Marathon Weekend 2024

[Sleepless Knight]

Just glad you got past the bacterial infection. From my very layman's knowledge, those can be rather nasty.

Yeah, this one was not fun. I first felt its effects in early September, but thought it was nothing more than back pain which would pass in time. I continued to function pretty much normally for another 2-3 weeks having no idea that it was so much worse. Very happy to be running at all and working on keeping a positive mindset so as to not worry about being undertrained.

Has anyone had to lay off running entirely for 2-3 weeks leading into a race and been OK? This will be my 14th marathon, so I am not new to endurance running and hoping my body will hang in there!

Not my experience, but I know of two different ones. My sister finished Dopey 2020 untrained. She had only run a half in early September. She did have corral placement that put her not in the last corral and around mile 15 or 16 she started to regularly hear the pace warnings, but she kept going and finished. And she had been pretty sick with some sort of virus at Christmas time 2019.

Shortly after getting out of the hospital, I was speaking with a friend and he told me that he suffered an injury of some sort 3 weeks before a marathon. Rested for 3 weeks and finished.

And for anyone who feels good about training, but is dealing with a cold or something right now, I caught a nasty cold one week before leaving for Marathon Weekend 2019. I was a bit concerned how things would go, but at the end of each race, I could actually feel myself getting stronger so as was shared so wonderfully by @FFigawi from Coach Charles, trust your training and go in knowing that you can now enjoy it.

Or as College Football Hall of Fame football coach LaVell Edwards from BYU once said, "Even more important than the will to win is the will to prepare."

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

What we have to look forward to at the top of the ramp to Buena Vista Dr.

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What does this even mean? What are Super Fans?

 

[Stitch&Co.]

@Herding_Cats @Kerry1957 @DopeyBadger

That list is awesome. So much good information. Thank you for all the hard work you put into it. Usually, my DH has to figure out tracking for himself because the info I give him isn't very good apparently.

 

[1lilspark]

What does this even mean? What are Super Fans?

Streetmosphere Is my guess

 

[hurricanelucy]

Anybody organizing a betting pool on the weather?

I cannot lie. I looked... DON'T DO IT! Just... pack everything.

Guaranteed if I buy a pack of ponchos now it’ll be scorching! I have vacuum packed my big fluffy dressing gown that’s almost 10 years old in case it’s cold though!

 

[rundisfan]

What does this even mean? What are Super Fans?

They tell corny jokes. I might set a PR running away from them.

 

[Baloo in MI]

Hey all,
Sounds like a few have already left or arrived in DW, makes me both excited and a little jealous! My countdown calendar says I have 4 days yet to go before I get to go…

Many will do this on their own but I wanted to send a request to share with us how travel goes, when you arrive and of course how your races go! It is always fun to hear when people are on their way, the craziness travel always seems to provide and of course how races are going.

I will send one last SAFD on, well Sunday of course, but before and after that please share all the excitement and adventures your are experiencing. Safe travels!

 

[jrsharp21]

All checked in for my flight tomorrow! I was looking at my rental car reservation for our arrival tomorrow. I have a mini van reserved through National Emerald Club. I was playing around with arrival times on my reservation and noticed that if I do change something on the reservation, mini van is not available to reserve anymore. Started thinking about what else is going on in the area. Then I remembered that the Citrus Bowl is on Monday in Orlando, Tennessee vs Iowa. My son goes to Tennessee. We have our Tennessee orange gear packed. My guess is you are going to see a lot of Tennessee orange and Iowa yellow around the parks this weekend/early next week.

 

[GirlfromTN]

I’m placing a grocery order so I will have food in my room, and have a DVC studio so will have the mini fridge and microwave. So far I’ve added bananas, almond butter packs, uncrustables, microwave Mac and cheese cups, and water to my cart. What else do you all bring/order to eat in the room? I’m doing Dopey for the first time so want to have stuff for breakfast and snacks or light meals in the room, so any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[The Expert]

The shoe cover comes in a pack of 50, so if anyone is around BLT, I’ll happily share!

I'm staying at BLT and will take you up on that!

What else do you all bring/order to eat in the room?

From my Dopey shopping list last year (though I'm in a 1 bed with a full kitchen):
coffee
half & half
water
apples
peanut butter
english muffins
avocado
sliced cheese
mandarin oranges
bananas
publix Iced Tea

I also usually buy salt and pepper shakers since they only give you a few condiment packs, if anything.

 

[RunWI1265]

What else do you all bring/order to eat in the room?

bagels
Cream cheese
Coffee creamer
Fruit
Pb
Bread
Sliced Turkey and cheese
Yogurt
String cheese
Premade salad mix from deli (w protein)
I get the 2.5 gallon containers of water so I have enough for races and to drink for my entire trip. Still cannot do the tap water down there.

Bringing from home…
Cliff bars
Gummy bears

 

[dobball23]

I’m just trying to get through today’s weather. This is what I woke up to in NW Florida. The wind today is brutal. It was about 5 degrees warmer back home in Orlando.

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I've been in Southwest Florida for nearly two weeks and while it hasn't been that cold, I was hoping for more summer-like conditions than we've experienced. Instead, we've had more spring/fall, which is still better than back home in PA!

 

[PrincessV]

I’m placing a grocery order so I will have food in my room, and have a DVC studio so will have the mini fridge and microwave. So far I’ve added bananas, almond butter packs, uncrustables, microwave Mac and cheese cups, and water to my cart. What else do you all bring/order to eat in the room? I’m doing Dopey for the first time so want to have stuff for breakfast and snacks or light meals in the room, so any suggestions are appreciated!

My usual WDW bfast + snacks list:

bagels
peanut butter
oatmeal cups
Pouch of dried berries (for the oatmeal)
bananas
Clif bars
Cookies (a cookie and some milk always helps me fall asleep at night!)
milk
my preferred coffee & sugar
a travel mug for said coffee
herbal tea
an emergency can of Pepsi (it’s the only thing that helps if a migraine comes on)
Protein powder, shelf stable milk, and a shaker cup (so I can mix up a protein shake immediately after finishing races)
I also liked to grab a premade sandwich from the resort restaurant ahead of time, so if I’m ready for lunch but don’t want to go anywhere after a race, it’s there for me. Also because sometimes I’m ready for lunch at 10am after a race.

 

[Bree]

Our state is quite amazing with the disparate climates. It was 59 degrees with 94% humidity on my 5:30 run this morning in South Florida.

We were in Live Oak (halfway between Gainesville and Tallahassee) visiting my daughter’s horse that’s in training. There’s a frost advisory there for tonight! It’s wild how different the state of FL looks and how different the climate is depending on where you are.


I’m feeling so overwhelmed with getting packed and ready for Dopey and I live locally Goal tomorrow is to get all the Christmas decorations packed away and start packing my race gear.

Helpful tip for overpackers like me. Thank goodness we are flying Southwest to Disneyland

I use the giant ziploc bags and pack each outfit in there along with throwaway clothes and label which race it’s for. I also pack another quart sized bag with pre-race and race stuff like a Mylar blanket, poncho, hand warmers, cheap stretchy gloves, fuel, etc and add it to the bag with my race outfit. I also pack a post race baggie with Mylar blanket, poncho, hand warmers, etc. I am a visual person so it helps me to see each day and make sure I am not forgetting anything! Some of those items end up returning home with me, but I save them for future races. It was so cold after the 5K and 10K last year. The temperatures will take a dip as the sun comes up so I’m thankful I had my Mylar blankets in my gear check bag because RunDisney did not hand any out.

 

[The Expert]

Meetup signs are printed! I cut them to fit in a giant ziploc bag, in case it's rainy.

 

[Donna3271]

I know the answer is probably no but does RunDisney ever allow for a replacement runner? My dad has had a medical emergency and now my mom is not wanting to leave him so she cannot do the race anymore. We are both signed up for the 10K. My brother has said he will step in and do it with me, I know the website says the registration is not refundable or transferable but was wondering if anyone has had any luck. She is going to call RunDisney and explain the situation to see if my brother can take her spot so her registration is not wasted. Hoping they will sprinkle some pixie dust.

Email them. They will help. I did not ask for a replacement runner, but last year they issued me a $200 Disney gift card, which I applied to the hotel room this year. They are VERY UNDERSTANDING. They will help if they can.

 

[Blue Caterpillar]

UGH after getting through all the training runs with no issues, during my 20 miler two weeks ago I started having some pain in my lower leg/ankle/foot. I haven't run since, but have been doing cycling and swimming. Have been to the doctor twice, and they think it is tibial nerve inflammation and did some treatments on me (sports chiro). I have one more DR appointment before I leave for Disney so still optimisitc that I will be able to run, but I'm worried.

Has anyone had to lay off running entirely for 2-3 weeks leading into a race and been OK? This will be my 14th marathon, so I am not new to endurance running and hoping my body will hang in there!

Add me to list of people who had to miss the last couple weeks of training before a marathon. I rolled my ankle on a stupid rock and sprained it. I was really nervous i wouldn't be able to finish but i did! It was my first and at 14 marathon you have a ton of past endurance to draw from, you got this!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Goal tomorrow is to get all the Christmas decorations packed away and start packing my race gear.

I've accepted my fate that Christmas will very likely remain up until after the Coast to Coast.

At least I'll have the tree lights to celebrate all that insanity when I get home. Plus, if I pick up any new ornaments, they can be immediately packed away.

 

[RuntheMouse]

I've accepted my fate that Christmas will very likely remain up until after the Coast to Coast.

At least I'll have the tree lights to celebrate all that insanity when I get home. Plus, if I pick up any new ornaments, they can be immediately packed away.

We left our tree up. We won’t be home until January 28th

 

[Bree]

I've accepted my fate that Christmas will very likely remain up until after the Coast to Coast.

At least I'll have the tree lights to celebrate all that insanity when I get home. Plus, if I pick up any new ornaments, they can be immediately packed away.

That may very well happen here too I’m hoping to at least get the outdoor decor down so I am not “that” neighbor. We have the ugliest scragliest landscaping in the neighborhood so I don’t really need any more attention drawn to my house