Running 5k a few months before WDW 10k?

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Hello!!

I'm looking for advice please! After finding out a friend of mine didn't finish the Tower 10 miler last night, I've begun to panic since I'm running the Enchanted 10k in February and just started training yesterday (C25k first then after I'll do C210K)

My one friend suggested I run a 5k before the race in Feb so I can get a taste of racing…..

There's a 5k here in Orlando on Dec 13th. Any thoughts or suggestions would be great…thanks!!!

 

[zanzibar138]

Do not panic! If you're dedicated and stick to your program, you've got plenty of time I totally agree with your friend. Doing an organised run between now and your 10k will not only give you an idea of what to expect on race day, it will also give you a short term goal to aim for to keep your motivation up.

This year I did my first race at the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend. I did the 5k and the 10k. Unfortunately due to medical issues I couldn't start running until June (and I had to start my training very gently to nurse my legs through as they were still recovering from surgery). I wasn't able to do any 'training' races like I had planned, and the Disney 5k was my very first one! It all went smoothly, but I would have felt better going in if I had at least one race under my belt.

Although I wasn't where I wanted to be with my training, and I struggled with the heat (I was training through winter here in Australia), I finished BOTH the 5k and the next day's 10k with plenty of time to spare. We got to the starting line early enough to get a spot at the front of the last corral. For the 10k especially, this bought us a few minutes and really took the pressure off. I ran as much as I could before we hit the parks (boring bit!). Inside the parks, I took some more walking breaks to take it all in, and paused briefly for some photos, but we didn't line up for characters or official photos as the lines were too long by the time we got there.

We finished the 5k in about 42 minutes, and the 10k in a smidge under 1.5 hours. We never saw any sign of any sweepers. We had a great time and can't wait to do the half next year!

 

[Ariel484]

I think that is a great suggestion from your friend!...especially if the Enchanted 10K will be your first race. The Disney races are very big and can sometimes be overwhelming, so maybe getting a smaller taste of that close to home will help give you some reassurance.

I agree with the PP - you have plenty of time. Stick to your training plan and I am sure you will be fine on race day. It stinks that your friend didn't finish ToT, but just because it didn't work out for them doesn't mean that YOU can't do it.

 

[Chiomaca]

You've got lots of time and it sounds like you have a good plan. Running a 5k beforehand is a great idea. My mom started running recently and set a goal for herself to run a race each month this year, with her big race being the San Francisco Half Marathon in July. She started with a few 5ks and worked her way up - her first race she was the absolute last person to cross the line but has started winning her age groups in local races. I think she had a better feel for how racing is different from training no matter what your pace is, too.

Also remember that most training plans are written assuming that you'll miss a run or two here and there because life is what it is. So if you miss a run, of a couple of runs, don't get nervous. My best advice is to figure out what motivates you - it might be a song (I have a friend who will listen to the same song on repeat for 20 miles - that would drive me NUTS), or a mantra to say to yourself, or picking a running route through an area that has lots of visual distractions (that's me - I'm totally a looky-loo when I run).

Good luck!

 

[Waiting2goback]

Some good advice so far. You have PLENTY of time to get ready. But, I also recommend a race before Disney. I started running this year, in March, after I signed up for the ToT. I signed up for a 10K in June to submit a proof of time for the ToT. I didn't think I would be ready for a 10K in 3 months, as I was running 13-14 min/miles when I first started. I finished my 10K with a 9:02 pace. I'm not bragging, I just showing how much improvement can be made in a short time if you do consistent training and stick to a plan.

As far as the race issue. My 10K had about 150 people. That was a lot to take in at the time because it was all new to me. Nobody I know runs so I was going into it completely blind. I am SO glad I did it though because as it has been said before, the Disney races are HUGE. It was overwhelming to me for the ToT but I knew it was going to be big so it was too bad. Had I not done a race before I might have been worse. I also got lucky and sat next to a Disney veteran on the bus to the race. She was nice enough to walk me through things when we got off the bus.

Just getting used to what it's like to run with other people around, learning to run your race as opposed to letting the energy of the race make you go faster than you want and get you thrown off your game are all reasons to try another race.

Hopefully this has helped and not bored you.