Wk of Oct 22--2007 WISH Walking/Running Club

[WDWFAN9]

I have questions. On the morning of the marathon, or half at WDW....

I know this is way too far in advance, but what do you think you might have for dinner the night before the race? And what about breakfast? And at what time would you eat if we have to be in the corrals at 5:00am? Do you bring a snack to have in the corral?

Do you guys bring something to sit on, or just stand in the corral? How long are we in there?

Can we throw clothes away on the course?

Oh and what time do you plan on setting the alarm for?

Ok thats it for the moment. I'm sitting here staring at my printout of the course that I have taped to the wall next to my computer. It only LOOKS like I'm hard at work. I'm actually thinking of these race things.

For what it is worth - here is what I did last year as a complete rookie:

Got up at 2AM, showered, got dressed, and ate a banana and bagel I'd purchased the night before.

Caught the 3:05AM bus to Epcot, very easy from Pop

Ran across a couple of WISHers in the Epcot parking lot and hung out with them. Got in line as soon as possible for the walk to the corrals so I'd be close to the front of corral "F".

In addition to my throwaway clothes I had a large 2.5 gallon ziploc bag with a folded towel in it - this was my "situpon" (yep - I was a Girl Scout for many years). I found it to be invaluable; standing until the 6AM start would have been uncomfortable. I also had one of those fleece blankets like you get for donating blood, and I let a couple of people use it to sit on.

After the race (I finished in true penguin style 3:29:27!!) I headed back to Pop, took a cold soak (they really do work), a quick nap, and headed out to the parks. I felt great, and that Donald medal around my neck felt even better!!

I am so looking forward to January

 

[gatorphipps]

WOW you guys got up early last year!
I am a slacker...but I always have gotten up at 0300/0330. Have stayed @ diff places each year (BCV, POP Sports, & GF - for the Goofy!).
I ALWAYS eat a p-nut butter bagel and take an energy bar or banana with me.
I now pin my # to my shorts/pants...a # belt would also work. THis way my # is seen and I can have layers...of course, the 2nd time I ran WDW...It was HOT and I did not need any layering....I knew I was in trouble when I was standing at the start at 0500 in shorts and a tank and not even cool!
I hope it is cool this year...my 1st year was perfect...last year was a little cool for me.
I am the pee master so I take each and every chance at the port o jons...choose the ones in the back, they are not as crowded...thus, not as stinky! Or you could go in the woods! Just don't give all the people a scare and go RIGHT b/4 the start...like Sunny did last year to me and Bree...
What to eat the night b/4???? Did the pasta party the 2nd year...it was nasty. Last year did Calf Grill b/4 the marathon and I cannot remember what I did b/4 the 1/2.....oh this is killing me...what did I eat? Just don't do something crazy and you will be fine. If you are anything like me, you will have pre-race nerves with a touch of IBS no matter what you eat.
I think that is all....
Oh...Yes, please throw clothes off the course and not in the middle of the road.....
Also, When you take your walk breaks, go over to the side b/4 you start walking....so many peopl just stop in font of me last year and the 2 years b/4. This is very unsafe and unthoughtful....Bree and I almost tripped several times b/c of people not going to the side for the walk breaks.

 

[rKyDeX]

The race packets have reached the West Coast of Florida. MrsTrx is #12376 and I am #6797.

 

[chimera]

The race packets have reached the West Coast of Florida. MrsTrx is #12376 and I am #6797.

Yep...I am #30750, but Kaley's did not arrive yet.

Cam... some good cardiac pixie dust for you.

I'm still in a running funk. Tried to pick up my pace on the TM yesterday and ended up with the worst stitch in my side yet. My shoulder is still sore today from it. Oddly enough, I think the problem started with John Bingham. I just read The Courage to Start for the first time a couple weeks ago. I got kinda bummed when he was talking about being a 12 minute miler and being incredibly slow. Here I was thinking I was doing something finally getting to 12:30 only too find out I'm still slow. I think I need to go back to last year's training method...just focus on the distance and the pace will come. Maybe next year, I can start seeing some 10-minute miles.

Where is Lily? Hope everything's ok.

 

[Maherae]

Oh, MEL, PLEEEAASSSEEE!!!!! don't be discouraged!!! You are fast!!!! This coming from the 14 minute mile person!!! I'm feeling good and so proud of how I can get out there and do the miles...then I'm in a race and allllllllllll these people pass me (hundreds...) like I'm nothing....a speck in the road, an obstacle to go around....siigghhhhhh You ARE FAST!!! Anne

 

[wtpclc]

Isn't Lily on a big trip?

Mel - Everything's relative. You know that! Last year at this time weren't you still worried a bit about making 16 mpm for 13.1 miles? You have coem a long way!!!!! PRs are personal records, not to be compard to anyone else.

I'm feeling guilty posting about how well I'm doing with so many of you unhappy. I know that when I have a month of stonkers, I'll be reaidng about your victories, though.

I just did 5.82 miles in 60 minutes. 10:19 pace! Dh's chart says that we only broke 11 mpm 2 tiems last year after our 12-miler. They were 30 and 40 minutes runs at the end of our training. I HATE weekday runs. The fact that I'm keeping them around my LR pace amazes me. It was dark for teh last quarter of our run, though. Didn't quite know what might be under the elaves. I hate that feeling. I'm so afraid of tripping. NOt gonna' get any better,though, so I better just deal with it.

 

[thndrmatt]

Tried to pick up my pace on the TM yesterday and ended up with the worst stitch in my side yet. My shoulder is still sore today from it.

If you mean the side cramp that's somewhat common, I read somewhere if you breathe in and out on your left foot (assuming you're an every other step breather) then you not only won't get as many cramps, you will be able to get rid of the ones you do get. I only tend to get stitches when talking a bunch or doing hills or something and my breathing is uneven.

It was something about your liver pushing against your diaphragm, or something? Anyway it works for me, YMMV...

4 miler today after 3 yesterday, was basically on half marathon pace around 9mpm, and lungs and mind felt great, but legs are still chronically sore from the medial shin splint issue, even with both of them taped from ankle to halfway up calf. Although that does help a bunch... Supposed to do 2 tomorrow, 6 Thur, and then 8 on Sat, wondering if I should switch over to one of those 3 day a week running plans so I get more days of rest. Or better yet if at some point as the mileage increases I'm just not going to be able to complete the runs anymore. Even after three days straight of rest though the soreness still returned, and it's not like I can just take two weeks off at this point in training...

 

[wfloyd]

I heard that you are supposed to breathe in and out when you step on the side that the cramp is on. In addition, you are supposed to put your arm up to help stretch everything.

I was able to get out tonight and did 4.13 miles with a 10:56 pace. The weather was great, nice and cool. Afterwards I actually felt good which hasn't happened for a while with all the heat and humidity. This cool are can stay here if I get a say in anything.

I think I succeeded in thwarting Lynnda from getting me sick this time around. Now if I can just keep this up for the next 3 months.

We haven't gotten our packets yet, but since they are starting to appear in Florida we will keep an eye out.

Cam -- good luck with the doctors. We hope they are able to figure out what is wrong and that it isn't major.

Judy -- Good luck with the new trial. What number trial is this. It has seemed to go on for quite a while now. Hopefully Myst is feeling better after the major headache.

Bill

 

[TEK224]

Judy - here's what I did before the 2006 WDW 1/2 and full;
Friday night before the half, we met at Trails End and I ate a little bit of everything ( meat, pasta, potatoes, veggies, fruit,).
Saturday, I cooked some pasta and ate in my room.

For both races I had my wake-up call at 2 AM. Took a shower and ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a banana and had a bottle of Gatorade.
Forced myself into the bathroom at least 3-4 times before I left at 3:15 to catch the bus. After getting to the staging area, I hit the Port-a-john again (wasn't too crowded at 3:45; by 4:30 the lines were long and I heard the tp was scarce). Also remember to put some tissues in your waist pack, just in case.

I didn't snack on anything in the corrals. I did bring a Snickers eneregy bar to eat during the race.

I took some large black trash bags with me. One I wore and the other I used to sit on (didn't want to sit on cold ground. At 30 degrees, I was cold enough).

Once in the corrals, I stood for the hour. I remember volunteers walking along the barricade collecting clothes people were discarding.

Last year I stayed ar SSR and there was some difficulty with the bus transportation on Saturday for the 1/2. They had it all worked out by Sunday morning.
This year I'm staying at OKW. Hope the buses are running smooth both mornings.

Terri

 

[TEK224]

Well, I got all of about a 20 minute workout today. Yesterday was a dud.
I had my Mom at the hospital for tests and the total day was about 10 hours. We were both exhausted by the time we got home. Her stress test was ok, but the chest x-ray showed she has pnemonia.
So, when I was supposed to go to the gym, I had to go get her medicine. But, sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do.

I don't have to be in work until late tomorrow, so I'm gonna try to double up at the gym in the morning. No packet for me yet.

Cam - So sorry to hear you're having health problems. I hope everything is ok.

Krista - I don't know what happened in PA Sunday. Big ben got knocked foggy and Donovan played the first half like he was in a fog. These guys can sure drive us crazy!

Judy - I hope everything works out for you and Myst

Terri

 

[WDWFAN9]

Oh, MEL, PLEEEAASSSEEE!!!!! don't be discouraged!!! You are fast!!!! This coming from the 14 minute mile person!!! I'm feeling good and so proud of how I can get out there and do the miles...then I'm in a race and allllllllllll these people pass me (hundreds...) like I'm nothing....a speck in the road, an obstacle to go around....siigghhhhhh You ARE FAST!!! Anne

oh my!! I guess when General Knowledge says "if you were goin' any slower you'd be goin' backwards!" he could have been talking to me! I have finished both the WDW half and the DL half with just (and I mean just) under a 16mpm pace.

But the important word here is FINISHED. I trained, and I finished (which is different from those naturally in shape people who can just show up and do it!). Everyone on this board has challenged themselves and because of that we are all winners. Some of us just get to cross the finish line a little bit sooner.

 

[Maherae]

Rhonda, hope you're getting back into the swing of things. Darn those cruises! But really am sorry that you got sick afterwards!!! Congratulations on running for 3/5 miles!! That's a big WOW! in my book!! I'm lucky to do 2.5 miles with the walk3/run1 minute intervals!!
Terri, That's so great that your friends are coming down to be your scream team!! You are so right in realizing that sometimes, ya just gotta do whatcha gotta do. But you were great to get that 20 minutes in!! If you see on the October exercise challenge, I'll jump on the elliptical for 2 or 5 minutes, just to get some time in!
Tiffany Hope your week is not too bad. Keep getting your steps in!! So proud of you for not being scared off of doing the 8 miler by yourself!! Once I did my first 8 miler with DH, I was good for anything else afterwards by myself. Which turned out to be a very good thing as he deserted me as a training buddy.

I don't use headphones or anything when I'm out getting my LR's in. I'm checking out the landscaping in the yards and planning my front and back yards. Or, rearranging furniture!! I use that www.gmap-pedometer.com site to plan out different routes to take. We've only been here a year, so there's still unexplored areas for me! DH will go the same route forever...that's boring to me. I'm with Judy and the track, too. I'd much rather be in neighborhoods. I guess that's why when I do the events, it doesn't bother me to have stretches of nothing or to be going down streets..I'm used to it.

Cecilia Same for you! You CAN do the solo LR for those 6+ miles!
Kathy Hope everything is still on track with your shoulder healing!
MelR AWESOME, AWESOME race report!! What is a control, though? Your adventure races sound so interesting. What did the time end up being? The officials should have taken time off of your time (and anyone else that followed the wrong red tape). It wasn't your fault..another red tape snafu!!
Carrie You know how I feel about anyone who can go faster than a 14 minute mile...YOU were/are smokin!!! I know you are so proud!!
Cam Please congratulate Howard on making it through his first midterms!! Tell Andrew he may not be as fast as the others..YET, but he is nooo slacker!! A PR..WOW!! Cam, I am amazed at so many on this board, and you are at the top!! Your support of all of us here and on the other threads is unbelievable on top of your own work load!! Thanks!! (Hate to tell you this, Cam..we're right there with Howard and getting out the monitor!! )
Krista Puhleeeze get some sleep, friend!!
Pat

I trained, and I finished (which is different from those naturally in shape people who can just show up and do it!).

Amen, amen and AMEN!!! That's exactly how I feel. I know I will not be able to join the ranks of the speedy people, (not even those 70 years old!), but I've done wayyyy more than I ever thought I would/could! Not to discourage anyone who's read this far ...but when I say a 14 minute mile, that's what GARMIN says during training..invariably my chip time is just making the cutoff 15:27 for the 16 min pace at the DL half and 14:39 for the 15 min pace at RftT!! I blame the picture taking...

Happy feet, good training, team!! Anne

 

[jodistar]

Morning Everyone,

Well, today is my last day at work before vacation Thank god! Now I just hope to get through the day and quick .

Although, now that everyone knows that I'm going on vacation they've been really creaming me with work .

I'm so excited though, after work today -- I am going for a sports massage , then I come home and pack ----we're off tomorrow morning Going to Salem, MA for a long weekend (and our 1st wedding anniversary).

Didn't get much done in the way of training -- last night I did 5 miles on the threadmill.....I really prefer the road but it gets darker out a lot faster.

Well, I will try to write more before we leave.....have to catch up on posts, etc.

 

[nucpharm29]

Jodi--Happy anniversary! Have agreat weekend!

MelR--that adventure race sounds really cool--especially since I know exactly where you were--Rappelling off the Big Dam Bridge--How cool!!!

Well, yesterday was a 3 miler in 27:56! I was really happy that I'm sub-10min/miles. Today is a rest dayfor me. And after the night we had, DS decided that 1:30am was the perfect time to scream like a banshee for about 2 hrs., it's well deserved!

I've also been one "worried" that I wasn't running "fast" enough. Most of it stems from the fact that my DFather was a marathoner and finished in 2:50's most of the times. I know I'll never be that fast, but somehow I got it in my head that "genetics" should be working in my favor--and then I would really get myself down that I wasn't keeping up with my expectations. Now that I've "matured" (hehe!) a little, I've realize that it's a goal of finishing, not how quickly I cross that line! It really releases me to train at a comfortable range for me and I enjoy running now! Okay, so that was a lot of mindless ramblings from me--Have a great hump day all!

 

[plutosmyfav]

Mel-- Keep in mind when JB speaks of a slow 12MPM he is in the "celebrity" arena with the sub 3 gurus. I know he would NEVER consider your 12MPM as slow. He would commend you on incredible progress from your first "beat the sweepers" race to where you are now.

It truly is all relative. I have a speedy friend who usually places in 5ks. She just did her first half and came in something like 30/80 for her divison. She was really bummed. Her pace was around 8:30. It's all relative!

On the other side of the coin, there was me at Applefest. It's not a walking race. Within the first half mile the entire field had passed me. I was literally running completely alone. I couldn't see people in front of me. It turned out there was one woman behind me. When I reached the water stops the cups had all been cleaned up and they were patiently waiting to break down the tables. The traffic had been let back to resume its course so I was running on the edge of the street with cars literally a foot from my side. Fortunately, most of the course is on quiet residential roads. But believe me, I got the taste of what it feels like to be the slowest one on the course. When I got to the finish line I had to walk around a moving truck that had already pulled in to start breaking down the finish line! People were milling around on the road, causing it to have little resemblence of a race course. BUT, for my purposes, it was a successful race.

I think all that matters is that you set your personal goals, based one where you are right now and you filter out the outside world.

Judy-- I'm the poster child of what not to do the day before the race. First, be so nervous you don't sleep all night. Then tour the parks. Then fall asleep and wake up at 8PM having not had dinner yet. I ended up eating 2 bagels and a slim fast (I think).

As for the morning of: I think I got up at 3:15. I drank 2 slim fasts about 30 minutes apart (that's what I do before every LR). I can't have solids in my stomach. I wore a zip up, discardable hoodie so I could have it unzipped most of the way to expose the number I discarded it WAAAAAY too early

I purposely stayed at POFQ per Craig's advice so I could avoid the 3AM madness and just walk across the street but I chickened out. This year I am NOT chickening out! I plan to get up 4:30 and walk across at 5:15. I know Craig cuts it much closer, but I'm just too Type A Plus this year I'll have Dx walking with me for the half. It looked pretty scarey; very dark and lots of traffic.

And Christa-- no last minute potty stops for me this time! That was terrifying Not only did you guys have my fuel belt, but more importantly, you had my mp3 player

Matt-- I've never heard that about curing side-stitches. I rarely get them, but when I do- ouch, it brings me to a halt. I'll try that advice.

Sunny

 

[wtpclc]

nucpharm - I know where you're coming from. I ran cross in hs. If i did 8 mpm on a 5K, that was awful. I know where you're coming from. When we did our 10-miler there was an invitational at the park. PArt of me wanted to see if my team was there to find the coach , as I was weraing my marthon shirt. I knew the first thinkg he'd ask, though, and it still would have embarrassed me to say my pace to him. Yes, dh yelled at me for that. A marathon (or half) is a marthon and something we should all be proud of, no matter the time.

Mel - If it helps, Saturday when we were flying IMO, dh coudl nto believe the splits. He said he felt like we were going so slow that we might as well just walk. Thanks.

Anne - Thanks! You bet it was the pics. The medal is what mattered, though.

 

[keenercam]

Good morning, everyone!
Thank you so much for all the pixiedust and prayers. I just LOVE my doctor (he is the director of sports medicine -- I think that is his title -- at the university and only works in this medical office 2 nights a week, and is just the perfect doctor for me). I told him I had a primary concern (breathing/breathlessness issues) and secondary (vtach) and though I knew he'd be more concerned about the second, I really wanted to talk about the first.

When I acknowledged how far I have to go weight-wise and that that could be the reason I run out of breath when I jog, he praised me for how far I've come -- 65 pounds since 11/04 and going from totally sedentary to physically active 4-5x/week). I thanked him with tears in my eyes. Then, he asked if we've created a monster and couldn't I be content with walking. I told him that if that is an inherent physical limitation, then "yes", but if it is resolvable, then let's resolve it. He is pretty certain that while I may have exercised-induced athsma, it is more likely that the really heavy-duty drugs I took for ten years may have had a negative impact on my lung, perhaps even creating scar tissue -- beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, amiodarone.

Long story short (sorry, I do tend to go on, don't I?) -- He gave me an inhaler to use morning and night of azmacort (sp?) as a prophylactic but is sending me to a pulmonologist for a pulmonary function test.

On the heart thing -- I am going to let my treating cardiology team here in Delaware know that the vtach has re-started, but we'll all just be hypervigilant to be sure it doesn't start sustaining. I am not going to contact the doctor at Johns Hopkins unless and until it sustains because I really don't want to go down there for testing or evaluation until necessary. Because it is so intermittent right now and random and not related to exercise, I'm allowed to continue my training and we'll re-evaluate after the marathon.

So, thank you so much, guys, for your support. I really, really appreciate you all so much!

I know I have to catch up on everyone, but time is short.

Jodi -- Happy Anniversary, sweetie!

So glad others are starting to get their packets.

 

[wtpclc]

Cam - Thanks for the update! We worry, you know. Sounds like a plan. Let your team know soon, though. BTW, I love your doc too. I'm glad one of your docs finally reinforced that you'cve come a long way and should be so proud of yourself!!!!!

jodi - Have a great trip!!!!

 

[Honeibee]

Good morning.

Today was a rest day so I slept till 6:00. Whoo hoo!

Thank you all so much for the professional answers to my questions. Don't worry, I SWEAR I will not throw clothes on the course or just start walking without pulling over. I double-dog promise!

Oh Mel, please don't tell me a 12 min mile is slow. It's the best I can do! I don't care what JB says. I'm so happy I can RUN AT ALL!

Carrie - WOW! Make sure you take lots of pictures of yourself on the course since I'll never see you! You go, girly! You are Speedy!

Bill - Thanks for asking. This is trial #3. The owner has five criminal charges against her. This has been going on for almost two years now. I called yesterday to see how it went but so far no return call.

Jodi - Oh have a wonderful time! How romantic! I hate to tell you how we spent our first anniversary last June.

Cam - Oh Cam......so that is all good news, right? I must confess, I am somewhat in the dark as to what you are discussing. I don't even know what a vtach is. But the bottom line is, it's nothing threatening, right? Ohhhhhh, I worry about you, you know.

OK, even though they totally beat me up at work yesterday (Not physically, you know what I mean) I am actually going to do something productive. I don't know why.

I remain, humbly yours, the packet-less Judith Anne.

 

[Jen117]

Hey all... I got up super early this morning and did a measly 40 minutes on the treadmill. It was supposed to be a rest day, but I rested yesterday because of my schedule. So tomorrow I will cross train and then rest again Friday... big day on Saturday with my very first 10K race. I plan to come in last based on last years times. Weather prediction is now really cold and snow and rain.... WHAT????

Mel - See above, I am planning on coming in last with my measly 12 min. miles. BUT, this morning as I was grumping about how slow I am, I thought back to where I started. The first month I started attempting to run I was barely doing 17 minutes miles. Now that is progress. I never thought I would ever get to this level. So think back to where you started and where you are... and then remember you still have some place to go! You are going AWESOME!

Humble Judy - I got beat up at work yesterday also. Well at least I was productive. I swore I would be productive today also, but here I am! I need to crack the whip on myself. At least the work keeps me from snacking!

OK, I really have to get something done. I have been swamped with dealing with every one elses issues and haven't even tackled my own.