The Happiest Place on Earth: Disney Marathon Race Recap

This month, I traveled to the happiest place on earth for my 9th Disney Marathon!  I will never get tired of this race... We started the long weekend the way all good weekends start - with some serious shopping at the marathon expo!

It doesn't get better than this!

End of Summer & the Living's Easy

I can't believe it has been several weeks since I returned from an incredible trip to Cape Cod over Labor Day weekend and wrote my last post!  Things have been so crazy between work, grad school and long runs that I've barely had a moment to breathe.  At work, we are finishing up our fiscal year, which means wrapping up reporting on this year's goals PLUS planning for next year's goals, so twice the work!  That in addition to my least favorite grad school class ever - Inferential Statistics (yuck!) - has been totally mind-numbing.

Which is why I wanted to take the time to reflect on my AMAZING trip to the Cape with one of my most special friends.  We were so lucky that my friend could borrow her family's Cape cottage for the long weekend, and I was even luckier to be invited along!  It was just minutes away from the beach, and was so cozy and fun!

I want a Cape house just like this when I grow up!

We left right after work on Thursday, and through nothing short of a miracle, managed to avoid the infamous Cape bridge traffic, getting down to West Dennis in record time!

I was just a little excited...

On Friday, we spent much of the day exploring the endless cute shops along Route 6, and spending our hard-earned money on treasures we just COULD not live without!  I loved each store's distinctive Cape flair, with beautifully landscaped gardens and terraces, fountains, and even this incredible sandcastle sculpture.

We were pretty much loving life.

We ended the day with fresh seafood and drinks at the cottage, along with a bonfire and s'mores (and more drinks!)  Our night started like this...

Cheers!!

 And ended like this...

I really love s'mores!

 With way too much fun in between!  On my Saturday long run and Sunday short run, I did some exploring of the beautiful oceanfront of West Dennis and Dennisport.  Here are some photos from my run.

Swan River, my favorite place

West Dennis Beach

The beach went on forever!

The water was pretty cold with the last bit of summer weather slipping away, but I couldn't resist wandering into the ocean while walking along the beach.

Taken shortly before a huge wave SOAKED my white shorts.  Cute.

 We spent the day finishing up our shopping adventures from Saturday, and then with some mini golf and ice cream.  Does life get any better??

Ice cream and mini golf are all it takes for me!

 I hated to pack up and leave on Monday morning to head back home.  Our long weekend away was just TOO perfect.  We enjoyed our last moments at the Cape cottage with mimosas for breakfast on the porch.  I think I could really get used to drinking before 10 am... yikes!

I'm sure it was 5'clock somewhere!

What a perfect way to say goodbye to summer! And now... back to reality!  

Celebrating the Last Days of Summer

I couldn't wait to post a few pictures from my amazing long weekend away with some of the best friends a girl could ever have.  Our weekend on Cape Cod was truly the perfect end to a pretty incredible summer.  I'll take some time for a longer recap soon, but now it's time to shake the sand out of my shoes, wash the ocean out of my hair, and get ready to re-enter reality tomorrow!

 

 

 

The Way Life Should Be

I am having the most wonderful long weekend in Maine!  Marathon day is tomorrow in Portland (SO nervous!) so I spent the day taking it easy.  We went for a walk at Winslow Park in Freeport, a peninsula jutting into the Maine coastline between the Harraseeket and Casco Bay.  I enjoyed the beautiful views of the blue water that reflected the blue sky, with so much greenery from the forest.  

I would give anything to live right here!

After our walk, we wound down with some relaxation time at the beach, just listening to the waves wash on the shore as the sun started to set.  I could have sat there all day!

Is there anything more beautiful?

It is amazing how just one day away from work can make all the difference in the world.  I feel so refreshed!  

Pretty much loving life...

Now onto stressing about the big race tomorrow!  Watching the course video, the first four miles are SUPER hilly.  There is one point in the video where the narrator says, "You might want to walk this hill, because you'll find yourself walking quicker than you could run."  What have I gotten myself into?!  

More tomorrow, or so I hope...