Marathon Weekend 2024

[jrsharp21]

Are you eating right after your runs? I found even though I wasn’t hungry after running, training for a half, I had to eat otherwise I’d eat half my pantry later in the day. I’d start with a protein bar and then try for some other healthy options. Otherwise I’d eat unhealthy food. Do you know how good a ham and cheese Hot Pocket tastes after a long run (or both from the box?)

Agree on this strategy. What I like to do is that while I am cooling off, I grab a handful of peanut butter stuffed pretzels and a chocolate milk. I find that seems to hold back the urges to snack all day long.

Now when it's MW and after the long runs, it's all snacks go! That breakfast/pizza cone food truck back in the finishline/spectator area is the winner for the walk back to the car. LOL.

 

[azrivest]

Are you eating right after your runs? I found even though I wasn’t hungry after running, training for a half, I had to eat otherwise I’d eat half my pantry later in the day. I’d start with a protein bar and then try for some other healthy options. Otherwise I’d eat unhealthy food. Do you know how good a ham and cheese Hot Pocket tastes after a long run (or both from the box?)

Yes I brunch immediately after my long runs. I love my 3-hour runs cause they give me a good excuse to feast afterwards. I meant more that I wake up hungry in the morning and I get hungry for lunch around 11, even on days I don't run. I assume my metabolism is working in overdrive with all the running I've been doing. My Garmin says I burned 3400 calories yesterday!

 

[flav]

Yes I brunch immediately after my long runs. I love my 3-hour runs cause they give me a good excuse to feast afterwards. I meant more that I wake up hungry in the morning and I get hungry for lunch around 11, even on days I don't run. I assume my metabolism is working in overdrive with all the running I've been doing. My Garmin says I burned 3400 calories yesterday!

Yes, the hunger happens to me passed a certain running volume.

I accepted that lunch may be at 10:30AM, instead of snacking. Same goes with other meals: My running DD was sometimes eating the most when coming back from school at 4PM, so we make sure to have leftovers. Better eating early (first) dinner than to starve herself and/or to eat junk.

 

[Stitch&Co.]

Not sure that I'm eating a lot more or not, my mileage isn't anywhere near what some of you are doing (I'm slow), but am I supposed to be this tired? It's my first marathon training plan and things have gone well so far except my knees are starting to protest, but darn I'm getting tired. It seems like it just started to affect me in the last week or so. Peak mileage is this week and then things start to drop off a bit.

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: I mean, I’ve basically been ”tapering” for the past 11 months.

Yes, I always have a taper ahead of my long races. 2 weeks for a half, 3 is preferable for a full/Dopey, but I’ve made 2 work when weather got in the way. Effort stays medium to high, mileage low. Big focus on recovery and extra rest if my body demands it (and it usually does.)

 

[shellott-hill]

Lol. I am hungry all the time. I cannot even satisfy my hunger with eating 24/7. I remember this from past training plans. I just have to live feeling hungry...all the time.

As for feeling tired...yes. It can be a struggle to get through peak week when you are feeling sapped of all your energy. Just hold on, the taper is coming!!!

 

[striker1064]

anyone else in their Ravenous Era?

This was my favorite part of marathon training, bar-none.

 

[pluto377]

SAFD- Not running the marathon so I have a pretty short taper. Last long run is planned for Dec 22. I'm at the point now where I'm sick of long runs and questioning why I do this and wondering if it's too much of a slacker move to just do the 10K next year (2025)

 

[Bree]

SAFD: every plan I have ever used had a taper built in.

this is the first time I haven’t had the mileage munchies towards the end of marathon training. I’ve lost 20 pounds over this past year and I am doing a much better job with my day to day nutrition. I’m still indulging in holiday treats, but all I need is a couple bites and I’m good.

 

[Disneyhanna]

Not sure that I'm eating a lot more or not, my mileage isn't anywhere near what some of you are doing (I'm slow), but am I supposed to be this tired? It's my first marathon training plan and things have gone well so far except my knees are starting to protest, but darn I'm getting tired. It seems like it just started to affect me in the last week or so. Peak mileage is this week and then things start to drop off a bit.

Yes, I was very tired during my first marathon training cycle. Mine was really 1.5 cycles since I did an October Marathon and then Dopey in January. I am now doing my 2nd cycle and using the same plan/milage and same paces and I am way less tired and recovering much faster. I used to be sore for several days or even all week after 15+ mile runs, and now I'm sore the day of and maybe the day after at most. Is this muscle memory? Not sure, but I am finding it much easier the second time around. I will say, the marathon itself was like this for me too. My first marathon hit me like a truck for 3-4 days but the Dopey marathon barely left me sore, I was running up down those Cosmic Rewind stairs that evening!

I have very interesting running/eating habits for long runs. I am a night owl forced to live the 8-5 life, so on weekends I am sleeping in til noon and not starting my long runs until 1PM or later. And since I basically roll out of bed and go on those runs...I usually sneak in a bagel right before heading out if it's a long run and then am not having my first real meal until dinner somewhere around 6-7PM. Of course it is always a huge dinner! This always makes timing for Marathon Weekend very interesting, since I am getting up wayyyy earlier than my body is used to, and forcing down food when I'm usually still asleep, and eating dinner when I'd more often be eating lunch I had lofty expectations of fixing myself a bagel or English muffin or oatmeal before the races this year and in the end all I could manage was a banana in the corrals. Since I've gotten my allergies under control I no longer have to run fasted and unfueled at least, which I am thankful for. Don't know how I used to do that!

 

[RunWI1265]

11/28: 60
12/05: 61
12/12: 61
12/19: 48
12/26: 42
01/02: 27
1/9: Race Day

I just skimmed this post very quickly and thought you were posting FL temps for a second. My cold weather running loving self got excited. 27 degrees!? That would be something.

Epcot EEH was otherwise a bust

I've always thought Epcot is a tough one for EEH. Everything is so spread out and the nighttime show at park close means you are still fighting crowds during the EEH. Even worse when the rides are down.

SAFD: Not too much of a taper - These last three weeks align with my normal pattern of my weekly mileage so I don't know if it would technically be considered a taper. Currently in my "peak" week and crossing my fingers the ice stays away for the next few weeks so I can stay outside. In other news - Flipped to the last page of my training plan! Eeek!!

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

SAFD: I am doing a 2-week taper this cycle for the first time ever. I've always done a 3-week taper but my running coach this year told me to give his way a shot so I am. That puts my last two long runs this weekend and the next, at 18 and 20 respectively. I am moving each one to Saturday instead of Sunday to give myself an extra day of rest during the taper (and because I have lots of holiday/birthday parties the next two weekends which would make a Sunday morning long run difficult). The good news is that my plan has me taking 5 entire days off of running before the 5K for Dopey which I kind of love. I'll be done running on 12/29 and can just enjoy NYE and then fly to WDW on 1/2 and do whatever I want until the 5K.

 

[The Expert]

SAFD: I mean, I’ve basically been ”tapering” for the past 11 months.

SAME! 2023 started with Dopey and got dopier as it went. Utter chaos. I'll be there and I'll (slowly) finish, but I'm probably the least trained I've been in years.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAME! 2023 started with Dopey and got dopier as it went. Utter chaos. I'll be there and I'll (slowly) finish, but I'm probably the least trained I've been in years.

You mean I might be able to keep up with you?!

;-)

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAFD: I am doing a 2-week taper this cycle for the first time ever. I've always done a 3-week taper but my running coach this year told me to give his way a shot so I am. That puts my last two long runs this weekend and the next, at 18 and 20 respectively. I am moving each one to Saturday instead of Sunday to give myself an extra day of rest during the taper (and because I have lots of holiday/birthday parties the next two weekends which would make a Sunday morning long run difficult). The good news is that my plan has me taking 5 entire days off of running before the 5K for Dopey which I kind of love. I'll be done running on 12/29 and can just enjoy NYE and then fly to WDW on 1/2 and do whatever I want until the 5K.

<sigh> I guess I started tapering already since my last really long run (9 miles) was weeks ago before the MCM and my longest since has been 6 miles. OTOH, I've been doing rather regular 4, 5, and 6 mile runs during the week and weekends. For instance, 4.5 miles yesterday, another 4 today. Maybe less than ideal, but decent distances for myself. Which means that I have inadvertently wound up back in the HARM training regime. Just dang.

Oh, and I never considered time-sharing my photo pass, but I'll have some capacity on Sat and Sunday if anyone wants to chip in.

 

[The Expert]

You mean I might be able to keep up with you?!

;-)

I'm a proud founding member of Team Not-So-Fast! All are welcome.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

SAFD- Not running the marathon so I have a pretty short taper. Last long run is planned for Dec 22. I'm at the point now where I'm sick of long runs and questioning why I do this and wondering if it's too much of a slacker move to just do the 10K next year (2025)

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.

 

[jrsharp21]

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

 

[Disneyhanna]

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

This would be an absolutely dream. Manifesting this now! I would love to need hand warmers for the 5k after the sweat fest that was this year's 5k

 

[dobball23]

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

While the morning temps are nice, I am hoping the daytime highs are a little warmer after the runs are complete. But that is coming from someone who lives in Pennsylvania.