I gotta say, I've been running a lot. I'm basically starting from scratch since I only ran 2 races last year- Star Wars Half in January (which is pretty much the most fun half marathon, ever) and the inaugural Wine & Dine Half of a Half (I jest. The W&D course was shortened due to weather) in November.
I signed up for the Gold Challenge 2016, which is to basically run 1000 miles this year. For a lot of people, this is a piece of cake. Some of you like to run and run and run, Forrest Gump style. I am not typically one of those people.
I joke about being lazy, drinking too much wine and binge watching Netflix (okay, okay, yes, that's partially true) but in reality, I work really hard at the horse thing. I get to the barn before sunrise in the cold (and heat in the summer) 5 days a week and bust my ass. Sometimes I do get pretty lazy about the running thing because just with work and riding, I'm gone from my house, 12-13 hours every day.
But maybe I just needed a break from running and racing. Star Wars was my 20th half marathon and the NYC marathon was my second full. Since 2014 and 2015 were really light racing years, that means I crammed a shit ton of racing and running into 2010-2013.
Why am I sharing all of these? Well, as you know, unless I'm on a treadmill, I can't bring Netflix with me on a run. That means I have to actually think about things. Ridiculous things like why am I obsessed with runDisney pins when I couldn't give two shits about pin trading or collecting?
Also, social media is a very powerful thing. My poor impressionable brain was bombarded during WDW Marathon Weekend. And although running a marathon is a pretty horrible, yet wonderful, yet excruciating, yet magical, and bipolar experience, I have myself convinced I want to do WDW Marathon 2017.
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| Bring on the Race Amnesia |
Thanks to the On This Day feature on Facebook, I was reminded that I supposedly am never doing this again. We shall see.
I also swore off race challenges...but gah. Effing Dopey Challenge pictures EVERYWHERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. Seriously, everywhere. I couldn't escape it. I could feel the Race Amnesia taking hold and a peaceful feeling came over me as I dreamily reminisced in a haze of twinkling pixie dust about the incredible memories I have of Goofy Challenge 2013, which in reality was really fucking hard..and blisteringly hot.
So, my dear fellow bloggarinos, I pose this question (And please bear in mind that I will most likely choose to take whatever route is most stupid):
1) Should I train, train, train in 2016 and put my 1000 miles into having a really good time for the WDW Marathon 2017 and then consider Dopey for 2018, which is an anniversary year for the marathon and Dopey, or
2) Should I realize that accomplishing 1000 miles in one year is a big thing for me and just do Dopey in 2017 while I'm used to doing so much running?
I'm really torn. And all of this running is making me do more thinking, which leads me to second guessing whatever I most recently decided. I'm leaning toward the first option because I doubt I have several Dopeys in me, so why not pick the anniversary year?
Plus, you know the 25th Marathon will be awesome.
And with that, I have 969.48 miles left to run in 2016.
Posted with Blogsy
Yup! I also get race amnesia! As soon as I was done with the marathon this year I immediately text my bff and told her I would never do another one. Of course a few days later I'm already researching my next marathon!
ReplyDeleteI have done the Goofy Challenge, Glass slipper Challenge, and Pixie Dust challenge and I think i'm done with the challenges ( although I my have amnesia with that too).
So, in my humble opinion, if you know you want to do Dopey at some point, I would do it in 2017. You are already in a great training cycle ( or will be), and who knows what 2018 will bring. Good luck with your training and decision making!
I'm mostly done with challenges. ;)
DeleteIt's just so exhausting...but I don't know, all those Dopey pictures in my Instagram feed is too tempting. Lol
Do you want to do WDW two years in a row? If you're doing Dopey in 2018, why not either do more half marathons than usual in 2017 or if you want to do fulls two years in a row, why not do one that's not Disney in 17 and then do Dopey in '18?
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the random conversations in your brain out on the trail. For me, it's "Why do I keep buying coffee cups when I don't drink coffee?"
Ha! I have a fondness for coffee cups, too. But I do drink coffee. ;)
DeleteI definitely want to take advantage of a marathon after a year of running and I figured WDW was the best choice. (No way I'm running PF Chang's full here, too boring.) hmmmm, guess I'll have to ponder more.
Ah. That makes sense. I didn't really look at it that way. Running a thousand miles should be a build-up for something.
DeleteWaiting for the anniversary year sounds fun! :) I also am gone from my house 12-13 hours a day with work/riding. I can squeeze in a short run if I rush at everything. I hate it. I am often jealous of those that work 8 hours a day and then go home.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty rushed at the barn in the mornings but I enjoy starting my day with my horse. I'd really like to do the anniversary year but i would also like to finish up my 1000 miles of 2016 with the WDW marathon in January. Arg. Tough decisions!
DeleteI think if you are going to do Dopey I would do it in 2018 when there are both anniversaries and cool medals. But, I would train for the 2017 marathon and build from that base moving into 2018. A goal of 1000 miles is a lofty one and you need to put a good training plan into place so that you are not increasing your mileage too quickly and making yourself prone to injury. I also have race amnesia at times, but I am pretty sure Dopey was a one and done. We both followed Jeff Galloways' training plan and it made the weekend awesome, but those 4 morning wake up calls were rough.
ReplyDeleteI'm fairly certain this is the route I'm going to take. Right now, I'm keeping my runs at 4-5 miles and I figure I'll jump into Tinkerbell training when the long runs get to 6-7 miles and go from there.
DeleteChoosing to just focus on the marathon is probably the smartest move since the timing of WDW Marathon weekend would be the perfect wrap up to my 1000 miles. Thanks for the input!
If I had attempted my first full marathon after a half (OR EVEN A 5K) I would never have ever made it. Never. haha That's crazy, but awesome.
ReplyDeleteI say go with option 1. Go big. We only live once right lol
ReplyDeleteHm, that's a tough choice. I think I'd opt for the anniversary year!!
ReplyDelete