Windy Track Work & N. Korea Marathon

I ran my 2nd track workout of the season yesterday.  This time I did 400’s with a 200 in between each.  It was tough, but good.  What made it extra tough was the wind.  The back straight away and a half turn, I was running directly in to the wind tunnel.

It’s that thing, when the forecast is ‘wind’.

It felt at times like I was running in place.  There’s not much I can do about it though.  This time of year, it’s pretty much windy like that every day.  And I do have a race next week that could have the same wind, so I might as well practice in it, right?

In other news, did y’all see the North Korean Marathon is open to tourists for the first time in history? You can read about it HERE.

Last one home gets sentenced to hard labor.

I’m all for destination races, but this would be crazy!  I’ve always been fascinated by places I’m not usually allowed to visit – aka, Cuba and N. Korea.  Call it a forbidden fruit sort of complex.

If you don’t know, most Americans are not allowed to visit Cuba – our two governments don’t play nice together.  And it’s usually not a good idea to visit N. Korea, because they can get kind of detainy-to-prison-campy with Americans tourists.

Still, I’d like to see these places someday, and I know how running is a great way to see new places.  Maybe they should put on something like the Disney Coast to Coast Challenge between the two countries???

I’m assuming this will be on the race shirts.

Run a race in Cuba, get a medal.  Run a race in N. Korea, get a medal.  Then get a bonus medal for completing the “Cross World Communist Dictator Race Challenge”!

How bout you?  Are you lucky enough to always have the wind at your back?  Would you run in the DPRK?  Up for the Commy Race Challenge?

PS – Don’t forget your daily vote for my video “C”!!!  Only a few days left to vote for “C”: http://www.heb.com/page/offers-contests/earth-day-video-contest

-Scott

 

 

 

 

Disney Dopey Run Training Week 3

So week three Dopey Challenge training is in the books!  And people who run around here really lucked out cause the weather dropped for a couple days.  Instead of being 85% humidity combined with the extreme Texas heat, we had a stretch of 60 degree temps in the mornings!!!  It was still humid, but man did it feel great to be out there in cooler temps.  I felt like a whole new runner!

The weekday runs and workouts were still hot, but I got through them no problemo.  In fact, I ran one of my evening runs at near my 5k pace of 7:00 min miles – cooler temps + being around some fast runners were the reasons me thinks.  The weekend came though and I was glad for the cooler temps.  My schedule called for a short 3 miles on Saturday and 11 miles on Sunday.  3 sounded silly, so I did 4, then went to an hour of yoga.  Afterwards a group of old friends got together for a mini reunion of sorts, where I did enjoy their company and also a few Guinnesseseses.

I guess some of my friends were glad to see me.

I’m glad to report that the health benefits claims of Guinness must be true, because I woke up early for my 11 miler and handled it pretty well.  Like I said, the cooler temps helped too!

Anyway, that’s all I got right now.  More than enjoying this rest day and get back at it tomorrow!

Peace out internet!

Running Rules

So I came across this article and thought it had a lot of good points.  I may not agree with every little thing, but for the most part, I’m on board with it.  Check it out if you want, it’s called The 25 Golden Rules of Running

Since I gave you an assignment to read, then that means I don’t have to write much more here.  Good thing cause it’s Friday quitting time and my brain is about fried.  I’ll just record for posterity here that last nights sweaty 4 miler was tough.  Right now Thursday evening runs are the culmination of 6 straight days of working out – usually twice a day.  It didn’t help any that it was windy and part of my course ran through Arbor Hills Nature Preserve.  As you can tell by the name, there are hills in that park.  Yes, there are hills.

No matter, today is rest day, and I need it.  Back on the streets in the early AM.  Hope to see you out there.

200 days till the Disney Dopey Challenge!

Booyakasha!

Dopey and Goofy Training: 202 Days to go

I keep forgetting that part of the Dopey Challenge includes the Goofy Challenge, which is the Half and Full Marathons on back to back days.  For most people, the Goofy would be challenge enough, and I agree.  Shoot, I think every distance you race is a challenge in itself.  But when I think about the Dopey and four straight days of racing with increasing distances, I’ve kind of been glancing over the first few days as no big deal.  Yes, my plan is to take it easy and go for PW (personal worsts), the miles will still be there and they’ll end up on my legs.  Gotta remember that in my training.  Can’t overlook a single day.  Anyways, that’s the random thought I have today.

As for my workout today, I’m planning on hitting the gym (sorry gym) and then later doing another hawt track workout.  Not sure what’s planned for the track work, but I do know this…it will hurt, like it always does.  But I’ll be glad after I do it, I know that much.  Tired, but glad.

After the run, I’ve got a quick video shoot for an upcoming race.  I’ll fill you in on that soon.  Stay tuned…literally.

Peace out internet.

 

Dopey Training (203 Days to Go) and Bling

Just saw that the Disney Dopey Challenge is 203 days away.  Seems like a long time, but I guess it’s really not.  Maybe it is, but I still want to start getting ready now.  Been working on getting ready the past couple months actually.  Keeping my legs tired and my body sore as much as possible.  This weekend I did a humid 8 miles with friend runners and frienemy hills.  Then it’s on to 3-4 hours of yard work.  And by yard work, believe me, it’s work.

Sunday did another 6 miles.  And that was a struggle.  A struggle because it was absolutely fabulously humid and hot!  It was disgusting.  When I finished it looked like I had jumped in a lake during the run.  I mean, my clothes were absolutely fabulously soaked.  It was disgusting.  Did I mention it was disgusting?  But I got through it.  Normally I would’ve gone to yoga after, but it was niece’s birthday day, so spent it at a community pool playing with water rug rats.- that counts as exercising, right?

Monday, back at the gym to pump up some iron…or whatever materials they use to make the heavy things in the gyms now a days.  Today, up early to run again.  It was raining, which was actually nice.  It was somewhat humid, but cloud cover is good and cool rain is good.  I rather enjoyed it.  It wasn’t pouring, but a nice steady sprinkle.  And it didn’t take me half the morning to cool my body internal temps down.  It’s always a little uncomfortable at work when I’m sweating from a morning run…even after a shower!

So it goes on and on.  But I’m feeling good so far.  Feeling strong.  Still early, I know.  But building slowly and smartly is key to avoiding injury.  I looked up the Galloway training plan for the Dopey and it’s for peeps who’ve already been running regularly for 6 months, but it starts it’s week 1 the first week of July.  So this being June, I’m already ahead of the game and the mileage that his plan starts with.  Good I think.

Anyway, I had a thought.  I googled images for the Dopey Challenge and this one of Dopey the Dwarf came up:

Dopey in the sky with diamonds.

I think it’s appropriate for these race.  Here’s because:  I know it was a factor for me, so I know it was a factor for others –  The Bling!  In previous posts I’ve mentioned that when we complete this 4 days of racing, we get 6 medals.  And 6 Disney medals at that.  They don’t mess around with their medals.  And so I know some of us were thinking about all that bling and had diamonds in our eyes like Dopey.

Maybe that should’ve been a warning.  Maybe the race directors thing that being blinded by bling is a bad thing and are throwing us an underhanded dis by calling us Dopey for blindly going for it.  Maybe they secretly think this 4 days of increasing race distances will punish us for our greed.  But I don’t think so.  First off, Disney has never been accused of being anything but greedy itself…just look at the race entry fee for crying out loud!  But I’m not hatin’.  I love all things Disney, always have.  So I’m looking at it like we are getting the bling as a proper reward for completing the tough tough challenge.

203 days until we’re officially Dopey (and Blingy)!

runDisney Dopey Challenge (5K, 10K, 1/2, Full)

So Disney World announced this new challenge last week – the appropriately named Dopey Challenge, cause that’s how you’ll feel doing it!  Here’s the breakdown: Thurs-5k (3.1 miles), Fri-10k (6.2 miles), Sat-1/2 marathon (13.1 miles), Sun- full marathon (26.2 miles).  Included in this is their original endurance challenge of running the half and fool marathons on consecutive days – which they call the Goofy Challenge.  Now when you complete the Goofy, in addition to the 1/2 Donald Duck and full Mickey Mouse medal, you also get a Goofy themed medal (coincidentally enough).  And if you know Disney, they go all out with their medal design and each year they change it up.  I also heard a rumor that the Goofy is having it’s 10 year anniversary, so that should be a special design too.

Medals dang near big as yo head!

For the 5k, you get a Tres Amigos finishers medallion (it’s like a regular medal, but made of rubber).  And for the new 10k you’ll get a Minnie Mouse medal, I hear.  And for completing all four races, you’ll get an innagural Dopey medal.  That’s in addition to the 5k, 10k, 1/2, full, and Goofy medals.  So you get 6 total medals!  You also get 6 shirts.  I believe the 5k is a cotton T, but the others are long sleeved tech tees.

I am tempted by this challenge.  Funny that I’ve never really had an inkling to do the Goofy, but I’m interested in the Dopey, which includes the Goofy.  I pretty sure the 5k is not timed, so could walk it if we wanted, but I think I’d want to complete the challenge by actually running all the races.  Tho there most likely won’t be any PR’s!  From what I hear, you’ve got to take it easy on the earlier races to save everything you can to finish the final race (the 26.2).

What I am not tempted by is the starting entry fee of 500 skrilla units!  And the price will go up as time passes!  Yowzy!  Add to that the cost of travel, and it would more than cover a year’s worth of races.  But I’ve been trying to rationalize it – you get 4 race entries, 6 shirts (5 of them tech), and 6 medals.  Still doesn’t quite add up, but I guess that’s the price you gotta pay to run with the mouse.

My standard Disney statue and castle photo op.

So anyway, I’m debating registering.  My only fear of hesitating is that their similar Disneyland Dumbo Challenge (10k and 1/2 marathon) sold out in less than one day.  Not sure if this one will too, but it adds pressure.  I’m sure it will be a magical four days of running, so this will be a tough call.

OH WAIT, I HAVE A SOLUTION!!!  Anyone out there want to sponsor me???  I’ll promote your gear/cause/business/company/family/product/etc. with all my powers…blog, “celebrity” friends, twitter, facebook, Instagram, and did I mention I’m a multi-Emmy award winning TV producer???  If anyone has any extra skrilla units hanging around, feel free to send em my way!  Haha, I’d love to be sponsored by something mundane, like “Running on behalf of John Doe’s 27th birthday”, or something of the like.  Think about it you and let me know and I’ll send you my Pay Pal account!

Have a great day everyone!