Two Birds, One Stone: An Overstressed Mom's Journal

[broadsheet]

Hey there DISers! Longtime RD lurker, first time poster Got room for another here?

Me, in a nutshell:

I have two young kids, a husband who somewhat tolerates Disney stuff, and a pretty hectic job. My family is about to embark on our kids' first-ever WDW trip and my husband's first as an adult. I have had SO much fun planning this trip, that I am already feeling planning withdrawal and the trip hasn't even happened yet!

Simultaneously, I have been trying to get in a groove, health-wise, and decided to pick up running again through a Couch to 5K program. Now, I never considered myself an athlete and grew up in a super rural area where fitness=team sports. So I spent, oh, the first 32 years of my life thinking that running isn't for me.

Then I had a baby (in 2011) and figured out that going for run/walks gave me a guaranteed break from the kid! Woo hoo! So I lurched my way through C2K, did a few 5Ks, then a 10K, then I actually, remarkably, did a half-marathon in 2013!

For this book-reading kid who greatly preferred quiz bowl to high school sports, this was quite the accomplishment!

THEN:

I had a second kid. The second kid hates to sleep. (And guess what, she is almost 4!) I took a new job that involves extensive travel, so I added about 15 extra pounds and a whole lotta stress.

(Weren't we talking about Disney withdrawal? I'll get back to it now...)

So anyway. I had a lightbulb moment a few weeks ago and realized I could 1) get healthier and 2) get a return trip to WDW by committing to a RD race!

So as of now...the tentative plan is to get back into running shape in time for the January 2020 half. I'm thinking this will likely be a solo trip, which is both weird and exciting. But for this to happen, I've gotta show some discipline when it comes to money-saving and training, but I think I can do it. Are you with me?

 

[Shanti]

Hey there DISers! Longtime RD lurker, first time poster Got room for another here?

Me, in a nutshell:

I have two young kids, a husband who somewhat tolerates Disney stuff, and a pretty hectic job. My family is about to embark on our kids' first-ever WDW trip and my husband's first as an adult. I have had SO much fun planning this trip, that I am already feeling planning withdrawal and the trip hasn't even happened yet!

Simultaneously, I have been trying to get in a groove, health-wise, and decided to pick up running again through a Couch to 5K program. Now, I never considered myself an athlete and grew up in a super rural area where fitness=team sports. So I spent, oh, the first 32 years of my life thinking that running isn't for me.

Then I had a baby (in 2011) and figured out that going for run/walks gave me a guaranteed break from the kid! Woo hoo! So I lurched my way through C2K, did a few 5Ks, then a 10K, then I actually, remarkably, did a half-marathon in 2013!

For this book-reading kid who greatly preferred quiz bowl to high school sports, this was quite the accomplishment!

THEN:

I had a second kid. The second kid hates to sleep. (And guess what, she is almost 4!) I took a new job that involves extensive travel, so I added about 15 extra pounds and a whole lotta stress.

(Weren't we talking about Disney withdrawal? I'll get back to it now...)

So anyway. I had a lightbulb moment a few weeks ago and realized I could 1) get healthier and 2) get a return trip to WDW by committing to a RD race!

So as of now...the tentative plan is to get back into running shape in time for the January 2020 half. I'm thinking this will likely be a solo trip, which is both weird and exciting. But for this to happen, I've gotta show some discipline when it comes to money-saving and training, but I think I can do it. Are you with me?

Go for it!

 

[Kazrak]

 

[DopeyBadger]

You can do it! Excited to follow along!

 

[broadsheet]

PHASE ONE: THE 5K

I have started Couch to 5K programs many a time, but I usually have five or six fails for each successful completion. I'd been struggling to get my mojo for awhile but I found an app that I like, and I have been plugging along with outdoor runs and at the track in my gym. This week was the dreaded Week 5 of the program when, after several weeks of short little interval runs, you face down 20 minutes of continuous running.

After thinking "There's no way I'm going to finish this," -- guess what? I did, and had no problems at all whatsoever. It still astounds me how much of running is mental. So now, I am away on a business trip, then will go to WDW next week, then will have another business trip immediately following that. So it will be a bit of a challenge to get some regular runs in, but I will do my best to not fall off the wagon so I can finish up this 5K program. If that works out OK, I want to then move on a 10K program and hopefully get working on my POT for WDW in 2020!

 

[broadsheet]

I am back from WDW! And dang, it was lovely even though it was a gazillion degrees and HUMID. It definitely gave me the itch to plan a return trip.

Now for a few running related items:

-I am still plugging along on Couch to 5K and just finished Week 6 and the 25-minute run. It was totally doable!

-My town introduced a new challenge medal for its races... run two 5Ks at the end of this year, then the half marathon next spring and you get another medal for doing all three! I am going to sign up for the first 5K but now I am flirting with doing the whole series. I *think* I could start training now for a half? I do need to come up with a strategy for post Couch to 5K so maybe this is the ticket.

-Longer term, I found a running buddy for WDW in 2020! I was a little apprehensive about doing the race weekend solo, so this is great news!

 

[Kazrak]

-My town introduced a new challenge medal for its races... run two 5Ks at the end of this year, then the half marathon next spring and you get another medal for doing all three! I am going to sign up for the first 5K but now I am flirting with doing the whole series. I *think* I could start training now for a half? I do need to come up with a strategy for post Couch to 5K so maybe this is the ticket.

Six months or so should be enough to at least survive a half, and probably better than that. Figure that the runDisney newbie-runner training program for the half marathon is 18 weeks before the race - 18 weeks from now is mid-February.

I love challenge medals. A local running organization does races (5k/10k/half) on New Years Eve and New Years Day, and a third medal to connect the medals for the two races. I'm using the NYE 10k for my Star Wars Half PoT, but still pondering the NYD 5k. It's a really hilly course, and we fly to Orlando the next day. But connecting medals...