Marathon Weekend 2025

[DopeyBadger]

Thank you. This is GREAT to know. Truth be told, I would even be fine during the marathon if I had to slow down to my easy pace. As long as I don't need to walk. This is not a knock against run-walk, but I hated the feeling of wanting to run and not being able to do so.

My recollection was like a 1:57 HM PR for you (8:55 min/mile). So that's a 4:04 M (best case, and less than 6% hit that) in a standalone (9:18 m/m). More realistic is a 4:11 (9:34 m/m) when fully trained or 4:20 when average trained. Your Hanson's LR pace is around 10:08 and easy pace around 10:30-11:10. I think a reasonable best case Dopey M pace is something like M Tempo + 10%, assuming the other days are taken as non-easy. That would be 9:18*110%= 10:15 min/mile. So I think LR pace for a Dopey M would be a relatively hard effort, and doing something closer to easy pace is a realistic goal. If the goal is merely, "I don't want to walk" then run at a 12-13 min/mile. The slower you go relatively speaking, the easier the marathon will be.

 

[SheHulk]

I'm in the Philly area too and have been curious about doing this. I think my biggest mental hangup to registering is the variability in the weather in November. As I recall 2022 was unseasonably cold in the 20s, and 2023 was unseasonably warm in the 70s, neither of which sound ideal for running 26.2 (although given the choice I would absolutely take 70s). Is my recollection correct?

How many times have you done Philly? Do you find the weather to be an issue?

As an aside, do you run Broad Street? (Cinco de Mayo this year!)

I've run the Philly Marathon once, and the half on that weekend many times! I don't remember the weather being warm for the half this past year. Pretty normal, windy. But 2022 was really, really cold with very strong winds if I remember correctly. I ran the full marathon in 2021 and it was perfect for me! My perfect race weather is high 40s. My biggest gripe with these races (and I think others as well), is the security at race start. It is always a bottleneck and seems to be worse each year. That's probably my fault, as I keep showing up later and later. If you get there on the early side, it's fine. The race itself is great, in my opinion. Way easier to get into than the world majors, but still a pretty big, big city race.

I'm running Broad Street! Are you? I think @Novatrix is too! There are usually a few of us each year. Love that race, and I'm glad it's back up to full numbers (40k)!

 

[Naomeri]

Are you not able to register both people at one time? So each registration has to be completed separately?

That is correct, you pick the race for Person A, fill out all the required info, then you can go and pick the race for Person B, fill out all the required info, then pay. But if the race for Person A sells out while you’re filling out the info for Person B, Person A is out of luck.

Alternatively, you can do everything for Person A, including pay, and then go do everything for Person B, and pay for them separately. But in that case, Person B’s race might sell out while you’re filling out their registration and you’re left with a scenario of Person A gets to run and Person B doesn’t.

So you have to decide your priorities before registration: does everyone HAVE to run in order to have a “successful” run-cation, or are certain people ok with maybe missing out?

 

[SheHulk]

Tomorrow I'm trying to get Goofy for me and a friend. If we don't get that, we will fall back to the full marathon. Really hoping to get Goofy though. This was the first year I was really tempted by Dopey, but it's just too many days of early wake ups for me.

 

[kps7795]

My recollection was like a 1:57 HM PR for you (8:55 min/mile). So that's a 4:04 M (best case, and less than 6% hit that) in a standalone (9:18 m/m). More realistic is a 4:11 (9:34 m/m) when fully trained or 4:20 when average trained. Your Hanson's LR pace is around 10:08 and easy pace around 10:30-11:10. I think a reasonable best case Dopey M pace is something like M Tempo + 10%, assuming the other days are taken as non-easy. That would be 9:18*110%= 10:15 min/mile. So I think LR pace for a Dopey M would be a relatively hard effort, and doing something closer to easy pace is a realistic goal. If the goal is merely, "I don't want to walk" then run at a 12-13 min/mile. The slower you go relatively speaking, the easier the marathon will be.

My HM PR (on a lengthened course...of course I have to include that caveat) is actually 1:52:23. I'm doing a base building period until the end of May at which point I think that I'm going to follow your lead and do a dedicated Jack Daniel's 5K training program to work on my speed. That should take me through summer and then start a Hanson's marathon program in the second week of September. I plan on doing a 10K to give me my fitness predictor and I'll use that to guide my runs. That's what I did before this HM and it worked out well for me.

 

[DianaMB333]

My goal for the marathon is to run as fast as I can between picture stops and try to time it so that I reach AK when the park opens in order to maximize my chances at riding Everest. Nonetheless, my focus (and the reason that I posed the question in the first place) is not having a repeat of my Goofy Challenge experience in 2023. I had a wonderful half marathon with my daughter using run-walk at her pace, so it wasn't very fast. Nonetheless, I woke up the next morning with a sore ankle and I hoped that it wouldn't bother me too much during the marathon. By Mile 15/16, I couldn't run more than a few feet without feeling terrible pain on the bottom of my foot. It was so bad that I was afraid that I might have a fracture, yet I could still walk with minimal discomfort. Hence, I walked the remainder of the race (except for a few feet whenever I saw a Photopass photographer).

After a lot of soul and sole searching, I believe that the foot pain was caused by not being properly trained for the Challenge. I might have been fine for the HM or even the full marathon, but not the combined two day event. For my last HM, I used the Hanson's method and I believe that the cumulative fatigue prepared my feet and legs to withstand the miles. This was the impetus for my question in the first place. How fast can I go in the HM without risking a repeat of my Goofy Challenge experience.

At this point, my plan is to run the 5K and the 10K at my easy pace and the HM at my Long Run pace. I looked over my training logs and I did a 12 mile Long Run while we were at Universal Orlando in December and then walked an additional ten miles at the parks that day. I distinctly remember not having any discomfort at all that day or the following day. I believe that it's all about the proper pacing and having your body prepared for the miles.

I appreciate your thoughts regarding this plan of attack. Do you think that I could race the 5K and/or 10K without risking putting too much stress on my feet? I am frankly feeling a tremendous amount of anxiety (nine months out!) about a repeat of my Goofy Challenge debacle. So, I have the angel on one shoulder telling me to focus on the marathon experience and play it safe while the devil is saying to go for it and minimize my wait times for pictures by running faster than easy pace.

just in case you want to check more on feet issues, this week Peter Attia podcast with Courtney Conley seems good..

 

[garneska]

I've done five marathons -- all at Disney World -- is this the year I try my first elsewhere? Or do I lay off the marathons until Dopey 2026?

Definitely do one somewhere else.

 

[Waiting2goback]

24.5 hours out and I don’t know if I want to register for the 10K, Half, or nothing at all. My emotion regarding this MW can best be described as ambivalent lol! Priority is helping my friend get into Goofy, and even if I don’t do any races, I’ll still be there to spectate and socialize. But will I be disappointed later if I don’t register for anything???

Same for me. I’m on the fence. Do I do Goofy, Dopey, or nothing. My back has started bothering me recently and I’m concerned about running all those miles in pain. But I’m also concerned if I don’t do it this year I may never get to.

I have no idea what to register for (or if to register for) MW 2025 and I have until 8 PM tonight to decide to use my CrD benefits. I am pretty depressed right now and not looking forward to anything but am worried about FOMO. Sigh.

FOMO is a huge factor for me this year. I feel like I’ll be fine if I don’t register but I also feel when the medals are announced I’ll feel jealous and then when MW actually starts I’ll be wishing I was there.

 

[jrsharp21]

That is correct, you pick the race for Person A, fill out all the required info, then you can go and pick the race for Person B, fill out all the required info, then pay. But if the race for Person A sells out while you’re filling out the info for Person B, Person A is out of luck.

Alternatively, you can do everything for Person A, including pay, and then go do everything for Person B, and pay for them separately. But in that case, Person B’s race might sell out while you’re filling out their registration and you’re left with a scenario of Person A gets to run and Person B doesn’t.

So you have to decide your priorities before registration: does everyone HAVE to run in order to have a “successful” run-cation, or are certain people ok with maybe missing out?

Perfect! This is exactly the info I needed for my friend. I will pass it along to her.

 

[AJollyHoliday]

I'm in the Philly area too and have been curious about doing this. I think my biggest mental hangup to registering is the variability in the weather in November. As I recall 2022 was unseasonably cold in the 20s, and 2023 was unseasonably warm in the 70s, neither of which sound ideal for running 26.2 (although given the choice I would absolutely take 70s). Is my recollection correct?

How many times have you done Philly? Do you find the weather to be an issue?

As an aside, do you run Broad Street? (Cinco de Mayo this year!)

It's been awhile since I ran Philly marathon, but I ran the half 2 times and the full 2 times. Back when I ran Philly, the half and full started together. I liked it because my sister did the half and I ran the full so we ran together. That time of year is my favorite because it is nice and cool. In those 4 times running it (last time was 2014 so it has been 10 years), the weather was cold and sunny. Interestingly, I have run Hartford half twice and the full once and 2 out of those 3 it was raining and in the 40s the whole race. I find that November tends to be less rainy and just cooler.

I love reading all these tips and posts. Silly question, but can someone tell me what SAFD means? The internet is telling me it is the San Antonio Fire Department but I don't think that is what you mean .

I am bummed that the POT for this race is due at the start of summer. I will plan to use my past princess times, but I would have loved just one more chance to run a half for a time. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with the POT I used for princess (2:10) and for my princess 10k and 1/2 times. Just wanted another chance to improve. My pre-second cancer 1/2 time was consistently under 2 hours, but I am honoring that it has been 4 years and I am still rebuilding to where I was. Also this past treatment resulted in a rare lung reaction that left me breathless just walking across the room and resulted in hospital stays. It can be hard to remember where we started and where we have gotten sometimes and I keep reminding myself that I have come far and I am not done!

 

[Baloo in MI]

Are you not able to register both people at one time? So each registration has to be completed separately?

You can register multiple ppl at once. But it gets a bit more complicated if the person you are registering is over 18. My DD is still a minor so I am able to keep her in my account but for my other DD and wife I booked them and then had to get their registrations connected their accounts and email. It worked out, just took a bit more work post the registration.

 

[Bree]

For those that are trying to figure out what to register for….

Goofy 2025 is an anniversary year. They usually gift us with a free luggage tag for anniversary races

 

[dobball23]

If you’re close to Philadelphia, or willing to travel, I can’t say enough good things about the Philadelphia Marathon! I think we had a SAFD on our favorite non Disney races and I mentioned this one. It’s a very close second on my favorite weekend of the year (with Marathon Weekend first) and they have plenty of challenges between the races if you still want a challenge medal!

I am about three hours from Philadelphia. But I have considered if I might sign up for it. I appreciate your insight!

If I do sign up for Philadelphia, it will be weird to have a light running load in December.

 

[Waiting2goback]

For those that are trying to figure out what to register for….

Goofy 2025 is an anniversary year. They usually gift us with a free luggage tag for anniversary races

Is it ten years?

 

[disland7]

prepping for registration tomorrow. I know I've read about skipping POT during registration and then put it in later. What is the process/rules for that? My husband definitely wants to use his POT but I'd also like to increase my chances of getting all 6 of us signed up for our respective races.

 

[AJollyHoliday]

prepping for registration tomorrow. I know I've read about skipping POT during registration and then put it in later. What is the process/rules for that? My husband definitely wants to use his POT but I'd also like to increase my chances of getting all 6 of us signed up for our respective races.

You can log into your runDisney account and enter your POT at a later date.

 

[kps7795]

@DopeyBadger Could we entice you into another Dopey Challenge for next year? Perhaps go the route of the Ultimate Dopey Challenge focusing on pictures, rides and snacks.

 

[Desdemona924]

Is it ten years?

20

 

[Waiting2goback]

For those that are trying to figure out what to register for….

Goofy 2025 is an anniversary year. They usually gift us with a free luggage tag for anniversary races

Is it ten years?

I found my answer, nevermind. It's 20. Can't believe how fast that went by.

 

[runwithperseverence7]

I feel unprepared, I’ve only got my phone and two laptops. My daughter broke her screen on her iPad and I don’t have it it’s getting fixed. The anxiety is real and that says a lot about me because I don’t normally get anxious about things.

@Herding_Cats like you, I’m a super planner too. I would struggle if other people other than my family were coming on this trip. I’ll have everything planned before I even start training