Week of Oct 9 - 2006 Half-Full Marathon Info/Training Thread

[keenercam]

Bree -- Feel better, kiddo! So glad you are being smart about letting your body recover. Sending you : and that you'll feel better for your LR!

 

[sara]

Craig, I hope you don't mind me saying this...your 10K story gave me a chuckle. Been there, done that and will probably do it again sometime. Just glad I'm not the only one.

Having afterthoughts from my marathon on Sunday, and I really think what saved me is the Pacers. (not the basketball team ) The beginning felt too easy, but I stayed with them. After the halfway point I broke away, but not too far. I felt like I could relax ( ) and enjoy, not having to worry about speed. It really helped me.

The Goofy medal sounds too cool. I guess I better buck up and start training for it. Not this week, though, still attached to the ice bags.

Oh and I think I'm going to join the Garmin club. My question, is it very big? With all the data is holds, I imagine it to be bigger than a sports watch?

Good job with the training.

Sara

 

[TXBelle]

Sunny- Love the design for the shirts.

I did not want to get out of bed this morning, but I heard Lily's words in my head: "You have to put in the steps." So I got up and went to the gym for 55 minutes of walk 3/run 2. Thanks Lily for the inspiration and motivation.

 

[wtpclc]

sara - The Garmin's size is the quality I like least. It's about 2.5 to 3 inches wide about 1.5 inches high. That being said, I have a very small wrist and it did not take long to get used to it. The big screen makes it easy to see 3 reading at one. Typically, pace time and distance, although there ar sevral options, plus a custom screen. I love it!

 

[Calcio]

Cam

That's a lot to be proud of. As you said, 6 months ago you never would have believed you could do that pace.

Also, do yourself a favor with the sweepers. Remember they start the 16 minute per mile clock when the last person goes over the start. I don't want you to start in the front or middle and get trampled, but don't start in the far back either. When you get to the starting corrals look carefully and the crowd and estimate a place you can jump in which will put you in the right place for the start, but not put you in the way back.

If you can get across the starting line just 3 minutes before the last person, you've bought yourself 3 minutes of cushion with the sweeper. At the 10 mile point you're really talking 20 second per mile, which means your 15 minutes per mile pace gives you 80 seconds vs. the sweepers. If you can hold that pace for 10 miles you will be 800 seconds ahead of them, over 13 minutes. At that point you'll be home free and no matter what you won't get swept.

Keep it up, you're going to do yourself proud.

Craig

 

[keenercam]

Thanks, Craig! That is awesome advice! I had no idea there could be that big a difference. I really appreciate you taking the time to share all these precious tidbits of information. Every one gives me a bit more comfort and confidence.

 

[sara]

Thanks Carrie! I have a small wrist, too. I'm going to look into getting one!

Sara

 

[littlegreydonkey]

Hi all - I was going to say what Craig said. Most of us, especially in a first event, have a tendency to hide at the back (I call it gym class syndrome) but when there are 14,000 people in front of you, you want to try and be as ahead of as many as possible right at the get go. So, get into your corrall - and, in the immortal words of Dory, swim down - ie turn left not right (assuming they're set up the same way round as two years ago).

I didn't have a great run Monday night - first 6km with my normal running buddy was great, then I switched partners (only wanted to do another 6km, not a 10km) and ended up with a friend who runs much faster than me, and skips back to meet me, making me feel unfit, useless and pathetic, so I feigned exhaustion at 2km and turned round, annoying but less demoralising that continuing.

The Race For the Taste sounds great (well except for Craigs boinking) - curry at the end is my kind of event!!! Happy training. Helen

 

[PCFriar80]

Hi!
Just hopping on board with this thread for some motivation and information!
My DW and I are running the 1/2 for the first time this year (actually next). I've run two 1/2s before, but that was back in '95 and '96 (my younger days). My DW is concerned with the sweep but I have reassured her that she'll be fine. We've be running 4/5 miles a day diligently for the llast 5 years and need to increase our distance(s) over the next few months.

I'm trying to get psyched, but get anxious about things going wrong.....twisted ankle while training, the flu or head cold at race time or a snowstorm in the northeast that impacts our travel plans!! I know! Get over it!!

Anyway, some race and race expo logistic questions..... since we go off at 6:00 AM how is the course lighting? Can anyone tell me what we get in our packages at the expo? Should I bring gels? What about the water/food stations along the course? Any other general race info would be appreciated!

I realize these may be petty questions, but it's raining here now and any thing to settle me down will be helpful!!

Thanks so much for the help!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

A question for those of you that can help clear this up for me, considering the sweep pickup times are from elapsed time from race start and NOT the elapsed time from when you cross the start line.......

What is the approx time span from the 1st person crossing the start line and last person crossing the start line?

How fast does the last runner have to run to avoid being swept?

Thanks in advance

Angela

Won't know until race day--but for the full marathon--the mats were shut off at 7:13..indicating that it took 13 minutes from first to last person. I was 30 seconds or so past that. Once you passed one final check point, they pretty much allowed you to finish.

Since the field is about 50-100% larger....not sure what they will do. But I believe the sweep times should be taken as written.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks Carrie! I have a small wrist, too. I'm going to look into getting one!

Sara

I have tiny wrists as well. I wear it fine.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am not a happy camper. My knee has slight swelling (more like puffiness) above the knee cap. Source unknown. Sidelined for one week (xtraining okay--hello chilly swimming pool!).

I may switch to a walk-run plan. I have 2 weeks to decide what to do....but to say I am miffed is an understatement. Last week went so well and I am following the coaches advice. I am supremely disappointed and have lost track of the number of times I have cried today over it.

I walk so slow--I don't even begin to know how to cross over at this point to walking the full.

 

[plutosmyfav]

Craig-- I'm so sorry to hear your race weekend wasn't so pleasant. Here's to better weather for Goofy Congrats to Martha!

Bree-- Hope you get better real soon.

Cam-- your the best Grab hold of Dumbo's feather and FLY!!!!!!!

Well I just sunk another $50 into the "free" sport. I officially registered for the Run To Remember Half in Boston, March 11th. That should keep me on my toes in the post-marathon blues season.

I did a 6.8 mile TM run today. It wasn't bad, 5 minutes slow warmup, then 50 minutes at 6.7 mph, then 5 at 7.2 mph then down for some comfortable cooldown. I have finally committed myself to Hal Higdon's Intermediate II training schedule. It was easy to jump in at this point since my LRs and weekly mileage was already a bit above the schedule. I just spent an hour working each and every workout into a busy fall/Christmas lineup! It requires vacation time, swapping hours on days, jumping through hoops... ok, you get the picture. The worst part is I am going to have to do 2 5AM runs mid week, every week I guess we should all be independently wealthy to run marathons Ok, ok, I'll stop griping now!!!!

Now its off to the gym for lower body weights.

Colleen suggested centering the first lines on the t-shirt back. Here's the centered version. I think it looks better, too.

 

[NCRedding]

PCFriar80: The bags that you pick up at the expo contain a shirt, your number, 4 large safety pins, and event guide and schedule. This year, they also had pamphlets from other marathons, and some trial size tylenol.

According to the 2005 event guide, there were 22 beverage stations set up along the 26.2 miles of the marathon. Fruit was available at miles9.1; 13.2 and 19. Nestle snacks were available at Miles 9, 13, and 23. Power gels were available at miles 9 and 16.

Disney brought in portable lights so once the race started, I had no difficulty in seeing. Walking thru World Showcase just before dawn, with the torches on and the lights on the building was awesome--I wish we still had an opportunity to do that, but the route has changed.

 

[PCFriar80]

Thanks NCRedding!!

 

[chimera]

Welcome Christine! The book I liked for the mental aspects of training was the Non-Runners Marathon Trainer. Got mine from Amazon!

Welcome back, Renee, Angela, Sara and PCFriar! Great to see all of you again!

Sunny...LOVE the shirt design! Will we be able to add our screen names and/or real names as well?

Carrie...thanks for doing the pricing on the shirts!

Craig...sorry about the weather It's a more gooey outside than normal for this time of year. I love your math when it comes to these races...I always feel a bit less nervous when I see some numbers. So it's good to not be in the last corral cause you get a cushion from the sweepers?

Lisa...sorry to hear about the knee! That must be frustrating!

Cam...we saw Blast twice at EPCOT, then caught the whole show when they were here in town a few years ago. Very cool! DH was on the drumline at his high school, I was in the guard at mine, so we both really went back in years watching Blast.

Krista...glad the Steelers pulled it out last night. What was up with the Chargers uniforms? I was wondering if they'd lost a bet or something

Had a glorious 'run' last night, but then was disappointed. Thought my pace would be better cause it felt so good, but ended up with a 15:04. I've really got to get better about cross-training. I'm committed to heading to the Y on Friday!

 

[TiffJ]

I can't wait to proudly wear my WISH shirt. I think they look awesome You have done a great job Sunny!

Welcome to all the new people. Always great to add to our WISH team.

You guys are right-this whole process is very exciting for me. Never in a million years would I have attempted something like this. Just registering was exciting. Training is going well & I can't wait to see what happens 1/7. I don't plan on getting swept, but even if I do, having the courage to start this adventure is pretty cool all by itself.

I'm looking forward to getting my packet later this month. Just puts us one step closer to the real thing.

What is also funny is I am a huge Christmas fan. It is my favorite time of year, I go all out & enjoy the whole season. Now I keep looking right past it to the marathon weekend.

 

[TEK224]

I took the poll in another thread and gave my size. I love Sunny's design. How/when are we going to pay for these? I don't want to miss a post and not get a chance to get a shirt. Sometimes it's easy to miss a post in a 100+ thread).

Terri

 

[Minnie]

I was in MAJOR PAIN this evening during my run. My sciatic starting acting up with a piercing pain in the section below my hip and at the panty line in the front. The pain continued down into the right side of my knee. My upper thigh area was also throbbing but it didn't have the piercing pain as with the others.

I was able to finish my wog at an okay pace but had to drop back to a walk because any running at all brought the pain back severely.

I've been to the chiropractor with little success. Any suggestions?????????

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I just looked on the Runner's World injury forum and they recommed a tennis ball on the tushy around that spot where the sciatic nerve starts.

I use a trigger point therapy ball (though not for sciatic) and fell I get better pressur out of it. you can go to http://www.tpmassageball.com/ . I got my ball at the Disney Expo last marathon...and I use it ALL the time.