The day is finally here! Check out my goals for The Dopey Challenge and join the first Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up of 2016!
Welcome to the first Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up of 2016! If you’re new around here, here’s the lowdown: each week Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama, Angelena Marie from Angelena Marie: Happy, Healthy & Balanced, Michelle at Fruition Fitness and I bring you workout ideas, motivation, inspiration and recipes to try. Join us by reading along, linking up below and grabbing the button to proudly display on your blog/in your posts!
I’m on my way to Disney World to take on The Dopey Challenge! I can’t believe the time has finally arrived! I’ll touch down in Orlando in just a few hours, and then I’ll be off to expo-ing and getting ready for 48.6 magical miles through Disney.
I have a feeling this is going to be one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced, but I’m confident my training has prepared me. I’m also very happy that I’ll have Angela by my side the whole time. For those of you that don’t know about The Dopey Challenge, here’s a quick rundown:
- Thursday, January 7th – Run a 5K
- Friday, January 8th – Run a 10K
- Saturday, January 9th – Run a half marathon
- Sunday, January 10th – Run a full marathon
Yep, that’s the crazy $h*% I’ll be doing this weekend, and I’m pretty excited about it! After all, all the courses take place in the magical world of Disney! While I don’t have any sort of time goal for any of the races, I do have some other goals in mind. Care to take a gander?
- Have the best time ever. – I’ll be at the most magical place on earth, so I want to have the most magical time. I plan on taking it easy for all of the races and really just enjoying my time along each course. Angela and I also have plans to hit up a different park each day, which I’m pretty pumped about. With the exception of running through it when I did the Walt Disney World Marathon in 2014, I’ve never been to Epcot, so I’m pumped to actually get to explore it this time around. We’re also going to hit up the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and, even though it’s not Disney, Universal to see Harry Potter World! I’m anticipating lots of fun and smiles!
- Rock my costumes. – I’m dressing up for a different character for every race. I made these costume inspiration boards a few months ago and have been slowly accumulating the gear to make each of these costumes happen. I’m going to keep the final product a surprise for you all to see on social media and in my race recaps, but I did a pretty good job creating these outfits if I do say so!
- Take all the pictures! – One of the things I love about runDisney races is that Disney characters line the race course. You can stop and take pictures with official race photographers, but they’ll also take a picture for you on your phone. I plan on stopping for pretty much every character I know. Cheeeeeeseeeee!!!
- Finish all the races with a smile. – I mentioned I don’t have any time goals for these races, but I do want to finish happy and healthy. No injuries. No looks of agony. Just pure Disney joy across each finish line followed by a quick and strong recovery. If Angela stays as positive and awesome as she did when we ran the Philadelphia Marathon, I know this one won’t be a problem. We also have massages already booked, so that should help with the recovery part.
There you have it! If you can’t tell, I’m super super pumped! 48.6, let’s do this!
Don’t forget to join in on the link up fun. I may be slow to get to all your posts since I’ll be living it up in Disney, but I promise I will visit you all before next week. Check out the full link up rules here and enjoy the wildest of workout Wednesdays!
Let’s Chat:
Is anyone else running in Disney this weekend?
Any Disney tips for me? What’s one thing I can’t miss at the parks?

Your costumes are ON POINT! You are totally going to rock it! I will be cheering you on from chilly NY!!!
Annmarie recently posted…DVRT STRENGTH WORKOUT FOR BUSY MOTHER RUNNERS
🙂 🙂 Thanks, friend!
That sounds like so much fun!! I wish I could take off immediately and join you 😀
I’ll be cheering for you and I’m sure you going to have the best time with goals like that. Have fun! x
– Anne | annesmiles
Anne recently posted…Why I Blog
Thank you so much!!
Great goals this sounds like so much fun! I love all of the costumes. The piglet one is my favorite. I know you will do great!
Ivanna recently posted…Total Leg Toning Workout Routine
I think the Piglet is my favorite, too 🙂
Yay Nicole!!! I’m so happy for you!!!! I know you are going to ROCK these races and I can’t wait to read about it. I can’t believe it’s already here. I’ll be checking instgram for your outfits!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…Healthy Smoothies Delivered to Your Door With Green Blender
🙂 Thank you so much, Julie!!
My daughter and I ran the Dopey Challenge in 2014 to celebrate my 60th birthday! It was such a fun weekend, but the early wakeup calls every morning are difficult. The one piece of advice I would give you is to go to bed early every night. The lack of sleep will catch up with you for the marathon otherwise. By the way, it is possible to run fast and still have fun. I wasn’t trying to qualify for Boston during the marathon, but both my daughter and I Pr’d the marathon and I missed qualifying by 6 minutes. And we had a blast!
Pam recently posted…A Plan for a Healthier Knee
Thanks for the tips! Definitely planning on early bed times. I’m impressed you PRed the marathon, especially during Dopey!
Wow that’s a lot of miles my friend! I love the costumes and I can’t wait to read all about your weekend. Enjoy and have fun. Thanks for the linkup
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Lifetime Fitness Indoor Tri recap
It’s a lot! But they’ll all me magical 🙂
Gah! Have so much fun. Just soak up the experience for everything that it is!
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Tips for New Runners and Fitness Newbies from Coach Suz
That’s the goal 🙂 :)!!
Your goals are right on par for having an awesome Dopey Challenge experience. No time expectations, and going in wanting to have fun is exactly the way I’d want to experience Dopey. Can’t wait to read your recaps and hear all about your experience!
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…Why Marathon Weekend Means So Much to Me
Thanks, Kathryn!! 🙂
Have an amazing weekend, I’m sure you will have so much fun. Love the outfits and can’t wait to see how you execute them.
Jen @ Pretty Little Grub recently posted…Why I Hired A Running Coach & 2016 Goal Marathon Reveal
Wee!!! Thanks, Jen!
Yay, good luck this weekend! It sounds like you’re well prepared and will have lots of fun. The Harry Potter stuff at Universal is amazing and definitely worth spending some time at if you’re a Harry Potter fan.
Chaitali recently posted…MCRRC New Year’s Day 5k
I can’t wait to go to Harry Potter World 🙂 🙂
Holy Moly!! I have heard of the Dopey challenge and am always amazed at those who challenge themselves to it!!! That is just amazing!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the costumes! If for no other reason, I would run just to wear the costumes-lol!!
I think in I am going to shoot for a Disney run in 2018. This will be the weekend before my football tournament in Orlando so I am thinking why not combine both 🙂 We will see.
Love your goals! You will rock them all!!
Have a magical time!!
Thanks, Tamieka! Disney races are such a great experience! I hope you get to do it in 2018!
I hope you have a great race! I went to Disney in October for the first time in over 10 years, and it really is a happy, magical place! Can’t wait to hear all about it…and I LOVE all your costumes!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…ZOOMA Run Love Training Begins!
Thank you! You can’t help but be happy in Disney 🙂
Awesome! Love the costumes and your goals! I’ve done an Ironman and I still think this is crazy…possibly even harder on the body! Good luck!
Michelle recently posted…5 Steps for a Successful Post Holiday Detox + 1 Bonus Tip
Haha too funny! I can’t imagine doing an Ironman!
SO excited to hear about your Dopey experience. I have a good friend running the race as well, I think you’re both crazy but so damn inspiring!
Kayla recently posted…The Skinny On NYC’s Spin Scene
Thank you!!!!
This looks brilliant, I’d love to do a challenge like that and best of luck with it! Love your costumes and a great way to make it all more fun. Reading the list, it all seems nice up until the last day… love the way they just sneak a marathon in right at the end! Have a great time & look forward to reading all about it 🙂
Fiona recently posted…Saucony Sonic Reflex Jacket : In Review
Thanks Fiona! It was a blast! Recap coming tomorrow! 🙂
I love disney! Have a magical run, cant wait to see the pictures!
AutumnPTW recently posted…Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
Thanks, Autumn!