Tag: Dopey Challenge

Did It Break Me?

Published on by drpaulsemLeave a comment

August 7, 2025

Running has been a bit of a struggle for me this summer. My longest run was seven miles. I most frequently run only three to four miles. A five-mile run (which I did this morning) is a long run for me these days.

My last big race, the Walt Disney World Marathon, (in January of this year) came as the last leg of the Dopey Challenge, a series of four races, each a bit longer than the one previous, over four days. (A 5k, followed by a 10k, followed by a half-marathon, followed by the full marathon – 48.6 miles in total.)

That marathon, the 27th of my “career,” was the last marathon I’ll ever run.

Continue reading “Did It Break Me?” →

Life After 26.2

Published on by drpaulsemLeave a comment

As I got clobbered on the hills of Pittsburgh on the second half of the marathon in May 2023, I swore that that was my last marathon.  I was miserable.  I struggled.  There is a certain hell that one goes through in the upper miles of a marathon.  In that race, my 24th marathon, I’d had it. 

I quit marathoning more than a thousand times over the final miles on the unforgiving hills of Pittsburgh.

Only… 

I didn’t quit.

Continue reading “Life After 26.2” →

My Final Marathon

Published on by drpaulsemLeave a comment

The decision was one that had been coming for a long time, years, in fact.  

I knew that being a marathoner wasn’t going to last forever.  It had to end sometime.  I also wanted it to end on my terms and in a special way, a great way.  

And, although it feels a little strange to finally be at this point, I know it was (and is) the right decision.  

It had to end sometime.  

Continue reading “My Final Marathon” →

DOPEY!!!

Published on by drpaulsemLeave a comment

Well, I did it.

I did the Dopey Challenge. 48.6 total miles of running.

On Thursday, January 9, I ran the Walt Disney World 5k

On Friday, January 10, I ran the Walt Disney World 10K

On Saturday, January 11, I ran the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon

and, on Sunday, January 2, I ran the Walt Disney World Marathon.

Four races, each longer than the next, over four days.

I have been wanted to run this series of races for over a decade.

And I did them. All pretty well, too.

Running the half-marathon and the full on consecutive days is Goofy.

Running all four of the races is Dopey.

But it was awesome and great and wonderful.

Kind of Dopey…

Published on by drpaulsemLeave a comment

Well, that was kind of Dopey.

On Wednesday, I ran 3 miles.

On Thursday, I ran 6 miles.

On Friday, I ran 13 miles.

Today I ran 18 miles…

(I feel great!)

.

28,433 (When Is Enough… Enough?)

Published on by drpaulsemLeave a comment

I Love running.

I run, a lot.

I have been running for decades.

I have completed 25 marathons. This fall I’ll be running the New York City Marathon (for the 11th time) and then, in January, I’ll do the Dopey Challenge at Disney World.

Tomorrow, I turn 56-years-old.

I still play baseball as a pitcher. I exercise every single day, usually twice a day. This (of course) includes a lot of running.

I run, a lot.

Continue reading “28,433 (When Is Enough… Enough?)” →

Never Accept, “Good Enough.”

Published on by drpaulsemLeave a comment

You can achieve more than you ever thought possible.

Set a goal.
Achieve the goal.
Set the next goal.
Never stop reaching.
Never stop dreaming.

In 272 days, I’ll be running the Dopey Challenge in Walt Disney World.

Never Quit.
Never Stop.

DREAM BIG…. and ACHIEVE!

Day #1

Published on by drpaulsem1 Comment

 I have run a countless number of races in my life.  Yes, this includes 20 marathons.  (I always keep an accurate count of my marathons.)

I love to run.

I have often stated that the marathon defines me. 

Continue reading “Day #1” →

Sometimes You Can’t?

Published on by drpaulsem1 Comment

Sometimes we can’t accomplish what we set our minds to do.

Sometimes impossible isn’t an illusion… it is real.  Or, at least it seems real.  We strive, we reach, we try – and we fall short, we stumble, we fall.  We reach and try again.  And fall and fail.  We fall and fail and fail again.  Or so it seems…

Sometimes the goal, whatever it is, seems too hard, too distant, too impossible.  We say, “I can’t.”  We say, “It’ll never happen.”  

What then?

Continue reading “Sometimes You Can’t?” →