Disney 1/2 Marathon for Dummies

[cobbler]

I went out and bought the book Marathon for Mortals. Good read, I finished it in 2 days.

So I think with my history, age, activity level I am going to go for the run/walk half marathon program.

Now I have a question for those of you that have used the training plans and such. They have it set up with jogs and such M/T/Th/F/Sa with rest on W/Su

My current schedule needs me to take Tuesdays and Thursdays off, because of my super long days at school. Do you think I could modify the schedule to do it M/W/F/Sa and have 3 days off instead of 2, being that Sa will be the long run?

Any advice on how to tweak this to best suit the days off I need? If I absolutely had to, I could get a jog in on Tuesday but Thursdays are for sure a no go.

 

[ninaeve]

The only "race" I have done is the 5K Go Red for Women '07.
I started back to running this November(had been doing mostly weights and classes about 4 times a week with only 1 day of running 3-4 miles the rest of the year).

I added distance too quick and had improper shoes resulting in shin splints this month. I have been to the dr. and have a specialist appt at the orthopedic center this week to see why they aren't healing. I have been resting, icing, and no cardio at all for 3 weeks. I also got proper footwear for when I start back.

My long runs before being injured were around 8 miles with a mile of walking warmup/cooldown. Short runs were 4 miles and 2.5 miles.

So, saying that my splints heal up soon, and I can get back to running by mid February...do u think that I can be able to do the full? I am signed up for the 15K in May currently. I was thinking I could wait and decide until after the 15K whether to sign up for the half or full, but they are filling up quick!

I hate making this decision while injured or maybe it is better bc I am not doing the running right now which might make me think twice.

Thoughts?

 

[shell78]

My current schedule needs me to take Tuesdays and Thursdays off, because of my super long days at school. Do you think I could modify the schedule to do it M/W/F/Sa and have 3 days off instead of 2, being that Sa will be the long run?

Any advice on how to tweak this to best suit the days off I need? If I absolutely had to, I could get a jog in on Tuesday but Thursdays are for sure a no go.

In general I do MWF/Sa for runs. As long as you keep the "spirit" of the training plan you should have no problems.

 

[wtpclc]

cobbler - 1. You better find me at teh Minnie! 2. Back to back runs are hard. Whe dh and I did our first one as part of the full training program. We thought we were going to die. We were 5 or 6 months of doing half amrathon plans. To do you long run as a b2b, sounds like a bad idea to me. I would highly recomend getting your LR on a Mon or Wed. However, taht's giong to eb tough. If you do it on SUnday, you could "limp" through Monday. If you HAVE to do it your way (I ocudl nto do LRs on any day but saturday, except once in a blue moon), be very, very gentle Friday. IMO, even if you go at half your pace Friday, doing your LR the next day will give you more work out than if you were on teh regular plan and worked hard on Friday. JMO.

Kimberly - The fact that you already have had shin splints from goign too hard, leads me to recommend the half plan fro you. However, you have enough base to do teh full. If you do, though, do not press too hard too soon. DH adn I wnet from Late Feb and did teh first 8 weeks of w/r teh half, teh first 8 weeks of r/w teh half adn teh first 8 weeks of run teh half. taht took us to the run teh full training for MFM. If you followed this adn took it very easy, I thin you could do it. You must take it easy, though. Also, it all depends on what teh doc says.

 

[cobbler]

Ok, I guess I wasn't clear - I do that you know.

According to the training plan I should do short distances (between 30-40 minutes) on M/Tu/Th/F with the long run on Saturday

My schedule doesn't allow me to do really much of anything on Tu/Th. So I could do short runs on M/W/F and the long run on Saturday. Basically I would be taking out one of the short days that the plan calls for and keep the long run on Saturday with the rest on Sunday as the plan calls for.

I am wondering if taking out that one short day is going to hurt me and putting a rest day in between the shortdays instead of doing the short days back to back.

 

[wtpclc]

Cobbler - WHere's your XT? I know I get by with only 1 day of XT, but I would not take out 1 short run. I think if you did M, W SRs; F XT and Sat LR, you shoudl eb ok.

Just a warnign to those who start with 5Ks - Most of you are trianing for something much longer. So, tehre is a risk of being very slow at a 5K. That's fine, but do not let that discourage you. There is a world of difference btwn a 5K and a half or full. Even a 10K is much faster. DH and I are middle of teh pack usually for teh WDW full. However, our short runs are not much faster than our long ones. So, we are in teh last 10% or so in 5 adn 10Ks. DOn't let it keep you from doing them, but don't let it discourage you if you're back of the pack!

 

[cobbler]

What is an XT?

 

[ultramickeymouse]

What is an XT?

Cross Training

 

[bunnyfoo]

Lots of great tips/advice here Hope it's okay if I throw my question in here ... In reading a lot of the 1/2 marathon and marathon threads I see people talking about ice baths afterwards. Is that just a matter of dumping lots of ice into the bathtub and hopping in? Doesn't that get really cold really quickly? And would I have to order ice - with so many people running the marathons, are the ice machines enough? Have I got it completely wrong?

TIA

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Lots of great tips/advice here Hope it's okay if I throw my question in here ... In reading a lot of the 1/2 marathon and marathon threads I see people talking about ice baths afterwards. Is that just a matter of dumping lots of ice into the bathtub and hopping in? Doesn't that get really cold really quickly? And would I have to order ice - with so many people running the marathons, are the ice machines enough? Have I got it completely wrong?

TIA

I used the ice bath for the 1st time ever after the 1/2 trying to get ready for the full. I just dumped ice into the cold water filling the tub. Yes, it was butt cold

Since we stay at BWV(DVC) and had fridge, I just collected ice a few days before the race from the ice machine. Saved a few bucks and easy just to pull out of the fridge.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I used the ice bath for the 1st time ever after the 1/2 trying to get ready for the full. I just dumped ice into the cold water filling the tub. Yes, it was butt cold

Yikes! How long did you stay in? I'm one of those people that probably would have jumped in and jumped out again I'm not sure where we'll be staying but I'm pretty sure we're not going to have a full sized fridge. Are the pools heated in the winter - I can't remember. Maybe I should jump in there instead

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Yikes! How long did you stay in? I'm one of those people that probably would have jumped in and jumped out again I'm not sure where we'll be staying but I'm pretty sure we're not going to have a full sized fridge. Are the pools heated in the winter - I can't remember. Maybe I should jump in there instead

I did 10 min. That's what I heard is good and what my PT told me to ice body parts for no longer than that.

 

[lllovell]

hmmmm I am trying to decide how to put this so I don't get blasted.

If I had started up at the front of the "F" Coral instead of about 75% back into the pack, I would have not timed out of the race. I didn't once get jostled (intentionally) nor do I feel like I had gotten in anyone's way. Since I was alone, maybe that helped.

So, I think that while I agree with some of the "Miss Manners" type rules, I think it is really more important to not have your head firmly up your posterior and to realize you aren't the fastest, nor the slowest....so be as aware of others on the course as you can. There are points when your body has had it and you zone out. I had someone talk to me at one point and I didn't even hear him at first. I knew he was talking, but I assumed it was to someone else. He said it again and I realized it was to me. No ipod. Nothing blocking his talking. I was just in the zone.

Something I also read here in another thread about making sure you are walking fast enough sounds like a great plan and is what I am currently working on. 70 or steps a minute at first, small steps, just making sure I am getting enough in. Then, as I do more steps in that time frame, it is time to stretch them out some. It will encourage me to take MORE steps, which will definately speed up my pace for next year.

Good luck with your training cobbler!

 

[cobbler]

Holy cow, there is just no way I could do that! I don't like cold. (About the ice bath)

So, I think I figured out a good schedule for me with my time constraints. Anyone feel free to let me know what they think.

Monday - Weights or Weights/Cardio 30-45 minutes in the AM
35 minutes with run 3min/ walk 2 minutes on the treadmill in the evening (at least until the weather breaks

Tuesday - Rest

Wednesday - same as Monday

Thursday - Rest

Friday - same as Monday and Wednesday

Saturday - Long run

Sunday - Rest

I am not overweight according to most charts but I am 10lbs heavier than I personally want to be. I am active by nature and have worked out to weights and cardio for the last 4 years. Sometimes off and on, sometimes very on. The last year has reaked havoc on my schedule with moving/remodeling/going back to school, but I am finally getting back into the groove of things.

I did do the ToT 6.5K run but have NO idea what my time was. I was able to run the first 2 miles of it before I had to do a walk/run combo, mostly because I was just over being sick and still had one of those coughs that linger on forever. At about mile 2 the coughing started so I had to do the walking when the coughing fits started.

So if there is something I am not seeing, someone please let me know.

Thanks

 

[Cruella de mom]

Welcome Cobbler!

Does everyone really run or jog the entire 13 miles?

No, not everyone. Some people run it really fast but at Disney most people enjoy the experience. Some people get their money's worth and spend 3 full hours on the course.

Any advice on how to tweak this to best suit the days off I need? If I absolutely had to, I could get a jog in on Tuesday but Thursdays are for sure a no go.

I like the plan you just gave. Just remember to take it easy on friday's run. Remeber John Bingham's talk but not sing rule.

I see people talking about ice baths afterwards. Is that just a matter of dumping lots of ice into the bathtub and hopping in?

NO!!! There is an art to the ice bath:
I stay dressed because my clothes are gross anyway. I leave my sock on to protect my toes (They are the most sensative to the cold)

Get the tub with about an ice of luke warm water. Get in and immediately turn the water to full cold. Wrap a towel around your shoulders. When the water covers your knee caps add the ice. Its best if someone else does it for you but make sure they don't pour the ice directly on your legs cause that hurts. My kids fight for the opportunity.

Now sit still. Your legs will go numb in a minute or so and as long as you don't move it is somewhat bearable. Movement makes you feel the cold. Stay in the water at least 10 minutes. Beg the person who dumped the ice on you to help you out of the tub. Hopefully they have stopped laughing.

I used 40 pounds of ice for 20 minutes after the half. My little sister bought two large bags and kept them in one of those 5 day coolers. I am not recommending this amount of ice and time just letting you know that it can be done.

 

[MissyHa]

Wow...this is GOOD STUFF! W.I.S.H. is awesome!!!!! Thanks all for these tips.

I highly recommend WDW for a first half! 2008 was my first ever half. DH and DS did 2007 half successfully so I decided I want to do 2008. I never ran ever. I started small - 5K, 10K, 5K (shin splints)(oral surgery)(move to SC) 10K, 13K, (Christmas cookie break) 13.1 miles completed in 3:09. What a rush! But, I don't think I could have done it if it wasn't at Disney. The first half flies by with all of the entertainment and lots of people. After MK - I would have liked to have my music - that was a tough stretch - I needed something to pump up my pace. I was ahead of my virtual partner going into MK but took pictures - lost my lead - and battled to gain it back but just couldn't. My feet were numb. My DH was by my side and WISHer's cheering in the homestretch. WHAT A RUSH!

Anyway, I'm in for 2009 Half, again (DH (Goofy), DS, and DD (1st WDW) too)

 

[bunnyfoo]

NO!!! There is an art to the ice bath:
I stay dressed because my clothes are gross anyway. I leave my sock on to protect my toes (They are the most sensative to the cold)

Get the tub with about an ice of luke warm water. Get in and immediately turn the water to full cold. Wrap a towel around your shoulders. When the water covers your knee caps add the ice. Its best if someone else does it for you but make sure they don't pour the ice directly on your legs cause that hurts. My kids fight for the opportunity.

Now sit still. Your legs will go numb in a minute or so and as long as you don't move it is somewhat bearable. Movement makes you feel the cold. Stay in the water at least 10 minutes. Beg the person who dumped the ice on you to help you out of the tub. Hopefully they have stopped laughing.

I used 40 pounds of ice for 20 minutes after the half. My little sister bought two large bags and kept them in one of those 5 day coolers. I am not recommending this amount of ice and time just letting you know that it can be done.

Ah! Okay, that sounds doable - I think we're going to stay a couple of days after the race so I want to make sure that I'll be able to walk around and enjoy the parks