2012 Marathon Relay-let's cheer each other on!

[wasabi girl]

Hi everyone!
I've entered to run the 2012 Marathon relay with my daughter, I thought this would be a great place to meet fellow relay-ers and encourage one another!

I am a new runner. I was inspired to begin running at age, ummmm, nearly 50, by seeing all of the fabulous women run the Princess Half Marathon. I always thought that runners were, well, different than me. Stonger, faster, younger, more athletic, skinnier, you know...and it turns out that the only difference is that runners run. And women of all shapes, sizes and ages run. So, there went my excuses.

Anyway, my only race so far has been the Halloween 5K at the Magic Kingdom last year, it was great. I ended up not really training very well, or thoroughly as my parents had some health challenges that had me driving to TN weekly (I'm in SC) and my running was put on the back burner. I have just begun training seriously with my younger daughter, who has run several half marathons, and I was originally training for either the 2012 Princess Half or the 2012 Marathon weekend half, so when the 2012 Marathon Relay opened, featuring Chip and Dale, and Inaugural (aren't we all Disney geeks here?), we decided that would be a great first long race for me, and another Inaugural for her .

I thought it would be great to have a virtual support group for the race ahead of us.

I am nervous and excited and already worrying about details like, "what if I have to GO and there are no portapotties" or "how can I possibly run with no coffee?" and "what was I thinking??"

And have I mentioned that until now I have been a couch potato for decades? And I am out of shape, over weight and flabby?

So far this week, I've had two runs. The first was nearly 3 miles, I'm walking for 5 mins, then run 3, walk 1. The first run on Monday was good, felt great. The second run, yesterday, Tuesday (you already see where this is going, right?) was awful. I went only 2 miles, I felt like I was made of cast iron, felt super hot and nauseated. Miserable dreadful run. Now I KNOW why we have rest days.

How about you? How are you guys doing?

 

[Saylan]

What a great story! Congrats on committing to the race!

My DBF is still debating if he'll run so my relay chances rest on having a partner. If I have one, I'm so in right there with you!

The Princess Half this year was my first race ever and now I'm hooked.

As for the training, I would make a suggestion, based on my experience training for the Princess: Running two days in a row hurts! I actually found that if I did two days in a row (when I was starting out) I ended up needing more recovery time and hurting more in the bad ways than if I took a day off in between.

Most beginner programs I came across encouraged a day rest in between and suggested cross-training or a different form of cardio to take the stress of the knees and joints.

For me, I ended up needing physio therapy and a week rest to let my legs recover from what I did to them.

So yes, rest days are great, and rest assured (no pun intended) you aren't the only one who learned that the hard way!

 

[wasabi girl]

Hey Saylan,
Nice to meet you! Thanks for the advice. I plan to never run without rest days again. I am no Spring Chicken.
Congrats on finishing the Princess & Good luck getting your DBF to run. I haven't done a long race yet, but just watching the runners is awesome and humbling, can't wait to be a part.
I'm thinking that I might do a half relay at Wine and Dine IF I feel ready and IF I can find a partner. Otherwise I am planning on the 5K through the Animal Kingdom and just keep working toward the half in January.