Marathon Weekend 2018

[FelisLachesis]

So a question for the spectating vets here.

On Marathon Sunday, I want to start seeing my girlfriend off from Epcot, and then from there, I'm chasing the monorail to Main Street, so I can get pictures of her around Cindy's humble abode. After that, I want to make a bee-line to Animal Kingdom, so I can get her a change of shoes/socks, whatever around the AK parking lot. From there, then I want to get back to Epcot to see her finish.

So my question is, how do I get from MK to AK to EP? She's a slower runner (about a 15 minute/mile pace) So I'll probably have an hour and a half (maybe 1:45) to get from MK to AK, and then about 3 hours to get from AK to EP.

And for DopeyBadger's poll question:

My girlfriend is doing this mostly as a "retirement" run, at least from marathon running. She wants to do this once, and then hang up her 26.2 shoes. She'll still run halfs and 10 mile races.

Me, I just wan to prove to myself that I can run for something other than the ice cream truck!

 

[rteetz]

Goals for 2018

Enjoy the 5K and 10K as always. Stop for characters and just have fun.

Actually run the half this year hopefully. Also enjoying the experience stopping for a few characters.

The full. I had so much fun running this race. I want to improve my time but I also will likely stop for characters depending on who they are. I did Everest his year, so I'd love to do that again.

 

[camaker]

The last two Marathon Weekends something has gone "twang" in the fall and not been fully resolved before the races. I just want to get to the next Marathon Weekend healthy so I can fully enjoy running Dopey without having to resort to run/walk intervals to gimp my way through. I also look forward to meet-ups and DATW!

 

[Barca33Runner]

Marathon Weekend Goals

I did this last year and thought it was a good experience. Full disclosure this time (last year I was sneaky), I am saving your responses to be revealed at a later time closer to race day.

Now that registration is out of the way for most of us, I'd love to hear your goals for Marathon Weekend. Here's how I see goals. They're personal. You chose it because that goal means something to you. It's important to you. Which means your goal is important to me. No goal is too big or too small. The person's goal to finish their first 5K and another's to take down Michael Wardian's Dopey World Record are equally important to me. So, I'd love to hear yours. And yes, even the super secret I don't want to admit it goals.

Here are some ideas if you haven't thought about it:

Finish my first: 5K, 10K, Half, Full, Goofy, Dopey
Finish with a time goal
Run a race with a family member
Overcome an adversity in your life
Drink a beer or margarita at a certain mile marker
Participate in DATW (Drinking Around the World) *Happens on Monday in EPCOT (ask @FFigawi about it)
Beat a family member
Get as many character photos as possible
Get a character photo with a certain character
Do lots of park time and enjoy the races
Have fun

So, let's hear them! What's your goal? Remember yesterday (or a few weeks ago) you signed up for a race during marathon weekend for a reason, so what is it?

My goal is to finish the weekend Perfectly Dopey through 5 years.

As for individual races, my only goal will be to finish with a marathon PR while riding RnRC in DHS. I chickened out this year because my legs weren't feeling so hot and I didn't want them to lock up.

 

[Simba's Girl]

GOALS:

To run a "destination" race with my DD10 (will be 11), for us this is more of a "fun run" because we will stop for characters and not go all out.
To watch DH finish his first marathon

Other goals

To watch my oldest DD go on her last vacation with us for a while. She'll be 18 and a HS senior that trip. Her first trip to WDW was when she was just shy of 12months old. It'll be bittersweet.
To have all 3 kids "get along" and become more independent than they were last trip.
For the kids to be able to keep up and make up school work when we return without an issue.

 

[PCFriar80]

So a question for the spectating vets here.

On Marathon Sunday, I want to start seeing my girlfriend off from Epcot, and then from there, I'm chasing the monorail to Main Street, so I can get pictures of her around Cindy's humble abode. After that, I want to make a bee-line to Animal Kingdom, so I can get her a change of shoes/socks, whatever around the AK parking lot. From there, then I want to get back to Epcot to see her finish.

So my question is, how do I get from MK to AK to EP? She's a slower runner (about a 15 minute/mile pace) So I'll probably have an hour and a half (maybe 1:45) to get from MK to AK, and then about 3 hours to get from AK to EP.

And for DopeyBadger's poll question:

My girlfriend is doing this mostly as a "retirement" run, at least from marathon running. She wants to do this once, and then hang up her 26.2 shoes. She'll still run halfs and 10 mile races.

Me, I just wan to prove to myself that I can run for something other than the ice cream truck!

There are a lot of variables here, but I'll make some assumptions. The first is all Disney transportation. Assume she is out of MK by 8:00 AM. Walk [10 minutes from main gate] to the Contemporary to get a Disney bus to AK. The buses should be running by then for guests with early breakfast ressies. Once at AK, assume a 10 minute walk to the parking lot. From AK to Epcot there is direct bus service so you can use that and will have plenty of time to get to the main entrance. If you have a park ticket, you can bus from AK to any one of the Epcot area resorts and watch her run down the canal [mile 24] or by the YC/BC and then enter IG to head towards the finish. The other option as others might suggest would be to taxi/uber from MK to AK, if you're concerned about time. I think time is on your side from AK to Epcot.

 

[ZellyB]

Marathon Weekend Goals for 2018 are much like what I had for this year:

Get lots of character photos
Ride EE - I swear one of these years I'm actually going to do this!!
Get a beer in AK (@FFigawi - there's a place for this yes?)
Get a beer in Germany
Successfully complete all 4 of the Dopey races upright and happy
Eat a celebratory mean at Victoria & Alberts
Participate in DATW on Monday

 

[rteetz]

Get a beer in AK (@FFigawi - there's a place for this yes?)

Right next to EE I believe.

 

[mslezalie]

Marathon Weekend Goals

So, let's hear them! What's your goal? Remember yesterday (or a few weeks ago) you signed up for a race during marathon weekend for a reason, so what is it?

My goals are simple. Redeem myself and complete my first marathon (DNF in 2015 during Goofy Challenge). And enjoy the experience.

 

[TeeterTots]

Marathon Weekend Goals

Finish my first: FULL MARATHON
Finish with a time goal: 4:45:59 or less
Run a race with: my BEST FRIEND, SABRINA
TRAIN HARD, PUSH MY COMFORT ZONE AND GET FASTER!
Have fun!!!

 

[ZellyB]

Right next to EE I believe.

Note to self - Get beer AFTER riding EE

 

[michigandergirl]

Dopey goals:

Arrive for race weekend uninjured and in amazing shape.
To run all races with relative ease and have FUN doing it.
To run all 4 races with my BFF by my side
DATW on Monday

 

[bryana]

So, my finger slipped and suddenly I'm signed up for the marathon.

My goal for this race will be just to finish strong, and finish faster than 2015, although that won't be hard. I piggy-backed that race off of running my first full at the end of November 2014 (“Well, if I’m doing one, why not do two?”). Well, my training slacked off so that first full didn’t go as planned and I ended up tweaking my knee a little bit. My (now) husband and I had planned a week’s long vacation around it so I decided that I’d go, and do the best I could before getting swept. I ended up making it somehow; I’m still not really sure. I luckily didn’t injure myself any further than I previously had. However, I knew that I’d have to do it again because I didn’t want that race to define me. So, here I am.

I’d like to ride EE this time; who knows, maybe something else too.

I’d like to get the beverage at EPCOT this time.

Get even more character pictures, because they’re my favorite!

 

[BuckeyeBama]

My goal in January is simple - have fun. I will be running my 2nd half marathon with my wife, and my oldest son (20) will be running his first half with us. We will also have a number of other friends running with us. I am looking forward to this race more so than any other in my past.

 

[baxter24]

My goals are to complete Dopey and have fun along the way! No specific times for races. Looking forward to stopping for pictures (as long as the lines aren't too long), having fun with my dad while running the half, and enjoying my time while I am down there. Riding Everest will be a possibility but only if the timing works right.

 

[GollyGadget]

Marathon Weekend Goals

I did this last year and thought it was a good experience. Full disclosure this time (last year I was sneaky), I am saving your responses to be revealed at a later time closer to race day.

Now that registration is out of the way for most of us, I'd love to hear your goals for Marathon Weekend. Here's how I see goals. They're personal. You chose it because that goal means something to you. It's important to you. Which means your goal is important to me. No goal is too big or too small. The person's goal to finish their first 5K and another's to take down Michael Wardian's Dopey World Record are equally important to me. So, I'd love to hear yours. And yes, even the super secret I don't want to admit it goals.

Here are some ideas if you haven't thought about it:

Finish my first: 5K, 10K, Half, Full, Goofy, Dopey
Finish with a time goal
Run a race with a family member
Overcome an adversity in your life
Drink a beer or margarita at a certain mile marker
Participate in DATW (Drinking Around the World) *Happens on Monday in EPCOT (ask @FFigawi about it)
Beat a family member
Get as many character photos as possible
Get a character photo with a certain character
Do lots of park time and enjoy the races
Have fun

So, let's hear them! What's your goal? Remember yesterday (or a few weeks ago) you signed up for a race during marathon weekend for a reason, so what is it?

I'm now officially registered for the marathon and have been stalking this board for a while so why not make my first post a public declaration of my goals?

1. Enjoy it. I ran my first & only marathon in 2012. The only thing that kept me moving was the thought that I was NEVER putting myself through this again so it was now or never. Eventually, I made my way across the finish line about an hour after I expected (5:33:48). In the last year or so I've been wondering what the experience would have been like had I been more dedicated to my training, so here I am.

2. PR! I've improved my half time by about 20 min since then plus I'm determined to stick with the training so this should still be attainable even if I stop for a photo or twelve.

 

[ZellyB]

Welcome @GollyGadget

 

[Sailormoon2]

What's your goal?

My Dopey Goals:
For the 5K and 10K it is to get as many new character photos as possible. Typically I run a good pace between characters, so I don't mind how long I wait in line for them.
I will be running the half with my Dad and his wife, so the goal is just to really enjoy that communal experience and again get as many photos as possible with the 3 of us, which includes photopass.
For the Marathon I want to stay consistently at a pace that allows me to finish pain free and smiling, as well as, obviously taking a ton of photos. At present I assume my coral placement and general pace will be too fast to allow for roller coaster rides, but if the opportunity presents itself I will definitely take it!

 

[pixarmom]

So a question for the spectating vets here.

On Marathon Sunday, I want to start seeing my girlfriend off from Epcot, and then from there, I'm chasing the monorail to Main Street, so I can get pictures of her around Cindy's humble abode. After that, I want to make a bee-line to Animal Kingdom, so I can get her a change of shoes/socks, whatever around the AK parking lot. From there, then I want to get back to Epcot to see her finish.

So my question is, how do I get from MK to AK to EP? She's a slower runner (about a 15 minute/mile pace) So I'll probably have an hour and a half (maybe 1:45) to get from MK to AK, and then about 3 hours to get from AK to EP.

And for DopeyBadger's poll question:

My girlfriend is doing this mostly as a "retirement" run, at least from marathon running. She wants to do this once, and then hang up her 26.2 shoes. She'll still run halfs and 10 mile races.

Me, I just wan to prove to myself that I can run for something other than the ice cream truck!

As my husband will confirm, flexibility is key! In 2015, he relied on Disney transportation and ended up seeing me at TTC, outside Poly, WWOS (x2) and at the finish. This was not the original plan, and lesson learned was that Disney transport is unpredictable. While there should have been a bus going from Poly to AK for early breakfast reservations at the right time, it didn't show up, for example.

So for the 2017 marathon, he planned to take taxis. I told him to just meet me at the finish, but he didn't listen. I thought that would be a bad idea because drivers may be unfamiliar with road closures, etc. He used cabs anyway, and saw me at TTC, Poly, outside AK, picked up the kids from our room at BWI and then Epcot. At the end, he was very happy and far less irritated.

So I'd agree with @PCFriar80 regarding the Disney transportation plan. That's what I'd try to do if spectating, with the understanding PCFriar and I mentioned - lots of variables and flexibility is key! My husband would tell you to walk over to CR at get a cab, and then try to do the same at AK. Maybe it's a combination of both, based on game time factors.

 

[pixarmom]

@DopeyBadger, your question is stressing me out. I'll say to recreate the running zen of 2017. Not ready to commit to a time goal . . . yet.