marathon as motivation

[hoff41]

Hey all,

Starting to run as a way to get in shape (besides round) and as motivation want to run in one of the races in wdw. I'm realistic to know it won't be right away and certainly not a jump to something like the full marathon. However as sabbath observant I cannot run or register on a Saturday (or Friday afternoon in the winter). Any thoughts/recommendations/help in getting started would be awesome

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Most races are held on Sundays, so most people try to run their long runs on Sundays to create that biorhythm. I see no reason that missing one morning per week (Saturdays) should limit you in any way.

This is a great way to get in shape - set a rewarding goal and tell everyone. Good luck!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

The only halves that would be an issue would be wine n dine (sat nights) and wdw Donald (Saturday) Star Wars/ princess/tink/Disneyland and avengers run sun morning. The only 10k that may work is minnie (fri in January all else run sat)

 

[bumbershoot]

There was a period missing above. Clarifying, "Star Wars/ princess/tink/Disneyland and avengers run sun morning." Those aren't part of the Sabbath problem.

So shoot for the morning events that are advertised as HALF marathons, unless you want to do what's worrying you, to shoot straight for a full marathon. If there's a Full, it will be on Sunday and the Half will be on Sat. If it's "just" a Half events, the Half will be on the Sunday. Make sense, OP?

I don't think registration ever starts on a Saturday so that's not a concern, and they start at noon eastern time so even if it starts on Friday THAT isn't a concern.

 

[FFigawi]

Why not make your goal the marathon at WDW in January? With 10 months to train for it, you've got plenty of time to get ready. There's no rule that you have to start with a half and then take the next step up. Lots of us just jumped right in for a full.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Why not make your goal the marathon at WDW in January? With 10 months to train for it, you've got plenty of time to get ready. There's no rule that you have to start with a half and then take the next step up. Lots of us just jumped right in for a full.

Agreed - I started with a full and with only 6 months to prepare. I also had a 30 pound weight loss goal before that race. I achieved all of my goals, but the race was painful.

My advice to new runners with no weight loss goals is to start with a real stretch - aim for a marathon. But if there are also weight loss goals tied to the plan, don't shoot for a full. Trying to learn to run and fuel your body properly and lose weight all at the same time can lead to pain and frustration.

 

[hoff41]

Thanks all! Weight loss is the pain goal to be sure (using the marathon as motivation to keep running) so I'll look into the halves then the full to spare the pain

 

[girliea]

Thanks all! Weight loss is the pain goal to be sure (using the marathon as motivation to keep running) so I'll look into the halves then the full to spare the pain

I think you made a Freudian slip..."weight loss is the pain goal..." LOL! I really needed that chuckle on this Monday morning!

 

[FFigawi]

Agreed - I started with a full and with only 6 months to prepare. I also had a 30 pound weight loss goal before that race. I achieved all of my goals, but the race was painful.

My advice to new runners with no weight loss goals is to start with a real stretch - aim for a marathon. But if there are also weight loss goals tied to the plan, don't shoot for a full. Trying to learn to run and fuel your body properly and lose weight all at the same time can lead to pain and frustration.

I wouldn't worry about having weight loss as a goal. Do the training and fueling right, and the weight loss will take care of itself.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

As a random stranger on the Internet, my advice for your goal race would depend on your fitness history. For some, a full or a half is achievable as a first race because they come to the sport in relatively good aerobic shape (even if they are carrying extra pounds). But for others, such a goal may lead to injury or frustration.

If your goal is getting back to life long health, then you should plan for the distance appropriate for you and continue on from there over the next decades.
I didn't start running until my 50's and was never any kind of an athlete before then. For me, starting with shorter races was the right choice. While I started running to achieve weight loss, it soon became a very secondary goal as I realized that running 3 days a week had lots of benefits even if I didn't lose weight.
The good news is that, starting this year, no RunDisney 5Ks are held on Saturdays. The bad news, as has already been mentioned, is that only the 10k run in January as part of the WDW Marathon weekend is not held on a Saturday.
I never could have imaged how much I enjoy running and I hope you find that same passion. Best of luck to you. -- Suzanne

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I wouldn't worry about having weight loss as a goal. Do the training and fueling right, and the weight loss will take care of itself.

This is true, but at the same time it isn't because new runners have no idea how to fuel - so they don't fuel right.

 

[bumbershoot]

Why not make your goal the marathon at WDW in January? With 10 months to train for it, you've got plenty of time to get ready. There's no rule that you have to start with a half and then take the next step up. Lots of us just jumped right in for a full.

Shudder. Working towards the Half helped me realize how much I despise the distance (and training for the distance), and cannot even imagine doing a Full. Actually, my time doing the Halfs last year has nearly destroyed my enjoyment of running entirely! I haven't been able to make myself get out there since the WDW Half. Not even a little bit. I'm plenty active in other ways, but I just keep having flashbacks of that distance. (and b/c my feet are bizarre and time-delayed, I'm just now dealing with ball-of-the-feet and end-of-the-second-toe blisters finally "coming to the surface" from January)

OP do what feels right for you. I knew I wouldn't want to do a Full, and I was right. If you are thinking "someday", then maybe just jump into it. But there ARE Half distances that are held on a Sunday that you can shoot for, if that's what you're called to do for now.

 

[J3nn78]

I jumped from couch to 26.2 in 2010. It was a great way to stay accountable to the training plan. And weight just fell off with the training for it. I agree, do the full in January. You have the next few months to build stamina before a training plan officially starts in the summer.
Whichever race you decide on, be at your computer and ready to go the MOMENT it goes on sale. The wine and dine went on sale today and sold out in 45 minutes. It is crazy how fast rD races are selling theses days. I miss when you actually had time to think about it first.

 

[hoff41]

Any app suggestions for couch to 25k? I'm using couch to 5k to start.

 

[GrandAdmiralStrife]

For an App, I would go with Couch to 5K by ACTIVE Network, I found it to be the best of several apps I was messing with.
And definitely look into seeing if there are any C25K classes/groups in your area, it really does help. Here in Austin they include a free core workout class once a week in addition to Tuesday class runs and weekend long runs (we have 'homework' assignment runs for the rest of the week)

I just started C25K 3 weeks ago and I've already seen huge benefits (triglyceride levels down by 60% and 10 pounds lost) and when the class ends in 5 weeks I plan to sign up for the 10K class, then the marathon class.