The Royal Family 5km CONQUERED!

6:45 AM, Epcot parking lot. On my way to the starting line...

I did it! I finished a 5km run with a JOGGING STROLLER and toddler intact. Alive. Unhappy, unable to crack a smile, tired, but alive.

Racing around Epcot at 7 a.m., for me was a mix of magic and misery. I am NOT a morning person. Neither is my daughter, we love our sleep ins, especially after a long day of snow storms, canceled flights and 6 hour delays. The alarm at 5:20 AM hurt... A LOT.

I'm smiling passing Italy, kidlet is not.

I was so thankful for coffee, bottled water, rented car, close proximity to car in parking lot and quick drive to Epcot. I have run 5km on a treadmill numerous times. Outside, not so much. It was way to easy to blame streetlights, traffic and stop signs on breaking my rhythm. Sure, I've made it 8-10km in an outing, just not run continuously.

However, the magic and excitement of running through Epcot was a whole different experience... once I got past all the people walking this race that is! As a side note rant... The jogging stroller division was lined up at the start line BEHIND the walkers. Yes behind. WTF? That needs to be remedied for next time, or I will be forced to cut in the queue further ahead (if I ever do this race again with a stroller). I exerted a lot of energy over the first mile and a half-over taking slow walkers and blame my 42 minute finish on them. I thought you had to maintain a 16 minute mile?!?! Anyway, it was all done with a smile.

My daughter, while not a fan of the whole ordeal will probably be too old to agree to even get in her stroller next year, so I'm glad we did it together this year.