Marathon Weekend 2019

[PrincessV]

Training question for the Dopey vets that follow Galloway. I notice there's some days in the back-to-back weekends that he says 4 mile walk. Do you guys actually walk those training sessions? Or do you still do a run/walk combo? I'm not used to walking an entire training session and I plan on run/walking all the races. I don't want to kill myself training if I don't need to, but I also don't want to be underprepared for that much running.

Also, for those who are on the slower side (I'm currently training around 13:30/mile), what's your longest run going to be? Do you go by miles or time?

I didn't use Galloway for my Dopey trainings, but I do run-walk intervals. And no, I didn't strictly walk any training runs: mine were all run-walk intervals. I knew that's how I'd be doing the races, so that's how I trained for them. My longest back-to-back-to-back-to-back training segment was a 3/6/12/21.5. I only ever go up to 20-22 for a long run in marathon training.

The big assumption here is that the rD person who answered her email knows what they’re talking about. RunDisney has a very rich and storied history of giving out inaccurate information.

Exactly. And whatever formula they used for this does not jive in any way with how they calculated my 10K to half time. That's what really bothers me: it feels like rD is making it up as they go - and how the heck are runners supposed to know if it makes sense to submit PoT or not if we don't know the rules?!

Would be nice if they just posted their personal cutoffs...

SO VERY MUCH THIS!!! ^ I'm getting really frustrated with rD's lack of transparency on something as simple as this.

So for a HM time of 2:30, the most commonly used race equivalency calculator (Riegel) would come up with a 5:12 M. McMillan would say a 5:14. RunDisney's data that I've collected to date would say a 5:17. But this new value would put it closer to a 1.14 conversion value. That's a significant difference. Interestingly, it does mark near the 50% mark for actual marathon performances based on Vickers and Williams datasets (suggested new race equivalency calculators). So while it seems like an aggressive conversion on the surface, it does actually best represent reality when it comes to a normal population of marathon runners (based on their HM conversions).

That is interesting - and does make me wonder if my friend just got a rogue answer, or if rD really is moving to a new approach.

I think if this conversion were old and something I hadn't noticed prior, I'd be surprised if we hadn't heard of more people being corralled in F when they expected to be corralled in E. I'd venture to guess there is a large proportion of runners in the runDisney races falling in that 2:30-2:36 grey area based on the old information and new information. Beyond that, that same conversion would seemingly also carry over to all of the other corrals and we would have people corralled much further from where they expected then we've seen in the past. Seems suspicious but plausible.

And that's the really odd part to me... rD also told me that they calculate my 1:14:27 10K to be a 2:44 half. Listen, math isn't my area of expertise, but that sure doesn't' seem to align with their 2:30 half = <5:30 full, does it?

Or more simply, someone just ask for all of the POT cutoffs for the marathon and HM times for all the possible submittable POT distances. Much more direct and blunt method I guess.

Please, somebody give this a shot! I would, but rD has already heard too much from me lately, lol! We need a fresh tester

I liked the mini medals they sold to go around the Vinylmation. I only have one from Everest Challenge though. Best cheapest merchandise ever!

My favorite race souvenirs! I have of the race Vinylmations wearing 6 of the mini medals. So fun and cute - and yes, cheap!

 

[DopeyBadger]

And that's the really odd part to me... rD also told me that they calculate my 1:14:27 10K to be a 2:44 half. Listen, math isn't my area of expertise, but that sure doesn't' seem to align with their 2:30 half = <5:30 full, does it?

That 1:14:27 10k to a 2:44 HM aligns very closely to my Riegel 1.06 value (1:14:51 as the cutoff for a 2:45:00 HM). So no, they don't align. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see them use different conversions to a HM POT and to a M POT. As the human population data suggests, it's warranted. The 1.06 for a HM makes sense and anything between 1.06-1.15 for a M is arguable/defendable.

Please, somebody give this a shot! I would, but rD has already heard too much from me lately, lol! We need a fresh tester

I'll just go ahead and give it a shot under the guise of being a coach looking for advice for a variety of my runners. Which in a way is true.

 

[SarahDisney]

I'll just go ahead and give it a shot under the guise of being a coach looking for advice for a variety of my runners. Which in a way is true.

Well I know one runner who could use that information...
Hopefully they'll be responsive, but if they give you a hard time about being a coach, let me know - I can try it as a runner and see if they're more likely to respond to a runner asking for very general information.

 

[kleph]

That 1:14:27 10k to a 2:44 HM aligns very closely to my Riegel 1.06 value (1:14:51 as the cutoff for a 2:45:00 HM). So no, they don't align. But I also wouldn't be surprised to see them use different conversions to a HM POT and to a M POT. As the human population data suggests, it's warranted. The 1.06 for a HM makes sense and anything between 1.06-1.15 for a M is arguable/defendable.

looking at the totals for runners in individual corrals you have posted previously, it's pretty clear G is getting more populated than H. i assume it's because of the number of people trying to get out of the enormous final corral by seeking to get under the expected cut off line, which, in turn, creates an even more enormous penultimate corral. perhaps disney's intent is to equalize the size of these final three corrals.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Well I know one runner who could use that information...
Hopefully they'll be responsive, but if they give you a hard time about being a coach, let me know - I can try it as a runner and see if they're more likely to respond to a runner asking for very general information.

Got an initial auto-response but expect to hear something back in about a week's time. I just explained that I've got lots of different athletes who may run several different distances at Marathon Weekend (HM, M, Dopey) and who may use several different POT submittable distances. Thus, I requested knowing all of the cutoffs so I had that information to use in setting up Fall schedules and giving advice to my runners moving forward. We shall see.

looking at the totals for runners in individual corrals you have posted previously, it's pretty clear G is getting more populated than H. i assume it's because of the number of people trying to get out of the enormous final corral by seeking to get under the expected cut off line, which, in turn, creates an even more enormous penultimate corral. perhaps disney's intent is to equalize the size of these final three corrals.

It's possible.





It's my belief that the last three corrals are the non-POT submitted drop down choices. You choose 2:46-3:00 for the HM and you will very likely be placed in Corral F (for the HM), choose 6:31-7:00 and you end up in H (for the marathon). Strictly speaking since they no longer ask for a specific finish time but simply a drop down at registration, then there's really no other way to put you in a corral. Since there are three non-POT corrals it seems on the surface to be an easy guess what they plan to do. You choose your corral based on the drop down.

But like you said, G is bigger than F or H (in 2018). That would be the case if more people select 6:01-6:30 than the other two choices. If they alter the POT race equivalency cutoff for a HM to be 2:30 (as was stated in that email) instead of a 2:36 like I believed it had been closer to in the past, then they won't make G smaller (because that's set by non-POT drop down choices). Instead, this will take runners from E (2181 runners) and place them in F (4055 runners). So yes F would get closer to G's size, but then E would shrink even more than it has compared to the others. So I don't necessarily see that as a positive move if that's the intent (to make F and G closer in size). I see that as a negative move as that increases the number of runners in the last three corrals which already make up 55% of the field.

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

At risk of inciting a riot, I have some weird and concerning breaking news about PoT...

A friend had a half time that was right on the cusp of what we thought would be needed to meet the 5:30 threshold, so she emailed rD about it. rD told her that their calculation requires a 2:30 or faster half to qualify for the 5:30 or faster corrals.

2:30. That’s faster than we thought was necessary, and doesn’t align with any other calculator online. If that’s really what’s being used, it could hurt a lot of folks who entered 2:31-2:40 times thinking they’d be okay.

@DopeyBadger I’d really like to hear what you think of this!

This is so frustrating!! It's the 3rd year of me trying to get under that POT cut off and I thought I finally had it with a 2:35 half. I am going to send an email too. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[lhermiston]

Y’all can have your vinylmations and pins, I just want RunDisney shoes to make a comeback.

 

[SarahDisney]

Y’all can have your vinylmations and pins, I just want RunDisney shoes to make a comeback.

OMG yes!! Preferably New Balance again because that's what I wear mostly, but if I like the design enough, I'm willing to give a different brand a try.

 

[a-mad]

Quick question regarding PoT - My sister-in-law signed up to do the Half. She is an active runner, but hasn't raced in awhile. She is trying to locate a 10-K here in Utah that she can run to provide PoT on her registration. She is not sure any of the races post their results online. Can she provide runDisney with a scanned sheet of her results (via e-mail or something) or does it have to be an official URL from the race?

 

[a-mad]

The last few pages have been incredibly informative for this first time WDW RD runner!

One other quick question. We are considering getting a one park per day ticket rather than a park hopper. If I am a guest at BCV and finish one of the races, can I walk through Epcot to get back to the resort without using my "day" at Epcot, if that makes sense. If not, I'm sure we'll want to consider upgrading to hoppers, but we didn't think we would want to try and do more than one park per day, so we thought this might save us a bit of money. I've never stayed at an Epcot resort before, so not sure how it all works...

 

[KSellers88]

The last few pages have been incredibly informative for this first time WDW RD runner!

One other quick question. We are considering getting a one park per day ticket rather than a park hopper. If I am a guest at BCV and finish one of the races, can I walk through Epcot to get back to the resort without using my "day" at Epcot, if that makes sense. If not, I'm sure we'll want to consider upgrading to hoppers, but we didn't think we would want to try and do more than one park per day, so we thought this might save us a bit of money. I've never stayed at an Epcot resort before, so not sure how it all works...

I don't think so, you'd have to scan your magic band or ticket to get into the park and that would count for that day I would assume. I personally love Park Hoppers, but I know that they are not for everyone...

 

[rteetz]

Y’all can have your vinylmations and pins, I just want RunDisney shoes to make a comeback.

YES! I would then have no money left...

 

[lhermiston]

OMG yes!! Preferably New Balance again because that's what I wear mostly, but if I like the design enough, I'm willing to give a different brand a try.

Yes, NB would be preferred, but I’ll take any brand with a cool design since they’re just going to be walk-around shoes for me.

Or, they could make me really happy and just bring back the Sorceror Mickey shoes.

 

[lhermiston]

YES! I would then have no money left...

Worth it.

 

[rteetz]

Yes, NB would be preferred, but I’ll take any brand with a cool design since they’re just going to be walk-around shoes for me.

Or, they could make me really happy and just bring back the Sorceror Mickey shoes.

I ran in them. I had four pairs. My last ones the Space Mountains I wore for the WDW Half last year. My Donald’s I wore for the full.

 

[lhermiston]

I ran in them. I had four pairs. My last ones the Space Mountains I wore for the WDW Half last year. My Donald’s I wore for the full.

I could run in them, but I burn out running shoes pretty quickly, so I’d rather just wear them around.

Were the Space Mountains in 2017? I remember weighing those and the Haunted Mansions and passing on both because I wanted something more colorful.

 

[rteetz]

I could run in them, but I burn out running shoes pretty quickly, so I’d rather just wear them around.

Were the Space Mountains in 2017? I remember weighing those and the Haunted Mansions and passing on both because I wanted something more colorful.

Yes Space Mountains were 2017. They glow in the dark too. I still wear all four as wear around shoes.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Quick question regarding PoT - My sister-in-law signed up to do the Half. She is an active runner, but hasn't raced in awhile. She is trying to locate a 10-K here in Utah that she can run to provide PoT on her registration. She is not sure any of the races post their results online. Can she provide runDisney with a scanned sheet of her results (via e-mail or something) or does it have to be an official URL from the race?

It's possible they would accept it, but I'd say it's rather unlikely. They will probably rely on whether that box in the POT area is filled. They may save that kind of situation for an Expo fix at runner relations which may end up being a headache and time eater for your SIL. What city in Utah as maybe we can try and find something for her? I use runningintheusa.com.

 

[a-mad]

It's possible they would accept it, but I'd say it's rather unlikely. They will probably rely on whether that box in the POT area is filled. They may save that kind of situation for an Expo fix at runner relations which may end up being a headache and time eater for your SIL. What city in Utah as maybe we can try and find something for her? I use runningintheusa.com.

They live in the greater SLC area, so they are within 30-40 miles of most of the population of the state. I'll check out that link as well. Thanks for the help, DopeyBadger!

 

[SarahDisney]

Weird question about POT - Do we think runDisney would accept a virtual race if it was GPS-verified and there were official results listed online? The NYRR virtual races I do require you to link your Strava account and they list the official results online (in the same area where they list all ... the only way to know it's a virtual race is that it's in the name). I don't know that I'd consider it "officially timed", but you do get official results ...
(This is all theoretical because the virtual races I've done are all too short for POT, but I was thinking about it on the train and wondering)