Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

[Greenlawler]

I'm back home and easing into normal life after Dopey #10. My calves are still a little sore, but other than that, I seem to have recovered pretty well. I went down for New Years with some friends and stayed through the races, which arguably was a bit too long, but overall it was a nice trip and nice to not feel too rushed on any given day.

The expo was generally fine. We lucked out with an early time for the virtual queue, but it was still a madhouse in the merchandise area. Given that they know how popular the merchandise is, how many people are registered for each event, and even everybody's shirt sizes, it never ceases to amaze me how they never seem to have enough merchandise to go around. Sure, if they make more they might end up with a few things leftover, but surely that would be offset by the vast amount of stuff people are buying.

I wasn't expecting much in the way of a Perfectly Dopey gift, so I really enjoyed the lunchbox with the hat and cookies (and Otterbox gift certificate). I already have tons of Dopey swag from all the years, so it was really cool that these were all things I didn't already have.

The courses were fine, if not overly interesting. The 5K and half marathon were the old reliable routes we all know so well. The 10K was kind of interesting since it ended up basically being a backward version of the typical course; I think this must have been done to help with post-race traffic, which flowed very well. The marathon had some interesting moments, like going through Adventureland for my first time, but the Blizzard Beach parking lot was terrible once again with no shade. I was also disappointed that all four courses shared the same final half-mile with so much boring backstage distance when you're looking for a boost. Hopefully next year the Epcot construction will finally be complete enough to allow the old finish route that's only backstage for a brief moment.

The weather was generally pretty good this year. The 5K and 10K were a good balance of warm enough to be comfortable in the corrals without extra layers, and not overly hot during the races. The half marathon was much chillier than I expected, even after leaving the room that morning. I finished before the sun came over the top of the trees, so I was pretty damp and cold at the post-race area for a few minutes waiting for my friends to finish. The marathon started out chilly, but really warmed up once the sun came out; I was surprised to feel the temperature difference going back into the shade at the end of the sunny Western Way, where I could suddenly see my breath again. After a couple years with a blazing hot marathon, this seemed to be a decent balance for all four days

The 90's theme also seemed like an odd choice to me (particularly since the visual style of the medals and merchandise wasn't really current by the first race in 1994), but people really seemed to embrace it with all the costumes and themed outfits. It was fun at first, but after 4 days of seeing the same dozen characters and hearing the same dozen songs (several of which are guilty pleasures on my longtime running playlist), the novelty wore off. In a way, it reminded me of the old Avengers and Tinkerbell races at DLR, where they only had theme-specific characters out, which really limited their selection; Marathon Weekend wasn't as strict (Geppetto was out one day), but I still wish there was more variety from one day to the next.

In general, it was a really fun trip and I'm looking forward to next year, though I'm worried that the way the calendar lands means it will be very busy in the parks again. But for now, I'm looking forward to taking a bit of a break in my training and just resting up some more!

I think I was near you in the corral for the 5K, or at least was near somebody with the misfortune of having a similar story of flight trouble! I was in the group of it's a small world penguins with the purple gaucho hats, if you happened to see us.

Yes I did!

I passed yall during the five k and told you all I loved your costumes.

I was the really handsome (lol) dude with a beard and a visor.

 

[Surferboy567]

How bad is the jump from let’s say Wine & Dine Two Course Challenge versus Dopey?

Playing around with the idea of registering for marathon weekend. Like Disneyland this is just an idea that I am playing around with in my head. Either way I am going to sign up virtually or in person. For a first time marathon weekender (in person) would it that be crazy to just do Dopey or should I cut my losses and do Goofy? Or perhaps just not do the marathon all together?

Running Ability:

I have run 7 virtual half marathons
I have run one in person half marathon
I have successfully completed 5 weekends most of them virtually (comprising of 5K, 10K, and Half) *This does not include springtime surprise.

I have NEVER run over 14 miles in one shot.

 

[Rteetz]

How bad is the jump from let’s say Wine & Dine Two Course Challenge versus Dopey?

Playing around with the idea of registering for marathon weekend. Like Disneyland this is just an idea that I am playing around with in my head. Either way I am going to sign up virtually or in person. For a first time marathon weekender (in person) would it that be crazy to just do Dopey or should I cut my losses and do Goofy? Or perhaps just not do the marathon all together?

Running Ability:

I have run 7 virtual half marathons
I have run one in person half marathon
I have successfully completed 5 weekends most of them virtually (comprising of 5K, 10K, and Half) *This does not include springtime surprise.

I have NEVER run over 14 miles in one shot.

Dopey was my first marathon in 2017. I had run only 1 half prior to signing up for it. If you think you can do it go for it.

 

[pdude81]

How bad is the jump from let’s say Wine & Dine Two Course Challenge versus Dopey?

Playing around with the idea of registering for marathon weekend. Like Disneyland this is just an idea that I am playing around with in my head. Either way I am going to sign up virtually or in person. For a first time marathon weekender (in person) would it that be crazy to just do Dopey or should I cut my losses and do Goofy? Or perhaps just not do the marathon all together?

Running Ability:

I have run 7 virtual half marathons
I have run one in person half marathon
I have successfully completed 5 weekends most of them virtually (comprising of 5K, 10K, and Half) *This does not include springtime surprise.

I have NEVER run over 14 miles in one shot.

I thought you did virtual Dopey for some reason. But maybe you split the marathon or I'm remembering wrong.

If you are a consistent runner then I think Dopey for a first marathon is doable. The second half of that last race is rough though. Go for it, but temper your expectations and walk/jog the last two races so you can learn how your body responds.

I would suggest you run a marathon distance training run 3-4 weeks before marathon weekend, if you can fit it in. That will help with knowing you can conquer that distance, and also if there are any fit, fuel, or fitness issues that need addressing.

 

[Surferboy567]

I thought you did virtual Dopey for some reason. But maybe you split the marathon or I'm remembering wrong.

If you are a consistent runner then I think Dopey for a first marathon is doable. The second half of that last race is rough though. Go for it, but temper your expectations and walk/jog the last two races so you can learn how your body responds.

I would suggest you run a marathon distance training run 3-4 weeks before marathon weekend, if you can fit it in. That will help with knowing you can conquer that distance, and also if there are any fit, fuel, or fitness issues that need addressing.

I have run marathon weekend virtually a couple of times now but never a Dopey or a full marathon.

Always been the 5K, 10K, and Half. Thanks for the advise!

EDIT: If I were to do it I’d do the Galloway Dopey (or marathon plan) so I would have training beforehand. Would never tackle something like that without proper training.

 

[uncle jimmy]

I have run marathon weekend virtually a couple of times now but never a Dopey or a full marathon.

Always been the 5K, 10K, and Half. Thanks for the advise!

EDIT: If I were to do it I’d do the Galloway Dopey (or marathon plan) so I would have training beforehand. Would never tackle something like that without proper training.

I did a hybrid training plan of Galloway's and Higdon's for marathon weekend.
For Galloway I found the step up in miles for long runs was too much too soon, esp during the hot humid temps for training. But, I do follow his run every other day with training and have used his plans for half marathons and basic conditioning.
Hal's, I found the step up in miles easier overall... both mentally and physically.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

The hardest part of Dopey is taking care of yourself, we find waking up at 2am to get on the bus 4 days in a row and then hitting the parks is harder on our bodies than the runs.

We used the Galloway training program and I think our longest training run was 22 miles, that was enough for us to comfortably finish. It wasn’t fast but we met characters, rode Everest, and still finished hours ahead of the balloon ladies.

 

[Swissmiss]

How bad is the jump from let’s say Wine & Dine Two Course Challenge versus Dopey?

Playing around with the idea of registering for marathon weekend. Like Disneyland this is just an idea that I am playing around with in my head. Either way I am going to sign up virtually or in person. For a first time marathon weekender (in person) would it that be crazy to just do Dopey or should I cut my losses and do Goofy? Or perhaps just not do the marathon all together?

Running Ability:

I have run 7 virtual half marathons
I have run one in person half marathon
I have successfully completed 5 weekends most of them virtually (comprising of 5K, 10K, and Half) *This does not include springtime surprise.

I have NEVER run over 14 miles in one shot.

Given how you have approached your training over the past few years and what you have accomplished since starting your running journey, I would say that you are capable of doing it (whether you want to is an answer only you can give). You are asking the question more than 10 months out, which means you can research and develop a training plan that works for you.

Ask yourself which was « easier » - one of your virtual half marathons or the in person half? I found that the energy and sheer number of other runners at the 1 race weekend I participated in at WDW made it « easier » to run because I was constantly in the middle of the pack. (As a reference, even at the same pace I am a back of the pack runner in Europe as mostly only really fast runners seem to participate in races.)

 

[surfsupdon]

Do Dopey. Train for it. Why not? It's so fun and such a great accomplishment!

 

[Demarke]

Dopey was my first marathon in 2017. I had run only 1 half prior to signing up for it. If you think you can do it go for it.

Dopey was my first marathon too! (in the inferno that was 2020 )

I had just done my first race with no prior running in years 10 months earlier (a St Pats 10K in 2019), then got a wild hare and decided to sign up last minute for Star Wars Challenge for my first half in April (back when you could still sign up for a Disney race like 10 days beforehand). Then did a one more half in the late-spring and one in the fall along with the Wine and Dine Challenge before doing Dopey 2020 as my first marathon.

My biggest advice, pace yourself on the course and the parks and with your bedtime to keep things from building up too much. I walked most of my first half marathon and ran much faster in later ones when I knew more about how my body would respond and what I could do make things more efficient for my fitness level. Same when I did Dopey, it was hot and it took me over 6 hours for the marathon, but the goal was to throw myself into something new and give it the ol’ college try. My next one a couple months later was over an hour faster (granted, in much colder weather and without having run a half the day before and gone to the parks a half day ), but a lot of that was my he knowledge and confidence I had gained from finishing Dopey for that first one and feeling confident in my ability to do it the next time!

In a nutshell, I think you’ve got plenty of time to train for it. Or even if you didn’t do a formal plan, if you get in a few on-the-road halfs and a couple of early winter 18-20 mile runs in, I think you can do it. The question may be, finish or not, would you have fun giving it a shot?

 

[Surferboy567]

Given how you have approached your training over the past few years and what you have accomplished since starting your running journey, I would say that you are capable of doing it (whether you want to is an answer only you can give). You are asking the question more than 10 months out, which means you can research and develop a training plan that works for you.

Ask yourself which was « easier » - one of your virtual half marathons or the in person half? I found that the energy and sheer number of other runners at the 1 race weekend I participated in at WDW made it « easier » to run because I was constantly in the middle of the pack. (As a reference, even at the same pace I am a back of the pack runner in Europe as mostly only really fast runners seem to participate in races.)

Funny enough, the first in person half (and my most recent) I just did at Wine & Dine was the hardest run I have ever done.

Weather, and the terrain not being flat were the biggest contributors to this. I also ran all the races that weekend so it may have something to do with that. Being there (I'm sure everyone can agree) gives a different “vibe“ to it all and can provide the necessary energy to complete.

Not to say doing the virtual half was easy either. Like stated above it can be tough to find motivation, but I have special made playlists and other things I do to make virtual races special. Virtual races are great because they give you something to always train for in between in person races. The medals are also really great as motivators as well.

 

[RunningKoen]

I’ve done my first marathon in WDW with no training or race that went past 13.1 mile

Dopey is not just the miles but also the rythm of 4 days early racing

 

[Surferboy567]

I think this virtual weekend and other races have taught me is that I’m confident doing Dopey is possible for me. That being said at this time and it could change, I think I’m going to attempt to secure a spot in the Dopey Challenge for 2024. One caveat though, it’s Dopey or bust at least for me at this current moment I don’t think I would want to register for anything else other then Dopey. Coming to this decision hasn’t been easy, and I can’t believe I just typed what I did.

I am definitely worried about registration for this, I have heard the experiences particularly about this year’s Dopey selling out in a few minutes. I am hoping that since next year is not an anniversary year it may be easier to secure a spot. Any tips for registration?

I am also quite worried about running the actual event as this will be my first marathon, marathon weekend (new courses I have never run in MK), and Dopey. With proper training I may be able to pull this off. Any other tips I should know?

If I don’t get in to Dopey, I’ll likely run another race weekend next year.

 

[Demarke]

I think this virtual weekend and other races have taught me is that I’m confident doing Dopey is possible for me. That being said at this time and it could change, I think I’m going to attempt to secure a spot in the Dopey Challenge for 2024. One caveat though, it’s Dopey or bust at least for me at this current moment I don’t think I would want to register for anything else other then Dopey. Coming to this decision hasn’t been easy, and I can’t believe I just typed what I did.

I am definitely worried about registration for this, I have heard the experiences particularly about this year’s Dopey selling out in a few minutes. I am hoping that since next year is not an anniversary year it may be easier to secure a spot. Any tips for registration?

I am also quite worried about running the actual event as this will be my first marathon, marathon weekend (new courses I have never run in MK), and Dopey. With proper training I may be able to pull this off. Any other tips I should know?

If I don’t get in to Dopey, I’ll likely run another race weekend next year.

Congrats on the decision, I think you’ll be very happy you did it!

Every one has different habits that work for them, but here’s some of what I try to stick to with Dopey (although sometimes, in the moment, I haven’t exactly stuck to all of these all the time, but I think they’re still good ideas):

- run the races about 1:00-1:30/mile slower than normal (less important for the 5k and 10k, but more important to conserve your legs for the longer ones)
- I go to the parks, but my goal is to be heading to the exit by 3:30-4:00PM so I can get to the hotel and wind down and try to at least be in bed by 7:30ish (I typically get up around 2:30 to get a shower and get to Epcot in time for a character pic or two and/or to get an early spot in my corral)
- bring Epsom salts for some hot baths
- wear knee high compression socks for the half and full to help fight leg fatigue/cramps a bit
- take a Motrin or Alleve or two before the half and full to help reduce aches/cramps (maybe bring an extra in a little baggie for the Full if you need it late)
- once your legs are aching, they have bio freeze at all the medical tents, make use of it on the thighs when things get tight
- for all races and any park time, use Body Glide or similar to avoid chafing, you don’t want to find yourself with those issues two days into it (if you find yourself with any hotspots during a race, get Vaseline at the very next med tent)
- Nip-Eaze or other nipple stickers during any races, same reason as above
- bring 2-3 pairs of comfortable running shoes and extra socks, they can get wet from sweat or from rain and wetness can lead to blisters, so having enough shoes you aren’t wearing wet ones all day in the parks or putting wet ones on to start a race is a good idea
- don’t go directly to the parks after a race without at least toweling off and changing clothes (sweat dries and crystallizes and causes the issues above)
- at the parks, be more cognizant of flowing around the park rather than zigzagging to somewhat minimize the park miles (and take the bus or skyliner to avoid long treks in the parking lots!)
- after the Half, instead of the main parks, I do a water park (a few slides but mostly laps around the lazy river and time in the big pool to rejuvenate the legs)
- a massage gun is a good idea, I got a $40ish one off Amazon and used it for the first time this year each night, it really did make a difference
- the nights before the half and full, I make sure to eat something filling but easy on the stomach, I’ve been doing mostly subs from Publix or Firehouse
- during the longer races, focus on efficient tangents (where you can do so without cutting off others), consistently taking wide turns can mean an extra half mile or more over the course of a marathon
- stay hydrated, Gatorade and/or water early and often, waiting til you’re thirsty can drain you faster
- just keep moving, even if you have to walk a lot, you can always find someone to kind of pace off of, and if you want to slow down or speed up, there will be someone else you can switch to
- feel confident in your training and get those medals!
- celebrate with a beer after the marathon (if you’re a drinker), you’ve earned it!

 

[Surferboy567]

Congrats on the decision, I think you’ll be very happy you did it!

Every one has different habits that work for them, but here’s some of what I try to stick to with Dopey (although sometimes, in the moment, I haven’t exactly stuck to all of these all the time, but I think they’re still good ideas):

- run the races about 1:00-1:30/mile slower than normal (less important for the 5k and 10k, but more important to conserve your legs for the longer ones)
- I go to the parks, but my goal is to be heading to the exit by 3:30-4:00PM so I can get to the hotel and wind down and try to at least be in bed by 7:30ish (I typically get up around 2:30 to get a shower and get to Epcot in time for a character pic or two and/or to get an early spot in my corral)
- bring Epsom salts for some hot baths
- wear knee high compression socks for the half and full to help fight leg fatigue/cramps a bit
- take a Motrin or Alleve or two before the half and full to help reduce aches/cramps (maybe bring an extra in a little baggie for the Full if you need it late)
- once your legs are aching, they have bio freeze at all the medical tents, make use of it on the thighs when things get tight
- for all races and any park time, use Body Glide or similar to avoid chafing, you don’t want to find yourself with those issues two days into it (if you find yourself with any hotspots during a race, get Vaseline at the very next med tent)
- Nip-Eaze or other nipple stickers during any races, same reason as above
- bring 2-3 pairs of comfortable running shoes and extra socks, they can get wet from sweat or from rain and wetness can lead to blisters, so having enough shoes you aren’t wearing wet ones all day in the parks or putting wet ones on to start a race is a good idea
- don’t go directly to the parks after a race without at least toweling off and changing clothes (sweat dries and crystallizes and causes the issues above)
- at the parks, be more cognizant of flowing around the park rather than zigzagging to somewhat minimize the park miles (and take the bus or skyliner to avoid long treks in the parking lots!)
- after the Half, instead of the main parks, I do a water park (a few slides but mostly laps around the lazy river and time in the big pool to rejuvenate the legs)
- a massage gun is a good idea, I got a $40ish one off Amazon and used it for the first time this year each night, it really did make a difference
- the nights before the half and full, I make sure to eat something filling but easy on the stomach, I’ve been doing mostly subs from Publix or Firehouse
- during the longer races, focus on efficient tangents (where you can do so without cutting off others), consistently taking wide turns can mean the difference in going an extra half mile or more over the course of a marathon
- stay hydrated, Gatorade and/or water early and often, waiting til you’re thirsty can drain you faster
- just keep moving, even if you have to walk a lot, you can always find someone to kind of pace off of, and if you want to slow down or speed up, there will be someone else you can switch to
- feel confident in your training and get those medals!
- celebrate with a beer after the marathon (if you’re a drinker), you’ve earned it!

Thanks for these tips, if I can get a spot in registration I’ll be sure to follow lots of these.

On the topic of what you’re wearing during the race would you recommend a hydration vest? Or stick to a race belt? Any tips on registration?

 

[Demarke]

Thanks for these tips, if I can get a spot in registration I’ll be sure to follow lots of these.

On the topic of what you’re wearing during the race would you recommend a hydration vest? Or stick to a race belt? Any tips on registration?

Anytime! I don’t carry hydration with me for Disney races anymore. I personally found that the benefit wasn’t worth the extra weight, since there are hydration stops basically every mile. I typically get a Gatorade and a water at every one (and if it’s hot, maybe an extra water to dump in my hat or on a cooling towel to put around my neck)

I do wear a lightweight spandex waist belt for my phone and car key fob. Other than that, a hat, sunglasses, race watch, and my Shokz, I try to keep accessories to a minimum since there is so much on course assistance.

As for registration, join the queue with multiple browsers and your phone when it opens. For the recent Disneyland registration, I had three browsers on my desktop, a couple on my laptop, and my phone in the queue. I think their software detects if you are trying multiple windows in the same type of browser on the same device through cookies (so having multiple tabs open within Firefox, for example, won’t help your odds), but having separate browsers can avoid that (I.e. one queue in Chrome, one Firefox, one Edge; repeat on a separate laptop and have one queue on your phone and you’ve got 7 chances). It’s totally random where you’re assigned as long as you’re in the queue early, so sign up with whichever gets assigned the lowest time (for Disneyland I had two assigned times less than 10 min while the others were still saying over an hour).

Also for registration, your spot isn’t locked until you’ve received confirmation of your payment (lots of stories of races being sold out by the time people got to check out), so be ready with your credit card numbers and anything else you can’t punch in from memory. Don’t fool with proof of time if you have a fast enough time to enter proof from a past race, you can do go back and add that after you complete registration. Same with merchandise, scroll past it, you can go back and see those options later too.

 

[pdude81]

I think this virtual weekend and other races have taught me is that I’m confident doing Dopey is possible for me. That being said at this time and it could change, I think I’m going to attempt to secure a spot in the Dopey Challenge for 2024. One caveat though, it’s Dopey or bust at least for me at this current moment I don’t think I would want to register for anything else other then Dopey. Coming to this decision hasn’t been easy, and I can’t believe I just typed what I did.

I am definitely worried about registration for this, I have heard the experiences particularly about this year’s Dopey selling out in a few minutes. I am hoping that since next year is not an anniversary year it may be easier to secure a spot. Any tips for registration?

I am also quite worried about running the actual event as this will be my first marathon, marathon weekend (new courses I have never run in MK), and Dopey. With proper training I may be able to pull this off. Any other tips I should know?

If I don’t get in to Dopey, I’ll likely run another race weekend next year.

First of all, I don't think Dopey will be that rough to get spots this year. But if you did have trouble or forgot that morning, I think the marathon is pretty awesome on it's own and still fun to do. I'm considering stepping back to Goofy or just the marathon this year to save vacation time, but not sure.

 

[Surferboy567]

First of all, I don't think Dopey will be that rough to get spots this year. But if you did have trouble or forgot that morning, I think the marathon is pretty awesome on it's own and still fun to do. I'm considering stepping back to Goofy or just the marathon this year to save vacation time, but not sure.

I think for me, I enjoy the thrill of the challenges. So I would either do Goofy or Dopey. I feel like though, if I was gonna do one I would just do Dopey if I have to deal with the half anyways.

It’s not like training is much different is my mindset. It’s more the mental fortitude to get up and run. Though, I have to say since writing my posts I’ve now started to get slight aches (nothing that I can’t work though) that makes me nervous for the prospect of Dopey. I feel like with proper training I should be ok. Plus I don’t own a foam roller or message gun something I will DEFINITELY fix if I go with Dopey.

I agree though the marathon is pretty awesome on its own. I just have to figure out what route I want to take. The dopey, goofy or normal route. I just know that if I go down there and take time off work, spend all the necessary expenses, train for a significant amount of time etc. I think I would feel more fulfilled going with a challenge. I’m not entirely sure on what I’m going to do yet, but I believe (at this time) Dopey is possible.

Park time will definitely suffer but if this is truly going to be a special event, I can live with that at least for one trip. Not to say I won’t try going to the parks (I definitely will) but will be very careful. Perhaps not even going to the parks on half and definitely marathon days.

 

[lukacseven]

How bad is the jump from let’s say Wine & Dine Two Course Challenge versus Dopey?

Playing around with the idea of registering for marathon weekend. Like Disneyland this is just an idea that I am playing around with in my head. Either way I am going to sign up virtually or in person. For a first time marathon weekender (in person) would it that be crazy to just do Dopey or should I cut my losses and do Goofy? Or perhaps just not do the marathon all together?

Running Ability:

I have run 7 virtual half marathons
I have run one in person half marathon
I have successfully completed 5 weekends most of them virtually (comprising of 5K, 10K, and Half) *This does not include springtime surprise.

I have NEVER run over 14 miles in one shot.

Just curious what your thought was running an in-person vs. virtual. Personally, I find it much more difficult running a virtual event, especially a full marathon. If you can run a half, you can probably run the Disney full in-person. The atmosphere is exciting and you can;t replicate that anywhere else. For me, the most difficult part of the Dopey isn't the actual running, it's having to wake up at 3:30 AM for 5 days in a row (after taking an early flight to MCO on Wednesday) and then feel like you have to go to the parks with family for at least a few hours in the afternoon/evening.

 

[lukacseven]

I was always better prepared with Higdon over Galloway.

Anytime! I don’t carry hydration with me for Disney races anymore. I personally found that the benefit wasn’t worth the extra weight, since there are hydration stops basically every mile. I typically get a Gatorade and a water at every one (and if it’s hot, maybe an extra water to dump in my hat or on a cooling towel to put around my neck)

I do wear a lightweight spandex waist belt for my phone and car key fob. Other than that, a hat, sunglasses, race watch, and my Shokz, I try to keep accessories to a minimum since there is so much on course assistance.

I try to go as minimal as possible for any races. With WDW in January, keep an eye on the weather. I like to be warm/comfortable at teh start, but once the fireworks go off, I try to ditch as much as I can. For warmer weather, once the race starts, it's sunglasses, visor, watch, race belt and 1-2 bags of sport beans. There's plenty water, Poweraid, bananas, gels, candy along the course, so you don't need to be bogged down with a bunch of extra stuff.