mailinator Member

You shouldn't dread it. Embrace it! I enjoyed my colonoscopy prep - the liquid diet part that is. The toilet, less so. But it seemed like a giant experiment to see how my body responded so that was fun. It also meant I didn't have to cook or worry about meal planning for that period. And it helps to enjoy jello (which I…

According to B&J's website, Chunky Monkey only comes in at #9. The #1 flavor: Half Baked Personally, I prefer #8 Americone Dream and #2 Cherry Garcia. I also like Talenti's gelati although it's a very different experience than traditional ice cream.

I like variety, too. My fav are fruity herbal teas.

I tried Ezekial because they offer very-low-sodium and zero-sodium loaves and I'm sodium sensitive. Tasteless but decent as a cracker if toasted. Eventually, I went back to Dave's Killer Bread which is the same price as Ezekial but tastes a lot better. DKB has the least sodium (105mg) of all the breads that I consider…

I recommend you apply for a refund (or transfer). Makes no sense to start HM training if you haven't been able to follow through with multiple C25K training programs. Perhaps you are thinking the longer distance makes you more likely to stick to your commitment. Perhaps, but there are so many offsetting risks - such as the…

You should join us! If you have specific pace requirements, we have a yahoo group set up just so for that purpose. (Everyone likes to ensure others will be available to run at their pace!)

There are lots of night runs in the DC area - all free. (Supply your own glow-sticks.) Untimed, too :-P In fact, I'm doing one this evening (Feb 14) in downtown Rockville. Here's a pic from our free weekly Thursday night run:…

There are lots of HM training schedules on the web. Don't know of any 15K training schedules but the key to preparing for all these longer distance races is to use one run each week where you run longer and slower. For example, try running a 10K each weekend but at a pace 45 seconds per K slower than your regular pace.…

1) When running alone: Podcasts! 2) When running with someone: Slow down! You are running too fast if you can't talk and run at the same time. (Yes, there are reasons to run faster but let's ignore that for now.) Join a local running club and you'll find people at all paces including yours no matter how slow.

If your running is efficient, the rule of thumb is 100c / mile. A bit more if you're carrying a lot of excess weight. So cwashkowiak's report is the only one I believe. The rest are absurdly high - unless you are running up mountains or running through snow.

I'm in close agreement to everyone so far. Gels are not needed for a HM if you're properly fueled to begin with. I do eat during HMs but more for entertainment; to break the boredom. It's fun to eat some cookies or M&Ms or whatever unexpected food is offered at the aid stations. I do agree that some gels are gross (the…

I recommend beginners NOT run two days in a row. That significantly reduces your body's recovery mechanisms. For some people, it also substantially raises the risk of injury and burnout. Your own observation ("Boy, did I feel it!") is a good sign that you are listening to your body but a bad sign that you ignoring what you…

Great job on the exercise and weight loss! However, jumping from 6M to HM can, for many people, result in injury. Also realize that the HM distance is not simply running longer but requires a significant change in attitude and some people won't adjust which can be terribly demotivating. There are a bunch of other…

Some races, you just have to volunteer. Others, you have to be a member of the group (such as the local running club) that's agreed to provide pacers. Of course, you will be asked to show some evidence that you can actually maintain the pace you're volunteering for. Personally, I would never volunteer to pace because I run…

Siggi's - it's the thickest of any yogurts!

I second keypads. I not only changed my garage door but my front door as well. I also installed a keypad on my car. No more carrying keys when I run! (Car keypad also saves me from accidentally locking myself out of my car.) Admittedly, the weight of carrying keys is not a big deal. The bigger concern is losing them. I…

I was wrong about last year (only 4500 people participated) but the race director just announced they are expecting 10,000 people this year!

I have to disagree - slightly. Yes, most people can train for a half without much running experience in 6 months but unless you're unusual, it's not going to be much fun - either training or running. You'll constantly be asking yourself why you're doing it. And during training, you won't have the experience to know if…

Why use a method taking 20-30 minutes to cook eggs?

I just looked at the Reston HM and that price ($85 for early registration) is screamingly high for a HM in the DC area. Here's a link to my list of HM prices that justifies my assertion. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/mailinator/view/cost-of-half-marathons-2012-445093 This is the first time I've posted a blog or link…

Why the 1:10 ratio? Why not just make 1 catch-up calorie = 1 regular calorie. Why make things unnecessarily complex?

Ran the Frederick HM this year, too. But how did you like the surface of the horsetrack during that final mile :-P Otherwise, quite a well-organized and fun race. MD is rich with HMs. I've done 9 different HMs in MD and that's not even 50% of them! The only one I would caution against is Baltimore. Ooh, what a bad…

I avoid protein shakes because there's generally so much other additives. If I really want a high protein snack, I'll pull out a small 5oz can of tuna (26g of protein) although I agree that yogurt tastes better :-) You really like Plain Chobani? I prefer the fruit flavored which is a bit lower in protein than their…

I signed up for it already :-) and you won't be alone. I did it last year and there must have been at least 10,000 people! Alas, the Occupy DC tents won't be there again at the start line!

Most fats can be added easily to just about any recipe. Think cheeses, oils, nuts, etc.

Hard to guess without knowing how many chips you have in there. Chips are surely the highest caloric item. C'mon - give us a little help! Avocado is next and, again, hard to tell from the pic how thick a layer you've got. Throw a ruler in that pic, too!

Since you mention that your cycling is via spinning, spinning is a very specialized workout. If you cycle outdoors on trails, now you're getting closer to an all-around workout! (Although you're still not going to work abductors, adductors, etc.) Running shares many of those same issues. The more uneven the surface, the…

Kudos on the completing your first (of many!) HMs. That said, I disagree with some of your advice. For example, your "12. Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more. Don't start the day before. Start the week before. Your body is a sponge and it will carry you through!" is wrong in so many ways. First, "Start the day before.…

I share your concern about the weight loss/gain while training for a HM. During this kind of training, weight gain is more common than weight loss because muscle (which you'll be building) weighs more than fat (which you'll be losing). It is especially a concern when as your long runs get longer which are hard to do if…

You may not have to do much additional. Your weight chart indicates you want to lose another 43 pounds. I just googled for what impact that kind of weight loss would have and, for a HM, it would improve your time by about 20 minutes. That puts you down at 1:55. Pretty darn close to your goal! You just need to run a faster…