2015 Running Thread

scrunchthecat YAY! for being done.

I've never run a race longer than 5K. The 10K I planned to run in November seemed a stretch. But I made it to that distance before surgery and felt comfortable

So between you all, and the conversation I had with a bunch of runner parents from school on Friday, I've now got the bug to do a half. We were discussing short vs long runs. I was saying how I was surprised that the second half of the 10K distance felt better than the first every time. And the one who did lots of half and full marathons agreed yes. And encouraged me to try longer than 10K. I wish the Disney ones weren't all full. As that would be perfect for me who is the Disney freak. There are several here in DC area though. I guess I should start looking and set a goal huh? Just not sure I have enough time in my week to run enough to train for longer than 10K. Even that long run on the weekend is hard to get in.

Meanwhile, I'm hoping to get back to the 10K distance in a couple of week. I ran this morning. Only two miles. Mostly running with a bit of walking. It was a little ouchy in the healing incisions. Had on my best bra but still the movement hurt. But no more than bumps over pot holes on the way to work so I kept going.

scrunchthecat I told my brother the same thing. He runs 2km and hates it. I say km 6 is the best part. The first 5k, I have this cranky inner dialogue about how I have other things to do, my socks are lumpy, I didn't bring enough water, I brought too much water, the sweat is in my eyes, etc.etc. When I get through that first half hour, the endorphins kick in and I completely forget I am running sometimes. I am not conscious of anything below my lungs. Just breathing and seeing the scenes. This is why I ***love*** the Disney runs. I am not a Disney berserker. I have warm thoughts about it but don't sleep on Minnie Mouse sheets or anything. However the Disney courses (except the WDW Half and WDW Princess) have a lot of park time in the first 5K. Disneyland is best for that. Their Halfs are various different courses outside the parks, but they all have that initial loop through the parks that carries me through the cranky bits (and has real washrooms for those times when I miscalculated on fluids before the start). The Wine & Dine Half runs for a couple km on the roads and then gets to Animal Kingdom and pretty much the rest is in and out of park-y space, but also it's dark so you concentrate a lot on not tripping! The WDW Half and Princess are pretty much 6km of road to start out. It's probably fine for first timers (Princess was my first Half) because the novelty takes care of my first-5k ennui. You can also race yourself to see if you can get to the castle (the halfway point) to see the sunrise. I never do - between my pace and my corral, I see the sunrise as I am on the approach to the park and it's daylight as I run through the castle.

So anyway, scrunchthecat, you still could get into the Dark Side at WDW No word on which of the two WDW Half courses it will follow.

My reason for preferring Half to 10K: I am not fast enough to impress anyone with my 10K time (Personal best 66 minutes). However people are impressed just at surviving a Half, which despite my age and lackadaisical approach to training, I seem to manage faster than at least 60% of the people in the runDisney Halfs!

Congratulations on taking the plunge! If you can swing the Value resort, I'd recommend it. It is not impossible, but it's hard to get to the starting corrals without access to the Disney transportation because they close the roads. I am staying in Orlando at the moment but I plan to book a room the night before my next run. (Must get on that.) Disneyland has many more accommodation options. The Hilton type of place is just as good but half the price as the cheapest Disney hotel, and there are a lot of cheaper places.

Also FYI, the phone number "wdw-irun" in your confirmation letter will get the sports room rate (and probably a free mini golf you won't use) but it must be prepaid - usually $200 on booking and the rest by a certain advance date. If you book through the regular Disney hotel reservations number, you only pay for something like one night in advance and the balance on check in. If you have access to a discount code from a mailing or a passholder package, that can be a lot better for cash flow on multi-night stays. (But I don't think they've released discount codes that far off yet.)

Geewhiz, Yes, it does seem like a lot to jump from a 10 mile long run to 15 in one week! I remember following Hal Higdon's beginner schedule for my first marathon and it had you dropping down to a long run of 10 miles every other week. So your long runs would go something like this: 12, 10, 14, 10, 16, 10, 18 etc. The 10 to 15 jump could make sense if you ran your half, did 10 the next week, and then went up to 15 the next. Of course, I think it is important to remember that those marathon schedules are not set in stone and can be tweaked as you listen to your body. Good luck!

You go seebean! Please post pics of the race. I live vicariously through everyone's running!!

yes, Hockeycat - Gordie! And my youngest always wears #19 for Stevie Yzerman (and is named Stevie as well).

And Marathongirl, I think I will augment my plan...well, I will have to now anyway. I was running around barefoot outside a few days ago and slammed my toe into something and it looks like a crumpled purple grape now. OUCH. Definitely broken. I am so sad...I was starting to feel like I was gaining momentum with my running, Not sure how long this will take to feel better to run distance. I can't put any pressure directly on it. Stupid toe, so silly. I guess I will hit the gym to keep aerobic capacity up. Stationary bike for an hour, UGH!!!

welcome seebeanrun! I look forward to your run report! Love your doctor! My DIEP surgeon was the same way. I said "am I crazy to do a half marathon 7 weeks after the DIEP?" and he said "of course you are because your time will suck because you can't train." but he said it in a way that was like, of course, being crazy doesn't mean you don't do it anyway. And the surgery was delayed a week, so I did it at 6 weeks. It was slow and it was fine, and doing it was what got me up off the chair instead of vegetating for 2 months.

geewhiz, sorry about your toe. I am prone to stubbing toes myself. Can you use a rigid boot and powerwalk? I did a 15K in an aircast boot with a stress fracture in a toe. I was having a lot of pain in the toe and thought I would have to pass on the event, but when the sports medicine doctor gave me the boot, I remembered seeing a woman doing the Princess Half in the same kind of boot. The boot completely immobilized the forefoot and took pressure off the toe by redistributing it over the shell of the boot as it rocked forward with each step. I had some friction blistering around the ankle but I was glad not to miss the event. I also got a LOT of attaboy's from the other participants!

Seebeanrun! I too was going to run the MCM for the very first time, I had to bow out gracefully. My husband is running for me. I had a simple lumpectomy with the sentinol node removed on July 27. On Sept 18th I began chemo and will be going every week for 12 weeks, then I will get a tiny break and will have to start radiation in Jan or Feb. Somehow I would love to meet at the MCM as I plan to be there and cheering my husband and Red Felt family on at mile 20 as long as this chemo regiment doesn't knock the wind out of my sail. Keep running and remember run happy

So great to see everyone signing up for races and running through the whole BC ordeal. I had an unsuccessful lumpectomy followed by a mastectomy but was cleared to run 3 weeks after my mastectomy. I jumped right back into 'marathon mode" and haven't missed a training run since July 22nd. It has helped that it hasn't rained at all in NY but that is about to change. We are in for a rainy stretch. I did 16 on Sunday and plan to run 18 next Sunday. Then my LAST chemo on Tuesday. I have to back off my long runs chemo week....just too wiped out so will do 14. Then one more 18 and then I start to taper. I am thrilled that I have been able to keep up the training despite the chemo. It makes me feel like a whole person. If I can train and run a marathon, I can certainly beat cancer! Keep running ladies! Good for the mind, body and soul!

Yay Ginger.

Just back from the first real run (no walking) since surgery a month ago. Crazy schedule and rain more than my physical state have been the problem. Goal today was 5k. Did 3.25 and because I'd pushed it a bit for the last half stopped to walk. But after a very short walk I decided it was still too far to my car to go that slow so I easy jogged another .25.

This weekend, 10 days after my last chemo, I participated in the Komen Race for the Cure 5k in St. Petersburg, FL. About 5000 people showed up for the festivities in Albert Whitted Park for the evening run, and the weather was perfect (mid-70s). I finished the 5K, although I had to walk half and it kicked my ass. But onward and upward. If anyone on this list is participating in a race in South Florida, drop me a line and maybe we can join up.

I wore my black "PINK IS NOT A CURE" tee-shirt, and while I clashed with the tu-tus and the sea of survivor pink, everyone treated me nicely. A few even complimented me on my message. The pink was overwhelming, but I was happy to see restraint. I saw cheerleaders but no "ta-tas." There was a "remembrance" booth, where you could write down the name of someone who had died from breast cancer. I racked my brain and wrote down the two breastcancer.org usernames of women who recently passed that I could remember - fuzzylemon and freedomchild82. I sometimes read the postings and blogs of those in our community who have been taken by this terrible disease – looking for hope and inspiration. I'm sorry I did not remember others, but next time I run a Komen race I will keep a list. I recommend this for anyone participating in a Komen event. Media reports make me think that Komen may be starting to change its stripes – the recent studies that show mass screening and early screening simply do not reduce the number of breast cancer deaths may just be enough for them to focus more on research.

finished my first1/2today. Yeah! Although at mile 10 both my hip sockets were hurting really bad. I'm thinking mets? No this is symmetrical pain. Followed my the pet scan gal said from lips to hips-so did the scan get the sockets too? Or is this caused by tamoxifen like when your joints hurt in pregnancy due to that relaxin hormone thing. Any thought? Gully- great time

I've been AWOL for some time because of treatment changes, etc. but my marathon training continued and I am ready to go on Nov 1 for NYC!! I just ran Grete's Gallop this passed Sunday (which I forgot to put on the list). It was a half marathon and I PRed with a 1:58 time!! And that is in Central Park with some rough hills. I am so very excited right now and can't wait to get this marathon under my belt!!

AWESOME you guys!! Good luck at NYC!! It's a bucket list race for me...maybe next year!

(Holy crap...under 2 for a half?? That's smoking!)

CassyLou...start where you are. Maybe it's a walk to the end of the block. Every night of chemo I walked around the block with my kids. It was all I could do, but it made me feel in control of my body again. Each step I envisioned taking back a little bit of power. The day after my mx, I walked laps around the hospital floor - the nurses were laughing, but again it made me feel like I could control some outcomes. And I do feel like the activity keeps these chemicals from chemo and surgery moving quicker through our bodies. HUGS to you!!