Marathon Weekend 2020

I'm going to be staying off-resort for the first time for a race. I will have a rental car but was curious what the process is if you drive for one of the bigger races (half and full) Do you leave the car in one lot and return from the finish (other park) Has anyone had experience? Was it an easy task or complicated?

You might want to look at the old course maps since you seem to be thinking this is like another one of the weekends. Start and finish area are both at or near Epcot for Marathon weekend. We are not one of the races that’s starts one place and ends in another.
 
I'm going to be staying off-resort for the first time for a race. I will have a rental car but was curious what the process is if you drive for one of the bigger races (half and full) Do you leave the car in one lot and return from the finish (other park) Has anyone had experience? Was it an easy task or complicated?
Until we get course maps, no one can say for sure where the races will start and finish, but in the past, they all started and finished at EP. I drive to every race and it's very easy - just allow plenty of time and follow the signs. I like to depart my hotel at the same time race buses for the WDW resorts start running - and that info will be provided in the Race Guide that will come out a few weeks before race weekend. For the races that do start and finish in different places, like Star Wars, for instance, yes, we park at EP and take a shuttle bus to the start. All very simple and easy!
 
If you've booked air on Southwest for marathon week a while back, you should definitely check the rates now. My daughter is going in March for Spring Break and we were booking her air to/from Chicago, and I checked my flight home in December and the rate dropped by $58, so I was able to rebook it and get the credit. Then I checked my flights on marathon week. I am using points, but I was able to get 8,500 points back on my same flights. I was very happy when I went to sleep last night!
 
Darn!! Missed the available bibs again! Also dealing with flight changes from Canada and thinking about shortening the trip if I can't get the 5k...
 


What mileages are all the Dopey's logging this weekend? Im scheduled for 6 & 16, but I might scale it back to 5 & 16 because I am old. :)

I've got 6 & 16, as well, but this is my peak mileage week for Space Coast coming up Dec 1st. I'm definitely enjoying the cooler weather as these higher mileages hit, though!
 


I've got 6 & 16, as well, but this is my peak mileage week for Space Coast coming up Dec 1st. I'm definitely enjoying the cooler weather as these higher mileages hit, though!

Marine Corps 50K? I'll be out there as well! Good luck! The rain doesn't bother me all that much, once I get going. I'm usually pretty sweaty for most longer races anyway, so what's a little more water!?!?
 
Folks who have done the pre-order jackets in the past, what’s been your opinion of them? Good fit? Good material? Do you actually wear it? Is it worth ordering one?

I won’t get to the expo until Thursday and I’m a common size (men’s xl), so I’m worried about stuff being picked over.
I like the feel of the new material. I also wear a MXL and the fit is fine. As a taller guy, I'm very picky about fit since most companies define XL as shorter and heavier set than me. I don't think they're very warm though depending on where you live. Not a big deal for me out in California.
Has anyone done Whispering Canyon Cafe? Do you recommend it? I know I could do it solo, but would I miss out by not doing it in a group?
I ate there with my parents and siblings back in 2006. Enjoyed the food and the hijinks were quite entertaining. I think it would be more fun in a group because of how the different personalities within your group will play out with the hijinks especially when you know the people in your party.
What mileages are all the Dopey's logging this weekend? Im scheduled for 6 & 16, but I might scale it back to 5 & 16 because I am old. :)
3 consecutive runs of 3.75 tonight, 5 tomorrow, and 7.5 on Saturday.

SAFD: I will say that I enjoy character interactions immensely. That said, I really only interact with my very favorite characters, so I'm not running from character to character. I will interact with characters more after races because the medals add a really enjoyable new dynamic.

Disneyland: Wandering through Fantasyland between 11:00pm and 12:00am. This area is so magical at night and the crowds tend to die down that final hour. That's happening less often these days though since I find it rather difficult to leave Galaxy's Edge.

Disney California Adventure: Maybe this counts as an attraction, but I really enjoy sitting in the Animation Academy and watching the concept art compared to final animation from assorted Disney and Pixar films. A great escape from the heat on hot days and a break off my feet at other times.

MK: I try not to compare the Magic Kingdom to the one that Walt Disney himself built so in the MK, I focus on what Disneyland does not have. This translates to a lot of attractions, although I do enjoy the wide variety of photo options the MK offers.

Epcot: Wandering through World Showcase especially after dark. I also enjoy the Kessel Run Victory Tour in which I take photos of my Kessel Run medal in various locales throughout the parks.

DHS: While I technically have not done this in DHS yet, I have done it many times in Disneyland and I'm confident it will be amazing out east too. Wandering through Galaxy's Edge and soaking it all in. Watching what the characters are doing, how they interact with other guests. Sometimes Rey and Chewie try to repair the X-Wing. Other times Rey might be training young Resistance members. Interacting with the characters myself at other times. I grew up with Star Wars so to walk through Batuu and have it feel real is an incredible experience for me.

AK: Wandering behind the Tree of Life.
 
What mileages are all the Dopey's logging this weekend? Im scheduled for 6 & 16, but I might scale it back to 5 & 16 because I am old. :)
I had penciled a 10k (training) and a half (training race) but decided to not register to the race because it is supposed to rain. I will probably get close to these distances anyway.
 
For those of you who have been to WDW during Marathon weekend, what do you think of the current park hours? Do they usually extend the hours closer to Jan? Right now all the parks close at 9 which seems so early for a major weekend. I haven’t done a rundisney race since 2013 but I remember closing out MK the Sunday of the Princess Half and it was open till midnight I think.
I even checked the paid events and since we are only there Fri-Mon we can’t do any.
 
For those of you who have been to WDW during Marathon weekend, what do you think of the current park hours? Do they usually extend the hours closer to Jan? Right now all the parks close at 9 which seems so early for a major weekend. I haven’t done a rundisney race since 2013 but I remember closing out MK the Sunday of the Princess Half and it was open till midnight I think.
I even checked the paid events and since we are only there Fri-Mon we can’t do any.
Somebody must have a history of hours somewhere, but, yeah, those hours feel short to me. I'm there Fri-Mon too. I think I've decided to only get a 1-day ticket for Monday because Sunday is just not worth it after I race, shower, inevitably nap a little, etc.
 
What mileages are all the Dopey's logging this weekend? Im scheduled for 6 & 16, but I might scale it back to 5 & 16 because I am old. :)

Not doing Dopey, but I'm in the middle of another peak week right now:

M- OFF

T- 80 Day Obsession AAA (55 min) + 75 min cycle with 4x8-minute intervals at 105% FTP with 4-minute recoveries

W- 45 min run with 4 x 3 min @ 3k pace w/ 3 min recovery

R- Brick: 105 min cycle at Half Ironman Bike pace + 45 min run at HM Tempo (6.5 miles)

F- 80 Day Obsession TBC (61 min) + 60 min cycle at endurance aerobic

Sa- 285 min cycle at Ironman Bike Pacing (~72 miles) + 45 min run at easy

Su- 160 min run at long run pace (~21 miles) + 80 Day Obsession CF (30 min)

In total, 16 hours and close to 38 running miles and 168 cycling miles.
 
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Peak week already? Seems early, no?

I don't think it's too early. The plan keeps me up here near the top for three weeks, with two max long runs. Here is the run in to race week.

This week: R/6/6/10/R/6/16 (44.0)
5 wks out: R/6/6/11/R/6/9.5 (38.5)
4 wks out: R/6/6/12/R/6/16 (43.5)
3 wks out: R/6/6/12/R/6/9.5 (39.5)
2 wks out: R/5.5/5/12/R/5/7 (34.5)
Race Week: R/6/4/3/R/2/26.2 (41.2)

The mileage isn't super high (@DopeyBadger Higdon based plan), so the peak isn't that tall, but then the taper doesn't fall off steeply, either. I've had good luck with this plan in the past.
 
For those of you who have been to WDW during Marathon weekend, what do you think of the current park hours? Do they usually extend the hours closer to Jan? Right now all the parks close at 9 which seems so early for a major weekend. I haven’t done a rundisney race since 2013 but I remember closing out MK the Sunday of the Princess Half and it was open till midnight I think.
I even checked the paid events and since we are only there Fri-Mon we can’t do any.
The thing is, it's really not a major weekend for anyone other than the racers, and we're not the majority of park visitors. It's a very slow time of the year for the parks, and park hours reflect that. 9pm is actually pretty late - I remember an 8pm closing at MK one Marathon Sunday.
 

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