Wine and Dine appetizer aka pre-race fun!

November 17, 2013 by scootadoot

Hey there, hi there, ho there! Mer here with a little pre-race recap.

Four of the six Scoot a Doot Chicks met up last weekend for the long awaited, highly anticipated runDisney Wine and Dine half marathon.

We were excited to see each other and our friends, both new and old. “Running time” seems to both fly and drag, seeming both at once. When you sign up for a race eight months in advance, you never know what twists and turns will come along during those months!

There are a few tried and true methods to our pre-running madness, especially when it comes to Disney. Read on!

1. Dress you up in my love

Costumes have become common practice at Disney races and as soon as the four of us signed up for this one, we began discussing our options! We settled on Mouseketeers because it’s pretty darn adorable (and pretty darn easy – says the girl who didn’t make the shirts).

Shirts were made with TLC by Brooke, skirts are from Sparkle Athletics, and ears are from the mouse!

Of course, my husband didn’t actually realize we were Mouseketeers until I said something in passing after the race and the light bulb went off in his head.

Yeah.

2. Visiting the Earl

Heather, Traci, Mer, and Vic

Whether it be the night before the race (as was the case at Tink) or the afternoon of the big race, we love carb loading with bread! I mean, to be fair, I just love bread in general but when I get to put a label on it like “carb loading” it sounds much more official, doesn’t it?

Sandwiches are a natural choice, especially when there’s an Earl around – we are talking royalty here, after all. While Downtown Disney was teeming with people, we were able to find a table outside and enjoy our meal and the company of each other!

3. Preening and being silly

Cam, Lisa and Meri

Brooke graciously offered up her hotel room to anyone who wanted to meet up before and eat a little snack, do a little costume prep (ie – we all had different pieces of Cam’s outfit who’d arrived the morning of the race from CA), and just be silly together.

One of our favorite Canadians, Lisa, came to hang with us and we all listened to music, figured out creative ways to spread almond butter on wheat bread (a Nilla wafer is a fantastic knife AND you get to eat the cookie after), and sort got hopped up on hanging out with each other. Once it was time to get on the shuttle to the start, we were downright punchy.

To the point where one of the security guards asked if we had been drinking. HIGH ON LIFE, SIR!

4. Texting feverishly with friends

Once you arrive at Disney races, there’s usually lots of time to hang out and wait for the race to begin. At the Wine and Dine this is especially true because everyone must be bussed to the start line and the shuttle service only goes until 8pm.

What’s a runner to do?

Well, if you’re me, you try and get all your people in one central location and bask in the sheer awesomeness that so many people you love are ALL AROUND YOU.

Sparkling!

Heather took a short detour before catching a bus from EPCOT and Lisa joined her family to head to the start so we re-met up (after frantically texting each other, natch).

Lisa and Heather, maxing and relaxing

My new meetup friend, Meredith, also joined us!

Of course, the texts from outside the Disney World radius were blowing up my phone too! Darling friends like Keri, Amanda, and Anne who weren’t there with me physically but cheering from afar.

5. Hitting the facilities

Taken at Animal Kingdom, a few days prior to the race.

When you’ve arrived at a race two hours prior to the start time and have been hydrating all day, it sort of goes without saying that you’re going to be visiting these bad boys. In my days prior to being a runner, I can tell you the number of times I had used a porta potty.

Zero.

Now? Well, I pray for the best while waiting in line. I ask the person just ahead of me who is coming out of the little box if it’s bad (it’s NOT bigger on the inside). A little fair warning never hurts, right?

Good thing about a night race? You can’t see nearly as much in there! Plus Disney has little hand washing stations outside the rows.

I visited the porta pots twice prior getting into my corral and didn’t have to stop throughout the race. Additionally, a race photographer took a picture of Brooke and I together on the line so we’ll always have that memory together.

6. “Resting”

How do you rest while surrounded by fun, amazing people, and a DJ whose sole job it is to pump, pump, pump it up, encouraging everyone to get up and dance to all the songs they’re playing?

It’s not easy. My arms were itching to YMCA. However, my mind was saying, “Meridith, you should be in bed by now. You took it easy all day. Since you decided to sign up for a half marathon that starts at 10pm, and since your heel already throbbing and you haven’t even started running, mayhaps it’s in your best interest to plunk yourself down on the grass and wait.”

Which is exactly what I did until we were summoned to the corrals. It helped exponentially that my friends were also of this mentality as well and we all spent the time before the race the best way possible: together.

What’s your favorite way to carb load prior to a race? Have you ever ran in costume? What are your feelings on porta pots?

Wine and Dine Expo Expert

November 16, 2013 by scootadoot

Victoria here!

I spent much of Friday at the race expo, in part to collect my bib, in part to visit with friends and in part to get a bit of work done.

Brooke, baby J and I arrived at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports around opening time. We immediately retrieved our race bibs and changed Brooke’s corral placement so we could run together in C.

We collected our race shirts -love them- and set off to shop!

A few of the Chicks’ favorite vendors were at the site and we wanted a few souvenirs. We got some much needed fresh Balega socks and each bought a Sweaty Bands headband to coordinate with a costume for a future runDisney race. Baby J picked up an item too – yogurt!

Nom!

There was a bit of everything for the runner at hand – fuel, socks, sneakers and official race gear included. And by going early, we didn’t have to battle the crowds.

Shortly before Brooke and I parted, I heard my name yelled from across the room – “Victoria!” I turned and saw Tinker Bell herself, my pal Kelly! Hooray!

We chatted for a while before I scooted off. I visited with a few more friends, including the lovely Capt. Linz, who I’d been itching to hug! Mission accomplished!

I ultimately settled down at the ESPN cafe for a few hours to get some work done and grab a bite. I chatted with a few friends while there, and of course, downed my lunch in an embarrassingly speedy pace.

By mid-afternoon, my dear Meri and my friend Traci both arrived and we all repeated the expo process. Along the way, Traci spotted champagne. We got a few glasses and toasted the weekend!

Cheers to friendship and fitness!

Guest Post: Beauty and the Beast

November 7, 2013 by scootadoot

We pretty much all grew up with the adorable (and, at moments, terrifying) fairy tale depicting the beauty, Belle, and her unlikely relationship with the big scary Beast. Essentially, a story about two people that you might not put together at first glance, but upon further inspection, clearly fit well with one another.

Now, this might seem like a strange analogy for the way that I view the relationship between yoga and running…but that really is what it is like. If you look at it from an over-simplified “10,000 foot view”…yoga is Beauty, and running is the Beast. Some people might not think that they would form a great mutualistic relationship, but they do. Oh, how they totally and completely do!

side by side shot of some of my yoga wear and some of my running wear

I have been running off and on since my sophomore year in college. Prior to that, I firmly believed that I didn’t have more than a forced-gym-class mile in me. I pretty much forever hated running as a sport and thought it was for crazy people. As a matter of fact, I really felt that way up until probably 10 years ago. (Wait, am I dating myself here??? Yeah, I’m kind of old.) Even after I stopped thinking that running was for those who were certifiable, I still envisioned that it was for a special brand of people who were probably close to superhero status. Why? Because every time I took to lacing up and hitting the pavement, the novelty of it all would last for a few months, and then it would fizzle out. Let’s face it. Getting off the couch is hard. Finding motivation to do something beyond that? Well, HARD x 10. So, the people who ran obviously had the super power of stick-to-it-iveness that most do not. And, it seems I was better at quitting than I was at continuing or committing.

Fast forward to a few years ago when I actually caught the running “bug”. This time, for real. I don’t know how exactly that it happened, but it did. Maybe it was because I stumbled upon the realization that running was a cheaper form of therapy for a first time mom than prescription drugs or “real” therapy. Maybe it was because I actually got time to myself, and I wasn’t about to stop indulging in that guilty little pleasure. Maybe because I discovered it was a way of giving in and letting go and coming out stronger at the end…and, well, that just feels good. Just for the record, I’m all for feeling good.

Selfie from one of my fall runs last year in my beautiful outdoor gym

At the same time, though, I was starting to realize that my body wasn’t as into running as my head was. My body was viewing running as the Beast that it can be for some. See, I have an ever-growing list of injuries / aches / pains that often hinder my want or ability to open up that front door to my outdoor gym. I would often wake up the morning after a run, step out of bed, and limp my way through the rest of my day, courtesy of: sesamoiditis, a newly forming bunion, an uncooperative and often angry heel and ankle, IT bands tighter than my husband’s grip on the bank account when I go out purse shopping, etc. Well, you get the idea. I’m sort of a mess (and my husband is stingy when it comes to purse shopping). Enough of a mess at a few turns that I was starting to cut back and contemplate stopping my running activity YET AGAIN.

Until.

Until, I sort of accidentally met yoga. Ah, enter, Beauty.

I say that I accidentally met yoga because I really had no intention of being a yogi. (Sort of like I never really intended or expected to be a runner.) I had taken some prenatal yoga classes, and they were “fine”. Outside of that, I had unwarranted opinions about the practice, and I just didn’t think yoga would be for me. But, life works in mysterious and awesome ways…and, so it happened.

I decided that I needed to do something else besides JUST running. Something that would break up the monotony of my routine, challenge me, and get me another form of exercise all while still allowing my body to recover from my running Beast. I was searching out a unicorn of sorts.

Another mom friend had mentioned the prospect of us trying out an all-levels Vinyasa class at a local studio while our kiddos were at preschool. I swallowed all of my group exercise, “oh, I look like an idiot and have no idea what I am doing while you all look amazing in your Lululemon everything” insecurities, rolled out a mat, and took the class. And, I almost died. Turns out, yoga can be seriously HARD, y’all! I like a good challenge, though, so I stuck with it. And, I learned a whole bunch of things in the process: yoga IS exercise. It can be intense. Or restorative. It works every part of your mind and body. It can energize you and calm you, all at the same time. And, it really, really, really helps to loosen up your muscles and stretch you back out after a run (see: pigeon pose, double pigeon pose, lizard pose, forward folds, downward dogs, legs up the wall, etc). Hallelujah! Beautiful, wonderful, magical unicorn found!

This is a pic of myself (10 lbs heavier, but still including despite that fact…ha!) and my best friend Canella (yoga instructor extraordinaire) doing back to back tree poses on the beaches of OBX in 2012

Working yoga into my weekly routine, and limiting my weekly running to 3 or 4 days at the most, has made it possible for my body to be “ok” with the beatings that it takes when I’m out hitting the roads. The pairing of both exercises, in turn, has allowed me to run longer distances than I ever imagined and to improve my pace (without even consciously working on it). I actually ran a half marathon in September, and that is something that I never even imagined being remotely possible. So, I might be old, achy, and held together by KT Tape, but I am now also officially one of those certifiable superhero-y sorts of people that I used to emulate…all thanks to introducing Beauty to the Beast.

So, what do you do besides run? Is there anything that makes it more enjoyable or more possible for you to run or for you to be a “better” runner? Please share!

Happy Running! Shanti, Shanti, Shanti! And, Namaste!

Megan Ritter is a stay at home mom, blogger and fashionista. She enjoys yoga, running, photography and the laugher of her daughter. Her secret powers include sarcasm and baking without a recipe. It’s quite possible that she was a cat herder in a past life. A Chicago area native, Megan now lives in Haddonfield, NJ with her husband, 4 year old daughter and dog, Batman.

Guest Post – Three Cheers for a Girl’s Best Friend!

November 4, 2013 by scootadoot

Hi there, gentle readers, I mean runners! I’m Jenn, and I’m here with greetings from the Rocky Mountain west where everyone drives a Subaru and really likes beer. We like beer so much, we have to do all these crazy things to work off all the beer we drink. Things like snowboarding and ice climbing and road bike racing at altitudes of ten-thousand feet. Luckily, I’m not here to talk about any of that, for I am not anything remotely resembling that type of remarkable athlete. No, I’m here to pay homage to the one person that no athlete can succeed without, their cheerleader.

It’s a given that everyone needs a cheerleader. Having someone to keep us on track and offer an encouraging word can mean the difference between failure and success in achieving our goals. A support system is crucial. And although the responsibility of change ultimately falls on us, our cheerleader helps us keep our eye on the prize and the ice cream out of the freezer. Of course some people, people like myself, need more than one cheerleader.

Running is not my favorite thing. In fact, exercise is not really my favorite thing. The looming threat of inherited heart disease and a mouth full of sweet teeth are my reasons for working out. I’ve experimented with different fitness activities and have found a few I enjoy more than others. So far, yoga and rock climbing are my two favorites.

Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose) at the Eiffel Tower

Sadly, the climbing gym and yoga studio are not always convenient. Running is nice because I get a lot of value for my time and I can run almost anywhere. I also like it for the release it gives me; I can almost feel the stress evaporating from me with each drop of sweat that falls. Being a high-strung person, I really need that in my life. Still, it’s often hard for me to find the will to hit the pavement. That’s where my cheerleader comes to the rescue.

I’m super lucky in that my best cheerleader and my best running partner are combined in one amazing, furry package; my dog, Coco. She’s always ready for a run. She doesn’t buy ice cream, and she doesn’t judge me when I do. If we don’t make it outside for a run because I’m chained to my laptop writing literature essays, she curls up at my feet and keeps them warm. When I struggle to get into my favorite, and suddenly tighter, pair of jeans, she doesn’t say I told you so. She licks my face and tells me I’m pretty.

Best. Cheerleader. Ever.

She’s an amazing trainer, too. Her eagerness to get out there is the best motivation. She loves our runs. Sure, she’s a dog, and it goes without saying that she loves our runs, but this dog is a running machine. She’s a small nineteen pound mixed breed Italian Greyhound and Chihuahua I rescued nine years ago. Italian greyhounds were bred as sight hounds with extraordinary stamina. In other words, Coco can leave me in the dust. My sprint is her speed walk. She slows down for me, though, and lets me find my groove. When I hit my pace, she speeds up a touch. She pushes me just enough. Once she’s allowed off-leash, she stays quite a bit ahead, scouting out the path and urging me on.

She’s also a fantastic teacher in the school of life. Running with Coco, I’m reminded to appreciate the things that are easy to take for granted. Coco runs with abandon. She runs with pure joy. Her appreciation for the outdoors as she sniffs out every rock, weed, and tree never tires. She runs with a curiosity I have long since lost. She’s exploring. She’s looking for changes on our route; are there ducks in the pond, or maybe a crane? Are there any Red-Tailed Hawks riding the thermals overhead? Any fresh coyote tracks? She’s basking in the opportunity to wander, to be free for a little while. We all need the occasional reminder to stop, look around, and remember that every day on this planet is full of beautiful moments.

Our runs are never very long or far. Asthma and knee problems rear their ugly heads after the first mile and a half. I’ll never be a marathon girl; 5ks are my comfy zone. I used to feel guilty or inadequate about that, but Coco reminded me it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we live in each moment and appreciate its gifts. My cheerleader reminds me that running is an opportunity to reconnect with things that don’t plug into electricity. It’s an opportunity to listen to my rhythm, and get it back in sync. It’s a way to feed the soul and purge the body.

Dogs are so smart. They really are the best people.

Jenn is a wife, and mommy to four dogs: Coco, and three pugs who are decidedly NOT runners. She and Coco run near Boulder, Colorado, and are considering taking up trail running in the spring. She recently completed an intensive 8 week indoor rock climbing program that she blogged about here. She’s an aspiring novelist, and likes to blog, tweet, and instagram (occasionally in Klingon).

Guest Post: I am an Ironman

October 28, 2013 by scootadoot

On Sunday, Sept 8, 2013, I completed the Wisconsin Ironman.

Wisconsin is a full 140.6 mile Ironman which means a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and then you run a marathon. At least that’s how I used to explain it to people. (I would come to regret that phraseology later on.)

While the race started at 7 in the morning, the journey to get there started about 8 months earlier.

Many people tell you that it’s not finishing an Ironman that is as impressive as getting to the start line. This is because you train more than you can ever imagine training for something in your life….at least for us “recreational” athletes. My personal mindset was just to push through the training. And try not to kill myself in the process.

Let me note that I am not a life-long athlete. Before signing up for an Ironman, I had done one sprint tri two years before and hadn’t trained in the swim or bike since. I had six marathons under my belt, but it had been a couple years since I trained seriously and injury free. I suggest a year or two of tri-training before you undertake an Ironman. But it’s possible without it. I’m proof.

Since I had no clue what I was doing, I thought it best to hire a coach. I interviewed a couple of coaches and chose to work with Ben Proko of Trifit-XT. Ben has plenty of experience and his coaching style is nothing but supportive. His method uses metabolic data to assess your physical capability and he sets your training zones from there. I am an engineer. I like data and targets and measurable outcomes. Sold. Ben and his wife Katie (also a coach) were both important to my mental well-being.

Ben started me on a routine that basically repeated every week, just with increased time per activity. I ran, swam and biked three times a week each, and also did a strength routine 2-3 times a week (until I got closer to a race.) Yep. That’s 12 workouts a week. Two each day. Six days a week. And just like that, my entire life became about training.

At this point, I’d like to remind you that I still had a job. In order to get into the office at a reasonable time, I was generally up around 4:15 am, got one workout in, went to work, and then left to do another workout. This would often take me to about 7:30 or 8 pm, at which point I ate dinner, did laundry (LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of laundry), and packed my workout bags and lunch for the next day. By 9pm, it was time for bed. That is how your entire life becomes about training.

While I’m lucky that my workplace is flexible, my job is demanding and results-oriented and is sometimes designed to bring conflict into our organization. I do not have a cake-walk job. I missed some workouts…over 8 months of training, I missed quite a few. Ben set the priority for me that running and biking needed to come first and so that’s where I put my first effort. But slowly the strength workouts dwindled (um, yeah…even before Ben took them off the schedule) and it wasn’t unusual later in the program to miss a swim a week. It’s a lot to try and do. But if I had to work late and miss a workout, I worked late. You have to find balance.

Before we get to the big race, I want to mention the half-Ironman I did in Galveston in April because it set my expectations for the full IM in September. The water was a fraction of a degree above where they would let you wear booties and gloves…just at 65 degrees. My wave got into the water at 8 am (to start at 8:05 am) and the cold water was an immediate shock.

I calmed down and felt ok. Then I tried to put my face in the water. Nope. Not gonna happen. I couldn’t breathe properly (or at all, really) with my face in frigid water. Great. The gun went off, and I tried to swim. Nope. Still not able to get my face in the water.

Within a few minutes I realize I’ll wear myself out hyperventilating so I grab a kayak. Yes, I grabbed a kayak two minutes into the swim. I am so cool. It wasn’t a panic attack. My head was saying, “Really? Really? Like you’re going to quit now? Just start moving forward and get through the water so you can get on your bike.” And I did. I swam about a third of a mile with my head out of the water, then FINALLY settled into some sort of breathing pattern. I eventually started passing people from my age group and finished with about 10 ladies behind me. I chaffed the CRAP out of the back of my neck from swimming with my head out of the water, but I survived. I did the swim in less than an hour even with semi-dog-paddle technique and kayak-hugging.

The bike went well (Galveston is flat, but super windy) and during the run I came into my element. I ran while all those fancy-attired cyclists were suffering. I passed bunches of people. BUNCHES. And I felt great. I flew into the end of the race having done it in under 6:30. I was feeling phenomenal and proud as anything of myself. And at the end of the chute were two good friends from my running group in New Orleans, Betsy and Aaron. It was the perfect finish. Perfect.

Fast-forward 5 months and I arrived in Madison, Wisconsin for the full Ironman race. I was worried about the swim and confident about the bike and the run. (Silly me, it would turn out.) The Madison course is one of the hardest Ironman bike courses in the world. I chose it because the weather would be good and I had relatives close by in Chicago to cheer me on. And I didn’t know how hard the bike course was. I suggest doing more research before choosing your first race. I entered the wrong race for me. Where am I going to get big hills near Houston, Texas? But for now, I was here and ready to complete the course in front of me.

The morning of the race, I was quietly nervous. I knew I could do this. I knew it. I think you can already guess how worried I was about the swim. But the rest of the race could be done with sheer will and determination and reliance on 8 months of training. I had finished marathons in heat and hills with little-to-no training. I knew I had the ability to endure what was ahead.

Ironman events require that you finish within 17 hours. The race starts at 7 am, and you have to finish by midnight or you don’t get your medal. There are also cutoffs for each of the sports. The swim has to be done within 2 hours and 20 minutes from the starting gun (and Wisconsin was a mass start, so everyone had that same requirement.) If I made that cutoff, I knew I had the race.

As 7 am approached, we slowly made our way into the water and swam out towards the start. For me, the deep water start was desirable. I got accustomed to the water and now just needed to relax in the crowded mass start.

The gun went off. And I started to swim. I was in a regular breathing pattern immediately. HOORAY!! Even if I was breathing every two strokes instead of every three, there was no panic, no hyperventilation. Within a few minutes, I knew I had the swim, and therefore the race. I said a prayer of thanks to the tri gods. Now I just needed to settle in and move steadily through it all….which is hard in the swim because there are no lane lines in the lake. You try to sight something in front of you, but people are crawling past you and they realize they’re off course so they turn and you t-bone them. And then when you’re done quietly cursing them, you realize you’re off-course and you turn and someone t-bones you. It’s fun. Most people just keep moving. There are more aggressive conflicts in the front of the pack, but I’m not in the front of the pack. When I finished (in an acceptable 1:45), I was ecstatic!

Just out of the water I saw my tri-training partner Anjy who came up all the way from Houston to be there on the side of the course. She and I both stress out in the swim and it brought an even bigger smile to my face that she was right there cheering. I ran out of the water and up the helix (a pretty word for “multi-story parking garage ramp”) and at the top I saw a bigger group, including my boyfriend Jim, an amazing triathlete that I met during my 8 months of training. Jim scooped me up in a hug and spun me around. He was thinking what I was…that the swim was over and I had the rest of the race.

Jen greets boyfriend Jim after her swim

I moved through transition and got onto the bike. It was a little disheartening that there were so many bikes gone by the time the time I got to mine, but later we heard rumors that over 200 didn’t even finish the swim…either missed the cutoff or crawled out of the water onto a boat. It was good to be moving in a comfort zone. The weather was in the mid-70’s and there was total cloud cover (I hate direct sunlight), but it was windy. We had a tailwind out to the main loop that we biked twice, and then it was a headwind back when you’re most tired. The hills were terribly hard but there were huge crowds at the top of the biggest.

Madison is a race where you constantly have to think and plan. It’s hard to take fuel when you’re climbing a hill or rushing down a slope so you have to plan to eat on just a few flatter surfaces. I had done a training camp in July where I rode the Madison course and that was definitely a good thing to have done. I never bothered to know marathon courses, but this was definitely different.

All over the course I had incredible support from family and friends. My mom, aunt, all four cousins and my college roommate drove up from Chicago. My sister flew in from Albany with her boyfriend. Anjy and her husband were up from Houston. I have never felt so deeply wealthy in my friends and family as I did on that course. They rode a bus out to the bike course to see me through two loops. It took me 6:47 to finish the hilly, windy bike course and they saw me probably just 20 seconds or so total. How’s that for a dedicated fan base?

Jen zooms past her fans

The ride back from the loops was like a death march. We were all tired and riding back to Madison into the wind in somber silence. But I made it, got through transition, and stepped out to start the run.

This is where the words, “and then you run a marathon” bit me in the ass. That’s a horrible way to visualize it when you’ve already been on the course for 9 hours. It took some effort to push that thought away and put one foot in front of the other. After all, in Galveston, this is where I made my mark. I was a runner, first and foremost! I thought about my running club, my closest running friends, my running partner Nick, and those who had turned triathlete like me. They were all following my GPS tracker and I couldn’t let them down. This would be the best part!

Or not.

The first two hours felt pretty good. And then I slowed down. WAY down. I didn’t hit the typical wall in terms of feeling overall sluggish and slow. I wasn’t dehydrated. My legs were just DONE. I was a runner, but not so much after 112 miles on the hardest, hilliest bike course I could find. My friends and family were out on the marathon course and since it’s a double loop, I got to see them about 4 times. I tried to make sure I was running when I passed them, but they knew and I knew I was slowing way down. A few of them stepped in and ran with me for a short while.

The second loop became about survival, about finishing. I walked a lot. I was nauseous until I gave up on Gatorade altogether and drank coke. I discovered that grapes are the best thing EVER to eat at the end of an Ironman. I had been here before in marathons…where you know you will finish, but that the finish line is a long way off. I just moved through. DNF was never a thought. And soon I was within a mile of the finish.

On the way up the busy street to the capitol square, I passed people who had had WAY too much to drink, who pounded me on the shoulder and high-fived me too hard. I was too tired to voice complaint.

When I hit the streets around the square, less than half a mile from the finish, I saw Jim with Anjy and her husband. A block later, I saw a couple of my cousins and my aunt. More familiar faces were in the finish chute. My family had spread themselves out along the last stretch and brought me in. It brings tears to my eyes now to think of it. They very nearly carried me.

I crossed the finish line in 14:15 with my arms over my head in victory. I cried a little. I hollered in triumph. I was done. Volunteers catch you and deal with medals and foil wraps and finishing shirts and hats. They took my picture.

Jen finishes the race!

I realized I was disappointed. How crazy is that? I didn’t feel the euphoria I experienced in Galveston. Maybe it was because the last couple of hours were so slow, and that had surprised and disappointed me. But then there, at the end of the chute was my cheer squad. I saw and hugged Anjy first as she had been there with me at 4:30 am too many Saturdays and Sundays to count.

Then I saw Jim, who knew from his own hard training history what I had been through to get there. (Jim would also catch the brunt of my skepticism over my performance in the days to follow, God bless him.) The rest of my family and best friends closed around me and I felt richer than anyone there. I had survived 8 months of insane training balanced with a tough job in a new city…I even earned a promotion which I was offered the day I drove into Madison. I had achieved balance.

As I stepped out of the chute, the thought occurred to me, “Is that it?” Eight months of training, and 14 hours passed in a flash. THAT’S how people end up doing this over and over again. I think I probably will, too…someday. For now, I am truly content to sleep in and relax in the evenings…though I’m already starting to train for the Houston marathon in January 2014. But that’s nothing. I can make it through anything.

Because I am an Ironman.

Jen is a senior commodity manager at Momentive Specialty Chemicals. She’s completed six marathons and numerous shorter road races and loves the triathlon, consuming good books and delicious food and traveling.

Chick Chat: Spend a night with the Chicks (and their families!)

October 18, 2013 by scootadoot

You get to see us out and about the town (our towns and other towns) in our race recaps. But we thought we’d take some time to share what we’re doing when we aren’t jet-setting. Which, let’s be honest, is way more often than not!

Cam:

When we’re not scrambling to get baths and make school lunches, we like to play a little non-competitive game! Yep, we’re a family of gamers, from Candyland to XBOX, the Cam Fam likes to get their game on.

My kids enjoy games like Kinect adventures or Wii Bowling. They usually play until they get bored or until one of them loses and blames it on the other one. I’m more of a First Person Shooter RPG kind of gal, choosing to kick a little zombie ass on Left 4 Dead or taking on dragons in Skyrim. Once in a while, when we’re feeling classy, we’ll play chess or cribbage. And we can’t forget Rock Band! I totally got skills when it comes to playing the fake drums on easy.

Brooke:

I actually can’t remember the last time we had a night “in” as a family! We’re a “work hard, play hard” bunch, so we’re usually out at the local arcade, bowling, at the movies or spending time with friends.

Met some pals at Downtown Disney to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.

The kids love to play board and card games- UNO is a current favorite- but that’s more of a Sunday afternoon activity for us. We also take the cards out to restaurants.

A recent date with J- to celebrate a friend’s wedding. Yes, he’s working and I’m…happy.

On nights that we don’t do family outings, we get those kids in bed early, and Josh and I go out on a date. We love to try new restaurants or visit our favorites; usually a local sushi place or the best Italian restaurant in town (where we’ll be tonight for my birthday!).

Vic:

Hubs and I stay in – a lot. It’s not a bad thing, as our nights in actually save a bunch of dough.

Sure we love a nice meal out, but we both have odd diets and quite honestly, what hubs makes in the kitchen is FAR better than most of what we find in area restaurants. Our typical “Friday night in” scenario involves one or both of us cooking an incredible meal, often using vegetables and herbs from our own garden, paired with Finger Lakes wine for me and some sort of scotch for him. We cook at a leisurely pace on our evenings in, and often, I’ll make a dessert too — banana bread or apple crisp are my favorites. The latest treat was pumpkin bread with chocolate chips… NOM!

Once we have our dinner set to go, we will watch a movie or a DVRed TV show recorded earlier in the week. Who am I kidding, it’s usually Law and Order: SVU.

Mer:

Scouts. Piano lessons. PTO meetings. Late nights at work. It always seems like there’s something to keep us apart, lately. That’s why I love when we actually all get a night in at home together.

There are four in my brood, six if you count our dog and fish. Activities vary but usually include cooking dinner which is most often my task, although my kids love helping in the kitchen. After Jay arrives home (to the sounds of cheers), we eat dinner together and then it’s either “roughhousing” time or games. A lot of that depends on energy levels of the adults!

Two of the favorite games of the moment – both are cute and age appropriate for my 4 and 8 year old boys.

We’re a very routine driven family, which helps my kids immensely so once it’s winding down time, they know what to expect:

1. Bath (or shower)

2. Books – These days “books” consists of Little picking out a zillion books and everyone in the family reading to him. And sometimes, he reads to us!

They are obsessed with each other. And I can’t get enough of them.

3. Bed

After both boys are in bed, Jay and I usually veg out on the couch with a tv show or movie. We catch up on the afternoon’s events (we’re able to have most lunches together too so we’re really lucky in that respect), chatting as we remember things. And hang out for as long as we can stay awake!

Jess:

Since Bug is still a baby (but not for long, wah!), his bedtime is super early. It’s all we can do to get home, eat dinner, and get him ready for bed. It’s like a sprint to the finish line every night.

Needless to say, when he’s all tucked into his crib, Mister Jess and I sprawl out on our couches and chillax (as the kids call it). We DVR most of our shows, so we’ll catch up on those, watch a movie on OnDemand since our movie theater days are few and far between right now, and just generally bum around.

Once in a blue moon, I’ll go out with friends, but oftentimes I’m tucked into bed by 9:30 PM. That kid of mine is an early riser. We do all our partying at 6 AM!

So there you have it! Bec is off with her fam, spending quality time! What do your nights look like? Who’s family would you fit in with? And we’d like to take a moment to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our October Chicks! Vic’s birthday was last Saturday and Brooke’s is today. Big hugs to you both!

Are you ready to meet our PRO Compression winner?

October 2, 2013 by scootadoot

PRO Compression socks and sleeves are always a favorite among runners so we weren’t surprised to see how many of you were jazzed about the giveaway! Thanks to all who came our way to check it out.

It sounds like there are an equal amount of you who use compression socks during runs and after, for recovery. And heck, some even do both! Wild and crazy bunch.

Enough with the chit chat though! Our winner is:

Congratulations, Lisa N.! We’ll be emailing you soon with the details.

And don’t forget – that PRO Compression is offering 40% off purchases and free shipping on marathon socks and sleeves with the code BLG13.

Guest Post: Non-runner to half-marathoner

October 2, 2013 by scootadoot

Six months ago, I wasn’t a runner.

Today, I’m a half marathoner.

The story of how I went from non-runner to half marathoner begins and ends with the same person: Chick Vic.

Vic and I both work at the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, NY, and she’s the newsroom captain for our team for the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, an annual 3.5-mile race that draws 10,000-plus runners who work for Rochester-area companies.

In early April, I was at a conference in St. Louis for work when I got an email from Vic saying when this year’s race would be. She sent it to me, I presume, because I had expressed some interest in running and had tweeted some about my difficulties on my once-a-week treadmill runs at the Y.

Even though I didn’t really enjoy running at that time, I had always been intrigued by the Chase because my colleagues all seemed to have a great time every year. By the time I left the conference, I had decided to reschedule an event I had planned for the night of the Chase and register to run. I left the hotel in St. Louis the morning of Sunday, April 7, walked past runners competing in the St. Louis Marathon and headed to the airport with no idea that I’d soon have plans to become a marathoner myself.

Eight days later I was at work when bombs went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. As with most everybody else, I was sickened by what happened, but the thing that moved me to tears over the next couple days was the power of the running community. The stories of runners who pushed exhaustion aside to help those who had been injured. Of the finisher who gave his medal to a runner who had been stopped at mile 25. I was so moved that I decided that I wanted to be part of the running community.

Two days after the bombing, I tweeted out a new fitness goal: To get myself into good enough shape to run the half marathon in Rochester on Sept. 22.

I had no idea what this would entail. I had never run a road race before. I had never run “farther” than six miles before. And I say “farther” because I didn’t actually go anywhere; my only runs to that point had been on the treadmill.

I spent the rest of April researching how to train for a half marathon. Vic and some of the other distance runners I work with gave me some advice, and articles online provided a wealth of information. Ultimately, I decided that I would modify Hal Higdon’s Novice 2 program, extending it by four weeks so I could start it right after the Chase.

I immediately increased my running from once a week to four times a week to get ready for the Chase. And I started to run outside some. The results were immediate. I started to run faster. I started to enjoy running. I started to think about running all the time. I started to look up other races I could run. I was hooked.

Getting my first taste of racing at the Chase just cemented my addiction to running. The atmosphere before the race was incredible. I lined up with Vic and several other members of team D&C. For the first couple miles, Vic, Traci Bauer and I ran as a group, a tremendous help to me since I had almost no experience pacing myself. I pulled away with about 1.5 miles to go as they cheered me on and when I saw the finish line I got a jolt of adrenaline and was able to sprint to a 30:43 finish.

The rest of the summer was some of the best fitness self-control I’ve ever exhibited. My training plan called for four runs a week for 15 weeks, so 60 total. I did 59 of them, skipping one three-mile run in July because my knee hurt.

I ran three more races between the Chase and the half marathon: the Firecracker 5-mile (44:22) on Fourth of July, the Jungle Jog 5K (25:23) a few weeks later and the Summer Fest 12K (1:09:20) at the end of August. I loved all three races. The feeling of crossing the finish line is one of the best imaginable, and my times in the races made me feel like I had a good shot at hitting my goal for the half marathon: two hours.

Ben finishes the Jungle Jog 5K in July

The unexpected part of the summer was that my journey to a half marathon became more than just me, my training program and some advice from friends.

A little before the Chase, Vic mentioned that Scoot A Doot was holding a giveaway for PROCompression socks. I didn’t really know anything about compression running socks, but I like free stuff, so I entered (I didn’t win, but I ended up buying four pairs of PROCompression marathon socks over the course of the summer).

As many of you know, getting entries to the giveaway entailed following Scoot A Doot on Twitter and Facebook, tweeting about the giveaway, etc. That led to me learning about more giveaways, which of course I entered. Which led to me following more people on twitter and following more blogs. Which led me to chatting about running on Twitter with people I may never meet and getting tons of encouragement from an online running community I never even knew existed.

It was, and is, amazing. The thing that pushed me into running was that I thought it would be great to be part of the running community. I was right. The specifics of what that would mean just weren’t exactly what I expected.

When I finished my final training run before tapering, a slow 10-miler the Sunday before the race, I felt incredibly content. Whatever happened in the race, I had already fulfilled the fitness goal I set out in that tweet five months earlier: to get myself in good enough shape to run a half marathon.

The morning of the race, my nerves weren’t as bad as I might have expected. I was glad I had already run four races earlier in the summer. I knew what routine worked for me and I just made sure I gave myself plenty of time to get ready. My wife dropped me off down the road from the start line about 25 minutes before the race, which was perfect.

As I wandered around among the thousands of people gathered around the starting area, I saw Vic. We hadn’t planned to meet at the start (she was actually looking for a different friend she was going to run with), but I was glad to see a friendly face. She reassured me that I’d do great and, as the start time neared and she still hadn’t found her friend, she said she’d run with me until she felt like she needed to slow down. This was just supposed to be a training run for her as she prepares for the New York City Marathon.

I won’t go into as much detail as she did in her recap last week, but she never slowed down. We ran side-by-side, almost step-for-step at times, and chatted for 13 miles. It was so much fun. I think most non-runners, and even some runners, are skeptical when people say running can be fun. And certainly, not every run is fun. This one was. I enjoyed every minute I was out there on the course.

Some people asked me if I had a time I was shooting for. My response was always the same: two hours would be nice, but it’s not a big deal if I miss. I was lying. I wanted to be under two hours badly. As we ticked off each mile, I become more and more confident that I’d make it. We were setting a great pace and felt comfortable doing it.

Also as the miles went past, I became more confident that Vic was going to keep up with me the entire way. At some point I asked her what her PR was. “2:03:something.” I got even more excited for a potential sub-two-hour finish. It’s one thing to set a goal, work for months toward that goal and then achieve it. A intensely satisfying feeling, to be sure. It’s something else entirely to have somebody give you encouragement and advice every step of the way toward that goal and then, unexpectedly, be able to help them reach a goal of their own. It was wonderful running karma that all the help she gave me in preparing for my first half marathon led to me being able to help her break the two-hour mark.

As the finish line came into view, we could see that we had plenty of time to cross before the clock would read 2:00:00. I got my usual finish line adrenaline surge and Vic, sensing that I suddenly had a lot more energy, told me to go. I sprinted to the line and crossed in 1:58:56 for a net time of 1:58:38. I got my medal and turned to cheer on Vic, but she was already across, finishing seven seconds behind me. Traci (whom we had seen briefly about halfway through the race) finished nine seconds after Vic.

Ben sprints to the finish at the half marathon

We hugged. We high-fived (badly; we were tired). We grinned from ear to ear. We got some post-race food and drinks. We took pictures. We discussed the race. We reveled in our achievement.

Over the summer, when I told people I was training for a half marathon, they frequently looked at me like I was crazy and/or told me they could never do that. I used to feel the same way. Then I started running. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

The sub-2-hour club: Vic, Traci and Ben

Ben is a husband, father, runner and editor. This week he started training to run his first marathon in February at a race to be determined (but hopefully in Florida). He can be found on Twitter at @bjacobsroch.

Do Good, Feel Good: Million Mile Run Wrap Up

October 1, 2013 by scootadoot

We’ll be honest, we weren’t sure how this month was going to go. That’s always the way with something new, something in its introductory year; whether it be a race, a blog, or an event, there’s always a slight fear of the unknown.

We heard about the Million Mile Run early in the summer and knew immediately we wanted to be involved. The whats and wherefores needed to be sorted out, but we knew the most important reason… the why.

We’ve inundated our lives, our social media accounts, our friends and our families with yellow. We’ve shared facts, recipes, pictures, and videos.

And we haven’t done it alone.

31 amazing people joined us in Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s inaugural Million Mile Run event.

Sara, Heather, Katharin, Karen, Maureen, Jan, Suz, Cyanne, Nita, Kate, Keri, Melissa, Sarah, Shaina, Lisa, Beth, Ben, Kyle, Kristen, Wendy, Jenn, Ashley, Sara, Megan, Gene, Heather, Mark, Ashley, Anne, Brandi and Michelle… THANK YOU.

We thank you with our whole beings and if we ever see you in person (that will be sooner than later for some of you), be prepared for tacklehugs!

We got to hear some of your stories, reasons why this cause spoke to you and we thank you for sharing with us. Furthermore, muchas gracias for sharing your miles with the Million Mile Run.

Our original mileage goal was 1,000, which we decimated within two weeks. Incredible! While a million miles weren’t achieved as a whole this year, 198,830 miles were “donated” to the cause. We’re sure that next year that number will grow exponentially.

That’s $315 OVER our goal! Thank you to all who donated, shared the link to our team, and raised awareness and funds. You are amazing!

Some of our team members really went above and beyond with fundraising efforts and as a thank you, we put together a Top Fundraiser Prize Pack. We gave a little sneak peek last week…

The amazing companies, Sweaty Bands and Lace Locker, both graciously donated items toward our top fundraiser prize pack and we are so grateful. We know that our winner will put the headbands and lace stays to good use.

We happen to know that our tippy-top fundraiser loves Boom Chicka Pop and does not yet have a Scoot a Doot shirt. Watermelon Nuun because… yes.

But wait… there’s more!

The Chicks pooled resources and connections to add even more to the prize pack for our Don’t Stop ’til Ya Get Enough top fundraiser.

Oh yes! That is an Alex and Ani bracelet. A sweet Oiselle shirt. Bearded Brothers Energy Bar. Clif Shot Bloks. Wilbur’s Chocolate Coffee – because the melding of two of the best things ever is amazing and encouraged.

So let’s wave our hands in the air like we just don’t care for someone (but we do! And she does too!) for the woman who should go into nonprofit fundraising as a profession… MEGAN!

http://mandmpage.blogspot.com/

Rock on, Megan!

Should we say thank you again? Aw, what the heck!

Thank you. Thank you all so very much.

A PRO Compression giveaway!

September 26, 2013 by scootadoot

The Scoot chicks love fashion! But we also love function. We are particularly pickled when the two come together.

As many of you know, we are huge fans of PRO Compression marathon socks. We run in them, we recover in them, we shop in them too!

Meri, with pals, sports her pink marathon socks at a recent 5K

Vic recovers from a long run at the salon!

PRO Compression is generously sharing one pair of compression socks or sleeves with one of you lucky readers!

Care to try your luck? Of course you do! Click on the photo below to enter.

Click the pic to enter!

What’s that? You don’t want to wait to snag a new pair? Sure, we can hook you up! PRO Compression is offering 40% off purchases and free shipping on marathon socks and sleeves with the code BLG13.

How do you use your PRO Compression socks? Do you wear them to run (like Meri) or for recovery (like Vic)?

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