Springtime Surprise Challenge Recap
The Springtime Surprise Challenge was a really exciting and tough test for runners of all levels. In this blog post, I want to tell you about my experience doing this special event. I ran a 5K, 10K, and 10-mile race one after the other for three days in a row. I'll talk about the hard things I went through physically and mentally, and how I found ways to recover and feel better afterwards.
Why sign up for the Challenge?
I recently finished my first runDisney challenge and I may say it’ll be my last. It didn’t go completely as planned and by the last run I didn’t enjoy it. If you’re thinking about doing a challenge keep reading to learn about one person’s experience to help you decide.
I decided to complete the runDisney Springtime Surprise Challenge and I did it virtually.
I didn’t decide to run it until waaay late. As you know runDisney races sell out within hours if not minutes of going on sale. I didn’t even know it existed until January 2023 and the races were April 2023. So by the time I signed up virtual it was.
Virtual or in person?
As I mentioned above I didn’t really have a choice by the time I registered… but had I had enough time would I have done it in person? Probably.
I definitely see the appeal of running these races in person and hopefully in the future I will be able to do that.
This was the first challenge I did and I signed up to hold myself accountable. If you’re like me and having a race you’re signed up for helps you stay on top of training I recommend doing that… that’s what I did.
I was at Disney when my sister ran the Dopey Challenge over Marathon Weekend 2023 so I got to see the hype of doing the races in person.
If you need (or love) the energy of the crowd and other runners definitely go for in person races. The energy was incredible over Marathon Weekend. You just don’t get that kind of high running by yourself on side streets around your neighborhood.
Springtime Surprise Training
I planned out my training as soon as I signed up… I had 10 weeks to train and it went well.
I had complete rest days, running days, walking days, and strength training days.
I stretch after every workout anyway, I added more time with the massage gun after long runs and after long runs and intense workouts I took hot epsom salt baths and had regular 90 minute massages.
I was prepared for the challenge as best as I physically could be.
The longest run I did in training was 8 miles, and I tapered with decrease in mileage and strength training intensity in the 2 weeks leading up to the challenge.
Springtime Surprise 5k - Sunday
For me the 5k went fine. Running 3.1 miles for me is a good distance. It’s not too short, it’s not too long…. It’s my Goldilocks… it’s just right.
Though this race I wasn’t completely prepared… mentally. Physically I was very prepared for the 5k.
Life happens and I was stressed out leading up to the whole challenge.
The 2 days leading up to the challenge I was pretty stressed out and when I’m stressed I do the opposite of what many people do… many people eat everything in sight… I eat nothing… or practically nothing.
So my fueling leading up to this challenge wasn’t good.
The morning of the 5k I woke up, ate breakfast (protein smoothie) and got out the door at 8:26am.
I aimed for half a mile for a warm up… and went 0.88 instead… oops
It was already too hot at 63 degrees F with 20% humidity.
My heartrate started out higher than usual (hello stress) and I chose the wrong running route.
I wanted to run a route without hills and I thought “no problem”... I have lots of options around my home to change where I run and how far I run.
Unfortunately the choice I made was the wrong one and I chose a route that didn’t have drinking fountains… which means no convenient water stops.
For most people this wouldn’t be an issue because it’s a short run. But, I always have water with me… I fill up for even short car rides to make sure I always have water. And when I run I feel extra thirsty all.the.time. I used to chew gum while running to combat the thirst and my jaw didn't’ like that and I switched to always having water.
Not this time. So I conserved my water and I didn’t like that.
After the 5k run I did a cool down walk: 0.91 miles.
Overall not a terrible 5k… definitely not my best. My pace was 11:03 minutes/mile. Not my fastest, not my slowest.
5k Recovery
I am all about the running recovery, aftercare, stretching, whatever you want to call it.
So when I got back from my run I immediately made myself a snack of almonds and pistachios with Watermelon Liquid IV. Get some quick protein, fats and carbs in my body. My sugar levels used to plummet after a workout, especially a hot one, and I realized if I eat a small snack of the 3 macronutrients, especially some quick carbs, my sugar levels don’t dip.
While I slowly eat my snack and drink my liquid IV I stretch. The longer the run the longer the stretching routine… it’s always the same stretches.
Sitting butterfly
Pigeon pose
King pigeon
Kneeling hip flexor stretch
Kneeling hamstring stretch
Calf stretch
Soleus Stretch
Standing quad stretch
Seated hamstring stretch
Standing calf stretch
Standing soleus stretch
Then I pull out the massage gun. Again, the longer the run the longer I use the massage gun.
I hit all major lower body muscles:
Glutes and piriformis, IT Band, hip flexors, calf, hamstrings, inner thigh. I add in some lower back (quadratus lumborum to be specific) and some anterior shoulders (pecs and biceps), upper traps and any tight muscles in my forearms.
Then I take a quick shower and take a hot epsom salt bath.
I ate some lunch which on this day was hummus, crackers, vegetables (a normal lunch for me).
I did a little work on my computer while Royal watched basketball and we ordered Pad Thai for dinner (chicken for me, Shrimp for him).
Finish the night with some cadbury chocolate, sleepytime and lavender teas before bed.
Springtime Surprise 10k - Monday
The 10k felt much better than the 5k.
I woke up early and got out the door on time. The temperature was better because it was earlier than Sunday.
I did a walking warm up: 0.25 miles.
And then I started in on the 10k. I made sure to choose the correct route this time… lots of water stops even if that meant hills. I was OK with the hills because it meant 5 parks I could stop at to fill up water… and I usually fill up every 2 miles or so… so 5 stops was more than enough.
Because of the hills my average pace took a hit compared to the 5k but it was worth it: 12’13”/mile average with the slowest ones being the hills.
The 10k was a little different than the 5k in that I eat a banana or have some sugar every 4 miles in a run longer than 4 miles. So I ate a banana at mile 4, and on every water stop 4 miles and beyond I added half of a liquid IV pouch: so I did that twice.
The cooldown walk was 0.43 miles and I got home and started the usual routine.
10k Recovery
My recovery routine is the same no matter what kind of workout or distance I do… the only thing that changes is the amount of time spent doing it.
I made my snack of raw nuts and liquid IV to slowly eat while I stretched.
I spent more time stretching after the 10k than I did on the 5k, the stretches themselves were the same as those listed for the 5k.
I spent more time using the massage gun after the 10k than I did on the 5k, and the muscles and areas I used the massage gun on were the same.
Then I showered and took a hot epsom salt bath… again longer time in the bath after the 10k than the 5k.
“The longer or more intense the workout the longer the recovery time.”
I ate some more nuts and seeds before lunch. And lunch I ate In-N-Out cheeseburger and fries. I had leftover chicken pad thai for dinner, more cadbury chocolate for dessert and finished the day with sleepytime and lavender tea (my nightly staple).
Springtime Surprise 10 miler - Tuesday
The 10 miler for me made me nervous.
I woke up and Royal told me I didn’t have to do the run.
But, I had set out to do this challenge and I didn’t want to let myself down.
It’s just not like me to not complete something.
I wasn’t nervous about the distance per se… I was just nervous. Tuesday was a busy day for us and I had an obligation at a specific time. I don’t like when I have time commitments when I’m doing a workout… I start panicking that I’m not going to have enough time and I get in my head… even if I’ve planned enough time.
So originally when I planned the 10 miler I made it so I didn’t have any obligations until the afternoon… but life happens and something got added.
Anyway I started out nervous. I got out the door a few minutes late, but essentially on time.
I walked 0.25 miles for my warm up.
I started running. I made an extra loop at the beginning of the run to make sure I’d get the 10 miles done without having to loop around the neighborhood at the end of the run… there’s nothing worse than getting close to home and realizing you still have 2 miles to run and you have to loop. So I did the extra 2 miles in the beginning.
By mile 3 I texted Royal and I said I didn’t think I’d be able to finish… I was nervous and I’d already had to make a bathroom stop (something I never have to do).
He reminded me I could always walk. He always let me know that my morning obligation was cancelled.
It was like a weight lifted off my shoulder… I no longer had the time constraint. And it’s a good thing too because I ended up starting the final mile 30 minutes later than the time I originally thought I’d be home.
The rest of the run overall was uneventful.
I ate a banana at mile 4.
I had ½ a pouch of liquid IV every 2 miles starting at mile 4, in total I think I filled my water 5 times.
I did have a nag in the baack of my head of wanting to walk. Or when I had to pause at cross walks I had the idea of “well you could just keep walking”... but I didn’t. I always picked back up with running.
By mile 8.5 my calves started feeling tight. Not cramping, just feeling tight and uncomfortable like they’d rather be walking.
I stopped and stretched at each cross walk, and also stretched my quads. It helped.
I pushed through.
I got a text from Royal asking if I was OK at the start of mile 10 because, like I said before, I was late… it was 9:30am and I had said I’d be done and home at 9am…. And I wasn’t even done running yet.
Right after that I passed a woman with 2 Golden Doodles so i had to stop and comment. We chatted for 5 minutes and she wished me luck on my 10 mile run (because I must have just been starting) and I told her I was on the final mile… she was incredulous and said I must be in good shape because it doesn’t look like I’d run any yet. That was a nice ego boost.
10 miler Recovery
When I finished I was glad to be done.
I cooled down with a 0.71 mile walk. Got home: made my raw nuts and seeds snack with liquid IV and added some cadbury chocolate to the mix.
Today’s stretching routine was the same, just longer… almost double the amount of time I spent on the 10k. Same with the massage gun routine and same with the hot epsom salt bath. Again: the longer the run or workout, or the more intense it is the longer the recovery.
And I added in a professional massage for 90 minutes with my regular massage therapist. She knew I was doing this challenge and she was ready for it. My calves were tight and sore so I was hoping she’d be gentle on them… she wasn’t. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was tolerable.
I stretched frequently the rest of the day and drank lots and lots of water.
I had a chocolate protein shake because I wasn’t going to be able to eat lunch before my massage… the protein shake was disgusting. I didn’t balance out the chocolate syrup and protein powder.
After my massage Royal and I ran a few errands and ate an early dinner at Red Robin: Southern Charm burger with fries and a side of BBQ sauce, and water.
At home we rested while he watched basketball and I finished the day with Sleeptime and Lavender tea before bed.
Days after Springtime Surprise Challenge
Wednesday and Thursday my calf muscles were still tight. I stretched frequently and continued to drink lots of water. I walked 2 miles on the treadmill Wednesday morning and used the massage gun again. Thursday is a complete rest day normally for me because of our schedule, and I didn’t feel the need to stretch my calves much at all.
Overall the only muscles that tightened up for me were my calf muscles and that’s because I run on my toes now (if you want to see that story comment below and I’ll write a blog about it).
Overall thoughts on Springtime Surprise Challenge
Overall I think the challenge itself is a good one.
For me I have thought for years that my ideal running distance is roughly 10k… even up to 8 miles. So I don’t think I’ll do a challenge that involves longer distances than 10k.
I think the 3 days in a row of running was fine, especially because I spend the extra time with recovery. If I didn’t already know how to do that I think 3 days in a row would be very challenging (pun intended) and painful.
I am glad I did the challenge. I got to experience training for 3 consecutive days of running increasing distances. I kind of wish I did it in person, yet again I didn’t sign up in time. I think the energy from all the participants around me could have helped my mindset in the 10 miler… I think.
What about you? How did the challenge go for you?
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