Official 2014 Donald Half Marathon

[bumbershoot]

Try this for the Beginner's plan for the Half:

http://as1.wdpromedia.com/media/ewwos/pdf/rundisney/training-programs/2014/WDWHalf14_Beg.pdf

Thank you so much! You are a URL ninja, obviously.

 

[PrincessV]

Thank you so much! You are a URL ninja, obviously.

LOL - nah, I just have good contacts. Happy to help!

 

[MrsDuck]

We're all booked at ASMu!

 

[disney minnie]

I just signed up with my son. He will be 14 in September so this will be his first half. My daughter will be running the Mickey Mile and my husband will be our cheerleader.

 

[tink_lover]

DH and I are in! We are 8 weeks in to the C25K program. Running our first 5K in July and plan to do a 10K in October. We are so new to all this and really looking forward to the support here! I already booked the hotel for us. Couldn't quite get dh to agree to the $972 MKV Contemporary CL room so we are booked at the Swolphin.

 

[sunnygal041]

DH and I are in! We are 8 weeks in to the C25K program. Running our first 5K in July and plan to do a 10K in October. We are so new to all this and really looking forward to the support here! I already booked the hotel for us. Couldn't quite get dh to agree to the $972 MKV Contemporary CL room so we are booked at the Swolphin.

Welcome!

 

[mickeysmiles]

I am in!!! Very excited but nervous, new to running. Trying to talk my friend into doing it with me.

 

[belias21]

Count me in!! I'll be registering for the WDW Half today and I'm so excited! It's awesome to have others in the about the same boat as me... I'm fairly new and have only logged two official 5K's to date, but I have a 10K coming up in 2 weeks and now a HALF in January to look forward to!

Can't wait!!

 

[PrincessV]

I just signed up with my son. He will be 14 in September so this will be his first half. My daughter will be running the Mickey Mile and my husband will be our cheerleader.

So cool! I hope my DS will run a half with me when he's old enough.

DH and I are in! We are 8 weeks in to the C25K program. Running our first 5K in July and plan to do a 10K in October. We are so new to all this and really looking forward to the support here! I already booked the hotel for us. Couldn't quite get dh to agree to the $972 MKV Contemporary CL room so we are booked at the Swolphin.

I think you'll really like being at an EP resort - it's a great place for Marathon weekend!

I am in!!! Very excited but nervous, new to running. Trying to talk my friend into doing it with me.

Welcome to the madness!

Count me in!! I'll be registering for the WDW Half today and I'm so excited! It's awesome to have others in the about the same boat as me... I'm fairly new and have only logged two official 5K's to date, but I have a 10K coming up in 2 weeks and now a HALF in January to look forward to!

Awesome - sounds like a great base to work from!

 

[belias21]

So... officially sent RunDisney my money this morning! (Thank you Disney Visa discount!) I'm so excited!

Guess that leads me to the next step... This is my first RunDisney event. Where is the best place to stay? We own at OKW, but I'm thinking that maybe something like BWV or BCV might be better since they are closer to the start/finish line.

Just curious on other people's thoughts.

 

[cewait]

Hi all -

I have been away with my move and wanted to add a few words of encouragement....

I see lots of folks running this as their first endurance run. First, you will find this board supportive and hopefully informative. The half mary has really become the most popular endurance distance over the last decade, thanks to the folks at Disney and Elite (Rock and Roll). Do not be afraid to be proud of your endeavor as even the most seasoned ultra marathoner once struggled to run 13 miles.

As of today we are 8 months - 4 days in front of Donald. That is 249 days or 35 weeks. If one were to run 1 mile this weekend as a long run and add just a third of a mile to the long run each and every week, you would run the half in week 35.

Today you should be shopping for a training plan. There are three widely accepted beginner plans out there from Galloway, Higdon and Bingham/Hadfield. Any of these plans will get you to the half in fine fashion. The trick is to select the one that looks like it will fit you and your lifestyle. By far, Jeff's plans are the lowest impact to the beginner as your focus is mostly on the long run.

Remember that for Donald, you will be training through the holidays. Think about your traditions and how you will accommodate parties, family and travel.

This week, i highly suggest that you get to a running shoe store and get fitted in a pair of running shoes. A good fitting will have you jogging in a few pairs of shoes deciding on what fits/works best. Most running stores will have a training log at the counter. Pick one up or subscribe to an online service. Track your shoe miles and consider replacement between 400 and 600 miles. Also, track weather, feelings thoughts nutrition hydration, etc in the log as well. It may help if you hit a dead end.

I would suggest tech fabrics to run in. While not mandatory, tech shirts and socks minimize the possibility of chaffing on a long run.

Through training, you will learn about hydration and nutrition. I will discuss these in much more detail on the forum in the future, but suffice it to say that hydration is crucial and each of us has their own rate of sweating necessitating a personal plan i.e. do not think that because Joe drinks 20 oz per hour you should as well. To some degree, thirst should dictate drink on the run.

The course is a great little course. The start will have several waves, each with their own set of fireworks. The later corrals will see the wheels come in for a finish even before their start. Once you start, the excitement continues through the race. About a half mile into the race, you pass the Epcot exit and there is usually a micro climate that is very cooling as you pass that exit. It is followed by a hill (overpass) and a narrowing of the course. Once off the bridge you exit onto World Drive and head to MK. Exercise care at the toll booths as there are speed bumps just after the booths. Every year I see someone down due to the bumps. THe course veers left and runs just outside the race track. The a sharp right and through theMK parking lot, merging into the tram roads as we near Seven Seas Road. We run under the road on the tram road and through the TTC at the monorail station (Great bathroom here). After the TTC, we run through the bus stops and onto World Dr again. Here is necks down to one lane. The opposite lane is a live lane and is controlled like a construction zone with flaggers. We run under Seven Seas Lagoon water bridge. Coming up out of the viaduct we run up the steepest slope in the race.

From the water bridge, MK is clearly in view. We head north of the WDW bus entrance and make a near u-turn onto a cast member road. THis road enters MK backstage as it runs under the MK RR tracks. A short little jog in a parking lot and we enter on Main Street USA. This by far is the loudest and most exciting stretch of the race. At the hub on the Castle end of Main, we make a right into Tomorrowland and make our way into Fantasyland. Once past the Teacups, its onto and through Cinderella Castle. Several photographers are stationed along the ramp down. From there, we head into Frontierland and out backstage following the parade route. We leave MK and head home on Floridian Way. This can be a mental challenge after leaving the excitement of MK. It is also a coned off one lane road. Think back on training runs and just keep your pace and effort constant. Soon we pass GF, SoG and Poly. Once past these resorts, its a 4 mile jog back to Epcot.

Mile 9 is the usual place for Clif Products to be handed up. Mile 10 is the first of a series of overpass hills. The first being the loop around the cloverleaf exit from World Dr onto Epcot Dr. The shortest route is along the inner radius. If you are having leg/ankle issues or the hill feels steep, veer course right and run the outer radius. There is a flat spot on the very outer edge and slope is less. The down from this hill is minor and will be followed with another hill at mile 11. The final hill is at mile 12 and is located just after a sharp right hand bend into Epcot parking lot. This is the bus exit bridge. From the last hill, the excite builds as the crowds pick up and Epcot looms large. Once in Epcot, its a short jog down to the lake and then back up to Spaceship Earth. We leave in a cast member exit, go on the far side of the old Kennel and into Imagine Parking lot for a finish.

Have fun this training season. You will do well.

 

[belias21]

Hi all -

I have been away with my move and wanted to add a few words of encouragement....

Great write-up. Thanks, Coach! Looking forward to hearing more from you in the coming months.

 

[bumbershoot]

Through training, you will learn about hydration and nutrition.

That's for sure! I ended up fainting, falling, and hitting my head and the backs of my shoulders (in the shower...embarrassing) because I managed to mess up nutrition, hydration, caffeination, AND increasing my run all at the same time! I had to make all sorts of promises to my family after that, and I went back to a shorter run for now. Only slooooowly moving up the distance while being intensely careful with everything else. Of course, for me it's more complicated because along with running and training for the TOT then the Donald, I'm also working to get to my goal weight. It's not easy to manage!


It's neat that we have a coach here. I recently found an online running coach in Portland that I used to know from college, and it's nice to read his stuff as well as your stuff.

 

[MrsDuck]

Thank you so much Coach!!

 

[mickeysmiles]

Question, First of many I am sure as this is my first. The pictures I see along the route and before and after with characters, do we need to carry a camera or do they have something like photopass so you can get a copy after the 1/2 marathon?

This thread is great... just wanted to say thanks.

 

[PrincessV]

Question, First of many I am sure as this is my first. The pictures I see along the route and before and after with characters, do we need to carry a camera or do they have something like photopass so you can get a copy after the 1/2 marathon?

You'll need your own camera for pics with characters. Race photogs will be along the course getting action shots.

 

[operationremie]

You'll need your own camera for pics with characters. Race photogs will be along the course getting action shots.

thanks for this information glad i'm bringing my phone.

 

[steph0808]

You'll need your own camera for pics with characters. Race photogs will be along the course getting action shots.

The MarathonFoto people are actually at the character stops as well, maybe not all of them but a decent amount. I did have a CM take a picture with my phone as well. For the MarathonFotos, if your bib number is obscured just a little, it makes it a pain to find in their database! So for pictures with characters where my arms were crossed and hiding my bib number, they were tough to find.

 

[belias21]

How pricey are the shots from MarathonFoto? Anything like PhotoPass?

 

[steph0808]

How pricey are the shots from MarathonFoto? Anything like PhotoPass?

I think I paid $80 for all my shots, so pretty pricey. I swear the week after I ordered they dropped the price.

However, I felt they were worth it. They had some good shots of me running and the only finish line photo of me. They even captured my favorite moment of the race - when I spotted my brother and sister-in-law as we entered Epcot around mile 25 (bus snafus made it so my family didn't see me at any other point in the race and I was so happy to see them that I almost cried).