First half marathon?

[CisforCookie991]

Hello! Looking for a little advice/tips: before covid, I could run like a block and a half on a really good day while ending up completely winded. Sometime in the summer of 2020, I started running slowly, just because I needed to get out of the damn house. I've now "run" every 5k and 10k Disney has offered since marathon weekend 2021 (I say "run" because I'm not actually running the whole time but am moving continuously). I do them all virtually, and I've now successfully completed 10ks in one shot twice (marathon and princess 2022) - before I was doing them each as two 5ks and adding up the time. So my question is: am I biting off more than I can chew if I sign up for the wine and dine half marathon? My times are getting better and I can do more continuous stretches of time running (though not for very long) but I've never done anything more than the 10k, and just the twice. I imagine that if I did sign up for the half marathon, I would have to do that broken up as well (since I'm doing the virtual anyway), but essentially doing two 10ks back to back is a looooot of time for me. Any suggestions? Should I wait until I'm more comfortable doing longer stretches?

Sincerely,
Still pretty clueless about running

 

[ZellyB]

Have you ever used a prescribed training plan? If not, I'd really recommend you look into that as you approach a half-marathon. Honestly, the only way to get more comfortable doing longer stretches is to do longer stretches. If you have run a 10k, then you certainly have time to be prepared for a half-marathon during W&D. I'd suggest you find a training plan you like and then just commit yourself to sticking with that.

When you say you don't run the whole time, do you mean you follow like a Galloway run/walk/run type of approach? I used Galloway for every race I ran since 2012 and am a big fan. You can go to his website and download plans that would set you up with training with W&D weekend as your goal race. Then all it takes is the work.

Also @DopeyBadger does customized training plans as well and I know he has done them for run/walk runners since he did one for me. Good luck to you!

 

[CisforCookie991]

So I had to Google the Galloway approach (because I'm really clueless, I'm more... self taught), but yeah that's pretty much what I do. Run/walk as necessary. I will definitely have to look into a training plan. Thank you!

 

[The Expert]

There are Galloway training plans on the runDisney site as well.

 

[jmasgat]

I say go for it. There is something very motivating about signing up for something that's a stretch (read:slightly scary!) You seem to have built up the base for the 10k, and you have plenty of time to build your endurance and train for a half. Also, since you're doing it virtually, you sorta have built-in peace of mind. You can train to do it all in one stretch, but if it doesn't work out, then you still have the option to break it up. Definitely find a plan--something that you can commit to based on your capability/time commitment/etc.

Good luck!

 

[Carol_]

I find the hardest miles are the first two and the last two. When I did my first 1/2, I started to fall apart a little at mile 10, hit the medical tent, got my feet taped up, and finished without dying ( but also hitting the medical tent at the end for ice packs on my thighs). Disney is ready for you even if you’re not quite there yet.

 

[CisforCookie991]

Thanks so much to everyone for the tips and the encouragement! I'll never know if I don't try, right?

 

[Jillfo]

Run/walk as necessary.

Run/walking at prescribed intervals (for example, run 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds, repeat until you finish) from the beginning of your run rather than "as necessary" helps keep you from tiring so quickly.

ETA: Your run/walk intervals can be any combination. Run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes/walk 1 minute, run 2 minutes/walk 45 seconds, 30 seconds of each as noted in my example. You'll just have to experiment and see what works best. And that may change as you build fitness.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

The Galloway Wine & Dine Half training plan would start July 5, so you have plenty of time!

Run/walk as necessary.

A nice thing about the Galloway method is that you set your designated run and walk times and they’re consistent throughout. This can help you go for longer and prevent injury.

 

[Naomeri]

I started running in July 2021 after never having done any running before, and just successfully ran all three races of Princess Weekend without injury. Find a good run/walk training plan and follow it, and you’ll be just fine.

 

[GreatLakes]

If you are dedicated to the training I think you have plenty of time to get up to a half, especially if you have done a 10K.

I decided to start running in January 2005. I could do about a mile before I felt dead. I trained for a month and ran my first 5K in February, first 10K in September, and first half in January 2006. That was all with no real plan other than run a little further than before as I got close to the race.

You'll see a lot of stories here of people that went from nothing to a Disney half in under a year. If you find a plan and ramp up smartly you can get there before November. Good luck.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

So my question is: am I biting off more than I can chew if I sign up for the wine and dine half marathon?

Honestly, I think you have plenty of time to prepare for a November half marathon. As many others have mentioned, some sort of consistent training will be the key. Jeff Galloway says that the long run are the key to success. Doing them increases your chances of success.

You'll see a lot of stories here of people that went from nothing to a Disney half in under a year. If you find a plan and ramp up smartly you can get there before November. Good luck.

I'm one of them. I registered for the 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon in February 2011 having never run consistently at all before. Not even a 5K. The race was scheduled for Labor Day weekend. I did not start training until May and used the Galloway plan. But even then I trained haphazardly. I ran when I felt like it and found too many excuses to take a day off. After about 6 weeks or so of this, I realized that if I was going to finish, I had to stop skipping weekend runs. So I had a long run every single weekend until 2 weeks out in order to squeeze the long runs in.

My training for my first two half marathons was haphazard. They both involved skipping too many short runs, but what made all the difference was making sure that I got the long runs in. That built up enough of a base.

Now, depending on how fast you are, you may not have time to take any character photos during the race. For Disney races, if took a photo during a mile and waited 10 minutes for the photo and ran the mile itself in 15 minutes, you actually completed that mile in 25 minutes. I say this not to discourage anyone from trying, but rather as a reminder. And it is possible to have a great race experience without stopping for photos.

In the end, finding a plan that works for you will help immensely. There are a lot of good ones that will do the job.

 

[Carol_]

My first race ever was a WDW 1/2. I undertrained and took zero photos. It was pretty good (until I had to walk again to the buses, from the buses, around Disney Springs, etc.) Thank Heaven for Oofos flip flops. Worth the $$$.
My 2nd was also a WDW 1/2. I undertrained again, and took one photo with Stitch because the line was short and I love Stitch. Still pretty good. Still depended on the Oofos to move anywhere. I love those things! And Aleve.

 

[Naomeri]

One tip for everyone (not just newbies) that worked amazingly for me: put your recovery shoes in your gear bag so you can switch right after the race. My Sanuks felt SO MUCH BETTER than my running shoes after 13+ miles!

 

[lilmc]

Haha! You’ve asked a very biased group of people your question! A whole bunch of enablers here! Of course everyone is going to say you should and they’re right! You have time to train and Disney races are perfect for atmosphere and character stops to break up the monotony of a “traditional” half marathon. Go for it!

 

[CisforCookie991]

Thank you, you wonderful bunch of enablers! Yes, I will do it. I just have to not chicken out between now and registration day, because once I've put money down, I'm committed.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

My first half-marathon was at WDW, and I can't think of a better place for your first one. At the time, it seemed like a huge hill to conquer, and in the meantime I've done other halfs and now marathons (albeit with a fair amount of walking).

I will add to the chorus that between now and November is plenty of time to train, just pick a plan and stick to it. dopeybadger has good plans, or pick one of the Galloway plans. I can testify to how well walk intervals work for helping with the longer distances without cutting into overall time too much. For training, I stuck to 50 steps or so, in order to not have the body drop out of run mode, and made sure that the walking was still a brisk pace, not strolling.

And if the longest training run you do is only 9 or 10 miles, don't fret. The adrenaline of the day and the walk intervals will get you to the finish line. Be sure to stop and take some photos, and make sure you get 2 pairs of good running shoes that are used for nothing but training and the race. I can't emphasize that enough. It will save you on shin splints and heartache.

Good luck.

 

[Carol_]

Don’t forget there are about 87 miles of walking from the bus drop off to the start line.

 

[Naomeri]

Don’t forget there are about 87 miles of walking from the bus drop off to the start line.

Don’t tell them that until after they’re committed, you’ll scare them off!

In all honesty, I ended up with about 3 extra miles on each race morning this weekend, which included walking through my resort to the bus, from the bus to pre-race area, all the shuffling from corral to start line, and then doing it all in reverse afterward. The 5K had, by far, the worst post-race walk to the resort buses.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Don’t tell them that until after they’re committed, you’ll scare them off!

In all honesty, I ended up with about 3 extra miles on each race morning this weekend, which included walking through my resort to the bus, from the bus to pre-race area, all the shuffling from corral to start line, and then doing it all in reverse afterward. The 5K had, by far, the worst post-race walk to the resort buses.

You mean the 5 + 5 K?...