Team 'Ohana--No One Left Behind: The Continuing Adventures

[MouseDogMom]

George - I've been struggling with that question the last couple of weeks. I ran a full on Feb 12, and a half on Feb 25. I have 3 more races scheduled between Mar 25 and April 15, so there's not much down time! In general, I train year-round, but on our way home from the last half, my running buddy and I had a long discussion about taking it easy for the next couple of months before the serious training season begins. I'm trying to tone down the intensity, and I cut the length of my long runs back for a couple of weeks, but other than that, not much really changes.

Beth - A 4:35 pace? OMG! I'm pretty sure my Garmin would explode if I got anywhere close to that. Congratulations on a good race.

Richard - Your race blog is amazing. The accomplishment is even more so. Interesting that you achieved it without the watch. That's kinda how I did my half PR a couple of weeks ago. I wore it, but I only looked at it at the beginning of the race and at the end. I paid absolutely no attention to pace, only to the timer telling me when to run and walk, and I didn't adhere to that all the time. (Much to DH's dismay, I didn't wear my HRM, so we don't know if there may have been more in me than I thought!)

Jackie

 

[chimera]

George...I do 5 or 6 halfs a year, but usually try to cut back in the summer because training that time of year is so miserable. I run about 3 days a week, with long runs only about 6 miles or so

Richard...what does your cross-training look like when you're not training for an IM?

 

[tiberius]

Jackie - Thank you for the MCM info and for the comment regarding my blog! I write mostly as a journal of my events and training for myself but I do enjoy knowing that there are others who enjoy reading it. I ran with just my HRM timing the race, so I do have good HR data and I merely hit the lap button for my splits to record them. One of my biggest surprises was being able to run 4:06 doing a run/wak. I know I pretty much gave it all I had for my effort that day, now I am wondering what I will be able to do when I am rested for a marathon and not doing it a a long tempo run.

John - Thank you, also, for the MCM info you shared! I will very quickly be looking for a room. You're right in that I know will enjoy it, the MCM is the race that I've always hoped to be able to do going back to my days in the Corps.

Mel - I pretty much keep up with my tri training year round, meaning 2 swim, 2 bike and 2-3 running workouts per week for training, with some stretching and strength training in there as well. For an IM or half IM add one more of each to the schedule and increase the distances. I generally wind down and do less in November and early December as basic maintenance and increased rest time, which has worked real well with IM Texas training beginning right after the years begins.

 

[GeorgeAndDiana]

Richard: Really appreciate you sharing your story. The details of your journey to that PR are truly inspiring. Those of us that are still newbies can really benefit from knowing of your success!

Jackie and Mel: Thanks for your viewpoints on training and training breaks. I've been non-stop since I signed up for the Princess, and was a little worried that I wasn't taking the recommended breaks after the race. Maybe I'll figure out how to take a short break during vacations! Doubtful..

Beth: Thank you as well.. that's a lot of races! I have nothing scheduled (for now) so I feel a little worried that I'll lose motivation without something to shoot for... so I've just kept a very active schedule just to keep my body used to it.

 

[chimera]

George...you will find that your training evolves with your goals. Marathon training is different than a half which is different than someone who wants a fast 5K. Sometimes life gets in the way and your volume/intensity may decrease or need adjustment...sometimes you can just sail along with everything going as planned. I think for many of us, it's not really 'training' anymore...it's just part of your life.

 

[tiberius]

George...you will find that your training evolves with your goals. Marathon training is different than a half which is different than someone who wants a fast 5K. Sometimes life gets in the way and your volume/intensity may decrease or need adjustment...sometimes you can just sail along with everything going as planned. I think for many of us, it's not really 'training' anymore...it's just part of your life.

Well said, Mel, and I heartily agree. If you'd told me 2 years ago that I could have kept up with some of the training I do now, I'd have thought you crazy. The truth is that it has become a normal part of my life, maybe not normal for almost anyone else but normal for me.

 

[GeorgeAndDiana]

Thanks, Mel and Richard. I've definitely worked running into my routine much more than considering it training, but I called it training right up to the first race, as it helped to keep the goal in perspective for me.

I oddly had my first slight setback since I began this crazy thing last July. This weekend I decided to do about 15 miles between Saturday and Sunday, which because of the early Spring-like weather in Ohio and because of how I felt afterwards, was really wonderful. Then, I picked up a virus on Monday and spent about 24 hours shivering on the couch and in bed. Just a coincidence (unless one of joggers/dogwalkers/whatever sneezed on me) but it definitely made me worry about how I'd do if I picked that up on a race weekend. Ugh!

Thanks for the encouragement.. I couldn't ask for a better support team, and many of you have never met me! Hope to change that in a future race. Cheers!

George

 

[FFigawi]

For the Dole Whip loving cousins - Dole Whip shirts

 

[AquaDame]

Does that link go to the parks blog? (It comes up as **** when I click on it). I think I might go with the glee club instead! Decisions decisions!!

 

[IASW Rider]

Hey Cousins!

Sorry that it's been so long since I've checked in! I've just returned from our Nation's Capitol and the Rock 'N' Roll USA Half Marathon, where I had the pleasure of meeting up with a bunch of fellow WISHers AND had the great fortune of meeting one of our very own Cousins, Kathy, on the course! (We had actually run into each other in a very similar way - ironically around the 5th or 6th mile, on both occasions - at Princess in 2011!) So neat to catch up with everyone in person!

Hope that all has been well with all of you! I try to do my best to keep up with as many of you as possible on Facebook.........now I will have to catch up on all of your recent adventures and accomplishments, here on the Boards! Take care, happy racing, and will try my best to be a better correspondent!

Lisa

 

[jeanneg]

Hello cousins!

Welcome to both Shanna and Beth! Beth, I am also a native New Yorker. And I take it that if you run along the Hudson, you must live in Manhattan, which is my home borough.

I apologize for not posting more. Truth be told, I have had the month from hell, healthwise. I don't mean to bore anyone with my problems but I am at the point now where I think most my doctors are idiots. I have gone from no answers to too many answers and the more I find out, the more I am convinced that my husband's original diagnosis is the correct one. In short, I have an auto-immune disease that will run its course in 18-24 months and needs to be treated with steroids....period. So although it's not what I wanted to do, I am back on the meds and feeling great! Which is a good thing because I leave tomorrow for MI where I will assist at the birth of my first grandbaby. Baby Greeky is due exactly one week from today but the Ironwoman is still running and I am convinced that all her activity will bring on an early labor. I was panicking that I would not be well enough to make the trip and take part in this blessed event, but the drugs have rescued me. I will be gone a whole month, but will have internet so I promise to keep you all posted. Then when I get home, I've got an October wedding to plan!

That's it for now......I still have too many things to take care of before I leave to address everyone individually, but big hugs to all.

 

[tiberius]

Jeanne - Apparently it takes a lot to keep those Ironmen (and women) from going on and on and on and on...... Good luck with the new grand-baby (hopefully a second generation triathlete on day!) and on dealing with that autoimmune condition!

Lisa - I loved seeing your Facebook posting of adventures in the capital! I'll be heading there in October for the MCM and may need some tips on getting around.

John - Nice post!

George - Good luck with getting over the recent setbacks! We all have to deal with something along those lines now and then.

AFM - I'm doing a slight taper this week with my 70.3 race in Galveston next weekend. Fortunately, this allows me to concentrate on a goal other than the Ironman race that is 48 days later. For reference, I believe I am number 1972 and Lance Armstrong is number 5. I believe it is just us and about 2000 others out there racing. My goals are to smash my last time that I did this event 2 years ago (7:52:07) and to beat my PR at this distance that I set last fall (6:21:22).

It seems that it has been a bit quiet here lately, I may need to go on to FB and shame a few people into coming back home and post with their cousins....

Take Care!!

 

[deekaypee]

Hello, cousins! How is everyone doing? Thanks for all the chocolate suggestions - not only did you help me with my little project but I have some new chocolates to taste, eventually. (Right now I'm in one of my rare "clean eating" phases - it will pass. )

Rose: No January? Arghhh! No, I understand completely. WDW Marathon Weekend was perfect for us a couple of years ago - now family and work circumstances have changed, and it's harder to manage things. And I know you love Princess and W & D. (Not to mention the other WDW aspects that match up with those things.) How's the foot & ITB, currently?

Richard: Belated congrats on your fabulous marathon time! Your 5th anniversary half is right around the corner, isn't it? How are you feeling going into it? I'm sure you'll knock it out of the park, to mix up my sports metaphors!

As for MCM, I echo what Jackie says about hotels - the metro lines can be crazy. If you decide to push yourself for the race, even with your top conditioning, you may want a place nearby to avoid the crowds (spectators as much as other runners).

Beth: Wow, your 5K fastest pace is just a blur to me. I'm so glad you had a good time, in both senses of the word!

Kira: It's been years since I've been to NOLA - sounds amazing. I do remember the food, esp. the beignets. It sounds like you're really back in the training groove and enjoying yourself! That's great!

George: Sort of what Richard said about XT and Beth said about foot time - when I'm not actively training for a race or, as has been the case recently, when injured, I try to maximize XT and vary my cardio.

Most important is what Mel, said, and Richard echoed: I love that this is all just part of our lives. I've been a bit mitchy over the past couple of months (moody + you know) because I've been unable to do as much as I'd like - it's unthinkable not to have it as part of my world. And that fact, coming from someone who essentially became active a few years ago, is pretty amazing.

How are you feeling, btw? The weather here has been crazy (not far from you) and lots of people have been falling ill or having a difficult time managing the temperature swings.

Lisa: Hello and welcome back! It's wonderful that you and Rose keep bumping into each other. The race world is a small world, after all!

Jeanne: I'm sorry to hear that your continuing health problems have been so frustrating to diagnose - although I always knew your DH was brilliant. But very exciting news about Baby Greeky - has s/he arrived yet?

AFM: To give you the brief update - the toe is good, mild tenderness during Disney and after a long WO but barely noticeable. The bronchial thing hangs on and affects me more. I'm in my healthy living mode, so have dropped a couple of pounds. Cross-training continues, but have dropped off a bit since I've returned to running. I need to focus more on that.

A hard drive crash last weekend - the second in a year and a half, so this time I'm *really* shopping for a new laptop.

I've made sure we're signed up for ToT 10 miler, but haven't had the discussion about January yet; DOOD is leaning toward the shorter races with his current work schedule. IDK. His work relay for the Pgh Marathon still isn't sorted out, and it might be a no-go this year; the race is full.

Speaking of races in the long, long term....in 2013 Pittsburgh gets a Rock 'n Roll 1/2 in August. Hmmmm. Something to think about. The complication for me is that the race is in early August, around the same time as the D23 Expo. But it might be do-able, as I'm not yet sold on doing the Expo again.

Also, for those interested. Just finished "Metropolis" by Elizabeth Gaffney. I quite enjoyed it, although reviews have been mixed.

 

[tiberius]

Hey there, cousins!
I'm just popping in for a quick post to report on my race this weekend. I ran a near 30 minute PR at the 70.3 triathlon distance as I finished in 5:52:05. To me, tis was the race I've been looking to put together for a long time as I had much more go well than went poorly, and what went poorly wasn't that bad in the long run. What surprised me the most was that I finished with a faster time than a number of friends that I never thought I would beat across the finish line.

My race report is posted on my blog for anyone wanting to read it.

 

[AquaDame]

Hey there, cousins!
I'm just popping in for a quick post to report on my race this weekend. I ran a near 30 minute PR at the 70.3 triathlon distance as I finished in 5:52:05. To me, tis was the race I've been looking to put together for a long time as I had much more go well than went poorly, and what went poorly wasn't that bad in the long run. What surprised me the most was that I finished with a faster time than a number of friends that I never thought I would beat across the finish line.

My race report is posted on my blog for anyone wanting to read it.

Congrats Richard! That is wonderful! I can't even imagine running a triathlon right now...! Maybe someday though.

Missing the St Patty's run has re motivated me to keep at it... I missed a good number of runs between the Tink and mid March but no more! I've increased my running bits from 1:1 to 115:45 and plan to keep eking away at it. Our next half is so far I don't want to start increasing my runs until we are closer (at most a 10K between now and then is planned) or maybe I should? Its hard for me to justify all the time without a more immediate goal in mind... we have a hard time getting everything we need to done as is.

 

[princessbride6205]

IASW Rider - I don't post often enough either. Hope to be better!

Hello cousins!

Hi, Jeanne. So sorry to hear about the health issues, but I'm glad you're well enough to travel. Congrats in advance on the grand baby!

Hey there, cousins!
I'm just popping in for a quick post to report on my race this weekend. I ran a near 30 minute PR at the 70.3 triathlon distance as I finished in 5:52:05. To me, tis was the race I've been looking to put together for a long time as I had much more go well than went poorly, and what went poorly wasn't that bad in the long run. What surprised me the most was that I finished with a faster time than a number of friends that I never thought I would beat across the finish line

Congrats! That time is amazing to me!

Hi to all the other cousins! It's been way too long, as usual, since my last post here. But I do think of you guys. DD and I watched Lilo and Stitch twice in the last two days, so it spurred me to check in with my running ohana.

I took a few months off from running after the W&D. Started back really slowly increasing my distance and I'm mainly a race walker now. Months of physical therapy, chiropractics, rest, and intense foam rolling haven't fixed my knee. I can't run more than 10 minutes, even walk/run. But as a walker, I've been doing okay for about 3 months so far. Until today I've been pretty happy with my pace in training walks. Today my shins were bugging me and I've never had any shin splints or anything before, so I hope it's not going to be my new injury!

No races officially registered right now, but I'm a few weeks into training for a half around July 4th. I plan to do two half marathons this year and start training for the WDW marathon 2013. I'd really like to do this and I'm trying everything I can to stay healthy.

 

[jeanneg]

Hello cousins,
Sorry it took me so long to post this, but it's been a whirlwind of a week. As many of you know from Facebook, I welcomed my first grand baby....a boy...on Tuesday evening at 6:24. His legal name is Constantine Sotirios, but he will be called Connor. He was 8 lb., 7oz. And 22 inches long and arrived 4 days late. My daughter continued running until one day past her due date. I am so blessed to have been able to be present for the entire birth and see him take his first breath. Needless to say, my feet have not yet touched the ground. I personally am unable to post photos until I go home, but there are several on my FB page and I am happy to friend any of my Ohana cousins.

Then, as if my week wasn't exciting enough, last night my son, who is a cinematographer, appeared on Celebrity Apprentice as part of the crew that helped one of the teams (Unamimous) make its video. Very exciting!

That's it for now......keep you updated.

Richard: great job on your race and the fabulous time. You never cease to amaze me.......I am so in awe of your accomplishments.

 

[FFigawi]

Congrats on your new grandson!

 

[AquaDame]

Congratulations!

 

[tiberius]

Jeanne - I said it on Facebook, but I will add it here for good measure, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

I also came by to add some good news (though not nearly as good as Jeanne's) I wanted to pass along to my cousins before it hits Facebook in the future. I was selected to represent CLIF Bar as a CLIF Ambassador 2012. Generally, my responsibilities include representing their company at 8 or more events throughout the rest of the year and handing out free product samples to the public in a training/racing environment. For my efforts I get shirts a cap and/or visor to wear that represent the company and a bunch of CLIF and Builder Bars to sample and distribute.

Also, I know of at least one other WISH Team member who was also selected, though I will let them make mention of it themselves instead of "outing" them on my schedule.