Marathon Weekend 2019

[mtnmjd]

I'm thankful that I've had the ability to run 3 half marathons and completed my first Spartan trifecta. I'm thankful for my wife and children who have supported me through each and every race this year. I'm also thankful she didnt kill me for booking our next trip home, which just so happened to be on marathon weekend, who knew? I tried to convince her it was merely a coincidence......

Congratulations on your 1/2's and Trifecta!
Where did you run your Spartans? I've been doing a Trifecta each year since 2014 except for this year as I recovered from rotator cuff surgery. Saturday was my Sprint return.

Agree that I would be unable to run these races without the support of my wife, who takes care of everything when I run off to a race or am out all afternoon "training".

 

[Bradley Warner]

Congratulations on your 1/2's and Trifecta!
Where did you run your Spartans? I've been doing a Trifecta each year since 2014 except for this year as I recovered from rotator cuff surgery. Saturday was my Sprint return.

Agree that I would be unable to run these races without the support of my wife, who takes care of everything when I run off to a race or am out all afternoon "training".

I did my sprint at Greek Peak in NY, my super in Barre, Mass. And my beast at Killington. Looking forward to the half @ disney!

 

[Bradley Warner]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

 

[Chaitali]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

Part of my issue was waiting around in the cold before the race. I had run in colder temperatures all Winter but generally just get out of the car or house and start running. It was the waiting around that made all the extra clothes necessary.

 

[JeffW]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

Coming from Colorado, I was wearing a few pieces (certainly not all) of my winter gear for last year's race, which was one of the coldest (not "Disney on Ice" cold). I ran in an earband (which I ditched around half way), shorts, compression socks, a short sleeve tech covered with a long sleeve quarter zip, and fleece gloves.

The hardest part (and where most people are discussing the layers) is the corral. I was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, covered in a commercial garbage bag as a windbreaker while waiting for the start. Well worth the $16 at Walmart. You are outside for quite a while before you get to start running, and not being miserable while awake at 4am in the morning is worth the small additional cost and packing

 

[John VN]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

r.e. bold print -- Many runners are not prepared for our sometimes warm and humid winter days. Not fun being from 10°F to 30°F and running in 70°F with humidity and sun beating down. Being this far south when compared to NY and other northern locations the UV is more intense and can easily cause sunburn and dehydration if not dealt with accordingly.

IMO, one has to be prepared for 30°F to 80°F and little wind to 20mph winds.

 

[cavepig]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

It will feel cold. I came from -20 right before we left. Most of my December runs were 10 - 20 degrees. I froze waiting in the corrals, the breeze didn't help either, that's the main issue. I had layered throwaways on, but was still freezing waiting in the corrals. My feet were frozen the first couple miles. I did just run in a tank and skirt, but I didn't toss my throwaway hoodie till mile 1.5ish as it took that long to sort of warm up from corral waiting. I also had long socks for throwaway arm sleeves I tossed at like mile 17. I kept my gloves on the whole time and had those heat packs in them for like half the race.

It also seems 30 in Florida feels colder, maybe because of any humidity so it's not dry air.

 

[IamTrike]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

As Jeff responded. The race is really not the main concern. Many people are dropped off at Epcot before 4 am. Most of those people will be waiting almost 2 hours before they start running. It's that time period where the cold is really the worst. Once you get running the cold isn't much of an issue.

 

[mtnmjd]

I did my sprint at Greek Peak in NY, my super in Barre, Mass. And my beast at Killington. Looking forward to the half @ disney!

That's a quality Trifecta! Killington is no joke. Probably the hardest race experience I've encountered. We've done VT in 2014 and 2016 but opted for the flat and easy Florida Beast last year. The side benefit being a Disney springs stay and monorail bar-crawl to celebrate after.
Have fun with the half in Jan, keep an eye out for the two guys in Spartan shirts as it seems they now make up 80% of my wardrobe.

 

[PrincessV]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

I'm a former northerner, hailing from WNY. 30* and damp here in FL feels the same to me as 30* and damp up there - unpleasant! I'll reiterate what others have said: the thing we're all mostly talking about when we talk Mylar blankets, throwaway layers, etc. is standing around in the cold, not moving much, for hours before the races start. That's not something I ever did up north and is vastly different than gearing up to start running right away, or walk to the store, or go skiing, etc. Once running, how 30* with a windchill in the low-20s feels varies a lot more: for some folks, that may count as "cool" while for others it's downright "frigid." I think that depends far less on where you live than what your body prefers (aka there's a reason I moved to FL 25+ years ago, lol!)

 

[run.minnie.miles]

SAFD: I am thankful for my Lord, my family, and my health.

Also, I did complete that 15-mile run this weekend, and.... it really wasn't that bad. Weather was near ideal, which helped, but for the first time, I am thinking that I just might can do this!

I was going to ask how yours went- I felt so accomplished after finishing mine! And also realized that I'm about due for a new pair of shoes....

 

[Sleepless Knight]

SAFD: Running wise, I'm thankful for the support of so many people here who are so willing to offer expertise and encouragement when needed. Those areas encompass general running and climate related questions.

While I've been racing 2011 and more or less consistently running since 2014, I still have a lot to learn especially as it pertains to the marathon. For me, deciding to run a marathon came after years of never even wanting to run a marathon. A series of running decisions made last year began to break down those barriers, but in the end, this community helped me make the final decision. Yet not one single person here pressured me into that decision. Many offered their own experience, both successes and sweeps. Ultimately, all those experiences helped me realize and reaffirm my reasons for wanting to run a marathon.

runDisney: I'm thankful for what I've learned about myself in the process of finishing my first half and going from there. I once believed that running a half marathon was literally not possible. As in I could not do it. After doing it once, I still couldn't believe people who did the 5K and half marathon in those pre official challenge days. So I look back on my life as a runner and see actual growth. I'm still not very fast. Perhaps I never will be. But I also see a whole lot of things that once seemed impossible that I accomplished. In the end, it took the enticement of a Sleeping Beauty Castle medal as some kind of "unique Disney souvenir" to start me on this path and encouragement from finishers that a 16 minute per mile pace is not impossible.

 

[a-mad]

SAFD:

I'm thankful for (in no particular order):

• A very supportive wife and 4 awesome kids who sometimes drive me crazy, and yet I don't know where I'd be without them.
• Mint oreos (...with milk)
• Disney parks - a huge part of mine and my families lives... and something that brings us a ton of joy every year.
• Sweet potato casserole
• Running - I was never a great runner, but I signed up for a race at age 27 at the urging of a friend and the rest is... history.
• Taysom Hill - #WhoDat
• Twizzlers
• This awesome site - finding like-minded people who love running AND Disney... and always willing to dispense great advice.

 

[Keels]

I see mylar blankets being mentioned. I still have about 35 left over from January, so I'll bring them to the HHHH meet-up if anyone needs them for the Half or Full, even though we won't because I fully expect to have pool weather.

 

[Bradley Warner]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

Thank you all for the input, good info to get for sure. As long as there is no pop up blizzard, I think well all do great!

 

[willieT]

Mickey #26 will be my 11th straight Disney Marathon race and my 9th Mickey marathon -- so I've learned the hard way on how the Florida cold seems chillier (pre-race) than in other parts of the country. But, after suffering here in Orlando for 6+ months with miserable heat/humidity, I'll definitely take the cold weather from last year and also from 2017 -- even with those 30+ mph gusts when heading North on World Drive. I almost always can run in shorts and a singlet when it's cold, as long as I wear gloves and headband. But that wind in 2017 forced me to keep my long sleeve shirt for the entire race.

My gear and accessories recommendations for the pre-race wait and also the race:

• Large garbage bag blocks the wind and insulates well. Cut out a small hole for your head only and keep your arms tucked in.
• Shirt/towel for sitting on in the corral.
• 2 small plastic bags (to wrap around your feet while sitting in the corral). Grocery store bags work good here.
• Gloves made of synthetic leather (not cotton). I wore gloves in 2017 for the whole race and my hands were dry despite spilling water/gatorade at every water stop. I bought 2 cheap pairs at Home Depot ($5).
• Hat for the corrals.
• Buff Headband (or similar style) for the race rather than a hat. I can regulate my heat better by occasionally pulling the headband down around my neck, or wrapping it around my nose/mouth if the air is cold. I've had races where I tossed my hat in mile 5 and regret it at mile 10 -- but I can easily keep a headband the whole race. You can also make one by cutting off a sleeve from an old shirt.
• And, of course, the obvious: Wear several layers for the corrals. You won't regret being over-dressed!

I hope to meet some of you pre-race. And I'll have a box of large garbage bags to pass out to make some new friends

 

[JulieODC]

I’m thankful to have my health back to a place where I can run regularly and even consider a runDisney race.

I’m thankful for all my running communities, including this one, that have offered support, advice, distraction, laughs, and companionship!

 

[IamTrike]

• Buff Headband (or similar style) for the race rather than a hat. I can regulate my heat better by occasionally pulling the headband down around my neck, or wrapping it around my nose/mouth if the air is cold. I've had races where I tossed my hat in mile 5 and regret it at mile 10 -- but I can easily keep a headband the whole race. You can also make one by cutting off a sleeve from an old shirt.

I am a really big fan of Buffs. I don't think I would have ever chosen to buy one for myself, but United gave them away in their tent before the NY Marathon last year. I wore it for that race and became a big fan. It's not my go to headware of choice for cold weather because of how versatile it is.

 

[garneska]

Another huge fan of Buff. I started wearing them for hiking and now for running. I have a fleece one for when it is really cold. Kind of hoping i won't need it but it might come out for the run on Thursday. I even wear Buffs for normal stuff. They have cool light weight hats my hubby uses for running. .

 

[Bree]

So, I see the posts for warm clothes and mylar blankets. I'm coming out of Syracuse NY, my normal winter run temps are between 10° and 30°. I'm questioning whether it's going to be "cold" or just cool for a northerner?

It’s going to be a much different experience as others have said. It’s not the same as opening your front door in the winter and going straight into your run. You’ll be standing around doing nothing in the cold for a couple hours. There is no place warm to sit and keep your body warm until the race begins. Even if you pay for race retreat for the half and/or full it’s a very very very long walk to the corrals and you’ll want those layers.