Marathon Weekend 2020

[KSellers88]

Had a couple more rooms become available for the room block at Pop ($122/night), if anyone is still looking for a room with our group block! And I still have a couple left at Caribbean Beach ($192/night).

I may or may not be needing a hotel room, so I wanted to check.

 

[Disneyslowrunner]

Good morning, runDisney all-stars!

I attempted to make a table service showdown bracket last night. First, the website we used for the rides tournament is no longer in existence. Second, I started a bracket on another site last night, came back to finish this morning and all my work was gone, so that's going to have to wait.

But Sundays are for Disney marches forward! For this week ... what's the best piece of runDisney advice you've been given or the most valuable thing you've learned? If you don't have any advice to share, what's a runDisney question you have for the group?

This can be anything related to runDisney, from registration, to what to pack, to navigating the expo, to balancing park time with race time, to what to expect on the courses, to how to survive DATW. And don't assume something is common knowledge!

I don't have a ton of advice to dispense, but I think one of the best things I ever did was run the marathon with no headphones/music on. There is so much to see, hear and experience that I really recommend not having any distractions and just taking it all in - even during the stretches outside of the parks.

Have a great week, everyone!

My advice is that if the forecast is cold, prepare for weather that is even colder. It isn't that it will be colder, but you sit outside for a REALLY long time and it can chill you to the bone and wear you down before you run a single step. It is for this reason alone that I used to get the race retreat, which to my knowledge they are not having this year. One you start running, the cold is nice, but personally I found the 2-3 hours waiting in the cold to be harder than the actual marathon. I haven't tried it myself yet, but some people get the cheap t-vek disposable suits, which I think are a great idea-effective against the wind, conserves body heat, and at only 5-10 dollars, they are a cheaper route and space saving than buying a ton of cheap or thrift store clothes to shed along the route. This is especially good for those doing Dopey.

You have two choices: don't go to the parks and aim for having better race times with less effort, or just accept that you are going to the parks and that your times will be slower and maybe a little more of a struggle. The first year, after a long time away from running, I way over did it every day before the marathon and suffered for it. Another year I didn't go to the parks that much and my time wasn't that much better, but it was a little easier. Since then, I plan to walk all day and go race. So, I add walking into my training schedule months before and just accept that Disney will not be my "A" race. I am going to Disney to have fun and save my PR races for other situations. For me, just accepting this helped me to relax and just enjoy the weekends much more instead of fretting about the weather, how my legs feel, how will I feel after the race, with my family get bored because I "need" to take it easy, etc. For me, marathon weekend is like a party where I happen to also be running. If it is your first marathon, however, I totally understand if none of this applies to you. The first time can just be a physical and mental struggle to conceive of completing a distance that far, but once you have done it a few times, I think it is more enjoyable to just let go of that anxiety.

Last thing piece of advice is for those who do not get a Proof of Time but know they will be faster than 5:30: Know the points in the race where you can easily pass people with less aggravation and less physical effort. Don't try to pass everyone during the first mile, instead use it to warm up wait until you get the entire highway on WDW Drive towards Magic Kingdom and then just settle into your normal pace. Also, know that when you get closer to the TTC, you will want to wait to pass until after you get past the Polynesian and make the turn off. After that, it usually opens up until the weird out and back (which is a bit cramped), and then after it gets progressively easier to pass for the rest of the marathon.

 

[tigger536]

My advice:

1. Get a POT if you can.
2. Bring cheap gloves even if the forecast is warm (this can change on a dime).
3. Have fun/ take pictures/ ride rides/ drink as much as your pace allows. Disney races are not for time (at least IMO). Run other races for that business.

 

[StarGirl11]

Since I was dealing with some of this, this morning one more piece of advice. I have no clue if anyone else here deals with it but maybe someone does or knows someone who does. So I'm still going to share this.

Please, if you have a medical condition that you think will be impacted by racing please contact runDisney to see if they can help in some form. Most major races have someone to deal with those who have temp or permanent disabilities and most are pretty good at their job. This includes runDisney. Depending on the issue and the needs depends on how they can help. But talking as someone whose done races before and after starting to deal with a persistent medical issue and talking to race people seeing if the race people can help really can improve your race experience if you need additional help on race mornings. Swallow the pride and email them, if they can help you you'll be glad you did.

This all came up because I was dealing with Marine Corps this morning. Unfortunately, the surgery I had in July which banned me from running for 3 straight weeks while my leg healed combined with the seeming ever-growing problem of my balance liking to randomly take vacations means I could no longer get to a 12:30 pace for the 50k reliably. Marine Corps granted me a medical exemption based on the information I gave them to downgrade me to the full marathon (a 13:45 pace which I can maintain even with the issue starting up).

Also I say most since I've had to deal with people who are supposed to be in chage of AWDs before who I seriously wonder if they ever do their jobs...

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Also personally actually I think its better to go out and go to the parks if you're doing Dopey as long as your tracking your mileage and how much your actually standing around. Why? Because it keeps the lactic acid from building up between races. I've done enough halfs that I can feel when I spent time walking after a race rather than just sitting around. I hurt a lot less if I've been walking then if I haven't. Which is key for the big one.

I agree. It took me less time to recover from all the Dopey soreness than it did from a local half marathon in which I did not go to the parks after the race. I was no longer sore from Dopey by the Wednesday after the marathon. Now at the same time, I tour the parks very differently before races. No long lines no matter how much I love the ride in question, frequent and lengthy sit breaks if I need to, and an early night.

Again, though each runner needs to learn what works best for them.


I've received so much good advice regarding running that it's very difficult to narrow it down to a single best piece, so here's mine in no particular order.

1. Carry my own hydration. Disney can run out, even if only temporarily. And sometimes I need to wet my throat to avoid coughing while my body adjusts to the early morning. Carrying my own hydration has literally prevented me from having much greater problems early on in races.

2. Run my race. Run at the pace I trained for and do not caught up in the excitement and not run faster than I'm actually able. Likewise, learn what is actually in me on race day. Sometimes that means accepting that my best pace that day is a lot slower than I want. My most difficult half marathon was my last race before Dopey. But I learned invaluable lessons that day that resulted in a far better marathon experience because I did not repeat the mistakes.

3. Train, practice, train, practice, train. It may seem self explanatory, but I learned during marathon training that my half marathon in race fueling had been insufficient from the very beginning. It never cost me in the half distance, but was proving problematic in training. And when mile 22 of the marathon came, I told myself that all those days when I wanted to be lazy, but went out anyways and put in those 4 mile runs were going to make all the difference now. I could run 4.2 miles because I had been running 4 miles 3-4 days a week for months.

4. If you're reading this, maybe you already know this part, but I'll say it here in case anyone is lurking. Join a running community. An online one such as this one here is just fine. Join the community and don't be afraid to ask questions. You will learn from others. I never would have even attempted the marathon if not for people showing me a path to the marathon that I could handle. And when my confidence fell part in marathon training after a series of bad runs, I knew I could be open and honest about what I felt and would received the feedback I needed.

5. Don't count the miles and learn the Jedi mind tricks needed to distract your brain. I found that long runs were much less difficult when I stopped counting miles. Or as the Star Tours luggage droid says "clear the thought, clear the bag." When a mile marker came, I would acknowledge it and move on.

6. Your mind is stronger than you realize. So when your body starts to feel fatigued, realize that your brain is in control and literally tell your body that you've got this and you will keep going. If you allow your mind to feel like you're done, then your body will quickly agree. Now I'm not advocating that you run through serious injury or risk of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, et all. Just learn to listen to your body and know the difference between "I'm tired and want to go back to bed" versus "there is something wrong right now that needs to be addressed."

 

[SarahDisney]

Love all the advice so far (even though I'd never run without headphones ... I love that some people do!).

Here's are additions:
- Don't expect to have a perfect experience. Most likely, something will go wrong. Things will not be exactly as you plan them to be. Know that that's a possibility and be okay with it. You can have a great experience even if things are not perfect.
- When you're packing, lay out your entire race outfit, including clothing, socks, shoes, hydration/fueling, and pack it all together. That way you give yourself the best chance of not forgetting something important. Don't be like me and forget your marathon water bottle (those of you who were on last year's thread may remember how that went ... still can't believe I survived the 10K while sick, panicking, and on like 2 hours of sleep).
- Take advantage of the fact that volunteers will refill your water bottle at water stops. You can take water and refill at the stations, Give yourself the best shot at being hydrated - if you run with a water bottle, it's better to have water in your bottle and not need it than to need water between stops and not have it.

 

[baxter24]

SAFD: Try as hard as you can to enjoy the experience. It may be really cold or really hot. It’s going to crowded. Do what you can to make the most of it. It could be stopping for a character, running without headphones, or just starting a conversation with someone while you are in the corrals. To me, it doesn’t get much better than running down Main Street or running around world showcase. So just embrace the suck because we know it can happen to anyone and enjoy the ride.

 

[LdyStormy76]

- Take advantage of the fact that volunteers will refill your water bottle at water stops. You can take water and refill at the stations, Give yourself the best shot at being hydrated - if you run with a water bottle, it's better to have water in your bottle and not need it than to need water between stops and not have it.

As an add on to Sarah’s comment, practice refilling the bottle while moving. It might take a few tries to become comfortable with opening, filing and reclosing while moving. I find I do better when I can grab a cup and top off my bottle while moving, but there are times the only option is to pause while a volunteer pours water in.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

5. Don't count the miles and learn the Jedi mind tricks needed to distract your brain.
6. Your mind is stronger than you realize.

+1 on 5 an 6! Not that 1-4 aren't valid, but 5 & 6 get down to the mental strength needed to finish a marathon.

 

[kirstie101]

Loving all these pearls of wisdom! Thank you!!!!!

 

[Andie16]

I’ve learned to idiot proof the race day morning routine as much as possible to allow for 2:30am grogginess. Says the person who brewed a cup of hotel room coffee directly on the tray, with no mug to catch it

 

[SarahDisney]

I’ve learned to idiot proof the race day morning routine as much as possible to allow for 2:30am grogginess. Says the person who brewed a cup of hotel room coffee directly on the tray, with no mug to catch it

You're better than I am. The morning of the 5K last year I got back to my hotel and was complaining to the concierge (I was staying club level) about the lack of coffee pre-race ... and then she reminded me that there's a Keurig in the room. I was too tired to notice the coffee maker in my room.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

SAFD: Really love the advice given so far. This is why I can't plan a runDisney weekend without these boards! Since most of the more important ones to me have been covered, I will just say to keep a big measure of gratitude in your pocket for what you are able to experience. There are a bunch of things that can set your teeth on edge during a runDisney race (the crowded sections of the course! the inconsiderate runners! the aches and pains you may be experiencing! the crazy early hours!), that I always try and remember how special this experience really is. Having a body that can run and train and get us through those miles is no small feat. Add to that, getting to do it in our happy place where we have so many wonderful memories is pretty dang cool. That's not to say that we can't complain when runDisney doesn't live up to its own standards, but keeping everything in perspective always helps me have a better race!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

- Don't expect to have a perfect experience. Most likely, something will go wrong. Things will not be exactly as you plan them to be. Know that that's a possibility and be okay with it. You can have a great experience even if things are not perfect.

Great point! I believe an important element of training is learning how to respond when a training run gets difficult or something goes awry.

+1 on 5 an 6! Not that 1-4 aren't valid, but 5 & 6 get down to the mental strength needed to finish a marathon.

I give you and @DopeyBadger tremendous credit for helping me learn how to cope mentally with what the marathon would entail. For good measure the night before the marathon, I listened to an interview with U.S. Olympic marathoner and 2016 Olympic Marathon top 10 finisher Jared Ward about the mental aspect. He noted a case where an experienced marathoner pulled off an incredible feat in brutal heat because their mind carried them past the breaking point. I think he said that if your mind gives up, then your body will follow suit quickly.

 

[Jason Bryer]

- Don't expect to have a perfect experience. Most likely, something will go wrong. Things will not be exactly as you plan them to be. Know that that's a possibility and be okay with it. You can have a great experience even if things are not perfect.

I think this is a great SAFD question. To add to this idea, find what works for you during training, but keep in mind everyone's suggestions here as they may come in handy. For my first DM, I ended up having some gastro issues and couldn't keep my gels down. I remember reading here someone suggesting walking the water stations. Disney provides gatorade (or similar, can't remember the exact brand) then water at each station. Remember this idea was a life saver. For the second half of the race I walked each station taking one or two sips of the gatorade followed by some water and I managed to finish.

To make my advice more succinct: don't do anything new on race day unless your body rejects the old. Remember the advice you read here.

 

[IamTrike]

Related to the SAFD question, I had a question about piece of advise I saw on the NY Marathon and wondered if anyone had tried it at Disney.

The advise was to bring something inflatable to sit and relax on while waiting. At NY the pre corral area at Disney is a lot more spread out and you have more time in it. People were talking about bringing inflatable rafts to lay on them while they waited. I don't think you'd have room in a Disney corral for a raft, but has anyone brought a small inflatable seat cushion to sit on while waiting in the corrals?

 

[SheHulk]

Related to the SAFD question, I had a question about piece of advise I saw on the NY Marathon and wondered if anyone had tried it at Disney.

The advise was to bring something inflatable to sit and relax on while waiting. At NY the pre corral area at Disney is a lot more spread out and you have more time in it. People were talking about bringing inflatable rafts to lay on them while they waited. I don't think you'd have room in a Disney corral for a raft, but has anyone brought a small inflatable seat cushion to sit on while waiting in the corrals?

I half this is is a good idea and half think it's more trouble than it's worth... Now, an inflatable E-Z chair...

 

[IamTrike]

I half this is is a good idea and half think it's more trouble than it's worth... Now, an inflatable E-Z chair...

Yeah, I've been thinking that would mean hauling it on the walk to the bus, then the long walk from the bus out to the corrals only to be able to sit in it for a little bit. I guess the value would depend on how long it takes from when you get in the corral to when it starts moving.

 

[Desdemona924]

Absolutely. And that can make all the difference. Sometimes my body does not like to eat food before 8:00am. For obvious reasons this can pose a major problem on race day. A runner recommended applesauce to me and it worked. The thing is, I don't really love applesauce. Well on marathon morning this year, I realized I had a problem. My stomach was clearly telling me that it did not want applesauce for a 4th consecutive morning. So while sitting in race retreat, I remembered reading about all the people who love a bagel with creamy peanut butter. I know the risk of nothing new on race day, but I also knew that my body liked the idea of a bagel with peanut butter and that was a better "risk" than something my stomach did not feel like again. It worked wonderfully for me.

Learn what works for you. Just because it works for me does not mean it will work for you. But without people sharing their experiences, I may have had a much bigger issue on marathon morning.

Related to the SAFD question, I had a question about piece of advise I saw on the NY Marathon and wondered if anyone had tried it at Disney.

The advise was to bring something inflatable to sit and relax on while waiting. At NY the pre corral area at Disney is a lot more spread out and you have more time in it. People were talking about bringing inflatable rafts to lay on them while they waited. I don't think you'd have room in a Disney corral for a raft, but has anyone brought a small inflatable seat cushion to sit on while waiting in the corrals?

I have not done anything inflatable, but I have done a blanket. My husband and I looked ridiculous this past January when it was so warm, carrying blankets to the bus, but it was nice to sit on something a little softer than the ground. Also, a lot easier than an inflatable to carry about. I'm a person that is going to the corrals as soon as they open, so I get a little more time to sit than someone who waits until the last second to hop in.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

Related to the SAFD question, I had a question about piece of advise I saw on the NY Marathon and wondered if anyone had tried it at Disney.

The advise was to bring something inflatable to sit and relax on while waiting. At NY the pre corral area at Disney is a lot more spread out and you have more time in it. People were talking about bringing inflatable rafts to lay on them while they waited. I don't think you'd have room in a Disney corral for a raft, but has anyone brought a small inflatable seat cushion to sit on while waiting in the corrals?

I have taken a small towel to the corral—just something big enough to keep from sitting on the cold ground (and to protect my race costume from snags and dirt).