Marathon Weekend 2024

[Herding_Cats]

How I'm feeling about the event guide this morning. (I think we'll get it tomorrow.)





On the weather side of things, if it's going to be that "cold" while we are there, I'm glad we have park tickets. I would love mid-70s for high temps. It can be in the mid-50s for the race mornings, but I need some shorts weather so I can soak up as much Vitamin D as possible.

 

[nancipants]

It stormed last Sunday night and we’re supposed to be getting a bad tropical system this weekend Saturday night/Sunday morning, so I hope this means we’ll have gotten the weird stormy and rainy weather out of our system by then.

 

[PrincessV]

It stormed last Sunday night and we’re supposed to be getting a bad tropical system this weekend Saturday night/Sunday morning, so I hope this means we’ll have gotten the weird stormy and rainy weather out of our system by then.

My local forecast keeps bumping up the rain for my weekend run - it’s at 100% now, so I fully expect that if I sleep in, there will be NO rain at all.

 

[PrincessV]

I’m really gonna need the 10K temp to stay above 50 and below 60: a knit hat will really make my costume plan, but extra layers will not. Rain will ruin it entirely. Fog is fine.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

For the Wednesday weather forecast:

No more rain in the forecast.

1/4 - High: 64 Low: 46
1/5 - High: 64 Low: 50
1/6 - High: 66 Low: 57
1/7 - High: 73 Low: 58

Ugh, the opposite of this would be perfect. I don't want to freeze during the 5K and then it be too warm during the full. Oh well, I suppose it could be worse. And of course this can/will change before then. Lol.

 

[GollyGadget]

How I'm feeling about the event guide this morning. (I think we'll get it tomorrow.)

View attachment 817619

This really wasn’t on my radar until this AM when a podcast mentioned that the courses had been released. I couldn’t find them anywhere but now I’m definitely on high alert.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

This really wasn’t on my radar until this AM when a podcast mentioned that the courses had been released. I couldn’t find them anywhere but now I’m definitely on high alert.

I would have guessed we'd see the course maps next Monday based on last year but I would love it if we got them sooner!

 

[camaker]

For the Wednesday weather forecast:

No more rain in the forecast.

1/4 - High: 64 Low: 46
1/5 - High: 64 Low: 50
1/6 - High: 66 Low: 57
1/7 - High: 73 Low: 58

A bit cool for my tastes for the 5k & 10k, especially for standing around waiting. The half and full look great. Wouldn't mind another 10 degrees on those daily highs for wandering around in the parks, though.

 

[Herding_Cats]

This really wasn’t on my radar until this AM when a podcast mentioned that the courses had been released. I couldn’t find them anywhere but now I’m definitely on high alert.

what podcast? whoopsie for them!

 

[nnunnelly]

I don't see anything new in the USATF database yet.

 

[RunWI1265]

I can't remember which race it was last MW, but I didn't pack any warm clothes for post-race. I remember waiting in line for a pic and I quickly became VERY cold, shivering, and could barely use my hands to do things like untie my shoes. Won't make that mistake again. And for those of us coming from cold-weather states and see the lows are 50's and think "oh that's not bad. It'll be a nice change from 20's/30's!"....Florida 50's while waiting in the corrals is MUCH colder than 50's in the midwest. It does not feel nice. It is very cold. Pack accordingly

 

[Herding_Cats]

I can't remember which race it was last MW, but I didn't pack any warm clothes for post-race. I remember waiting in line for a pic and I quickly became VERY cold, shivering, and could barely use my hands to do things like untie my shoes. Won't make that mistake again. And for those of us coming from cold-weather states and see the lows are 50's and think "oh that's not bad. It'll be a nice change from 20's/30's!"....Florida 50's while waiting in the corrals is MUCH colder than 50's in the midwest. It does not feel nice. It is very cold. Pack accordingly

it was the half. I wore full length tights and arm sleeves (with a short sleeved top) that morning. And I didn't toss my "throw-away" shirt until I was almost to the TTC parking lots.

 

[RuntheMouse]

it was the half. I wore full length tights and arm sleeves (with a short sleeved top) that morning. And I didn't toss my "throw-away" shirt until I was almost to the TTC parking lots.

My Garmin says it was 45 that morning when I started I wore 3/4 tights and a long sleeve shirt, couldn’t believe it. Not gonna lie, hoping for the same this year!

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

I don't see anything new in the USATF database yet.

They could just use an old course. The USATF certifications don't expire for like 10 years.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I often think during the marathon that I'm never doing this again. And then I think the same thing again the next year.

SAFD: My plan definitely has a taper. I considered modifying that this year because I had to miss a month of training due to an unexpected hospital stay, but with Disneyland race weekend one week later, and after discussing my training with Billy, I decided that one more week of longer runs is not going to be the difference between finishing Dopey or not finishing Dopey. And the Coast to Coast is one the table so long as I finish the WDW Half.

I think I will have better races if I head in as fresh as possible on a traditional taper instead of a reduce taper trying to make up for lost time. I'm now working on developing a mental strategy to be ready depending on what happens as the marathon miles mount up. Fortunately, I have not missed a training run since restarting in November after missing all but 2 days in October and the end of September.

Since you've had training interrupted, and (I think) not going for a PR, and doing the CtC (but not with Space Ghost), IMHO the mental strategy is break it up into manageable segments, for instance a series of 10Ks, and we know you can do a 10K.

For me, the first segment is Epcot to the MK, where I know that I'll get a short run break for a photo with Dopey, in front of the castle, and maybe one back stage on the way out of the MK. I know, it is actually more of a ten-miler, but I love that segment with (sometimes) a moon overhead, the monorails whooshing over and honking their horns, and then sunrise over the Contemporary and Space Mountain (I'm slow enough that that has been the case for me in the full).
Leaving the MK are the cool, mostly quiet miles going past the golf courses (and where you might be glad to have kept your outer layer with the cool air coming off those fairways) but once past the golfing you are more than halfway and only a 5K to AK. The run through AK is fun, especially with guests cheering us on, and goes by all too quickly, then comes the slog down Western Way and W Buena Vista to the BB parking lot. Those 3 miles (seems like more) are the longest, most boring miles for me. Maybe I should try streaming a TV show...
Once I come out of BB, I know I'm down to less than a 10K, and I know I can do a 10K, and this is where things get fun(er) again. I'm going past Coronado Springs, which means HS is coming up, and once we go up Chocolate Mountain and into HS, then things happen relatively quickly and I know the end is near. As fatigued as I am at that point, I really like those final 3.2 miles.

So that is how I mentally break it up into manageable chunks. YMMV

I'm also a big proponent of lying to myself and saying that I'm almost there....

 

[Grabnar]

I'm also a big proponent of lying to myself and saying that I'm almost there....

Most of society is based on this so you're not alone!

 

[jrsharp21]

I can't remember which race it was last MW, but I didn't pack any warm clothes for post-race. I remember waiting in line for a pic and I quickly became VERY cold, shivering, and could barely use my hands to do things like untie my shoes. Won't make that mistake again. And for those of us coming from cold-weather states and see the lows are 50's and think "oh that's not bad. It'll be a nice change from 20's/30's!"....Florida 50's while waiting in the corrals is MUCH colder than 50's in the midwest. It does not feel nice. It is very cold. Pack accordingly

Was definitely the half marathon. The night before I went to the Under Armor store to grab some leggings and gloves. Luckily a budy had some hand warmers also he gave to me.

 

[Blue Caterpillar]

I can't remember which race it was last MW, but I didn't pack any warm clothes for post-race. I remember waiting in line for a pic and I quickly became VERY cold, shivering, and could barely use my hands to do things like untie my shoes. Won't make that mistake again. And for those of us coming from cold-weather states and see the lows are 50's and think "oh that's not bad. It'll be a nice change from 20's/30's!"....Florida 50's while waiting in the corrals is MUCH colder than 50's in the midwest. It does not feel nice. It is very cold. Pack accordingly

I thought so too! I'm in the desert and it had been much colder than 50 of most of my runs leading up to Marathon weekend. 50 is usually a great temperature, but my hands were so cold! I am bringing a cheap pair of gloves this year just in case

 

[camaker]

Since you've had training interrupted, and (I think) not going for a PR, and doing the CtC (but not with Space Ghost), IMHO the mental strategy is break it up into manageable segments, for instance a series of 10Ks, and we know you can do a 10K.

For me, the first segment is Epcot to the MK, where I know that I'll get a short run break for a photo with Dopey, in front of the castle, and maybe one back stage on the way out of the MK. I know, it is actually more of a ten-miler, but I love that segment with (sometimes) a moon overhead, the monorails whooshing over and honking their horns, and then sunrise over the Contemporary and Space Mountain (I'm slow enough that that has been the case for me in the full).
Leaving the MK are the cool, mostly quiet miles going past the golf courses (and where you might be glad to have kept your outer layer with the cool air coming off those fairways) but once past the golfing you are more than halfway and only a 5K to AK. The run through AK is fun, especially with guests cheering us on, and goes by all too quickly, then comes the slog down Western Way and W Buena Vista to the BB parking lot. Those 3 miles (seems like more) are the longest, most boring miles for me. Maybe I should try streaming a TV show...
Once I come out of BB, I know I'm down to less than a 10K, and I know I can do a 10K, and this is where things get fun(er) again. I'm going past Coronado Springs, which means HS is coming up, and once we go up Chocolate Mountain and into HS, then things happen relatively quickly and I know the end is near. As fatigued as I am at that point, I really like those final 3.2 miles.

So that is how I mentally break it up into manageable chunks. YMMV

I'm also a big proponent of lying to myself and saying that I'm almost there....

I use this approach of "chunking" the race all the time and find it very beneficial. For the Disney Marathon I tend to use landmarks more than distances, along the lines of:

1. Start line to start line (IYKYK)
2. Start line redux to MK (sometimes I'll use the TTC as a mini-milestone)
3. MK to AK
4. AK to BB
5. BB to DHS
6. DHS to Epcot (once I'm here I start to relax, knowing the end is near)
7. World Showcase to Finish (I'm usually giddy/delirious when I hit this stretch and love singing along to "Let's Go Fly a Kite")

I know my milestones/landmarks are a bit back-loaded, but I find as I fatigue it helps to have them closer together.

 

[The Expert]

Those temps would be heavenly! Apparently it only stays below 80 for the marathon if I don't run it, so you're all welcome. I am making a mental note to pack hand warmers, though! I'll probably need them for DL too.