In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali Marty explains why January 2026 is not too early to start thinking about Dopey 2027 or Marathon Weekend 2027, especially for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners who want to finish strong instead of just surviving.
She recaps the highs and challenges of Marathon Weekend 2026, including heat, course cuts, DNFs, and huge non-pace victories, and reframes race day as the victory lap for months of consistent training.
Dr. Ali walks listeners through what marathon, Goofy, and Dopey training actually require…from realistic time commitments and long run pacing to why her plans cap long runs at 20 miles while still preparing runners for 26.2.
She breaks down how to structure training over an entire year to stay injury-free, motivated, and consistent, why cross-training and speed work matter for building a buffer from the balloon ladies, and how runners who struggled this year can use the next several months to rebuild smarter instead of starting from scratch in June.
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