Plan Vacation for Before or After Race

[ToTBellHop]

Hi all,

My wife plans to do the 2015 half and I plan on the 10K. Is it a better idea to arrive early and have our vacation beforehand and do some practice runs in the area during the days prior to the race (we live in CT where it will be difficult to run outside in December and January) or is it better to arrive just a day or two prior and have the vacation after? I feel like if I have the vacation first, I will have nerves all week, but if it is after, I want to be able to handle all the walking. What do you all do?

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Race first, vacation afterward. I won't make the mistake of running a race on tired feet/legs again.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

Hi all,

My wife plans to do the 2015 half and I plan on the 10K. Is it a better idea to arrive early and have our vacation beforehand and do some practice runs in the area during the days prior to the race (we live in CT where it will be difficult to run outside in December and January) or is it better to arrive just a day or two prior and have the vacation after? I feel like if I have the vacation first, I will have nerves all week, but if it is after, I want to be able to handle all the walking. What do you all do?

In my opinion, arrive on Thursday to pick up your bibs, run the 10k Friday, have your wife run the half Saturday, relax the rest of the day Saturday, and then start your vacation on Sunday. Your feet and legs will be worn out walking in and out of the parks leading up to the race. That's what I would do anyway.

 

[dreamfinder]

I've done both. It all depends on your fitness and comfort level. If you can pace yourself, then no reason not to enjoy the parks beforehand. I personally get itchy when I'm sitting around the hotel after being done with a race by 7AM with no park plans that day. But conversely, if you aren't used to running longer distances/don't properly taper trying to walk around the parks stiff and sore the days after a race can get old really fast.

 

[Kermit262]

I think there's no question - vacation afterwards. How else will you be able to walk around the parks wearing your medals!

 

[Ariel484]

In my opinion, arrive on Thursday to pick up your bibs, run the 10k Friday, have your wife run the half Saturday, relax the rest of the day Saturday, and then start your vacation on Sunday. Your feet and legs will be worn out walking in and out of the parks leading up to the race. That's what I would do anyway.

That's what I would do if I could. Never works out that way for me due to the husband's work schedule, unfortunately.

 

[Texas84]

Definitely after. Have a nice WDW meal on registration day and relax.

 

[FerretAfros]

I agree that you should stay after, if your schedule allows it. That way, you can minimize the amount of pre-race awareness that you need for keeping off your feet, eating 'safe' food, and staying hydrated while in WDW, and just focus on the fun. As neat as Dopey is, staying constantly aware about all that for ~5 days on vacation isn't the most fun thing I've ever done

And heading into the parks after your races will also help with soreness. If you keep your legs moving, it will help break down the lactic acid, and make things more manageable. Of the 11 marathons I've run, I've been the least sore the day after my WDW ones (all of which were Goofy/Dopey situations)

Plus, of course, the medal thing!

 

[JillC LI]

I agree with @dreamfinder that it depends. If this is a distance you have done before and are comfortable with it, then it won't really matter if you race after several days of walking around the Parks. It didn't affect me to run the ToT 13K after a week in the Parks.

If you are concerned about finishing the distance though, then I would race first and do the Parks afterwards. Because you're not running a full marathon and because Disney races are so crowded, it will be difficult to race for speed so your body shouldn't be in agony to walk around during the days after the race - in fact walking might make you feel better if you are sore. Plus there's definitely something to be said for wearing your medal in the Parks.

 

[imagination30]

arrive on Thursday , expo , resort , then Friday .. do the 10k , good breakfast after words, ( maybe konga café) or bounty platter / chocolate twist / chocolate milks to refuel , depending on how you feel carbo dinner later , then sat your wife do the half . nice meal at a resort that night then start your vaction on sunday!

 

[bethram]

I'd say after. I went on Thursday before the Princess on Sunday a couple years ago and had blisters on several toes before the race even started. We are currently planning a trip for ToT and are planning the bulk of our park time for Sunday and beyond, but we will hit the parks some on Friday and Saturday.

 

[Kristia]

I definitely agree with the "after" crowd. We arrived like to arrive on Thurs, do the expo and then take it a little easy the next day. We did do the parks, but not crazily. This was in 2013 before they had the 10k so Friday was a rest day but we did do an easy run to keep the legs loose for the half on Sat and then did the full on Sunday. Like others have said, doing the parks after the races goes a long way in recovery as you are keeping those muscles loose by moving around. Psychologically, I like to look forward to the vacation at the end of the races as a kind of reward for a job well done!

 

[joel_maxwell]

Ive done both. I liked vacay afterwards.

Totally sucked on the 5th day, stayed up late at the W&D, had to get up at 5 for a flight.

 

[LindsayLoves]

Playing devil's advocate for the before option for one reason - the parks are way less crowded. The day or two after the races you have 1. all the runners/families of runners and 2. people who are just starting their vacation on Sunday so parks are slammed Monday-Tuesday. At this point I would do the before vacation for a half in a heartbeat based on my current level of fitness and strength, for a full or multi-race weekend I can see the benefit of the post race vacation, you just don't want to wear out your legs.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Playing devil's advocate for the before option for one reason - the parks are way less crowded. The day or two after the races you have 1. all the runners/families of runners and 2. people who are just starting their vacation on Sunday so parks are slammed Monday-Tuesday. At this point I would do the before vacation for a half in a heartbeat based on my current level of fitness and strength, for a full or multi-race weekend I can see the benefit of the post race vacation, you just don't want to wear out your legs.

I'm not too worried about crowds--have gone that week in 2011, 2012, and 2014 and never found crowds to be troublesome (most of the runners seem to leave soon after the event and crowds otherwise are light). Sounds like vacation after wins! Conveniently, our twin boys turn 2 on 1/15/15, so we can celebrate. To those of you who suggest relaxing a bit after our races, that'll be impossible with our then-2-year olds. But, we'll be fine. I'm not too worried for myself, since 6.2 miles is half of what I walk in a normal day at WDW lol. We'll have to look into ways to help my wife hold up after 13.1 miles (we aren't runners per se, but we do exercise and run; this would be a great accomplishment for both of us). Thanks for the input!

 

[Maryssa*]

The best is wearing your medal around the park the day of/after the race!

 

[imagination30]

but watch out for the steps at frontier train station after running your distance .. - bc its a doosey! .. ( just saying from experience)

 

[OG Runner]

In January I split my vacation. I arrived on Wednesday, and went to the Expo. Enjoyed the Parks the rest of that day, Friday and even much of Saturday. I ran the marathon on Sunday. Then stayed until Tuesday with more Park fun after. ( I was just moving a little slower after)

 

[MickeyMomV]

We arrive a day before the race to go get our bibs and then vacation after the race. We did this for the Tower of Terror 10 miler last year and are doing it again next year at the Princess 1/2 weekend. IMO I don't want to have to restrict what I eat before a race at Disney and then also worry about still having to run. Once I am done running the race, I am ready to let loose and enjoy all the good eats Disney has to offer!

 

[amy1985]

We arrive a day before the race to go get our bibs and then vacation after the race. We did this for the Tower of Terror 10 miler last year and are doing it again next year at the Princess 1/2 weekend. IMO I don't want to have to restrict what I eat before a race at Disney and then also worry about still having to run. Once I am done running the race, I am ready to let loose and enjoy all the good eats Disney has to offer!

How were the crowds after the ToT 10 miler? We are arriving Thursday, doing a kids race and the 10 miler and staying until Wednesday. I'm a little nervousness about it being crowded.