Marathon Weekend 2020

[JulieODC]

I can’t get the document to open - but I am pretty sure my goals are on track. No injuries, training on schedule (83 runs and counting - haven’t missed one), and ready to just get across the finish line!

 

[StarGirl11]

As I’m standing here at 6:10 at Hollywood Studios waiting after getting here at 5:30 I’m just glad glad they started implementing backup boarding groups and we can hopefully use them marathon weekend because this is insane

 

[BigEeyore]

@DopeyBadger - you know we are all cheering for you to get that BQ! I am a huge believer in cross training, especially since I came to distance running primarily through triathlon, so hopefully the cycling will pay off! I can relate to having old injuries from long ago creeping up and then magically going away only to be replaced by some other old issue. I think I have learned so much about how to deal with things and daily maintenance (rolling, stretching, icing etc) that it helps keep the demons at bay.

SAFD:
Come into the weekend (and come out of it) healthy - time will tell....but so far (knock on wood!) the body is hanging in there!
Run the entire marathon (with breaks at character stops and to refill my bottle as needed - still hoping for this but my long runs have been way more struggle bus than they should have been ever since MCM
Meet some of you awesome people IRL! - I don't think I will make the HH meet up as I am traveling with a *non-DIS* friend (gasp) but if there are pre-race meet ups I will be there! Also hoping we can get a group together to crash DHS early Monday morning to get on RoTR!

 

[bellanotte10]

This may sound silly, but one thing I remember from my first marathon was that in addition to the expected leg stiffness/soreness in the days after the race, I didn't expect my biceps and forearms to also be stiff/sore. Turns out I guess I kept my elbows around much the same angle for 5 hours and didn't realize that I'd done so until the days following the race when the stiffness occurred. So now I make sure I shake out arms at regular intervals.

Good luck on marathon #1!

when i was in a pace group doing princess in 2017 every so often they made us stick our hands up in the air and wave them around to prevent this. now its just a habit of mine.

 

[Dopey 2020]

As I’m standing here at 6:10 at Hollywood Studios waiting after getting here at 5:30 I’m just glad glad they started implementing backup boarding groups and we can hopefully use them marathon weekend because this is insane

Looking at hours this morning because I just finished FPs for February and there may be a little less pressure. HS is scheduled to open at 8AM during marathon weekend. That extra hour to leave the race and get in line is huge.

 

[mbrittb00]

As I understand there are only certain spots where they actually sweep runners. With that in mind are there any "sweep safe" rides on any of the courses? Based on our corral placement, I expect that we will start with 30-45 mins of buffer, then run ~13 min miles, so we'll gain as the race proceeds.

 

[PrincessV]

As I understand there are only certain spots where they actually sweep runners. With that in mind are there any "sweep safe" rides on any of the courses? Based on our corral placement, I expect that we will start with 30-45 mins of buffer, then run ~13 min miles, so we'll gain as the race proceeds.

There really is no "safe" place: they can, and will, sweep at any point. There are points at which they do a hard sweep: anyone behind pace at those points will be swept. But they can also sweep via golf cart within EP if someone is in medical distress or very behind pace. Even in the 5K - I was in line for a character pic near the end of this year's 5K and was informed that they needed us to get a move on and we could either hop a ride on the golf cart or get moving and finish on our own.

But with your pace, you do not need to worry at all. I run slower than that (MUCH slower when taking my sweet time in the short races!) and have never been swept.

 

[vicarrieous]

Because I am lazy and can't seem to find the calculation, what time with races be in HS on Sunday?

 

[StarGirl11]

Okay so whatever trouble we or anyone has trying to get to DHS from Epcot after the races...it’s worth it. This is coming from the girl who got three hours of sleep because of issues with getting comfortable last night.

I actually started tearing up, not to the story just a response to the entire darn thing. I had a visceral response to the darn thing. I didn’t even get teary eyes during Flight Of Passage the first time. And I love that ride!

 

[steph0808]

Magic bands were delivered yesterday! Woot woot! It is getting so close!

 

[DopeyBadger]

@DopeyBadger - you know we are all cheering for you to get that BQ! I am a huge believer in cross training, especially since I came to distance running primarily through triathlon, so hopefully the cycling will pay off! I can relate to having old injuries from long ago creeping up and then magically going away only to be replaced by some other old issue. I think I have learned so much about how to deal with things and daily maintenance (rolling, stretching, icing etc) that it helps keep the demons at bay.

Thanks, I appreciate it. The cross training has worked to keep me healthy, but it sure does take a lot of extra effort/time to equal the same running fitness level. Just using my Garmin VO2max value as a rough estimate of running fitness (without going into extensive detail about how it works and the pitfalls; and these values are personally for me).

Running Garmin VO2max of 56 minimally needed (3:10 marathon fitness): 7 hours of running OR 4.5 hrs run + 7.5 hrs cycle + 5 hrs strength (12 hrs aerobic)
Running Garmin VO2max of 59 minimally needed (3:01 marathon fitness): 9 hours of running OR 5.5 hrs run + 9 hrs cycle + 3 hrs strength (14.5 hrs aerobic)

So dropping running by 2.5 hrs (35%) took a replacement of 7.5 hrs of structured indoor cycling (or 3x as much time spent running). In the case of the higher VO2max value, a drop of 3.5 hrs (38%) took a replacement of 9 hrs of structured indoor cycling (or 2.5x as much time spent running). So the data for me reinforces that I can't simply swap out a 60 min run with a 60 min bike of equal difficulty. A 60 min run is more equally replaced by a 150-180 min indoor structured ride.

One thing I don't think the Garmin VO2max is capturing well is how my body is composed now against when I was only primarily running. I weigh about 170 pounds right now which is 13 pounds heavier than when I was at my peak running fitness (based on PRs and Garmin VO2max). Since my Garmin VO2max is roughly the same now, but yet 13 pounds heavier, means my Absolute VO2max is far higher today than it was then. Same running speed, but my body is arguably more fit. The cycling and strength has definitely added muscle mass to areas of my body that were no where near developed with just running. Additionally, I feel my fatigue resistance has risen considerably with the cycling/strength. It feels like I can't maintain pace, but then I still am. So it's definitely paid off, but the time commitment is probably something I can't repeat again for some time.

I'm very interested to see what happens when I finally get to taper and shed all of this cumulative fatigue. If I'm healthy, there's a very small portion of data that says something truly special could happen on marathon day.

Because I am lazy and can't seem to find the calculation, what time with races be in HS on Sunday?

The leaders of the race will enter DHS around 7:00am (assuming around a 2:20 marathon finish). The balloon ladies are projected to be exiting DHS around noon. The actual portion of the course in DHS is fairly minimal.

 

[mrebuck]

Did anyone order the Marathon weekend magic bands? If so, have you received them?

I ordered mine months ago, and while I've received the regular resort bands, I haven't received the Marathon band. I emailed RunDisney about it, but they never responded.

 

[ANIM8R]

"A total of 19 beverage stations will be set up along the course offering DASANI® water and POWERADE. There will be five food stops located along the course. Chiquita bananas will be available at Mile 12.1 and Mile 18.3. Sport Beans® Energizing Jelly Beans® will be distributed at Mile 15.9 and Mile 20.1. Sponges will be provided at Mile 17.9, and candy will be available at Mile 23.2 "

The sponges were delicious! I had two of them...but I sure felt sluggish the rest of the race.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

Did anyone order the Marathon weekend magic bands? If so, have you received them?

I ordered mine months ago, and while I've received the regular resort bands, I haven't received the Marathon band. I emailed RunDisney about it, but they never responded.

I ordered one. They will not be mailed—you have to pick them up at the expo, like other pre-purchased race items.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

The sponge is actually funny to me now, for a strange reason. I was feeling nauseous during the final miles last year, and I distracted myself by focusing on the texture of the sponge in my hand (whatever works, right?). In all of our pictures after the sponge stop, you can see it in my hand. I carried that thing almost to the finish line before I tossed it.

 

[mrebuck]

I ordered one. They will not be mailed—you have to pick them up at the expo, like other pre-purchased race items.

Thank you!

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Potentially stupid question about ME/luggage: To ease my stress about getting to the expo on time on Thursday, I may just take an uber directly from the airport rather than ME to my resort, then a bus to the expo. Do you know if I can put my luggage tags on my check in bag and have it get to my resort, even if I don't take the bus myself?

 

[rteetz]

Potentially stupid question about ME/luggage: To ease my stress about getting to the expo on time on Thursday, I may just take an uber directly from the airport rather than ME to my resort, then a bus to the expo. Do you know if I can put my luggage tags on my check in bag and have it get to my resort, even if I don't take the bus myself?

Disney tells you this won’t work. Now if you don’t want to chance it probably best to keep the tags off. It does work though sometimes too.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Disney tells you this won’t work. Now if you don’t want to chance it probably best to keep the tags off. It does work though sometimes too.

Ok thanks, this is what I was afraid of. I wish I could fit everything into a carry-on, but packing light is not a talent I have!

 

[ZellyB]

Potentially stupid question about ME/luggage: To ease my stress about getting to the expo on time on Thursday, I may just take an uber directly from the airport rather than ME to my resort, then a bus to the expo. Do you know if I can put my luggage tags on my check in bag and have it get to my resort, even if I don't take the bus myself?

I've never done this but I've read multiple times on the board that you can do this. Officially Disney says no, but the luggage is actually handled by different people than ME and it doesn't appear that they try to cross-check if you rode ME or not. Lots of anecdotal posts on here of people who have done this successfully, so up to you if worth a shot. I really think they just look for the tags and if they are there they yank them and send them.