The Start Of A Good Year... 11 to Go.....

WOW!!! Have you seen how much we have grown member wise?!
Holy Cats!!!


Do you remember this video?? I would like to make a new one. If everyone who reads this, would send me a picture of yourself, to put in the video.{One from the race} I had to take it off of You Tube they would not let me run it with the music. :( In the side show is me {40 pounds heavier}, E, My kids, Kate, JB, and then everyone from the meets and Team Voice. Jeff do you want to put this one on the Team Voice Blogger News page??




Today I did 10.5 miles in 2:31. I would have done better if it wasn't so humid. Then around mile 8-9 I lost my new water bottle that fits in my fanny pack. My fanny pack is worthless without the bottle. I am going to try to get a new bottle. Or I may have to get a new pack. I was planning to do 15 miles today. I couldn't do anymore miles with out h2o. I tried the gel recommended by my Running store. At first I wasn't. Then I said what the heck, I tried half at work.{hey if it wasn't going to agree with me they could take me down to the er} I had the other half today, it works great. It's called Roctane. It's full of amino acids and a small amount of sugar. I was also carrying a mini cliff bar. I was saving that for mile 10. Then for recovery I had a recoverite. It has glutamine in it which is good for muscle recovery. Then I sat in a tub of cold water for about 20 minutes. This helps with the lactate acid build up. { cold as you can stand it}

Next week I am going to be trying to work some overtime. So I may not be available a lot next week. I will answer my Blackberry as I get the time.

BTW Chris can I do my challenge on Monday?? The gym closes at 7p, and I don't get home till 8:15p. I will work on the push ups and sit ups. My arm is feeling pretty good. :)

On Dis Friends I opened a Team Voice group. I posted the challenge, and I will open a thread with Deb's Team In Training list.

Humid Here....

Just a quick update.

Team Voice has a group on Facebook. I listed the challenge on there as a event. Love the Team Voice Blog Jeff created. I like how we all are networking to help keep each other moving. A lot more organized.

I am getting ready to put in my long miles in the morning. Before it rains here. Suppose to. Work this weekend. :( I will do my best to do this challenge.

I updated my friends list and i have a neat little add on on the side click it.
ok I will post our full plans for the Princess. We are wrapping up who is running and not. My son is volunteering again.

I can hold the side plank for 45 seconds and the full plank for 50 seconds. Whew that is tough.
I can remember when I could only do 10 seconds...
gotta split..... 5a comes early.....

My Core Ciruit {Little Long}

I said I would post what my core circuit training has been so here it is. This is what I do everyday even when I don't want to. I add in the alternating lunges and squats every other day.

BEYOND CRUNCHES

The 15-minute workout designed just for runners

Fortunately, quality core work doesn't require a lot of time or equipment-just a few key moves done correctly and consistently. This workout is designed by Greg McMillan, a running coach and exercise scientist in Flagstaff, Arizona, who has worked with many recreational runners and world-class athletes. The workout is devised to strengthen the specific muscles runners need for bounding up hills, sprinting to the finish, enduring long distances, and preventing common running injuries. Try doing two sets of these moves right before or after your run, three times a week.




Superman


What It Hits: transversus abdominis (deep abs) and erector spinae (lower back)

Start facedown on the floor, with your arms and legs extended out front. Raise your head, your left arm, and right leg about five inches off the floor. Hold for three counts, then lower. Repeat with your right arm and left leg. Do up to 10 reps on each side.

Keep It Honest: Don't raise your shoulders too much.

Make It Harder: Lift both arms and legs at the same time.





Bridge


What It Hits: glutes and hamstrings

Lie faceup on the floor, with your knees bent 90 degrees, your feet on the floor. Lift your hips and back off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Lower to the floor and repeat 10 to 12 times.

Keep It Honest: Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, and don't let your spine sag.

Make It Harder: Straighten one leg once your hips are lifted.





Metronome


What It Hits: obliques

Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and raised over your hips, with your ankles parallel to the ground, your feet lifted, and your arms extended outward. Rotate your legs to the left side, bringing your knees as close to the floor as possible without touching.
Return to the center, then move your knees to the right side. Do 10 to 12 reps on each side.

Keep It Honest: Make sure not to swing your hips or use momentum; start the movement from your core and continue to move slowly from side to side.

Make It Harder: Keep your legs straight.





Plank Lift


What It Hits: transversus abdominis and lower back

Begin facedown on the floor, propped up on your forearms, with knees and feet together. With your elbows under your shoulders, lift your torso, legs, and hips in a straight line from head to heels. Hold for 10 seconds. Raise your right leg a few inches, keeping the rest of the body still. Lower and repeat with your left leg.

Keep It Honest: Pull in your belly and don't let your hips sag.

Make It Harder: Extend the time of the exercise. Each time you lift your leg, hold it for 15 to 20 seconds.





Side Plank


What It Hits: obliques, transversus abdominis, lower back, hips, and glutes

Lie on your right side, supporting your upper body on your right forearm, with your left arm at your left side. Lift your hips and, keeping your body weight supported on the forearm and the side of the right foot, extend your left arm above your shoulder. Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

Keep It Honest: Keep your hips up; don't let them sag.

Make It Harder: Support your upper body with your right hand, instead of your forearm.

I have been doing these already from my trainer, but I got this from Runner's World. Explains it pretty well.

So Chris AKA Stroller Boy what is the next weekend challenge??

Long Road Ahead...

The wee one is slowly getting better. Today she ventured off of the crutches. And she did well. I asked her why are you not on the crutches and she replied with I want to get better and run the Princess. I was at awe of her.

Tomorrow is the ING Full and Half marathon. I did not make the registration ,so I am going to put in my long miles tomorrow. I will post my 5k time so I can take part in the weekend virtual 5k. I have been working really hard at my core circuit, and working on getting past the 182 mark that I have been stuck at. {rolling the eyes}

I have been shopping around for a more economical car for traveling and easy on the pocket with gas. I have got it down to 5 choices. Ford Focus svt. I can look at 2 of them tomorrow. And the others I will have to wait till later in the week.{mini vans are evil}

We have been crunching numbers and it looks like we may make it to Disneyland and stay at the Califorina Resort and Spa. I will know more towards the end of this coming week.

Gotta sleep so I can get up and Run!!

It has been a couple days. A lot has happened.



First my heart goes out to Mike and his friends and family.

Now here on Team Voice South, well my little one here who has been training with me to do the Princess Half has been grounded. Why?? Over the weekend she was playing basketball with her friends, and she ended up on t he bottom of a collision.My Mother said it looked like she was tackled. We went to the ER. They took x rays and put her in a splint. Nothing is broken. Today we went to a Otho Doctor. Thank goodness none of her tendons are torn or riped. She has a lot of tissue damage and bruising. Off her feet for 2 weeks. I do not want to do that race without her. So we will see if if she can get back on her feet soon enough. She wants me to run without her. I don't know.

I did my core workout today. I want to put some miles in while the temperature is dropping here. We are under a freeze warning. 38 with the wind chill it will be about 25.

I have been watching the inauguration of the New President. Not bad.
I am working on getting a web page up for Team Voice, we need a web page designer. Anyone??

Hey Jeff where is my Donald??

Back In The Saddle....

I did 4.25 miles today on the dreadmill in 60 minutes. I was going to go longer but this lady was gagging me with her perfume she was wearing. It made my eyes water and everything. SO I stopped.

OK so it is official I am going to do the Goofy in 2010 I am going to register for it in 2 weeks. Next week I am going to register for the Princess Half. I have a room set up to stay at Pop. Now for Disneyland. I got my quote back, and I am so surprised that it is not as much as I was thinking for the 4 of us to stay at the Californian Resort and Spa. They also have a dinning plan close to what we have here. So we are seriously thinking of taking it. Now how will we get from the airport to DL?? They don't have the magical express. hmm...... I will ask my agent. So I think we are going to DL to do the Half and the 5k. WOW!!! I can't believe I will get to go!!!!

Ok now I got a text yesterday that rocked my world. I feel like I lost a family member. :( My Boss resigned from work. WHAT!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! I cried. Now I do not know who we are going to get stuck with and I do not know if I will get my time off for my runs, and the person standing in is a really mean person and she is a double talker and talks behind your back.
:( :(
I did a new core workout today. Man am I starting to feel it. Planks, Side planks, Bridge with one leg up,superman's, and metrodoms. I only did 2 sets. My daughter did only one set. She is training with me to do the Princess Half in March.

I also want to confess about my eating lately. I have been real bad about keeping track and eating the right foods. SO yesterday I came to grips with that and started new. I went shopping today and spent some of my afternoon seperating and measuring and counting my calories. That way I can just grab and go. So Tomorrow 's weigh in is going to be very interesting. I will post it regardless if it up or down. I need to be held accoutable.

Man it is down right cold here. With the wind blowing and all it is like 44 degrees outside. brr....

Everyone have a great weekend and Jonathan And Amber safe travel home!!

Back to work this weekend, and i am going to be so nervous. No more Boss Man. :(

3:11:40 I Finished!!!!

I did it!!! I finished!!! {this is a long one}

And my time was way better than I ever thought it was going to be. 3:11:40
I was expecting 3:15, 3:30 nope 3:11.

HOLY CATS!!!

I was awake at 1:30 am. I could not go back to sleep. And I was starving. So ate breakfast and forced myself to lie down. I think I took another 45 minute cat nap and then 2:30a time to get up.
It was 45 degrees, I wore my skin under my running shirt. My core was warm the rest of me was cold. My hands took forever to warm up. I will be looking for the gloves.

We picked up Jeff and Matt and headed out. We all met at the table with a tent over it marked sm-z. The closest we could get to V for voice. I have no pictures for the early am my camera died!! We got batteries from Amber later on Main Street.
After we all got there we headed out to the rest rooms. Man that line was long. But we all were able to talk chat and bond.
Then after we made it through the the restroom lines we had to walk 20 minutes to the corrals. It was a long walk too. It was a great warm up. The guys hit the restrooms again and then we all split up and went to our line up. We choose to stay near the end and I started with Jonathan, And Matt. It took us 25 minutes to get to the start line. Wave one went out, and then wave 2, and then wave 3. I was so excited. I did some stretching and lunges to loosen up while walking to the start line.
This was so real. I over came injury after injury, and all the frustration to get to this point. I am getting ready to cross the start line. 13.1 miles!!!! I was in tears of joy. Then all the sudden all I could hear was the chip chirping and we were off. The crowd and sea of people made it hard to go blowing out of the gate. And we are off walking/hell I wasn't walking I was running!! Yes I was running. Leaving Epcot behind and headed out on to World Drive. The famous World Drive. The only road that went to the Magic Kingdom for years.I was running on it.{I am a totally a Disney nut} Now at this point I have realized why they do not want runners wearing ipods, they will not move out of your way. And those who were doing intervals, they just stop right in front of you, and I nearly ran them down!!!
To my left all the sudden I see runner, and wheel chairs. These guys were moving so fast! This is when I remembered that the Holts were in the Half. The father son running team. I never got to see them but I was looking for them.{hey is that Byran} Then the Magic Kingdom parking ticket booths are in front of me. Holy Cats were are here!!! We weave through the parking lots and TTC and past the great Space Mountain. then all the sudden we rounded this one corner and through a gate on to Main Street!!!{ the sun was just rising and the moon was setting} Holy Cats I made it!!! I am on Main Street. We turned again the there is the the Grand Cinderella castle. { I am really running and going to run through it}

Tons of people cheering everyone on,and then look Hey Amber!! She is yelling stop I said no I am in my groove and Eric stop to grab batteries from her. By the way, it is Eric's birthday and he is wearing birthday candles on his head and people are yelling happy birthday and singing too.
now we make a right to go around the back of the castle, there are characters and the Tea cups were spinning and the carousel was moving and here we are Running through the castle. I was so happy I made another goal. E ran ahead to get my picture coming through it. I was running the picture proves it.



Now we are waiving around to the back of the the Magic Kingdom, and the temperature dropped. Cats!!! I had to use the restroom. I had to for a long time but I didn't want to stop.{ I was having flash backs from the TOT 13k} So We stopped. I ended up in a jon that was teetering. Yes it wasn't flat. All I could think was it's my luck and it's going to fall. But it didn't. This took a minute and a half. Matt was able to catch up with us. There were local high school bands out playing and the cheer leaders along the route back to Epcot from MK. About mile 9 I was getting shaky. They gave us this apple pie gel. I brought a mini cliff bar and carried my own water, so we slowed down and I ate the bar and had some water. 5 minutes later I was feeling way better and we were off again. I ran non stop to mile 9. RAN!!!!!!
Mile 10 I will never forget, why? This is when a 64 year old man started to talk to us since he heard us talking about time. I saw he had on the Goofy and Half challenge bracelet on and I asked him if it was his first challenge. He said no. This was hi second race for the year and he was only able to do 9 last year, only because he had to take time off to have his hip replaced. 5 MONTHS AGO!!!! As long as you make mile 10 by 2.5 hours you can do the goofy challenge well we were the at 2.25 hours. We picked up our pace again. You can see Space ship Earth and we are now weaving back throught the parking lots to enter Epcot. My feet started to hurt. This hasn't happened before. I had to slow down. Only 2 miles to go.. I was making great time, maybe I will make it just under 3 hours I was thinking , no my feet a hurting to much. I had to speed walk the rest. The crowd got big again and people we don't know yelling my name and screaming Happy Birthday to E. Then I heard go RAE!! I looked up and it was Glen. Then we rounded the last corner and there is the finish line. HOLY CATS I AM ABOUT TO FINISH THIS RACE!!! I was crying and screaming,and I crossed the line with E and Matt and Then all I could think about where is Jonathan. I wouldn't leave the finish line until he crossed it. They asked me to leave and I told them NO. Later they asked me to step back so I did but I didn't leave. I saw Amber in the grand stands she had runny Bunny. SO I waited..........waited....... watching the clock and waited.......{did he get swept} still waiting........Then I saw Amber taking pictures and I saw it. The white hat..... Holy Shit he made it!!!! I started jumping up and down and screaming, he high fives Chip and Dale and the announcer yelled GO TEAM VOICE and I lost it!! I was screaming and yelling... and BAM.... He crossed it!!!! High five and hugs all around. I turned him around and point to his wife, I thought he was going to fall apart right there.





I had so much fun, and I learned so much, about myself and I am totally convinced I can do a full Marathon now. If a 64 year old man can do 39.4 miles with a new hip I sure can do it too.

Ok this is it. Less than 7 hours and we will be in line up for the race. I am ready. I have my running gear out, my bib on my shirt, chip on my shoe, fanny pack ready. And I will be sleeping here shortly.{ I hope}



I have had a great time!!! And I sure can not wait for tomorrow. FJ has been a volunteer nut and I am so proud of him.


Post again after we reach the finish line!!!!

Team Voice Many Goals, One Voice!!!

Trip Update From the Half Weekend 2009

Here we are, 24 hours before the race. I cried when they handed me my bib and goody bag. We stood in line for 2 hours to get the Marathon pins. Yes 2 hours!

I am nervous... I am excited ...... I am freaking out.....

While in line for the pins Jonathan read that there will be pace timers on bike,tracking times, and if you are not keeping time they will post red flags on the mile marker. That means you can get swepted! Holy Cats!!!

My son volunteered today .He helped with the 5k packet pick up. He handed out the packets. He earned ticket number one. He is also working the 5k in the early am. And then the Full on Sunday. That will bag his second ticket and a water park ticket.

We have been hanging out with Jeff W. and family. We went to dinner with Mike F. and family. Tonight we got to meet the rest of the group. And then tomorrow at packet pick up meet we get to meet the rest. JB we miss you and the family. I hope you are feeling better.

Crystal Palace is tomorrow. I can not wait to go.
This has been such a great trip. It is so nice to put names and faces together. And I have been forever humbled by EVERYONE!!!! Amazing.

I got a special treat today at the Health Expo. See the video on the right hand side of the screen. That is Team Hoylt. The father son team. I got to meet them today!!!! I got my picture taken with them today!!!!! And they are running the Half. And Rick, in the WC it is his birthday on Saturday too. I get to see them start the race!!!!!! SWEET!!!!!!

Got to get some sleep and I will post tomorrow after dinner.
Track my runner Rachel Milano.

Weather Alert Marathoners

It is going to be very cold in the early morning hours for the race!!!

The Day Is Near

It has been way to long.I have not been able to post. I would get a blank page.
Any hoo

Do you know is going to be going on THIS weekend?? I will give 3 guesses and the first 2 do not count. The Half Marathon 2009!!!!

Before I get in to that. Last year was great. Looking back in 2008 is when I made a lot of personal mile stones. Miles for the year, are 553.54. Not bad. I am looking to get faster this year, and I am going to finish dumping the weight. I plan on doing the Goofy 2010.So there is no slow down for me.

I am done with work till next Monday. I do my cpr on Tuesday and Bam we are on our way to WDW. E 's birthday is also Saturday. I am bringing the shirts with me. They are for sale.
Those of you who have already spoke to me, no worries I have your shirts.

I am sorry I was unable to be apart of the community e-mails. Things here have been kinda upside down. But things are getting back to normal.
This week while up there. I plan on doing my short runs. I do know once around all three of the All Stars is 2.5 ish miles. I plan on doing them in the early morning. And the Half is going to be my weekly long miles with the best veiw around. :)

Training front I have been back to doing my resistance workouts, and I did 6.2 miles last night. Tomorrow is my 2.5-3 miles. And I will be getting my new workout after the half.

We all have been here day in and out training and blogging about the race. Here it is apon us. We all are going to have so much fun. My goal is to finish the race, and the Princess in March will be about making the numbers. Then Disneyland should just be a walk in the park. Right? We are going to have so much fun. Have you guys tracked your runner?? I have put everyone in that I havw full names for.
Do not be nervous or scared why it is the happiest place on Earth. Watch the weather it looks like it will be in the 40's in the morning and when the sun comes up it will slowy go to the 60's and clear!!!
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate !!! This week is about keeping well hydrated!!!

I have trained and got injured and kept training for the last 2 years for this!! It is finally here!!

Happy 2009

Just a real quick Happy New Year and Holy Cats we have only 10 days till the race!!!!!