MAJOR Ultra update: due to COVID-19, I have chosen to defer the Ohio Ultra...to the DALLAS Ultra! Big D, here I come! (that's what she said, LOLOL)
Friday, March 20, 2020
This Is Spartan Ultra Episode 15
MAJOR Ultra update: due to COVID-19, I have chosen to defer the Ohio Ultra...to the DALLAS Ultra! Big D, here I come! (that's what she said, LOLOL)
Virtual Walt Disney World Vacation
I have taken the liberty to compile a list of videos of ALL the attractions at Walt Disney World resort in Florida. If you are stuck at home, unable to travel, watch these and pretend you're elsewhere.
MAGIC KINGDOM
Astro Orbiter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceLFGnNv1rM
Barnstormer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2p4gcJiu1M
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmmteiM_K1Q
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWiXGxDmXJU
Carousel of Progress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo4jnlvJmrk
Country Bear Jamboree https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYfQVhmvBSA
Dumbo the Flying Elephant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAYYHv52BxY
Enchanted Tales with Belle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_ZOFFT2qcE
Enchanted Tiki Room https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLrxgN-msZY
Hall of Presidents – OBAMA VERSION https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vHOng0vm8o
Haunted Mansion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRp4CiUnuWY
It’s a Small World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tbm4Au3dZ0
Jungle Cruise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ybSVe8HVFg
Liberty Belle Riverboat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYbV_E-lcF4
Mad Tea Party https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kicbnkVp0Y
Magic Carpets of Aladdin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc8_aPjObfQ
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lre7at0fO6U
Mickey’s PhilharMagic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_L0NoZrV6g
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB2hEyHBxAs
Peter Pan’s Flight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLBPvABpQXQ
Pirates of the Caribbean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZeBQXkqgZM
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFwBMtACI2M
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf8NARziZZM
Space Mountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMMiZFPYg6M
Space Mountain LIGHTS ON https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLzq3NDCdvU
Splash Mountain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUsgniDbYgs
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zU9D5mCmA
Tom Sawyer Island https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My1qNot7sig
Tomorrowland Speedway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB8vXkkcKHY
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDTFLUhj37E
Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JosZ4PgpMO4
Walt Disney World Railroad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqaRTWx43aY
EPCOT
Spaceship Earth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_KEaFN6r6k
The Seas with Nemo and Friends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8OLq0hwTP8
Turtle Talk with Crush https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkvrv3-xKRc
Living with the Land https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isqIdiJstYw
Soarin’ Around the World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP8rsfja4RA
Awesome Planet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFHshcG1rMI
Journey Into Imagination with Figment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpempCSp2-w
Mission: SPACE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLM-uy4dQdw
Test Track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGlcEksJ1jM
Gran Fiesta Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoubwYgDjmk
Frozen Ever After https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8OHP9OriMA
Reflections of China https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljykYbUslBU
American Adventure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycDCiwObVl0
Impressions de France https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZM4OA2JRpU
Canada: Far & Wide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUYeF77OseI
Illuminations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z2vwjD2Pvw
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Alien Swirling Saucers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMcOjQ_RTaw
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRlnSylqQ2w
Fantasmic! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCcWmZf85A4
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along
Celebration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFeuOvEiIXM
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51gnon4Uz2U
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOEdsupEr5Q
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p4MnM2LAkI
MuppetVision 3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXvltYAKufo
Rise of the Resistance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0HRyP2UUzY
Rock ‘n Rollercoaster featuring Aerosmith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYBP9A6P2t0
Rock ‘n Rollercoaster LIGHTS ON https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1FvbSDGXv4
Slinky Dog Dash https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK3ZrMgyLVQ
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkje4nxixrA
Toy Story Mania https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URDD77bzyZ0
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w_pilK1ncg
Voyage of the Little Mermaid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eQn-5gUMCk
ANIMAL KINGDOM
Avatar Flight of Passage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMxeDMPvSnI
Expedition Everest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTji1hOICEI
Festival of the Lion King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKRCI1Imh80
Finding Nemo: The Musical https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTXm4eqisJU
It’s Tough to Be a Bug https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im6ypRoCiLg
Kali River Rapids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8jSs9Z8jMY
Kilimanjaro Safaris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Of2C9tN_w
Na’vi River Journey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FciaHToIQMM
Primeval Whirl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC_jqWno63I
Rivers of Light https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqyqhIXaoWY
TriceraTop Spin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaGds1jtoBY
UP! A Great Bird Adventure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQd8QS88YNk
BONUS
Tron Coaster (Shanghai Disneyland) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taeucixxrdM
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Coronavirus Cockblock
Sorry for the crass blog title, but this virus is totally cockblocking everyone in the world at this moment and I'm calling it like I see it! First of all, I will say this is a very serious situation and I know lives are at stake, and I'm not going to minimize that at all. Our top priority NEEDS to be protecting our most vulnerable populations. Totally understand that. But for the purposes of this blog, I will be focusing on how this is specifically affecting the fitness/racing communities. While it might seem like this is a silly thing to be concerned with at a time like this, it is the point of my blog, and racing has been turned completely upside down for at least the next several weeks. I will also be focusing on the United States because that is where I live, and that's what I've heard the most information about.
Most races in America have been cancelled or postponed. The Abominable Snow Race was cancelled with less than 24 hours notice after the host venue decided to shut down. Spartan has cancelled or postponed all events in the next 30 days. Communities have put into place bans on gatherings of over 100-250 people, which has caused mass cancellations of OCRs and road races during a prime busy race season. Race companies are hemorrhaging money and needing to offer free deferrals and refunds to keep the customers happy.
Brief aside: I saw people on the Facebook page for the Abominable Snow Race asking the race to reimburse them for their lost hotel fees and even their LOST WAGES from taking a vacation day for the event. Bitch, please. That is so ridiculous, I can't even. You cannot demand that a small race company who has just lost a TON of revenue should pay you back for your vacation day. It is beyond out of line to even ask for that. Some crazy lady asked for an "immediate refund" so that she could "take [her] kids to do something fun" that weekend, and claimed she should be paid back for the "custom team shirts" that she chose to have made. Nobody NEEDS to make custom shirts. That was your choice, Karen.
Anyway, how do we as a community prepare for race cancellations? I have a few ideas that I think are ALWAYS prudent.
1) Always make cancellable reservations. I know it's tempting to save a few bucks with the Advance Purchase hotel rate, but DON'T. Always always always make sure you can cancel your reservation, pandemic or not. Airline reservations are more difficult usually, but right now all the airlines are giving refunds. If you're getting a plane ticket for an event, you should consider trip insurance or paying an extra fee to make your ticket at least changeable.
2) Consider, if traveling for an event, making a proper vacation out of it so that a race cancellation will not literally ruin your weekend. If you can plan family vacations around a race (example: visiting Disney World when a race is happening in central Florida), it will be less devastating if the race can't happen.
3) Have a backup plan. This could be a different race that you could parlay your training to if your first choice is cancelled. It could also be a different idea for a vacation if you have a last-minute cancellation and can't change your travel plans or your time off work. You took a day off and now the race is cancelled? What else can you do to not waste the day?
Specifically with the coronavirus, experts are strongly recommending social isolation, or avoiding groups of people, particularly while indoors. As a result, many local gyms are being shut down for 2-3 weeks while we try to contain the effect of the virus on our healthcare systems. This can be overwhelming for many folks who aren't fitness experts and may have no idea how to train without a gym. Some recommendations:
1) Your backyard. This is a great place to prepare for OCRs because they take place on dirt rather than roads. Do burpees on the grass. Carry around a 5-gallon bucket full of heavy stuff (hammers, rocks, sand, dumbbells, soup cans, etc). Make a spear and throw it at squirrels (kidding, please do NOT do this, use a piece of wood or a proper target instead). Climb over the railing of your deck over and over. Box jump up your front stairs. Make your neighbors question your sanity.
2) Inside your house. There are workouts of all kinds available on YouTube and Amazon Prime. If you have dumbbells or resistance bands and a mat, you can get a great workout inside your house. If you have a treadmill or a stationary bike, awesome. Do burpees on your carpet. Just do burpees in general. Use this month to get awesome at burpees and you won't regret it.
3) Outdoors. Get to those secluded trails where the coronavirus can't find you. Explore the muddy goodness of a spring thaw on soft trails. Run or walk the paved trails. Go to a playground or park and play on the equipment (don't touch your face, and wash your hands afterward). Try to keep a bit of distance from others who might be out, and you'll be fine.
4) The gym. If it is open and you must go, exercise caution. Go to more secluded parts of the gym. If the guy on the elliptical next to you starts hacking (ugh, this happens too often), move to a different one at least two meters away. If the machine has a fan on it, turn it on so that you keep his nasty cough particles from lingering near your face cavities. Avoid crowded classes in small confined studios. Do not touch your face. Wash your hands religiously before and after your workout. Wipe down machines/mats both before and after you use them.
Remember, if you are young and healthy, this virus probably won't affect you. It's easy to be complacent and say you don't need to do any of this. But remember that us healthy folks can easily be carriers and infect many other people without knowing it. Some of those people might go on to infect others who are vulnerable. It is socially responsible for us to all isolate ourselves as much as possible in these coming weeks, even if you have extreme confidence in your own immune system. No workout or race is worth potentially killing someone. Have patience with race directors, who are losing money hand over fist. Have backup plans for your racing and training. And most of all, WASH YOUR HANDS. Constantly.
Most races in America have been cancelled or postponed. The Abominable Snow Race was cancelled with less than 24 hours notice after the host venue decided to shut down. Spartan has cancelled or postponed all events in the next 30 days. Communities have put into place bans on gatherings of over 100-250 people, which has caused mass cancellations of OCRs and road races during a prime busy race season. Race companies are hemorrhaging money and needing to offer free deferrals and refunds to keep the customers happy.
Brief aside: I saw people on the Facebook page for the Abominable Snow Race asking the race to reimburse them for their lost hotel fees and even their LOST WAGES from taking a vacation day for the event. Bitch, please. That is so ridiculous, I can't even. You cannot demand that a small race company who has just lost a TON of revenue should pay you back for your vacation day. It is beyond out of line to even ask for that. Some crazy lady asked for an "immediate refund" so that she could "take [her] kids to do something fun" that weekend, and claimed she should be paid back for the "custom team shirts" that she chose to have made. Nobody NEEDS to make custom shirts. That was your choice, Karen.
Anyway, how do we as a community prepare for race cancellations? I have a few ideas that I think are ALWAYS prudent.
1) Always make cancellable reservations. I know it's tempting to save a few bucks with the Advance Purchase hotel rate, but DON'T. Always always always make sure you can cancel your reservation, pandemic or not. Airline reservations are more difficult usually, but right now all the airlines are giving refunds. If you're getting a plane ticket for an event, you should consider trip insurance or paying an extra fee to make your ticket at least changeable.
2) Consider, if traveling for an event, making a proper vacation out of it so that a race cancellation will not literally ruin your weekend. If you can plan family vacations around a race (example: visiting Disney World when a race is happening in central Florida), it will be less devastating if the race can't happen.
3) Have a backup plan. This could be a different race that you could parlay your training to if your first choice is cancelled. It could also be a different idea for a vacation if you have a last-minute cancellation and can't change your travel plans or your time off work. You took a day off and now the race is cancelled? What else can you do to not waste the day?
Specifically with the coronavirus, experts are strongly recommending social isolation, or avoiding groups of people, particularly while indoors. As a result, many local gyms are being shut down for 2-3 weeks while we try to contain the effect of the virus on our healthcare systems. This can be overwhelming for many folks who aren't fitness experts and may have no idea how to train without a gym. Some recommendations:
1) Your backyard. This is a great place to prepare for OCRs because they take place on dirt rather than roads. Do burpees on the grass. Carry around a 5-gallon bucket full of heavy stuff (hammers, rocks, sand, dumbbells, soup cans, etc). Make a spear and throw it at squirrels (kidding, please do NOT do this, use a piece of wood or a proper target instead). Climb over the railing of your deck over and over. Box jump up your front stairs. Make your neighbors question your sanity.
2) Inside your house. There are workouts of all kinds available on YouTube and Amazon Prime. If you have dumbbells or resistance bands and a mat, you can get a great workout inside your house. If you have a treadmill or a stationary bike, awesome. Do burpees on your carpet. Just do burpees in general. Use this month to get awesome at burpees and you won't regret it.
3) Outdoors. Get to those secluded trails where the coronavirus can't find you. Explore the muddy goodness of a spring thaw on soft trails. Run or walk the paved trails. Go to a playground or park and play on the equipment (don't touch your face, and wash your hands afterward). Try to keep a bit of distance from others who might be out, and you'll be fine.
4) The gym. If it is open and you must go, exercise caution. Go to more secluded parts of the gym. If the guy on the elliptical next to you starts hacking (ugh, this happens too often), move to a different one at least two meters away. If the machine has a fan on it, turn it on so that you keep his nasty cough particles from lingering near your face cavities. Avoid crowded classes in small confined studios. Do not touch your face. Wash your hands religiously before and after your workout. Wipe down machines/mats both before and after you use them.
Remember, if you are young and healthy, this virus probably won't affect you. It's easy to be complacent and say you don't need to do any of this. But remember that us healthy folks can easily be carriers and infect many other people without knowing it. Some of those people might go on to infect others who are vulnerable. It is socially responsible for us to all isolate ourselves as much as possible in these coming weeks, even if you have extreme confidence in your own immune system. No workout or race is worth potentially killing someone. Have patience with race directors, who are losing money hand over fist. Have backup plans for your racing and training. And most of all, WASH YOUR HANDS. Constantly.
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