This Will Be an Amazing April for the Rebels

[MikeofRose&Mike]

Gretchen - hope Tink training is going well. We might see you at W&D12, just depends when Parents Weekend is for DS. He will be a senior next year, so we don't want to miss it.

Manda - what december race did you sign up for.

 

[grstink]

Manda - Final plans for the Tink Half have been made. My daughter went through a travel agent (friend) who got us a really good price for airfare, hotel (DL) and tickets. So, we went with her package. We found out today that we will be saving even $500 more because of a special that just came out today. Things are going good.
Mike - Hope all works out for your Nov. plans with your son and the race. Hope we can make our plans for the W & D 2012 as well. Need to get through the Tink first.
AFM - Training is going well and I feel better about where I am at this point in time. I hope I can continue on this same regimen and really hope I can increase my speed so that I have cushion time for the race. Weather here is getting colder which I do prefer.
Anyway, daughter and I have decided to take a Dec. WDW trip and do some Christmas celebrating. We usually do an all girls trip at this time but thought we might forgo it since we spent extended time, money, and DVC points on our family Aug. trip. But, we just couldn't give up our traditional Dec. Girls Trip.
Take care all and stay well.

 

[MikeofRose&Mike]

Gretchen Glad all your plans for Tink are falling into place. I bet you have a good time. I know what you mean about not giving up a family trip. Every time we go at a new time we mean it to be instead of a different trip, but instead it becomes a new tradition.

Mike

 

[MikeofRose&Mike]

Gretchen How is the Tink training going?

 

[grstink]

Mike - Tink training is going well. I did my 8 miler today and it was under pace time. We were happy (but tired). I had not been feeling so great this week (virus) so today's walk was better than I expected. Hopefully the upcoming longer walks will be even better. We are staying at the DL hotel for the Tink race and got a great deal with the airfare and tickets so we are ready, for the most part. Looking forward to our girls' trip to WDW next week. We are definitely thinking of doing the W and D 2012 and trying to convince my new daughter-in-law to join us. Hope that works out. Hope you get to fit it into your plans as well.
Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday. Wishing the same to all the Rebels out there!

 

[mandac]

Hi Rebels! Sorry I have been MIA for so long. Work has been rough, and I just haven't had time to sneak on the computer.

I just returned from the Rock and Roll Half in Las Vegas and let me tell you it was a nightmare! If it had been my first big race I may have quit running. They had corrals, but they didn't do wave starts, so we were all on top of each other the entire race. There were 44,000 participants, and we were all smooshed together the entire time. They didn't have any sports drink during the race, I guess they ran out before I got there. They did have water, but the poor volunteers were doing all they could to fill cups for runners. There were some pretty unsanitary conditions at water stops (volunteers filling up cups by dipping their hands and the cups into the pictures to go faster. The water came from the fire hydrants). They ran out of metals and blankets and everything but green bananas at the end of the race (I was lucky enough to get one). Then it was freezing at the end of the race. A LOT of people got sick after the race. My dad was one of them. He was worried he had trained badly, but with as many people as got sick I think there must have been bad water or something. I didn't do gear check but I hear going into the hotel/casino to pick up bags after was a nightmare!

This was my first Rock and Roll Marathon and I don't think I will do another one. I also had a really bad cold, so I had to walk slowly starting about mile 8. I never did have a good pace in this race because it was just too hard to get around people. CRAZY! I finished with a time of 2:50, which isn't my worst, but I was disappointed by the experience.

I am signed up for Surf City in Huntington Beach in February. Hoping for a much better experience at that race.

 

[MikeofRose&Mike]

Mandy Sorry that the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas was so bad. That's the second one that I heard bad reports about on Disboards, I don't even think I will bother trying one.

Gretchen Glad you are ready for Tink

Mike

 

[mandac]

Well I took a week off after the half marathon and training starts again today. I have been fighting off a nasty cold and it hasn't been helped by the gross air quality we have here. The weather is warm enough to run outside but you would need an oxygen mask. Maybe it is time to move to a place where you don't have to swim through the air?

Hope training is going well for everyone. I know it is a hard time of year for it with being so busy for Christmas, but I am going to do my best!

Manda

 

[mandac]

Well I started my training again yesterday. It is kind of scary because I only have less than 2 months before my next half. I did 3 miles on the treadmill - which doesn't sound like a lot - but it was kind of hard! I still have my cold and I was coughing by the end of my miles. But I was able to do them, at 5.5 on the treadmill. Not too bad.

I need to find some shows to watch while I run. I haven't found anything that keeps me interested enough. Any suggestions? I tried watching Glee last night and it was OK, but I was still staring at the clock on the TM.

Anyway - hope you are all doing well in your training!

 

[cwnhokie]

Disappointed to hear about your experience with the Rock and Roll race since my first half will be the Rock and Roll half in DC in March. I've been having trouble training this week. Trying to get Christmas shopping done, get work done so I can take off a week at Christmas, and my Dad is in the hospital. Missing one week won't hurt right? And the week's not over yet.

 

[K80K]

Disappointed to hear about your experience with the Rock and Roll race since my first half will be the Rock and Roll half in DC in March. I've been having trouble training this week. Trying to get Christmas shopping done, get work done so I can take off a week at Christmas, and my Dad is in the hospital. Missing one week won't hurt right? And the week's not over yet.

Missing one week certainly won't set you back. I did it recently myself.

Rock and Roll races are hit or miss. For as many bad experiences there have been there have been some great ones (Vegas certainly takes the cake in bad experiences though). I have run Inaugural Rock and Rolls in New Orleans, Providence and Savannah without any issues. I have also run Philadelphia and Nashville and had great experiences. A large part depends on the support of the local organizers and the National Half has been around for while before becoming Rock and Roll. My only suggestion would be maybe to carry some water or sports drink on your person in case of an emergency. I know that was an issue in Vegas and I have heard about National running out of cups in the past.

 

[grstink]

Everything is going well for my upcoming Tink race. Daughter and I are doing our long miles on Sundays and that has been working out just fine. Can't wait for the tapering though.
But really, I just wanted to come in and wish all the Rebels a Very Merry Christmas and many blessings for the New Year.
Enjoy the holidays, everyone.