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It's a DEAL.
I was originally going to start with a half and work up to a full later...but somehow I went straight to the full.
Best
Anthony
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| OK, I've come up with a plan that doesn't scare me too much: half marathon in Des Moines Oct. 21. My son is moving there this summer so I could visit and embarass myself only in the vast emptiness of the midwest! Now I'm getting closer to my comfort zone...
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MSCHIVVIS
I am glad.
I think you are ready!!!!
Best.
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Thanks! You're right - there's room for many of us. It feels really good to be able to hang tough with all those fit-looking jogging types. I'm hooked.
AND, I'm thinking very seriously about the Chicago Marathon. Anthony, you are directly responsible for that! It looks to me like a beautifully serendipitous spiritual confluence of ideas. It surely goads me to step outside my comfort zone. I think I'm ready to take that chance and see what happens.
What a shocking weekend this was! I feel like I have shed enough weight that now my muscles can shake of the rest of it by rushing forward to do what they love to do. Spring can be so exciting!
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Hi
I got your message, I will write you some info later today!
OK, so it is later. AND to my surprise I saw MSCHIVVIS at bostonfit!
Here is my take so far on Bostonfit. This has been only the second week, so it is not a full review.
The focus of the plan is for a marathon or half marathon. They are really supportive of all levels. They have 3 groups, and there are all types of people there. It is not just a place for "elite runner" if anything it is a place for newer runners. They coaches and organizers are very friendly and never seem to make you feel you don't belong, no matter your experience. Lee is the red team coach (red team is for 10+ min mile runners) She is really energetic and encouraging.
Other than that they seem have a lot to offer in terms of support, structure and knowledge. They offer seminars throughout the training.
I guess that is it for now. Let me know if you have any questions.
Best
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| That's pretty much what I think, too. It does NOT motivate me to see a bunch of Buzz Lightyears prancing in front of me. But there is lip service about welcoming all and all that. I'll ask Anthony to give us the lowdown.
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/11/07 4:13 P
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Oh, definitely not! That's way out of my league, and I'm fine with that :-)
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| We're both heading to the right place! I noticed Anthony's starting up with bostonfit.net and I looked at their site. I don't think I'll do that since I prefer my weekend mornings at my own pace, but I did consider it. They accept enrollment through May 19. It's really aimed at fall marathons. What do you think?
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/10/07 9:38 P
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| That is so awesome!! I just saw your blog and commented there too! I am so proud of you for doing so well on your first time out. You are doing better than me :-)
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| I started up with the couch to 5k program, sort of, by covering 1.5 miles in about a half hour, with two sections of 10 minutes jogging. I think next week I'm supposed to start running a whole 1.5 or something. I've also got advice about adding "strides" but I'll get myself acclimated to running at all first. I did well. I'm proud.
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It's amazing that you'd still be talking yourself down when you're doing fantastically well! Aren't the hidden recesses of our minds funny?
Tonight after work I breezed for an hour at 10 mph! On rollerblades, that is! I sped the bike path from Bedford through Lexington, to Arlington and back. Birds chirping, leaves growing, sun setting, and a balmy breeze to accentuate the day. Poor socks caused a blister on one foot but I wasn't going to let that interfere with the fun. What a blast to be able to do that!
It almost makes me want to be able to run with speed for a distance, but I don't believe I'd ever be able to do that. I'm happy with wheel-assisted propulsion.
I'm glad, also, to have different cardio workouts so I don't stress my leg joints with solid running. We both need to keep on stretching! We're on our way!
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/8/07 10:45 A
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I ran 1 mile yesterday. Did it in 11:33 which really surprises me because I run super-super slow. But I have a stopwatch which is accurate so I guess I sped up in a few places?
After the 1 mile point I walked the rest of the 2.6 mile route. I tried a couple of times to run again but I just couldn't do it.
I'm going back out on Wednesday morning and I plan to stretch really, really well. I'll do 1 mile again and then on Friday I'll do the same. Next week I'll increase it a little.
I still have a lot of negative self-talk as I start out though. I keep telling myself to not plan on running the Corporate Challenge, but to walk instead. But that would be quitting and I hate that idea!
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| How did your run go yesterday? I did nothing, but this evening I want to roll the bike trail. Hope I can find some socks in the car with my blades. What an inspiring day!
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/7/07 11:22 A
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No canoeing...we were just about to put the canoe on top of the truck and my husband thought it may be too windy. Plus there was a good chance we'd have to portage a lot and I wasn't keen on the idea of doing a lot of walking through the cold Ipswich River :-)
I was happy with the hiking workout though...I wanted to do more for my legs than my arms anyway.
I didn't run this morning but I'm thinking about doing it after work if I'm still motivated enough.
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| No canoeing? Hiking Wachusett sounds great, too. Different kind of leg work. I'm still coughing a lot so I'll keep it slow for some more days.
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/6/07 9:46 P
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| No records set this weekend. In fact, I did worse than any of my other attempts outdoors! But I'm giving it another shot on Monday (I hope!)
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I set my "baseline" speed today with a walk that barely broke a sweat but didn't aggravate my lungs into going bronchital (to coin a word.) It's my usual walking pace with the dogs and it brought me through 3.5 miles in a bit more than an hour. OK, let's say 67 minutes, for false precision. The GPS tracker didn't have the trip reset and I didn't see how to get the current mileage from the track log without punching in and out of it, so I didn't really get an accurate point. I'll pretend that's a baseline, though, and amaze myself with improvement as I pick up the pace.
What record-setting times did you achieve this weekend? Break it to me gently...
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We'll see. The idea of practicing is new. There are a couple of real runners and they're trying to coax the rest of us along. Now that I'm such a sucker for exercise my hand shot up immediately. My cough may save me a world of embarassment that I haven't even begun to think about. I have no idea who I'd even walk/run near. I know whose dust I'd be eating.
I'll get the gossip before the next time when I might conceivably go along. We're near Hanscom AFB & the Battle Road is a great running spot just around the corner.
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/3/07 2:45 P
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Your company really gets into this challenge, huh? I wonder if mine is going to do anything like practices and such.
Take care of that cough, missy!!
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Congrats on your awesome outdoor run this morning! Now we'll have no more whining about running outside, right Ms. Supertrooper? Your cousin sounds lunatic! I would really worry if they had to whisk me off to the medical tent! Way out of my comfort zone!
Right now I'm still forcing liquids down my throat. The feverish feeling is making the transition to the hacking cough. Guess I won't even be walking in our company's ambitious practice tomorrow evening. Sigh, cough-cough-cough-COUGH!!
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/3/07 10:37 A
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My cousin definitely was a trooper! A week before the marathon her knee started to bother her. She was going to have to get a cortizone shot if it didn't get better (not sure if she ever actually did though). Then during the race she had to stop to walk after about 20 miles maybe? Turns out she had a lot of problems. I think hypothermia was one of them. As soon as she crossed the finish line they whisked her to the medical tent immediately. I am still so proud of her! It took so much guts to keep going and finish it!!!
I'm not sure what my company's plan is as far as meeting place, etc. This will be my first time doing this with them so I'll have to find out. As soon as I know, I'll set something up with you. Carbo loading after sounds like a fun plan!
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Holy moly - a marathon runner?! How could anyone even finish, facing that howling gale? I salute her with distant admiration.
I've still got a throat cold so I'm doing nothing these few days. There goes my whole training program. Hahaha, hardly, since it's not that rigorous anyway.
We do have to meet up before or after the race at least, right? Our team assembles by the frog pond, opposite some public toilets - a handy place to stretch & void. Afterwards the company treats us to a big carbo load meal just in case we might have lost anything in the effort. It really helped me finish last year to have visions of garlic rolls and pizza sitting before me!
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/2/07 2:52 P
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| I think I may just run on my own. I've only been at this job for a year and I'm not really close to anyone that has signed up (they are in a different department) so I don't care if I'm not with them. My cousin may join our team so I will probably run with her. But I don't want her pacing herself to me because she just ran the Boston marathon so she has much more experience than I do!!!
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Aha, so that's how you do it: in your home! I'm laughing to think how it was that your hubby got that lesson delivered to him!
It's funny how much our vanity affects our choices. I got brave enough to drop all makeup when I came to this job. That was daring, but now it's handy to not have that be part of the self image problem with working out. Since they don't have any mirrors at the race site I prefer not to think about my desperate, red, sweaty face as I get to the finish. It's easy not to think about my face because I'm fully absorbed by not thinking about the rest of my physique! Let's get real - I'm not there to pick up dates. So far that strategy has been 100% successful.
Do you expect to run in a pack with your coworkers? We have enough people that a few stick together but mostly we spread out at our own paces.
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/2/07 10:11 A
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You are too funny. I guess I am lucky because I have my treadmill in the privacy of my own home...no one watching me there, except occasionally my husband will come in and make fun of me! But he has learned his lesson!
But I have the same fears about running outdoors. I'm still so new at that, I'm afraid everyone driving by is pointing and laughing at me!! Time to overcome that one! Especially if I'll be running with co-workers in less than two months!
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I thought of you last night while I watched the brave treadmillers in the front row from my safe elliptical a few rows back. Yeah, I still don't want to be puffing along next to those buffs!
I'm going to try different ways of training to lower the stress on my feet & legs. That sounds so thoughtful, but really it's because I like other things besides running. So, I did a bit of roller blading before dark and then popped to the gym for high-steppin' elliptical. Why does that machine tell me I'm so slow? I swear I'm moving faster than the 29 minutes per mile that it quoted to me. Whatevs.
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| That's funny - I'm scared to run or even walk on the treadmill! I expect to feel self conscious with other people around seeing my lack of speed and stamina as I jiggle along. I'm more comfortable moving somewhere so nobody can stand still and watch. Like they would!
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SHAN-ALAN-AHAN
5/1/07 4:51 P
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I'm in!!!
I'm very new to running and I'm scared and excited at the same time about this. It will be my first real race!
Unfortunately all of my running has been on the treadmill (except for one try on Sunday which went badly) so I have my work cut out for me over the next two months to get ready!
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| Registration opened yesterday for the Boston race. I'm in, along with 16 people from work. Now, about that training...
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We may be the only two sparkpeople on the common boards who have heard of it! I'll still enjoy it and I hope you tell me about your decision to do it or not.
It operates in 15 cities, including in the US: Chicago, Rochester, Buffalo, NYC, Syracuse, Boston & San Francisco, according to their schedule at www.jpmorganchasecc.com
Mar 1 Johannesburg
May 3 Singapore
May 24 Chicago
May 31 Rochester
Jun 7 Buffalo
Jun 13 Frankfurt
Jun 20 & 21 New York
Jun 26 Syracuse
Jun 28 Boston
Jul 11 & 12 London
Sep 12 San Francisco
Oct 6 Championship
Nov 14 Sydney
I have to remember to tell people there is no pledging involved, only company sponsorship of at least four participants.
I hope a few more people stop by here. 
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| I got up early this morning and surprised myself by jogging 3.4 miles! I stopped a few times for stretches, but I really kept up a pace! I'm more fit than I thought I was! Have you started running in our recent warm weather?
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I'm doing the one in Boston in late June. You're ahead of me in experience and in carrying a reasonable amount of extra poundage. I'm sure everyone will be, but at least on race day so many non-runners participate that I do begin to feel good about accomplishing it at my own pace.
Where does the NYC race go? I used to live on LI & work in midtown, for about 10 years. The Boston race goes from the Commons out Commonwealth to Kenmore Square and back. I'm lucky if I get to Dartmouth St. (alphabetical) by the time the front runners are on their way back on the other side of the median!
Where do you teach in Brooklyn? We lived temporarily in Flatbush & across from the art museum on Prospect Pkwy. Those are the only parts I know anything about.
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| Where are you doing this? I'm thinking about doing the one in New York in June. I used to be a runner, but have been out of shape for a couple of years now. Just starting to get back into it. At the end of April I'll be doing my first race in over 2 years, a (very slow) 4 miler. Right now i'm only jogging about 2.5 comfortably... Anyway, i'd love to be part of this support group!
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