My Half Marathon Training Plan

A couple days ago I got the okay from a doctor to start running again, slowly and listening to my feet. I’m not fully convinced my feet are completely ready but there’s only one way to find out, right?

Some preliminary information on my half marathon is located at this blog post: Tinker Bell Half Marathon where I posted pictures of some gear I would like to bring with me and/or wear. The half marathon is at the beginning of May. I was inspired by a friend who did this year’s Tinker Bell Half and also seeing a runDisney race on an Extreme Weight Loss episode shortly after starting my weight loss journey. I did an web search right away, where I found the Tinker Bell race and instantly fell in love. However, if it weren’t for my friend (let’s call her A), I would never have dreamt of doing a half marathon! I’m so thankful for her inspiration because it opened up so many avenues and possibilities for me that I never would have dreamed possible for myself.

My plan is to start by following Jeff Galloway’s beginner’s training plan from Beginners Plan. It starts with 5 second running and 55 seconds walking for a run/walk program, however I might start at 15 seconds. I will try the 5 seconds first, and then move up faster than is in the plan he has there. The eight week program would only get me to running 15 seconds at once and I think even with my feet issue I can get up to running 60-90 seconds minimum by the end of week eight if I’m careful.

That will take me to the end of December, at which point I hope to start the half marathon training just to make sure I have enough time worked in for my personal needs. It will be the first plan (for runners and walkers) on this page: Half Marathon Training. If I start from wherever I left off with the eight week beginner’s training, working at my own pace and needs, then I can work my way up in the seventeen weeks with that.

The week before the half marathon I know I need to do some kind of tapering to prepare. I’m really not sure how to go about this, and unless I’m missing something I can’t find specific information about it on Jeff Galloway’s website. After some preliminary searches on other running websites, it seems like this is a topic that’s based on personal needs/preference so I’m going to do more research on this and find what works best for me.

I just find some more detailed information here: Top Tips for a Successful Taper from the Chicago Half Marathon website. It says two weeks is good before a half and describes exactly what the tapering means. Now looking back on the Jeff Galloway plan, I will already be doing this tapering method with his training plan. So if I follow the half marathon training plan from Jeff Galloway’s website, and the tapering tips from the Chicago Half Marathon website, then I should be golden! (Anyone with experience with tapering for a long race that would care to chime in, suggestions are welcome!)

Now with my feet still being an ongoing issue, I know I might not be able to run the full half marathon, or even run as much as I would like to. However, as long as I am moving fast enough for the race guidelines, which is 16 minutes or less per mile average, I will be fine. This means if I can average a 15 minute mile or faster with walking breaks then I won’t be pulled out, and I have no doubt that I can at least do that. Some people can walk at that fast of a pace, surely with some walking breaks I can “run” at that pace. I have to keep reminding myself of this part because sometimes I wonder if I will get pulled out for moving too slowly due to my feet or other factors.

So there you have it, my training plan now that I have the okay from a medical professional. I do believe I still need to see a podiatrist to make sure everything is truly okay, but that can wait for now. I know I have supportive shoes that fit my feet well, which are the Brooks Ravenna 5’s and if I really listen to my feet, resting when needed and training on days my feet feel better, I will do well.

I’m excited to finally embark on this training stage after four months of foot pain and being in limbo so to speak. It’s finally happening! I hope it goes well!

~Bonnie~

Tinker Bell Half Marathon

As some of you know or have read, I am signed up for a half marathon in May, which is the Tinker Bell Half at Disneyland. I really can’t wait for it! I have yet to start training or even running again due to my foot issue but really need to start by the beginning of the year at the latest so hopefully I will get that settled by then. I have had great improvements with my feet and can live a more normal and active life again, but running is a risk at this point. Hopefully next week I can get some real answers!

A couple weeks ago my mom scored me a shirt from Goodwill:

And boy was I excited to discover that sitting on my bed! I had been wanting to look online and find a Tinker Bell shirt for the race to at least dream about for now, and hadn’t gotten around to it… so it made me even happier! The sleeves are also purple which is my favorite color. The best thing is that it’s probably a size down from where I currently am so will further motivate me to lose more weight before the race. I’m not setting a number for that but hope to lose another 20 minimum, however I know I can do 30 if I keep averaging more than five pounds a month.

I already had these Tink sleep shorts, I don’t even remember where I got them, but they were probably a Christmas present from my mom quite a few years ago as they are Christmas colored. They are probably too big for me now lol, but I will be bringing them with me anyway to sleep in as long as I’m sure they won’t fall off.

From a trip to Disneyland in 2009, I have this cap that I’ve been wearing for my walks:

I love this hat, because I love Tinker Bell. And now it will be perfect as a hat for the race as well!

Last but certainly not least as far as the Tinker Bell items go, I rediscovered this in a jewelry box last week:

A necklace! I don’t remember when or where I got this either, but I love that I found it now! It looks like it needs to be cleaned but I’m pretty certain it’s not real and I don’t know how to clean it without ruining it. I’m not a big jewelry wearer but have been desiring to wear necklaces and bracelets lately so it was definitely a pleasant surprise on that level as well.

Now I also have plenty of general Disney stuff, but will only be sharing a picture of two more:

This ring is too small to go on my ring finger, but I hope that changes by the time I go or I will just wear it on my pinky finger lol. The “B” is for my name, Bonnie of course. I don’t remember where I got this either, probably on a trip to Disneyland at some point.

My beloved Disneyland keychain. I recently rediscovered this too and am glad to have it. I think I got it in 2009 when I went as well. Now looking at the picture, I realize this is also a Tinker Bell item haha, she’s flying over the castle. I didn’t realize that!

So there you have it, things I will absolutely be taking with me when I go for the half marathon! It makes me even more excited for my trip to have all of these items, only one truly new but the rest feel new in a sense because I had lost all but the hat for a few years.

~Bonnie~