ScoJo's Running Down a Dream Journal (comments welcome)

[CACruisin']

Great job on the race Scott! Sorry the planning part wasn't done better. Hopefully the race folks will get that figured out by next year. I hope your foot feels better soon.

Awesome deal on your shoes too. I was Sports Authority this morning getting the kids new Emu (Ugg knockoff) boots for swimming - $25 instead of $50-$70!

 

[kimwim8]

AWESOME job with the race! That stinks that they weren't organized. I get so worked up before the piddly races that I've done, I can't even imagine what you were going through.

Glad you had a good Thanksgiving!

What time did you go out today? Are you a die-hard Black Friday shopper like me? Leaving the house at 3:30am??

Have a great week, and good luck with what sounds like a rough one!

 

[toystoryduo]

Great job on your race, Scott! Wear your t-shirt proudly even if it's not Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kimwim8]

Hey Scott (I seem to be following Tracy around today)! I just wanted to WISH you luck with the upcoming week of training. I hear this long one's gonna be a doozy! If anyone can do it - I know you can!!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hey Scott ( I'm following you around now, Kim! )

Wow.... The big 18 miler is this weekend, right? You know what? I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT, SCOTT! You have such amazing strength and determination. Look at all you have accomplished in just a few short months. That marathon is YOURS for the taking in January, Scott!

Have a great weekend and be sure to take it easy on Sunday!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hey Scott,

I'm leaving for the World tomorrow, but I just wanted to stop by and WISH you lots of luck on your run this weekend! Take care!

 

[ScoJo15]

I'm done with these boards.

I just typed a mega long update only to hit submit and have it ask me to log in again, losing everything that I typed.

 

[kimwim8]

I'm done with these boards.

I just typed a mega long update only to hit submit and have it ask me to log in again, losing everything that I typed.

OH NO!!!

Don't you dare leave us!! Just copy before hitting post!! That way you know you can paste it into Word or another post if it doesn't go through.

I can't wait to hear how the big run went this weekend!

 

[CACruisin']

I'm done with these boards.

I just typed a mega long update only to hit submit and have it ask me to log in again, losing everything that I typed.

Huge Bummer! I hope your long run went well. I'm sure it did.

 

[ScoJo15]

Forgive me DISboards for I have sinned. I did not mean to use your name in vein and seek the utter demise of all that was DIS related earlier in the week. Oh, ye, the mighty DISboards are all-knowing...all-powerful...and I sacrifice myself before thee...

wait...



That should fix it!!

Hello everyone!! yes... ...I just put a Santa hat on. Tis the season, right?

What's up with the smileys all of a sudden? And where I have I been? Well... ...here is my story

a week ago Friday - took the day off after the Gobble Jog
a week ago Saturday - ran a solid 8 miler at the park. Did it in 68:42 for an 8:35mpm pace
a week ago Sunday - took the day off
a week ago Monday - 60 minute 'hood run. Boy it was a rough one...ended up doing 6.59 miles in 62:51, a 9:32 pace. Can you say 'tired body?'
a week ago Tuesday - 40 long minutes on the elliptical and weighed in at 193.6 (ouch, up a pound...not bad i guess with the Thanksgiving stuff)
Wednesday - 40 minute 'hood run. It was tough enough to just get out there, so I decided to just to 4 miles. Did them in 37:41 for a 9:25 pace.

Allow me to pause here a second....decided that I'd do some laundry on Wednesday night, since I didn't feel like working out without shorts on the rest of the week . So I grabbed my big ol' laundry basket and headed downstairs to get it started. Only problem is that when I hit the second step, my foot slipped on a dog toy and I went crashing down...HARD...jarring my spine on the steps and smashing my elbow on the wooden rail....followed by a slide down 12 steps which I could not prevent from happening. My dream of the marathon ending and reinjuring my bulging disc was coming to realization as I crashed down every step. As soon as I hit the bottom landing, I sprung up to make sure I could still walk...and I could..but I couldn't move my left arm too well. To close out the dramatics and just report the damage, I ended up with a bruised muscle by my elbow which prevented me from fully moving it for two days and two nasty carpet burns, one on my lower back, right on the spine and one on the posterior side of my left leg. So that led to:

Thursday - off
Friday - off
Saturday - Finally feeling better, but not wanting to risk further injury before the 18 miler on Sunday, I hit the LifeCycle for 30 minutes of hardcore cycling action. Ok, ok...so it was 30 minutes on Hills Plus...hardcore cycling just sounded so much better. Good news is that I weighed in at 188.8!! how the heck did that happen? Strange things are afoot at the fitness center....
Sunday - DUM DUM DUM......DUH DUH!! 18 miler folks and it was like a walk in the park (spoiled by a out of control garbage truck that had been taken over by what could only be described as that orangutan from "BJ and the Bear"...or wait..was that "Every Which Way But Loose"...Left turn Clyde!...anyway by an out of control garbage truck that runs you over, stops, picks you up and throws you in the compactor...cause that's what you feel like after 18 miles). Actually, things went pretty well and the last two miles were pretty brutal as usual...I'm convinced that any run over 14 miles produces the same achey, sore, beat up result. At least I'll know what I'll feel like post-26.2. I finished the run in 2:42:26, a 9:02mpm pace. Here are my splits:

1 - 8:11
2 - 8:50
3 - 8:50
4 - 8:39
5 - 8:35
6 - 8:52
7 - 8:46
8 - 8:16
9 - 8:47
10 - 9:01
11 - 8:54
12 - 8:42
13 - 8:51
14 - 9:27
15 - 9:27
16 - 9:50
17 - 10:11
18 - 10:17

So add in a day off yesterday to recover and that was the week that was.

Today I've got a 50 minute run planned followed by a 40 minute XT session tomorrow. Here's hoping this week is a little easier on The Scott than last week was.

Hope everyone has a great day!!! Thanks for listening!

 

[kimwim8]

The Scott did GREAT! I'm glad to see you back!!

(sounds like you need a party...stop on by - we're gearing up again ).

Seriously, that marathon taste must be in your mouth! You're SO close!!

 

[kmp1191]

Holy Crap!!
Now I know why I haven't been tracking your journal!!! You scare me!! 18 miles!!! Running for 2+ hours??!! Falling down stairs, AND STILL RUNNING??!!! Good lord....are you superman in disguise??!!

I'm going back over to my pathetic little whiney journal...
(shivvvver......) it's safer over there!!

(great job by the way....that's amazing!!)
marie

 

[kimwim8]

Holy Crap!!
Now I know why I haven't been tracking your journal!!! You scare me!! 18 miles!!! Running for 2+ hours??!! Falling down stairs, AND STILL RUNNING??!!! Good lord....are you superman in disguise??!!

I'm going back over to my pathetic little whiney journal...
(shivvvver......) it's safer over there!!

(great job by the way....that's amazing!!)
marie

No, Marie. He's Mr. Incredible! Seriously, I used to get intimidated by Scott. But now I've realized I just cheer him on and enjoy watching him succeed. I no longer compare myself to him. It's just not even playing fields!

 

[kmp1191]

Playing fields??? Hell, I'm not even on the same planet as him!!

 

[AmyBeth68]

Awesome job Scott....and thank goodness you didn't seriously injure yourself with that fall! You are amazing...the marathon is no match for you lol. Really proud of you for accomplishing such a huge running goal...and you did it SUPER FAST!!! Unbelievable. I'm with Kim and Marie....slightly intimidated, massively impressed, not sure you really are human ....I remember the days when we were actually running the same distances and times....ahhhh....the good old days LOL.

 

[ScoJo15]

You all are simply way to kind and I appreciate all the great things said here.

Please understand that I am just a lucky person...very lucky to have gone through this thing without any serious injury at all. At the slightest sign of pain or something gone wrong, everyone here was there for me to offer support and guidance. I would not be where I am without the support from all of you. Thank you.

I did manage to build up a solid base before starting the marathon portion of the training, but I really had no idea how mentally challenging everything would be. The journal was started as a means to compare running stories, times and successes...and ended up being a means of mental and emotional support. I realize how fortunate I am when I see others struggling with their own personal goals, be it weight loss...marathon training...or just getting thru the daily rigors of life. It's nice to have an environment where so many people can come together, in so many different stages of their own quests, who have found the common ideal of accomplishing a personal goal and offer so much support.

With that said...I'm just an average ordinary dude who has escaped, for whatever reason, any major setbacks on this particular journey and feels very very fortunate and lucky. *knock on wood* (still have lots of training left!)

So, I did the elliptical last night for 40 minutes and weighed in at 194.6 (wow, where did THAT come from?). My body feels pretty good and I think I'm prepared for tonight's run. Instead of doing 40 minutes, I'm gonna run 4 miles. Tomorrow brings a nice rest day.

Saturday calls for 40 minutes of XT and Sunday will bring an 8 mile long run. The week after is the longest, toughest week of training on the schedule. A full slate of weekly runs followed by a 20 miler. At this point in the game, I'm really debating the significance of running 20 and risking injury. I really think that I can scale it back to 12-14 miles, feel safe that I can do that mileage without injury, and still make it to Jan. 7 fully prepared. Mentally, I felt no difference between 14, 16 and 18 miles..they were all long and I felt the same way immediately afterwards...I just know that with so much running and XT that my body is way more prone to injury right now and I have to make a solid decision on what is more important. After all, I'm NOT running Disney for time...as a matter of fact, I'm gonna do it much slower than my normal runs and actually try to enjoy the thing. So anyway, I've got a week and a half to mull that over and make a good solid decision.

It really is amazing at how stripped down your mind becomes during this whole deal. I don't think I've read anything that really goes into detail on what you mentally go through, or maybe I'm just geared differently

Anyway, that's it for today..I hope everyone has a good one!

 

[ScoJo15]

Good morning!

Yesterday I decided that 20 mph winds in temps around the 30 degree mark would not be beneficial in any way to my training...so I headed to the fitness center and did my run on the treadmill.

I did 4 miles in 36:10 for a 9:03mpm average. I also reconfirmed my dislike for running in place for an extended period of time Kudos to anyone who runs on a treadmill frequently...I just can't see how I could do it.

Anyone notice last night that the Survivor finale is gonna be on Dec. 17th? Anyone realize that it means the finale will have 5 people in it instead of 4? And yes, final tribal council will be with 3 finalists, not 2!! Can't wait to see how this one plays out

That's all to report for today. Hope y'all have a good day and great weekend!

 

[kimwim8]

Anyone notice last night that the Survivor finale is gonna be on Dec. 17th? Anyone realize that it means the finale will have 5 people in it instead of 4? And yes, final tribal council will be with 3 finalists, not 2!! Can't wait to see how this one plays out

Nope, I hadn't noticed that! That woudl be a great way to mix it up!!

 

[CACruisin']

Hmmm. Interesting twist on survivor with three finalists. They have enough jury members too. g:

As for your 20 miler dilemma - as you have duly noted, marathon running is as much mental as physical. Obviously, you can't go out and complete a marathon without any physical training, but the mental aspect is not to be underestimated. The 20 miles is a big mental barrier for a lot of people. Hey there is only a 10k left to go after that, right? It is a confidence booster to know that you have crossed that milestone. Physically, there is no doubt in my mind that you will complete this marathon. And from what you have said, I think you are mentally ready as well. I'm not sure you need to do a 20 miler as a confidence booster, and the risk of injury is always real. What you don't want to do is shorten your taper time in order to "log more miles." Taper really is important to let your body physically be ready for the race. JMHO.

Good Luck with your decision and have a great weekend.

 

[kimwim8]

Hey Scott! Just checking in to see how you're holdin' up. Take care of yourself and enjoy some of the holiday festivities. You've accomplished SO MUCH this year! You should be so proud of yourself. I know we are proud of you!