To Infinity and Beyond - Becoming a Better DopeyBadger (Comments Welcome)

[canglim52]

Congrats on the elliptical, are you going to use that to add more miles?

 

[DopeyBadger]

Congrats on the elliptical, are you going to use that to add more miles?

Nope, all for my wife! I might consider getting a treadmill (I'm not at the moment) to knock out a few early morning miles, but not the elliptical. If I've got time to jump on the elliptical, then I'd have enough time to do a few more miles running. But for my wife, it's much easier for her to jump on that in the morning to get some exercise in, then it is to feel safe for dark runs. I appreciate it too, because whenever she woke up super early for a weekday run, so did I, so I could watch her pass by the window (for safety). Now, I can keep sleeping because she'll just be in the basement.

 

[canglim52]

Nope, all for my wife! I might consider getting a treadmill (I'm not at the moment) to knock out a few early morning miles, but not the elliptical. If I've got time to jump on the elliptical, then I'd have enough time to do a few more miles running. But for my wife, it's much easier for her to jump on that in the morning to get some exercise in, then it is to feel safe for dark runs. I appreciate it too, because whenever she woke up super early for a weekday run, so did I, so I could watch her pass by the window (for safety). Now, I can keep sleeping because she'll just be in the basement.

Runner World ran an article about a survey they did on runners safety. It's crazy how many women get harassed while running! I can't remember the exact numbers, but it was alarming... Glad you found a good alternative

Depending on how your speed training goes, do you think you'll make that a part of your yearly cycle?

 

[DopeyBadger]

Runner World ran an article about a survey they did on runners safety. It's crazy how many women get harassed while running! I can't remember the exact numbers, but it was alarming... Glad you found a good alternative

We live in a relatively safe area, but it's happened to her on a few occasions. She enjoyed the elliptical this morning!

Depending on how your speed training goes, do you think you'll make that a part of your yearly cycle?

As of right now, no. I guess if I make a dramatic jump or really enjoy it, then I'll consider it. But right now the Spring 2018 plan is to focus on endurance and two HM "A" races. It'll have been since Dec 2015 since I've run a non-Disney challenge HM. So, almost 2.5 years.

 

[mollybloom]

Your plan is amazing! Can't wait to hear how it goes. And congrats on the registration!! No 2018 WDW registration here (fingers crossed I'll be baking another small person at that time). 2019!!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Your plan is amazing!

Thanks!

Can't wait to hear how it goes.

I'm nervously excited!

And congrats on the registration!!

Thanks!

No 2018 WDW registration here (fingers crossed I'll be baking another small person at that time). 2019!!

Best of luck!

 

[dmross]

Caught up on your race report. So fun to read.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Caught up on your race report. So fun to read.

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for reading!

 

[ZellyB]

Sweet buy on the elliptical!!

 

[Dis5150]

Then I got the text! She finished! Her first marathon was done! She actually looked in really good spirits when I saw her.

Mom’s Final Time – 5:34:03

I just realized that my DD27 finished right before your mom. So you probably saw her finish. Her time was 5:32:10

 

[DopeyBadger]

Sweet buy on the elliptical!!

Thanks!

I just realized that my DD27 finished right before your mom. So you probably saw her finish. Her time was 5:32:10

Quite possibly. What corral did she start in? I have a several minute video from when she finished so I could look for her. It would just depend on if their gun times were similar.

 

[Dis5150]

Quite possibly. What corral did she start in? I have a several minute video from when she finished so I could look for her. It would just depend on if their gun times were similar.

Lol, I wasn't even thinking about that! She started in L. Her clock time was 6:12:21

ETA: It looks like they finished 167 people apart as DD was 8180th.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Lol, I wasn't even thinking about that! She started in L. Her clock time was 6:12:21

ETA: It looks like they finished 167 people apart as DD was 8180th.

Yea my mom finished in 5:56 clock which means they finished about 16 min apart. I would have been in the area but not at the finish line anymore. Still cool they finished so close together.

 

[DopeyBadger]

144 Days to Go (2 runs in and we already have a change)



Date - Day - Scheduled Workout (Intervals within desired pace, Strength +/- 5 sec, everything else +/- 10 sec)

12/28/16 - W - OFF
12/29/16 - R - OFF
12/30/16 - F - OFF
12/31/16 - Sat - 6 miles @ 9:01 or slower min/mile
1/1/17 - Sun - 7 miles @ 9:01 or slower min/mile
1/2/17 - M - OFF
1/3/17 - T - 6 miles @ 9:01 or slower min/mile

Total (training) mileage = 19 miles
Number of intervals within pace = 19/19

BACK! After two weeks off of running since Dopey it's time to get back to it. As I alluded to in the trip report, I got sick on the way back from Disney on the day after the marathon. Things progressed from bad to worse over the next few days to a point I haven't been in awhile. In my adult life I'm not sure I've had a temperature before but I got up to 102 that Thursday night. In addition, Thursday morning I had another passing out episode which went into a massive sweat. It took me about 20 minutes to stand-up. Needless to say I took off work on that Thursday/Friday. I was able to get enough rest that I was in ok shape by the following Tuesday. It didn't make it any easier that Steph was gone for part of that time, so it was a sick solo dad.

Here's a fun step stat:

Disney Marathon Day Step Count: 53,939
THE NEXT 12 DAYS COMBINED: 45,377

That's an average of 3,781 steps per day for 12 days of rest. With a ridiculous low of 1,405 steps. I guess that comes with staying home from work, being sick, and not training.

Finally though, it was Saturday and it was time to get back to running!!! It was a beautiful morning with a temperature around 35. Not what you would expect in late January. Normally we're dealing with temps in the single digits. It was a very stiff and sore run. But I kept the effort easy and powered through. Interestingly enough, my HR was an average of 134 and pace 9:21, whereas an avg HR of 134 was 8:29 in December. Just a sign of how much fitness has been lost (and still not 100% healthy). On Saturday afternoon we went to an indoor play facility. They had outdoor play structures in an indoor facility. It was fun, but man was it busy!

Sunday was good too. It was about 40. Still really stiff and sore. I had a little bit of pain in my left leg (not October pain), but it was pretty minor. The pace was a touch faster and more in range for an easy day. That night I got a call from a former co-worker. She said she had a business proposal and said she called because of my ability to make training plans for running and my skill set. I was pretty excited to hear what she had to say because it would be interesting to make training plans for a wider local audience and maybe get a taste of coaching in person.

So, on Monday I decided to take the day off from running because my former co-worker wanted to meet Monday evening. Long story short, I felt misled. It was likely just a misunderstanding, but the business proposal centered around having a website that sells consumables (make-up, energy drinks, vitamins, household cleaners, etc.) and had nothing to do with running. It was my skill set and personal characteristics that made her feel my training plans "skills" were a good match, but in reality had nothing to do with training plans at all. Oh well... It was disappointing, but I've moved on.

However, going forward I think I'll change my off days from Wednesdays to Mondays. It works from a training standpoint because Monday is easy and can easily be Wednesday instead. It also more importantly works from a personal standpoint. For the foreseeable future, Steph will close on Monday nights. Which means if I take Mondays off from running, then my mother in law doesn't have to stick around until I finish. Now it'll just be an off day. Plus, G starts Super Hero Tumbling in March on Mondays anyways so this will go from a temporary change to a permanent one from now until likely June.

I think taking off Monday was also a good thing because I was still sore from starting back up anyways. So, in the end I think it worked out well.

Tuesday was the 3rd run back and that first mile was tough. I felt overly sore and wasn't even sure if I should really keep going. As time passed it became more comfortable, but nothing like a normal easy day. Still in the recovery process. Although in the last mile or so things started to loosen up. Just keeping the effort easy regardless of the pace.

Looks like snow is on its way so things will be a little tough for tomorrow's run. Overall though, things are progressing. Not ready to race, but thankfully I don't have to worry about that for several months. Just going to take my time slow and steady over the next five weeks to get ready for the Daniels training.

 

[ZellyB]

So sorry to hear you got sick. And solo sick parenting is NOT fun. Been there.done that.

I had my first run after the race weekend on Tuesday and it was tough, so I can't imagine after the effort you put forth and then getting sick on top of it. Well done on getting back at it.

That's a bummer about your former co-worker misleading you.

 

[DopeyBadger]

So sorry to hear you got sick. And solo sick parenting is NOT fun. Been there.done that.

At least it's over and done with. I guess from a timing perspective might as well happen when I wasn't planning on running anyways. G was good on Thursday (stayed calm understood me being sick to a point). But Friday was crazy G and required a lot of attention. Although, the RHR suggests something new is coming again... I'm hopeful it's just a blip on the monitor.

I had my first run after the race weekend on Tuesday and it was tough, so I can't imagine after the effort you put forth and then getting sick on top of it. Well done on getting back at it.

Welcome back to you as well! We can be stiff/sore runners together! I'm just thankful I put some space/time in the training plan in the next few weeks just to get back to fitness.

That's a bummer about your former co-worker misleading you.

I'd venture to guess based on what I know of her that it wasn't intentional. Just more of a missing the big part of the information. I've got no hard feelings about it. Just ended up being a waste of time. I was really excited about the prospects though because some of our last conversations before she left were centered around her owning and operating a business centered around beauty/heath/fitness and helping people through charitable/volunteer means. I thought that's more what this conversation was going to be like with actual concrete plans instead of ideas. Alas, it was not.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Well after another fever last night (peaked at 103.5) it was time to see a doctor. They came to the same conclusion I did after having two fevers in roughly 2 weeks - sinus infection. Best guess is I had a cold in mid-December, sneezed on the plane to Disney with blood and caused an injury, it got infected, sinus infection started on day after the marathon and has continued since. Thus, cold/infection symptoms since mid-December to now. They put me on antibiotics so we'll see how it goes.

 

[ZellyB]

Stink! But at least you have a diagnosis now and hopefully the antibiotics will take care of it.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Well after another fever last night (peaked at 103.5) it was time to see a doctor. They came to the same conclusion I did after having two fevers in roughly 2 weeks - sinus infection. Best guess is I had a cold in mid-December, sneezed on the plane to Disney with blood and caused an injury, it got infected, sinus infection started on day after the marathon and has continued since. Thus, cold/infection symptoms since mid-December to now. They put me on antibiotics so we'll see how it goes.

That is crazy but at least it held off until after Marathon Weekend. I hope you feel better soon!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Stink! But at least you have a diagnosis now and hopefully the antibiotics will take care of it.

Yes, after about 6 weeks of this I'm ready to be done and back to normal. Not looking forward to some of these antibiotic side effects though. Better than the cold. Again timing is good between 4 weeks until Daniels and months until the next race.

That is crazy but at least it held off until after Marathon Weekend. I hope you feel better soon!

Agreed! I could tell I was going to be really sick on marathon day but not yet. I knew I was one day away. So I got really lucky with the timing of it all. I absolutely would have had a very tough time running the marathon with how I felt on the Monday after.

I decided to skip the last two training runs so that hopefully I can give myself a leg up. We will see how I feel tomorrow morning.