I am done. I am officially done, done planning my vacation for the end of August. I started this planning process on January 18th. This is a specific date that I will come back to in just a moment. My tickets are purchased, my hotel is paid for, and my legs will soon be ready for a lot of walking..and..running. Had I waited just ONE month after January 18th, this trip would not have been possible.
For the past two years this has been a day dream of mine, a goal that I didn’t think possible for various reasons. Finally I pulled the trigger and said go. The preparation for this vacation starts today.
A closer look..
On September 2nd I will be running my FIRST half marathon!! This isn’t just any half marathon, I wanted number one to be special.
DISNEYLAND!! I am so unbelievably excited. Race registration opened on January 18th and was SOLD OUT by February 19th. Had I waited, this would not have been possible. I have been sitting on this “secret” for a few months. I wanted my trip to be complete before sharing. Along with running the half marathon, I will be going to Disneyland and California Adventure two of the days I am there.
I wish I was running with Snow Whites Manfriends. My only goal for the actual run is to get a decent photograph. I’m talking about the ones that the “professionals” take. I don’t want to look like this..
Seriously..how does that even happen. This was the last 5miler I ran and I felt GREAT during this race, yet I look like a 70yr old dying woman about the throw up her crackers and soup. I can’t believe I even put this on here, I invite you to laugh because I sure as hell had multiple laughing fits over this shot.
With that said, I have no time goals. I am running this race simply to get my foot in the door and see how I like running 13 miles. After this race the opportunities are endless. Why did I choose DL as the first one? Possibly because it’s the happiest place on earth, and because not everyone can say, “My first half marathon was at Disneyland.” I can’t wait to share more about the training process, and then the vacation itself! Stay tuned, and wish me luck!!
Q: If you’re a runner, tell me about the first time you ran your longest distance. If you’re not a runner, tell me about an athletic goal you have, or have already achieved.
Blissfulbritt 
56 thoughts on “Done”
Alex @ therunwithin
So proud of you! Your first half, I am a huge fan of half marathons. Love the distance.
nicole marie story
Bam! My favourite post of the day!!!!!!!!!
I was already in a fabulous mood, and this just escalated that fabulousness.
Yayayayaya!!!
My longest distance? There were unhealthy longs and healthy longs, so I’ll go with the healthy long for this story… in 2008, the monkey and I were sauntering around a big park which supposedly looped. Approximately 10 miles later and I called my dad, “Daddy! It’s freezing cold, and I don’t know where I am. Waaah!”
So he pulled up google earth and told me that I had about another 5 miles to travel to reach home base!
Imagine baby monkey and me… in the snow… exhausted… omg, we almost called a taxi! 😀
Brittany
I would have started to cry..for sure. You are stronger than I am haha. In the snow..I would die!
nicole marie story
We wee both dressed in fashion parkas, so that made it all okay. 🙂
nicole marie story
*were! damnit!
Brittany
We we..sounded more French and snobby. I liked it.
Em ... Living & Learning
omg congratulations, what an exciting journey & adventure, my goal is to one day do a half marathon, so props to you for taking the leap!
imakeeper
OMG YOU ARE SO NOT DOING THIS RACE?!!? We are linked… two days ago, Mr. Speedy and I began discussing where to travel next for a race and I said the half at DisneyWORLD (not land). So now, I am convinced- if this debut race of yours goes well and you don’t get kidnapped by Cinderella and elope with Manfriend and live in the themepark– we MUST plan to race next time TOGETHER. Anywhere. It can be our first meeting. I am already getting excited with the thought of this. AFter the race we can drink wine and have our men buy us very important things, like fairy wands and cotton candy.
Moving on- I’m balls excited for you. BALLS. So glad you planned to do this!
Brittany
Your comment just made my day. I swear I often tell Manfriend that if I were to meet any of my blog “friends” it would HAVe to be you!! You are my FAVORITE PERSON EVER! I already know this race and trip will be a blast…leading me to the next comment that YES we must plan a vacation together. UHMAZINGG I would be so much more excited for that than I would be for anything ELSE EVER! I CAN’T WAIT!!!!
I see us being bfffff’s for a very long time after our first meeting…be prepared.
Health Freak College Girl
Yayyy! I’m so excited for you! I can’t wait for you to do it and hear all about it 🙂
Race pictures are the worst! I’m always nervous to look at them because I know they won’t be pretty haha.
karinacocina17
wow! that’s so awesome!!! i would love to run the disneyland half sometime!! I just ran my first half a week ago and it was awesome!! you’ll love it!
GOtheXtraMile
OMG you will LOVE disneyland’s half!!! I’m so excited for you!!
cottercrunch
can i come be your sherpa? i’ll feed you!
FullOfSMyLES
I participated in a relay marathon for leukemia and lymphoma a couple years ago. There were three others in my group, and let me just say I am glad we spread the miles amongst us. I think I would have died that day if it weren’t for them.
At least you have DLand to enjoy after! Good Luck!
Alexandra
Ahh omg omg omg!!!!! This trip is gonna be so epic, I’m so happy for you!!!! I have a feeling you’re not only gonna own the race, but have the hottest, least elderly looking photo out there 😉
foods for the soul
WOW good for you! You’re going to do great and be so happy during the whole race — it’s impossible not to be in Disneyland! :] That’s wonderful that you were able to sign up too; my mom wanted to run it this fall, but it was already full… If you give it positive reviews, I just may try to run it with her next year! Good luck!!!
Marie
wow! that’s so awesome!
Natalie @Will Jog For Food
Awesome! My first half was in January, at Disney WORLD! It was such an awesome experience. I thought I would be really hurting since I didn’t train as much as I was supposed to, but it was exhilarating the whole way through…even though I got “heavy legs” from mile 9 until the end.
Melissa @ Mouthwatering Morsel
Whoo! That is fantastic!! I cannot wait to read all about it! 🙂 🙂
thursdayswithgranny
Wow, too exciting! What a trip!!
itsthecookiemonster
i tried to start planning a vacay yesterday, but it got really complicated and stressful so i stopped LOL i can’t believe you took 6 months to plan, you’re amazing!
good luck on your half marathon! and i think that you look like a strong runner in that photo! keep it up!
Tessa@AmazingAsset (@Tessa8m)
Weee how exciting this is Brittany! I am a major planner too, so I would def be like this, planning everything possible ahead of time, I do NOT go with the flow too well haha
And that is supaaa exciting about the race! Oh and don’t worry about the race photos, there are very few people that look “good” in them lol, I always look like some kind of dying something… 😉
Christina Does It All
YAY! Go you, awesome lady.
Just A Smidgen
Wow.. I’m going to say congratulations right now, because half the battle is just signing up and going! Well.. maybe half the battle is the training too! So proud of you!! I’ve never done that and probably never will.. xo Smidge
balvinder ( Neetu)
I have never participated in a marathon, but one day I am going to do Grouse run. My wishes with you for half marathon. Keep it up Girl!
Shira
This is so exciting Britt! Way to go…best of luck with the training AND the amazing trip you’ve planned! Love your photos – a dramatic difference 🙂 xo!
Simply Life (@SimplyLifeBlog)
what a fun post and amazing goals! This looks like such a fun race to be a part of!
An Unrefined Vegan
Oh, Brittany, you do make me laugh! Good luck w/ your first half marathon – yay!!! – very exciting. You’ll have a blast. I’ll tell you about my first half marathon after you’ve run yours ;-).
Lou Dwan
Wooooohooooo! Watch out Mickey!
hehe I admit, I DID crack up at your photo, props for posting it…. Viper took some photos of me straight after giving birth, and seriously I look like I’m possessed with about 50 demons!
Brittany
I am glad you laughed..that was why I shared. I shouldn’t be the only one able to laugh as such a sight. I would surely laugh at your demon photographs..the mere thought made me giggle. =)
Miss. Zoe
Holy cannoli! [If I could I’d be waiting for you at the end of your 13+ miles with cannoli, that way I’d know you would make it!] SO proud of you!!! can’t wait to hear all about it!
Brittany
Bahaha you are too good to me, if only you could..I would think about the sugary goodness the entire run!
Khushboo Thadani
Ahhh Britt I am SO excited for you! Running a half marathon is on my bucket list and running Disney would just be a dream! From the various recaps I have read, it’s sounds like a blast and a half…and perfect if you just want to have fun with it :)! Plus you can refuel with one of those amazing Mickey-Mouse shaped ice cream sandwiches (love those)!
savor the sweet life
Eeek! How exciting!! I love this post. Running a half marathon is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and I am going to live vicariously through you until I finally sign up to do it 😛 Can’t wait to hear all about it 🙂
Kristen @ Swanky Dietitian
Yay!!! So exciting!
I have always wanted to run at Disneyland!!! That will be awesome! 🙂
naturallybalanced
That’s amazinggggggggg!! Since I saw a few other bloggers run Disney this past year it seemed like such a fun adventure and if I was to ever do a half marathon, I would want it to be Disney too! My husband and I are planning a trip to Disney next year around April I think :), can’t wait to hear more about your training!
Pumpedpumpkin
THAT’S AMAZING<333 Sorry I haven't been commenting but I swear I've been reading your entries… I'm that creepy stalker person who never says anything but reads everything. haha but I was kinda jealous that you get to go to DISNEYLAND! and needed to comment. you are going to do AMAZING. because that's who you are Brittany the Amazing Girl. Duh
Brittany
I loveeee you =)
Rach @ This Italian Family
BRITT! That’s amazing!! I am so happy for you! You are going to have the BEST time! And I know your photo will be fabulous! 😀
Love Live & Learn
Oh this is so awesome (and that isn’t a word I use often!) Massively excited for you, what a fun experience!! Doing a half marathon is amazing enough, to do it in Disneyland is even more fantastic 😀 I can’t wait to hear all about your training, it’s great that you get to run and train with Manfriend 🙂
myhighonlife
Oh em geee I’m SO EXCITED FOR YOU LADY! You’ll have so much fun and I’m sure you’ll get bit by the bug 😉
Can’t wait to hear about your training. And that’s awesome your man is doing it too. I love running with my beau.
Megan
AH!!! I’m so excited for you!!! I was looking at the Disney one when it was announced but decided against it because I spent a week / a boat load of money last halloween there! I’m super excited for you!!! Okay so goal is to look excited when you run by a camera, or just close your mouth and give smoldery eyes to the sun. I know you can pull this off 🙂
Um longest distance, you know I just ran my half and prior to that I had been running diddly, SO adrenaline, clothes that you won’t chaff in, good music and some gu and I think you are gunna rock this!!!
Cara
LOL Brittany, your posts never fail to make me laugh! I love that picture of “you” (hehe) running in Disneyland! That is SO awesome that you’re going on vacation! Cheers to you! Make sure to go on splash mountain a billion times for me. OH and also scream while on the “it’s a small world” ride! (Lol, I have a thing where I scream on every ride!). Good luck on your training! Don’t push too hard and take rest when needed. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate ;)!
katalysthealth
Your running the Dland half marathon?! Like the one that is only 30 minutes from me in Cali? 🙂
You are totally going to rock it I just know it!! Make sure you give yourself lots of rest during training so that you are reading to go when race day comes!!
GiGi Eats Celebrities
HOLD THE PHONE!!!!!!! YOU’RE GOING TO DISNEY LAND??? Uh dude, how long are you staying in CALI! Uh, I LIVE IN CALI! It’s time WE MEET UP!! WHAD UP SON! LOL!! Looks like Katalysthealth has the same plan in mind… We should just plan a 3-way! Sexy times!
Life After Swimming
Ahhhh so exciting!!! I cannot wait to hear alllllll about it and training and all that great stuff 🙂
Kailey
26.2 is my longest run to date. I hit the wall at mile 23 and there was this short asain dude breathing so loud that it pushed me past the “wall” haha I was so close to snapping at him
HautePinkPretty
That is so exciting! I love Disneyland!! Xox ❤ hautepinkpretty.com
B
How exciting! I can understand why you wanted to keep it a secret. You never know what will happen and you don’t want to jinx anything!
caloricandcrazy
Sounds like it’s gonna be fun!! I wanna run the princess half marathon some day in disney world! i need to find some running buddies cause my friends are too lazy 😛
Lindsay @ conscious cravings - previously Surviving Candyland
OMG I’M TOTALLY JEALOUS! I looooooove disneyland. First off I just wish I could run, but second oh man oh man if I were to be ever able to run I would so want to do the princess half marathon or something fun in Disney like you’re doing. You are totally gonna kick some butt!
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yourloveboat
This is AWESOME! Not to sound weird, but I’ve read your blog for awhile and followed your running journey from the beginning. Its great to see how far you’ve come and I’m excited for you! Disney is quite possibly the best place to be, and all the better that you’re going to be running there 🙂 And I hope your training is going well!
Pink Runner
That picture is fantastic!!! I had a horrible one at a half I did last fall. I wish I would have a picture of me puking at the end of the marathon I did last month… Disney races are THE BEST! I did the DisneyWorld Wine and Dine Half in October 2010 and it was my absolute favorite. It is expensive, but well worth it!
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Britta
Hahahahaaha! Running pics are seriously the greatest things on this planet!!!! Oh man, so hilarious!!