A little more than two weeks ago, I capped off another training cycle by finishing the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon at the Disneyland Resort. It was a race that felt awesome and I felt good about my best training on a race week. So, how did I follow that up? Very little to report for two weeks. This is something I need to work on. After each training cycle, it’s been hard to get my mind to move on. All I want to do is rest and relax and enjoy the knowledge that I accomplished the goal I had set for myself. Each training cycle has its ups and downs. I know full well how much effort it takes to say yes to workouts and no to other things. The past two weeks, I’ve simply not been motivated enough to get out and start on my new goal…the Los Angels Marathon.

On the Monday after The Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon, it was time for my favorite rehearsal with the Disney Employee Choir as we get ready for the Disneyland Candlelight Processional. For most of our rehearsals, we are a divided choir with some practicing at the Disneyland Resort and others practicing in Glendale. However, for one rehearsal, we all come together as one. It’s a wonderful and fun rehearsal. I’ve posted a video from last year because our location for this year was not to be publicized. All I can say is that we rehearsed as a location that was along the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon race course. It was kind of weird to return to part of the route a little more than 24 hours later. The rehearsal was as wonderful as always. However, I also got home too late, and a little to wired, to get to sleep in time for an early morning run on Tuesday.

Honestly, on Tuesday, I was worn out. The runDisney race weekends can do that all by themselves. However, to follow that up with a fun, exciting rehearsal and a later than usual night and a missed run is bound to happen. Not only was I not able to get up in time, but I was feeling worn out.

I thought I could make it up on Wednesday….nope. Another skipped opportunity.

By Thursday, I was starting to feel a bit under the weather. So, once again, I opted for an extra hour of sleep.

Friday was a scheduled rest day and boy did I need it. How could a week leave me to wiped out? I opted for the extra sleep in order to make it to my Saturday morning scheduled 13 mile run.

By Saturday, I was in the starting stages of a cold. So, I opted to rest and did so again on Sunday.

Thanksgiving week was going to be interesting. There were some scheduling things that I wanted to avoid, but didn’t.

On Monday, I arrived and found they had the Santa Hat on Dopey and the Christmas decorations were going up on the Walt Disney Studio Lot. I really wanted to be up and running on this day. However, my mind just would not shut off and I did not get much sleep at all. Even with the extra hour of sleep, I was under slept for the day.

Tuesday was the day of our regional rehearsal with the lady who will be directing us at the Candlelight Processional. I knew it would be a later night as a result. The regional rehearsal is where we get together with not only our Disney Employee Choir, but other choirs who will be singing in the mass choir for the Candlelight Processional. They hold several of these around the area. Tuesday night’s was in Burbank and the closest one to those of us who work at the Studio. It’s fun to be under Nancy’s (our Candlelight Processional Conductor) direction. It’s like getting a mini master class in singing. However, it’s also a bit tedious.

Wednesday should have been a make up day for a missed run on Tuesday. However, my motivation was really low to get out and run. This would have been a great do to do an early morning run because we got to leave work early.

On Thanksgiving morning, I finally got out and did my first run since the Avengers Half. It turned out to be a pretty good run! I was a little worried that the time I took off would hurt me. As I ran in the first mile, I got that good times while running feeling again. I thought to myself…why haven’t I been doing this the past week and a half? Since it was Thanksgiving, I did enjoy sleeping in a little bit before getting out to run. Unlike so many other parts of the country, in Pasadena the predicted high was 86 degrees. So, even though I could sleep in a little bit, I still was worried about getting out and finished by the time it got too hot. Everything worked out pretty well. My first mile went well and so did the second. That just fueled me to make the switch to the 1 minute run/1 minute walk interval ratio for the entire third mile. I was super happy to see my time at the finish as it was under 35 minutes!

After the run, Brooke and I headed out to my parent’s place for Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful time with my parents. The food was excellent and so was the conversation. I even got to watch the Philadelphia Eagles thoroughly dominate the Dallas Cowboys in football!

I had hoped to make up for my missed 13 mile run on Friday. However, it just didn’t happen. There was a lot that I needed to get done on Friday. On top of that, my motivation was low. I did take some time to take the steps I needed in order to get my head wrapped around this new goal. I have updated my training calendar to get me to the Los Angeles Marathon. So, if you check out my training calendar tab, it is current. I also watched part of Spirit of the Marathon. After Friday, I feel much more ready to tackle this new challenge than I did before it.

On Saturday, I took my new Silver Pass and went to the Disneyland Resort!

Since I didn’t get to the parks after the Avengers Half Marathon, I made sure to get some pictures that I would have taken if I went two weeks prior.

I showed Captain America that he was the inspiration behind my running costume! He was quite impressed.

I also posed with Iron Man…the lone Avenger missing from all the festivities. He didn’t say much.

Here is all my 2014 runDisney bling!

Brooke and I also made it to DCA for the World of Color: Winter Dreams. I will do a full Disneyland at Christmas trip report soon. However, I will say that the World of Color: Winter Dreams 2014 is slightly different from World of Color: Winter Dreams 2013. There is more Frozen in this year’s version. It’s still such a fun show and still superior to the regular World of Color show.

This was Brooke’s first time to see Cars Land all decked out for the holidays…Ka-Chow! It was such a fun trip to the parks! It definitely got both Brooke and I in the holiday spirit.

Sunday was another day of missed workouts because of having too much to accomplish. We’ve mostly got our apartment decorated for Christmas. Since we aren’t completely there yet, I’ll save pictures until we’re more finished. Sunday was a day filled with decorating the apartment, grocery shopping, weekly meal prep for this week, and ended with…

Christmas Under Wraps.

This week is Candlelight Week! I’ve got a dress rehearsal at Disneyland on Thursday evening. Then, I’ll be singing on Saturday. If you’re reading this and live in Southern California, come on out. I’ve asked to sing in the first show (5:30pm I believe). Beau Bridges will be the guest narrator. The show at Disneyland is simply fantastic and a great way to kick off the holidays. There are 2 shows a night on Main Street U.S.A. for this coming Saturday and Sunday. Given all the crazy scheduling, my goal this week is to get out for a run on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and a gym workout on Friday. If all goes according to plan, I’ll have 15 miles to run on Sunday morning. I feel much better about training after this past weekend. The Los Angeles Marathon is on March 15th. So, I’ve got to get to that training. It’s time for all the big, crazy long runs. I can’t miss those!

Happy Holidays everyone!