THE GOOFY RACE-AND-A-HALF / DOPEY CHALLENGE TRAINING
Successfully Training Thousands of Goofy and Dopey Challenge Finishers
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GOOFY RACE-AND-A-HALF CHALLENGE
The Goofy Race-and-a-Half Challenge is 39.3 miles of the most grueling, challenging, entertaining and rewarding miles you will ever run. Designed by Disney World, the challenge itself is comprised of racing in the Disney World Half Marathon on Saturday and then the Disney World on Sunday, of a given annual Disney World Marathon Weekend (see the sample YouTube video below for tips and advice on running the annual Goofy Challenge). As well, view and print out the 16-Week Training Program below.
 THE DOPEY CHALLENGE
Take part in four days of fun for a total of 48.6 miles in the very challenging Dopey Challenge! Participants will run the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon, and if you complete all four races within the pacing requirements you will be awarded the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge medal and the exciting Dopey Challenge finisher medal for a total of six pieces of "bling."
To read more about and print out the training program for the DOPEY CHALLENGE, view the 16-Week Training Program below.
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Beginning on the outskirts of EPCOT, the 13.1-mile Disney World Half Marathon makes a leisurely run to, throughout and around Magic Kingdom and concludes with an entrance into EPCOT, around Planet Earth and out into the EPCOT parking lot.
As for the Disney World Marathon, the 26.2-mile route takes you from EPCOT and then to and through Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Disney Hollywood Studios... eventually ending back at a grand celebration at EPCOT (visit Tips and Advice for a more detailed viewing of this route and the half marathon route).
All along both routes, Disney does a wonderful job of sprinkling Disney characters for photo opportunities - don't forget to bring a camera. For more detailed advice for your upcoming experience, refer to Tips and Advice.
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Lee Hoedl's Goofy / Dopey Challenge 16-Week Training Program
The following Goofy / Dopey Challenge 16-Week Training Program was created so as to allow your legs to prepare for the double-day (or quad-day) racing that will occur during the annual Goofy Challenge or Dopey Challenge. Below are the key elements of this adapted training schedule.
IMPORTANT PRIMARY ITEMS TO REMEMBER
Run Your Own Pace/Expectations:
Each daily run is not based on a set pace or time; it is based on your own running goals - adapt to YOUR OWN pace and expectations. If you find that the overall weekly mileage is too great, remove Day One's training miles out of your schedule.
Alter The Training Schedule To Fit Your Schedule:
You are welcomed to alter the training schedule as needed to meet your personal needs, as there is no one training program that suitable for each runner. If you need to adjust the overall calendar of training so your long run occurs on a Day Seven (Saturday) or Day One (Sunday), just shift the days of the week forward to accommodate that training schedule. The training schedule below is set so that Day One corresponds to Sunday and Day Seven corresponds to Saturday. You will note there is a box in front of each daily training - this will allow you to signify the day of the week that corresponds to your personal training (i.e. "M" means Monday). It will allow you to rotate the training so that Day One corresponds to your specific day of the week. NOTE: The training schedule should remain in the same order each week - only alter what day of the week that Day One will fall on.
TRAINING SCHEDULE EXPLANATIONS
 "___ m run" Training - When it states "__ m run" that simply means you run the prescribed distance at your comfortable pace. Undertraining is better than overtraining, so don't try to push these trainings too hard.
REST - I have arranged the prescribed "rest" day for the day prior to your intermediate and long runs. It is important that you use this day as a day of rest and not a day to "get caught up" on your training or for cross-training (i.e. swimming, cycling, etc.). Take advantage of this day and let your body rejuvenate itself.
Intermediate Long Run - It is the weekly item that is highlighted in pale yellow and is run the day before your weekly long run. Some of these runs will be marked as "___ m run" and others as "___ m pace." For those that have the suffix "run," then it should be a comfortable pace. If the suffix is "pace," then you will want to run this training portion at your marathon race pace.
Weekly Long Run - It is the weekly item that is highlighted in bright yellow. You will want to run the long run at a pace about 90 seconds or longer than your anticipated marathon race pace. For example, if you are planning to run the Disney World Marathon at a 10:00 per mile pace, then you will want to run your weekly long run at an 11:30 or 12:00 per mile pace.
Cross Train - Those days designated as "Cross Train," it simply means to find some other cardiovascular exercise to participate in - other than running or jogging - for at least one hour (i.e. swimming, cycling, aerobics. etc.). This will allow your body a "day of rest" from your primary running muscles without compromising your cardiovascular development. If you choose not to cross train, then jog the designated mileage prescribed for that training day.
Questions - Feel free to contact me (Lee Hoedl) at leehoedl@yahoo.com should you have questions pertaining to the training outlined below or race day conditions/expectations.
Thoughts to Reflect Upon - Below each week's title are links to helpful tips or reflective thoughts to help focus you in your training toward the finish line at Disney World. Feel free to share these tips / thoughts with others. |
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16-Week Training Schedule for the 2019 Goofy / Dopey Challenge
PLEASE NOTE
DOPEY CHALLENGERS: If you are planning to attempt to complete the Dopey Challenge (5K, 10K, Half and Full Marathon), the training schedule below takes in account the training mileage AND the order of days on which to run. Notice that there is a run on Days Four, Five and Six to closely replicate what you will experience during your Dopey Challenge.
GOOFY CHALLENGERS: You are more than welcomed to utilize the entire training schedule below. However, if you feel the mileage is a little too much, than feel free to either remove the Day One mileage (so you have two days to recuperate after your weekly long run) or remove the Day Four mileage (so you have two days to recuperate before your intermediate and long run). I would recommend leaving the mileage levels and order of Days Five and Six so that you get a feel for back-to-back runs; it is what you will experience during your Goofy Challenge.
MILES AND KILOMETERS: In the training model below, kilometers are rounded up for convenience.
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 WEEK 1: Week of September 23, 2018
It's Time to Give Up: 15 Things To Give Up to Be Happy
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes... and Breathing!
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 26 |
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Day One - 3 m run / Cross Train (5 km) |
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Day Two - 6 m run (10 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 3 m run (5 km) |
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Day Five - 6 m pace (10 km) |
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Day Six - 8 m (13 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 2: Week of September 30, 2018
Top 10 Tips to Relieve Stress
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 31 |
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Day One - 3 m run / Cross Train (5 km) |
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Day Two - 6 m run (10 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 3 m run (5 km) |
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Day Five - 6 m pace (10 km) |
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Day Six - 13 m (21 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 3: Week of October 7, 2018
Focus on - and From - the Start, Not the Finish
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 30 |
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Day One - 3 m run / Cross Train (5 km) |
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Day Two - 7 m run (11 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 3 m run (5 km) |
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Day Five - 7 m run (11 km) |
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Day Six - 10 m (16 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 4: Week of October 14, 2018
There Is No Room For Fear
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 30 |
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Day One - 3 m run / Cross Train (5 km) |
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Day Two - 7 m run (11 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 3 m run (5 km) |
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Day Five - 7 m pace (11 km) |
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Day Six - 10 m (16 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
 WEEK 5: Week of October 21, 2018
Run For Another Day, Patience Through The Pain
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 40 |
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Day One - 4 m run / Cross Train (6 km) |
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Day Two - 8 m run (13 km) |
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Day Three -REST |
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Day Four - 4 m run (6 km) |
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Day Five - 8 m pace (13 km) |
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Day Six - 16 m (26 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 6: Week of October 28, 2018
Is It Above or Below the Neck?
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 41 |
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Day One - 4 m run / Cross Train (6 km) |
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Day Two - 8 m run (13 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 4 m run (6 km) |
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Day Five - 8 m run (13 km) |
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Day Six - 17 m (27 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
 WEEK 7: Week of November 4, 2018
Focus on - and From - the Start, Not the Finish
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 38 |
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Day One - 4 m run / Cross Train (6 km) |
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Day Two - 9 m run (14 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 4 m run (6 km) |
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Day Five - 9 m pace (14 km) |
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Day Six - 12 m (19 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 8: Week of November 11, 2018
November Racing Tips
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 45 |
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Day One - 4 m run / Cross Train (6 km) |
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Day Two - 9 m run (14 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 4 m run (6 km) |
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Day Five - 9 m pace (14 km) |
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Day Six - 19 m (31 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
 WEEK 9: Week of November 18, 2018
Remember Why You Are Doing It
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 50 |
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Day One - 5 m run / Cross Train (8 km) |
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Day Two - 10 m run (16 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 5 m run (8 km) |
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Day Five - 10 m run (16 km) |
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Day Six - 20 m (32 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 10: Week of November 25, 2018
Water? Please!
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 34 |
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Day One - 5 m run / Cross Train (8 km) |
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Day Two - 6 m run (10 km) |
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Day Three -REST |
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Day Four - 5 m run (8 km) |
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Day Five - 6 m pace (10 km) |
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Day Six - 12 m (19 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
 WEEK 11: Week of December 2, 2018
Your Recovery Window
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 50 |
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Day One - 5 m run / Cross Train (8 km) |
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Day Two - 10 m run (16 km) |
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Day Three -REST |
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Day Four - 5 m run (8 km) |
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Day Five - 10 m pace (16 km) |
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Day Six - 20 m (32 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 12: Week of December 9, 2018
Too Much Too Soon... It's Time to Relax
| TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 34 |
| Day One - 5 m run / Cross Train (8 km) |
| Day Two - 6 m run (10 km) |
| Day Three - REST |
| Day Four - 5 m run (8 km) |
| Day Five - 6 m run (10 km) |
| Day Six - 12 m (19 km) |
| Day Seven - REST |
 WEEK 13: Week of December 16, 2018
Packing and Patience Go Hand In Hand
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 48 |
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Day One - 5 m run / Cross Train (8 km) |
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Day Two - 8 m run (13 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 5 m run (8 km) |
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Day Five - 10 m pace (16 km) |
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Day Six - 20 m (32 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 14: Week of December 23, 2018
Got Nalgene?
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 31 |
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Day One - 5 m run / Cross Train (8 km) |
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Day Two - 5 m run (8 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 5 m run (8 km) |
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Day Five - 4 m pace (6 km) |
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Day Six - 12 m (19 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
 WEEK 15: Week of December 30, 2018
Just Breathe
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 26 |
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Day One - 4 m run / Cross Train (6 km) |
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Day Two - 6 m run (10 km) |
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Day Three - REST |
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Day Four - 4 m run (6 km) |
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Day Five - 4 m run (6 km) |
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Day Six - 8 m (13 km) |
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Day Seven - REST |
WEEK 16: Week of January 6, 2019
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TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 7 (not including your race totals) |
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Sunday - 3 m run (5 km) |
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Monday - 4 m run (6 km) |
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Tuesday - REST |
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Wednesday - REST |
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Thursday - DISNEY WORLD 5K |
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Friday - DISNEY WORLD 10K |
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Saturday - DISNEY WORLD HALF MARATHON |
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Sunday - DISNEY WORLD MARATHON |
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