OFFICIAL 2014 WDW Marathon Countdown: WE DID IT! Congrats everyone!

[WhereInFlorida]

I have a question I would like to get some feedback on.

Where I live, I currently train on a decent amount of hills while on my long runs. None are overly steep or hard, but there is a good amount of up and down.

My question is will I be better off for it when getting on the pretty flat course that is the Disney Marathon?

Hills are great strength training, it is built in intervals that raise your heartrate. I have found good improvements when added in hill work. The hills make you a better runner to handle the latter parts of a marathon, to run longer at a faster pace and that is how you will be better off.

 

[cewait]

I have a question I would like to get some feedback on.

Where I live, I currently train on a decent amount of hills while on my long runs. None are overly steep or hard, but there is a good amount of up and down.

My question is will I be better off for it when getting on the pretty flat course that is the Disney Marathon?

I am going to give you an answer in the middle....

I think training in the hills is a great for the cardio and mental aspect of the marathon. My old training trail in Houston was a roller course where you never ran flat. However, as mentioned, Disney is flat. I would start looking around for a flatland area for a few of your final runs. What you will find is that the smaller stabilizer muscles will fatigue quicker when you take the hills out of your course. The simple version of an explanation is that in a rolling terrain, they get a break with each change in grade; on flat, the use is constant.

Train on you local course but look to transition over for a few flat land runs in November and December. Even if it were only on the shorter pull back mileage weeks, that would give you a read on how your legs will react. What happenes if one does not find a flat course - really, nothing other than you may pick up a fatigue feeling in the legs a few miles earlier. It will not be enough to stop you, only to leg you know that they are there.

 

[FFigawi]

I have a question I would like to get some feedback on. Where I live, I currently train on a decent amount of hills while on my long runs. None are overly steep or hard, but there is a good amount of up and down. My question is will I be better off for it when getting on the pretty flat course that is the Disney Marathon?

Definitely. There aren't enough hills on the course to worry about, but hill training is a great idea anyway. It build strength & endurance in your legs, which you'll need in the latter stages of the race.

 

[DOOM1001]

Being from Florida and not used to running on hills I chose to take a walk break on the 3 or so uphills on the marathon course.The only ones I remember where the uphill in the tunnel before MK and like two overpasses on Osceola Parkway.I chose to conserve energy by not running on the uphill portion.Those were basically the only hills,the rest of the course is flat.

 

[cewait]

Being from Florida and not used to running on hills I chose to take a walk break on the 3 or so uphills on the marathon course.The only ones I remember where the uphill in the tunnel before MK and like two overpasses on Osceola Parkway.I chose to conserve energy by not running on the uphill portion.Those were basically the only hills,the rest of the course is flat.

There are more... I actually run the ups and walk the downs - usually due to cramping issues.

Here they are

Mile 1 - the overpass for the Epcot Parking Lot Entrance
Mile 21.5 - Than nasty little overpass and curve over the southern DHS entrance
Mile 22.8 - the up from World Dr to Buena Vista
Mile 24 - the two Friendship overpasses (one before Yacht and one after Beach)
Mile 25 the two bridges between England and France and the draw bridge at China followed by the Spaceship Earth Hill.

There is also the train underpass in MK and one in DAK

But then who is counting

 

[NitroStitch]

There are more... I actually run the ups and walk the downs - usually due to cramping issues.

Here they are

Mile 1 - the overpass for the Epcot Parking Lot Entrance
Mile 21.5 - Than nasty little overpass and curve over the southern DHS entrance
Mile 22.8 - the up from World Dr to Buena Vista
Mile 24 - the two Friendship overpasses (one before Yacht and one after Beach)
Mile 25 the two bridges between England and France and the draw bridge at China followed by the Spaceship Earth Hill.

There is also the train underpass in MK and one in DAK

But then who is counting

There's also the downhill and the climb back up just before the Contemporary - it's where we go under the water bridge.

 

[steves1019]

If anyone is looking to book the Wishes Dessert Party in January the reservations opened up this morning. There is another thread for that, just thought if put it here in case you weren't following that one.

 

[CaptHomer]

There are more... I actually run the ups and walk the downs - usually due to cramping issues.

Here they are

Mile 1 - the overpass for the Epcot Parking Lot Entrance
Mile 21.5 - Than nasty little overpass and curve over the southern DHS entrance
Mile 22.8 - the up from World Dr to Buena Vista
Mile 24 - the two Friendship overpasses (one before Yacht and one after Beach)
Mile 25 the two bridges between England and France and the draw bridge at China followed by the Spaceship Earth Hill.

There is also the train underpass in MK and one in DAK

But then who is counting

The worst for me was the entrance into the speedway. That steep little drop killed my knees.

 

[NitroStitch]

The worst for me was the entrance into the speedway. That steep little drop killed my knees.

I was lucky - by the time I reached that entrance, everyone around me was walking it and running it really wouldn't have been possible anyway. I couldn't believe how steep that drop was. My legs kept stepping down into air instead of road.

 

[cewait]

I forgot about the speedway. Mentally, I still turn at Bear Island Road.

Think about what that downslope would have been like during the Disney on Ice year. Yikes! I really liked the speedway loop absent the entrance. Though, it was just after that the first signs of the flu started to hit me. Nothing like running in the sun, hitting the shade then getting the almost shivering chills. The day went south from there.

Thinking even deeper, when I think of the course, I still loop through and run into the Front Gate of Epcot, loop back through the start then head up to MK. I still have flashbacks of the audio and visual cues at mile 13 repeating “Half to the LEFT, Full to the RIGHT…. Half to the LEFT, Full to the RIGHT…” That is the point where the new course turns left into the parking lot for the Speedway.

Enough reminiscing

 

[WhereInFlorida]

The worst for me was the entrance into the speedway. That steep little drop killed my knees.

Just some more reasons to add hill work into your training

Slick, smooth concrete made me slow down on that section.

 

[pinkxray]

Just fyi-

The Room only discount and SPD discount is available for Jan for Disney Visa card members.

I checked the monorail area and EPCOT resorts for 1/10-1/13.
Poly, CR and Boardwalk only had CL/suites available. WL had courtyard, BC had garden or lagoon (? I forget, knew I didn't want to stay there). FW cabins were available.

I ended up picking Yacht Club which had lagoon views available.

Since the lagoon view is a bit more than I was willing to spend for three nights we will spend Fri night at ASmo and Sat/Sun at YC.

 

[TCB in FLA]

Hi all - So glad to join you all. Will have to find a 8th day of the week to catch up on this thread.
I am running my first marathon with you in January! I've run 4 half marathons, with another scheduled for November, plus teach 3-5 Jazzercise classes a week. My original running partner blew out her knee before signing up, so I'm doing this solo. But totally have to do this -- my 25th high school reunion is next summer, so I have just a few months to run a marathon, lose 15 pounds and write a best-selling novel...

 

[steves1019]

Just got free dining for my 1/10-1/14 stay

 

[swimfly]

Thinking even deeper, when I think of the course, I still loop through and run into the Front Gate of Epcot, loop back through the start then head up to MK. I still have flashbacks of the audio and visual cues at mile 13 repeating “Half to the LEFT, Full to the RIGHT…. Half to the LEFT, Full to the RIGHT…” That is the point where the new course turns left into the parking lot for the Speedway.

Enough reminiscing

We were just talking about this over the weekend in the corral for TOT. One of the girls was trying to figure out how they ran the Goofy when both the 1/2 and full were the same day. Had a nice giggle. My first 2 marathon weekends were 04 & 05 when they ran the same day. I wonder how many marathoners use to bail at the 1/2 point.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

If you haven't booked your flights yet, today may be a good day to look. I just booked round trip from New York, both direct flights for $190.

 

[cherrybomb11]

For those of you who have done a full, how did you feel the day after your first marathon? I already know not plan anything the rest of the day, but I am wondering if I should even attempt to go to a park the day after.

 

[Nole95]

For those of you who have done a full, how did you feel the day after your first marathon? I already know not plan anything the rest of the day, but I am wondering if I should even attempt to go to a park the day after.

I have actually read in a couple places that the best thing you can do after the full is to walk around. Laying down and doing nothing will lead to some stiff muscles.

This is our first marathon, and once we are done, we plan on getting cleaned up and heading back out to EPCOT for the afternoon.

 

[NitroStitch]

For those of you who have done a full, how did you feel the day after your first marathon? I already know not plan anything the rest of the day, but I am wondering if I should even attempt to go to a park the day after.

I've done two marathons (very slowly), and later that day, in addition to the next day, I found it helpful to walk around to keep from getting too stiff and sore. There was no fancy footwork involved, and stairs weren't my favorite thing in the world, but movement definitely seemed like a good idea. Of course, I did sit more than usual in between times walking around. You may want to try the Studios if you want a smaller walking space with numerous attractions that involve sitting. Epcot is spread out, but depending on what you choose to tour, you could still get a good mix of walking and resting.

 

[cewait]

For those of you who have done a full, how did you feel the day after your first marathon? I already know not plan anything the rest of the day, but I am wondering if I should even attempt to go to a park the day after.

Change your plans and get to a park. The tendency is to clean up, eat and sleep. Sleep in the worst thing you can do. Take in a recovery meal on your way back to the room, shower (and ice bath if that is what you do – though science is suggesting that is not as wise as once thought) and a light meal and rest for a bit. Stretch out before you rest. I would hang near the room or resort for a little bit to be near a facility once you kidneys kick back into full service. You will need to urinate once that happens. I would then head for the parks. You may not feel much like the upper end rides, but walking, hydrating and snacking is in order. If you feel the need to hit a park bench, stretch before sitting and keep the sit to a short time. The more you walk around the better Monday will be.

Monday, you will still have residual soreness and new delayed soreness will want to kick in Monday afternoon. I find that keeping active on Sunday allows a short jog on Monday morning. It drives the folks who sat around Sunday crazy as I am out slowly running and they are cringing with every step.

We tend to walk Epcot Sunday afternoon. It has lots of benches and coming in from the I Gate means high action rides are not easily reached.