Big Weekend!

This weekend is going to be a pretty busy weekend. There are going to be be a lot of us at various races across the globe.

I wanted to wish everyone luck who has a race this weekend.

Shirley: Siouxland Louis and Clark Marathon, October 20th.

Melisa a.k.a "Irish Blue": Columbus Half Marathon, October 21st.

Petra: Amsterdam Marathon, October 21st.

Maddy: Nike San Francisco Women's Marathon, October 21st.

Marathon Chris: U Can Finish 5 Miler, October 21st.

It's going to be a great weekend!

The Great Dolphin Runners!

This picture commemorates the first annual Great Dolphin Run (5 miles
give or take a Mickey Ear). It was a great evening of slow running
around the grand resorts of Walt Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. We
finished up the night with a decadent table full of french fries and
nachos at the Fountain Restaurant in the Dolphin Hotel... and our
great surprise at the very next table was Steve Ballmer, the CEO of
Microsoft (no lie) quietly enjoying a Mickey Deluxe Cheeseburger and a
big Chocolate Shake. He was in the pressence of real greatness, that
being Marathon Chris, Maddy, Shirley and, of course, The Zen Runner...

Great memories - better friends. On to next year!


Thanks to Adam for the photos, summary and dinner!!

Edited by Chris:

Here is the route around the Dolphin and Boardwalk that we ran:


Sport Tracks says we ran 4.22 miles in 46:37 min. Thanks that everyone ran my slow pace! :-)

the next big thing?

A few posts ago Chris's post about her run with Maddy mentioned Maddy's suggestion about all running the 2009 Disney Marathon together. Now I will confess I had been thinking of suggesting running a race together next year and Maddy's suggestion is a good one. I can't think I'd be able to keep the family away from this one, for one thing.

But Greg made a different suggestion a week or so ago and I thought I should run it past all of you. He suggested we get a team together to run the Reach for the Beach Relay in New Hampshire next September. This would involve about 1o or 12 of us running a 200 miles across the state in legs of different legs - travelling as a team in 2 vans and supporting whichever one of us is running the race. I've just read a piece in this month's UK RunnersWorld about running relay races and it just seems like so much fun - and we'd be such a great team!

At this point in time there is no information on the website about the 2008 race but if we are interested and can get a team together, I'm quite happy to help to organise this? I could certainly contact the race directors and see what information I could pull together. So what do you think guys?

This is What a Marathoner Looks Like

Okay, so it's another post about another cool blog...

Katie, training for her first marathon, posts a regular and a running picture of people who have completed at least one marathon. Check it out here!

Thanks to Tall Girl Running for the heads up!

Several of you qualify. I will in 17 days.

A Few Miles Together!!

Maddy and I had a marvelous run this morning on the beautiful Seminole-Wekiva Trail. I was very happy to be a part of Maddy's last big run as she now begins her taper going into the San Francisco Women's Marathon.

She was scheduled to do 20 miles today. She was happy to just run 18 or 19 if I did the 7 or 8 I was planning. Instead, I did 10 with her after her first 11....she ran 21 miles! She even let me take my scheduled walking breaks :-). Our overall pace was 11:24 min/mi. I hope I look that good after my 22 miler next week :-)

I took the iRiver along to record our training reports but since I have been device challenged lately, my battery ran out halfway through. Fortunately, I got the better half of the report - so make sure you listen to The Extra Mile Podcast - probably episode 11 - for Maddy's report. I can re-record mine later.

Maddy is going to rock this marathon, she is so ready!!! Oh, and just so you know, she has almost reached her goal for donations, so if you were thinking of supporting her, make sure you get that in soon (and she didn't even pay me to say that). She is representing a good cause and a good friend in her training.

In another week and a half, Maddy and I will be doing a fun run with Shirley and Adam. Only 3-5 miles around Disney's Dolphin hotel and Boardwalk area. Stay tuned!!!

I only wish more of you could join us. Maddy had a great idea for Jan 2009. We think that we should all run the Disney World Marathon together. Just think of what a magical day that could be :-).

Miracle Mile 15K

Today I ran the Miracle Mile 15K with my husband. The full story is on my blog, but the Reader's Digest version:


Last year: 1:52:27 / 12:03 min/mi (15K PR)

This Year:
Goal: 1:42 / 11 min/mi
Actual Chip time: 1:39:57 (new PR!)
Pace: 10:43 min/mile

I am very pleased with the results!!! :-)

Check Out the New Info on Races and Training

Shirley, who is much more savvy in web ways than I am, has updated the blog to include our upcoming races along with our training status on the left side of the page. Check it out!!!

If you have races to include post them here and we will try to get them included.

Thanks, Shirley!

Nova to Air Show on Marathoning on Oct 30th

I received an email from NOVA who wondered if I would post some information regarding a show they will be airing in October. I think it is going to be a great show on marathoning - and I wish it was airing BEFORE MCM. Still, it will be something to watch while in recovery.

Here is the info:

In cooperation with the Boston Athletic Association and Tufts University, NOVA was granted unprecedented access to the Boston Marathon course. In the summer of 2006, we began following 13 hopeful novices as they took the first step toward completing the 26.2-mile race in April 2007. The participants come from diverse backgrounds - a young woman running in memory of her mother, who died in a tragic car accident; a working single mom; even a former NFL linebacker. The one unifying element is that none of them is currently a runner. Over the nine-month training period, exercise and nutrition scientists and doctors at Tufts University use sophisticated technology to monitor the physical transformations that the participants have undergone. The experience demands a transformation of mind and body, and NOVA cameras are there, following every step of the way. Who was able to finish the race and what type of changes did the runners experience? You will have to tune in to find out.

"Marathon Challenge" will premiere Tuesday, October 30 at 8:00 pm on most PBS stations. For more information you can go to www.pbs.org/nova/marathon. You can also view a short promo of the show on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHuYNb5Rnxg.

Chili's

Hey everyone! On Monday, September 24th participating Chili's restaurants will donate 100% of their profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. So go eat at Chili's and support St. Jude's! www.chilis.com

Worldwide Half Marathon

Friends, we are a mere three weeks away from the Worldwide Half Marathon! Have you all joined TEAM ELIJAH yet? Do you all have your reminder bands? I have more to send out if you do not. Go team go!