Official 2019 Star Wars Rival Run Weekend

[Stevee1982]

Finished my first half and first rundisney event. Definitely think the experience was worth it. The humidity destroyed me yesterday. I was pacing okay up until mile 8. I have no idea how folks are able to do the dopey challenge. I am so sore today.

 

[jaxonp]

Fun but brutally humid. I did the hottest half on record (Disneyland 2017), but this one seemed to take more out of me. Anyone still missing their medal pictures? Still don't have mine Last time they didn't show up either and I had to write. Fortunately the found them.

We are all zombies this morning since we were woken up at 2 am by the alarm sirens going off at BLT. Entire building was evacuated for about 30 minutes. Not fun. Apparently one person smoking can set the entire system off, according to the ONE cast member who was on site. I think that was the most alarming thing about the whole incident. They only have one cast member on site during the night for the entirety of BLT. Wow. I felt badly for the poor guy, but super frustrating and no info given. We were just told it was okay to go back to our rooms. Hoping to find out what happened when we check out later.

Disneyland 2017 was brutal. You had to be there to understand the level. I remember it being mid 80s at 4am. Lol. 100s by 10am but I finished!

 

[jmasgat]

Finished my first half and first rundisney event. Definitely think the experience was worth it. The humidity destroyed me yesterday. I was pacing okay up until mile 8. I have no idea how folks are able to do the dopey challenge. I am so sore today.

I've done Dopey. It's very different running in January. I have done races in Feb/Apr/May in FL, Disney and non, and those spring races can be killer. A person really needs to adjust their pace accordingly--there are pace calculators that will factor in temp and humidity.

On the off chance that you are thinking about doping Dopey one day, don't let this experience throw you off. It is totally doable. (Spoken as a non-heat/humidity loving "older" Northener)

 

[sullymom]

Finished the challenge and had an amazing time. This Canadian definitely wasn't prepared for the humidity but despite it finished my first half quicker than expected. I was in the last corral for the 10 and second last for the Half. Next time I will for sure submit POT.
Sadly I missed the meet ups. Hopefully next time I'll meet you wonderful people.

 

[Princess KP]

Finished the challenge and had an amazing time. This Canadian definitely wasn't prepared for the humidity but despite it finished my first half quicker than expected. I was in the last corral for the 10 and second last for the Half. Next time I will for sure submit POT.
Sadly I missed the meet ups. Hopefully next time I'll meet you wonderful people.

Congratulations!
This Canadian wasn't prepared either

 

[DopeyBadger]

Finished my first half and first rundisney event. Definitely think the experience was worth it. The humidity destroyed me yesterday. I was pacing okay up until mile 8. I have no idea how folks are able to do the dopey challenge. I am so sore today.

I've done Dopey. It's very different running in January. I have done races in Feb/Apr/May in FL, Disney and non, and those spring races can be killer. A person really needs to adjust their pace accordingly--there are pace calculators that will factor in temp and humidity.

On the off chance that you are thinking about doping Dopey one day, don't let this experience throw you off. It is totally doable. (Spoken as a non-heat/humidity loving "older" Northener)

Here's a calculation I like to use using Temperature + Dew Point:



For example, if the Temp (70) + Dew Point (60) is combined (130), then I check the chart for an adjustment of pace. So a T+D of 130 suggests a 2% adjustment. So if HM Tempo was 9:48, then consider aiming for 9:59 pace instead. It's a starting point calculation and everyone reacts differently, but it's a good place to check in on prior to a run/race. You can see how a 9:48 pace at T+D 100 (or HM Tempo) will probably feel more like 10 miler pace at a T+D of 130. So that 30 point differential means that pace is now meant for a 3.11 mile lesser distance on a likely perception of effort basis.

When coming from a colder climate to a warmer climate, one thing you can consider for future races is heat acclimation training. Overdressing in cold conditions to force a micro-climate close to your body that simulates heat/humidity. So for instance, if the temp outside is 30F, then I dress like it's 0-10F instead. Wearing a poorly circulating jacket. This will force adaptations in your body to help prepare for running in the warmer conditions on race day (sweat rate, thinning out of blood, increased plasma blood volume). Keep in mind that you'll be sweating a ton, so make sure to drink plenty of liquids during this type of run, and make sure you're mindful of cutting cool-downs short to prevent getting super cold from the sweat and lesser pace. It takes about 10-14 days to notice the effects of heat acclimation training.

Training in the cold, but racing in the heat: The need for heat acclimation
Humidity vs Temp (and Sunshine): What time of day should I run?

The other point is, that you trained for a half marathon and completed it. Those who do Dopey, train for Dopey and can complete it. So you may be sore today, and think how can I possibly? But if you put in the prerequisite training, then I certainly believe you can do it regardless of how sore you may feel today.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Disneyland 2017 was brutal. You had to be there to understand the level. I remember it being mid 80s at 4am. Lol. 100s by 10am but I finished!

We have our finisher photo by the red flag level sign the last section across the parking lot was horrible—wellniver 90 and absolutely no shelter from the sun! Ah, the memories

 

[cavepig]

Congrats everyone!

I might have missed if anyone posted, but how was it for spectators with the new rule of where they can be? My sister in law said they were shooed away on Osceola (by McDonald's) to watch. My brother didn't see anyone on the Broadwalk, but I'm thinking he may have just missed anyone and been too early for more spectators. Anyone see anyone cheering there or in Epcot (if you were late enough)?

Curious how it was.

 

[baxter24]

Congrats everyone!

I might have missed if anyone posted, but how was it for spectators with the new rule of where they can be? My sister in law said they were shooed away on Osceola (by McDonald's) to watch. My brother didn't see anyone on the Broadwalk, but I'm thinking he may have just missed anyone and been too early for more spectators. Anyone see anyone cheering there or in Epcot (if you were late enough)?

Curious how it was.

I remember seeing people cheering on the Boardwalk and outside Hollywood studios. No one was outside Animal Kingdom when I went through. All I saw by McDonald’s were bike guys and medics. It was a real bummer when I saw the updates about where people could spectate. It’s always a nice boost to run through somewhere with spectators.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Congrats everyone!

I might have missed if anyone posted, but how was it for spectators with the new rule of where they can be? My sister in law said they were shooed away on Osceola (by McDonald's) to watch. My brother didn't see anyone on the Broadwalk, but I'm thinking he may have just missed anyone and been too early for more spectators. Anyone see anyone cheering there or in Epcot (if you were late enough)?

Curious how it was.

When I ran by this part below, there were 3 Disney bike security officers at the circle by the road, and a handful of spectators with signs well off the road/down the bank near the other yellow circle. I didn’t think much of it at the time other than I remember thinking what are they doing so far off the road.

Have there been spectators here in the past?

 

[Mr. Drauer]

Congrats everyone!

I might have missed if anyone posted, but how was it for spectators with the new rule of where they can be? My sister in law said they were shooed away on Osceola (by McDonald's) to watch. My brother didn't see anyone on the Broadwalk, but I'm thinking he may have just missed anyone and been too early for more spectators. Anyone see anyone cheering there or in Epcot (if you were late enough)?

Curious how it was.

There was no one by the McDonalds on Osceola Parkway at all when I passed, and no one at all in Animal Kingdom parking lot. There were people on the Boardwalk, but much fewer than any other race I have done. They were primarily in areas where there was outdoor seating and not spread out throughout. There were not any people up at the top of the hill nearest beach club either as we went down into IG. Only people I saw in Epcot were those with PPO reservations. It was definitely a different feel. They even asked the winners if the spectators were good, and they said the finish area was great. No other mention.

FYI - in a related piece, they have also changed the parking lot situation, where spectators now have to pay to park anytime after 6:00 AM. Previously it was 7:00 (or until the booth CM's showed up) but it is now changed on the RunDisney spectator info page. My wife had to show her AP card both mornings.

 

[ANIM8R]

Fun but brutally humid. I did the hottest half on record (Disneyland 2017), but this one seemed to take more out of me. Anyone still missing their medal pictures? Still don't have mine Last time they didn't show up either and I had to write. Fortunately the found them.

We are all zombies this morning since we were woken up at 2 am by the alarm sirens going off at BLT. Entire building was evacuated for about 30 minutes. Not fun. Apparently one person smoking can set the entire system off, according to the ONE cast member who was on site. I think that was the most alarming thing about the whole incident. They only have one cast member on site during the night for the entirety of BLT. Wow. I felt badly for the poor guy, but super frustrating and no info given. We were just told it was okay to go back to our rooms. Hoping to find out what happened when we check out later.

2017 Disneyland Half! Wow! I was DRENCHED just standing in my corral!!! I used to tell all of my running friends here in Ohio how awesome running in SoCal is with it's warm temps and mild humidity - not that time! That was a tough run....and I really miss it!

So sorry about your recovery sleep getting ruined by that fire alarm. How frustrating!

 

[michigandergirl]

I had a great time running the 10K & half. These races were so much fun! I will try to post a recap in my journal sometime in the next week or two, but here's a few thoughts as I'm reading through the posts:

1. This northerner was sweating buckets in that humidity, which doesn't make for very flattering pictures.

2. Congrats to those of you who PR'd in those conditions. I took the opposite approach and stopped for pics just about every mile. I was certainly feeling all that time on my feet from park hopping all week (we walked 8 to 12 miles every day).

3. For the 10K, I was in corral A and know they closed it at exactly 5:15am because I just made it in before they were turning people away.

4. I also wondered about the lack of spectators in certain areas too. I didn't know if it was just not as popular as MW, but I didn't realize they had new rules either.

5. I enjoyed the half course a lot with the exception of that lovely waste water treatment plant area. I am also still waiting on a few photopass pics to show up.

6. It was nice seeing of a few of you again and also meeting new friends at the meet-ups.

Here’s my favorite pic:

 

[MommaoffherRocker]

Congrats everyone!

I might have missed if anyone posted, but how was it for spectators with the new rule of where they can be? My sister in law said they were shooed away on Osceola (by McDonald's) to watch. My brother didn't see anyone on the Broadwalk, but I'm thinking he may have just missed anyone and been too early for more spectators. Anyone see anyone cheering there or in Epcot (if you were late enough)?

Curious how it was.

There wasn’t anyone but cast members in front of AK, no marching band in the parking lot like in the past. There was one family in the parking lot but far from any cast members. There was no one on the course by the McDonald’s but there was people in the parking lot at the bottom of the hill cheering. I would say there was half as many people on the boardwalk. It seemed to me like there was a higher police presence for this race, even at the expo. Made me wonder if something was up or they were just there to prevent problems from spectators being turned away. I also felt like there wasn’t as many 501st out this year.

 

[Stevee1982]

Here's a calculation I like to use using Temperature + Dew Point:

View attachment 393368

For example, if the Temp (70) + Dew Point (60) is combined (130), then I check the chart for an adjustment of pace. So a T+D of 130 suggests a 2% adjustment. So if HM Tempo was 9:48, then consider aiming for 9:59 pace instead. It's a starting point calculation and everyone reacts differently, but it's a good place to check in on prior to a run/race. You can see how a 9:48 pace at T+D 100 (or HM Tempo) will probably feel more like 10 miler pace at a T+D of 130. So that 30 point differential means that pace is now meant for a 3.11 mile lesser distance on a likely perception of effort basis.

When coming from a colder climate to a warmer climate, one thing you can consider for future races is heat acclimation training. Overdressing in cold conditions to force a micro-climate close to your body that simulates heat/humidity. So for instance, if the temp outside is 30F, then I dress like it's 0-10F instead. Wearing a poorly circulating jacket. This will force adaptations in your body to help prepare for running in the warmer conditions on race day (sweat rate, thinning out of blood, increased plasma blood volume). Keep in mind that you'll be sweating a ton, so make sure to drink plenty of liquids during this type of run, and make sure you're mindful of cutting cool-downs short to prevent getting super cold from the sweat and lesser pace. It takes about 10-14 days to notice the effects of heat acclimation training.

Training in the cold, but racing in the heat: The need for heat acclimation
Humidity vs Temp (and Sunshine): What time of day should I run?

The other point is, that you trained for a half marathon and completed it. Those who do Dopey, train for Dopey and can complete it. So you may be sore today, and think how can I possibly? But if you put in the prerequisite training, then I certainly believe you can do it regardless of how sore you may feel today.

Thank you for sharing. My Apple Watch captured the weather at 68 degrees with 96% humidity to start the race.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Thank you for sharing. My Apple Watch captured the weather at 68 degrees with 96% humidity to start the race.

So a T+D of 135 (Temp of 68 and DP of 67). http://www.dpcalc.org/ That would be an estimated 2.5-3% pace adjustment.

One thing to keep in mind with future runs/races is that when I usually set up my race strategies with my runners, I look at the predicted end of race T+D. I like to use the worst case scenario and then pace the whole race based on that.

 

[Stevee1982]

So a T+D of 135 (Temp of 68 and DP of 67). http://www.dpcalc.org/ That would be an estimated 2.5-3% pace adjustment.

One thing to keep in mind with future runs/races is that when I usually set up my race strategies with my runners, I look at the predicted end of race T+D. I like to use the worst case scenario and then pace the whole race based on that.

Gotcha. Super helpful information. Such a supportive thread of folks. Happy to do the wine and dine half in November

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

2017 Disneyland Half! Wow! I was DRENCHED just standing in my corral!!! I used to tell all of my running friends here in Ohio how awesome running in SoCal is with it's warm temps and mild humidity - not that time! That was a tough run....and I really miss it!

So sorry about your recovery sleep getting ruined by that fire alarm. How frustrating!

Thanks for the sympathy—we are all at the airport trying not to fall asleep. It was confirmed this morning by the cast member on the phone when I called to checkout that it was a smoker who set it off. Grrrr. Hard to believe an entire hotel can be evacuated for that.

I really hope DLR races come back soon, but with Galaxy's Edge, I can’t see them in any hurry to bring in extra crowds. Hope I’m wrong though. But the radio silence on the subject by RunDisney doesn’t bode well

 

[BuckeyeBama]

My only disappointment for this race was the almost total lack of crowd support. I am too used to the high school band's and massive crowds cheering us on during marathon weekend. Not sure if this has always been the case for this race series or it was tied to the crowd control changes, but it was one of the least supported races that I have ever run for an event this size.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

My only disappointment for this race was the almost total lack of crowd support. I am too used to the high school band's and massive crowds cheering us on during marathon weekend. Not sure if this has always been the case for this race series or it was tied to the crowd control changes, but it was one of the least supported races that I have ever run for an event this size.

I hope who ever gets a survey for this weekend provides that feedback to them.