Marathon Weekend 2022

SAFD:

It’s usually fun to think about this one but I just want to see live races back on the calendar.

So my dream race weekend is January 6-9, 2022.
5k on Thursday, 10k on Friday, Half Marathon on Saturday, Full Marathon on Sunday. All races themed to their proper host: 5k-Pluto, 10k-Minnie, Half-Donald, and Full-Mickey. There would be two challenges, one for the Half/Full called the Goofy and one for all four races called the Dopey.

Can’t you just imagine it. It would be glorious.
^THIS. Exactly this.
 
SAFD:
I'd just like to see the return of the Tower of Terror race, or something Disney Villains or Halloween-themed. I only ran the old Tower of Terror race once, but it was a lot of fun, with great atmosphere.
I guess I must be really lucky - I got to run two race weekends that were Villains themed: 2015 Disneyland Dumbo and 2018 Disneyland Paris 36K Challenge.
 


SAFD:

It’s usually fun to think about this one but I just want to see live races back on the calendar.

So my dream race weekend is January 6-9, 2022.
5k on Thursday, 10k on Friday, Half Marathon on Saturday, Full Marathon on Sunday. All races themed to their proper host: 5k-Pluto, 10k-Minnie, Half-Donald, and Full-Mickey. There would be two challenges, one for the Half/Full called the Goofy and one for all four races called the Dopey.

Can’t you just imagine it. It would be glorious.

no joke I read that last part like this

580778
 
Good morning, runDisney all-stars!

I don't know about the rest of you, but it's been pretty dang hot and humid here since beginning of the month. So for this week's Sundays are for Disney, tell us how you beat the heat a.) while running and b.) while at WDW.

When it comes to running, I've (re)learned the hard way this week that it's really just best to try to run as early in the day as possible. I was stubborn and went for a few mid-afternoon runs (hot and sunny) and they kicked my butt pretty good. Also water - and knowing where public drinking fountains are - is key.

At the parks we haven't really had to deal with too many hot days thanks to most of our trips being in January and February. Moderating park hours, lots of fluids and ample trips on Splash Mountain are key.

The 2020 marathon was a different beast all together. I don't think I've ever had so many beverage stops in a marathon before (and not just because @FFigawi made us hit up every open bar on the route). I was two-fisting waters and Powerades every mile and even then I was pretty smoked at the end.

I guess at the end of the day, the best way to deal with heat at Disney is the also the best way I deal with a lot of life's problems: parking lot beers.

Have a great week, everyone!
 
SAFD:

1) I actively search for shaded routes + hydrapak. And tight leggings/shorts to avoid thigh chafing. Oh the chafing lol

2) I was gonna say afternoon pool breaks, but last time we went in August 2019, some days the temp went up to 108F with the humidity. The pool was warmer than the outside air, ick. So no go :P I'll go for Mickey bars instead!
 


SAFD:

1) Running- I either run early or late, let’s be honest, I run late. If I do not have a choice and have to run mid-day I will do a local trail run that provides good shade and a little temp reprieve. Lots of water and I slow down.

2) Disney- We use to go a lot in the summer. Nothing like sweating while standing in line at 9am... When heat was an issue we rope drop the parks and try to get to a number of things early. Spend the afternoon back at the resort swimming, napping, etc. A few times we went to a movie in Disney Springs to beat the heat in a cool and dark theatre, that was glorious! Then back to the parks to close them out for the night.

If staying at the park all day then we would try to hit shows and longer rides during the afternoon or a late lunch/early dinner. Pretty much anything that provides air conditioning. Of course copious amounts of dole whip helps!
 
SAFD:

1. Beating the heat while running:
a. Run early in the morning. I hate getting up early if I don't have to, but if it means avoiding a tough run later in the day, I'll do it.
b. Slow down. My miles are going to be slower in the heat - at this point, I've (begrudgingly) accepted that. Good training is a cumulative thing, and most miles should not be soul-crushing!
c. Treadmill! We own a treadmill and it sits in our nice, cool basement. If I need to do a workout run (tempo/speedwork), I'll usually do it on the treadmill, and I don't view this as a cop-out or anything like that at all. I only pick target races which will be raced in the cold, so I don't need to try to run a tempo at 90 degrees in order to acclimate myself.

2. Beating the heat at Disney: We've been to WDW enough that we can just pick and choose the attractions we want to do again, and we don't feel the need to go all-day commando style these days. We usually try to get to the parks at rope-drop to avoid both the heat and the crowds and ride the things we want to ride first. When the afternoon heat rolls in, we'll head for indoor attractions and enjoy Disney's generous use of the A/C, or head back to the resort for a dip in the pool or lounging by a bar or something. When things cool in the evenings, we usually head back to a park for more attractions or just to walk around.
 
SAFD: In both case, try to avoid the heat, and slow down.

That means going early or late (running or to the parks). For the parks, also going in attractions and restaurants that have shades and AC.

We went in August a lot when the kids were small. We had midday ADR and accepted that downtime.

That was one way of slowing down. On our last summer trip, even our kids had asked us to slow down so we had early FP, went back to the pool in the afternoon and walked to Epcot for dinner in the evening.

To get acclimated to heat, I accept running very slow when it starts but still continue training. For Disney, we try to do beach first then parks.
 
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SAFD: I will run in the morning, as early as I can drag myself out of bed, get my body awake and get my stuff together. So that means usually not til 7, although I was out the door before 6 the other day. Honestly, depending on the temp + humidity, the difference between 5, 6 or 7 is not a lot. I can find mixed shade pretty much anywhere I go.

I will say that last Sunday I did "a self-guided tour of the sprinklers of Bloomfield Hills". Hey, those multi-million dollar home lawns aren't gonna water themselves. Bless the rich folks for contributing to my run comfort!

At Disney, we have always, always, always been the type to go to the parks when they open and leave by 1 or so. Partly so we don't waste money on lunch at the parks (exception for Satuli Canteen), and partly to be out of the sun in the heat of the day.
 
I have a treadmill too, and use it a lot during the summer. I live in an area with no shade and I know I’m not getting up early to beat the heat. When I lived in Dallas, the summer became my off-season and I shifted focus to strength training a lot. I find I still do that to work on my weaknesses.

At Disney, we focus on indoor rides or shows. The French film and American Adventure are inside with AC. Same with the Tiki Room, and I can get a Mickey bar or dole whip.
 
SAFD: For Dallas in the summers, I try to get up and run early, though I will sometimes run later in the evening close to night. But usually if the run doesn't happen in the morning, it's not going to happen that day. So of course I signed up for a 10k here the first weekend in July. For the 2020 WDW Marathon, I had one of those cooling cloths and I just kept it wet at every water stop. It helped just enough. I have to admit I was seriously considering jumping the chains in Blizzard Beach and going into the lazy river.

At WDW, I try to space out indoor shows and attractions with good A/C around the other rides I want to do. Mid day breaks at the pool are also nice.
 
Here in Southwest Louisiana, it's been hot and humid since March. I'm a A/C & Heater technician. My "office" is usually an attic.......a hot attic. Like right now, I'm on my lunch break. The house I was JUST working in has no tree shade. The attic is 138 degrees and the air isn't moving. 138 degree air just sitting on top of you. With that said, for me, it doesn't matter when I go running. Running in high 90s temps with humidity isn't a struggle. I have acclimated.

As far as DisneyWorld, I've only been in late Fall and Winter. DisneyWorld during the holiday season is great. You can't beat it. The weather is so nice during that time. Low 80s during the day and low to mid 60s at night. One year, it dipped into the high 50s at night for a couple of days.
 
“for this week's Sundays are for Disney, tell us how you beat the heat a.) while running and b.) while at WDW.”
A) Run indoors when possible. Run at times when the sun is not directly overhead. Wear a wet baseball cap. Drink every chance I get.
B for WDW Marathon Weekend) First, buy an exquisitely cute WDW-themed running shirt and the anti-chafing stick I certainly forgot to pack at the expo.
Second, use the above with a baseball cap, and my “Not Today Satan” headband to keep my eyes sweat-free.
Third, drink at every drink station, usually Gatorade.
Last, enjoy the spa-like ice wrap treatments provided by the wonderful medical tent at the finish line.
Ok, real last, limp into Disney Springs for drinks.
B for just WDW) Philharmagic, Carousel of Progress, Kali River Rapids, Brown Derby Lounge (There are precious few good out-of-the-sun spots in HS.)
 
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SAFD:

A. Being too self-conscious to run on anything other than my treadmill eliminates the problem of heat

B. Sunscreen. Also, I’ve always been a proponent on my family’s trips to make lunch an hour+ sit down experience. This can be anywhere with AC, sometimes we leave the park for it, can be quick service but I prefer table service. Allows the planners to survey how things are going and decide what we want to do next (that can mean attractions but also splitting up, going back to the resort, park hopping, etc.). I have a bad habit of only eating sugar at quick service at Disney (as if a Peter Pan float, Gaston’s cinnamon roll, and waffle cone over the course of 7 hours is a good plan) the midday meal helps me avoid bad mid-afternoon crashes (nausea, migraines, cramping).

Browsing is also an option. Most shops have some form of AC. Easy enough to look around for 10 minutes. Harder to avoid buying things.
 
SAFD: this is timely - it was 81* with a Feels Like of 86*... at 5:30am today, an hour before sunrise. :sad:

1. I'm in FL, where the heat is infernal June through Sept (okay, it's more like May through Oct., but I like to pretend it's better in Oct. and it's not as bad as it will be in May) and I'm very susceptible to heat illness, so yeah - I really work at not getting killed by the heat. I do all the normal stuff: hydrate/electrolytes before, during, and after runs; try to run in the dark or shade as much as possible, wear as little as I can and what I do wear is super light and airy; slooooooow down with longer and more frequent walk breaks. Some more extreme measures I take include: chilling my fluids in the fridge, putting them into a cooler with ice packs, and driving to a park so I can make 3-5 mile loops back to the car for ice-cold fluids; soaking a tank top, wringing it out, and putting it in the freezer for 15 minutes before putting it on for a run; wearing a Buff or bandanna around my wrist so I can soak it in water from a public sink or fountain and squeeze the water over my head, on the back of my neck, down my arms, etc.; on long runs, running outdoors until about an hour past sunrise, then moving the rest of my miles indoors on a treadmill or into the pool. Outside of the actual running, I make sure I to recover in the AC the rest of the day after hot runs - that's really critical to avoiding the cumulative effects of constant heat stress.

2. The upside of living here and running in the heat is that heat at WDW isn't much of an issue because I'm so acclimated. I keep the electrolytes and fluids flowing on summer visits, mostly avoid parks in the daytime and visit in the cooler evenings instead, head for AC breaks regularly, and use an umbrella for portable shade when I am out in the sun.
 
Good morning, runDisney all-stars!

I don't know about the rest of you, but it's been pretty dang hot and humid here since beginning of the month. So for this week's Sundays are for Disney, tell us how you beat the heat a.) while running and b.) while at WDW.

When it comes to running, I've (re)learned the hard way this week that it's really just best to try to run as early in the day as possible. I was stubborn and went for a few mid-afternoon runs (hot and sunny) and they kicked my butt pretty good. Also water - and knowing where public drinking fountains are - is key.

At the parks we haven't really had to deal with too many hot days thanks to most of our trips being in January and February. Moderating park hours, lots of fluids and ample trips on Splash Mountain are key.

The 2020 marathon was a different beast all together. I don't think I've ever had so many beverage stops in a marathon before (and not just because @FFigawi made us hit up every open bar on the route). I was two-fisting waters and Powerades every mile and even then I was pretty smoked at the end.

I guess at the end of the day, the best way to deal with heat at Disney is the also the best way I deal with a lot of life's problems: parking lot beers.

Have a great week, everyone!

I hate running in the heat. My favorite way to avoid running in extreme heat is to begin reducing both the frequency of my running and my pace while doing so. This normally starts in April and lasts until June. After that, the best option is to head to our house in Florida. It's still warm, but not as miserable as here. I have a few skin cooler running tops from De Soto Sport which really do work as claimed. When wet, they do make you feel several degrees cooler than running in a regular tech shirt. They also have three pockets along the spine, handily sized to hold wet sponges for additional cooling between water fountains at mosques while training and aid stations during races.

At Disney, as @lhermiston alluded to, frequent stops for hydration and rehydration are key. Luckily, there are plenty to be found in the parks, from friends like @Dis_Yoda @jennamfeo and @Keels along the race routes, and in the parking lot once finished.
 
So I'm finally caught up with this thread. Life was insanely busy through the middle of May and has slowed down from out of the fire and into the frying pan.

SAFD When to Visit: While I can make a strong argument that any time you are able to visit WDW is a good time to visit, I still hope someday, maybe even this year to experience WDW in full holiday mode. I got part of that in 2012 when I ran Wine & Dine, but Epcot was only decorated for the holidays. It was not yet offering all the holiday entertainment and such.

SAFD Training: It's been in a lull. Between work insanity and then allergies and vaccine timing, it's been real hit or miss for a while. I need to change that soon. For better or for worse, I decided to create my own virtual races over the next little while. Maybe a real race in September if the San Francisco Giant Race goes live. I hope it will especially because the San Francisco Marathon has already announced that it will happen live.

SAFD Adjective: Special. Inspiring. Powerful. Hopeful. Unique.

SAFD Medals: No pictures, but most everyone has already seen what my favorites look like anyways as many of you have already earned these same medals.

1. 2017 Kessel Run. My first Kessel Run and it required nearly 18 months of training. I knew I could finish a Half Marathon alright, but finishing a half marathon mere days after concluding a mutli month long 10-12 hour work days 6 days a week and busy Sundays with Church involvement was a different task entirely. The allure of Star Wars proved to be enough, so in 2016, I mock trained for a race I might never get to run just to see if I could actually handle the training and the work pressures. As it is, my 2017 running year in review was a lot of doing things I once believed to be impossible. Which leads to number two.

2. 2019 WDW Marathon. For years, the Marathon was the impossible race. Non runners would ask and I would always laugh and say no. Never happening. I believed I could run a marathon, but I did not want to train for a marathon. As 2017 taught me how to train during very busy times and that insane ideas such as running the last Avengers Half Marathon on a whim after signing up and beginning training 3 weeks before the race, I came to think that maybe the marathon could happen. So after 2018 Dark Side, I decided to attempt the marathon. As I viewed it as a possible one and done experience, I decided to go really crazy and throw in Dopey as well. Training was very eye opening and educational and @DopeyBadger helped prepare me for what would come.

3. 2017 Coast to Coast. 10th anniversary Coast to Coast medal with both castles on it. How can I beat that? If not for the personal inspirational nature of the two above it, this just might be my favorite medal.

Honorable Mention: 2011 Disneyland Half. My first race ever.

SAFD Design Your Own Race:

1. I would bring back the Kessel Run which simultaneously restores the Coast to Coast because it means races return to Disneyland.
2. Storybook Coast to Coast. Same idea as the Kessel Run. One movie is the themed movie for the year and finishing the Half on each coast earns the Storybook Medal. This can either combine with Princess or become its own separate event so as to not be limited to just the animated fairy tales. I also like the idea of having each coast switch up its theme each year. For instance 2022, Disney World has the heroes of the story and Disneyland has the villains and then in 2023 Disney World has the villains and Disneyland has the heroes.
 
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