Wine and Dine 2015

[CamColt]

I only recently started following this thread and I'm glad I did. I love hearing everyone's accomplishment/stories, especially as we get close. You are all doing great!

I'm hoping for 1 last long run this weekend, possibly 13-14 miles. I usually wouldn't do that much training for a 1/2 (this my 3rd) but I'm also training for the full in January(my first), and I feel I'm behind on that training, while trying to stay healthy and uninjured for this. I'm thinking doing both wasn't a good idea.

 

[Miranda]

Get your restroom business done early and often, you don't want to be trapped up front in the corral and need to go. This advice is for everyone, the lines at the first set of potties, at like mile 1-2 are going to be long. Don't get forced into using the restroom while on the clock.

YES!!!

This happened to me at Tink. I am hoping this won't be quite such an issue for a night race since I will be drinking all day and I can shut it down a little while before the race. With a morning race, I hadn't had anything to drink all night so I had some water and coffee when I got up, and I was trying to be as close to the front of the last corral as I could, and the corrals there were very far apart, like 10 minutes. We waited 45-50 min to go. I realized after I was already in the corral before the race started that I was going to need to use the facilities, but I didn't want to lose my spot in the corral. The lines at the first portapotty stop were LONG, and since it's a mostly female race, you know we can't get in and out of those portapotties as fast as the guys can. I stopped my watch for it when I saw the lines because I wanted a better idea of my actual time. The portapotty stop cost me a good 9-10 minutes on the race clock.

If I need to leave the corral to go this time, I am going to do it, since I don't need to worry that if I leave the corral and get back in in the back, I'm in the BACK of the entire race now. I think that in a middle corral, losing your spot near the front of the corral is way preferable to having to make a pit stop.

 

[PrincessV]

A general post to all who are wondering and/or worrying about corral placement... don't stress! Is it best to be in a corral full of people who go your exact pace? Sure! But with this many runners in a field, it just ain't happening: in nearly every corral, you'll find people who go faster than you, and people who go slower than you. That doesn't have to mean 13.1 miles of endless dodging and weaving! Speaking as a solid mid- to back-of-the-packer, I've never been in a race where I literally couldn't go my preferred speed most of the time.

Some tips:
~ Accept before the race even starts that there will be times you'll need to go slower than you'd like, and there will be times you'll need to go faster than you thought you could - those moments won't last long, and they pretty much wash each other out.
~ Resist the urge to constantly dart around slower runners. Try to imagine a lane of your own that's maybe 3 people wide and try to stay in it (outside of pulling over for pic stops, etc. of course): be willing to move a step or two to either side to pass a slower runner, but try not to be cutting too far one way or the other. You'll find that as people speed up and slow down around you, windows are always opening and closing, and it uses less energy to wait 3 more seconds for that window to open than to go out around in order to avoid slowing down for a moment.
~ Time to walk? Look around you before you start slowing down and delay a few seconds if necessary until it's safe to do so. If it's crowded, raise a hand, yell out "Walking!", make it clear that your pace is about to change. Try to tuck in behind a nearby walker so you're not walking 2 or more abreast.
~ Be kind. Be patient. Be considerate. If you're in a situation where you truly cannot get by a row of runners moving slower, a friendly "Excuse me!" usually works wonders. If you need to slow way down, or stop altogether, pull off the course entirely, if possible. Accidentally bumped into someone? A quick "Sorry!" is always appreciated.
~ Unless you're a FL runner who regularly runs in our weird grass and understands its oddities, STAY OUT OF THE GRASS! What looks like 2" of fine green stuff may actually be the top of a 6" mound of crab grass, or may be hiding a big ol' hole full of stale water - a recipe for a turned ankle, or worse. Or that one time, when I watched a runner try to cut across the median to use a porta-potty on the other side... only to find herself hip-deep in hidden water in the middle? Yeah, that couldn't have been fun.
~ HAVE FUN!!!

 

[flatlandcycle]

I just thought of another corral hazard, the Clif Bar Pace Group. You want to get in front of that group. They could be doing anything. Sometimes they even Gallowalk if the group votes for it.

Of course if you like that sort of thing, have fun!

 

[flatlandcycle]

I have question. As the corrals fill there is quite a bit of space. Is it appropriate to fill in the empty space up front? I've always assumed that people self seed that's why there is space. Any thoughts? Don't hit me with your Mary Poppins Parasol if I cut; I'm just self-seeding.

 

[bcarey2k]

I have question. As the corrals fill there is quite a bit of space. Is it appropriate to fill in the empty space up front? I've always assumed that people self seed that's why there is space. Any thoughts? Don't hit me with your Mary Poppins Parasol if I cut; I'm just self-seeding.

Filling in the space is ok and encouraged.

 

[margitmouse]

Happy for everyone's training, but I am beyond sad.
My training is out the window
I did my half marathon 2 weeks ago, ran some the following week and weekend, but since then I've been having muscle aches like crazy, they wake me up in the middle of the night, with crazy sweating. I can't walk up a flight of stairs without losing my breath and my muscles burning.
Still waiting for my tick panel to come back, I can't believe I'm saying this but I hope it shows something. At least I'd have something to treat because right now they just label it "myalgia" (muscle pain) and tell me to take Tylenol and not do the long run that was scheduled for my marathon training.
I can't stand this unknown... And I'm stuck in limbo between my old and my new primary care MDs, so I can only go to the ER or a walk-in clinic, so so not reassuring
:/
But,enough of my rant,
you peeps keep up the good work!
I will have to live vicariously for a while so keep reporting back!

 

[Miranda]

Sorry to hear of your muscle problems, margitmouse! I hope they can figure out what is going on.

 

[sperkins921]

Once you get onto Osceola Parkway, the roadway is pretty wide and doesn't really narrow down until going into and through Animal Kingdom, where upon exiting it opens back up again until turning onto Sarge's hill. From there on it doesn't really open up but does narrow down even more at some points (running from Hollywood Studio's parking lot to the Dolphin for example). If you pass people during the wider, more open areas, it shouldn't be much of an issue. If you have to dodge and dart in the narrower sections of the course, it can get a we bit taxing.

I think your best bet is to be at the very front of your corral (like the first row or two of people). That should give you a clear start and a bit of time before you reach the back of the corral in front of you. By then, you should have a bit more space on Osceola Parkway.

Yeah, I would say just try and get as close to the start as you can.

I did do a lot of dodging at Tink... an extra 0.5 mile worth. I was in G, the last corral, because I had no PoT, when I should have been probably around D based on my run speed (the corrals are much slower at that one, D was the < 3:10 corral). I think that it won't be as bad dodging from a middle corral as it would be if you were at the back. While the people may be running slower than you, most of them will hopefully be running. The main issue I had at Tink was dodging packs of walkers who were walking 4 and 5 across.

I agree with opusone and Miranda.

Here are a few more pointers. For corral H you most likely will have some walkers seeded with you. Since you are now running 11:00-minute-miles, behind them isn't a place for you. This being a first 1/2 event you are likely to go out too fast so you will need to hold back. I still have trouble keeping that first mile in check. (edit- I self seed mid corral to keep the brakes on.) Get your restroom business done early and often, you don't want to be trapped up front in the corral and need to go. This advice is for everyone, the lines at the first set of potties, at like mile 1-2 are going to be long. Don't get forced into using the restroom while on the clock.

This is why I love this group! Everyone is so patient to the noobs, so willing to share their pointers and experiences. I was so scared to post my question for fear I'd get flamed. lol

I was worried b/c DH ran this race in 2011. That was back when corral placement relied more on your reporting of how long it'd take you to finish. He finished in 2:11. His non Disney halves were all sub 2:00 runs. He said he was seeded with people who walked across the start. And kept walking. His biggest complaint was spending approximately 2 miles dodging folks. And I guess that was back when AK paths weren't well lit; so he had issues running through there as well. So I thought to myself, oh god, am I going to go through that?

Based on what I'm hearing from you guys, I need to try to move up during Osceola and before Animal Kingdom. Or after Animal Kingdom but before HS. Hopefully, I can do that. I don't mind being with slower runners- after all I'm an 90/30 interval runner. My average mile is 11 minutes, but I won't be running the whole time. But when I run my intervals, I run a 9:30-10:00 min/mile pace. So I don't want to have to do so much dodging if I can. I guess I'm also more worried about performance on this race because I have to use it as not only my PoT for Princess; but also for Tink. So in terms of time, there's a bit riding on this one.

Oh, and that was great advice re: potties. DH said the same thing. He said he went in a park, but that the lines in those first few miles for porta potties were LOOOONG.

 

[bcarey2k]

And when ya get to the boardwalk, patience is key

 

[jeanigor]

And when ya get to the boardwalk, patience is key

#truth

 

[sperkins921]

YES!!!

This happened to me at Tink. I am hoping this won't be quite such an issue for a night race since I will be drinking all day and I can shut it down a little while before the race. With a morning race, I hadn't had anything to drink all night so I had some water and coffee when I got up, and I was trying to be as close to the front of the last corral as I could, and the corrals there were very far apart, like 10 minutes. We waited 45-50 min to go. I realized after I was already in the corral before the race started that I was going to need to use the facilities, but I didn't want to lose my spot in the corral. The lines at the first portapotty stop were LONG, and since it's a mostly female race, you know we can't get in and out of those portapotties as fast as the guys can. I stopped my watch for it when I saw the lines because I wanted a better idea of my actual time. The portapotty stop cost me a good 9-10 minutes on the race clock.

If I need to leave the corral to go this time, I am going to do it, since I don't need to worry that if I leave the corral and get back in in the back, I'm in the BACK of the entire race now. I think that in a middle corral, losing your spot near the front of the corral is way preferable to having to make a pit stop.

Miranda, your posts never cease to make me smile and sometimes literally LOL. I think it's because when you write, I can envision what you're describing. And I'm envisioning you at the front thinking "crap, now I gotta pee" and looking around and realizing you can't go. Then you're running, get into your groove, and see the lines at that first group of potties, and wham!

On a serious note though, you're not the first to mention corrals and pacing at DLR races. Do you think your problems with the corral that day were mostly because you didn't have a PoT; or are the corrals really that bad there? Were you ever able to get into an area where you could go your comfortable pace?

A general post to all who are wondering and/or worrying about corral placement... don't stress! Is it best to be in a corral full of people who go your exact pace? Sure! But with this many runners in a field, it just ain't happening: in nearly every corral, you'll find people who go faster than you, and people who go slower than you. That doesn't have to mean 13.1 miles of endless dodging and weaving! Speaking as a solid mid- to back-of-the-packer, I've never been in a race where I literally couldn't go my preferred speed most of the time.

Some tips:
~ Accept before the race even starts that there will be times you'll need to go slower than you'd like, and there will be times you'll need to go faster than you thought you could - those moments won't last long, and they pretty much wash each other out.
~ Resist the urge to constantly dart around slower runners. Try to imagine a lane of your own that's maybe 3 people wide and try to stay in it (outside of pulling over for pic stops, etc. of course): be willing to move a step or two to either side to pass a slower runner, but try not to be cutting too far one way or the other. You'll find that as people speed up and slow down around you, windows are always opening and closing, and it uses less energy to wait 3 more seconds for that window to open than to go out around in order to avoid slowing down for a moment.
~ Time to walk? Look around you before you start slowing down and delay a few seconds if necessary until it's safe to do so. If it's crowded, raise a hand, yell out "Walking!", make it clear that your pace is about to change. Try to tuck in behind a nearby walker so you're not walking 2 or more abreast.
~ Be kind. Be patient. Be considerate. If you're in a situation where you truly cannot get by a row of runners moving slower, a friendly "Excuse me!" usually works wonders. If you need to slow way down, or stop altogether, pull off the course entirely, if possible. Accidentally bumped into someone? A quick "Sorry!" is always appreciated.
~ Unless you're a FL runner who regularly runs in our weird grass and understands its oddities, STAY OUT OF THE GRASS! What looks like 2" of fine green stuff may actually be the top of a 6" mound of crab grass, or may be hiding a big ol' hole full of stale water - a recipe for a turned ankle, or worse. Or that one time, when I watched a runner try to cut across the median to use a porta-potty on the other side... only to find herself hip-deep in hidden water in the middle? Yeah, that couldn't have been fun.
~ HAVE FUN!!!

THANK YOU. This is a much needed post for all of us. Esp about that grass. I've heard of more than one person who jumped into the grass and sprained an ankle. It's a reminder for me because I had kind of thought about doing it in a few weeks myself, if I had to. Now I'm going to try to remember what you said about the hidden dangers and tell myself that the 10 second delay is likely to be a lot less dangerous.

I just thought of another corral hazard, the Clif Bar Pace Group. You want to get in front of that group. They could be doing anything. Sometimes they even Gallowalk if the group votes for it.

Of course if you like that sort of thing, have fun!

The Clif Bar Pace Group? Never heard of them. Gonna assume they are pacing based on the name, but sounds like they can change up on the drop of a dime? Do I want ahead of them because they're large and hard to get around? Or because they're walking?

Happy for everyone's training, but I am beyond sad.
My training is out the window
I did my half marathon 2 weeks ago, ran some the following week and weekend, but since then I've been having muscle aches like crazy, they wake me up in the middle of the night, with crazy sweating. I can't walk up a flight of stairs without losing my breath and my muscles burning.
Still waiting for my tick panel to come back, I can't believe I'm saying this but I hope it shows something. At least I'd have something to treat because right now they just label it "myalgia" (muscle pain) and tell me to take Tylenol and not do the long run that was scheduled for my marathon training.
I can't stand this unknown... And I'm stuck in limbo between my old and my new primary care MDs, so I can only go to the ER or a walk-in clinic, so so not reassuring
:/
But,enough of my rant,
you peeps keep up the good work!
I will have to live vicariously for a while so keep reporting back!

I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for you! This can't be easy to be going through

 

[wilkeliza]

I never had a real problem with bobbing and weaving. I usually will do it to try and get in front of a pack but nothing ever felt like i had to do it. I usually would try to run on the left and walk on the right so I was kind of like a car moving between the fast and slow lane. If I wasn't so big on being on the right when walking I could have just stayed in the same line pretty much the entire race.

 

[sperkins921]

And when ya get to the boardwalk, patience is key

#truth

Oh God, I'm almost afraid to ask.......but what happens at the boardwalk? Now that I think on it, it's narrow (for a race) and there's nowhere to go.

*sigh*

So remember my patient pants as I get dressed that morning, and stay out of the grass. Got it.

 

[Ariel484]

Oh God, I'm almost afraid to ask.......but what happens at the boardwalk? Now that I think on it, it's narrow (for a race) and there's nowhere to go.

You just answered your own question.

 

[ZellyB]

@margitmouse so sorry to hear about your muscle pain. I hope they can do something for you and that it doesn't jeopardize the run for you.

@sperkins921 as already mentioned, don't sweat the pace in the corral too much. You will see all varieties of pace in there. Patience is definitely key and take advantage when you have room and space. Generally speaking you'll be able to manage fine, I'm sure.

 

[SunDial]

Yes Boardwalk is narrow but by the time everyone gets there (or at least when i did the full) the crowd has thinned out quite a bit.

 

[Miranda]

Miranda, your posts never cease to make me smile and sometimes literally LOL. I think it's because when you write, I can envision what you're describing. And I'm envisioning you at the front thinking "crap, now I gotta pee" and looking around and realizing you can't go. Then you're running, get into your groove, and see the lines at that first group of potties, and wham!

On a serious note though, you're not the first to mention corrals and pacing at DLR races. Do you think your problems with the corral that day were mostly because you didn't have a PoT; or are the corrals really that bad there? Were you ever able to get into an area where you could go your comfortable pace?

I should have gone in the park. People told me the bathrooms in the park would be open. The first set of portapotties were right as we were entering DCA. But I panicked and was like what if they AREN'T open, I gotta go here! I'm pretty sure that if I'd run a couple hundred more feet they were open.

I believe most of my issues were with not having a PoT. I don't remember anything about the corrals themselves being particularly bad, just the timing/spacing was very far apart. I certainly don't have anything against people walking in the race (either run/walk since I do that too, or even people who are just walking the whole thing), just the people that were frustrating were the inconsiderate ones walking many abreast and taking up a lot of the road. Or the people that would stop short in the middle of the road to take a selfie or take a picture. I am sure there are people like that in every race. But there's so much fun stuff going on around you that it's hard to stay too frustrated. I just did my best to dodge them and had fun taking it all in.

 

[PrincessV]

THANK YOU. This is a much needed post for all of us. Esp about that grass. I've heard of more than one person who jumped into the grass and sprained an ankle. It's a reminder for me because I had kind of thought about doing it in a few weeks myself, if I had to. Now I'm going to try to remember what you said about the hidden dangers and tell myself that the 10 second delay is likely to be a lot less dangerous.

This is one of those "do as I say, not as I do" things, because I totally run in the grass, lol! But I also do a lot of running in the grass around home, too, so my body is used to it and there's a muscle memory built in there that adjusts to the terrain easily. I truly cannot count how many people I see whip into the grass in WDW races, only to go down, or at least trip and stagger, eliminating any "advantage" they may have had in moving ahead. Not worth it!

And I'll +1 to the scene on Osceola: a GREAT place to get by slower folks because it spreads out well.

Oh God, I'm almost afraid to ask.......but what happens at the boardwalk? Now that I think on it, it's narrow (for a race) and there's nowhere to go.

*sigh*

So remember my patient pants as I get dressed that morning, and stay out of the grass. Got it.

Yep, you've got it, lol! Though truthfully, I ran my fastest mile through that section last year, and I started in the way back, then took my sweet time in DHS. You just never know how things will pan out! But it is narrow, so best to assume things'll slow down in there.

 

[Rattpack]

Definitely a little concerned about having to weave too much. Not worried about time, but I added too much extra distance trying to get around people during my first half marathon. Just going to try to be patient if I get caught in a jam. (Fear emotion jumps in: But what if they beat me to a character line!?)