General Dopey Questions

[pixarmom]

Mylar blanket review here! I have a stash of runDisney mylar blankets from previous races and they are great, but I want to save them for Marathon Weekend so I bought some of the mylars from Amazon for the Super Heroes Half. At least the ones I bought (12 for $8.99) were not anywhere near as warm as the runDisney mylars. So glad I used the Amazon ones for 65 degree start in DL and saved the old runDisney ones for who-knows-what-starting-temps in January!

As for my Dopey plan, it's a little different from most. I travel with my family and although we've been AP holders for a few years, they are an active bunch at WDW and elsewhere! In addition, our youngest struggles with high functioning autism and needs my assistance during the day and especially when traveling. So similar to @DopeyBadger, I commit to being as fully present as possible for family activities post-run. That said, our park time will be at a slightly more relaxed pace than usual and we'll wrap up the day early (or at least I will - our teens may venture out in the evening.) So our plan is:

5K, MK time, dinner at resort, back to room by 8pm
10K, Epcot time, dinner near resort, back to room by 8pm
Half, DHS time, dinner near resort, back to room by 8pm

This is my first Dopey, my second marathon and I've lost count of how many half marathons, 10Ks and 5Ks I've run over time. So I'm no Dopey expert and we'll see how it goes! Last weekend, I ran the DL Super Heroes half with our oldest and followed that with 12 hours at California Adventure. I woke up the next morning feeling great - granted, I woke up at 6am and not at 3am but it was the same amount of sleep (7 hours) that I plan to get pre-Dopey marathon. But I did feel like I could run a marathon and that may have been because I ran the half at a slow pace, moved through the park at a relaxed pace and was tired enough at the end of it all to sleep really well!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I feel like they have been stingy with the Mylar blankets lately - not impressed by that! I wouldn't count on always getting those after a race.

Really? Come to think of it, in 2016, DH didn't get one after two races-he was ranting last night about how he got them for the shorter races (5K and 10K) but then not for the half and full marathons. As far as going to parks beforehand, DH hung out at the resort for 4 days, either in the room or down in the hot tub for a little time. But then again, he's 64, and although he's run Marathons, this Dopey was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him. He envys the "young bucks" who can enter parks and run the Dopey.

 

[Ariel484]

Really? Come to think of it, in 2016, DH didn't get one after two races-he was ranting last night about how he got them for the shorter races (5K and 10K) but then not for the half and full marathons. As far as going to parks beforehand, DH hung out at the resort for 4 days, either in the room or down in the hot tub for a little time. But then again, he's 64, and although he's run Marathons, this Dopey was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him. He envys the "young bucks" who can enter parks and run the Dopey.

YES!! Kind of drives me nuts. In 2015, I didn't get mylar blankets at all after any of the races in January, and it was chilly that weekend! Temperatures in the 30s for the 5K...they should have had them.

 

[Ariel484]

@Anisum @pixarmom that's an interesting idea with getting the blankets from Amazon, never thought of that!

 

[rteetz]

YES!! Kind of drives me nuts. In 2015, I didn't get mylar blankets at all after any of the races in January, and it was chilly that weekend! Temperatures in the 30s for the 5K...they should have had them.

I got one after the 5K or half I can't remember but I definitely got one after one of my races this year. I also got one in 2015 for the 10K. It's weird that they like only give them out at certain races or certain times. Luckily I've saved the ones I've gotten.

 

[PrincessV]

Yep, I'm one who buys Mylar blankets on Amazon after getting burned by rD not handing them out after a cold race. Best race investment I ever made! I like the cheapo ones - they fold down into tiny little packages and still do a great job of retaining body heat. The key is to start using it before you get cold; they don't produce heat, but trap it. But I also wear throwaway clothes if it's cold, so the Mylar is just the outer layer.

 

[pixarmom]

YES!! Kind of drives me nuts. In 2015, I didn't get mylar blankets at all after any of the races in January, and it was chilly that weekend! Temperatures in the 30s for the 5K...they should have had them.

Yes, yes and yes! Why no mylar blankets after the 2015 races? Boo! I remember the freezing cold of the 5K, particularly because my teen boys were in full Elsa and Anna dresses (before costume restrictions) and our oldest was super crabby about the freezing temps. It was hilarious because he was dressed as Elsa (wig included) and we had fun saying "The cold doesn't bother him anyway." Needed those mylars!!!

 

[Sailormoon2]

On the topic of "doing the parks" or not, I TRIED to tour at my usual Go, go, go pace after both races at Wine & Dine (I did the Challenge) and I HAD to go back to the hotel in the afternoon for naps, even with that extra sleeping time I couldn't make it to see Wishes at MK. I was in bed asleep by 10pm both nights, and the only reason that worked out well was because of the Daylight Savings time change. Typically though, I need to keep moving after races (or any exercise) to feel good, but the exhaustion caught up to me.

 

[Ariel484]

On the topic of "doing the parks" or not, I TRIED to tour at my usual Go, go, go pace after both races at Wine & Dine (I did the Challenge) and I HAD to go back to the hotel in the afternoon for naps, even with that extra sleeping time I couldn't make it to see Wishes at MK. I was in bed asleep by 10pm both nights, and the only reason that worked out well was because of the Daylight Savings time change. Typically though, I need to keep moving after races (or any exercise) to feel good, but the exhaustion caught up to me.

Yeah, for me there's a sweet spot between moving enough to work out post-race soreness but not TOO much. And I have found (again, FOR ME) that it's impossible to keep "normal" park hours after getting up at 3AM on consecutive days. Something has to give - early bed time, a nap I wouldn't normally take, whatever. It was hard for me to accept the first few times I did challenges but I sort of know to expect that by now.

Related note: I NEED a non-race trip to WDW/DL at some point here.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Related note: I NEED a non-race trip to WDW/DL at some point here.

We have decided to go in September of 2017. Low crowds, nice and hot, lower prices. Can't wait!

 

[Ariel484]

We have decided to go in September of 2017. Low crowds, nice and hot, lower prices. Can't wait!

Some day I will do this...some day. Husband prefers DCL to the parks so that is how we've been getting our non-running Disney fix over the past couple of years.

 

[pixarmom]

Some day I will do this...some day. Husband prefers DCL to the parks so that is how we've been getting our non-running Disney fix over the past couple of years.

Quick warning - since I started doing the runDisney races, I always feel like something is missing during non-race visits. I miss the expo. I miss running. I miss all the race shirts and wearing running clothes every day, all the time! I keep saying things like, "remember when we ran through this part . . . " or "during the marathon at this part . . ." or "they put up a big screen there."

 

[cavepig]

Another thing we bring if it may be cold is those little hand heat packs they sell for like hunters or football games. You can use them to keep your hands warm or wherever. I had some on me before the 2015 marathon for waiting in the corral as it was a little chilly waiting.

 

[PrincessV]

Another thing we bring if it may be cold is those little hand heat packs they sell for like hunters or football games. You can use them to keep your hands warm or wherever. I had some on me before the 2015 marathon for waiting in the corral as it was a little chilly waiting.

YES!!! Thx for the reminder - I need to track some down...

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Quick warning - since I started doing the runDisney races, I always feel like something is missing during non-race visits. I miss the expo. I miss running. I miss all the race shirts and wearing running clothes every day, all the time! I keep saying things like, "remember when we ran through this part . . . " or "during the marathon at this part . . ." or "they put up a big screen there."

I run every day when on WDW vacations. It makes me miss the races less.

 

[VAfamily1998]

RE Late Check out:

I've only asked once--at the Wilderness Lodge for Princess Weekend. They VERY begrudgingly allowed me an extra half hour.

Do you know approx. how fast you will be able to finish the marathon, and approx. which corral you will be placed in? Some of the last few corrals don't start the race until about an hour or so after the first few corrals start, so which corral you start in can have a huge effect on what time you will get back to your resort.

Which resort are you staying in? I know some of the pools/excercise rooms have showers, so if you really don't have time to shower in your room before standard checkout, you can maybe shower there?