Fun new Holiday gifts and the treadmill fiasco

Hey all! Thanks for the input in the comments of my last post. Good stuff, and I was excited to discover that I have more that one reader. :-)
Feel free to add your comments on what my weekly Boston Training recap topics should be here.

Moving on,
The Holiday season is upon us. This means it is time for FUN NEW THINGS!!!
(and the magic of the season. and togetherness. and stuff.)
But who are we kidding? It's the season for fun new shit.

First off, my fabulous Christmas gift!
Eric came through (again) as the best Husband ever (he has a great record if we are being honest here!)
I noticed on Instagram that some of our East Coast friends were signing up for the California International Marathon. I was definitely envious and hinted, with no actual expectations, that an trip to this race would be an amazing gift.
Much to my surprise, it happened.

Well isn't this nice!

I was. Literally. Speechless.
This has been a race that I've been interested in for a long time. As much as I'd love to run Big Sur, the timing is very poor and it is hard to get into (but someday, it will happen.)
A December marathon is excellent. The course sounds like it will play to my strengths. While I have been to the West coast it was long ago, and it was not California!

The list of things that I want to do while there is long... My excitement level is VERY high! In addition to this it will be wonderful to have an "east coasters on the west coast" runners party while we are all there.
SO. EXCITED.

Stop reading now if you don't want to hear more about our never ending treadmill fiasco.

Eric and I have been mourning the swift demise of our treadmill. Since this winter has come on with vengeance, reducing us to either road running in deadly conditions or staying on the bike, we have been especially sad. (I have, anyway.)
On cyber Monday, we found a good Holiday deal on a treadmill that is a significant upgrade. Good Holiday deal or not, it was still more than we wanted to pay out.
The good news is, this is the Holiday season. My parents wanted to give us a nice Christmas gift so they chipped in for the new beast and BOOM, done.
Sort of.

Quality pic. But it's the best I can do since we are NEVER EVER gonna get this thing.

There has been a pretty significant fiasco in its delivery.
 I can not say enough bad things about MDX Group shipping... The treadmill was out for delivery on the 22nd of December, the truck had issues (which can happen) and the driver said he would see us first thing the next day.
That day came, and almost went. I called up MDX and was told that the treadmill was back in the warehouse (where it had been since the FIFTH of December) and would not be delivered for three more weeks.

NOPE.

Long, long story short. On the 23rd I spent over 2 hours on the phone with MDX (whose business motto is "fuck off") and then with Nordictrack directly to get the issue resolved. I felt that a promise of delivery prior to the New Year was a reasonable request.
If it had been my business I also would have offered me a shipping upgrade beyond curbside delivery... Well, that did not happen.
Honestly, at this point we are still playing the wait and see game.
The Nordictrack people were exceptionally helpful.
MDX shipping, for the most part a complete failure in the customer service department.

Days later, with no news I called back.
"Hi Ethan" I said "I'm SURE you aren't happy to hear from ME again!!"
He probably wasn't. But he tried. 
Nordictrack went as far as to upgrade the treadmill to a better model (great!) And to upgrade my shipping to get the treadmill where I want it (super!) But we don't have it and have no idea when we will. (BAD.) 

(and the fiasco continues....)
Right after I hung up with Nordictrack, MDX called me to tell me that Treadmill #1 would not be delivered until between the 16th-20th "most likely the 20th" due to issues that are not of any interest to me. I was like "NOPE, there is a change of plans, kid." And then I listed off my many, many complaints. Which were met with radio silence because they are clearly accustomed to having very disappointed customers. Good work guys. Quality. So impressed. NOT.
(and they have NO IDEA what is going on. Like, zero clues. HEAD DESK)

I am THIS CLOSE to saying, screw it. And cancelling the whole damn order.

FIRST WORLD ISSUE. I know this. Regardless, I'm annoyed.
Let's assume that I'll have the beast in the basement next week and the story will be over.
HAH. HAH. 

Want to take bets? Will it? Or will I be live tweeting another 2 hour phone conversation with Nordictrack/MDX group next week? Will I ever actually get this treadmill? (I'm not sure at this point.)

T-minus 7 days, winter, and an important question.

Last year at this time, Eric and I were just over a week away from running the Dopey Challenge. The weather had been fantastic and I had maintained a really solid base after my Fall marathon.
Later in January, I began Boston training in good, even great shape. I had a kickass base and was ready to work.

This December, the weather has been much worse and I have been dealing with a lack of treadmill. (This will be remedied shortly, more on this in the next couple days.) With training scheduled to start in one week I'm thankful for this!

Today last year on the left. Today this year on the right.

Honestly, I can't remember a time when I have embarked on my Boston Training mission in worse running shape.
Well. Whatever, right? I have 15 weeks, which is basically an eternity for me so even if I need 3-4 weeks of really slow and careful building, I will be ok. Hopefully.

Yeah. For the most part the weather has been crap. Too cold.

THIS. SHIT.

I have been using my bike and my noisy new/used bike trainer more than I ever have. I am TERRIBLE!! Honestly kids, I am a god awful cyclist. I have been running as best as I can, to the inspirational tune of 15 miles per week. Better than the 10 from last week. #seriousrunner

Anyway. It's the Holiday season which is always nice. (or, like a normal Sunday but that's cool too.)
Eric and I had a nice Christmas and did a little running in the slush and slop.

Slush run, many dark layers. Where is my neon??

Then we went on a magical walk to hunt pokemon and look at the angry ducks who live in the river.

The angriest ducks in the world live under that bridge. I love them.

So here is my important question. In this day and age of Instagram, I know people don't really read blogs anymore (well, I do but that's beside the point.)

BUT!! If you read my blog and plan to follow me (and my weekly updates) for the next 15 weeks, what would you be interested in hearing about?
I like to talk about some pretty random things and have enjoyed writing my weekly updates of running, beer drinking, the weather and terrible TV viewing. Clearly, these are thigs I enjoy yammering on about.

I'd love some feedback from my *three* readers. What do you guys want me to tell you? What would YOU like me to document each week? (I'm going to optimistically guess that exactly one person leaves a comment, haha... maybe two. but most likely one!!)
Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook and I'll be sure to cover your requests. :-)

The "Hey, Winter is here" week of *training*

I miss last winter and the mild temps and lack of snow. WHY is it SO COLD????

This winter has rolled in with some major attitude and I, for one, am not supportive of this polar shit vortex. It's garbage. GARBAGE.

It's cold. So cold.

We had a pretty decent little storm last Monday. Because one must get out for a snowy run of *magic* once a season, Eric and I headed out for a few careful miles.

It's darker than it looks. And Colder. But I'm in like, a parka so it's clearly cold.

As far as outdoor activities go, that was it for the week. I work late mid week, and without a treadmill to run on I was stuck on my bike. I did some Sufferfest, known to bikers the world over as "torture", and to me, a non biker, as "death."

By Friday the temps had become absurdly cold and, despite having daylight hours in which to run, I CERTAINLY DID NOT. I'm crazy but I am not stupid, and running when it is -6 degrees out is just ridiculous.

Nope.

I paid up my $10 on Friday and had a nice indoor run at my sister's gym. As a general rule I don't have time to drive to the gym to run (40 minute round trip) but, due to the frigid temps I was finished working early. Plenty of time for a sweaty indoor run.
It was actually a really pleasant workout, and I did a few 800's at mid 7 pace. I have done no speedwork lately, so this was fun! Also, I didn't die or suffer too horribly so that made me feel better about my recent 10 mile weeks (weeks.... lord.)

The weekend was a craptastic blend of freezing weather, a snow storm, and to top it all off some rain, ice and a hurricane.

Snowing like crazy

THIS WINTER BLOWS.

I'm heading into Boston Training in two weeks. I am really looking forward to getting back onto a good, regular schedule. This fall/winter has been a lengthy recovery and rebuilding cycle. As important as this is for me, and my frail and rapidly aging body, I am ready to get back to work.

I must admit to some concerns though (which all Maine running residents may also be having.) Thus far, winter has been aggressive. I'm internally cringing at the thought of long runs in arctic temps, or (worse) every workout in the basement. Last year was pretty pleasant for winter training and I am now a spoiled princess.
I need to form a small town winter warriors training group so that we can all suffer together. I think there is strength in numbers, and it is true that misery loves company!
(and this is where I have a moment of the sads, because I am the only distance runner in my town...) 

Sigh. I'll figure it out. Maybe winter is over. Maybe I won't be stuck in the basement for good. Maybe there will be a miracle and with zero training I will be able to run a 3:19. (NO)  (HAHA even with training, no!)

Portland Brewers Dash Holiday 5k

It has been a few years since Eric and I have participated in the Portland Brewers Dash Holiday 5K.

While the weather can be a little uppity, it is a fun and super flat race. The other perks are a late (11:00) start plus a free beer PLUS a legit big post race brunch.

Required pre race selfie!

As a general rule we usually see 12,867 of our closest running/triathlon friends there. This year was a huge miss in that department, as we saw ZERO people we knew. This is almost unheard of!
(there was a lot going on this weekend to explain the absence of most of our friends. however, we literally saw nobody that we even "sort of" knew. we wondered if there had been an apocalypse?)

The weather first thing may have been enough to keep most logical people indoors.

OK wow. Hi winter, what's up.

By the time we arrived in Portland, and were more or less ready to run, there was decent weather. It was about 22 degrees with very little wind and abundant sun. (which really isn't ALL that decent, if I really think about it....) It was a pretty day though, especially if you were indoors......

A pretty day, a pretty scene

Neither of us are in shape to run a "fast" 5k, nor did we think that redlining it the whole time was worth it. We made our way to the start, and then, as I am apt to do, I ran off to look at things while everyone else lined up at the start. *focus, Sara....*

I'm over here looking at things..... While everyone else lines up...

I think *most* of us occasionally find it hard to not try to be competitive, even in a race that really doesn't matter. I know I have found myself pushing a pace I am not fit for before, and while I occasionally find this doable, it wasn't in my plans for Sunday.

We started in the middle of the pack and ran steadily throughout the race, maintaining a consistent pace. We had a nice chat, watched planes coming in to land at the jetport, and we made sure to beat the gingerbread man!

Since both Eric and I are in the midst of the "off season" it was easier than normal to hold back a bit, and we held a pace about a minute slower than our normal 5k pace.
There is no doubt that a 7:50 pace is still a great workout, but it certainly wasn't the agonistic level of suffering and pain that one attributes to a normal 5k. THANK THE LORD.

While it has not become worse, I continue to have some tightness in my right hamstring. Nothing seems to make it more uncomfortable so I wasn't worried about a little workout. I will be seeing my chiro soon to fix this problem, as it has been lingering around for over a week. Stupid! 

We both finished in 24:19 which is a completely respectable time and a good workout!
Sometimes a nice Holiday 5k is just what you need. Both of us had a really pleasant time and enjoyed the rapidity in which we were done! (sometimes being done is awesome!)
5k races are amazing because they are so short. Profound words! But, when one becomes accustomed to the challenge of a marathon, a nice little 5k is inspiring. (especially when run at a reasonable, not near heart attack, pace.)

Then, we went and drank a beer and talked about running and Pokemon and Christmas and a bunch of other weird things as one would expect.

Port race beer, post race hair

 So is that it for 2016? In the race department, I believe so! It's been quite the year and hopefully I will find the time for a big year end blog recap!

How I rock the Off Season

Ahhh, the off season.
While some might view these words as profanity, I have grown to appreciate this quality time.

Of course, the weather has turned messy and we are still a treadmill free family, so perhaps this makes limiting my pavement pounding more pleasant.

UGH. Winter.

So yes, it did snow today. And yes... Our treadmill has gone back to Jesus. This is a sad story but as upsetting as it is, it happened at a relatively good time. I would be quite upset to have this kind of calamity befall us in the midst of marathon training. At this juncture, we have had time to mourn the loss and make plans... RIP.

RIP Treadmill... 4 Boston Marathons later....

I had a pretty solid month long "break" in June, which I never expounded upon. Since I am essentially in the same place now, I decided that the internet deserved details.

My rest season got off to an odd start. Hartford left me pretty tired. Getting "rest" post marathon is tough because of my active job so I felt a bit slow to recover fully. A non-running related ankle issue sidelined me just enough to allow myself the time to properly heal.

A side note, since I don't always share every detail! After any marathon I spend the next day or two making sure my muscles get some VERY light work, an easy spin, a nice walk to get blood flowing. And THEN: I take a full 10-14 days OFF. Then, I *might* throw in a few little runs. I rarely get back to much of any structured work until 3-4 weeks post marathon. 

After a couple Disney races in early November, that were slightly outside of my fitness comfort zone (but were meant to be for fun, and were!) I got back to the business of rebuilding.

Step one. Invest a little cash money in myself. I get a few Chiro/ART treatments to deal with any imbalances or muscle issues that may have developed. Done and done.

Step two: evaluate how I am feeling, and get ready to do some general strength work! (and no, this is not a four letter word in my life!) 

I know I'm not the only distance runner who feels like this. You finish a marathon training cycle, and once the taper, race and recovery are done, you certain that you the most out of shape human on the face of the earth.
Maybe the legs are still good for something. Maybe not. But, if you are anything like me you feel that you have zero core strength, weak puny little arms, hips that are one bad step away from needing a replacement and the flexibility of a block of concrete.
GOOD LORD.

So, I embark upon The Great Rebuild.
Which I quite enjoy.

Since November 14th I have been plugging away, in an attempt to turn the abs of jelly into the abs of steel. (and the hips of near replacement into the hips of thunder. or something...?)

I imagine that if you follow me on Strava you are like "wow, Sara has totally quit running!" This isn't entirely true as I have been enjoying several pleasant runs per week. Just enough!

On my other days I have been riding away on my OWN bike trainer! I have had a bike for years but am a wimp about riding it on the road. There are many logging trucks around here and I have a major fear of getting flattened! Basement riding is a whole different story though. Safe. Cozy. And all kinds of fancy on Eric's trainer, until it became winter and he needed it again. Thank heavens for facebook bike groups where we can find inexpensive used trainers! I am so pleased at how this small addition to my collection of gear has improved my off season life.

My own bike on my own trainer

The moral of the story is, I am up on that thing a few days a week merrily sweating along.

I also do a lot (for me) of strength work. I make use of what I have here and try to do a balanced blend of core and legs. I don't do a ton of upper body work, I basically spend half my day shoveling and such. Anymore seems like overkill. (Well. I do lift plenty of 16 oz beers and 1/2 pound steaks to my face... but that's the only other lifting that I do.)

My kind of lifting ;-)

I think simple is key. I don't want to have to buy tons of equipment, or a gym membership. I tend to rely on tried and trusted exercises (squats, lunges, and the like) as well as the Oiselle Dozen. Basically, a combo of well known strength exercises put in order to kick your butt and buff up your running muscles. (or, any muscles..)
I also like this combo of exercises AKA the "standard core routine".

I have never been strong in the stretching and rolling department. During this time, even THAT gets to make an appearance! Again, just basic and functional crap. A little yoga, a few dynamic exercises, certainly nothing groundbreaking. Eric helped me with my hamstrings with some partner stretching which was glorious. ("oh "partner stretching"  is that what they call it these days...?... knock it off....)

When I am marathon training, I enjoy it. It is structured, and I thrive on that structure.
In the off season, I have FUN. If I wish to try something, I do. I toss all expectations, I never look at my watch, I am completely flexible (although, not flexible like a gymnast. at all.)
If working out starts to suck, what is the point? I like to enjoy the majority of my workouts, and after a long training cycle it's extra important to spend time having adventures.

I'm currently starting week 4 of rebuild, Winter Edition. And it is going well.
Boston training begins on January 1st (yay!!!) Hopefully by then I will be a bulletproof, terminator like mega athlete.
Or. More likely. A person who has a little more core strength and, possibly, flexibility.

Sara's Expert Safety Tips

Hey readers! Recently,  vegas.com reached out to me and, since this is National Running Safety Awareness month, wanted to see if I had any tips to share with readers. 

I wanted to share my original safety ideas for those traveling and running in unfamiliar, less populated areas. When people think of running in Vegas, they typically think of running the Strip. These are my tips for those of you planning to explore the wonders outside of the Sin City!

I think, whether you are running in rural Maine, or the more remote areas outside a city the safety practices are similar. 

I hope everyone enjoys my tips! 

As everyone knows, I am a veritable spokesperson for all things safety related. 

Over the years I have become very conscious of my safety while running. For me, running in a rural area often feels safer than running in a more urban location. There have been a few things over the years that have made me rethink this. (read on to find out what.)

Since Maine is a year round tourist zone I regularly talk to my visiting clients "from away" about outdoor workouts in my area. While I am accustomed to the conditions here (middle of nowhere) the remoteness makes city people quite apprehensive! 

There are the standard safety tips that every blog post everywhere will *help* you out with. "Run with others in blazing daylight in a highly populated area!!!" is one original thought that *never* would have occurred to anyone... (but is actually not a bad tip.) 

However, If you don't live in Boston or a similar big city, read on to learn about how I stay as safe as I can in a small town. These are the gems that I pass along to my clients and friends in hope that maybe I have an original safety idea (probably not.)

Don't be invisible

Pro Tip Number One: Don't be a damn mime. (read: unoriginal suggestion numbah ONE. whoops.)

Really though. Dress all in black and then scream "HIT ME CAR!!!!"

When it is daylight I wear loads of bright colors.

When I must run at night I break out the big guns. 

-Nathan Glow stick vest of magic!

-Blinky flashy arm band (that I got in the second Stridebox, guess my negative first review went unnoticed??? Loved this arm band though!) 

-Sweet, sweet headlamp (available pretty much everywhere.)

-Amazing flashing glowing spur. Yep.

Lit up like a damn Christmas tree. BLINK. FLASH. YO.

Pro Tip Number TWO: WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? And what are you gonna do about it???
My top fear while running (other than being eaten by a jabberwocky) is a dog attack.
This is fully legit, I have repeatedly been chased and threatened by local dogs. It is very scary and I have been lucky to emerge unscathed, although emotionally scarred for life.
(this leads to pro top 2 1/2. DO NOT run with music. You MUST be able to hear the little rascals coming. Not to mention that it's extremely important in a rural area with no "breakdown" lane, and rarely a shoulder on the road, to be able to HEAR traffic. Suck it up. Leave the headphones home if you wish to live.)

My "Don't bite me" defense kit

Let's get honest. Most likely, if a vicious dog really wanted to bite me he still might be able to.

But I plan to make it both difficult and unpleasant for him.  I ALWAYS carry one of these pepperspray/mace containers with me. I always know where it is in my flip belt and I have practiced whipping it out and flipping it open. Typically, a good bit of stomping and yelling sends the beasts back into their yard (and yes, I'm going to call animal control on you if your dog is a repeat offender.)

But if my menacing tactics don't work, or if a dog looks wicked scary I'm gonna mace his ass. 

So yes. Dog attacks are my number one concern while running, mostly because it is a real threat in my area and something I have encountered too often. 

Pro Tip number THREE: Protect yourself against Rape Van Killers.

Yes. I watch too much Criminal Minds. 

While I, perhaps naively, feel that I live in a safe place, NO woman is safe when she runs alone. 

It's a bummer but it is true. Especially in an area where there is nobody to hear you yell...

Get a screaming mace. Carry it.

Always carry your phone. 

Be aware. Duh. I run to the other side of the road if there is a parked car. I will not stop to give you driving directions (I will give you directions, but you best be prepared to keep that car moving!) I am even keenly aware of weird little places that people could be lurking, I keep my ears and eyes open at all times.

It is wise to change up your route and time of day that you run. 

Honestly, just be smart. If you truly feel uncomfortable running (anywhere) don't go. No workout is worth it and most of us could use a bit of strength work at home or in the gym (*ahem* self, I speak to you.)

Screaming mace. Available at your local Wal-Mart.

Pro Tip Number FOUR. A continuation of tip number 3: Let people know where you are going. (the right people, that is....)
Before every run I let my peeps know where I am headed. I use map my run and leave my route right up on the computer, for all to see.
If I decide to change my route I text Eric and let him know.
If I am on a particularly long run I give a good estimate of how long I plan to be gone, and I often check in mid run.

Make it easy for (the right kind of) people to find you. 

In other wise thoughts.
Don't be a dummy and post to all of your twitter, snapchat, whatever accounts, that you are heading off on a run through no man's land where there is no cell service and no other humans. Ugh! I see this happen more often that you would think.
Strava also makes me a bit leery at times, as I run from my home and the map clearly shows that. I used to run around the corner before starting it up but I have slacked on that. UGH. So much danger!
*EDIT!!!* Literally, five seconds after this blog dropped I was given a valuable piece of information. You can totally make your home invisible on Strava. This is fabulous information! (and I immediately updated my security settings! Not to worry, if I invite you over for beers I will still give you my address....)

*I honestly feel very safe when I run in my town. However, I really think it is always wise to be aware of your surroundings. This applies whether you are in the random countryside or in a big mall parking lot. Keep your ears and eyes open!*

Maine Fashion

Pro Tip number FIVE: Don't get mistaken for a deer and get shot.
Yes, it is hunting season here in Maine. In reality, one should be more concerned about hunters than rape-van-killers in my neck of the woods.
Wear your blaze orange. Look hot af. Bring the hick look wherever you go.
And you won't get hunted in the process so it's a win win.

So there you have it. Pro safety tips for people who wish to experience the adventure of running in a place that is NOT a city.
I am aware that I left our bear and bobcat attack prevention. Thus far, we have learned that bobcats are more afraid of us then we are of them. As far as bears go, I actually have a can of bear spray somewhere up here. But I don't mess with them...
My final Pro Tip is just that: If there are bears, stay indoors!!!!
 

Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon, Lumiere's Challenge 2016 part 2.

Sunday morning, after not nearly enough sleep we were up again at 3:00 for the big event of the weekend. The half marathon.

The lines to get onto the buses that would take us to the start were remarkably long. There is a huge difference in the crowd level at Port Orleans Riverside vs French Quarter. Luckily, there always seem to be abundant buses and we were on our way in less than 15 minutes. (in January, at POFQ the lines were small. no wait. spoiled, we are.)

Rather than heading over to Epcot and the delightful parking lot, we headed to ESPN Wide World of sports for a refreshing combo of parking lot and highway. Change is good.

A nice change of scenery. Road. Whoot!

Because of the bus lines, and then taking our time in the interim (porta-potty stop, catching pokemon) by the time we got to our corral we were only about 30 minutes to the start. The corrals seemed to be more relaxed than at Dopey, meaning, on marathon weekend if you showed up to a front corral late you'd be kicked out (not out of the race, but moved to a later corral.) At this race, people were loading into the corral as it started.
Since Eric was in corral B (I moved back to be with him). Running together seemed like a fun idea since we had gone our separate ways in the 10k!
"What pace are we running" I inquired. "8:30's" replied Eric. For some reason this seemed completely sensible.
Right on schedule, at 5:32 off we ran. Into the dark, dark night (see people? this is a night race!) 

The scene: Quite dark. Neither of us looks thrilled.

We actually got off to a good start. There were some miles of dark highway. So, we ran away from ESPN and banged a left on the Osceola Parkway (in my head I mix this up with the Okeechobee parkway, but whatever!)
After that, close to the 5k mark we transitioned to some fine Animal Kingdom parking lot (very little, thankfully) and then into Animal Kingdom. As much as I enjoyed running there in January I found it a bit tricky in the dark. Not terrible, but tricky. More fun than parking lots though.
There are quite a few pictures of the two of us running through AK, me looking DEAD AHEAD (because terror?) and Eric looking sad. I remember being ok at this point so our faces were not reflecting our true feelings....

#2 hahaha

Immediately after concluding our trip through, and then away from AK, a potty break was needed. I took the opportunity to take immature photos of the shitters. Someday I will grow up!

After Animal Kingdom came my favorite stretch of road ever in the history of races: Bear Island Road and the Wonderful World Of Waste Water Treatment. In true Disney fashion, there are distinct notes of Febreeze to make you think you aren't smelling noxious fumes.
Ahhhhhh. So lovely!

In reality, nobody loves that stretch of road and when you FINALLY make a right onto Floridian Way you are happy to see it.

Our pace is pretty damn steady except for the potty and water breaks.

While we were able to keep a relatively steady pace throughout the race, neither one of us was having an easy time. The combo of a brisk 10k the previous day, the humidity (high by our standards) and being just a *touch* untrained were taking a toll.

While we didn't totally throw in the towel we did take a couple water breaks. Mostly, we tried to stay positive, count down the miles and, (if you were me) you tried to avoid Eric's sprinkler system sweat (impressive!)

There was no on course congestion, it was extremely easy to proceed at a comfortable (or uncomfortable) pace without having to get creative. No off road running needed.
As we all know, I don't pay a ton of attention to character stops but my feeling is, there weren't very many. I have been to random races with more on course entertainment than this had. 

 YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THIS IS!!! All together now: "glorious PARKING LOT FINISH!!"

So yeah, despite being passed aggressively by Belle, Tink (and a sweaty Peter Pan) and a man-cat in the final mile, we finished.
We miiiiight not have won this one but we did pull off a sub 2 hour finish (1:57:19 I believe.)
Next time we are feeling a bit tired at a Disney race, we might opt out of running and become character photo people. This race, for both of us, was neither the best nor the worst. It was a solid "MEH" across the board. So maybe we need more time with the Country Bear Jamboree or what have you.

Disney does race medals RIGHT.

We got on a bus, sweatily, and cruised back to the resort (where we should have taken naps!)
The takeaway message from the many Disney race experiences we have had this year: The medals are frigging pimp. HAAAAYOUGE. The 10k medal we earned this weekend was larger than 98% of my marathon medals. The Half and Challenge medals were equally robust.
I like this kind of overkill. 

You really can't beat Disney Bling

After hastily showering and briskly preparing for the day, we were off (again..)
We had a bit of bad Disney juju at this point...
We had a 9:30 breakfast reservation at Be Our Guest (which is one of those d-bag pain in the ass reservations to get....) We gave ourselves 75 minutes to get there, and 75 minutes later had been unable to even get to the park. UGH. Any other park you can Uber too, but not the MK. Anyway, after being up for hours, running, and not eating, this was maddening.
So, we got mad and then moved on and ate a hot dog.

Magic Kingdom

A fuck ton of people

Everybody and their brother was at the MK so after a couple hours we had to peace out. *sigh*

Disney Christmas tree plus that guy with his kid

We took a moment to rest up and regroup. The problem with the 3:00am wake up calls is that it leaves you with very little gas in the tank to run on. We fully intended to spend ALL the time at Epcot for the after party and we needed to snooze a little and prep for the jugs of wine we planned to consume.

"jugs" of wine

The after party was fine, as far as I could tell. It just felt like a normal night in Epcot, at Wine and Dine plus an extra half hour of standing in line to get a wristband.
Since this was a "perk" for our race we tried to stick around for a while.
However, not much changed between "normal" hours and "party" hours. Except for some food vendors closing up for the night (bummer.)
We sampled some food and tiny wine, and enjoyed the fireworks. It was a really beautiful night and we focused on soaking in the warmth before returning home the next day.
Pro tip: skip everything at W&D and simply head to Canada for the amazing tiny steaks!! What a bargain and so delicious!!

So thus concludes the final installment (of 2016) of the Disney Race Shenanigans.
This was a good weekend and there are always plenty of wonderful moments at Disney.
For me, personally, it's probably time to move on to some other race/travel adventures for the next year. The key is variety and as seamlessly as RunDisney manages their races there are many more places to see, and to run in. (long story short: I doubt I'll ever want to run every single Disney race in one year. There are other Disney races that interest us, but they can wait!)
I wouldn't be shocked if we end up back in Disney at some point for more running. It really is the perfect place for a trip with friends and family, who might enjoy running and racing on different levels. You go out and enjoy  race or two (and a park or two!) and then relax and hang out. It would be a blast to go back with our little nieces and nephews (AND their parents...) We'll probably spend some time away from Orlando next year and then, who knows!

Disney Wine & Dine 10K: part one of Lumiere's Challenge 2016

Earlier this year, when there was internet buzz about how the Disney Wine and Dine half marathon weekend was going to change in 2016 I paid attention.
Up until this year, the 13.1 had been a night race. And a late one at that, with a 10:00PM start. This was a race start that seemed to be loved by many, but for my tired ass held zero interest.
When (much to the dismay of many, it seemed) the race received a morning start, and the weekend turned into a challenge with the addition of a 10k, Eric and I splurged for our second Disney Race experience of 2016. We had enjoyed the Dopey Challenge so much more than we expected that we concluded book-ending the year with Disney races would be fun. (needless to say, our budget wasn't as psyched about this as we were. We cut many other race weekend out to do this....)

Beautiful weather, uneventful travels.

We had an uneventful travel day on Thursday, November 3rd and landed in Orlando around Noon to find some of the best weather we have experienced there. The theme of 80, mostly sunny and perfect would continue all week (thank the LORD. We have felt screwed by the weather during previous trips!)

Beautiful Port Orleans Riverside. Perfect, as long as you don't mind sharing bus stops with 10,000 people

We had already had a long day of travel by the time we checked in. For the second time in as many trips, check in was a nuisance, and we found that we had been downgraded to a far lesser room that the one we had booked about 700 years ago. I have heard of upgrades but what's the deal with getting a downgrade!? The issue was resolved but it was time consuming and an annoying first world problem.

Expo and bib pick up. Easy as pie.

After getting our room fiasco sorted, we hopped on a bus to the expo which, after Dopey, we were experts at zipping through. It was DEAD. We easily could have been in and out in 10 minutes or less but we took a bit of time to look at some merchandise and pick up some new shoes for Eric, as he was getting horrible blisters.

Perfect Florida night

We continued our day of non-stop transportation by heading off to dinner at Il Mulino. This was an enjoyable dinner (at The Swan) and we always enjoy a boat ride (to then get on a bus!)

Harry Potter world fun!

We planned our trip to have an extra, non race day on Friday which we made good use of. 

Neither of us had ever been to Universal before. We decided to make visiting a priority on this trip since we don't plan to head back to Orlando for a while. Since we are both Harry Potter aficionados it's pretty amazing that we waited this long to go! (we had planned to go in January but the weather was just too horrid.) We lucked out in the weather department and had a lovely day exploring Universal and feeling too scared to ride most of the attractions. Universal is certainly more of a thrill seekers park! While I personally love a good thrill I don't like feeling motion sick.... In my old age I find that I hit the barf button pretty quickly.  

Knowing that we had a VERY early wake up call the next day we had planned to leave before the park closed. This was made easy, Universal closed very early for a Halloween event so even if we had wished to stay and ruin our feet with miles of walking we could not have!

Back to our resort we went, and we had a low key evening.

Eric and I are perennial fans of Disney "pool bars" and we enjoyed a perfect Florida evening sipping wine and avoiding mosquitoes.

As expected we were up quite early the next day.

We followed our Dopey prep plan, alarm at 3:00, coffee and breakfast in the room, out the door and on a bus as close to 3:30 as we could manage.

While the lines for the buses were significant, we had very little wait.Mostly because we don't mind standing room only.

We zipped right over to the DAMN GLORIOUS EPCOT PARKING LOT, which almost feels like a second home to us now!!

We saw this guy! The 10K/13.1 was "Lumeire's Challenge"

When you remember to submit proof of time you get Corral A!

Since we are the ultimate Disney race experts at this point, we knew the importance of submitting proof of race times. As much as we had enjoyed our view from Corral LAST in January we wanted a different experience this time.

Well, we got it!

The most obvious difference was the much shortened wait time for the start. Compared to the long and tedious waits that we enjoyed (haha) during Dopey, this time we felt like it was instant gratification! The other notable change was the traffic. The runners in Corral A are quick people so we found that running at any pace was comfortable. We were never impeded by other people and, had we been fit to do so (I, personally was NOT) we could have easily been faster. However, that requires fitness which wasn't a thing.

Also, take note of my outfit. Those stripes are enviable.

And just like that, we were starting!

As mentioned, the wait to start was brief. It was a warm and pleasant morning and by 5:00 they had our corral moving to the starting line.

Everyone's taking the selfies

Originally, many months ago, I had a ridiculous plan to lay down a sweet age group PR in the 10k at this race. I rarely run 10k's, and rarely run them well so I figured if, after Hartford I focused a bit on short speed work I could manage this feat with ease. I was secretly hoping to really hammer on it and manage a 45:xx which I have not been able to do in quite some time. I was pretty fit in October and I dreamed that a focus shift to speed work would yield results.

As it happened, the only thing I focused on after Hartford was slacking off.

My fastest run since then had been an 8:58 ap and my longest run was 6 miles. HA! Not exactly a recipe for success but oh well, this has taught me that I really shouldn't have lofty goals so soon after a fast marathon.

At this point, most of you know that, despite everything I did pull off a small AG PR, beating my time from the BAA 10K by a bit,and finishing in 47:16. 

All things being taken into account, I was completely happy with my results and only pulled them off because Florida is bone flat. Despite being somewhat unfit, I can grind through 6 miles at mid 7:xx pace.

Dudes, it felt fast though and was a gross and sweaty effort!

I enjoyed the course, it was exactly the same as the 10k in Dopey.

There were 3 miles of boring bone flat highway which was pretty fun because it was so flat that it basically felt like running downhill with a strong tailwind. 

I don't think that these were popular miles for the Disney diehards, it was dark and quiet. Not much going on. For me, it felt like a normal race day (but dark.) Not much princess photo potential though. 

Then, there were a few miles of Boardwalk/Epcot which, while more pleasant to look at were a bit jarring because twists and turns in the dark tend to trip me up.

I emerged unscathed.

And, I emerged, victorious into a GLORIOUS parking lot to take top honors.

*ahem* *ahem*

VICTORY WAS OURS!!!!!

Since we basically won the whole race we had to wait a bit for a bus because the road was still closed! Oh dear, the many challenges of being in Corral A, and being *elite* athletes.

Eric had enjoyed a good run, with one unfortunate potty break. Despite Reggie making life difficult he still finished in 52:00 and fresh as a daisy. (or something, it was quite muggy!)

It was still absolutely pitch black dark which made me think that the people who were sad about things being changed to "daytime" racing needed to rethink! It certainly still felt like night!

Chilling with Andy

Per the norm after a Disney race, we were back to the resort, showered and fed before 7AM. For the remainder of the day we moseyed around enjoying the weather, sitting poolside and sending lots of snaps to Andy since we missed him! (Andy joined in for the Dopey Challenge adventure back in January, we amused ourselves by sending him pics of glorious parking lots, magical buses, porta potties and such...)

I must admit that I noticed my lack of fitness as the day progressed. My speedwork muscles were crying a little and, overall, I felt rather stiff and uncomfortable. Of course, this was completely and totally deserved! One can't expect to feel great when they aren't particularly well trained.

Much rest required !

We enjoyed our afternoon of relaxation and, other than a trip to Disney Springs for dinner (and a shocking amount of walking to be honest) we did very little.

Once again, we tried to make it an early night as 3:00 is a painful hour to wake at....

Next up: The 13.1, does it turn into a splash 'n dash like the past 2 years? Do we remember to set our clocks back? Do we win the whole challenge or simply whimper our ways to the finish??

MORE TO COME......

The aftermath....

Typical Maine October. It goes from glorious and 70, to dismal and 30 overnight.

Glorious and 70

Maybe not dismal. But definitely cold.

As planned I took a full week of rest after Hartford. Since my job keeps me so mobile I was getting plenty of active recovery. A few years in the marathon business has taught me not to eff around with the week after a big race- I have never gained anything from getting right back to the grind!

I took a short run exactly one week post race. It felt quite good. I had been pleased with how my body had recovered and despite feeling like I was catching a head cold (which never really happened) I was basically back to normal.
I headed out the following day, still feeling good.
Exactly 2 miles out I got a stabby ankle/calf/instep pain that decided to stick around. Eric and I immediately aborted the run and called my very helpful Dad to get us home. (thanks dad!)

Post aborted run. Clearly not too upset. Look at that yard, what a mess!

The next day the pain was still there so I called up my chiro for some serious help. Pain in that area is very unusual for me and I wanted to get to the bottom of it before resuming the kind of prancing that is normal for me.
This bump in the road meant that a few more "rest" days were in order but the timing was ok. The serious races are over for the year and it is important to heal!

My chiro found that a weird tight big toe tendon had caused the issue and quite a bit of painful work was done on my foot/calf which I really hated. I was declared otherwise in great shape so after another couple careful days I got back to some easy short miles.

So far, so good. It's always excellent when it's an easy fix!

In the meantime....

Eric and I are in the 10 day countdown of going BACK to Disney for a bit more racing. (more on that later.) What I'm saying is that our "quiet time" is over!!

However, we enjoyed our quiet post race weeks, we actually cooked nice dinners, kind of cleaned the house and had a bit more free time. We hung out with Andy at a friends wedding which was fun, we don't see him enough and he is NOT coming to Florida with us this time, boooo!
We made the most of the evening, even though we weren't playing Disney trivia!

Wedding time!

File this next bit under "things that don't normally happen to me"

Stride box contacted me a while back to see if they could send me a free box.
I dubiously, and honestly replied that they certainly could, but that I am not really a big fan of monthly subscription boxes.
The box was filled with the usual suspects, samples of running fuel (all caffeinated so not for me) a couple snacks (again, the caffeine- so I'll pass...) Some oatmeal which was tasty and a buff type thing.

Would I subscribe? No. This box did not change my mind.

It might be a cute gift for a new runner in your life who isn't yet sure what they like to snack on mid run, or someone who isn't familiar with runner specific brands. Since I know what I use, and what I like I really just don't need something like this, cute thought it may be.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement but hey, I'm honest.
I think "boxes" in general are a fun idea, but (for me) too expensive for the value they bring to my life. 

Stride Box contents

So that's it from here.
More soon about the upcoming Florida adventure!