A hit and a miss (well almost)

I thought I would post reviews for a couple shows I saw this weekend.

On Friday night my son and I went to see the touring production of Monte Python's SPAMALOT. Spamalot was the 2005 Tony award winner for best musical. On January 11th it will end it's Broadway run. I'm not certain how long the touring company will continue, but if they should ever return I would go again. The show is primarily based around "Monte Python and the Holy Grail." There are also referrences to "Life of Brian" and various sketches from classic Python skits. For example, a reference to migrating coconuts carried by swallows contained a few of lines from the "Parrot" sketch. There were also some timely improved lines such as when the French Taunter is egging King Arthur on with lines like... "I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough whopper! I fart in your general direction! You mother was a hamster and your father smelt of eldeberries. I throw my shoes at your President!"

The female lead for the preformance we saw was played by Esther Stilwell. Miss Stilwell has a Disney connection. She has preformed at Disney Tokyo and on the Disney cruiseline. The show contains one of my all time favorite broadway songs. Here is "The Song That Goes Like This." The female lead here is not Miss Stilwell.



Another thing we did today was to go and see Disney's Bedtime Stories. Judging by the previews this film looked very promising to us. The film stars Adam Sandler. Now to me, Sandler's films can be very funny if... if they don't go to far. Which reminds me if you "have not" seen "Don't mess with the Zohan" good for you. That film is vulgar on too many levels.

During the open credits of "Bedtime Stories" I became concerned when the tag "A Happy Madison Production" appeared on the screen. Now this film is not vulgar, things are kept clean, but Sandler's influence can be felt here. One example, Rob Schnieder makes his obligitory appearance.

The film opens promising enough with Jonathan Price(Sandlers dad)narrating. We quickly learn that his father's bedtime stories ment a great deal to Skeeter (Sandler)as a child. Flash forward roughly 15 years and we find Skeeter watching his sisters kids while she is out looking for a new job. Skeeter makes up a bedtime story each night and the kids add their own spin to the stories as he makes them up. After the first night Skeeter realizes that parts of the previous evenings story have come true in the real world. Over the next few nights Skeeter attempts to guide the stories in a direction that will benefit his life.

There was something about the pacing of this movie that felt off. To me, parts of it felt just a bit disconnected. If I was reviewing this over on AATC I would give it 3 out of 5 kernels.

Stuck In A Snow Globe

Snow, ice, and more snow and ice. The weather here is nuts and I'm going stir crazy for an outdoor jog. Again this year our city is not putting any effort into clearing the jogging trails. It's just not safe to be on them.

I can't wait to make it down to Florida. It seems unreal that the race is only two weekends away. I know we are all feeling the excitement building.

I heard Those Darn Cats mention that a number of people came down with a touch of flu following mousefest. Hope all of you are staying healthy.

Once again it is I, Fernando!

Saludos My Dah-lings once again it is I Fernado. You know, when last you stopped by the Hideaway Nando promised you a very special guest. And that guest is here in the booth with me tonight. Please welcome the fabulous Donald Duck.

Donald it is so good to see you again my friend, did you have your feathers whitened? I kid you because I am a kidder. Actually you look mahvelous dah-ling, abso-lute-ly mahvelous. Welcome to the Hideaway.

Why thank you Fernando, it’s nice to be here. You look pretty snazzy yourself.

You are too kind, but I agree with you. As you know, my father always said to me, Nando, above all things you must look mahvelous, because when you look mahvelous, you will feel mahvelous also. He was so wise. But enough about me, let’s talk about what brought you by the Hideaway today.

Oh my my my, I am so excited, As you know Nando, The annual Walt Disney World marathon weekend is just around the corner, so I stopped by today to wish each of the Team Voice members good luck on reaching their half marathon goals. Soon the whole team will be in Orlando and ready to take on the Kingdom. As my pal Jonathan says “Main Street Awaits!”

Donald you say that with such excitment, I'm all goosepimply, but I know what you mean. I have met a few of the team members personally and let me tell you Donald, they have been working there tail feathers off.

I would run myself, but as you know, polyester does not breathe well. So Nando would rather stand on Main Street and cheer.

We all need someone in our corner cheering us on, and that’s part of what makes Team Voice work. Everyone is unique, yet they share some common interests and goals, and that helps pull everyone together. When things get tough they stop and think about what their prime motivator and cheerleader Rae said early on. “Disney people never give up” and of course let’s all remember Byron’s quote “Keep pushing forward.” These are both wonderful slogans of encouragement.

You know Donald, it sounds as though you have taken quite an interest in Team Voice.

Oh I have, I have. In fact my nephews and I have even visited a few of their blogs over the past year. The boys and I really want to see everyone succeed! Not only are we excited, the whole team is. There is such a level of commitment. Take Debra Burke for example. During Mousefest she went out and jogged 10 miles around Disney property. Deb has made steady progress all year long, never complaining, and she always has something positive to say to help keep her fellow teammates going. She has been a wonderful guest on All About the Mouse a few times too. Jonathan shouldn’t worry about Jeff W taking his place, he should be concerned about Deb. I’m kidding, we don’t ever want to lose Jonathan, but she really could do it. She’s that good.

Tell me about some of the other Team members Donald. Has anyone from Team Voice run in past marathon weekends?

Yes, they have at least three returning veterans this year, Bryan Ripper, Lisa Farry and Kate. They each did a great job last year and the team can really learn a lot from their experiences. Kate is taking on the Goofy Challenge this year. She will be doing my half marathon race and then Mickey’s full marathon the very next day. It’s an appropriately named challenge, and Kate if you’re reading this, I know you can do it!

Abso-lute-ly she can do it!

And speaking of Lisa weren’t you going to interview her at some point here in the Hideaway?

What a fabulous idea! In fact that gives me another idea. I should interview Trace about The Disney Dudes podcast that he and Wayne will be starting soon. I really should write these ideas down. But for now Donald let’s get back to Team Voice. Is everyone else new to Disney running?

Well Rae has finished some other Disney runs. I know she did the “Tower of Terror 13k” in October of 07 and the “Minnie Marathon” and “Race for the Taste in 08.” This will be her first half marathon. Other than that, several others will be running an official Disney race for the first time. Let’s see if I can remember the others. There’s Jonathan, Byron, Deb, Craig, Kristin, and that other intro guy….umm hmm what’s his name? It’s right on the tip of my bill.

Mike Fess?

Oh yes of course, Mike how silly of me. Then there is Chris, Matt and Heath. If I missed someone please leave a comment or send an email to heyimrunningtoo@allaboutthemouse.com heck for fun let’s see how many of you send an email to donaldsaidreadmynamebecauseimrunninginthe2008disneymarathon@allaboutthemouse.com

Donald you are being a bit silly, but I love it.

Just having some fun Nando. Oh no, it appears my limo is here, so I must be leaving you and your guests. I’ve had a wonderful time, but before I go, I know the Team would like to thank joggerblogger, princess fee, mgreene and everyone else who has commented on their blogs this past year. And to the Team Voice members who are running, I hope you each have an incredibily fun run. Enjoy it! You have all worked very hard to prepare for the race and soon, very soon, it will be here. I’m proud of each and every one of you.

Thank you for visiting us here in the Hideaway Donald. Please say you’ll come back after the race for another visit.

Nando, I’d be more than happy to. Have a Magical Day and GO TEAM VOICE!!!

You do the same my fabulously feathered friend. Well that will wrap up things for today. Don’t be surprised this January if sometime, someplace, you hear a nearby voice saying “you look mahvelous, absolutely mahvelous.”

Ciao dah-lings.

Long Possibly Sappy Post Ahead

Congratulations to Heath for solving the Professor's quiz. The answer was adrenaline. Adrenaline sometimes even gets the best of me during training jogs. Especially, when I have had a day or two of rest. The Disney marathon has the potential of getting everyone really worked up in anticipation. Shucks I'll admit, I'm excited now, and I know that all of you are too. Let's put all our efforts into making this a fun run.

Given how things have been going for me since October I know I will be slower than past runs. But I am not going to worry about that at all. I just want to enjoy the whole thing. From arriving and seeing all of you, to packet pickup, running the race, crossing that finish line, getting the golden Donald medal, and congratulating those who finished before me and cheering other team members as they come in.

Those first six miles will be magical and we have all heard that the back half can be dull. This will make the final half more mentally challenging. But remember, whether you’re running next to a fellow teammate or not, we are each on the course somewhere.

We are not alone, you are not alone. We are a team; we are a self made team. Remember the days when we were kids and our parents signed us up for summer sports. We were placed on teams that other parents decided upon. If we were lucky, we might have one, maybe two friends on the team. Chances are there might have been kids on your team that you wish weren't. But this team, Team Voice, is a team because we all have chosen to be part of it. We have welcomed new members over the pasts several months and we cheer each other on, not because we have to, but because we want to. We want to see one another succeed and finish this race, and our wish, spoken or not, is that everyone wants to see their fellow team mates continue on with running and staying healthy beyond marathon weekend.

One more quick analogy. Every season on survivor we see playground games unfold when two tribe leaders are picked, and then in turn new tribe members are chosen one at a time. It's a popularity contest between people who really know nothing about each other. Someone has to be last and the inevitable question from Jeff Probst is "So tell me, how does it feel to be chosen last?" I wish they would just draw lots and go from there.

But here is what I'm trying to get at. It does not matter if you recently just joined the team, or if you've been here from the beginning. No one on Team Voice decides who is in or out. That choice is yours. If you want to jump in and see what its all about come along and get involved. What matters is that you are part of the team. I have said before that it is our differences that make the team strong. Even though we may differ in our training and our goals there is always someone who can relate, and is willing to offer encouragement or tough love. Encouragement is more the norm, but do not ever discount the tough love. If you have ever received a little tough love in the blogs it's because we want to hold each other up.

Recently Trace Jennings (who is a friend that Lisa introduced me to in Marceline) asked, "I'd like to be on Team Voice. What do I need to do?" Trace the answer is simply this. Participate. Start by visiting the blogs and introducing yourself. I'm not sure who you met at Mousefest but this January you will have the chance to meet a group of people I am proud to call my friends. Trace recently ran his first official 5k and he and his pal Wayne (formerly of the Mickey Room podcast) will be starting up the Disney Dudes Podcast in the near future.

Remember, Fernando and his special guest will be showing up this week. Be sure to check back.

Our Friend The Professor

Hello Team Voice. Are you all getting excited? Me too! But wait hold on there just a second, race day is still a couple weeks a way, and you still have some preparing to do. You've trained all year for the physical portion of this run. Let's not forget to excercise the mind. Sometimes to achieve great things we need to keep ourselves in check. If you don't pay attention to what you have learned, you'll burn yourself out. Keep the answer to todays quiz in mind when we are all standing in those starting corrals.

Perhaps you would like another hint?.
The excitement of starting the race may cause this chemical to be released in your body, causing you to start off more quickly than you had planned. If you let it get the better of you, you may burn out. The excitment of race day is enough to pull you through, don't let a burst of this crank you all up.

Race day is getting so close. I'm goosepimply all over.

Colored Underwear.

Not certain how old I was here, (ten?) but I do remember this Christmas morning. Yes, I really was that excited about getting colored briefs and t-shirts. For some reason which I do not recall, it was a big deal. Guess I was just tired of the whitey tighty's. Also that year one my favorite shows on TV was The Six Million Dollar Man. Colonel Steve Austin could run so fast and I loved the sound effects. Behind me is the box for the "Mission Control center" Later on when The Bionic Woman came out my sister got those toys. It's a little odd thinking back on these toys. Youtube has brought back a few memories. It's interesting that The "Million Dollar Man" and The "Bionic Woman" both took on dangerous missions in the shows each week yet when it came to merchandising Steve got all the cool gadgets while Jamie got stuck with a "Mission Purse" and "The Bionic Beauty Salon.

Training:
This past Saturday temps reached the mid fourties and melted most of the ice on the trails. I went out in the evening to give pavement running with the arch supports a try. I started off with a half mile walk and then began jogging. During the first couple miles I was having doubts about the supports, but be mile 3 my feet felt fine.
In all, I jogged six straight miles with an average pace of 12. Two days later and my feet still feel good. So it looks like the supports will be in at Disney.

Tomorrow I plan to hit the dreadmill because temps have dropped into the single digits. I tried citrus "Sharky's" on Saturday jog and found I did not like the taste. They make a fruit berry flavor that I like but the citrus ones tasted like gasoline. They worked but yuck.

Sophie:
Our little one is doing really good. I had to use a sling to support her when going outside for a couple days but know she is able to walk on a leash. She has only had one accident in the house, and hach day she improves and gets stronger. She will still be restricted quite a bit over the next 7 weeks. She must be on a leash outside, no stairs, and no free play with Jake and Zoe.

Looking forward to hearing some more Mousefest reports. Be sure to stop by Debs blog, she has posted quite a bit. Thanks for bringing us along Deb.

In closing I'll ask this. Do you remember any toy(s) from your childhood that you feel nostalgic about?

Fernando

Saludos my dah-lings and you know who you are! seasons greetings it is I Fernando! It’s wonderful to be back here in the Hideaway with you all. I’ve missed my little corner of the world. Where have I been? So glad you asked.

I have been to Passamaquoddy and let me tell you it was mah-vel-ous, ab-so-oot-ly mah-vel-ous. The air quality surrounding Chum Shop Earth has really improved. Those folks are so inventive, they reinstalled the fishing rod and simply hung an oversized Magic Tree Air Freshener over the chimney. The result is the sweet smell of apple pie. Captain Slippy tells me that future air fresheners will resemble fishing lures instead of trees. How wonderful.

What brought me to Passamaquoddy? Well I was looking for Glenn Whelan as he had promised me an interview. The Townsfolk informed me that Glenn had left for Mousefest in Orlando. So not wanting to waste my visit I decided I would check out the town. Armed with a copy of the new 2009 edition of “The Not Quite Official Guide to Passamaquoddy” I had a wonderful time.

I could go on and on about The Ellenshaw Museum, The Passamaquoddy Cinema, The Octorail, or The Block Party Bass Parade but then this visit to the Hideaway would run too long. I invite you to stop over to Passamaquoddy and explore for yourselves.

Nando had thought about traveling down to Orlando to find Glenn, but I missed the Hideaway so much I have decided to stay put. Join me next time when I will be joined by a very special guest for our Team Voice members.

One last thing before leaving, Jeff called to tell me Sophie is doing well and was able to put a little weight on her legs today.

Caio’ for now Dah-lings,
Nando

Knee Injury

So I went to the Doctor this morning, can you believe, one month away from the big race and I’m dealing with a luxated patella. Standing itself is an issue and running clearly is aggravating. When this first started, the knee would pop in and out on its own, but now it’s just out. Trying to place the right leg firmly on the ground is painful.

Early tomorrow is another consultation with the possibility of outpatient surgery. This could be hereditary, and if I go ahead and address both knees, I will save $1000 in medical costs. No food after midnight tonight just in case surgery can be squeezed in tomorrow. Post surgery recovery is expected to be 60% within two weeks and the long term results are promising.

Regardless of all this, I am still planning to be at marathon weekend and give it my best effort.

Update 12/09/08:
Ok Mike, I know that wasn't funny. You didn't really think I was talking about me did you? Perish the thought. I dropped off Sophie (our third dog) for surgery this morning. If all goes well she should be recovered well enough to not be a big burden on my sister (who is house sitting) while we are gone. All the details above describe what Sophie is facing. She has been very uncomfortable and she is still under a year old. I am expecting a call later today on how everything went.

BTW I'm planning to be at Mousefest next year in 2009! Woo Hoo! Is it wrong to be excited about that already? I didn't think so. haha. Plans are to travel with my Mom and my sister who has not been back to the World since 1976. Boy is she in for a surprise.

Caption This #15

"Nando, I'd like a Chum Shop Earth T-Shirt!"

From Rae: "Can I sit at the booth while you are gone?"

From Chris: *From the waitress* Does this mean I don't get a tip!!???!!!

Training: Went back up to SNAP yesterday and did a short 2 miles on the dreadmill. My arch is feeling good but my legs just ached something awful. I extended my workout with another mile on the elipticle machine. Tomorrow I may do another light jog and skip the supports just to see if my legs feel different. This is not the time to be experimenting and it is driving me cuckoo. Been holding a bunch of water lately too, my thumbs were really swollen this morning. I know I have been sounding grumpy lately but have no fear. I'm seeing this thing through.

Do Not Sit On The Leaning Rails...

The photo above is from the 2007 Living Christmas Tree performance that our Church has put on for over 20 years. You won't find me in this picture because I was at Mousefest. Prior to '07 I had been in four others. This weekend I will be back in the tree for three shows. Fully loaded the tree can hold over 40 people. It's hard to tell by the picture, but to fit in each row you are literaly sandwiched between rows of chicken wire covered with greenery and C7 light bulbs. And those bulbs can put out some heat! This years show runs just over an hour. There is no sitting in the tree as there is no room, all you can do is stand there and shift your weight from one foot to the other. (One year a show ran nearly two hours) This year my work hours have greatly interfered with my practice attendance. This has had me feeling a bit down which does not really lend to the proper attitude I should have.

This morning I was pleased that my arch felt good and it continued feeling so all day. That is, until standing at attention in the tree during rehearsal tonight. Yes, I had my arch supports in but I think they fit differently in the shoes I wore tonight. On Friday I may skip wearing them, at least while in the tree.

Tomorrow I will be back up at SNAP for another TM jog. I will update afterward. Till then have a great day everyone.

Howdy Pardners...

Well getting back to jogging took a week later than I planned. No excuses, I have just been too lazy to make the trip down the block and into SNAP. The Tundra received 4 inches of snow yesterday and more is expected tonight. The trails and sidewalks are bad with ice. So training will need to be at SNAP going forward. Today I completed a little more than a 5k.(3.24 miles on the dreadmill) I wore the red wing supports in my shoes. I was a bit unsure about using them, but I found the support felt good. Toward the end of my jog my upper legs and calves felt sore. The question is, where my legs sore from something the supports were doing or (more likely) because I put in over 40 less miles for the month of November. Ugg. Tomorrow if I wake up pain free I will know for sure if jogging with the supports paid off. So far this evening I feel fine. Now that we are in the home streach my plan over the next few weeks is to get in two short runs and one medium run per week.

Chris asked about doing another virtual event in December. So here is what I'm thinking on Saturday Dec 27 we could do another event. But rather than set a specified mileage target I would let everyone name there own goal. At this point some of us may want to do a long run and some may not. The 27th is two weeks prior to the Disney run. So what do you guys think? Should we do another one?

I wish I had thought of this.

I know that Hallmark kicked off Christmas last June. (something I'll never understand) But now with Thanksgiving over I feel it is time to turn our thoughts toward Christmas. Here is a great YouTube find. This video is not only very funny, it works well for this time of year when you consider the message of redemption that is found within the Star Wars series. Mixing original vocals with the music from the Kenny Rogers & Wynonna Judd version of "Mary Did You Know" I am pleased to post...

Vic Mignogna's: Vader Did You Know?



Visit Vic's Site Vic'sWorld.net Click around the site and you'll find a some more humorous song parodies under Music & Sound Design.
Vic's resume included voice work on many anime productions including Dragon Ball Z.

Caption This #14 Happy Thanksgiving

"Can't wait to see the wishbone."

From Chris: "I just find that the "Big Bird" are too gammy"

From Mike:

Ernie: Hey Burt.
Burt: Yes Ernie.
Ernie: How come Big Bird did not come to dinner and why is the count using the end of a yellow feather as a tooth pic?
Count: One tooth picked, two teeth picked, Three yes Three teeth picked ha..ha..ha!
Burt: Be quiet and enjoy Big Bi.. er I mean your bird or your going to be a side dish!

From Ryan: What did you do Mr. Hooper?!?! I said have Big Bird TO Dinner!

From Doc Terminus: "Can you tell me how to get.. how to get to Digest-a-me street"

Proud Papa

Hello Team Voice, how’s it going? Can you believe how fast these days are going? Time is flying by here on the Tundra. We had our first “true” snow yesterday but today it has already melted away. Fine by me as I would like to see the trails stay dry along with reasonable temps if you please. We have been very busy over the past couple weeks. On the 14th and 15th our son Connor played the lead role of Henry Jekyll in our High Schools production of Jekyll and Hyde. He did a fabulous job and we are so proud of him. All of the students in the show did a wonderful job in what was a very ambitious program.

Being the proud Dad that I am, I have posted one of the scenes from the show on YouTube and am including it here. Also on the 22nd my son was part of the Iowa All State Musical performance. He was in the choir. In all there were 651 students selected from all over the state. Besides the choir, other students were either in the band or in the orchestra. I took some video of that but have not looked at it yet. I may post something if it turned out well.



Training:

I have to admit to no dedicated exercise since my 30 min mall walk last Tuesday. I feel bad about it, but I will confess that yesterday and again today my arch is feeling much better. Now I need to ease back into somehow building up to longer runs again. I am apprehensive about further damaging my foot. Slow and steady right? I feel like I am in an awkward place having only about a month before the half. Working 5am to 2pm this week so my plan is to get some exercise in after work. Monday my plan (depending in the weather) is an outdoor walking warm up followed by a light 4 – 6 mile jog or a biking warm up at SNAP followed by a few mile on the treadmill. And I will need to really check myself and not over do it.

Go For A Jolly Ride.

Sometimes simple things are so nice. Today I drove over to one of our Illinois systems. It was a nice drive. 2 ½ hours of piece and quiet. Listening to radio rather than plugging in the ipod was a refreshing change. I like driving, I find it relaxing. Perhaps that is because I get the chance to unplug and not be glued to the PC or stuck on a phone. Whatever it is I like it and I look forward to the drive back tomorrow.

I’m typing this up before laying down for some rest. We have a maintenance scheduled for midnight. Earlier I was going to hit the fitness room at the hotel, but opted for mall walking when I went out looking for a place to eat.



To celebrate the open road yourself, may I suggest a visit to the Virtual Toad Website. This site is still under construction but it’s really cool and offers a nice step back in time.
Be sure to look over your shoulder before entering the attraction. Ahh memories.

What Does Magic Cost?

This chart is related to comments I left over on the All About The Mouse Forums.

He's The Greatest, He's Fantastic!

In a surprise announcement this morning Cosgrove Hall Films and Disney have confirmed the upcoming release of "Danger Mouse The Motion Picture"
Inside Edition reports that the original cast members where left out in the cold and that Disney's Fab five will star in this big screen adaption.

Early rumors are that Donald Duck will be playing Count Duckula. Goofy will play the role of Agent 57 who is a master of disguise. Minnie Mouse is said to be in negotiations for the role of Colonel K. A source close to the production staff has been quoted as saying that Minnie was offered the role of the Colonel's secretary but refused the offer saying "if Dame Judy Dench can play M, I can darn well play Colonel K!"

It is also said that early screen tests with Mickey indicate what just may be a nod to Oscar. Bob Iger states that this is perhaps Mickeys most damanding role and that the animated character has insisted on doing his own stunt work. He further states that with the popularity of the Danger Mouse series in England that the show could help boister park attendance for Disneyland Paris.

No release date has been announced.

Here's a look at one of the original episodes.

Is this Heaven? No it’s Red Wing.

After my weekend epiphany over daily footwear and arch support, I took the time to visit the Red Wing store next to my office. I was looking for either new work shoes with improved support or some type of insert that offered something better than Dr. Scholl’s.

To paraphrase Clint Eastwood, Red Wing “made my day.”

The salesperson helping me brought out “Red Wing Custom Moldable Foot Bed Insoles” You can heat these in the oven and create a custom fit if you like, but from the moment I slipped my feet back into my boots I was in heaven. Now I can support my arches throughout the day and make the transition between shoes and boots knowing that I am not prone to excessively stretching my arch in flat footwear. I think this will be a major plus for me. The discomfort I have generally occurs the day after running. (walking around at work becomes uncomfortable) This afternoon I have had no trouble. In truth I think this is really a short term help because I know that internally I have injured something. However this should help with recovery and hopefully help in these final weeks leading up to Main Street and beyond.

Post Disney I am going to take a running break and really give my foot the time it needs to heal properly. This means I will need to watch my diet closer and commit (ugh) to weight training. Biking may be ok as it does not seem to bother the arch. But I am thinking an all out break for the feet may be in order. I have plans for my feet and I need them healthy for Dam next year and if I decide to participate in the Des Moines marathon next year. I’d love to consider Disney again in 2010 but financially I am not sure I can swing another year of travel down that way so soon.

Next years Dam will be a good place to decide upon whether to maintain steady training for another half during the Des Moines event or if I am willing to commit to the full. As it stands today I can not see “running” an entire marathon. Although I can envision wogging it, but I am not certain that I can do that with pace requirements. They have walkers that do the marathon, does that mean I could start with them? They leave an hour early. Do these statements sound like I’m copping out already? I hope not. (So much to consider and too soon to decide) Overall, pacing may be the key. Frankly I’m surprised to even be considering it.

At the very least I am setting some post Disney goals. I hope that many of you are too.

Duck Feet? Yes Duck Feet!

Yep that's me dressed as Donald about 17 years ago. We were going to a halloween party. My wife and her friends had the idea of being Huey, Dewey, and Louie so naturally I was to be Donald. It's funny to look back at this now knowing that soon we will all be down in the parks chasing this fine feather fellow.

Speaking of ducks and feet our pal Doc Terminus could not resist a little duck feet fun himself. Stop by Passamaquoddy and check it out.

My arch is feeling better today and I did make it out for a jog tonight. I was going to go up to SNAP for biking and treadmill work but when I stepped outside I decided to just jog outdoors. Temps here are in the low 20's but there was no wind.
I had a comfortable Dewey jog on trails I am familiar with. Two things worked in my favor today. One, because I decided to jog outside at the last minute I did not have my garmin. This was actually nice because I generally look at my pace and stress over it. Tonight I was just able to relax and have fun at a nice pace. Two, I wore an old pair of running shoes to work today. These have much higher support in them than the shoes I typically wear to the office. All day I could tell my left foot was happy. I can't wear these shoes during regular buisness so I need to come up with a plan. I am going to shop for an over the counter support for walking or I will stop over to the Red Wing store and see what they have that might work.

I played cards last night with some high school friends which was nice. It's amazing how laid back we were, compared to what seems like only a short time ago. My friend Dave tells me he has begun jogging. Hopefully he and I can work out some running times together. (Too bad the weather is turning cold here.) I told Dave he should consider DAM and shrugged it off. I think he could certainly be ready. He has been running 2-3 miles per outing for awhile now but he tells me he did over 7 one night.
He runs a 10:30 pace which puts him right there close to me. So here's hoping I can have a running buddy again.

Feet

"I wish that I had duck feet. And I can tell you why. You can splash around in duck feet. You don't have to keep them dry."

Ok I really don't want duck feet, but these days I can't keep Donald off my mind. We are just over two months away. It's exciting.

Still relying on Bike work to keep my cardio up while nursing my feet. That darn arch is slow to heal and as for that blister, I had to just take the skin off of it. The movement from walking was working the loose skin back and forth and keeping it from healing. But now its getting better and if both feet are up to it I hope to get a 6-8 mile jog in this weekend. I need to strike a good balance between now and January. But it will come together.

Stuff That Works

I created this simple video because I could not find a decent copy of this classic Guy Clark song to share. Sometimes you just have to rely on the things that work. Team Voice for example.

For Chris

So Chris posted a comment that his daughter dressed up as Jasmine for Halloween. He also mentioned she has red hair. Which caused me to wonder what Jasmine would look like with Ariel's hair...



Is anyone else having trouble viewing Andy's blog? I can briefly view it and then IE errors out and kicks me off his page. Other links seem to be working fine.

A Halloween Favorite

I have mentioned in earlier posts that I am a fan of classic motion pictures and the stars of earlier days. Halloween is no different. Once again I find myself going back and enjoying a number of old horror movies. True classics such Universal Pictures Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolfman starring Bela Legosi, Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr. respectively. I enjoy these old pictures equally but it is the original silent film version of Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney Sr. that is up at the top of my list every year.
A silent film you ask? Yes a silent film. For an old film it follows the story line of the book quite well.

I first viewed this film about 10 years ago when American Movie Classics was commercial free. There have been many film adaptations of this story, most of them are forgettable. The other I somewhat enjoyed, was the filmed version Andrew Lloyd Weber’s production. I have not seen the stage performance but would like too.

The 1925 version of the film uses color tinting to set the mood in various scenes and uses more elaborate color effects during the masquerade ball scene and again on the roof of the opera house as Erik (the phantom) in flowing red robes eavesdrops on a conversation between Raul and Christine.

Unmasking the Phantom.



Learn more about the 1925 film here.

The Phantom of the Opera was written in 1910 by Gaston Leroux learn more about him and the history of written works here.

A couple years ago I looked for a good copy of this film on DVD. Mostly what I found were very poorly transferred copies by companies I had never heard of. But in the end I did find a nice 2 disc set that I am pleased with. If you are interested in buying this film consider the version I have. It can be found on Amazon here.

We had a beautiful night for Trick or Treaters. We had a Mike Wasowski, Capt. Jack Sparrow, Stitch, two Minnies', a dog dressed as Woody, and dozens of Disney Princesses. The number of kids tonight was crazy. My wife had to go out for more candy. In all we handed out 8 bags.

Happy Halloween everyone.

Training

First off if you have not been over to AATC let me announce here that as a team we put in 156.25 miles. I received Kristin's milage this morning. 9 miles. It's so exciting to see everyones mileage and time improve. Whose up for a 200 mile event some time after we recover form Disney? Ok on the training.

We finally caught a break in the weather today. No rain and the temp was up from the 24F we had yesterday morning. Yep a little frost on the old pumpkin. Anyway this afternoon I decided to take the new shoes on the road. They have been doing well on the TM so now is was time to hit the street. My intention was to do a 6-8 miles wog. I guess you could say it turned into more of a sprog. Half mile walks mixed with half mile sprints. I was pleased with the sprints. I am hoping that working on this will help with my overall pace. Not sure if it will benefit me by January, but looking ahead to next years Dam I would like to beat the 10min pace. I am setting that as a goal for next years event. I will certainly be doing Dam and I will either run the Des Moines half again or consider training further and going for the whole marathon. My present thinking is that I could take the wog approach to a full. But who knows, that is a long way off.

I had an issue with my right foot today. I have a blister the size of a nickle between my big toe and the ball of my foot. I had a small blister right after the half and had thought it healed. I'm uncertain if I just aggravated the original blister or if the sprints caused something new altogether. I was wearing the same medium weight socks I used during the half. I need to let this heal right so it does not bother me down the road. So it looks like I will be leaning toward more biking to keep my cardio work up while giving my feet a break. I feel I really need the weight bearing exercise though. Somehow I need to find a good balance that will allow my body to get some recovery while still training toward the Disney Half.

Any suggestions?

Trick or Treat Pt. 4

Hey gang I received a report yesterday from Heath. It seems he managed to find himself a near permanent resident of the Twilight Zone. But he is back with us. I have updated the roster over on AATC and as a Team we are less than 3 miles from breaking 150 miles for the event. This means that once I receive confirmation from Craig regarding if Kristin ran we will be over that mark. I had extended the invite to Byron as well, but like Kristin I have not heard anything. Hopefully we will hear from one of them soon and break 150.

Disney’s Lonesome Ghosts

Trick or Treat Pt. 3

Every Halloween I have a few select favorite things that I enjoy reading or watching. One of my favorite reads are the stories and poems of Edgar Allen Poe.
The Tell Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, and of course The Raven.
My favorite reading of this poem was done by Christopher Walken. I found todays video on youtube posted by "rustyghoul". Enjoy.



Oh and did no one really find the Mickey in the Shining clip?

Trick Or Treat Pt. 2

Todays video is a wonderful example of editing and talent. Where else but YouTube can you find creativity like this?

I enjoyed Jack Nicholson in "The Shining" but the book is far better than the film version. In both versions Jack "Torrance" has been hired as a caretaker for the Overlook Hotel. He and his family will spend the winter there alone. The isolation begins to wear on him and he goes insane. In the book there is a direct correlation between the boiler in the celler and Jack temperment. A fact not seen in the film. The boiler has a faulty valve and if not checked regularly it may explode. In the book Stephen King does a masterful job with building the pressure on Jacks character. There is far more happening at the Overlook than I can detail here but if you are a fan of the film consider reading the book.

Training. Fourth day of rain here. I'm beginning to think I'm living in Seattle. Of course if I was I'd be knocking on Jonathan's door this morning and saying hey pal let's get out there and run. All I'm saying is I really wish I had a running buddy.
So up to SNAP again for Biking, Weights, and a short jog in my new shoes.

I purchased another pair of Mizunos, this pair has a slightly higher arch and the arch is much firmer. Hopefully less flexing will help.
I plan on using this pair for longer runs and the other pair for shorter runs. I only have a couple hundred miles on the first pair so I still should use them.

One last note about todays video. Did you spot the hidden Mickey?

Weather is Turning

The weather has finally taken a turn here on the Tundra. Rainy and cold for the past three days. Made it up to SNAP this morning for a jog on the dreadmill. I found that I am still a bit sore from Sunday so I decided to stop at the 5k mark. I'm going to drop by the fitness store where I purchased my latest shoes. There was a Mizuno insert in my packet this weekend that had a shoe with higher arch support in it than mine. I like my shoes but the longer distances seem to bother me. I'm taking a photo in of my wet footprint. As you can see my arch is rather high. I may need to consider orthodics. Interestly my right arch has never really had an issue. Well I'll see what they say and go from there. How's the weather in your area?

Trick or Treat Pt. 1

Tim Burton’s Vincent



As we approach Halloween I thought it might be fun to feature a few of the more interesting videos I've come across on YouTube. I will post one every few days or so.

As for training, I'm getting back on that horse right after work tonight. My feet are feeling better but I'm going to give my arches another day before running again. So tonight I'm going to do some biking and I plan on committing to doing some weight training every other day between now and Orlando.

Morning Inspiration & My First Official Half Marathon

Click the link below for an inspiring story.

Knoxville Man Runs 100 Miles In 24 Hours

We had a great turn out yestersday for Saturdays portion of the Lonesome Elevator Run. I look forward to hearing from more of you today. And did you notice Kate has set the bar this weekend for a full half marathon. Ok Kate now its my turn.

Update:

Woke up bright and early at 5:30. Dressed, ate breakfast, and did some streaching. Race time for me was 8:00 but not knowing what to expect I left the house and was downtown by 6:30. The temp was 46. It was nice that I made it down early because at 7:00 they allowed the Marathon walkers to start. I had discovered at packet pickup that a couple friends of ours (Deb and Marilyn) would be walking the full marathon. It was nice to see them before the start and wish to each other well.

Shortly after they left I returned to my car and took off my outer layer of clothing. Returning to the starting line I found that Anytime Fitness was leading some pre race stretching exercises so I joined in. After that I walked around waiting for the announcement to line up. I began to notice that many people were wearing plastic garbage bags to help keep warm. What a simple idea. It looked a bit silly but it was something that could be disposed of quickly at race time.



Rather than having "gates" this event used pace runners. These runners each held signs stating an expected finish time. My goal was to finish between 2:15 - 2:30. The closest pace runner to that held a sign for 2:20. When the gun sounded it was a mere 49 degrees. We were packed in together pretty tight at the beginning. I expected that like DAM it would be a good mile or more before everyone thinned out enough that we could actually run. I was wrong, shortly after crossing the timing chip mats things spread out fast. I could not believe it, right out of the gate and we were nearly jogging at pace. Having the pace runner was nice because it gave me a visual aid that helped me to check against taking off too fast.

The first 3 miles wind around the buildings of Des Moines downtown district before the Marathon and Half Marathon runners split. About a half mile from the split we entered Water Works park. This portion of the course is an out and back. Before we reached mile 5 the first runners were already coming back our way. Wow I watched these athletes running past without a bit of strain on their faces. They looked so comfortable even while maintaining such a fast pace. While on this leg of the course I began to see many people discarding long sleeved shirts. Everyone that I saw do this was courteous and tossed the clothing off to the side. During the run I made use of the Sports Beans. They did seem to help and I made the effort to take them shortly before water stations.

As mile 9 approached we had left Water Works and begun a two mile loop around Grays Lake. So far I was still running right next to my pace runner. Prior to Grays Lake we had been running on roads, here we were on a walking trail. Which was quite a bit narrower. At first this was not a problem because everyone was in motion and staggered out. The one complaint I have about this course came near mile 10. This was a horrible spot for a water station. Suddenly we were all bottled up and at one point I had to stop because I simply could not move. People grabbed their water and walked with it 4 abreast on the trail. Losing that momentum really hacked me off.
Shortly after that I began falling behind the pace runner. I tried to catch up but it was taking more effort than I could give.

By mile 11 I was starting to tire out but I knew the end was getting close. A couple of times I had to slow down to a walk because I was over exerting myself trying to catch up to the pace guy. I finally had to give myself permission that it was ok if I did not get back up there. Once I did that I settled into a nice light jog to finish the race. From a half mile out I watched the pace runner cross the finish. The funny thing is that my chipped time actually has me finishing at 02:20:09.
Just before finishing I had something happen that I had never experienced. I had spasms in each of my calves. It was brief but a bit scary. I had a fleeting image of crashing before crossing the line.





This picture was taken right after the finish. I was spent. I grabbed a water and told my wife I need to keep moving and I explained about my calves. She insisted I eat a banana which I did.(even though I do not like them) We walked up to my car and I changed into some dry clothes. Then it was back to the celebration and FOOD! I did some streaching afterward but mostly I just tried to keep walking. We decided to make a day of it, so we stayed and waited for Deb and Marilyn to come in. While waiting I decided it was time to begin carb loading for the next run.



Shortly after 2 o'clock Deb and Marilyn arrived having finished a full marathon distance in just over 7 hours. To celebrate we all went to dinner at El Bait Shop

So those are the events of my day. I can tell you I clearly have things to work on over the next couple months. Most importantly I need to condition my feet back into these longer runs. I felt a bit of a hot spot near the end of todays run. At home I discovered a small blister just behind my big toe. I have never had a blister there before. Not entirely sure what caused it. After taking a nap this evening I found that my left arch is once more givng me discomfort. I did not bother me prior to lying down.

Before closing I want to thank everyone for the great participation in this weekends virtual Team Meet. I see by my email that Andy (yes that Andy) and Matt have checked in. I will update the chart before turning in tonight.

Sundays Coming

Made the trip down for packet pick up this afternoon. I am both anxious and excited about this race. I am familiar with the streets this course follows but I have only jogged around the larger lake area you see pictured on the map above. I have mixed feelings when I run unfamilar courses. The last time I ran a new course I became frustrated when having thought I'd gone 3 miles the garmin told me I had only traveled 2.

To help me through this event I will be using an ipod which is something I did not do at Dam and will not be doing at Disney. The official rules for this race state.

The IMT Des Moines Marathon is a USTAF sanctioned race and does adhere to the Rules of Competition as laid out by USATF. However, Rule 144.3(b) is intended to serve as a guideline for road races, allowing each event to determine how to interpret and enforce Rule 144.3(b).

You will not be disqualified or removed from the IMT Des Moines Marathon course for using a personal music device on race day. Please be extra cautious and mindful of the volume of your music and your presence on the course as it relates to athletes and spectators around you.

I have no problem with the concept of headphones and safety. I completly agree with the motives behind it. I still train with music and most likely always will. Over the past several months I have become comfortable keeping the volume at a lower level than I used to. If I happen to get out on the course and find they have some entertainment along the way I will turn mine off.

I still consider myself new to organized races. The only two I have done thus far were Dam '06 & '08. This race is different in that the Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay will start together at 8:00 a.m. Perhaps this is typical but having so many thousand of people starting together is something I can hardly get my mind around. Walkers get a 1 hour early start at 7:00.

The cool weather will be a factor as the expected high for Sunday is 66F. That sounds nice but the morning will be very cool. I went out shopping for a long sleeved running shirt today just in case. Have I mentioned before that I hate the design method behind running clothes? I don't know if this affects women but I can tell you I am not a fan of the "athletic cut." I have never liked clothing that fits tight so I tried on xl shirts. They were fine across the torso but the arm length was ridiculously long. Finally I found a Large Champion brand shirt at Target that worked out fine.

After having attended this afternoons expo I feel myself looking forward to Sunday. I only wish it was tomorrow so I could get on with it.

This is a chipped event and I guess somewhere on the website they are suppose to be posting spits and finish times. My number is 6144 and the chip is 05800153cdad

Additional information about the Des Moines marathon can be found here.

I hope your elevator runs are all going well.

If we can Dream it, then we can build it, and then we can eat it.

Hooray! I can play with my food again!!!

This product caught my eye at Target the other day.

Want to learn more about Disney themed food products?

Click here.

Caption This #13

"Now where did I put that All About the Mouseketeer roll call button?"

From MikeF: "Push the blue button?!? They're all blue buttons!"

From Matt: "Button. Button. Whose got the button?"

From Ryan: This is the lamest version of SimCity ever!

From Rae!: "Who am I going to flush today?"

From Chris:"In the future, we'll have so many channels, you won't even be able to HOLD your TV remote!"

Can You Feel It?

Ok raise your hand if you’re getting excited!

I have to admit that over the past couple of months my excitement level was beginning to wane. I can’t explain it. Perhaps it has been because for a while now the Disney Marathon weekend seemed so far away. But I can feel the momentum beginning to grow. This morning during my run I listened to the second half of AATM # 79. Listening to Bryan, Jonathan, Lou, and Mike helped give me a real boost today. I am bummed to hear that Mike and Lou will not be running this year. However, Lou will be in Disney and has agreed to join Team Voice for the “We Go On” meet in Epcot. Episode # 79 was a nice round tale discussion. For other past discussions download episodes # 4 and #39. Listen to these and other episodes of All About The Mouse here.

Another great source that you will enjoy reading (especially so for us first timers) is a detailed post you will find over at Kate’s Thinking Spot about her 2008 half marathon experience.

I wanted to throw out an idea regarding the days leading up to marathon weekend. We will be arriving on Tuesday the 6th and staying at Pop Century. I would like to know if any of you are interested in doing an early morning light 5K jog on either Wednesday the 7th or Thursday the 8th. My only concern is with getting those interested, together. Like me I am sure a number of you will also be using Disney transportation and not renting a car. There is no direct resort to resort connection. Right now I am planning on running at least a short distance around POP just to get a bit acclimated to the Florida weather. Let me know if anyone is interested.

I have also done a bit of park hour research for my trip. Here are the hours including which park has extra magic hours each day. The color coding indicates which park I am planning to visit each day. Of course it all subject to change.

Whom would you choose?

You've just been granted the chance to be on the Biggest Loser. You find out that you can choose either Bob or Jillian as your trainer. Whom do you choose?

The Biggest Loser is one of my favorite programs on television today. Over the course of each season we get just a glimpse into the many lives that are changed while staying at “The Ranch” The weight loss on the show is astounding but that alone would not be enough to keep me coming back each week, nor would the various contests. For me there is something special about witnessing another person’s life transform, to see joy on another’s face when they achieve a goal. For most of the contestants it appears they are indeed in it for the long haul of a lifestyle change.

We have to keep that word contestant in perspective because in the eyes of NBC that is what they are. In my eyes, and I think I rightfully state in the eyes of Bob and Jillian we see people who want more that the game out of this. At least most of them do. These trainers are passionate about what they do. They are very different in their methods. At least that is the impression we are left with when we look through the lens of broadcast editing. Jillian is clearly painted to be the bad cop to Bob’s good cop. When watching her in the gym pushing each person you get the sense that she could just snap at any moment.

Last night I think she should have snapped on Amy’s ass when she was being so smug on the treadmill about not having done her workout homework. Amy (purple team) was grinning at her and even blew a kiss at Jillian when she was kicked out of the gym. With an attitude like that I hope Amy goes home tonight.

On the other hand you have a contestant like Jerry (yellow team) who was facing major health issues. He left the show and has lost an amazing 70lbs. He was inspired to live healthier by the love of his daughter and when he was dismissed from the show he went out and got his own trainer. Two Thumbs up for you Jerry and your daughter Coleen. It is because of stories like yours that I watch.

Now back to the trainers. There is no doubt in my mind that Bob is as tough of a trainer as Jillian. Given their individual styles I think I would have better results with Bob.

I generally welcome criticism because if it is warranted and I am receptive I can grow stronger and become a better person for it. But if you berate me and try to tear me down so that you can “build me back up” I’m going to tune you out. I won’t be a smug prick like Amy. I’ll just move on with my life and I won’t have anything to do with you.

As members of Team Voice we are really on our own to see our daily goals through. The online support is wonderful, but I really wish we lived closer to one another and Disney. (ok I had to throw that last bit in)

Even though I would choose Bob, I want to say in Jillian’s defense that I think her apparent frustration comes from knowing that we each have much more potential than we give ourselves credit for. I think it blows her mind that others don’t see potential within themselves. Regardless of whom you might choose for your trainer none of you should ever sell yourselves short. What an amazing year we have had. Our quest is not over. Mainstreet and Spaceship Earth are only a few short months away. I for one am proud of each and every one of you.

And Everyone said Pride On 3.

1, 2, 3,

Pride!!!

Update 10/8/08 A shout out to Amy for realizing the mistake she made and for eating crow and coming back. Now Amy prove yourself to you and Jillian.

Our Next Virtual Run Will Be Here Soon.

Stop by All About the Corn for more details.

Cut my training run short tonight. I made the old mistake of starting out too fast. Everything felt good until about a mile out and then my calves said slow it down. They just tightened right up. I know better than to start out fast and yet every so often I still do it. I ended up doing half of my intended run.

I figured up where I am in the Florida mileage race. Over the next 13 weeks I would 39 miles per week to achieve the total distance before leaving for Orlando. It's possible if I continue to mix biking in with jogging. But I really need to maintain the discipline to see it through.

3 months to go. Is anyone else getting as anxious as I am?

Homecoming, Marching Band, And Our Next Virtual Run.

Well Friday was homecoming and we had an exciting game. We won 20-17. Both the Junior High and High School Bands preformed. The attached Jr High performance is from the game. Our high school kids performed one of the numbers they are doing in competition this year from "Wicked." Instead of recording this at homecoming with all the noise I recorded it Saturday at a local competition.

Jr Marching Mustangs - Wipeout

Marching Mustangs - Wicked

Stop over to the AATC. I have posted the details of our October Virtual Meet. All About The Corn I can hardly believe I was be leaving for Orlando in just 92 days. I will post more of my thoughts about that tomorrow or later in the week.

I am covering a co-workers shift this Sunday. If things are quiet I will have Skype open during the day. Be sure to log in and see if I'm online and say hello.

Neighborhood Watch (aka The Joy of Homecoming Week)

It's 9:45pm and I'm heading out the door for my evening run in a few moments. Tonight I'm on a mission. Details when I return.

Update 11:30pm. All appears to be quiet out on the Tundra so far this evening. Last night was not the case. It's homecoming week for the DCG Mustangs and that means a good number of pranksters have been making the rounds. Usually you would see a number of homes get TP'd or a house might end up with a mass of "For Sale" signs in its yard. This year things are turning destructive as the Juniors and Seniors try to out do each other.

At 3:30 this morning my wife(who was on her way to work)woke me up to inform me that our sons car was covered in vegetable oil and flour. I got up and sure enough she was right. So I decided to wash his car before I went to work. Now the cooler weather here means that the windows were covered in dew. Instictively I turned on the wipers. The blades smeared oil across the windshield and now I could not see out of the car.

Very cautiously I drove to the wash. The pranksters had been there too. Bags of flour were smashed all over the parking lot. When I went to use the foaming wand I discovered just how premeditated these pranksters were. The wands were also covered in vegetable oil. As ticked off as I was, that did make me chuckle a bit. Still the idea of other students getting in their cars and trying to drive to school with a smeared windshield haunted my morning. Our high school is out on a two lane highway which is not the best place for teen drivers to begin with. Along that 10 mile stretch of road we have a fatality or serious accident every year. We have a nephew that nearly died in a head on collision a few years back because another student threw a pop bottle out of a car window and he swerved to avoid it. So I take the driving safety of our local kids very seriously.

I caught wind that tonight the juniors were going to seek revenge by egging senior cars around town. I did not notice anything suspicious while I was out. I did however notice that the presence of our sheriff's department has been stepped up this afternoon and evening. So that has been my day. Hope yours has been better.

Training:
I updated the map in the right hand column. At present I am north of Atlanta. When I last added things up I was about 100 miles behind the Orlando goal. I will work on researching that goal in the days ahead.

Be sure to check out TDC #21 for Lisa's Toonfest report. It's a longer than average show but it flies right by. Fabulous job Lisa!

I'd Read It.

Wouldn't this be a great parody?
Stop by and visit www.passamaquoddy.blog.com today.

Caption This #12

Cornelius failed to impress the judges on this weeks ‘Humans Got Talent’

From mgreene: "Hey, can somebody bring us some flea spray?!"

From joggerblogger: "It said on the bottle Strawberry Blonde!"

From Basil: "The judges panel shows that the new season of Monkey's Got Talent is off to a rough start."

Have You Voted?

First things first. If you have not voted for in this years Podcast Awards drop everything and go there right now. Voting will be ending soon do not delay.
http://www.podcastawards.com/

And in other news have you heard that this years Half Marathon course has been changed? The starting gate is now located east of Epcot and our pal Huey will be out on World Drive rather than west of the Richard Petty Experience. These changes place the mile 6 marker near Cinderella castle rather than over by Splash Mountain.

Old Course

New Course 2009

Congrats to Deb for dropping in on our mutual pal Donald this weekend. Stop over and congratulate her yourself. http://www.debwdw.blogspot.com/

Structure: I Need It.

I need to make some changes. Over the past month I have been relying on biking rather than weight bearing exercise to get my mileage in. The result is that I go out on the weekend for a long run and my feet(especially my left arch)are not really prepared for it. I end up wlking around sore for a day or two. Beginning today I need to use the bike only to add miles instead of replacing them. Otherwise I am not going to be as prepared as I'd like to be in January.

One thing that should help is the Des Moines Half Marathon which is on the 19th of October. Truthfully I had been on the fence about doing this. Two things changed my mind. I need the motivation and my office paid for my registration.



As for recent training I went out this past Tuesday and pushed too hard too fast and injured my left arch. I hobbled around Wednesday and Thursday. It feels much better today even after this mornings short WOG. Incidently this mornings outing let to a new discovery for me and something to work on. When entering into jogging today I was much better about rolling my foot from heel to toe. The result was a quicker and smoother pace. But I do not have the stamina to maintain that pace. I was jogging sub 9s. The realization is that when I go have been going out at a steady pace I am running primarily on the ball of my foot. Hence post run discomfort. I have the weekend off and will do some experimenting with my jogging. Don't miss todays update over on the AATC.

Special thanks to Bryan and Jonathan for playing AATC2 on Episode 76 of the All About The Mouse Today. Mike and I had fun working on that.