Marathon Weekend 2022

[PrincessV]

SAFD: I'm in Florida, and if you've seen the news down here this past week, well... you know. At this point, my only real hope for MW is that it happens and happens safely. I came home from MW2020 with what we now believe to have been COVID and I'm still dealing with some long-haul issues from it.
But I guess that isn't a personal goal. I'm registered for Dopey, so I think my goals will be:
Have fun.
Prioritize my health and safety above most else.
48.6 is a really annoying number: do a little extra in each race (which from past experience I know isn't hard lol) to make a nice, round 50 for WDW's 50th and my own 50th!

Some changes for me: forget aiming for 50 miles - I just want to get through whatever it winds up being.
My health is now priority #1, with having fun a secondary goal. I think if I can stay healthy, I WILL have fun!

 

[NewYKRunner]

Got 6 miles in this morning. I'm starting to get a bit worried about the weather for the full, but I know things can still change 100 times between now and then.
It was 55 and 95% humidity here this morning, which is a good bit closer to how it may be there compared to what I've been running in for the last 2 months or so (mostly in the 30s). And that felt fine, but still a lot different.

I’m just cooling down from doing 8 miles and not excited about next Sundays weather. Any thoughts on if they change the start time (earlier) or shorten the race?

 

[PCFriar80]

I've been lurking for awhile and am so appreciative of all of the wonderful advice on this thread! I'm participating in the half and considering driving on race day. After the race I'm planning to meet my sister at DHS.

A couple of questions- is it easy enough to get to the car and get out of the parking lot to drive to DHS after the race? Would it be faster to just use Disney transportation to get to DHS and leave the car to get it picked up later in the day when we hop back to Epcot? Is that possible?

And finally- would I be able to take the walk from Epcot to DHS? I'm not opposed since I can keep moving and not have to sit and wait. That just about did me in after Goofy several years ago. I wasn't sure if the path would be closed off for races.

Full disclosure, I have no experience with driving to a race on race morning having only used race morning transportation in the past. I'll work backwards with responses to your questions and say that you won't be able to walk from Epcot to DHS after the 1/2 marathon. Two reasons; 1. The park most likely will not be open when you finish and, 2. You would need a park reservation for Epcot to walk through and I assume you already have one for DHS.

If you drive to Epcot for race day and want to keep the car there I would take a race bus back to BW [or any of the other Epcot resorts] and either walk or boat to DHS. You could also take the Skyliner from outside the IG entrance but that would take a little bit longer. To return to Epcot parking lot, there is bus service from DHS to Epcot so that would be your option, unless you have a park hopper. With a park hopper you would be able to enter Epcot via IG and walk through.

Having said all of that I'm sure you'll get great advice from others who have driven and find out that it's probably no issue at all to get from Epcot to DHS after the race!

 

[camaker]

I’m just cooling down from doing 8 miles and not excited about next Sundays weather. Any thoughts on if they change the start time (earlier) or shorten the race?

There’s no way they’ll move the start earlier. The logistics of getting all the runners and volunteers in place and roads closed along with the already early start just won’t allow it. They’ll only shorten the race if conditions get dangerous and the medical group starts to get overwhelmed. You can look at the 2020 race for an example. I don’t think the current forecast is quite as bad as the 2020 conditions, so fingers crossed there.

Also keep in mind that beyond just the temp and humidity, other factors can play a big role. In 2020 we were supposed to have early morning cloud cover blocking the direct sun. That cloud cover burned off much earlier than expected, allowing temps to shoot up more quickly while the sun absolutely baked runners on the open, exposed roads. Hopefully we’ll have a bit of cloud cover for the marathon this year to help mitigate the temperature and humidity.

 

[The Expert]

SAFD:
My recorded goals were...
Finish my first Dopey
Come up with four epic costumes
Ride EE (again) during the marathon
Join team Not-so-Fast
Pray for cool weather so my marathon isn't cut short again
Join DATW

Aside from the things outside my control (riding EE and the weather), I'm on track and will stick to these.

 

[NewYKRunner]

There’s no way they’ll move the start earlier. The logistics of getting all the runners and volunteers in place and roads closed along with the already early start just won’t allow it. They’ll only shorten the race if conditions get dangerous and the medical group starts to get overwhelmed. You can look at the 2020 race for an example. I don’t think the current forecast is quite as bad as the 2020 conditions, so fingers crossed there.

Also keep in mind that beyond just the temp and humidity, other factors can play a big role. In 2020 we were supposed to have early morning cloud cover blocking the direct sun. That cloud cover burned off much earlier than expected, allowing temps to shoot up more quickly while the sun absolutely baked runners on the open, exposed roads. Hopefully we’ll have a bit of cloud cover for the marathon this year to help mitigate the temperature and humidity.

I agree they’re more likely to shorten the race. I was there as a spectator and it’s the same temp forecasted so far. Humidity will be what makes the difference at this point.

 

[princessbride6205]

I keep watching the DVC room availability to see if people are canceling their race weekend due to Omni / covid concerns, but there doesn't seem to be alot of movement. Currently have a Pop room booked but hoping to get a DVC room.

I’m making my final decision tomorrow if I’m still going. I have a Poly studio Fri-Tues.

 

[The Expert]

Thanks to everyone who offered advice on the music that goes with my costume -- I appreciate your honesty. I want it to be fun but certainly don't want to annoy everyone in the process!

Based on the feedback, when I do play it, I will keep the volume low enough so that you can only hear it if you're right next to me (rather than 10-15 feet away). If I get asked about my costume, I can tick the volume up a few notches, or if we're on a boring stretch of road I can ask those around me if they'd like to hear it a bit louder. I think I will stick to the speaker, as it is pretty small and the controls are easier to access than my phone will be.

For the record, I was never planning to play it in the corrals or character lines, or if I end up in a slower moving crowd (ie anywhere someone would be "trapped" into listening for any period of time). I'll add the park time to that as well so as not to distract from the rD atmosphere.

 

[1GoldenSun]

What is DATW?

 

[camaker]

What is DATW?

Drinking Around the World at Epcot the Monday after the races.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD: I don’t think I made any goals but, if I did, I’m sure to fall short of them. The only goal now is to go as far as I can, stay healthy, and get out of my head with my feelings of inadequacy.

RE: Loud music. I tend on the side of believing there is a tasteful level for music the integrates to a costume such as the one described. Maybe turn it down/off in parks and areas where Disney actively has entertainment, but there are plenty of places where there isn’t anything.

In one of my early races at Disney, 2014/15 range, I was very close to a woman who brought a Bluetooth speaker and chose to blare her choice of music (not Disney or costume related) with her running group at levels that were unavoidable to anyone within 50 feet of them. They, from their behavior, believed they were pumping everyone up and a positive motivational force for the race. No one else believed this. When I was close to them they were blaring a song with the curse words left in and they were yelling along with the music. I’ve never heard so many angry runners or seen as many dirty looks cast at a group in any race I’ve participated in and it was all throughly earned.

Anyway, I ran into them in the area just after exiting MK in the Half (a very narrow stretch that gets very congested) and I can give them credit for motivating me to run in the grass for over a mile to get away from them.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I signed up for Dopey the day the medals were revealed. At that time, I wasn't doing more than 5-6 miles. Not as much time to train as I'm used to, so my main goal is just to finish. But training has gone pretty well.

 

[The Expert]

I promise not to be THOSE people @Barca33Runner -- motivational as they were.

 

[anneeb]

This is the first time Disney has had the fuel on course that I usually use. But I tend to do 3 chews every 3 miles. I'm wondering if I should still carry my own? They aren't offering them that often on the course?

I'll use the monorail for the half and full. I'm still debating driving vs bus from BLT for 5K and 10K. Strong arguments for or against driving? If there's no risk of road closure/delay I'm leaning towards driving.

 

[fatmanatee]

I guess I’m in the minority on music lol. It’s something I see a lot on OCR courses but thats a different vibe entirely, you’re feeling muddy and disgusting in the woods so having someone come along playing music is a nice energy boost.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

My goals were simple.

1. Finish my third Dopey.
2. Appreciate the opportunity to be at a live race again.
3. Pull off super secret costume.

I am on track for the first two. The third will not happen as I decided that my friend who I would have enlisted to help me with my insanity already has enough going on. Maybe next time.

I appreciate what everyone has said about taper madness. I've been stressed out this week over a lot of different things and worried that my mental state would be in rough shape for the races, but reading about various taper madness stuff that people have been experiencing, I feel more like my stress was taper induced.

In the grand spirit of The Muppets Christmas Carol, only two more sleeps til Disney World!

 

[lhermiston]

I guess I’m in the minority on music lol. It’s something I see a lot on OCR courses but thats a different vibe entirely, you’re feeling muddy and disgusting in the woods so having someone come along playing music is a nice energy boost.

Like you said, it’s a totally different vibe. For me, part of doing anything at Disney - especially running - is the ambiance. During the 2019 5K, I hit the World Showcase just as Dig a Little Deeper was playing. It’s a song I love because of my daughters and combined with the beauty of the pre-dawn WS, it was a nice emotional moment. I haven’t had those at other races because frankly they’re not WDW. I wouldn’t feel right depriving others of those moments.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

something here in west-central FL has started pollinating: sneezing, congestion, and dreadfully itchy eyes for the past two days.

Oh no. My allergies are terrible. I guess I better start using my nose spray now…

forget aiming for 50 miles - I just want to get through whatever it winds up being.

I bet you’ll get 50 with all of the normal walking around from the weekend (expo, walking to corrals, etc.). Count those!

 

[Jason Bryer]

Southwest canceled my flight on Monday. I was able to get another on Monday but now have to transfer at Baltimore instead of flying direct.

 

[huskies90]

Southwest canceled my flight on Monday. I was able to get another on Monday but now have to transfer at Baltimore instead of flying direct.

Where are you flying out of?