The Dopey Diaries

In this episode of the Dopey Diaries, Brittany shares an honest, emotional account of training for and tackling the infamous Dopey Challenge. She discusses the mental and physical hurdles, the importance of preparation, and the magic of race weekend, offering invaluable insights for first-time participants and seasoned runners alike.

Key topics:

• The emotional rollercoaster of prep and race weekend & the anxiety she never could have prepared herself for
• How mental health impacts endurance training and marathon performance
• The significance of training miles: physical readiness versus mental resilience
• The role of community, support, and personal relationships during race weekend
• Insights into the physical and emotional shifts from training to race day
• Practical tips: why long runs matter, even when motivation is low
• How training builds confidence to handle race-day
• The power of pushing through discomfort and self-doubt
• The tangible benefits of consistent training, both body and mind

Resources & Links

• ⁠EMIÉ Activewear⁠ — Women's running and performance activewear- designed by an average female runner, for the average female runner
• ⁠Instagram⁠

Mile Markers:

00:00 - Introduction to the episode & what the Dopey Challenge really entails

00:29 - Why the expo was unexpectedly overwhelming for Brittany

01:12 - Balancing the roles of runner and business owner leading up to race weekend

02:09 - The physical and mental shifts during 11 months of training

03:24 - The emotional breakdown before the expo and the importance of self-compassion

04:51 - The significance of community and shared experiences at the expo

06:48 - The mental health struggles and personal growth through running

08:42 - How training prepares not just the body but the mind for race day

09:35 - Brittany’s experience running 26 miles alone on a treadmill during a depressive episode

11:33 - The transformational power of completing challenging runs

12:29 - The importance of emotional resilience alongside physical fitness

13:21 - Encouragement for first-time Dopey challengers & managing race-day expectations

14:49 - Amplifying training through the magic of race weekend and the role of preparation

16:26 - The importance of deposit miles: trust in your training when the race starts

16:55 - The key question for race weekend: how your training will manifest in the actual race

17:22 - Overcoming fears and embracing the race day with confidence

The Dopey Diaries is back - and Season 2 has a lot to catch you up on. Since we last spoke, Brittany completed the Dopey Challenge, PR'd the half marathon distance, and launched EMIÉ - a women's running activewear brand built in the middle of the hardest training cycle of her life. This season you're getting all of it: the Dopey recap, the brand origin story, and what it actually looks like to build something while everything else is also on fire. If you're training for your first big race - or you just need someone to tell you that the hard miles are worth it — pull up a chair. We saved you a spot. Hit subscribe so you don't miss Episode 1. 🎙️

After a big run, it’s easy to panic. A sore knee turns into a Google spiral. Fatigue starts to feel like failure. And suddenly you’re asking the question every runner has asked at least once:

“Am I actually injured… or am I just exhausted?”

In this episode of The Dopey Diaries, I’m breaking down what happened after my recent 26-mile training run — including why one short, easy run sent me into worry mode — and how I’m learning to tell the difference between injury, fatigue, and fear.

We’ll talk about what post-effort soreness really means, why recovery doesn’t always look like full rest, and how anxiety can be louder than actual pain during marathon training.

This episode is not medical advice — it’s lived experience, decision-making, and science-backed reassurance for runners navigating long miles.

🎧 In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why soreness after a 26-mile run is often normal adaptation, not damage
• The difference between post-run soreness and true injury pain
• How walking and movement can support recovery — and when they quietly become too much
• Why Googling symptoms often increases anxiety (and what to do instead)
• The fear that shows up after big milestones (“don’t mess this up” energy)
• How to tell the difference between anxiety and intuition
• Why resting, modifying, or continuing are all valid training choices
• How elite runners approach recovery — including insights from Jane Hedengren’s record-breaking 5K season
• Why you don’t lose fitness overnight — and why panic adjustments can backfire

🧠 Key Takeaways:

Not every ache is a warning sign.

Sometimes it’s just information.

Learning to tell the difference between fatigue and injury — without letting fear drive the decision — is one of the most important skills you’ll develop as an endurance runner.

🔗 Research & Resources Mentioned

These are the studies and concepts referenced throughout the episode if you want to go deeper:

🦵 Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Overview of DOMS, recovery timelines, and muscle adaptation:⁠⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_onset_muscle_soreness⁠⁠

🏃‍♀️ Post-Marathon Recovery & Fatigue

Research on physiological recovery and readiness after marathon-distance efforts:⁠⁠https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12174218/⁠⁠

🚶‍♀️ Cumulative Load & Recovery

Discussion of cumulative fatigue and prolonged low-level activity after intense exercise:⁠⁠⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435910/⁠⁠⁠

🧠 Cyberchondria & Symptom Anxiety

How symptom searching increases anxiety rather than reassurance:⁠⁠⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberchondria⁠⁠⁠

⚠️ Anxiety, Stress, and Decision-Making

How anxiety amplifies threat perception and impacts judgment:⁠⁠https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/03/brain⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573739/⁠⁠

🏆 Elite Training & Recovery Philosophy

Jane Hedengren collegiate 5K record and post-race commentary on rest, fueling, and training balance:⁠⁠https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a60628764/jane-hedengren-collegiate-5k-record/⁠⁠

This episode is brought to you by Even More Magic — a shop for runners who believe every mile has the potential for magic.

👉 ⁠⁠https://evenmoremagic.com⁠⁠

On this episode of The Dopey Diaries, I’m sharing one of the wildest plot twists of my marathon training so far: the week I quit my training plan… and then ran 26.28 miles.

We’re diving into why letting go of pressure can actually improve your running, how burnout affects your brain and body during Dopey Challenge training, and the powerful role your nervous system, mindset, and identity play in endurance.

You’ll learn:

✨ The science behind burnout and marathon training fatigue

✨ How stress and the sympathetic nervous system make running feel harder

✨ Why shifting into the parasympathetic nervous system boosts endurance

✨ What Atomic Habits teaches us about identity-based habits (“I am a runner”)

✨ How removing pressure can lower perceived exertion and unlock better performance

✨ Why joy, ease, and emotional relief are legitimate training tools

✨ How a spontaneous long run can reveal more about your fitness than a rigid plan

If you’re training for the Dopey Challenge, a marathon, or you’re simply hitting a mental wall in your training cycle, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on inside your body — and how giving yourself a break might be the breakthrough you actually need.

Whether you’re feeling burnt out, stuck, or doubting your ability to get to race day, this episode will remind you of one truth:

You are a runner — and runners keep going, imperfectly but powerfully.

⭐️ RESOURCES MENTIONED

These studies and books informed the science in today’s episode:

📚 Books:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear — Identity-based habits and sustainable behavior change.

🧠 Nervous System & Performance Research:

• Harvard Medical School – Research on chronic stress and sympathetic nervous system activation during prolonged training.
• Frontiers in Physiology — Studies on parasympathetic activation improving endurance and lowering perceived exertion.
• University of Cape Town – Research on relaxed states improving oxygen efficiency and delaying fatigue.
• Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance — Flow state and performance under reduced cognitive load.
• Journal of Applied Physiology — Dopamine’s role in endurance, pain perception, and motivation.
• University of Birmingham – Positive emotion increasing time-to-exhaustion in endurance athletes.

🧩 Psychology & Behavior:

• Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin — Identity-based behavior and motivation.
• Studies on decision fatigue and role identity from the University of Minnesota.

If you’re deep into Dopey training and feeling totally overwhelmed, exhausted, or on the edge of burnout… this episode is going to feel like a giant exhale.

This week, I’m breaking down something every marathoner faces — the dreaded Wall.

And specifically, what happens when you hit The Dopey Wall:

the moment your training plan says “simulation week,” and your brain and body say “absolutely not.”

In this episode, I’m sharing:

✨ What happened when I hit my own Dopey Wall during simulation week

✨ Why burnout is normal in marathon training — especially right now

✨ What sports science + psychology say about overtraining, hormones, and motivation

✨ Atomic Habits principles that can help you shift your mindset

✨ Practical, research-backed tools to survive the next month of training

✨ How to adjust your plan without losing progress, fitness, or confidence

✨ Why these hard weeks actually make you mentally stronger for race day

This is a raw, honest, slightly unhinged, but deeply hopeful episode for every runner who’s ever questioned,

“Can I actually do this?”

• Why 62% of runners hit burnout during peak training
• How overtraining impacts your brain before your body
• What to do when anxiety skyrockets during long runs
• Why flexibility is a strength — not a setback
• How to use James Clear’s identity-based habits to stay consistent
• Why small, imperfect runs still “cast a vote” toward your marathon identity
• Seven research-backed strategies to get through the hardest month of Dopey training
• How taper becomes your reward for pushing through

- feel less alone

- understand why training feels so hard right now

- stop beating yourself up for adjusting your plan

- find motivation when you’re mentally drained

- reconnect to your WHY

- see the light at the end of the tunnel

-keep going with compassion, not pressure

If you’re training for RunDisney, Dopey, a marathon, or anything pushing your limits - this one’s for you. 💛✨

• Journal of Sports Medicine — Marathon burnout statistics
• American Thyroid Association — Symptoms of hyper/hypothyroidism
• ACSM — Research on overtraining and mental fatigue
• University of Bangor — Perceived effort studies
• University of Essex — Resilience research
• “Atomic Habits” by James Clear — Identity-based habits
• RunDisney official training guidance

When your “forever” running shoes suddenly stop working… now what?

In this episode, Brittany shares how her tried-and-true running shoes betrayed her during RunDisney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend, how her toes went numb, and why she ended up testing 12 pairs of shoes (and spending over $1,000) to find her perfect Dopey Challenge lineup.

You’ll learn why running shoes can feel amazing in the store but awful during real miles and long runs, how model updates can completely change a shoe, and how your body and gait evolve with training. Brittany breaks down the real signs it’s time to switch running shoes-even if you’ve been loyal to one brand for years.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• The Princess Weekend toe-numbness disaster
• Why “forever shoes” stop working
• Why running store tests don’t tell the full story
• How to know when it’s time to switch brands
• The truth about tired gait (and why it matters)
• Brittany’s Dopey shoe picks: Asics Novablast 5 (half marathon) + Adidas Evo SL (full marathon)

Plus: a big EMIE update✨

Follow along:

Follow the magic: @EvenMoreMagic (on Instagram & Tik Tok)

“Congrats on Your Half Marathon… Now Run 4 More Miles?"

How to Balance Races With Dopey Training

Training for the Dopey Challenge is chaotic, magical, emotional… and sometimes wildly confusing — especially when your race calendar doesn’t line up with your training plan.

In this episode of The Dopey Diaries, we dive into one of the biggest questions runners have during high-mileage training:

👉 If I’m already running a race this weekend… do I really need to tack on the extra miles from my training plan?

Whether you're training for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, prepping for a half marathon during Dopey training, or just trying to understand how to adjust long runs without burning out, this episode gives you permission to breathe, adjust, and train like a real human being.

• Why your training plan won’t line up with your race schedule — and why that’s completely normal
• How to safely replace a long run with a race during Dopey training
• What happened when I finished the Wine & Dine Half Marathon and still had 4 miles left on my plan
• The science behind why organized races feel easier than solo long runs
• What research says about burnout, flexibility, and long-term consistency
• Why forcing every mileage number can sabotage your training
• How to adjust your long runs without guilt (or injury)
• Why “consistency over perfection” is the real secret to Dopey success
• How training can get isolating — and why races help
• How to know when it’s smarter to move miles, cut miles, or let the race count

This episode is packed with real talk, relatable chaos, and a whole lot of evidence-based reassurance.

• Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology (2017): Long-distance training + isolation & perceived effort
• European Journal of Applied Physiology (2020): The “collective motivation effect” that makes races feel easier
• International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance (2019): Flexible training = better long-term consistency
• Journal of Behavioral Medicine (2020): Group running improves mood + reduces stress

Production has officially kicked off, the rollout for the full line is finalized, and pre-production samples are on the way. Once approved… it’s go-time. Send good vibes as we race the calendar ahead of spring festival closures!

• Runners training for the Dopey Challenge
• First-time marathoners
• RunDisney athletes
• Anyone balancing racing + training
• Runners who feel guilty moving training runs around
• Anyone who’s ever Googled “should I add miles after a half marathon?”
• Even More Magic shop: evenmoremagic.com
• Follow @EvenMoreMagic
• Research sources listed above

Share this one with a running friend who needs reassurance that adjusting their long runs is not failing it’s smart training and Hit Subscribe so you never miss an episode

Let’s be honest - fueling is one of the most confusing parts of running. Between gels, electrolytes, hydration, and stomach drama, it can feel like you need a science degree just to get through your long run.

In this episode, I’m sharing the real fueling lessons I wish I knew before my first half marathon - and the ones I finally learned (the hard way) during Dopey training. From that infamous treadmill run with no plain water to my Taco Bell the night before a 20-miler mistake, we’re breaking down what actually works, what doesn’t, and how to build a fueling plan that helps you run stronger and feel better.

Whether you’re training for your first half-marathon, a marathon, or the full Dopey Challenge, this one’s packed with tips (and a few “learn-from-my-fails” moments) to help you fuel early, fuel often, and train your gut - because no one wants to hit the wall at mile eight.

Resources Mentioned

• SIS Gels: my go-to fuel - thinner texture, easy on the stomach
• NUUN Hydration Tabs: my favorite for electrolytes without being too sweet
• SaltStick Caps: electrolyte backup for humid days
• Tailwind Nutrition: perfect for long runs or hot-weather miles
• ACSM Endurance Fueling Guidelines: 30–60g carbs per hour + 6–12oz fluid every 20 minutes
• Research on Gut Training: Journal of Applied Physiology, 2014 – “Carbohydrate availability and training adaptation”
• Runners World: How to Fuel for Your First Marathon

You signed up for the Dopey Challenge (or a marathon or half marathon)… and now the panic’s setting in. 😅

When are you supposed to start training for those miles - tomorrow? Next month? Yesterday?!

In this episode, I’m breaking down what my training timeline looked like, why I started early, and how I built a hybrid plan that actually worked. We’ll talk through the official Jeff Galloway RunDisney plan, Hal Higdon, Pfitzinger, and Runna - what works, what doesn’t, and how to choose a plan that fits your goals (and your real life).

Whether you’re six months out or still hovering over that “register” button, this episode will help you figure out when to start, how to start, and why the perfect time might just be right now.

What started as a random Disney trip, a spark of curiosity, and a fanny pack… quickly escalated into signing up for 19.3 miles — and eventually, 48.6.

In this first episode of The Dopey Diaries, Brittany takes you back to the moment that started it all - how a little bit of Disney magic, a dose of imposter syndrome, and a streak of stubbornness turned into her first marathon journey.

You’ll hear:

• How one impulsive decision became the catalyst for running and personal growth
• Why readiness is a myth - and how confidence is really built through consistency
• The science behind self-trust and why showing up for yourself matters
• How doing hard things changes the way you see yourself - on the run and in life

Whether you’re training for the Dopey Challenge or just dreaming about your first 5K, this episode will remind you that you don’t have to feel ready - you just have to show up.

Resources + References

• Bandura, A. (1977). Self-Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215.
• Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
• Draganski, B., et al. (2004). Changes in grey matter induced by training. Nature, 427(6972), 311–312.
• Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
• Robbins, M. (2017). The 5 Second Rule. Savio Republic.
• Hardy, D. (2010). The Compound Effect. Vanguard Press.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Even More Magic — accessories that remind runners that magic lives in every mile
• @EvenMoreMagic on Instagram
• @EmieActive for behind-the-scenes updates on the activewear line