Re-entry into the real world after Disney World is tough. The piles of laundry, lack of room service and no friendly mice to take care of it for me. Disney Social Media Moms Celebration was amazing and I have plenty to write about, but I thought I’d start with the GoGo squeeZ Fun Run we had the opportunity to participate in. I woke up bright and early, like 2am Arizona time, for the run and headed to the Yacht Club. Yes, I questioned my sanity for signing up for this so called “FUN” run lol!
So why did I sign myself up for this torture Fun Run? Well, 2 1/2 years ago I was supposed to run my very first Disney 1/2 marathon. I had trained hard and was ready for it when I discovered I was pregnant with Amelia. An amazing blessing, but I could barely run a mile without hurting. With my history of delivering preterm, I decided to sit this race out. It’s a good thing I did because by the end of that trip I was wheel chair bound. I have to admit that I was a tad envious over seeing those shiny medals everywhere I went as I waddled through the parks. I vowed to come back and complete my 1/2 someday.
Unfortunately, I gained a TON of weight during and after my pregnancy and running was the last thing on my mind. As I’ve blogged about before, my family has jumped on the Whole30 bandwagon and we’re back on the road to health. Since January I’ve lost 40+ pounds and while I still have more work to do, I feel fabulous. So when Disney Social Media Moms Celebration announced sign ups for the Fun Run, I rushed to my computer to sign up!
Only having a couple weeks to prepare for the Fun Run, I was nervous about participating. I hadn’t run in almost 3 years and didn’t even know if I could run a mile! I did a super accelerated version of Couch to 5k, except it was a Couch to 1 mile for me, and hit the pavement with my 2 kiddos in tow. I was ready for this mini 1 mile run and made it my goal to (slowly) RUN the entire time. Not a huge goal for someone who was averaging 40 miles a week a few years ago, but this is where I am in my fitness journey right now and I’m celebrating every MILEstone.
Starting at the Yacht Club, we made our way to Epcot. There’s a special place in my heart for Epcot that no other park can compete with. It holds fond memories for me as a child. From riding Figment over and over (I think I might be the only one who loves this ride lol) to exploring the countries, I just love it! I had a lump in my throat running into a completely empty and eerily quiet Epcot as the sun was rising. Definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m happy to report that I RAN the entire time and was greeted with an awesome GoGo squeeZ medal at the finish line, which just so happened to be the butterfly tent in Epcot. This is my very first running medal that holds so much meaning for me in my fitness journey! Someday I’ll be back for a half!
One of the many fun things about Disney Runs are the running costumes based on Disney characters. I couldn’t run my very first Disney Run without dressing the part! A group of us Arizona bloggers decided to go with a Star Wars costume theme. I put together a quick and easy R2D2 running costume, complete with DIY R2D2 Mickey Ears. To make your own R2D2 running costume, you’ll need:
R2D2 Shirt
Blue Sparkle Skirt
Black Running Shorts or Capris
Silver Sequin Fabric
Black Headband
Foam Board
Hot Glue
Spray Adhesive Glue
Blue Ribbon
X-Acto Knife
Scissors
Thin Silver Ribbon
To make the R2D2 Ears, check out my detailed tutorial on how to make Little Mermaid Ears. Instead of ribbon wrapping a headband, you’ll be using a black headband. Cut out and wrap the foam ears with silver fabric, as shown in the original tutorial. Instead of a fabric bow, you’ll be making a ribbon bow and attaching it to the center of the ears. Skip the sea shell and pearl embellishments, unless you’d like your R2D2 to have an Under the Sea theme. Now you are ready for your Disney Run! May the Force be with you!
Check out these other Star Wars running costumes from my friends:
