Superstitions – Rituals?

[cewait]

I am by no means superstitious but I have rituals that I have set in on over the years of doing the marathon at Disney that I feel I must do. Anyone else have something that they must do to have a good race?

Arrive Thursday – OK the first one is really dumb but we set the trip up to arrive on the first flight Thursday. It usually arrives 10:30 ish. We do vary occasionally and make a change to the very last flight on Wednesday night still kind of putting us in arrival mode (store and passes) early Thursday.

Friday Morning Jog – I get out for a 5 am jog Friday. I love the Crescent Lake/DHS split loop but will settle for any loop around the resort we are staying at.

Cape May Breakfast Friday – This started with our first stay in BWV. It’s a short walk to see Goofy and Minnie. I rub Goofy’s Nose for luck and we take photos with both.

Wake UP Call – I have a wakeup call, cell phone and watch alarm set for a progression of 2, 2:05 and 2:10. I feel the need to get up this early to get dressed

Pre-race Shower – Funny, more folks than you would believe shower pre-race. No way would I ever shower pre-training run but if I do not shower pre-race I seem to have a bad race.

Right Leg, Right Arm, Right sock. Right Shoe First – this comes from little league. I hate to break that up.

Dinner at Teppan Edo (Japan) Sunday Night – This is a great meal post marathon. We started this tradition during our first marathon at Disney and have continued it most marathon weekends. You have to climb up AND down or the next year is not going to be a good one. This is proving true this year. Last year we made other plans and (and had a great time) but I failed to climb down the stairs that evening….now this year I am just going out for the ride.

Chef Mickey Monday – I need to thank the Goofster for his hospitality and this is a great place to do just that.

White Chocolate Mocha Ghirardelli’s – As we leave the WDW area we will stop at DTD for a White Chocolate Mocha. I hate sweets and it really chokes me as I drink one, but somehow we started this.

Now if we mess up too many of these traditions the next year is a year we pay for it. Again I am not superstitious but then maybe I am

 

[FFigawi]

Having never run Disney before, I don't have any rituals specific to these races, but I do have some that I try to follow for my marathons in general.

Preparation - I lay everything out the night before. I can't sleep unless I know my bib is pinned on, my goo is stacked next to my shorts, my socks are with my shoes, and there's nothing left to do in the morning.

Wake up - I set my alarm for as late as possible to still be able to make the start or bus to the start. Drink some water, brush my teeth, pop in the contacts, get dressed and go.

Post-race - got to have a nap followed by a margarita.

Looking forward to starting some new ones for Disney.

 

[TEK224]

My WDW rituals are:

Prep - Get everything laid out before going to bed. Wake-up call and alarms set for 2AM and 2:15 AM. Get up, make a PB&J sandwich then take a shower. Need to make sure I'm awake. Eat a banana and drink a Gatorade. Hit the bathroom about 4 times before leaving to get the bus.

After - get back to room, take an ice bath , then eat lunch.

For dinner after the full, I like to splurge and go somewhere nice (like Narcoossee's).

No matter when I'm in Disney, I can't leave without getting a chocolate shake at Ghirardelli's! Yum!

Terri

 

[Duanerice]

Great topic. I don't really have any rituals other than I do shave before each race and or morning LR for that matter. I don't usually take a shower but I do shave. Go figure.

At Disney we always stay at POP and I catch the 4:00 am bus. Get up at 3 am, make fresh coffee, eat cereal, etc. Otherwise there is really nothing else that we have done every race.

I'm looking forward to hearing what others have.

Duane
2 weeks from right now I hope to be getting ready for bed in anticipation of the half!

 

[DianeL]

2 weeks from right now I hope to be getting ready for bed in anticipation of the half!

Duane? 2 weeks?

Wear my WISH bracelet Mel ordered us back in 2006. Probably the only thing that is a constant in regards to what I wear. Since now I have both styles of shirts.

Lay out everything the night before. Used to use safety pins for the bibs but now have a spibelt with bib holders which I love! But I used to have to fiddle with that getting it just right on the WISH shirt.

On the bus at 3 am. My celebration meal will be on Monday this way I won't be tired to enjoy In 2006 I about feel asleep while eating my celebration dinner.

This time in 1 week I hope to be sound asleep

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Sat: I always eat the same meal for breakfast for every race. I eat a can of new whole potatoes, bagel, and banana. I get a massage at finish line after half. Walk back to BWV than ice bath. Eat chicken sanwich. Nap and than pizza for dinner. Watch NFL playoff games until 9pm bedtime.

Sun: Same breakfast. I than walk back through Epcot back to BWV. On marathon day, Rose and Crown is open and can have a nice celebration beer!

I like to have multiple wakeup calls/alarms for 2:00. This year I will have Linda give me a wakeup call for the races before she goes to bed. The joy of living on the West Coast

Monday: Have lunch at Biergarten and nice 1 lap around World Showcase that takes all day until Illuminations. We have many beverage stops

 

[JimB.]

My only superstition or ritual is an overwhelming fear of oversleeping. So I set about 3 different devices + a wake up call to prevent this.

So I wake up really early, take way too long to get ready & then run around like the Tazmanian Devil before I leave my room thinking "Oh My God I'm Gonna' BE LATE!!!!!!!!!!!".

And finally relax once I am on a bus or monorail.

 

[JoanneNC]

I am by no means superstitious but I have rituals that I have set in on over the years of doing the marathon at Disney that I feel I must do. Anyone else have something that they must do to have a good race?

Arrive Thursday – OK the first one is really dumb but we set the trip up to arrive on the first flight Thursday. It usually arrives 10:30 ish. We do vary occasionally and make a change to the very last flight on Wednesday night still kind of putting us in arrival mode (store and passes) early Thursday.

Friday Morning Jog – I get out for a 5 am jog Friday. I love the Crescent Lake/DHS split loop but will settle for any loop around the resort we are staying at.

Cape May Breakfast Friday – This started with our first stay in BWV. It’s a short walk to see Goofy and Minnie. I rub Goofy’s Nose for luck and we take photos with both.

Wake UP Call – I have a wakeup call, cell phone and watch alarm set for a progression of 2, 2:05 and 2:10. I feel the need to get up this early to get dressed

Pre-race Shower – Funny, more folks than you would believe shower pre-race. No way would I ever shower pre-training run but if I do not shower pre-race I seem to have a bad race.

Right Leg, Right Arm, Right sock. Right Shoe First – this comes from little league. I hate to break that up.

Dinner at Teppan Edo (Japan) Sunday Night – This is a great meal post marathon. We started this tradition during our first marathon at Disney and have continued it most marathon weekends. You have to climb up AND down or the next year is not going to be a good one. This is proving true this year. Last year we made other plans and (and had a great time) but I failed to climb down the stairs that evening….now this year I am just going out for the ride.

Chef Mickey Monday – I need to thank the Goofster for his hospitality and this is a great place to do just that.

White Chocolate Mocha Ghirardelli’s – As we leave the WDW area we will stop at DTD for a White Chocolate Mocha. I hate sweets and it really chokes me as I drink one, but somehow we started this.

Now if we mess up too many of these traditions the next year is a year we pay for it. Again I am not superstitious but then maybe I am

Too funny - I am also a believe of 1st possibly fight in or last one the evening before. DH and I will be landing at 9am Thursday morning..

Also - DH laughs at me cause I have to shower before ANY run - and then again after...

 

[Hockeychic]

Duane.....1 week my friend

I also have everything laid out the night before, I have worn the same shirt for every race I have ever done so that part is easy.....It is green has WISH on it...I think some of you may have seen it.

I call for a wake up call but also set cell phone alarms. Never thought of the multiple ones...will do that this year.

Meet up with friends pre-race is always the best part.

We usually head back to the resort shower, and head off to show off the bling, but this year with doing Goofy, we are planning on spending more time at the resort maybe head to epcot or DTD for a frozen lemonade before again calling it a early night.

Can't wait to go.....in the words from my favorite commercial....."I'm to excited to sleep"

 

[Duanerice]

OK, let's try this again.

1 week from right now I will be finished with the half, just hanging out in the finish area.

Duane

 

[Hockeychic]

would hate for you to miss the race. We need all our teamates out there.

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Before- The night before is always chicken asda with mexican rice (we're trying Paradiso 37 for this or something similar at Disney). (I once read in runners world that it was Kara Goucher eats before every race and have eaten it before every major race ever since in an attempt to be a little more like my running hero). Layout everything in the order it will be put (first thing on on the of the pile). Pin number on and put D-Tag on the night before.
Wake up-Set (in order cell phone, wake up call, room alarm clock) for 15, 10, and 5 minutes before I really need to be up. Breakfast can be only one of three things: Frosted Flakes, Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal, or a Chocolate Chip Clif Bar. Drink a Diet Coke (for the caffeine and it's easier on my tummy then coffee). Before leaving reset alarm for boyfriend with note about when to be at the finish line.
After- Shower. Omlette/Scrambled Eggs for brunch. Don't sleep until at least 2 hours post-race. On the next day, I tend to wear the race t-shirt (usually so I don't have to pack it)

 

[FireDancer]

I don't really have any superstitions but I do have a couple of things that have turned into rituals.

I travel to a lot of races each year with one of my friends from high school. They are usually short weekend trips but a pattern has emerged. The night before the race is always some Italian restaurant. For dinner the evening after we finish the race we go for sushi. This started at Nashville this year and continued in VA Beach, and Niagara Falls. This of course only happens if we aren't leaving for home right after the race.

On our way home (we usually drive) we always stop at the Cracker Barrel. If we don't stay in town after the race this replaces the sushi. If it is a different day it is in addition to it.

Since Disney is not a "normal" race weekend for me most of the rituals don't follow through. I have stayed at POP for all of my marathons and unless we stay off site for money reasons (I am trying to get a large group down) I will always stay there. I also go to BOMA on every trip so while it isn't a ritual just for race weekend it has been my Saturday meal after both of my WDW halves. Since I am doing the full next time it might get moved to Friday or Sunday, but I'll be there again for sure.

 

[Kirsty-Leigh]

When I used to compete horses, I used to have a thing about wearing new showing gear in a competition (even though that was the only place I wore this clothing I always had a bad day in new clothes) so I kinda carry that through to the running (which helps because I have chaffing issues) and I have to have my specific socks!!!

The night before I have to have everything ready in the order I will put it on, and no pinnned on etc or I cant sleep. Then I have one alarm next to me with 2 alarms set and one across the room so I have to get up to turn it off (I have a lots less chance of falling back asleep out of bed) I am a little worried about that this yr because the 3 yr old will be in the room with us and not getting up with me, and her mom will be if I wake her!!!!

in the morning I wake up waaaay to early and end up late anyway, check I have everything on me a million times before i leave, run back to the room because I forgot something!

then a pop tart when I get to the race.

afterwards, whatever my body is craving! (I get crazy cravings after I do lots of miles!)

OH and a superstition! I NEVER buy an I did it shirt until I did in fact do it! even if that means I dont get one, I just dont wanna risk it!

Kirsty