Marathon Weekend 2023

[luv2cheer92]

Should I be concerned I haven’t received a single email from Disney since registering on that crazy day.

No. As long as you have the registration confirmation email you are good. Sometimes some people just don't get them for whatever reason.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

SAFD: I am loving the taper for sure. Did a nice, easy 12 miles yesterday and my legs actually feel pretty good today. I got a bit nervous a few weeks back when I started having some hip pain which seemed to get worse when I increased speed, but I have run super slowly since then for all my runs and I haven’t had any hip pain (knock on wood) for a couple weeks now. Fewer miles these next couple weeks should set me up nicely for my first Goofy.

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate and Happy Holidays otherwise!

 

[surfde22]

Heat acclimation training is incredibly difficult with single digit temps and below 0 windchills. I'm not sure I have enough layers for it. Luckily next week it warms to the 20s and 30s.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Heat acclimation training is incredibly difficult with single digit temps and below 0 windchills. I'm not sure I have enough layers for it. Luckily next week it warms to the 20s and 30s.

I hear ya! It’s mostly stayed in the teens here (thanks Lake Michigan!) and we got a lot of snow, but by the end of this week it’s supposed to be in the 40s and rain. It’s going to be an absolute mess. I’ll continue to heat acclimate in my basement.

 

[RunWI1265]

SAFD: taper is going well! Not loving being on the treadmill the last three runs but grateful we have one so I could keep running through this arctic blast. Tomorrows windchill will be about -6 in the AM but we have so much snow buildup on our residential streets so I’m opting to stay inside and not risk tweaking anything. I won’t lie though…I would loooove the temps going on right now in Orlando for MW.

Also, add me to the holiday birthday list. I’m Dec 31 so I’ve basically never been able to celebrate my birthday. It’s always NYE celebrations and growing up my Christmas gifts were always split with my birthday which is a bummer when you are a kid!

 

[BigEeyore]

SAFD: It was pretty good timing on mother nature's part for this arctic blast to come through just as taper started! I don't have a TM, so I haven't run at all in 5 days. I have been doing cross training (indoor cycling, swimming) which I think has helped some of my running aches and pains recover a bit.
About to bundle up and brave the cold to get in 7 miles or so. We are getting close! Trying to just stay healthy and injury free for the next two weeks...

 

[Herding_Cats]

Anyone have a favorite sit-down restaurant in O'Hare? We are going to have nearly 3 hours between flights on our way down next week. (And our plane from Chicago to Orlando is HUGE, so I'm sure boarding/de-plane-ing is going to take forever.)

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

SAFD
Well I am tampering... tampering more than I should. I skipped one of my short runs last week beacuse of -35 windchill and I have no treadmill at my house. Then this sat I was suppose to run 14 miles but I am at my parents house for the holidays and all the family is here. We did skiing in the morning and then getting things ready for xmas. So only could fit in an hour run. I am hoping skiing helps with running... skied again on Sunday with family too. So at least my legs are getting some kind of work out even if I am not running as much as my plan says. I know my calves are hurting after skiing.

My pain is my ankle tendonitis issue... I took a week off of it a couple of weeks ago and it is doing okay. Every now again when I step on it the wrong way it hurts but I am trying to tape and baby it still. Good thing skiing does not hurt it at all since ski boots are basically cast.

 

[Dom497]

Blizzard Beach still showing as being open at 10am on marathon day while the event guide shows all the roads leading to BB closed till 12/12:30.

 

[PrincessV]

Nobody told me that planning not to finish a marathon takes more precision planning than actually running the marathon lol! I’m gonna think “out loud” here and please - shoot holes in my theories if they’re way off base…

Exit strategies, with my car parked at EP and not caring if I get a medal or not:

1. Worst case scenario: bail at mile 3 and find a way to backtrack to the start/finish area or my car. There must surely be a way to do that? Assuming a 15:00/mi pace and start time of 5:45, that would put me at 6:30, figure another :30 to get to a drop bag or my car to change/grab a backpack, :15 back to the monorail - I could be heading to a MK resort to eat around 7:15-7:30. If my friends that I start with maintain a 15:00/mi pace, they’d be around the GF/Poly about 8:45, right? So I could catch them there. Then either get back to my car and drive to my resort if I’m too wiped, or go find somewhere to sit in EP (I’m an AP and have EP reserved, just in case) to spectate.

2. Reasonably likely scenario/s: get as far as the TTC or CR: either one gives me an easy exit and access to food via monorail. Assuming the same 5:45 start, I’d likely hit TTC about 8-8:15, CR about 9:00; eat, get back to the finish/car around 10-10:30 - head into EP to spectate.

3. Semi-likely scenario: make it to the GF or Poly. Same approach as scenario 2, just arriving at EP :30-:45 later.

I’m torn between leaving whatever I’ll need to transition from runner to spectator in my car, or checking a bag. I feel like bag check might be a touch less walking back and forth, even if I manage to snag a close parking spot? And I’m thinking I should plan a layer of my race outfit that I can hang onto if I get warm enough to take it off, so I’ll have that for the travel/eating time - a light jacket or long sleeve and maybe a Mylar in a pocket. Am I missing any big obstacles in these plans?! Anything else I should consider? What do I do with my bib for my walk of “shame” - break the timing chip, roll it up and jam it in a pocket? Do they still have stuff to make spectator signs at the expo these days, or do I need to plan that on my own?

 

[GollyGadget]

Nobody told me that planning not to finish a marathon takes more precision planning than actually running the marathon lol! I’m gonna think “out loud” here and please - shoot holes in my theories if they’re way off base…

Exit strategies, with my car parked at EP and not caring if I get a medal or not:

1. Worst case scenario: bail at mile 3 and find a way to backtrack to the start/finish area or my car. There must surely be a way to do that? Assuming a 15:00/mi pace and start time of 5:45, that would put me at 6:30, figure another :30 to get to a drop bag or my car to change/grab a backpack, :15 back to the monorail - I could be heading to a MK resort to eat around 7:15-7:30. If my friends that I start with maintain a 15:00/mi pace, they’d be around the GF/Poly about 8:45, right? So I could catch them there. Then either get back to my car and drive to my resort if I’m too wiped, or go find somewhere to sit in EP (I’m an AP and have EP reserved, just in case) to spectate.

2. Reasonably likely scenario/s: get as far as the TTC or CR: either one gives me an easy exit and access to food via monorail. Assuming the same 5:45 start, I’d likely hit TTC about 8-8:15, CR about 9:00; eat, get back to the finish/car around 10-10:30 - head into EP to spectate.

3. Semi-likely scenario: make it to the GF or Poly. Same approach as scenario 2, just arriving at EP :30-:45 later.

I’m torn between leaving whatever I’ll need to transition from runner to spectator in my car, or checking a bag. I feel like bag check might be a touch less walking back and forth, even if I manage to snag a close parking spot? And I’m thinking I should plan a layer of my race outfit that I can hang onto if I get warm enough to take it off, so I’ll have that for the travel/eating time - a light jacket or long sleeve and maybe a Mylar in a pocket. Am I missing any big obstacles in these plans?! Anything else I should consider? What do I do with my bib for my walk of “shame” - break the timing chip, roll it up and jam it in a pocket? Do they still have stuff to make spectator signs at the expo these days, or do I need to plan that on my own?

How easy is it to get to bag check if you take the monorail back? It’s in the finisher area and, as a spectator, I’ve been shunned before for getting too close to those trucks. I’m sure you could explain the situation but I’m someone who prefers to avoid those types of hassles.

 

[opusone]

Anyone have a favorite sit-down restaurant in O'Hare? We are going to have nearly 3 hours between flights on our way down next week. (And our plane from Chicago to Orlando is HUGE, so I'm sure boarding/de-plane-ing is going to take forever.)

What airline are you flying?

 

[Herding_Cats]

What airline are you flying?

We are flying united. I think that probably puts us in terminal 2? Maybe?

 

[PrincessV]

How easy is it to get to bag check if you take the monorail back? It’s in the finisher area and, as a spectator, I’ve been shunned before for getting too close to those trucks. I’m sure you could explain the situation but I’m someone who prefers to avoid those types of hassles.

I’d still have my bib at that point, so I’m not worried about being able to access bag drop… BUT you got me thinking about monorail location relative to car or bag check… and at worst, car would be equally far as bag check, more likely car would be closer. I was thinking in terms of distance between car and start/finish area, but you’re right: I’ll be at the monorail platform. Thank you!

 

[Herding_Cats]

I have a "normal times" character-meet question.

This morning I watched Arno's 2020 MW videos. They had pre-race and post-race character meets. It seems like there was usually Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Dopey, and Pluto? And for the 10k Oswald was there as well. And during the races I'm pretty sure Dopey was on-course for at least 3 out of the 4 races.

Now, we all know that the 2022 weekend was a little different because there were still C19 protocols in place, but I'm pretty sure that Dopey was *only* out for the full (before the carousel in MK) and the line when I went through was SUPER long. And we know that pre/post race characters were back at W&D.

Which of these is more "normal" for a race weekend? I'm coming up with race-survival strategies, and deciding which characters are "must stop" for me, and which ones will probably have opportunities during multiple races.

 

[steph0808]

Tapering is going well so far. With the super freeze here in the Northeast, I have been on the treadmill since Thursday when it started. My long run for the weekend was 9, but I cut it to 8 because...treadmill.

This week is just a bunch of 3s and 4s, so I'm hoping to slide into our flight next Tuesday in good shape!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Which of these is more "normal" for a race weekend? I'm coming up with race-survival strategies, and deciding which characters are "must stop" for me, and which ones will probably have opportunities during multiple races.

Every year that I did Dopey (2014-2018) he was minimally meeting after the marathon. I remember at least one other occasion (which is not exclusive to him being on course other times) during the 2014 5k(?) (inaugural year and first race). ETA - Actually on 2nd thought, the 2014 5k Dopey WAS the only chance to get a race photo with him. Looking at my post-race photos I don't have a marathon medal and me with him. Although maybe he wasn't there when I was and someone can correct me. But I do have pics with him in the other four years. I vaguely remember their being a lot of complaints after 2014 that he wasn't out for post-marathon pics.

In the pre-C19 days, it was really common that the "host" of the race was available pre and post their specific race. So if Pluto was the 5k "host", then they were almost always available pre/post. Many times there wasn't a ton of overlap between the available characters in the 5k, 10k, and HM. The HM and M would tend to double up on some characters in some locations (like on World Dr. heading to MK), but not always.

If the character is not the "host" and it is a "must stop", then assume you won't get another opportunity. That's the safest strategy.

 

[opusone]

We are flying united. I think that probably puts us in terminal 2? Maybe?

United is Terminal 1… so I would say Wicker Park Seafood and Sushi Bar (which is in Concourse C of Terminal 1, but they also have a spot in Terminal 2 close to where you walk to/from Terminal 1). Otherwise, maybe Tuscany Cafe in Concourse B of Terminal 1.

 

[Kerry1957]

We are flying united. I think that probably puts us in terminal 2? Maybe?

I've heard good things about Tortas Frontera, although seating appears fairly limited. Although I've been in O'Hare about a million times, I rarely eat there (other than the United lounges) since I live so close by.

Here is a link that lists all the possibilities https://chicago.eater.com/2015/11/19/9754432/ohare-chicago-airport-food-restaurants-ord

 

[kristenabelle]

Tapering is going ok! Feeling pretty good after my outing today.

Feeling not so great about the state of air travel lol. I'm on the first flight out next Tuesday of like 8 (and it hasn't been cancelled in some time, per flight aware) and I've decided to stuff 11 days of travel wear & race gear into carryons. But if my anxiety gets worse I may chuck my gear into my car and haul allllll the way down 95 for the first time ever.

Hoping all of us on this thread avoid the holiday travel muck and get to WDW safely and swiftly!