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I have decided that I’m going to make a point. I’ve had it right up to here with the bitching and meaning about how impossible it is to go even to the store with a mask on. It has become … Continue reading
So, I’m following the Galloway training plan from the RunDisney site. 19 easy weeks to a 10K/half marathon.
Yeah okay
Easy peasy
I don’t usually get to do a mid week training run during the daylight. I typically run at about 4:30 am. It’s nice to see what I’m passing better.
It was in the 40s and bright and sunny.
It bodes well for the rest of training.
April
10/23/2018
Posted in Disney Princess, Half Marathon
Tagged disney princess half marathon, Galloway, Half Marathon, running, training
It was an awesome race slash training run. I mean, seriously… training run with bling! What could be better? It was a small enough race that it didn’t take fifteen minutes to cross the starting line but a big enough race that you didn’t feel like it was a bunch of people from work who decided to run together on a Sunday morning. I’m pretty sure I will do this one again (although I may make it a half instead of a 10k next time).
Started out feeling really good. The morning was fantastic. Kind of on the damp side and cool enough that wearing a light hoody was comfortable. Bear didn’t bring one and, riding on his scooter, he regretted it. He looked really cute wearing my Figment hoody. Walking kept me warm, but driving his scooter (given the speed he was going) made the trip from Tower City to the Rock Hall a bit chilly for him. It was even worse when he was chasing the pigeons.
The only problem I really had with the race itself was that the half started at a different place than the 10k and 5k and finding where we were supposed to line up was a little less intuitive than some other races I’ve done. 
It was kind of neat to see other people wearing getups too. I absolutely loved the guy in the gorilla outfit. He said he would so anything for a laugh.
Squirrel Girl was just a little stressed over the race. She didn’t train so much and was really feeling the stress lined up at the starting line. She was worried about finishing at all… about finishing in under 3 hours… her knee giving her issues… she was stressing quite a bit.
Turned out she didn’t need to stress all that much. She and I ended up finishing about one chip second apart. I would have beaten her by about 5 minutes but about mile 2.5 pushing too hard and the humidity absolutely made me feel crappy. Crappy enough that I spend precious minutes being sick in the park. NOT how I wanted to do this race. BUT it did give me a reality check and make me slow down to a very fast walk the rest of the race.
I suppose Squirrel could have reminded me that you’re not supposed to push too hard too fast the way I remind her all too frequently, but I have to give her credit for not.
I have to admit though, that even slowing down (for me) and not having trained (her) didn’t really impact either of us finishing strong.
I went in to this race having my doubts. I was worried about the temperature and humidity in August, especially this year (it’s been really bad this year). I was worried about how my weight loss was going to play in to my race. But thanks to supportive people I met through WW who are as crazy (if not more so) as I am I’ve learned to listen to myself, to my body, and how to fuel my body for long runs… and not stress nearly as much as I have been over possibly eating too much or gaining back what I’ve worked so hard to lose.
Did we both push too hard? Oh yeah. Squirrel tends to be very light headed and shaky when she gets through most any finish line. I know the last mile she was fighting to keep herself going. I keep impressing upon her that she needs to take training a little more (than not at all) seriously so her body doesn’t get shocked by the race effort. She did eat watermelon (me too… beat the heck out of even the thoughts of a banana)after the finish line. But this morning her thighs and her abdominal muscles are complaining quite a bit.
Me? Despite the fact that I should have finished sooner (I will plan better next race for feeling crappy), I felt really amazing at the finish line. I finished strong and (yeah, I was tired) didn’t really feel like I wanted to pass out in the grass. The ice packs that PNC handed out were very welcome as were the towels that one of the vendors was giving out (after I soaked it in ice water in the water pools at the finish line).
I’m proud of myself.
I’m proud of Squirrel Girl (and will now be highly harping at her to train better for February).
Onward and upward.
Next race?
Amish Country 10k in just under 3 weeks. With any luck, this race will be less humid and chillier. If I can just keep timing my Orencia infusions so they fall shortly before races, I will be in pretty decent shape!
Love and Light
April
8/20/2018
Posted in Half Marathon, running
Tagged 10k, Cleveland, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 10k, rock hall 10k, training
What country has the 4th of July…..
<wait for it…>
ALL countries have the 4th of July! 😉
<snicker snicker snicker>
Grand Independence Day in the US.
Here’s to hoping everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday.
My name is Beatrice R Buff and I am… well… a Buff. That’s me, high atop the Silly Woman’s head, if you really want to know… There’s a better picture at the bottom though <This particular look came from the outfitter store in Nizna South Africa… the look was bought for another who later decided she didn’t like the look after all so my Silly Woman added this look to her collection and it is one she seems to like a lot>. If you want to learn more about me and my kind, you can find information here. There are, naturally, other URLs in other countries because, let’s face it everyone… Buffs are everywhere. Some of us are in Brazil, some of us are in Europe, heck I even know of some of us who are in South Africa. We are an adventuresome group and we love to get out and explore.
But come on now, anyway… THIS story is about me in all of my finery and all of my glory.
My tale starts years and years ago, but I will get to that later. For now… my day.
This miserably hot and humid morning was run morning (again!). It was 72 degrees F and it was 92% humidity. It was the perfect morning for fulfilling one of my favorite purposes… riding high atop her head, enjoying my ride, and soaking up the sweat.
Ew, you say?
Ah, but when that is one of your purposes in life, that is just the way it is.
This morning we took a little different route. With the miserable time she had just breathing before we started, silly woman opted to not do the hilly cul de sac but to try to stay on the more level playing field. That means I got to see most of our favorite route but I also got to add in an extra out and back to the bigger road and an extra cul de sac we don’t usually do.We dodged a slew of puddles (there was a big rain yesterday afternoon and when the air is this super saturated with yook it just doesn’t dry so fast) but didn’t pass a single car this morning.
Silly Woman got a later start this morning. She took a few days off from work and has been hitting the streets a little later than normal… It’s kind of nice, for a change, to be out running in the almost daylight. There is way more to see. And I mean really, isn’t that what adventures are all about… being able to see what is going on around you?
So this morning’s run Silly Woman started the next phase of her training. She upped her run time (I love when she runs, there is an extra bounce to my ride) to 25 seconds with walk recovery of 45 seconds. Granted, the walk portion was slower than usual because it was so humid and recovery after a longer run was a little harder than usual, but she still hit almost every interval and she is creeping up on the time she wants for corral placement at Disney in February. She’s not confident that she will do it, but I have faith in her.It’s been kind of awesome to ride along with her this far and I think the rest of this adventure is going to be interesting to watch.
Truth be told, it’s kind of nice to have her enjoying the adventure enough to start taking selfies of us. While I’ve shown up in many of my different guises over the years, I’m enjoying being immortalized on an almost daily basis. Now if I can just get her to start wearing me in different ways. Not that I’m complaining, but variety is kind of nice. I’ll have to start putting a bug in her ear (and since I’m so close and there are lots of bugs, that shouldn’t actually be too hard!).
For now, let’s just say that I’m going to start telling my story and being a part of the action. After all… being a Buff in an adventure in itself and it’s high time someone told the story!
Signing off for now!
It’s time for my bath in a baggy and hanging out on the line to dry!
B. R. Buff
7/4/2018
Posted in A Buff's Tale, Buff Running
Tagged A Buff's Tale, Buff, buff adventure, buff headwear, running, training
I can’t <insert whatever it is that you think you can’t possibly do>. There are people for whom this is true. If you have had a total hysterectomy, you are not likely to be able to give birth to a … Continue reading
Sitting here, cold coffee (not iced, just cold) by my side, wishing the pumpkin creamer was thawing faster. I’m running through the joints in my body, taking node of what feels how. The smell of Tiger Balm hangs in the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 1 photos.
I watched a Run Disney video on YouTube this morning showing how people cross the finish line. There are so many reasons why people cross the way they do. It’s really neat to hear the stories about why they do … Continue reading
This gallery contains 5 photos.
So, I’ve been dwelling a good bit lately because I know that people think I’m as dumb as a box of rocks. My post yesterday kind of dwelt on that. I’ve been torn between being dumber than a box of … Continue reading
Walk today felt wonderful!!! Left the house, just in time to see a few wonderful morning glories blooming in the 8 am sunshine. It was warm and humid, but not too horrible for the walk.
8508 steps (2000 steps a mile, that’s 4 miles)
8:11 – 9:15
4.25 mph
Nearly sufficient, even with a pee pit stop, to not get swept at Disney.
By the time I got home, I was hot and sweaty. And I felt wonderful!!! By the time I hit the door, I was confident that I would not get swept.
I’ve decided that, no matter how well intentioned it is, hearing how much you don’t stand a chance of actually completing a race and how much your even trying to complete it is going to ruin the day in the parks for everyone. It is demoralizing. It’s even more demoralizing when it comes hot on the tail of knowing that I’ve lost five pounds and that I actually did a day in 90 degree heat and 65% humidity at race pace.
I realize that everyone else is much better at this than I will ever be. Everyone. Everywhere. I get it. But I don’t have to be better than anyone except maybe better than I was yesterday. This is about me. I don’t care if that sounds selfish and bitchy. It’s about me. It’s my race.
Post workout… A huge glass of chocolate milk and an omelette.
I know I can do this. And I will do this. Motivation be damned.
Posted in Half Marathon, Uncategorized
Tagged Half Marathon, race preparation, training
I found my pacing strategy for the race. Given that I’m walking the race, I will be shooting, in training at least, for 170 – 180 bpm. I may not get quite there, but that is my goal. I found that as my goal in the page where this pace chart is.
LEVEL 1: VERY INACTIVE: 80-100 steps per minute = 2 mph (30 minute mile)
LEVEL 2: LIGHTLY ACTIVE: 120 steps per minute = 3 mph (20 minute mile)
LEVEL 3: MODERATELY ACTIVE: 130 steps per minute = 3.5 mph (17-18 minute mile)
LEVEL 4: ACTIVE: 140 steps per minute = 4 mph (15 minute mile)
LEVEL 5: VERY ACTIVE: 150 steps per minute = 4.3 mph (14 minute mile)
LEVEL 6: EXCEPTIONALLY ACTIVE: 160 steps per minute = 4.6 mph (13 minute mile)
LEVEL 7: ATHLETE: 170 steps per minute = 5 mph (12 minute mile)
LEVEL 8: ATHLETE: 180 steps per minute = 5.5 mph (11 minute mile)
LEVEL 9: ATHLETE: 190 steps per minute = 6.0 mph (9-10 minute mile)
Then I went to my favorite training music place and downloaded a few training mixes to start at the gym. Distance, I will use my Disney mix. But getting my speed up, I will use the intervals that I’ve relied on before. Podrunner really does rock and has seen me through trying to get healthy before. It won’t fail me!
I snagged the first three “slow” mixes this morning. 125 bpm – 130 bpm for my first week… maybe my first two weeks… at the gym.
Research and reading and a pager week weekend of thinking has me waffling between ” I must be crazy. I’m too heavy. I am not sure I won’t be flaring. There are too many what if’s” and ” Hell yes, I can do this”. I am leaning to the Hell yes.
Posted in Half Marathon
Tagged 130 bpm, 130 steps, Half Marathon, interval, music place, pace, pace chart, podrunner, training, walking pace
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