Question about Full marathons

[pixeemom]

Hi all....
I didn't want to post this on the FB rundisney group because I have friends on there and #1 don't want them to know ALL MY BUSINESS lol an #2 felt a little embarrassed to ask these questions and don't want to get teased by them.....anywhooooo

my friend just ran her first full, very proud of her but in the same breathe also very jealous and envious......i had feelings of doing a full in the up coming year but one of my other friends told me to wait and not be in a rush and honestly i don't know why i listened to her so i let the thought go out the window till another friend announced she was doing the NYC full.....
anyway, i am on the fence i want to give it a try but i hate the training, i hate training for a half, i can't image a full.....i ran 7 halves and i am getting a little tired of the same ones over and over and I did a disney half but can't afford to always do Disney.....but I am considering a full and told myself if I a full I have to find the perfect course.....so here are my questions for anyone that has done a full in disney....
how is the course?
is there entertainment like there are in the halves?

and has anyone ever done a full without completely training ? I know that is a silly question......but I was just toying with the notion that if i can do halves in 2 hours i can do another half at a slower speed and still feel accomplished.......i know this sounds nuts

well any info/advice on doing a full would be greatly appreciated.

thank you!

 

[FFigawi]

so here are my questions for anyone that has done a full in disney....
how is the course?

is there constant entertainment like there are in the halves?

No, there is not constant entertainment. There's not constant entertainment during the Disney half either. Both races have stretches of running on wide roads between the parks where character stops or other entertainment are not a constant presence. The course is relatively flat, with a few overpasses or off ramps that provide a bit of an incline.

and has anyone ever done a full without completely training ? I know that is a silly question......but I was just toying with the notion that if i can do halves in 2 hours i can do another half at a slower speed and still feel accomplished.......i know this sounds nuts

well any info/advice on doing a full would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, that is nuts. I love to talk people into pushing themselves and signing up for races that will challenge them (just ask @Keels), but I can't do that for you. I'd never recommend that someone sign up for a full with their going-in approach being not to do the training that's required. That's just asking to get injured. A marathon is more than just two halves back to back. The level of effort is not double, it's closer to 3-4 times more. If you want to run a full, then you need to commit to doing the training, as much as you dislike it. Some training programs are more intense than others, but all will give you the training you need to get to the start line injury-free and across the finish line standing up and happy.

 

[Ariel484]

Hi all....
I didn't want to post this on the FB rundisney group because I have friends on there and #1 don't want them to know ALL MY BUSINESS lol an #2 felt a little embarrassed to ask these questions and don't want to get teased by them.....anywhooooo

my friend just ran her first full, very proud of her but in the same breathe also very jealous and envious......i had feelings of doing a full in the up coming year but one of my other friends told me to wait and not be in a rush and honestly i don't know why i listened to her so i let the thought go out the window till another friend announced she was doing the NYC full.....
anyway, i am on the fence i want to give it a try but i hate the training, i hate training for a half, i can't image a full.....i ran 7 halves and i am getting a little tired of the same ones over and over and I did a disney half but can't afford to always do Disney.....but I am considering a full and told myself if I a full I have to find the perfect course.....so here are my questions for anyone that has done a full in disney....
how is the course?
is there constant entertainment like there are in the halves?

and has anyone ever done a full without completely training ? I know that is a silly question......but I was just toying with the notion that if i can do halves in 2 hours i can do another half at a slower speed and still feel accomplished.......i know this sounds nuts

well any info/advice on doing a full would be greatly appreciated.

thank you!

So, I have done the WDW marathon 3 times...

How is the course: it's pretty great. You go through all 4 parks, but a lot of it is backroads that you'd take going from park to park (highways). They'll be changing the course soon with the demolition of the WDW Speedway, but expect it to go through all 4 parks and the ESPN Wide World of Sports (the worst area of the course, in my opinion). There are lots of bathrooms available ("real" and porta-potties), lots of volunteers, water stops, etc.

Is there constant entertainment: lots of it, yes. Lots of spectators, too.

Has anyone done a full without completely training: Okay, so I'm going to be blunt here, because this is a HUGE pet peeve of mine with Disney races. Please understand that I am saying this in the nicest way possible, but I honestly do not think you should sign up for a marathon if you don't think you will put in the time and effort to train for it. A marathon is WAY different than a half marathon. If you run in a half marathon in 2 hours, you'll be on your feet during the marathon for at least 5 hours, I'd think. The time on your feet, the electrolytes you lose when sweating, the nutrition factor, the mental challenge of running for that long...it is completely different from a half marathon. For each of the 3 marathons I did, I had a blast - but I worked my butt off for them, for months ahead of time. You could probably finish with subpar training, but you'll be miserable and possibly injured by the end of it. I really, really wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Hi all....
I didn't want to post this on the FB rundisney group because I have friends on there and #1 don't want them to know ALL MY BUSINESS lol an #2 felt a little embarrassed to ask these questions and don't want to get teased by them.....anywhooooo

my friend just ran her first full, very proud of her but in the same breathe also very jealous and envious......i had feelings of doing a full in the up coming year but one of my other friends told me to wait and not be in a rush and honestly i don't know why i listened to her so i let the thought go out the window till another friend announced she was doing the NYC full.....
anyway, i am on the fence i want to give it a try but i hate the training, i hate training for a half, i can't image a full.....i ran 7 halves and i am getting a little tired of the same ones over and over and I did a disney half but can't afford to always do Disney.....but I am considering a full and told myself if I a full I have to find the perfect course.....so here are my questions for anyone that has done a full in disney....
how is the course?
is there constant entertainment like there are in the halves?

and has anyone ever done a full without completely training ? I know that is a silly question......but I was just toying with the notion that if i can do halves in 2 hours i can do another half at a slower speed and still feel accomplished.......i know this sounds nuts

well any info/advice on doing a full would be greatly appreciated.

thank you!

The Course-Personally, I think the course is very nice. 26.2 miles is a long stretch to have constant entertainment, but I'd say they come as close to it as is realistically possible. I don't know which Disney Half you have run, but during Marathon Weekend the Full course is preferable to the Half course in my opinion. The full course goes through all four WDW parks and hits a pretty decent portion of each of them. There is a good amount of running on highways, but that is unavoidable. They have other forms of entertainment (characters, DJs, etc.) and the people watching is it's own form of entertainment. There are also enough runners that you will never feel alone out there. The course is relatively flat and the crowds and Cast Members are all incredibly supportive. If you are looking to do a marathon I would say you'd be hard-pressed to find one with as much entertainment as this one.

Training-My first marathon I thought I was trained, but when it came around I wasn't nearly as ready as I should have been. Despite being disappointed in myself while I was on the course those feelings disappeared when I crossed the finish line. Emotionally, a marathon and the achievement is probably not the same for everyone, but I think you would still feel accomplished after finishing. That said, do the training. I have run other marathons since that time and it is a much better experience both during and after you finish when you have done the work. Edit: As others have stated, I can't recommend strongly enough that you only sign up if you are going to do the training.

 

[pixeemom]

No, there is not constant entertainment. There's not constant entertainment during the Disney half either. Both races have stretches of running on wide roads between the parks where character stops or other entertainment are not a constant presence. The course is relatively flat, with a few overpasses or off ramps that provide a bit of an incline.



Yes, that is nuts. I love to talk people into pushing themselves and signing up for races that will challenge them (just ask @Keels), but I can't do that for you. I'd never recommend that someone sign up for a full with their going-in approach being not to do the training that's required. That's just asking to get injured. A marathon is more than just two halves back to back. The level of effort is not double, it's closer to 3-4 times more. If you want to run a full, then you need to commit to doing the training, as much as you dislike it. Some training programs are more intense than others, but all will give you the training you need to get to the start line injury-free and across the finish line standing up and happy.

thank you! i should have reworded my question, I know there isn't constant entertainment along the route sorry!! its def. a lot more entertaining the the halves I have run in my area that;s for sure, lol
yeah I kinda figure I can't do a full without completely giving into the training....maybe I just didn't look hard enough for a good training program, thank you for your advice!!!

 

[pixeemom]

So, I have done the WDW marathon 3 times...

How is the course: it's pretty great. You go through all 4 parks, but a lot of it is backroads that you'd take going from park to park (highways). They'll be changing the course soon with the demolition of the WDW Speedway, but expect it to go through all 4 parks and the ESPN Wide World of Sports (the worst area of the course, in my opinion). There are lots of bathrooms available ("real" and porta-potties), lots of volunteers, water stops, etc.

Is there constant entertainment: lots of it, yes. Lots of spectators, too.

Has anyone done a full without completely training: Okay, so I'm going to be blunt here, because this is a HUGE pet peeve of mine with Disney races. Please understand that I am saying this in the nicest way possible, but I honestly do not think you should sign up for a marathon if you don't think you will put in the time and effort to train for it. A marathon is WAY different than a half marathon. If you run in a half marathon in 2 hours, you'll be on your feet during the marathon for at least 5 hours, I'd think. The time on your feet, the electrolytes you lose when sweating, the nutrition factor, the mental challenge of running for that long...it is completely different from a half marathon. For each of the 3 marathons I did, I had a blast - but I worked my butt off for them, for months ahead of time. You could probably finish with subpar training, but you'll be miserable and possibly injured by the end of it. I really, really wouldn't recommend it.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think I could ever NOT train, I think I am just coming off of "listening" to my friend complain about her mornings of training, but if I do it I will do it the right way
thank you!!!

 

[Keels]

To borrow a term from the Bachelor/Bachelorette - you have to do it "for the right reasons".

Running is such an intensely personal thing, and a couple of things you've said really caught me.

I would make sure you're doing a full because YOU want to do a full. Not because you're jealous of others or because you think you should.

@FFigawi talked me in to Dopey, but I was already planning on making WDW my first full anyway after a year of training and racing that's included/will included 7 Halfs, 6 10ks and numerous 5ks. And I'm still working training up to the full as well, even though the hard part is really just starting.

 

[pixeemom]

To borrow a term from the Bachelor/Bachelorette - you have to do it "for the right reasons".

Running is such an intensely personal thing, and a couple of things you've said really caught me.

I would make sure you're doing a full because YOU want to do a full. Not because you're jealous of others or because you think you should.

@FFigawi talked me in to Dopey, but I was already planning on making WDW my first full anyway after a year of training and racing that's included/will included 7 Halfs, 6 10ks and numerous 5ks. And I'm still working training up to the full as well, even though the hard part is really just starting.[/QUOT
thank you!!

I really do want to do a full, I am just scared, I am thinking of her right now and that's why i posted this.....but back a few months ago when I mentioned it to my other friend she shot my idea down....I told my husband 1 full that's all I want to try is 1 full......I am just scared of the training
I have done tons and tons of 5k's and 10k's I am a little over the halves because I am just bored doing the same ones over and over

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Are you willing to work your way up to a 20 mile long run in training? If not, you should probably skip it. If so, I encourage you to give on a shot. The training isn't really that much harder than the training for a half - only the long run is longer.

 

[ZellyB]

I really do want to do a full, I am just scared, I am thinking of her right now and that's why i posted this.....but back a few months ago when I mentioned it to my other friend she shot my idea down....I told my husband 1 full that's all I want to try is 1 full......I am just scared of the training
I have done tons and tons of 5k's and 10k's I am a little over the halves because I am just bored doing the same ones over and over

If you really want to do a full then you should do a full. Don't let somebody else's experience or criticisms stop you. If you are doing it for the right reasons and are willing to put in the time and training then you can certainly do it and you should.

Also really think about your objective and pick a training program that will get you there and that works with your life demands. My first marathon was Disney and my only goal was to complete it and have fun. I do Galloway run/walk/run and I followed his beginner to complete training. This is a minimum amount of miles and is less demanding then some other training methods. So, there are training options out there that don't have to be scary in regards to time/mileage commitment. Now, if you really want to run a marathon and have your best performance with a time goal, then you may need to look at some other plans that require more miles and more time commitment.

Research what is out there for plans and see if you can find one that fits your goals and lifestyle. Then decide if you really want to commit to it. If you do, then go for it and stick with your training and you'll be fine.

 

[Castle2Castle]

Without having run Boston, New York, Chicago, or the Marine Corps Marathon in DC, I'd say the Disney World marathon is likely to be the most entertaining marathon you can run. There will naturally be some dead spots, but you're running to a milestone/park roughly every 10k with some sparks of entertainment along the way between them. The parks are open by the time you're getting to Hollywood Studios and Epcot, so you get to see the parks as well as get additional crowd support to push you across the finish.

With respect to training, I don't know what you do now, but maybe check out this 18-week training program with runs 3x per week and four 20-mile long runs. Training for a marathon can be daunting, but I've found this to be the best for accommodating my schedule without burning out; it's gotten me through all but my first marathon in Disney when we used Galloway's plan. Remember too that you can tweak any plan to try and fit it better to your needs. Better to make adjustments to a plan so that you'll stick with it than to pick a plan that will be difficult to stick with and leave you under-trained come race day.

 

[IamTrike]

and has anyone ever done a full without completely training

Yes, there are people that have gone into a marathon being undertrained, but that's not what I would shoot for.

 

[ExportedMolson]

my friend just ran her first full, very proud of her but in the same breathe also very jealous and envious......i had feelings of doing a full in the up coming year but one of my other friends told me to wait and not be in a rush and honestly i don't know why i listened to her so i let the thought go out the window till another friend announced she was doing the NYC full.....
anyway, i am on the fence i want to give it a try but i hate the training, i hate training for a half, i can't image a full.....i ran 7 halves and i am getting a little tired of the same ones over and over and I did a disney half but can't afford to always do Disney.....but I am considering a full and told myself if I a full I have to find the perfect course.....so here are my questions for anyone that has done a full in disney....
how is the course?
is there entertainment like there are in the halves?

and has anyone ever done a full without completely training ? I know that is a silly question......but I was just toying with the notion that if i can do halves in 2 hours i can do another half at a slower speed and still feel accomplished.......i know this sounds nuts

I will echo everyone and not recommend running a full without putting in the training, BUT will recount my full marathon experiences.

I ran the WDW marathons from 1996-98. I was training in the lovely warmth of Toronto in the winter, so managed to cheat on my long run loops and cut off mileage due to the cold while justifying it in my head (since at the time I was still in my 20s and fast). Essentially I prepared myself perfectly for a 1/2 marathon, but not so much the full. I will say the first 16 miles were pretty easy, but the last 10 not so much. The last few hundred yards of each one.... MAGICAL. There is no feeling like it.

I probably will never run another full. I love to run and it comes easily to me, but I don't have the desire or more importantly time to put in the required training. If you think you have the time and desire, I would say to absolutely go for it even if it is just to be a one and done. I have run a few halfs, and more 5k and 10k races than I can count, but there was nothing like the accomplishment I felt crossing the finish line of a marathon.

I can't say anything about the current WDW marathon course, but I find the Disney courses relatively flat and usually only the weather is the challenge.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Yes, there are people that have gone into a marathon being undertrained, but that's not what I would shoot for.

My first marathon - longest training run was 16 miles. Last 5 miles was a death march, but I finished. I would not recommend this to anyone.

 

[JClimacus]

I have done tons and tons of 5k's and 10k's I am a little over the halves because I am just bored doing the same ones over and over

I don't think you'd be posting here if, down deep, you didn't want to run the full. No one here is going to talk you out of it! Especially as you are bored with the half, it sounds like you are ready for the challenge of the full.

And it is a challenge. Like FFIgawi says, it's not just two half marathons. It's a different beast entirely - but that is what is great about it. It challenges you to your core and in that last 10k you will find things out about yourself, about what you are capable of not just physically but mentally. And you need the proper training in the background to give you the confidence to take on the last 10k. It's possible to fake your way through a half marathon. Not a full marathon.

Disney is a great place to run your first marathon. I did my first last January and had a ball. There is a lot of entertainment and characters, but it is not constant, nor would I want it to be. It's nice during parts of the race to just zone out and cruise along in a kind of zen-like state. The other runners are very friendly and supportive. I was in a lot of pain the last 5k but there really is nothing like crossing that finish line in your first marathon, and no better place to do it than Disney. [This is not a paid advertisement sponsored by Walt Disney, Inc.]

 

[GreatLakes]

The full course is cool because it is the only way to will ever do all four parks in one race. There is entertainment while in the parks and they have some added on the roads but there are also some stretches where you won't really see anyone. It is a course worth doing at least once.

Marathon training. Honestly, there were plenty of days I just didn't want to go out and do another run. That was true for every full I've trained for. The mental part of training was by far the hardest for me and I like training. It becomes like a second job. It is kind of a cliche that the race is the easy part but for me that is very true as long as I put in the training. The one full I ran under-trained was terrible. I most definitely regretted that entire experience but I have never regretted putting in the work during training.

 

[pixeemom]

Are you willing to work your way up to a 20 mile long run in training? If not, you should probably skip it. If so, I encourage you to give on a shot. The training isn't really that much harder than the training for a half - only the long run is longer.

i am seriously considering it, i know if i def. want to do this I will stick with the training....

 

[pixeemom]

The full course is cool because it is the only way to will ever do all four parks in one race. There is entertainment while in the parks and they have some added on the roads but there are also some stretches where you won't really see anyone. It is a course worth doing at least once.

Marathon training. Honestly, there were plenty of days I just didn't want to go out and do another run. That was true for every full I've trained for. The mental part of training was by far the hardest for me and I like training. It becomes like a second job. It is kind of a cliche that the race is the easy part but for me that is very true as long as I put in the training. The one full I ran under-trained was terrible. I most definitely regretted that entire experience but I have never regretted putting in the work during training.

awesome thank you for your input and advice!

 

[LSUlakes]

Hi all....
I didn't want to post this on the FB rundisney group because I have friends on there and #1 don't want them to know ALL MY BUSINESS lol an #2 felt a little embarrassed to ask these questions and don't want to get teased by them.....anywhooooo

my friend just ran her first full, very proud of her but in the same breathe also very jealous and envious......i had feelings of doing a full in the up coming year but one of my other friends told me to wait and not be in a rush and honestly i don't know why i listened to her so i let the thought go out the window till another friend announced she was doing the NYC full.....
anyway, i am on the fence i want to give it a try but i hate the training, i hate training for a half, i can't image a full.....i ran 7 halves and i am getting a little tired of the same ones over and over and I did a disney half but can't afford to always do Disney.....but I am considering a full and told myself if I a full I have to find the perfect course.....so here are my questions for anyone that has done a full in disney....
how is the course?
is there entertainment like there are in the halves?

and has anyone ever done a full without completely training ? I know that is a silly question......but I was just toying with the notion that if i can do halves in 2 hours i can do another half at a slower speed and still feel accomplished.......i know this sounds nuts

well any info/advice on doing a full would be greatly appreciated.

thank you!

My advice for you is to not run a marathon.

 

[opusone]

I agree with @LSUlakes. Based on your initial e-mail, with quotes like...

...i hate the training, i hate training for a half, i can't image a full...

and

...and has anyone ever done a full without completely training? ...I was just toying with the notion that if i can do halves in 2 hours i can do another half at a slower speed and still feel accomplished...

I would suggest not trying a full. By the way, I would never try to talk someone out of trying if they really wanted to do it, but it sounds like you do not really have interest. If you hate training for halves, you are really not going to like training for a full. Maybe there are other athletic events or healthy activities you like on which you should focus?

Bottom line: I would say only run if it makes you happy. If it doesn't, you will be miserable during training.