One month from today (depending on what time you’re reading this ) I’ll either be running the Walt Disney World Half Marathon or I’ll be 16.2 miles through my 42.4 mile weekend!
I can’t believe that it’s less than a month away – and I’m even more excited after my great training runs this weekend!
My plan was for back to back 10 and 20 mile runs on Friday and Saturday so I took the rest of the week pretty easy with a couple of short 3 mile runs and lots of yoga.
Friday I did an easy 10 miles using 3 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals – I normally don’t use run/ walk intervals for a run of this length, but for my Goofy training my goal is to conserve my legs and my energy for the 2nd day’s long run. Unfortunately it was cold and rainy so it wasn’t exactly the most pleasant run. I had a recovery drink, iced my knees and foam rolled to be ready to tackle 20 miles on Saturday.
After my 18 miler that went really well a few weeks ago I was almost looking forward to the 20 miles to see how it went (and make sure the good 18 miles wasn’t a total fluke!), but at the same time the memory of last year’s (HORRIBLE) 20 mile training run was in the back of my mind.
Saturday morning I procrastinated getting my run started hoping to wait out the rain and finally left around 11am when it had subsided to a sort of misty drizzle. My plan was to run 10 miles (again using 3 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals) and then stop back at the house for a fuel/ bathroom / dry off stop before heading out for the second half.
For some reason the first 10 miles were miserable. It was raining so I threw a light rain jacket on, but that extra layer made me too hot, my legs felt tired, I wasn’t really into the podcast I was listening to and I REALLY had to pee (note: don’t drink coffee AND Powerade right before a run!). When I got back to the house after what seemed like a REALLY long 10 miles I was dreading the 2nd half.
At the house I refilled my water bottles, snacked on my new favorite running fuel (pretzels and orange juice, don’t ask but it’s my favorite combination ever!) and convinced my sister to join me for a few miles – she’s running the half at WDW Marathon Weekend in January so she needed to get out there too!
I think having someone with me energized me for the next few miles because from then on I actually felt great! My sister ran miles 10-15 with me and then I left to finish up 15-20. I kept waiting for the stabbing pain in my piriformis and arches that I had last year to appear, but it never came – I swear it’s all the yoga I’ve been doing (check out my Yoga for Runner’s post)!
At mile 19 I started thinking about how good I felt and I thought, “hmm…maybe I’ll keep going!”. Then I thought about how crazy that was, who runs more than 20 miles when they weren’t planning it?? But when I got to the house at mile 20 I didn’t feel ready to stop…so I kept going! I did 2 extra miles (I didn’t want to do any more than that because it’s just not worth risking pushing my body too hard this close to marathon weekend) for a total of 22!
Ice, compression pants, foam rolling and stretching and I feel great, I honestly can’t believe it! I have one more back to back long run planned in 2 weeks (10 and 20 again), so fingers crossed it goes just as well!
Marathon Weekend can’t get here soon enough, I’m ready!
Live, Run, Grow 
Wow, congratulations on a great training weekend for Goofy! That’s awesom that you were able to turn your 20 miler around when you weren’t feeling it in the beginning.
Thanks! I really learned a lot on this run…I was so miserable and pessimistic the first half, I never expected it to turn around to the point of me running longer than planned!
Congrats on a your great training runs! …or rather the outcome was great lol. I’m so jealous reading these, I wish I was doing the run in January. Keep up the good work! And good luck on your Yoga “test.” If your posts for runners are any indication, you will rock it! 🙂
Thanks, I can’t wait until WDW marathon weekend, I am so excited!
I am so ready for marathon weekend too!!! Make it get here!! And I’m so impressed that you decided to just keep going. Nice work!! My body begs me to stop at the end, so when I hit that final number my finger is on the stop button ready to push. I don’t think I’ll get in a 22 this training cycle. Though some have told me to, this is my first marathon and some have said you don’t need a 22 on your first because it’s not about the time, it’s about the finishing. What do you think? Have you always done a 22?
Honestly I don’t think going over 20 miles is necessary at all. My first marathon was the WDW Marathon last year and I only went up to 20 miles (and it was a TERRIBLE 20 miles at that) and I was totally fine on race day! I was only planning to go to 20 this year, but my long run felt so good I decided to keep going just to see how I felt. I really think you’ll be fine with 20!
Nice work on 20! nice of sister to come out and run with you. The issue I have is finding people my pace to run with 🙂
I hate hlding people up, I always feel bad!
To be honest this run with my sister was only the 2nd time EVER I’ve run with anyone else! It really does help though, I think I’m going to try to see if I can find any runners in my area to occasionally do parts of long runs with!
damn way to hammer out those miles!! You’re going to do great in January!!
Thanks! I honestly still can’t believe how well that run went…let’s hope I can repeat it come January!
NIce job on the runs! I’ve never felt like running past 20 miles. ;o) I’m just starting my back to back long runs for my races in March and that second run is hard!
Yes, the 2nd run is definitely a challenge, just make sure take it easy on the 1st run and save your legs enough for the next day!
unbelievable…! you are turning into a monster…. lol
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Awesome!! That’s so great you were able to turn it around! I can’t believe you are only a month out! Time flies.
Did the Goofy and 5k a few years ago and loved it. My advice is to relax and enjoy the whole thing. No one cares how you cross the finish each day, just as long as you cross.
Good luck and can’t wait to read about it.
Thanks! That is definitely my plan…I’m not concerned about time at all, just want to finish and enjoy it (and take lots of character pictures!).
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Thanks for finally writing about >Goofy Training Update!
| Live, Run, Grow <Loved it!