Marathon Weekend 2026

[The Expert]

I'm home! DH and I spent Tuesday at MK (tried Beak and Barrel for the first time), went back and packed, dropped the car we borrowed with my mom, then had dinner at V&A. Our flight yesterday was at 7am and on time, and our connection at LGA left early enough that we got home a full 45 minutes before we were scheduled! It was nice to have time for a grocery run and allll afternoon and evening at home with the pets. I am now caught up on Traitors and The Pitt! (Not so much my training journal or work emails.)

I'm super tired and still feeling a bit of a happy rD hangover, but looking forward to meeting with my running coach in a few hours to discuss the plan for transitioning to Princess training.

 

[Fenway1970]

looking forward to meeting with my running coach in a few hours to discuss the plan for transitioning to Princess training.

Curious: how long have you been working with a coach? It's something I've been considering rather than keep doing it DIY.

 

[The Expert]

Curious: how long have you been working with a coach? It's something I've been considering rather than keep doing it DIY.

I just started in early November and it has been a GAME CHANGER for me! I think I just really needed someone to do the thinking for me, beyond just a training plan or a single race goal. I am not fast, so I guess I never felt like I could justify a coach, but when I decided to do Chicago 2026, it was to really see what I can do outside of Disney and with a real ramp-up in training.

It is virtual, in that my coach isn't local, but I have one-on-one time with them whenever I need it, along with several opportunities each week to get on group coaching calls. (I'm with Kelly Roberts of Badass Lady Gang.) I am LOVING it, even though I haven't been doing it that long. I have a confidence I haven't had before and running is FUN now.

I know @nancipants and a few others here have used the Galloway training program with Chris Twiggs, so I'm sure they can weigh in here.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

How long is everyone taking off from running after MW? My quads are finally relaxing a bit today and I’m actually thinking about an easy peasy cruise around SSR tomorrow morning. Crazy???

It was fairly warm yesterday afternoon (Wed) and I was ready for an easy 3 mile run. MUCH to my surprise.
Instead, I worked on our back fence, and now my repaired hamstring is making itself known for the first time in 9 months after I squatted down too far. I don't think any re-injury, but I'm about to head home to sit on an ice pack. But I was truly surprised at already feeling ready for some easy running again. I'm going to credit DATW as the recovery method....

>> You know, it's one thing to take on Dopey as your first full. It's full-on insanity to take on Dopey as your first HALF

My first Goofy was my first marathon, and only my 3rd half. My one Dopey was only my second full marathon. Glad to hear that I'm not the only person who doesn't always think things through before hitting the "submit" button...

 

[KCO5988]

How long is everyone taking off from running after MW? My quads are finally relaxing a bit today and I’m actually thinking about an easy peasy cruise around SSR tomorrow morning. Crazy???

I took Monday off.. back to it on Tuesday with an 8 miler and yesterday with a 9 miler. BUT I treated the races as training runs and only ran up to mile 23 of the marathon and treated it like a normal long run (with some built in fatigue), I have two more build weeks before a taper for my goal race February 14.

I've got a 10k tune up race Saturday that I'm now NOT looking forward to with this freezing cold weather that decided to hit southern GA.

 

[PrincessV]

Those cold temps some of you wished for?

Have arrived.

Cannot believe how fast the temp in my house has dropped! And honestly not excited about running in the freezing wind later. Most of north and central FL is under a freeze warning.

 

[laurend]

Those cold temps some of you wished for?

Have arrived.

Cannot believe how fast the temp in my house has dropped! And honestly not excited about running in the freezing wind later. Most of north and central FL is under a freeze warning.

Meanwhile up here in New England it was two days of shorts weather! (Don’t worry, we’re back to regularly scheduled winter cold tomorrow!)

 

[accm]

Those cold temps some of you wished for?

Have arrived.

Cannot believe how fast the temp in my house has dropped! And honestly not excited about running in the freezing wind later. Most of north and central FL is under a freeze warning.

I'm sorry! Someone missed the memo, because we requested it for last weekend.

 

[Fischstick]

I just started in early November and it has been a GAME CHANGER for me! I think I just really needed someone to do the thinking for me, beyond just a training plan or a single race goal. I am not fast, so I guess I never felt like I could justify a coach, but when I decided to do Chicago 2026, it was to really see what I can do outside of Disney and with a real ramp-up in training.

It is virtual, in that my coach isn't local, but I have one-on-one time with them whenever I need it, along with several opportunities each week to get on group coaching calls. (I'm with Kelly Roberts of Badass Lady Gang.) I am LOVING it, even though I haven't been doing it that long. I have a confidence I haven't had before and running is FUN now.

I know @nancipants and a few others here have used the Galloway training program with Chris Twiggs, so I'm sure they can weigh in here.

Love Kelly and BALG! Was SO hoping she’d hit her time goal on Sunday and was disappointed for her when she missed it. BUT her attitude is amazing and I don’t think she’s done with the distance!

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

I will take the rest of this week off, definitely. I don’t recover as well as I used to, and the trip really exhausted me. I finally slept well last night, and feel SO much better today. I might do something light—yoga or strength training, but I’m not interested in running for a few days. I’m not sore, but still tired. I’m doing the half for Princess, so I need to figure out a plan for the next few weeks to get me ready. It’s supposed to be 19 degrees tonight here. I have trouble getting motivated in cold weather anyway, but anything I do is going to be INDOORS. If I could have gotten away without walking the dog outside this morning, I would have done it. #teamtoasty

 

[Poohverine]

They start selling them at 10


I’m going to do an easy jog tomorrow with hopefully a short swim too. With a 23km trail run next weekend, I can’t take too much time off.

Will remember that for next time

The PNW is having an oddly warm winter… was tempted to go for a run today but waiting a week or so to do more than just walking, stretching, or yoga.

 

[Disneyhanna]

How did everyone fare with the weather on Sunday? I'm from MN, and was really worried about heat/humidity, but it ended up being far more tolerable than I expected. I didn't think the sun was too bad until about 9:30 (when we were leaving AK). It was a bit of a slog in the Western Way section but some breeze picked up for our last few miles. We were out there for about 7 hours, doing lots of character stops and even made it onto Everest (with a 20 minute wait posted at 30, I am buying a LL next year ). I think arriving so early (on the 2nd) helped me acclimate to the weather. I got one shakeout run in, and all the park days were like 80F. Of course I gambled with the risk of getting sick before the race weekend, but luckily stayed healthy.

Overall I did prefer the weather this year to last year, even as cold blooded as I am. It was so comfortable in the corrals all four mornings. I've only done the last four Marathon Weekends, so I missed the super hot 2020.

Unrelated, but I thought character stops had the longest lines I've seen in my four MWs. I got far less character photos in than usual, especially in the half, lines really never got short. They did get shorter during the marathon after AK, but still longer than usual in my opinion.

 

[Herding_Cats]

DH got a race survey 20min ago.

Is it time for the airing of the grievances?

What do we want to tell them?

 

[nancipants]

Order more merch!

Expand POT!

More characters! Less lines!

 

[Naomeri]

DH got a race survey 20min ago.

Is it time for the airing of the grievances?

What do we want to tell them?

I obviously wasn't there, but it sounds like their Dopey merch line was a massive disaster?

 

[marty3d]

Order more merch!

Expand POT!

More characters! Less lines!

More Epcot!

More lights anywhere there’s construction

 

[FFigawi]

DH got a race survey 20min ago.

Is it time for the airing of the grievances?

What do we want to tell them?

No more parking lot miles
Try again to find a better merch queue system
Extend the parking lot closing time to allow slower finishers an opportunity for character photos and food

 

[MissLiss279]

DH got a race survey 20min ago.

Is it time for the airing of the grievances?

What do we want to tell them?

We need heat sheet after the races! Even if 60-70 is warm for running, once you cool down (and you’re sweaty) and you have to wait on a bus, it gets cold!! For the marathon I did put one in my gear check, but I didn’t need it then.

 

[fatmanatee]

DH got a race survey 20min ago.

Is it time for the airing of the grievances?

What do we want to tell them?

Are we giving up on the victory lap or can we still push on that one?

 

[DianaMB333]

DH got a race survey 20min ago.

Is it time for the airing of the grievances?

What do we want to tell them?

Less parking lots, no construction areas, more and more parks time

Merch quality (I dislike a lot the rD mixture of fabrics, shining, weird shapes) availability and priority access for runners

Powerade at the 10k

some protein at snack box