I have to admit, I am getting nervous. I had that feeling in my gut where I had to use the bathroom. I was packing up everything and making sure I had most of my items together when it hit me. I’m leaving in 3 days to do the Dopey Challenge! I never do things like that! I usually do 2 races, NOT 4. Holy CRAP!!!
I was diligent with my training; however, after the Philly marathon I did not do another 26 mile run, I only did a 20 miler run with the first 5 miles being a walk on the treadmill. I do feel assured that it is ok because when I was listening to Jeff Galloway on the Mickey Milers podcast he was saying how important it is to take the training very slowly. I can assure you, I was slow!. It’s been warm one day, freezing the next here. My sinuses are acting weird. I hope I am not coming down with anything. It’s going to be bitter cold for the next week in CT and I am hoping that will give things a hard freeze and all of us will stop sniffling and sneezing. I feel like we have all been battling allergies since the leaves fell.
So what have I packed? I hope everything I need. My costumes, my space blankets to use for warmth each day, two pairs of sneakers for the races, a pair for dress, shorts, sweatshirts, bathing suit, epsom salt, tea and sugar, oatmeal, foam roller, the stick…. I think I got it all. If not, I know I’ll be going to Target after I stop at the Expo when I land.
I just have to get through one race at at time. I CAN DO THIS! This is the time where I have to start doing the mental preparation for these races.
I usually do my previous year reflection while I am out on a run, but since I went for a run Tuesday and did some speed work during that run, I didn’t go for a run Wednesday. With Dopey coming up, I am in taper mode and I wanted to be careful that I don’t hurt myself. Considering I am in taper mode, I feel like I have been out for more runs lately because I am off of work and I enjoy getting out there. This Christmas I got my family Fitbits to use and I now have one myself so I have been actively making sure I am getting in my steps so I can earn my mileage on my non-running days as well. I love it. If I am behind on my steps I head outside to the driveway and get in some steps or I make sure I am active in the house and start doing laundry or the other night I began packing my kids’ clothes for their surprise trip to see me for marathon weekend. I am doing what I just heard Jeff Galloway recommend doing on a Mickey Miles podcast episode. which is to get out of the subconscious mind and into the conscious mind and make smart decisions on my eating and activities.
So about 2014… it was a good year for me. From January to present I have accomplished many things! In January I did my second marathon (which was my second runDisney marathon) and met more runner friends. I ran the 10K with Mandy and met her friend Diana Boucher (who is from CT!) For the marathon, I ran it with Kimberly Markey who had her last chemo treatment just prior to the race weekend and was doing the Dopey challenge. I also ran it with Alison Nicklas who is a friend of Kim’s that I had met at the Cheshire half marathon in 2013 and ran with her at various times. At that race I met Gail Savidge and had the opportunity to run races with them all throughout the year in various locations like Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California and Florida! At the 2015 WDW marathon weekend Gail (aka Perfect Goofy Gail) will be earning her 10th Goofy medal so this race weekend is a big deal for her! I also met Linda Ambard at the starting line of the Marathon. She was being profiled by runDisney for their “Why I Run Disney” stories, which Kim was also profiled in. Oh I also had the chance to meet Chris and Heidi Powell in the Magic Kingdom!
Gail (left) Kimberly (center) Alison (right) me and Becca Gibson Kyler (pink shirt front)
Diana and Mandy at the 10K
The Powell Pack
In February, I ran the Princess Half Marathon in Florida which was one of the most fun half marathons! I got to meet Jindy and shared a room with her and I met Gail’s friend Rebecca Bastian one night at dinner and also gained a new friend. I had the chance to meet Eddie McCoy in person and I ran the race with Eddie, Kim, Gail and Dave Dunkowski (another new runner friend). We sprinted from picture stop to picture stop and had the best race photos! I was in training mode for May for the Providence marathon but was still recovering from issues that I seemed to have developed during marathon weekend in January with my hip/quad muscles. I was being careful and trying not to make things worse. But speed was not something I had at the time.
In March I was training for the Providence marathon in May, and March was my birthday month. Nothing too exciting happened in that month for me. I didn’t have any races on my calendar for March because I was focusing on my training. My job was getting very stressful and intense. I recall working many, many hours and having trouble with the balance of work and family. It wasn’t a good time.
In April I was happy to welcome Spring as usual. I ran an innaugural race in Middletown, The Harvard Pilgrim Middletown Half & Legends 4-Miler. Jeff Galloway, Amby Burfoot and Bill Rodgers where there! I went to a seminar Jeff was having the day before the race and on race morning I got Jeff, Amby and Roger’s autographs on my bib! The day after Easter I went up to Boston to watch friends who were running the Boston marathon. Eddie McCoy, Linda Ambard and Michelle Scribner-MacLean were the three people that I knew of who were running that race. I did get the chance to see Eddie run by me briefly at mile 20 and then I went over to mile 25/26 to watch for Linda and Michelle but I didn’t get the chance to see them before I had to catch my train back home. It was so amazing to be at that race and to be a spectator for such a large event. I do want to run Boston one day; but I don’t know if I will run it by my own qualification. It will be a major life commitment for me to qualify for that race. I did run my own Boston marathon event as a fundraiser and a long training run for Providence on Good Friday. I even earned a medal for it!
In May was my chance to get a PR for a marathon. I ran the Providence marathon with Gail Savidge who helped me get my PR. Kim and I drove up to Providence and met Gail who flew in from Arizona. We stayed at a hotel right near the start line and ran the event together. Kim was recovering from her hysterectomy surgery so she was forced to do the half by her coach and doctors and Gail and I ran the full. I was so excited that I got my PR! I think it is so awesome that you can meet friends at races and continue to run with them in other races in the future. I felt really good during that race. I think I may do it again in 2015. We took our annual family trip to Disney and while I was there I met up with Becca twice to do some runs around the hotel. That was great to meet up with her while I was on vacation and get in some casual runs with her. I love making new running friends!
In June I did another race that was new. Runner’s world was doing the Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon hat trick event. I couldn’t do the 5K and 10K on the Saturday of that event weekend because it was my son’s birthday and the kids had a baseball game Saturday night that I didn’t want to miss. But I did plan on sleeping at home and waking up early to drive up to Boston University and run the half marathon with Kim and Gail and Alison. It was a “hot and hilly” half marathon! But I actually ran the Heartbreak Hill that is so famously talked about with the Boston marathon. It will always be a joke to Kim and Gail when I asked if I can get a PR at that race, because they ran the races the day before the half and it was HOT and HILLY!. I also had the opportunity to attend a Social Media Mom’s Disneyside even on the Road Conference in Philadelphia, PA. Kim drove us down there. That was a great time!
In July, I didn’t have any races on my calendar and I was trying to train for a triathlon with some swimming. But I was only swimming in my pool, no open water swimming. I had done some biking in the spring, but in July I was not on my bike. I was maintaining my mileage because I would be ramping up for the Dumbo Double Dare races so I didn’t back down much during the summer months. I mainly did my evening runs and then on weekends I would set my alarm and get up very early and do my long runs while everyone was still sleeping. Then I would have the rest of the day with my family and it wasn’t taking up too much of my weekend time.
During the summer we volunteered at the North Haven Animal Shelter to help out walking the dogs and playing with the cats. I wanted my kids to experience a summer filled with memories so that when they grow older, they can look back and remember their summers as a kid and all of the fun things that they had a chance to do. We went out for ice cream, had fires and s’mores in the back yard with the neighbors, went for walks, saw fireworks, swam, and went to camp. It was a great summer! I didn’t want it to end.
In July some major shifts happened in my work life. I received an email in late June that the President of my company was retiring. It wasn’t his choice to retire and everyone knew that. The moment I received that email I knew it was time for me to leave the company. I made a few changes to the resumes I had posted online to include the SharePoint experience I had and within days I was contacted by someone about a job in Bloomfield. She wanted to talk to me on the phone. On July 3 I talked to her on my cell phone out in the parking lot of my work for an hour. It was a very hot, summer day but I stood out there in the shade and talked to her very casually about why I am looking for a job and to see what she had to offer. Little did I know that it was going to end up being something I truly wanted. We planned to meet in person and I went to their facility several times in July to meet her and the other team members I would be working with.
In July, I also applied to be a member of Team Chocolate milk. I made a video and submitted it for review and it was selected to receive votes. I asked everyone I knew to vote for me every day for 2 weeks and they did! My son especially enjoyed voting for me each night from his kindle. They knew that it was important for me to get onto this team.
In August I was pretty confident that I would be leaving my job at Honeywell and I knew for sure that I wanted the job that I interviewed for in Bloomfield. I had several other calls with other companies, but the Bloomfield job was looking solid. I was getting anxious. The job had fallen into my lap and I was pretty sure I wanted it. I just couldn’t believe that after 24 years with the company I would really be leaving it. It was a 2 mile commute, I had flexibility to get my kids off to school and I had 4 weeks vacation. But I was very unhappy with the atmosphere there. I enjoyed the work I did and I really enjoyed working for and with Jack; but I wasn’t happy. We went to New Hampshire for our summer vacation and stayed up there for 10 days. It was a challenging trip. I was anxious about the job and Kevin was at a point in his career and life where he just wasn’t himself. It was a challenging time for me, but I was trying hard to make sure the kids were still having their #EpicSummer2014. While we were in New Hampshire I received an email that I had made it onto Team Chocolate Milk! I was so excited and my family and I celebrated.
I had one final interview scheduled for after I returned from New Hampshire and I was mentally checking out of my current job. I knew I didn’t want to stay. Waiting isn’t easy for me. I am not a patient person.
Labor Day weekend came around and I was heading to California for the Dumbo Double Dare. I was hoping to have news of the job by then, but I didn’t. I got out to California late Friday afternoon and met up with Kim, Gail and Becca. I also discovered on this trip that flying was giving me migraines. This one I got from the trip out west was so severe that I almost threw up the morning of the 10K race. It was real tough, but once I got running I started to feel better. I love California and the Dumbo Double Dare races. I helped Becca earn her Coast to Coast medal during the half marathon. It was her first coast to coast and she had tears at the end. It was great. I love helping people reach their goals. She had been through a tough summer with her back and wasn’t sure how she was going to do with the race. She did great!
I became a Jamberry consultant in September. I came across it from Facebook while looking for nail wraps for a race and decided that this would be something that I would be interested in doing because all of the parties can be hosted via Facebook and it is a product that I am very interested in. I am still selling the Jamberry wraps and have used it in many ways as fundraisers for a student in my son’s class who has cancer and also for Give Kids The World. I love that something I enjoy can be used in a way that can also benefit others! It is a great company to work for and the amount of time you put into it determines how successful you can be. They have great training tools and their products practically sell themselves!
September came around and I waited for news if I was getting the new job. The kids started their new year in school. Adrienne was a kindergartner now and Kevin was in second grade. I can’t believe it. They are both in school five days a week and it’s great because I am able to work outside the house five days a week. I finally got offered the job I wanted on September 8th and gave my notice on September 9th because my boss was not at work on September 8th. My last day of work was going to be September 19th. I was ready to move on. I planned on finishing work and then starting my new job on October 1. During my time off from work I had to find a new car and then my husband ended up having knee surgery for a torn meniscus. So I didn’t really take much time off for myself to “hang around”. But it was still good to have the break between jobs.
Goodbye Honeywell friends!
October 1 I started my new job and loved it from the start. I worked 2 days and then had to get on a plane on October 3 to head to Florida for the Tower of Terror 10 miler. On the way to the race I sat with a very nice couple on the plane and noticed that the man there had on the runDisney Mickey sneakers. So we got talking and they were also going to Florida for the race. They told me they owned a store in Middlefield and we kept in touch and I saw them the night of the 10 milers. When I returned home I went to their store several times for ice cream with the kids and to go Christmas shopping for my family. Isn’t it awesome how races can bring many different people together?! I also had a stomach-upsetting headache when I landed so I knew I had to get this problem resolved. I joined the girls as their escort for the 5K because I wasn’t running that race and took pictures and watched all of the runners while I was there. That night I ran the 10 miler with Kim, Gail and Becca and had a great time again with all of the picture stops. After the race we went to the after party and then went back to the house where I showered and turned around and drove to the airport (without sleep) to head home for a party back home. My daughter turned 6 in October and I can’t believe how much she is changing! She is so confident now and is doing very well in school. We had a party for her and at the karate studio with her classmates and it was a big success! For my training I was increasing my mileage but was also working my new job and the days were getting shorter so I was starting to feel the challenge of needing to get my runs in but I knew I may have to start using the treadmill. I dreaded it, but came to terms with it and had some successes. I did my long runs on the weekends again like in the summer and it all worked out nicely.
Bob and Mary Perrotti (They are from MIddletown and have a shop in Middlefield 10 minutes away from my house!)
November came around quickly and I had the Wine and Dine race in Disney World. I knew Bob and Mary were also going to the Wine and Dine race but I didn’t run into them there. I didn’t get to hook up with Kim Gail and Becca either, but I did see Joe Pardo and his wife Melissa and my friends Mandy and Kenn Remo at Epcot that night! I was on Joe’s podcast in the summer for one of his episodes. He is so awesome. Very friendly and welcoming and his wife is so supportive of his podcast and all the people he meets! I ran the Wine and Dine half marathon with Mandy and Diana and it was horrible pouring rain for most of the race. This was my first Wine and Dine half marathon and I was disappointed that I didn’t get to experience all of the picture stops and the after party. I planned on staying for the after party, but the weather was so terrible and cold, that I didn’t want to stand in line for the food and drinks in the cold rain. I went back to my room, slept for 3 hours and headed to the airport to get back home to my family for another party! My job was picking up during the months of November and December and I am really enjoying it. I learn something new every day and I think I am becoming a great help to my co-worker. I keep thinking about my one word resolution for 2014 which was “Grow” and feel that it is so appropriate for the year and everything that I have been going through.
Diana Boucher, me, Mandy Remo, Christina Palombo
On a Saturday in November my parents and I took the kids to NYC on the train to see the city. They loved it. We went to the Central Park Zoo, ate at a burger bar in Rockefeller Center, saw the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry and rode the subway. They were such excellent travelers and never complained about all the walking. I knew that we had to return before year end to show them the Christmas lights in the city.
The weekend before Thanksgiving I took a train to Philadelphia to run the Philadelphia Marathon. I met Jennifer Tara there and we roomed together. She was going to run the half marathon. We met Joe Pardo and his wife for dinner and had a great time in the city. Again, I can’t say how much I love making new friends through running and being able to hook up with someone and making a new friend at each race. I had planned to run the full with Danielle DeCarolis. She is a fellow Mickey Miler so we met up the morning of the race in the corrals. You can read my race recap for the full event’s details. I am looking forward to seeing Joe and Jen and Danielle at marathon weekend. For Thanksgiving I didn’t do a turkey trot this year. I did my own Turkey Trot at home in my neighborhood and then we went to my nephew’s house for dinner. It was a quiet but relaxing Thanksgiving.
December came along and I wanted my kids to have an Epic Christmas so we made sure to make plans to do fun holiday things. We went to Gillette Castle to see the lights, we saw lights around town, had breakfast with Santa, my son sang in concerts with his chorus, we put up our tree Thanksgiving weekend and we took them out of school one day to go to NYC. This time my husband was able to join us. It was so much fun to see the city lit up for the holiday. We also watched some of the older Christmas movies like the National Lampoon’s Christmas vacation and they absolutely loved it. They are at a great age to do things that we had done when we were their ages.
2014 was a good year. The kids and I tried new things like Rock Climbing, bike riding at the beach, they went on trips to cities they haven’t been to before, and Adrienne broke her foot. I ran many races in many places and I got outside of my comfort zone and I feel so happy. I am looking forward to another good year in 2015. I believe it is what you make of it. I know that this year I want to focus on achieving the goals that I set and to learn more. What are your goals?
Always smiling! This was 3 days AFTER the accident happened. We went rock climbing and she earned a stripe in karate before we found out it was broken.
I have spoken of this often, I listen to The Two Gomers Run For Their Lives pod cast and each year they come up with a word for their New Year’s resolution. I don’t make resolutions, but I liked the concept of applying one word to my year. Last year the word Grow came to me when I was out on a run. It was a very appropriate word for me for 2014. I have changed in many ways. I left a company I was with for 24 years and started a new job. This job requires that I travel more than the 2 mile commute that I used to have, I am out of the house 5 days per week and I am teach people and interfacing with several people. I love the job. It wasn’t that difficult of a decision for me to take the job. I needed to grow. I was feeling stuck where I was working. My old job wasn’t making me happy. The moral at the company was in the toilet, people were miserable and I was feeling miserable with them. I took a risk, changed a few words in my resume and the job came to me!
As I reflect on my 2014 over the next week, I am thinking of a word that I can apply to my life next year. Grow is still pretty important to me because with my new job I am growing with all of the new things I am learning; but I need a new word. Something to represent what I want to do for myself next year in my career, family, running and personal life. I also want to find more success in my Jamberry business. When I started it last year I had no specific goals, except to keep afloat and not to fail. It is a fun business with cute nail wraps, but I have met so many awesome people who are also runDisney friends and also Mikey Milers! What another great way to network and meet new people! I want to find a specific goal and set it this year.
Do you make resolutions? Do you do a one word resolution? Share with me!
Hmmmm some words that I picked up on while writing this post were “network” “success” “interface” “risk”. I’ll have to chew on those for a bit!
Yes it is just two days before Christmas, but if you are like me you may be behind on your shopping this year and need some last-minute ideas for someone! Well I have a few ideas for you that you can click a few clicks on your mouse and print out a page or two and you will be covered for this Christmas! I love getting new running gear. I especially love getting it as a gift! Here are a few great ideas for your runner in your life Some items that I’d love to receive for Christmas or possibly something you’d like to give to your runners are:
Entry into a runDisney race. You can give a non-Disney Gift card, like a pre-paid Visa or Mastercard for any monetary value and the runner can use that when registering for their runDisney race of choice. Then for the Expo you can give your runner a Disney Gift card to use for the official runDisney merchandise, food during the racecation or even towards the hotel room. If you shop with your red card at Target you can save 5% on the purchase of your Disney Gift Card, too!
An Airline gift certificate. I’d love to get some free Southwest credit to use towards my races!
Entry into a virtual race or an actual race. I was planning on going to the Jeff Galloway’s Inaugural 13.1 race in Atlanta this year, but due to some circumstances at home, I had to put that race on hold this year. However, I can participate in the virtual race and will still receive my medal! Click here for more details.
Jeff Galloway also offers race retreats. Why not take a little retreat somewhere to relax AND run and learn with Jeff and Barbara Galloway?!
I recently purchased a great new piece of clothing to add to my gear. A fly shrug. It was perfect for the Wine and Dine half marathon (race recap coming soon!). It was a rainy race and I wasn’t sure how the weather was going to be in regards to temperature. So this was perfect in case I needed to take it off to cool off. I also used it for the Philadelphia marathon and again it was a perfect addition on a cold morning in addition to my short sleeve shirt and arm sleeves.
Fleece lined running tights are awesome for the winter. I love mine! I was lucky enough to find some at Target and at Kohls for a rather inexpensive price.
iTunes gift cards are a perfect stocking stuffer to add music to the runner’s playlists or to download special running apps. You can purchase the gift card online, print it out or even email it to your runner recipient.
If you have time to get to a store, find your runner the Garmin 220 is amazing. I love mine! It is everything I needed for my first Garmin watch. Now that I am doing some treadmill training I do need to invest in the show pod to help me keep track of mileage while running indoors.
Fitbit. I don’t have one (yet). I am hoping I get one for Christmas! I want the FitBit One because I don’t want to wear a wristband all the time to keep track of my steps and activity. Target and Kohls has these items, most stores sell them, actually. So get out there and get one for your runner! They will love it. Runners enjoy stats and monitoring their progress. You can use this in addition to your Garmin to see your total activity for a day, PLUS you can see how well you sleep at night, too!
Runners Box. Don’t you love getting free stuff in the mail?! Well you can (sort of). If someone purchases a runners box subscription for you, you will receive a new box in the mail every few weeks with different runner items to try out. The prices range between $21 – $30 for a bi-monthly to yearly subscription. You can purchase a one time gift box or a yearly subscription. What a great idea! The gift that keeps on giving! I will be mentioning this to my husband today in case he needs any last-minute ideas. Thank you to the Mickey Miles Podcast for mentioning it in their holiday gift guide pod cast (episode 225).
Last but not least, if your runner likes to wear costumes for their races, you can add an accessory to their costume with a Jamberry gift card. You can give them a gift card so they can purchase custom Disney wraps to use with their costumes or even just to purchase the stock nail wraps that come in hundreds of different designs! Check them out on my site at http://pamfrost.jamberrynails.net. Or like my Facebook page to see the Disney designs. You can purchase a gift card and print it out immediately to stuff in the runner’s stocking. Can’t go wrong with that!
After many months and miles I am now officially in taper mode. I finished my last mock Dopey runs this week with 3 miles on Wednesday. Then on Thursday I used the miles that I was going to be walking the streets of New York for my 10k simulated run (walk). I ended up walking 9 miles that day. On Friday I had to do a half marathon distance. I had to start early before the sun was up so I did 9 miles on the treadmill and 4 out on the road. I walked much of the 9 miles but it felt good to be outside to run the 4 miles. On Saturday morning when I woke up I felt some soreness in my glutes and my feet. Much of that was because I used the treadmill the day before and also because I walked in NYC with my Dansko shoes on.
I slept in a little, had an English muffin with peanut butter and my tea and started my 20 miles on the treadmill. The intent was to do 5 miles on the dreadmill and 15 on the road. I ended up doing 6 and 14 on the road. I walked all 6 miles on the treadmill. I felt good once I got out to the road. I maintained my pace for most of the run. But I was also happily counting down the miles to know that all of my dopey training miles were coming to an end and I could relax and get ready for Christmas. It was a very cold day with some small snowflakes in the air.
I had my fuel belt on but it was so cold I barely drank my water. I did need gummy bears at around mile 7.
I had decided after the Philadelphia marathon that I didn’t want to do another 26 mile training run prior to Dopey. So I only did 20 today. I hope that is good enough. I know I will be sore when it is all over. But I think I will be able to finish with little issue. I am happy to report that I maintained all of this training without injury this year. My pace may be slower but I can now do 4 consecutive runs which I have never done before. I was very hungry around mile 17 and was going to eat my pretzels but held out until I got home. I did have my chocolate milk when I got home and took a very long warm shower to thaw out.
After that we went to finish up the last of our Christmas shopping and came home to have dinner and lay on the couch and watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It was great to just hang out on the couch and watch a funny Christmas classic with the kids. They are older now where we can watch these movies with them and I love hearing them laugh!!
So I am happy to say that my training was successful for this challenge and I am greatly looking forward to having those medals around my neck and enjoying the parks the days after the race! The question that remains in my mind is if I would do this again. Right now I can’t answer that. I know next year my mom wants to do the 5k so I will do that one, and if I am going to do the 5 then I have to keep up my streak of the 10k so the big question is if I will bother adding the 1/2 to the weekend. That is yet to be determined.
The training is the hardest part to preparing. Waking up will be another hard part. So stay tuned!!!
Earlier in the year I interviewed Mike Rahlmann from the Be Our Guest podcast. He is training for the runDisney full marathon. He NEVER thought he’d be running a marathon and here he is, just one long run away from doing it in less than a month! Here’s the interview, enjoy it! I ran into Mike on the bus at the Tower of Terror weekend and we took some pictures together before the race!
Mike and I at the Tower of Terror 10 Miler – October, 2014
How is your training going! I see your training stats when you finish and they look awesome!
My training is going pretty well! I think I’m starting to become a bit of a “runner!” I make sure to schedule my days and weeks not to miss my 4 “run days!” I feel so much better when I get out there and get in my miles!
How are you feeling mentally, physically and emotionally about the race?
I’m very excited about this all! Once I completed my 24 mile training run last Saturday, I started finally feeling like I can actually do this marathon! I realize after running many runDisney events that the excitment of the race and being with “running friends” does carry you a bit, so I know if I can get close, I can get to that finish line!
Now that you are one more long run away from race day (and I know you said you are saving the .2 for marathon day), do you feel ready?
I do! Thanks to the encouragement of so many of our podcast teammates and others from the Disney Community, I’m starting to believe in myself. It is great having this shared experience with so many friends. I know that I won’t be the only one in those corrals on January 11 going for 26.2 for the first time! Also, I know that every mile of the race, there will be smiles, friends, and encouraging words to get me to that finish!
What was the hardest training run for you so far?
I think some of the hardest training runs have been on the coldest days so far this winter. I run every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and on Tuesday and Thursday, I have to run before school. It’s still dark when I get my run in, so it is tough to leave that bed in what feels like the middle of the night knowing how cold it is going to be out there. However, I know others are doing the same and it will all be worth it when I get to the race!
How do you feel the day of and the days after your long runs?
I’m always a bit anxious to just get out there when it is my “run day!” Also, when I know I have a long run coming up on Saturday, I’m at bit on-edge that entire week. I actually feel good knowing that I only have one long run left before Marathon Weekend. I do love the training, but the nervousness that I feel before the weekend of my long runs is a bit crazy! After I get in those long runs, I reward myself with a nice Saturday afternoon nap on the couch watching college football, unless it is my beloved Mizzou Tigers! Then, who could sleep?
Now that you have seen how much work goes into training a marathon will you do another after this one?
I’ve heard my great friend Adam mention that this might be his only marathon due to these long runs during the training and I really can see where he is coming from. There are many days I feel exactly the same. However, I’m the kind of person that never says never. I NEVER thought I would run a Half-Marathon, and now I’m nuts enough to get out there and shoot for 26.2. Who knows, Dopey anyone?
Your times are very fast, have you considered trying to qualify for Boston?
Not a chance. That actually cracks me up! I heard someone mention that one day on Twitter about my times. I use the Jeff Galloway Run-Walk-Run method in 1:1 intervals, so I don’t consider myself at all fast since I walk half of the time. Also, I see Boston as an elite athletic event, and I’m just out there to have fun with some buddies and get a great Walt Disney World Vacation at the same time!
Are you staying healthy and injury free during this time?
Actually, the day I’m writing this, I’m fighting a tough stomach bug that caused me to miss my first “run day” in over a year. However, I feel like I am a “real” runner now because while I was laying in bed, I was worried about not getting in my miles. As soon as I got up and ate some breakfast the next day having had to stay home from school, I made sure to head downstairs and get in at least 6 miles of walking on the treadmill.
Are you hungrier?
Yes, I can eat just about anything these days. Before I started this journey, I ate a ton of fast food. It was almost my exclusive diet. Now I tend to eat out just about as much, but we go more to sit-down restaurants where there are slightly better choices. I enjoy fajitas from my favorite Mexican restaurant about 3 times a week and watch what I eat for breakfast and lunch and enjoy a healthy-sized dinner.
Do you have a goal time in mind or do you just want to finish? Is your daughter still running it? How has her training been?
I would love to finish the Marathon in about 4:20 or so, seeing as I have run about that pace here in Missouri where it is rather hilly, but I’m in a dilemma here. I want to make sure I enjoy this experience. I’ve been working on this goal since July 30, 2013 when I took my first 1 mile run. I want to be able to stop for pictures on the course, take pictures of other running and inspiring signs and scenes along the way, ride Expedition Everest, and more! Life is about the journey, right? It’s not about who gets done first. Being competitive, that’s going to be hard for me, but I think I will slow down and enjoy one of (hopefully) the best mornings of my life!
Paige is still running the Marathon with me, but hasn’t done much training. She was injured for about half of her Cross Country season this year with a stress fracture so she needed to stay away from running for a bit. I have been getting on her for the past month about getting out there and training, but do you think an 18-year old girl is going to listen to her step-dad? I think she will do fine. She is very athletic. I just want her to have an amazing time too.
What do you listen to on your long runs?
Let’s see if this surprises you – podcasts. I really do enjoy hearing “friends” while I am out there on the road. I always “screen” our upcoming Be Our Guest Podcasts, but also love hearing WDW Today, The Disney Dish Podcast, RFF Radio, MacBreak Weekly, This Week in Tech, Mickey Miles Podcast, Resort Loop, and more. Also, on Saturday mornings with my long runs, I listen to College Gameday on the ESPN Radio App. What can I say? I’m just not a music guy!
Do you have a mantra to help you through the tough times?
Luckily (knock on wood), I haven’t had too many tough times. I see friends out there thousands of miles away who are on this journey with me. We keep each other motivated. I have friends like Mike Bankhead and Stan Harris who will post just the right motivational message on Facebook when I need it. Social Media is more powerful that I think most people give it credit – it has helped shape me as a runner and changed my life for the better.
What do you use for fuel for the long runs? I used to use Gu but now I use pretzel fish and gummy bears and Nuun because they cause less upset to my stomach.
I will be honest – I don’t fuel on any runs. Before my 24 mile run, I got up and ate a small bagel with some peanut butter and hit the road and I was fine. My mistake was that I didn’t have any water available during this run either. I made it home after the run, but on my last training run, I’m going to ask my wife to meet me around mile 15 with a sports drink or something. I tried a gel years ago at the first Tower of Terror race and it made me sick to my stomach, so I tend to run light and eat when I finish.
Clothing- you are training at home where it is cold. Are you conscious of what gear you will wear in Florida? It’s hard because we don’t have the chance to test out the summer clothing for the long runs in our winter states.
I’m pretty simple – I’m planning on just running in some running shorts and out BOGP Running Lizard Team shirt. However, I ran the “Frozen” WDW Half-Marathon in 2010 and I learned my lesson. I will have my cold-weather running gear with me, but hope that I don’t have to use it. When it is cold here in St. Louis, I run in Nike Combat Hyperwarm undergarments and swear by them. I can run in wind chills down in the single digits and be fine except for my exposed skin.
It sounds to me like Mike is ready to go! And if you ask me he’s a runner!! No doubt about it. Great job Mike! I can’t wait to hear all about your experience and yes, Dopey may be in your future one day! Like I always say, “Never Give Up!” I also say “Never Say Never!”
Check back in January for my recap of my first experience with the Dopey challenge and I will also interview Mike again after he completes his first Full Marathon! I can’t wait to hear what he thinks of running a full marathon, and running the Disney marathon as his first marathon.
