Pre-Trip Run, Chickie! RUN!!!

It's been a while since I've had a trip report or a pre-trip report on here. I am still on a Disney break with the family, but I've had some major changes over the last 9.5 months and have decided to treat myself with my first ever RunDisney trip. I've been wanting to start a PTR for a while now, but I didn't want to jinx things. I mean, how awful would it have been to start a PTR just to get shut out of race registration?!?!? Well, I can rest easy with that part right now since registration was yesterday and I got both of the races I wanted!!! WOOHOO!

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For those that haven't read my previous TRs, I'm Sandy (but you can call me Chickie :D )...

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If you read my December 2017 trip report, you might recall that I had a number of pain and mobility issues. Rock bottom (well, the Disney portion of it) was being in Epcot and not being able to keep up with my family because I was in so much pain. I still look back on those tears and remember the fear that I might be in a scooter next time I visit if I can't get this turned around. I went home and vowed to get past all of this, but it would be another 6+ months before I got real with myself. I'm going to spare you all of the details, but I realized it was my weight that was the problem. I've been a yo-yo most of my life, so I had to come to terms with what does and doesn't work for me. I took a lot of things out of my diet that made me out of control and in the process, I discovered some food intolerances. I've also always loved exercise, so once some of the pain subsided, I got back into regular workouts.

So, it's been a little over 9 months and I'm already down 93 pounds! I still have a bit to go before I hit my first two big weight goals, but I'm getting close and I wanted something to celebrate...so I came up with this idea of doing some Disney races. I ran a half marathon in 2015 and while it was a huge accomplishment, I've decided that I really don't enjoy the longer distance things. So, I signed up for the 5k and the 10k in January 2020!!! And I'm not bringing my family!!! A Disney-loving work friend is going to come with me instead. I haven't had a girls trip anywhere since 2013 and I haven't been to WDW with a friend since the 1990s, so this is big!

All I know so far is-

When: January 8-12, 2020 (definitely flying)
Who: Me & Friend (don't know yet if she wants her name in here)

What's iffy-

Lodging: I definitely want to be onsite, but that's all I know. The only non-Disney spot I'm thinking about is the Swan. Rates are decent, beds are great, location is a major plus, and we can easily walk to YC or BW for the RunDisney designated buses. BUT...I'd kind of like a Disney resort. I missed certain things when we stayed at the Swan last trip. After that...I'm kind of all over the place. Part of me wants to splurge...part of me wants to be conservative...part of me wants an old favorite...part of me wants to try something new. ALL of me wants a comfy bed. I've always liked the beds at the monorail resorts and the Epcot resorts, but the beds we had at WL and AKL were too firm for me and the beds we had at POR (all of our rooms for our group) were just bad. I've never stayed in a value because for family trips, DH and I can't handle anything smaller than a queen and we haven't been as a family since they completed the renos at Pop with the queens. I'm also pretty claustrophobic, so smaller rooms don't work well for me (yes...I'm a MESS!). 2020 won't open up until late June/early July...so I've got time to weigh out a million pros and cons!

Dining: I'm not a big fan of any of the plans and my friend only likes it when going with her family, so no dining plans for us. We also would like some spontaneity, so I'm only going to be booking a few ADRs. We both want to try Skipper Canteen and their standard menu seems to work well for my dietary issues. I'd also like a celebratory meal with a view for one of the nights...Narcoosee's has more standard menu options that would work for me, but I prefer the setting of California Grill. I'm torn over Jiko vs. Sanaa. I love Sanaa and know they have some things that will work for me, but I've always wanted to try Jiko. I figure we also need one character meal. I'm leaning towards a breakfast...but not sure which one I want to do. With the exception of the new one at WL, I've done them all and have some strong opinions. So, I may just let the characters be the deciding factor.

Cake: You know I can't have a Disney trip without cake! The problem...I can no longer eat the Disney cakes. I am thinking about ordering one from Erin McKenna's, but they are just not fun. So, I'm thinking about getting a mini one for my friend and hope that she's not weirded out about having cake while I just take pics of it.

Costumes: I'm fairly certain that we're going with an Alice in Wonderland theme for the 5k. My friend is leaning towards the Mad Hatter and I'm going to get over my concerns with horizontal stripes and be the Cheshire Cat. Still, we have so much time that we could change our minds. The 10k is just me and I'm more uncertain on this. I've seen some really cool Small World stuff that also looks comfy, but I also saw some fun Tiki Room things. IF I could find anything Donald Duck that I really liked, that would probably win. And while fit and comfort are most important, I'm hoping to find a couple of pairs of decent joggers to coordinate with the respective costumes. It'll probably mean a trip to one of my local running shops for a fitting since I'm not in love with the Hokas and Asics I'm in right now. Oh how I hate it when companies come out with new versions of your favorite shoe or totally discontinue it altogether.

Park Time: Planning on 2-day hoppers, but my friend is not into thrill rides. We also both really like Star Wars stuff, but not sure how much of SGE we want to try and experience this time around since the crowds are sure to be insane. i.e. maybe save the bulk of it for later trips with our families.

That's really all I've got for now, but I'll be updating this thread as more details fall into place. Heck, I'm still not even sure the best way to link everything together since I've always traveled with family. It's going to be an adventure for me just figuring all of this new stuff out! :)
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
LODGING UPDATE (among other things :D )

I've never booked a trip before rack rates were released for my dates. I had always seen that room only could be booked 499 days out, but I've never needed to use this before. My friend, who is traveling with me, has been in this position before (except with a pkg) and had to wait until late June or early July to book and the travel agent I was going to use said something similar. She said she couldn't book me for room only until rack rates come out and the dates open. So, I went with it since she's an earmarked agent with a large and very highly regarded agency. Then, I started seeing all of these people in my FB run groups talking about lodging and saying you could book room only if you call. I'm not sure why my agent didn't know this, but I wasn't waiting around to find out...and I'm so glad I did.

I requested pricing and availability for Caribbean Beach and Coronado Springs. Well, it turns out that she had absolutely nothing at CSR. :eek: All she had at CBR were preferred rooms, so I booked a preferred queen room just to have something. I'm sure some of this is marathon and some of this is Star Wars, but it's making me think that room discounts are unlikely and it's going to be CROWDED! I guess at least I have lodging, so no matter what happens, I have an onsite place to stay. I guess I'll also be doing the legwork if room discounts do come out.

TRAINING UPDATE

I decided to put together a training spreadsheet...not just to stay on track, but to compare plans. I'll spare you every week, but check out the differences between the Galloway app vs. the training plans he has on the Run Disney site...

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I had been using the app in the improvement mode and put in 6.30 mi this past Saturday for my long run of the week. I find it curious that the week 2 long run on the app is 2.30 miles longer than the week 2 long run on his Disney experienced runner plan. All in all, my body isn't ready for the app. I did it, but I'm paying for it. I would have pulled back during the run, but I didn't really feel the knee pain until afterwards. So, I've decided to change plans a bit and will also be wearing some bands for my knees. I'm going to switch to his 10K training plan (see below) and I've calculated the dates for when I need to shift that to the 10k & half training plan (also below). Both seem much more manageable with my schedule too.

10K plan
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10K/Half Plan
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They all extend out 18-19 weeks, but again...much more manageable that the app plans. Had I stuck with the app plan I was on, I would have had to work in a 15+ mi run while on vacation. Yeah...not happening.

OTHER UPDATES

Beyond that, I tried my hydration pack on Saturday with some Nuun and really liked both. I also tried the Injinji socks and while they were nice on my toes, I missed the padding in the Feetures. They also feel so strange! I also added in foam rolling, which helped some. Who am I kidding...the lodging is the big news :D
 

Swissmiss

Premium Member
I looked into a lot of half training plans for beginners before I settled on one because it quickly became clear to me that the notion of « beginner » varied wildly depending on the plan. Now after a few years I’m luckily at the point where I only need to slowly add mileage to my long run as I tend to run at least 3 miles a couple of times during the work week and 4-6 on a weekend long run.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I looked into a lot of half training plans for beginners before I settled on one because it quickly became clear to me that the notion of « beginner » varied wildly depending on the plan. Now after a few years I’m luckily at the point where I only need to slowly add mileage to my long run as I tend to run at least 3 miles a couple of times during the work week and 4-6 on a weekend long run.

I just found it funny how this is all Galloway and his beginner Disney plan and expert Disney plan are so different than his app plans. Still, I think I can work with this new approach. I'm trying really hard not to overdo it. The last time I did distance training, I let the high get me and I wound up burned out and in a lot of long-term pain. I was averaging 45-50 mi per week and it was just too much. This time, I'm keeping my cross-training and making myself stick to 3-4x per week for running. At least with school letting out this week, I won't have as many kid things to get in the way...just summer heat! 🔥
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So, a little update...

I've been using the Nuun in conjunction with my runs and I'm not sure if it's that, a mental and physical shifting, or a bit of both...but I'm getting faster!!! I always see people in my run groups post that they are slow and I've learned that there are many definitions of slow. So, I'm just trying to stop compare slowness and celebrate me getting better. So, my Tuesday/Thursday runs are supposed to be about improving speed. On Thursday, I got out there and had all kinds of energy and positive vibes. I wound up shaving nearly a minute off of my best pace and even more off of my fastest recorded mile. Saturday was supposed to be an endurance run. The new plan only called for a 1.5 mile run, but considering that was less than my Thursday run distance (and Tuesday for that matter) I decided to just keep 5k as my shortest. I was afraid I wouldn't see things as good as they were on Thursday, but I was still running faster. My pace was a smidge slower, but I attribute that to me getting lost. I got so into things that I wasn't paying attention and just ran past my turn. It's really easy to do when you're running on heavily wooded trails. I decided to order a multi pack of the Nuun since I'm thinking it helped...

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I also decided to go with my friend's suggestion of running in multiple pairs shoes. I know it's supposed to help reduce your injury risk, plus the right blend of shoes can help with speed and endurance. I really didn't enjoy running in my Hokas. They are comfortable for walking, but with running, they feel clunky and awkward. It must have impacted my form/stride, because I had a lot more pain after running in them too. So, I looked back to all of the shoes pulled during my recent fitting and remembered the saleswoman pointing out a particular pair of Brooks that were different than the others in the stack. I remember liking them, but I wasn't sure I'd like them for a really long run. That's part of why I bought the Glycerins in that first fitting...nice and cushy for a long run. After doing some research on this other pair of shoes, I saw tha they can be worn for distance, but a lot of amateurs like them for improving speed. Obviously, it's not all shoe...I'm going to have to put in the effort, but at the very least...I can use them on my weekday runs to vary it up to help reduce injury chances.

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These have also been helping with the minor knee discomfort I've been experiencing...

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Cute, right?

Beyond that, I had some rewards points at Fleet Feet and several people recommended Oofos recovery flip flops. These will be arriving later this week...

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I also really needed one more pair of shorts. I have tons of workout capris, but most don't have pockets. I saw several people recommending Happy Puppies stuff. I was hoping to try the Mandy length short, but they don't have any sale priced ones in my size, and I am not willing to spend full price on something I want to test. So, I ordered the Bermuda length in royal blue since they were on sale. Supposedly, a lot of people like their stuff for base costume material, so another reason to test.

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Have you noticed that I'm not really a pink person!?!?!? :hilarious:

I'm also considering buying a foot pod. Like many, I hate the treadmill, but I have about 9 or 10 runs coming up that I'm going to need to do on one and I'm thinking it might be a good addition to my gear.

I also really need to start thinking about ADRs. I was emailing back and forth with my friend the other day and it got much more real when I pulled up MDE and saw our reservation...and realized that I qualify to book dining 180+ length of stay. I normally am giddy about Disney dining, but combine last trip's issues with my dietary changes (which could have huge impacts on my running) and I'm not quite as psyched up as normal.

On top of that, I'd really like to decide on the rest of my costumes. I'm pretty much set on Cheshire Cat for he 5k, but I'm all over the place with everything else. Part of me would like to stick with an Alice based theme. Queen of Hearts seems fun for the 10k and then maybe something more conceptual for the half...like "Painting the Roses Red." Then there's the part of me that wants to go for attractions...like Tiki Room and Small World. And then there's me wanting to go back to characters...like as a Donald person, I should be Donald for the half and maybe pick from a hat for my top ideas for the 10k...like Lilo, Tigger, Prince John, Maleficent, etc. Sooooooo many choices!

On a side note, we were watching some old NFL QB Challenge from WDW the other day and DH admitted he misses it and is a bit envious of things with this trip. He noted that he's the one who pushed the hardest to take a break and doesn't regret all of this other fun travel we're getting to take. I keep saying we'll go back in 2021, but if I really like this running at Disney stuff, I'm almost tempted to find a way to make it work as a family run Disney trip...which would be extremely tough with school, but we'll see.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hey all! Things have been crazy busy with work, family issues and kid stuff, but I've been staying on top of my training...even with the heat. I think Houston hit 101 on Sunday. 🥵

I'm actually getting better. I'm not sure if it's the new shoes and alternating wear, using Nuun vs. standard hydration and caffeine, a mental shift or a combo of it all. Still, I seem to be getting better with each run, even in the heat and humidity. I'm not going to pretend like I'm fast or anything, but this isn't about that. This is about doing something that I've never been able to do before and improving for me. I just want to be fast enough for Disney to not have to worry and I think I'm doing that. I even shocked myself last night...aside from improving my pace and best mile, I didn't want to walk the rest of the way home after I finished with my slated training time. Mind you, I ran a different area because I needed a change of scenery and knew I'd finish farther from home than normal. Still, after walking for 5 or so minutes, I decided it was all going too slow and that I wanted to be home sooner. So, I ran. No set intervals, no pushing, no huffing and puffing, no stress. I just set the GPS to on and went...and I was shocked that I still had a really good pace (for me).

I got my shorts from Happy Puppies last week. First off...LOVE the shorts! They were so comfy on my first run in them and the pockets are awesome. Secondly, their packaging is adorable and they even sent them with a little planner. Third, just so impressed with their service, options, and military appreciation.

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My Oofos also arrived. I've used them 3x so far and maybe it's all psychological, but I think they help. I'll spare you the barefoot sandal pics. LOL

My husband also asked that I consider buying a new watch that will work with the Garmin app/site so they can track me while I run. He's concerned with the heat and the corn maze like effect of our greenbelts that I might get lost or need help (or worse). So, he wants it for safety purposes. I know there are apps on my phone I could use (and do for the kids), but stuff like that tends to kill my phone battery, so I've avoided all that with my phone. The reality is that my Garmin Forerunner 15 is old and while it's not awful by any means, I'd be better off with a watch that does more, especially considering I do a lot of cross training in the gym and am going to try and get over some fears with my bike (the one with two wheels vs. the stationary one in the gym LOL). It's also crazy expensive to replace my regular metal watch battery, so maybe something smarter and more modern is better. So, this is what I got...

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It's a Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music. It was on sale, so that's always good. I bought through FleetFeet, so that's also another $15 reward for me. I'm hoping there's not too much of a learning curve to using it. It's popular in my run groups and I know there are a number of YouTube videos to help. Initially, I was hoping for something in a crazy color, but for this, I'm probably better with something neutral since I want to get in the habit of keeping it on.

Other than that, I have some travel coming up where I'm going to be stuck doing a couple of my runs on a treadmill. I'm kind of dreading it. My friend figured I'd enjoy the break from the heat, but it's just so boring and it's a pain to keep adjusting it for my intervals. I guess it'll be good practice for actual summer vacation, where I think I'm going to have a total of 5 or 6 treadmill runs.

Oh, and I think I've narrowed down costumes. I previously noted the Cheshire Cat, but I think I'm going to do a trio of Alice based costume themes. I have to see how it all goes, but looking at the Queen of Hearts for one and then a conceptual idea for the other...specifically, 'Painting the Roses Red.' More details to come :)
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It's been a while since I've posted, but things have been kind of crazy.

First off, I've been using my new Garmin. I like it, but it's glitchy. I've been using it for two weeks and the screen is prone to doing this buggy thing where it becomes a bunch of lines. I reached out to Fleet Feet to see if I can just swap it out at one of their local stores. Waiting to hear back, but this is what it looks like...

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Just for perspective, this is what it normally looks like when it's on the clock screen with the face I set.

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I'm also not convinced that it's giving me accurate data. Don't get me wrong...I've had some good run times with it and bested several of my previous records, but I don't feel like the autopause is working correctly. Although, several people in my FB run groups have noted similar concerns. The issue would make my numbers look slower than I really am since it's not starting and stopping when I'm starting and stopping, but I guess that means I'm faster than my recorded times...which could be good.

On another run related note, I've decided I should start doing some 5ks before I run my 10ks. I haven't been in any kind of race setting since that half I did back in 2015 and I walked the majority of that. I thought I should probably get used to the race vibe and being in that setting while doing my Galloway intervals, so 5ks seemed like a good way to get that mental aspect in check. With the exception of last night, when I wasn't feeling well, I've been trying to get in at least 5k during my shorter weekday runs. So, this should be good practice. The one I'm signed up for next weekend is a Christmas in July race. I already have a holiday play list in the works (Christmas music is turning out to be really good run music). I think this header on the sign up page is a glimpse at what the medals will look like...

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I guess they are going to be playing holiday music along the race course and a feast at the end...which I probably won't be able to eat. LOL I also thought about wearing the kids' holiday light Mickey ears, but those things HURT!

There was another race I wanted to do this month, but I have a scheduling conflict. So, I guess I'll wait until August to look into any other 5ks.

Speaking of running and training, we're going to be in Colorado for a bit this summer. As some of you may recall from our ski trip to Mammoth Lakes, CA, I've had altitude sickness issues before. Of course, if you read the trip report (in Chit Chat) from last summer, I did OK with Yellowstone minus some altered taste issues when we were in Cody. I'm hoping to get in some treadmill running while in Denver, but try and head outdoors to run once we're up around Rocky Mountain National Park. I've got some plans to prep for it and know many of the warning signs, so I'm being cautious, but it should make for some good training outside of my norm.

While not altitude training, I did get to try out running while away from home. I was supposed to go to Louisiana last week because my younger one was playing in the Jennie Finch World Series, but my mom was at Disney's Vero Beach resort with some friends and had a major freak medical issue. She wound up in the ICU for a bit. Scary stuff...so, I flew to Florida to help out for a bit after she was released. Of course, south Florida weather is very similar to our Houston area weather and it's even flatter than my running trails at home, so the challenge was mainly finding good places to run in unfamiliar territory and not compromising time too much just because I'm a bit lost. HA!

We did get in some Disney stuff while I was there. They live pretty close to Sawgrass Mills, which has a Character Warehouse. I love being able to get park merch at a deep discount! I picked up some stuff for the family while my mom found an ice cube tray she's going to use for candies.

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Mom also made sure I got stickers!!!

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I did have some nice runs while I was there as well as some short walks with my mom later in the afternoon. We saw the little burrowing owls in the park across the street...

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Lots of muscovy ducks...

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Pretty flowers...

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A lesser heron trying to eat more than he could handle...

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My dad even took out the telescope one night. It was hazy and the African dust cloud was impacting things, but I got to see four of Jupiter's moons and when he added on the more powerful lenses, I could see all of the stripes and colors on Jupiter. Saturn was still too close to the horizon and my mom was tired, but still thankful for what we were able to see. It also got me thinking again about trying to get an ADR at the Space Restaurant.

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Speaking of ADRs, that day is rapidly approaching. I've got a better idea of what I want to do, but it would help if the calendar would come out. Oh well..we all know how that goes.

I hated not being there for the tournament, but with things like Facebook Live, FaceTime and YouTube, we were able to watch quite a bit of the tournament. The kids also had several opportunities to meet Jennie Finch, so that was exciting.

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So, that's where I'm at right now. I do continue to get faster, improve heart rate, and build distance stamina...so all good things. I'll be sure to post after the 5k, which will hopefully go well. Not that it's anything serious, but things like this will be good prep!
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Do you have a PTR for your Rocky Mountain National Park trip? We are heading there this August and have never been!

No PTR on that one. I'll probably be posting actual trip report stuff in Chit Chat while you are there. I've never been either, so it's all new to me, but if you have any questions or want to compare notes on what we're looking to do or what I've booked...feel free to ask. I'm trying not to pre-plan a ton just because I do that with Disney and it's sort of liberating to have some of it up in the air. Still, I'm starting to go through some park info to see if I should make a rough plan/wish list of things we want to see. It's also hard because this is just one component of the trip. I was at the dentist yesterday and he was starting to fill my head with all kinds of stuff for when we're in Moab, UT and going to see Arches. LOL
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hi all! I've been braving the heat and humidity and keeping up with my training.

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We also came to a realization about my current training conditions...the heat and humidity may actually be worse on the greenbelts. Sure, I'm skipping the direct sun most of the time and don't really deal much with traffic, which is great, but there there is no breeze in there because of the dense vegetation and tree cover. All of that vegetation also seems to create much more humid conditions than the non-forested areas outside of the greenbelts. I'm in a bit of a clearing in that pic above, but the one below sort of shows a transition from clearing to "forest tunnel."

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It makes me wonder what it's going to be like tomorrow when I'm running in the middle of downtown since there will be no tree cover. Sure, it'll be 7am, but it'll still be mid-to upper 70s with humidity somewhere in the 85-99% range. I'm already a bit nervous. I've been in races before, but I've always walked. So, I'm anxious to try out what I've been doing with running in an actual race setting. I also found out that a college friend will be there and while she's nice and super positive, it's somehow adding to my nervousness. I keep reminding myself that this is why I'm doing some 5ks before I race for POT. These little races are supposed to help me get over some of my anxiety so I can be in a better mental place when I'm doing something more meaningful.

I also picked up all of my race stuff on Wednesday.

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I'm also still experimenting with socks. I still think I like my Feetures Cushion the most, but these aren't bad.

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While it got better when I was running in FL (because things were very flat), I have a few steep hills that I run at home which has brought on some runner's toe. It seems to be better when I wear the more heavily cushioned socks.

My replacement watch is also arriving today. I was having some issues where the screen would turn into a bunch of lines. I also just don't think it's accurately tracking things. It's gotten better since the piece of junk screen protector came off, but I've still had the lines issue a couple of times since it came off. A simple reboot or even pressing of the main button can fix it, but the pic below happened in the middle of a run, so it was kind of a mess.

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Beyond that, I'm less than a week out from the 180 mark. The preliminary calendar came out, so I've got an ADR plan, but I can tell that calendar is going to change. I mean, there is nothing on the calendar for HS beyond some EMH and basic hours and I'm sure we'll see changes once they know what's going on with SGE. There's also one day with absolutely no EMH in any park, which usually isn't the norm. I can also tell you my ADR plans are sure to change a bit over the next 6 months. I just know it's better to book now and try and tweak later, so that's what I'm doing. Storybook at Artist Point, HEA timed dinner at Cali Grill, Sanaa lunch, Skipper Canteen and breakfast at Cape May after the 5K are the tops on my list for stuff with my friend. I'm planning on trying to relax a bit after the 10K so I've got more energy for the half, but I'm looking at The Wave for my lunch that day since they have some things that look like they could be tailored to my diet while being very nutritious and then Kimonos for dinner since many of their sushi roll options are gluten free and the rice should help with fuel. It also shouldn't be too hard to take the Skyliner to HS and then the boat to the Swan and back. It also should be lower key to help keep me relaxed. So, a fairly stress free night as well.

That's all for now. I'll probably post this weekend after the 5k to let you know how it goes. Garmin keeps track of my best times for certain distances, so I know where I'm at to know if I do better (or worse) in a race setting. Fingers crossed it's positive!
 

ladydi

Active Member
Good luck with your race! If you can’t time Cali Grill with HEA, don’t stress about it. We were there last month and although they still pipe in the music all you can see is the castle with blobs of color on it and a few fireworks going off. Definitely not wishes!! (Disclaimer: I still cried.)
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Good luck with your race! If you can’t time Cali Grill with HEA, don’t stress about it. We were there last month and although they still pipe in the music all you can see is the castle with blobs of color on it and a few fireworks going off. Definitely not wishes!! (Disclaimer: I still cried.)

So, you're telling me that I won't have anything like this...

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I'm still going to try for it. My friend has never been, so to her, it will be new and she won't have my "well, it's not Wishes" mentality. I'm sure I'll cry too, but not the same.
 

ladydi

Active Member
So, you're telling me that I won't have anything like this...

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I'm still going to try for it. My friend has never been, so to her, it will be new and she won't have my "well, it's not Wishes" mentality. I'm sure I'll cry too, but not the same.
It won’t be close! The light show on the castle is amazing but the fireworks aren’t any better than what you’d see at any small town celebration.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ran my Christmas in July 5k this morning. I'm a bit frustrated...as I noted, my new watch had been having issues. They sent a replacement, but I didn't have time to set it up for this morning, so I ran with the one I'm returning. I knew from other measurements that it's not tracking things correctly. Today, my 5k time on the watch was about a minute and a half faster than my recorded chip time. It is what it is, but it kind of bites when you see your watch give you a new record just to see a race time that far off from the watch. I'm really hoping the new one is better. If not, I'll have to return it and try a totally different model.

On a more positive note, I still did pretty well. I didn't give it everything because I planned (and did) to run another 3 miles at home. It was also about 80 degrees at 7am with humidity over 90%, so it's hardly ideal conditions. Right...positive stuff...

Out of a total of 519 finishers (190 men, 329 women)...

- I finished 36th out of 93 in my age group/gender
- I finished 131st out of all women
- I was nearly 2 min ahead of the avg pace for all women
- I finished 261st overall

Not sure I really need to do another 5k in this training journey, but this was good for testing out a few things. It was also a fun theme and a cool medal.

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They even had snow!

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And I was rocking out to my Christmas run playlist...

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So, this is done and just hoping the watch thing works out. Thinking of wearing two watches for a bit to see if it's the watch or just Garmin in general. At least I was comfortable. Ran in the Balega socks and the Glycerins and no issues there.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Little updates...

Tomorrow is 180!!! I will be sure to post how it goes. I was finally able to link my friend up to our reservation, so she's going to help me book ADRs, which is nice. It takes off some of the pressure. I mean, I'm up early either way, but when you rank your ADRs in order of easiest to most difficult to secure, it's nice to have someone to cover booking #2 hardest to get while I'm working on #1. So, I'll post tomorrow after the booking is done.

So, that's more the Disney side, but I'm still training and throwing all kinds of products into the mix. I really liked those Balega silver socks that I ran in on Saturday, but there were two other versions I had recommended to me. So, I had an Amazon card and decided to try them out...

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I tried the Hidden Comfort last night because they seemed like the Balega equivalent of my Feetures comforts. First off, while they are the same size as all of my other socks, they feel bigger, but I went with it since I've been dealing with runner's toe (won't share those pics) and thought it might be good. I think I'm going to need to try them again on another run. I'll dish more on it below, but yesterday's run was awful and I don't think I can fairly judge the socks until I've used them on a better day. I haven't tried the blister resist yet (will tomorrow), but they at least fit more like the silvers that I wore on Saturday. Side note...while it still looks ugly, my toe feels much better since wearing both pairs of the Balega socks.

I also think the Balega quality inspection tags with pictures and links to the quality team is a pretty neat thing...

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I've also set up the new watch (and returned the old one). I can't say for certain if it's better, but the screen hasn't glitched yet and it hasn't told me I've climbed 27 flights of stairs while walking on a flat surface...so that's a start. I also decided to go with a different face...sort of Mondrian inspired. It flips back and forth between several metrics so I can keep track of more on the main face.

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I also decided to boost my hydration game. I like that backpack, but it's just not practical all the time and it's making me feel a bit warm, so I'm adding a hand bottle into the mix. I know some people think it's silly to have hydration on shorter runs, but they also probably live in places where they consider our low temps to be surface of the sun hot. Like my doctor said...better to give your body the water you need vs. hurting yourself over what she felt was more vanity and ego than a sound health decision. So, this is arriving today...

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It's supposed to hold 21 oz and it's insulated, so it should be good.

So now for this awful run...I was supposed to put in a minimum of 30 min yesterday and it was a day where I was supposed to push for speed. I've had a number of hot runs over the last couple of months, but it was still around 95 degrees when I got near my house after work...so, I decided to run to the supermarket and come home for a bit of a snack. I waited until 7:30pm last night to run...and it was still over 90 out there. I was not feeling it, but training isn't always fun and isn't always what you want to do. I had a horrible cramp in my stomach by .50 mi in. That snack..which I'd finished an hour prior...was really more of a meal and I suspect it was the issue. The cramp was keeping me from properly regulating my breathing. I slowed my pace, but it was just not helping. I headed into a forested section of green belt and that's where it got really bad...

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It is pretty, but it's just so darn humid in there and my body just wasn't getting any kind of cooling. I stopped and it felt like I had a heat cloud around my head. Shortly after the 15 min point, I turned around and headed back towards the part of the green belt that flanks the road...since it has air circulation and is a bit less humid. The cramp had gotten a bit better at this point, but I was so overheated. That bit of air circulation up at the road was at least enough for me to finish up the 30 min...which is good b/c I was starting to feel nauseated and and those palm fronds were playing tricks on my eyes. Seriously...for a moment I thought I was seeing the stripes from a large cat moving into the forest. The time was not pretty...but it was done...and I've done worse, so it's something. I walked for a bit...very slowly...and at about .25 mi away from home, I decided I was feeling good enough for a light jog...so, I turned my watch run settings back on and jogged straight with no walking intervals. It was slow, but I managed it and for a moment there, I felt like I could do more. I didn't, but what it told me is that I may need to stay out of the heavily forested sections until things cool off. I'm hoping to get in in 3.5 tomorrow and 6.5 mi on Saturday. I've got routes mapped for both that will take me along the roads where air circulation should be better and humidity a smidge lower. I still think it was more the snack than the conditions, but it can't hurt to run in areas where the air is moving and a little less sticky.

So, I did something yesterday...

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This is the main race I'm counting on for proof of time. I've planned on this (or something like it) for quite a while, but registering and paying means I'm committing to this whole plan. I honestly don't know if I can finish well enough to make a real difference with my corral placement for the Disney half, but I'm going to try. It's late September, so it'll still be hot here, but maybe not August/July hot. It's also in my town, so I can start running this area next month to get used to everything. It can't hurt! And I shouldn't have to get up as early to get there since it's right up the street, so a little extra sleep will be good too. I've seen the charts and know how fast I should be to really make a difference, but I've read enough trip reports to know that any proof of time within Disney's max pace also seems to help keep people out of the last corral. Don't get me wrong...my training goal is to get a great time...but my fragile ego is also prepping myself in case I fall short.

I was also hoping to run a second race so I could have POT options, but that may not be possible. There's a Badges and Bases 10k (Houston Astros and Houston Police) that has been run the last weekend in Sept for several years, but nothing has been posted on a race for this year and I've seen it fall off of a few run calendars as a result. It would be a week after the Lake Houston run, so not the most ideal timing, but it would be something. There's a 10K down in the Kemah area the week before the Lake Houston race, but it involves two passes over a decent sized bridge. 1. that's not going to do my time any favors 2. that may be too much before the race I'm thinking will give me my best time. Not that you taper much for a 10k, but bridge running a week out may do more harm than good. If I wait until the weekend just before POT is due, there's a 10 miler that I could run. I just don't want to run it! :hilarious: It's literally on the other side of the Houston metro area. In fact, I know it well since we used to live right near it and our kids used to play softball at the fields in the neighborhood where the race is being held. The course would be relatively flat, but I was really hoping to stick to 10k for POT, the course looks ridiculously boring (two identical 5 mi loops through suburbia), and I'd probably need to leave the house before 5am or get a hotel on that side of town. The only other options are out of town and it's questionable as to whether or not these little small town races are even properly certified (race sites don't make it look like they are). I don't want to travel to the middle of nowhere for something that won't count.

We're also getting ready for vacation. I'm not a huge fan of running or walking in places I don't know and will probably be doing treadmill time for most of my vacation runs. The one exception will be in Estes Park, CO...where our lodging has no fitness center. My doctor said that I will probably get enough from just walking and hiking at this elevation, but I'd like to try running several times for the training benefits with the altitude. So, I've been looking into Map My Run's saved runs for ideas...

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Might also have to do the same in Rangely, CO...

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I know...doesn't sound like vacation when I'm trying to keep up on training, but I feel like I need to try and get some of this in.

OK...more tomorrow after ADRs. :D
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Well, I've been up since about 4:30am CT. Booking dining went pretty well and I'll detail the ADRs and my thoughts below. It was kind of fun having a friend to help me book since it took off some of the pressure and I had someone to share in the excitement...even if it was just by text. After booking ADRs, I put in a gym workout (bike, arms, abs) and then a short run. I was out the door around 6:45am, which felt strange for me on a weekday. It was definitely MUCH cooler, which helped, but it was still low 80s with high humidity at this time. Speaking of...I kept to the greenbelts along the streets. It was definitely better for airflow and the humidity definitely didn't feel as bad. I just didn't like the scenery as much. I was still having trouble regulating my breathing, which could be any number of things, but I'm thinking about doing an albuterol treatment before I run on Saturday to see if it helps. I think the new bottle will help for those runs, but it felt like overkill this morning. I also need to get used to holding it since it's been years since I carried a bottle like that.

OK...so ADRs! WOOHOO!!!

1/7- Lunch at Skipper Canteen - I have been wanting to go here since it opened but I can never fit it in. Sadly, if we don't get a really early flight, it may get cut again. We're also really only planning on it as more of a snack since dinner is going to be early.
1/7- Dinner at Storybook at WL - We have a really early dinner here. I guess with it being winter HEA is early. My friend and I each want a good spot for HEA, so that means getting dinner out of the way early. Epcot has EMH that night and we want to try and make it there too, but we'll see how that goes. I have a feeling we're going to be hungry at that point, so we might have to see what we can get for a bite to eat in the Epcot resort area. We also will have food delivered to the room, so we may just resort to relying on some of that if worse comes to worse.
1/8-Sanaa is an issue right now. Our plan was to hit the Expo at opening that morning and head to Sanaa for lunch. The problem...not a single date in 2020 shows Sanaa is open for anything but dinner. So for now, I have a 5pm dinner that I'm hoping to turn into a well timed lunch.
1/8- If things get fixed with Sanaa, we're going to have two snackish dinners in Disney Springs. I have an early evening ADR at Wine Bar George and a later one (but not too late) at Jaleo.
1/9- I have Cape May booked for breakfast...after we finish the 5K and clean up. I also plan to get my friend a mini cake for this meal.
1/9- I know HEA isn't as good from Cali Grill as Wishes was, but my friend has no frame of reference for any of this and I know she'd really enjoy this as a celebratory dinner. So, we're having a HEA timed dinner at California Grill.
1/10- I have the 10k this morning and would like some rest time after running, BUT my friend is hoping to get a later flight home, so we want to have some fun around lunch time. So, I booked back to back lunches...the first at The Wave and the second at Kona. Not sure how all of this is going to go, but it's there for now.
1/10- I'm leaning more towards Kimonos for dinner, but this is my meal the night before the half and I'm still one the fence. Kimonos doesn't take ADRs or reservations and Friday night karaoke may not be the best when I'm trying to relax, so I have Flying Fish booked as my alternative. I figure in either case, I can take the Skyliner for the CBR to HS portion and the boat for the rest, so it should be relaxing either way.
1/11- I kind of wanted a character breakfast after the half. Not sure what inspired it, but I went with Garden Grill. As I type this, I keep thinking I might want to go with something else, but I've never had the breakfast here and I am big on doing new things.
1/11- I decided to try Rose & Crown for dinner. I went there in 2010 and it wasn't bad, but I see they already have a number of things on the menu that will work for my dietary issues. I may have to rebook this if they start offering special dining/viewing packages for the new show, but for right now, I have an 8pm ADR.
1/12- This is my departure day, but I'm hoping to get a late flight because I really want to go to AK in the morning to cheer on the runners. In light of that, I'm booked for an early breakfast at Boma to get me close to the park. I wanted to try Boma breakfast when we stayed at AKL in 2013, but there just wasn't time. Now, I don't know if I can really appreciate it with my limitations. We'll see how I feel while I'm there. I may be tired at this point and just want to head straight to AK or I may head back to Sanaa instead...or I may stick with Boma. We'll see.

Obviously, still lots of iffy things that may need to be canceled at some point so I don't get hit with no show fees. I may also be using the app for last minute changes, but it wouldn't be the first time for this for me either.

So, that's it for now :)
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I noticed Sanaa didn’t have any lunch times either from 1 January onward - so we’ve booked it for lunch on 31 December.

I really hope they eventually load them into the system. I booked the 5pm, but sunset is going to be around 5:45pm, so we won't have great animal viewing light for long.
 

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