Official 2015 Disney Marathon Thread

[bryana]

I'm looking for a GPS watch,.....not too pricey but I also want the stop watch action so I can have it count down 3 mins then count up 1 minute. I am trying to stick with my Galloway plan but checking my watch constantly stinks (I don't have a stop watch now...just regular watch) It seems I search on Google and just get overwhelmed... Hoping for some good advice from my other WISHers. Any ideas??

I have a Garmin Forerunner 10, and I love it. I've had it for over a year now and it still seems brand new. It doesn't have a stop watch type function (at least that I know of), but it can be set to do intervals. You can set it to whatever intervals you want and it will beep to tell you to switch.

 

[WDWarchitectureguy]

I'm looking for a GPS watch,.....not too pricey but I also want the stop watch action so I can have it count down 3 mins then count up 1 minute. I am trying to stick with my Galloway plan but checking my watch constantly stinks (I don't have a stop watch now...just regular watch) It seems I search on Google and just get overwhelmed... Hoping for some good advice from my other WISHers. Any ideas??

The garmin forerunner 10 is a good basic watch and will do what you're looking for. It counts down whatever run time you want beeps 3 times and switches to walk time and counts down then beeps 3 times.

I have the garmin forerunner 15 which is like the 10 but has the activity tracker function and a few more bells and whistles. Sort of like a Fit Bit and a Forerunner 10 merged together. Costs about $160 from amazon. My only complaint is the beeping isn't very loud, and if there are lots of runners around you all with beeping devices it can be difficult to hear or distinguish as yours and not the person next to you.

Alternatively if you run with your smart phone and headphones there are quite a number of apps that have the interval timing. I've used Run Keeper Pro or Elite (whatever they call it now) and it is a paid version of the free Run Keeper app that still does okay tracking your activity.

Lots of options out there.

 

[Castle2Castle]

Alternatively if you run with your smart phone and headphones there are quite a number of apps that have the interval timing. I've used Run Keeper Pro or Elite (whatever they call it now) and it is a paid version of the free Run Keeper app that still does okay tracking your activity.

Lots of options out there.

I'll echo smart phone apps as a cheaper alternative -- we just use the free version of RunKeeper and build our own intervals to use. It chimes and says when to walk/run, as well as to update time & distance if you want. Only thing we paid was ~$40 for an ArmPocket to actually carry it along.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think Galloway actually sells a timer thing. It has a VERY loud beep. Even I could hear it, and I cannot hear my own Garmin at all when it beeps.

 

[Ariel484]

The garmin forerunner 10 is a good basic watch and will do what you're looking for. It counts down whatever run time you want beeps 3 times and switches to walk time and counts down then beeps 3 times. I have the garmin forerunner 15 which is like the 10 but has the activity tracker function and a few more bells and whistles. Sort of like a Fit Bit and a Forerunner 10 merged together. Costs about $160 from amazon.

I think one of the biggest "bells and whistles" for the 15 is the battery life - ~5 hours for the 10 versus ~8 for the 15.

 

[bryana]

I think one of the biggest "bells and whistles" for the 15 is the battery life - ~5 hours for the 10 versus ~8 for the 15.

I didn't realize the 15 had longer battery life! I was looking into upgrading to the 220 for longer battery life, but maybe I will look at the 15 instead.

 

[Ariel484]

I didn't realize the 15 had longer battery life! I was looking into upgrading to the 220 for longer battery life, but maybe I will look at the 15 instead.

Yep! I went to the Garmin Website and compared the 15 and 10, and there was an option to just show the differences...here's what it came back with:

So I guess the other big consideration would be whether you wanted a heart monitor or a foot pod. They both have the run/walk option.

FWIW, I was between the 10 and 220 last year (the 15 wasn't out yet) and ultimately went with the 220 because of battery life. Also managed to get a rebate, so that definitely helped - but I love the 220. Awesome watch.

 

[ell13]

I currently have the 410 that I bought 2 years ago. It does the things I need, but it definitely feels outdated compared to the 220. It's bulky, doesn't have bluetooth, no vibration or countdown... I admit it; I'm envious.

 

[WDWarchitectureguy]

So I guess the other big consideration would be whether you wanted a heart monitor or a foot pod. They both have the run/walk option.

My DW and I had Garmin 110's which is still a great basic watch. But we both upgraded to the 15. I got the black/blue men's style and she got the teal/white ladies style. Any Ant+ device heart rate monitor will pair with the Forerunner 15. I use my old garmin chest strap, but I have a friend who uses her Polar heart rate monitor. They sell 15 with or without the chest strap. I should point out I got ours without the chest strap for $160. The with version is roughly $20-$30 more.

I've debated getting the foot pod. It's a roughly $45 add on. It clips to your shoe and It allows you to more accurately track your running when using a treadmill or indoor track where there is no good GPS signal.

I do use the activity tracker and get annoyed at work (office job) seeing how little I truly do move throughout the day. My watch has me with an 8,250 step count per day. On non training days, I'm lucky to hit 5,500 steps. Then on long days when I'm up in the 26,000 range (after a 1/2) I can feel the difference. My DW has a rough average of 9,000 steps a day and hits it on a regular basis.

 

[SgtTibbs]

I squeaked into the Half Marathon just before it sold out the second time, so now I need to book a room. Looking at WDW on Google Earth it does not seem to be a pedestrian friendly sort of place.

Would staying at any of the WDW resorts allow you to walk to the starting line of the Half Marathon?

 

[RnbwSktles]

I squeaked into the Half Marathon just before it sold out the second time, so now I need to book a room. Looking at WDW on Google Earth it does not seem to be a pedestrian friendly sort of place.

Would staying at any of the WDW resorts allow you to walk to the starting line of the Half Marathon?

You may be disqualified if you try to walk...don't do it!

The bus service from all of the hotels is about equal, IMO.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Looking at WDW on Google Earth it does not seem to be a pedestrian friendly sort of place.

You may be disqualified if you try to walk...don't do it!

Well now, that's taking "not pedestrian friendly" to a new level.

OK, then. Bus it shall be.

 

[MRS AR]

The closest thing to pedestrian friendly is staying at a monorail hotel and walking from the monorail station.

 

[DOOM1001]

I squeaked into the Half Marathon just before it sold out the second time, so now I need to book a room. Looking at WDW on Google Earth it does not seem to be a pedestrian friendly sort of place.

Would staying at any of the WDW resorts allow you to walk to the starting line of the Half Marathon?

WDW is a huge place,don't expect to get around walking between most places.The only resort that used to have runners getting to the half/full start by walking I believe was Port Orleans.Since last year with new security measures its just not allowed anymore,supposedly you will get disqualified for trying it.For marathon weekend all the resorts have bus service to the race and expo and from the MK and MK resorts the monorail will get you to and from the race.

 

[SgtTibbs]

WDW is a huge place,don't expect to get around walking between most places.

Oh I won't.

At the Disneyland Half weekend last month, I walked about a mile from my hotel to the start line. It made a nice little warm-up before the run, but since that's not an option at WDW I'll just leave a little extra time to do a walk-about around the resort before boarding the bus. No worries.

 

[bryana]

Oh I won't.

At the Disneyland Half weekend last month, I walked about a mile from my hotel to the start line. It made a nice little warm-up before the run, but since that's not an option at WDW I'll just leave a little extra time to do a walk-about around the resort before boarding the bus. No worries.

you don't really have to make extra time to walk around; you will be doing quite a bit of walking just to get from the bus to the starting line. i didn't GPS it while i was there but from google earthing it, it's about 1.5-2 miles give or take from where the bus drops you off, across the epcot parking lot, and down the service roads that take you out to the corrals and starting line.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

Oh I won't.

At the Disneyland Half weekend last month, I walked about a mile from my hotel to the start line. It made a nice little warm-up before the run, but since that's not an option at WDW I'll just leave a little extra time to do a walk-about around the resort before boarding the bus. No worries.

The walk from the monorail station to the staging area then to the corrals then to the start area will get you about a mile as well.

 

[ANIM8R]

you don't really have to make extra time to walk around; you will be doing quite a bit of walking just to get from the bus to the starting line. i didn't GPS it while i was there but from google earthing it, it's about 1.5-2 miles give or take from where the bus drops you off, across the epcot parking lot, and down the service roads that take you out to the corrals and starting line.

I GPS-ed (is that a word now? ) it once and it come out to 1.25 miles. Depending on where your bus drops you and the location of your corral it could probably vary another .2 miles up/down.

It's a LONG walk!

 

[RD-SOX]

Thanks for all the help with the watches!! I love hearing the real reviews over some sales dude..

 

[John VN]

The walk from the monorail station to the staging area then to the corrals then to the start area will get you about a mile as well.

and then it's wait, WAIT, WAIT until showtime!

McFlurry John