Marathon Weekend 2021

After a near perfect Dopey week/weekend in 2020 where I hit all of my goals of having a great family trip with great weather (I love the heat), having fun at all 4 races with friends and family members who ran different races all weekend and hitting my goal of having fun in the marathon, stopping for pictures, etc yet still hitting a time goal of breaking 4 hours for the first time, I am planning to break our 3 year string and skip MW 2021. We are planning to do 2020 Wine and Dine this Fall.

For MW 2021, I know I won't be walking a DVC reservation in February and buying my bibs on the DVC presale date but as the year progresses I won't rule out coming down to perhaps do just the marathon assuming it doesn't sell out too early. I really do love marathon weekend.
 
2. How do y'all handle race week? Does anyone visit the parks or would it be a waste of money to buy park tickets for the race days?

I look forward to learning from everyone on this thread!

Depends on your priorities. We're annual passholders that live 3 hours away so we won't go too hard in the parks. He also got a nap every afternoon. Dinner was typically at 5PM on the night before the races and we were asleep by 7:30/8. My husband also does marathon weekend after the worst time of year for his job (retail manager) so he's already exhausted coming into the weekend. That said, when we did Disneyland Paris we went hard the day I ran the 5K.

For marathon weekend, we did the following:
1) 5K - Made him race it so we could get our Rise of Resistance Boarding Group, then left for race clean up and were in the park from like 9AM to 1PM afterwards - did 4 rides (Rock'n'Roller Coaster, Toy Story, Star Tours, Rise of Resistance)
2) 10K - At Magic Kingdom from like 9:30AM to 1PM - did 6 rides (Buzz, Mine Train, Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Pirates, Thunder Mountain),
3) Half Marathon - At EPCOT from 9:30AM to 12:30PM - did 5 rides as we got lucky with last minute FP+ for Frozen, ate at V
4) Marathon - At HS from 3PM to 430PM - did no rides (and probably made someone's day when i canceled our Slinky Dog FP+)
 
I am considering doing Dopey 2021. Dopey has been on my bucket list for years but never felt like I might be able to train up for it before - longest distance so far has been a half marathon.

In 2019 I ran a lot. Did Wine and Dine 5k/10k/half and felt great during the races, walked another 20,000 steps in the parks the day of the half, and wasn't sore at all the next day - this was the point where I started thinking that maybe I could train up to a marathon and maybe even Dopey.

I might try to do a local marathon first (next major local marathon here is in May) and see how things go. Although May is after registration opens for Marathon Weekend, so this would be taking the risk that Dopey may sell out by then...
 


I might try to do a local marathon first (next major local marathon here is in May) and see how things go. Although May is after registration opens for Marathon Weekend, so this would be taking the risk that Dopey may sell out by then...

I registered for Dopey in August, and I don't think it sold out until well into Fall, so I think you would be safe.
 
Depends on your priorities. We're annual passholders that live 3 hours away so we won't go too hard in the parks. He also got a nap every afternoon. Dinner was typically at 5PM on the night before the races and we were asleep by 7:30/8. My husband also does marathon weekend after the worst time of year for his job (retail manager) so he's already exhausted coming into the weekend. That said, when we did Disneyland Paris we went hard the day I ran the 5K.

For marathon weekend, we did the following:
1) 5K - Made him race it so we could get our Rise of Resistance Boarding Group, then left for race clean up and were in the park from like 9AM to 1PM afterwards - did 4 rides (Rock'n'Roller Coaster, Toy Story, Star Tours, Rise of Resistance)
2) 10K - At Magic Kingdom from like 9:30AM to 1PM - did 6 rides (Buzz, Mine Train, Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Pirates, Thunder Mountain),
3) Half Marathon - At EPCOT from 9:30AM to 12:30PM - did 5 rides as we got lucky with last minute FP+ for Frozen, ate at V
4) Marathon - At HS from 3PM to 430PM - did no rides (and probably made someone's day when i canceled our Slinky Dog FP+)

Great info, thanks!
 
1. I can’t help much with this one. You can upgrade and pay the difference if the races are still available.

2. Twenty people will probably give you 20 different responses. Personally, I go hard at the parks since I don’t want to sacrifice park time for race time. I go home at the end of the trip fairly exhausted, but I’m good with that.

3. I used a travel agent.

Thank you! Researching agents now.
 


There is no way its going to be that hot for the marathon three years in a row right?!?
DO NOT PUT THAT OUT THERE IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!!!!!!!!
After last year I said, "No way will it be hot two years in a row!" And guess what? It was HOTTER. I will never utter such words again! lol

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?
I've tried real food but it's cumbersome to carry and made no difference to my body, so now I just stick to gels: 1 every 45 minutes. I've used GU, ClifShots, Honey Stinger and Gatorade and found no particular difference beyond taste/flavor options and consistency. GU is a slightly smaller package than the others, but not really enough to push it to the front. I mostly go by what's on sale!

I’m a probably for Dopey 5.0. I think then I might take a break after 5 dopeys in a row.
Uh huh, that's what they all say! :rotfl:

2021 hopefully will be my first Run Disney & first 26.2 (Dopey :oops:) but I have a few questions:

1. Can you purchase a 26.2 or Goofy and then upgrade later to the Goofy/Dopey? Best practice?
2. How do y'all handle race week? Does anyone visit the parks or would it be a waste of money to buy park tickets for the race days?
3. Best way to book your room+race entry+tickets without having to pay full up front? We just got back from a New Years Disney trip and need to recover :earsboy:
1. You can, but only if Goofy/Dopey is still open at that point and you'll pay a hefty fee ($75 last I saw) to do so.
2. I spent virtually no time in parks this year, but I'm also local and can do that outside of a race weekend. I do best with plenty of down time between races.
3. I handle race registration first. I have an annual pass that renews in March, so that's a separate item. And I book my offsite resort separately - it has a deposit to pay up front, and the rest due in Dec., which spreads out the expenses.
 
DO NOT PUT THAT OUT THERE IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!!!!!!!!
After last year I said, "No way will it be hot two years in a row!" And guess what? It was HOTTER. I will never utter such words again! lol


I've tried real food but it's cumbersome to carry and made no difference to my body, so now I just stick to gels: 1 every 45 minutes. I've used GU, ClifShots, Honey Stinger and Gatorade and found no particular difference beyond taste/flavor options and consistency. GU is a slightly smaller package than the others, but not really enough to push it to the front. I mostly go by what's on sale!


Uh huh, that's what they all say! :rotfl:


1. You can, but only if Goofy/Dopey is still open at that point and you'll pay a hefty fee ($75 last I saw) to do so.
2. I spent virtually no time in parks this year, but I'm also local and can do that outside of a race weekend. I do best with plenty of down time between races.
3. I handle race registration first. I have an annual pass that renews in March, so that's a separate item. And I book my offsite resort separately - it has a deposit to pay up front, and the rest due in Dec., which spreads out the expenses.

Great advice, thank you!
 
After this past weekend, I said I was going to "retire" from running. It was too hot and miserable, I've had an injury that won't heal properly and I've been such a klutz lately. Fast forward a few days and I'm looking at which races I'm going to register for this year. LOL

@lhermiston and I were chatting about these amazing weekends and how it's more than just the running. It's like a class reunion. We've gotten to know each other through these boards, hanging out before, during and after the races. I really do look forward to seeing everyone. But, as of right now, I am probably going to skip MW 2021. It really depends on which races I end up getting in to / doing this year. I have ran the past 4 Marathon Weekends and have had so much fun every year, making good friends along the way. It's going to be very difficult for me to not be there. :sad:
 
I’m
After this past weekend, I said I was going to "retire" from running. It was too hot and miserable, I've had an injury that won't heal properly and I've been such a klutz lately. Fast forward a few days and I'm looking at which races I'm going to register for this year. LOL

@lhermiston and I were chatting about these amazing weekends and how it's more than just the running. It's like a class reunion. We've gotten to know each other through these boards, hanging out before, during and after the races. I really do look forward to seeing everyone. But, as of right now, I am probably going to skip MW 2021. It really depends on which races I end up getting in to / doing this year. I have ran the past 4 Marathon Weekends and have had so much fun every year, making good friends along the way. It's going to be very difficult for me to not be there. :sad:

You could always spectate and come to DATW!!!! That thought has crossed my mind more than once......
 
After this past weekend, I said I was going to "retire" from running. It was too hot and miserable, I've had an injury that won't heal properly and I've been such a klutz lately. Fast forward a few days and I'm looking at which races I'm going to register for this year. LOL

@lhermiston and I were chatting about these amazing weekends and how it's more than just the running. It's like a class reunion. We've gotten to know each other through these boards, hanging out before, during and after the races. I really do look forward to seeing everyone. But, as of right now, I am probably going to skip MW 2021. It really depends on which races I end up getting in to / doing this year. I have ran the past 4 Marathon Weekends and have had so much fun every year, making good friends along the way. It's going to be very difficult for me to not be there. :sad:
That’s exactly it. It’s more about the people than the running now for me.
 

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