Kazrak's In My Day We Had A Kessel Run Training Journal (Comments Welcome)

[striker1064]

Good luck!

 

[Naomeri]

You’ve got this! Slow and steady might not win this race, but it will get you across the finish line in one piece.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

Good luck!

 

[Kazrak]

Okay, I survived and didn't get swept, although only because I started at the front of corral D. This is going to be kind of stream-of-consciousness because I'm still coming down off the race.

I'm not sure I'm a fan of the new course, but I'm sure it makes security easier - they just run you through the Epcot security scanners.

It was stupid hot today. My phone was claiming 74 before sunrise. Also humid and occasionally raining.

I estimated I'd have about half an hour of slack - I think it was more like 23 minutes. At least, I didn't hear any more fireworks after about 23 minutes after I started.

I figured that with a decent start I could stay ahead and not get swept, and that's how it worked out. My speed was flagging by mile 4. Add in that my sleeves were rubbing the insides of my arms raw by mile 3, and the blister briefly made its presence known around mile 6. The blister sorted itself out; the arms are going to hurt for a while. I think it may finally be time to retire that 2017 Star Wars Rebel Challenge shirt that has been my primary racing and training shirt for almost six years now.

The Garmin was giving distances about 2% long - not sure if it was GPS twitch or just hopping around to dodge people. My splits started around 14:30, but by mile 5 they were at 17:00.

Around mile 8, there's a switchback that's about half a mile long, and as I got to the end of it, I saw the balloon ladies coming down the ramp toward the other side, so I knew I was a good mile ahead of them. Shortly after that I stopped for my only photo of the run - I couldn't pass up Ferb. Ferb's worth the 3 minutes it took.

There was another spot around mile 11 where I could see that I had a good lead of at least a half mile on the balloon ladies. I knew I wouldn't be swept at that point, and dropped to a walk. Mile 12's split was 21:00.

I tried to keep ahead of the 3:30 pace group as we went through Epcot, but they finally passed me as we were leaving the park.

The balloon ladies had almost caught up to me as we were approaching mile 13, but I had enough left to run the rest of the way. (Not that they'd sweep me at mile 13, just the principle of the thing.)

Final time, 3:49:50, my worst half marathon by twenty-nine minutes and fifty-nine seconds, and over an hour off my PR. But, as I've commented elsewhere, infinitely better than the races I didn't run.

I've been working with a health coach on diet, mostly as someone I can be accountable to. I may start talking to her about running accountability as well.

 

[SheHulk]

YOU DID IT and that's infinity better than not doing it. I'm proud of you, I know it's hard getting re-started.

 

[Kazrak]

YOU DID IT and that's infinity better than not doing it. I'm proud of you, I know it's hard getting re-started.

Thanks!

In addition to retiring the beloved Rebel Challenge shirt, it might be time to look for a refresh on my Garmin. The battery was just about gone by the end of the race. It’s like four years old, and batteries be like that.

 

[azrivest]

Congrats on finishing! The race conditions today were not ideal

 

[Naomeri]

Congrats on finishing! The humidity was BRUTAL!

I totally get the rubbed raw problem. I didn’t want to carry my water bottle, so I stuck it in my pocket, and after I used it for the first time around mile 9, and put it back, I realized it had been wearing away at my leg, so I ditched it on the barrel at the bottom of the ramp. The next couple days in FL heat and humidity are gonna be delightful.

 

[Kazrak]

So, now the plan going forward:

I talked to my health coach this morning, and she's very willing to look over my Strava tracks after we go over what I've eaten. I'm hoping this will help me actually get running done instead of breaking off too early.

I have no particular races in mind right now. Oldest son and I agreed to skip W&D 2023, so we'll look into a Disney race in 2024 once we have a better idea where he'll be by then. (He graduates in spring 2023, hopefully.) The next Brazen races I'd be interested in are Bay Breeze and Victory in February 2023, then (assuming it happens) Western Pacific in April and Summer Breeze in July. If Hellyer comes back (normally in March) then I'd love to do that one again as well.

Unfortunately, that's really all their races I'm interested in right now. Most of what they do are trail races with much too high an elevation change for my tastes. I think that means I'm going to need to go further afield to find a good race to train for, especially next fall.

Morning run today was 4x2m/1m, 0.74 miles in 11:02, pace 14:52. My plan (such as it is) is to split my three days a week as one day going longer overall, one day going faster but not as long, and one day with longer intervals but less overall time. However, that's waiting until after Thanksgiving. Until then, I'll probably try for 6x2m/1m on Wednesday and see how that's doing.

Gadget update: I bought a Garmin 255 to replace my 235 that has a fading battery. I need new sneakers soon as well. I might see if I can go back to the Saucony Omni if I can find it in my size.

 

[The Expert]

so we'll look into a Disney race in 2024

Don't forget, Disneyland races are coming back in 2024!

 

[Kazrak]

Don't forget, Disneyland races are coming back in 2024!

Yeah, we'll probably try for coast-to-coast medals. I've got a Kessel Run medal from the last year they did DL races, but my son doesn't have a coast-to-coast yet and his attempt at castle-to-chateau ran into a pandemic.