Happy July 4th to my US readers/runners and happy Monday to all the rest! Wow, has it really been mid-June since my last blog?!?! Yikes! See, that’s what happens when you have a full-time job. It gets in the way of all the important things in life. ;-D
Over the last few weeks I have made myself NOT RUN! I know, crazy right? I took this time to do the following:
Rest & Recover from the last 20 months of training
Cross Train & lift weights a bit
Get a business trip out of the way
So now that I am all rested I am ready to start my new training program for the remainder of the summer. And speaking of new training programs, a few weeks ago I posted the basic Goofy Training Program (From Memory). Jeff Galloway and runDisney have the complete plan up again now so everyone can choose whether or not they want to use Jeff’s run-walk-run method since he includes all the details on the runDisney website. Many people have a lot of great things to say about his run/walk plan and many more have cut there half and full marathon times by implementing his training methodology. Last January I even did a little of the run-walk-run during my 1st marathon at Walt Disney World.
2011 WDW Radio Running Team before the Marathon
I ran most of the race and even did a few miles with my fellow teammates from the WDW Radio Running Team. However, since it was my first full-marathon I decided to enjoy it and walk a few steps to get needed rest so I’d have something left in the fuel tank for walking around the park on Monday!
Like I said in January if you want to run with a great group of people then look up Lou Mongello and the WDW Radio Running Team on Facebook. We raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation. Our numbers have really grown since last January! I believe we are up to 47 members on the team running a variety of races at Disney throughout the year. Running with this group makes a great event even more special since you help fulfill the wish of a terminally ill child. The team raised enough to do just that going into January and it was a fantastic feeling!
But I digress, so I had planned to tackle the Goofy next January, but as always nothing is simple. I went to a race expo in May before the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon and saw a flyer for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. Wanting to be prepared to “Go Goofy” I decided a pre-Goofy test was in order and signed up for the Indianapolis full-marathon which takes place November 5th, 2011. So now the dilemma. How to train for both the Monumental full-marathon AND the Goofy Challenge? Thrown into the mix was the fact that I have implemented the FIRST Training Program (mentioned this in a previous post). The answer is simple. Use the blender method! Throw it all together and hit puree! After a good blending what do you get? A Monumentally Goofy Training Program!
It’s not really all that bad, but I’m going to be working hard most days of the week. Glad I “rested” for 2 weeks!
Monday: Lift weights & Spin (Cross Training Workout #1 for FIRST)
Tuesday: FIRST Key Running Workout #1 (Intervals)
Wednesday: Lift Weights and Spin/Row (Cross Training Workout #2 for FIRST)
Thursday: FIRST Key Running Workout #2 (Tempo Run)
Friday: Lift Weights Only (Go Light)
Saturday: Long Run – The Goofy Training calls for some weekends of a long walk followed by a long run the next day
Sunday: Rest or Long Run on “Goofy” weekends
So that’s my training plan for the rest of the year. Seems pretty basic until you go back and look at what the FIRST Training plan entails (see previous posts). That regimen is rather intense! I’ll be on this plan for 8 weeks and then I’m taking a week off to go to Hawaii for vacation! 🙂 I’ll have a couple workouts there, but nothing serious since I’m on vacation! After Hawaii I’ll be back on my program for another 9 weeks until the Monumental Marathon on November 5th. After the Monumental it’ll be just 9 more weeks until The Goofy Challenge!
I’m so excited to get started! Training begins tomorrow morning!
It has come to my attention from one of my readers (Thanks Jenn!!) that runDisney has yet to post Jeff Galloway’s updated training program for the 2012 Goofy Challenge. Being a training program connoisseur of sorts I downloaded it back when it was still posted in 2010. Thinking back I guess I already knew that runDisney had taken the old training program down since I had emailed them about the dates being “off”. The dates were off since it hadn’t been updated since 2009 when it was originally published, but the basics were there. Now remember race fans, this program is designed to get you across both finish lines in the upright position not set land speed records at Disney World. It’s a fairly simple program that follows Jeff’s run/walk philosophy. Most weeks you only run 3 days and rest/recovery is a key component of the program.
Seeing how I don’t have express written consent by the Walt Disney Company or Jeff Galloway to republish the PDF I have (assuming I can find it…) I will talk in generalities and answer questions if you have any. Don’t worry though, there’s a table below with a week by week schedule.
You know you want it...or one very similar to it!
Keep in mind that my goal for the 2012 Goofy Challenge is to cross both finish lines on Saturday and Sunday in the upright position and live to tell the tale! I have a friend who’s running it with me and we are both determined to finish and earn a lot of bling…that’s it! OH! Before I forget…I’m also doing the 5K on Friday which will be a nice warm-up and an extra medal! 🙂
The program is around 30 weeks in length. I’m sure once runDisney updates it the numbers may not be exactly the same. For my own use, I adapted the program a little to fit my own needs, but the basis of the plan is here. Also, I believe it is suggested that you have been running for 6 months prior to starting this Goofy Training Program. If not, take it easy and follow the plan as prescribed by runDisney.
As always, you should consult a licensed medical professional (aka: a doctor/physician) before beginning any exercise program. Especially, if like me you are a middle aged guy with a Peter Pan-esque view on life! Hopefully, I spelled out the fact that you are at risk in this 39.3 mile undertaking and that you’re making the decision on your own to do this training program or participate in it in any way either in full or in part…..heck people, GOOFY is the mascot! There’s a little bit of crazy going on to try something like this and I’m doing the 5K too so that makes me just plain Dopey!
Okay, enough of the legal speak about it being YOUR decision and YOUR own liability should something bad happen to you. You have been warned!! On to the training program!
Like I said, this program is fairly simple. I’m not going to get into the whole run/walk method because that is Jeff Galloway’s thing. There is also a training tool Jeff suggests called a “Magic Mile” which he has you do every so often to see how you’re progressing. I’m a runner and plan to run 85-90% of both races not including the time it takes to stop for pictures. Oh yes, there will be lots of pictures! Again, see my blog post about the WDW full-marathon last January 2011.
So here it is…in general…the 30-ish week Goofy Challenge Training Program as best as I can remember it. By the way, if you actually followed this program then you would start in mid-June. The program takes you a couple weeks PAST the WDW full-marathon on Sunday January 8th, 2012 for recovery purposes.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are 30-45 minute run/walks according to the original program. Go to Jeff Galloway’s Website for details on the run/walk method. You’ll notice that you get six weeks of training before you have your first weekend of back-to-back workouts. I also took the liberty of switching the run days for Christmas and New Year’s Day to Saturday, but feel free to run when you want! Oh, and don’t forget to plan for holidays (in no particular order) like July 4th, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Labor Day, Father’s Day, President’s Day, Ramadan, Boxing Day, Administrative Assistant’s Day, Yom Kippur, My Birthday (Oct. 7th), etc.
Week
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat
Sun
1
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 3 mile
2
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 4 mile
3
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 5 mile
4
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 3 mile
5
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 5 mile
6
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Walk 3 mile
Run 7 mile
7
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 6 mile
8
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 8 mile
9
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 6 mile
10
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
5 mile
Run 10 mile
11
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 11 mile
12
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 12 mile
13
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 8 mile
14
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Walk 5.5 mile
Run 14 mile
15
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 11 mile
16
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 15.5 mile
17
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 9 mile
18
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Walk 7 mile
Run 17 mile
19
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 12 mile
20
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 18 mile
21
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 10 mile
22
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Walk 9 mile
Run 20 mile
23
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 13 mile
24
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 21 mile
25
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 11 mile
26
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Walk 12 mile
Run 23 mile
27
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Rest
Run 7 mile
28
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Run 6 mile
Xmas
29
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
30-45 min
Rest
Run 7 mile
New Year’s Day
30
Rest
30 min
Rest
30 min
Rest
WDW Half
WDW Full
31
Rest
30 min
Rest
30 min
Rest
Rest
Run 7 mile
32
Rest
30 min
Rest
30 min
Rest
Rest
Run 6 mile
Of course, you may opt to throw in some cross training for some of those rest days. I would suggest taking a rest day before and after those weekends where you’re doing a long walk followed by a long run the next day. Your body (muscles, ligaments, joints, etc) need the rest even if you’re not tired.
You may also want to do specific types of runs for the “30-45 min” runs on Tuesday and Thursday. I do intervals and Tempo runs on those days…usually a little longer than 30-45 minutes. I also add in a little lifting on some days usually twice a week with my cross training.
HOWEVER, the above program should get you across the finish line both days with no adaptations or additions needed. I bet you’ll even be smiling at the end of day two! I know I will! 😀
All that stands between you and these three medals (besides common sense) is the proper training program!
Let me know if you have any questions and happy training!
For all my running endeavors this past year I’ve been called crazy, insane, over zealous, “special” and been asked,”Whyyyy?” as people give me that side ways look that running this much just isn’t quite right. After all I’ve logged four 5Ks, four half-marathons, a 4.5 mile drumstick dash and one full-marathon (see my schedule) in my 2010 season as a newbie runner. So what more is there? Well come January 2012 I will be just plain Goofy….as in Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL! Garsh!
What is this challenge you ask? Well it’s simple…
First, arrive in sunny (hopefully) Orlando, FL.
Second, travel to Disney World.
Third, run the Disney Half-Marathon on Saturday morning.
Next, wake up Sunday and double Saturday’s distance by running the Disney Full-Marathon.
Finally, go to EPCOT for Churros and Dos Equis (not required, but fun!)
The prize? Not one, not TWO, BUT THREE count ’em T-H-R-E-E, three medals….Mickey, Donald & finally Goofy. Holy Cow!!! Or Holy Mouse, Duck and Dog in this case!! Now that is a lot of bling for two days of Disney fun!
So how does one train for something like this!?!? As luck would have it, Disney’s got you covered for this too! Former Olympian, world renown running coach and author, Jeff Galloway, has free training schedules (yep F-R-E-E, free) available for anyone on the runDisney.com website. There are separate training schedules for the half-marathon, full-marathon and Goofy Challenge…and a few other races at WDW as well!
The Goofy Challenge training schedule is a 28 week program and it is suggested that you’ve been running for six months prior to starting this program. I will finish my third half-marathon of 2011 on June 11th just a few weeks before I should start the 28 week program for the Goofy Challenge. I’m excited to start training for it! I used a Jeff Galloway program for the last half of my full-marathon training last year and had no trouble finishing my 1st full-marathon.
The major difference I see between a regular marathon training program and the Goofy Challenge training are back-to-back “long days” 6-8 weeks into the program. There are weekends where I will have a long run on Saturday followed by a long walk on Sunday. This prepares your body for two days of longer endurance bouts.
I like Jeff’s training program because unlike traditional running programs his training stresses the idea of recovery as a key component in training. Similar to a traditional program Jeff’s program builds distance for 2-3 weeks and then there is an “easy” week to give your body time to adapt before building again. The difference for example is that Jeff’s recovery week includes just a 3 mile weekend run after a 15 miler the previous week where a more traditional program might just drop back to 10 miles for the “easy” week. Jeff’s program really allows for more rest and recovery. This program also allows for you to have a weekend where you aren’t running all morning on Saturday! I might even be able to sleep in a little!
Like last year I will be running with the WDW Radio Running Team which raises money for the Make a Wish Foundation. We were able to raise enough money to grant a wish last year. Hopefully, we will do the same this coming January!
So, will you join me for The Goofy Challenge? How about the Half-Marathon or just the Full-Marathon? I’d love some company!
This past Saturday I took my canoe (rain!) out to the 10K training run that the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon puts on prior to the half marathon (Indy Mini) to kick off the city’s “Month of May” celebration which concludes with the Indianapolis 500 race. They actually put on three official training races coming up to the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon including a 5K, 10K and 15K. I’m also registered for the 15K, but skipped the 5K as 3.1 miles is my normal weekly easy run aaaand it was in early February….oh heck no!
The training runs are well organized with race bibs, timing chips, a marked course covering an increasingly longer portion of the half-marathon route, volunteers, EMS, hydration stops and an official start & finish line. Basically it prepares beginners to really go for it in May and to hopefully be a little less nervous about 13.1 miles since they progressively worked up to that distance in official races from February to race day!
I had a great run on Saturday and posted a 10K time of 00:58:11 which worked out to a soggy 9:22 pace. I was very happy to see my weeks of speed training paying off. I do a pace run each week (see last week’s post) and I alternate between a tempo run and interval training each week as well.
I realized at mile #1 that I went out too fast. In fact, my first two miles were at an 8:45 pace which is fine if I were doing a 5K, but I should have eased up a bit and ran a more consistent pace throughout the race. My last 2 miles were closer to a 9:30-10:00 pace so I slowed down quite a bit at the end before my sprint to the finish. If I had another 6.9 miles to go I would have still earned a new PR I have no doubt, but consistent pace is my new goal! Really dialing in on my pace and running it! I now remember the sage advice of olympic marathoner Jeff Galloway, “For every minute you gain in the first half of a race you will lose 2 minutes on the back half so don’t go out too fast”. This speaks to conserving your strength initially and finishing strong as opposed to trying to win it all in the first mile. If you don’t know Jeff, he is a great guy and the official training consultant for the runDisney series of racing events.
This May will be my 4th consecutive Mini-Marathon. For those who have never ran/walked the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon, it is a 13.1 mile half marathon, but not just any half marathon, No! It is the largest half marathon in the nation! Each year it sells out to 35,000+ runners and walkers. It also includes a 2.5 mile lap around the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway home of the Indy 500 & Brickyard 400.
During the Mini-Marathon is one of only a couple times a year that the average Jane/Joe may be on the track! The route is described as flat & fast and believe me, it is! I especially like that the start AND finish has a slight downgrade. Need a little motivation to get you through 13.1 miles? The Indy Mini has you covered! There is live entertainment along the entire route and aid stations a plenty! The entire city rolls out to cheer for runners and walkers! It is definitely a great kickoff for Indianapolis’ 500 Festival Celebration for the month of May! Check it out! Indianapolis Mini-Marathon.
Finally, this year is extra special as 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500! I can’t wait to run and have fun! My girlfriend’s family comes out in droves to run this event so I’ll have a team of 20 running with me! Also, my trainer has plans of getting a few people together who she trains so we are going to be a big group! I can’t wait! Oh! …one more thing! If you are more of a walker you can still do the mini-marathon. Just train to be able to keep an 18 minute/mile pace and you’ll come in under the 4 hour limit for the course.
Next time around I’ll talk a bit about my speed training which I mentioned earlier including Tempo Runs and Intervals. I have no training run this next weekend, instead I’ll be driving to Ohio for a trip to Ikea and Jungle Jim’s. Ikea I’m sure you’ve heard of. Jungle Jim’s is a massive grocery with specific sections as big as some other stores. I’ll post a report on this trip and the yummy foods we find on our adventure too! We may even stop by a couple wineries on our way back! Hey, it can’t be about running ALL the time! 😉
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