Week of Oct 2 - 2006 Half-Full Marathon Info/Training Thread

[lacool]

I am the proud finder of my marathoning for mortals book. Missing for months.

That is such a coincidence! I lost my Non-runners Trainer and have torn the house apart looking for it. It is a 16 week training program, so when I finally gave up and looked for a substitute program, everything seemed to be 20 weeks, so I was already behind. This morning I was getting dressed in my closet (not my normal spot), and lo and behold, there is my Non-runner's Trainer, on the closet shelf! Now I am actually ahead of where I need to be, and am suddenly feeling really good about what I have accomplished and what I am capable of.

 

[aladdinsgirl]

Good morning!! Ready to start another week? Today is the start of the official half marathon training for me, no more off days or laziness. I was going to start last week, to give myself an extra week, but it was a wash because of my ankle. Speaking of my ankle, it's feeling MUCH better, thanks for all the . Stephen and I ran a 5K Saturday night (with 6,000 other people --it was a different experience running with that many people), it was such a hard 5K, I thought I was going to die!! The course was extremely hilly, I don't know the exact elevation of the hills, but they were STEEP! The first mile or so was all down hill and then the next mile was up hill, we went back down for about a half mile and then the last half mile was all up hill. I wore an ankle brace for the run (yes, I ran the first mile and a half, but couldn't run the hills!) and it stabilized my ankle, but it hurt my foot so bad. I was actually limping coming across the finish line, Stephen said his first thought was "Oh, my gosh she hurt her ankle" and his second thought was "I'm going to kill her if she ran on a hurt ankle"! As soon as I took the brace off, I was fine, I think I'm going to try running with 2 pairs of socks on my left foot and see if that helps. So how did I finish? In 36:44--11:38 mile pace! It was 40 seconds slower than my last 5K, which is normally disappointing, but factoring in the hills, my ankle, and the crowds--I was very pleased with my time. Stephen did really well too, he finished in 23:29 and he was injury free as well.

Sunny--Awesome time on your half! I was thinking about you all day Saturday. too, hope you had a great day!

I'd really love to reply to everyone, but I've already written a novel, besides I am at work (even though my boss is out of the office until Thursday! ). So I'll just say great job on keeping up with your training and on all the upcoming runs/wogs/walks and cross training.

Krista

 

[princessmomma]

I take a gu beginning at mile 4 and then every 4 miles after that. Just how the timing works for me!!

Lisa, this will be my strategy too! There will be a good supply and gu and such along the race route, correct? Do you every carry your own in a race? I just ordered a 12 pack of gu from roadrunnersports.com. I like the Tangerine with caffeine the best.

I am a big believer in hydrating early and hydrating often as well. I did a 50 minute easy run yesterday and didn't bring water because it was fairly cool. I really felt drained over the last 10 minutes. Water really helps me, but it is really a hassle to carry.

Does anyone have one of those hydrating belts that has 6 or 7 little bottles positioned around the belt? I have a water bottle carrier belt and it actually hurts my lower back when I run.

Colleen

 

[princessmomma]

Krista, that is an awesome pace! And on a wicked course too!

Stephen had an awesome race as well. Is he doing the full?

Lisa, good job on tending to your injury! It must feel great to be healthy again.

Terri, I like your running plan. That is basically what I am doing as well, when I feel winded, I just walk and recover. Good luck.

Craqig, good luck to you and Martha next weekend. Have a great time! Are you going to be parking it as well?

Colleen

 

[MelRhoads]

Good morning everyone! Sounds like everyone had a great weekend!

Krista - Good job on your 5k!!! I don't know if you have ever tried moleskin, but it might help where your brace is rubbing on your ankle. I use it for blisters in the adventure races and it really helps. You can cut it to the size you need and it really sticks (rareley moves) I did a 12 mile run last thursday with a huge blister on my heel. The blister was left over from the adv. race. The moleskin kept me from even noticing. Last winter I would always use it to cover the spot where the zipper on my thick thights (biking tights) rubbed a hole in my ankle.

On the issue of nutrition, I am a firm believer in replacing those calories (it is really important in the races we have done) I will probably take a gel about ever 4 miles as well! I strongly recommend CarBoom. They taste soooooo much better than the other brands. The flavors are really good! Like chocolate cherry, strawberry kiwi and vannilla orange. I never gag taking these and i do with some other brands! I usually get a couple with caf. as I drink 1 cup of coffee in the morning. During the adventure races, one of my jobs on the team is to set my watch time to go off every 15 minutes and remind everyone on the team to drink and eat. It seem like when people bonk, they do it fast and then it is too late to replace the calories. We beat a couple of teams on our last race becuase someone bonked and could not finish! Anyway, there is my 2 cents!

 

[TXBelle]

For those who do not like gu, I like the Snickers Marathon bars. They are protein bars designed for long distance runs, but they are made by Snickers. You know me, any excuse to eat a candy bar! For the 1/2 last year I drank Powerade at every water station (WDW offers both Powerade and water). I ate 1/2 a Snickers Marathon bar at about Mile 6 when I got hungry. Gu, bananas, and Nestle cookie bars were offered at the food & water station at Mile 9. I ate 1/2 a banana. I think what you eat is a personal preference. The most important thing in any long distance event is that you stay well-hydrated and eat to replenish your carbs. I have heard some people rave about the new Jelly Belly sports jelly beans. I just might have to try those.

Great job to Sunny, Carrie, Steven, and everyone else who raced this weekend!

As promised, I got my lazy butt out of bed this morning and started my MFM training full steam ahead for the marathon. I did 50 minutes on the TM at the gym. Tonight I swear that I am finally going to open the abs DVD I bought a month ago and work on my core.

The high speed internet connection is down at the house. The earliest service call is Wednesday. It is almost as bad as when Starbucks was closed for Hurricane Rita.

Happy Monday everyone! We can do this! (Oh, and did anyone notice from the countdown clocks that we are under 100 days now?)

 

[plutosmyfav]

No idea why it is there, like I can remember why I place a training book on a shelf with Bibles and religious paraphanelia.

Make sense to me. You probably filed them all under "really important stuff"

I definitely want to try out one of those water belts with the little bottles. Currently I wear a large fanny pack with 2 24 oz. bottles, goo and car keys. I'm tired of all the weight pulling on the front and carrying a large bottle when I'm drinking. The cooler weather means less fluids, but I have to carry all my fluids because the water fountains get shut off for the winter. I guess I could stop at a store but I hate messing up my time!

Krista-- great job on the 5K! I'm glad your ankle didn't suffer.

Terri-- I'm a firm believer in doing what feels best for you rather than forcing a specific plan. I'm not following any particular plan but I read up on them all. I headed out the house today all set to do a 7 miler at lunch and then upperbody weights after work. Then remembered DD has a dr apt at 11:30. Now I'm in a tizzy trying to figure out how to get my workouts in. Come November/December I'm going to have to use alot of vacation time to get my runs in. Especially with the lack of daylight. Its not easy!!!!! Never before in my 42 years on this planet did I care what time the sun came up Now I check weather.com and say "you've got to be kidding me!?!?!"

Sorry for the rambling. I guess I'm still a bit high from Applefest

However, I will say, the one thing on my mind as I crossed the finish line (other than b-lining it to the port-a-jon) was "This was only HALF a marathon?!?!?! I'm going to run a FULL marathon?!?!?!" Yikes

Sunny

 

[plutosmyfav]

I just wanted to give everyone a big for all your help when I was considering giving up. It meant more to me than I can ever tell, I wouldn't be where I am without this group


Sunny - Congrats on your 1/2!!!!

Your welcome and thank you

I send out the same gratitude as Minnie. I don't think I would have ever considered running/walking a full or half marathon if it wasn't for the WISH team. Last year I joined the WISH walkers with the hope to wog the half. Family issues made it impossible but now I'm back hoping to run the full. So many times the WISH team has helped me screw my head back on right after getting all psyched out. You're the greatest

Its like group therapy without a co-pay!

Sunny

 

[goingthedistance]

Greetings everyone,

I have been reading everyone's postings, but have not had the time to post my own replies. It sounds like we are all having our own personal victories and accomplishments on the way to WDW.

This past Saturday I did 20 miles in 3:50. That works out to about 11:30 pace. I was feeling good until about mile 18, and then everything started to feel tired and hurt at the same time. I learned that my anti-chafing stuff lasts through a 1/2, but wears out after 17 miles or so (lesson learned OUCH!). Just wondering what other people use when the miles really start to add up.

Finally finished booking my lodging for the Goofy. Since my wife will not arrive until Saturday, I needed lodging for Friday night on my own. Decided on the Contemporary because of the monorail access. Our AP saved us a little bit of money to make it an easier pill to swallow. The rest of the trip will be at Shades of Green, which will be significantly cheaper.

On the roster, please reflect me (Paul) as Goofy, and Beckie as the full.

Keep up the training everyone! January 7 and 8 will be here before you know it!

Paul

 

[keenercam]

Mel -- Great time on your 6 miles. That is awesome! It must be very reassuring to know you can do that great pace over a sustained distance.

Colleen -- Your smoothie recipe sounds great. Just a weird question, though -- is the protein powder high in calories? I have this strange mental fixation on NOT eating more points in "energy" or "recovery" food than I have just earned. I know, that's weird. Trying to get over it.

Melissa -- your stories about the boy always crack me up. So glad he got a Buzz costume. DS did that one Halloween and he was sooo cute, except for when he kept bumping everyone with his wingspan! Thanks for the heads up on CARBOOM. Where does one find something like that? Do I have to get it at a sporting goods store? Have you ever found that it negatively affects your tummy? Chocolate cherry sure sounds good!

xterratri -- Your friend Allison is a smart cookie! Great time on your event. I noticed the same thing about my Garmin. On one 5K, the Garmin distance was 3.24, which I thought was kind of odd, but then realized I might have swung wide on some turns or something like that. It sure adds up, though.

Tiff -- Great job on your 4 miles. Those paces are very impressive. I also find that as I add distance or more jogging intervals, my later pace slows a bit. I think we will build endurance as time goes on and then those later paces should be fine, too.

Hi, Helen! Watching that event must have been so inspirational. Glad you got to see it.

kath -- good luck on your final training for the MCM!

Christa -- You may have some competition here for the gagmaster award! I cannot even tolerate those thick syrupy energy drinks. Powerade is about all I can do, mixed with water. I dread having to figure out what kind of power bar will work for me just because I can't tolerate most of them. They always feel very heavy in my stomach, too. UGH!

Sunny -- congratulations on your race! It sounds awesome. I especially like the after-race food selection. Hmmmm. .. .. I bet it smelled great!

Minnie -- so glad you are planning to get out today! Just keep telling yourself what I told myself this morning -- "JUST DO IT!" I always feel so great when I am done, having accomplished something I didn't even feel like trying. I just always have to remind myself of that feeling when I am equivocating on getting out to wog! I hope you have the same gorgeous weather where you are to enjoy today. That always helps, too!

Hi, Craig! I am glad you got to do your 11 on Saturday in gorgeous weather and got to really enjoy the time outside watching your "baby" play lacrosse! It was pretty cool out this morning when I started out and I reminded myself that it is going to get so much worse very soon. I also reminded myself that there will be plenty of rainy, cold mornings and lots of wet leaves on the ground. Boy, that was a depressing thought. I wish there were a large indoor track somewhere around here, but the one at our Y is so small that I would get outrageously bored and dizzy after 1 mile. I am pretty sure I will have to resort to the treadmill many mornings.

I do love the Garmin so I don't have to remember how many laps or have to measure out the distance. Haven't tried downlaoding any info yet. Need to read the direction for that!

Ooooh, Terri, when you figure it out, can you teach me? I have been using mine since July and have not taken the time to read the manual and figure out how to download the information. Pathetic, I know. Maybe I will do that now. I break a sweat every time I think of doing it, though (I am very technologically challenged). Can I count that as cross-training?

Lisa -- Glad to hear you found your MFM book! Isn't that funny? I am so happy for you that you felt good after your run, too. Penguins rule!

Tammy -- Hope you got in your first 30 minute walk and enjoyed it.

lacool-- glad you found your book! With my luck, if I lost it, I'd find it AFTER buying a new one!

Krista -- AWESOME job on your 5K!!! I am glad you are re-thinking the ankle brace, you definitely do NOT want blisters on your feet from something that is supposed to be helping you! Let us know how the 2 socks thing works! Congrats to Stephen for his very impressive time, too!

Heather now has me hooked on the idea of trying a SNICKERs nutrition bar. Sounds yummy. Yeah, sure. As soon as I have to do something over 6.25 miles (the longest wog I did this summer), I will have an excuse to try some of these ideas!

WOW! I wrote a book. Sorry, all!

 

[solotraveler]

Hi everyone!

Guess who's not in Ottawa! Me! (It's always great when your work day ends 4 hours late and involves paramedics and filing police reports because of some boneheaded moron...... but I digress....)

I did my 44 minutes (3run/1 walk) and managed to hold a 8:56/mile average pace. Holy moly, I miss my extra minute of walking!!! But, it did force me to slow down my normal running pace a lot, so that may not be a bad thing. I have a 40 minute 3/1 today.

Sounds like everyone is doing wonderfully. I can't believe how close we are to marathon day. I am SO looking forward to this! I emailed the IPO staff at the Yacht Club my dining stuff today, since Thursday is my 90-days from arrival date. It really is starting to feel like this is going to finally happen for me.

For whomever asked about nutrition, I tend to use Powergel with any run over five miles. I gel at the five mile mark and then plan on doing it again at 10, 15, 20, etc. I really like the flavor of a couple of them, actually.

Minnie- Glad we could help

Got to get back to work, but happy training all!
Solotraveler

 

[keenercam]

Hi everyone!

Guess who's not in Ottawa! Me! (It's always great when your work day ends 4 hours late and involves paramedics and filing police reports because of some boneheaded moron...... but I digress....)

Solo-- that sounds really scary. If you hadn't gone on to tell us about a fabulous training run, I'd be really worried about you. Are you doing okay?

 

[MelRhoads]

Keener - You can probably get the CarBoom at your local bike shop. If not, search on-line. It is really good and anyone who visits the local bike shop is a couple of points cooler in my book!!!

 

[keenercam]

Keener - You can probably get the CarBoom at your local bike shop. If not, search on-line. It is really good and anyone who visits the local bike shop is a couple of points cooler in my book!!!

Thanks, Melissa! Will do. We actually have TWO very, very good bike shops locally.

Cam

 

[wtpclc]

OK, not much time today. Already on page, three, though. Woo hoo!

Congrats to all who raced this weekend or completed their long runs!

solo -not good. And this was to be a fun trip?! No fair!

I did 9 miles on Saturday. Let's all think about this.... That doesn't sound so big, because several of us are doing this and more now. Let me think back to March, thuogh , and say holy cow! The coming training schedule is looking kind of scary. before we get too scared, though, let's look how far we've some!

Not to eb completely outdone by colleen , I was just under 10:30 pace. (Only 9 instead of 11 miles, but I'm happy)

Question of the century: WHy can I run awesome on the long runs and have trouble staying under 11 on the during the week runs???? (I thought it was mornig vs evening, but we did our 8-miler in the evening.)

I'm excited, my first mid-week rest day in 3 weeks comes Wednesday. Dh and I are celebrating with a movie! (I just hope I can move after my first Tempo workout Thursday!)

Have a great week all!

 

[littlegreydonkey]

Hi guys - in a hurry this morning so won't go back and check who asked what, but I do run with one of the fuel belts and it's great - I slouch really badly so running with a bottle leaves me aching but the belt works really well- plus the little pocket at the back is big enough for keys, inhaler and spare bus money just in case I have enough half way round.

As for gels etc, I hate them as I actually don't like the taste of sugar (chocolate does not count as sugar) but I think from this week I'm going to have to get used to them as the mileage cranks up so much - we can only get three types here though - GU (ugh), carboshots (I can feel my teeth rot as I take it) and leppin (actually not so bad as it's salty too). On a half, I just stick with the powerade. Any opinions on that approach considering I'm doing the full this time?

Anyway, that's my time up for today - oh, carrie, I'm booked on the first segway tour on the 11th. Figured I might actually be able to lift my leg by then to step on it. Helen

 

[wtpclc]

Helen - What time are you. Dh told me not before wed or thurs for teh same reasons, so that will be perfect!

 

[princessmomma]

Not to eb completely outdone by colleen , I was just under 10:30 pace. (Only 9 instead of 11 miles, but I'm happy)!

Carrie, that is awesome!! Yes, when you think back what we were doing a year or 6 months ago... we are all doing great. As for my 11 miles, I guess I should have only done 9 because I think I wore myself out a bit and now I have a head cold

Cam and Tiff, I am going to crack open my Garmin manual and learn how to download the information. I will try and give you both a condensed version on how to do it once I figure it out!

Helen, sounds like the belt really works for you. Thanks for the info.

Colleen

 

[gatorphipps]

Lisa, this will be my strategy too! There will be a good supply and gu and such along the race route, correct? Do you every carry your own in a race? I just ordered a 12 pack of gu from roadrunnersports.com. I like the Tangerine with caffeine the best.
Does anyone have one of those hydrating belts that has 6 or 7 little bottles positioned around the belt? I have a water bottle carrier belt and it actually hurts my lower back when I run.

Colleen - Carry your own gu with you. They do not have it until later in the race. I think around mile 16 or 18 (b/4 you get to AK). Bree and I stocked up on it last year. We had so many we had to give some to her husband when we met him @ AK. My belt hurts me too. I want to get the one with the little bottles too.

Sunny-All I can say is and and and . And thats all I've got to say about that!

Txbelle - Love the snickers!

Paul - YOUR TIME ROCKS

OK...I did some swimming today for about an hour. LOVED IT! But it kicked my butt! My legs feel like jello! Then I ate almost a whole bag of York Peppermint Patties! My first love ! So what does that do to my training....I wish I could eat those instead of gu. But they melt.
Christa

 

[princessmomma]

Colleen -- Your smoothie recipe sounds great. Just a weird question, though -- is the protein powder high in calories? I have this strange mental fixation on NOT eating more points in "energy" or "recovery" food than I have just earned. I know, that's weird. Trying to get over it.

Cam, a know exactly what you are taking about. For every mile I increase my long run, I am GAINING A POUND! What is with that?? 10 more miles to make it to a 20 mile long run, so 10 more pounds will not be good!
I just keep telling myself that muscle is replacing fat, but it is getting really depressing now!

So, to answer your question. The whey powder I use has 120 calories (1 scoop or about 4 tbsps.) in it and I usually mix it with 1% milk a few frozen strawberries and 1/2 a banana. Not sure how many points that would be?

Colleen