Barca33Runner's Journal: Thanks For Noticin' Me(Comments Welcome)

[Barca33Runner]

Don't be so hard on yourself! You haven't been able to train as much lately, but not because you're too lazy or you don't want to - you have a valid excuse. I know you can turn it around! Great job finishing.

I second what Ariel said!

The good races feel even better when they happen, because we've all been in situations where we didn't have a great race. The thing to remember is that you finished when it was hard to finish...and that's sometimes more of a feat than when you finish a race and it feels easy.
I had one "DNS" this year and it still bugs me that I didn't just go do it no matter the outcome.
But you started it and finished it and that's pretty cool.

But vent away anytime you need to

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm happy that I was able to finish and sometimes you need the bad times to help instigate action to make good times happen in the future. I'm re-energized, so maybe this will all be a good thing.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I think I am getting back on track. Heading for my first 30+ mile week in a while and starting to shake some weight off as well. Not the best time of year to be looking to shed 15-20 pounds, but I think my enjoyment of the races will be greatly enhanced if I am able to achieve that goal (it will also mean that my running is in a much better place).

It's always such a strange sensation this time of year; I have so much excitement about heading to Disney and doing the races, but I also have a lot of apprehension about not being prepared. I think I have a new goal, completely forgetting time and PR's, and that is to arrive at a race knowing I've done all that I could to be successful. Unfortunately, I don't think I've ever had that feeling. I think I need to consider mapping out my training in the future so that I know I have the best plan in place and I just need to follow it to be successful. I've avoided plans in the past because I don't like the anxiety caused by feeling that I have to run, but I'm beginning to think I can handle it better than I am handling day-to-day winging it. Oh well, I guess that's my rambling for today.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Getting close to the end of this Dopey training cycle and I wish I had a couple more months. I am so completely ready for my WDW vacation and the 27th can't come quickly enough on that front, but on the training and Dopey front I'm not quite as prepared. I think I am going to split the post up and address both aspects of my upcoming trip.

Dopey Challenge:

I am going to run roughly the same plan for the upcoming final three weeks of my training. I am not going to be doing much formal running after I get down to Orlando, so I will have a full ten days for some sort of taper. I'm really bad at planning my training and may have to ask for some help after I finish this upcoming Dopey and before I begin my next training cycle. I've come to the begrudging conclusion that "winging it" isn't exactly a plan for success. Anyway the next three weeks will look like this:

Monday-4 miles
Tuesday-4 miles
Wednesday-Rest
Thursday-3 miles
Friday-6 miles
Saturday-10 miles
Sunday-20 miles

I plan to run all of the mileage at a relaxed pace with the exception of the Thursday 3-mile runs and the 10-mile run on the second weekend. I know that I'm not going to reach the goal I originally set for myself, but when I finish my training I am going to be confident that I am better prepared than I have been the last couple years. This is the last time I will be going into the Dopey Challenge with any question in my mind about how much I will be able to enjoy the Marathon portion. As crazy as it may seem, I am already excited to start my training for 2018. I know I can do better and I really want to prove it to myself.

Vacation:

My family had our ludicrously early Christmas this past weekend (between jobs and other obligations it's tough to nail down a time when we can all get together). It was probably unnecessary because we are all meeting at Disney shortly after Christmas, but the best thing to come out of the weekend is that we now have everyone's tickets bought, fastpasses selected, ADR's nailed down, etc. Basically everything that needed to be planned is planned and that is super exciting. I also got a good picture with the crew I'll be rolling with in a few weeks:


Unfortunately, McFly doesn't get to join in the fun; but outside of that I couldn't be more excited for Marathon Weekend 2017.

 

[Ariel484]

Love the pic with your crew! What a fun trip you guys will have.

You've been doing a great job this year, despite some curveballs thrown your way - maybe you won't meant your time goal, but you know you will still finish Dopey and that is something to be proud of! I think most people would have given up altogether, but you're still making the best of it.

Also, your dog is soooo beautiful.

 

[Barca33Runner]

You've been doing a great job this year, despite some curveballs thrown your way - maybe you won't meant your time goal, but you know you will still finish Dopey and that is something to be proud of! I think most people would have given up altogether, but you're still making the best of it.

Thanks for the continued support. I got down on myself when I wasn't making the progress that I was hoping for early on and then things snowballed and I was in a funk for a while. I'm excited for Dopey and I know that I'll be incredibly proud of my accomplishment when I finish...and that I'll be looking forward to doing it all again in 2018. This has always been a difficult but rewarding journey for me and I've needed some of the valleys in order to help reach higher peaks. I'm happy to be back on the climb.

Also, your dog is soooo beautiful.

He's the coolest, but I'm a little biased.

 

[Ariel484]

Hey, the great thing about not having a hard time goal for Dopey is that you can maybe make time for all of the run stuff that goes on during a Disney race - photo-ops, etc. It'll be a blast!

 

[Barca33Runner]

Hey, the great thing about not having a hard time goal for Dopey is that you can maybe make time for all of the run stuff that goes on during a Disney race - photo-ops, etc. It'll be a blast!

I'm currently trying to figure out my projected finish and waiting for the course to be posted so I can measure the viability of making FP+ for RnR and ToT. I plan on running plenty of races for time in the future and I would like to try and PR all 4 races at Dopey at some point, it's just not going to be this year.

 

[Ariel484]

I'm currently trying to figure out my projected finish and waiting for the course to be posted so I can measure the viability of making FP+ for RnR and ToT. I plan on running plenty of races for time in the future and I would like to try and PR all 4 races at Dopey at some point, it's just not going to be this year.

Goals, courtesy of @Keels: http://disboards.com/threads/2017-wdw-marathon-non-running-goals-thread.3520136/

I'm really curious to see if they'll change the course with the DHS construction......

 

[Barca33Runner]

I'm really curious to see if they'll change the course with the DHS construction......

That's what I'm waiting on, I need to see how/if the course cuts through HS and how far off course I would be diverting myself. I don't care about the added distance, just being really conspicuous as the sweaty runner who has ventured well off course.

 

[FFigawi]

I'm currently trying to figure out my projected finish and waiting for the course to be posted so I can measure the viability of making FP+ for RnR and ToT. I plan on running plenty of races for time in the future and I would like to try and PR all 4 races at Dopey at some point, it's just not going to be this year.

@Keels is making me FP selections for rides along the course.

 

[Keels]

@Keels is making me FP selections for rides along the course.

I am! I actually have a bunch already, but am waiting for the final course map to see how feasible they will all be!

 

[FFigawi]

I am! I actually have a bunch already, but am waiting for the final course map to see how feasible they will all be!

@Keels is the best

 

[cavepig]

McFly is too cute posing, just like one of the kids! I'm a lurker but, Fastpasses have to be an hour apart in the same park for your first 3, so I'm confused how people do this. I know you can move them up after using the first, but the time you want being available is slimmer & it still has to be the first park. Using someone else's band is the only way I see how to do this. But then I would be too worried the ride would break down & I would be stuck! Good luck with your final weeks of training too, never get down on yourself even when things don't go the way you want with running/training, you just get back at it with new goals. Glad you seem to be reenergized for Dopey!

 

[Barca33Runner]

McFly is too cute posing, just like one of the kids! I'm a lurker but, Fastpasses have to be an hour apart in the same park for your first 3, so I'm confused how people do this. I know you can move them up after using the first, but the time you want being available is slimmer & it still has to be the first park. Using someone else's band is the only way I see how to do this. But then I would be too worried the ride would break down & I would be stuck! Good luck with your final weeks of training too, never get down on yourself even when things don't go the way you want with running/training, you just get back at it with new goals. Glad you seem to be reenergized for Dopey!

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I don't have alerts up and didn't notice your post until yesterday. McFly loves everyone and always has a smile on his face so he's much more photogenic than I am. I'm definitely reenergized; having this opportunity is amazing and I am going to enjoy myself and my four runs. There's plenty of opportunity for PRs in the future.

As for the Fastpasses, I'm really only looking to do one ride in DHS and I'm waiting for course info before deciding which one seems like a better idea. I should be passing Everest well before it is open and I think one thrill ride in the middle of a marathon is a good way to test the waters. Easy enough to skip it if things aren't going too well.

 

[cavepig]

As for the Fastpasses, I'm really only looking to do one ride in DHS and I'm waiting for course info before deciding which one seems like a better idea. I should be passing Everest well before it is open and I think one thrill ride in the middle of a marathon is a good way to test the waters. Easy enough to skip it if things aren't going too well.

ah ok, got it, that makes more sense, I guess I got confused since @FFigawi & @Keels said they were making a whole bunch along the course, which is what I don't get how you can do.

 

[FFigawi]

ah ok, got it, that makes more sense, I guess I got confused since @FFigawi & @Keels said they were making a whole bunch along the course, which is what I don't get how you can do.

We are. We'll be carrying multiple Magic Bands along with us.

 

[cavepig]

We are. We'll be carrying multiple Magic Bands along with us.

Yeah but all your bands still go to your account, I can switch between all my active AP & room bands on the trip and I still can only have 1 set of FPs. Still something confusing on how it can work....

 

[Barca33Runner]

First simulated Dopey in the books and I'm happy with how things went. I decided to run my Thursday 5k and Friday 10K hard (I'm not so very smart), because of this I dialed it back on Saturday and did 5 miles before transitioning for an hour of elliptical (~6 miles, but who knows). Sunday I only ran 12 miles because I was feeling some shin splint pain after about 10 miles and didn't want to make a mistake this close to race and tempt fate on an injury (and I had things to do and was happy with the previous 4 days work). Still 2 weeks of simulations and I'm sure I'll get my 20-mile long runs done in the coming weeks. Over 40 miles for the week and my legs feel great today, definitely can't complain about that.

 

[rteetz]

Yeah but all your bands still go to your account, I can switch between all my active AP & room bands on the trip and I still can only have 1 set of FPs. Still something confusing on how it can work....

There is thread on how people do it on the Fastpass subboard on TPAS.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Had to change the title. The goal is still in my mind and I know I'm going to do it (and exceed it), it's just there for another year. Dopey #4 is going to be an incredibly fun adventure and I'm going into it knowing that completing another Dopey, no matter how quickly, is going to be an awesome achievement.

Finished a second mini-simulation this weekend. Did 3, 6, 7, 16; my legs feel good and I know I am in better shape than I was for my disastrous Half last month. I am going to be happy with finishing, but I think I have an outside chance at a Marathon PR if I don't burn out in the first three races. This is mainly because my Marathon PR isn't really that hard to eclipse, but it would still be kind of cool.

Currently only 9 days before I head to Disney and I am too excited to worry about such trifling matters as running 48.6 miles anymore.