Marathon Weekend 2026

[lookingforsunshine]

So, what is this DopeyBadger Plan everyone keeps referencing?

Just wanted to add that @DopeyBadger is amazing. His plans and philosophies around running literally changed my life. I previously had tried and failed the Galloway method. Billy taught me about cumulative fatigue and I have now successfully completed two Dopeys with my longest run being 14 miles (no longer than 3h30m). I have many more miles during the week than I had on Galloway, but honestly that makes such a difference for me. I will always use run/walk intervals, but the Galloway plan is so defeating otherwise (of course YMMV).

 

[nancipants]

Can confirm with the above! My longest run by distance during my marathon training plan was a half marathon (finished in 2:58, my PR!) and a few weeks later my longest run by time was 3 hours (12.05 miles). I had a 7 day stretch during peak week where my total mileage was 37 miles. I was able to complete my plan without uprooting my life and still do holiday things.

 

[camaker]

Good morning RunDisney All-Stars! Today's Sundays Are For Disney (SAFD) question comes to you courtesy of @jmasgat . Have you ever had a moment while training or racing that reminded you of a scene from a Disney (universe--i.e. also Marvel, Star Wars) movie?

As always, if you have an idea for a SAFD question, be it related to running, Disney or both, send me a PM and I'll get it into the schedule. Thanks again for this week's question, @jmasgat!

SAFD: I don't have a great example of this, but we don't get winter weather in my neck of the woods very often. As a result, I've definitely had a couple of training runs where I felt like Bambi out on the frozen pond hitting unexpected patches of ice on the sidewalk!

 

[jmasgat]

SAFD: Well my question, so I'll answer. 10 years ago, I did my only Half Ironman at Cedar Point, Sandusky Ohio on Lake Erie. A storm had just passed through and the lake was so rough with very high waves. The start was in the water, and while waiting for my AG to get the gun, I had to keep jumping up to avoid being swamped by waves. It was near impossible to find a rhythm/breathe, but amazingly I made it through. My husband watched worriedly from the beach as zodiacs/motorized boats pulled person after person out of the water. One of the couple that I raced this with ingested so much water they had to abandon.

So we have always joked that this was reminiscent of 2 things: Elsa trying to cross the Dark Water in Frozen II and getting thrown back and tossed around; and/or Rey trying to get to the ruined Death Star on Kef Bir in the sea skiff. I will honestly never forget this race.

 

[Novatrix]

SAFD: Don't really have any good examples that I can think of, although there have been a few cold runDisney races that have had me muttering under my breath on how Elsa needs to remove her frozen curse from the land of summer.

 

[nancipants]

SAFD: During one of my last runs in marathon training, I was about to run up the hill in my neighborhood when my music app shuffled on “Ascension” from the season finale of Loki Season 2. It’s a big climatic moment that involves Loki undertaking a big feat (being vague for spoilers) and it felt so epic to run up the hill with that music.

 

[The Expert]

SAFD: Remember when Pooh gets stuck in the honey tree? That's how I feel every time I take off a pull-on sports bra.

 

[BigEeyore]

SAFD: It's DC and not Marvel but one of my most epic trip and falls when running happened once when my toe caught an uneven board on our greenway and I went down Superman style - arms extended out in front of me and skidding across the boards. My hands and knees were all scraped up! But I finished the run!!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

SAFD: In all three of my marathons, I have had "Go the Distance" come up on my playlist around mile 20-22 ish.

SAFD: Remember when Pooh gets stuck in the honey tree? That's how I feel every time I take off a pull-on sports bra.

This is 100% accurate.

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: Y’know how it looks in Star Wars when they jump into hyperspace? Yeah - exactly the same effect when running through a swarm of mosquitoes in the dark using a headlamp. Bonus points if Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic” happens to be playing.

 

[SheHulk]

I definitely joked about running on the planet Hoth a few times in the freezing leading up to the marathon. Where's a tauntaun when you need one.

 

[Zutroy]

I definitely joked about running on the planet Hoth a few times in the freezing leading up to the marathon. Where's a tauntaun when you need one.

I definitely had similar thoughts about tauntauns when using the port-a-potties by the corrals.

 

[marty3d]

I definitely joked about running on the planet Hoth a few times in the freezing leading up to the marathon. Where's a tauntaun when you need one.

SAFD: You stole mine

Hoth was the first thing that came to mind when I thought about some of my December Dopey training!

Staying with the Star Wars theme, running through the sounds of battle during the marathon and meeting Chewbacca, Phasma and Rey was as close to being in a Star Wars movie (outside ROTR) as I'll ever be!

 

[jmasgat]

SAFD: Sadly, I will add one more. I went for a run yesterday and started to feel a familiar "referred pain" in my upper back that signals I may be in for a bout of cervical disc issues. Hoping that early detection and shutting all training down will resolve it, but it has a mind of its own.

Anyway, my half training has been going well, and this thing makes me think of "Caution runners, speed bump ahead"

 

[AZMermaid]

SAFD only wishing I had a FastPass!

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Not while training, but on these boards: so much activity during registration, or before a race, and then afterwards: quiet. Makes me think of Luke in the Death Star trench when all the firing suddenly stops.

 

[Naomeri]

SAFD: although I vastly prefer cold-running to hot-running, I have had a few long winter runs where this GIF is accurate

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

I want to participate, but there is really nothing that comes to mind. Which is to say, there is nothing cinematic about me running . Perhaps a loose connection could be made to unwitting and slow prey animals in a National Geographic documentary, so maybe I should just be happy that I have yet to be eaten.

 

[FFigawi]

SAFD: all that’s missing from making the local cycling track look like Tatooine is the second sun

 

[JackosinDIS]

Hi! I’m new around these parts (usually hang out over on the DVC threads). Hoping you won’t mind me joining in here! Planning to try and sign up for our first MW this time round. Well, DH will be trying for the marathon and I may try and hobble my way round a 10k. Looking forward to picking up all the tips and advice from everyone here! Feeling thoroughly confused and overwhelmed with the registration process already…but I’m sure there will lots of info over the next few weeks. If anyone can point me to a ‘marathon registration for dummies’ type guide that would be great!