The Running Thread - 2016

[Ariel484]

Welcome and congrats on completing your first half marathon!!

I've always used Galloway's plans (although I haven't yet done Dopey - only Goofy) and they worked well for me. Galloway's beginner plan (the one @Ariel484 ) posted is really just designed to get you across the finish lines upright - and if you follow them, they will do that for you. Higdon's plans involve more miles of training and likely set you up for finishing stronger and with a better performance. Not all plans work for everyone, so I'd encourage to look over a few and see what will work for you. The best plan for anyone is the one that they can stick to and works with their life.

Higdon has a specific Dopey plan, but I haven't used it. I've used his Novice 1 Marathon plan for marathon, Goofy and Dopey training and have been very happy with it - using it again for 2017 Goofy training.

I basically do Galloway run/walk intervals but follow Higdon's schedule...Gallo-don plan. Higdo-way? Something.

 

[Deffenm]

Welcome!!

I would suggest looking for some shorter races to do so that you can sort of naturally progress to Dopey in 2018. You've got your 4-miler and 15K - you'll need at least a 10-miler for proof of time, so maybe look for one of those to do sometime next year, maybe a local half marathon after that? If you train for gradually longer races, that should put you in good position to start Dopey training in 2017.

Highly recommend Hal Higdon or Jeff Galloway plans:
http://halhigdon.com/
http://www.rundisney.com/training/running/

Welcome and congrats on completing your first half marathon!!

I've always used Galloway's plans (although I haven't yet done Dopey - only Goofy) and they worked well for me. Galloway's beginner plan (the one @Ariel484 ) posted is really just designed to get you across the finish lines upright - and if you follow them, they will do that for you. Higdon's plans involve more miles of training and likely set you up for finishing stronger and with a better performance. Not all plans work for everyone, so I'd encourage to look over a few and see what will work for you. The best plan for anyone is the one that they can stick to and works with their life.

Thank you so much for the information! I will definitely take a look at both of these plans and see which one will work for me. Would you recommend someone complete a smaller race at WDW first to get used to the atmosphere etc..prior to the "Big Race"? Is there a place that will provide me more information on the Dopey challenge like what your time needs to be to qualify and how soon do you need to sign up for the races? I want to make sure I understand so I am not stressing about not only training but the logistics of the race itself. As always the DIS has the best people with the best advise!

 

[DVCFan1994]

Welcome and congrats on completing your first half marathon!!

I've always used Galloway's plans (although I haven't yet done Dopey - only Goofy) and they worked well for me. Galloway's beginner plan (the one @Ariel484 ) posted is really just designed to get you across the finish lines upright - and if you follow them, they will do that for you. Higdon's plans involve more miles of training and likely set you up for finishing stronger and with a better performance. Not all plans work for everyone, so I'd encourage to look over a few and see what will work for you. The best plan for anyone is the one that they can stick to and works with their life.

I wish I could like the part I highlighted in the quote above 1000 times. I've seen a number of plans that looked awesome and I knew would probably better prepare me than others I've used. Not that others haven't worked, just that I knew more intense plans would have more payoff. However, they usually required far more time training than my life allows me to commit to right now. So if I'm constantly missing or cutting short workouts on those plans, they are not going to work.

I like the Higdon plans, and like that he has so many different training plans for different levels of runners. If I am able to do Dopey in 2018 I will likely use his plan.

 

[camaker]

Higdon has a specific Dopey plan, but I haven't used it. I've used his Novice 1 Marathon plan for marathon, Goofy and Dopey training and have been very happy with it - using it again for 2017 Goofy training.

I basically do Galloway run/walk intervals but follow Higdon's schedule...Gallo-don plan. Higdo-way? Something.

I looked at Higdon's Goofy and Dopey plans when I was getting ready to start training for Marathon Weekend last year (before the hamstring fiasco) and thought the mileages were just WAY over the top for what I wanted to commit to. Like you, I was planning to use the Higdon Novice 1 Marathon plan. That was also my plan for 2017 Dopey until I got involved with @DopeyBadger, too!

 

[Ariel484]

Thank you so much for the information! I will definitely take a look at both of these plans and see which one will work for me. Would you recommend someone complete a smaller race at WDW first to get used to the atmosphere etc..prior to the "Big Race"? Is there a place that will provide me more information on the Dopey challenge like what your time needs to be to qualify and how soon do you need to sign up for the races? I want to make sure I understand so I am not stressing about not only training but the logistics of the race itself. As always the DIS has the best people with the best advise!

It's up to you - I know that the WDW race atmosphere can be a lot for someone who isn't used to such a big event (@PrincessV and @Keels I think were two that mentioned that they were caught off-guard). I would definitely recommend doing a stand-alone marathon before Dopey, but I'm sure others won't agree with me on that.

You need to be able to maintain a 16:00/mile pace for all 4 races. Registration is usually in April - check runDisney.com or just follow along here for exact dates. I have a link to my Dopey trip report in my signature if you're interested!

I looked at Higdon's Goofy and Dopey plans when I was getting ready to start training for Marathon Weekend last year (before the hamstring fiasco) and thought the mileages were just WAY over the top for what I wanted to commit to. Like you, I was planning to use the Higdon Novice 1 Marathon plan. That was also my plan for 2017 Dopey until I got involved with @DopeyBadger, too!

FWIW, Novice 1 has been perfect for me. It's not too much, but it has still prepared me really well. I had someone here on the DIS tell me it wouldn't be enough for Goofy, but it absolutely was.

 

[ZellyB]

Thank you so much for the information! I will definitely take a look at both of these plans and see which one will work for me. Would you recommend someone complete a smaller race at WDW first to get used to the atmosphere etc..prior to the "Big Race"? Is there a place that will provide me more information on the Dopey challenge like what your time needs to be to qualify and how soon do you need to sign up for the races? I want to make sure I understand so I am not stressing about not only training but the logistics of the race itself. As always the DIS has the best people with the best advise!

I'm not sure that it's necessary to do a smaller race there, but if you are someone who can get overwhelmed by large crowds or a sometimes chaotic atmosphere then it might be wise. I have one sister who doesn't deal well with large crowds and I can assure you that just the shuffle to the corrals and up to the start line would put her over the edge. I'd never run another race at Disney before my first marathon there though, and I found the crowds and all the excitement to be fantastic and added to my overall enjoyment, but that's not going to be true for everyone.

I highly recommend reading through @Ariel484 trip reports. I did that before I ran my first race there and it really helped me in being prepared for what to expect.

 

[Ariel484]

@ZellyB

 

[Anisum]

This will be my main question post Marathon Weekend since I hope to do Dopey in 2018. What plan did past Dopey runners use? If they ran before did they use the same plan? Right now I've heard good things about Hanson's (Mmm... Bop) and Hidgon's plans.

 

[roxymama]

Thank you so much for the information! I will definitely take a look at both of these plans and see which one will work for me. Would you recommend someone complete a smaller race at WDW first to get used to the atmosphere etc..prior to the "Big Race"? Is there a place that will provide me more information on the Dopey challenge like what your time needs to be to qualify and how soon do you need to sign up for the races? I want to make sure I understand so I am not stressing about not only training but the logistics of the race itself. As always the DIS has the best people with the best advise!

Agree about reading trip reports (yes, I'm sucking up to @Ariel484 ). But if you let us know around where you live, maybe one of us could reccommend some races near you that are the same size & scope of rundisney races. I know there are some mega-race-events that tour the country and hit major cities. Rock n Roll is one that comes to mind.
My own experience is limited to shorter races, but I did the WDW marathon weekend 5k. And I would have loved to do the 10k the next morning (it sold out or I would have!) with my new knowledge of where characters stand and what time I shoudl have gotten to the corrals, bus strategy, etc. BUT if you do the dopey...your 5k is almost your dress rehearsal anyways right???

 

[Ariel484]

This will be my main question post Marathon Weekend since I hope to do Dopey in 2018. What plan did past Dopey runners use? If they ran before did they use the same plan? Right now I've heard good things about Hanson's (Mmm... Bop) and Hidgon's plans.

Higdon Novice 1: http://halhigdon.com/training/51137/Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program

I made some of the mid-distance/long runs back-to-backs and did the peak week as 4 days in a row. Worked great! I've done Dopey once but I did use this for Goofy as well and also had a great result.

For my first marathon (WDW in 2012) I used the Novice Supreme plan, which is Novice 1 with some weeks tacked on in the beginning - it's a 30-week plan but it takes you from near-zero to marathon. Again, worked great.
http://halhigdon.com/training/51143/Marathon-Novice-Supreme-Training-Program

@roxymama

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: What type of fuel do you take while out for a run? Which is your favorite and which one will you never try again?

ATTQOTD: Way back when I first started distance training, I was scared off of gels after hearing so many people say they made them sick. So I tried: Honey Stinger chews (too heavy!), Clif Shot Bloks (too chewy!), fig newtons (too crumbly!), Honey Stinger waffles (too dry!), pretzels (too few calories!)... and one day, I finally tried a gel out of desperation... JUST RIGHT!!! So it's been gels for me ever since. GU or Clif Shots, I don't really care. Raspberry, lemon lime, strawberry banana, peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla - I like variety over a long run. But PSA: don't get fooled by the "Plain" flavored GU! It most certainly is flavored - and I believe that flavor is called "BLECH"!

 

[keahgirl8]

QOTD: What type of fuel do you take while out for a run? Which is your favorite and which one will you never try again?

ATTQOTD: I like Sports Beans, Honey Stinger Waffles, and Honey Stinger Chews. I will start to use them in a couple of weeks once my training calls for 8 or so miles.

I really don't like using Gu. I used that for the first couple of half marathon training cycles I did, but realized it upset my stomach.

If I'm out of everything, or just feel like something different I will bring a pack of my kids' fruit snacks on my long runs

Pretty much! I like all of those. I now prefer Sport Beans, just because they are more convenient. They are smaller, take up less room in my belt, are easier to chew, and less sticky (or crumbly, if you're talking about the waffles). All of them work about the same fuel-wise though, and none of them bother my sensitive stomach. Fuel is very much a personal thing, found through trial and error.

I am new to "running" and would love to join in. I completed my first half marathon in April. I walked/jogged it. My goal was not to come in last, which I didn't. I am planning to do another half in a few weeks and once again my goal is to not come in last. I have not been training like I should so it is going to be a rough race. I have a 4 miler and 15k also planned this year. I would like to be able to run those without walking. I can currently run 3 miles but that is about it. My ultimate goal is to complete the Dopey challenge in 2018. Does anyone know of a training plan to help one prepare for that challenge? I do much better if I follow a plan.

You don't need to put running in quotation marks. If you run, you're a runner. It doesn't matter if you run/walk, or how slow you are. welcome to this crazy ride! I haven't done Dopey, but I can't say enough good things about Jeff Galloway's training plans.

It's up to you - I know that the WDW race atmosphere can be a lot for someone who isn't used to such a big event (@PrincessV and @Keels I think were two that mentioned that they were caught off-guard). I would definitely recommend doing a stand-alone marathon before Dopey, but I'm sure others won't agree with me on that.

You need to be able to maintain a 16:00/mile pace for all 4 races. Registration is usually in April - check runDisney.com or just follow along here for exact dates. I have a link to my Dopey trip report in my signature if you're interested!

FWIW, Novice 1 has been perfect for me. It's not too much, but it has still prepared me really well. I had someone here on the DIS tell me it wouldn't be enough for Goofy, but it absolutely was.

Again, I've never done a marathon, but I liked having a little bit of race experience under my belt when I did my first Disney race. I hadn't done a half (which is the longest Disney race I've done), but I had done many 5K and 10K races. Also, if you're doing Dopey, you'll have the 5K first. I liked doing that because I got to see what the Disney race experience was like with less pressure.

 

[DopeyBadger]

This will be my main question post Marathon Weekend since I hope to do Dopey in 2018. What plan did past Dopey runners use? If they ran before did they use the same plan? Right now I've heard good things about Hanson's (Mmm... Bop) and Hidgon's plans.

Honestly in it's most basic form any marathon plan should train you enough to complete the Dopey challenge. It's all about learning to run on tired legs and waking up early four days in a row.

2014 - I used Galloway's plan (minus the run/walk) and finished all four races comfortably. I didn't even have to take a single walk break (which was a mild victory for me) during what was my second marathon during Dopey (whereas my first marathon went much worse).
2015 - I used the FIRST marathon training plan and completed it comfortably.
2016 - I used a modified Hanson's plan and completed it comfortably.
2017 - I will use a hybrid marathon plan that I'm still ironing out the details and goals for.

I think the thing I learned the most during all of these Dopey events was trust how my body felt. Even before I followed the effort based model of running, I took every Dopey race as not necessarily goal times but moreso what felt comfortable to run on that day. This taught me that I should use this mindset on all my races because I have typically had the best experience racing doing the Dopey races.

I think @ZellyB put it best, when it comes down to it simplistically the best marathon/Dopey plan is the one you can stick with and fit into your life because honestly in an event that lasts 48.6 miles, that may very well be less than 5-10% of the time you actually spend training for it. Thus, the opposite is "like your training plan because 90-95% of the time running will be with it, not the race." *Or in the case of my current marathon plan roughly 99.987% of the time spent running was training and my 26.2 mile race is only 0.013%.

 

[dis_or_dat]

The practice should be recorded and uploaded to YouTube for the DIS to see or live feed via Facebook.

bwahaha! I can only take so much humiliation! But I did do a test "run." At a slower pace, only 95% landed on my legs - success! At least it wasn't all over my shirt?

Along this same topic, has anyone here used Tailwind?

Someone at my local running store mentioned tailwind to me since he said he was experimenting with liquid fuel. But he's fast and does triathlons. I bought it, but haven't tried it.

i know elites sometimes have special water bottles labeled for them at the water stations that they have their specific fuel/electrolytes inside, but I wonder how does everyone else do it? Do you carry the powder with you? Carry a bottle with you? Or do you have someone at a designated part of the course give it to you?

 

[keahgirl8]

bwahaha! I can only take so much humiliation! But I did do a test "run." At a slower pace, only 95% landed on my legs - success! At least it wasn't all over my shirt?



Someone at my local running store mentioned tailwind to me since he said he was experimenting with liquid fuel. But he's fast and does triathlons. I bought it, but haven't tried it.

i know elites sometimes have special water bottles labeled for them at the water stations that they have their specific fuel/electrolytes inside, but I wonder how does everyone else do it? Do you carry the powder with you? Carry a bottle with you? Or do you have someone at a designated part of the course give it to you?

I've heard it highly recommended. I've recently started using Nuun, and I really like it.

 

[dis_or_dat]

I've heard it highly recommended. I've recently started using Nuun, and I really like it.

I love NUUN too! I think it helped save me from a post race headache. Hmmm, maybe I should take a tab before a race too...

 

[keahgirl8]

I love NUUN too! I think it helped save me from a post race headache. Hmmm, maybe I should take a tab before a race too...

I try to attack dehydration and electrolyte imbalance from all sides. I drink Nuun in Smart Water during, then after I drink coconut water!

 

[jubjubrsx]

^^salt tabs are your friend for electrolyte imbalances I tried to take one every 8-10 miles....now that I'm on keto (super low carb) i try to get in one every 7-8 miles.
also apple cider vinegar is your friend, it will help with leg cramps, digestion of food, etc. you can even rub it on your legs for relief.

Just curious I finished up the santa rosa marathon(12th marathon) a few weeks ago completely recovered in a day (was back in the gym), and the last 3 marathon's i've done I have to admit I very rarely ran over 10miles at a time, 95% of those miles were on a treadmill, I found when I incorporated long runs in alot more i always felt horrible after my races. I'm not sure to rack it up to keto, or the lack of long runs....anyone else train like that?

 

[keahgirl8]

^^salt tabs are your friend for electrolyte imbalances I tried to take one every 8-10 miles....now that I'm on keto (super low carb) i try to get in one every 7-8 miles.
also apple cider vinegar is your friend, it will help with leg cramps, digestion of food, etc. you can even rub it on your legs for relief.

Just curious I finished up the santa rosa marathon(12th marathon) a few weeks ago completely recovered in a day (was back in the gym), and the last 3 marathon's i've done I have to admit I very rarely ran over 10miles at a time, 95% of those miles were on a treadmill, I found when I incorporated long runs in alot more i always felt horrible after my races. I'm not sure to rack it up to keto, or the lack of long runs....anyone else train like that?

I love apple cider vinegar! I drink it every day. I knew it was good for digestion, but I didn't know it was good for cramps as well. I have had cramping issues in the past, so I throw the kitchen sink at prevention.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

I am new to "running" and would love to join in. I completed my first half marathon in April. I walked/jogged it. My goal was not to come in last, which I didn't. I am planning to do another half in a few weeks and once again my goal is to not come in last. I have not been training like I should so it is going to be a rough race. I have a 4 miler and 15k also planned this year. I would like to be able to run those without walking. I can currently run 3 miles but that is about it. My ultimate goal is to complete the Dopey challenge in 2018. Does anyone know of a training plan to help one prepare for that challenge? I do much better if I follow a plan.

Welcome! Running is such a great sport to start, because it's so individual (only you can decide what goals you want to try and achieve, and then you are the one to put those miles in and make that goal a realty!). And even though it's so individual, there is an awesome community you will find at every race, group run, or here on the boards!

If you run, you're a runner. It doesn't matter if you run/walk, or how slow you are.

Yup!

in an event that lasts 48.6 miles, that may very well be less than 5-10% of the time you actually spend training for it. Thus, the opposite is "like your training plan because 90-95% of the time running will be with it, not the race." *Or in the case of my current marathon plan roughly 99.987% of the time spent running was training and my 26.2 mile race is only 0.013%.

So true! The race is the cherry on top of all that you have gained and the ways in which you have grown during training!