RunDisney Beginner

MablePines24

Earning My Ears
Joined
Oct 8, 2015
Hi Everyone!

I’ve made the decision to take my health and weight loss seriously, and set myself the goal to do the 5k & 10k next February at the Princess event. However, I have no idea where to start! I’m looking for information, resources and tips you may know now that you wish you knew as a beginner.

Thanks a bunch!
 
The 5K is a great place to start. No one takes themselves too seriously and you can take rest stops by making character photos. It's a great morning walk in my opinion. I will do my third 10K this year. Can't wait. You might want to just do one race your first time out though. The start times are really early and make for a really long day if you are planning to visit the parks too. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 


Pretty much everything @Ariel484 said!

Good luck setting out towards your goal - the running thread on this forum has also been a great resource for me as I’ve gotten back into running in recent years.
 
Definitely get fitted for shoes and look into a beginners program like Couch-to-5K ... having a dedicated program like C25K (there are tons of apps you can download on your smartphone to use) will help you build a good base for success!

Also, a fitness tracker can help keep your goals in line on days you don't run (like a FitBit or a base-level Garmin watch!)

Also, don't get frustrated if runs sometimes don't go your way - just remember that every step you take that day is more than you took the day before, it's more than many people at home do and it's just another step closer to your overall goal of improving your health and becoming a better you!
 


I second the Jeff Galloway recommendation from @Ariel484 . Jeff Galloway's plans do not feel impossible, but rather doable. I've ran all but one race using his plans, and the race where I didn't follow his plan worked because I understood how training plans work and knew how to build mileage up quickly, yet safely in a very short period of time.

These boards are also a wealth of information and very encouraging runners. Most importantly, the most successful of the runners on here are very encouraging and more than willing to help those of us who still have much to learn.

Before my first race, I was very nervous about not finishing. Consequently, I basically didn't talk to anyone about how my training progressed. This left me feeling very unprepared and terrified I would not finish despite having put all the long runs in. Because of this, on race day, I started off way too fast and very nearly became a self fulfilling prophecy since I was running much faster than I had trained for and had severe shin pain. I realized I could not go much further in that kind of pain, so I decided I would either finish the race by walking it or get taken off the course because I was too slow. But I would not quit. 3 hours later I finished. Technically, this is still my fastest half marathon, but it also remains the only race in which I did not stop for any pictures whatsoever.

What did this teach me? Trust your training. Run your race. If you put in the training, you will be successful.

Don't be afraid to ask questions on these boards. Someone will answer and you will learn a lot.
 
There are lots of plans out there. Don't get overwhelmed by that. Pick one that seems reasonable and stick with it (that's the REAL key, isn't it?).

Just like anything, there are tons of ways to get there but - no matter the route - you have to keep moving forward.

As a beginner, keep in mind things will ache and be sore...things you didn't even know you had! Sometimes you'll need to rest, sometimes you'll need to "suck-it up". I never knew shin splints could be so painful!!! That's why others have recommended getting properly fit for running shoes.

You will find that the staff at the running stores are your friends and biggest supporters. They are worth every penny above eBay/Amazon/Zappos shoe prices.

6 years ago I could barely run a quarter mile before I needed to stop. My journey had some successes and some set-backs. Most of us have been where you are now. Be excited! You have a lot of fun to look forward to!
 
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I would recommend finding a 5K that is local to you and doing that before you do the Princess weekend races. As tempting as it is to make Disney your first race I think doing a local race first is a good idea. All the training in the world won't prepare you for all of the nuances of a first race. I think doing a $20 local race a few miles from home and making any first time mistakes there is a better idea than doing it at a $50 race while on vacation.

Of course YMMV.
 
I would recommend finding a 5K that is local to you and doing that before you do the Princess weekend races. As tempting as it is to make Disney your first race I think doing a local race first is a good idea. All the training in the world won't prepare you for all of the nuances of a first race. I think doing a $20 local race a few miles from home and making any first time mistakes there is a better idea than doing it at a $50 race while on vacation.

Of course YMMV.

Beat me to it! It's way more enjoyable when you've got a race or two in your back pocket already. So that you already kind of know how races work.
I wish I took the advice to train for local 5ks and then do the Disney 10k.
Either way Have fun!!!!
 
I would recommend finding a 5K that is local to you and doing that before you do the Princess weekend races. As tempting as it is to make Disney your first race I think doing a local race first is a good idea. All the training in the world won't prepare you for all of the nuances of a first race. I think doing a $20 local race a few miles from home and making any first time mistakes there is a better idea than doing it at a $50 race while on vacation.

Of course YMMV.

Beat me to it! It's way more enjoyable when you've got a race or two in your back pocket already. So that you already kind of know how races work.
I wish I took the advice to train for local 5ks and then do the Disney 10k.
Either way Have fun!!!!
There's a lot of truth to having at least a race under your belt first. My very first race ever was the 2011 Disneyland Half. It never crossed my mind to train up to that distance or run a race before hand. In a sense, I think I both failed and succeeded spectacularly that day. I failed because I let excitement get the best of me and started out way too fast. I succeeded because I recognized that my start was doomed to failure before mile marker 1 so I slowed down and went at my pace and crossed the finish line.

There are things about running that only races themselves can teach you. I feared failure so much before my first race that I made the mistake of not talking to any runners about the race or my training. My first race very nearly wound up being my last. Thankfully nothing builds confidence like actually doing it so the next time around I was able to open up and start to really learn from others.
 
Hi Everyone!

I’ve made the decision to take my health and weight loss seriously, and set myself the goal to do the 5k & 10k next February at the Princess event. However, I have no idea where to start! I’m looking for information, resources and tips you may know now that you wish you knew as a beginner.

Thanks a bunch!

I highly recommend starting a training journal and reading other peoples. It gives you a level of accountability, support and motivation that is unmatched anywhere else!
 
To prep for my first runDisney event after my own weight loss journey, I used the Galloway training guides from the runDisney website: https://www.rundisney.com/training/running/

I loosely followed the training. You'll know your body. You'll know what works and what doesn't. Some stick to guides religiously and find great success. I actually tend to run a bit longer than the training methods suggest, only because I knew I could handle it.

It's definitely a good place to start. Even to this day, I'll still reference back to it, just to make sure I'm bumping my distances enough as I get closer to a race.
 
The 5K is a great place to start. No one takes themselves too seriously and you can take rest stops by making character photos. It's a great morning walk in my opinion.

Is it OK to actually walk the whole 5K? Or does everyone have to run?
 
I already walk a lot farther than that in a typical Disney day. :)
True, but park walking is usually at a leisurely pace with lots of stops to see things, people watch, do rides, shop, eat, etc. The 5k should be completed at 16:00 per mile or less. Yes, I know that runDisney is lenient on that pace for 5k “family fun runs,” but if you want to stop for character photos or potty breaks, you’ll have to step it up from park walking speed. So practice is definitely in order.
 

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