Show Us Your Medals!

January 30, 2014 by Meridith

Ahhhh, medals: the tangible evidence of completing a race. They are the proverbial icing on the cake of months of hard work and training for a race.

This past week I reached out via Facebook (our own and the Run Blog Society community page) and Twitter, asking people to share pictures and stories of their favorites. And wow, did people answer the call! To quote the A-Team, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

So without further ado…

Kyle at An Accidental Optimist.

“The first one is a fave because it’s a horseshoe. You can’t get much cooler than that. The Amish made it. I ran the Bird-in-Hand half with Vic. Good times all around!

The second one is because it’s from MY FIRST MARATHON, Philadelphia 2013.”

Michele at A Pace of Balance.

“This is from the Nation’s Triathlon which I completed September 2013. It was an Olympic distance and was my first tri since 2003 BC (before children)… so really, it was my first tri.

I loved this race for many reasons.

1) I did the race with my sister and in fact, it was her birthday/Christmas/Mother’s Day gift to me. She guided me through the whole thing.

2) The course. Washington DC. Need I say more?

3) I felt like a bit of an underdog. I didn’t decide to do the race until about 8 weeks out. I am an avid runner, but I had to really improve on the bike. If you see my bike in the pic, you’ll notice it’s a hybrid and not a fancy road bike like the majority of the people had at the race. It was my mommy bike which I converted into a race bike by getting rid of the baby seat, slapping on some cage pedals, and installing a speedometer. Boom. Someone actually said to me during the race “Girl, you are killing it on that bike of yours!”. And I was. I kept up with the seasoned crowd. I finished in 3:01, which I think is pretty good for a first timer. To me, the medal is a reminder that I should never sell myself short and we are always capable of more than we realize.”

Ruth at The Run and I couldn’t pick just one – so she sent along a handful of these awesome medals!

Julie at Run. Walk. FASTPASS. Repeat.

“Jost Running was looking for running bloggers to review their Virtual Race Medals as they launched their business last year. Each month an new medal came out for that month’s race. I was amazed at the detail and “pop” in their virtual race medals. I was not a fan of Virtual Races when I signed on, as I live in a big city with PLENTY of race opportunities, BUT I loved the idea of running the race my day, at my time, my route – and getting my bling in the mail. I am German and yes I love beer. The Oktoberfest Medals just made me smile…who can’t use another bottle opener. Seriously, my favorite medals in looks. Fun designs and a great reward for long training runs especially when you have a hard time getting out the door. They converted me to a fan of the Virtual Race.”

April at Run the Great Wide Somewhere.

“I traveled alone to the race [Space Coast Half Marathon], but felt strong and got a PR. The course was gorgeous, all the runners were friendly and polite and it was very well organized. And the medal is so beautiful and sparkly and has a space shuttle on it!”

Meredith at Just An Ordinary Girl in FL.

“The Dumbo Double Dare race medal hold the number one spot. Not only was this an inaugural race, but also represented a huge accomplishment for me in completing 19.3 miles in 2 days!”

Cynthia at You Signed Up for What?!

“I had a longtime goal to do a triathlon by age 40, and with 3 kids and a more-than-full-time-job, I did it. And I loved it!” [Athleta Iron Girl]

Summer at Running with Pixies.

“My favorite medal is the 2013 Princess half marathon medal. Even though it was my third time running Princess, and my 5th half marathon, there was something about that race that clicked and made me realize that regardless of my finish time I was, in fact, a real runner.”

Sue at This Mama Runs for Cupcakes.

“The Marine Corp marathon medal is my favorite because it is the medal from my very first marathon! A lot of hard work and time spent away from my kids for this!”

Jennifer at Rescuing and Running.

“Wine Glass Marathon, Corning, NY is a fabulous weekend getaway in the beautiful fingers lakes region of NY! It was a wonderful girls weekend of awesome regional food, wineries, glass art, and a beautiful 26.2 mile run through rural NY countryside.

The medal, which is actually glass, is handmade by a local Corning glass artist. It is beautiful and very unique! In addition to the awesome finishers medal, the race swag is top notch. We got a great drawstring back sack, a good technical long sleeve tee, wine glass, and a small bottle of Champagne made and labeled specifically for the weekend. The course was beautiful with many supporters along the way. The post marathon food options is the best I have ever seen with offerings of pizza hot out of an oven, several hot soups, sandwiches, cookies, fruit, bagels, chocolate milk! I cannot say enough about this wonderful regional marathon.”

Sara at The Classy Crafter.

“Six months of training all boiling down to one race and truly figuring out what your body is capable of.” [Walt Disney World Marathon]

Lisa at Lulu’s Big Adventure.

“This medal is from the Canada Army Run Half Marathon, which I ran in September 2013. Not only do I love that they created a dog-tag medal in the army spirit, but this race was special to me. I knocked over twenty-five minutes off my last half marathon time, and I came in well under my goal of 2 hours. I was really nervous about how I was going to do at this race, since I am incredibly injury prone and trained in the stifling Brazilian heat all summer. So, when I had such a wonderful race experience and achieved such a big PR, it was a special moment for me.”

So there you have it, our second installation of “my favorite medal”! You can check out the first post, from Vic, here.

I love seeing the different favorites that were sent and also hearing the logic behind why each person loved their favorites the most. You’ll notice that we had no repeats – so many different races and reasons! Many thanks to all those who shared. You rock!

What’s your favorite medal? Link us to a blog post or pictures in the comments so we can check them out.

Tink, sickness and an upcoming trip

January 28, 2014 by vfreile

Last week, I only ran once.

I wasn’t feeling the best all week and decided it was smarter to lay low and relax rather than push it. I had just run the Tinker Bell Half Marathon on the west coast, and I think flying cross-country for a long weekend after an insanely busy work week ultimately took its toll.

Me after 13.1 miles!

(Side note – click here for my Tink Half recap)

For once, I was responsible about what I was convinced was an ear infection and went to the doctor to get medication. Turned out – not an ear infection, but I did have a fever. (what? I never have a fever. My average body temp is actually a squeak below 98.6 degrees. what was I doing pushing 100?)

So I left the doctor without any medication and an invisible creature who was repeatedly stabbing me in my left ear. Fabulous. Lots of advil, sudafed, vitamin C drops and tea were my staples for the week.

For several days, I sat on the sofa and snuggled with my cat. I cleaned the house, until I couldn’t stand that either. I read two books (mind candy) and organized receipts for my hubby’s business. I ignored shoveling snow until the weekend and on Sunday, I went on a baking spree.

My banana bread had babies

It was freaking cold out to boot. Not helping the ear pain. By Saturday, I felt far better but with subzero wind chills, I decided to head to the treadmill. Not my best run, but I managed three 10-minute miles and some ab-work.

So now, I am looking ahead at what’s next. As many of you may know, I am headed to Orlando (again) next month for runDisney’s inaugural Glass Slipper Challenge (that’s a 10K race and a half-marathon over two days during the Princess Half Marathon weekend.) 19.3 magical miles!

But alas, another running adventure will take place one week earlier with my friend Kristin!

And that means… I’m going to Alabama! Together, we will run the Mercedes Half Marathon next month in Birmingham, Alabama! The race is one of Kristin’s favorites — and a hometown event to boot!

I’ve never been to Alabama, it’s actually one of the few states I’ve wanted to visit but haven’t quite reached. (along with Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas – I seem to be missing several southern states on my US checklist.) I plan to eat my way through town and run may way through this historical city (not at the same time, of course.)

I love to travel, I love to run and I love visiting with friends. And what better way to do so, than to tackle all three together! Can’t wait to run with you, Kristin!

Have you been to Birmingham, Alabama? What should I visit and eat while there? What should I add to my CAN’T MISS list?

Adventures in Anaheim: Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend

January 21, 2014 by vfreile

I flew across the country, then I flew 13.1 miles through Anaheim!

A whirlwind weekend of food, fun and running brought me to the Happiest Place on Earth for the second time in a year. I planned to visit with friends, cheer my dear Heather as she tackled runDisney’s inaugural Tinker Bell 10K and run the Tinker Bell Half Marathon.

My time in LA zipped by in a flash. Rather than share my traditional race recap just now, here’s a few of my favorite photos from the weekend. And be sure to tune in Friday, when Heather shares her adventures running the Tink 10K for Team Lemon!

Heather and I wandered through the expo!

Then we drank our lunch at the Disneyland Hotel

I worked at the Sparkle Athletic booth on Friday with Kelly (Tink!)

We watched the sun set at the pier at Huntington Beach Friday night. Then we inhaled a delicious dinner.

Here I pose with Tara at the start of the Tinker Bell 10K. Congrats to Tara for finishing third in her age group, while still stopping for a photo!

Pal Mindy prepares three of her students to run their first-ever 10K. They ROCKED it! Great job girls!

Julie (aka Donald) tackles some runner’s yoga!

Cheering Tinker Bell

Freezing Minnie Mouse

Tinker Bells cheer for 10K runners.

Heather and Tony race to the finish. I chased her down to get this pic.

Before I knew it, it was Sunday morning and time to race 13.1 miles. I ran with Kelly and we laughed our way through the course, stopping to pose with all of the characters and finishing in under two hours. I’ll share more about my own race experience later this week.

Editor’s note: Click here for Vic’s race review!

Have you run the Tinker Bell half marathon or 10K? Have you run a race at Disneyland? Did you see me cheering for you? Tell us about your Anaheim race experiences in the comments!

See Jess Run: Volume 1

January 7, 2014 by writeitdownjess

A couple months ago, I told you all about my complicated status with running. And while I’m still not breaking down the door to go for a run, I have managed to dig up some inspiration. Or rather, I’ve dug up an old resolution. 2014 is the new 2013!

So, here it is for all the world to see: in August of this year, I will be running the Disneyland Half Marathon. Yep. It’s happening. It’s going to happen. 13.1 miles + me = one true pairing.

I am gritting my teeth as I write this, because I am a nervous wreck. I’m starting to sweat. My armpits are damp. The thought of running 13.1 miles seems so impossible at this moment that it’s almost laughable. It’s certainly sweat-able and teeth-grind-able. How am I going to do this? I have no idea. I know there’s training involved and I’m working on getting my training program in place, but mentally all I can think is, “holy shit, man. I’m going to run a half marathon.” And the jerk part of me is thinking, “don’t worry, you’ll think of an excuse not to do it.”

Guess what, Jerk Jess? No excuses, because not only will Meridith not allow that (we’re running it together), I’ve solidified this resolution by making a playlist.

That’s right, a playlist. In my world, when I create a playlist for an event, it becomes completely legit. Music is how I get ready: for meetings, nights out, exercise, life. I love the pulse of it, how certain songs strung together can create a feeling or emotion that lasts for as long as the playlist does. Finding songs that describe in beat and melody and lyrics what I’m feeling – or when it comes to this playlist, what I want to feel – is what gets me going. Music is my jam.

Despite my trepidation, I’m excited to share this with all of you. And I’m also super excited to share my half marathon playlist! I’ll be listening to it as I start the training process and maybe even on the big day. Yes, definitely then. It will be a reminder of the starting line as I’m hopefully crossing the finish. The music will take me back to this feeling of anxiety, hugeness, of “can I really do it?”, and I can tell myself, “you just did.”

[8tracks width=”300″ height=”250″ playops=”” url=”http://8tracks.com/mixes/3162090″]

What are your running/fitness goals for 2014? Are there any songs I should add to my playlist?

#werunDC!

December 3, 2013 by vfreile

We won the lottery!

Before you start wondering what all the Scoot chicks will be buying with our newfound wealth, it’s not that sort of lottery. We were lucky enough to be selected to run the 2nd Nike Women’s Half Marathon in Washington DC.

Yes! We won the rights to enter a coveted road race! Woot!

That means Brooke, Meri and I will be among the 15,000 women running 13.1 miles through our nation’s capital on April 27, 2014. Two of our longtime friends Keri and Maureen will be joining our happy gang for the big weekend next spring.

We are giddy.

Okay, so we changed the name to say Scoot a Doot… but you get the idea!

Meri called me last night to tell me the news and I was speechless. Sure, we entered, but I never actually expected we’d get picked. I actually figured we would be out since I have wretched lottery luck.

I was also rejected three straight years from the NYC Marathon- which ironically earned me a guaranteed entry for the 2013 race.

Meri and I entered the race lottery for the inaugural DC race last year and didn’t get picked. We were sad. There’s no other way to say it. We’d been looking forward to running, made tentative plans around the weekend, then we didn’t make the cut.

So when Meri suggested we apply again last month, I nearly dismissed the idea.

I’m sure glad I didn’t. Because next spring, #werunDC. Who is with us?

Post-publication note:

Lottery hopefuls who didn’t make the cut can still run the Nike Women’s DC half-marathon by running for charity, specifically for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. Click here for more info on how you can join their team.

Chick Chat: Wine and Dine half recap (no really!)

November 18, 2013 by scootadoot

Whew!

We’ve been writing about our runDisney race weekend for days are but we’ve finally arrived at the HALF recap! If you’re looking for recaps of the kids races, the expo, or our pre-race shenanigans… well, you’re not in the right place. But if you want to hear how we fared during the actual race – this is the spot!

Ta-dah!

Vic and Brooke stuck together throughout the race, starting in corral C while Mer and Cam experienced the race alone. But not really alone! And for that reason, we’ve decided to go Chick Chat style with this post.

Vic and Brooke (corral C): We piled into corral C with friends Traci, Ray and Aaron. None of our happy crew planned to sprint 13.1, especially since our last few Disney runs were incredibly hot and humid.

So we stuck together as the fireworks sparked over the start line and sent us on our way. We quickly lost Ray and Traci as they zoomed ahead. Brooke and I ran side by side as we logged the miles – two happy Mouseketeers in matching costumes.

We giggled and chatted about recent life events as we ran. We waved to the fastest runners leaving Animal Kingdom just past the 5-mile mark as we headed toward our first theme park of the night.

The front gates were open and a huge, stunning Christmas tree welcomed us inside. We headed into the park and wound through the pathways of the park.

I spotted a restroom near Expedition Everest, and shouted to B that I’d catch up, then peeled off to use the facilities. A short time – and a short sprint – later I caught Brooke and Aaron at the tail end of the park. Success!

We waved to Cam as she passed us on the other side of Osceola Parkway. The final corral of runners was followed by an Army of street cleaners that tidied up after the crowd of 14,000. We paused around mile 7 so Brooke could use the facilities as well. Then again, we were on our way.

We settled into our happy pace, and headed into Hollywood Studios . We laughed about our amazing surroundings , we disco-danced our way through the backlot tunnel and we sashayed our way down the Streets of America, completely decked out in its “spectacle of lights.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSR1Hf7m2GE&w=640&h=480]

We cheered as we passed into double digits.

“Let’s pick up that pace!” Brooke cheered. Oh, and we did. Our last two miles were by far our fastest. We sped up and passed runners left and right. We cheered for them, we cheered for each other and cheered for that finish line as we crossed second apart.

For me, the run was incredible. It was a celebratory race, six days after I ran NYC Marathon. (I still can’t believe I successfully ran a full and a half one week apart!) The run capped off a successful fall training season and two huge PR races. It reminded me why I love to run, and why I’m so blessed to have such incredible friends and support from so many across the miles.

Mer (corral G): Cam, Heather and I said adios to Vic, Brooke and Traci as they headed to the A-F entrance. We found the second corral entrance and said our goodbyes and good luck. As we peeled off into our own corrals, I ate a PocketFuel and realized just how alone running alone can feel.

Don’t get me wrong, I run alone. Often, even! But this was the first time I was surrounded by a slew of runners and didn’t know a soul. The feeling quickly passed as I fell into the zone that I usually find prior to running a race. When I signed up for this race in March, I had visions of a PR dancing in my head. However, with my quad injury in September/October and my heel pain that manifested during the week, I just wanted to finish and to cross the finish line with a smile on my face.

I made the decision not to have my phone out, not to take pictures and just to move forward.

There was a moment of silence for the veterans, as it was Veteran’s Day weekend, and then corral A was off. The new corral system (more corrals and a shorter wait time between each) seemed to work really well and we moved forward quickly. Mickey and Minnie were around to send off the first few corrals before they skedaddled, which struck me as odd. I mean, maybe they wanted to get to Epcot before the hoards?

Soon we were off! I really liked the course, visiting Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot was awesome and very different from the Princess half course. While running toward Animal Kingdom, we were able to see the leaders of the race on the other side of the road, approaching the 10k mark. That’s always inspiring!

Running through Animal Kingdom was great, despite with the animal aroma that hit as soon as we entered the park! From what I understand it was warmer than some people had expected but I was comfortable from start to finish, relishing the cool breezes that kicked up occasionally.

There were portions of the course that I wasn’t feeling AT ALL. The road toward Hollywood Studios was slanted pretty severely and didn’t feel great on the hips. I tried to even out my gait as much as I could and be light on my heel since that was the one that was coming down harder during that stretch.

I’ll be honest, I was surprised that there wasn’t more entertainment on this course. I understand that it’s late so the marching bands and cheer squads might not be able to make it but I expected more, especially on the access roads.

Hollywood Studios was a welcoming sight and we spent a good amount of time running through that park, miles 9 – 11, which was amazing. The Osborne Lights in Hollywood Studios was so incredible that I had to break out the phone and video a couple of seconds! Apparently Brooke and Vic had the same idea – it’s just THAT cool.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f3L4BouIEU&w=853&h=480]

Heading out of Hollywood Studios to Epcot, there was an announcement warning that the course narrows. And boy, did it ever! It was pretty crazy over there and I was grateful when we finally reached the boardwalk portion for two reasons: more room and there were some spectators out, cheering on the runners! On an otherwise quiet course, it was really nice to have that support and it continued into Epcot.

My heel was not happy but the rest of me was as I rounded the final corner and saw the laser lights they had set up just before the finish line. I could hear the announcer and I flung my hands up in the air (and yes, I waved them around like I just didn’t care) because I had finished. I didn’t set any course records, didn’t PR, but I felt amazing! Beyond infinity!

As I collected my half medal and then my Coast-to-Coast I got hugs from both volunteers and thanked them profusely. I was the happiest I’d ever been at the finish of a half marathon and felt really good about what I’d accomplished.

Cam (corral L):

Yep, the very last corral. Somehow when I had registered, I neglected to put in a projected finish time. So I was stuck in the very last corral. We were slated to run at 10:40 p.m., which seemed like hours away. But after the first fireworks sounded, the line seemed to move quick. Before I knew it, I was weaving through the traffic. I must commend runDisney for their awesome use of fireworks. All corrals received an explosive send off!

If you read my previous post, How Not to Train for a Half-Marathon, then you already know I was ill prepared for this race. Meri turned me on to the run 3, walk 1, and I figured that, along with walking through water stations, would get me through the 13.1 relatively unscathed. I didn’t have a timepiece, so I counted my steps instead. I’d count to 60 three times, then walk for 60 steps. This provided a welcome distraction and for the first 6 miles, I felt fabulous, especially after seeing two of my fellow Mouseketeers on the other side of the Parkway. I also felt envious as they were coming up on the half-way mark!

Running through the Animal Kingdom was great relief. It seemed to be cooler in the park and I relished in the breeze. I’m from Southern California so the heat didn’t effect me as much as the humidity. Despite it being well into the night, I was immediately drenched in sweat. I was sweating from my arm pores…my arms! As I said goodbye to the Tree of Life and headed back along the Parkway, my enthusiasm started to diminish. So far I was keeping my 13 minute mile pace and I was trying to stay with a couple who were also run/walking the race. The gentleman had a super loud watch that beeped at the intervals and that was enough to motivate me to keep pace with them.

It was around this time that I puked. I had fueled pretty well, I thought. I had pasta for lunch, a peanut butter and banana sandwich for dinner, and I snacked on some Honey Stinger chews during the first half of the race. I started feeling crampy so I grabbed some Powerade at the next hydration station. I’d been drinking only water until this point and changing things up seemed like a good idea at the time. Not so much. I would realize in the next few days that I actually had a stomach flu. But at this point I thought I could possibly remedy the turmoil going on in my stomach.

It was all downhill from there. And I mean that in the worst way possible. Shortly after entering Hollywood Studios, I started to have a lot of pain in my left Achilles tendon. Combined with the constant cramping in my stomach, I was pretty wiped out. My walking time started to get longer, and I stopped counting. I was in survival mode at this point. I was feeling pretty shitty about my pace and it wasn’t until I saw the fantastic Osbourne Christmas lights that I decided to call it. No, I didn’t quit the race. I just quit worrying about the time and I started admiring the sights.

Running along the lake, I could see what I believe to be a giant golf ball in the distance. I wasn’t exactly sure where the finish was but as spectators began to line up along the course, I knew I was getting close. I could hardly run at this point, so I walked a little then ran a little and just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I’d never been so relieved to see the finish. I slowly walked back to meet the other girls, my two medals clinking around my neck. I was exhausted and my digestive system was wrecked. And I had no intention on wining or dining.

But I finished. I don’t know how I got there, but I did! Sure, it took me 3 and a half hours, but, hey, finishing is always my PR.

Brooke:

Once Vic and I crossed the finished line, we were ready to change and meet up with some of our pals who had already made it into the After Party.

We found Traci, grabbed our complimentary drinks (beer for them and the cutest little plastic wine goblet for me), and headed towards the park entrance.

Cheers!

Once inside, we had to navigate through crowds of spectators and racers to get to the World Showcase. Once there, we headed straight for Canada to meet Ray and eat some of their amazing cheese soup- I look forward to it every year.

There weren’t many lines at this point, just a lot of dancing, chanting, happy Disney employees. As one would expect from Disney, they do a lot to make these events magical for everyone. From congratulating you on your race, to staging a dance party in front of their food kiosk, the park workers ensure that the post-race party is a time for celebration.

After a visit to the craft beer tent (Abita Purple Haze for me), it was time to meet Meri. We hugged, chatted about our race experiences and I ogled her collection of medals. Then we checked instagram, natch, to catch up with our other friends. We immediately knew we had to find Lisa to congratulate her on her PR.

Who PRs at a Disney race? That girl! Congrats Lisa!

We found Vic, Ray and Traci in Germany, and hoped we could grab a pretzel, but the lines had grown and it was time to meet Cam. Mer and I circled the Showcase (Bonjour France! Next time, keep the creperie open, s’il vous plait) and headed back to the entrance. We congratulated Cam and then trekked to the bus to head back to my hotel. At 2am, all walks seem to last forever. We came, we ran, we medaled. It was time to go the eff to sleep.

What a difference a few years makes. I ran my first Wine and Dine in 2011 by myself, and celebrated with my husband at the after party. And by “celebrated,” I mean I was too sore to enjoy anything. This time, I got to hang out with so many friends, meet new people and run with a pal. I love being a part of this community.

As for my own race performance, I had hoped to run 10 minute miles and that’s exactly what I did. Thanks to Vic for keeping me entertained! Next up for me is a return to Disney for the Glass Slipper Challenge, but in the meantime, don’t expect me to sit and rest. I have plans…

Have you ran a night race before? Were you at this year’s Wine and Dine or have to participated in past years? Tell us about it in the comments!

Wine and Dine appetizer aka pre-race fun!

November 17, 2013 by scootadoot

Hey there, hi there, ho there! Mer here with a little pre-race recap.

Four of the six Scoot a Doot Chicks met up last weekend for the long awaited, highly anticipated runDisney Wine and Dine half marathon.

We were excited to see each other and our friends, both new and old. “Running time” seems to both fly and drag, seeming both at once. When you sign up for a race eight months in advance, you never know what twists and turns will come along during those months!

There are a few tried and true methods to our pre-running madness, especially when it comes to Disney. Read on!

1. Dress you up in my love

Costumes have become common practice at Disney races and as soon as the four of us signed up for this one, we began discussing our options! We settled on Mouseketeers because it’s pretty darn adorable (and pretty darn easy – says the girl who didn’t make the shirts).

Shirts were made with TLC by Brooke, skirts are from Sparkle Athletics, and ears are from the mouse!

Of course, my husband didn’t actually realize we were Mouseketeers until I said something in passing after the race and the light bulb went off in his head.

Yeah.

2. Visiting the Earl

Heather, Traci, Mer, and Vic

Whether it be the night before the race (as was the case at Tink) or the afternoon of the big race, we love carb loading with bread! I mean, to be fair, I just love bread in general but when I get to put a label on it like “carb loading” it sounds much more official, doesn’t it?

Sandwiches are a natural choice, especially when there’s an Earl around – we are talking royalty here, after all. While Downtown Disney was teeming with people, we were able to find a table outside and enjoy our meal and the company of each other!

3. Preening and being silly

Cam, Lisa and Meri

Brooke graciously offered up her hotel room to anyone who wanted to meet up before and eat a little snack, do a little costume prep (ie – we all had different pieces of Cam’s outfit who’d arrived the morning of the race from CA), and just be silly together.

One of our favorite Canadians, Lisa, came to hang with us and we all listened to music, figured out creative ways to spread almond butter on wheat bread (a Nilla wafer is a fantastic knife AND you get to eat the cookie after), and sort got hopped up on hanging out with each other. Once it was time to get on the shuttle to the start, we were downright punchy.

To the point where one of the security guards asked if we had been drinking. HIGH ON LIFE, SIR!

4. Texting feverishly with friends

Once you arrive at Disney races, there’s usually lots of time to hang out and wait for the race to begin. At the Wine and Dine this is especially true because everyone must be bussed to the start line and the shuttle service only goes until 8pm.

What’s a runner to do?

Well, if you’re me, you try and get all your people in one central location and bask in the sheer awesomeness that so many people you love are ALL AROUND YOU.

Sparkling!

Heather took a short detour before catching a bus from EPCOT and Lisa joined her family to head to the start so we re-met up (after frantically texting each other, natch).

Lisa and Heather, maxing and relaxing

My new meetup friend, Meredith, also joined us!

Of course, the texts from outside the Disney World radius were blowing up my phone too! Darling friends like Keri, Amanda, and Anne who weren’t there with me physically but cheering from afar.

5. Hitting the facilities

Taken at Animal Kingdom, a few days prior to the race.

When you’ve arrived at a race two hours prior to the start time and have been hydrating all day, it sort of goes without saying that you’re going to be visiting these bad boys. In my days prior to being a runner, I can tell you the number of times I had used a porta potty.

Zero.

Now? Well, I pray for the best while waiting in line. I ask the person just ahead of me who is coming out of the little box if it’s bad (it’s NOT bigger on the inside). A little fair warning never hurts, right?

Good thing about a night race? You can’t see nearly as much in there! Plus Disney has little hand washing stations outside the rows.

I visited the porta pots twice prior getting into my corral and didn’t have to stop throughout the race. Additionally, a race photographer took a picture of Brooke and I together on the line so we’ll always have that memory together.

6. “Resting”

How do you rest while surrounded by fun, amazing people, and a DJ whose sole job it is to pump, pump, pump it up, encouraging everyone to get up and dance to all the songs they’re playing?

It’s not easy. My arms were itching to YMCA. However, my mind was saying, “Meridith, you should be in bed by now. You took it easy all day. Since you decided to sign up for a half marathon that starts at 10pm, and since your heel already throbbing and you haven’t even started running, mayhaps it’s in your best interest to plunk yourself down on the grass and wait.”

Which is exactly what I did until we were summoned to the corrals. It helped exponentially that my friends were also of this mentality as well and we all spent the time before the race the best way possible: together.

What’s your favorite way to carb load prior to a race? Have you ever ran in costume? What are your feelings on porta pots?

Race Day Packing List (leave the anxiety at home)

November 6, 2013 by beewhobabbles

Am I running a half-marathon this weekend? I’ve done the training, and I know we’ve mentioned it around these parts quite a bit, but other than that, I’m really unprepared. Friends are asking me what time I’m arriving, where I’m staying and I’m all “Hmmm. I should know the answers to these questions.” I wasn’t even sure what corral I was in, until last night.

If you know me well, you know this isn’t the norm. I’m a bit scattered- but I love to plan. I live for poring over details for things, again and again. Making lists, checking them twice. Sort of like Santa, but with better shoes.

I’m not sure what my deal is with this race, but I’m feeling mostly breezy about the whole thing. Perhaps it’s because I know it’s not going to be a PR moment for me. Sure, I’m going to try my best, but my current best is not so close to my overall best. For me, that eliminates a lot of race anxiety and pressure. It’s also an insane Saturday for me and my family; my husband has football tickets to his college’s homecoming game (Go Knights), and I’ll be working at our city’s craft show all morning; it’s the major fundraiser for my women’s service club. (A nap has been scheduled. Now who can I get to make me pancakes at 6am before I have to be at the show?) There’s been a lot of coordinating between us, the grandparents, and our babysitter to make sure we all get to do what we need to do. I have a lot on my mind! Finally, I’m just really excited to see my friends. My kids and I met up with Meri and her fam on Monday to travel around the world in EPCOT, and it was the best day I’ve spent at Disney in a long time. This Friday, I’m heading to the expo with Vic, and then the Wine & Scoot Chicks, plus some cool friends, will all meet on Saturday for some pre-race fun. So yeah. I’m thinking about a lot of stuff besides the race. And that’s okay. I’m sort of enjoying my lack of anxiety.

I started packing on Saturday, because I was cleaning my bedroom and thought- “why put this away if I’m just going to pack it in a suitcase in a few days?” Besides my costume and shoes, I had to think about my racing essentials. In no particular order…

1. My garmin. I switched to the Forerunner 10 when my 210 broke a few months back, and I absolutely love this watch.

2. My spibelt. I wear this so I can easily carry my fuel and my iphone.

3. Clif Shot- Mocha flavor. I had some trouble figuring out what would work best with my invisalign and this is tasty and gets the job done without getting stuck in my braces.

4. My iphone. Every blogger needs a camera and a twitter account at all times, right?

5. My ipod shuffle. I don’t normally run outside with music, but I think I’m running solo at this race. Music will be a good break from being inside my head! Usually, I run 7 or 8 miles of a half marathon without it, and then I blast my tunes for the homestretch.

6. My water bottle. I’m debating this because I hate water stops. They’re crowded and I always feel like I lose momentum. I also usually end up looking like I’ve entered a wet t-shirt contest. I don’t care for my current water bottle though so…maybe.

So, I’m packed and feeling good. The only thing I’m nervous about is running so late at night, because I’ve definitely become an early morning runner. I guess I should stay up late for the rest of the week. Who will entertain me on twitter?

What are your racing essentials? Should I bring a water bottle to the race? Are we following you on twitter? Leave me your twitter name!

A Tale of Two Night Racers

October 29, 2013 by beewhobabbles

We’re talking about one of our favorite subjects today- food! How to eat before running a night race, to be exact.

VIC:

It took me years to figure out the best way to fuel for a morning race or long run. So when I signed up for runDisney’s Tower of Terror 10-miler, I knew I was wading into uncharted territory.

Sure, I’d be running in the dark. But I’ve done that before as I tackled many pre-dawn runs. Plus I knew the course would be well-lit and filled with Disney characters, so that wasn’t too much of a concern.

But how was I going to fuel? I was used to resting, waking and eating something small and settling – a bagel flat with peanut butter, a banana or a granola bar. So with a 10 p.m. race start, snacking the day away wasn’t really an option. Hydrating like crazy wasn’t a great strategy either, unless I wanted to spend my hours before the start repeatedly racing to a toilet.

I decided to eat a large lunch around 1 p.m. My meal consisted of a delicious mozzarella and tomato sandwich on foccacia bread, a light vegetable orzo salad and plenty of water. I also inhaled a bunch of bread. I nearly ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, but decided on the meatless option since I knew it would sit better in my stomach. Another option I would consider would be a very light pasta entrée (no gnocci, ravioli or alfredo sauce here!)

My theory on fueling with a meal on race day: the blander the better. Fewer frills on my plate means there’s less of a chance for an upset stomach.

(For the record, I ate an egg, cheese and turkey sausage biscuit and some fruit for breakfast that morning.)

I dined with friends at an eatery at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and we all consumed gallons of water. I hydrated well into the afternoon, but stopped cold around 6 p.m. I didn’t want to keep heading to the toilet.

Hydrating from the rocker

I attempted to nap around 4. That lasted all of 45 minutes. My roommate and friend Jen managed a two hour nap while I hydrated and chatted with friends in cozy rocking chair at our resort, Disney’s Boardwalk. I don’t think napping is vital, but laying down to rest, even just for a bit helped ease my brain about staying up until the wee hours of the morning!

Around 6:30, Jen and I each ate a bowl of instant oatmeal. I’ve eaten this in the past before many a long run and knew It would supply me with some much-needed energy in the coming hours. Jen and I also split a banana around 8:30 p.m.

When I head back to Florida next month for my next night race, I plan to utilize this strategy again. I’ll eat a large midday meal, the blander the better. I’ll nap – or try to nap the afternoon before the race. And I will eat some oatmeal 3.5 to 4 hours before the race is set to start. It worked for me in October! Fingers crossed that it will go smoothly too!

And this? I’ll be enjoying it after my run!

BROOKE:

Disney’s Wine and Dine half marathon was my first half-marathon back in 2011. It’s easy to find advice about fueling for a race online…but for a night race, specifically? Not so much. I remember googling different phrases to see if I could find anything on the subject and coming up empty.

Unlike Victoria, I still hadn’t figured out exactly what race day nutrition would work best for me, and I was extremely nervous about getting a belly ache during the race.

I’m an over-thinker. I love to ponder something for days. Weeks, even. Discuss pros and cons with my husband. Make a list or ten. I’m true to my Libra ways in this respect. After googling and discussing and writing it all down, I decided to treat this race like I would a morning run. I’d eat a large lunch, then not have anything but water for about six or seven hours before the race. At that time, I’d have my small breakfast-y type that I was already accustomed to eating before a long run.

I had an early lunch- around 11:30 or 12 (I can’t recall the exact time)- a simple pasta with red sauce and bread. Then water, water, water. At dinner time, I had my toast (and coffee, which was part of my “morning” ritual) and I brought my banana with me to the race start.

This nutrition strategy worked well for me, so I plan to do the same thing in a few weeks. I have the fuel figured out, we’re working on costumes and I already have dates set with my girls. The countdown is on!

Have you run a night race? Did you take a pre-race nap? How did you fuel? Roll call! Who is coming to Florida in two weeks?

Guest Post: Non-runner to half-marathoner

October 2, 2013 by scootadoot

Six months ago, I wasn’t a runner.

Today, I’m a half marathoner.

The story of how I went from non-runner to half marathoner begins and ends with the same person: Chick Vic.

Vic and I both work at the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, NY, and she’s the newsroom captain for our team for the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, an annual 3.5-mile race that draws 10,000-plus runners who work for Rochester-area companies.

In early April, I was at a conference in St. Louis for work when I got an email from Vic saying when this year’s race would be. She sent it to me, I presume, because I had expressed some interest in running and had tweeted some about my difficulties on my once-a-week treadmill runs at the Y.

Even though I didn’t really enjoy running at that time, I had always been intrigued by the Chase because my colleagues all seemed to have a great time every year. By the time I left the conference, I had decided to reschedule an event I had planned for the night of the Chase and register to run. I left the hotel in St. Louis the morning of Sunday, April 7, walked past runners competing in the St. Louis Marathon and headed to the airport with no idea that I’d soon have plans to become a marathoner myself.

Eight days later I was at work when bombs went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. As with most everybody else, I was sickened by what happened, but the thing that moved me to tears over the next couple days was the power of the running community. The stories of runners who pushed exhaustion aside to help those who had been injured. Of the finisher who gave his medal to a runner who had been stopped at mile 25. I was so moved that I decided that I wanted to be part of the running community.

Two days after the bombing, I tweeted out a new fitness goal: To get myself into good enough shape to run the half marathon in Rochester on Sept. 22.

I had no idea what this would entail. I had never run a road race before. I had never run “farther” than six miles before. And I say “farther” because I didn’t actually go anywhere; my only runs to that point had been on the treadmill.

I spent the rest of April researching how to train for a half marathon. Vic and some of the other distance runners I work with gave me some advice, and articles online provided a wealth of information. Ultimately, I decided that I would modify Hal Higdon’s Novice 2 program, extending it by four weeks so I could start it right after the Chase.

I immediately increased my running from once a week to four times a week to get ready for the Chase. And I started to run outside some. The results were immediate. I started to run faster. I started to enjoy running. I started to think about running all the time. I started to look up other races I could run. I was hooked.

Getting my first taste of racing at the Chase just cemented my addiction to running. The atmosphere before the race was incredible. I lined up with Vic and several other members of team D&C. For the first couple miles, Vic, Traci Bauer and I ran as a group, a tremendous help to me since I had almost no experience pacing myself. I pulled away with about 1.5 miles to go as they cheered me on and when I saw the finish line I got a jolt of adrenaline and was able to sprint to a 30:43 finish.

The rest of the summer was some of the best fitness self-control I’ve ever exhibited. My training plan called for four runs a week for 15 weeks, so 60 total. I did 59 of them, skipping one three-mile run in July because my knee hurt.

I ran three more races between the Chase and the half marathon: the Firecracker 5-mile (44:22) on Fourth of July, the Jungle Jog 5K (25:23) a few weeks later and the Summer Fest 12K (1:09:20) at the end of August. I loved all three races. The feeling of crossing the finish line is one of the best imaginable, and my times in the races made me feel like I had a good shot at hitting my goal for the half marathon: two hours.

Ben finishes the Jungle Jog 5K in July

The unexpected part of the summer was that my journey to a half marathon became more than just me, my training program and some advice from friends.

A little before the Chase, Vic mentioned that Scoot A Doot was holding a giveaway for PROCompression socks. I didn’t really know anything about compression running socks, but I like free stuff, so I entered (I didn’t win, but I ended up buying four pairs of PROCompression marathon socks over the course of the summer).

As many of you know, getting entries to the giveaway entailed following Scoot A Doot on Twitter and Facebook, tweeting about the giveaway, etc. That led to me learning about more giveaways, which of course I entered. Which led to me following more people on twitter and following more blogs. Which led me to chatting about running on Twitter with people I may never meet and getting tons of encouragement from an online running community I never even knew existed.

It was, and is, amazing. The thing that pushed me into running was that I thought it would be great to be part of the running community. I was right. The specifics of what that would mean just weren’t exactly what I expected.

When I finished my final training run before tapering, a slow 10-miler the Sunday before the race, I felt incredibly content. Whatever happened in the race, I had already fulfilled the fitness goal I set out in that tweet five months earlier: to get myself in good enough shape to run a half marathon.

The morning of the race, my nerves weren’t as bad as I might have expected. I was glad I had already run four races earlier in the summer. I knew what routine worked for me and I just made sure I gave myself plenty of time to get ready. My wife dropped me off down the road from the start line about 25 minutes before the race, which was perfect.

As I wandered around among the thousands of people gathered around the starting area, I saw Vic. We hadn’t planned to meet at the start (she was actually looking for a different friend she was going to run with), but I was glad to see a friendly face. She reassured me that I’d do great and, as the start time neared and she still hadn’t found her friend, she said she’d run with me until she felt like she needed to slow down. This was just supposed to be a training run for her as she prepares for the New York City Marathon.

I won’t go into as much detail as she did in her recap last week, but she never slowed down. We ran side-by-side, almost step-for-step at times, and chatted for 13 miles. It was so much fun. I think most non-runners, and even some runners, are skeptical when people say running can be fun. And certainly, not every run is fun. This one was. I enjoyed every minute I was out there on the course.

Some people asked me if I had a time I was shooting for. My response was always the same: two hours would be nice, but it’s not a big deal if I miss. I was lying. I wanted to be under two hours badly. As we ticked off each mile, I become more and more confident that I’d make it. We were setting a great pace and felt comfortable doing it.

Also as the miles went past, I became more confident that Vic was going to keep up with me the entire way. At some point I asked her what her PR was. “2:03:something.” I got even more excited for a potential sub-two-hour finish. It’s one thing to set a goal, work for months toward that goal and then achieve it. A intensely satisfying feeling, to be sure. It’s something else entirely to have somebody give you encouragement and advice every step of the way toward that goal and then, unexpectedly, be able to help them reach a goal of their own. It was wonderful running karma that all the help she gave me in preparing for my first half marathon led to me being able to help her break the two-hour mark.

As the finish line came into view, we could see that we had plenty of time to cross before the clock would read 2:00:00. I got my usual finish line adrenaline surge and Vic, sensing that I suddenly had a lot more energy, told me to go. I sprinted to the line and crossed in 1:58:56 for a net time of 1:58:38. I got my medal and turned to cheer on Vic, but she was already across, finishing seven seconds behind me. Traci (whom we had seen briefly about halfway through the race) finished nine seconds after Vic.

Ben sprints to the finish at the half marathon

We hugged. We high-fived (badly; we were tired). We grinned from ear to ear. We got some post-race food and drinks. We took pictures. We discussed the race. We reveled in our achievement.

Over the summer, when I told people I was training for a half marathon, they frequently looked at me like I was crazy and/or told me they could never do that. I used to feel the same way. Then I started running. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

The sub-2-hour club: Vic, Traci and Ben

Ben is a husband, father, runner and editor. This week he started training to run his first marathon in February at a race to be determined (but hopefully in Florida). He can be found on Twitter at @bjacobsroch.

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