| Announcement |
[15 Sep 2004|02:41pm] |
Hey everyone! Okay, this may seem weird, but... I'm moving sites! A couple reasons:
1) I feel like I have more freedom in my design and stuff if I move elsewhere
2) I feel like LJ's comment section is sort of a turn-off to non-LJ users, such as several of my friends and family members
So I'm trying things out over at Diaryland. If you'd like to check it out, that'd be awesome. Here's the link: http://megathon.diaryland.com
Of course, if for some reason I hate it, or really super duper miss LJ, I might come back. I'll let you know!
And I'm not deleting my journal or anything, because I will still read my friends page and the marathon community page and post there and stuff.
Just wanted to let you all know!
~Meg
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| More Gorilla Run Thoughts |
[12 Sep 2004|01:23pm] |
Cons:
- No matter how cold it is outside, it's going to be damn hot inside that gorilla suit. And even if sweating is not so bad, feeling stuffy sucks.
- Gorilla suits do not wick away sweat, so the chance for chafing is huge (and if I chafe, it'll affect my training walks that week!).
- Denver is at an altitude I'm not used to, so I'm not sure how my body will be affected exercising over there.
- Plane fare is climbing daily, which, to me, would make fundraising for the ticket difficult.
- Flying always exhausts me and could interfere with my training. I mean, I really don't think I'd have the energy to come home and walk 10 miles on Sunday, and I'm sure I won't walk 5 extra miles after the race that Saturday. Missing that 10 mile walk would not be good, since I have an 11 mile walk the next week.
- Doing this would break my goal of attending every single Roadrunner training session.
Pros:
- It'd be pretty freakin' fun.
- Great pictures!
- I'd be helping out the gorillas.
Argh. I think I'm leaning toward helping the gorillas out another way. Or maybe at another time. The more I think about being inside the gorilla suit, the more I think I'd be hot, have a hard time breathing, and be uncomfortable for a whole five miles. It's such a cool idea, but I think I'm going to pass, at least for this year. I appreciate the encouragement, though, guys. Thanks!
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| Thoughts: Gorilla Run |
[11 Sep 2004|09:35pm] |
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I have been thinking a lot about the Denver Gorilla Run. Not only because it is insane, and I cannot think of a sillier, funnier way to walk a race (I would be giggling the whole time!), but because the proceeds will help the endangered mountain gorillas. And anyone who knows me knows I am a crazy ape-and-monkey-loving-freak. I heart gorillas. Seriously. I had the Koko the gorilla book, poster, and very large stuffed animal when I was like 5 years old. I took that stuffed gorilla everywhere! I would be beyond excited to help out the gorillas and participate in a fun cause at the same time.
However, on the date of the gorilla run (Oct 23), I'm supposed to do a ten mile walk here in town. If I did do the gorilla run, I'd have to either walk five MORE miles after stripping off my gorilla suit at the end of the race, or do a ten mile walk on Sun, October 24th (either in Denver, or after I got back home).
While I'd love to do it, I just don't know. I don't have any of the money for hotel, registration, or plane fare, so I'd have to raise that money through donations in addition to the fundraising for the gorilla organization itself (goal= $500). I'm still torn. Should I save this race for next year? God I hope they do it next year! I know they're having a ski event in the Spring, but I hate skiing, so I think that's out.
Should I just go crazy with the fundraising and see if I can raise enough for hotel and registration, and go from there? If I get enough, I could do it, and if not, then I could refund everyone's money? I don't know, am I taking on too much? Should I just forget this and focus on the marathon? Or should I suck it up and go for it with the fundraising and walk 5 miles in a gorilla suit to help the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund?
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| Week 4 Training |
[11 Sep 2004|09:31pm] |
Sun - 45 min
Mon - off
Tues - 45 min
Wed - 45 min
Thurs - 45 min
Fri - off
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| Week 4 |
[11 Sep 2004|04:40pm] |
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 happy |
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Today was 4 miles, and I didn't feel sore during or after. Go, me! I attribute the general lack of soreness to proper stretching during the week. Thank god that helps as much as it does!
I was also excited not to be super hungry on my walk this week. For that, I credit Quaker Oats. Thanks, oatmeal!
( Read more... )
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| Gorilla Run |
[10 Sep 2004|04:21pm] |
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 giddy |
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music |
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not to mention, highly amused |
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Okay, this? Is AWESOME.
http://www.denvergorillarun.com./
I've never seen a race more suited to me and my beliefs in my life! I mean... GORILLAS!
If I can pull off costs, I... Well, I might just have to do it!
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| Cooking and Walking |
[09 Sep 2004|02:26pm] |
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mood |
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 content |
] |
Okay, I already messed up my no fast food goal. God, I couldn't even do it for a DAY much less a week. I thought I was doing okay, because I went food shopping. But then the pan wouldn't come clean all the way in the kitchen sink with soap and water. Every time I dried it, orange stuff came off on my towel, no matter how well I'd scrubbed it! I threw it in the dishwasher instead, gave up, and Joe and I got KFC. And... it was tasty! *covers face in shame*
Heh.
Anyway, once all the KFC is eaten up, I'll start cooking for us. It's gotta happen sooner or later!
The good news is that I'd made plans with my friend, Nikki, to go walking last night. Well she said she'd call me on her way home, but then she didn't call and didn't call, and I assumed she'd gotten really busy. Then she actually called! She apologized profusely for not calling earlier, and then she asked if I still wanted to walk. I did, so we did! We went on the three mile walk around her house, which was really great and pretty relaxing. She said she thought I'd lost weight, too, and when I got home and told Joe, he said, "I was noticing that!" Well, cool!! I also noticed that it felt like she and Jeff (her roommate who came with us) were walking slowly. So hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this walking thing and am possibly even picking up the pace a bit. Cool stuff!
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| Walking the Walk |
[09 Sep 2004|01:51pm] |
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mood |
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 angry |
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Reading about marathons has made me excited, and it's made me scared. Today is the first time it's made me angry.
Walking the Walk is an article about walking marathons vs. running them, or more to the point - walkers vs. runners, in the sport of marathoning.
( my thoughts on the article )
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| New Goal |
[07 Sep 2004|11:44pm] |
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mood |
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 determined |
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After tonight's dinner at Carl's, Jr., I'm making a new goal:
No fast food for one week!
From now through Tuesday, September 14 (ooh, that's Misti's birthday), I will not eat any food that I have not purchased from the grocery store. One week. We'll see how that goes, then I'll decide what to do from there (e.g., continue the same goal, change it to include restaurant food sometimes, etc).
How sad is it that this actually will be a big challenge for me?
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| Nighttime Walk |
[07 Sep 2004|11:05pm] |
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mood |
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satisfied |
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Okay, I was wrong. Walking at night isn't always a lost cause. There's greater potential for nighttime workout plans to get derailed, maybe, but I guess the lesson here is as long as I stick to my guns, things get done. (Ooh, that rhymed, too.)
I went to the fitness room this evening after dinner and walked the treadmill while watching The Real World. Except that it wasn't even The Real World, it was like a pre-show to the show. They showed clips of the series they were about to launch (Philadelphia), then had other past Real World guests comment on them. It was boring and kind of painful, but it did make the time pass by quickly. Which is exactly what it was like watching the Republican National Convention last time I was in the fitness room. Too bad I'm not tall enough to reach the t.v. controls, eh?
Today the only crazy people who came in to "work out" were three young women. I think they came in there to play on the machines, because they sat down and started going really fast on various machines, and then switched places after about two minutes. One teenage girl (or maybe younger) got on the elliptical machine and started pressing the buttons and making the machine's pedals go backwards as fast as she could. She sort of seemed like she wanted to figure it out, but gave up after a minute or two. I was relieved when they left after about ten minutes. I was sure they were going to break something!
Anyway, I'm glad I got my walk in tonight. I kept the machine's speed at 2.8mph the whole time. And in 32 minutes, I walked 1.8 miles. Nice! Now I'm stretched, showered and in my PJs. It feels great to be right on track!
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| Beach Walk |
[06 Sep 2004|08:48am] |
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mood |
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 accomplished |
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Okay, I already messed up with sticking to my schedule! Apparently, trying to walk at night is a lost cause. I get tired, and then all of a sudden it's dark out, and I've lost all motivation. That's what happened yesterday.
So, I decided I HAD to walk today (my "off" day) instead. And since I am able to get my ass out of bed super-early on Saturday mornings, I decided to do the same today.
( Read more... )
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| My new gear! |
[04 Sep 2004|05:59pm] |
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mood |
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excited |
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Yesterday I went shopping, and now I have cool new gear! This is what I got:
Ultimate Direction Strider Waistpack - in charcoal
Compression Shorts - which are actually quite comfy
body glide - here's a larger view (mine's actually silver, and I was advised not to buy the red one, for some reason; only silver or black!)
I also got some Coolmax socks, which worked great today! They weren't these, but now I think I want to go back to REI and get those - they seem useful and not terribly expensive. Awesome.
Okay, that's all my new stuff for now! Very exciting!
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| Week 3 Training Schedule |
[04 Sep 2004|05:39pm] |
Sun- 30 min
Mon- off
Tues- 30 min
Wed- 45 min
Thurs- 30 min
Fri- off
Sat- 65 minutes with the group
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| Week 3 |
[04 Sep 2004|04:51pm] |
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mood |
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determined |
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I seriously need to learn how to sleep right on Friday nights. I took a nap yesterday evening, without completely meaning to. Then I couldn't get to sleep until 2:30am. And guess what time I got up for training? Yep, 5:30am again! So I just woke up from another nap, and feel a little groggy. Groggy, but good!
( Read more... )
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| Breaking barriers! |
[03 Sep 2004|03:18am] |
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mood |
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accomplished |
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Remember when I last used the treadmill and the guy next to me said, "There's nothing worse than seeing a guy in dress socks or a woman in bare feet on there." ?
Today, I saw BOTH of those people! First, the woman was running - yes, running - on the treadmill in exercise pants, a tank top, a little jacket and BARE FEET. Then she got off and this older guy got on, wearing a dark, heavy cotton tee shirt, khaki shorts, and black dress socks in brown leather shoes.
I totally thought that original guy I saw was exaggerating or something, but he was telling the truth. No wonder he was blown away by my running shoes, running shorts, and coolmax shirt!
So because those two crazy people were using the treadmill, I used the elliptical machine instead. I've only ever done 20 minutes on the elliptical, but today I decided I was doing 30. It was tough, but only from a psychological standpoint. I'd never pushed myself past that 20 minute point before on that machine. So once I got there, I was like, "Keep going, keep going," inside my head. And when my legs really hurt, or if I felt scared of passing out (I know, it's amazing how that fear lingers... slowly but surely, I'll get rid of it!), I'd slow down. Then I'd speed up a little as I gained confidence, and slow down again when I needed to. And soon enough, I did it! I completed 30 minutes on the elliptical machine!! Afterwards, not only did I feel great because I'd had a good workout, but also because I'd broken through a barrier, pushed through the fear, and made it out okay on the other side. It was a good night!
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| Week 2 of Training |
[29 Aug 2004|11:15am] |
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mood |
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excited |
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Week 2 started off great! I woke up at 5:40am, made myself some oatmeal with milk and raisins, then headed out the door. ( Read more... )
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| Short walk, and Heat |
[28 Aug 2004|12:35am] |
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mood |
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optimistic |
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Today I had a massive headache after statistics class. I was stressed before class, so hardly ate until later. That, plus stressing out about my test, did not do good things to my body. P.S. My test did not go well, but I don't feel like talking about that right now.
I got a little message from my pace leader today to all of us in her group, and she said something about it being good to walk even 15 minutes on training days instead of not at all (if you're feeling bad). I was like hey, good timing!
So I walked over to the Mexican restaurant to order dinner, and before I did, I took a lap around the parking lot. I walked just over ten minutes, and that was half a mile. So, it was something. I did do a training walk! Not as long as I wanted it to be, but that is okay.
* * *
THANK YOU for your encouragement about the heat, everyone! I also got some really wonderful responses on the Roadrunners message board. Those people are awesome. The main points were, as some of you already said: stay hydrated, and stay wet (pour water over myself)
As well as ~~ Just keep training!
Here's a quote that I loved:
Train, train, train for all conditions. We run every Saturday regardless of weather conditons. Show up every Saturday even if it's raining. Show up every Saturday even if it's hot, or cold, or windy, or whatever!
And on marathon Sunday, when you toe the starting line, you can adjust your running strategy according to the prevailing conditions, e.g., run slower and in the shade of the trees and buildings if it's hot; tuck in behind another runner if it's windy; wear a garbage bag if it's cold; etc. Whatever you need to do on that specific day, "just do it!" The RR training program and mental toughness will get you to the finish line. Don't forget to smile for the cameras as you cross the finish line.
Happy running in Southern California!
ROCK!
Joe is really freaked out about me walking the marathon if it's super hot. But, he also told me it's obviously my choice to walk that day or not once I see what the weather is like. He just wants me to be safe, and I love him for that. I want me to be safe, too!
Feeling more confident about the heat situation, but for a girl who's spent some time in the back of an ambulance, I'm obviously still a bit nervous about it. Nothing will stop me from training, though!!! I'm definitely sticking with it!
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