Official 2016 Star Wars Half Marthon - The Dark Side Weekend

[cgattis]

This is my 1st rundisney race.
How much time to allot for the expo?

We're heading over to the expo on Thurs morning and are hoping to be at Epcot by 1p.

Do lines form early at the expo? If the time listed is 10am, what time do lines begin forming?

We need to pick up 4 packets (10k, 5k 2 kids races). I'm really only interested in getting the packets/shirts and getting out.
Our kids are 5 and 7 and I'm nervous about all that standing-in-line time.

I've never made it to an expo before 1-2 PM, but I've never had to wait more than a couple of minutes for packets. Merch, oh YES, but not packets.

 

[AThrillingChase]

In my opinion, as far as splitting goes, I'd say if your goal for the day is 4 miles and your options are...

A) Do 4 miles all at once
B) Do 2 miles in the morning and 2 miles at night
C) Do 2 miles in the morning, but get busy and not do 2 miles at night

Then A > B > C. Optimally, you run all 4 miles together as it garners slightly different benefits then splitting up the run into 2 x 2 miles (morning/evening). But something is better than nothing, so both A and B are better than C. I guess it comes down to the reason you feel you'd like to split the 4 miler into two runs and whether that infringes on the benefit of the run.

Agree with this, but wanted to add that walking - even speed walking - does nothing to improve your running. The stride is too different, and the muscles are used in very different ways. Walking helps your body in other ways, but it will not improve your running so walking mileage should not be included in your running mileage training logs. The exception would be walking as a part of a walk/run race strategy, and then only when the walking mileage is a part of a walk/run workout.

@twinsouvenirs I completely support both bits of advice here Walking won't give the same benefits as running, but it will help you with the feeling of being on your feet longer in general, and things like power walking and taking steps certainly can't hurt your cardio ability. I make a point to take the steps when going to my car in the garage everyday, or moving between floors in our office.

Also...the time for waivers and merch previews is creeping up on us all!!

 

[acbshada]

@PrincessV and @opusone - wanted to say thank you for your suggestions here! I've done a bit of Googling on the issue, but I wanted to ask some more experienced people here, too. Haven't been fitted for running shoes, so that might very well be a contributing factor. I'll keep up my research, change out my shoes, and see where I go from there. Thank you, again!

Ooooo...and thinking of merchandise previews makes me happy.

 

[clemsondisneygirl]

February Training Report

How is everyone's training coming along? With six and a half weeks to go, I figure everyone's mileage is ramping up regardless of the specific training plan, so how are you feeling at this point?

This morning, I finished my last run for February, and for the first time in I-can't-even-remember-how-long, I finished every single training run for an entire month!! That being said, this last week has been one of the hardest for me as far as keeping pace/motivation/etc, but I was able to push through and make it. I also switched to a different brand/model of shoes in the past week, and that is taking a little time for my feet to adjust.

Total Miles: 187 miles
Total Time: 28:42:14
Average Pace: 9:12/mi

Training took a turn for the worse in early February but I've felt back on track the last 2 weeks. Long run this past weekend was 8 miles and it was slow but not painful so I felt solid about that. Have a 17k race coming up in 2 weeks that I'm using as a fun training run to cut the solo boredom! No time goal for that or SWDS, just excited to complete my 2nd half, run with my sis and dad, and be in the happiest place on earth!!!

 

[Mimsy Borogove]

Training is only so-so for me for me. I'm still in the midst of post-Dopey malaise and having a hard time getting back on track. But I am doing the weekday conditioning runs and completed a 9-miler last weekend. I have a half marathon this Sunday, but it's walker-friendly so I'm not too concerned about it, treating it as a training run/enjoyment activity rather than a race. Of course, the last time I did that at a race, I PRed, so...

I also have a 10-miler race in 2 weeks, so for sure I'll be running 13.1 and 10 miles between now and Dark Side! But honestly (and I don't mean to sound arrogant), I think I'll be OK for the race in April. I may not be fast, but I will definitely finish. However, I am starting to get anxious for pre-race stuff like the merch preview, corral assignments, and whatnot!

 

[tparty10]

Hey everyone, I need some advice...

So I booked our bibs and hotel at Pop through Once Upon a Time travel, and we still haven't gotten confirmation numbers for the hotel yet. They had me register through Active for my bib, but they keep saying that they're waiting on runDisney to give them confirmation numbers for the resort/hotel package still. Has anyone else experienced a delay when going through a travel partner? Any advice on what I should do? I emailed runDisney through the form on their contact page, but other than that I dont really know what to do. Seems like a long time to wait to get a confirmation number (bought them in January)!

We used a TA - just got our room confirmation # yesterday. Hopefully you will get yours any day now.

 

[BwoZoo22]

I may not be fast, but I will definitely finish.

That, right there, is our goal for every Disney race! And have fun, of course!

 

[HockeyMomNH]

I ended Feb with 49.5 miles which includes the Princess 5k and Glass Slipper Challenge. Not too bad considering I did a taper the week before Disney and a recovery week after.

I'm doing a local half this weekend, then I need to get back to back to back training runs for Dark Side.

 

[clemsondisneygirl]

Thinking ahead...it's been awhile since I've done a disney race, been to WDW a lot just haven't race down there since 2014, anyway we are staying at POFQ for SWDS...any tips or tricks to be thinking about? One couple in our party will have a car, is it better to drive either to race or expo? Thoughts on the event buses from there? Thanks in advance! I'm getting excited!

 

[Nole95]

We have stayed at POR for marathon weekend. Buses were shared between both resorts and operated very frequently. We took buses to both the expo and all races. Makes for a much more relaxing time.

 

[NileNellie]

I ran 40 miles in February with an average pace of 12:30/mile. Had to skip a few maintenance runs due to the weather. Hoping to complete all of them in March. Can't believe we're almost 6 weeks away!

To the poster who asked why we are starting at 5 as opposed to 5:30, I was wondering if AK has something to do with it. If we are in fact doing the reverse W&D that will put the last corral in AK sometime around rope drop. I wonder if they moved it earlier to help alleviate some of that? Of course this is all just a guess since they still haven't announced the official course, gah!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I think its more the heat/humidity. April is rough in Florida!

 

[PrincessV]

@PrincessV and @opusone - wanted to say thank you for your suggestions here! I've done a bit of Googling on the issue, but I wanted to ask some more experienced people here, too. Haven't been fitted for running shoes, so that might very well be a contributing factor. I'll keep up my research, change out my shoes, and see where I go from there. Thank you, again!

Happy to help! I would definitely start by going to a reputable running store (read; not a big box like Sports Authority, etc.) and getting fitted by a professional. Make sure they'll watch you RUN in shoes to test them, as walking and/or standing in them doesn't tell anything about your running mechanics.

One couple in our party will have a car, is it better to drive either to race or expo? Thoughts on the event buses from there?

Personally, I hate the time suck of waiting on buses and I drive to WDW so I always have my car - I drive to the parks, the expo, and the races. Very easy and I get to come and go when I want to

I think its more the heat/humidity. April is rough in Florida!

Yep, that. April is usually very warm, very humid, and, more critically for this situation, the sun is getting very strong down here by mid-April. The earlier we start, the less time runners are in the sun. I'm still shocked they didn't make the half a night race...

 

[Sammyjo199]

I wish the half was a night race! That would be so much better than a 5am start! I am anxiously awaiting news of the course. When I was there last month I ran into a few of the run Disney Guys and saw them discussing the course near the exit of Epcot (boardwalk area) It seemed to me they were trying to figure out the course themselves!

 

[NileNellie]

I actually didn't care for the W&D night race. For DH and I there was just too much waiting around for the race to start. We didn't want to push ourselves by going to the park the day of the race and basically just sat in the hotel room. I'm looking forward to getting this run over with early in the day and then having the rest of the day to relax or go to the parks, if we are able to walk!

 

[PrincessV]

I freely admit that I'm only running Dark Side because I'm a big Star Wars fan - that's the ONLY thing that could make this Floridian race past March, lol! And I have no intention of actually racing any of the races.

 

[opusone]

I am anxiously awaiting news of the course.

Me too! I am very curious as to their planned routes for both the 10k and half marathon. The 10k description on the rD site seems to imply the last 6.2 miles of the full marathon course in reverse, and the half marathon description from the original announcement might imply the W&D half in reverse, although the announcement list order is Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and ESPN. So, if order matters, this would not exactly be the reverse of W&D.

What is most interesting to me on these potential "reverse" routes is that the narrow boardwalk path to DHS would come early in the races. It seems to me that this could be problematic. I think there is a good reason why they typically put the boardwalk path later in the races. I guess it is possible that they don't use the boardwalk path (or at least not the narrowest part between BWI and DHS), and instead go onto Epcot Resorts Blvd, but this would definitely be less scenic for the runners.

 

[roselark]

I am following the Galloway Dark Side Challenge training plan, but had to move everything up a week as I have commitments that fell on all the back to back running weekends. I completed 4 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday. Looks like I might be taking the next two weeks off, however. I am experiencing a piriformis syndrome flare up and it is just not getting better. Gonna just take it easy, walk to get some exercise, and lots of stretching and strengthening exercises.

 

[flvy]

Me too! I am very curious as to their planned routes for both the 10k and half marathon. The 10k description on the rD site seems to imply the last 6.2 miles of the full marathon course in reverse, and the half marathon description from the original announcement might imply the W&D half in reverse, although the announcement list order is Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and ESPN. So, if order matters, this would not exactly be the reverse of W&D.

What is most interesting to me on these potential "reverse" routes is that the narrow boardwalk path to DHS would come early in the races. It seems to me that this could be problematic. I think there is a good reason why they typically put the boardwalk path later in the races. I guess it is possible that they don't use the boardwalk path (or at least not the narrowest part between BWI and DHS), and instead go onto Epcot Resorts Blvd, but this would definitely be less scenic for the runners.

Boardwalk path was my first though when it was suggested it would be W&D backwards. That's going to make a huge bottle neck. Even at a slower pace for W&D last year I got backed up there which can be so frustrating. I'd hope they'd have the common sense to do not that before the crowds thin out a little. I can deal with less scenic if I'm not completely tripping over others.

Honestly I just want to go through AK because I was looking forward to that for W&D and it got cut off.

 

[NileNellie]

Me too! I am very curious as to their planned routes for both the 10k and half marathon. The 10k description on the rD site seems to imply the last 6.2 miles of the full marathon course in reverse, and the half marathon description from the original announcement might imply the W&D half in reverse, although the announcement list order is Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and ESPN. So, if order matters, this would not exactly be the reverse of W&D.

What is most interesting to me on these potential "reverse" routes is that the narrow boardwalk path to DHS would come early in the races. It seems to me that this could be problematic. I think there is a good reason why they typically put the boardwalk path later in the races. I guess it is possible that they don't use the boardwalk path (or at least not the narrowest part between BWI and DHS), and instead go onto Epcot Resorts Blvd, but this would definitely be less scenic for the runners.

I'd definitely be fine with not having to run on the Boardwalk path. It's just way too crowded. I saw more than a few people trying to run up on the curb/grass and tripping because of this. Yes it was dumb of them to do, but at the same time, there were just too many people and it was hard to get through.