~Philadelphia Marathon 11/23/08~

[princessmomma]

That's exactly what I mean!! Once my lungs start burning & I have to breathe extra heavy I roll my eyes & ask "ok, why am I doing this???" My husband keeps checking my feet to make sure that I truly don't have only 3 toes (like a certain tree-dweller).

I was asking myself this morning.

 

[rKyDeX]

How did you do at Disney the last few years? I ran 4:48 in 2006 and then 5:26 last year in the heat running Goofy. The heat killed me.

Colleen
My first marathon was 2006 WDW and I finished in 5:30.

At 2007 WDW I finished in 6:17, but it had nothing to do with the weather. I started out the race walking with my DW to try to help her keep pace. At around the 3 mile mark, the sweepers were already breathing down our necks, so she let me off the leash and I ran until near the 16 mile mark where my lingering "runners knee" issues slowed my pace to a walk. Even though the time was longer, it seemed like it was over quicker.

If I'm healthy and can finish my planned training, I'm pretty sure I'll finish between 4:30 and 5:00. Therefore, I'm not exactly fast, but I'm not exactly slow, I'm just half-fast.


Chester
W.I.S.H. Half-fast Marathon Team

 

[princessmomma]

[ At around the 3 mile mark, the sweepers were already breathing down our necks, so she let me off the leash and I ran until near the 16 mile mark where my lingering "runners knee" issues slowed my pace to a walk.
Chester
W.I.S.H. Half-fast Marathon Team

SO good of you to walk with your wife! So are these sweepers on bikes or vehicles? Do they say anything?

 

[msblrobs]

Sara, painfree?? I hope so, but after this mornings tempo run, I dunno! It was absolutely brutal. I ran 7 miles in 1:07 and had to STOP and walk twice. I was suppose to run a 9:15 pace, but fell well short of that. I am attributing that to waking up at 5:30 a.m. EST while I am still "sort of" on mountain time from my trip to Canada. Oh well, today's run is finished and in the books, so onward and upward.... 13 miles scheduled for this weekend.

Sorry about the less than optimal tempo run!! Definitely look ahead to the 13 miler this weekend and I am sure it'll be a confidence boosting run for you . It's funny how your energy and endurance can fluctuate so greatly from one day to the next.

Jodi - I think we were separated at birth !! If I am not smiling and having a good time than I don't want to be doing it . Sucking wind and burning quads just don't get me off . Please tell me about the Chi Running a bit and how it's helped you.

 

[rKyDeX]

SO good of you to walk with your wife! So are these sweepers on bikes or vehicles? Do they say anything?

Well, there is a little more that precedes this story:

DH signed up to do the 2006 WDW marathon with the American Stroke Association. She did an awesome job raising the required funds and participated in their training sessions. However, their training only stressed getting the distance in and that "speed would naturally follow". She developed the endurance and could make 16 minute miles.

Race day comes and she is in the last corral. After a couple of miles, she had to make a "pit stop". When she got to the second sweep point, she was pulled, and placed on a bus. Appearantly during her pit stop, the sweepers passed her. Starting in the last corral and maintaining minimum pace didn't leave her any cushion time. She was crushed at being swept and not happy about how it was handled.

Discouraged, but still determined to complete a marathon, she signed up to do the 2007 WDW. I told her that I would stick with her and pace her.

As part of our training, we decided to do the 2006 DL Half. We kept a 15:30 pace untill about the 7th mile when she desparately needed a pit stop but there was none to be found. The pace slowed until she found one around the 9th mile and appearantly the sweeper passed us during the stop, but I didn't see any. We were swept at the exit of the Angels Stadium at mile 10.3. Our pace was at 16 mpm, but the people who ran the sweep point were utilizing a 15 minute "for the last starter to begin" grace period on time (which is what was published in the guide). In reality, the last starter began 20 minutes after the start. In effect, we were pulled 5 minutes early from the last sweep point. Again she was crushed, but vowed to keep training.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays along with a couple sickness bout put a huge dent in her training for 2007 WDW. We both kind of knew going in the it would be a long shot, but she decided to start anyway. We started in the next to last corral and were able to maintain 16 mpm but no faster. At Spaceship Earth (around mile 3) she had to make a pit stop. when she got out, we finally found out what the sweepers looked like.

There were 2 guys riding bikes with flashing lights on them. It was very obvious who they were. They were about 100 feet behind us as we reached the second sweep point at mile 3.3. Tracy knew the end was near and didn't want to sacrifice a finish so she told me to go on and run my race. I kissed her goodbye, told her "I love you", and sped away with a tear in my eye.

Now back to your questions. The sweepers for 2007 were on bikes and they were easily identifiable. They were also very friendly and and encouraged Tracy to keep going, but they also let her know that if she didn't make it to specific points by a certain time, she would have to leave the course. They actually helped her make it past the 5 mile and to the 3rd sweep point.

She was disapointed but not devasted. She didn't even get a participants medal for 2007. And eventhough she has been swept from the WDW marathon twice, she is now signed up to give it another try. This time the training emphasis will be on pace instead of endurance. Unfortunately, since I am going Goofy, I will not be pacing her.

But, I will pace her for the 2009 Honolulu marathon which doesn't have a time limit.

Chester
W.I.S.H. Half-fast Marathon Team

 

[Jodi]

Chester - Wow, your wife is unreal. I seriously don't think I would have the fortitude to keep trying. It's easy to sign up for another marathon when you "know" you can finish, but the fear that I wouldn't finish would haunt me continuously. Makes me feel a silly when I set time goals for myself & get disappointed when I don't achieve them. I should be happy to step over the finish line in a semi-conscious state. Tell her that I give her a TON of credit.

Sara - I had one of those moments, again, on this a.m.s run. Hey, what's 6 miles when you've run a marathon, right? WRONG. Holy crap, I suck!. I decide I'm going to run "fast" (and I use the term sooooo loosely), even though it's like, 75 out @ 6:30 w/ 1000000% humidity (I do not do well in heat). First 2 miles are so awesome, cruisin' along. Then, by mile 4, yes FOUR, people! I'm ready to just stop & walk. I feel fatigued & wonder why I try & make this non-running body do what it really isn't designed for, I think that I should be w/ my son.
Well, I finished, I didn't stop & my average was a 9:17. You'd think I broke a land-speed record the way I felt afterwards, but nah, still way under a 9mmile. Oh well. Doesn't the weather god, Earl, know I need the weather to be cloudy & in the 40s?

ChiRunning is quite interesting. The dude that "invented" it was @ the WDW Expo this past year, Danny Dryer. I've read the book & for the last year or so have tried to apply it. Basically it says that when you run, it should all come from your core. From the waist down should be completely limp & free flowing, no "digging in" w/ leg muscles, no weight training (now you can see why I like it so much!! ). The more you "use" your legs, the more you're prone to injury. You keep a steady tempo of 90 footstrikes per minute. If you want to increase your speed, you increase your lean forward @ the ankles, keeping the same tempo, & voila, you speed up.

That's the Reader's Digest version, you have to read the book. I will say though, that since I've tried to apply these principles, I have remained injury free. Your core is made of "steel" & your arms & legs are "like a pendulum swinging" off of it. OK, I really suck @ explaining things.

So how did everybodys training go today??? I'll be waiting for LR reports!!

Jodi

 

[msblrobs]

Jodi - Sorry about the less than stellar run but I am sure the humidity had a whole lot to do with it. I did my 11 today on the treadmill to avoid the humid conditions. Thanks for the description of the Chi Running principles and I will try to pick up the book to check it out since my hip is killing me today.
I hope everyone had great runs today .

 

[princessmomma]

Woe, Chester, congrats on your wife sticking with it!

Sara, good job on your 11 miles on the treadmill. What speed do you have the mill at? Do you run the whole run at the same pace or do you vary the incline or speed?

[ Hey, what's 6 miles when you've run a marathon, right? WRONG. Holy crap, I suck!. Jodi

Wow, that was my run on Thursday. I ran 7 miles in 1:07 and worked hard the whole way. Well, today, what a difference. I had 13 planned.

I was reading Runner's World last night in bed and one runner talked about long runs. She talked about starting off slowly with the first 1/3 of her LR, then increase the pace a bit in the middle third and then try and run MRP for the last few miles. I tried that this morning. I started off and my first mile was 10:45, nice and easy. I picked it up a bit for miles 4-7. I finished 7 miles in 1:10.

I came home and picked up DH for the final six miles. I let him set the route and we ended up doing 7 more miles. DH encouraged me to pick it up my final 2 miles and they ended up being a little over 9 minute miles. Final run time for the 14 miles was 2:17.

To conclude, I should pick up the Chi-running book, because I really concentrated on doing the pendulum swing thing and total relaxation when running and it made a world of difference today. I think I was all tight and nerved up about the thought of a tempo run on Thursday, that day, nothing was smooth or effortless.

 

[princessmomma]

Anyone interested in a WISH meet in DC?

Dinner perhaps on Saturday or Sunday night.

I will have my family with me, DH, DD8, DS10, for dinner. If that doesn't work, maybe I could slip away and we could meet for sodas/pop/cocktails in one of the hotel lounges.

 

[Jodi]

Colleen - I think a DC meet would be cool! My husband & I are leaving the kids @ home (YES) & are arriving Fri. afternoon. On Sat. we're going to the dining in pasta dinner. But anytime in between there would be great to meet, a few "pops" would probably ease the nerves. What do ya say? Bring the whole family, it'd be fun!! Congrats on the run, that sounds SO awesome, that's cool you can run with your husband. NICE TIMES!! You really should pick up the Chi book, it's helped me a lot.

Sara - Nice goin' on the dreadmill!!

Chester - Where are you? Did you get a run in today??

Hey, maybe we could all meet @ the expo or something?

Have a good rest day today!

Jodi

 

[msblrobs]

Colleen - You're going to WDW next week and staying at the BC?!!! WAAAAAHHHHH!!! I'm totally jealous. I hope you guys have a great time. Awesome job on the 14 miler, especially with the negative splits . I am going to check out the Chi Running for sure.

I'm flying into BWI first thing Friday morning and hitting the expo before we drive out to the Hampton Inn in Crystal City. I'm out of there Sunday night but I'd be up for a meet Friday or Saturday night. It'll be me, DH, DD(10) & DD(6). Whatever works for everyone else is fine with us.

Happy training this week to all .

 

[Jodi]

WHAT?? Colleen's going to WDW next week???? That's it, I'm done speaking to her

Sara We're arriving Fri & leaving Sun as well. We're staying @ the Holiday Inn in Roslyn, or something like that. Alls I know is that it is less than 1/2 mile from the finish line!

 

[msblrobs]

Jodi - I think we're all going to be on the VA side so it might be easier to plan a meet out there logistically. I am not familiar with the area so I am really hoping someone else is. Chester? Honestly, I am a little worried about catching a plane on Sunday night but my vacation time is so spent and I take my kids out of school too often for vacations .

 

[princessmomma]

WHAT?? Colleen's going to WDW next week???? That's it, I'm done speaking to her

Ah, ah, I don't think so... sorry can't stop speaking to me...not allowed...we still have 3 months of training stories to swap. Afterall, that is part of the fun. Yes, I am going THIS Wednesday! The first three days with be with DH and the kids, but he is flying to Germany from Orlando on Saturday and I will be there with the kids for an additional three days.

Had a nice rest day yesterday and may go out for a short run today to shake the cobwebs out.

As for the meet, we are over at the Hampton Inn in Crystal City too, so anything is good for me.

So do we want to try for Friday night since Jodi has the pasta dinner on Saturday?

Where is OptiMike?

 

[msblrobs]

Colleen - I say Friday night is probably our best bet. As previously stated, I am clueless about the area but I am sure we can come up with something that works for all interested parties. I will try to check things out in my "free " time!!! I was wondering about OptiMike also. Where's Chester?

I hope you have a wonderful time at WDW with DH and the kids this week . Travel safe and enjoy.

 

[Jodi]

Sara - I'm a little freaked out too about leaving Sun. night, but I need to be back for my son Sun. evening. I think my flights @ 4 p.m. or something, DOH! Guess that's an incentive to run fast, huh? That'd be the ONLY incentive.

I think that Fri. sounds pretty dang cool. I, like the rest of you, have NO idea about the area . Are you, & the one that's going to DISNEY Weds., staying at the same hotel?

Colleen - I'll consider talking to once you get back, maybe. And that's only if you have a lousy time . Hmpf, the nerve of some people. Seriously though, have a safe, awesome trip . Do you think you'll have more fun the first 3 days, or the last 3 days when the big kid leaves?

 

[rKyDeX]

Jodi
I caught a summer cold last week and postponed my return to training. I expect to do a gentle 3 mile run Tuesday night.

Sara
I'm no longer familiar with the area don't have any ideas for a place to meet. The last time I lived there I was 8 years old. We're staying at the Crystal City Hilton near Reagan airport.

We arrive in the early afternoon on Friday, so a Friday night meet works for us.

Tracy and I are also flying out Sunday evening. Our flight leaves DCA at 7:20pm. Our DD's 16th birthday is on Monday, so we need to get home.


Chester
W.I.S.H. Half-fast Marathon Team

 

[princessmomma]

Alright, Friday night it is. I found a list of restaurants in crystal city. It also includes menus. I could go for Italian both Friday and Saturday night, mostly because it is "safe". My kids are happy with pizza and salad.

Is there a restaurant that appeals to you?

http://washingtondc.menupages.com/restaurants.asp?neighborhoodid=183

 

[msblrobs]

Colleen - My vote is for The American Cafe mainly because it is a chain type restaurant and I have to be mindful of my kids. Italian is a safe bet and the menu seems to have a lot of variety. However, we are up for anything that works for everyone. Thanks for doing some research on this, especially since you should be packing!! I do have to say that on the American Cafe website under locations they do not list one in Crystal City.

 

[Jodi]

I'm up for anything, as long as there's pizza or something like that! If the American Cafe looks good to ya'll that's fine. You guys both have your kids, so plan it around them!!