Week of Aug 21 - 2006 Half-Full Marathon Info/Training Thread

[wtpclc]

Craig - So glad you're still around. You don't always have to be the voice of wisdom. Just let us know how you're training's going every now and then. WIsh we could do more to help you out!

Glad our training's going well! I can't remeber, is Martha doing the full or the half this year? Great that she's ahead of schedule!

Mel - You're going back again???? OKW or SSR? I can't wait to hear about it, but I am SOOO jealous! Must feel good that this is your last press day!!! A trip to WDW to celebrate sounds like a great plan!

 

[Calcio]

Thanks Carrie

You guys were a big help to me in February when someone here found out what the new course for the half looked like. I loved the old half course so much that I was very anxious to find out what I'd be running in 2006.

Martha is doing the half again this year, hoping to crack 2:30. Given her 2:33 result in her first ever half this year, and her excellent training, I suspect she'll shatter that mark. I have strongly encouraged her to sleep late the day of the full and pick up what's left of me at the finish. Unfortunately she refuses to do this and will be at the start to support me, or perhaps make sure I find my starting corral given the fog in my brain and lactic acid in my legs.

Craig

 

[TXBelle]

Way to go Minnie! We are so glad that you have decided to join us! I know that Liz will be next.

Today is a rest day for me. Time is going by so fast. I can't believe it is almost September! I am really getting excited about the marathon.

 

[gatorphipps]

Tiger Lily 03 - Loved the pictures! Looked like you had a great time!

Minnie - Congrats! I must be crazy, but what race are you doing. How have I missed that? Agree with Craig! Every thing he says! I can normally run speed play @ 8 min miles or less, but on a long run I take that down several steps. Good luck with your training!

Sunny - Love doing 2 a day! Good luck!

Did 4 miles with DH this AM! Then painted my upstairs until 1400. Does painting count as crosstraining? If not, it should...I am sore! Thursday a rest day then hopefully 14 on Friday with Bree! DH may come, he is really focused on training for this Goofy!
Later days -
Christa

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Okay - It's official I've REGISTERED!!!!!

Don't know if I feel like this or this though

​

Yay Minnie!
You won't be sorry. Just keep on training as you have with whatever schedule you are following. You are faster than me already. You go! I am so happy that you are doing this.
I don't feel like going out today, yet I must b/c I have missed too many days. So I figured I'd come here to say I'm outta here and that will mean I must do it.
Later...

 

[Minnie]

First off thank you all for your support!!!!!!!!!!!

Craig - Any and all advise is appreciated. I hope for arround 2:30 put will be thrilled to simply finish and not get swept . If I push hard I can do a 10min mile but I can't hold it for any length of time but the 12 min feels pretty good. I'm following the Jeff Galloway 1/2 marathon schedule that incorporates walk breaks so the 12min seems to work so far. Though as the mileage increases I have no doubt that my time will go up I just hope to keep it arround the 12-13 minute range by January.

Christa - I'm registered for the 1/2 marathon.

Lily - Your pictures are quite simply and insparation to this couch potato. I'm really not sure that I would have gone ahead and registered had I not seen them. I was considering trying for a different one instead but your pictures clenched it for me.

I got my rear off the couch again tonight and out on the road. My planned 2 miles was stretched into 3 miles. I'm really sore right now though. Please someone give me a kick in the hinny if I start going on about my schedule being to bad to get out on the road. These last 2 weeks of little to no trainig have made this week really ouchy!

 

[Calcio]

Minnie

One thing you don't have to worry about is getting swept. The mathematics are very stark. Suppose you are confident you can carry 12:30 per mile, and run it on January 7. At mile 5 you will be 17.5 minutes ahead of the broom truck, say 1.4 miles. At mile 10 you're 35 minutes ahead of the broom, nearly 3 miles. You don't have any worries there.

Just run a comfortable pace, one that is an effort, but can be sustained. That will ensure you'll finish, and after a few minutes to recover, with a big smile on your face. Enough to bring you back in 2007.

Another reassurance is where you will finish at a pace like that. In this year's race my novice/rookie wife was worried about her place, and I told her she would finish in the top half of the field. She commented I was crazy, etc. So, she comes in at 11:42 per mile, placing her about 3700 of 8600 finishers in the 2005 half. If you're around 12 minutes per mile, you'll also be in the top half, another reason to forget about the broom truck.

Craig

 

[keenercam]

lesson learned -- do not take more than a week off from wogging (and a weekend in WDW, inclluding 2 late nights and an all night binge at Adventurers' Club) and expect to get right back in to the routine!

Did a 15 min mile on the elliptical trainer, 7 miles in 20 minutes on the stationary bike, and then went wogging. Poor Howard wanted to "be with me" and was subjected to my 5 min warm up, then 1 min jogging, 4 min walking through 31 minutes (6 "jogging" intervals). Poor guy was practically walking! My legs are SOOOO short! But I did 2.02 miles in 31:00, so that is a solid 15:30 pace. Not bad for taking so much time off. I am going to get back into a routine now, though.

Hope everyone else took advantage of what seemed like a pretty mild day in most parts of the country. Good night all! Going to sleep soon with visions of Lily's Donald medal and all those awesome "we won't be swept" tee shirts in my dreams!

 

[keenercam]

One last thing --
Craig -- tomorrow night is our very first Buffett experience! We are psyched based on your review of his concert. Unfortunately, we will be lucky to make it there in time to park and get to the beginning of the concert, since I can't leave work early. I'll be sure to report back in on Sunday night (after we return from picking up DS12 at camp)

 

[MelanieC]

Hi everyone,

I managed to get in a 2 mile walk/run at lunch today at the park. I couldn't do too much running because I didn't want to get sweaty. I need to start taking some clothes to change into. I also did half of a FIRM video tonight. Just getting back into the swing of things, and I was huffing and puffing from the FIRM, lol. I guess when you've been off for a few months, it takes some getting used to again. I did feel some twinges in my right foot still...UGGH! It doesn't hurt now at all so hopefully that will go away when my foot gets used to the step moves and the squats with weights. I even managed to get 15 toe push ups in tonight. I feel good. I just need to get into a routine and somehow figure out how to motivate myself to get up at 5am again. I'll give my self a week or so of getting back into consistant exercise before attempting that. One thing at a time.

Minnie- Congrats to signing up! Woo hoo!!

Also to all those who are doing this for the first time and aren't sure of themselves. I remember last year when I too was worried about being swept. Then all the sudden we rounded a corner and there were people as far as the eye could see. I thought they were people in front of us, but everyone was saying they were behind us. From that point on, it was a whole new race for me. I wasn't very fast last year. I finished in about 3 hours 19 minutes, but I was no where NEAR last!! I did my next 1/2 marathon 4 months later and finished that one in 2:59:59 seconds......seriously 1 second from 3 hours, lol!! The point is, try not to worry too much because you'll see all kinds of people out there running the race. People who were really old, really young, really short, really tall, really heavy, really skinny-Everything imaginable. All my fears of being the very last person were taken away when I realized it wasn't just perfect runners (although they were there-at the front of the pack, lol!). Once I let go of all that I really enjoyed the race. I go into this race with new confidence in myself because I know what it feels like to cross that finish line. I almost chickened out last year and didn't go. I'm so glad I did. Nothing will ever compare to crossing the finish line and getting my medal. I took away a sense of what can I accomplish next. 2005 turned out to be a great year for me. I also got to see the space shuttle launch which has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I honestly think that doing the race last year has opened doors for me and I now look for things to accomplish that I have always wanted to do or see. Instead of fearing failure, I look forward to new accomplishments. The world is such an amazing place and it awaits us all!

Sorry that got so long.

 

[TiffJ]

It's so great to see everyone so excited and doing good on their training. Glad to know I'm not the only one that is pumped about this.

Minnie-yea for you for signing up!!! Your time is awesome, you should have no worries about getting swept.

keenercam-you will love the Buffett concert. I am a big fan of his & saw him on my 21st bday(of course that was a while ago) but the concert was awesome! Have a great time!

Melanie-thanks for posting that. I am very excited about this but also very nervous. I am afraid that no matter how well I train I will get swept. I dont care if I'm the last person who crosses the line (although from what it sounds like I shouldn't be) I just dont want to put all this into it & get swept at mile 10.

Well off to fix lunches so I can get to my walking!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well my fluff has caught up---I am 10 pounds higher than I was about a month ago (gee--I guess eating all those oreos wasn't smart LOL!).

Anywho--I have started drinking a ton of water--and don't you know..the experts are right--it does help you to eat less. Very weird...I never believed it before.

The GOOFY is taunting me---someone make him stop!!!

 

[plutosmyfav]

Posting last nights run:

8 miles in 77:33 (9:42 pace). I guess the 4 mile lunch run did affect my performance. Last week's 8 miler was 9:28 avg. Oh but it was soooo nice, a light rain with the sun shining. I came to the highway overpass bridge and saw a complete rainbow. It was so beautiful and peaceful (with the roar of 128 below me). Today will be lower body weights and cross-training (probably rower and stair mill).

Sunny

 

[disnutt]

Craig- Thanks for the inspirational math lesson. I'm hoping to be in the top half (just barely).

I haven't been able to do any activity since my 9 miles on Monday. I was feeling so good after my early morning run that I took a mental health day from work and drove to the beach. I completely covered my kids and myself (I thought) with SPF 50 as we're all very fair. I even did touch ups.

Well, I missed a 6-8" section of my upper back and haven't had full range of motion since Monday evening. No signs of blisters or peeling but it hurts so badly that I haven't been able to run or go to the gym. Fortunately, the kids were spared.

I'm hoping that I'll feel better tonight and can do some walking. My super supportive running bra is too snug to put on so I'm not going to try running yet. Here's a reminder to everyone to ask for help applying sunscreen to places you can't see!!!

 

[wtpclc]

dissnutt - Ow! Hope it gets better soon!

Lisa - Oh, I am sooo with you. My eating has been bad.

Sunny - Holy Cow! You rock!

Well, my dinner with a friend ran until 8:30, and so I skipped my run. Only day 3 and I missed already. Back to it today!

 

[keenercam]

Melanie -- Your description of your experience and the impact it had on your life is so moving. Thank you so much for sharing that. Even with the trepidation I feel a lot of the time, I am so reassured by the testimonials here and am renewed by the courage and encouragement of people here every day.
Thank you.

 

[Minnie]

Craig - Your math lesson is making me feel a little less aprehensive about the whole thing. I'm not going to worry so much about time per mile (other than maintaining it) in my training but rather putting in the distance.

MelanieC - Your words bring why I'm trying this crazy venture into focus. I hope to cross that finish line somehow this year!

Disnut - Ouch! As a light complected blonde I know the feeling unfortunately. Hope you feel better soon!

Question - My "long" run is scheduled for Saturday. I was up to being ready for a 5miler but have since slacked big time on my training and have just finally got back on track this week with 2-3 mile wogs. So what should my long wog be?? I really want to try for a 5 miler sometime but don't want to get hurt (feeling pretty sore today). Should I stick with 4 this week?

 

[solotraveler]

Good morning all!

Melanie- Thank you for posting about your experience. There is a passage in the Marathoning for Mortals about how completing your first long distance race will change your life-- things that seemed extremely difficult or downright impossible suddenly become possible. You life becomes a lot clearer. You become more goal-oriented. He talks about how he erased 45 years of failing or not finishing things in one race. That really struck a cord with me and your post validated that. Thanks.

Yesterday I did my 35 minute run (3 run/ 2 fast walk) and then did my stride drills on the track afterwards. The 35 minute part was kind of a bear (ran too late in the afternoon, it was a little too warm, etc), but those stride drills MFM tells you to do were amazing for me. For as much as I am proud of myself for making the commitment to really do this race this time (after 4 failed previous attempts) and for completing these multi-mile runs; those stride drills made me suddenly realize that I was making progress. I felt strong, I felt powerful, I felt fast !!! For the first time since I quit swimming competitively, I felt like I was truly pushing myself and getting somewhere. (Sorry.... running epihany..)


Luckily for me, my Garmin 201 came in the mail yesterday, so I'm all ready for my 5-miler tomorrow morning. My old GPS watch died on me, so I figured that I would upgrade as opposed to trying to get it fixed.

Did any of you use some kind of belt pack to carry your stuff during the race? I'm thinking gels, a small camera, my room key... those sorts of things.

Happy training today everyone!
Solotraveler

 

[keenercam]

Yesterday I did my 35 minute run (3 run/ 2 fast walk) and then did my stride drills on the track afterwards. The 35 minute part was kind of a bear (ran too late in the afternoon, it was a little too warm, etc), but those stride drills MFM tells you to do were amazing for me. For as much as I am proud of myself for making the commitment to really do this race this time (after 4 failed previous attempts) and for completing these multi-mile runs; those stride drills made me suddenly realize that I was making progress. I felt strong, I felt powerful, I felt fast !!! For the first time since I quit swimming competitively, I felt like I was truly pushing myself and getting somewhere.

Solo-- I am so glad you had such a positive experience yesterday. I am going to be doing those stride drills prescribed by MfM too, but don't quite understand what they are. Do you think you can explain them? I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I am just hoping that hearing another explanation might just park it in my brain in a way that will make sense.

Congratulations on your new toy! I LOVE my Garmin 201 and use it every single time I go out. You are going to have so much fun with it!

 

[solotraveler]

Solo-- I am so glad you had such a positive experience yesterday. I am going to be doing those stride drills prescribed by MfM too, but don't quite understand what they are. Do you think you can explain them? I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I am just hoping that hearing another explanation might just park it in my brain in a way that will make sense.

Sure, I'll try my best:

Basically, stride drills are sort of like controlled sprints where you concentrate on form and having a quick footstrike. So you start off going fairly slowly, but with really good form, then you pick up your footstrike while keeping your great form. Eventually you'll get really going fairly quickly. You only do that for 30 seconds, then rest with a minute of slow walking. Then you repeat four times.

I think it would be easiest to do it on a track or really flat surface. While concentrating on my form and quick turnover, I'm sure that if I wasn't on the track I would have fell flat on my face somehow.

If I have confused you more or yuo have any other questions, let me know, I'll be happy to answer!
Solotraveler