W.I.S.H.-Wide Monday Mixer!

[corinnak]

I, for one, am still thoroughly exhausted from this weekend's race, so thinking about bigger and better races is tough to do right now. I would say that an Ironman race is going to top my list at a site to be determined some time in my future, some place with a scenic course would be preferred. I'd like to do a bunch of Rock n Roll races on year, all the Disney races in one year, the Marine Corps Marathon is one I really want to do, also I'd like to do a big group relay someday like the Texas Independence Relay or the Kentucky Bourbon Chase.

BOURBON CHASE! BOURBON CHASE!!

 

[FFigawi]

Better late than never, here's this week's question. Since last week's discussion focused on what events or races people want to do some day, how about turning it around and talking about the races we've done? Let's pick one event that we've competed in and try to convince everyone else why that needs to be on their list.

Here's mine: the Rocky Racoon 100 mile and 50 mile Endurance Trail Run. If you've ever wanted to do an ultra, this is the one to do, especially at the 50-mile distance. Unlike most 50-mile races where the time limit is 12 or 14 hours, Rocky allows the 50-milers to stay out on the course until it closes for the 100-milers. Those extra hours (you get 29 in total) give you plenty of time to make it to the finish without having to stress over getting kicked off the course. As if that wasn't enough, Rocky has the absolute best army of volunteers I have ever seen at a race. All of them are ultra runners who know exactly what you need and how you're feeling at each point in the race. They fill your water bottles for you, tell you jokes, feed you wonderful food like pizza, meatloaf, and hot noodle soup, and refuse to let you sit down and hang out at an aid station because they know doing so will only cause your muscles to stiffen up and your mental toughness to fade. They get you fed, watered, pumped up and going again in no more than a minute or two. I ran this a few years ago and can't wait to do it again next year. It's a fantastic event all the way around.

 

[FireDancer]

Well, normally it would be one of the Disney marathon weekend events but that would be a bit "preaching to the converted" here.

Mine would have to be the Bay to Bay in St. Pete, FL (it was canceled in 2010 but back in 2011). It was the second race I ever did and perhaps it is part nostalgia but I remember it as one of my best running memories. It was a one way course so you ran towards the bay and since you know the tallest building was close to the finish line you could see yourself getting there which was nice for a beginner. For a smaller race it had a great after party on the top of the upside-down pyramid that is the St. Petersburg pier. They had a lot of food and age group awards went down to 4th. I finished 4th so it was my first ever running trophy.

I only ran for my last 5 months in FL and I was a beginner so I only did 8 of them but the courses were so nice.

 

[FFigawi]

After a 3-week hiatus, the Monday Mixer is back and better than ever. Well, it's back at least. We'll see about the better.

Anyway, given all the excitement and discussion taking place online about the Lost finale last night, I thought a question that ties in to that might be a nice way to get the mixer rolling again. Some commentators have said that Lost is this generation's Star Trek in the way that it developed a fan base that loved to debate with each other and the show's creators, and also featured an overarching story arc within the ones that just helped to fill time in their weekly slot. How about it WISHers? How does Lost compare to Star Trek and other shows that had a theme running through them for year? Got any favorites?

 

[DianeL]

Sorry John! Didn't watch *gasp* I know! Unbelieveable huh?

I know there are LOST watchers here, and I didn't think they were to bashful so come out come out where ever you LOST viewers are hiding

Now John which flavor of Ben & Jerry and I could help you out

 

[FireDancer]

I also have never seen one second of Lost, so I am no help.

 

[corinnak]

I stopped watching midway through season 1 when it got so creepy! DH loved the finale. My mom did not. I, however, have nothing to contribute on the subject. It does seem to have been a very, very popular show!

 

[WDWFAN9]

Well, I am a Trekker, more from reading all of the novels, but I did watch the TV shows too, starting with the original series, which I guess dates me a little!! I am a slacker compared to those hard-core fans who have memorized entire episodes and can read Klingon. In the same way I've watched LOST, but didn't stress over all the issues and whether everything was resolved. Time will tell if LOST has the staying power of ST.

 

[deekaypee]

X-posted from 'Ohana thread:

Meh. I don't buy TPTB had a master plan all along for Losst. Oh, I got the ending, predicted it fairly early on, and I see why they did seasons 5 & 6. But not a huge fan of them. When I got hooked on Lost, I guess I'd hoped for a lowbrow Lord of the Flies, was willing to accept an X-Files with touch of ST alterna-dimensions.

What I got, instead, was a thinly-veiled Gilligan's Island with postmodern pastiche. I mean, I like a shirtless Sawyer as much as the next gal, but I think the writers'/producers' ideas of compelling relationships (because the show's all about relationships) differs from mine. And I can fanwank with the best of you, but that doesn't mean the overall story arc makes a lick of sense as written.

Still, I give Lost this: its finale was far superior to that of The Prisoner. Or of Seinfeld and yes, even the series finale of X-Files, which also failed to satisfy. I said on FB that Lost's pros were that it seemed like fanfic. And that its cons were, you guessed it, it seemed like fanfic. To each their own. And water cooler conversations can be cool, too, if that's what Lost gave people.

But me, I've got to give it to ST:TNG, my intro into the ST universe. I'm so over Fringe and V. BSG still interests me, though long over. But for my sci-fi fix I regularly turn to Big Bang Theory. I want a custom running shirt that says Bazinga.

 

[tiberius]

Happy Flag Day (at least for the American WISHers) and Happy Monday to you all! (and welcome back to the Monday Mixer!!)

With summer vacation and holiday periods coming up for many of us (myself not included as I took early vacation to go to the snowy tundra of Orlando for the Goofy ), how do you all plan to stay with your training during your travel periods?

I generally try to find good places to run while travelling, which is heavily dependent on where I am. I'll be travelling to Austin for work this week, fortunately Austin is generally runner-friendly and I look forward to seeing new parts of it. I also try to take advantage of a hotel gym and lap pool when I have them at my disposal.

 

[corinnak]

With summer vacation and holiday periods coming up for many of us (myself not included as I took early vacation to go to the snowy tundra of Orlando for the Goofy ), how do you all plan to stay with your training during your travel periods?

Good question, Richard!

I agree, it's great to be a runner because it's possible to run most places. I've also been known to use a hotel treadmill and/or weight room. I've got a plan for the summer that involves going to the community pool in the town I'm visiting, stealing my sister-in-law's bike before she is awake in the morning (shhhhh!). And using my brand new TRX for strength and core training, along with the occasional yoga DVD. I also need to get going on a training plan for Disneyland, I guess.

 

[jmasgat]

Let me be the first to admit that I throw the training out the window when I go on vacation. I then try to rationalize that since I am generally doing some kind of walking or hiking or other activity, that it becomes "cross training". Of course, if I go to my mother's and sit around all day reading, this rationalization doesn't hold up well!

I also like to tell myself that one week of off time won't really mess up my overall schedule. And also, that "vacation" is carte blanche to do whatever I want. After all, if you can't totally enjoy your vacation without pressure, then what's the point? This works most of the time!

Maura

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

Wait.......you're supposed to train on vacation?????????

All kidding aside, I guess maybe because I'm not really training for anything, I don't really worry about it. At school I had access to the rec center, but around here the only places to run are country highways, so I choose living over training. However, I am starting to use one of those Gazelle machine thingies, and I want to work on arms and core to get my entire body ready. So that's my training for now, until I register for the next race. Which WOULD have been the Princess, but nooooooooo

 

[FireDancer]

I try to find a race, even just a 5K, to run while on vacation. Pretty much every trip I have taken in the last couple of years has either been for some sort of event or had something like a biking trip or hiking built into the itinerary. I'm fortunate to have friends who also like to run so persuading them to make plans to a city they want to go to around their marathon week isn't all that hard.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I try to book a hotel that has a gym so that I'll have access to a treadmill and free weights. I'll also do body weight exercises - push ups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks which don't need a lot of space or a gym. Generally though, I don't tend to workout as much while I'm on vacation - unless you count eating

 

[wtpclc]

For us, it's the same motivator we need fro all trianing. We must have big goals to continue training. I must say, runnign in Alaska was amazing. That was teh coolest trainign run ever while trianign for marathon #2.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

It's Monday still! How is everyone doing?

 

[MomofCKJ]

Had a lovely day, a run, followed by the local fair with my kids and seeing my middle child play in a soccer scrimmage (she scored! I love watching her play!).

Now it is a glass of wine and about to shut the laptop down and go chill with the husband!

Allyson

 

[FFigawi]

Doing fine. Sad to be home after a really nice weekend at Disneyland.

 

[tiberius]

Sore, definitely sore.
I enjoyed a nice Labor Day swim, followed by a bike ride in an unexpected rainstorm and finished up with a good run.
All in all having a lot of Monday fun with friends--and isn't that what it's really all about!