My day started at 3:00 am in the pitch-dark morning and ended with my accomplishment of crossing that fourth and final finish line on Sunday.
This is the third Dopey Challenge that I completed. My first Dopey was run in 2020. I was 50 years old. Back then, my goal was to become a Dopey streaker, running it every year. Today, it is still my goal. Cheers to my Dopey Completions, 2020, 2022, and 2023! (Note 2021 was canceled because of Covid.) A Dopey Challenge is always a magical event and an amazing experience. If you know me, The Disney Marathon Event is my favorite weekend. It’s all about the runners, energy, camaraderie, experience, and having fun.
I gave this 48.6-mile event all my effort, both mentally and physically. In the last segment of the challenge, I pushed through the pain, fatigue, and self-doubt to make my dream come true again. I am proud to be a finisher of Three Dopeys’. Who wants to join me next year for number 4?
These Dopey Challenges are a mark in time for me. I am 53 years old and still married to my spouse Ed for 28 years. My granddaughter Sarah will be three in May. My oldest daughter Carrie and John McNamara are proud parents. My youngest daughter Izzy is developing into a kind adult. She is dating a very nice gentleman named Bobby. We are all in good health and I am super thankful for all the blessings in my life.
In closing, I am blessed to be able to run freely without any complications. You can’t just pick up a Dopey Medal at the finish line, you must earn it. This race closes out my training season. I will be taking a break from running to prevent burnout during the rest of January, February, and March. See you on the road this spring.
Tomorrow is the Marathon! The challenge is almost done. Friends and family, please wish me good luck.
The Half marathon went well. The race traveled through Epcot, inside the Magic Kingdom, and then right back to Epcot for the finish. The highlight of the race was running down Mainstreet towards Cinderella Castle and past all the attractions in both Epcot and Magic Kingdom. It was a lively morning, and I enjoyed the race. The rest of the day was spent relaxing at the resort.
I will always remember the journey, the 10 months of training for the Dopey Challenge and putting myself through physical and mental stresses. It has been an incredible experience so far, and hopefully tomorrow I will have a successful 26.2 run. I appreciated everyone that supported me throughout my Dopey Challenge journey whether it was donating to the American Lung Association Charity on behalf of my run or just being my cheerleader as I logged on the miles.
Tomorrow, I have 26.2 miles to run. I am confident that I will finish it. All I need to do is put one foot in front of the other.
Once again, thank you friends and family for supporting me throughout my journey.
To Ed …Thanks for keeping me company in Florida.
To Carrie and Izzy,
It is getting easier to do the Dopey Challenge because I can count on both of you to take care of the dogs and the family business.
The 5k and 10k are done. Tomorrow is the Half Marathon. I am well-rested and ready to go. Yes, this runner loves posing for the cameras on the course! In the 10k pictures, I am dressed as Micky Mouse. For the 5k I am dressed as Minnie Mouse.
We are in Disney World. The Dopey Challenge Weekend is here! 48.6 miles
Thursday 5k
Friday 10k
Saturday Half Marathon
Sunday Full Marathon
My husband and I flew out of Boston at 7 a.m. It was nice to leave behind the frigid Massachusetts weather. We arrived at Orlando Airport late morning, got our luggage, and then we were on our way to Disney World.
We are staying at the beautiful resort Old Key West. I love this place because it’s more like an apartment complex than a hotel. Each complex has a spacious kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom, and washer and dryer room. Also, the resort has a grocery delivery service, where you can order groceries from a local food store, and they deliver the groceries to your room just like they do with luggage. I always take advantage of this service. Every time I stay at this resort, I stock up on Gatorade, water, bagels, fruit, peanut butter, yogurts, and other various high-carbohydrate foods. I am so thrilled that I have the option to cook meals in our complex rather than dining at restaurants. I do not enjoy running on big meals that restaurants are known to serve their customers. No fun running races with lots of food jostling in your stomach.
Later in the day, we headed to the ESPN Wide World of Sports for the RunDisney Expo. Here, I picked up my bib number, and then my running T-shirts. There was also a bunch of merchandise for sale, and vendors hawking their stuff. We walked around the expo to kill time and then it was time to head home for dinner and get ready for race weekend.
Jeff Galloway.. A runner Coach for Run Disney Walt Disney races
Taper Time. The hard training runs are done. I will cut my mileage down a lot in the next few weeks to allow the body to rest and regain the energy to excel on race day. My overall plan is to run a few 3 miles during the weeks to maintain my fitness. Also, during the taper, I am looking forward to putting on my comfy sweats, relaxing on the couch, and enjoying the holiday festivities. Chanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s!
This was a big running test week. The week called for a mock Dopey simulation. On Monday I ran 3 miles, Tuesday I ran 6 miles, Wednesday I ran 13 miles, and Thursday I ran 20 miles. This will be my last Dopey simulation before The Disney Marathon Weekend. Most of the miles were done indoors.
On Saturday, I rewarded my hard work by attending an Andrea Bocellli concert at TD Garden Boston. The concert was fabulous. He is a brilliant artist, and his voice is fantastic. Magnificent show.
Just an update. I am running the Dopey Challenge on behalf of the American Lung Association. This week was a 42-mile training week. Lots of hours on my feet
I can’t believe it’s Thanksgiving week! It is getting cold in Massachusetts and winter is almost here.
I had a productive week with my training. The Dopey Challenge Weekend (5k 10k Half Marathon and Marathon) is almost here. The races will begin on January 5, 2023.
This week I practiced a “Mini Dopey Simulation “to mimic the real one in January. My body is responding well to the demands of training.
Recently, I have been doing my training runs on a treadmill. I really HATE cold outdoor running. When I run on the treadmill, I usually watch tv or listen to music to prevent boredom. I can train equally well on a treadmill or outdoors.
Friday 3 miles (5k) went well …. slow and easy
Saturday 6 miles (10K)
Sunday 13 miles (Half Marathon)
Monday 18 miles
Other than running, my weekend was quiet. I watched some football, played with my dogs, and just relaxed around the house.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. My husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving Dinner. I love cooking and baking for guests. It always gives me joy preparing food for friends and family.
Less than 2 months I will be CHASING THE Dopey. To make this event more meaningful and spiritual, I am raising funds for a wonderful charity the American Lung Association. This charity is important to me because I have asthma and allergies, both are respiratory problems.
For those who have donated ,Thank You. No amount is too small or too large.
The Dopey Challenge weekend is only 2 months away. (5k, 10k, Half and Marathon). The first race starts January 5th. The mileage is getting up there!!! My longest run so far is 18 miles. This run was a success. Thank goodness!
Update on my training
The last two ½ weeks were rough. My training has been like a rollercoaster. I had many mid-race dips in confidence, energy, and motivation.
I guess that is the ebb and flow of training.
For instance, my last menstrual cycle made a week of running completely miserable. The menstrual cycle always seems to suck my energy right out of my body. When I ran my 16-mile-long run, I felt horrible. I was questioning my running ability. Like the Grinch quoted this run “Stink Stank Stunk”. Even the 3-mile training runs was hard.
I also had some good runs. The 18-mile-long run was a good experience for me. That’s the longest run I have completed since last year. I was sore and tired, but it was a good confident booster run. I mentally broke down the run into chunks of “just 4.5 miles, four times”. I was on a runner high. I pray this happens during the Dopey Challenge.
My strength training is going well. Twice a week, I attend Barbell Class at Lifetime. My teacher is very good, she always makes sure my form is good.
Last week, I tried a Step Aerobics class for the first time in 3 years. I hated it! I forgot how hard it is to keep up with new moves. Too much choreography and my brain was unable to process all that foot work at such a fast pace. I have no idea, how most of the class was able to keep up. I felt like I had 2 left feet and was completely out of shape! Not my Jam!
I do not think Step Aerobics will be part of my exercise regimen. I prefer the road or a treadmill.
Today I received some Dopey Gifts in the mail. I have a sticker that says 48.6 and a beautiful Dopey ornament.
This race is all about inspiring women to achieve their personal best with their fitness goals and celebrating women’s athleticism There were 2745 finishers.
I left my home around 7:30am. The race started at 9:00am. Getting into Boston was very easy considering there was zero traffic. I parked at the Hyatt Hotel near the Opera House because it’s easy to get in and out, and the Common is just a 3-minute walk.
I enjoyed this race a lot. The race management puts on an excellent well-organized race. Bib and shirt pick up was easy, lines for the bathrooms were not too bad, plenty of water stops, and the streets were completely closed off to traffic keeping us safe. The race started at the Boston Common, then runners headed west on Beacon Street, next we took a right on Massachusetts Avenue, looped around Memorial Drive and then we headed back to the Boston Common. The cityscape on the course were very beautiful especially the views of the water.
After the race there were grab and go snacks. Some of the snacks were bananas, race bars and packages of fruit chews.
I ended up finished at 1 hour 28 minute and 1second. I am pleased with my results. I think Strength Training, improving my diet (less sugary snacks has helped my overall performance. The cooler temperatures also helped me maintain a faster pace throughout the race.
Last year, I was 6 1/2 minutes slower.
Overall, I am seeing better results with my running performance. I am not speedy, but I have more running power.
Friends,
I also want to mention….
I am running the Disney Dopey Challenge in January 2023. .To make this event more spiritual, I am raising funds for the American Lung Association. This charity is important to me because I am asthmatic, To learn more about me click on the link and please make a donation .Thank You https://gofund.me/987cc38f
Middle Age Slow Runner Robin's Running Stories 