Marathon Weekend 2024

[GreatLakes]

SAFD: I'm doing the half and don't really have a time goal. It is more a vacation than race this year so I might set some time goal not much faster than my long run pace just to have something to chase.

I've never stopped for pictures during a Disney race before and I am often passing characters either with no line or just one person so I might actually stop for some pics this year since I'm not really racing this time.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

1) Make it through training injury free.
2) Help DD complete HM in front of the balloon ladies.
3) Sub 5:00 marathon.
4) Make it more than 2 countries this year during DATW.

1) So far so good.
2) Up in the air as her training hasn't gone well so she's still undecided on whether she's going to give it a shot (well she's willing but I don't want her hurting herself just to try).
3) Fitness is there but haven't decided if I still want to shoot for this or just enjoy the race; will probably depend on what I do for HM. If DD doesn't run, I may push pace in that race instead.
4) Still the plan!

 

[DisneyParrothead]

SAFD: I'm doing the half and don't really have a time goal. It is more a vacation than race this year so I might set some time goal not much faster than my long run pace just to have something to chase.

I've never stopped for pictures during a Disney race before and I am often passing characters either with no line or just one person so I might actually stop for some pics this year since I'm not really racing this time.

I’d say do it! I don’t normally stop for pictures either but I stopped for Marie during Princess 2019. She’s an absolute favorite and I couldn’t pass her by. The line was short too.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

With "World Celebration Gardens" officially open today in Epcot, I think it means that most of the construction blocking the paths there is done (CommuniCore Hall isn't done I know). I know we all speculated on this not long ago, but now that I see it open, I am really hoping we get a better path through Epcot for MW and excited to see the maps in a few weeks!

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I’d say do it! I don’t normally stop for pictures either but I stopped for Marie during Princess 2019. She’s an absolute favorite and I couldn’t pass her by. The line was short too.

I'm torn between trying for a PR in the half or taking my own advice and enjoying it and taking it easy because I have the full the next day.
On top of that, because we don't do a loop of Epcot before heading for the MK, I arrive at the MK while it is still dark and last time stopped at the entrance and just gawked to take it all in: the music, the lights, the Christmas decorations, all of it. It was truly magical in a way that I haven't experienced there in a loooong time as an older, cynical, jaded adult. Plus I want a pic in front of the castle.
I think it'll wind up being a game time decision and I'll call an audible (just to mix sports) depending on how good I'm feeling that morning and how the clock says I'm doing. If the clock says I'm doing good enough, then I may have to defer all photos to the full and set about setting a new half PR.

The full: stop for any photo op that catches my interest, go on a ride or two, and finish. The problem with some of the character stops is that I just don't know the characters of the more recent animated movies, so that plus not-worth-it long lines has led to a number of stops where I just run past.

 

[DisneyParrothead]

The full: stop for any photo op that catches my interest, go on a ride or two, and finish. The problem with some of the character stops is that I just don't know the characters of the more recent animated movies, so that plus not-worth-it long lines has led to a number of stops where I just run past.

I feel the same. I haven't been impressed with any of recent movies, starting with Frozen 2, so I skip a lot. Stopping for Marie was an audible since I didn't anticipate that she would be on the course. For the 5K, Aurora and Prince Philip had been in France, and I was expecting them or Cinderella and Prince Charming. I wasn't going for a PR and had just stopped to use the bathroom in Morocco and I saw Marie. I had to stop, and it didn't matter that they were just about to swap out Marie's. It took less than 5 minutes, and I didn't budge out of line.

I think that's why the 90s theme this year for MW was so popular. Not only were there characters so many people knew and loved, there were rare characters on the course too.

 

[nekonekoneko]

With "World Celebration Gardens" officially open today in Epcot, I think it means that most of the construction blocking the paths there is done (CommuniCore Hall isn't done I know). I know we all speculated on this not long ago, but now that I see it open, I am really hoping we get a better path through Epcot for MW and excited to see the maps in a few weeks!

Please please! My DW says she really misses running under SSE. It's like she knows that finish line is literally right around the corner.

 

[Jennx36]

Have any course maps been released yet?

 

[nekonekoneko]

Have any course maps been released yet?

Nope. Probably not for a couple more weeks.

 

[dobball23]

Nope. Probably not for a couple more weeks.

But we'll all be looking for them every day between now and when they are released!

 

[Zutroy]

Please please! My DW says she really misses running under SSE. It's like she knows that finish line is literally right around the corner.

The last couple years have been rough because you run through all the countries, and the excitement is building, but then you finish by weaving through backlots and dumpsters. Running under Spaceship Earth again would be an incredible return to the course. If the walkout to the corrals isn‘t 4 miles, then it would be a win/win.

 

[marty3d]

The last couple years have been rough because you run through all the countries, and the excitement is building, but then you finish by weaving through backlots and dumpsters. Running under Spaceship Earth again would be an incredible return to the course. If the walkout to the corrals isn‘t 4 miles, then it would be a win/win.

If we can finish under SSE I don't care what the walkout to the corrals is

 

[azrivest]

If we can finish under SSE I don't care what the walkout to the corrals is

Agreed!

 

[Bree]

SAFD: I don’t know that I listed goals. I searched but didn’t see any. Here’s how I am feeling today about goals.

#1 Figure out how to stay healthy between MW & DL. Ran W&D and got sick. Ran Space Coast and got sick

#2 See goal one



Anyone else stalking the USATF database for course maps?

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

SAFD: I don’t know that I listed goals. I searched but didn’t see any. Here’s how I am feeling today about goals.

#1 Figure out how to stay healthy between MW & DL. Ran W&D and got sick. Ran Space Coast and got sick

#2 See goal one



Anyone else stalking the USATF database for course maps?

No. Hadn't thought about doing that. I'm curious, but figure that the main thing will be how they route us through Epcot. Otherwise, I'm anticipating mostly the same course as before.

Bummer about feeling bad. Hoping you get better.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

Since I'm lazy I thought I would check the group's memory before I went and looked at the Wine & Dine thread...I'm trying to remember the timing of the things we will see from RD between now and MW. Helps build excitement for me especially in these last few weeks of tough training miles. As I recall we have:

1) USTA course certification (not sent by RD, but know people stalk it and then post) Event guide
2) Event guide
3) Merch preview
4) Expo pass

Event guide is 2-3 weeks from event (I think) and expo pass is a few days before expo opens (again based on increasingly faulty memory), but when do we typically see the merch preview? Guessing the course certification will be close to the event guide coming out too, although I guess that could be any time now.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Since I'm lazy I thought I would check the group's memory before I went and looked at the Wine & Dine thread...I'm trying to remember the timing of the things we will see from RD between now and MW. Helps build excitement for me especially in these last few weeks of tough training miles. As I recall we have:

1) USTA course certification (not sent by RD, but know people stalk it and then post) Event guide
2) Event guide
3) Merch preview
4) Expo pass

Event guide is 2-3 weeks from event (I think) and expo pass is a few days before expo opens (again based on increasingly faulty memory), but when do we typically see the merch preview? Guessing the course certification will be close to the event guide coming out too, although I guess that could be any time now.

I think there was something in the email about waivers about expo passes being sent on the 30th (which would make sense with NYE on a Sunday/NYD on a Monday and the offices potentially being closed…the day before the expo seems like it would be late to send those.) I’m expecting the event guide between the 15th and 20th based on last year and W&D’s release dates. Merch is usually around the same time as the expo passes? Merch preview was 15 days before the expo for W&D. So maybe we'll get that around the same time as the event guide? 2023 MW merch preview was on 12/30. So who knows.

 

[RunWI1265]

SAFD: Much like last year...
1. Show up healthy, lighter, stronger than last year.
2. Participate in HH and maybe DATW if I'm still in town.
3. Everest and ToT! Although usually by ToT I'm ready to be done.
Bonus:
4. Survive enough to have energy left for Dumbo.

1. As it stands today I'll be going into MW feeling the worst I have of any race weekend. Just trying to survive to the weekend and grind it out. Body is stiff, sore, heavy and I've been plagued by a never-ending cough from a sickness I picked up from my son. Dr says it's not contagious but could last for a month. I'm on week 3 and it's only "slightly" better. Inhaler and rx cough medication have done nothing.

2. Still planning for this!

3 and 4. TBD

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Back to goals...
I found my 2009 Half plaque (why a plaque? Because, at the time, I didn't imagine there would be more). My time for that half was 2:36:48, which did include some photo stops.
Not-doing-it-again lasted barely 3 months, as I decided that since I was mostly in shape, I'd do the Atlanta half and finished it in 2:20:11, which stands as my PR in that category.
Thus the idea that at this time I can probably beat that time, probably by appx 5 minutes, if not more.
Again, it'll likely be an in-race decision based pace and on how I'm feeling going into the MK.
Meanwhile, I have a break between calls, so going to take advantage of warmer, sunny weather...

 

[jrsharp21]

Been resting my pulled groin all week and taking all sorts of stuff to help with the healing. Vitamin C, collagen peptides, normal daily vitamins, and tissue rejuvinator (this stuff is awesome). I also got a leg wrap to help out. Decided today was the day to test it out and see what I could do. At first I was only going to go max 2 miles. I went out slow and picked up the pace a little bit to where I could feel it start to grab. I ended up going 5 miles, pretty much pain free, and was about a minute slower than my pace was before I got hurt. I could definitely feel my quad doing extra work to protect the injury. By the time I was done, my quad was pretty tight. So I am pretty happy that I was able to do that run and now have confidence that I should be able to do Dopey without expecting a ton of pain (knock on wood). I am hoping my running gait gets a little bit closer to normal over the next couple of weeks as the injury heals. Then with that, I am hoping I can get closer to pre-injury pace.