It's taken me a little time to be able to write this because I was really quite disappointed with how my race went and still am for that matter. The only positive was that I finished and got the Mickey medal. It was my second stand alone marathon and I thought it was a much better race for the participants than was the Ottawa Marathon. My issues were not Disney's fault(well, a little)
What went right:
1. I actually trained for a running event like a runner and followed the MFM marathon program right up until the taper. Consequently,...
2. I don't hate running anymore. I don't really know if I'm any better at it yet which was the goal behind doing this but I don't see how I can fail to get better if it's not absolute torture to train(and therefore avoided) anymore
3. Race clothes were comfortable with minimal chafing in spite of wearing new stuff. I knew the stuff I already had chafed so I figured it couldn't get much worse. I'm a new fan of the Champion Friction Free stuff.
4. Carried my own gel flask so had nutrition on the course when I needed rather than when they decided to offer it
5. Stayed walking distance from the start. It was great being able to sleep until 0430, leave the room at 0515, use a flush toilet one last time before entering the corral.
Wrong:
1. Left POR to go cheer on WISHers in the half on Sat at 0700 figuring it would take me an hour to get to EPCOT. Reality- 1 hr 50 min. If I'd known how long it would take, there were alternative ways to get there. As it was I didn't get to cheer as much as I wanted to.
2. Spent the week prior to the race including the race sick with an upper/lower respiratory thing. Still not completely gone but coughing far less, noticable still swallowing, breathing etc. Not really in my control but certainly didn't help my race.
3. Taper- ran the 20, spent 5 days touring parks with no running, did the 10. Had been reading a new book on Run Training for Triathletes with some technique info. Decided to mess with it about 7 miles into the 10 and had something 'pop' in my left calf/hamstring about 9 miles or so. Rested a couple days and it was feeling better so a tempo run and then a few days later did the 6 on the treadmill. Was sick by the next day so just did one more cross training workout prior to the marathon figuring rest=healthy, not quite but I still fear I would have been even sicker if I had tried to run more through it. So I ran a total of 21 miles in 3 workouts in the the 20 days leading up to the marathon. Tapering isn't supposed to mean basically stopping completely.
4. That thing that popped on the 10 mile taper run but was feeling okay? It popped again at mile 16/17. It merits being mentioned twice as it was so monumentally stupid on my part that it happened in the first place. The only possible explanation is that I was bored doing the 10 on the same course as the 20 but
The end result was that a slow day became worse as I was reduced to a walk. I wasn't stupid enough to keep running and didn't need to as I was far ahead of the sweepers.
5. Okay, this was completely outside my control but it just didn't help. I got stung by a bee on the right side of my neck around mile 17. That HURTS. It took until mile 19 before I spotted any medical and they were on bikes. One had some Sting stuff with lidocaine(topical anesthetic) in it that helped. I scoffed at my sister's suggestion about filling out the medical info on the back of the bib, but she was right in that you can't always predict what will happen. I truly don't know when the last time I was stung be a bee was if I ever have been before. I very glad that I only had a local reaction to the sting with redness(still present) and swelling and not anaphylaxis.
6. Run my race- I wanted to run a certain time so I started with a Clif Pace group. The problem is that the pace group runs even splits with no walk breaks or slowing for aid stations. I had trained to run anything over 10 miles with walk breaks of 1 min every 2 miles for food and liquids. So I skipped the first station and then had to run harder to catch up after getting powerade at the second. At that point, I figured 'what am I doing' and let the group go by mile 5. I really don't think I started too fast so I don't think it had an overall effect on the day but I won't try running with the pace groups again unless they are following a similar strategy to what I had trained with.
7. Not signing up for the Half so I could go Goofy. I had a serious case of medal envy all weekend. Considering how the full went it was probably just as well but... 2008 I will be Goofy.
So differently- not try a new technique change 2 weeks prior to the race. Not that technique changes can't be made but not that close to a race and not at the end of a LR. Actually go out and do the taper runs while at Disney- it's not like we went to the parks early, I really had no reason not to do them.
I'm sure I'll think of more stuff to add over time, but this is a good start. I really think I'm going to try to figure out how I can get to Disney in 2007 so I can run the full again for redemption but I can't make that commitment until after April 7th. I am however resisting running the Hyannis Marathon just because I'm upset over the way this went. I'll do the Boston Run to Remember Half because I had originally planned on it anyway but I'll do it on triathlon training and not go into it with too many expectations although a PR would be real nice.
What went right:
1. I actually trained for a running event like a runner and followed the MFM marathon program right up until the taper. Consequently,...
2. I don't hate running anymore. I don't really know if I'm any better at it yet which was the goal behind doing this but I don't see how I can fail to get better if it's not absolute torture to train(and therefore avoided) anymore
3. Race clothes were comfortable with minimal chafing in spite of wearing new stuff. I knew the stuff I already had chafed so I figured it couldn't get much worse. I'm a new fan of the Champion Friction Free stuff.
4. Carried my own gel flask so had nutrition on the course when I needed rather than when they decided to offer it
5. Stayed walking distance from the start. It was great being able to sleep until 0430, leave the room at 0515, use a flush toilet one last time before entering the corral.
Wrong:
1. Left POR to go cheer on WISHers in the half on Sat at 0700 figuring it would take me an hour to get to EPCOT. Reality- 1 hr 50 min. If I'd known how long it would take, there were alternative ways to get there. As it was I didn't get to cheer as much as I wanted to.
2. Spent the week prior to the race including the race sick with an upper/lower respiratory thing. Still not completely gone but coughing far less, noticable still swallowing, breathing etc. Not really in my control but certainly didn't help my race.
3. Taper- ran the 20, spent 5 days touring parks with no running, did the 10. Had been reading a new book on Run Training for Triathletes with some technique info. Decided to mess with it about 7 miles into the 10 and had something 'pop' in my left calf/hamstring about 9 miles or so. Rested a couple days and it was feeling better so a tempo run and then a few days later did the 6 on the treadmill. Was sick by the next day so just did one more cross training workout prior to the marathon figuring rest=healthy, not quite but I still fear I would have been even sicker if I had tried to run more through it. So I ran a total of 21 miles in 3 workouts in the the 20 days leading up to the marathon. Tapering isn't supposed to mean basically stopping completely.
4. That thing that popped on the 10 mile taper run but was feeling okay? It popped again at mile 16/17. It merits being mentioned twice as it was so monumentally stupid on my part that it happened in the first place. The only possible explanation is that I was bored doing the 10 on the same course as the 20 but
The end result was that a slow day became worse as I was reduced to a walk. I wasn't stupid enough to keep running and didn't need to as I was far ahead of the sweepers.5. Okay, this was completely outside my control but it just didn't help. I got stung by a bee on the right side of my neck around mile 17. That HURTS. It took until mile 19 before I spotted any medical and they were on bikes. One had some Sting stuff with lidocaine(topical anesthetic) in it that helped. I scoffed at my sister's suggestion about filling out the medical info on the back of the bib, but she was right in that you can't always predict what will happen. I truly don't know when the last time I was stung be a bee was if I ever have been before. I very glad that I only had a local reaction to the sting with redness(still present) and swelling and not anaphylaxis.
6. Run my race- I wanted to run a certain time so I started with a Clif Pace group. The problem is that the pace group runs even splits with no walk breaks or slowing for aid stations. I had trained to run anything over 10 miles with walk breaks of 1 min every 2 miles for food and liquids. So I skipped the first station and then had to run harder to catch up after getting powerade at the second. At that point, I figured 'what am I doing' and let the group go by mile 5. I really don't think I started too fast so I don't think it had an overall effect on the day but I won't try running with the pace groups again unless they are following a similar strategy to what I had trained with.
7. Not signing up for the Half so I could go Goofy. I had a serious case of medal envy all weekend. Considering how the full went it was probably just as well but... 2008 I will be Goofy.
So differently- not try a new technique change 2 weeks prior to the race. Not that technique changes can't be made but not that close to a race and not at the end of a LR. Actually go out and do the taper runs while at Disney- it's not like we went to the parks early, I really had no reason not to do them.
I'm sure I'll think of more stuff to add over time, but this is a good start. I really think I'm going to try to figure out how I can get to Disney in 2007 so I can run the full again for redemption but I can't make that commitment until after April 7th. I am however resisting running the Hyannis Marathon just because I'm upset over the way this went. I'll do the Boston Run to Remember Half because I had originally planned on it anyway but I'll do it on triathlon training and not go into it with too many expectations although a PR would be real nice.
I saw people with medals clear through Monday night. I did alternate my WISH shirt and marathon shirt the rest of the week, though!
And I'm doing the Run to Remember in March, too. I'll see you there 
Probably won't be any colder than the marathon was!
I was surprised Saturday night though, when we went for dinner at Epcot how few people we saw wearing them. Back in 2004 when we saw our 1st WDW Marathon Weekend we saw everyone wearing them the night of the race as they celebrated. 
I'm horrible for that. Plus I stood in line at the merchandise cart after finishing which I will never do again. I had bought all my stuff at the Expo but had heard that if they did get in postcards they would send them on to the Finish which they never did get in so I wasted valuable napping time in line for nothing. 
)
I used my gels and sunglasses, that was it. Didn't use my iPod, my camera, etc. Next year I will look for an alternative so I'm not carrying so much.
Those I did have occasion to meet (all by chance) were wonderful! Next year I will definately make it one of my priorities to meet all of you!
