Official WDW Marathon Weekend 2013 Thread

[PrincessRhi]

I can’t offer any Goofy advice, but I would ask yourself why you want to do it. Is it important to you to say you ran 39.3 miles in 48 hours? Do you really want the third medal? Stuff like that. If your answers aren’t good enough for yourself, why put yourself through the training? You might be better off going for a PR in the half or full distance.

Why would I want to do it? Why put myself through the training? Good questions. As a girl who grew up playing sports super competitively, I found a void of competitive teams to play on once I finished my undergrad years. For a while I hooked up with a club rugby team and was happy. I started running to get in better shape for rugby and learned to love distance. I was able to get over a decade of rugby before I broke my cheek in two places and had some nerve damage that is just now coming back two years later. Risking partial paralysis of my face was enough for me to hang up the boots. However, when I stopped playing rugby, I also stopped running.

I've been getting back into it slowly but surely, but I kind of feel like running has no purpose. Half marathons have lost their kick. I love running them, don't get me wrong, but it's "only" 13 miles so if I miss a training run I don't feel like I'm losing anything because I can still finish... just slowly. So I don't take it seriously because I know I can complete a half on no training. At the end of the day, I just want to be challenged. Maybe get back a little bit of myself that I lost when I stopped having a reason to work out. I feel like being able to run Goofy would be a challenge, and maybe the spark plug I need to get myself back on track. As lame as this sounds, but I think not having a competitive outlet has fed into a depression these past few years. Hmm.... so now that I think about it... running Goofy would be for me. Kind of a kickstart to my new life. But the lazy person I've become doubts my ability to do it, so I need to make sure I'm not getting in over my head.

I know you meant that question to be rhetorical and not necessarily to answer it out loud, but actually forcing myself to reason it out has helped me see that maybe it's a better idea than I think it is So thank you.

Goofy is so much fun! I ran goofy this year, and plan to next year, not to PR, but to have as much fun as I can. Having done both distances before, I knew there would be twinges of jealousy for me if I didn't run both races, I'd feel like I was missing out on something. The biggest con to me for Goofy is the price. If you can get past the $300+ price tag, the early mornings back to back aren't so bad. Recovery wasn't too bad for me either. I didn't hydrate properly for the marathon, so I was miserable and sick on Sunday, but after re hydrating and getting a good nights sleep, I was ready to conquer the parks for the next week. The most nerve wracking thing for me going into Goofy was the unknown about how I would feel. I'd never done anything like Goofy before, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel. I just took it super easy all weekend, enjoying the sights of Disney while I ran!

YES. I know you build up your leg strength, but two race days are definitely different than two training days since I usually let adrenaline get the best of me. If anyone here holds stock in Biofreeze and foam rollers, I will likely be the reason your stocks go up around race time if I actually do this. Keep that in mind. Were your legs OK from day to day?

I completely understand the cost being a shell shocker! I kind of justify it by thinking of it as two separate races. $170 a pop isn't as bad when my travel costs are minimum. And if I get on it early before the price rises again... much better for me

Watching the finish line last year, I was SO INSPIRED by the Goofy finishers. This past marathon weekend was my first runDisney experience as a runner, and holy crap was I surprised by how fun it was. I have NEVER smiled so much running distance. I kind of wish I weren't sick so that I could actually have enjoyed more of it.

 

[RunRookie]

PrincessRhi: You sound like a 'warrior princess' who has more battles left to conquer. Should you attack this Goofy Challenge? I would say "Absolutely!" You have finished several Halfs already (the pace is not the important part, the 'finish' is the key!) and you have been maintaining a certain level of run fitness with your 5K and 10K races. So you certainly have enough time to train back to Marathon fitness.

I feel like I understand how you feel. I was an athlete in high school and after college just stopped competing. At the age of 50, I decided to make a change -- lose weight, get healthier, become active. Last year, I decided to take up running as a path towards better fitness. I needed a 'goal', a 'focal point' to drive my motivation to keep moving. So I decided that I would run my first Half Marathon at Disney in 2012. I trained and I trained. And I finished that Disney Half in 2:29:01! It was a highlight of my life!

So now I am training for my first Full Marathon in Chicago this October, and I signed up yesterday to complete the Goofy Challenge in 2013. Nothing like big goals to motivate big effort (and reap the big rewards)!

So I say, set your sights on Goofy! Find a training plan that will work for your schedule (Galloway publishes several on the RunDisney site and Hal Higdon has some as well. Just google Goofy training plans). And then put on your 'warrior attitude' and start.

As a good friend (and Goofy finisher) on these boards would say "Get your Grrrrrrrr! on"!

 

[cobbler]

I just signed up for Goofy as well!!! Used the Active.com discount too (without needing a Disney VISA card). Woo Hoo!

I cannot find the WISH fb page, could you post or pm me a link please?

 

[RunRookie]

Here is the link to the registration site:
http://www.active.com/framed/event_detail.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&EVENT_ID=2020523

 

[2gr8DisneyKids]

This is what I had planned on doing...but now I'm not so sure. My hesitation has nothing to do with my ability to actually finish all 3 races; I'm not being egocentric, my plan was to go much slower than usual and mostly walking Tink. My hesitation is work related, there's a very good (1,000%) chance that I won't be at my current job next January, but since I haven't started looking yet I'm not sure when I'll start and/or if I would be able to take that much time off.

I'm hoping that it will all work out, but with my luck, it'll work out and then Tink will be sold out. Although this IS a good motivator to actually get my resume updated and out there!

Good luck with the job and the job search.

At least running can be a great way to relieve the stress!

 

[stitchfan18]

YES. I know you build up your leg strength, but two race days are definitely different than two training days since I usually let adrenaline get the best of me. If anyone here holds stock in Biofreeze and foam rollers, I will likely be the reason your stocks go up around race time if I actually do this. Keep that in mind. Were your legs OK from day to day?

It was hard for me to start out slow during the 1/2 and not push too hard. I had to really remind myself to slow down during the 1/2. Once we got to MK it was easier to enjoy the sites, and take it easy. I was super worried about how my legs would feel during the marathon. I didn't do an ice bath, but did wear compression socks to MK on Saturday and walked around to help with the recovery. My legs felt okay on Sunday, mostly tired and a little heavy at the worst. My overall pace for the marathon was actually faster than my 1/2 pace.

 

[escape]

It's interesting to learn why people want to do the Goofy race. Everyone has a story. Mostly, I hear that it's about the challenge and to push beyond the comfort zone. I suppose my reason is rather silly in the scheme of things but it is what it is. I simply wanted the 5th anniversary medal. Sure, I also wanted the challenge and to prove to myself that I could do it but it all boiled down to the medal.

Now that I'm back to mostly half-marathons, I do have twitches of envy during marathon weekend now when I see people with their Goofy medals proudly displayed around their necks. It is a great accomplishment; they should be proud of their efforts. I may go for it again in 2015 (the 10th anniversary). We'll see.

Just as the Goofy is quite the accomplishment, so is the Mickey, the Donald and the 5K races for many people. Everyone should be proud of their achievements and for getting out there and facing up to the challenge. I often hear, "It's just a 5K or it's just a half." There's nothing "just" about it. It's a race and it requires training and effort. What you may not know is what the motivation is behind the race. There are some 5K stories that will just rip your heart out and then there are stories like mine for the Goofy - I just wanted that anniversary medal.

The next big challenge for me won't be so much about distance; I've already proved to myself that I can handle the marathon mileage or do two races back-to-back within required time limits. The next challenge will be to become more efficient in the process. This may mean I'll be able to beat my current PR at some point. My next crowning glory may not be my next marathon or Goofy, it may be the for the next 5K race I do. You just never know.

 

[FFigawi]

I'm considering running Goofy this year, but truth be told I'm scared as anything to pull the trigger because aside from the whole 39.3 aspect, I don't really know what's in store. I'd really love to have some Goofy alums offer the pros/cons of the training, running the event, and recovery to help me make a more informed decision than "I want to do it" (which under most circumstances is good enough for me).

I know it sounds silly, but at this point, I know I have the spare time to commit to training-- but I'm a little frightened. Can anyone put my mind to ease and offer some advice?

Nothing to be scared of. The training for Goofy is no different than training for a full. Throwing in a couple back-to-back long runs is certainly helpful but not required. If you can train for a full, and it sounds like that's not a problem for you, you can make it through Goofy. As for running the event, it's a blast. I recommend going nice and easy on Saturday (about the same pace as your weekly long run) and just enjoying the crowds, the scenery, the characters, and the experience. Then do the same thing on Sunday.

 

[John VN]

Going Goofy is the Mt. Everest of Disney races and a whole lot cheaper and safer than climbing. Doing Dopey is the Marianas Trench. Training smart and planning out the way the races will be walked or run, as far as effort expended, will lead to success and great enjoyment.

If one has the time to train, GO FOR IT!

 

[PrincessRhi]

Thanks everyone. I signed myself up to run Goofy this morning, and I'm really excited despite knowing that I'll be doing some long runs in the dreaded Florida summer heat

 

[lisah0711]

Just as the Goofy is quite the accomplishment, so is the Mickey, the Donald and the 5K races for many people. Everyone should be proud of their achievements and for getting out there and facing up to the challenge. I often hear, "It's just a 5K or it's just a half." There's nothing "just" about it. It's a race and it requires training and effort.

Very nicely said, Susie!

Signed up for the Donald and looking forward to Scream Teamin' the Mickey and Goofy WISHers!

 

[MightyDuck001]

does anyone know of a way to get the disney visa discount and not pay the active.com processing fee?

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

does anyone know of a way to get the disney visa discount and not pay the active.com processing fee?

Active runs Disney’s registration. If you’re running Disney, you pay the fee.

 

[ColleenG]

If you sign up at another race's expo, do you still have to pay the active fee? Can I still use the Visa discount, or does that have to be done online?

 

[kim3339]

If you sign up at another race's expo, do you still have to pay the active fee? Can I still use the Visa discount, or does that have to be done online?

Don't know about being able to use the discount, but the Disney races went to computer regs at expos so you will still have to pay the active fees. They were paper and no fee, but at Tink it was all computers.


For people who've used the compression stuff after races~ did you use the whole sock or the calf sleeve? Do you think it helped w/ recovery for the next day?

 

[VernRDH]

Ok, I did it. Registered me for Goofy, DH and FIL for the half. Guess I have to wait until Tuesday to register for the 5k, since I did not see that as an option? Not that its a problem.

Even with the discount, I still dropped almost $600 for the three of us....

 

[dreams91]

Very nicely said, Susie!

Signed up for the Donald and looking forward to Scream Teamin' the Mickey and Goofy WISHers!

As a first time Mickey person, I will GREATLY appreciate your scream teamin!!!

 

[ColleenG]

Don't know about being able to use the discount, but the Disney races went to computer regs at expos so you will still have to pay the active fees. They were paper and no fee, but at Tink it was all computers.


For people who've used the compression stuff after races~ did you use the whole sock or the calf sleeve? Do you think it helped w/ recovery for the next day?

Thanks Kim. I wore my compressions sleeves around in the parks after I ran the princess. I felt like they helped. My legs felt good walking around. I like the sleeve because I am picky about my socks. I wore them during the race too.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

It goes without saying -- we scream for everyone in the Full (you just ran 23 miles, I will scream for you!) -- but if you are wearing something WISH we scream louder because we recognize you are our peeps! Bring out the lime green WISH shirts, visors, etc.!

Maria

 

[poohs4me]

For those who booked their hotel allready, did you call the irun number or just wdw reservations?