Marathon Weekend 2023

[AJruns]

Catching up on the last two SAFD:

1) goals- I don't think I put any originally, but they tend not to change, just my confidence in them... my goal for the marathon is never pace/time based, it's just to never stop running. It's a bummer to pass the character stops, but my knees just can't handle it on the longer distance. My goal for the 10k is to make all the stops! I'm struggling with injuries (also a member of team hipster in addition to a few other things) and a slowing pace compared to the last couple years, so I'd love for it to feel good too. Last year my training didn't feel great and I had an *amazing* race, but this seems different and I don't know where the line is between having a positive mindset and being realistic about just trying to survive. My non-race related goal is for the following Monday- I'm normally a very happy solo traveler, but my 80 year old mom is joining me for a day in the parks that I'm planning and I'm nervous about the dynamics of spending that much time together. Even if the race goes well I might be stressed from exhaustion/trying to plan for two very different ideas of fun. Luckily we will both be walking the same speed, which has been a hiccup in the past I'm likely a no for the meetups because of this and my work schedule unfortunately, flying early for the expo but stuck in front of my computer in the room otherwise.

2) heat. I don't make sense to myself or anyone I know I legit could win the coldest person alive award... my thermostat is on 76, I'm in fleece layers, a bathrobe, and in front of a space heater and I'm still cold... if it's under 85 outside I'm probably in long sleeves and pants. But running is a different story- I get *so* hot and wear a tank/shorts until it goes below 40, and even then I'm barely adding layers. My favorite running temps are high 30s/low 40s, though I would happily take much lower instead of higher. I'm in DC so I get winter-ish temps to train, which is one reason I love a January race. Direct sun is definitely a huge factor, as others have pointed out, so my marathon strategy is to go out a little harder that I normally would to eke out every second of darkness that I can. I don't really know how to heat acclimate because I *love* it normally, so maybe I'll do some shorter treadmill runs in my room in the next couple weeks. 2020 was miserable from the start for me, so I'll hope for anything below that- but 40s Sunday morning and then 80s or higher for the afternoon in the park would be my pick!

 

[1lilspark]

Springtime Surprise medal reveal yet still no race guide for marathon or registration dates for 23-24 season

 

[GollyGadget]

I think I might be a long lost descendent of Snow Miser because I definitely prefer the colder temps. -10 might be a bit of a stretch, but 40s/50s are my preferred temps. Even 30s are good for me. Definitely nothing above 60.

W&D was brutally humid this year so anything cooler/less humid than that will be a win in my book.

As for acclimation, we start heading south on Dec 29 and arrive in Florida on Jan 2 which will give me 5 runs before the marathon in Florida conditions plus a few in slightly warmer conditions than home. For the week prior , I’ll layer up and may even throw in a treadmill run.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I think I might be a long lost descendent of Snow Miser because I definitely prefer the colder temps. -10 might be a bit of a stretch, but 40s/50s are my preferred temps. Even 30s are good for me. Definitely nothing above 60.

W&D was brutally humid this year so anything cooler/less humid than that will be a win in my book.

As for acclimation, we start heading south on Dec 29 and arrive in Florida on Jan 2 which will give me 5 runs before the marathon in Florida conditions plus a few in slightly warmer conditions than home. For the week prior , I’ll layer up and may even throw in a treadmill run.

I remain opposed to cold but I do appreciate the Snow Miser GIF.

 

[ChipNDale86]

I really hope that we go through the Wide World of Sports. I know that there have been a lot of complaints about that course in the past, but I think that it would really cool to run through the stadium.

I'm definitely in the minority but I really missed not running through WWoS. It was a lot of turns & convoluted but it's all a nice distraction that late in the race and I LOVED running the warning track of the baseball stadium. And it's WAY WAY WAY WAY better than the Blizzard Beach parking lot loop we did this past year. I really hope WWoS is back this year!

 

[kps7795]

I'm definitely in the minority but I really missed not running through WWoS. It was a lot of turns & convoluted but it's all a nice distraction that late in the race and I LOVED running the warning track of the baseball stadium. And it's WAY WAY WAY WAY better than the Blizzard Beach parking lot loop we did this past year. I really hope WWoS is back this year!

Last year was my first year doing a runDisney race, so I don't have a frame of reference. However, I did get a bit of a thrill even walking around the WWoS grounds. So, I can only imagine that my spirits would be lifted getting to run through there.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

Central Florida resident here. The biggest issue with the cold weather for the races is the waiting around, standing, sitting, herding towards the starting groups. Once the running starts then I am pretty good with whatever the race weather throws our way. Last 10 @ mp and 20 mile LR coming up this weekend and looks like a small break in the heat for it, looking forward to starting the taper after that.

 

[camaker]

Last year was my first year doing a runDisney race, so I don't have a frame of reference. However, I did get a bit of a thrill even walking around the WWoS grounds. So, I can only imagine that my spirits would be lifted getting to run through there.

Your spirits might initially be lifted on entering WWoS during the marathon. The problem wasn't with entering WWoS it was after winding around the campus for what felt like 15 miles with no end in sight that started to wear on the nerves.

 

[WhereInFlorida]

I liked the actual WWoS portion when it was part of the course. It was the long roadway into/out of WWoS that was brutal, especially after miles of roadway on Osceola from AK.

 

[Dom497]

Your spirits might initially be lifted on entering WWoS during the marathon. The problem wasn't with entering WWoS it was after winding around the campus for what felt like 15 miles with no end in sight that started to wear on the nerves.

I'd take that over running on a road with no end in sight.

 

[Bree]

I liked WWOS in 2019

I disliked running through BB in 2020 with all that refreshing water taunting me

I despised looping the BB parking lot in 2022

 

[Geographilia]

My only other prior MW event was the 2017 Marathon and I ended up despising WWOS by the time I finished the endless loops. I don't know how much of it was actually the site and how much of it was the fact that I picked up lower-leg pain somewhere on Osceola Parkway heading in and the constant turns in WWOS only exacerbated things. It got so bad that I almost stopped completely when exiting HS a bit later since I thought I had stress fractures. I used my youngest's stroller as support later that day and on the trip home the next day. It turned out it was severe tendonitis in both legs which put me off of running for four months afterwards. I'm sure WWOS is fine, but I can't shake the memory.

 

[Cabius]

I despised looping the BB parking lot in 2022

2022 was my first full marathon, but there was something about the futility of running through the BB parking lot, where you could see the entire loop laid out before you. It just felt like, whelp, they've gotta tack on an extra mile or so. It was done out of necessity, and nothing more.

 

[Novatrix]

SAFD: Add me to the prefers hot races team. I'm a bit of an oddball though in that I live in the Northeast.

Once temperatures start dropping into the mid-50s, you can always tell when I've run outside as I'll be violently coughing for hours after I've completed my run. Part of the reason why so much of my training is on the treadmill. Marine Corps Marathon this year was miserable for me at the start, as despite wearing two fleeces on top of my short sleeve shirt and a garbage bag on top of that, I was violently shivering with teeth chattering in the 39F starting temp. It took a couple of miles of running before I was willing to remove the fleece layers!

As for another unpopular opinion I hold, I'd much rather run through WWOS than the BB parking lot. The complex has real bathrooms where you can wash your hands! Sure, I thought it was the 9th circle of hell the first time I ran through the complex, with its seemingly never ending miles, but it was also my first marathon. It could've been loops through Magic Kingdom at that distance and I would've hated it. The 2nd year running through WWOS I actually found it quite enjoyable.

 

[Baloo in MI]

I grew up and lived in California for most of my life. In that time I lived along the north coast and got to enjoy moderate temperatures. So being cold for me used to be 40's. We moved to Michigan in 2009 and now cold for me is 20 or below. Yesterday I had 7 miles planned at easy pace and cruised - wearing shorts, t-shirt & hoodie, along with gloves and compression socks. It was about 30 outside and started snowing while on my run and after the first 5 minutes I was never cold and by the end sweating a lot. The last few MW marathons have been warm and all handed me tickets for the struggle bus! I totally get the discomfort of waiting for the start in the cold - regardless of throw away clothes, race blankets etc. it can be miserable. But in the end I prefer being cold and them warming up. I just hate that feeling of standing in the corral in shorts and a t-shirt at 4:45am and feeling comfortable (no cold crisp air), my only thought in that moment is I am in trouble!

As for WWOS - count me on team WWOS. I was able to run several that went through WWOS and the last few that have not. I think in retrospect I prefer the twists and turns of WWOS later in the race to take my mind off pain. Plus there was something very psychologically uplifting coming out of WWOS and knowing I was heading into the last portion of the race - well except the "Mile 20 Surprise" fiasco!

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

SAFD: Another Dallas, TX resident here (hey @Neon Cactus and @Cabius!) so running in heat is not new to me. I second the comments regarding humidity though. I ran a half marathon yesterday in training (and am completely kicking myself for not knowing it was Dallas Marathon Weekend. If I were running a half anyway I should have at least gotten a medal for it. ) and it was like 85% humidity for the whole thing. When the humidity is much lower I can run all day it seems.

I also HATE cold weather (which is a big reason I moved to TX after growing up in West Virginia), so I don't particularly love running below mid-40s. So, ideal race weather for me would be upper 40s or lower 50s at race start with low humidity. Of course it won't happen in Florida though.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I think I might be a long lost descendent of Snow Miser because I definitely prefer the colder temps. -10 might be a bit of a stretch, but 40s/50s are my preferred temps. Even 30s are good for me. Definitely nothing above 60.

W&D was brutally humid this year so anything cooler/less humid than that will be a win in my book.

As for acclimation, we start heading south on Dec 29 and arrive in Florida on Jan 2 which will give me 5 runs before the marathon in Florida conditions plus a few in slightly warmer conditions than home. For the week prior , I’ll layer up and may even throw in a treadmill run.

aaaaaand now I have Big Bad Voodoo Daddies Heat Miser playing in my head.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

Was someone still looking for a Dopey bib?

I had been for many months, but after numerous "can't input my info fast enough in a panic" close calls with trying to upgrade my Goofy to a Dopey, I gave up. I'm also not sure I could get through it physically anyway at this point because I haven't trained enough.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I had been for many months, but after numerous "can't input my info fast enough in a panic" close calls with trying to upgrade my Goofy to a Dopey, I gave up. I'm also not sure I could get through it physically anyway at this point because I haven't trained enough.

ehhhhh....it's only 9 more miles!

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

ehhhhh....it's only 9 more miles!

Honestly, I'm sure it would be fine. I would most definitely walk both the 5K and 10K. I've just convinced myself it's ok that I'm "just" doing Goofy because I spent so many months upset that I couldn't get into Dopey. And now I have more park time on those two days to ride the new attractions that weren't there when I went in 2019, which I am excited about.