Tell me EVERYTHING about the Disney marathon, please?

[Papa Deuce]

My wife wants one last trip to Disney before the kids hit first grade next year. I would absolutely love to astound people by running in an event like this.

I'm down 11 pounds in the last month. And I can't even run 500 feet yet....... but wouldn't that be awesome to transform myself in a year or so to be able to do this?

It is my goal.

 

[Kristi1357]

You absolutely can do it!

I am training for my first race, the Minnie 15k - but DH has run the Disney marathon the past 5 years (last January doing the Goofy). The first year he ran, I think he started training in May.

I know what you mean about not being able to run 500 feet. After 6 weeks of faithful exercise, I can only run 1 min, walk 4 mins - repeat. And that 1 min. walk kills me right now! I am told it gets better though.

Also, January is an excellent to do to go WDW. Small to no lines! It's wonderful. In fact, we went to WDW in Dec., then back again in Jan. for the race. The 1st-2nd weeks December were so crowded compared to past years. I will be so bummed when DS starts school and we can't go in January anymore.

I am sure lots of people on the board can give you some great advice!

Kristi

 

[NYcpa]

I completed the WDW hallf marathon this past January. It was a great experience. You only have to be able to maintain a 16 min mile. I completedt the race in the required time by WALKING. I did a little jogging to make up for time lost on potty stops. Everyone is awesome. There were many who walked and finished in a faster time than I.

I would say got for it. I didn't really start training until Sept. I followed John Bingham's Marathoning for Mortals training plan. It keeps you on track for finishing. The important thing now is to train to train. Try to build up some mileage and the speed will follow.

Good luck with your training. The whole marathon weekend is an experience I would not give up for anything. The Donald medal was a plus also.

 

[Papa Deuce]

What is the actual name of the event? How do you register for it?

 

[nliedel]

In my opinion. No one should run a marathon without being a runner for more than a year. It's much better to run in shorter races first then build up to a marathon. 26.2 miles is a long, long way and it will take you hours to get to the finish line. Not everyone agrees with me (there are many marathon training ideas) but I think you should be able to run 22 miles at a go before doing the marathon. There are people who say you only have to be able to run 10 and the last 6.2 will seem short. They LIE! Those are the longest 6.2 miles you will EVER run.

That said get your ind end into your local running shop. Can't do that? Then there are some really good books out there on running marathons for beginners (Marathon, You Can Do It. I cannot remember the authors name to save my life right now but I don't feel good today).

To start, start. Make sure you have no other health problems, buy a pair of shoes and do two miles. Run as far as you can then walk when you are winded and then back and forth till you have your two miles in. Do this every day until you are running the entire two miles comfortably. Now add ten percent a week. So the following week, if you are running two miles a time 5 days a week, run 11 miles total. My maintenance runs are about 3 -5 miles long a day with one long run a week of 7 - 20 miles depending on where I am in training.

Get a training plan and stick with it. Why 10%? because if you try to do more than that you can injure yourself badly and that will put an end to it. Also, and I cannot tell you this enough, spend money on shoes. Clothing can be purchased at Target (they have great Coolmax stuff) but shoes are something you want fitted. You should change your shoes out for new ones every 350 - 450 miles depending on the wear.

I was 320 pounds and could not run 100 feet a few years ago. I cannot even count all the mileage I log in training season now. If I can do this anyone can.

 

[solotraveler]

Absolutely and totally doable!!

While there are some people who would agree with what nliedel is saying, I believe that you'll be fine, particularly with WDW's 7 hour time limit and if you plan on incorporating walking breaks. The marathon was actually my very first race of any kind and it's the same for many people there. While I understand the need to get some base mileage, I certainly don't want to dissuade you from going for it. It's truly an amazing experience.

I would jump on over the the Running Club threads in the "Events/Competition" section and I'm sure you'll get all the questions you have answered there as well as getting tons of motivation and support.

Hope to see you over there!

 

[Papa Deuce]

Absolutely and totally doable!!

While there are some people who would agree with what nliedel is saying, I believe that you'll be fine, particularly with WDW's 7 hour time limit and if you plan on incorporating walking breaks. The marathon was actually my very first race of any kind and it's the same for many people there. While I understand the need to get some base mileage, I certainly don't want to dissuade you from going for it. It's truly an amazing experience.

I would jump on over the the Running Club threads in the "Events/Competition" section and I'm sure you'll get all the questions you have answered there as well as getting tons of motivation and support.

Hope to see you over there!

LOL... I diodn't even know that theree was one!

 

[nliedel]

Absolutely and totally doable!!

While there are some people who would agree with what nliedel is saying, I believe that you'll be fine, particularly with WDW's 7 hour time limit and if you plan on incorporating walking breaks.

!

Umm why do this the next race? Why not in two years? It's a much safer time frame and that's a lot of miles for less than a year. An awful lot. There is not one expert in this area that would suggest someone go from no running at all in March to a full marathon the following winter, not one. I am not saying put it off forever, I am urging caution and safety. There are many wonderful running clubs out there and groups that would give you the same advice.

While I believe in walking breaks ala Galloway, I just think this is awful fast. I have been running a number of years now and am a certified personal trainer (ISSA not currently working because of the kids) and just would urge some serious caution here. This is not a 5K. This is 26.2 very long miles.

I am not, in any way, trying to dissaude the OP. I heard this a lot when I started running and wanted to go out and do a marathon my first year but the people urging me to be safe and take it a little at a time were right. I overtrained and got pneumonia. It happens all the time. It laid me up for months. Not weeks, months. Will this happen to everyone? No, not at all. It does happen tho. The OP has no base at all. None. Not a few miles a week, just no base at all. What's wrong with building a base for a year, getting some short races under their belt and trying before they attack a marathon? You get fabulous support and encourgagement in local shorter races too. I run a 10 mile race every summer (CRIM) that I would put up against most marathons for crowd support and sense of accomplishment.

A marathon is a fablous goal and if you run or want to run you will think about doing it. I am just saying it is a big bite to chew for the first year. I support and encourage the OP. I believe running and walking can change your life 100% I am living proof of that. I just want people to have some caution as well.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Umm why do this the next race? Why not in two years? It's a much safer time frame and that's a lot of miles for less than a year. An awful lot. There is not one expert in this area that would suggest someone go from no running at all in March to a full marathon the following winter, not one. I am not saying put it off forever, I am urging caution and safety. There are many wonderful running clubs out there and groups that would give you the same advice.

While I believe in walking breaks ala Galloway, I just think this is awful fast. I have been running a number of years now and am a certified personal trainer (ISSA not currently working because of the kids) and just would urge some serious caution here. This is not a 5K. This is 26.2 very long miles.

I am not, in any way, trying to dissaude the OP. I heard this a lot when I started running and wanted to go out and do a marathon my first year but the people urging me to be safe and take it a little at a time were right. I overtrained and got pneumonia. It happens all the time. It laid me up for months. Not weeks, months. Will this happen to everyone? No, not at all. It does happen tho. The OP has no base at all. None. Not a few miles a week, just no base at all. What's wrong with building a base for a year, getting some short races under their belt and trying before they attack a marathon? You get fabulous support and encourgagement in local shorter races too. I run a 10 mile race every summer (CRIM) that I would put up against most marathons for crowd support and sense of accomplishment.

A marathon is a fablous goal and if you run or want to run you will think about doing it. I am just saying it is a big bite to chew for the first year. I support and encourage the OP. I believe running and walking can change your life 100% I am living proof of that. I just want people to have some caution as well.

Oops then MY BAD, as they say. I thought it was a HALF MARATHON.

 

[chimera]

Oops then MY BAD, as they say. I thought it was a HALF MARATHON.

There is a half, Papa...it's the same weekend as the full, but on Sat instead of Sunday. The half is definitely doable from this point in the year. You need to plan for about 14 to 15 weeks of actual training (starts somewhere around Sept), so until then you would work at building up your endurance and mileage...we called it 'training to train' last year. The WDW half was my first endurance event ever! I started walking in Jan 2005 and had worked up to walking 3 miles, four times a week before starting the actual training. I didn't run a step until August. Many of us used the Marathoning for Mortals training program by John Bingham...I trained with the walk/run program which works you slowly up to walking 3 min, then running 2 min.

Nliedel is right...the worst thing to do is overtrain then get injured and discouraged. But if you train slow and smart, you can easily do this!

Come join us in the walking/running club...we start a new thread each week 'cause we're a chatty bunch! There are several other first-timers there and a WDW marathon FAQ on the event/competition board that can answer a LOT of questions. You'll get tons of advice and support on the club thread! Look forward to seeing you there!

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1047987

 

[solotraveler]

Umm why do this the next race? Why not in two years? It's a much safer time frame and that's a lot of miles for less than a year. An awful lot. There is not one expert in this area that would suggest someone go from no running at all in March to a full marathon the following winter, not one. I am not saying put it off forever, I am urging caution and safety. There are many wonderful running clubs out there and groups that would give you the same advice.

Very true, it is a lot of miles. The OP was asking if it could be done, and I believe it can be done. There are a lot of people on this board and many many more people who start training with TNT that would be living proof of that. Now, it might not be the best or safest scenario, especially if we are talking about someone new to all exersice. Starting with the half this year and then moving to the full the next year is more reasonable, I agree.

While I believe in walking breaks ala Galloway, I just think this is awful fast. I have been running a number of years now and am a certified personal trainer (ISSA not currently working because of the kids) and just would urge some serious caution here. This is not a 5K. This is 26.2 very long miles.

I am not, in any way, trying to dissaude the OP. I heard this a lot when I started running and wanted to go out and do a marathon my first year but the people urging me to be safe and take it a little at a time were right. I overtrained and got pneumonia. It happens all the time. It laid me up for months. Not weeks, months. Will this happen to everyone? No, not at all. It does happen tho. The OP has no base at all. None. Not a few miles a week, just no base at all. What's wrong with building a base for a year, getting some short races under their belt and trying before they attack a marathon? You get fabulous support and encourgagement in local shorter races too. I run a 10 mile race every summer (CRIM) that I would put up against most marathons for crowd support and sense of accomplishment.

A marathon is a fablous goal and if you run or want to run you will think about doing it. I am just saying it is a big bite to chew for the first year. I support and encourage the OP. I believe running and walking can change your life 100% I am living proof of that. I just want people to have some caution as well.

I'm sorry to hear about getting laid up for that long while you were training . I was fortunate enough to be able to run mostly healthy throughout training-- which is not to say that mistakes were no made and lessons not learned.

I think that running the half 10 months from now is a very good goal. OP-Please come over to the Running Club thread and join us.

Solotraveler

 

[nliedel]

Papa Duece now a HALF Marathon is a horse of a different color! Yes they have a half and YES you CAN do it. 13.1 miles. A marathon is more than twice the distance of a half, if you know what I mean. It's not about the miles. A Half Marathon? Well you have plenty of time to get out and do that and the best way is to do it.

Again, GOOD SHOES. Seriously, they help.

What are you going to do to get ready for it?