Thursday, August 31, 2017

In Which Jenn Is Running The Baltimore Marathon

Surprise! I'm running the Baltimore Marathon!

Maybe it's not that surprising, given that it showed up among the possibilities when I wrote a post about which fall marathon to choose. But it might not have been my first choice - if I hadn't tripped and fallen into a bib.

My friend Sarah is also a runner with multiple marathons to her name. Last year she signed up for the Baltimore Marathon but was forced to defer. This year (why? Don't ask me) she signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon too, based on the assumption that, like last year, they would be on different weekends. Well, they are not. So she was sitting on two bibs when she only needed one.

Enter me, a person who has been mostly building her race schedule up as she goes along. "Which one don't you want?" I told her. "I can take it off your hands if you like!"

And that, friends, is how I wound up with a Baltimore Marathon bib.

It's a more challenging course than Marine Corps; or, to words the used in the website course description, it is "challenging but fair." Which I guess means it's got hills but not, like, Big Sur level of hills? It also promises a Heartbreak Hill-esque portion BUT ALSO the last five miles are allegedly downhill. Downhill! Not just straight - DOWNHILL. So already we're in better shape than Rock 'n Roll DC.

Bonus, I get to run through Camden Yards! Go Os!!! (Also it ends at Ravens Stadium, but, like, yawn.)

It'll be a convenient race for me, too, since my parents live just outside Baltimore and I can crash with them for ease of commute. Uber-ing in FTW.

I can't claim not to be a bit apprehensive about taking on a brand new course, but hey, I can do it, right? Right??? ANSWER ME.

Now for a 15 miler, a 17 miler, a 20 miler, new sneakers, fuel... Marathon #8, here we come.



Wednesday, August 30, 2017

The Fairest Week In Review: 8/30


Sunday | ran 10.17 miles outside in 1:50


Tuesday | ran 7.33 miles outside in 1:20


Thursday | ran 7.33 miles outside in 1:20

Friday | rest
Wedding weekend shenanigans!

Saturday | rest
Actual wedding shenanigans!





Anyway, GUINAN.

And blog roundups are my favorite kind of roundup:

- Parkeology rides it's a small world eclipse-style.
- easyWDW eats at Boma and I am jealous.


Tuesday, August 29, 2017

In Which Jenn Secures All Her Belongings Inside The Ride Vehicle EVERY TIME


Say what you will about Dinoland USA, but I have an unabashed love of its flagship ride: Dinosaur. Equal parts intense and absurd, scary and silly, it's a great example of a non-coaster, dark ride/thrill ride hybrid.

After many years and many trips to the past, I can now make it all the way through the ride without shutting my eyes once (I said it was kinda scary!). My one remaining fear? That all my stuff is very carefully stowed in the pocket in front of me. Travel back with me to the much less distant past: 2009.

I was at WDW with a grad school friend - for safety, I'll just call her D - and her two younger sisters, here referred to as B and S (because those are their initials; no subtle commentary here!). We rode Dinosaur. We loved Dinosaur. We left the park for the Magic Kingdom. We went to get a snack at the dearly departed Main Street Bakery. While we ate, we checked our phones, of course, because we are millennial degenerates. Only... B's phone was gone.

How was this possible? She knew she'd put it in her bag, in the side pocket. That was before Dinosaur. But she didn't recall ever checking for it after...

B hadn't put her bag in the ride vehicle's pocket - I think because it didn't quite fit? I'm not sure. She held the strap the whole time and it was fine. But despite the phone being stored in a pocket, it became apparent that the crazy jostling of the time rover had bounced her phone right out of her bag and, presumably, onto the show floor. Her phone was now chilling in the late Cretaceous period.

We immediately went to guest services, where B filled out a lost and found sheet. We were told that there was a nightly sweep of all ride areas, and if her phone was there, it would be located then. In the meantime, we could only wait.

Here's where the magic of Disney kicks in: the very next morning, we got a call that B's phone had been retrieved from Dinosaur! A quick swing by central lost and found and they were reunited.

So all's well that ends well. But it was a stressful experience all the same. And an educational one - you really can't be too careful when it comes to stowing your belongings! Even pockets, without zippers or similar closures, can't be trusted. That's true of all rides, of course, but Dinosaur, with its incessant bouncing and open cars, now makes me extra paranoid.

Maybe next time I can tell you about that time I left my phone in an orange team Mission: Space capsule...

Have you ever lost anything important at a Disney park? Did you get it back?


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

The Fairest Week In Review: 8/23

Ummmmmmm... hold on. Did anything interesting happen to me last week? Somebody tell me.

Training log, you got anything?

Sunday | ran 11.14 miles outside in 2:00

Monday | 2.14 mile walk outside in 35 minutes; 50 minute modern dance class

Tuesday | ran 5.68 miles outside in 60 minutes

Wednesday | walked 2.18 miles outside in 35 minutes; 55 minute workout class
Nobody showed up for hip hop dance class except me, so the teacher and I just said the hell with it and did an, I don't know, "body pump" kinda workout thing. Good for my arms and abs so I was down for it.

Thursday | ran 5.65 miles outside in 35 minutes

Friday | ran 5.6 miles outside in 60 minutes
SO HUMID, GUYS. (It's kind of a thing lately and I'm not into it.)

Saturday | rest

When I first started running seriously, I was doing three 10 mile runs a week because I had lots of time and beginner's enthusiasm. Once that was revealed for the insanity that it clearly is (enter: overuse injuries, serious boyfriend, generally doing things that aren't running, did I mention overuse injuries?) I modified that schedule to two 10 milers and a 5 miler. Once I transitioned to doing most of my runs in the morning before work, I've gone from two long runs and a short to one long run and three short in the average week. Honestly I think it's one of the smarter moves I've made - so far the injuries are at a minimum and I feel pretty good about my training. We'll see how it all shakes out as the fall race season hits.

Hey, you know that conference I usually go to every summer? I run the 5K? I went to Universal that one time? Well, I wasn't able to go this year, but NEXT year it's... wait for it... IN ORLANDO again. Not only is it in Orlando, IT'S IN THE SWOLPHIN. Oh my God, guys... I could be a Crescent Lake snob. It's a whole year away so there are no guarantees, but man that would be awesome.

Speaking of awesome, enjoy this roundup.

- Elbowglitter volunteers at a triathlon.
- Darling Rae preaches the gospel of CrossFit for runners. I'm not a joiner, but it definitely proves I really need to up my cross-training game...
- Inside the Magic highlights my ABSOLUTELY ALL TIME FAVORITE Disney cartoons - Goofy's instructional shorts.
- Parkeology shares one last secret from the dearly departed Great Movie Ride.
- easyWDW reviews Epcot's Spice Road Table. Trying to decide if I want to take my mom there in December...
- Disney In Your Day counts down WDW's top 10 counter service restaurants.
- This Fairy Tale Life shares what goes down in a Disneyland wedding brunch tasting.
- Disney Nerds eats the famous Monte Cristo sandwich at Disneyland's Cafe Orleans. I can't believe I didn't do this. Next time!


Tuesday, August 22, 2017

In Which Elizabeth Is Running Her First 10K Ever

You guys remember Elizabeth, right? I have dragged her along on several WDW trips. She is such an excellent travel companion that I am slowly grooming her for the cult of runDisney.

Kidding! Kidding. She makes her own decisions. Totally autonomous. And I'm sure my nagging and cajoling and promising to run with her had NO impact on her decision to sign up for her very first 10K in November - the Across the Bay 10K on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

She'd never classify herself as a runner, but I'd say that by now she's done enough 5Ks to claim the title if she wants it. She can absolutely tackle the 10K distance as long as she puts in the training. It's gonna be awesome!

I think a lot of us have been running distance races for so long that we've forgotten what it's like to be taking our first tentative steps into the race world, so I made asked Elizabeth to shoot me her thoughts on signing up for her first 10K ever. She even provided illustrations!
I am torn between my dislike of long-distance running and my affection for the Bay Bridge, which is apparently the scariest bridge in the country to drive over, but that only makes me love it more.  I figure 10K can't be THAT much harder than 5, right? And those views! Anyway, the Across the Bay 10K seemed like the least-objectionable way for me to try my hand (foot?) at something a little more challenging, and Annapolis is a pretty fun area for doing some practice runs, assuming I don't trip on the bricks.  Hopefully I won't embarrass myself too badly come November. If nothing else, I'll end up with a good "that time I freaked out trying to run over the bridge and had to be carried off" story.  :)
Both of these together probably sum up my conflicted feelings: 

Do you remember your first long distance race? Have you ever dragged a friend into the running community?


Monday, August 21, 2017

In Which There Was Blood On The Saddle

So there I am, minding my own business at my parents' house. Am I there because in the morning my dad is going to drive me to the airport so I can go to Walt Disney World? I don't remember. Probably. Statistically likely.

Anyway, I come out of the bathroom next to the computer room and: there it is. I'm briefly uncertain. Is it...? It totally is. I grab it and bring it to my dad. "Do you know who this is???" I demand.

"Sure," he replies immediately. "That's Big Al from The Country Bear Jamboree. Your grandfather loved him!"

Guys. There is a Big Al piggy bank chilling in my parents' house. That my grandfather bought in WDW! The Country Bears are my family legacy! Who knew? Well, my dad, obviously, so maybe the question is more why didn't he tell me???

I get the idea this item was pretty common - a brief internet search yields the same model for $20 to $30. I'm guessing it's from the '80s but I'm not sure.

On a related note, this car is always parked at the gas station near my ballet studio:

I guess you could say Al and I frequent the same places.

Ever found any random Disney merch in an unexpected place?


Thursday, August 17, 2017

In Which Jenn Selects New Running Shoes (Small Giveaway!)


















Tuesday, August 15, 2017

The Fairest Week In Review: 8/15


Sunday | ran 12.11 miles on the treadmill in 2:00


Tuesday | ran 5.64 miles outside in 60 minutes

Wednesday | ran 5.63 miles outside in 60 minutes



Friday | ran 5.14 miles on the treadmill in 50 minutes






Monday, August 14, 2017

In Which Jenn Notes Something Odd About "Jolly Holiday"




Let's break it down.

Mary Poppins sings:

Oh, it's a jolly holiday with you, Bert
Though you're just a diamond in the rough, Bert
Underneath your blood is blue [BERT: Common knowledge!]


You'd never think of pressing your advantage
Forbearance is the hallmark of your creed [BERT: True]


A lady needn't fear when you are near
Your sweet gentility is crystal clear






Thursday, August 10, 2017

In Which Jenn Has A Favorite Pre-runDisney Meal










What's your favorite pre-runDisney meal?


Wednesday, August 9, 2017

The Fairest Week In Review: 8/09


Sunday | ran 10.27 miles outside in 1:50


Tuesday | ran 5.58 miles outside in 60 minutes

Wednesday | walked 2.06 miles outside in 35 minutes

Thursday | ran 5.57 miles outside in 60 minutes

Friday | ran 5.56 miles outside in 60 minutes

Saturday | rest, although I walked a lot



Anyway, roundup:

- Elbowglitter avoids training injuries.
- Disney In Your Day puts together a WDW girls trip.


Monday, August 7, 2017

In Which Jenn & Pat Are Done With Port Orleans Riverside








Just okay - although points for the cornbread.






Friday, August 4, 2017

Happy Friday: Mulan's Surprisingly Into Herself




Thursday, August 3, 2017

In Which Jenn Ponders Race Throwaway Clothes

I have an idea. I don't know if it's a feasible idea or even a necessary idea, but I figured I'd do a little spitballing here, see what people thought. So:

People often have to get up early in the morning for races. Temperatures tend to be colder then. Even if no great temperature shift is expected, people run hot but stand still cold. This is why these same people bring throwaway top layers for before the race - sweatshirts, jackets, etc.

However, sometimes the temperature throws you a curveball and is a lot colder than you expected (see: the last two marathons I ran). At that point you're not looking at picking up a cheap hoodie to stave off the chill - now you'd be best served with a heavy duty fleece or legit jacket. These are harder to come by at throwaway prices. 

Sometimes you're not even in a position to readily make a practical purchase - for example, when the WDW Half Marathon got cancelled, some runners made the switch to the marathon the next day, and temperatures were much colder. Unless you want to throw down money for a last-minute cab ride or something, it's gonna be tough to grab what you need at any price. I saw locals on Facebook offering to swing by resorts and bring donated clothing, and that's awesome, but hardly efficient.

Which brings me to my idea: what if expos included a booth where people could drop off/pick up throwaway top layers they didn't need? Hoodies, sweatpants, jackets even; hats and gloves and things, too. If you had extras, you could drop some off; if you need something, come grab it! Leftovers, like the items tossed on-course, would be donated or recycled. It could even be something like a Goodwill or thrift store outpost.

Or hell, forget the booth - it could just be a series of bins that people could riffle through and add to as well. I mean, that'd probably be messy, but it'd be easy...

Obviously there are lots of factors to consider here - need, staffing, exhibition space costs, etc. But I figured I'd throw this out there first, see what the reaction was. Is anything like this already happening at a race near you? Do you think it's worth doing? Let me know!


Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The Fairest Week In Review: 8/01



Sunday | ran 9.23 miles on Assateague Island in 1:35


Tuesday | ran 7.04 miles outside in 1:15


Thursday | ran 5.68 miles outside in 60 minutes

Friday | ran 5.59 miles outside in 60 minutes

Saturday | rest


Yeah, seems likely.

Roundup, take us out.

- Half Crazy Mama offers some marathon don'ts.
