Month of June - WISH Walkers and Runners Training Thread

[chimera]

Hello everyone!

For those new to us, we are a group of people who are planning to participate in walking/running events throughout the year. For most of us, the ultimate goal is to train and compete in the annual WDW Half/Full marathons. We'll also be posting news and training for various other events throughout the year. We range from beginners to triathletes. Come join us, whether you're training for an event or walking/running for fitness.



New WISH Team members. If you read one thing over and over, believe this. Being part of this team is fantastic. Part of the ride you get for the event is what I call the roller coaster. There will be lots of ups and downs. The more you post here, the more you will find yourself enjoying the ride. It is an incredible journey. Don't be afraid, shy or whatever to come here and just post up anything.You don't have to know us right away, or all of us at all. You will get to know some of us. It makes the event you are enjoying have MORE meaning and we love to have you.


Have a great month WISHers!

[chimera]

Wow, I haven't been over here in awhile. How's everyone doing? What's everyone up to this summer?

[jmasgat]

Hi Mel,

Thanks for starting the thread....although it doesn't get too much traffic!

Summer is here, it seems. Time to attempt a backyard transformation. I am not a gardener--so maybe I need to take the same approach I took to start running. Go slow, don't try to do too much at once, and deal with the inevitable failures! Looking at putting in ornamental grass--so I think I'll just try one section and see how it goes.

Training goes on--still trying to work up the courage to do another tri. I know I can complete it, but I will feel like a failure if I don't improve on my result from last year. Silly, I know, and I wish I could stop witht the competitive stuff. Guess I need more work on that particular goal!

So let's hear from a few others....

Maura

[FFigawi]

Summer is here and that means it's time for our marathon team training to start again. Our first long run was held last weekend, and we had probably 65-70% new runners come out and join us. Their excitement and eagerness to get going and through to their first marathon is one of the best things about being one of the coaches. I'm not crazy about having 31 more weeks of my alarm going off at 430am on Saturday, but having a new group around always makes it worthwhile.

[MouseDogMom]

We had our first run of the marathon training last Saturday as well. Over 300 members so far! John - We only run 28 weeks, so not quite as many early mornings! And we start at 7:00 until July, so my clock usually goes off around 5:30. Tried a new pace group, but it's going to take some getting used to. I think there were probably 70-80 people in our group alone, and unmanageable doesn't begin to describe it!

Maura - If you want to practice on my yard first, feel free!

Jackie

[FireDancer]

June feels like the start of summer around here and the weather has followed suit. That weird lull that happens between the end of the spring long races (halves and fulls) and the beginning of the shorter summer races and fall long race training is over. The weather has been pretty hot here and as a result the running moves to late in the evening for me.

I had really let my yardwork go this spring. Partly because I had a lot of other commitments and partly because the weekend I was free the weather didn't cooperate. I am heading to South Bend with a friend this weekend for the Sunburst races on Saturday (I'm doing the 10K) and I have signed up for a 6 other 5Ks and 10Ks in June including running another 5K on Sunday.

Just remember when the temperature spikes that it is ok to slow down a bit and run smart but the miles still have to get into the legs if we want to run/jog/walk well in the fall. Good luck all.

[wtpclc]

Summer brings tri season, yay! Love minimizing the runs and adding swim and bike! So much easier in the heat for me! HOpe the lake's warm enough for open water swims soon!

John - SO great of you to coach. I love the enthusiasm of first timers, but I don't think even that could get me pup at 4:30 ona aSaturday! :scared1:

Maura - Marathon trianing is life trianing. Everything, everywhere. SO, why do I do all my gardening in 1 day????

Jackie - 70 to 80 people? Wow!

Mel - Good ot see you!

Frank - Great advice!

[DianeL]

Just remember when the temperature spikes that it is ok to slow down a bit and run smart but the miles still have to get into the legs if we want to run/jog/walk well in the fall. Good luck all.

Frank, I read your post to Kirsty-Leigh and had that in my head last night. I went out after work. I did a couple of trips over the same course last night to stay in the shade was much as possible and get in some incline training (only because that is where the shade is, I thought!). That final turn to head back was a big sigh of relief and a big I have how much farther to go still! :eek: Dang heat! Left my cap in the car with the powerade. Took the water but was dreaming of the powerade. Thanks for the reminder that the time will slow in the heat. It actually was seconds faster than Sat but boy did it FEEL like it was 3 minutes slower a mile :headache:

So anyhoo, I managed to get in my miles last night. Tonights the gym again. I'm still plugging away at the miles and still begging the cyclists to just run me over and end the pain :lmao:

Stay cool out there! Oh and I'm closer to Maura so I get dibs! :rotfl:

[FFigawi]

We had our first run of the marathon training last Saturday as well. Over 300 members so far! John - We only run 28 weeks, so not quite as many early mornings! And we start at 7:00 until July, so my clock usually goes off around 5:30. Tried a new pace group, but it's going to take some getting used to. I think there were probably 70-80 people in our group alone, and unmanageable doesn't begin to describe it!

Jackie

Yeah, we're going a little longer than usual this year. The Houston marathon is not until the very end of January in 2011, two weeks later than normal. Since most of our new runners are aiming for that as their first marathon, our program goes all the way until then. You'd think that a marathon that has been around for 30+ years and aspires to be one of the best around would be able to book their expo convention center several years in advance in order to keep their same weekend, but you'd be wrong. ;)

That's great that you had 300 people out. We had about 70, which is pretty good considering it was a holiday weekend. I expect that all 200 people in the program who have signed up so far will be out this week.

[geaux_half]

John - Does your program have a backup race as Houston just announced they're going to the lottery for both the half and full this year? They will have guaranteed spots for those that have run the marathon for 10+ years.

[FFigawi]

John - Does your program have a backup race as Houston just announced they're going to the lottery for both the half and full this year? They will have guaranteed spots for those that have run the marathon for 10+ years.

We've been talking about that all day. Many of us feel strongly that we should skip Houston altogether and choose another winter marathon to run in. It's not a very well run or runner-friendly marathon to begin with, and this, coupled with the large price increase, is just one more reason to go somewhere else. People are talking about Austin or Cowtown in Feb, Dallas in Dec, Kingwood in Jan, New Orleans in Feb, among others. I'm trying to convince people to come run Goofy with me, but haven't found many takers yet.

[MouseDogMom]

John - That's tough! Our program has multiple target races - the training schedule is a huge spreadsheet with columns for each race and varying distances for each weekends depending on which race you're running. Could you choose a couple of different races? DH and I always complain that even though Disney is an official target race, it's actually after the end of our season so that by the time you hit the high mileage weekends most members (and group leaders) have lost interest and quit showing up. That's why I'm doing Marine Corps for my full this year!

Tried a new run last night. Discovered that a local pub sponsors a weekly run through downtown. They now have 200-300 people every week show up to run 3-5 miles and then hang around for trivia, bingo, or other activities that the pub schedules for the runners, as well as a $1 buffet. Who can resist? It helped that last night was warm, but not humid, so it was a good time to try it out. After 10 runs you get a free shirt; 25 gets you a free beer mug.

Jackie

[jmasgat]

Jackie I am constantly amazed by the number and scope of the running activities in your area. Not the same around here, although honestly, I am not a "people runner" so I don't know if I'd join groups anyway. But I would definitely be in for beer and a $1 buffet!

Bought new shoes today. Switching from my Saucony Rides, which I liked, to an Asics Cumulus 12 wide width. I am really trying to find a way to deal more structurally with my propensity to callus/blister the sides of my big toes and balls of my feet. Maybe the wider toe box will help. We'll see.

Need to (well, maybe "need" isn't exactly the right word) pick a June race to do. Have my eye on a local 10 miler at the end of the month.

DS graduated this past weekend and I survived clean=up detail at the all night party that the parents host at school. Now need to get him to Orientation and then school in August and then........Empty Nest. Welll, of kids, anyway. There's still the dog and of course, DH :)
Maura

[FFigawi]

Jackie - we've got a bar here that offers the same program. You used to get free beer and shirts after less than 10 runs, but they had to raise the limit to keep from being overwhelmed. As far as other target races go, we've got all kinds of races that people are training for. Throw in the different levels people are at, and our long run schedule gets quite complicated. Our main focus is Houston and San Antonio, but thanks to the new lottery system, we're extending the season to include Austin and New Orleans too. Still, we've got people training for DLR, Chicago, Marine Corps, New York, Richmond, Dallas, Disney, San Francisco, and probably others as well. Our long runs in August-Nov generally have distances from 6-20 miles and almost all distances in between. Needless to say, it's an organizational nightmare to keep track of everyone, locate the water stops for everyone, etc.

[deekaypee]

Okay, folks, it must be summer, as I'm here! :rotfl2: Seriously, I've gotten into this really bad habit of only checking my DIS subscriptions instead of the board (and sadly enough, not all the subscriptions come through). So I thought I'd at least post here & have the DIS remind me how much I love the general forum and all my WISH buddies! :love:

Maura: WTG with your new garden. I actually think that gardening must be good for patience and a counter-balance for a competitive nature. Of course, I'm only speaking in theory, as MY competitive and have-it-done-yesterday nature won't let me get invested in a green space where Mother Nature would teach me a lesson. :rotfl2:

So...do you have a tri in mind, one that would set the stage for your tri-umphant return (I have no doubts)?

Oh, let me know how you like your Asics. I have the same blister/calluses problems in the same areas. I wear NB 1225, very big toe box, but am always curious about other shoes.

And congratulations on DS's graduation and your soon-to-be Empty Nest. I suspect that dogs are easier to clean up after than teens. :lmao:

John: It just occurred to me that while your race training is in a lull during the summer (due to your location), the marathon training is picking up. Wow, I'd be a red-hot mess. No wonder you're up so early. Btw, thank you for mentoring new runners – it really does make a world of difference.

And now that you've posted info on the organizational logistics, something I've never thought about as a solo runner, I have a headache. :headache: Kudos to you all!

Jackie: Congrats on trying a new pace group! That's great news for you, and I'm so proud of you! You're just hitting one goal after another. I hope you see it as a reward for getting up so darned early! (Or at least a sign of your progress and dedication.) That pub run is also a good incentive. Oh, and that's a huge running group!

Frank: It looks like you're not having a lull at all with your races. Woo hoo! How did you enjoy Saturday's 10K in South Bend?

Carrie: That's the attitude! Swimming, biking, & XT (in general) as a way to handle the heat. Do you have a favorite place to swim?

Diane: I'm just like you during the summer. I will find the shadiest route and doing an absolutely boring out and back loop to stay in the shade. And sadly enough these days, if I have to choose between shady hills and sunny flat routes, I choose hills. Not that I have much choice about hills around here. :rotfl2:

AFM: Oh, not much. Just short runs these days, no more then 6-8 miles on weekends, and no races planned due to a spotty summer travel schedule.

I should see if there's any races at the places I'm going – there's an idea! Part of the challenge is that a lot of this summer's travels is with family, who in general find the running to interfere with the other recreational activities even when it's done before they're awake! :lmao:

In other news, DOOD is on a research trip this month (my turn next year), so I'm using the time away to go refined sugar-free this month. Boy, was I cranky the first few days. Be glad I wasn't posting here! :rotfl:

[MikeofRose&Mike]

I have been lurking on this board for a while and thought I should introduce myself. DW is a regular on Disboards. We are training for Wine & Dine. It will be her first half. I ran a local one this spring. I feel like I know many of you from reading these threads.
Maura - our DS went away to college last spring. There is a lot of support on the community boards.
John - Memphis is supposed to have a very runner friendly marathon and half marathon. Water stops every mile and hot showers at the end. Best of all it is the first weekend in December, so you can recover over he holidays instead of train. Or use the mini there as a tune up for the full in January.

[FFigawi]

Thanks for the suggestion about Memphis. I'll have to look into it. In the meantime, I went and signed up for Austin, as did our head coach and a lot of our runners. Houston is not getting any good press over this at all.

[WDWMarathonManiac]

I am so excited to find you guys! I have run the half or full (or Goofy!) every year for the last 10 years! The WDW marathon weekend has become the highlight of my year. It is so comforting to know that I'm not alone in loving races at Disney as much as I do.

I am currently training for the full in 2011 after having run my first Goofy last year. Other than the above races, I have also ran these races at WDW:

The WDW Triathlon
Florida Ironman 70.3
Expedition Everest

[MouseDogMom]

Welcome Mike & MarathonManiac! It's always good to see new faces. There are many, many of us who love the Disney races.

John - I think a couple of our group are looking at Memphis. I like the idea of a pre-holiday race. I hate training through the holiday season. In reality, I usually take the idea of taper very seriously, and only do a short long run on the weekend!

Maura - I have to admit I'm really enjoying the empty nest life. Just don't tell DD! She stayed in Greenville for the summer, and I was actually pretty happy with that decision. We've gotten used to life without her, and it was going to be a very big change having her back home!

Am trying to increase my weekly runs from 3x to 4x. Probably wouldn't have been so difficult if I hadn't taken two weeks off. Today isn't so bad, but yesterday I felt like I'd just run a marathon. I'm hoping to try a new group run tonight, since DH has to work until late.

Jackie

[FFigawi]

Jackie - I signed up for Austin last night as my protest against Houston, but I'll give some serious thought to Memphis too. I actually like training through the holidays because it keeps my taper short. Two weeks is about all I can stand.

[jmasgat]

Welcome Mike and Maniac.

Well, new shoes are going back today. Did a 6 mile run on the TM at the gym, and while the width in the toe box was nice, my heels slipped (and therefore rubbed) and my right foot felt oddly numb--something in the midsole was weird. Back to my tired and true Saucony.

I need a nap. Left yesterday's workout til the evening (something I never do) and spent 75 minutes on the bike along with a Vinyassa yoga class. Follow that up with this morning's run and a Hatha yoga class and I am beat!

Maura

[MouseDogMom]

Maura - Tried a new one last night. One of the running stores sponsors a group run on Thursday nights. The runners pretty much organize it themselves, apparently. There were only 5 of us last night, and we chose our distance and our route. They kept the car keys for us and a record of who was there so they'd know when everyone returned. 1 really fast guy, 4 females with varying paces. We stayed together for the most part; it turned out that one of the other women is one of my group leaders, and she was actually struggling last night so I ran/walked the last couple of miles with her while the other 2 went ahead. Did 4.2 miles in 90 degree weather and got to meet some new runner friends!
Hope you can find some shoes that work. I've had to start tying the laces a lot looser across the top of the foot - my feet started falling asleep while running, which is really, really obnoxious, not to mention uncomfortable!

DH and I are running the Race for the Cure tomorrow, so we're off to packet pickup. We're going to run a mile or 2 on the way to the start line to warm up, and then we'll have to run back to the car, so we'll end up with around 6 miles for the day.

Jackie

[FireDancer]

Felt like I needed to bump up the monthly thread.

Jackie- That bar deal sounds pretty cool. We don't have anything I can think of around here like that but we do have a lot of running activities so I can't really complain. Cleveland gets a pretty bad wrap health wise and in many cases deserves it (we don't do well in the monthly Men's Health report cards) but on most weekends there are at least 5 races within a 20 mile radius and out park system is one of the best in the country. I've been trying to find a race near Point Pleasant, NJ for July 31st and there is only one and it is 30 minutes away. I'd go nuts if there were that few races around here.

Deb- I do have a lot of summer races planned. The Notre Dame run was humid but fun. The last two years I went with a friend who was doing their first ever race so it was nice to try and get someone else to catch the bug. Both plan on doing next year's already. I feel you on finding races when traveling (see above). The people I am traveling with would sooner cut off an arm then do a race but luckily even if I go to the one that is a half hour away it is early enough to do and get back to spend time with everyone on the beach. Luckily it is an afternoon wedding.

Mike and WDWmarathonmanic- Welcome

John- Other then being a smoggy city what is the problem with Houston? I might have missed it in a post. I remember reading an article in either Men's Health or Runner's World that the combination of smog and humidity in Houston makes in the most un-runner friendly city in the US so you probably aren't missing much.

Maura- Some times shoes just don't work out. Luckily I haven't run into that yet but I am going to be trying on a new pair this weekend because I want to get something a little lighter then my Wave Riders for races. Hopefully I fare a little better then you did.

It has been a pretty hot and humid June in NE Ohio so far. I've done some day and some night running and have a lot of races planned this month. Other then letting my mind wander a bit too much on training runs lately (and the dip in time that always results) the running has gone well. I am about to ramp up the weekly mileage a bit to start and get ready for the longer fall races and the January marathon here shortly. The biggest mistake I made for my first marathon last year was not concentrating on my total weekly base and only concentrating on the long runs.

Live an learn I guess. Hope everyone is having a good June.

[NeverlandClub23]

Hi everyone! Can I join? :flower3:

I attempted a half marathon last November (Richmond, VA) and while I enjoyed myself I wasn't fully prepared and didn't have the bug like I do this year. I ran an extremely enjoyable 10k in April and have an 8k on July 4th planned at Yorktown Beach here in VA (although the race isn't actually on the beach it's on a scenic tour road) which with how the weather's been around here lately (90's with 100% humidity) I'm not looking terribly forward to it. I'm also doing what I'm considering my first "real" half at Disney in October (Wine and Dine). I need to think about what I'm doing after that though and get it together or I fear I'll come back from Disney with post-race depression.

I am having a terrible time finding local shorter races. Northern VA/D.C. is 2 hours away and they do have quite a few more races than around here but traffic on the weekends to and from there isn't fun. I would like to find an 8 or 10k at the end of August.

I guess one good thing about sweating to death during all of these runs lately is that I've lost 4 lbs. this month (down to 128!) and that I have never really, truly appreciated air conditioning as much as I do now :lovestruc.

Maura - I'm having the worst luck with shoes. My last two pairs haven't been that great (first ones I had severe pain in my knees/hips after running, second pair are great support wise but my feet slide around and hit the front of the shoes [I've lost 3 toenails running in them :eek: but at least they grow back; it's just not very attractive with flip flops for awhile :laughing:]) so I'm headed to a running store tomorrow after work. Although I did see these on a local news show :scratchin:

http://www.everyjoe.com/files/2009/04/vibram-five-fingers-kso.jpg

Thanks for letting me join in! I love hearing how others are doing and any advice/tips. :goodvibes

[jmasgat]

Kimberly Welcome. I actually saw someone run the WDW 1/2 in them this year. They certainly do invite a lot of commentary & in some quarters, heated discussion! Hope you find some local races that keep you going. I don't race nearly as often as others on this board, but I do know that I have ti have some goal race to make the training worthwhile.

Frank I hear you about the mileage. My goal now is to try and make it up toand then through the marathon plan I have for the (possible) October marathon. I somehow believe I need more miles under my belt in order to have a good run (That plus keep the pesky feet happy!)

Off to swim (if I can get into the pool.....)

Maura

[MouseDogMom]

Frank - DH bought a new pair of shoes last weekend that were lighter weight. He tried on several of the new "minimalist" ones (not quite the Vibram Five Fingers), but decided against them. He ended up with an Asics model that's several ounces lighter than either the Nike Zoom Elite or Wave Riders that he's currently wearing. The guy at the store recommended that he use them for speedwork for now and then maybe they'll be his race shoe.

Kimberly - :welcome: I ran the full in Richmond last year and really enjoyed it. There aren't as many races during the summer months - for some reason we southerners just prefer not to race when it's this hot and humid! Up until May the race schedule is really heavy around here, then it dwindles to almost nothing until September except for July 4th. I really need to do the RnR Virginia Beach just to keep me on track for my October marathon, but the hotels are way too expensive.

Maura - I'm trying to up the mileage too, but my body is rebelling. Every time I get a good streak going, something starts hurting and I have to scale back. This week it's the hip/IT band.

I actually DNS'd the Race for the Cure on Saturday. Tried to run from the car to the start, and my hip hurt too bad to run. Decided it was stupid to risk injury for a 5K, and walked around all the vendor exhibits and collected free stuff while DH ran. I've taken the week off - tried to run last night and had the same reaction as Saturday, but am going to try again tonight since it's the group run from the store that I really enjoyed last week. I've been stretching and taking ibuprofen, so maybe...

Jackie

[FFigawi]

John- Other then being a smoggy city what is the problem with Houston? I might have missed it in a post. I remember reading an article in either Men's Health or Runner's World that the combination of smog and humidity in Houston makes in the most un-runner friendly city in the US so you probably aren't missing much.


Actually, Houston itself is a really good city to run in. There are lots of parks, trails, and bayous to run along so you don't have to be on the road the whole time. The heat and humidity can be a bit unbearable in the summer, but the winters make up for it. The complaining about Houston running right now is over the Houston Marathon. They decided to go to a lottery system for entries and split the lottery between 11,000 for the half and 11,000 for the full. They also jacked the entry fees for both races up too. Given that Chicago, San Antonio, and other large cities with marathons larger than the 22,000 in Houston can run theirs efficiently without a lottery, a lot of people are upset over this and are making plans to run elsewhere. Even though I'm a coach for a training group that traditionally focuses on the Houston race, I'm skipping it this year and going to Austin instead, as are many of our runners.

[FireDancer]

John- Ok, makes sense.

Kim- I can't do the 5 finger shoes. I tried them but they are just too uncomfortable for me. As for post race depression, I almost always have something down the road in the works. After the Wine & Dine it will be the January full. After that it will be some spring half (most likely Flying Pig or Pittsburgh). Even if you aren't signed up look at some and start planning. It is like starting to plan your next Disney trip when you get home from the last one to make it feel like you know you are going back.

Jackie- I am thinking about getting a pair of really light shoes (Brooks T6 Racers) but would only use them for shorter races. The shoe I was thinking about for training and maybe the longer races were the Wave Precision. They have pretty close specs to the Wave Riders but are a bit lighter. I'll have to try them on and see. I'd still use the Wave Riders for the bulk of the training but having a lighter option for races would be nice.

[NeverlandClub23]

Thanks for the welcomes! :goodvibes

Maura - I can imagine that they aren't widely accepted! I think that's what the news story was about. They don't look very comfortable but to each their own! I found an 8k at the end of August but it's in a state park close to VA Beach and all of the trails are in the sand and it's an entire sand run. I don't think I'm ready for that or want to risk injury before the half.

Jackie - It's so true! It is pretty miserable around here. I am taking a long weekend to the mountains at the beginning of August so I might see if there's something around there I can do. I wanted to do the RnR half but I don't know if it's too close to do the W&D too? Hotels are insane but drop off after Labor Day weekend. It's about a 30 minute drive for me to VA Beach when it's not tourist season and about an hour and a half when it is so I think that's deterring me from signing up as well. It's so frustrating being injured :( (but yay for free stuff! ;)). I had a run the other night that I felt great and was ready to have a long run and I started feeling a sharp pain in my ankle after the second mile so it was disappointing not being able to do what I wanted. Hopefully your IT band/hip will start feeling better!

Frank - They look uncomfortable! My toes are super short and squished together so I don't even think I could separate them enough to try the shoe on. I am really thinking about what I want to do after the W&D. I've narrowed it down to the half in WDW in January, the Princess half in February (both would be very short 3 day weekend trips), or the Shamrock half in March in VA Beach and I'd like to attempt my first full sometime next year. I can't imagine how many race shirts you must have! :eek:

[geaux_half]

John - I'm skipping Houston this year as well. I'll be running 1/2's in San Antonio in November and Austin in February instead.

This is the only time of year that I work in a couple of treadmill workouts a week into my running schedule. Reverse treadmill training from you northern folks.

[FFigawi]

Kimberly - There is a half marathon in Richmond over Labor Day weekend if you don't feel like going to VA Beach. They have a really great marathon training team program there and offer a half for those who don't want to or can't run the RnR. I'm not sure of the details, but I'm sure the team (http://www.marathontrainingteam.com/)can help you out.

[wtpclc]

Jackie - Hope that hips doing better!

Maura - Did you get new shoes that you like?

Kimberly - Welcome! If Wine and Dine is only your 2nd half, I would not recommend a September half. I tend to err on teh cautious side, though. Hope you can fine a way to keep trianing in teh heat without many races. :(

Been so happy with my swim adn bike lately, but my legs have rebelled form running. Need to quit skipping my runs. :sad2:

[FireDancer]

Frank - I can't imagine how many race shirts you must have! :eek:

A LOT. If I think about it later I'll post a picture but it is kind of ridiculous. I keep putting it off but I am going to have one of those t-shirt quilts made. There is a company down in Columbus, OH that does it as a way to raise funds for a deaf charity. They employ all hearing-impaired people and also train them to do other kinds of jobs. They are a little more then the places in the back of the running magazines but it is for a good cause.

[Sarah_Rose]

It's been a while since I've popped in and said hi, but I love reading what everyone has been up to!

Frank: That's such a great idea to have the shirts made into a quilt! I feel like I have hundreds of them hanging around in every nook and cranny of my closet, and I've just started wearing them as throw away layers or painting clothes. :confused3

Carrie: That's why I'm terrified to start doing tri's! I can't imagine having to be GOOD at THREE sports at the SAME TIME. :rotfl2: :worship:

Jackie: How has the hip been feeling?

I'm down to one week until the Rock n Roll Seattle half... and I feel like I'm just holding myself together with duct tape. My goals for this race, in order of importance:
1) Not go into labor.
2) Finish.
3) Keep both of my knees within their knee joints.
4) Not set a new course Porta-Potty record. :rotfl2:

Why am I doing this, again? :rotfl:

I'm also running the Furry 5K on Sunday, but that should just be fun. It's a fundraiser for the Seattle Animal Shelter and there are normally more dogs on the course than people. I'm going to be running with my 6 year old German Shepherd with a recurring knee injury (my DH gets the non-broken dog, this time!) so it should be just my pace.

Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

[NeverlandClub23]

John - I didn't know about the one in Richmond! I was thinking if nothing else I could do one (VA Beach or Richmond) and just run an easy 10-11 miles of it and walk the rest. Use it as one of my long runs. I have off for four days over Labor Day so I guess waking up early one of those days wouldn't be so bad ;). Thanks for the link too!

Carrie - I agree. I definitely don't want to do too much too soon. I have actually found quite a few races searching other websites. I had been only looking at runningusa.com and found active.com to be a lot better website so I've been able to locate several races I'll be able to do! :yay: I think I train a lot better when I have races to keep me in check. I don't know how you do it! I can't imagine trying to keep up with all three. :faint:

Frank - I didn't even know they did that! What a great thing to do with race shirts and even better, finding a charity group to do it :thumbsup2. I'll have to remember that when I accumulate more shirts. Right now I could have a washcloth made :).

Sarah - I love your race goals! :laughing: I'm sure the other people at the course hope #1 doesn't happen as well! That's so cute that they have 5k's with dogs.

I've decided to do the January half or full marathon at WDW. Everytime I think about challenging myself to prepare for the full my stomach starts doing flips. Does that mean I should or shouldn't do it? :) I was thinking about doing the Princess in February but I want to do a duathlon in mid-March so I'd rather train for that after the half/full in January.

[FireDancer]

If anyone is interested this (http://www.tshirtquilts.com/) is the site for that company in Columbus that does the quilts.

[MouseDogMom]

Sarah - Good luck in Seattle. Your goals are great! I love the "non-broken dog" reference - bet the dog doesn't even know he's broken! :rotfl:

Carrie - I keep LOOKING at the bike. I don't remember the last time it was ridden. We're talking years, not months. I have been on the stationary bike a few times. And the city was nice enough to enclose the pool a mile from my house, and I still haven't been there. You'd think...

John - I was really impressed with Richmond's marathon training team. They were so supportive of everyone on the course, not just their people. One of their coaches truly saved my race that day by giving me treats at mile 19. I will never, ever forget her!

I ran 4 miles last night. Maybe not the smartest thing I've ever done, but the run itself didn't hurt. My hip still hurts, but as long as I stretch every hour or so during the day I can keep moving. I figured as long as it didn't hurt any more to run, I might as well get the miles in. Probably stupid runner logic, but hey, it got me through. We won't even try to figure in the migraine that I came home from work with and the drugs I took for that before I started out! :sad2:

Jackie

[NeverlandClub23]

Nevermind :blush:

[jmasgat]

Carrie I ended up sticking with my Saucony Rides--which won't fix the toe blisters, but are at least a known quantity. I may try to buy a different shoe and see if they will work--just rotate them.

Kimberly You will get as many opinions on whether to do the full or half as there are WISHers! My approach was to do the half (my first) in 2009 and the full (my first) in2010. It's really a mental challenge as much or more than the physical challenge. I had to get to the point where I had even the slightest belief that I could do it. When that happened, I registered, took a deep breath and started training. Hope you decide on the one that works for you. Your advantage this year is that the reaces are filling sorta slowly, so that gives you time. When I did the half, I had to register in March--even before I had done any kind of distance race!

Sarah Well, that's a first for a race goal that I've seen! (Not going into labor). Hope your race goes well. As for tris....this is definitely more of a mental game than a physical one. If you think you can do one, you can.

Jackie Hope the migraine and hip issue disappears....pronto!

Did 7 miles today while watching the US squeak out their tie with Slovenia. Boy, refs at today's games have really been bad. The Germany game was a bit of a farce with all the yellow cards given out.

Have a great weekend, all. Tomorrow I go to a swim clinic. Should be "interesting" (my favorite word in the English Language)

Maura

[FFigawi]

I've decided to do the January half or full marathon at WDW. Everytime I think about challenging myself to prepare for the full my stomach starts doing flips. Does that mean I should or shouldn't do it? :) I was thinking about doing the Princess in February but I want to do a duathlon in mid-March so I'd rather train for that after the half/full in January.

Go for the full! It's a very laid back marathon compared to most of them, and all the excitement, characters, and general Disney magic makes the miles go by quickly. If you start this summer and work up to it slowly, you'll be just fine.

[Sarah_Rose]

I've decided to do the January half or full marathon at WDW. Everytime I think about challenging myself to prepare for the full my stomach starts doing flips. Does that mean I should or shouldn't do it? :) I was thinking about doing the Princess in February but I want to do a duathlon in mid-March so I'd rather train for that after the half/full in January.

I agree with John. Do the full! I was terrified to do my first full at WDW, but the course is really a "painless" first full marathon! There's just so much going on and so much great support that the miles fly by. I actually prefer the Disney full to the half marathon; it took a lot of waffling for me to finally register for the 2011 half. I may be insane, but starting marathon training 2 weeks after my due date is a bit much, even for me. :lmao:

I love the "non-broken dog" reference - bet the dog doesn't even know he's broken! :rotfl:

Sasha has no idea that she's "broken"! I took the dogs to the dog park this morning because my other dog was going nuts (he has been my running partner for years and now that I've cut back my mileage, he has energy he has no idea what to do with!) but I kept Sasha on a leash most of the time. As we were walking towards the exit and a quiet part of the park, I let her off her leash for a quick frolic in the grass... and immediately a weimaraner puppy ran by and she took off after it. :rolleyes: Luckily, her slight limp is still just a slight limp, but I did make sure to give her a dose of her anti-inflammatories as soon as we got home!

[DianeL]

Hi everyone, still alive here and kickin' asphalt. Been keeping on track and getting in the miles and the gym.

Jackie - Saw about your hip and sending PD thoughts and prayers you are pain free again soon.

Debra - I tried the supposedly easy direction last night but it sucked sport beans! Full sun, I swear I fried a few brain cells. At just past 5.5 I stopped and dumped the remainder of my water bottle over my head which earned me the strange looks from the ladies walking by. I think I will be sticking with the bit more shade and deal with the hills.

Maura - How is the garden doing? :rose::flower2::daisy: Ours is doing well, lots of baby veggies. The birds are loving their new feeders and bath and our :squirrel:'s have stolen 2 of our feeders. 1 disappeared completely and the other had been dragged to the corner of the yard. :eek: Oh and those same darling :squirrel:'s decided to eat my baby hostas too. They've been moved to a new location and strangely the :squirrel:'s are leaving them alone.


Welcome to all the new faces!!!! :flower3: :wave2

So that is the excitement in my life: miles, squirrels stealing my birdfeeders and veggies growing :) Have a good weekend all! :flower3:

[NeverlandClub23]

Ok, you guys twisted my arm! :rotfl: Thanks for being so supportive and the encouragement! I know I can do it with enough training but it just makes my heart race even thinking about signing up. It's so exciting! It's crazy for me to think 4 years ago I was unhealthy, overweight, sitting on the couch watching TV for the majority of the time I wasn't at work and now I think I can actually do a marathon! :goodvibes

Diane - squirrels are yard terrorists! I spent a lot of time and money planting an herb garden early this Spring. The squirrels kept digging up everything! I planted about 15 different herbs and now all that survived is a big patch of basil :rolleyes:. They keep stealing the bulbs off of the hibiscus plant too :(. Is there anything they don't want to harass? :rolleyes2

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm headed to my family reunion tomorrow morning that's out in the country so I hope to get a good run in there (and have some good cornhole tournaments!). Happy Father's Day to all the Dads!! :yay:

[FireDancer]

Kim- You have to have your first marathon somewhere, it might as well be at Disney. Glad you made the decision to go for it.

[NeverlandClub23]

Very true! I tried to explain that this weekend to a few family members but they stared blankly at me or said "You're going to spend all of this money to go somewhere to run?" Thanks Frank :hug: I'm so excited! Just remind me of this when I start asking "What was I thinking?!?" :)

[MouseDogMom]

Kim - We have the opposite problem in our family. Recently DD was asking about going somewhere for vacation, and I said I'd look for a race there, and she said "You know, we can go somewhere without having to run," and I just looked at her blankly. The idea had never crossed my mind! Congratulations on signing up for the full. It's a great race. The WISH support is amazing.

Diane - I'll take shade any day. I've been running in 90 degree temps in the evening, and shady hills are much preferable to sunny flats! Our long run yesterday morning was the wettest I've done in a long, long time, and we had sunny hills to contend with.

Maura - I can't imagine where this World Cup will end if the refereeing continues as is. Let's just hope we fare better against Algeria.

Sarah - I agree. I like the full better than the half, even after coming completely apart during the second part of the full last year! How did you and Sasha do today?

Our group run was scheduled for 6 miles yesterday. I did a slow 6 miles with my group, then went back out for 4 more with a small group of friends from assorted other pace groups. The first 2 miles we did really slow, then one of the guys and I left the others and picked up the pace for the last 2 miles. My hip felt better as it warmed up, so maybe if I'd run 20 miles it would have cured itself? I think I'm going to call my massage therapist tomorrow and see when she can work me in and see if she can fix this thing once and for all.

Jackie

[DianeL]

Kim... thankfully the squirrels have left our garden alone and 2 of the hosta seem to have sent up flowers even though they are in the pot (temporarily till we find a safe haven). So it's the 26.2? Either way, either day is tons of memories and both end with warm fuzzy feelings :goodvibes


Jackie ... :worship: for those of you in the warmer temps! Last evening (when I tend to run) was thankfully with a bit of a breeze but still low 80's. I am half hoping it will rain during tomorrow evening's run but looks like it should be out of here before I leave work. I'm starting to twitch when I see bright sun light :lmao: Sending cool thoughts and hopes that your hip continues to feel better. Hope the massage therapist fit you in today :)

This weekends runs went ok. Saturday was a gravy day so I walked with DH for just 4 miles. It was suppose to be yucky hot and we pushed it pretty late. In the end the temp and breeze wasn't bad and I kinda regretted not getting there sooner so I could get in 6. Sunday's was my usual Sunday training and a bit slow to start since I started to fast. Had a bit of a cranky shin which I stretched a few times. A bonus to running on the hilly side... they have exercise stations in a few spots that I can drop my heels off and boy does that help. :)

Off to the gym tonight.

Happy Training!

[Sarah_Rose]

Diane: I will honestly take some of that warm weather, right here. I don't care that I'm 8 months pregnant and warm all the time, I am so tired of rain and cold. I think this is going to be one of those summers here in Seattle that just never happens. :mad:

Jackie: I like the mentality that if you just run far enough, all problems will solve themselves! :rotfl:

Kim: Great decision! :thumbsup2 The Disney marathon is just a lot of fun - so definitely work on training for it, but don't stress about the experience. The support is there and the course just keeps you going. Even when you feel exhausted and sore in the last few miles, you know you still have another trip through another park to get you there!

Sasha and I had a great time yesterday at the Furry 5K, despite the fact that it was pouring rain the entire time. I really meant to take some pictures, but I ended up leaving my camera in the car so that it didn't get trashed in the rain. My husband took off with Jack (our other German Shepherd) and so Sasha was booking it to try to catch up to her "brother" for the entire race! :rotfl: I did run for a bit of the race, but it was just so crowded with people and dogs (many of whom were going nuts from all the people and dogs!) that it was much easier to walk. I was also getting some ligament pain in my stomach during the 5K, so clearly Pudge (my not quite here yet baby) is growing a lot right now - hope this doesn't cause problems during the half marathon on Saturday! The race is a lot of fun; all of the dogs get pretty blue bandanas to wear and there is a huge dog expo at the finish line with everything from tennis balls and frisbees, to kibble and treat samples, to free bowls, leashes, and poop bag holders. One booth (actually, the one from our favorite local chain of holistic pet stores) was even handing out cups of "doggie frozen yogurt"!

I'm becoming more worried about the half marathon on Saturday. I think my baby will be early, but I'm really hoping that 13.1 miles won't be the difference between having the baby at 35 weeks and going full term. :scared1: I'm going to have to have a talk with my doctor at my appointment on Wednesday to see what she thinks. Hopefully she gives me the all clear to run, still!

[wtpclc]

Maura - have you tried injinji socks? they did wonders fro em & Scott.

Sarah - Youa re amazing!

Diane - SOunds liek you have been great getting the work outs in!

Jackie - Know what motivates you? SIgning up for a race. ;) That's the only way we started. heck, we had a really rough summe rhte year we first did tri's. We didn't even start training until 4 to 6 weeks out.

Tris - For those of you who think you cant do tri's, you can! First, I am not good at any of the sports. I just plod along in all 3. Many say they do tri's ebcause they can be a jack of all trades and master none. ;) Ispent 4 years saying I could neve rdo it. I love them now. Plus, I cut back n run taining (perhaps too much this year), which cuts out a lot of popundign on the legs and heat stress. Swimming and biking is so much easier in teh summer than running adn I am fresher when marathon trianing starts again.. It really is an easy way fro me to train in teh summers.

Have an olympic distancne tri this weekend. I am prepared, but still a bit scared after flubbing my last race.

[DianeL]

Sarah-Rose ... How did the Wednesday appt go? Are you cleared for this weekend's race?

Carrie ... I'm plugging away :) Tuesday's 8 miles were a bit ugly but I did them. The last 2 forced me to go a bit slower (heat) so I was able to run at the gym again last night. Though that wasn't pretty either :lmao: It was a bit of a stressful work week. I blinked and all 3 days were over and I still have tons of work. So I know that didn't help. I didn't eat/drink as well as I've been doing before my Tues miles so it added to my sucky evening. Thank goodness the pizza was good ;) (DH said I looked like I needed it when I dragged my body back to the car that night LOL) Good luck on the tri this weekend!! For me ... unless it's in a pool or say the water in CA Adventure (I read they hit that with enough chemicals to kill everything LOL) I don't do water. I'll leave the tri's to you and do a bunch of this...>>> :cheer2::cheer2::cheer2::cheer2:

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!

[jmasgat]

Hi all, just checking back in as the month winds to a close.

So I ran 12 miles today with my new Garmin 305. It will take a while getting used to it--I usually run with nothing--no music, no watch, just me and whatever thoughts enter my head! I set it for "Distance and Pace" training and did my 12 at 9 mpm. I found that I was glancing at it more than I would like. Oh well, I'll adjust

Also happy to report that the "toe caps" that I bought, in an effort to help my big toes, actually had a positive impact-yeah! So I am feeling hopeful about beginning my upcoming marathon training program.

Hope all is well in WISH-land!

Maura

[wtpclc]

Kim - Location event Are great! Great way to see new things (or WDW in a different light) I may not be the most reliable, though, as our first 20 mile training run was a location event. :p Long story, but we flew to ATL to get out of teh snow after flubbing our 18-miler. :rotfl:

Maura - Yay on teh toe caps!!!

Oh my, full race report ison teh tri thread. It's quite wordy, though. Basically, my olympic turend into a sprint to fit the race between storms. Worked out fro teh best ebcause i was afraid they'd think an olympic woudl fit, but not know how slow I was and I'd be struck by lightning or pulled from teh course.

Totally PR'd my swim. DId great on teh bike. Must have PR'd for that course. Did better on the run than I have since last fall!!! Was thrilled with my race. LAst out of the lake, but that' sok/. Passed 6 people on the bike. OK 2 passed me back in my poor transition, but tons better than last year. WOuld have liked to have had an olympic under my belt before my a/2 IM, but having a mentally good race was just as important IMO.