Twelve Months of Training and Travel

[annmarieda]

Yay for booking your resorts! I am so on the fence for the PHM. I KNOW I should sign up for it, but my friends and I also really want to do the Disney Cruise next year which would fill a lot of my vacation time. I supposed I could do a quick 3 days trip to WDW for the race. Leave Friday night and come home Monday......I feel like Steve doing vacation math right now!

Definitely making it a shorter trip would make it more doable. Cause doing that vacation math is NOT fun. I just worked on my own this morning.

My friend has been bugging me about going back to Disney this winter, her friend is a CM so she would be able to get us a 40% hotel discount. I wish registration would be pushed out another month!

Hard to pass up a 40% off! Course, then yes... there is the phm registration coming up that would also drain the old wallet too.

THEN I have to figure out how to get my C2C next year. I wish Wine & Dine and Avengers were spaced out a bit more.

That is hard. No real way around it...if you are trying to pair up with the W&D. Course if you did PHM and Avengers...they are spaced nicely

Meanwhile back on the farm since all the remaining Disney races are booked for the year, I have a 10K next weekend, and a 3.5 miler two days after that! Still trying to find some decent July and August races, then the next half will be on October. September has a billion races I can participate in.

I need to get a 10k in this month. I really do. I just have had other focuses. (not that running isn't a focus...just that registering for a race hasn't been)

Fall is a great time for races!

 

[annmarieda]

I mentioned that changes were in the works and I would know more at our meeting that was yesterday. I had suspected a certain change but there were some others too. ALL very exciting for me!!!

I probably have mentioned this, but I don't get vacay or sick PTO. If I take time off for a trip I have to shift my work load or plan to take off days were I know that we are not assigned tasks. On average I get between 30 and 35 hours a week. I could just say I am taking a week off, but then there is the hassle of getting supplies to someone else to cover me (that may or may not have been delivered to my house by the time I leave) not to mention I would not get paid for those hours. Normally, I just shift things to before and after the trip. It normally makes for some hard days leading up to or right after a trip.

So some of the changes revolve around scheduling. These new days that tasks are to be completed is kinda awesome! I figured it was going to be a good thing but I had to sit down and plug everything into my calendar for the year. After I did so though, I was sooo happy.

Disneyland Half Trip - I will lose no hours nor will I have to shift any work load to another day. This was kinda to be expected because almost always I will have friday off. Even with the old schedule during that particular week of each ad cycle - I would have had monday off. So while this is relieving to know that it is "all good" for this trip, it isn't surprising.

Tower of Terror trip - This one was going to fall on a bad week even before. I knew this going in. I was going to have to shift things to the previous (slower week) in order to get my tasks done. It was going to be a considerable amount but week 4 (the slow week) is often a full week I take off any way so I wasn't too worried. NOW I will only have to do half of what I thought I would early. I also knew that on my departure day I would have to work. This has not changed. The ONLY hours I will lose are going to be that of ones I would have had to work on 1/8. For this I will have to get someone else to do the work. This could amount to as little as a couple hours to as much as 20. Given the fiscal year is coming to an end for most companies it is unlikely there will be 20. It is not a time where there are large scale "events" so it is more likely to be 5 or 6 hours.

Avengers Half Trip - This is much like the DLH trip. It falls on a slower week, is a shorter trip and also is just to CA. So while I didn't expect to lose hours I did anticipated shifting them to the day we return. It will be a pain as I will have to work once we get back. Steve will as well though so I guess I can suck it up if he has to as well.

Donald Trip - This has minor possible changes. I knew I would be working on departure day in the same way I will for the ToT trip. I will lose no hours. With the new schedule though, I might have to turn in work late. It all depends on how heavy some of the tasks are. If they are really heavy I will have to work friday in order to get them done. The good thing though is I wont lose hours.

Princess Half Trip - This is the one that I am most happy about. It like the ToT trip fall in a bad week. What makes this worse is the time of year. It is right at the push for the March frozen food promo. This makes taking this trip a challenge. With the changes though, I will have half the work I normally would. I will work on the day we leave (assuming we take a redeye flight the night before we actually check in) That will leave me needing to shift something that isn't a big deal to the following week(like I could pretty much get it covered any time in the month I can fit it in even though it is scheduled for a specific week).

With the changes, it would seem like my hours have been cut. The great thing is they have not. It is all about the shifting... I also am no longer going to need to work any sundays. (currently I have had to work one every 4 weeks) Instead I will work one thursday every 4 weeks. It also will mean that the one saturday a month I work will be devoted to one type of task that is pretty brainless. (although physically exhausting) Now that I think about it that may make my long training runs difficult. Maybe I will switch either the run or the work to sunday. Since it is only once every 4 weeks I could just work around it... All and all I am pretty happy with the changes and rather excited that my trips look like they will be even easier to pull off. I guess that with all my ramblings... which are no doubt hard for your all to follow... the bottom line is the changes mean minimal loss of hours, easier schedule and more doable time off.

 

[KatMark]

I can't keep up.

Congrats on the AKL purchase. We had hoped to do that this year and then we had to replace our furnace and air conditioner so that dream went out the window for now.

If I remember correctly when we were at AKL in March, the bedding was the same as in the pictures. I do like the new bedding at OKW (I could have shared my pictures with you but I haven't gotten to that update yet).

So excited a DIS friend is doing the PHM and you are now 100% sure on it.

 

[annmarieda]

I can't keep up.

I am sorry... I am in a slow week at work so had time to take care of a bunch of things and so many things happened this week.

Congrats on the AKL purchase. We had hoped to do that this year and then we had to replace our furnace and air conditioner so that dream went out the window for now.

Well, it was a small contract so it was more doable. There is no way we could have afforded much more. It could be argued that we should have spent the money somewhere else. I guess though even before deciding on the phm, we knew we/I would have multiple trips and the cost to pay oop for those was tough to swallow when I knew if we just found a small contract instead it would cover it and then others in the future. Still... I don't claim to have made the most responsible decision.

If I remember correctly when we were at AKL in March, the bedding was the same as in the pictures. I do like the new bedding at OKW (I could have shared my pictures with you but I haven't gotten to that update yet).

Maybe they won't switch it then? I know that both POR and OKW had the new linens back in January.

So excited a DIS friend is doing the PHM and you are now 100% sure on it.

I am just glad it worked out for both of us. It is nice to have someone to travel with.

 

[dizneeat]

Ann, so sorry I have not been around more lately, but work is sooooooo busy going towards the end of the school year (three more weeks ). I did read every evening, but never got around to comment much. I can not even keep up with my own threads.

Congratulations on booking your hotel and most of all your AKV add on! Who would have thought that you would buy a second contract when we went out on that Wishes cruise together.

I am so glad that work changes worked out well for you. Had to read it twice to somewhat understand. Sometimes work in the US is very different from here.

 

[annmarieda]

Ann, so sorry I have not been around more lately, but work is sooooooo busy going towards the end of the school year (three more weeks ). I did read every evening, but never got around to comment much. I can not even keep up with my own threads.

Keeping up is so hard. I am always finding myself falling behind. So know I completely understand!!! I imagine that the end of the year would be tough at school.

Congratulations on booking your hotel and most of all your AKV add on! Who would have thought that you would buy a second contract when we went out on that Wishes cruise together.

Thank you! I am happy to have all my bookings dealt with. Even if a couple include a waitlist.

The add on really made sense for us. I think the size was right. For now I think we should be fine with the number of points we have. If ever we start taking the entire family we may need more... or will will have to take less trips.

I am so glad that work changes worked out well for you. Had to read it twice to somewhat understand. Sometimes work in the US is very different from here.

I figured it would be a tad confusing. My work situation is not a typical situation. I work hourly...but I kinda don't. Most people here in the states probably fall into one of two employment categories. Hourly or salaried. Steve for example is salaried. He gets a flat pay no matter how many hours he works. He also is granted a specific amount of days off that he can take "paid". Depending on the employer numbers of paid days off can vary considerably. Some get 2 weeks (10 days) while others get more. Some get zero paid days off and have to take any vacation without pay. While I am not exactly like that I am more close to that than I am getting paid time off.

 

[eandesmom]

there are definitely worse things. I saw some cute patriotic themed sparkle skirts that are adorable... but I though "what race could I register for around the 4th of july"

there are some cute ones

OMG! FRIES!!! Thankfully I didn't cut them out. I think I mostly eat ok. However I think my more recent "healthier" diet may be making me a tad ill. All the salad... and we had a juice promo I worked on for work last week and I went ahead and tried some new juice. (I truly believe the only people who get suckered into all the advertising are the people who work the jobs cause no one else notices anything) Anyway... the juice and salads... may have had a bit of a cleansing affect. So yeah... the "garbage" I was eating didn't leave me feeling like this.

well cleansing can be good but that really doesn't sound terribly fun.

That is a crazy amount for one night! You got the three in february for not too much more than that.

Exactly. I would LOVE a 2b but we'd have to totally give up our view to do that. The points are nuts and this isn't high season. The rack rates are even more so. That said, it is comparable with other things there but still, ouch!

8 points is 8 points. I think I have a better handle on things and in the future I don't know that I will be so quick to book things I don't necessarily want or need. I kinda feel like I wasted those 10 points in the studio and also the 32 in the 2 bedroom on the night of our arrival. We could have done the 2 bedroom for one more additional day and made the split 1/4/3 instead of 4/1/3. If I had been thinking I could have booked us at any other resort in a studio for less than the 2 at OKW on the 1 night in the middle. Course... this is all assuming that waitlist does not come through. If it does then I totally will feel good about it. Right now though... I just feel like 10 points is 10 points.

Yeah, 1/4/3 is better for sure but I know what you mean. I've definitely gone back and changed a reservation to save points in the past.

I think that is it right there. Easier to say that it is more when it is more nights.

Most definitely!

We will likely do Avengers next year. I could see us skipping marathon weekend and doing Star Wars. I think a lot will depend on how well we like or don't like the DLR courses.

I am excited to get to compare them!

So excited to post an official update on the subject.

I just don't know... that minnie tech light sparkle skirt is fun and not something I really have felt like I could wear anywhere else. I may end up with a white tank of some sort just to be able to wear it. Then again... castle to castle would be good too. Decisions Decisions.

It's adorable and a white tank would be very cute

You are in such great shape that anything you may have lost I am sure you will get back quickly!!

I think you overestimate my fitness level

It is awesome to find something on clearance...but to have it work is definitely a bonus! So did you get the yellow shoes?

Not yet. The whole shoe thing is a bit of a while card at the moment. I think the reason those met pads caused shin issues is that I was putting them on my semi custom inserts versus the inserts the shoes came with. I have no idea what the truly custom ones will do in my shoes. My plan is to wait until I get them (hopefully being cast tomorrow but I am not sure how long they take), test them in my current shoes which have about 150 miles on them and see how that goes. It may turn out that I need to change shoes due to the different support inside, I am not sure. As long as I am in the new ones by early August though I think I will be ok and practically that might be when I can afford them, especially if I am changing shoes. Still, earlier is better if I do need to try more than one model. I did really like the yellow ones though! VERY bright but awfully cute. Hopefully they will be ok.

I think it could be in some areas. I know that even today when I was out for my run there was lots of cottonwood drifting through the air.

So do you make sure to eat at places that have it while in WDW? Like Chefs de France? I know there are some good burgers down in WDW..but I don't eat them there (unless I count a CS...which I am not)

No, Mac & Cheese isn't something I seek out on vacation. I do get it at brewpubs occasionally when they do fun things with it like add bacon, pulled pork, buffalo chili. I do have burgers in FL sometimes though, Captain's Grille and then of course, Margaritaville!

It really surprised me too. I have seen availability up until recently for October. Given it isn't terribly close to race start/finish it also seems to be not a first choice. AND given that there are standard view rooms available (or were) It is all odd to me. Course, I think there were a lot of people who booked marathon weekend. If you have watched on the dvc fb group, there was people talking about not finding complete availability anywhere. I have do have more hope that the waitlist I put in for it will go through than for the BWV one I have - even though it is 4 nights verses just the one.

Very odd but I do think some folks come for NYE and just stay on so that could impact it as well.

You are doing something in August Kinda funny... that means having a race down in June will just mean one more local one until the "big" one in CA.

Barely still August but yes.

Indeed it will! Course, I wish that they had specials... but if memory serves they really don't.

why would they, captive audience caught up in the moment...

I will just toss it then. When I was first preparing for the phm, I read all sorts of recommendations. This was one I planned out and never had to use. I guess a couple years back (I think it was) marathon weekend was super super cold...like start in the 30s? So people suggested bringing blankets and sweatshirts. Disney collects all that are abandoned and donates them. I believe it is the same kinda of deal in CA.

I have read that as well

June definitely can be! Look at today!! When I went out this afternoon it was pretty warm and the humidity was climbing. Then the storm clouds rolled in and we got winds and torrential rain. Now it is very chilly. So I ran in a tank... but steve who ran later than I did would have been better off in a rain jacket.

Exactly. It rained on us a little last night at the end of our run, then it poured and then it got really chilly.

So I have been on the fence about doing the race. I have wanted to. I had it in my sights even this time last year. I had thought that Steve would run it with me and we would skip the donald. However when he wanted to do the donald again and that definitely through a monkey wrench in things for me.

Then I wondered who I would run "with" if I did go and who I would go with? Would I run alone? Would I travel alone? These were questions I had. Then my old travel buddy thought she might be able to go. So I really started to take the thought more seriously. However, plans were more of a big MAYBE for her than a sure thing. After all she is pregnant! So I kinda backed off and thought maybe it would become clearer for both of us once we got closer to the registration.

With a month before registration, I really started feeling like I had to go no matter what. Maybe that had something to do with the race registration excitement of the Star Wars race that I didn't get swept up into. Maybe it was influence. However, I did feel that it probably wasn't the best time for my previous travel companion. She has a lot on her plate. So running it by her, it was agreed we would make other plans. I really would have loved to have her there. It would have meant a different kind of trip though with her having focus on her new baby and young daughter and all that disney has to offer for them and the race for me.

Meanwhile another travel companion of mine (well, soon to be anyway) was deciding if she was going to attempt the phm. I was 99% sure that I would be doing it regardless before she decided that she too was thinking of doing it. This pushed me to the 100%

So I definitely am doing the phm! I know.. probably not too surprising. I have had it in my ticker all along and have had it down in my official dates on page one. I know I could have gone by myself. However, knowing that someone else was for sure going made a huge difference. After all, WDW is fun solo but even more fun with someone else.

Yay for pushing you over the edge!

I am all kinds of updating tonight on this PTR, aren't I???

So I should start by announcing something. I have been on the hunt for an additional dvc contract for a while. Steve and I had agreed to one of three resorts. In order of preference, they were : BWV, VWL and AKL.

BWV would give us advantage for Food and Wine and also for a great location during races.

VWL would give us advantage during Christmas time. WL remains Steve"s all time favorite resort too.

AKL would give us advantage to book the value room (the lowest cost dvc accommodation) Not to mention, I LOVE it there. It definitely ranks up in my favorites. However since it is a ways out and not always a host resort for races (even WL tends to be) it was lowest on the list.

When looking for a contract to add on there were key elements we were keeping in mind.

1. Use Year needed to match our current one.
2. We wanted a small contract. Somewhere between 50 and 75 points.
3. We didn't want to pay too much per point. (or in total cost)
4. We didn't want it to be totally stripped. In other words, we needed points to hit our account before our 2015 UY which is not for another year and a half.

It has been a frustrating things as none of these things line up and if they do are gone before I can even get to call in about them.

So I decided to call our guide. Each DVC member has a guide. Ours was assigned to us even before we purchased. (not sure if I have ever mentioned, but we looked at DVC quite a few times before taking the plunge) It was amazing. Disney had acquired enough older stock in AKL that they had inventory.(basically when someone sells in the resale market Disney has the right to buy it back first) We could purchase a 50 point or whatever we needed, have it be our year AND we would be granted 2013 points since we were technically still in that use year. Plus there was a member incentive. So while it was a tad more than if we had waited around for the "right" resale it wasn't THAT much more.

When we purchased our OKW contract it was a long process. It was months between the offer we made until we had points in our account. I told our guide that I would need to run the numbers by my husband. I asked what I needed to do to proceed and he just told me to call him back. So I did yesterday. So by the end of the day yesterday, we were owners at AKL with points in our account! Well, kinda. We still need to close. However Disney makes it so easy to add on it is crazy. Those points hit my account yesteray (even though we have not closed) I have already had them swap out some borrowed 2014 points in my October trip (which is not something normally just "done" but done because we bought direct) and....

What did I book today with those new AKL points that were burning a hole in my "pocket". Well, what else would I book given that we are outside the 7 month window???



I booked another studio with a savannah view!!!

And since another DVC member was going to run the phm as well we decided to room together and she booked a room too! (well, she booked hers when she decided she was running the phm...but I think she added me to the reservation today)

So we have a 2/3 split at KV in a studio with a savannah view and BWV in a studio with a boardwalk view. Next month I will waitlist the 2 nights for a room to match up with hers.

Love AKV and I think it's a great add on. You'll have those value and concierge booking options which will be really neat! And double yay for new points that made booking PHM easy.

 

[ZellyB]

Hooray on getting your accommodations booked!! Each thing that I book makes me feel like the race is that much more real.

And, it sounds like work is going to play out really well for you. That's great!

 

[annmarieda]

Yeah, 1/4/3 is better for sure but I know what you mean. I've definitely gone back and changed a reservation to save points in the past.

I am sure I will at some point. In fact, IF I were to be able to turn that one night with the 2 studios into an extension on the 2bedroom I would do that and then spend only 15 points on a night (our first night) in one studio at VWL or BLT (which both have availability still for that first night) This would save a whopping 5 points.

It's adorable and a white tank would be very cute

Great minds... I was actually thinking that might work.

Not yet. The whole shoe thing is a bit of a while card at the moment. I think the reason those met pads caused shin issues is that I was putting them on my semi custom inserts versus the inserts the shoes came with. I have no idea what the truly custom ones will do in my shoes. My plan is to wait until I get them (hopefully being cast tomorrow but I am not sure how long they take), test them in my current shoes which have about 150 miles on them and see how that goes. It may turn out that I need to change shoes due to the different support inside, I am not sure. As long as I am in the new ones by early August though I think I will be ok and practically that might be when I can afford them, especially if I am changing shoes. Still, earlier is better if I do need to try more than one model. I did really like the yellow ones though! VERY bright but awfully cute. Hopefully they will be ok.

I am sorry that you are needing to figure this all out. I am a huge believer in shoes/inserts and such making a HUGE impact on how well we are able to run. Cute ones are an added bonus...

Very odd but I do think some folks come for NYE and just stay on so that could impact it as well.

Could be... but really it as just those days around the weekend. Leading up wasn't full. Makes me think that there are some that are definitely booking for the weekend.

Exactly. It rained on us a little last night at the end of our run, then it poured and then it got really chilly.

Yuck, this weather has been nasty!

Yay for pushing you over the edge!

And I thank you for it.

Love AKV and I think it's a great add on. You'll have those value and concierge booking options which will be really neat! And double yay for new points that made booking PHM easy.

I didn't even think about club level options. Just being curious, I looked to see if there was availability in January or February and there wasn't. COMPLETELY full for my entire week in January and then the weekend in February. I guess I never realized there was that option because when ever I search I always have just searched Kidani and there is no such option in that drop down.

Hooray on getting your accommodations booked!! Each thing that I book makes me feel like the race is that much more real.

Thanks! I now have accommodations booked for each race.

And, it sounds like work is going to play out really well for you. That's great!

It is. I am already love, love LOVING my new schedule. Saturday I was able to run 9 miles and still get all my task for work done. Then I was able to spend the day with my husband yesterday. On the old schedule I would have been home super late if I had attempted a to get all my tasks done not to mention I would have had to work some of yesterday.

And...btw, I appreciate that you read through all that. I know it was a hard thing to follow.

 

[annmarieda]

So our documents finally came today. What a difference it is compared to when we bought resale. It was full of fancy booklets and such all nice and tidy in a file bolder that I just know I will be keeping for all my trip planning notes. Now we just have to sign notarize and send copies of our ids back and we should be on our way to closing. Course it all seems like a formality since the points are in our account already. Again... unlike the resale that took what seemed like an eternity.

Another great thing was that (I assume) our guide sent us a really nice gift. (again..I assume it was our guide and I assume it was a gift)


It is really a nice canvas bag that I am sure I will be using as my bag on trips. (not park bag as it is too big for that.) It is heavy and seems well made. There is an interior pocket that has an nice metal mickey head pull on it. I just love that!

The interior is all lined with this print. (only not canvas like on the outside)


Kinda beats the DVC magnet we got before.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Congrats on buying more DVC! Disney does make the add-on process super easy but we aren't going to buy again until Poly DVC opens.

 

[Ariel484]

Wow Ann, lots going on!

I loooooove Animal Kingdom Lodge. Great choice for your additional DVC contract (congrats!). I'm glad your waitlist came through for January. And WOOHOO for deciding to do the Princess Half! You will have a blast!

Sounds like the work stuff is going in your favor overall...that is always a good thing!

 

[swwake]

Ann - wow! I am behind. I scanned through the last few days of posts. It looks like you bought more DVC (is this your 2nd or 3rd property?) and you are booked to stay at AKV. Yay! I love that resort.

I have a training question for you. I am on the Galloway TOT training plan, which calls for a 5-mile long run on 6/28. We have an untimed blacklight 5k that evening. Should I run 2 miles in the morning before the 5k? Or should I pretend I didn't run the 5k at all and not count it as my long run, then run 5 miles on Sunday? If so, would it make a difference if I did Sunday morning vs. Sunday evening?

I know they always want you to take a rest day before long runs, so that's my dilemma. It doesn't matter to me that the 5k is untimed. I'll be using RK anyway to get an idea of my (fake) race pace.

interested in your thoughts on this!

 

[annmarieda]

Congrats on buying more DVC! Disney does make the add-on process super easy but we aren't going to buy again until Poly DVC opens.

Thanks! It has been a really good experience. Not that purchasing the resale we did was bad. In fact it was really good. We had an incredible broker. It just had its own timeline that kinda frustrated me.

Do you know when the Poly will open? I think it is going to be at least a couple years before we add on again. I know it will likely be another small contract when we do. Perhaps even smaller than the one we just did. I could see adding the poly to my "wish list".

Wow Ann, lots going on!

It has been a busy couple weeks that is for sure!

I loooooove Animal Kingdom Lodge. Great choice for your additional DVC contract (congrats!).

Thank you Ya know, I think I am more happy about it than I thought I would have been. Our order in our wish list had BWV at the front and AKV at the end. I stayed last October for one night at Kidani and I fell in love with it in a way I did not fall in love with WL, so maybe it is better that it was not the VWL.

I'm glad your waitlist came through for January.

Well, it hasn't come through yet. I put my first 4 nights on my waitlist. So I am allowed 2 waitlists. and I have one for October and January. I need one of them to come through so that I can make one for February. Maybe your thought that January came through is a sort of premonition. I can hope

And WOOHOO for deciding to do the Princess Half! You will have a blast!

I am super excited about it. I have wanted to do it again since I ran it last time. It didn't work out for this year. (although I did briefly consider it) I just hope that my reasons for thinking it is a bad idea are not more true than my reasons for thinking it is a good idea.

Sounds like the work stuff is going in your favor overall...that is always a good thing!

It is! I am happy about that. Although in my calendar I neglected to address tasks regarding two stores in my territory. Good thing they are never very big so it should work out.

Ann - wow! I am behind.

I am always behind on dis. I think it is a common issue.

I scanned through the last few days of posts. It looks like you bought more DVC (is this your 2nd or 3rd property?)

Yes, we purchased a second contract. It is much smaller, but it brings up our total to what seems to be closer to what we need. We will purchase a 3rd at some point but not for a while. When the Poly DVC comes out I could see being tempted by it. Especially if there are good incentives. Just got to start saving for that one.

and you are booked to stay at AKV. Yay! I love that resort.

I fell in love with it last October. I considered it for this October but it is not a host resort so kinda bagged that idea. Plus we wanted to stay close to Epcot for part of the trip so that we can enjoy the festival. I booked for January and for February. Hopefully my waitlist for part of January will come through and we will stay the entire trip there. In February, Cynthia and I eached booked at our home resorts since it is not yet to the 7 month window. At 7 months, my plan will be to try and get a room that can be linked to hers. If not, I will love staying at Kidani. I do not think she has stayed there but has the lodge.

I have a training question for you. I am on the Galloway TOT training plan, which calls for a 5-mile long run on 6/28. We have an untimed blacklight 5k that evening. Should I run 2 miles in the morning before the 5k? Or should I pretend I didn't run the 5k at all and not count it as my long run, then run 5 miles on Sunday? If so, would it make a difference if I did Sunday morning vs. Sunday evening?

At some point, I read that miles all done within the same day count. So in theory you could go and do the 2 miles and then finish up with your 5k. I would say run each in the way you would have run the entire 5. So if you planned to run or run/walk at a certain pace, then set out for both the 2 miles and the 5k to do exactly that.

I know they always want you to take a rest day before long runs, so that's my dilemma. It doesn't matter to me that the 5k is untimed. I'll be using RK anyway to get an idea of my (fake) race pace.

interested in your thoughts on this!

Rest days are important. What you tear down has a chance to build up and thus your next run becomes stronger. (in theory) Honestly, I think that running the 5k at night and then the 5 miles the next day really depends on where you are in your training. Do you ever run back to back? Have you hit that kind of mileage? We are talking 8 miles in a 24 hour period. For someone who routinely runs that kind of mileage I would suspect that running those two distances back to back would not be an issue. It is if you really don't ever hit those miles that I would worry. And by those miles I mean 8.

So I went and looked at your RK stats. (don't you love that friends can do that? ) Looks like you did get a good distance in a couple weeks ago and you actually ended stronger than you started. You might be totally find then to run the 5k and have fun and then go out the next day and run 5 miles.

I guess it will come down to you and how you are feeling. Do I think it will help or hinder your training? Probably neither. I would just be aware that unless you are ready to take on 8 miles in a 24 hour period you could be at risk for injury. Also while doing the 2 and then 3.1 later is a bit "lighter" than just hitting 5 all together it is still getting those miles in so I am pretty sure you wouldn't be cheating yourself on training.

Hope that helps.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Thanks! It has been a really good experience. Not that purchasing the resale we did was bad. In fact it was really good. We had an incredible broker. It just had its own timeline that kinda frustrated me.

Do you know when the Poly will open? I think it is going to be at least a couple years before we add on again. I know it will likely be another small contract when we do. Perhaps even smaller than the one we just did. I could see adding the poly to my "wish list".

Resale does have its own timeline along with the risk that Disney was going to take the contract instead.

I think the Poly opens late 2015. Sales will probably start either the end of this year or early next year.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Whoohooo for booking AND PHM!!! AND AKL!!

I LOVE AKL, it's my favorite. I haven't stayed anywhere else but BCV and Pop, but it's still my favorite, I won't usually even consider other resorts b/c I love AKL so much. I'm so excited to get back there...and what fun PHM weekend is going to be, I know so many runners that will be at AKL!

 

[MEK]

So our documents finally came today. What a difference it is compared to when we bought resale. It was full of fancy booklets and such all nice and tidy in a file bolder that I just know I will be keeping for all my trip planning notes. Now we just have to sign notarize and send copies of our ids back and we should be on our way to closing. Course it all seems like a formality since the points are in our account already. Again... unlike the resale that took what seemed like an eternity.

Another great thing was that (I assume) our guide sent us a really nice gift. (again..I assume it was our guide and I assume it was a gift)


It is really a nice canvas bag that I am sure I will be using as my bag on trips. (not park bag as it is too big for that.) It is heavy and seems well made. There is an interior pocket that has an nice metal mickey head pull on it. I just love that!

The interior is all lined with this print. (only not canvas like on the outside)


Kinda beats the DVC magnet we got before.

Yup - It certainly beats the magnet!

Congratulations on your purchase. That's wonderful. I am very glad you were able to get what you wanted directly from Disney. Having purchased two resale contracts versus the final contract from Disney, I will admit the later is much easier. And much more palatable if the price is right. It took me FOREVER (like a year or more) to find my add-on contract at VWL. Nothing ever lined up. The use year was wrong, the point value was wrong, the contract was stripped, the price was too high. And on the few occasions I found a nice small contract - it was gone within 15 minutes of the posting. Very frustrating experience.

LOVE AKL. Definitely having the concierge option is a bonus!

I am sure you guys will have lots of fun with the phm. That sounds like a really fun race to run and a great time of year for a getaway.

 

[annmarieda]

Resale does have its own timeline along with the risk that Disney was going to take the contract instead.

Oh, and I forgot about that ROFR. That wasn't fun to sit and wait out.

I think the Poly opens late 2015. Sales will probably start either the end of this year or early next year.

Oh well. That will probably count me out of that. Too soon.

Whoohooo for booking AND PHM!!! AND AKL!!

Thank you! It was an exciting week!!

I LOVE AKL, it's my favorite. I haven't stayed anywhere else but BCV and Pop, but it's still my favorite, I won't usually even consider other resorts b/c I love AKL so much.

I have not yet stayed at AKL... just Kidani. I LOVED it. I have us booked both in January and February at Kidani. I know that the AKLV have more to offer but I like how small Kidani felt.

I'm so excited to get back there...and what fun PHM weekend is going to be, I know so many runners that will be at AKL!

Cynthia and I will be moving over to the BWV for sure before the race. If we are able to get me to switch us at the 7 month window, I will just so that we don't have to do a split. I most likely will end up needing to waitlist that though. Which causes an issue since I already have 2 going. So I would say it is likely we will end up at Kidani for the first part of our stay. Honestly, I will be excited no matter where we end up. Both places and views are amazing with Kidani putting us close to Sanaa and Boma and BWV putting us close to Epcot and the race.

Yup - It certainly beats the magnet!

I wasn't expecting it! So it was pretty cool.

Congratulations on your purchase. That's wonderful. I am very glad you were able to get what you wanted directly from Disney.

Thank you! I am glad we went this round direct.

Having purchased two resale contracts versus the final contract from Disney, I will admit the later is much easier. And much more palatable if the price is right. It took me FOREVER (like a year or more) to find my add-on contract at VWL. Nothing ever lined up. The use year was wrong, the point value was wrong, the contract was stripped, the price was too high. And on the few occasions I found a nice small contract - it was gone within 15 minutes of the posting. Very frustrating experience.

I have been on the hunt a while...but not THAT long. Plus only seriously for a short time. All the things you mention though are things I was seeing. Add in that calling in to a certain "store" I seemed to get attitude like "well, of course it is gone silly woman it was listed this morning. What makes you think it would be here this afternoon?" didn't help.

LOVE AKL. Definitely having the concierge option is a bonus!

Both you and Cynthia mention this. I didn't even realize it was an option. Just at Jambo house though, right?

I am sure you guys will have lots of fun with the phm. That sounds like a really fun race to run and a great time of year for a getaway.

I think it will be great. I am will be excited to see what Cynthia thinks of a WDW race verses the DLR one. I already am biased. I plan to have an excellent time in August though..even though I suspect I will not "fall in love" with the race in the same way I have the WDW ones.

Plus since Cynthia and I are both running we can form a team. There is special perks to doing so. I have not done that before so it will be an added bonus to going with her verses another friend who wasn't going to be running.

 

[ZellyB]

Ann,
Congratulations on your DVC purchase! Love that bag you got.

 

[annmarieda]

Ann, Congratulations on your DVC purchase! Love that bag you got.

Thanks! I was already excited about the purchase, but the bag made it that much more so!