Marathon Weekend 2018

[DopeyBadger]

@DopeyBadger, your question is stressing me out. I'll say to recreate the running zen of 2017. Not ready to commit to a time goal . . . yet.

 

[whaler8]

I accomplished my first goal of registering for Dopey 2018. It was a goal of mine to do something I never thought I could accomplish as to push myself. Overall my goal will be to work hard and have fun with the journey of getting ready for Dopey so that I can truly enjoy each and every race that weekend and finish every race with a smile and fist pump.

 

[princess_jamie]

Thanks!

This is my first Disney cruise and Dopey will be my first marathon. Eek! My parents are cruisers now - they go on 2 or 3 a year with friends. I didn't know you could put cruises on hold. Did you do it through the Disney site or a third party?

I did it through a travel agent, but they booked through Disney Cruise Line - DCL does a courtesy 3 day hold and then the deposit it due by the end of 3rd day or it gets cancelled.

 

[princess_jamie]

Marathon Weekend Goals
So, let's hear them! What's your goal? Remember yesterday (or a few weeks ago) you signed up for a race during marathon weekend for a reason, so what is it?

My goals:
Finish my first marathon! (what?!)
Finish Dopey
Ride EE during marathon
Get a picture with free Genie (in the goofy hat) - I didn't stop for him during PHM and nearly cried about it the whole rest of the race/day
PR on half marathon during training for Dopey to get a better corral
Start a training journal to build some transparency/accountability for training to ensure success!
Make new friends!!!

 

[steph0808]

My goals for the 2018 marathon.

1. Finish
2. Enjoy it - even the highways and WWOS (which sucked in 2013). I was so sick and exhausted that I really started to hate life between AK and DHS - so for about...12 miles?
3. Finish faster than I did in 2013 when it was hotter than Hades and I had the flu (this one really shouldn't be hard, since my time was 6 hours 40 minutes plus)

I'm still undecided on character photos. I stopped for a lot in 2013 because I was sick and knew I wouldn't run a good pace anyway. If I find someone I desperately love, I'll stop. It also depends if I run the Erie Marathon in September (which I'm contemplating). If I run and get a good time there, I'll stop for more photos in Disney.

 

[PrincessV]

Oops, wrong thread...

 

[Princess KP]

GOALS:

1. Have fun running the 5K with DD18, take lots of photos and hope she enjoys running as much as I do. I just started running last year and I am hooked!
2. Finish the Goofy! Having "upgraded" to the Full when the Half didn't happen this past January, I need a do-over and more!
3. Right now, the Half will be for "time". I will stop for some characters but mostly this will be to prove to myself that I can do it.
4. Will take in the full Disney experience in the Full. Marathon 2017 was such a blur, trying to keep going for a race I wasn't prepared for was tough! This time, I will stop for lots of photos, ride ToT and enjoy a margarita.
5. DATW on Monday. Will be solo as DD will be back at university so hoping I can tag along with other DISers.

 

[CherieFran]

Marathon Weekend Goals

1) Finish the Dopey Challenge
2) Take photos with (at a minimum) any character I recognize that I don't already have a RunDisney photo with.
2b) Figure out better/less awkward photo poses
.
.
. [way down the priority list]
3) Finish the marathon faster than the 2013 WDW Marathon (5:32:48).

 

[Princess KP]

2. Enjoy it - even the highways and WWOS (which sucked in 2013). I was so sick and exhausted that I really started to hate life between AK and DHS - so for about...12 miles?

LOL...so it wasn't just me that felt that way??

 

[TeeterTots]

@DopeyBadger you didn't like my post a page back #1050 and I'm feeling a little self conscious! Lol

 

[KimK2006]

We received two confirmations right away. One came a few hours later. One still hasn't come. I printed the receipt, so, I am assuming all is ok!

Last one just came in....26 hours later!

 

[DopeyBadger]

@DopeyBadger you didn't like my post a page back #1050 and I'm feeling a little self conscious! Lol

Nothing personal, looks like I missed a few there. "Double Like"

 

[BikeFan]

Goals:
My own goals are they same they've been for most RunDisney races - have fun, this time running my first Dopey. I'm coming down with a ton of extended family, and I'll probably run with some of them. Goals may change depending on how I feel next winter, but I doubt I'll do any of the events at "race pace", although that may or may not change. Once of these days, I need to get a beer in the middle of a race!

Much more importantly, I've cajoled a number of family members to step it up and try a new distance. My 70+y.o. mom is running her first half, and my son, wife, and brother-in-law are running their first full, with a few more family members also on the fence about joining in for 26.2. Since I'll be the one "coaching" all these rookies, my biggest goal is for them to arrive at the starting line well-trained and healthy, so their races are fun experiences and not miserable death marches. If they all finish happy, it'll be a great weekend. It'll be an even better weekend if my son decides to race the marathon and not just jog it, because he's got the potential to go sub-3:00 if he actually puts in the miles! Getting a BQ in his first marathon would be a nice accomplishment!

 

[Chaitali]

My goals are to stay healthy during the training for my first full and finish it in good enough shape to still be able to enjoy the parks the following week

 

[Nole95]

My main goal will be to finish the Dopey Challenge.

Once I get closer to starting actual training, I'll decide what major goal, if any, I want to shoot for.

 

[bananabean]

I did it through a travel agent, but they booked through Disney Cruise Line - DCL does a courtesy 3 day hold and then the deposit it due by the end of 3rd day or it gets cancelled.

Thanks! I had no idea I could do that.

 

[FelisLachesis]

There are a lot of variables here, but I'll make some assumptions. The first is all Disney transportation. Assume she is out of MK by 8:00 AM. Walk [10 minutes from main gate] to the Contemporary to get a Disney bus to AK. The buses should be running by then for guests with early breakfast ressies. Once at AK, assume a 10 minute walk to the parking lot. From AK to Epcot there is direct bus service so you can use that and will have plenty of time to get to the main entrance. If you have a park ticket, you can bus from AK to any one of the Epcot area resorts and watch her run down the canal [mile 24] or by the YC/BC and then enter IG to head towards the finish. The other option as others might suggest would be to taxi/uber from MK to AK, if you're concerned about time. I think time is on your side from AK to Epcot.

As my husband will confirm, flexibility is key! In 2015, he relied on Disney transportation and ended up seeing me at TTC, outside Poly, WWOS (x2) and at the finish. This was not the original plan, and lesson learned was that Disney transport is unpredictable. While there should have been a bus going from Poly to AK for early breakfast reservations at the right time, it didn't show up, for example.

So for the 2017 marathon, he planned to take taxis. I told him to just meet me at the finish, but he didn't listen. I thought that would be a bad idea because drivers may be unfamiliar with road closures, etc. He used cabs anyway, and saw me at TTC, Poly, outside AK, picked up the kids from our room at BWI and then Epcot. At the end, he was very happy and far less irritated.

So I'd agree with @PCFriar80 regarding the Disney transportation plan. That's what I'd try to do if spectating, with the understanding PCFriar and I mentioned - lots of variables and flexibility is key! My husband would tell you to walk over to CR at get a cab, and then try to do the same at AK. Maybe it's a combination of both, based on game time factors.

Thank you to both! Sorry for not mentioning that I'm going to try using Disney transportation, but both of you touched on that, which helped, thank you. I don't intend to park-hop. It seems EP-monorail-MK, and then MK-walk to Contemporary-bus-AK, and then AK-EP is my best bet.

She is a slower runner, I like to say slow and steady. She'll keep the "bus of shame" in her rear-view, but not by much.

 

[bananabean]

Marathon Weekend Goals

1. Finish my first marathon and first Dopey.
2. Not die.

I like to manage expectations.

 

[AbbyJaws2003]

Marathon Weekend Goals

I don't have any specific goals for the half, I want to have fun and enjoy it and have a strong run the whole way through it. I would like to improve on my half times and PR, but not a necessity for me to have a good race. Oh, and no injuries/illnesses please.

 

[DVCFan1994]

I signed up for the 10k and the full, and they will have different goals.

For the 10k, I want to PR at Disney My fastest 10k and my fastest Disney 10k are about 8 minutes apart. I am always a slow starter and get much faster the second half of races, which works out ok at Disney. I have never raced a 10k at Disney because I always have a half the next day. The fact that I won't this time will give me a chance to try.

For the Marathon, I want to just finish and have as much fun as possible. I'd like to catch a ride somewhere, but where I do it will likely depend how I am feeling. I will definitely stop for a Margarita, because salt intake is important to me, and I am sure I'll be out of shot bloks by the the time I reach EPCOT. I will do character stops, though how many I have not really thought about.

My goals are initial though. I have not done a marathon yet, but have one planned for mid October. I haven't signed up for that because of some uncertainty in DHs schedule, but hope to have it hammered out in the next month or so. If that one falls through (MDI in Maine) I can go for the Cape Cod Marathon the last weekend of October. If whichever marathon I do is a really good or really awful experience, I am sure my goals for the WDW marathon will also change.