The Long Road to Run Disney

[michigandergirl]

Sounds like a great day and I think it's so cool that you rode the motorcycle to the race!!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I didn't meet any of my goals for May. I finished the month having only run 21 miles, which was less than both last May and last month. I was shooting for 30 miles. I'm going to try to get my act together for June starting today. My older daughter and I are registered for the Lake Run 5K in Quitman, MS on June 8th. This will be a stroller run for me. We've never run in Quitman before, but this run is in a beautiful state park.

I am eyeing a 5K at the end of September for my next PR attempt. I ran this race in 2016, when I was about twenty weeks pregnant with Scarlett.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

This post is totally unrelated to running, but sort of related to Disney. My girls recently had photos done at the Dentzel Carousel at Highland Park in my hometown of Meridian, MS. This is relevant to Disney because William Dentzel also made the King Arthur Carousel in Disney Land. That carousel was made in 1922, while the one here was made for the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. The Prince Charming Regal Carousel iat Disney World was made by a rival company, The Philadelphia Tobbaggan Company in 1917.

The horses' tails are real horse hair and the antlers on the deer are real antlers. This carousel has a lion, a tiger, two deer, two antelope, twenty horses, and two chariots. I'm totally geeking out, but I think that this is an amazing landmark and a great piece of American History that I'm happy to be able to share with my girls. I hope you enjoy these pictures!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I like to preregister for races so I have some added motivation to get out and run. It usually saves a few dollars off race day registration and guarantees I get a t-shirt. Unfortunately, it also sometimes means I'm throwing money away, doubly so if my daughter is registered for the race as well. We were supposed to run at The Lake Run 5K in Quitman, MS this morning. Last night, Scarlett started running a fever, which didn't go down through the night. She seems to feel okay, but we will be skipping this race, but hopefully I can get in a run this evening when my husband is home from work.

I have to work next Saturday. I'm filling in at a different location while the store manager there takes a mini-vacation. There is a 5K not too far from that store that starts an hour before I have to open up. I could probably swing that run. Otherwise, there is nothing else on my radar until the end of September. I haven't registered for the September race yet because it is the week before we leave for our Universal trip. There is also a tempting race in August, a night run on my favorite course, but I fundamentally disagree with supporting the cause and just can't support it.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I am really fortunate that I leave my driveway and have my choice of five different running routes. With the exception of one run on a track around the lake at the community college, I've been sticking to one of those over the past week because it offers the most shade.

In my ten years living here, I've met a few walkers, but never another runner. I've seen an older man out running several times this week. He's been running basically the same route I have. It seems I've been turning around at his driveway and he's been turning around at mine.

I am up to 9.8 miles so far for June.

06/01 2.7 miles @ 14:06 & 82 degrees
Mile 1 @ 13:11 (includes 5 min WU)
Mile2 @ 13:13
.7 @ 16:43 (slowed down b/c I was light-headed)

06/04 2.3 miles w/stroller @ 14:09 & 88 degrees
Mile 1 @ 14:16 (includes 5 min WU)
Mile 2 @ 13:10
.3 @ 17:16 (includes 5 min CD)

06/06 2.3 miles @ 13:29 & 73 degrees on track
Mile 1 @ 13:58 (includes 5 min WU)
Mile 2 @ 12:22
.3 @ 15:38 (includes 5 min CD)

06/09 2.6 miles @ 14:00 & 86 degrees
Mile 1 @ 13:57 (includes 5 min WU)
Mile 2 @ 12:40
.6 @ 16:32 (includes 5 min CD)

 

[JAMIESMITH]

06/11 2.25 miles with the stroller at 77 degrees, average pace 15:10 per mile.

I swapped Saturdays with a co-worker, so i didn't end up doing the 5K this weekend. My family had a nice time shopping in Jackson instead.

I missed five consecutive days of running. I had a rough week at work and it has been so hot even right before sundown. I set my alarm for 5:00 this morning and ran before work, for the first time ever. It was so much cooler out! It was nice watching the sunrise, too. I really need to make a habit out of this.

06/17 2.25 miles at 72 degrees
Mile 1 at 13:26 (includes 5 min WU)
Mile 2 at 11:58
.25 at 17:41 (5 min CD)

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I'm trying to make a habit of morning runs. I did some speed play last Wednesday with intervals of 60 second all-out sprints and 90 seconds of walking. According to Garmin, my best pace was 7:53. If only I could sustain that pace for more than a minute! 2.15 miles at 14:17 average pace per mile.

I skipped my run on Friday, because I apparently over did it on Wednesday. I am prone to shin splints. I cut grass on Saturday. Trimming up our ditch banks definitely counts as cross training! I spent Sunday plumbing. We had several problems in our master bath that needed attention.

I ran an easy 25 minutes this morning with a 5 minute warm up and cool down. 2.5 miles at 14:05 average pace.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

We are 98 days away from our first trip to Universal Orlando!

I finished out June at 20.4 miles, which is slightly less than last month, but much better than June of the past two years.

I have 32 miles penciled into my July training calendar, but I would honestly be happy with anything over 24.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

At 160lbs, I am at my heaviest ever non-pregnancy weight. This is 20lbs heavier than when I ran my first half marathon in 2017. I have got to start making better food choices to help get my weight down before the half this year.

07/01 2.3 miles at 73 degrees
Mile 1 14:20 (includes 5 min WU)
Mile 2 13:42
.3 6:05 (includes 5 min CD)

07/02 Cut Grass

07/03 was my husband's birthday so I made him a cake and his parents drove from Jackson to celebrate with us on 07/04.

07/05 I was off work and I should have gotten up before my husband went to work to run, but I slept in instead.

07/06 2 miles w/stroller at 81 degrees
Mile 1 14:41 (mostly running)
Mile 2 17:22 (mostly walking)

 

[Kazrak]

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Awww! Thank you!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

The actual temperature here reached 100 degrees last week for the first time since 2015. I got up at 5 AM on Tuesday and Thursday to run a little over two miles each day at 75 degrees. My plan was to run again this morning, but Tropical Storm Barry has already brought in the rain, which is expected to stop Monday afternoon. Our area is expected to receive 10 inches of rain over the next few days. Thankfully we are far enough from the coast that we are very unlikely to see any major damage.

I received news this week that my tuition at the community college will be fully covered by grants and a scholarship. I should even get a little money back! We are now 86 days away from our Universal trip and I have $950 saved up to take with us. Once I reach $1000, I will start putting a little away for Princess 2021!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Frustrating run this morning. My phone hit the ground twice because I opted to run with a running skirt instead of my flip belt. I got home and trashed all three of my running skirts. They were never as cute on me as on the blogger who inspired me to buy them, anyway!

Training for the Magnolia Half will start next month. I need to take my training log from 2017 and make a plan for this time. The good news is I am in a slightly better place to start training, but the bad news is I am a good 20lbs heavier.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I would have sworn I had a screen protector on my watch, but I guess I didn't. I wore it while weedeating Wednesday afternoon and cracked the screen. It could be worse, but it's still annoying and I'm so mad at myself!

I ran this morning because I couldn't make myself get up early yesterday. Today's run was better than Tuesday's, but I still ended up taking a walk break. 2.34 miles @ 14:07. Mile 1 13:57, Mile 2 12:50, .34 6:15.

I also booked a Priceline express deal for a hotel in Birmingham, AL the night before we fly to Orlando. We are going to spend the afternoon at Barber's motorcycle museum and sleep in before we have to go to the airport. 79 days until our vacation starts!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

It turns out I did have a screen protector on my watch, but I just wasn't prying hard enough to get it off. So, that's good news.

I am going to call July today since I have no plans on running tomorrow or Thursday. My cousin Marie and I are both playing hooky Thursday to take my oldest daughter to a local waterpark. We all have birthdays within the first week of August. Madilyn's is the first, Marie's is the third, and mine is the seventh.

It is so hot, but I have struggled with waking up early enough to run and shower before work. I managed to finish two ten minute intervals, with a three minute walk break this afternoon with the baby in her stroller. I need to air up the stroller tires before we run again, because they were pretty low. My older daughter also joined us for the first time in several months.

I finished July with 21.4 miles ran which is more than the previous two Julys by quite a bit, but still less than I was aiming for. I only ran twice each week.

My training plan for the Magnolia Half starts in August. I have several weekend long runs of four miles and two shorter runs during the week plus some cross training. I am shooting for 8+ miles each week. I ran four miles (intervals) on Saturday, so I know I can do the distance, but I need to work on my consistency. The mileage will really start to pick up in September.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

My training plan for the Magnolia Half on November 17th starts this month so I am going to aim for weekly updates on Sunday for accountability.

August 1st: We celebrated my older daughter's eleventh birthday at Geyser Falls in Philadelphia, MS. I'll call all the stairs we climbed cross-training

August 2nd: Worked 8-5, picked Scarlett up from daycare and Madilyn up from my mom's house. Skipped planned 20 minute (no intervals) run.

August 3rd: Planned rest day. Got up when my husband left for work to clean the house. Maddy was a huge help! Went grocery shopping and picked up a very unhealthy lunch at McDonalds. Unloaded groceries and cut grass. Rest day, really?

August 4th: Finished my summer read.

I've loved Stephen King since I was about twelve. I've read most everything he's written, but somehow never got around to The Stand. Lots of people say it's his best work, but I'm going to have to disagree with that. There are many other of his books that I prefer.

I also pushed Scarlett in her stroller (which still needs its tires aired up ) 2.25 miles at an appallingly slow 15:57 pace. I ran the first ten minute interval and half of the second one before I gave up and started walking. This was supposed to be a 3 mile run.

I'm not off to a great start, but also not sweating it yet. The stroller is currently parked beside the air compressor so I can't forget to air up those tires

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Weekly update time and I'm happy to say that things went mostly according to plan

Monday August 5th: Planned Rest Day

Tuesday August 6th: 20 minute run with no intervals (5 min warm up and cool down). 2.2 miles at 13:55 average pace. T+D=142 at 8am. I took the day off work to take Maddy to the doctor for her shots before school starts back.

Wednesday August 7th: Planned rest day. My birthday and the first day of school.

Thursday August 8th: 22 minute run with no intervals (5 min warm up and cool down). 2.3 miles at 13:39 average pace. T+D=137 at 5am.

Friday August 9th: Planned Rest Day.

Saturday August 10th: I put in my Iron Strength For Runners DVD and made it halfway through before my kids had a meltdown and I had to stop. I never started back up after that. I'm definitely sore today from what I did do, though.

Sunday August 11th: 4 mile "long run". I ran this with 1/4 mile run/walk intervals and had some killer hills on my route. T+D=152 at 7pm. 4 miles at 14:37. My fastest 1/4 mile was done at a 10:13 pace.

57 days until our Universal vacation Our plan to visit Barber's Motorsports Park the day before we fly down is not going to work. We didn't realize that the Vintage Heritage Festival fell that weekend. There is an extra admission price plus parking fees and we don't want to deal with the crowds that will be there. Our hotel is nonrefundable so we will find something else to do. My husband was so disappointed, he's trying to find a sitter so the two of us can go this weekend.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

This week did not go at all according to plan. I was supposed to run Tuesday, but I brought work home with me that really had to be done. I wanted to make that run up on Wednesday, but instead went to the doctor to be treated for another UTI. This doctor wants to set up an ultrasound and urinary scope to try and get to the root of why I keep getting these nasty infections.

I had to get our grass cut on Thursday because my husband talked his mom into spending Friday night at our house with the girls so we could take an overnight trip to Birmingham and visit the Barber's Motorsports Museum. We both took off work Friday so we could leave fairly early. We made it back Saturday evening.

This was such an impressive place, especially for two people who grew up rising bikes.

I finally got my only run in for this week just before dark today. I was aiming for a 25 minute run with no intervals, but I cut it short to 20 minutes. I ended up with 2.6 miles at 14:28 per mile average.

I have got to stick with my training plan over the next two weeks to hit 25 miles for August and get my half marathon plan off to a decent start.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

This week was definitely better running-wise than last week.

Monday August 19th: Planned rest day.
Tuesday August 20th: 2.3 miles @ 13.56 T+D=150. This was a 22 minute run with no intervals
Wednesday August 21st: Planned Iron Strength for Runners Workout, but I never started it.
Thursday August 22nd: 2.21 miles @ 13.34 T+D=155. This was 60 second sprints with 90 second walk intervals. I am actually really happy with this run!
Friday August 23rd: Planned Rest Day
Saturday August 24th: Planned Rest Day
Sunday August 25th: Planned 4 mile run. Actually ran 3.45 miles @ 14.14 T+D=149. I started off with 10 minute run/1 minute walk intervals, but ended up shortening the runs. This was a miserably muggy run.

I am a bit worried about my paces, but hopefully will start to see some improvements in September. My "A" goal pace for the Magnolia Half is 12:30 per mile. I ran it at 12:42 per mile in 2017. My "B" goal is anything better than that

I also registered for two races today. The Queen City Race for Life is on September 29th. I ran this one that I ran back in 2016. It's not my favorite course, but my husband is off work that day. This will likely be my last 5K in 2019 (unless I do one in December) so I hope to try for a new PR. The Great Scorpion Trail Run on January 4th, has a 50K, 25K, and 12.5K trail run. I registered for the shortest distance. This will be my first experience with a trail run, so I am excited for that!

 

[michigandergirl]

Can't wait to hear how you like the trail run!