Disney World Half - is this crazy?

[MeridaAndAngus]

My question is this: Is it crazy to do the WDW Half in 6 weeks, considering the longest distance I've run as of this week is 8 miles?

Background: I am a newer runner (have done a few 10ks in the last several months). I decided my goal for 2015 is to complete the Coast to Coast challenge & also do my first half marathons. My plan was to do the Disneyland Half and then Wine & Dine Half.

I just learned that a family friend is having their destination wedding just a few days after W&D half weekend in 2015. I may still be able to do W&D, but my work schedule usually won't allow me to take that much time off at once.

I am already signed up for the 10k at Princess weekend, and I feel like trying to do the GSC for a charity would be really tough (physically & financially).

I believe I found a TA who has a bib for the half during marathon weekend, so I'm trying to decide if it's totally insane to get my mileage up & be ready for the half in such a short time period. I do have some base level for the last 8 months of training. I'm doing the Galloway run-walk, and at this point my goal is just to finish my first half marathon, not be fast.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[ImDMous]

My question is this: Is it crazy to do the WDW Half in 6 weeks, considering the longest distance I've run as of this week is 8 miles?

Background: I am a newer runner (have done a few 10ks in the last several months). I decided my goal for 2015 is to complete the Coast to Coast challenge & also do my first half marathons. My plan was to do the Disneyland Half and then Wine & Dine Half.

I just learned that a family friend is having their destination wedding just a few days after W&D half weekend in 2015. I may still be able to do W&D, but my work schedule usually won't allow me to take that much time off at once.

I am already signed up for the 10k at Princess weekend, and I feel like trying to do the GSC for a charity would be really tough (physically & financially).

I believe I found a TA who has a bib for the half during marathon weekend, so I'm trying to decide if it's totally insane to get my mileage up & be ready for the half in such a short time period. I do have some base level for the last 8 months of training. I'm doing the Galloway run-walk, and at this point my goal is just to finish my first half marathon, not be fast.

Any advice is appreciated!

Let me preface this by saying, I'm not a runner. However! My DH just got done with the Avengers Half. The farthest he had run before that was about 9 miles. He had an injury that sidelined his training for a few months and he just never got up to that distance. He did really well and had a great time for his division. He was very nervous leading up to it and was just trying to finish but I actually had to text him to slow down several times because I was getting his splits and he was speeding up the whole time. In my inexpert opinion, you'll be fine. Go for it!

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

I could answer logically: It seems within reason...ramping up 1 mile a week...blah...blah...

But my real answer is: sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Go for it! Set a reasonable goal time and you'll be fine.

Have a GREAT half!

 

[DOOM1001]

My first race ever was the Disney full marathon,no 5K's,10K's or half marathons of any kind before,before the full I did several 7-8 mile runs,2 10-12 mile runs and a 17 mile run before it and I got through it just fine.I have some friends who I've run races with,basically 3 half marathons and I know they do several 3-6 mile runs before those races and then we all go and run 8 miles like a week before the half marathons.I know they struggle with the race but they all get through it and the next day are planning what race to run next.I know I have much more endurance than them so I know they need to train a lot more if they want to do a full and one of them has a knee that might limit them to just the half,like for example the day after we did the last half together one of them was talking about doing the Disney full for their first Disney race,I then suggested Wine and Dine which will suit them better,then they can think about maybe doing the full.I think you probably know best what your level of fitness is,like at what pace did you do those 8 miles and how did you feel doing them.I totally think it's more than possible,like I said these guys that have done those 3 halves with me are definitely not experienced runners but they manage to run them in 2:30-2:35,not too bad considering one has a bad knee and the other was a smoker.Doing the Galloway run walk will also make it a lot easier to get through it.I'm doing Goofy in January and plan to do a lot of walking during the half,so I'll see you on the course if you go for it. P.S. They give you 16 minutes per mile to run it,walking at decent pace is like 17-18 so just do it,it's the Disney marathon weekend,lots a Galloway run walkers finishing these races.I'm a middle of the pack runner and my finish times and overall places always look a lot better at the Disney races than other races.

 

[bumbershoot]

I said these guys that have done those 3 halves with me are definitely not experienced runners but they manage to run them in 2:30-2:35,not too bad considering one has a bad knee and the other was a smoker

This just makes me cry for my 2:59:44* self. Fine knees, never smoked. Sigh.



OP if you can get a bib, it's a Sign that you should do it.



*most recent time. but for this year's WDW half it was 3:20. Don't run when you're terribly sick, people, especially not a lung sickness. Doesn't matter how much it cost...if it takes you 2 months to fully recover after being done with symptoms, it's just not worth it!

 

[MeridaAndAngus]

Thanks for all the encouragement! I went ahead & booked it so I'm officially signed up for my first half marathon! So excited my first half will be at WDW!

 

[smeagol14]

You can do it. Just do it to finish. Not sure how fast you are but if you think you may have an issue or want to give yourself a cushion don't stop for too many photo ops and get there early in you corral.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

If you're at 8 miles with 6 weeks to go you'll be fine. I'd just start the WDW half training plan at whatever week follows the 8 mile long run, you'll be a few weeks behind but your longest training runs will still be in the 13.1 range and even if you don't finish a half in training the adrenaline of the race will easily get you over the finish line.

I started running a little over a year ago and just did my first half at the Avengers and was surprised how easy the race felt compared to my training. During my training I did strict 4/1 run/walk intervals and even though I ran 3 halves in training I struggled with the distance and was worried going into the race, I ended up feeling so great during the race I skipped several walk intervals completely and the ones I did walk I usually cut short because it seemed like an eternity was passing and I just wanted to run again.

You'll be fine, have fun at the race.