DisneyLAND bound!!

[getnthinr]

Wendy & Sara-what's a Disney Dead?

Cant wait to see you guys on the left coast!!!!

Tiff, a Disney Dead is a member of a virtual (email) training group explained here:

http://www.disney-deads.com/WelcomeInfo.html

It's a smaller offshoot of a huge email running list called the "Dead Runners Society" -- a name based on a movie called "The Dead Poets' Society". Basically these are folks of varying degrees of running talent that share their love of running by emailing each other about training and races (much as the W.I.S.H.ers do). The Disney list focuses on the Disney races (and training for them) in particular. The membership of the group changes from year to year and, as Sara indicated, has of late has been comprised primarily of pretty speedy folks. At least they are typically pretty nice speedy folks, though.

I have a soft spot for the Deads as they coached me through my first WDW marathon back in 1998.

Now, back on topic -- My packet arrived too! I'm #7457! So excited about my first trip to Disneyland and celebrating my 50th birthday there!

 

[goingthedistance]

Time to do a packet dance!!

Got our packets yesterday, can't wait until the race gets closer! My race number is 2339. I don't remember off the top of my head what number my wife has.

I am insanely jealous of everyone doing the 5k. That course looks amazing!

Got my WISH shirts too...they are amazing! We will be easy to spot on the course.

Paul

 

[lesroi]

Tiff, a Disney Dead is a member of a virtual (email) training group explained here:

http://www.disney-deads.com/WelcomeInfo.html

Hi Wendy!

If you are the Wendy I think you are, I think we've met!!! My husband Scott is on the Dead list too. I think we maybe met last year at the WDW marathon? You were there with your family.

Anywhoooo, we are doing the DL half. (Well, Scott is running and I am waddling it with 3 of my sisters.)

For anyone that's interested, the Deads are a FABULOUS group of people from ALL OVER the world. DH and I went to Belgium in May and met up with a gentleman from the Deads list and his family. They were absolutely the nicest and most generous people ever!

Hope to see you all at DL. (I will be the short pooh-sized gal at the back of the pack trying desperately not to get swept!)

Tracy

 

[littlegreydonkey]

I'll supply a life size cut out for the 3.30am photo thanks!!! I was planning on staying in bed until at least 4.30 then jogging to the start about 5ish, now I'm all panicked - ah well, give me another couple of weeks until my packet turns up and I'm sure I'll be all calm again!!! Ugggh, it's started raining just as I've got to go and put my running kit on - the sofa is calling, someone make it stop.......... Helen

 

[getnthinr]

If you are the Wendy I think you are, I think we've met!!! My husband Scott is on the Dead list too. I think we maybe met last year at the WDW marathon? You were there with your family.

Hi, Tracy! Wow! This is like old home week! Yup, I was there last year -- went Goofy and got my 5K and Mickey/Donald/Goof. It's so nice to know those very speedy Deads have folks more like me in their families -- I always think they must roll their eyes and shake their heads when they see my posts. I hope we run into each other at Disneyland. It's nice to know even though I'm a long way from home, I'll have some of my "family" there on the west coast!

Counting the days....

 

[Kristi1357]

My packet finally came today! I am really getting excited now. I even finally stopped procrastinating and booked a rental car.

Our bib #s:
Kristi 9528
Chad 11666 (666 - kinda spooky, huh?)

 

[keenercam]

Congrats on the arrival, Kristi!
Chad's number is the highest I've heard so far, and now we know there are at least 11,666 participants, right?
I've never been to DL but I had the impression the area is much more congested than WDW, so I'll be curious to see how they handle crowds.

 

[TiffJ]

I'm trying to imagine 15,000 people running the bases at the stadium

 

[getnthinr]

I'm trying to imagine 15,000 people running the bases at the stadium

No worries for me, Tiff. At my pace, the participants are generally single-file -- if I can see the person in front of me.

 

[Kristi1357]

No worries for me, Tiff. At my pace, the participants are generally single-file -- if I can see the person in front of me.

I'll be there with ya, Wendy!

 

[WDWFAN9]

I'll be there with ya, Wendy!

Me too!

I think there should be a special Penguin award for the WISHer who finishes closest to the 3.5 hr limit......did I mention that I finished the WDW half in 3:29:27?? Yep I am definitely a penguin, although I do hope to pick up the pace a little bit.

DH and I are doing the Chicago Distance Classic Sunday, it will be his first half. We plan on using most of the 4 hr limit since DL is just around the corner. And, some really good news - the weather looks like it is going to be perfect.

 

[getnthinr]

DH and I are doing the Chicago Distance Classic Sunday, it will be his first half.

Good luck to you both in Chicago!

I'm all set to do the RnR Half in Va Beach in about 3 weeks (Sept 2). Typically that is one hot race -- I envy you your good weather! Like you, I plan on taking it easy at the RnR Half with its 4 hour time limit.

 

[TiffJ]

Pat- Good luck on CDC this weekend. My time for WDW was 3:30:something we had a 7 minute delay waiting for a porta potty. I plan on going fast enough to avoid the sweepers but slow enought to soak it all in & enjoy. This will probably be my only time at DL.

Wendy-WOW! you are doing VA Beach right before DL. Good luck, have fun & be careful so you arent injured for DL. But I know you are a pro at this by now so its no sweat for you (well as hot as it is, maybe a little sweat)

Tracy-welcome!

 

[keenercam]

Pat -- Good luck to you and DH on the CDC -- I really wanted to be there! I envy you that penguin medal. Maybe next summer!

Wendy -- You and Kristi and Pat and I can all vy for that WISHer penguin award. I am another one of those people who really likes to soak it all in -- take pix with the characters, pix of the parks, etc. I would like to do better than my WDW 1/2 time.

I have no races on the calendar until the Armstrong Foundation 10K in Phila on 9/10. Between now and then I just have to focus on losing some weight and picking up my pace and endurance. Yeah, that's all!

 

[msblrobs]

DH and I are doing the Chicago Distance Classic Sunday, it will be his first half. We plan on using most of the 4 hr limit since DL is just around the corner. And, some really good news - the weather looks like it is going to be perfect.

Pat - Best of luck on your half this weekend!!

 

[DianeL]

Good luck Pat on the CDC!!!

Wendy when you get back from the RnR VA Beach race please post your thoughts, temps and such. I'm interested in doing this one in 2007. According to a newsletter Mr Bingham sent out that finally got Susan to agree to 2007 .... the course if flat and very waddle friendly? How flat? Flatter then WDW's Half course? I have a relatively flat pancake route we train on, our little hills are ant hills compared to the overpasses at WDW

Oh and I was just barely ahead of Pat at 3:28. Wish we had been in the same area. Pat my clock time was 3:44 what was yours? I remember looked after the race when I noticed our chip times but can't remember now.

What do we have now 5 weeks and days left to go? Is it Carrie or Pat responsible (LOL) for keeping us posted on how long until we PAR-TAY in DL?

Editted to add: It must be Pat! Why did I think Carrie was doing DL? A quick look at the list and she's not listed

Oh and I'm 10159 I'm desparately hoping Susan and I will be in the same corral to counter each others worries before the start. In January I had a vein that was going to blow right behind my eye and Susan was I think having a heartattack. Nothing to really kid about but were we starting to panic so bad I had the worst headache and Susan was making herself sick.

 

[getnthinr]

Wendy when you get back from the RnR VA Beach race please post your thoughts, temps and such. I'm interested in doing this one in 2007. <snip>... the course if flat and very waddle friendly? How flat? Flatter then WDW's Half course?

It is extremely flat. It is unbelievably flat. I looked up my race report from last year and one part says:

What is worth remarking on is the bands and cheerleaders along the course. My favorites this year were the cancan dancers (half of whom were male "cross-dressers" who danced to "Pretty Woman" as I came by), and the Santa crew wearing Santa hats and those t-shirts with shapely bathing-suit-clad caricatures silk-screened on them (front and back) who were stationed just before the bridge at the 8-mile mark chanting "North Pole, Good and Cold" and "The bridge is flat!" to encourage us up and over the only significant bit of elevation on the entire course.

It really is a fun race. Like I said, my only complaint with this one is the temps. Last year was the coolest it's ever been and I still got so overheated that I was sick at the finish. But, you know, I'm very round and don't do all that well in the heat even when I'm not racing. I did much better (when everyone else was complaining about how cold it was!) during the Disney marathon and half -- It was perfect for me! 40's to 60's is my ideal race temperature range.

 

[getnthinr]

Wendy-WOW! you are doing VA Beach right before DL. Good luck, have fun & be careful so you arent injured for DL. But I know you are a pro at this by now so its no sweat for you (well as hot as it is, maybe a little sweat)

Tiff, you're never too "pro" to be careful! Guess which marathon is the only one I've ever DNFed (did not finish)??? The WDW marathon a few years back! I had heard runners say "it just wasn't my day" and had never understood it, but that year I struggled to the half and dropped out and collected a Duck instead of my Mickey. I had trained, and I thought I was ready, but it was not meant to be. Certainly, it taught me a very powerful lesson about being satisfied with doing your best on any given day -- and also remembering that rest is as important as training hard. (I really think I just pushed too hard right up until race day and I was exhausted.)

Last year, I got my Goofy, though, so I sort of redeemed myself. But I will definitely take your advice and be careful! (And I'll have fun too!) Thanks!

 

[DianeL]

Thanks Wendy!!!! The Cancan Dancers and Santas sounds like a hoot! Glad the bridges aren't all that bad too

We too prefer a slightly cooler temp to train/race in and were actually very very happy this year at the Half. Though there was a few spots where the wind was chilly coming across the parking lots before the Contemporary. I happily kept my running jacket either on or tied around where as Susan was actually getting hot and ended in a short-sleeve tee. Back in the winter we were actually out in the 30's and thought we were in a heat wave when it was over 40's. And actually ended some of those 40's wearing our jackets at the waist.

I'm hoping Sept at DL isn't all that hot but even so we have gone out on mornings when our local temps were going to reach the 90's later in the day so hopefully we are prepared for whatever the temps are.

Good luck with the weather at the RnR!!! and THANKS tons for that insight I can't wait to tell Susan. I know we'll have a blast when we do it in 2007.

 

[WDWFAN9]

Good luck Pat on the CDC!!!


Oh and I was just barely ahead of Pat at 3:28. Wish we had been in the same area. Pat my clock time was 3:44 what was yours? I remember looked after the race when I noticed our chip times but can't remember now.



Thanks everyone for the good luck wishes on the CDC. It looks like the weather is going to be pretty decent (keeping my fingers crossed).

I finished last January with a clock time of 3:42:11, so Diane, we were pretty close. I started at the very front of corral F.

Now for the countdown....drumroll please......38 days until the DL half. Everybody remember that we are going to meet Saturday at 4:00 at Napolini's(??) in DTD. Anne will have a green WISH flag, and I will bring some name tags. This is going to be a blast!!