Need Some Encouragement (or a splash of realism)

[MapleGirl]

I want to sign up for the WDW January 1/2 marathon tomorrow but I'm not sure if I should. I am a mildly active non-runner. I started the C25K program in June but had to stop after the 2nd week due to a strained achilles. I saw my doctor who told me to rest for a week and treat with ice, stretches, and an anti inflammatory. Today I set my timer for 16 minutes and walked around a track at a brisk pace. I thought if I could walk a mile in the 16 minutes, I'd be OK to sign up for the race. I almost made it. The timer went off when I was at 0.8181 of a mile. Close, but not quite where I need to be for all 13.1 miles.

I need to know if I can do this? Can I train for the 1/2 without injury before January. I just want to finish without getting swept. What do you think? Register tomorrow or find another hobby?

Thanks!

 

[TCB in FLA]

Couple of questions: Is this your first race? Why the half marathon?

Walking a half (running too!) is difficult if you don’t have buffer. Unless you have a proof of time from another race, you will be assigned to a late corral. The 16 min requirement doesn’t start until the last runner crosses the start line.

 

[SarahDisney]

Is it possible? Yes. If you're going to put in the training and keep trying to walk faster and walk further, you can get there by January.
But it's going to be hard. And you may get discouraged along the way. But if you really want to do it and you feel motivated, then go for it!

 

[Barca33Runner]

I want to sign up for the WDW January 1/2 marathon tomorrow but I'm not sure if I should. I am a mildly active non-runner. I started the C25K program in June but had to stop after the 2nd week due to a strained achilles. I saw my doctor who told me to rest for a week and treat with ice, stretches, and an anti inflammatory. Today I set my timer for 16 minutes and walked around a track at a brisk pace. I thought if I could walk a mile in the 16 minutes, I'd be OK to sign up for the race. I almost made it. The timer went off when I was at 0.8181 of a mile. Close, but not quite where I need to be for all 13.1 miles.

I need to know if I can do this? Can I train for the 1/2 without injury before January. I just want to finish without getting swept. What do you think? Register tomorrow or find another hobby?

Thanks!

There is no better motivator to prepare yourself for a race than signing up for one. If you find a training plan, follow it, and are realistic with yourself you should have no problem finishing. 6 months is plenty of time to prepare yourself, many here have taken similar paths to their first Half Marathon.

That said, if you have worries about your ability to put in the training time or your body's ability to withstand training you can always sign up for the 5K or 10K and work your way into running a Half in the future. None of us can know your level of motivation or your ability to put in the training; that is something only you can decide.

I will say, regardless of your decision, this shouldn't be an either/or situation on continuing running. If it is something you believe you will enjoy or want to do for yourself you should give running a try. Whether you are able to run a Half Marathon in 6 months should be immaterial if this is truly something to which you're committed.

 

[GreatLakes]

What do you think? Register tomorrow or find another hobby?

Well, you do have some options between the two.

First to the question of is it possible? Yes. You have plenty of time between now and January to get your time down to what you need. The more fitting questions are:

1. Do you have the time to dedicate to training.
2. Do you have the mental ability to brush off bad days and keep going or do you get discouraged easily.
3. Is your Achilles problem going to let you do the above even if you want to?
4. Does it have to be this January or can it be a future January or some other race weekend?
5. Do you have to start with the half or could you target the 10K this year and the half in the future.
6. Define "mildly active non-runner".

How you answer those questions will help us give you better guidance.

 

[MapleGirl]

Well, you do have some options between the two.

First to the question of is it possible? Yes. You have plenty of time between now and January to get your time down to what you need. The more fitting questions are:

1. Do you have the time to dedicate to training.
2. Do you have the mental ability to brush off bad days and keep going or do you get discouraged easily.
3. Is your Achilles problem going to let you do the above even if you want to?
4. Does it have to be this January or can it be a future January or some other race weekend?
5. Do you have to start with the half or could you target the 10K this year and the half in the future.
6. Define "mildly active non-runner".

How you answer those questions will help us give you better guidance.

Thanks everyone!

1. Do you have the time to dedicate to training. I know I have time, dedication, and motivation. I am very good at following plans. I just need to find the correct one to follow.
2. Do you have the mental ability to brush off bad days and keep going or do you get discouraged easily. I do tend to get discouraged easily but I'm also very stubborn.
   
3. Is your Achilles problem going to let you do the above even if you want to? My doctor says I can run on the Achilles, but I'm always nervous about injuries. I tend to get injured a lot. I think I tend to try to do too much too soon.
4. Does it have to be this January or can it be a future January or some other race weekend? It doesn't have to be January 2019. I could put it off until 2020.
5. Do you have to start with the half or could you target the 10K this year and the half in the future. This particular half marathon has personal importance to me. I started it in 2010 and had to leave at the 5 mile mark due to a severe asthma attack. I've always regretted not finishing. I want to finish it now... better late than never.
6. Define "mildly active non-runner". I dance, Zumba, bike ride, and walk. I'm active but I get winded easily and need to build up my cardio functionality.

I'm still researching but I really want to do this. I just need to believe that I can get back to training. I really enjoy it. Just need to get over my fear.

 

[GreatLakes]

Thanks everyone!

1. Do you have the time to dedicate to training. I know I have time, dedication, and motivation. I am very good at following plans. I just need to find the correct one to follow.
2. Do you have the mental ability to brush off bad days and keep going or do you get discouraged easily. I do tend to get discouraged easily but I'm also very stubborn.
   
3. Is your Achilles problem going to let you do the above even if you want to? My doctor says I can run on the Achilles, but I'm always nervous about injuries. I tend to get injured a lot. I think I tend to try to do too much too soon.
4. Does it have to be this January or can it be a future January or some other race weekend? It doesn't have to be January 2019. I could put it off until 2020.
5. Do you have to start with the half or could you target the 10K this year and the half in the future. This particular half marathon has personal importance to me. I started it in 2010 and had to leave at the 5 mile mark due to a severe asthma attack. I've always regretted not finishing. I want to finish it now... better late than never.
6. Define "mildly active non-runner". I dance, Zumba, bike ride, and walk. I'm active but I get winded easily and need to build up my cardio functionality.

I'm still researching but I really want to do this. I just need to believe that I can get back to training. I really enjoy it. Just need to get over my fear.

With those answers I have a few suggestions.

For number 3, have you ever tried foam-rolling? A physio had me start foam rolling every day and while I am not exactly that consistent it has helped a lot with mild injuries.

Since you want to do the January half but are not dead set on 2019 I would start training now and put off registering until it looks like it is getting close to selling out. If you are along far enough in your training that you feel finishing in the allotted time is likely and the half is still open go ahead and sign up at that point. If the half sells out while you are still in the air about being able to make it change your goal to 2020. If you go that route I would see about a local half in the spring of 2019 to target and finish as a step towards Disney 2020.

If you are trying to build up endurance, especially around breathing, add in lap swimming. It is non-impact so should not bother your Achilles and it will force you to concentrate on breathing which is still the part of swimming I find most difficult.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Given your active lifestyle, if you are 40 years old or younger, you can absolutely do this. If you are older than 40, then it becomes more trying for a beginner. Age matters - especially for new runners.

 

[MapleGirl]

With those answers I have a few suggestions.

For number 3, have you ever tried foam-rolling? A physio had me start foam rolling every day and while I am not exactly that consistent it has helped a lot with mild injuries.

Since you want to do the January half but are not dead set on 2019 I would start training now and put off registering until it looks like it is getting close to selling out. If you are along far enough in your training that you feel finishing in the allotted time is likely and the half is still open go ahead and sign up at that point. If the half sells out while you are still in the air about being able to make it change your goal to 2020. If you go that route I would see about a local half in the spring of 2019 to target and finish as a step towards Disney 2020.

If you are trying to build up endurance, especially around breathing, add in lap swimming. It is non-impact so should not bother your Achilles and it will force you to concentrate on breathing which is still the part of swimming I find most difficult.

Excellent advice. Thank you. I'll try to research when the half historically fills up and will look into foam-rolling.

Given your active lifestyle, if you are 40 years old or younger, you can absolutely do this. If you are older than 40, then it becomes more trying for a beginner. Age matters - especially for new runners.

I'm 35. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to plan to do this and see what training looks like. Right now I'm looking for a 6 month training program.

 

[bumbershoot]

I am a mildly active non-runner.

I thought if I could walk a mile in the 16 minutes, I'd be OK to sign up for the race.

Maple, you're new! Why would you do that to yourself? That's what training is for, to get better and better as you train. You don't start off being able to do the thing.

I think I tend to try to do too much too soon.

Ahem, yes, I can see that.

You might do VERY well with a "real life" trainer who will reign you in for a few months. Even c25k has some super-challenging weeks, and if you don't know fully, in mind and heart and body, that you can slow yourself down and still be following it, you can hurt yourself.

Weeks 4 and 5 jump up BIG. Many people quit at those points. But since you're battling asthma AND now this achilles, plus you already know that you go too hard too fast, you're going to want to PLAN to repeat those weeks until you KNOW you can do them. Just add some extra weeks into your plan. I would personally recommend a plan *on paper*, NOT an app, so that you can just write down that you're repeating the week and don't let the app pressure you.

I started it in 2010 and had to leave at the 5 mile mark due to a severe asthma attack.

Do you have the asthma under better control now? Many of us take a rescue inhaler puff about 15 minutes before the start of a longer event. That gives it time to kick in, and for the jitters to calm down. And when I say before the start, I mean before YOUR start. So if you're in a corral in back, don't puff when the elites start. If it's colder, I like to wear a "trail scarf" around my nose and mouth for awhile, to help warm the air before it hits my airways.

Your training is going to NEED to be slower, because you're working with multiple body systems that maybe aren't as ready as your mind wants them to be. you can still do it, you can train and be successful, but you're going to have to slow that brain down.

 

[Gemini1131]

Also take a look at the Jeff Galloway plans. I think that is what helped me finish the princess challenge and I never would have thought I could do a 5k let alone a 10k and a half

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I want to sign up for the WDW January 1/2 marathon tomorrow but I'm not sure if I should. I am a mildly active non-runner. I started the C25K program in June but had to stop after the 2nd week due to a strained achilles. I saw my doctor who told me to rest for a week and treat with ice, stretches, and an anti inflammatory. Today I set my timer for 16 minutes and walked around a track at a brisk pace. I thought if I could walk a mile in the 16 minutes, I'd be OK to sign up for the race. I almost made it. The timer went off when I was at 0.8181 of a mile. Close, but not quite where I need to be for all 13.1 miles.

I need to know if I can do this? Can I train for the 1/2 without injury before January. I just want to finish without getting swept. What do you think? Register tomorrow or find another hobby?

Thanks!

You have plenty of time to be ready for the half in January. Don't give up on it just yet because your first mile was a tad too slow. That's today and you're just starting out. You don't need to be able to run 13.1 miles today. And it's perfectly fine to start slowly. The key to remember is that as you keep at it, your cardio endurance will build up as you consistently work at it. Then as you appropriately begin to lengthen the distance and duration of your long runs you will find that you build up the endurance. Jeff Galloway often says that you cannot run the long runs slow enough. The key is to build the distance. If you fear starting out too fast, then find a plan that doesn't and adhere to it religiously. And if you find a 4 month plan, but you want a 6 month plan, then start the 4 month plan and stick with it until you reach the 4 month mark. That will give you a base.

You've already received a lot of very good advice. On a training plan, do your research. Look into a lot of different plans and decide which one works best for you. For my first race of any sort which happened to be a half, I chose the Jeff Galloway plan offered by runDisney. While I liked the free aspect of it since I didn't know if I was even capable of finishing the half, it also looked like a very achievable plan. As in it specifically defined what I should be doing and when I should be doing it by. I didn't follow it perfectly. Far from it in fact. But I got all the long runs in and finished. Other runners prefer other plans. The key is to find the plan that works best for you.

 

[kleph]

the only thing i would add to all of the advice above is to invest in a new pair of shoes. probably the single biggest culprit for new runner injury is inappropriate footwear. that ranges from shoes ill-fitted for running to pairs that are worn out by overuse.

if at all possible, try and find a running store that will examine your gait (typically by observing you on a treadmill) and then recommend a type of shoe for your particular form. typically these are smaller independent shops that are staffed by runner who will almost always provide you additional advice as well. very often they will also have running groups you can join and get even more support for your effort.

 

[sylkai]

Just chiming in to add my encouragement, I signed up for the Star Wars Light Side Half in the beginning of July 2016 having been running for all of 2 weeks. And I finished it.

I'd second looking into run/walk/run intervals, even if you don't do the Galloway plan, as I found that very helpful at keeping me from feeling like I was dying. Which was definitely key to not quitting at some points.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Thought I'd add: I know it's hokey and cliche but the quote, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't-you're right" (sorry if that's just a paraphrase), always feels right with me when it comes to running. When I believe I can do something I take the steps to commit to it, follow through, and end up achieving my goals. When I don't have belief I withdraw and start making excuses and never even give myself a chance. Whatever you choose to do, believe in it and have fun chasing it.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Another thought, given your comment that you tend to get discouraged but are also stubborn - if you register, tell everyone that you are running this race. When you get discouraged, your ego will kick in. After telling everyone that you are running in this race you are not going to want to explain to them why you did not or could not do so. Your ego will get you out the door on miserable training days. Your ego will push you further than you think you can go. In the end it is just another reason to get out the door, but it is a powerful one.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

Also take a look at the Jeff Galloway plans. I think that is what helped me finish the princess challenge and I never would have thought I could do a 5k let alone a 10k and a half

I second this! My wife and I did our first half (as part of a 10k/13.1 challenge) using Galloway. It's terrific for beginners, and has made everything since that first race for us possible. A year after our first half, we both finished Dopey. (And DW was a true couch-to-13.1)

The most important lessons I've learned since then are this:

1- When it comes to running, nothing is out of reach. All it takes is some consistency in training, and you can finish pretty much anything. Don't worry about missing a day here and there, but a good PLAN won't let you down.

2- Go slow! This is in more ways than one. First off, even if you run intervals with the Galloway run/walk/run method, you still don't want to be huffing and puffing. Jog. (And don't be afraid of the word 'jog'.) But also, go slow in expectations. If you start out slower than that 16 minute/mile pace, don't sweat it. It gets easier. It just takes some time, so be patient and enjoy being outside! (Going slow also helps prevent injuries. Same goes for trying to run quiet. The less noise you make, the softer you're hitting the ground, and the better for your joints.)

3- Be aggressive with your injuries! That means, more often than not, call an ortho (NOT your family practitioner). While ice and stretches aren't bad, you really need to be doing eccentric heel drops. (Go online and look up "achilles treatment runners", and you'll find a wealth of information. Trusted sources, like runnersworld, runnersconnect, competitor, etc, will often prescribe the exact same thing.) Listen to your body. Don't run through an injury, but when you have a good rehab plan from a doc, follow it. Also, don't settle for ice and ibuprofen (actually, avoid ibuprofen unless you're in serious pain). You always want to be looking for rehabilitation exercises to help you recover.

But all in all, this is totally within reach for you! And there's tons of information online from all levels of runners, so some research is also a good idea. I do recommend using Galloway's run/walk/run. You got this!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Another thought, given your comment that you tend to get discouraged but are also stubborn - if you register, tell everyone that you are running this race. When you get discouraged, your ego will kick in. After telling everyone that you are running in this race you are not going to want to explain to them why you did not or could not do so. Your ego will get you out the door on miserable training days. Your ego will push you further than you think you can go. In the end it is just another reason to get out the door, but it is a powerful one.

I just wanted to add to this to find an accountability partner. This person doesn't have to be a runner, just someone that you know will tell you what you need to hear. I have a friend that is a non runner. However, I also know that if I text him and say I don't feel like running today, he will reply accordingly. And be sure to post your goals, progress, setbacks, etc on these very boards.

I went through a constant back and forth the past week about whether I actually wanted to register for the 2019 Dopey Challenge. So many people shared their own experiences with me that helped me to work through my fears and determine why I want to run Dopey.

 

[tigger536]

Please look into the JG method and training plans! I don't use the Jeff Galloway plans anymore, but I do use run walk run. Both the method of run walk run and the Galloway plans are great for beginners. Look at what your goal half time is, and he has a chart on his site for what run walk ratio that would be. For example, if your goal is a 3:30 half, you are looking at 30/30 or 15/30 intervals. I've never done a couch to 5k plan, but from watching others do them, it seems they focus on getting you to run the whole way through. I never would have run my first half if this were the case! Run walk run makes it so much more doable. As you get faster, you can adjust the intervals for longer run periods, so you never truly out grow the method. You have time to train, I say give it a go! Also, JG has pace teams at the Disney races, so you can find and stick with a 3 hour or 3:30 group who will be doing the intervals you trained with. The Disney training plans by JG are on the run Disney site. Good luck!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Please look into the JG method and training plans! I don't use the Jeff Galloway plans anymore, but I do use run walk run. Both the method of run walk run and the Galloway plans are great for beginners. Look at what your goal half time is, and he has a chart on his site for what run walk ratio that would be. For example, if your goal is a 3:30 half, you are looking at 30/30 or 15/30 intervals. I've never done a couch to 5k plan, but from watching others do them, it seems they focus on getting you to run the whole way through. I never would have run my first half if this were the case! Run walk run makes it so much more doable. As you get faster, you can adjust the intervals for longer run periods, so you never truly out grow the method. You have time to train, I say give it a go! Also, JG has pace teams at the Disney races, so you can find and stick with a 3 hour or 3:30 group who will be doing the intervals you trained with. The Disney training plans by JG are on the run Disney site. Good luck!

I second this. Before starting, I had a lot of crazy misconceptions about what it would take to to this. The Galloway plans on the runDisney website offer a clear path to finishing and a brief explanation of how they help you arrive at the finish line with the least amount of injury risk.