I did it!

I missed the registration period for the in-person event, so I registered for the 2024 Disneyland Half Marathon virtual 5k.

I get the goodies, but I’ll be doing it from my chosen location.

Deciding to register

The purpose of the reincarnation of my blog was that I wanted to try and run this marathon.

It was put on hiatus in 2018 to accommodate construction at the Resort. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to participate in, but I could never manage it with my schedule.

Also, it would be sold out by the time I’d hear about the event for any given year.

Although I’m running the 5k virtually, I’m fully committed to pushing myself to compete.

I’m working on my physical and mental health throughout 2023 to prepare me for this, and I’d like to share some of my ideas about how I want to accomplish them.

I’m setting a SMART approach to my marathon training goals, which means specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based.

Defining the goal

I aim to be healthy enough to run the 2024 Disneyland Half Marathon virtual 5k the weekend of January 12, 2024, with a run time of 37:21 (the recommended time for my age group).

I will implement and deploy a fitness plan that builds up over a few weeks or months. I will balance my running routine with low-impact exercises such as swimming, cycling, and elliptical training.

An essential part of 5k preparation is nutrition, so I plan to improve that too.

I will eat plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates when training.

I plan to drink healthy protein shakes and eat fresh fruit and vegetables regularly.

I’ll limit my sugar intake. I don’t drink much, so that’s good.

Set a timeline

The runDisney website recommends a 13-week training program. I will start their specific program the first week of November (per my calculations).

However, I’m not going to jump into it then. I will improve my physical and mental health from February to October.

Tracking progress

This blog exists to track my progress.

I don’t even care if I never get any comments, feedback, or support.

It will be the public record of my fitness journey, and that alone will be enough for me.

Celebrate success

I’m not sure how I’ll celebrate my successes. Any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!