My runDisney Princess Half Marathon Training ~ Dory Approach “Just Keep Running…”

I’ve been running for about two months now, since I registered for my very first runDisney race… the Princess Half Marathon.  Woo hooo!  Not gonna lie, progress feels slow.  In my younger days, whenever I would pick up running it seemed I’d experience a breakthrough after about 2-3 weeks.  This time round, no lightning breakthroughs.  (*shakes head slowly, in mild disgust*)

This will also be my first half marathon, and I really do have pretty high hopes, thanks to Jeff Galloway. I’ve been following his run-walk-run method, and it works likka champ!  I’m amazed how spot on his running time charts are, which I would have thought would vary greatly person-to-person.  But sure enough, when I use the 1:1 ratio (run 1 minute, walk 1 minute)… I’m averaging a 13 minute mile.  Just like Jeff said I would.  Pretty cool.

runDisney Princess Half Marathon Training ~ Jeff Galloway’s Run Walk Run

I really love this.  If you haven’t seen it – check it out.  It’s been making running pain free for me, and much more enjoyable.

I thought I’d have been able to increase my running intervals by now.  Although I’m a little discouraged at myself for still hovering in this 1:1 zone after 2 months of running, I do believe there are numerous benefits to this slow and steady approach:

• I’m still not needing to wear my knee brace.  What the heck??
  
• When I do have a run segment, I’m running strong.
• I don’t dread my runs, but actually look forward to and enjoy them.  What the heck??

The one tiny bit of progress I’ll acknowledge is that I’m recovering much quicker than when I first started a few weeks ago.   A few weeks ago, I’d run during my lunch break at work, come sit back at my desk for the afternoon, and then have trouble getting out of my office chair and walking to my car at 5:00pm.

Concerned Coworker:  Did you hurt yourself?  You weren’t limping this morning… were you?

Me:  No, no.  I did this to myself, at noon.

Yes indeed, the stiff and sore settled in fiercely and rather quickly.  But NOW… I honestly don’t even notice it after a run.  That’s progress, right?

One thing I keep wondering… would it be better to run 1:1 intervals at a fast pace, or 2:1 at a slow pace?  Does anyone know?  I have so much to learn.

My goal is to put the time in training, so I can enjoy the Princess Half Marathon without it feeling like a death march.  I’d love to know what I can expect out of my body, so I can maybe even enjoy some character photos and other runDisney moments along the course… without fretting about “how much time I have left”.  There are so many fantastic blog posts out there about running runDisney races, that I feel like I have a crew of Disney friends just gushing with great advice on how to prepare.

AFTER-RACE UPDATE:  Here’s how the race went!  My runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend ~ The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

runDisney Princess Half Training Guide

The runDisney Princess Half Training Guide for newbies is going to be my bible here soon.  My official training schedule starts October 22nd.  Yikes.  So for now, I’m just following the basic pattern:  2 half hour runs during the week, 1 “long” run on weekend.  Mid week runs are averaging 2.5 miles, my weekend runs only 3 miles.

“Pathetic!”

“Picture running through the castle!”

“Running should feel much easier than this, for longer intervals, by now.”

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!”

“Do these capris make my butt look fast?”

These are the voices in my head.

But I’ve decided to try and change my perspective.  That it’s going to take some time.  And there’s not really much I can do, other than TRY.  And RUN.

So my new motto with be the Dory approach: “Just keep running…. just keep running….”  🙂

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 Have you done a runDisney race before?  Any tips for to share?