Bib and Tiara: Mindset, Miles, Missteps, and Memory-Making

In this week's episode I dive deeper into my experience at the recent Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend.

What makes a race (or race weekend) worth doing?

How did runDisney's new expanded 5K work out?

What are the different ways you might approach and appreciate or enjoy a race day?

All this a more, on this fun post race weekend episode of Bib & Tiara :)

Coming to you life from my Disney hotel room, fresh off three races and a Wine & Dine weekend that didn't quite go as planned!

In this short and sweet race weekend recap, I'm talking about unexpected emotions, changing plans (more than once!), listening to my body (and myself), and finding the joy in running without expectations. From a rough run and a healing elbow to character stops, penguin "costumes," and a surprisingly wonderful half marathon, this weekend was a reminder that flexibility is fantastic.

Sometimes the best race plan is the one you're willing to change. And sometimes doing less, slowing down, and letting go of expectations allows you to enjoy a whole lot more.

More Wine & Dine stories next week, but for now here's a little reminder that you can take running seriously without taking every race seriously.

Wine & Dine Weekend is almost here, and I’m getting excited! This week I’m talking about one of my favorite parts of a race weekend: all the things I start thinking about, planning, and imagining before I even leave home. The early mornings, the starting lines, the people I’ll see, the miles I’ll cover, and all those little moments that make a runDisney weekend so much more than just running.

I’m also sharing an update on my elbow, how my plans have changed, and what I’m hoping this weekend will look like. Because after the last few weeks, I’m approaching this one a little differently. And somehow, I think it'll be even better after a hard last month!

And somewhere in all that anticipation is a reminder that we don’t have to chase a PR, have everything figured out, or even know exactly how things will go to have something wonderful to look forward to.

A little running, a little Disney, a little real life, and a whole lot of looking forward to what’s next.

Sometimes the best decisions aren’t about pushing harder, doing more, or proving something. Sometimes they’re about making life easier, embracing what makes you happy, and giving yourself permission to want what you want.

This week on Bib & Tiara, we’re talking rice cookers, Disney World trips, swimming, changing plans, and the surprisingly liberating power of saying, “F**k it, I love rice.”

Because life is complicated enough. Not everything has to be hard.

This week, I’m putting on my patient pants—and not just because healing from a fractured elbow takes time.

I’m stuck in that uncomfortable place where I have a decision to make, but I don’t have all the information I wish I had to make it. Do I let go of Wine & Dine, or wait and see what my body can do? How do you weigh your options when the answer might become obvious in two weeks—but you have to live with the uncertainty right now?

I’m talking about the urge to predict the future, the difficulty of making decisions when there isn’t one clearly “right” choice, and the patience it takes to let things unfold before you know how the story ends.

Sometimes patience isn’t about waiting to do something. It’s about being willing to sit in the not knowing.

Well… this was not the episode I planned to record.

After an unexpected encounter with a curb left me with a fractured elbow, I’m talking about what happens when your plans change in an instant—and you have no choice but to recalibrate. I’m working through the disappointment, adjusting my expectations, trying to accept where I am instead of where I want to be, and figuring out how to keep moving forward (metaphorically and, whenever possible, literally).

Because sometimes “making the most of it” doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means being annoyed, disappointed, grateful, hopeful, and determined all at the same time. Both can be true.

I’m also talking runDisney, including the new Wine & Dine 5K corral start-time situation and my plan for tackling it—assuming this elbow and I are able to make it to Wine & Dine at all.

Plans change. Expectations change. Sometimes you’re cooking…and sometimes you’re cooked.

To everything, there is a season. Today's episode I give a full race report for the Philly Distance Run Half Marathon. It was a great race and I had an amazing run. I'll talk about how I went into it and got through it mentally, and also about how to approach races (or anything) with a mix of planning and goals as well as the willingness and readiness to adjust and change your plan when you need to.

The runDisney season is fast (or....not so fast) approaching, and I've been thinking about how often I feel like I'm waiting. Waiting for the event, waiting for the weather to change, a season to change, a package to arrive. Today's show talks about the way you can both be waiting AND enjoying the present meanwhile. This show will cover:

--The things I (and you) may do to prepare and get excited while waiting for a runDisney weekend

--The wait for something new including the enjoyment of something already there (for me that has to do with bikes!)

--And doing races through the year that aren't necessarily a focus for training or a goal race....until they are!

If you are also waiting for some fun things you know are coming around the corner, or have a race you are excited for coming up, you'll enjoy this one!

Ever find yourself facing the decision to NOT do a thing that your past self had decided you would do?

In this week's episode I'll share about some recent decisions I've made to either change my plan or go forward with resistance to doing something that feels scary, and how those are different things. If you struggle to say "this won't work for me anymore," even when it's absolutely true, this one's for you.

Today's episode includes a recap of the 10K race I "accidentally" PR'd, and what happens when we stop overthinking, hold nothing back, and just go for it. I'll also share a story from a young listener that perfectly captures that same spirit. If you've ever felt yourself needing to let go of fear and hesitation and just SEND IT, this one's for you.

In today's episode I will recap my trip to Chicago to do the Chicago Olympic Triathlon. I had an amazing trip and race and absolutely fell in love with this city! I'll tell you all about the ups and downs and stresses and successes of this trip and race. Hope you enjoy it!

What matters to you most when you plan a trip to Disney and/or for a race or other endurance event?

Today I discuss things to consider in choosing your resort at Disney, and the excitement of planning for a trip that centers around a race but also offers a chance to have an adventure!

So you are registered for a runDisney race (or races!).....what should you do now?

In this episode I'll talk about how I approach the different seasons of training and racing through the year, and specifically the first steps I take when starting a new runDisney season. Whether you are a seasoned runDisney runner or this will be your first season, this episode will help you get excited as you start planning and dreaming about your trip!

This episode is a race report for my first Olympic distance triathlon that I did at the end of my family's beach vacation in Delaware. I'll share highlights of the race and why it matters so much to have support from friends and family in whatever endeavor you are focused on.

In this episode I'll share an update after two of my friends recently finished Ironman Lake Placid. Their races made me think about goals, and how different it feels to be focused on your performance vs the type of experience you want. I'll talk about my upcoming race and my intention to focus on having an easy, low stress, low pressure practice "race." If you haven't thought to much about what goals you might set other than "finish" and "PR" this might give you some other ideas!

Today's episode discussed how to builds confidence and learn to perform through practice and experience. I will share some stories of friends of mine who are heading to daunting starting lines. I also share the very impressive story of a 13 year old listener who demonstrated the impressive mental ability to run your planned race in the face of competition. I also share my plans to try and build my own confidence in preparation for my current "A Race" the Chicago Triathlon that's coming up in August. If you've ever shown up to a start-line scared and anxious despite knowing you are prepared for the race, or if you've ever tried to run your race your way with people around you tempting you not to--this one's for you!

In today's episode of Bib & Tiara I give a recap of the Women's Philly Triathlon that I just completed, with a handful of my favorite runDisney friends there to cheer me on!

I'll share the details of the race itself and how hard (but fun) it all felt, and talk about why I keep signing up for these events and particularly for runDisney (including the recent Springtime Surprise registration).

Today's episode is a trip/race report from my recent visit to Atlanta, GA to run the Peachtree Road Race. The weekend had some ups and downs, but the race was AMAZING and I was reminded how important it is to accept and move on when things don't or can't go just as you planned. If you enjoy hearing about races and travel adventures, you'll enjoy this one!

Today's show is about feeling like you're at a plateau, in training or in any other thing you are putting effort and energy into. I'll share how I have felt this way recently in my swim training and in the making of the show itself, and how I'm working on my mindset and shifting toward seeing it as something to accept (and perhaps even embrace) versus something that needs to be overcome.

I will also share a bit about how I approach and enjoy traveling and training or racing when I do. This includes my recent family beach vacation and how I incorporated triathlon training while I was there, and several upcoming events that I'm traveling to.

If you have ever felt stuck in a state of stagnation, like you aren't making progress, this episode will resonate.

This week, I'm recapping my first big gravel cycling adventure, sharing thoughts about the newly announced Springtime Surprise themes (and dates?!) from RunDisney, and talking about a lesson that's been on my mind lately; sometimes training is about so much more than race day.

Whether it's a steep gravel climb you didn't expect or a challenge in life that shows up without warning, endurance sports have a way of teaching us how to keep moving forward when things get hard. In this episode, I'm reflecting on the confidence that comes from trying new things, the mental skills we build through training, and why every mile might be preparing us for more than we realize.

We'll talk gravel, Disney, mindset, and the surprising ways our riding, running, and racinghelp us navigate life's unexpected twists and turns.