“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