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Roller Coaster Run

 I was really looking forward to my long run today.

It was set for 7 miles according the the Jeff Galloway Dopey Training Program and all indications looked as if it was going to be amazing.

My body battery was charged up at 10. I've had at least 8 hours of sleep per night for 6 nights straight...including 9 1/2 last night (although it was going to be 8 1/2 so I could get out at 6am to run, but since I had all day and nothing else on the agenda but preparing for the week, I decided to indulge a little and sleep in.)

Because I was getting a little later start, and it's Sunday, I decided to complete my 7 miles on the street in front of my house. It's a .1 mile strip with a cold-a-sac on one end. It's not ideal for a long run...better suited for hills and drills, but hey, I've done the Virtual Goofy Challenge on it (Half Marathon Saturday, Full Marathon Sunday) along with countless other runs so what's one more time.

I am actually getting into more of a marathon training mindset, and plan on doing all of my other long runs on an out and back course in town. It helps with pace and is more realistic for what I'll be doing on my race days come January.

Now, I've been upping my speed work with drills and tempo runs the past couple of weeks based on the 3plus2 training program in Run Less, Run Faster by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr and Ray Moss. It's been going very well, and I'm in pre-training to try and follow their 16 Week Marathon Training Program combined with Jeff Galloway's Dopey Challenge Program protocol come September.

The reason I want to get faster is not because I'm competitive. Quite the contrary. I really don't care how fast I am. Sure, I laugh to myself when I take two hours to finish a 10k sometimes, when my PR is 1:53 for a half marathon. But it really doesn't matter to me how fast I finish, as long as my runs are injury free and I'm having fun!

So why the speed work?

I discovered something this week while conducting "research" on some Dopey Challenge Facebook groups.

You see, one of the athletes were asking what pace you have to run in order to ride Expedition Everest during the marathon and still finish on time.  

Say what?

A fascinating conversation then ensued on that thread...

Upon further investigation I discovered all kinds of Disney Marathon "extras" like riding rides, having special park foods while running and of course, a grip of photo opps with character stops and pictures in front to of the castle.

So now I want to be as fast as possible so that I can have more fun on race day! Can you say Mickey Mouse Pretzel? Sounds like the perfect race food to me!

Back to my 7 miler...

So I was rested, legs felt good, fish/rice/brussel sprouts for dinner last night (my favorite pre-race meal), hydrated....Run Disney Playlist jammin', and great weather. I had roller coasters at DisneyWorld on my mind for inspiration and I set out for a solid long.

But tummy trouble seemed to set the tone for the day, which is highly unusual for me. I had waves on flip floppiness and ran the best I could, walking when I needed to.

I opened a Belvita cookie...my go to for race food and nibbled on it after feeling like bonking 25 minutes into the run. I normally don't have breakfast before running unless it's going to be over 10 miles, but I started regretting this decision as my energy level dipped. The cookie helped and I continued along.

My cardio felt great and my muscles were a-ok...but I just could't run as much as I wanted. By 4.6 miles I thought I might have to walk the rest of the way.

Each time one of my favorite songs came on my playlist I'd pick it up and run as far as I could. I try and run 3/4 of the the street that is flattish and downhill and walk up the hill, so each lap I would strive to hold that pattern.

And low and behold, by mile 5.5 I was feeling a little better and could pick up the pace again.

Mile 6 felt great! I had a pretty mean thirst but I didn't dare stop and cut my momentum, feeling like a water break would have my stomach start doing cartwheels again.

So all in all I finished quite strong! I took my sweaty selfie and patted myself on the back, satisfied with a great effort, and proud of myself for not throwing in the towel and just walking when I wasn't feeling 100%.






I grabbed my sweater off our rock wall, and popped the last have of a Belvita cookie in my mouth that was resting next to my water bottle. As I reached for my headphone case I realized the top of the wall was moving.

A colony of fire ants had found my aid station on the rock wall and had been going to town on the cookie!



 I immediately spit the cookie out on the ground, dropped my jacket and proceeded to freak out, getting all of the fire ants off of me.

I ended up with only three bites: arm, stomach and yes, my tongue. What a crazy roller coaster run indeed!

I'm already recovered from the bites although they do itch like a son of a gun. My tongue feels like I burned it, but it's ok. It's all part of the journey! 

Sometime a great run is on the other side of some tough miles. Just keep going and follow the plan. 

You'll find what you're looking for at the finish line in Anaheim, and in every mile that it takes to get there.


Until our next adventure...

Xo,

Kelsie


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