In Training: Marathon Weekend 2015 (Dopey Challenge)! **COMPLETE**

[Ariel484]

Week 4 of 10-miler Training
Monday, March 10, 2014 - Sunday, March 16, 2014

13.25 miles complete/13ish miles planned
47.35 miles completed in 10-miler Training so far
98.35 miles completed in 2014 so far

Monday, March 10: Strength Training (ChaLEAN Extreme Burn 3 + ab burner)
Goooood morning!

Feeling really good today! I got a good night of sleep despite the time change and that fact that it was Sunday (I never seem to sleep well on Sunday nights). Maybe because I ran yesterday? I’m sure that helped.

Last week I said I thought the Burn 2 workout was the hardest burn workout in the CLX DVDs. But boy, Burn 3 kicked my butt today. Lots of leg work (great for running!) and shoulder work. Everything is supposed to be done veeerrry slowly, which makes it so much harder. I’m SORE!

Also, I wore this shirt today...so that was fun. It's vintage!

Tuesday, March 11: Run #1 (2 miles on the treadmill) + ab burner
So on my way into work today I was thinking to myself, “man...I really don’t want to run 4 miles on the treadmill today. That’s a long way.” Then halfway through my drive I remembered that today I only had a 2-miler on the schedule. Woohoo!

The run was okay. I think because it was a shorter one I just wanted to get it over with quickly, so I probably pushed the pace a little more than I should. I’m trying not to feel too anxious about my pace just yet (especially during non-speedwork/-tempo runs) but it’s hard knowing that I’m not as fast as I used to be just yet. Hopefully I’ll get back there.

Total time for 2 miles: 20:08, 10:04/mile pace...and it was definitely tough. Part of the problem was that I was (and still am) sore from yesterday’s strength training.

After the run I did the ab burner DVD and stretched out my legs a bit, which I need to start doing on a more regular basis. Like...more than my current schedule of once a month or whatever. Not good enough!

In other news, we’ve had pretty decent weather over the past couple of days. High of 56 yesterday! And then tomorrow...we’re supposed to get 6-8 inches of snow. What the heck?! This winter needs to END! Or maybe I just need to move to Disney. That would solve all of my problems!

Wednesday, March 12: Strength Training (ChaLEAN Extreme Burn 1)
I have to do each “Burn” workout one more time before moving on to the next phase of ChaLEAN Extreme - the “Push” phase. That’s one thing I definitely like about this program, the fact that the workouts are switched up so much.

We’re supposed to get this giant snowstorm today. It’s about 9:30 right now and so far it’s just been cold and rainy, but apparently it’s supposed to turn into snow - lots of it - soon. Should make for a greeeaat drive home. Will’s already had school canceled...here’s hoping it won’t take me 4 hours to get home!

Thursday, March 13: Run #2 (35-minute tempo run, 3.25 miles completed)
Not much to say about this run. Work is getting incredibly busy and stressful so I’m not in a very good mood right now! Run was fine though.

Total time: 35:20 for 3.25 miles (at 35 minutes exactly the treadmill said 3.24 miles so I walked until it was at 3.25...I like my distances to end in zeroes or fives. I’m weird like that). 10:52ish/mile pace.

On the bright side at least we didn't get the giant blizzard that had been predicted for yesterday. That's something.

Friday, March 14: Run #3 (4-mile out-and-back)
52 degrees, sunny with wind

Just like my run last week, this one was a little frustrating because of all of the starting and stopping due to puddles and traffic. But at least it was nice out!

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:41
Mile 2: 10:19
Mile 3: 10:16
Mile 4: 10:21

Total time for 4 miles: 41:37, 10:24/mile pace

Not exactly a negative split, but I’ll take it. My legs felt really tired today...I guess from lifting?

Saturday, March 15: Run #3 (4 miles on the treadmill)
Fun day today! In the early afternoon Will and I headed downtown to West Side Market, a huge indoor/outdoor market housed in an old train station. We got some cool stuff from local vendors (produce, freshly made pasta, cannolis, cupcakes) and had lots of fun walking around looking at everything. Need to come here more often!

We had lunch downtown at a new place that was just so-so...we sort of felt like as a party of 2 we were getting passed over by our server and he seemed to be paying attention to the other, larger parties he was helping. Not cool!

After we got home I waited about an hour before hopping on the treadmill. This run went better than yesterday’s run, I think probably because my legs were more recovered from lifting or something?

Total time for 4 miles: 41:29, 10:22ish/mile average pace. I’d been planning on taking a walk break at the beginning of miles 2 and 3, but I only ended up needed the break at the beginning of mile 3...so that’s progress I guess!

Sunday, March 16: Rest Day
Woohoo, another week done! Love having rest days on Sundays.

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Trip Plans - Dining

Now that we have the resort squared away (no turning back with that one - since we rented DVC points it’s paid in full already! ) it's time to think about dining.

We're not going to have the dining plan (just not fans of it) and after doing some number crunching, as of right now, we're not going to have Tables in Wonderland either. This is the first time in two years that we just don’t think it'll be worth it. It used to be that we'd need to spend $375 in Table Service meals to break even, but with the price increase from $75 to $100 we'd need to spend $500. Boo!!

With that in mind, I've been trying to brainstorm some good counter service/cheaper table service options, preferably near our resort. I'll have my Annual Pass (after a bit of research I found that some of the restaurants I'm looking into do offer a 10-20% discount for Annual Passholders, woohoo! ) and we're planning on getting a 3-day park hopper for Will, so that opens up some options.

First off, I have some stuff I need to bring from home. As I said in my long run routines post, my pre-race meal of choice is a plain bagel with peanut butter, along with some coffee. I'm not going to assume that the bagel and PB will be available to me in our resort (I know there will be coffee in the room), so I'm going to head to the bagel/grocery store at home before the trip and stock up. So with 4 races that means 4 plain bagels + 4 containers of JIF to go (I cringe at using these small containers because they are so wasteful...but they are super convenient for race mornings and this is the only time I ever use them). In the past it's worked well to keep each bagel in its own Ziploc bag - they don't seem to get super hard that way - so that's what I'll do again.

Gear laid out for Marathon Weekend in January 2013:

I'm also going to bring some coffee creamer that doesn't need refrigeration (I can't do the powdered stuff, I always don't feel well after using that) along with some disposable coffee cups with lids.

Besides the morning-of meals, the most important meal of the trip, in my mind, is the one the night before the marathon. It has to be something I've had before that I know won't aggravate my stomach...and for me that's an individual pepperoni pizza at Via Napoli. The crust and cheese are light and the pizza is delicious, plus - BONUS - it's in Epcot, so we can just walk to/from there to the Boardwalk. The servers are always really great about re-filling water glasses as well, which will be super important as I know I'll be chugging like crazy to stay hydrated.

Individual pepperoni pizza form Via Napoli:

Next up - the celebration meal. Because I'm thinking positive thoughts and am assuming I'll successfully finish this challenge! Originally I really wanted to go back to Victoria & Albert's (we just went there for the first time in January - AMAZING)...but I think I'll be too tired and sore to fully enjoy the meal. Our dinner there in January was 2.5-3 hours, which we loved...but something I don't think I'll be able to fully take it all in after completing 48.6 miles. Plus, they won't be taking Tables in Wonderland anymore at the point. So that one is a very remote possibility.

Another possibility is Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club. We've never been here before and I don’t know much about it, so I'll need to do some research. We DO know that the Flying Fish at the Boardwalk gets great reviews, BUT...we don't like seafood. And the one time we walked through the lobby of the restaurant the smell of fish about knocked us over, so we really wouldn't enjoy a meal there. So that's out.

I'll need to do some research on other Epcot-area options, specifically Captain's Grille (although we may have the same seafood problem there?) and Kouzzina (went there for dinner when it first opened and wasn't impressed, but maybe it’s gotten better?). ETA: Kouzzina is closing in Septemer!

But right now I'm leaning toward braving the bus system and heading to Animal Kingdom Lodge. Along with Via Napoli, our favorite non-Signature Table Service restaurant on-property is Sanaa at Kidani Village. We've eaten here twice now and both times it's been AMAZING. And AKL is up there as one of our favorite resorts on property.

Slow cooked, simple and well seasoned entree from Sanaa:

So yeah...right now I'd say Sanaa or Yachtsman are the top two options, but we're both leaning heavily toward Sanaa. Or maybe we'll go back to an old Signature favorite like Jiko or Citricos. Or maybe try Hollywood Brown Derby? We'll see!

Other restaurants definitely on the list include...
Beaches and Cream - right across the lake! Decently affordable with good food, and they take ADRs now, which I actually LIKE - the first time I ate here they didn't take ADRs yet and we waited 30-40 minutes for a table. Plus...ICE CREAM. Most likely will go here for lunch AND dinner at least once

Tried the grilled cheese and the No Way Jose for the first time last month...sooooo good!

Kouzzina for brunch - never tried it during this meal before and have heard great things. 10% Annual Pass discount ETA: Kouzzina is closing in September! I'll have to find myself a different brunch!!

Yak & Yeti for lunch (Table Service) → have wanted to try this place for awhile now and it keeps getting bumped off the list...maybe this trip it will work out?? 10% AP discount

The Plaza - another one that I have wanted to try for awhile that keeps getting bumped off the list, seems pretty affordable with some really tasty-looking/sounding sandwiches

Starring Rolls - just tried this place for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was SHOCKINGLY good. Yes they only have a couple of sandwich options but the one I had was so delicious and refreshing that I definitely want to make the trip back. PLUS...cupcakes. Enough said. Best counter service I've had at the Studios

Last month's lunch at Starring Rolls:

Wolfgang Puck Express - Favorite counter service place on property. I wish it wasn't in Downtown Disney, but it's so good it's worth the transportation headaches. Not only does this place have an AP discount...it's a 20% discount!! What the heck?! I never knew that!

WPE Mac and cheese:

WPE Individual pepperoni pizza:

Boardwalk Bakery - haven't tried any of their lunch options, but we had breakfast sandwiches from here in January and they were awesome! Looking forward to getting another. Plus...CUPCAKES

Boardwalk Bakery breakfast sandwiches:

So much deliciousness in one small case...

World Showcase Counter Service - Favorites are in France and Norway. Husband loves the Morocco counter service...and since we'll be just a short walk away I have a feeling we'll be eating around the World quite a bit

France:

Norway:

Nutella Waffle with Fruit - I NEED TO TRY THIS. It's been on my to-eat list for the past few trips and it keeps not happening. WHYYYYY.

We think the food at Disney is really pretty good in general, and the meals are among what we look forward to the most when planning our trips. Can't wait to eat all of this delicious food!

Continued in Next Post

 

[annmarieda]

Week 4 of 10-miler Training
Monday, March 10, 2014 - Sunday, March 16, 2014

13.25 miles complete/13ish miles planned
47.35 miles completed in 10-miler Training so far
98.35 miles completed in 2014 so far

AWESOME job!!!!

Monday, March 10:
Feeling really good today! I got a good night of sleep despite the time change and that fact that it was Sunday (I never seem to sleep well on Sunday nights). Maybe because I ran yesterday? I’m sure that helped.

Funny how a good night sleep really plays a role in our performance. So yay for the good night sleep!!!

Also, I wore this shirt today...so that was fun. It's vintage!

So cute!!!

Tuesday, March 11:

The run was okay. I think because it was a shorter one I just wanted to get it over with quickly, so I probably pushed the pace a little more than I should. I’m trying not to feel too anxious about my pace just yet (especially during non-speedwork/-tempo runs) but it’s hard knowing that I’m not as fast as I used to be just yet. Hopefully I’ll get back there.

I too try not to feel too anxious about my pace. I try hard not to feel as though I am not improving as much as I think I should. Glad to know I am not the only one who can feel like that on occasion. At the end of the day, I remember though...if I have a good time and don't feel like I am dying then it was a successful run!

After the run I did the ab burner DVD and stretched out my legs a bit, which I need to start doing on a more regular basis. Like...more than my current schedule of once a month or whatever. Not good enough!

Ok, so you REALLY shouldn't worry about your pace because look at what else you do??!!! I have no excuse.

In other news, we’ve had pretty decent weather over the past couple of days. High of 56 yesterday! And then tomorrow...we’re supposed to get 6-8 inches of snow. What the heck?! This winter needs to END! Or maybe I just need to move to Disney. That would solve all of my problems!

We have had weird weather here too. Very warm with blue skies to VERY rainy and fairly chilly. It makes it hard to not only know how to dress but how to acclimate to the temp.

Wednesday, March 12:
We’re supposed to get this giant snowstorm today. It’s about 9:30 right now and so far it’s just been cold and rainy, but apparently it’s supposed to turn into snow - lots of it - soon. Should make for a greeeaat drive home. Will’s already had school canceled...here’s hoping it won’t take me 4 hours to get home!

I am glad it did not happen!

Thursday, March 13:

Run #2 (35-minute tempo run, 3.25 miles completed)
Not much to say about this run. Work is getting incredibly busy and stressful so I’m not in a very good mood right now! Run was fine though.

Sometimes a good run is just that... good. Nothing more nothing less.

Friday, March 14:

Run #3 (4-mile out-and-back)
52 degrees, sunny with wind

Just like my run last week, this one was a little frustrating because of all of the starting and stopping due to puddles and traffic. But at least it was nice out!

We have got a lot of rain lately. So much so that roads and rivers have begun to flood. In my neighborhood there is one section that floods and it gets too deep to just run through. Running around it is a pain because it is not just a small puddle. So I hear ya on that frustration!!!

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:41
Mile 2: 10:19
Mile 3: 10:16
Mile 4: 10:21

Total time for 4 miles: 41:37, 10:24/mile pace

Not exactly a negative split, but I’ll take it. My legs felt really tired today...I guess from lifting?

Almost negative though!! Great job!!!

Saturday, March 15:

Run #3 (4 miles on the treadmill)
Fun today today! In the early afternoon Will and I headed downtown to West Side Market, a huge indoor/outdoor market housed in an old train station. We got some cool stuff from local vendors (produce, freshly made pasta, cannolis, cupcakes) and had lots of fun walking around looking at everything. Need to come here more often!

Looks like definitely a fun day! Look at those yummies!!!

We had lunch downtown at a new place that was just so-so...we sort of felt like as a party of 2 we were getting passed over by our server and he seemed to be paying attention to the other, larger parties he was helping. Not cool!

Boo!!!

Total time for 4 miles: 41:29, 10:22ish/mile average pace. I’d been planning on taking a walk break at the beginning of miles 2 and 3, but I only ended up needed the break at the beginning of mile 3...so that’s progress I guess!

That is progress! Way to Go!!

Sunday, March 16:
Rest Day
Woohoo, another week done! Love having rest days on Sundays.

I love rest days too!! Sunday is a rest day for me as well.

We're not going to have the dining plan (just not fans of it) and after doing some number crunching, as of right now, we're not going to have Tables in Wonderland either. This is the first time in two years that we just don’t think it'll be worth it. It used to be that we'd need to spend $375 in Table Service meals to break even, but with the price increase from $75 to $100 we'd need to spend $500. Boo!!

I am considering not renewing my TIW card too. For our fall trip we will just have 4 days that we will have to pay for meals. We will be back in January and February... but I just am not sure that we will hit that $500 break even point between the trips. The first one has just 2 of us for 4 nights.. and January is 3 for 7 February may very well just be me... See where I think I may not be able to break even? I may just rely on AP and DVC discounts...

First off, I have some stuff I need to bring from home. As I said in my long run routines post, my pre-race meal of choice is a plain bagel with peanut butter, along with some coffee. I'm not going to assume that the bagel and PB will be available to me in our resort (I know there will be coffee in the room), so I'm going to head to the bagel/grocery store and stock up. So with 4 races that means 4 plain bagels + 4 containers of JIF to go (I cringe at using these small containers because they are so wasteful...but they are super convenient for race mornings and this is the only time I ever use them). In the past it's worked well to keep each bagel in its own Ziploc bag - they don't seem to get super hard that way - so that's what I'll do again.

I like the idea of prebagging the bagels. That is a great idea!!!

Besides the morning-of meals, the most important meal of the trip, in my mind, is the one the night before the marathon. It has to be something I've had before that I know won't aggravate my stomach...and for me that's an individual pepperoni pizza at Via Napoli. The crust and cheese are light and the pizza is delicious, plus - BONUS - it's in Epcot, so we can just walk to/from there to the Boardwalk. The servers are always really great about re-filling water glasses as well, which will be super important as I know I'll be chugging like crazy to stay hydrated.

Via Napoli has the BEST pizza!! Personally, I would not be able to do it before the race just because of the cheese... but YUM!! and if it works for you...

Next up - the celebration meal. Because I'm thinking positive thoughts and am assuming I'll successfully finish this challenge!

Um.. you will finish!!

So yeah...right now I'd say Sanaa or Yachtsman are the top two options, but we're both leaning heavily toward Sanaa. Or maybe we'll go back to an old Signature favorite like Jiko or Citricos. Or maybe try Hollywood Brown Derby? We'll see!

Never been to Yachtsman. Sanaa is amazing!!! I would imagine Jiko would be quite good and have heard great things about Citricos. Brown Derby? This was my post race celebration after the donald.. it was the worst meal on property my dh and I have EVER had. It was so disappointing. Everything from our tiny table that was in the walkway that barely had room for our plates on it... to the service to the food itself.

Other restaurants definitely on the list include...
Beaches and Cream - right across the lake! Decently affordable with good food, and they take ADRs now, which I actually LIKE - the first time I ate here they didn't take ADRs yet and we waited 30-40 minutes for a table. Plus...ICE CREAM. Most likely will go here for lunch AND dinner at least once

At some point I will have to try this place. I know lots of people rave about it.

Kouzzina for brunch - never tried it during this meal before and have heard great things. 10% Annual Pass discount

I always have Kouzzina as a post race breakfast. I really like this restaurant.

Yak & Yeti for lunch (Table Service) → have wanted to try this place for awhile now and it keeps getting bumped off the list...maybe this trip it will work out?? 10% AP discount

This is a neat place and if you have never been you really should try it!

The Plaza - another one that I have wanted to try for awhile that keeps getting bumped off the list, seems pretty affordable with some really tasty-looking/sounding sandwiches

Not sure why, but this one keeps getting bumped off my list too.

Starring Rolls - just tried this place for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was SHOCKINGLY good. Yes they only have a couple of sandwich options but the one I had was so delicious and refreshing that I definitely want to make the trip back. PLUS...cupcakes. Enough said. Best counter service I've had at the Studios

This is one place that tells me I am in disney. I know...weird. I suppose everyone has their place that they eat in Disney that makes it the trip. I really love this place. The turkey sandwich is my favorite.... and yes... CUPCAKES!!!

Last month's lunch at Starring Rolls:

I think that right there is my favorite meal!

Wolfgang Puck Express - Favorite counter service place on property. I wish it wasn't in Downtown Disney, but it's so good it's worth the transportation headaches. Not only does this place have an AP discount...it's a 20% discount!! What the heck?! I never knew that!

I need to remember to go back to this place. I discovered the battered burger at Cookes a couple trips back. Because it takes special effort in my mind to go to DTD, I just have been skipping WPE.

Boardwalk Bakery - haven't tried any of their lunch options, but we had breakfast sandwiches from here in January and they were awesome! Looking forward to getting another. Plus...CUPCAKES

Have you seen their menu recently? OMG! We are definitely going to make a special trip there in the fall for the sandwiches and... yes.. CUPCAKES!!!

World Showcase Counter Service - Favorites are in France and Norway. Husband loves the Morocco counter service...and since we'll be just a short walk away I have a feeling we'll be eating around the World quite a bit

I think my dh has to have a sandwich in France to make the trip for him. "simple meat and cheese on a baguette, it doesn't get better" I have yet to try the sandwiches in Norway. Are they good?

Nutella Waffle with Fruit - I NEED TO TRY THIS. It's been on my to-eat list for the past few trips and it keeps not happening. WHYYYYY.

It is SO good!! You have to go and try this. NO... you NEED TO TRY THIS!!!!! So yummy!!!!

We think the food at Disney is really pretty good in general, and the meals are among what we look forward to the most when planning our trips. Can't wait to eat all of this delicious food!

I am with you! And... after all this food talk... I am now hungry.

 

[Ariel484]

AWESOME job!!!!

Thanks!

Funny how a good night sleep really plays a role in our performance. So yay for the good night sleep!!!

YES. OMG

So cute!!!

Yeah, I feel like they used to have a better variety of stuff on the Disney Store website...now they don't really have any girly options. Apparently that's what I tend to go for!

I too try not to feel too anxious about my pace. I try hard not to feel as though I am not improving as much as I think I should. Glad to know I am not the only one who can feel like that on occasion. At the end of the day, I remember though...if I have a good time and don't feel like I am dying then it was a successful run!

I need to print out the part in bold and frame it by the treadmill! It's so hard not to put too much pressure on yourself when the numbers are right there staring you in the face, ya know??

Ok, so you REALLY shouldn't worry about your pace because look at what else you do??!!! I have no excuse.

Aw shucks!

We have had weird weather here too. Very warm with blue skies to VERY rainy and fairly chilly. It makes it hard to not only know how to dress but how to acclimate to the temp.

You too?! Somehow it makes me feel better that it's not just Ohio with the crazy weather. During my run on Friday I THOUGHT I was dressed appropriately (pants and long-sleeved top) but sometimes I felt like I was going to overheat. I'm looking forward to running in shorts again!

I am glad it did not happen!

Me too! They closed a bunch of schools around here in anticipation, and then...it just wasn't a big deal. Oops!

Sometimes a good run is just that... good. Nothing more nothing less.

Amen to that!

We have got a lot of rain lately. So much so that roads and rivers have begun to flood. In my neighborhood there is one section that floods and it gets too deep to just run through. Running around it is a pain because it is not just a small puddle. So I hear ya on that frustration!!!

Yikes! I'm not dealing with anything like that, just shallow puddles. Maybe I shouldn't complain too much, I hope things dry up for you soon!

Almost negative though!! Great job!!!

Close enough, I'll take it! Thanks!

Looks like definitely a fun day! Look at those yummies!!!

Oh yes. Those cupcakes...

Boo!!!

We've had that happen before. I hate that!!

That is progress! Way to Go!!

Thanks!

I love rest days too!! Sunday is a rest day for me as well.

LOVE having Sundays as a rest day. It's so nice to just do nothing for an entire weekend day.

I am considering not renewing my TIW card too. For our fall trip we will just have 4 days that we will have to pay for meals. We will be back in January and February... but I just am not sure that we will hit that $500 break even point between the trips. The first one has just 2 of us for 4 nights.. and January is 3 for 7 February may very well just be me... See where I think I may not be able to break even? I may just rely on AP and DVC discounts...

I totally get where you're coming from. If the card was still $75 I think the decision would be tougher for us, but with the jump to $100...not so much. I'll have to re-crunch numbers as the trip gets closer.

I like the idea of prebagging the bagels. That is a great idea!!!

I'm just very particular when it comes to my pre-run food!

Via Napoli has the BEST pizza!! Personally, I would not be able to do it before the race just because of the cheese... but YUM!! and if it works for you...

YES IT'S THE BEST. I know a lot people can't do pizza before the run...so i'm not sure why it works for me but it does. I think if there was any more cheese on it I'd be through. Maybe it's because we normally have pizza at home on Fridays and I do my long runs on Saturdays, so I'm kind of used to it?

Um.. you will finish!!

THANKS! I hope so!

Never been to Yachtsman. Sanaa is amazing!!! I would imagine Jiko would be quite good and have heard great things about Citricos. Brown Derby? This was my post race celebration after the donald.. it was the worst meal on property my dh and I have EVER had. It was so disappointing. Everything from our tiny table that was in the walkway that barely had room for our plates on it... to the service to the food itself.

I hear you on the Sanaa love! That place is so great!

Jiko was our favorite Signature for quite awhile but on our last visit in January it just didn't seem as good...so sad. Citricos is now our favorite Signature, but I'm not sure I'd want to go there without Tables in Wonderland.

OH MY GOSH. I'm SO glad you mentioned Brown Derby! It sounds like you had such an awful visit! We're definitely taking that one off the list! The menu never really interested us but I thought maybe we'd give it a shot since we'll be so close at the Boardwalk...but no. Not happening!

At some point I will have to try this place. I know lots of people rave about it.

It's so good! My brother and I went there after the marathon in 2012 and I had a burger...don't remember how it tasted though because I totally INHALED it. I had the grilled cheese with tomato soup there last month and it was SO good! And since it'll be right across the lake and is pretty affordable, it seems like a no-brainer.

I always have Kouzzina as a post race breakfast. I really like this restaurant. [/quote
Oh, awesome! Glad to hear a good review.

This is a neat place and if you have never been you really should try it!

We had a reservation there in December but canceled it because I was sick and we were going to sleep through it. Definitely on the list for this trip!

Not sure why, but this one keeps getting bumped off my list too.

Yeah, and it looks SO good too. And reasonably priced! I'm looking forward to it.

This is one place that tells me I am in disney. I know...weird. I suppose everyone has their place that they eat in Disney that makes it the trip. I really love this place. The turkey sandwich is my favorite.... and yes... CUPCAKES!!!

I think that right there is my favorite meal!

I get what you mean. I think WPE may be that place for me because somehow I always end up going there on my first day after hitting the race expos. Those sandwiches were really such a pleasant surprise! I can't wait to go back!

Surprisingly enough, I enjoyed the sandwich more than the red velvet cupcake. I think the one I got was dry, so hopefully it's better in January!

I need to remember to go back to this place. I discovered the battered burger at Cookes a couple trips back. Because it takes special effort in my mind to go to DTD, I just have been skipping WPE.

I know what you mean. I normally don't like to make special trips to DtD, but I DO like to get a personalized Christmas ornament for each trip, so normally I'll do that at their Christmas store. So if I'm there anyway then I hit WPE!

Have you seen their menu recently? OMG! We are definitely going to make a special trip there in the fall for the sandwiches and... yes.. CUPCAKES!!!

Ack, no! I need to check it out, maybe we need to go there for lunch too??

I think my dh has to have a sandwich in France to make the trip for him. "simple meat and cheese on a baguette, it doesn't get better" I have yet to try the sandwiches in Norway. Are they good?

YES to your DH! Simple is good!

If I remember correctly the Norway sandwich is apple, ham and cheese (forget what the cheese is) toasted. So good! And they are HUGE sandwiches!

It is SO good!! You have to go and try this. NO... you NEED TO TRY THIS!!!!! So yummy!!!!

That's another one that has been on the list and has gotten bumped. I WILL TRY THIS!!!

I am with you! And... after all this food talk... I am now hungry.

Me too!!!!!

 

[annmarieda]

Yeah, I feel like they used to have a better variety of stuff on the Disney Store website...now they don't really have any girly options. Apparently that's what I tend to go for!

Girly is good.

I need to print out the part in bold and frame it by the treadmill! It's so hard not to put too much pressure on yourself when the numbers are right there staring you in the face, ya know??

I do! I think being a numbers person (which I am) makes it that much harder to not get hung up on the numbers. I think there has to be a balance between enjoying the run, not putting pressure on yourself and yet also making strides towards improvement. At least for me. I guess depending on who you are and your goals...enjoyment and improvement may very well not ever factor in.

You too?! Somehow it makes me feel better that it's not just Ohio with the crazy weather. During my run on Friday I THOUGHT I was dressed appropriately (pants and long-sleeved top) but sometimes I felt like I was going to overheat. I'm looking forward to running in shorts again!

Oh yes it is here too! Thursday, I would have been more comfy in a tank top and my running skirt. Today... I am dragging my feet cause there is snow in the possible forecast.

Me too! They closed a bunch of schools around here in anticipation, and then...it just wasn't a big deal. Oops!

That is kinda what I am doing with my run today. I am procrastinating thinking it will be a big deal and probably won't turn out to be at all.

Yikes! I'm not dealing with anything like that, just shallow puddles. Maybe I shouldn't complain too much, I hope things dry up for you soon!

It happens... this is the time of year for it. It really isn't so bad except for that one huge puddle.

I totally get where you're coming from. If the card was still $75 I think the decision would be tougher for us, but with the jump to $100...not so much. I'll have to re-crunch numbers as the trip gets closer.

I hope you share what you come up with. I too need to crunch some numbers. I just think I really will be looking at not enough meals to justify. Then again.. 5 $100 meals or 10 $50 meals and we are there. We did dine at more ts restaurants this last trip and I assume we would do it again. So even with the two of us (and sometimes there will be more) 2 meals a day 11 days would surely do it. (like my loose number crunching there?)

I'm just very particular when it comes to my pre-run food!

I am too in that I have a couple things I tend to eat. Bagels and pb are one..so that idea of putting them in ziplock baggies is excellent!

YES IT'S THE BEST. I know a lot people can't do pizza before the run...so i'm not sure why it works for me but it does. I think if there was any more cheese on it I'd be through. Maybe it's because we normally have pizza at home on Fridays and I do my long runs on Saturdays, so I'm kind of used to it?

Oh! I bet that is it... you are use to it. I guess that is the key. What you are use to.

OH MY GOSH. I'm SO glad you mentioned Brown Derby! It sounds like you had such an awful visit! We're definitely taking that one off the list! The menu never really interested us but I thought maybe we'd give it a shot since we'll be so close at the Boardwalk...but no. Not happening!

I imagine it could just have been our experience though. After all... one of the reasons we were so excited was because we had read such good reviews for so long that we were so very very excited. The two really raved about menu items we got were the duck and the cob salad. Dh said one of the ways the duck was prepared was good but one was inedible (it was a duck..so many ways) My cob salad I guess I didn't realize that it is not a chopped lettuce salad. (when I think green salad I think some form of lettuce) I think it may have had some.. but it was primarily parsley. LOTS and LOTS of parsley. We did enjoy the grapefruit cake though. But yes.. the table we had didn't have enough room for us. It was tiny. It also was in a spot that I really felt was almost like an after thought... since we had people walking by us constantly to cart things to and from the (I think) kitchen. There were booths though and definitely nicer seating at tables. So read other reviews before you completely take it off your list. We were terribly disappointed.. but I like to think it was a fluke.

It's so good! My brother and I went there after the marathon in 2012 and I had a burger...don't remember how it tasted though because I totally INHALED it. I had the grilled cheese with tomato soup there last month and it was SO good! And since it'll be right across the lake and is pretty affordable, it seems like a no-brainer.

I am a HUGE burger fan. Sadly I can never get people to go out for a good burger with me. Well... my oldest ds or my dd's dh... they like burgers and will gladly join me. I may have to attempt to get my way in October on this one though.

Ack, no! I need to check it out, maybe we need to go there for lunch too??

Do check it out. I have the Disney World Magic Guide ap on my phone and it is great to be able to ooh and ahh over those menu items. Looks like lots of interesting sandwiches to choose from.

YES to your DH! Simple is good!

If I remember correctly the Norway sandwich is apple, ham and cheese (forget what the cheese is) toasted. So good! And they are HUGE sandwiches!

Apples and cheese? I am in!!!

 

[Ariel484]

Girly is good.

Agreed!...although I do have my limits. You won't catch me in a tutu, for example.

I do! I think being a numbers person (which I am) makes it that much harder to not get hung up on the numbers. I think there has to be a balance between enjoying the run, not putting pressure on yourself and yet also making strides towards improvement. At least for me. I guess depending on who you are and your goals...enjoyment and improvement may very well not ever factor in.

I'm totally a numbers person too (math major in college, statistics in grad school, statistics for my job now). It's good and bad I guess because I like being able to see improvement with running but it also makes me put a lot of pressure on myself. I probably need to look into some more fun runs for this year. Oddly I think once Dopey training starts it'll be less pressure because I don't run Disney races for time, just to finish (ESPECIALLY with Dopey)...so I won't worry about hitting the paces.

Oh yes it is here too! Thursday, I would have been more comfy in a tank top and my running skirt. Today... I am dragging my feet cause there is snow in the possible forecast.

But today is the first day of spring! That means it'll get better soon, right? RIGHT??

That is kinda what I am doing with my run today. I am procrastinating thinking it will be a big deal and probably won't turn out to be at all.

Oh man, I have been there before! Quite often the runs that I think will be terrible turn out to be awesome.

It happens... this is the time of year for it. It really isn't so bad except for that one huge puddle.

Very true. It's still a heck of a lot better than snow and ice.

I hope you share what you come up with. I too need to crunch some numbers. I just think I really will be looking at not enough meals to justify. Then again.. 5 $100 meals or 10 $50 meals and we are there. We did dine at more ts restaurants this last trip and I assume we would do it again. So even with the two of us (and sometimes there will be more) 2 meals a day 11 days would surely do it. (like my loose number crunching there?)

Here's what I was thinking with TiW...

Right now I'm booked at WDW for 3 trips (lucky me!)

Trip #1 is the cruise. We'll be at Saratoga Springs for 1 night beforehand and won't be going to the parks (I have a pass but Will does not, and we don't want to get a 1-day ticket that will only be good for a couple of hours). With Downtown Disney only a boatride away that's where we'll spend the day before the cruise - great idea by my husband. DtD has Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express, which are two of our favorites, so that'll be our possible late lunch/dinner plans, and we'll probably get SS counter service the morning of embarkation. So TiW won't do us any good for that trip.

Trip #2 is the Wine & Dine Weekend with my friends. I don't know what any of our dining plans will be yet, but I told them I for sure want to eat at Via Napoli for an early dinner the day of the races. I know I will get the individual pepperoni there and just drink lots of water...no dessert. So that's $19. Last month when we were in Disney together we ate a lot of counter service meals, so if we do that again TiW won't do me much good. But let's just say we have, I don't know, 2 other Table Service meals...so ballpark (just to have a number to work with) let's say the total spent for this trip is $70 for me to have 3 Table Service meals.

Trip #3 is Dopey Weekend. Of the meals I'm planning, the ones that are TiW-eligible are Beaches and Cream x 2, Via Napoli, Sanaa, Kouzzina brunch and The Plaza. Any other meals I'm planning don't qualify for TiW. In quickly looking at the menus for those places I'm going to guess that we'll spend about $250 on Table Service meals for this trip (and that's with me looking at the menus, gauging what I think we'll order and added an extra $5-$10 to each meal for some wiggle room).

So when I was looking at this I was trying to overestimate what I thought we'd spend and we're at $320 - still sort of far away from that $500 break-even point. If the card was still $75 I'd have to think harder about getting it, as the break-even would be $375. I'm not sure what we're planning for 2015 after Dopey (my hope is a trip to California/Disneyland and possibly another cruise) but right now TiW just won't do it for us. I'll have to remember to use that AP discount whenever I can.

I am too in that I have a couple things I tend to eat. Bagels and pb are one..so that idea of putting them in ziplock baggies is excellent!

I'm sure by the time I get to the marathon that bagel may be a little hard but it's worked out well for other Disney races.

Oh! I bet that is it... you are use to it. I guess that is the key. What you are use to.

Just another way to train!

I imagine it could just have been our experience though. After all... one of the reasons we were so excited was because we had read such good reviews for so long that we were so very very excited. The two really raved about menu items we got were the duck and the cob salad. Dh said one of the ways the duck was prepared was good but one was inedible (it was a duck..so many ways) My cob salad I guess I didn't realize that it is not a chopped lettuce salad. (when I think green salad I think some form of lettuce) I think it may have had some.. but it was primarily parsley. LOTS and LOTS of parsley. We did enjoy the grapefruit cake though. But yes.. the table we had didn't have enough room for us. It was tiny. It also was in a spot that I really felt was almost like an after thought... since we had people walking by us constantly to cart things to and from the (I think) kitchen. There were booths though and definitely nicer seating at tables. So read other reviews before you completely take it off your list. We were terribly disappointed.. but I like to think it was a fluke.

UGH. Well, like I said, we didn't really have our hearts set on this place - just considered it because it'll be close to our resort. I'll have to read more about it.

I am a HUGE burger fan. Sadly I can never get people to go out for a good burger with me. Well... my oldest ds or my dd's dh... they like burgers and will gladly join me. I may have to attempt to get my way in October on this one though.

It's good and decently priced too, I think. I hope you get to try it!

Do check it out. I have the Disney World Magic Guide ap on my phone and it is great to be able to ooh and ahh over those menu items. Looks like lots of interesting sandwiches to choose from.

Just looked at the menu...fresh mozzarella focaccia sounds YUM. Very nice.

Apples and cheese? I am in!!!

YES! They had good soup there too when we went a few years about...not sure if they still have it. And good desserts, of course!

 

[annmarieda]

Agreed!...although I do have my limits. You won't catch me in a tutu, for example.

Tutus are so cute though... I just think that they look better on some people than on.. well, than on me. Add in that they are bulky...and I just don't think they are for me. Never say never though... but a simple skirt is probably more my speed.

I'm totally a numbers person too (math major in college, statistics in grad school, statistics for my job now). It's good and bad I guess because I like being able to see improvement with running but it also makes me put a lot of pressure on myself. I probably need to look into some more fun runs for this year. Oddly I think once Dopey training starts it'll be less pressure because I don't run Disney races for time, just to finish (ESPECIALLY with Dopey)...so I won't worry about hitting the paces.

Do you check your time though for the Dopey? I am just too crazy... I can not see myself ever getting to a place were I would not check to see what my finish time was.

But today is the first day of spring! That means it'll get better soon, right? RIGHT??

I sure hope so!!

Oh man, I have been there before! Quite often the runs that I think will be terrible turn out to be awesome.

And sometimes a good run is just a change of attitude or how we approach the run. Today.. my pace sucked, but I got the distance done I wanted to and didn't have to walk AND felt great in the end. So while my pace was no where near I wanted and thus in some ways could have been looked at as a bad run... all other aspects were awesome.

Very true. It's still a heck of a lot better than snow and ice.

Here's what I was thinking with TiW...

Right now I'm booked at WDW for 3 trips (lucky me!)

Trip #1 is the cruise. We'll be at Saratoga Springs for 1 night beforehand and won't be going to the parks (I have a pass but Will does not, and we don't want to get a 1-day ticket that will only be good for a couple of hours). With Downtown Disney only a boatride away that's where we'll spend the day before the cruise - great idea by my husband. DtD has Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express, which are two of our favorites, so that'll be our possible late lunch/dinner plans, and we'll probably get SS counter service the morning of embarkation. So TiW won't do us any good for that trip.

Trip #2 is the Wine & Dine Weekend with my friends. I don't know what any of our dining plans will be yet, but I told them I for sure want to eat at Via Napoli for an early dinner the day of the races. I know I will get the individual pepperoni there and just drink lots of water...no dessert. So that's $19. Last month when we were in Disney together we ate a lot of counter service meals, so if we do that again TiW won't do me much good. But let's just say we have, I don't know, 2 other Table Service meals...so ballpark (just to have a number to work with) let's say the total spent for this trip is $70 for me to have 3 Table Service meals.

Trip #3 is Dopey Weekend. Of the meals I'm planning, the ones that are TiW-eligible are Beaches and Cream x 2, Via Napoli, Sanaa, Kouzzina brunch and The Plaza. Any other meals I'm planning don't qualify for TiW. In quickly looking at the menus for those places I'm going to guess that we'll spend about $250 on Table Service meals for this trip (and that's with me looking at the menus, gauging what I think we'll order and added an extra $5-$10 to each meal for some wiggle room).

So when I was looking at this I was trying to overestimate what I thought we'd spend and we're at $320 - still sort of far away from that $500 break-even point. If the card was still $75 I'd have to think harder about getting it, as the break-even would be $375. I'm not sure what we're planning for 2015 after Dopey (my hope is a trip to California/Disneyland and possibly another cruise) but right now TiW just won't do it for us. I'll have to remember to use that AP discount whenever I can.

I think what you are saying makes perfect sense! I think I am going to have to look at some menus because i am not seeing that many TIW meals that we will be having in October. January we would likely have more..and that would leave February. (if I still decide to go)

 

[Ariel484]

Tutus are so cute though... I just think that they look better on some people than on.. well, than on me. Add in that they are bulky...and I just don't think they are for me. Never say never though... but a simple skirt is probably more my speed.

I think I'm more of a SparkleSkirts type of gal.

Do you check your time though for the Dopey? I am just too crazy... I can not see myself ever getting to a place were I would not check to see what my finish time was.

Oh yeah, I check it, but I don't try to, like, PR or anything at the Disney races. I'm one of those people that brings a camera and stops for almost all of the character stops. So my actual half marathon PR (when running one at home) is about 45 minutes faster than my half marathon PR at Disney, if that makes sense. It makes me wonder what my marathon time would be if I ran one at home without the characters out to distract me.

I sure hope so!!

And sometimes a good run is just a change of attitude or how we approach the run. Today.. my pace sucked, but I got the distance done I wanted to and didn't have to walk AND felt great in the end. So while my pace was no where near I wanted and thus in some ways could have been looked at as a bad run... all other aspects were awesome.

Hooray! That's a good way to look at it! These training cycles are so long, it's hard to survive them if you just dwell on the negatives.

I think what you are saying makes perfect sense! I think I am going to have to look at some menus because i am not seeing that many TIW meals that we will be having in October. January we would likely have more..and that would leave February. (if I still decide to go)

Yeah, I think it would be different if it were more than just the two of us. If we had kiddos I'm sure we'd go for TiW again.

 

[Ariel484]

Week 5 of 10-miler Training
Monday, March 17, 2014 - Sunday, March 23, 2014

19.75 miles complete/19ish miles planned
67.1 miles completed in 10-miler Training so far
118.1 miles completed in 2014 so far

Monday, March 17: Strength Training (ChaLEAN Extreme Burn 2)
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I feel like a bad Irish lass admitting that I'm not doing anything to celebrate today. I did the day-long downtown festivities way back in 2007 when I was still in grad school, but I think those days are behind me now. Ah well. At least I'm wearing my Celtic knot earrings today!

This morning I did my last round of Burn Circuit 2. It went okay but I accidentally skipped one of the exercises (I have the video ripped to my phone) and ended up doing the next one at a weight less than what I had originally planned. I didn't realize it until I was done with the set...darn! And here I thought I was getting so strong, haha!

One more Burn circuit and then it's on to the Push phase!

Tonight I tried a new recipe for dinner from the SkinnyTaste blog. Lots of her recipes are staples for us, but this one might be my favorite yet. It's the Cajun Chicken Pasta...it sort of took a long time to make but oh my...SO GOOD. I ate way too much of that!

Also, THIS came in the mail today...I'm surprised it's here so early. But still, YAY!

Tuesday, March 18: Run #1 (3 miles on the treadmill)
I really didn't want to do this run today, but it turned out great! I felt pretty good the whole time, varied the speed a lot and finished without any walk breaks. Here's the "workout" I used for today:

0.5 miles @ 5.8 MPH
0.5 miles @ 6.0 MPH
0.5 miles @ 6.2 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.3 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.2 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.1 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.0MPH
0.25 miles @ 5.9 MPH
0.25 miles @ 5.8 MPH

It took me exactly 30 minutes to finish 3 miles...10:00/mile pace. Great way to start the day!

One thing I noticed today and last night is that my hamstrings are SORE. I'm thinking from all of the deadlifts I did yesterday. I've never had that from deadlifts so this is probably the first time I've ever done them correctly. Yay?

Wednesday, March 19: Strength Training (ChaLEAN Extreme Burn 2)
Last workout of the Burn circuit! It was a good one, but lots of leg stuff with heavy weights. That's probably going to make my speedwork run tough tomorrow.

Thursday, March 20: Run #2 (6x800 @ 5K pace with warm-up/cooldown and 0.25-mile rest intervals...4.75 miles total)

I'll probably say this every time I write about a speed workout, but I was soooo dreading this one and it was really challenging!

Actually, that's not true. The first three half-mile repeats felt really good. I could definitely feel the effects of having lifted the day before, but it seemed to get better with each mile repeat. When I have those 0.25-mile rest intervals I will walk about 0.10 miles of it and then jog the rest so I don't go from slow walking right to speed work pace. Well, after the third 0.5-mile repeat I decided to walk most of the rest interval (0.20 miles followed by 0.05 miles of jogging). I thought the extended walking would give me some extra energy for the second half of the workout. BAD IDEA! I'm thinking my body interpreted the extra walking to mean that the workout was done and it was cooldown time, because during 0.5-repeat #4 things got difficult. Suddenly I just felt stiff and my legs felt heavy. #5 was even worse and I really had to start encouraging myself ("You’re making yourself stronger!"..."You're going to feel great when this is done!"..."This is a great way to start the day!" You know, any corny thing I could think of. #6 was good though...I think the knowledge that it was the last one and I'd be done in 4 minutes or whatever helped a LOT.

The workout took about 52 minutes (good thing I got to the gym a little earlier than usual!) and was 4.75 miles total. But while I struggle with the speed work and tempo runs I always find them the most satisfying to complete, and now I feel awesome. It really WAS a great start to the day. So corny!

Today was also weigh-in day, and I'm down 0.8 pounds...so I'm back to where I was before leaving for Disney in February. I've had some small goals in mind for this year and I wonder if it'll help me out to write them here?...hmm.

Goal #1: Lose 5 pounds by June 13. Why June 13? That is my cousin's wedding, and I'm part of the wedding party. She decided she wanted each of us to buy a black dress of our choosing, and I found an AWESOME one from J Crew. It fits and looks good, but I know it could look better...and I'd rather not have to buy Spanx or something. This seems like a reasonable goal. Plus, we have our cruise at the end of July, so that's extra added motivation.

Goal #2: Lose another 5 pounds before the Wine & Dine trip. Of course if this does happen I'll probably just put it right back on in Disney thanks to cupcakes and booze.

Goal #3: Keep whatever weight I have lost OFF. This has been an issue for me in the past and lately I've been losing and gaining the same 1-2 pounds.

We'll see what happens!

Friday, March 21: Run #3 (5 mile-loop)
37 degrees with some sun and a little bit of wind

This was one of THOSE runs. The kind where you finish, look at your watch and go, "HOLY CRAP, where did that come from?! That was awesome!" I haven't had one of those in a looooong time so this is one I'm going to cherish for awhile.

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:22
Mile 2: 9:59 → I remember seeing this split come up on my watch and thinking I was going to pay for it later because I'd run this mile WAY too fast
Mile 3: 10:20 → 1-minute walk break at the beginning of this mile
Mile 4: 9:31 → "What the what?!"
Mile 5: 9:59 → 1-minute walk break at the beginning of this mile

Total time for 5 miles: 50:10, 10:02/mile pace

And the great thing is that while this run was challenging, it was also good. Like really good. I felt strong and recovered pretty quickly during the walk breaks. Maybe this strength training and speedwork are paying off?! Maybe I'm getting back into shape again??? Yay!

Also, this came in the mail today - my shirt for the Wine & Dine half. Yes, the race is 8 months away, but when Raw Threads has a sale, you pounce.

Now I just need a sweet beer-themed Sweaty Band and I'll be set (already have a skirt that I'll wear).

Saturday, March 22: Run #4 (7-mile out-and-back)
39 degrees, overcast with some wind

Pretty good run today! Just like yesterday I found myself wanting to run faster than I know I should be...I think all of the runs except for the speedwork and tempo runs are supposed to be at a "conversational" pace and that certainly wasn't the case yesterday or today. Oh well!

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:15
Mile 2: 10:15
Mile 3: 10:40 --> 1-minute walk/water break at the beginning of this mile
Mile 4: 10:19
Mile 5: 11:39 --> walk/water/Gu Chomp break at the beginning of this mile. The Gu Chomps were the second half of the bag I used during that 8-miler 2 weeks ago...I'd stowed them in a Ziploc baggie and between then and now they got sort of hard and when I ate them here they got stuck in my teeth, so I walked more until I got it out. Good story, right?
Mile 6: 10:04
Mile 7: 10:23 --> 1-minute walk/water break at the beginning of this mile

Total time for 7 miles: 1:13:37, 10:31/mile pace

Took a picture to send to my brother!

Maybe this wasn't too fast then. I was hoping to keep between a 10:30 and 10:45 average pace and I did that. Woohoo!

Musical selections for today's run included the Innoventions Plaza Area music loop and Fantasmic! The part at the end where the characters come out on the boat during Fantasmic! fell right when I was on the last 0.10 miles of the run and as ridiculous as it sounds I actually teared up a bit. That music gets me EVERY TIME. That and the score to Spectromagic! (RIP.)

Also...it felt a LOT colder today than it did yesterday, even though it was a couple of degrees warmer. That sun makes a difference!

I think I've turned a corner this week with the running. The way I feel now compared to how I felt after my last long run is like night and day. I feel good!

Dinner date with the husband this evening. This was the view...the skyline and a very frozen Lake Erie. Fun!

Sunday, March 23: Rest Day
Haircut and other errands. Fun times.

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Trip Plans - Small Dining Change

Breaking news...Kouzzina is closing on September 30!

We've only been here once for dinner right after it opened and weren't too impressed, but I'd heard such great things about the breakfast that I was looking forward to trying that after the half marathon. It sounds like a new restaurant will open in its place...so what to do? Try the new place or figure something else out entirely? Hmm...

At this point I'm leaning toward making an ADR somewhere else and then waiting to hear reviews of the new place. I'm still hoping to stay close to our resort...unfortunately most of the options are buffets that are PRICEY (Cape May Cafe, Akershus, Hollywood & Vine). The only non-buffet option I can think of in the Epcot resort area is Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club. Or maybe we should just head to a different resort for breakfast? I've wanted to try The Wave for awhile now, and Kona Cafe is always a great option. Grand Floridian Cafe looks interesting too. Decisions, decisions...

Continued in Next Post

 

[annmarieda]

Ok- so I have to read all of your update... But I just caught the first part with "kouzinna is closing" as in for good!?!? As in I can't use it as post race breakfast any more?!?!?

 

[Ariel484]

Ok- so I have to read all of your update... But I just caught the first part with "kouzinna is closing" as in for good!?!? As in I can't use it as post race breakfast any more?!?!?

Apparently so! I read it on WDWMagic (pretty sure I can't post the link here). Final day of operation is September 30, 2014 and a new restaurant will open in late 2014. That's not a lot of time to put a new place in!

I'm disappointed, I was looking forward to trying their breakfast!

ETA: Someone else posted the link on this thread.

 

[annmarieda]

 

[Ariel484]

 

[annmarieda]

It's fine . There is always a positive way to look at things. This will give me the opportunity to find a different place to try for breakfast.

 

[annmarieda]

I think I'm more of a SparkleSkirts type of gal.

I just wish they were not as spendy as they are.

Oh yeah, I check it, but I don't try to, like, PR or anything at the Disney races. I'm one of those people that brings a camera and stops for almost all of the character stops. So my actual half marathon PR (when running one at home) is about 45 minutes faster than my half marathon PR at Disney, if that makes sense. It makes me wonder what my marathon time would be if I ran one at home without the characters out to distract me.

I don't run other halfs. Maybe I should... then perhaps I could relax more about my time when doing a Disney race. Honestly though, I like to see the characters on the course but I doubt even if I wasn't trying to better my last time that I would stop. I get going and I just want to get it done... stopping for a character means remaining on the course longer than I think I have time for.

Hooray! That's a good way to look at it! These training cycles are so long, it's hard to survive them if you just dwell on the negatives.

Agreed!

Yeah, I think it would be different if it were more than just the two of us. If we had kiddos I'm sure we'd go for TiW again.

Well, now I am back to thinking I won't renew it. Sometimes I need to just figure out a plan and stick with it. I drive myself and other completely bonkers with it....

Week 5 of 10-miler Training
Monday, March 17, 2014 - Sunday, March 23, 2014

19.75 miles complete/19ish miles planned
67.1 miles completed in 10-miler Training so far
118.1 miles completed in 2014 so far

Good Job!!!!

Monday, March 17: Strength Training (ChaLEAN Extreme Burn 2)


One more Burn circuit and then it's on to the Push phase!

Way to not only stick to your plan but finish this phase of it!!

Also, THIS came in the mail today...I'm surprised it's here so early. But still, YAY!

Isn't the new mickey mail fun? I love how it gives you the important dates to remember. (including your trip start date as if you could forget that one. )

Tuesday, March 18: Run #1 (3 miles on the treadmill)
I really didn't want to do this run today, but it turned out great! I felt pretty good the whole time, varied the speed a lot and finished without any walk breaks. Here's the "workout" I used for today:

0.5 miles @ 5.8 MPH
0.5 miles @ 6.0 MPH
0.5 miles @ 6.2 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.3 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.2 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.1 MPH
0.25 miles @ 6.0MPH
0.25 miles @ 5.9 MPH
0.25 miles @ 5.8 MPH

It took me exactly 30 minutes to finish 3 miles...10:00/mile pace. Great way to start the day!

Just a great example of how you can go into a run thinking you are gonna have a bad run and end up doing awesome!!

One thing I noticed today and last night is that my hamstrings are SORE. I'm thinking from all of the deadlifts I did yesterday. I've never had that from deadlifts so this is probably the first time I've ever done them correctly. Yay?

Not knowing what a deadlift is exactly I will go ahead and say

Wednesday, March 19: Strength Training (ChaLEAN Extreme Burn 2)
Last workout of the Burn circuit! It was a good one, but lots of leg stuff with heavy weights. That's probably going to make my speedwork run tough tomorrow.

Again, congrats on getting to that last workout!!

Thursday, March 20: Run #2 (6x800 @ 5K pace with warm-up/cooldown and 0.25-mile rest intervals...4.75 miles total)

I'll probably say this every time I write about a speed workout, but I was soooo dreading this one and it was really challenging!

Actually, that's not true. The first three half-mile repeats felt really good. I could definitely feel the effects of having lifted the day before, but it seemed to get better with each mile repeat. When I have those 0.25-mile rest intervals I will walk about 0.10 miles of it and then jog the rest so I don't go from slow walking right to speed work pace. Well, after the third 0.5-mile repeat I decided to walk most of the rest interval (0.20 miles followed by 0.05 miles of jogging). I thought the extended walking would give me some extra energy for the second half of the workout. BAD IDEA! I'm thinking my body interpreted the extra walking to mean that the workout was done and it was cooldown time, because during 0.5-repeat #4 things got difficult. Suddenly I just felt stiff and my legs felt heavy. #5 was even worse and I really had to start encouraging myself ("You’re making yourself stronger!"..."You're going to feel great when this is done!"..."This is a great way to start the day!" You know, any corny thing I could think of. #6 was good though...I think the knowledge that it was the last one and I'd be done in 4 minutes or whatever helped a LOT.

Oh yes... the mind games we play with ourselves! Sounds like it worked though.. cause you got through it.

The workout took about 52 minutes (good thing I got to the gym a little earlier than usual!) and was 4.75 miles total. But while I struggle with the speed work and tempo runs I always find them the most satisfying to complete, and now I feel awesome. It really WAS a great start to the day. So corny!

Nothing better than a good run to start your day!!

Today was also weigh-in day, and I'm down 0.8 pounds...so I'm back to where I was before leaving for Disney in February. I've had some small goals in mind for this year and I wonder if it'll help me out to write them here?...hmm.

I find writing things down on dis helps me to organize my thoughts.

Goal #1: Lose 5 pounds by June 13. Why June 13? That is my cousin's wedding, and I'm part of the wedding party. She decided she wanted each of us to buy a black dress of our choosing, and I found an AWESOME one from J Crew. It fits and looks good, but I know it could look better...and I'd rather not have to buy Spanx or something. This seems like a reasonable goal. Plus, we have our cruise at the end of July, so that's extra added motivation.

You can do it!

Goal #2: Lose another 5 pounds before the Wine & Dine trip. Of course if this does happen I'll probably just put it right back on in Disney thanks to cupcakes and booze.

I think the spacing of #1 and #2 makes it totally achievable!

Goal #3: Keep whatever weight I have lost OFF. This has been an issue for me in the past and lately I've been losing and gaining the same 1-2 pounds.

I think that is a tough one for most people!

Friday, March 21: Run #3 (5 mile-loop)
37 degrees with some sun and a little bit of wind

This was one of THOSE runs. The kind where you finish, look at your watch and go, "HOLY CRAP, where did that come from?! That was awesome!" I haven't had one of those in a looooong time so this is one I'm going to cherish for awhile.

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:22
Mile 2: 9:59 → I remember seeing this split come up on my watch and thinking I was going to pay for it later because I'd run this mile WAY too fast
Mile 3: 10:20 → 1-minute walk break at the beginning of this mile
Mile 4: 9:31 → "What the what?!"
Mile 5: 9:59 → 1-minute walk break at the beginning of this mile

Total time for 5 miles: 50:10, 10:02/mile pace

Look at you!!!

And the great thing is that while this run was challenging, it was also good. Like really good. I felt strong and recovered pretty quickly during the walk breaks. Maybe this strength training and speedwork are paying off?! Maybe I'm getting back into shape again??? Yay!

Looks like you are really getting back in shape! Good for you!!

Also, this came in the mail today - my shirt for the Wine & Dine half. Yes, the race is 8 months away, but when Raw Threads has a sale, you pounce.

Fun shirt! I agree... when they have a sale you have to pounce.

Saturday, March 22: Run #4 (7-mile out-and-back)
39 degrees, overcast with some wind

Pretty good run today! Just like yesterday I found myself wanting to run faster than I know I should be...I think all of the runs except for the speedwork and tempo runs are supposed to be at a "conversational" pace and that certainly wasn't the case yesterday or today. Oh well!

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:15
Mile 2: 10:15
Mile 3: 10:40 --> 1-minute walk/water break at the beginning of this mile
Mile 4: 10:19
Mile 5: 11:39 --> walk/water/Gu Chomp break at the beginning of this mile. The Gu Chomps were the second half of the bag I used during that 8-miler 2 weeks ago...I'd stowed them in a Ziploc baggie and between then and now they got sort of hard and when I ate them here they got stuck in my teeth, so I walked more until I got it out. Good story, right?
Mile 6: 10:04
Mile 7: 10:23 --> 1-minute walk/water break at the beginning of this mile

Total time for 7 miles: 1:13:37, 10:31/mile pace

Another great run! Awesome job

Maybe this wasn't too fast then. I was hoping to keep between a 10:30 and 10:45 average pace and I did that. Woohoo!

Don't you love when you can manage your pace? I love when I tell myself what my I want to keep my pace at and my body listens.

I think I've turned a corner this week with the running. The way I feel now compared to how I felt after my last long run is like night and day. I feel good!

I am so glad you are feeling better than you did.

Dinner date with the husband this evening. This was the view...the skyline and a very frozen Lake Erie. Fun!

Brrr... everything looks cold

Sunday, March 23: Rest Day
Haircut and other errands. Fun times.

yay for a rest day! You certainly deserved it!!!

At this point I'm leaning toward making an ADR somewhere else and then waiting to hear reviews of the new place. I'm still hoping to stay close to our resort...unfortunately most of the options are buffets that are PRICEY (Cape May Cafe, Akershus, Hollywood & Vine). The only non-buffet option I can think of in the Epcot resort area is Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club. Or maybe we should just head to a different resort for breakfast? I've wanted to try The Wave for awhile now, and Kona Cafe is always a great option. Grand Floridian Cafe looks interesting too. Decisions, decisions...

I am thinking I may just end up eating at Olivias before we check out of OKW... they have some good options. Not as good as Kouzzina... but it might be a good compromise given we are checking out. Course... Captains Grille isn't too far from the BW. Maybe that would work nicely.

I agree... decisions, decisions....

 

[Ariel484]

It's fine . There is always a positive way to look at things. This will give me the opportunity to find a different place to try for breakfast.

That is very true! Glass half-full!

I just wish they were not as spendy as they are.

Totally agree with you on that. I'm trying to take extra super good care of mine so that they last for a long time. I'm also try to stick to buying solid colors because they go with more tops and I feel like I'd possibly get sick of some crazy pattern (example - one of mine is multi-colored polka dot - not THAT crazy - that I loved when I got it but I'm kind of meh on it now).

I don't run other halfs. Maybe I should... then perhaps I could relax more about my time when doing a Disney race. Honestly though, I like to see the characters on the course but I doubt even if I wasn't trying to better my last time that I would stop. I get going and I just want to get it done... stopping for a character means remaining on the course longer than I think I have time for.

That's a great thing about running - we can all have our different goals and none of us are wrong! If you want to run hard at Disney races, go for it. I know now everyone understands stopping for characters, but it's a big part of the races for me.

Agreed!

Well, now I am back to thinking I won't renew it. Sometimes I need to just figure out a plan and stick with it. I drive myself and other completely bonkers with it....

I don't blame you for going back and forth over it...I still am in a way. Just want to get the best deal! This will be the first time we'll be paying out of pocket without a Tables in Wonderland card, so it definitely feels weird.

Good Job!!!!

Way to not only stick to your plan but finish this phase of it!!

Thanks!! I am liking it a lot more than I expected!

Isn't the new mickey mail fun? I love how it gives you the important dates to remember. (including your trip start date as if you could forget that one. )

It totally is! I was shocked that I got it so early. But YAY!

Just a great example of how you can go into a run thinking you are gonna have a bad run and end up doing awesome!!

Yes! I love when that happens!

Not knowing what a deadlift is exactly I will go ahead and say

Again, congrats on getting to that last workout!!

This is a deadlift:

Every other time I have done one I've felt it in my back and not my hamstrings, which means I've been doing it improperly up until that last workout! Ooops!

Oh yes... the mind games we play with ourselves! Sounds like it worked though.. cause you got through it.

Nothing better than a good run to start your day!!

I used to do all of my runs on the treadmill, the same speed for the entire run, and now I'm like...how did I do that?! I get SO bored now!

I find writing things down on dis helps me to organize my thoughts.

You can do it!

I think the spacing of #1 and #2 makes it totally achievable!

I think that is a tough one for most people!

I hope I can! Weight loss SUCKS!

Look at you!!!

Looks like you are really getting back in shape! Good for you!!

Thanks! I'm glad to feel like I'm doing SOMETHING right.

Fun shirt! I agree... when they have a sale you have to pounce.

Yeah, those shirts are pricey! They are nice though!

Another great run! Awesome job

Don't you love when you can manage your pace? I love when I tell myself what my I want to keep my pace at and my body listens.

I am so glad you are feeling better than you did.

Yes, definitely! I wish I was a little better at just "feeling" the right pace, but the watch helps a lot.

Brrr... everything looks cold

It is. Low 30s today but it feels like 20! I think we're supposed to be back up into the mid-50s next week though.

yay for a rest day! You certainly deserved it!!!

Rest days are great...not gonna lie!

I am thinking I may just end up eating at Olivias before we check out of OKW... they have some good options. Not as good as Kouzzina... but it might be a good compromise given we are checking out. Course... Captains Grille isn't too far from the BW. Maybe that would work nicely.

I agree... decisions, decisions....

I've never been to Olivia's...actually I've never been to OKW, period. I've read trip reports where people ate a Olivia's and it looks really good!

I sent my husband links to menus for The Wave, Grand Floridian Cafe and Captain's Grille. Originally he picked GF Cafe but then thought it through a little more and wants to go to Captain's Grille instead...just because it's right there. They have some interesting stuff on their menu (dark chocolate waffle??? YUM!). So hooray for a new place!

 

[Ariel484]

July 2014 Cruise Update - Flights Booked!

I'm kind of in a holding pattern with my Wine & Dine and Dopey trips, but I am planning one other Disney-related trip this year...a 4-night Bahamian Cruise on the Disney Dream!

I did this same itinerary in September with my friends and had a blast. This time it's going to be just me and Will sailing, and I am SO excited!...

...and a little nervous. Because I know WILL is nervous. The thought of being on a boat in the middle of the ocean skeeves him out a bit, so he must really love me to have agreed to try this out. I'm planning on booking our next cruise while on board (I'm optimistic that he'll like it and want to cruise again ) and was hoping a Mediterranean cruise would work with our dates, but itineraries were just released today for the summer and it looks like a Western Caribbean will work better. I'm not complaining about this (because HELLO, the Caribbean!), but I want that Med cruise to happen someday!

I think this trip will be coming at the perfect time. I'm sure I'll need a vacation by then (work = super stressful lately) and Will will have just finished up a semester of grad school classes (about 16 hours per week for 5 weeks - yikes!). It'll be so nice to relax for a few days, just the two of us.

Castaway Cay...aka HEAVEN

We can begin doing online check-in on April 21, so I need to pay the rest of the cruise off before then - I'll probably do that sometime this week. This is important because we want to have dinner at Palo and Remy, as well as brunch at Palo, so I want to be able to book those as soon as we can!

My Palo entree from September...amazing!

I had a couple of flights I'd been watching and they dropped in price yesterday by about $20 or $30, so I grabbed them. Our flights down are booked on points and we're paying for the flights back, so it's costing about $310 round-trip for both of us.

We'll be at Saratoga Springs for 1 night before our cruise, staying on rented points. A new resort for us! We won't go to the parks at all but we will spend the day at Downtown Disney.

We will feast at Wolfgang Puck Express...oh yes.

So what about running?

In September I actually did get up to run one morning in the gym on the Dream, so I'm hoping to do that again. I also ran the Castaway Cay 5K...so I thought I did pretty well working out 2 mornings. I'm hoping for the same this time, but I doubt I'll do the 5K again. It was one of those things that I'm glad I did once, but the course was disappointing to me - I was hoping we'd see more of the island. Plus since we're sailing at the end of July it'll be HOT HOT HOT. I will probably just stick to the treadmill!

Continued in Next Post

 

[RnbwSktles]

Also, this came in the mail today - my shirt for the Wine & Dine half. Yes, the race is 8 months away, but when Raw Threads has a sale, you pounce.

Now I just need a sweet beer-themed Sweaty Band and I'll be set (already have a skirt that I'll wear).

I love RawThreads! I bought this shirt in gray for the Yuengling Brewery 5k I am doing on April 12. I already have a Yuengling Bondiband and some sweet beer socks (they just say Beer on them and the color doesn't match anything else at all )

I'm thinking I need to get the Red Queen shirt (I'm a redhead)

 

[ZellyB]

Woohoo on your cruise!! I hope you have a great time and that Will ends up loving it. I also really want to do a Med cruise at some point.

And, I've never heard of Raw Threads before. Great, yet another place for me to spend money on running clothes.