I've done GSC the last two years, and wow, what a huge difference in weather each year. 2014, 5k was ok cool enough for me but a touch muggy, I wasn't running that year, just spectating so I don't have a Garmin record of the temp. According to my Garmin history 10k was a balmy 70 at the start and a bit humid, the half was only 66 at the start (still warm for this New Englander) but it got hotter and hotter and increasingly humid, I was a puddle at the end. Fast forward to 2015. My Garmin puts the starts at 34 for the 5k, 43 for the 10k and 55 for the half.
Honestly, if I had to choose I would take this year over last year temp wise, but you can be sure I will pack wiser this year. I have tons of cold weather running gear, but had none of it with me. I visited with family in FL for 4 days before heading to Disney and the forecast when I left Massachusetts was very warm. So this year, I won't even look at forecasts and I will be bringing extra layers to both add warmth to my outfits or a tank as back up if I plan a short or long sleeve top for a costume but it seems too warm.
I didn't have great clothes for walking around after either. It honest to God took until 5:00 PM on the day of the 5k before I felt like I had truly warmed up. I had given my gloves to my dd7 (I tried to buy her some but she didn't want ugly black gloves!), had no long leggings and a light sweatshirt. And, we mostly walked with 3-4 run intervals because it was her first race and she was a bit surprised by the crowd. This year she wants to run it and is "training" so to speak, so at least there is hope for warming up
The thing I missed most were my SmartWool socks.
As for park time, it is very individual. I do the three early mornings then return to the hotel for a quick ice bath (10k and half only), followed by a quick shower and breakfast, then head to the parks (wearing compression socks) until around 2 PM. After that is resort downtime or a different park if the weather dictates no pool, then out to dinner at a resort or park. I don't go to bed until 10 and get up at 3 or 3:30 depending on the race. But (and believe me this is not always a good thing) I do not require much sleep. I got 4 hours last night and am fine, won't go to bed any earlier tonight. The nerves of the racing experience just keep me going all weekend. I think walking around after the races (in my compression socks only) helps me stay loose. But my mom needed a nap after the 5k last year, and my dad didn't leave the hotel at all after he did the 5k in 2014. My sister did GSC with me last year and she was able to go to bed earlier, got more sleep overnight, but didn't nap either. She toured the parks with us, but left immediately after lunch to get her younger (1 and 3) kids back for naps. She relaxed then. You have to know your body. Pay attention to how you feel in the hours following runs, especially long runs. If you feel great 2, 4, and 6 hours later, then parks are likely fine. But if you hit a wall a few hours later you'll know you need to take a break sometime after the runs. If you are doing back to back races, then at some point in your training rehearse that and see how you feel. They don't have to be long, just consecutive days to see how you handle it.
In other news, I went to PT this morning and they have decided my hamstring issue is tendinitis. It is always something!
Are there clocks at every mile marker?
