First Time Runners - No Proof of Time

[SAHDad]

Two Oceans in Cape Town. Incredible scenery, brutal weather, amazing experience.

Kewl. I'm thinking about running a local timed ultra this fall. The loop course is basically flat (as near as I can tell), but part of it is through an apple orchard, so it could be tricky footing later in the day.

Back to topic - OP, as others have said, it's going to be rough. I think it is doable, but I would honestly caution against it without a decent base to start from.

 

[swimfly]

I enjoyed this marathon so much more, and I credit the run-walk method. I even hit the parks afterward until closing time, no nap or limping required!

Completely agree! Did you decide Goofy or Dopey? I saw you debating in another thread!

I'm also faster w/the run/walk method. Have several friends who have used Galloways method and qualified for Boston. Wow! I wish. One day.....

Two Oceans in Cape Town. Incredible scenery, brutal weather, amazing experience.

Wow! This sounds incredible. Do you have a blog/post with pics? I cannot imagine.

 

[FFigawi]

Wow! This sounds incredible. Do you have a blog/post with pics? I cannot imagine.

No race report posted yet, but some pictures are available here:

Two Oceans 2013

 

[sunshine girl]

Completely agree! Did you decide Goofy or Dopey? I saw you debating in another thread!

I'm also faster w/the run/walk method. Have several friends who have used Galloways method and qualified for Boston. Wow! I wish. One day.....

So I decided on the new 10K + Half for 2014. I hope to do Dopey if it's offered again in 2015, as I was planning on doing Goofy for the 10th anniversary that year anyway!

Yes, I was faster than usual with the run/walk too! During the marathon itself, I was very slow due to the hot weather and generally taking my time. But my training runs showed that the run/walk was faster for me, especially at longer distances as I was able to keep a steady pace and often negative-split. Whereas with running only, I often got a lotttt slower at the end of my long runs.

 

[JCH]

Where on earth are you guys getting the "they don't really sweep people" non-sense???? They most definitely do!!! The timing starts once the last person crosses, so yes, many people will have a time greater than 16+ because of the corral cushion. HOWEVER, there are several "hard sweeps" along the course where if you aren't there by a certain time, you are forced on a bus. For a half marathon, these are 2, 4, 8, and 10, I believe. For the full, I am not sure where the additional ones are as I have never run one. After the last had sweep, however, you are pretty much able to finish if you can keep moving. I think that's at 20 or 21 for the full, which is why you would have seen hobbling people allowed to finish in Epcot.

At the Princess, there was quite a debacle about it with a woman refusing to get on the bus and screaming, and another hiding in the bushes. There were multiple buses of people swept. I stopped for so many pictures I could see them sweeping people at 10 from the overpass.

At any rate, I am going to say it: I signing up for Dopey without ever even having done a 5k is flat out ridiculous and border line insulting to those of us who have trained and worked up to longer distances. It shows a lack of respect for the distance. I know I made that mistake signing up for a full too soon, after only doing 2 halfs! I'm going to do halfs for another year before trying that again.

 

[LoveMyMoos]

The only thing I'd be concerned about with in the last corral would be the vast amount of walkers. I'm not fast by any means, but I do run/jog and I'd be miserable being stuck in a large corral of walkers and playing bob and weave to get around everybody. If you think this won't be a problem for you, or you plan on doing lots of walking, then you would be safe in the last corral. But if you think you'll be doing running and don't want to spend tons of time dodging walkers, then I'd recommend getting in a race for proof of time.

 

[wilkeliza]

The only thing I'd be concerned about with in the last corral would be the vast amount of walkers. I'm not fast by any means, but I do run/jog and I'd be miserable being stuck in a large corral of walkers and playing bob and weave to get around everybody. If you think this won't be a problem for you, or you plan on doing lots of walking, then you would be safe in the last corral. But if you think you'll be doing running and don't want to spend tons of time dodging walkers, then I'd recommend getting in a race for proof of time.

For ToT the last corral was mixed. Every corral ends up full of walkers though because people run the shortest distance possible to submit the use that as their proof if time and end up either walking or run/walking.

My friend has been in corral A before and said 15 seconds into the start gun people were walking. The only reason he wasn't in the elite start was because he wanted to run with friends in A. Just as a clarification he said he doesn't mind people who run/walk but believes people using that method in the A corral should stay to the back corral and let the straight runners go first.

Best advice is if you think you are going to start faster than the rest of your corral get to the front of it before the start.

 

[dewingedpixie]

For ToT the last corral was mixed. Every corral ends up full of walkers though because people run the shortest distance possible to submit the use that as their proof if time and end up either walking or run/walking.

My friend has been in corral A before and said 15 seconds into the start gun people were walking. The only reason he wasn't in the elite start was because he wanted to run with friends in A. Just as a clarification he said he doesn't mind people who run/walk but believes people using that method in the A corral should stay to the back corral and let the straight runners go first.

Best advice is if you think you are going to start faster than the rest of your corral get to the front of it before the start.

What is the qualifying time for elite coral? There is a potential I may run a sub 1:50 half by this fall and I am curious how that corral works at tink and princess since my goal maybe sub 1:45 depending on how my coach gets my official times lined up. Do I feel elite no, but I find a 2:15 corral a little crazy when I can run a 2:09 in flare.

 

[wilkeliza]

What is the qualifying time for elite coral? There is a potential I may run a sub 1:50 half by this fall and I am curious how that corral works at tink and princess since my goal maybe sub 1:45 depending on how my coach gets my official times lined up. Do I feel elite no, but I find a 2:15 corral a little crazy when I can run a 2:09 in flare.

I'm not sure.

 

[Qltrgrl2]

What is the qualifying time for elite coral? There is a potential I may run a sub 1:50 half by this fall and I am curious how that corral works at tink and princess. Do I feel elite no, but I find a 2:15 corral a little crazy when I can run a 2:09 in flare.

I think you would be running in the 1:20-1:35 range for an elite corral placement in a female race. Not sure what the time would be for a mixed race.

 

[paxsarah]

Just as a clarification he said he doesn't mind people who run/walk but believes people using that method in the A corral should stay to the back corral and let the straight runners go first.

With all due respect to your friend, this is bunk. If one qualifies for A using run/walk, why shouldn't they be able to start in A and use run/walk? My problem with that concept is that when I do a run/walk half marathon in, say, 1:59 - my run pace is actually faster than the runners around me who run a straight half marathon with no walk breaks. Sure, then at some point I start my first walk break (using proper etiquette, there's another thread around here discussing that), but when I'm running, I'm running faster than the people around me. I'm not going to drop back a corral because of that.

 

[wilkeliza]

With all due respect to your friend, this is bunk. If one qualifies for A using run/walk, why shouldn't they be able to start in A and use run/walk? My problem with that concept is that when I do a run/walk half marathon in, say, 1:59 - my run pace is actually faster than the runners around me who run a straight half marathon with no walk breaks. Sure, then at some point I start my first walk break (using proper etiquette, there's another thread around here discussing that), but when I'm running, I'm running faster than the people around me. I'm not going to drop back a corral because of that.

He doesn't mean drop back a corral just start to the back of the A corral. I think it is the etiquette that is the problem.

 

[ZellyB]

At any rate, I am going to say it: I signing up for Dopey without ever even having done a 5k is flat out ridiculous and border line insulting to those of us who have trained and worked up to longer distances. It shows a lack of respect for the distance. I know I made that mistake signing up for a full too soon, after only doing 2 halfs! I'm going to do halfs for another year before trying that again.

I don't know. I think this seems a little harsh.

I signed up for the marathon this past January without having run a half yet. I was training for a half and I think by the time I signed up my longest training run was somewhere in the 8-10 mile range. But, I was still several months out and knew I had time to get in the appropriate miles to do a marathon. And I did complete it. This far out from the Dopey, there is still ample time to get in enough miles to do it. Certainly there has to be a commitment to putting in the right training, but if someone makes that commitment and sticks to the training regimen, there's no reason to think they wouldn't be ready for the Dopey come January.

 

[paxsarah]

He doesn't mean drop back a corral just start to the back of the A corral. I think it is the etiquette that is the problem.

Ah, got it. Regardless, the rest of my post still stands - if I start in the back of the corral where my finish time properly places me, I will be running over the runners ahead of me until my first walk break. Logically, I should be starting near the front of my corral since my run pace is faster, then properly move to the side with hand signals, etc. when I start my first walk break. (In practice I don't start at the front like that, I'll generally start in the middle to the side and pass as needed, then I'll be near the side once a walk break hits.

 

[JoeKir]

I just wanted to say how much we appreciate all the info everyone has given. Please don't think we are taking this lightly. We researched hyponatremia, the wall, all of that before we even knew about Disney Runs. And yes, we know that a 3 mile time of 11-12 is nothing. But we are determined, dedicated, and going to be a part of the magic even if we have to crawl across the finish line!

SunshineGirl: we have been practicing a run-walk method ala Jeff Galloway. We are NOT waiting for a training program to come out. We are getting out, and have been for a few months now. And, thanks to feedback we've received here are looking into local races to get as many under our belt as possible!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

OP, I would definitely start looking for a half marathon sometime this summer/early fall. Racing is tricky, even if you aren't running al out, and requires a few times to get the etiquette right. You have to learn how to run around huge crowds of people, not get in the way, how to take water if you need it, how to get on and off the course if you need to uh, use the toilets, etc.

And learn to listen to your body. The most common thing that happens to new runners is that they get injured because they mistake injury for soreness, or they overdo it in the name of sticking to a plan, or they don't take the rest day that they need.

I've been running for three years, and my 5k pace is 8:45, and my marathon pace is 13 something. I'm not sure I could do Dopey at this point because of the sheer exhaustion factor.

 

[fashionista311]

Anything over 26.2 is defined as an ultra. Anything over an Olympic tri is an ultra. Anything over 120 miles is an ultra. Have you done an ultra? Ultra can occur over 1 day or multiple in succession as a stacked event. Personally I'd love to do badwater but it aint going to happen. I do however want to try for a full iron at some point if I can con my medical staff into it.

I could be wrong, but I've never heard of a 70.3 or 140.6 being considered an ultra....and I grew up with a dad whose finished four full ironmans and a million half ironmans.

I'll agree with the an ultra being a running race onger than a marathon, but yeah, the 100 miler crowd (something I plan being of, never) isn't a fan of 50ks being in the ultra category

I don't really think of dopey or goofy as being an ultra race, more just a weekend of back-to-back-races. But then again, I really really want to run dopey, and I have more of an interest of (trying) to run a fast marathon then running slow for 50 miles

 

[JCH]

I don't know. I think this seems a little harsh.

I signed up for the marathon this past January without having run a half yet. I was training for a half and I think by the time I signed up my longest training run was somewhere in the 8-10 mile range. But, I was still several months out and knew I had time to get in the appropriate miles to do a marathon. And I did complete it. This far out from the Dopey, there is still ample time to get in enough miles to do it. Certainly there has to be a commitment to putting in the right training, but if someone makes that commitment and sticks to the training regimen, there's no reason to think they wouldn't be ready for the Dopey come January.

How do you have any idea if you are capable of sticking to a training program and doing the commitment if you have yet to even do a half? You don't even know if you LIKE distance running at that point. If they get to 8 milers and realize they hate distance running, that's 1000 dollars out the window. Maybe that's why it seems so ridiculous to me. It's a lot of money!

Maybe she's more in shape than I know and she'll do fine, but I don't want anyone reading this thread and considering the idea to get the impression that any newbie can run Dopey.

And OP, you seem to be very focused on your 11 minute mile. You need to not be worried about speed. Focus on distance and endurance if you are going to pull this off. Remember that long runs should be done much slower than your goal pace, by as much as two minutes per mile. I do wish you luck now that you've taken it on, even if I still think you are crazy.

 

[dewingedpixie]

I could be wrong, but I've never heard of a 70.3 or 140.6 being considered an ultra....and I grew up with a dad whose finished four full ironmans and a million half ironmans.

I'll agree with the an ultra being a running race onger than a marathon, but yeah, the 100 miler crowd (something I plan being of, never) isn't a fan of 50ks being in the ultra category

I don't really think of dopey or goofy as being an ultra race, more just a weekend of back-to-back-races. But then again, I really really want to run dopey, and I have more of an interest of (trying) to run a fast marathon then running slow for 50 miles

In the triathlon world the olympic is the standard international distance. Anythng over that is long course material. I did my first 70.3 last fall and I hope to do another this fall. Its a grueling race especially with my condition, but awesome. I still remember how in awe I was that I just did that all by myself. I would really love to try a full iron but I'm not sure how well that will go over. The 100 miler crowd of runners there is a special breed of crazy for them. If my body would hold up to that I would gladly join that special breed of crazy. I admire anyone who runs Badwater, that thing is worse than Kona. Kona you might land in a medic tent, Badwater you're going to the hospital at the end. There is one term for Badwater survivors "Bad AZZ Mother Fudgers". I dream of that race and kona, my next life I'm coming back as a kenyan this bad joints crap is not cool.

 

[JoeKir]

At any rate, I am going to say it: I signing up for Dopey without ever even having done a 5k is flat out ridiculous and border line insulting to those of us who have trained and worked up to longer distances. It shows a lack of respect for the distance. I know I made that mistake signing up for a full too soon, after only doing 2 halfs! I'm going to do halfs for another year before trying that again.

Wow, definitely didn't see this comment and want to say we never meant to insult anyone, we just wanted to take on a challenge. Obviously the money aspect is a huge commitment but Disney and fitness are two huge passions of ours and we will be training all year long for it.

I also seem to be sending out the wrong message - I'm trying to show that our time is not a concern for us and not our main focus, that training properly and focusing on form is. Just completing the race and being part of the Dopey Challenge in it's inaugural year is what's driving us, and we aren't playing dumb to the reality of the challenge this will be.

And hey, if you really want to know if we're committed or not we put together a facebook group for that very reason - to find others who are also doing the run to share tips and encourage everyone over the year. You're more than welcome to join and stay connected with us as we all train for this! (oh, and even though it says Dopey Challenge we certainly aren't being exclusive )