The runDisney Princess Half Marathon in Disney World is now less than two months away.

57 days. Eight weeks.

It sounds like a lot of time right?

The Ideal Half Marathon Training Plan

Except that really, to train for 13.1 miles, most training plans are geared toward ten weeks of preparation.The Runner’s World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training: Winning Strategies, Inspiring Stories, and the Ultimate Training Tools from the Experts at Runner’s World Challenge by Jennifer Van Allen, Bart Yasso, and Amby Burfoot offers a beginner ten week plan that assumes that you are logging an average of 15 to 25 miles per week already. The intermediate plan assumes 25 to 30 miles per week, and the advanced plan….you get the idea. Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line – and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity, by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea offers 15 week plans which in an ideal world, would give anyone a solid base to achieve their half marathon goals.

After being sidelined with a cold here and there, and who knows what other excuses I could drum up, I am starting behind the eight ball, again.  My half marathon plan had been to finish the Runners World Half Marathon last October, with a mix or running and walking, and then be “ready” and trained for the Princess in February 2013, with the ultimate goal of a personal record at the Nike Women’s Half in April of 2013. The good news is that I did finish the Runners World Half, but calling myself ready and trained eight week from now? That might be a stretch. It is not however, a pipe dream.

The question is, what is my plan, given that I only have eight weeks left?

Training for the Princess Half Marathon | LiveDoGrow

Training for my First runDisney Princess Half Marathon

Here is the thing. I am going to be running through Disney World. As in, the land of imagination, characters, and spectacle.  The most magical place on earth. I have not been to Disney World since I was in elementary school (which was a LONG time ago in case you are wondering). I want to run this race….but also? I want to enjoy it. I envision stopping to take pictures with characters and soaking up as much fairy dust and magic as I possibly can. In part because I know that this event is just the beginning of a return to better training, more running, and better health and fitness and in part because how often is it that you get to run your heart out in a place that even comes close to Disney World?

My training plan for the Princess Half Marathon is to loosely follow the Runners World beginner Half Marathon plan even if this is not my first half marathon especially since I know that I will be in Colorado skiing in mid January, and although I hope to get in a few treadmill runs, running will not be my primary focus that week. Cross training in general, whether in the form of skiing or when I am home will be important to keep me motivated as I train.  One of the best things I can do for my Princess Half Marathon training is to focus on my progress with Weight Watchers and improving my health in these eight weeks. Losing even five pounds between now and then will make a difference in how I feel when I run, and becoming stronger and leaner will help my running form and reduce my risk of injury not to mention just make me feel better.

And then…58 days from now, I can set new goals for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon that I will run almost exactly two months later.  But that comes later. First things first….I need to start working on my singing of “It’s a Small World” and planning my Disney worthy running outfit.

elena sonnino

 

 

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