Beginners and Beyond

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Race Report: The Disneyland Half Marathon (Read 92 times)

meaghansketch


    Congrats on the PR, and more importantly congratulations on everything you've accomplished in your fight against your depression.  I started running partially for mental health reasons as well and find that running is a powerful ally against both depression and anxiety.  Occasionally people will tell me what a positive person I am and I think they're being sarcastic, because I'm still not used to thinking of myself that way!

     

    It was a tough day to race at your best, especially given your 10K the day before, but your training seems to be going well and I think you will keep seeing improvements.  FWIW from my first 1/2, which was around 2:20, it took me 6 more HMs over the course of 3 years before I saw under 2:00, so don't be surprised if it takes you a while, but be willing to keep working at it and you may be surprised (but maybe not!) at what you can accomplish.

     

    I love that $37.40 more to go sign!

    kristin10185


    Skirt Runner

      You have the best finish line photos! Congrats on the PR!!! You will get 2:15 for sure next time!!

       

      Thank you also for being so candid and open about your life and struggles. A truly inspiring story! Great RR!!!

      PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

       

      I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to


      delicate flower

        Rick, great job and congratulations!  I loved how you described the differences in the pre-race between last year and this year.  Big grin  Folks this year were there to race.

         

        I look forward to hearing about your marathon training.   Good luck.

        <3


        You Rang?

          Thank you all for your kind words.

           

          Bozydeco  & PADRunner – thanks!

           

          granite_running  - I don’t think this race is held at 5:30 am in order to beat the heat (but don’t get me wrong, it was HOT! and HUMID!).  All runDisney events are held this early in the morning.  I think the mouse wants the runners out of the park so it can open for normal operations.  I also think the people of the city of Anaheim would like their streets back.

           

          Docket – We’ll get that picture and FE in Florida.  See ya real soon!

           

          CoralieT – Thank you for your kind words.  I write openly about my struggles in an effort to both communicate the potential of exercise to treat these disorders and a small attempt to de-stigmatize mental health disorders.

           

          Zelanie – You are such an enabler!  One of the things I've concluded from this last training cycle is that I don’t race enough.  With my normal race cycle, Disneyland 2014 would be my next half marathon (perhaps I'll see you there!).  I've added more races to my calendar which means I will have more opportunity to try to get a 1:59 HM in 2014.  I’ll also try to keep up with the conversation in the Sub 2 thread.

           

          Rober31320 – Thanks!

           

          Sheepla – Thanks!  Good writing takes time.

           

          Redrum – I don’t get the weather we've been having these last few days.  It’s like the humidity festival is in town. 

           

          So_Im_a_Runner – I started this training cycle with a program that was specifically designed to run a sub 2 half marathon.  It had proscribed paces for ever workout, even the easy ones.  A couple of weeks in, I found the easy workouts challenging and the intense workouts really really hard.  I knew my goal was not attainable when I found myself dreading having to go and run.  Running should not be dreadful.  My solution?  Chuck the plan and the goal, and just run.

           

          As to the unraveling in the last 5k, on the car ride home, I asked myself what was different about this HM versus others I’d run.  I concluded that it was the stadium.  I think if there had been another 3.1 miles of city streets and not the adulating crowd, I think I could have kept up with Bruce.  I don’t think there would have been a whole lot of conversation, but I think I could have held the pace. Next year (and yes there will be a next year) I’ll know about the stadium and to just keep running.

           

          Scottydawg – I loved that sign too. 

           

          Happylily – Thanks!

           

          Ric-G – Thanks!

           

          Meaghansketch – thank you for your comments.  Like your unfamiliar positive disposition, I sometimes do not recognize photos of myself.  I was fat for so long, seeing a non-fat photo sometimes gives me a double take.

           

          Kristen10185 – Thanks!  My sister is a semi-pro photographer.  I buy her a seat in the bleachers (yes, Disney sells the seats in the bleachers) so she will have a good vantage point to take pictures from.

           

          Baboon – Thanks.  I loaded the marathon training schedule(Pfitz’s 18/55)  into RA yesterday, and said, “Crap!  That’s a lot of running!” 

          Rick 

          PR: 5k 25:01 (10/15) 10k: 57:44 (7/14) HM: 1:57 (5/15) FM: 4:55 (1/15)

          Jack K.


          uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

            Nice work, Lurch. That's a nice PR and even better weight loss! Very impressive! Also, thanks for the tip on the PCH run; it was nice. I, too, am doing the Pfitz 18/55 plan for a December marathon. Yes, it is a lot of running! Again, well done to you.

            Zelanie


              I agree that it's hard to keep up with everyone there.  But even if you can't, the point is that folks over there care about your training and how things are going. Smile

                Wow.

                 

                I loved reading all that, Lurch, and am awed that running has been such a positive in your life.  Way to take control of things and overcome your troubles.

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