Palm Beaches Marathon Festival Half Marathon

This half marathon took place Sunday December 4th.  I ran this as part of a 16 mile long run I had scheduled for that weekend.  It worked out great for this purpose as I didn't get bored and the 16 miles went fairly easily.  Having said that, this is not a race I would recommend. This is a shame since the course is absolutely beautiful... all along the water and through some neighborhoods in Palm Beach.

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The course was on the road right along the water, I told you it was beautiful :)

The things I tought were the worst parts of the weekend:

-"Expo" was a joke, so small.  They should have just called it Packet Pick-Up

-The shirt I received was a cotton tee shirt, not a tech shirt.  Not that I am desperate for anymore running shirts, it is just lame for a half marathon

-Started late

-Ran out of water by Mile 6.... so LAME.  There was the half and the marathon going on at the same time, but at Mile 8.5 we broke off from the marathoners and started heading to the finish.  At that point the half peeps were getting first crack at the water, so I can only imagine that there was nothing left for the marathoners when they were making their way to the end.  Feel so bad for them.  I have never experienced Mile 24 or 25 of marathon (yet), but I would assume water would be one of the few things to make me happy.  I would be so mad if there was nothing available.  

There was also no electrolyte drink available.  That made me nervous because it was kind of warm that day and I sweat a lot.... like salt covering my face a lot.

Luckily for me, the hotel I stayed in the night before was right on the course, so once I got to it (at mile 11), I ran over to my room, chugged some coconut water and got my own bottle of water to run with the rest of the way.  Marathoners, I did not drink any of your water... you're welcome.

Yes, I totally left the course during a race.  Since I was running 16 total that day I totally could not have cared less about my time.  As I was running off the course, one of the cops was like "Hey no cheating"... the direction I was heading in was the opposite way of the finish line, so that wasn't even a possibility :)

Not to be a total downer with this post, the good things about the race:

-I got an Active Schwaggle deal and only paid $45.  Total bargain... love those Active Schwaggle deals!  Last minute registration fee was $90. Totally not worth that.

-Beautiful course.  It is an extremely flat, fast course and the marathon is a Boston qualifier.  For people interested in that sort of thing, this would be a good race... just bring your own water.

-Start/finish lines were close to the hotel I stayed at so I could run to and from the race to get in my 16 miles

-Volunteers decorated their water stops, very cool!  The cops along the course were great.  This wasn't a big race, so not every road was closed, but they were great about cars crossing, etc.

-Medal... not super fancy, but I do love the bling!

Sorry for the blurry picture

Monthly Update

Apparently a monthly update is all I can handle these days.

1.  My trip to the Galapagos was AMAZING!  Truly like no other place on Earth!  Wow!  Definitely need to post pictures soon.

2.  Ran the Palm Beaches Marathon Festival 1/2 Marathon last weekend and added on 3 miles, for a grand total of 16 miles, as part of my Disney Marathon training.  Recap to come.

3.   Marathon training... so it is now officially 30 days until the big 26.2 at WDW.  

Am I prepared?  

Enough to make it to the finish line.  

Is that what I was hoping for?  

No, I would have liked to put a little more effort into the training, but all the travel just got in the way.  

I have kept up with running, but no cross training at all.  Let me tell you that running on cruise ships is not easy.  It is usually done on a treadmill, but imagine that treadmill being on top of a weeble wobble thing.  Awesome.

Long run tomorrow is 18 miles, which will be done here in Miami, before I board another cruse ship for a week's long vacation.  Can't wait for next week's 10 mile run onboard :)

Overall, I am very excited for Marathon weekend, but I am not super impressed with all the super long runs that have been eating up my weekends.... specifically my sleep-in late time.  I am excited to go back to halfs when this thing is over.  I want to run more hills and work on my speed at that distance.

4.  I am participating in this lady's holiday card exchange and my cards for Team Rudolph will be going out this weekend!  I am proud of myself for staying on top of this task.

Hopefully I will get around to posting again in December!

How's everyone holiday season been going so far?

Continent #4 & Blue Footed Boobies

So... it's got to be a good day at work when you get an email saying that blue footed boobies are in my future, right?!

That is the email I received yesterday confirming that work was sending me to the Galapagos to experience our amazing product down there!  

I leave this afternoon and it will be 10 nights of new adventures and lots of animals... can't wait!

Plus, I have never been to South America before so I am so excited to visit a new Continent.

Can't wait to take my own pictures of these little guys!

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Not your Grandma's cruise ship

For most people when they think of cruise ships, they think it is all buffets and old people. 
While that may be sorta true :) cruising has really come along way in just the last 5 years. 
I have mentioned on here before that I work for a cruise line, and I think it is one that has really redefined the industry. 
I don't like to talk about work much on the blog, because it is pretty much the same thing every day, but this past weekend I participated in the two 2-night inaugural sailings we had for our newest ship. 
The sailings were invite-only events to introduce her (ships are always "her") to the North American media & trade. 
The ship was the fourth one in a "class" of ships we have in the fleet.  These ships are so beautiful, sleek and chic... they offer our guests a truly Modern Luxury vacation. 
Take a look at some of the amazing spaces onboard...  

The Lawn Club with oversized Adirondack chair & yes, that is real grass

What would a Lawn Club be without some lawn games?!

Art Studio where you can take beading, painting, etc. classes 

Pool area

Solarium

My favorite chairs onboard, so comfortable.  Definitely nap-worthy!

Tree in the atrium with the Hideaway behind 

Comfy reading nook in the Hideaway 

Another reading spot in the Hideaway

The cruise line is an authorized Apple reseller and all of our internet
cafes are being converted to iLounges.  You know how busy Apple
stores are in your mall?  It is pretty much the same scene here.

Cellar Master Wine Bar

Lots of enotech machines and wine choices 

This one is for my family - Peju wine!  Yum!

Martini Bar 

Love these silver chairs and the textured wall behind them

Shopping Gallery

Quasar, the nightclub 

Love the yellow they incorporated into this Quasar and love that carpet, so fun!

On the weekend sailing Kenny G. was onboard and performed a concert in the atrium Saturday night.  Check out my crappy BlackBerry pictures.  

I didn't have my camera with me because I thought "Why do I need a picture of Kenny G", but then got caught up in the excitement I just had to have a picture.
He sounded truly amazing! 
The ship was piping the music from the concert through to the other venues onboard (lounges, restaurants, etc.).  I was having dinner with some co-workers at the creperie and it was really nice to be able to hear the music from the concert! 
Kenny G. even performed the theme from "Titanic", which sounded beautiful. 
Before he played that song he told the crowd "You'll think this song is so appropriate or really, really, really inappropriate" :) 


As the ship returned to NY harbor on Sunday morning, we went under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.  You know, the bridge that is Mile 1 of a certain marathon.  I could see the flood lights on Staten Island which I can only imagine was for the Athlete's Village.

Just ignore all the salt on my stateroom window!

A fun, useless fact... I have visited the Verrazano Family winery in Tuscany and they have a piece of steel from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.  Somewhere on that Bridge is a piece of rock (or stone) from the winery in Italy.

Beautiful morning in Manhattan

It is nice to have a little break from the office.  Spending 5 days working on a cruise ship is always ok in my book! 
This fall has been a little hectic with travel and there may be one more trip in my near future... as in tomorrow.  I find out today for sure and then I will let you know!