To all the princess runners this weekend:

This past January was my first experience with runDisney. I did the 5k, the half marathon and the marathon relay. Yes, a little obsessive, but an amazing experiences nonetheless. Seeing as I spent my first year of racing doing Rock-N-Roll races to acquire the Legendary status (appropriately named "The Year of the Rock-N-Rolls") and NYRR races to acquire automatic entry into the NYCM, I wanted to make 2012 The Year of the Disney. Unfortunately, this did not work out, but no worries! I just have more things to look forward to with the coming years.

Since I'm having Disney withdrawls, I decided to stalk the internets for Tinkerbell race recaps (don't judge. You know you do it, too!). In doing this, there are 2 things I have learned that baffle me: 1. Not many people stopped to take pictures (b/c during my research, I read the lines were long) and those that did are not members of the blogging community. 2. Not many people stopped to take pictures! What?! I don't understand this concept!
(Granted, this was written as a draft right after the race. More blogs popped up with pictures but with the same 5 character stops. . .I don't know if these runners were jipped with the lack of characters out, or if they all just liked the same 5 characters. .either way, the Disney part of my soul was dissappointed)

You just paid $150 to run a race that, without those experiences, is maybe worth $50? That's crazy talk.

I get starting and stopping being painful, that was a big gripe from me about it. And I can understand slower runners being scared to stop bc of the sweepers. Lord knows, as I waited for-ev-er for Jack Sparrow, I kept frantically looking for the balloons. But the slower runners usually have a method as to how to get it done. I sent Fred to get in line for me. A couple behind us who were clearly pros, jumped corrals to get a head start on the sweepers and were able to stand in the lines. For faster runners, it makes no sense not to stop. Since no one else stops, it should be a breeze. What I would give to be a faster runner so I didn't have to deal with redonkulous lines for characters!

I also get not wanting to take pictures with characters you already have pictures with. The year I worked there, it was my mission to get as many pictures with as many characters as possible. To this day, I only like to get pictures with characters I've never taken pictures with (but then again I had blonde hair when I was 19. . so an update is always good). Rare characters are my ultimate favorite. Anyone and Everyone has at least a handful of pictures with the Fab Five and Pooh. . . but do you have a picture with Megara from Hercules or Jane from Tarzan or Beast as a human?! (Seriously. He who dies with the most rare character pics, totally wins in my book!)

Oh well. To each his own and whatnot. . .

But seriously and back to the point of this post: To all the Princess runners this weekend, I'm begging you, for me. . .stop and take pictures with the characters so I can be uber jelly from my apt, mmmkay?