First half marathon at 55 - am I nuts?

[HootDad]

Well, I have no idea if anybody is reading but as I wrote earlier I'm going to keep rack of my progress here for me if not anyone else!

Running-wise I got up to 3 miles today, which was my goal. Yesterday I only did 1.5, but that was more because of time (I had something to do...) I do need to get my pace up a bit, although I'm not going for speed right now my pace is pretty appalling.

After my 10 pound loss last week, as expected, I went up 1.2 pounds this week. That's still almost 9 pounds over 2 weeks which I would take any time!

 

[indygirl99]

Keep up the good work training for the half and decreasing the weight.

 

[HootDad]

Keep up the good work training for the half and decreasing the weight.

Thanks!

 

[johde]

I wouldn't worry too much about pace right now. That's for several reasons. First, everybody is slower in the summer when it's warmer. In July, on average I'm a minute slower per mile than I was in April. Second, as long as you're even close to a 16 min. mile, your primary goal is increasing distance. Third, as you run more, even without worrying about it you should get faster.

Also, Congratulation on the weight loss.

 

[HootDad]

I wouldn't worry too much about pace right now. That's for several reasons. First, everybody is slower in the summer when it's warmer. In July, on average I'm a minute slower per mile than I was in April. Second, as long as you're even close to a 16 min. mile, your primary goal is increasing distance. Third, as you run more, even without worrying about it you should get faster.

Also, Congratulation on the weight loss.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, johde. Good points about the summer.

 

[HootDad]

Mixed week...

On the weight loss side great news. I'm down another 1.8 pound which means I lost back the 1.2 I had gained last week plus another .6 pounds.

On the training side - had a good week topped off with a great Saturday where I put in 3 miles and felt like I could have kept going.

Sunday was another story. My goal was 3.5 miles and I only made 2.75 - and I felt very over heated and slightly nauseous. I decided it was caused by a few things - not the least of which was getting a late start so it was very hot and humid.

Then, at the recommendation of another DIS-er (thanks jodhe!) I picked up a copy of Jeff Galloway's "Half Marathon: You Can Do It!" and I realized I've been over-doing it. Anyway, I'm switched over to his "run, walk, run" approach and will follow his training schedule from here on out. I will keeping a journal on the WISH journals here

 

[ohMom]

nuts? no way!

inspiring?? YES!!!

 

[vsimeone]

You can do it!

I ran my first steps at age 44 and ran my first half marathon this past June at 46! Now, I'm signed up for 3 half marathons next year!

 

[goofeygirl]

I used to do track and field...in the early 1980's in school. Then I stopped. I did exersize regularly for a long while..then stopped. Gained 15lbs.

I thought of doing the Disney half then brushed it off. Last October my brother talked me into it...telling me I could walk it if need be. I signed up...began walking as part of my exersize, scared I wouldn't be able to even do the 13.1 miles by January. I bought a bunch of junkie reality tv show dvd's and watched them while I did the treadmil.

I did the half in Disney in 4 hours..yeah 4 hours because I pretty much walked it. I kept it up and the next half I did two mos later in 3 hours..the following one in May I did in 2.3 hours. So I signed up for the Goofey in 2013. I don't know if I can do that but I have a while to train.

In the half Disney I was walking behind a women who was 80 years old! Yeah 80!

So don't over do it...but don't be scared. I haven't run prior to all this since 1982. I am in my mid later 40's.

 

[goofeygirl]

I wanted to add this: Last year I stayed at the Dolphin resort..and after the race I was by the pool relxing and a 25 year sat near me with his grandfather who must have been in his mid 60's. We got talking and found out the kid did the Goofey and the grandfater did the half!
I asked the g.f. how long he had been running for and he said he began a few mos earlier. Never even considered doing any sort of running let along a half marathon. He said his g.s. called him (an avid runner) and asked if he wanted to try it...and the g.f. thought it would a great bonding moment. So they trained together and the g.f. even went out in snow and trained.

This g.s. / g.f. team did the race in under 3 hours. The g.f. was so inspired that he did something he never thought he could do, he told me he was going for the FULL in 2013.

Later I saw them on the bus going back to the airport and he wanted his bag on top of all the other suitcases and bags because his medal was in his bag...and it meant so much to him.

 

[Jousey]

Hi all,

I am a longtime DIS member though I have not been posting much lately. I was listening to one of the Disneyland podcasts where Tony talked about doing the Tinkerbell half marathon. He said something that you hear a lot from folks who succeed at a challenge like that - "If I can do it anyone can!" Well, that got me thinking and I turned it around a bit to "If anyone can do it then I can!" Then on a later podcast I heard this forum mentioned and I figured I'd post my intentions and get feedback if you will indulge me.

Anyway, I am challenging myself to run the 2013 WDW half marathon. I am 54 years old now and will be 55 by the time of the marathon. And I have never run a marathon before - nor any distance close to that. I am in generally good health and work out regularly. The thing is, in addition to my age, I was involved in a project late last year (I directed a production of the musical HAIRSPRAY) that took all my focus an energy so I got out of what had been a regular exercise routine for about ten years. This resulted in my gaining about 15 pounds on top of the 15 or so I already needed to lose.

So, in a nutshell, I'm 54, need to lose about 30 pounds and I have never run any real distances. To tell you where I am now, I get up every morning and work out for about 75 minutes including a walk/jog of about 2 miles. I have started trying to push myself on weekends - last weekend I jogged 2 miles both days (although calling what I do "jogging" is a stretch of the term) and walked another mile and this weekend I intend to stretch that out to 2 1/2, maybe 3 mile jog with a mile walk.

So... am I nuts to think I might be able to do this? I will need to push myself obviously but I don't want to injure myself. I'm being real careful - stretching and all that - but have I given myself to high a goal?

Thanks!

Not at all nuts! My mother started running in her late 40's and have done 2 half marathons a year since. This year at 54 she will have logged 3 halfs and a 10miler as well as I don't know how many 5K's and 10K's.
This is great keep up the good work and We will see you at Disney. These are great runs and a lot of fun. Part of my run at Tink this year I followed a great group the was pushing a friend to finish. So push on you can do it and you are never to old I have seen people well in their 80's finishing races.

I was thinking the same thing about reading. As a first timer, I liked Marathoning for Mortals. especially the chapter on goal setting. Not goal setting in terms of time, but goal setting in term of half marathon or full marathon, running or walking or some combination and the like. I ended up using their training plans for my first 2 half marathons before switching over to Jeff Galloway.

I would recommend continuing to work over the summer on slowing increasing the distance on the weekends, as well as a little bit during the week. Then come early September you can start looking for a plan to take you the rest of the way.

They have a Marathoning for Morons, Oh you said Mortals. either way that's cool.

 

[RunRookie]

I started running about 1.5 years ago, with my first Half Marathon being the Disney Half last January. I was 51 years old and hadn't done any running since high school. So starting out last April was a big leap of faith for me. I have also been on a journey to lose weight, joined Weight Watchers in 2010.

You are totally accomplish your goal if you are motivated, train smart, and follow your plan. I did Jeff Galloway's novice plan last year to prep for the Half (with a few modifications to include interval training and weight training days) but I only ran 3 days each week, and gave myself two rest days. I wanted to work hard but avoid injury. I ran both the 5K and Half in January and it was the best weekend ever!

Now I am running 4 days a week and training for the Chicago Marathon in October, followed by the Dopey (5K, Half, and Full) in WDW 2013. If you want to read about my journey, I have a blog listed in my signature.

I say "Go for it!"

 

[queen mimi]

You're a youngster!! When I was 60, I started training in September for the Princess Half Marathon the following March. I was (am, but now not so much!) overweight and had arthritic knees. Never was an athlete, ever, except for some golf. That was five years ago. Now, I do between 4 and 5 half marathons a year. I am very excited because I go up an age category this year, up to 65 and older! Maybe my rank will be higher. I don't know, there are an awful lot of fast old ladies out there! They all seem to be faster than me! One of my favorite memories was doing the Tinker Bell half with my daughter last year at Disneyland. Sitting in their chairs, along one block was a whole group of "older" ladies wearing their red hats and purple outfits. The Red Hat ladies cheered me on as one of their own! It was great! To help compensate for getting older, I now am doing a lot more weight and fitness training. I hope it helps. My next race is on September 15, the Air Force Half Marathon. I am also registered for the Princess Half in February. Go for it!

 

[goofeygirl]

You're a youngster!! When I was 60, I started training in September for the Princess Half Marathon the following March. I was (am, but now not so much!) overweight and had arthritic knees. Never was an athlete, ever, except for some golf. That was five years ago. Now, I do between 4 and 5 half marathons a year. I am very excited because I go up an age category this year, up to 65 and older! Maybe my rank will be higher. I don't know, there are an awful lot of fast old ladies out there! They all seem to be faster than me! One of my favorite memories was doing the Tinker Bell half with my daughter last year at Disneyland. Sitting in their chairs, along one block was a whole group of "older" ladies wearing their red hats and purple outfits. The Red Hat ladies cheered me on as one of their own! It was great! To help compensate for getting older, I now am doing a lot more weight and fitness training. I hope it helps. My next race is on September 15, the Air Force Half Marathon. I am also registered for the Princess Half in February. Go for it!

I love your story! I am running the Air Force Half too next month! I am signed up for the Goofey challenge in Jan...I am mid or so 40's.
I think its wonderful you are running with your daughter...what a wonderful thing to share! Good for you!

 

[WeRunDisney]

Mixed week...

On the weight loss side great news. I'm down another 1.8 pound which means I lost back the 1.2 I had gained last week plus another .6 pounds.

On the training side - had a good week topped off with a great Saturday where I put in 3 miles and felt like I could have kept going.

Sunday was another story. My goal was 3.5 miles and I only made 2.75 - and I felt very over heated and slightly nauseous. I decided it was caused by a few things - not the least of which was getting a late start so it was very hot and humid.

Then, at the recommendation of another DIS-er (thanks jodhe!) I picked up a copy of Jeff Galloway's "Half Marathon: You Can Do It!" and I realized I've been over-doing it. Anyway, I'm switched over to his "run, walk, run" approach and will follow his training schedule from here on out. I will keeping a journal on the WISH journals here

I can't relate on the age front (I'm 31)....but definitely on the run/walk and weather issues. I'm hyper-sensitive to the heat and really struggle with the summer humidity. And I always get frustrated when I don't hit my mileage goal. As my softball coach would say, "walk it off"...seriously. I usually just make myself walk the remainder of hte mileage and that helps my psyche a bit.

On the run/walk front, I love it! I tried it for my 2nd half which I signed up for literally 14 days in advance and really hadn't trained at all. And ever since, I've been hooked. I can maintain a better pace over a distance that way than just straight running.

Another good resource is the various runDisney groups on facebook...there's a princess one (probably less your speed!) and a Marathon weekend one, plus there's the runDisney page.

Good luck!

 

[NewRunner]

Way to go! I think it's great that you are starting running!

 

[zanzibar138]

I haven't had time to read through all the posts, but just wanted to add my words of encouragement

Last year my parents both completed their first half ironman. That is a half marathon run, preceded by a 1.8k open water swim and a 90k bike ride.

They are both over 50 and had never done anything like that before. A few years ago they got into cycling and have been doing that, built up to a few 'fun' distance triathlons, and next thing I know they've signed up for a half ironman! They did have a relatively good base level of fitness from the cycling, but it sound like you're pretty active too and would have a reasonable base level fitness.

They trained in less than 6 months. They did have a professional trainer to set up their schedule and keep them on track. And obviously there was a lot of cross training with cycling and swimming as well as running. Mum did get a bit carried away on one of her earlier runs and actually ended up getting a stress fracture in one leg, but she managed to still do some low impact training. It was a hard slog for her to be ready for the event after the 6 week 'break' but she got there.

Nothing against my parents, but if they can do it, you can If you're in a position to get professional help, it could be worth it. But as long as you listen to your body, I say go for it!