Dopey 2015 Official Thread

[ClewRunning]

Started "officially" Sept 1. Have a base of 20+ miles a week and will climb to a max of 43 before tapering. Long journey but excited about it!!!

 

[RnbwSktles]

For those of you who have started (which I guess should be most of us by now?) I hope training is going well! It's only day 3 for me, but I haven't skipped a run yet!

I'm curious how many are using the Galloway training plan exactly as written? I was just looking at it, and IMO, it just doesn't feel like enough. Is anyone using this plan as a base, but modifying it? I think the part that I dislike the most is the long walks...10 and 12 miles - yikes! I think that would be worse than running them

I am actually thinking this plan might benefit a seasoned marathoner the most. If running 26.2 miles is relatively easy, then I guess you just need to gradually add in the extra days of running beforehand and this is the least stressful way to do so.

I have chosen to use Higdon's Dopey plan and I know a few other DISers have as well.

 

[tri4life]

My girlfriend are using the Galloway method and I agree with you that the long walks are boring as crap. However they are in place to build up ones endurance and fwiw they do work. We did these last year training for Ironman Florida and The Dopey Challenge and we're glad we did. Really helped us out on the last segments of the runs.
Keep training and stay safe everybody. We'll see y'all in Jan for Dopey # 2.

 

[Ariel484]

For those of you who have started (which I guess should be most of us by now?) I hope training is going well! It's only day 3 for me, but I haven't skipped a run yet!

I'm curious how many are using the Galloway training plan exactly as written? I was just looking at it, and IMO, it just doesn't feel like enough. Is anyone using this plan as a base, but modifying it? I think the part that I dislike the most is the long walks...10 and 12 miles - yikes! I think that would be worse than running them

I am actually thinking this plan might benefit a seasoned marathoner the most. If running 26.2 miles is relatively easy, then I guess you just need to gradually add in the extra days of running beforehand and this is the least stressful way to do so.

I have chosen to use Higdon's Dopey plan and I know a few other DISers have as well.

I'm using Higdon's Dopey plan too...as you know.

I'm with you that the Galloway plan just doesn't seem right for me - which of course does not mean it's not right for others. I think the walks would about kill me, so props to anyone that can do them. I guess those walks are Galloway's version of the Higdon mid-week sorta long runs.

Higdon's Dopey plan...FWIW:

 

[mbwhitti]

Right now DH and I are using Galloway method. We've never run a marathon, so hoping this will help build us up to that point. We will be running a marathon in early December in preparation for Dopey. I like Higdon's plan because his mileage doesn't go as high as Galloway, but I just don't have time to run 4-5 times each week. We have been modifying Galloway's plan on the 3 mile run weekends...just doesn't feel like enough, so we've been upping those to 5-6 miles. We started a week late, so we have 11 this weekend. We live in Oxford, MS and Ole Miss plays its first home game this weekend...guess I'll be running bright and early Saturday morning before the tailgating madness begins.

 

[r3ngels]

For those doing Higdon training... Do you really rest 2 days? I usually only take 1 day off a week. I don't do anything too strenuous but an evening walk or Pilates class. Do you think he really intends you to do nothing or just not running?

 

[Ariel484]

For those doing Higdon training... Do you really rest 2 days? I usually only take 1 day off a week. I don't do anything too strenuous but an evening walk or Pilates class. Do you think he really intends you to do nothing or just not running?

I don't. 1 day of rest and 1-2 days of strength training/yoga (depending on if it's a 4- or 5-day run week).

 

[RnbwSktles]

For those doing Higdon training... Do you really rest 2 days? I usually only take 1 day off a week. I don't do anything too strenuous but an evening walk or Pilates class. Do you think he really intends you to do nothing or just not running?

I haven't decided yet. I am very bad at cross training and keeping up with strength training. I hope to do it, but who knows. My Mondays are reserved for dinners with my dad (every other week or so) so they are not always free.

 

[FFigawi]

For those doing Higdon training... Do you really rest 2 days? I usually only take 1 day off a week. I don't do anything too strenuous but an evening walk or Pilates class. Do you think he really intends you to do nothing or just not running?

I can't speak for Hal, but rest is very important. Especially when the runs become longer, you will need days of doing nothing but resting in order to let your body heal and recover.

 

[sumlee]

For those doing Higdon training... Do you really rest 2 days? I usually only take 1 day off a week. I don't do anything too strenuous but an evening walk or Pilates class. Do you think he really intends you to do nothing or just not running?

I'm also going with Hal Higdon's plan. I have strength training scheduled 2 days per week, one of them being on a "rest day." So I'm planning on taking just one day off per week. This is my first time training for a full though, so we'll see how it goes!

 

[ANIM8R]

I'm curious how many are using the Galloway training plan exactly as written? I was just looking at it, and IMO, it just doesn't feel like enough. Is anyone using this plan as a base, but modifying it? I think the part that I dislike the most is the long walks...10 and 12 miles - yikes! I think that would be worse than running them

I used Galloway in training for my first marathon back in Oct2012 and in prep for the Jan2013 Goofy.

Along the way, I made two modifications:
1 - the 30-45 minute runs during the week (which equates to 3-4.5 miles for me) make my long, weekend runs more difficult, so I try to runs 60-80 minutes in duration during the week

2 - For the Saturday/Sunday runs, I make Saturday half of what the Sunday run is; I've found that makes the Sunday run ever-so-slightly more bearable (both physically and mentally)


Since then I made 1 more modification - no training runs above 20 miles. Galloway has a 23 mile training run 6 weeks before event day and a 26 mile training run 3 weeks before event day. I just didn't see the benefit of running 26 miles on my own with all the logistics (bringing water, Clif shots, food) involved to run on one of the local running trails. If nothing else, knocking off those last six miles saves well over an hour (at that distance) and I just didn't see a cost/benefit of going over 20....unless I can actually schedule an event that day.

For instance, this year I'm doing the Space Coast Marathon which is conveniently 6 weeks out from the WDW. So, I'll treat that as my Galloway 23 mile training run and probably do walk/run after mile 23 (depending on how I'm feeling). I'll do the last 20 miler on my own 3 three weeks after (3 weeks before WDW). I guess I should mention here that I do all "run" rather than run/walk intervals....and by "run" I mean jog, trot, and/or shuffling.

One other slight modification...I bumped the 17 mile run to 17.5 since it's 2/3 of a marathon. No big deal other than after I finish the 17.5 I can say "I only need to run half of that distance more to make it 26 miles".

 

[r3ngels]

Love the modifications!

I am good with 1 rest day. I can relax and sleep in but I feel like 2 is too much for me, I mentally need it so I just will make sure I go easy on the other "rest" day. This is my 1st training with Higdon. I have used Bingham/Hadfield for a few 1/2s and Galloway for my previous runDisney ones. So I am switching it up.

 

[SmoothRunner]

Love the modifications!

I am good with 1 rest day. I can relax and sleep in but I feel like 2 is too much for me, I mentally need it so I just will make sure I go easy on the other "rest" day. This is my 1st training with Higdon. I have used Bingham/Hadfield for a few 1/2s and Galloway for my previous runDisney ones. So I am switching it up.


Hello...I agree with these plans as well, with the modifications. For me and my running partner we have run 2 Goofy's with a modified run/walk Galloway type program. In previous training we have also not run more than 4 days a week. I think it really comes down to if you are trying to complete the race or your are trying to set a new PR and compete in the race. The typical week would look something like:
Tues/Thurs - 3-5 miles
Sat - long run and this would alternate each week from the base of 10. so it might be 10, 12, 10, 14, 10, 16 etc.
Sun - optional 3 miles

and we would cap our long run at 20. I agree, have not seen the need to go over. I think pace has been my biggest issue with over training in the past vs days of running or days off. I think its about the effort. In the past all my runs were at too a high an intensity (i.e. too fast a pace) for me. I have seen the biggest improvements in the past couple years of my running by really slowing down the long run. Our run/walk schedule is typically a run 5 min/walk 1 min schedule and I think we are going to shoot for that for the half and full...although my running partner likes to ditch the plan on course from time to time! We also for this program, have 4 race simulations in our plan where we will run 4 consecutive days, just to get a feel for it really. Good luck to you figuring out what is just right for you.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Planning to return to training after a nearly 3 week forced hiatus due to a gi bleed (non-running related), blood transfusion and subsequent week long hospital stay. It is the first time I will ever be returning to running after any major injury/illness.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for how quickly I can expect to return to pre-illness levels. I had a 25-30 mile/week base built in with minimum 10k distance on Saturdays and Sundays, so I think I am still in good shape for the Dopey Challenge, but I don't want to suffer a setback and put anything in jeopardy. Of course I will be following my doctor's orders first and foremost, but I am so nervous about losing further fitness that I am itching to get back out there.

 

[Ariel484]

Planning to return to training after a nearly 3 week forced hiatus due to a gi bleed (non-running related), blood transfusion and subsequent week long hospital stay. It is the first time I will ever be returning to running after any major injury/illness. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for how quickly I can expect to return to pre-illness levels. I had a 25-30 mile/week base built in with minimum 10k distance on Saturdays and Sundays, so I think I am still in good shape for the Dopey Challenge, but I don't want to suffer a setback and put anything in jeopardy. Of course I will be following my doctor's orders first and foremost, but I am so nervous about losing further fitness that I am itching to get back out there.

Wow, glad to hear you're on the mend.

The best tip I can give you is to build your mileage up slowly and not get frustrated if it's not coming back to you right away.

Other than that, I've got nothing. I'm planning on starting up again on Tuesday after almost 2 weeks off (intense IT Band pain followed by straining the inner arch of my right foot) so I can semi-relate to what you're going through...though my issues are nowhere near as serious as yours were. But I can sympathize...it's frustrating not being able to run when you really want to. Good luck!!!

 

[SmoothRunner]

Wow, glad to hear you're on the mend.

The best tip I can give you is to build your mileage up slowly and not get frustrated if it's not coming back to you right away.

Other than that, I've got nothing. I'm planning on starting up again on Tuesday after almost 2 weeks off (intense IT Band pain followed by straining the inner arch of my right foot) so I can semi-relate to what you're going through...though my issues are nowhere near as serious as yours were. But I can sympathize...it's frustrating not being able to run when you really want to. Good luck!!!

For what it's worth on IT Band issues, I struggled with that for a couple years as well and after lots of reading and experimenting, I finally solved that problem by changing the way I exercised. I started focusing at least a couple days a week to strengthening my core, hips and glutes and it cured the IT issues. Wishing you tons of luck on the build-up!

 

[Barca33Runner]

Wow, glad to hear you're on the mend.

The best tip I can give you is to build your mileage up slowly and not get frustrated if it's not coming back to you right away.

Other than that, I've got nothing. I'm planning on starting up again on Tuesday after almost 2 weeks off (intense IT Band pain followed by straining the inner arch of my right foot) so I can semi-relate to what you're going through...though my issues are nowhere near as serious as yours were. But I can sympathize...it's frustrating not being able to run when you really want to. Good luck!!!

Thanks for the kind words.

I have been really lucky to avoid any injuries while running, despite being significantly overweight when I began. Outside of some nagging shin splints I haven't really faced any issues over the last few years. Hopefully it will come back just as well as I recover my fitness over the next few months.

Most frustrating part was that I missed my chance to submit a faster proof of time for January, as I couldn't run in the half marathon I had planned. Oh well, running the Dopey from Corral C for the 5/10K and L for the Half/Full Marathon wasn't really a negative last year; I'll just do it again this year.

 

[ClewRunning]

First race week simulation this week (we have three). Will be doing four consecutive running days. Will do an EZ 3 on Tuesday then hit Thurs thru Sunday with runs of 3,5,6,12. The last of these will hit 3 weeks prior to race week where we open with a 5 on Tuesday and then run 3,6,10,20 on days Thurs thru Sunday. Looking forward to the challenge.

 

[WDWarchitectureguy]

Figured I'd join this thread as well. I'm fairly active in the official wdw marathon thread.

2013 was my DW and I's first long runs ever. So we went big, did Princess, DL, and Wine & Dine that year. C2C and everything.
No Disney runs in 2014, and now I'm signed up for Dopey 2015, and Pixie Dust Challenge, and possibly Wine & Dine but we'll see.
Ran a 1/2 last weekend for qualifying time. Having pulled my hamstring two weeks prior I finished with a 03:05:25 time. That's actually my PR. I'm following Galloway with slight modifications here and there. I agree with others and make my walk days 1/2 of my long run days. And I'll push for a little longer on the long days.

My DW is doing the 10K and the 1/2 sort of as a warm up for PDC.

15 miler coming up Sunday morning. Looking forward to it.

 

[mbwhitti]

DH and I did our 13-mile training run this weekend. This is the longest training run we have ever done. We've run a few half marathons but always only trained up to 11, so that training run was pretty rough. We are running a half marathon in 2 weeks in another city just for a change of scenery during a training run (schedule for 15 that weekend). We are week behind on Galloway's plan.

We are only planning one "mini dopey" during our training. Just don't have time for more than that. So I'm hoping it will be enough.

Those that have run Dopey before, do you have any recommendations as far as the 5k and 10k to conserve energy for the half and full?