Official 2018 Star Wars Dark Side Weekend

[Dis_Yoda]

Frozen carrots and other icy treats are great for helping them with teething.

We're doing those - Horse Hove, Kongs, etc. A Rhodesian has a really strong bite! We are able to put our fingers in to release without problems though when he does latch onto a toe or heel or chicken fat (aka my arm).

Gaston is finally helping with the bite training as he's fed up and started to correct him. I think the kennel when we're at Dark Side will help as there will be lots of dogs there. They also won't put him with dogs that can't handle puppies.

 

[FFigawi]

We're doing those - Horse Hove, Kongs, etc. A Rhodesian has a really strong bite! We are able to put our fingers in to release without problems though when he does latch onto a toe or heel or chicken fat (aka my arm).

Gaston is finally helping with the bite training as he's fed up and started to correct him. I think the kennel when we're at Dark Side will help as there will be lots of dogs there. They also won't put him with dogs that can't handle puppies.

As did my Rottie. Unless we were playing tug, she was never allowed to put her teeth on people. Lots of bite inhibition and behavioral shaping.

 

[jaxonp]

Was anyone at the DL half 2017??? I don’t remember the actual temp/humidity on Sunday, but I do remember it was nasty! I’m fairly certain I remember hearing they red-flagged it eventually. Anyhow, just trying to get an idea to compare the two weekends. This will be truly a bizarre experience as our only other trip to WDW/Florida was for Dopey ‘18 and we froze our buns off!

I did- it’s was 85 at 5am with 90% humidity. Worst. Race. Ever.

 

[Tonyleeheartmd]

Good to see you've made your way to the boards (Blaser from Strava)! You shouldn't have much to worry about. From time to time the course will get more congested, but that happens for pretty much everyone at one point or another. Stick to the tangents, relax, and if you've got to slow down for a bit don't stress. Save the energy and worry for the race. Run your race and you can do as well as you'd like to. The Disney roads are quite large for many of the courses they use. So sticking to the tangents will save you minutes off your final time (much more than slowing for a bit here and there) if that is a goal.

Thanks DopeyBadger! Good advice from you about checking out the boards. Lots of good info here. Thanks again!

 

[LilyJC]

Yes! Ugh...that was my 5th DL Half and my takeaway from the previous four was how mild the humidity was - even the days it was high-80s/low-90s.
Nope, not last year. I was drenched by mile 4 or 5. That was tough!

The only race the stands out as being more miserable (in terms of heat + humidity) was the 2016 WDW Full. I was drenched by the parking booths at mile 3.

Wow, I'll stop complaining about the cold weather at the 2018 WDW Full... I'd much rather have cold than what the 2016 full sounded like. Yuck!

I've never been to rD Cali races, but just looked up the weather for Sept. 3, 2017 (that was the date, right?):
12am-12pm was 80-97*, 62-51% humidity

HIGHLY unlikely it'll be that hot in Orlando in late April - overnight lows are still in the 60s here, though it could certainly be high-60s or even low-70s, and afternoon highs are in the mid- to high-80s. But expect much higher humidity: it rises at night and starts to drop off at sunrise, typically. Usually at least 80%-90% overnight. Best description I can give for 90% humidity and a temp of 70 is WET: the air itself is wet, every surface is wet, your skin is damp just standing still.

Yes, it was the 3rd. This gives me hope that it won't quite be the same experience in ~2 weeks. It was seriously miserable! The thought of that high % of humidity freaks me out a bit though....Especially since the DL half seemed way more humid than 62-51%

We were there as well - it was 76 degrees at the start and moved into the mid 80s quickly with humidity that I hadn't seen in my 11 years of running that race. It went red flag about 2.5 hours after it started - they didn't stop the race but everyone slowed down. I was drenched before the race even started and had to slow my pace by several minutes - I've run at DLR and WDW races since 2006 and had never experienced that heat/humidity in a CA race before. Hoping for mid 60s for the upcoming races.

I'm glad we weren't the only ones thinking it was terrible. I ran with DH and we definitely had no problem slowing the pace. We're definitely hoping for as cool/low humidity as possible for the Challenge!

I did- it’s was 85 at 5am with 90% humidity. Worst. Race. Ever.

Agreed! Although the Long Beach Half/Full actually could be the worst for me with even nastier conditions some years

 

[LilyJC]

Me!

It was almost 80 before the race started and it got red-flagged right after I made it across the overpass from Angels Stadium - a bunch of cop cars pulled in behind us and cut the road off, and there were busses pulling up, but we’d already made it on to Disney property for the two mile parking lot jaunt.

They yelled at us that the race was red flagged and they were out of water (WUT), so take it easy. We all started running in a slow, single-file line in the one line of shade.

I had brunch reservations for 90 minutes after I finished, but I really just wanted shade and water instead of walking back to my room and then back to the DLH. I found a couch in the shade and immediately started sweating (I hadn’t sweated all race) so I knew I was OK and it was just SO hot.

Wow, what a brutal experience and insane that a rD race ran out of water!!! I can't even remember much about our experience except just being so incredibly relieved when we finished. Plus being beyond soaked.

When we were leaving the DLH, we saw an unbelievable amount of ambulances and other emergency response vehicles staged around the perimeter. ...At least they were prepared for the worst. I'm glad you were ok after all that, and I really hope the Darkside weekend is nowhere near as nasty!

 

[LilyJC]

We're doing those - Horse Hove, Kongs, etc. A Rhodesian has a really strong bite!

Aww, we have two RR - our oldest will be 2 in July and our baby is 9 months. They definitely aren't for the timid dog owner. Our second baby had unbelievable razor sharp teeth. I see that you mention using kongs which are awesome, but have you tried the kong wubba? It was both of our Ridgies absolute favorite toy. The soft material seemed soothing for them. I'll occasionally buy a giant one, but at this point it gets destroyed in an hour or two. Just a thought if you haven't tried one yet!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

We were there as well - it was 76 degrees at the start and moved into the mid 80s quickly with humidity that I hadn't seen in my 11 years of running that race. It went red flag about 2.5 hours after it started - they didn't stop the race but everyone slowed down. I was drenched before the race even started and had to slow my pace by several minutes - I've run at DLR and WDW races since 2006 and had never experienced that heat/humidity in a CA race before. Hoping for mid 60s for the upcoming races.

I was there, too. It was miserable. The parking lot at the end was the worst! I also did the dark side last year, which was also sticky.

 

[scottwvu]

Yes it was the worst race ever! Then after all that misery the weather breaks that afternoon. Exhausting heat. As soon as the sun came up I remember it instantly feeling like it was burning into my back. Every race now I tell myself that it has to be better than that weekend.

I did- it’s was 85 at 5am with 90% humidity. Worst. Race. Ever.

 

[camaker]

Wow, I'll stop complaining about the cold weather at the 2018 WDW Full... I'd much rather have cold than what the 2016 full sounded like. Yuck!

It depends on what you're used to. I ran the 2016, 2017 and 2018 WDW marathons and of the three I'd take the 2016 weather every time. I hate the cold and the warmth in 2016 was pretty mild compared to what I normally run in. Now that 2017 DLH was absolutely miserable! I've never run across heat and humidity that early in the morning. I was fortunate to go out in an early corral and finish before things really started heating up later in the morning, but it was hotter than I care to run in again!

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

Tested some things during this morning's treadmill run. We have a split stay, and 2 sets of MB as a result. Interestingly, DW and I both think that the purple band is more pliable and comfortable than the orange ones are. So I tested the MB with Road ID on the one arm. Found out prior to leaving home that the MB does better when it is closest to the wrist. Otherwise, it was pinching down on a nerve (I felt loosening even 1 notch would turn it into a spinner). Success with MB by wrist and Road ID further up.

Also tried some Tailwind today. 1/2 pack of orange in 20 ounces of water. Flavor- not too strong. Gut feels ok. Slightly sweet taste and aftertaste. But I felt really good during and after the run. Better than I expected, given Sunday's 12 mile effort. Wasn't planning on bringing Tailwind to WDW, but might consider now.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

As did my Rottie. Unless we were playing tug, she was never allowed to put her teeth on people. Lots of bite inhibition and behavioral shaping.

We've heard some in our greyhound circle refer to grey puppies as, "little land sharks", with their pointy teeth. Max is so gentle. I never felt his teeth touch me until last month. I had particularly great tasting treat residue on my hands. He started licking my fingers (very rare), and then he ever so slightly nibbled. Then he stopped and looked at my hand inquisitively. The nibble was more at what I'd call a playful and checking things out VERY carefully level.

 

[Dogface6]

Seems really early to be doing this, no? I've heard about slightly increasing water intake in the couple of days before.

Something I came across the other day:

"To get to this optimum state the first and most important thing to do is to avoid dramatically over-drinking. Whilst it is a good idea to take in one or two additional cups of fluid each day in the final couple of days to make up for any lingering shortfall in your system it is certainly not necessary or beneficial to go crazy with the drinking over and above what your body is telling you that you need."

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/how-to-properly-hydrate-before-race-day/​

I will also advise taking a careful approach to post-race rehydration and refueling. Sip, don’t chug and nibble, don’t wolf it down. A few years ago I was standing in the aisle of the bus returning us to the Riverside after a HM when the woman standing behind me, who had been chugging the water and wolfing down the munchies box, had a spat of ptojectile vomiting that got me from the back of my neck to my shoes. Fortunately, we had just arrived at the hotel, so I was able to clean up and use the laundry room to salvage my clothes pretty quickly.

 

[Dogface6]

It depends on what you're used to. I ran the 2016, 2017 and 2018 WDW marathons and of the three I'd take the 2016 weather every time. I hate the cold and the warmth in 2016 was pretty mild compared to what I normally run in. Now that 2017 DLH was absolutely miserable! I've never run across heat and humidity that early in the morning. I was fortunate to go out in an early corral and finish before things really started heating up later in the morning, but it was hotter than I care to run in again!

The highest temperature of the three HMs I have run so far this year was 40 degrees. Bring on the heat!

 

[FlashAM7]

Wow, I'll stop complaining about the cold weather at the 2018 WDW Full... I'd much rather have cold than what the 2016 full sounded like. Yuck!

Did you mean the 2017 full? The weather for this year's marathon was pretty much perfect running weather. I believe it started a bit chilly but then rose to about 53 degrees by the end of the race.

 

[1mena7]

I'm fully expecting a later corral........

I'm not sure what corral I'm in but I have the same goal! I've never done a 5k before but wanna use this race for photo ops since I'm not sure how well I'll do in the 10k and half. My bib starts with 44xxx so hopefully that gives me plenty of time to stroll on by Epcot and get as many pictures as I can!

 

[LilyJC]

It depends on what you're used to. I ran the 2016, 2017 and 2018 WDW marathons and of the three I'd take the 2016 weather every time. I hate the cold and the warmth in 2016 was pretty mild compared to what I normally run in. Now that 2017 DLH was absolutely miserable! I've never run across heat and humidity that early in the morning. I was fortunate to go out in an early corral and finish before things really started heating up later in the morning, but it was hotter than I care to run in again!

So true that it’s all relative! I definitely wanted to get others’ input who were at that last DL half to make sure I wasn’t just being a big baby about it. Also to mentally prepare for Darkside if it’s going to be comparable.

Did you mean the 2017 full? The weather for this year's marathon was pretty much perfect running weather. I believe it started a bit chilly but then rose to about 53 degrees by the end of the race.

No, 2018. Again, definitely all relative. I was fairly bundled up for the Full this past January. I wore my throwaway gloves, but they stayed on for the entire marathon as well as my fleece headband. Maybe perfect for some, but after completing the Dopey Challenge I was done with the cold!

 

[PrincessV]

It depends on what you're used to. I ran the 2016, 2017 and 2018 WDW marathons and of the three I'd take the 2016 weather every time.

I'm wiht you, 100%! 2016 was my first marathon and I truly couldn't have asked for more perfect weather!

Did you mean the 2017 full? The weather for this year's marathon was pretty much perfect running weather. I believe it started a bit chilly but then rose to about 53 degrees by the end of the race.

Sorry - I FROZE all the way to AK! Started out wearing: running tights with old PJ pants on top, tank top under a long sleeve tech shirt under a heavy fleece pullover, running hat with ear cover, neck gaiter, gloves, toe and hand warmer packets. Didn't ditch the PJ pants or hand/toe warmers until MK, fleece pullover, gloves and ear cover didn't go until AK, long sleeve top came off at the end of WWOS... but went back on within 15 minutes of finishing because I got so chilled. My body does not like cold

 

[JBinORL]

My hottest race was probably the 2015 Navy 10 Nautical Miler. At 6AM for the start it was 80 degrees with 80% humidity, and the temp hit 91 that afternoon. Absolutely miserable

 

[ANIM8R]

I will also advise taking a careful approach to post-race rehydration and refueling. Sip, don’t chug and nibble, don’t wolf it down. A few years ago I was standing in the aisle of the bus returning us to the Riverside after a HM when the woman standing behind me, who had been chugging the water and wolfing down the munchies box, had a spat of ptojectile vomiting that got me from the back of my neck to my shoes. Fortunately, we had just arrived at the hotel, so I was able to clean up and use the laundry room to salvage my clothes pretty quickly.

I don't care how Disney wants to spin it...that is the farthest thing from Magical. Ugh!!! So sorry that happened to you!