Marathon Weekend 2022

[NewYKRunner]

2021 was a year of personal and professional change for me and Marathon Weekend was always the carrot on the stick for me. I didn’t do it alone, but I’m proud of the mental fortitude I displayed this year. I’m proud to have finished the Chicago Marathon. I’m proud to pass the 1,000-mile mark again this year after setbacks in 2020. I’m proud that after two crappy years I can still find so much to laugh and smile about. I’m proud to be boosted for myself and for others.

Congrats. My friend who I'm running the Dopey with just got accepted to the 2022 Chicago Marathon.

SAFD: Our 2020 was similar to a lot of people and we thought 2021 was going to be a turnaround year but nope. At the end of January a mass was discovered in our older daughter (now 11) and we were told to prepare for Cancer and a long journey. Thankfully it wasn't, but she had to have surgery to remove a 10cm tumor. I was kicking myself at the time for forgetting to take New Year pics with her as it was the first time she was up for that (she set the alarm on her watch) and we weren't sure if that was the last time. Thankfully it will not be but I still wish I had the pic of her first time being awake at midnight. I'm proud of how we pulled through as a family during that time. We had a lot of help from extended family, friends, neighbours, coworkers, etc.

This summer I started getting my Class 1 driving licence just because I always wanted to learn. About halfway through, that got interrupted as the other students at the time had to pull out due to their regular work being too busy. With me as the only student at the time, it wasn't cost effective for the school to continue so they shifted to another town they also train in. I'm currently scheduled to finish that up in January. I'm also starting a new job after being at the same company for about 21 years and I'm moving 1700 kms or so to do it. So definitely some change for our family. After the Dopey I'll immediately start packing!

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: I am proud that I am still putting one foot in front of the other at the end of a challenging year and maintaing a decent attitude (most days anyway) despite the challenges. Commuting between Georgia and Texas almost every week for work, while helping family deal with a tough medical diagnosis for my 15 y/o daughter, and now fighting with old injuries once again have given me plenty of reasons to just call it quits. While I have definately thought about doing just that, so far I haven't and I will take that as a win!

On a related topic, hoping to find some folks on the board here that expect to be in the 13+ mile/min range for half and/or full. Hip isn't coing around as quickly as I would have hoped so I would love to find some folks to tag along with to get through the races this year. Plus based on the maps, margaritta's in Mexico before crossing the finish are back this year and always more fun to do it with friends!

 

[Herding_Cats]

On a related topic, hoping to find some folks on the board here that expect to be in the 13+ mile/min range for half and/or full. Hip isn't coing around as quickly as I would have hoped so I would love to find some folks to tag along with to get through the races this year. Plus based on the maps, margaritta's in Mexico before crossing the finish are back this year and always more fun to do it with friends!

Team no-so-fast is here for you! We are still waiting for the master spreadsheet to be finalized (gotta get those bib numbers!) to try to arrange potential groups.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Also! DH signed up for the 5k, so between the 2 of us we will be doing allllllll of the races if anyone wanted to do a PP/MM share with us for race pics.

 

[DocAlan02]

Sorry if this has already been covered. I see 5 food stops on the full course. Does anyone know what that food is? I assume most, if not all, would be gels. What type are they using? And what will the drinks be?
Thanks!

 

[PrincessV]

Sorry if this has already been covered. I see 5 food stops on the full course. Does anyone know what that food is? I assume most, if not all, would be gels. What type are they using? And what will the drinks be?
Thanks!

It was Honey Stinger chews for W&D, so it may be the same for MW. Historically, they also offer bananas and chocolate at some point in the full. Drinks stations offer water and Powerade.

 

[DocAlan02]

It was Honey Stinger chews for W&D, so it may be the same for MW. Historically, they also offer bananas and chocolate at some point in the full. Drinks stations offer water and Powerade.

Thanks. So it was chews and not gels, huh? Interesting. Trying to determine if I need to carry some with me. I prefer to not, but will do so if needed, obviously.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Sorry if this has already been covered. I see 5 food stops on the full course. Does anyone know what that food is? I assume most, if not all, would be gels. What type are they using? And what will the drinks be?
Thanks!

In the past all drink stations have been water and Powerade. The Powerade, to my experience, tends on the weak side but can vary wildly from station to station.

Their contracts/sponsors have varied on nutritional supplements in the past. For a long time it was Clif gels but I believe they were Sport Beans for the last live marathon weekend. Most of the food stops have been those supplements outside of mile 18-20 there is usually a banana stop and sometimes entering HS they have done chocolates in the past. I would guess it all depends on sponsorships though.

 

[camaker]

Thanks. So it was chews and not gels, huh? Interesting. Trying to determine if I need to carry some with me. I prefer to not, but will do so if needed, obviously.

It was Sport Beans before the switch to the Honey Stinger gummies. I, at least, call this a step in the right direction…

 

[juju]

Any suggestions on accessing the waiver? My registration is listed but that’s it. My husband had both so he’s good. I thought I could print at the expo but see in the email that’s not an option. I called a couple of weeks ago and spoke to someone about adding the registration and my waiver to my account from my husband’s account but no longer see the waiver. I called again about a week ago and left a message for the prompt response but haven’t heard back and just left another message. Does anyone know their hours of phone operation?

 

[DocAlan02]

Any suggestions on accessing the waiver? My registration is listed but that’s it. My husband had both so he’s good. I thought I could print at the expo but see in the email that’s not an option. I called a couple of weeks ago and spoke to someone about adding the registration and my waiver to my account from my husband’s account but no longer see the waiver. I called again about a week ago and left a message for the prompt response but haven’t heard back and just left another message. Does anyone know their hours of phone operation?

I had some luck with emailing RunDisney@disneysports.com with waiver questions.

 

[Pmm_]

Hi all -

Apologies if this has been covered.

I see an arrival time of 3:30 AM for the marathon, with a 5 AM start. In everyone's experience, should we arrive right at 3:30? Or is there some leeway since it won't start until 5?

We will be driving our own car to the parking lot/start and not taking a bus, if it makes a difference.

Thank you! Very excited for the race!

 

[camaker]

Any suggestions on accessing the waiver? My registration is listed but that’s it. My husband had both so he’s good. I thought I could print at the expo but see in the email that’s not an option. I called a couple of weeks ago and spoke to someone about adding the registration and my waiver to my account from my husband’s account but no longer see the waiver. I called again about a week ago and left a message for the prompt response but haven’t heard back and just left another message. Does anyone know their hours of phone operation?

There will be waivers available at the Expo if you’re not able to get it worked out on the phone beforehand. They had the same statement about waivers not being available at the Expo for Wine & Dine, but they were available. I’ve seen a lot of the same technical issues with the electronic waiver reported on social media as happened during Wine & Dine. They‘d really prefer it to be done electronically, but they know they have technical issues to be addressed.

 

[luv2cheer92]

could it also not be cold? Like 50s-60s during the races would be great, and then 70s in the afternoons. Thanks.

Selfishly, noooo! The colder the better haha. I get so hot so fast. 40 is like T shirt running weather for me. At least for the full, it can be warmer for the other distances haha

 

[luv2cheer92]

Hi all -

Apologies if this has been covered.

I see an arrival time of 3:30 AM for the marathon, with a 5 AM start. In everyone's experience, should we arrive right at 3:30? Or is there some leeway since it won't start until 5?

We will be driving our own car to the parking lot/start and not taking a bus, if it makes a difference.

Thank you! Very excited for the race!

It is by 3:30, not necessarily at 3:30. The earlier the better. Traffic got to be pretty crazy in 2020, so much so that people were getting out of cars on the side of the roads and walking. I'm planning on leaving my hotel by 2:30 at the latest for the full, driving in.

Also keep in mind that its a good mile-ish walk from the parking lot/bus drop off to the corrals. Its a long walk.

 

[Pmm_]

It is by 3:30, not necessarily at 3:30. The earlier the better. Traffic got to be pretty crazy in 2020, so much so that people were getting out of cars on the side of the roads and walking. I'm planning on leaving my hotel by 2:30 at the latest for the full, driving in.

Also keep in mind that its a good mile-ish walk from the parking lot/bus drop off to the corrals. Its a long walk.

Thank you. I'm really happy I asked. Good luck with your run!

 

[Livelovedance]

I also got a Peloton and am loving it! I wish there were more Disney classes.

This is so amazing!!!

Kudos on having a training plan and sticking to it. Since you did, IMHO, you'll do fine. You got this.

Thank you so much!

 

[fatmanatee]

SAFD: honestly? I'm just proud that I've managed to survive the last 5 months of 2021. It hasn't been easy.

And while this doesn't really fall into an "I'm proud of..." theme, I'll take the opportunity to share that I managed to pull off my finally Dopey 3/5/12/20 simulation this past weekend. Weather for my 20-miler was a starting temp of 70*, finishing temp of 80*, and a feels like of 85* with high humidity: think 2020 WDW Marathon. NOT. ideal. I can't say I finished feeling strong, or pleased with my effort, or proud to have gotten through it - mostly I was just hot, nauseous, and kind of out of it lol - but I did come away with a really strong confidence that I am 100% okay with saying, "no thanks" if the race itself is hot again, or if the pain is too much. That's a big win for me, as I'm stubborn and not inclined to letting myself not finish what I've started, to my own detriment. So yay me!

But.

If it could not be hot again this year? That's would be really nice.

Funny (or maybe not) that you mention the weather, because I recently started looking at the temps down there to get a sense of what we might be in for, and oof.

 

[camaker]

Selfishly, noooo! The colder the better haha. I get so hot so fast. 40 is like T shirt running weather for me. At least for the full, it can be warmer for the other distances haha

Yikes! 40 is thermal long sleeve shirt, full tights and gloves for me!

 

[makelab]

Any suggestions on accessing the waiver? My registration is listed but that’s it. My husband had both so he’s good. I thought I could print at the expo but see in the email that’s not an option. I called a couple of weeks ago and spoke to someone about adding the registration and my waiver to my account from my husband’s account but no longer see the waiver. I called again about a week ago and left a message for the prompt response but haven’t heard back and just left another message. Does anyone know their hours of phone operation?

there are instructions to de-link so you can sign your own, but they did not work for W&D, and they didn't work this time either. I wouldn't bother calling or emailing - I did this every day for a week before W&D - they got back to me 2 days after the race. They have printed waivers ready, because, I am guessing, they know that the de-link doesn't work.