What is your biggest fear about Marathon weekend?

[DoctorK]

In ten years it
has never happened, but my biggest fear is oversleeping. This time I get to worry about it four mornings.

And the stakes have never been higher!

 

[WVUFan]

Dopey here. My only fear is losing the bib. This is my third marathon in four months.

This happened to me last year- after mile 25! I got to Morrocco to get my picture with Jasmine and no bib. I knew I had to have had it in France, so I went back and luckily it was on the ground somewhere in between. It did make me wonder what they would have done if I lost it. Especially since I had taken pictures at every character and at some of the clocks. Has this happened to anyone?

 

[belle2211]

This is my first full so I am nothing but full of fear.

I just ran Space Coast Half and my friend was running her first full. After I finished and while I was watching her, I was thinking "I'm really not sure I can do another half right after I just did one!"

I'm afraid of injury--my knee is hurting badly again....hoping my heel issues don't pop up again, plus my feet hurt after long runs (the bottoms even though I'm wearing insoles)

And I'm afraid of those last 6.2 miles (so much so that I'm thinking of changing my last long runs. I'm supposed to 19 12 20 12 8..thinking of doing 20 12 22 12 8) Although if this knee isn't feeling better I might not be doing a long run this weekend at all.

 

[bumbershoot]

-forgetting to pack something critical (I have never traveled for a race before)
- being in so much pain after that I can't enjoy the rest of my week at WDW!

I carried on everything I needed for TOT. Shoes (running shoes and Crocs for after the race), all of my options for race day clothing, even down to undergarments, socks, fuel (went in the 311 baggie), ponytail holders and little clips (I tend to put my ponytail up in a bun when I run so I don't smack people with a sweaty ponytail, yuck), just everything. I had so many different lists of those things all around the house!

I'll be doing the same thing for marathon weekend. Even though it won't include the marathon for me; DS and I are doing the 5K then two days later I do the Half (and he's got his Mickey Mile in between those days).

I figured I could buy everything else for the rest of the trip...clothes, other shoes, etc...but I didn't want to run in anything I hadn't run in before, so the things I had to have were carried on.




Again, this isn't for the actual marathon but for the weekend runs in general...I'm very afraid of sleeping through the Half. The 5K too, actually, because that would disappoint my son as well.

 

[goofeygirl]

This will be my first marathon so my fear is...everything!

-not finishing due to: injury, not having trained well enough, being sick, just being too slow, etc
-forgetting to pack something critical (I have never traveled for a race before)
- being in so much pain after that I can't enjoy the rest of my week at WDW!

I fear my last 2 long long runs of 18 and 20 miles just as much, if not more, than the race itself.

I was in the same boat this past January for the Goofy. I feared everything. This is what I concluded...
If you get swept for being too slow than so be it...you tried but you are aware of the 'Balloon ladies' who tail behind everyone and they cannot pass you and you are aware behind them is a swarm of white vans...the sweeper vans. But if you get swept, you walk away knowing you tried it and that's better than not doing it at all through fear.

Forgetting to pack something...just remember most of all to pack two pairs of sneakers if you are doing more than one race in Disney...because it could be pissing down rain one race and you don't want to start the next race with wet sneakers...so if you are doing more than one race than two pairs of sneakers to bring.

I too was afraid of being in sooooo much pain after the race...I was expecting major pain so I bought every kind of over the counter pain medicine for afterwards...to my surprise...I did feel pain for a few hours though after a hot shower and put on some compression socks, I later felt well enough to go to the MK and go on some rides...no problems.


If you are too sick then there is nothing you can do about it...just make sure you are not confusing a sickness with fear...fear can make you do anything...

Okay so here is something I experienced my first marathon this January...I had the runs!!!!! I was soooooo freeaakkken nervous I couldn't stay away from the pop's. I was standing in line for every pop stop! This was terrible...I was in coral h which was next to pop and I was constantly there...even when the race began...it was total nerves...it did stop but I was miserable at the beginning.

 

[cewait]

This happened to me last year- after mile 25! I got to Morrocco to get my picture with Jasmine and no bib. I knew I had to have had it in France, so I went back and luckily it was on the ground somewhere in between. It did make me wonder what they would have done if I lost it. Especially since I had taken pictures at every character and at some of the clocks. Has this happened to anyone?

I ripped a corner off mine early in the marathon and stopped at a med tent to poke a new hole. I wear a bib belt and will carry a safety pin on the belt from now on.

With regard to losing a bib and what happens.

Should you lose your bib (and timing chip) there is a procedure that you should follow. In the pre-bib-chip days, it was not uncommon to lose a chip during the race and never know it, especially the small plastic rental ones where Disney asked you to attach them with a zip tie. First call runDisney and let them know that you did not cross the line with your bib the week following the race. You may be able to do that in the finish area on race day, but it is honestly so chaotic that you will still need to contact runD post-race plus you will probably not figure out that you did not register on the finish mat until the results are posted. When you speak with the folks, let them know what you finish time was. The best way to document your finish time is to flip through the finish line photos until you see your photo and then get a few bib numbers of fellow runners in those photos. Give that data as well as a description of what you were wearing to the rD folks and they should then credit your finish time in that same time range. They will have your start time from your bib so you should get a chip and clock finish. In the event your chip fails to register crossing the start, you will only have a clock time.

 

[sunshinecruise]

I know this wasn't a marathon, but my first Disney race was last year at the Jingle Jungle 5k. I had bought a zebra stripe sports top to wear since the race was at Animal Kingdom. Well, the night before the race I was getting everything set out and I realized that I hadn't packed my sports bra! I couldn't really wear my regular bra with my zebra top because the straps show and it would look ridiculous. I ended up wearing my regular bra with the race shirt and it all worked out well, especially since it was only a 5k.
But I will definitely be making a detailed list and checking it twice or 5 or 6 times before the Princess half marathon.

 

[cimrk01]

Getting a painful side stitch that won't let up or having to go...

 

[steph0808]

I'm not doing the marathon this year - instead doing the Glass Slipper Challenge in February.

After getting the flu the Thursday before the marathon this year, my biggest fear this year is getting the flu again. So I already took the precaution of getting a flu shot! It basically added 2 hours to my time (well 45 minutes was stopping for photos, so an extra 1.25 hours because of the general horribleness I felt ).

 

[Navy Disney Fan]

This is my 27th Marathon and each one is special and I get nervous at each and every one. I fear oversleeping because we have to get up so early for the DISNEY Races. I did GOOFY 2011 and 2012 and it was hard enough to get up for 2 days so 4 days will be more challenging. Also fear it will get too hot like it did this last GOOFY!

 

[SAHDad]

Currently injured, so my only real fear is that I will not be really recovered when I get to the start line.

 

[ZellyB]

Currently injured, so my only real fear is that I will not be really recovered when I get to the start line.

Ditto here. Knee is not great due to IT band issues. It's slowly recovering, but I'm worried it won't be in good enough shape to finish 26.2.

 

[John VN]

I've thought long and hard about my biggest fear regarding Marathon Weekend and it would be that McD's runs out of M&Ms for my McFlurry and there is a beer shortage everywhere in EPCOT. OH, the agony.

McFlurry John

 

[cewait]

I've thought long and hard about my biggest fear regarding Marathon Weekend and it would be that McD's runs out of M&Ms for my McFlurry and there is a beer shortage everywhere in EPCOT. OH, the agony.

McFlurry John

Since Boston, you may want to add a big burley security detail preventing you from either heading down the hill or back up the hill. If you see security at the top of the hill, buy an extra bribe

 

[goofeygirl]

I've thought long and hard about my biggest fear regarding Marathon Weekend and it would be that McD's runs out of M&Ms for my McFlurry and there is a beer shortage everywhere in EPCOT. OH, the agony.

McFlurry John

You get a beer in Epcot too?

Well I would like to do that this time around...that was my plan last January...to stop and get something to drink at Epcot but it folded because I just wanted to cross the finish line at that point.

This time around, I wouldn't be able to do the McFlurry thing because I am too slow and that would take up too much time for me...but I would like to at least grab something at Epcot...like a frozen drink...whatever it is I feel like at the time...just cause.

I remember this girl came running out of some watering hole there with this nice looking chocolate frozen contraption ... a boozy thing...it looked good but I wasn't bothered to get one myself...so this time I want to do that...I hope.

 

[cewait]

You get a beer in Epcot too?

Well I would like to do that this time around...that was my plan last January...to stop and get something to drink at Epcot but it folded because I just wanted to cross the finish line at that point.

This time around, I wouldn't be able to do the McFlurry thing because I am too slow and that would take up too much time for me...but I would like to at least grab something at Epcot...like a frozen drink...whatever it is I feel like at the time...just cause.

I remember this girl came running out of some watering hole there with this nice looking chocolate frozen contraption ... a boozy thing...it looked good but I wasn't bothered to get one myself...so this time I want to do that...I hope.

The worst part about getting the McFlurry is not the time, its the hill that you have to climb back onto the race course. You need about half the McF to offset the energy used

 

[goofeygirl]

Yes I remember looking down the exit ramp and seeing the McDonalds and thinking...after 15miles into the race...that's too steep and too far! I didn't even think beyond climbing back up the ramp to get back into the race!
After 15 miles...exit and entrance ramps become mountains to me!

 

[afnaechiquita]

i am not running the marathon, but i have a pretty big fear with any race of missing my alarm. the last race i did, i spent the entire night dreaming twice of intense scenarios where i slept through it and woke up way after the race. and in fact, i did sleep through my alarm but made it to the start line just as the horn buzzed.

this morning i had another race, and i had the same set of dreams. in one of them, i woke up at 4 pm! thankfully i woke up right on time (actually i woke up every hour until it was the right hour) and made it in plenty of time.

i encourage you, if you can, have another person around to ensure you get up. if you're traveling to the race alone, have someone (who presumably loves you to also be waking up so early) call you to make sure you are up. i think if i could have that here, i would have much better pre-race day sleeps

 

[dburg30]

I'm worried about going to fast in the earlier races and then paying for it during the full. I'm running with 2 friends that are both a little bit faster than myself. I can see pushing myself to keep up with them, and then really struggling during the full.

I'm worried about injuries too. I have chronic knee issues and really hope they don't flare up during the races.

The too fast thing.. My long back to back dreadmill runs a couple of weeks ago I kept myself reigned in, and did my 10 on saturday and 20 on sunday and felt really good afterwards. I am doing the finish upright plan, so it will probably take me 3:10 for the 1/2 and almost 630 for the full.. at first it seemed i would be able to do 245 / 530 in my training but it was just making my recovery too slow, so I set a new goal to not rush, and to remember that whatever the finish time is, for the full it will be a PR for me!! Yea, 630 is a long time to be out there, but knowing i'll be able to walk trumps trying to do it faster... this year

 

[goofeygirl]

The too fast thing.. My long back to back dreadmill runs a couple of weeks ago I kept myself reigned in, and did my 10 on saturday and 20 on sunday and felt really good afterwards. I am doing the finish upright plan, so it will probably take me 3:10 for the 1/2 and almost 630 for the full.. at first it seemed i would be able to do 245 / 530 in my training but it was just making my recovery too slow, so I set a new goal to not rush, and to remember that whatever the finish time is, for the full it will be a PR for me!! Yea, 630 is a long time to be out there, but knowing i'll be able to walk trumps trying to do it faster... this year

Finish injury free is goal number one.

Having said that...what you do at home on a treadmill is never as good (usually) as what you do in an actual race. The energy in the air is pumping.