Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

[fruitfruit]

long time lurker here....
but, you guys!! i just went to check on the training programs on rundisney and the marathon program starts july 3rd! i am kind of freaking out and excited at the same time!

do you all do your training outside? treadmill? a little of both?

i am thinking i will be on the treadmill for the summer....it's just too hot where i live to be running outside and then transition back outside when it cools off. i am going to have to get use to the treadmill...i hate that thing!

 

[Texas84]

I started out on the treadmill but I can't stand it. I run before sunrise before it gets too hot. I'll even run in the rain as long as there is no lightning.

 

[Ariel484]

long time lurker here....
but, you guys!! i just went to check on the training programs on rundisney and the marathon program starts july 3rd! i am kind of freaking out and excited at the same time!

do you all do your training outside? treadmill? a little of both?

i am thinking i will be on the treadmill for the summer....it's just too hot where i live to be running outside and then transition back outside when it cools off. i am going to have to get use to the treadmill...i hate that thing!

Is that Galloway's 26ish-week beginner program? The training program I am using (Higdon) doesn't start until September. But still...a good indication that marathon weekend is getting closer. YAY!

I run on the treadmill for 2 out of my 4 runs (the shorter ones) each week...just works better with my schedule. I am with Texas84 though...for the most part it's worth it to get up earlier, especially to get the long ones in.

Good luck with your training!!!

 

[Orpheus7696]

We are training in late afternoon here in south Louisiana. I do have some questions about the marathon. What should we bring during the race. Should we bring water or is there enough on the route? What are the must haves during a marathon??

 

[Kristia]

long time lurker here....
but, you guys!! i just went to check on the training programs on rundisney and the marathon program starts july 3rd! i am kind of freaking out and excited at the same time!

do you all do your training outside? treadmill? a little of both?

i am thinking i will be on the treadmill for the summer....it's just too hot where i live to be running outside and then transition back outside when it cools off. i am going to have to get use to the treadmill...i hate that thing!

I don't have access to a treadmill so all my running is done outside. When it is really hot (I am in Jersey, so the summers can be brutal) I either get up really early or wait till the sun goes down a bit. I am using the Galloway plan so I start at the same time as you! I think if possible it is best to do as many runs as you can outside. It better simulates what run conditions could be during the race. The marathon conditions have varied throughout the years from being temps in the 80's to the 30's with sleet. You never know what you are going to get! I have a few friends who have done only treadmill running and try to switch to outdoors and find it is really tough. Good luck with your training!

We are training in late afternoon here in south Louisiana. I do have some questions about the marathon. What should we bring during the race. Should we bring water or is there enough on the route? What are the must haves during a marathon??

I found there was plenty of water on the marathon course. I think they start water at mile 2 and have it pretty much every mile after that. If you look at the course map, it tells you where the water and fuel stops are. I did take some Powerbar gels with me. I think took 4 or 5 with me and ate 1 every hour. The gels they provided on the course were coffee flavored (at least that was what was left when we got there) blech! They also had a banana stop and a chocolate stop. I took some Endurolyte capsules about halfway through the race. These replace your electrolytes and I found in training that they really helped to relieve some of my muscle cramping during really long runs. I took my MP3 player, but found I didn't use it at all. There was just too much to look at and hear on the course. I wasn't bored at all! My list of must haves to carry on the race would be gels of your choice, some sort of electrolyte capsules and a small camera to take advantage of all the photo ops. Oh, also some throw-away clothes so you can keep warm at the start and loose them on the course if you need to after you warm up.

 

[Ariel484]

We are training in late afternoon here in south Louisiana. I do have some questions about the marathon. What should we bring during the race. Should we bring water or is there enough on the route? What are the must haves during a marathon??

Just to add to what Kristy said above...

During the race, I'd suggest bringing whatever you're used to having with you on training runs, specifically when it comes to fuel. There are fuel stops on the course that have the following (per the 2012 race program):

Mile 8.7: Clif gels
Mile 14: Bananas
Mile 19: Clif gels
Mile 23: Candy

If I went to this race without bringing my own fuel, I'd be (for lack of a better term) screwed. The above food schedule just not how I train - I like to take fuel more often and I don't train with what Disney offers. I brought my own fuel (Gu Chomps) with me. I also brought my room key, some cash, my annual pass, some Kleenexes, my iPod (which I didn't end up using), an extra hair tie, and, most importantly, one full-charged point-and-shoot camera. And as Kristy says, you want to bring throwaway clothes to keep warm before the race.

There were a total of 21 water stops (which also have Powerade) on the marathon course last year. I stopped at most of them and remember that they were all very well-stocked.

 

[dreamfinder]

do you all do your training outside? treadmill? a little of both?

i am thinking i will be on the treadmill for the summer....it's just too hot where i live to be running outside and then transition back outside when it cools off. i am going to have to get use to the treadmill...i hate that thing!

I do a bit of both. Usually more TM that not, for one reason or another, but I do still try to get outside for long runs on the weekends. But running outdoors in December with no sidewalks, and 2 foot snowbanks on the sides of the roads is tough. Car comes, runner has to dive into snow. I'm all set with that game thanks.

We are training in late afternoon here in south Louisiana. I do have some questions about the marathon. What should we bring during the race. Should we bring water or is there enough on the route? What are the must haves during a marathon??

They had a rough time 3-4 years back where they started to run out of water towards the end of the course for the last runners due to the extreme heat. (If I recall correctly. And then the following year was 33 degrees........) People were having to hydrate more often than normal. Kinda how if you watched Boston this year, the elite runners were grabbing for water off the normal water stations that weren't set up yet. (The elites normally have their own water at their own tables so they get their own special mix. And then normal water doesn't start til the masses do.) But it definitely seems like they have gone above and beyond to make sure that doesn't happen again, if anything over compensating.

You should however bring whatever you train with. If you train with a certain flavor of sports drink, mixed at a certain ratio, bring that with you. Your body may freak out if you are used to lemon-lime Gatorade slightly diluted, and the race only has fruit punch Powerade at double strength. Ditto for gels, blocks, chomps, whatever. The race will have whatever flavors their sponsor/partner provides. As a PP said, if you end up with a coffee flavored gel, but can't stand coffee it won't do you much good. While you train, try different things to see what your body likes and performs best with. You may find a smaller no-name drink/gel that happens to mesh more with what your body needs, or that you do great with the normal Gatorade/Powerade.

 

[Kristia]

If I went to this race without bringing my own fuel, I'd be (for lack of a better term) screwed. The above food schedule just not how I train - I like to take fuel more often and I don't train with what Disney offers. I brought my own fuel (Gu Chomps) with me. I also brought my room key, some cash, my annual pass, some Kleenexes, my iPod (which I didn't end up using), an extra hair tie, and, most importantly, one full-charged point-and-shoot camera. And as Kristy says, you want to bring throwaway clothes to keep warm before the race.
quote]

Room key! Good idea. Forgot all about that.

 

[Mad Stitch]

Reminder, the first price increase is tomorrow and the Visa discount expires.

 

[Ariel484]

Updates!

The half is 51% full
The full is 57% full
The Goofy is 76% full

 

[Ariel484]

Room key! Good idea. Forgot all about that.

Yeah, that might be important!

 

[lukacseven]

Just to add to what Kristy said above...

During the race, I'd suggest bringing whatever you're used to having with you on training runs, specifically when it comes to fuel. There are fuel stops on the course that have the following (per the 2012 race program):

Mile 8.7: Clif gels
Mile 14: Bananas
Mile 19: Clif gels
Mile 23: Candy

Careful on the candy bars - after years of mushy, melted ones, last year they froze them & I almost broken a tooth on a special dark. But, the candy bars are a great treay at mile 23. I also love the sponge stop as you are leaving AK, but my favorite is the cans of Coke at the finish line

 

[Ariel484]

Careful on the candy bars - after years of mushy, melted ones, last year they froze them & I almost broken a tooth on a special dark. But, the candy bars are a great treay at mile 23. I also love the sponge stop as you are leaving AK, but my favorite is the cans of Coke at the finish line

Chocolate was the last thing I wanted at that point, so I didn't take it...but yikes! And I saw the sponges and thought "hmm, that would feel good," didn't get one for whatever reason, and regretted it later.

Anyhoo...

The half is 54% full
The full is 61% full
The Goofy is 82% full

I wonder if they will update again before the end of the day, or maybe tomorrow morning?!

 

[Mad Stitch]

It's interesting to see these start to fill up a bit quicker just before the price hike.

 

[Orpheus7696]

Thanks for the help! I don't mean to ask so many questions. I am a novice and nervous about the marathon. Do you think there are more experienced runners than not at the Disney Marathon??

 

[imagination30]

shannon and kristia , it looks like ill have to to go with the 5k on friday.. so bumbed.. bc i was really looking foward to doing the half. , but i cant quite convince my friend of it. , so i just told him i would do the 5k if he would do it.. so we will see.. none the less i would still be runing at disney . and geting to go to the parks

 

[Texas84]

Chocolate was the last thing I wanted at that point, so I didn't take it...but yikes! And I saw the sponges and thought "hmm, that would feel good," didn't get one for whatever reason, and regretted it later.

I felt the same way about the candy at that point. Bleh. I couldn't eat anything until later that night. I know that is bad but I was not hungry.

I did not see the sponges!

 

[Kristia]

Chocolate was the last thing I wanted at that point, so I didn't take it...but yikes! And I saw the sponges and thought "hmm, that would feel good," didn't get one for whatever reason, and regretted it later.

Anyhoo...

The half is 54% full
The full is 61% full
The Goofy is 82% full

I wonder if they will update again before the end of the day, or maybe tomorrow morning?!

Totally agree also on the candy. Chocolate and running just don't mix for me and we still had a ways to go (or so it felt)! The bananas sure hit the spot for me though!

 

[Kristia]

Careful on the candy bars - after years of mushy, melted ones, last year they froze them & I almost broken a tooth on a special dark. But, the candy bars are a great treay at mile 23. I also love the sponge stop as you are leaving AK, but my favorite is the cans of Coke at the finish line

Ahhhhhh....that Coke tasted so good after the marathon! Heavenly!

shannon and kristia , it looks like ill have to to go with the 5k on friday.. so bumbed.. bc i was really looking foward to doing the half. , but i cant quite convince my friend of it. , so i just told him i would do the 5k if he would do it.. so we will see.. none the less i would still be runing at disney . and geting to go to the parks

Any run at Disney is a good run! If you really want to do the half, you should just do it. For the most part, everyone is super friendly and there is no shortage of people to talk to while you are waiting. Plenty of people do it solo!

 

[dreamfinder]

Thanks for the help! I don't mean to ask so many questions. I am a novice and nervous about the marathon. Do you think there are more experienced runners than not at the Disney Marathon??

Not at all. Disney races attract tons of runners who don't do many races, and a massive amount of first time runners. They don't offer any prizes, nor do they have a real elite program, so you don't even have many of those runners at the races. It would be interesting to see the breakdown of the runners, and where they would classify themselves. But Disney sets their races up to be a fun time for people of all abilities.