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

[KelleyK75]

Love your bag and all of the other merch! I would definitely have to buy some.

 

[Ariel484]

Love the D&B bag.

Me tooooooo I'm anxious to see what they come up with for this year.

I'm usually a real cheapskate when it comes to purses because I tend to get bored with them quickly.

I have to say, the Dooneys are really well-made. Expensive, yes, but they are good quality. I have a Disney Sketch tote that I've had for a few years now, and it's a bit dirty (because it's white) but otherwise it's in great condition. Lately they haven't had any Dooney patterns that I've liked (although I do think the retro WDW pattern is pretty adorable), which is probably good for my bank account. I LOVED the WDW 40th anniversary pattern but they sold out of if before I could buy one.

When Disney briefly had those Vera Bradley bags I was super lucky to score one and have been using that as my daily bag since November. Unfortunately the corners are starting to rip...it was quite a bit cheaper than the Dooneys but I guess you get what you pay for.

But, if they actually did do some kind of Goofy print, I might be obligated to get one. Better start setting some money aside for that. Although, by the time we arrive at the Expo they would probably all be gone. Is the expo the only place to buy them?

The expo and eBay (boooo to people that buy up stuff at the expo just to sell it later!!!). When I got that bag in 2013, though, I was able to pre-order it ahead of time, similar to what they have available for the pins, necklaces and jackets. So after I went to bib pick-up and the expo I went to a separate area to pick up the bag. It was GLORIOUS - just walked into an empty room, showed them my confirmation and they brought out 4-5 bags for me to choose from. I'm not sure if that's what they did last year but I REALLY hope that's what they do this year. I'm also not sure why they can't do something similar for the runDisney shoes. I know people have to get fitted and whatnot, but that virtual queue sounded like a mess to me.

Love your bag and all of the other merch! I would definitely have to buy some.

OMG...the shopping at the expo. I'll do a separate post at some point about the merch I plan to buy. It ain't gonna be pretty. Good-bye money!!!

 

[annmarieda]

RACE RECAP: 2014 Cleveland 10-Miler
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Weather: 54 degrees, sunny with some wind

This is the 5th year I have run this race, and it holds a lot of history for me.

That is quite the accomplishment running 5 years in a row!

This is the first long-distance race I've ever run and it had been on my radar for awhile. I'd been running since spring of 2008 (I think) and was finally making some decent progress toward the end of 2009. Then in January 2010 I fell down some stairs at my house and couldn't walk for a week - I was depressed and could feel all of the gains I'd made running-wise slipping away. By the time I could run again I'd gained weight (emotional eating?) and lost endurance, but I stubbornly signed up for the 10-miler anyway. The race was HORRIBLE - I finished in 2:00:42 (12:00/mile pace), which isn't a bad time at all...but the whole thing was such a struggle (and, I'll be honest, I was annoyed that I'd been so close to getting under the 2-hour mark just to miss it ). I'd come to the race with my brother, cousin and a friend, and knowing that they had waited for me at the finish for probably 15-20 minutes was humiliating. I felt sad, embarrassed and out of shape. I hadn't drank any water on the course or taken in any fuel, so I was also incredibly nauseous and exhausted. I felt sick and awful all day.

That sounds just horrible... but what doesn't kill us helps us to learn, yes? BTW, my second race ever was the ToT 10 miler. I know that there are often different goals for a disney race...but lets just say you are not the only one to have finished your first 10 miler in over 2 hours. I think my finish time was closer to 3.

I reflect back on that first 10-miler in 2010 a lot, probably more than any other race I've run. I think it was really a catalyst for me in a lot of ways - after it was over I found myself determined to get better at this running thing. I started researching how to fuel and drink during runs, how to get faster, and more distance races to sign up for. And I kept coming back to this one, trying to get better. 2011 showed a slight improvement (1:54:11, 11:24/mile pace), but I didn't see the big gains in pace until 2012 (1:39:07, 9:54/mile pace - right after I'd lost about 30 pounds) and 2013 (1:37:15, 9:44/mile pace) - by then running had become a habit, and it wasn't good enough for me to just finish this race. I wanted proof that I was getting better. Somehow this race has become my benchmark for how I'm doing with running.

that is impressive not only in how determined you were but the steady progress you have made each year

(Brief aside...2012 and 2013 were also weird for me because I arrived to the race LATE - like, so late that one time I arrived at the starting line just as the race was beginning. Both times I didn't have time for the all-important pre-race bathroom stop! So I was definitely focused on doing better there as well.)

I hate missing the all important prerace bio break! Been there done that... hated it!!!

By the time I got up to the start I had just enough time for the pre-race bathroom break this year however...I was in the bathroom during the Moment of Silence for last year's Boston Marathon victims AND the National Anthem! I felt terrible about that!

I am sure no one could fault you that! Bio breaks are important!!

We started and my legs felt zapped of energy almost immediately. This is where I began to think I really screwed up my rest day yesterday. Another way I screwed up was by throwing my little plan out the window almost immediately and running a 9-minute mile for mile 1!!!!!! TOO FAST! My splits are a little wonky in my watch (my overall distance came out to 9.85 at the end of the race...weird?! I didn't cut any corners!) but it's obvious I did the first few miles of the race way too fast. I was starting to feel pretty drained by mile 4.

Mile 1: 9:02
Mile 2: 9:35
Mile 3: 9:33 --> walk/water/gel at the beginning of this mile
Mile 4: 9:53
Mile 5: 9:29 --> walk/water at the beginning of this mile

Official split for the first 5 miles: 47:11, 9:26/mile pace

Mile one is always so hard. You either go out too fast or get stuck behind others. I kinda feel like no matter what you game plan you have little choice but to go with the crowd on this. The fewer the people the faster you can get to your own pace...but if the crowd is thick it can take a good mile for it to thin out.

Your pace though..AWESOME!

At the beginning of Mile 9 I was expecting some magical burst of energy - that's what happened to me the last 2 years - but it never came. Also, they changed the course this year. Stupid me assumed it would be the same so I didn't even look at the course map, but there were definitely new hills in the 8th and 9th miles that I didn't remember from past years. They weren't like climbing Mount Everest or anything, but I still was not pleased. My calves felt weak and my quads were on fire.

Ugh... they should not change the course. And ugh ugh on the hills!!!

Mile 9: 9:56 --> walk/water break at the beginning of this mile
Mile 10: 9:25 --> I WANT THIS TO END!!!!

Official split for the second 5 miles: 48:05, 9:37/mile pace

But look, you got your pace back down and your split is almost the same!!

Total time for 10 miles: 1:35:16, a 9:32/mile pace!! And a new **PR**!!

Congrats!!!! That is an AWESOME time!!!

Obviously I'm really excited by these results...also a little puzzled. It didn't feel like a good race, and I'm wondering what the deal is with my watch reading 9.85 miles instead of 10...normally in a race I'll add to my distance with wide turns and weaving. But I didn't weave a ton today and tried to really pay attention and not take wide turns. Hmm...

Maybe it cut a corner odd? I know that RK will cut out distance for me just by clipping the corners.

WELL STILL! I'm claiming this as a my new PR! I think I'll wait to send anything to Disney until after my next few races. Hopefully I can learn from this one and do things a bit differently in the future. Good day overall though!

I always submit 10ks...so I am not even sure how this would translate into a prediction for a half, but I assume it would be a good one!!!

5 years of the 10-miler:

Look at all that bling!

Post-race FOOD...a caramel frap (YUM!):

And a delicious post-race brunch at First Watch, my and Will's tradition.

YUM!!

The 10-miler is dunzo, so on to my next major race of 2014...the Cleveland 10K!

This 10K is part of the Cleveland Marathon weekend. I've run the half marathon the past 3 years...each year hasn't been a great experience for one reason or another, so I decided to try the 10K this year just to change things up. Plus, I've never run an official 10K before - automatic PR!

Gotta love automatic PRs!

From Cleveland Marathon Weekends past...

As a 10K runner I know I will get a cotton t-shirt with my entry...and new for this year, 10K finishers are also getting finisher medals (they look exactly like the ones in the picture above, except different colors and obviously they say "10K" instead of "half marathon"). More bling for me!

More bling is super cool!!!

I'm calling this section "mini-training" because the race is sooooon - May 18 soon. So I really only have 3 weeks to dedicate to "training" for it, where the plan I'm using is an 8-week plan. My mini-plan comes from the one, the only, Mr. Hal Higdon - it’s weeks 6, 7 and 8 of his Intermediate 10K Plan (dropping out the Thursday run so that I'm running 4 days per week).

Since I just completed the 10-miler I'm sure I'll be fine endurance-wise - in fact, my two long runs before the 10K will be a 7- and 8-miler...less than what I just trained for. The speedwork and tempo runs will be interesting - one of each, but the speedwork is 0.25-mile repeats instead of the 0.5-mile repeats I completed for the 10-miler - this should probably be okay because I've been doing the 0.5-mile repeats at 5K pace, and I'm supposed to do the 0.25-mile repeats at that same pace. But the one tempo run I'm going to do is a whopping 50 minutes long. Yikes!

I'm still going to keep my 2 days of strength training + 3-4 days of ab work each week. If I could add in another day of strength training that would be awesome, maybe on Friday or Saturday? Maybe add in a yoga class once a week? Maybe not - just not enough time to do everything. Have to have one day of rest each week too...non-negotiable.

I am always impressed with your commitment to training!

One challenge I'm going to run into is that we're going out of town next weekend for my husband's cousin's wedding. It'll be a very short trip - flying to DC on Friday after work, then back home on Sunday afternoon. We aren't planning on checking any bags, and it's such a short trip, so I think I'm going to try to cram all of my runs in before we leave, with my long run on Friday (my work-from-home day). This means I have to move my second-longest run of the week (5.5 miles) to the treadmill and likely will skip a strength training session. Booooo...but it's gotta be done.

Sounds like you have a reasonable plan for this! Sometimes you have to shift things around to fit real life in.

Really excited for this race overall! I know parts of the course having run other races around Cleveland, so I know it should be relatively flat. Like I said, it's my first race at this distance so it'll be an automatic PR. Originally I was hoping to finish in an under and hour - wasn't sure if I could do it - but today at the 10-miler I ran the first 10K in 59:39 (!!) so I definitely should be able to do that here in a dedicated 10K race. I'm still going to make that my main goal for now, though.

Sub hour on a 10k is an AWESOME goal!!!

Tentative 10K Mini-Training Plan

CURRENT

Week 1 (4/28 - 5/4): 18ish miles planned
Monday: 3-mile run
Tuesday: 5.5-mile run
Wednesday: Strength Training
Thursday: 10x400 @ 5K pace
Friday: 7-mile run - travel to DC
Saturday: Rest Day - DC
Sunday: Rest Day - travel home from DC

UPCOMING

Week 2 (5/5 - 5/11): 21ish miles planned
50-minute tempo run (!!)
3-mile run
6-mile run
8-mile run

Week 3 (5/12 - 5/18): 13ish miles planned
5x400 @ 5K pace
3-mile run
1-3-mile run
RACE DAY! 10K!!

COMPLETED

You are going to totally rock this race!! Training plan looks great!

 

[Outonarun]

That is quite the accomplishment running 5 years in a row!



That sounds just horrible... but what doesn't kill us helps us to learn, yes? BTW, my second race ever was the ToT 10 miler. I know that there are often different goals for a disney race...but lets just say you are not the only one to have finished your first 10 miler in over 2 hours. I think my finish time was closer to 3.



that is impressive not only in how determined you were but the steady progress you have made each year



I hate missing the all important prerace bio break! Been there done that... hated it!!!



I am sure no one could fault you that! Bio breaks are important!!



Mile one is always so hard. You either go out too fast or get stuck behind others. I kinda feel like no matter what you game plan you have little choice but to go with the crowd on this. The fewer the people the faster you can get to your own pace...but if the crowd is thick it can take a good mile for it to thin out.

Your pace though..AWESOME!






Ugh... they should not change the course. And ugh ugh on the hills!!!



But look, you got your pace back down and your split is almost the same!!



Congrats!!!! That is an AWESOME time!!!



Maybe it cut a corner odd? I know that RK will cut out distance for me just by clipping the corners.




I always submit 10ks...so I am not even sure how this would translate into a prediction for a half, but I assume it would be a good one!!!



Look at all that bling!



YUM!!





Gotta love automatic PRs!




More bling is super cool!!!




I am always impressed with your commitment to training!



Sounds like you have a reasonable plan for this! Sometimes you have to shift things around to fit real life in.




Sub hour on a 10k is an AWESOME goal!!!



You are going to totally rock this race!! Training plan looks great!

Your training schedule looks great -- is it available online? Or is it a mash-up of your own design? If so, would you be open to posting it here, or making it otherwise available? Thank you, Shannon! You rock, girl!

 

[Ariel484]

That is quite the accomplishment running 5 years in a row!

Something about that race really does it for me, I guess!

That sounds just horrible... but what doesn't kill us helps us to learn, yes? BTW, my second race ever was the ToT 10 miler. I know that there are often different goals for a disney race...but lets just say you are not the only one to have finished your first 10 miler in over 2 hours. I think my finish time was closer to 3.

It absolutely was a learning experience. Before that race I thought only people that ran marathons needed to worry about fueling during a race...so now I know better! (Despite what others in the WISH forum are saying about fueling... But I digress.)

I don't think I would have been so disappointing in that time if 1. The other people I was with at the race hadn't finished SO much earlier than I did, and 2. If I wasn't so close to being under the 2-hour mark. I mean, I missed it by 43 freaking seconds!!

If I ever get to run the ToT 10-miler I'm sure my time will be closer to the 3-hour mark!!

that is impressive not only in how determined you were but the steady progress you have made each year

Thanks!!

I hate missing the all important prerace bio break! Been there done that... hated it!!!

GAHHH I KNOW. That is the worst! I'm hoping I have finally learned my lesson with that one!

I am sure no one could fault you that! Bio breaks are important!!

They absolutely are, and I'm sure if anyone else understands that, it's a big group of runners! I still felt guilty though!

Mile one is always so hard. You either go out too fast or get stuck behind others. I kinda feel like no matter what you game plan you have little choice but to go with the crowd on this. The fewer the people the faster you can get to your own pace...but if the crowd is thick it can take a good mile for it to thin out.

Funny, I just had almost this exact same conversation with a co-worker yesterday, whose wife ran the race as well (but she is much faster than I am and I think she finished about 15 minutes ahead of me!). You're totally right that there's no perfect place to start.

Your pace though..AWESOME!

THANKS!

Ugh... they should not change the course. And ugh ugh on the hills!!!

The funny thing about the course change is apparently I am the only person that didn't like it! I read on the Facebook page that a lot of people loved it because it provided "so many more views of the lake!" Somehow I missed that since I was more focused on putting one foot in front of the other, I guess.

But look, you got your pace back down and your split is almost the same!!

The further removed I am from the race, the happier I am with my effort! Yes, it was a positive split, but not a terrible one!

Congrats!!!! That is an AWESOME time!!!

Thank you!!!

Maybe it cut a corner odd? I know that RK will cut out distance for me just by clipping the corners.

My co-worker's wife, who I mentioned above, apparently had the same issue - her Garmin read 9.9 miles at the finish. So it wasn't just me, although no one else mentioned it on Facebook. Boo!

I always submit 10ks...so I am not even sure how this would translate into a prediction for a half, but I assume it would be a good one!!!

I looked on the McMillan calculator online and I think it said a 2:07 half! My current half PR is 2:13ish so I'm definitely hoping to get under 2:10 sometime this fall!

Look at all that bling!

Awwww yeah! It's all about the bling!

YUM!!

Yum indeed!!! That meal was soooo good!

Gotta love automatic PRs!

Most definitely!!!

More bling is super cool!!!

I am always impressed with your commitment to training!

Thank you. I think by now a lot of it has become habit, especially during the week. I struggler to get out there on the weekends sometimes.

Sounds like you have a reasonable plan for this! Sometimes you have to shift things around to fit real life in.

Yeah, it's not ideal but it's better this way. I don't want to have to worry about getting the runs in on such a short, fast trip.

Sub hour on a 10k is an AWESOME goal!!!

I hope I can do it!!!

You are going to totally rock this race!! Training plan looks great!

Thanks!! I hope you are right!

Your training schedule looks great -- is it available online? Or is it a mash-up of your own design? If so, would you be open to posting it here, or making it otherwise available? Thank you, Shannon! You rock, girl!

Thanks! It's the Hal Higdon Intermediate 10K training plan. http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51123/10K-Intermediate-Training-Program

I did make a few changes. I don't have enough time for the entire training plan since the race is only 2 weeks away (!!) so I'm starting in week 6. I dropped the Money 3-miler because I don't think I'm ready to commit to 5 days per week of running yet! I also don't do the Saturday cross training and I've been using ChaLEAN Extreme for strength training instead of the little strength training program HH has on his site. But other than that this is what I try to stick to! HH hasn't steered me wrong yet!

 

[Outonarun]

Thanks! It's the Hal Higdon Intermediate 10K training plan. http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51123/10K-Intermediate-Training-Program

I did make a few changes. I don't have enough time for the entire training plan since the race is only 2 weeks away (!!) so I'm starting in week 6. I dropped the Money 3-miler because I don't think I'm ready to commit to 5 days per week of running yet! I also don't do the Saturday cross training and I've been using ChaLEAN Extreme for strength training instead of the little strength training program HH has on his site. But other than that this is what I try to stick to! HH hasn't steered me wrong yet!

Thanks so much -- I'll check it out

 

[annmarieda]

No no, don't worry! I misspoke, it WAS only certain hoodies. I know because one of my friends REALLY wants one of their new Yeti shirts and that wasn't part of the sale.

OH good! I thought I missed out on something.

I did meet my goal of setting a new PR

And you should be really proud of that!

But I just went back through and realized that I missed more runs than I thought I did. Of the 39 training runs I had planned I completed 30.5 of them (the 0.5 being that last speedwork session I bailed on halfway though). Of course 4 of those missed runs came the week I was sick, and I don't regret missing those - there was no way I could have, or should have, run that week. But I'd definitely like to do better with completed my scheduled runs going forward.

I think you did pretty good considering getting sick. Sometimes that can take people out and they miss more than just a few runs.

One thing I was thinking about Thursday/Friday was sort of psyching me out - I've done 3 slow runs each week plus one speedwork/tempo run...how is this preparing me to run close to a 9:30 pace for 10 miles?! I mean...HH says to do those other runs slowly, so I was doing the right thing, but I was really starting to doubt my training. Again, it worked out - I got my PR - but the splits tell the story. I started too fast and was fading toward the end. So that was a mental fail on my part, and it makes me wonder if goal race pace runs during would have helped me? Like...how was I suddenly supposed to run this pace when I hadn't had any practice doing so?! Goal race pace runs are part of my training plan for my next big race (which I'll talk about in a second), so we'll see!

I get so confused by a lot of the training. Thanks to you, I am understanding speed work much better. Personally, I always run my training runs way faster than I probably should. I am always running at what would be race pace. I should slow down. I know it. However, I do think getting some race pace runs in is beneficial.

Weird aside about this medal - it doesn't have the year/date of the race anywhere on it. I thought that was odd.

That is weird. I wonder if they plan to reuse them next year?

The Next Big Race - Registered!
Right now my main focus is on training for the Cleveland 10K (less than 3 weeks away already!), but my next long-distance race is a fall half marathon. And I registered for it on Friday!

That is way cool!!

This will be the first time I've run this race. It's point-to-point inside Cleveland's park system, so it sounds like a really nice course. This race and Saturday's 10-miler are part of the race company's "distance journey," so by completing both I'll get a bonus medal!

yay on the bonus medal!!!

I have a very specific time goal for this race, and the training plan I am going to use DOES have goal race pace runs. So I'm curious to see if those help!

Sounds like a great plan!

3. The Spirit of Minnie: So last week I mentioned that I got a super adorable Minnie hoodie from Raw Threads!

I have the tank... super cute!!!

Ever since I decided I wanted to run the Dopey Challenge (basically since they first announced it over a year ago) I've been looking at new SparkleSkirts!! For awhile I was dead set on the PinkMiniTech. It's pink, it represents my girl Minnie...can't go wrong!

But before I pulled the trigger I started looking at the RedMiniTech...the more classic representation of Mickey's #1 girl:

How could you choose?! They are both so cute!

On Friday, after registering for the half, I pulled the trigger and ordered...the RedMiniTech!!! I have a black Nike Dri-Fit sleeveless running top, and I'm thinking about picking up a pair of Minnie ears (the ones with the red and white polka dot bow). So at some point during Marathon Weekend I'll be representing Minnie! As an added bonus with this skirt, I can wear it for the 4th of July race I'm planning on running, paired with a blue Nike Dri-Fit sleeveless top. How very patriotic!

I think the obvious time to wear my Minnie-like outfit would be during the 10K, but isn't EVERYONE going to be dressed as Minnie during that race?! Right now I'm thinking this will be my outfit for the half marathon instead, and maybe I'll wear what I wore for the Royal Family 5K for the WDW 10K. I can see myself carrying the ears most of the way and just throwing them on for pictures, or - more likely - investing in a red and white polka dot Sweaty Band to match my skirt. I'm pretty sure I'll go the Sweaty Band route just because I'd get more use out of a Sweaty Band than a pair of ears. Plus...here are the contenders:

L - Lil' Bow Peep
R - Do The Polka Dots

I think there's an obvious winner...isn't the Lil' Bow Peep the cutest?! The Minnie-like bow is too perfect. Sweaty Bands normally has a booth set up at the Wine & Dine expo so I'll probably pick it up there.

LOVE the lil bow peep one!!

It's funny, I normally don't dress up for these races, but it's kind of fun to represent the "spirit" of some of my favorite Disney characters!

I am with you...I don't dress up in costume, but I do like to represent the "spirit".

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I think that Minnie outfit is adorable! Do sweatbands actually stay on your head? No matter what brand of headband I try to keep my hair out of my face, it squeezes towards the back of my head & falls off so I have to keep putting it back.

 

[Ariel484]

Thanks so much -- I'll check it out

OH good! I thought I missed out on something.

Nope! Although they do seem to have sales a decent amount. Just another way to feed my addiction.

And you should be really proud of that!

Thanks! I am. Just wish I'd run the race a little smarter, if that makes any sense.

I think you did pretty good considering getting sick. Sometimes that can take people out and they miss more than just a few runs.

Yeah, and really, I maybe could have used a couple more days off. That was by far the sickest I have been in a loooong time!

I get so confused by a lot of the training. Thanks to you, I am understanding speed work much better. Personally, I always run my training runs way faster than I probably should. I am always running at what would be race pace. I should slow down. I know it. However, I do think getting some race pace runs in is beneficial.

It sounds like we're not the only ones that get confused! I try not to think about it too much because THEY are the experts, not me, but still...

That is weird. I wonder if they plan to reuse them next year?

I don't know! I didn't even notice until I got home. Very strange! I also thought it was weird just how different this year's medal is from past year's.

That is way cool!!

yay on the bonus medal!!!

It's not Disney bling, but it's bling all the same!

Sounds like a great plan!

I think it should be! I'm hoping the pace runs will help.

I have the tank... super cute!!!

The tank IS cute! I didn't really like the bow shirts at first but they are growing on me.

How could you choose?! They are both so cute!

I KNOW! I could seriously see myself getting the pink skirt at some point.

LOVE the lil bow peep one!!

Me too!!! I am loving this trend of companies making apparel for Disney races.

I am with you...I don't dress up in costume, but I do like to represent the "spirit".

Sometimes I think the challenge of creatively representing the "spirit" of a character seems more fun. And that way we get to run in what I'm sure are WAY more comfortable outfits!

I think that Minnie outfit is adorable! Do sweatbands actually stay on your head? No matter what brand of headband I try to keep my hair out of my face, it squeezes towards the back of my head & falls off so I have to keep putting it back.

Yes! They do! Sweaty Bands are so awesome. The underside that actually lays on your hair is a fabric almost similar to velvet so I think that texture is what helps them stay put. They are a little pricey but I think they are worth it.

 

[Ariel484]

Week 1 of 10K Mini-Training
Monday, April 28, 2014 - Sunday, May 4, 2014

18.45 miles completed/20ish miles planned
18.45 miles completed in 10K Mini-Training so far
222.6 miles completed in 2014 so far
76.7 miles completed in the month of April

Monday, April 28: Run #1 (3 miles on the treadmill)

We're going out of town this weekend, so I'm doing my best to cram all of my runs in BEFORE we leave. I was hoping to do my speedwork run today, but my legs are still pretty sore from Saturday's race...so I decided to do a somewhat relaxed shorter run instead. I did run 5/walk 1 again, and the first 5 minutes were tough, but it got better after that. My quads and hamstrings are still struggling though.

Total time for 3 miles: 32:40, 10:53ish/mile pace

I forgot to mention that after Saturday's race I came home to find that I had two blisters - both on the bottom of my left big toe. TMI I drained them both and thought they were gone, but unfortunately they were still bothering me a bit during this run and by the time I finished they needed to be drained again. Mostly I'm just glad they didn’t rip during the race, because that would have been disastrous. I hope they go away soon! This is making me wonder if I need to take inventory of my running socks and possibly throw away some older pairs (which are 4-5 years old by now) that may be wearing away in places and get some new pairs? Hmm...

After Saturday I've been pretty exhausted (took a glorious hour-long nap with the pup yesterday afternoon ), and I woke up too late this morning to fit in Ap Ripper X like I wanted to...hopefully I'll motivate myself to do it later at home (note: this did not happen). Also...since I normally don't run on Mondays I'm pretty sure I'm going to think it’s Tuesday all day today. Boo!

Tuesday, April 29: Run #2 (5.5 miles planned, 3.3 miles completed)



Well, I don't have much to say for myself on this one. I woke up too late and really didn't want to do this run. The soreness from the race is a little better (pretty much just my left hamstring right now). I did feel some weird pain sort of behind my left kneecap right when I started the run, which thankfully went away after the first 5 minutes or so of running...but my hips felt a little sore as did my calves/shins, and mentally I just wasn't into it. So I bagged it at 3.3 miles. I DO think I could have used another complete rest day after the race, but let's be honest - I was looking for reasons to stop. Boo!

In other news, look what came in the mail yesterday!

(Love the note wishing me luck on the 10-miler, even though the race was over by that point. Nice touch.)

Such fast shipping! Will got home before I did and texted that I had a package, and I wrote back, "You're going to laugh at me when you see it!" So when I got home, opened it and showed it to him, he was clearly trying to restrain himself...but one "HA!" did escape. Boys!

Slightly disturbing question...if I wear the above skirt with a black top, is it like I'm running as topless Minnie?? Scandal!

Wednesday, April 30: Strength Training (ChaLEAN Extreme Push 1) + Ab Ripper X (19)

This workout was TOUGH this morning. I guess that's what happens when I don't strength train for over a week. Even though I know it was the right call to pull back last week to rest up for the race, it was slightly discouraging to get concrete evidence that I'd lost some muscle already. Oh well! Just gotta get back to it!

Even if the workout was a struggle, it still felt great at the same time. Lifting just makes me feel GOOD.

I also did Ab Ripper X this morning - finally got up early enough to do it! Today I did 19 reps of each exercise. No sign of my Ab Ripper X friend today. In fact the gym has been weirdly empty the last 2 days. Does everyone know something I don't?!

In other news, I made another running-related purchase this morning - new sunglasses! I've been running in an ancient pair of Oakley Minutes that I purchased the summer after my freshman year of college - so I have had them for almost 11 years! They're in okay shape but one of the ear pieces is starting to peel and the lenses are scratched, which has been driving me pretty nuts. They have served me well, but I have been thinking about replacing them for awhile.

Every once in awhile, Fleet Feet will come to the hospital where I work and set up shop in one of the giftshops to do running shoe fittings. They offer employee discounts on the shoes, but I never take advantage because for whatever reason they only ever bring Aasics with them...and I'm pretty happy in my Brooks Adrenalines. But today I saw a sign outside of the giftshop that Fleet Feet was having a one-day only Oakleys event with employee discounts available! After a little research and trying on the pair of sunglasses I was interested in, I pulled the trigger and went with the RPM Squared in Wisteria Pearl/Slate Iridium:

I'm excited for these! They didn't have the exact lens shape or color combination that I wanted on hand, but I did try the same frames with different-shaped lenses. The frames fit my face great - actually a little better than my current pair, which would bounce up and down on my face sometimes while running - and are super, super light. Much lighter than my Minutes. They're due to be shipped to my house...uh-oh, I hope they don't come on Saturday while we're gone!!

Oakleys are pricey for sure, but judging by how much I use my current pair I know I will use the new ones a TON right away with summer coming up. And I know from experience that Oakleys are well-made since my pair from 2003 (which I'm keeping as a back-up pair) is still kicking. Plus, my employee discount saved me $22! Woohoo!

Thursday, May 1: Run #3 (10x400 @ 5K pace with warm-up/cooldown and 0.25-mile rest intervals...5.15 miles total)

It's Speedwork Thursday, y'all! It’s also May...how did that happen?!!

I do still think it may be helpful to switch my speedwork day to Monday at some point, but that hasn't worked out yet. CLX Push 1 is not as heavy on the leg stuff (CLX Push 3 is the real killer there) so my legs didn't feel too bad today.

I started off with 5 minutes of walking/light jogging before starting my speed intervals - alternating 0.25 miles at 5K pace with 0.25 miles of walking/light jogging until I completed my 10 speed intervals. After I was done I walked for a bit...probably not as long as I should have. For some reason I don’t think it clicked in my mind how long this workout was going to take - maybe my little brain thought, "Hey, the intervals are shorter now, I'll be done with this workout in a hot second!" I mean, DUH, it WAS going to be at least 5 miles, it’s not like it's ever taken me, like, 30 minutes to cover that distance. So like a dummy I woke up late, got to the gym late and was just running late in general. Oops!

This workout felt long, but it was SO nice to only do 0.25-mile intervals instead of the 0.5-mile intervals I was doing for 10-miler training. Hooray! The blister from the race is still there but it's not really bothering me too much anymore...hopefully it'll totally be gone by next week.

Super busy other than that. I have a big deadline at work next Friday, so I'm trying to get things done for that, and we're flying to DC for my husband's cousin's wedding (my cousin-in-law? Is that a thing?). We're both definitely looking forward to it - we're seeing relatives of the husband's that we don't see often because they are all out of state - but at the same time I think we both feel we could use a weekend of doing absolutely nothing. Oh well. Next weekend is busy for me too (I volunteered to make cupcakes for my cousin's bridal shower and afterward I found out I need to make 50-60 of them! And then actually, you know, GO to the shower), and the weekend after is the 10K/Gaga. Memorial Day weekend can't get here soon enough!

Friday, May 2: Run #4 (7-mile out-and-back)
Weather: 54 degrees, breezy and overcast

Yeehaw! I got my runs in!

With the 10K coming up and my goal of getting under the 1-hour mark, I've decided to try to do my long runs (all 2 of them!) a little differently - picking up the pace a little bit (like 10-15 seconds/mile faster) and trying to focus on negative splitting the runs (running the last few miles faster than the first ones). Mission accomplished on this first one!

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:11
Mile 2: 10:19
Mile 3: 10:33 --> 45-second walk break at the beginning of this mile
Mile 4: 10:32
Mile 5: 10:46 --> walk break to eat a Honey Stinger Waffle at the beginning of this mile
Mile 6: 9:56
Mile 7: 9:40 --> 30-second walk break at the beginning of this mile

Total time for 7 miles: 1:11:57, 10:16/mile average pace

Really great run today! I could definitely feel the effort during miles 6 & 7, but other than that I felt pretty comfortable. I really do think the speed work is helping me to get a little faster.

Also, as noted above, I finally tried a Honey Stinger Waffle today. I picked up 2 at packet pick-up last weekend - 1 vanilla, 1 chocolate. Today I tried the vanilla one at the end of mile 4. The verdict? Delicious! I had it in the pocket of my SparkleSkirt so it got warm and soft, but not messy. The Honey Stinger gels are way too sweet for me, but the waffle definitely helped to cut down on the sweetness. Two thumbs up! I'm not sure I'll 100% switch to waffles just yet though - I still have an entire box of Gu Chomps (16 packets) to go through! D'oh!

In between getting the house cleaned up, getting some laundry done and packing, I also squeezed in a round of Ab Ripper X - still doing 19 reps per move.

And now, we fly! To DC, that is. Our flight took off at 7:30PM...one of those teeny tiny planes. There were seriously less than 40 passengers! Things were a little rough at first, but once we were above the clouds it was smooth. We spent the time doing crossword puzzles on the iPad and were in DC about an hour later! What a day!

Saturday, May 3: Rest Day
Wedding day! Today we had breakfast at the hotel, and then we went to the Air & Space Museum with my in-laws. The museum is part of the Smithsonian, so admission was free! It was really interesting...great way to spend the afternoon!

After the museum we had lunch, and then Will and I crashed HARD. We took about an hour-long nap and then got cleaned up for the wedding! The ceremony and reception were at a winery, and it was nice! Great weather too, temperatures in the mid-60s to low-70s. And there were CUPCAKES! Yay.

Photobooth!

Love the cake-topper:

We were back at the hotel by 10:30/11:00 and crashed HARD. This whirlwind weekend was really catching up to us!

Sunday, May 4: Rest Day...May the 4th be with you!!

Our flight home today was due to take off at 12:25, but was delayed by about half an hour. Again, we were in a teeny tiny plane, but this time the flight was much rougher. The first 20 minutes or so were awful - I think that may have been the first time I ever seriously though I'd get sick on a plane. Will was in the same boat as I was - luckily we held it together and were SOOOO happy to get home. Seriously, it was like we'd been gone for weeks. We're babies.

Will picked up the monster and I went right out to grocery shop. We got pizza for dinner and just relaxed. So happy to be home and SO happy I didn't have to worry about running during our nutso weekend!

Continued in Next Post

 

[ZellyB]

Great job on another solid week of training and your times are great. I'm the same as you on the speed work. In my head it seems like it should go quick until I ACTUALLY add up the miles and realize, oh yeah, it's still 5 miles.

So glad you got the skirt. I've always been pleased with how quickly they deliver.

I need to get some new running sunglasses as well. I actually bought a pair of Oakleys, but bought them online without trying them first and I just don't like the style. Boo. So, I need to probably just bite the bullet and buy a different pair. I would wear them all the time so when you think about the price-per-use (PPU as I like to call it), it makes it seem more reasonable. Anything to rationalize a running purchase.

Love the pictures from the wedding and that Lego cake topper is too cute!

 

[Ariel484]

Great job on another solid week of training and your times are great. I'm the same as you on the speed work. In my head it seems like it should go quick until I ACTUALLY add up the miles and realize, oh yeah, it's still 5 miles.

Thanks! Yeah, I don't know what my deal was with that! Sometimes I'll forgot to factor in the warm-up/cool-down/rest intervals...I think that's what got me this time?

So glad you got the skirt. I've always been pleased with how quickly they deliver.

Me too! Now I just need to decide for sure which race I want to wear it for. Originally I was thinking the half...I have a Dopey shirt I was going to wear for the full, but then I thought maybe I'd switch and be Minnie-like for the full and Dopey-like for the half? It sort of seems like I'd be jinxing myself though.

I'm really impressed with SparkleSkirts' delivery times. And they'll even hand-delivery to your WDW resort on a race weekend. So cool!

I need to get some new running sunglasses as well. I actually bought a pair of Oakleys, but bought them online without trying them first and I just don't like the style. Boo. So, I need to probably just bite the bullet and buy a different pair. I would wear them all the time so when you think about the price-per-use (PPU as I like to call it), it makes it seem more reasonable. Anything to rationalize a running purchase.

That stinks that yours didn't fit in person! I was glad to be able to try mine on first.

I totally get the "PPU" way of thinking - I do that too! I think I got pretty good PPU from my old pair so hopefully this new pair will last just as long.

Love the pictures from the wedding and that Lego cake topper is too cute!

The Lego thing was probably my favorite part of the wedding besides the cupcakes. Speaking of Lego...here's our wedding gift to the couple. Apparently they REALLY like Legos since this was on their registry!

 

[annmarieda]

I am behind.. so forgive me as I still have yet to respond to your updates...

Odds & Ends...part 2!

5. Just remembered what I wanted to include in my last post...not sure how I forgot because it's RIGHT on my desk, DUH!

I just pulled this bad boy out of the closet yesterday...my Dooney from Marathon Weekend 2013!!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this bag. The print is freaking adorable.

I really wish those dooney's were not so expensive cause they are certainly cute! Congrats on getting one from marathon weekend!

Running Mickey!!

Maybe this year's print will be for Goofy #10?? After all, this one was a special print for the 20th marathon!

I didn't know that they made the print special. That makes it even more cool that you got one! I hope that they make next years a goofy print - especially for those who are doing the goofy.

Disney Dooneys...Sweaty Bands...Raw Threads...SparkleSkirts...so many pricey running things I like!!

I think the fact we choose to run disney ups the cost of the running hobby considerably. Normally running gear is pricey but add in the disney element and

It absolutely was a learning experience. Before that race I thought only people that ran marathons needed to worry about fueling during a race...so now I know better! (Despite what others in the WISH forum are saying about fueling... But I digress.)

I know I hear more and more people don't fuel during runs... I always have and always do. Doesn't matter if it is 2 miles or 10 miles... I just eat one bean or chew per mile and it seems to work out well for me.

I don't think I would have been so disappointing in that time if 1. The other people I was with at the race hadn't finished SO much earlier than I did, and 2. If I wasn't so close to being under the 2-hour mark. I mean, I missed it by 43 freaking seconds!!

I would be frustrated too. 43 seconds could be taking the time to tie your shoe. Definitely not outside capability issue. (like my need to do a little over 2 minutes faster for an 8k.. that is just a bit of a skill level thing. )

The funny thing about the course change is apparently I am the only person that didn't like it! I read on the Facebook page that a lot of people loved it because it provided "so many more views of the lake!" Somehow I missed that since I was more focused on putting one foot in front of the other, I guess.

putting one foot in front of the other can be a tad more important than taking in the view.

The further removed I am from the race, the happier I am with my effort! Yes, it was a positive split, but not a terrible one!

I think it is easy to second guess how we do in races. I know I go from being happy it is just over to analyzing how I did to thinking I did ok to full circle wondering what I could have done differently. You did awesome!

My co-worker's wife, who I mentioned above, apparently had the same issue - her Garmin read 9.9 miles at the finish. So it wasn't just me, although no one else mentioned it on Facebook. Boo!

Maybe it truly was a longer race? I know that the 12k that I ran last month still is getting to me because it is said to be a 12k and was really 12.31 (even per the USTAF website) NO one has mentioned anything on facebook or athlinks. It makes my pace look 14 seconds per mile slower.

I looked on the McMillan calculator online and I think it said a 2:07 half! My current half PR is 2:13ish so I'm definitely hoping to get under 2:10 sometime this fall!

That is AWESOME!!!

Thank you. I think by now a lot of it has become habit, especially during the week. I struggler to get out there on the weekends sometimes.

I kinda feel like I struggle all the time.. but I know I probably don't appear to from the outside. I get out and get in my runs (even though I often dont' want to). So my first though is that you do awesome getting in your workouts. But... I guess maybe we all go through that feeling like we are struggling to make it happen.

 

[Ariel484]

I am behind.. so forgive me as I still have yet to respond to your updates...

No worries! I know my posts are pretty long and I really appreciate that you read and respond to them.

I really wish those dooney's were not so expensive cause they are certainly cute! Congrats on getting one from marathon weekend!

I know! And the last thing I need is another bag/purse...but if they come out with a pattern I really like I know I'll get it.

It was actually really easy to get the bag - I ordered it from runDisney.com (similar to how the pins are paid for ahead of time) and knew it was there waiting at the expo for me to pick it up. I'm not sure why they can't do something similar with the runDisney shoes...I know there's the added aspect of people getting fitted but surely they could come up with something similar. If they don't have the pre-purchase option for the bags I most likely won't get one - I'm not lining up at the expo for hours ahead of opening!

I didn't know that they made the print special. That makes it even more cool that you got one! I hope that they make next years a goofy print - especially for those who are doing the goofy.

I think it would be cool to have a special Goofy print! Part of me wonders if that would then alienate the non-Goofy runners? Then again, they had that Mickey print 2 years ago and I'm sure non-marathon runners still bought it.

I think the fact we choose to run disney ups the cost of the running hobby considerably. Normally running gear is pricey but add in the disney element and

You're right. They know we're suckers for anything combining running AND Disney!! Smart people.

I know I hear more and more people don't fuel during runs... I always have and always do. Doesn't matter if it is 2 miles or 10 miles... I just eat one bean or chew per mile and it seems to work out well for me.

I know!!! I wish I could run for an entire half marathon or whatever with no fuel but I would end up passed out on the sidewalk. And I know it's not like I have low glucose or whatever (just got my bloodwork done in April and it was almost perfect - apparently I am low on Alkaline Phosphate, whatever that is?!).

I would be frustrated too. 43 seconds could be taking the time to tie your shoe. Definitely not outside capability issue. (like my need to do a little over 2 minutes faster for an 8k.. that is just a bit of a skill level thing. )

It was funny, I remember I crossed the finish line and saw the time and was so mad. It hadn't been a goal of mine going into the race but when I saw how close I'd been I was frustrated. I said that to my brother and he was like, "I knew you'd be mad about that." Yep, he was right. I think it just added to the embarrassment of being so much slower than the other people I'd come to the race with - they all finished under 2 hours and I did not.

I get wanting to improve your 8K time...it's nice to get confirmation that you're getting faster.

putting one foot in front of the other can be a tad more important than taking in the view.

Right?? RIGHT?! I was just like "lake?? What Lake?!" Maybe I'll try to pay better attention next year.

I think it is easy to second guess how we do in races. I know I go from being happy it is just over to analyzing how I did to thinking I did ok to full circle wondering what I could have done differently. You did awesome!

Thank you! I definitely over-analyze too...and I think having all of that data from the Garmin sends it into overdrive. I'm a numbers person anyway and then I find myself poring over the splits and whatnot.

Maybe it truly was a longer race? I know that the 12k that I ran last month still is getting to me because it is said to be a 12k and was really 12.31 (even per the USTAF website) NO one has mentioned anything on facebook or athlinks. It makes my pace look 14 seconds per mile slower.

I think it was short. I was relieved to hear someone else say it but at the same time I still feel a little...conflicted I guess about the time? I'm going to hold off on sending anything to Disney until after my fall half marathon (hoping to run a better time there).

That is AWESOME!!!

My ultimate goal is to someday get my half marathon time under 2 hours and I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet, but getting under 2:10 seems possible. I hope!!!

I kinda feel like I struggle all the time.. but I know I probably don't appear to from the outside. I get out and get in my runs (even though I often dont' want to). So my first though is that you do awesome getting in your workouts. But... I guess maybe we all go through that feeling like we are struggling to make it happen.

You definitely don't appear to struggle! I think getting out the door is the hardest part sometimes.

The weekdays are easier for me because they really have become part of my daily routine - just a habit at this point. Also...if I leave to get to the gym earlier in the morning it really cuts down on my commute. That itself is a huge motivator to leave early, so may as well get to the gym. And we get lower health insurance rates if we use the onsite gym a certain number of times per month, and I like to save money (because that means I can buy more Disney or Disney running things!). The weekends are definitely tough though. I just want to sit on my couch and do nothing!

 

[pxefig]

It's funny, I normally don't dress up for these races, but it's kind of fun to represent the "spirit" of some of my favorite Disney characters!

Goodness, ladies, y'all will have to clue me in on how you do multi-quotes in one post. So much to respond to, so little short-term memory!
Congrats on the PR! And the medal is weird because it doesn't say the date OR the event OR the city- and it doesn't match the previous four's theme at all. How odd. I guess so that it would fit with the multi-race medal better?

This quote of yours made me laugh, because it turns out I am the exact opposite- I love the costume aspect of Disney races. A few friends went to the Princess half with me in what I sure was a group total of hundreds of yards of tulle and we are doing a 10k next week as a group and actually had to debate about if Middle-Of-Nowhere, Texas, is ready for princess costumes at races (verdict: NO!). Love the Minnie bows. I think that is a perfect choice.

 

[pxefig]

Slightly disturbing question...if I wear the above skirt with a black top, is it like I'm running as topless Minnie?? Scandal!

Nah- you are just sticking with the classic Minnie theme. She didn't wear a top for decades! And Donald STILL doesn't wear pants! Although, to be fair, pants are like jail for legs and it probably wouldn't help his disposition at all!

 

[Ariel484]

Goodness, ladies, y'all will have to clue me in on how you do multi-quotes in one post. So much to respond to, so little short-term memory!

Click on the little "+ buttons on the bottom right-hand side of each post, and once you have all of the ones clicked that you want to reply to, hit the "Post Reply" button on the bottom left-hand side of the screen.

Congrats on the PR! And the medal is weird because it doesn't say the date OR the event OR the city- and it doesn't match the previous four's theme at all. How odd. I guess so that it would fit with the multi-race medal better?

Thanks for the congrats!!

The medal actually does say the event (10-miler on the "beach" and also on the ribbon)...but yeah, the city and year are nowhere to be found! So odd! You're totally right that it's a huge departure from the previous year's medals, too. I like it because it's really unique, but it's just...strange. Having the year and the city on the medal would definitely be nice. I think you're definitely onto something with having it fit the multi-race medal better. It kind of stinks for anyone that's not doing the other race.

This quote of yours made me laugh, because it turns out I am the exact opposite- I love the costume aspect of Disney races. A few friends went to the Princess half with me in what I sure was a group total of hundreds of yards of tulle and we are doing a 10k next week as a group and actually had to debate about if Middle-Of-Nowhere, Texas, is ready for princess costumes at races (verdict: NO!). Love the Minnie bows. I think that is a perfect choice.

Haha! I'm just not creative enough to make my own costumes. I love looking at what other people come up with. I actually DID see two runners in tutus at the 10-miler, and I have to say, it was a little strange. They stuck out for sure. So like Middle-Of-Nowhere Texas, I don't think Northeast Ohio is ready for princess costumes/tutus at races!

Nah- you are just sticking with the classic Minnie theme. She didn't wear a top for decades! And Donald STILL doesn't wear pants! Although, to be fair, pants are like jail for legs and it probably wouldn't help his disposition at all!

Ah! So true! Just embodying the spirit of Classic Minnie...I like it!

"Pants are like jail for legs" made me LOL.

 

[annmarieda]

Thanks! I am. Just wish I'd run the race a little smarter, if that makes any sense.

It does. I think it has to do with where you are in your training... it no longer just becomes about finishing, but finishing better (and I don't necessarily mean pace wise) It can be with negative splits or even just controlling yourself well enough that you dont' huff and puff as much.

It sounds like we're not the only ones that get confused! I try not to think about it too much because THEY are the experts, not me, but still...

Well, expert or not... they definitely are NOT the expert of you (or I) So I figure we have to set out to do what works best for us.

The tank IS cute! I didn't really like the bow shirts at first but they are growing on me.

They are growing on me too.

Me too!!! I am loving this trend of companies making apparel for Disney races.

It definitely is a niche market... but I wouldn't mind running in a bow band or tank for other races. Now a full on costume or tutu might not work for me... but it might for some.

Sometimes I think the challenge of creatively representing the "spirit" of a character seems more fun. And that way we get to run in what I'm sure are WAY more comfortable outfits!

Definitely more comfortable outfits... plus I could wear most of them anywhere outside of disney.

 

[tdpolo26]

Is there any way to get into the food and wine 5k

 

[annmarieda]

So I am now only one week behind....

222.6 miles completed in 2014 so far

That is awesome. Do you have an overall goal for the year?

I forgot to mention that after Saturday's race I came home to find that I had two blisters - both on the bottom of my left big toe. TMI I drained them both and thought they were gone, but unfortunately they were still bothering me a bit during this run and by the time I finished they needed to be drained again. Mostly I'm just glad they didn’t rip during the race, because that would have been disastrous. I hope they go away soon! This is making me wonder if I need to take inventory of my running socks and possibly throw away some older pairs (which are 4-5 years old by now) that may be wearing away in places and get some new pairs? Hmm...

I think this is interesting that you mention this. I just was thinking about my socks and wondering if they need to be replaced. I am probably overly cautious when it comes to shoes...but I just keep wearing socks. I wonder...

I DO think I could have used another complete rest day after the race, but let's be honest - I was looking for reasons to stop. Boo!

I hate when I look for reasons to stop. I guess maybe that is why I run out and about... the only way to be done is to go the distance...and I might as well run it rather than walk it cause I don't have the time to walk home.

In other news, look what came in the mail yesterday!

(Love the note wishing me luck on the 10-miler, even though the race was over by that point. Nice touch.)

LOVE the skirt.

Slightly disturbing question...if I wear the above skirt with a black top, is it like I'm running as topless Minnie?? Scandal!

I also did Ab Ripper X this morning - finally got up early enough to do it! Today I did 19 reps of each exercise. No sign of my Ab Ripper X friend today. In fact the gym has been weirdly empty the last 2 days. Does everyone know something I don't?!

So weird... she was there and then wasn't.

In other news, I made another running-related purchase this morning - new sunglasses! I've been running in an ancient pair of Oakley Minutes that I purchased the summer after my freshman year of college - so I have had them for almost 11 years! They're in okay shape but one of the ear pieces is starting to peel and the lenses are scratched, which has been driving me pretty nuts. They have served me well, but I have been thinking about replacing them for awhile.

Great picture of you!

Every once in awhile, Fleet Feet will come to the hospital where I work and set up shop in one of the giftshops to do running shoe fittings. They offer employee discounts on the shoes, but I never take advantage because for whatever reason they only ever bring Aasics with them...and I'm pretty happy in my Brooks Adrenalines. But today I saw a sign outside of the giftshop that Fleet Feet was having a one-day only Oakleys event with employee discounts available! After a little research and trying on the pair of sunglasses I was interested in, I pulled the trigger and went with the RPM Squared in Wisteria Pearl/Slate Iridium:

I'm excited for these! They didn't have the exact lens shape or color combination that I wanted on hand, but I did try the same frames with different-shaped lenses. The frames fit my face great - actually a little better than my current pair, which would bounce up and down on my face sometimes while running - and are super, super light. Much lighter than my Minutes. They're due to be shipped to my house...uh-oh, I hope they don't come on Saturday while we're gone!!

Oakleys are pricey for sure, but judging by how much I use my current pair I know I will use the new ones a TON right away with summer coming up. And I know from experience that Oakleys are well-made since my pair from 2003 (which I'm keeping as a back-up pair) is still kicking. Plus, my employee discount saved me $22! Woohoo!

So great you got a discount and you found something you like. I think sunglasses can be a bit hard to fit and good ones that work well to run in are a hard find.

This workout felt long, but it was SO nice to only do 0.25-mile intervals instead of the 0.5-mile intervals I was doing for 10-miler training. Hooray!

The quarter mile intervals seem like they would be easier to start with. I have some speed work coming up...and I am honestly a little afraid of the 1/2 mile intervals.

The blister from the race is still there but it's not really bothering me too much anymore...hopefully it'll totally be gone by next week.

Glad the blister is not bothering you too much.

With the 10K coming up and my goal of getting under the 1-hour mark, I've decided to try to do my long runs (all 2 of them!) a little differently - picking up the pace a little bit (like 10-15 seconds/mile faster) and trying to focus on negative splitting the runs (running the last few miles faster than the first ones). Mission accomplished on this first one!

Splits:
Mile 1: 10:11
Mile 2: 10:19
Mile 3: 10:33 --> 45-second walk break at the beginning of this mile
Mile 4: 10:32
Mile 5: 10:46 --> walk break to eat a Honey Stinger Waffle at the beginning of this mile
Mile 6: 9:56
Mile 7: 9:40 --> 30-second walk break at the beginning of this mile

Total time for 7 miles: 1:11:57, 10:16/mile average pace

OMG! First, way to go! And second, I just decided this past week to do the same thing. Since my mileage is down from previous weeks due to starting "official" training I decided to try to learn to control myself and get negative splits. That is not as easily said as done. It is hard to push harder each mile. So good for you!

Also, as noted above, I finally tried a Honey Stinger Waffle today. I picked up 2 at packet pick-up last weekend - 1 vanilla, 1 chocolate. Today I tried the vanilla one at the end of mile 4. The verdict? Delicious! I had it in the pocket of my SparkleSkirt so it got warm and soft, but not messy. The Honey Stinger gels are way too sweet for me, but the waffle definitely helped to cut down on the sweetness. Two thumbs up! I'm not sure I'll 100% switch to waffles just yet though - I still have an entire box of Gu Chomps (16 packets) to go through! D'oh!

I like the waffles. I am not sure they would work well during a run for me though. I would likely have to stop to eat it. The chews are my favorite.

After the museum we had lunch, and then Will and I crashed HARD. We took about an hour-long nap and then got cleaned up for the wedding! The ceremony and reception were at a winery, and it was nice! Great weather too, temperatures in the mid-60s to low-70s. And there were CUPCAKES! Yay.

Sounds like a great weekend. Love cupcakes at weddings! My dd had cupcakes rather than cake at her wedding. So fun and since there was not a single cake to do.. she was able to order several different flavors that made everyone happy.