Official WDW Marathon Weekend 2013 Thread

[kmg148]

That's why they say the second half of the marathon begins at mile 20.

This is the point in the race where you need to be mentally strong, to trust in yourself and your training, and know that you are, in fact, fully prepared and able to get through those last few miles. I find it helps newer runners to break the race into three pieces. First comes a nice and easy 10 miles, the part spent warming up and getting settled into a groove. Then comes a solid and steady 10 miles - you're at your steady pace, you're feeling strong. Last part is just a 10K. After dozens of training runs with double-digit mileage, a 10K is nothing. Looking at it this way helps avoid thinking that you'll never get through those last six miles.

Thanks for breaking it down this way. I never thought of it like that. That's an awesome way to think about it!!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

That's a bummer. I hope the Disney bibs are more resilient than I recall - I have been known to destroy race bibs accidentally on a half marathon.

If that happens, you can go back to the expo after the half and they will give you a new bib for the full.

 

[Ariel484]

Thanks for your response! That makes me feel so much better. It's been very hard to get my runs in so I am going to need to drop down in mileage and I think this plan could help me! ...[snip]...

You're welcome! I guess the only thing you would need to figure out would be if you can fit in 4 days per week of running with Higdon instead of 3 days per week with Galloway...the trade-off being that most of your training won't be from your long run like it is with the Galloway plan. Good luck!!

That's why they say the second half of the marathon begins at mile 20.

This is the point in the race where you need to be mentally strong, to trust in yourself and your training, and know that you are, in fact, fully prepared and able to get through those last few miles. I find it helps newer runners to break the race into three pieces. First comes a nice and easy 10 miles, the part spent warming up and getting settled into a groove. Then comes a solid and steady 10 miles - you're at your steady pace, you're feeling strong. Last part is just a 10K. After dozens of training runs with double-digit mileage, a 10K is nothing. Looking at it this way helps avoid thinking that you'll never get through those last six miles.

This is a great breakdown. I've heard something similar for a half marathon, breaking it up into a 5-miler/5-miler/5k. At least they will have a surprise at mile 20 this year (I'm hoping for tons of rare characters!).

That's a bummer. I hope the Disney bibs are more resilient than I recall - I have been known to destroy race bibs accidentally on a half marathon.

Yeah...I mean, I can totally see myself ripping it off when I get back to my room after the half without even thinking about it I can see why they do it though...this way they only have to pay for one set of bibs/b-tags for Goofy racers instead of 2 sets of bibs, 2 sets of d-tags and the bracelets. $$$$

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

You're welcome! I guess the only thing you would need to figure out would be if you can fit in 4 days per week of running with Higdon instead of 3 days per week with Galloway...the trade-off being that most of your training won't be from your long run like it is with the Galloway plan. Good luck!!

IMHO, that's a good thing, not a trade off. The LOWER the percentage your long run is of your weekly mileage, the better off you'll be, 100% of the time.

 

[Ariel484]

IMHO, that's a good thing, not a trade off. The LOWER the percentage your long run is of your weekly mileage, the better off you'll be, 100% of the time.

Oh I completely agree. That's why I don't use Galloway plans anymore. I definitely get the appeal of them, especially for newer runners, but they just aren't for me.

 

[buckeyecinderella]

Ariel484 -

I just wanted to say that I read your marathon trip report from last year. I had bookmarked it a while ago, because I wanted to read it. And I forgot about it and just got back to it now. It was so much fun to read! You made it look so easy! You looked as fresh in the later miles as you did before the race start. I was expecting that as the miles progressed, you would start complaining of sore legs or sore feet. But it sounds like overall it was not too bad on you.

Considering all of your picture stops, you made pretty good time! And I'm like you I have no idea how to pose for pictures with characters! Do you think those stops helped to save your legs and rejuvenate them?

Well, very fun and entertaining read. I hope you do another report of this years race. Goofy this time, right?

 

[Ariel484]

Ariel484 -

I just wanted to say that I read your marathon trip report from last year. I had bookmarked it a while ago, because I wanted to read it. And I forgot about it and just got back to it now. It was so much fun to read! You made it look so easy!

Thank you so much! I definitely would not say it was EASY but it was more enjoyable than I expected it to be.

You looked as fresh in the later miles as you did before the race start.

That's what happens when one stops for LOTS of character photos...

I was expecting that as the miles progressed, you would start complaining of sore legs or sore feet. But it sounds like overall it was not too bad on you.

Yeah, you know...looking back on it I don't remember being in too much pain except for the last mile. It came and went occasionally but nothing agonizing. The course is pretty flat, except for your occasional highway on-ramp and up/downhill at the Contemporary, at the water bridge. What really got me during the 2011 Princess Half (same course as the WDW Half) were the sloped roads near the highways, so I was extra aware of those during the marathon and really made an effort to run on flatter parts of the road. That made a huge difference in how I felt - almost zero IT Band pain that way. The soreness definitely set in AFTER the race was over though.

Considering all of your picture stops, you made pretty good time! And I'm like you I have no idea how to pose for pictures with characters! Do you think those stops helped to save your legs and rejuvenate them?

Thanks. As I said in the report, my brother did have a not-so-magical run-in with someone who was not impressed with our time, but I digress... I'm fine with it though. If someone wants to run a fast time at Disney they are obviously perfectly within their right to do so...clearly I am at the other end of the spectrum (if I want to PR I will do it at home), and I feel like that should be okay as long as I beat the sweepers. Oops, mini rant! Definitely a debate for another thread, my bad.

Anyway, the character stops...I do think they helped save my legs to a point, but if I had to guess I would say it very well may have added up to an hour to my overall time. That's a lot of extra time spent on my feet! Wow, that's a little sickening to think about... Anyway I did notice after all of the character stops in the Magic Kingdom that my legs felt pretty stiff, but once we got going again it was okay.

Well, very fun and entertaining read. I hope you do another report of this years race. Goofy this time, right?

Thanks for reading the report, glad you liked it! And yes, I do plan on doing a report for 2013 (5K + Goofy).

 

[Weluvdisny]

Does anyone know how much the discount tickets are that we can get marathon weekend? I refused them when I signed up with the TA because I had passes at home I could use. Now I'm thinking I might save those for another visit and buy the discounted ones.

 

[kmg148]

You're welcome! I guess the only thing you would need to figure out would be if you can fit in 4 days per week of running with Higdon instead of 3 days per week with Galloway...the trade-off being that most of your training won't be from your long run like it is with the Galloway plan. Good luck!!

I just read your trip report. I think I have actually read it before, but it really makes me feel better that you only did 18 for your longest run. I know everyone is different, but right now I think my toughest battle is the mental one, so it's good to hear someone was able to do it!

Since my work schedule has balanced out a lot more than in the past 2 months, I think it will be easier for me to get 4 runs in than spend 5 hours + at the gym in on day. I will just do Galloway intervals, combining both plans.

 

[kmg148]

Just tried running intervals of 30/30. I really liked them..just didn't like how much faster I had to run to catch up to my usual pace. Maybe I'll just accept that I'll be a little slower for a more enjoyable experience.

 

[belle2211]

So I ran my longest distance ever yesterday, 16 miles. And while I'm happy to say that my muscles are not sore today, I am in a pretty good amount of pain in my knee. I knew that I needed to get new shoes after the W&D half, and was going to go next weekend. But I ran yesterday thinking that it wouldn't matter. And honestly, I'm not sure if it was the shoes or not, but at mile 6, my right shin and knee started hurting. But I wanted to prove I could do the 16 miles so I continued on (yeah, I'm not so smart). I iced it and took pain relievers yesterday but my knee still hurts today (my shin is fine). I've never had knee pain before so I don't know what it is. It's on my right knee, to the outside of the kneecap and down just a little. I looked up itb band injuries but that looks like it would be just to the side or up a little but I really have no idea. If it helps any, I do know that when walking, it hurts a little less to walk with my foot turned slight to the right.

Any idea or help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

So I ran my longest distance ever yesterday, 16 miles. And while I'm happy to say that my muscles are not sore today, I am in a pretty good amount of pain in my knee. I knew that I needed to get new shoes after the W&D half, and was going to go next weekend. But I ran yesterday thinking that it wouldn't matter. And honestly, I'm not sure if it was the shoes or not, but at mile 6, my right shin and knee started hurting. But I wanted to prove I could do the 16 miles so I continued on (yeah, I'm not so smart). I iced it and took pain relievers yesterday but my knee still hurts today (my shin is fine). I've never had knee pain before so I don't know what it is. It's on my right knee, to the outside of the kneecap and down just a little. I looked up itb band injuries but that looks like it would be just to the side or up a little but I really have no idea. If it helps any, I do know that when walking, it hurts a little less to walk with my foot turned slight to the right.

Any idea or help would be greatly appreciated!

It COULD be ITBS, or runner's knee, or any number of things. My suggestion would be to get a few days of rest, maybe try and go for a run on Thursday or Friday and see how you feel. If it's still bad, try to get in and see a sports doc or a PT.

 

[DisneyRunnerGirl]

Just tried running intervals of 30/30. I really liked them..just didn't like how much faster I had to run to catch up to my usual pace. Maybe I'll just accept that I'll be a little slower for a more enjoyable experience.

Glad you tried it and liked it. After some practice at the shorter intervals, my pace picked up naturally in both the running and walking. This is new to you, so I think you will get faster.

YMMV, but I wouldn't stress about it if I were you.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Oh, hey, 50 day mark, you are a scary, scary thing.

 

[cewait]

IMHO, that's a good thing, not a trade off. The LOWER the percentage your long run is of your weekly mileage, the better off you'll be, 100% of the time.

Oh I completely agree. That's why I don't use Galloway plans anymore. I definitely get the appeal of them, especially for newer runners, but they just aren't for me.

coaches in the making

 

[cewait]

So I ran my longest distance ever yesterday, 16 miles. And while I'm happy to say that my muscles are not sore today, I am in a pretty good amount of pain in my knee. I knew that I needed to get new shoes after the W&D half, and was going to go next weekend. But I ran yesterday thinking that it wouldn't matter. And honestly, I'm not sure if it was the shoes or not, but at mile 6, my right shin and knee started hurting. But I wanted to prove I could do the 16 miles so I continued on (yeah, I'm not so smart). I iced it and took pain relievers yesterday but my knee still hurts today (my shin is fine). I've never had knee pain before so I don't know what it is. It's on my right knee, to the outside of the kneecap and down just a little. I looked up itb band injuries but that looks like it would be just to the side or up a little but I really have no idea. If it helps any, I do know that when walking, it hurts a little less to walk with my foot turned slight to the right.

Any idea or help would be greatly appreciated!

Great job and completing 16! Continue rest, ice and elevation. Head to Target or a sports store and get yourself a foam roller. Then google leg foam roller

Here is a good overall set of vids.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF0OP8_PHmo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ProyBqSbFx4&feature=relmfu

The cues are to NOT roll over a joint. Focus on points of tenderness. You can modify down by not putting as much weight on the roller.

If the knee is still painful next week, head to the doc for a look.

 

[liznboys]

Ugh. Anyone else sick right now?

I was diagnosed with bronchitis this morning. My 10/20 planned for this weekend is postponed now. My doctor said to take a break from running until next week. Has anyone dealt with bronchitis while training before?

 

[sunshine girl]

Oh, hey, 50 day mark, you are a scary, scary thing.

WOW! It's getting really close...

 

[rocio]

Awesome! I totally understand your excitement! That was me three weeks ago. Just follow your doctor's recomendations and you'll be back to where you want to be sooner than you think.

Thanks! I think you are right! My physical therapist said I could run the local.turkey trot tomorrow! Woo hoo. He said I could go ahead and start back slowly and see how I feel. I still have a super tight arch from the secondary injury (sitting down to lead a Brownie troop meeting). But I'm allowed back on the road.

My question is, now what? How do I modify training at the point? My last run was a short one on a Thursday four weeks ago tomorrow. Longest one I did was the 17 miler the Saturday before that. I was following the Galloway to finish standing up plan.

Seven weekends left. What should I be doing with them? Thanks for all your help.

P.s. I ran 2 miles this morning to test it out. Felt good.

 

[Goofierunner]

Ariel484-
I needed inspiration so I read your trip report yesterday and loved it! These are the dog days, I'm so sick of running, portion of my training that I needed a jolt out of the doldrums. It helped to see what the end will look like. It doesn't help that the weather here as been crape diem. At some point I need to get off the couch, put the dogs away, get layered and get out there!

And I love breaking down the marathon to three sections! I'm totally using that.

I'm doing Galloway just to finish for Goofy but I'll probably be switching plans for whatever my next one will be. I like Higdon's Novice 1 or 2. Novice 2 seems to have a nice variety to it.