Is this realistic?

[dizzyr]

Yes, sign up for both. None of this we'll see how things are going in 6 months and sign up if they are going well. You decide you are going to do it and make it happen!!! The only thing stopping you from doing this is you not believing you can!!!! .

This is true which is why on my way home from work today I decided I was going to try for the dopey! Holy cow it's expensive though. Oh unless the price includes registration to all 4 races?

 

[Waiting2goback]

This is true which is why on my way home from work today I decided I was going to try for the dopey! Holy cow it's expensive though. Oh unless the price includes registration to all 4 races?

Oh Boy! I would strongly reconsider that one. Not because you can't do it, because if you get REALLY serious about your training you can. But, I think it will ruin your "vacation" if you do it. I plan to do it for 2018, which is the 5 yr anniversary and the medal will be extra cool. Here are some things to consider, but you should also read the 2015 Dopey thread as many people who ran it last year have commented on it (Michelle from the Mickey Miles podcast ran it last year as well). But, here are a few things I have learned:

1. Yes, the registration is for all 4 races and all 6 medals.

2. You need to get there Wednesday for packet pick-up so 5 days of your vacation are taken up by racing, which is why this isn't really a vacation.

3. You need to get up at 3 am 4 days in a row for the races, also making it not much of a vacation. This was the biggest complaint by the people who ran it. Not the running itself but the waking up. They didn't get to enjoy the parks or anything those days because they needed to be in bed so early.

4. It is HIGHLY recommended to run a marathong prior to doing the Dopey or Goofy so you know what it takes to handle that before doing multiple races in a row.

5. It is also recommended to do a big race before doing something like this so you can get used to the size of these events. The ToT is the smallest of the major races and there were A LOT of people there. It was a bit intimidating. Marathon weekend hands out 70,000 bids. It is HUGE.

It is your calll but if you really want to do this you need to get serious now and start now. Running that many miles in 4 days requires serious work. It would certainly be cool getting all those medals though.

 

[dizzyr]

Oh Boy! I would strongly reconsider that one. Not because you can't do it, because if you get REALLY serious about your training you can. But, I think it will ruin your "vacation" if you do it. I plan to do it for 2018, which is the 5 yr anniversary and the medal will be extra cool. Here are some things to consider, but you should also read the 2015 Dopey thread as many people who ran it last year have commented on it (Michelle from the Mickey Miles podcast ran it last year as well). But, here are a few things I have learned: 1. Yes, the registration is for all 4 races and all 6 medals. 2. You need to get there Wednesday for packet pick-up so 5 days of your vacation are taken up by racing, which is why this isn't really a vacation. 3. You need to get up at 3 am 4 days in a row for the races, also making it not much of a vacation. This was the biggest complaint by the people who ran it. Not the running itself but the waking up. They didn't get to enjoy the parks or anything those days because they needed to be in bed so early. 4. It is HIGHLY recommended to run a marathong prior to doing the Dopey or Goofy so you know what it takes to handle that before doing multiple races in a row. 5. It is also recommended to do a big race before doing something like this so you can get used to the size of these events. The ToT is the smallest of the major races and there were A LOT of people there. It was a bit intimidating. Marathon weekend hands out 70,000 bids. It is HUGE. It is your calll but if you really want to do this you need to get serious now and start now. Running that many miles in 4 days requires serious work. It would certainly be cool getting all those medals though.

In reality it is probably not feasible - the getting up so early and not really a vacation is also one of the reasons I was on the fence about the half. If we do the five and ten that's already two really early mornings (at least we'd be done really early though). We may have two trips in 2016 (was supposed to be disney in 2015 and my parents 50th anniversary trip in 2016 - cruise to Alaska!) so it may be better for me to plan a solo event in 2018 or 2019 (or with a running buddy who lives out east and also wants to do it). Even if I could manage to do it physically it would wipe me out for the parks that's for sure. I often come up with these not so attainable (for a variety of reasons - not just physical) and hang on to them until I have no choice to let them go but in the meantime they push me until I come up with another goal. As long as I'm still dreaming about running I'll be more motivated to train.

 

[Waiting2goback]

In reality it is probably not feasible - the getting up so early and not really a vacation is also one of the reasons I was on the fence about the half. If we do the five and ten that's already two really early mornings (at least we'd be done really early though). We may have two trips in 2016 (was supposed to be disney in 2015 and my parents 50th anniversary trip in 2016 - cruise to Alaska!) so it may be better for me to plan a solo event in 2018 or 2019 (or with a running buddy who lives out east and also wants to do it). Even if I could manage to do it physically it would wipe me out for the parks that's for sure. I often come up with these not so attainable (for a variety of reasons - not just physical) and hang on to them until I have no choice to let them go but in the meantime they push me until I come up with another goal. As long as I'm still dreaming about running I'll be more motivated to train.

There are 2 different issues here. The issue of being feasible and the issue of enjoying the vacation. It is feasible. You CAN do the Dopey. However, can you do the Dopey and enjoy the vacation the way you want to is a different story. Not to mention the amount of training that needs to go into this to be able to do it without injury and killing yourself. By this time next year you have to be running 4 days in a row and at the peek of your training you will need to get up to in the range of 70 miles a week in order to be properly ready for this type of event.

My fear would be you end up hating running after a year of that kind of training. This is why I am not planning it for a few years. I want to learn more about running. I previously wanted my first marathon to be the WDW marathon but then I decided I'd do a few and get used to it so I can actually enjoy my first WDW marathon as opposed to doing my first one there and barely making it through and not enjoying it.

Why can you do the 10K and the 1/2? It is so much more doable, while still enjoying it. You're only getting up 2 days. And, it is still a distance that will offer more of a challenge if that's what you are looking for.


2 miles for me today. Just wanted to get one more easy run in before Sunday. I didn't want to push too hard. The good news is, I will be able to give firsthand knowledge of what a marathon is like after Sunday, if I live.

 

[dizzyr]

There are 2 different issues here. The issue of being feasible and the issue of enjoying the vacation. It is feasible. You CAN do the Dopey. However, can you do the Dopey and enjoy the vacation the way you want to is a different story. Not to mention the amount of training that needs to go into this to be able to do it without injury and killing yourself. By this time next year you have to be running 4 days in a row and at the peek of your training you will need to get up to in the range of 70 miles a week in order to be properly ready for this type of event. My fear would be you end up hating running after a year of that kind of training. This is why I am not planning it for a few years. I want to learn more about running. I previously wanted my first marathon to be the WDW marathon but then I decided I'd do a few and get used to it so I can actually enjoy my first WDW marathon as opposed to doing my first one there and barely making it through and not enjoying it. Why can you do the 10K and the 1/2? It is so much more doable, while still enjoying it. You're only getting up 2 days. And, it is still a distance that will offer more of a challenge if that's what you are looking for. 2 miles for me today. Just wanted to get one more easy run in before Sunday. I didn't want to push too hard. The good news is, I will be able to give firsthand knowledge of what a marathon is like after Sunday, if I live.

I wanted my first run to be a Disney run and then I too came to the conclusion that I wanted to be able to enjoy it so I plan on signing up for lots between now and then and Disney will be my first "OMG so amazing I just ran through Disney World" run lol!

I was going to do the 5 and the 10 with my daughter so the half would make it a 3rd day of early mornings. Thinking about the Dopey started with me thinking if I'm going to do three .........

There's so much time between now and then so things can change but for now I'm keeping it open as an option. It does sound like it would be very hard to have both a fun and relaxing vacation with the family and a full marathon. The 5 and 10 are easily doable (well I couldn't do them now but they will be easy by then!!!) in addition to the vacation part. The half and full make the vacation aspect more challenging. The half would still probably be very doable.

 

[Chiomaca]

There are 2 different issues here. The issue of being feasible and the issue of enjoying the vacation. It is feasible. You CAN do the Dopey. However, can you do the Dopey and enjoy the vacation the way you want to is a different story. Not to mention the amount of training that needs to go into this to be able to do it without injury and killing yourself. By this time next year you have to be running 4 days in a row and at the peek of your training you will need to get up to in the range of 70 miles a week in order to be properly ready for this type of event.

My fear would be you end up hating running after a year of that kind of training. This is why I am not planning it for a few years. I want to learn more about running. I previously wanted my first marathon to be the WDW marathon but then I decided I'd do a few and get used to it so I can actually enjoy my first WDW marathon as opposed to doing my first one there and barely making it through and not enjoying it.

Why can you do the 10K and the 1/2? It is so much more doable, while still enjoying it. You're only getting up 2 days. And, it is still a distance that will offer more of a challenge if that's what you are looking for.


2 miles for me today. Just wanted to get one more easy run in before Sunday. I didn't want to push too hard. The good news is, I will be able to give firsthand knowledge of what a marathon is like after Sunday, if I live.

Enjoy your first marathon! The best advice I got during my first was at Mile 18 when it was starting to really hurt - keep eating and drinking and let the crowd carry you. And high five ALL the kids on the route - it's like a mini-power up!

 

[Waiting2goback]

I wanted my first run to be a Disney run and then I too came to the conclusion that I wanted to be able to enjoy it so I plan on signing up for lots between now and then and Disney will be my first "OMG so amazing I just ran through Disney World" run lol!

I was going to do the 5 and the 10 with my daughter so the half would make it a 3rd day of early mornings. Thinking about the Dopey started with me thinking if I'm going to do three .........

There's so much time between now and then so things can change but for now I'm keeping it open as an option. It does sound like it would be very hard to have both a fun and relaxing vacation with the family and a full marathon. The 5 and 10 are easily doable (well I couldn't do them now but they will be easy by then!!!) in addition to the vacation part. The half and full make the vacation aspect more challenging. The half would still probably be very doable.

You are correct, the 1/2 is very doable. It's not easy by any stretch but after my 13 mile training, and other long runs, I am still able to function the rest of the day, play with the kids, etc... I'm guessing even the ride home on Sunday will be difficult.

The Disney races are a nice reward for sure. But the process to get there can be equally as exciting. You'll have bad days where you wonder what the heck you got yourself into. Then you'll have those great days where you feel so good you say to yourself, "Why haven't I been doing this all along?" Those make you proud. Those make you more motivated to keep going. Those are just as important as the race.

I'm just glad I get to see it happen as you post here over the coming months.

I'm just secretly hoping StayCool continues to post too. Hope she finds that motivation again and keeps going. She has helped me so much as well. This thread kept me motivated when times were tough so I hope we can help her too.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Enjoy your first marathon! The best advice I got during my first was at Mile 18 when it was starting to really hurt - keep eating and drinking and let the crowd carry you. And high five ALL the kids on the route - it's like a mini-power up!

I don't know if I will enjoy it while it's happening but I will be very proud of myself when I cross the finish line for sure. Then I will enjoy it. Thanks for the support though. It helps. I am very nervous and scared about this race. Not sure if I am ready for it. There are 4000 runners so I don't know what kind of crowd that will bring. I looked at the weather. It's been very warm here all week, Sunday is calling for a high of 48' and the race starts at 8am so it will probably be in the 30's at the start. Probably not a big crowd turning out for that.

I am planning on eating though. Not sure how I will carry it all but I'll figure something out.

 

[Chiomaca]

I don't know if I will enjoy it while it's happening but I will be very proud of myself when I cross the finish line for sure. Then I will enjoy it. Thanks for the support though. It helps. I am very nervous and scared about this race. Not sure if I am ready for it. There are 4000 runners so I don't know what kind of crowd that will bring. I looked at the weather. It's been very warm here all week, Sunday is calling for a high of 48' and the race starts at 8am so it will probably be in the 30's at the start. Probably not a big crowd turning out for that.

I am planning on eating though. Not sure how I will carry it all but I'll figure something out.

What are you eating? I use Clif Shot Blocks, so I tuck 4 packages into my hydration belt. It can be a bit of a pain, but I walk through water stops, so that's when I fiddle with the food. I've seen people pin their Gu/Gel packages to their shirts, but I can't stand the texture, so haven't tried.

Make sure you have a mantra or something else to tell yourself (or a power song if you're using music) for when it gets hard. I enjoy every minute of my long runs, but admit that some of them are best admired from a few days later. Either way - go you! I'll be rooting for you!

 

[Waiting2goback]

I don't do the gels or GU or anything like that. I usually carry a Kashi trail mix bar, some skittles, and I use Sport Beans. I think they are by Sport Infusion? I don't always have all of those, they are just things I have used throughout training to see what my stomach can handle while I am running. These all work for me. I am going to try and fit them all into my waterbelt. I also plan to eat one of the trail mix bars and a banana before I start the race.

I also listened to a guy who specializes in nutrition for endurance races on one of the podcasts I listen to. He said fats help because they take a lot time to digest which keeps you fueled longer. So, I will add some extra oil olive to my breakfast. I use it to cook my eggs in the morning instead of butter so I will just use a bit more than usual.

I don't do sport drinks. My stomach doesn't agree with them, so its all water for me for the race so I can't count on those for calories.

That's the plan, I am hoping it works.

My new job is selling phones for Verizon. So, I was tempted all week because they have tons of accessories. They have several wireless headphones that were calling my name. They are pricey but I get a nice discount. I didn't really buy anything at Disney for that race so I really want to reward myself for running a marathon. But, I am not sure how good they work and I don't want to be in the middle of the marathon and have an issue with them.

 

[dizzyr]

I'm vendoring at a craft fair all weekend but wanted to pop in and say good luck tomorrow!! I can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Thank you. That was very nice of you to remember my race. I appreciate the support. I expect to be pretty tired tomorrow night but I hope to be able to come say how I did at the very least. I just learned that the "wife" is planning to go out tomorrow as soon as I get home. So, I will have to run a marathon and then come home and take care of 4 kids. It should be a busy day to say the least.

 

[StayCool]

I'm still here. Just wanted to say that I hope the marathon went well! I will give an update later about my stuff.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I made it through my marathon alive. It didn't go as well as I wanted as far as time. It didn't even go as well as I hoped. I wanted to be under 4:00. I realized weeks ago that wouldn't happen but I'd try to get as close as I could. I just wanted to be under 5:00. I didn't even make that. Here is my description of my day. Hopefully it won't bore you all too much.


I needed to leave my house by 5:30 am at the latest to get there for packet pick-up and give myself plenty of time in case I got lost, hit traffic, or there were lines to get my bib. I woke up at 3:30 because I was so nervous. I got out of bed around 4:15 to start getting ready. Had to tape up my blisters, get dressed, make my breakfast. All that good stuff.

Made it out of the house on time. The closer I got the more nervous/scared I got. Came close to throwing up a few times. I wasn't nervous for the ToT really. I knew I could do 10 miles and still live. I had never run longer than 13 miles in training so I didn't know I could do this. I told myself I would do whatever it took but I still doubted it.

Got to the race. Had to pay for parking, had no money. I guess I thought every race was like Disney. Have fun, get on a bus, and they take care of everything. So, I was digging through my change bucket in my car. That's fun. And who doesn't take debit these days? Them, that's who.

Packet pick-up went smoothly. In and out in 5 minutes. Lines for the bathroom were huge so I was there early enough I chose a porta-potty, assuming they weren't too dirty yet. I was right, and that saved time.

It was about 50' so I sat in my car to keep warm til about 7:30. Then I made my way to the starting line, trying not to hurl on everyone around me. I knew once we started I'd be fine, and I was right.

The first 13.1 were GREAT. I was feeling perfect. No pain. Weather was cool so that couldn't have been any better. I did the 1/2 marathon in 2:01:35. A little slower than my ToT pace but I am thrilled with it.

Then, literally a 100 yards after the 1/2 way point I got stomach cramps. I thought I was going to have an accident and throw up at the same time. I got dizzy. Panic set in. How do I get back to the start? We were running through a neighborhood so I sat on a wall on someone's yard. I just tried to calm down. Wan't working.

Then, I remembered there was NO WAY I wasn't finishing. A few swear words toward the start line I was looking to find and I began running again. Mile 14 and the cramps to my hamstrings begin. GREAT. Pleasant feeling. Never got cramps in training. I remembered what I learned on a podcast on how to deal with cramps. Down a few salt packets. Perfect. Did I bring them? NOPE!!!! Why would I think I'd get dehydrated on a cloudy, breezy, 50' day? I had them at Disney, not for the freakin marathon. I strecthed and powered on. Run/walk/run was in full effect now. Up til then I was mostly running (probably caused the cramps but I was feeling good so I kept running).

Things were slowing now. I was getting tired because I was afraid to eat because of my stomach on top of the cramps in both legs. Then, mile 18. Full lock-up on the cramps. Like, rolling on the ground grabbing my leg. I tried strecthing but every time I went to walk it did it again. I was convinced I was done. Find the ambulance to get me to my car.

I strecthed more and decided if I could start walking again I would just walk the rest. I got up and was able to walk. So, I basically walked to rest of the way with frequent stretching stops as I felt them tighten. I ran occassionally but very slowly.

I was NOT giving up. Everytime I thought about quitting I would think of what my wife told me last year when she said I'd never amount of anything more than being a janitor. I also thought about what my oldest daughter told me last night when she came shopping with me. She randomly told me during a conversation, "Daddy, you are my role model. I want to be just like you." Are there any better words than something like that from one of your kids? I think not. So, I replayed that conversation in my mind. I cried a few times as the pain got worse. I counted down the mile markers. But I kept plugging away. I couldn't let me future ex-wife be right and I couldn't let my little girl down.

Finally, mile 25. I knew I made it at that point even if I had to crawl. I began running more to finish sooner. Then mile 26. I was running now. I wanted to run across the finishline. I turned the final corner and my hamstring locked up within a 100' of the finishline. I began crying, it hurt bad. I was stretching it. The people watching began calling my name (it's on the bib) and telling me I am almost there and I am going to make it. Crying continued and I limped across the finishline. I have a HUGE blister on my foot in the same place I got it from ToT. Feels really good and it isn't the size of Rhode Island or anything either.

The walk from the finishline was worse than the walk after the ToT which StayCool will understand.

My takeaways: I was mad at myself because my body didn't cooperate. I realized I didn't train properly. I have A LOT to learn. My time was disappointing. But, I decided I would finish and I did. It hurt. I'm tired. But, I accomplished my goal. And less than one year ago my wife told me she wanted a divorce and didn't love me because I was a fat, lazy slob. I was 250 lbs of unhealthy, no self-esteem and I had gone through periods over our marriage where I contemplated suicide. Now I am 217 lbs, healthy, more confident, finally proud of myself, and running has changed my life and how I look at myself. So, all of that negative stuff, that might have scared some off from ever running a marathon, disregard it. It was ALL WORTH IT. I feel like a million dollars mentally.

And, you all had a part in it and I thank you more than you could ever know. If you were here I'd give you a big fat hug. Thank you. I hope I can be a small part in helping you reach your goals as well.

 

[StayCool]

WOOHOO!

 

[StayCool]

Well, my stuff is not nearly as good as Waiting2goback's But I promised an update so here it is:

I have a million things going on all at once and individually they would be fine. However, they are just all piling up and kicking my butt. I don't want to bore everyone but let's just say that my mood sucks. So therefore my eating habits suck. Which in turn makes exercise extremely painful. Which makes my mood worse. And I eat more. I think you've got the picture. I have no control over the things that are happening and I can't "fix" them. That makes me feel helpless. I'm Type A and for me the worst feeling is to be unable to make things better. So it boils down to, I just can't get out of my own way right now.

Physically I feel ok. I'm tired a lot and I feel like something may be "off" but that could just be my mood too. My patients lately have been needy emotionally (and rightfully so) which drains me as well. I love what I do, I really do, but I "fix" things and I can't fix it all. I'm working on it.

So anyway. Today I couldn't sleep. So I got up and finally cut up all the veggies and did all the prep I should have done last week. That means that there is enough stuff to just grab and go in the frig that I have no reason to stop at the store and get anything "bad". The next step in removing the chaos in my life is to clean my house. lol Sounds silly but if things get too crazy and messy I have to have a clean space to clear my head. So I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon cleaning (and making DH and DD clean!). As predicted, I feel better.

I've been rolling around in my mind what will be next for me, both in a dietary manner and exercise. I tried Shakeology and thought it tasted horrible. I'm not sure if I should just go back to Weight Watchers (I never unsubscribed and have been paying for it all along), or stick with My Fitness Pal. Personally, to me it is more important to lose weight than to run. I think I am going to just stick with shorter distances, like 3 miles, rather than pushing for 10+ miles. For me, I just ended up super hungry and ate too much. So I didn't lose weight even though I lost inches. That would be fine if I wasn't so overweight, but I am and truly losing the pounds HAS to happen. I don't think I can do it with a heavy exercise regimen.

Writing this all down has helped me kind of work through some of it. I guess for now I will start Weight Watchers again tomorrow. I plan to stick with Zumba on Fridays. I will likely do 30 Day Shred 2x a week and run/walk 1-2x. So I guess now I have a plan. No I just have to stick with it!

Hope I didn't bore everyone with my drama.

 

[Waiting2goback]

If I didn't bore everyone with my story then you certainly didn't.

I'm just glad you are back. I just hope you keep up with your plan. Your thread was one of the biggest helps for me during this process. There was such a positive energy to me when I first began to read it. I got hooked. When things were tough with the wife you had supportive words.

I wish I could have met you when we were in Disney so I could put a name with the face. If you were solo I would have suggested it but I didn't want to take away time from your family vacation. Of course I was afraid of rejection too. You never know if someone else feels the same way. So, I did the safe thing.

You knew this time period would be tough. You said you lose motivation in the fall. Then the race was over so one more thing to reduce motivation.

I just hope you fight through it. Any plan is a good plan if you can stick to it. It doesn't matter if you run 1 day a week or 5 days a week if you enjoy what you are doing. Enjoyment will eventually lead to the results you want. Hating it will lead to quitting and weight gain again.

Besides, a lot of runners dial the mileage way down in the winter months, at least in the cold states. Once my blisters heal again and I can run again I will probably stick to 5 miles a run until the spring hits and I need to get ready for more races. (Have to figure out next year's races now). I plan to resume P90X probably next week. Doing all this training, figuring out when to fit it in, is stressful.

Now we can relax and just do what's fun. Hopefully that will reenergize us. I was getting burnt out too.

 

[Chiomaca]

Neither story is boring - everyone has a journey and sharing it helps. Congratulations to you Waiting2goback - you're an official marathoner!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Besides, a lot of runners dial the mileage way down in the winter months, at least in the cold states. Once my blisters heal again and I can run again I will probably stick to 5 miles a run until the spring hits and I need to get ready for more races. (Have to figure out next year's races now). I plan to resume P90X probably next week. Doing all this training, figuring out when to fit it in, is stressful.

I do both P90X 5 days/week and I run 6 days/week. The double workout days can be tough, but they really pay off on long runs. I go to bed really early and get up early so I can make it happen. It is really worth it for me as it allows me to keep my entire body well maintained - not easy when you get older. When I have just run, I have lost upper body strength. All of those repetitive arm swings take their toll on arm and shoulder strength and size.

 

[StayCool]

I'm just glad you are back. I just hope you keep up with your plan. Your thread was one of the biggest helps for me during this process. There was such a positive energy to me when I first began to read it. I got hooked. When things were tough with the wife you had supportive words.

I wish I could have met you when we were in Disney so I could put a name with the face. If you were solo I would have suggested it but I didn't want to take away time from your family vacation. Of course I was afraid of rejection too. You never know if someone else feels the same way. So, I did the safe thing.

You knew this time period would be tough. You said you lose motivation in the fall. Then the race was over so one more thing to reduce motivation.

I just hope you fight through it. Any plan is a good plan if you can stick to it. It doesn't matter if you run 1 day a week or 5 days a week if you enjoy what you are doing. Enjoyment will eventually lead to the results you want. Hating it will lead to quitting and weight gain again.

Besides, a lot of runners dial the mileage way down in the winter months, at least in the cold states. Once my blisters heal again and I can run again I will probably stick to 5 miles a run until the spring hits and I need to get ready for more races. (Have to figure out next year's races now). I plan to resume P90X probably next week. Doing all this training, figuring out when to fit it in, is stressful.

Now we can relax and just do what's fun. Hopefully that will reenergize us. I was getting burnt out too.

I thought about meeting you too but if I have to be honest, I like the relative anonymity of the boards. Not that people can't figure out who I am, but I can pretend.

Well I got up this morning and got on the scale. Wasn't as bad as I thought. Only up 2 lbs from my pre-Disney weight and down 4 lbs from my post-Disney weight. Could be worse so I will take it. So far so good on the tracking. The only bad thing is that I forgot my protein shake this morning. Oops. Otherwise my lunch is full of healthy foods. So here is to new beginnings.

Tomorrow I will work on restarting some exercise. I need it and know it makes me feel better. I have to say that I am proud of both of you and how well you are doing with sticking to your program.