OFFICIAL Jan 2011 Half Marathon, Full Marathon, Dopey or Goofy Challenge Thread

[roomthreeseventeen]

After running Philly yesterday, I have to say I have a LOT more respect for marathoners. There's no way that I could have been at the halfway point after 13.1 yesterday. I would have rolled over and died.

 

[rubato]

Charles: Thanks for the encouragement. I just looked up some training plans and think I can get it done in the time I have left. I found an 18 week plan, which only puts me a week behind schedule. I can make that up. Of course, I looked at the weekly miles and instantly got intimidated. I agree with you about the run/walk. While walking that 13.1, it was all I could do not to run. The patience walkers have is something I'll never have. That's why I started running in the first place. And, to be in the race for 6hrs:30min would be tougher than pushing through and running part. And, yes, I figured that's how long it will take me if I walk. Yikes!

Vicky: Don't get excited yet. I still need to talk Frank into spending money! I figure I still have time to work on him since the races are only about 70% full still. If I do get to go, I'd love to run/walk with you. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep up on tired legs, but I'll try it. I figured that if I can get a good time on the half (I'd like a PR of 1:45, but who knows), then I don't care if I just stay in front of the sweep on the full!

 

[fairestoneofall]

i'm in for the half in january! my first half!

i was a slacker during the summer though. i don't have access to a treadmill and just couldn't manage running in the heat. so, i'm working my way back up. if i hadn't been a slacker, i could've easily run the entire half. now, i'm looking at the possibility of walking part of it. but i'd rather do that than injure myself. we'll see how training goes.

 

[KAA1972]

Ok, I'm back to debating (2nd thinking) my resort choice...again. Here's the main consideration... we have to pay for two rooms because we are taking our nanny with us to take care of our daughter while hubby and I run the half. Hubby is also doing the full and I want to follow him while nanny and daughter sleep.

We are currently at Pop because it is very inexpensive for two rooms. However, today I suddenly decided we needed to have access to the monorail and made reservations at Shades of Green -- across from the Poly. I really want to stay at the Poly but the price of two rooms is a little more than I want to pay. Shades of Green is much more reasonable.

Ok, so here's my question... for those who have ran/watched half or full -- do you think it would be better to stay at Shades of Green?? If you don't know where Shades of Green (it is the military hotel) directly across the street from the Poly. According to Shades of Green website it is 1/4 mile to Poly. I'm not too concerned about room quality. I've stayed at Pop before and like it just fine. I'm more concerned with access to transportation for the races.

Thanks!!!

 

[Pumbaa80]

thanks Coach... and I in no means meant any disrespect about walking.. because I actually like my time when I do!
I think I will stick with the R/W all the way up to the 1/2. For one.. I am not using this as any type of PR run.. its a fun 1st 1/2 for me.. with many stops along the way to take pictures!
I will proceed with the run 1m / w 1 minute as I think its the best for me on my long runs..
question.. do you suggest the same during the week for my 30-40 minute runs? I saw that Galloway says if you can, there is no need to walk.. but why not if that is what you are doing on the long runs?


oh.. and I do feel good.. because I actually ran 5.5 miles in 1:03 compared to the 5.0 miles in 1:00 last week... so by stopping.. and taking that break I was able to go the 1/2 mile more in only 3 minutes.. its impressive what that little walk break will do..

Thanks again coach.. you rock!

Hi everyone else!! Hope everyone had a great weekend and is on track with training!

Welcome Jerseymamabear :wave good luck with your training!!

I'm using the same training method as you - this is also my first 1/2 and I plan to make many stops for pictures!

After waffling on which training plan to do (after I thought I had decided), I did start last week with the galloway plan doing 2:30 run/1min walk. I love the 1m/1min suggestion, as it would sure be easier to keep track of!! I'm not sure I could keep up a good pace doing it that way, though...

On the two runs during the week, I am doing the first one as a quicker running pace with the walk breaks, and the second run I do more of a regular pace, but without walk breaks.

 

[Pumbaa80]

Ok, I'm back to debating (2nd thinking) my resort choice...again. Here's the main consideration... we have to pay for two rooms because we are taking our nanny with us to take care of our daughter while hubby and I run the half. Hubby is also doing the full and I want to follow him while nanny and daughter sleep.

We are currently at Pop because it is very inexpensive for two rooms. However, today I suddenly decided we needed to have access to the monorail and made reservations at Shades of Green -- across from the Poly. I really want to stay at the Poly but the price of two rooms is a little more than I want to pay. Shades of Green is much more reasonable.

Ok, so here's my question... for those who have ran/watched half or full -- do you think it would be better to stay at Shades of Green?? If you don't know where Shades of Green (it is the military hotel) directly across the street from the Poly. According to Shades of Green website it is 1/4 mile to Poly. I'm not too concerned about room quality. I've stayed at Pop before and like it just fine. I'm more concerned with access to transportation for the races.

Thanks!!!

I had this same question and we are still debating! My mom is meeting us there to watch DD and we want it easy for her to get around and the monorail resorts are the obvious choice (but we also like the price of the POP).
I was advised that SoG is walking distance to not only the poly monorail, but that for a short walk past the poly, the monorail directly to epcot can be accessed at the TTC. The only hitch to SoG is the road closure and whether or not spectators are allowed to cross and when to be able to get to poly. Coach Charles, please correct me if I'm relaying this info info incorrectly.

One question for you, though, we're supposedly on a wait list for SoG for marathon weekend. It sounds like you were able to actually book it. When did you call? I'm wondering if some rooms opened up??

 

[Pumbaa80]

If possible do not walk the mid week runs. I think that is a subtle downfall in the Gallowat plan that many folks simply do not see.

I'm glad you posted this! I started last week, and planned to continue doing 1 of the mid-week runs with no walking, and one with the walk breaks but trying to run faster. Is that a mistake?

 

[dismagiclover]

Ok, I'm back to debating (2nd thinking) my resort choice...again. Here's the main consideration... we have to pay for two rooms because we are taking our nanny with us to take care of our daughter while hubby and I run the half. Hubby is also doing the full and I want to follow him while nanny and daughter sleep.

We are currently at Pop because it is very inexpensive for two rooms. However, today I suddenly decided we needed to have access to the monorail and made reservations at Shades of Green -- across from the Poly. I really want to stay at the Poly but the price of two rooms is a little more than I want to pay. Shades of Green is much more reasonable.

Ok, so here's my question... for those who have ran/watched half or full -- do you think it would be better to stay at Shades of Green?? If you don't know where Shades of Green (it is the military hotel) directly across the street from the Poly. According to Shades of Green website it is 1/4 mile to Poly. I'm not too concerned about room quality. I've stayed at Pop before and like it just fine. I'm more concerned with access to transportation for the races.

Thanks!!!

I think Shades of Green would be an awesome place to stay. You have access to the monorail and you run right by the hotel entrance. Your daughter and her nanny could easily come out and watch you run by. Shades of Green is a really nice hotel as well. The rooms are much larger than Pop and the location is awesome. I've never stayed at the values, but I've visited them and I would choose SOG over POP any day. We've stayed at SOG several times. In fact we are staying there for the MNSSHP because it is so accessible to the MK. (About a 10 minute walk from the Poly monorail.) That monorail is awesome on race morning. I stayed at BLT last January solely because of the monorail. (I'm not eligible for SOG without my DH or I would have stayed there.)

 

[cewait]

I'm glad you posted this! I started last week, and planned to continue doing 1 of the mid-week runs with no walking, and one with the walk breaks but trying to run faster. Is that a mistake?

That works. The midweek effort is a stress effort for strength/speed gain. It is really a function o you and your current level of fitness/running capabilities

I had this same question and we are still debating! My mom is meeting us there to watch DD and we want it easy for her to get around and the monorail resorts are the obvious choice (but we also like the price of the POP).
I was advised that SoG is walking distance to not only the poly monorail, but that for a short walk past the poly, the monorail directly to epcot can be accessed at the TTC. The only hitch to SoG is the road closure and whether or not spectators are allowed to cross and when to be able to get to poly. Coach Charles, please correct me if I'm relaying this info info incorrectly.

One question for you, though, we're supposedly on a wait list for SoG for marathon weekend. It sounds like you were able to actually book it. When did you call? I'm wondering if some rooms opened up??

The road closure is the big issue with SoG. It is a nice quarter mile walk to Poly and just a little longer to TTC. Once the volume of the race increases it is impossible to cross Floridian, the street in front of the Poly

 

[Bephus]

No offense, but I hope that rumor isn't true. Strollers posses a serious danger to people racing.

It isn't a rumor, there is a seperate sign-up for strollers in the 5K only.

I did see that the Family 5K has a stroller division too. Now I have to decide if I want to pay an extra $100 for the room and $50 for the 5K. Plus I am sure that DS and DD will want to run too if we go early so that will be more for the kids races. We will have to see.

 

[rubato]

I have yet another training question for Coach, or anyone else who has advice.

If I am training for the Goofy, is it in any way detrimental to do other aerobic activities on top of the running? The plan I am going to follow calls for 5 days of running, which I am going to tweek to 4 days. But, I also walk my dog 3 miles a day, run 1.5 miles 3 mornings a week with my son and go to zumba class 2 times a week. Is this okay? Especially because I am a total newbie at this. The mileage is already kind of freaking me out, and doing these 2 races is my top priority. I mostly want to be able to keep running with my son, which I could mix with the dog, if needed, but we dislike running with him because he's annoying. (The dog, not my son!)

What is the weather typically like on those January mornings? Let's not add this year into that, because that's not going to happen next year!

 

[verticalchaos]

Stupid newbie question here... What is a "wave start"?

 

[cewait]

I have yet another training question for Coach, or anyone else who has advice.

If I am training for the Goofy, is it in any way detrimental to do other aerobic activities on top of the running? The plan I am going to follow calls for 5 days of running, which I am going to tweek to 4 days. But, I also walk my dog 3 miles a day, run 1.5 miles 3 mornings a week with my son and go to zumba class 2 times a week. Is this okay? Especially because I am a total newbie at this. The mileage is already kind of freaking me out, and doing these 2 races is my top priority. I mostly want to be able to keep running with my son, which I could mix with the dog, if needed, but we dislike running with him because he's annoying. (The dog, not my son!)

What is the weather typically like on those January mornings? Let's not add this year into that, because that's not going to happen next year!

No, it is preferred to do some cross training. If you find yourself chronically fatigued during the period you may need to dump another weekday run or cut some of the cross-training out … except for the dog … the dog would not understand

Wx is generally in the 50’s at race start and works up to the 60’s. The extremes are 30s to 60s at the start and up to upper 70’s for the finish. Rain twice in 12 years

 

[cewait]

Stupid newbie question here... What is a "wave start"?

Assume a race has 10 corrals. In a non-wave start all runners start to move at the gun. In a wave start only a certain number of corrals would go at the gun. Assume my 10 corral race has 5 waves, the first two waves would go at the gun. Then after a certain amount of time, generally 1-10 minutes the second wave goes off and so on.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Stupid newbie question here... What is a "wave start"?

Corral A starts at 8:00
Corral B starts at 8:05
Corral C starts at 8:10, etc.

 

[verticalchaos]

Corral A starts at 8:00
Corral B starts at 8:05
Corral C starts at 8:10, etc.

Oh, ok. I somehow got the impression that there was some kind of wave within the corrals. Thanks!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I liked it especially because each wave gets their own sendoff. When it's just corrals, and no wave, you kind of shuffle to the starting line, without a real start.

 

[cewait]

Oh, ok. I somehow got the impression that there was some kind of wave within the corrals. Thanks!

I wave at people I know as well as characters at the start line

I liked it especially because each wave gets their own sendoff. When it's just corrals, and no wave, you kind of shuffle to the starting line, without a real start.

You will Really like the Disney wave as fireworks usually occur for each wave.

 

[cloudnut220]

I'm new to this thread (and relatively new to the DIS Boards) but I just read the WHOLE thing because its GREAT! So much good advice. I'm doing the half in January (it's my first). We're staying at Saratoga (we're DVC owners at BLT but I called too late to get a ressie there). I'm doing a Galloway style run walk (4:1) with Higdon mileage. I love WDW and I've always dreamed of running a half marathon, so why not combine the two!

 

[BrianD]

Corral A starts at 8:00
Corral B starts at 8:05
Corral C starts at 8:10, etc.

If only those were the actual starting times... ...instead of 5:40, 5:50, etc...