Or another option..

Sunday AM at the Grandstand, at aprox 0645 we will take off for the same course
Melanie and Christi

Saturday - Abe's Amble

Hope to see several STICKS 7:30 ayem in front of the Grandstand Saturday morning ready to give it a try. We'll cover the entire course and have several water stops available (stop as you want or need). It's going to be another hot, humid day so hydrate the evening before. Also, if possible eat some breakfast at least one hour before we take off. See you then. Sergeant STICK and Maria

Idea For Shirt Design

This is an idea that I came up with. Let us know if you like it. We can get prices for shirts. We will need sizes too.

Pre Race Food

Taken from

http://www.yourrunning.com/forum-best_pre_race_food

The night before:
Higher carb meal: 300 g carbs in meal and snack, moderate in fiber, easy on fat, plenty of fluid. ex: pasta dishes, rice dishes, lean protein, cooked veggies.

The day of, about 2 hours prior:
cereals, breads, crackers, fruit, juices, jelly
Example of pre-event meals:

390 calories and 75 g carbs (this is my pre-event meal of choice for 10k)
2 slices of toast of 1 small bagel
1 large banana
1 tbsp jelly
1 tbsp peanut butter
water

Last July workout!!!!!

It's hard to believe that we're almost there but it's true. Many of you have put in a lot of hard work and it's starting to show. Great job this morning. Jazmon completed 5 miles!!!! This Tuesday we're going to meet at the Main Gate of the fairgrounds and leave from there for the mock Abe's Amble. I'll have water for everybody when we return and there will be water on the course. Please hydrate BEFORE you leave that day and consider combining gatorade with water (1/2 of each). You can park your cars in the old Happy Hollow are along the street down "Main Street" of the fairgrounds or behind the Illinois Building. We'll meet at 5:45 and take off then and return to that point. Next Saturday we'll attempt a full Abe's Amble for those who wish starting at 8 a.m. at the Grandstand and I'll have water at the beginning of the Cemetery and the 3 mile mark (war memorial). The final Tuesday I was thinking about having us return to the Lost Bridge Trail for a solid 10K workout with pacing, shade and fun. Let me know what you think. It's YOUR workout and I want you all to feel like it's helping you meet your goal. Sergeant Stick, Maria, Cristi and Melanie

Awesome!

You all did a great job tonight. I personally love this trail and feel good on it. It was a nice change of pace and kept everyone pretty cool.
I have posted a few questions if you could so kindly respond.
1. The leaders will do everything in our powers to make sure you all have someone to run you in on race day ( unless of course you beat me......:) but Susan will make sure you come in if you are ahead of me! and Maria will make sure you have a picture to prove it, we were thinking that if we had a "team" shirt of some sort like orange it would help us identify you on the course and cheer you on when we see you and run you in... I remember last year my boss came and ran me in , it was nice to have that much needed motivation and inspiration at the end of the course. We will let you know details of price etc if you show the interest!
2. We were thinking of a get together sometime before the race to sit and chat and of course eat some good food.
See you all on Saturday at the war memorials at 0800... for another 4.5 miles of fun.
Melanie

Crunch Time

Two things....if you're going out in this heat and humidity, be sure and hydrate well prior to doing so and possibly consider a route that keeps you close to home in case you get to feeling light headed. All STICK leaders will do everything in our power to help you reach your goal as we close in on the last month of training. If you feel you'd like extra help, please contact any of us and we'll try to accommodate our schedules to train with you. I can possibly train early in the morning (like 6 or so) on any week day or any evening except Thursdays. Let us know if you want or need our help. Don't panic about the upcoming mock Abe's Amble at the end of the month. We are considering starting at the Main Gate vs. the Grand Stand which would give us around 5 vs. 6 and be more where we are then. If you feel completely comfortable with the challenge of a full 10K, you are welcome to go with the rest of the training groups but that is our current thought now. Everyone should be pretty comfortable (hah!) with run/walking 4 miles now and we're going to work up from here. No, it's NOT EASY but you're doing it and that's all that matters. Keep showing up. Enlist friends and family to help as your support team. Put running/walking in your calendar. Make it a priority. Your health should be a priority. Sergeant Stick

Dodging a bullet

Many Sticks took advantage of Saturday's run opportunity and the opportunity to see the hardest part of the course. Great Job! It started raining - hard - about 10 minutes after we finished. Phew! That would not have been fun. We'll be working up to 4.5 miles this Tuesday and probably will include some hill work - sorry, it's necessary. I'm very proud of each and every one of you for all your hard work and dedication. It's paying off. You're close to meeting your goal. See ya Tuesday. Don't forget Sunday's opportunity with Mel and Cristi if you missed Saturday. Maria and Susan

Sunday

Will be at the war memorial as well. 0700. We will be there!
Hope to see you,
Melanie and Christi
Please let us know by email or call my cell phone so we wait for you..
741-6469

Saturday grind

If you want to be prepared for Abe's Amble, consider joining fellow STICKS at the War Monument end of the cemetery tomorrow morning at 8 ayem for 4 miles back and forth through the cemetery portion of the course into Lincoln Park. You will once again work at your own pace. I'll have water available at one of the shelters at Lincoln Park. No, it's not easy but it will definitely prepare you for the race. You'll see the majority of the hills of the course. Please consider joining us. IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!!!! If you can't make it, I believe Mel and Cristi or running at the IDOT Lost Bridget Trail Sunday morning. See you tomorrow at 8. Maria and Susan

Just an update on a fellow stick

Just spoke with Vera she said she was being babysat by her neighbor, she wanted to thank everyone who came to her assistance tonight and helped her out. She was feeling much better.
Just a reminder to everyone let your body be your guide. Tonight was the true test of endurance. Way to go to all that came out an endured the heat.
Keep drinking - water that is....
See you Sat or Sunday AM both will be at the war memorial for about 4 miles, Sat time I think I heard was 0800 and Sun time about 0700,
I will post if a different time.
Melanie

Tonights Route 4 miles

Tonight we plan to run about 4 miles. There will be water at the 2 mile mark.

Way to go Sgt. Stick!

Way to go Susan you are officially know on our blog and the Abe's blog as Sgt Stick! No really,
You did an awesome job of coordinating the Women's Distance Festival, great turnout, great shirts, great prizes and a great time!
Glad to see all of our female sticks out there participating and doing some killer times, as well as some of the male ones out there cheering them on! The results are posted on the link if you want to see your fellow runners times. Proud of you all for your efforts.
See you Tuesday,
Melanie, Christi and Maria

Sergeant Stick reporting

I'm not sure what was a prouder moment - seeing all those STICKS (including my fellow leaders) today at WDF or being the race director of the Women's Distance Festival. Your support was very much appreciated and I loved see you this morning. I have to say lack of sleep can make the mind a little crazy but I hope all of you had as much fun as me. I heard some good stories about your successes today and I want to hear more on Tuesday so be prepared to share. Because some of you missed last Tuesday's make-up run on Wednesday so we'll stay at the 4 mile mark and repeat the route of last Tuesday. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate on these hot humid days. Proud Sergeant Stick (Susan)

Looking Good!

Christi and I ran with Linda and Jeff they kicked some butt!
Linda beat her 3 mile time by almost 5 minutes (40:--) and Jeff right on target with consistency at 40 minutes and some change, they finished out at a pretty good pace didn't catch the exact time for their 4 miles. I know the first 5 ladies that went out had some good times too! WAY TO GO STICKS!!!! Hope to see you Saturday at the park, I could probably do another lap after for anyone wanting to run 4 there would just be a break in that time. That is the hardest part of the course and to have those times shows that you guys are doing something in between the week!
Keep up the good work,
Melanie, Christi, Susan and Maria

Satruday Run

This Saturday we will be running in Washington Park at the Women's Distance Festival. If you haven't signed up yet do so now. The link to the website is at the right of this post. The race is $20 and you get a great shirt for the price. If you can't run come out and cheer on those of us who are running. Melanie, Christie and my children will be running in the Kids Fun Run. I will post photos after the race. Have a great week running. See you Saturday, if not then on Tuesday. - Maria

Saturday Senators

Hats off again to those who showed up Saturday to join Maria and me (Jill, Angie and Karen - Carol is on the DL) for a repeat of last week. We once again did the back half of the course which is the toughest part - starting from the war memorials back into Lincoln Park and returning. It's hills, heat and humidity - what Abe's Amble is all about. Jill actually had some great training partners - her husband Bruce, boxer Maggie and Maria and she completed 4 miles on Saturday. Great job, Jill. Angie improved her 5K time from Tuesday. Karen led the pack. We encourage all STICKS to join us on our Saturday or Sunday morning workouts. There is definitely power in the group.

Tuesday we will work towards 4 miles and also allow everyone to work a little more at their pace, similar to the 5K. This means some will run 5 and walk 2 and some will still keep with the current 2 and 2 pace which is great. We will indirectly head back to the fairgrounds by way of Ridgely School and the back roads through the main gate and to the grandstand and then west and back south out gate 11 on to Lincoln Park and then loop around for a total close to 4. After this week, we may have to move our longer runs to the weekends but we'll talk as a group. Hang in there....you're all improving and meeting your goal - to FINISH!!!!!! Susan, Maria, Christi and Mel

5k Practice Race

Way to go STICKS! You are half way there. Please remember on race/run days to hydrate and eat properly. This will help with your overall time. Susan and I (Maria) will be running on Saturday again from the War Memorials. We will cover about 3.5 miles and attack the hill from both directions. This is great practice for race day. If you can't run on Saturday and want to run on Sunday you need to email Christi. She will not go if she doesn't hear from anyone. Keep pounding the ground at least 2 mores times this week and we will see everyone on Tuesday.

Half Way and Going Strong

The Sticks showed what they were made of during the half way 5K tonight, with everybody finishing under an hour. The course had some hills and lots of hot pavement so it was less than ideal. Good job to all. Saturday Maria and I will once again be available for the same 3.4 mile course starting at 8:30 at the war memorial side (parking available) of Oak Ridge Cemetery and basically covering the harder half of Abe's Amble. We'll continue the two and two pace and start to allow people to cover it at their own pace. Water will be provided at the half way point. Next week we'll move to closer to 4 miles (probably 3.8ish) and continue the 2 walk/2 run pace. PLEASE BE SURE AND RUN/WALK AT LEAST TWO TIMES BETWEEN EACH TUESDAY. It's only going to get tougher from here on out. We want to make sure everybody can finish in August. We're very proud of all of you. Susan, Maria, Christi, and Mel
P.S. Don't forget to register for the Women's Distance Festival at womensdistance.com or getmeregistered.com. That's July 12th. I'm the race director and it would mean a great deal to me to see you there. Bring your kids (if you have them). The kid's fun run is FREE! Thanks.