Full v. January Half v. Princess advice please

[roomthreeseventeen]

OK, long story short. I've been running for 19 months, completed 5 half marathons, and about 25 other races.

I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon over the summer, and was injured. I took about a month off (right after Labor Day), went to physical therapy, and am a lot better now.

Initially, I had registered for the WDW Full, thinking I would do it VERY slowly after racing MCM. My base before I was injured was 30-35 mpw.

I ran 20 miles last week. Two four mile runs, and a 12 mile walk run, using 3:00/:30 ratio.

I could hop on to week 6 of Hal Higdon's Novice 2 marathon program at this point, and go into the January full with no expectations other than to finish. My slowest pace for a half ever was 11:35, so I'm not terribly concerned about the sweeper unless I blow up.

I could also transfer to the half, or the Princess Half, and try to get the sub-2:10 that's been eluding me for the past year.

Is the Disney full ALL THAT, so much so that it should be my first marathon? (I am running NYCM 2012 next November, so that's my other option, since I live three blocks from Central Park.) Or should I take the opportunity to run the Princess, since I've never done it before, and it was that race that inspired me to start running in the first place?

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Why not do the Marathon Relay? It is a new medal which I really love but you can't do the relay for the Goofy so it isn't an option for me. I would highly recommend the Disney Marathon as a first one...I loved it. So many characters, well organized and a lot to distract you most of the way...but is it worth risking hurting yourself over again? I would just recommend doing the relay - and first half since you have never run through the castle. Wait to do the full Marathon at Disney next year (2013) so that you can participate in the 20th Anniversary. Although it won't be your first Marathon, I think it would still be a great experience after NYCM.

Switching to any of the other Half's would be okay...but you could always split it up and do the Donald on Saturday and the relay on Sunday...then you will kind of do the Marathon. You just will have a day in between.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I don't really have an interest in the relay. The January half is really my third choice, since there's a January half in Central Park I could do for $20.

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

In that case, defer it to January 2013. You wouldn't have the travel expenses and you would be close to home for the half there. They seem to be planning for quite a bit in 2013 so I think waiting until then would be nice...or if you are really ambitious, do the Goofy. Waiting a year wouldn't be the worst thing.

 

[jmasgat]

I think it sounds like the Princess might be a better match for where your body/head/heart are at right now. Yes, you could make the marathon--but it doesn't sound like "just finish" is what you are looking for. And since you can do New York (which I hope to do next year), then that would be a great marathon. I have only done 3, and Disney was my first, but I think ANY full would be memorable for you--after all, it's a first!

By doing the Princess, you have more time to work towards a goal that seems to be important to you. I understand fully. I could have registered to run Boston again in 2012, but I have been on the DL and just working back in to running. I could have run it to just finish, but that is not what I wanted to do. I didn't think I'd be ready to run it the way I wanted to, so I didn't sign up (Hope I don't regret it!)

Good luck deciding.

Maura

 

[FFigawi]

I'm going to be the contrarian and say that you should run the full at Disney. With all the characters to take pictures with and the sights to see in the parks, most people run Disney for fun and not for a fast goal time anyway. Not to say that you couldn't hit a fast goal time your first time out, but it's often easier to do that in your second one once you know how your body responds after the first one.

 

[rubato]

I'm going to have to agree with John. Go for it and do the full. It's an amazing first marathon experience. You can take it super easy if you have to, but if you're healed, you have plenty of training time left. I didn't start training for Goofy until right around now last year and made it through even with an injury during training. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

[crewmatt]

Another vote for the full - trust me Disney's course is very supported. You've got it.

 

[Bephus]

I would go for the full also for all the reasons above. It is a great first full (it was mine) and you are likely to do better at NYCM after testing the waters in a fun, low pressure race.

 

[hotblooded]

I'm nervous at the thought of you jumping into marathon training so soon after an injury. Maybe you could consider walking a large portion of it? Otherwise, I would go with the January Half because you're right on time to start a Higdon plan for it.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I'm nervous at the thought of you jumping into marathon training so soon after an injury. Maybe you could consider walking a large portion of it? Otherwise, I would go with the January Half because you're right on time to start a Higdon plan for it.

I do run/walk on all my long runs.

 

[MikeofRose&Mike]

I'll add in a vote for Princess. It'll give you more time to recover and train for a result you'll be excited about. The weather is typically better, and you can defer Disney Marathon until 2013.

 

[nancytoby]

Do the full. Do it slowly if you have to, stop and ice if necessary, carry a camera, and enjoy the day and the break from winter.

You'll have a huge smile on your face from the starting fireworks to the finish line and get a huge honkin' medal for your efforts.

You'll also have a guaranteed PR! The WDW full is so big & crowded and twisty that it's really not a PR course - so you'll know it's a soft PR and you'll be in great shape to bust it wide open at NYC in the fall or whenever you run your next marathon.

 

[johde]

Amy - My question is how is your body handling that longer distances this time around? I know when you were trying to get train for MCM, you had trouble getting past 13 miles or so. I would try to hold off signing up a little bit longer and see how the next couple longer long runs goes.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I have 15 planned for this weekend. If it goes well enough, I'm going to commit to the full.

 

[johde]

I have 15 planned for this weekend. If it goes well enough, I'm going to commit to the full.

That's sounds like a pretty good idea. That's pretty much what I did. I did one of Galloway's plan for the Disneyland half. I use my 15 mile long run as a gauge on if I should continue training and move on up to the full, although I was looking at Columbus, Oh that was last week. Something happened on the 15 mile run that let me know I needed to wait. Good luck and I hope you find your answer this weekend.