runDisney Costume Couture with Kristen Terkelsen aka RunningInMakeup

 The fantastic Kristen Terkelson, the creative genius behind some of the most creative costumes that we have seen on the race course will be our guide on this adventure as we dive into her costume couture and her history with runDisney . As we traverse through the fun and creativity of Disney race costumes, Kristen’s innovative VHS box costume will undoubtedly leave you inspired and eager to up your costume game.

We talk post menopause weight loss with Healithier U and we'll be diving into our mailbag to answer your burning questions. We'll tackle everything from nutrition to costuming, and yes, menopause. We want to hear from you – your questions, your challenges, and your success stories. We believe that by sharing, we can all grow and learn together. So, lace up those running shoes, pull out your best Disney costume, and let’s hit the road together for an episode full of inspiration, laughter, and insights.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to 321 Go the Podcast. I'm John Pelkey.

Speaker 2: 0:08

And I'm Karissa Galloway, and we're bringing you stories from start to finish to keep the everyday athlete motivated to keep moving towards the next finish.

Speaker 1: 0:17

Alright, folks, today we have the second of our costume couture chats, using my college French there. Joining us today is Kristen Terkelson, aka running in makeup, to share her run Disney and costume journey.

Speaker 2: 0:31

Yeah, and it was great to see Kristen this weekend at Wine and Dine and shout out to her for volunteering for the 10K and the half passing out medals. In healthier you, we're going to talk about weight loss after menopause and open the mail bag to hear from Patrick To all of you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for coming up at the expo and the races and saying you're actually listening, john, people are actually listening. Thank you for doing that, for sharing when you're listening on Instagram. Please subscribe. That is the nicest thing you can do and let's do this Alright, johnny, as we're recording this two days post Wine and Dine how ya doin'.

Speaker 1: 1:19

I'm doing pretty well. I mean, I hit a little bit of a wall yesterday, on Monday. I felt pretty good when I got home on Sunday Because I popped over. I didn't stay Sunday night. I came home because I had doggy duty. You know, when you have dogs they can only go so long without having to take them for a walk, or else you come home to things you don't want to come home.

Speaker 2: 1:40

Duty.

Speaker 1: 1:41

But I felt pretty good. I stayed up, I watched the Sunday night football game. I thought I'm going to get back on a normal schedule pretty quickly. And then yesterday doing stuff around the house hit a little bit of a wall. Middle of the afternoon, about two o'clock yesterday, I was. I needed to take a break. How did you do? Did you run into the thing that I always run into, which is Monday morning? You wake up at like 2.45 in the morning and have that panicked moment.

Speaker 2: 2:07

So it wasn't Sunday night because I went to Hollywood Studios with the family. We shunned. We pushed away the post-stories after party.

Speaker 1: 2:16

To shun dude, Push away.

Speaker 2: 2:18

We say that a lot, if you haven't noticed, we like it. So we went to Brown Derby and then we took Elliot Lopes Fantasmic. So we went to Fantasmic and then I had my point is that I had a beer and two glasses of wine. So I slept through everything on Sunday night and then, because of the time change, elliot woke up a little bit earlier in the hotel than I had wanted. Apparently, weston says I went back to sleep for an hour after he woke up and didn't acknowledge any of them being awake.

Speaker 2: 2:45

But then last night I had a healthier U chat and right before it I was really wiped out. We were waiting for an Instacart order that was delivered to the wrong house, got that all sorted out and then had a nice early bedtime. So I feel okay. But it is that residual fatigue that kind of creeps up on you because you've just done something very out of the norm for the body. But we're taping this today. So, looking forward to a Tuesday, we're going to go to the Olive Garden, take the kids out for a special celebratory Olive Garden. Both of my kids love Olive Garden breadsticks.

Speaker 1: 3:13

Hey, the soup, salad and breadsticks. I'm sorry, I don't know what else is on the menu, but the soup, salad and breadsticks.

Speaker 2: 3:19

That's what I did.

Speaker 1: 3:21

I don't know what I could do for you.

Speaker 2: 3:23

Who are you? But Claire's gymnastics meet that she had last week. On Saturday she got a 9.925 on floor, which, if you know gymnastics, a 10 is perfect. Yeah, and they just don't give out those scores all the time. So we're going to go out for her a little celebratory event there and guys, john and I, are going to chat a little about Wine and Dine. But we've got Riley coming on next week to talk about Wine and Dine.

Speaker 1: 3:49

That's right, riley Claremont, who, by the way, we'll find out from him how it went because he has to get up Monday morning and drive all the way back to where he lives in North Carolina. So he did say that sometimes he gets up and leaves at like 3.30 or 4 in the morning because he's on that time schedule. That's the problem. Your body has now gotten used to it and then it goes away. So, yeah, we will talk to Riley a lot about it. It was a great weekend. I can't say enough about how the weather cooperated, because we start checking in a couple of weeks ahead of time, the 10 day forecast, and it looked like it was going to be a little warmer and a little more human than it was, and it actually ended up being almost perfect conditions. So we'll talk a lot about that. We'll talk a lot about some of the most inspirational stuff we've ever heard. Certainly, I have one that I want to talk about, but we'll let Riley lead us into that in our next episode.

Speaker 2: 4:40

We will Real quick. We do want to get into today's episode because it's great. We went a little bit long, but I want to shout out. I mentioned the people saying they love the podcast. There was a huge response to DW's episode. Now his episode came out the day before the day the race started, essentially, and we're going to bring him back on to talk about it, so I don't want to say too much. But he said he was stopped almost the whole time by people sharing stories that were inspired by kind of the same thing. He said about people feeling comfortable being themselves, people settling into that idea that, yeah, I might run a 13, 14, 15 minute mile, but I am an athlete and hearing him say that too meant a lot. And if this podcast does nothing but help people feel more comfortable and more empowered by what they can do, like that's kind of the impetus of why we do this. Why run? Disney makes things so magical and, john, I had so much fun at the race getting friendship bracelets. I got a lot of friendship bracelets Me too.

Speaker 1: 5:35

Me too, you brought a number of them to me. People stopped me at the finish line, so shout out to all that Also a lot of people saying that they enjoyed the podcast and just the usual amount of positive feedback that we get for those folks who you know, maybe, were struggling through it. We talk about this a lot the elite runners up front and stuff. You know they're there for their personal bests, personal records and stuff and we certainly cheer them on. But it is those folks who are dealing with stuff, those folks who aren't sure they can make that final mile that we get to see at the finish line, that really, really fuel us after a very, very long weekend. So it was a great time, it was one of the better weekends that I can remember and certainly the people have a lot to do with that and the weather also has a great deal to do with that. So lots of fun the whole time. You know you ran the 10K.

Speaker 2: 6:29

How was it? It was amazing. And I did it in a different way than I usually do, because I usually like to get out there and challenge myself and push myself, because I don't get an opportunity to race very much. But this time I knew I was going to be Belle and I knew that our friends Matthew does this and Michael does this, who we've had Michael on the podcast they were also going to be in the Belle wheelhouse. So I said you know what I'm going to do the race with you guys. They stopped for all the pictures. I've never done that. So I was like, let's just do that. So Michael and running, racing, running to the castle, alisa, they would go and they would run ahead of Matthew and Weston and I and we would stay with Matthew. We were sticking to our run, walk, run intervals because he had a challenge weekend and Michael runs a little bit faster. They would get in line. We would meet up with them, take the picture, go on.

Speaker 2: 7:16

But I got to really experience the race from a different point of view. Never stopped for all the characters. It was really fun. Got to take in the bands. The bands were phenomenal out there. And then I also got to experience when the race course gets a little bit more congested as it does as the race goes on. But I will say I thought it was very manageable. Everybody was very polite out there and it was really such a fun atmosphere. Especially, I always love ending the race the way that 10 K course ends. You go through Hollywood Studios, then you go down the boardwalk and then you finish an Epcot and when you get into Epcot and I think you experience this too and the flames are lit and it's dark and the Disney music is playing and it's theme, it's just kind of a goosebumps moment. So we had a lot of fun. It was slower than my half marathon time for the 10 K and I loved every second of it, john.

Speaker 1: 8:06

Yeah, I'm glad you got to do it that way because, again, you know, when I talk about the elite runners and those who are like shut up and start the race, you're among those people. That's how you normally are with me when I'm, when I'm starting a race that you're in. So I'm glad you actually got to enjoy the leisure, more leisurely run and, as I tell everybody, your picture at the finish line, your picture with your medal nobody knows what your time was. Nobody, nobody cares. What we care is that you finish, that you feel good about yourself, and I'm glad that that worked out for you and I look forward to seeing the pictures as much as I look forward to getting a copy of your book, which I haven't gotten yet. So I don't know what the what story behind that is, but we'll get into that. We had a party.

Speaker 2: 8:46

You were out of town. You really don't have a copy yet. I don't oh my gosh, I feel horrible now.

Speaker 1: 8:51

You've not given me, I just simply I forgot and I'm sorry. Right, it doesn't even have to be an autographed copy of this. What could be used copy at this point?

Speaker 2: 8:59

Okay, so if you got my book and you hated it, please ship it to John. We'll give you his address.

Speaker 1: 9:05

Are you okay Any races in your future? Are you training for anything at this point?

Speaker 2: 9:08

So I need to. So next year for me is a big birthday year and I'm not going to say it, but you can probably figure it out, and so I want to do it.

Speaker 1: 9:15

You look great for 70. That's all I have to say. You look great, yes, thank you.

Speaker 2: 9:18

Perfect, I want to do a marathon. So I have to find, with my schedule, with training, like an actual marathon to train for, because I haven't trained for a marathon since I ran Boston in 2019. Then I had Elliot, then we have COVID and then I just with taking on Iron man. I work so much but I want to. Honestly, after hearing the podcast and all the stories of people pushing themselves, I want to not be afraid to push myself for another marathon.

Speaker 2: 9:42

So, if you have any suggestions of a marathon, probably the fall of 2024. That's a fun one. I would love to do New York, but we can't do that as we talk about so trying to find a fun one that you won't have to train through the Orlando summer but has some good crowd support. Dare, I say the Walt Disney World marathon. I probably can't get into that. I probably have to do something that we can do. But, yeah, I'm going to find a marathon to train for and, speaking of races, you have, if everyone listens to this, when it comes out, which will be on November 8th, something fun, racing wise for you.

Speaker 1: 10:16

That's right. This coming weekend if you're listening when we're released and not down the line sometime St Pete Runfest, which is one of my favorite events to do throughout the season, with 5K and 10K on Saturday, the half marathon on Sunday You're running in beautiful St Pete as the sun comes up, down along the water. It has a great vibe. The after party is phenomenal. It's just a great, great weekend.

Speaker 1: 10:43

And you get to see my wife and I work out all of our family business because she co-hosts with me and if you know the relationship between me and my much smarter, much more talented, much more attractive wife, you know that most of it is me being told what I've done wrong. So you get to see that up close and personal. She'll also motivate you. But you will see. You know you'll get a little glimpse at the Chase Pelkey household and my Honeydew lists, my long Honeydew lists, and then the long sessions of what I didn't do right in my Honeydew list. We'll work all of that out. So it's a blast in all seriousness. It's just a fun, great experience. It's beautiful and Ryan and all the folks down there at St Pete Runfest do a really, really great job. So if you have an opportunity to check that out. I highly recommend it.

Speaker 2: 11:38

Maybe we could get you to do the half marathon next year, carissa, we could do the show I would be down for that I'm sure Ryan would be into this.

Speaker 1: 11:43

We could do the show from the St Pete Runfest.

Speaker 2: 11:47

Oh, I would totally be down for that. So let's make that a plan, because I'm usually, you know, my Iron man season is done, so I've got a whole four weeks at home, and next year I won't be doing Rock and Roll St Antonia, which I'm doing this year. So, yeah, that sounds like a great idea. And I do want to shout out your wife. She was out there on the course at the Wine and Dine half marathon, saw some pictures with her. I talked to Barbara Gowey and I was like did you see Jody? And she was like no, but I saw this lady doing a thing where she was pushing a grill away from a man that was supposed to be her husband. I was like they were doing a bit. They were doing a bit.

Speaker 1: 12:18

Yeah yeah, she was at a really great. I wish she was here. She's actually working elsewhere. I'd have her pop in for a second. She was at the 10 and a third mile mark essentially, which she said was a really great place to be for the half marathon because you know people with three miles left and there's a little bit of a struggle. So it was a lot of fun motivating folks and she said they just had I'll shout out to Eric Pinder who was her compatriot out there. She was cheering people on but she reiterated what we did A lot of smiles, people really happy with the weather. It really really had a great vibe. So if you saw the young lady out there with the hibachi grilling hot dogs, that was my lovely, more lovely, more talented, smarter wife, jody.

Speaker 2: 13:07

Jody had a lot of fun. We all had a lot of fun out there and we're so glad that you guys joined us. Come back next week. Riley Claremont, first time on the podcast talking about wine and dine. And a shout out to Katie McBride with TravelMation, our amazing sponsor. We're a huge fan of using a travel agent in my family. Give her some love on Instagram at TravelMation. She can help you prep, plan and get that perfect vacation underway. Her website is in the show notes and thank you again to Katie McBride. And from one K to another, here's our chat with Kristen.

Speaker 3: 13:39

Okay, civilians, it's time for the goods. Let's get on to the interview.

Speaker 2: 13:44

Today's guest is a content creator, run Disney costume specialist and a perfect seasoner from the 2022-2023 run Disney season. Please welcome to 321. Go Kristen, aka running in makeup. Kristen, how are you? Where are you?

Speaker 3: 14:01

Hey, thanks for having me. I'm so good and I'm presently in Austin, Texas, which is where I've been for the last decade. I love Austin.

Speaker 2: 14:11

Torchies is the best. It's real weird K-So.

Speaker 1: 14:16

I have an Austin Weird hat from. I did a gig working for the Texas Historical Society and got to go there and it just just such a cool. College towns are always so cool Generally if you're like me and you like live music and sometimes affordable food options not always so well, good for you, good for you, all, right. Well, let's get started, kristen. Let's, let's, let's get into this. Let's start, before all of this Disney obsession costuming stuff, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got to this point.

Speaker 3: 14:49

So I I'm what I'm what they call an adult onset runner.

Speaker 1: 14:55

I was never a runner before I love that I'm an adult onset runner.

Speaker 3: 15:01

I used to fake getting, you know. I used to fake sick to get out of running the mile in school, because running was always used as punishment. You know you cut up in class, you did something wrong, go take a lap or two, you know. And so in my early 30s it was right after I had my twins they, you know, it was right around the year mark. It was their their birthday party.

Speaker 3: 15:23

Actually, I saw a picture of myself at that party and I had I'm sure there's a formal term for this, but just the best way that I can describe it is kind of a reverse body dysmorphia kind of thing, where I didn't realize I was that big until I saw the picture and I knew at that moment that something had to change or I wasn't going to be around for them to watch the twins grew up and watch my oldest grow up. I didn't want to be the mom that was stuck on the couch and couldn't do anything. I didn't want that for myself or for them either. So I decided I was going to make a change and and in that my husband does triathlons and he said well, why don't you do, why don't you start running. I was like why?

Speaker 1: 16:06

Why would I do that? That is why don't you love me.

Speaker 3: 16:10

That's crazy. That is the craziest thing. No, but my options were limited because I have horrible balance, so the bike really wasn't a smart idea and I sink like a rock. So the swimming was not not going to not going to do it for me either, and at the time I was under the impression that running was the cheapest sport out there, which now have come to find out it's not so well, I'll say this about running the floor is pretty, is down there.

Speaker 1: 16:39

I mean, if you want to go out and run in a pair of chuck tailors, you can do that.

Speaker 3: 16:44

But you can.

Speaker 1: 16:45

The ceiling really creeps up quickly.

Speaker 3: 16:48

Yes, especially if you get into a habit of run Disney like, like I did. So so I set out and and gave myself an out of six weeks. I'd found an app on my phone. It was a couch to 5k program. It was six weeks long and I decided that if, at the end of that six weeks, I either hated it still or didn't see much of a change or found something else to supplement with the running so like going back to inactive was not an option Then I could say, ok, I gave it a fair shot and I'm going to quit. I'm going to find something else at the six week mark. And here we are, six and a half years later and I haven't quit. So but that's, that's where it started. And then my first ever half marathon was less than a year into my running journey and it was the 3M half marathon here in Austin in January of 2018. So I would say that that escalated rather quickly. It did.

Speaker 2: 17:48

Now we're going to dive into run Disney soon. But I want to kind of go back to your journey after motherhood, because we've had other moms on here and I'm a mom and we talk about the struggles that come after having kids, emotionally and physically, like you mentioned. When you started running, did you notice changes in yourself physically and emotionally, or when did that happen?

Speaker 3: 19:26

I would say it happened probably within the first three to four. The first month We'll just say the first month, because I was Chris, I'm sure that you dealt with this too. You have this almost like a mom guilt of leaving them. Granted, it was for 30 minutes, like that's all it was, but the guilt associated with that was really, really heavy, and so not only was I having to navigate this new, you know, physical fitness realm, but also learning that it's OK to step away from them for little pieces of time in order to become the best version of me, to be the best mom for them. So it's and I'm no expert on it at like at all, don't, don't quote me on it, don't write. I will not write a book about it, but it's one of those things that you continuously learn. I'm learning new things about how to be the best version of me, to be the best mom for them.

Speaker 2: 20:24

And I do think running helps support that when you get away from the guilt. We were talking to somebody that said we said, like you know, you don't take time for yourself as a mom, but if you're going to run, no one's going to tell you, no, don't go out and run, but you still. There's so much to dive through all those different layers. So you know you started it to lose weight. Was that something that happened, you know, along your journey.

Speaker 3: 20:44

Absolutely. I lost over 70 pounds doing that and became the person that I think I was always meant to become, and not just physically, not just physically, but there's such a change that happens when you do lose that amount of weight, when you do commit and stick with a new routine which for me, that was a fitness routine there's, there's just an all around, inside out, top of the head to the soles of the feet change. That happens and it's. It's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 1: 21:14

I want to. I want to quick follow up with that too, because you know you're so many people talk about that how it really institutes a life change. It's not just getting out there and strapping on the shoes and going for a couple of miles. So did you find that everything changed for you, dietarily speaking, your ideas about? You know, because people enter into it thinking it's all about weight. It's really not. It come. Health and weight are somewhat connected, but, as we know, muscle weighs more than fat, so just just numbers aren't important. So this was a whole life change for you once you started.

Speaker 3: 21:46

Absolutely, because I saw the value of what it was doing to me, and why would I not want to share that with my family, with my kids? So meals changed, the types of things that we were doing together as a family changed. It wasn't movie nights on the couch, it's going down to the park, it's. It's doing, you know, taking them to an indoor trampoline kind of place, which I would never because I would be the first one to break a leg.

Speaker 2: 22:12

There's a new one here in Central Florida, I'm still terrified by the way as a mom of a gymnast will go after like 15 minutes, I'm like, ok, that's it, we're done. We're not pushing it.

Speaker 3: 22:21

Those are two. I can't like my my anxiety about that because I work at a, I work in healthcare, work at a trauma hospital and the the things that I have seen from those kinds of places like forever have cured me of wanting to go there. But you know, your kids have to live a little bit.

Speaker 2: 22:37

So we are going to move on to Disney, but I do have one more question for you, because I don't think we intended the podcast to go in this direction. But a 70 pound weight loss and what you achieved is is so inspiring to so many people. And you know I'm a dietitian and I hear from so many people that they say I started running to lose weight or sign it for a marathon, lose weight. And I did it. So you might have alluded to before what was your difference in in having the weight loss not just come from? People think that just the running is going to fall off, but like there's obviously much more that comes with it. So what did you learn about yourself and how to make that change? Maybe for people that have struggled?

Speaker 3: 23:11

So I learned how to look at food differently. I started to look at food as fuel, which I know some people already do anyway, but some people don't. So I'm a very visual person. So I just imagined if I'm a car, what kind of gasoline am I putting in my car? You know, the quality of the gas you put in the car really dictates how that car operates. So you were the same way you are.

Speaker 3: 23:38

If you're putting junk food in, you're going to get junk out, and it really took a mindset flip of that and it wasn't the best thing to do. In my opinion, that helped me the most was you take it one meal, one snack at a time. Don't go into it thinking the whole mindset's going to flip. This is going to be awesome, I'm never going to struggle. But you know that's. You're setting yourself up for failure if you go into it thinking that way.

Speaker 3: 24:09

So you take it one meal at a time. You make one good decision about something at a time, and I was listening to one of the older podcasts, or earlier podcasts from from y'all, and you were talking about that, about you know? Well, yeah, I want that pizza, but now I'm going to have that one slice. But now I'm going to make a better choice, going forward as maybe something to supplement that, or letting that be the one cheat meal, or whatnot. So, taking it one step at a time, to quote Anna from Frozen, just do the next right thing, make the next right choice, like don't. Don't make it more complicated than needs to be, because it's really not.

Speaker 2: 24:47

No, I like that.

Speaker 1: 24:48

There's a great yeah, that will help you, there's that great quote at the Chinese Pavilion at at Epcot, and I always loved it and it's from a philosopher that's name I can't remember. But the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. And I think if you approach, we approach everything that way, but we don't. We look at the, the final goal, and then if we're not seeing a lot of movement in that direction, because it's not a straight line upwards achievement, so a good point to make. Yeah, take it. So I should have one less slice of the pizza I'm going to be having for lunch.

Speaker 3: 25:16

That's a perfect. That's a perfect. That's where I'll start. Next right thing yeah, I thought about you on game day.

Speaker 2: 25:20

John, I almost texted you, texted you what are you eating over there? But I, but I was sick, so I just let it, I just let it go.

Speaker 1: 25:25

I was pretty good. I'm, you know, you know me that the dietary thing is pretty good. It's the exercise thing where I fall short and sadly I had a back injury a few days ago and so I'm I'm overcoming that. So I have to approach my exercise point in that sort of one step, which is essentially all I want to take. Is that one step, not the two miles that?

Speaker 3: 25:47

I well, and that one step, though, is going to lead to your 10 K.

Speaker 1: 25:51

Remember, because you are doing that, I know, I know. Now you have a set back, so keep a positive mindset.

Speaker 2: 25:56

John, you have plenty of time.

Speaker 1: 25:58

Yes, you do, I'm going to do it. I know you are.

Speaker 2: 26:00

We know you are, you're going to do it. You're going to.

Speaker 1: 26:03

I'm it's questionable if I'll enjoy it, but I'm going to do it. By God. I am going to enjoy the end result.

Speaker 2: 26:08

All right, let's, let's. Thank you for sharing that story, chris. I think it's super inspiring and I hope that it's helpful to people that are in, you know, that same position or in that journey. But I want to take it to run Disney. So you ran a half marathon and obviously wasn't it run Disney? So what brought you to run Disney and win?

Speaker 3: 26:25

I actually saw my sorority sister post about run Disney on Facebook and I was like wait, hold on what you can run at Disney and not get in trouble for it, because you know I imagine people just tailing it up Main Street and be like walk please. You know I had no idea what it was. And then I saw her post about it on Facebook about the princess half marathon in 2017. And I was in the middle of my training for 3M for that half and I told my husband about it. I was like, hey, this looks really cool. I think I want to do this.

Speaker 3: 27:03

And so for our anniversary that year, he wrote me an IOU for the registration into princess for 2019, because at that point 18 was already was already sold out. And that's really where it started was seeing a sorority sister post about it on on Facebook and realizing that it was a thing and people you know at that point were more bounding I guess not like the full blown costumes, but and getting to run up Main Street and have people cheer for you and it's like you're the star of the parade and why would you not want to do that? So that became the goal was to was to run princess in 2019. And I remember telling him, I think once I run that one, we all go do other races that I won't need to do anymore, and that that was a very big lie. It was a very big lie.

Speaker 1: 27:57

All right, two things. First of all, your dog is so well behaved behind you there, over over here, I believe your left shoulder my dog the door is closed because Amy Lou would be up in my lap.

Speaker 1: 28:05

So congratulations on that. And I want to ask if you can go back to that first, because obviously you didn't know a ton about run Disney and what. What it's like just a little bit run through the parks, which is how a lot of people approach it. How different was it for you? What were the most surprising things for you when you, when you finally got your feet on the ground in a Disney race?

Speaker 3: 28:26

How many people are there? How many people are there? I don't know that I had an expectation per se with it. I had watched a bunch of YouTube videos of people running through and whatnot, and that's what inspired me to start my channel. But so I had a relatively good idea about what the course looked like.

Speaker 3: 28:48

But seeing it on a video and then seeing it for yourself are two completely different things. So I think that the sheer amount of people there and then how long we were standing around waiting in the corrals before it started People don't show that on the video. You don't know that if you're towards the, the ladder, half of those corrals you're. You're out there hanging out with, hanging out with y'all honestly for a couple hours, you know hour, hour and half. So especially with the bigger races. But so that was. That was something that was a little bit eye opening.

Speaker 3: 29:21

But then, on the flip side of that, actually running up Main Street, actually putting running shoes to the ground on Main Street and having the entire line, having the entire left side of Main Street roped off with packed with people who were cheering you know they've got your name on your bib and you've got people that you don't even know calling out your name, like you can do this, you're doing so good and there is no feeling like it. And that's that's that kind of like for my generation. The Scholastic book fair high, if you will, that's that's. That's that's what you chase. That feeling is what you chase.

Speaker 2: 29:59

It is pretty, it's pretty amazing and I almost tear up just like thinking about running it, because you get it and you see the castle because when I was a little kid I was a huge Disney kid and we went when I was really little but we couldn't afford to go until I was like in sixth or seventh grade. And when we would leave the Magic Kingdom I would turn on the fair and I would watch the castle until, like, I couldn't see it anymore, because when you're a kid you don't control about when you can come back and all these things. So it has this, this amazing pull on it and to have that special experience where you're doing something that's empowering you in that environment, it's, it's truly amazing. And so January and February, when the races go through the castle, it's is definitely one of a kind favorite.

Speaker 3: 30:37

Did you love the?

Speaker 2: 30:38

first race where you like, man, those people on stage, they're just hilarious. I love them. So I just get like what's going on? Who are these people?

Speaker 3: 30:47

No, I like literally. So my friend Teresa was with me and I, you know, weaseled her into air quotes, weaseled her into coming with me and she's hooked too. But I remember looking at that her and being like they're really funny, like are these stand up comedians? Like who, who are these? Because I don't, I didn't know why are these people here.

Speaker 2: 31:10

Can we just run?

Speaker 1: 31:12

Can we just go shut up and let us run?

Speaker 3: 31:15

Well, I maybe, maybe I did think that, but now now being on kind of the other, the more experienced side of it, I understand why we're doing our best to try to make it less boring.

Speaker 2: 31:26

We understand, we have a fabulous job. We have to stand there.

Speaker 3: 31:29

the whole time too. Exactly, exactly. So at least we get to move a little bit. Y'all are literally standing same spot.

Speaker 1: 31:37

Well, and I do think we're part of why we're funny is because no one has slept, and when you're there's a little bit of a punchy. We haven't slept. Humorousness to it all, but. But thank you for the kind words. I just assume everyone's looking at us going. Please, please, stop talking so that we can run.

Speaker 2: 31:53

No not everyone. No, I mean, that's OK. There's nothing we can do. It's like sorry.

Speaker 1: 31:57

Right. We need to make the point that it, despite the fact that, yeah, we have to say three, two, one go, there is someone telling us that we can do that. It is not our decision at any point in time, because we'd send you all off as quickly as we possibly could, you know. But they do. They do the race, people do a great job and there is a reason why you're upstanding around all. As, as annoying as that may be, it makes it a lot nicer out on the course. Well, and just like with everything.

Speaker 3: 32:22

I think the more people know kind of, the more fun it is to do. People know kind of the backs, the backstage, back scene, part of it, the more that there there's more grace in all of that. Like you know, if you realize, oh, they're holding us so that it doesn't get all clumped up on the course, right, then people are like, oh OK, yeah, that's cool. But if you've never done one and you don't know that, then you're just like why am I standing here Exactly? But even my first race.

Speaker 2: 32:44

My first half marathon was Rock and Roll, virginia Beach in probably around 2004, maybe. And I got there and I was like bib number 30,000 and I didn't know and I was like, wait, I don't, this is taking forever. Like what's happening, this is boring. Like why am I standing like that? I just didn't understand, I didn't love it.

Speaker 2: 33:00

I still don't love waiting in line. That's just my, my personality, but yes. So if you're listening and you're new to run Disney, depending on what starting group you're in, you may have to wait a little bit. John and I will try to entertain you. All right, we're going to jump forward. From 2019 to last year, you ran, I think, 112.7 miles on Disney property. You did the perfect season. So why was that your goal?

Speaker 3: 33:26

You know, it didn't really start out as the goal. It just kind of happened. I had gone into the season wanting to do all three races at Wine and Dine. I think Wine and Dine is probably, in my opinion is one of the more underrated weekends because you get the after party and, granted the weather, the weather can be a little little tricky because last year it was warm and it rained.

Speaker 2: 33:51

It was cold, but it was the first one back, so I think we all which, like I would have run, I shouldn't say I would have run.

Speaker 3: 34:00

I did run all through the rain on that one.

Speaker 3: 34:03

But I would do it again, happily, no. But I so started out with with that, wanting to do all three at Wine and Dine, and then I knew I was going to be doing dopey. So that's all for there. I always do all three at Princess. So at that point it was like, well, what the heck? What's? What's three more, what's another 19.3?.

Speaker 3: 34:21

But as, as the season started and the challenges that arose in the perfect season, you know, came up, like my overuse, injury and that kind of thing, the where it didn't start as the goal to do the perfect season, it ended with that because it was such a, a triumph of overcoming things that I think a lesser person may have been like I'm out, I'm out. You know both physically. You know things that happened behind the scenes. Um, there's just, it was more of a celebration of mental toughness and strength and an overcoming demeanor than it was the actual physical part of it. Was it physically challenging? 100%, I think I'm still tired from it. So you know I, but it's um, it was such a, it was such a cool thing, cause I know that there weren't that many of us. I remember at one point, chris, you said the total number during springtime, and I don't remember what it was, but I was trying to remember it, but I I can't remember it.

Speaker 3: 35:23

There wasn't that many. There wasn't that many. Someone, please tell us so, please. Is there any?

Speaker 1: 35:27

video of that Cause I remember too. I can't remember and it is small and uh to uh. You know, to the point it's uh, the numbers are small, not just because obviously the distance is a lot and physically, but we just talked about it, the logistics of being there every weekend and doing it. That's the thing that I don't really commend folks like you enough on is that you know you live in Austin, you're flying in, you're dealing with all of those extra things. Um, I wanted to ask this question, though as a quick follow up on that, because, as somebody you know, we look at the dopey challenge and I know when all, when goofy challenge came out, we all thought, well, I can swear to you, when they told the race announcers we're going to do this, we were like, well, you'll get like four people.

Speaker 2: 36:10

I know we thought it was the dumbest, Not the dumbest.

Speaker 1: 36:12

Are you insane?

Speaker 2: 36:12

That's insane who would run a high marathon.

Speaker 1: 36:15

Before a marathon and we thought it would all be. You know elite runners and people, but, but it turns out to be a lot of more people like yourself who are veterans at this point of running, but you're not out front trying to win the race when you, when you mentally? How do you mentally prepare for a dopey weekend and what, what, what are your? Do you individually have goals per race or do you just approach it as one giant weekend? It just that fascinates me, how you mentally prepare yourself for that.

Speaker 3: 36:48

You have to go in with the knowledge of being and being okay with being uncomfortable, becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable and the. You'll hear people say and I'm now in that camp of it's not the miles that get you, it's the waking up for five mornings and you know that kind of there for more than five if you're doing early expo, but it's it's. You go into it with individual goals, I do, at least for each race. So the 5k, I knew I was going to walk that. I knew that, like no question, we're going to leisurely stroll this, it's no problem, we're going to take, we're going to get our money's worth on that course and be happy with it. You know the 10k, because then you've got the balloon ladies in in the in play. Now the 10k I still do. I'm an interval, I'm a Galloway interval runner. So I lengthened my intervals. I lengthened the recovery section of those intervals to where I was, you know, running for a minute but walking for two, you know. And just to keep movement on the legs but keep moving but also keep above balloon lady pace. The half was more, more of that. I did a one a one, one interval with that. How to blast, it was so much fun.

Speaker 3: 38:04

And then went into the marathon with the goal of hopefully I wanted a sub 630. And ended. That was goal one. Goal two was if I couldn't do that, a sub 645, if I couldn't do that, a sub seven. And on I felt like I feel like I was. You know, goal AA. You know, made it all the way to Z. Now we're back at AA, but that way you're at least you're meeting a goal. That's the end result is you're meeting a goal. So my knee gave out at mile four and ended up walking the remainder of that marathon and still beat the balloon lady. So that's, you know, goal. Goal Z was to finish and I did, but I think going into it like to circle back I hate that term. Why did I just say that? To circle back to what you asked. I think you have to go into it. It's for my previous email.

Speaker 2: 38:56

No, I'm just kidding.

Speaker 3: 38:57

For my email that I sent you on Friday afternoon. You know you have to go into it with goals that you're okay with meeting or maybe not meeting, and then having another set. That way you can always be victorious. If you will, you know you can leave the staging area at the end of the race knowing I met my goal. I set a goal, I met it. Was it the first one that you set? Maybe not, maybe I don't know. But at least you can say I met that goal and that's to me that's the best way to go into something like that, because it's a big thing.

Speaker 1: 39:31

Yeah, I appreciate you being honest about that because you know, again, we talked to a lot of people and so many people, depending on where they are and their running journey, they, you know, they approach it in different ways. But I like that and I'm gonna use that for my 10K. I'm gonna walk the first 5.9 miles and then that last like.

Speaker 2: 39:50

Hey, as long as you finish for the balloon, Lady John, you are A-okay and you probably get to start at the front.

Speaker 1: 39:56

And the later I finish, the less announcing at the finish line I have to do so it takes a little bit off my plate.

Speaker 2: 40:01

So it is not easy to announce after a hard race at 10K, but that time they made me announce after the half marathon. I've said this before. I was like a drunk person because I had actually run the last three really hard and I was like you have on purple Hello hat, like I don't know why, and Mark later was like you weren't supposed to announce and I'm like, well, you gave me the microphone.

Speaker 1: 40:23

No, no, no, it was entertaining for the rest of us.

Speaker 2: 40:25

So you were supposed to announce. I couldn't read the thing.

Speaker 1: 40:27

I was just like shh. No, we appreciate that and, by the way, that's how I felt after my 5K.

Speaker 2: 40:31

So stop being judgmental. Stop being judgmental, you just stood on the side and people came and congratulated you, so you really felt like a king that day.

Speaker 1: 40:38

I really did.

Speaker 2: 40:38

You had a throne. You had a line of people to congratulate you. They brought offerings. It was.

Speaker 1: 40:44

Well, my legend runs deep. All right, let's jump into the costume part of the wall.

Speaker 2: 40:49

Yeah, we were supposed to talk about costumes, and it's okay. We were supposed to talk about costumes. This is what we're here for. I know, I know.

Speaker 1: 40:55

So let's jump into that. What I want to know, a couple parts of this and Kristen, the first race. What did you wear and when did the costume thing become a huge part of your journey?

Speaker 3: 41:07

So my first costume that I did it was for the Princess 10K in 2019, my first run Disney weekend and it was a Excuse me. It was a Minnie Mouse polka dot skirt that I got second hand off of Facebook Marketplace and a black tank top. That was the end, some years from the park and in fact, when I finished the virtual series last or in August the run Disney virtual series, the last one I did I re-wore that costume because I still had it and I was like, let's talk about full circle moments.

Speaker 2: 41:43

Yeah, definitely so, because you said you had looked at videos and you had kind of researched a little bit of run Disney before you knew that costumes were kind of a part of it in 2019?

Speaker 3: 41:52

Yeah, yeah, yeah, they were not what they are. Now I will say that and I think if you just a quick Google search for race pictures from 2019 and before, we'll show that. But I knew that, like bounding and looking similar to a character or whatnot was very much smiled upon, on course, and made for great pictures. In fact, that first race I remember we were going through World Showcase and Epcot and there's it was my first attempt at a jump shot and I ended up. I need to go back and find this and post it because it's just hilarious. I look like a T-Rex about to annihilate the lady in front of me because I've got one leg way higher than the other. My arms are like T-Rex arms. My mouth is wide open, like it was it's so. I need to go back and find that. That's a great picture.

Speaker 2: 42:46

It's an art we should do, like a jump shot day. We should pick a day and it's like show us your worst jump shot social media day. Let's do that.

Speaker 3: 42:55

That should be a devil. That'll be my submission for that. Yeah, we'll find that one.

Speaker 2: 43:00

John, you got to. You're not there yet, John, so don't try any jump shots on the 10K.

Speaker 1: 43:04

Yeah, I didn't you know, I'm old and my ankles might not. It is an art.

Speaker 2: 43:08

It is an art, I tell you, on the boardwalk. You know you got to jump a lot but the boardwalk can be slippery, so there's a lot, you know. I think we all remember the picture where I was in some ladies picture last year the castle, cause I didn't know which way to go. But okay, so you bound it a little bit. What I think is interesting and I'm going off topic again is that, like run, disney never said wear costumes, wear costumes, john. It just like when princess happened, it trickled in, like there were fairy wings and there were maybe tiaras and like maybe some tutus, and then it just grew and maybe in the beginning of marathon, when goofy came, like people would wear the goofy hat.

Speaker 1: 43:45

Little bit, little bit and the Star Wars type races. A lot of people when we did those, people would dress up a little more. That became sort of a cause to lead for the Star Wars, yeah, but they didn't wear full video cases.

Speaker 2: 43:56

So, kristen, let's talk about Such a good costume, some of your most memorable costumes. I'm talking about the video case. I'm talking about the glitter cozy cone, which is really a favorite of mine, I think, cause of the glitter aspect. So talk about your costume evolution and some of your greatest hits, if you will.

Speaker 3: 44:13

I think my first big costume that I commissioned out I had a seamstress make. It was a Princess 5K of 22. And I was in a group where I was blue dress Cinderella, I had a friend who was pink dress Cinderella, and then our friend Teresa was fairy godmother and we ran most of that course together with fairy godmother in the middle. So we were like a before, during, after kind of thing, you know. And then it just it kept growing from there. That was the weekend that I was in the big princess cheerleader group, that we were all different princesses but in like standard cheerleading outfits. We were carrying pom poms, we were, you know, making cheer tunnels for people on the course, and it was so much fun.

Speaker 2: 45:01

It was just such a fun playful costume that, like everybody got, like got it and, just like you said, just brought so much fun.

Speaker 3: 45:09

And that was, honestly, when people get it, that makes it totally worth it. Granted, if one person gets it, it's totally worth it. But being able to, I guess, make people smile during a half marathon which sometimes, I know, you know, john, you may not smile a lot during your 10K, but or life I hope you do, or life you know, but being able to encourage someone and like do a little fake cheer for them on the course with your pom poms is really, really fun. So that's really when the I guess I kicked it up a notch with costumes was that race weekend. But then fast forward to Dopey, honestly, wine and dine. Last year I was the guitar from Inconto.

Speaker 2: 45:53

The silver Uh-huh, yeah, love that.

Speaker 3: 45:56

And then what else was I? Jolly holiday, mary Poppins, for the 10K, and then I had two friends running as the penguins, so all of our race shots. I'm a little bit ahead of them and they're in the back acting like they're waddling with the little diner thing over their thin, their wings. Vacation Jeannie was during that one too, but then Marathon Weekend was when it really the VHS box made its grand debut. So I loved it, because you I don't know if y'all knew this, but we opened them and on the inside we had VHS tapes that were the actual tapes. And so Tara and I would run around and be like, have you ever been flashed at Disney? And they'd be like no. And we'd be like, check this out. And we'd, you know, undo all the Velcro and open up the box. And here we are with this tape in there. And I mean it was so. It was so much fun, so much fun.

Speaker 1: 46:52

Yeah, that one really got me. Our you know, we the memorable costumes are amazing. And then some of the mashups. Trying to figure out what the mashups are at the finish line for the race, so that's, and you get so frustrated. You're like, is it? Oh, it's, oh, it's Darth, it's Peter Pan, max, whatever it is. It's just so remarkable how creative people are. Now you mentioned that you had a seamstress do your stuff, do you do any of it yourself with some of your costumes? And what, what? How far in advance do you have to come up with the costume idea?

Speaker 3: 47:30

So to go back to your first question, I have a lot of skills in life. You know I'm. I pride myself in my ability to do a lot of various things, but sewing is not one of them, much to the chagrin of my mom and my two grandmothers, who are master seamstresses. But I found this the seamstress through a friend and she's based over in Ireland, so with her you have to get her things pretty early Okay.

Speaker 3: 48:00

You know I found, I've recently found another one that's here state side and lives two streets over, but you know, but anyway, no, but you, you have to get the idea at least early, because a lot of people, especially now that costuming with Run Disney is as big as it is, they will get their dance card full real quick as to what they can take on. But I will say, chris, the glittered cozy cone, I did that. I did that. That was a cone costume straight from the Zon, straight from Amazon, that I then took formal, formal fabric from Joanne's like then the formal wear section, and had yards and yards of it cut and attached it by hand to that cone. And it was a labor of love. I learned that costumes, making costumes, is not something that I find a ton of joy in. I find more joy in wearing.

Speaker 2: 49:03

And thinking about them, but like it just had the right amount of glitter, like it needed. That, excuse me, it wouldn't have been good without the glitter and we're talking about it takes a long time, so we're taping this. In the beginning of October, two weeks ago, I was getting pictures of the costumes they're working on for John and I. Our customers had some questions like can you wear this? Is this going to work? Blah, blah, blah, blah. So like it is a well, john, I have where was I for this?

Speaker 1: 49:27

No one. No one reaches out to me, no one cares.

Speaker 2: 49:30

No, well, it's a costume. I may or may not. Well, I guess this is going to come. This is going to air after one you get to choose.

Speaker 1: 49:35

I never get to choose. That's why I'm always whatever characters killed early in the film. That's why I always play. It's something I might run.

Speaker 2: 49:41

They were inquiring whether I could run in it. And I was telling them mama's going to need a sports bra Basically, but it takes so much time even for professionals to do this. It's just so much. It's so much fun to hear a little bit of the behind the scenes, right, john?

Speaker 1: 50:00

Yeah, no, it really is. And it brings up a good question about you know we have, we have a good number now of the run Disney costume creators, yourself included, Are there? Are there any of the really inspire you that you look towards and go, oh boy, there's somebody's really upping their game.

Speaker 3: 50:16

You know the the run dopey group, the ones that they are always. They are always like chef's kiss. I don't know who comes up with their stuff, but holy moly, they're. They're so good and they're so sweet to you. Like they're. You know, you admire them for their costumes, but they're just as nice in person. Cindy Copley. Copley Couture.

Speaker 1: 50:37

She's amazing.

Speaker 3: 50:39

Remarkable, like the things that she does a marathon in.

Speaker 2: 50:44

I like I'm like moving pieces, I feel like at one time it was like some kind of like movement and a hat. Yeah, we're going to get Cindy here to kind of tell us all that.

Speaker 3: 50:52

And she's. There's one too of hers that she's got like the carousel around her skirt, Like what? In what intonation yeah?

Speaker 1: 51:02

she's yeah.

Speaker 3: 51:03

So those are the two just right on top of my head. That are I always. I look at them and I'm like, wow, wow.

Speaker 2: 51:10

Do you have? Any costumes that you've seen on course and races that were faves of yours, that that you didn't do but you were like that was that. You know. He kind of alluded to some of them, but any that you remember that you really liked.

Speaker 3: 51:23

I'm trying to think there's just so many that the ones that that stand out to me are always the group ones. I feel like a group costume and, probably because it's just the sheer number of people those tend to really stick in my mind is the group there was. So my first, my first marathon, was during goofy in 2020. That was my first ever marathon. So not only did I choose to tackle a marathon, I chose to do it as part of the goofy challenge and felt a little goofy making that choice. But here we are so. But I remember there was a group that they ran as the seven dwarves and they were like standard dress and we were kind of doing that piggyback or like leapfrog with them and their intervals and whatnot. And every time they would go to run the one in the very and they would run in a straight line the one in the very back would go hi ho and then they all would go hi ho and they would all take off running. So there was an entertainment aspect to theirs as well.

Speaker 2: 52:17

This is good. This is stuff we don't, we don't know, we don't get to see. I always bring up.

Speaker 1: 52:21

I always bring up choreography at the finish line.

Speaker 3: 52:22

We have some people who do like a little two step stuff or corp, but that's pretty impressive that they're performing throughout, throughout, and that was during the marathon, because I have them on video right as we come into world showcase at the UK, as we're making that final, that final lap around to you know, to come out to the finish line during the marathon. And they're still in line in sync hi ho wing all the way to the finish line.

Speaker 2: 52:46

I would like place, I would. I just would have gotten. You know, you get to that part running where, like, your endorphins are low, I can't, I can't say hi ho, I'm too tired.

Speaker 3: 52:54

I would be the one that would turn on me like shut up.

Speaker 2: 52:57

I would be like no good for him.

Speaker 1: 52:59

Clearly have to be grumpy in that that would have to be me and that would stay with my.

Speaker 2: 53:05

We've never been for we've never, we've never touched that sort of. We haven't. We haven't, actually hasn't gotten a lot of love even at that princess.

Speaker 3: 53:13

We really never gone into that realm 2018 was the last time she was on a metal, but we?

Speaker 2: 53:19

I don't think we've ever I've been. I was snow white. I take that back. I was snow white twice because I was pregnant one of the pictures so we have once done it, but it wasn't super remember you were.

Speaker 3: 53:28

You were snow white in one of my races.

Speaker 2: 53:31

Yes, I think I had the same shirt twice and one year. I'm pregnant like not. You can't really tell, but I'm pregnant.

Speaker 1: 53:38

Same year I was Bambi's mom.

Speaker 2: 53:40

You're never Bambi's mom, john, never. It's not going to happen. Yet we don't really do a lot of the poor, so I'm lunch. Great that's you know, that's generally apparently really something really good at wine and I've been the poor a number of times, yeah really Okay.

Speaker 1: 53:54

Star Warsy thing. I'm the poor for whatever See and I never.

Speaker 3: 53:57

I never got to do a Star Wars race. I they. They gave those the axe.

Speaker 1: 54:02

You can imagine the the level of costuming for something like that, because now you're you're introducing and this is and as a huge nerd and I considered being called a nerd a positive thing the nerd them involved with those folks. The costumes were pretty, pretty remarkable and the mashups were amazing, because they do the classic Disney Star Wars mashup princess stuff. It's just crazy.

Speaker 3: 54:31

Oh, I see, I'm a I'm a big Marvel fan, so like Marvel mashups would be a little bit of that.

Speaker 1: 54:37

Have to say a little bit All day Ever.

Speaker 3: 54:40

Mm, hmm, I hope it comes back. I don't know, we'll see. But just to to circle back, my favorite, my favorite costume was the VHS tape obviously, is an elite of its own, but the, the skirt that I wore for the 10 miler to finish out the perfect season, it had different panels in it and it was a piece of every costume that I had worn the entire season. So so, 13 races, or there were 13 components to it. There was 10 panels around it. The, the tool underneath, represented the cone, because it was orange, and then the, the waistband, was green, which was no, that's reverse. The, the tool, was green to do the. Mike was asking getting. Mike was asking that we were for the 10 K. The waistband was orange for the, for the cozy cone, and then I wore it for the final, for the final race of the season.

Speaker 2: 55:36

So that's my favorite.

Speaker 3: 55:38

That's my favorite.

Speaker 2: 55:38

Where is it now? Is it like I would frame it? I don't know.

Speaker 3: 55:42

It's hanging in my closet, like where I look at it literally every day. Good, so you show that's a huge accomplishment.

Speaker 2: 55:46

That's such a great way to sort of memorialize that. All right, this year. Do you have any costume plans in work? You don't have to tell us, but you know, is that underway? I?

Speaker 3: 55:56

do yes, very much so, very much so. Disneyland I'll I've given some hints out, but Disneyland, we're going to do a nod to the opening day. Rides for Disneyland for one of the races.

Speaker 1: 56:12

Great.

Speaker 3: 56:13

And then Princess, we're going to have a pretty large group for the half for for something. I'll just there. There are a Magic Kingdom staple. I will leave it at that, oh did I sing Wow that's Chrissy.

Speaker 1: 56:28

You'll have to let me know what happens in Disneyland, since West Coast run Disney and I don't get along.

Speaker 2: 56:32

They love you. They think you're very entertained. No, they think you're very entertaining.

Speaker 1: 56:37

They. I'm very entertaining when I'm three times owns away, apparently.

Speaker 3: 56:41

Why don't you start like a petition and we'll all sign it to get?

Speaker 1: 56:43

those don't work. I assure you. Disney petitions generally for race host, it'll go. It'll go the opposite direction. Please just pretend like you don't know who I am. I don't want to be too well known.

Speaker 2: 56:53

I will say I am extremely lucky that I get to go and I have said this for years. That is like the greatest privilege of my life to be able to go. So I do not take for granted that they have so much talent there and they choose to like fly me over and go do all of that. So I don't think it's anything against John. I think it is costly to bring somebody all the way across the country and put him in a hotel and all that kind of stuff. So I am so grateful that I am going back this year.

Speaker 1: 57:19

Never been to Disneyland, probably never going to go because of all this.

Speaker 3: 57:22

I've never been Nope.

Speaker 1: 57:24

No, I'm an East Coast kid. Growing up I thought there was the Mississippi River and then the earth fell off the other side.

Speaker 3: 57:30

I don't know, yep, yep Haven't spent much time, I just went. I just went for the first time back in August.

Speaker 2: 57:35

And it's amazing, the castle. But they tell me, not withstanding, same with you.

Speaker 3: 57:40

I grew up going to Florida. To me that why have any other park besides Florida?

Speaker 2: 57:45

Because everything is so close, because you can do so much.

Speaker 3: 57:50

I will say it blew my mind that you can walk out the main gate of Disneyland and across the little concourse and you're over at DCA. Like what is that?

Speaker 2: 57:57

I know you are going to love it because imagine like expo vibes where you're seeing people, but like all the time, yeah, you know, you're literally like a reunion everywhere you walk on a Disney Land weekend You're like, hi, hi, hey, it's so much fun.

Speaker 3: 58:11

I mean, you know that I consider the expo an event.

Speaker 2: 58:14

I know Well you said that earlier that you had to get up five days, and so, john, we don't take that into account. We complain about having to get up four days. We don't go to the expo and get married.

Speaker 1: 58:22

We don't go to the expo anymore. That's our rehearsal day. We just go. We get to try our costumes on that day. So it's very exciting. We go through our scripts and air quotes.

Speaker 2: 58:31

We write I did think this year, though I don't have any like so I have a couple of run Disney shirts that are. When we used to get stuff that are running shirts, I was like I don't really have any run Disney gear, so I may suck it up and go to an expo only because it's a. We know. We know it's a lot to overcome Virtual queue, all these kinds of things. So I may need to put on my big girl pants and kind of like the Hunger Games.

Speaker 3: 58:51

I know, I know Maybe some of them are favorite. I can be in though.

Speaker 1: 58:56

I can be in though somebody, but I want some run Disney gear to like wear around in the parks, all right, so we do the costumes for us. We don't get any of that swag anymore.

Speaker 2: 59:04

I know we used to get stuff in Disneyland. We always wore. The last race day we wore merch and they let us keep it because they couldn't use it again. So I have like a lot of circa 2015.

Speaker 1: 59:15

I'm just going to turn off my microphone and camera when we talk about Disneyland just go dark.

Speaker 2: 59:20

My position, and I'm just going to go to protest.

Speaker 1: 59:23

I'm going to protest. Yes, exactly Going dark. All right, so we're. We're low at a month out from from Wynondine, as we record this this is going to air after Wynondine, so, but it's fine. It will. So you don't. You're not, you won't be giving anything away. Any plans, Wynondine wise for you that you want to tease? It'll be a post race tease. Well then, I'll just tell you. I'll just tell you, Sweet.

Speaker 3: 59:48

No, I'm, I'm in a group and they are themed. We are themed after John. Just pretend, just smile and nod like you know what this is. So there's the Alice in Wonderland dark ride there, okay, and there's a scene in it where she's going through the dark forest. So we've got people who are trees that say like this way, that way, drink this, eat this. So we've got trees, we've got Alice. I'm doing a glammed out white rabbit, we've got him that had her like we're, we're like that. That room in in that dark ride which come to find out, ended up being probably my favorite dark ride outside of small world, cause that again, that lives in a category of its own. But so that's that's what we're doing for for Wynondine. We're really excited.

Speaker 2: 1:00:35

So and then you're not doing the half. Well, you won't have done the half or the 10 K for Wynondine. What are you doing instead?

Speaker 3: 1:00:43

I'm handing out medals. I'll be in the finish or shoot handing out medals, and I don't know what I'm more excited about doing that or running the race. So I'm excited to see it from a volunteer perspective and getting to hand out medals and congratulate people on their accomplishments, because, having been on the course and not know if you're going to finish it, it means a whole lot to have somebody hand you a medal and say congratulations, you did it. Yeah, you did it, and I'm proud of you.

Speaker 1: 1:01:11

I didn't realize my five K medal was a medal. I thought it was. Somebody had handed me like a cookie and a wrapper, because it did, instead of putting it around. They're like hey, and I was at that point. I was just so happy that I finished and I was slightly nauseous and all those things. When you knew over, I overexerted myself and whatnot. And so I'm walking with this thing in my hand and I'm thinking somebody going to give me a medal at some point, or should I just eat the cookie? And then I looked down and went, oh okay, thank you. Glad I didn't say that out loud.

Speaker 2: 1:01:38

And then you were sad. Well, we have cookies in the trailer and we do.

Speaker 1: 1:01:41

We do. All right, chris, before we let you go, we always we have a couple of questions that we always wrap up Our podcast with, and the first one is when you find yourself in a hard place, when you're training for something, when you're preparing for something and and you hit, you hit that wall that we all sort of hit when there's a difficulty, what motivates you to keep going?

Speaker 3: 1:02:00

Gosh. I think it's a combination of things. It's my family, my kids, because not only am I doing this for myself, I'm doing it so I can be around longer for them, but then also remembering that there will and this is a common, common ish phrase but there will be a day when I physically can't do this, and today is not that day, that I am stronger than whatever wall I've come up on, and there's no better feeling than knowing that you have pushed through something that a lesser version of you, maybe a version of you from a month or two ago would have just sat down and been like no, we're done, I'm done, I can't do it. So those are really the things that I that I lean on a lot.

Speaker 2: 1:02:45

Yeah, that's such a powerful reminder because we don't know what lies ahead, so we have to take the day and celebrate. You know everything that our body can do on that day. All right, what is the most inspiring thing you have seen at a race?

Speaker 3: 1:02:58

So there's so many things. I think the most inspiring thing that I've seen is the Mile what is it? 19 through 23 where you're coming out of the animal kingdom. You're on that long stretch of highway. There's not shade in sight, and it's that, that stretch of road where people's sheer determination really kicks in and and To be out there amongst the proud back of the Packers which I am you get to see people reach out and encourage strangers.

Speaker 3: 1:03:38

I had a lady come up to me and she said I Can't believe I'm seeing you all the way back here. I'm thinking, yeah, me either. But here we are. You know I'm struggling. I'm not just like sitting in the driver's seat of the struggle bus, like the wheels are off, the steering wheels gone, we're just we're on rims at this point, you know, um. But I said you know what I said I'm not stopping. So if you need to hang with me, we're gonna cross that finish line together.

Speaker 3: 1:04:03

And that was, more often than not, not just with me but with other people around, like people just kind of taking other runners under their wings and being like stay with me, I'm not gonna let you quit, because I see something in you that you probably have on, you know, different colored glasses that you can't see in yourself right now. But you're gonna finish this, stay with me. So it's just this big family, it's just a big, big family atmosphere. And then the other thing, too, is seeing the, the, the parents who are Pushing their, their kiddos, in the wheelchairs, like that gets me every stinking time, every time.

Speaker 3: 1:04:40

During princess in 22, we were in cone alley Back, where Cinderella and Prince charming in the carriage and stuff are, and in front of us was a dad pushing his daughter in a wheelchair and she was dressed as Cinderella and the just audible sobbing that was going on in that line. You know, I assumed just because of how precious that was, not because everybody was hating, but anyway, it's things like that. It's the, it's the family, it's the not led, not letting anyone fail, no, nobody crosses that finish line alone. It's unlike any other race that I've ever been to or experienced.

Speaker 1: 1:05:19

Yeah, it really is. And you know we overuse the word magical, but we, when you see that, no it is it really is. It really is, and I always remind everyone. It's gonna be magical, but it's still 26.2 miles. Yes, spend a little time on your training.

Speaker 3: 1:05:33

You have to respect the distance, you have to respect this. And then the last magical thing was during my first marathon, during goofy. I had wanted my parents to be there so bad I wanted them to be on the main street and they were like, oh no, we can't, we're not gonna be able to be there. I'm so sorry. And growing up going to Disney World in the time before cell phones, they had always told my brother and I, if we ever get separated from you, go to Casey's. Casey's was our spot, like that's. That was like the re the re. The reuniting Juncture was there.

Speaker 3: 1:06:07

And so during that like going out for for goofy, my mom was like if you can just get a selfie in front of Casey's will be good. Like that'll be, like we're there. So here we are, half marathon morning, we're running up Main Street and I Tell Teresa who's with me. I said pull left, because you know Casey's is on the left. As you're running up Main Street and Right as I do that, I see my sweet little mom peek her head out for a Main Street. She and my dad had flown in and not told a soul about it and they were like weird, there's no way we would miss this, and so it's those, it's those Main Street moments like that and that's all on video and I'm like snotting tears.

Speaker 2: 1:06:45

Oh gosh, that's amazing. That's so awesome. Yeah, but that's yeah, it's.

Speaker 3: 1:06:49

It's those little things that are like you said. It's just magic. It's just magic that I hope that everyone at some point in their life can experience.

Speaker 1: 1:06:57

Yeah, it is really. It is really special and we do a lot of Lucky enough do a lot of the races. Carissa, particularly, does a lot more races and they all have something about them. But this is I mean obviously, given most people's history with Disney, it's a lifelong thing. They've known since they were a kid, no matter where they are on the Disney spectrum, either just absolute Disney nut or just somebody who Was like wow, I really enjoyed the wonderful world of Disney when I was a kid. You see, yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:07:23

Really give into it. All right, kristen, if people want to follow you, and why wouldn't they? Where can they follow you? On social media? Where, good, what, and and and what do you? What else do you have on your plate?

Speaker 3: 1:07:34

non-Disney running this fall and early spring, I guess so, if you want to follow me, I'm over on Instagram at running in makeup and then my YouTube channel is also running in makeup. I do training videos and run, run, disney stuff, race reviews, course run-throughs, all that jazz. The event guide will, at the time this comes out, will have already come out for for one and dying, and I have become somewhat synonymous with a follow, the bouncing head, kristen, all through the course for for the, for the event guide, because I'll I'll take you through Every part of the course and where you can expect nutrition and water, stops and bathrooms, hello, and All that good stuff. So over on YouTube running and makeup, and then, as far as other running things, I Love a good local race, so there's several coming up in the spring around here. One of my favorites is the blue belt. You'll have blue belt there, blue belt ice cream.

Speaker 1: 1:08:35

Yeah, oh yeah, the banana pudding. It's the best.

Speaker 3: 1:08:37

It's the best, it's okay, so maybe, okay, here's. Here's my proposition to you, john. You need to come here so we can do the blue belt fun run, because it runs in Brennan, which is where the creamery is, and you run through all like the, where the the cows are not like in the pasture but, and then at the end of it you get as much blue belt ice cream as your heart can hold. So you can undo all the you can undo all the good you just did by pigging out on blue belt.

Speaker 1: 1:09:13

I'm so, I'm so into that, absolutely. So. They have that banana pudding ice cream with the nilla wafers in it.

Speaker 3: 1:09:19

Yeah, well, because you you go to the creamery at the end of it and you get like the old-fashioned yeah it's, it's so good, so good, it's in the spring in Brennan. So, you can either fly into Austin or fly into Houston.

Speaker 1: 1:09:30

It's about it's right in the middle between okay, all right, I'll pencil it in on my schedule and see if I can go.

Speaker 3: 1:09:36

That's, this is your formal invitation, do you have?

Speaker 1: 1:09:39

to run to eat the ice cream? That's just the question I'm asking for a friend. Yes, John.

Speaker 3: 1:09:44

Yes, honest, yes, you do. Yes, chris says that you do, but honestly, time-wise though, you're better off doing the 5k or the 10k, because of when they start and when you potentially would finish if you do the half, but by the time you're done, the creamery is closed. So why? Why would you?

Speaker 1: 1:10:01

Makes no sense priorities. It's poorly set up.

Speaker 2: 1:10:03

Well, thank you so much, Chris, and this was great. We will see you at wine and dine and we'll see you at Disneyland.

Speaker 1: 1:10:09

Thanks, Chris.

Speaker 2: 1:10:09

It sounds good. Thank y'all.

Speaker 1: 1:10:11

All right athletes.

Speaker 3: 1:10:12

Here's the drink time to shape up your diet, theresa. Give them a good.

Speaker 2: 1:10:19

All right, john, we can agree on something. Even though you're not a woman, menopause sucks, huh.

Speaker 1: 1:10:25

Yes, my, my lovely wife has dealt and is dealing with it. Be careful Be careful walking.

Speaker 2: 1:10:30

Your walking a fine line, yeah. So, yeah, I will say the question I get more than anything or with healthier you people joining it is because they're in menopause and they want to lose weight and everything. Everything has changed. So this is something that, if you're dealing with, we can definitely help you with the health air you. But again, I always believe in acknowledging changes and and what's going on.

Speaker 2: 1:10:50

So the hormonal changes are huge. Your estrogen levels are decreasing significantly and this hormone shift actually leads to a redistribution of body fat, causing it to accumulate around the abdomen, which it's even harder to get rid of. So what you want to do here is, when you notice that happening, start tracking your calories and Reassessing your baseline how much do I eat a day? And and finding where you start so you can know how to sort of Adjust that, because the other thing that happened is your metabolism tends to slow down, so your body is burning fewer calories than it was. You're gaining abdominal fat. This doesn't sound fun and it's not fun, but again, tracking calories is going to help you, even if you only do it for a couple weeks. So you have to know where you are to kind of make some changes. It's also going to change your appetite. So with these hormonal changes, you may experience increased hunger and cravings for high calorie comfort food. All of this makes it harder. So in this situation, what I encourage people to do is find healthy swaps. I remember many years ago, hungry girl was a book that made a lot of like lower calorie swaps for things. So looking at things like that, looking at volumetrics eating, where you swap some maybe like Substitutes whether it was zucchini noodles for pasta or half and half so you still get that Satiety feeling and comfort feeling from the food because you're going through a lot, but for less calories. And the last thing to think about is, with these changes, muscle loss. So you're losing muscle mass, which is further lowering your basal metabolic rate.

Speaker 2: 1:12:24

So strength training is really, really important. So if you're a runner out there, make time for strength training. There's so many online apps Peloton is the one I use that have strength training components. So make sure you just discipline with yourself with getting in that strength training like two times a week. That's gonna be the best place to start and then, if you want to dive into it deeper, really work on it. I'm happy to help you with healthier you, like I said that's something we deal with a lot. Go to galloway course, comm. It's gonna be a 12 week course. So you're getting nutrition education, you're getting guidance. We have monthly Q&A sessions where you could ask your questions. We can dive into what you need to work a little bit on and then use the code podcast to save a hundred and fifty dollars. Listen up, it's mail call time.

Speaker 3: 1:13:08

Announcer free present.

Speaker 1: 1:13:10

All right. Thank you, sarge. Today's mail bag. It's just a nice note that we want to read. Carissa, I follow a Sub someone on tiktok who posts something positive every day. She posted great positive story and that's, I think, something we should all do in a in a in a to quote Don Henley, today's Grace's age, or to miss quote Don Henley. We should share a more positive thing. So let's share a positive note that you and I got for the podcast.

Speaker 2: 1:13:38

Yeah, this is from Patrick Daley and he says congratulations on the launch of your wonderful podcast. That is what he said. I did not alter the words at all. He says, although it's only been going on for a few weeks, it has quickly become a must listen each time a new episode drops. He appreciates how well we're able to transfer our on-stage enthusiasm to this new medium. Well, thank you, patrick. He says he was fortunate to run wine and dine in 2022, where we were both announcers, but this year for Patrick it's not in the card because of his IT ban. But he's working to convince his wife to do her first half marathon there in 2024, as well as his daughter, who will have just turned 14 by race day. So, patrick, we hope to see you guys there. He goes on to say thank you for all of your encouragement within the race community and I look forward to hearing you both on whatever pod, wherever podcasts are available, or while shivering on Walt Disney World property 4a and shivering is a good thing not for me, but for most runners.

Speaker 2: 1:14:36

I mean it's not, it's not too hot, but me I'm in the park up, but that was so kind of project to take the time to do that we really appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 1:14:43

Yeah, and and we're sorry you won't see it this year, but we look forward to seeing in 2024. You know things come up and it. It's great that you've set that goal moving forward. And again, thank you for the positive feedback on the podcast. I can speak for both of us and say we really, really appreciate that now as a season runner, Carissa Ever had IT issues.

Speaker 2: 1:15:04

So, yes, that was actually the knock on wood. This is not actually made out of wood. I think this is something is, um, the main injury that I had years ago I ran to. I ran a half marathon and I do what a lot of people do where it's like, oh man, I was so close to a PR, I can go better. So I signed up for another one right after it, 30 seconds away from that PR, but right after that because I thought I could go out and get it again.

Speaker 2: 1:15:27

I had an IT issue, so what helped me is one dialing it back, having to take a little time off, but I had a band that went above my knee and kind of put pressure on that IT band. But the most important thing and I'm sure Patrick knows this, but if you're out there and you're thinking about like, preventing injury, is one making sure you're stretching. So stretching out you know your hip flexures, the pigeon pose for me, google it if you don't know which one it is. But doing the pigeon pose after long runs, remembering to stretch, really helped prevent things from getting to a point where it became a recurrent injury. But if you're having any IT band issues, the foam roller to, unfortunately, is going to be your friend, just, and it's painful, there's no way around it. Have you foam roll, john?

Speaker 1: 1:16:13

I have.

Speaker 2: 1:16:14

Man I mean. But it helps, like when you lay on one of those knots and you feel it release like there.

Speaker 2: 1:16:18

Is that there? So being disciplined enough with the stretching, the foam rolling and then making sure that you have the right shoes and everything, and then avoid the terrible twos with all running. Do you know what that means? The terrible twos, john? No, too far, too fast, too often. And another two is when you're upping that long mileage. Don't do more than two miles upping your long run every time. So, but, patrick, thank you, thank you so much. We really appreciate it. And if you guys out there have a question for us, do you have a nutrition question? Do you have a costuming question? Do you want to know more about Jody and menopause? Am I gonna get in trouble for that?

Speaker 1: 1:16:56

Oh, no, I will, but you're fine, you should be good 321.

Speaker 2: 1:17:01

Go podcast at gmailcom or else on Instagram, where you can send it to me on Instagram. We'd love to hear from you and we'd love to answer your questions.

Speaker 1: 1:17:09

She's gonna listen to this and we love you. My, my honey-do list is gonna get much longer.

Speaker 2: 1:17:14

But your back is hurt, so it is, it is.

Speaker 1: 1:17:17

I'll pretend it's not getting better, all right.

Speaker 2: 1:17:19

Thank you guys. Yeah, thanks Kristen.

Speaker 1: 1:17:23

We'll see you real soon. Thanks to everybody for listening.

Speaker 2: 1:17:26

Why do I always wave? No one can ever see me, but every time I'm waving.

Speaker 1: 1:17:30

Yes, Chris is waving double hands like bye-bye.