I Still Wonder If I Can Do It | Dopey Challenge Training at Almost 60

The Moment

This week marks the official start of Dopey Challenge training.

That means I have 28 weeks until I attempt one of the biggest goals I’ve ever set for myself.

If you aren’t familiar with the Dopey Challenge, it’s 48.6 miles in one weekend.

• Thursday – 5K
• Friday – 10K
• Saturday – Half Marathon
• Sunday – Marathon

When registration opens, everyone is focused on one thing…

Getting a bib.

The excitement.

The stress.

The frantic race against thousands of other runners trying to secure a spot.

Some people even say getting a Dopey bib is harder than running the Dopey Challenge itself.

But then the end of June arrives.

The excitement fades.

Registration is over.

The countdown begins.

Training starts.

Serious training starts.

Training to run 48.6 miles in one weekend.

That’s a whole lot of miles on these almost 60-year-old feet.

Just a few short years ago, I couldn’t even run a mile.

Now I’m asking my body to run a marathon after already racing a 5K, 10K, and half marathon in the same weekend.

And if I’m being completely honest…

I still find myself wondering…

Can I really do this?

 

I Thought Confidence Would Come First

For years, I believed confidence came before commitment.

My plan was simple: become a stronger runner first, then register for the Dopey Challenge. Surely there would come a day when I’d feel ready to tackle 48.6 miles in one weekend.

That day never arrived.

Instead, registration opened, I signed up, and now I’m training for this thing anyway.

Some mornings I look at my training plan and wonder about my life choices.

Other days, I wonder if I’ve completely lost my mind.

The confidence I thought would magically appear never did.

So I’ve stopped waiting for it.

Now I lace up my shoes, follow the plan, and trust that every run is preparing me for something bigger—even on the days I’m not completely convinced.

 

Nobody Talks About This Part

Go ahead. Google Dopey Challenge.

I’ll wait.

Or don’t. I can tell you exactly what you’ll find.

People are talking about…

• shoes
• training plans
• intervals
• strength training
• fueling
• recovery

And they’re right.

Those things matter.

They deserve the attention they get.

But there’s another part of Dopey training that doesn’t get nearly enough attention.

The little voice that whispers…

Who do you think you’re kidding?

The one that asks if you’re too slow.

Too old.

Too inexperienced.

The one that quietly wonders if maybe everyone else belongs at the start line…

…except you.

That’s the part I wish more people talked about.

Because I don’t think the hardest part of training is always the running.

Sometimes…

It’s convincing yourself to lace up your shoes again tomorrow.

 

The Shift

Somewhere along the way, something began to change.

Not overnight.

Not after one great run.

Not because I suddenly woke up feeling confident.

It happened because I kept showing up.

Every workout.

Every long run.

Every day I wanted to quit but laced up my shoes anyway.

Will I stand in that corral on race morning wondering if I can really do this?

Probably.

The funny thing is…

So will a lot of the people standing around me.

The difference isn’t that some runners have no doubts.

The difference is they’re standing at the start line anyway.

Think about how many people say,

“One day…”

I’ll start running one day.

One day I’ll sign up.

Some day I’ll believe I’m ready.

For a lot of people…

That day never comes.

But you’ll be there.

Standing in the corral.

Wondering.

Smiling.

Maybe even a little scared.

And that’s okay.

Because maybe confidence isn’t believing you can do it.

Maybe confidence is showing up while you’re still wondering.

 

The Moment I Realized I Belonged

The last runDisney Half Marathon I ran was my first one without a running buddy.

I’d always had someone beside me.

Someone cheering me on.

Someone reminding me I could do it.

This time…

At 4:00 in the morning, I stood alone in my corral.

Well…alone with a few thousand other runners.

And for a moment, I questioned whether I belonged there at all.

I wondered if I could even finish the half marathon.

Which was funny…

Because I’d already finished one before.

During that race, I stopped for my castle photo. It’s become a tradition, and I wasn’t going to skip it.

Later my husband told me he had been watching my tracker.

He got worried when I stayed in one place for a while.

He was worried I was about to get swept and end up on the bus.

The funny part?

I hadn’t given up at all.

I was just waiting for my picture in front of Cinderella Castle.

Looking back, it’s almost funny.

He thought I may have quit.

I thought I might not finish.

We were both wrong.

Doubt doesn’t always care what you’ve already accomplished.

I never called myself a runner.

Walking more than running is kind of my style.

I still assume I’m the slowest one in the corral.

And I still, always, compare myself to everyone else around me.

The truth is…

I still belong.

You still belong.

Not because of your pace.

It’s not because of your finish time.

Because you showed up.

You showed up for the race.

But more importantly…

You showed up for yourself.

 

My Promise to Myself

Yesterday was my first official Dopey training run.

I’ve been running for a while now.

But yesterday…

This challenge became real.

48.6 miles.

That’s no longer something happening someday.

It’s happening now.

The doubts are still there.

The questions are still there.

Some mornings they’ll probably be louder than others.

So here’s the promise I’m making to myself.

Tomorrow the shoes go back on.

Another training run gets checked off.

One more step moves me closer to January.

Not because every doubt has disappeared.

Definitely not because I’m suddenly fearless.

Because I’ve learned that showing up matters more than feeling ready.

Getting from Point A…

to Point B.

That’s the goal.

Some days I’ll run.

Other days I’ll walk.

More than a few days I’ll probably question my sanity.

But every one of those days still moves me forward.

Because the journey is worth it.

And

Tomorrow I get another chance to show up.

 

 

more great resources

If you’re also wondering where to begin, read How to Start Running After 50.

I’m also documenting my real Training for Dopey journey here.

For race-day nerves, this runDisney race morning guide may help.