Official 2013 Disney Princess Half Marathon Thread - Take 2

[Tracerr00]

Originally Posted by Figment1990

I'm not a qualified expert by any means but I just wanted to throw my two cents in. A few months ago I developed terrible shin splits. Did the whole gait analysis, running store etc route. Got shoes for over pronation. Got about 5 diff pairs actually. Wasn't until I found a pair that didn't have a huge wedge in the arch and felt "normal" to me that I was able to run without the shin splint pain. (mizuno nexus). Apparently even tho my feet are somewhat flat and over pronate when standing and walking, my running stride seems to correct this naturally already and the major stability shoes were causing me more pain than help. Moral of my story is, try as many different shoes as u need to, including ones that might not totally make sense mathematically. And while he has pain, ice, massage w a small foam ball, and stretch (a calf stretch but with his toes pointing in behind him and also sit and pull toes back).

This happened to me too. I was measuring for a stability shoe and I tried 4 different pairs before we figured out that I needed a neutral shoe. Luckily I went somewhere that gives you a 15 day trial and if they don't work you can bring them back.

As for shin splints - I thought I had shin splints but it turned out to be a stress fracture! But then the MRI revealed that I had the stress fracture AND true shin splints where the muscle is tearing away from the bone. I didn't realize I had both but the shin splints was actually black & blue when he pointed it out to me! I'm not cleared for running (I've got one more week to go!) but I have a neoprene shin splints sleeve and it feels so much better when I wear that. The sports doc also gave me some exercises to do. One of them is to stand on a step with your heels hanging over the back, rise up on your toes and pick one leg up and slowly lower yourself back down on that one leg (then do the other leg). Do 10 reps and then point your toes inward and do the same thing (this one was a little painful for me at first).

[Tiger Lily 03]

Originally Posted by bskelly07

... I may CT today and run tomorrow. I usually don't CT but I figure I should start on that instead of taking two rest days... What do you guys do for it? I don't know how to ride a bike so that's out and it's too cold to swim. I was thinking lifting like these 5 pound weights I have at home and doing a couple different things with them? As well as doing the ab ripper from p90x. Not sure if that really counts, but I don't really know what else to do!

I think some sort of Pilates would be a great addition to your XT days ab ripper p90x would be good, don't forget the rest of your core. You need core strength to support you through the miles. Also, if you are following program schedule, stick with that. Rest days are meant to be the time for your body to rest and heal. XT is the time for your cross training. Don't get these two important training events confused within your schedule.

MoonFaerie sorry about your infection. Good idea to be extra careful until the timing of the risk is over. I would recommend doing the event as slowly as you can and still qualify as a finisher.

semejorado, Re: shin splints. Quoted from an article "the best remedies are rest, icing, stretching and strengthening exercises, and anti-inflammatories." If it is indeed shin splints, I might add to not start out too fast until being warmed up enough to increase speed. Also, shorten the stride. That may assist in lessening the stress on the muscles. cewait, "CoachCharles" always offers fantastic information on training problems. I will see if I can search for any of his past recommendations.

AND, Add me to the list. Looks like I will be doing the PHM. It will be my first PHM. I am going with DH to cheer on lizdotcom99.
(Lily Szalay--FB)

[semejorado]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! We will try them out and let you all know how it progresses.

And has everyone booked their hotels and flights yet?

I'm torn between French Quarter and Coronado Springs.

[MoonFaerie]

Originally Posted by semejorado

Thanks for all the tips everyone! We will try them out and let you all know how it progresses.

And has everyone booked their hotels and flights yet?

I'm torn between French Quarter and Coronado Springs.

Not yet. Every time I think I can go ahead and book, something comes up. First DH's hours got cut at work. Then the kids' school has been asking for money pretty much every other day. (I've spent $300 in the past 6 weeks just on school expenses. ) Then my car door broke. And DH's car window motor went out. And then the ER visit. I don't even want to know what I'll be paying OOP when the bills roll in. They did tons of blood work, gave me iv antibiotics, did a CT scan, etc. I'll still have follow up visits too.

I'm still not 100% sure if it'll be 2 of us or 4 of us. If it'll just be the 2 of us, we'll probably go with Coronado. If it's 4 of us, then hopefully Yacht Club.

I finally have my class schedule for the spring semester finalized, so I can go ahead and book the flight as soon as I have the money in the budget. Probably after we get Christmas shopping done.

[Princess on the Run]

Originally Posted by semejorado

And has everyone booked their hotels and flights yet?

In July! LOL! I'm slightly OCD.

[VickiHD]

Originally Posted by Princess on the Run

In July! LOL! I'm slightly OCD.

In July for me too !!! I like to think of it as organized vs OCD, but you are probably right.

[Tracerr00]

Originally Posted by semejorado

Thanks for all the tips everyone! We will try them out and let you all know how it progresses.

And has everyone booked their hotels and flights yet?

I'm torn between French Quarter and Coronado Springs.

I'd already booked a cruise in June before deciding to do the PHM so I'm trying to keep this trip as inexpensive as possible. So I booked flights with frequent flyer miles and we're staying at Pop. It feels good to have that out of the way so now I just have to buy park tickets and save some money for all of the eating that I plan to do!

[VickiHD]

Oh my Princesses.....I had not one but two nightmares last night about the race. First they changed the start of the race and no one told me since I never get the RunDisney emails. The second is that I forgot my socks. Oh what a bad night !!!!!!!

Off to the track to put in some miles today !!!

[semejorado]

Originally Posted by VickiHD

Oh my Princesses.....I had not one but two nightmares last night about the race. First they changed the start of the race and no one told me since I never get the RunDisney emails. The second is that I forgot my socks. Oh what a bad night !!!!!!!

Off to the track to put in some miles today !!!

I have had nightmares too! That I am late to the start of the race, I'm wearing jeans and flip flips, and I don't have my bib!

[Princess on the Run]

OMG you girls have just added to my list of things to fret about!!!

[AnotherPrincess]

Originally Posted by Tracerr00

I'd already booked a cruise in June before deciding to do the PHM so I'm trying to keep this trip as inexpensive as possible. So I booked flights with frequent flyer miles and we're staying at Pop. It feels good to have that out of the way so now I just have to buy park tickets and save some money for all of the eating that I plan to do!

Lol, I booked a cruise in July for May way before I decided to do PHM. And I booked my PHM flight on miles. And I'm staying at Pop.

[annmarieda]

Originally Posted by Bookwood

I started my "usual" training program last week (today starts week 2) as well.

I'm not trying to get a great time I just like being able to finish and feel good! I've run several half marathons with this program which involves 3 days of running (one "long run" a week) and 2 or in my case 3 days of cross training. I keep my mileage what I normally run until I hit the weeks I need to go farther on my long runs (which will happen in a couple of weeks. )

I am not trying to get a great time either. I hope to run it though so my main goal is also not to feel horrible when I m done.

My longer runs will start up in the coming weeks too. Kinda scares me cause fitting the time it will take in ( I think it is over 2 hours) and avoiding snow, sleet and or freezing rain may be quite the challenge

[kindakrazy2]

Oh great - now I'm going to worry about showing up bibless and sockless in jeans and flip flops! My dreams will be bad tonight I can tell already! lol!

[AnotherPrincess]

Pretty much before any race I dream that I forgot my bib. So for local races, I leave the bib in my car after packet pick up. That ensures it at least makes it to the race. For ToT, I had a race checklist and the bib was at the top of the list. Lol

[Gryhndmom]

Originally Posted by annmarieda

Just thought I would share that I "officially" started a half marathon training program this last week. I figured that even though I was running routinely... that maybe doing an actual program would be helpful. After all, I had been getting more lax about how far I run and going over 5 miles was becoming less routine than it probably should have been.

Soooo curious, is anyone else switching to an actual training program? The one I started assumes you can run a 10k already. I started tuesday and it accounts for ever day for 11 weeks. In other words tomorrow is W1D5 for me... and today (which was a day of rest) was W1D4. If I projected right I will finish this just in time to taper off a week or so before the PHM.

I must admit this program is a bit different than I am use to(which I assume it needs to be since it is training for a half rather than a 10k) It has me tomorrow doing my second longer run this week. (another 60 minutes of running) Next week it will drop me down to some intervals of 18 minutes (38 total)...then the very next day a 30 minute run. This week was 3 runs (total of 150 minutes not including warm up or cool down) Next week is 4 runs (total 158 - 2 of which are the walk between the 18 minute intervals) and one walk day of 30 minutes. Does this sound pretty familiar to those of you who have done a half marathon training program? It kinda has me excited to see where the coming weeks will take me. I just hope I don't freeze my kiester off during the winter.

As a beginning runner DH and I hired a running coach who laid out a very specific workout schedule that builds us up and then tapers off a week before the PHM. I like having a chart to work on my goals !

Originally Posted by VickiHD

In July for me too !!! I like to think of it as organized vs OCD, but you are probably right.

I'll join the OCD/organized group in that I too booked flights, hotel and rental car right after registration figures that "locks" me in !

Originally Posted by VickiHD

Oh my Princesses.....I had not one but two nightmares last night about the race. First they changed the start of the race and no one told me since I never get the RunDisney emails. The second is that I forgot my socks. Oh what a bad night !!!!!!!

Off to the track to put in some miles today !!!

My fear is the alarm doesn't go off in time and I oversleep totally missing the race !

Here's where I need some advice from my fellow Princess and veteran runners. Having issues with aerobic capacity while running. Feel like my heart and lungs are going to burst so I do walking intervals and start running again ( or thunder thigh thumping as I call it!). Doesn't seem to get any better the longer I train. Not a smoker, no known lung/heart issues. I'm 5"4 , XS, and 45. Is it just how it is for beginners ?