runDisney 2013!!!

[Mr Tony]

I am new to the message boards here and am looking to connect with some other runners to run some Disney races together. I would love to do the Disneyland 1/2 and 10k in September. Let me know if anyone else is planning to running at Disneyland.

[Aww Phooey]

I am new to the message boards here and am looking to connect with some other runners to run some Disney races together. I would love to do the Disneyland 1/2 and 10k in September. Let me know if anyone else is planning to running at Disneyland.

I am! Visiting the Land has always been a bucket list item for me. But since I just finished the WDW Half, that clinches it. I'm going for the Coast to Coast!

[Hokeyboy]

Just did the Disney World Marathon last Sunday, my first, and WOW was that an ordeal!! All the training in the world could NOT have prepared me for pulling my quad at mile 19 or that blistering 80+ degree heat that snuck out around 9am. Wowsers. :-\

Bring on the next one

The highlight was bumping into Lou and WDW Radio crew as I entered Main Street during the run, and ran over to give Lou a fist pump. He's the reason I started running in the first place, after listening to all the podcasts about Marathon weekend.

Incidentally if anyone wants to read my goofball write-up on the race, check the blog link below. I tried not to get too verbose about it (and failed, LOL).

[Mr Tony]

Aww Phooey, that's awesome. How did the WDW 1/2 go for you?

I am still debating the cost and time. If I don't do this one, I probably won't get to a runDisney event until 2015, which is kinda depressing. But my youngest runs XC and track. I would love for her to run with me but she can't fit those events into her schedule. Hopefully when she graduates from high school.

[Aww Phooey]

Aww Phooey, that's awesome. How did the WDW 1/2 go for you?

I am still debating the cost and time. If I don't do this one, I probably won't get to a runDisney event until 2015, which is kinda depressing. But my youngest runs XC and track. I would love for her to run with me but she can't fit those events into her schedule. Hopefully when she graduates from high school.

*raises the topic from the deeeeead ooooooooo*

My group and I unanimously declared it to be awesome. It was my first race for any distance longer than 10K but my sisters have done this distance before. They said it was the best race experience they've ever had in terms of organization and crowd support.

Physically....well I will say that for the first time in my life, I was scared at the idea of doing 26.2. Even after my first 10K I felt I could double that. After the Half I was completely terrified. That distance is no slouch.

I'd say I made two big mistakes in training...

1.) I focused a LOT of good training time towards getting a good 10K time for corral placement...or at least ANY corral other than the last one. I'm so slow I wanted every minute I could get because I otherwise would not be able to afford bathroom breaks or stops at the first aid tents. I got what I wanted but my "real" half marathon training was just a crunch at the end. I think I took on too much too fast. But since my 10K time is still good for the DL half, I can follow and longer, more gradual, plan from the beginning.

2.) I never actually ran 13 miles before the race. I only got as far as 11 before scaling back. For a lot of people this is okay but I mentally sabotaged myself walking to the start corrals. I felt very unready and seriously doubted that I would finish due to slowing down too much in those last two miles. The fear of getting swept got to me and I made that STUPID mistake of starting out too fast I was so freaked out over it.

4 hours after I finished, I was so high on endorphins I was chittering away like a squirrel going "I think I can do the full. I'm gonna do the full. Maybe I can do the full? I am so registering for the full".

I did end up registering for the 2014 full. But with the new proof of time requirements it makes my DL race more important than before. I'm proud of myself for making through the Half. But to be honest my time was kinda heartbreaking...just a few seconds over the 16 min/mile pace requirement. I stopped to take too many pictures I guess.

I can't think of a better place to run through. I still have not caught the "running bug" and I care more about "running all over Disney World" then I do about "running a marathon". If you can save the money and commit the time, go for it! I think you will be shocked at what you are capable of.

EDIT: I see you are pressed for time in a "now or much later" sort of way. I definitely feel for you there. I NEED to get this off my bucket list while I still have only one very portable child who is not yet obligated to attend school. Otherwise I don't really know when my next chance will be.