Aurora's Blog

Yes, I Know My Price is Right Aired One Day After I Originally Thought It Would

April 26, 2013

Okay, so I’m about done with Price is Right posts (other than the future post on what I did with the prizes). (I’m waiting on that one until I get rid of the camcorders and have the $96 in my possession.)

But, I have two more posts – today’s and tomorrow’s just talking about the various reactions to my episode.

Firstly, I don’t know if you remember, but originally, my episode was going to air on March 18th.

Then, some girl won a jaguar – and a showcase. So, The Price is Right scooted that episode forward. And I didn’t realize that my episode had been bumped by a day until the episode had already started airing (east coast time).

I told everybody – and I mean everybody to watch.

I told strangers on planes, people at the post office, waiters – any person I saw anywhere (especially as the day grew closer) heard that they just had to watch The Price is Right.

Well, first off, anybody who did check the blog or twitter and re-watched on Tuesday to see my episode had an episode with impossible expectations fresh in their mind. So, sorry on that.

Secondly, I’ve since run into some of the people who I’d told to watch Monday who didn’t check any social media stuff. (It was impossible to retrace all my steps and re-tell every person I’d seen since February 6.) And of course everyone was all, “Why did I have to watch The Price is Right on March 18th?”

Aurora De Lucia talking with Drew Carey on The Price is Right

And it didn’t help that I had to be so super coy! Since I wasn’t allowed to say if I won anything, I was all, “Well, just watch. You won’t regret it.”

“But are you a contestant?”

“Just watch and see…”

So, I’m sorry for that everyone. Hopefully the strangers out there whom I never ran into somehow, someday see my blog and realize I wasn’t just blowing smoke, and that they should just watch the episode from the 19th instead…

But having all the confusion really made for an interesting response since people have slowly but surely been watching the correct day.

(Oh, and one final thought about some of these responses – I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but you know what’s weird about being on The Price is Right? To me, the quintessential thing about TPiR is winning a car. That’s the dream! But, for some reason, everyone’s first question when I told them to watch the show was, “Did you win the showcase?!” What? Whose dream is that? Car, maybe a dollar on the wheel, and then I guess the showcase… but, come on, America. Know the dream.)

So, that’s part one of the reactions I got. Part 2 – the awesome part – is coming at you tomorrow.

Q: Philosophical Price is Right Questions – Is It Okay To Bid $1 Over Someone Else?

April 25, 2013

While we’re on Price is Right questions – I never realized how controversial it is to bid $1 over someone else (until I was on the show, and started paying attention to the show’s Facebook and Twitter profiles.)

Some people think it’s totally unfair, and get pretty mad over people who bid $1 over.

But here’s my question – why?

It is Price is Right strategy 101. I actually yell at the TV when the last person to bid just picks some random number between all of the other people. Why would you guess in the dark when you have 3 other bids to go off of?!

I get being nice to people. Being nice is nice. But The Price is Right is a game! There are automatic advantages/disadvantages built right in. When it’s your first turn up there, you bid first! Chances are, nobody’s taking it easy on you. I was outbid by $1 in my first bid. And I wasn’t mad about it because that is how The Price is Right is played.

And, if you had some amazing bid, and someone outbid you by $1 – if you were 3rd to bid, you’ll go last next time. (And of course, last is always the best spot.)

Of course, it doesn’t always work out fairly. If you’re the last person called to contestants’ row, good luck – though I have actually seen people be the last person to be called on down, then guess the exact amount of the prize to get onstage.

Also, sometimes the luck just isn’t in your favor. Poor Tiffany’s dad in my episode was outbid by $1 twice – once by someone 2 away from him, once from the person after him – and he had no chance to go last.

So, it sucks when someone doesn’t have great luck. But, to me that is The Price is Right. And I don’t understand what people on the internet are so upset about. (Though I guess people on the internet get upset about everything…)

I don’t know. Does anyone want to add any thoughts or opinions to this question?

“The Price is Right” FAQs (Regarding Prizes)

April 24, 2013

(For FAQs regarding being on/getting on the show, see yesterday’s post. And for more questions and TPiR talk, you can see my main Price is Right page.)

Disclaimer: Obviously, I’m not an official Price is Right person. These answers are just based on my experience as a contestant.

1) Did you have to pay taxes on your prizes?

Yes I did. I had to pay sales tax to pick up the car ($2,067). And, though it has not happened yet, since my appearance was pretty recent – I hear they send you a 1099 at the end of the year for your taxes. So, the value of everything I won counts as income, and I’ll need to pay Uncle Sam accordingly. (For more on the taxes, read this post.)

2) Can you just take the cash value of your prize?

I get this question so often! “So, did you take the car or the cash value?” There is no cash value option. They make it super clear in all of the paperwork – you take exactly what you won, or you take nothing. (You don’t have to take every single thing you won – for instance, I could’ve accepted the car, but forfeited the camcorders. But, you can’t trade for a different car, or money, or anything like that.)

(Though, I have heard a rumor that if somehow a company goes out of business or something and between your tape date and air date, and it actually becomes impossible to get you your prizes, you may have the cash value. But who knows a) if that’s true, b) how often that situation actually happens.)

Aurora De Lucia after falling on the ground on The Price is Right

The Price is Right paperwork does say the show can give you something comparable. For instance, my camcorders are 2 slightly different versions of the same thing. One is bit newer (I think it came out after my show taped.) But, the paperwork protects them. As long as they give you basically the same thing of equal or greater value, it’s all good.)

3) How long does it take to get your prizes?

My camcorders got to my house before the show even aired! I picked up the car the very afternoon that my show aired. And the $96 should be coming sometime in the 3 months after the air date. (I hear that money always takes longer to receive than any other prize, for some reason.)

As far as how the car works, the dealership can call you anytime within 90 days of your show airing. You have 10 days from the day they call you to pick up the car, otherwise you forfeit it. (If they call you before your show airs – and happily/luckily that’s when they called me – my understanding is you get your 10 days starting from the date your show airs. (But I didn’t want to wait 10 days. I wanted that car in my possession as soon as humanly possible.)

Also, as far as cars go, they’re one of the few things not delivered to your house. The Price is Right picks a dealership, I believe within 150 miles of your home, and you figure out a way to get there and pick up that car. (And if you’re planning on driving it straight off the lot to Carmax – be aware – it took me probably at least 2 weeks to get the official title in the mail. I only had temporary paperwork before that. (And you’re gonna need that title to sell your car, if that’s what you plan on doing. Speaking of that…))

4) Are you allowed to sell/give away your prizes?

Once they’re in your possession, you can do basically whatever you want. The Price is Right will not deliver anything anywhere except your home address. So, if you win a bedroom set or something and decide you want to give it to your parents, you have to decide how to ship it from you to them.

Aurora De Lucia going for a hug with Drew Carey on The Price is Right

You also have to have the car titled in your name. You can sell it if you want, but only after it’s gone through your hands.

(If it’s a trip, it’s in your name. So you gotta go. But trips are awesome. (I’ve never been on a trip from a game show, but I do love traveling.) So, I don’t know why you wouldn’t go (unless you just really could not afford the taxes).)

5) Do you get anything just for being in contestants’ row?

As far as I know, you get $300 (not that day – in the form of a check mailed to your home within 90 days of your air date).

6) What did you do with your prizes, Aurora?

I have an upcoming post about that.

As far as I know, that covers all the questions related to prizes. (Tomorrow, we’ll deal with a more philosophical type question of whether it’s okay to out-bid someone by $1. Spoiler alert: I say yes.)

If you have any other questions at all, please leave them in the comments, or email me!

(And again, if you’d like to read more about The Price is Right, I have oh so many posts talking all about it.) Thanks so much for stopping by!

“The Price is Right” FAQs (Regarding Being on the Show)

April 23, 2013

(For FAQs regarding prizes, see tomorrow’s post.)

Disclaimer: Obviously, I’m not an official Price is Right person. These answers are just based on my experience as a contestant.

1) What does the set look like in person?

It is definitely smaller than I think it looks on television – especially when you’re in contestants’ row. It seems like playtime. It does not feel real. (But it does feel awesome.)

There are also these little arrow stickers behind contestants’ row that point you to the stairs. (I believe they say “winner stairs.”) I remember thinking two thoughts a couple of times – 1) Oh my gosh, now that something actually points where “winners” go, I am going to feel like a big loser if I’m left in “losers’ row.” 2) I didn’t know there was one staircase we were supposed to go up! Whatever you do, Aurora, don’t make such a simple mistake. There are arrows in front of you. Follow them.”

2) What’s it like to hear your name called to “come on down”?

As I addressed in my super long Price is Right story, there’s actually a whole lot you don’t hear, though I was pretty sure George Gray did, in fact, call my name. It was super in cool in person. Then watching the tape is almost even better. I absolutely love how much fun he had with my name when he announced it! So, thanks, George Gray. You made that moment even better than my dreams about it!

3) What’s it like to spin the wheel?

Everyone always says “it’s heavier than you think,” so I imagine at this point you all think it’s pretty heavy. Therefore, it’s probably exactly what you think. (I actually don’t know that it’s quite as heavy as I made it look on the show…)

It is nerve-wracking to spin it, though! That’s for sure. The carpet is not as slippery as it seems sometimes. (Or at least in my opinion, it wasn’t.) (But I had this crazy, totally unfounded fear of falling, since it seems like so many people do. What kind of shoes are you all wearing?)

Aurora De Lucia looking quite nervous on The Price is Right

4) How can I get picked as a contestant?

I devoted a whole post to that here.

5) What’s Drew Carey like?

He seems super nice. I really like that guy. From everything I’ve ever seen of him on-screen or in person – he just seems like a fun-loving, happy guy, enjoying life. He talked with people during commercial breaks. He seemed very nice to all the contestants. I definitely walked out of there a fan of his.

6) How long is a taping day?

I went to an 8:30 am taping, and was the last one to leave (since I was the last one who went through the paperwork process), and I got out around 2:30. (I think everybody else was let out around 2pm.)

7) How do I get tickets?

You can get tickets here.

8) Where can I see your episode?

My friend put a clip here.

9) How much of that was you and how much of that was “game show you”?

I kind of already talked about this in this post.

But to answer the question, it was quite possibly the most genuine I’ve ever been in my life. It was pure me. I was way too nervous to try to be cute, or to try to be anything but just pure me.

And I’m so happy it was that way. ‘Cause for me, it makes it that much more fun to watch myself just be completely present and in the moment – not worrying that, for instance, pulling my face down is gonna make my eyes look weird (which it totally did).

Drew Carey lightly making fun of Aurora De Lucia on The Price is Right - and her loving every second of it

I literally had no idea that I was doing basically any of the facial expressions I did. I don’t remember running or doing a little jumpy dance before saying 52. None of that was on purpose; it was all nervous energy.

(And if I do say so myself, my favorite part is my facial expression after I win the car, because for some reason I look really terrified that I picked the right number. That makes me super happy. I think it’s a really unexpected look, and I like it.)

If you want to her a super detailed 21-part story of the day, you can start it here.

Tomorrow, I’ll be answering FAQs about the prizes.

If you have any other questions at all, please leave them in the comments, or Email Me!

Q: How Do I Become a Contestant on The Price is Right?

April 22, 2013

So, I’m getting into Price is Right FAQs that I’ve gotten since being on the show. And this question gets its own post.

Disclaimer: I don’t work for, and have never worked for, The Price is Right. So, I don’t have the actual answers. But, as an avid Price is Right watcher and former contestant, I can give my best ideas.

1) Wear a homemade shirt. (It doesn’t literally have to be homemade – printed is fine, but an original shirt.) If you’ve got an idea with a pun on Drew Carey, George Gray, any of the models’ names, or the names of games – that’s even better.

(Military uniform – also a great idea if that applies to you.)

2) Go with somebody! The bigger the group, the better. My feeling is that if you go with 10 people or more, you are almost guaranteed that someone from your group will get on. But even going with 1 other person is better than going solo. (I see plenty of people come from groups of 3s, so worry not about getting to 10.)

3) Think about the timing of when you’re going. If you’re a young person, you might want to stay away from spring break or summer tapings where a ton of young people are trying to get on the show. I’d only want to fight with as much of my demographic as I absolutely have to. I went on February 6th (2013). (If you’re a bit of a less-young person, you might want to consider going when all of these college students are running the place so you have less competition in your group.) (This piece of advice is even more speculation than others. I’d say it’s the guessiest guess of all of these.)

Aurora De Lucia running to see smiling Drew Carey farther on stage on The Price is Right

4) Be personable! You don’t have to be completely nuts. But, just have fun. Be excited that you’re at The Price is Right, and let that excitement shine through! Show it in the picture they take of you. (It’s not a passport photo. It’s for a game show! Give a big ol’ smile.) Show it in the interview. And show it while you’re in the audience.

The people I’d sat with said that after I’d left (to contestants’ row), they heard from someone who worked at TPiR that producers are watching the audience, and might change their plans for who they call next.

(I can’t say for certain that’s true. But it would not surprise me! Anna (who was next to me in contestants’ row) was called up after talking with Drew during a commercial break. And how many times have you watched the show and heard Drew say something like, “Oh, he loves barbershop (or whatever). We were just talking about that during the commercial break.”)

Now, how do you talk to Drew during a commercial break? I don’t know. Good question. People just kind of yelled out to him. Sometimes he answered – sometimes more thoroughly than others. And some people just didn’t get to talk to him. (But don’t worry too much. I never tried to talk to him during the commercials, and I still got up there. And people certainly did talk to him who didn’t get called.)

5) This is the most important! The interview.

In your interview, you will most likely be asked “What do you do for a living?” and/or “Where are you from?”

It is my opinion that they are absolutely not actually asking either of those questions. What I think they’re really asking is – “What makes you different, and why should I put you on The Price is Right? And tell me in a minute or less.”

They can’t actually say that ’cause people would probably freeze up a bit, and the interview process would seem more calculated. And the battle of sob and/or happy and/or childhood Price is Right stories would get real ridiculous, real fast.

But, my personal advice is that if there is anything that makes you unique – if you have 10 grandchildren, if you have a cool Price is Right story (side note: on Wheel of Fortune the other night, the guy had this great story about writing Pat Sajak asking to be on Wheel of Fortune. Pat wrote back and said the man couldn’t be on the show as a 7-year-old, but could have an autograph – and apparently forgot to include the autograph – so you know, something like that) – anyway, if you have a “hook” I guess I’ll call it – say that!

When they asked me what I did, I wasn’t all, “Oh, super boring stuff with computers.” I said I like adventures and just finished 52 half marathons in 52 weeks. It’s not a job interview. It’s a game show interview. Pull out anything you’ve got in the one minute you’ve got to do it.

And I will pick up with some more Price is Right questions tomorrow.

Kidney Stuff! (I Am Too Superstitious To Get Into It All)

April 20, 2013

Oh my gosh, kidneys, kidneys, kidneys.

You have no idea how much I am dying to share everything with you! And I hope when I do, you interact with me a lot. I am ready for some friends and some comments. Keeping this mainly to myself is killer.

However, I am a bit superstitious about the whole thing. And I really don’t want to talk too terribly much about it before anything is truly decided. But let me tell you, I have learned a lot! And I have a lot to say.

If only I could say it all!

Sigh.

I hope you’re all still around in – who knows, really – a month, 2 months, 10 years? (10 years seems a little preposterous – it’ll be way, way, way earlier than that.) [Edited a year and a half later to say maybe it’s not so preposterous after all!

Eventually, I talked oh, oh so much more about kidneys. And you can read about that here.

I’m In This Month’s Women’s Running Magazine

April 18, 2013

So, in case you haven’t seen, I’m in this month’s Women’s Running Magazine!

– which is cool. And I really appreciate them writing up a story.

And in Aubrey’s (the writer’s) defense, I was interviewed pretty much right after I left The Price is Right, so I was totally reeling and possibly not even speaking English.

However, if you read the article, it is rife with errors.

1) It’s written in 1st person. But just so you know, I don’t think I said about 1/2 of this stuff.

2) “My biggest stressors were midterm essays and race-day jitters”? Nope. Don’t think I ever said that. I went to music “school.” I use the term school loosely because while I went to an absolutely world class institution, and I’m super proud I was accepted (and you can learn a ton about music there), it is not a college in the way most people view it. I don’t think I wrote one single midterm essay the whole time I was there. 98% of my projects revolved around software and recording studios. I mean, small error. But still.

(Race-day jitters, I’ll allow. Though I don’t think I’ve ever referred to them as “jitters,” I was pretty nervous for my first half marathon (and my first marathon).

3) My heart condition was not diagnosed at a check-up. If only it had been so simple. No, it was super embarrassingly found out when I passed out in a class full of people. (I think it may have been all guys except me. (Way to show strength for the ladies, Aurora (she says sarcastically).))

4) It wasn’t 18 months in and out of the hospital. It was about 9 months in and out and about 12 months from when I really started feeling sick to when I was cleared to do whatever I wanted.

5) Disney wasn’t my first marathon! I endured a way-too-hard marathon just to make sure that for the rest of my life I would never have to say Disney was my first – and here it is in print to thousands and thousands of readers.

6) It wasn’t magical because of the Disney characters. I actually really like Disney because I think Walk Disney himself is super inspiring. But, I didn’t care about the characters. I cared that my dad was there. I met Joey Fatone (super cool!). I was happy I finished my goal. I was happy to be interviewed by David Baumann, who was incredibly nice. I even loved riding a roller coaster in the middle of that marathon! But, I could take or leave the characters.

7) In the little pink box there – I don’t really think about “bringing my personality to the starting line.” I just bring my personality with me everywhere because how can I not? It’s my personality. It’s part of me. I do believe that running should be fun. I think when she asked me for my best advice, I said something like – “I know running is a science” (As my brain was moving 40 million miles/minute I think I maybe accidentally said that 10 times. It seemed like my annoying new catchphrase.) So, I said, “I know running is a science, and it’s good to make goals and improve and care. But sometimes, it’s easy to get too wrapped up with speed. I never want running to make me unhappy. I try to remember that running is my stress reliever from the roller coaster of my normal life (and working in the entertainment industry). (Yeeeh, it’s rough out there and running is necessary.)

So, when you don’t PR, when you had a rough run, you gotta try to just shake it off. Running is for relief from stress, not to add it.

(I know that advice was too long for the block, though.)

Anyway, I think that pretty much sums it up. I hope that didn’t sound too complain-y. I’m happy they profiled me. That’s very nice of them. But yeah, it’s uh, not really the story of me…

Other Goofy(/Dopey) Challenge FAQs

April 17, 2013

From the Run Disney So I Can Eat Disney Facebook page, courtesy of Greg Itahara.

Okay, so while we’re on Goofy Challenge questions, let’s tackle a few more that some people have come here asking.

1) What’s the Disney bacon medal?

It’s from a Facebook group someone started. I didn’t do it. (I didn’t know about it before the marathon.) But, my understanding is you eat 3 strips of bacon in the last mile or 2 of the marathon (and from everything I’ve heard they’re thinking about – or possibly already have – added in some half marathons). Then, you get a super cute little pig medal.

It’s not an official Disney thing – though Disney seems to be totally cool (and even helpful) with it. And it’s limited to a certain number of runners, so keep your eyes out for the sign-ups if you’re interested. There you have it. I don’t know a lot about it, so just go to their Facebook group and they’ll know everything.

2) How long should you rest after the Goofy Challenge?

This is a great question! I don’t really know the answer. I think you should listen to your body. It is important to do some walking. During the week after the Goofy Challenge, I tried to walk 3 miles a day – not quick walking, just kind of mall walking, making sure I was at least giving my muscles some movement.

I did a half marathon the week after the Goofy Challenge. While it wasn’t disastrous, it was a bit foolish. I hurt after that half marathon. For the next week, I barely got about bed. Forget those 3 miles walks. I was tired! (I’m sure that not walking didn’t help anything.)

I’m not the only one who did the half the following weekend. The person at the heavy medal booth at Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona said that every person he’d seen with a Goofy shirt on really looked like they were hurting. I think we all overexerted ourselves a bit. So, it is possible? Yes. Is it smart? Probably not.

But, I don’t know you. If you’re some kind of ultra-runner – well, if you’re an ultra-marathoner, you’re not googling my blog for advice on what to do after Goofy. (But I was going to tell you to do whatever you want. You’re an ultra-marathoner.)

In conclusion – the answer to the question is I don’t know. Listen to your body, take it slowly, but definitely get back in it! Almost just as bad as running too quickly following a race is putting it off forever and then starting what feels like completely from scratch. So, go listen to other people – coaches and stuff – who know more. And more importantly, listen to your body.

3) Am I allowed to walk the 5ks at Disney?

Yep.

I believe they technically have the same 16 minute/mile pace requirement as the other Disney races, but I have never seen or heard about anyone being swept from a Disney 5k. They’re mainly for families to spend time together and get their pictures and stuff. So, I think you’re good.

All right, well between that and yesterday’s question (of if Goofy could be your first marathon), we have covered all the questions I often get! If you have any more, let me know anytime!

Q: “Can I Do The Goofy Challenge As My First Marathon?”

April 16, 2013

Sure.

(More on that in a second.)

Someone came to my blog by asking this. If you’ve got questions, I’ve got answers (or at least my opinions). I thought with Goofy registration happening now, this was a good time to talk about this.

You can do whatever you want as your first anything. Some people think you should start with a 5k or 10k and keep working up. I think it’s not necessarily about which races you do, but the training that gets you there.

Goofy could certainly be your first marathon. You just have to make sure to give yourself enough time to train.

How much time is enough time to train for the Goofy Challenge?

Well, that kind of all depends on where you’re starting. It took me about 4 – 5 months to go from pretty much a couch potato to being able to jog 13.1 miles without stopping. (13.1 miles is the first day/first third of the Goofy challenge.)

Also, there’s a general rule of thumb that you shouldn’t increase your mileage by more than 10% each week. So, think about where you are now mileage-wise and do the math on that.

Getting back to the point at hand, my general feeling on whether it could be your first is it absolutely could. You could start with a hundred-miler if that’s what you wanted to do. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but you could. As long as you train for the distance your aiming for, you can start at any distance.

I’ll admit I was scared of the big, bad m-word – marathon. That’s why I started with a half. (Back in 2009, and my first marathon didn’t end up being until 2012. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.)

Now, having done marathons, I know they’re not really that scary.

I will say, though, that personally, I wouldn’t recommend doing a Disney race as your first race.

Sure, they’re silly and fun, and can be a little break from other races. But, the best way I can describe Disney running events is that they are Disney events that happen to involve running, instead of running events that happen to involve Disney.

Yes, you cover the distance. You get a medal. You’ll be a marathoner just as sure as anyone else is. But, I don’t think it really shows you a true picture of what the sport of running is like.

Many people in Disney races don’t follow any running etiquette. They don’t move to the right to walk. They don’t get out of the way (making room for you to go to the table) once they’ve gotten water or Gatorade. They come to a dead stop outside of Cinderella’s castle (on a narrow bridge) to try to get a couple of good pictures.

Not to hate on Disney runners. Trust me, I’m not trying to insinuate that I’m perfect (or even close). I’m sure that sometimes without meaning to/realizing it, I’ve probably done some inconsiderate things. (Huge apologies to any runners if I’ve gotten in your way.)

But, at Disney races, it’s not a few fluke etiquette mistakes made out of delirium, or a couple of people who don’t know yet. It seems like the culture there.

I was slightly annoyed in my first Disney half. But once I grew to accept it, I embraced it. I’m stopped when I’m stopped, and it is what it is. I’m totally fine and patient about it.

(I’m slow, anyway. So, it’s not like it matter all that much to me ( – even though slow people still like to move and sometimes set PRs). (Though I don’t think you should ever have a goal to PR at Disney.))

Aurora in her favorite tired post race pic

I appreciate Disney races for what they are. But I think it’s important everyone knows what they are before entering the races. So, should it be your first? I wouldn’t make it mine – not because of the distance, but because of the atmosphere.

Can it be your first? Absolutely. You can conquer the mileage in training. And during the race, you can be in a low-stress (depending on who you are/how you look at it) environment surrounded by tons of other new people.

What would I recommend as a first marathon? Well, I’ve only done two – one crazy one through a trail (mainly so that Disney wouldn’t be my first…), and Disney.

So, I don’t know that I can really say. I hear New York is spectacular. I hear LA’s actually pretty fun. Judging by my half marathon experiences, I’d say do some humongous race as your first everything.

Feel free to add comments if Disney was your first, or if you have a great first marathon you have to talk about!

Did You Hear That Disney Announced The Official Dopey Challenge?

April 15, 2013

(Note: Obviously, the actual big running news of the day is the horrible tragedy from the Boston Marathon.

It was incredibly sad to see a sport I love, and a place that was such a lovely home to me (I lived a couple blocks from there) hit so hard today.

But, I was not there today. It’s not my story to tell. (Plus, I don’t want to bring any more attention to the people who did this horrible act.) So, here’s the original post I’d scheduled today:)

Keeping in the theme of being way late to the party on things –

By this point, you almost certainly heard about that.

In case you didn’t – runners had this unofficial Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World where we’d run the Goofy (a half marathon followed by a full the next day), but we’d tack on the 5k before the races, and call it Dopey.

Well, Disney listened up, because they made the Dopey Challenge real! They added a 10k. So, now it’s 5k, 10, half and full on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. You get medals for each individual race, plus medals for Dopey and Goofy.

It looks incredibly fun. And I really do want to do it – and absolutely will one of these years. It’ll probably be a year in the somewhat near future. (And maybe I should’ve done it this year, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about life, it’s that you should do stuff while you can do stuff because you never know what’s happening next.)

Aurora De Lucia with her dad at the 2013 Disney Family 5k — Me and my dad in January at the Disney 5k

I was on the fence SO much about this race. I had the time of my life at Goofy last year! Really. It was incredible.

But honestly, that’s one of the reasons I’m not going to do it this year. I had SO much fun at Goofy, I just want to hold onto that memory for one more year, exactly as it is, without comparing it to anything else.

Also, I’m really not sure if/when this kidney surgery is happening. Originally, I was hoping to have already had surgery and then make this race a goal, knowing all the training would help me to heal and be healthy. But, that didn’t happen. So, I’m just not ready to commit to a race in January.

I’m also in the “year of responsibility,” and even though I now technically have enough money to do it, I don’t have enough of a little cushion built up. And who knows where I’ll be working when my current show is over. So, while I could’ve technically swung the money to go, I didn’t necessarily think it was a smart idea – or the very best use of that money.

I have other dreams besides running. I’d like to possibly go to college one day. I’d definitely love to become a professional writer (and I take classes and things to improve in that area). So, there’s other stuff I could spend my money on. Heck, even if we just think of fun and not responsible things – New Kids on the Block is coming to the Staples Center this summer with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men. What!?

So, I decided no on this year. I will do it. But I will not do it this year.

But, I wanted to go ahead and shout on my blog that it exists – even though I’m sure you all probably knew that by now.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 21 (The End)

April 13, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

We’re in the sad/happy room.

So, we sat around, filled out our forms basically just saying I’m over 18. I want my prizes. I haven’t been on a game show in the last year or 3 in the last 10 years.

We also signed forms saying we were absolutely sworn to secrecy about the day until the show aired. If we leaked what we won ahead of time, we’d forfeit our prize.

We put down our address so they knew where to send the prizes – they wouldn’t send anything anywhere else but your home. And they wouldn’t put anything in anyone else’s name.

If you didn’t live in California, you still had to pay California state tax on your prizes. (That didn’t affect me any differently since I do live here.)

They did give us forms offering us the option of forfeiting any of prizes if we so chose. (I didn’t see anybody take the option, and I didn’t take the option. But it was there in case you wanted to.)

They also gave us forms that detailed everything we’d won that day and the total value of it all.

My form had the words camcorders and cash printed out on it, and the word car was handwritten. (They knew whomever won the camcorders to get on stage would win some cash in the Money Game – although, if you think about it and the person was really lucky (or well-studied), they could’ve picked both ends of the car without picking any cash. But, the point is, The Price is Right was pretty positive I was going to win money, but not at all positive I was going to win the car. So, they wrote that in after the game.)

I ended up being the last person to be processed. The woman checked my forms, took a copy of my license and social security card, and we called it a day.

We were told that we’d receive all prizes within 90 days of the show’s airing (except for furniture which had 180 days to get to us). As far as cars, we’d get a call from a dealership within I think 150 miles of our home. Once we got the call (again, within 90 days of the show airing), we had 10 days to get the car. If we didn’t get it during that time, we’d forfeit it.

Once all the paperwork was processed, I left the building, still reeling from the experience.

I went to pick my cell phone back up from the cell phone check. I had to walk past a line of people for the 12:30 show. I had my license plate holder and poster board in hand.

The people in line started going nuts! One guy even asked if he could have a hug for luck. (Of course I gave him a hug. (I wonder what happened to him at his taping.)) I had already felt so special during the show, and that feeling was super amplified by all these new stranger friends.

(There was one couple who seemed totally unimpressed. While everyone else was clapping, they just say there. Well, I don’t need you, stoic couple! I have a brand new car.)

And that was that. I had planned things for the rest of my day, not realizing I’d be practically unable to control my giddiness. I had an interview for a magazine article (out next month). I certainly didn’t tell her anything about The Price is Right. (As I mentioned earlier, I was sworn to secrecy!) But I could feel my excitement coming out in my answers being spouted so fast you’d think I’d had 3 venti white mochas.

I also had already planned to meet up with another friend for a movie at the Grove (right by The Price is Right studios). We went to eat afterward, and as much as I was trying to really zone in on her life, my brain just kept shouting – “What happened to you today, Aurora?!” I could not process it all. (And I’m so glad Megan’s still friends with me, even though I was undoubtedly obnoxious that day with my crazy energy radiating off of me.)

Then I went home, continued to freak out practically until the episode aired. I just wanted to see it! And I wanted my car. (And I wanted to tell everyone I ever knew about it!) Now you all do know about it, and I got my car, and I looked way more fun on television than I remembered being at the time.

So, everything worked out perfectly. The end.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 20 (The After Show Happy/Sad Contestant Room)

April 12, 2013

Aurora De Lucia standing by Drew Carey as she's nervous to play The Money Game on The Price is Right Picking up from yesterday –

So, I didn’t make it on to the showcase, but I still lived on to talk about it.

I got to sit in the front row (left side) of the audience, with the other contestants from the show, as we watched the showcase.

At this point, any stress was off. My day had been made. So, I was just super into it, out having fun in the audience.

This next part was edited out, which makes me kind of sad because it was hilarious.

After the first showcase, Jeanette tried to bid $53,000. And the audience erupted with pushback. Nope. No. No. Don’t do that. Don’t do that, Jeanette!

She was interrupted by the wild crowd. Then, tried to start over. “53 -” interrupted again, even louder.

She just smiled really hugely at us – as though we were cheering her on. But really, we were trying to save her.

She then lowed her bid to 30-something thousand – which was still way over.

So, in Anna’s showcase, we’re all screaming $1. (Screaming so hard.) But alas, she does not bid $1.

Now, in defense of the ladies, I’m sure they were nervous. And brains don’t always work as well when nerves are running super high. Also, I’ve been on the stage. I know how the audience just sounds like a jumbled mess, and you can’t really tell what they’re saying…

I mean, we were all trying to be as clear as possible holding up 1 finger for a dollar. But, Anna still may have seen a sea of confusion from her view on the stage.

Aurora De Lucia narrowly missing 95 cents at The Price is Right wheel with Drew Carey

After the show, we all went back to this little room to fill out all of our paperwork to get our prizes.

And let me tell you, it was the happiest and saddest (but mainly saddest) room I’ve ever been in.

Anna – who was very sweet, and I’m sure very happy about her $10,000 – sounded like she was going to have nightmares about the number 14 for weeks. (She was $14 over on her showcase (for those who didn’t see it, or forgot).)

Rori was talking about having 5 chances in contestants’ row – in 2 of which she got to bid last – and never making it up.

A guy from the first half had been talking about narrowly missing $1 on the wheel.

It was a sad, sad little room. But, it was also a happy room, ’cause we were happy that we’d been on The Price is Right. The majority of the people who’d made it on stage had won a prize. Two of us had even won cars. So, people were definitely happy with their fortune as well.

We had to be quiet for part of our time in there, because they had to shoot pick-ups with Drew onstage (so no one could make noise).

In the little room, before I filled out my paperwork, Henry, a sound guy came back to get my mic back. I was all, “Isn’t this sad? We only got to be friends for such a short period of time!” And he said that’s what happens to him every day on The Price is Right. Awww.

We did have a bit of bonding when we realized we were both from Indiana (Yeah, Hoosiers!).

Aurora De Lucia holding hands and talking with Drew Carey on The Price is Right

I also got to learn a bit about him when I asked what his dream in life was. He is in a rock band. Cool, huh?

Anyway, he took my mic away, since I was all done with my 10 minutes of fame.

Then, someone walked in with the poster boards of our names (that had been held up when we’d been called on down to contestants’ row), to see if we wanted them.

And we all freaked out a little – over poster boards. Every single person took her or his name. For some reason, we were all insanely jazzed about getting those poster boards. By the way we were acting, you’d have thought we’d all won a game all over again.

Then we sat around filling out our paperwork, which is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 19 (Okay, Let’s Talk About Losing – Pt 2)

April 11, 2013

Picking up from yesterday, laying out all the reasons that it’s okay I didn’t get in the showcase –

5) Sometimes, when I watch The Price is Right, I do adore the car winners, and I want them to have the whole world. And I get very excited when they’re in the showcase.

But sometimes, it’s nice to see someone who maybe flubbed up in their game, or didn’t win a lot, get another chance.

(Granted, if the person had really horrible strategy/game play and didn’t get their prize, I don’t feel totally as bad for them. Sure, I have some sympathy ’cause I know they’re in a stressed head-space and people are human and all… But sometimes it seems as though some people have never even seen the show before.)

6) If it makes you feel any better, you can do the math. It wasn’t a super expensive car in the showcase. So, after paying sales tax on the car, and having the depreciation from a brand-new-car-price to what I could sell it for – adding in the extra income and state taxes I’d have to pay on the value of the showcase – in the end, I would’ve come out with a trip to Greece and maybe about $3,000 extra dollars.

Now, obviously, that’s nothing to sneeze at! I could always use an extra 3 grand. And who doesn’t love vacations?! I LOVE vacations! And I’ve never been out of North America.

And I’ve never owned expensive jewelry. So, it might’ve been sort of fun to have that diamond ring. (Though, you know, the whole blood diamonds thing – do we really know where this jewelry is coming from? So, I don’t believe I would’ve kept it…). Nonetheless…

It certainly would’ve been incredibly fun to go to Greece. (But before we get too bummed about it, let’s try to remember – I can still go someday, even if it’s not on The Price is Right’s dime! It’s not like Greece is now closed to me forever.)

The point is, please don’t think about it as missing another possible $25,000. ‘Cause it wouldn’t have really been that (even though it would’ve been admittedly awesome).

And if I’m only going to have luck on one wheel in my life – let’s save it for the Wheel of Fortune wheel, which I totally vow to spin someday.

Aurora stressed as she's about to go over a dollar on The Price is Right wheel

7) Basically, I have always had everything that I needed. Even in very short periods when I didn’t have a home, I always ended up with some place to sleep where I never got harmed, and I never froze to death. Even when I had no money, I got to have something to eat every single day.

I have had practically nothing before. So, to be in my life situation now where I have a room (with a sweet, big, comfy bed!), and a job, and a healthy heart…. I have way more than what I really need to live. I’m very, very lucky. And winning the car basically put me back to the start, ’cause I got out of debt(!). So, The Price is Right was so helpful in my life. It was perfect. I didn’t need anything more.

And for anyone who is even still slightly upset about missing out on the showcase – get this.

I said in my earlier post that my first spin was weak, I tripped a little, and lost my momentum. Well, my second spin was the kind of spin I’d imagined doing. I did 3 clicks, felt my hands were in a good place, and spun it the way I wanted to spin it.

So, take where my wheel started and landed from the 2nd spin. Go back to where I started my first spin and do the math to where I’d be. Had I done the spin I wanted to as the first spin – I would’ve been on the 5 cent square – just barely not on the dollar!

It was going to be a painful, just barely – but not quite, either way. That just reinforces to me that my Price is Right day was meant to be the car only, and that’s plenty.

I will cherish the video (and the license plate holder and my name tag) for the rest of my life.

(And I’ll pick up with what happened after the show tomorrow.)

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 18 (Okay, Let’s Talk About Losing – Pt 1)

April 10, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

A number of people have been bummed that I didn’t get in the showcase.

That’s so sweet. And I really appreciate the lovely intentions.

As far as I’m concerned, the best part about going to the showcase would’ve just been getting to spend more time onstage with Drew and the models (and George and everybody).

I was having the time of my life! If it were up to me, I’d never be anywhere but the Price is Right stage. A trip to Greece would’ve been nice and all – but how can that compare to being on a game show?

It’s hard for me to have any negative feelings whatsoever about that day. It really was an absolute childhood dream come true.

I won the most expensive car on the show that day. (Since both people in the showcase went over, I actually was the biggest winner of the day.)

I mean, the chances of me being called down, then getting up there for a car game, then playing a car game that’s actually one of the more doable ones (and the one I always dreamed of playing(!), and then actually winning the car – I imagine the probability of all that happening is pretty slim.

Aurora De Lucia laughing it up with Drew Carey at the wheel on The Price is Right — Look at how much fun we’re having!

I’m sure we could sort of figure out the probability, but there would be so many factors if you wanted to get it exactly right. First, you don’t really have a 1 in 300(ish – or whatever the exact amount of seats in there are) chance of being called from 300 (or so) audience members.

TPiR practically never chooses 2 people from the same group. (I’ve never once seen it happen.) So, you’re probably down to at least a 1 in 150 shot – though I think the odds are much better than that (taking into account larger groups, audiences that aren’t always at maximum capacity, and people who go who are ineligible to actually play (even if they do want to watch or support)).

Also, in contestants’ row, you have a much better shot as the 4th person to bid than the 1st, so bidding order would need to be taken into account. There’s plenty more of that kind of stuff (how many car games are in rotation, etc.). Anyway, enough nerdy math talk…

The point is, I actually won the car!

For anyone who is still sad I didn’t make it to the showcase – consider these things –

1) We have no idea if I would’ve won the showcase. I would’ve been first up to bid since I’d won the most during the show. I almost certainly would’ve bid on the 1st showcase, because who passes a showcase with a car and a trip to Greece? I mean, I guess you might pass, hoping for a showcase with more trips. But that’s super risky, because you very well may end up with water stuff (and in this case, I would’ve).

So, would the woman have overbid on the boat showcase? Sure, we can guess that by her overbid on the car showcase, maybe she would’ve. Or maybe my underbid would’ve put her in a different mindset. Or maybe she thought different things about boats. Who knows? We can’t know I would’ve won.

2) I left at the best case scenario. If you lose in a pricing game, or never make it up there from contestants’ row, or you lose your showcase – forever you can have nightmares about what you should’ve said. There is a definite correct and incorrect answer. With the wheel, I possibly could’ve spun all day and never hit a dollar.

3) Remember that Seinfeld episode where George Costanza had his whole thing about always going out on the high note? It’s a good philosophy. And I feel like that’s basically what happened. Win the car, hope everybody still likes you, then get out of there.

4) Many of the people who wanted me in the showcase are my friends, or people somehow involved in my life story. But, the world does not revolve around me (even though it might seem like it in my own blog, since that does revolve around me). In Anna’s life story, she wanted to go to the showcase.

And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 17 (The Wheel – So Close, But Yet So Far)

April 9, 2013

Drew Carey extending a high 5 to Aurora De Lucia on The Price is Right — About to give Drew Carey a high 5

Picking up from yesterday –

Since I had a very weak spin (and wasn’t even positive it was going to go all the way around), when Drew asked if I wanted to say hi to anyone, I dove for that mic and spoke at super-speed.

In case you couldn’t tell what I was blathering, I said – “Um, I just want to say that I did all these races as a celebration of coming back to running after open heart surgery. So, even though it’s cheesy, believe in yourself. You are what you decide to be.”

Yeah. I know. Feel free to make fun of me. It was silly, but it was fun. And maybe someone at home needed to be reminded to believe in her or himself.

(Also, if I do say so myself, my timing was spot on. You can see me just finishing talking, and the wheel just about to stop in the picture above.)

But, I lose any cool points gained from that, ’cause I’ll also say, I totally pointed at the wrong camera when I said “believe in yourself.” I could see it wasn’t lit up red, but I did it anyway, ’cause it was happening so fast and I couldn’t see which one was lit up red.

Buuuut, I think it’s actually better that way, ’cause it would’ve been 40,000 times cheesier to point directly at the camera. And this way it looked like I was pointing to the audience. (And if the direct to camera point was that much better, they would’ve edited that in in post.)

So, back to the all important wheel. I almost landed on 95.

Oh man. So close and yet so far. Try to get it right this time, Aurora.

So, I learn from some mistakes, try to really get that momentum going, and spin that wheel harder. (It is heavy, y’all.)

Drew Carey and Aurora seeing that the wheel had almost landed on 95 on The Price is Right

At least I got to feel like I got a pretty good spin instead of walking away like a complete weakling. I was a little bit thinking, “What kind of big dramatic exit will I do if I don’t get into the showcase? Will I cry or refuse to leave the stage?” (Obviously, I wouldn’t have ever actually refused to leave the stage, ’cause I like to think I’m not a big jerk…)

But I didn’t even cry or anything! Truthfully, i was still just in complete shock. I just didn’t know what to do – with anything.

So, I spin again. Drew and I have yet another little moment. Sure enough, I’m 5 cents over. Wah wah.

So sad.

Sort of.

I mean, I did win a car.

Sometimes I get I bit annoyed when people are all, “Oh, I’m so thankful for what I have, it doesn’t bother me that I missed out on the chance for another $25,000.” ‘Cause I’m like, “Come on! You’re human!” And I’m super competitive as it is. So, whether $5 or $5 million is on the line, I like to win. Who doesn’t?

But, even though I think that sometimes it feels forced when people say they’re really fine with losing at any stage of a game show, I really am okay with it. And I will talk more on that tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 16 (Time To Spin The Wheel)

April 8, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

Oh goodness, time to talk about the wheel.

During the commercial break, Drew came over and looked each one of us on the eye as he moved down the line and said, “good luck” to us individually.

I was in the coveted 3rd spot. It’s obviously the best spot to be in, ’cause you don’t have to weigh whether it’s smart to spin again. You know exactly what you have to beat.

Now, the first girl went over. And the second girl – I don’t know if you noticed, but had it been one above or one below, she would’ve gone over as well. I don’t want to wish anyone ill will, but selfishly, I was kind of hoping to be in the showcase. (I mean, who doesn’t want to go to the showcase?)

When I went to spin the wheel, I had way too many thoughts spinning through my head. (That’s actually a true statement for pretty much anything I did the whole time I was there.) First, I looked at it. “Have those handles always been metal? I thought they were wood… Why would they be wood?”

And I’m trying so hard to picture anytime I’ve seen The Price is Right wheel before, and really focus in on those handles. “Wait. Why am I trying to picture the wheel and care about this? You know you need to spin this right?”

I’ve actually had my wheel strategy forever. It’s something you really can’t prepare for (whereas you could kind of study prizes). But, I knew if I got on there, I wanted to start low and wind up for momentum.

Aurora De Lucia down low, getting momentum on The Price is Right wheel as Drew Carey talks.

In my head: “You want to wind up 3 spots since 3’s you’re lucky number. Oh my gosh. You’ve wound up 3 spots, but your hands aren’t above your head enough. Are you going to have enough momentum to do this? You can’t very well go past your lucky number of 3 wind up places. But you can’t very well move your hands now. Is that cheating? Are you allowed to wind up, move hand spots and spin? I bet not. I can’t very well ask now. Look where I am. Just spin it already.”

And I do.

When you watch the tape, you can actually almost see my trip a little and judge my spin. It’s all over my face.

(I had this little fear as I spun – whatever you do Aurora, don’t slip! Don’t fall under the wheel. Every embarrassing wheel spinning I’ve seen flashed before my eyes. The carpet wasn’t even that slippery. So, what kind of shoes are these people wearing that make them fall? Nonetheless, I was too worried about falling.)

“Oh my gosh, Aurora. That was weak. Weak! Is it even gonna go all the way around?”

When Drew asked if I wanted to say hi to anybody, I thought I might not even have time to say anything with my weak spin.

Before the show, my little group had been talking about, “What will we say in the mic if we say hi to someone?” Patrick had this brilliant idea to say hi to someone from twitter.

There was a little part of me that wanted to say “@DamonLindelof, @KenJennings, I love your twitter feeds!” or maybe “@jessetyler (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), @CoryBooker, will you be my friend?”

But, I decided against that, ’cause 1) Someday when Patrick is on The Price is Right, what will he do if I’ve already stolen his idea? 2) Who wants to watch someone say hello to famous people? 3) They make it super clear you are absolutely not allowed to plug anything on the show. So, what if I’m accidentally plugging twitter (or those famous people)?

I decided in my seat during the 3rd game that I’d just tell people to believe in themselves. Yes, it was unbelievably cheesy. But, if you only get however many seconds with a microphone on TV, you should probably use it to say something, right? I mean, I say hi to my dad everyday. (And you know if you say hi to someone, you’re gonna end up leaving someone else out. It’s easier to just not rank the people in my life by “Who gets a Price is Right hi?”) There have to be better things to say in my Price is Right moment.

And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 15 (Running Over To The Car, And The Commercial Break)

April 7, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

So, I run over to the car.

Then I don’t know if I’m supposed to get in the car or not. “The person who won the car earlier in the show got in her car… Am I now supposed to sit in my car or has that been played out?

What do I do? What do I do? I hugged the model for too long, didn’t I? Are we already in a commercial break? Well, this show isn’t live, so I doubt the timing has to be exactly right…”

Manuela hands me the license plate holder that says I won the car. There are these people behind the camera making huge gestures, telling me to be super excited. I thought I was showing off the license plate giving a really excited look, but the person then makes bigger gestures to be excited.

Oh. Am I doing that weird fish thing, where I just open my mouth to show excitement, but nothing happens to my eyes?… I’m pretty sure it’s because I am seriously in complete shock. My world is utterly discombobulated in this moment. It’s all just this crazy blur where I’m standing still and everything around me seemed to be swirling.

And I’m pretty sure I actually was standing still. I think I was supposed to be jumping and stuff. I don’t know why I just stood there. It’s television. You’re not posing for a still photograph, Aurora.

Looking back on it, I could’ve maybe made some stronger, more fun choices. I could’ve jumped on the car, or hugged the car or something. But I was too shocked to do anything.

I was pretty much too shocked to move. I was just shocked. I know I’ve now said that word about a million times. (Vocabulary’s not great in these posts, huh?) But I just – I’ve got nothing. Really, it was pretty much paralyzing.

During the commercial break, staff members led me off the stage and showed me where to sit in the audience while I waited for my chance at the wheel.

Everyone around me in the section was congratulating me. I was still pretty much in shock and disbelief. Then, Drew came over to talk to me!

He leaned down and was all, “So, you don’t have a car, and you live in L.A.?” And I was all, “Yeah. I didn’t have a car!” Then he told us about how he used to take the bus in Cleveland – but the bus was actually reliable up there. Then, we joked about the horribleness of L.A.’s bus system (which actually isn’t necessarily quite as awful as I/other people always make it out to be. But it’s often times pretty awful).

Drew joked about how now if I’m ever late to anything, instead of saying it was because of the bus, I’d be saying it was because of the 405.

So, we had a great little magical conversation. The next game was played, and before you knew it, it was time to spin the wheel. And that’s where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 14 (I Won a Brand New Car On The Price is Right!)

April 6, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

I won the car!

Right after I’d guessed 96, I had this horrible flash before my eyes of the possibility of all the money spots filled without the car filled.

Luckily, my next guess was the back of the car… So, I really cut down the possible tension. Sorry, Price is Right producers. But, you’re welcome, heart.

I literally felt like I was in a dream when the back of the car was revealed. I’ve heard people say before that they felt they were in a dream. But, come on? How can you not be present in your reality? And for the first time in my life, I finally felt it, and knew exactly what it was like to wait to wake up – but you don’t have to. Because it’s REAL. It is freaking real, people!

It is a dream I’ve had for so long and pictured hundreds of times while I yelled along at countless episodes of The Price is Right! How could it possibly be real? I don’t know! I don’t have to understand it. I just get to know that it’s true – which honestly, still blows my mind. I’m pretty sure I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever get over it. Ever.

I can’t even – how do I even put this story into words for you?! Every time I talk about it, all I want to do is sob tears of joy.

So, he said I won. I’m pretty sure I’m dreaming. And then a cacophony of thoughts are bouncing around in my head. “Wait, wait, wait. What do people do when they win?! What do people do when they win?!” Do I hug you? Am I supposed to hug you?! ‘Cause you don’t really look like you have your arms outstretched to hug me. But I’m the contestant so I’m supposed to make the first hug move, aren’t I?

Oh, I should’ve hugged you by now. Is it too late to hug you? Am I supposed to go over to the car? I saw a woman win earlier. One second I saw her excited. The next she was in the car. Am I supposed to be in the car?

Oh golly, I’m regretting not hugging you. Wait. Am I stuck in place right now? I feel like I can’t even move right. I have no idea where to go. This cannot freaking be real!”

Sure enough, I hear Drew tell me to go over to my new car. Thank goodness for that instruction, ’cause I’m pretty sure if no one had said anything I would’ve just stood right in that space in a complete state of shock for 24 hours… or I don’t know, maybe the rest of my life.

So, I run over to the car, and just give a huge bear hug to the first person I see – which is the Manuela (the model). It felt like I hugged her for 10 minutes, though I’m pretty sure it wasn’t that long. I just couldn’t let her go. I had just won a car. (It was a pretty awesome hug, and I wish I would’ve hugged Drew too. (Sorry, Drew!) Gosh, I have the worst luck with the way I treat Drew Carey.)

(I really hope we’re still friends, Drew!)

I’m sure we are, because get this – (Drew Carey is so cool) – on twitter, someone asked Drew his secret to being so happy. And he said “My goal is constant love and forgiveness. For me and everybody I meet.” (He then tweeted with a follow up, “I fall short a lot, but that’s always my goal.”) Good words to live by…

Back to the story, I ran over to the car. And that’s where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 13 (The End of The Money Game)

April 5, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

So, I’d gotten the front of the car. Now, I have to pick those dreaded back numbers, which I think are a little harder to logic out.

I’m thinking 96. I look to the audience – as though they’re gonna help me. I look to my friends. I can’t even tell if they’re saying anything to me. Apparently (as he told me after the fact) Patrick was just saying, “It’s all arbitrary at this point, anyway. Just pick some numbers. Good luck!” So, thanks for that, Patrick.

I then expanded my search for help and looked not only at my friends but at everyone in the audience. And they all just seemed like one big gobbled jungle of fingers and sounds. Well, thanks anyway, y’all. But I have absolutely no clue what you are trying to tell me right now.

Guess I’m kind of just up here alone. So be it. (It’s probably better that way, so if anything goes wrong, I have no one to blame but myself.)

$96 feels good, and follows pricing strategy of places. Also, 3 is my lucky number. Divisible by 3. Feeling good. I pick it. Annnnd…

Okay, well, it’s not $96. I now have a number in the dollar column. Oh goodness. My heart is beating at approximately 4 million beats per second. This is terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. I know I’m using the word terrifying a lot. But I just want to let you know how freaking on the edge of a heart attack I am. There is a brand new car (and a bit of a new life(!)) in my presence… and I want it!

My new friend Drew Carey and I doing our little dance for 96.

I apparently have a very animated face when I’m thinking. I’d barely remembered that Drew made a very animated thinking face at me, but when I watched the tape I was reminded of it.

At the time, I thought he’d just been making faces to try to spice up the game with the girl who’s internalizing everything. But nope. When I watched the tape, I saw he was imitating me. (And I loved it.)

Now, at some point in my guessing, I mentally crossed 52 off my list. 2 is my unlucky number. I figured I shouldn’t guess anything with 2 in it. But, before I guessed it, that whole “strategy” (of lucky/unlucky numbers completely escaped my mind – and thank goodness it did!

For some reason 52 starts calling my name. My eyes are ping-ponging around to a couple of different numbers, but they keep going back to 52. I notice that it’s in the 3rd column and the 3rd row. (And 3 is my lucky number.) (Yes, this really all is pretty super arbitrary – though I did learn later that descending numbers at the end is also a pricing strategy, so this wasn’t a bad guess, since the middle number was 6.)

As Drew starts to pull up 52, I really start to believe it’s the back of the car. But it can’t be. But wait! I can see the wheels! It’s the car! It’s the car! It’s the car! It’s the car!!!

When I won, time pretty much stopped. I was in complete shock. When trying to remember what I’d done after I won, I only sort of remembered. But truly, I had to watch the show to actually remember.

The only thing I remembered is my brain speeding unbelievably fast. (I know I’ve said that a lot too, but I just can’t get across how insane everything was.) My freaking dream is coming true right in front of my eyes!

As most people did, I grew up dreaming that perhaps someday I’d be on The Price is Right. And maybe, just maybe if I were the luckiest person, I’d get to hear the magic words that I could win a “brand new car!”

And I’ll continue freaking out about my new car tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 12 (Beginning of The Money Game)

April 4, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

George Gray says those magic words – “a brand new car!”

As soon as they revealed the car, I just – I didn’t even know what to do with myself. I saw someone hold a sign that said “Chevy Cruze” (just like the signs our names had been printed on) below the camera.

I didn’t hear a single detail about the car. I don’t know if it was because of the general sound issues of being in there, or if it was because my ears stopped working (possibly a bit of both).

I just looked at the shape of the car. (Yeah, I know nothing about cars.) And I estimated it looked like the shape of a $20,000-ish car. (No, I don’t even know what that means to have the “shape” of a $20k car. I was shooting in the dark here.)

So, Drew brings out the game. This is one of the easier car games, I think. I definitely felt that I’d rather be playing this one than the one the other car person in my show played.

Since I was estimating $20,000 and didn’t see the number $20, I went with 19. Sure, I thought it might be 17 or 18. But, I almost always underbid when playing at home, so it’s time to be bold! And OH MY GOODNESS. Already on the first guess, I have the front of the car.

This cannot be happening to me right now. How this is possibly happening? How?!

after getting the front of the car

Now, at this point, I’m pretty much seeing just a stack of ten to twelve thousand dollars (after taxes/depreciation) where the car is.

It’s a car to me only in the sense of the dream of being able to say you won a brand new car on The Price is Right. But for all other intents and purposes, it is a huge pile of money – a pile of money that’s going to change my life a little – because it’s going to completely free me from debt.

I will have a post later dedicated to what I did with the prizes, but the main gist is that instead of rearranging my entire budget to try to afford gas, car insurance, maintenance, parking, and all that jazz for a little more convenience – I’m gonna sell the car and be debt free!

So, I’m looking at this big, huge pile of money (in my eyes). And again, I am terrified – absolutely beside myself terrified. If I have the possibility to change my life, and I can’t guess the right number, I promise you, I will be having nightmares about this for who knows how long. I will sob the entire way home. This will not be a pretty picture – not at all.

But what the heck is the last number in the car?! The good news is, I have 4 chances to get it right. And I only have 8 numbers remaining on the board. So, basically, I have a 50/50 shot. And I think the 17 and 18 were really numbers to throw me off for the beginning number… unless of course, that’s actually just one big trick – and that’s what they’re supposed to look like, but truly one of them is the last number in the car.

Well, I don’t think that suspiciously while I’m onstage (and I’ve never seen something quite like that happen – that would be possibly a little torturous to the contestant). I just rule those numbers out immediately – meaning, now I’m really more around a 2 outta 3 chance.

I figure 96 is perhaps a safe bet, because you know how places like to charge in the ’90s for something, so as to get close to the next 100 without actually saying it costs that much.

And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 11 (I’m On Stage!)

April 3, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

I’d just been called out of contestants’ row!

I ran up onstage. I had a fleeting thought as I’d had when I was called on down in the first place – “How do cool people run down here?” “How do cool people run onstage?” “Is there something creative or cute I can do here?”

But I was too nervous to ever try to be “cute.” And I didn’t have any fun, groundbreaking ides. So, I just ran on hope, hoping I wasn’t boring people – “Oh, look at her. She just runs up like normal. Boring. Where’s your somersault or something?” (Sorry TV viewing public.)

As I was coming onstage, I saw all the cameras moving like normal, and Drew just going to his next mark. Everyone had their jobs completely down to a science. They were just going along, business as usual.

Okay, but how can you all be so normal?! My life is changing here, people!

(I know, I know. That’s their job. And it’s great that they’re so good at it. At least some people know what they’re doing ’cause I was a complete mess!)

So, I go up to Drew Carey. I’m pretty sure I’m shaking a little. I think I’m usually okay on most stages, and with a crowd. But it was all just happening so quickly and unexpectedly!

What do I say? What do I do? I have no idea if I was being coherent at all.

Now, when I first went up there (this part was edited out, so welcome to the behind-the-scenes tidbits from the day) – When I first went up there, I said, “I saw you at the Goofy Challenge and we weren’t friends then, but now we are.” He said, “Yeah, now we’re friends!”

(Drew Carey said on tape that we were friends, and I didn’t even get to keep that moment forever. Wah wah.) (I think, by the way, this was all edited out because we couldn’t plug a Disney thing on the show, but who knows.)

He then explained to the camera what the Goofy Challenge was – a race in Disney World where you do a half marathon on Saturday, and a full marathon on Sunday. Then, we said something about my shirts and all the races I’d run.

I remember him making jokes about me, since I lived in L.A., just seeing a line and getting in it. My mind was going 3 million miles a second. I remember thinking, “Wait. He’s being really funny here. You think this is funny. I think you’re smiling. Are you laughing? You just have no control over your face muscles anymore, do you? Nope. Didn’t think so.”

Before you know it, they’re introducing my possible prize.

This part again was edited out, but George Gray started the introduction with, “You’re not gonna have to run anymore!” – which was an excellent intro. (Thank you, George.)

The moment I heard, “You’re not gonna have to run anymore,” I knew it was going to be a car! (A car! A freaking car, y’all! On The Price is Right. American dream, much?)

In the split second between “You’re not gonna run anymore” and “a brand new car,” my brain was screaming, “Say a brand new car. Say a brand new car. I know you’re gonna say it. Let me hear those magic words.”

And this is where I’ll pick up next time.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 10 (My Big Moment in Contestants’ Row)

April 2, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

So, back to contestants’ row and my super nervous brain. If I don’t get up on that stage, my stomach will be in knots for weeks (read: the rest of my life). I’ll be having nightmares about what I should’ve said! Don’t let your dream slip away, Aurora!

The moment before speaking into the contestants’ row microphone is quite possibly one of the scariest moments of my life. 15 years of The Price is Right flash before my eyes as I see my childhood dreams within reach! It’s terrifying to lean into that microphone and say a number – terrifying, I tell you! The next time around, I’m 3rd to go. Okay. Not the coveted 4th spot, but 3rd’s not too bad.

When the camcorders come out, I feel like I’m just intently staring at them – as if staring is going to make me hear better. I do a quick little tangent in my thoughts. “Is the camera on me right now? Do I look super weird intently staring at these cameras? Am I even blinking?” Okay. Who cares. Look as weird as you need to look. Just lock in on those cameras. And really think – what are they worth?

Well, from the sounds of what you can hear (which luckily with this prize was most of it), there are some special features on two of them. Did they just say 3D? Is that a thing? Normal people can now tape in 3D? Well, fancy that. Okay, so these camcorders are gonna be expensive-ish… But how expensive?

I was sort of leaning in the $1,100-ish range. I was unsure of my ability to price camcorders. Then, the first two people did me a huge favor by bidding so far apart. I knew that I didn’t think the cameras were more than $1,800. So, the only question was – were they under $1,200 or above it?

Betting $1 as the 3rd person is super risky, because if the 4th person also thinks the other two people were too high, they’re just gonna bet $2. Of course, if they think it’s more than $1,200, you get to be all alone in the $1 – $1,200 range.

I did always kind of wanted to bet $1 while in contestants’ row because you look so cool when you say “$1!” But, who cares about looking cool? I’m trying to get onstage here!

So the big question remained – were these camcorders more or less than $1,200. I figured that had to be pretty close to the price. I was going to be so angry with myself if we all overbid! But since I knew $1,200 had to be close – I just did it. $1,201. (Sorry 1st person.)

Pretty sure I'm saying, "Don't you dare even bid 1201" with my eyes — Pretty sure I’m saying, “Don’t you dare even bid 1201” with my eyes

(I knew my usual instincts were to way underbid. So, if I was thinking close to the price, I needed to lean over here instead of under, figuring that would probably get me closer.)

Then, there was that dreaded last bid still to be placed. Every everything in my body was incredibly tense at that point. She’s going to say $1,202, isn’t she? Aren’t you? You are going to lean into that mic and say $1,202. Don’t you do that to me!

Surprisingly, even though I was completely expecting her to say $1,202, she said $1,801. We’ll I’ll be.

Then my thought was, “Hey, Aurora. You got the range you chose. So, at least if you don’t get this, it’s on you – not somebody else grasping it at the last moment.”

(When I watched the show, I think you could tell that I really, really thought I was right. I smile and shift my weight back and forth in a little dance.)

Sure enough – oh my gosh, I can barely even breathe while recounting the story – he pulled out the card and started to say $1,200 in a way where I knew another number was coming after it. Guess what? It didn’t matter what that number was! I had all twelve-hundred numbers other than twelve-hundred even.

I could see him looking at me as he said it. But I couldn’t believe it was really happening to me. “Wait is it really – is it really, in real-life, seriously me?” (said my eyes). I knew it was me, but I was waiting for him to call my name officially. He said Aurora.

Oh boy. This is real. This is REAL, y’all! It’s really happening.

This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 9 (The Commercial Break, & My Small Costume Change)

April 1, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

So, the 4th pricing game of the show was played (and I was in a daze the whole time). Then came the commercial break.

During the break, someone comes down and asks me to take off my scarf and jacket because they’re obstructing my name tag. My pleasure!

Why was I wearing 1,000 layers? The studio was not cold. It was just because I wanted to wear my 52 half marathons shirt. I thought it might help me get on the show.

That sounds brutally honest, huh? I won’t lie to you and say, “’cause I think I look good in red,” (though it is my color) or, “’cause I’m proud of my accomplishment.” I wanted to get on that stage, by golly! So, I wanted to pick a shirt I thought they might like.

So, I wanted to wear my 52 half marathons shirt, but there’s all this stuff in all The Price is Right paperwork that you can’t publicize things on your clothes. And my blog address is on my back. I didn’t want to get in trouble. I thought they wouldn’t stand for my self-promotion. So, I put on a jacket.

I only have one jacket that’s completely plain and opens/closes in the front (as opposed to a pull on sweatshirt that would cover everything – front and back). (Actually, I have no plain sweatshirts anyway.) Also, I think “jacket” may be the wrong word. Maybe I’m meaning some sort of sweater apparatus. But,whatever the real name is, you know what I’m talking about, ’cause you can see it in the video.

Anyway, I didn’t like the jacket. I didn’t even like it when I first bought it! I think I bought it for the same kind of thing in the first place – trying to cover something on my back (or I think it may have been to hide my arms ’cause I thought they were looking chunky) or whatever.

Even if I didn’t like it, I didn’t want to get in trouble, so I wore it. Then, I wore the scarf to try and wear something to distract from the jacket I didn’t like.

(I actually do like that scarf. And I’d just found it while cleaning out my closet a couple of days prior. Fun.)

So, when someone came down and asked if I could take off the excess stuff, I was all, “Heck yes I can! My blog address is on my back. That’s the only reason I’m wearing this. Is that okay?” I’m not totally sure why I offered up that information when I probably should’ve just kept quiet and been happy. But nonetheless, full disclosure won out, since he said it was okay. Yay! Everybody wins.

Also, during the commercial break, the really nice sound guy, Henry, came and got me to mic me up. I forgot I was wearing my crazy high yoga pants, which are a little hard to clip onto, but he’s a pro. He made it work.

It didn’t even dawn on me that people wear the little microphones on TPiR, but sure enough, we do.

When Henry put a little extra tape on the mic because of the crazy floppiness of the top of my pants, he joked about how he had to make sure it’d stay in place when I was jumping around onstage.

Oh, hardy, hardy, hardy, har. I only have 2 shots left. Are we or are we not scared to death that I’m gonna let those two chances just slip through my fingers?

But I’m so glad that everyone there was so nice and positive, even though the odds weren’t necessarily in my favor…

This is where we’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 8 (My First Bid)

March 31, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

Being in contestant’s row was probably one of the most stressful experiences of my life. I kind of even want to call it the most stressful.

Getting called down is a dream and a nightmare all rolled into one. The farther into the show you get called, the fewer chances you have to get onstage.

Who wants to get called down, but not get to go onstage? What kind of Price is Right story is that (to tell every single person you’ve met in your life)? (My sincerest apologies if that is in fact your Price is Right story.)

So, I was putting all of this super pressure on myself. Basically, my life was pretty much flashing before my eyes.

As I said, the sound is no good in there. Really. I only knew what was going on for probably about 1/4 of the time. For the first prize, I only sort of knew what was happening. Granted, I have absolutely no idea about purses and wallets, ’cause I’ve never bought any designer stuff. So, even if I had every detail clearly relayed to me, I’d basically have no clue.

(Of course, as a game show (and specifically TPiR) lover, I still should’ve been able to make a much more educated guess. I mean, come on. $799? I would’ve been yelling at the person on the TV for that one, had I been at home.)

Zuri and Patrick (George when you’re watching) had actually been really good at guessing prices all morning. So, I looked back to them. I don’t think either of them heard any of the details, ’cause neither of them seemed to have any clue what I was bidding on, nor have any advice to give.

Aurora De Lucia bids 799 in contestant's row on The Price is Right, and the guy behind her judges that bid. — I love the face of the guy behind my left shoulder. He does not look like he thinks that price is a good idea.

(Plus, again, they were back in obstructed view. So, all too often when I looked at them, they were just looking up at the monitor – not at me.)

Drew Carey called on me to make my bid. He said my name. Oh boy. I am seriously here. On The Price is Right! I will never get over this ever. In my life.

So, Zuri and Patrick are giving me nothing. I do a quick look around the audience. Yeah, I’m not understanding a single person. I’m just seeing a lot of yelling. So, this is not that helpful.

(Note: In the episode, it doesn’t look like I look around at all. So, I don’t know if it was edited out, or if I looked around less than I thought.)

Drew Carey calls on me to make my bid (because I’m in contestants’ row on The Price is Right, and my dreams are in the process of coming through, and that’s what happens when you’re behind that podium). I just throw $799 out there. I figured that was low. I had no idea how low. But I knew I’d rather underbid than overbid.

Aurora De Lucia really has no clue what she's doing in contestant's row on The Price is Right - and that's all over her face

I’m pretty sure my voice was shaking, and I had fear in my eyes. I was hoping the world knew I had no idea what I was doing.

“Don’t expect too much from me world! Yes, you can yell at me in your living rooms. And when you’re saying, ‘That girl has no idea what she’s doing!’ just know I’m thinking that too, about myself.”

(I felt like I could hear the at-home audience screaming at me. I’m sorry, people at home! I’m gonna try not to let you down in the next one-bid!)

So I don’t make it up on the first one. Not that surprising. I don’t like being the bidder who sets the tone. Really, my main hope here is to have someone else make a smart bid and add a dollar (or have 3 people make a bunch of not-great bids and bid $1).

I absolutely could not tell you what pricing game is that the next person plays. Seriously. I have no clue. All I can hear is my brain screaming that I’m on The Price is Right.

And this is where we’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 7 (“Aurora De Lucia, Come On Down!”)

March 30, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

I had this weird, crazy feeling that my name was about to be called, though I was trying to push that down.

But sure enough, when George Grey announced the name, I could’ve sworn he’d said mine. (Remember, sound is not to be trusted in that studio – many of the names I couldn’t even hear at all.)

Then, energetic stage guy rips the empty poster board covering off, and reveals my name.

I can’t –

There are no words here. What do I even say? How can I even describe the feeling? I was in disbelief. I was in shock. I didn’t even know what to do.

I look over at Patrick. In my mind, I’m thinking, “Do I hug you?! Do you want to be hugged? I know we’re best friends now, but I can’t tell if you’re the hugging type or not. Okay, you’re not hugging me. Forget this. No hugs for now.”

(After the show, I told him I had a “should/I should I not hug him” moment. He made some jokes about how I can regret that forever, and he would too. (But not too much, y’all. We’re okay. ;)) We also learned after the show that even though he was my new best friend, he didn’t know my last name. So, he wasn’t totally sure that when my name was called it was actually me – and it was all just happening so fast.”)

Also, I’d just like to point out that in the pre-show instructions, they ask you to do one thing, and one thing only when your name is called – and that is to stand immediately, so the camera can find you.

Aurora De Lucia beside herself in contestant's row on The Price is Right — Everyone else is paying attention, and I’m still just in shock.

I already started out wrong, ’cause I felt like I was glued to my seat with just wide mouth and eyes for what felt like minutes (but I’m sure was only seconds – ’cause time weirdly somehow sped up and slowed down during the whole Price is Right experience). (And they nicely edited out any extra sitting.)

Once I finally stood up, I freaked out, and hugged Zuri on my way out of my row. Then I’m kind of looking around the audience around me, thinking, “Any of you wanna stand up and hug me? I kind of want to hug everybody, everywhere. I mean, I’m going to contestant’s row, here people! No? Nobody gonna hug me? I guess that would be weird. I’m just some stranger. And they already briefed everybody not to stand up and clap for people, ’cause then the camera wouldn’t know who was standing from excitement and who was standing because they were coming on down… Okay, okay. I’m outta here down to contestant’s row.”

(Watching the tape, I saw that I accidentally missed some guy’s high 5. So sorry, stranger.) (Also, I did get a hug from Anna who was so nicely hugging everyone.)

So, I went on down. And I really couldn’t believe I was there. It was the weirdest feeling.

Since everything looks slightly different (and a bit smaller) in the studio (and from behind the podium), I felt like I was playing some kind of version at a road show or theme park, or just generally some version that’s not really real.

This all-for-fun-only Price is Right seems so lifelike. They got Drew Carey and everything. How is that possible? Oh. Because it’s the real freaking Price is Right!(!!!)

And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 6 (Pre-show and 1st Half)

March 29, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

Before the show, George (Gray – the announcer) pumps everybody up and gives the low down all about what’s going to be happening with the show.

He gives this little talk at the beginning where he says, “How many of you have planned exactly what you’re gonna do to get down here if we call your name?”

Tons of hands in the audience shoot up, and there’s a huge burst of cheering. (I did not put my hand up, ’cause I knew I’d have no idea how I’d go down there!)

He then said something along the lines of “None of you know what you’re gonna do. ‘Cause if we call your name, you’re going to basically black out. And only after the show will you have any idea of what’s happening to you.”

Let me tell you, I don’t know that truer words have ever been spoken. I was in complete and total shock from the moment my name was called. I didn’t know what to do with myself!

But we’ll get to that in a bit.

It was during this intro time that I also learned, because it’s so loud being in the studio audience – not only will they call you down to contestant’s row, they will show a big poster board of your name as well.

It was crazy how much you couldn’t hear. I mean, really. The sound was just nuts. I didn’t even know what people were bidding on sometimes.

Though I could make a guess by what I was seeing on the monitor (using the monitor since not only could I not hear, I couldn’t see everything on the stage). (Aye, aye, aye.)

I guess in some ways is sounds like some weird sort of sensory deprivation thing – which it kind of is once you’re up there, because as George Gray says, you kind of just black out.

So, we’re watching the show. And it’s awesome, moving quickly, and hilarious. George keeps turning to our little audience section, asking us what we think stuff is priced.

At one point, when a contestant was overbidding (in my opinion), I just yelled out very matter-of-factly “I disagree!” George smiled at me. I was pretty proud of myself for making the announcer smile (dusts off shoulders).

Once the first wheel spinning of the show occurred, I start thinking, “This is starting to be the danger zone.”

If you go to contestants’ row, you want as much time there as possible – so that you have as many chances as you can take of getting it right. When there are only 3 games left, it’s nerve-wracking. Between the producer seeming unimpressed by my small posse, and us sitting us in the corner like bad kids, I didn’t think it was my day. (I was having a wonderful time anyway, laughing at the jokes between the comedian beside me, and the ones onstage.)

But on the off chance it was my day, in my head I started pleading with The Price is Right universe, “Please, oh please, Price is Right, if you are going to make my childhood dreams come true, and make me the next contestant to come on down, please do it now or don’t do it today. I don’t want any fewer than 3 chances up at that podium. Please?”

Then, it was so weird because when the incredibly peppy, energetic guy (Scott Robinson, I think) came out with the poster board covered up and ready to be revealed, I got a bit of butterflies in my stomach. Something in my brain said, “Aurora. I think you’re gonna be called next.”

I know that sounds completely crazy. And it is. So, I tried to push that down. “Now, Aurora, that is just silly. You can’t just ‘feel’ things like this.”

This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 5 (Entering the Studio)

March 28, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

After the interviews, we went around the corner to another set of benches. We all had to check in our phones (and any other electronics that could take pictures and video (or could fetch secret pricing information for us)).

Then we sat around on for a while. As always, it’s really nice when no one has her or his phone, so people can focus on each other and the world around them.

(It makes it hard if you’re having a conversation and say, “Wait. What was the name of that one actor, or that one TV show?” But it’s fun to use your brain!)

Videos of The Price is Right started playing on screens above us. There was one that was really funny. It talked about going to the show, and some of the rules or suggestions. It said something like, “remember to act with grace and decorum.” Then it showed a montage of people making complete fools of themselves. (‘Cause that’s what they really want us to do… So, that was the joke… Get it? Hilarious, right?)

They also showed us a full episode of TPiR. This was actually super helpful. It got us really in the right frame of mine to go see the show – reminding us of the TPiR strategies. Of course there’s that whole thing in contestants’ row – if you’re one of the later ones, go $1 over someone else, or just bid $1. It was a good time to think of all that kind of good stuff with strategy/game play.

Before you knew it, it was no longer time to watch old episodes on screens, but be a part of our own episode in person! Time to enter the studio!

I’d been singing The Price is Right theme song all week whenever we mentioned taking our amazing upcoming adventure to the show. Zuri said she wondered if they played the actual music during the show, since they could so easily add it in post. I believed they would play the music. (It just wouldn’t feel like Price is Right otherwise.) Sure enough, they played my jam.

We walked through a door and all of a sudden there were just colors everywhere. Agh! Why don’t I have a picture taking device with me?!

The first thing we saw as we walked in was a board that said what show number we were attending, and what our air date would be.

Aurora De Lucia coming on down to contestant's row on The Price is Right

“Everybody remember March 18th! We don’t have phones to write this down on, so just remember it, y’all!” (Note: The episode ended up being changed to air on March 19, but at the time, they planned on showing it on the 18th.)

Then we entered the actual room. And you bet the theme song was playing. People were getting so pumped! You could not help but be excited there.

Ushers would ask “How many in your party?” and seat people based on – who knows – excitableness, good-looking-ness, wardrobe, group size? I’m not sure exactly what they seated by. But we were not directed to the center section. We were off to the side (in time out?), so I figured they didn’t love us – again, reinforcing the idea that this was probably not the day that I was going to get called down to contestants’ row.

But that was fine. I was happy to at least finally have the experience of going to The Price is Right. I could always try again another day.

If we were going to be seated in a place where we couldn’t see the stage very well, we got the best obstructed view scenario. We were close to George Gray (the announcer) who was lovely and hilarious. He kept interacting with the audience, and was so fun to be around.

And this is where I’ll pick up next time.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 4 (The Interview pt. 2)

March 27, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

We were in a “what are we gonna say we do” pow wow.

(Again, the point wasn’t to lie, so much as to phrase our lives the right way, highlighting the good parts. You may only get less than a minute to talk to these people. All your seconds have to count!)

I couldn’t very well go up there and be like, “Uh, I’m unemployed right now.” Real interesting. And how am I supposed to say, “Well, I just finished up a stint at Playboy?” Real morning-game-show friendly there, huh?

I could say that I blog… I don’t make any money off of this, so it can’t really be classified as a job. (I suppose. I dunno. Some people work, but don’t actually make any money in that work…).

Anyway, I have a blog. So, you know. I could say it. (We don’t have to take the “what do you do” question so literally as to mean, “how do you pay your bills?” We’re not filling out our taxes here.)

But then we all discussed if blog stuff made me sound “too L.A.” I actually thought blog made me sound “down home-y.” (I guess… I’m not sure what words I’m going for there.) I’m sure lots of bloggers watch The Price is Right. (Heck, there are even some great game show blogs out there.)

I know a lot of bloggers are mothers, and I think moms make up a lot of The Price is Right audience.

Zuri and Patrick didn’t feel like blogger screamed friend-to-moms. They thought it was on the “too-L.A.” category. One of them suggested maybe a “social media” type job title. But I thought that sounded way more L.A. than blogger.

Now, to some of you, it might sound silly that we’re so worried about getting the wording right to make people like us – but what can I tell you? That’s the world (especially the world in L.A. – and the world in game shows).

Aurora De Lucia laughing at something Drew Carey said on The Price is Right stage

I wanted to highlight the things they would like about me. It’s an interview. Show your strengths.

Finally, I decided I’d just say “I adventure and do fun stuff. I just ran 52 half marathons in 52 weeks.”

Surprisingly, the whole group of people I was being interviewed with applauded after that. Thanks, everybody.

After people applauded me, the producer asked how many people I had with me. I pointed to Zuri and said one, then pointed to Patrick and said something like, “but two now, since we’ve become fast friends in line.”

And that was the end of my interview. I thought that question had ruined me. The producer didn’t seem too excited about me having a posse of two. I thought since I didn’t say “20” or something super cool like that, that the interview had slipped out of my hands.

(I’d also thought I’d been a little too “normal” in the interview – that maybe I wasn’t excited enough. But, judging by the fact that I thought I was a robot on the actual Price is Right stage – then seeing the difference between my perception and reality, I realize I have no idea how I actually acted in line. (Do I actually know how I act anywhere ever?))

So, the interview was complete. There was only one last phase in line, and that’s where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 3 (The Interview pt. 1)

March 26, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

It was time for the interviews.

About 12 of us (at a time) get sent to stand in a little interview line (barely off to the side of the area in which we’ve been waiting). A producer (at least, I assume he’s a producer), goes down the line and asks a couple of quick questions to each of us.

“What do you do?” “Where are you from?” – that kind of stuff. (Basically, just those two questions.)

Patrick (George for today), the incredibly funny, charismatic guy next to me seemed to be having a great interview. There was some great back and forth banter, but when the producer got to the “What do you do?” question, Patrick said he was an aspiring comedy writer. That was the end of Patrick’s hopes of being on The Price is Right that day.

(I felt as thought looking in the eyes of the producer, I could see Patrick’s chances shatter in that moment. Of course, I could be way off base, but that’s how it seemed…)

Word of advice (Again, this advice is just based off what I’ve seen/heard. Don’t ever risk anything on any opinion I give here. What do I know, really?) –

Game shows don’t like the “L.A. type” people. They don’t want people in or around the entertainment industry, because that isn’t as interesting to the audience at home. If you’re a struggling actor and a night security guard, I’d go with night security guard.

(Caveat: Let’s Make a Deal seems to pick a lot of performers.)

Obviously, if you work in the industry, you have to disclose if you’re in any way involved in/affiliated with the show or anyone surrounding the show. Definitely be honest about all of that stuff.

Aurora De Lucia in contestant's row on The Price is Right, looking like she really wants those camcorders

But other than disclosing things that are legally necessary – I’d skip the boring talk of working in TV, and bring out all of the other sides of your personality. I’d talk about all of your other hobbies before you bring out an “L.A. sounding” job.

(But I don’t even know why I’m saying that here, ’cause I’m pretty sure that’s common knowledge to L.A.-types, yes? And because who do I think I am telling you how to answer game show questions? I get on The Price is Right and now have all the answers to life? Don’t think it totally works that way…)

I actually kind of felt bad for Patrick. During the show, when Rori got called up, Patrick leaned over and reminded me that she had been the woman on the other side of him during the interview. Later, I got on. So, the people who’d been on both sides of him during the interview ended up getting called down to contestants’ row.

But what was so sort-of funny (about what I believe to be a little sad misstep) was that we’d all already discussed not being “too-L.A.”

(But you know, maybe Patrick is the best one of everyone for not trying to color his life in any way than the exact way it is…)

Anyway, right before we went up for our interviews, the 3 of us (Zuri, Patrick, and I) had had a little pow-wow about our L.A.-ness. “Uh, what are we gonna say we do?”

And this is where we’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 2 (Arrival, Pictures, Name Tags)

March 25, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

Zuri (my roommates’ friend (although, at this point, I guess I could say my friend too)) and I went down to CBS studios.

Once we got there, the CBS pages showed us all to benches to hang out for a while – and we got our cool, iconic Price is Right name tags.

I made friends with our neighbor, George – who turned out to actually be Patrick…

On the Price is Right, they make you go by your complete legal first name (off of your photo ID). So, if you go by your middle name of Patrick – today you’re George.

After we got our name tags, Price is Right people took your picture in front of a green screen. (And they put something all Price-is-Right-y behind you.. I think they superimpose the wheel.) You can buy the pictures, but we didn’t.

The first one is a normal, smiley picture. Then they tell you to act like you won a brand new car. In my “brand new car” picture (when it was imaginary and everyone was pretending to win one), I just started pretend crying. I thought that’d be a more accurate depiction of what would most likely happen, rather than just jumping up and down. Little did I know, we’d actually see later on in the day!

At this beginning part of the day, everyone also got a little individual picture taken. I’m pretty sure it’s so the producers can see what we look. (I think it comes up with our number on their iPad during (and after) our interviews.)

(It was kind of like this... only less on the verge of tears... :-P) — (It was kind of like this… only less on the verge of tears… :-P)

I’ll admit, I caught a glimpse of it on the computer and it was a pretty nice, excited picture of me.

As you’ve probably noticed on the blog, I often pose for photos with a huge, gaping smile. Sometimes the photos come out really nicely, and sometimes I sort of look like a fish. Well, this was one of my best (if I do say so myself).

Heck, if I could’ve bought that one, I would’ve thought about it.

So, perhaps that’s the secret, people – nail that photo looking as excited as you can… Or perhaps they never even look at it. What do I know? This is all just conjecture. I haven’t seen the inner-workings (of these somewhat-sort-of-inner-workings that you see from the contestant point of view).

My name tag got a little torn. In addition to your name tags, they give you these pink numbers (and you have to stay in that order all day). You have to attach the little pink number under your name tag. When I lifted up the bottom of my name tag and shoved the little pink number in there, I made a bit of a torn mess out of my name tag. Oh well. It still worked!

After picture time, we go around the side of the building. A woman makes an announcement that we can order food if we want. So, if you’re planning on going TPiR, remember to bring food or cash if you think you might want to eat. You are there for about 6 hours.

We opted not to eat. I barely had any cash on me. (And I wasn’t actually all that hungry.) Even though the food from the commissary looked delicious, I was much happier that I didn’t eat.

I ended up on camera! And I’m glad I didn’t have food in my teeth (or a bunch of food wandering around my stomach adding to the crazy nervous feeling I already had onstage).

After you have the chance to order food, you go to the interview portion. And that’s where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

My Day As A “Price is Right” Contestant – Part 1 (The “Pre-Story” Chapter)

March 24, 2013

(To skip the pre-story chapter, and go straight to the day, start here.)

As I said in an earlier post, I taped this episode about 6 weeks before you all saw it.

I didn’t even have the ability to start drafting a blog about it about it until about 4 days after the show taped. For the first 3 days, I was too excited to even sit at my computer and write.

When I went back and read my drafts, I was so happy to read how I was feeling at that time (even though it’s only a slightly more intense version of what I’m feeling now), that I decided to leave a bunch of the excited paragraphs practically untouched.

Without further ado, here’s my Price is Right story.

– – – – –

Did I just live the American Dream?!

Honestly, I have no idea what to say. I don’t care how much time passes from when the show was taped. I will never stop being giddy about this!

I don’t – I really don’t even know where to start!

Here’s a warning – we’re gonna be covering this for days. This might be the only story I ever tell for the rest of my life. (That part’s a lie.) But buckle up – even though you’ve seen the episode, I’m gonna describe it in tons of detail with every thought along the way. I want to remember every second of this day.

talking with Drew

Even though I didn’t start drafting this entry until 4 days after the taping, I’m still shaking as I type certain parts. I still had to take breaks to breathe and to try not to cry, because I just lived the freaking American Dream!

I’ve thought about going to The Price is Right somewhat often since I’ve lived in L.A. “I live here. I should take advantage of this stuff!” But then I get the “I live here. I can go anytime” follow-up thought.

I even almost went when a friend was in town – and by almost, I mean went to the studio and got our name tags. But we never actually walked in the studio. I learned that the taping got out later than I thought (2:30pm for the 8:30am show). So I had to leave. (Wah wah.)

My boss had told me I could have the morning off for The Price is Right, but I had to be back in the afternoon for some important meeting. And Burbank was pretty super far from Hollywood. So alas, I left the lot.

I also had gotten tickets a number of other tapings and decided not to go. (Tickets are free, and they overbook. So nothing happens if you don’t go.) Sometimes I’d wake up and think, “Ugh. It’s so early. Forget it. Maybe next month.”

Finally, I decided to go – like in real-life go. My roommates had a friend in town. They were off doing other stuff, and she wanted to do all the California stuff. I wasn’t currently working, so I thought, “Why not? I’ve got time. This’ll be so fun. Let’s do it, baby!”

In the morning, I didn’t even think to myself, “I need to look presentable in case I get on television.”

I figured I was finally going to this thing I said I’d go to a million times. It’s time to see what the experience was like. I groggily got up, put on mis-matched socks and got out the door.

Now, don’t take this to mean I didn’t want to be on the show! I, as (I’m guessing) most people did, grew up watching The Price is Right.

I always told my parents, “Someday, when I’m old enough to be a contestant, I’m gonna go to California and win a brand new car!” This was truly an absolute childhood dream come true.

How crazy is it that as a kid, I wanted so badly to be old enough to be on TPiR, and to have a way to get to California. Once both of those obstacles were out of the way (and I even lived here(!)), it took me over a year and a half to go. Oh, Aurora.

It wasn’t until it all started happening that I realized I was in my magical dream experience. (Still can’t get over it. I’m never going to get over it.)

And this is where we’ll pick up tomorrow.

The First Few Days With My Car

March 23, 2013

I know I’ve only had the car for about 5 days, so I can’t believe I’m already doing a car update. But, I felt it was time for one.

First off, OnStar is one of the coolest, greatest things ever. Everyone who answers the phone is SO nice. And I love asking a sweet human where to go way more than I like asking a machine.

It’s also funny that whenever I ask to avoid highways since I’m sort of a new driver all over again, the voices of the OnStar people get even cuter, like they think I’m some adorable 16-year-old with her first car. (Or they think I’m some annoying girl who doesn’t know how to drive. Either way, we all have fun together – the OnStar people and I.)

(For the record, I am capable of driving on highways. And when I visit my parents or rent a car somewhere, I do. I’m only avoiding them for the time being ’cause the car is so new. And Los Angeles is so Los Angeles.)

I also really love having Sirius XM satellite radio. I listen to Z100 (from New York) all the time. I know I’m not there. I know I’d never be driving if I were there. But, still. I like to hear the name of streets in NY when they do the traffic reports. It feels like New York isn’t quite so far away when the radio station is coming to me.

Even though I don’t love driving, I do love sitting in the car, ’cause it feels like I’m enveloped in luck (and maybe a little love) from The Price is Right. That whole on-top-of-the-world feeling hasn’t worn off yet.

The whole not-an-awesome-driver thing hasn’t worn off either. It took me what seemed like 20 minutes (and very well may have actually been that long) to park in my building the other day. When I got in the lobby, one of my friends at the front desk and I had a huge laugh over it ’cause he’d been watching on the camera.

Start to pull into the space. Wait. Am I too close to that car? Back out. Get a slightly different angle. Try again. Pull almost all the way in. Okay, but the car’s not super straight. Pull out again. Try to straighten out the car. Straighten the car. Get out. Walk around. Huh, you know, this is pretty good. But that one wheel is kind of touching that white line and I’d really like to be completely inside the space with no touching of any lines. Let’s try this again.

Get back in. Turn on the car. Straighten the car. You know what? I don’t even feel great about this space. I’m gonna move a couple of spaces down….

Eventually, I successfully parked. But it was definitely an adventure getting there.

In another car related story – the day after I brought home the car, I took the bus to my dentist appointment… I didn’t feel like moving the car, or trying to park somewhere else. I just let it be, and I got on the bus.

Oh, cars.

My Surprisingly Animated Price is Right Appearance

March 22, 2013

This is crazy.

I went to the taping of The Price is Right back on February 6th. I was freaking out all about it well before I could tell you! I started drafting a million-part (hyperbole (barely ;))) series about my day at the show.

And now that I’m ready to go through and edit it, I’ve realized I didn’t need to do quite such a play-by-play since it’s all on video for the world to see. (But you will still get some play-by-play with stuff that was edited out, and my thoughts along the way.)

I will say the biggest surprise about that day to me (after having watched the show), is my facial expressions.

I like to think I do some good facial expressions here and there, and am a somewhat animated person. But, I honestly thought – in all seriousness (I stress that whole “I really thought” part because now it seems crazy) – that I was practically robotic on TPiR.

I was so nervous, that I thought I’d completely clammed up. I thought I was unbelievably boring. I thought I just kind of gave an empty start to Drew Carey and basically stood there kind of lifeless.

I was pre-embarrassed about watching it. I was so happy with the outcome (obviously), but I was really embarrassed about the idea of being the most boring Price is Right contestant of all time.

Aurora on the ground with her head back, playing for a brand new car on The Price is Right

So, when the show aired and I was bounding around like a crazy person, I was pretty shocked! But, really happy that I wasn’t as boring as I thought. I was also pretty darn surprised about the huge difference between my perception and my reality.

Is that what I look like every day of my life – broadcasting every emotion and thought all over my face? Probably.

(During a Skype conversation, one of my friends once said, “There’s a camera directly on your face. I see you in close-up. You don’t need to play to the back of the house.” I thought it was a hilarious exaggerated comment, but I guess it wasn’t as exaggerated as I thought.)

Many people have been commenting on my reactions (including my head roll when the girl outbid me by a dollar on my first bid in contestant’s row). I’ll totally admit, I’ve loved all the comments people have been making about my face. I love that people loved my expressions.

I’m really, really ecstatic that I was not a robot up there. But it amazes me how different what I watched was from what I felt was going on at the time.

Now, enough with the random commenting on my own face. (Weird, right?) More car/Price is Right talk tomorrow.

Yep, I picked up the BRAND NEW (Price is Right) CAR! – Part 2 (Setting Up Onstar, and Making It Home)

March 21, 2013

Picking up from yesterday, after Tommy led me through all the various features, it was time for my OnStar orientation.

Tommy left, and I talked to the new, fun OnStar guy. He said, “First, let me congratulate you on your 2013 Chevy Cruze. That’s a great choice.” And I said, “I love it, but it wasn’t really my choice. It was Drew Carey’s ’cause I won this car on The Price is Right.”

(Of course, it wasn’t really Drew Carey’s choice either. It was more the producers’ doing, but still. I think the OnStar guy got the gist.)

The guy at OnStar asked me, “Are you serious?!” I said yes. And he said I was the first customer he’d had who’d won her car on The Price is Right. Then, he told all the people working around him. It was cool.

Then, he told me about OnStar, which is cool. They help you in an emergency, and even give you a monthly diagnostic on your car.

Apparently, my Chevy Cruze even has its own phone number, but I didn’t buy any minutes, ’cause I have a cell phone. I have OnStar (for now) in case of any emergency if my cell phone were somehow not available. Why would my car need a phone number?

I mean, it’s pretty cool. But it doesn’t seem wildly useful… But what do I know?

The nice OnStar guy asked if I needed any directions, but I said I’d call back later for directions. First, we had to take 100,000 pictures of the car – and me with the car, on the car, etc.

He laughed and said okay. And that was it for my OnStar orientation.

After that, Megan took a few million pictures of me around the car. (And someone took a couple of Megan and me together.) Then, Megan had the idea that maybe we should move into the sun to try to get some better pictures. So, we took it for a drive between the parking lots. (And I wouldn’t stop yammering as you can see for yourself below:)

[wpvideo AoCdeUaZ]

I was a little (lot) nervous to drive the car. ‘Cause it’s a car. And it’s brand new. (And I don’t drive very often!)

After we successfully moved into another parking spot without damaging any people or property, we took even more photos.

And finally, we decided it was time to go home. So, Megan got back in her car, and I got in mine – my brand new car!

I pressed the little OnStar button and said I wanted to go home, but I didn’t want to take any freeways. I just wanted the simplest, safest way possible. ‘Cause you know, it’s a new car – which is awesome, but kind of super terrifying.

The OnStar person sent a route to my car. My brilliant car told me before I hit every turn what I needed to do.

I heard a bunch of amazing radio stations. On Satellite, I even got Z100 in New York! So, I drove along just pretending I was there. (But not really, ’cause that wouldn’t make any sense. Why would I be driving in New York?)

Still. It was unbelievably cool.

Somehow, I actually made it all the way home. I told the security guards at the front desk that I’d won a brand new car on The Price is Right! Everyone freaked out, and everyone lived happily ever after.

We’ll be doing more talk about my The Price is Right episode tomorrow… (Oh, Price is Right. I love it SO much!)

Yep, I picked up the BRAND NEW (Price is Right) CAR! – Part 1 (Couldn’t Believe It Was Real!)

March 20, 2013

And it’s perfect.

My awesome friend Megan drove me down to Selman Chevrolet.

When you win a car on The Price is Right, they’ll get it to a dealership within 100 miles of you. Since I live in SoCal, I got to go through the main dealership TPiR goes through.

Probably about 2 weeks ago, I got a call saying, “Hi! This is Tommy with Selman Chevrolet. I got some paperwork from The Price is Right saying you won a car. Congratulations!…”

And I flipped out. I still couldn’t believe it was real! (I’ve had all the way since the February 6th tape date to try and realize it’s all really real, but somehow I’m still in disbelief.)

Tommy let me pick out the color of the car, and the date/time I wanted to come get it.

The official rules in the paperwork TPiR gave me state that the dealership has 90 days from the date the show airs to contact me. Once they contact me, I have 10 days to pick up the car, or I forfeit it (unless, of course, the dealership call before the show airs. You’re not allowed to pick it up ’til after your air date, so pre-show days don’t count in your 10 days).

I didn’t want to wait at all! Megan and I drove on down to the dealership the day my show aired. I was ready to have this car in my possession! Nothing has ever happened until it’s actually happened, you know? And this actually happened!

Basically, I showed up, and said, “Hey, I’m here to meet Tommy for the best day of my life.”

He handles all The Price is Right cars. So, I guess he’s pretty used to people totally freaking out all the time.

We looked around the car. It looked gorgeous. So clean. So new.

Then, we went inside. Tommy took my license and insurance information. (As soon as my dad found out I won a car, his first thought was, “Insurance. Insurance immediately.” (He works in insurance, and got me on a policy probably before the show even aired out here on the west coast. (He’s in Ohio.)))

After Tommy handed me the keys, he took me over to see Wayne, the money guy. I went in and signed a bunch (a whole bunch) of paperwork. I pretty much read it over, but there was so much. I suppose it’s possible I accidentally signed my life away in there or something, but let’s hope not.

There was a form about $1,000 or so in rebates… to CBS. Well, that’s okay. They can have the rebates. They gave me a car.

I did have to pay $2,066.67 for sales tax, and the licenses and registration fees.

There was a part of the form that said they basically had the right to take the car back. I was all, “what?!” But then he said that was mainly for people leasing, if the money stuff didn’t happen. He said, “the important thing about that clause is not that we can take it back, but that you can’t return it.”

It’s a brand new car! Why would I ever want to return it?

After I’d given my money to Wayne (the money guy), I went back with Tommy and he led me out to the brand new car! (I really should give it a name, I guess instead of just calling it, “brand new car!”)

Tommy led me through all the various features. It’s a car from the future (as far as I’m concerned)! The key pops out from the little remote thing. That’s right. The key hides down in the little unlock/lock remote thing, then click – you pop it out. The car also has Sirius XM Satellite radio (which is awesome). (Don’t get too attached. It’s only free for 3 months.) Brand New Car (its name for now) even comes with OnStar (for 6 months)!

Oh, I still have more to say! But, I don’t want a crazy long post. So, let’s just talk more about this tomorrow. Hope to see you then!

So, Did You Watch The Price is Right This Morning?!

March 19, 2013

(- or probably yesterday morning depending on when you’re reading this.)

Oh Man! Okay, Watch TOMORROW’S The Price is Right – Seriously. Please?

March 18, 2013

I know you've seen this picture a lot - but it's the only Price is Right picture I have! — I know you’ve seen this picture a lot – but it’s the only Price is Right picture I have!

Sorry everybody! I’m so sorry to everybody who woke up earlier than usual or was inconvenienced in any other way…

Today was kind of a bust. A huge portion of my extended family gathered in Indiana to watch the show together. (My dad even took the day off of work.)

Early in the game, I realized – none of this looks familiar.

We checked the schedule on the website. Now, I had checked it before. Once I saw it in writing there, I didn’t realize it would change. But I probably should’ve checked it a little more recently than just once a couple (or few) weeks ago.

I went to the taping on February 6. I was around for episode 6271K. As of now, that’s listed for tomorrow.

I would’ve loved to have watched with all of us gathered together, but my dad had a meeting he couldn’t get out of. I already planned to fly back home tonight. It’s just not in the cards to all watch it together.

So, I will be hanging in my apartment, live tweeting during the west coast airing of the show tomorrow (pretty much spoiling it for anyone who isn’t following along).

So, sorry again. (And sorry to all the billions of strangers I told… I told everybody – guy who checks me in at the gym, guy at the post office, waitress at everywhere – every person I met – “Don’t forget to watch The Price is Right on Monday!” (*palm to face. Embarrassing.)

So please, y’all, actually tune in tomorrow.

(Also, if you did watch today, the show was kind of amazing… But don’t hold your breath for me to have the same kind of day that girl did. I would not expect me to come out of there with over $78,000. But good for her!)

Don’t Forget to DVR The Price is Right tomorrow!

March 17, 2013

I know you may be sick of seeing this picture of me, and hearing me say “DVR The Price is Right!”

Well, you’re in the luck. This is the last reminder on the blog, because the show is… tomorrow!

For most people it comes on at 11am on CBS. (Though I’ve heard that with some providers it’s on at 10am. I dunno. You tell me.)

I plan on live tweeting during the 11am (Pacific) time show. So, you can choose to ignore all that if you’re DVRing for later. Or you can follow along on my twitter feed. (I love twitter.)

I dreamed of going to The Price is Right since I was a little girl. I finally went to a taping for the first (and so far only) time on February 8th! That magical show is airing tomorrow!

So, tune in. See if any of my dreams come true – or if you can at least catch a glimpse of me in the audience. I had an amazing time, and I can’t even wait to tell you (in tomorrow’s post) all about my experience of going to a taping of The Price is Right!

Ohio Was Fun

March 16, 2013

Aurora excited after giving blood — Gave blood! Got a sticker and some cookies… (And yes, that’s a kid’s menu I’m working on at Donatos)

I know we have so much kidney stuff to talk about (oh, so much – many, many posts).

But, since I’m gonna be posting about other things for a while, and I’m heading out from my Ohio vacation, I just wanted to say I had a pretty lovely time (for the most part… some of the kidney stuff was a bit stressful. Just wait ’til you hear about it…)

Back to Ohio stories at hand – I finally gave blood again. (Embarrassingly, I’m pretty positive I didn’t give in all of 2012. (I did give in December of 2011, though…))

When I turned 17, I was incredibly excited to be able to give blood. I was all, “I’m gonna go every 56 days – always.” Sometimes I am better about it than others. But, I’m often too low in iron to give. One time my blood pressure was too low (but they let me go eat a bunch of salty foods and try again, and we were able to get it high enough to give that day).

I’m so often discouraged by my low iron that it’s made me try to give blood less often… But this time, I was in the 14s baby! (Minimum 12.5) I couldn’t believe it. So, hopefully I really will make giving blood (and getting iron) more of a priority. I have been trying to be better about iron supplements recently, and I think that shows in my awesomely high iron count.

Also, why have I even been talking about iron for 2 paragraphs? What is this, a blog or diary? (That line is definitely blurred sometimes!)

Aurora fixing blood thing

(Side note: I always loved giving blood at Children’s Hospital Boston. That was my go-to place after I moved there. They always had awesome swag for giving – shirts, bags, water bottles. It was like Christmas every time you went in there… And I always treated myself to a grilled cheese in the cafeteria, ’cause they were delicious.)

Other than giving blood, I also got to have “game show hour” with my sister while I was here. (I adore game shows… And I guess I kinda like my sister. ;))

“Game show hour” is when we’d go to the gym from 7-8, and work out next to each other on the treadmills. One of us (me, usually) would put on Jeopardy! followed by Wheel of Fortune. The other one would put on Family Feud. And we could watch 2 game shows at once. Amazing, right?

I also had fun running a few errands for my dad. I don’t love driving. (And I don’t have a car.) I think if I had to drive all the time, I might go a little nuts. But as someone who barely drives, it makes it fun every once in a while to hear all the pop songs I’m missing out on.

Running errands around Worthington really brought me back to high school. As a junior and senior, I probably spent 1/4 of my time doing theater errands – mainly getting props for shows (sometimes getting or dropping off people as well). Boy, oh boy, those were the days. So, it was nice to feel like a little high schooler running around the city again.

I'm giving a bit of "alien face" here with this weird angle, but the moral of this picture is I freaking adore Planet Smoothie more than almost anything, and I love, love, love, love, love that there is one down the street from my parents' house. — I’m giving a bit of “alien face” here with this weird angle, but the moral of this picture is I freaking adore Planet Smoothie more than almost anything, and I love, love, love, love, love that there is one down the street from my parents’ house.

I also got to see a movie at the dollar theater! That’s right. There are movies here you can watch for $1. Why is Ohio so awesome?

I saw Wreck-It Ralph. I laughed and cried (as I do in oh-so-many kids movies because they are so emotional and imaginative, and I just (sniffles) love them.

Luckily, my friend who went with me seemed to think it was endearing instead of crazy.

In conclusion, Ohio was pretty awesome.

I really believe that it’s wildly important when you live in L.A. to do your best to escape, kind of as much as you can… I was going to say at least once a year, but let’s get real. You should probably just get out whenever you’re not working.

I like to remember what it’s like not to have the sun beating down on you everyday. (I saw snow while I was here in OH! Really. Snow!)

And I think it’s incredibly important to try to not get “too L.A.” I’ve seen people successfully live there for a while and still be wonderful human beings… (But not all are that lucky (and impervious).)

So, that’s it for Ohio. We will get back to kidney talk… but first, we’re gonna have to talk about The Price is Right. Don’t forget to watch Monday! (Tomorrow’s post is just a reminder for that.)

That Time I (Hopefully) Gave Away A Kidney – Part 1 (Why?)

March 15, 2013

Aurora De Lucia after just getting dressed in a hospital gown and puma shoes — Back in a hospital gown – this time for fun kidney tests. Woot!

How excited are you for another series of story posts to read?

(That is both a sarcastic and genuine question. I know some of you don’t really like blog posts in a long series, preferring standalone blog posts instead. But some of you like posts that fit together into one big story. Well, latter readers, you’re in luck!)

Yesterday, I announced I’m going to be a non-directed kidney donor. (Hopefully I am, at least – I haven’t gotten the final approval yet. So, please don’t get too, too excited… I suppose I’m maybe jumping the gun a little with the title of the posts, going with past tense. But, I think that will transfer easiest post-surgery… And let’s get real. I’m gonna make this happen. Bam!).

Anyway, when you tell people you’re planning on being a kidney donor for a stranger, the first question people have is why.

If you’ve meandered around this blog, you know that I had a weird congenital heart issue and I’ve spent a good amount of time in the hospital. I know first hand what it’s like to not be sure when you get to return to your normal life – the frustrations, uncertainty, all that jazz.

I quit some jobs and quit school. It’s very nice when people in hospitals are saving your life, but it’s not so nice when the life you’re trying to go back to is sort of falling apart.

If I can sacrifice a few weeks of my life to take away all that uncertainty for someone – to make it so that they can really live again, it seems like a pretty good trade to me.

Part 2 starts (over a year later – eesh!) here.

Oh, Forget It. I’m Just Telling You What My New Project Is

March 14, 2013

As you may or may not have seen, over the past couple of months, I’ve been all – “The announcement of my next project is coming soon.”

I kept pushing back the date, then pushing it back some more.

I thought I’d be making you a fun video with big smiles since I’d know a definitive answer by now. I have no cute official announcement video for you (yet) ’cause I don’t have an answer (yet).

But I’m gonna go ahead and just tell you what I’m working on. You can get caught up on the ride thus far, and come along on the journey.

And now… after all that way-too-much build up –

I’m trying to be approved to be an altruistic kidney donor. (And then, of course, run a big marathon event (I’m thinking Goofy Challenge) while fundraising.)

Why do I want to give a kidney to a stranger? What all does it entail? We’ll start diving in to that tomorrow.

“Aurora, Do You Care a Bit Too Much?”

March 11, 2013

Lisa Simpson: My favorite cartoon character... Some would say she cares too much. — Lisa Simpson: My favorite cartoon character… Some would say she cares too much. (Photo credit: Fox/Matt Groening)

Short answer: No.

So, this is a question I get sometimes about any number of things in life.

When I’m physically ill because I’m so stressed/nervous leading up to a Groundlings evaluation;
or when I’m reduced to crying in the fetal position over fundraising ’cause I feel like everything I’m doing is failing;
when I’m constantly disappointed in second places and view them as complete losses

(I’m still upset with myself over getting a silver instead of a gold in math pentathlon in elementary school [*shakes head at self over making a stupid mistake*]), sometimes people ask, “Aurora, do you care a bit too much about things?”

“Is anything ever fun to you?”

I’m pretty sure things are fun to me. But, I’m also not positive that I understand the definition of fun in the way other people do. I think it’s really fun to compete – and mainly to win. I think it’s really fun to be excellent at things. Some people have fun just being on a team – even if they come in 9th at whatever they’re doing. I usually won’t find something like that fun.

However, all of that only applies to things at which I conceivably could, be good and/or things in which I truly care about progressing (for instance some theater/music related stuff).

I know I’m horrible at running (which I mention since it’s such a focus of this blog). I’m never going to win the Boston Marathon. I don’t need to be the best at that. I set a goal – to run a race. I do it. I call it a day…

Sometimes that super competitive part of me rears her head and starts to get obsessed about times and things… While I believe in always improving, I’m trying to live a somewhat balanced/healthy life, and I’m doing my best to have a hobby that’s just a hobby – where I can be happy just running for fun.

(Of course, I’d be lying if I said I’d be content never qualifying for Boston. So, I never can let a hobby just fully be a hobby with no goals whatsoever, can I? And that’s probably healthy, right?)

I guess, what I’m trying to say, is that a part of me is sort of trying to balance my life… a little bit. Kind of.

But the main part of me is the “if you’re not first, you’re last” mindset. If I don’t win, if I’m not the best (and sometimes even if I am, but I didn’t do as well as I felt I could do), then I’m unfulfilled.

I’ve gotten way more kind of “crunchy” and “peaceful” and blah after open-heart surgery, but my tigress inside still exists. And I love her. And no matter how carefree I get, she will never be obliterated. And I don’t want her to be.

While most people think it’s not good to have your happiness revolve around competitions with yourself and others, and around your goals – I think it’s actually awesome. I think it pushes you to keep striving for more and more stuff.

I mean, it makes people annoyed with you sometimes if you can’t get over stuff. And it sometimes make you ignore everyone in your life for whatever your project at the time is. (And people don’t generally love that.)

But, have you ever read about the most successful people who changed everything? That’s how they seem to be. Michael Jackson was insufferable when it came to the search for perfection. Everyone around him had to constantly give their best work – even better than what they’d ever imagined they could do. And look at the products we got as a result of his relentlessness.

From everything I’ve read, he was never happy with what he did. And look at what that pushed him to do.

Crazy (and awesome) pre-surgery Aurora still doesn’t exist yet in her pure, undiluted form.

(I don’t know why I think that year changed me so much. But unfortunately, it did.) But, there have been parts of this year where people have seen her. (That’s when they ask me if I care too much about things.)

And my answer to whether I care too much about things is, no. Of course I don’t care too much about things, because that’s impossible to do. It is not possible to care too much.

Set Your DVR For “The Price is Right”

March 10, 2013

Aurora De Lucia in line at The Price is Right

Next Monday – March 18, 2013.

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to go to The Price is Right.

After living in Los Angeles for a year and a half (plus even more time actually, with my additional smaller stint before this one), I finally went to see TPiR. (I am sort of a game show fanatic.)

I was in the audience for next Monday’s episode of The Price is Right.

Will you be able to catch a glimpse of me in the crowd? Will George Gray call me to “come on down”?

There’s only one way to find out!

“What’s The Deal With Your New Project?”

March 5, 2013

question mark Spoiler alert: This is still not the announcement.

And if you’re annoyed by that, you’ve got company. I’m a little annoyed that I can’t tell you about it. And I’m so sorry that I can’t!

Basically, last year’s project was completely in my control. I said I wanted to run a bunch of races – that anyone could do – and I did it.

This year, I am working on something that is a bit beyond my control. I have to be approved by other people to make it happen.

I’ve been taking notes every step of the way. So, once the secret’s out, we will be talking about it at length with multiple blog posts. Until then, we’ll just hang out and talk about other stuff. I don’t want to announce something just to say soon after, “Nevermind. It didn’t work out.”

I thought I’d know by February. Then, I learned that didn’t happen. I thought I’d hopefully know today. Nope.

As of now, I am really, really hoping for next Thursday (and that seems like a very likely possibility).

Know I have been diligently working on this since December. I’m gonna try not to let you down.

I promise that even if I face failure and this does not come to fruition, I will absolutely let you know what it was going to be, and why and how I failed. But I want to know one way or another before I share it with the world.

Thank you for your patience. Please know I am absolutely dying to share all of this with you, and I will the moment I can!

xoxo

“What’s It Like To Audition For Basic At The Groundlings?”

March 1, 2013

Another question time with another answer.

People have happened upon my blog asking, “How hard is the Groundlings audition to get into Basic?”

You’ve got questions? I’ve got opinions.

Rewind back before I took Basic, when I first had to audition to get in.

First, let me just tell you that if you’re one of the people googling whether or not to audition – I think you probably should. I don’t know you, so what do I know? But if you care enough to research The Groundlings – if you have the passion going on, just audition.

The audition is super chill. I didn’t even have a headshot! For my picture, I think I brought in some black-and-white silly, pouty, way over-dramatized Glamour Shot from 8th grade.

My resume had next to nothing on it. (Well, I mean, I am (very over-exaggerated snooty voice) a member of AEA.)

But seriously, I had extremely few credits. (And they’re mainly all from school or small regional theaters.) I had a couple of acting-type jobs (example: Santa’s elf at Macy’s at Christmas time) that I put on there, just to try to cut out some of the white space. (A piece of paper can look so large when you have nothing to fill it with.)

If you’ve read any of my other entries about my time at The Groundlings, you would know that I am a horrible improviser – and that horrible doesn’t begin to cover it. So, I wasn’t expecting anything good, but why not at least try? After all, the description just says that Basic is for people who can act (meaning, not necessarily, people who can already improv, right?). I convinced myself that they didn’t need amazing improvisers just for Basic – it’s a class on the basics, by golly. I was auditioning to take a class.

The audition was fun. I loved it. It’s run just like a class. Drew Droege led mine. (Side note: He has an amazing, hilarious podcast called Glitter in the Garbage, and you should check it out.)

My understanding is that lots of different Groundlings teachers run the auditions, so there are many different options for who might run yours. (Between my audition, Basic classes, and drop-ins, I had at least 7 great teachers, so I think the odds are probably in your favor that you’ll have someone pretty rad.)

So you go in and hand over your brilliant headshot and resume. Then I think there are a couple of warm-ups, a couple of scenes, and you’re done.

Some groundlings. (Credit: StageAndCinema.com) — Some groundlings.
(Credit: StageAndCinema.com)

I’m obviously not a teacher there, so I’m talking all hearsay and opinions right now, but my understanding is that they’re mainly looking for people who aren’t afraid to be onstage, look other humans in the eyes, and show big emotions in their scenes.

I think they want people who are generally pleasant to be around, and seem to listen pretty well. The teacher will do side-coaching. So, it might be good to try and listen to (and take) his or her notes. Basically, just go in and have fun. For all intents and purposes, you’re kind of getting a free class – so enjoy that!

This isn’t just a time for The Groundlings to see whether they like you. This will be a great way for you to see whether you like the Groundlings. (If you don’t like the audition, you probably won’t like class, ‘cause they are extremely similar.)

You’re told soon after – within a day or two – whether or not you passed the audition. I was pretty sure that there was no way I was passing, so I was oh so very pleasantly surprised (shocked and stoked) when I got my email.

My main advice (if you want it) is that you pretty much have nothing to lose, so why not just go try? (I say “pretty much” because I think you only do have 3 chances… So, be sort of careful. But, you can kind of burn one off without too many consequences, I think.)

If you don’t pass the audition, I think you have to wait 6 months before you can audition again. That’d be a great time to take Workshop A (and B, maybe).

(Those two classes have a lot of the same or similar exercises as Basic. So, if you don’t pass your audition, I’d imagine those classes would be extremely helpful in preparing for your second audition. (And you can take A + B as often as you’d like in case you want to super master them before your next audition.)

The moral of the story is if you’re looking up stories of auditioning at the Groundlings, just go do it. Why not?

The Adorable Girl On Yesterday’s “The Price Is Right”

February 26, 2013

I saw an amazing episode of The Price is Right yesterday – so great, I felt I had to tell you about it.

If you’re not in the mood to have a TV show recounted to you, I hope to see you tomorrow. If you are in the mood to hear about this amazing girl bringing even more joy to daytime television – read on.

So, yesterday, I’m watching The Price is Right with my sister.

One of the first 4 people called down at the very beginning of the show is one of the most adorable people I’ve ever seen. Every time she goes to make a bid, she just quickly sticks her head out to the mic and then retreats it back – almost like the mic is going to bite her.

Anytime she outbids someone by $1, she quickly looks over and says, “I’m sorry!”

She’s just adorably jumping around, so nervous-seeming, and so excited.

In the very first item up for bid, I’m pretty sure she bid $800. And the actual retail price was $799. She was off by a dollar, and the person who did go up there ended up playing for a car!

In the second half of the show, adorable girl still hadn’t made it up onstage. In one round, the last person who’d been called up (and first to bid), bid $500. Adorable girl was last to bid, and bid $501. The bell sounded that someone had the perfect bid. It was the person who’d bid $500.

Yet again, adorable girl missed out by a dollar.

Yet again, the person who beat her to get up onstage played for a car!

Finally, it was the very last chance to get onstage. The tension was high. Me sister and I wanted so badly for adorable girl to play a pricing game. Sure enough, adorable girl got onstage! And she was oh so happy.

She lost her pricing game! (I was upset for her, but her awesome attitude seemed to be like, “Well, at least I’m here!”)

Then, on the wheel, she barely passed 95 cents to get only 50 cents. But when she spun again – she got another 50 cents. Boom! A dollar! Yay! She’ll have a chance to play again in the showcase round.

Or will she?!

The winner of the car also spun a dollar. (Yes, this episode is getting nuts. Imagine watching this excitement in real time. 11am party, baby. My sister and I were going absolutely nuts.)

So, they both got their bonus spins.

And on the girl’s bonus spin, she gets another dollar!!! I kid you not. Go ahead, jump around your living room. She just won another $25,000(!) (in addition to the first $1,000 bonus of landing on the dollar).

Then, the guy spun one of the green spots around the dollar winning him $10,000.

This was the luckiest bunch I’d seen in a while.

Later, Lindsay (Fonseca – adorable girl) unfortunately overbid on her showcase. But instead of beating herself up about it, she exclaimed so earnestly, “It’s okay! I won $26,000!”

I’ve never seen anybody be so giddy after losing.

If I were super, super duper rich, I would totally contact her out of the blue and buy her that trip and that car. I’d just be like, “Hey. I know you already won $26,000. But I loved your attitude. I loved watching you see the bright side of everything. I bet you’re a super nice person who enriches the life of those around you. So, here are the contents of your showcase anyway. Please don’t ever lose your joy, positive energy, and all-around awesomeness.”

I just wish I could get across how much her joy was just permeating through the TV. That has to be one of my favorite episodes, and favorite contestants, ever.

(Oh! And side note, speaking of my love for The Price is Right! I went to a taping on the 6th. It will air on March 18th. Will they call me on down? Will you at least be able to catch a glimpse of my face in the audience? Who knows. Only one way to find out. Feel free to set your DVRs, y’all!)

I Wish Some Of Our Normal Visits Were Like Hospital Visits

February 25, 2013

As I said yesterday, I recently went to visit a friend of mine in the hospital.

And even though I described my own weird insecurity/stress about it – there was something awesome about it too.

Everyone put away their phones. Nobody was half paying attention while checking emails. It was just really brilliant and beautiful to be in a room with people sitting around and doing nothing but talking to each other.

And of course, as is often wont to happen in hospital rooms, people started recounting wonderful stories of the person in the bed.

How great would it be if groups just gathered with no electronics and talked about how great each person was? We just put a bunch of love and joy and there and celebrated life.

Of course, I know this does happen sometimes. But I think it’s kind of rare… And I understand you can’t just sit around and talk about life all the time, ’cause you have to go out there and make the stories.

And even though I have a tendency to sometimes tell people a little too often how great they are (David, I’m looking at you (for one)! ;)) – I know you can’t just constantly celebrate people and tell them how wonderful they are. (I mean, you can. But if they get used to it, it may not mean as much, maybe. I understand that. (Even though, you can feel free to tell me how great I am all the time if you feel that way. Pretty sure I might never get sick of being loved. :-P))

After all, it may never get old. Becky used to do compliment time and that certainly never got old.

Aaaaaaanyway, I guess the point I’m trying to make is that even though certainly not every day or hang out time can be like a hospital visit, I do think it would be lovely if we all said a little more often how much people mean to us, and how funny they are, and how wonderful it is to be around them.

It would be nice if we turned off our electronic devices, didn’t worry about who else might be asking for our attention at the moment, and just enjoyed each other’s company.

Bart hugging Lisa

(And, as far as hospital visits are concerned – oftentimes people get like that because they get worried that something will happen to the patient. But there’s no need to only remember how great someone is when that person’s sick. I know it’s so silly to still let this affect anything in my life, but I had a crazy rare congenital heart defect and I could’ve dropped dead at any moment with no warning. Anyone could be gone in the blink of an eye. Anyone. And I don’t mean that in some weird, morbid sense.

I don’t mean go live your life terrified of dying every second. I just mean, if you have something to tell someone, say it. If you want someone to know how much you appreciate them, tell that person. If you always let people know how you feel, you will never wish you would’ve said something.

Side story: i worked on a show with a really great guy who was always looking out for me and being kind to me. And he passed away pretty suddenly, not too long after we’d worked together. It was a bit shocking, and of course sad. But I always let him know I appreciated him. And I gave him a thank you card at the end of the show since such a seasoned, important person took such great care of a newbie.

I was able to take solace in the fact that he knew exactly how much I appreciated him.)

Anyway, I’ve gone on a big tangent. I guess all I’m trying to say is perhaps, today, think about taking the time to tell someone that you appreciate them. Think about telling someone you love them. Life goes so quickly! We might as well take time to appreciate each other (and get our heads out of our electronic devices!)

(Shuts computer. Goes to look at someone’s face.)

Do You Have Advice For People Who Want To Do 52 Half Marathons?

February 22, 2013

Sure.

But I have a feeling that some of it is just kind of common sense.

I’ve touched on a lot of this stuff before, but so that you have it in one post:

1) Do yoga. A lot of it. Stretching is wildly important.

2) Budget. I just kind of decided I was going to do this and flew by the seat of my pants for a whole lot of it. Budgeting and saving for it instead of just kind of trying to figure it out as it happened would probably be better.

3) Be so super trained that half marathons are basically nothing to you. By the end, I was barely holding on! I slowed down a lot just to make sure I wouldn’t get injured. If you’re weekly mileage is already so high that you’ll need to go out and run more after you cross the finish lines of your half marathons, by all means go for this. If you’re still struggling in half marathons, I’d train harder. I think it’ll make the experience better.

4) Be ready to organize from the beginning. ‘Cause you’re gonna have so much stuff. Have a dedicated email just for races. Put all the pictures from each race in folders on your computer as soon as you can, ’cause having them all over your phone and desktop and unsorted/unlabled in iPhoto is not the key to calm, organized bliss.

5) Don’t forget to have fun! This one may seem silly. “How can I forget to have fun? The whole project is supposed to be fun!” Well, it is fun. But somewhere in there, you might get bogged down with overnight bus trips and cancelled races. If you’re fundraising, you might be tearing your hair out. If you’re blogging, you might be having trouble squeezing in time to write. It might get hard trying to keep track of everything like your photos from races, bibs, medals, and t-shirts while traveling, planning, and trying to keep up the blog. There are times it may seem almost like a job. There are times when you might be pretty sleep deprived. And you will see other doing projects even bigger than yours, and you might feel for a second that yours might not be the huge undertaking that it feels like it is. That might make you feel a little small or a little stressed. But in the end, don’t forget the great times – ’cause there are so many.

I think that basically covers it. I know you probably could’ve guessed most of those. But if you have any other questions, I’m always ready to answer more!

Surprise Kristen Wiig Performance

February 21, 2013

Took this from @SilpaTweets (Mitch Silpa's twitter). This is the 10pm cast. So... not what I saw. Nonetheless, there's Kristen Wiig, and I did see her. — Took this from @SilpaTweets (Mitch Silpa’s twitter). This is the 10pm cast. So… not what I saw. Nonetheless, there’s Kristen Wiig, and I did see her.

I don’t have an amazing post here, except to say that I went to a Groundlings show last night (The Crazy Uncle Joe show, which is quite enjoyable) at 8pm.

(A performer who I think is especially wonderful was in the show this week, so I went.)

Kristen Wiig was in the show that was happening at 10pm. (Of course it sold out basically within moments.)

Well, sure enough, she showed up after intermission in our show! The entire crowd dropped their jaws all at once. She performed during the second half. And it was a fun surprise. So, I just thought I’d mention it here, ’cause it was a whoa moment. And I like to document those here to look back on someday.

(Of course the person I was there to see rocked the house as per usual.)

More running talk tomorrow.

End of transmission.

52 Half Marathons: By The Numbers

February 19, 2013

How many times am I going to use this picture in a post? Probably about a million, 'cause I love it. — How many times am I going to use this picture in a post? Probably about a million, ’cause I love it.

States Run In: 13 (+ DC)

(Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kentucky, Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Ohio, Nevada)

Race Miles: 762.90 (That’s the distance from Times Square (in NY) to my old Boston stomping grounds and back – and back again – still with miles to spare.) (The total mileage is made up of: 52 Half Marathons = 681.2 miles, + 2 attempts (I never got swept or quit, but boy did I get lost) and wake up late) = let’s say 16 miles, + Other Races (2 marathons, 3 5ks, and a 4-miler) = 65.7 miles)

Pairs of Shoes: 3 (mainly) I rotated between an old pair of Aasics Kayanos, a newer pair of Aasics Kayanos, and a new pair of Brooks PureConnects. I did throw in a pair of Brooks Dyads for a race or a two, but they weren’t in the normal rotation. (I’ll have a later post dedicated to shoes.)

Injuries: One. (I sprained my ankle on a rock I didn’t see during my 2nd half marathon (which of course was a trail run (and trail runs are the worst!)). Then, I did my third half marathon on crutches. All was well after that. (I did feel sick in December, but that wasn’t an injury, and I powered through (which we could argue wasn’t the best decision and I don’t always recommend that, but I’m alive… Just barely! because… (next line))

Brushes With Death: One.

Series Completed: 9 (Scroll to the bottom of that race schedule linked there to see the list.)

Awards Won: 2 – One for spirit. One for doing more races than a bunch of other people.

Races With My Dad!: 2 – His first, and his current PR.

Pounds Lost: None, really. And I have a post explaining that tomorrow. This wasn’t supposed to be a weight loss journey, and I didn’t try to make it one. I did lose 20 – 30 pounds right before I started the journey. And I did fluctuate within a 10 – 20ish pound range throughout the year with diet challenges, and other things.

Money: Ahh, the big one. I know people are curious how much it cost. And I do plan on telling you, if for no other reason, so that people who want to do this crazy year for themselves can have sort of an idea of what it might cost. But I’m sure the number is kind of on the gross side. So, let’s not talk about it now. Full post on that coming up in the future (probably).

If you have any other questions, please let me know!

You Are What You Decide To Be

February 18, 2013

Aurora De Lucia coming into the finish of the Surf City Half Marathon on crutches — (Yep, I use this photo a lot…)

This is an incredibly simplified idea.

I know that you can argue that the title of this post is not necessarily a true sentence.

You can’t decide to be a 7-year old. You can’t decide that you’re gonna start working on The Simpsons tomorrow. There are things that are outside your control. I’ll grant you that.

But, we have a ton of control over what we decide to be.

Before I got sick, being a runner was a huge part of my identity. (I was better at it back then. (But still not great. Don’t get excited.)) I had a humongous passion for running. I went to the gym a lot, pushed myself, and trained for distance events. I took pride in it, and loved my hobby.

Then, I got sick. And that part of my persona, I guess you’d say, started to slip away. When I started this 52 half marathons project, a lot of the people I knew didn’t even know I used to run.

Within a few months of starting this project, people once again found it very normal to ask how my training was going, or what my next race was. It wasn’t all that hard to change people’s perception of me. I decided I wanted to run, so I just started running.

Again, it’s a very simplified idea. Some perceptions are stronger than others. Some things are harder to overcome than others. Some goals are more specific than others. Saying you “want to be a writer” is different than saying you “want to be a writer for Modern Family.”

Obviously, you can dream big. If you want to write for Modern Family, you should pursue that in every way you can!

But, there are some changes we can make immediately that depend on us (and basically no one else). If you want to be a writer, write your specs, start a blog, write in a journal at night – just write something.

If you want to be a marathoner, just start running. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, figure out something else.

Whatever you want to be, just be it.

There are a million excuses as to why we’re not exactly who we want to be. Some are way more valid than others. Some are genuine obstacles that need a lot of planning, time, and effort. And unfortunately, as much as I really like to believe that anything is possible (and nearly anything is), there are some things that are just actually impossible. (Sorry.)

But fight. Fight to the very end. Fight if an obstacle is only nearly impossible. You don’t give up until it is literally impossible to do the thing you wanted to do. And if you should find yourself in a situation in which the thing you cared about most is no longer possible – there has to be something new (related or possibly completely unrelated) that you can throw your passion behind.

In the end, a lot of things outside of our control will decide the minutiae of who we are. (I suppose not all of it is minutiae, ’cause some of those details are actually pretty important…) Sometimes outside forces will work in our favor, and sometimes they won’t. But ultimately, we basically are what we decide to be.

Who are you going to decide to be today?

Which Race (of the 52 Half Marathons) Was My Favorite?

February 17, 2013

(Note about the title: I always try to sneak the words “52 Half Marathons” into all of these conclusion posts, because 52 years from now when the blog has thousands upon thousands of entries I’m gonna get so confused as to what’s part of what adventure – or hopefully I won’t, because I will have labeled it all and left myself bread crumbs to what I’m talking about.)

So which one was my favorite? The Indy 500 festival hands down. No contest.

There is no beating that race.

It’s so unbelievably well organized. The course is super supported. It seems like the entire state of Indiana comes out to cheer you on.

I just love it. I love everything about it. I’d be happy to go back anytime, and I’m sure I will go back many times.

(You can read my full posts on the race here. And you can read my dad’s account here.)

If you want some honorable mentions of other races I really loved during this year of racing, here’s a list:

Kentucky Derby
Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Half
Big Sur
Goofy Challenge (of course (it was my big finale))

It’s hard to pick such a short list. I loved a lot of the Rock ‘n’ Roll races. (New Orléans is great. Go do that one.) I met such a super sweet couple at the NC half. April Fool’s Day in Atlantic City was fun. I had a lovely time with a mother/son team in Long Beach.

Doing a half marathon on crutches is something I will never forget.

I’m sure I could probably go on like this all day. There were a lot of great memories. (But if I had to pick a favorite, it’s Indiana.)

I look forward to more memories to come!

The Really Big Free Half Marathon Ended Up Not Being Free

February 16, 2013

Email we received from them. (Click on it to enlarge.)

This is way, way sadder news (times about a million) for IO events than it is for us runners.

I know all of you in the running community have probably already gotten the emails and heard the news, ’cause it happened a bit ago. But between all the race/vacation reports and some posts about 52 half marathons, I never got around to talking about this (’til now).

Anyway, IO Events has announced they are going out of business.

They said they’ve been around for 7 years.

It seemed like a tumultuous year because at least 2 races I was planning on doing with them got cancelled.

I guess the point of this post is that if you were wondering if we all got refunded our deposit for that race (which is what would’ve made it free), we didn’t.

But, on the bright side, since they cancelled so many races this past year, if you were actively trying to get your Hometown Race series medal (by running 3 events in the year), but couldn’t because they canceled multiple times on you, they gave the medal to you anyway.

It’s always sad when a company run by people with such passion who are really trying to do some good stuff for the world goes out of business. I’m wishing the best to everyone involved as they close out this chapter of their lives and move on to the next one.

How Are You Holding Up Physically After All Those Half Marathons?

February 13, 2013

This is a question I’ve gotten kind of a lot after my big 52 half marathons in 52 weeks project.

Generally, I’m holding up pretty well.

It’s amazing to me how much our minds affect our bodies and our lives. It seems like whatever my end date is for a show or a project – my body holds on really well until the end.

Only then do I crumble. But, I’m always smart enough to wait for the end date.

I didn’t really crumble per se, but I did do about a week of pretty much nothing at all. I was tired, man!

I did have some adjustments at the chiropractor to help put me back together again after such a crazy year. (Huge shoutout to Dr. Levon (possibly the most fun chiropractor on Los Angeles – check him out)!)

I don’t know that I’m a huge chiropractor person. (I still have yet to have any super strong feelings for or against chiropractic care. I feel like America’s attitude is ti be skeptical of it, though, from my experience, I think it’s real and pretty cool.) But I know that he made me feel way, way better after I was a little stiff/sore/crumpled up from all the racing (and not enough yoga – yeah, I’ll admit it).

(You should’ve heard my back on that first visit – crack, crack, crack, cr – cr – cr- craaaaaaaaack (so loud!).)

I am back to running again, a little. This year, I’d like to actually train – the right way. Build back up, work on speed. As I’ve said before, the same distance every week is not optimal. So, running is still a part of my life. But, I’m starting with less mileage than I did last year, and I’ll work up.

I still make sure to get walks in everyday. I’m going to start on some weight training and yoga.

So, basically, my body is good. I feel good. Things are good.

And it’ll continue to get even better!

52 Half Marathons Was an Awesome Idea and a Terrible Idea

February 12, 2013

Yep. I use this picture a lot, 'cause it's one of my favorites. — Yep. I use this picture a lot, ’cause it’s one of my favorites.

This crazy project gave me so much.

In some ways, it sort of gave me my life back, kind of… It did bring some stress (although, I generally love and feed off of stress). But it also brought a lot of happiness and a newfound (or perhaps re-found) sense of adventure. It definitely got me back in the swing of working out again. And it made me know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’ll always be able to handle 13.1 miles.

I do think that I’d gotten most of what I really needed from this project about halfway though. I’d gotten the habit of running back. I was back to wanting to exercise, not dreading it.

I still had some amazing adventures after the halfway mark. (For instance, I got to dress up with my dad and go to a special Spirit Award reception. The Goofy Challenge was pretty much beyond words. Definitely cool stuff happened.)

But yeah. We could easily sit around and argue if this was worth all the money. Technically, if all I wanted to do was enjoy working out again, I could’ve pumped that money into a gym membership and personal trainer.

But… I don’t know if those things would’ve made working out fun. I might’ve kept in the same cycle of try/nope, I’ll never get back to where I was/give up that I’d been in ’til I started the project.

There are tons of things in this world I could’ve done instead of this with the money I spent. But, I did this. And while it does seem like maybe sort of a foolish investment, it was definitely fun. And it was a super roller coaster. And it’ll be an interesting memory to say the least.

We also could argue that I spent a lot of time on this – time I could’ve spent being a better person in any number of different ways. I could’ve perhaps volunteered, or done nice deeds for friends, or tried to start learning a language.

Actually working out is time well spent, but I spent a lot of time traveling and waiting at races and sleeping on buses and all that crazy stuff.

Now, would I have actually used my time for good? Or would I have sat around my apartment and watched all the seasons of Three’s Company?

Lastly, we could argue – we won’t even argue about this one ’cause it just is true. This was not the best way to train to get any better. Doing the same (or the same-ish) mileage every week doesn’t increase your speed. There are training plans for a reason.

Granted, I could’ve done more during the week to help myself a little more. I just always felt like I was barely hanging on for dear life. So, I wasn’t worried about increasing miles or speed during the week.

All I know is it’s absolutely not the right way to train.

So, basically, the year didn’t give me optimal health, or an optimal bank account for that matter – because I didn’t do those things for myself. But it definitely did what it was supposed to do (and more). It did force me to get back into being active.

The year may not have given me optimal health, but it me way better health. And it helped me to meet some amazing people. It gave me some insane experiences (some of which I’m still having even though the project).

So, definitely not the best way to train. Not the most economical. But a year to remember.

Then I Was Famous For A Day

February 11, 2013

Oh boy. Buckle up.

I kinda got popular while in Orlando (and a bit after).

You can check me out here, here, here, and here. (Don’t get too excited. A lot of it is the same info at different places. But the first one is kind of fun, ’cause it’s a video where I get to look like a super dork (When am I not one?).)

I also got some tweets from RunDisney, and Cory Booker. After I got home, I got Facebook (and twitter) shoutouts from Luna Bar and goKicker.

Also, one of my friends alerted me Monday morning that I made national news! I was on HLN’s Morning Express which loops every hour for a few hours each weekday morning. After my dad heard I’d be on, he waited with bated breath (which calling everyone he knew), and leapt up to tape the TV with his cell phone. (Yep. He’s the best (and hilarious).)

Here’s the video he took with his cell phone:

[wpvideo pLCYsXnJ]

It was a little bit crazy. I spent almost all of Monday writing people back on twitter, Facebook, and in emails – and profusely apologizing to my dad for spending our precious Daddy/daughter time with my head in a computer. However, he thought it was the coolest thing that I was a little famous. And he spent a big part of the day buried in his electronic devices to tell his whole world, “My little girl was on TV!” Oh, Daddy.

Once Orlando was done, Phoenix welcomed me with open arms. (Video of that to come soon.)

Now I’m just back to being non-famous (but at least you still love me! ;))

(Also, I was just interviewed for a national running magazine, so I’ll have a little burst of small fame again… and I will definitely let you know when you can get your copies!).

Pacers/Magic Game & Daddy/Daughter Orlando Trip

February 10, 2013

Yesterday wrapped up the Goofy Challenge portion of Orlando, and here’s the rest of that awesome trip!

Every year since I was a little girl (and we lived in Indiana), my dad has taken me to see the Indiana Pacers play in a different arena. We went to see them play the Magic, and we had front row seats! (Front row of regular fans… There were reporters in front of us.)

It was funny, ’cause my dad and I both noticed ourselves at a few points looking up at the jumbotron, catching ourselves, and thinking, “Why am I looking up? The players are freaking right in front of me!”

During a karaoke segment of the night, I ended up getting on camera on the jumbotron. (Woot!) I played right to the camera. (I know what’s up.)

After the game on the way to the car, someone even said, “Nice singing!” (What? Does the “dust off shoulder” move.) I didn’t even realize someone had said that. I heard something, but didn’t understand.

My dad told me only once we’d already passed the person. So, if that was you who complimented me, sorry for ignoring you. Also, thanks! (Even though I know you meant nice lip-syncing. Still, I’m taking the compliment.)

Speaking of music, there was this amazing senior dance team that we loved. And what was hilarious was they broke out into “Gangnam Style.” Of course, it’s only hilarious if you knew how many time my dad and I had heard “Gangnam Style” during the week.

Starting with the DJ doing it at the Family 5k on Friday, we seemed to hear it all the time at the races. We were practically having dreams about that song. So, when the Orlando Magic Silver Stars broke out “Gangnam Style,” we found it to be absolutely hilarious.

Another hilarious time was when these pump-up-the-crowd guys on stilts, sat right in front of my dad and I, pretending to be us. They were making fun of me for tweeting.

Why was I tweeting, you ask? Well, as if I haven’t talked enough about the awesome power of twitter – we noticed that Brook Olzendam (Pacer’s reporter) was sitting in front of us. We tweeted her. (…I guess it sounds creepy when I tell the story of tweeting someone to say “I’m behind you!” (Eek).) But she was super nice, came over and talked to us, and tweeted us back.

The Pacers didn’t win. I don’t mean this as a diss to them, ’cause I love my team, but we often don’t win in the games my dad and I go to. Granted, we never see them with home court advantage since we’re seeing a different arena each year.

Even though our team didn’t win, my dad and I had a great time. But, I always have a great time with my dad whether at the Pacer’s game or just hanging around the hotel.

One final little anecdote speaking about our time at the hotel. On one of the days where we were just hanging out, I decided to try to get some Price is Right tickets for when I got home. I’d been saying I was gonna go to the show practically since I’ve moved to L.A. – yet, I’d never gone.

The website I was using kept not allowing me to go to the final screen of getting tickets. As I lamented, “Why can’t I get these tickets to The Price is Right,” my dad joked that Drew Carey had put me on a list after I accidentally snubbed him at the half marathon. (Again, so sorry about that.)

That was sort of a big running joke of that week, and when my dad didn’t even skip a beat in making jokes about me being on a secret list (when I hadn’t even thought about the fact that Drew Carey is the host), I cracked up for about 30 seconds. That joke just tickled me. Although, I don’t know that it translates as well in print to people who weren’t there. So, I suppose just forget everything I ever said.

(And yes, I did end up going to watch The Price is Right, and you can bet there will be talk on the blog of what it’s like to attend a taping of the show.)

Wrapping Up Goofy Challenge Trip

February 9, 2013

In case it wasn’t clear from all the posts about the various races (5k, half, and full marathon), this trip was pretty magical.

I thought I was going to be able to wrap up the magical-ness into some riveting blog post. Maybe it’s ’cause I’ve been away for weeks, or maybe it’s ’cause I’ve hit all the great parts, but I don’t think I have a super riveting post to write.

I pretty much just wanted to say that things were so chill – so very, very chill.

I had considered going back to try again at The American Idol Experience in Hollywood Studios. (I glossed over that in the last Orlando trip, ’cause I don’t like to admit that I didn’t make it to the final round. (Grr at myself.) It wasn’t my best performance or best song choice… But there’s always next time – if I come back a next time.

When I first fell short, I was determined to come back to Orlando as soon as humanly possible to try to undo my failure. Then I realized it’s the re-creation of some show I don’t even care for, in a theme park. Why do I let it get me so riled up? I was actually acting pretty normal and human about it by letting it go and not squandering my whole vacation trying to “fix” the performance that disappointed me the time before… (But let’s get real. I still might go back and try again another time.))

We didn’t go to any of the parks (though I went through them all during the marathon). This was one of the few vacations where I actually unpacked my whole suitcase. Just chill out… Spend some time in the hotel acclimating (and obviously watching runDisney TV on loop). It was just so nice that everything was so very relaxed.

Since this was almost the last trip of the journey, I didn’t have a bunch of planning and logistics in the back of my mind for future things I had to work out, which was nice (and ultra-not-time-consuming).

I just unpacked, watched a bunch of TV, spent a bunch of time talking to my dad. And it was the loveliest.

I spent the entire weekend giving all of my energy to the marathon – didn’t try to squeeze anything else in, didn’t worry about anything else – just focused on one thing. I soaked it all in and enjoyed every second.

(Not to say you shouldn’t fit some other stuff in. For some people it’s great. For me it was nice to decompress and just to one thing (or one series related things).) (Although, we did stay longer and go to a basketball game. More on that tomorrow.)

My dad and I met this amazing group from Canada on one of the many buses going to an even for marathon weekend – and we seemed to bump into them everywhere (which wasn’t too surprising considering we were staying at the same hotel and doing all of the same races).

If you’d like to check out the blog of one of my amazing new Canadian friends, you can see it here.

I cannot emphasize enough, by the way, how much my dad took care of me over the weekend and how much I appreciated it. He was basically my personal race crew. He made sure to always have on him anything I might need – Gatorade, Shot Bloks, flip flops to change into. If I said I was in the mood for a burger, he wouldn’t rest until we found one. He always let me go to bed crazy early. He made the races as easy as they could’ve possibly on me, and I am so lucky and thankful for that.

All trip long, Disney called everything “magical.” I know the company seems to really love that word. I don’t want to overuse it or anything. But really, it actually was pretty magical.

It’s nice when things turn out even better than you’d imagined them. I imagined a big ending to the project, and I imagined a great time at Goofy. But the whole weekend seemed to work out so perfectly. It fully lived up to (and surpassed) expectations. (Yay!)

I Forgot I Had More Goofy Challenge Advice…

February 8, 2013

My bad. But I got more for you! This post is more about Disney logistics than it is about surviving the races.

1) If you can go to the expo on Thursday, I highly recommend it. My dad and I went back to the expo on Friday and it was packed. The line to get in was looong. On Thursday you might actually be able to get in, and breathe, and move a little. Thursday was still crowded, but Friday was 10 times worse.

2) If you want your merch, I’d get it early! I didn’t buy anything extra, but I did hear stories of them selling out of certain shirts and things. So, if there’s something you think you want, but it immediately. (Note: Disney is one of the few marathons that doesn’t seem to sell all the merch options online. Usually you have plenty of time to buy your finisher shirts in the weeks following the marathon. Not here.)

3) On the day of the half marathon, I took one of the very first shuttles right before 3am. Then I had a bunch of time to kill in the Epcot parking lot. I didn’t love having tons of time to kill. (I got there before they even opened the corrals.)

So, the next day I went out to wait for the shuttle much closer to 4. But that was very nerve-wracking! There were many more people waiting at the bus stop. And full buses kept passing us without letting anyone new on! I got there totally fine.

And then if you get there on the later side of things, it’s way more crowded to try to get to your corral. They have a row of port-a-potties along the route you’re walking to get to your corral, and the lines are so long as the race starts that they almost totally block the route. So, it’s this interesting adventure to try to wiggle through the crowd. “Don’t mind me. Don’t have to pee. Excuse me. Sorry. Yep, not getting in line. Just trying to get to my corral…”

I’d recommend just going early and having the time to kill. It might be slightly boring, but it put me way at ease.

4) Bring the nutrition you love. I made sure to pack Gatorades. (Disney uses Powerade.) And I packed my Shot Bloks that I like and some Luna protein bars. I wanted to make sure I had everything I liked to eat/drink ’cause you never know what you can or can’t get ahold of in Orlando/at Disney property. So just have your stuff. (This pretty much goes for all races…)

5) At the expo, I went to the talk by the race director/staff where they talked about the course, best spectator spots, and things like that. I found that to be really helpful. For one thing, they told us there’d be Powerade and water at every single water stop in the marathon. The first tables would always be Powerade, and water would always be in the back. So, I never wondered if it would be water or electrolytes.

I also heard the warning early that we’d be running over a small patch of grass. So, I knew that was coming. Just generally, I felt really prepared and didn’t have a lot of surprises.

I think that covers all my logistical advice. If you have things to add, please let me know in the comments!

My Goofy Challenge Strategy

February 7, 2013

My Goofy Challenge strategy is not for those of you who want to know how to do the Goofy Challenge with great speed.

My strategy is for the person who just wants to finish without getting caught by the sag wagon.

It’s funny what when I opened up this draft, I’d actually written out what my main strategy points were and said something like, “Guess we’ll see how they work.” As I read through I was proud that I’d thought ahead and stuck to my strategy. And it worked out great.

First, and most important. SLEEP!

1) Sleep is everything. Everything.

Okay, fiiine. Perhaps it’s not everything. But it’s so close to being the most important thing.

The Disney races are at 5:30 in the morning. And the shuttles start at 3am! I (successfully) tried to get on that crazy sleep schedule early on. I was lucky, because 3am is midnight California time. And I’d ended up on this weird schedule at home where I was sleeping during the day and awake at night. The races fell kind of in my “night-time hours.” I don’t know.

I really don’t. My sleeping schedule was all over the place. But I stayed up almost all night before I got to Disney, went to bed early, and just kept going to bed earlier throughout the weekend. One thing that was amazing and wonderful was that I wasn’t woken up by my alarm for the half or the full marathon.

Since my sleeping schedule was so jacked, I ended up getting up around 1:15ish each morning. It was nice. I had time to very peacefully get ready, have some food, maybe even watch a little hulu. I never felt rushed. I never felt groggy And to me, this is the most important part of Goofy Challenge strategy!

Give yourself the whole however many days you’re down there to just concentrate on your race. Some people will try to fit a bunch of time at the parks in and not go to bed until 11pm or midnight. I would’ve been a huge crankypants if I’d gone to bed at 11pm or midnight. That sounds awful.

Some people don’t need as much sleep as I do. But as far as I’m concerned, going to bed in the late afternoon and getting a full night’s sleep is the most awesome thing and crazy important of the weekend.

2) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I mean, don’t over-hydrate. Replace your electrolytes as well. But make sure there’s a water bottle in your hand from a week before you leave for Disney ’til after the marathon. I often get dehydrated while away because there are not always places to refill your water bottles and you have to get rid of water before airport security, etc. But make the effort. Hydrate.

3) Eat enough. Between the half marathon and marathon, you might not be super hungry. But just make sure you consume enough calories to replenish what you just did and store for what you’re about to do.

4) Pace yourself. I walked the majority of the half marathon. My manta for the 5k and the half was, “Go into the marathon feeling like you haven’t already done any racing this weekend.” Some people think this might be the wimps way out, but I thought it was comfy and awesome.

5) This one is optional. But my sweet dad bought me a massage at the Grand Floridian after the half marathon. This was awesome. As I already mentioned, I hadn’t pushed myself too hard in the half marathon. But still. I already had 16.2 miles under my belt for the weekend (5k and half). So, a little rejuvenation was amazing. (Not to mention – if you go to the Grand Floridian after the race, about 4 million staff members will say “Congratulations,” and you’ll feel super special.)

I think that basically covers everything. Those were my goals before Goofy: Always get to bed early, never be thirsty, mainly walk the half marathon, and start eating right after – making sure you get enough to eat before it’s too late in the day. They worked out great for me!

Of course, in the comments section feel free to say what worked great for you (or ask any questions).

“Did Anybody Die at the 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon?”

February 6, 2013

Nope.

I hope this doesn’t creep you out, but when you come to my blog from a Google search, I can see what you searched. Well not what you searched. (Maybe you…)

Basically, I can see generally how some random internet people got here.

Well, I’m here for you. You searched for answers, and I’m gonna answer your questions in various posts here and there.

So, did anybody die at the Walt Disney World Marathon this year (2013)?

I heard this rumor online. I have no idea who started it or how it’s still getting around, but as far as I know, no. Nobody died.

I’m pretty sure if someone had died, it’d actually be on a news source somewhere – any credible news source – rather than just the idea floating around Facebook. (Why would anybody start this rumor? And why is anyone continuing to spread it?)

And addressing the idea in general of people dying in marathons – from what I can tell on the internet, there’s less than a one/one-hundred-thousandth(!) of a chance that you’ll die in a marathon. In fact, it’s almost a one in a million chance. (It’s an 8 in a million chance.) (I know I’ve only linked to one study, but Google around and the results seem to be pretty similar.)

From what I can tell, it seems more likely that you would die from car accidents, childbirth, diabetes, and super long list of other things than from a marathon.

If you’re still worried, there are precautions to help lower that already very low chance.

– Get checked out before you embark on a journey to becoming a marathoner. You never know. You could have some secret underlying heart problem you never knew about. (I did.)

– Train. In real life, train. Don’t say you’re gonna train then throw a bunch of miles at yourself in the last week. Technically, it seems the general rule of thumb is not to increase your mileage more than 10% each week. (This is a “do as I say, not as I do” piece of advice. I’ll admit that for this crazy year, I didn’t do nearly enough training to really justify this craziness.)
(The first time I did a half marathon, I trained like a champ. And I felt amazing. And that’s what I really, really recommend.)

– Don’t over-hydrate. Hyponatremia is a real thing. Remember to replace your electrolytes on your runs.

– Don’t under-hydrate(!) If you feel thirsty, that means you’re already at least a little dehydrated. Water is good for you. (And if your fingers are swelling up during the race (which is apparently a thing that happens to a fair amount of people), I think that also means you’re dehydrated.)

– Generally, listen to your body (and the weather), and take care of yourself.

Who am I to give advice? Well, nobody, really. Don’t live and die by my advice. In fact, perhaps don’t even listen to it at all.

I’m not a doctor. I’m not a fast marathoner.

But I’ve lived through a bunch of distance events, and I think I know some rules of thumb (but of course they don’t substitute for any medical or real advice.)

So, go out there. Run. Take care of yourself. Know that, generally, most people are more likely to die from health problems involved with not exercising enough than they are to die from a marathons. Marathons are fun! And truly not all that dangerous. As far as I can tell, the benefits far outweigh the risks. (And as far as I can tell, all 20-some thousand runners in the Walt Disney World Marathon survived it.)

Update on the 13.10 Challenge

February 5, 2013

All right, y’all! Welcome to the conclusion of fundraising week. (Thanks for sticking with me.)

So whatever happened to the $13.10 Challenge?

1) Did we reach the fundraising goal of that challenge?
As is pretty evident on my fundraising page, we didn’t reach the money goal I was hoping for.

But, we raised over $1,000 in the first week of the challenge, which I thought was pretty rad.

And the challenge led to my first internet encounter with Cory Booker. And as much as I never shut up about that on this blog, we all know how much that meant to me!

Not only did it lead to my first encounter with Mr. Cory Booker himself, but also my first interaction with a few new friends on twitter who’ve proven to be enthusiastic lovely supporters. I’m super grateful for them!

2) Did everybody get their care packages?

As far as I know, yes. Most people got them back in December when I was trying to wrap things up. Unfortunately, one person is just now getting her’s (in 2 parts, at that!).

(I had ordered what I thought was a cool 2013 calendar for her, but there was some problem with it and it never came. Then I just kept pushing back giving her other stuff. So, sorry Carissa! But I hope you enjoyed what you did get/are getting.)

I tried to pick things that people liked. Some people got some sweet stuff (in my opinion, at least). I kind of even wanted to keep one of the books for myself (Stephen Colbert’s America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t)!

I got some lovely thank you messages (and even a thank you video!) from people after they got their packages. So, hopefully you all liked them.

Some people declined the offer of a care package. To those people, you know I’m still sending you gobs of love strongly radiating from my heart in California to wherever you are.

If you were someone who gave $13.10 or more during that two-week period in October, and you’re a blog follower, and somehow I missed you in the offer of care packages – please, please contact me. I don’t want anyone to be left out. And I want to follow through with what I said I’d do.

3) What made you decide to issue this challenge?

I felt that people would be more likely to give if I asked for a specific amount of money (and one that many could afford), and put a specific deadline on it. I bounced the idea around for a while. People seemed to think it was a pretty good idea. A lot of people (including many strangers) said, “I’d definitely give $13.10!”

Well, when the challenge was actually issued, some of them did. Some of them didn’t. There’s definitely a difference in how easy it is to say something vs actually do the thing.

But a lot of people gave. As I said, we raised over $1,000 in the first week, which was awesome and amazingly helpful. And I’m so thankful for that.

4) What do you think went wrong?

Mmmm, I’m not totally sure… I did make people jump through two hoops if they wanted a care package (donate and subscribe to the blog). (I didn’t think I could really afford to give to everyone who gave if I didn’t get something else out of it.) Maybe people didn’t want a care package.

And a care package – that’s so vague. Maybe people wanted to be entered for an iPad or something cool like that. Maybe we needed more than just 13 days. I dunno.

The challenge got tweeted and Facebooked to close to 2 million people (that I know of – maybe even more). I thought that’d do it. Less than 0.1% of people who saw it (or conceivably saw it – not everyone sees every tweet and/or Facebook post) needed to give for us to successfully carry out the challenge. But, we couldn’t get less than 1/10 of a percent.

In the end, I think no matter what kind of idea you have, sometimes things catch, and something they don’t. This just didn’t catch on the way it needed to.

I still don’t think it was a bad idea. Maybe it just needed more tweaks…

Fundraising Has Made Me More Giving

February 4, 2013

"Hey! Give us your money!" (Avenue Q is one of the most brilliant things ever.) (Photo credit: http://blog.dominionstage.org/) — “Hey! Give us your money!” (Avenue Q is one of the most brilliant things ever.) (Photo credit: http://blog.dominionstage.org/)

Fundraising week is winding down.

I’m finally done sharing the plummets on my emotional roller-coaster (aka whining on the internet).

The one thing that has been really great about fundraising is that being in the money-raiser position, I am now far more likely to give money, without having to be too terribly prodded about it.

Even I used to buy into some of the fundraising misconceptions (mainly – “if I can only afford to give $5 or $10, I might as well not give anything ’cause the person’s gonna look at that, sigh, and sarcastically say, ‘Oh yeah. Thanks soooooo much for “helping”.'”).

But now, I’ve realized how precious every dollar is. I do a little dance, and throw myself a tiny party, every time I get an email saying I got anything.

As always (whenever I take on any project), I became a little on the obsessive side – and definitely the yearning to “win” side of all this. I unhealthily start to wrap a big part of my self-worth in whether I can escape failure – in this case whether I could somehow get more people to give money to Broadway Impact.

I now understand the overwhelming joy when the thermometer on the fundraising page ticks up at all – even if it’s just a bit.

I also realize how many hours it takes to write people in your address book and on places on social media, to make videos, to send thanks yous, and on and on. I never really thought about that before.

I gave to a stranger who needs a hip surgery. I gave to HRC and The Four this year after seeing some tweets about various pushes/campaigns the organizations were doing.

I even gave a donation to a charity I don’t really believe in – not one that actively supports something I don’t believe in, but just one that from everything I’ve read has a somewhat high overhead. (And I’ve read on multiple (seemingly legitimate) online sources that about 25% of what people raise goes toward the cost of the fundraiser’s race/trip).

But I just thought, “I like my friend. She’s super nice, and she deserves a trip. So, I’m just gonna donate this $26.20 with the intention that I’m helping a good friend do something nice for herself.”

And knowing full well what I was actually giving to (her trip), and still feeling great about it made me feel awesome.

Aaaanyway, the point of this post isn’t to list all of my giving. (“Oh, look at me. I’m soooo generous.” (Not.)) Most of my donations to those places were small. And the majority of my charity money went to my fundraising page. (Feel free to put money in it as well. That’s why I linked it! :)) The majority of my money in general went to funding my fun project (the 52 half marathons).

Was that worth it? Was that kind of selfish? It was definitely at least kind of selfish. Whether it was worth it can be debated in a later post when wrapping up the 52 half marathons.

I guess the point of all this is to say that fundraising started to make me a better person, I think (or, at least a person more willing to give). Well, two things started to make me a better person this year – that and following Cory Booker’s twitter feed.

I’m serious. I know it’s only a twitter feed… But it was almost like he knew when I was feeling down about myself. Boom. Inspiring quote in the timeline.

Plus, I kept seeing him not even take a second to think before helping a complete stranger.

It seems to be the absolute reflex with him. “See someone in need? See something trying to help a cause bigger than herself? I’m in. I’m in immediately.” That seems to be the Cory Booker attitude, and I love it.

He doesn’t seem suspicious, distrustful, too guarded, or cynical. He just seems to have an open, caring heart. He’s a great role model – and certainly one of mine.

Aaaaand, tying this together – I’m not sure that I would’ve gotten twitter had it not been for fundraising. So, overall, I think fundraising has affected my life in a positive way.

I don’t have the resources of Cory Booker, and I am definitely still going to make some selfish decisions in life. (Sorry. Fact.) But I’m at least going to try to make fewer selfish decisions, and more selfless ones…

I Don’t Really Understand the Concept of Running for Charity…

February 3, 2013

I know I use this picture a lot - 'cause it's awesome. — I know I use this picture a lot – ’cause it’s awesome.

And I never really have.

Fair warning: It’s still fundraising week, and this post is in the same blergh-ish vibe of the last two days.

If you don’t want to hear about this stuff, please come back Wednesday.

So, sure, I ran for charity. It’s the societal norm, I suppose. But I don’t really understand why it’s a thing.

If you’re not familiar with how running for charity works – usually, you get a free entry into a race (many groups even give free travel!) if you raise a minimum amount. Different charities (and different events) have different minimums.

Let me get this straight. I get to do something I love, that’s already insanely fun; and I don’t have to pay to do it, because all of these other people are putting in enough money that I get to do it for free? And I get to feel good about myself, go to a special dinner for my charity group, have coaches who take care of me, and possibly even win other awards for raising the most (or clearing other hurdles)?

There’s no downside here is what you’re saying? I get to have all the fun (and perks/attention) while other people pay my way?

Of course, now I realize why fundraisers get to race for free – and why people are nice to them, and give them cheerleaders – ’cause fundraising is freakishly hard. Super, super hard (as I’ve said this week).

I always felt a little weird about the concept of running for charity. I was on the fence whether to do it for this project. I didn’t want anyone’s money to send me to Hawaii or anything (not that I’m judging those who makes that choice). (I certainly don’t live some selfless, reward-less life. But in this instance, it wasn’t the choice for me.)

So, I laid out a goal. Once the project was running, I talked to Rory about running for Broadway Impact. I said I didn’t want any bibs, any travel – any anything. He was down.

Then – this is the embarrassing part, but it’s already obvious in my journey/the blog, so there’s no hiding it – it took me months to take the final plunge.

There was some phone/email tag. I’m sure the people at Broadway Impact hate me. (Okay, I’m not sure, because they’ve been really nice to me.) But, I was just – to use a way overused analogy – very lightly dipping my toes in the pool, instead of diving in.

I was terrified!

Do you know what quite possibly my favorite thing about running is?

It’s all you. You decide if you’re gonna go for a run. You decide if you’re gonna push yourself. You decide. All of it. And for the most part, you are in complete control (barring injury-causing accidents).

What freedom! What a beautiful thing. You can fly!

But when you decide to fundraise, (shwoop! – that was the sound of [I was going to make some remark about fundraising taking the fun out of things, but it didn’t seem to go over well, so insert whatever you want]), you are now reliant on other people. There are so many variables outside of your control. And it is stressful – super, incredibly stressful.

I hate failure. Hate it. Hating it doesn’t change the fact that I fail all the time. That’s life, I suppose.

Some people are made to sell, to charm people, to raise money, etc. Some people like to do that stuff more than they like running. I am not one of those people. I am not good at that stuff. Why I thought I would be? – who knows?

But I just felt like with such a huge project, I had to try to do some good for something outside of myself. I started feeling guilty, like if I was going to do a big running project, I had to fundraise.

How these two completely unrelated things became intertwined, I’ll never know. But I jumped on the bandwagon.

And Broadway Impact was nice to me. They said it wasn’t about the money. They liked the enthusiasm and awareness.

(But of course, to competitive me, it was a little about the money.)

Again – I’m so unbelievably grateful to all my cheerleaders this year, whether or not they gave money. Don’t let my disappointment in myself make you feel like I’m disappointed in anyone around me. But in this blog, I share my feelings with you. And these are my feelings. (Stomach ties in knots…)

Tomorrow, I’ll move onto a brighter spot – how fundraising has made me a wee bit more selfless.

Running For Equality Is An Uphill Battle…

February 2, 2013

An up-mountain battle. An up a steep, ice covered mountain battle. I don’t want to oversell it too much, but it is so hard!

I hemmed and hawed a bit before writing these posts. I don’t want to paint myself as some super victim. But I struggled a lot. And I feel like sharing some of that struggle with you.

I haven’t done a big fundraising project in a long time. When I was younger (elementary school young), I did those walk-a-thons… Basically you just sent out letters to your family, pediatrician, and parents’ co-workers; then you called it a day.

I have a pretty freakishly huge extended family. So, if everybody gave $20 – bam, I was a millionaire. (That may be an exaggeration.)

But I haven’t done any fundraising projects in the recent past (other than this one), and I certainly haven’t done any for such a hot button issue.

Intellectually, I knew it was a hot button issue. But I didn’t realize how hot button, until I started running for it!

I don’t want to compare equality to other causes, and pretend like I’m judge and jury of what’s worthy of support. But I will share a little story from the year.

I really wanted to run Rock ‘n’ Roll USA (D.C.). When I went to sign up, the bibs were sold out! But, you could still get in if you ran with a charity.

I picked the one with the lowest minimum. I flat out paid for the bib, and was done. I wanted all big public asks to go toward my Broadway Impact page. I didn’t mention this other charity on social media or to my friends.

I wrote literally one sad, little barely-ask email to my dad, explaining “Hey, this charity sold me a bib for a race I really wanted to do. I’m all paid up, so I’m not obligated to raise anything else. But since they did me a solid, it might be nice if I could get them a little extra money. If you happen to know anybody who’d like to contribute, here’s the link.”

He forwarded that email to a few friends (without making the wording of that ask any better), and pew, pew, pew (pitched laser-gun sounds); I had money.

That charity’s mission is to help older abandoned kids get a permanent home. Older kids are often ignored. It’s good that someone’s looking out for them. I’m not saying the charity doesn’t deserve money.

But the difference between the windfall of easy money for a kids charity, and the dollops of money that came in one drop at a time for equality, was astonishing to me.

I saw other people’s fundraising totals skyrocket – and skyrocket fast.

I don’t know how to emphasize this enough – I don’t wish a poor performance on anyone’s fundraising page. I don’t think I’m more special than everybody else. I think there are plenty of great causes.

It was just painful to see everyone else succeeding as I failed. And it was even more excruciating to hear I did everything “right.”

I asked for advice from big fundraisers, and I took all that advice. I made videos. I got someone with a huge twitter following to tweet out my cause. And on and on and on. Granted, I was new to this. Not everything was perfect.

But I felt like I was often banging my head against a wall. That was hard. Really, really hard. I’ll totally admit that I crawled into the fetal position and cried about this on more than a few nights in December. (And other months. Let’s get real.)

I really appreciate everyone who gave. I also appreciate everyone who was a cheerleader, even if they couldn’t give monetarily.

Please, don’t think I’m ungrateful. But this struggle was just… I dunno. Ugh.

I guess I just wanted to share that I thought choosing this issue would make fundraising slightly harder. But I was so wrong. There was no “slightly” about it.

I suppose I’m happy I did it. I think I maybe sort of helped Broadway Impact get its name out there. But, boy was it hard. And I’m sure I’ll be fundraising for them again before you know it. I just don’t feel like I did enough…

“You’d Raise A Lot More Money If You Ran For Heart Stuff,” and Other Things I Often Heard This Year

February 1, 2013

My "Yeah, I've heard it" face. — My “Yeah, I’ve heard it” face.

Fundraising week continues. Check back Wednesday if you’re skipping all fundraising talk.

Running for equality was much harder than I expected it would be. (Post on that tomorrow.) Today, let’s talk about some things I heard a lot this year (which drove me a little batty).

1) “Equality is not as important as a disease or some ‘life-or-death’ issue.” To me, equality is right up there with life or death issues. I had a very serious medical issue. I could’ve easily died, and almost certainly would’ve, had it not been caught.

I can tell you from first hand experience that living is not about physically living. It’s not about figuring out a way to make a heart beat longer. It’s about your quality of life – the kind of life you live.

Of course, this is an opinion. People could argue that they think prolonging life is more important than quality of life.

I don’t believe it is. I’ve had long enough hospital stays – with various things going in and coming out of my body, while I’m basically trapped in a room feeling utterly exhausted – to really understand how wildly important quality of life is.

To me, the issue of equality affects our quality of life. It affects the kind of world we live in, and the way people treat each other. I think it’s wildly important – certainly just as important (if not more so) than my little heart issue… Which brings me to another thing I heard a lot.

2) “You’d raise a lot more money if you ran for heart stuff.” Yep. Got it. Understood. I heard it a million times this year. And everyone who said it is 100% correct. But I told myself at the beginning of this that I’d rather raise $4 for something I really believed in than $4 million for something I didn’t care as much about.

I meant it then. I still mean it now. But it doesn’t make it any easier to reconcile that difference between saying it, and seeing it happen in front of my eyes.

I had a super rare heart defect. I don’t even know of any charities raising awareness for Wolff-Parkinson-White. That’s probably because they’d only save a handful of people each year. Obviously, even a handful of people deserve saving. But, are tons of resources best spent on that?

Plus, you don’t even need to raise a lot of money to save people from that disease. The cures are already out there. Just go get an EKG. You’ll know if you have it. And if you have it, you’ll almost certainly live if you get it treated. Done and done.

Of course, that could mean me trying to effect change to our healthcare system… There are other fights to fight. Equality isn’t the only one. But I don’t think it’s necessary that just because I had a heart problem I become the heart problem girl, who’s all heart problem all the time (even if we have covered that heart problem in-depth on my blog).

3) “I believe in you, but I don’t believe in that.” All right. I’m not going to attack people for not believing in what I believe. I hardcore disagree with them, but I’ll respect them as they respectfully decline the invitation to donate to my fundraising page. It doesn’t make it easier to hear over and over. But we’ve all been civil to each other. I suppose at least that’s something.

There were more things people said all year, but I think I’ve hit all the ones I want to talk about.

It’s frustrating to hear reasons why I’m failing, on loop, for months and months. I’m happy people are being honest with me, but that doesn’t make any of it easier to hear.

Tomorrow, I’ll elaborate on my challenges with fundraising (and specifically fundraising for equality).

My Final Call to My Fundraising Page for My 52 Half Marathons in 52 Weeks

January 31, 2013

Fundraising week continues on the blog!

I am thankful for all of you not abandoning my just ’cause I’m talking about money stuff. I’m about to close out the project, so I gotta do it, you know?

Here is my final call to action that I taped the day I got home.

[wpvideo MClB7YG5]

Bonus: If you follow me on twitter, you know I said I’d give a $10 Starbucks gift card at random to someone who donated this week (also that I will give a $10 Starbucks gift card at random to someone still following me on twitter after this week of fundraising/money talk (Thanks!)).

So, if you would, get to donating and following me on twitter. You might get some free coffee out of it!

p.s. Cory Booker tweeted about it and donated. Will you? 🙂 (I know some of you already have, and I am immensely thankful to all of you!) You can give here!

Misconceptions About Giving to Charity

January 30, 2013

Still fundraising week here on the blog! If you don’t want to hear about charity stuff, come back next week.

Thanks for everyone who is sticking with me, though.

I’ve run into a couple of misconceptions about giving to charity. They kind of drive me crazy. I do understand them, but from the perspective of someone trying to raise the money, they drive me a wee but nuts.

Check them out in this video, and please consider giving if you can!

[wpvideo Y6AW4rqU]

FAQs About Broadway Impact (The Charity I’m Supporting)

January 29, 2013

It’s fundraising week on the blog!

If you’re not interested in hearing about fundraising, please come back next week. I still have plenty of other stuff to talk about. But for those of you who’ll stick around this week – today I start with probably the most important thing. If you’re gonna give money, you want to know what you’re giving to.

Check out this video for some FAQs I’ve gotten about Broadway Impact:

[wpvideo nsyuuGR8]

(Don’t feel like watching a video?…

The main points: Yes, your donation is tax-deductible. No, absolutely none of the money goes to me or my racing. And you can learn more about Broadway Impact on their website. (And you can give to my fundraising page here!)

(Celebration Race) Rock ‘n’ Roll AZ (January 20, 2013) – Part 4 (Greeted Lovingly By My Weekend Host Family)

January 28, 2013

Aurora and J1 Toward the end of the race, I came up to the bridge I’d remember from a year ago, and I knew I was almost done. When I got closer to the finish, the family I was staying with was there cheering me on! (Awwww.)

I was worried that this race might be a little lonely without Taylor (who I’d done it with last year) and without my dad since I’d just spent a week with him and already missed him the moment I boarded the plane.

So, having a family that welcomed me with such open arms into a huge (metaphorical) bear hug felt so good.

I finished in just under 4 hours, and even still, I was pretty exhausted. My body was basically pretty over it by this point. “Okay, Aurora. We get it. You like distance events. We did a freaking marathon (after a half marathon(!) last week. We’re tired. Is it time to just sit around and watch Three’s Company yet?” – my legs.

Plus, the heat! Oh my goodness, the heat. Some people thought the Disney marathon was hot? I didn’t think it was anything compared to this weather. Maybe it’s just something about how Arizona is oh so very dry that makes it seem hotter.

That’s not really how it works, I guess. Humidity supposedly makes you hotter, but I’m just stating how I feel. And I feel that the dry, hot, dry (yes, I said dry twice because it’s really dry) desert is (that sizzling, blurry field of vision comes up in front of my face like in the movies. Empty, hot facial expression. (And scene)).

This half marathon was a bit of a struggle, and I thought it was very fitting to end how I started – delirious, tired, and sore.

Last year, this was #1 of the 52 half marathons. I didn’t even know I was doing 52 half marathons when I did it! I was just trying to get back into the game and spend some time with an amazing friend of mine. I wasn’t super trained. I was incredibly tired toward the end. My brain was fried. I’m sure that after the race, I was saying all kinds of things to Taylor that didn’t make sense. She was so sweet anyway, though.

After the race, I went to good ol’ Garret at the Heavy Medals tent, and got my sweet Desert Double Down medal for having done Las Vegas and AZ (yes, I know one is a city and one’s a state, but that’s how the Rock ‘n’ Roll series names them) in two consecutive months.

I’m gonna miss the heavy medal booth. What will it be like to be some normal person not doing far too many races in one year? Bye Garret! It’s been fun.

After the race, I met up with the family I’d stayed with. J finished almost an hour ahead of me… and he did the full marathon. We all had a delicious meal together. Then I had nap time, plane time, and I was home that night.

What?! Home? How sad and normal.

Yep, after an amazing trip to Florida and Arizona with a bunch of races and cast of amazing people cheering me on, I was back in Los Angeles (wah wah).

Even though this story is over, I’d love if you stuck around the blog a while longer. I’ve still got some conclusions posts about the whole project, a post on strategies for Goofy, some more stories from Orlando… and best of all, I’ll be announcing my next project next month! So, stick around if you would. Hope to see you tomorrow!

(Celebration Race) Rock ‘n’ Roll AZ (January 20, 2013) – Part 3 (I Wanted Dairy Queen, But Alas ‘Twas Not Meant To Be)

January 27, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

I was talking about the cool inspirational signs from P.F. Chang’s.

(Side note: P.F. Chang’s has branded this race so well that on a few occasions when I’ve talked to Arizona residents, they ask if I’m doing the P.F. Chang’s in [insert city here], even though as far as I know, it’s only the title sponsor here. Good job P.F. Chang’s, and thanks for the enthusiastic team you had out there!)

Speaking of inspiration – let’s talk about ice cream. Yum.

I’d remembered to stuff some money in my sports bra in the morning, because I’d seen a Dairy Queen commercial while I was in AZ and remembered there was one on the course.

I love Dairy Queen and don’t live anywhere near one, so I was totally not above taking a detour for some ice cream. I wondered if memory served me right, if it was still there, and if I’d hit in in the race by the time it had opened.

Sure enough, I did see one across the street! And the door was open. An employee looked to be setting up some tables and chairs outside. I yelled over asking if the restaurant was open. She said no. This was at 10:17am. I’m guessing if I had seen it just 13 minutes later, it may well have been open.

I suppose it’s better this way. What kind of person eats ice cream in a half marathon? Again, totally not above it, but perhaps not the best example to set if anyone is watching.

Maybe not so bad though… “Look! Exercise is fun. And you can have ice cream!” (Spectators immediately throw off their outer layers of clothes to reveal workout gear, and the whole city of Arizona walks/runs together.) Imagine what could’ve been…. or not.

I wasn’t able to stop at Dairy Queen, but I did talk to some people who made a McDonald’s stop. So, I was not alone in my fast food yearning.

During the race, I saw one of the coolest running signs I’d seen all year. Dear future spectators, it seems like the challenge is on! This sign was shaped like a runner (and had the face of presumably their runner), and it had moving parts that someone cranked from behind.

I kept slowing and slowing throughout the race. For one thing, I was tired! Marathons are tough. And I think I was still feeling the marathon from the week before.

I wore my orange Goofy shirt. Even though I felt that I looked cuter in other things, I just wanted the world to easily excuse me when I looked like a slow zombie. (Of course that also meant that people might’ve thought, “Um, I think if you did Goofy you’re supposed to be some kind of real athlete. Pick up your speed, girl!”)

Or, perhaps more likely, no one cared about a stranger.

And I will finish up talking about this race tomorrow.

(Celebration Race) Rock ‘n’ Roll AZ (January 20, 2013) – Part 2 (Community)

January 26, 2013

man holding focus sign for support at RnR AZ half marathon 2013 — In his head, he’s probably thinking, “Do you not get the point of this sign? Quit taking pictures and get on the road!” (The sign says, “If you are reading, you’re not focused. Get back to work!”

This may have actually been the hardest race of the year – not because it has some crazy tough course or something. But just because I think I was still feeling the effects of the Goofy Challenge.

Marathons are hard. And they wear you out. (Or at least they wear me out.) So my legs and back and just general body were still carrying around that a little (though I did a pretty good job of resting and slowly doing more walking throughout the week).

Before this race, I had this amazing blog follower write me out of the blue and ask what my plans were for Phoenix. It was so nice of her to do that, ’cause I definitely hadn’t made any.

My amazing, super wonderful friend Taylor (who I stayed with last year for this race) moved to Georgia. (I miss her.)

So, I stayed with – get this – not even the blog follower herself, but her family!

And I had the time of my life. Sandra’s family treated me as one of their own. They were so kind. They shoved tons of free food at me. (“Eat, eat!” seemed to be a rallying cry around their house.
J. (the son) was doing the full marathon, and both parents were distance racers. So, they just wanted to make sure we all had enough calories. It was very sweet. (And I was very well fed.))

J. told me the morning of the race, “Wow, it’s kind of like the last day of school for you, huh?” And he was right. (I guess. Kind of depends what school you go to. If you’re thinking stressful final exams, that was not this. If you’re thinking pizza party free-for-all – ding, ding, ding – you got it.)

PF Changs balloon arch In the morning I met these two funny guys whom I just had to talk to because one was rushing his teeth. I’m a sucker for always brushing my teeth no matter how weird it is. So, doing it outside of your start corral just made me super happy. Turns out, they have a podcast. (Of course they have a podcast. What kinds of people that fun don’t have some kind of internet thing?)

(I’m going to admit, I have not listened to said podcast yet. If you listen and don’t like it, don’t blame me. (And don’t give me the credit if you love it…Well, unless you want to.))

I also ran into a couple of different blog followers before, during, and after the race. It’s so weird and cool to hear, “Aurora?” (“Yes?”) “Oh, hey. I’m ____. I recognized you from your pictures. I read your blog.” For a quick second, I know what it must be like to be Ken Jennings.

One thing I remembered from last year was slanting on the roads. It didn’t bother me too much. (I imagine it was harder on faster runners.) But I remember it being a conversation between Taylor and her friends that day (and I remember noticing it on the course).

I was expecting slanting this year, but alas, none. I think the course was the same(?). So, I don’t know if roads have been fixed, or if it was just a mirage we could all feel last year – but no slanting this time around.

Some things were the same – like a bunch of great encouraging signs from P.F. Chang’s (though the color scheme of the signs changed this year for anyone keeping score at home).

This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

(Celebration Race) Rock ‘n’ Roll AZ (January 20, 2013) – Part 1 (The Smoking Half-Marathoner?!)

January 25, 2013

What?! Yes, indeed. This is a smoking half marathoner (during the race!).

Weird to be writing about the last one – well, the last one of this specific project, at least.

But let’s just jump right in to the craziest part of this race, ’cause it was nuts and I’ve never seen anything like it. And I don’t even know if I should be drawing attention to it or not! But I mean, I have to tell you about it ’cause it was just nuts.

There was a smoker on the course! I kid you not. A smoker. With a bib and a pack of cigarettes. He was also doing the half marathon in a trench coats (and leather boots as he himself pointed out to me).

He still beat me though.

I was talking to a couple about how I’d heard a rumor there was a Dairy Queen along the course. Someone mentioned “oh, that’s almost as bad as having the smoker here… Well, okay not at all that bad.”

“Back it up. What, now? What smoker?”

“There’s a guy up ahead in a trench coat, smoking. We had to get away from him.”

“Wait, what?”

They explained he really had a bib and was doing the race. I had to see this with my own eyes to believe it. So, I ran ahead. I was booking it to try to catch up to this guy (with long legs and a quick walking stride).

I was totally winded by the time I got up to him. Before I said a word to him, when he saw me struggling, he cheerfully said something positive like, “Keep it up. You’re doing great.” He was actually very nice, which made it harder to be all rargh rargh rargh.

Don’t get me wrong. Of course I was all rargh, rargh still. How do you smoke out in the open, among all the runners, in a distance race?!

Everyone who I’d met who was around him or had encountered him at some point in the race was pretty furious. People were altering their paces just to get away from this guy.

I almost didn’t want to take pictures of him because I thought that might be sort of encouraging him. But I had to document it for you, because I wouldn’t have believed it if I wouldn’t have seen it. I barely believe it now.

When I went up to talk to him, he said he’s the “smoking marathoner,” and he has a goal to smoke a pack per race. (I don’t know if he’s done any full marathons. Today he was doing the half.)

I don’t understand it. I still can’t really believe it. But I just had to tell you about it. Though again, I really don’t know if I should’ve brought attention to it, ’cause I don’t think you’re supposed to bring attention to bad stuff, really… unless there’s a way to fix it or something, right?

Either way, there’s that. And I’ll tell you all about my race tomorrow.

Rock ‘n’ Roll AZ Expo

January 24, 2013

Entryway to the Rock 'n' Roll AZ 2013 Marathon expo Rock ‘n’ Roll events – always doing it up right!

Red carpet entry, countdown clock with the hours remaining ’til race time ticking away.

I’ll try not to cover the ground I’ve already talked about in all my other many Rock ‘n’ Roll expo posts.

I took the leap and signed up for the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge at the runDisney booth. For those who haven’t heard, it’s a brand new thing this year in Disneyland, sort of like California’s mini-version of the Goofy Challenge.

It’s a 10k on Saturday followed by a half marathon on Sunday. I had started to hear rumors that the race would sell out fast. Sure enough, it was sold out within an hour of registration opening to the general public on Tuesday, so it’s a good thing I just got in and did my thing at the expo.

Since I live in L.A., I wanted to get in on the inaugural Dumbo. I saw how special the legacy runners were treated at the Walt Disney World Marathon (sashes, rings, special bibs and Corral A placement, and on and on). I want a sash! Since Anaheim is basically a local race for me, I’ll go ahead and consider giving up a weekend in August/September every year for the next 20 years of my life. We’ll see…

A cool little thing at this expo was that the people at Cole Investments were giving out little tins of “invest mints.” Get it? Super cute!

A guy from Scottsdale Sports Medicine Institute was giving away free pens if you could identify a bone in the bottom. Sternum.
Ba – Bam. Click, click, says my victory pen!

I talked to some fun people and met some new bffs at the Team Challenge booth.

I hope my new expo friends enjoyed me… I was slightly worried about it, ’cause I’m pretty sure you could tell I was about to do my last race of this project. My brain was pretty dead. I was pretty dead. I mean, I tried to keep it together, and keep it all fun. But I could feel myself on the verge of (makes slow robot sound as I lean forward) system shutdown.

(Don’t worry. I didn’t completely shut down. I made it through the race okay, but I wondered if people at this expo thought they were talking to a robot. So, if you met me here, hopefully I was not too terribly robot-like.)

Countdown And now the best part of all – as I was leaving the expo, I happened to walk by the Chocolate Milk booth. I was just passing it ’cause I’d already been at a bunch of other expos. But then, someone there pointed at me and called me over. He said someone had told him that if he saw a girl in a “Who’s Bad” hat he had to stop her to hear her story and get her to tape a Got Milk thing.

What?!

How random, right?

For those of you who haven’t been to the expo, the Chocolate Milk booth has a camera set up and anyone can tape a little thing about why they love chocolate milk. Then there’s a whole voting process and people get little sponsorships and things.

I was certainly convinced to tape one by this stranger/strange occurrence. I’ll keep you updated if the video goes online at some point.

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about my celebration race!

Walt Disney World Marathon Presented by Cigna (Goofy Challenge, Day 2) (January 13, 2013) – Part 7 (Finishing The Race!)

January 23, 2013

Aurora De Lucia making a tired pose after the Walt Disney World Marathon 2013 — After all the fun pictures, I asked my dad if we could take one with a tired pose. (I love this.)

Picking up from yesterday –

We were traveling through Epcot, around the World Showcase.

My, it seems like a pretty big world toward the end of a marathon. However, I was pretty darn thankful to be in a park.

I love roads, but something about going through a park made it seem so much easier.

I took a few glances behind me to make sure there were still people back there. (lol) Luckily, there were still plenty of runners/walkers behind me.

In both Epcot and Hollywood Studios, I saw people running to the side of the course to see friends and families who were in the parks.

It was cute. It was weird, though, to be watched by people in the parks. Spectators at a marathon kind of expect you to possibly look a little like death warmed over. But I just imagined kids out for a fun day at Disney asking, “What’s with the parade of zombies over there, Dad?”

Once I hit Mexico in the World Showcase, I knew I was almost home free. I remembered from my last trip to Disney that it was the last (or first) country.

I thought to myself, “I must be getting close to that loop away from then toward the big ball from the 5k and the half marathon.”

Once I hit that part of the course, I realized we didn’t do the same loop on this last race! We only had to do the second half of it. That was a pleasant surprise.

Before you knew it, it was out toward the parking lot and I passed that same energetic gospel choir. I high-fived everyone in the front row as I jogged by.

I turned the corner, saw the sign that told me I only had 400 yards left, and could barely believe it.

I very lightly jogged on toward the end. (I think it was pretty much glorified walking, but I like to end as runnery-looking as I can.)

As I was running toward the finish, I heard the announcer say, “Cross that line, get yourself a medal, and call yourself a marathoner for the rest of your life!”

Did you hear that important part? “Call yourself a marathoner for the rest of your life!”

Technically, I could already do that. But this wasn’t some long day-long 26.2 mile hike through the woods. This was a 7-hour road race. So I’m gonna call myself a marathoner so much harder now.

I just thought it was such a cool idea to think about having the title “marathoner” for the rest of your life! Woot!

Of course, for the spectators, this was not a new thought. Apparently, the guy said it a lot (according to my dad who’d been there for a bit). But that’s understandable. Every few minutes it’s a whole new crop of marathoners.

I am hesitant to say anything even slightly negative about Disney since I absolutely adored this race and my whole weekend. But I’ll go ahead and say that I’m sort of bummed they use MarathonFoto now instead of Brightroom.

Brightroom is awesome and records video of you crossing the finish! (I can’t tell you how thankful I was earlier this year when I realized they do that, and I was able to forever save the moment I crossed a half marathon finish line on crutches. (Thank you for recording it, Brightroom.))

My dad taped the finish. So, I’ve gotten to re-live that moment, and I’ve already heard “And call yourself a marathoner for the rest of your life!” a few times since that awesome day.

But we’re not all lucky enough to have our dads there. I’m sure for some people – especially those doing their first marathons – crossing the line can be a magical moment. (Just my 2 cents, Disney and MarathonFoto.)

I got my gorgeous, amazing, lovely marathon medal that says “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” I think that’s the perfect quote for a marathon medal. (One of the reasons I chose this race was that amazing medal!)

After I crossed the line, I got my sweet Goofy medal from the lovely, helpful volunteers (or voluntEars as they like to say at Disney).

My dad was waiting for me as I exited the runner area. I couldn’t have been happier that he was there.

Walking to my corral in the morning, there was a sign that said, “Have a magical race.” I did just that.

Walt Disney World Marathon Presented by Cigna (Goofy Challenge, Day 2) (January 13, 2013) – Part 6 (Getting Closer to the Finish (And I Passed a Bacon Challenge))

January 22, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

Once we made it into Hollywood Studios, people were giving out candy! Yep, various kinds of chocolate. Yum yum. …?

“Yum yum” was my first thought when I saw candy. However – for one thing. I’m obsessed with milk. I don’t really like chocolate unless I can down some sweet, sweet, delicious milk along with it.

But more than anything, my stomach was just not having it around mile 22-ish. I reached out for free chocolate. It’s free chocolate. Natural reflex. Then I looked at it in my hand and thought, “Nope. No way.”

It wasn’t that I had an upset stomach, but I dunno… It just did not seem appetizing to me that deep into the race, though I’m sure some people loved it.

Speaking of food deep into the race, there was a bacon challenge around mile 24. I had no idea what it was when I passed it. I saw a booth people were going off to, and I saw people getting medals. I had no idea what was going on.

I found out later that a little non-Disney-official Facebook page had been started, and a group had put together a challenge in which runners would eat 3 pieces of bacon toward the end of the race. If they did, they got a super cute 3 Little Pigs medal.

I’m not sure bacon would’ve been super appetizing at that point (to me, at least – congrats to everyone who could handle it), but I’m pretty sure I’m in for the challenge during the Disneyland Half. (I can definitely handle it in a half.)

After Hollywood Studios, the course took us through Disney’s Yacht Club Resort (this is where that bacon challenge was). I liked being on hotel property. As much as I like highways, again, the change of scenery was nice. Thought it is a little odd, right? Seeing these hotel guests lounging by the water when we’re out there doing a marathon.

I’m sure it’s weird for them too. “What is this sea of people doing traipsing through my vacation?”

Even though I had taken a look at the map, I was not intimately familiar with it. (I never am. I just follow signs and people in front of me.)

I thought we’d be doing the overpass again to get to Epcot. I wasn’t looking forward to going up an incline so late in the race – even if it was just one hill.

Well, imagine my pleasant surprise when the course took us through some back entrance to Epcot from the Yacht Club. Woot!

I knew once we were in Epcot, we were pretty home free. This was it – the last thing. Just get to the ball and go out to the parking lot.

I was tired, but still keeping it together okay. The park was open and people were milling about. Anytime I’m in front of a crowd, I want to be super cute and personable and fun. I wanted to take off running, looking totally cute, of course, and giving big smiles to everyone I passed.

I abandoned that idea in about one second.

I want to give y’all a show, but way more than that, I just want to put on these headphones and have R. Kelly and Michael Jackson take me on home.

I started up “The World’s Greatest” by R. Kelly on my iPhone. That song is my jam! I used to end every workout with it. Then I banned it from my rotation for a while after I got out of the hospital and had crummy little slow workouts. “You are not the world’s greatest!” I’d yell at myself.

But, I’ve allowed it back in the rotation sometimes this year. (Not that I actually think I am the world’s greatest anything. Come on, who am I? Hillary Clinton? Cory Booker?)

Anyway, I was finishing a marathon – a marathon, y’all! Slowly, slowly finishing. But I allowed myself my R. Kelly treat (twice).

And I will wrap up the marathon story tomorrow (even though I wish I could just talk about it forever – too fun!)

Walt Disney World Marathon Presented by Cigna (Goofy Challenge, Day 2) (January 13, 2013) – Part 5 (Awesome Signs)

January 21, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

After my regal entrance into mile 20, I got another burst of energy.

I mainly walked the second half, but I had bits of running sprinkled in here and there, and this was a place where I did a little jog. Hello, world! I’m doing a marathon!

There was one point in the race when I was warning people that I was coming, when I said, “On your…wherever this is that you hear sound,” ’cause I couldn’t really remember for sure (so quickly-ish) what was right or left anymore.

We had a little laugh about it, and then I didn’t feel alone when someone did the same thing to me later.

From where I was in the marathon crowd, everyone seemed so very polite. When I did want to run, people were happy to give me space (and even encouragement) when I needed to squeeze through a group or around people.

And when it was my turn to walk and have runners pass me, they also seemed very polite and encouraging. The attitude on the course was awesome.

And speaking of awesome runners, there was a retired Navy serviceman was wearing a shirt saying he was retired and running for military families.

When I said, “Thank you for your service, sir;” he said, “It was my pleasure and honor.”

I saw him somewhere around me at a couple of different points. It seemed like many people were talking to him and inspired by him, which I thought was lovely. And every time someone thanked him, he was so gracious, humble, and awesome about it. I’m sure he inspired a bunch of people on that course.

Speaking of inspiring, we all ran on a road during the race that had all these great quotes from runners and innovators (of course including Disney himself), basically telling us we can do anything and never give up in various interesting or poignant ways.

And then as I was reading them, I saw one was labeled “- Hercules” after the quote.

Really? Running/walking along, looking at quotes – Olympian. Innovator. Famous person. Aaaaaand, cartoon character. I laughed a little at the silliness, but allowed it, ’cause it is Disney, after all.

There was also a stretch of road with silly thoughts (and a few facts thrown in) that I found enjoyable as we made our way toward Hollywood Studios.

Some of those signs included –
“What’s another word for thesaurus?”
“If corn oil comes from corn, where does baby oil come from?”
“Why isn’t phonetic spelled the way it sounds?”
“Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?”

Tehehe. Cute, right?

While we’re on great signs, quite possibly my favorite of the day was one this awesome spectator held that said, “Imagine Morgan Freeman narrating your marathon.”

Yes. I will imagine that, ’cause it sounds amazing. Thank you very much.

And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

Walt Disney World Marathon Presented by Cigna (Goofy Challenge, Day 2) (January 13, 2013) – Part 4 (Wide World of Sports & Mile 20 Spectacular)

January 20, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

Being halfway through felt great! Only one more half to go!

(Some Goofy Challenges like to think of that as being 2/3 of the way through. I just kept thinking about it a mile (or a few) at a time. Mile 14 seemed to come pretty quickly.

I don’t pay too much attention to the side character stops, but I was found of the “Bad to the Bone” one with a bunch of Disney villains. It looked pretty cool, I thought, with Scar draped over some huge skeleton thing and smoke/fog stuff coming out around it.

From miles 14 – 17ish, I just enjoyed my music and looked forward to getting into Wide World of Sports. I don’t often really look at maps before marathons, but I’d looked at this one, and I knew that once we got there, we’d be going through pretty entertaining scenery changes from there to the finish.

I was very happy to get into Wide World of Sports. They were playing some nice music, it was a great change of running surface. I love the pavement, but sidewalks/walkways were fun too.

I think it was somewhere around here that they gave us cold, wet sponges. (Thanks, Disney!) (I really don’t remember if it was earlier, later, or here. So, don’t take my word on when we got them.)

Again, I took every single opportunity to preemptively get colder (and wetter) throughout the race, before the heat made my cranky. It seemed to be an okay strategy. It never registered to me that it was hot.

When I ran into the stadium, sure enough, my dad was there! He gave me a Gatorade and some Clif Shot Bloks. I ended up not using the Bloks (Earlier in the race, I’d used a pack I’d brought with me.) But that Gatorade was amazing. (Disney uses Powerade. Not to hate on Powerade, but come on. Gatorade.)

Originally, I thought it might be a super bummer that my dad was spectating instead of running, but it worked out well. And I’ll talk more about how great he was later.

I was excited to see what the big “mile 20 spectacular” was (in honor of the 20th anniversary). A lot of people have been saying they were disappointed in it. I don’t know if it’s because I was delirious or just so happy after 20 miles – (how can you not be with all the endorphins flowing?) – but I liked it.

(I mean, really. It’s the middle of a marathon and a stream of people will be hitting it for hours. What can you possible have lasting for something like 4 hours that’s going to be over-the-top spectacular? They’re not gonna do that many fireworks. They can’t really give us anything super special (that we’d have to carry to the finish). I don’t know what people were expecting… but I expected nothing and was ready to be surprised with anything.)

It was basically giant puppets of various Disney characters, and instead of a normal mile marker (which is already big and awesome), it was an overhead arch that showed every medal for the last 20 years, including a big ol’ picture of the one we were on our way to receiving. Plus, there was some great Disney music playing.

When I passed “Prince Ali” was playing. Right as I went under the arch, it was the kind of grand part of the song where it slows way down (and I think even has a key change). Oh yeah. My big royal cross into mile 20, baby!

This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

Walt Disney World Marathon Presented by Cigna (Goofy Challenge, Day 2) (January 13, 2013) – Part 3 (Mid-Race, & Hopping on a Roller Coaster)

January 19, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

After the first 10 miles, I was averaging a 14-minute/mile pace (14.01 to be exact for any sticklers out there).

At mile 10, I thought, “Oh, already in double digits. Awesome.” Then I realized that I still had more than a half marathon to go! I definitely don’t recommend thinking that way, ’cause then a marathon seems long. It felt way better when I thought about it in little pieces – a mile, a 5k, etc.

After the sun started peeking out, I poured a cup of water over myself at every water stop, which I think helped a lot in making sure I didn’t get hot… though it did mean I was pretty wet.

I was dried off pretty well between water stops, especially after the sun started showing itself more as the race went on. But, not all parts dried equally. I poured some nice cold water on my lower back once, which felt great – but meant water was stuck around my bum for a bit! Be careful how you wet your back, or you might just accidentally give yourself a wet behind.

As it got warmer (and as I was trying to adjust my wet, swishy pants), I pulled up my pants like shorts at some points (which I’m sure looked super not attractive at all, so big apologies to anyone who had to witness my insanely pasty tree trunk legs reflecting enough light to blind somebody). (Of course, I’m not ashamed of being pasty! Skin care is vitally important, and “reflective surface” happens to be the natural shade of my skin. I’m just sorry anybody had to see my super healthy skin that’s rarely ever touched by the sun. :))

I covered up my bib every time I saw a photographer when I was in a more-messy-than-usual state. I don’t need the gross moments (in which my outfit (and myself) are falling apart) captured forever!

As we started going toward Animal Kingdom, I took a picture of a fake alligator (in yesterday’s post). Soon after I thought, “fake animal,” I looked up and thought, “real animals!”

That’s right. They had cast members out there with birds and goats. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Crazy.

But I made it out unharmed by any animals. (Yay!) (The cast members seemed to have good control over what was going on… but still, animals were out and about, so you never know what will happen.)

Somewhere around mile 12 or 13, cast members were waving people into what looked like a ride. I went over and asked what they were waving us into. Indeed, Expedition Everest was open to runners!

I’d told myself that today was about finishing, not wasting time stopping for photos and random Disney things. But I was ahead of my 15-minute/mile goal pace, so I made one exception to run onto this ride – and it was the most awesome decision!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen any group of people more excited to get on a ride than a group of marathoners in the middle of a race! What a lovely little invigorating break.

(In true Disney fashion, you could even buy the picture you got on the ride, and they gave you the number of it in case you wanted to buy it the next day. (I did not.))

Soon after the ride, I got to the halfway point and was at exactly a 15-min/mile pace. Perfect.

I called my sister. We had heard this story of someone breaking down in tears during the marathon at 13.1, lamenting, “I just did 13.1 yesterday! I’ve already done a full marathon between the days. I still have another half marathon?!”

It’s not funny to laugh at someone’s emotions, but my sister and I thought it was a funny idea. We weren’t laughing at the person, but the idea of the big breakdown. Caylan and I planned on taking a fun little break for crying pictures at 13.1, but alas she was not able to come to the Goofy Challenge this year. So, I just called her to quickly say hi, and that I couldn’t wait to cry with her next time.

This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

Walt Disney World Marathon Presented by Cigna (Goofy Challenge, Day 2) (January 13, 2013) – Part 2 (Banking Time)

January 18, 2013

age is no barrier sign Picking up from yesterday –

I started the race, and felt great. I’d spent the half marathon mainly strategizing for the marathon.

I knew the first 8 or so miles were the same both days, so I paid attention to what different parts felt like, when I’d get to go downhill, when the road would get narrower, etc. (Disney makes all that stuff really clear, but there was something nice about a test run the day before.)

My big goal was to use this early morning time weather to bank some time. I was still nervous about the heat to come with the sun, so while we were in the dark, I made a run for it (mixed in with plenty of walking still).

As many of you know who read the blog, I’m quite slow. My whole goal for this race was to just finish while the course was still open (not get swept). Thankfully, I never even saw the sweeper.

Basically, I knew that because of the corral I was in, I could finish in a 17-min/mile pace and be okay. I wanted to finish the first half in about 15-minute miles then I could take my time with the second half if necessary.

I didn’t want to waste battery on my phone, so I didn’t fire up my running app. I just looked at my phone for the time at every mile marker, then added 15 minutes for my next marker goal.

I hit every one early, and after 5 miles my dad sent me the text (from the runner tracking he was getting) that I was at a 13:38 pace. Awesome.

Random note about the morning: I was flabbergasted by the number of people in the first few miles who went out to pee in the woods. I saw one guy only go so far out as to not be seen by runners, but he was perfectly visible to the monorail still… And then of course I saw one pass by.

I just imagined families looking down. “What is happening beneath us?” But, it was dark, so probably no one saw. I guess that’s just a risk you take when you’re a guy peeing in public during a race.

Forget about men peeing. Why am I even talking about that? Back to my awesome race –

Get this! When we ran through Cinderella’s castle this morning – I did not have to come to a complete stop! Sure, everybody slowed down, but I got to keep moving! Of the three Disney races I’ve done in Orlando (Princess and the half right before this one), this is the only one where that had been the case. Perhaps it was because I was a bit faster this day (though still not fast, of course). Rock on, runners.

That was a fun, magical moment.

Speaking of magical moments – this was insane. As I was jogging along through the magic kingdom, I looked over and thought I recognized someone I worked with on America’s Got Talent two years ago. No… it couldn’t be… could it?

Yes! It was. He was wearing a pin with his name on it on the back. What are the chances I saw someone who looked just look him and had the same name?

“Rico?” I said. “Yes?” Then he saw me, and realized who I was. We both were all, “What are you doing here?!” “Uh… running a marathon!” We talked for a quick minute, and he introduced me to his sister. Then we parted ways as I took off (just to be passed by them later, I’m pretty sure).

This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

Walt Disney World Marathon Presented by Cigna (Goofy Challenge, Day 2) (January 13, 2013) – Part 1 (What Was The Hubbub About The Weather?)

January 17, 2013

What was all the hubbub about the weather, y’all?

I will say that I was super slow. It took me a little over 7 hours to finish the race. So, maybe all the people who were saying it was hot were pushing themselves to the max. Plus, I live in Los Angeles. I’ve become very used to the heat. But I didn’t even notice it was “hot,” even though that’s all most people were talking about.

I’d had the begoodness scared out of me throughout the weekend with all the billions of heat warnings/weather advisories Disney had been bombarding us with. I usually try to look at least someone cute at running events. (There are people there whose job it is to take your picture!)

But I’d had the terror implanted in me hard enough, that I opted for a shirt I didn’t look super cute in, because it was white and made of really light fabric.

I’ll admit I was a bit on the nervous side for this race. I had a plan for what I wanted to wear, but I still changed shoes about five times in the morning. (I didn’t have five pairs of shoes. I was just switching back and forth between the two pairs I had – and they were just two different pairs of Aasics Kayanos!)

I changed socks a number of times. “No, these… No, wait. These. Definitely these… Uh, maybe this one for the left, and then one from this pair for the right.”

I changed shirts a couple of times. I asked myself if I had to use the bathroom about 30 times. “Do you have to go now? Okay, you just used the bathroom five minutes ago. So, you don’t have to. Maybe just one more time right before you leave…”

Intellectually, I knew I’d made a great strategy for the weekend (which I’ll get into later, but basically it just involved a lot of rest and sleep), followed the strategy, and felt great. I knew I was ready. But there was still something about the marathon that gave me butterflies.

I’d only ever done one marathon before, and it really barely counts ’cause it was through the woods, and I took a million breaks. It was basically just a day-long hike.

I’d just heard oh so many stories of people being swept. In fact, after I put my neurotic energy aside for long enough to get out of the room and on the bus, I sat next to someone who’d been swept before!

But, I had Ty’s bandana wrapped around my wrist. I knew he was with me the whole time. (He even sent me an encouraging text the night before, so I doubly knew he was with me.) I’m gonna be just fine!

I made it to the race, and walked on the red carpet under an arch shaped like mouse ears to go toward my corral. (All runners got to do that. It wasn’t ’cause I’m so (obviously) super famous.) Once I got closer to my corral, I had a quick stop off for an interview with Run Disney TV’s Dennis Marsico. I told him the channel had been on loop in my hotel room practically all weekend. And then we talked about twitter because we both love it so much!

After the interview, I worked my way over to my corral.

And this is where I’ll pick up next time.

(#52) Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Goofy Challenge, Day 1) (January 12, 2013) – Part 3 (Finishing & Being Greeted By The Media!)

January 16, 2013

Aurora De Lucia with her medal from the Walt Disney World Half Marathon 2013 - Her 52 half marathon of 52 half marathons in 52 weeks Picking up from yesterday –

I was talking about how Disney running events are sort of like Disney events that happen to involve running.

I still tried to have runner etiquette as much as I could – walk on the right, always use hand signals when slowing down, just generally stay to stay out of everyone’s way and be as safe as possible, basically.

I did a pretty okay job for the most part, I think. It can be a little hard sometimes ’cause Disney races are just so crowded. So, if I accidentally got in anyone’s way in a narrow place, I’m sorry and I hope we’re still friends. (But I assume we are ’cause that just comes with the territory of Disney racing.)

I saw a few Princess Leias out on the course. I couldn’t believe I didn’t think of that. Someone even had earmuffs shaped like the side buns. Nice, right? Perhaps next year… If I’m gonna be a Disney Princess, she’s the one I want to be!

And I forgot to saw (way back from the beginning), I thought the fireworks at the top of the race started by the start line. Well, I was in the front of my corral, and I don’t know if I was hallucinating, but it looked like some fireworks also went off past the start line ’cause even after I ran through the start line arch, I still saw fireworks in front of me – unless they were reflections (or my imagination).

As the race went on, I slowed to a comfortable walk. “Save yourself for tomorrow. Save yourself for tomorrow,” was my mantra.

I met a guy named Brad who was out there for his mom’s 50th birthday! The whole family went down to do the half marathon – and his mom and passed him. So, we walked and talked for a while.

I fell behind to announce my twitter handle over the mic at the turnaround point when he was asking us where we all were from. Yes, that’s right. I am from twitter. It wasn’t all for naught, though! I got a new follower out of that. What, what?

As I went through the course it all seemed incredibly familiar. It felt as though I had just run the Princess half yesterday even though it was back in February. I couldn’t believe how much turns and entertainment stops and things came flooding back. I was often able to guess what was coming next before I came upon it, which flabbergasted me.

Aurora De Lucia hamming it up for David Baumann's cameras for Disney Sports at the end of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon 2013 — My dad (in the stands) caught me hamming it up at the end.

Things were the same down to the stranger who had the “Hello, complete stranger. I’m proud of you too!” sign. I even ran up to her and said, “I saw you last year at Princess!” And she smiled. (She was out again at the marathon the next day. I don’t know who she is, but she seems pretty awesome in my book.)

At the 5k I’d done with my dad the day before, as we turned to leave Epcot I said something about thinking I’d remembered a gospel choir from the last race… but they weren’t there. Well, that’s because they were for the half, not the 5k! Sure enough, as I turned the corner, a gospel choir was rocking out!

As I ran through the finish line, I saw David Baumann and his team waiting for me at the finish line! Aw, how nice to be welcomed in by a camera crew. You can see me being a dork here. (But don’t get too excited. I think I’ve already linked to this earlier, so you may have seen it before.)

What was really nice about ending my big 52nd half in the midst of the Goofy Challenge was that I didn’t go nuts or feel empty. I just thought, “Eat. Rest. Sleep. Focus. (dum, dum, dum) You have a marathon tomorrow, baby!”

(#52) Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Goofy Challenge, Day 1) (January 12, 2013) – Part 2 (Don’t Plan to PR at a Disney Race)

January 15, 2013

Halfway there...or not Picking up from yesterday –

After the fun morning interview, I went to my corral. Before you knew it, it was off to the races!

I saw a funny pair of signs just a few miles in. I thought the “you’re halfway there,” “bad at math” sign idea was pretty cute. (The couple holding them showed up again with the same signs at the end. The signs seemed even funnier when we were only a tenth of a mile away.)

There was also a big projection made by Disney onto the side of an overpass that said “Congratulations.” It was cool, but I thought, “uh, a little premature, much? We’re like 4 miles in, y’all. Thanks anyway, though.”

One person’s family had a sign that said, “her feet need your tweets,” and included her twitter handle. I thought that was a super cute idea.

One last sign I thought was funny said “Hurry up! My arms are getting tired!”

As far as my strategy for this race – I just wanted to chill out, walk a lot, and come in a little before the time limit. I did 15:50/minute miles for the first 10k, just taking it all in, looking around, being silly.

As we got through the Magic Kingdom, we all came to a big stop right outside Cinderella’s Castle (which happened in my first Disney race as well). I was sort of expecting it, and my thoughts were really on the marathon the next day. But I felt bad for the poor girl next to me. She was sweating and working hard. She was incredibly frustrated and yelled out, “This is unacceptable!” as she looked for a way to get through the traffic.

Congrats sign at Disney I looked at her, and in the most understanding way I knew how, tried to say, “This is a Disney race. This happens. This isn’t a race you run for time.” She exasperatedly exclaimed something like, “I didn’t know that!”

I think she had learned it in the first 6 miles, but she was already in the race. There was nothing she could do now.

I do think it’s really important for people to know that you should not expect to run a PR at a Disney race. Some people do, sure. And sure, you can push yourself. But there are parts that get narrow, and so many people posing for pictures and stopping to look at things – you will almost certainly be held back, at one point or another, from a pace you wish you were going. To have a pleasant Disney experience, you just have to be okay with that.

It is jarring and can be upsetting the first time you learn that lesson, so I empathize with runners who’ve never done a Disney race. But now that I know that to be the case, I chill out, and just enjoy Disney races for what they are.

(Obviously, if you are elite and start in the front, that very well may never happen to you.)

I like to think of Disney races as Disney events that happen to involve running instead of running events that happen to involve Disney. When I look at them that way, they’re super fun. I had an amazing time! But please, runners, know what you’re getting into.

I’ll finish up telling you about the race tomorrow.

(#52) Walt Disney World Half Marathon (Goofy Challenge, Day 1) (January 12, 2013) – Part 1 (Accidentally Blew Off Drew Carey… And Met Joey Fatone)

January 14, 2013

As I was waiting in the staging area to go to back to the corrals, I got a text message from my mom asking if I’d met Joey Fatone.

(For those who don’t know, Joey Fatone was a member of Nsync. When I was in elementary/middle school, I pretty much adored them and saw them in concert 22 times.)

When I got a text asking if I met him, I sarcastically thought, “Yeah. In this sea of 25,000 people, I met Joey Fatone – whom I’m sure is being treated like a total VIP and not even anywhere close to us commoners. ;)”

Not that long after that, I got to go up around the start line so I could be interviewed by David Baumann of NBC Sports.

Sure enough, before you knew it, I was standing around Joey Fatone and Drew Carey. This is where it gets nice and embarrassing.

Someone who travels with Drew Carey’s team (his assistant, perhaps?) asked if I wanted a picture with him. I think she thought I had made my way up there to get pictures with famous people. (I saw a small group of girls get their picture taken with Drew and head out right as I was coming up there.)

I didn’t want to annoy him, and I wanted to be all cool and seem like I belonged. So, I was all, “oh, that’s okay. I’m just waiting to be interviewed.”

But then I looked up and saw with my own eyes – could that be Joey Fatone?! I glanced away, then back. It’s him. It’s really him.

With Joey Fatone only three or so feet from me, I kept thinking, “That’s Joey Fatone from Nsync!!! An Nsync member is standing so very close to you. You have to ask him for a picture.” Then I thought, “Be cool. Be cool. Be cool. You’ve met famous people. They’re just people. You’re super cool and totally supposed to be up here since you are now apparently super famous as well. ;)”

Followed of course by thoughts of, “It’s Joey Fatone! Let your inner super fan out. You are a nerd. Nerd out and be okay with it.”

So, I went up and tapped him on the shoulder. I said, “Sorry to bother you.” And he very sweetly was all, “No, it’s fine!” I said I’d seen him in concert 22 times. He said, “I’m sorry.” Tehehe.

Then I asked if I could have a picture. He said, “Of course!” I looked around for who would take it. Sure enough, the only person around was Drew Carey’s assistant person (or, I suppose Drew Carey lol).

I sheepishly asked the assistant if she would take the picture. She was nice about it, but I could see in her eyes she was probably thinking, “Are you joking me? I just asked if you wanted a picture with Drew Carey. Now you’re asking if I’ll take one of you with Joey Fatone? Aye, aye, aye.”

I hope Drew Carey didn’t overhear all of this. I wasn’t trying to snub him! I was just trying to be cool, but then abandoning that…

Thank goodness I didn’t wait one more second with the loop of “Should I bother or not bother Joey” going in my head, because right after I got my picture, it was time for my interview!

David was so incredibly nice and cool. I hope he thought I was nice and
cool too, but my bet is I didn’t seem super cool. I had a bit of nervous energy – last race, big interview, super early morning (and I’d just met Joey Fatone!). But David didn’t seem to mind that I was totally nerding out. (I kind of feel like I am constantly nerding out lately. But that’s okay. I think that just means I’m having lots of fun.)

You can see some of the fun of that interview here.

Then I went on back to my corral, and I’ll talk about the race tomorrow.

Disney Family 5k Fun Run (Unofficial Dopey Challenge) (January 11, 2013)

January 13, 2013

Whoa, what a weekend. So much to talk about!

I’ll just do it like normal and go a race at a time.

One thing I thought was pretty funny was when we got there, there was so much food being sold! There was even a cupcake truck! There were people walking around selling hot chocolate. We didn’t get anything, but plenty of sweet treats were available if you wanted them.

Before the race, there was a DJ who was pretty funny. He danced to Gangnam Style. (And that song was in my head for the rest of the weekend.)

Our race was pretty uneventful. It was just me trying to slow my dad down to a mall-walk. I wanted to walk this and not even feel that I’d done it. And that’s what we did.

We were dorks who stopped for a picture in front of the Epcot ball, but I didn’t care. I liked it. It’s Disney! Embrace that dorkiness!

After the race, they gave us so much food. There were snack boxes, full bottles of Powerade, bananas… Huh. I kind of just took a little walk through the park, but uh, okay… Thanks, Disney!

(Oh, and a note to anyone who wants to know what the Dopey Challenge is… It is an unofficial thing runners talk about, but it’s not recognized by Disney. It’s doing the official Goofy Challenge (the half Saturday and the full Sunday), and adding the 5k in the day before.)

(Added note to this blog: The Dopey Challenge actually became real. Disney added a 10k. It’s now 4 days long. And you can do it. It exists.)

That wraps up that little 5k. Tomorrow, I’ll talk about the half marathon!

I’m Not Afraid!

January 12, 2013

The original title to this pose was “I’m Not Nervous, Per Se.”

Then the first line was: But I’m a little nervous.

However, I had a couple of days to think about it, and I’m not afraid!

The half marathon went great, and I’ll tell you all about it soon. But now, I’m gearing up for the marathon!

So, here’s the reason I was perhaps slightly afraid.

If you spend some time reading about Disney races on the internet – (the internet is so very dangerous!) – you can easily read about a trillion (hyperbole (maybe)) stories of being swept by the sag wagon.

Then that starts to mess with your head. Well, maybe not your head. Maybe you’re fitter, more confident, and/or more secure than I am. But it messed with my head a little.

The thing is, if you look into most of these stories, the people didn’t train, or they made stops for pictures with every character, or they made other mistakes that cost them the race. Most people who train, plan, strategize, and follow through on that strategy make it through (or at least it seems that way).

Of course, there are stories of prepared people getting injured. So, that would be pretty awful.

I don’t want it to sound like I’m coming at this from a place of defensiveness. I’m going into this with the full expectation that I’ll be fine, and stay within the time limit. I’m going with the intention to have fun, laugh a lot, dance a lot – all that good stuff.

weather warning

But if the heat starts getting to me, and it’s not my day, and I start falling back – I will fight to the death!

Here is the one promise I make to you and myself. I will not end in the sag wagon.

I will end at the finish, or I will end getting some serious medical attention. I won’t quit unless I’m unconscious or have some shattered bones, or something that makes me unable to use my legs.

I will not let the Disney people just take me!

Of course the plan (and the preference) is to finish. (That is what’s actually going to happen.)

If I’m sore or in pain, I very well might cry, or complain, or throw a tantrum . But I will go on.

I will be wearing Ty’s bandana that he wore in Afghanistan. It is a constant reminder of him and his belief in me. He has never faltered in that belief, and I don’t intend to give him any reason to start now!

Failure is not okay.

I will finish this.

Goofy Challenge Expo

January 11, 2013

overview packet pickup Before you even got to the actual expo itself, there was a huge room set up for some of the bib pick-ups.

They had a whole ‘nother room for 5k and Goofy pick-ups.

There was also a place in there where you could listen to speakers and panels.

The nutritionist for the Orlando Magic was talking as I came in. I listened for a bit, ’cause she was pretty funny and interesting.

After I picked up my t-shirts, I walked to the table beside them to check out the merchandise. I asked if it’s possible to buy extra participant shirts. (These participant shirts are pretty cute and everything I look for in one – long sleeve, tech material, a color other than white.)

I decided I think it’d be pretty cool to have a quilt of all the shirts from races throughout the year, so I’ve been trying to get duplicates of my favorite ones so I still can wear them around.

overhead view of lots of booths/people at the runDisney expo for WDW Marathon weekend. The man at the merch table said in the years he’d worked there I was the first one to ask if extra participant shirts, and they didn’t sell them. I said it was too bad. When he asked why I wanted one, I said 52 half marathons quilt, blah blah blah.

He asked me to hold on a moment, and sure enough he came back with an extra set of shirts (all 3 – half, marathon, Goofy), and just let me have them. That is Disney magic, right there!

From there, I ran into the runDisney booth, which was very crowded every time I passed it. It looks like a lot of people are getting in on registration for the Dumbo Double Down before it opens to the general public later this month.

When I stopped by the Clif booth, I told the guy behind the Shot Bloks that I loved them and I was looking forward to my 52nd half marathon of 52 half marathons in 52 weeks on Saturday. He said he thought that was really impressive, so he handed me a handful of Shot Bloks. Then he said, “Clif likes to do a little something special when we hear inspirational stories. Hold on.

big, lit up, mouse ears shape runDisney booth at the WDW Marathon expo 2013 He then went to some back table, came back, and handed me a $100 gift card to Road Runner Sports! It says “Run more, smile more.” And it comes in a little sleeve that says, “Endorphins, PR, friendship, solace, adventure – whatever your motivation for running, and wherever you go, we support you. running requires gear. Here’s $100 toward your effort. Run with it! Your fans at Clif Bar.

Love it! Amazing.

Basically, I’m feeling kind of like a princess here. It’s already starting out to be an amazing weekend.

I also passed by Team Serious Fun‘s booth.

I had met Brian – the really fun booth guy who looks like he stepped out of a Disney Channel show (which I 100% mean as a compliment) – in Las Vegas. He totally remembered me before I even said a word! I couldn’t believe it, but it keeps well with the theme of “I’m feeling very special this weekend.” 🙂

2013 hasn't quite happened yet, but you can buy your 2014 training gear. — 2013 hasn’t quite happened yet, but you can buy your 2014 training gear.

Brian is wonderful at his job. Some people seem to be naturally good at getting people excited about things, and he is one of them. I guess he’s kind of like a natural salesperson. (I don’t know why I keep saying things about him that I totally mean as compliments but that I think can be construed as compliments or non-compliments…) the point is, I’m jealous and wish I was as good at getting people excited about an idea as he is.

I also happened to see Darris Blackford (race director of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Half Marathon). He was lovely as always. He asked what my strategy was for Goofy. I said very, very slow the first day (pretty much at the time limit) to save myself for Sunday.

He added that most importantly, I can’t forget to eat. He said sometimes people don’t remember to eat enough on Saturday and run out of energy on Sunday halfway through the run.

I also listened to a talk about the course and spectator viewing. The Disney race director and team seemed very cool. The course seems great. Let’s do this thing!

Goofy Is Happening!

January 10, 2013

Aurora excited at Wide World of Sports I mean, of course it’s happening.

It’s been on the schedule for a long time. I registered back on April 10th when registration first opened. But now it’s here!

I’m already here, but I started drafting this back when I was still in L.A. I’m reading my eloquent, groundbreaking thoughts now. They were “It’s here! It’s really here. It’s happening. I’m packing. I’m packing! For the Goofy Challenge. How crazy is that?”

There’s a channel in the room – Run Disney TV – that just has runDisney stuff on loop. That’s it. Race footage, race advice, the Jeff Galloway dance, even! Seriously – (in rhythm) “Do the Galloway.”

This channel is hilarious, and amazing at getting my super amped up and ready to do this marathon already.

I can’t stop watching it.

Oh my gosh, and the host loves twitter! He just said he was a’twitter over twitter. And now there’s more dancing. Why is this so awesome?

Speaking of videos, there’s a video that plays on loop on the shuttle to the expo about the races, the expo, and everything. It is unbelievably chipper. (This is Disney after all.)

I think sometimes it’s easy to do kind of make fun of this over-the-top enthusiasm and joy. But I am just letting it wash over me, and I’m loving every minute of this.

Oh my gosh, James Franco just came on the TV, wished us luck, and said, “The fact that you are running this race proves you’re… powerful.” (The ellipsis is because I can’t remember if he said strong or great. (This will probably be on loop long enough that I’ll find out.))

I guess what I’m saying is this channel rocks. I’m amped up. I’m ready to do this. And I can’t believe (even though of course I can) the time has come y’all! This is really happening. Race #52. The Goofy Challenge.

Bring it.

2nd Place Women’s Open in the SoCal Half Series

January 8, 2013

So, I found out I came in 2nd in the Open Female division (ages 39 and younger) in the 2012 California Half Marathon series.

Of course, by Ricky Bobby’s logic (based on one of my favorite quotes ever), I pretty much came in last. As we all know, “If you’re not first, you’re last.”

Nonetheless, I’m last with a small trophy thing.

I wish I would’ve had any clue I was in contention. Apparently if I had just run two more races of the series, I would’ve won my division. Of course, that’s easy to know after the fact. And it was a hard series to make work schedule-wise and transportation-wise already. So who knows if it would’ve happened… Probably wouldn’t have.

And I definitely would’ve rather galavanted around outside of California (as I did) instead of win this series…

But what do you even do with a “second place” something? It’s kind of cool you have something, but you don’t want to flaunt to the world, “Oh, look at me. I was second…”

But, I dunno. Just got this in the mail, and thought I’d share.

(#51) New Year’s Race Los Angeles At Night (January 5, 2013) – Part 2 (High In Safety, But Not Entertainment)

January 7, 2013

Picking up from yesterday –

It was funny as it got later in the night seeing groups of drunk people running around. Sometimes the drunk club-goers had enough energy that they looked like half marathoners.

Sometimes the half marathoners were struggling, stumbling a little, looking like they should be in the drunk crowd.

The race was a very quiet one. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much music. We finally heard some many, many miles in. “They have music for us!” we exclaimed.

Nope.

As we got closer, we realized that was music blasting from a club. Oh well. Either way (dances).

We did finally hear loud, fun music (from the race) at the final turn. Better late than never, right?

It’s amazing how much of a difference music made! My little group started dancing. Others started dancing. We were all re-energized!

As we walked down the last street, streetlights or some kind of lamps went out. It was a bit jarring, and totally made me feel like I was in Criminal Minds for a split second. (Although every lighting change (and angle change, and any other change) makes me feel like I’m in Criminal Minds if I’ve watched the show recently. It can be a super scary show, and I should not be allowed to watch it!)

Anyway, even though in playtime pretend world you could make it scary, it actually wasn’t scary at all. It was just a light or two. We were all very safe.

I will say that even though people have been complaining (kind of a lot) about this race, the race people got so much stuff right. The course wasn’t the most thrilling, but some new races don’t get basic stuff right.

I never went thirsty. They had plenty of water and Gatorade. There was a big police presence. (Yes, I mentioned that yesterday, but for downtown L.A. in the middle of the night, a very large presence was needed, was delivered, and worth mentioning again.)

There were tons of volunteers! (So very, very many.) There were multiple medical tents. The streets were successfully shut down with no intersections open (which would’ve forced runners to make stops (as some races have done)).

I’d rather be safe and completely taken care of (which we were) than entertained (which were were not).

The race got all the really important basic stuff right… For the most part.

The race has been getting a number of complaints on Facebook, and because I feel like it’s being attacked somewhat unfairly, I wanted to stand up for the race. However, it’s been confirmed that they re-routed runners around mile 6 who had started in one of the back corrals and were well within the time limit. My understanding is that happened because the race started late.

That’s an almost unforgivable thing for a race company to do. Especially with apparently no warning. I don’t know whose decision it was (police, race officials, etc.), and I don’t know exactly why they made it. But it’s definitely unfair to those runners. And I can’t stand up for the race on that count.

But enough of my soapbox.

My posse made it to the finish and got our sweet medals. I could then see my apartment. Score!

As I walked toward my building, I overheard people behind me. “Where is she going?” (in somewhat jealous/thinking I’m super cool tone) “Oh, she lives there!”

I was hungry and had heard of this magical place – LA Cafe – that delivers 24/7. A delicious cheeseburger came to my door (carried by a person, of course). As I went to the door, I saw it was raining! We had escaped running in night rain. Nice.

I’d say all in all it was a nice night. Thank goodness my Long Beach buddies were there. They kept things interesting and fun, and helped pass the time. I’d say they made it at least 35 times more fun than if I’d done it alone.

I can’t believe race #52 is this weekend!

(#51) New Year’s Race Los Angeles At Night (January 5, 2013) – Part 1 (Round and Round the Parking Lot We Go)

January 6, 2013

Aurora De Lucia with her medal from the New Year's Race Los Angeles at Night 2013. It doesn’t get much more convenient than this. I left my apartment twenty minutes before the race started. I was at the start line in five.

I met up with Brian and Singrid from The Long Beach International Half Marathon. The race started about 20 minutes late. Even though I was ready to get the party started, I had all night. It didn’t matter much to me.

As we went around downtown, I saw the Disney Concert Hall, and other downtown-type places. It almost helped me connect where places were that I’d been before, in relation to each other.

But alas, I have no sense of maps in my head or on paper, so I still don’t know where anything is. Luckily, I didn’t need to. I just followed the course.

Once we made it into the Dodger Stadium area, I thought we might be in for some fun.

Nope. We went all around the parking lot for what seemed like our entire lives. I am hesitant to complain too much about it because people on the Facebook page are furious about it. (The internet is often awful, and should not always be read/paid attention to.)

There was a course map available. (I don’t think it was available when I signed up as one of the first 500 runners. However, being in the first 500, I got a steep registration discount. (My entry fee was only $45.) So, what do I have to complain about?)

Anyway, the course map did show that many miles would be done around Dodger Stadium. (For once I actually looked at a course map ahead of time, because they were posted everywhere throughout my building.)

But I don’t know that everyone who’s unfamiliar with Dodger Stadium knew it would be miles and miles of parking lot, just because lines on the map were going around the stadium.

Also, I think the main killer was not that it was a seemingly endless parking lot – but that it was a silent seemingly endless parking lot.

It very well may be hard to get permits to play music late at night, but that was what made it boring. If we had had pop music blaring, I doubt that nearly as many complaints would’ve come in.

Once we’d been going around and around Dodger Stadium for what seemed like eternity, we got to go through the stadium. “Single Ladies” was playing – it sounded like it was coming from some suite people were hanging out in. I was all, “I know that dance.”

Surprisingly, I still remembered it in my head, though I was only doing small hand motions on the course. But, I was about ready to run in the middle of the baseball diamond and rock out a show… Perhaps next time.

When we finally got out of the Dodger Stadium area, we made it back to the craziness that is downtown Los Angeles. We saw scenes of people getting in fights down the block from us. We saw a car almost ram into the course. (And I saw police leap into action. I’ve never seen a police officer reach for his gun before.)

Even though L.A. is crazy, I never once felt unsafe. (For one thing, I live down here and I’m obviously as tough as nails, I’m sure…) There was a very large police presence (and of course whole bunch of runners were around as well).

A couple of fun things from our super safe adventure: A college-age looking man came up to us and asked for directions to his next bar. Turns out, he was going the same way as we were, so he talked to us for a bit and showered us in confetti he had hiding in this New Year’s trinket horn looking thing.

There was also a man on the side of the street, who didn’t seem crazy or drunk, who wanted a hug. I nearly gave him one, but I didn’t want to stop. Though we had a slow rhythm going, we had a rhythm, and we were ready to finish this race!

(Sorry, guy who wanted a hug. Hopefully you got one from someone behind me.)

I’ll pick up with more tomorrow.

Training – On a Treadmill!

January 5, 2013

Aurora De Lucia getting ready for her 51st 1/2 marathon of her 52 half marathons in 52 weeks - the New Year's Race Los Angeles at Night 2013 — Getting ready for tonight’s race. Bring it, #51!

I realized that since tonight’s race is at 9pm, I wouldn’t be able to blog about it in time for tonight’s post.

We’ll talk about that tomorrow. Tonight, let’s talk about training!

I haven’t raced in close to a month, but I have the Goofy Challenge coming up next week, so to stay on my game, I’ve actually, finally started to get back into the habit of training!

I know so many runners who adore the outdoors and call the treadmill the “dreadmill.” I am not one of those runners.

I looooove the treadmill. I love it. It’s quite possibly my best friend. You can have all the water and Gatorade you need. You can bring snacks even – and not have to carry anything! You can be pushed to keep your pace. You won’t mindlessly slow down or go out too fast, ’cause the lovely treadmill is letting you know precisely how fast you’re going.

There are almost always great TV shows sucking you into the story and taking your mind off your effort.

AND if all of those things didn’t make the treadmill awesome enough already – you don’t have to be outside! The sun, the heat, the smog – they ain’t got nothin’ on you! ‘Cause you’re just looking out at them. (in taunting sing-songy voice) na, na, na, na, na, na. I’m indoors! I don’t have to feel your rays beating down on me.

Changes of being attacked by a dog go down about 40 million (*completely unscientific made-up statistic) when you’re indoors at a gym than when you’re running through a neighborhood.

i just love the indoors! And I love treadmills! And I love television! I just have so much love!

One other random training tidbit: Since I’ve been doing so many races all year, I’ve had a constant plethora of free Gatorade and Clif bars in my life. While training for next week’s marathon, I went to the store. I looked up at the Gatorade, protein bars, and Shot Bloks. And I thought, “Oh… I guess we actually buy this stuff.”

I bought some stuff. Weird having Gatorade in the fridge, not just handed to me at expos and finish lines. It’s nice though, having it available, and taking it down to a treadmill! (Starts dancing at the mention of the word treadmill.)

New Year’s 1/2 Marathon Expo

January 4, 2013

Aurora De Lucia in her New Year's Race Los Angeles 2013 hoodie — Forget t-shirts! We got hoodies for this race! – Hoodies, I tell you!
I tried a few different facial expressions for you. And I thought this kind of “I’m too cool for school” one was the most fun.

What? We’re doing this again?

Yes! I know it’s been three weeks since I’ve had a race.

(I had set aside extra time in the schedule in case anything happened (illness, injury, etc.) that would make me need to add a race in at the last minute. I ended up not needing that extra time. Yay!)

As I was walking from my apartment to the expo, I saw a bunch of big trucks. There are often a bunch of big trucks around Los Angeles. My first thought was, “Huh, I wonder what movie they’re shooting here.”

Then I realized, “These trucks are here to set up for a race I’m running! Exciting!”

There are signs in the elevators, and generally all around my apartment building about road closures and things. Oh yeah, a race is a’coming, and it’s almost here!

When I picked up my bib, I went to the little area where you run it over a timing device to make sure the bib is working and has your information associated with it. My name and everything came up on the screen. Then I saw a box that said, “Don’t believe in resolutions. Live all year long!”

I looked at the timing guy full of wonder. “This is crazy! I just wrote a blog post last night about that same idea. It’s like this message was meant for me!”

I thought this was the same kind of thing they did in Seattle where a random, fun message was generated for you.

Nope. It then dawned on me that I had written this message a million years ago (hyperbole) when I first signed up for this race. During the sign up process, you were asked for your New Year’s resolution. That’s what I said (of course).

Aurora's New Year's Bib It came up on the screen, and it’s on my bib. (And I do still think they’re pretty wise words if I do say so myself.)

The timing guy and I had a good laugh about the very short roller coaster ride of emotions/realizations.

This expo was very well staffed with volunteers. There were so many people. If you needed help with anything, you could have it immediately.

(And the volunteer shirts were rad. They got tuxedo t-shirts. I loved them and it sort of made me wish I had volunteered… Perhaps next year.)

I did run into Wendy and Marty, and Wendy’s friend Heather, which was so fun! This was Wendy’s 52nd race in her journey! Congrats to her for being done after tomorrow! (She’s not keeping a blog about it, or of course I would link you. So does have an old podcast though if you’d like to hear about her weight loss.

I made my way around the booths. You’ve already heard about almost everything they had there – Wipro San Francisco Half, Hollywood Half, San Diego Half, etc. There was a booth here for the Clippers. So, that was fun and different. Don’t get too excited. There weren’t any basketball players there. There was just Clippers swag (and a nice woman) at the booth.

I think that covers it all. Expo complete, and race number fifty-one(!) tomorrow!

Ringing In The New Year On A Treadmill!

January 2, 2013

Aurora on Treadmill New Year’s Eve, baby! Time to party like it’s 2012/2013, ’cause that’s exactly what it is.

No need to party like any other year when this is the moment we’re in. (What’s weird about this is that some readers will think I’m referencing the Prince song, and some readers will think I’m referencing the Justin Bieber song.)

My building’s gym was empty on the night of the 31st, and I took full advantage of that! Not only was the gym empty, Ion Television was playing three Criminal Minds episodes back to back to back.

Ion’s TV schedule hadn’t been changed due to New Year’s Eve. (Thank you, Ion TV.) Not only were they playing a show I love – they played two of my favorite episodes!

I must admit I’m kind of glad that I was late to the Criminal Minds party (not an actual party, but an expression). If I had been watching since the beginning, and I had to wait a whole season between the cliffhanger of “Lo-Fi” in season 3 and the continuation in “Mayhem” – the 1st episode of season 4 – I would’ve gone nuts!

I had SO much hair balled up on the back of my head in that first shot... since I didn't think about positioning the mirrors to my advantage, I just thought someone should (namely, you) see the big crazy mess... — I had SO much hair balled up on the back of my head in that first shot… since I didn’t think about positioning the mirrors to my advantage, I just thought someone should (namely, you) see the big crazy mess…

I applauded at the end of the “Mayhem” episode. Seriously. It was so good. I watched with the same intensity as I did the first time I saw it. I love when there is good television on at the gym. Love it!

After Criminal Minds, there were three episodes of Numbers (though I did not stay for all of them).

Every year in January, gyms fill up like mad! Good for people who are working to get fit(!)… But by March (at the latest) the gym is always back to where it was the previous year…

I really enjoyed having this last little secret alone workout before the January rush starts.

And, random side note about working out on New Year’s Eve: I was working out in a gym with a wall of windows facing the street, and I got some strange looks from passersby.

One man even knocked on the window just past midnight and motioned for me to come give him a kiss. I did not. But who knows? Maybe next year. 😉

Three’s Company! (The Awesome TV Show)

December 29, 2012

Three's Company Season 3 DVD cover Whew, you’ve all been such lovely blog readers to sit through about a week and half of heart post after heart post finishing out that story. I’m so glad we finished it up, and I hope you are too!

Now, I thought I’d just post about something super fun to break up all the serious-ish storytelling from the blog recently.

So, there is this TV show called Three’s Company. You may have heard of it.

Now, I’m not some daft person who knows nothing about television. (I’m also not British, but I still thought it would be fun to say “daft.”) I had heard references to Three’s Company. (I even mentioned the show on this blog when I was getting two male roommates!) I knew the gist, and I knew it had one of the dopest theme songs* of all time!

(*Unfortunately, the link I included goes to the intro from a season I haven’t seen yet. I couldn’t find one from season 1. Sorry!)

I did not know precisely how hilarious the show was, or how hard I’d be laughing at Mr. Roper. He does something pretty hilarious, but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. (I had to pause the DVR for ten minutes so I could just laugh and laugh. This show brings me so much joy!) [Spoiler alert: I’ll just tell you. He straight up makes these faces to the camera that have me rolling!]

(And yes, I’ve heard that I will lose Mr. Roper and Chrissy! I’m enjoying them while I can…)

If you follow me on #waywire, you already saw the video from a couple of weeks ago when I first saw the show and professed my love for it. [Edited to add: Does waywire even exist anymore? My channel definitely doesn’t. Oh well, either way, I love Three’s Company and you can just imagine me adoring it in vlog form.]

Between treadmill time and cleaning time, I’ve had more time in front a television than it seems like I’ve had all year, so I’ve gotten the opportunity to watch a lot of great TV. Three’s Company is something I stumbled upon in the middle of the night one night, and I loved it. I absolutely head-over-heels love it.

[Edited to add: Since I’ve written this blog post, some people have talked to me about Three’s Company. (I’m certainly not the only one who loves it, so there’s lots of love to share together!) And a really good point has been brought up. A lot of the acting in this show seems to be more for the stage than television. Some of it is possibly slightly over-the-top (ish) (for television), but I think that’s partially why it’s so very lovely! It’s like watching a play that cameras happened to catch. And I love that!]

That Time My Heart Broke. Literally. – Part 46 (The End(!)/(And This Story Was Somewhat Hard to Write))

December 28, 2012

Sometimes you just need a break... Get it? 'Cause "we were on a break"... — Sometimes you just need a break… Get it? ‘Cause “we were on a break”…

This whole thing was surprisingly sort of a hard story to tell.

The heart story blog posts almost always took way longer to draft than any other blog posts I write – not because they’re so well crafted or anything. Because sometimes I just needed a break.

In certain chapters, I’d say out loud to no one (but like you were here), “I just need a minute.”

I’d get up and get some water, or turn on some TV show to give my brain a break.

Sometimes my eyes would well up a bit, and I’d just have to go work on something else.

Some (most) chapters weren’t especially flattering. Some chapters weren’t that fun to relive. But I told the story. I guess it’s nice that I did so I’ll have a pretty good account of it in case, for whatever reason, I want to relive it again someday.

Every once in a while I unintentionally relive it for a moment. I love those medical dramas on TV. While I’m sure a lot of things on those shows are more dramatized than the real world, some things are incredibly reminiscent of my experience.

And it can be jarring – even still – to see something that so vividly and immediately transports me right back. (Good job, writers.) It’s just a weird part of my life. It doesn’t mean I’m ever going to stop watching Grey’s or Scrubs or others. It’s just a weird thing that happens sometimes.

I don’t know if that will be the case forever, but it’s the case for now and I’m okay with that.

I hope that you all enjoyed hearing my heart story. I’m sure I forgot some things.

For one thing, I forgot to mention this adorable older woman who had Alzheimer’s. She was a roommate of mine in the hospital. Her family was very kind, and at night she would always try to make my bed while I was in it.

It was just a random little sweet memory I had that I forgotten about ’til something reminded me the other day.

I also neglected to mention the rad heart pillow you get after open heart surgery. Volunteers make one for every patient who has the operation.

In these posts, I also forgot to mention how itchy wearing those leads can be, and how they leave these little red spots all over your chest that somehow get these dirt outlines.

So, suffice it to say there are things I forgot about that just kind of flash into my mind when something reminds me of them, or comes up when people talk to me about it. And I think, “Oh, I completely forgot about that part!”

But overall, I think I basically got it all. (I mean, it was 46 chapters! I think we all can live without every tiny anecdote.)

So, we did it! I told the whole thing.

If you have any questions or comments, you know I’m always open to that stuff. Thanks for being some great blog readers!

That Time My Heart Broke. Literally. – Part 45 (The “Details, Details, Details” Chapter)

December 27, 2012

Now that this sucker is basically all wrapped up, I wanted to take a moment to say I tried to be as accurate as possible, and remember as many details as I could.

I can’t be sure that every minor detail was correct. A lot of stuff happened over a period of time. And it happened a while ago. I used my memory, old calendars, and stories from others to try and get everything as accurate as I knew how. Hopefully, that’s pretty darn accurate.

I’ve seen two things recently that sort of opened my mind all over again to that old time in my life.

For one thing, I saw some old Facebook messages and remembered that even though I had in fact pushed people away, and I had been pretty quiet about the whole thing, I did begin to let more people in eventually. After the epicardial ablation (when I got the blood clot on my heart and was in the hospital for something like a week just hanging out) I was finally convinced to get a Facebook.

Stephen had been bothering me for months. I caved. I had forgotten that for some reason, once it got to that point, I let more people in than you would’ve imagined. As I’ve been trying to write everyone I’ve ever met to raise more money for my fundraising page, I’ve seen a few surprising old messages in which I let the cat out of the bag that I had a heart problem.

I’m not sure if I was lonely, or was finally ready to accept some of the attention that comes with being sick, or what. I never really understood the boundaries of whom to tell and not to tell. There were still certainly people I didn’t tell, but I definitely went through a weird testing the waters phase…

It’s weird when you’re sick – trying not to let it define you, deciding which friends to let in and how much help you want/need/are willing to accept. Thankfully, I have some patient friends. I’m very lucky.

I also got to peruse some old pages from my chart because a doctor needed my records.

First off, there are a couple of notes in there about how much I hate taking medicine. I know I’m loud and opinionated, but geez to goodness, was I that obnoxious about it? Do you think the doctors disliked me, or do you think they found it adorable that I think pills are so disgusting and annoying?

Let’s go ahead and go with adorable… (A girl’s gotta be able to sleep at night.)

This is my dentist who gave me my "teeth in good repair." He did one of those hunky male model calendar things. Why a picture from that? Thought it was more fun and different than any ol' doctor pose. — My dentist who gave me my “teeth in good repair.” He did one of those hunky calendar things. Why a picture from that? I thought it was more fun than any ol’ doctor pose.

I also forgot (ready for this TMI? (if not, skip down to next paragraph)) that I could not pee to save my life after my open heart surgery! No joke. Could not pee on my own for days. I completely forgot that, ’til I saw my chart. Then I remembered how frustrated I was, and how apologetic I was to the nurse. “Oh, I’m so sorry we have to do this straight catheter business.” Of course, she was a total pro and acted like it was no big deal at all. In case you wondering, I was able to pee like a big girl before I left the hospital. (And I still pee like a grown-up just fine.) (Yay!)

It was a really weird feeling to read about being put into “cardiac arrest” when they stopped my heart for my surgery. Crazy, right?

I’ve enjoyed talking to my chart a little. I saw an old blood pressure reading of 80/40 and said, “That a girl!”

There’s a note in here that says my “teeth are in good repair.” Well, they better be! Dr. Dorfman worked incredibly hard on them for months. It probably should say something more like “teeth are freaking excellent. Get name of her dentist later.”

It also says “extremely outgoing young woman.” Do you think that means they like me or do you think it’s an extremely passive aggressive way to say I’m a handful? I mean, I am a handful! Hopefully a likable one though, right?

I think I’ve pointed out anything even 1/4 worth pointing out from my chart.

I suppose the point of all this is to say, I tried to get the details as right as possible. I’m sure some friends saw it differently than some others, who saw it slightly differently than my dad, who saw it slightly different than my doctors – but I tried to give as complete and accurate a picture as I could. Hopefully I didn’t screw anything up too much. 🙂

One more post tomorrow wrapping this all up, baby!

That Time My Heart Broke. Literally. – Part 44 (The “Thank Yous” Chapter)

December 26, 2012

Photo Credit: "Custom Cookies By Jill" — Photo Credit: “Custom Cookies By Jill”

I believe that I have mentioned this before, but I just want to make it clear that I was so lucky to have all the doctors, nurses, EMTs, social workers, admin staff, transport staff, cooks, cleaning staff, etc. I don’t know the title of every person who was involved.

I don’t know the names of every person who was involved in my case. I know the names of my electrocardiolgist and my heart surgeon, of course. I know the name of the main receptionist. But if you think about it, from start to finish of a long process spanning two hospitals and many months, at least hundreds of people were involved in my case in some way.

And I am grateful to every one of them. Sure, being in the hospital may not have always been the most fun experience. But the people at Mass General (and at Tufts) did the very best they could to make it the best experience it could be. And I appreciate everyone putting up with me on my worst days and my best days.

I appreciate people putting up with the stubborn me, and the me who hates to take medicines. I appreciate the nurses who wouldn’t leave the room ’til they saw me swallow the medicine since they knew I hated it so much.

I appreciate the first EMTs who convinced me we should go to the hospital the first time. “Why not take a look?” I don’t know your names, but you kind of saved my life. You’ll probably never know it, but thank you.

It’s hard to really pinpoint any one person who saved my life. So many people were involved, and multiple steps had to happen for my problem to be caught and fixed.

Whoever read that first EKG and happened to notice the slight abnormality – might not be alive without that person. That first ER doc who made me promise to get an echocardiogram – might not be alive without him.

The electrocardiologist who saw me from basically the start all the way through the finish, and was so helpful at each step… The heart surgeon who did a gorgeous job and gave me the smallest scar I could hope for while taking phenomenal care of my heart… the night nurse who kept me sane and rubbed my shoulders to make me feel better… the nurses who danced to Thriller with me when we heard it come on a boombox at Tufts…

The family of patients I shared rooms with, and the patients themselves… Hospital volunteers… my friends! Goodness, gracious, my poor friends who had to put up with me as I tried to navigate the waters of how much I wanted to tell and when I wanted support versus when I didn’t…

To these people and so many more – to everyone who was involved in any way shape or form, from the person who cleaned the halls to the person who had his hands on my heart… I am just unbelievably grateful.

There’s a reason people say MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital) stands for “Man’s Greatest Hospital.” I can’t imagine a higher standard of care. I was incredibly well taken care of, and I can’t speak highly enough of everyone involved with my experience.

I will never forget all the diligence and kindness I was shown. I will work hard to pass that on to more people. And I will always be grateful to all of you. So, thank you. Thank you so much.

Many of them won’t read this. Many of them got thank you notes (not in blog form), but hopefully everyone knows that I am grateful.

That Time My Heart Broke. Literally. – Part 43 (“Did It Change You?”)

December 25, 2012

Jennifer Holliday performing And I Am Telling You... at the 1982 Tony Awards — I wanted to get a picture of Jennifer Holiday singing “I Am Changing,” but this was the best I could find. (It’s her performance of “And I Am Telling You” from the 1982 Tony Awards.)

Sometimes going through a big life event changes people.

This post is to address if I think all this heart stuff and struggling to get back on my feet changed me.

I think it has. Whether it has in a better or worse way can certainly be debated…

A lot of people say that almost dying helps them feel the need to “live every moment.”

I’m proud to say that I never felt that. It was nice to know that I was already on a trajectory that I liked before I entered the hospital. I was running a lot, and losing weight. I was working and writing a lot.

I worked on the aspects of my life that were important to me – my career and improving my health. And I didn’t really have any “I wish” moments in the hospital other than “I wish I wasn’t here right now. I wish I was out doing the stuff I’m already doing.”

That may sound braggy, but I am so human, and I make plenty of mistakes in life. I think it’s okay to be proud of the time when I was actually doing something pretty right.

Then I fell apart a little… okay, maybe a lot. As you’ve read in the story, I was a mess. I moved a lot. I didn’t always know where I’d be living. I lost all the fitness and speed I’d worked for. I ended up transitioning out of theater and into reality TV because it paid more, and it just kind of happened. And I let it.

It’s maybe easier to be more bullheaded when you don’t have to worry about basic survival stuff. When the going got really tough, what did I do? I just settled and moved to L.A. and took a nice, comfortable job and lived in a nice, comfortable apartment. I look back on the last few years of my life, and I don’t see really anything all that special.

When I graduated high school, everyone (including me) thought I was gonna do some amazing stuff. After high school, before I got sick, everyone kept thinking I would do amazing stuff.

Now all I am is someone who takes the comfy reality TV paychecks and lives a very normal life.

And here’s something weird. A part of me maybe wants a normal life. There is a big part of me that talks about going to “real” college, and maybe doing something in the medical field. From the time I was a toddler to the time I got sick, I never questioned myself or my chosen field. I don’t like feeling flounder-y. That’s not who I am. I’m a crazy fighter. Or at least, I used to be.

After my surgery, I almost felt like I’d lost my “superpower” – whatever it was that made me, me. Is my personality wrapped up in some random extra fibers on my heart? No. Of course not. But it did feel like I changed.

I don’t live my jobs anymore. I don’t have a life that revolves around work. Maybe that’s healthy. Maybe it’s not. I don’t know. I like it and I don’t like it. I liked living my work, and always being too busy for any vacations. But, now I’m used to taking time for me. That’s nice too, but still a weird feeling.

My drive, my craziness, it’s in me somewhere. I’ve seen glimmers of it this past year.

But I’m not as crazy. And unfortunately, I don’t know that I’m as driven as I used to be. I don’t know exactly what happened. I don’t know precisely how to get it back. I do know that I try everyday to be a better person than I was the day before.

And this whole thing of being a “better person,” and being more understanding and compassionate to the people around me – that’s new. I’ve softened since my whole ordeal – which also could be good, or it could be bad.

I don’t always like myself, but I do some pretty okay things.

Will I ever be who I was? I don’t know…

More thoughts coming tomorrow.

That Time My Heart Broke. Literally. – Part 42 (The “New Job and the Upswing” Chapter)

December 24, 2012

A wall I liked in New York... which just so happens to be where my hopes & dreams are (in the city, not on the wall). — A wall I liked in New York… which just so happens to be where my hopes & dreams are (in the city, not on the wall).

Picking up from two days ago (since yesterday was just answering a question) –

I got offered the amazing job that paid a nice salary plus food and hotel expenses. I packed my bags and went to Vegas. I worked with the most delightful crew ever, and I had an amazing time.

Once that job was over, I wasn’t positive what I’d do next. L.A.? New York? Where should I go?

I went back to New York for a couple of glorious weeks. That’s my home base, and I didn’t really know where else to go. I worked on Broadway Bares. I did my part for The Marriage Equality Act, rallying and phone banking. And then I got a phone call offering me another job. In L.A.

I didn’t want to go, but I remembered what it had been like to have nothing. I didn’t want to turn down any opportunity – even if it was in California.

I had about a week or so before I had to leave. I went to see every Broadway show I could. I filled nearly all my time with theater, ’cause I knew it’d quite possibly be the last time I was in New York for a while. Daniel Radcliffe was so good in How To Succeed…! (Do not get me started on his lack of a Tony nomination for that role!)

I saw a lot of wonderful theater, and said goodbye to a lot of wonderful people. And that was that.

I had just left New York when late at night on June 24, 2011, The Marriage Equality Act passed. (I’d never been so excited to just sit in front of my computer watching State Senate proceedings.)

When that happened, I felt okay (maybe never totally okay, but better) about leaving. I ended on a pretty high note. I’d seen everyone and everything I’d loved. And I was a teeny itsy-bitty part of making a change in New York – a change that really happened! It was magical to see, and as silly as it is, it was a tiny sign that said, “Bye, Aurora. This good news should hopefully negate some of the awful feelings about leaving.”

how-to-succeed-broadway-poster-daniel-radcliffe I found the best deal on an apartment right in downtown L.A. that anyone could ever ask for. I started my job and having been working steadily (and usually pretty long-term jobs) ever since.

Finally, I had a stable and secure life. I had those basic needs of food and shelter met. I wasn’t constantly looking for the next bit of money or the next place to live.

I have a gym in my building, and I knew it was time to start taking care of myself again.

I fought so hard in the hospital for the ability to run. I kept telling the doctors that no matter what happened, I had to keep the ability to run – nothing could happen to that.

So, as I floundered for a long time after getting out of the hospital, I kept feeling a bit weird and almost ungrateful. I mean, of course I was so grateful, but how was I showing that? I had yet to successfully do any sort of long-ish distance. And it had been over a year!

In order to force myself back into training, I signed up for a really fun 5k, and I kept doing events. If I did events, I had no choice but to do more miles ’cause I had to reach the finish line. And the lively environments of events made it easier to focus on the fun rather than focus on what I could or couldn’t do.

I had to try to learn not compare myself to where I’d been before I was sick, but instead just see the progress as I made it from where I currently was.

It’s a hard lesson, and I’m not sure I ever truly learned it. But, I do my best on this journey that is life.

So, basically, the story’s done. I’m gonna throw up a couple more chapters just addressing if I think it changed me, and perhaps if I really learned anything. I think I pretty much (super, probably more than you wanted) covered everything. (The story is 42 parts, after all.) But, if you have any questions or any reactions or anything, of course always feel free to comment or email me!

I’ll pick up here tomorrow.

Thanks so much for coming to my blog!

I’m Aurora (as you probably guessed)!

This blog started when I ran 52 half marathons in 52 weeks after open-heart surgery for a weird congenital heart defect (Wolff-Parkinson White).

(That inspired more “52 in 52 weeks” projects you can see if you scroll down to check ’em out!)

I also won a car on The Price is Right (and lost a trip to Mexico on Let’s Make a Deal).

Currently, I’m completing Project 882 – 882 race miles in a year to represent the 882 Americans sexually assaulted every day.

Thanks again for visiting! Stick around, and read today’s post (to your left), or check out the projects (below), and feel free to contact me – let’s be friends! 🙂