OFFICIAL January 2012 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Goofy or Dopey Challenge Thread

[LumberDad]

With the taper fast approaching, how many people go through running withdrawal? You start to get moody, and all the little aches and pains start to creep into your body.

Enjoy your taper everyone.

 

[celicababi03]

Yes I did get a flu shot!! I get it every year because I seem to be prone to getting it! A lot of my coworkers have it too and thankfully I have not come down with symptoms as badly as them...I'm on day 4 now and am starting to feel better whereas they have had it for over a week and still have a hard time getting to work. I work with kids too so they carry all kinds of stuff!

Ditto on hydration. Get lots of rest and sleep. Avoid alcohol and otc meds with it. No training for a few days.

Hot lemonade with honey. Chicken soup. Airbourne. Saltwater gargle. ZMA at night. Don't overdo the OTC stuff, this is all in moderation.
(I know that airbourne is involved in a false advertising suit. It doesn't mean that it doesn't work, it means that they don't have proof that it works.)

This is my biggest taper neurosis. It's the dreaded low white-blood-cell count in endurance athletes. If someone sounds sick in the checkout, l leave the line and run home and neti pot.

Did you get a flu shot this year? Do we have a new flu strain not covered by this years vaccine?

 

[bunnyfoo]

With the taper fast approaching, how many people go through running withdrawal? You start to get moody, and all the little aches and pains start to creep into your body.

Enjoy your taper everyone.

I don't know about withdrawal because I'm kind of tired of the LRs at this point. I miss going out with friends because I have to go to sleep early so I'm rather happy that this weekend is the last of the LR

What I will miss is being able to eat a few extra sweets or pasta dishes. I'll likely add in some extra cross training exercises so I can have an extra few calories here and there.

Maura - Thanks for volunteering! I will look out for you on the half course!

celicababi03 - Hope you feel better soon!

 

[jmasgat]

With the taper fast approaching, how many people go through running withdrawal? You start to get moody, and all the little aches and pains start to creep into your body.

Enjoy your taper everyone.

It's not so much that the aches and pains creep into my body (which they do), it's that they creep into my mind. And then I worry if I'm ready.

Maura

 

[APrunner]

I am done with my last 20+ mile run. Ran it today. Went great, until the last three miles when the wind seemed to really pick up. That is one thing about the long runs, especially in the morning, the weather can really change over the course of the run. I started with temps in the low 40's and no wind. Finished with temps pushing 60, but gusty winds. I still have one tough interval session ahead of me, but it looks like I am kind of cruising after that.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Learned the hard way today to not run with glasses vs contacts Didn't think itd make that much difference but by the first 1/2 mile was decently dizzy- ended up only doing a little under 4 miles (wanted 5) and was about a minute over normal pace but learned for next time

I've started my food transition so runs should get much easier from here on out- Still waiting for my waiver info etc to be added to the system (up to dec 6- I registered the 8th) but getting excited

-em

 

[RodBelding]

20 miles tomorrow morning, then the taper starts. Looking forward to it.

 

[donmil723]

It's not so much that the aches and pains creep into my body (which they do), it's that they creep into my mind. And then I worry if I'm ready.

Maura

Exactly how I feel! And the closer it gets, the more I worry about getting sick or injured. Never used to worry but have noticed I get more sinus/upper respiratory infections with more endurance training and have been bothered with tendinitis this past year. Getting ready to do 15-20 miles today and hoping it doesn't aggravate the cold I have or any of the aches and pains. YEP! It's all mental! That's what I keep telling myself....

 

[DrMomof3]

Just finished my last long run. I was hoping for 20-22 miles but after mile 9 I had significant pain in my left calf. I started feeling tightness in my left calf after my 20 mile run 2 weekends ago. I took it relatively easy the last 2 weeks and felt better. Today around mile 8 the calf felt tight again but not painful. About a mile later it started to really hurt. I walked for a while and then returned to run/walk. I decided to stop after 15 miles rather than risk further injury.
I would have liked to get one more 20+ mile run done - more for my psyche than anything - but I felt really good today (with the obvious exception of the calf but I could have run through it if it had been race day) and had juice at the end.
I'm excited and nervous for race day! My plan for the next 3 weeks is to recover and stay in good enough shape to feel good on race day!!!

Amanda

 

[pilk]

Last long run for me done. 14 miles finished this morning. My pace was a little slower than I was hoping for, but that could have been due to the thin layer of snow and watching for ice along the way. Now to taper off and relax for the weekend to come.

Wishing everyone a rest full next couple weeks and good luck on the race weekend.

Jon

 

[RunningGirl]

Last big Goofy training runs complete - 12 yesterday and 22 today. Felt really good and did not feel like I started with tired legs today, so I was very happy about that. Now it's just cruising along to race weekend, trying to stay healthy!

I hope everyone else has great runs and feels ready to go!

 

[DisneyRunnerGirl]

Doing my last long run tomorrow morning and for some reason am feeling very blah about it and the whole race. It has been a real struggle to get any mental highs from my running for several weeks now. Not having any fun

Work has been very stressful. Holiday prep hasn't even worked its magic - Last year at this time we were celebrating my 50th birthday and my son's college graduation.

This year I am having my 1st empty nest Christmas...my son is a manager in EPCOT, so we will be having a late Christmas with him during race week. Definitely could be worse places for him to be working and us to visit, but I just can't seem to get into the holiday or running groove.

Just needed to vent a little. Thanks for "listening".

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Just finished my last speed work run before my last 20 tomorrow.

Three weeks from now I will be having my last meal before the my first full!!!

 

[ChrisRuns]

Doing my last long run tomorrow morning and for some reason am feeling very blah about it and the whole race. It has been a real struggle to get any mental highs from my running for several weeks now. Not having any fun

You're not the only one - I joined the DIS boards because I was having such a hard time getting geared up to run and be excited for the weekend (I'm running the Goofy, G-d help me!). I'm going to be putting some Disney songs on my playlist for my LR tomorrow and trying to summon some magic up!

 

[Shannon84]

Just finished my last long run. I was hoping for 20-22 miles but after mile 9 I had significant pain in my left calf. I started feeling tightness in my left calf after my 20 mile run 2 weekends ago. I took it relatively easy the last 2 weeks and felt better. Today around mile 8 the calf felt tight again but not painful. About a mile later it started to really hurt. I walked for a while and then returned to run/walk. I decided to stop after 15 miles rather than risk further injury.
I would have liked to get one more 20+ mile run done - more for my psyche than anything - but I felt really good today (with the obvious exception of the calf but I could have run through it if it had been race day) and had juice at the end.
I'm excited and nervous for race day! My plan for the next 3 weeks is to recover and stay in good enough shape to feel good on race day!!!

Amanda

This exact thing happened to me today!! I went out with 20 miles in mind and around mile 6 for me my calves cramped up. This has never ever happened to me before and made me very nervous for race day I really hope this doesnt happen to me on that day, I never recovered from it so for 9 miles after I jsut pushed through the pain and then called it quits. I am happy I did 15 miles for the day though and I am very excited for the race!

 

[Ronda93]

Did 20 miler today. I'd come up short on some earlier long runs and took some earlier advice and walked the deficit. Still averaged 13:30. Happy with that. Looks like we have LOTS of LR reports coming in. Way to go everyone!

Ronda

 

[CrystalCastle]

I have a question, I have caught a cold and I'm supposed to do my last 20 miler tomorrow. If I feel somewhat better tomorrow or Monday I know I'll go ahead and do it even if I'm not 100%. BUT if I am not up to it, would you skip it all together or just do it next weekend and only have a one week taper? I'm nervous to skip it all together since the only full I've done that with was my first one in 2009 and that hurt. Thanks for any advice on this. Ugh, what a lousy time to be sick and my whole family has it all at once.

 

[goofyinohio]

I have a question, I have caught a cold and I'm supposed to do my last 20 miler tomorrow. If I feel somewhat better tomorrow or Monday I know I'll go ahead and do it even if I'm not 100%. BUT if I am not up to it, would you skip it all together or just do it next weekend and only have a one week taper? I'm nervous to skip it all together since the only full I've done that with was my first one in 2009 and that hurt. Thanks for any advice on this. Ugh, what a lousy time to be sick and my whole family has it all at once.

My advice would be to go in healthy and not make it worse by running when you are that sick. By you saying my last 20 miler it sounds like you've at least done another. If you feel good enough then go ahead but if not don't sweat it. As for next week I'd stick to whatever plan you are already doing but that's just me. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[cewait]

I have a question, I have caught a cold and I'm supposed to do my last 20 miler tomorrow. If I feel somewhat better tomorrow or Monday I know I'll go ahead and do it even if I'm not 100%. BUT if I am not up to it, would you skip it all together or just do it next weekend and only have a one week taper? I'm nervous to skip it all together since the only full I've done that with was my first one in 2009 and that hurt. Thanks for any advice on this. Ugh, what a lousy time to be sick and my whole family has it all at once.

I would add that if above the neck, then run if you feel like it... If below the neck, do not run, even if you feel like it.

You will be fine regardless since this seems to be a second 20 miler from your post. Do not worry about your first event. I have run marathons where I was more than well trained and came out gimpy and conversely, gone into events undertrained and not had an issue at all. It depends on so many other factors including relative effort, weather, course, recovery, condition heading into the event...

 

[donmil723]

Well did 18.25 miles today. My arch started to hurt at mile 15. I think my shoe was too loose. It was a fairly new pair and I felt my foot slipping around. I walked the last 2 miles after tightening the laces but I was ok with that as I feel I still could have finished the full walking if I needed to. I have also been battling a cold. I'm ready to taper especially with all the Christmas stuff coming up!

Good luck everyone!