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Marathon Weekend 2024

SAFD: I've run Dopey twice. First in 2019, I was undertrained and afterwards said Never Again! Three years later, we were back again for Dopey 2022. My favorite memory was feeling confident enough in our training the second time around to stop for drinks in AK and Italy! I remember rounding the bend near Guardians at the end and feeling sad that it was about to be over! We had so much fun!
 
Herding_Cats said:
Nothing like reconsidering your registration goals 2 days before!

DH mentioned something yesterday that I've been gnawing on for almost 24 hours now. This past MW I had a pretty terrible Saturday afternoon/Sunday morning in that I essentially had an emotional meltdown. And basically, DH doesn't want to "deal with" (for lack of a better phrase...he didn't say this in a mean way) me going through that again. And that if I don't think I can keep it together, I should sign up for something other than Dopey. This is a fair point because I definitely sucked all of the fun out of the room on Saturday.

Now, I was pretty exhausted last year because we did MASSIVE park days on Tuesday and Thursday, saw the Cirq show on Wednesday, AND changed resorts 2x (stayed at 3 different resorts.) And this year we are planning on doing only 1 or no park days (maybe a waterpark if DH is getting antsy.) So I feel like I could head a lot of that off. Anyone who was at the meetup on Sunday morning saw what a hot mess I was. I'm very good at rationalizing and saying 'I was just really tired on top of first-time-Dopey nerves.' IDK.

The alternative to Dopey for me is Goofy. BUT, assuming I can get him signed up for the 5/10/half, I would definitely want to run the 5 and 10 with him (because those are just more fun with someone.)

Also, how do I #Dopeyfor40 (40forDopey?) if I don't Dopey?
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It sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on the stressors that contributed to the situation in addition to the races. Having gone through that last year, you've got additional race experience to draw on to help deal with the race-related components. The questions are first, can you plan a trip to eliminate as many of the non-race factors as possible and second, are you willing to do that for a racecation trip to Disney? If the answer is yes to both, I think you're in a pretty strong position to run Dopey without the drama you went through this year.
 


FFigawi said:
SAFD: My favorite MW memory is from 2020 when Rogue Two (me and @lhermiston) took a detour during the 10k to run to DHS so we could be inside the gates at 7am to sign up for a Rise of the Resistance boarding group. One of the most epic stunts I've ever been a part of.

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We’d never spectated a race before but did it for the 2020 10k. Which made me a witness to history.
 
My first and only Dopey:
My DH sat me down on the couch in October, 2021 and said “just watch”. He proceeded to play a video he had made to surprise me with Dopey Registration (Music and everything!) My mouth was wide open the entire time because I thought he would NEVER want to run it!! On top of that, we ran side by side for ALL four races, with a kiss at the end of each one!!! Hoping like heck we get in again this year!!
 


SAFD:

It’s really hard to pick just one moment. I’ve finished my first Half Marathon, Marathon, and Dopey at Disney. Those races have all been firsts for my sister as well. I’ve also seen my mom finish her first 5k and 10k and my niece and nephew both finish their first 5k and 10k. So I’ve had a lot of really cool moments and it’s really hard to separate one from the others.

I do know the favorite moment I am looking forward to most. While it’s not going to be 2024, I am looking forward to crossing the finish line at the Marathon again (and as part of a Dopey Challenge as well). It’s a huge goal to get back to that level of fitness and I have a long way to go; but I’ll get there and it’s going to pretty sweet when I do.
 
SAFD: I've got two that come to mind for me.

First up is completing my first marathon as part of the 10k + Goofy during my first MW in 2016. I'd been injured and was unable train for most of the fall and was severely limited in training from mid-Nov through December, only getting back up to 12 miles as a long run. I'd only run 3 halfs to that point. I was scared to death in the corral listening to Jeff Galloway talk about respecting the distance and almost didn't start. I decided I'd give it a go and step off at a medical tent when it got to be too much. The first 5-6 miles were very leggy, but I started to feel them coming to me between MK and AK. By the time I hit the halfway point, I was in a full blown runner's high and knew I was going to finish. I got faster and faster on the way to the finish and haven't been able to match that feeling since.

Second was bringing my daughter to MW 2019 so she could run her first marathon. She'd tweaked her ankle two weeks before the race, didn't have a PoT and was worried about getting swept. I finished my marathon and went into Epcot to watch for her. Found a great spot next to the dearly departed fountain and watched for her. Got to cheer on some other DISers as they went past. She finally came through with plenty of time left, having re-rolled the ankle on the Bear Island out and back. So proud of her.
 
SAFD: My first distance race (15k), first half, first full....all at Disney. Each one a stepping stone to realizing what I could do if I wanted/believed it and trained for it (and stayed healthy).

The cherry on the top: 2018 Dopey. I was able to pace a random stranger through the first three races (he was injured, saw me during the 5k, latched on, and ran the 10k and half with me, too) then went on to BQ the marathon. Granted, I was 59 and the BQ standard for women was within my non-racing capability, but still, I consider it to be one of my best running accomplishments.
 
Herding_Cats said:
The alternative to Dopey for me is Goofy. BUT, assuming I can get him signed up for the 5/10/half, I would definitely want to run the 5 and 10 with him (because those are just more fun with someone.)

Also, how do I #Dopeyfor40 (40forDopey?) if I don't Dopey?
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As @camaker said above, I think you've figured out the triggers. And once you've done Dopey once the second one is mentally a whole lot easier IME. That said, I don't think there's any shame in spectating a race or two. I'm really looking forward to doing that for the marathon!


SAFD: I have two. The first was my first marathon, which I did in January 2020 along with the 10K. It was my first MW and the first time I really committed to doing all the meetups and getting to know the group in person. I was already super stressed about the marathon, and the addition of record heat and humidity was quite literally my worst nightmare. It was a massive struggle, but there was NO WAY I wasn't finishing. Even after barely missing the cutoff and not doing the Blizzard Beach loop, I felt so super proud to have crossed that line and earned that medal.

The second was my first Dopey, in 2022. I was pretty confident I could do it, and had trained well, but there were still nervous doubts in the back of my head. I was always a solo runner, even at rD and with the meetups. I just felt like I was slow and always holding people back. But "accidentally" hooking up and running with @Herding_Cats for the half and full that year helped my mental game SO MUCH. I really credit her with helping get me through my first Dopey.
 
lookingforsunshine said:
71 miles looks good on you (us) ;)

here for it minus the injury!!! don’t manifest that!
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You’re right, good vibes only!

After much consideration, DH and I registered today for WDW Dopey to add to our DL 5K+Dumbo using our Club runDisney links. We’re in for the back-to-back WDW/DL C2C event challenge.

Thanks to @DopeyBadger for coaching wisdom and sensible advice.

What shall we call our 71 miles? Maybe the Half Iron Mouse?
 
Bunkie1979 said:
You’re right, good vibes only!

After much consideration, DH and I registered today for WDW Dopey to add to our DL 5K+Dumbo using our Club runDisney links. We’re in for the back-to-back WDW/DL C2C event challenge.

Thanks to @DopeyBadger for coaching wisdom and sensible advice.

What shall we call our 71 miles? Maybe the Half Iron Mouse?
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm... WDW opened in 1971, That's the inspiration for the number at Steakhouse '71. I wonder if we can fit that into a nickname for this combo.
 
SAFD: So many to choose from but I think my biggest would be doing the 5-K with my two oldest DDs in 2019. My first marathon (which was MW) I ran with one of my brothers and the two girls were essentially still in a stroller parked at the TTC (and a couple other spots) to cheer us on. They were never runners so when they both decided to do the 5-K with me, well it was magical to say the least. I was supposed to do Dopey that year but was injured and knew I wouldn't make all 4 days, but I wouldn't have missed that 5-K for anything. Became all the more special when the younger of the two was diagnosed a year and a half later with a genetic disorder that impacts her joints and causes her to need a wheelchair now when we go to visit the World. She wants to try "Roll Disney" someday in the future so I hope it's not the last event we get to do together and her older sister wants to try the HM this year (and DATW on Monday - where does the time go).

The frozen marathon at MW in 2010 is another great memory. The black ice and frozen water water at the water stops are something I will never forget, but I also set my PR at that race and haven't been close to it again.
 
SAFD:
Favorite memories from MW include:

-finding and running the half and full with @The Expert (I will miss you so much during the marathon next year!) because I pretty much had no idea what I'd gotten myself into and those corrals were a LOT for someone who had never run a race that used corrals.
-turning onto Main Street during the half....in the dark, with it all lit up, it just gets me every time. And then it's usually light out by the time I get around to the back, but seeing it, and all of the spectators is pretty awesome. I'm excited to get to [hopefully] share that with DH.

honorable mention: the donut I absolutely demolished after the full, and the cider DH got after the 10k. SO GOOD. Gimme all the calories!
 
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