1/2 marathon one day, marathon the next...thoughts?

dane11235813
dane11235813 Posts: 682 Member
can a new runner do this? the race is in January.

http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/wdw-marathon/index?page=goofys-race-and-a-half-challenge

i really like the challenge of this and who wouldn't want a Goofy medal to go with their Mickey and Donald medals. so my question is how much training would one need to pull this off?

thanks in advance for your input

Replies

  • I just want to say holy smokes!
    This is certainly going on my bucket list.
    I'm curious to see the answers for this myself...
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    no

    If you are a new runner this is basically a recipe for disaster. I know a 4 people doing this in January and they have run a combined 50 marathons and probably 150 half marathons.

    I have run 7 marathons and over 20 halves and I necessarily wouldn't feel comfortable doing it.

    I am pretty sure that Disney will be offering this for many years to come.
  • run4yourlife
    run4yourlife Posts: 379 Member
    I think it's doable, but not advisable. You would probably want to hold back a little for the 1/2 knowing you had the full the next day, and you also probably wouldn't be 100% for the full having just done the 1/2. So, unless you don't care about running your best races, I'd choose to do just one.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    My $.02 - I would NOT suggest this for a first time marathoner. Recipe for injury and disaster.

    Get a couple fulls under your belt. Then start running 1/2 the distance of your long run the day before. So if you are running 18 on Saturday, your run 9 on Friday.

    I guess it all depends on whether your goal is to run well or just slog your way to the finish.
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    As many advised - doable? Yes. Adviseable? No. If you just want to finish them for the sake of doing them both, by all means go for it. Unless you're just a naturally talented runner that can jump out of bed and run your first marathon in 2:30 and your first half in 1:15 without any training whatsoever, it just wouldn't be pleasant. Not worth it to injure yourself.

    However, if you get a few races and a lot of training under your belt, you could probably do that easily, several times a year. There are tons of maniacs out there that run multiple long distance races per week, or even every couple of days.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    For a new runner, no way.

    For an experienced runner, I think that they would run neither of them to the fullest potential. Maybe it's just me, but these types of things just don't resonate with me. When I run a race, I do everything I can to make sure I'll perform my best. Running a HM before a marathon would compromise both races. *shrug* Maybe I'm just too competitive.
  • brendarun
    brendarun Posts: 26
    im running a marathon each day on the 15 and 16 December so id say yours is doable. Just dont be expecting to get any PB's just enjoy the day and experience each one brings x
  • Kona2014
    Kona2014 Posts: 38
    can a new runner do this? the race is in January.

    http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/wdw-marathon/index?page=goofys-race-and-a-half-challenge

    i really like the challenge of this and who wouldn't want a Goofy medal to go with their Mickey and Donald medals. so my question is how much training would one need to pull this off?

    thanks in advance for your input

    That looks like so much fun!
  • trijoe
    trijoe Posts: 729 Member
    Wow. Lots of no's.

    Me? I'm a sucker for punishment. I've done a few crazy races here and there that if I were a wiser man, I would have seriously reconsidered. So my vote is a big bad, "Why not?" If you REALLY want the bling, and you are REALLY ready to make yourself hurt for the bling, and you're not the least bit bothered by finish times, or AG placements, and you can look in the mirror and know for sure that you're going to spend the next umpteen months REALLY building yourself up... Then hey. Kiss your wife and kids goodbye, put your favorite sports doctor and physical therapist on speed dial, get the Costco 1,000,000 pill sized bottle of Aleve, and go for it.

    Just know that it won't be long before you're questioning yourself, your sanity, your body, and every person you speak with about any issue. And, assuming you survive the training to race day, you may want to make sure you SERIOUSLY lay off the half marathon. Walk it if you have to. Just whatever it takes to wake up marathon morning not feeling like you've already been plowed over by a mac truck. That's reserved for mile 20.

    Enjoy, have fun, and good luck!
  • 007bondage
    007bondage Posts: 631 Member
    Agree with the concensus here = It is doable, but not adviseable. I've done two Half's back to back (tempo, but not racepace), but that was part of my Ultra-training. I only swam for the next week...