35 Things About Me

Since my 35th birthday was on Tuesday, I figured I would share 35 random things about me...
1.  I grew up in New Hampshire
2.  I worked in Alaska from 2003 - 2007 and lived there year round for 3 years. 
3.  Now I live in Miami and think it is the worst... but I stay because I like my job.
4.  My middle name is Beth
5.  My nicknames are HB, Heath and Heather Beth.
6.  The nickname my sister use to have for me was the blonde, cheerleading, sorority girl named Heather.  So basically a bimbo :)
7.  I have one sister, Sarah.  But I call her Cheekies.  It comes from "chica" and I have been calling her that since high school.  I have now taught my niece that that is her mother's nickname - awesome!
8.  My first 5K was in October 2009
9.  My first half marathon was in October 2010
10.  My first marathon was this year!
11.  I love Disney and have a season pass.  I am going up there next weekend and I am so excited!  I have no idea why, but the excitement is always there when I visit a park... always.
12.  My favorite Disney park is Epcot.
13.  My favorite Disney hotels are the Wilderness Lodge and the Beach Club.
14.  I worked at the Wilderness Lodge when I was in college.
15.  I hate loathe band aids.  Even clean ones.  The thought of them is making me gag right now.
16.  I also hate elevators.
17.  I also hate birds... their beaks in particular.
18.  For my birthday I got a Dyson City vaccum.  I have used it once and so far I love it!  They aren't lying about the super suction action of the Dyson vaccuums... the amount of my hair it picked up in one use is appalling.  I knew I shed a lot, but ew.
19.  My first car was a Toyota Corolla.
20.  My car now is a Honda Civic. 
21.  My favorite colors are blue and purple.  Surprisingly nothing in my apartment is decorated in those colors.
22.  I really want to get a cat, but I won't because I would feel bad making it live in a one bedroom apartment.
23.  I love to travel and would go anywhere at least once.
24.  Am totally scared of flying, but I obviously do not let that stop me from doing it... often.
25.  Venice is my most favorite city in the world.
26.  Then Barcelona
27.  Then Chiang Mai, Thailand
28.  Then Hong Kong
29.  Then San Francisco
30.  'Friends' is my all-time favorite TV show.  I own the series and still watch it regularly.

31.  I am obsessed with all Apple products, yet I do not own an iPhone.  Work pays for my CrapBlackBerry, so I just feel like it would be a waste to pay for my own phone.
32.  I hate talking on the phone... another reason I don't want to pay for a iPhone.
33.  I try to go to the movies at least once a weekend.
34.  My three best friends & I have been getting together once year since we graduated college.  One lives in Tampa, one in NY and one in the SF Bay area.  We do not live super close, so that is probably why I love that tradition.
35.  35 feels pretty good.  I like growing older, because life keeps getting better! 

Clearwater Iron Girl 5K

Sunday Annette and I ran the Clearwater Iron Girl 5K.
While I loved the swag....


I thought the rest of the event was meh.
I won't do it again, nor would I recommend it.
The announcer at the start was the worst. She was talking down to everyone and Annette and I were put off immediately.
Not enough port o potties... It's a women's event, there should have been double the amount.
Way too many walkers. My exact words to Annette after we're "I want to run with the boys". Meaning, I want the motivation to run fast, with fast people instead of constantly weaving around people the whole time. So fucking annoying.
What's so hard with starting in the back if you are going to walk? The runners will pass you anyways, so if you are afraid of finishing as one of the last ones you are out of luck.
The finish line was a total cluster fuck. So bad.
The finish was along the beach. Instead of just dumping people onto the vast amounts of beach, they wanted people to squish their way through a too small chute.
Oh... The reason for that, so the volunteers could cut off the antiquated timing chip they used. Seriously? Get the B tags.
BUT since there was such a cluster fuck, they ended up cutting open the chute so people could exit faster, and as a result no one cut of my tag and I didn't realize it until I got to my car.
No big deal really, but I am annoyed I had to bother to mail it back this week.

To end on a few positives:
Annette's husband, Brian, said packet pick up was really organized. He picked up our stuff and he actually registered me for the race since I missed online sign up - thanks Brian!
Parking was easy in downtown Clearwater.
The course was pretty along the water.
The post race cafe was set up on the beach and looked really nice. We jumped in a trolley/shuttle right away to get back to our car since it looked like it was going to rain.
The trolley/shuttle was super organized and worked out perfectly.

There was also a half marathon going on at the same. I am not sure how that was.
All I can tell you was that Annette and I were super happy we were not running 13.1 that day.
P.S. It's Annette's birthday today - happy birthday!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

It's My Birthday!

Now I must get back to laying out by the pool on this perfect 72 degree, blue sky, Miami afternoon!

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My family is at the Boston Marathon & I am super jealous

Yesterday several family members & friends ran the BAA 5K yesterday

I am jealous.

They even got to try the Sam Adams 26.2 brew that came out for the Marathon.

 Super jealous.

Today, my parents went to watch the Marathon.

They stood in Kenmore Square

 At the one mile to go marker

And they even saw one of the elite runners collapse right in front of them.

I am not sure who it was... he was face down and I couldn't read the number on his back.

My mom sent me a picture, but I didn't think it would be appropriate on my blog, poor guy.

He was taken away on an "ambulance" (they had makeshift golf carts for easier manuevering around the crowds), he wasn't moving and rapidly breathing.

Like I said, poor guy.

I hope everyone was safe out there today.

I loathe running in the hot, sunny weather down here. 

 My cousin and I were tweeting earlier

 Congrats to the 2012 Boston Finishers!

Help Me Decide

I am playing around with Picnik.com before it shuts down April 19th (sad day), and I am re-doing the header.  Which should I go with?

Gritty...

No gritty...

I am taking care of important things here in Miami on a cloudy Sunday afternoon.

Favorite Thing Friday

*Today, Friday the 13th, runDisney announced the medal for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler

from runDisney's Facebook page

Love it!
While it is very similar to the one I received for the Tower of Terror 5K back in October 2009, I do love that this medal has the moving elevator.  Super cute.

*This week registration opened for the 20th anniversary WDW Marathon Weekend!

from runDisney's Facebook page

As a past runDisney meet-up participant, I received a press release from Disney outlining the weekend's activities.
The 2013 weekend will take place January 10th - 13th and will again feature the Expo on Thursday, Friday & Saturday; Pasta in the Park on Thursday evening; Family 5K on Friday morning; Half Marathon on Saturday morning and the Marathon on Sunday morning.  Of course, Goofy will also be taking place with participants running both the half and the full.
This year they will be adding an after-party Sunday afternoon from 4pm to 8pm at Downtown Disney.  There were not many details, but I am sure it will be fun!
Since it is the 20th anniversary of the Marathon, there will be a new medal design - can't wait to see that.  And they have hinted at a surprise along the course at Mile 20... omg what could it be?!
They even said there would be more characters along the course.  I thought the course was pretty stacked in January, but it sounds like it will be even better in 2013.  All very exciting!
Sadly, I do not think I will be participating in any Marathon Weekend events.  Definitely not the full, but deep down I really, really, really want to do the half.  I am already pretty much booked solid in December with work trips and the holidays, so I just don't think I would be ready to run.
I am definitely going to be on the sidelines though cheering on my fellow bloggers... and maybe my friends Annette & Sue will sign up for the full?  Girls - I'll totally be your sideline bitch and hold GU, water, body glide, whatever, for you along the course :)
I had such a great experience at the Marathon this year I really think it is worth doing!

*Coming up in three weeks is Expedition Everest!  Annette & I are teaming up again this year as "All About the Medal".  Last year we placed 15th for ladies teams and we hope to do even better this year!
We also just ordered matching shirts from One More Mile:

from OneMoreMile.net

This is our 3rd year with this same team name.  I really have no idea why we haven't purchased these shirts sooner.  Cuz it's dorky.   Oh, ok.

Who's running the Tower of Terror 10 Miler?

Anyone else participating in Expedition Everest?

What events are you signing up for during Marathon Weekend?

2012 Disney Princess Half Marathon Recap!

Princess half marathon #2 is now in the books!
I love this race and was so glad to have so many friends joining me for the weekend.
Race Weekend was what you would typically expect from Disney (awesomeness).
I won't go into details, but you can read about other Disney races I have completed here and here and here and here and here.
Last year after Princess I said this would always be my "fun" race.
No time goals, no timing of anything really.
Just plain ol' fun with lots of pictures with Disney characters.

Here are 2012's pics...

Walking to the start corrals... very crowded this year

LOVED the Villians!  the Evil Queen noticed my Coast to Coast shirt and said "We'll see you in California"  Eeek!

there were lots of folks taking pictures

kudos to that lady for running in the long skirt - yikes!

lines this long for character pictures was not unusual and I had started in Corral B

these volunteers were doing awesome cheering us on

these two were dressed like Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie at the Royal Wedding - brilliant!

the cutest accordion group from Orlando

look who I caught up with!

the Fairy Godmother was awesome!

While my camera is getting too old and pretty much sucks, I uploaded these pictures using the BlogPress app on my iPad and they look so blurry.  I am not sure who is to blame, probably a little of both.  Sorry about that.
I also have no idea why the spaces between the pictures are so big.  
But there was no way I was going to re-upload them all on my regular computer or try to figure out the space situation.  Way too many pics, plus it is April and I am just now getting this post together.

I do have to say that I loved running with my Team Sparkle skirt.  It was so lightweight, it really was like it was non-existent.  So amazing!  I must have more of these!!

My friends all kicked ass with PRs (Annette, Leah, Martha & Sue) and a first time half marathon finish (Annie)!  
People should remember that Disney races can be whatever you want them to be... for fun or for PRs.  The courses are always flat and fast so there should not be any reason why you shouldn't go hard if that's what you want to do.  I fully intend on going for a PR in Disneyland in September.


Following the race, we slept, we ate and we drank around the world.

Good times!