Marathon Weekend 2021

[ANIM8R]

I disagree with you on this point. You don’t have to run 18-20 miles in training as long as you have the right plan, even being your first marathon. I went from a half to full as part of dopey in one year. I was on a @DopeyBadger plan and my longest run in training was only 10.5 miles. I may not be fast but I had absolutely no problems finishing and felt great at the end even with last year’s heat, not quite as hot as this year but it was still toasty.

The key is finding the right plan that works for you and stick to it. Put the effort into the training and you will be fine.

I bow and otherwise defer to any and all @DopeyBadger advice!

 

[pwmitch237]

Sprained my ankle in the marathon while attempting to finish Dopey this year, so guess I have to try again in 2021... I want those medals.

 

[steph0808]

The marathon was earlier in 2018, the marathon was on the 7th which was my oldest son's birthday.

I know - I compared the calendars for 2018 and 2021. I know it probably won't be as crowded, since most kids will be going back to school. In 2018, we flew out right after New Years, but I still think it will be busier than I would like.

I say that now. Ask me again in April.

 

[UK_Disney_Dopey_Hopeful]

HI All,

Im in. Im coming from the UK and this will be my first RunDisney event and am very excited. My only disappointment is we cant afford the whole family to come over, would have loved my son and wife to have been there to see me complete the races, but they are very understanding and very supportive of my running so i plan to have a t shirt made with a family photo on it so i can run it and feel like they are there with me because without them id never be where i am today

This was a challenge i set myself when i first started on my weight loss and fitness program 3 years ago and all started with couch to 5k. Last year i completed 5 half marathons and even PB best of 1:41. So i would encourage anyone reading this, you can achieve your dreams and i still remember how daunting week 1 of couch to 5k seemed at the time, but the rewards are fantastic. Good Luck everybody and i hope to maybe meet some of you next year

 

[lovin'fl]

I know - I compared the calendars for 2018 and 2021. I know it probably won't be as crowded, since most kids will be going back to school. In 2018, we flew out right after New Years, but I still think it will be busier than I would like.

I say that now. Ask me again in April.

We went for NYE in 2018. Was due to check out and go home that Thursday but snow expected on our drive home made us stay 2 more nights (Thur and Fri nights of marathon weekend). It was CRAZY! We got the last cash room (that wasn't ridiculously expensive) at CSR. Trying to get FP was impossible and taking buses to parks was insane. New Year's had been bad too and that craziness just continued right into marathon weekend. We swore off ever doing NY's at WDW again.

 

[Dopey 2020]

In for Dopey #2!! I’ll be begging Disney to take my $$ when early reg. opens. This past weekend was epic even with the heat, I made it through all of 2019 injury free, hit my goal paces at Dopey and shattered my full PR. Fingers crossed that I can repeat.

 

[baxter24]

There is no way its going to be that hot for the marathon three years in a row right?!? Slowly planting the seeds for a return trip next year. For as long as I'm able to, I want to be able to keep doing marathon weekend.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

We’re in for 2021. My husband is going to stick to Goofy and I’m going to stick to the Jell-O shots during the 10k and full.

Planning on staying at Boardwalk again.

 

[lovingeire]

I can’t believe I’m typing this, but my husband and I have determined we’re in for Dopey next year. It will be our first full, but we’ve done many halves. And I’m planning on running all three races W&D weekend, as long as the registration gods smile down on me! I’m so nervous about a full. I know I can handle the three as I’ve done three before for other rundisney weekends, but that full scares me. I’m trying to focus on keeping my training up this winter, incorporating more strength training and hopefully losing a little weight to make the process easier on me. Any and all tips for surviving and enjoying it are welcome!

We *think* we’re going to bring the kids as my oldest son will turn 21 on the 13th so we can stick around for his birthday. And he can watch his younger brothers. We’re undecided where to stay at this point. Might do a split stay & start off at AoA for the two rooms and then switch to deluxe but I have to think some more on that.

 

[Dopey 2020]

I can’t believe I’m typing this, but my husband and I have determined we’re in for Dopey next year. It will be our first full, but we’ve done many halves. And I’m planning on running all three races W&D weekend, as long as the registration gods smile down on me! I’m so nervous about a full. I know I can handle the three as I’ve done three before for other rundisney weekends, but that full scares me. I’m trying to focus on keeping my training up this winter, incorporating more strength training and hopefully losing a little weight to make the process easier on me. Any and all tips for surviving and enjoying it are welcome!

We *think* we’re going to bring the kids as my oldest son will turn 21 on the 13th so we can stick around for his birthday. And he can watch his younger brothers. We’re undecided where to stay at this point. Might do a split stay & start off at AoA for the two rooms and then switch to deluxe but I have to think some more on that.

The word you’re looking for isn’t nervous, it’s excited! You can do this no problem! Sounds like you are already well trained, and will hopefully get lucky with where wine and dine fits on the calendar. I did both weekends this year and tweaked a training plan just enough that W&D was basically a training run for Dopey and from August to November my training would have been the same if I was only doing one or the other. Knowing the dates this far out you can set up your plan and crush your goals.

 

[pluto377]

Not sure about next year. I'm most likely doing W&D 2020, so I'm probably out for MW. DH would probably kill me if I tried to take two trips that close together. But I'm not saying I'm definitely out just yet. I know for sure I'm going back for Dopey 2022.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Can we discuss fuel again? This past weekend I was certain I had my plan dialed in and for the most part I did, just a couple hiccups. First, no matter how good that mid marathon banana tastes my stomach doesn’t like it. Next, I seemed happy alternating between chews and stinger waffles during training and seemed to have enough energy during the races especially given the conditions. The problem with the waffles however is they are hard to eat while running and if you don’t eat the whole thing, they become a sweat soaked lump of wet cracker in the Florida heat. Having never really tried all the different gels available I am thinking maybe now is the time. They seem ridiculously simple to both carry and eat but aside from providing fuel do they do anything at all to calm actual hunger? Sometimes I feel like I need to eat some real food.
Seems like a lot of runners go with GU but I’ve had great luck with Honey Stinger as far as taste and digestion. Anyone know any real differences between all the brands? I’m going to be running the princess challenge as a slow recovery before attempting to PR Star Wars weekend and figure it would be an opportunity to try something new.

 

[camaker]

Can we discuss fuel again? This past weekend I was certain I had my plan dialed in and for the most part I did, just a couple hiccups. First, no matter how good that mid marathon banana tastes my stomach doesn’t like it. Next, I seemed happy alternating between chews and stinger waffles during training and seemed to have enough energy during the races especially given the conditions. The problem with the waffles however is they are hard to eat while running and if you don’t eat the whole thing, they become a sweat soaked lump of wet cracker in the Florida heat. Having never really tried all the different gels available I am thinking maybe now is the time. They seem ridiculously simple to both carry and eat but aside from providing fuel do they do anything at all to calm actual hunger? Sometimes I feel like I need to eat some real food.
Seems like a lot of runners go with GU but I’ve had great luck with Honey Stinger as far as taste and digestion. Anyone know any real differences between all the brands? I’m going to be running the princess challenge as a slow recovery before attempting to PR Star Wars weekend and figure it would be an opportunity to try something new.

My two current favorite gels for fuel are:

Maurten - I don’t get stomach upset with them and they have the huge advantage of being able to be taken without water due to their hydrogel technology. The biggest con is that they can be hard to find and are expensive.

Huma - Chia seed based, they’re about the consistency of applesauce and they have some great flavors. They work wonderfully with my stomach and don’t cause any upset. They do have to be timed with aid stations so they can be taken with water, though.

 

[chantaldb]

Count me in for Dopey! Made the reservation with the runDisney partner here in the Netherlands today! Travelling solo, and went for the All Stars Sports option. Other choice was Coronado Springs. Figured that if I change my mind about the resorts, it'll be easier to upgrade than to downgrade. Have done the Disneyland Paris 36K challenge twice already and will be running that again this year (and next for the Castle to Chateau). Have run a few half marathons and my first full one in Valencia (Spain) last month. For this year I've signed up for the Frankfurt (Germany) full in October.
A couple of practical questions already: what is the deadline for submitting the Proof of Time. And on the subject of fuel...I would like to take my own brand of gels with me, but I am not sure if that would be allowed (by US Customs). At the moment I use Hammer, but might switch to Maurten in the meantime. These brands seem to be available in the US, so I might have to have these delivered at the resort. Guess that would not pose any problems.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Didn‘t think about water, that makes it tougher. I don’t carry any water with me, only the aid stations

My two current favorite gels for fuel are:

Maurten - I don’t get stomach upset with them and they have the huge advantage of being able to be taken without water due to their hydrogel technology. The biggest con is that they can be hard to find and are expensive.

Huma - Chia seed based, they’re about the consistency of applesauce and they have some great flavors. They work wonderfully with my stomach and don’t cause any upset. They do have to be timed with aid stations so they can be taken with water, though.

 

[Oswald0827]

Time to get the next one going, right?

I’m in (I think ) but not sure which races yet.

 

[ANIM8R]

Seems like a lot of runners go with GU but I’ve had great luck with Honey Stinger as far as taste and digestion. Anyone know any real differences between all the brands? I’m going to be running the princess challenge as a slow recovery before attempting to PR Star Wars weekend and figure it would be an opportunity to try something new.

One that I really don't hear mentioned too often is Carb Boom. When I started running again, I tried Gu but their consistency was a little too thick for my liking. I tried Cliff Shots (they were a runDisney sponsor back in the day) and I used them quite a bit. Carb Boom sponsored a local half here in central OH and I really like their texture and taste. They're my go-to and I've used them now for years. I get them via Subscribe & Save through Amazon.

As far as consistency goes for the three listed above (from highest "thickness" to lowest) Gu, Cliff Shots, then Carb Boom. (Of course, that's my opinion...no viscosity tests were conducted and no energy gels were harmed in this opinion!)

I hope that helps a little.

ETA: I also like Sports Beans (Orange!) due to them being handed out at Disney. Unfortunately, I don't really chew solids and run well so they're more of a treat for when I need to actually "chew" something on those really long runs.

 

[lhermiston]

Considering that this time last year I said I was definitely out for MW, I won’t make any proclamations about my participation just yet. Though I’m already dying to find out if Rogue Two and the Goof Troop Roving Road Party (TM) can top this year’s shenanigans.

 

[KevM]

Can we discuss fuel again? This past weekend I was certain I had my plan dialed in and for the most part I did, just a couple hiccups. First, no matter how good that mid marathon banana tastes my stomach doesn’t like it. Next, I seemed happy alternating between chews and stinger waffles during training and seemed to have enough energy during the races especially given the conditions. The problem with the waffles however is they are hard to eat while running and if you don’t eat the whole thing, they become a sweat soaked lump of wet cracker in the Florida heat. Having never really tried all the different gels available I am thinking maybe now is the time. They seem ridiculously simple to both carry and eat but aside from providing fuel do they do anything at all to calm actual hunger? Sometimes I feel like I need to eat some real food.
Seems like a lot of runners go with GU but I’ve had great luck with Honey Stinger as far as taste and digestion. Anyone know any real differences between all the brands? I’m going to be running the princess challenge as a slow recovery before attempting to PR Star Wars weekend and figure it would be an opportunity to try something new.

I use Gu (specifically their Campfire S’more flavor). Generally water is needed but there are conditions (like this past weekend) when they become liquid enough to take without water. I’ve recently started trying Science in Sports (SIS). That’s an isotonic gel, so no water is needed for these. I’ve started with the Espresso flavor, which while growing on me I am still not a huge fan of. Now that I have a few weeks off until my next training cycle I am going to try a couple of other flavors and see if I can find one I like.

 

[hotblooded]

Count me in for Dopey! Made the reservation with the runDisney partner here in the Netherlands today! Travelling solo, and went for the All Stars Sports option. Other choice was Coronado Springs. Figured that if I change my mind about the resorts, it'll be easier to upgrade than to downgrade. Have done the Disneyland Paris 36K challenge twice already and will be running that again this year (and next for the Castle to Chateau). Have run a few half marathons and my first full one in Valencia (Spain) last month. For this year I've signed up for the Frankfurt (Germany) full in October.
A couple of practical questions already: what is the deadline for submitting the Proof of Time. And on the subject of fuel...I would like to take my own brand of gels with me, but I am not sure if that would be allowed (by US Customs). At the moment I use Hammer, but might switch to Maurten in the meantime. These brands seem to be available in the US, so I might have to have these delivered at the resort. Guess that would not pose any problems.

I’ve never had a problem bringing processed, packaged foods through customs. Declare it upon arrival if you’re concerned, but in general, you’d only need to worry about fresh fruit/vegetables, meat, and dairy.
More detailed CBP descriptions here.