Marathon Weekend 2026

[princesspirateandrunner]

SAFD: I’m not really training right now. I made it through Peachtree fine, but haven’t really run much since. We just got back from a fantastic trip to Sedona and Grand Canyon, so we did lots of hiking, but no running. Surprisingly, the weather in Arizona was MUCH better than here in Georgia.
DH is running Space Coast Marathon right after Thanksgiving, so his training officially begins on August 11. He’ll then do maintenance until MW.
I might sign up for the Space Coast Half, but I haven’t decided. On the one hand, it would get me two medals, since I ran in 2022 and 2023, and this year would give me three of the four races in the series. (Technically, I “completed” 2022, since it was my first event after a trauma surgery). On the other hand, I could just enjoy a nice beach trip, without worrying about a race. I just haven’t decided on that yet. My only current registrations are the half for MW and the half for PW, so I haven’t been too worried about running since Peachtree. I have been focusing on fitness, but more on strength exercises and walking. Quite honestly, it’s been nice to not worry about running for a bit. I’m hoping that taking a break will make me want to do it more once it’s time to start a training program again.

 

[jpholic]

SAFD: Merged all my training together and picking the longest distance each week for my Sunday run. Just moved into a four run week schedule and doing 25-30 miles.

The big movie poster size training plan on my office wall is kinda intimidating when I see longer runs every weekend starting next month. October is murder but at least the weather will be nicer. I ran 11 miles today and survived. The Summer heat is kicking my butt with pace/stamina but I heard it builds Fall/Winter PR's. Between now and Dopey I have two Disney Challenge races, local HM and a Hyrox competition.

Happy training all!

 

[nancipants]

SAFD: I’m doing Galloway customized training and already gearing up for the Disney marathon. I’m only running 3 times per week but keeping up with strength training (at least 1 hour per week) and walking (at least 30 miles per month). Today I had 5 miles with a magic mile and next week I’m up to 12 miles, which will be so great back in the Florida sun after vacation in the Pacific NW. I imagine I’ll be doing a bunch on the treadmill.

I also have a bunch of races prior to the marathon: Margaritaville 10k, Amelia Island half marathon, Space Coast half marathon, and the Orlando half marathon (for time). After the Disney marathon, I’m doing the Donna half (also for time) and Princess half, and the Springtime 10 miler if I’m able to sign up.

I will need to get serious about running in the next month or so, with the Wine & Dine 5K coming and then building up to the 5K/10K/Half at both MW and Princess. I'm 90% sure I'm going to sign up for Galloway Customized Training just to see how I like it. I'll probably sign up for the year, both for the discount and also because I'm also considering a charity sign-up for the Chicago Marathon for 2026 (One Tail at a Time or Team Fox) and don't trust myself to make a clean transition or keep up training after PW on my own.

Yay, one of us!

 

[dobball23]

SAFD: I was training for a spring half marathon, but had a running injury that needed surgery to repair. I'm on day 19 post surgery. I jogged on the treadmill for ~10 minutes last Wednesday and Friday at PT. I should be good to resume actual running in ~two weeks. I will continue to push forward in PT in the interim. I am signed up for Dopey, and once I'm given the go-ahead to run, I'll be trying to get my fitness back to start a training plan.

 

[KellyKateri]

SAFD: training for MCM in late October, also forgot I signed up for the W&D 5K, and it’s the same weekend. Maybe the chaos of flying to Florida for 48 hours for a mushu medal before my first marathon will be helpful for Dopey 2026 lol.

I ran 13 miles on Saturday, and it was ROUGH weather-wise. I started around 7AM, but by 9AM we had 89° real feels with 80% humidity. I really can’t complain on paces in this weather since there’s no escaping, but hoping my average mile time goes down in September with cooler weather

 

[Baloo in MI]

Is one of them sleeping bear?

Yes. I am leaning towards it. The other is up in the Thumb about two weeks later,

 

[sandam1]

SAFD I'm still in, as my physical therapist is calling it, "running purgatory" - in that I'm not quite injured any more, but not 100% healed. The result has been that my training has been haphazard at best up until about two weeks ago. Since then, I've been able to get my runs in, but I'm still a little nervous about doing anything that isn't long and slow.

My next big race might be a half marathon at the beginning of October, but I'm still not sure if I'm going to be ready for it. I feel like I need to make a decision about it soon. If I decide not to do it, the next race is a 10K at the end of October and then our local Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving followed by the Space Coast half marathon. After Space Coast, it's only one 14 mile long before MW.

I'm "only" doing the 10K and half for MW and I have to confess that I'm not missing the marathon training in the slightest. In fact, I'm enjoying it a little bit too much.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Yes. I am leaning towards it. The other is up in the Thumb about two weeks later,

We have a XC meet in Portage that day, but lmk if you’re coming up on Friday or staying through Sunday if you wanna meet up. (Check Benzie county area for hotels or cabin rentals and it’s only like at 20min drive to the race start and probably more affordable than TC.)

 

[pluto377]

SAFD: my training is not going well. I’m on vacation and I had planned to run a bit but I ended up in the ER with an infection instead. This trip keeps going from bad to worse. I’m still in pain and struggling through the super easy paved hikes we have planned. I’ll be back home in a week and will have to follow up with my dr to see if surgery is needed as a result of the infection. I’ll figure out training once I know.

 

[smileyanna]

SAFD: Training for Marine Corps is in full gear, and Ive been running outside a lot more than I thought I would. The humidity is tough though.

I was doing customized Galloway training since Dopey, and trained for speed for the first time in my life. Hit times I never thought I’d see in a 10k and 10 miler! Unfortunately, I stopped customized this month in order to save some money. But I’m still doing the basics of the Galloway plan for a marathon.

Is anyone doing Bird-in-Hand half marathon in September?

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: Still in base mode trying to get 20-23 miles a week of mostly easy running. I am not racing until the Mississippi Gulf Coast HM in mid-December where I want to try and keep my Corral B POT. After chatting with Billy, the plan is to start training for that in late August and then have an extended taper into Dopey where I do not plan to run for time. Nice to have a few more weeks where I do not have to worry too much about the training. Was set to walk out the door yesterday for 7 miles (had hydration pack on and all) when my son asked if we could go to Waffle House for breakfast. Needless to say, time with him and “good” food won out! Will try and use the time before training kicks in to get back into some better habits on stretching, strength and nutrition (breakfast trip yesterday excluded).

 

[jrsharp21]

SAFD: Running really never stops. But my training has been a little different since MW. I knew that I wanted to get into triathlons this year, so I have been also mixing in swimming and biking. I suck at swimming, so I have been doing a lot of that along with short 5 mile runs since it is still so hot here in Houston. Got my first sprint triathlon in yesterday, and now looking at possibly doing an Iron Man 70.3 at the beginning of October. So running will need to tick up here this weekend to get the volume up to a half marathon.

 

[PrincessV]

An OMG alarm from west-central FL… even going out early is not helpful right now: our heat index at 4 o’clock this morning - yes, 4 AM - was 100º. That would be the overnight “low,” as we head right back to feels likes from 111-115º today. This kind of heat is unheard of here on the coast. I’ll be on the treadmill in an 80º room tonight and may skip tomorrow’s morning run if we don’t see some rain.

 

[marty3d]

SAFD: Currently in week 5 of training for NYC in November. Training is going well in terms of mileage but my pace is terrible due to the heat and humidity - reminds me of why I don't normally run fall race!

What I need to figure out is how to shift from marathon training in November to Goofy in January.

 

[radiodome21]

SAFD: All was going well until I had a setback on July 5th at our lake house. I slipped on our boat lift and gave my knee a nice little gash that required deep and complicated stitches according to the ER doctor who put them in. Just a few inches over and I’d be in a cast. Just got cleared to resume running today so I’ll go tomorrow since I’m working from home. Ironically the laceration was sewn up hours before I got on a flight to WDW too. It did put a small dent on that trip as I had to stay out of the pools and off the running paths around VGF and The Riviera. We’re leaving for Ireland in a few days and I had originally decided that I would probably lay off running while on our trip but since I’ve already basically lost a month I’m packing my gear. I’m training for the Food & Wine HF.

My wife, who was already in Florida when I had my accident kept asking why I was even bothering going up to the lake house for 1 night the day we were leaving for WDW. The main reason: to pick up my new Garmin Forerunner 265 that I shipped there because the sales tax is cheaper in Wisconsin. Oh the hindsight…..

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

SAFD: I took an extended break after SS this year as it capped the end of a perfect runDisney season and frankly I was just burned out. I started back up last month with short runs and now I'm slowly building up to a half since I'm running all three races at DL Halloween Half weekend. From there, I have all three races at W&D and then the 10K and half at MW. I will echo @sandam1 that I am not missing marathon training, not even a tiny little bit. A Goofy and two Dopeys in a row and I need a holiday season where I'm not training so intensely.

The heat here in Dallas, TX has been a struggle. I am normally an evening runner but I have had to convert to morning running right now since it's still way too hot in the evenings. I'm not built to get up super early so it's the best I can do to get out the door by 7:30 or 8:00 and that's still too late. Yesterday's 5-miler at 7:30 was 81 degrees with 80% humidity (thankfully with some cloud cover) and most days the sun is glaringly hot and draining. I am running the slowest paces I have run maybe ever and cannot keep my heart rate down and it's been pretty discouraging. Oh well, hoping that it pays off this Fall and Winter.

 

[DianaMB333]

SAFD: Summer has been great for me, I finally got to go out LOL… I pretty much hibernated in my first looong winter in Michigan, so now I can go out … I usually run before / around 5am then weather is perfect

I’m only doing RunDisney events, Sept to April, so looking fwd to the upcoming Halloween at DL

 

[3princesandaprincess]

SAFD: Training doesn’t really stop just slows down. An early summer move and the GA heat have kept my mileage down recently. Glad to hear it’s not just me struggling in the heat - not happy others are, just glad nothing is wrong with me!! We can all look forward to fall running!!!
Currently half following the Galloway Dopey plan - with some extra running for me. It’s DH’s first marathon/Dopey and he’s following that so we do our Sat long runs together. I usually add and extra run or 2- it feels odd to only train 3 days. We will likely run a half or two this fall, so we modify as needed to squeeze those in.

 

[mmm_texas]

SAFD: Training for Dopey has started off pretty well, although I have modest speed goals. (I'll be happy to finish the marathon in the top half of my age group!) One or two early morning 5Ks during the week, where I may or may not try to improve my time, and one "long run" during the weekend (8 miles this past Saturday), where I definitely take to heart Jeff Galloway's recommendation that you can't go too slow on a long run. I'll usually throw in 2 or 3 strength/core workouts a week, and that's it. So far my runs have felt good, even with all of the heat.

 

[PrincessV]

An OMG alarm from west-central FL… even going out early is not helpful right now: our heat index at 4 o’clock this morning - yes, 4 AM - was 100º. That would be the overnight “low,” as we head right back to feels likes from 111-115º today. This kind of heat is unheard of here on the coast. I’ll be on the treadmill in an 80º room tonight and may skip tomorrow’s morning run if we don’t see some rain.

Wait, wait, it gets crazier… Tampa hit a whopping heat index of 120° today! T+D = 178. “Only” 117° where I live.