The Running Thread - 2018

[PCFriar80]

Last year we hit 100 pages on 2/16. A little behind last years pace at the moment.

Maybe we started in a different corral this year? We don't want to go out too fast. Plenty of time to catch up!

 

[JeffW]

Last year we hit 100 pages on 2/16. A little behind last years pace at the moment.

There was a lot of activity on these boards last year with Marathon Weekend registration on Valentine's Day. I'm glad they moved it back this year

 

[Barca33Runner]

ATTQOTD:

My race weekend plans are scheduled around work and when I and members of my traveling party can get time off. Most of the time, this means my vacations are front-loaded with time out/at the parks before or during the days when I have races. That said, I greatly prefer scheduling my free time on a runcation for after my running events are done. Yeah, I’m a little sore; but it’s so much easier to celebrate and I’m much more relaxed.

Super excited that Marathon Weekend is later next year and I’ll have a few days at the parks after Dopey is over.

 

[GreatLakes]

QOTD: Todays question is somewhat running related. For those of you who run a runDisney race, or races over the weekend, how do you plan your trips? What I mean by that is, do you plan on having park days before the race weekend, after, both, or only during the event weekend itself? When running multiple races do you spend time in the parks after each race or do you focus on recovery and preparing for the next race?

Generally I plan for my park days to be before the race and I never leave on race day. I normally fly home on Monday or move onto the rest of my trip. For the W&D this year we will be leaving Monday to go visit family in Florida. I think the only time I didn't leave the day after a race was the 2011 Full and that was only because of the Marathon Monday promotion.

 

[rteetz]

QOTD: Todays question is somewhat running related. For those of you who run a runDisney race, or races over the weekend, how do you plan your trips? What I mean by that is, do you plan on having park days before the race weekend, after, both, or only during the event weekend itself? When running multiple races do you spend time in the parks after each race or do you focus on recovery and preparing for the next race?

My racecations have always been runDisney. I plan park time before during and after. For something like Dopey I’ll take it easy the day before the half and full. All other days are go go go for me.

 

[Keels]

QOTD: Todays question is somewhat running related. For those of you who run a runDisney race, or races over the weekend, how do you plan your trips? What I mean by that is, do you plan on having park days before the race weekend, after, both, or only during the event weekend itself? When running multiple races do you spend time in the parks after each race or do you focus on recovery and preparing for the next race?

My first two Dopeys, I did park time a LOT more than I probably should have - and definitely more than I did this year. 2017, we actually stayed at Beach Club, so luckily I had the draw of pool time at Stormalong Bay to keep me out of the parks.

I'm lucky that I'm usually here before Christmas/New Year's, so I can get all of my park desires out of my system before race weekend approaches, that way I can go with the flow more and pool-hang or spend time with DisFriends or do what my friends visiting from out of town want to do without FOMO.

This year, apart from the HHHH meet-up and DATW, I didn't really get to do much of any of that - I was dealing with an injury to my heel/Achilles that had required a cortisone shot and I wanted to stay off my feet as much as possible, plus I had some family unpleasantness at home that had me pre-occupied (My Mom was diagnosed with Parkinson's about two months prior, but I digress ...).

Anyway. I always say that if you have PR/time aspirations or are doing a Challenge, if you can swing it - do the park time AFTER the races. It's restorative and a good chance to take medal pictures and celebrate.

 

[Bree]

ATTQOTD: we now live 40-50 minutes away, but prior race weekends we were 3 hours away.

2015 - Ran the Princess 10K. The two kids and I drove up on Friday and met my SIL, BIL & two nephews who just got off a Disney cruise and were spending a few extra days at the parks. I vowed never to do it again. The kids wouldn’t go to sleep and it was 11pm before I knew it. I had to take a nap the afternoon of the 10K.

2017 - All three PHM races. I drove up on Thursday all by myself and stayed until Monday. It was divine. I hung out at the resort and pool during the day. I ate an early dinner at a signature restaurant, had a glass of wine at the hotel lounge then was in bed at 7pm. I went to MK in the late afternoon on Sunday, did a few things, had dinner at BOG and watched Wishes. It was a heavenly trip.

2018 - All three PHM races. We got here this morning and went to the expo, had lunch in Epcot and are now hanging at Beach Club. My DD is with me and we will go to MK Friday morning, have lunch at BOG then we are done with parks. Pool time and resort time only!

 

[Dis5150]

ATTQOTD: We have done both and this year at Dopey we didn't do parks AT ALL. With all the early mornings, then getting sick, I didn't feel like we missed out by not doing them. If we do Marathon Weekend next year I hope we can do a little before but the majority of our park time after the marathon.

 

[kleph]

Well I chickened out and ran on the TM instead of in the rain. It was 45 feels like 39 and I just didn’t feel like being wet and cold on my drive home. But total respect for those of you who run on the TM for lots of runs! I wanted to quit from boredom after the first mile but managed to suck it up and run the 5.5 miles. Tomorrow is thunderstorms so I will be back on the TM.

no worries. i put in a cold, rain run in for ya this morning.

 

[Chaitali]

Generally, my vacation time is after the race when I combine the two. I did that for all my Disney races, for RnR Vegas, and for the Nationwide Half in Columbus. I just feel like I couldn't really enjoy the vacation fully before the race and I'd be too concerned with resting my feet, being careful with food, etc.

 

[Keels]

ATTQOTD: We have done both and this year at Dopey we didn't do parks AT ALL. With all the early mornings, then getting sick, I didn't feel like we missed out by not doing them. If we do Marathon Weekend next year I hope we can do a little before but the majority of our park time after the marathon.

DATW ... DATW ... DATW ...

 

[jennamfeo]

DATW ... DATW ... DATW ...

I plan on not doing any parks during Marathon Weekend 2019 EXCEPT one day at Epcot to DATW!
But plans can change....

 

[huggybuff]

QOTD: Todays question is somewhat running related. For those of you who run a runDisney race, or races over the weekend, how do you plan your trips? What I mean by that is, do you plan on having park days before the race weekend, after, both, or only during the event weekend itself? When running multiple races do you spend time in the parks after each race or do you focus on recovery and preparing for the next race?

I do the before, during and after strategy but I limit my park time before and between races. I've completed one challenge so far (SW Light Side 10k/Half) and it seemed to work out well. That was 2017 when I was going for the Coast to Coast using the canceled WDW Half, followed by SWLS the next weekend. The last time I've been to Disney now that I think about it!

Last year we hit 100 pages on 2/16. A little behind last years pace at the moment.

As long as we don't see the balloon ladies behind us we should be good.

 

[gjramsey]

ATTQOTD: I have done two marathon weekends, and parks were a big part of the planning. 2016 Goofy, we flew down on Thursday night. Friday was AK and expo, Sat was Epcot, and Sunday was MK day, and fly back home early Monday morning.....like 6:30 am so we could get the kids to school before 8am central time....

This year was Dopey, and was an example of what not to do. 8 night cruise the week of Xmas, Dec 31st-Jan 3rd were Universal days and they were full days. 5k day was move to AOA and go to HS. Friday was AK day, and run that race fast so we could get to AK before rope-drop with 1000s of my friends. Saturday was MK day, and I crashed and burned around 4pm. The family went back to MK for the night time shows so I missed Happily Ever After. Sunday was get in the car and start the drive back home post marathon (darn kids and school). Having a 17 year old made that first part of the drive soooo much easier so I could just vegetate in the passenger seat while wife and son took turns driving.

 

[flav]

Catching up on ATTQOTD

Hardest 5k portion: None so far, the 5k I ran were all for fun and themed so they were pleasant from beginning to the end. The costumed one I ran for charity a week before WnD Two Course Challenge was in a stadium so I arrived already warmed up and gave it a try... Beating an objective I did not know I had.

Hardest distance to train for:

• Gym to 5k was spread over a summer... Easy except when I was skipping too many training runs.
• 5k to 10k was with a coach who confirmed everything was ok with my position... Easy because I was structured and motivated.
• 10k to half was because I had registered to WnD Two Course Challenge... I discovered that I loved longer runs so, easy. Looking forward to see if I have as much fun training for another half.

Trip planning:
Detailed planning involved mostly because I dream and read about everything Disney for an entire year before going.
For WnD Two Course Challenge:

• Thursday I flew in to be sure to make it relax and on time (we can have snowstorm in November here). I installed myself at the resort, picked up milk, bread, eggs at the food court, went for a short run, went to the Expo, explored another resort and Disney Spring.
• Friday was a full park day. I was the first in MK for BOG breakfast and some rides, then went to AK to visit Pandora, then went to see the fireworks at MK.
• Saturday I ran the 10k. After shower and breakfast, I visited Epcot then went to MK for the afternoon parade and ended up at HS for Fantasmic.
• Sunday I ran the half. After shower and breakfast, I lounged at the pool then took a nap. I ate diner at the food court before heading to the DISmeet (thanks @Keels) prior to the official party in Epcot were I stayed until the end.
• Monday I had a water park ticket so I spent the day there before catching an evening flight back home.

Some of the best (alone) 5 days of my life... 150k on my feet, max 25h of sleep, and a smile all along.

 

[Keels]

• Monday I had a water park ticket so I spent the day there before catching an evening flight back home.

My girl @flav hit on a real market inefficiency ... the WATER PARK day!!! That's a brilliant use of post-race vacation days without going to the parks.

 

[SarahDisney]

DATW ... DATW ... DATW ...

Oh crap, I forgot about DATW. I was going to go over to Universal on Monday. Looks like I might have to take an extra day off work. (Now if only I knew who my boss was so that I could ask for vacation days ... this new job has been super fun)

 

[Dis5150]

DATW ... DATW ... DATW ...

Haha, obviously I figured that was a given.

 

[flav]

My girl @flav hit on a real market inefficiency ... the WATER PARK day!!! That's a brilliant use of post-race vacation days without going to the parks.

Yes, you can alternate floating on the Lazy River (rest), going up and down the mountain for those slides (move that lactid acid if any), swim the wave pool (cross train) and have a drink there too (refuel). The perfect post-race day... The water park was virtually empty.

 

[huggybuff]

Good luck to everyone running Princess this weekend!!!