2009 Disney Half Marathon - I want to participate!!!

[ArelysAdriana]

Hi, I'm new here (well, not new to DIS, but new to the W.I.S.H boards)

I just decided I would love more then anything to participate in the 2009 half marathon, but I don't even know where to begin! Is just under a year enough to get myself ready for the half marathon?

I've been jogging and working out more as of lately, mostly just to get myself in shape, but it probably isn't enough.

I would love to also participate in the Minnie 5k in May in order to really get a feel for the marathon world (I have never ran in one!), but I don't know if less then 4 months is enough to get myself ready for it.

Any advice/tips/encouragement/links to websites would be fantastic and I would be ever so grateful

 

[angietuck2]

If you are looking for advice and encouragement you have come to the right place. And the thing you will hear more than anything on these boards is:

YOU CAN DO IT!!

No seriously if you have already begun jogging and working out lately you are WELL on your way to a 1/2 marathon a year away.

About the 5k in May, you can DEFINATELY do it!! There are LOTS of people who walk some if not all of it so even if you couldn't run the whole thing ( which I bet you could) you could walk some. Let me say this too, MINNIE marathon weekend is AWESOME!! but nothing compares to the big marathon weekend. There are thousands of people participating as well as cheering and the atmosphere and the adrenaline is unbelievable.

I would encourage you strongly to join us on our weekly thread where there is more encouragement and fun than you need to get you through the training and then I would just research some kind of training plan that works for you. There are lots of web sites out there and books that will help give you some direction and guidance.
One of my favorites is:

http://www.runnersworld.com/0,7118,,00.html

Hope this helps and hope to see you on the weekly thread and at MINNIE and Donald.

angie

 

[ms.mightyduck]

Hi! I'm new here, too. A friend who does the Donald half every year was asking me about doing it. My husband does not think I can get my butt off the sofa to do it, but I want to try!

We, too, are talking about the Minnie in May (otherwise it'll be a half in New Jersey that weekend).

I look forward to encouraging each other! I'm so excited! Now if I could just get off the sofa....

 

[ArelysAdriana]

Thank you angietuck2!
I just posted over on the weekly thread. I'm sure you will be seeing a lot of me around here from now on.

Good luck to you ms.mightyduck! From what I can tell, everyone here seems to be so wonderful and encouraging, I'm sure you will be able to prove your husband wrong

 

[MiniGirl]

Hi, I'm new here (well, not new to DIS, but new to the W.I.S.H boards)

I just decided I would love more then anything to participate in the 2009 half marathon, but I don't even know where to begin! Is just under a year enough to get myself ready for the half marathon?

I've been jogging and working out more as of lately, mostly just to get myself in shape, but it probably isn't enough.

I would love to also participate in the Minnie 5k in May in order to really get a feel for the marathon world (I have never ran in one!), but I don't know if less then 4 months is enough to get myself ready for it.

Any advice/tips/encouragement/links to websites would be fantastic and I would be ever so grateful

I found these boards about this time last year and caught Marathon fever. I also did the Minnie 5K last May -- just to get a feel for it. Sounds familiar huh? You can most definitely do it. You'll find a lot of support, encouragement, and wisdom on this baord. You'll also find your seasoned runners and walkers and your beginning runners and walkers and everything in between.

Welcome to the boards. It is a great place to be and a exciting time to be here.

 

[hoosmi]

I found the WISHers about this time last year. I decided to sign up for the Goofy. I had virtually no base (ran a bit years before, but stopped). That wasn't a really smart plan, but guess what?!

I did the Minnie 15k with the support of the WISHers, and just completed the Goofy!

You can do it!

Jen in GA

 

[Kira G.]

Welcome!

I'm new here too, and will be there running the half with you next January!

 

[wdw4us]

I'm 53 years old and just got back from walking the entire 1/2 in 3:10. You can do it. I did train from 1/31/07 till now but without that goal in mind I could not do it. If you really want to do it, you can. My husband is 56 and jogged the entire thing with my dd. My son who hardly trained at all beat all of us. Truly, as a family if you were to look at us you would not believe that our bodies could accomplish this and we all did. GO FOR IT. You will never forget it.

Pain is temporary but Pride is forever!

denise

 

[princessrunner]

You can definitely do a 5K in 4 months. Find a good training regimen such as one suggested in so many of these threads and set your goal. I have to set goals for races, otherwise, I would make excuses not to run.

I have been running smaller races (5K and 10K) for about 2 years and I decided to do the half this year. I started following the plan in Marathoning for Mortals in about October. I had a few set backs that made it so I could not do the entire training and in the final 3 weeks before the half, I had to take 2 off (okay, okay, only 1-1/2 but don't tell the doc) and I was still able to run the entire half and finish with a time of 2:31:44 which is more than I thought I would do. I was really planning to run/walk but you get so caught up in the whole race that you can really do more than you think. If this is your first half, I would HIGHLY recommend it. There is a lot to see and enough happening to keep you occupied without the need for an iPod (ran for the first time without mine!!)

Prepare yourself for some pain and agony though, I am still hobbling around with one sore calf today. But, the medal that I earned and the accomplishment that I feel far outweighs any pain that I felt afterward.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!

 

[jmasgat]

So I just signed up for the Minnie 15k (gulp!) Do I dare sign up for the half marathon now? Or do I have time to wait and see if this "running thing" is really going to work? Anyone know if/when the half marathon fills up?

Thanks,

Maura

(Another newcomer)

 

[ultramickeymouse]

You all have plenty of time for your races. One thing to remember is to listen to your body. If you are hurting skip a workout on the schedule. The schedules are a guide. If you don't listen to your body, you won't make the start.

Better to be undertrained and healthy than overtrained and injured. That's how I survived Goofy #3. Plan to be healthier for Goofy#4

Good training!

 

[Barbday62]

Hi, I'm new here (well, not new to DIS, but new to the W.I.S.H boards)

I just decided I would love more then anything to participate in the 2009 half marathon, but I don't even know where to begin! Is just under a year enough to get myself ready for the half marathon?

I've been jogging and working out more as of lately, mostly just to get myself in shape, but it probably isn't enough.

I would love to also participate in the Minnie 5k in May in order to really get a feel for the marathon world (I have never ran in one!), but I don't know if less then 4 months is enough to get myself ready for it.

Any advice/tips/encouragement/links to websites would be fantastic and I would be ever so grateful

My first ever race was Disneyland 2006. I decided in about late January to do it. I started with daily walks and I was pretty slow too!! I didn’t have a clue how I could do and finish and keep their 16 minute per mile pace they required. I took almost 20 minute to do a mile back then. I persevered and worked at it. I bought Marathons for Mortals and a couple other running books. I read them all through and followed Marathon for Mortals walk training. I was training at 3.8 miles per hour on my treadmill since that was 16 minute mile pace. But all my road training I was too slow. Closer to 17 to 18 minute per mile pace.

When I got to the race day I got myself to the front of the coral. That bought me a few extra minutes for the race. I tried so hard to go faster but I was still coming up too slow. I finished in 3 hours and 37 minutes. I was never picked up but was at the back of the pack going through the stadium. I saw the end of the line where they picked people up. I got my medal but no certificate because of those 7 minutes I was told I didn’t finish. I figure oh well its all about the medal anyway.

I ran last year and got in with 3 hours and 4 minutes so I’m improving lol. I don’t plan to do Disneyland any more because training in Arizona is so hard. I have to get up at 4am on my day off just to train at 90 degrees (our summers are on average 110 - 118 degrees). Once the sun came out it was too hot for me. I say start now and commit and do it.

By the way I had family members not even believe I could do it. My own mother said "do you realize how far 13 miles is?" when I told her about it. Now I have done 3 and she believes I can do it. I did not know I could do it either when I started out. Just take it one week at a time and each week builds on the last.

A 5 K is excellent. You will do a 5 K most nights in the training. Thats only 3.1 miles. I can do that in 40 minutes now and currently Im training for a half for March and I do 40 minutes 3 times a week. (And Im still slow!!)

 

[cobbler]

Well sign me up too as someone who really wants to do the 1/2 in 09.

I graduate this December with a dual major and will be 32 just before the Marathon weekend and it is just something I want to accomplish.

I did the 6.5K ToT race in October, lots of fun and will do the 15K Minnie in May, but want to do this too.

 

[hockeygirl]

Well, I have to agree with everyone else...a year is definetely enough time to train for the half. I started training last January for the the full, and I was able to complete a half in April. So, a year is plenty of time. Good idea for trying to get a few races under your belt before then.

Don't worry about it and just do it...believe me it will be an amazing experience!!!!

ms.mightyduck--are you thinking about doing the Long Branch half?? That was my first half last year and it is a nice race! I am thinking about doing the NJ Marathon that weekend which is together with the Long Branch Half.

 

[Maherae]

ArelysAdriana!!

You can sooo do this. I am a 56 year old, overweight, previously unathletic walker who took her first steps January 1, 2006 with the 2007 WDW half as a goal. I followed Marathoning for Mortals and it worked wonderfully! There are lots of other programs out there, so investigate. I was AMAZED that I could do each week's increasing distance!! I'm not concerned with speed..just being able to finish is a thrill! I did my first 5K in March, a 10K in April, 15K (Minnie) in May...then signed up for the inaugural 1/2 at Disneyland in September!! I am at a 14:30 pace..so, as a jogger..you are already ahead!! I was so glad that I did DL. It was the most perfect race..temp, physical condition, everything! The WDW 1/2 was horrible for me. If that had been my first 1/2, I would never have signed up for another. Instead, I recognized it as "bad race conditions" and now am on a quest for a half in every state! Come join the fun!! Hope to see you on the weekly training thread!! Anne

 

[ArelysAdriana]

Thank you everyone for all the welcomes, encouragement, and your own personal success stories, they are very motivating.

It seems like a lot of people like Marathoning for Mortals and from what I have seen of it, it looks like a really good way to start out

 

[shell78]

I'd say it's never to early to start training!

Right now you can start with the Couch to 5k program (couchto5k.com). After that I'd say google a 10k training program that you like. You should soon start looking for half marathon training plans online. Most are about 12-18 weeks which would mean starting around Sept. You may want to start a little early even to give you some room for injury/vacation/bad weather or if you just feel like you are struggling with the program for the given week, you could repeat it.

Definitely do not make the half marathon your first race. It sounds glamorous to have it as your first, but it is a world of difference to train by yourself and then be in a race with hundreds (and then thousands at Disney) of people. Also, before your first race, read up on "Race Etiquette". You will be loved by everyone if you follow good etiquette.

 

[wdw4us]

I'd say it's never to early to start training!

Right now you can start with the Couch to 5k program (couchto5k.com). After that I'd say google a 10k training program that you like. You should soon start looking for half marathon training plans online. Most are about 12-18 weeks which would mean starting around Sept. You may want to start a little early even to give you some room for injury/vacation/bad weather or if you just feel like you are struggling with the program for the given week, you could repeat it.

Definitely do not make the half marathon your first race. It sounds glamorous to have it as your first, but it is a world of difference to train by yourself and then be in a race with hundreds (and then thousands at Disney) of people. Also, before your first race, read up on "Race Etiquette". You will be loved by everyone if you follow good etiquette.

I agree, we did a 5K road race in August, an 8k in September and one in October. It really helps you to be on the road with others and mentally prepare for that whole race aspect. Not that we're racing or competing but more having to be with a group and navigating the course WITH them.

denise

 

[ArelysAdriana]

I'm starting my official training tomorrow. I plan on doing the Minnie 5k (or 15k, if I'm feeling adventurous) in May and also the Tower of Terror race in October (if it is still going on) in order to be better prepared and to work myself up to a half marathon.

I'm using the Couch to 5k to start off, so hopefully it works. Thank you for all the advice and tips I'll definitely look up race etiquette too

 

[1/2Marathonpixie]

I'm new here and would love to join the W.I.S.H. team. I have done 7 half marathons and plan to do the 2009 half. I have seen the W.I.S.H. shirts along the course and that is what brought me here. May I join in please?