Question for the ones planning to do WdW and DL weekends… how would you recover that week?
Would it be too much doing both half marathons for a beginner?
My answer to whether it would be too much would be "it depends."
1. Define "beginner." As in, this is your first half marathon or this is your first race longer than a 5K? Have you ever done a runDisney race weekend before?
My first half marathon was also my first runDisney experience. If I had tried to tack another half marathon on to the next weekend (along with a flight to the west coast), it would have been a complete and utter disaster. But I was also a very inexperienced runner with only one race longer than a 5K under my belt. I had no idea how my body was going to feel or what it worked and what didn't - both on race day and as far as recovery.
Also, think about what other physical activity you are already doing. Once I started incorporating runner-specific strength exercises, recovery got a lot easier. Also, do you have any lingering injuries that could cause an issue?
2. How fast are you? Can you slow down your pace by two minutes and still be ahead of the balloon ladies? Are you willing to that?
I've talked to my running coach about doing a Dopey/Dumbo combo in 2025 and his plan would be to run the DW half at a long run pace (i.e. that two minutes slower than race pace) to expedite recovery. But you have to able and willing to sacrifice any time goals at DW to save yourself for DL.
Addendum 2a. What running/training method are you using?
In my experience, the Galloway run/walk/run method is the BEST for quick recovery post-race. It's crazy how fast I've recovered from long runs that are a half marathon length or more using it. And I see other people that use r/w/r who are doing crazy distances - both in training and at races - and are back running a couple days later.
3. What do your trips look like? Are they race weekends with a side of park time or park trips with a side of running?
Basically, you would need to decide what your priority is.
4. How bad do you want it? What does your year look like outside of running?
I know, this is the
hard wildcard question. If you say, I want to do and I'm willing to work from now until then - and give up other parts of your life - to get there, the answer might be different than if you say that you've got a job that dominates your life and/or a family takes the bulk of your time. Putting the races back to back creates a level of difficulty that you can't "cheat" your training and expect to get away with it. You will have to put the work in!
All of that being said, people have definitely attempted crazier things. If you want it - really, really want it - go get it!
