Tour parks before or after marathon?

[tedhowe]

Hi all,

I have to admit, the new route has me much more interested in the marathon in January than just the half (which I'm registered for already).

I have a question for veterans out there of whether it is better to do park touring before or after the marathon.

Here's a quick recap of my running experience/background as info.

I started running in January of 2012... completed C25K at the end of March. I've run two 5Ks so far (PR 25:24) - next race is a 5K tomorrow and I'm hoping to be around 34:30 PR in that race. I have my first 10K scheduled for July 4th, my first 10 mile race is scheduled for August 4th and my first HM is scheduled for November 16th (Philly Half Marathon). I'm currently running 4 days a week - 1 short (2-ish miles), 2 medium (about 5 miles) and one long - currently at 6-7 miles. Total mileage per week is about 18 - 20 if I don't have a race that week.

I've lost 50 pounds so far this year (85 since I started getting healthier in 2010) and I am on track to be down another 40 - 50 by the time of the Philly HM in november... bringing me down to just about a healthy weight.

I don't have any real reservations about vacationing the week before the HM... the distance doesn't really scare me, and since we're DVC members, we're not really very commando about park touring. The plan was to arrive the saturday before the HM, tour parks for several days - 1 park each day have another rest day in there lounging by the pool and then do the family 5K on Friday (walking for me) and the HM on saturday... returning home on Sunday.

I keep coming back to the idea of doing the full... especially now that the new course map has been published.

I would juggle reservations and do the following

Sunday 1/6: arrive/check in/tour one park (AK... seems to take us the least time)
Monday 1/7: MK
Tuesday 1/8: Epcot
Wednesday 1/9: HS
Thursday 1/10: Expo/resort lounging
Friday 1/11: Family 5K (walking) - then rest and/or targeted return to a park for some bounce back touring - Pasta in the park/Illuminations Friday night at Epcot
Saturday 1/12: Rest/possible bounce back to a favorite park - cheer some HM participants on to the finish
Sunday 1/13: Run the full... maybe have a massage scheduled for after the race/ recuperate at the resort
Monday 1/14: head home

If you've read thought all of this, thanks very much... now my two big questions for veterans...

1. If I consider the full, should I plan to tour the parks before or after the marathon? I don't want to mess myself up for enjoying the park experience after the race, but I don't want to have the race spoiled by spending too much time on my feet in the days before.

2. Am I just nuts to plan to do the marathon in less than a year from when I started running? I don't have any time expectation... other than to finish in less than the 7 hour time limit.

Okay... one bonus question... how do I sell this to my wife without her thinking I'm totally nuts.

Thanks for any advice or thoughts.

Ted

 

[wdwjoe13]

We always tour after the race. We will get in on Thursday and do Dopey Friday through Sunday. Then we have toured the parks through the next weekend. We are on our feet a lot, so even our activities on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are too intense for ideal marathon preparation. We try to take it easy, but just like walking around the expo, resorts and parks.

I don't think you are crazy doing a marathon this soon. Just know that the rigors of marathon training are not just twice as hard as half marathon training. To me, it is 5 to 10 times harder. Not to dissuade you, but plan to have a much more intense training schedule. I would work it into your training for the Philly Half.

Good luck. See you on the course in January!

 

[RunRookie]

I ran my first HM at Disney in 2012, and next year I am doing the Dopey (5K, Half, and Full). Looking at your schedule, I would suggest scaling back some of the park time to rest your legs and feet if you are going to do the Goofy Challenge or the Dopey.

In January 2012, I spent Thursday evening at DHS with the family, then ran the 5K Friday morning. I spent most of Friday relaxing at the Expo so I would be fresh for the Half on Saturday. I ran the Half on Saturday and then spent the rest of the day/evening with the family at Epcot (basically using that as my recovery activity).

Next year, I will probably not do a park on Saturday after the Half and instead, spend time walking around Downtown Disney for recovery. But I will definitely take time for resting with the feet up and refueling/rehydrating in order to be ready for the Full. Do not underestimate the impact that the Full will have on your body. You will need to rest and recover from the Half to be best positioned for the Full on Sunday.

I do plan to hit the park after the Full (again, for recovery). And I have a massage already booked on Monday. (not sure if a massage on Sunday afternoon would feel all that great since I anticipate being sore. LOL)

Good luck on your training and races in 2012. Sounds like you are going to have a lot of fun! And I know it is going to be tons of fun at WDW Marathon Weekend next year!

As for convincing the DW, not sure I have a good suggestion there. My family loves Disney, and my son will be running the 5K (and maybe the Half) with me which makes it a no-brainer for her. But I am sure she is pleased that you are losing weight and getting fit, so Disney is just another motivational milestone that will keep you moving forward. Maybe that line of reasoning will work?

 

[PrincessRhi]

The only down side I found to touring the parks ahead of time is that I managed to get blisters from my sandals that needed to be taken care of before the race on Sunday. Just get enough rest and be good about hydration and you should be fine.

And no, you're not nuts to run a full in a year. Several years ago I ran my first 5k on no training in March, got so pumped up by crossing the finish line that I signed up for my first full marathon to be run in October of the same year. During those six months of training, I also threw in a 24 hour ultramarathon relay. With minimal distance experience, as long as you are ready and committed to the training, a year should be enough time. Edit: to echo another poster-- there is more to it than training for the half, so you do need to be ready for the time and mileage. But it's not impossible by any means.

How to sell it to your wife? I'd just be honest and tell her why it's important for you to do it. If that doesn't work, maybe an upgrade to a nicer room/different resort or special dinner might work?

One small suggestion-- if you're driving to WDW and plan on leaving the day after the race, have your wife drive. If she won't drive it, add an extra day or so to the end of your trip. You'll find that after your first full your legs may be a little more jello-ish than usual.

 

[FireDancer]

I find it best to split the difference. When I did the full in 2011 I spent Friday in the parks until around dinner time, Saturday in the parks from around 8am until 1pm (short day), did the full on Sunday and no park time, Spent all day in Epcot on Monday, and left Thursday.

I wouldn't do a full week for marathon weekend and normally do 3 park days tops, usually only 2.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I always like touring After the event. For me it is difficult to do too much vacation prior to the event. It is always fun to go to the Disney parks wearing the bling and sharing congratulations with others wearing theirs.

Training for a marathon is a serious labor intensive commitment. I think with what you have described that you are doing now you would be on target for completing your first marathon at WDW. What a fun thing to do!

I do one marathon a year and it is at WDW for the last 6 soon to be 7 years.

For you right now I would add in some cross training (XT) as in muscle strengthening overall and core work. Dont forget your stretches after each workout to aid in injury prevention. As the training and mileage for the marathon increase, the potential for injury increases. It is important to pay attention to how your body, muscles and self feel and work accordingly during your program. I would recommend getting your calendar plan in place now for your WDW target adding in XT and strengthening now. When your mileage increases during long run (LR) training you will not have as much time to devote to the strengthening basics. You will be concentrating more at that time on gradually increasing mileage and keeping those muscles strong and stretched.

I've got a calendar program that I use basically incorporating the John Bingham methods that fit my style of training.

As I see in my training calendar it looks like mileage for November will be:
11/3 = 6
11/10=14
11/17=8
11/24=16
I think you will be on target with your half at Philly. Whatever training plan you use should put you near these figures I think.

Good luck with getting your wife on board with your goal. Your comments bring back memories of my first announcement to my husband when I wanted to try this crazy thing.

Find the fun!

 

[tedhowe]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I'm still very torn about this... but fortunately I don't have to decide right now. I think I'll keep my half registration for now and think about it a bit more.

Tiger Lily, I didn't mention it, but I do cross train already... I do taekwondo two to three days a week in addition to the running. TKD is what started me on the path to fitness... running was added this winter as cross training for the TKD, but running is taking over the lions share of the exercise.

I get my black belt in TKD in just four more weeks... then I'm going to focus on the running.

I do think if I run the marathon, I'll do the touring part of the vacation before the race. I might make it more like:

Saturday 1/5: arrive/check in/Animal Kingdom
Sunday 1/6: Magic Kingdom
Monday 1/7: rest/pool day
Tuesday 1/8: Disney Studios
Wednesday 1/9: Epcot
Thursday 1/10: Expo/Rest
Friday 1/11: Family 5K (walk)/Epcot revisit
Saturday 1/12: HM spectating/rest
Sunday 1/13: Marathon
Monday 1/14: head home

So that would spread out the touring across more days... and also our touring days are more like half days for most. We hit the parks fairly early, and are out of there early to mid-afternoon.

Anyway... I'm mostly thinking out loud here. Time for some more thinking.

Thanks again,

Ted

 

[cewait]

The traditional wisdom is to do the parks after the event and save the legs. Saying that, conventional wisdom also says do not run a half marathon the day prior to a full marathon. So much for conventional wisdom.

One of the really neat things about Disney is walking the parks on Monday and Tuesday with your medal. I would try to split your stay as best you can so that you have at least Sunday afternoon and Monday in the parks. Otherwise, you are throwing in a good rest day so you should be mostly good following your proposed schedule. Just keep a water bottle with you and hydrate.

 

[sunshine girl]

If you've read thought all of this, thanks very much... now my two big questions for veterans...

1. If I consider the full, should I plan to tour the parks before or after the marathon? I don't want to mess myself up for enjoying the park experience after the race, but I don't want to have the race spoiled by spending too much time on my feet in the days before.

2. Am I just nuts to plan to do the marathon in less than a year from when I started running? I don't have any time expectation... other than to finish in less than the 7 hour time limit.

Okay... one bonus question... how do I sell this to my wife without her thinking I'm totally nuts.

Thanks for any advice or thoughts.

Ted

First, congrats on your new running addiction! To answer your questions:

1. Like others, I recommend touring the parks AFTER the marathon. It is nice to have "fresh legs" for running 26.2. Also, I personally wouldn't want to be eating a full week's worth of theme park food before a marathon. I plan meals and rest carefully in the several days leading up to marathon distance races. Also, why risk injury/blisters/etc. by being on your feet for several days prior to the race? Especially when you pay so much to run. And finally ... you will want to wear that medal around the parks afterward!! Everyone says "congratulations" to you, it's great!

2. You aren't nuts! If you can do it in good health and without injury, go for it! I did my first marathon about 6 months after my first 5k. I just started going out on weekends for longer and longer runs, and after a 13-mile run one day, I thought... well heck, I could run a marathon! So I signed up for the Chicago marathon (which at the time, ran right past my apartment, so an easy choice - no travel required), and did it. You can do it!

As for your bonus question, I have no idea. Hopefully she'll be on board! Running is a good thing.

(Also, just to echo what others have said -- a full marathon is not just double a half. Unless you are a rock star runner (which maybe you are! ), it's going to require you to put in a lot more than twice the effort and preparation (both in training, and in the days leading to the race). At least that has been my (limited) experience.)