I did something crazy today. I registered to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon on February 22, 2015.

I am so nervous and here’s why:

I. Don’t. Run. 

The farthest I have ever run was when I ran the Royal Family 5k in February of 2011.Despite not having trained a lick for that race, it was so much fun. I knew that I wanted to run another race in Disney World, and every time I saw RunDisney post pictures of people crossing their half marathon finish lines, fists up and tutus flaring in celebration of their accomplishment, a feeling would rise up inside of me.

I want to do that.

I made up my mind when I was pregnant with Lorelai that 2015 would be that year. Given that it was probably going to be my last pregnancy, I wanted to really get in shape and feel good about myself and my body again after delivering her. For the past six months, I have been mildly working out {can’t get too aggressive after just giving birth, unfortunately} and trying to change a few bad eating habits I had developed over three and a half years of being in an almost constant state of pregnancy. {Seriously. During a forty-two month period, I was pregnant for almost thirty months! All of my stinkin’ late babies…} A few months ago I started training with a running app on my phone, and for the first time ever, I am actually starting to enjoy running. It is one of those couch-to-race apps, so it was slow going at first and honestly a bit too easy for me, but I didn’t want to skip ahead on the training schedule because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t pushing myself too much. I really want to accomplish this, and I don’t want my tendency to be impatient to get in the way of that.

I am currently at the point of running three to four miles on my long runs and I’m averaging an eleven to twelve minute mile. I know that is despicable to some, but for me, that is a really big deal. I’ve got nothing but time between now and next February and I am looking forward to where my training will lead. I am trying not to set my standards too high, as not to disappoint myself. My goal is to get across the finish line of a Disney half marathon, not crush a seven-minute mile average.

So here’s to setting goals and working hard. Here’s to running 13.1 miles in an athletic princess costume through Cinderella’s Castle! Here’s to…something crazy. Disney Princess Half Marathon, I’m coming for YOU! I’ll be the one in a tutu.

With love, Malorie