I am always pushing myself and running 10 miles on October 5th was no exception. I was so excited and ready to break a PR. With all Disney Races there is always a lot of energy and excitement in the air and this race was no exception. I was running with some of my friends and on Saturday I spent more time on my outfit than monitoring my fluid intake.

There is always a huge turnout for Disney races and the most stressful part of the race was waiting in line for 1/2 hour to use the port-a-potty. I have always had diva demands but sometimes you just have to leave that behind when nature calls!

Due to the size of Disney races you have to take a bus to the corrals which means arriving approximately 3 hours early. I finally made it to the Corral and Carissa of Fit2Flex counted us down. There was so much energy in the air- it was hard not to start out to fast. Fortunately the three inclines were in the beginning of the race so it was nice to to get them out of the way. After my first mile I was way ahead of my pace and I was super excited, however, I began to mentally break down around mile 6. I had to refocus on why I was running and remember this was for fun! I began to take in my surroundings- the costumes, the characters and the music- and I began to calm down. It was very hot and humid and I quickly realized that I was on the verge of dehydration. I took advantage of every water and PowerAde stop.

I was so grateful when we began our entry into MGM Studios since I knew I was almost finished. It was such a mental and physical accomplishment and the best prize was meeting my husband at the finish line!

After the race we were able to enjoy the rides and simply have fun. It felt so good to share in the triumphs and challenges with the others racers! The entry fee for nonrunners is steep but it was worth paying the extra to have my husband celebrate with me after the race!

Ahoy! I was so excited to run my second Gasparilla Distance Classic. This year was especially memorable since I ran with my husband and a few of our closest friends. The race spans an entire weekend with multiple events including the 5K, 8K, 15K and Half Marathon. The $25.00 Early Registration Fee included a Dry Fit T-shirt, Free Beer and entry into the After-Party with music and lots of fun. There was no charge for guests to enjoy the party and live bands.

The first wave of the 5K started promptly at 9:00 a.m. and was divided into several heats. With over 12,000 runners the course was crowded and for some inexperienced runners it was a bit intimidating and challenging. The route took place along Bayshore Boulevard and was out-and-back with plenty of entertainment along the way.

For those up to the challenge they were able to test their endurance by participating in the 2014 Michelob Ultra Challenge that consisted of running the 15K and 5K on Saturday and the Half Marathon and 8 K on Sunday. With a $30,000 purse, the race included more than a dozen elite athletes, including former U.S. Olympic Team member Abdi Abdirahman.

The Gasparilla Distance Classic has a long history of tradition beginning in 1978. Since its first race, 3.9 million has been donated to several charitable organizations that support youth running programs. To date over 635,000 participants have crossed the finish line.

I will definitely run next year since this is a race not to be missed!

Artie