Marathon Weekend 2016

[Ariel484]

Way to go @Neoflynn!!

If that's your biggest regret you are doing some clean living!

A race is a little like Titanic that close to the end. Every once in a while you have to be Kate Winslet and watch poor Leo slip off the floaty. No reason for both of you to go down (unless, of course, pre-race promises have been made).

That Titanic thing is hilarious. And true!

 

[RunDisneyDad]

Every once in a while you have to be Kate Winslet and watch poor Leo slip off the floaty.

I've been Leo a couple of times and I didn't blame my Kate's for dropping me. It happens.

I'm guessing @IamTrike was bummed because he had to drop his running partner so close to the finish line.

 

[kevdad]

There is a lot of conflicting information out there.

http://runnersconnect.net/running-t...-strategy-for-the-marathon-and-half-marathon/

I think a lot of the conflicting information can be chalked-up to the fact that there is no "one size fits all" in running. What may work great for one person may be a complete disaster for another, particularly when it concerns running 26.2 miles. Most people need to test different strategies and figure out what works best for them in training and on race day.

 

[roxymama]

Oddball question...but still related to marathon weekend. Has anyone who has attended this weekend in the past gone swimming at your hotel? Is it too cold for that or is it borderline? We will be coming from the probably freezing Chicago climate. I may need to go ask someone on the BayLake Tower and Contemporary hotel threads if the pools there are heated.

Any feedback on past experience would be great. I LOVE swimming and so does my kiddo but I was just not sure about the weather. (I'm guessing it could change day to day too...maybe no point in me asking right???)

 

[JClimacus]

Oddball question...but still related to marathon weekend. Has anyone who has attended this weekend in the past gone swimming at your hotel? Is it too cold for that or is it borderline? We will be coming from the probably freezing Chicago climate. I may need to go ask someone on the BayLake Tower and Contemporary hotel threads if the pools there are heated.

Any feedback on past experience would be great. I LOVE swimming and so does my kiddo but I was just not sure about the weather. (I'm guessing it could change day to day too...maybe no point in me asking right???)

The pools are heated to 80 degrees I believe. No problem swimming in the winter. They even heat the water parks. We went to Typhoon Lagoon and virtually had the place to ourselves in the week after the marathon.

 

[derekleigh]

So now that the deadline for POT is here, did everyone submit their times and did everyone run a time they had hoped for?

 

[roxymama]

The pools are heated to 80 degrees I believe. No problem swimming in the winter. They even heat the water parks. We went to Typhoon Lagoon and virtually had the place to ourselves in the week after the marathon.

That is fantastic information. Thank you!

 

[RunDisneyDad]

So now that the deadline for POT is here, did everyone submit their times and did everyone run a time they had hoped for?

I did, but mine was way back in March.

 

[PrincessV]

Oddball question...but still related to marathon weekend. Has anyone who has attended this weekend in the past gone swimming at your hotel? Is it too cold for that or is it borderline? We will be coming from the probably freezing Chicago climate. I may need to go ask someone on the BayLake Tower and Contemporary hotel threads if the pools there are heated.

Any feedback on past experience would be great. I LOVE swimming and so does my kiddo but I was just not sure about the weather. (I'm guessing it could change day to day too...maybe no point in me asking right???)

Depends who you ask and what kind of weather is happening. As a Floridian, no - I don't swim between about Nov. and May; too cold for my thin blood. But back in 2010, the year it snowed - SNOWED! - over marathon weekend? I was at a SSR bus stop, wearing about 5 layers of wool and down, and there were kids swimming in the pool behind me. FYI the wind chill factor at the time was 23*.
So yeah - YMMV lol! As mentioned, the pools are heated.

So now that the deadline for POT is here, did everyone submit their times and did everyone run a time they had hoped for?

Meh, good enough. My PoT is based on a half from last Dec.; it's been way too hot down here to run anything recent that could even come close to that Dec. time, so it'll have to do.

 

[IamTrike]

There is a lot of conflicting information out there. But the reality is that the best runners in the world all run negative splits in marathons - in training and in their races. Here is an article that talks about it, but I encourage anyone that wants to improve their long distance race times to do some research. You really do have to practice this for it to work, but it works.

The worst strategy to produce a PR is to "bank time". Running faster in the first half of any race than you are prepared to run the entire distance hurts far more than it helps and can cause a death march finish.

http://runnersconnect.net/running-t...-strategy-for-the-marathon-and-half-marathon/

I run negative splits during a lot of my training runs. The group of guys that I run with vet our strategy with our really fast friend. He's currently working on qualifying for the olympics and at his last half marathon was 20 seconds behind Meb at the 10k mark. His advice is usually pretty solid.

In this case we trained to hit a 3:30 and so our debate is whether we run with the 3:30 or 3:35 pace group. My inclination is to start with the pace group for where we want to finish. If we broke away from the 3:35 group at mile 8 or 10 I think realistically our best case would be 3:32. Fast guy basically said that'd be a good strategy for us. I think it's a case of there being no really good solutions. If we start at 3:35 and I don't fall apart I'll feel like I should have shot for 3:30. If I start at 3:30 and bonk in the last 6 miles I'll be ticked at myself for not starting slower.

Yes elites do run negative splits, but they aren't that negative. If you look at Dennis K's world record run his second half was about 40 seconds faster than his first.

Oddball question...but still related to marathon weekend. Has anyone who has attended this weekend in the past gone swimming at your hotel? Is it too cold for that or is it borderline? We will be coming from the probably freezing Chicago climate. I may need to go ask someone on the BayLake Tower and Contemporary hotel threads if the pools there are heated.

Any feedback on past experience would be great. I LOVE swimming and so does my kiddo but I was just not sure about the weather. (I'm guessing it could change day to day too...maybe no point in me asking right???)

We've stayed at the contemporary a couple of times for Marathon weekend and have used the pool every year. We weren't there for 2010 (I think that was the Marathon weekend on ice year) but we were there in 2011. I think that was the coldest it's been on one of our trips. I was the only person in the pool, but I still used it.

 

[LSUlakes]

So now that the deadline for POT is here, did everyone submit their times and did everyone run a time they had hoped for?

Got mine in and printed the page saying you submitted a time with projected finish time. My best POT was from a Nov. 2014, which seems like a long time ago.

 

[FFigawi]

In this case we trained to hit a 3:30 and so our debate is whether we run with the 3:30 or 3:35 pace group. My inclination is to start with the pace group for where we want to finish. If we broke away from the 3:35 group at mile 8 or 10 I think realistically our best case would be 3:32. Fast guy basically said that'd be a good strategy for us. I think it's a case of there being no really good solutions. If we start at 3:35 and I don't fall apart I'll feel like I should have shot for 3:30. If I start at 3:30 and bonk in the last 6 miles I'll be ticked at myself for not starting slower.

I'd start with the 3:30 group. You'll have to run faster than that pace to hit 3:30 if you start with the people at 3:35. Starting too fast would be heading out as if you were shooting for 3:25. If 3:30 is what you've trained for and been working towards, run at that pace for as long as you possibly can. And then keep going.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Yes elites do run negative splits, but they aren't that negative.

Agreed - you can't make up 3-5 minutes when your legs are more tired, but you can make up 1 minute.

I run the first 4-5 miles about 15-20 seconds per mile slower than my goal pace. I run my last 4-5 miles 15-20 seconds per mile faster than my goal pace. When things go well, this produces about a 3 minute negative split and I feel awesome finishing strong like that instead of feeling like I am fading - but I am far from "elite".

 

[IamTrike]

I think a lot of the conflicting information can be chalked-up to the fact that there is no "one size fits all" in running. What may work great for one person may be a complete disaster for another, particularly when it concerns running 26.2 miles. Most people need to test different strategies and figure out what works best for them in training and on race day.

For me I find the strategies even vary from race to race. What works for me somewhere else won't necessarily work at Disney. I think there are really a ton of variables, training, taper, temperature, topography... and those are just some of the ones that start with T.

I'd start with the 3:30 group. You'll have to run faster than that pace to hit 3:30 if you start with the people at 3:35. Starting too fast would be heading out as if you were shooting for 3:25. If 3:30 is what you've trained for and been working towards, run at that pace for as long as you possibly can. And then keep going.

That's what I'm thinking. At this point I think I'm just nervous and second guessing my training and myself. I won't really know till race day.

Agreed - you can't make up 3-5 minutes when your legs are more tired, but you can make up 1 minute.

I run the first 4-5 miles about 15-20 seconds per mile slower than my goal pace. I run my last 4-5 miles 15-20 seconds per mile faster than my goal pace. When things go well, this produces about a 3 minute negative split and I feel awesome finishing strong like that instead of feeling like I am fading - but I am far from "elite".

I would love to be able to run like this. I usually suck a maintaining a pace. I have to stick myself by a pacer to be constant at close to goal pace.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I would love to be able to run like this. I usually suck a maintaining a pace. I have to stick myself by a pacer to be constant at close to goal pace.

Thing is - I do it without thinking about a "pace" per say. I think about effort. I have learned that I run more consistently if I only check my pace once per mile at most and just trust the way that my body feels when running. Of course, this only works for me when I am training to hit a specific pace in my race. My other runs prepare my body for the pace, and then I just run.

Like Sunday - I felt awesome on my 12 miler and every mile was within 5 seconds of the others, but I didn't check my pace but twice during the run. I had my mind set to run moderately hard since I am training for the Dopey, and I hit my goal pace within 2 seconds/mile. I hate checking my Garmin during my runs - adds unneeded pressure.

 

[IamTrike]

Thing is - I do it without thinking about a "pace" per say. I think about effort. I have learned that I run more consistently if I only check my pace once per mile at most and just trust the way that my body feels when running. Of course, this only works for me when I am training to hit a specific pace in my race. My other runs prepare my body for the pace, and then I just run.

Like Sunday - I felt awesome on my 12 miler and every mile was within 5 seconds of the others, but I didn't check my pace but twice during the run. I had my mind set to run moderately hard since I am training for the Dopey, and I hit my goal pace within 2 seconds/mile. I hate checking my Garmin during my runs - adds unneeded pressure.

That's awesome. I really wish I could do this.

 

[rteetz]

Oddball question...but still related to marathon weekend. Has anyone who has attended this weekend in the past gone swimming at your hotel? Is it too cold for that or is it borderline? We will be coming from the probably freezing Chicago climate. I may need to go ask someone on the BayLake Tower and Contemporary hotel threads if the pools there are heated.

Any feedback on past experience would be great. I LOVE swimming and so does my kiddo but I was just not sure about the weather. (I'm guessing it could change day to day too...maybe no point in me asking right???)

Last year during marathon weekend it was quite cold. It did start warming up during Saturday and Sunday tho and I took a swim in the quiet pool at POR. I'm hoping it's a little warmer this year because we are at yacht club and I want to experience that pool.

 

[Ariel484]

Oddball question...but still related to marathon weekend. Has anyone who has attended this weekend in the past gone swimming at your hotel? Is it too cold for that or is it borderline? We will be coming from the probably freezing Chicago climate. I may need to go ask someone on the BayLake Tower and Contemporary hotel threads if the pools there are heated.

Any feedback on past experience would be great. I LOVE swimming and so does my kiddo but I was just not sure about the weather. (I'm guessing it could change day to day too...maybe no point in me asking right???)

Last year during marathon weekend it was quite cold. It did start warming up during Saturday and Sunday tho and I took a swim in the quiet pool at POR. I'm hoping it's a little warmer this year because we are at yacht club and I want to experience that pool.

Yeah, what @rteetz said. The day of the 5K there was a windchill warning, with temperatures in the 30s. You just never know!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

That's awesome. I really wish I could do this.

And I wish I could still run as fast as you run.

 

[Z-Knight]

And I wish I could still run as fast as you run.

You and me, both.