Official 2015 Disneyland Half Marathon Thread.

[zanzibar138]

Costume update. We are not big into costumes or running with costumes but decided it would be fun to try.
So after an exhaustive search of ideas, DW and I are sticking with Mickey and Minnie as our theme.
Her costume will be amazing, so many options and choices we found a really fun one. My Mickey will be a lot harder to put together, I've got the ears or a sorcerer hat with ears, and the big gloves. May try to put together some red shorts with yellow spots but not much out there on the web to choose from. Any suggestions?

It is definitely easier to find costume type stuff for women to run in than men. I would suggest buying a pair of red shorts and adding your own yellow spots somehow. You could try iron on adhesive if you're not into sewing, and some people even use rok tape.

Be careful with the big gloves. It will be hot on the day and you might find yourself overheating if you're not properly prepared. Definitely try them out on a run before the day to see if it will be workable for you, and I would suggest doing several of your longer training runs wearing gloves if you decide to go ahead with it. For a similar reason, I would also suggest the Mickey ears over the sorcerer hat if you're not really fussed either way. But again, if you want to go with the sorcerer hat, just make sure you try it out before hand.

 

[Ariel484]

@Slogger careful wearing ears if you end up going that route. I wore ears (the headband kind) for the JJ5K and they gave me a splitting headache.

Sometimes Mickey wears a bow tie/jacket...maybe a tuxedo shirt for you (this one came to mind or something like it: http://www.inknburn.com/mens-tuxedo-tech-shirt/)? With red shorts and a yellow bow tie?

 

[Ariel484]

 

[zanzibar138]

I've been playing on Polyvore this afternoon and come up with some outfit inspirations to work from.

Here is my 5k outfit:


My Friday parks outfit:


Half marathon outfit:


Sunday parks outfit:


Of course I will be tweaking these considerably - this is just based on what I could find on Polyvore. Can't wait for my Mulan weekend!

 

[Ariel484]

@zanzibar138 those are great! Good for you for putting effort into your non-race outfits...I'll just be wearing the race shirts all weekend I think (laziness!).

 

[Ariel484]

Rambling post ahead...
ETA: sheesh, this thing turned into a novel! Oops...

So yesterday I had an epiphany that the fall marathon I started training for is just something I really DO NOT want to do - there is this voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me I MUST do a non-Disney marathon some day. Why I feel this way, I'm not sure.

My husband made the (correct) observation that whenever I train for longer non-Disney races at home, it seems to suck the joy out of running for me. It doesn't seem to happen with shorter at-home races...

I really do enjoy running. But this marathon has been like a dark cloud hanging over my head ever since I signed up for it. I've felt similarly when I've signed up for half marathons at home and then put a ton of pressure on myself to PR at them. It's just not fun anymore.

At any rate, like I said, I think I signed up for this marathon because I felt like I *had* to - again, not sure why I felt that way. So I emailed the race director yesterday to see if I could drop down to the half. I feel like a quitter, but at the same time I also feel incredibly, incredibly relieved and excited to do some dedicated Dumbo trainings this summer. - that excitement greatly weighs out the guilt I'm feeling, for sure. I feel like this took a lot of pressure off of me, so I think dropping to the half (if they let me) is the right decision.

This is making me wonder if I'd be happier just training for a Disney race or two each year and keeping the at-home races to a minimum. I guess the local races are starting to feel like work, like a chore or something, and aren't that enjoyable to me anymore.

So to any of you following the Galloway Dumbo plan...I'll be joining you on Tuesday! Thanks for letting me vent incoherently.

 

[FFigawi]

Why feel guilty? No one here and hopefully no one around you is judging you based on if you run a full marathon or not. If you don't want to run it, that's your decision to make. We need to run, or not, to make ourselves happy, not to please anyone else.

 

[croach]

Why feel guilty? No one here and hopefully no one around you is judging you based on if you run a full marathon or not. If you don't want to run it, that's your decision to make. We need to run, or not, to make ourselves happy, not to please anyone else.

What he said. Most of us aren't getting paid to run, so it shouldn't feel like work. Good that you're doing what makes you happy!

 

[Ariel484]

Why feel guilty? No one here and hopefully no one around you is judging you based on if you run a full marathon or not. If you don't want to run it, that's your decision to make.

I don't know why I feel guilty - I guess because I signed up, so it feels like quitting.

It's totally something I'm bringing on myself. My husband is happy/relieved wit the decision.

We need to run, or not, to make ourselves happy, not to please anyone else.

Very wise.

What he said. Most of us aren't getting paid to run, so it shouldn't feel like work. Good that you're doing what makes you happy!

So true about the not getting paid part! Never thought of it that way.

Thanks guys. Truly appreciate your kind words.

 

[Slogger]

Rambling post ahead...

So yesterday I had an epiphany that the fall marathon I started training for is just something I really DO NOT want to do - there is this voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me I MUST do a non-Disney marathon some day. .

My husband made the (correct) observation that whenever I train for longer non-Disney races at home, it seems to suck the joy out of running for me.

Totally understand where you are coming from. Those voices in our heads can be quite persuading. Mine typically goes something like "Well, I'm going to be putting in the time to train and put in all of these miles, I might as well run a marathon too." Looking at 1 or 2 fall marathons but haven't committed to either yet.

My DW refuses to run a marathon but I told her if she ever wants to try, Disney would be the best one to start with. Just a different vibe, energy, and experience from the other marathons that I have done.
The solution would be RunDisney needs to host more marathons!!

Don't put yourself on a guilt trip. Nothing wrong with changing your mind. Good luck with the response from race director.

 

[Slogger]

I would suggest buying a pair of red shorts and adding your own yellow spots somehow.

Be careful with the big gloves. It will be hot on the day and you might find yourself overheating if you're not properly prepared.

Thanks zanzibar138......adding yellow spots to red shorts is something we talked about. Thanks for the tip about the gloves and the heat. Might just wear them for the 10k and hopefully be done early enough to avoid the heat. The sorcerer hat is definitely thick and heavy.

 

[Slogger]

QUOTE="Ariel484, post: 53803628, member: 410479"]@Slogger careful wearing ears if you end up going that route. I wore ears (the headband kind) for the JJ5K and they gave me a splitting headache.

Sometimes Mickey wears a bow tie/jacket...maybe a tuxedo shirt for you (this one came to mind or something like it: http://www.inknburn.com/mens-tuxedo-tech-shirt/)? With red shorts and a yellow bow tie? [/QUOTE]

Thanks Ariel. Didn't think about the headache part. This "outfit" might just be something I wear for the 10k.

Like the tuxedo shirt idea....very cool. If not, probably go with black t shirt and maybe enhance it with a mickey mouse logo or sticker or print something on the back.
Thanks for great suggestions.

 

[Ariel484]

Thanks @Slogger. I realize in reading my earlier post that it came off as dramatic in a way...just something I've been struggling with.

 

[Keels]

I didn't think it was dramatic or anything other than normal.

I think it's an issue that we all deal with! The husband gets upset that right now all of my long training runs correspond with races, but mentally that's what gets me through it at this point.

 

[Ariel484]

Thanks @Keels.

 

[zanzibar138]

Rambling post ahead...
ETA: sheesh, this thing turned into a novel! Oops...

So yesterday I had an epiphany that the fall marathon I started training for is just something I really DO NOT want to do - there is this voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me I MUST do a non-Disney marathon some day. Why I feel this way, I'm not sure.

My husband made the (correct) observation that whenever I train for longer non-Disney races at home, it seems to suck the joy out of running for me. It doesn't seem to happen with shorter at-home races...

I really do enjoy running. But this marathon has been like a dark cloud hanging over my head ever since I signed up for it. I've felt similarly when I've signed up for half marathons at home and then put a ton of pressure on myself to PR at them. It's just not fun anymore.

At any rate, like I said, I think I signed up for this marathon because I felt like I *had* to - again, not sure why I felt that way. So I emailed the race director yesterday to see if I could drop down to the half. I feel like a quitter, but at the same time I also feel incredibly, incredibly relieved and excited to do some dedicated Dumbo trainings this summer. - that excitement greatly weighs out the guilt I'm feeling, for sure. I feel like this took a lot of pressure off of me, so I think dropping to the half (if they let me) is the right decision.

This is making me wonder if I'd be happier just training for a Disney race or two each year and keeping the at-home races to a minimum. I guess the local races are starting to feel like work, like a chore or something, and aren't that enjoyable to me anymore.

So to any of you following the Galloway Dumbo plan...I'll be joining you on Tuesday! Thanks for letting me vent incoherently.

With any hobby, when it stops being enjoyable and starts feeling like work, it's time to re-think and take the pressure off. There is absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to a couple of Disney runs per year. There is no rule that says you have to do local races, especially local races of any particular distance.

Personally, I'm not sure what I'm going to do after the Disneyland race weekend. We won't be able to afford to go back to the US for a long time, and the races here are just pitiful in comparison. Of the five 10k races I have done, I only have the one tech shirt, and one cheap cotton shirt from another race, plus one teeny tiny medal (seriously it's about an inch and a half across) and one reasonable sized but fairly boring medal in addition to my Disney one. In a 10k over here, you're lucky to get one musician on the entire course, there are no spectators cheering you on, and you may get 3 or 4 signs held up by the volunteers over the entire course. There is generally no entertainment of any description at the start, and none at the end, nor is there any goody bag at the finish. So far my only inspiration for running local races has been to get my POT for the Disney run lol!

 

[Ariel484]

With any hobby, when it stops being enjoyable and starts feeling like work, it's time to re-think and take the pressure off. There is absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to a couple of Disney runs per year. There is no rule that says you have to do local races, especially local races of any particular distance.

I know. You're right. As the day has gone on I've felt better about the decision. You hit the nail on the head though - it was starting to feel like a chore, for sure.

Personally, I'm not sure what I'm going to do after the Disneyland race weekend. We won't be able to afford to go back to the US for a long time, and the races here are just pitiful in comparison. Of the five 10k races I have done, I only have the one tech shirt, and one cheap cotton shirt from another race, plus one teeny tiny medal (seriously it's about an inch and a half across) and one reasonable sized but fairly boring medal in addition to my Disney one. In a 10k over here, you're lucky to get one musician on the entire course, there are no spectators cheering you on, and you may get 3 or 4 signs held up by the volunteers over the entire course. There is generally no entertainment of any description at the start, and none at the end, nor is there any goody bag at the finish. So far my only inspiration for running local races has been to get my POT for the Disney run lol!

That would definitely make it tough, I think. Getting POT is good motivation though! I'll probably stick to a couple of local races each year mostly to get my POT updated.

 

[Keels]

@Ariel484! Can't believe I didn't think of this earlier ... but if y'all are still debating food options at DL, you totally need to add Jolly Holiday Bakery to your potential list, if only for this little plate of heaven:

 

[Ariel484]

@Ariel484! Can't believe I didn't think of this earlier ... but if y'all are still debating food options at DL, you totally need to add Jolly Holiday Bakery to your potential list, if only for this little plate of heaven:

OMG...what the what?!

I wonder how similar that is to the grilled cheese & tomato soup at Beaches & Cream at WDW...HMMM...

You have given me much to think about, @Keels

 

[Keels]

The soup is very similar, but I actually liked the grilled cheese a little bit better than the one at Beaches & Cream! The bread to cheese ratio went less/thinner bread and more gooey cheese.

I'm planning on trying the three-cheese Monte Christo at Cafe Orleans this trip, for research purposes. You know. Science and all that.