The Official 2013 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Thread

[schoonersky]

I hadn't really thought about an ADR for Saturday but you guys are making me think its a good idea. I can do counter service but I have to be really selective about what I eat, steak or pork will not work for my belly. I had better check it out! Off to see if I can get this 8 miles in today, better late than never!!!

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[jeanigor]

Hi all,

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I do check in to see how all of you are doing with your training. It's fun to read about your training progress. I am following the Galloway schedule for beginners, so my longest run so far has been 6 miles. So far, I'm really enjoying it.

I do have a couple of questions:

Costumes
Do you have plans to dress up for the race?

I googled "Disney running costumes" and searched on etsy and there are a lot of great ideas out there. I decided to keep it simple and I am going as "Minnie". I'm sure it's super-common, but also cute & easy. I bought a red sparkle running skirt from etsy(~$17) and plan on using an existing red running tank, both of which I plan to affix removable white dot Avery labels to serve as the polka dots. I also have a black visor that I hope to somehow attach Minnie ears too.

Here's a bloggers link with awesome ideas:
http://www.according-to-kelly.com/2011/08/what-should-i-wear-how-should-i-wear-it-2/

So if you are dressing up, do tell.

Finish Line Party/Race Start Logistics
So I saw that spectators can enter Epcot at 7pm and that participants can park at Epcot for free at 7pm or later. They will have shuttles available from Epcot to the WWoS from 7-8:30pm:


So my question is this:
Can runners enter Epcot and take in the sights for an hour or so(~7-8pm), before taking the shuttle over to the sports complex? I thought it would be fun to walk around w/dh for a little bit before I head over to find my corral placement. Would there be enough time for that? Since runners get a wristband, we would be allowed in at 7 with the other spectators, right? I don't want to try to cram too much into a small window of time and then be rushed to get to the start line. Any thoughts or experiences?

Thanks,
Jennifer

If you have valid park admission you can enjoy Epcot prior to taking the shuttle. Your race bib will only get you entrance to the after party post race.

Well, I did some more looking around...what about Garden Grill? I know it is an all-you-can-eat, but I am looking more at the variety than the quantity. I'm thinking that the breads, chicken and veggies (in moderation) would be a good way to fuel up. I like the idea of being able to have a bit of several things instead of one plated meal of just chicken, or just beef.

As far as the timing goes, if we catch the shuttle at 8pm from Epcot over to the WWoS, we should be there in plenty of time, correct? Unfortunately, DH has been a police officer for 25 years and I have been a paramedic for 15 years...we have learned to eat quickly and on the fly. When it is just the two of us, it is a leisurely dinner if it takes 45 minutes! So a 6pm dinner would be over by 7pm which would leave us a 1-hour cushion to get to the shuttle.

This is our first race so I really have no idea what to expect. I certainly do not want to be late in getting to the corrals, but I also do not want to be so early that we are sitting around for more than 2 hours.

I have found that my morning runs (on a nearly empty stomach) are almost a full minute/mile slower than when I run at night after eating all day. I'm thinking that if I eat at 6 (4 hours before race time), I should have plenty of time to digest it and not worry about GI surprises.

I know that I want to avoid CS dinner if at all possible. That means I need to hurry up and find an ADR so that we are not forced to eat a CS meal.

Garden Grill was an odd dining experience when I ate there last. And foods that I don't typically have at home, so it wouldn't work for me, but it may work for you.

--------

Tip/suggestion: Don't wait until the very last shuttle from a resort or Epcot to get to WWoS. You may find that you get to the staging area far later than you expect and the lines for bag check and port-a-pots to be insane and you barely make it to your corral.

 

[joanjett1976]

Anyome know of a comprehensive FAQ? I have a few questions:

I'm running the 5k - on that day we will be at AKL. They were a host resort last year but seem not be included this year. Uh oh! Is a cab my only option to get to the race?

Expo - buses to/from the Expo - will they pick up-drop off at all 4 theme parks? Which resorts?

Thanks!!!

 

[jpeka65844]

We're thinking about a large breakfast, light lunch, and then bagels and typical pre-race eats for dinner.

I'd rather run on an empty-ish stomach. Then after the race, let me at the food booths!

 

[jeanigor]

Anyome know of a comprehensive FAQ? I have a few questions:

I'm running the 5k - on that day we will be at AKL. They were a host resort last year but seem not be included this year. Uh oh! Is a cab my only option to get to the race?

Expo - buses to/from the Expo - will they pick up-drop off at all 4 theme parks? Which resorts?

Thanks!!!

If you don't have a rental car, yes. Cab or sharing a ride is your options for the 5K.

I haven't seen reliable transportation from any of the theme parks (except occasionally HS) to WWoS for years. All of the host resorts will offer transportation directly to and from the Expo.

 

[joanjett1976]

If you don't have a rental car, yes. Cab or sharing a ride is your options for the 5K.

I haven't seen reliable transportation from any of the theme parks (except occasionally HS) to WWoS for years. All of the host resorts will offer transportation directly to and from the Expo.

Very helpful, thank you.

 

[capeseal]

Since I run around 6am each day, I almost always run on a completely empty stomach, even for long runs. I don't want to have much for dinner on race day. Last year, we did go to 1900 Park Fare which had a buffet and I had some chicken, potatoes, and veggies and just nibbled a couple of desserts and I felt okay to run ToT at 10. This year, I plan to have a slightly bigger late lunch and just a bagel/cereal/some fruit for "dinner" around 5 or 6. Really, it's different for everyone, what you can tolerate before a run.

 

[schoonersky]

13k done (8 miles)! It was NOT pretty, I tried GU Chomps today. Had 2 about 10 minutes before I left, then 2 at the 30 minute mark, and then at 7k had a bathroom emergency and had to call DH to come get me. Took care of the emergency, had 2 more chomps, and finished the 13k. Average pace was 8:03 per km (12:57 per mile) and finished in 1:44:51. The emergency in the middle slowed me down for the km while I debated what to do and then the next km while I got warmed up again. Glad it's done!

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[funnybunny921]

13k done (8 miles)! It was NOT pretty, I tried GU Chomps today. Had 2 about 10 minutes before I left, then 2 at the 30 minute mark, and then at 7k had a bathroom emergency and had to call DH to come get me. Took care of the emergency, had 2 more chomps, and finished the 13k. Average pace was 8:03 per km (12:57 per mile) and finished in 1:44:51. The emergency in the middle slowed me down for the km while I debated what to do and then the next km while I got warmed up again. Glad it's done!

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Good job with the run! I have been hitting a slump and am not sure if it is something with my training or if the rest of my life is spilling into my training and affecting my drive to run.
I am wondering what flavor of the chops you tried. I tried the regular gu and couldn't handle it (caused me to choke and almost throw up) and also tried the Gatorade chews (they got stuck in my teeth) and the jelly belly beans (which taste good and go down fine, but I have convinced myself they can't be as effective)

 

[jpeka65844]

Good job with the run! I have been hitting a slump and am not sure if it is something with my training or if the rest of my life is spilling into my training and affecting my drive to run.
I am wondering what flavor of the chops you tried. I tried the regular gu and couldn't handle it (caused me to choke and almost throw up) and also tried the Gatorade chews (they got stuck in my teeth) and the jelly belly beans (which taste good and go down fine, but I have convinced myself they can't be as effective)

In the past, I've tried Clif Blocks. I was also worried about them getting stuck in my teeth but was surprised that their texture seemed smoother than a regular gummy and didn't get stuck.

Just an idea. I still prefer Gu's but only if I have water to chase them with.

 

[Ariel484]

Well, I did some more looking around...what about Garden Grill? I know it is an all-you-can-eat, but I am looking more at the variety than the quantity. I'm thinking that the breads, chicken and veggies (in moderation) would be a good way to fuel up. I like the idea of being able to have a bit of several things instead of one plated meal of just chicken, or just beef.

As far as the timing goes, if we catch the shuttle at 8pm from Epcot over to the WWoS, we should be there in plenty of time, correct? Unfortunately, DH has been a police officer for 25 years and I have been a paramedic for 15 years...we have learned to eat quickly and on the fly. When it is just the two of us, it is a leisurely dinner if it takes 45 minutes! So a 6pm dinner would be over by 7pm which would leave us a 1-hour cushion to get to the shuttle.

This is our first race so I really have no idea what to expect. I certainly do not want to be late in getting to the corrals, but I also do not want to be so early that we are sitting around for more than 2 hours.

I have found that my morning runs (on a nearly empty stomach) are almost a full minute/mile slower than when I run at night after eating all day. I'm thinking that if I eat at 6 (4 hours before race time), I should have plenty of time to digest it and not worry about GI surprises.

I know that I want to avoid CS dinner if at all possible. That means I need to hurry up and find an ADR so that we are not forced to eat a CS meal.

My biggest piece of advice would be to try not to eat at a place you've never eaten at before. Via Napoli is my pre-race dinner for every Disney race because I've eaten there multiple times and haven't had a bad experience/ended up sick afterward. And as jeanigor mentioned, it's not "odd" food - I make pizza at home once a week so it's not like I'm trying something weird for the first time and then running 13.1 miles.

Whatever kind of meal you decide on, try to PRACTICE it beforehand - similar food, timing, everything. I've run 5 races at Disney (plus multiple others at home) but this is my first night race, so I'm planning on 2 "dress rehearsals" at some point in October with an early pizza dinner, bagel/PB before running and then a long run in the evening. If something doesn't work then I'll adjust things.

I am wondering what flavor of the chops you tried. I tried the regular gu and couldn't handle it (caused me to choke and almost throw up) and also tried the Gatorade chews (they got stuck in my teeth) and the jelly belly beans (which taste good and go down fine, but I have convinced myself they can't be as effective)

I like strawberry and blueberry pomegranate Gu chomps...my brother doesn't like the chomps as much because they get stuck in his teeth. They get stuck in mine too occasionally but not enough to really bother me. I've never tried Clif Shot Bloks but it sounds like those might be better. Why not pick up one of each and give them both a shot? It's great that you're trying to figure this out now rather than, like, the day of the race. Very smart.

 

[capeseal]

I went 5 miles this morning. I was starving when I woke up, so I threw a couple of Honey Stinger chews in my pocket and popped 1 before heading out. (I normally run on a completely empty stomach with the exception of a glass of water.) Anyway, I don't know if one tiny chew could wreak this much havoc but I ended up with a horrible side stitch 1.5 miles into my run. I massaged, I breathed, I stretched while continuing to run but it wasn't budging. So, I slogged through the last 3.5 miles with that pain shooting up and across my side with every step. (I figured it could happen on race day so it was good training to press through.) Since the pain was also radiating to my back I was a little nervous that it was a disc issue but, luckily, as soon as I finished running, the pain disappeared. What a relief not to have it be injury-related! Tomorrow is a 3 mile run and then I have 7 to complete on Saturday. I think if I take it slow, I can do it.

13k done (8 miles)! It was NOT pretty, I tried GU Chomps today. Had 2 about 10 minutes before I left, then 2 at the 30 minute mark, and then at 7k had a bathroom emergency and had to call DH to come get me. Took care of the emergency, had 2 more chomps, and finished the 13k. Average pace was 8:03 per km (12:57 per mile) and finished in 1:44:51. The emergency in the middle slowed me down for the km while I debated what to do and then the next km while I got warmed up again. Glad it's done!

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Go you!!! Excellent job powering through your run even after your mini emergency. I have a terrible time getting restarted after stopping so I am extra impressed that you persevered.

 

[schoonersky]

Good job with the run! I have been hitting a slump and am not sure if it is something with my training or if the rest of my life is spilling into my training and affecting my drive to run.
I am wondering what flavor of the chops you tried. I tried the regular gu and couldn't handle it (caused me to choke and almost throw up) and also tried the Gatorade chews (they got stuck in my teeth) and the jelly belly beans (which taste good and go down fine, but I have convinced myself they can't be as effective)

I used Cranberry Apple GU Chomps and to be honest I thought they were pretty good. I was concerned because I had Gatorade during a 5k in June and I was nauseous the rest of the race. These were fine though, from that angle.

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[schoonersky]

One other idea, my running coach suggested I try them at work some days, with plenty of water, to determine which ones affect my belly and which ones don't (if any). She said they won't taste as good but at least you can determine if any have a really bad effect on your system.

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[PlutoBaby]

Of course, I am taking a semi-risk by staying at a non host resort (Animal Kingdom Lodge) but really I am fairly pro at Disney transportation and am not too worried about getting myself to a host resort so I can then catch a bus to the event. Carey

This will be my second W&D and neither time did, or am, I staying at a host resort. Catching a taxi to Epcot to drop off the non-runners and then catching one back after the party is no problem whatsoever.

This morning during my longest run so far, it was densely foggy. As I ran, miniscule droplets of water caught on my eyelashes until it seemed as if I was looking through diamonds. I'm pretty sure that this was Silvermist at work, but I did not get any photos to share.

Maybe next time!

I'm thinking it was a touch of !!

OMG - I cannot believe you found "THE" balloon ladies! That's awesome!

Here's my "balloon lady" story (which actually isn't a balloon lady story at all but it's funny to laugh at myself now). Last year's Wine & Dine was my first race and I felt completely prepared for the actual running part. But the logistics of the final mile and the incredulity that I was actually running a distance race still did a number on me at the end.

Last year, when we entered Epcot around mile 12-12.5, there were these guys on bikes. Now, by this point, for me, that was around 2:40. I started in the MIDDLE of Corral E (out of F). That's around a 13 min mile pace. That means I had a 40-50 minute buffer built up so far. But when I turned into the backstage area before epcot and saw those guys on bikes I completely freaked out! I started running SO. FAST. I was convinced they were the sweepers. (they weren't). I was certain that no one on the DIS, not even Coach Charles, had a clue what they were talking about with balloon people or sweepers or Storm troopers! DH said that I flew past him sprinting when he saw me outside of the Imagination pavillion. I booked it past Space Ship Earth, blindly following some official looking dude waving a flashlight which I later learned was them directing runners and spectators across the course and then entered the strobe-light fog tunnel where they were blaring Lady Gaga's Edge of Glory ready to bound across the finish line. I mean, doesn't that just sound like a finish line to you? But no, you turn a corner and keep running. And running. And running. Finally I got to the finish line but I was SO wiped out from sprinting the last mile! By the time I got into Epcot to meet up with DH, I had to wait to cross the course with the spectators this time (that's when I figured out what the flashlight guy was doing). So that should give you an idea of how ridiculous the idea of being swept had been. I ended up finishing ahead of 1/3 of the people in the race, which I was REALLY pleased with since basically I just wanted to finish.

I'm not saying that worrying about the sweepers isn't a real fear, even for people who train below 12 or 13 min miles because anything can happen during a race. But THANK YOU to Longhorns2 for finding the REAL balloon ladies. Next time I see guys on bikes, when I have 45 min left to run less than 1 mile, I won't freak out!

Didn't even know about the balloon ladies until I saw it on the Margarita and Miles (?) blog a couple of days ago. And no offense if anyone here is one of them, but I hope I never meet you (at least on the course! )

And as for that whole freaky Lady Gaga thing, I really hope Disney ditches that acid trip for something a little more motivating. And I'm still convinced they were actually moving the finish the closer I got to it!!

LOVE the new shoes!! What a difference from the Brooks! They are just as comfortable as the cheaper Saucony's I had been wearing, but I am under the impression that they are a "sturdier" shoe. Maybe the salesguy lied (say it ain't so!) but he explained to me that the Saucony Grid Cohesion 6 ($55) which I had been using are a good shoe, but they are cheaper because they are not designed to last as long as the more expensive ones. He said that the Triumph 10's ($130) are a similar shoe but they have "more" in them. My plan is to wear my Cohesion's on my shorter runs (3-4 miles) because they already have >100 miles on them. Then, I will use my Triumph's on my longer (>4 mile) runs. That way, I can keep my feet adjusted to both shoes without wearing them out before the race. I am not planning on buying another pair before we go, but if a nice discount or coupon comes along, I may have to. I honestly don't try to look at the price of the shoes when I try them on. I try to go by fit and comfort. That's what had me in such a quandry...Even though I never had problems with my Cohesion's, I just could not comprehend that a $55 shoe would get me through a 1/2 marathon without falling apart. I *know* that price should not be a factor, but I decided to get a more expensive pair anyways, just to ease my mind.

Love, love, LOVE my Sauconys! I need super cushy shoes and the staff at Runner's Depot definitely knew what they were talking about when they put me in these. However, I think I'm one of those who need new shoes around the 250-300 mile mark. So guess where I'm off to this weekend? Is it crazy that I'm SO excited at the idea of getting new shoes???

As much fun as it's been travelling all over the place the last few months, I'm looking forward to a couple of months of nothing interfering with my training until we hit the road to see Sister Hazel at the F&W in October. I'm actually going to try a new thing I read about on Active.com yesterday: metronome training. I guess it's part of Chi running. So I ordered a metronome that clips on your waistband and decided to give it a try yesterday with just keeping the count in my head. I slowed way down, which I expected, but boy was I breathing easier in the 91 degree evening! Now I'm looking forward to "officially" slowly bumping up my pace so that my body doesn't even realize it's happening. Would LOVE to shoot for a 2 hour finish, but I'll be happy if I can possibly pull off a 2:20 (excluding photo ops of course!)

IT's have been behaving themselves (ssshhhh!!) and going to keep trying to build the muscles around them. DH and I are trying out an Orange Theory class on Sunday and hopefully will find it helps. My BRF started a month ago and she's already seeing an increase in her pace. Keeping my fingers crossed with a little thrown in!

Good luck to everyone on their workouts this weekend and keep up the great work!!

 

[Figment1990]

This will be my second W&D and neither time did, or am, I staying at a host resort. Catching a taxi to Epcot to drop off the non-runners and then catching one back after the party is no problem whatsoever.

I'm thinking it was a touch of !!

Didn't even know about the balloon ladies until I saw it on the Margarita and Miles (?) blog a couple of days ago. And no offense if anyone here is one of them, but I hope I never meet you (at least on the course! )

And as for that whole freaky Lady Gaga thing, I really hope Disney ditches that acid trip for something a little more motivating. And I'm still convinced they were actually moving the finish the closer I got to it!!

Love, love, LOVE my Sauconys! I need super cushy shoes and the staff at Runner's Depot definitely knew what they were talking about when they put me in these. However, I think I'm one of those who need new shoes around the 250-300 mile mark. So guess where I'm off to this weekend? Is it crazy that I'm SO excited at the idea of getting new shoes???

As much fun as it's been travelling all over the place the last few months, I'm looking forward to a couple of months of nothing interfering with my training until we hit the road to see Sister Hazel at the F&W in October. I'm actually going to try a new thing I read about on Active.com yesterday: metronome training. I guess it's part of Chi running. So I ordered a metronome that clips on your waistband and decided to give it a try yesterday with just keeping the count in my head. I slowed way down, which I expected, but boy was I breathing easier in the 91 degree evening! Now I'm looking forward to "officially" slowly bumping up my pace so that my body doesn't even realize it's happening. Would LOVE to shoot for a 2 hour finish, but I'll be happy if I can possibly pull off a 2:20 (excluding photo ops of course!)

IT's have been behaving themselves (ssshhhh!!) and going to keep trying to build the muscles around them. DH and I are trying out an Orange Theory class on Sunday and hopefully will find it helps. My BRF started a month ago and she's already seeing an increase in her pace. Keeping my fingers crossed with a little thrown in!

Good luck to everyone on their workouts this weekend and keep up the great work!!

Ok, what is orange theory?

And lately, my IT bands have been feeling a little tight. I've been rolling (yuck) and pigeon-posing the heck out of them and its helping.

Glad to see you back! Good luck with the metronome. I'm not totally sure what that is but I know I use music to keep my pace even and from going too fast. I'm not sure if its because of all my treadmill running in the beginning or the music but my pace is extremely even. Like each lap is within seconds. It definitely helps with distance if you can "dial into a pace" and just go! I event ly ordered the chi running book and DVD and I can't wait to start learning about it!

 

[shelleylmu]

Not sure what was in my kool aid this morning but just had one of my best training runs. Not a long one but felt good through the whole thing and my fastest pace so far! 30 min at 10:14 pace!

I've also decided to splurge on a sparkle skirt. It's my reward for finishing my 12 miler on sat. Now if there just weren't so many cute ones! How's a girl to decide???

 

[Ariel484]

One other idea, my running coach suggested I try them at work some days, with plenty of water, to determine which ones affect my belly and which ones don't (if any). She said they won't taste as good but at least you can determine if any have a really bad effect on your system.

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Definitely make sure you try them during runs too...your stomach may react differently when you're moving. I like mint chocolate chip stuff in general but when I tried the mint chocolate Gu a few years back on a run it made my stomach buuuurrrrrrn. Not good.

Not sure what was in my kool aid this morning but just had one of my best training runs. Not a long one but felt good through the whole thing and my fastest pace so far! 30 min at 10:14 pace!

I've also decided to splurge on a sparkle skirt. It's my reward for finishing my 12 miler on sat. Now if there just weren't so many cute ones! How's a girl to decide???

Sparkle Skirts are worth every penny! Be warned though, they are addicting! I have the solid black, solid pink and DoloTech (I think that one's retired) SparkleTechs and am definitely going to get one of the Minnie Techs at some point for Marathon Weekend 2015. I read on Facebook that they'll have a special "Merlot" colored skirt at the Wine & Dine expo in honor of the race.

 

[capeseal]

Easy 3-mile run this morning. I kind of love just how easy these three-milers have become as I continue to train. I jumped right out of bed at 5:38 this morning, excited that I only had to go three miles . I had a slight stitch in my side again today in the exact same spot as yesterday. Luckily, I only had to power through one more mile when it started. But I really hope I don't get it again on Saturday. Running 7 miles with pain in my side sounds a bit like torture.

I'm also really bummed because I was thinking I would "sleep in" on Saturday and start my run at 6:30/6:45 but then realized that it is yard sale day so I will have to get out just after 6 so that I can be back to help DH set up. Looking forward to some rest and stretching tomorrow.

Not sure what was in my kool aid this morning but just had one of my best training runs. Not a long one but felt good through the whole thing and my fastest pace so far! 30 min at 10:14 pace!

I've also decided to splurge on a sparkle skirt. It's my reward for finishing my 12 miler on sat. Now if there just weren't so many cute ones! How's a girl to decide???

Excellent job on the personal record. 10:14? That's incredible! And I love your reward idea. You absolutely deserve it for running 12 miles!!! Can't wait to hear which one you pick. I am personally partial to purple and blue . I'm ordering a fun new running shirt as a reward when I complete my 8-mile training run next weekend. Love the look of the Sparkle Skirts and I've been tempted to get one in the past, but I know, deep down, that I'm not a running skirt kind of woman .

 

[shelleylmu]

Definitely make sure you try them during runs too...your stomach may react differently when you're moving. I like mint chocolate chip stuff in general but when I tried the mint chocolate Gu a few years back on a run it made my stomach buuuurrrrrrn. Not good.

Sparkle Skirts are worth every penny! Be warned though, they are addicting! I have the solid black, solid pink and DoloTech (I think that one's retired) SparkleTechs and am definitely going to get one of the Minnie Techs at some point for Marathon Weekend 2015. I read on Facebook that they'll have a special "Merlot" colored skirt at the Wine & Dine expo in honor of the race.

I thought about the merlot one, the picture on the website doesn't make it look that great but when I called they promised that it was a really pretty wine color. She did say that they only had limited fabric so if you want one you may need to jump on it. I think I may go for one of the Minnie Mouse looking ones. Not really W&D but definitely Disney and this will be my first Disney race woohoo!