Wk of Nov 6--2006 Disney Half-Full Marathon Info/Training

[keenercam]

Hi, everyone!
Sunny -- seeing all those trucks and smelling gas would have totally freaked me out. I worry about you running alone that early.

As for me, I've had an interesting weekend so far. I left work at noon yesterday because my migraine was so bad. And it kept me up all night. When the alarm went off this morning I was so tempted to stay in bed. DH suggested I skip my long walk this morning. I was scheduled for 7 on my revised schedule (moved stuff around so I wouldn't have to do 7 next week 2 days after getting my stitches in). I forced myself to go and am glad I did. Considering the migraine and lack of sleep and using a fanny pack for the first time with a powerade bottle and cell phone, and considering the bitter cold, my splits weren't too bad overall 7.2 miles in 1:51:13 for a pace of 15:27):
mile 1--15:39
mile 2--15:18
mile 3--15:02
mile 4--15:29
mile 5--15:19
mile 6--15:33
mile 7--15:22

I learned a couple of things today:
I can do this even with a migraine and various other "issues" and less than 3 hours of sleep.
No matter how cold it seems when you start out, be sure you can easily peel off layers.
I don't like "gu". Blech! Will stick with cliff shots and carry my own on race day.
I can use a fanny pack with a water bottle and not end up chafed.
I'm sure there is more, but my brain is mush.

Off to take more head meds and get on with our busy weekend. Hope everyone else is doing okay!

 

[disnutt]

I'm feeling great after my long runs this weekend. I did 10 miles yesterday- just felt OK. I did 19 this morning and had a great run. I'm doing 4:1 run:walk and I did a very hilly course. I was planning on 4 hrs but got done in 3:45!!!

My only problem was that I was out of Gu so I took a Powerbar that I had. Well, those things are hard to chew to start with. Try biting into one that's been riding around in your fanny pack at 28 degrees! My teeth got stuck so badly that I walked about 1/4 mile before I could 'melt' it off with spit. It was like an Everlasting Gobstopper trying to chew it into submission after that. I put the rest of the bar into my inner vest pocket in the hopes that it would soften up enough to eat. It did but only slightly.

Jodi- I'm not going to be doing the run in Hartford but I need to be over that way and I'd love to actually meet one of our group! PM me and let me know when you'll be arriving so we can make arrangements to meet before the start.

I hope every body has a great walk/run/wog weekend!

 

[WDWFAN9]

Hi All!

Just got back from my LW - 6 miles. According to my garmin I had a 15:35 pace. Which according to my estimates is just about right, and the garmin mileage agreed with the mile markers along the trail. We have been having unusually warm weather here (I am NOT complaining) it is in the low 50's, which is just about perfect for me. DH and I will be in WDW right after Thanksgiving, one of the Saturdays will be an 8 mile walk, so I am going to "test" the conditions prior to the half. Of course FL weather can vary so greatly that I am going to try to be prepared for everything.

 

[TiffJ]

Great job on those LR everyone!

Sunny- That pace doesnt seem too stonker like to me

Just finished my LR of 7 miles. Since I will be repeating it next week I was aiming for under 15:00 pace & I DID IT!! My pace was 14:41
The weather is gorgeous today. Sunny, breezy & 75* Which is a bit warmer than I've been training in but not bad. We have crazy back & forth weather just like FL so I guess that will get me used to it. I dont know how you guys do it in that cold of weather. My lungs would be killing me!

Oh- and I have discovered that chocolate covered doughnuts are a great post run food

 

[xterratri]

Congrats on the LRs everyone!!! The paces look good.

This week's "LR" was just 8 miles, 1:19.05 or a 9:51 pace. It doesn't even really seem like a long run as I didn't do any walk breaks or even carry any water. I was lazy and waited until it warmed up to 40 before going out. It is a gorgeous, sunny day in spite of not being terrribly warm. In a couple months weather like this will seem positively balmy which is a slightly disturbing thought. I also had a decent tempo run on Weds during my lunch break. I was a tiny bit late getting back to the start of class though because I was talking running with someone. Oops.

When I was at the conference in DC a couple of weeks ago, one of the talks was about heat acclimization and I ended up sitting at the same table as the researcher(and ultra trail runner) at dinner so I asked him about our(the northerners) specific situation. The suggestions were that closer to the race to either continue training outside and purposely overdress or train indoors in a warm room. So I asked whether I should do my last LR of 20 miles at Disney to help with the acclimization? His response was that I could do up here but that running during that week we're on vacation will help with the acclimation as long as I do some runs after returning back up here under "hot"(it's a relative term) conditions. My 20 miler should be done the day we fly down for 7 nights but I'm planning to do it 2 days earlier on Thurs rather than delaying it 1 day and doing it on Sunday at the World. I can only do so many laps of OKW, the nature trail, DTD and back and I think a 20 miler would exceed my tolerance as I think it would take between 5 and 6 round trips.

This week's conference in Providence- the New England American College of Sports Medicine chapter Annual Meeting- was kind of disappointing. I really enjoyed the one DC but it was also aimed at physicians where as this was aimed more at athletic trainers, exercise physiologists, etc with some stuff for physicians. I did learn that if I intend to do sports medicine, I better develop more of an appreciation for football than I currently have as many of the cases mentioned were about football players. The American Medical Athletic Association(the sponsor of the DC conference) also does a 2 day conference just prior to the Boston Marathon in April so I will go to that one. I think these are a great racket- go to a conference, get some CMEs, and gee whiz just happen to be in town for the Marine Corps Marathon, the Boston Marathon, or the Ironman World Championship. This is probably the reason that conferences are frequently held in vacation destinations and include afternoons off to golf, ski. If you've got to do your CMEs someplace, why not do it some place fun?

 

[MelRhoads]

Hey everyone, I'm back from our adventure race today. We started at 4:30 am and I think we finished around 1:50pm. It was a much harder course than last year but we did great this year!!!!! We have never placed before, but today we finished 3rd

We get cool prizes - a pair of merrel shoes, a colombia jacket and a 25 doller gift cert!!!!!! I'm just so excited I can't stand it.

I thought about all of my virtual training partners during the last leg of the race. We did our travel mostly on the road and all by foot. I was all worried that I couldn't stick it out until the finish doing a reasonable speed and then I thought, hey, everyone is doing their LR's today. This one is mine!!! I can do it. Sorry about tooting our own horn, but I'm just soooooooo excited!

Sunny - it doesn't get that cold that early here, but it will be in the winter. The whole frost on the clothes thing yucks me out, becuase I realized that it is frozen sweat!!!!

Cam- you did great completing your LR under such adverse circumstances. You are a true endurance athlete!!

Tiff - great job meeting your goal.

Does anyone remember where Mel is this week?

 

[TEK224]

Melissa - congrats on placing in top 3! Yo go Girl!

I'm bummed today. Still trying to fight off cold/flu and spent most of the day in bed. Tried the exercise bike and did about 20 minutes. It was so nice out here, too and I just couldn't get my body to move. Sunny and not too windy! I've been hitting the cold medicine, so hopefully I'll be able to get out tomorrow.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Terri

 

[crzy4pooh]

8 weeks to go - YEA!!!

Melissa - great job on the top 3 finish!!

Terri - hope you are feeling better SOON!!!

DH and I both did 10 mile LRs this morning. His pace was 11:30-ish, and mine was 13:25 (yea - my best pace on a LR to date!!) He went out at 5am, and I did the 7am shift - I got to see where I was going, but he got all the nice cool weather... Next week is 16 for me, and he has another 10. Hope everyone is doing well!!!

 

[NYcpa]

Today was my long walk of 6 miles. Pace ended up being 16.36 which included re-tying shoes and a potty stop. Was faster last week but it was only a 3 miler.

Did no training this week. Wass busy with work and anded up with 64 hrs for the week. I think I have become a work-a-holic. Have been rather stressed so haven't been sleeping well either. Do these sound like excuses for the slower time? I need exterratri around to pace me.

Next week so slow down just a little. Have to get 2 corp year ends done by Fri. Means additional time but hopefully not another 64 hr week. Next week is my 7 miler, so I need to try and get some rest. On top of all the working, I spend 2 hours 2 - 3 days per week in PT. Have been allowed to start the strenthening phase of the process. It may turn into a good shoulder soon.

Everyone is doing great with their training. Keep up the good work and we will be in WDW in no time. Need to beat the sweepers.

 

[chimera]

Come join us for a new week!

Wk of Nov 13--2006 Disney Half-Full Marathon Info/Training