moinab

This is actually my first marathon! The only other races I've done, so far, are the 26.2 with Donna 1/2 marathon and the Princess 1/2, this past February and March. I was going to do a small local race, the Jacksonville Bank Marathon, in December, but we decided it would be fun to do the Space Coast Marathon before the shuttle program ends, next year. We just visited KSC, this summer, and absolutely loved the Apollo / Saturn V Center, so the opportunity to participate in the pre-race dinner under the Saturn V rocket was irresistible. The reviews of the race are good. It's smaller - 2500ish runners (and most of those are for the 1/2,) and apparently the spectators are sparse, but the volunteers are very enthusiastic and dress up in space themes. There's a free pancake/egg/sausage and pizza breakfast after the race, and they give everyone race logo beach towels instead of mylar blankets. In my very limited experience, I preferred the smaller race (26.2 with Donna had 8000.) The Princess 1/2 was a bit crowded for me. I enjoy quiet runs, so I think this will work out for me. I am most likely going to try WDW, too, but I'm anxious about the size.

I live in mortal fear of bronchitis. I had it twice, in the last year, and it keeps me from running for 5-6 weeks at a time. My husband is currently coughing all over the house, and I'm afraid it may be inevitable.

Great time! I did one mile in 8:28, and almost died!

How's it going, peeps? I got in two 5.4 mile runs while we were in Pigeon Forge, last week, but had to put off my long run until today, so I ran 13 miles, instead of 12. I think I took it a little too fast (trying to finish before the kids had to go to school,) but I felt pretty good, overall. I'm sending out my registration for the Space Coast Marathon, this afternoon. I was going to stick to local races, this season, but the pre-race pasta dinner at the KSC Apollo / Saturn V Center sucked me in. Also, I decided that I'd like to try this race before the Shuttle program ends, early next year. I will most likely sign up for the WDW Marathon, too. Damn evil marketing! Our passes expire the following week. We're not planning on renewing them, this year, so we're thinking the Marathon weekend would be a good way to finish up our passes. My older kids would like to do the 5K with my husband, and I think our soon-to-be three-year-old would enjoy the 100 meter dash. I'm 95% convinced to bite the financial bullet and sign up, but I'm going to watch the registration percentage carefully, over the next month or so.

^OMG! Please tell me somebody has video of that!

^It was a joke. ("The Best Kept Secret at Disney" is one of DVC's marketing slogans.) I don't know that I've ever seen a discussion of DVC on TPR. Not to say it hasn't happened - it's just not a big topic, here. Almost all of my friends from another board are DVC members. In 5 years of seeing discussions about it, I still have trouble understanding it. It's ridiculously complicated, and never seemed like a good deal to me. From what I've been told, it's a good deal if you go to WDW every year and always stay in the deluxe resorts. You buy a certain number of points, and use the points to reserve rooms on the DVC properties. The number of points vary, like hotel rates. We are actually going to stay in a Animal Kingdom DVC studio, the end of October, because one of my friends has points that are going to expire, that she can't use. It was 14 points for a Wednesday night, but would have been 16 points for a weekend night. I know there is a buy-in price, per point, and there are also annual fees that get jacked up, every year - and they are not cheap! There are plenty of sites that discuss DVC, but I'm not sure a simple explantion is possible.

This seems to be shaping up as one of the best trips, ever! Hope the awesomeness continues on into next week!

SDC is on my list of parks I really want to visit, along with Dollywood, Holiday World, Hershey, Knoebels, and Legoland FL (as soon as it opens! )

We saw Dick Vitale in Magic Kingdom. We also saw Pete Docter in Animal Kingdom. Those are the only ones I can think of in theme parks.

Feels great to accomplish that, doesn't it? I did 10.75 miles, yesterday. Next long run will be 12 miles, the morning after we get back from Dollywood/PF. That should be interesting. Speed work, next week.

^"Is Dan Leslie Hall?" has to be one of the funniest things I've read, here. I think I'll email him about it!

Awesome update! I miss following the play-by-play on facebook, though. -Maureen "stupid job that makes me work for my money and blocks facebook" O'Donnell

Carol Burnett as Sue Sylvester's mom? SQUEE!!!! http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/05/carol.burnett.glee.ew/

^Does it have a commemorative plaque? I had a lot of fun, trying to keep up with the facebook updates, yesterday. Almost like being there. Ok, not really, but that's what I'm telling myself.

It's a good thing I'm not drinking anything, because my keyboard would be hosed!

I was so happy to see this option, this year! We bought FL resident seasonal passes, last October, when they were offering 15 months for the price of 12. Next time, I think we'll go with the weekday passes, if they are still offering them.

^Sold! -Maureen "didn't miss the Rush reference - shame on you, Larry! " O'Donnell (but did have to edit out the wrong name! )

Very well done! We haven't been to BG, yet, but next year may be the year!

Thoroughly enjoying this report! I'll be sad to see it come to an end.

^Both!

OMFG, that is epic!!! I still have tears in my eyes from John McCain in the bathroom!

Gregg - you should have no problem doing the 1/2 in less than 2:30. I did the Breast Cancer 1/2 in 2:25, and the Princess 1/2 in 2:29 (ran the first few miles with a slower friend,) earlier, this year, and my training pace was in the 12 minute range.

^^I usually park at the far end of the parking lot, always walk instead of taking the parking shuttle at work, and always take the stairs (I work on the 4th floor.) People can't understand why I prefer to take the stairs, so I just started telling them I'm too claustrophobic for elevators.

Has anyone ever tried Croakies, or something similar? I've thought about trying those, maybe with cheap sunglasses, to see how well they would work.

^ Yeah, other moms totally suck. People are so freaking insecure, they can't accept that any method of child-rearing other than the one they use could possibly result in a happy, well-adjusted child. We catch the occasional flak for Todd being a stay-at-home dad. People will say to me, "doesn't he want to work?"