OFFICIAL January 2012 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Goofy or Dopey Challenge Thread

[lovesdumbo]

Pretty much all of them offer bus or monorail service on race day. Both Pop and AS are the same for getting to the race, but getting back afterwards is a different story. One bus runs to all three AS resorts so the line and wait for that can be quite a bit longer than for Pop or any of the other resorts. After the half during Disney on Ice, I skipped the AS line of over 100 people, hopped on the first bus to anywhere else that came along, and called my wife to ask her to drive over from AS and pick me up.

As previously answered by John, all resorts have marathon event service including to the expo, 5k, half, full and kids races. As far as value resorts go, my thoughts are that the Pop is a better choice for one big reason; it’s the only resort on its bus route. No looping to other resorts so on race day, you are the only pick up spot. Another great reason is that the WISH pasta get together is held on Friday night at the Pop.

Race Retreat – this is a personal decision. If you want a place to wait pre-race and a private checked bag location, this is a great thing. I have never subscribed to the retreat, though coming into the 2010 ice race I tried on 10 days out. It sold out early on that day. Most years, in my opinion, it is a waste of funds. But then I have been coming to the marathon since 99 and I have several friends that I want to talk with on race mornings.

Pasta in the Park – I went the first year it was held and had a good time. But I like large pre-race pasta feeds and this is something the Disney has not done well since discontinuing the big tent pasta feeds from the 90’s. The first year (2010) the deal was not all that bad. The feed tix got you into Epcot at 5:30 and you had park access until closing. The feed is in the Millennium Celebration building between Canada and England. You were also able to enter a reserved section for viewing Illuminations. The bean counters helped revise the 2011 package. Not sure of the specifics since we did not attend, but I seem to remember you were unable to enter Epcot as early and I am not sure of the reserved fireworks viewing – oh and the cost increased. We are looking at the feed for 2012 but remain undecided. Note that the WISH group has their own pasta get together the following night at Pop.

Thanks to both of you! Sounds like Pop is a good choice.

 

[cewait]

Great Thanks for the advice. I'm signed up for a 5k and a 10k. So hopefully I will learn more before the wow half.

In my earlier running days I would enter 5k and try to hold a pace slower than marathon for the first mile. Note these were before gps so you really had little feedback until the first mile marker. I did this thinking 5ks were faster at the start and I needed to learn to understand the feel of my pace but more importantly, trust my pace. I would quickly feel the race start to leave me then once I confirmed the first mile pace I would run the rest of the race at 5k pacing. Did I ever meet my goal pace? No but I did run most races at marathon pace so I thought that successful

 

[dreams91]

In my earlier running days I would enter 5k and try to hold a pace slower than marathon for the first mile. Note these were before gps so you really had little feedback until the first mile marker. I did this thinking 5ks were faster at the start and I needed to learn to understand the feel of my pace but more importantly, trust my pace. I would quickly feel the race start to leave me then once I confirmed the first mile pace I would run the rest of the race at 5k pacing. Did I ever meet my goal pace? No but I did run most races at marathon pace so I thought that successful

How much slower should my marathon pace be? I'm still fairly slow.

 

[cewait]

How much slower should my marathon pace be? I'm still fairly slow.

Sorry, folks talking about running marathon, 10k and 5k pace used to confuse me back then also.

Assume your 6 mile run was at a good training pace - that is one where you were conversational for at least the first 5.5 miles. In theory, that is a marathon pace minus a minute; though as a first time marathoner (or half runner) it may also be marathon pace. For 5k your pace should be maybe 90% of your marathon/training pace. If you are currently running 16 minute miles, 5k would be in the 14:25 area. This is predicated on lots of variables and you may do better or worse than this rough set of numbers suggests.

So short version - marathon pace is in the window of training pace down to a minute less.

 

[WriteDisney]

The Jeff Galloway training plans for the WDW Marathon are now up on RunDisney.com!

Oh I'll have to check them out. One the later RunnersWorld magazine's has a marathon training schedule I was thinking of following but if this one is better maybe I'll try that.

 

[dreams91]

Sorry, folks talking about running marathon, 10k and 5k pace used to confuse me back then also.

Assume your 6 mile run was at a good training pace - that is one where you were conversational for at least the first 5.5 miles. In theory, that is a marathon pace minus a minute; though as a first time marathoner (or half runner) it may also be marathon pace. For 5k your pace should be maybe 90% of your marathon/training pace. If you are currently running 16 minute miles, 5k would be in the 14:25 area. This is predicated on lots of variables and you may do better or worse than this rough set of numbers suggests.

So short version - marathon pace is in the window of training pace down to a minute less.

Thanks I'm about 14 minute mile right now.

 

[hulagirl87]

I just started my training about a month ago and it has been going pretty well. I started out just walking and then would up the time every day or every other day. Now for the past week I have been running a mile every morning on the treadmill and it's getting easier! I hardly worked up a sweat this morning

The only thing now is the actual trip in January. My plan was to go down with 2 friends who ran the race last year. Now I'm sad that no one will be there to see me finish. DH, DD, my mom. Those are the 3 most important people to me and I wish that they could be there. Just too expensive. It's hard enough to get the money together for me to go so there is no way for all of us. Sorry, it's just been on my mind the past few days. Maybe I'll luck out and we'll come in to a windfall

Hope everyone's training is going well!!!!

 

[stitchfan18]

I just started my training about a month ago and it has been going pretty well. I started out just walking and then would up the time every day or every other day. Now for the past week I have been running a mile every morning on the treadmill and it's getting easier! I hardly worked up a sweat this morning

The only thing now is the actual trip in January. My plan was to go down with 2 friends who ran the race last year. Now I'm sad that no one will be there to see me finish. DH, DD, my mom. Those are the 3 most important people to me and I wish that they could be there. Just too expensive. It's hard enough to get the money together for me to go so there is no way for all of us. Sorry, it's just been on my mind the past few days. Maybe I'll luck out and we'll come in to a windfall

Hope everyone's training is going well!!!!

I'm going through the same issue for the princess 1/2 next year. The people who were going to go with me decided not to do it, and I'm too stubborn to not go, even if it is a lot more expensive to go solo.

 

[Saylan]

I just started my training about a month ago and it has been going pretty well. I started out just walking and then would up the time every day or every other day. Now for the past week I have been running a mile every morning on the treadmill and it's getting easier! I hardly worked up a sweat this morning

The only thing now is the actual trip in January. My plan was to go down with 2 friends who ran the race last year. Now I'm sad that no one will be there to see me finish. DH, DD, my mom. Those are the 3 most important people to me and I wish that they could be there. Just too expensive. It's hard enough to get the money together for me to go so there is no way for all of us. Sorry, it's just been on my mind the past few days. Maybe I'll luck out and we'll come in to a windfall

Hope everyone's training is going well!!!!

I know how that feels. I ran my first race (the Princess) this year and being that I'm not from the US, it was a long expensive trip that couldn't be made by my parents. I can't tell you how sad I was that they weren't there.

Some of the things we did to lessen the distance though was they signed up for the eletronic notifications. Because they weren't in the US, we signed them up for the e-mail ones. They got up on race day around 6 (just after my corral was supposed to start) and they faithfully watched me through the e-mails. My DBF was down with me but he'd never been to Disney so he didn't get to see me finish due to inability to get around. He did, however, buy a very cheap limited data plan and through that my mom was able to send me an e-mail with my finish and my parents congrats/love/support. He was there for me when I finished and had it in hand for me to read.

They also gave me a long distance phone card which charges the bill to their home phone company by which I could call that night (and the night prior to the race).

Those things really made it for me but I won't deny, there were times when I did cry during the race (running makes me more sensitive, don't ask me why cause I have no idea) knowing I was all alone. But every time I saw a timing mat, I remembered them and that in a second they'd be hearing more about me. I was kind of weird in that I made sure to low down and step clearly on it in a way of reminding myself that it's including them in my day the only way I could.

 

[RadioFanatic]

We will be there for each other!

Can I ask a "private" question? Are their bathrooms along the route - just a person here with a huge fear of no bathrooms when needed - thanks!

 

[jeanigor]

We will be there for each other!

Can I ask a "private" question? Are their bathrooms along the route - just a person here with a huge fear of no bathrooms when needed - thanks!

I'm a 'use the facilities' every hour kinda person. Yes. There are port-a-pots along the route. (Also some of the ones you pass in the MK are open too. )

 

[orlandothebeagle]

189 days!!

 

[FFigawi]

Can I ask a "private" question? Are their bathrooms along the route - just a person here with a huge fear of no bathrooms when needed - thanks!

There are plenty of porta-potties all along the way. There are also open bathrooms at the TTC and in all the parks.

 

[cewait]

We will be there for each other!

Can I ask a "private" question? Are their bathrooms along the route - just a person here with a huge fear of no bathrooms when needed - thanks!

Hundreds of porta units at the staging area. Several tens at the start corrals. then at 1-10 at every aid station, number depends on where on the course the aid station is.

Of course there is the bush about a quarter mile into the race. It is a weird feeling when about a tenth of all runners veer course right.

Now for the permanent spots


Starting at the first park Epcot

• • Just inside the gate. Right side is most obvious and crowded. Left side is not as obvious.
• • The Backside of Innovations in front of Test Track (you may be prevented from going back there)
• • The Oddessey
• • Norway – again may not be able to hit this one.

Blue Course

• Morocco (not too busy)
• Between Italy and Germany

TTC Mile 9

• • On the right just after you pass the ticket booths and I mean just past.

Magic Kingdom - Miles 10.3-11.0.

• • Main Street near Tony's Town Restaurant
• • Tomorrowland near Stitch's Great Escape and Cosmic Ray's
• • In Liberty Square near Liberty Tree Tavern
• • In Fronteerland near Pecos Bills

Of these the Tomorrowland facilities are the ones that are most obvious.


Animal Kingdom - Miles 16-18

• • Just as you come onstage and right before the Birds of Flight.. It’s in a left right turn sequence and will be on the left.
• • In Asia just before Mount Everest and near the Ice Cream Truck
• • The course passes close to a couple in Dinoland but they are far enough off course that I would not look for them.

I am familiar with the first one in AK and have seen the second one from the course.

Disney Studios Miles 22.5 - 23.5

• • At the corner of Streets of America and Commissary Lane
• • The other end of Commissary Lane near the Hat.

The second one near the hat is closest to the course.

Finally back through Epcot Mile 25-26

• Morocco, and between Italy and Germany. Note this time through you will be leaving the course and entering no mans land.

So yes, there are a few facilities

 

[FireDancer]

There are plenty of porta-potties all along the way. There are also open bathrooms at the TTC and in all the parks.

I prefer to find a tree

 

[FFigawi]

I prefer to find a tree

Me too! And so do some of the women I run with.

 

[Saylan]

Me too! And so do some of the women I run with.

There were quite a few princesses finding bushes this year too, so trees and other foilage are not safe.

DBF laughed that every bus trip to the MK I'd go "Oh I remember that bush! There was a purple tutu at that one!" etc. On our last day he'd start to point out the bushes asking me what colour tutu was which. It passed the time.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I'd rather just use the trees and bushes too rather than line up for a porta pottie I don't walk too far in to the wooded area though because it's usually dark and someone told me that they had stepped into a small pond/creek. I don't need to start a race with soaking wet feet

 

[stitchfan18]

Maybe this is a dumb question because my parents never took me camping growing up, but how does a woman use a tree or bush when nature calls? I can understand the guys, but I don't understand how all you women are saying you prefer this option

 

[rubato]

Maybe this is a dumb question because my parents never took me camping growing up, but how does a woman use a tree or bush when nature calls? I can understand the guys, but I don't understand how all you women are saying you prefer this option

I'm not sure how to put this delicately. You just squat. We don't mean we literally go on the bushes and trees. We use them for cover. (Okay, well, I don't, but lots of women do).