mark your calendars atl...

Hey, Atl peeps - Mark your calendars now and plan on coming to run with us on Saturday, Oct 9.  It's the Galloway Atlanta kickoff of Half Marathon training for the 26.2 with Donna, National Marathon (and Half!) to Finish Breast Cancer.  We're meeting at Ansley Mall at 8 am for a nice and easy 2 miles...

There are sure to be prizes and food and other fun...

Plus, it's free the first day.  (But you can also register here if you're already ready to join!)

PLUS, I'll be there leading Team 20/40.  (Woohoo - 20 sec running/40 sec walking.)  It's the very best pace group.  Of course, the other groups are also very nice but they don't run for nearly as long as we do!

too much?

Because I'm flying to Disney and I'm going to be there through Monday and will need both play and run stuff, I'm actually checking a bag.... a very big bag.  (I know - I'm paying the extra baggage fee both ways -- crazy!)

I'm sure I'll still forget something but hopefully it won't be anything run related.  Remember last time?  It was my race number belt/holder thing.  That really threw me.

But I think I'm good...

busy busy...

I'm scrambling to go out of town so of course I've got lists on top of lists.  And because my trip this week is fun and then a run, I've got more to pack than usual. 

Last night was prepacking.  Tonight is packing packing.  And tomorrow I'll be on an early flight out of town (for which I'll be hours early at the airport - my version of nutty).

Much to do still..

chunky monkey

Saturday long walk (not run - not yet) - Approx 2.7 miles in 51 min
Pace: 19:07
Once again, only a few miles walked but I did get up early to meet my group.  It was nice to see everyone and that was encouraging.  Pace is still consistently in the 19 min range.  With only a week to go, that's not encouraging.

In other (discouraging) news, I weighed in yesterday.  (I've been deferring it at WW the last few weeks post-injury.)  It was not good news.  Amazing how quickly the lbs come back on when you stop running... Sigh.  I've been doing ok with the bike at home as an alternative but it's 1) boring and 2) not nearly as good a workout for me as walk/run.  But back soon, I hope.

6 days to Disney Wine & Dine...

tgif!

And, really, that's all I have for today...  I'm glad this week is almost done.  It's been a tough one.

Next week: A little work, then a little vacation and finally my Disney Wine & Dine Half.  Woohoo.

scrambling to get back...

Wed training 'walk' (no run) - Approx 45 min at a little less than a 19 min pace for 2.5 miles

I walked around Chastain Park last night.  (Basically, I met my group but didn't run with them.)  Leg was ok (a little wobbly by the end but not painful per se) but, yow!, the rest of me was wiped out from that little bit of effort.

Boy, I don't like walking/running by myself!  All I do is think about how hard it is...  Races aren't as bad (although I do spend a lot time during a racing thinking about how hard it is - it just doesn't bother me as much).  Bottomline, I'm thankful yet again for my groups... I've never in my life stuck with any kind of exercise thing for over a year and it's in more than large part due to having people to run with (and the bling at the end of the races, of course!)

Only a week and a half to the Disney Wine and Dine Half.  Can I do it without riding the Bus of Shame (again)?  Time will tell..

i run atl...

I really like the window display at Nike at Lenox Square Mall... very cool.

I run Atl, too!  That's still seems like a weird thing for me to say - which makes me like this even more, if that makes sense.

slow poke

Monday training - 30 min Walk
Pace: 19 min
Yes, I walked tonight for a half hour.  I needed to assess.  My leg didn't bother me; however, my knees were feeling like they did back when I first started running.  (Ice is my friend.)  It was also so tiring.

Two weeks -- that's all it took to lose my conditioning . . . And it's only 2 weeks until Disney Wine & Dine Half.

Yow.

boys on bikes...

I had just a fabulous time at the USA Cycling Professional Championships this weekend... so of course I got home very late last night and didn't get a chance to post some run-related thing.  Instead here's a fun picture from the line-up at the start of the road race yesterday.

I love watching cycling!  (Back to normal run/walk stuff tomorrow...)

big weekend

USA Cycling Professional Championship races are in Greenville, SC, this weekend (Saturday - Time Trail, Sunday - Road Race). 

Yay! 

(And go, George!)

Lots of expected walking around and standing around (and jumping up and down and yelling) on the leg.  Hopefully things hold up well.

looooooong day

Yesterday:
7 am - Physical therapy session (so up at 5:30 am)
Work stuff in the middle...
6 pm - Massage therapy session (so not candles and incense!)
Then a Target trip before going home.

Mega-yawn! 

But the leg seems to be coming along very well.  (Fingers crossed!)

stir crazy...

Wed cross-training - 40 min on bike
My leg has been feeling a lot (a LOT!) better so, of course, it's driving me absolutely crazy not to be running with my group... Last night I was soooo tempted.  And then my friend J offered a free bib to tonight's KP Corporate Run/Walk (and she's walking - perfect!)

But no - I'll be good... no run/walk for me yet because I really want to be ok by the time the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon rolls around (2+ weeks).

Good thing Survivor started last night -- the bike was a little less of a yawner.

5 point yumminess...

Via Hungry Girl, Amy's Teriyaki Bowl is so very very yummy... and only 5 points.  Also, it's a nice size and the rice is pretty filling.  A nice bonus on top of a good taste.

Mmmmmm....

Disclaimer:  Wow.  Is it just me or did that sound too much like a commercial?  Unintended consequence ... Just wanted to share something I tried and liked a lot.  I don't cook much so it's nice to find something easy, satisfying and points-friendly.  (End Disclaimer.)

cha-ching

Today is Weight Watchers Lose-a-Palooza - i.e., their "one-day social media event created to encourage participation in the Lose for Good campaign to benefit Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger."

So for every accepted social media mention (like this post!), WW will donate a dollar to Share our Strength and Action Against Hunger.  Doing good an easy peasy way.

Lose for Good (lose weight and more $$'s go to charity) continues through Oct 23...

such as it is...

Ok - race report for Disneyland....

Well, we've already established that I didn't finish.  But some observations on the Disneyland Half Marathon itself:

• A race at Disneyland is nothing like a race at Disney World.  In fact, it's a lot more like a 'normal' race (but a good one!)  Only the first 3 miles or so were in Parks.  Characters "don't exist outside of the Parks" (to quote the Bus of Shame driver) so once we left there, entertainment was a much more race-typical mix of cheerleaders, high school bands and sporadic spectators.
• Distance from the World also makes it a different race.  I have a cute little mesh check-bag that I got at Princess and I've seen similar bags (in blue) for the January full/half in Florida.  I was pretty surprised to see that our check-bags were plastic throwaways (but with Mickey printed on them).  That detail was kind of telling.
• On the same topic, it was a lot less organized.  Princess was only in Year 2, but it has the whole Florida Disney Endurance Team behind it... I'm not sure if they ship out to California or if this is run by a separate group but it just didn't seem as "Disney", if that makes sense.  Example:  Buses started running to the start at 3 am (6 am start).  I was on the 3:20 am or 3:40 am bus, had to hike all the way across the park property to get to the start from the hotel drop and the start area STILL wasn't open for us by the time I got there.  If the buses start at 3 am, the start area should be open pretty quick after that.
• Loading from the start to the corrals was a mess... One PA announcement sent everyone scrambling way too close to the race and the entry to the corrals was funnelled to a small walkway.
• I liked running through the Parks but didn't like that it was the first few miles of the race... I know that they did that so that we wouldn't be in the Parks when they opened but the most fun part of the course was over and done before we even warmed up. 
• I didn't really look around that much while running... and because I didn't make it to the Parks on Sunday evening due to my unfortunate injury, what little I saw of the Parks was a fuzzy blur.  I will say 1) the castle is TINY, like smaller than a McMansion in Buckhead tiny - odd! and 2) the Magic Kingdom seemed oh so familiar but oh so not (also odd).
• Downtown Disney is very cool -- cooler than the Florida version, even though FL is definitely bigger.  It's right on top of the Parks vs being a drive/park production which just seems a lot more fun and accessible.
• It was cool meeting a bunch of fellow coast-to-coasters from all over the country.  Disney definitely hit on a successful way to market this race.
• I hope to never use the medical services again, but they really weren't prepared for any type of mobility issue.  The bus from the medical tent pickup could ONLY drop me back at the start.  The shuttles to the hotel were completely on the other side of the park and they were not allowed to deviate.  And it was a LONG way from the start to the hotel buses.  On top of that, they suggested that I go to the main medical tent and maybe they could help.  Of course, there was no wheelchair or even a volunteer to assist me -- I painfully hobbled over and found that "Main Medical" was no more prepared or helpful than the guys on the Bus of Shame.  In fact, I had 3 or 4 different people trying to figure something out and they all kept coming over and asking me, "Didn't you come with someone?"  "Isn't there someone here with you that can help you?"  Really?  How much worse do you want to make me feel?  Yes, I came cross-country by myself on a holiday weekend to do your race.  You should be amazed and impressed!  After a while, I just picked myself up and very slowly made my own way back to the hotel buses....

I've (mostly) gotten over the sad but I'm a bit annoyed now.  Despite my love for all things Magic, this is probably not a race I would have done again . . . if I'd earned my coast-to-coast medal.  Of course, now I need to go back. 

And special thanks to the 2 women who offered to go back to the finish and get my coast-to-coast medal for me after the race (even if I couldn't have the race medal itself) when they heard my story walking back to the buses.  I appreciated the sentiment and sincerity of your offer -- I believe you really would have walked all the way back and managed to get it if I'd let you.  That was very sweet...

My favorite shirt at the Expo...

But this is the one I came home with (won at ABC booth)...

Great overcast start and early race... a nice change after the Atl summer.

View from my hotel (Yes, that's the Tower of Terror!)

good news

No stress fracture in my leg (good news - Yay!)  Bad news:  I need to avoid the run/walk thing for a bit (and, yes, I can feel myself gaining weight just thinking about taking a couple of weeks off).  I'll need to be deligent in riding my (approved) recumbant bike and watching the points.

The other good thing?  Even though the doctor wants me on crutches for a bit and has prescribed some physical therapy, she's also agreed that I should be able to walk (not run) the Disney Wine & Dine Half in 3 weeks...

Without training leading up to it, that's going to be rugged but as long as I'm cleared for it, I'm happy...

it's a girl thing

Dear race and event organizers (and you retailers and sporting goods designers and manufacturers can listen in, too) -

Women come in all sizes.  As a group, we mostly like to look cute and get new fun clothes. 

And yet, every "women's" event I've been to since I started running (whether races or runs) has only had doll-sized tech shirts available for the women on the upper end of the size range -- effectively meaning no shirts for many of us.

You know, there are a lot of us chunky (or curvy) girls out there, giving it our all at your events (in addition to paying our race fees!)  Whether we're working to lose weight or just increase our fitness, we'd proudly wear your event gear (free, continuing advertising) -- if you'd provide us with appropriate sizing.  But honestly, I've picked up a couple of XL's at women-oriented events that wouldn't fit a pre-teen girl, much less me.  And looking around at the races and runs I've done, I'm by no means alone.

Can you help a girl out?

Sincerely,
cg

PS - Not all girls like skin tight workout clothes either (even some of the skinny girls like a more generous fit occasionally).

Cute dress-up tutu from Toys-R-Us.

just kind of silly...

My cautious doctor has me temporarily on crutches until we can rule out stress fracture with an MRI (later today with follow dr. appointment tomorrow morning).

If I lose out on my chance to be a legacy runner at the Disney Wine & Dine Half, this past weekend's disappointment is going to pale in comparison...

run karma

I really loved my new race t-shirt when I got it at packet pickup on Sat . . . Problem is that I didn't finish the race.  I only did 9/13ths of the race.

I know the rules:  You can't wear the shirt if you don't do the race.  Period.  But can you wear the shirt if you did some of the race?

Maybe it's a non-training shirt (i.e., something to sleep in).  But it's tech!  And I like it!  Sigh.

On the other hand, I probably don't need any bad training karma at this point...

i'm still sad...

RaceDay Alert

CHUNKY GIRL @ 5K in 00:49:37 (NET). Pace: 15:57. Predicted: 3:29:12. Sponsored by Disneyland Half Marathon.

RaceDay Alert

CHUNKY GIRL @ 10K in 01:42:17 (NET). Pace: 16:27. Predicted: 3:35:46. Sponsored by Disneyland Half Marathon.

The 15K mat was just a few feet ahead of me when I detoured to the medical tent in tears, so no time check on that one... 

From about mile 6 to 8, I was 5-5 1/2 min ahead of the required pace, losing no more than 30 seconds per mile.  While it was tough, I knew I could finish as long as I stayed at about that pace AND made it past mile 10 (a "hard pickup").  Unfortunately between 8 and 9, there was a dirt path for a little ways.  The second my foot hit the dirt, I misstepped and twisted the back of my leg (i.e., the one that was bugging me before). 

(Stupid) dirt path that did me in:

I thought it wasn't too bad, until I hit a slight downhill.  It was bad....  I walked very slowly but there were a couple of downhills after and they were terrible (i.e., people stopping and asking if I was ok terrible).  One kind lady insisted that I lean on her to get down a particularly steep section.  Between 8 and 9, I lost 6 minutes and the mile 9 time check shout out put me 1 min outside the pace.  Losing too much time too fast...  After that we were about to go into the stadium (to run the bases!) but looking ahead I saw a sharp steep down ramp on the right and the medical tent on the left.  Unfortunately, it wasn't really a choice.

If there had been any way I could have continued, I would have hobbled in but I couldn't do it.

I know I can do this next year.  And the year after.  And the year after that if needed.  And I'm already signed up for the 2011 Princess, so a Coast to Coast medal can still someday be mine.  Later, I'll probably share my observations on 9/13th of the Half, along with some pre-race fun but for now, I'm just sad and very disappointed.

it's getting real...

Up early.  Cross-country flight from GA to CA.  Shuttle from LAX.  Check in at hotel.  Shuttle to Disneyland.  Trek across property from shuttle drop off to Expo (at least 2 miles!)   Expo fun (i.e., confirmed in Corral F, NOT the last corral!  Woohoo!)  Trek back to shuttles.  Shuttle back to hotel.  Unpack.  Lay out stuff.  (Realize race number belt thingy didn't get packed - DRAT!)  Check stuff again.  Set multiple alarms for the big day.  Early to bed...

Wristband to be traded for coast-to-coast medal once over the finish line.

(Must be careful not to lose this one!)

M I C . . . see you real soon

I'm not sure how much I'll posting for the next day or two, but there will (eventually) be a big race report with lots of pictures sometime soon after the Disneyland Half...

Wish me luck!

Cute notepads via seejanework.com.

time to pack...

I had a wonderful massage last night -- everything was hurting.  But I'm a little calmer now (kinda').  Now onto the next stress.  Packing.

Trying to fly cross-country with only a carry-on is not easy.  The following are non-negotiable:

• Running clothes, shoes, socks, sports bra (duh)
• Batgirl utility belt (with 2 bottle capacity, of course!) and Garmin
• Gu's, some drink mix packets and a bunch of WW-friendly snacks
• Camera, netbook and a variety of chargers
• Outfits for the non-running parts of the trip
• Normal girl stuff (brush, make-up, blah blah blah)
• Packet of travel and race info
• Book(s)
• A sweater ('cause it's going to be cooler, right?)
• $1 Store rain poncho (just in case - because Mickey's poncho's don't come cheap)
• Ooooh - and a few pins to trade (for my nephew - because we're always on the lookout for Figment pins).

What else, what else...?  Oh yeah, some kind of magical device to shrink all of this stuff into the small space that is my carry-on.  Yow.

But how cute is this Orla Kiely duffel?

oh no oh no oh no oh no

Wednesday training run - DNF
All day on Wednesday I debated whether I wanted to run or whether I needed to rest ahead of Sunday.  If seemed too early to stop but my knee has been a little weird.  (I've been doing all the right things - icing, resting, massages...)

I dressed out and met my group but once we took off I really got the wobblies and decided to call it a day way early. 

Needless to say, I'm completely freaked out ahead of this weekend's trip and race.

I do have another massage scheduled for tonight -- I'm hoping that goes a long way toward working out my issues.

Yow.


Bonus for the day:  MissZippy is giving away a pair of cool looking recovery tights here.  Check it out for a chance to win... I know I need all the help I can get!

4 days...

My friend J points out that the Disneyland Half is offering 'on course refreshments'.  This, of course, led to a spirited email debate between some of our running group (slow work day!) on what exactly that might entail...  I vote for this: