race was ready to start, a start/finish line had been set up as well as the time mat.  But there were not other indicators of a race course.  They gave up the course directions during the pre-race announcements and then we were off.  (I was a little surprised that there was no National Anthem as I’ve become accustomed to this at most races.)

The race course was on the walkway on the Coronado bay front with water views the entire course.  I’ve run other races in Coronado and the beauty of the courses is definitely one of the perks.  It was a double out and back course and did get congested at a few spots, but most people we courteous to the runners.  Unfortunately the pathway wasn’t closed to the public so there were a few times where bicyclists were also on the course and made it even more congested.  At each turn around spot, they had someone directing us were to go but this was the only course support during the race.  Although in my training runs, I don’t carry water with me for any run less than five miles, I was a little surprised that there was not water on the course.  This is the first 5K I’ve done that didn’t have at least one water station.

Once we were finished and received our medal, we were directed to tables that had bottles of water and fruit for us.  It was “help yourself” style but I didn’t see anyone overtaking.  The apples they had were delicious and it was a nice to have this post race treat instead of the typical bananas.  (They had bananas too but the apple was definitely more refreshing.)  They were having a post race raffle, but you had to be present to win and I wasn’t hanging out that long after the race. 

This is the smallest race I’ve ever participated in.  At one point, someone said there were 800 people registered but it certainly didn’t look like there were that many people there.  There wasn’t a lot of extras, but the simplicity of it was nice.  We learned in the pre-race announcements that all the swag and “workers” had been donated/volunteered so all of the race monies went to Rady’s Children’s Hospital (aside from the active.com fees). It was nice to participate in a race where all the monies were going to the cause.  The views were spectacular and I had a good time, but I think this is a one-and-done race for me.  There are so many Turkey Trots to choose from where I live I’d live to experience a new one next year.

Did you Turkey Trot this year?  What’s the smallest race you’ve ever run?

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1

What I Do When I'm Not Running on a runDisney Weekend

I’ve lived in Southern California most of my life and going to Disneyland was something I grew up with.  I’m always a little surprised when someone tells me, “I’ve never been to Disneyland.”  Because of where I live, I have an annual pass and I try to get there as often as I can.  Some of my visits correspond with runDisney race weekends and I always try to get some of my favorite things in while I’m there.

Everyone’s approach to Disneyland is different and I will admit I am not of those people who needs to “ride all the rides.”  As much as I love the rides, I am equally as happy just walking around enjoying all the little things that Disneyland has to offer.  On my recent runDisney weekend, I experienced a few things I don’t normally for and took some time to do a couple of my favorites.  So whether you’re headed to Disneyland for a day or a week, here’s a few things I would recommend doing.  

Character Breakfast

There are a couple Disneyland hotel properties that offer a character breakfast, one of them being Paradise Pier.  When my friends and I decided to stay there during our race weekend, we decided we wanted to do the character breakfast.  Although it is a bit pricey for breakfast, the experience is fun.  Breakfast is buffet style and includes things such as fresh fruit, the famous Mickey waffles and an omelette bar. (My omelette was delicious!)  As you’re enjoying breakfast, characters walk around interacting with the guests.  We were probably the only table without children, but we still had a blast.  Your visit includes a guaranteed picture with Mickey, which they try to sell you, but they also allow you to take pictures with your own camera.  

“Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps” Tour

As part of our girls weekend, we wanted to do something extra special.  After looking at the various tours they offer, we decided to do “Walk In Walt’s Disneyland Footsteps” tour and it was amazing!  You take a three hour tour of the park, learning the history of the parks and seeing Walt Disney’s vision.  The tour includes a few rides, lunch and a trip to Walt’s Dream Suite.  We were only allowed one picture in the Dream Suite, but I must say it is beautiful!!!  My favorite part of the tour?  They were able to have ASL interpreters for me, as well as a captioning device for the rides—this made sure I didn’t miss anything on the tour and I was beyond impressed that Disneyland offered this service for its guests. 

All The Snacks!

Disneyland has some great treats and the holiday season is no exception.  Some people go for the churros or Dole Whip, but my favorite treat is their gingerbread Mickey cookies.  No holiday Disney trip is complete without it.  I had the Dole Whip too, but there is something special about the cookie.  California Adventure has a new festival for the holidays and there were some tasty treats there as well.  As much as I love the Disneyland snacks, I do try to keep my meals a little healthy when I’m there and I find there are better options in California Adventure or Downtown Disney.

The Entertainment

Sometimes I just walk around Disneyland and enjoy the sights, which includes the various entertainers.  One this trip, we saw a holiday drum line, the dapper dans and a few bands.  Everyone seems in such a hurry to get to the next ride, but I love stopping to take some time to enjoy it all.  

The Decorations

The Holiday season at Disneyland is my favorite.  There is so much attention to detail from Main Street to the rides, you can’t help but be happy.  But this isn’t just during the holiday season—year round Disneyland is a magical place and the details are always awe inspiring.

The Rides

I mentioned that I don’t need to ride all the rides, but c’mon—you can’t go to Disneyland without riding some of the rides.  I always try to take a break from technology when I am at Disneyland, but I definitely love the Disneyland app which can help you determine your wait times and plan your adventures.  

Have you ever been to Disneyland? What’s your favorite thing to do there?

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1