On a masochistic whim, I decided to do something very, very crazy: I signed up to complete the Disney Dopey Challenge.
What is the Dopey Challenge, you ask?
It’s running 48.6 miles in four days: a 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon, and full marathon in a long weekend.
I’m not 100% sure why I decided to sign up …I just did it. It felt right. It felt like something I needed to do.
In January 2017, I’m dragging my husband and some friends to Walt Disney World to spend a weekend running, recovering, and potentially boozing (just a little).
What did I get myself in to?
Thus far, I’ve never run a marathon in my life. In fact, I’ve only run two half marathons, and only one was at a timed race. I’m running in the OUC Half Marathon in December, and less than four weeks later, I somehow think I’m going to run my first marathon – after running 22.4 miles the three days before.
*GULP*
Any suggestions for a good training plan (other than RUN LIKE HELL)?
Bon appetit, my friends!
~ Tori
The Memoirs of a Yo-Yo Dieter 
I LOVE this so much! My dream is to one day Run Disney…but I’m still working up to that level of running LOL! My suggestions would be similar to things you probably have read – start out with smaller runs and work your way up to the point you are running longer than you actually need to…then taper back down as the race gets closer. However, as a person who struggles a lot to run (and a personal trainer and watches people struggle with many things daily), I will tell you the most important thing you can do is to keep going. It may sound silly but it’s the truth. No matter how hard it may be or how many times you want to give up….push through it! Our minds tend to quit before our bodies do. Keep all of that in mind and you will do great!! I can’t wait to read about it all! Good luck 🙂
Thank you so much! I definitely don’t know what motivated me to sign up (it’s not a cheap run, either), but I’m so glad I did! I’ve already been stepping it up at the gym, and last week I logged almost 60 miles between running outdoors, indoors, and cross-training on the elliptical! Thank you for the kind words!