Erika10021
Mouseketeer
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- Apr 15, 2024
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Congratulations!
The Running Thread - 2026
- Thread starter FFigawi
- Start date
Congratulations!
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,752
So I was curious about how much of an improvement 1:59:30 actually was over 2:00:35, so I asked Google. I love how it gives me this...um...random coincidence like it's not the entire reason I was asking. 
RuntheMouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2022
- Messages
- 1,941
Incredible, congratulations!
Dopey 2020
Mission accomplished, 48.6 magical miles
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2019
- Messages
- 1,188
Race report: Jim Thorpe Marathon PA 4/26/26
Marathon #20 for me and I had to go over some pros and cons to decide on this one.
Cons -
-It says very clearly on the site that you run down into a gorge with little satellite and cell service and that your gps will NOT work. This is a huge problem for me as a run/walker checking on pace frequently.
-You run along a train bed and cross it at one point. Could trains be a problem? Or even block the course? Not like a road crossing where cars are stopped but supposedly not an issue.
-Remote smaller race so very little crowd support
-Packed gravel/dirt the entire length. I’ve run that before and it was tough on knees and ankles if it wasn’t smooth (potholes/washboard)
Pros -
-only 4 hours away and in a new state should I ever try for all 50
-the course profile…
-it fits my calendar around a time when weather has a chance of being in my favor
In the end the pros win, mainly the fact that it fit my schedule and I wanted a race this spring to try for a BQ
I can’t speak about any form of expo as I opted for my bib to be mailed. The fact that they have this option tells me someone is doing a good job of organizing things. It was $12 on top of $119 for the race including a shuttle to and from parking. There is a more expensive option including finish line parking and a scenic train ride to the start.
Participant shirts are picked up after the finish/medals/refreshments.
The weather turned out to be nearly perfect. It was very hot the week before with a front and rain coming through the day before. Conditions at the start - 40* and cloudy, a bit humid at 85% but really, a temp and dew point in the mid 80s?! And the forecast for race finish? 47* and cloudy with humidity dropping along the way. Very little wind at your back if at all. I had to be dreaming, this was like the planets had aligned or something.
My training had gone well, taper was good, my problem was for some reason I had butterflies in my stomach more so than any race I can remember. No idea why but it was bad. I’m glad that it was a smaller race without a long wait to start or I may have gotten sick. The start is organized fairly well, with a bag drop right at the line which is just a truck that piles everything at the finish on the honor system. Works for me but I wouldn’t be tossing in a phone or wallet. You self corral based on your honest pace and it starts at 7:15. There is a second wave at 8:00 for those that opted to take the train ride up and once you’re there you can start anytime I’m between so if you wanted to wait for some crowds to head out first you can.
Anyone looking at the course map may not get an accurate picture. It looks like you start a mile out of town, then onto main st and onto the trail. You actually start near main and do a quick out and back to a timing mat (to keep the Boston hopefuls honest) running past where you started and onto the D and L trail. The first couple miles has some slight uphill just like the elevation chart shows and it actually is a nice way to keep speed in check so you don’t go out crazy fast on a downhill. Once you’re there you hit the trail it is a steady but almost unnoticeable downhill. Over 24+ miles you only drop 600’. Absolutely perfect for perceived effort without destroying the quads. Running on the dirt was no problem, there was on spot that was soft from the rain but definitely no need for trail shoes, my regular race day shoes were perfect.
There were plenty of aid stations along the way if you wanted with water, electrolytes, and UCAN with enough volunteers for some encouragement. I opted to carry my own fuel and water which helped me immensely to keep a consistent pacing and fueling strategy. There are not a lot of bathrooms should that be a concern to any one, mile 2,12,and 24 was it I believe.
So how was my race? I’ve dropped the spoilers so yeah, it was great.
I did start out a little fast but not like usual. With a lofty goal of 3:23 I needed 7:45/mile. Mile one clocked in at 7:27, ok back it down. The nerves were gone at least and I was feeling great. Mile 2 came in at 7:34. Better but be careful, here comes the downhill. Well miles three and four got progressively faster and it was decision time. My perceived effort was the same and with the course and weather I was getting faster, ok embrace it and go all in. It may bite me later but fighting to go slow wasn’t in the cards. Bonus - at the moment it seems that my GPS is working quite nicely. I kept running my race and hit the 10 mile mark with a 3 minute PR then onto the halfway with another PR. Ok now I’m not going to math it but I know I messed up, no way I can hold this pace for another half. No matter, keep at it, stopped at mile 14 for about 30 seconds to refill my fuel/water mix and was still three minutes ahead of goal pace when I hit mile 17. The next two miles were slower than I wanted and I started giving back some of that banked time. Don’t lose it now, pick up the feet, stand up straight, ok mile 20 clocked in at 7:40, still ahead of goal and only a 10K to go. Well we all know what that 10K is like, it’s the real race when it comes to a marathon and it was rough. I slowly bled the time back as each mile ticked in at 8+ minutes. What really got me good, somewhere after mile 24 I wasn’t in sync with the markers, my GPS was indeed hiccuping, was I on? Was I slow? Doesn’t matter just give it everything. I forced myself to down an extra gel around 24-1/2, slammed down some drink and threw the intervals out the window. Time to empty whatever fumes were in the tank. 25, 26, the finish in sight. Every second counts now, I was screaming at myself in my head as I was watching the seconds go by and crossed the finish at full speed, stumbled a bit, and went straight toward a volunteer for help standing. They were concerned but I said no, medically I’m ok, just a bit wobbly, took a few moments to collect myself, got a medal around my neck, and grabbed some food.
Post race wasn’t anything special but plenty to suffice, water, pretzels, bananas, some other assorted snacks that I don’t remember. Chip time was available to you immediately at the timing tent. A slow Disney like walk to the shuttle (school bus) and off to my ride. Again well organized for a small race.
I believe there were around 900 runners total and the course is beautiful running down into a gorge along the river. I highly recommend this one if you are looking for a PR or if you are just looking for a really pretty marathon to run.
In the end this was a huge PR for me by 8:02 and a BQ by 6:02. After Boston and London I’m worried about that but still feel pretty good, fingers crossed.
The finishers medal is awesome
Marathon #20 for me and I had to go over some pros and cons to decide on this one.
Cons -
-It says very clearly on the site that you run down into a gorge with little satellite and cell service and that your gps will NOT work. This is a huge problem for me as a run/walker checking on pace frequently.
-You run along a train bed and cross it at one point. Could trains be a problem? Or even block the course? Not like a road crossing where cars are stopped but supposedly not an issue.
-Remote smaller race so very little crowd support
-Packed gravel/dirt the entire length. I’ve run that before and it was tough on knees and ankles if it wasn’t smooth (potholes/washboard)
Pros -
-only 4 hours away and in a new state should I ever try for all 50
-the course profile…
-it fits my calendar around a time when weather has a chance of being in my favor
In the end the pros win, mainly the fact that it fit my schedule and I wanted a race this spring to try for a BQ
I can’t speak about any form of expo as I opted for my bib to be mailed. The fact that they have this option tells me someone is doing a good job of organizing things. It was $12 on top of $119 for the race including a shuttle to and from parking. There is a more expensive option including finish line parking and a scenic train ride to the start.
Participant shirts are picked up after the finish/medals/refreshments.
The weather turned out to be nearly perfect. It was very hot the week before with a front and rain coming through the day before. Conditions at the start - 40* and cloudy, a bit humid at 85% but really, a temp and dew point in the mid 80s?! And the forecast for race finish? 47* and cloudy with humidity dropping along the way. Very little wind at your back if at all. I had to be dreaming, this was like the planets had aligned or something.
My training had gone well, taper was good, my problem was for some reason I had butterflies in my stomach more so than any race I can remember. No idea why but it was bad. I’m glad that it was a smaller race without a long wait to start or I may have gotten sick. The start is organized fairly well, with a bag drop right at the line which is just a truck that piles everything at the finish on the honor system. Works for me but I wouldn’t be tossing in a phone or wallet. You self corral based on your honest pace and it starts at 7:15. There is a second wave at 8:00 for those that opted to take the train ride up and once you’re there you can start anytime I’m between so if you wanted to wait for some crowds to head out first you can.
Anyone looking at the course map may not get an accurate picture. It looks like you start a mile out of town, then onto main st and onto the trail. You actually start near main and do a quick out and back to a timing mat (to keep the Boston hopefuls honest) running past where you started and onto the D and L trail. The first couple miles has some slight uphill just like the elevation chart shows and it actually is a nice way to keep speed in check so you don’t go out crazy fast on a downhill. Once you’re there you hit the trail it is a steady but almost unnoticeable downhill. Over 24+ miles you only drop 600’. Absolutely perfect for perceived effort without destroying the quads. Running on the dirt was no problem, there was on spot that was soft from the rain but definitely no need for trail shoes, my regular race day shoes were perfect.
There were plenty of aid stations along the way if you wanted with water, electrolytes, and UCAN with enough volunteers for some encouragement. I opted to carry my own fuel and water which helped me immensely to keep a consistent pacing and fueling strategy. There are not a lot of bathrooms should that be a concern to any one, mile 2,12,and 24 was it I believe.
So how was my race? I’ve dropped the spoilers so yeah, it was great.
I did start out a little fast but not like usual. With a lofty goal of 3:23 I needed 7:45/mile. Mile one clocked in at 7:27, ok back it down. The nerves were gone at least and I was feeling great. Mile 2 came in at 7:34. Better but be careful, here comes the downhill. Well miles three and four got progressively faster and it was decision time. My perceived effort was the same and with the course and weather I was getting faster, ok embrace it and go all in. It may bite me later but fighting to go slow wasn’t in the cards. Bonus - at the moment it seems that my GPS is working quite nicely. I kept running my race and hit the 10 mile mark with a 3 minute PR then onto the halfway with another PR. Ok now I’m not going to math it but I know I messed up, no way I can hold this pace for another half. No matter, keep at it, stopped at mile 14 for about 30 seconds to refill my fuel/water mix and was still three minutes ahead of goal pace when I hit mile 17. The next two miles were slower than I wanted and I started giving back some of that banked time. Don’t lose it now, pick up the feet, stand up straight, ok mile 20 clocked in at 7:40, still ahead of goal and only a 10K to go. Well we all know what that 10K is like, it’s the real race when it comes to a marathon and it was rough. I slowly bled the time back as each mile ticked in at 8+ minutes. What really got me good, somewhere after mile 24 I wasn’t in sync with the markers, my GPS was indeed hiccuping, was I on? Was I slow? Doesn’t matter just give it everything. I forced myself to down an extra gel around 24-1/2, slammed down some drink and threw the intervals out the window. Time to empty whatever fumes were in the tank. 25, 26, the finish in sight. Every second counts now, I was screaming at myself in my head as I was watching the seconds go by and crossed the finish at full speed, stumbled a bit, and went straight toward a volunteer for help standing. They were concerned but I said no, medically I’m ok, just a bit wobbly, took a few moments to collect myself, got a medal around my neck, and grabbed some food.
Post race wasn’t anything special but plenty to suffice, water, pretzels, bananas, some other assorted snacks that I don’t remember. Chip time was available to you immediately at the timing tent. A slow Disney like walk to the shuttle (school bus) and off to my ride. Again well organized for a small race.
I believe there were around 900 runners total and the course is beautiful running down into a gorge along the river. I highly recommend this one if you are looking for a PR or if you are just looking for a really pretty marathon to run.
In the end this was a huge PR for me by 8:02 and a BQ by 6:02. After Boston and London I’m worried about that but still feel pretty good, fingers crossed.
The finishers medal is awesome
Attachments
Last edited:
jmasgat
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 5,516
@Dopey 2020 Two things struck me from your report. First, I didn’t realize you run/walk…..and still produce blazing speed. I know, I know, Galloway did it, yeah, but it takes seeing someone a little closer to home do it to really appreciate the possibilities. You have given me something to think about.
Second, butterflies. I think the worst of them come when we step up to the line knowing we are in the best possible place to achieve something big. Glad they didn’t derail your race.
Looking forward to volunteering next year again at Boston and cheering you on!
Second, butterflies. I think the worst of them come when we step up to the line knowing we are in the best possible place to achieve something big. Glad they didn’t derail your race.
Looking forward to volunteering next year again at Boston and cheering you on!
RuntheMouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2022
- Messages
- 1,941
What a great race @Dopey 2020! Sounds like a beautiful place to run. That medal is gorgeous. Congrats again, well deserved!
Dopey 2020
Mission accomplished, 48.6 magical miles
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2019
- Messages
- 1,188
Yup, the run walk works for me, though I think I’m right at the limit. I feel really good running around 7:40 but can only hold it for single digit miles. To get that run walking I run around 7:07 but usually end up just under 7 which puts me right on the edge of my zone 5 and quickly makes the wheels fall off later in the race if I even slightly overdo it. I’d like to slowly train toward running more because I think I could adapt to more miles easier than I could adapt to faster intervals as Boston keeps dropping times. For now I’ll just relax and see what happens down the road. Hope to see you there next April!
The Expert
Has been to every Disney park in the world
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2009
- Messages
- 5,693
Phenomenal race report @Dopey 2020 -- congrats again on that huge PR and BQ!!
The Expert
Has been to every Disney park in the world
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2009
- Messages
- 5,693
Well we definitely have to get that DIS volunteer group together now!
Congrats on a great race, your PR and your BQ! Hope we both make the cut this year!
jrsharp21
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2006
- Messages
- 2,056
@Dopey 2020 - Phenomenal race. Congrats on the PR and BQ! Sounds like you had a feeling that something special was going to happen that morning.
MissLiss279
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2015
- Messages
- 2,092
@Dopey 2020 Great job!
I’m definitely going to put this on my list to run for PA. Sounds a lot like Jack & Jill Washington, which is my PR race -slightly downhill the whole way on a rail trail, and scenic. Love it! And Jim Thorpe has a connection to my home state.
I’m definitely going to put this on my list to run for PA. Sounds a lot like Jack & Jill Washington, which is my PR race -slightly downhill the whole way on a rail trail, and scenic. Love it! And Jim Thorpe has a connection to my home state.
PrincessV
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2006
- Messages
- 14,661
AWESOME job @Dopey 2020!!
nancipants
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2013
- Messages
- 4,848
Way to go, @Dopey 2020!
Jack and Jill is on my list! My family vacations in Washington every summer to visit my in-laws, usually around the time that race happens. I'd love to use the half to try for a marathon POT, assuming I can get a half POT first.
Jack and Jill is on my list! My family vacations in Washington every summer to visit my in-laws, usually around the time that race happens. I'd love to use the half to try for a marathon POT, assuming I can get a half POT first.
@Dopey 2020: very happy for you! Really glad it all came together. Your advice on r/w with a somewhat longer run segment (for me - 3 minutes) has worked well for me. Thinking about adding Jim Thorpe for next year, maybe the half marathon, but looks like a good first, non-Dopey challenge, stand-alone marathon as it's not too far from us and I like the smaller races.
Disney at Heart
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2014
- Messages
- 1,159
@Dopey 2020 Congratulations on a great race and a major accomplishment!
Dopey 2020
Mission accomplished, 48.6 magical miles
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2019
- Messages
- 1,188
Interesting attempt from the ad department to save the day
Dopey 2020
Mission accomplished, 48.6 magical miles
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2019
- Messages
- 1,188
So my official results came in and it went the wrong way… arrgghh
Start 7:16:56.492 am
Finish 10:40:55.571 am
Chip time 03:23:59.079
Second Wind timing says standard practice is rounding to the next second so 3:24:00
I’ll still take it and am ecstatic but .079!? I’ve had Disney races surprise me with a second faster so I was hoping
Start 7:16:56.492 am
Finish 10:40:55.571 am
Chip time 03:23:59.079
Second Wind timing says standard practice is rounding to the next second so 3:24:00
I’ll still take it and am ecstatic but .079!? I’ve had Disney races surprise me with a second faster so I was hoping
GollyGadget
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2017
- Messages
- 2,365
Outstanding race @Dopey 2020! Thanks for sharing.
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