Marathon Weekend 2023

[1lilspark]

I know I'm jumping waaayyy ahead in time, but I simply cannot remember when runDisney releases medals. To relate, I'm trying to figure costume as well.

I want to saw W&D last year had marathon medals out I know it’s still 81 days away till this years…

I’d suspect once springtime surprise registration wraps they will release

 

[MyFavEeyore]

I want to saw W&D last year had marathon medals out I know it’s still 81 days away till this years…

I’d suspect once springtime surprise registration wraps they will release

Thank you!

 

[nekonekoneko]

I know I'm jumping waaayyy ahead in time, but I simply cannot remember when runDisney releases medals. To relate, I'm trying to figure costume as well.

Quick search on Google on when the medals came out:

2019: Sep 24, 2018
2020: Sep 5, 2019
2022: Sep 5, 2021

So, it seems like maybe three weeks or so is when we should see something? You're not way ahead of time at all!

 

[accm]

Well the cross training SAFD question inspired me to start doing 10 minutes of core daily again. It's been a while. I skipped the last couple of days and I'm STILL sore. Guess that means I probably should be doing core more often...

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Happy Sunday y’all! I’ll pose a SAFD: what are your favorite recovery and prep methods at the hotel when running the Disney race challenges?

I’ve never done back to back races and will be doing it for the first time at Princess.

 

[matt and beth]

Happy Sunday y’all! I’ll pose a SAFD: what are your favorite recovery and prep methods at the hotel when running the Disney race challenges?

I’ve never done back to back races and will be doing it for the first time at Princess.

For Dopey last year the walk to the corral is rather long. That was my prep. Then the walk back to the buses was my recovery. A nap back at the hotel and lounging at the pool drinking Jai Alai with a lunch from the pool bar and I was right as rain

 

[Bree]

SAFD: I run multiple days in a row all year long and don't tend to go all out at Disney races so I'm mostly recovering from the early morning wake ups. I am not a morning person. Never have been and never will be. I'm also local so I it's easy for me to bringall the food and race supplies I would possibly need. Immediately after the race is parking lot beers with other runners then it's back to the hotel for showers, food, naps, pool and maybe the parks - whatever I feel like doing. We are staying at Fort Wilderness this year in our new camper so I'm looking forward to just hanging out there.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

My primary prep for Dopey is having our last meal of the day scheduled for around 3:30-4 PM the day before each race. This allows plenty of leeway to get back to wherever we are staying, wind down, and be in bed on time for the early wake up. It keeps my mind at ease about being on schedule and having a plan.

I have no hard and fast rule on recovery. Whether we are at a resort on site or renting a property offsite I make sure to move around during the day but try to keep things relatively relaxed. If I’ve been sitting for a while I make sure I get up and walk around. Off site we usually have a private pool and hot tub. Those are good for keeping my muscles loose and my range of motion feeing good.

 

[MyFavEeyore]

Quick search on Google on when the medals came out:

2019: Sep 24, 2018
2020: Sep 5, 2019
2022: Sep 5, 2021

So, it seems like maybe three weeks or so is when we should see something? You're not way ahead of time at all!

Good news, thank you for doing the research! Leaves someone like me plenty of time to put something together for January!

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: I don’t really prep for races, and recovery is just walking around afterward, trying to avoid standing in lines as much as possible

 

[RuntheMouse]

SAFD: Prep for me is to stay hydrated, dinner by 5 and bed by 7. For recovery we just keep moving whether that is strolling around the parks or pool time.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

SAFD: my recovery hack is to use the clear plastic bag they give you to transport ice for an ice bath. Much more efficient than small hotel plastic bags for ice.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

SAFD: For Princess Challenge this is what I did;
Preparing: I do a lot of calf stretches, that is what get tight on me. So I do yoga downward dog and find a curb to stretch. I given up on moving and warming up a head of time since you have to get in your position so early and just wait... so whatever warm up I did is not point less.
Recover: I packed a small roller and rolled when I got back to the room and did my stretches. I did walking around at the Springs to keep my legs from getting stiff. Then did the pool and hot tub later. I was not sore the next day when I had to run a half.

 

[nekonekoneko]

SAFD: My DW hates sitting around doing nothing, so her recovery: let's go visit the parks! I try to keep us from double backing all over the place, but we try to visit everything we like.

Dinner around 5:30, somewhere, and then head back to the room and get ready for the next day!

 

[jmasgat]

SAFD: After a 5k/10k.....Re-hydrate/re-fuel, shower, tend to any issues (e.g. blisters, etc). Have a normal park day. After a half, add in a little post-run yoga stretching, and keep the mileage down on the legs (if I am doing the marathon next day). But always keep moving to some degree--it's good to flush the legs out.

 

[Herding_Cats]

SAFD: This is based on what seemed to really work for Goofy last year (and my other handful of races leading up to it.)

Pre race:
-eat things I know will work for me (figure this out during training leading up to the long runs)
-liquid IV the morning of the race
-lay out my ENTIRE outfit and have my belt packed the night before, INCLUDING pinning my bib on (I put my shirt on, pin the bib, and then take the shirt off [when I pin to my shirt and not my belt])

Post race:
-compression socks and a sandwich in my bag at gear check. Immediately post race the socks go on, and I *have* to eat (after the half and the full) asap or I am not hungry for hours and hours
-ice footbath with epsom salt when I get back to the room
-foam roll very gently (I have one that's about 18in long that fits in my suitcase)
-get in the pool--at the urging of @The Expert last year when my feet and legs were not thrilled with me post-half marathon I got in the pool for about 45min after the race. Just sat on the edge for awhile with my legs in the water, and eventually got in and walked around the pool for awhile. It did wonders for how my legs felt.

 

[marty3d]

SAFD: I also tend to run multiple days in a row all year so my recovery is most due to the early mornings (also not a morning person). short nap on the 5k, 10k, and half days followed by walking around the parks seems to work for me. Marathon day is different As I’ve only ever run marathon distance at Disney. Stretching plus at least a 30 - 40 minute walk followed by a 60-90 minute nap are the bare minimum. Ultimately how I feel after the marathon depends on my training (Which I guess isn’t saying anything we don’t all know!)

For prep, I just need to keep constantly moving once I get off the bus. The colder it is the more important this is for me to have a good run.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD (addendum):

I see a lot of mention of parks in many answers. I have done the parks most years, at least on Thursday and Friday, as a result of family and other members of my party (and my own love of the parks). These visits were always actively detrimental to my performance because I am incapable of not going too hard on a Disney park day.

All that to say: if you, like me, are incapable of visiting Disney parks without doing 5-10 miles of walking, going from attraction to attraction for 8-10 hours (minimum), burning the candle at both ends, taking advantage of every trick/strategy/habit/stroke of luck in your arsenal, eating (almost) nothing but sugar and salt as you go, crashing and (hopefully) getting a second wind along the way; well, you’ll probably be surviving rather than thriving from such actions.

I’m sure there are those that can manage a visit to the parks as a very successful portion of recovery and prep, but I am not one of them .

 

[sandam1]

Thanks @DisneyParrothead for asking this question. It gave me an opportunity to review my notes from last year and start thinking about things for this year.

SAFD:

For all races:

• Get a spot along the fences and do warm-up stretches as often as possible, use mylar blanket around my legs to keep them warm
• Have a bottle of Coke (since I don’t drink coffee) and take a few sips each morning as soon as I get up
• Sit whenever possible – this includes in the corrals and in the parks. I was surprised how often I could sit when I made it a priority
• Refill my race gear with consumables (nutrition, water, etc.) and plug in headphones as soon as I get back to the hotel in the morning
• Lay out my clothes the night before
• Leave my bibs in the rental car so there’s no chance of forgetting them
• Get in my Oofos as soon as possible post-race and live in them except for when we got to the parks when I wear my everyday sneakers
• Use my massage gun, Epsom salt baths, and heat packs wherever/whenever necessary
• Finish dinner no later than 6 p.m.
• Have a “the day has gone haywire and I need something to eat NOW” back-up meal plan

For the 5K and 10K races:

• Eat from tortilla chips and fake cheese from race box as soon as we get back to the hotel to tide me over until we can get an early lunch
• Take a short nap, make sure to set an alarm
• Walk around the parks, but set a cap on park time BEFORE we leave the hotel

For anything longer:

• Get a substantial meal as soon as we get back to the hotel
• Sit with my feet up against the wall for at least 10 minutes when we get back to the room
• Pool time – at least 30 minutes of movement – and then hit the hot tub
• Wear compression socks all day
• Forget about the parks if there is another race the next day

 

[Baloo in MI]

Thanks for sending in the question today @DisneyParrothead. Normally I do try to get the question out fairly early on Sunday. Unfortunately I caught Covid and have been feeling horrible. Did not sleep hardly at all last night, and tonight looks to be the same. Ironically, I was awake this morning and got a question set, made my answer and promptly closed up my iPad…. I never hit send. Did not realize this until just a minute ago when I decided to check the thread. So my apologies for the dropped ball today. But hey I have a question set for next week.

SAFD: I havedone several multi-day races and what works best for me is to simply take it easy, but keep moving. So my family will still go into the parks after races and I will stay with them for the day. I do make a concerted effort to minimize steps and I always head back to the hotel after dinner. I am more focused on taking it real easy btwn the half and full. On that day, I do a cold water bath and take a little more time to get to the parks, (i.e. nap time!). But I do try to spend time with family and play in the parks for a bit. The only other thing I can think of, and this is especaillly true when it is a really warm Marathon Weekend. I drink a ton of water