Hey y’all!!

Just planning my life out years in advanced as I do! (Yes I’m that person who makes every dining reservation 180 days out) What are your thoughts on someone doing Dopey for their first ever marathon?? There seems to be some controversy on this topic, so interested in your thoughts.

My thought process is this. I want
runDisney to be my first marathon. But WDW Marathon weekend is in January, so I won’t have enough time to be marathon ready in 2019. I’m thinking I could spend the first half of 2019 getting comfortable with the half distance and build up some speed. Then marathon training would start towards at the end of 2019. Am I crazy for even considering this as an option? I know it’s too soon to make definite plans, but I can’t help myself sometimes.
 
If you commit to your training, I think doing your first marathon as part of Dopey is doable. There have been several people on this board who have done that successfully. Preparation and training is really what it's all about. If you find a good training plan and follow it faithfully, there's no reason you can't do it.
 
Training Update Week 16!

Total miles ran – 6.1
Month to date – 12.9
Year to date –93.05 <-- Awfully close to 100. :cool1:
Fastest pace this week – Since I have very specific pace requirements for this plan, I’m going to delete this metric. :snail:

Planned work outs:
Monday - 2miles @15 sec running 16min pace/30 sec walking at 18min pace (average pace 17:17)
Wednesday - 2 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Friday - 2 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces


Missed workouts – Not one! It feels sooo good to say that again!! :woohoo:

Things I learned this week –

When you have a plan that’s custom made to you with your schedule in mind, it’s really easy to stick to it.

I learned that Strava does something weird with pace afterward a run. :confused3It like smooths it out or something; however, All I have to do is switch the activity to “race” for a second to get the real pace.


Days till next race – 27 days until the Armed Forces 5k :cheer2:

Plan for week 17 :wizard: -

Monday - 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Wednesday - 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Friday - 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
 


Welp! Virtual running shorts are probably not happening for me this year. My husband and are newly weds and pretty much just bought a house (we bought it 4 years ago; however, my in-laws were living with us and paying rent for the first 3.5 years so we just took over the entire house). All of that to say that money is tight and I don't even like the Incredibles that much. (I mean I like the movie but I'm more of a Disney Parks fan instead of a movie fan. I wish they had continued the trend of the fab 5.) It makes me sad because there is no runDisney on my calendar this year, but we just had the most amazing Disney vacation in December and my goal of a race a month is also a bit of a financial strain. I can't be selfish and spend $160 for 3 races when I know I can do it for about $75 if I picked other races.

That said, when looking at my local races in July I came across 2 contenders. The first is a 5 miler on the 4th on a completely flat course. The other one is a 5k on a pretty hilly course <--- Look at this responsible race directory linking a strava map of the course so that people can show up well prepared! Gold star Jeff Ferdorko!! Gold star!!!

In July I'll be training for the VA 10 miler which is a pretty hilly cores as well (Curse you hill city!! Curse you!!) So for July's race, I'm trying to decide rather or not I should go for the 5 miler (half way to 10) or the hilly course (may prepare me for the terrain of the 10 miler). That's what I'm mulling over, of course your guys thoughts and opinions are always welcome and sooo helpful!!!
 
Training Update Week 17!

Total miles ran – 7.7
Month to date – 20.6
Year to date –100.75 <-- :worship::yay::tiptoe::flower3::mickeybarpixiedust::jumping1::jumping2:


Planned work outs:
Monday - 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Wednesday - 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Friday - 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces

Missed workouts – Not Applicable :littleangel:

Things I learned this week –

100 miles is worth the work! I feel strong and a little like I can do anything. Best confidence booster to date!

I can’t explain how in words (I’ve tried and it’s just a feeling that I’m struggling to articulate); however, I’m starting to see how this run/walk and easy pace may actually make me faster.


Other Updates that seem important

So my new plan has very specific easy paces that I’m supposed to strive for. All of the runs thus far have been at that easy 17:17 pace. The closest I’ve come is 17:16 – the rest of my runs have been a little on the fast side. Wednesday my run was 17:14. Still a little faster than I need to be, but a huge win because I only checked Strava a couple times that run. The rest of my runs I’ve had to check after every 15 sec interval so to come within 3s of my goal pace without checking that frequently is a good thing.


Days till next race – 20 days until the Armed Forces 5k :cheer2:

Plan for week 18 - :wizard:

Monday – 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Wednesday (can’t wait for this run) - 1.5 mile @ Easy + 1 mile @ 60/30 sec @ 13:30/18:00 paces + 1 mile @ Easy
Friday - 4 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Saturday (yea that’s right- 2 days in a row!!) - 2 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
 
Story time!! Pretty much just had the worst run ever.

I start the run with a brand new running skirt!! This one has shorts sewn in and they kept riding up. I’m a little on the bigger side so this causes my thighs to rub together and start to chafe. So I start doing that thing where you keep your thighs together while you walk and only move from the knees down (hopefully someone understands what I’m talking about). This caused the arches of my feet to ache sooo bad. So a half mile in, I run home change and head back out.

I no sooner than I start to enjoy my pain free running, the stomache pain started to hit me.. and hit me hard. I literally had to force myself to take every step I took today. I alsmost had an accident in the last half mile, but thank God I made it home!!!! (Sorry if that’s TMI- just trying to keep it real)

My pace was 17:57, so I don’t have a lot to be proud of, other than I did it. I almost quit at every step of the way and I pushed through. Side bar, I know I should be proud of that... but I’m not. I’m trying really hard to be positive about it but it’s not working.
 


Chafing is the absolute worse thing in the world and lucky me I never notice it is happening until I hop in the shower after a run. Always the same spots too...under my sports bra, lower back at my short line, inner thigh and my right armpit (only the right one, LOL). Way to make it through!
 
Chafing is the absolute worse thing in the world and lucky me I never notice it is happening until I hop in the shower after a run. Always the same spots too...under my sports bra, lower back at my short line, inner thigh and my right armpit (only the right one, LOL). Way to make it through!

Maybe we are running sisters or something - I only chafe on my left arm pitt lol!!!
 
Training Update Week 18!

Total miles ran – 12.3
Month to date – 23.1 (April) 9.6 (May)
Year to date –113.05 <-- This whole 3 digit thing still really blows my mind!


Planned work outs:
Monday – 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Wednesday (can’t wait for this run) - 1.5 mile @ Easy + 1 mile @ 60/30 sec @ 13:30/18:00 paces + 1 mile @ Easy
Friday - 4 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Saturday (yea that’s right- 2 days in a row!!) - 2 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces

Missed workouts – :littleangel:

Things I learned this week –

I learned to Run. Even if you feel like crap.. Run. The more I don’t want to run, the more I need to. Not to rip off nike or anything, but I definitely have adapted a “just do it” mentality this week. I’ve had to talk myself into all 4 runs this week, and I felt great afterwards.

Other Updates that seem important


I started doing yoga on my off days. Nothing crazy, just some core work and stretching plans. I’m skipping all of the leg focused routines and if I feel the need to skip a workout, yoga is the first to go. :yay:

My run on Wednesday with the mile at race pace was pretty hard. After chatting with Billy (@DopeyBadger ), we decided that it was too hard and instead of moving forward with the speed work this coming Wednesday, I’m going to repeat that workout. :snail:

Days till next race – 14 days until the Armed Forces 5k :cheer2:

Plan for week 19 :wizard:-

Monday – 3 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Wednesday – 1.5 mile @ Easy + 1 mile @ 60/30 sec @ 13:30/18:00 paces + 1 mile @ Easy
Friday – 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
 
So I start doing that thing where you keep your thighs together while you walk and only move from the knees down (hopefully someone understands what I’m talking about).
Sure do :wave:

Also, I just caught up on your journal here and WOW! Have you read it recently all the way from the beginning? Your journey is awesome! Keep up the great work!
 
Sure do :wave:

Also, I just caught up on your journal here and WOW! Have you read it recently all the way from the beginning? Your journey is awesome! Keep up the great work!
Omg you made me cry!!! (In the good magical Disney way though- not the bad way!!) I actually haven’t read it all the way through since before humble creek 5k (February)!! I guess I really should do that soon! I think I’ll save it until right before my quarter marathon - kinda as a “get myself pumped” kinda thing!!
 
@Capang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So per your suggestion, I just read my journal back from the beginning (anyone who's read the whole thing, probably knew I wasn't going to be patient enough to make it to the quarter marathon LOL). I have all of the feels right now, but I realized that I owe you a huge THANK YOU!! I have you to think for my Finish Line song!!! On like my 2nd or 3rd week, I asked everyone what their favorite running songs were and you suggested good to be alive by Andy Gramer!!

I literally have put that song on right before the finish line for every race except for Victory at Yorktown (I listened to the Hamilton soundtrack for that one). It's also gotten me through several rough patches in my training so THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT!!!
 
Tonight’s run was good. It was an easy 3 miles, and I was just a little slower than my target pace. However, the start of the run was very hard. Not physically hard. Just hard to put my running gear on and get out the door. Motivation has been hard to come by last week and today, and I’ve started to have my doubts about the quarter marathon. Which is stupid, because I’ve pretty much already done that distance before.

I’ve started playing that game where I ask myself things like “do I even like running?” And “why am I doing this? And “your crazy if you actually think your going to run a 10 miler..” Then around mile 2 it hit me. I got home double checked the plan and Sure enough I am just over halfway through. The mid training plan blues are a real thing for me! They mess with my head every single time. Which really sucks because compared to my last plan, I’ve really had a near perfect plan so far!! I hate that I can’t just be happy and proud right now.
 
You really have had an amazing journey so far! So proud of all your progress. We all get the running blues and get sick of it and question if we are capable and it sucks. But usually those bad ones are followed by a good one soon enough where you feel like you can conquer the world. Keep up the great work!!
 
You really have had an amazing journey so far! So proud of all your progress. We all get the running blues and get sick of it and question if we are capable and it sucks. But usually those bad ones are followed by a good one soon enough where you feel like you can conquer the world. Keep up the great work!!
Thank you sooooo much!!!! It means more than you know!
 
Training Update Week 19! - Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there! :flower1:

Total miles ran – 9.1
Month to date – 18.7 <- How?! Just How am I 2 weeks in and so close to last months total??!!!!
Year to date –122.15 <- I have a feeling that the 2nd 100 is going to come a lot faster than the first!

Planned work outs:
Monday – 3 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Wednesday – 1.5 mile @ Easy + 1 mile @ 60/30 sec @ 13:30/18:00 paces + 1 mile @ Easy
Friday – 2.5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces

Missed workouts – Didn’t miss any, but I had a little knee pain on Wednesday, so I did Wednesdays run on Thursday and Fridays on Saturdays. :crutches:

Things I learned this week –

I’ve come quite a long way since the begging of the year. 122 miles!!! Like What?! @Capang - thanks again for suggesting that I read my journal from the beginning.


Other Updates that seem important


Yoga’s going good - it’s a little more intense than I was prepared for at times, so I keep doing the modified moves (Especially ones that focus on legs). I’m trying to not over tire myself and keep running my priority. I have mastered child’s pose though!! LOL

This week’s mile at race pace was much better! I realized that for week 18 I was running way too fast during my race pace mile and that’s probably why I was too tired afterwards. :car:

Days till next race – 7 days until the Armed Forces 5k :cheer2:

Plan for week 20 :wizard:-

Monday- 3 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Wednesday- 1.5 mile @ Easy + 1.5 mile @ 60/30 sec @ 13:30/18:00 paces + 1 mile @ Easy
Friday - 5 miles @ 15/30 sec @ 16:00/18:00 paces
Saturday - Armed Forces 5k - (easy pace)
 

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