Need some sane advice, have I just gone crazy!?!?

[Sarah_Rose]

Thanks for the reminder about the extra clothing, Jeff! I also did not bring extra clothing for the WDW half this year, and so, after standing around for hours in a t-shirt and capris, had lost the feeling in my arms by the time the race started. I'm certainly not doing that two days in a row, this year!

And the ice bath video made me laugh.... oh, some people....

Kirsty, I never thought about the water park option for after the race, but then again, I never considered going to the water parks in January. I'm a bit of a wimp with the cold!

And that is awesome that you're doing pre-med! I'm way too squeamish around blood and gore to ever consider anything like that! In fact, my German Shepherd ran into the corner of a wall head first last weekend while chasing a ball (dented the steel-reinforced frame, too!) and I almost fainted and threw up simultaneously and couldn't go near the dog until my fiance had determined that it was only some bruising and a few small cuts, and not a shattered eye socket. Ewww. So yeah, no med school for me. But it's awesome that you're going for it!

Sarah

 

[mkymsehi]

Ok, another tip. Bring two large garbage bags with you (one for each day). Cut a hole in the bottom of the bag, just enough that your head pokes through. Wear it like a rain poncho. Keeps you warm, and dry if there's any rain.

Stay out all night after the full marathon, and you'll look like this during the extended Magical Hours.

And like this on the monorail ride back to the parking lot at 1:00 am.

Or Monday in the parks.

 

[bunnyfoo]

Kristy - Congrats on registering for the Goofy! I hope to join the club one day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng8X0dhDxDY

Did those guys put the ice in the water first? I usually put cool-warm water in, get in, get use to the water and then dump in the ice.

I agree with Jeff on the throw away clothes although I was running with him for part of the half last year and I was freezing in my t-shirt and skirt and he was doing fine in his tank top I don't think he really believed I was from Canada This year, I'm going to buy those stretchy gloves at the dollar store. When I'm running if my hands are cold, that's all I can think about.

 

[deekaypee]

I'm late to the party on this one, but no, you're not crazy. At least, not crazier than the rest of us. I'm in for the Dopey this year because...well, why not? And my first race was the Goofy two years ago. I'm older than you--if not wiser --and just know you can do it.

Definitely recommend ice baths. Vicky, I just pour the ice in and jump. Well, not literally, but I'm a rip-the-Band-Aid-off kind of gal.

Throw-away clothes from the Salvation Army. I'm always able to pick up Disney sweatshirts. Garbage bags are good, too. DOOD and I have a couple of mylar blankets from other races that we've saved, too.

And what's this I hear. Anne is in for the Goofy??? Do tell, do tell!

P.S. I love the enthusiasm here. It'll help keep me motivated because I'm such a slacker!

 

[mkymsehi]

My friend Vicky, claims to hail from the Great White North, yet she was freezing, and I was in a tank top sweating. Hmm, me thinks she's telling a Great White Lie. Eh you hoser?

Deb, Dopey huh? Don't cha want to Dumbo with me? Throwing in an unofficial 5K, ON MONDAY!

http://www.warmhandsnow.com/store/warmers.shtml

You should be able to find these at your local drug store like Longs/CVS, Walmart, Kmart, or Target. Might be a different brand.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Thanks for all the great tips and advice guys and encouragement, I am so excited about doing these races, and everyone I know thinks I am crazy, my grandma actually said "nobody would pay to do that, who would pay to so it?" when I told her it was a separate race that included 3 medals etc she wouldn't believe me, saying that nobody else would be stupid enough to do that many miles lol Gotta love Grandparents

I did kind of a version of the Ice bath yesterday, when I got back from my run I was soooo hot (it was like 96 degrees yesterday) and I wanted a cool shower but didnt have the energy to stand so I filled a bath with cool water and sat in it (it would have been cold but the water in FL doesnt really get cold and we had no ice!!!) it was Ok until the dog decided to join me in there, she just jumped right in and started drinking my ice bath!! Which was funny until I actually tried to give her her own bath in the afternoon and she refused to get in the tub! Silly puppy!

Sarah: Thanks I think it will be good fun and lots of hard work to get into Med school but I am excited about it I actually quite like blood and gore when I was at equine college we had to dissect a horses leg, and I was the one with the knife and leg and everyone else was gagging in the corner so I think I should be OK I am worried about Jack, is he OK? I hope he didn't do too much damage to himself

Deekaypee - Do you mean your first EVER race was a Goofy, that is insanely brilliant, mine was the Minnie 15k and I didn't go out for one training run, and I HURT the day after lol PS I love the enthusiasm too, I keep coming back here to get my fixed, and I am going to need it when I start getting into my long miles

Vicky - I am from England and I now live in FL and people laugh at me when it is 60 out and I need jeans and a sweater, or when I complain that it is rainy! Although I have had a chance to adjust to the heat, did you come straight down from Canadian winter and then was cold in FL

Have a great day everyone, no running for me this morning, I actually kinda miss it on my rest days (but dont tell anyone I said so )

Kirsty

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Jeff: I love the pictures! I'm hoping that there are evening EMH on Sunday this year, so that I can recreate the entire experience.

Kirsty: Well, you sound like a perfect med school candidate! Jack is doing just fine; thanks for asking about him! Despite the fact that I carried the contact info for the nearest emergency vet for days after his accident, the swelling went down within a few hours and his cuts have almost completely healed (he just needs to grow back in those patches of lost fur!). I think I just freaked out when it happened because he cried for a few moments after the impact and he NEVER does that. He always bounced right back after a blow while playing, and the fact that he definitely felt it this time really shocked me. Of course, being a German Shepherd, he's totally "handler sensitive" and so if you accidentally pull his fur or step on his toes, he yelps at you, but he could run straight into a tree while playing and just be annoyed that he missed the frisbee!

Also, I laughed out loud at the mental image of the dog deciding that ice baths are so much more fun than real baths! I have to ask: how big is the dog? Jack would be exactly the same way; he spent hours swimming in the lake yesterday, but ask him to take a bath and he dutifully steps into the tub, but gives us a mopey "you're making the good smells go away" look the entire time.

Debra: Thanks for chiming in, as well! I'm liking the general theme of "I did it and it was great and you can do it, too!" because everyone else I talk to thinks I'm an absolute nut!

I'm considering the Dopey but waiting for the 5K course to be announced. I know it's been at AK the last few years, but AK doesn't really appeal enough to me to get up that early for a third day. Of course, it does mean that I would get an extra day at WDW, because I'd have to leave Wednesday (it takes all day to get from Seattle to Orlando - 8 hours flying time + 3 hour time difference) to be able to make it to the expo for packet pick-up on Thursday before the 5K. Which, I guess, is a reason to do it right there.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

Sarah I am glad Jack in doing OK, poor lil fella, was he just too excited to see? When I first got Pepper (my dog) we took her for her shots and she cried so much and threw herself around on the ground and limped for like a week, I felt so sorry for her I nearly cried! Then when she got fixed she looked so sad and pathetic I just laid with her on her bed for ages trying to cheer her up but now she is more grown up (18 months) she is much tougher, so I feel sorry for her less and get mad at her more like today when she took the entire contents of the trash can and laid them around the house all chewed up, that was fun!

She is a German shorthair pointer and she is about 60lbs, she is very protective (i was on my own this weekend which is why she insisted in joining me in the bath tub!)

She is bigger now this is her at 6months

Baking day at home

She likes to sleep like people

I know Pepper spent all afternoon swimming in the sea, but I go to give her a bath and it turns into a game of hide and go seek

Everyone else - I too appreciate the I can do it so you can too comments so keep em coming lol and thanks for all your helpful tips, planning is my way to stop being nervous and I have 6 months to plan second hand clothes, and hand warmers and ice baths so thanks

Kirsty

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Kirsty: Awwww, Pepper is such a sweetheart! I love her markings! And the picture of her on the couch is so funny. Jack only gets furniture time if he's been especially good (because he's huge and a shedding machine) and so I'm sure he's very jealous! Does she like to run with you, or does she just take advantage of ice baths?

Jack... runs into things. He has a very strong ball/prey drive, and when he's chasing a toy, he doesn't pay attention to anything around him so we have to be very careful where we throw it. But sometimes it bounces. He's had a couple scary full-speed dog park collisions with other dogs (Labs both times) chasing balls coming from another direction. Luckily, both dogs have flown, rolled, staggered back to their feet, and then went looking for their balls, both times.

Alright, I could talk about my dog forever, so I'm going to stop. But first, here's his silly bathtime photo:

Sarah

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

awww that pic in the bath is so cute, he doesn't look too impressed but its nothing compared to the dramatic look on peppers face when I put her in the tub, its like someone just told her there would be no more squirrels to chase in the backyard

Tell Jack to not be too jealous, she has recently been banned from all furniture after getting waaay to excited and ping ponging off our two couches and hitting on so hard she put the back of the couch through the dry wall! Crazy dog, so she is now not allowed on any of it in hopes that when she gets excited she doesnt jump on them and cost us more money. Although ever other weekend my employer goes to visit her boyfriend and stays all weekend and I am alone in the house with Pepper so I let her sleep in my room on my bed so she can protect me if anybody came in the house, its a bad habit but it helps me sleep better at night

She very occasionally comes for a run with me but it doesn't usually go to well, she either pulls me until I can't feel my arms or tries to chase squirrels and birds and turns around to find them, and while doing this she trips me up and when we come back we are both mad at each other, so I tend to go for a run and then take her to the dog park for her never ending energy problem The only times I do take her is when she looks at me with those pretty puppy dog eyes and I just can't leave her in the house alone, but as soon as I get down the street I tend to regret my decision!

Pepper too has a seeing problem, she can only see birds and squirrels and balls but not anything standing still!!! she has yet to have a big disaster but some scary moments!

I took her to the beach the other day and it was the first time she hasn't run off, I was such a proud puppy mommy She never means to run away but she gets going after a bird so fast and then can't find me again

Anyway I too can talk about my pup all day so I better go now

Give Jack a scratch from me

Kirsty

 

[mkymsehi]

This thread has really gone to the dogs.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

This thread has really gone to the dogs.

Tell me about it

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Tell me about it

And is there anything wrong with that? My dog is my ultimate running motivator; run the dog into the ground so I can get some peace and quiet for the evening!