Marathon Weekend 2025

[Baloo in MI]

SAFD:
I am thankful for this group. You all have been a source of smiles and laughter, self checks, reminders to be grateful and just a place I could go that did not include the demands of work or family.

Of course on that note I am grateful for my family and how supportive they have been in my running.

Lastly, I am thankful for the health and wellness benefits that I have received from running. I know I am a better person when I am running regularly, less stressed, happier and more physically fit. (Although that darn weight is creeping back up, grrrr.)

Have a good week all!

 

[nancipants]

As for those who are about to do their first Disney running event, especially the half or the full, you won't be able to look at the place the same again. Besides going backstage in places, you'll start looking at even the on-ramps overpasses differently in that you'll be thinking, "I ran there" or that is where you got a photo op with a particular character. As for backstage, you'll start noticing the places to go backstage that you never noticed before.
It makes it more fun when you visit again, but potentially more annoying for family members....

Every time my husband and I drive on Western Way I make some remark about how I'm going to have to run this in a few weeks and I'm questioning all my life choices.

 

[jrsharp21]

It's never a good time for an injury, but as we can all related, getting injured close to MW sucks. A week or so ago I tweaked something in my leg (upper outside thigh area) during baseball practice. I thought no big deal, it will be fine in a few days. It did feel better after a few days. Went out and ran a half marathon this past Saturday. My leg is now throbbing. It hurts to sit, and sleeping on that side sucks. Funny thing is, it doesn't hurt when I jog around. I am not for certain which muscle it is, but also signs are point to the vastus lateralis. I go see my doctor on Thursday. He is a sports doctor, so hoping he can figure out what's going on and how I can get to pain free in five weeks.

 

[jrsharp21]

Echoing others in that:
1. Glad to have somewhere to share and babble about running and training, as no one at my house does, and few at work do
2. My health and being able to run, even though I can't at the moment. But I can keep in mind that a few months from now I'll be ramping back up and back to putting in miles. The last 4 years of running have done wonders for my health, both physical and mental.

As for those who are about to do their first Disney running event, especially the half or the full, you won't be able to look at the place the same again. Besides going backstage in places, you'll start looking at even the on-ramps overpasses differently in that you'll be thinking, "I ran there" or that is where you got a photo op with a particular character. As for backstage, you'll start noticing the places to go backstage that you never noticed before.
It makes it more fun when you visit again, but potentially more annoying for family members....

Every time I drive up the hill on World Dr in front of the Contemporary, there a few choice words that are said.

 

[camaker]

It's never a good time for an injury, but as we can all related, getting injured close to MW sucks. A week or so ago I tweaked something in my leg (upper outside thigh area) during baseball practice. I thought no big deal, it will be fine in a few days. It did feel better after a few days. Went out and ran a half marathon this past Saturday. My leg is now throbbing. It hurts to sit, and sleeping on that side sucks. Funny thing is, it doesn't hurt when I jog around. I am not for certain which muscle it is, but also signs are point to the vastus lateralis. I go see my doctor on Thursday. He is a sports doctor, so hoping he can figure out what's going on and how I can get to pain free in five weeks.

If it only hurts when you're not running, is there really a problem?

 

[jrsharp21]

If it only hurts when you're not running, is there really a problem?

I told my wife the same thing. She rolled her eyes at me. LOL.

 

[lahobbs4]

SAFD: I love reading through everyone's answers on this one!

I am so thankful that running found me. It's crucial to my mental health, heart health, and races just make me so happy! Even though this is the first year I've been injured, my spirits stay lifted because my motivation to heal is to be able to run again.

 

[camaker]

I told my wife the same thing. She rolled her eyes at me. LOL.

That tracks...

 

[dobball23]

SAFD: Like many of you, I'm thankful for being able to run. Someone recently asked my wife if I have any hobbies and what I do for fun and she replied that running is my hobby. I've been relatively healthy over the last few years and I hope that continues as running is part of my daily life, my physical wellbeing and my mental wellbeing.

In terms of RunDisney, I am thankful that Marathon Weekend can challenge me and that everyone here and at the events are so supportive (unless you're trying to get toward the front of your wave near the start line!).

 

[marty3d]

SAFD: Thankful that runDisney re-ignited my love of running. What started out as just a goal to run down Main Street in the 2009 Half Marathon turned into a a habit that has helped me both physically and mentally to stay healthy and focused. I'm also grateful to have found this community when I fully committed to running my first and only Dopey in 2021 2022. The support has been fantastic and positive and I'm thankful to have met some of you in person at HH and pre-race meetups on both coasts. Though I think I may also have this group to blame for the fact I'm now training for Dopey #3.

 

[Lemon Head]

SAFD:
1. I'm so thankful to my body for holding up when I discovered running later in life. I used to be a bodybuilder and I used to see people in Half and Marathon T-shirts and think "Whoa! I could never do that, thats a serious thing!". And now I do it. And my body has its moments but for the most part it gets me through. I love it for it and try to treat it nicely by stretching lots and drinking water rather than filling it up with crap or making it sit on a sofa all day.

2. I'm thankful to new and old friends I've met through running. Obviously all the new people I've met are awesome but also my running has inspired friends and family members to join me and on Saturdays we do parkrun together. Its so great to reconnect with people by having fun outdoors.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

SAFD: I am thankful for rundisney. Only disney could get me to run and I am more healthier that I have been in a very log time and I am now in my 40s.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: Great topic as always.

Lots of repeats in here, but I'm thankful for the impact running has had on my health, both phycial and mental. I cannot imagine where I would be at this stage in my life without it. Thankful that I have the ability to still run. Watching what my DD has gone through helps remind me that having the ability to go out for a run is not a given at any time. Thankful for the great people running has introduced me to, the places it has taken me to over the years and the stories it has generated (most of which non-runners could care less about so again thankful for the running friends). Finally I'm thankful for the constant challenge it provides. Early on that challenge was a new PR or a new distance. Sometimes it's just making it through a training cycle injury free. What the challenge is seems to change, but there's always a new one to chase on almost every run.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

SAFD: I will echo many others on here that runDisney has revived my love of running and completely changed my life for the better these last couple of years. I was a "serious" runner about 10 years ago and could run races much faster than I can now. I took many years off after my first marathon because I just sort of burned out and life happened. But signing up for Goofy a couple of years ago got me back out the door and once I ran the races at MW, I was hooked. I have subsequently joined a running group with a running coach, and that group has become a constant source of love and support and kept me motivated to keep signing up for races and completing them. I have met some of the best friends I have ever had through that group and I do not think I would have found them without runDisney.

I will also echo those who thanked this group. I started as a lurker in 2022 and finally joined after signing up for Goofy (after missing Dopey and then having a charity revoke my bib because of a registration error). I stay connected to this group and read every single post throughout my week. I may not be able to make the meetups or HH, but I appreciate having this group to vent and get tips from and just keep the excitement alive for various runDisney race weekends.

Dopey #2 is fast approaching!

 

[Herding_Cats]

I will also echo those who thanked this group. I started as a lurker in 2022 and finally joined after signing up for Goofy (after missing Dopey and then having a charity revoke my bib because of a registration error). I stay connected to this group and read every single post throughout my week. I may not be able to make the meetups or HH, but I appreciate having this group to vent and get tips from and just keep the excitement alive for various runDisney race weekends.

Dopey #2 is fast approaching!

Hey. For reals. Do a “fly by” at the light pole in the morning, wave to us, and yell your screen name so we know who you are. (That sound horrible to do and I would have too much social anxiety to do what I’m suggesting, but you get the gist of my suggestion, I’m sure.) I mean…you have to walk past us to get to gear check!

 

[Lemon Head]

A fly-by is a good idea. I've probably not been here long enough for a chat. Maybe in 2026.

I've lurked for a long time so feel like I know you all but you dont know me well. You're celebrities to me! lol

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

Hey. For reals. Do a “fly by” at the light pole in the morning, wave to us, and yell your screen name so we know who you are. (That sound horrible to do and I would have too much social anxiety to do what I’m suggesting, but you get the gist of my suggestion, I’m sure.) I mean…you have to walk past us to get to gear check!

The problem is that y'all meet so early. I'm more of a "get to my corral by 4:45" kind of guy. My running group meets for a picture at 4:30 before we disperse to our respective corrals, and I've missed it a couple of times.

 

[kps7795]

A fly-by is a good idea. I've probably not been here long enough for a chat. Maybe in 2026.

I've lurked for a long time so feel like I know you all but you dont know me well. You're celebrities to me! lol

I can say from personal experience that everyone is welcome. When I popped in to say hi, I was more of a lurker than a poster myself and definitely felt included.

 

[superchime]

SAFD: Most of mine have already been said but I'll reiterate that I'm so thankful for this group, especially @DopeyBadger for sharing his wealth of knowledge and Team Not So Fast for being so welcoming and inclusive, and the Training Journals crew for their positivity and support.

I'm also thankful for RunDisney. I really don't want to race anywhere but Disney. I want to get faster so I can stop for more characters. I sign up for races so I have a reason to run those boring miles in my neighborhood. RunDisney really is something special.

 

[Herding_Cats]

A fly-by is a good idea. I've probably not been here long enough for a chat. Maybe in 2026.

I've lurked for a long time so feel like I know you all but you dont know me well. You're celebrities to me! lol

Coming to the meet-ups is a great way for us to get to know you! We usually have a few mostly-lurkers stop by.