When I started running 3 years ago I never knew the impact it would have on my mind and body, specially on my mind. In June of last year I decided to sign up for the Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend. Not only will I be running my first 1/2 marathon, but I will be participating in the Glass Slipper Challenge. What is that you ask? Well, On Saturday I will run a 10k and then on Sunday I will run a 1/2 marathon. When I signed up for it back in June it sounded like a good idea and a problem for future Nadia. At that point maybe I tought that I could do it.
Fast forward to 6 months later and a month before the race and I feel like I can't do it. It is not that I am not putting in the miles, or that I can't run that distance, or even that I can't do back to back. Believe me, I have put in the training (although I twisted my ankle and got sick) and I have done Ragnar and back to back races; it is just that mentally I don't feel ready. I break down 1 or 2 miles before the end of a long run, and I start thinking that I am a failure and that I can't do it. This is really hard for me because I want to do my best and I never used to think this way.
I know I need help. I bought some running and motivation books to help me. I'm hoping this will help me. If you have any suggestions please leave me a message.
Hopefully, during these races, I will forget all my worries/injuries and run like a champ.
Nats
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Thursday, January 2, 2014
New Year, New Thoughts
Hey there blog world,
Happy New Year to all of you. As part of this years resolution I promise to write more blog post.
What are some of your New Year's Resolutions? Mine, you ask? Here are some of them:
Run 700 Miles
Run 12 races
Eat healthier (hopefully)
Write more blog post
Travel to a new place
Hopefully I will be able to write at least once a week. I got lots to say and lots to share with you. Stay tuned!
Until Next Time,
Nats
Happy New Year to all of you. As part of this years resolution I promise to write more blog post.
What are some of your New Year's Resolutions? Mine, you ask? Here are some of them:
Run 700 Miles
Run 12 races
Eat healthier (hopefully)
Write more blog post
Travel to a new place
Hopefully I will be able to write at least once a week. I got lots to say and lots to share with you. Stay tuned!
Until Next Time,
Nats
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Traveling Feet Recap
Hey guys,
It's been a while. Between two jobs, a husband and a full running calendar, I haven't been able to post anything. Let me catch you on what happened in the last few months:
June:
End of the school year and went to Puerto Rico to my friend Jennifer's wedding and got hired to become an adjunct professor at Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez
Morales-Arroyo family on Father's Day
July:
My sister came to help me with the wedding. I had a bridal shower/bachelorette party. My parents and extended family started to make their way here fr our wedding.
August:
Got married!!!!!! :), went to London and Paris for our honeymoon!!!! and then started work again.
September:
Started teaching as a adjunt professor. Became a running coach at our school for 4th, 5th and 6th grade students and became part of our running clubs board.
October:
Went to New York for a wedding and will be running the Marine Corps Marathon 10k (recap to come).
As you can see it has been a busy couple of month and it does not seem to be slowing down at all. In November, I start training for the Disney's Glass Slipper Challenge and start to get ready for the holidays. Stay tuned because the Traveling Feet are back.
Until next time and keep your feet traveling,
Nats
It's been a while. Between two jobs, a husband and a full running calendar, I haven't been able to post anything. Let me catch you on what happened in the last few months:
June:
End of the school year and went to Puerto Rico to my friend Jennifer's wedding and got hired to become an adjunct professor at Sistema Universitario Ana G. Mendez
Morales-Arroyo family on Father's Day
Nydia, Jen and I
July:
My sister came to help me with the wedding. I had a bridal shower/bachelorette party. My parents and extended family started to make their way here fr our wedding.
SeaCrets with the girls
Morales-Arroyo at the White House
My sisi and I visiting Lincoln
August:
Got married!!!!!! :), went to London and Paris for our honeymoon!!!! and then started work again.
September:
Started teaching as a adjunt professor. Became a running coach at our school for 4th, 5th and 6th grade students and became part of our running clubs board.
October:
Went to New York for a wedding and will be running the Marine Corps Marathon 10k (recap to come).
As you can see it has been a busy couple of month and it does not seem to be slowing down at all. In November, I start training for the Disney's Glass Slipper Challenge and start to get ready for the holidays. Stay tuned because the Traveling Feet are back.
Until next time and keep your feet traveling,
Nats
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Bridal Shower Weekend at Disney
Most of you know that I worked at Disney for 10 years. I lived in Orlando, Florida for 6 of those years and I worked part-time at Disney for 5 of those years. Disney has always been a big part of my life. My fiance and I decided to go and visit my friends and fiance's family in Orlando during my Spring Break. As it turns out, it was most of my friends, who are also teachers, Spring Break as well. When I told my friend and Bridesmaid Nydia that I was coming down to visit, she decided to throw me and one of my other bridesmaids, Jennifer, a Bridal Shower in honor of our weddings coming up (we are getting married 2 months apart). There was no question of where we wanted to do it: Disney one way or another.
Nydia did all of the planning for this special occasion. She decided that we needed to get a hotel room at Disney and make it a weekend to remember, just like we have done during other vacations. The plan was to stay at a hotel, go eat at different Disney restaurants and go to the parks. Now, you may think that sounds boring and childish, but I always have fun at Disney no matter what I do and where I go. And to tell you the truth, Jennifer and I wanted a low key Bridal shower with our friends and family.
So the plan took effect. From Thursday, March 29 to Saturday, March 30 we would stay at Disney's Pop Century Resort. We would eat dinner at O'hana one night, get mani/pedi's, relax, have our dinner at Whispering Canon and then on Saturday meet our fiances and got enjoy a full day at the parks.
On Thursday, Jennifer, Nydia and I woke up early and went bridesmaid dress shopping, followed by a low key afternoon at our hotel. Since, the Pop Century hotel is now next to the new Disney Resort Art of Animation, I decided to go for an exploratory run through the resorts. These two hotels are a fantastic place to get in a run. The hotels connect in every corner, so I had no problem getting from one hotel to the next. Both hotels had awesome things to look at so I found it a little distracting during my run, because I hadn't visited Art of Animation before. After my little run, another one of my bridesmaids, Yari, came over to visit and hang out before we went to our dinner at O'hana at the Polynesian Resort near Magic Kingdom. It was great being reunited with 3 of my long lost sisters and talk about the upcoming months...
Our dinner at O'hana was late, so we decided to get to the restaurant a little early so we can have a drink at the bar, where we all had pina coladas. If you have never had dinner at O'hana before, I highly recommend. it. They sat us right as the Magic Kingdom fireworks were starting so that was a treat. O'hana is an all you care to eat restaurant, with a hawaiian theming. Their buffet includes the best pineapple bread in the world, skuer chicken, pork, steak and shrimp and bread pudding with ice cream as a dessert to die for. We don't know if it was the time of the night ( we ate a 10pm) or if they had changed the spices, but the only thing that we ate was the bread, steak, and bread pudding. My favorite part of the meal was the bread pudding, I reallly like bread pudding and this one was to die for.
The next day, I woke up and went for another run so I could get in more miles, since I was lacking them, and to finish exploring the resorts. After that, Nydia, Jen and I went to get mani/pedis to be ready for the actual bridal dinner that night and we got a little shopping in as well. That afternoon, we took a liasurely stroll through the hotels and then proceded to get ready for what would be a great night.
Our Bridal Shower Dinner took place at the Whispering Canon at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Not all the people that was invited came, but must people showed up. My fiance's mom and sister, my friend Carla, and my bridesmaids, Caro, Yari and of course the other bride, Jennifer and the host, Nydia were the people that attended. This was my first time at the restaurant, so I was pretty excited. We got seated and promptly started to get the vibe of the restaurant, lots of food and lots of fun. This restaurant is also all you care to eat, and it consisted of chicken, steak, fish and pork. Since it was Good Friday, a lot of people ordered fish. The chef found out about this and sent us two different kinds of fish, which was great.
The night was really low key, but fun. We told stories about how we all met and about our other friends weddings. It was really nice having some the people that mean the most to me and Jen being there and sharing this special moment in our lives. After dinner, we were all going to go out, but decided against it. We adjourned ourselves to the lobby and continued talking and having a great time. Don't get me wrong, I love to party, but sometimes the best times are the one's when you are just sitting and having a great conversation among friends.
I was so happy that my dear friends did this for me. I think I am biased, but I think I have the most amazing group of friends and family ever.
I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Keep those feet traveling.
Until Next Time,
Nats
Nydia did all of the planning for this special occasion. She decided that we needed to get a hotel room at Disney and make it a weekend to remember, just like we have done during other vacations. The plan was to stay at a hotel, go eat at different Disney restaurants and go to the parks. Now, you may think that sounds boring and childish, but I always have fun at Disney no matter what I do and where I go. And to tell you the truth, Jennifer and I wanted a low key Bridal shower with our friends and family.
So the plan took effect. From Thursday, March 29 to Saturday, March 30 we would stay at Disney's Pop Century Resort. We would eat dinner at O'hana one night, get mani/pedi's, relax, have our dinner at Whispering Canon and then on Saturday meet our fiances and got enjoy a full day at the parks.
On Thursday, Jennifer, Nydia and I woke up early and went bridesmaid dress shopping, followed by a low key afternoon at our hotel. Since, the Pop Century hotel is now next to the new Disney Resort Art of Animation, I decided to go for an exploratory run through the resorts. These two hotels are a fantastic place to get in a run. The hotels connect in every corner, so I had no problem getting from one hotel to the next. Both hotels had awesome things to look at so I found it a little distracting during my run, because I hadn't visited Art of Animation before. After my little run, another one of my bridesmaids, Yari, came over to visit and hang out before we went to our dinner at O'hana at the Polynesian Resort near Magic Kingdom. It was great being reunited with 3 of my long lost sisters and talk about the upcoming months...
Our dinner at O'hana was late, so we decided to get to the restaurant a little early so we can have a drink at the bar, where we all had pina coladas. If you have never had dinner at O'hana before, I highly recommend. it. They sat us right as the Magic Kingdom fireworks were starting so that was a treat. O'hana is an all you care to eat restaurant, with a hawaiian theming. Their buffet includes the best pineapple bread in the world, skuer chicken, pork, steak and shrimp and bread pudding with ice cream as a dessert to die for. We don't know if it was the time of the night ( we ate a 10pm) or if they had changed the spices, but the only thing that we ate was the bread, steak, and bread pudding. My favorite part of the meal was the bread pudding, I reallly like bread pudding and this one was to die for.
The next day, I woke up and went for another run so I could get in more miles, since I was lacking them, and to finish exploring the resorts. After that, Nydia, Jen and I went to get mani/pedis to be ready for the actual bridal dinner that night and we got a little shopping in as well. That afternoon, we took a liasurely stroll through the hotels and then proceded to get ready for what would be a great night.
Our Bridal Shower Dinner took place at the Whispering Canon at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Not all the people that was invited came, but must people showed up. My fiance's mom and sister, my friend Carla, and my bridesmaids, Caro, Yari and of course the other bride, Jennifer and the host, Nydia were the people that attended. This was my first time at the restaurant, so I was pretty excited. We got seated and promptly started to get the vibe of the restaurant, lots of food and lots of fun. This restaurant is also all you care to eat, and it consisted of chicken, steak, fish and pork. Since it was Good Friday, a lot of people ordered fish. The chef found out about this and sent us two different kinds of fish, which was great.
The night was really low key, but fun. We told stories about how we all met and about our other friends weddings. It was really nice having some the people that mean the most to me and Jen being there and sharing this special moment in our lives. After dinner, we were all going to go out, but decided against it. We adjourned ourselves to the lobby and continued talking and having a great time. Don't get me wrong, I love to party, but sometimes the best times are the one's when you are just sitting and having a great conversation among friends.
I was so happy that my dear friends did this for me. I think I am biased, but I think I have the most amazing group of friends and family ever.
I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Keep those feet traveling.
Until Next Time,
Nats
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Miler recap
One of my goals this year is to run longer distances. In November, one of my friends asked me and a whole bunch of our friends to run the GW Parkway Classic in April. I thought about not doing it for a hot second, but then decided, why not? I have plenty of time to train and accomplish the goal of running 10 MILES!!! The longest distance I had run before was a 10K and I was deadly afraid of that 10 mile mark, mainly because I did not want to disappoint myself or my fiance if I was not able to do it.
I started our training in January to give ourselves enough time to accomplish our goal. I usually take my race training very seriously, trying not to skip a workout, specially the weekly long runs, but as many of you know life happens and sometimes things come up. In January and February I took it easy because I was jut building my millage back up. In March and part of April I upped my millage and concentrated on my long runs and how to be successful on them.
Here is my millage by week:
Week 1: January 28-February 3
Monday: 3.18
Tuesday: zumba
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 3
Friday:off
Saturday: 2.1 walk
Sunday: 5.5
Week 2: February 4-10
Monday: off
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 2 walk
Thursday: 4
Friday: off
Saturday: off
Sunday: off
Week 3: February 11-17
Monday: 3
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 5
Friday: off
Saturday: 2.33
Sunday: 7 in a double session due to cold weather
Week 4: February 18-24
Monday: off
Tuesday: 4
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 4
Friday: off
Saturday: 2 walk
Sunday: off
Week 5: February 25- March 3
Monday: off
Tuesday: 2 walk
Wednesday: 3
Thursday: 3
Friday: off
Saturday: 3
Sunday: 8 run/walk 4/2
Week 6: March 4-10
Monday: 2 walk
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 3.3
Thursday: 4
Friday: off
Saturday: 3.67 race
Sunday: 6.30 race
Week 7: March 11-17
Monday: 3
Tuesday: 2
Wednesday: 3
Thursday: off
Friday: off
Saturday: 3
Sunday: off
Week 8: March 18-24
Monday: off
Tuesday: 4
Wednesday: off
Thursday: off
Friday: off3 walk
Saturday: off traveling to florida
Sunday: 5
Week 9: March 25-March 31
Monday: off
Tuesday: 2
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 1
Friday: 3.13 around Disney Art of Animation and Pop Century
Saturday: walk around Magic Kindom and EPCOT
Sunday: off drive back home
Week 10: April 1-7
Monday: 2.25 walk
Tuesday: 3.05
Wednesday: off
Thursday: off
Friday: 3.18 race
Saturday: 3.92 race
Sunday: 9.06 walk run 6/1
Week 11: April 8-14
Monday: off
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 3
Thursday: off
Friday: 3.18 race fastest 5k
Saturday: off
Sunday: 10 miles mock 1:45:00 6/1 run/walk
Week 12: April 14-21
Monday: off
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 2
Thursday: 3
Friday: 2.57 race
Saturday: off
Sunday: GW Parkway 10 Miler 1:40:00
I did not train like I really wanted to but as I said, life happens. At the end I was able to accomplish this goal. The last few races I have been able to shift my thinking to a more positive one when it comes to races. I have come to understand that racing it's all about having a positive mindset.
The week of the race I was a little nervous. I had done 10 miles the week before so I knew I was ready. The day before the race my calf muscle started hurting and I found it hard to walk. I was nervous that it would prevent me from running the race. I made sure I iced my leg and elevated it. The next morning it was still bothering me, but there was no way I was not going to not do the race. I had put in the time and hours, so there was no way. I was going to complete it if it meant that I had to walk or crawl it.
At the end I ended up racing it and my left did not hurt until mile 7 or 8. At that point I was having such a good race that I put that pain in the back of my mind.
I think I am a run walk convert... I was able to not only to run a faster pace, but I was able to maintain it due to my walking breaks. Also, the way the walk breaks worked out, I ended up walking most of the hills and you all know I hate hills.
Overall this has been my favorite race so far. We started at Mount Vernon (George Washington's house) and ran along the Potomac all the way to Old Town Alexandria. It was a flat course, which I really liked. We got to run on the road, so we were able to take in the scenery. One of my favorite places that I ran by was the Collingwood Library which will be the site of my wedding in August. So that was fun. Also, running through Old Town Alexandria was great also. Being able to run through such a historic place was amazing.
If I can run 10 miles so can anyone. The key is to train and never give up. Although I really enjoy racing, I am taking a break from it for a while. This does not mean that I will quit running, it means that I want to concentrate on other things in running in order to get better at racing.
I am looking forward to doing this race every year from now on.
Stay tuned for more posts on my awesome running adventures.
Until next time, keep your feet traveling
Nats
I started our training in January to give ourselves enough time to accomplish our goal. I usually take my race training very seriously, trying not to skip a workout, specially the weekly long runs, but as many of you know life happens and sometimes things come up. In January and February I took it easy because I was jut building my millage back up. In March and part of April I upped my millage and concentrated on my long runs and how to be successful on them.
Here is my millage by week:
Week 1: January 28-February 3
Monday: 3.18
Tuesday: zumba
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 3
Friday:off
Saturday: 2.1 walk
Sunday: 5.5
Week 2: February 4-10
Monday: off
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 2 walk
Thursday: 4
Friday: off
Saturday: off
Sunday: off
Monday: 3
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 5
Friday: off
Saturday: 2.33
Sunday: 7 in a double session due to cold weather
Week 4: February 18-24
Monday: off
Tuesday: 4
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 4
Friday: off
Saturday: 2 walk
Sunday: off
Week 5: February 25- March 3
Monday: off
Tuesday: 2 walk
Wednesday: 3
Thursday: 3
Friday: off
Saturday: 3
Sunday: 8 run/walk 4/2
Week 6: March 4-10
Monday: 2 walk
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 3.3
Thursday: 4
Friday: off
Saturday: 3.67 race
Sunday: 6.30 race
Week 7: March 11-17
Monday: 3
Tuesday: 2
Wednesday: 3
Thursday: off
Friday: off
Saturday: 3
Sunday: off
Week 8: March 18-24
Monday: off
Tuesday: 4
Wednesday: off
Thursday: off
Friday: off3 walk
Saturday: off traveling to florida
Sunday: 5
Week 9: March 25-March 31
Monday: off
Tuesday: 2
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 1
Friday: 3.13 around Disney Art of Animation and Pop Century
Saturday: walk around Magic Kindom and EPCOT
Sunday: off drive back home
Week 10: April 1-7
Monday: 2.25 walk
Tuesday: 3.05
Wednesday: off
Thursday: off
Friday: 3.18 race
Saturday: 3.92 race
Sunday: 9.06 walk run 6/1
Week 11: April 8-14
Monday: off
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 3
Thursday: off
Friday: 3.18 race fastest 5k
Saturday: off
Sunday: 10 miles mock 1:45:00 6/1 run/walk
Week 12: April 14-21
Monday: off
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 2
Thursday: 3
Friday: 2.57 race
Saturday: off
Sunday: GW Parkway 10 Miler 1:40:00
I did not train like I really wanted to but as I said, life happens. At the end I was able to accomplish this goal. The last few races I have been able to shift my thinking to a more positive one when it comes to races. I have come to understand that racing it's all about having a positive mindset.
The week of the race I was a little nervous. I had done 10 miles the week before so I knew I was ready. The day before the race my calf muscle started hurting and I found it hard to walk. I was nervous that it would prevent me from running the race. I made sure I iced my leg and elevated it. The next morning it was still bothering me, but there was no way I was not going to not do the race. I had put in the time and hours, so there was no way. I was going to complete it if it meant that I had to walk or crawl it.
At the end I ended up racing it and my left did not hurt until mile 7 or 8. At that point I was having such a good race that I put that pain in the back of my mind.
I think I am a run walk convert... I was able to not only to run a faster pace, but I was able to maintain it due to my walking breaks. Also, the way the walk breaks worked out, I ended up walking most of the hills and you all know I hate hills.
Overall this has been my favorite race so far. We started at Mount Vernon (George Washington's house) and ran along the Potomac all the way to Old Town Alexandria. It was a flat course, which I really liked. We got to run on the road, so we were able to take in the scenery. One of my favorite places that I ran by was the Collingwood Library which will be the site of my wedding in August. So that was fun. Also, running through Old Town Alexandria was great also. Being able to run through such a historic place was amazing.
If I can run 10 miles so can anyone. The key is to train and never give up. Although I really enjoy racing, I am taking a break from it for a while. This does not mean that I will quit running, it means that I want to concentrate on other things in running in order to get better at racing.
I am looking forward to doing this race every year from now on.
Stay tuned for more posts on my awesome running adventures.
Until next time, keep your feet traveling
Nats
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