Training for your Disney Marathon – Starting from Scratch

Our writer Jenn just ran in her first Disney World Marathon a few weeks ago and it intrigued me how someone would get up the endurance and stamina to be able to run such a long distance. Here is a tip she offers the Disney Noob like myself on how to make the journey.

Okay so here is the absolute basics..

How to get to a 5k…  I’m building here!

Half Marathon?  But I can’t even run a 5k!

When I started training for the half marathon, I said to a coworker “I can’t imagine running 13.1 miles.  3 miles is still a challenge.  When does that get easier?”

Now, I’m not sure when that happened, but 3 miles I now consider my “short” run.

I started running (again) 6 weeks post-partum after not running the previous 9 months.  At first, I couldn’t come close to a mile.  How did I think it was a good idea to sign up for 13.1?  My husband and I were wary, but knew that we had to get our butts in gear.  We started by finding a local 5k to register for, but needed more help.  Thanks to the recommendation of many friends, I found a program that worked wonders: Couch to 5k.

The absolute beginners running guide, Cool Runnings has created a program that pretty much anyone can follow.  This program takes 9 weeks to complete and only has 3-30 minute sessions each week.  Having a 6 week old at home when I started, the program took me slightly longer than 9 weeks to complete, but because I had a hard time leaving the house, not because I couldn’t physically keep up.

Designed for the absolute beginner, this program gradually starts with intervals of 60 seconds jogging/90 seconds walking to longer intervals/less walking, to the eventual 5k (3.1 miles) at the end of the 9 week training period.

If you’re considering signing up for any of the endurance races Walt Disney World or Disneyland has to offer, but  aren’t sure where to start, check out this program.  Maybe we’ll see you at the 2012 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend!

Jenn resides with her husband, 1 year old son, and 2 bratty dogs in a suburb of Washington, D.C. She also hosts her own blog, the Disney Babies Blog (http://disneybabiesblog.blogspot.com) , where she shares her experiences, tips, and ramblings about traveling the parks with a baby. In her non-Disney life, Jenn is often found running, practicing yoga, or playing the clarinet in the military.

Related articles

• Disney 2011 Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend (chipandco.com)
• Save the Date for the 2012 Disneyworld Marathon Weekend (chipandco.com)
• Inspired to Run, And Run, And Run at the Walt Disney World Marathon (chipandco.com)

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