I am in the final 6 weeks of training for the Blue Ridge Relay. The heat here in Arizona is definitely taking its toll. I have found that when I need to run more than 8 miles the heat really makes it hard to keep running. I decided a long time ago that if I feel like I am starting to overheat that I will just take a short walk break to recover a bit. This of course means that my paces suffer in the summer. It doesn’t matter. I am still getting in the required mileage and know that when the cooler temps come again my pace will pick up.
I have been looking for a new challenge. I am taking on over 24 miles in this relay. I have run 14 overnight adventure relays so far. While I really enjoy them and they are challenging, I needed something new to get my competitive juices flowing. Another marathon would be interesting but I have conquered that distance 9 times. So when my daughter called to see if I wanted to run the Disney World Half Marathon with her, I said yes. But I had read about a challenge that interested me called The Dopey Challenge. How appropriate a name for this event.
I decided to sign up for The Dopey Challenge and will be running it in January 2019. What is the challenge? It is simply running all 4 races that are scheduled for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Here is how Disney describes it:
It's four days of race magic for a total of 48.6 miles in the Dopey Challenge! Participants will run the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Walt Disney World® Marathon back-to-back days. If you complete all four races within the pacing requirements you will be awarded the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge medal and the Dopey Challenge finisher medal in addition to the individual race medals for a total of six pieces of "bling."
I am so fired up to train for this race challenge. The best part is that my daughter is going to run the 10K and Half Marathon with me. The only thing I know is that I will have to finish the marathon in 5 hours and 30 minutes or less. In my worst marathon performance when I had injured my hamstring, I was able to finish in under 5 hours. So I think I can get in the 26.2 miles in less than 5 and a half hours. Of course, I will have already run 22.4 miles. Maybe I shouldn’t be so sure. Regardless, the overnight relays have prepared me for running on tired legs which is a plus.
I can’t wait to see how my body holds up as I run a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon on back-to-back days. I think that all of my mearthon training and relay races have adequately prepared me for this type of challenge. But before I start thinking about the Disney race, I need to remain focused on getting in the hill training required to allow me to successfully complete my 3 legs in the Blue Ridge Relay in September.
God I love this sport!
Jun 11 – 6.10 miles (1:04:50, 10:38 pace) – Hill Repeats
Jun 12 – 6.30 miles (53:49, 8:33 pace) – Speed work
Jun 14 – 7.10 miles (1:01:19, 8:38 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 15 – 6.20 miles (56:03, 9:02 pace)
Jun 16 – 10.10 miles (1:36:47, 9:35 pace)
Jun 17 – 11.20 miles (1:45:16, 9:24 pace)
Jun 18 – 6.10 miles (1:05:21, 10:43pace) – Hill Repeats
Jun 19 – 6.30 miles (53:41, 8:31 pace) – Speed work
Jun 21 – 9.20 miles (1:19:54, 8:21 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 22 – 7.10 miles (1:07:53, 9:34 pace)
Jun 23 – 11.10 miles (1:46:40, 9:37 pace)
Jun 24 – 11.30 miles (1:48:43, 9:37 pace)
Jun 25 – 6.10 miles (1:08:22, 11:13 pace) – Hill Repeats
Jun 26 – 7.10 miles (59:58, 8:27 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 28 – 3.10 miles (23:30, 7:35 pace) – Speed work
Jun 29 – 6.10 miles (59:07, 9:42pace)
Jun 30 – 10.10 miles (1:34:19, 9:20 pace)
July 1 – 13.30 miles (2:02:35, 9:13 pace)
July 2 – 8.10 miles (1:27:34, 10:49 pace) – Hill Repeats
July 3 – 6.30 miles (53:46, 8:32 pace) – Speed work
July 5 – 8.10 miles (1:19:54, 8:32 pace) – Tempo Run
July 6 – 7.10 miles (1:09:16, 9:45 pace)
July 7 – 12.10 miles (1:59:14, 9:51 pace)
July 8 – 6.20 miles (1:00:49, 9:49 pace)
July 9 – 6.10 miles (1:07:54, 11:08 pace) – Hill Repeats
July 10 – 6.20 miles (53:33, 8:38 pace) – Speed work
July 12 – 6.10 miles (53:24, 8:45 pace) – Tempo Run
July 15 – 7.10 miles (1:04:13, 9:03 pace)
July 16 – 6.10 miles (55:03, 9:01 pace)
July 17 – 3.10 miles (1:19:54, 7:40 pace) – Speed work
July 19 – 8.10 miles (1:08:46, 8:29 pace) – Tempo Run
July 20 – 7.10 miles (1:09:01, 9:43 pace)
July 21 – 6.20 miles (55:35, 8:58 pace)
July 22 – 12.50 miles (2:03:29, 9:53 pace)
Total Miles: 260.4 miles
2018 Total Miles: 1,021.0 miles
