Wk of Apr 22--WISH Walking/Running Club

[nucpharm29]

Don't know how I forgot to mention this in my previous post--but along with the pain I was in during my run, I was almost attacked by a goose a la Judy. I didn't even notice the babies around it--but the goose sure noticed me. Came at me hissing and all--scared the crap out of me. I was thinking "How in the world can I explain missing the minnie b/c I was pecked to death by a rabid goose?"

 

[Optimator]

One thing I loved to hear at the marathon: All the marathon runners congratulating us on our Donald medals as they ran past us while we were scream teaming.

Christa - Thoughts and prayers and PD coming your way.

Carrie - I'm really sorry your still having so much trouble. I really hope you get things squared away soon.

Stephanie - The best thing about a stonker is looking back and being proud of sticking with it even when you felt crappy. Well, that might be the second best thing. Pizza and beer consolation is best.

Leana - DW and I went to PI for the award ceremony in Jan. We went to a show at the comedy club. After the show they made everyone exit down the huge flight of stairs and out by the stage. OUCH!!

Some dim-witted women sitting next to us (on the very top row) couldn't figure out why it was taking everyone so long to go down the stairs. I turned and told her because most of the folks had just run 26.2 miles earlier that day! A bubble headed blank stare was all she could muster.


I did some XT today by playing softball (1st game of the season). I really debated long and hard about whether to go and risk injury with a marathon to do in 9 days. Being in good running shape doesn't translate into not hurting yourself playing softball. Well, as most of you can attest to, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed and decided to play.

My second time at bat I got a pretty good hit, got a little greedy and tried to stretch it into a home run. The outfielder made a great throw and the catcher sits there holding the ball while I'm like 5 steps from the plate. I had just enough time to realize I certainly didn't want to slide in shorts (... no not my girly shorts ) and rip up my knee so I tried to jump OVER the guy. It worked great until he stood up and I went tumbling over his back.

There are some sports (diving, gymnastics, football, occassionally soccer, synchronized swimming, etc.) when it is at times appropriate to have your butt be higher than your head. Softball is not one of them. Not only was I out, the umpire took offense to my tactics and tossed me out of the game! I didn't figure he'd buy my excuse of not wanting to hurt my legs because I was running a marathon so I quietly went and sat down for the rest of the game.

We'll see tomorrow if my hip, shoulder, elbow got bruised more than my ego.

Moral of the story? Yes, I'm truly an idiot!

Yikes, sorry for the long winded post.

 

[meghan74]

I broke the 4th toe on my right foot running into a piece of furniture that has been sitting in the exact same spot for over 4 years. I've been told that I can't run for at least two weeks.

I can't believe that I am actually bummed that I can't run for two weeks and I spent the day trying to calculate how many miles I need to do on a bike to keep my fitness level up.

I can't believe I have a fitness level to maintain - when did that happen?

It would be so nice to have an interesting story to go with my injury. Somehow "I broke my toe while sprinting into traffic to save a young child" sounds so much more worthwhile than "I hit my toe on the leg of my dresser on my way to bed last night."

Sigh, I'm trying to keep my perspective by reminding myself that some people around here have real medical problems to worry about.

 

[Jen117]

Hey everyone... Well, I did it. I did my 8 miles tonight. I was a bit slow, ok a lot slow, but I finished. All feels well except for some PF pain. I have been icing and stretching it and hope it feels ok tomorrow. If it does, then I will continue to train for my 1/2 marathon in 3 weeks.

Stephanie - Oh I just hate geese, bad experience when I was in the 1st grade. Tonight I ran the old rail trail. I saw these cute bird tracks and was wondering what kind of bird.... then I smelled the grossest thing... DEAD TURKEY! SO glad the live turkeys weren't out while I was running. Can you imagine being attacked by a flock of wild turkeys?

Christa - I hope everything works out for you!!!

Mike - your story was too funny. I hope you aren't too injured... ego is ok, body is not!!

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Christa, prayers for you.

 

[Sir Bouncealot]

Christa - Prayers, Pixie Dust, Magic, Good Luck, and the Best-est of Well Wishes that your test results come back saying you'll be just fine!
Krista - Glad to hear Shari made it through surgery okay. Both my DW and I are eating healthier using Weight Watchers. We've done great and are eating healthier, exercising, and losing the weight that has accumulated over the years. I hope she is able to develop the habits she needs to help her health improve and to find that inner voice that talks to her everyday, telling her not to give up, give in, or lose hope.
The calf stretches I used were basically standing about 18-24 inches from a wal and leaning forward, then I would step back with one leg, then the other and push my heel down, keeping my knee straight. I think what helped my calves most was the massage I got. It hurt while she was doing it, but it loosened up ALOT after that. I did like the new Star Wars movies, but not as much as the originals (the not redone and added to originals)... they did not have Han solo.
Craig - 1. I thank you very much for the "What I Do Like" post. I'm planning on Goofy in '09 and this helps me to visualize that journey as I work torwards it. I cut and pasted it and saved it to Word. Is it healthy to be excited...c'mon man, it's Disney, of course it's healthy (on this board, it's pretty darn mandatory).
2. Very true, and very poignant words regarding the sacrifice those have made for the preservation of our freedoms in this country. Thank you!
Pungodingy - Angie, you are absolutely, positively, without a shred or shadow of a doubt...NOT a loser. The only person you have to measure yourself up to is yourself. Only you can beat you. We are your teammates, we got your back! BTW, AWESOME job for your personal best run! You SOOO ROCK!
Cindy - Good to hear the quad is feeling better, good luck on Sunday!
Leana - and how true (the video). And awesome job on the run. NOT awesome on how your co-worker popped open a jar of unprofessionalism and spilled it out on you.
bekkiz - Good job with your XT in the pool and Good luck convincing DH on ToT and the half.
Kiena - on your "workout partner" having to have you repeat everything. Back in the day, I used to wear my old wrestling shoes to the gym to work out. One day, this older man (who was also wearing old wrestling shoes) came up to me in the gym and started talking to me, not pausing, while I am getting my sets in. He then askes me if I wrestled. I told him I did in high school (at the time, I was not too much out of HS) and he asks if I wanted to go and wrestle him in the gym (Mike, no comment necessary). My friends who were there as well still have not let me live it down.
Carrie - I hope you get things worked out with your leg/booty pain.
AngieTuck - What better place to spend a whole weekend of grad than at Disney. CONGRATULATIONS! You've earned it! (YYUUMMMMM OHanas)
Lisa - I hope the indoctrination went without a hitch. It's good to start them young, because you never know when they start getting influenced by their peers. The peer pressure to stray towards the Universal Studios path is a dark and forboding one that we, as diligent Disney parents must be on the lookout for. I tip my Mickey Ears to you and your DH for providing a great example.
Meghan - Ouch, double ouch and yeah, OUCH. Pixie dust for your toe.
Jen - Hopefully your PF continues to improve and you have a great half!
Mike - I can only imagine..... , but seriously, I hope you didn't do something to knock you out of your marathon next week.
Cam - Crazy? How crazy would it be if you were to knock off a week after all the dedication and hard work you have put into your training so far. You are awesome and soooo committed (no "crazy" pun intended) to your training that you have motivated and inspired many people around you!

Well, training note: took yesterday off, just came home after work, played "How was your day" with the DW and went to bed. Today, came home and got on my "Rolling Hills" program on the recumbant for 45 min and 3 sets of dumbell work. Off work tomorrow, supposed to be sunny and nice, this means mowing the lawn. Maybe get up early and get a run in. Maybe. (I'm smiling too, just thinking about it)
See y'all tomorrow!
Happy Training!

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Good Morning TEAM:

Just back from my Saturday LR. It was a short one today - 4.26 miles in 42:38 min/10:00 mpm pace. That was just what I wanted to do. It was nice and easy, and that was my last LR before the Flying Pig Half. It's been a really rough week at work, and it felt good to have a nice, easy, relaxed run.

WISHing everyone a good run out there today...

 

[lenshanem]

Christa, prayers going out for your test. I hope everything is OK!

 

[RedDragon]

Good morning WISH team! I'm back from my trip to NYC. It was extremely good and worthwhile (just in case my boss is reading this ). There is no way I'll get through all 20 pages of this week's post so I'll make general statements then concentrate on me (isn't that what this is about anyway?).

I hope everyone has had a great week of training. Those of us heading to the Minnie Marathon this coming week IT'S ONLY 7 DAYS AWAY!!!! I'm totally psyched and I hope to meet a lot of you at the WISH gatherings!!

To those with injuries or illness, (we need a smiley with an arm in a sling dontcha think?): I'm WISHing you speedy recoveries.

To those running races this weekend, mucho good luck! Oh, BTW, that includes me!!! Finally, a race for me to run! It's a 10K in Dedham MA called The James Joyce Ramble. We pick up our bibs, chips and t-shirts (ya gotta get one of those) this afternoon. Calcio, bless his heart, will be my annoying, talking, animal sidekick--er, I mean my running partner. I hope to run it at 10:30 per mile pace which is my goal for the Minnie. I'll let you know how I do.

Take care everyone!!!!

 

[KelNottAt]

Christa - Prayers, pixie dust, and nothing but the best thoughts going out to you right now.

 

[plutosmyfav]

Christa-- sending PD and prayers that your test comes out good.

Vic

You are a big man Big Vic. I look forward to seeing you either in October or next January.

Craig

Before Bic Vic gets too big of a head, I'll let you in on a little secret-- he chickened out on meeting me in the POFQ lobby before the half last year Kindof like the way I chickened out the year before on MelR and Lynne.

Dave-- Small world! Actually, after 9/11 they moved the gate back so we are no longer technically "on base" but we still call it that. I run on base.

As for training...
As I lay awake at 10pm knowing the alarm will sound at 3AM I began to wonder, "why am I doing this? nobody's making me, in fact, nobody cares one way or another if I get up at 3AM, slather myself with vasoline and pound the pavement for hours on end and the world really won't be a better place for it..." I should have known then that it wasn't going to go well.

First the new skort. Looks good... well better than sausage shorts. But not gonna cut it in the chub rub department So if I want to wear if on race day, I'll have to gut the shorts and wear my longer ones. Fortunately, I started the first leg of the LR on the TM since it was 3:30AM

My plan was to do 20. My training plan called for 12 (step back week). But I'm having another injection on Wed and I really, really need to find out for myself if not running would improve the results. So, being of sound marthoner mind (oxymoron), I figured I could push up my final 20, do the 12 on the day of the injection (prior of course) and then switch to non-impact cardio to give it a chance to work and see what happens.

Back to back 20s (ok, last week was 19) may have worked if I didn't run 6 yesterday while fasting and then not replenish the fuel. It also might have gone better if I didn't discover last night at 9PM that I have no clue where my new 205 is (hopefully on my desk at work if it hasn't walked off). That didn't help the mental end. Then the weather... cold, wet, blah. Good thing I had the chub rub incident; I planned on trying out my race skort on the final 20 of training. I would have froze my booty off!

I ended up doing 17 at an average pace of 15:30. Grrrr.

Did I mention the weather? Here's me IN my house on April 28th. I'm wearing three shirts. (I just got a $400 oil bill so no one's toughing the thermostat ) My expression is both a reflection of my run and the weather!

The photo in the background is of a much happier, sunnier, warmer, day...

Sunny

 

[Big Vic]

Vic

Yes, it is absolutely appropriate to acknowledge what you and your colleagues do for us every day. Without your efforts our society wouldn't have the rights and freedoms we have today. A few people may forget that, but I for one, do not.

True Story: In October of 1988 Martha and I were in Normandy with our 3 year old blond daughter. We found the American Cemetary at Colleville Sur Mere, and walked into that most sacred ground. As the 3 of us walked around and reflected on what so many young men had done there in 1944 I observed a gentleman, probably in his 60's, walking through the cemetary and weeping openly. I assumed he was a veteran of those fields, visiting his friends who had sacrificed everything for us. I thought about taking Lesley up to him and telling him "excuse me Sir, but I wanted to thank you and your fellow soldiers for what you did for me, but especially for what you did for my little girl, who thanks to the sacrifice of you and your friends is able to live free, and can grow up to be whatever she likes, wherever she wants. Thank you."

I thought about doing this, but realized it would be an intrusion on that gentleman, who had traveled a long way to face his friends and his past, so I didn't do it. I suspect that was the right choice, but I do wish I could have expressed my appreciation for him and his generation, who did so much for all of us. Given the 63 years since June 6, 1944 I suspect that gentleman is no longer with us, but I think often of that day, that gentleman, and the too-young men who lie under the French soil.

You are a big man Big Vic. I look forward to seeing you either in October or next January.

Craig

I appreciate that, Craig. I never really thought of it as a job or a sacrifice. It was a lifestyle that agreed with me, so I did it. Kind of weird I guess.

I will see you in October. We'll sit down and tip a couple.

Before Bic Vic gets too big of a head, I'll let you in on a little secret-- he chickened out on meeting me in the POFQ lobby before the half last year Kindof like the way I chickened out the year before on MelR and Lynne.

Chickened out! Why, we charismatic, macho kind of guys never chicken out. I was practicing discretion. Yeah, that's it, discretion.

Oh by the way, love your mug shot.

 

[plutosmyfav]

Chickened out! Why, we charismatic, macho kind of guys never chicken out. I was practicing discretion. Yeah, that's it, discretion.

Oh by the way, love your mug shot.

I wasn't clear, I meant you chickened out of walking across, not meeting me!

Also, I must confess, I compained too soon. The sun came out and burned off the fog and it's a beautiful April day!

Sunny

 

[keenercam]

Oh, Christa, sweetie, not only am I sorry that you have to go for tests, but I am so sorry that you have something to worry about and so many days until you get some answers. I'm saying prayers for you and wishing you all things good.

Sending to those with pains and injuries (even if the injuries are just to the ego ).

Thank you so much, everyone, for the good WISHes and the sweet words. I am looking forward to being back here on a regular basis with lots of training to report. Right after the Minnie, I am hoping to jump back into a very structured training plan to get ready for the Chicago Distance Classic. I didn't get up for a wog this morning, since I would have been doing it on less than 5 hours of sleep. While my bronchitis feels so much better, I know I am still not at 100% especially in the breathing department, so sleeping a couple of extra hours didn't seem like a bad idea. I WISH I had the discipline of all my teammates!

Hard to believe a week from now we'll be so close to achieving our Minnie medals! I am so glad there will be a HUGE WISH team contingent there!

Working all day with the weather being so gorgeous is so hard right now. There is a Christian band performing on the square (my office has a wall of windows and looks out on the square in the middle of the city). It seems like such a perfect day outside. I keep reminding myself I MUST work this weekend so I can PLAY next weekend!

Off to check the race reports thread to see how our teammates did today.

 

[princessmomma]

(I just got a $400 oil bill so no one's toughing the thermostat )


Sunny

Ouch!

Sunny, remind me again what race your are running. Wow, two back to back 20 milers is an ambitious undertaking!

Christa, prayers to you,

 

[tiberius]

Hi WISH team,
Today I ran 5 miles at an average pace of 12 minutes per mile, a really good pace for me for this distance--actually, a good pace for me for any distance! My increased speed work must be paying some dividends, it was bit faster than I had intended to run, but I will definitely keep it.

Melissa - There is no such thing as being caught up on reading the posts in these threads.
Vic - I can only give you an OORAH over here! Congratulations on the USAF 60th.
Craig - Don't worry about being excited with 8 1/2 months to go, I am excited and can't wait either! Great list.
Christa - Cross training by eating ice cream, even my wife will not buy that one! Prayers and good luck!

 

[Sir Bouncealot]

Quick drive by post...
Ran 2 miles, the lawn can wait until tomorrow, it's toooo nice outside for manual labor.
TTFN

 

[plutosmyfav]

Chickened out! Why, we charismatic, macho kind of guys never chicken out. I was practicing discretion. Yeah, that's it, discretion.

I thought more about this reply and had to laugh. Paul is not a big computer user and hasn't joined the "message board world". He pretty much gets my WISH thing, but not completely.

Anyway, I didn't tell him I might be meeting someone to walk over with us. On the walk to the lobby I was getting real nervous as to how I would explain this. First I thought, I would just act surprized if I saw you, something like, "Hey, are you on the WISH team? what a coincidence, so am I". The other thought was just before opening the doors I could blurt out, "I met this guy on the internet and he might be in there waiting for me...". Luckily I went with the first thought and had no "discretion situations to handle"!

Colleen-- I am registered for the KeyBank VT marathon in Burlington, VT on May 27th. We'll see what I do about that. By back-to-back I did mean Sat to Sat!

Did anyone else get this months RW? Mine came today. I thoroughly enjoyed the article about the Comrade marathon. Sounds like something MelR might do....

Cam-- Don't call good judgment lack of discipline! The RoT is anything below the neck means take time off. Last I checked those lungs are quite a bit south. Good luck on continued recovery

Sunny

 

[TEK224]

Hi Everybody!

I haven't been on here all week and probably won't be on much next week either. Work has been crazy. Just wanted to wish all of you who are doing the Minnie good luck. Have a great time at WDW!

If anyone is coming to Philly for the Broad Sreet Run ten-miler, look for me at the Expo. I'll be wearing my green WISH wristband (along with a yellow and red one). Stop me and say hi! Hopefully after the event I'll have more time to catch up on things here.

Haven't done much training at all. The ankle is healing okay. Every so often I feel it pull or a twinge, but I guess that's part of the healing process. After Broad Street I plan to start doing some type of exercise to get back into the groove.

Pixie Dust to all those with bumps, bruises and other ailments.

Christa - Sending good wishes and thought out to you, too. Hope everything is ok.

Terri

 

[disnutt]

Sunny- $400 heating bill! I saw that Comrades report too. I'm was happy to see that I would qualify for it!

Did 8 miles in 1:26:46. I drove to the park where I run telling myself I would just do 4 since I didn't feel like doing my scheduled 8. Once I was done with 4 I thought, "Well, one more won't take long." After that I figured I might just as well do my 8.