Sneak Peak from New Balance and runDisney coming soon!

  NewBalance runDisney running shoes sold exclusively at runDisney event expos!

     During Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend this year, runDisney proudly joined with New Balance and a brand new obsession was formed for me!! That's right. I've always been a Nike shoe wearer but I knew if New Balance was teaming up with my favorite race program there had to be something to that!
     New Balance had also announced a new running shoe made specifically for runDisney and they were themed after Mickey and Minnie Mouse! Are you kidding me?? Polka dots and all. I'm not kidding. I love everything about this!!
Check out the video of how these shoes came to be!

      I had gotten to the expo as soon as it opened during Marathon weekend but with the big announcement also came a mad rush for these VERY limited edition shoes. It just about killed me running the Goofy Challenge and seeing all of those Minnie and Mickey shoes around me!! Everytime I saw someone wearing them, I would make sure to yell out..."LOVE your shoes!" I did love them. Still do.
     Fast forward to the Princess Half Marathon Expo...Again, I was first in line. However, this time the Expo was held at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort and when we arrived, the castmembers directing traffic had separated the crowds into two lines. We had to make a choice. Either we got in line to the left for the New Balance/RunDisney shoes or we went to the right and could go into the Expo to the official Merchandise/Bib area. Oh my gosh, this was SO hard to decide! I wanted the shoes but I had run all five Princess Half Marathons (Perfect Princess..this was a BIG deal to me) and the Official Merchandise sells out sooooo quick!! I knew I couldn't pass up the Official Merchandise and would just have to take my chances with the shoes.
     Once again, I left the Expo with no shoes!! Boo! The good news?? I'm registered for 9 runDisney events in the future. SURELY, I can score some shoes!!

 The New Balance crew at Disney Sports Festival announcing
 that there WILL be a new runDisney shoe for 2014!

     The EVEN BETTER NEWS??? I was lucky enough to attend Disney Sports Festival at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex a couple of weeks ago and the New Balance crew was there giving us the heads up that they are in the process of designing a NEW SHOE made specifically for runDisney!! The shoes will be available for the 2014 year. Also teasers for the new shoes will begin during the 2013 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend (November 8-9th)!! I couldn't have been happier!! Now fingers crossed for good flight times and being able to make it to the Expo to get my size!

 NewBalance RevLite 890v3 and 4-pack Core Cotton NewBalance Socks were the best surprise at Disney Sports Festival! I love them already...I may have to hold on these for Dopey Challenge. Perfect Dopey Colors! ;)

 The New Balance team getting ready to run in the fun run through Epcot during Disney Sports Festival.
New Balance gets out there with the other runners...LOVE that!

New Balance also gave us some great advice and tips when training to run any distance!

HYDRATE:
Drink water throughout the day, pre and post workout.

SHOES:
Get fitted for proper running shoes by a professional
Incorrect footwear is the #1 cause of running injuries.

LOOSEN UP:
Get in the routine of spending a few minutes doing some light stretching to get loos before you run.
Focus on your calves, quads, hamstrings and hip flexors, all muscles that get especially tight when we sit for long periods.

PACING:
Always start every workout with your slowest effort in the first 10 minutes.
Let your body get warmed up.

GOALS:
Set a race goal for yourself.
It's an easy way to stay motivated and (believe it or not) make it more fun.

TRAINING PARTNER:
It's much harder to miss a day when someone else is relying on you.
Set a time to meet someone at least 1-2 times a week.

MIX IT UP:
Keep your runs fresh and fun by varying your runs.
Ways to "Change it Up":
1.  Drive to a new location
2.  Try a destination run: have a friend meet you at the end of your run.
3.  Try a "song fartlek: while listening to music, run medium hard for a song and then easy to recover for the next for a total of 3-5 sets.

GOOD FORM RUNNING:
1.  Posture: head and gaze should be up and forward.
2.  Midfoot: foot should strike in your midfoot, not your heel.
3.  Cadence: shoot for shorter, faster strides.
4.  Lean:  Use the weight of your body to propel yourself forward.


For more information on NewBalance check out newbalance.com,
The Official running shoe of runDisney.