tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813181163447977602024-03-12T17:46:45.445-07:00V's Fuzzy RunningIt all started with a little Fuzzy Disney Math...Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-70903274469025624512014-11-13T10:29:00.001-08:002014-11-13T10:31:05.789-08:00Race Recap: 2014 Disney Wine & Dine Half-Marathon!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the 2010 Disney Marathon Weekend is forever known as "The Year it SNOWED!", then the 2014 <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/wine-and-dine-half-marathon/" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half-Marathon</a> will now be known as "The Year it RAINED!" Admittedly, not the same caliber of challenge, but still... this was one tough race.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But before I get to the race itself, I have a few pre-race tidbits to discuss!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First of all, I have pretty much nothing to share about the expo. I went, I saw, I got my stuff, I socialized, I got out. ~yawn~ See, I'm not a shopper, and I've been to a bunch of <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/" target="_blank">runDisney</a> race expos: they're all about the same after a while. I wanted only three commemorative items for this particular race: a mug, a wine glass, and a mini 2014 Wine & Dine medal. Bib and packet pickup was a breeze, as was paying for the few things I wanted to purchase, so I was done in no time!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clockwise from bottom left: race program, free $10 gift card, wristband for after-party, free coaster, purchased mug, purchased wine glass, purchased mini medal, free race shirt.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pre-race item #2: my hotel. I stayed off-site for this one to save money and gain a kitchenette... and I'm so glad I did! I went with a super deal through <a href="http://www.orbitz.com/" target="_blank">Orbitz</a> for <a href="http://www.buenavistasuites.com/" target="_blank">Buena Vista Suites</a> (BVS). It's not the fanciest place in Central FL, but I didn't need fancy: I needed cheap, safe, convenient and comfortable. BVS hit it right on all points. The beds were very comfortable, with fresh mattresses and down comforters, I was only about a 10-15 minute drive from <a href="http://www.disneyworld.com/" target="_blank">Walt Disney World</a>, and I paid less than $100 a night. Having a microwave was wonderful - I used it to make oatmeal for breakfast and to heat my pre-race dinner. I did have to park pretty far from the building when I returned at night, but I felt perfectly safe: everything was well lit and there weren't any shady looking characters lurking about. My only gripe is the $8.99/day charge for wifi. That stings. Still... I only used it two of my days, so my nightly cost was still MUCH lower than any WDW property with "free" wifi. I definitely recommend BVS and will likely go back in the future!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pre-race item #3: <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/magic-kingdom/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party/" target="_blank">Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party</a>! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got talked </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by a couple of super friends </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into doing this party the night before the race... and we had a BLAST! With Wine & Dine being a night race, I had no concerns about being out late and on my feet the night before; I would never consider this before a morning race. I haven't been to the party since my son was little, so it all felt new and fresh, and experiencing it with a couple of pals, minus any offspring, was the perfect way to get a racecation going! Spoiler alert: If you're heading to the party, don't click through to the video - let it be a surprise</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay with all of that pre-race fun out of the way, let's talk about the 2014 Wine & Dine Half-Marathon, shall we?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I slept in a bit the morning of race day, though not as late as I'd have liked; a nap later was a must. My goal for the day was to lounge around a lot, relax, do some reading, watch some TV and eat. Exactly what I did for the </span><a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/10/2014-twilight-zone-tower-of-terror-10.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Tower of Terror 10-Miler</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a month prior. I think I did an admiral job... after a leisurely breakfast in my room, I indulged in a hot bath, got dressed, and eventually made my way out for lunch. And dinner. All at once. I had a Plan... I opted to visit one of my favorite WDW resorts, Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR), where I grabbed a turkey sandwich and ate it there, at the food court. But I also got a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a croissant - to go. Dinner! Not just dinner... the BEST pre-race dinner I've ever had. CBR makes a mean chicken noodle soup: lots of white meat chicken, a delightful broth that was just salty enough without being too salty, and penne pasta cooked perfectly <i>al dente</i>. A small bowl of that plus the croissant for extra calories and carbs was just right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So after a good nap and dinner, I took one last look at the weather forecast before dressing for the race...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~sigh~ No change. A front - a 600-mile-wide front, to be exact - was moving across Florida and was forecast to be smack dab over WDW for the entirety of the race and after-party.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, let me be clear: rain doesn't scare me. I've run through more FL summer rainstorms than I can count. I ran through a lovely light rain in the NC mountains. I even once ran through a named storm, complete with ankle-deep flooding - for 10 miles! I'm down with rain running. But the forecast <i>did </i>alter my expectations of the race. My phone would be protected by several layers of plastic wrap, so no picture stops. Which could mean a fast race... but for the fact that I was starting from a pretty late corral (I, out of A-L) and would likely be slowed by lots of folks who are <i>not </i>used to running in the rain. I was also concerned about the temperature, as my rain runs are usually in the scorching heat of summer. I'm still acclimated to the heat and wasn't at all sure how I'd feel in lower temps <i>and </i>rain. So I adjusted my expectations, decided that I'd run for as long as I was feeling into it, allow myself to quit if I was miserable, and do what I could to mitigate the cold wet.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flat V was ready for the rain!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luckily, the rain held off during the wait-around time before the race, when we were most likely to be miserable. I met up with my running group for some quality social time before the race and the most it did was mist a bit. Yay! I even managed to visit the porta-potties before the rain really hit. Double yay!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time my race buddy, Anne (go visit her blog at <a href="http://outrunningthefork.com/">outrunningthefork.com</a> when you're done here), and I got to our corral, it had officially begun to rain for real. I've never seen so many ponchos, rain jackets and trash bags used as cover-up in one place! I had my rain jacket and an umbrella, which helped keep me pretty warm and dry until we started.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It felt like runDisney sped up the start process, leaving little time between each corral. I kind of suspected they'd do this, in the interest of getting the race started sooner due to the weather. In a short while, it was our turn - I ditched the umbrella, zipped up my jacket and gave a good "Wooo hooo!" as our fireworks went off and we got the party going!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Knowing we'd likely see precious little entertainment on the soggy course, Anne and I decided to count discarded ponchos and trash bags along the roadsides, much as one might count road kill on a car trip. (What - not everyone counts road kill on car trips? How do you people pass the time?!) We hit 100 before we'd gone half a mile. And couldn't keep track anymore. So much for that game.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first few miles passed easily, if slowly. The pack wasn't moving particularly fast as we all tested our footing and adjusted clothing and accessories. I didn't find the highway asphalt to be slippery, but my Newton Gravity shoes were proving themselves to be not so great in the rain: they filled up with water quickly and didn't drain well. Fortunately, they are very lightweight, so the extra water weight wasn't too bad. And my Smartwool socks are the bomb-diggity: I had NO fear of blistering. I took off my jacket after about a mile; I was getting hot. I tried wearing it around my waist, but it wasn't repelling water and was getting heavy... off it went to the side of the road. And surprisingly, I wasn't cold. I felt pretty great, actually!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time we entered Animal Kingdom (AK) around Mile 4, the rain was really coming down and Animal Kingdom was experiencing some flooding. After hurdling a couple big puddles I gave up and decided to run through whatever came my way. That was very liberating and I felt like a kid playing in the rain as I splashed through the park and its parking lot!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AK wasn't very thrilling in the rain. The paths there are lumpy and bumpy to start, and a bit slick when wet, so I spent most of the time there with my head down, being extra careful with where I placed my feet. Many construction walls were up, blocking some of AK's best views, like those of the Tree of Life and Expedition Everest. Even poor Everest looked dark and dreary in the rain, despite its nighttime lighting. I bet this is a fun part of the course when it's not pouring, but it wasn't particularly exciting this time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My feet were hurting a bit as we left AK and reentered Osceola Highway, but nothing unmanageable, and a quick assessment told me that all other body parts were still in good working order. My ears, nose, elbows and fingers were getting cold, but my core still felt warm enough. So when we passed the buses parked outside AK, ready to take on any runners ready to be done, or who fell behind pace, I had no interest in stopping. Onward!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's odd... I <i>felt </i>like I picked up my pace quite a bit in the next couple miles, but my stats don't show a dramatic uptick in speed. I don't know if I just felt faster than I was due to the weather, or if my GPS was off. In any case, I still felt good as we approached Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS). I felt even better as we entered the park... and it stopped raining - like Magic!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the short time we were in DHS, the rain did nothing more than drizzle lightly. Which meant two things: 1. I could safely take my phone out of its wrappings. And 2. I could get the pics/video I'd wanted most from the race!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I adore the Osborne Lights. It's been a family tradition to visit them every year that my son's been alive, and it simply doesn't feel like the holidays until we've seen them. We missed them last year, for the very first time, and it was a major downer, especially for my son. So I took a few moments during the race to really enjoy the ticky-tacky splendor that screams "CHRISTMAS!!!" to my family and gave a big mental shout-out to my boy, who should have been sound asleep, but was probably hyped up on candy, watching bad TV with his Gramma.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we prepared to leave DHS, the rain started back up and I pulled over under an awning to re-wrap my phone. Which would not cooperate. I told Anne to "go on without me!" as I spent five minutes swearing at and struggling with my stupid, wet, armband and finally got it wrangled back in. And then... I took off. Seriously - I may well have run my fastest split ever (though I'll never know, because the time I spent getting my phone settled is mixed in - GAH!) as I booked past people to catch up with Anne.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was on the walking path from DHS to the the Epcot resorts, which was pretty narrow, and had fallen behind a whole lotta folks who'd given up running altogether. Lots and lots of slow strolling through there. I initially felt badly about my constant calls of "Excuse me!" and "On your left!", but folks were very nice and a few thanked me for being so polite about my desire to move faster than the overall speed of the crowd. That made me smile!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I caught up with Anne shortly before we entered the resorts boardwalk and found that she was ready to pour on some speed, too. It was getting chilly, the end was almost within sight, we were still feeling strong and happy, and wanted to finish on a high note. The folks around us were decidedly <i>not </i>feeling the same way. I remember thinking that the very air smelled like dejection. We did our damnedest, Anne and I, to whoop and holler and clap and cheer and get folks feeling some excitement - we'd all come so far in less-than-ideal conditions! But it fell flat; very few were ready to party at that point.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We powered through Epcot, running flat-out with only a couple short walk breaks, and then, there it was... the Finish!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I ran through the finish line, it hit me... I'd just completed my very first UNINJURED half-marathon!!!!!!! Not so much as a wink of IT Band Syndrome for what turned out to be 13.82 miles. To say I was overjoyed is a major understatement!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But something else hit me, too, as I tried to hang on to the Powerade, snack box, medal and Mylar blanket being thrust into my hands... the COLD. I'd felt fine while running, but as soon as I stopped, frigid tendrils of cold began snaking through my limbs and by the time I'd added a free cup of wine to my pile o' free stuff, (seriously, runDisney - BAGS! We need bags here!) and we had our checked bags back, I was shivering nonstop. All I wanted was a warm, dry place to get into my warm, dry change of clothes - I had no attention for any other matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The changing tent had what looked to be a 20-minute wait to get in, and we figured we'd get more chilled standing there in the rain than by continuing to walk, so it was off to Epcot we went. We landed in the Land pavilion, where we waited in line in the heat, out of the rain, and finally got out of our drenched running clothes and into the stuff we'd brought to change into for the after-party.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's right - party. The Wine & Dine Half-Marathon ends at Epcot, where the annual Food & Wine Festival is held at the same time of year. So once finished with the race, participants can spend the rest of the night (or, really, morning, as the party ends at 4am) strolling the Festival and/or enjoying Epcot's attractions. Friends and family members, too, can buy tickets to the party and enjoy it while their runners do their race.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I felt surprisingly good and was getting very hungry, so yeah - I was ready for the party! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished, bundled up, and ready to party!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right up until we left the building... and found that it was still raining. I was still hungry, but had no interest in standing around in the rain, visiting the Festival food booths. We found what was left of our running group in the Mexico pavilion - most folks had opted out of the party altogether and those who were left were ready to head back to hotels, too. It was after 3am, but Anne and I were ravenous. So this happened...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39ht41EBbZ2VMuU9dixIjshlpCEvMKk4mdvBYFlAAFLzV1rEhhkjOe_8byeVUtOhllYQt5Vkt7a2N35rG4hJOyhRZ2sEn9kPV3E83dJpTf8Laq0q_3UyE6yjZqdIPagYhx2U2qYJeOvVs/s1600/nachos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39ht41EBbZ2VMuU9dixIjshlpCEvMKk4mdvBYFlAAFLzV1rEhhkjOe_8byeVUtOhllYQt5Vkt7a2N35rG4hJOyhRZ2sEn9kPV3E83dJpTf8Laq0q_3UyE6yjZqdIPagYhx2U2qYJeOvVs/s320/nachos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big, steaming heaps of nachos, covered in ground beef, cheese, tomatoes and guacamole, with a side of hot cocoa. Best post-race meal ever! Eaten under a roof, no less. Booyah!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time we were done eating, everything was closed and the poor Epcot Cast Members working that night were cleaning up, trying to shut the place down. So we took off for the exit in an oddly empty Epcot, along with the few other stragglers, and Anne hopped a bus to her resort, while I made my way back to my car. Which I only knew how to find thanks to this pic I'd snapped before the race...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take note, future drivers to Wine & Dine: snap a pic of your parking row! Trust V.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a hot shower and some necessary foam rolling, I finally crashed into bed at 5:30am... when I normally get up each workday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the obligatory final question: would I do this again? I'm giving the Wine & Dine Half-Marathon a definite YES! After the Tower 10-Miler I thought I might be done with night races, but wanted to see how Wine & Dine went. Well, I'm still not a fan of the night race - at least not when they don't start until 10pm. But I think I can manage one a year, or every other year. And despite the unfortunate weather, I really enjoyed this one. I REALLY enjoyed cooler weather leading up to it; it was so nice to go into this race feeling strong and energized, as opposed to wilted and tired at the Tower 10-Miler, after a long, hot FL summer. And running through three parks is a major perk - can't do that in any other WDW race other than the full marathon! And with the Tower 10-Miler canceled indefinitely, well, I don't even have to choose one over the other. Chances are, I'll be back to Wine & Dine again next year. </span></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-11440909493605407602014-10-08T06:30:00.000-07:002014-10-08T06:30:01.324-07:002014 Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler - Race Recap!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know the saying "Third time's the charm" right?</span><br />
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Well, it was!</span><br />
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This was my third running (<a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/twilight-zone-tower-of-terror-10-miler.html" target="_blank">2012 here</a>, <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2013/10/2013-twilight-zone-tower-of-terror-10.html" target="_blank">2013 here</a>) of the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/tower-of-terror-10-miler/" target="_blank">runDisney Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler</a> (TOT from here on out) and I don't think I could have have asked for a better race. Why? What made it the "charm"? Let's start at the beginning...</span><br />
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<b>Best Race Hotel Stay Ever!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A week before the race, I decided to head to WDW a day early. Which meant hotel shopping. And long story short, I wound up adding a night and moving to a new resort for the whole stay. I booked three nights at the <a href="http://www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com/" target="_blank">Hilton Bonnet Creek</a> (HBC) resort. I've stayed at HBC in the past, but never for a race... but I'm ready to book ALL of my race stays there now! It was a superb choice... I felt so pampered the whole stay, between a lovely room, comfortable bed, fluffy towels, and deluxe amenities. But what really made the stay special was the staff: every single employee there was friendly, eager to assist, and clearly dedicated to making each guest feel welcome. It was a HUGE departure from my recent stays at WDW resorts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />HBC offers race transportation and it looked easy and efficient. I opted to drive, though, because I wanted dinner elsewhere before heading to the race. Returning at almost 4am, I was a tad concerned about walking from my car to the hotel in the parking garage, on my own, but I needn't have worried: it was well lit and open and I felt perfectly safe.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Info and swag for runners!</span></td></tr>
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HBC offers <a href="http://www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com/special-offers/marathon-fit" target="_blank">Marathon Weekend rates</a> for WDW race events. Check them out - I highly recommend the place!</span><br />
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<b>Killing time...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arriving a day early worked out beautifully! I spent Friday driving to WDW and hitting the expo. The expo was, as with previous years, quite calm compared to other, bigger races, and I was able to get what I needed (namely my bib, race shirt and a new <a href="http://sparkleskirts.com/" target="_blank">Sparkle Skirt</a>, thanks to a coupon in the iGiftBag!) quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a welcome sight - the weather forecast called for a cold front to come through!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, love, LOVE this year's race shirt! I think the design is fantastic and... LADIES' CUT, finally!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spent the evening at Hollywood Studios with friends, which wound up being a great way to calm pre-race nerves, stretch the legs, and get a few motivational rides on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got to bed around 10pm that night and slept until 8 the next morning. I woke up to this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and agreed 100%! I spent the morning lounging around my room, watching ESPN Gameday uninterrupted by chores or child. I wandered off to Saratoga Springs Resort for some lunch, then went back to my room for more lounging, napping and resting before getting up around 5pm to start getting ready. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep, arriving the</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> day before the race was a good decision!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Time to race!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After grabbing dinner at the Caribbean Beach Resort, I hopped a race bus and was off to the pre-race staging area to meet my running group. As with the previous two years, I found the TOT pre-race area to be relatively open and unstressful. I think the late hour makes TOT feel more like a big party than an uber-competitive race, and the dark skies and DJ spinning tunes adds to that. Spending time chatting with folks I haven't seen since Princess Half-Marathon weekend was wonderful, and the time went by much too quickly - before I knew it, it was time to get into corrals and we were off!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was assigned to corral E... and I was a little nervous about that. The great thing about E? A large number of my friends were in it, too, so we all got to start together. Yay! But I planned to run slower than any of them, and I presumed slower than most of the corral. I was concerned about being the "slowpoke" everyone in E would leave in their dust. But runDisney knew what they were doing; I never felt too fast or too slow during the race and think I was seeded just right! I always had room to maneuver to pass slower folks, and they always had room to pass me when I slowed down. I know that's a major concern for lots of folks, and I'm happy to say I thought there was ample room for us all out there. Good job, runDisney!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a Plan for this race: First, it was a training run above all else, NOT a race. I have the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/wine-and-dine-half-marathon/" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half-Marathon</a> in five weeks, so no need to push hard at TOT and risk injury, right? Second, I wanted a few pictures. As you may recall, I've yet to stop for pics in this race. And I was determined to change that this year. So I had it in mind to aim for an easy first mile to warm up well, pick up the pace down Osceola Parkway, and then take my time through Wide World of Sports (WWOS) and Hollywood Studios.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miles one through five? Nailed it! Hit my times right where I wanted to. Even with pulling over to take this very bad photo, which took 3 tries to achieve...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMihHegTtkfQI2__kE6l9yBmyQKkIpQ5vH6ADig4Ucw7SxqeKLlkekswnFtBvU8zy9mz6MmW2XoFZ4v_A0e6iVKp9Hd-gqnn4VwwEfatbDumbol4dr-myrtcPwWDwgHyCx06FjbsXC69z/s1600/spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMihHegTtkfQI2__kE6l9yBmyQKkIpQ5vH6ADig4Ucw7SxqeKLlkekswnFtBvU8zy9mz6MmW2XoFZ4v_A0e6iVKp9Hd-gqnn4VwwEfatbDumbol4dr-myrtcPwWDwgHyCx06FjbsXC69z/s1600/spider.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scary inflatable spidey</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And this equally bad shot of mile 5...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflkG4CSrpst_OuFlENFppMnJaJXuzJXKlFvhs1JoP1c2Tm9oFvre1LbS2D9HDETN9DkKRSFuGdY56M-Tkaf1oE3uLbwaVleepOVj6YScZLiPRcyyD1L6BHb3yu9a2KocrcSUKGQUxbhsm/s1600/mile5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflkG4CSrpst_OuFlENFppMnJaJXuzJXKlFvhs1JoP1c2Tm9oFvre1LbS2D9HDETN9DkKRSFuGdY56M-Tkaf1oE3uLbwaVleepOVj6YScZLiPRcyyD1L6BHb3yu9a2KocrcSUKGQUxbhsm/s1600/mile5.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Halfway there!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mile 5 began the "trail" portion of the course, which is actually a dirt and gravel road into WWOS. I was feeling pretty good at that point... my stomach had not felt its usual self all day and was fairly uncomfortable through the first few miles, but seemed to calm down by mile 5.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the short trail portion of the course. It feels good on my feet and legs after so much time on the asphalt, it's dark and creepy, and if you're very lucky, you can end up in there with a fun crowd willing to poke fun at silly decorations and make scary-monster-in-the-woods sounds!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once through the trail, it was time to prepare for the second half of my plan... photo opps! My race outfit paid homage to the Haunted Mansion, and I had my heart set on a couple of special pics to mark the occasion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was expecting the Haunted Mansion Undead Butlers to be in the track oval, as they'd been the past two years, but they surprised me by showing up on the right, before the track. Luckily, I saw them before I passed and pulled into line. It took a few minutes for the folks ahead of me to get their photos shot, so I had time to wrangle my phone out of its armband, pause iSmoothRun, and disconnect my headphones. And then, this...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzRrBscItdWo4q_xqyAaqYTX0q1kvtTZsaa3MO2eA5vJ9aocYxY40wgKqrT3xB6otm07KuKCGzmCjYs6AkQg9umkAnaYfTbbbjamd6oGvwh21iAgp6u44fTMOr9Eob2SbavOeDkLuoMq0/s1600/butlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzRrBscItdWo4q_xqyAaqYTX0q1kvtTZsaa3MO2eA5vJ9aocYxY40wgKqrT3xB6otm07KuKCGzmCjYs6AkQg9umkAnaYfTbbbjamd6oGvwh21iAgp6u44fTMOr9Eob2SbavOeDkLuoMq0/s1600/butlers.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to pose with a shovel, but they weren't giving those up. Drat.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next stop was Champion Stadium, where the official cheerers for my running group were stationed with sweet treats to lift us up and put some pep in our step!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXfbJWmxFX2D4LR6K_2C8WWTOatNzhd9kscqagG9630HVdjXYIszGtjBeKLYYAjtJT_zEwzGzSjQTeEy4INGQHf-dGeJmeO_3qeU7sOGQYX8WmZ_TVYNamrahycltGoBgVStvVXfXUHxD/s1600/2014TOTbears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXfbJWmxFX2D4LR6K_2C8WWTOatNzhd9kscqagG9630HVdjXYIszGtjBeKLYYAjtJT_zEwzGzSjQTeEy4INGQHf-dGeJmeO_3qeU7sOGQYX8WmZ_TVYNamrahycltGoBgVStvVXfXUHxD/s1600/2014TOTbears.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i haz gummy bearz!!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was running ahead of my expected pace at that point, and was getting lonely out there on the course by myself. Running by myself isn't normally a problem, but I've run this course twice already; the thrill of wondering what might be around the next bend was gone and I was - dare i say it? - a little bored. So when I saw my awesome, sweets-sharing friends, I pulled over to chat. For about 5 minutes. Uh-huh. I pulled over, chatted, waved at other runners as they passed, and was totally unconcerned with the fact that I was, you know... in a <i>race. </i>And THAT is why I like running Disney races! No pressure, people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually, though, I was told to get a move on (thanks again friends!) and I hustled on out of the stadium and on to my next planned stop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But before we get to the <i>epic </i>result of said stop, let me pause here to talk about the weather. Because if you've read my 2012 and 2013 TOT recaps, or if you've heard pretty much anyone talk about those races, you know the weather has historically been... HOT. And. HUMID. Insanely HOT and HUMID. Beastly HOT and HUMID. Now, this year was a little humid; I mean, there was legit fog banked over the fields of WWOS. The air was damp. But a cold front chose the hours of the race to move through: it was comfortably warm at the start and through WWOS, but when we exited back out to the open road? HOLY ZOIKS! Hellooooooo cold front! My clothes and hair were soaked with dew and sweat and when a blast of chilly air hit, I was cold. Like, goose bumply, shivering cold. To be clear, I'm not complaining; it's been a loooong summer here in Florida. But the unexpected cold, to which I was in no way acclimated, did impact my running. My knees don't enjoy being chilled and they got pretty achy pretty fast. My shoulders tightened up to keep from shivering and that became increasingly uncomfortable. I was really ready to be DONE with the race and changed into dry, warm clothes by mile 8. Which made for a rather long feeling 2 final miles...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still, there was the <i>EPIC </i>photo stop. And it, alone, was worth running for.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HdIGBBzbyYMWZJC8yR6M4SH6qGIY6LUZSR4NBPHulbGcnpHvj2UE3_sWRYSw7vx2BqIXFqaqelL8f4oaN1wtU8C5QeDNUZDphPYibIlVmO3xtTqK_b5ST77y8zb4pBR3BerafK-CW7Rq/s1600/Ballroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HdIGBBzbyYMWZJC8yR6M4SH6qGIY6LUZSR4NBPHulbGcnpHvj2UE3_sWRYSw7vx2BqIXFqaqelL8f4oaN1wtU8C5QeDNUZDphPYibIlVmO3xtTqK_b5ST77y8zb4pBR3BerafK-CW7Rq/s1600/Ballroom.jpg" height="398" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Undead at the ball, y'all. Booyah!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seriously, I adore this shot. LOVE it! There were a few people in line ahead of me and a couple of the undead dancers left their post to start roaming and interacting with us in line, as well as with folks who slowed down to see, but didn't fully stop. Hanging out there for a few minutes was a BLAST! Totally worth a painful right foot, cranky tummy, and cold limbs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With that stop accomplished, I had only to pick it up for another mile, then relax through the final one in Hollywood Studios. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year's fireball, that would have been so welcome with its blast of heat as the temperature plumeted? Was absent. Replaced with a big, inflatable... eyeball. D'oh!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It didn't even growl. (RIP growling plastic gator.)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hades was stationed on the overpass leading into the park, shouting out "encouraging" words like, "What're you... <i>walking?! </i>This is a RACE, people, let's get going!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made a point of taking my time through Hollywood Studios, soaking it all in. We ran through the Lights, Motors, Action! soundstage...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and up the New York street scene...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I can make it here...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...through the "Disco Hallway", full of actual disco tunes, mirrored balls and lotsa lights, a few turns, and then... the Finish! Of which I have NO picture. Camera was on the right, I was on the left, no photo for V. <sad trombone></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It ain't over yet!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought the finish chute went smoothly this year and I had my bag retrieved and was on my way to a restroom to change in no time. I couldn't stop shivering at that point and getting into dry clothes was my #1 priority, though I did down a bunch of glucose on the way to stave off a big ol' sugar crash.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Warm and dry in several layers, I reunited with my friends and we proceeded to take group pics, ride rides, eat snacks and have a really, really fun time at the after-party! Unlike last year, I wasn't nauseous or dizzy, I wasn't in pain, and I wasn't even all that tired. I ended the race day with a hot shower back in my room, a glass of cold milk and a cookie the size of my head. Grand rewards for a grand effort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Final thoughts...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The third time really was the charm. My first run of TOT was hampered and blighted by the intense pain of injury. Last year saw a massive PR, but also heat illness and a distinct lack of the elements that make a Disney race special. This year? I finished in a time that, excluding photo stops, would have been a PR. I got a few really cool photos. I had fun with friends. I didn't suffer from the heat. And I finished UNINJURED! What more could I ask of the race?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing. I can ask almost nothing more. Which is why... I think I really am done with this particular race. I feel like I've gotten from it everything I wanted and feel no need to do it again. I know, I know - I've said "no more!" before. But that was out of frustration. And discomfort. And fear. This is different. This time "no more!" is about having met my goals, and feeling good about my performance, and a calm, deep sense of accomplishment. I would love to go back next year to cheer for friends and celebrate their racing, but I think I can happily walk away from racing this one again for a while. And that's a pretty neat feeling!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe8OmJsp5CPAYpCbwva40JDJ6zTUSigAH_wQKL73LRKkHw_oO3AhxBnZMGqVmWgWV7lR5_Zg2UjUV7r4dVpf-UHsfipOezS8RK5Yzg3bEimC4RVxf02_N-e7dhndqXA6BDKkjD0fpzmYD/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe8OmJsp5CPAYpCbwva40JDJ6zTUSigAH_wQKL73LRKkHw_oO3AhxBnZMGqVmWgWV7lR5_Zg2UjUV7r4dVpf-UHsfipOezS8RK5Yzg3bEimC4RVxf02_N-e7dhndqXA6BDKkjD0fpzmYD/s1600/photo.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now, it's time to set my sights on the next race in my lineup: the Wine & Dine Half-Marathon - my first time running it! Stay tuned...</span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-64358374610947375692014-09-25T08:00:00.000-07:002014-09-25T08:00:00.668-07:00Tower of Terror in T-minus One(ish) Week!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sorry – I’ve been MIA for a while. Only because, what’s to
say, really about distance training through a Florida summer?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s hot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And humid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And also HOT.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lather, rinse, repeat.
Endlessly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My summer has involved a lot of cursing the elements, but there's been one glaring thing missing, compared to previous running summers...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">INJURY!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm almost afraid to say it out loud, it seems so impossible. I have somehow managed to go through a training cycle without incurring any pain significant enough to require time off and rehabilitation. My poor chiropractor hasn't seen me in months and probably thinks I just quit running altogether.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, how'd I do it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have NO idea. Okay, I have some ideas, just no way of knowing for sure if any one, or a combination of them, actually prevented injuries, or if it's just dumb luck. But I'm not a complete dummy; if doing what I have these past few months got me here in good shape, you can bet I'll keep doing it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, I found the right shoes. Again. And... again. Listen, you know me by now - I won't lie and say I haven't tried a few shoes that <i>weren't </i>right. I did and I'm humble enough to admit it. But I knew immediately that they were wrong and sent them back. That's progress, people. Since May, I've run most long distance miles in either my <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/05/yet-another-shoe-review-newton-gravity.html" target="_blank">Newton Gravity</a> or <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/08/shoe-review-times-two-newton-runnings.html" target="_blank">Newton Fate</a> shoes. I've used the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/08/shoe-review-times-two-newton-runnings.html" target="_blank">Newton Distance</a> on short, speedy runs, too. Between them all, I've got about 200 miles logged in Newton shoes and no injuries. Not a bad return on investment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, I changed up my training plan. Long, hot distance wasn't resulting in anything good, so I tried something different: I went for more running days, higher intensity, and less long distance running. Most of the summer saw me slowly increasing both the distance of my twice-weekly short runs (from around 2.3 miles to my current 3), and the length of my run intervals (from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, 30 seconds), adding a day of mostly walking with a few short run intervals, and keeping my long runs to 4-6 miles. I also dumped traditional strength training and went with two days a week of high-intensity yoga and/or Pilates. The effect has been amazing! I feel stronger than ever, my lungs, when not tormented by allergens, are operating well, and... no injuries!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third, I made a vow to listen to my body - and I stuck to it. There were a few days when I was exhausted, or achy, or sick to death of being overheated, and I took them off. With no guilt and no reservation. And y'know what? It worked. Instead of pushing and potentially doing damage, I gave my body time to restore and went back to the next run feeling good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lastly, I respected the heat. I did need to start bumping up the distance of my long runs in preparation for the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/tower-of-terror-10-miler/" target="_blank">Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler</a>, and in the worst heat of our long Florida summer. In previous years, I repeatedly flirted with heat exhaustion, trying to pound out the mileage... this year I ran to the point at which the heat began taking a toll, then walked the rest of my planned distance. Some days, taking 5 minutes to walk was enough to feel good and start some easy running again. Other days I walked until I was done. It worked. So well, in fact, that I was able to run my short runs with much greater effort than in previous years. A lesson learned there, to be sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In conclusion, I am very happy to report that I made it through the summer without incident and am actually feeling ready to tackle the fairly insane race season ahead of me. I'm not foolish enough to think I can now throw caution to the wind, and my IT Bands like to remind me of that toward the end of my longest runs, but I feel better equipped than ever to pay attention and do what I need to do to stay healthy. I guess I'll find out in just over a week...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~ ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FYI, I'll be posting updates from the Tower of Terror 10-Miler weekend on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/VsFuzzyWorld" target="_blank">@VsFuzzyWorld</a>. Follow along, and chime in if you'll be there, too!</span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-15678412872793162762014-08-11T11:03:00.001-07:002014-08-11T12:47:57.847-07:00Shoe Review Times TWO: Newton Running's Distance & Fate!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I've been busy testing shoes again. And no, I'm neither getting paid to do so, nor am I getting free shoes. HOW do I go about getting one of those gigs?! Because I think I've proven my expertise in such matters. ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway... I've been slogging through yet another hot, humid, Florida summer and about the only ray of light (you know, beyond the many cancer- and heat stroke-causing rays emitted by the freaking sun) in my training has been the glory of <a href="http://www.newtonrunning.com/" target="_blank">Newton Running</a> shoes. I already detailed my experience with the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/05/yet-another-shoe-review-newton-gravity.html" target="_blank">Gravity '13</a> model, and I'm happy to report that I'm still running in it and still loving the ride! BUT... the more I run in them, the less comfortable every other shoe feels. And I really do need to alternate. So I grabbed a pair of an earlier model Distance on clearance, and a month or so later, a pair of the new Fate. I've been running quite a bit in both. Results? Read on!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6fQUHroE9lSZ1USuF6fXzCeS44e5lEC_CqTceSTgfWrc2s2SB0Y86_Lvf19B-x2LJ1zIv3WRcq6a-keuOGFUz1Oyy28tjwPwZFjYxe_nA9w7hGL29OG_qmZs8KHdtI6_q0OFCMSSfxt3/s1600/Dist1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6fQUHroE9lSZ1USuF6fXzCeS44e5lEC_CqTceSTgfWrc2s2SB0Y86_Lvf19B-x2LJ1zIv3WRcq6a-keuOGFUz1Oyy28tjwPwZFjYxe_nA9w7hGL29OG_qmZs8KHdtI6_q0OFCMSSfxt3/s1600/Dist1.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newton Running Distance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Distance is Newton's second main neutral shoe, very similar to the Gravity in shape and form, but with less weight. I find the "Distance" name a bit misleading, as this feels like a <i>speed</i> shoe to me. Just picking them up out of the box, I could feel they were lighter than the Gravity, and immediately noticed the different heel...</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9sLgYHN_VkH5riu9650AFR4NltNqecQq2vNCndr-uaniZQm8sQRT6MHB9Ym6Qf1ipZ6MisChUdKJ8BH9S78XShJyGQW9vBmlDKCf4jbdOLfrfkU93-q0xJCnws7ayWjA4sZl9Nr4Wmz5/s1600/Dist2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9sLgYHN_VkH5riu9650AFR4NltNqecQq2vNCndr-uaniZQm8sQRT6MHB9Ym6Qf1ipZ6MisChUdKJ8BH9S78XShJyGQW9vBmlDKCf4jbdOLfrfkU93-q0xJCnws7ayWjA4sZl9Nr4Wmz5/s1600/Dist2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Distance sole</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZCZAslsTFPZRmOQRieRcR8Ul2VjkH-Xs38pp9xENBn-nP1wjzKDtupc7eBfpOu1v5WBHHJNbN5dLnEIe-76PWI_nMxEJAFoIJRqrHp1LIeOCP7-iaGebIwlqJ8Wk6MECBTNRlcnc08ue/s1600/Newton3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZCZAslsTFPZRmOQRieRcR8Ul2VjkH-Xs38pp9xENBn-nP1wjzKDtupc7eBfpOu1v5WBHHJNbN5dLnEIe-76PWI_nMxEJAFoIJRqrHp1LIeOCP7-iaGebIwlqJ8Wk6MECBTNRlcnc08ue/s1600/Newton3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gravity sole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
See how the Gravity has that extra, black layer of outsole? That's a pretty rugged rubber that doesn't wear quickly. See how the Distance has no such extra layer? Its heel is the soft, foamy material found in the midsole. What this means for a heel striker is some major wear and tear on the heels. What it means for this forefoot striker who's pretty light on her heels even while walking is limited wear and tear on the heel, but lots of extra pep thanks to losing the excess weight! These shoes are FAST, I tell ya.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That said, the lack of extra stuff on the heel also means less stabilizing back there.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU6AoVxGO5hN_FmdfCV_lSJyR1ZcztIvftN5ev3HpvqV1AMvwq-YBG5G8IvoqpoMgf6rRaO1N_73B91YN6l2KtYYAGrsTvDaVCFOFjVsMHlDIfN-epBw1FQH5O0rXo78WSf1okZPvNCW7/s1600/Dist3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU6AoVxGO5hN_FmdfCV_lSJyR1ZcztIvftN5ev3HpvqV1AMvwq-YBG5G8IvoqpoMgf6rRaO1N_73B91YN6l2KtYYAGrsTvDaVCFOFjVsMHlDIfN-epBw1FQH5O0rXo78WSf1okZPvNCW7/s1600/Dist3.jpg" height="257" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Additionally, there's not much in the upper to control heel movement, nor to support the Achilles; the mesh of the Distance is a bit more stretchy than the Gravity, and allows my feet to move around more. In some ways, this is good: nothing in this shoe pushes or pulls in any uncomfortable way. But the lack of ankle stability is dicey with my bum Achilles; I've only taken these up to six miles at a time so far, as that's about the point at which I feel like I need extra support.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I may never wear the Distance for longer runs, but they're still a great addition to my shoe line-up! They have all of the awesome energy return of the Gravity, thanks to those super lugs, fit my feet and mechanics beautifully, and deliver a super-peppy ride. I've been enjoying them for both speed work and, rather surprisingly, as a walk-around-theme-parks shoe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving on to my newest shoe...</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5MwSHNsYmgu8wRwhxy-17yvp5vHbdoYQkc4i2RlyfTSGf-0B-XvfchL3QG-6OPBLWPviFPUKgusJipphItjaJa32Z85CXGFfRthH6dGRiC2noz8gF4oRqxpsXs6Ok5NQYwChZE-VQB5k/s1600/Fate1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5MwSHNsYmgu8wRwhxy-17yvp5vHbdoYQkc4i2RlyfTSGf-0B-XvfchL3QG-6OPBLWPviFPUKgusJipphItjaJa32Z85CXGFfRthH6dGRiC2noz8gF4oRqxpsXs6Ok5NQYwChZE-VQB5k/s1600/Fate1.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newton running Fate</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Fate is one of Newton's new line of 5-lug shoes, and falls into its middle, P.O.P. 2 category. What the heck does that mean?! Well, here's a guide: <a href="http://www.newtonrunning.com/run-better/pop" target="_blank">Choose Your Ride</a>. In my view, the P.O.P. refers to how much "pop" one gets from the lugs, with P.O.P. 1 giving the most energy return (Gravity falls into this category), P.O.P. 2 giving a little less "pop" and a little more cushion, and P.O.P. 3 offering more cushion and a ride similar to traditional running shoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Full disclosure? I couldn't have cared less about which P.O.P. level I was selecting: they had me at lime green. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, yes, the color is awesome, but how's the ride? Let me tell ya...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starting at the top, the upper is really, really nice and, in most ways, a big improvement over previous Newton models. All of that green is a fine mesh that's super stretchy: there are absolutely NO potential hot spots likely to cause rubbing, that I can tell. It's almost a sock-like fit, but not quite - though, I do feel like I could size down a half-size in cooler months and it would fit more sock-like in the smaller size. My only real gripes are that the tongue could be a bit more plush (I can feel the laces clearly through it on my instep - not problematic so far, but could be on a very long distance), and the heel is a little loosy-goosey, thanks to the soft, stretchy material.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonPp6vLxtT6Vp42MULgRgawmdT8czKj6hvmTydc857rwnqozth74n-De8kWiOUmXp_p8deYEJLrAD8FClFJN15OCEj6LBgOE2ad1FIhslhnT0rkmmfSMVZVKk8HZG9PB7DQkUxiQr1Fof/s1600/DistvsFate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonPp6vLxtT6Vp42MULgRgawmdT8czKj6hvmTydc857rwnqozth74n-De8kWiOUmXp_p8deYEJLrAD8FClFJN15OCEj6LBgOE2ad1FIhslhnT0rkmmfSMVZVKk8HZG9PB7DQkUxiQr1Fof/s1600/DistvsFate.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fate and Distance, side by side</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Underfoot, the Fate is a pretty neat ride. The lugs are less pronounced than on the Gravity or Distance, and I'm less aware of them under my feet while running, though they still give a nice energy return on liftoff. Beyond that, the Fate's sole offers far more cushioning than the Gravity or Distance, but in such a way that it doesn't feel spongy. It's more a reactive cushion, if that makes sense, reducing some amount of impact without making me feel as though I'm sinking into mud. This is HUGE for me, as other highly cushioned shoes have left me feeling like it took a lot more effort to pick my feet back up after landing. Not at all so with the Fate!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgq1_4z15y31K-ZR2YWnjWLR40TTbaQtrIrK7vFjfRGRPUP06Wp3ss1D4lj-O6rzoiSgc_hxtKHBzHlgWxmrSY2cuwhJQycATCVBAYoNhQrRXBz589SsEPKhn3661EDynl26dDih0mzTl4/s1600/Fate2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgq1_4z15y31K-ZR2YWnjWLR40TTbaQtrIrK7vFjfRGRPUP06Wp3ss1D4lj-O6rzoiSgc_hxtKHBzHlgWxmrSY2cuwhJQycATCVBAYoNhQrRXBz589SsEPKhn3661EDynl26dDih0mzTl4/s1600/Fate2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fate's sole</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm noticing that the Fate does a superior job, too, of helping me land closer to mid-foot, which reduces a lot of wear and tear on my metatarsals. I usually end with some pain in that area after a long run in my Gravity's, but that hasn't happened yet in the Fates. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Fate's heel is a bit beveled, which helps guide my walking stride; a big plus when I'm fatigued and form starts to get sloppy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliuyxoFlqDgsjx-P5K00_7TAAjZw5Kr96fhdJJl00mD8SHumh0ZXUGR_blumix2mGfmKLUMwFVxRau5Y_-yibu1EbYDMzI6SEzpRJXm_GlGB7w22GfGs7Q5T_ryHkrN1n9Vzd4U-aBVuL/s1600/Fate3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliuyxoFlqDgsjx-P5K00_7TAAjZw5Kr96fhdJJl00mD8SHumh0ZXUGR_blumix2mGfmKLUMwFVxRau5Y_-yibu1EbYDMzI6SEzpRJXm_GlGB7w22GfGs7Q5T_ryHkrN1n9Vzd4U-aBVuL/s1600/Fate3.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See the beveling?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So far I'm really liking the Fate for easy runs and long, slow runs; it does a nice job of easing aches and pains without feeling like I have a couple of foam pillows strapped to my feet. It's not as speedy as the Distance, but it just might out-workhorse the Gravity! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple of minor quibbles: 1. these are pretty awful in the rain. I ran about a mile in pouring rain the other day in them and they just fill up like tubs. I don't mind being wet, but sloshy and heavy isn't great. 2. that soft, stretchy upper is very unforgiving of mechanical breakdowns. My feet tend to start rolling outward on the run, and inward on the walk, when fatigued, and the Fate's upper does nothing to prevent this. I hesitate to move to the Kismet stability model, as any amount of stability seems to invite ITBS into my life. I've found, though, that a light support insole on tired days fixes things up nicely. So nothing terrible here, just a couple points to note for those considering the Fate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So far, as you can see, I'm thrilled with my new-found love affair with <a href="http://www.newtonrunning.com/" target="_blank">Newton Running</a>. They truly are the only shoe I've tried so far that doesn't irritate my left peroneal tendon, and (knock on wood) I've successfully worked back up to 9+ miles in them with no sign of ITBS. I don't think the shoes house any sort of magic, mind you - only that I've maybe found some shoes that work properly with, and enhance rather than fight against, my mechanics. Are Newtons the right shoes for you? Only one way to find out - give 'em a try!</span>Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-34175575584466850792014-07-16T07:00:00.000-07:002014-07-16T07:00:07.457-07:00Running with an elephant on my chest<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I worked hard last night, finishing a tough 5 by 400 meter
speed workout in our lovely FL summer heat.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was doing well, despite the less-than-ideal weather, cranking out the
first 4 laps relatively easily.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sure, I
was winded by the end of each repeat, but I walked slowly for a few minutes
after, caught by breath, and was ready for the next 400.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until that last one.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Halfway through my final 400, my elephant
returned and I was instantly transported to the spring of my sixth grade year, when
we were made to run the 600-yard run for the Presidential Physical Fitness
Tests…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://wendythewanderer.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/wpid-3112185298_b029ba272d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://wendythewanderer.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/wpid-3112185298_b029ba272d.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">image credit: https://wendythewanderer.files.wordpress.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll never, in all of my days, forget walking the last
couple hundred yards that day, gasping, wheezing, searching desperately for oxygen
to fill my lungs and finding nothing. I
remember clearly my vision reduced to a tunnel, the sound in my ears muffled,
my chest compressed as if an elephant sat upon it, as my PE teacher shook her
head in dismay, saying, as she recorded my piss-poor performance, “You need to
try harder.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I <i>did </i>try. I tried
<i>hard</i>!
I was known by then as a sprinter. I couldn’t hit a baseball much past third
base, but I could outrun the throw of it to first base every time. I was always selected as either the lead or
the anchor for sprint relays on Field Day.
I was training hard for the ballet at the time, taking classes every
weekday, hours-long intensive workshops on Saturdays. Really, I was among the fittest of my
classmates. And yet… I finished dead
last, far behind the pudgy kid who sat out nearly every PE class, in that
stupid 600-yard run. And spent the rest
of the day trying to catch my breath.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The trend continued.
In high school, I played varsity soccer: I did fine on the field, where
I could catch my breath between runs, but the elephant appeared every time we
were tasked with running a straight mile or so to warm-up. When I met and married a triathlete, I tried
swimming laps with him and my elephant showed up with alarming haste. We tried running on the beach… elephants
everywhere. We took up swing dancing, a
fast-paced, highly aerobic activity – and I quickly found that I had to sit
every third song out to avoid the elephant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day, when I was finally employed in a position that
offered health insurance, I mentioned the elephant to my doctor. She asked detailed questions about how the
elephant felt – heavy, compressive, like no matter how hard my lungs expand or
contract, I can’t fill them up with air – when it appeared – any time I moved really
fast over a sustained period of time – and if I’d had any serious lung
infections – a bout of flu, that became pneumonia, that resulted in a year of
chronic bronchitis in high school, a repeat of the same several years later,
more bouts of acute bronchitis than I could count. And then my doctor gave me the explanation
that had eluded me since sixth grade: what I had was a condition called <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/exercise-induced-asthma/basics/definition/con-20033156">Exercise-Induced
Asthma</a>. And, while there was no cure
for it, there were things I could do to mitigate its accompanying elephants.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exercise-induced asthma isn’t really asthma at all, but its
symptoms mimic those of an asthma attack: tightness of the lungs, wheezing,
inability to draw a full breath. Some folks
with regular asthma will also suffer exercise-induced asthma, but others may
not. Some folks, like me, who have no
other occurrences of asthma, suffer the exercise-induced variety. We who battle the elephants don’t just get
winded with aerobic activity. We reach a
point where our bronchial passages become so constricted, we truly aren’t
receiving adequate oxygen. Without
adequate oxygen, our bodies begin to shut down functions. It’s dangerous, scary stuff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what can we do to keep the elephant at bay? We can avoid aerobic activity, of course, but
what fun is that?! We <i>can</i>, however, avoid doing it in
conditions that worsen symptoms: cold and/or dry air, times of high pollen
counts, any time our lungs are already compromised by allergies/cold/flu. For the rest of the time, we can use an
inhaler of albuterol, which is typically considered a rescue inhaler for
asthmatics. For the sufferer of
exercise-induced asthma, however, the inhaler is a proactive lifeline: taking
two puffs 15-20 minutes before I exercise reduces the symptoms of
exercise-induced asthma significantly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.vetrxdirect.com/images/6755-1-proair-albuterol-inhaler-for-pets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.vetrxdirect.com/images/6755-1-proair-albuterol-inhaler-for-pets.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note that I did not say using an inhaler <i>eliminates</i> the symptoms. It doesn’t sadly. It does work well enough, especially when
combined with using run-walk intervals, to banish all chest-sitting elephants
from my runs at paces ranging from easy to tempo, but speed workouts? They’re another story. But the good news is that combining the
inhaler with increasingly difficult speed work <i>does</i>, eventually, result in aerobic adaptations, and I have been
able to increase my speed and pace over time through small upticks in exertion. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth is that I may never be able to run distance
without taking walk breaks, no matter how strong my legs may be; I’ll likely always
need those walk breaks to avoid a run-ending asthma attack. I have no fantasies about winning my age
group or setting any records, so that’s fine; taking the walk breaks means
finishing what I start, and that’s what matters most to me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for yesterday’s speed workout, I may have ended that final
repeat a few meters shy of 400, but the important thing was that I pushed a
little further than I have before (my previous attempt being 4 by 400 meters). I made my body work a little harder, forcing
adaptations, without pushing it to a point of danger. And I finished my workout strong, running an
easy ¾ of a mile with no elephants to be seen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you struggle with chest-sitting elephants when you run? If you do, and haven’t seen a doctor about
it, please do! This is a condition that
can be easily treated and does not need to mean the end fo anyone’s running
fun.</span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-63300095089908160522014-07-15T08:26:00.000-07:002014-07-15T08:34:24.687-07:00A look back... my first runDisney race!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today is registration day for the 2015 runDisney Princess race weekend! Inspired by that and by Patty at <i><a href="http://noguiltlife.com/2014/07/princess-half-palooza-giveaway.html" target="_blank">My No-Guilt Life</a>, </i>who asked for tales of first runDisney races, I took a few minutes to re-read my recap from <i>my </i>first race/first runDisney race/first Princess race, the 2012 Royal Family 5K. Care to join me? Click here... <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/02/tangled-up-in-fun-royal-family-5k-recap.html" target="_blank">Tangled Up in… FUN! Royal Family 5K Recap</a>!</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvZLbMdGzu25iKPwHhQgF9dEdKz6DeuQqJ-Yws0M1xRq7PnHlvK4L-_nrp778Y-dB7JAR7EO96_IpoeH_TmZ2s42mkiFMJzhdzGI6z1Gsiq6cy5BIti1gjvyDbtQwMMJbRSIeJrtNM6wa/s1600/firsrace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvZLbMdGzu25iKPwHhQgF9dEdKz6DeuQqJ-Yws0M1xRq7PnHlvK4L-_nrp778Y-dB7JAR7EO96_IpoeH_TmZ2s42mkiFMJzhdzGI6z1Gsiq6cy5BIti1gjvyDbtQwMMJbRSIeJrtNM6wa/s1600/firsrace.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things sure have changed since that first race! For starters, registration. Back then, I registered a month before the race. A MONTH. This time, I fully expect the 5K to sell out in a day. Word's out and runDisney races are popular, folks. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>(Note: if it's near 12pm EDT and you're here reading this, and you plan to register for any of the 2015 Princess races, STOP READING and get over to <a href="http://rundisney.com/" target="_blank">runDisney.com</a> to register! I'll still be here later.)</b></i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Know what else has changed? Leo no longer runs with me. I'm pretty sad about that, but he's 12 now and is still figuring out his "thing" so I try not to let it get to me. Plus I'm still hoping a Star Wars race appears on the WDW radar to tempt him.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">The race itself has changed, growing from 5,000 participants in 2012 to 10,000 in 2014. When I first ran it, strollers were allowed; now, no strollers and participants must be over 5 years of age.</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've changed a lot since that first race, too! I'm blonde now, and weigh almost 15 pounds less. I'm a whole lot stronger, too, and I've since completed two 10-mile races, four half-marathons, two 10Ks, more 5Ks than I can count, and my first back-to-back-to-back challenge, the Princess Triple Crown. Back in early 2012, I don't think I ever saw myself someday being where I am now!</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">And, despite my claims in February that I was DONE with all things Princess for a while... I am, right now, pre-registered for another run of the Triple Crown: the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#royal-family-5k" target="_blank">2015 Royal Family 5K</a> and the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#slipper" target="_blank">Glass Slipper Challenge</a> (Enchanted 10K + Princess Half-Marathon.) </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Princess Weekend? I just can't seem to quit you.</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Thanks, Patty, for the inspiration to take a look back!</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">And to all who will be registering today for their first race, I wish you much success and a whole lotta fun!</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aetY5HM_UHCBtFhfOHSRbq4p8EM9tUBpTY9_AJpVqlHDesW_BYQPqypHlC2EuJSK4H3RHq8l0fhzuCsoLVem3yKO00yg9AGv4MmzB2UpGbPdSLpMy8kXviTkEYPFQLzTHk1M0Zl-d__t/s1600/allthemedals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aetY5HM_UHCBtFhfOHSRbq4p8EM9tUBpTY9_AJpVqlHDesW_BYQPqypHlC2EuJSK4H3RHq8l0fhzuCsoLVem3yKO00yg9AGv4MmzB2UpGbPdSLpMy8kXviTkEYPFQLzTHk1M0Zl-d__t/s1600/allthemedals.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#alltheraces!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-18517651339600799082014-06-23T08:30:00.000-07:002014-06-23T08:30:00.105-07:00Confessions of a Run/Walking Princess<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, it’s begun. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6egUoVERR-R3c3ya-NcTpyI2rsClT1mO1usYmr8V1vsmZL1pz4uhVzL20pZnWtL-Zpcnl6lRKqwI3dB4MPF1hefw0Etlpa2CJ-ctZvWH2pWkL8kxk4GQEpbg7_zoJ482dJ-jNc2BtKR6/s1600/SadSnow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6egUoVERR-R3c3ya-NcTpyI2rsClT1mO1usYmr8V1vsmZL1pz4uhVzL20pZnWtL-Zpcnl6lRKqwI3dB4MPF1hefw0Etlpa2CJ-ctZvWH2pWkL8kxk4GQEpbg7_zoJ482dJ-jNc2BtKR6/s1600/SadSnow.jpg" height="237" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hat up, Snow? Haters gotcha down?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A
couple weeks out from the opening of <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/" target="_blank">2015 Princess Half-Marathon</a> registration, eight
months before the race, long before anyone has even begun training in earnest
for it, the ranting and debates about this race have already started.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From what I’ve seen in various online groups, the primary
issue seems to have to do with participants who walk and on-course
congestion. As a mid-to-back of the pack
racer, I am entirely familiar with both of these topics, so I’ll say a little
something here and leave it at that.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Confessions of a
run/walking Princess.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s right – I walk some of my races. In fact, I’ve even walked <i>most</i> of several races. Sometimes due to injury, sometimes because I’m
not feeling great, and sometimes because I don’t care about time and just want
to have some fun chatting with a friend, stopping to take pictures, or otherwise
enjoying the scene. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DjhkJ7X8MkqurkQw3WJmYekmozBrsvfCQL6LbrqT88UMWj5o4s926salwJqzojAk8RKaTmqwC8e5wdxA9j9sok__aIyfR_VhP37nofk-LjxyJL1fNUbDBaTZGGPKTYGkt6J61-zLSm73/s1600/bench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DjhkJ7X8MkqurkQw3WJmYekmozBrsvfCQL6LbrqT88UMWj5o4s926salwJqzojAk8RKaTmqwC8e5wdxA9j9sok__aIyfR_VhP37nofk-LjxyJL1fNUbDBaTZGGPKTYGkt6J61-zLSm73/s1600/bench.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here’s the thing: I am not alone.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots and lots and LOTS of people walk in
<a href="http://www.rundisney.com/" target="_blank">runDisney </a>races.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And a fairly huge percentage
of Princess racers will walk some or all of the race.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a perfect world, all of us walking folks
would be kept far away from the running folk, and we’d all only travel in
groups going the exact same pace, and we’d never, ever bunch up and block
another runner or walker in their quest to go faster.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guess what? That scenario’s
about as likely to happen as world peace. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvX6SmWBCsL6H5CFDrxZaYqgqv44iVcWYlukOYzCHCLZZ_zX8TVJIsTQunG9G4_szLdvaq_GTH71ZomUTzWBXVnaT6rGddHqPSaycToSrCjAHKnMfRFZg8JgYEsWczoFoyZjlFUFb93NL/s1600/WorldPeace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvX6SmWBCsL6H5CFDrxZaYqgqv44iVcWYlukOYzCHCLZZ_zX8TVJIsTQunG9G4_szLdvaq_GTH71ZomUTzWBXVnaT6rGddHqPSaycToSrCjAHKnMfRFZg8JgYEsWczoFoyZjlFUFb93NL/s1600/WorldPeace.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"What is the one most important thing our society needs?"<br />"Harsher punishment for parole violators, Stan."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reality is that, whether walking or running, a race with almost
30,000 participants is <i>going</i> to have
a huge variety of individual speeds, all trying to move forward. runDinsey tries hard to get us starting with
folks close to our own speed by asking our estimated finishing times… but registering
eight months out makes that tough; how does someone who’s never before run a
half-marathon distance <i>know</i> how fast
they’ll be that far in the future? She
doesn’t. We guess, runDinsey guesses,
and we all do our best to make that an educated guess. If one is able to race a 10K or greater
distance and submit that finishing time to runDisney, the guess is based on
greater validity, but the end result is still just a guess that can’t take into
account illness, injury, or other life happenings that can increase or decrease
a racer’s speed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, come race day, a whole lot of individual situations
converge onto a single race course. One
person trained to run/walk set intervals, stayed healthy and is ready to stick
to those intervals all 13.1 miles. The person
next to her trained the same, but woke up feeling icky and has to walk more than
she ever did in training. Someone in a
corral ahead of them turned in a super-fast proof of time and regularly runs a
sub-7:00 pace, but pulled a hamstring playing football with his kid a week
before the race. Someone else in the
very last corral is just as fast, but has been traveling non-stop for work and
was unable to provide a proof of time.
The race turns out to be hotter than expected and several hundred women
end up walking, when they planned to run.
The race turns out to be cooler than expected and several hundred women
run more than they ever thought they could.
Tutus turn out to be harder to run in than imagined. New shoes hurt. Characters on both sides of the course cause
racers of all abilities to zig-zag back and forth to get photos. Runners not wanting to stop try to go around
slower racers, but suddenly find the course narrowing. </span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Picture all of this happening, times 30,000, over 13.1 miles. Got a mental picture? A bit chaotic, no? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNHml9i4oguJZIvrbfyKMTv-9w-iekElnmrEuIjCYLIaSTIe6Am7FQalidK_hqlrhoc-ae-isDv8usvpas2ezjLCSUyYEZYN33lwov5y3gvITO9LMP47pIOmiBSlh_SE0mjxg3JzQ0O2G/s1600/chaos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNHml9i4oguJZIvrbfyKMTv-9w-iekElnmrEuIjCYLIaSTIe6Am7FQalidK_hqlrhoc-ae-isDv8usvpas2ezjLCSUyYEZYN33lwov5y3gvITO9LMP47pIOmiBSlh_SE0mjxg3JzQ0O2G/s1600/chaos.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, is it any wonder that sometimes a slow
walker ends up smack-dab in front of a faster runner? Or that a speedy runner accidentally clips a person standing in line for a photo? I myself am guilty of the following
infractions: walking in the center of the course, bumping arms as I passed a
slower racer, walking more than two abreast, moving slower than my estimated
finish placement. And I am <i>sure </i>that I've frustrated other racers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What those frustrated folks didn't know was that I chose to walk in the middle because, before I slowed down, I looked around and saw that there were no walkers, only fast runners, on either side, but someone else walking in the middle, so to avoid clogging things up, I opted to walk behind him. And the woman with whom I bumped arms probably didn't know that I did so after someone on my other side bumped me, even though I did say "I'm so sorry!" as it happened. I'm sure the folks coming around a corner to see me and two other racers walking three abreast had no idea that I began walking in a wide open space, only to be joined by two strangers seconds later. And, certainly, there was no way for other racers to realize that I qualified for my corral placement with a personal record in another race, but had since sustained an injury.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not excusing obvious, intentional rudeness here; that, too, happens on the race course, as it does in every other facet of life. But I want people - especially people new to runDisney and the Princess Half-Marathon - to realize that not every infraction against "proper race etiquette" is intentional or malicious. The reality is that there are a whole lotta folks with a whole lotta different abilities and experiences converging in one place and, well... shit happens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm seeing that some folks have had it with the realities of the Princess Half and have chosen not to participate in the race again. I totally understand this and have had such thoughts, myself. But at some point I realized that, for me, the fun of running at <a href="http://www.disneyworld.com/" target="_blank">Walt Disney World</a> outweighs some of its challenges. And that I have lots of choices about how to handle the actions of others. Personally, I choose to assume no one out there is<i> trying</i> to screw up my race. I choose to assume we're all doing the best we can with the situation at hand. I choose to adjust my expectations and roll with whatever comes my way. I choose to be courteous, and kind, and supportive of my fellow racers. I choose to be honest and open with readers looking for information about races, to not launch into rants about who "should" or "shouldn't" be allowed to race, or how everyone "must" behave, in order to best prepare them for the realities of runDisney races.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you may have deduced by now, yes - I'm planning to run Princess again. The <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#slipper" target="_blank">Glass Slipper Challenge</a>, in fact. And maybe - just <i>maybe - </i>the Triple Crown again. And I am determined to make it a great experience, for myself and for others!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjswN3JSfPzATW4Pq4a7v46mTwElu-RnJsv2UUugU6KjVFX1O885dVCZV04n0l3tzzufE4EshwoO_B8_nnblNjtJzAEsTPhBJR3NOoKxSsr2RrHP2olnk-qpqv50qhqfReGnrlQTsVCtzh/s1600/snow-white-dopey-dance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjswN3JSfPzATW4Pq4a7v46mTwElu-RnJsv2UUugU6KjVFX1O885dVCZV04n0l3tzzufE4EshwoO_B8_nnblNjtJzAEsTPhBJR3NOoKxSsr2RrHP2olnk-qpqv50qhqfReGnrlQTsVCtzh/s1600/snow-white-dopey-dance.jpg" height="317" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Princesses make better dancers - and runners!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-50899392384057709182014-06-13T10:48:00.002-07:002014-06-13T10:48:25.793-07:00Running SKIRTS Review: C9, Skirt Sports, Sparkle Skirts<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know – I am way, way, WAY overdue for a new post. I’d like to say I’ve been ever so busy, but…
mostly I’ve been bitter. About this:<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10367573_935434149815881_9066370597171181760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10367573_935434149815881_9066370597171181760_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">photo from runDisney</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep, runDisney finally announced the long-rumored Star Wars
race weekend. To be held in
DisneyLAND. Nowhere near Florida, the
state I can’t afford to leave for the foreseeable future.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~deepheavysigh~<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’ s a personal issue and I won’t waste time complaining
about it here. But it <i>has </i>been a downer.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Know what else has been a downer? Summer.
In Florida. The state I can’t
afford to leave anytime soon. Yes, the
deep, dank, soul-sucking season of equatorial heat and monsoons is here and I’m
already sick of it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~deepheavysighx2~<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But you’re not here to listen to me whine about races I’m
not running or weather I can’t control, right?
Let’s get back on track…</span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">…with a RUNNING SKIRTS REVIEW! Yep, that’s skirt<i>s</i>, plural. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.target.com/c/c9-by-champion-brand-shop/-/N-5tdw7" target="_blank">C9</a> from Target</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been exercising in C9 (a partnership brand between Champion and Target) clothing since its inception, and have found the brand to be inexpensive, comfortable and durable. So when I wanted to try a running skirt, a C9 model was the first I tried. And it was the only skirt I used for the better part of two years. But last year, C9 changed up its skirts with some new shapes and fabrics, just as my old ones were getting a touch too big from a combination of weight loss and wear and tear. So I bought this one as a replacement:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDb72GeoBdUU-OepuP24X58-ETy5wg-vf43Rp4m9jlTQG1DPrW3fNqLbzFNXcsFiGfB9vZ6qRtvONdvD2gXFh4xeftMYNUYffHhqN0vk9e-JXIBBfbpIjnkUeIyc8pZBzgzYJ72ANqQwfc/s1600/C9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDb72GeoBdUU-OepuP24X58-ETy5wg-vf43Rp4m9jlTQG1DPrW3fNqLbzFNXcsFiGfB9vZ6qRtvONdvD2gXFh4xeftMYNUYffHhqN0vk9e-JXIBBfbpIjnkUeIyc8pZBzgzYJ72ANqQwfc/s1600/C9.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo from Target.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk8uvmVj2dAvJuT9RvlOdiASwFdXZA0J5Ae2AN5yeaHdZR3wj5SIFXn5VF3r6wsIKq7DJfDBP8l1XrnjZV-aw4LW8qVhX-mTdbW16VuwZkq9sOABiXB_fu0nD8T8mmj0CZQHP4m1aAHbQ/s1600/C92.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk8uvmVj2dAvJuT9RvlOdiASwFdXZA0J5Ae2AN5yeaHdZR3wj5SIFXn5VF3r6wsIKq7DJfDBP8l1XrnjZV-aw4LW8qVhX-mTdbW16VuwZkq9sOABiXB_fu0nD8T8mmj0CZQHP4m1aAHbQ/s1600/C92.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo from Target.com</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not in love with it, sadly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pros:</span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A drawstring at the waist is a really nice touch and means that as I lose pounds on a summer run, I can quickly adjust the waist to a more secure fit.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is so lightweight, I'm nearly unaware of wearing it. Fabric is really thin, but opaque; no see-through issues. And it dries very quickly - a major plus when using it for non-running activities such as water rides at theme parks.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The black front panel/grey back panel is surprisingly flattering. I worried that it would make my backside look overly ample, but no. And the A-line shape and length is perfect on me.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cons:</span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only one: the legs roll up. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The legs rolling up thing isn't new; it happens with every one of my C9 skirts. I've just accepted it; if it's hot enough to bare my legs entirely, then it's also hot and humid enough that I'm sleek with sweat - no need to worry about chafing. So I was happily running in this skirt regularly. Until I tried...</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="https://www.skirtsports.com/" target="_blank">Skirt Sports</a> - Gym Girl Ultra</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhxNL9mlB_pR2QQyHZyPL4n2v0xQBHcaPAX7VzTd3waIwfX7GOHTIoCdOp4wN1eWe2o07T_3h9q_gHxNcmcYHpqNAi9nu8F27yeot4l51_joBU3aEw1x1KUw3AK2uKGlIEUjML5EXs_XX/s1600/Skirtsp5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnhxNL9mlB_pR2QQyHZyPL4n2v0xQBHcaPAX7VzTd3waIwfX7GOHTIoCdOp4wN1eWe2o07T_3h9q_gHxNcmcYHpqNAi9nu8F27yeot4l51_joBU3aEw1x1KUw3AK2uKGlIEUjML5EXs_XX/s1600/Skirtsp5.jpg" height="320" width="168" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sale coupled with free shipping and the recommendation from several friends led me to give this beauty a try. First reaction: overall, it felt a bit heavier than my C9 skirts, but the fabric itself was thin and light. The skirt is split on both sides to facilitate movement and access to pockets on each leg of the shorts. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eejscZ2g-mTETy5j1c9FZLEd8ytvkCQu7aS_DnAc93j-ucfzsW4lcXOJTVDeZM-XslCcx1z3BgwIcp5vA8QbqSkjhg3TIIoTmRqsMTR-m9l675FwP5tn0Iy82JwRIfbXNPzWep7zlgm8/s1600/Skirtsp1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eejscZ2g-mTETy5j1c9FZLEd8ytvkCQu7aS_DnAc93j-ucfzsW4lcXOJTVDeZM-XslCcx1z3BgwIcp5vA8QbqSkjhg3TIIoTmRqsMTR-m9l675FwP5tn0Iy82JwRIfbXNPzWep7zlgm8/s1600/Skirtsp1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is upside-down. Blogger won't let me fix that. Sorry.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwyrsLo1Ht4GSWc4GamsppUSyHlmkNDUPkrTbiCbnOqdlepxJm37FlwzUWQcS1t1yK1akHQDymFnnL-LLCUxUFeB4nOlhZ4iN0jNKN77GwOqRfZB8alJ2dGIofjbao4jAxcrzSU9m2a40/s1600/Skirtsp3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwyrsLo1Ht4GSWc4GamsppUSyHlmkNDUPkrTbiCbnOqdlepxJm37FlwzUWQcS1t1yK1akHQDymFnnL-LLCUxUFeB4nOlhZ4iN0jNKN77GwOqRfZB8alJ2dGIofjbao4jAxcrzSU9m2a40/s1600/Skirtsp3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have trust issues, hence the safety pin to keep my keys from falling out. <br />It was unnecessary, though - keys stayed put just fine!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2dGetGxK7KupIVMpRCSlMxmuD03offvPIaEP7lXOWz376AZg0bzJmk2gT-migvEy9fUmxVKpTwdGX5gFmTqc2AaN-gpz-u-aJXWFFe878usrFNegfnYRbXJZvqkzXyAhXx_ovLHX0-_Q/s1600/Skirtsp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2dGetGxK7KupIVMpRCSlMxmuD03offvPIaEP7lXOWz376AZg0bzJmk2gT-migvEy9fUmxVKpTwdGX5gFmTqc2AaN-gpz-u-aJXWFFe878usrFNegfnYRbXJZvqkzXyAhXx_ovLHX0-_Q/s1600/Skirtsp4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So did a Clif Shot.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The shorts are made of a mesh material, and there is an exterior zippered pocket on the back of the waist. This is a beautifully engineered skirt that is incredibly well-made. It was $45 on sale, so almost double what I paid for my C9 skirt, but the superior quality was evident immediately. I took this on a seven mile run for a test...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pros:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not quite as noticeably light as my C9 skirt, but still very lightweight.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So cool and airy! The mesh shorts and split skirt made this super comfortable on a very hot run.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Low and not too-squeezy waistband. This may actually be a low-rise on a taller person. On me, it fits just where and how I like it: below my belly-button, but above my hip bones, and securely without digging-in in any way.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pockets! The leg pockets are awesome. I can stuff a few gels in each, lip balm, car key, etc. My iPhone 4S fits, too, but I prefer to keep it elsewhere. The back pocket is pretty big and could also fit some gels, keys, etc.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shape - not <i>quite</i> as flattering as the A-line of the C9, but good enough that I don't feel silly in it. And roomy enough to not hamper my stride in any way.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leg openings that DO. NOT. BUDGE. I truly didn't know what I'd been missing until this skirt came into my life! The legs stayed put for all 7 miles and I realized at some point that was much more comfortable than the rolled-up legs of my C9 skirts.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cons:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Um... there really <i>aren't </i>any! I might not want to overload the back pocket, as I think too much weight in there could pull the waistband down uncomfortably. But with the other two side pockets available, I can't see any need to overload it anyway. That's all I've got for cons. I LOVE this skirt! Truly worth every penny of its cost.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://sparkleskirts.com/" target="_blank">Sparkle Skirts</a> - Sparkle Tech</b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Swing and </b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slim styles</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zh5rxV8KhiROZTLO-TrCFqlcnLRjLQ-phtI1Dqc0fsiPQWdA3XQdRTu-TUE72P8q9TkFzYqocF-SkbWCLOJk7iMH2BbDc0S7L8c6-Ij0kYsoaZ-vbnXq4bg5_98CS7b9LhVQe76pPBEU/s1600/SS1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zh5rxV8KhiROZTLO-TrCFqlcnLRjLQ-phtI1Dqc0fsiPQWdA3XQdRTu-TUE72P8q9TkFzYqocF-SkbWCLOJk7iMH2BbDc0S7L8c6-Ij0kYsoaZ-vbnXq4bg5_98CS7b9LhVQe76pPBEU/s1600/SS1.jpg" height="237" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yv0CefaxAk8JxFYzMkKT00Q226IkMx3iBrW1u_9PyWojA0He1a6__yyBIMzteyB67Yrx9EqQi4Uf3hdNb5fsM9GLg7S4pw46cXVMdErxa6E-g4q-y9uhowxSPXTYH-6ypJEQaL3CJiAP/s1600/SS3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yv0CefaxAk8JxFYzMkKT00Q226IkMx3iBrW1u_9PyWojA0He1a6__yyBIMzteyB67Yrx9EqQi4Uf3hdNb5fsM9GLg7S4pw46cXVMdErxa6E-g4q-y9uhowxSPXTYH-6ypJEQaL3CJiAP/s1600/SS3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HUGE pocket on the side of each shorts leg.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, know that the Sparkle Skirt brand is pretty much legendary among the ladies who run Disney. Join any Disney-focused running group and you'll hear the virtues of these skirts extolled: "The pockets! The legs that don't ride up! The patterns!" People <i>adore</i> this brand! I <i>had </i>to give it a try and I couldn't decide between two patterns of the SparkleTech skirt. So I got both! And have tried each...</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both of these are fabulous alternatives to wearing shorts in the summer for non-running activities. Which is really great, since I can't seem to find shorts that fit properly and are flattering on me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The leg pockets are enormous! There's almost no limit to what can be stuffed in there. There's also a zippered waist pocket that can be worn in front or in back and it would hold quite a bit, too.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's true: the legs don't roll up at all!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The patterns available (with new ones being added regularly) are pretty amazing. These two skirts collectively coordinate with nearly every running and non-running shirt I own!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ordered the Slim cut a size bigger to get a bit more A-line shape, as I'd heard that it can look a little too squeezy otherwise. It's not exactly A-line, but does seem to hang nicely on me. </span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qXztVn7fli6-wCxWD4vm9C_kzX_Gc9Iq578zPtkJT_oMhFuPT9bUhQ3c-WmdBDmlTx92CyPrc8No9Ed6M9WWqHlrLfbiSYHN9tCc-5zELP5XXmN1v_iHMHX6oa2WlpU71yw5248y4o6L/s1600/SS4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qXztVn7fli6-wCxWD4vm9C_kzX_Gc9Iq578zPtkJT_oMhFuPT9bUhQ3c-WmdBDmlTx92CyPrc8No9Ed6M9WWqHlrLfbiSYHN9tCc-5zELP5XXmN1v_iHMHX6oa2WlpU71yw5248y4o6L/s1600/SS4.jpg" height="261" title="Property V's Fuzzy World" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rockin' Comic Relief at WDW's Star Wars Weekend!</span></td></tr>
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Cons:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These skirts feel surprisingly heavy to me. The skirt fabric is quite lightweight, but the shorts are a thicker, denser material. I'd bet that's perfectly fine almost anywhere else in the US, but they felt a little much for running in the heat here. They weren't causing heat stroke or anything, but compared to the Skirt Sports skirt, the Sparkle Skirts aren't nearly as light and airy feeling.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't love the height and tension of the waistband. These are cut to land at the natural waist, which is just plain higher than I like. I find that I'm acutely aware of the tight waistband as I run. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not thrilled with the shape of the Swing style, at least not for running. I found that the extra material kept getting caught between my legs - not a mechanical problem, but annoying. It's quite cute, though, for non-running activities, I think.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXz0RjfBWUu0avvK-mNvtbrANpuFr7mHEhortlBauBFMTqJWZPqi9t6vGQrwGA2EnmWPZ0rq9ExrC6LkWN_wD_GIrlZOiCnJ2rrwPWjMQWDdQN1JWoM2RfFc2jrxHtaMd9xB5LCtuMfsbZ/s1600/SS5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXz0RjfBWUu0avvK-mNvtbrANpuFr7mHEhortlBauBFMTqJWZPqi9t6vGQrwGA2EnmWPZ0rq9ExrC6LkWN_wD_GIrlZOiCnJ2rrwPWjMQWDdQN1JWoM2RfFc2jrxHtaMd9xB5LCtuMfsbZ/s1600/SS5.jpg" height="320" width="183" /></a></span></div>
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<li>Price. Sparkle Skirts aren't cheap. You are paying for a well-made product, but at $60+ per skirt, they're more than I can reasonably afford for running apparel. In the end, I decided to pool my budget for running and non-running bottoms, figuring I could use these for both, otherwise this would be a no-go for me.</li>
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In the end, I'm glad I got the Sparkle Skirts; they've already become my go-to bottoms for summer. Even if I never run in them again, they're great alternatives to shorts for our frequent theme park days! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I may not ever again buy a C9 skirt, which is a shame. The shape is so nice, the fabric so light, but I've been spoiled by legs that don't ride up and my poor C9 skirts now reside at the bottom of my drawer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am now a total devotee of the Skirt Sport brand. I bought a 2nd Gym Girl Ultra, also on sale, and also tried out a <a href="https://www.skirtsports.com/shop/product.cfm/id/1024-Marathon-Chick-Skirt#.U5nv2pRdW7o" target="_blank">Marathon Chick</a> skirt that was on clearance. The Marathon Chick skirt has built-in spankies instead of shorts, is entirely composed of a breezy mesh fabric, and is really nice on particularly hot days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, I encourage anyone thinking of a new running skirt to try a few brands and see what works best for your preferences, shape and style. It's great that we have so many choices - something for everyone! </span><br />
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-73756306446602590472014-05-01T09:03:00.000-07:002014-05-01T10:21:57.682-07:00Yet another SHOE REVIEW! Newton Gravity 13.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m
starting to feel like The Girl Who Cried “SHOES!” In the couple years I’ve been actively
training for long distance races, I’ve tried a lot of running shoes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A LOT.
Of running shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Going
from memory…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There
were the Mizunos: Enigma, <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/02/diamonds-on-soles-of-my-shoes.html" target="_blank">Creation</a>,
<a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/cindylocks-and-three-running-shoes.html" target="_blank">Inspire</a>,
Precision, <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/02/shoe-review-mizuno-wave-sayonara.html" target="_blank">Sayonara</a>,
and Evo Cursoris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Asics: Nimbus 11 and Phoenix<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Newtons:
<a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/08/trying-to-go-distance.html" target="_blank">Lady Isaac S</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Altra: Intuition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Brooks: <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/cindylocks-and-three-running-shoes.html" target="_blank">PureCadence</a>, Pure Flow, Ghost, <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/01/shoe-review-brooks-ravenna-4.html" target="_blank">Ravenna</a>.<br />
The Nike: <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/cindylocks-and-three-running-shoes.html" target="_blank">Lunarglide</a>
and Free Run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Hoka One One: Bondi B and <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2013/09/time-to-fly-review-of-hoka-one-one.html" target="_blank">Kailua Tarmac</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That. Is.
A. LOT. Of. Shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And of
the ones listed above, how many did I actually keep and run in regularly? A few.
Thank goodness for excellent return/exchange policies! The Mizuno Inspires worked pretty well for a
while before I ditched them in favor of a lower drop shoe that seemed to
aggravate my IT Band less. The Altra
Intuition was taken over by my mother, who loves them for work as a home
nurse. I still have the Free Runs and,
though I don’t like them for running, I use them for running errands. I adore the Mizuno Evo Cursoris (no point in a review, though - they discontinued it), but it’s not
a distance shoe; I reserve it for short, speedy runs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ran
in the PureFlows for the better part of a year and they were perfect! (Ironic
that I never reviewed <i>them!</i>) But the new version, the PureFlow 2, has been
nothing but trouble for my left foot for some reason. I’ve put 100 miles in my pair of 2’s and
every time I run in them, I get stabbing pain in my outer left foot. I finally gave up and moved on. That’s right, to <i>more</i> new shoes. It’s review
time again…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After
much research and deliberation (and realizing there aren’t all that many
options left that I haven’t tried…), I ordered a pair of <a href="https://www.newtonrunning.com/" target="_blank">Newton</a> Gravity 13’s. Not the <a href="http://www.newtonrunning.com/shop/womens-running-shoes/women-gravity-mileage-trainer" target="_blank">new Gravity</a>, but last year's model. Because - duh! - they were $75 less than the new model. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6AdICYTwpf2HqA0fX6J0L4KyahqmQ1YxbEvr-w6iKa4v8-fIhqXXvMtGFemkXG7ZVs0K2dUXi_WhFNqYguAer2nucFkf8vyeGbAjIMSRlLDJwucmkFURbdGbZqsIBYueV3DTTvjvZdq_/s1600/Newton2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6AdICYTwpf2HqA0fX6J0L4KyahqmQ1YxbEvr-w6iKa4v8-fIhqXXvMtGFemkXG7ZVs0K2dUXi_WhFNqYguAer2nucFkf8vyeGbAjIMSRlLDJwucmkFURbdGbZqsIBYueV3DTTvjvZdq_/s1600/Newton2.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>First thoughts:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I LOOOOOOVE the colors! Truly love. And that's saying something, as I'm sick to death of pink shoes. But this is such a pretty pink, with so much depth and energy. (No offense Pepto-pink Evo Cursoris) And the contrast of the blue, green, yellow and orange is practically a study in Pop art. I've named my new shoes Andy. After, you know, Andy Warhol. #artgeek</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slipping them on, I noticed right away that these fit much differently than the Lady Isaac S I tried a while back. The Gravity 13 has a much snugger fit through the heel, which is a huge must for me, but a far roomier toe box, another must. I also noticed the total lack of any medial or lateral posting; not a darned thing was pushing my inner or outer arch in any direction. I took the left shoe off and tried on my painful PureFlow 2... yep, squeezing and pushing on the outer edge of my foot, even without any weight on it. Interesting.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I bought these right before <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/04/race-recap-2014-florida-beach-halfathon.html" target="_blank">my last big race of the season</a> and experience tells me that running in any new shoes right before a race is dicey; one overly stressed muscle can wreck me. So I had a few weeks to kill before I could really test the Gravity. In the meantime, I wore them around - to the movies, for a couple days at Disney World, grocery shopping, etc.<br /><br />HOLY COW!!! These are the <i>perfect </i>stroll around shoes! Who'dve thought? I didn't. I mean, the deal with Newton is the lugs - 4 (5 on the new models) protruding chunks o' rubber in the forefoot sole that are supposed to support a mid- or forefoot-strike and provide excellent energy return on the run. I had serious doubts about how comfortable that would be while walking. And yeah, I was kind of aware of them the first day, but they weren't at all uncomfortable and actually came quite in handy... driving in them was like having a block on the gas and brake pedals, an awfully nice feature for this very petite lady!</span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4phJMf2hvT6K4NdTnz6PdfhEepzsMnWMwiKVhsFjLPZrAjfY2yD3mP5DWT47-EofjC5V_lUPv6CFf4Tg4U0h6om3qcx3oR28Qf1dwl8hXTfgPG0gfi1Lml64nA_ybd9oAZCGEbuUucAe/s1600/Newton+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4phJMf2hvT6K4NdTnz6PdfhEepzsMnWMwiKVhsFjLPZrAjfY2yD3mP5DWT47-EofjC5V_lUPv6CFf4Tg4U0h6om3qcx3oR28Qf1dwl8hXTfgPG0gfi1Lml64nA_ybd9oAZCGEbuUucAe/s1600/Newton+1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">They look nice with jeans, no?!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>On the run</b></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With my long distance race season complete, I finally got to running in the Gravity 13 a few weeks ago. Newton stresses the importance of making a slow transition to their shoes and they're not foolin' around, so I began with a mile in them. Then 2 a few days later. 3 miles. 4. 5. I've been running in low-drop shoes for well over a year, and I naturally land on my forefoot, so there were no transitional issues with that. However, the mechanics of Newtons (more detail below) <i>are, </i>indeed, different than other shoes and I definitely felt it in my feet, ankles, quads and calves after 5 miles. Not in any bad way; quite the opposite, really - I could feel entire sets of small muscles working that had pretty much never had to work before. But I'm glad I took it slow and didn't stress anything too much.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, the mechanics... Newton has a mantra of sorts, and it goes like this: "Land, Lever, Lift." And that's exactly what the lugs encourage your body to do - land on them, lever your heel down lightly, then lift your foot off the ground, using your quads, not your toes. As a lifelong dancer, that last part is hard for me; I naturally push off the tips of my toes, as evidenced by the early wear on my shoes.<br /><br />But the land and lever parts worked beautifully for me from the first running step! It's amazing how much energy return is loaded into those silly orange lugs. And, surprisingly, I found them equally propulsive on my walk intervals - the heel was cushioned enough to absorb the small impact it takes on the walking stride, but quickly seems to convert that force into forward momentum. This is VERY different from the feel of walking in the PureFlows, in which I feel like my heel sinks into cushion and it takes a whole lot of effort to lift it back up.</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZCZAslsTFPZRmOQRieRcR8Ul2VjkH-Xs38pp9xENBn-nP1wjzKDtupc7eBfpOu1v5WBHHJNbN5dLnEIe-76PWI_nMxEJAFoIJRqrHp1LIeOCP7-iaGebIwlqJ8Wk6MECBTNRlcnc08ue/s1600/Newton3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZCZAslsTFPZRmOQRieRcR8Ul2VjkH-Xs38pp9xENBn-nP1wjzKDtupc7eBfpOu1v5WBHHJNbN5dLnEIe-76PWI_nMxEJAFoIJRqrHp1LIeOCP7-iaGebIwlqJ8Wk6MECBTNRlcnc08ue/s1600/Newton3.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">See the yellow treads at the top? Yeah, that's where I naturally land and push off. A little far forward... I'm working on it.</span></td></tr>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fit while in motion was every bit as good as while meandering about town. On the run, the snug heel cup kept any weird movement there to a minimum, while a nice height on the upper stabilized my temperamental Achilles. Meanwhile, my mid-foot was supported underneath nicely. The Newton sole is a bit rigid through there, at least compared to the exceedingly flexible PureFlow and Evo Cusoris, and I've found that that's a good thing for my overly flexible feet. Again, there are absolutely no support features pressing my feet laterally or medially, which meant... NO outer foot pain! Halle-freaking-jujah. As for the toe box, it has, perhaps, a tad more room widthwise than I need - but I don't feel like my feet are swimming in them, and I'll likely appreciate the extra space when the long, hot runs of summer come along.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feeling really good about my new shoes, I opted to give them a race test. Typically, it's in race conditions that I discover my "perfect" shoe has flaws. I have no idea why, but almost every shoe I thought was terrific turned out to be a dud when I raced in it. So a true test came in the form of a local 5K that included roads, dirt, sand and gravel paths, and a little technical trail. How'd they do? Beautifully! Darned if those lugs didn't dig in and grip like crazy in difficult terrain. By the end of the race, nothing hurt, my shoes still felt yummy, and I was feeling pretty darned good about my future with the Gravity 13.</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUOjFaXiTNizFaW_ZKjlXnacemYg_PZ3fvDHXstjuhUD-sj8gGexLIHRxxgF9NuQcmXOCqlFaXsJ4zXVAQxwyB7iv47Zkw6y5ovjVNUGOyL346nn8uDH2GQ0wYDPepaPUBq6WJz7RJl09/s1600/Newton4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUOjFaXiTNizFaW_ZKjlXnacemYg_PZ3fvDHXstjuhUD-sj8gGexLIHRxxgF9NuQcmXOCqlFaXsJ4zXVAQxwyB7iv47Zkw6y5ovjVNUGOyL346nn8uDH2GQ0wYDPepaPUBq6WJz7RJl09/s1600/Newton4.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Know what's my favorite part of Newton Running shoes? Instant feedback. Check out those lugs! If you look closely, you'll see that the lugs are (were) covered in a fine mesh pattern. See how that's worn away on the forward, outside parts of the lugs? That tells me where the bulk of my landing impact is, and confirms what I've long suspected: not only do I not overpronate on the left, I supinate quite a bit. That would account for the ongoing issues I have with my outer ankle, outer knee, outer hip... And I'm landing pretty far forward, too. The beauty of this information is that I can now <i>do </i>something about it! I've been making a concerted effort to keep that foot straight, to land a bit more centered and on the balls of my feet, not the toes. And guess what? I have less pain when I do! </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm almost afraid to say it, given my track history, but I honestly think these are long-term keepers. If there's any negative to the Newton Gravity 13, it's that my feet do get tired after several days running in them. So I've been changing them up with my Evo Cursoris every other run and everything seems happy with that arrangement. At some point, though, (and sooner rather than later, judging by how quickly they're wearing) the Evo Cursoris will wear out and need to be replaced. And, as I said earlier, they've been discontinued. What's a gal to do???</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Try another new shoe. Look for a review of the Altra Intuition 1.5 soon. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, yes, I heartily recommend the <a href="https://www.newtonrunning.com/" target="_blank">Newton</a> brand and I look forward to even more miles in my Gravity shoes! I'll be sure to update this review when I hit longer distances, too.</span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-82337986044370646172014-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:002014-04-15T11:00:02.606-07:00Boston – it’s still personal.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we remember the tragedy that struck a year ago today at the Boston
Marathon, I took a few minutes this morning to reread <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2013/04/boston-its-personal.html" target="_blank">what I wrote about it then</a> and think about what’s changed for me since…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I assumed that I’d always have some fear for friends, family and even
strangers who give up their time, sleep and a small fortune in poster board to
cheer us on in races… Indeed, I do worry
for their safety, and I’m more appreciative than ever for their ongoing
support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My soon to be 12-year-old son, Leo, still worries about me… though the
beauty and wonder of his particular age has caused the patina of fear
to wear away some and seeing me return unscathed from a number of races seems to
have eased his young mind quite a bit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year, I speculated that I’d never again take my own relatively healthy limbs for granted… Though I’m
not always happy with their performance, yes, I value the use of my legs each
and every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yes, I have approached every. single. finish line. of the past year
with my mind full of the victims of last year’s event. My heart continues to squeeze hard through
every last step of every race as I wish and hope that somehow, in some way,
some of my strength will magically leave my body to help them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I hadn’t anticipated a year ago was how much more attentive I’d
become not just in races, but in all public places. I find myself acutely aware of things in my
view that don’t look “right” – a person who stands out in a crowd for no reason
I can articulate, an unattended backpack on a park bench, the parting of a
theme park crowd for no apparent reason… I wouldn’t say I’m living in fear, but
I sure am aware of my surroundings in a way I never was before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also never anticipated how incredibly connected I'd feel to the running community. We're a tough, competitive bunch, we runners, but we have our tender spots and it's been amazing to see how we all pull together to support one another and protect our sport. I am so very, very proud to be part of that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, a year later, Boston is still very much personal, and I suspect it
always will be. On this day, I join the
worldwide running community in mourning the losses of that terrible day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">…come April 21, I will watch with so many others as we runners take
back the Boston Marathon and return it to an event that celebrates the magnificence
of human strength and endurance. In the end, no matter where we are, we are all #BostonStrong.</span></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-38175215969919819182014-04-04T09:45:00.003-07:002014-04-04T09:45:27.498-07:00Race Recap: 2014 Florida Beach Halfathon<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm taking a little break from running right now. My long distance race season is over (because summer in Florida is freaking HOT, 'member?!) so it's a good opportunity to take some time to let things heal and recover. Which I thought would translate into oodles of free time... nope. Life's been hectic! So, yeah - I'm a little behind on blogging. I have LOTS of ideas and several un-typed blog posts running circles in my head... I'm sure they'll come out eventually. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, how 'bout a little recap of my final long-distance race of the season?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On March 23, I ran the 2014 <a href="http://www.floridabeachhalfathon.com/" target="_blank">Florida Beach Halfathon</a> - a 13.1-mile race over paved paths and roadways at the famous <a href="http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_ft_desoto.htm" target="_blank">Ft. De Soto Beach</a>. This was basically a "local" race for me, albeit almost an hour form my home. But with a 7am start, it was soooo nice to "sleep in" for a race instead of waking at Stupid-Early!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Beach Halfathon is one of several annual races put on by <a href="http://www.floridaroadraces.com/" target="_blank">Florida Gulf Beaches Road Races</a> and I'll spare you some suspense: race director Chris Lauber puts on a mighty fine race! Starting with packet pickup - we were given several different dates and locations over the two weeks before race day from which to pick up our bibs and swag. That was so nice! I was able to get my things from the <a href="http://www.fit2run.com/StPeteTraining.html" target="_blank">St. Petersburg Fit2Run</a> on a day that worked for my schedule, had a lovely chat with Chris about race day planning for meet-ups and spectators, and bought a handful of <a href="http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_gel/" target="_blank">Clif Shots* </a>for race day fueling.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsbwu1duifsQi95oaKDKfUP9kdtUwXzyxOsBl9lppqkdXb-fSU1UZlE3h3CdQh3SB8U2k0kPjYXUXYVZRf1EgbsxeRbIs2K0qEfmMr4o8qcI3-6jg3tzljzfylHgzFEcwGSMI6K71ivvn/s1600/swag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsbwu1duifsQi95oaKDKfUP9kdtUwXzyxOsBl9lppqkdXb-fSU1UZlE3h3CdQh3SB8U2k0kPjYXUXYVZRf1EgbsxeRbIs2K0qEfmMr4o8qcI3-6jg3tzljzfylHgzFEcwGSMI6K71ivvn/s1600/swag.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lotsa nice swag!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Race day arrived with a forecast of no rain, a high temp near 80, and a start temp of 65, with humidity around 85%... in other words, <i>ideal</i> Florida conditions! I wish now that I'd thought to grab some pics of the race staging area - it was a nice set-up, with the start/finish line clearly marked, ample porta-potties available, and lots of tents with merchandise and food offerings. An announcer provided us all with info on where to go and when, and I had ample time to meet up with a friend from my running group and make sure my mother (Gramma) and Leo were all set. Yep, I actually managed to get my family to come cheer! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really had no idea what to expect of myself going into this race. I felt good - <i>really </i>good, in fact - but hadn't run many miles since my <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/03/race-recap-3-2014-rundisney-princess.html" target="_blank">#ALLtheraces Triple Crown</a> weekend four weeks prior. In fact, my longest distance between the Princess Half and Beach Halfathon was a whopping seven miles. So I lined up toward the back of the pack, planned to do lots of walking over the first few miles, and see how things went.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first few miles flew by, in part due to the lack of crowding and bottlenecking thanks to a total race field of around 1800 - less than the number of runners in just my <i>corral</i> at the Princess Half Marathon - and in part thanks to the lovely company of my running group friend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first 3.1 miles of the course took us through a loop of old-growth oak trees, palmetto scrub, and past a small inlet of Tampa Bay. This was also the course for the day's accompanying 5K race, which started 30 minutes after the half. Given the slow pace I was keeping, I got to see the leaders of the 5K come whipping past at breakneck speed as we all looped back to the Start/Finish, at which the 5K folks ran through the Finish chute, and we halfathoners passed on by. I'm not gonna lie - that's a little painful, running <i>past </i>the Finish, knowing you still have 10 miles to go. But I knew the miles ahead would be pretty, so there was added motivation to keep going. Plus, I saw Gramma and Leo there and got a nice high-5 from my boy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started adding more running to my miles and dropped my pace about half a minute per mile through mile seven. I was still feeling great: strong, good energy, not at all overheated, thanks to the cloud cover. And... well-fueled. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(*This was my first race using Clif Shots as fuel. After dealing with the heavy, bulky, mushy, crumbly mess a waist pack full of Fig Newtons made during the Princess Half, I decided to try some gel-based fuel and see if it would be better. Know what? It was! MUCH better. Clif Shots are tiny and lightweight; I easily stuffed four of 'em in my waist pouch, one in the little elastic loop of my <a href="http://www.fitletic.com/" target="_blank">Fitletic</a> phone armband, plus one Hammer gel in the back pocket of my running skirt. It's virtually impossible for me to store glucose - in response to sugar in its system, my body overproduces insulin, which "eats" the sugars and leaves me hypoglycemic. So I pretty much have to fuel constantly through a long run to keep things stable. A Clif Shot every 45 minutes was just about perfect to keep me going, and the chocolate flavor was tasty! The Hammer gel in banana flavor? Worked just as well... but BLECH! <i>Not </i>tasty. At all. I'll stick with Clif Shots, TYVM.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feeling pretty darned good at the halfway point, I decided to see what I could do about a PR.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While taking pics. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcCTzM2FSmPT0hTUMtbER32w57guj89UwuxnfFHHFCjURTUg7HWgzJ3CmHP7R7bshTB2vOQTMTt_7T0IXNAzgxS57q0SLg6AhjX4xfAhUQTAisR7DEZVc8tkY5mcqjGc4mOkQKjrHJ8gQ/s1600/BeachHalf+path.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcCTzM2FSmPT0hTUMtbER32w57guj89UwuxnfFHHFCjURTUg7HWgzJ3CmHP7R7bshTB2vOQTMTt_7T0IXNAzgxS57q0SLg6AhjX4xfAhUQTAisR7DEZVc8tkY5mcqjGc4mOkQKjrHJ8gQ/s1600/BeachHalf+path.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My view, miles 5 through 11...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0T7bjnGJHZg8dyfpd5Bqy34WYjuS4WKr7yEn2Y5zr8T62EWJsapHg9lsAkgPKmqSvDkJ_zNrGvK93ZMLaJzKH1vlTuohwjFfMGKYS0II9_6tXbEMO-Ls57XZy4ec5uVOJEPsTJLAJAtl/s1600/Skyway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0T7bjnGJHZg8dyfpd5Bqy34WYjuS4WKr7yEn2Y5zr8T62EWJsapHg9lsAkgPKmqSvDkJ_zNrGvK93ZMLaJzKH1vlTuohwjFfMGKYS0II9_6tXbEMO-Ls57XZy4ec5uVOJEPsTJLAJAtl/s1600/Skyway.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sunshine Skyway off in the distance...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkgnB9sJr-Fu3smxsYlK71BdC6XHnkda7wPntzM4Jcff9sw1aKDLJNmXNZYb_AR6dKyE8kOz1qw8JR5qpjLHhk2AY62MIjOroOGXMeh98hUU_2trOKmhPUAuBAAiFZFSGV-ISulm4RAwk/s1600/Ft+DeSoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkgnB9sJr-Fu3smxsYlK71BdC6XHnkda7wPntzM4Jcff9sw1aKDLJNmXNZYb_AR6dKyE8kOz1qw8JR5qpjLHhk2AY62MIjOroOGXMeh98hUU_2trOKmhPUAuBAAiFZFSGV-ISulm4RAwk/s1600/Ft+DeSoto.jpg" height="215" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Fort... of Fort De Soto.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The course was essentially a giant out-and-back job, so the view didn't change much; the water just shifted from my right side to my left. What did change was the cloud cover - long about mile 9 or 10, the sun came out. And I quickly realized the path we were running had <i>no </i>shade. It was rough - I was tiring by that point and the sun didn't help. But I looked at my Garmin and did some quick math (okay, not so quick - it may or may not have taken me a mile and a half to figure this...) and saw that I was well within reach of meeting my goal of a sub-3:15:00 finish... and it was quite possible, if I stayed on pace, I could turn out my fantasy goal of a sub-3:00:00 finish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HOLY CRAP!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I dug deep, ate another gel, and picked up the pace. And it was great! Until mile 12. When the tell-tale stabbing pain of IT Band syndrome showed up in my left knee. And... my right. Both freaking sides?! Yes, both freaking sides. Knowing I had no further long races to get through after that one, I tried to run through it as much as I could, but - man! There's just no running through that kind of pain. I walked as fast as I could, ran a few steps here and there, and...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BIG, HUGE, GIGANTIC PR!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My official time? 3:02:28. Missed my fantasy goal by two minutes, 28 seconds. I'm not remotely sad about that, though. Firstly, because I never expected to even come close. Secondly, because knocking more than 20 minutes off my previous best half-marathon time is pretty damned exciting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And thirdly... because it turns out I'm not as into my finish times as I once thought. Sure, it's always great to get a new PR; it shows that all of your hard work and effort accomplished something concrete. But what it doesn't show is the joy I experience through the simple act of running. A finish time doesn't begin to represent the times spent talking with fellow runners about our training, our gear, our goals. And it sure doesn't illustrate the mega-balancing act performed by a single parent trying to keep up with work, parenting and training. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, those were the things foremost in my mind as I crossed the Finish and ran over to Leo and Gramma for big hugs. Though I remembered to stop my Garmin, I didn't even look at my time for quite a while. I knew it was a PR of some sort, and I was just fine with that knowledge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After cheering my friend through the Finish, I grabbed some water, a Coke, a bagel, a little pasta, and a beer (seriously - FL Road Races puts on quite a spread!), and reveled in the glory of having finished my third half-marathon in three months. Later, we explored the fort before heading home.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3wYRE4B_9NoYLNcYc3hRJfclzJKdcT3wcPn-3_o_Xl0fg5_vHYgB4bqAeY_xI6dkorqo-v8u1PA0lC9o23NNH7O-imqSBjsQIohFGLVF5hwyEVPGWxUn0ge_4t2wV6iXJsOLGb5-EJcg/s1600/Fortroof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3wYRE4B_9NoYLNcYc3hRJfclzJKdcT3wcPn-3_o_Xl0fg5_vHYgB4bqAeY_xI6dkorqo-v8u1PA0lC9o23NNH7O-imqSBjsQIohFGLVF5hwyEVPGWxUn0ge_4t2wV6iXJsOLGb5-EJcg/s1600/Fortroof.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View from the roof of Fort De Soto</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I highly recommend the <a href="http://www.floridabeachhalfathon.com/" target="_blank">Florida Beach Halfathon</a> - or any of the other races offered by <a href="http://www.floridaroadraces.com/" target="_blank">Florida Gulf Beaches Road Races</a>! It was so well-organized, well-run and very, very fun, while also feeling very relaxed. It was a great race for the speedsters and the slow folks alike, with plenty of pre-race, on-course, and post-race resources available to all. And the location was just gorgeous, as you can see. I'll be back, for sure!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7SJzf2RMR4SfmzpNQpdvaR_EJcVHgUP7PTdH9L-s-bzIm56NmZ2xI3oVpLd6NRE2Xtlzeb1Zx5yBLCbVxFfG_eglYBDnUOVkewyfa2aJFUkQiZoxl2dBZX-ItomsBTKo6tsbEKksASrG/s1600/BeachHalf+medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7SJzf2RMR4SfmzpNQpdvaR_EJcVHgUP7PTdH9L-s-bzIm56NmZ2xI3oVpLd6NRE2Xtlzeb1Zx5yBLCbVxFfG_eglYBDnUOVkewyfa2aJFUkQiZoxl2dBZX-ItomsBTKo6tsbEKksASrG/s1600/BeachHalf+medal.jpg" height="337" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-74244329471337501272014-03-19T08:30:00.000-07:002014-03-19T10:19:26.293-07:00Princess Half weekend - final thoughts and TIPS to run Disney!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As of now, I’ve participated in
every runDisney race weekend offered at Walt Disney World:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Royal Family 5K (Princess 1/2 Marathon weekend), <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/02/tangled-up-in-fun-royal-family-5k-recap.html" target="_blank">2012</a>
and <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/02/race-recap-2014-cinderella-royal-family.html" target="_blank">2014</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/05/2012-expedition-everest-challenge-race.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Expedition Everest Challenge, 2012</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
10-Miler, <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/twilight-zone-tower-of-terror-10-miler.html" target="_blank">2012</a>
and <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2013/10/twilight-zone-tower-of-terror-10-miler.html" target="_blank">2013</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-jingle-jungle-5k-race-recap.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jingle Jungle 5K (Wine & Dine Half-Marathon Weekend), 2012</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Princess Half-Marathon, <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2013/03/race-recap-2013-princess-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">2013</a>
and <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/03/race-recap-3-2014-rundisney-princess.html" target="_blank">2014</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/01/2014-wdw-half-marathon-race-recap.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WDW Half-Marathon (Marathon Weekend), 2014</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/03/race-recap-2014-rundisney-enchanted-10k.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enchanted10K, 2014</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With all of those under my belt,
I feel properly equipped to offer some TIPS for those thinking of running
Disney!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Embrace the fun – don a costume!
</b>I know – it feels weird to dress up in costume for a race. But trust V; it only feels weird until you actually
get to a runDisney race… once there, you won’t feel out of place at all! You’ll see a huge variety of costumes put
together with varying amounts of effort and detail. Here’s the thing: it doesn’t need to be
complicated, it doesn’t need to cost a lot, and it really should be comfortable,
especially for longer distance races. My
advice is to work with items you’d wear to run in the first place: shirts and
bottoms made of soft, comfortable wicking material. You can add items and embellish from there
without breaking the bank or your resolve to finish your race!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2014 Princess Half-Marathon
weekend was my first time putting much effort into costumes, and I’m very glad
I did – it upped the fun quotient by a LOT!
My favorite was the Cinderella-themed outfit I put together for the Royal
Family 5K:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwoYNEiUBE3ux3aenc0c5rJA1Zzqa8vOOeJy1ImCocn0zC6BukAgoTau7uBHlVpg0370K7ASSjWhCDnwONLRxHvNkqVjo_jgeoGCKlCzGj3JlvGTad0GIxV9VBP_Br3MFynvw-leMMgat/s1600/bigball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwoYNEiUBE3ux3aenc0c5rJA1Zzqa8vOOeJy1ImCocn0zC6BukAgoTau7uBHlVpg0370K7ASSjWhCDnwONLRxHvNkqVjo_jgeoGCKlCzGj3JlvGTad0GIxV9VBP_Br3MFynvw-leMMgat/s1600/bigball.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was absurdly easy… I bought
a Cindy-blue running shirt on clearance online for less than $20 and paired it
with a matching $25 skirt from <a href="http://www.sparkleathletic.com/" target="_blank">Sparkle Athletic</a>. I’ll use both again, so the cost can really
be pro-rated by a number of years of wearings.
Under my skirt, I wore a pair of compression capris I already owned, and
around my neck I wore a black satin choker left over from a Halloween costume I
wore a few years ago. A $2 pair of white
knee socks worked as “gloves” – I simply chopped off the feet. And I topped the whole thing off with a tiara
I’ve had for ages, though a blue ribbon would have worked, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See? Easy, affordable, comfortable,
and, most of all – FUN!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Take pictures. Lots of ‘em. </b>Okay,
if you’re a friend of mine on Facebook, you’re probably sick to death of my
many race pics. Sorry. But, you know what? I almost wish I’d taken <i>more</i>! Especially from past
races. While it’s fun to share images from
your races with friends and family, it’s even more fun to look back at them
yourself and remember the good times you’ve had!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking a lot of pictures when you’re
trying to run a race isn’t the easiest thing to do, and I’ll be the first to
admit that I thought it would be hugely burdensome over long distances. Hence the complete lack of on-course photos
from my first few long distance races.
But I discovered some tricks over the past year that’s made it pretty
easy to score more photos…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, if you’re already carrying
a phone that has a decent camera in it, use it.
I carry my iPhone 4S in an arm pocket and thought it would be a royal
PITA to take it out and put it back in repeatedly, but I quickly realized a
couple things: 1. With a little practice, it’s really <i>not</i> that hard to maneuver, and 2. I tended to take three or four
photos in a row, then run a mile or more without any before wanting my camera
handy again – so it was easier to run with my phone/camera in my hand between
photo stops, then put it away for a while before pulling it back out for a few
more shots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, know that there is almost </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">always</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> someone available to take your
picture, so make sure you’re IN some of them!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At designated course photo stops, you’ll find volunteers or Disney staff
on hand to snap your pic with characters and props.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t worry – they’ve seen every photo-taking
device known to man and can use all of ‘em without instructions. Should you
find yourself wanting to be in a shot without a dedicated photographer, look
around and ask for help!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chances are
other runners are taking the same pic and will happily
take your pic.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be sure to pay it forward
and take theirs, too.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Race volunteers
and theme park staff members are also happy to help you out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plan out timing and transportation ahead of time.</b> Like, not at 3am. Are you driving to a race? Read the race materials carefully to learn the appropriate route/s and road closures. Make sure you have gas in the tank. And don't forget to turn on your headlights - 3am is freaking dark. (Yes, I saw quite a few cars on the way to races with no lights on. Skeery.) Figure out ahead of time how you'll store your car key while running. Write down or take a pic of where you're parked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking a race bus? Find out ahead of time where it will be making stops - this varies by resort. Locate your stop and walk to it in daylight from your room so you'll know where to go in the dark, wee hours of the morn. Take a look at the race materials to determine where buses will be after the race, then follow the signs to your bus when you're ready to go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most importantly, leave plenty of time to get to the race. If buses start running at 3am, you can bet I'm on a bus or in my car no later than 3:05. Because <i>every</i> race, at least one bus driver gets lost and takes forever getting to the race and the poor runners on board have to scramble to make it to their corrals on time. And at <i>every </i>race, there comes a time when traffic is heavy and cars back up trying to park. Leave early, don't get stuck in traffic, and enjoy the extra time to relax before your race.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Know thyself. </b>Race weekend is <i>not </i>the time to abandon your routine. After months of training, and years of living in your own skin, you'll know your individual needs - do as much as you can to meet them. How much sleep do you need to feel good? What kinds of foods can you eat and how often do you need to eat? Can you walk around all day and still feel good to run double digits at night? Does heat and sun exposure wipe you out? Do large, noisy crowds stress or invigorate you? Think carefully about what you need to feel strong and healthy, and adjust your plans accordingly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I happen to have a cast-iron stomach; pretty much nothing makes me have GI issues, so I don't worry much about food, but some folks need to eat very specific items to race well. You can find menus for all WDW restaurants at <a href="http://allears.net/" target="_blank">Allears.net</a> - check them out ahead of time and make meal plans accordingly. Bring favorite items with you from home, or plan a trip to a local grocery store.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I need adequate sleep to be of sound mind and body, so I plan to be in bed by 7pm before early morning races. I also can't spend much time on my feet before night races, so I spend afternoons before those napping. It means forgoing some park time, but I know I'll be better for it. If you don't need much sleep, or aren't bothered by time on your feet before racing, hit the parks and have fun!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots of folks bring nothing more to a race than what they'll carry on the course. I am not one of those people. I MUST foam roll before and after running, and I like a change of clothes after the race, and I need my reading glasses to read the eight-million new text messages and social media posts after racing. Lucky for folks like me, runDisney's bag check bags hold a ton of stuff and are very easy to drop off and pick up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Find a race buddy!</b> If your'e running a race with a friend, and you're in the same corral, and you're planning to run the same pace - great! You're all set.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the planets don't usually align that perfectly for most runners. And it's totally fine to go it alone - I've done that more times than not. But I promise - you'll have more fun at a Disney race with a buddy. And it's pretty darned easy to find some...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a friend starting in the same corral? Super! Agree to hang out together in the corral, but run your own pace once the race starts. Don't worry - you'll find more buddies soon...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a look around you in that first mile - is another runner going the same pace as you? Do you keep passing each other on opposite intervals? Did you both pull over for the same photo? Say something! "Hee hee - feels like we're playing tag here!" Or, "I'll take your pic, if you'll take mine!" Or maybe, "Have you done runDisney races before?" Nine times out of ten, a short conversation will ensue and you'll find it to be fun! Don't worry if you lose each other after a few minutes - there are more race buddies to be found...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chat with someone in a porta-potty line. Compliment a fellow runner's shirt. Ask where she got her super-cute headband. In the middle of my solo Enchanted 10K, another runner asked if my 5K and 10K tattoos were real - I told her they were temporary and where I got them, which led to a chat about running skirts, which led to talking costumes for future races, and in no time a mile had flown by!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A race buddy, even if he/she is a temporary one, is invaluable when your feet hurt, you're tired, your head's no longer into it, and you're ready to quit. If you spy a friend, reach out, tell him/her how you're feeling, ask for a word or two to boost you up. Look for other runners who seem to be in the same place and say something encouraging to them; it'll help <i>you</i> feel better, too. Lead a cheer of "KILL THE HILL" and help a couple dozen other runners get through that final overpass. When it comes down to it, we're <i>all </i>each others' race buddies, which is a pretty beautiful thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which brings me to...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Join a running group. </b> Listen - I'm not a social runner. A large part of what I enjoy most about running long distances is the chance to be alone with my own thoughts; out on a long run, I'm not Mom, or Friend, or Employee, or Blogger - I'm just me, free to let my thoughts run without interruption, or to blissfully not be required to think at all. So I'm here to tell you that you don't need to be an outgoing extrovert to join a running group.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's because running groups come in all sorts of sizes and packages. There are local groups who meet to run and socialize, and local groups that meet to train hard. There are online groups that "meet" across the miles in social media groups. There are groups that welcome new runners, and groups that cater to elites; groups that chat only about running, and groups that talk about anything and everything; groups that focus on a certain race or series of races, and groups that aren't specific to any race at all. There is truly a group for every runner, of this I am certain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The key is to find a group that makes you feel supported, encouraged, secure and confident. I had to try on a few different groups to find "my" running group, and when I did stumble upon it, I wasn't sure I even <i>wanted </i>to be part of a group at all. But in the year+ I've spent with the amazing folks in my group, I've found a family of runners with whom I can be myself. I can tell or ask them almost anything and get well-thought, honest answers and replies. We can all have lousy runs and hear from our friends that we're not alone and tomorrow will be a better day. We support each other through illnesses and injuries, and shout to the rafters to cheer each others' successes. At races, we make time to connect in person through meals and meet-ups, on race courses and in Disney parks. Though we may joke and lightly tease about silly things, we never go on the attack over differing views or life choices. We encompass all ages, speeds, sizes, colors, genders and occupations and, though we have so many differences, our love of running trumps it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can honestly say that I would not have run at least one race without the support of my running group. Injured and afraid, I was 99% ready to bail on the WDW Half-Marathon this year. It wasn't the kind of thing I wanted to admit to anyone, but I did to my running group - who promptly circled their wagons and convinced me that while I might not feel up to going for a new personal record, I <i>could </i>finish the race and have a really fun time doing it. They were absolutely right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you run happily without ever joining a running group? Of course! But I promise, finding a group that fits you and your needs can only be beneficial and is totally worth the effort of finding. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TOTALLY worth the effort of finding you - GO TEAM!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that wraps it up! Thanks for reading along - do you have more tips for running Disney races? Share them in the comments, or do your own blog post about them, let me know, and I'll link to them here!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~~~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've got one more, non-Disney long distance race next week, and then I'll be going into my off-season for the summer. Because summer in Florida is freaking HOT, y'all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember how I was done with the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/tower-of-terror-10-miler/" target="_blank">Tower of Terror 10-Miler</a> after the last one? Yeah, well... I'm signed up for another round. And the 2014 <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/wine-and-dine-half-marathon/" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half-Marathon</a>, too. So in another six months, I'll be back to running Disney :)</span></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-49411851566181949062014-03-12T08:00:00.000-07:002014-06-05T13:19:16.274-07:00Race Recap 3: 2014 runDisney Princess Half-Marathon - final leg of my Princess Triple Crown!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2am. Stupidest-Early EVER. Time to get up, get ready, get to the race. Yet again. ~yawn~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's how it felt, too. The joy and excitement of three consecutive days of racing had left the building faster than Elvis and had been replaced by... well, by ambivalence. It's not that I was dreading another race, so much as I didn't really care much about it. I just wasn't that into it, if you will.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#ALLTHERACES! Temporary tattoos from <a href="http://sparkleathletic.com/" target="_blank">Sparkle Athletic</a> - thanks ladies!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still, I had people to see, things to do, so I hauled my tired ass out of bed and into the shower, pulled on clothes, and got out the door in search of a bus stop. NOTE: I strongly suggest figuring out where is your nearest bus stop A. in the light of day and B. at a time other than Stupidest-Early EVER. I knew I was too tired to operate my vehicle by that point, and really didn't want to drag myself another quarter-mile after the race to get to my car, so I opted to take a race bus. Only, I went the wrong direction, in search of the bus stop. Halfway across the parking lot, I saw a Princess heading toward me with purpose... and I asked, "Am I going the wrong way for the bus?" She smiled, said "Yes! Come with me - I'm going there, too!" and led me in the proper direction. Thanks, fellow Princess! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bus took a while going through its many stops around the Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR), but arrived at the race with plenty of time before the start. A short walk and very speedy, efficient security check later, I was in the Race Retreat tent, sitting with a few running group friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ah, Race Retreat. Where I could eat breakfast, lay my weary head upon the table for a 5-minute nap, use a semi-private porta-potty, leave my race bag at the last possible moment, and return later for a full breakfast, more semi-private porta-pottying, and quick retrieval of my race bag.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What <i>is </i>this mystical Race Retreat? In runDisney's words:<br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e5763; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Race Retreat is a great way for runners to prepare for their race, get pampered, and reunite with friends and family once the race is over.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Race Retreat Package Features</span></b></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pre-Race Amenities</span></strong></div>
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<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Temperature-controlled tent with lounges</span></li>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Post-Race Amenities</span></strong></div>
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<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breakfast with hot and cold beverages</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Changing tents</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Self-treatment station</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10-minute massage for only $10 (subject to availability)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Designated location to meet friends and family to celebrate your accomplishment!*</span></li>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other Amenities:</span></strong></div>
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<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Disney Character greetings</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Live video feed from the Finish Line</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; color: #4e5763; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin: 5px 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Information Station</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">All this could be had for the 2014 price of $120.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">GULP!!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Yeah, it was a lot. But... when I worked a little Fuzzy Disney Math (FDM), it <i>totally</i> made sense to add Race Retreat to my half-marathon day! I'd have bought myself breakfast somewhere, anyway ($12), as well as some hot cocoa ($3), water ($5), Powerade ($3) and a banana ($3). I'd get some kind of "free" Race Retreat gift ($15), too. I'd save gas and mileage on my car ($10). So for around $70, I'd get a place to eat, take shelter from any inclement weather, semi-private facilities and a quick bag check. A relative bargain when it comes to Disney, right?!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So, yeah - I spent some pre-race time trying to wake-up in Race Retreat before the call to corrals came and we headed out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The Princess Half-Marathon corral situation is very different from the 5K and 10K setup. There were many more corrals - A through P, to be exact - and all were located a half-mile or so from the pre-race staging area. 25,000ish of us slowly made our way over and our little group split up to take final potty stops and to get into our respective corrals. I'd been assigned to corral I, but no one left in my group was in I, so I opted to move back to J with two great ladies from my running group. Anxious though I was to get the race started and over with, I wanted even more to start with some familiar faces as I began the final leg of my own Triple Crown and <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#slipper" target="_blank">runDisney's Glass Slipper Challenge</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The announcers worked up the crowd, the national anthem played, corrals A - I took off, and BOOM! so did we. No pic this time, but I'm pretty sure we got something fancier than roman candles for that race.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My plan was to walk a huge chunk of the first few miles, alternating 1/4-mile walks with 1/4-mile run/walking and I quickly lost sight of one of my friends as she took off at her much faster pace. My friend Anne (go visit her at <a href="http://outrunningthefork.com/" target="_blank">Outrunning the Fork</a>!), though, was walk/running a similar pace and we wound up playing a little game of tag through the first couple of dark miles before losing each other.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I don't remember much about the first 3 or so miles - I didn't really feel awake, it was still dark, and I had a hard time getting into a comfortable groove. Oh, and it was even <i>more</i> humid than the day before. Hard to imagine? Here's a visual for ya:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkjQ9KAf2w44vVQGv6iZ1J_QoV7OC0cb8TDD5uEaCMZlvSqkGdAdD5ejKeoMTWLhXuMXFV3w1JHiBqJ1QDGIS2kDdRc7Jo7rTxcCj3ZKKQDtBW0hXYUvaMd9HjzeKqEY2A8fvoFy6n4l7/s1600/MKgate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkjQ9KAf2w44vVQGv6iZ1J_QoV7OC0cb8TDD5uEaCMZlvSqkGdAdD5ejKeoMTWLhXuMXFV3w1JHiBqJ1QDGIS2kDdRc7Jo7rTxcCj3ZKKQDtBW0hXYUvaMd9HjzeKqEY2A8fvoFy6n4l7/s1600/MKgate.jpg" height="213" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At some point, "humid" no longer applies. What was going on there was just plain WET air. <br />Like running through a tunnel of WET.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">With no time goal in mind, I had it in my head that I'd stop for a fair number of photos. And having missed it in the 2014 WDW Half-Marathon, I got myself over to course left to grab a pic with the hothothot exotic car display! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nJwPcQWEFrg96yl7Rdove7z-ZmDJhwOssRKSV6dnQvxuIRl603hPeXcG5uHj6epc8AIn0sY8U3qrPoa5reQYCXc61pfIX4AQcJAlEBoVXjVrTRNahzLq2BhWos8MGpWdrcNRrN8-aU7c/s1600/cars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nJwPcQWEFrg96yl7Rdove7z-ZmDJhwOssRKSV6dnQvxuIRl603hPeXcG5uHj6epc8AIn0sY8U3qrPoa5reQYCXc61pfIX4AQcJAlEBoVXjVrTRNahzLq2BhWos8MGpWdrcNRrN8-aU7c/s1600/cars.jpg" height="310" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone else was posing with the drivers and the NASCAR car to the right. I only had eyes for the Lambo and the photog worked my phone to take a pic without the race car... but driver dude couldn't resist jumping in. FAIL.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three miles done, 10 more to go and I was feeling okay. Not stellar, but not bad - okay. As the sun came up, I started feeling more awake and able to take in my surroundings. I chatted with a few other runners as we wound through the Ticket and Transportation Center parking lot, and grabbed a shot of the awesome Japanese drummers out at Stupidest-Early EVER to keep us going.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tTCuJx6r1WhLpko3NwHL3air0AprMPCk-WPSlR7YgmdcFaM8ao_xEzoC1BxTZP4Iy_kptTmUYBtP9XKlZoxyNX4RCJ8td6DXm_YRLA3aYSJ8HJLpBVv1Y0FIf84MBwb6E74PKVJeMRQu/s1600/drummers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tTCuJx6r1WhLpko3NwHL3air0AprMPCk-WPSlR7YgmdcFaM8ao_xEzoC1BxTZP4Iy_kptTmUYBtP9XKlZoxyNX4RCJ8td6DXm_YRLA3aYSJ8HJLpBVv1Y0FIf84MBwb6E74PKVJeMRQu/s1600/drummers.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thought of entering the Magic Kingdom - and stopping for a few pictures - kept me plugging away through Mile 4 and next stop...</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6Dy5QKd-DeZbJPXx4DCdZO0chdC9FJHaaIvvjF8rE0mUPbdmTDq55P96AF-KqiM1ZdYn8iNAPea92pmQdqwo9Lj0yMgsLtYA16pck2vRHptEEgNM4DEyLoSaJZK0_7r2-RxBVZENuW2B/s1600/castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6Dy5QKd-DeZbJPXx4DCdZO0chdC9FJHaaIvvjF8rE0mUPbdmTDq55P96AF-KqiM1ZdYn8iNAPea92pmQdqwo9Lj0yMgsLtYA16pck2vRHptEEgNM4DEyLoSaJZK0_7r2-RxBVZENuW2B/s1600/castle.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sun's up, but note the shroud of WET surrounding Cindy's castle.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Main Street, USA!!!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Folks, if you haven't experienced this, let me say - entering Main St. after a relatively quiet few miles will get any runner going! The roar of the crowd, the smiles on your fellow runners' faces, the excitement of being in the Happiest Place on Earth - it all makes for an easy, almost too quick, jaunt through the park. This portion of the course has gone by MUCH too quickly for me in previous races, so I made a point to slow down, take it all in, and, yes - stop for more pics...</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKOjy2i30469fJq8OC-4A9lK1PgI5foqsEDQ-zfZHnc0rSjaf_ZBmnTJ2nPgRoPmQyEfX6W-Yyax1ZaNOzsnlh_ZEwgCEbvw-ZudPrC8MwZ97CtnrUd9Sk-KNPKVpvwQ3vmd_47ugnH4e/s1600/tland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKOjy2i30469fJq8OC-4A9lK1PgI5foqsEDQ-zfZHnc0rSjaf_ZBmnTJ2nPgRoPmQyEfX6W-Yyax1ZaNOzsnlh_ZEwgCEbvw-ZudPrC8MwZ97CtnrUd9Sk-KNPKVpvwQ3vmd_47ugnH4e/s1600/tland.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Entering Tomorrowland from Main St.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizONruJ1VF3rOYH9QWWaVs7qrkGr4mXvRaw95zqFBIV-tPUUgO7Dn8VFA6zjWxXZcEaoz7DMnqOC6vCB5AueSocDqgxOFT3jhdrrZZSky8u-0mx0jZPndXz-SpSYH1e4RrZFUHXqss10V1/s1600/herald.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizONruJ1VF3rOYH9QWWaVs7qrkGr4mXvRaw95zqFBIV-tPUUgO7Dn8VFA6zjWxXZcEaoz7DMnqOC6vCB5AueSocDqgxOFT3jhdrrZZSky8u-0mx0jZPndXz-SpSYH1e4RrZFUHXqss10V1/s1600/herald.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About to run through the castle - see the trumpeters up there? <br />They busted out a wicked-good herald of the theme from Rocky!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I had </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">promised</i><span style="line-height: 18px;"> myself and others that this time, not only would I stop for the iconic photo in front of the castle, I'd make it an epic shot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I think I succeeded!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDWHjDLKqD0oV5Q24PxXd7AwI8YBfE0Q1USNIr2p9odoN5-XSEpQZkPV_WtKWGsufhQyaDGQ4fd5cp0TGSM_pT0AANYnf__z0SqLR881pFNqmcRqRZsb2YZK0qZvsT7c4doTtS6L-YyFe/s1600/castlejump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDWHjDLKqD0oV5Q24PxXd7AwI8YBfE0Q1USNIr2p9odoN5-XSEpQZkPV_WtKWGsufhQyaDGQ4fd5cp0TGSM_pT0AANYnf__z0SqLR881pFNqmcRqRZsb2YZK0qZvsT7c4doTtS6L-YyFe/s1600/castlejump.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Princess air, baybee! Still waiting on a good package to purchase...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I'd also been tasked by a friend with getting a few unusual photos during the</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> race. I failed pretty epically on most of the list, but I did get this. And I am super-crazy glad I did - it might be my favorite photo from the whole damn race weekend!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnEi0k4PddXSRWmr3qUuv2BMYwh_FSVHLxocmWSDKotu4qlhKc9qLaFDnlw9ehwtg_2dZpU3wEAtQgv9YDZ8F2tGaImB0187wpBFfqADILlbjXdhw28alB02l2NmXEG8HZU3Oi5UBbEYO/s1600/sword.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnEi0k4PddXSRWmr3qUuv2BMYwh_FSVHLxocmWSDKotu4qlhKc9qLaFDnlw9ehwtg_2dZpU3wEAtQgv9YDZ8F2tGaImB0187wpBFfqADILlbjXdhw28alB02l2NmXEG8HZU3Oi5UBbEYO/s1600/sword.jpg" height="400" width="253" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you believe this isn't an official photo stop?! Luckily, a very nice Cast Member was right there, taking time to cheer us on, and he was happy to snap a pic for me. Thank you!!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Although... this one is a contender for Favorite, too. :)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MsQ4WDoPL50AbXtN6gn3rp5MjirtypdDGfRPkWgcoHNjTc0WaD8Bs9QLu0RSzZQZNwPzX25dU3-e-DEwXIfEJdtZXntciK-Vqa5Bfxyf4c_gHx5OoTDjer2a4LPh-hh0T9AI8jY6-gg4/s1600/Louis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MsQ4WDoPL50AbXtN6gn3rp5MjirtypdDGfRPkWgcoHNjTc0WaD8Bs9QLu0RSzZQZNwPzX25dU3-e-DEwXIfEJdtZXntciK-Vqa5Bfxyf4c_gHx5OoTDjer2a4LPh-hh0T9AI8jY6-gg4/s1600/Louis.jpg" height="400" width="273" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Louis, my favorite character in The Princess and the Frog!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Louis had a pretty decent line, but I was glad to stop moving for a bit. In fact, </span><i style="line-height: 18px;">not </i><span style="line-height: 18px;">moving felt pretty darned good. By the time I got up to Louis, I was enjoying not moving very much and was starting to feel sleepy again... and Louis was soft... and plush... and I seriously could have closed my eyes right there and been asleep in seconds, resting my head on his shoulder. I wasn't even remotely bothered by the fact that Louis' plushy softness was no doubt slathered in the sweat and germs of 10,000ish previous runners. That's saying... well, something. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">After exiting the Magic Kingdom around Mile 6, I mentally prepared for the next chunk of my race. I'm a second-half runner: give me any distance, and odds are I'll run the second half faster than the first. It's a strategy that's good for my body, as it has lots of time to warm-up and find its groove, and for my soul, as it nearly always means passing lots of other tired racers in the later miles. Second-half racing worked beautifully for me when I ran the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2013/03/race-recap-2013-princess-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">2013 Princess Half</a> - I wound up finishing that one feeling strong, fast and energized. And I had expectations of the same this year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Nope.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I dug deep, prepared to do less walking, more running and pick up the overall pace, and... nothing. I just had no motivation at all. Thinking maybe I just wasn't quite ready to pour on the speed, I pulled over for another photo...</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Z6NM7co4inUEu_jBT8qSTjO2oYVKN3ZJBzKY631P-G89Mw-XUs07xci3a7qJI2h39SozmYDhTHM5CiOg4sXackFOERONwyMruQQtEb3EKU7KDKyxqcTZWq_0Dp3GGcGOoze4nfK-ejI/s1600/Genie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Z6NM7co4inUEu_jBT8qSTjO2oYVKN3ZJBzKY631P-G89Mw-XUs07xci3a7qJI2h39SozmYDhTHM5CiOg4sXackFOERONwyMruQQtEb3EKU7KDKyxqcTZWq_0Dp3GGcGOoze4nfK-ejI/s1600/Genie.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't even particularly like this guy, let alone his movie!<br />I'd have done almost anything at that point to <i>not run.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I stopped even thinking about running after that. Walking along, I began entertaining thoughts of dropping out. I wasn't very serious about it, but pulling over to sit a spell sounded good. And if the sweeper unit came along to bus me to the finish, so be it. My feet were hurting, and my right shoulder was tight, but I wasn't injured and nothing was debilitatingly painful... I was just tired of running. And. Walking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then... I saw Anne. ANNE!!! I don't even recall if I caught up with her, or she caught up with me, but man-oh-man, was I happy to see a familiar face. As we walked together, I told her how OVER the race I was, she expressed a similar sentiment, and I'm pretty sure we agreed there and then that we'd neither of us do Princess weekend again, lol! But, we agreed, we were within a couple miles of the finish and it was silly to quit. So we kept plugging along with the agreement that if either of us felt like running, we'd run, and the other could choose to run or not, and we didn't want to hold one another back if we managed to find some hidden reserves of energy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We snagged this...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN9IKjndbTYDoMlrLmIUH4O35e0KoZqDkwqy0Cv2YLSLLc5QaNyXcWzcCEIP-Fq8bmndk3dg00nYPwV6QVzJb_Hr_R3EzzrLLOxw9OVTRXmdUR1PgQ_DTZyFzqhS6MehVJJUCrnxr3g5w/s1600/pirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN9IKjndbTYDoMlrLmIUH4O35e0KoZqDkwqy0Cv2YLSLLc5QaNyXcWzcCEIP-Fq8bmndk3dg00nYPwV6QVzJb_Hr_R3EzzrLLOxw9OVTRXmdUR1PgQ_DTZyFzqhS6MehVJJUCrnxr3g5w/s1600/pirates.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Barbosa does NOT do Jazz Hands. Aaaargh.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... and kept on keeping on. We walked, and talked, and ran a little, and pulled over for big globs of Biofreeze to smear on any parts in need of numbing and refreshing, and eked out another couple miles. We yelled out to some friends who passed us and did some leapfrogging as I ran the uphills and walked the downhills (IT Bands HATE downhill running, trust V), while Anne walked the uphills and ran the downhills. And soon, there it was... the Big Ball, off to our left, behind the Epcot parking lot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From our vantage point atop an overpass, we could see thousands of runners still behind us. THOUSANDS. As slow as we'd been moving, that was incredibly comforting. Laughing that we could literally crawl the rest of the way and not be swept (um, yeah - in hindsight, I suspect we were a lot closer to being swept than we thought...), we strolled slowly a little longer, got through Mile 11, and made our way into the backstage of Epcot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't stop for any more pictures, and I thought I remembered feeling only <i>slightly </i>more energized by knowing we were only a mile away from being DONE, and thanks to some very un-Princess-like folks pushing and jumping their way in front of us at each race photographer, I didn't think we'd have any photographic evidence of our exhausted selves dragging it home...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez0N4wrVAWf2wgGeHxmMy7H_41E60Fb5uBMoAS1iK-FncbHIC6iwasBbN2-u5nMc15bHL5PdpcGQBdi0i69Yn1jjLnX3Po7i4jxalkgofbt2WnMJhEWAV7fK2EbuUE8fQtM5UbMub6UMB/s1600/EPcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez0N4wrVAWf2wgGeHxmMy7H_41E60Fb5uBMoAS1iK-FncbHIC6iwasBbN2-u5nMc15bHL5PdpcGQBdi0i69Yn1jjLnX3Po7i4jxalkgofbt2WnMJhEWAV7fK2EbuUE8fQtM5UbMub6UMB/s1600/EPcollage.jpg" height="251" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PROOF... that we had fun!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow - for a couple of tired ladies who were totally DONE, we sure looked to be having a great time! Okay, maybe we were just delirious and veryveryvery happy to be near the end, but I think there was a healthy helping of having fun, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We walked a bit more through Epcot and back to the Big Ball and agreed that we'd run from there to the Finish. I willed whatever I had left into my legs and beat feet through the finish line with a "WOOOOO HOOOO!" and immediately turned to Anne, to offer a huggy and heartfelt "<i>Thank you!!!</i>" for helping me through those last few miles. I know I <i>could </i>have gotten through them alone... but I'm awfully glad I didn't have to!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anne and I grabbed our medals, made our way back to Race Retreat and pretty much dove into the buffet. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see eggs. And potatoes. And melon. And brown water labeled "Coffee" mixed with brown water marked "Hot Chocolate." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Worth. Every. Freaking. Penny. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another runner joined us at our small table and it was so nice to sit back, relax, sip coffee and water and chat about our individual races. And as we sat, a big-screen TV played live footage of the race... we got to see the very last person cross the finish and, for me, that was the moment I finally felt DONE with the race. #ALLTHERACES had been run and were closed, I'd gotten through my self-afflicted Triple Crown Challenge, and I had four medals to prove it. <i>That</i> pretty much required a champagne toast to celebrate!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9ICQ2_49UiaBde7cADqd2GhQqRFSqMs_LgnxdN6uwkxpkrmR49Qtt3BUOfN37vRTZ3bJ2NrGkrILdFDS6I0CoJLHMM2yT8_r9pFx_5CNXUWMFxn71WHprbLBNnvYuQZVL7SuWXyqlgV6/s1600/champagne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9ICQ2_49UiaBde7cADqd2GhQqRFSqMs_LgnxdN6uwkxpkrmR49Qtt3BUOfN37vRTZ3bJ2NrGkrILdFDS6I0CoJLHMM2yT8_r9pFx_5CNXUWMFxn71WHprbLBNnvYuQZVL7SuWXyqlgV6/s1600/champagne.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To us, Princess Anne - ROCKSTARS, the both of us!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anne and I parted ways and I grabbed a bus (yep, I was, indeed, happy not to have to schlep all the way back to my car) back to CBR, where I rushed through the fastest shower I've ever taken post-race, into clean clothes, and out to my car. Within an hour of finishing the Princess Half-Marathon, I was racing back to the Magic Kingdom to meet my running group for medal photos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only four of us made it, but it was worth the effort - I'm not sure I'd have managed to get this otherwise...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWDLbmjD5Yohc_UL2Ptq_A4lCGovlLeqGa3QD6CMva1PQgUW44z9Icq1sRAne5ntm0SU1NfjlMp1CmA4lK2G9-tY2FhbUwPkVMC1mkqsDxqrbKWuHQf7VWLvol9XmQN-ccJ2ctLcb9HAn/s1600/allthemedals.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FOUR medals!<br />5K, 10K, Half-Marathon and Glass Slipper Challenge - a medal for each.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWDLbmjD5Yohc_UL2Ptq_A4lCGovlLeqGa3QD6CMva1PQgUW44z9Icq1sRAne5ntm0SU1NfjlMp1CmA4lK2G9-tY2FhbUwPkVMC1mkqsDxqrbKWuHQf7VWLvol9XmQN-ccJ2ctLcb9HAn/s1600/allthemedals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I said goodbyes and thank you's to the fabulous folks with whom I chat online almost daily, and headed into the park for lunch, but faced with insane crowds and endless lines for food, I quickly returned to my car and headed back to CBR, where I enjoyed a long, leisurely lunch in the shade by the marina. It was the <i>perfect</i> way to rest my legs, get in some calories, and reflect on a very long weekend of experiences and accomplishments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~~~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/03/princess-12-marathon-weekend-final.html" target="_blank">Next: final thoughts, including TIPS for folks considering Disney races, a massive shout-out to my running friends, and why I <i>don't</i> plan to do this again next year!</a></span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-9611619412954276422014-03-05T10:30:00.000-08:002014-06-05T13:18:49.815-07:00Race Recap: 2014 runDisney Enchanted 10K! And other Princess stuff...<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I get to the second leg of my <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/02/2014-princess-goals-one-week-to-go.html" target="_blank">Princess Triple Crown</a> endeavor, I need to share a little bit about the rest of Day One.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After completing the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/02/race-recap-2014-cinderella-royal-family.html" target="_blank">Cinderella Royal Family 5K</a> Friday
morning, I headed back to my motel to eat, shower and rest a bit. I may be the exception here, but I was surprised
by how much TIME of my race weekend was taken up by eating, resting and
readying. It felt like I was constantly
eating; I’d had a bagel before the race, a protein bar immediately after, and I
was totally ready for a full breakfast again after. I also found that stripping off my race
outfit, hanging its parts around to dry, and readying my next day’s race outfit
took some time. After all of that, a
long shower, some checking in on social media, and a call home to see how
things were going in my absence, I didn’t have the time or energy to hit a
theme park. Instead, I got back into bed
and took a nap for an hour or so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a nap, it was time for a Princess-worthy tea at the
Grand Floridian! A small (small because that’s
all we could fit – reservations for the <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/grand-floridian-resort-and-spa/garden-view-tea-room/" target="_blank">Garden View Tea</a> go early and fast!)
group of us ladies gathered for high tea to celebrate the race weekend. I won’t go overboard on details, but wanted
to share because it was such a nice way to take a break from the race action, enjoy
some non-running time with friends, and… EAT!
Again.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Four mini sandwiches, followed by assorted pastries and strawberries & cream. <br />And I was hungry again a couple hours later.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I highly, highly recommend adding this to your race weekend,
should you be running future Princess events!
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After tea, I headed over to the <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/polynesian-resort/" target="_blank">Polynesian Resort</a>’s beach
for another non-race get-together. I’d
been invited to <a href="http://kristyrunskato.blogspot.com/2013/12/runnerslove-meet-up.html" target="_blank">#runnerslove</a>, a gathering of fellow Princess
runners/bloggers/blog readers, with the promise of many, many giveaways. Confession: this isn’t my kind of thing. I’m a bit of a loner, get very anxious about
new social settings, and am quite wary of any event promising “free”
stuff. But with a number of running
friends going, too, and having already “met” the meet-up’s leaders online, I
decided to give it a chance. I am SO
glad I did!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovis4nuopgRxoVL30fJfbk_IW6yk0NGFkkNC0RvfGgqQFMaU_3ixxAawce2GIMCAsZDFFyrGMcspX75m_77c-Hg3NzMFOtl2HcXTfvADfmD3Mwq7P17tFRqXFcBuz7TFVh97SKzvn4eow/s1600/runnerslove2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovis4nuopgRxoVL30fJfbk_IW6yk0NGFkkNC0RvfGgqQFMaU_3ixxAawce2GIMCAsZDFFyrGMcspX75m_77c-Hg3NzMFOtl2HcXTfvADfmD3Mwq7P17tFRqXFcBuz7TFVh97SKzvn4eow/s1600/runnerslove2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kristy (of <a href="http://kristyrunskato.blogspot.com/">Kristy
Runs Kato</a> – go read it) and Meg (of <a href="http://www.runawayroyaltymeg.com/" target="_blank">Runaway Royalty</a> - go read it, too) were terrific hosts, making us all feel
welcome and excited. They also get mad
props for dealing with both an impending rain storm and noisy construction going
on behind us. I really wondered if
either had <i>any</i> voice left
afterward. Well done, ladies! And the giveaways? PLENTIFUL!
I don’t think anyone left empty-handed.
Including me:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: start;">How did they know I was in need of a new visor?!</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">Perfect!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the meet-up, I headed into the Polynesian to grab a
quick dinner, then drove back to my motel to decompress, get everything ready
for the next morning, and get some shut-eye.</span></div>
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<o:p><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Two, Race Two: the Inaugural runDisney <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#enchanted" target="_blank">Enchanted 10K</a>, the first event of the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#slipper" target="_blank">Glass Slipper Challenge</a>!</span></b></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This one required an even earlier Stupid-Early wake-up: 2:45am to get out the door by 3:30am. Really, I should have gotten up at 2:30am; I woke with a pounding headache, tight muscles, and the need for a long, hot shower. I settled for a short shower and I think I managed to hit the road by 3:45. I again drove to the race, which also started and finished in the Epcot parking lot, and was again parked within 10 minutes of leaving my room.</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite eating a bagel with peanut butter and downing some caffeinated brown water (NoOffenseJoffrey's), my headache continued to get worse as time went on. I sucked it up and smiled my way through another pre-race meet-up with my running group (which was pretty easy, since despite the pain, I <i>was</i> happy to be there!), and jumped in line for a final porta-potty stop before it was time to get into our corrals. The lines were much longer that day, and by the time I got done, corrals had been called and my friends had all dispersed. I was on my own for this one.</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not complaining - I like running on my own! It's actually a surprise to me that I've come to enjoy running with friends so much. So I was fine with being on my own and got ready to settle into my corral (C) to wait my turn to start. And, actually, I wound up having a nice chat with a lady next to me about runDisney events, the crazy recent weather, and race costumes. The time flew by and next thing we knew...</span></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THREE roman candles! Oooo, aaaaaahhh...</span></td></tr>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... we were OFF!</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My goal once again, was to take it easy: lots of walking, a little easy running, no sprinting. Get it done, remain uninjured, live to run the next day.</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the first few miles, I did just that. The on-course crowding was significantly less for me than in the previous day's 5K. I had plenty of room to walk, run, pass, be passed, and pull over to tie my shoes. Repeatedly. I wore my new <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/01/shoe-review-brooks-ravenna-4.html" target="_blank">Brooks Ravennas</a> and quickly discovered that their laces were still pretty stretchy; no matter how tight I tied a knot, the laces kept stretching, and I kept pulling over to tighten them up. Good thing I wasn't looking for a fast time, I guess.</span></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With Elsa making it snow from an overpass above us!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wsDUH4JZzFc4-U7fyeWHfa3UthDtKmhJhPBdGHm1MrPpSOUXhpxPdralUIyTNUMqqcV4IiCDFLH5Rk-2opmXiatdA5UqxNrWI1SpQoT2t3PamkdQy20H7CHgGG01IkquckY4w28inmFw/s1600/Wrongway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wsDUH4JZzFc4-U7fyeWHfa3UthDtKmhJhPBdGHm1MrPpSOUXhpxPdralUIyTNUMqqcV4IiCDFLH5Rk-2opmXiatdA5UqxNrWI1SpQoT2t3PamkdQy20H7CHgGG01IkquckY4w28inmFw/s1600/Wrongway.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trust V - in the dark, wee hours of the morn, this is HI-larious.</span></td></tr>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... and up over another overpass before turning back down to the backstage area of Epcot, from where we entered World Showcase.</span></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPNuVH0_CDV8FkmfrtU3SyN3_gbgnDAZM25PMb3GHvYq7lW-eiJ1-6GjRnu0CrrawReDj-7FzGO-oSLmzOE6zZyapnTy4GbVi8WqBfsxUKhSBpl9UwfS4P4hvXkP9l0sgaT7Llk2F5iov/s1600/entering+WS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPNuVH0_CDV8FkmfrtU3SyN3_gbgnDAZM25PMb3GHvYq7lW-eiJ1-6GjRnu0CrrawReDj-7FzGO-oSLmzOE6zZyapnTy4GbVi8WqBfsxUKhSBpl9UwfS4P4hvXkP9l0sgaT7Llk2F5iov/s1600/entering+WS.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd like to mention something at this point. See how fuzzy that pic above is? That's only partly due to camera movement. The rest is due to extreme humidity. I believe it was in the high-60s that morning, with around 100% humidity. Which was NOT helping my headache. At all. Every running step made my head throb, and I could feel a migraine hovering in the wings, ready to take its curtain call at any moment. So I slowed way down through World Showcase and made myself stop to take some pictures.</span></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDjhZoVe8rs_ZDJT_9GzIw1pDigmlXkzaoVDPdHkGwZ3vIlzUwkNRz6w2P3AeLsaLkLVeDZRd7jZRLYuQyDgX3YiZIELx3mrOuLPJa-PWG6SrYztGQ8Q1r6KzX9jE8pVD_ezBK7sxTDkY/s1600/dwarves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDjhZoVe8rs_ZDJT_9GzIw1pDigmlXkzaoVDPdHkGwZ3vIlzUwkNRz6w2P3AeLsaLkLVeDZRd7jZRLYuQyDgX3YiZIELx3mrOuLPJa-PWG6SrYztGQ8Q1r6KzX9jE8pVD_ezBK7sxTDkY/s1600/dwarves.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snow White and some topiary dwarves. This seemed like a brilliant shot at the time. <br />Now, it looks s little odd - Happy looks ready to attack and Grumpy looks like he might cut someone.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiwAmln1SUFw57N1a6zB5HfVDNkxsjhLg-Tl-AGGHGqQx59thc6wipz59Hcq8gYaqoHQVO-_gKUbf3jC4ZFclms1IGkS5jxS_ek2_tm6s0i8NM4X42ce9QQMTOepElxDZW4k3bWV1UGkA/s1600/Jiminy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiwAmln1SUFw57N1a6zB5HfVDNkxsjhLg-Tl-AGGHGqQx59thc6wipz59Hcq8gYaqoHQVO-_gKUbf3jC4ZFclms1IGkS5jxS_ek2_tm6s0i8NM4X42ce9QQMTOepElxDZW4k3bWV1UGkA/s1600/Jiminy.jpg" height="320" width="187" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.030000686645508px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"Temptations. They're the wrong things that seem right at the time..."<br />Like, oh, say... three races totaling 22.4 miles over three days, Jiminy???</span></span></td></tr>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">I. am. SO. glad. I stopped for this! </span><span style="text-align: center;">Jiminy had a long line, but it was time for me to eat (again) anyway, so I parked it in line, ate a Cliff Bar and finished just in time for my photo turn.</span></span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With some fuel in me and the morning dew beginning to burn off some, my head started to feel a little better, and I picked up the pace to get through the remainder of World Showcase and out to loop around the Epcot resorts.</span></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really, really enjoyed that part of the course! I've run the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/07/who-ran-disney-i-did.html" target="_blank">Boardwalk/Epcot Resorts loops </a>before, and have strolled that loop more times than I can count, so I was already very familiar with the setting and knew where I might want to break off for a quick pic or two.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Had this been open, I'd have been buying. A cold 'rita on the rocks sounded <i>wonderful!</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back story: about a decade or so ago, I was an avid swing dancer and spent quite a few evenings at the Atlantic Dance Hall, listening and dancing to the amazing big bands that used to play there almost weekly! It was a fun, fun time in my life, so I <i>had</i> to pull over, break into a little Charleston, and ask a maintenance guy to document the moment with my camera. I neglected to ask him to skip the ambulance. Tho.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rest of the race is something of a blur to me... I finished the Epcot Resorts loop, reentered Epcot through backstage (saw more kegs, but didn't stop for another pic), raced past the Land pavilion and the Big Ball, and crossed the Finish feeling strangely better than when I'd started!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a nice time running the Enchanted 10K. Yet, when I came across some running friends afterward, I heard myself saying I thought it was a "one and done," that I had "no burning desire to run that course again." And at the time, I really didn't. I was surprised at how little entertainment there'd been in the early miles and it just didn't feel like a good value for the cost, especially compared to the Royal Family 5K. This, from a gal who's proclaimed repeatedly that she doesn't need all of that Disney stuff to enjoy a race!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In retrospect, I think I was feeling much worse than I was willing to admit. My head continued to pound all day and I was feeling the effects of not enough sleep. With some time passed, I'd actually like to run that course again - 10K is a great distance: short enough not to be too taxing, long enough to have some fun and get some decent running in. I honestly think that if I didn't have the half-marathon looming the next day, I'd have enjoyed the Enchanted 10K much more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rest of my day was spent cleaning up, getting things ready for the next race, resting a bit, and eating (again... and again... and again.) I had a yummy dinner meet-up at Beaches & Cream with my running group, so I popped over to Epcot first to take care of renewing my annual pass. With no real nap that day, I hightailed it back to my motel after dinner and got myself into bed by 7pm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then tossed. And turned. And stretched tight legs. And got up for some water. And to use the bathroom. And <i>finally </i>fell asleep somewhere around 9:30pm. Much later than I wanted, with Even Stupider-Early right around the corner...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/03/race-recap-3-2014-rundisney-princess.html" target="_blank">Next: the main event... the Princess Half-Marathon!</a></span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-12333393290217951362014-02-27T09:16:00.001-08:002014-06-05T13:18:00.257-07:00Race Recap: 2014 Cinderella Royal Family 5K!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, yes, I will be the first to admit it… my last post was
BORING. But so was my day – as it was
supposed to be; calm, relaxed, boring in preparation for the insanity about to
ensue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At 3:30am. Also known
as Stupid-Early. That’s when the
insanity ensued. Leg 1 of my go at the
Princess Triple Crown: the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#royal-family-5k" target="_blank">Cinderella Royal Family 5K</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQABuSPg503K-5LbiC58FX7l1m-jvw1BsAjEDpMdnfoBTpcm5eherGdh2LlTOtHFanppllYJhbLAJ9SJidajghcXkv25NJvDGBVJeevT95cZkYPps9o4nyA8mkgrVH-PRAXix4ywALTVVA/s1600/allthecrowns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQABuSPg503K-5LbiC58FX7l1m-jvw1BsAjEDpMdnfoBTpcm5eherGdh2LlTOtHFanppllYJhbLAJ9SJidajghcXkv25NJvDGBVJeevT95cZkYPps9o4nyA8mkgrVH-PRAXix4ywALTVVA/s1600/allthecrowns.jpg" height="301" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The race didn’t start until 6:15am, but we had to be at the
start line staging area by 5am, which meant leaving my hotel at 4:15am to fit
in time to eat, use a porta-potty and see some friends before getting into our
corrals. And I needed 45 minutes to get
myself together because – one of several big firsts for me that weekend – I had
an actual costume to don!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given my now-blonde hair and the 5K’s Cinderella theme,
Cindy seemed like a natural fit and my outfit had a number of parts to get on, including
a tiara. Tiaras, of course, leave hair
exposed, so I needed time to get my mop of blonde fuzz under control too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I opted to drive to the 5K because I’m not a fan of
buses. For one thing, the seats are
always so high, my feet don’t reach the ground, which is not comfy before or
after a race. Also, buses would need to
make a few stops to pick up folks all around my hotel, which takes time; I knew
driving would be faster, allowing me more time to get myself together and eat. And then there’s this: buses are full of
people, and people in February are all too often cesspools of germ
activity. I needed to stay healthy for
two more races, so driving my own car was a no-brainer. For those considering the drive vs. bus conundrum,
let me say this: it took me exactly 10 minutes to get from my Caribbean Beach
Resort (CBR) room to a parking space at Epcot, where the race was to begin and end. No WAY could a bus have gotten me there
faster! Now, that speed was offset some by a
pretty decent walk to and from the race start/finish area. I was fine with that, as my legs needed the
stretch anyway, but do keep that in mind when making the decision yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a breakfast in my car of a bagel with peanut butter
and a travel mug of the lukewarm brown water Disney insists on referring to as "coffee", I headed over to the staging area to meet up with
my running group, take some pre-race pics and hit the porta-potties a couple
times. This was great for me; I don’t
like feeling rushed and stressed about time, and I had ample time to chat away
pre-race nerves and sort out any last minute costume issues… like, oh,
ill-placed race bib pins.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWwGYDPL3ei1FIAZrOovhKC9f-LyujX_PQ1eI4QA9awF5EXzon3far7xofoYZlOL4LMYUfOPbZQh18VHRvEMLWrbMmVYyXsLrFkMr9SMiZcL0uIu62rS7Lux2AvvAo6Nxr-ExxUq7FQjg/s1600/lot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWwGYDPL3ei1FIAZrOovhKC9f-LyujX_PQ1eI4QA9awF5EXzon3far7xofoYZlOL4LMYUfOPbZQh18VHRvEMLWrbMmVYyXsLrFkMr9SMiZcL0uIu62rS7Lux2AvvAo6Nxr-ExxUq7FQjg/s1600/lot.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: if you are short-waisted, watch where you're pinning your bib, or the pins can wind up in, er... <i>unfortunate</i> spots. Many thanks to some good, good running friends for pointing this out <i>before </i>the race started.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found the pre-race staging area to be amply sized for the
10,000ish folks racing and their accompanying friends/families; we had plenty of
room to mill around and porta-potty lines were never too long. Before long, it was time to get into our corrals
and get the party started!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXF9MIAXf0eUs_Rhf1kGGhS-nBDjN3su9eZEflBSnch6k7IQTHEtgR8Fb-quPm9jXj1IQUtUL3ZY3DbSt9qg7ZYLUt59T1cK2zqYpyNWF6KhdbyFduJ43JOX0IVKnkrHW6nVfavmH72CCd/s1600/start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXF9MIAXf0eUs_Rhf1kGGhS-nBDjN3su9eZEflBSnch6k7IQTHEtgR8Fb-quPm9jXj1IQUtUL3ZY3DbSt9qg7ZYLUt59T1cK2zqYpyNWF6KhdbyFduJ43JOX0IVKnkrHW6nVfavmH72CCd/s1600/start.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's the Start line, waiting for us!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My assigned corral for the 5K was D, and corrals ran A
through E. The way things worked this
year was that we got into our assigned corrals and waited as each corral,
beginning with A, was routed out of its barricades, past the other corrals, and
up to the Start. The National Anthem was
sung, the wheelchair participants took off, and then the corrals began. It took about 5 or so minutes for each corral
to start, so D didn’t head out until about 6:30am.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My goal for the 5K was to mostly walk, stop for lots of
pictures, and generally just have a fun time with no attention paid to pace at
all. I was lucky to find that a couple
of new running friends had the same plan and were in corral D with me. We had an absolute BLAST!!! I don’t think I could have asked for better
partners in crime for that race; we were equal parts enthusiastic, silly, irreverent
and tired and there was pretty much nothing we didn’t find fun along those 3.1
miles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our hilarity started early, as the course took us through a
great, big parking lot devoid of any entertainment at all. So. We
made our own, of course.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcHczaEtZwRE03NyttadUuIcBBI4WSTXNBLHV26rPFKo5w5q_NCA539w1zN_UtNgoR6ZMNaVurdGI2ySFzIA_vZVbzwzVHoOwow1pm_-wLFh-eYCr1A9pWlwqmIwnTk8mb-ocOgapWB35/s1600/power.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcHczaEtZwRE03NyttadUuIcBBI4WSTXNBLHV26rPFKo5w5q_NCA539w1zN_UtNgoR6ZMNaVurdGI2ySFzIA_vZVbzwzVHoOwow1pm_-wLFh-eYCr1A9pWlwqmIwnTk8mb-ocOgapWB35/s1600/power.jpg" height="278" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most folks wait to stop for pics with Disney characters. We are not most folks. BEHOLD - a Disney power station! Ooooooo, aaaaaahhhh!!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUPaZe4DKSQJzA7vKQn-FQ2qvhJ0LNp-ByLf44f3XvDOPEQvD5sqiho0cv1tSkuxbXoJwUkO-HbMH3oXEpvoo4rjIeLX86BjTIZ2SN8L9SdYVzkfG6KcZOTIWF6XCHoPRu925_8kcD6bA/s1600/residents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUPaZe4DKSQJzA7vKQn-FQ2qvhJ0LNp-ByLf44f3XvDOPEQvD5sqiho0cv1tSkuxbXoJwUkO-HbMH3oXEpvoo4rjIeLX86BjTIZ2SN8L9SdYVzkfG6KcZOTIWF6XCHoPRu925_8kcD6bA/s1600/residents.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So much confusion in one sign... if no pedestrians are allowed, how are we here? I don't recall signing up to allow any inspection of my truck, TYVM. And who the heck resides in Epcot???</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8Y7AS3qT0yCX_K1cVBvum2wFzcGVtynKVQBMen7HAcvBgSbY1-mX4nVOmRIwcNKCJ3i5uSCXANOufPQbcOF8kQmJv2gLE_pw5ZNZWImj9hLQugpGwfGGwxpNJHjR6mNgWJ-dxFyUAKFx/s1600/search.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8Y7AS3qT0yCX_K1cVBvum2wFzcGVtynKVQBMen7HAcvBgSbY1-mX4nVOmRIwcNKCJ3i5uSCXANOufPQbcOF8kQmJv2gLE_pw5ZNZWImj9hLQugpGwfGGwxpNJHjR6mNgWJ-dxFyUAKFx/s1600/search.jpg" height="320" width="219" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't make me bust out the canine search, lady.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a mile or so, we left the parking lot and backstage area to enter Epcot's World Showcase.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3rfZFGAIn6Q3WoThezu6QWLqhZs213AmPMsHVYWbYyfdB3ivNI7QiHv53ciaV3s1s26aCcvjn1kTz5j7UmfFXdKRnqvxcs_veR3Fl8pBJmSI7ZLU9ICkDcxNYkjN1aO6T-wKlXvR7c8I/s1600/enterWS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3rfZFGAIn6Q3WoThezu6QWLqhZs213AmPMsHVYWbYyfdB3ivNI7QiHv53ciaV3s1s26aCcvjn1kTz5j7UmfFXdKRnqvxcs_veR3Fl8pBJmSI7ZLU9ICkDcxNYkjN1aO6T-wKlXvR7c8I/s1600/enterWS.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Probably the most frequent question asked about Disney races is, "How crowded are they?" <br />^THIS crowded. ^<br />Yep, it looked like that the whole way.<br />This is not the place to score a new PR, folks... unless you're going for a PR in Fun! <br />Which I was :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The course then took us around World Showcase, through the pavilions of Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, and Morocco. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you do this race, you MUST stop for a picture with the Big Ball. MUST!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Character photo stops were available all through there, including Mulan and Mushu, Dopey, and Aladdin and Jasmine. We kept passing them by because the lines were sooooo long. And we wanted to have time for more power station photos, of course.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raise your hand if you got this reference...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then, there was this, in France:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember me, V? I. Don't. Do. Character. Pics. Only... now I do! Another big first - I got over the weird factor of posing with some dude in a fur suit and got my photo opp on. Go V!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But for every normal pic, there needs to be a bizarre-o one, so here:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doesn't everyone stop for a little thoughtful rest in the middle of a race???</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At that point, the course took us backstage again, which meant more rare photo stops.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmd6bv1pYcGgA7ik7GaPU-rmLeCMTAs5PwOww3G5BOP1fngIFl7BPPTPMtxZhZ85GQ5LO_QY5iwtBj0EsQhVuuYl12GuT9tHJnRI3KdOD9EPu_hsoD6Dg7pykCgLfhkSZTPcMMj4GnxUY/s1600/beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmd6bv1pYcGgA7ik7GaPU-rmLeCMTAs5PwOww3G5BOP1fngIFl7BPPTPMtxZhZ85GQ5LO_QY5iwtBj0EsQhVuuYl12GuT9tHJnRI3KdOD9EPu_hsoD6Dg7pykCgLfhkSZTPcMMj4GnxUY/s1600/beer.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">KEGS! Disney KEGS!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiig8x8lchIvGXLI7xYfrsbLNoDn04SjMHEw1cwB_k5_JFyuEVcw-UANB2OgWQiDMOctazg79O-yNPaSUVctdNco-ctOU2FgR6Y-LwAF-rZdnXNV1x_O8NuPiw1jNv8xnF0UBl5HpsrGXb2/s1600/mirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiig8x8lchIvGXLI7xYfrsbLNoDn04SjMHEw1cwB_k5_JFyuEVcw-UANB2OgWQiDMOctazg79O-yNPaSUVctdNco-ctOU2FgR6Y-LwAF-rZdnXNV1x_O8NuPiw1jNv8xnF0UBl5HpsrGXb2/s1600/mirror.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This can only be captioned "WTF?!?!"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just for the record, we were not the only ones taking weird pictures and laughing our asses off. I don't know about the other corrals, but D was Party Central. When our firework (yes, just one <sad trombone>) went off at the start, NO ONE in that corral ran! We all just sauntered on through, acting like it was just another day in a theme park. La-di-dah, just strollin' along... Okay, there <i>had</i> to be some runners in there, but they were noticeably few and far between and that slow, fun pace continued throughout the race. It was such a huge departure from how I've tried to race the past couple years, and you know what? I LOVED it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just about as I was thinking "I could do this ALL day!", we cruised into Future World, past the Big Ball (Spaceship Earth, really, but it will forever be the "Big Ball" in my family), and back out to the parking lot to the Finish. I got my first medal of the weekend, hugged my awesome friends goodbye, as they were heading home after the race, and thanked my lucky stars for such fun ladies to race with. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time I grabbed my post-race banana, water and box o' snacks, walked back to my car, and drove to CBR, it was nearing 9am and I felt like I'd already had a very full day. But there was still more excitement to come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/03/race-recap-2014-rundisney-enchanted-10k.html" target="_blank">Next up: Princesses dig tea, and FREE stuff!</a></span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-82238871978859352882014-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:002014-06-05T13:11:15.616-07:00Princess Triple Crown Weekend Recap - Part 1!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First things first… did ya hear today’s announcement? A <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/avengers-half-marathon/" target="_blank">new runDisney race</a>
weekend! With… an AVENGERS theme!!! I adore the Avengers. Okay, I think Capt. America’s a little
prissy, and I’d really like the Hulk to get some language lessons, but yeah –
big, HUGE fan of the Avengers here. Phil
is my hero. Nick Fury rocks my
world. RDJ as Ironman? Please… ~SWOON~ So I’d be all sorts of stoked for this race,
except… it’s in Disney<i>land.</i> Which is NOT in Florida. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, not gonna happen for me. But rumors continue to swirl about a possible
STAR WARS themed race and you know who has this thing called <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/hollywood-studios/star-wars-weekend/" target="_blank">STARWARS Weekends</a> every year? Walt
Disney World. In Florida! Know what I adore even more than the Avengers? STAR WARS!!!
Here’s hoping.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, back to business… a 2014 Princess Half-Marathon
Weekend Recap!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh my goodness – what a weekend! The runDisney <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#royal-family-5k" target="_blank">Cinderella Royal Family 5K</a>
Friday, <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#enchanted" target="_blank">Inaugural Enchanted 10K</a> Saturday, and the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#half-marathon" target="_blank">Princess Half-Marathon</a>
Sunday, plus lots of amazing time spent with running friends between equals one
very, VERY tired, but very, very VERY happy PrincessV!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This would be one epically long recap if I were to tackle it
all at once. And frankly, as a reader of
blogs, I don’t ever want to <i>see</i> a post that long, let alone be the writer of
it. So I’ll take a small steps approach
if you’re willing to keep coming back for more, dear reader.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day One: <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#expo">Disney’s Fit For A
Princess Expo</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am so happy to report that Disney moved the Princess expo
back to its original ESPN Wide World of Sports location this year and gave it
more room to spread out, too. Last year’s
fiasco of an expo at the Coronado Springs Resort was a special kind of hell:
long on lines, short on space, and bursting at the seams with disgruntled
Princesses. Not so this year!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I arrived at the expo around 11am, after making the drive to
WDW and checking in at my hotel. As they’d
done for Marathon Weekend in January, Disney spread things out by housing bib
pickup in a building separate from the expo itself and providing ample room for
folks to get their race shirts, commemorative items and Race Retreat wristbands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plenty of space to move around at packet pickup!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main expo floor, where vendors sell their wares, was
loud and busy, but still felt better than last year. There was a huge section of real estate given
over to official race and runDisney (rD) merchandise, which eliminated the
insane lines and congestion of last year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rD merchandise was at the far end, while New Balance set up
its shoe shop at the near end, with assorted other vendors in between.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After picking up my bibs and race shirts, I was on a mission to find the booth for one of my favorite
brands – <a href="http://anothermotherrunner.com/">Another Mother Runner</a>. You may recall that I sported a Badass Mother
Runner shirt in my first long distance race, the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/twilight-zone-tower-of-terror-10-miler.html">2012
Tower of Terror 10-Miler</a>. Well, that
super-awesome shirt is now much too big on me, so I wanted something new, plus
I hoped to see one of the Mother Runners again, as it had been so nice to meet Sarah
last year. I was in luck! I came away with two shirts that fit and a
nice visit with Dimity!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEsId21ZP3B63o7EH62FeQHQTNENQyNTPnKFoE2CAllzYK27TAZorfMvDK3REw4NjLbgeoW55yQCgGpuBv4Vi1805uina_2J6d_2-MffoUqXgvfCUeQwWx1_fMfITaUKlkOYN4c2w1Tzd/s1600/Dimity2014.jpg" height="240" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I am very short - but Dimity is also very tall.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7EzIeQuZTBxHYrru92XayN6hVCrVWX6lPi8Jr3smF3dpzis2Uqg-dg_RhWiDNUf8TUlCU165zBi7E2LpaXZxS9RapddvLyjShuwgbRx8qz-fIPqREsB1PNvtFVDvTJDCtn37bSOpfpds/s1600/BAMR2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7EzIeQuZTBxHYrru92XayN6hVCrVWX6lPi8Jr3smF3dpzis2Uqg-dg_RhWiDNUf8TUlCU165zBi7E2LpaXZxS9RapddvLyjShuwgbRx8qz-fIPqREsB1PNvtFVDvTJDCtn37bSOpfpds/s1600/BAMR2014.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two of my favorite running brands together - yay!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mother Runners just recently announced their official
partnership with the rD brand and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them. WTG ladies!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn’t spend a lot of time at the expo because, well, I’m
not a shopper. So I got in, ate some lunch
(and enjoyed a quick visit with the lovely Tracy from my running group!),
grabbed my stuff, and got out. If you <i>are</i> a shopper, and are thinking about a
future Princess race, plan to spend some time and money there – there was lots
and lots to peruse!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time I’d finished up, I’d gotten a text alert that my
room at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR) was ready, and I still had a car
full of stuff to unload, so that’s where I headed. I love the CBR and have stayed there many
times over the years, but this was my first stay there over a race
weekend. I’ll give a full review on it
as a race resort later, I promise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’d had thoughts of heading over to Disney’s Hollywood
Studios (it’ll always be MGM to me!) for a ride or two and dinner, but after
getting all of my stuff unloaded, and getting tings arranged and prepped for
the 5K the next morning, I was pretty tired.
So I opted to grab dinner at CBR’s food court and enjoyed this lovely
view as I relaxed and ate.</span></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/1622833_10202937822833952_97243561_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/1622833_10202937822833952_97243561_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With a start time of 6:15am, I needed to be up at 3:45am to
get ready, and in my car by 4:45 to get to Epcot before they closed down roads
for the Royal Family 5K: bedtime came early for the first of three nights. I was in bed, falling asleep by 8pm, ready to
get the party started the next day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/02/race-recap-2014-cinderella-royal-family.html" target="_blank">Next: Race #1, the Cinderella Royal Family 5K!</a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shirts and bibs for #ALLTHERACES!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PSST: want another review of the expo? Head over to <a href="http://runwalkrepeat.blogspot.com/2014/02/2014-rundisney-princess-half-marathon.html?showComment=1393525343416#c8785488206808072387" target="_blank">Run.Walk.FASTPASS.Repeat.</a>!</span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-66648077071319181732014-02-14T08:54:00.000-08:002014-02-14T08:54:38.152-08:002014 Princess Goals - One week to go!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it’s almost here… today marks ONE WEEK until runDisney’s
Princess Half-Marathon Weekend, in which I plan to go for the Princess Triple
Crown! What, you may ask, is a Princess
Triple Crown? The P3C is an unofficial
term for running ALL the weekend’s races: the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#royal-family-5k">Cinderella
Royal Family 5K</a> on Friday, the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#enchanted">Princess
Enchanted 10K</a> on Saturday, <i>and </i>the
<a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#half-marathon">Princess
Half-Marathon</a> on Sunday.
#ALLTHERACES, people!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ran a mini-P3C last week, just to get a sense of what three
races over three days might do to me – I mostly walked 2.5 miles day one, ran/walked
5 miles day two, and put in 10 run/walk miles day three. And it went really well! I was shocked to find that my legs felt fine
by day three; I really expected them to feel like dead weight, but no. But I was feeling pretty run down and tired
from battling the pollen flying around here in FL in quantities that could
rival the snow coming down to our north… I wasn’t into that 10-mile run at
all. My mental state was utter garbage
and I thought every mile, “I could totally bail at 7 or 8 miles and be fine…” And I would have. Bailed.
Save for the fact that I <i>once
again</i> misjudged how far I was from home.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWP6_5HLndTX3ORHMkf6H1jKPbgPHU_P8sknQL5TqjqFdMmmDiQHrtnZwJa2w9TPSdTjHJr1nnlSGuj4iMyvizGNXrFhJ6rozWAX_R1kr9BT_xiF7jtne6NHTCas7mE0lsCoF6EBq2-Sk/s1600/facepalm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWP6_5HLndTX3ORHMkf6H1jKPbgPHU_P8sknQL5TqjqFdMmmDiQHrtnZwJa2w9TPSdTjHJr1nnlSGuj4iMyvizGNXrFhJ6rozWAX_R1kr9BT_xiF7jtne6NHTCas7mE0lsCoF6EBq2-Sk/s1600/facepalm.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Capt. Picard could get the Enterprise home faster with a broken warp core.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So anyway – yeah, I completed a test run, I felt fine
afterward, I recovered well, and in ONE WEEK I’ll do it again… only longer! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m pretty jazzed. As
perhaps you can tell. I’m also
tapering. Which means I’m antsy… and
anxious… and easily distracted. So, to
get my thoughts in order and relieve a little stress, I’ve decided to list some
goals for Princess Weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. <u>Stay healthy, inside and out.</u> It’s cold and flu season and I have the
great misfortune of being unable to get the flu vaccine <i>and </i>having a moderately compromised immune system. So I’ll be washing my hands often, turning/stepping
away from anyone coughing up a lung, eating properly, and making sure I get
adequate rest, even if that means a 6pm bedtime all three nights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll also be taking care of my overworked body. Ice.
Stretching. Foam rolling. Rest. And I need to…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <u>Stick to the PLAN.</u>
In order to finish all three races, and finish them feeling good, I. Must.
Stick. To. The. Plan. The Plan being:
mostly walk the 5K, walk at least half of the 10K, start slow and listen to my
body in the half-marathon, speeding up or slowing down as needed. This is critical because if I stick to The
Plan, I’ll…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. <u>Have FUN and FINISH!</u>
I have NO time goal for these races.
None at all. Though I do hope to
get a new PR in Fun! I want to notice my
surroundings, take in the energy and entertainment, enjoy every moment. I plan to stop for plenty of pics in the 5K,
grab some more pics in the 10K, and at least stop for a castle pic in the
half. If I do that, stick to The Plan,
and stay healthy, finishing should be the easiest part of the whole challenge!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just know it’s going to be a super-fantastic weekend, full
of good times, with good friends, yummy food, Magical entertainment and, yes,
even some running – 22.4 miles of it. My
very best wishes go out to all of the other Princesses partaking of the weekend’s
events: we’re all going to have a BLAST!
See you at the Finish!</span></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-56623759170492114182014-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:002014-02-07T11:50:18.214-08:00Shoe Review: Mizuno Wave Sayonara!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, here’s the deal on this delayed review…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really didn’t want to like this shoe. I have more than enough in the running shoe department, and I’m really happy with the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/01/shoe-review-brooks-ravenna-4.html">Brooks
Ravennas</a> I just got. So I was hoping
the Mizuno Wave Sayonara would be a dud and I could return it for a refund. I’ve worn this pair almost every day, even if
I didn’t run, hoping some irritating little thing would pop up to show me they should
go back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No dice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, every time I put them on, they feel better, as if
they’re starting to mold to my feet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I’m getting ahead of myself…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first thought as I pulled the Sayonaras out of the
box? “What kind of idiot buys white
running shoes in Florida, where I regularly have to run through mud puddles?!” Answer: the kind who wants to coordinate her
shoes with a race outfit, of course. I
could have gone for a bright fuchsia color instead, but don’t these just scream
“Cinderella!”?!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-c5RMCKrnQNFMxwEihJmDdo7fZmdgztCog5TxfskylWvogUc3ND9lwZ-fnLNz-KUwTKTCEGDsLCGNHTPaD90AqeoI7sSpVDpUd9e0M3islo1gbkUEQxLQkxH8bcS8ZoT9rFSEBQCdZdFk/s1600/Sayonara3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-c5RMCKrnQNFMxwEihJmDdo7fZmdgztCog5TxfskylWvogUc3ND9lwZ-fnLNz-KUwTKTCEGDsLCGNHTPaD90AqeoI7sSpVDpUd9e0M3islo1gbkUEQxLQkxH8bcS8ZoT9rFSEBQCdZdFk/s1600/Sayonara3.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glass slippers, right?!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other thoughts included:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Hey look – bright green laces again! Must be a trend.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“These sure feel stiff…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, “That’s a nice heel!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a shoe that’s hardly what anyone would call “minimalist”,
the Sayonara is surprisingly light and fast-looking. I like the lack of a gigantic heel coupled
with a non-pointy toe box. And, after
spending 10 miles constantly fiddling with the laces on my Ravennas, I was
happy with the Sayonaras’ bumpy laces.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4mwbJvnaPPuxbrDJhoQIrk80pEgfSP9AQ5gS4G8BLfh__k86oCgOSvEOuEWNSkXDld8I-IOXmdIX8Z6WmBElEeQnGkgO6OuZRT1OvgUku55b0Tllxzk35mJocC0yZPdpHZ7rIb4yfzw4/s1600/Sayonara2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4mwbJvnaPPuxbrDJhoQIrk80pEgfSP9AQ5gS4G8BLfh__k86oCgOSvEOuEWNSkXDld8I-IOXmdIX8Z6WmBElEeQnGkgO6OuZRT1OvgUku55b0Tllxzk35mJocC0yZPdpHZ7rIb4yfzw4/s1600/Sayonara2.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See that little label on the heel? It says "Wave Sayonara", or "Wave Goodbye!" Fun!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trying them on, I was initially put off by how snuggly they
hold my feet. But after wearing them
around the house for half an hour, I found that the snugness just may be what replaces a medial post for stability; the way the uppers are shaped give my feet lots of support
without any sense of pushing them one way or another. V likey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking them on a short walk on the treadmill, I found that
what I’ve read about the Sayonara is true: they offer stability on an as-needed
basis. In other words, my right foot,
which requires no assistance to do its job, was allowed to move as it so
desires, while my left foot, which tends to roll off my big toe while walking swiftly,
received some counterbalance at toe-off, redirecting movement back toward the
center of my foot. I also found that the
heel was equal parts cushiony and bouncy, which offered a very fluid transition
from heel to toe. V likey a lot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following another walk or two, I decided to test the
Sayonara with a 4-mile run/walk, secretly hoping they’d feel lousy on the
run. Oh. My.
Heck. No. They felt even <i>better</i> on the run! The
forefoot didn’t feel all that exceptional while walking, but running? It felt like a little springboard under each
foot! As with the Ravennas, I found that
the heel didn’t get in my way, despite a higher heel-to-toe drop (10mm) than I’m
used to, and I was able to land forefoot first without effort. I noticed, too, that as I transitioned from walk
to run and back again, I wasn’t shifting weight forward or backward in my hips
as I’m used to with the lower drop (4mm) Brooks PureFlows I’ve been wearing for the past year or
so. Maybe that’s thanks to the higher
heel height? I don’t know, but… V <i>really </i>likey.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWouDzHHjT4TVFVMcGE8umufE508WzRQ3KiC6lHPHRuqx_Zd_mad3tl3J_IjZjaTSgg4cxJpBtgkitsIa8SnUF1INrdekeaQa-jAfPgv-jxGW0LNRhuelmi6zfNhIM-ieDQoKEoKtPcIZ6/s1600/Sayonara4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWouDzHHjT4TVFVMcGE8umufE508WzRQ3KiC6lHPHRuqx_Zd_mad3tl3J_IjZjaTSgg4cxJpBtgkitsIa8SnUF1INrdekeaQa-jAfPgv-jxGW0LNRhuelmi6zfNhIM-ieDQoKEoKtPcIZ6/s1600/Sayonara4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My last run in the Sayonaras consisted of four miles of hill
(bridge – we don’t have high hills in coastal Florida!) repeats in fog so thick
I couldn’t actually <i>see</i> the bridge. That meant very wet pavement, too, which the
super-grippy treads of the Sayonaras handled beautifully. One thing I didn’t like was that in the cool
air, the soles initially felt very stiff and the thin mesh uppers left my toes
feeling quite chilly. But once
warmed-up, I found the shoes to be very responsive on both ascent and descent
and could really feel the high level of support in both directions. V likey a whole bunch!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other night, I opted to wear a pair of Brooks PureFlows
for a short run – a pair with about 150 miles on them. This was after two weeks of running and
walking only in the Ravennas and Sayonaras.
And… I <i>hated </i>the PureFlows in
comparison. They felt much too squishy,
like I was sinking down into the pavement with every landing, and after 20
minutes in them I was riddled with weird little pains in my knees, ankles, hips
and feet. All of which were remedied by
a switch to the Ravennas for the last 15 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve concluded that either the PureFlows wear out for me
around 150 miles (since I experienced the same thing with my first pair), or something
has changed in my running that doesn’t mesh well with that shoe. So… despite the fact that I have a pair of
PureFlow 2’s with only 60 miles on them, and another brand-new pair in my
closet, yes – I’m keeping <i>both </i>the
Ravennas and Sayonaras.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only question left is which pair for which race as I go
for the Triple Crown (<a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/">Princess
5K, 10K and Half-Marathon)?!</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntfj7SeDxRkfT_hqk2cP4DI5oyc00EYRb4V3qhxHNIGfuJSIHZS1j7G-RIGizn2E0S7EsQT8N-ZTee_7p3py6nBZijzRjLWTvFesDE8eSttkvzDJLRSb9cWLS-v3a6I1FDqsiAAgwobOJ/s1600/Sayonara1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntfj7SeDxRkfT_hqk2cP4DI5oyc00EYRb4V3qhxHNIGfuJSIHZS1j7G-RIGizn2E0S7EsQT8N-ZTee_7p3py6nBZijzRjLWTvFesDE8eSttkvzDJLRSb9cWLS-v3a6I1FDqsiAAgwobOJ/s1600/Sayonara1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-21565435841278752582014-01-27T09:15:00.000-08:002014-01-27T09:15:46.135-08:00Shoe Review! Brooks Ravenna 4<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/10/cindylocks-and-three-running-shoes.html" target="_blank">Cindylocks</a>
has been at it again. Yep, I’ve been
trying new shoes. Plural. Two kinds of shoes.
Want to know how they worked out?
Read on!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s the thing: I really did need a different shoe this
time. Not just a different <i>looking </i>shoe, but a shoe with different
mechanics. See, while I deal with my
ITBS-that’s-not-ITBS thing, I’m doing a whole lotta walking in place of
running. If you’ve ever swapped walking
for running over long distances, you know that, while the two activities look
awfully similar, they are mechanically quite different. In my case, it’s a huge difference: when I
run, I land solidly on my forefoot, nearly toe-ball-heeling my landings, but I walk
like a normal person, landing heel first.
Because I’m a forefoot runner, I don’t need the pronation control found
in stability shoes and have, in fact, found that even a little of it screws me
up. So I swear by my neutral <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/Brooks-PureFlow-2/1201311B613.050,default,pd.html#start=9" target="_blank">BrooksPureFlow</a> shoes for running. But when
I <i>walk</i>, my left foot does something
screwy in a trickle-down effect from the scoliosis in my back, causing me to
overpronate at toe-off. And that, in
turn, messes with my knee. So a shoe
with late-stage pronation control was my goal, but one that wouldn’t make me
over-suppinate, either. Not an easy search,
let me tell ya.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enter trial shoe #1: <a href="http://www.brooksrunning.com/Ravenna-4/1201251B612.050,default,pd.html#start=15" target="_blank">BrooksRavenna 4</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I chose this model based on several online reviews declaring
it to be ideal for late-stage pronation issues without sacrificing flexibility
and cushion. Bonus – it was on clearance
at Sports Authority for less than half-price.
Score!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaZko4Z-hQKrUQL6GmBaDvcb_4DcLEXrgEa9ICTTj07yVlFqFkWVodLq32iKon1ZxHq6sFtPSdr6IguYhBHvCPJQZQsHTlCbHL13_0kdOTPxJUKFTJyz2u76QSoj5pBw5HDtGwF_LpEpT/s1600/Rav2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaZko4Z-hQKrUQL6GmBaDvcb_4DcLEXrgEa9ICTTj07yVlFqFkWVodLq32iKon1ZxHq6sFtPSdr6IguYhBHvCPJQZQsHTlCbHL13_0kdOTPxJUKFTJyz2u76QSoj5pBw5HDtGwF_LpEpT/s1600/Rav2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kinda clunky, but pretty purple and green! Sort of like Barney.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Compared to my PureFlows, the Ravenna is one big, clunky
shoe. Check out that gigantic heel! I’m used to an undercut heel that doesn’t get
in the way of my forefoot landings, so that giant mound of green plastic sacred
me. However, I was surprised by how
light the Ravenna felt; it looks much heavier than it actually is (9ish ounces,
compared to almost 8 in the PureFlow).
The Ravenna has a roomy toe box, coupled with a narrow, huggy heel cup,
which felt perfect for me and my freakishly small heels. I love that the laces are plenty long, and
neon green is just plain fun. The arch
support was good, with just enough in just the right spot. I bought these in a size 7 (I wear a 6 in
street shoes) and they’re roomy enough for my thick SmartWool socks – perfect for
winter running, but I’d want to size down a half-size to accommodate my lighter
socks in summer.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9s6aGJO29rqlrUEe7y6XhMFBbCcenIj0QdAadMkgql04WzRYWyInz1HKazIzzMORDKnceDQqt-DF0BgYxVR3h7fNoh_RGdclCP9zQKWvPiMteHsPCb2_SdaaPXdUmRTChqavuU-QQHGf/s1600/Rav3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9s6aGJO29rqlrUEe7y6XhMFBbCcenIj0QdAadMkgql04WzRYWyInz1HKazIzzMORDKnceDQqt-DF0BgYxVR3h7fNoh_RGdclCP9zQKWvPiMteHsPCb2_SdaaPXdUmRTChqavuU-QQHGf/s1600/Rav3.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Big Green Heel, in all its glory.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first try with the Ravennas was an easy 2-mile walk on the
treadmill. How’d they do? Fan-flipping-tastic! This is a great walking shoe. Despite looking enormous, I found that the
heel didn’t get in my way at all, and I landed mid-heel as usual with no
problem. No over-suppinating, either; I
never felt like my feet were being forced outward, as I have in almost every
other stability shoe I’ve tried. But I
immediately felt the late-stage control.
As my weight rolled over my toes, I could feel the shoe engage against
my left big toe and metatarsal, redirecting my toe-off toward the center of my
foot instead of the far inside of my big toe.
It felt odd at first, like a little bubble under my forefoot, but not in
a bad way. Most amazingly, I had NO
initial cramping in my outer left foot – a feat no other athletic shoe has
managed while walking since a circa-2001 New Balance model that I adored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After such a good test, I decided to give the Ravennas a try
outdoors and wore them for three miles of trail run/walking with Leo. They covered a variety of surfaces – asphalt,
concrete, crushed shell, gravel, dirt, sand, boardwalk – and performed beautifully! The treads felt equally responsive and grippy
on all surfaces and I found that the energy return on the run was superb. The one thing I missed was ground feel; it’s
a fair amount of shoe and I definitely felt less underfoot than I’m used to in
my PureFlows. Not necessarily a bad
thing, but it took some adjustment; instead of my feet naturally reacting to
bumps, lumps, rocks and roots underfoot, I had to pay attention with my eyes to
avoid rolling an ankle. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3neEaICWx946CYIFHGnzJwqxQXVmNbk3ICIrf7WMi0CrKA3COMLu1f0iPmCXufyK0eXccBjtoXrSCcDYlYUVXuENcgoaO2araf-ro5rDUOHwDdYpC7UOrPuqG-_zAUqlQd-dvxQI3deJ/s1600/Rav4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3neEaICWx946CYIFHGnzJwqxQXVmNbk3ICIrf7WMi0CrKA3COMLu1f0iPmCXufyK0eXccBjtoXrSCcDYlYUVXuENcgoaO2araf-ro5rDUOHwDdYpC7UOrPuqG-_zAUqlQd-dvxQI3deJ/s1600/Rav4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nice tread!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, after two good short-distance tests, I decided to take
a chance and try the Ravennas on a long walk/run. 10 miles, to be exact. My first double-digit distance effort since
being struck down at mile 10 of the <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2014/01/2014-wdw-half-marathon-race-recap.html" target="_blank">WDWHalf-Marathon</a> two weeks prior. I
started with lots and lots of walking; almost all of the first mile and a fair
amount of the next few, too. As
expected, the Ravennas felt great! As I
added more running into the mix, I was quite surprised to find that the shoes performed
really well there, too. With a much
higher heel-to-toe drop than my PureFlows (10mm and 4mm, respectively), I was
worried that they’d be a poor match for my forefoot landing. Nope.
The Ravenna allowed me to avoid a heel strike, and I <i>could</i> land on my toes if I tried… but I
quickly found that they encouraged me to land closer to mid-foot, which is a
very good thing! My forefoot landing can
sometimes overwork my bum Achilles over longer distances, so the more midfoot
landing felt very nice without requiring any extra thought or effort on my part
to maintain it; it just seemed to happen naturally when I stopped paying attention
and ran by feel. I’m also used to my
feet feeling rather abused by the end of a 10+ mile run, and they were definitely
feeling the effort at the end of this one – but nowhere near as much as I’m
used to. Which is odd, really, because
the Ravenna feels more springy than cushiony to me. But maybe that’s just it; maybe the extra spring
results in less pounding on my feet? I don’t
know, but I knew I had another 3.1 miles in me at the end, so… yay!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, is the Ravenna 4 a keeper? YES!
It’s not the speediest shoe and I think I’ll still prefer the PureFlow
for shorter, faster distances (which is good, since I currently have FOUR pairs
of ‘em), and there may come a day when I’m all healed and healthy and don’t
want/need the Ravenna’s extra support, but today is not that day. I fully intend to run in the Ravennas for my
next half-marathon. Conveniently, they
do not clash with my planned outfit, so that’s that.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, that was pretty long. And the next shoe review will likely be just as long. So I'll cap it here and review the <a href="http://www.mizunousa.com/running/womens/running-shoes/neutral/wave-sayonara" target="_blank">Mizuno Wave Sayonara</a> in a second post. Stay tuned!</span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-8163892776250069722014-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:002014-01-14T07:00:01.585-08:002014 WDW Half-Marathon Race Recap!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Good, the Bad, the Ugly… and the Fantastic!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My second half-marathon is now in the books and I’m happy to
say I not only finished – I really, really enjoyed it! </span></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1508602_10202662912961377_1000491520_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1508602_10202662912961377_1000491520_n.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if I did proclaim </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for about two hours post-race </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that I’d nevereverever
do another half again.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Uh, yeah – I </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be doing another.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In,
oh, four-ish weeks…)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Good…</span></div>
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</div>
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</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corrals - I think the changes
<a href="http://www.rundisney.com/" target="_blank">runDisney</a> made in regard to smaller, more plentiful corrals helped course
congestion a lot. Don’t get me wrong;
the course was still full of people, but I felt like I was in the right place
for my pace and always had room to maneuver if I wanted to pass slower
runners/walkers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weather – high-60s/low-70s and
almost 100% humidity, but no appreciable rain… perfect for this Floridian!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our hotel – we stayed at <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/yacht-club-resort/" target="_blank">Disney’sYacht Club Resort </a>and it was a great choice.
Turns out Yacht is the first stop for the race buses servicing the Epcot
resorts, so I had no problem quickly getting on buses to the expo and
race. When we pulled into the Beach Club
Resort, there was a looooong line of folks waiting to board, but only room on
the bus for a small number of them. Glad
I wasn’t there.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My performance over the first five
miles – my goal was to stay under a 14:00/mile average pace for the first three
miles to allow for some serious slow-down later; I wanted to take pics! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1525203_10202666577172980_1021854965_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1525203_10202666577172980_1021854965_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the Castle!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mission
mostly accomplished: 13:45 mile 1, 13:32 mile 2, 14:43 mile 3 (when I stopped
for a pic at the Magic Kingdom tollbooths), 13:25 mile 4, 13:53 mile 5.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Bad…</span><br />
<div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Confusing directions - from the staging
area to the corrals. Signs indicated we
needed to turn left when, in fact, we needed to bear right. It wasn’t a big deal; we figured it out and
course-corrected, but things could have been made clearer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The expo – note, though, that I
did not place this in the Ugly category… that’s improvement! There really wasn’t
anything <i>wrong </i>with the expo*, other
than the fact that it was big, and loud, and crowded. I easily found the items I needed and wanted,
but I just plain hate race expos and this was no exception.</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1490918_583583988400893_139444321_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1490918_583583988400893_139444321_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ugly…</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">IT Band Syndrome** – yes,
again. I went into this race concerned
about my hip, but it was fine. After
rocking through the first five miles, taking time for some pics, then trying to
speed back up, ITBS ripped into my other knee around mile 10. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1520749_10202666577812996_2136143523_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1520749_10202666577812996_2136143523_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't let the smiley fishies fool you - my knee HURT!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Out of nowhere. Given that I’m plenty flexible, pass all
strength tests with flying colors, and foam roll like a boss daily, my guess is
that the lack of hill training, (thanks to the hip issues), did me in. I probably would have been fine had I walked
the overpasses, especially the descents, but I didn’t. So I paid for it by having to walk the last
three miles. But all was not lost… (see
The Fantastic)<br /><br /><i>**UPDATE: A visit to my chiropractor (AKA Dr. Miracle), shows that it's likely </i>not <i>ITBS - my IT Band is plenty limber and not creating tension at all. My knee, however, was out of alignment, as was my ankle, leading to a similar issue with friction at the outside of my knee. In any case, it's a Rx for rest, stretching and massage for me.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My race photos – I think I’m a
reasonably photogenic gal; I’m never one to shy away from having my picture
taken. But 90% of my race photos are
atrocious! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
It doesn’t matter, since I
refuse to pay the exorbitant prices charged by MarathonFoto, anyway, but they
definitely fall under the heading of “ugly.”</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The FANTASTIC!...</span><br />
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<div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spending time with a terrific team
of fellow runners - It was so nice to
finally meet a whole bunch of folks in person after chatting with them online
for many months. I’m something of a
loner and tend to avoid group activities because I get very overwhelmed, but it
was a real joy to hang out and chat with such a diverse, interesting,
encouraging and supportive group.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quality time with my son, Leo - Leo is incredibly understanding of my need to
flee the house to run regularly, but I know he sometimes wishes I’d skip a Saturday
run and snuggle with him on the couch.
He was a real trooper as I dragged him to the expo, ran my race, asked
him to get my ice, and parked myself in one spot to cheer for the Marathon for
several hours: he more than earned some time with me riding rides and just plain
being silly. Not to mention $20 I gave
him to shop the Japan pavilion gift shop in Epcot.</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/46665_10202664054709920_1708763196_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/46665_10202664054709920_1708763196_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheering at the Marathon – it’s possible I had
more fun doing that then I did running my own race! I was there mostly to cheer for my team, but
I quickly realized that my endless commentary of “Looking good!”, “Good job!”, “You’re
almost done!” and “Finish strong!” made an impact on total strangers, too. I can’t begin to express the feeling when a
runner who looked worn out, in pain and really just over the whole experience
broke into a smile because of a few words from little ol’ me. There were many times when I felt tears well
up in response and I found myself feeling really thankful for the opportunity
to connect in that way.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding the Magic in Disney racing
– If you’ve read my previous runDisney race recaps, you know that I’ve not been
one to stop and enjoy the very things that make a Disney race “Disney.” And I’ve often been disappointed in my
performance. Well, not so this
time. I made a big effort to stop and
smell the Disney this time. I stopped to
take pics. I even posed with a
character! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1/1510772_10202666578253007_1308841106_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1/1510772_10202666578253007_1308841106_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I pulled out my headphones
and listened to what was going on around me.
I engaged in conversations with other runners. I forgot all about my time and just enjoyed
myself when knee pain forced me to walk. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
And I figured something out… </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My body might not be made to go
fast </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> long.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that’s okay.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s no need to compete with anyone,
including myself, and it’s perfectly okay to run and/or walk long distances
because I enjoy the distance, regardless of pace.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coming around to that realization brought with
it a profound sense of peace; I can be the runner I </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">want</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to be, that I’m </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">comfortable</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
being, without feeling like a failure for not meeting some kind of time
goal.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s a big, big jump in thinking
for me.</span></div>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The neat thing about Disney races
is that they practically cater to runners who don’t give a rat’s ass about time
goals.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which is why, despite my
currently injured state, I’m super excited about my next runDisney adventure,
the </span><a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#slipper" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glass
Slipper Challenge</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: the </span><a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#enchanted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enchanted 10K</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
on Saturday, followed by the </span><a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#half-marathon" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Princess
Half-Marathon</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on Sunday. Oh, and there’s also the </span><a href="http://www.rundisney.com/princess-half-marathon/#royal-family-5k" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinderella
Royal Family 5K</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on Friday… which I just added to my schedule.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s a total of 22.4 miles over three
days.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A Triple Crown, if you will. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Four weeks from now.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I’m ready to go slow and enjoy every Magical Mile. </span></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-35813988694060095692014-01-08T08:00:00.000-08:002014-01-08T08:00:07.324-08:00Breaking the Running Rules #2: Getting Race Ready!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A month or so ago, I was sure I wouldn’t be running this
weekend. I was certain I’d be listed on
the eternal list of shame as a DNS (Did Not Start) for the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/#half-marathon">2014 Walt
Disney World Half-Marathon</a>. I was
sad, but accepting of that dismal fact.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, guess what? I <i>am</i> running the 2014 WDW Half! In less than three days.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTdHcVE_KLo6Hje3bRunK9nhoZTkZLJ3i4C9QbKAfo5BhpAbYpE85Gu_aZ8CmaNelR32fWQB-2QuhmFLd0r19Lnt-pkUkvv9S8n2TlmHbBNl8RiNOdBTjy1ljIncM8fFDHjzz0UWyuqH-/s1600/Carltondance.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTdHcVE_KLo6Hje3bRunK9nhoZTkZLJ3i4C9QbKAfo5BhpAbYpE85Gu_aZ8CmaNelR32fWQB-2QuhmFLd0r19Lnt-pkUkvv9S8n2TlmHbBNl8RiNOdBTjy1ljIncM8fFDHjzz0UWyuqH-/s1600/Carltondance.gif" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How in heck did I do it?!
Well, for starters, I rested. You
know, like,<i> not</i> running. I got ready to run far by not running at
all. Sounds counterintuitive, but folks –
it really is the only way to heal most injuries. I’m happy to say that, while I’m still having
some minor issues with my piriformis, my strained hip flexor is, indeed,
healed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That time to heal was crucial for what came next: a pretty
fast ramp-up in mileage. Yep, I’ve been breaking
the running rules. Again. Most coaches and training plans advocate no
more than a 10% increase in mileage per week, and many also promote cut-back
weeks of lower mileage every other week…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbHhEEPbGUmnCvJuTin0RF5_NJF_rNFt1ftINPuVwtsLIVJei2j9c7CsMhvNy2cBX7h3LVRBw8kw7e5KRXvMX0fV3tTK1T5KMA7jasLsvpzRNHDcikqPaFqwB6iHvmHijx-tY0KObDQMI/s1600/Aint-Nobody-Got-Time-for-That.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbHhEEPbGUmnCvJuTin0RF5_NJF_rNFt1ftINPuVwtsLIVJei2j9c7CsMhvNy2cBX7h3LVRBw8kw7e5KRXvMX0fV3tTK1T5KMA7jasLsvpzRNHDcikqPaFqwB6iHvmHijx-tY0KObDQMI/s1600/Aint-Nobody-Got-Time-for-That.gif" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For real – I did NOT have time for cut-backs and a slow
build-up. I had time for this:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0cgOXpNSc7I0bhsMnuv3DimK0fiPtzfYnu592WG5eYvSUqb5PAzgTmq2jfyPbHxig4ero6S_dP_bHNbW961hlOd9HoBTPo9jX3OsiMdmNdnBszGFjoki9YZNSebb5H2md52HoilpVprj/s1600/training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0cgOXpNSc7I0bhsMnuv3DimK0fiPtzfYnu592WG5eYvSUqb5PAzgTmq2jfyPbHxig4ero6S_dP_bHNbW961hlOd9HoBTPo9jX3OsiMdmNdnBszGFjoki9YZNSebb5H2md52HoilpVprj/s1600/training.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That would be 3 weeks straight of longer distance runs. I wasn’t at all sure about that final 11-miler
and was fully prepared to bail halfway if I felt worn down, figuring the
previous week’s 9+ would be okay as my longest pre-race run, but I actually
felt really good that day and went for the full 11. In fact, I felt better that day than I did on
the 7+ mile run two weeks prior. How
weird is that?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even weirder is that I feel pretty damned good right now. I’d hazard to say I feel stronger and in
better physical shape than I have before any other race. I’ll wait until after the race to proclaim
any kind of statement about my body preferring a short, fast mileage build, but…
yeah, I’m leaning that way, for sure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now, I try hard not to eat every item in my house and
rein in the activity for a few days, even as the adrenaline and excitement
builds exponentially by the hour. I
still haven’t decided how to treat this race – as a slow, fun training run, or
as a see-what-I-can-do race, or as a little of both – and probably won’t make that
determination until race-day morning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish the best of luck to all who are running the 5K, 10K,
Half-Marathon and Marathon races* this weekend – may we all stay safe, swift
and sane as we smile our ways through <a href="http://www.disneyworld.com/">Walt
Disney World</a>!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0muyrR7OaGTS8Opw8N0_GLLs8acbx8lOQ6_Ev5D5q66BlM1qcUwNChVvx4pOk8L4-I1Tnjma8comlWxvAQGhaspiuYDz5VLhRKo8j_TVUu-7h_YRvddxqBTnvwBZ00YJYbqZUHjrYE3IN/s1600/MarWkndmedals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0muyrR7OaGTS8Opw8N0_GLLs8acbx8lOQ6_Ev5D5q66BlM1qcUwNChVvx4pOk8L4-I1Tnjma8comlWxvAQGhaspiuYDz5VLhRKo8j_TVUu-7h_YRvddxqBTnvwBZ00YJYbqZUHjrYE3IN/s1600/MarWkndmedals.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/runDisney">https://twitter.com/runDisney</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*You can find more about the WDW Marathon Weekend events at <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/">http://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/</a>.</span></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-89108150170170037762013-12-31T07:00:00.000-08:002013-12-31T07:00:10.874-08:00Happy New Year! To Resolve or not to Resolve?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m both a perfectionist and a realist, with the former
being a natural tendency and the latter a learned response to deal with the
former. See, life is a lot easier for
the perfectionist when approached with an attitude of “be prepared for the worst
and enjoy the delightful surprise if things turn out better than expected.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As such, I’ve never been much for New Year’s resolutions. Why make a list of promises that can so
easily become derailed, ending in extreme disappointment? I get why others engage in the annual
resolutions, but it’s not my thing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find myself considering a few running-specific goals as
2013 rolls to an end. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday, I went
for a little run and found myself playing a game called
Try-To-Ignore-The-iSmoothRun-Voice-Every-Time-She-Says-“Walk”-For-As-Long-As-Possible. The more walk breaks I ran through, the easier
it became and a couple miles in, it hit me: maybe I can someday run an entire
5K without walking. And if I can do
that, maybe I can do 10K. A
half-marathon, maybe? Maybe. I smell a 2014 goal.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve also found myself lately kicking my own behind when I blatantly
ignore a lifetime of experience and try something new to me because the “experts”
say I should. It almost never works out
for me, hence my new blog series on <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2013/12/breaking-running-rules-1-if-you-want-to.html" target="_blank">“Breaking the Running Rules.”</a> So there’s a goal right there – to rely on
what I <i>know</i> works for me and tune out
the naysayers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then there’s Leo, my 11-year-old son. The kid who got me started with this running
stuff in the first place. The kid who’s
been left in my dust as I discovered how much I really enjoy distance training,
even as he’s discovered he really <i>doesn’t
</i> enjoy it. Or does he?
I’m not real sure anymore; these ‘tween years are a challenge. But I aim to find out just <i>what</i> he enjoys and see if I can’t help
him also find the peace and strength physical activity brings to my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there you go – three solid goals for 2014. All achievable? I don’t know.
And that’s pretty scary to a perfectionist. But I’m willing to give it a try.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyC9YT4n5B7y5ZHU8PHw43MXZjF8GWCaw4wK5j6W2cviY4fXgliDJIFOazvnhVX15QiJlLhPXMli0zNJ5tspaFpyeuC_xNzii2UNRuLlaASUDJGrOd2R8y6HbeurRPkNUFtji4o7_XZ7he/s1600/NYE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyC9YT4n5B7y5ZHU8PHw43MXZjF8GWCaw4wK5j6W2cviY4fXgliDJIFOazvnhVX15QiJlLhPXMli0zNJ5tspaFpyeuC_xNzii2UNRuLlaASUDJGrOd2R8y6HbeurRPkNUFtji4o7_XZ7he/s400/NYE.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Wishing you all a Magical 2014!</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about you? Do you
have any running resolutions for 2014?
Let’s hear ‘em!</span></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-38644979556717065062013-12-18T12:30:00.000-08:002013-12-18T12:30:00.954-08:00Breaking the Running Rules #1: “if you want to run more, you have to run more”<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">If you’re a runner and haven’t heard that idiom yet, I’m
guessing you’ve been running under a rock.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Another variation has it that, “if you want to run faster, you have to
run faster.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’m completely on board
with the second variation, but I’m finding that the first is questionable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The standard beginner’s distance race training plan has a
runner add on miles over a number of weeks in preparation for a race, and
usually advocates an easy, comfortable pace.
Some plans add miles each week, while others up the ante every other
week, but generally speaking, they have you run steadily increasing miles in
order to… well, run more miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I’ve been following plans like that for the better part
of two years now… and I’m ready to shake things up. Because <i>this</i>
runner’s body doesn’t seem to respond well to that approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">After battling yet another painful and irritating round
of overuse issues, this article caught my eye: <em><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="http://running.competitor.com/2013/12/training/high-intensity-interval-training_58930">Can reducing your mileage and relying on short and
fast intervals put you on a path to better running?</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></em></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Qhmz9AbXFYXG6__iFkD4Z0ewO5jxGCT-_NIygykyKlBxsgINa0ZkcXlhIlRjcMN03MZDef6h_NWrEA4mFGC_QuBWyfDK03TMPlLuJYmhLCJEYZRKdcIrlhJVTOVVmf1OtYulUqytn_ky/s1600/miss-j.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Qhmz9AbXFYXG6__iFkD4Z0ewO5jxGCT-_NIygykyKlBxsgINa0ZkcXlhIlRjcMN03MZDef6h_NWrEA4mFGC_QuBWyfDK03TMPlLuJYmhLCJEYZRKdcIrlhJVTOVVmf1OtYulUqytn_ky/s1600/miss-j.gif" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">Back when running was just part of my
overall fitness routine, and not something for which I was specifically
training, I would generally walk quickly for around 10 minutes, alternate short
sprints and shorter, slow recoveries for 5-10 minutes, then walk comfortably
for 10-15 minutes to cool down. Apparently
I’d been doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for near-on 15 years,
long before it had a commonly-recognized acronym.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">Know what happened to my knees/back/hips/ankles/shoulder
over that 15 years? Nothing. Not a single injury. In the two years I’ve been piling on miles at
a slower, but steadier, pace? IT Band Syndrome. Runner’s Knee. Bursitis.
Piriformis Syndrome. Hip flexor
strain. Frozen shoulder. Hmmm…<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9ZGu-sELp3OC-RsEpR6y25Q2bGiQpV_RNi2YQAr_yhPiUstVosJc1zmG3oCXh6tKACOM4Br4K_LT7mWVj3lMCugIM4jLb1on_kec2BFWsavSOTClqXEr-9PzTgWD7eCMw_ez6X7GZOq-/s1600/trek_hmm.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9ZGu-sELp3OC-RsEpR6y25Q2bGiQpV_RNi2YQAr_yhPiUstVosJc1zmG3oCXh6tKACOM4Br4K_LT7mWVj3lMCugIM4jLb1on_kec2BFWsavSOTClqXEr-9PzTgWD7eCMw_ez6X7GZOq-/s1600/trek_hmm.gif" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">Given that I only have four weeks left to
train for my next race – the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/#half-marathon" target="_blank">WDW Half-Marathon</a>, Jan. 11 – now seems like a good
time to start breaking some rules and try a new approach. Instead of running long and slow on weekdays,
I’m aiming for more HIIT-like workouts.
And instead of adding on small amounts of distance over a longer period
of time, I’m ramping up quickly: five miles two weeks ago, seven last week, and
I’m aiming for nine this weekend, with a cut-back to four next weekend before
going back up to eleven the weekend after that.
That will leave me with two weeks/one weekend before the race; I’ll go
by feel for that – but I doubt I’ll increase my mileage any further and will probably
stick with short and fast.<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">I’m feeling pretty optimistic about this
approach. If it works, well… I’ll start
looking at my next round of training with an eye for breaking the rules again.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></em></div>
Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-27408229205852722882013-11-18T10:12:00.000-08:002013-11-18T10:12:17.782-08:00Route Review: McGough and Bonner Parks, Largo, FL<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve been a visitor of <a href="http://www.largo.com/egov/apps/locations/facilities.egov?view=detail&id=23">George
C. McGough Nature Park</a> for years, and have used its paths for a number of
short runs, including the Turtle Trot 5K race held annually to benefit the
park. It’s a lovely area full of old-
and new-growth flora and lots and lots of fauna, such as wading birds,
woodpeckers, fish, bunnies, squirrels, snakes and, prompting the park’s “Turtle
Park” nickname, a healthy population of turtles and tortoises. Additionally, park volunteers have rescued
and rehabilitated a number of wild birds, a few of which, with injuries that prohibit
their return to the wild, have become permanent residents of McGough Park and
can be viewed in their spacious enclosures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.largo.com/egov/apps/locations/facilities.egov?view=detail&id=24">John
R. Bonner Nature Park</a> is located a few blocks away from McGough Park. Playing host to a large and diverse number of
migratory birds, Bonner Park is part of the <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Great Florida Birding Trail</span>. In addition to dense forest sections, the
park also provides picnic and playground areas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note that these parks reside
within one of the most densely populated and developed counties in Florida. Outside of well-manicured lawns and roadways,
it’s hard to find much greenspace where I live.
Even harder to find good trails to run.
So, faced with a 6-mile training run on a hot, sunny day a few weeks
ago, I opted to enjoy the shade of the parks and run a route that incorporated
both parks and the residential neighborhood between them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I began in McGough Park,
which features paths and trails composed of asphalt, wooden boardwalk,
hard-packed dirt, and loose gravel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Staff and volunteers do an
incredible job of keeping the paths clear and free of litter. Two pedestrians can comfortably walk/run
side-by-side or pass freely on the paths, while the boardwalk sections are a
bit tight for more than one person at a time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the things I love most about this park is the sheer variety of
plant life in such a small space.
Starting at the front of the park, I ran amongst tall, old-growth pine
and oak trees, which gave way to ground-hugging saw palmettos as I made my way
toward the back of the park. At its far
side, McGough ends at the Intracoastal Waterway, which separates the mainland
from the barrier islands. There, on the
west side of the boardwalk paths, the landscape changes to mangrove swamp and
any number of crabs, fish, and wading birds can be seen swimming or fishing
amidst the roots.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just a few slithery creatures one might encounter at McGough.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Heading back to the park’s
entrance, the path turned to asphalt and led me to the parking lot, from which
I exited and ran up and down several streets between McGough and Bonner Park. I learned a few things on those streets:</span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are not particularly shaded. And I did not wear sunscreen. Oops.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">We have hills in Coastal Florida.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">More accurately, we have a bluff.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">And it runs through that neighborhood.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">I wasn’t planning to run hills that day.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Oops.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Again.</span></span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I knew from my Turtle Trot
experiences (the race goes through both parks) that Bonner Park boasts an actual, unpaved, single-track trail that snakes through a small, lush corner of
the park. The Turtle Trot 5K takes place
in early May – a typically dry month following a cool to sometimes cold, dry
winter. In mid-October, following an
exceptionally rainy summer, that section felt deep, damp and far removed from
the congested civilization surrounding it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several bridges have been built
to cross over small, babbling brooks, but there were places, too, where water
trickled freely over knotted roots and rocks that littered the trail. The landscape inclines and drops steeply
through the trees, turning sharply around giant old oaks, and thick ground
vegetation had spread out into the trail.
Theoretically, the trail eventually curves around to a second
entrance/exit in the park, but when the vines that looked eerily like poison
ivy become so thick that they crossed the entire trail, I backtracked my
way out to where I’d first entered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made my way through a
section of well-maintained asphalt paths in Bonner, where I saw a few
woodpeckers hard at work, then headed back out through the neighborhood for a
final loop through McGough Park.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I absolutely looooved this
run. It was <i>hot</i> and felt entirely too much like summer for, you know, fall… but
I’m finding that my favorite runs are in natural settings. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trails make V happy.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m looking forward to a
repeat visit to Bonner and McGough in the future, not least of all because I
can end my run with these guys…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The famous McGough turtles.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meet Matilda, the rescued owl.</span></td></tr>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481318116344797760.post-46579903320716796572013-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:002013-11-15T09:00:04.758-08:00Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon / Jingle Jungle 5K - Race Recap(s)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know you're all like "Whaaaaat? V never said she was running those races..."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, after hearing so many folks rave about the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/wine-and-dine-half-marathon/" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half-Marathon</a>, I'm pretty bummed I skipped it. I "ran" the <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/wine-and-dine-half-marathon/#family-fun-run-5k" target="_blank">Jingle Jungle 5K</a> last year - but <a href="http://seevrun.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-jingle-jungle-5k-race-recap.html" target="_blank">my experience</a> was hampered a LOT by injury and 'tween antics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a feeling I'll be signing up to run the Wine & Dine next year, though. Until then, I enjoyed spending this week reading all about the 2013 races, so in the spirit of #FollowFriday, I'll share with you the recaps from some of my favorite Disney-running bloggers! Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Goober Monkey: <a href="http://goobermonkey.com/2013/11/rundisneys-wine-and-dine-half-meet-up-winedinehalfmeetup-rundisney/" target="_blank">runDisney Pre-Race Meet-Up</a>, <a href="http://goobermonkey.com/2013/11/rundisney-wine-and-dine-12-marathon-weekend-recap-rundisney-winedinehalf-jinglejungle5k/" target="_blank">Jingle Jungle 5K and Wine & Dine Half</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Margaritas, Miles & The Mouse: <a href="http://margaritasmilesandmouse.blogspot.com/2013/11/wine-and-dine-half-marathon-re-cap.html" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plus the Magic: <a href="http://www.plusthemagic.com/2013/11/that-sad-first-day-home.html" target="_blank">Jingle Jungle 5K</a> (Okay, she hasn’t posted the full Jingle Jungle Review yet… but it’s coming. And. She’s a fabulous blogger. So click through anyway, and read some other awesome stuff while you wait…)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Run. Walk. FASTPASS. Repeat.: <a href="http://runwalkrepeat.blogspot.com/2013/11/rundisney-wine-and-dine-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pink Elephant on Parade: <a href="http://pinkelephantonparade.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/wine-dine-race-recap/" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We Run Disney: <a href="http://www.werundisney.com/2013/11/jingle-jungle-5k-fun-run-through-animal.html#.UoZHONKgmIg" target="_blank">Jingle Jungle 5K</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mom’s Magical Miles: <a href="http://momsmagicalmiles.blogspot.com/2013/11/walt-disney-world-wine-and-dine-half.html" target="_blank">Wine & Dine Half</a></span></div>
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Vs Fuzzy Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10705397058179488506noreply@blogger.com3