Opinions from seasoned runners

[ZehnJahren]

I used to run quite a bit and have taken about 4 years off. I always wanted to run a half at Disney and decided I'd better do it now since I just turned 40 at the end of 2018. I'm starting from absolute zero and am 2 weeks in to training and trying to decide on a race. I'm planning on doing a walk/run unless I'm able to run like I used to - trying to avoid injury!

I was going to do the half in January 2020, but we also want to vacation a bit and Star Wars will have just opened so the crowds might be bad at that time. However, I'm not 100% sure I could be ready for Food and Wine, just because I have a almost-1-year- old that might throw a wrench in some of my training.

However, I have 3 days a week to commit to running, plus any long run time I need on the weekends. I enjoy it and am ready and able to put in the work, I just have been out of the game for awhile. What would you suggest?

 

[rteetz]

3 days a week is fine. Sometimes I only run 3 days a week and I do Dopey with that.

 

[Ariel484]

Check out Jeff Galloway's training plans! https://www.rundisney.com/running-training-programs/

EDIT: and I get the difficulties with having a young kiddo - I have one myself. Husband and I try to schedule out when one of us works out so that the other can be on Little Ariel484 duty. So definitely get your partner/some other helper on board! And sign your kiddo up for a diaper dash?!?

 

[SheHulk]

Not a lot of advice just sending encouragement. I had been an on-and-off runner most of my life and always kind of dreamed of running a marathon.
I finally got a kick in the pants kind of, after the Boston Marathon bombing. I was over 40, hadn’t been running regularly in a few years, and was very overweight. But I thought, if not now, when? So I signed up for the January marathon in April and started basically from scratch. My time was not heroic but I was able to finish.
All of that to say that if you want to do F&W you should be able to do it, even if your baby does throw a few wrenches and a chainsaw at your schedule.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I feel like it is a totally accomplishable goal to run the half marathon. You've got 42 weeks between 1/14/19 and 11/3/19. Most training plans would have you start training for the HM about 16-18 weeks in advance (around 7/7/19). Which leaves an additional 25 weeks to prepare for HM training. That would leave a solid timeframe for two other training cycles of 12 and 13 weeks that could potentially build to a 5k and a 10k respectively. If you're willing to put in the work, I see no reason why you couldn't be HM ready by Wine and Dine.

 

[ZehnJahren]

3 days a week is fine. Sometimes I only run 3 days a week and I do Dopey with that.

Good to know I used to run 4 days a week and do 2 days of cross training so I was thinking 3 should be ok!

Check out Jeff Galloway's training plans! https://www.rundisney.com/running-training-programs/

EDIT: and I get the difficulties with having a young kiddo - I have one myself. Husband and I try to schedule out when one of us works out so that the other can be on Little Ariel484 duty. So definitely get your partner/some other helper on board! And sign your kiddo up for a diaper dash?!?

Yes, that's how I'm starting at least! I wish there was a Jeff galloway app, but I have an android. I tried an interval timer but couldn't do it right, so now I'm doing the c25k app and just doing 4 minutes or so between runs.

Not a lot of advice just sending encouragement. I had been an on-and-off runner most of my life and always kind of dreamed of running a marathon.
I finally got a kick in the pants kind of, after the Boston Marathon bombing. I was over 40, hadn’t been running regularly in a few years, and was very overweight. But I thought, if not now, when? So I signed up for the January marathon in April and started basically from scratch. My time was not heroic but I was able to finish.
All of that to say that if you want to do F&W you should be able to do it, even if your baby does throw a few wrenches and a chainsaw at your schedule.

thank you! I'm carrying baby weight and I feel embarrassed to run sometimes - I am still looking for the right solution for the extra skin! Somehow I need to hold it down, hoping I'll slim down a bit but I don't expect miracles.

Congrats on your marathon! I don't need a fabulous time - I just don't want to get swept.

I feel like it is a totally accomplishable goal to run the half marathon. You've got 42 weeks between 1/14/19 and 11/3/19. Most training plans would have you start training for the HM about 16-18 weeks in advance (around 7/7/19). Which leaves an additional 25 weeks to prepare for HM training. That would leave a solid timeframe for two other training cycles of 12 and 13 weeks that could potentially build to a 5k and a 10k respectively. If you're willing to put in the work, I see no reason why you couldn't be HM ready by Wine and Dine.

These are the numbers I was staring at. I was trying to be SUPER CAUTIOUS about my training plan. But for some reason reading them when you wrote them out puts it more in perspective. It looked so soon when I looked at it!

I definitely wanted to do both a 5k and 10k to gear up, and there are specific local ones I was aiming for.

-----

I guess my question now is, which is the better race? Any opinions there?

 

[Ariel484]

I guess my question now is, which is the better race? Any opinions there?

Try MapMyRun, I think it'll let you program the intervals (assuming it's available on the Android platform).

As far as which race weekend, I think it depends on what theme you like (for race shirt, medal and on-course entertainment), the time of year you want to go, whether a Saturday or Sunday race works better, what race course appeals to you

- January/February weekends have the same course that goes through Magic Kingdom and Epcot
* WDW Marathon - January, traditionally a Donald theme, race is on a Saturday
* Princess - February, princess-themed weekend, race is on a Sunday

- Star Wars and Wine & Dine have - I THINK - the same course that goes through Animal Kingdom, Studios and Epcot...someone correct me if I'm wrong, Google isn't helping
* Star Wars - April (around Spring Break), Star Wars themed everything, race is on a Sunday
* Wine & Dine - November at the end of Food & Wine Festival/start of Christmas decor at Disney, theme varies from year to year but they try to tie it into food, race is on a Sunday, costs a bit more than the other half marathons since it also include admission to the after-party in Epcot


I'm sure I'm forgetting other things to consider...

 

[FFigawi]

I'm sure I'm forgetting other things to consider...

The only thing I'd add to @Ariel484's excellent post is to think about what kind of hoopla you are after. Marathon weekend is the biggest of the race weekends and draws the most people. Princess is the second largest, I believe, and draws a large crowd many of whom are newer runners. Wine & Dine is probably the most relaxed of the race weekends with generally smaller numbers of runners.

 

[JulieODC]

Just to give you another perspective on time to get race ready...

When I got back into running after baby #2, I started running/signed up for the Princess half in July - and followed the Galloway training plan of 3-4 runs a week - and was totally ready for the race in February.

 

[princessbride6205]

All of the races are great, but I would probably pick Princess or Wine & Dine for a first-timer. Princess was my first half and first Disney race, so I am a bit partial to that one. Wine & Dine is a lot of fun. Marathon Weekend is unique in that it feels like everyone at the resorts and parks is a runner, which makes for a great atmosphere. However the year that I "only" did the half, I felt like I wasn't at the big show, since the weekend culminates in the full marathon and there are so many challenge runners as well. Word of warning, if you decide to run the January half and then spectate the full marathon, you will be inspired to sign up for the following year's 26.2.

I want to recommend another option for training plans is Another Mother Runner. They have a book with training plans (Train Like a Mother) or you can join one of their online training groups with a plan scheduled to your race date. As the name suggests, they are specifically geared towards moms who run, of any fitness level.

 

[ZehnJahren]

I decided to do the Food and Wine Half. A friend of mine has wanted to do this race for years and said she'd sign up with me as the times worked for her - and then my aunt decided she'd be able to make that weekend too. We also have another friend who may join us!

I feel like this will help me be less anxious, and also give me a closer goal to work towards (vs next year where I might lose focus) . We're planning on a5k, and then a 10k to get an official time as well. Very excited now!

 

[Nole95]

I started running from nothing in March 2012. I ran the W&D in November 2012, a couple other half marathons in 2013 and then the Disney Marathon in 2014. I found a plan that worked for me that had me starting at about three days a week and went from there. If you wanted to do W&D and put your mind to it, you could definitely do it this year.

 

[tigger536]

Great choice! Registration also comes with a 15 GC to use at the F&W festival, and admission to a Sunday night after party just for runners - so make sure you stay in town for that if you can.

Also, since you ran previously (your body remembers more than you think it does) and you have so long to train, I would consider the challenge - 10K on saturday plus half on sunday.

 

[kydisneyfans]

What's great about Disney running is you don't feel lost if you are going too slow. I am a 3 hr+ half marathon jogger/walker and sometimes feel "out of place" at local longer races. At Disney my time runs in the 60th percentile range, my 10K time runs in the 40th percentile doing a hybrid. During the half last weekend I walked most of the MK and especially the first mile outside the MK, not because I wanted to, but because everyone else was doing the same and traffic was heavy. You are not alone when you are at mm 11 crossing an overpass where you just came from and see nothing but wall to wall people another 1/2 mile+ behind you. It's great to see the folks cheering on the slow runners/walkers just as much at the faster folks. I've done races where the water tables are packed up and the entertainment gone by the time the slower folks arrived.

You can't go wrong making any of the 4 Disney races your first.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I haven't run at Disney, but I had my younger daughter in March of 2017. I ran my very first half marathon in November of 2017. I had only done 5Ks before. I started over with couch to 5k in May and then started a modified Hal Higdon training plan in August. A lot of my shorter runs involved pushing a stroller and having my older daughter ride her bike. You have plenty of time to train for Wine and Dine!