So I did it. I completed the Dopey Challenge. I did more than completed it, I had fun during the Dopey Challenge. So what's next on the running front.
I was purposefully putting off race planning until after Dopey. I didn't know how I'd feel when I finished and I really didn't know what was next.
Well coming off the high of finishing Dopey I currently feel like I can do anything. This and race planning could be a very bad combination.
I was already registered for the Katy Half on February 6th. It's a local race in it's second year. It is a fast course, nice time of year and the organization puts on a great race. I'm looking forward to running it again.
I also was already registered for the Woodlands Full Marathon on March 5th. I've gone back and forth as to if I would drop back to the half or stay registered for the full. As of this moment I am going to run the full marathon. It has a 14:30 min/mile pace requirement. I theoretically should be able to do this and maintain this. I intentionally did not push the pace at Dopey. I struggled at Marine Corps and did not come anywhere close to that pace after the first 10 miles, but I think I have figured out a lot of reasons for my struggles and I've been working on those. My 20 mile training runs have all been faster than a 14:30 pace. I should be able to do this. As I kept repeating to myself during my many breakdown moments before the marathon started at Dopey - I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.
After Woodlands I have decided I am going to focus on getting faster in the 10k - half marathon distances for the next 18 months or so. So no marathon training this year. Well maybe? More track work and strength training with less runs over 14 miles is my plan. I want to get faster, stronger and leaner this year.
So I started looking at the race calendar and my own calendar. It's really easy to fill up a race calendar.
2016 Races
1/1 - RunHouston - Sam Houston Race Park 10k - complete
1/7 - WDW 5k - complete
1/8 - WDW 10k - complete
1/9 - WDW Half - complete
1/10 - WDW Full Marathon - complete
2/6 - Katy Half Marathon
2/21 - Space City 10 miler
3/5 - Woodlands Marathon
3/19 - RunHouston Minute Maid 10k (virtual this time)
4/3 - Mike to Mike Half Marathon (Fayetteville, NC)
4/9 - Blue Bell 10k
6/4 - RunHouston Clear Lake 10k
9/24 - RunHouston U. of H 10k
10/30 - Houston Half
11/13 - Cypress Half
11/24 - Katy YMCA Turkey Dash 10k
12/3 - RunHouston Sugarland 10k
I'm sure that is not everything. I want to complete the RunHouston 10k Series this year (fortunately they have a virtual option to complete the series) and the Bayou City Half Marathon Series. I'm sure I will add at least one or 2 races in April/May. There aren't a lot of local races in the summer down here and I'm also not crazy enough to run them so I doubt I'll add anything in June - August (except maybe the Running of the Bulls 5k). The fall is still up in the air a little.
And by up in the air - did you catch that maybe up there. I was thinking no fall marathon in 2016. I really was. But I have this crazy desire to enter the Chicago Marathon Lottery. If I get in (and it is only a slightly better than 50-50 chance that I would) I would run it. If not, well maybe no marathons for 18 months (unless I change my mind again). So if I get into Chicago that is 10/9/2016 and the rest of the fall will fall out around that.
I'm going to be changing the focus of my training. More strength work/cross training. I plan to bring speed work and tempo runs back into my weekly plan. I plan to keep my weekend long runs in the 8-10 mile range most weeks (until it's time to build up to marathon again). 8-10 mile runs are comfortable and don't take up my whole weekend but don't require me starting from scratch to build up miles again. I've started taking Body Pump at the YMCA and I love the strength training aspect.
Most importantly I'm going to focus on nutrition this year. If I'm going to train smarter I need to eat smarter as well.
I had such a great time at Dopey I would probably consider running it again in 2017 if it wasn't for the fact that I want to complete the Kessel Challenge and there is no way I can go from WDW to DL in a week to run Star Wars in January. That whole job thing gets in the way. So 2017 will be the year of the Star Wars races and Dopey again in 2018 is definitely on the table. My oldest is thinking of training with me to run the Star Wars 10k in January. If she does, it will be fun to train and run with her.
I am determined to get my half marathon under 2 hours and 30 minutes this year and to get my 10k back down in the 1 hour 5 minute range again (pipe dream is a sub 1 hour 10k and sub 30 minute 5k). I know I have it in me. I just need to work on my speed work, work on my diet and nutrition and focus on those distances. I pushed the speed work to the back burner since I started ramping up marathon training and it shows. Everything became a casual marathon paced run of late.
So that is where I am. The Dopey Challenge was more than I thought it would be when I had this crazy notion sitting on my couch in 2013 to run the WDW marathon. The friends I have made, the fun had, the total experience was wonderful. Now it is time to change up my training focus. When I come back in 2018 I will ride that roller coaster during the race.
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