Spring

Finally, we have decent weather.

I decided I'd do a slow recovery run today at lunch. I started at a good pace, but then found my time creeping faster. To keep myself slow, I started taking pictures on the run. I finished with a little over 5 miles... with no sign of my usual post half-marathon injuries. Let me praise the Newtons again!



Slowed down my pace nicely.



You can see I don't have a whole lot of traffic concerns on my routes. Is the second street not a beautiful sight? It was just re-paved a couple of weeks ago- tedious at the time, but really nice now.



I'm actually more afraid of one of these than cars.

Princess Half Marathon 2010

The Princess Half Marathon was yesterday! I can't believe I'm updating so quickly...

GOAL

Try to finish the half with a decent time. Finished in 2:21:xx last year. Think I can beat it.

SUPER SECRET AND QUITE POSSIBLY TOTALLY UNREALISTIC GOAL

Hmmm... Try to break 2 hours based on results from Dolphin Days run.

Positives: My time at the Dolphin Days was reasonably fast, I'm not injured.

Negatives: Everything else.

More specifically: longest long run was 10 miles, wearing 2 week old shoes that require different running style (Newtons), wearing new clothes, trying to set a PR at Disney after a day at the parks, potentially eating tons of bad food at the parks, the picture taking temptation on the course, the time... as in have to get there by about 4 a.m.

Friday: THE EXPO

We check in at the hotel and then Emma, Milo and I drive to the Expo. I remembered the stroller this year, but you have to leave it outside the building. Really dumb. I get that it's crowded, but there are tons of moms dragging children... if you're dragging children, you're not dragging merchandise and you're on the verge of giving up and getting out of the building as quickly as you can. Case in point: I looked at the stuff for sale and left with a pin and a keychain. And the only reason that even happened was that there wasn't a line at the checkout.

I printed my waiver ahead of time and found my number was 14. I thought that was pretty funny until I went to get my packet and saw "Elite" on the bib corner. Tempting, but who wants to be humiliated that quickly in a race? I had to drag the baby over to Runner Relations, and then drag him back to another window to get my proper bib. Then it was back the other way to pick up the t-shirts/goody bag. The t-shirts were mis-labeled, so we had to guess on the sizes. Tedious. I had a really nice volunteer but the baby was getting very, very heavy.

I can't believe I was so frazzled that I didn't have Emma take a picture of me with an elite bib.

SATURDAY: the Parks

Same routine as always. Hit the Magic Kingdom bright and early.



We ride Peter Pan, Snow White, Pooh, Buzz, the race cars, the people mover thingy, etc. Emma and Ted went on Space Mountain while Harry, Miles and I shared ice cream sundaes (which we never confessed).

Harry driving!

Everybody liked the rides including the baby. A bird stole a piece of popcorn right out of Milo's hand. He offered it more. Clueless! Harry found the birds disturbing, and rightly so.





We grabbed lunch at our usual Pecos Bills. It's never as good as we think it will be, but it's reasonably easy and part of our traditions now.

Harry, Emma and Ted got in line for Splash Mountain, but of course, it went down for repairs. Probably for the best. It was about noon, and the wait was 5 minutes. I'm guessing people were getting wet and really cold.

Harry wanted to hit Buzz again, so back we went. Ted wanted to do the Carousel of Progress, but all I see in that ride is a confined space for an eternity with no easy opportunity to get out with an angry baby. The baby and I passed. We wandered towards the Castle and discovered the High School Musical parade was meandering around. We danced for a bit to Metro Station's "Shake Shake Shake" which had been edited considerably (which I know because it's on my running playlist- the humiliation!)

Walkie-talkie fun!



We decided since we only had the one day at the parks, we'd head to Epcot and hope the boys could make it without a nap. Yeah, good plan.

All was well at Epcot in the beginning. Harry was big on the Nemo ride- here I'm taking a picture of Ted taking a flip video of Harry- no wonder he thinks he's a rock star.



The boys were starting to fray at the edges a bit...

Self-explanatory.




It was the Flower and Garden Festival. I barely noticed this year, but probably because of the distractions provided by my peeps.







Then it got cold, people got sort of hungry in a "I've snacked all day but not had a real meal" kind of way. Irritation set in. It was still fun because I demand fun at Disney, but Epcot with two irrational creatures is not the best (and then there were the boys to consider. LOL)



A happy moment.

The boys did fall asleep briefly, but it didn't help much. Back to the hotel...

Really, back to the hotel worked for me. It was 8:00 p.m. and I had to get up at 3:00 a.m. I still hadn't organized my pile of stuff, and I was worried about the weather.

SUNDAY: The Race!!!

My iPhone alarm goes off. Wow. No matter how organized you get the night before, it's still hard to get ready that early. I drank a Diet Dr. Pepper, put on all my layers, grabbed a bag full of extra water/gels/towel/etc. to toss at the start and hit the road. Oddly, as I was leaving the hotel at 3:45 a.m., pizza guys were making a delivery. I get on I-4 and head towards Epcot. As usual, I keep an eye on the signs but basically follow the cars in front of me. I'm pretty sure the SUVs, minivans, and cabs out and about at this hour are chock full of princesses.

I'm parked by 4:10 a.m. Now that was too easy. We're supposed to be in the corrals at 5:30 a.m. What to do in the meantime? I fiddle with my stuff in the car- take some stuff out of my bag and pretty much put it all back in. I start walking to the staging area (where they herd everyone before they open the corrals). I turn around after about 100 yards to retrieve any clothing I have in the car. The pink jacket I decided I wanted to leave in the car so I didn't end up donating it? Yep, it can go to charity. I now have on a short sleeve shirt, arm warmers, a lightweight vest, my running skirt, baggy maroon pants, my hat, my Newtons, a running jacket and a purple sweatshirt, and my race belt. I'm like a giant fluffy plum. I'm carrying my crown in my bag cause I want to preserve some dignity.

I walk to the staging area. There's the pre-requisite DJ playing 80s music. Then he launches into the "Cupid Shuffle" and before my eyes something like 200 women start line dancing. It was at exactly that moment that I decided I was excited to be there. Just surreal.

I hit the port-a-potty lines, and start the long walk to the corrals. There are two women from Michigan near me- they're in t-shirts and shorts. They said they were cold. You think?! It was in the low 40s. I had draped my Ariel towel over my neck- I took pity on them and handed it over. They said it was an answer to a prayer- I was hoping the running gods would approve. A lot of people were really not dressed for the weather- what was up with that?!

I get in Corral A. Yep, A, as in right behind the Elites.



I'm by the stage with the announcers. They have a camera crew that keeps interviewing people around me. Very strange to watch the interview next to me and hear it slightly delayed on the video screens! With about a half hour to go, I pop a gel and drink some water. I'm still killing time. Damn if more people aren't line dancing- Cupid Shuffle again, YMCA, etc.





I decide it's time to break out the crown... hello, wardrobe malfunction! My gloves stick to the velcro holding my crown together and the velcro tears out of the crown. Luckily I had taped my pace chart on my phone with duct tape- I ripped some off and did a hasty repair. Who knew?! And now I think that the running gods must be with me- crown repairs at the start line. Throw whatever you want at me, Princess Half, I'm ready!

Ten minutes to the start: I take off the pants. Not easy with shoes, and I had a sudden irrational fear that I'd be naked from the waist down, but it worked. Then the sweatshirt. It is the coldest of colds.

The Fairy Godmother appears. She cracks some princess jokes and then does a little jig to the Cotton Eyed Joe.


As Harry would say, I didn't see that one coming!

The countdown from 5.... fireworks this year! And we are off.



Mile 1: 9:27

Crowded. Cold. That's about it.

Mile 2: 8:42

Trying to make up time. Still cold.

Mile 3: 9:05

First character picture opportunity. It's the Princes/Heroes. I give the guy my camera, but something to do with the darkness outside and the brightness of the float pushed my camera over the edge. After ages of messing with it, the guy takes a video of me.



Mile 4: 8:53

Little panicky about time goal. Dump the jacket. Pass the Ticket and Transportation Center somewhere around here. Lots of spectators giving high fives. I go out of my way to high five everyone. For some reason, this is crazy fun. A spectator yells that he likes my outfit and another tells me to just keep smiling. What nice spectators to be out in this freezing cold humoring a bunch of runners!



Mile 5: 8:43

Getting back on track. I can't remember if Contemporary Hill was here or later- oh well. I wrap my headphones around my iPhone- don't need music in the upcoming Magic Kingdom!



Mile 6: 9:56

Uh oh. Magic Kingdom. I'm doing great, blazing down Main Street. I'm taking blurry pictures and moving on... and then Pluto is by Tomorrowland and there's only one person in line.





And then we head past the Pooh Ride and Dumbo... then right by the Carousel, I spot a line of Princesses and other random characters. Such a short line, how can I not stop?



Oh, jeez, this is ridiculous, but it's Mickey and Minnie!



And the trumpet guys...



And then it's through the Castle. Got to position yourself just right in hopes of getting a photo. And then just in case, have to pose for one in front of the Castle!

OK, I'm moving again. Time to get under control. I'm thinking about how Becky should be there to reign me in!

Mile 7: 9:21

Frontierland- almost out of the blackhole that is the Magic Kingdom. And there's Jessie. Oh... Harry loves Jessie (who he also calls Annie). I've got to stop.



Ok, now cross the railroad tracks and take the obligatory blurry photo of the train. Seriously, why don't I ever take the 2 seconds to stop for the train picture?!



Now we're in the float area backstage. Time to get serious. There's a long line for Peter Pan- I don't stop. I'm so proud I barely notice stopping for the Genie picture. Damn! And it's a waterstop and now I'm moving.



Mile 8: 8:42

OK, I printed a pace chart for 1:55. I'm a little over 5 minutes off. I still have a shot at breaking 2 hours. I'm pretty sure it will hurt. We're in the tedious area where they squeeze everyone into one tiny lane of traffic. It's hard to weave in and out. I read a few of the inspirational signs; they just irritate me. I'm pretty sure I'm not smiling as much.

Mile 9: 8:51

I'm feeling the fade. I'm starting to panic about the fact that I've never worn Newton shoes more than 6 miles; I didn't run more than 10 in training; and I'm just growing weary. I decide I'm taking a gel at the next water stop. It may be too late to do me much good, but it will at least be something different to do. I get it out and start squeezing it so it won't be frozen.



Captain Jack was somewhere out in this great wasteland that is the area between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. As a sign of my dedication (desperation?), I don't stop for him.

Mile 10: 9:25

I take the Chocolate Hammer Gel and drink some water. Really wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped, but the novelty of not moving was nice.

Mile 11: 9:00

Getting ugly. I'm looking at the mile marker clocks- it's going to be ridiculously close.

Mile 12: 9:15

So I forgot how bad the overpasses were. First there's this long winding overpass- the kind that makes you joke about g-forces when you're driving. Just keeps going up. Then you go down... great. Then you go up another one. I can see Epcot in the distance. Normally this would be a welcome sight. Not with a time goal.

Mile 13: 8:53

Killer. I tried to up the pace. And I'm proud to say, I did up it. But, alas, not quite enough. We cross through Epcot towards the finish line. The Gospel choir was there (on the left) this year. That was nice. I see the time- 2:00:10. It's not going to happen. I think about stopping right there, but then I thought maybe my chip time would be better and I didn't want to be crushed steps away from the finish. I push through...

FINAL CHIP TIME: 1:59:72.

(Ok, 2:00:12.)

I got my medal and asked the volunteer to take my picture. She had to give my camera to someone else because she couldn't get her glasses on with all the medals around her neck. Then, I remembered I needed a picture for my iPhone. I went up to another volunteer and she couldn't get her glasses on either! What are the odds? I got my picture and staggered off.



I went through the buffet line at the end- bananas, bagels, oranges, raisins, Luna bar samples, pineapple cups, Diet Cokes... grabbed a bag full of stuff. I hope they didn't run out of the Luna bars- the women in front of me were stocking up with huge handfuls. What was that all about? I grabbed a massage for $10.00, rolled off the table and out of the building, and went to the concessions stand to see if the shirts were more appealing without the baby. The shirts were easier to look at, but I was shivering like crazy. I considered buying a jacket, but the $49+ tag seemed silly, so I just headed to the parking lot. For once, I found my car on the first try.

Trouble back at the hotel...



LAST THOUGHTS:

Well, the 12 seconds make me laugh. Do I regret taking pictures? Not really. Taking pictures gave me a few breaks. Who's to say I wouldn't have crumbled around mile 12 had I not taken some extra time? (And yes, the photographers took pictures too, but not with the characters. And no, I don't know what I'm going to do with these pictures since it's just me and the characters, but that's not the point). In theory I can always try to run for time in a more traditional and boring setting, although running as fast as possible in a boring setting is not sounding all that appealing.

There was a guy running with us carrying a tripod. He gets my vote for best support crew EVER. He put together a youtube video that can be found under Princess Half Marathon (make sure it's 2010)- he's friendofvic. First he caught me posing with the Princes/Heroes and then waving after the Magic Kingdom. That's some funny stuff.

And, I'm embarassed to add, I just downloaded the Cupid Shuffle so I'll be ready next year. I'm busting through 2 hours next year... and I'm taking pictures, so I've got a lot of work to do!

Super Dolphin Days 10k

So, it's been awhile.

I took January off for several reasons: recurring PF, novelty of new bike, refusal to face cold temperatures, etc. I bought a new trainer for my bike and moved it into my bedroom. I downloaded two movies for my iPhone from "Sufferfest." It's actual footage from rides/races from either the handlebars or helmet. It's really fun in a horrible kind of way. Somehow not running worked for me- I ended up losing 10 pounds since Christmas, so that made me love my bike. Bikes are still kind of high maintenance for me, but Harry and I did go through the process of taking the front tire on and off and playing with the tube, so I'm feeling a little better about my mechanical skills.

Then someone asked me if I was doing the Princess Half- no, I said, it's too expensive and it won't work in my schedule. Got the idea in my head... yep, I signed up. I then had to deal with the concept of a rapidly approaching half with a base of maybe 4 mile runs. Over three weeks, I did a 6 mile, 9 mile, and 10 mile long run. All went well, even though I completely violated the 10% rule. (When you go from running say 4 miles a week to 25 miles, you're living on the edge).

I also freaked out and bought some Newton shoes. They are supposed to help you land more in your forefoot or midfoot or somewhere... I don't get the technology, but if it will keep me from hurting my heel, I'm all for it. And I got them in pink, cause you know, the Princess is approaching. You're supposed to break them in slowly, or I guess really break yourself into the right way of running in them. I vetoed that idea.

So, not having a clue about my pace strategy for the Princess, I signed up for the Dolphin Days 10k. I really wasn't that worried about the race, but somehow I managed to wake up over and over thinking that either I was late or I'd shown up wearing jeans. Tedious.

I go to the start in a short sleeve shirt, shorts, a light running jacket, and my super sweet pink Newtons (with the bright yellow laces). It's about 39 degrees outside, but I'm not too cold. Apparently it's very trendy to roll out of bed, throw on any old clothes, and stagger to the start. I'm not saying I was looking fabulous, but I felt a little silly in my pink shoes.

The race starts-

Mile 1: I start too far back and have to weave through people. I'm a little worried about going out too fast, but I don't want to get stuck in a pack. I finish the mile in 8:27. That seems a bit too fast, but I'm not hurting.

Mile 2: D'oh! The waterstop isn't manned yet. I don't want the water, but it bothers me. I run on. I'm passing people like crazy- usually this comes back to haunt me. Mile 2 is finished in 8:15.

Mile 3: I'm playing the same songs over and over on my iPhone because I've developed a sudden superstition that they are keeping me fast. I'm still passing people... what's up with that? Mile 3 is 8:15.

Mile 4: I remember reading that if you drink in the last 20 minutes of a 10k, it won't have time to help you. Last year I fell apart after treating the waterstop like a rest area, so I run on through. Mile 4 is 8:19.

Mile 5: How is it possible that I am still passing people? I look up and realize I only see men in front of me. I'm pretty sure I can actually feel these guys I'm passing losing the will to live- the pink shoes could only be worse if I had a running stroller too... Oddly, I still feel good. I keep telling myself to keep landing with my feet under my body to protect my heels and to keep my turn over quick. Emma texts me- "where r u?" Seriously? This mile is 8:30.

Mile 6: Somewhere around here there's another waterstop. Nope, not me. I'm moving on. For the first time since the beginning, I get passed. First there's a rail-thin woman who looks so smooth she should be on the cover of Runners World- I let her go. Then an older guy in running tights- he looks hard core- I let him go too. Finally in the last 1/2 mile, a guy in bright red shoes takes me. I'm ok with it though because I like his shoes (we bright people should stick together) and I suspect I was in high school when he was born. Mile 6 is finished in 8:27.

I finish in a shocking 52:31. I actually don't feel bad. Is it the cross-training? the weight loss? the Newtons? Don't know, but worked for me. I took 6 minutes off last year. Got a little hardware too, and by hardware I mean a little cheapo medal. Second in my age group; 40th out of 130; 7th woman across.

Before I sound too cocky, I have to add that I look dreadful in the pictures. Here I thought my pink shoes were causing the runners I passed to fall apart; but I think it may have been seeing someone as goofy as me pass them. How fast must I go before I can look like a real runner instead of a fast shuffler?!



So, now to decide on pacing for the Princess. If I plug my numbers into running calculators, I could maybe pull off a 1:56:xx half. But, I don't know if I have put in enough long runs. I'd hate to run as fast as I could and blow off the whole Disney experience only to have to walk in the last few miles. I'm thinking of a compromise position-- I'll aim for breaking 2 hours, but I'm going to take a few pictures at the Castle. Unless of course I wake up exhausted from the Disney parks the day before- then I may just take my sweet time.

And of course, I'm wearing my "you really need to take some time to get used to them" Newtons. I haven't gone over 6 miles in them. I'll bring some older shoes too in case I actually come to my senses in time to change my plans, but it's not likely. If I go down, I go down and will have no one but me to blame. I can live with that.