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April 29, 2000

Staring at course maps. The half-marathon goes from Epcot to Magic Kingdom, the full comes back to Epcot.

Me thinks tis time to hunt me down a mailing list for more support!

Luna Bar: Toasted Nuts With Cranberry. Ok taste, but I think I would have liked it more with raisins and larger nut chunks.

Lunar Bar: Lemon Zest. Ick. It has a lemony glaze over the top like the chocolate ones have chocolate glazes but I found it very dry and chalky. Definitely not having that one again! Reminds me of the stuff the X-ray people make you drink before they do the X-ray.
posted by Astrophe 12:07 AM

Woke up -- no headache. I'm ready to go!!
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 7:53 AM

training walk number four
Guest Walking Buddy: the sounds of Dover, NH: the birds in the trees, the bugs in my face, the traffic on 155, and the jets taking off from Pease International Tradeport..
Minutes: 40
Mileage: 2.1
Total miles to date: 8.6

The walk, though harder than I expected to go, felt really good. And now it's off to buy my friend Heather a birthday present, and wait for her arrival..

I got my first online pledge card request, from Suzanne -- I'm looking into how Canadian donations work, and I'll get back to you! Thanks so much for the request :)

Be back tomorrow!!


posted by Adrith Bicchieri 9:04 AM

Training Day 4

  • Focus: Go Long
  • Time: 40 minutes
  • Distance:1.94
  • Steps: 5119
  • Estimated Burn: 347 calories
  • Average Speed: 2.8
  • Rating: 2-3

Assuming I have this pedometer calibrated correctly (and I might not!) those are the tallies off it after the end of my walk.

Here are my mistakes:

  • not wearing a hat,
  • not wearing shades
  • not taking water with me
  • not wearing sunscreen
  • not realizing that today is the community garage sale

There are ALL these cars driving around which makes walking in the street hellish so I had to walk on the sidewalk to avoid getting hit. Then I had to keep veering around driveways because people have garage sale stuff out.For those who don't know -- sidewalk pavement is much harder than road pavement and feet take a serious pounding on it, which is why all the joggers and runners do it to the side of the road and not on the sidewalk.

This silly dog kept chasing me too for a block. I felt like kicking it. I'm sure it was trying to be friendly, but why should I have to tolerate over-friendly dogs trying to jump on my legs? If my over-friendly iguana Lucy tried to jump on strangers they'd kick her and scream. So why can't I kick the poodle? Wish pet owner's would keep their pets under control. I'm allergic to fur, dang it! Shoo!

I sound like I'm in a bad mood -- but I am not. It's just the heat talking and me cranky from being up so early. 10 AM and it was already 75 deg F and 71% humidity. Muggy! Uck! Which means this afternoon will be in the 80's. We're just poking into May. Last summer we got into the 100's and it's looks likely that it will happen again. Argh!

I really admire Adrith for getting up so early to get this walk out of the way. I thought the Thursday intervals would be the hardest but you know what? These weekend outdoor walks are harder. I'm going to have to start getting up earlier to beat the heat! So much for sleeping in super-late on weekends for the next 7 months! :P

When Paul wakes up this afternoon I have to get him to help me calibrate this thing. I just read in the instructions that the presets are 2 and 3 ft, based on a man's stride.


posted by Astrophe 11:09 AM

Foo! Batteries need charging and I can't find the charger, so I can't take a "start" photo for this marathon stuff yet. Grr.

Reading Fitness Walking For Dummies to see what there is to see. So far so good.
posted by Astrophe 8:51 PM

April 28, 2000

training walk number 3

Guest Walking Buddy: the Cool World soundtrack
Minutes: 60
Mileage: 3.0

Before I say anything else, let me tell you I was wearing the headphones at the very back of my ears, just enough to hear the music, so that I could also hear the traffic, the birds, the gravel crunching under my feet. Ok?

Yesterday's walk was a killer. As Astrophe's previous entry says, we were supposed to do intervals. And guess what? I started out walking at my normal pace for my ten-minute warmup. I kicked it into a little higher gear for the first moderate section. By the time it was time for the first hard minute, I realized I was already working hard, and that if I tried to kick it up another notch, I was going to run out of energy 1.5 miles from my home, no payphone in sight to call my husband to come rescue me.

I think it's very sad that I can't read my body's signals to tell me how hard it's working. I guess I need to work on building a better relationship with it before I try intervals again. :/
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 9:18 AM

New problem to solve -- well, old problem becoming more of a drag -- do something about my nose and sinuses! Ugh! Allergies!

I did go review my caloric needs last night -- Cyberdiet, Phys, and DietWatch all put me at around 2200-2300 for my activity level. No wonder I've been feeling hungry all week! I've been undereating by a whole other meal!

Been sleeping really great all week -- deep and dreamless. Nice side benefit!

After I eat breakfast I want to do yoga to stretch out. I'm feeling it today! I imagine myself waking up tomorrow morning to head to gym for both cardio marathon stuff and weight training and I want to creep back into bed. I'll have to make sure I remember to do the pace on the treadmill. How long do I have to walk? (go to check). 40 minutes. Ok, so we still have a little bit of a honeymoon period before they jump to 60 min and over.

May 13th we are going ot be in the Mayfaire 5k as walkers. So that day I might cut the gym workout short.

Adrith -- hang in there, babe! We got plenty of time to improve! ((hugs))


posted by Astrophe 9:49 AM

I have my first Marathon Hero. Patti has linked to me at the very top of her blog.

It makes the fact that I've gone through my whole address book and culled only 33 addresses for my donor letter list a little easier. :/
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 1:27 PM

I just sent two pledge cards with Joe to his job at the mall.
I could have my first donor by the end of tonight..
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 3:48 PM

Got my NF T-shirt in the post today -- it's the 1999 one to train in. can't wait to get a new one at the end of the race. Whee!
posted by Astrophe 4:31 PM

I just started feeling the throbbing of a headache at the back of my head.. everyone hope and pray that it doesn't stick around, or that it's so moderate that I can get through tomorrow's walk anyway.

I am still getting used to the idea of regular training workouts .. please, please don't test me so early in the game.
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 10:59 PM

April 27, 2000

No bike. Paul didn't get home til dark and I wanted to ride together. :P

I am getting ready to head to bed. Tomorrow is going to be Day 3 and I still want that bike ride so I am going to try to bike in the morning first thing and then get on with the other stuff in the evening. I was peeking at the training log on active.com has places for keeping track of these things:

  • Time:
  • Distance:
  • Difficulty (1 is easy, 5 is difficult):
  • Hours slept:
  • Weight:
  • Resting heart rate:
  • Body Fat%
  • Calorie intake
  • Notes:

Some of it I already track on DietWatch but I think it might be good to start keeping track of the first three at least on here. Oh, and body fat% might not be bad once a month either. Hrm.

Guess what? Paul said yes! We're going to do a 5k in a little over two weeks! Yay!


posted by Astrophe 2:22 AM

Fundraising update

I have put together a list of points I want to make in my fundraising letter, and expect to have it written by the end of the day. I also am sending a bunch of my donation envelopes to my mom, for her to have at her work. I hope that her work will agree to sponsor me for a large chunk of change, and that she will be allowed to get donations from her co-workers. That would just make my day.
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 9:27 AM

Hahahahaah! Guess what I just got delivered? My pedometer! Wheee! I swear, gear.com has got excellent shipping turn around time. I'm dressed to bike and I have to throw in the potatoes to nuke for potato salad tonight but first (yet another distraction this morning) I have to punch all the buttons on this thing and make it bleep. :)
posted by Astrophe 10:50 AM

20 min bike ride only -- it got smokey from fires again. Blah! Does this mean I'm going to be stuck training at the gym for ALL my walking workouts?! Ew! :P
posted by Astrophe 2:49 PM

Training Day 3

  • Focus: Intervals (did it on the elliptical cross trainer instead of treadmill)
  • Time: 60 minutes
  • Distance: 5.4 miles
  • Pace: 11-12 minutes per mile
  • Estimated Burn: 612 calories
  • Rating: 3-4?

Ok, it wasn't killer torture like a 5, but something of an effort. My first thought after the first 30 minutes was -- Can I do this marathon NAKED?! Ugh! I'm so hot and sweaty!

I have to work out this fitness clothing problem. Namely, underwear. The bra is wicking -- it's fine. The cotton panties? See ya! They aren't going to hold up or stay dry. I feel soggy. The hubby T-shirt? So long! Too big, too baggy, too wet! I was thinking of growing my hair out -- no freaking way! Short! Shorter! Bald! :P

I drank water every 10 minutes, I kept up a mostly even pace. I suspect my pace on Thursdays though, when I'm doing hill intervals on the elliptical cross trainer, is going to be better than the days I treadmill or walk outside because it's soooo much nicer to my ankle and I can pick up speed. It will be interesting to see how the pace varies. Overall, good workout. Just not thrilled with my clothing. I have to look into changing that.

I also have to look into changing my food. I'm not going to make it on 1800-2000 calories. I need more than that! I've been eating all day and I'm hungry, hungry. I'm going to have to refigure what my guidelines ought to be now that I'm moving into something of a very active schedule.


posted by Astrophe 10:29 PM

April 26, 2000

Today is a rest day -- so instead of walk stats, let me share with you a funny story.

I decided last night to be antisocial and lay in bed, reading my training materials, instead of visiting with our guests in the living room. I put my shoebox full of slips and envelopes and labels on the bedside table, and sat up to read through the training manual.

At some point, I fell asleep -- with my head crunched up against the headboard at a 30° angle from my shoulders. I woke up with a very large crick in my neck, thinking that perhaps my training manual didn't make as good bedtime reading as I thought..

Or perhaps it did. I certainly managed to fall asleep.
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 10:38 AM

Rest day. Do I want to rest? NO!

It's gorgeous out. I want to hop on my bike and do a spin around the neighborhood. Gotta wait til at least 4 o'clock though. I'm not wild about being out in FL sun during prime time burning hours. :P

How are we going to slather sunscreen on during the marathon?

Adrith cracks me up. We're talking about water needs during training and I told her I plan to get a CamelBak both for my biking and the long several hour training walks.

"Is it more like a backpack or a fanny pack? Damnit, I hate that term. My fanny is big enough, thanks, without adding an additional lump to it. :P"

I'm sitting here laughing with tears coming out of my eyes. A CamelBak is just one brand name for the water delivery systems bikers and hikers use. The sizes range from little fanny packs to larger backpack styles. The water goes in the bags in flexible bottles and have flexible straw things.

Additional butt lumps. LOL!

Snack check:

  • Luna Bar Chocolate Pecan Pie? Thumbs up.
  • Clif Peanut Butter? Thumbs down.
  • Clif Choc-Peanut Butter? Eh. Indifferent.

posted by Astrophe 2:56 PM

Oh dear. Now the whole world will know that my fanny doesn't need any additional lumps. Hehe.
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 3:10 PM

Speaking of it being rest day.. I may not either. I'm sorely tempted to go for a walk when I get home, just to relieve some of the stress I'm feeling.

That stress would partly come from the fact that it's April 26th and it's SNOWING here. Dagfrognabbit. I wanted 60° weather to be training in, not this white crap falling from the sky. Blagh!!
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 3:14 PM

April 25, 2000

I have to figure out my lunch and then I have to get on with what I have to do this afternoon. Ordered a toy -- pedometer from gear.com. That's going to help with outdoor sessions since I can't track anything and I don't have a working watch. I was thinking of getting a watch but you know what? I rather have the pedometer-watch-stopwatch combo! Gear head me. Whee!
posted by Astrophe 12:05 PM

This evening: Go home. Do the training walk. Drive to Concord to get a fitness book because borders.com doesn't accept Borders' gift cards. (?!?). Get groceries.

Oh, and my training buddy sent me SOCKS for my birthday! Ain't she something? :)
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 12:14 PM

Where's Paul? Where's my car? I need to go get my training workout done!
posted by Astrophe 6:39 PM

Training walk number two
Guest walking buddy: K
Minutes: 30
Mileage: ~1.5

It was a really great walk. It was a little cool -- just enough to chase away sweat. The birds were out and singing, and the sun was still fairly high in the sky. We walked around our apartment complex 2.5 times, which was really neat because this afternoon everyone's kitties were in their windows. We saw lots of cats on today's walk!

And, this afternoon, my registration materials for the marathon came in today. I'm so excited. I think instead of going out in the car tonight to a city 35 miles away, I'll stay home and read up.. and save the Borders' trip for another night.
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 7:13 PM

Mental note: do lower body weights AFTER cardio.

I did all the weights before cardio and gave myself a nice cramp in my leg as a result because I had also upped my leg weights today. I better split it and do arms first, then cardio, then legs. Overall it wasn't bad. I have no idea how many calories it was or what my pace was or anything because I was so distracted with the bloody cramp in my leg. Oh, well. Next time. Maybe I'll even have the pedometer. Hee hee. :)
posted by Astrophe 9:20 PM

April 24, 2000

Yesterday's training walk went *VERY WELL*. Joe and I got up yesterday morning to discover that the electricity had gone off, so we made plans to go on the walk anyway, and then if the electricity was still off by the time we came home, go to my mom's to shower and get dressed for Easter/birthday celebrations. The electricity rewarded my vigilance by coming on again as we got dressed for our walk.

Forty minutes -- twenty minutes out, twenty minutes back -- brought us down the hill past the Irving station, down the straightaway, and just past the Olde Madbury Lane apartments. When I measured it out with the trip odometer on our way to Mom's, it measured exactly one mile. Which means I did two miles yesterday morning. In forty minutes! That's a 20-minute mile.. so I haven't backslid as far as I thought.

But I find this quantification of my physical state interesting -- I'm currently at a 20-minute mile. The marathon "welcomes walkers who can complete the course in seven hours or less". Seven hours, let's see - that's 420 minutes. 420 minutes divided by 26.2 miles is... approximately 16 minutes per mile. So in order to be physically ready for this marathon, I have to be down to at least a 16-minute mile.

I can do that!

Astrophe sent me a lovely animated birthday greeting, a jumping iguana with noisemaker, balloon and party hat. Thank you so much -- it was indeed a great day. :)
posted by Adrith Bicchieri 8:29 AM

First thought on waking? "I should go walk! I have a marathon!"

Second thought on waking? "Today is Monday, a planned REST day. You need to REST on rest days. You do not want to dive headlong into newbie burnout!"

Before, when the goal was just to "be fit, be healthy" it wasn't cutting it. Now that I have a concrete tangible thing to be working at, I want to be outside in spandex!
posted by Astrophe 1:32 PM

I got an e-mail today from a friend who told me he had gotten my mail (pledge forms and pictures I meant to send him a while ago) and that he'd cut a check for $100 towards my walkatahon efforts. I wrote him back that he was getting to be a soft touch and that he didn't have to give quite THAT much!

That Joe. He's such a special person in my life.

So now I'm a tenth of the way there on fundraising and one day down on training.
posted by Astrophe 5:21 PM

April 23, 2000

Just got home. Didn't think I'd be back this early so I have time to take a walk if I want to. I went out yesterday to Myakka State Park with Paul and Nancy and we rode our bikes through some of the trails there. It was rough, but I really liked it. Nancy and Paul went off on their own through harder stuff and I kept going on the one I was on. I am glad I put on sunscreen though -- it was hot and Paul and Nancy both got burned without any.

So even though I didn't plan on it, if I feel like the extra workout, I can have it. I think I better. I need to try out my sneaks with the orths.
posted by Astrophe 3:01 PM

I just got back from a 33 min walk. I was close. I was supposed to walk for 40 minutes, so I set out along my neighborhood trying to guess which route through the streets would put me at 40 minutes since I didn't have a watch on me. I think I guess pretty close! The sneaks with the orths feel good. Lots of people having BBQs for Easter and a lot of kids running around in the street playing.
posted by Astrophe 8:24 PM

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