You're going back and doing what Updated 10/3 10K

[ljcrochet]

Cool stuff. Let me know if you get any of them and how you like them.

I went on a browsing trip to Dick's Sporting goods. Would you beleive I didn't see anything I wanted. I was suprsied at how much the running underwear was ($20). Not even sure if I need them. I looked at the hydration belts. Didn't see any that I like and would hold my iphone. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the arm pocket. Now to decide on a color. Do I get pink, purple or a neutrual color?

Today should be my long run day, but my sister is over so I didn't get to go this morning. I'm hoping to go this evening. I tried to see if DH wanted to take the girls for either a bike ride or a playground so we can go together but not sure he wants to. Hopefully if he doesn't he won't mind me leaving for my run. As of now my plan is to do my weekly runs around the neighborhood and go for the long runs at local parks.

 

[jenn-]

I vote go for the purple. I might try to get my long run in tomorrow. Right now though, I am sick and tired of painting. I just have a little bit more to go before I can go back to cleaning again.

 

[ljcrochet]

I totally forgot to mention my second run this week. That was because it was more of a walk. Friday I thought I was feeling better so I decided to go for my run. I don't know if it was the heat, or the tail end of the stomach bug, but I could not run as much as I wanted.
I did a 33 minute walk (1.79 miles)
mi Pace (min/mi) Elevation (ft)

1 16:19 -2
2 21:20 2

Today was going to be my long run. My sister who lives about 3 1/2 hours away, had come for a visit. So it totally throws of my routines. Instead of going for a run this morning, I had to wait for the late afternoon. My girls had a birthday party to go to. We got home about 5:30. I had to change and decide where to go. DH decided he wanted to come and watch the girls in the playground. Girls had one request a park with monkey bars. So we went to a local park that has a lake to run around. Only problem is the path is like a stamped concrete. It was 90 degrees and humid. My legs were killing me. This is the first time I ran and had to stop because my legs were killing me not because I did the time (or mileage) i wanted. I had the lung power to continue but not the legs. I did 2.07 miles. So much for my long run.
mi Pace (min/mi) Elevation (ft)

1 14:58 -5
2 16:11 4
3 18:16 1
My average pace was 15:43.
After I stopped, I then walked around the lake with the girls looking for the turtles in the lake. So did another .75 of a mile. We stopped for Rita's ices on the way home.

Weekly total of walking/running was almost 8 miles

 

[jenn-]

Last week was a hard one for you. You will start this week off feeling well and getting back in the groove of things.

As for me, I hope to slip into the Y for a 5 mile run tomorrow. I have to play by ear how long I can stay on the machines. Technically there is a 30 minute limit on the treadmills, but the sign does say you can continue on them as long as there are machines open. That seems reasonable to me. Honestly after the weekend I have had, I need an hour or so on the machine to get my nerves back in check.

 

[Cotillard]

I am really enjoying your pre-trip report!
That purple top is really pretty. I want to walk/run the Princess Half too. I am following along with your training and preparations. I love all your gear photos

 

[ljcrochet]

I am really enjoying your pre-trip report!
That purple top is really pretty. I want to walk/run the Princess Half too. I am following along with your training and preparations. I love all your gear photos

Welcome! I love sharing our training. It makes it so real. You should do the Princess Half. It is going to be so much fun.

 

[jenn-]

Last week was supposed to end with a 5 miler for my week of training. That didn't happen. Life did.

Life tried to get in the way of my make up 5 mile run yesterday as well. My parents are out of town (home today), and my little sister has been housesitting. Well she works at Walmart and it is inventory week. That means insane hours. So I had to pack up the kids and go out to my mom's house about mid day (she lives 20 minutes in the wrong direction from town) to let the pups out. One is about 15 yos and there is no way she could go from 615am - 8 or 9 pm. This really shouldn't have been a big deal if I hadn't had a lazy morning. About the time I should have been at Mom's I was still in my PJs . I still had to get myself dressed for the run, pack my clean clothing, and make lunch to take with us. I booked it and managed to have everything ready to go in 15 minutes. Unfortunately I forgot to pack dry underwear, and I hate not being able to change them after a run.

We did the housesitting duties, ate lunch, raided their garden, and took off. At this point we were running only 10 minutes behind my mental schedule. I thought I could make up time by taking a toll road, but when I asked my DH if he thought it would be faster from there, he said no. I wasn't about to spend money and not make up any time. Unfortunately the Y I run at is not the most conveniently located in town. I still managed to arrive slightly before 1. I had calculated a 13 min mile and knew I needed at least 65 minutes of run time and I was doing okay. Made sure DD had her socks with her as last time she forgot them in the van and had to run back out for them. I didn't have time for forgetting socks again. Got the kids signed in. I got into the locker room and grabbed for my iPod. It wasn't in my bag. For that matter I didn't have my water bottle either. So it was me that had to go running back out to the van to retrieve her stuff.

All my extra time was eaten up by my running to the car. Now I was really going to have to push myself to get this 5 miles in. So I did. I walked 2 minutes to warm up (normally I would do 5). Then I ran 4 minutes at a 12 min mile, and 1 minute at a 10 minute mile. I walked a minute, then created myself some "hills". I ran 4 minutes at a 2% incline (12 min mile), and did a minute at 4% (same speed). I thought I would die. So I decided to alternate the speeding up and the hills. I only lasted one more set of hills before I decided that was for the birds. I pushed myself hard and managed to complete my first 5 miler in 62:25. That last .5 miles was a killer though.

I need to be more careful before I select my treadmill next time. The TVs are set up with one on NBC, one on Fox News, and one on ESPN. The soaps are on when I first get there so I listen to my music. At 1:30 I go to switch over to listen to Ellen and I realize my machine does not have a TV listening device . I really depend on being able to chuckle at Ellen to finish out my runs. I sure wasn't going to stop to switch machines for it though. Lesson learned though, make sure your audio is hooked up before starting out.

I didn't really have enough time for a good cool down walk and stretch. I am paying for that today. I am also paying for the fact my feet were hot and sweaty from walking the dogs and gardening, then running in them, and not removing my sweaty socks and shoes off until late evening. I have my first blister . Luckily it is a little thing and I am pretty sure it won't be much of an issue. Lesson number 2 learned, switch out my running socks and shoes after my run, and possibly before if I have been out and about before heading to the gym. Normally I am just coming from home and my feet don't have a chance to sweat much. I am also going to look for some better moisture wicking socks.

I think tomorrow I am going to go out to the local sporting goods stores to try on some of those Underarmor shorts. I can be anything from an x-small to a medium for work out clothes so ordering online is hard. It would be wonderful if size actually meant something.

Tomorrow afternoon I swear I am going to get to the Y early enough to do that "easy" 3.5 miles I've been promising myself.

 

[ljcrochet]

I can't believe I have been in full training mode for 3 weeks. If I wasn't in training mode I never would have ran 3 times last week.
In addition to working on increasing my distance, I'm also working on increasing my speed. I did my run/walk this morning. I just did it around the neighborhood. I started out great. I did a slow warm up, then I did a run for a bit a walk for a bit. Another run, followed by another walk. Then I had a pain in my leg

Not sure why. It actually hurt worse when I walked, but I was a little afraid of hurting my self so I walked home. I did complete every block on my route for a total of 2.05 miles.
mi Pace (min/mi) Elevation (ft)

1 14:05 -2
2 20:28 2

Tomorrow is a weight workout day for me. Thursday is another 30 minute run/walk. Depending on timing I might do a slightly longer time (maybe go to a hilly park to practice my hills)

 

[ljcrochet]

Jenn - way to go running 5 miles on the treadmill. I hate the treadmill. I'm already planning the layers of clothing I'm going to need to run outside in the winter instead of using the treadmill in my basement.

 

[jenn-]

Sorry to hear your leg cramped on you. I usually found that walking hurt worse than running as well. I hope you went home and stretched it really well and then iced it. I swear by ice these days. Don't focus on speed yet. You should focus on distance and the speed will come. Or at least that's what they keep telling me. I was doing a 15-17 minute mile pace when I was first starting out, and honestly I have to really really push myself to get to that 13 minute mile. I don't think I could maintain it for a full 13.1 miles yet. I definitely felt the wall creeping up on me yesterday at the 4.5 mile mark.

I forgot to mention my other lesson learned yesterday. Drinking a diet coke (or probably any soda) before attempting to run is not a good idea. I was very urpy yesterday during my run. I think the fizz in my belly was expanding like crazy as I shook it around.

 

[2gr8DisneyKids]

Hi! Congrats on signing up for the princess 1/2 and starting training!

Last August I signed up for the 1/2 and ran it in March! It was a great experience! I saw you were asking about what people ran in... I hated the shorts, all of them!

I bought several Running Skirts brand skirts with the brief. Never ran up on me and so comfortable. They also had a tiara tank that was great for the day of the race.

Can't wait to read more!

Here is a picture:

 

[jenn-]

That is an adorable outfit. I think I would freeze in it.

 

[ljcrochet]

I bought several Running Skirts brand skirts with the brief. Never ran up on me and so comfortable. They also had a tiara tank that was great for the day of the race.

That is so cute! Which brand skirts did you try? My MIL got me a Nike skirt but it didn't fit great. So I gave it to her to return. Don't you hate when people get you a gift without a gift receipt.
I need to try on a few others. I might go to Macy's and go shopping. Not the best place but I have Macy's credit.

 

[2gr8DisneyKids]

That is an adorable outfit. I think I would freeze in it.

I wore a long sleeve shirt under the tank and then took it off during the second half of the race and tied it around my waist. I also had a zip-up sweatshirt I got for like $8 that I took off and tossed (washed and donated by Disney) a few miles in.

That is so cute! Which brand skirts did you try? My MIL got me a Nike skirt but it didn't fit great. So I gave it to her to return. Don't you hate when people get you a gift without a gift receipt.
I need to try on a few others. I might go to Macy's and go shopping. Not the best place but I have Macy's credit.

I went to my local running store and tried all that they had. Target has some too that some of the ladies from the WISH group in DIS liked. There is also a great board called DisneyRunning.com and the ladies and guys there are great!

They were not cheap, but I have been running in them for a year now and they are holding up very well!

 

[jenn-]

I wore a long sleeve shirt under the tank and then took it off during the second half of the race and tied it around my waist. I also had a zip-up sweatshirt I got for like $8 that I took off and tossed (washed and donated by Disney) a few miles in.

That makes much more sense. I was thinking that Florida is a warm state, but at 430am in Feb, it is going to be fridged.

I found out Under Armour carries a 7 in inseam in their compression short. Now the real question comes, will my local Dick's store actually have the style and my size?!? Tomorrow I will find out.

 

[jenn-]

Shopping with 4 kids is stressful on a normal day. Toss PMS in there, and it is so not enjoyable. Kids were in and out of the clothing racks. Begging to go potty at every store, even though they had just gone the store before. But they survived, as did I.

We went to Academy Sports first. I knew they had a good selection for Under Armour, and I had just received their ad and it looked like they might have a pair of shorts that would work for $8. I figured for $8 anything was worth a look at.

First stop was at the Under Armour area. I wish I could say it was nicely organized, but they had 2", 4", and 7" black shorts all mixed together on several different pegs. After much frustration, I finally found a size small in the 7". Then it was off to the the BCG shorts. They actually had those fairly organized so I located a small easily. You would think they would worry more about the shorts that are $28 vs the $8, but whatever.

We traveled into the fitting room where I had my kids lock themselves into one room to make funny faces in the mirror. I grabbed the fitting room right next to them. They really are well behaved children for the most part, there is just something about clothes racks that call out to all kids. I slipped into the BCG ones and they were a bit loose and not quite as long as I was hoping for. I tried on the 7" compression shorts, and low and behold, there was no compressing going on. I needed an x-small.

Back out to the racks. After much digging I gave up on finding an x-small in the 7" shorts, but I was able to find them in the slightly shorter shorts. They weren't exactly what I wanted, but I didn't want to risk going home empty handed, so I bought them. Right after a trip to the bathroom, of course.

We headed over to Dick's Sporting Goods. They are right down the street from each other so we were still sweating bullets when we got there. I quickly flipped through the clearance racks to no avail. I found the 7" Under Armour shorts in my size, nicely organized, for the same cost as Academy, so I was happy. Then I spotted a pair of 7" compression shorts by Rebook for $8 less, so I tried them both one. I should have learned the last time I tried compression pants from Rebook, they they don't know what it means to compress. Even the x-small left me feeling like they were big (well find if I didn't want compression). So I tried the Under Armour on, and they fit exactly how I wanted them too.

I would love to pretend I am happy buying an x-small, but I know exercise clothing has been victimized of the upsizing of American clothing. A size 10 from 10 years ago, is now a size 6. Trust me, I know, as I own, and fit, both sizes. I am not that thin. I don't know what will happen if I actually shed the last 5lbs I am hoping to rid myself of. I won't be able to buy work out clothing anymore. I guess they don't think skinny people need to be exercising.

After Dick's I couldn't handle the kids anymore, so I decided to skip Target and head straight to the bookstore. I told them if the store had my books, we would go play at the train table while I flipped through them. This was the 3rd Books A Million in the area I went looking for Marathoning for Mortals at. The first location had literally sold their copy the day before. The other one was out as well. I finally got lucky here and was able to find it on the shelves. I also spotted Chicken Soup for the Runner's Soul, so I picked that one up too. I am a sucker for a good Chicken Soup book. I flipped through them and decided I wanted them both. So I called DH to have him price the Chicken Soup book for me on Amazon (I already the other book was cheaper online). Sure enough buying both books through Amazon would save me about $10+ tax. We have a Prime account so I should have my books on Friday.

After the bookstore, I rounded up my kids to head towards the Y for my easy 3.5 mile run. You will have to wait until later to hear how that went. I have to take my baby boy (okay he's 4) to the doctor to have him evaluated for asthma now.

 

[jenn-]

Has anyone else noticed how much of a guessing game modern medicine is? Based off of my descriptions, the doctor believes my son probably falls somewhere on the asthmatic scale. He is too young to officially test. The doctor wants to do a 3 week trial with Singulair to see if that helps. Singulair hasn't done anything to help my other 2 seasonal allergy sufferers in the past, but what the hay might as well try it. I fully expect to be back at the doctor's office to try something different in 3 weeks.

Anyways, that is neither here nor there, this is about my training journey. I left off with us heading to the Y. What I failed to mention, was that it was really early for only having to do a short run. That's what I get for skipping Target.

I got on and started with a nice 5 minute warm up walk. I missed out on doing this, or much of a cool down walk, on Monday and paid dearly on Tuesday by being extra sore. After that warm up though, I think my body and my brain had a disagreement as to what an "easy" run was supposed to look like.

My first run interval started out at 5 MPH (12:00 minute mile) for 4 minutes, then I did 6 MPH (10:00 mm) for a minute before I slowed back down. Walked a minute. Then I set the incline to 2% (which is what I am supposed to be running at aways, but I like running on 0%). I held that for 2 minutes, bumped the incline to 4% for a minute (all at 5 MPH), dropped it back to 2% but bumped the speed to 6 MPH again for another minute, dropped the incline and speed (back to 5) for the last minute. Walked a minute. Next interval I ran 3 minutes at 5, then I did 1 minute at 6.5 (9:13! mm), then did another minute at 5, before walking a minute. I rinsed and repeated the hills and speed work until I reached the 3.5 mile mark. In the end I finished 3.8 miles in 50 minutes. That included the 5 minute warm up and 6 minute cool down. Overall I felt good about the run, but it definitely wasn't what I would call "easy".

I wiped down the machine and went and did my stretching. I really need someone to come help me learn how to properly do stretches. Then I started to look towards the weights and thought about going over there, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. That left me with a whole lot of time on my hands. So I decided to take a shower.

Now there is one thing you should know about taking a shower at the Y, it is wise to have things such as a face cloth, bar of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and oh yeah, a TOWEL. I had a little bit of shampoo and body wash left in my bag, but none of the rest of the stuff. I couldn't very well dry off with my sweaty towel I had been using. I went and grabbed a clean towel. Yep, I totally ignored the sign that said "Please only take 1 towel per patron." I am such a rebel. Now when I say towel, what I really mean is something barely bigger than a face cloth, but not quite the size of a hand towel. This is what I had to dry my entire body off with after my shower. The shower sure did feel good though, and I didn't have to go to my daughter's gymnastics class smelling like I had just had a workout like I normally do.

I still had extra time, so I sat down with my Kindle and read some of Born to Run. I need to get it finished before my other books get here. When I finally retrieved my kids, I found out my oldest son decided to face plant himself coming off the slide. He was rug burned on his chin, under his nose, and had a good lump on his forehead. I was surprised no one had come to tell me about it, or even mentioned it as I picked him up. Oh well, he looks bad, but he will heal.

Tomorrow is my earlier run. I go to the Y I like to run at, which is not the same as the one the kids like to play at. I am going to try for another 5 miler that I swear will be easier. This should put me back on schedule for my training.

 

[Cotillard]

I hope your little boy is ok jenn.

I love Dick's - we went there the other night and I got some great pants for about $18 on clearance. Sort of capri length yoga pants. they are SO soft. I also got some Asics running shoes which are not the best looking and were not on sale - but feel great.

I hope I'm able to run 3.8 miles someday, much less 13.1! You're an inspiration to me.

 

[ljcrochet]

I hope your little boy is ok jenn.

I love Dick's - we went there the other night and I got some great pants for about $18 on clearance. Sort of capri length yoga pants. they are SO soft. I also got some Asics running shoes which are not the best looking and were not on sale - but feel great.

I hope I'm able to run 3.8 miles someday, much less 13.1! You're an inspiration to me.

You can do it. Just slowly build up to it. That's what I keep on telling myself.

 

[ljcrochet]

So I'm almost done with week 3 of my training. I still have not sat down and pick out the training plan I'm going to follow. I figure I have time, but I want to have a guideline of what I want to do. I have a huge problem with my pacing. I have a hard time running slowly. I either run really fast or I walk. I'm going to work on slowing down my running pace so I can increase my overall pace since I'm doing run/walking. Hopefully it will work.
Due to my crazy morning yesterday, I had to go for my run in the hot afternoon. You know that period of the day when they tell you to not do any outdoor activities. Yep that is when I did my run. About an hour before my run, DH and I had pizza for lunch. I had a huge eggplant slice. It was so big, I couldn't finish it. I was so thirsty by the time I was going out for my run, I filled up my big water bottle and had some water then left the bottle on the steps so I could run past my house to have a sip on my way.
I always start my neighborhood runs by doing a walking start on my block. As I'm starting, I see the mail truck pulled in front of my house. You know I had to stop on my steps on my way past the house to see that the mail-lady left. It was a tube from Disney vacation club. We had watched a podcast a while ago and got a free poster.
I continued on my run. I tried to alternate running with walking. Did I mention it was hot and humid out? I got to a point that when i was walking my leg was hurting, I did a little more running, but mostly walking home. You can see my run with pacing on runkeeper.
mi Pace (min/mi) Elevation (ft)

1 16:17 0
2 16:03 -0

I need to work on improving my pace since for the half marathon I need have a pace under 15 minutes. As well as upping my miles so I can handle the distance.

I'm thinking of signing up for a 10K that is the beginning of October. Figure that will be a great way to focus my training.
I also have to work on my trip planning. I have about a month to make my ADRS.