Hakuna Matada - Jumping into a jubilant January

[verticalchaos]

I'm getting close to tapering time if I understand correctly, so when I'm tapering do I just do short runs or what's the guidelines for that?

What plan are you following? The plan should lay out the taper for you. Mine was a week and a half or so. It's not as intense for a half as it is for a full, but there is still a decrease of mileage.

 

[bunnyfoo]

Happy Monday team! It is freezing in Toronto this morning! FREEZING! I believe it's about -25C (-13F) with the windchill. I was lucky enough to get a ride to the subway this morning. I would not have been a happy camper waiting for the bus!

Mike - Holy racing schedule! Do you have any plans to join Liz for a tri this year? Loved your RR and that Bingham remembered you How cool is that? Any news on your test results yet?

Beth - Nice racing schedule! I like that the races are spread out with lots of good distances! And WTG on the DW marathon! You'll love it! I haven't seen Black Swan yet but have heard really good things about it. Has the city brought in melters to get rid of the excess snow?

Mary - Hope your adjustment goes well today! I was just thinking last night about your shoes and wanting to ask you about them. Are they supportive? Do the springs give you a little extra something? Make sure you're going easy on your running for the next week or so. I think this is still considered the recovery period.

Dave - Mall walking sounds like the plan! Nice and warm, bathrooms and a place to have a quick bite afterward. How's Sally doing with the job hunt? Any luck yet?

Saylan - When's your ADR at CG? Not sure about the bus travel time. If you have time, the monorail is about 20 minutes (10 to the TTC and 10 from the TTC to the Contemporary). I prefer the monorail over the buses because you know the monorail will come. If you're really rushed a cab might be a better option. I took one this trip from the BC to the Poly and it was $12 incl. tip. I'd imagine that it would be a similar fare from Epcot to the Contemporary.

I normally start my taper about two weeks before the race but everyone's different. I know of people who'll still run a 12 miler the weekend before a race. When I taper, I'd probably cut back to a 6-8 miler and then a 4-6 miler the weekend before. Which training plan are you following?

As for a watch, if you strictly want intervals, you can go with a Timex which you can get an a Walmart. Amazon.ca does sell the Garmin watches. You really only need that if you like to know your distance and to know your pace instantaneously. If you have an iPhone, you can download RunKeeper Pro for free and it will basically do the same thing. But the mileage does differ from the Garmin.

AFM - Not much of import to report. I'm going to get my ankle looked at tonight. Hopefully there's nothing really wrong with it. I think my chiro will tell me to get accupuncture but I'm not wanting that... Other than that, not much else is going on. I'm going to try and find some races to register for! Everyone's so organized!

 

[Lynn G]

Good Morning Team!

Vicky - That is encouraging about the weight training - of course, I have not started that yet because I really do not like weight training - I will force myself into it shortly! If you are doing the race calendar now, you could put Scott and me down for the DL half - we do not know if we will be racing or volunteering, but we will be there, we already have hotel reservations!

Saylan - Have fun on your trip!

Sue - We leave for the trip on Friday.

Beth - good luck with your apt cleaning project!

Dave - Glad to see you back on here! Been following you on FB.

Mike - great race report!

Mary - take care of that hamstring!

AFM - Yesterday made it out for walk with the dogs, then 45 min on the spin bike. It rained really heavily last night, and it is rather windy today (20mph now, forecast is for 40-60mph wind this afternoon), so I will head out with dogs shortly and brave the lighter wind. We are packed for the cruise - leave for Denver on Friday, fly to Orlando on Saturday.

Pixie dust to all who are in need!

Have a great day team!

 

[Saylan]

Beth: I was on kind of a mix of Higdon's/Galloways (Galloway's lengths which are less, but Higdon's consistency instead of going back down to 3 mile long runs every other week).

Vicky: they're both around the 9:20-25 mark at night. MK closes at 8 on the second day so we'd be waiting for a bit and spending our last night bussing a long way to CBR after or cabbing it. I've read some great reviews about Tutto Italia so maybe on the EP day we'll do that though. Ugh, so indecisive!

The furthest I've run so far is 7, but I'm hoping to get a little higher before the taper. I suspect I'll only make it to 10 before I start cutting back again. I guess play it by ear but cut it back maybe to 6-7 and then 4-5 if I peak out at 10.

I'll give Timex a look at Walmart! I would like to track my distance and pace too. If the Timex ones are similar in price to the Garmins (which are on sale currently) that might be a tough call. At the moment, I just want something that'll help me know when to slow to a walk or speed up to a run based on my interval training. If it could tell me my pace, that would help me from going too fast or too slow, staying on track with my training. Wish I could just carry a treadmill screen with me!

 

[wilbur]

Good Afternoon Team!

Vicky, Nothing much planned for races this year. We have 2 vacations planned & will be away for Miss/ Goodlife & Scotia. Was thinking about a 1/2 ironman. Instead we are going to do a couple of shorter tris. Really want to work on putting in a great time & just not getting by.
Hope your ankle is nothing serious & the chiro can help you out.

Saylan, We ate a Cali Grill as our reward on marathon Sunday. 1st time there & loved it. Excellent service & food. We weren't interested in seeing the fireworks so we ate early & had an outstanding table by the window. Can't comment on Italy because we haven't eaten there but we ate at the new restaurant in Mexico, La Hacienda. This was really good also.

Lynn & Scott, Have a fantastic cruise. Safe travels.

AFM, Spin class on Friday & tonight. DD & I started on Sunday with a family yoga class. Great fun. Oh to be young & able to bend like a pretzel. Too snowy to run on the roads & no desire to run on the treadmill.

Have a great day everyone. Stay warm............Sue

 

[verticalchaos]

Vicky ~ Thanks! Like I said, there will be other races put in the time between the NYC Half and the Disneyland Half...but they'll all be in the shorter distances with probably an 8K being the furthest. We'll see though. Maybe a 15K or a 10-miler. It all depends on what I find to do. I'll need some things in that stretch where I'm not training or just starting to train again.
I really do like Black Swan - as much as one can say they "like" psychological horror movies. It did make a difference seeing it in a more art-house type theatre. The audience and their reactions really can make all the difference. I'm not a huge Natalie Portman fan as a rule, but she really does deserve all the accolades she's getting for this role (I do come down on the "Julianne Moore had the harder role in 'The Kids Are All Right' and I don't get the Annette Benning hype" side of that debate though. Poor Julianne cannot catch a break awards-wise! Grr!)I want to see The King's Speech and Rabbit Hole as well. Movies tend to be feast or famine with me - either I want to see a lot that's out there or I don't want to see anything.
No melters I'm aware of - though they might have used some to get Times Square ready for New Year's. After the debacle that was the Christmas storm, they seem to be working at really making improvements. We're supposed to get more snow/freezing rain tonight, so we'll see how they do with this. It's really crazy how horribly they bungled that Christmas week storm. Not just saying that because I was stuck in Orlando then. It was pitiful.

Lynn ~ Thanks. It's going through a ton of stuff and literally dumping a bunch of stuff. I'm nowhere near as bad as the people on Hoarders...but generically I am a bit of a pack-rat, so I am determined. It's going and staying gone. I don't WANT to get as bad as the people on Hoarders!!

Saylan ~ What are the two plans saying about tapering? Or have you followed one more than the other? That's part of the reason I chose a plan and stuck with one...too much conflicting advice confuses me. My plan (Bingham-Hadfield) did do the up and down thing with the long-run mileage, and I felt really good going into the Half. I made it to the starting line uninjured, which was my primary goal. Once I did that, I knew I could finish.

~beth

 

[Motomiker]

Hi Team,
Just a quick check in today. I've had to shovel twice today and now its switched over to sleet and freezing rain. The roads suck!
Went to the book store for info on Disneyland and it's hotels and other local attractions. I also picked my sister's brain as she used to live 20 minutes from DL. We are leaning towards the Disneyland Hotel for a few nights and then maybe a Universal Hollywood resort or maybe something in Laguna Beach. Liz wants to see the Pacific for the first time. I was there once when I was nine.

Vicky~ No tri's for me, that is Liz's area. I can hardly swim. Horrible for a man of Viking descent and living in a town called Lake in the Hills! Also, no test results yet. Last time they callled right away to tell me I had cancer. So, since they are taking their time, I am hoping for the best.

Dave~ No, Robert doesn't run with us yet. He never stops moving, ever, unless he is sound asleep. Our gym has a huge kids portion, and he is there almost everyday when Liz goes.

Saylan~ the California Grill is really worth it, we loved it on our honeymoon!

Beth~ good luck with the clearing out. I'm getting to the point that I need a seperate room for all my Disney stuff. I refuse to let it go.

Lynn and Scott~ Enjoy the cruise! We are planning on a marathon cruise with John Bingham in 2012.

AFM~ made my room reservations at All Star Sports for the Everest Challenge, and also booked our hotel room for the Penguin in the Park race in March. Looking forward to getting away alone with Liz for the weekend.

 

[windwalker]

Hi guys.

Vicky, Sally hasn't found a full time job but is doing a gig for the temp service, since she doesn't need benefits the temp jobs work.

Mike he will be running with you before you know it. The first time my son ran with me he was about 9 or 10.

Lynn, tell us all about your adventures. I told Sally all about what you and Scott do, you guys are amazing.

This is going to be a week of work, recovery and easy training. Sally and I did an hour in the mall today and then had a nice luch out and then we did the marketing. Our dishwasher quit but we have a home owner warranty so Sears is coming to fix in NEXT WEEK!

Everyone have a magical evening.

Dave

 

[MaryJ]

Vicky...I thought the shoes felt great on the TM. Really seemed to put some "spring" in my step. However, I wore them again today when I used the Wii Fit, primarily for the running in place activities. They were fine for that but when I was standing still doing bicep curls, etc. they made my feet hurt as they have absolutely no arch support. I think I might try them with my orthotics from the running store next time.

Dave...Sorry to hear about the dishwasher. In the meantime, I would suggest that Sally do what my friend has always done. She has never had a dishwasher. Her husband, also named Dave, is retired from working at General Electric. He does the dishes every night. She says that Dave is her GE Potscrubber!

Beth...I know what you mean about being predisposed to being a pack rat. I had two aunts (one on each side of the family) that just couldn't throw things away. One of them was so bad that she could have been on hoarders. So, I try to stay on top of things and purge every so often. I do not want to wind up like that!

Lynn and Scott...Have a great time on the cruise! We expect a full report when you get back. If you want to bring me a souvenir, I will take one of the nubby bars of soap from the stateroom attendant. I wish they had the same soap at WDW. I would bring home every unused bar I could find!

Mike...A cruise with John Bingham sounds like fun. However, we are tentatively planning to take a Disney cruise in 2012 with our children and grandgals. You'll have to tell us all about it here.

AFM...Went to the chiro. He said my neck was indeed tight, but didn't think the hamstring was too bad. It's still sore though so guess I'll just use the stick on it. Had two snow days last week, but looks like I'll be back to work tomorrow. (I only work Tues. and Wed.) Later!

 

[verticalchaos]

Mike ~ Do John and Jenny do that cruise every year? And around the same time? I would have LOVED to have gone on it this year, but it's the same time I was already booked for Italy, and I didn't think my trip insurance would cover "I decided I want to take a cruise and run instead".

 

[bunnyfoo]

Hi team! For all the Goofy, full and half runners and walkers, how's the post race recovery coming along? Remember to go easy on the miles to listen to you body!

I went to see my chiro last night and had her look my right ankle. It was difficult to do some of the exercises we normally do. For example, I normally do a few chin ups but she had to put an apple box underneath so that I wouldn't land so hard on my feet. And I also tried a few rotating planks and had a really hard time supporting myself when I turned onto my right side.

When I did look at my ankles side by side on the treatment table, the right one was noticeably more swollen than the left. She thinks she can treat it without accupuncture *phew* but didn't think the Princess half was a good idea Now she never said "don't run it" but I have to do some thinking especially since I want to do a marathon and a 30K this year.

Mary - I think if the shoes have less support than you're use to, you might have to break them in slowly. Hope the snow melts where you are and you don't have too much trouble getting to work.

Dave - Glad to hear that the dishwasher repairs will be covered! Those things can get really out of hand sometimes! Any upcoming races for either you or Sally? I did work for a temp service several years ago. It was fun because you never stayed in one place for very long and it was neat to see a bunch of different companies.

Mike - I'm not much of a swimmer either - I have a fear of heights. It sounds like your DL trip is shaping up nicely! Is Robert going to stay with your mom for your March trip?

Saylan - If you like steaks, the Yachtsman Steakhouse is a great restaurant and it's in the Epcot area. Tutto Italia is pretty good, I went there when I was on the dining plan. I don't think I would have eaten there otherwise because it's pricey for what it is. Timex does have a GPS watch but I'm not sure how it compares to the Garmin. I was thinking of the Ironman watches you can get for about $50 or so. But if you want to know your pace on the fly, you'll definitely want a GPS watch. Try to get some outdoor miles in before you head down to Florida

Lynn - With the weather you're getting sounds like you're leaving just in time! If you need any help with the weight training when you get back let me know!

Sue - I'm also impressed with the way some people are able bend in yoga class. We have a few older ladies in our class and boy can they strike a pose! How is DD enjoying yoga?

Beth - I remember going to see 'Eyes Wide Shut' in a regular theatre and people were yelling out all kinds of comments and walking out. I think they had been expecting another kind of film. I should send you the links to the trailers of two films that I worked on. If you like psychological dramas, you might like them.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[Lynn G]

Good Morning Team!

Vicky - Pixie dust for the ankle! Can you walk the races instead of run? It might be an option if you really want to do the Princess. Thanks for the offer on weight training - I am planning to re-instate the exercises the Physical Therapist gave me to do after my knee surgery first. We have a Bowflex which I have used in the past, and have several exercises I would normally do on that. Just have to force myself to do them!

Saylan - sounds like you really need a Garmin!

Sue - Thanks.

Beth - I can relate to the pack-rat syndrome! We end up packing stuff away in plastic containers!

Dave - Hope Sally finds a job that she likes, or if she is enjoying the temp service, that works also. At least it was a dishwasher that quit and not a heater - you can go a week hand washing dishes, but no heat for a week would be difficult!

Mike - Hope you get your test results soon! I am assuming that Marathon Cruise with John Bingham is not on Disney?

Mary - Scott is a soap hoarder, we have brought home every bar of soap from every hotel we have ever stayed at - I have to admit that I never have to buy bar soap - but I also do not think we will ever use it up - even if we never hit another hotel!

AFM - Again, braved the wind yesterday for our (the dogs and I) 1.27 mile walk, then made it downstairs to the spin bike for 30 min. Today will definately make time for a Pilates tape. Today the wind is supposed to calm down by afternoon, so might wait until then for the walk.

Pixie dust to all who are in need!

Have a great day team!

 

[windwalker]

Lynn I to have a soap hoarding problem. Not sure I'll ever use them up either.

Vicky, Sally and I are probably doing a race in March, either a 5K or a half marathon. Sally doesn't have ot make the decision about which race to do in January till about Oct.

I'm slowly recovering and feeling like I might want to race again. Doing the Goofy with no training and sick for two weeks prior just isn't the way to do it.

Have a restful evening y'all.

Dave

 

[Lynn G]

Good Morning Team!

Snow here today, will still try to get dogs out before the wind picks up!

Have a great day all!

 

[bunnyfoo]

Good morning team! I was just coming to give the thread a bump up and then got sidetracked. So I'm still thinking about the Princess Half and my ankle... but in the meantime, I booked the new tour at AK. Just in case...

Dave/Lynn - Count me in the soap hoarder club too! I especially like the Disney soap because of the Mickey head design. I definitely have enough to last me a while so I didn't take much this past trip.

Have a great day everyone!

 

[verticalchaos]

Hi team!!

Vicky ~ I hope your ankle gets better!!!! That's no fun!!

Dave ~ Feel better soon!!

Lynn ~ Are you as sick of snow as I am? I would just like for it to get warm enough to melt everything we have away before we get more. Not going to happen this time as we're slated for more snow tomorrow night into Friday. UGH! And proving that the almanac is as reliable as horoscopes...we are already a foot OVER the almanac-allotted snowfall for the year. *headdesk*

I did the "little" workout on Bob Harper's Body Rev Cardio Conditioning dvd last night - it's called Butt and Balance. Feeling ok today. Will likely do yoga later even though my training plan says rest. I need to move!!

I also need to sleep. The woman who lives in the apartment behind me was up ALL NIGHT, so I know I didn't get any really restful sleep. I didn't feel like getting dressed to deal with it last night, but if it happens again, I will. I will be polite, and assume that she just doesn't realize how much the sound carries. Give her the benefit of the doubt. After that, if it continues I WILL be talking to the landlord - who loves me. I barely see her, so I wonder if she might not work nights...but still. That doesn't give her the right to have parties all night long on her days off.

So... That's my life!

~beth

 

[DisneyGerry]

Jan 8 Half Marathon
Jan 29 5k Universal Studios
Feb 12 3rd Annual Kiss-im-mee 5K Run/Walk, Kissimmee 5K
March 5 ESPN 5k at Hollywood Studios
April 2 Windermere 5k
April 30 Nashville Half Marathon

 

[bunnyfoo]

Hi team! Just giving us a bump up! Did anyone notice the new videos added on the ASI site? Not sure about the half, but there are new ones for the full. I didn't even notice there were video cameras at Hollywood Studios. I watched mine and noticed that I'm limping a little bit

Beth - Sorry to hear about the noisy neighbor. Was she a little more settled tonight? Even with late hours people should be respectful of others but sometimes ... I hope it all works out. This is the link to the movie that I worked on last year. I'm trying to get more fans so everyone go and 'like' it Just kidding!

Gerry - I looked up the Nashville race and that is a really nice medal!

Scott/Lynn - Safe travels! Have a great time on your cruise!

AFM - A quick training session tonight and will have my PT look at my ankle some more. Eating and exercise have kind of fallen by the wayside and I'm having trouble getting back on track. That's usually the case after I get back from Disney though. Other than that ... much else of interest to report

Have a great day!

 

[Lynn G]

Good Morning Team!

Vicky - More Pixie Dust for you ankle, we have signed up for the AK tour also - when are you going? We are on the Jan 24, 9am one.

Beth - We actually have not had much snow here - yesterdays snow just dusted the ground, the roads are clear. It has been overall warm here, with just a few really cold days, and not as much wind as normal for winter.

AFM - Yesterday got out early with the dogs, then did 50 min of Pilates and 15 min on spin bike. Today it is much colder - about 13 degrees, waiting a bit for it to warm up, but still will try to get out early before the wind picks up again.

Pixie dust to all who are in need!

Have a great day team!

 

[wilbur]

Good Afternoon Team!

Excercise of the week is spinning. Too icy to run outside.

Vicky, Are you doing the princess forsure? Still deciding?

Lynn, Just the cruise this time or also the parks? I'm interested to hear about the AK tour.

Beth, Did you get some sleep last night?

Have a great evening everyone..........Sue