W.I.S.H.-Wide Monday Mixer!

[tiberius]

I "have" to get everything ready the night before, complete with trying on everything just to make sure it fits right. I finally got over the number pinning obsession by using a race # belt, which saves a lot of time in pinning and re-pinning numbers to get them straight. I also, do not stray too far from the restrooms before race start, just in case . I always make sure I eat something nutritious about two hours before the race. Most of all, I get up far too early and go through everything one more time before actually getting ready in the morning and then I am still always one of the first ones to show up.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Does taping and Biofreezing my knees count as a pre-race ritual!?

 

[laughinplace199]

I have to have a few sips of Coke before a race. I don't know why, but I do. I know, I'm weird. I also get everything ready the night before (especially pinning my number on my shirt and putting my chip/D-tag on my shoe).

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

So, I haven't actually done a real race before, so I don't have any "pre-race" rituals.

However, this does remind me that in high school, before every marching band competition, my friend Reid had to come over and scuff my shoes. I was OCD about polishing them, so it was just tradition for him to come over and then mess them up after I'd cleaned them. Oddly enough, the one time he didn't, we had a really bad performance.

 

[VernRDH]

I don't really have any rituals, just go with the flow. Each race is different for me, depends on the length, time of day, weather. I did learn a few lessons from my first half that I have incorporated.

I agree-run your race, don't worry about anyone else. This is something I am dealing with with my "training partners", my inlaws. We are having some issues, and I have decided my running is MINE and I should not have to give in to what they want to do.

 

[escape]

A little funny incident, almost a nightmare, one that a few people like to remind me of, and one I'll never forget...

It was the year 2008 - my first full - WDW. The night before the race, I got all my stuff ready...except for my shoes. Long story short, I could not decide which pair of shoes I wanted to wear. One was an old pair, one was a fairly new pair. I did not want to put my timing chip on until I decided which pair. I was too tired the night before to decide. I put the chip on top of my WISH race shirt so I would not forget it.

Next morning, 3:00am, I got up and took all my stuff to the bathroom to get ready so I would not disturb DH's sleep any more than I had to. I decided on the shoes I wanted to wear. Got all ready, got out the door and was happy to hear DH lightly snoring (meant I didn't disturb his sleep too much). My goal was accomplished.

Got to the race. Met up with fellow WISHers in the corrals. Looked down at my shoes. NO TIMING CHIP. It must have fallen off my shirt when I when I took everything to the bathroom. Out of sight, out of mind. Of course, I panicked. I could still do the race, but I would not have an official time. No time to go back and no time for Steve to bring me the chip. My heart sunk. My first marathon.

Somehow, before the race started at 6:00am, I got the idea to call Steve and have him meet me on the course to give me the chip. His cell phone was turned off so I had to call and wake a friend who had to call and wake another friend who eventually was able to pass on the message to Steve. I kept my fingers crossed that Steve got my message and was able to find the chip. Luckily for me, he found the chip, I got it attached to my shoe and I was able to finish the race with a time. Since I did not start with the chip, my time was based on gun time. It all worked out.

Moral to the story....get EVERYTHING ready the night before. Make a checklist out and don't cross anything off until actually done. I was so sure I would remember the chip. Between not wanting to wake up Steve and being a little groggy at 3:00am, I FORGOT it.

Oh, one more thing. If I had finished the race without the chip, I would not have been able to participate in the first Disneyland Coast to Coast medal with my friends. I was lucky!

 

[deekaypee]

I'm with everyone else who says to get everything ready the night before. For longer distances, I'm the freak who actually tries on the entire outfit after I've pinned on the big--just to be sure it's in the right place. Apparently, I can't just eye it.

Other pre-race rituals. Dessert. Doesn't matter what it is, I have to have it. I need to be rewarded/bribed in advance.

And it's not pre-race, but I have to write down what I ate the night before, my time, the weather conditions, any memorable about the course & participants ON THE BIB as a memento. I got that one from DOOD.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Uh oh. I'm missing the mix--errrr. So, in honor of Monday even if it is only a couple of hours left let me try this. I'm looking for a book to read.

What are you reading now and do you have a book you would recommend to a friend?

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

Well, even though it's technically Tuesday....

I'm currently reading Five Point Play by Mike Krzyzewski. For the fourth time. I would reccommend that, but also any of the Chet and Bernie mysteries by Spencer Quinn. They are mysteries told from a dog's point of view...hilarious and just so well written!!!

 

[tolemommy]

I'm currently reading Shutter Island. I haven't seen the movie, I'm enjoying the book, so far it's pretty good.

Next on my book shelf is Bill Bryson's, A Short History of Nearly Everything. My oldest son suggest this book.

 

[corinnak]

Debra - I gotta say, I love the write on the back of the bib ritual! What a great idea!

Uh oh. I'm missing the mix--errrr. So, in honor of Monday even if it is only a couple of hours left let me try this. I'm looking for a book to read.

What are you reading now and do you have a book you would recommend to a friend?

Uh oh - sorry the day got away from me folks and thanks Lily for posting a great question - it was on my list, believe it or not!

I am currently reading "The Good, Good Pig" for my bookclub. I didn't finish it before the meeting and was surprised to find myself grilled about my vegetarian lifestyle - apparently this book goes from being a piggy memoir to an advocacy book at some point. I had no idea.

The book we read before that was very interesting - "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion about the year after her longtime husband John Didion suddenly died of heart failure and her daughter was recovering from some serious medical issue as well. Not easy reading, but a fascinating look at one woman's journey through loss and grief.

If you haven't read it before, "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson is very good reading. And of course I highly recommend "The End of Overeating" by Dr. David Kessler even for those who are not overweight. If you want fiction, it appears I've bee reading very little of it lately. "The 13th Tale" is probably the most unusual, interesting novel I've read in recent memory.

 

[jmasgat]

Just finished a book I enjoyed by Joshua Ferris titled "Then We Came To The End" about the employees at a failing advertising firm. Warning: If you have ever gone through a downsizing or job loss, then you might find some of this all too familiar. But it was funny, recognizable and fun to read.

Also read an interesting book titled "Beautfiul Cigar Girl", by Daniel Stashower, It was about Edgar Allan Poe and the murder of a NYC girl named Mary Rogers. I didn't really know much about Poe's life, nor his contribution to the whole mystery/crime genre of novels.

Of course, Jasper Fforde is always good for a lark, including his most recent "Shades of Grey"

Maura

 

[wtpclc]

I am currently reading Pride and Predjudice. Never read it in school adn was able to download it to my phone free, so WTH. About a third of teh way through adn actually liking it. Who knew that there amy be a reason that a classic is a classic.

My favorite book ever that I would recommend to a friedn is COming HOme by Rosamonde Pilcher. Also love teh FBI thriller series by Catherine Coulter.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I just finished reading Heat Wave by Richard Castle (yes, that's the tv show). Next up I have Elizabeth Peters A River in the Sky. If you like Egyptology and the turn of the 20th century, with murder mstery built in, I highly recommend her Amelia Peabody series. I believe the first is The Crocodile on the Sandbank

I recommend books by Jen Lancaster for something laugh out loud funny. The first one is Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass,Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office .

Maria

 

[MouseDogMom]

Carrie - I love Rosamonde Pilcher. And Maeve Binchy, too.

And Corinna, I actually managed to end up with TWO copies of A Walk in the Woods. Go figure!

Any runner who hasn't read Once A Runner by John Parker should put it on their list immediately. My opinion, of course, but I absolutely loved it.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry was an unusual find (heard her interviewed on NPR) and a real gem.

And I love all of Kathy Reichs' books - the ones that the TV series "Bones" is based upon.

Jackie

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I just finished: Though waters roar / Lynn Austin
Languishing in a jail cell, Harriet Sherwood has plenty of time to sift through the memories of the three generations of women who have preceded her. As each story emerges, the strength of her family--and their deep faith in God--brings Harriet to the discovery of her own goals. I'm thinking of making htis one my recommendation for the book club I belong to.

I've also read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and enjoyed those.
Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich have been fun reads too.

Thanks for sharing your choices. I'm looking for extra reading for book club too.

 

[princessbride6205]

I guess make this a Friday mixer for me.

I'm currently reading The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs. It's about his journey reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. It's interesting but I like his recent books more (Year of Living Biblically and Guinea Pig Diaries are great).

Next up is Game Change, which is about the 2008 election. In just the past week two people at opposite ends of the political spectrum recommended I read this.

I recently finished Jen Lancaster's Bitter is the New Black... and, like Maria, I recommend this as a funny read about unemployment.

 

[FireDancer]

I am 2/3 of the way through reading The Ilied, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid. I had read the Odyssey before and it is one of my 2 favorite books (along with Animal Farm) but I had never read the other two. I really didn't like The ilied (too slow moving and overly descriptive like Dickens) and am anticipating the Aenied.

I love the history of Rome and am looking forward to reading where many of the legends of it's founding came from. In fact, sitting on my shelf is Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire which will be the book I start after the Aeneid. I know, I am a nerd.

 

[corinnak]

Frank - gosh, I love the Anaeid. I was a Latin major in college and actually fell in love with the Anaeid my freshman year of high school - it was one of the first stories in the text book. I got to read it in the original Latin my first year of college with just a brilliant professor. We are planning to go to the ruins of Carthage this summer, and I'm thinking I gotta get that book out again!

Here's today's mixer question:

If you were asking the mixer questions, what would you ask?

Seriously, I'm always glad to take suggestions!!!

Here's a good get-to-know-you question, too:

How did you start your journey to fitness and/or racing?

 

[tiberius]

Here's a good get-to-know-you question, too:

How did you start your journey to fitness and/or racing?

Can I count all 3 times I've started this journey?

The first time I was 20, and was courtesy of the US government when I joined the Marine Corps. I never knew before then that I could actually run fast, and it's too bad I never appreciated that ability back then because it is long gone now. Even back then I had wanted to run a marathon one day but never took it up, which is a shame since I probably could have gotten under 3:30 or better back then.

The second time was in my mid-30's when I got up to 266 lbs and knew I had to do something about it. Through diet and exercise I got down to 199 lbs over 2 - 3 years. Unfortunately, right about that time we had a death in the family and I fell off the wagon and never got back on.

When I was 40 and my children were getting older I realized I was going to have to take better care of myself as I gotten back up to the 250+ lb range again--and would eventually reach 263 lbs. I realized that if I was ever going to get back into shape for good then I would need to start soon--what I told myself was that I might not be able to do anything about getting older but I could do something about getting into better shape. I started in 2007 just before my 41st birthday, and as of yet have not looked back. I'm currently at 201 lbs and will soon (hopefully) reach weight levels I have not seen since my late 20's. My introduction to racing came from reading Marathoning for Mortals as part of my training on my own for my first half marathon (2:57:59). Whereupon I later joined a local running club (which I never even previously knew existed!) and trained with others for many other race events from 5k to 50K and even up to half Ironmman triathlons. I am healthier than I have been in a long time and also happier (from a fitness standpoint) as well.

With the confidence and enjoyment I have received from all these events, I no longer think there is any physical challenge that I can not complete without the desire and training. Another great side benefit is all the great friends I have picked up along the way, like all of you DISers and WISHers here!