Marathon Weekend 2025

[runwithperseverence7]

@Mr_Incr3dible so happy to hear your surgery went well. Enjoy your rest. You’ll be back before you know it!

 

[runwithperseverence7]

Ok since we are in the topic of early wakeups, what is everyone’s routine like? When I get up at home I don’t just get up and go out the door. I also take time to eat and take my meds. Does the 2am wake up affect anyone else’s routine? If you take meds in the morning, do you take them when you get up or when you’re back from the races? I’m such a creature of habit that I would be afraid to not do what I’m used to. The earliest I’ve been up for races is 4 and I’ve treated it the same as my normal 5:30-6:30 wake up.

 

[fatmanatee]

You're preaching to the choir about the stress regarding the buses. I used to take the bus, but my DD and I have been driving to the past few races and it's much more pleasant if you have a car with you. The only drawback is the much longer walk to the parking lot rather than just hopping onto the resort buses when the race is over.

Yep. And I'd rather be on an earlier bus having issues than a later bus. My two post-covid race weekends (MW 2022 and SS 2023) were onsite and I sold myself on it because of the transportation and early entry. Was definitely tempted to stay offsite and rent a car this time (won't be able to take advantage of early entry) but decided to just stick with the known.

 

[The Expert]

concomitant shift

New vocab for me and I love it!

 

[The Expert]

Ok since we are in the topic of early wakeups, what is everyone’s routine like? When I get up at home I don’t just get up and go out the door. I also take time to eat and take my meds. Does the 2am wake up affect anyone else’s routine? If you take meds in the morning, do you take them when you get up or when you’re back from the races? I’m such a creature of habit that I would be afraid to not do what I’m used to. The earliest I’ve been up for races is 4 and I’ve treated it the same as my normal 5:30-6:30 wake up.

I'm a routine person too, but I've done enough races that I've got a race routine now. I don't like to be rushed and like to be on the first bus, so I'll get up an hour before it leaves. I make coffee, have some breakfast, get ready (I'm a costume person and set everything out the night before, including everything I'm carrying). I leave the room about 10 minutes before transportation is due to start and go directly to the meetup until my nerves tell me to hit the porta and head to my corral. My meds/vitamins aren't super time sensitive so I usually just take them after the race.

 

[1lilspark]

Ok since we are in the topic of early wakeups, what is everyone’s routine like? When I get up at home I don’t just get up and go out the door. I also take time to eat and take my meds. Does the 2am wake up affect anyone else’s routine? If you take meds in the morning, do you take them when you get up or when you’re back from the races? I’m such a creature of habit that I would be afraid to not do what I’m used to. The earliest I’ve been up for races is 4 and I’ve treated it the same as my normal 5:30-6:30 wake up.

The past few races it’s been
up at 115/130 ish
Get dressed/organized
Leave room around 215 ish with breakfast in hand
Tag team lobby “real” restroom
Wait for bus

 

[SheHulk]

Ok since we are in the topic of early wakeups, what is everyone’s routine like? When I get up at home I don’t just get up and go out the door. I also take time to eat and take my meds. Does the 2am wake up affect anyone else’s routine? If you take meds in the morning, do you take them when you get up or when you’re back from the races? I’m such a creature of habit that I would be afraid to not do what I’m used to. The earliest I’ve been up for races is 4 and I’ve treated it the same as my normal 5:30-6:30 wake up.

My AM pill has to be on an empty stomach, and wait a half hour until eating. And I want to digest a few hours before running a race like a half or a full. So any morning race, but Disney especially, is challenging and requires a super-early wakeup. With a 4:30 start I am really reconsidering my whole plan and maybe just not waiting the 30 min to eat. One day probably won't kill me. If I wake up in the middle of the night (which, let's face it, we all do when we are anticipating a super-early alarm), I might just take my meds then, sometime. Not sure. When you decide, let me know!

 

[kps7795]

I’m such a creature of habit that I would be afraid to not do what I’m used to.

It is such a running cliche, but it's really true. Don't do anything new on race day. Whatever you're doing to prepare for your long runs is what you should do on the morning of your race.

 

[SheHulk]

My AM pill has to be on an empty stomach, and wait a half hour until eating. And I want to digest a few hours before running a race like a half or a full. So any morning race, but Disney especially, is challenging and requires a super-early wakeup. With a 4:30 start I am really reconsidering my whole plan and maybe just not waiting the 30 min to eat. One day probably won't kill me. If I wake up in the middle of the night (which, let's face it, we all do when we are anticipating a super-early alarm), I might just take my meds then, sometime. Not sure. When you decide, let me know!

Anybody travel with someone that *doesn't* run? My poor DH may just decide to sleep in a different room Saturday night.

 

[runwithperseverence7]

Anybody travel with someone that *doesn't* run? My poor DH may just decide to sleep in a different room Saturday night.

My entire family! They are not super excited about this week or the 5K. But my sweet DH agreed for us to go to celebrate my 40th and our 20th anniversary. Only my daughter has been with me for my marathons. And the 3 ive done I stayed in a hotel because I didn’t want to drive an hour and 15 minutes and have to drive that back when I’m done. My mom and my daughter stay with me so I’m not by myself in the room and are my cheer crew during the race. My DH is a pastor so him missing a Sunday for me to run is not something he’s going to do for a local race. That earlier start time may keep them from being able to spectate until I’m back into Epcot.

 

[camaker]

Anybody travel with someone that *doesn't* run? My poor DH may just decide to sleep in a different room Saturday night.

This is why DW and I decided years ago that RunDisney trips were best done solo.

 

[Kerry1957]

Great news @Mr_Incr3dible We will continue to pray for full and active recovery,

 

[Barca33Runner]

I’m hoping the 4:30 becomes 4:00, the 4:00 becomes 3:30, the 3:30 becomes 3:00, etc., etc., etc… There has been a lot of hoping for rD to do a night race at WDW again and I think there are a lot of factors would lend well to the Marathon being that race. I realize it would be a nightmare for spectators, but I think they could put on a better overall event if they could line up the CMs and volunteers needed.

Really, though, I would just rather have a Marathon I could stay awake to go to rather than one where I’m waking up on three hours of sleep even though I tried to go to bed at 5:30 PM. My body clock is what it is at this point and it wants to go to sleep at 10:30 PM and wake up at 6:43 AM, there is no length of vacation that can train it differently.

 

[morgsmagic]

Anybody travel with someone that *doesn't* run? My poor DH may just decide to sleep in a different room Saturday night.

My entire family! They know what they sign up for when coming, so they didn't mind my alarms waking them up briefly (although I don't have a morning routine, so I get up and am out of the room 15-20 mins max), they love to cheer me on and provide support, so they were also up early anyway during the 10K to cheer me on from the Boardwalk as well as marathon day to track me and spectate from Main Street!

 

[Naomeri]

I’m hoping the 4:30 becomes 4:00, the 4:00 becomes 3:30, the 3:30 becomes 3:00, etc., etc., etc… There has been a lot of hoping for rD to do a night race at WDW again and I think there are a lot of factors would lend well to the Marathon being that race. I realize it would be a nightmare for spectators, but I think they could put on a better overall event if they could line up the CMs and volunteers needed.

Really, though, I would just rather have a Marathon I could stay awake to go to rather than one where I’m waking up on three hours of sleep even though I tried to go to bed at 5:30 PM. My body clock is what it is at this point and it wants to go to sleep at 10:30 PM and wake up at 6:43 AM, there is no length of vacation that can train it differently.

Its actually pretty funny, I remember having a conversation with someone at the Dis meetup at DL in January about moving the marathon start time earlier to have more pre-dawn running time, but we didn't think anything would actually happen

 

[Psymonds]

The past few races it’s been
up at 115/130 ish
Get dressed/organized
Leave room around 215 ish with breakfast in hand
Tag team lobby “real” restroom
Wait for bus

looks like I'm going to have to work on a week or so of earlier wakeups coming from pacific time... this is waking up when I'm normally going to sleep...

 

[nancipants]

I stay at my house, so I usually wake up between 2-2:15, toast my bagel, take a quick shower, get dressed (everything set out the night before), grab all my gear (again, get it ready the night before), and hit the road by 2:45. I usually eat at least half my bagel in the car and have a liquid IV. That gets me to Epcot by 3:15, plenty of time to go to the meetup, do character meets, and hit the bathroom a few times.

I have waaaaay more time before running at runDisney events than I normally do. Usually I run less than 30 minutes after waking up. So I'm going to have to adjust some of my long run starts to be a few hours after waking up to practice.

 

[GollyGadget]

Ok since we are in the topic of early wakeups, what is everyone’s routine like? When I get up at home I don’t just get up and go out the door. I also take time to eat and take my meds. Does the 2am wake up affect anyone else’s routine? If you take meds in the morning, do you take them when you get up or when you’re back from the races? I’m such a creature of habit that I would be afraid to not do what I’m used to. The earliest I’ve been up for races is 4 and I’ve treated it the same as my normal 5:30-6:30 wake up.

In my daily life I'm a huge dilly dally in the am but race day is all business. I wake up at 2am to catch the 2:30 bus. All my supplies are gathered the evening before so it's just a few minutes to use the toilet, brush my teeth, and then out the door.

I have a very healthy pop tart and Powerade breakfast on the bus. Then I'll grab some water and eat a honey stinger waffle in the corrals. I'm fortunate that I don't take any meds in the am but I'd take them either first thing if I needed them without food or on the bus with food.

Anybody travel with someone that *doesn't* run? My poor DH may just decide to sleep in a different room Saturday night.

My partner also doesn't run so I have been bunking with my mom the night before the last few years. She wants to wake up to spectate on Main Street so it works better for everyone involved. I'd be worried to sleep alone because I have a history of sleeping through my alarm.

 

[PrincessV]

My AM pill has to be on an empty stomach, and wait a half hour until eating. And I want to digest a few hours before running a race like a half or a full. So any morning race, but Disney especially, is challenging and requires a super-early wakeup. With a 4:30 start I am really reconsidering my whole plan and maybe just not waiting the 30 min to eat. One day probably won't kill me. If I wake up in the middle of the night (which, let's face it, we all do when we are anticipating a super-early alarm), I might just take my meds then, sometime. Not sure. When you decide, let me know!

I also take a pill on empty stomach, wait at least 30 mins before eating - probably the same pill. For races, I set my alarm for an hour and a half before I plan to be out the door. Immediately take pill with big glass of water. Then go to the bathroom, splash some water on my face, put on at least the innermost layer of race clothes, and make my breakfast. By the time I’m actually eating, it’s been at least 15-20 minutes and I call it good enough! Then I’ll do my foam rolling routine, brush my teeth, put on whatever’s left of race clothes, and head out the door a solid 10-15 mins later than planned, for which I’ve already accounted and padded my wake up time.

 

[The Expert]

Anybody travel with someone that *doesn't* run? My poor DH may just decide to sleep in a different room Saturday night.

It's usually just DH with me, and we book a DVC 1-bedroom so we've got a totally separate bedroom. He's a night owl, so he'll usually just crash on the couch after watching TV into the wee hours, and he goes to bed after I leave for the bus. Depending on location and course, he will get up to come out and see me run by.